Author: bang5

Fans were thrilled to see Ruth Langsford beaming as she moves forward from her painful year with a trip to Australia to support pal Jane Moore on I’m A Celebrity

Ruth Langsford is putting the stresses of 2024 behind her as she takes a pre-Christmas trip to Australia to appear on I’m A Celebrity spin off Unpacked.

The Loose Women star was photographed after touching down in Australia on Thursday, with the star looking relaxed and “genuinely happy” as she made her way through the airport. Former This Morning host Ruth, 64, announced she and husband of 14 years Eamonn Holmes were divorcing in May.

Amid the former couple’s increasingly messy split, the mum-of-one had headed Down Under in support of her Loose Women co-star and pal Jane Moore. Jane, 62, is part way through her I’m A Celeb stint in the jungle, where she is living with campmates including WAG Coleen Rooney, Strictly’s Oti Mabuse and Danny Jones of McFly fame.

As newly-single Ruth landed in Australia, she was seen smiling as she pulled her airport trolley, telling fans she’s never been able to “travel light”. Body language expert and celebrity astrologist Inbaal Honigman reckons the star looks “genuinely happy” as she takes her solo trip, although she is also showing signs of nervousness as she navigates her new normal following such a stressful year.

Ruth sipped a glass of fizz as she waited in Dubai ( 
Image:
Ruth Langsford/Instagram)

Ruth looked “genuinely happy” as she touched down in Aus ( 
Image:
Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)

Speaking on behalf of Spin Genie, Inbaal Honigman said: “After landing in Australia, Ruth looks genuinely happy, if a little self-conscious. Her smiles at the airport have all the hallmarks of being genuine. First and foremost, we can see her teeth – open-mouthed smiles are rarely fake. In some photos her teeth are even parted, which shows true joy. She’s happy to have landed in the land down under. There are pictures of Ruth smiling with her cheeks raised, eyes narrowed. This shows her smiling with her whole face, where every muscle engages in the smile. This is an expression of heartfelt happiness.

“Having said that, there are a few signs that reveal that Ruth could be feeling a touch of the nerves. The presenter’s hands on the handle of her airport trolley are rather tense. Holding the handle with both hands, in some pictures they appear white-knuckled, gripping tightly. In other photos she has her hands off the trolley, but her palms are clasped together in a protective gesture. She’s not entirely out of the woods emotionally after the tough year she’s had.”

The star is putting her turbulent year behind her as she heads to Australia ( 
Image:
Ruth Langsford/Instagram)

Ruth joked she isn’t a fan of travelling light ( 
Image:
Ruth Langsford/Instagram)During her flight, Ruth joyfully documented her experience, sharing a photo of three suitcases, captioned: “Australia here I come!! Never could travel light!!! @imacelebrity.” When she landed in Dubai to change planes, she quickly said “goodbye grey skies” as she sipped a glass of fizz. Visibly beaming, she told fans the news that she’d be on Unpacked on Friday.

A source claimed she wanted to take the trip to move on from her painful year. They told The Sun: “It’s been a tough year for Ruth and she’s been putting her best foot forward, she’s thrilled to have been asked to appear on this the spin off show and fly to Australia ahead of Christmas.”

The source added: “The production team are particularly excited they have landed Ruth to join them as they think she’ll be amazing and give the new format a boost.”

Oti Mabuse had fans saying the same thing after she opened up about her marriage in a rare admission during the latest episode of ITV’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!

Oti Mabuse sparked a huge reaction as she shared a bombshell about her marriage.

During Sunday night’s episode of ITV’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! each campmate had the opportunity to win a letter from their loved ones. The celebrities were tasked with identifying a hidden word from their loved one, which was mouthed by another campmate.

The celebrities had to enter the Bush Telegraph to mouth the phrases, with their fellow campmates being given just two minutes to win their letter. But Dancing On Ice star Oti was somewhat perplexed when she was tasked with identifying “aero island”. Speaking to her fellow campers, she admitted she had no idea what the word meant.

However, just moments later, she exclaimed: “It was where we got married!” Fans of the ITV programme have since taken to X, formerly known as Twitter to share their views – with many being left in fits of laughter. “Oti forgetting where she got married is so funny #imaceleb,” said one.

