Author: bang5

Michael “Chicago Mike” Sumler, a celebrated figure in the soul and funk music scene, passed away at 71 following a car accident outside Atlanta

Michael Sumler, affectionately known as “Chicago Mike” and the longtime hypeman and backing vocalist for Kool & the Gang, has died at age 71 following a fatal car crash near Atlanta, Georgia.

The accident occurred Saturday night near Buckner Road, where Sumler’s vehicle collided with another. Tributes have poured in for the soul music icon, remembered by many as the “life of the party.” “It was a devastating blow,” said Sumler’s friend Adrian Meeks in a statement to Fox 5 Atlanta. “It’s like no, no, no, not Mike.

With a career that spanned more than three decades, Sumler was a familiar face and voice to generations of fans. Known for his high energy and crowd engagement, he served as the group’s hype man, bringing an unmistakable spirit to every performance.

Sumler first joined the iconic band in 1985 and would go on to mentor several young musicians. His friend added: “He always wanted to see other people succeed in the business that he’d been around most of all of his life

Michael Sumler, affectionately known as “Chicago Mike” has died at the age of 71 ( 
Image:
Redferns)

Robert “Kool” Bell, the band’s founding bassist and the last surviving original member of the group, said: “It’s a bittersweet feeling. We’ve lost another brother, and the stage won’t be the same without Mike.”

Kool & the Gang were formed in 1969 and had an illustrious career, winning two Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, 25 Top Ten R&B hits, nine Top Ten Pop hits and 31 gold and platinum albums.

Following the sad news of his tragic death, fans have paid tribute to Michael on social media. One X user lovingly wrote: “RIP Michael “Chicago Mike” Sumler. A true legend and the life of every stage he touched. Your voice, your energy, your spirit will never be forgotten.

Kool & the Gang were formed in 1969 ( 
Image:
Michael Ochs Archives

Another echoed: “So sad to hear about the passing of Michael Sumler, aka Chicago Mike. A powerhouse performer and beloved soul in the music world. Rest easy, legend.” Someone else said: “Chicago Mike brought light, laughter, and soul wherever he went. Thank you for the music, the memories, and the magic. You’ll be missed deeply.”

Another one of Michael’s long-time fans penned: “The voice behind so many unforgettable moments, Michael “Chicago Mike” Sumler leaves behind a legacy of funk, soul, and pure joy. Rest in power.” While someone else shared their sadness as they wrote: “Can’t believe Chicago Mike is gone. A true icon, a hype man with heart, and a friend to so many. We’ll never forget you.”

“I know what it is like to be incapacitated, to be ill, to be in hospital for a long time,” the TV personality said

Katie Piper on December 2, 2024, in London.Credit : Neil Mockford/FilmMagic

Seventeen years after surviving an acid attack, English television personality Katie Piper admits that she’s never fully been “discharged” from medical care.

The 41-year-old panelist for British talk show Loose Women recently spoke to the Mirror and opened up about her recovery over the years and her desire to get to a point where she’s healthy again.

“I’m never discharged. I have to go back for my eyes, nose, and throat,” she said. “I learned at such a young age the value of looking after your mind, your body, how our health is a privilege and how it can suddenly change.”

“I’ve had this unique experience as a 20-something where I know what it is like to be incapacitated, to be ill, to be in hospital for a long time,” she explained. “I always take myself back to that memory of ‘Do all this now, so when you are older, your quality of life is the best it can be.’

“I want to be healthy,” she added. “I take looking after my body as a job. I want the best from it.”

Katie Piper on February 10, 2025, in London.Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty

On Jan. 10, Piper announced on Instagram that she is getting an “artificial eye” because the acid attack left her partially blind. She said she “reached the end of [the] road somewhat, and the decision has been made to try a prosthetic eye shell after “many years battling with my eye health.”

“This marks the start of a journey to have an artificial eye, with an incredible medical team behind me,” Piper wrote. “As always I’m incredibly grateful to all those in the NHS [National Health Service] and private health care system for their talent and kindness.”

Piper added that she would detail her “journey” and that she’s “hopeful and nervous” about the change.

“[I] would love to hear from any of you in the comments if you’ve been on this journey or have any advice,” she wrote, including a video of her fitted with the prosthetic.

