Author: bang1

He’s just finished three weeks in the Australian jungle (Picture: James Gourley/ITV/Shutterstock)
Coronation Street’s Alan Halsall has opened up about his contract renewal for the soap, after appearing in I’m A Celebrity.

The actor, who joined the ITV soap at the age of 16 in 1998, has signed a new deal with the show, which will see him playing Tyrone Dobbs throughout the entirety of 2025.

Alan swapped Weatherfield for Australia three weeks ago, as he jetted off ready to appear in ITV’s I’m A Celeb.

It was within the jungle camp that Alan opened up about playing Tyrone for such a long time.

Alan has played Ty since 1998 (Picture: ITV)
Reflecting on these fascinating chats and the news he’ll be playing the beloved character for at least another year, Alan said: ‘I’ve spoken a lot in camp of how humbling it is to be a very small part of Coronation Street.

‘To know that I’ve got a contract that will take me through that is incredibly humbling and proud for me and also proud for my family, being from Salford, growing up Coronation Street fans.

He continued to The Sun: ‘I’m thrilled to bits. That’s the job I love, so long may it continue. I’ll maybe have a couple of pints of Guinness to toast it.’

Alan’s campmate Danny Jones was crowned the winner last night (Picture: James Gourley/ITV/Shutterstock)Alan and GK Barry were voted out of I’m A Celebrity a day before the iconic Celebrity Cyclone took place.

Last night, the finale of the show aired.

After two more gruelling Bushtucker Trials, Reverend Richard Coles came third in the competition, with Coleen Rooney missing out on becoming Queen of the Jungle, as McFly’s Danny Jones was crowned the winner.

Tom Fletcher talks Danny Jones’ reality TV domination (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)
Danny Jones has conquered the I’m A Celebrity jungle and his partner-in-crime, McFly’s Tom Fletcher was hoping his friend would make history.

After 21 years together in show business there’s very little Danny and Tom haven’t done together from communal post-gig showers to writing musicals to judging on The Voice, and much, much more.

So naturally, Tom (lead vocalist of the hit 00s band) was Danny’s number one champion as he faced his biggest challenge yet – winning over the public on live TV.

‘He’s been my best friend since we were 16/17. We’ve grown up with each other so I’ve known for most my life that he is the most awesome human being I’ve ever met. I love that now all of the campmates and everyone watching is getting to see that side of him as well,’ the 39-year-old told Metro before Danny was crowned King of the Jungle.

Danny made quite the impression on the show, shocking campmate Dean McCullough after admitting him and his McFly bandmates took showers and baths together after gigs.

The All About You hitmaker, however, has taken the public revelation in his stride.

Danny has made some interesting McFly revelations in the jungle (Picture: Getty)
He quipped: ‘I mean, well, for us, that’s just normal. We didn’t realise there was anything weird about us for showering and having baths with each other.

‘News to me that that wasn’t just what everyone does after a gig. I thought all bands did that.’

Danny had big shoes to fill after his other bandmate Dougie Poynter won season 11 of the hit ITV reality series and Tom’s wife, podcaster and author Giovanna Fletcher, swooped to victory in season 20.

‘I think deep down all of us want to see him in the jungle doing some horrendous trials so we selfishly told him that he should definitely do it,’ Tom said about Danny asking his friends for advice ahead of the show.

Adding: ‘But I don’t know if he feels the pressure. You can’t go into any of these shows expecting to win. [They are] iconic British institutions and we all feel very lucky we are in a position that we get asked to be part of them.’

Danny was already on a winning streak after landing top spot on last year’s The Masked Singer and sharing the winning coach title with Tom on The Voice.

The duo have been close for over two decades (Picture: Getty)
Tom continued: ‘It would just be the cherry on top if he got to do the triple and win. I don’t think anyone’s ever done that before. I think that would be a pretty awesome end to the year. I think he deserves to win.’

But with so many I’m A Celeb alumni around him, Tom is more than content to pass on risking himself in the Australian wilderness.

’I’ve had my moment on Strictly and I let the side down by not winning,’ he reflected.

‘I think I was the first one of us to not win a reality show so maybe my time’s up. Plus we’ve already got an I’m A Celeb crown in the house so that’s [Gi’s] thing.’

Although Danny has been on the other side of the world, he is still with Tom in spirit as one of the collaborators on the musical adaptation of his bestselling children’s book, The Creakers.

