Men Behaving Badly star Leslie Ash says she is more confident and youthful thanks to treatments
Actress Leslie Ash says she looks “ten years younger” and has regained her confidence thanks to a revolutionary non-invasive face-lift to improve her appearance.
The 65-year-old star best known for her roles in Men Behaving Badly and Quadrophenia, has been secretly having the latest technology NeoGen Plasma treatments which she says have completely transformed her appearance, giving her back the confidence she thought she’d lost forever. Leslie, was left with a permanently altered appearance when she got silicone lip injections at 40.
In the past eight months she had six hour-long treatments with Dr Martin Kinsella at a clinic near her home in Chelsea, and the skincare regime was so effective it led some friends to think she’d had a facelift.
Leslie said: “People keep saying to me, ‘What have you done? You look amazing!’ One friend of mine, who shall remain nameless, is convinced I’ve had surgery because the change was so dramatic, but I can assure you I haven’t.”
“It was really important for me to have a non-invasive treatment that achieves really natural looking results.”
Leslie believes the treatments have made her look “ten years younger”
And she added: “Even after all that research, I couldn’t be sure if NeoGen would work for me, but I decided to give it a go and after a few sessions I could start to see the improvement and now after six treatments I think I look 10 years younger.
“I’d seen that Shirley Ballas and Linda Lusardi had great results with NeoGen and I know Linda, so it was easy for me to check it out and know that it was a respected treatment with good outcomes.”
Prior to the treatments Leslie admits she had been struggling with the visible signs of ageing and it had a considerable impact on her self-esteem.
“I was really quite depressed about how I looked,” she revealed candidly.
“I felt like I’d lost myself completely. I was doing quite a few Quadrophenia signings and events back then and so I was constantly having to look pictures of myself from 1979, when I was 18, and then when I looked in the mirror I just didn’t recognise myself anymore. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to look 18 again, and I know that’s not going to happen, but I was looking tired and old, and my confidence was on the floor, so I decided to do something about it.”
Leslie with aesthetic practitioner Dr Martin Kinsella
Leslie booked a consultation with leading UK aesthetic practitioner Dr Martin Kinsella, and told him she only wanted non-invasive treatments and that they would have to fit into her busy work schedule. He suggested that she try NeoGen, because they are relatively pain-free and at lower energy levels has little or no down-time.
The treatment heats pure nitrogen gas to cause controlled heating within the skin. This triggers the body’s natural defences to boost collagen and elastin levels, which in turn leads to a rejuvenated and more youthful appearance. The NeoGen sessions start at £750 each and so the whole treatment regime would have cost Leslie around £4,500.
Leslie has also been taking daily Ameri-Vita Liver Support drinks which contain active ingredients of turmeric, milk thistle, artichoke, as well as vitamin B2, C and E, which have amazing anti-oxidant affects on the skin.
Leslie warned others against getting lip fillers
Dr Kinsella said: “At my first consultation with Leslie it was clear that she’d had quite considerable sun damage, she admits to sunbathing quite a lot in the past, and there was accelerated ageing and pigmentation as a result. There was also laxity around the neck and jawline, and her upper eyelids were puffy and hooded. I told her that I thought NeoGen would be an effective treatment to improve those areas.
“Leslie had a busy lifestyle and didn’t want any down-time and also has a relatively low pain threshold, so we had to opt for low energy treatments and I explained that we would still get a great result but that at low levels it would take a bit more time.”
Leslie freely admits to being a bit of a “wuss” when it comes to pain but said the treatments were bearable. She said: “It’s quite a weird sensation, I was lathered in numbing cream for half an hour before having the treatment. It’s non-invasive but you can feel it, you can put up with it though. You might be a bit red for a day or two afterwards, like you’ve had a bit too much sun, but after that it’s just amazing, your skin just feels so much tighter and you start to notice your pores closing.”
Looking through her before and after pictures at her apartment in Chelsea, west London, Leslie added: “The difference is really noticeable, and what’s really blown my mind is my jawline, it’s so obvious that it has lifted. Also, my eyes look so much better, they were hooded before and now you can see my eyes are completely a different shape. Then you come to the texture of my skin, and reduction of my pores, now it looks soft as anything and the colour is uniform, so there are four major things that are demonstrably improved.”
Leslie Ash pictured at her penthouse apartment in Chelsea. (Image: LESAUVAGE_MEDIA)
She is particularly impressed with how natural the results look. “It doesn’t look fake or overdone at all. It’s just me, but a much better version of me. My skin feels tighter and more plump, and the overall texture and tone is so much better. I can definitely say I look like I’m in my mid 50s, so yeah, I’m happy with that, ten years younger.”
In 2021 Leslie urged anyone considering having surgery to “do your homework” after her previous problem procedure when aged 40. But this time around things have been much more smooth.
And she’s already planning her maintenance schedule.
She said: “I’m absolutely going to keep having these treatments. The results are so good, I can’t imagine stopping now.”
* NeoGen Plasma treatments are available at Dr Martin Kinsella’s Re-Enhance clinic in Hale, Cheshire, and also in London. For more information about NeoGen treatments and to find your nearest clinic in the UK, visit neogenplasma.co.uk/neogen-clinics
TV host Davina McCall has seen her outlook on life change completely since surviving a brain tumour
Davina McCall went under the knife in November to remove her brain tumour.(Image: Getty)
She’s had the toughest two years of her life, but Davina McCall says surviving a brain tumour has given her a new lease of life as she confessed: “I’m not afraid of dying anymore”.
The TV presenter had to face her fears when she went under the knife last year to remove the colloid cyst that could have put her in a coma if she’d left it untouched. And Davina says facing the ticking time bomb in her head has changed her perspective on life.
She confessed: “It was the best gift because I am not afraid of dying anymore. I have lived the life I wanted and I am not lying there going, ‘I wish I’d done that thing. I wish I’d done that job. I wish I’d not stayed in this relationship. I haven’t lived the life I want.’
“I mean, it’s a really amazing place to get to, not being scared of dying. I think having no regrets and feeling like you are living fully in the life you want to be in, it’s quite rare.”
Davina discovered the tumour in her brain during a random health check in 2023 and says she spoke to four different neurosurgeons around the world before she agreed to have it removed in November. Fearing she might not make it off the operating table, she says she “went forensic” on her children’s lives to come to terms with how they’d cope without her as well as discussing with partner Michael Douglas.
And realising Holly, 23, Tilly, 21, and 18-year-old Chester were thriving in life gave the 57-year-old the confidence to go under the knife.
“I was really worried about my kids,” explained Davina, as she opened up about facing her mortality when doctors discovered she had a colloid cyst that could have put her in a coma if she’d not had it removed. I went forensic. I’m thinking about my children and where they were at in their life, what stage they were at. You’re only as happy as your unhappiest child, right?
Davina McCall speaks out hours after having her brain operation
“And I came to a realisation after about six months of cross-examining them about their life and telling them the whole time how much I’ve loved my life, my eldest daughter caught on. She was like, ‘you are not dying’. But I realised that they would be great, they’d miss me, I want to be with them, but they would be okay. I felt like I could go to sleep on the operating table and know that they were all here to help me. But I can let go of the outcome.”
TV host Davina’s operation last year was a complete success and her recovery has been remarkable. But as she prepared to have the operation it wasn’t just her kids she was thinking about. Davina also reconnected with her step-mum and came to terms with all the ups and downs in her life including her drug addiction.
Speaking at the Happy Place Festival at the weekend, she confessed: “Part of my, ‘am I okay to let go of my life?’ has been to examine all of my past.
