Author: bang5

Jeremy Clarkson has revealed he had even more bad news overnight after confirming cattle on his farm had tested positive for TB. He will be forced to shut his farm for two months as a result

Jeremy Clarkson has been forced to close down his farm for TWO MONTHS after a TB outbreak. The former Top Gear host announced the tough news yesterday that his farm has been struck by infectious disease Tuberculosis.

The Mirror reportedly yesterday that Clarkson revealed cattle on his Diddly Squat Farm has tested positive and thus he would need to shut the farm for at least eight weeks – as that is how early he can get the next test.

The TV star shared the devastating update with fans on X yesterday, where he wrote: “Bad news from Diddly Squat. We’ve gone down with TB. Everyone here is absolutely devastated.”

Bovine tuberculosis or bovine TB is “caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium bovis, (M. bovis) which is closely related to the bacterium that causes human and avian tuberculosis. The infectious disease is respiratory and can be transmitted “through nose to nose contact and also through contact with saliva, urine, faeces and milk”.

There is also a risk it can be passed to humans, too. Now, Jeremy has given an update on the farm – which comes after his initial devastating news left fans gutted for the presenter turned farmer.

It’s been a bad week for Kaleb and Jeremy ( 
Image:
Amazon Prime)
As well as the farm being locked down, which Jeremy described as “dreadful”, he also revealed that he lost a puppy overnight and he is also dealing with a sickly calf – admitting he’s not enjoying farming at present.

Speaking to Peter Cardwell on Times Radio, Jeremy said: “It’s awful, it is awful. You have a test every six months on the cows and then you sort of become blasé, it’s a hypothetical threat. And then the vet looks up as he did yesterday lunchtime and said ‘I’m really sorry this one’s failed’. So that means we’re now locked down and it’s just dreadful, absolutely dreadful.

“It’s only been not even 24 hours since I found out and it occupies my mind. Well it was occupying my mind but I got up this morning and found one of my puppies has died. And we’ve got a very sickly calf. Honestly, farming? I’m not enjoying it this week.”

Jeremy also revealed that the farm will be closed for “certainly two months because that’s how long we have to wait before we do another test” but said that the farm shop was unaffected as “it’s only cows that get affected by it”.

Jeremy’s cattle have tested positive for TB ( 
Image:
Amazon Prime)
It comes only hours after Kaleb Cooper announced some sad news too. He revealed that thieves had made off with his farm machinery including one of his tractors and a post knocker, for driving fence posts into the ground.

Kaleb posted earlier this week: “My post knocker was stolen last night, as well as the John Deere tractor. Can we please make this as hot as possible? What is going on with England at the moment?”

Fans rushed to share their sadness with Kaleb, with one writing: “Sorry to hear that mate. A friend of mine who owns a garden centre had their digger nicked last night, and another friend had their two 16 ft trailers nicked the week before. I saw two different companies had vans done over last week, totalling something like £50k worth of tools. It’s soul-destroying!”

Justin Timberlake has made a shocking health revelation just a day after the former NSync star wrapped up his Forget Tomorrow World Tour

Justin Timberlake has revealed he has been diagnosed with a “relentlessly debilitating” disease. The announcement comes just a day after the former NSync man wrapped up his Forget Tomorrow World Tour.

Justin, 44, took to social media on Thursday to confirm he has been diagnoses with Lyme disease. In his post on Instagram, he told his fans: “As I’m reflecting on the tour and festival tour — I want to tell you a little bit about what’s going on with me.

“Among other things, I’ve been battling some health issues, and was diagnosed with Lyme disease — which I don’t say so you feel bad for me — but to shed some light on what I’ve been up against behind the scenes.” Lyme disease symptoms, as outlined by the Mirror, include joint pain and headache.

Justin shared a candid message online ( 
Image:
Getty Images for Audacy)
He went on: “If you’ve experienced this disease or know someone who has — then you’re aware: living with this can be relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically.

“When I first got the diagnosis I was shocked for sure. But, at least I could understand why I would be onstage and in a massive amount of nerve pain or, just feeling crazy fatigue or sickness. I was faced with a personal decision. Stop touring? Or, keep going and figure it out.”

He has just finished his world tour ( 
Image:
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Liv)
The singer said his decision was to continue performing because “the joy that performing brings me far outweighs the fleeting stress my body was feeling”.

And he admitted he is “so glad I kept going”.

He said his decision helped him prove his “mental tenacity” while also bringing much more happy memories to him and those in attendance, something he says he will never forget.