As his ‘first fully-fledged musical’, the Brit award winner has described the project as a ‘dream come true’ and a ‘pinch-me-moment’ in his career so far.

And, as someone also working on West End’s highly-anticipated Paddington: The Musical, he has happily shifted gear from album-penning to stage-writing.

The Creakers musical adaptation is a ‘dream come true’ for Tom (Picture: Getty)
‘As an almost 40-year-old [it’s difficult] to find something to write about for the band that isn’t doing the school runs and the mundane of real life. It was a lot easier when we were 18 and were fuelled with angst and romance to find inspiration for lyrics,’ he joked.

The story (as with all Tom’s children-based work, he is sense-checked by his ‘brutally honest’ sons, six, eight and 10) follows Lucy, a young girl who wakes up one day to find all the adults have disappeared.

‘There’s a bit of spookiness, a lot of magic and on the stage, amazing puppetry, incredible choreography, amazing set design and staging. It’s a real magical theater experience for the whole family,’ he teased.

The That Girl singer has accumulated plenty of experience in the music industry over the years. But his success didn’t stop him from feeling ‘nervous’ when he and Danny started as coaches on The Voice.

‘I’ve always been hesitant to give advice and I never wanted to feel like I was coming across like I knew everything about the music business and what people should do. The truth is, no one does,’ he explained.

But after seeing so many of his idols, like fellow mentor Sir Tom Jones himself, ‘winging it’ it gave him the confidence he needed to share his stories.

McBusted are no more – it’s time for the ultimate showdown (Picture: Getty)
Perhaps the most unexpected part of the gig was realising just how much ‘undiscovered talent’ there was.

He added: ‘You weren’t waiting for someone great to come along, you could have turned for anyone.’

As he gets swept up in a busy festive period, however, Tom is already looking toward 2025 which promises an unconventional reunion with Busted.

Danny Jones opens up to the Mirror about his amazing Jungle journey in a wide-ranging exclusive interview

After three long, mostly wet weeks in the Australian jungle, it was the perfect tonic that Danny Jones needed.

His reunion with his wife Georgia and their six-year-old son Cooper was one of the most moving moments of the entire series as he sobbed in their arms. And the scene clearly struck a chord with viewers as they voted in their millions to make him King of the Jungle on Sunday night.

Now in an exclusive interview with the Mirror, Danny has spoken of the tender moments they all shared behind the scenes – which kept him going to the very end. “It was the most beautiful moment of my entire life,” he says. “ I remember Cooper’s little smile and his little face which was so excited to see me…it was just pure love and emotion.”

Going into I’m a Celebrity, Danny says his focal point was to make Cooper proud. And faced with his boy again after such a long time, it was clear from speaking to him that he had done just that. “I said, ‘are you being a good boy for mummy?’ and he said ‘I’m the talk of the school, daddy.’”, says Danny.

Winner: Danny reveals all ( 
Image:
Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)

In fact, his boy had been trying to emulate his dad on TV by making up his own Bushtucker trials at home. “He went to me, ‘I hope you don’t bring any, any critters home,” he says laughing. As well as the three weeks in camp, Danny was also on lockdown without his phone for a further week.

“I’ve never been away from Georgia or Cooper for that long. Even on tour, we tend to come home at the weekends,” he says. “But there was no contact for a month.” For Georgia, she was thrilled to see her husband again. “She told me how proud she was of me and I just cried and cried. It really kept me going after what had been a testing experience at times,” he says.

It was not the only time Danny let it all out. Viewers also watched as he bravely spoke about how he’d been in therapy since he was 19-years-old for anxiety after his dad left home. It all got too much at one point as he was comforted by Tulisa Contostavlos and Oti Mabuse.

And it seems his McFly bandmates are clearly not afraid to show their feelings too. Danny says how he Face-Timed Dougie Poynter shortly after leaving camp who was left in tears by his victory. “He said to me something that I would never have thought would come out of his mouth,” he explains. “He went, ‘mate, i’m so proud of my best mate, and every time I watched you, I just had tears in my eyes.”

Pool Life: Danny relaxing ( 
Image:
Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)
Coming from Dougie who won the same show 13 years previously was an extra special moment. “We don’t talk like that normally, and I thought there was a joke coming but there wasn’t,” Danny laughs. “He was like, ‘I was just so proud of my best mate. I said, ‘Dougie, you’re going to make me cry here sunshine if you carry on.’”

