Author: bang5

Simon Fisher-Becker, who played the Fat Friar in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Dorium Maldovar in Doctor Who, has sadly died, aged 63

Simon Fisher-Becker, who starred in Harry Potter and Doctor Who, has died, aged 63.

Paying tribute to the veteran actor, his agent, Kim Barry, of Jaffrey Management, said in a statement: “Today I lost not only a client in Simon Fisher-Becker, but a close personal friend of 15 years standing. I shall never forget the phone call I made to him when he was offered the part of Dorium Moldovar in BBC’s Dr Who.

“Simon was also a writer, a raconteur and a great public speaker. He helped me out enormously and was kind, gracious and interested in everyone. My condolences go to his husband Tony, his brother, nieces and nephews and his legion of fans.”

Simon Fisher-Becker, who starred in Harry Potter and Doctor Who, has died, aged 63 ( 
Image:
Surrey Advertiser)
Also paying tribute to Simon, was his husband, Tony, who wrote in a Facebook post on Saturday: “Hello everyone. This is Tony, Simon’s husband. I have some very sad news. At 2:50 this afternoon Simon passed away. I’ll be keeping this account open for a while. I’m not sure at this point if I’ll be posting again. Thank you.”

Simon Fisher-Becker’s husband paid tribute to the popular actor

Simon, who starred in the Oscar-winning Les Miserables as Master of the House, also appeared alongside Matt Smith’s Doctor Who in the BBC time travelling series, playing blue-skinned intergalactic Crespallion black marketeer, Dorium Maldovar.

He was also Hufflepuff House’s resident ghost, the Fat Friar, in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. His other TV work included One Foot in the Grave, The Bill, Doctors, Love Soup, Getting On and Afterlife.

Simon as the Fat Friar in Harry Potter ( 
Image:
Warner Bros)

He also appeared alongside Matt Smith’s Doctor Who in the BBC time travelling series, playing blue-skinned intergalactic character, Dorium Maldovar (Paying tribute to the actor following the news of his death, fans took to social media. One said: “His stage routine was one of the funniest things I’ve heard in ages. A dear man who valued his audiences. RIP Simon, shine on.” Another wrote: “Really sad news. I met him at a con a few years ago and he was really lovely.”

A third fan shared: “My deepest sympathies to Tony and all Simon’s loved ones. Dorium was a blast in Doctor Who, Simon nailed the role!” Meanwhile a fourth lamented: “No way man, this is such a shame. I used to message him on Facebook and he was always lovely to talk to. He sent me an autograph a while back and would always wish me Happy Birthday every year. Going to miss him

Olly Pearson, 11, impressed the Britain’s Got Talent judges with his guitar skills on last night’s show as he belted out epic rock solos but the youngster already has huge dreams

Schoolboy Olly Pearson has set his sights on getting the King rocking out after his Britain’s Got Talent success.

The 11-year-old wowed on tonight’s show with his impressive guitar skills, getting judge Amanda Holden’s golden buzzer. His first big gig, it’s given him the taste for performing as he shared his big dreams of performing for royalty as well as headlining 90,000 seater Wembley Stadium. “I’ve heard the King likes rock music,” Olly told the Mirror.

“I could get him to rock out. I’d love to perform for him at the Royal Variety Show. I saw my favourite band AC/DC perform at Wembley last year and I’d love to do the same one day.”

Olly Pearson couldn’t contain his excitement after he got a golden buzzer and was congratulated by his grandad Lee
On his BGT performance, Olly said he overcame some initial nerves to step out on stage and enjoy every minute of it as he epic guitar solos to AC/DC, Van Halen and Queen in this rock ‘n’ roll audition. “It was just those rows and rows of people – it was just amazing,” he smiled. “It just felt like I was on top of the world. Every time I perform in front of lots of people, I just want to perform for even more.”