Justin went on to confess: “I am trying to be more transparent about my struggles so that they aren’t misinterpreted.”

And in the lengthy message, he said he is going to try to help others who are experiencing the disease. Justin then thanked everyone who made his dreams come true on tour, adding: “There really is no way to put into words the feeling of being on a stage and getting to share the experience of live music with all of you.

“It’s a vibration of frequency that is unmatched. Sacred to me. I honestly don’t know what my future is onstage but I’ll always cherish this run! And all of them before! It’s been the stuff of LEGEND for me.”

Signing off, Justin thanked his wife and kids, before telling them: “You are my heart and my home. I’m on my way.”

His fans were quick to share the love in the comments section of the post. One user gushed: “Thank you for being open and thank you for pushing through to continue performing! I saw you 3x this tour and each time was phenomenal! I wish I could’ve seen more shows! We all love you and thank you for giving us all you do!”

Another added: “rest up homie,” while a third said: “A lifetime of healing vibes and energy to you as you battle this. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to us, the fans.”

Emmerdale spoilers for next week reveal killer John Sugden does a U-turn where his brother Robert Sugden is concerned, amid a predicted downfall for the villain on the ITV soap

Emmerdale spoilers for next week reveal killer John Sugden does a U-turn where his brother Robert Sugden is concerned(Image: ITV)

John Sugden could be about to change his agenda on Emmerdale amid him targeting his brother Robert Sugden. As it stands, Robert is the only one really onto killer John and his dark secrets.

But given John is now married to Robert’s ex-husband Aaron Dingle, poor Robert’s being accused of jealousy. He’s actually pretty rattled, after realising months ago that there was something not quite right with his secret sibling.

Not only did a threat and some “obsessive” and “creepy” behaviour leave him convinced John was hiding something sinister, but in recent weeks he’s come to the conclusion that he could be a killer too – amid fans spotting a clue that a downfall is on the cards. It comes as Robert learned for a fact that Owen did not kill Nate Robinson, and given John was at his house before his “suicide” it’s all starting to piece together.

John Sugden could be about to change his agenda on Emmerdale amid him targeting his brother Robert Sugden(Image: ITV)

He’s convinced John has to have killed Nate, or at least that it’s likely, knowing Owen has been set up. So to find out John has been somewhat of a hero for months, saving Chas after she was drugged with her own medication as well as rescuing Jacob Gallagher after an allergic reaction, Robert is sure he’s onto something.

Viewers know John has orchestrated many of these events and more to be the village saviour. No one’s noticed how odd it is that John is always there at the right time, or the wrong time. No one, except for Robert of course. All this has done though is make Robert a target.

But spoilers for next week seem to allude to John taking a different approach, just days on from him getting dirt on the character and trying to expose him. So as it stands, John is spying on Robert via a listening device he’s planted in the house.

We’ve seen him listen into his chat with Liam Cavanagh, where he made it clear he would find out what John is hiding and exposing him. John panicked to hear Robert was well and truly onto him, while he soon got another shock when he heard Robert chatting with new villain Ray.

Steph Miligan will be leaving the ITV soap soon(Image: ITV)

It’s then that he heard about their secret drug deal, and the fact Robert had stolen Lewis Barton’s weed from the farm and sold it to Ray. This is why Ray had two masked intruders head to the farm this week, causing drama with Kyle and Moira.

In an upcoming episode we see John seemingly spilling the beans to Ross, Lewis’ brother, about his deceit. John is keen to destroy his brother, taking different approaches to do this.

But just days later, it seems John is either having a change of heart or a change of action. In scenes next week we see him persuading Aaron to go easy on Robert, and to not give him a hard time.

So why would John want people to be nice to Robert? Surely it can’t just be to make himself look good, we’ve gone beyond that with their feud and at any moment, a relentless Robert could find what he needs to expose John.

Perhaps it’s to wind Robert up more with his fake kindness and with villagers, against Robert, inevitably telling him how it’s “amazing” John who has encouraged them to be nice to him. So yes it could be to tear Robert down and make him look worse, or maybe he really has had a change of heart and feels bad for him.

Unlikely, so what if it’s part of his big plan for his brother? We know he wants him out of the way, no doubt more so now that he’s actually onto him, and onto his crimes. Whatever the motive, it’s clear John is changing tactic.

Elsewhere, away from the John plot, there’s hints of an exit plot next week, ahead of a confirmed departure. Steph Miligan will be leaving the ITV soap soon for some time away, with actress Georgia Jay on maternity leave.