Piper’s latest health decision comes 17 years after a March 2008 acid attack arranged by an ex, when she suffered severe burns and was left blind in one eye.

In the years since she has worked as a motivational speaker and television presenter and has launched a foundation. She also released a memoir, Beautiful, in 2011.

Ashley only went Instagram official with George a year ago

I’m A Celebrity star Ashley Roberts has sparked concern that she’s split from her boyfriend after making a cryptic Instagram post.

The star, 43, had been in a relationship with artist George Rollinson, 25, since late 2023. However, there are fears that their romance is no more…

Taking to her Instagram today (May 28), Ashley shared a video of herself on the beach, doing some meditation and breathwork.

In the video, Ashley, who appeared on Strictly in 2018, said: “If you’re going through heartbreak, try this with me.”

She then proceeded to do some breathwork. “This is really good for opening up that heart, allowing new love to come in or love just to yourself.

“Sending out love!”

The caption also seemingly hints that the star is going through some heartbreak of her own.

“To all my hunnis feeling the sting of heartbreak right now — I feel you, I see you, I love you,” she wrote.

“Take 30 seconds. Breathe. Check in with yourself. If you’re feeling okay, carry on. If not, pause. Be gentle with yourself,” she then continued.

“You’re not alone. I’m breathing with you. You got this.”

Has Ashley split from her boyfriend? (Credit: CoverImages.com)

Fans shower Ashley with love

Fans of the star flooded the comment section with support and kind messages.

“LOVE THIS,” one follower commented.

“I love this! Everybody needs this,” another said.

“We all love you too, Ashley,” a third wrote. “Well done, Ashley,” another added.

“So beautiful, sweetheart, hope you’re well,” a fifth gushed.

Others shared concerns that all was not well between Ashley and George.

One posted: “Wait, you’re not a single pringle now ?” Another commented: “You can’t be going through heartache princess.” A third said: “Sending you lots of love.”

ED! has contacted Ashley’s representatives for comment.

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A post shared by george rollo (@georgerollo)

Ashley Roberts and boyfriend George

Ashley and George went Instagram official in April of last year, ending months of speculation that the couple were together.

In August 2024, Ashley spoke about how the romance had been “unexpected” after meeting through friends.

“It was an unexpected thing, we met, and I was having a good time and living my best life, enjoying it and I was like: ‘This is someone quite special’,” she told the Daily Mail.

“I’m in a happy place.”

Ashley and Gio split in 2020 (Credit: CoverImages.com)

When did Ashley Roberts and Giovanni Pernice split up?

This isn’t the only high-profile romance Ashley has had in recent years. She was once in a relationship with Italian dancer Giovanni Pernice.

The couple were together for just over a year, having met on Strictly. Though they weren’t paired up together on the show, their romance blossomed behind the scenes.

However, in January 2020, they called it quits on their relationship. Giovanni announced the news on Instagram.

“Ash and I have made the decision to separate as a couple. We remain friends and wish each other well for the future,” he said at the time.

ITV’s beloved soaps Coronation Street and Emmerdale could be next in line for cutbacks, with insiders warning budget pressures and schedule shifts may change the shows as we know them

Fears for legacy soaps amidst ITV cutbacks on daytime television (Image: ITV )

After ITV’s daytime television shakeup, it’s feared the axe could fall again, with the channel’s beloved soaps rumoured to be next on the chopping block.

According to The Sun, there are whispers that beloved long-runners Coronation Street and Emmerdale could be next in line for dramatic cost-cutting measures.

A TV insider confided to The Sun: “After the Daytime announcement, the big feeling within the soap departments at ITV is the cost-cutting focus will shift to them. There’s been some seismic changes already over the past year regarding penny pinching, and many believe that’s just the start.”

Both Coronation Street and Emmerdale have long been untouchable jewels in ITV’s legacy. However, it seems the soaps are more exposed than ever before.

Staff are wondering if Emmerdale and Corrie will soon share more than just a time slot(Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

“Given the big audience figures and institutional history within ITV, soaps used to have an untouchable feel about them,” the source added. “But that’s changed significantly, and they now feel more vulnerable than ever.”