Picking up a guitar at seven, Olly started strumming with his grandad Lee over Zoom during the Covid lockdown and quickly showed he was a natural. “I always had his guitar around the house and then Olly decided he wanted to play,” recalled Lee. “We had an awful lot of fun doing it. The talent was in there.” “He was teaching Olly guitar while we were trying to teach a 70-year-old how to use Zoom – it was quite tricky!” laughed dad Simon.

Grandad Lee began teaching Olly how to play the guitar four years ago
Practising all the time, he began performing at guitar shows and local venues. Rock aficionado now Olly owns more than 20 guitars and loves listening to iconic bands like Metallica and Guns and Roses.

Dad Simon says he’s had a love of rock music since he was a baby. “I remember him dancing to Girls Girls Girls by Motley Crue when we were at soft play when he was around two or three,” he recalled.

With his long hair and headband, Olly has got the rock look down to a tee and has been inspired by some of the biggest names in music. “I love Slash and Jimi Hendrix! And Eddie Van Halen,” said Olly. “I’m going to see Guns and Roses at Villa Park this year.

Olly has got the taste for the stage life and promises to bring an ever bigger performance for the next show

Living in Wrexham with his mum Sarah, dad Simon and sister Heather, Olly has vowed his next performance will be even bigger. “It’s gonna be louder. Better tunes, better moves, better jumps,” he said.

Olly says performing at the Royal Variety Performance if he won “would be even bigger than a dream, that would be so cool!” and vowed to treat his grandad if he picked up the £250,000 prize – “I’d buy his his dream guitar, a Fender Starcaster.

Since taking part on ITV’s I’m a Celebrity… Coleen Rooney’s star value has shot through the roof and eclipsing that of her husband, footballing legend Wayne Rooney

Coleen Rooney has told how she now gets more public attention than husband Wayne after her ‘ I’m a Celebrity’ triumph.

The ‘Queen of the Jungle’ is said to have agreed a £10m deal for a fly-on-the-wall TV series featuring life ‘at home with the Rooneys’. Coleen, 38, has been humbled by the ‘positivity’ of well-wishers after her runner’s up spot on the hit ITV show with Ant and Dec. She joked: “Even on school runs, Wayne has passed his sell by date so no one has got a clue (about him). But then all of a sudden we get kids going ‘oh Coleen Rooney!

She told an audience ‘you will be seeing a lot more of me’, a clear nod to the deal for the new Disney+ series. It will see cameras roll on her home life with England legend Wayne and sons Kai, 15, Kit, 11, Klay, eight, and six-year-old Cass.

She is expected to earn around £5m, with another £5m going to production company Lorton Entertainment, which made her previous show, ‘Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story’.

Coleen says she’s more famous than her husband Wayne now ( 
Image:
Getty Images)

Coleen’s reps are in talks with Disney+ and Amazong ( 
Image:
Rachel Joseph

Disney+ has reportedly outbid rivals Amazon for the series. Speaking at an event in Manchester, Coleen said: “My life is constantly hectic. Nothing has changed from last year having four, well, five boys, since last year in the jungle. It’s been busy and it’s going to get even busier.”

She added: “I’ve got a few things up my sleeve, you’ll be seeing a lot more of me.” She went on to describe how, after years of United legend husband Wayne in the limelight, she gets the attention on the school run.

The hard working mum has been surprised by how many people watched her in the jungle and now want to stop for a chat. “I didn’t realise how big the audience was,” she said. “I get parents come up to me saying ‘aw, we got our family back together on the couch to watch it’ and that’s lovely to hear.

Coleen was speaking at the Julie Perry Events International Women’s Day charity lunch ( 
Image:
Rachel Joseph)
“That’s the thing I really take from it.” Asked for some behind-the-scenes secrets from the set, she said one night in a storm was so bad they were ushered into a hut with a rat.

The scene did not appear on screen, but she added: “That’s what I was surprised about, how real it is. I thought someone would come in and help us when we couldn’t light the fire at the start. But no, no we had to light the fire. You don’t see a person until you go out on a trial. If you run out of toilet roll, they say ‘step outside’ and put it on a bench and then say ‘please enter.’

