Author: bang5

Loose Women star Linda Robson has opened up about the heartfelt support she gave Paul Danan during his struggles before his tragic death

Linda Robson took Paul Danan under her wing after his acting gigs dried up and he was left without money.

The late Hollyoaks and Love Island star tragically passed away this year on January 15 at the age of 46, having faced a tumultuous life in the spotlight, including a struggle with drug addiction. The reality TV personality, who also appeared on Celebrity Big Brother, is said to have died after he had ‘slipped and fell’ in his luxury apartment near Bristol.

Two months on, Linda, 66, has opened up to Bella magazine about the incredibly challenging year she’s had. The Loose Women panellist revealed how she’s been struggling in the wake of his death and the heartbreaking dementia diagnosis of her Birds of a Feather co-star, Pauline Quirke.

The TV star shared how she had fond memories of her time with Paul, which included when they had appeared on Celebrity Coach Trip. “I travelled around Portugal with him for 10 days,’ she said. ‘I loved him – he was such a good boy, he really was,” she said.

Linda opened up about how tough this year has been on her ( 
Image:
Dave Benett/Getty Images)

Paul tragically died on January 15 earlier this year ( 
Image:
WireImage)

“Lesley [Joseph] and I looked after him on Coach Trip because he didn’t have any money, so we helped him out with that and then we got him presents for his little boy, DeNir.” However, sadly Linda had been away when she found out about Paul’s death, saying: “I was away on a cruise when I found out.”

In a podcast last year, Paul told how he was living in a ‘dry house’ in Bristol which is believed to be the flat where he was found dead. Over the years, he had been brutally honest about his struggles with addiction. The actor even came close to death after an overdose that occurred shortly after he left a rehab facility in South Africa. He was found “choking on his last breath” after he took an overdose of heroin.

Months before his death, Danan discussed how he ended up working in a phone shop after the offers dried up.

On a podcast in November, he said: “It’s very tough. I mean, maybe years ago, I shouldn’t have left Hollyoaks, but I made that decision because, after four years, I didn’t want to be typecast and back then, everyone didn’t want to be the next Ken Barlow. You wanted to go off and play different roles, especially when you’re a real actor.”

Paul explained how starring in reality shows led to the demise of his career. He said: “It was a detriment to my acting career because it didn’t help. Maybe if I had stayed in the background and didn’t make a big splash, I would probably have been alright. But you know me, if I’m on a show, I’m going to give it my all and be TV gold! It didn’t help with my acting career because suddenly people were like ‘Oh, we don’t want to hire a reality star!’”

Frankie Bridge has let fans in on the secret to her everyday lip look, confirming she uses these two ‘creamy’ and ‘long-lasting’ products to achieve her go-to lip combo

If you’ve wondered how to emulate the Loose Women host’s everyday glam, Frankie Bridge has revealed the two products she swears by to create her go-to lip look. And the good news is, we know where you can shop Frankie’s sworn-by make-up products that boast a “creamy” formula and plenty of longevity to see you through the day – and what’s more, they come with affordable price tags, so you can mimic Frankie’s beauty regime without breaking the bank.

Frankie shares with fans she uses these Natasha Denona and MAC products ( 
Image:
Natasha Denona and MAC)
Frankie Bridge took to social media to answer followers’ questions about the products she had reached for to achieve her understated yet gorgeous make-up look that she opted for every day. The two holy grails Frankie uses are this Natasha Denona I Need a Nude Lip Crayon (£23) and this MACXIMAL Silky Matte Lipstick (£25).

Both nude lip products come in a range of shades to best suit any skintone; the Natasha Denona Crayon boasts fourteen hues to choose from, including pinks, reds and browns, while the MAC lipstick offers a mega 46 shades, including muted and vibrant colours to suit any occasion.

The Natasha Denona Crayon boasts a smooth, creamy formula that effortlessly drifts across your lips. This crayon has all-new technology that moisturises the skin while avoiding cakey build-up. With a matte finish, this lip crayon is set to be subtle and highly wearable. It promises to look awe-inspiring with any makeup look, whether you’re leaning towards an understated everyday look or something more eye-catching.

The crayon promises to be non-drying and comfortable, and it can be sharpened whenever it appears blunt for more precise and sharp application. The formula is buildable, allowing for top-ups throughout the day if you want your look to appear as fresh and dewy as when it was first applied. It also comes equipped with water and smudge-proof benefits, ensuring that your colour remains deliciously pigmented for as long as possible, making it an ideal choice for everyday wearing.

Lookfantastic customers rave about this crayon, writing: “Super creamy, easy to use, and lasts a long time. This shade is great for creating dimension on my light medium skin tone, and blended out with a nude lipstick. Love!”