Next week Steph and Ross give their romance another go, but it seems his fling with Manpreet Sharma could be exposed despite his claims there’s been no one else. So is this what leads to Steph abruptly leaving the village?

Channel 4 has announced a trio of new lifestyle shows, including a series about the UK railway network fronted by Hairy Bikers star Si King almost 18 months after Dave Myers’ death

Si King is set to front a railway adventure series almost 18 months after the death of Dave Myers (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

Channel 4 is set to spice up its lifestyle programming with a fresh trio of shows, including a railway adventure series led by Hairy Bikers’ Si King.

The upcoming four-part series, tentatively titled Top Of The Stops, will see Si King, 58, delve into the vast network of over 2,600 train stations across the UK, engaging with the dedicated individuals who keep these hubs running smoothly.

Produced by the Welsh company Yeti Television, the show promises to take viewers on a journey through some of Britain’s most unique train stations, with King accompanied by transport historian Siddy Holloway and architect Damion Burrows.

Si King is set to front a railway adventure series (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Clemency Green, Channel 4’s senior commissioning editor for lifestyle, expressed excitement about the project: “As the rail network turns 200 years old, this series will spotlight the best of our country’s engineering history in a different way.

“We’re honoured Si will be presenting his first series for More4, and Yeti will no doubt deliver a captivating series that viewers will love to escape into.”

Since Hairy Bikers co-star and best friend Dave Myer’s death in 2024, Si has continued to honour his legacy, participating in a final Hairy Bikers program titled The Hairy Bikers: You’ll Never Walk Alone, which aired in December 2024.

In January 2025, he joined ITV’s This Morning as a regular chef on their cooking segments. Now, almost two years after Dave’s death, the star will be fronting his own adventure series on Channel 4.

Another addition to the lineup is What Not To Eat, where Dr Tim Spector, alongside Dr Kandi Ejiofor, will guide viewers towards healthier eating by providing nutritious alternatives to junk food, ready meals, and other ultra-processed foods (UPFs).

In each episode of the four-part series, a British family grappling with health issues such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and more will be featured.

Design guru George Clarke will also front a new show on the network(Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

Spector, at 67, shared his concerns: “It’s hard for people to make good dietary choices when what they’re sold as ‘healthy’ food, in my view, can hardly be defined as food at all.

“I passionately believe that even quite modest changes to our diet can have a big impact on our health, and I cannot wait to get started on this new series where I’m going to try and change people’s lives by changing what they eat.”

In other news, design guru George Clarke will be tackling home improvement challenges in his upcoming show, George Clarke’s Kitchen Vs Garden.

At 51, Clarke teams up with garden design maestro Luke Millard for the series, which sees homeowners grappling with tough design decisions.

George Clarke’s Kitchen Vs Garden will premiere on Wednesday August 13 at 8pm on Channel 4.

Top Of The Stops and What Not To Eat are set to grace Channel 4 screens later this year and in 2026, respectively.

Green added: “Together, these new titles demonstrate the strategic ambition of Channel 4 lifestyle’s commissioning approach: engaging specialist communities, sparking national conversation, celebrating everyday life, and offering unmissable entertainment.

“From trains to fast food culture to home renovations, this new slate reflects the broad spectrum of knowledge Channel 4 talent bring to our portfolio, offering audiences what they love, wherever they watch.”

A MasterChef contestant has claimed that she’s been edited out of the programme after objecting to it airing over allegations against Gregg Wallace and John Torode

A contestant on the upcoming series of MasterChef has claimed that she’s been edited out of the show after objecting to it airing over allegations against Gregg Wallace and John Torode. Leeds-based Sarah Shafi revealed that she told producers that airing the show would send the wrong message about the treatment of women.

Earlier this month, Wallace and Torode were both officially sacked from MasterChef after law firm Lewis Silkin upheld 45 out of 85 complaints against Wallace of inappropriate behaviour. It was later announced that Torode’s contract would not be renewed following an upheld complaint of racist language against him – which he’s said he has no recollection of.

The pair will still appear in an upcoming series of MasterChef, which was filmed before Lewis Silkin’s report into the pair’s behaviour. It comes after the BBC confirmed that the MasterChef series featuring Gregg Wallace and John Torode will air on TV after the serious allegations.