“One night, we had the worst weather to date, it must have been really early hours, these security men woke us up and said ‘you need to go in the hut’. There were 10 of us in this hut and there was a rat in there. It was roasting, we sat for an hour and 45 minutes until the lightning went off. By Day Three, I thought ‘what have I done here?’

Coleen was hugely popular on the ITV show ( 
Image:
ITV/REX/Shutterstock“There were all these big personalities. I thought ‘what am I bringing to this jungle?’ I’m just me.” She had pledged not to sing karaoke, as she knew her friends would be annoyed if she did.

She laughed: “You fill out forms, they say ‘name your karaoke songs’ but I’ve never done karaoke, I don’t get up on the mic. I would have picked a jungle trial over karaoke. I knew if my girls had seen me on karaoke, they’d say ‘what are you doing getting up with them when you don’t with us’. I just went there to be myself.”

Coleen’s representatives are believed to have been in talks with Disney+ and rivals Amazon for months over her new series. They were keen to capture the Rooneys following the runaway success of the documentary featuring David and Victoria Beckham.

It was one of the most popular shows on Netflix last year, attracting a huge worldwide audience of more than 200m. Viewers are said to be fascinated by the home lives of millionaire footballers. Last week, the Mirror told how ‘Wagatha’ rival Rebekah Vardy could also be seen in a fly-on-the-wall TV series

The 43-year-old, married to Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy, is being lined up by production company Fremantle. Coleen was speaking to an audience of female entrepreneurs and stars at an annual International Women’s Day celebration in Salford last week. It included fellow footballers’ wives Annie Kilner, former partner of England star Kyle Walker, Kaya Jones, wife of former Man Utd star Phil, and Lisa Carrick, wife of Middlesbrough boss Michael.

TV star Olivia Attwood, and Real Housewives of Cheshire’s Tanya Bardsley, Seema Malhotra, Nicole Sealey and Nermina Pieters-Mekic were also guests. Coleen was runner-up to McFly star Danny Jones, but the audience cheered when host Danielle Nicholls described her as ‘Jungle Queen’ and said: “We all think you were robbed!” Organiser Julie Perry said after the event: “It’s inspiring to see so many entrepreneurial women come together to celebrate one another.

An I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! star has urged Danny Jones’ wife to give him a second chance after the McFly singer was seen kissing Maura Higgins in a new video.

Kerry Katona has shared her thoughts on Danny Jones’ very public controversy after he was seen on video seemingly sharing a kiss with Maura Higgins, despite being married to model Georgia Horsley. Taking to her weekly column, mum-of-five Kerry admitted she was ‘disappointed’ after seeing the clip, but said she always recommends giving a second chance if possible.

Sharing some words of wisdom for Georgia, who has been married to Danny since 2014 and shares a 7-year-old son, Cooper, with him, Kerry said: “I was shocked to see the video of Danny Jones appearing to kiss Maura Higgins at a Brits afterparty – it left me feeling disappointed. Everyone goes for the woman in these scenarios but Danny is the one who is married, so the responsibility was on him to his wife and son.

Kerry, who appeared on I’m A Celeb in 2004, admitted she was ‘disappointed’ in Danny but does believe in second chances ( 
Image:
PA)

Danny was filmed seemingly sharing a kiss with Maura Higgins after the BRIT Awards, which he attended with Tom Fletcher ( 
Image:
Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
“His little boy looks up to him so to have done something like this – if it wasn’t an innocent peck – is just so sad. I feel for Georgia, but it’s hard to know what really happened. I always say that if you can give someone a second chance then try, especially if there are children involved. But it’s down to them where they go from here.”

Kerry, who has been single since November, appeared to hint at infidelity in her recent six-year relationship with fiancé Ryan Mahoney as she added,” As for me, I don’t think I’ve ever been with anyone who hasn’t cheated on me.”