While another buyer beams: “Beautiful color, very creamy and long lasting! Perfect lip liner

And a third shopper shares: “Amazing color and texture one of the best nude pencil.”

You can pick up Frankie’s must-have lip crayon from Lookfantastic, Sephora and Cult Beauty.

Frankie also told followers she uses this MAC Lipstick to create a similarly effortless everyday look. The iconic matte lipstick is a new spin on the original MAC lipstick, but now bigger and better – with more colours and longer wear. Boasting the matte formula of the original MAC lipstick, this gem has been upgraded to a silkier, smoother texture in pigment-rich hues. It will seamlessly glide on and stay in place for up to 12 hours. You can pick up this iconic lipstick directly from MAC

King Charles’ cousin has opened up about Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex’s surname, which she recently discussed with Mindy Kaling on her new Netflix show, insisting that ‘she’s completely incorrect’

In her brand new food show, With Love, Meghan, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, opened up about the surname she now uses. But not everyone is too sure about it.

The Californian Royal, who left palace life behind five years ago, has long put aside her maiden name of Markle, but this is still the name to which she is often referred.

While chatting about fast food with Mindy Kaling in the second episode, Meghan can be seen gently correcting The Office actress after she remarked: “People wouldn’t believe that Meghan Markle ate at Jack in the Box.”

Offering some insight into how she refers to herself away from the public eye, mum of two Meghan replied: “It’s so funny, too, that you keep saying Meghan Markle. You know I’m Sussex now. You have kids, and you go, ‘no I share my name with my children’…I didn’t know how meaningful it would be to me, but it just means so much to go ‘this is our family name, our little family name’.”

However, just as fans were getting used to the idea of “Meghan Sussex”, King Charles’ second cousin Lord Ivar Mountbatten came forward with a clarification, insisting that the 43-year-old duchess had gotten it quite wrong.

Season two of With Love, Meghan has now been confirmed ( 
Image:
Netflix)
Lord Mountbatten, who recently appeared on The Traitors (US), told Town & Country: “It’s interesting because she’s completely incorrect. Her family name is not Sussex, her family name is Mountbatten-Windsor. Her children are called Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor; they’re not called Archie and Lilibet Sussex because Sussex is a title.”

The aristocrat continued: “So, they are the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, but actually he’s Harry Mountbatten-Windsor and she would be Meghan Mountbatten-Windsor. My brother is the Marquess of Milford Haven, but his surname is Mountbatten, so he’s called George Mountbatten, the Marquess of Milford Haven. When I read that, it was an article about her new program, and she said that her family name is Sussex.”

He went on to clarify that he hadn’t yet tuned into With Love, Meghan, which hit Netflix on Tuesday, March 4, predicting: “I might be interested to watch it; it might not last long.”

However, it would appear that this food show is no flash in the pan, with Netflix confirming on Friday (March 7), that the series will be returning for a second season, which has already been filmed. Taking to Instagram with a video shared to her Stories, Meghan announced: “Lettuce romaine calm… or not (!) because I’m thrilled to share that Season 2 of ‘With Love, Meghan’ is coming!”

The Duke and Duchess are at the centre of a new documentary about their life in the States, with one expert revealing why ‘Hollywood is falling out of love with Meghan and Harry’

There was much fanfare when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle first set up home in the States. The couple were welcomed with open arms and seemed to have found their ‘happy ever after’ in Montecito, California.

But fast forward five years, and much has changed. Initially, the Sussexes enjoyed huge popularity, but their constant criticisms of the royal family saw the tide start to turn. Then came claims of bullying members of their staff – which Meghan has always denied – and criticism of their work projects, with a Spotify exec famously describing them as ‘grifters’

Their work with Netflix has also proven to be lacklustre with their latest offerings, Polo and With Love, Meghan, failing to make the grade. Furthermore, they have been labelled ‘disaster tourists’, and criticised for making political statements, not to mention the ongoing row over Harry’s visa application.

Now a PR expert has claimed to have an explanation as to why America seems to have turned its back on the Sussexes. Speaking on the Channel 5 show Harry and Meghan’s American Nightmare, Nick Ede revealed: “Hollywood is falling out of love with Meghan and Harry because over there you have to earn your stripes – and it really feels like they haven’t earned those stripes.

“If you are a George Clooney or an Arnold Schwarzenegger, you can get to a level where you can be a little bit political, where you can use your gravitas to really make a change. What I feel about Meghan and Harry is, they haven’t earned that so people are beginning to stop listening.”

Certainly, it’s been a brutal start to the year for Meghan and Harry. The Duchess’s lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan, has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons. And at the start of 2025, Vanity Fair – which once favoured the couple – published a scathing 8,000 word article about the Sussexes.