John Torode and Gregg Wallace were let go from MasterChef earlier this month ( 
Image:
SOPA Images, SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

In an interview with The Guardian, Sarah said that Banijay offered to edit her out of the show, which she initially rejected but later agreed to be removed. “I didn’t say edit me out,” she said. “I said: ‘Axe the show, don’t air the show. I’m asking you not to air the show.’

“Prominent figures have been abusing their power. What message does that send out to women? For me, it’s about the enabling environment. It’s that complicity. Those individual powerful men do not [act] in isolation. There is an enabling environment, turning a blind eye … It’s about years of these institutions not being accountable.”

A spokesperson for the BBC said: “As we said when we announced the show would be aired, this was not an easy decision in the circumstances and we appreciate not everyone would agree with it. Banijay consulted with all the contestants before that decision was made and there was widespread support for it going ahead.

“We are sorry that this contestant does not support the decision and we are grateful she raised this with both the BBC and Banijay.” The Mirror has reached out to Banijay for comment.

It was announced last Wallace, 60, would step away from MasterChef last year while Lewis Silkin conducted their investigation. He said at the time through a lawyer: “It is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature.”

Wynne Evans has made a series of sensational claims about his time on Strictly Come Dancing as he spoke about the BBC show and the BBC itself in his new radio show

Wynne Evans has lashed out at Strictly again(Image: BBC/Guy Levy)

Wynne Evans has made a series of sensational claims about his time on Strictly Come Dancing. The Go Compare star was on the show in 2024 but his time on the programme was plagued by scandal.

During the show, he and professional dance partner Katya Jones hit the headlines when they carried out a “body language experiment” where he grabbed her waist and she pushed his hand away. He alleged that it was part of an experiment and both of them later apologised for the ‘joke’ gone wrong.

Following that, Wynne was suspended from the Strictly tour after he allegedly used the word ‘spitroast’ in a joke about Janette Manrara during a press call for the tour. He later insisted it was misheard and he had not used it in that context.

Now, Wynne is adamant to speak out and has made a string of claims about his former Strictly co-stars. He said it is not about him anymore and instead, he wants to help others who might appear on the show. It comes after Wynne revealed what he was told by Strictly in a shock statement.

Wynne is now fronting his own radio show after not having his BBC contract renewed

In new barbed comments made on his radio show today, Wynne was grilled on whether he was in contact with any of the Strictly stars. “No I’m not,” he replied. “I’m not in contact with any of them.

“I think that when I was released from the tour, I heard – although this may not be true – that they were told not to contact me. I’ve had a few messages from them since – but not really, now today I’m not in contact with any of them at all.”

He later added: “Katya’s a really nice person, I’m not going to say anything bad about her.” He also said that some of the judges had reached out to him with nice messages, but claimed others wouldn’t speak out because they were scared.

Wynne previously accused Strictly of being “fundamentally flawed in its duty of care”. He was let go by the BBC in May and revealed he would no longer host on BBC Radio Wales after apologising for using “inappropriate language” during the launch of the Strictly tour.

Wynne was let go by the BBC back in May

In an Instagram post he shared earlier this week with 2025’s Strictly stars, Wynne accused the BBC of engaging in a series of “lies and cover‐ups in order to absolve themselves of any wrongdoing” and said this was the “hardest part” for him.

He further alleged in his statement that the HR department “twisted facts, invented files and dates, and created a version of events that simply wasn’t true”.

In May, he told the Sun that a comment he made on the Strictly Come Dancing tour was not sexual or aimed at one of the female cast members, but was actually a nickname for fellow contestant, EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick. In June, the opera singer announced his comeback to radio with The Wynne Evans Show, a live weekday internet broadcast.

Jack Osbourne’s Cooking With the Stars co-star Ekin-Su Culculoglu has sent an emotional message to his mum Sharon and the Osbourne family after the death of rock legend Ozzy

Cooking with the Stars contestant Ekin-Su Culculoglu gave co-star Jack Osbourne and his family a heartfelt message on Good Morning Britain today in the wake of Ozzy Osbourne’s death. The former Love Island star is set to appear on the ITV cooking competition with Jack, which was filmed before the death of his rock legend father.

Speaking to hosts Kate Garraway and Adil Ray, Ekin-Su sent her well-wishes to the grieving family. “I did Big Brother with Sharon and I just did Cooking with the Stars with Jack. Sharon is such a motherly figure and I think she’s just so loving.

“He was everything to Sharon and the family so for this to happen so tragically, I just want Sharon to look after herself.” It comes after Ozzy Osbourne’s lowkey funeral was held yesterday, with guests arriving at their mansion.

