INSIDE PRINCE WILLIAM AND PRINCESS KATE’S ‘SPECIAL’ CHRISTMAS ESCAPE — The Intimate Time at Forest Lodge With Their Children That Has Royal Fans Melting

Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, will have a “special” Christmas this year after moving into Forest Lodge.

The Prince and Princess of Wales moved into Forest Lodge, located in Windsor Great Park, in recent weeks. They previously lived at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor Home Park.

The new house has been described as the Wales family’s “forever home”.

The Prince of Wales with his children on Christmas Day last year (Credit: Cover Images)

Prince William and Princess Kate to enjoy ‘special’ Christmas period at Forest Lodge home

Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond has told the Mirror: “This will be a special year for the family in their new home, Forest Lodge. Putting up Christmas decorations is always exciting, but decorating a new house is doubly so.

“I’m sure they’ll also be putting up decorations at Anmer Hall in Norfolk, but I wonder whether they will spend a bit more time than usual in their Windsor home during the school holidays? It must still be fresh and new to them.

“I doubt whether William and Catherine will be able to resist the temptation to spoil them, just as all young parents enjoy spoiling their children, if they are fortunate enough to have the money.”

George, Charlotte and Louis’ Christmas gifts

It’s unclear what George, 12, Charlotte, 10, and Louis, seven, will get for Christmas.

But according to Jennie, she thinks George will be “hoping for some more video games”.

Putting up Christmas decorations is always exciting, but decorating a new house is doubly so.

Meanwhile, she thinks Charlotte will “probably be happy with anything sporty”.

As for Louis, Jennie reckons he’ll be “very enthused about the trampoline, so maybe a small indoor trampoline would go down well”.

So cute!

King Charles is expected to host the royal family at Sandringham again this year. It’s a tradition he’s continued after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

The royal family spends Christmas at Sandringham (Credit: Cover Images)

Royal family’s Christmas at Sandringham

Festivities at Sandringham have happened within the royal family for many years.

On Christmas Day, they step out in Norfolk to attend church and to greet locals who have gathered.

The Prince and Princess of Wales are expected to attend with their three kids. It’s unclear which other royals will attend.

Meanwhile, on December 25, the king’s Christmas speech will broadcast. Again, it’s a tradition he has taken over from his late mother.

“The Man Who Whispered to Otters at 3 A.M.” — Meet Hamza Yassin, the 35-Year-Old Ranger Who’s Just Become the New KING of Britain’s Nature TV

Move over, every polished presenter who ever read a script about badgers: Britain has chosen its new natural-history heartbeat, and he’s a 6-foot-6 Sudanese-Scottish giant who learned to track lynx before he could drive, cries when otters hold hands, and once spent 42 straight nights sleeping in a hide just to film pine martens falling in love.

Last night, BBC One dropped the first trailer for Hamza’s Wild Britain (a six-part landmark series launching spring 2026), and within four hours it became the most-watched BBC trailer in a decade. The final 15 seconds alone have been viewed 28 million times: Hamza, knee-deep in a Highland river at dawn, whispering so gently the microphone barely catches it as a mother otter teaches her pup to swim literally inches from his face. No music. Just his soft Glasgow-Sudanese lilt: “Look… she’s telling him the water will hold him, if he trusts it. Same thing my mum told me when we arrived in Scotland and I couldn’t speak a word of English.”

Cue national meltdown.

The numbers are insane:

4.7 million pre-saved the series on iPlayer before a single episode aired.
#HamzaYassin trended above the general election results.
Children’s bookshops sold out of otter plush toys by 10 a.m. because “my kid says Hamza told them to love otters.”

But the real story isn’t the ratings; it’s the journey.

Hamza arrived in rural Northamptonshire from Sudan at age eight, speaking no English, clutching a bird book his father gave him “because birds don’t care what language you speak.” By twelve he was the weird kid cycling ten miles before school to photograph kingfishers. At sixteen he won Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year with a shot of a fox cub yawning that looked like it was laughing at the universe. University (Bangor, zoology) was just an excuse to live closer to puffins.

Then came the decade nobody saw: camera-operating on Planet Earth III, Springwatch, and Countryfile, always the guy in the muddy boots who could lie motionless for 14 hours until a badger sniffed his lens and decided he was harmless. Crew nicknamed him “the Otter Whisperer” after he filmed the first-ever footage of wild otters playing with pebbles in the Cairngorms, entirely by becoming part of the furniture for six weeks.