“And I wouldn’t change anything because without sounding arrogant, because it isn’t, I love myself. I have been on a massive life journey and I’ve been through terrible struggles. We’ve been talking a lot about a calamity vitae instead of a curriculum vitae because I think when you go for a job, ‘so what you learned at school?’
“It’s like what have you learned at the University of Life? How many calamities have you been through? Because that’s where the learning comes from. I’ve learned that if something really hard happens, it’s a good thing.
“I was like to Michael, ‘If I make it through this brain surgery. It’s going to be the best thing that’s ever happened to me.’
“The learning that I have made in the two years since I found out about it, has been so immense and enriching in my life. I wouldn’t change that for the world. But when it happened, obviously it was like another calamity coming. But do not be afraid of disasters, they will make you a better.
“How can you think your way out of it? I saw Mel Robbins the other day talking online. And I’ve heard it before, but she has this saying, ‘no one’s coming, you’ve just got yourself’.
“You can’t keep waiting for somebody else to come and rescue you. You’ve got to rescue yourself and when you do, oh, it feels so good and you feel so proud!”
She added: “It’s bloody hard. And that’s another thing that I’ve had to learn to not be resistant towards hard work on myself, to actually think, ‘great, a juicy bit of hard work on myself’.
“Because almost the harder the work, the more work you have to do, the bigger the reward because if you have to work harder, you are in a darker place. But when you see the light, the reward is so massive.
“A couple of people have said today, ‘oh, you look so well’. But it’s because I am in a happy place. If you are not in a happy place, you can begin again whenever you want or need to.”
Davina has been a mainstay of British TV since exploding onto our screens when she was 25 and she’s showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon working on series including The Masked Singer.
She’s fronting a new BBC dating series, Stranded on Honeymoon Island, her podcast Begin Again is going from strength to strength and her campaigning around menopause is helping women across the country.
And while she admits she’s always been “annoyingly enthusiastic”, she sees it as her duty to help younger women.
But Davina’s looking to her elders to embrace their eccentricities too.
She said: “Getting older and not caring any more is a gift. There’s got to be a gift with aging because otherwise it could feel like a loss.
“But aging is a loss of one thing, but you gain so much more in another way. I saw a girl earlier in a beautiful outfit. I said, ‘you look amazing’. She’s like, ‘no, I think it’s inappropriate. I’m 40. I shouldn’t really be wearing this’.
“And I was literally sweating my ass off, I literally don’t care! The more inappropriately someone dresses, the older they are, the more I love them. I need women 60, 70, 80, my older stateswomen, I need you to be outlandish. I need people out there shining the light for me so that life as I get older looks like it’s going to be exciting.
“And that’s what I want to do for you. I want you to look at me and go, ‘oh my God, being in my fifties is going to be great.’
“I’m at a time in my life where even if things go wrong, you don’t perceive it like that, things that go wrong are teaching you something, guiding you somewhere. And that is the gift of getting older. You just learn more and more. It’s so great!”
Davina also spoke in February about her brain operation saying she changed her Will to include heartfelt letters to her children ahead of her brain operation – because she feared she could die.
She said: There’s that saying, ‘A life lived in fear is a life half-lived’. If you don’t really want to do something, don’t do it. But if there’s something that you want to do, yeah, do it. Write your bucket list now. Write the bucket list now, in your thirties, and go, “What is my bucket list? Like, what do I want to do before I die? And let’s start doing it now.”
She added: “I’m grateful. Life will never be the same again, but in rather a good way,”
Coronation Street fans are speculating over a spoiler that reveals Carla Connor leaves Michael Bailey ‘intrigued’ with something she has on her laptop screen at work
A Coronation Street spoiler has sent Carla Connor fans into a frenzy(Image: ITV)
A Coronation Street spoiler has sent Carla Connor fans into a frenzy amid her supporting partner Lisa Swain through her turmoil.
A scene involving her colleague Michael Bailey at the factory next week has sparked suspicions she could be hiding something. There is nothing indicating what the potential secret is, and it could be nothing.
But given the randomness of the spoiler there’s bound to be some significance. Carla is doing something on her laptop at work, and leaves something on the screen.
It’s not clear if it’s something she doesn’t want others to see, but whatever it is “intrigues” Michael. There’s little context given, meaning we don’t know the exact ins and outs, but judging by the spoiler lines it would suggest Carla is not there at the time.
Michael appears to go into her office to borrow the device, while whether Carla knows this or not is yet to be made clear. We also do not know what Michael does next and whether he asks Carla about it, or how she will react.
Is there a fallout to the mystery scene, and are we about to find something out about Carla, or something she is doing in secret? The line reads: “Michael borrows Carla’s laptop at work and is intrigued by what he sees on her screen.”
Coronation Street fans are speculating over a spoiler that reveals Carla Connor leaves Michael Bailey ‘intrigued’ (Image: ITV)
We can give nothing away for now, but what we can say is that when Michael spots the mystery thing on the screen it gets his attention. No further spoilers shed light on what comes next, but fans can expect whatever it is to be addressed and explained.
So stay tuned, because next week all will very likely become clear. Some fans think they have already figured it out though, and that they know what is on Carla’s laptop.
Multiple theories have been shared ever since the spoiler dropped, with various interpretations of what it could mean. The fact it was off the back of a spoiler where Carla is encouraging Lisa to stick with attending therapy has left some fans wondering if the spoilers are linked.
Whether that be linked to Lisa’s past or their future, with the house plans and a hoped-for proposal, the possibilities are endless. Taking to social media, one fan suggested Carla may be digging into whatever happened to Lisa’s ex-wife Becky who died in the line of duty, amid suspicions she was corrupt.
Corrie fans think the laptop clue is linked to Lisa(Image: ITV)
With Lisa forced to face her past and recent hints to what went on years earlier, fans have been speculating there’s more to what happened to Becky than we know. So now a new theory suggests what Michael sees is something Lisa has done on the laptop, not Carla.
It read: “Unless Lisa has borrowed her laptop somehow, we also remember she has loads of files at home in the bedroom. More likely if they’re not in a lock-up.” Another theory said: “It might be what others have suggested and she’s left a PI Google search page open that would raise questions even if it is Michael.”
As for other ideas, another fan said: “Maybe she’s got some files or research on there,” while a further questioned: “Maybe it’s about someone buying the Rovers or something.”
BBC Director General Tim Davie faced a grilling today as the corporation’s annual report was published following controversies of Glastonbury, MasterChef and coverage of Gaza
The BBC has admitted it is looking into a licence fee overhaul as 300,000 more households have stopped paying it.
The annual report published today says the battle with its streaming rivals like Netflix has created “a moment of real jeopardy for the sector”.
The report revealed 23.8m licences were in force at the end of the year, down from 24.1m in 2023-24. The drop means a loss of about £50m in revenue for the corporation.It comes following a string of major controversies for the BBC including the streaming of Bob Vylan’s Glastonbury set, Gregg Wallace’s misconduct hearing at MasterChef and a probe into the coverage of Gaza.
BBC Chair Samir Shah says in the annual report: “The fight is on, and it is vital we now think very carefully about the kind of media environment we want for the UK.”
He added they were searching for “the best future funding model for the BBC”.
Shah said: “I have already set out some views on this and the board will be saying more over the coming months,” he said. “But all of us are clear that we want to make sure we protect the BBC as a universal service and help it not just to survive, but thrive, for a generation and more.”
Licence fee income increased slightly year on year, totalling £3.8bn in 2024-25. However, the small rise was down to the 6.7% inflationary increase in the fee to £169.50 a year.