On the way back in the stretch hummer from camp to his hotel, he also watched video messages from his other bandmates. “Dougie was awake as he was in the Bahamas, but the other boys were asleep so had done little videos online for me. Tom was saying ‘we love you to bits…we’re so proud of you.’ We don’t speak like that to each other in everyday life, so it was incredible really.”

Entering the jungle, Danny says he never expected in a million years to open up so much. “Only my wife really sees that side of me….in fact only my nearest and dearest have ever seen it,” he says. “I wouldn’t do that usually but that’s what the jungle did to me. I was tired, hungry, lethargic, and my calorie deficit was crazy. My guard was down, and I just let it all out.”

He says he has been amazed by the incredibly positive reaction to his tears. “Hopefully by talking about these things, it makes the world a little less lonely for other people.” On a personal level too, he says his opening up in camp had helped ease his own struggles.

“I’ve not felt anxiety for a while, but I do get a sadness about things these days. I haven’t talked about it for so many years, and now I’m willing to talk about it because I know it helps me. It’s like a little stepping stone to healing, and that backpack that I’ve been carrying since I was 19 years old, is getting a little bit lighter every time.”

Danny Jones won on Sunday night ( 
Image:
Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)Danny says there was a real camaraderie among the contestants given the atrocious weather conditions, which saw record rainfall hit the camp. He says it got so bad at times they had to be evacuated TWICE and shelter in the Bush Telegraph. “It was one of the hardest nights, we were all quite cramped and I think there were still 12 of us then as well, all boiling-hot in close proximity. The rain also meant the leeches were searching for you and I was literally on leech check every day.”

Viewers watched as Danny gravitate towards Barry McGuigan with the two men striking up a close friendship. In moving scenes, he told on screen how he had “found a dad” as he is estranged from his real father. “I thought I would love Barry because of Barry the boxer, the legend, but all of a sudden, we’re actually bonding, like father and son in there,” he says.

“And he reminded me of my granddad as well, in a way, where he’s just a bit of a laugh, really thoughtful, and he got really protective over me. He filled that space of craving a father figure.” And it was this relationship – as well as with Oti Mabuse and Dean McCullough – that saw Danny emerge from those testing early days and flourish.

Soon he was regaling everyone with his musical talents, and also tackling his job as camp leader with relish. But he was joined in the singing stakes by Barry, who stunned everyone with his smooth, soulful voice. Not least Danny. “I would love to do a song with Barry. Honestly, I think we should do a swing album…that’s a great idea,” he says. “He’s got a really good voice, and I love how much joy he gets from singing.”

As for what’s next for Danny….well, anything’s possible given the clear love the British public has put his way. ITV are thought to be weighing up a series of TV projects for him in the wake of his success , and another McBusted tour is scheduled.

For Danny nothing fazes him. “I feel like they know the real me now..I am not afraid of anything anymore,” he says.

Ruth Jones has hinted that there could be a death in the final episode of Gavin and Stacey in a twist that is set to shock fans ahead of the show airing

Gavin and Stacey star Ruth Jones has hinted that fans could see a death this Christmas.

Both Ruth and co-creator James Corden appeared on Zoe Ball’s BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show on Tuesday as they revealed they would be wrapping on the BBC sitcom later in the day. On Christmas Day, the show will come to an end after 17 years of entertaining fans with the dramas surrounding Gavin and Stacey Shipman, Nessa, Pam and Mick as well as Gwen and Uncle Bryn.

Writer Ruth confirmed that the new episode will pick up from the final scene of the last episode which aired on December 25, 2019. Viewers at the time saw Nessa propose to Smithy in a dramatic twist following years of a tumultuous relationship. But in a major bombshell, Ruth, 58, hinted that there could be more to be upset over, rather than the fact the show is coming to an end.

“It’s strange, James and I have always felt, they really do exist,” she said when asked whether they were “ready” to say goodbye. Ruth added: “It’s not like they’re dying, well… Watch the final,” as Zoe and those in the studio let out an audible gasp. Zoe exclaimed: “Oh gosh, the whole console have got their hands on their mouth. What?!”

Ruth Jones has hinted there could be more heartbreak for Gavin and Stacey fans ( 
Image:
PA)

The Welsh actress and comedian continued: “We feel like they still exist, for us, they’re carrying on living their lives in Barry, or in Billericay it’s just that we are not party to what goes on in their life anymore.” But after almost two decades of working with one another, James and Ruth left fans guessing over what may have happened on the infamous fishing trip with Uncle Bryn and Jason.