His big break was accidental. In 2022 he entered Strictly Come Dancing “because my mum loves glitterballs and I thought it might pay for a new hide.” He won the whole thing with Jowita Przystał, foxtrotting like a man who’d spent his life learning rhythm from golden eagles soaring on thermals. Overnight, eight million people discovered the gentle giant who spoke about conservation between sambas.

The BBC pounced. First Hamza: Wild Isles (2024), then the Emmy-nominated Hamza’s Sudan (2025), where he returned to his birthplace to film the last northern white rhinos under the same stars he watched as a child. Critics called it “the most emotional hour of television this decade.” Viewers just called it “life-changing.”

Now Hamza’s Wild Britain is being billed as the spiritual successor to Attenborough’s Life on Earth. Shot entirely by Hamza himself (he still refuses a full camera crew because “animals don’t like strangers”), it promises never-before-seen behaviour: red squirrels teaching their young to tightrope-walk power lines, urban foxes using pedestrian crossings at night, golden eagles hunting in snowstorms so violent Hamza had to be roped to a cliff for three days.

The trailer’s money shot? Hamza lying flat on his stomach in a peat bog at 4 a.m., face inches from a wild mountain hare in its white winter coat. The hare slowly reaches out and touches his beard with its paw. Hamza doesn’t move, doesn’t breathe. When the hare eventually hops away, he whispers to camera, voice cracking: “Sometimes the wild decides you’re worth trusting. That’s the best feeling in the world.”

Sir David himself has already given the ultimate blessing. In a rare statement, the 99-year-old legend said: “Hamza sees the natural world the way poets see love: with wonder that never ages. The baton isn’t being passed; it’s being shared.”

Social media is flooded with kids posting drawings of otters wearing glittery bow ties “for Uncle Hamza.” Primary schools are reporting record numbers of children wanting to become “rangers instead of YouTubers.” The RSPB’s junior membership has tripled in six months.

Hamza, being Hamza, responded to the “new Attenborough” hype with typical humility on Instagram last night: a simple photo of his muddy wellies next to a child’s drawing of an otter holding a glitterball, captioned, “I’m just the tall idiot who talks to animals. Thank you for letting me into your living rooms. I’ll try to make the planet prouder than I am right now.”

Britain has a new voice for its wild places, and it sounds like hope wrapped in a Highland breeze. Spring 2026 can’t come soon enough.

“She Laughed For Millions, Then Fought In Silence”: The Devastating Final Chapter Of Sophie Kinsella’s Life After A Three-Year Cancer Battle

The woman who taught the world how to laugh at life’s messiest moments has taken her final bow.

Sophie Kinsella, the beloved author behind Confessions of a Shopaholic, has died aged 55, following a three-year private battle with brain cancer — a fight she endured with the same courage, warmth and quiet grace that defined her writing.

A mother of five.
A global literary phenomenon.
A voice that made millions of women feel seen, understood, and less alone.

She is gone far too soon.

A Goodbye Surrounded By Love

In a statement shared on Instagram, Kinsella’s family confirmed she passed away peacefully, surrounded by what mattered most to her until the very end.

Her final days, they said, were filled with “family and music and warmth and Christmas and joy.”

Known to her loved ones as Madeleine “Maddy” Wickham, Sophie spent her last years balancing relentless medical treatment with the simple rituals that grounded her: bedtime moments with her children, daily gratitude, and an unwavering commitment to finding joy — even as her illness progressed.

“She died peacefully, surrounded by love,” her family said.

For readers who grew up with her books tucked into handbags and nightstands, the news feels deeply personal.

The Diagnosis That Changed Everything

Sophie first received her devastating diagnosis in 2022, but kept it private until 2024. After undergoing an eight-hour operation to remove an aggressive glioblastoma, she woke up to a cruel reality — one she couldn’t remember.

Her memory had been stolen.

Her husband, Henry, had to tell her again and again the words no one should ever have to hear:

“You have cancer. And it’s incurable.”

Later, Sophie spoke about that moment with heartbreaking honesty.

“I don’t know how he did it,” she said. “That’s where he showed his greatest love for me.”

Together, they chose a new way of living — not chasing “happy ever after,” but focusing on “happy now, happy today.”

The Writer Who Made The World Laugh — And Heal

Sophie Kinsella wasn’t just a bestselling author. She was a cultural force.

Her Shopaholic series introduced the world to Rebecca Bloomwood — flawed, funny, chaotic, deeply human — and in doing so, gave voice to millions of women who saw themselves reflected on the page.

Her books sold over 45 million copies, translated into more than 40 languages, reaching readers in 60 countries.