Oti appeared to forget where she got married ( 
Image:
ITV)

A second went on to pen: “Not Oti forgetting where she got married. Looks like the jungle’s messing with her memory! #imaceleb.” Meanwhile, a third typed: “Oti forgetting where she got married, glad they all got their letters #imaceleb,” alongside a string of laughing emojis.

“Oti forgetting where she got married is literal queen type behaviour and typical Oti at her finest #imaceleb,” laughed another. A fourth fan echoed: “These passwords are more entertaining than the actual letters from home. Oti forgetting where she got married and finding out Wayne proposed to Coleen in a petrol station.”

Coleen Rooney was chosen to read Oti’s letter from her husband, Marius, which read: “First of all, our baby is fine. We have had the best time watching how beautiful and kind you are and how you spread that positive South African energy with this amazing group of people.

“Even if I didn’t think it was possible, I realised that I love you even more now, because of the woman and extraordinary mother you’re becoming.” Marius continued: “When you laugh we laugh, when you cry, we cry and when you eat cockroaches we eat the best food we can get, just to balance it out! Limitless love Little Oti and Marius.”

Oti’s husband Marius sent her an emotional letter from home ( 
Image:
Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Mairus joked that when Oti is eating awful food, he and their daughter ‘Little Oti’ tuck into nice food ( 
Image:
Dave Benett/Getty Images for evi)
Marius previously told the Mirror that he was left emotional after seeing Oti cry in the jungle. Oti admitted last month that the I’m a Celeb experience had taken a toll on her, saying that she found it “exhausting” and missed her usual support systems. “You know they say you have a dip, and I don’t think I’ve had one until now,” she said. “You don’t have your normal support you know, you don’t have your spiritual support, you don’t have your emotional support…I was just like, “‘Wow, ok none of my family’s around.’”

With Oti visibly upset, the other campmates tried to lift her spirits. “Your jungle family’s here, though,” said Tulisa. Later in the Bush Telegraph interview, she added: “I just have to remind myself why I’m here, I just have to push and dig deep. I’m here for my daughter and I have to be strong. It’s just exhausting sometimes to be strong.”

Asked if he was looking forward to seeing Oti, he said: “Oh my god you can’t imagine. And this one (points to baby) can’t wait.” Of caring for their child, whose name has not been revealed, he said: “It’s been so nice, I love it. We didn’t get out of the plane as she was too sleepy. She is the best baby ever.” Asked if she could win, he said: “That’s a very difficult question.”

But he said that Oti had been talking for a long time about taking part on the show. He said: “We were discussing this for a few years and she always said she would love to do it.” Marius, who arrived with Oti’s mum Dudu, said he was fine looking after their baby solo. He added: “I teach kids and we have a dance studio and I have the best help here (points to Oti’s mum).”

Asked if she has had enough airtime so far on the show, he added: “I think she has enough. I think it’s all about the whole group and the challenges. I think it’s fine.”

Loose Women panellist Nadia Sawalha said that Gregg Wallace proved he ‘is the problem’ in his torrent of social media posts after he stepped back from BBC series MasterChef last week

TV star Nadia Sawalha, 60, has blasted Gregg Wallace for his behaviour online after he stepped back from MasterChef last week.

Loose Women star Nadia won Celebrity MasterChef in 2007, and admitted that she didn’t have any bad experiences with Gregg, 60, during her time on the show. However, the ITV presenter shared that she’d lost patience with Gregg due to his Instagram Stories, saying she was “horrified” by how he’d reacted to the accusations made against him.

Last week, Gregg was put under investigation due to historic complaints that he’d made “sexual comments” on set of MasterChef, with Newsnight host Kirsty Wark is among 13 people who have accused the MasterChef presenter of making inappropriate sexual comments or jokes.

The BBC host stepped down from MasterChef amid the investigation, but responded to the accusations with a series of posts on Instagram. He apologised this morning for claiming complaints about his behaviour came from “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age”, adding he will now “take some time out”.

Nadia won Celebrity MasterChef in 2007, and said she hadn’t heard about any of the accusations against Gregg ( 
Image:
Des Willie)

“When I saw his Stories at the weekend, to be quite frank, I was horrified by what he said,” Nadia revealed on the YouTube channel she shares with her husband Mark Adderley. Mark added that during his own time knowing Gregg: “I found him incredibly agreeable, very professional, just got on with it. You know, he had that sort of geezer chat and that geezer humour, but there was nothing untoward in anything that he said to me…” while explaining that he and Nadia “Hadn’t heard anything about him” before the fallout last week.