Maura, Danny and Georgia are all yet to speak out on the ordeal, which saw Danny and Maura getting close at the Universal Music BRIT Awards afterparty before being filmed as they seemingly shared a kiss in the corner of the bash. Danny had attended the earlier awards ceremony with his McFly co-star Tom Fletcher, while wife Georgia stayed home.

Maura and Danny met on I’m A Celeb in November, while his wife Georgia was holding down the fort back in the UK ( 
Image:
ITV/REX/Shutterstock)Recently-single Maura, who split from Pete Wicks earlier this week, avoided an awkward run-in with her ex as Pete sat just one table away from her inside the BRITs, while he dipped out of the after party early. Partying at 180 Studios on the Strand, A source told The Sun that Maura and Danny “seemed to be having a great time,” adding: “They looked like they had a brief drunken kiss.”

The source said that they “seem to have a close friendship” after meeting on ITV ‘s I’m A Celebrity last year – which Danny won – and were “talking and laughing for ages”. It’s been reported that they spent 90 minutes together at the event as other guests partied around them. A source told the outlet that he appeared to be giving Maura advice and put his arm around her shoulder at one point. They added that she also laid her head on his shoulder as they talked with pals.

Georgia Horsley has remained silent online since her husband Danny Jones was caught kissing former Love Island star Maura Higgins at the BRIT Awards earlier this month

Georgia Horsley does not feature on the latest instalment of her podcast series amid the fallout from her husband Danny Jones’ scandal.

The former Miss England, 38, has remained silent online since her spouse was caught kissing former Love Island star Maura Higgins at the BRIT Awards at the start of this month. The mum-of-one pulled out of work commitments over the weekend and is yet to comment on Danny’s extra-martial snog.

Georgia had been due to participate in a Q&A with Kelsey Parker, the co-host of the podcast Mum’s the Word, at The Baby Show in London over the weekend but was nowhere to be seen , with insiders claiming Georgia was not ready to speak in front of a large audience and the media.

Now, it appears Georgia could be having a break from her podcasting duties. The latest episode of Mum’s The Word! With Georgia Jones & Kelsey Parker was released in the early hours of Monday morning but does not feature Georgia this week. Titled OLIVIA BOWEN: Navigating the Loss of a Twin Mid-Pregnancy, the episode features Kelsey chatting with the former Love Island star about her pregnancy and recent heartbreaking loss.

Georgia Horsley has not featured on her podcast since footage of Danny Jones kissing Maura Higgins emerged ( 

Image:

Getty Images for the NTA’s)

Kelsey Parker interviews former Love Island star Olivia Bowen solo on the latest offering from the podcast series ( 

Image:

Getty Images for the NTA’s)

“Welcome back to Mum’s The Word. I’m your host Kelsey Parker and today I am joined by the amazing Olivia Bowen,” Kelsey tells listeners as she opens this week’s show. The widow of The Wanted singer Tom Parker does not mention Georgia’s absence.

The episode synopsis reads: In this deeply personal episode of Mum’s The Word, Kelsey Parker is joined by the courageous Olivia Bowen in her first podcast interview since revealing the heartbreaking loss of one of her twins mid-pregnancy. Olivia opens up about discovering the devastating news, how she and Alex coped with the sudden reality, and why she felt compelled to share her story publicly.”

Georgia appeared on the last instalment of the podcast on March 3 – released just hours before it emerged her husband Danny had kissed Maura. Danny is under pressure to “speak out” amid the intensifying controversy as his former campmate Maura flees the country.

I’m A Celebrity stars Danny, 38, and Maura, 34, have both steered clear of addressing reports from earlier this month about a “drunken kiss” at a BRIT Awards afterparty in London. Fresh footage emerged last weekend showing them kissing, and another clip released this week seems to capture them deep in conversation at another gathering

Maura and Danny both appeared on the 2024 series of I’m A Celebrity ( 

Image:

ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Insiders have revealed to the Mirror that Danny and his wife Georgia, also 38, are engaged in crisis talks trying to salvage their marriage. The couple, who tied the knot back in 2014 and have a seven year old son named Cooper, are reportedly navigating complex discussions in the aftermath of the first video.