The cover piece, titled ‘American Hustle’, set out what life was like ­’Inside Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Big Business Ambitions, 5 Years After Their Royal Exit’. It contained troubling claims about what it’s allegedly like to work for the Sussexes, complaints from their neighbours in Montecito, and the bombshell allegation that a member of Meghan’s team had reached out to a publishing house to “gauge interest” in a post-divorce book.

The article also quoted sources claiming Meghan could be “really, really awful” when things did not go her way at work and that projects often went poorly due to the couple’s ‘demands’. Other claims include the suggestion that Harry underestimated the impact his explosive memoir Spare would have on relations with his family, that Meghan has ‘re-parented’ Harry, and that the couple lacked ideas when it came to their Netflix and Spotify deals.

The Sussexes were reportedly upset by the claims made in Vanity Fair ‘s explosive cover story. According to The Times, the couple dismissed the allegations, with a source close to them describing them at the time as ‘distressing’.

King Charles is set to deliver a message recognising “uncertain times” across the world as he marks Commonwealth Day on Monday with a special celebration at Westminster Abbey with Queen Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales

The King will deliver a message of hope and unity saying the Commonwealth exists as a “source of strength and an opportunity for learning”.

On Commonwealth Day on Monday, communities from across the 56 nations will come together to celebrate the unique family of nations. The monarch will lead the Royal Family at a special celebration at Westminster Abbey in London, supported by the Queen and Prince and Princess of Wales. The King and Kate missed last year’s ceremony after both being diagnosed with cancer just weeks before

This year, Charles will deliver a message recognising “uncertain times” across the world, with wars raging in the Middle East and in Europe. The King last week met Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky at his Sandringham estate in Norfolk after the wartime leader suffered a bruising encounter with US president Donald Trump at the White House as the pair exchanged cross words.

King Charles with the rest of the Royal Family at the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in 2023 ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
Royal sources revealed it was the Ukrainian president who asked to meet the monarch, often seen as a global peacemaker, during a whistlestop visit to London as the UK and European nations attempted to thrash out a route to peace for the eastern European country that was invaded by Russia three years ago.

King Charles visits JCB factory

In his message as head of the Commonwealth, Charles will say: “In these uncertain times, where it is all too easy to believe that our differences are problems instead of a source of strength and an opportunity for learning, the Commonwealth’s remarkable collection of nations and peoples come together in the spirit of support and, crucially, friendship. The Commonwealth’s ability to bring together people from all over the world has stood the test of time and remains as ever-important today.”

The Prince and Princess of Wales are to join the King and Queen for the annual Commonwealth Day service next week. The princess is still making a gradual return to public duties after confirming she is in remission.

William, Kate, Charles and Camilla will also gather with the Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester for the service on Monday in Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace announced. This year’s Commonwealth Day theme is Together We Thrive, which celebrates the “enduring spirit of the Commonwealth family”.

The King met Ukrainian Presideny Volodymyr Zelensky at his Sandringham estate last week
Charles normally gives an annual address each year to the family of 56 nations, but last year pre-recorded a video message after postponing his public-facing duties for around three months. Kate was diagnosed with cancer after having abdominal surgery at the start of last year and revealed at the end of March that she was undergoing chemotherapy. She has carried out a number of engagements this year, revealing in January she is in remission, as she continues her return to public life, including visiting Pontypridd ahead of St David’s Day last week.

During the service, singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading will perform an arrangement of her well-known hit Love And Affection for the 2,000-strong congregation. On the same day, the King will launch the inaugural King’s Baton Relay at Buckingham Palace, officially starting the countdown to the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. It marks the 18th official Commonwealth Games relay, and Charles’s first as King.

He will place a message inside the baton, which will be sealed and kept closed until the opening ceremony next summer, when the King’s words will be read out to signal the start of the sporting competition. Charles will hand the baton to the first baton bearer, six-time Olympic champion cyclist Sir Chris Hoy. Sir Chris, who has terminal prostate cancer, will walk through the Palace’s Quadrangle to the Centre Arch with a pathway lined by pipers from the Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa Pipe Band London.

In 2021, the late Queen launched the Commonwealth Games 2022 baton relay at the Palace in what was her first major event since the start of the Covid pandemic. The 2026 Commonwealth Games are due to take place in Glasgow from July 23 to August 2 next year.

Charles and Camilla will also be guests of the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Baroness Scotland, at the annual Commonwealth Day reception on Monday and hear a commemorative song by Andrew Lloyd Webber to mark the inaugural Commonwealth Peace Prize.

Lady Louise Windsor is flourishing at university and has thrown herself into acting as never-seen-before pics show her rehearsing with her fellow students

She may be only 16th in line to the throne but Lady Louise Windsor already looks every inch a queen of the stage.

The 21-year-old daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh has thrown herself into acting while studying English at university in Scotland. In never-before-seen snaps Lady Louise is seen rehearsing and acting in a selection of am-dram plays alongside other students.