“I wasn’t… not surprised. I’d just never seen that or heard that myself. But I’m never surprised when I hear stories…” Nadia said of the claims. She added: “I’m 100%… I always believe – and maybe that’s wrong of me – I believe women first. You know, I don’t care, I just do. Because I know the way the world is tipped. But, in a court of law you are innocent until proven guilty… but with these numbers…”

Mark then jokingly said in reference to one of Gregg’s controversial posts: “But my God, he’s gone for middle-aged, middle class women!” “Everything about what Gregg says in all these Stories is the problem. It’s the problem that we have,” Nadia responded. “First and foremost, you get to an age where you think, do you know what? I don’t have to take this s**t anymore. You get to a position where you realise you don’t have to laugh at joked that leave you feeling uncomfortable. You don’t have to just pretend something didn’t happen just to keep the peace.”

She added: “And actually, Gregg, what I feel sad about, is that he has no idea how those younger women actually feel… I’m sorry to say, men of this age, you’ve got no idea what we are thinking about you really. You’ve got no idea. You think that you’re striding through life and everybody thinks you are rather nice.

“Well guess what? Most of them are going home going ‘Oh God that guy! I just can’t take one more of those jokes. I just can’t take one more of him just standing a bit too close.’ We have two daughters, 21 and 17 and when they come home after having to put up with lude comments and creepiness in clubs, it’s always people, men of a certain age and it’s THAT age!”

Gregg, who faces various allegations including making “inappropriate sexual jokes”, posted a video on his Instagram stories today to issue an apology. He said: “I want to apologise for any offence that I caused with my post yesterday and any upset I may have caused to a lot of people.

“I wasn’t in a good headspace when I posted it, I’ve been under a huge amount of stress, a lot of emotion, I felt very alone, under siege yesterday when I posted it. It’s obvious to me I need to take some time out, now while this investigation is under way. I hope you understand and I do hope you will accept this apology.”

This Morning presenters Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary were left stunned as they were interrupted by a guest live on air

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Gyles Brandreth appeared on the latest instalment of This Morning

A This Morning star abruptly stopped a segment on Monday (October 27), exclaiming “I don’t want to talk about this”.

At the start of the live show, hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary chatted with regular pundits Gyles Brandreth and Alison Phillips about the day’s top news stories.

The discussion kicked off with news about Prince Andrew following recent reports suggesting he has agreed to vacate the 30-room mansion Royal Lodge.

“Let’s kick off with the Prince Andrew story. He’s reportedly agreed to move out of Royal Lodge if he and Sarah Ferguson are given a new house in Windsor. Gyles, fill us in,” Dermot initiated.

However, Gyles quickly expressed his annoyance, stating: “I don’t want to talk about this. I will, but I don’t want to.”, reports Wales Online.

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Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary presented This Morning on Monday(Image: ITV)

Dermot interjected, saying: “Alison, fill us in,” with Gyles adding: “Before she does, can I say this, seriously.

“The King today is going to the National Memorial Arboretum to open a monument remembering gay and lesbian soldiers killed in World Wars on our behalf. This is an important event.”

Alison Hammond remarked: “Good for you, Gyles,” as the commentator continued: “The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is not part of broken Britain. It’s done brilliant work for 100 years, led for many years by the Duke of Kent, now nearly 90. The grandson of King George V.

“That is what I’d like to be discussing, so I’m very frustrated.”

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The show kicked off with news about Prince Andrew following recent reports suggesting he has agreed to vacate the 30-room mansion Royal Lodge(Image: Max Mumby/Indigo, Getty Images)

Dermot then asked: “Do they track down people’s families? Because I met them once and it’s really wonderful.”

Gyles continued: “It’s completely fascinating. The Armed Services realise that the past was wrong. They’re trying to remedy it and are trying to salute properly, and the King is leading this.

“I think it’s wonderful and important, and so for me, who really believes in the monarchy and the value of the monarchy, it’s so frustrating that for another week, we begin it talking about the Prince Andrew saga. [It] will not go away… I’m just frustrated by it.”

Alison Phillips chimed in: “All the more reason, really, why this is a problem.”