Ekin-Su also appeared on Celebrity Big Brother with Sharon Osbourne

Ekin-Su added: “She’s very vulnerable and I’m sending all my love to their family. Jack – such a sweet guy. A loss is always quite heartbreaking and when it’s such a known person and an iconic person who’s passed away, it hits us all.”

As presenter Adil highlighted how the family are grieving in the public eye, Ekin-Su added: “We all obviously are involved in it but I feel like it is quite private though. They do need some privacy and some time to grieve privately as well.”

It’s been an emotional week for the Osbourne family and Black Sabbath fans, with a procession being held in Birmingham on Wednesday in honour of the music icon. Fans were able to pay their respects to Ozzy, who died aged 76 on July 22, at the public procession before his private funeral the following day.

The family also visiting the procession on Broad Street, with his kids Kelly and Jack accompanying mum Sharon and rarely-seen sister Aimee at the Black Sabbath bridge and bench. Sharon broke down in tears at the funeral procession as she watched the outpouring of love for Ozzy from fans.

At Ozzy’s intimate funeral yesterday, the family were joined by his Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and Geezer Butler as well as Sir Elton John at a church in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire.

Ozzy was “desperate to come home” in recent years following his Parkinson’s diagnosis, and he made it back to England before his death.

Nadia Sawalha has been a vocal critic of the Israeli government’s actions in Palestine over the last 12 months and impressed her Jordanian-born father thanks to her new-found role as an activist

Nadia Sawalha shares plea with followers

Standing in solidarity with the people of Palestine despite the threat of being blacklisted for doing so has made Nadia Sawalha a better person, the actress has admitted.

Nadia insists she isn’t brave for being a visible pro-Palestine activist as it’s just that she wouldn’t “be able to live with herself without saying something” on behalf of her father, Jordanian-born British actor Nadim Sawalha – admitting witnessing her dad’s reaction to the atrocities has broken her heart.

The Loose Women panellist has been one of the few vocal celebrities speaking out publicly about horrifying scenes occurring in the Middle East over the last year, routinely taking to her YouTube channel and Instagram page to share her personal views with her followers on what is happening in Gaza.

But despite the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordering Israel to take preventive measures to protect Palestinians in Gaza and provide humanitarian aid back in January, and multiple organisations like the United Nations calling for an immediate ceasefire, revealing yourself to be pro-Palestine as a famous person doesn’t come without risk.

Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon was dropped as a client by United Talent Agency last year after speaking out against the Israeli government. In May, Hacks actress Poppy Liu revealed that she has lost work thanks to showing Palestine solidarity. While Melissa Barrera was fired from her role in the seventh Scream movie after describing the situation in Gaza as “genocide and ethnic cleansing” on social media.

Spyglass Media Group, the production house behind the hit horror franchise, confirmed Barrera’s dismissal and issued a statement to Variety asserting the company’s “zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion, or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech.”

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is currently reviewing a request from South Africa to order Israel to halt military operations in Rafah as part of a wider case accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians—an allegation Israel has dismissed as “baseless.” The ICJ has not yet made any determination on whether Israel’s actions meet the legal criteria for genocide.

Reflecting on the personal impact of her activism, former EastEnders actress Nadia spoke to the Mirror about whether she worries she’ll miss out on mainstream jobs due to her vocal support for Palestine. “Yes, absolutely…I’m so glad you’ve asked me this question. I would love more people to ask me about Palestine.”

The Loose Women star says advocating for a free Palestine has made her a better person(Image: TikTok)

“Everything that I feel and think I say on Instagram, I say on my YouTube channel… we have consistently spoken day in, day out over the entire last year spoken about this, and I find it so agonisingly painful,” Nadia reveals. “I never go out of the house without people coming up to me and whispering ‘, Oh, thank you so much for what you’re doing. I can’t say anything because of my work. I can’t do anything because of this. I can’t say anything because of that.’ People will tell me, ‘Oh, you’re so brave,’ But it’s not – I’m not brave. It’s just that I cannot live with myself without saying something.”

The situation in Palestine has escalated significantly over the past year. On October 7th, Hamas, listed as a terrorist organisation by the UK and in control of Gaza since 2007, launched an attack on Israel, resulting in over 1,200 deaths and around 250 hostages being taken, including women and young children.

After the October attack, Israel responded with airstrikes in Gaza. Past conflicts between Israel and Hamas have led to significant casualties in Gaza and days of rocket fire on Israeli towns. According to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-run territory, the current death toll in Gaza since the onset of this latest escalation exceeds 40,000, with no distinction made between civilians and militants.