Now, with the surfacing of a second video, a source reckons it’s high time for Danny to break his silence and address the swirling rumours head-on. They shared with us: “Everyone would understand why Danny and his wife have been quiet. They are likely working through various discussions from the first video that was released alone. With this second video, Danny needs to now speak out.”

The source continued: “Maura is getting a lot of the backlash, and Danny seems to be getting away with his actions as a husband who was supposed to have been in love with his wife for over a decade. Danny’s career should be halted at this point and he should be big enough to now speak out to everyone and explain what has happened and take some accountability.”

They went on to add: “This is unfair on his wife, who seems to have put the family and their marriage first. Who knows if another video will emerge, but being honest is now the only way that this has a chance of resolving itself

One of the stars of Gavin and Stacey has returned to the small screen, but many fans won’t recognise him as he looks very different from his iconic role on the hit comedy

Actor Robert Wilfort, who played Stacey’s older brother Jason in Gavin & Stacey, looks very different in his new role in the afternoon TV series Father Brown.

Robert is guest starring in the BBC daytime mystery drama Father Brown as a clean-shaven maths professor, but he is best known for his role as Jason, who went on the infamous fishing trip with Uncle Bryn in the hit sitcom that ended last year

For years, the fishing trip which neither Jason nor Bryn would speak of was at the centre of much Gavin & Stacey fan speculation, with many viewers hoping that whatever happened on the trip would finally be revealed in the 2024 Christmas finale. However, while we did learn during the episode that Dave Coaches knew what happened, viewers were not let in on the secret, although after the end credits there was a tiny glimpse of Bryn and Jason on the trip before anything happened.

Robert appears in an episode of the current series of Father Brown ( 
Image:
BBC Studios/Gary Moyes)
Robert revealed that he was happy fans never found out about the pair’s secret. At a special screening of the finale for cast and crew he said: “I’d like to say now and forever, the joke has always been you don’t find out what happens on the fishing trip. I’m sorry everybody, but that has always been the joke and it always will be because it’s funny. It’s funnier that way. And I was so pleased that we didn’t reveal it – because we’ve never known what it is.”

Now, Robert is at the centre of another mystery in the Father Brown episode that aired on Friday 7 March. He appears in a series 12 episode as William Fitzgibbon, a Professor of Maths at Gloucester University. However, he ends up as the focus of a murder investigation when a member of the local sewing circle (Carlyss Peer) is found stabbed to death. The episode also features Nicola Stephenson as his wife Martha, Beyond Paradise’s Felicity Montagu as battleaxe Judith Skelton, and Coronation Street’s Naomi Radcliffe.

The series is loosely inspired by G. K. Chesterton’s short stories penned between 1910 and 1936. The character of Father Brown (portrayed by Mark Williams) remains consistent with the source material – a perceptive, gentle priest who has a deep understanding of human nature, enabling him to solve complex murder cases.

Robert is best known for his role as Jason in Gavin & Stacey ( 
Image:
BBC/Toffee International Ltd./Tom Jackson)
The books were set between the two World Wars, while the BBC series is set in the 1950s, a period marked by rationing, illegality of homosexuality and abortion, and the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

The show, which began in 2013, has now run for over 100 episodes and Mark Williams, who plays Father Brown, said: “We broadcast the 12th series of Father Brown this January, which means we have made 130 episodes. I was feeling quite impressed by this, I thought there can’t have been many people who’ve played the eponymous character in a series for 130 shows. Then I read about Jack Warner who played Dixon of Dock Green 432 times, so that took the wind out of my sails a bit.

The show, which began in 2013, has now run for over 100 episodes and Mark Williams, who plays Father Brown, said: “We broadcast the 12th series of Father Brown this January, which means we have made 130 episodes. I was feeling quite impressed by this, I thought there can’t have been many people who’ve played the eponymous character in a series for 130 shows. Then I read about Jack Warner who played Dixon of Dock Green 432 times, so that took the wind out of my sails a bit.