“The current collection method remains fair, effective, and good value for money,” the report said. “As we approach the end of the charter, we will proactively research how we might reform the licence fee to secure the benefits of a well-resourced, universal BBC of scale for the long term.”
The annual report also revealed the highest paid presenters on the BBC. And the Director general Tim Davie also spoke about the challenges they face for crisis hit programme MasterChef.
BBC bosses say MasterChef is ‘bigger than individuals’(
Image: BBC/Shine TV)
Davie has said he and the corporation’s leadership team will not “tolerate behaviour that is not in line with our values” following the independent report into allegations of misconduct against MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace.
The 58-year-old was speaking as the BBC unveiled its annual report, the day after the report into Wallace found a total of 45 out of the 83 allegations of misconduct made during his time on the show were substantiated, including one allegation of “unwelcome physical contact”.
Speaking about the independent report commissioned by MasterChef producer Banijay UK, Davie said: “From our side, it’s simple, we’re not going to tolerate behaviour that is not in line with our values.
“The industry needs to change, and we want to lead in the front, myself and the BBC leadership team will not tolerate people who are behaving inappropriately.
“There is no place in or on the BBC for those who are not prepared to live by our values, whoever they are. This is a time of transition for the industry, a reset, and the changes we are driving are overdue.”
On Monday, Wallace’s MasterChef co-host John Torode confirmed he had a standalone allegation of racist language upheld in the same report.
He said had “no recollection of the incident” and was “shocked and saddened” by the allegation in an Instagram post.
In November 2024, the show’s production company, Banijay UK, announced Wallace would step away from his role on the BBC cooking show while historical allegations of misconduct were investigated.
The report concluded that the “majority of the substantiated allegations against Mr Wallace related to inappropriate sexual language and humour”, adding that “a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also substantiated”.
Several staff members dismissed
During the release of the annual report, BBC chair Samir Shah revealed for the first time that several members of staff had been dismissed as a result of an independent review of workplace culture commissioned by the BBC.
He said: “This is the first time we’re going to say this publicly, several people have been dismissed as a result (of the review).
“But that, alongside the way the executive responded to the Banijay report into MasterChef yesterday, and I want audiences to feel confident that we are addressing these challenges.
“Finally, at the same time as acknowledging and dealing with the things they’ve gone wrong, the BBC has delivered an outstanding range of content to licence.”
Davie later turned his attention to the Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone documentary, after a review found it had breached the corporation’s editorial guidelines on accuracy.
The programme was removed from BBC iPlayer in February after it emerged that the child narrator, Abdullah, is the son of Ayman Alyazouri, who has worked as Hamas’s deputy minister of agriculture.
Davie added: “There was a breach of our editorial guidelines, there was no breach on impartiality and no evidence of any outside interest impact on the programme.
“But there was a breach of accuracy, and that is not acceptable, so we are taking action to ensure proper accountability and we’re taking immediate steps to stop a failing like this being repeated.
“Despite this mistake, I do want to credit thousands of people across the BBC for delivering such brave impartial journalism despite immense challenges and very significant personal pressure.
“Personally, I remain utterly committed to delivering impartial coverage without fear or favour. It is needed now more than ever in this polarising world.”
On Monday, Ofcom announced it would investigate the documentary under its broadcasting code, which states factual programmes “must not materially mislead the audience”.
ITV star Lorraine Kelly has spoken out about Gregg Wallace’s firing from MasterChef – and highlighted the ‘strangest’ part of his statement about the misconduct allegations
Lorraine Kelly has slammed Gregg Wallace for using his autism diagnosis as a defence for his behaviour on MasterChef. The TV presenter was fired from the BBC show over allegations of misconduct – which he denied – with a report published by production company Banijay finding that 45 out of 83 accusations were upheld.
Last week, Gregg hit out at the BBC in a statement, stating that “none of the serious allegations against me were upheld” and that a late autism diagnosis helped him to understand how he communicates.
“To those who’ve shown kindness, thank you. It mattered. This has been brutal. For a working-class man with a direct manner, modern broadcasting has become a dangerous place. I was the headline this time. But I won’t be the last.”
Lorraine Kelly has given her take on Gregg Wallace being fired from MasterChef
Speaking about how Gregg used his autism diagnosis as a defence, Lorraine said on her ITV show: “Gregg Wallace has released a statement, many statements. He’s tried to get ahead of this a lot and he’s said many, in my opinion, inappropriate things.”
She later added: “It’s just quite strange because he has a little boy who has autism as well – I find that bizarre, I find that very strange.
“What’s interesting though is those around him who enabled him to be like that.
Gregg shares four-year-old son Sid with his wife Anne-Marie Sterpini, 37, as well as children Tom, 30, and Libby, 27, with ex-wife Denise.
The TV presenter opened up last year about Sid’s autism diagnosis, revealing that he is non-verbal. “When he’s unhappy, he can’t tell us. If he’s scared or unwell, he can’t tell us. That’s quite nerve-racking for a parent,” he said in an interview.
On Lorraine, guest Nicola Thorp – who appeared on Coronation Street – called for MasterChef’s executive producer to be fired.
“There’s two things that need to happen in the entertainment industry – number one, we need a centralised reporting system,” Nicola said on ITV’s Lorraine.
“The second thing that needs to happen is, instead of firing individual presenters, they need to fire executive producers. I promise you, if not just the presenter but the executive producers get the sack, those exec producers will make sure that everybody on set is treated fairly and make sure people are reporting right to the top.”
She later added: “I was made aware of Gregg Wallace a long time ago but people weren’t listening about the comments being made.”
BBC’s director general Tim Davie took part in the annual report of the corporation as they released the salaries of its highest paid stars and responded to its coverage over the past year
The annual BBC report was released today as the corporation was quizzed on the highs and lows of the past year. As usual, the salaries of the highest paid stars have been revealed as they have been treated to a huge pay rise.
However, the main focus was on BBC ‘s shows and coverage of live events as well as potential changes to the licence fee. This week, the investigation into former MasterChef host Gregg Wallace was released, with the BBC hit with questions over how they handled the allegations against him.
A report by law firm Lewis Silkin for production company Banijay revealed that 45 out of 83 accusations against Wallace were corroborated. The findings also included two separate claims implicating others, with one involving racist remarks.
Ofcom also confirmed they are investigating the BBC’s documentary ‘Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone’ after it was found to have violated the broadcaster’s editorial guidelines on accuracy.
The BBC faced scrutiny last month over how they handled their Glastonbury coverage, which saw them livestream a performance by punk duo Bob Vylan where they chanted “death to the IDF.”
Follow along as the Mirror brings you all you need to know from the BBC’s annual report…
Zoe Delaney
Nadiya Hussain says she was given ‘no definitive reason’ for BBC show cancellation
Great British Bake Off icon Nadiya Hussain claims she wasn’t given a “definitive reason” for the axing of her BBC programmes. The star, 40, fronted several food series for the BBC since winning GBBO in 2015 – when the show was on BBC1 – including Nadiya Bakes, Nadiya’s Fast Flavours and Nadiya’s Simple Spices.
However, in June, Nadiya revealed in a post shared on social media that BBC bosses had “decided they didn’t want to commission the show any more”, which she described as a “huge turning point”. This week, Nadiya claimed the BBC will “keep you until you’re of no use to them” during a chat with Paul C Brunson in the We Need To Talk podcast. Read her full comments here.
Zoe Delaney
BBC statement in full as John Torode sacked
A BBC spokesperson added that the allegation against Torode “involves an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace” which was “investigated and substantiated” by the independent investigation led by Lewis Silkin.
They said: “John Torode denies the allegation. He has stated he has no recollection of the alleged incident and does not believe that it happened. He also says that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment.