The Israeli government, facing public pressure to dismantle Hamas’ control in Gaza, has mobilised 360,000 reservists and threatened a strong response. In February, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined Hamas’ offer for a ceasefire and the return of hostages held in the Gaza strip. As of September, 101 Israeli hostages remain in captivity.

Mainstream coverage of Israel’s attacks has been heavily criticised by some pro-Palestine figures, with many using their social media platforms to share footage and images of the horrors happening in the Middle East. “It is a fine line because you want to help inform people, but you don’t want to become a bore about it because you want to keep people engaged,” Nadia told us while discussing how she shares content with her fans regarding the war. “People on my YouTube channel and Instagram followers say, ‘Oh, thank you so much. I just wasn’t aware, and I wasn’t aware of this, and I wasn’t aware of that. So I find it. It really nourishes me when people say that…”

Fire breaks out on the tents of displaced Palestinians after Israeli attacks on a hospital in Gaza on October 14(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)

Fighting back the tears, Nadia explained: “When I feel so powerless, and I have .times where I am so low at the horror of it, and I feel so powerless, I think right, what can we do? Of course, you can’t go and save the world. But what can you do in your life? So if I do a post, somebody might say to me, ‘Oh, God, What? I didn’t know this, and I looked at it, and I read it, and I didn’t know the history that helps me feel powerless over it.”

Nadia isn’t the only celebrity using her fame to call for a ceasefire, with the likes of Rachel Zegler, Andrew Garfield, Aimee Lou Wood, Joe Alwyn, Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck and Dua Lipa just some of the notable signatures on the latest open letter from Artists For Ceasefire to President Joe Biden urging him to “call for an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Gaza and Israel before another life is lost.”

“I feel now more people are wanting to know more, and that is really good because when our grandchildren ask us where we were and what we did, we have to have an answer,” Nadia stated when chatting about a new wave of stars speaking out in support of Palestine.

Nadia’s activism hasn’t just given the mum-of-two a sense of self-worth over the last year but impressed her father, Jordanian-born British actor Nadim Sawalha. Jordan once had control of the West Bank, named after its location near the Jordan River. The West Bank, one of two Palestinian territories (the second being the Gaza Strip), first emerged in the wake of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War as a region occupied and subsequently annexed by Jordan. Jordan ruled the territory until the 1967 Six-Day War when Israel occupied it.

Nadia’s father was born in Jordan and lived there before moving to Britain (Image: TikTok)

Nadia’s activism and solidarity with the people of Palestine has impressed her father(Image: TikTok)

“My dad is 91, and he’s Jordanian – he was the West Bank,” Nadia explained last week. “To watch his face through these horror stories just breaks my heart. But the one thing that’s come up is that so much good has come out of it. Personally, it’s changed me for the better.”

“It’s made me an activist and just made me even more sure of what I believe in and what I don’t,” Nadia told us last week, bursting into a giggle as she added: “My dad is just overwhelmed with mine and my sister’s Arabness. Solidarity brings solidarity in yourself and your character as well. So much good has come out of a terrible, terrible dark time.”

Another positive outcome of such a tragedy for Nadia has been the opportunity to learn about other cultures. “What I’ve really enjoyed is starting to learn more about Judaism,” she admitted. Now I follow so many Jewish accounts and listen to so many incredible Jewish opinions on all of this that that has been really enriching, because there are so many Jewish people across the world uniting.”

Jewish Voice for Peace, a left-wing American anti-Zionist organisation, critical of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories, made a statement on October 15 following Israel’s bombing of a makeshift displacement camp in the courtyard of a central Gaza hospital, which the Israeli military reported was being used by Hamas in its operations.

“Right now, Palestinians are being burned alive by Israeli bombs for over a year. U.S.-based defence contractors and big banks have seen profits soar,” a statement from Jewish Voice for Peace read as 500 Jews and allies shut down the New York Stock Exchange to demand the U.S. stop arming Israel and profiting from the conflict.

On the same day, the U.S. warned Israel it would impose an arms embargo if the “dire” situation in Gaza regarding aid does not improve. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin give the Israeli Government 30 days to address the ‘deterioration of the humanitarian situation’ in Gaza.