Royal sources say Lady Louise “adores acting” and has thrown herself into a number of parts this year, including Sir Oliver Surface in the comedy School for Scandal. She also performed in Oscar Wilde play An Ideal Husband.

Lady Louise as Sir Oliver Surface ( 
Image:
BACKGRID)
She signed up to the St Andrews University performing arts group Mermaids, while her boyfriend Felix da Silva-Clamp also treads the boards. In pursuing acting, Lady Louise is following in the footsteps of her father, Prince Edward, who is 61 tomorrow

The Duke of Edinburgh also enjoyed acting in his university days at Cambridge as part of its Light ­Entertainment Society. Later he worked as a theatre production assistant at Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Theatre Company and went on to form his own company, Ardent Productions, creating dramas and documentaries. The aspiring actress – the youngest granddaughter of the late Queen Elizabeth II – is known in royal circles for her humour and versatility.

Lady Louise has thrown herself into acting like her dad did ( 
Image:
BACKGRID)
One source said: “Lady Louise is a delightful young woman and a favourite of everyone in the family. She has made a really solid group of friends at university and is a credit to herself.” And a review of one of her plays called her part a “fantastic edition”.

Critic Olivia Durie-Mains said: “Our narrator, Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, consistently treated us to engaging and well-elocuted storytelling.”

Louise is known in royal circles for her humour and versatility ( 
Image:
BACKGRID)

As the daughter of the son of a then-sovereign, Lady Louise was entitled to be known as Princess Louise, while James, born in 2007, is actually a prince. But Edward and mum Sophie Rhys-Jones decided against this, with it announced on their wedding day that any children would not use the HRH style, and instead adopt the courtesy titles of the child of an earl.

PR executive Sophie married Edward, Elizabeth II and the late Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip’s youngest son, in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, in June 1999, in a continental-style evening service where guests were told not to wear hats. The couple became the Earl and Countess of Wessex, and last year celebrated their silver wedding anniversary.

Louise is at university in Scotland ( 
Image:
BACKGRID)Sophie had a close relationship with the late Queen, who had great affection for her daughter-in-law. She also shared a love of carriage driving with father-in-law Philip, and was devastated when both the Queen and the duke died just over a year apart. Edward is the only one of the Queen’s four children not to have got divorced.

Tomorrow the Royal Family will mark Commonwealth Day at Westminster Abbey – and the annual service five years ago was the tense final royal engagement for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

The stage is set for one of the biggest events in the royal calendar that’s become known as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s final farewell.

Tomorrow King Charles and Queen Camilla, as well as the Prince and Princess of Wales, will join together for the grand Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey. Last year both Kate and the King missed the ceremony due to their cancer diagnoses – but both will return for this year’s celebration.

However, two family members who will definitely be on the missing list are the Sussexes. In fact, the event in 2020 marked their last royal engagement before quitting as senior royals to carve out new lives for themselves in North America.

The royals at the service in 2020 ( 
Image:
POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
They attended the service alongside other members of the Firm – and many remarked on the tension between the family members. And according to a book, Harry appeared to be “fighting back the tears” following what they perceived to be a “snub”.

Invictus Games 2025: Prince Harry watches final with UK supporters

Before the ceremony, 2,000 orders of service had been distributed detailing that William and Kate would enter the Abbey with the main royal party. However, there was no mention of Harry and Meghan being in the procession, with the Daily Mail reporting the couple was “quite sensitive and emotional about it”.

This reportedly led to William and Kate not walking in the procession in an attempt to resolve the issue – despite the orders of service stating otherwise. And in his book Battle of Brothers, royal author and historian Robert Lacey says even though Meghan had a “megawatt” smile, Harry was more gloomy.

He writes: “Observers also noted that Harry’s face was ‘quite tense and unsmiling’ – and that when William sat down close to him, he barely greeted his brother. Throughout the service, Meghan megawatted away with her best TV smile but, as the ceremony progressed, Harry appeared to grow gloomier. According to one observer, “his accelerated blinking even suggested he might have been fighting back tears.’”

Harry said the service felt “cold” ( 
Image:
PA)
Harry later told how he felt at the service in his and Meghan’s controversial Netflix series released at the end of 2022. The service was the first time he and Meghan had seen many family members since an extended Christmas stay in Canada – and the news broke about them quitting the Firm.

Harry explained: “The first time that we saw the other members of the family was in Westminster Abbey. We were nervous seeing the family because all the TV cameras and everybody watching at home and everybody watching in the audience. It’s like living through a soap opera where everybody else views you as entertainment.

“I felt really distant from the rest of my family, which was interesting because so much of how they operate is about what it looks like, rather than what it feels like. And it looked cold. But it also felt cold.”