“The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously. We will not tolerate racist language of any kind and, as we have already said, we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken. John Torode’s contract on MasterChef will not be renewed.”
Zoe Delaney
John Torode sacked from MasterChef
MasterChef presenter John Torode will not return to the BBC cooking show after producers Banijay UK confirmed his contract will not be renewed.
A Banijay spokesperson said: “In response to John Torode’s statement, it is important to stress that Banijay UK takes this matter incredibly seriously.
“The legal team at Lewis Silkin that investigated the allegations relating to Gregg Wallace also substantiated an accusation of highly offensive racist language against John Torode which occurred in 2018.
“This matter has been formally discussed with John Torode by Banijay UK, and whilst we note that John says he does not recall the incident, Lewis Silkin have upheld the very serious complaint. Banijay UK and the BBC are agreed that we will not renew his contract on MasterChef.”
Mia O’Hare
John Torode’s MasterChef future ‘in the balance’
MasterChef host John Torode has found himself in the spotlight following the axe of his co-star Gregg Wallace. A review into Wallace revealed that 45 out of 83 accusations against him were corroborated, including two separate claims implicating others, with one involving racist remarks.
Torode outed himself as the accused individual but professed he had “no recollection of the incident” and expressed being “shocked and saddened”.
It’s reported that the BBC and production company Banijay asked Torode to resign and cite mental heath issues as the reason – which he reportedly refused to do.
When asked if Torode must follow Wallace out the door and leave MasterChef, Tim Davie said: “I think people appreciate that I cannot now talk about individuals as we go through the process and Banijay lead the process to take appropriate action on what they found through those upheld complaints.”
“What I would say is there has to be follow up. So the BBC, in some ways, were quite simple on this, which is, if someone has found to not live to the values we expect the independent company Banijay in this case, to take action and report back to us on what they have done.
“These aren’t BBC employees, but we absolutely expect action to be taken. That’s the first thing I’d say. But I can’t comment, and I hope you appreciate this on individual conversations.”
John Torode has been accused of using a racist remark
Mia O’Hare
Glastonbury controversy part of ‘tough period’ for BBC
The BBC came under fire last month as they livestreamed punk duo Bob Vylan’s Glastonbury performance while they chanted “death to the IDF”. The organisation later expressed regret for not stopping its broadcast of the “unacceptable” set amid backlash from Ofcom and the Prime Minister.
Referencing the scandal in his BBC report, Tim Davie said: “It’s certainly been a tough period, and there are some tough days. I absolutely have had some tough things to deal with over the last few weeks.”
He added: “There’s enormous amounts of noise and different opinions about what we should do, but I think we have been clear we’re making the right decisions. We’re being transparent at what we do, and I think that’s what counts.”
Davie continued: “I think there are moments when you have to do tough things, deal with mistakes and get through it because you want to maintain your standards.”
At the time, the BBC said: “Millions of people tuned in to enjoy Glastonbury this weekend across the BBC’s output but one performance within our livestreams included comments that were deeply offensive.
“The BBC respects freedom of expression but stands firmly against incitement to violence. The antisemitic sentiments expressed by Bob Vylan were utterly unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves.
“The judgment on Saturday to issue a warning on screen while streaming online was in line with our editorial guidelines. In addition, we took the decision not to make the performance available on demand.
“The team were dealing with a live situation, but with hindsight we should have pulled the stream during the performance. We regret this did not happen.”
Bob Vylan were slammed for their chants that aired on the BBC (
Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Mia O’Hare
BBC’s Gaza documentary uproar explained
The BBC has admitted their “mistake” over their Gaza documentary that has sparked an Ofcom investigation.
Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone was found to have violated the broadcaster’s editorial guidelines on accuracy. The watchdog confirmed that it would be investigating the programme under its Broadcasting Code, which demands factual programmes “must not materially mislead the audience”.
The documentary was pulled from BBCiPlayer in February when it came to light that the child narrator, Abdullah, is the offspring of Ayman Alyazouri, a figure serving as Hamas’s deputy minister of agriculture.
The inquiry, led by Peter Johnston, director of editorial complaints and reviews independent from BBC News, concluded the show breached accuracy standards by “failing to disclose information about the child narrator’s father’s position within the Hamas-run government”.
Tim Davie said: “Gaza has been the most challenging editorial issue I have had to deal with but the importance of fair, balanced reporting, the need for high-quality homegrown programming in the face of massive pressure, I think has never been even greater.
“There was a breach of our editorial guidelines, there was no breach on impartiality and no evidence of any outside interest impact on the programme but there was a breach of accuracy, and that is not acceptable, so we are taking action to ensure proper accountability and we’re taking immediate steps to stop a failing like this being repeated.
“Despite this mistake I do want to credit thousands of people across the BBC for delivering such brave impartial journalism despite immense challenges and very significant personal pressure.
“Personally I remain utterly committed to delivering impartial coverage without fear or favour. It is needed now more than ever in this polarising world.”
He added: “The BBC is not perfect, sometimes we make mistakes but I have never felt more motivated by our mission in this polarised world. I believe that we are needed more than ever, and we are a UK success story that deserves backing.”
Read more here.
Mia O’Hare
BBC News’ latest two highest paid stars revealed
BBC News now has two different highest-paid stars compared to last year following disgraced presenter Huw Edwards’ exit.
Last year, Edwards was the third highest paid BBC star as he got an increase in salary and took home £475,000 (up from £435,000).
Now, his spot has been filled by Fiona Bruce and Nick Robinson, who both earned as much as £415,000 in the year to March 2025, according to the BBC’s report.
Robinson, who fronts Radio 4’s Today show, received a £65,000 pay increase for his work on the UK general election.
Fiona Bruce is among the BBC’s top earners (
Image: BBC)
KEY EVENT
BBC look at overhauling licence fee
The BBC has confirmed it is looking at overhauling the licence fee as 300,000 households have stopped paying it.
23.8m licences were in force at the end of the year, down from 24.1m in 2023-24. This means a loss of about £50m in revenue for the corporation.
BBC chair Samir Shah says they are looking for “the best future funding model for the BBC”.
“I have already set out some views on this and the board will be saying more over the coming months,” he said. “But all of us are clear that we want to make sure we protect the BBC as a universal service and help it not just to survive, but thrive, for a generation and more.”
The report added: “As we approach the end of the charter, we will proactively research how we might reform the licence fee to secure the benefits of a well-resourced, universal BBC of scale for the long term.”
KEY EVENT
BBC responds to Ofcom probe into Gaza documentary
This week, Ofcom confirmed they are investigating the BBC’s Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone documentary after it was found to have violated the guideline of accuracy.
Tim Davie responded: “There was a breach of our editorial guidelines, there was no breach on impartiality and no evidence of any outside interest impact on the programme.
“But there was a breach of accuracy, and that is not acceptable, so we are taking action to ensure proper accountability and we’re taking immediate steps to stop a failing like this being repeated.
“Despite this mistake, I do want to credit thousands of people across the BBC for delivering such brave impartial journalism despite immense challenges and very significant personal pressure.
“Personally, I remain utterly committed to delivering impartial coverage without fear or favour. It is needed now more than ever in this polarising world.”
Ofcom previously said: “Having examined the BBC’s findings, we are launching an investigation under our rule which states that factual programmes must not materially mislead the audience.”
Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone is being investigated by Ofcom (
Image: BBC / Amjad Al Fayoumi / Hoyo Films)
During the report, Tim Davie spoke about the BBC’s documentary about Gaza. Ofcom is set to probe ‘Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone’ after it was found to have violated the broadcaster’s editorial guidelines on accuracy.