Pressure is mounting on the U.K. government to impose an arms embargo on Israel, but the Prime Minister ruled out a total ban on selling weapons to Israel last week. During PMQs, Keir Starmer said, “Banning all sales would mean none for defensive purposes. None for defensive purposes on the anniversary of October 7 and days after a huge attack by Iran on Israel would be a wrong position for this Government, and I will not take it.”

Anita Dobson got choked up on Loose Women as she gave an update on her husband Brian May after he suffered a health scare earlier this year

Anita Dobson appeared on Loose Women on Friday

Anita Dobson was emotional as she gave an update on her husband Brian May after his health scare.

Back in September, Brian revealed he had suffered a minor stroke but was progressing well. He said at the time: “The good news is that I can play guitar after the events of the last few days.

“I say this because it was in some doubt because that little health hiccup that I mentioned happened about a week ago, and what they called it was a minor stroke. All of a sudden – out of the blue – I didn’t have any control over this arm. So it was a little scary.”

Anita appeared on Loose Women on Friday, where she gave an update on her husband after the panellists asked after him. She said: “Thank you for asking. I’m very happy to say, sitting here now, he is stable. It was a bolt from the blue and a big wake up call for us both.

“We think we can charge through life, and do the things we want to do, and failing and succeeding. And you never think about that inevitable moment when you have to slow down. This did make him – and me too – think you’re not getting any younger and at some point, you are going to have to face the prospect that you can’t do the things you want to do.”

Brian May and Anita Dobson have been married since 2000(Image: GETTY)

Speaking about her and Brian’s new appreciation of life, a clearly emotional Anita added: “You really have to slow down and start making compromises. It’s been quite a shock in the way, but not a massive shock because thank God he’s alright!”

Brian was treated at Frimley Hospital in Surrey and is doing much better now. At the time of his health scare, he revealed he wasn’t allowed to do a number of things – and urged people not to get in touch.

So, the good news is I’m OK. I’m just doing what I’m told, which is basically nothing. I’m not allowed to go out – well, I’m not allowed to drive, not allowed to get on a plane, not allowed to raise the heart rate too high.”

When a plane could be heard overhead in the video, he made a joke about the plane and quipped: “I’m not allowed to have planes flying over, which will stress me. But I’m good.” He urged people not to get in touch, as he said: “I really don’t want sympathy. Please don’t do that because it’ll clutter up my inbox and I hate that.”

These Daniel O’Donnell superfans collect teapots and pillowcases with his face emblazoned on them – and have travelled as far as the Bahamas for a meet and greet

Daniel O’Donnell with Carol, Anita and Carol’s mum

We all are fans of somebody – it could be a movie star or rock singer, but only a very select few of us step into true superfan territory – where just watching all their movies or buying all their records is simply not enough.

Jacky Orriss, Rachel Barrett and Carol McAvunie are most definitely one of these special fans. But they are not Swifties or Gaga’s Little Monsters. The object of their fandom is…..Irish crooner Daniel O’Donnell.

Jacky Orriss travelled as far as the Bahamas for a meet and greet and even camped outside in the cold for two nights to snap up the best seats to see her idol perform.

Full-time carer Jacky has even queued to get tickets to see the County Donegal-born singer appear on TV shows Loose Women and Strictly when he was a contestant on the 2015 series.

“A real highlight for me was being able to attend two Strictly shows when he was dancing. My friend and I queued from 2am in the morning to get entry.”

The 56-year-old first fell for the country crooner after accompanying her mum to a concert when she was 27. She says: “My mum Christine has always been a huge fan, but I was never bothered. I was more into George Michael. Then one time my mum had tickets to his concert but didn’t have anyone to go with – so I went with her That was it. “

Jacky Orriss with Daniel’s wife Majella(Image: Jacky Orriss)

 Jacky wearing her Daniel scarf pictured with Daniel (Image: Jacky Orris)

George was out, and Daniel was in and has been Jacky’s main obsession ever since, thanks to his lovely voice and beautiful lyrics.

An added plus is the benefits of the personal attention and appreciation Daniel shows all his fans. Perhaps unlike any other artist, he repays fan loyalty – staying behind for hours after shows to meet and chat with concertgoers.

Jacky explains: “He’s so lovely. He’ll give you a hug and a quick chat. I always used to get nervous, and I never knew what to say to him. But he’s just so down to earth, and he puts you at ease. He’s just a genuine person, he cares so much for his fans.

“He’s phoned me up a few times on special occasions and sent a video message on my 50th birthday.

The 62-year-old singer has been married to wife Majella, 64, since 2002 and Jacky has given her seal of approval -although she admits some fans were not happy to see him in a relationship.