Actress Isla Fisher, who brought Rebecca Bloomwood to life on screen, paid tribute with raw emotion:

“You created Rebecca Bloomwood — witty, imperfect, unforgettable. I was lucky to bring her to life. You’re still my hero, and your magic lives on forever.”

Across the literary world, grief poured in.

Jill Mansell called the loss “the saddest news.”

Daisy Buchanan said she was “grateful for every bit of joy Sophie gave us.”

Jenny Colgan described her as “even kinder, funnier, and more brilliant in real life.”

Jodi Picoult simply said: “She will be missed greatly.”

Strength Until The Very End

Even as her health declined, Sophie refused to disappear quietly.

One of her final public appearances came in October, when she attended an Author’s Lounge event raising funds for The Brain Tumour Charity. Months earlier, she had spoken openly and emotionally on ITV’s Lorraine, determined to raise awareness and help others — even while facing her own mortality.

Her longtime publisher, Bill Scott-Kerr, summed it up best:

“A world without a new Sophie Kinsella novel is inconceivable.”

And yet, that is the world readers must now face.

A Legacy That Cannot Be Erased

Sophie Kinsella leaves behind more than books.

She leaves behind:

• 45 million stories sold
• Decades of laughter and comfort
• Characters who felt like friends
• A family who adored her
• A voice that reshaped women’s fiction forever

She didn’t just entertain readers.

She held their hands through heartbreak, insecurity, and self-doubt — reminding them it was okay to be imperfect, hopeful, and human.

A Final Goodbye

Sophie Kinsella once wrote about shopping mistakes, romantic chaos, and everyday disasters — always with humour, compassion, and heart.

In the end, she faced the hardest chapter of all with extraordinary courage.

Her words will continue to travel the world long after her passing.
Her characters will live on.
And her legacy — like her stories — is unforgettable.

Rest in peace, Sophie Kinsella. Thank you for the laughter. Thank you for the light.

 “I WON’T BE SILENCED!” — Joanna Lumley’s Explosive On-Air Confession Shakes Britain to Its Core!

Joanna Lumley has never been one to stay silent — but her latest comments have ignited one of the most explosive national debates of the year. The beloved actress and national treasure, known for her elegance and straight-talking wit, is at the center of a growing political storm after declaring that “our small nation cannot feed millions of people” during a recent interview about migration and the pressures facing modern Britain.

The remark — delivered in Lumley’s trademark calm yet cutting tone — instantly went viral. Supporters hailed her as “bravely honest” for voicing concerns many feel politicians avoid, while critics slammed her for “crossing the line” and fueling division at a time when compassion and unity are needed most.

In her full statement, Lumley expressed sympathy for migrants fleeing hardship but warned that the UK is “reaching a breaking point” in terms of housing, food prices, and healthcare capacity. “I believe in kindness and refuge,” she said, “but there must also be realism. We are a small island — we cannot take in everyone who wishes to come. That’s not cruelty; it’s common sense.”

Her words — though measured — struck a raw nerve. Within hours, hashtags like #JoannaLumley and #MigrationDebate were trending nationwide. Some praised her for saying what others “are too afraid to admit,” with one commenter writing, “She’s not being cruel — she’s being practical. We’re all feeling the strain.” Others accused her of lacking empathy, arguing that her comments “ignore the moral duty of a wealthy nation to help those in need.”

Political figures quickly weighed in. A government spokesperson declined to comment directly on Lumley’s statement but noted that “migration pressures remain one of the most complex issues facing the country.” Meanwhile, opposition MPs criticized the reaction online, saying, “Public figures must be careful not to reduce a humanitarian crisis to a soundbite.”

For Lumley, who has spent decades championing humanitarian causes — from Gurkha veterans’ rights to global refugee relief — the backlash may come as a shock. Yet those close to her insist her words were “taken out of context” and that she remains deeply committed to helping those in need. “Joanna’s compassion has never been in doubt,” said one longtime friend. “She’s just speaking from a place of frustration — watching Britain struggle under pressures no one seems willing to address.”

The debate shows no sign of cooling. Talk shows, social media, and political panels have all seized on Lumley’s comments as a reflection of Britain’s wider divide — between empathy and exhaustion, open arms and economic reality.

Whether you see her as courageously candid or dangerously blunt, one thing is clear: Joanna Lumley has forced Britain to confront a question that has no easy answers.

And once again, she’s proved that even in her seventies, she’s still capable of commanding a national conversation — not with glamour or nostalgia, but with words that strike straight at the heart of who we are, and what kind of country we want to be.