William, Kate, Charles and Camilla will also gather with the Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester for the service tomorrow in Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace has announced.

This year’s Commonwealth Day theme is Together We Thrive, which celebrates the “enduring spirit of the Commonwealth family”. During the service, singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading will perform an arrangement of her well-known hit Love And Affection for the 2,000-strong congregation.

On the same day, the King will launch the inaugural King’s Baton Relay at Buckingham Palace, officially starting the countdown to the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. It marks the 18th official Commonwealth Games relay, and Charles’s first as King.

He will place a message inside the baton, which will be sealed and kept closed until the opening ceremony next summer, when the King’s words will be read out to signal the start of the sporting competition. Charles will hand the baton to the first baton bearer, six-time Olympic champion cyclist Sir Chris Hoy

Viewers of Stacey Solomon’s BBC show Sort Your Life Out were left gobsmacked as they watched a family who admitted to hoarding 3,000 plastic toys

Viewers of Sort Your Life Out were left feeling uneasy after watching the latest episode, which they described as ‘painful to watch’.

The BBC hit show, which aired on Tuesday (4th March), saw Stacey Solomon and her team – Dilly Carter, 44, Iwan Carrington and Robert Bent – assist the Jamison family from East Sussex in transforming their home that has been in their family for four decades.

Single mum Nadine, who has lived in the house since her teens and raised her four daughters there, found herself overwhelmed by the sheer volume of belongings accumulated over the years. With three generations living under one roof, the family’s possessions had taken over entire rooms, leaving no space for a fresh start.

Stacey and her team helped single mum Nadine organise her home ( 
Image:
BBC)
However, it was the sight of their belongings being moved to a warehouse that really got viewers talking. The team laid out all their items for them to decide what to sell, donate or keep.

Among the family’s possessions were 106 animal ornaments, 87 board games, 3,000 miniature plastic toys and over 1,000 pieces of Nadine’s cherished china, reports Wales Online.

As they sifted through the decades of keepsakes, things became emotional when Nadine began reflecting on her childhood, the challenges of raising her daughters and the impact of her father leaving the family home.

Viewers share their concerns for the family featured on the show ( 
Image:
BBC)
Opening up about her past, Nadine said: “Some of this is my dad’s and that’s why I’ve held onto this. He was great but he did walk out when I was 17. I think I have been stuck in there, at that age. Such an idyllic childhood, so it’s a real shock.”

With Nadine’s daughters by her side, the family bravely tackled the daunting task of sifting through 40 years’ worth of belongings and cherished memories. After assembling their dream team, Stacey and her crew put in a solid graft to turn the bungalow into a cosy and inviting abode.

Stacey’s good mate Zoe Sugg, better known as Zoella, even pitched in to help spruce up the place before the family’s big return.

Viewers shared their concerns as to how Nadine managed to collect over 3000 plastic toys ( 
Image:
BBC)But viewers at home couldn’t help but get sidetracked, quickly taking to social media to voice their astonishment at how Nadine had amassed a staggering collection of over 3000 plastic toys.

One viewer vented on X, previously known as Twitter : “This is painful to watch. You won’t have room for your flowers and coffee in your house full of STUFF! #SortYourLifeOut.”

Another exclaimed: “Plastic toys? B****y hell. No wonder the planet is f****d, #SortYourLifeOut.” A third chimed in: “3000+ plastic toys?!?! #sortyourlifeout @NatureBookish #sortyourlifeout all those dolls!”

And another commented: “How much did she spend on all those dolls alone? I thought nurses are supposed to be skint? #sortyourlifeout.”

Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern are gearing up to crown the seventeenth winner of Dancing On Ice – after a series that will remembered for some incredible performances

The live final of Dancing On Ice 2025 is almost upon us and the final three has never been closer.

Anton Ferdinand, Sam Aston and Michaela Strachan are vying to be crowned this year’s champion after impressing with a series of flawless routines over the last thee months.

The talented trio have seen off some stiff tough competition from their fellow celebs, dodged injuries, performed some impressive stunts and now they’re poised to find out which one of them will be crowned the winner.

However, bookies have predicted the final is a two-horse race between Michaela and Anton. Retired footballer Anton has odds of 20/1 while Michaela is the favourite at 4/7. But, the public will have to tune in to find out if those predictions are true.

Whatever happens on the night, whoever does win the seventeenth series of the ITV skating competition will be joining a long list of illustrious winners who have gone on to big things in their personal lives and careers after braving one of TV’s most dangerous reality shows.

We take a look back at all the previous stars who were awarded the title and what happened next…

Ryan Thomas – 2024

Ryan Thomas won the 2024 series ( 
Image:
Kieron McCarron/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Following a tense final, Ryan Thomas was crowned the winning celebrity for the 2024 series. Scooping the win alongside his skating partner Amani Fancy, the duo saw of competition from Miles Nazaire and Vanessa Bauer, and Adele Roberts and Mark Hanretty.