Jackie told us: “I have met Majella a couple of times. The first was Daniel’s 40th birthday party in Birmingham, where he invited all his fans and introduced Majella to us.”

She adds: “It’s true he lost a few of his fans after that! But I think Majella is lovely. She makes him happy, so I am pleased for him.” So much so that Jacky set up the Daniel and Majella O’Donnell’s Facebook group which has over 34k followers.

Daniel O’Donnell superfan Rachel Barrett with Daniel in the nineties (Image: Rachel Barrett)

Rachel, 68, from Belfast, has seen Daniel in concert over 1000 times. She calls him her “hobby”.

“My geography improved greatly from going round the world to see him.” Most memorable was a trip to Branson, Missouri, where he performed a month-long residency in Branson, Missouri – she went to see him for all the dates.

Rachel explains,” My friend and I went to every single concert for the whole month. He didn’t do Thursday and Sunday so we did five concerts a week.”

Rachel’s grandchildren, 12-year-old twins Abigail and Jack, are also big fans – most recently, she took each one to him in concert on separate nights. “I took Abigail to see him in Belfast and Jack the next night at the Derry show. Abigail met Daniel afterwards – she was absolutely starstruck.”

Daniel O’Donnell superfan Rachel Barrett with Daniel in more recent years (Image: Rachel Barrett )

Rachel used to play Daniel’s music to the twins when they were babies; “They really loved the gospel songs. It reality helped them drift to sleep.”

Now it’s also the only way Rachel gets sleepy: “I go to sleep with Daniel every night! I never pass two songs before I fall asleep; that’s not a snub on Daniel – that’s because it’s so lovely and soothing.”

Daniel calls Rachel on birthdays, and he also called to see how she was when her son Paul was in a car accident – back in 1997.

The mum of two used to have a whole house of Daniel memorabilia up until a decade ago when she and her husband Richard downsized: ” I had to give away a lot of things like my pictures, cushions with Daniel’s wee face on them. I gave those to some fans in the US – they were delighted.”

Like Jacky, Majella was also there when Daniel introduced to Majella to fans on his 40th birthday concert and recalls a few fans turning against him: “I remember some of them getting up and walking out after he brought Majella on stage. It just proved they were not really fans. That was Daniel’s happiness. I just thought silly women – if he hasn’t married you now, he never is!”

Rachel has no issue with Daniel’s happiness, as he brings so much to her life.

She says: “I know some people don’t understand it, but I don’t understand it. Daniel is my happy place, you go there, and you just have a ball, and you talk to everybody.”

Daniel O’Donnell with superfan Carol Mcavinue daughter Anita then aged 3 (Image: Carol Mcavinue )

Superfan Carol Mcavinue with Daniel and daughter Anita, now 33

Carol, 61, from Dublin, became a superfan 31 years ago, and since then, she has averaged two concerts a year.

She says: “I first saw him on TV -at the time, he was a new up-and-coming star – he had the voice, he had the look. Daniel had it all.”

The first time she went to see him, she was accompanied by her grandmother Kitty, mother Kay and her then three-year-old daughter Anita.

Carol recalls: “There were four generations of us, and we kept the concert going as if it were a family affair. Daniel took Anita up on stage with him. I’ll never forget it.”

Anita is now 33, but she still comes to see Daniel with her mum and her granny Kay, 85.

Superfan Carol Mcavinue and her Daniel O’Donnell memorabilia(Image: Carol Mcavinue )

Most recently, she took her grandson Jack to see him – so that’s six generations of fandom.“Jack was so impressed by him.

For Carol, it extends beyond going to concerts. The grandmother has amassed a collection of memorabilia “ I’ve got the teapots, the cups, the pillow covers, and aprons with Daniel’s face – as well as some of his crystal too!”

Carol, who is also a regular recipient of Daniel’s birthday videos, was even invited to a garden tea party at his Donegal home.

“He used to throw those parties for fans every year!” Carol reveals. “I’ve only been once and my mum has never been to Donegal.

Carol’s favourite Daniel song is How Art Thou?

She explains: “It just sends a shiver down my spine every time I hear it.”

Carol’s husband Mick, she says has grown to like his music. “He has had no choice,” she laughs.

One thing that these three superfans are most grateful for is being part of such a warm, welcoming community of like-minded people who also share their love for all things Daniel – and there is no danger, they say, that our numbers will be diminishing anytime soon – thanks to the new generation of fans – their grandchildren.