From January 2026, both shows will be trimmed to five 30-minute episodes per week, dropping an hour of soap content. The rebrand? ITV’s so-called “Power Hour”, with Emmerdale airing at 8 pm and Corrie following at 8:30 pm, Monday to Friday.

While bosses have pitched the shake-up as a bold new chapter, it’s far from a smooth sell behind the scenes. The move is expected to cut up to 75 jobs, and many crew members have reportedly already been drafted into redundancy meetings.

Both soaps are now overseen by the same Creative Director adding fuel to rumours of further mergers(Image: Getty Images)

The retirement of John Whiston, ITV’s veteran Head of Continuing Drama, has only added to the uncertainty. In his place, Iain MacLeod has been promoted to Creative Director, overseeing both soaps with full editorial control.

The consolidation has sparked fears of a quiet merger behind the scenes. With MacLeod now the final voice on both shows, staff are wondering if Emmerdale and Corrie will soon share more than just a time slot.

Adding fuel to the fire is the much-talked-about crossover episode, the first of its kind set to air as a one-off launch for the new schedule. Although ITV execs have insisted the crossover is a one-off, an insider has told The Sun that this episode will be a mini cost-cutting experiment to see if the crew can work across both soaps.

These claims have been strongly denied by ITV. An ITV spokeswoman said: “These claims aren’t true. ITV has been clear that the crossover episode is a one-off occasion to launch the new scheduling pattern for Coronation Street and Emmerdale in January 2026. Both programmes will then continue to broadcast separate, individual episodes. The crossover episode will be purely story-driven and is a first for British Soap.

“The idea certainly hasn’t been conceived for financial reasons. In fact, the spectacular combined launch episode will cost a great deal more than regular episodes. We are proud to have the opportunity to be able to deliver this special moment for fans of both programmes.”

Despite ITV’s denials, there is scepticism. The TV insider said this is a “genuine glimpse into the future of how crewmembers will be expected to work, being across both soaps”, adding: “there’s a feeling significant savings could be made on production costs even if the quality of the output will be seriously affected.”

Another source told the publication that cast members on both soaps were “fuming and concerned by cuts.” Earlier this year, The Sun revealed that Corrie bosses had tightened the purse strings by reducing cast appearances to curb fees, favouring fresher, lower-cost faces over older stars.

The daytime television cull at ITV has definitely blindsided many people, with Loose Women and Lorraine scaled back drastically, despite solid ratings and recent accolades.

Once upon a time, soaps were ITV’s proudest exports. However, they may soon be second-tier citizens, with the focus shifting to prestige dramas like Mr Bates vs. The Post Office and sporting events, which are both revenue drivers.

Like the Daytime shows, some fear that Emmerdale and Corrie might soon find themselves fighting for survival.

Coronation Street spoilers have teased a new love interest for Ryan Thomas’ character Jason Grimshaw, after the actor hinted he would feature in romantic scenes amid his return

Spoilers have appeared to confirm Jason Grimshaw’s new love interest on Coronation Street(Image: ITV)

Spoilers have appeared to confirm Jason Grimshaw’s new love interest on Coronation Street.

Actor Ryan Thomas returns to the show this week after nine years away, and it seems he wastes no time in getting to know a certain female character. Ryan had teased there would be romance for the character during his comeback stint, suggesting he would be rumbled after taking a mystery lady home with him.

New spoilers may have revealed who this is, or at least a new lover interest. Regardless of it’s the person Ryan was teasing, it seems Jason gets a new love interest ahead of his exit from the show.

Now it’s been revealed it’s none other than newcomer Danielle Silverton, the wife of Theo Silverton. Of course this is pretty awkward given Jason’s brother Todd Grimshaw was seeing Theo behind Danielle’s back, before they were rumbled.

Danielle caught her husband kissing Todd and Theo has since been keen to end his marriage, wanting to be with Todd. So when Danielle gets chatting to Jason next week, how will she react when she finds out he’s the sibling of Todd?

It seems things get flirty between the pair, and she’s enjoying his company. But will she tell him about Todd and Theo?

Coronation Street spoilers have teased a new love interest for Ryan Thomas’ character Jason Grimshaw(Image: ITV)

Jason won’t be sticking around though and his final scenes will air next week. Jason actor Ryan only reprised the role for the exit storyline of his onscreen mother Eileen Grimshaw, played by Sue Cleaver.