The documentary was pulled from BBCiPlayer in February when it came to light that the child narrator, Abdullah, is the offspring of Ayman Alyazouri, a figure serving as Hamas’s deputy minister of agriculture.
Davie said: “Gaza has been the most challenging editorial issue I’ve had to deal with, but the importance of fair, balanced reporting, the need for high-quality, homegrown programming in the face of massive pressure, I think, has never, ever been greater. And I believe my leadership and the team I’ve assembled can really help the leadership thrive in that environment, very competitive environment.”
KEY EVENT
‘MasterChef is safe with or without John Torode’
When probed on the future of the hit BBC1 cooking show, Tim Davie responded: “I absolutely think it does. I think a great program that’s well loved by audiences is much bigger than individuals. It absolutely can survive and prosper, but we’ve got to make sure we’re in the right place in terms of the culture of the show.”
Mia O’Hare
John Torode’s future on MasterChef discussed
When asked if MasterChef host John Torode must follow Gregg Wallace and leave the show, Tim Davie said: “In terms of the report that was done it had very clear learnings.
“I’m sure you’ll have seen the summary that had all the allegations against Greg Wallace. It also had two allegations upheld on two individuals. I think people appreciate that I cannot now talk about individuals as we go through the process and Banijay lead the process to take appropriate action on what they found through those upheld complaints.
“What I would say is there has to be follow up. So the BBC, in some ways, were quite simple on this, which is, if someone has found to not live to the values we expect the independent company Banijay in this case, to take action and report back to us on what they have done. These aren’t BBC employees, but we absolutely expect action to be taken. That’s the first thing I’d say. But I can’t comment, and I hope you appreciate this on individual conversations.”
John Torode is facing claims he used a racist remark (
Image: BBC)
Mia O’Hare
Staff dismissed after BBC reviewed its workplace culture
During the release of the annual report, BBC chair Samir Shah revealed for the first time that several members of staff had been dismissed as a result of an independent review of workplace culture commissioned by the BBC.
He said: “This is the first time we’re going to say this publicly, several people have been dismissed as a result (of the review). But that, alongside the way the executive responded to the Banijay report into MasterChef yesterday, and I want audiences to feel confident that we are addressing these challenges.
“Finally, at the same time as acknowledging and dealing with the things they’ve gone wrong, the BBC has delivered an outstanding range of content to licence.”
Mia O’Hare
‘No place for inappropriate behaviour’
The BBC’s director-general Tim Davie said there was “no place” for inappropriate behaviour at the corporation in the wake of a series of scandals, adding: “This is a time of transition for the industry, a reset, and the changes we are driving are overdue.”
KEY EVENT
‘MasterChef will continue’
The BBC has promised MasterChef will continue no matter who hosts the cooking show.
Director General Tim Davie insisted: “I absolutely think it does. I think a great programme well loved by audiences is bigger than individuals. It can survive and prosper.”
BBC bosses say MasterChef is ‘bigger than individuals’ (
Image: BBC/Shine TV)
Mia O’Hare
Tim Davie responds to Bob Vylan row, MasterChef chaos and Gaza reporting
BBC director General Tim Davie insisted he was the right man for the job when asked if he had considered resigning. Quizzed over glastonbury Bob Vylan row, MasterChef chaos and Gaza reporting. Also admitted BBC was in a “tough period”.
He said: “It’s certainly been a tough period, and there are some tough days. And this job is not one you take if you want a quiet life or a stress free existence. So I absolutely have had some, you know, tough things to deal with over the last few weeks.
“I think to answer the question is, I simply think I’m in a place where I can work to improve dramatically the BBC and lead it in the right way. And I say that for on a number of fronts, firstly, we will make mistakes, but I think as a leadership and myself, I’ve been very clear, and I think we have been decisive.
“There’s enormous amounts of noise and different opinions about what we should do, but I think we have been clear we’re making the right decisions. We’re being transparent at what we do, and I think that’s what counts. I would also say that under my tenure, I’ve set a very clear stall out in terms of impartiality.
“You know, our call it out campaign, making sure we reset the industry around culture. These are not easy choices. I think bluntly, there are easier choices we could make, but by saying that, and by standing for that, I think there are moments when you have to do tough things, deal with mistakes and get through it because you want to maintain your standards.”
Tim Davie addresses MasterChef scandal
Director General Tim Davie gave his opening address on MasterChef. It comes after Gregg Wallace was removed from the position of host and John Torode faces claims of using a racist remark.
He said: “From our side. It’s simple, we’re not going to tolerate behavior that is not in line with our values. The industry needs to change, and we want to lead from the front.
“Myself and the BBC leadership team will not tolerate people who are behaving inappropriately. There is no place in or on the BBC for those who are not prepared to live by our values, whoever they are.”
An investigation was launched into alleged misconduct claims (
Image: BBC/Shine TV)
Mia O’Hare
BBC Radio 2 pay reveals wide gap
Scott Mills has bagged himself a big payrise after landing the Radio 2 breakfast show – but Zoe Ball was still paid more than him last year.
Other Radio 2 DJ’s on big money include Vernon Kay on £390-394,999 and Sara Cox on £310,000-£314,999. In total there are nine Radio 2 DJs in the BBC top pay list.
RADIO 2 Top 10 Pay list
Zoe Ball £515,000-£519,999
Vernon Kay £390,000-£394,999
Scott Mills £355,000-£394,999
Sara Cox £310,000-£314,999
Jeremy Vine £310,000-314,999
Trevor Nelson £245,000-249,999
Jo Whiley £230,000-£234,999
Owain Wyn Evans £195,000-£199,000
Gary Davies £178,000-£184,999
KEY EVENT
Salaries of the BBC’s biggest stars revealed
The BBC has published the salaries of its highest-paid stars as part of its annual report – with some big changes amongst the top earners.
Former Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker, who recently left the corporation was once again the top earner with £1.35m, followed by former Radio 2 breakfast host Zoe Ball who earned £515,000 before she left and was replaced by Scott Mills.
Alan Shearer also earned more than the previous year, as he was covering England at the European Championships which helped him boost his salary to almost half a million pounds.
Radio host and political expert Nick Robinson also earned a bigger salary last year and new Radio 2 host Vernon Kay joins the top 10. Perhaps surprisingly BBC North America Editor Justin Webb also makes the top 10 with a salary of £365,000.
The BBC’s top earners:
Gary Lineker £1,350,000-£1,354,999 (no change)
Zoe Ball £515,000-£519,999 (down from £950,000-£954,999)
Alan Shearer £440,000-445,000 (up from £380,000-£384,999)
Greg James £425,000-£429,999 (up from £415,000-£419,999)
Fiona Bruce £410,000-£414,999 (up from £405,000-£409,999) and Nick Robinson £410,000-£414,999 (Up from £345,000 and £349,000)
Stephen Nolan £405,000-£409,999 (up from £400,000-£404,999)
Laura Kuenssberg £395,000-£399,999 (up from £325,000-£329,999)
Vernon Kay £390,000 – £394,999 (joined Radio 2 in May 2023)
Justin Webb £365,000-£369,999 (up from £320,000-£324,999)
Naga Munchetty £355,000-£359,999 (up from £345,000-£349,999)
Scott Mills £355,000-£359,999 (up from £315,000 – £319,999)
The latest BBC salaries have been revealed for its top paid stars
Aussie chef, John Torode, has been sacked from MasterChef after an historic accusation of racism, which he claims he has no memory of and denies ever happened
John Torode has been sacked from MasterChef in another bombshell blow for the show. Just days after Gregg Wallace, 60, was axed from the BBC series following an investigation into his behaviour, John, 59, has also been stood down after a historic accusation of racism.