In other segments on today’s This Morning, Dermot and Alison chatted with The Dogfather Graeme Hall, as well as Evita star Rachel Zegler and Coronation Street actress Catherine Tyldesey.

Fawlty Towers actress Prunella Scales has died at the age of 93, just months after the death of her husband Timothy West – who died in November 2024

Actress Prunella Scales, best known for her role as Sybil in Fawlty Towers, has died aged 93. The much-loved actress was married to her husband – and fellow actor – Timothy West for six decades before his death last November.

Prunella’s children revealed that the actress was watching her hit show Fawlty Towers the day before she died. In a statement, her family said: “Our darling mother Prunella Scales died peacefully at home in London yesterday. She was 93. Although dementia forced her retirement from a remarkable acting career of nearly 70 years, she continued to live at home.

“She was watching Fawlty Towers the day before she died.” Pru was married to Timothy West for 61 years and she is survived by two sons and one stepdaughter, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

The statement added: “We would like to thank all those who gave Pru such wonderful care at the end of her life: her last days were comfortable, contented and surrounded by love.”

Timothy West and Prunella Scales in 2024 ( 
Image:
PA Archive)

Prunella was best known for her role as Sybil, the long-suffering wife of Basil Fawlty in TV series Fawlty Towers, where she starred alongside John Cleese. She also had starring roles as the royals, playing Queen Elizabeth II in A Question Of Attribution and she appeared in an one-woman show called, An Evening With Queen Victoria.

Prunella was born in June 1932 and her early work included starring in Pride And Prejudice (1952) and Hobson’s Choice (1954). Her career break came with the early 1960s sitcom Marriage Lines starring opposite Richard Briers.

She also had roles in BBC Radio 4 sitcoms, notably After Henry, Smelling Of Roses and Ladies Of Letters, while on television she starred in the London Weekend/Channel 4 series Mapp & Lucia based on the novels by EF Benson.

The cast of Fawlty Towers – Prunella Scales as Sybil, John Cleese as Basil, Connie Booth as Polly and Andrew Sachs as Manuel ( 
Image:
PA/BBC)
She played Queen Elizabeth II in Alan Bennett’s A Question of Attribution. And in 1973, Scales teamed up with Ronnie Barker in the series called Seven Of One, also for the BBC.

After several film appearances, in 2003 Scales appeared as Hilda, the “she who must be obeyed”, wife of Horace Rumpole in four BBC Radio 4 plays, with her real-life husband, Timothy West, playing her fictional husband.

In 2007, Prunella appeared in Children in Need, reprising her role as Sybil Fawlty, the new manager who wants to take over Hotel Babylon. She appeared in the audio play The Youth of Old Age, produced in 2008 and also in a production of Carrie’s War, the Nina Bawden novel, at the Apollo Theatre in 2009.

Prunella was a lifelong supporter of the Labour Party and appeared on their party political broadcasts during the 2005 and 2010 general election campaigns. She was an ambassador of SOS Children’s Villages, an international charity providing homes and mothers for orphaned and abandoned children.

Prunella alongside her co-star John Cleese on Fawlty Towers ( 
Image:
Mirror Screen Grab)
Prunella married West in 1963, and had two sons; the elder being the actor and director Samuel West, and a stepdaughter, Juliet.

Actor John Cleese has described his on-screen wife and Fawlty Towers co-star Prunella Scales as “a really wonderful comic actress,” adding: “Scene after scene she was absolutely perfect.”

Jon Petrie, director of comedy at the BBC, paid tribute to Prunella. He said: “All of us at BBC Comedy are so sorry to hear of Prunella Scales’ passing. She was a national treasure whose brilliance as Sybil Fawlty lit up screens and still makes us laugh today. We send our love and condolences to her family and friends.”

Corinne Mills, interim chief executive officer for Alzheimer’s Society, praise Prunella for “shining an important light on the UK’s biggest killer”. She said: “We are deeply saddened by the news that Prunella Scales – a true British icon – has died.

“Prunella was an inspiration not just for her achievements on screen, but because she spoke so openly about living with dementia, shining an important light on the UK’s biggest killer. We are profoundly grateful for the awareness she helped to raise and send our heartfelt condolences to her loved ones. Alzheimer’s Society is here for anyone affected by dementia.”