The actress will bow out of the soap next Friday (June 6) after more than two decades in the role, debuting in 2000. Eileen’s final scenes will see her make a life-changing decision, with Jason heavily involved.

Sue has spoken about her exit plot and her leaving the show after 25 years, with her grateful to Ryan for coming back after she asked him to be a part of her last episodes. She said: “I said very much that I would like her to go off to pastures new, you know, to kind of mirror what I’m doing in a sense.

“And I just think it’s time for a change. So it was perfect. I’m so happy with the ending, and I was so humbled by it and the way it had been written and what it is. I felt very grateful to have such a wonderful ending written. It seemed very, very apt.”

Danielle caught her husband cheating with Todd(Image: ITV)

As soon as she knew she was leaving, she wanted co-star Ryan to be there for the episodes. She shared: “Ryan was there from the start, and he was inconveniently living in Thailand, and it wouldn’t be too far of a jump to expect that if Eileen was going to make a leap, that she would involve her son.

“And so when I decided to leave, like over a year ago, I rang Ryan, and I said, ‘Ryan, I’m going to tell them that I’m going, and if they ask me about exits, I’d really like to say that you’d come back and take me out, but I don’t know whether they’d go for it or not’.

“And he just went, ‘Oh my gosh, of course, I would’, which was so lovely for me. And it was just so nice to have him back and filming those final scenes with him. It just felt like I’d come full circle really.”

Crocodile Dundee stars and former married couple Linda Kozlowski and Paul Hogan reunited with each other in Los Angeles as they headed to dinner with troubled son Chance

Paul Hogan and Linda Kozlowski have reunited 24 years after Crocodile Dundee(Image: Getty Images)

Linda Kozlowski has been enjoying a quieter life away from the spotlight since leaving her role in Crocodile Dundee alongside ex Paul Hogan. The pair were a hit on screen together in their iconic roles of Sue Charlton and outback adventurer Michael ‘Crocodile’ Dundee.

Life mirrored art as Linda developed feelings for her co-star Paul, despite their 19-year age difference. The couple married in 1990 and had a son, Chance, before divorcing in 2014.

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The former couple shared the big screen once again in Almost An Angel in 1990 and in 2001 sequel Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles before going their separate ways.

Linda now looks very different with dark locks after shunning Hollywood(Image: RF / BACKGRID)

Linda has stayed off screen since, even though she was nominated for a Golden Globe for her role in Crocodile Dundee. She told the Herald Journal in 2001 how working on “straight-to-video, schlocky films” was giving her “an ulcer”.

Adding of her decision to quit showbiz, she said: “I was about to turn 40 and just wanted to have a baby, and time was running out and I was miserable really, in the last two jobs I’d done.”

Linda, now 67, stuck to her word and shunned the limelight. Now, she has been spotted in a rare sighting with her ex Paul and their son Chance, 27.

She was once known for her long blonde hair, but has now opted for shoulder length brunette locks. The former actress stepped out for dinner at a local restaurant as she kept casual in black trousers, matching top and floaty shawl.

Paul arrived with their son Chance (Image: RF / BACKGRID)

Linda added a Louis Vuitton handbag and beige sandals as she kept her long-time partner Moulay Hafid Baba close by. Paul was spotted in conversation in Linda as he donned blue jeans and a matching shirt under a leather jacket.

He had arrived at the family dinner with their son Chance, who has been living in Los Angeles since his parents’ divorce. Earlier this month, Paul opened up on his family dynamic with a very candid confession.

The TV star, 85, lives in the United States close to his son and admitted that while he would love to return home to Australia, he can’t see that happening any time soon.

Chance has left his social media followers concerned after a string of alarming posts. Earlier this year, he took to social media to share a video of himself drunk as he begged for somebody to “kill” him. He sipped on wine as he said “This is my life.”

The former couple reunited for the family meal(Image: RF / BACKGRID)

“I have business reasons and my son to stay in the States for now,” Paul said. Speaking on the Today Show, Paul was asked about Chance, admitting he was “alright. Better than he gets.”