“Making 12 series of Father Brown has enriched my life immeasurably. There have been many friendships made and we have quite a few children born during our time filming to cast and crew which makes us a real tribe. And I give thanks to G K Chesterton’s creation because Father Brown has kept me fascinated.”

Former This Morning star Holly Willoughby is unable to co-host the second series of game show You Bet! due to scheduling conflicts, ITV has said

Holly Willoughby has been ITV’s most prominent female presenter for over a decade, fronting the network’s flagship daytime show This Morning as well as some of its biggest entertainment programmes.

However, it has been claimed that she has dashed ITV’s plans to make her their new Saturday night star. She recently turned down a lucrative offer to host a fresh series of the classic game show You Bet! despite the network’s hopes that she would take on the role.

According to ITV insiders, Willoughby had to decline due to being “busy with other commitments,” making it impossible for her to return to the show. She previously co-hosted a two-part special of the programme last year alongside Stephen Mulhern.

Although details of her other commitments remain unclear, the 44-year-old presenter recently gained international recognition with her Netflix debut on Celebrity Bear Hunt. The streaming giant was reportedly so impressed with her that sources say they are “very keen” to collaborate with her on future projects with global reach.

Holly Willoughby hands ITV bosses a huge blow ( 
Image:
Kieron McCarron/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Holly Willoughby is taking life ‘one day at a time’ ( 
Image:
Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

A source told The Mail: “You Bet! was a hit when it returned for two episodes, and ITV executives were eager to bring it back for a full series. Holly and Stephen had fantastic chemistry, and they both did an amazing job, so they were invited back. But Holly politely declined—she has other obligations and couldn’t make it work. She’s in high demand, and now that she’s no longer tied to This Morning four days a week, she has more freedom to explore different opportunities, including some on a global scale.

“Celebrity Bear Hunt was a major moment for her—it marked her first Netflix project, and both she and the company loved the experience. There’s a strong possibility that more collaborations could be on the horizon. The world is now Holly’s oyster, with so many doors opening for her.”

An ITV spokesperson said: “Unfortunately Holly couldn’t commit to the dates to host the new series of You Bet!, but will hopefully appear as a guest panellist on one of the shows in the new series.

While Willoughby has opted out of You Bet!, Mulhern, 47, who co-hosts Dancing on Ice with her, will still be involved. ITV is now searching for a new co-host to join him. Meanwhile, speculation is growing that Sunday night’s episode of Dancing on Ice could have been Willoughby’s last, amid rumors that the show may not return due to declining viewership. Insiders at the network say no final decision has been made but admit its future is uncertain.

This now leaves Willoughby with no remaining long-term commitments at ITV, but sources insist that the network is eager to collaborate with her whenever possible. Over the years, she has taken on several high-profile roles for the broadcaster, including stepping in for Ant McPartlin on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in 2018 and hosting The Xtra Factor as well as a revival of Surprise, Surprise

Jeremy Clarkson took over as host of the iconic ITV game show in 2018, when Chris Tarrant stepped down from presenting duties after helming the quiz since it began in 1998

Jeremy Clarkson has been cruelly dubbed the worst host of ITV’s Who Wants To Be A Millionaire by Chris Tarrant’s ex-wife.

The former Top Gear star began hosting the iconic ITV quiz show in 2018, when Chris stepped down from the role after helming the quiz since it began back in 1998. The veteran TV star wed wife Ingrid in 1991 but they divorced 15 years later, when the Norwegian model discovered her husband had been having an affair. While she didn’t mince her words when it came to her ex-husband, Ingrid didn’t have anything nice to say about Jeremy, who took over Chris’ duties as host of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.