In bombshell news, John, who has hosted MasterChef for nearly 20 years, confirmed yesterday he was the person alleged to have used racist language after an investigation into his former co-star. However, John said he had no memory of making the comment and denies it ever happened.
Following the furore, he has now been sacked from the long-running show, with the BBC confirming today: “John Torode has identified himself as having an upheld allegation of using racist language against him. This allegation, which involves an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace, was investigated and substantiated by the independent investigation led by the law firm, Lewis Silkin. John Torode denies the allegation.
“He has stated he has no recollection of the alleged incident and does not believe that it happened. He also says that any racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment.
John Torode and Gregg Wallace have now both been sacked from MasterChef(
Image: BBC)
“The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously. We will not tolerate racist language of any kind and, as we have already said, we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken. John Torode’s contract on MasterChef will not be renewed.”
Shortly after the BBC’s announcement, John took to social media to claim he had not been personally informed of his sacking. In a statement shared on Instagram, he wrote: “Although I haven’t heard from anyone at the BBC or Banijay – I am seeing and reading that I’ve been “sacked” from MasterChef and I repeat that I have no recollection of what I’m accused of. The enquiry could not even state the date or year of when I am meant to have said something wrong.
“I’d hoped that I’d have some say in my exit from a show I’ve worked on since its relaunch in 2005, but events in last few days seem to have prevented that. Over the past few months, I have been considering my life and the shape of it now and in the future.
Celebrity MasterChef, which I recently filmed with Grace Dent along with two fantastic Christmas specials will be my last. Personally, I have loved every minute working on MasterChef, but it’s time to pass the cutlery to someone else. For whoever takes over, love it as I have.
“I will watch fondly from afar as I now focus on the many other exciting projects that I have been working towards. My tummy will be grateful for a rest after 20 years of eating, but what a joy it has been. Life is everchanging and ever moving & sometimes personal happiness and fulfilment lay elsewhere. Thank you for the many years of MasterChef. JOHN TORODE.”
It comes after Gregg was also sacked from MasterChef(
Image: BBC/Shine TV)
Gregg, who has also presented MasterChef since it started in 2005, has also been sacked from the show after an inquiry for production company, Banijay, revealed that 45 out of 83 accusations against the father of three were corroborated. The report also brought to light two separate claims implicating others, with one involving racist remarks.
The production company, Banijay, said that it had taken the matter “incredibly seriously”.
“The legal team at Lewis Silkin that investigated the allegations relating to Gregg Wallace also substantiated an accusation of highly offensive racist language against John Torode which occurred in 2018, “ they stated.
“This matter has been formally discussed with John Torode by Banijay UK, and whilst we note that John says he does not recall the incident, Lewis Silkin have upheld the very serious complaint. Banijay UK and the BBC are agreed that we will not renew his contract on MasterChef.”
It had been reported that the BBC and production company Banijay asked John to resign following the report’s findings and cite mental issues as the reason last week – which he reportedly refused to do. The Mirror contacted the BBC and representatives for Torode for comment on this claim.
On Instagram, the chef, who is married to actress, Lisa Faulkner, disclosed he is the accused individual regarding the alleged racist remark, but professed “no recollection of the incident” and expressed being “shocked and saddened”.
John recently shared a statement on the racism claim(
Image: Instagram)
His Instagram statement read: “Following publication of the Executive Summary of the investigation into Gregg Wallace while working on MasterChef, I am aware of speculation that I am one of the two other individuals against whom an allegation has been upheld. For the sake of transparency, I confirm that I am the individual who is alleged to have used racial language on one occasion.
“The allegation is that I did so sometime in 2018 or 2019, in a social situation, and that the person I was speaking with did not believe that it was intended in a malicious way and that I apologised immediately afterwards.”
John Torode has been sacked from MasterChef in another bombshell blow for the show(
Image: BBC)When asked if John should follow Gregg out the door yesterday, BBC general Tim Davie said: “In terms of the report that was done it had very clear learnings.
“I’m sure you’ll have seen the summary that had all the allegations against Greg Wallace. It also had two allegations upheld on two individuals. I think people appreciate that I cannot now talk about individuals as we go through the process and Banijay lead the process to take appropriate action on what they found through those upheld complaints.”
“What I would say is there has to be follow up. So the BBC, in some ways, were quite simple on this, which is, if someone has found to not live to the values we expect the independent company Banijay in this case, to take action and report back to us on what they have done.”
Katie Piper has shared a significant update with her followers after undergoing surgery to protect her left eye. The procedure marks the start of her journey with a prosthetic eye, following years of health struggles.
Katie Piper has recently undergone a surgical procedure to safeguard her left eye.
The model and activist shared the news with her followers on social media, stating: “After many years battling with my eye health, I’ve reached the end of road somewhat, and the decision has been made to try a prosthetic eye shell.
“This marks the start of a journey to have an artificial eye, with an incredible medical team behind me. As always I’m incredibly grateful to all those in the NHS and private health care system for their talent and kindness. I will share my journey, I’m hopeful and nervous about being able tolerate it and would love to hear from any of you in the comments if you’ve been on this journey or have any advice…”
Katie attached an image and video from the hospital during her procedure, including footage of the doctor inserting the prosthetic eye. Fans rushed to the comments to share their words of encouragement.
Katie Piper has shared a significant update with her followers after undergoing surgery to protect her left eye(Image: @katiepiper_/Instagram)
The procedure marks the start of her journey with a prosthetic eye, following years of health struggles(Image: @katiepiper_/Instagram)
One user wrote: “You’re positivity after what happened to you is just so inspiring. You are amazing and the eye you have will be beautiful I’m sure of it and you’ll go on to inspire others
Whilst another added: “You are truly amazing. Your strength and resilience is just incredible and such an inspiration to everyone. Thank you for sharing your journey because I’ve no doubt it’ll help so many others.”
The Loose Women star, now 40, was just 24 in March 2008 when her evil ex, Daniel Lynch, plotted the vicious ambush that left her face severely burned and in need of 400 operations. She has come a long way since her trauma and has bravely rebuilt her life – now a campaigner for other victims, she has been awarded an OBE for charity and burns services.
But her attacker Stefan Sylvestre, who was ordered to carry out the assault by obsessive Lynch, is still on the run after fleeing the country following his prison release. Rapist Lynch, 47, was jailed for life in 2009 for organising the act of “pure, calculated and deliberate evil”. He was sentenced to life at London’s Wood Green Crown Court after being found guilty of rape and GBH, and admitting ABH.
The Loose Women star, now 40, was just 24 in March 2008 when her ex plotted the vicious ambush that left her face severely burned and in need of 400 operations(Image: Instagram)
Katie Piper has been widely praised for her work since the horrific attack(Image: WireImage)
At the end of 2023, Katie shared a health update with her concerned fans after surgery to help save her left eye. In an emotional Instagram video, she revealed that her recovery wasn’t progressing as hoped, saying, “”I’ve spent the morning back at the eye clinic as I’ve got problems with my eye. I’ve got a defect and an infection that is becoming really hard to treat.”
Around the same time, Katie opened up to her fans about finding it ‘mentally hard’ as she undergoes more surgeries and continues life with the injuries she sustained in an acid attack in 2008. The 40-year-old presenter suffered major injuries and blindness in one eye after being attacked with acid by her ex-boyfriend and an accomplice 15 years ago.
Andrew Lloyd Webber launched four talent shows to find his next West End star – and many of the contestants have gone on to have incredible careers.