Actor Ryan’s famous brothers Adam and Scott Thomas were both seen in tears as the result was announced. Meanwhile, Ryan’s fiancée and mother of two of his children Lucy Mecklenburgh looked on proudly after his winning performance.

Ryan said he was “speechless” as he was crowned this year’s Dancing on Ice winner while partner Amani broke down in tears of joy as they were handed the winning trophy. An emotional Ryan said: “I’m speechless!” before adding: “I just can’t, it’s Amani, I’m happy for her because she’s put so much hard work in with me. Listen, Greg, if you’re watching this at home… this trophy is for you, mate!”

A year on from his DOI stint and Ryan is set to return to Coronation Street after nearly 10 years away. He is best known for playing Eileen Grimshaw’s son Jason on the ITV soap for 16 years until leaving the cobbles in 2016.

Revealing his return, he explained that Eileen actress Sue Cleaver called him to be part of her exit storyline. He said: “I got the call from Sue saying would I come back for her exit storyline – that’s where my career started and I wouldn’t be where I am now if it wasn’t for Coronation Street.”

Away from soapland, Ryan is set to turn his hand to hosting as he and brother Adam have been confirmed at the hosts for ITV’s new Saturday night show 99 to Beat – a first look of which was released this weekend.

Nile Wilson – 2023

Nile faced The Vivienne and Joey Essex in the final ( 
Image:
ITV)
British gymnast Nile Wilson pipped Joey Essex and the late The Vivienne to the post as he scooped the 2023 Dancing On Ice trophy.

After a string of perfect scores Nile and his skating partner Olivia Smart won the 2023 series.

Ahead of the final, Nile was clear favourite to win, but that was something he wasn’t keen to dwell on.

“I’m just focusing on the process not the results, that’s what I learned as an athlete. If we go out there and skate the best we can, the results will take care of themselves. The semi final was an incredible moment to get the four tens,” he said.

Since his DOI triumph, Nile regularly posts amusing videos on his Instagram page, showing him still partaking in gymnastics at his very own gymnastics club in Burnley.

Regan Gascoigne – 2022

Regan won the 2022 series ( 
Image:
Matt Frost/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Regan’s dad Paul became emotional as he won the series in 2022 alongside skater Karina Manta. The crowd could be heard screaming as the result was announced, while Regan’s sister Bianca was seen jumping for hoy in the audience.

Regan had stiff competition as he was up against Brendan Cole and Kimberly Wyatt for the win.

Following his win on the ITV show Regan has kept somewhat of a low profile. However, he did play the role of the Prince for a pantomime show of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at The Tyne Theatre & Opera House.

Sonny Jay – 2021

Capital Radio DJ Sonny Jay won Dancing On Ice with partner Angela Egan in 2021 ( 
Image:
Dancing On Ice/ICapital Radio DJ Sonny Jay is the reigning Dancing on Ice champion after skating to victory alongside partner Angela Egan last year.

He saw off competition from soap star Faye Brookes and former Olympian Colin Jackson in the tense final showdown.

The last series had to be shortened thanks to a plethora of injuries and positive coronavirus tests blighting the competition.

After winning over viewers with his routine inspired by Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean’s classic Bolero, Sonny stole the show on the night.

“That is mental!” said the broadcaster as his name was announced.

Sonny returned to his broadcasting day job co-hosting the Capital FM Breakfast show after the series came to an end.

Joe Swash – 2020

Joe Swash was the surprise winner in 2020 ( 
Image:
Matt Frost/ITV/Shutterstock)

Joe and Stacey welcomed baby Rose this year ( 
Image:
Instagram)
Joe Swash was the surprise winner of 2020, with even the former EastEnder star boldly claiming himself to be ‘the worst Dancing on Ice champion ever.’

The pandemic put the breakers on Joe doing anything major after his win but he has made huge steps in his personal life in the last two years.

After spending lockdown with girlfriend Stacey Solomon, Joe popped the question on a romantic Christmas Eve walk with the pair are now planning their wedding this year.

Then three months after getting engaged, the loved-up pair moved into their ‘forever home’ Pickle Cottage with their blended family.

And this year the Solomon-Swash clan expanded once again as they welcomed their first daughter, baby Rose.

James Jordan -2019

James Jordan and Alexandra Schauman were the 2019 champions ( 
Image:
Matt Frost/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

James Jordan is now a proud dad to daughter Ella ( 
Image:
Rex)
Former Strictly Come Dancing professional James Jordan jumped ship to ITV in 2019 where he put his dancing skills to good use with partner Alexandra Schauman.

James was a natural on the ice and saw off competition from Love Island’s Wes Nelson in the final.