“I’ve never even seen Chris on TV since I left. I can’t bear to look at his lying eyes and the insincerity,” she fumed. “But I have seen Jeremy doing Millionaire and I don’t rate him at all. I don’t think he has successfully taken over the role.”

Jeremy was slammed by Chris’ ex-wife ( 
Image:
ITV1)
Ingrid was granted a quickie divorce in 2007 when she discovered her husband was having an affair, with Chris issuing a grovelling statement when his infidelity was uncovered. “I am deeply sorry for the hurt I have caused to my loyal wife and wonderful children, all of whom I adore. I have only myself to blame for the breakdown of my marriage. While the liaison which has led to all of this was not significant in my life, I will always regret the hurt and pain that I have caused to those whom I love,” he said at the time

It later emerged that Ingrid had hired a private detective to follow her husband after she suspected he was having an affair. “I want to make it clear our divorce, and the settlement between Chris and I, will be conducted in a fair and civil manner,” she stated ahead of the legal proceedings.

Chris hosted the show from 1998 to 2014 ( 
Image:
ITV)

The former couple split in 2006, with a quickie divorce granted less than a year later ( 
Image:
FilmMagic)
Chris, 78, has decided to retire from television after more than five decades on the small screen, and recently revealed his decision was influenced by the Covid pandemic in 2020. “Lockdown started to get everything in a bit perspective and I thought, I’ve done this thing for 50 years, I don’t need the money, without sounding silly… why am I still doing this?” he explained, as he vowed he would never return to TV. “I actually don’t miss it. I had a great time. I’ve had a brilliant life.

Dancing On Ice has crowned the winner of this series with Sam Aston taking the top spot beating off Michaela Strachan and footballer Anton Ferdinand

Dancing On Ice’s Sam Aston and Molly Lanaghan have won the ITV series.

Sam, 31, best known as Chesney Brown on ITV’s Coronation Street was partnered with Molly on the ITV series and beat bookmakers favourite Michaela Strachan.

He triumphed in the final over the Spring Watch presenter who was runner up and former footballer Anton Ferdinand who came third. All three of the finalists got the show off to a perfect start, with the judges giving all of the 40 out of 40 for their show dances. After a second performance of the famous Bolero, made famous by Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, actor Sam then skated to victory with the public vote.

Sam said: “I’ve got no words, I’m shocked,” and hugged his skating partner and became tearful after being handed the trophy. Dean, 66, said he was “really proud” of Aston after he and Lanaghan impressed the judges following their showcase routine to The Pink Panther Theme.

“I mean tonight, everything came together. Your skating skills are always on show, but you had to have timing and acting… I’m really proud of you”, Dean said. Just before he was announced as the winner he had said: “I have surprised myself a bit on here. It has been a whirlwind but a really lovely journey to be on.

Sam Aston revealed he was lost for words“What I’ll take away from the show the most is it is good to challenge yourself in life. If you put your heart and soul into it, anything is possible.” Praising his partner Molly he said: “We have had a laugh from start to finish.” Runner up Michaela, 58, said: “I feel a winner to have got this far.

“It has been such a bubble of skating joy. I hope I have inspired people of a certain age to try something new.” Sam battled through the pain to win the final as he has been having physio after dislocating his shoulder earlier in the competition.

He said: “I’ve really enjoyed the journey. It’s mad cos it’s, you know, it’s just a roller coaster, but I’ve absolutely loved it and you know, I think it’s, it’s really nice to just push yourself out of your comfort zone, you know, challenge yourself.”

The star previously admitted to being in a ‘bubble’ ( 
Image:
ITV)
He had also vowed last week to throw himself into the final. Last week he said: “I always want to learn new stuff, 100%. Actually I say that to my partner regularly. I’m like, ‘right, what can we do next?’ The main thing is you have to get the choreography as tight as possible before you can start concentrating on new things or big lifts.

“But I feel quite fearless about learning new things, the more the merrier for me. Dan, who helps us with our choreography, always says ‘aim for the stars’, so that’s what we do!”