The legendary actor went on to say: “He gets a lot of tabloid stuff, but he’s a terrible person because he knows they’re watching him and he puts something on for them.”

Despite Chance’s alarming social media posts, Paul told the Daily Mail in December: “It’s a lot of made up stuff and a lot of it he (Chance) does on purpose.”

Just one month prior to this, a source claimed that Paul was at a “crossroads” over Chance’s social media outbursts and his behaviour. Speaking to New Idea, a family friend said: “Paul is at a crossroads over how to handle all this.

“One option would be to move back to Australia, but Chance doesn’t want to leave America. So they’re stuck in limbo, which is so hard on Paul and very hard for his friends to sit back and watch.”

Quintessential British sitcom, The Good Life, starring Dame Penelope Keith as the iconic, Margo Leadbetter, ran for four series on the BBC from 1975 to 1978

Dame Penelope Keith is to look back and star in a special programme celebrating 50 years of BBC’s The Good Life(Image: PA)

Even though the sitcom is 50 years old, for many the dream of The Good Life growing your own vegetables is still something to aspire to today. And now Dame Penelope Keith is to look back and star in a special programme celebrating 50 years of BBC’s The Good Life.

The quintessential British sitcom ran for four series on the BBC from 1975 to 1978. Actress and presenter Dame Penelope, 85, played Margo Leadbetter on the show, which follows a couple who convert their garden into a farm. And she has returned to the set of the programme for a feature-length retrospective on comedy channel U&Gold, titled The Good Life: Inside Out, which will revisit filming locations and look at props and artefacts from the programme’s development, including original scripts and production notes.

The Good Life, starring Dame Penelope Keith as the iconic, Margo Leadbetter, ran for four series on the BBC (Image: BBC)

Dame Penelope will also take viewers through the course of the sitcom’s history and will be seen stepping back onto the set in a version of Margo and Jerry Leadbetter’s drawing room, recreated by production company Double Yellow.

Dame Penelope said: “I am delighted that U&Gold has invited me to celebrate 50 years of The Good Life, a series that was important to me and is still so well loved by viewers.

“I have such happy memories of making The Good Life – it was a wonderful cast and we were working with excellent scripts and a first rate production team.

inute special will also include archival interviews with co-stars Richard Briers, Felicity Kendal and Paul Eddington, as well as producer director John Howard Davies.

The star says she has ‘such happy memories’ of playing Margot(Image: BBC)

Kendal, 78, played Barbara Good in the sitcom while the late Briers played her husband Tom and Eddington, who died in 1995, played Margo’s husband Jerry. Briers died in 2013 after suffering from a lung condition.

In 2010 a documentary titled All About The Good Life, celebrating the show’s 35th anniversary, aired on the BBC.

Recalling how she landed her role, Felicity Kendal recalled: “I was in a play called The Norman Conquests in the West End, Richard was in the audience and after the show he came round and said he thought it was great, which was really nice because he was a very famous, wonderful actor that I didn’t know at all but I knew about.

“He said, ‘I’m going to do this little television series, may I send you the script for the part of the wife? It’s a new series, it may not do well because it’s a very unusual subject.’”

Dame Penelope will also take viewers through the course of the sitcom’s history (Image: Getty Images)

But the show went on to be a huge hit with one Christmas special pulling in an audience of 21 million.

Helen Nightingale, head of factual and factual entertainment at broadcaster UKTV, said: “For a show to be remembered so fondly and to be such a reference point in British everyday conversation as The Good Life after 50 years is testament to its quality, and this new retrospective with Double Yellow will explore just how and why the show has endured.”

One-off special The Good Life: Inside Out is set to air on U&Gold later this year.

Emmerdale star Ryan Hawley returned as Robert Sugden in a dramatic episode tonight – and has now revealed to The Mirror that he’s back “for good” on the soap

Emmerdale welcomed back Ryan Hawley as Robert Sugden in tonight’s dramatic episode and now the returning star has confirmed that he’s back “for good” after six years away. Fans of the ITV soap watched tonight as Robert crashed the wedding of his ex Aaron Dingle and half-brother John Sugden, years after Robert was sent to prison for the murder of Lee Posner.