Broadcaster Gyles Brandreth remembered Prunella as “a funny, intelligent, interesting, gifted human being”. Alongside some photos, he wrote on X: “This is a snap I took last year of Prunella Scales with Queen Camilla at Lamb House in Rye – we were celebrating Mapp & Lucia in which Pru had starred. What a wonderful actress: what a funny, intelligent, interesting, gifted human being.”

The Prime Minister also paid tribute. Sir Keir Starmer’s official spokesman said: “Clearly Prunella Scales was part of a golden era for British comedy, someone whose talent was beamed into people’s homes over many years and gave many people a huge amount of enjoyment. The Prime Minister, of course, passes all his condolences to her family.”

In January 2013, she revealed her short term memory was fading. A year later her husband confirmed that Prunella was living with Alzheimer’s disease. Speaking openly about her health, he said: “The sad thing is that you just watch the gradual disappearance of the person that you knew and loved and were very close to.

Prunella and Timothy in their final interview together ( 
Image:
BBC)“When we’ve been to a concert, or a play, or a film, there’s nothing very much we can say about it afterwards because Pru will have a fairly hazy memory.”

The couple appeared together in 10 series of Great Canal Journeys for Channel 4 from 2014 until they stopped in 2020, due to Prunella’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

Timothy died in November 2024 after a “long and extraordinary life on and off the stage”. In a statement released at the time of his death, his family said he left “a sister, a daughter, two sons, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren”.

“All of us will miss him terribly. We would like to thank the incredible NHS staff at St George’s Hospital, Tooting and at Avery Wandsworth for their loving care during his last days,” they added.

At the time of his death, their son Samuel revealed that his mother was not well enough to process Timothy’s death. He said: “All I am going to say is she’s not really well enough to take it all in.”

In one of their final interviews together, Prunella spoke of their bond: “I have got to know him better and better and better.” Timothy then added: “I know that things are going to change a little bit, but it has been a long time and we have managed pretty well really. I don’t think we ever think ‘Oh no.’”

Prunella then chimed in to say: “I have been asked to live the rest of my life with somebody I respect very much and agree with a lot of things and argue with about a lot of things quite happily.”

McFly star Danny Jones has been crowned King of the Jungle after his I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! success but there is no prize for winning the ITV show

Jungle champ Danny Jones will not receive a cash prize following his I’m A Celebrity win – but could make mega money from brand deals and other big TV opportunities.

All the stars are paid a fixed sum when they sign up for the show, and Danny was said to be one of the lower earners, taking home between £100,000 and £150,000 for his three-week stint in Australia. But he could earn ten times that amount – which makes up for the fact he doesn’t get to keep his crown or wooden sceptre!

Experts say there will be kick-backs aplenty following his success, with previous winners earning big bucks after their stint. With a tour planned for 2025, it doesn’t look like the McFly star will have much time but some of the money on offer is sure to turn his head.

Brand and Culture Expert Nick Ede said it’s a big opportunity. “£1.5 million as the winner all eyes are on Danny and I can see him being offered advertising deals and personal appearance fees as well as hosting jobs too,” he told MailOnline. ITV are also said to be eyeing him up.

Danny Jones must hand back his floral jungle crown and wooden sceptre ( 
Image:
ITV)

The offers are now expected to roll in. TV bosses reportedly keen to sign the star to one of its main shows alongside the likes of Joel Dommett and Bradley Walsh and with Danny already a judge on The Voice, he could soon add more shows to his roster. “

Danny is the embodiment of everything ITV loves,” a source told the Sun. He’s fun, family friendly and incredibly popular. Watching how popular he was on I’m A Celeb made him a key target for other shows they have coming up. Danny is a brilliant musician, but he is also great on TV.”

Last year’s winner Sam Thompson has hardly been off our screens and earned another pay-day after signing up to help with the coverage of the new series. He revealed he had been forced to hand back the items and joked that he had ‘nothing to show’ for his success.

Telling campmate Josie Gibson on This Morning, he said: “I didn’t get to keep anything! They wouldn’t let me keep anything! I had to give the sceptre back. I really wanted to bring it through airport security because it’s quite big. ‘But yeah, I don’t have anything to show for it.”