A year after his win, James welcomed his first child – a daughter Ella – with wife Ola Jordan following ITV treatment.

However, there was also heartbreak for James who tragically lost his beloved dad Allan in March 2021, after being diagnosed ith a brain tumour.

James said losing his father left him in a ‘very dark place’. The dancer chose to pay a permanent tribute to his dad with a huge tattoo on his arm.

Jake Quickenden – 2018

Jake Quickenden was the worthy winner in 2018 ( 
Image:
Matt Frost/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
After doing the rounds of the reality TV circuit – X Factor and I’m A Celebrity – Jake signed on to the ITV skating show and went all the way to the final.

His triumph came after the show returned to our screens after a five year hiatus.

Jake went on big things following his win after landing a part in Hair The Musical and securing a number of presenting jobs.

He also used his expertise to lead the male stars on The Real Full Monty on Ice last year to raise money for a cause close to his heart.

While his career took off after the skating show, Jake’s personal life took a hit when he split with fiancée of seven months Danielle Fogarty weeks after the final having spent three years together.

At the time it was reported that the pair had been locked in a series of explosive rows over Jake’s partying with his Dancing On Ice co-star Kem Cetinay leaving Danielle distraught.

He later moved on with now girlfriend Sophie Church, with the pair welcoming son Leo in 2021.

Beth Tweddle -2013

Dancing on Ice winners Beth Tweddle and Lukasz Rozycki ( 
Image:
PA)

Beth had surgery to her neck after taking part in Channel 4 show The Jump ( 
Image:
PA)
Olympic gymnast Beth Tweddle made history on the show back in 2013.

She skated to victory on with Daniel Whiston, making it the third time the professional had won the show with a celebrity.

Three years after her win, Beth took part in another winter sports reality show – Channel’s The Jump.

However, two weeks into the show she crashed out of the competition – quite literally – after hitting a barrier in training leading to her being air-lifted to hospital.

Beth, who won a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympic games, fractured her vertebrae and had to undergo surgery on her neck and spinal cord.

In 2019 she announced plans to sue the makers of The Jump for £200,000 in damages for her injuries.

Matthew Wolfenden -2012

Emmerdale’s Matthew Wolfenden and Nina Ulanova previously won the show ( 
Image:
ITV)
Emmerdalestar Matthew Wolfenden lifted the coveted trophy with his partner Nina Ulanova in 2012 after beating soap rival Jorgie Porter and X Factor’s Chico Slimani in the final.

Following his win, Matthew continued to appear as David Metcalfe in the ITV soap he has continued to play a regular cast-member.

However, Matthew took a break from the show in September last year when it was alleged a mid-race actress was upset by a comment.

ITV said it had made a “rigorous enquiry” but no formal action would be taken and Matthew returned to set months later.

Outside of soapland, Matthew wed his real life partner and co-star Charley Webb in 2018 with the pair welcoming three sons together.

Sam Attwater – 2011

Sam Attwater found a future wife on the show! ( 
Image:
ITV)
FormerEastEnders’ actor Sam won the sixth series of the show where he was partnered up with professional Vicky Ogden.

The pair had undeniable chemistry and fell head over heels for each other as their weeks on the show passed by.

They became the first DOI couple to tie the knot in 2014.

In February 2016 Vick announced they were expecting a child and Rosie was born the same year.

In 2019, the pair welcomed a second daughter Daisy.

As they grew their family, Sam and Vicky found time to appear in the special All Stars series of the skating show where they finished in fourth place.

Since his win, Sam has starred in a number of West End productions, including Dreamboats & Petticoats.

Hayley Tamaddon – 2010

Hayley was a hit with viewers on Dancing On Ice ( 
Image:
Matt Frost/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Former soap star Hayley and professional Dan Whitson won the public vote in 2010 – making Dan the first pro to scoop the prize twice.

Before signing up to the show, Hayley was best known for playing Del Dingle in Emmerdale from 2005 until 2007.

After her win she returned to the soaps, this time appearing as Andrea Beckett in Coronation Street.

She stayed in Wetherfield for two years but left when her character left the cobbles alongside partner Lloyd, played by Craig Charles.

Her decision to leave came after Hayley was hospitalised in 2014, saying the pressure of working on Corrie and taking part in the Dancing On Ice became too much for her.

Hayley had reason to celebrate in 2019 when she announced she was pregnant with her first child with boyfriend Adrian.

She gave birth to a son in October the same year.

Ray Quinn – 2009

Ray Quinn was one of DOI’s best ever celeb skaters
The former X Factor star has undergone a total body transformation since fans last saw him get his skates on more than ten years ago.

In 2009 Ray wowed the Dancing On Ice judges in 2009 and triumphed with Maria Filippov as he became the first celeb skater to backflip on the ice.