Michaela Strachan finished in second place ( 
Image:
ITV)The final also saw a performance on the ice by Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean which could be their last on TV as they plan to retire after an arena tour this year. Following Sam’s win, his co-stars have taken to social media to share their joy. Tony Maudsley penned: “He only went and won it!! Massive congratulations to our boy Sam! The Corrie Actors WhatsApp group is on FIRE tonight. We’re all so proud of him! Couldn’t happen to a nicer bloke!! BRAVO SAM!!” Ryan Thomas added: “This makes me so happy.”

Over the past two years, the ITV show has lost more than one million viewers, with the 2023 launch episode being watched by 4.1 million people. However, this series has not made it over 3 million, according to official overnight ratings from BARB. Channel chiefs believe the only way to justify the huge costs involved in making Dancing on Ice going forward is by attracting a blockbuster audience, which isn’t happening.

One source said: “There are very real fears this is the end of the road for Dancing on Ice. It’s had a good run for nearly 20 years and has a very loyal set of viewers who really love it but the sad truth is there’s just not enough of them. We need bums on seats but the ratings have dropped to a point where it’s difficult to justify the cost.”

Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern spoke to viewers at the start of the Dancing on Ice final ahead of either Anton Ferdinand, Michaela Strachan and Sam Aston being crowned

Holly Willoughby admitted that she was feeling emotional just minutes into Dancing On Ice’s latest final amid speculation over the long-running show’s future.

The current series of ITV show concludes tonight after having launched back in January. Holly, 44, and Stephen Mulhern, 47, are hosting the final, in which one contestant and their skating partner will be crowned the new winners.The episode opened with the cast reflecting on the latest series before finalists Anton Ferdinand, Michaela Strachan and Sam Aston took to the ice for a group performance to Sigma and Morgan’s song Adrenaline Rush. Some of the show’s professional skaters were also involved in the routine

Following the performance, co-hosts Holly and Stephen teased what to expect from the rest of the episode. Holly told viewers: “It’s so exciting in here, I can’t tell you.” After showing off the trophy, Stephen teased: “It’s gonna be an emotional night.”

Holly added in their opening scene: “I know … don’t!” Stephen responded: “You’re getting emotional already.” Seemingly referencing the opening scenes of the final, Holly told her colleague: “That set me off just now.”

Holly was met with compliments earlier in the evening after showcasing her finale outfit on Instagram. She shared a photo of herself modelling her shimmering gown shortly before the live episode launched. The layered dress features silver sparkles on its bodice that disappear further down to unveil the white gown underneath the glitter.

Holly Willoughby (right) teased that she felt emotional in her opening scene with Stephen Mulhern (left) on Dancing On Ice tonight ( 
Image:
ITV)
One person commented on the look: “Gorgeous dress Holly.” Someone else wrote: “You look STUNNING in that dress.” Whilst a third follower on the platform said: “So pretty.” Another person told Holly: “Wow, stunning dress.”

It comes amid speculation that the episode could be its last. As previously reported, over the past two years DOI has lost more than one million viewers, with the 2023 launch episode being watched by 4.1 million people. However, this series has not made it over 3 million, according to official overnight ratings from BARB. It’s suggested that channel chiefs believe the only way to justify the huge costs involved in making Dancing on Ice going forward is by attracting a blockbuster audience, which isn’t happening

One source said: “There are very real fears this is the end of the road for Dancing on Ice. It’s had a good run for nearly 20 years and has a very loyal set of viewers who really love it but the sad truth is there’s just not enough of them. We need bums on seats but the ratings have dropped to a point where it’s difficult to justify the cost.”

The latest series has featured contestants including EastEnders star Charlie Brooks, the Traitors finalist Mollie Pearce and Love Island’s Chris Taylor – who were all voted off in the weeks prior to the final. Whilst last weekend’s semi-final saw the Only Way Is Essex star Dan Edgar voted out of the competition. The final is set to conclude with either Anton, Michaela or Sam being named this year’s winner