The trip has been shrouded in secrecy, with neither character speaking about it. When the trip is brought up in conversation, the room automatically falls silence before the topic of conversation is changed. But it appears that any drama is firmly in the past as the cast enjoyed one last laugh together.

Although the team have been enjoying working together once again, during their appearance on the Breakfast Show, Ruth and James confirmed that the final time they will all be in the same room is fast approaching. The pair will be joined by Joanna Page, Mat Horne, Rob Brydon, Alison Steadman, Larry Lamb and Rob Wilfort as they take over the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show for one day on Monday, December 23.

Gavin and Stacey will come to an end on Christmas Day after almost two decades of entertaining fans ( 
Image:
PA)
Ruth confirmed that this date would be the final time she and her co-stars appear together, despite fans pleading for more episodes in the future. And it appears that the group have already figured out their roles, with Ruth revealing that James Corden had decided she would be in control of the mixing deck for the morning.

However, Ruth recently confirmed that there were also plenty of tears on the set as filming came to an end. She said: “It was sad, of course. This is the last time these characters will ever be on screen. And it was nostalgic because we’d be on set with the cast and we’d go down memory lane.”

Meanwhile, James who plays Gavin’s best friend, Smithy commented: “Gavin & Stacey is just a huge part of my life, it changed my life in every way. The thing it means to me most is my friendship with Ruth. To have an idea with a friend in a hotel in Leeds 20 years ago and then be sat here today with what it’s become… If you think about it too much you could really just start crying all the time. I love her so much and I’m so proud of what we’ve done.”

Joanna, 47, who plays Stacey, said: “Being on set for the last time with everybody for the last day was traumatic. I burst out crying again and again. I just alternated between hysterically crying and hysterically laughing. It just felt like it was such a huge journey that was ending.”

Gavin & Stacey: The Finale airs on Christmas Day at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer

Coleen Rooney was the last woman standing in the jungle and came second in the series, narrowly losing out to McFly star Danny Jones. She speaking exclusively to the Mirror about her time on the show

With her quiet confidence and stoic resilience, she appeared on the face of it to practically breeze through to the I’m a Celebrity final.

But Coleen Rooney has revealed for the first time how she secretly questioned her place on the show after just one week – because she missed her family too much.

Speaking to the Mirror after narrowly losing out to Danny Jones, she says how she sobbed after just a few days after being reminded of Wayne and her sons whose faces were emblazoned on her pillow.

“In that first week, I did wake up one morning and I looked at the pillow and I saw on it obviously Wayne and the kids, and I had a little cry and I thought I don’t know whether I can go all this way,” she says. But she says she “soon snapped out it” by getting stuck into her chores instead – namely the washing up.

“I went off and did the washing up and collected the wood and did whatever I had to do,” she says. “I just got on with it.” She says the first few days were also tough as she worried she wasn’t a big enough personality like some of the other campmates, and too quiet.

Coleen Rooney won the hearts of the nation during her time on I’m A Celebrity ( 
Image:
Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)

The Scouse star tells the Mirror’s Tom Bryant all about her jungle experience ( 
Image:
Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)
“In the first week I just thought I can’t see me going all the way because I was just me,” she says. “We had loads of personalities in there who were great and I got on with, but they were performers and I felt like I was, at times, just sat there thinking, ‘what do I bring?’

“It wasn’t uncomfortable. They made it comfortable. It was just me sitting back and looking at that camp and thinking I was more quieter than everyone else. But obviously people enjoyed it and wanted me to stay in there longer and see a bit more of me. I don’t know why but they did.”

She also says it quickly dawned on her that she had signed up for the show without properly giving it enough consideration She says: “I think my head before I went in was just to get everything sorted for the kids and get everything done for Christmas. I wanted to get out of here so I could just enjoy it. But then I didn’t actually think about going in. It wasn’t until I was in there that I thought, ‘what have I signed myself up for? What am I doing in here?’”

Coleen – who says she got terrible headaches after detoxing from caffeine and sugar – said the first few days were “tough before it started getting better.” But she adds: “As it got better, the weather got worse. And then that was tough.”

The weather was the worst in the show’s history with the camp battered by endless storms. “There was one night where we got all got woken up in the early hours in the morning to go into the Bush Telegraph because of a storm” she says. “I was asleep in there, Alan was asleep. You think this isn’t what we thought the jungle would be.”