Lee Mead won Any Dream Will Do(Image: BBC)
Between 2006 and 2010, Andrew Lloyd Webber launched four musical theatre shows with the BBC, and they proved to be a smash hit with audiences.
With live performances, a star-studded panel of judges and new acting challenges every week, the talent show series launched many early careers in both music and acting.
The shows were presented by Graham Norton, and stars to grace the judging panel included John Barrowman, Denise Van Outen, the late Barry Humphries and, of course, Lloyd Webber himself.
The first series in 2006, entitled How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria?, aimed to find the West End’s next Maria von Trapp in Lloyd Webber and David Ian’s stage production of The Sound of Music.
In 2007’s Any Dream Will Do, the search was on to find the next Joseph in the revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
2008’s I’d Do Anything aimed to find two different stars for the upcoming revival of Oliver!, as they needed to cast both Nancy and Oliver.
The final series in 2010, called Over the Rainbow, put out a casting call for an actress to play Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, as well as a dog to play Toto.
Despite the talent show’s short run, huge names have emerged from its four seasons, including the likes of Jessie Buckley, Samantha Barks and Lee Mead.
Without further ado, let’s take a look back at some of Lloyd Webber’s biggest stars.
Connie Fisher – How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?
Connie Fisher won How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?
Connie Fisher won the first ever BBC talent show to find Andrew Lloyd Webber’s next West End star.
In 2006, she earned stellar reviews for her role as Maria von Trapp in The Sound of Music, and her West End contract was extended until 2008, before she resumed the role to join the UK tour in 2009.
Casualty fans might also recognise Fisher for her recurring role as patient Amanda in the BBC One medical drama series.
Sadly, she was diagnosed with congenital sulcus vocalis in 2011 and was told she would never sing again, which led her to pursue other roles.
Lee Mead – Any Dream Will Do
Lee Mead went on to win Any Dream Will Do (Image: BBC)
Lee Mead was the popular winner of 2008’s Any Dream Will Do, going on to star as Joseph in the West End revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Since then he has enjoyed plenty of success in the theatre world, starring in musicals like Wicked, Legally Blonde and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
In 2014, he also joined the cast of Casualty, playing the role of Ben ‘Lofty’ Chiltern, a part he reprised for Holby City in 2017. His other TV credits include Motherland and The Dumping Ground.
Jodie Prenger – I’d Do Anything
Jodie Prenger won I’d Do Anything
After a close competition for the role of Nancy in 2008’s I’d Do Anything, it was Jodie Prenger who came out victorious, going on to star in Oliver! on the West End.
Before I’d Do Anything, Jodie won the second series of The Biggest Loser in 2006, making her the first woman in the world to win the show after losing a staggering 9 stone.
In 2022, Jodie began playing Glenda Shuttleworth in ITV’s Coronation Street, and she has also appeared in Waterloo Road and as a guest panellist on Loose Women.
Her other theatre credits include Calamity Jane, Annie and One Man, Two Guvnors.
Jessie Buckley – I’d Do Anything
Jessie Buckley previously dated James Norton
While she was only the runner-up in I’d Do Anything, Jessie Buckley has since become a Hollywood star since then
Her breakthrough role was in 2018 musical film Wild Rose, where she received a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
Buckley’s performance in The Lost Daughter also earned her nominations for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
In 2021, she also earned a Laurence Olivier Award for her incredible performance as Sally Bowles in Cabaret on the West End.
Her other notable roles include War & Peace, Chernobyl, Women Talking and Fargo.
Samantha Barks – I’d Do Anything
Samantha Barks became a huge musical theatre star
Samantha Barks placed third on BBC’s I’d Do Anything, but went on to be one of the show’s biggest successes. She made her Hollywood film debut just a few years later in 2012, where she starred as Éponine in the Tom Hooper-directed Les Misérables.
She starred opposite Jonathan Bailey in the Disney Channel musical-comedy Groove High and was also a judge on ITV’s Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream.
Barks has also continued to see a lot of success in the theatre world, originating the role of Vivian Ward in Pretty Woman: The Musical on Broadway in 2016. Since 2021, she has played Elsa in the West End production of Frozen.
Danielle Hope – Over the Rainbow
Danielle Hope won Over the Rainbow
Danielle Hope was the winner of Lloyd Webber’s final BBC series, Over the Rainbow, which launched her into stardom as Dorothy in the West End’s Wizard of Oz.
A year later, she was cast as Éponine in Les Misérables in the West End, starting in June 2012.
Her other theatre credits include The Last Five Years, The Sound of Music, Grease and Kinky Boots.
Sophie Evans – Over the Rainbow
Sophie Evans has enjoyed a successful West End career
Over the Rainbow’s Sophie Evans was a runner-up on the BBC series, but she ended up still playing the alternate role of Dorothy in 2011’s The Wizard of Oz, going on to take it up full-time in 2012.
She also went on to bag the part of Glinda in the West End production of Wicked in 2017 and again in 2021.
Her film and TV credits include The World’s End, Pride, Gangs of London and Under Milk Wood.
Stephanie Davis – Over the Rainbow
Stephanie Davis has starred in Hollyoaks and Corrie
Loose Women star’s tears in front of boss after calls for
Soap star Stephanie Davis may have started her TV journey on Over the Rainbow, only coming in 7th on the BBC show, but her career has gone in a different direction since then.
Stephanie is best known for playing Sinead O’Connor in Channel 4’s Hollyoaks between 2010 and 2019.
She also joined the cast of Coronation Street as Courtney Vance in May 2023.
Rod Stewart has had a complicated love life, with three marriages, several affairs and eight children – including his lookalike daughter, who he only met when she was 18
Rod Stewart photographed with some of his exes (l-r) Alana Stewart, Penny Lancaster, Kelly Emberg and Rachel Hunter.(Image: Daily Record)
One of Great Britain’s greatest rock stars, Sir Rod Stewart, has a music back catalogue brimmed with hit singles going back 63 years. And his colourful romantic history over those years is just as jam packed – with several relationships and marriages making headlines.
The music icon, who celebrated his 80th birthday on Friday, will be marking his special birthday year by playing the Sunday teatime legends slot at Glastonbury 2025. Announcing his performance 23 years after his last appearance at the festival, Sir Rod posted on Instagram: “I’m absolutely thrilled to announce that I’ll be playing @glastofest 2025!”.
He also told talkSPORT that he was “proud, ready and more than able to pleasure and titillate my friends at Glastonbury”. The London-born lothario eventually found Mrs Right in their third wife, Penny Lancaster. Here we look back at his legendary love life…
Susannah Boffey
Sarah Streeter with dad Rod Stewart in the late 80s(Image: Jeremy Durkin)
At the tender age of 17, Rod became a father to Sarah Streeter after a brief romance with art student Susannah Boffey, whom he met in a London nightclub in 1961. It’s said that this early heartbreak deeply affected the young musician.
In his 2013 album ‘Time’, he reflects on the pain with the lyrics “woke to find you gone” and describes his “teenage heart scattered to the floor”. Sarah, who was adopted by Evelyn and Gerald Thubron, only discovered her father’s identity at 18.
When they met, Rod was amazed at the resemblance. The father and daughter had few meetings in the 80s, but hardly any contact during the subsequent two decades. Sarah’s life has been marred with drink and drugs but she reconnected with her dad following the death of her adoptive mother in 2007.
Rod has since embraced his role as her father, saying: “She calls me Dad and I call her my daughter. We’re doing our best.” In 2018, Sarah opened up about how her relationship with her famous father had evolved over time.
“But over the years it has become much more relaxed and now he’s just Dad to me,” she shared. “You can’t get away from the fact that he’s Rod Stewart, the star, but when we’re together I put that at the back of my mind.”