Viewers watched on as the guitarist, 38, was named the show’s winner last night as he beat Coleen Rooney to the top spot. But he almost didn’t go on the show – and told Lorraine that he wanted a nice long break after a big year with a busy 2025 ahead of him.

Danny won the Masked Singer and alongside bandmate Tom Fletcher and then sealed glory on The Voice earlier this year – and was looking forward to some time to himself. He said: “To do the treble, I’ve had a crazy year. I just doubled down on it and thought why not. With a tour next year I was meant to have six months off and move house, but when I’m A Celeb came up I said screw it, let’s do it!

“I feel overwhelmed. It’s like when people buy tickets to your show. I’m always amazed by it. The fact so many people voted for me to be the King, I’m sure and I’ll be forever thankful. I feel like I have connected with people like I haven’t before. It didn’t know it would be so rewarding.”

Strictly Come Dancing’s Pete Wicks appeared on Monday’s It Takes Two with pro partner Jowita Przystal, where they spoke about making the quarter finals

Strictly Come Dancing’s Pete Wicks made a heartbreaking admission on Monday’s It Takes Two.

During the latest episode, Pete, 36, appeared on the show alongside professional partner Jowita Przystal as they spoke about making the quarter finals.

Chatting to the duo, host Fleur East pointed out that the judges’ feedback was ‘largely positive’ over the weekend but they appeared ‘clearly disappointed’ with their score of 29.

To which Pete responded: “Listen, I mean it’s obvious enough, I’ve said it a million times I think people are probably sick of me saying it. I’m obviously technically the weakest dancer here, that’s completely and utterly fair. It would be nice to get over 30 occasionally and not be at the bottom but I think it’s fairly understandable why I am!” to which he pulled a sad face.

Strictly Come Dancing’s Pete Wicks made a heartbreaking admission on Monday’s It Takes Two ( 
Image:
ITV)

Elsewhere on the show, Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas appeared in their first exit interview after their sad elimination on Sunday night.

During the results show over the weekend, EastEnders actor Jamie, 30, and professional dancer Michelle, 29, found themselves in the dreaded dance-off against Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe, where the latter duo were unanimously saved by the judges.

On Monday night, Jamie and Michelle appeared in their first exit interview on It Takes Two with host Fleur East. During the chat, professional dancer Michelle pointed out a show first for her following their departure.

Host Fleur, 37, said: “It was the first time though that you faced the dreaded dance-off and your face said it all… talk us through the thoughts running through your mind at this moment.”

To which Jamie admitted: “Oh well it’s part of the Strictly experience, being top of the leaderboard, bottom of the leaderboard, dance-off, it was like we get to dance it again, let’s go!”

With Michelle pointing out: “I’ve never been in a dance-off either so for me it was an experience as well that I wanted to go through. We did it, we enjoyed it, we’ve got the whole package now!”

Elsewhere on the show, Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas appeared in their first exit interview
Later in the show, host Fleur addressed viewers claiming that the duo were undermarked during their time on the competition. Fleur said: “Despite the nine from Anton [Du Beke], viewers believe you were really undermarked not just on the weekend but during the whole competition, they had a lot to say.”

Fleur then read out some comments from viewers as she said one fan wrote “the judges are too harsh on Jamie that was genuinely amazing, I don’t know why that didn’t reflect in the scores” while a different viewer put “he has not been given fair markings compared to the others.”

To which both Jamie and Michelle pulled a face as the latter said: “You know what, I think when we peaked with our Paso [Doble], they were expecting technical perfection with each dance which I understand as the Paso was such a big moment.

“But it is difficult to achieve, especially with your busy schedule and everything. We did our best, you did your best and one thing I know, and I can say for sure, is that we genuinely and thoroughly enjoyed every single moment. Every single moment and that’s what it’s about. Even when the pressures were high and we were stressed, we still enjoyed it.”

Pickle Cottage has been decked out for weeks, with Stacey Solomon preparing the house for her and Joe Swash’s blended family’s Christmas – but there are significant changes to their festive plans this year

Joe Swash has revealed that he and wife Stacey Solomon have made a major change to their Christmas plans, just weeks after they were allegedly seen rowing in the street.

The couple have been preparing for Christmas at their £1.2 million Pickle Cottage with their children, with Loose Women star Stacey, 35, starting her decorating back at the start of November. She shared a video on social media showing a section of their home covered in multi-coloured lights and Christmas decorations swinging from the ceiling.