Coleen formed a special bond with her campmates ( 
Image:
Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)
Viewers watched with tears in their eyes as she was reunited with mum Colette, and her two boys Kit, eight, and Cass, six, in camp. Coleen was seen sobbing in her mum’s arms in what she says was a rare show of emotion. “I do snap myself out of things really quickly, and I’m not a crier, bur when my mum came in that really surprised me,” she says.

“You know, when I think back to that moment, it was like someone had told me someone had died. And I don’t think I’ve been shocked more than that in my whole life. That is the biggest shock I’ve ever had.” Saying goodbye to her mum again was tough – and it reminded her of the isolation when she was in America for Wayne’s job

“I was like ‘you’re here now, I’m not going to let you leave.’ My mum said ‘do you feel like you are in America now?’ When I was in America, I was homesick and whenever we got together, we didn’t want to leave. And the only other time she said that to me was during COVID, when we couldn’t see each other.”

Seeing her `boys, she says, gave her the “urge to then battle through the next few days” to the final. After coming out of the jungle, the first thing she did was phone home, where Wayne and the elder boys Kai, 15, Klay, 11, had thrown a family party to celebrate her in the final.

And she laughed as she said her two eldest had given themselves the day off school yesterday (Mon) as it was such a late night. “I spoke to Wayne as soon as he got in the car,” she says. “They all had a gathering in the house and watched it together. Wayne and my two older ones were at home as it harder for them to come out to school.

Coleen’s two youngest sons were there to meet her as she left camp on Sunday night ( 
Image:
Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)“The little ones, obviously it’s easier. The (two eldest) did say they weren’t going to school tomorrow because their mum was in the final. I am not sure what the school has to say about that but obviously they haven’t gone all the way to Australia so maybe they do deserve a day off.”

She said she was moved by Wayne’s reaction. “He just said how proud he was. In the letter I got in camp, he said he’s never missed me as much and I can understand that, because we’ve been apart for weeks and weeks on end, but we speak a number of times a day. We FaceTime. So to not have that communication has been tough and not knowing or keeping up to date on the kids’ school and football. I’m so involved in all that back home that was hard.”

Coleen also laughed after learning that he had been mobilising his millions of followers to try and get her to do trials. After one plea on social media, she was voted the next day to do a trial She added: “So I heard but you know what? I’m so glad he did, because I was desperate to do a trial. And at that time, I thought, What’s the point in coming here if I’m not doing any trials?

After one trial, a cockroach got stuck in her ear. “I could just feel it going round, and I could see people’s faces, and they were like: ‘that’s not right’ But I didn’t panic, and they squirted the water up there and it was all ok,” she says.

Viewers, as well as her campmates, were also impressed by her willingness to muck in and do chores. But Coleen says that’s part of everyday life for her and she’s always got stuck in. “I might not have camped that much but I used to clean chalets at Pontins when I was younger,” she says. “ I don’t mind getting my hands dirty, that doesn’t bother me. I’ve got four boys.”

Phillip Schofield’s mum had a very straightforward response when the This Morning presenter came out as gay in 2020. Phillip then laughed about it during an emotional interview on ITV

For Phillip Schofield, February 7 2020 was a momentous day for it was when he sat down with Holly Willoughby to talk about his recent announcement.

Just moments earlier, the former This Morning presenter had released a heartfelt message on social media in which he came out as gay. During his emotional appearance on the ITV show, Phillip broke down at the time after admitting that he could not have done it without the support of Holly, his wife Steph and their two daughters.

While he said he was proud of coming out, he was also “conscious of the hurt” he may have caused. It was also during the interview that Phillip explained to the presenters that he had broken the news to his mum, Pat.

Phillip announced Pat’s death on Instagram ( 
Image:
Instagram/schofe)

The TV star has said his final goodbye’s to his beloved mum ( 
Image:
Instagram/schofe)
Her straightforward response was to the point, but also touching in its own way. The dad-of-two had actually travelled down to Cornwall to tell his mum in person. “My mum has been on the phone all morning,” Phillip told Holly Willoughby during his emotional interview back in 2020. “I went down to see her in Cornwall. Phillip then broke the news to his mum, revealing “She said: ‘Oh ok, well I don’t care.’”

The presenter laughed as he recalled his mum’s simple yet loving response to his announcement. At the time, Phillip also praised his wife and daughters as they supported him through the difficult time.