Speaking to The Mirror in an exclusive chat, Ryan revealed that not only is he back on the soap – but he’s sticking around on a permanent basis. “The secret is out today! My character is returning permanently and not just for Aaron and John’s wedding. I am back for good, and I am so excited to be playing Robert again,” he said.

Robert crashed Aaron’s wedding to John in tonight’s episode of Emmerdale

The star went onto explain that he had been asked to return in the past to reprise the iconic role, but it had “never felt quite right” to do so. “Recently, while I was living in Brazil with my family, where we had been for the past year, Danny texted to see how I would feel. We’ve always kept in touch, and after a lot of thought, I told him, ‘Yeah, I am up for it. ’ I then got a call swiftly from the producers, and it went from there,” he added.

Robert added that he’s now moved back to the UK permanently to be in the soap. “The timing felt right for us to not only move back to Britain, but also for me to come back to Emmerdale. Enough time has passed, and with this big wedding storyline, it is the right time for Robert to cause chaos and huge drama!”

While we don’t yet know why Robert is back in the village, Ryan revealed that he wants to stop the marriage from happening. “He causes disasters wherever he goes, but on this occasion, he wants to stop the wedding – and while it will cause chaos, it’s also the right thing to do, because we know John isn’t right for Aaron,” he said.

Ryan was persuaded to reprise the role he quit in 2019, after five years, by his co-star Danny Miller, who plays Aaron. Danny messaged him in Brazil, where he was living with his wife Daisy Prestes de Oliveira and their two children, to see if he’d consider coming back.

“I have had a few calls over the past six years to see how I would feel about reprising the role, but it never felt quite right. Recently, while I was living in Brazil with my family, where we had been for the past year, Danny texted to see how I would feel,” Ryan continued.

The lengths to which producers went to keep his character’s return tonight secret were impressive, even by Emmerdale’s standards. As part of a cloak and dagger operation, on scripts, his lines were given the codename ‘Marco’ – after a man Aaron briefly dated

And Ryan even used a secret entrance to come into the studios, when he arrived from his Yorkshire home. Smiling, he says, “It has made me feel very special and important, the way people have treated me since I decided to come back.”

Earlier this week, Emmerdale fans were convinced that John – who murdered Nate Robinson – could kill again after his ex Aidan woke up from a coma after years.

Jane Moore, who has been in her second stint on Loose Women since 2013, noted the response from some pundits at the ITV announcement it – and Lorraine – will only run 30 weeks of the year from 2026

Jane Moore has blasted the ‘snooty reaction’to the news Loose Women is being slashed to 30 weeks of the year(Image: YouTube)

Jane Moore has blasted the “snooty reaction” of some pundits at the announcement Loose Women is to be cut back to 30 weeks of the year.

The journalist, who claims ITV intends to use money it will save with the move by investing in more sport programmes, said she was “immensely disappointed” to see comments she called “lazy misogyny”. She wrote: “One male commentator for a broadsheet casually dismissed Loose Women — on air for 25 years — as a ‘gabfest’… The snooty reaction from some quarters was immensely disappointing.”

Jane, 63, does not name the broadsheet – or commentator – in her opinion piece but goes onto list several examples of moments on Loose Women where key political figures have been held to account.

Writing for The Sun, the journalist said: “Clearly he hadn’t seen the episode when Janet Street Porter turned to then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and demanded: ‘Why do you hate pensioners?’… Or when a squirming Nigel Farage was put on the spot and declared afterwards ‘that was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done.’”

Jane said Loose Women often discuss serious issues, such as cancer here with Coleen Nolan’s brother Brian, in March (Image: ITV)

Loose Women, a staple on ITV since 2000, also won a Royal Television Society award earlier this year for its Facing It Together campaign against domestic violence.

But it and Lorraine are casualties of a major ITV shake-up, as both daytime programmes will only run 30 weeks of the year from 2026. It is thought the move will save the network money but Jane, who was on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! last year, understands cash will go into sport programmes instead.

The experienced broadcaster added: “When it was announced that one of the precious few, all-female shows was being cut back to 30 weeks a year to save money for, among other things, more sport, the snooty reaction from some quarters was immensely disappointing.

“We always cover the day’s main news stories, as well as ­important topics such as, among many other things, miscarriage, post-natal depression, menopause, midlife female invisibility (oh the irony) and breast cancer awareness.”