Between them, Stacey and Joe have six children, sharing their youngest three, Rex, five, Rose, three and one-year-old Belle. Stacey has two boys, Zachary, 16, and Leighton, 12, from a previous relationship, while Joe’s eldest Harry, 16, is from his relationship with Emma Sophocleous.

Their blended family shared last Christmas together, with Stacey going all out. She even has her own BBC show Stacey Solomon’s Crafty Christmas, in which she shows viewers how to make homemade gifts and decorations.

Joe Swash and Stacy Solomon make major change to their Christmas plans ( 
Image:
@staceysolomon/Instagram)

But this year’s festive celebration will be a significantly smaller affair than last year, with the couple toning down the occasion compared to last year. Joe, 42, told Metro : “Last year, we had about 28 people at our house for Christmas dinner. This year is a bit more quiet: just me, Stacey, the kids and three or four other people coming.”

Fans will be hoping their pared back Christmas is nothing to do with their argument, which saw Stacey appearing to be consoled by a film crew in the street after the pair had fell out. The couple ended up leaving separately, according to a source, with Stacey appearing to be hugging a production member.

Joe and Stacey will have a pared back Christmas ( 
Image:
BBC/Optomen TV/Mark Dolman)
The onlooker said that Joe left a building alone and “stormed off down the street” while vaping. He was then taken to one side while someone else went to check on him, it was claimed.

They added that 15 minutes after their “tense” exchange, Stacey shouted at Joe, with the pair leaving separately. The Sun shared footage and photos of the incident, with a witness claiming: “Joe came out of a building on his own and stormed off down the street, he looked upset and was sitting on some steps for a while. Stacey came out of the building in tears and she looked really emotional, she was hugging someone.”

They added: “About 15 minutes later Joe was having an animated talk with the man. Eventually Stacey walked towards Joe in the car and shouted something. They ended up leaving separately. It all looked very tense.”

The BBC decided to continue to show MasterChef: The Professionals following host Gregg Wallace being surrounded by controversy surrounding his alleged behaviour

Gregg Wallace appeared on screens amid his controversy with MasterChef viewers noticing an awkward moment.

The TV presenter stepped down from his role as presenter of the BBC show last week, but still appeared on Monday’s episode of MasterChef: The Professionals. During the show, the chefs were tasked with producing a dish from root to shoot. Contestant Gaston, who is from France, decided to cook a Greek dish.

Wallace spoke to Gaston as he prepared his dish, who told the presenter: “It is a sauce from Greece and I am using egg, lemon juice and dill.” The host asked: “Why all of a sudden have we crossed over from France to Greece?” Gaston responded: “Greece is the first country I had travelled to for work, I had lived there probably a year. Loved the food, loved the people.”

Wallace then asked: “How do I say goodbye in Greek?” Gaston told him: “Αντίο.” To which Wallace quipped: “Beautiful stuff.” Viewers at home noticed the awkwardness of Wallace asking how to say goodbye amid his exit from the show. One said: “He’s just asked how to say goodbye in Greek, classic.” Another added: “‘How do I say goodbye in Greek’ Definitely various forms of goodbye are going to come in useful.”

Despite the controversy surrounding Gregg Wallace after stepping back from MasterChef amid external reviews of misconduct allegations, the BBC assured viewers that tonight’s episode of MasterChef: The Professionals would go ahead as planned on BBC One. Embroiled in claims of making “inappropriate sexual jokes” amongst other behavioural complaints, Wallace’s lawyer stands firm: “It is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature”.

Wallace appeared on the show following his exit ( 
Image:
BBC)
The BBC confirmed the episode on Monday night as they said: “The BBC has confirmed tonight’s episode of MasterChef will still be shown on BBC One.” Episode 16 out of 17 from the series, sees the eight remaining chefs try to secure their spots in the final six. Wallace expressed regret today for his remarks suggesting complaints about his conduct came from “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age”.

He’s decided to “take some time out” following the controversy. The MasterChef host, who is battling several allegations including making “inappropriate sexual jokes”, posted on Instagram this morning to say sorry. In the video, he said: “I want to apologise for any offence that I caused with my post yesterday and any upset I may have caused to a lot of people.