In his statement, Phillip added: “Steph has been incredible – I love her so very much. She is the kindest soul I have ever met. My girls have been astonishing in their love, hugs and encouraging words of comfort. Both mine and Steph’s entire families have stunned me with their love, instant acceptance and support. Of course they are worried about Steph, but I know they will scoop us both up. My friends are the best, especially Holly, who has been so kind and wise – and who has hugged me as I sobbed on her shoulder.

Phillip Schofield said they specifically choose the 7th February as the date for the interview ( 
Image:
S Meddle/ITV/REX)Phillip has sadly announced that his beloved mum Pat has passed away. The former This Morning star, 62, took to Instagram to announce the sad news this evening.

Alongside a selection of photos of himself and his mum Pat, Phillip wrote: “Today, at 3pm and after a heartbreaking weekend, my magnificent mum decided it was time to go to her beloved Brian.

“Over three days, we held her, loved her, hugged her and said everything that needed to be said. She was calm, peaceful, beautiful and dignified. I will forever be proud and privileged that she was my mum.”

Phillip added: “Our eternal thanks to the paramedics, Treliske A&E and Critical Care team who have been, in the past and this weekend, my mum’s and our angels. Your love and care has been our saviour.”

A Place in the Sun presenter Jean Johansson, who took part in MasterChef in 2018, slammed ‘arrogant’ and ‘self-important’ Gregg Wallace and claims he was ‘constantly inappropriate’ with her

A Place in the Sun presenter Jean Johansson has claimed Gregg Wallace was ‘constantly inappropriate’ to her when she appeared on Celebrity MasterChef.

She took part in the show in 2018 alongside the likes of John Partridge, AJ Pritchard, Spencer Matthews, Frankie Bridge and more. She revealed she was shocked by his behaviour during filming and said it was obvious that the crew, producers and directors were used to Wallace’s behaviour.

“I remember quite a few moments in our interactions when I was thinking they’ll never use this (on TV) because the things he was saying were so off colour,” she claimed. “I consider myself someone who loves to laugh, I’m adaptable to new working environments and I can handle different personalities but I was shocked by some of Gregg’s ‘banter’. He’s arrogant, loud and self important, the type of guy who cracks up at his own one-liners.

“He wasn’t at all what I expected as I’ve always found his on-screen persona likeable and fun but in real life he was dismissive, rude and knew exactly when to turn it on for the cameras. It was also obvious to me that that the crew and directors and producers were used to it.”

Jean Johansson took part in the show in 2018 ( 
Image:
BBC/Shine TV Ltd)

The star continued, according to The Sunday Mail: “They know the star of their show so they acted like it was completely normal. And therein lies a big part the problem.” She revealed she was speaking out about what allegedly happened after he claimed the women who made complaints about him were “middle class and of a certain age”.

“I’m working class and younger than the women who have taken issue with his conduct yet I can concur he was massively unprofessional and was constantly inappropriate,” she said. “I don’t like what he’s implying about the people who have spoken up. He’s trying to bunch them all into a group bizarrely suggesting class and age has something to do with taking offence but the one thing they all have in common is that they’re extremely bright and successful women who could see through the TV’s nice guy act within seconds.”

She also called Gregg Wallace ‘arrogant’ and ‘self-important’ ( 
Image:
handout)
Jean stated that people in the industry who enable this behaviour must be held accountable. She added: “The BBC should be on top of making sure the set on Celebrity Masterchef is ­professional and pleasant at all times.”

Meanwhile, a BBC spokesperson said: “In recent days there has been concerning allegations made via the media about the alleged conduct of Gregg Wallace, many of which relate to shows made for the BBC. These media stories are running alongside an independent investigation, which was instigated after formal complaints were made direct to the BBC and were referred to Banijay UK for further investigation. We would like to thank those who have had the courage to speak out. We have always been clear that should people want to raise issues with the BBC, they will be taken very seriously.”

A BBC spokesperson stated: “In recent days there has been concerning allegations made via the media about the alleged conduct of Gregg Wallace, many of which relate to shows made for the BBC. These media stories are running alongside an independent investigation, which was instigated after formal complaints were made direct to the BBC and were referred to Banijay UK for further investigation.

“We would like to thank those who have had the courage to speak out. We have always been clear that should people want to raise issues with the BBC, they will be taken very seriously.” The Mirror have reached out to Wallace’s reps for comment.

Tasha Ghouri and JB Gill both bagged full points in their most recent dances – leaving the Strictly Come Dancing fan favourites lagging behind

On Saturday night Strictly Come Dancing lost its last contestant before the final – and fans have been left reeling at the dance off news.