Jane has been a regular on Loose Women since 2013 and had a three-year stint some time before then, ending in 2002. She works alongside multiple panelists, whose ages range from 25 to 85-year old TV legend Gloria Hunniford. It is thought the numbers will be cut next year, alongside the hours available but ITV has not confirmed this.

Lorraine Kelly, meanwhile, is also said to be unhappy with the changes. She has had her own, self-titled morning programme on ITV since 2010. But an ITV source told us this week: “She has been an icon of ITV but serious cuts need to be made and her show has been cut to just 30 minutes, which after ad breaks will be a very short chunk of time.”

In relation to Loose Women, an ITV Source said: “We are not planning any radical changes to the panel. All of our Loose Women are hugely valued and we celebrate each and every one and the experience and opinions they bring to the show every day. Many of our long standing panellists have appeared on the show for the majority of its 25 year run on screens and those stalwart, Loose legends are at the core of the show’s success and hugely popular with the audience. The show remains a big priority within our daytime slate, having secured a BAFTA nomination, launched a podcast and celebrated a milestone anniversary in the last year alone.”

Two mainstays of the Loose Women panel could go head-to-head on iconic reality show Strictly Come Dancing as one of the stars joked that she’s been “practising my splits”

Two Loose Women stars could be rivals for a new role(Image: Jo Hale/Redferns via Getty Images)

Loose Women’s Brenda Edwards has revealed that she and fellow panellist Coleen Nolan are both eager to strut their stuff on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.

The 56-year-old, who is currently dazzling audiences in the West End production of Chicago alongside former Strictly pro Janette Manrara, confessed she’s been doing all she can to land a spot on the dance competition. “I’ve asked her to put in a good word for me,” Brenda divulged about her conversations with Janette, who now hosts the show’s spin-off

She added: “Don’t worry, I’m pushing all avenues. If I get on Strictly, I’ll have to start practising my splits. I want to do it!

“It’s between Coleen Nolan and me, because she really wants to go on it also.” In an interview with Bella Magazine, Brenda expressed her ambition to reach the final, something her Loose Women colleagues haven’t achieved yet.

Brenda Edwards has expressed a desire to appear on Strictly(Image: Getty Images)

Coleen, 60, has also shared her aspirations to hit the dance floor and vie for the coveted Glitterball trophy, reports Belfast Live. On Loose Women, she campaigned: “Vote me to go in

“There’d be a lot of sequins involved, let me tell you.” She has also told The Mirror: “I’ve never done Strictly which devastates me.

“Since that show started, I’ve always wanted to do Strictly and so many Loose Women have done it but they never, ever ask me.” Among the Loose Women stars who have taken the plunge on Strictly’s dance floor are Ruth Langsford, Judi Love, and Kaye Adams.

Coleen Nolan is no stranger to reality TV competition, having won Celebrity Big Brother back in 2017(Image: Karwai Tang/WireImage via Getty Images

Kaye, 62, was the first celebrity to be voted off the show in 2022, after partnering with Kai Widdrington. In 2017, Ruth, 65, secured ninth place after her stint with Anton Du Beke, while Judi, 44, was the fifth star to be eliminated in 2021, alongside her partner Graziano Di Prima.

The line-up of celebrities for the forthcoming series remains under wraps, but rumoured participants include Tom Parker Bowles, son of Queen Camilla, telly favourite Stacey Solomon, former Coronation Street actress Helen Flanagan, and ex-Made In Chelsea star Georgia Toffolo. What the BBC has confirmed is the roster of professional dancers.

Reigning champion Dianne Buswell will returning to the dance floor are, as will Nadiya Bychkova, Amy Dowden, Katya Jones, Neil Jones and Nikita Kuzmin.

Strictly winner Dianne Buswell will return(Image: Getty Images for BAFTA)

Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk, Jowita Przystal, Karen Hauer, Johannes Radebe, Aljaž Škorjanec, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu, Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley, Michelle Tsiakkas and Vito Coppola will also feature once more.

Earlier this year, the BBC also revealed that two new professional dancers will be introduced closer to the show’s return. The 2025 series is expected to kick off in September, though an official date is still to be confirmed.