Britt Ekland
Rod Stewart and Britt Ekland (Image: Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Rod’s most notable relationship was with Bond girl Britt Ekland, who starred in The Man with the Golden Gun, The Wicker Man and Get Carter alongside Michael Caine. Introduced by their mutual friend, Dame Joan Collins, in 1975, they embarked on a passionate love affair.
They lived together for two years, during which Britt has said she sacrificed her career to focus on her romance with Rod. His hit song Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright) was inspired by Britt.
“We were madly in love, we were absolutely obsessed with each other,” she confessed at the time. “Meeting Rod Stewart and falling in love, so madly in love, was amazing.”
However, just two years into their relationship, the couple split. Britt alleged that she ended their relationship due to his infidelity. Rod had stated the “changing point” was when Britt started applying makeup on him and his dad “went mad” when he saw it.
“So, I suddenly went, ‘Hold on, I’m a north London boy, loves playing football, loves a pint, what are you doing wearing makeup,” the singer explained. Britt has spoken coldly about Rod over the years and once claimed to the Mail On Sunday that he made her pay rent during the relationship.
“I had to pay $100 a month board and lodgings when I was living with him,” the 82 year-old alleged to the Mail On Sunday in 2020: . “I would go shopping with him and watch him buy clothes from Yves Saint Laurent but nothing for me.”
Rod Stewart and ex wife Alana centre with daughter Kimberley’ ( far left) at her engagement dinner. Also pictured is Rod’s kids Sean and Ruby ( seated far right) (Image: Instagram)
Rod Stewart’s first marriage to American actress and model Alana, who was once wed to high-profile actor George Hamilton, may have produced two children but ended in heartbreak. Tying the knot in 1979, the same year daughter Kimberly was born, Rod has since come clean about jumping into marriage too young.
As he remembered for PEOPLE magazine: “When I told my dad I was getting married, he said, ‘You’re far too young,’” and added with typical candour, “He was right. I still had a lot of living, partying, drinking and sh**ing to do.”
A year down the line Sean was born, but alas, after five short years, the marriage crumbled when Rod struck out, leaving his wife in tatters. He’d already sparked up a romance with Kelly Emberg, a svelte blonde model, even before his first marriage had officially ended.
The years that followed left Rod acknowledging a trail of heartache, admitting to a slew of “a lot of broken hearts” and reflecting on his past actions with regret, he said: “I haven’t treated women badly but I’m not proud of the way I broken up relationships. I was a real coward.”
Alana, now patched up in terms of her relationship with Rod, shared how the divorce shook her world. Opening up about the painful experience she said, “Divorce is never easy, but it’s even more painful when you find out your husband is having an affair with a beautiful model fifteen years younger than you.”
Rod Stewart and Alana Hamilton(Image: WireImage)
“I had always been so certain that we were forever, that nothing could ever come between us. I can’t make Rod out to be the total villain and me the innocent victim, even though he was the one having the affair. The last couple of years our marriage had started to deteriorate from the madly in love couple who had everything we could possibly want to the reality of having young children and a wife who couldn’t keep up with the rock-and-roll lifestyle anymore.”
Rod’s son Sean starred in the American reality show Sons of Hollywood, showing the attempts of three kids of celeb parents trying to build their own careers. While daughter Kimberley, who is a model and fashion designer, began acting and starred in 1999 film Black and White with Robert Downey Jr. and Jared Leto.
She also gave Rod his first granddaughter, Delia, whose father is The Usual Suspects actor Benicio del Toro.
Kelly Emberg
Kelly Emberg and Rod Stewart in 1987 (Image: Rex)
Rod had started seeing model Kelly Emberg, who was 15 years younger than him, before his marriage to Alana had ended. The couple had one daughter, Ruby, and stayed together for seven years, which at the time was his longest relationship.
Rod has admitted he treated her “terribly” and has described her as “the most wonderful woman in the world”. Meanwhile, Kelly has revealed: “It is very hard being in love with someone and knowing they are wrong for you. I thought about breaking up with Rod for a year before I finally made the decision to do it. But once I turned 30 and had a good look at my life and situation, I realised Rod didn’t want to marry me.”
Despite the rocky past, Rod and Kelly have since mended fences, with Kelly, a former Sports Illustrated sensation, becoming firm friends with her ex-beau. Their daughter Ruby followed her into the fashion limelight, also dabbling in music with two bands and appearing in a Diet Pepsi advert.
Rachel Hunter
(Image: Getty Images)
(Image: Mirrorpix)
A whirlwind romance saw Rod propose to Kiwi beauty Rachel Hunter just three weeks after they met in a nightclub back in 1991, with wedding bells chiming three months later. Despite their 26-year age gap, the couple welcomed daughter Renee in 1992 and son Liam two years on.
However, by 1999 Rachel chose to end the relationship, a move that devastated Rod staggered. Recounting his disbelief, Rod shared with the Mail On Sunday: “I couldn’t believe it,” confiding, “I was a rock star. You don’t dump a rock star! It knocked me for six. It was a huge shock.”
Reflecting on their age difference, Rod admitted that it likely played a significant role in their parting, sharing: “She was just 21 when we married and a mum a year later. My sister Mary told me she was too young for me as we were walking down the aisle. And she was right.”
In a candid 2001 interview with the Mirror, Rachel Hunter confessed that despite the outward appearance of a fairy-tale life, she was planning to leave Rod Stewart. She revealed: “To the outside world I was the mother of two beautiful kids, a wife to Rod and a successful model without any financial worries – but inside, I was in torment.”
Rod met Rachel in a nightclub in 1990 and there was instant chemistry(Image: PA)
She added: “By the time I was 29, I had spent eight years with someone else’s group of friends. In the nine years were together, I’d never done anything for myself. If you’d asked me then what I liked or didn’t like, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you. I didn’t even have a hobby.”
The couple officially parted ways in 2006 and Rachel has since admitted that she will carry the guilt of causing Rod pain, as he was “distraught”, for the rest of her life. Their son Liam has followed his own path, becoming an ice hockey star and playing professionally for the Milton Keynes Lightning.
Penny Lancaster
(Image: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Annabel’s)
Rod eventually found enduring love with another model, Penny Lancaster, whom he started dating in 1999. The pair tied the knot in 2007, a year after his divorce from Rachel was finalised, and their love story continues to this day.
They have two children, Alastair and Aiden, who are mostly kept away from the public eye. Penny who makes regular appearences on Loose Women has released several fitness videos and appeared in 2007 Strictly Come Dancing as well as a string of other TV shows.
In recent years however Penny has dedicated herself to some distinctly regular work. After taking part Channel 4 show Famous And Fighting Crime, in which celebrities swapped their day jobs with those of emergency service professionals, in April 2021, Penny completed her training to become a special police constable for The City of London police.
Speaking on The Graham Norton Show, proud Rod said: “She trained for eight months, and she loves it. I backed her all the way. She says she loves giving something back, but more importantly she wants to protect the city she loves.”
(Image: PA)
As well as her ‘regular police work’, Penny was also part of the police team working during the King’s coronation in May last year. His relationship with his brave wife, is Rod’s longest marriage and the couple seem more content than ever. Their sex life is still “great”, although at times, Rod admits he just wants a cuddle.
In a 2018 interview with Event magazine he said: “I need a bit of a start on the handle now, like a vintage car,” adding, “Sex becomes more spiritual as one gets older. I love sex with my wife, but I love just giving her a hug.”
“Every night we have a kiss and a hug, and that doesn’t always lead to sex but it’s still lovely. When I’m away from her a long time and I don’t get a hug, I really miss it.”