Fans took to social media after the news was leaked on social media to slam the ‘disappointing’ bottom two. Others were left fearing the ‘right couple’ won’t win the BBC series now after viewing the update.

“People need to remember it’s a dance show,” fumed one fan on X. “I hope people can put their energy towards supporting their favourite couple in the final,” added another.

“NOOOO THAT SPOILER!” cried a third.

Amy Dowden ‘heartbroken’ as injury forces her out of Strictly

Before the tense vote off, bookies had Chris McCausland as the favourite to win the show, followed by Miranda star Sarah Hadland, with Tasha Ghouri and JB Gill and Pete Wicks straggling behind.

Saturday’s show could have turned the odds completely, with Chris and Sarah falling flat. While Tasha and JB both nailed their routines, and both managed to snag super rare full marks on their second routines. Love Island alum Tasha, 26, performed a flawless waltz with her dance partner Aljaz Skorjanec, delivering a stunning routine to an Aretha Franklin hit.

Judges Motsi Mabuse and Shirley Ballas both took to their feet after the dance, giving Tasha a standing ovation. If that weren’t enough praise, she got perfect 10s from the full judging panel, with Craig Revel Horwood – usually impossible to please – saying that her performance was “sick,” while Motsi gushed that it was “absolutely out of this world sensational.”

Chris McCausland was judged most likely to win Strictly, but didn’t live up to others in the semi-finals ( 
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PA)

Tasha Ghouri and JB Gill both got perfect 40 scores, with Pete Wicks falling flat ( 
Image:
PA)
Tasha’s rare 40 out of 40 might have seemed impossible to reach, if not for JLS star JB Gill, 38 – real name Jonathan Benjamain. The former X Factor hopeful danced the salsa with his partner Lauren Oakley for their second innings, set to the upbeat track Red Alert by Basement Jaxx. JB performed so well that Craig gave him a handshake – with the judge playfully mocking Great British Bake Off’s Paul Hollywood in the audience. The musician got another perfect score, putting him and Tasha leagues ahead of their competition. JB even managed to get 39 points in his first dance, tipping him ahead of Tasha who got 35 for her salsa.

While Tasha and JB were stunning the judges, fan favourite Chris came up short in his scoring. The footwork pro performed a Charleston for his first dance, and only managed 33 points. His second dance, a Viennese waltz set to Metallica, bagged a high 36 – but was overshadowed by perfect scores from Tasha and JB.Meanwhile, Sarah – who was pipped to be second in running for the trophy – came up trumps against Chris but didn’t manage a full 40. The actress got 36 in her tango, with her following jive to the Scissor Sisters getting the same score. At the other end of the leaderboard, The Only Way Is Essex star Pete Wicks performed a foxtrot with his partner Jowita Przystal, with Craig bashing his moves as “robotic.” Pete only managed 32 points for the dance, with his second performance not good enough to save him at 33 points. The bookies say Pete has the highest odds to be booted off the show tomorrow, with only four celebs moving on to the next stage.

Strictly Come Dancing revealed the four couples in the hit BBC One show’s final as one duo were sadly eliminated on Sunday night’s semi-finals results show

Strictly Come Dancing bid farewell to one couple on Sunday night ahead of the show’s 2024 final.

During the latest instalment, Pete Wicks and his professional dance partner Jowita Przystal found themselves in the dreaded dance-off for the first time against Tasha Ghouri and her pro partner Aljaz Skorjanec.

Both couples each performed one of their routines again where Tasha and Aljaz performed their Waltz to (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman by Aretha Franklin.

Meanwhile, Pete and Jowita performed their Argentine Tango to Bitter Sweet Symphony by The Verve. After both couples had danced a second time, the judges delivered their verdicts where Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke all chose to save Tasha and Aljaz.

With three votes in favour, it sadly meant that Pete and Jowita were eliminated from the competition and failed to secure a spot in next week’s final. Giving her feedback, head judge Shirley Ballas also agreed and said she would have decided to save Tasha and Aljaz.

Strictly Come Dancing bid farewell to one couple on Sunday night ahead of the show’s 2024 final ( 
Image:
BBC/Guy Levy)
When asked about his time on the show, Pete said in an emotional three-word response: “It’s been beautiful!” He continued: “It’s been wild. I’ve been quite honest about the fact that I didn’t necessarily want to do this [Strictly] in the first place, but everyone else wanted me to do it, and I am so, so glad that I did it!