“I wasn’t in a good headspace when I posted it, I’ve been under a huge amount of stress, a lot of emotion, I felt very alone, under siege yesterday when I posted it. It’s obvious to me I need to take some time out, now while this investigation is under way. I hope you understand and I do hope you will accept this apology.”

Gregg Wallace returned to screens on Monday night ( 
Image:
BBC)
Following his initial comments over the weekend, there was a public uproar, with Downing Street condemning his reply to the claims as “inappropriate and misogynistic”. The 60-year-old is facing claims from 13 individuals over 17 years, spanning various shows, with the BBC releasing these details last Thursday.

Since then, numerous others have come forward with their accounts. Yet Wallace’s legal representatives affirm that “it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature”. Last Thursday, it was announcemed that Wallace would be temporarily leaving the famous BBC cookery programme, as past complaints are examined by an external inquiry conducted by the production company Banijay UK.

In response to the allegations, Wallace posted on Instagram on Sunday: “I can see the complaints coming from a handful of middle-class women of a certain age, just from Celebrity MasterChef. This isn’t right.” His statement sparked outrage, with former Celebrity MasterChef contestants Ulrika Jonsson, Kirstie Allsopp, and Emma Kennedy among those who condemned his response.

Kai Widdrington has had a busy week, having taken to the Strictly dance floor during Saturday’s final before immediately moving on to his next role upon the conclusion of the series.

Strictly Come Dancing’s Kai Widdrington has been seen teaming up with a new partner following his stint on everyone’s favourite dance competition this year.

The pro dancer made waves during the grand finale of the BBC One dance competition this past weekend, where he dazzled audiences as part of the 2024 cast with one final exuberant performance.

He also joined forces with singer-songwriter Raye for a special performance of Oscar Winning Tears.

But as soon as the final wrapped up, Kai was quick to dive into his new role, having previously revealed his plans to join the pantomime scene this holiday season.

He’s all set to embody Captain Hook at Liverpool’s The Auditorium at the M&S Bank Arena, sharing the stage with ex-Corrie star Kimberly Hart-Simpson, who will be sprinkling her magic as Tinkerbell in their rendition of Peter Pan.

Strictly Come Dancing’s Kai Widdrington and Kimberly Hart-Simpson ( 
Image:
(Image: Kai Widdrington Instagram))
Earlier on, Kai excited fans by posting the event’s poster on Instagram, which starts on Tuesday (December 17).

In the post, he flaunts an impressive moustache and invites followers with the caption: “It’s panto season! Come see me us at the M&S arena Liverpool for Panto this Christmas – fun for the whole family – oh yes it is! ”

As he got back into rehearsal mode ahead of the opening night this week, Kai shared a snap of his script inside the auditorium, calling it: “My new office for the rest of 2024.”

He also re-posted a picture with Kimberly, who played Nicky Wheatley on ITV’s Corrie, originally captioned by her: “@kaiwidd Panto week,” to which he responded: “Here we go! ! “, as reported by Manchester Evening News.

Kai recently hit the headlines as he broke a world record on the Strictly 2024 Pro Challenge, showcased on the spin-off show It Takes Two.

The yearly competition sees the Strictly professionals trying to perform as many repetitions of a specific dance step in 30 seconds, with the winner setting a new record.

Coronation Street actress Kimberly Hart-Simpson portrayed Nicky Wheatley in the ITV drama. ( 
Image:
ITV)
This year’s challenge had the talented dancers performing a Time Step from the cha-cha-cha, under the watchful gaze of judge Craig Revel Horwood and adjudicator Will Munford, who were in charge of counting and verifying each attempt.

The final results were revealed by host Janette Manrara, who invited Kai and fellow Strictly pro Neil Jones into the studio.

They were given the task of beating the previous record of 14 steps, set by Nadiya Bychkova.

After their attempts were shown, it was disclosed that both male pros had achieved 15 Time Steps in 30 seconds. However, one of them had a disqualification, leaving a clear winner for this year’s record.

Janette then declared that Kai had clinched the top spot on the leaderboard after one of Neil’s steps was disqualified, pushing him down to second place for the third consecutive year. “It feels good. I might retire early because I feel it doesn’t get much better than that,” an ecstatic Kai said after his win.

“I’m gutted [for all my fellow professionals]. I feel so bad, but I’m very happy. Thank you Mum and Dad, all my family. Thank you for everything.”