Unsurprisingly, Ray was also voted the champion of the show’s All Stars version five years later with his skills unmatched by his rivals.

Ray went on to perform as Danny Zuko in Grease, Billy Kosteki in Dirty Dancing and Warner Huntington III in Legally Blonde. Ray was also cast as the title character in the new Aladdin musical in 2012.

He also appeared as right-wing extremist Jonny Baxter in Hollyoaks in 2018.

After lockdown, Ray left the limelight and started working as a Hermes delivery driver in lockdown.

Earlier this month, Ray announced he and fiancee Emily Ashleigh are expecting their first child together.

Ray was previously married to actress Emma Stephens but they divorced in 2015.

Suzanne Shaw – 2008

Former Hear’Say star Suzanne was a hit with viewers ( 
Image:
Rex)
It has been quite a ride for former Hear’Say star Suzanne since she stepped foot on the ice.

After winning with Matt Evers 13 years ago, she went on to perform in a number of West End productions including Chicago, The Vagina Monologues and White Christmas.

She also dipped her toe into TV acting when she appeared as Edna Birch’s granddaughter Eve in Emmerdale in 2010, but left a year later.

Suzanne split from husband Jason King in 2012. She gave birth to her second son, and first with Sam, in 2015. She is also mum to Corey, 15, with ex-partner Darren Day.

Kyran Bracken -2007

Kyran Bracken and Nina Ulanova ‘Dancing on Ice’ ( 
Image:
Rex)
The scrum-half stepped out of his comfort zone and skated to victory in 2007, becoming the first male celebrity to take the crown with partner Melanie Lambert.

The ex England rugby star is now a big family man.

He and wife Victoria have three sons together – Charlie, Jack and Lochlan.

Since winning the show, he toured with Holiday on Ice in their show Romanza and even returned for the All Stars version of Dancing On Ice in 2014, finishing fifth.

Gaynor Faye – 2006

Gaynor Faye and Daniel Whiston are the original Dancing On Ice champs
The former soap star lit up the first ever show and it helped her on her way to some big things.

Gaynor was crowned the first queen of the ice back in 2006 with Dan Whiston, who has since become the show’s Associate Creative Director.

While Gaynor went on to appear in the stage adaptation of Calendar Girls in the West End and starred in TV series The Chase.

Of course Emmerdale fans will know her best as Megan Macey in the ITV soap, which she starred in from 2011 until 2019.

The 55-year-old TV star was back at hospital just months after losing ‘80% capacity’ in one lung last December

Andrea McLean was rushed to hospital in another health ordeal following her nightmarish pneumonia diagnosis. The Loose Women star face-planted on the bathroom floor this week after fainting from getting out of bed ‘too fast.’

Despite assuring fans that she was ‘really lucky’ to avoid broken bones or tooth loss, she showed off her bruised, black eye in a quick Instagram video. Writing in its caption, she confessed she hasn’t quite bounced back from her previous health struggle either, having lost ‘80% capacity’ in one lung last December.

“Black Eyed Peas… Both are relevant today,” she said. “Yup. I’ve got a shiner. I wish that I had a super exciting story as to why. I didn’t leap from a moving car or parachute off a building.

“Nope. I just woke up yesterday morning and got out of bed too fast, I guess before I’d properly woken up. By the time I’d walked the few steps to the bathroom I thought: ‘I don’t feel too good..’ and fainted. I landed on my face. Literally, face-planted onto the bathroom floor.

I have been checked out at A&E and thankfully my cheekbone isn’t broken, and I won’t lose any teeth. I was really lucky. Lesson learned. Take a moment. I’m not quite ‘better’ yet.”

Andrea was experiencing severe flu-like symptoms when she collapsed on her bathroom floor in a separate incident last December. After a dash to the hospital, medics explained that she not only had acute kidney injury and sepsis but severe pneumonia too, losing ‘80% capacity’ in one lung.

She was hospitalised for several days, labelling the experience a ‘sensory overload’ with bright lights, yelling, screams, and the ‘smell of poo’ almost constant

This week’s incident follows Andrea’s nightmarish experience in hospital last December ( 
Image:
Getty Images)

Opening about about her ordeal on Substack, Andrea said last month: “Note to self; being a big brave girl and not saying how much pain you’re in when you’ve lost 80% capacity in one of your lungs to severe pneumonia and infection is not a smart move. Get on the strong stuff ASAP.”

Although she’s now back home, Andrea isn’t quite herself yet, as demonstrated by the black eye incident from this past week. But these health battles haven’t stopped her from taking on new challenges, as she explained on Instagram: “To the few hundred women I’m speaking on stage in front of tomorrow in Hull, excuse the shiner.

“Oh. And Black Eyed Peas because I have a black eye and I spent most of yesterday with a bag of peas on my face.”