“You don’t always have to be the best, but if you enjoy something then why shouldn’t you have a go at it? I’ve tried my best from day one, I said I was in for a penny, in for a pound and I’ve done it, it’s been beautiful.”

Talking about his dance partner Jowita, he added: “There’s a lot of things I’m going to take away from this, but one of the most special things is you [to Jowita] and I mean that, because you’re one of the most incredible people – not just as a dancer – but as a person.

“You’ve been a ray of sunshine for me. You’ve helped me through things in the past three months that I didn’t think I could do and you made me believe in myself and that means more to me than anything.”

Meanwhile, Jowita said: “I just want to say thank you, thank you for the trust you have given me since day one. I know it wasn’t easy, but with your hard work, your commitment and your heart, which is the most amazing thing, you were winning every week!

During the latest instalment, Pete Wicks and his professional dance partner Jowita Przystal found themselves in the dreaded dance-off ( 
Image:
BBC/Guy Levy)
“For me, every dance was special… even the Cha Cha in Blackpool! Remember on day one you said ‘I’m not going to stay long in this competition because I cannot dance’ but now I can say to you, yes you can.”

This now means that the Strictly Come Dancing 2024 finalists are Tasha and Aljaz, Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell, Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola, and JB Gill and Lauren Oakley.

Taking to Twitter, now X, viewers were left ‘gutted’ to see Pete go after his incredible journey and also argued that it was the ‘wrong’ choice to have Tasha and Aljaz in the bottom two, especially after they scored 35 and 40 on Saturday night landing them second on the leaderboard.

One person said: “I’m gutted! Pete has done so extremely well”, a different account wrote: “Tasha being in the dance off is wrong!”, another put: “So pleased for Chris and Diane though, gutted for Pete” while another added: “Tasha shouldn’t have been any where near the dance off!”

The Strictly Come Dancing Grand Final returns live on BBC One and iPlayer on Saturday 14 December at 6pm.

Homes Under The Hammer host Martin Roberts has made over 700 episodes of the hit BBC property auction show – but one house stands out in his memory for a startling discovery

Martin Roberts has recalled the heart stopping moment a member of the Homes Under The Hammer crew announced they had discovered a dead body in a house they were filming inside.

The 61-year-old has been a presenter on the BBC property auction series since 2003 and has appeared in over 700 episodes so far. Having explored hundreds of houses through the BBC show alone, if would be forgivable to allow the host to not remember every property he has surveyed as part of the show.

However, there was one home in particular that Martin and the film crew may remember for the rest of their days as they were left fearing they had a dead body on their hands. In a new interview, Martin has cast his mind back to the moment a crew member returned from exploring the upstairs area of a property where they feared they had made an alarming discovery.

He explained: “We went to this one house, which had clearly been lived in until very recently. Almost like the kettle was still hot kind of thing and we went in and then the director went and had a look around. And she came out absolutely ashen in the face. And she said, ‘There is a dead body! There’s a dead body in the bed’.”

Martin has hosted the BBC show since 2003 ( 
Image:
BBC)

Continuing his tale to the Daily Mail, Martin went on to reveal that the team went up to the room together where they saw the shape of a body under the covers. They all breathed a sigh of relief as they heard that the body was snoring – however, there was a further tragic element to the tale as it turned out the body was an old man who had been left behind by his family.

Martin recalled: “And then this old man sat bolt upright, no teeth and said, ‘Where’s my family?’ and the people had left in such a rush that they forgot grandad. Grandad was still sleeping in the bed. The family had left. The house had been sold. He’s suddenly faced with film crew from homes under.”

The BBC host explained that they were able to track down the family to a nearby home and the grandfather was soon reunited with them. The Mirror has contacted the BBC for further comment on the alleged incident.In a recent interview with WalesOnline, Martin shared his top piece of advice for prospective home owners looking around properties. He said: “The one Homes Under the Hammer tip, outside the legal pack and always visiting beforehand, is never open the fridge. If there’s ever a fridge in a property… don’t open it, don’t even go there. A freezer? Even worse! Don’t even think about opening that door, we’re opening Pandora’s box of obnoxiousness.”

And in the same conversation, Martin spilled the beans on the most common question he gets from fans. He disclosed: “The big question that a lot of people have is ‘Do we only show the ones that are successful’ and the reality is no, there’s no fudging on Homes Under the Hammer, it’s completely what you see is what you get.”