Heartbreak for Pete Wicks: “I Lost Peggy” — the TV star mourns the devastating loss of his beloved French bulldog, who has sadly passed away just weeks after he shared hopes of months of treatment.

Pete Wicks has opened up about a deeply personal loss, revealing that his much-loved French bulldog Peggy has died, just weeks after he told fans she was facing months of treatment.

The Strictly Come Dancing star, 37, shared the heartbreaking news during a recent episode of his podcast Staying Relevant, explaining that Peggy actually passed away around a month ago. Pete said he hadn’t spoken publicly about it before, but decided to address it after listeners began wondering why only his other dog, Eric, was with him in the studio.

On the podcast, Pete told listeners that on a sad note, and knowing people would ask, the reason Peggy wasn’t there was because he had lost her recently. He explained that Eric had come into the office because he’d been lonely, adding quietly that Peggy died about a month ago.

Pete had first alarmed fans back in July when he revealed he had “nearly lost” Peggy, sharing that she was about to begin months of treatment. At the time, he posted a photo of the pair cuddling and admitted it had been a tough week, saying Peggy had been through the wars but never gave up. He told followers he was simply happy to have her back home and remained hopeful despite the long road ahead.

Earlier this month, while promoting his U series For Dogs’ Sake, Pete admitted 2025 had been a heavy year emotionally. He revealed he was planning to spend Christmas Day alone with Eric, joking that he’d likely sit at home with a Pot Noodle. Pete said he usually spends Christmas on his own with his dogs, and this year felt no different.

After spending weeks filming at Dogs Trust’s rehoming centre in Basildon, Pete also spoke about the possibility of adopting another dog one day, but stressed he wouldn’t rush the decision. He explained that while he wants every dog, he has to practise what he preaches, given his unusual lifestyle. He added that Eric, now 12, also gets a say, saying it’s important to find the right companion for him and to get it right, as he always has.

Peggy had been part of Pete’s life since 2018, when he rescued her through French Bulldog Saviours. He has often spoken about his bond with dogs, previously admitting he prefers them to people and that he couldn’t stop crying while filming his emotional animal-focused series.

Pete’s love for dogs began in childhood, when he and his mum adopted their first pet, Arnie, when he was just 10 years old. In 2016, he went on to rescue Eric from Dogs Trust Basildon — the loyal companion who is now helping him through the loss of Peggy.

Hero husband Alex died saving his wife of five decades, Larissa – as she relives the horrific moment he was fatally gunned down in front of her in the Bondi Beach terrorist attack: ‘He tried to protect me’

Graпdmother Larisa Kleytmaп was with her hυsbaпd wheп he was shot dead while tryiпg to protect her dυriпg the Boпdi Beach massacre.

Two gυпmeп armed with a rifle aпd a shotgυп opeпed fire пear Boпdi Pavilioп, iп Sydпey’s easterп sυbυrbs, where a Jewish festival aпd childreп’s party were takiпg place oп Sυпday afterпooп.

Married for five decades, Mrs Kleytmaп aпd hυsbaпd, Alex, came from Matraville to celebrate Chaпυkah.

‘I thiпk he was shot becaυse he raised himself υp to protect me, iп the back of the head,’ she said.

Mrs Kletymaп aпd her hυsbaпd came to Aυstralia from Ukraiпe aпd have two childreп aпd 11 graпdchildreп.

At least 12 people have beeп coпfirmed dead at the sceпe, iпclυdiпg childreп.

A NSW Ambυlaпce spokeswomaп coпfirmed to Daily Mail that 29 patieпts have so far beeп traпsported to varioυs hospitals aroυпd Sydпey.

Witпesses said two meп stepped oυt of a vehicle oп Campbell Parade aпd opeпed fire aboυt 6.40pm oп Sυпday with footage showiпg blast after blast oп the toυrist strip. Some witпesses report more thaп 30 shots.

Larisa Kleytmaп (pictυred) said her hυsbaпd was shot dead while protectiпg her

A armed maп dressed iп black opeпed fire at Boпdi Beach oп Sυпday afterпooп

They were at Boпdi Beach wheп two gυпmeп opeпed fire

Video aпd photos takeп by a Daily Mail photographer show a gυпmaп opeпiпg fire from aп elevated bridge υsiпg a large rifle.

Oпe gυпmaп has beeп shot dead. The other oпe was also shot, aпd is пow iп cυstody.

A festival, Chaпυkah by the Sea, advertised as a пight of family fυп, was takiпg place, with childreп atteпdiпg the eveпt wheп the gυпmeп opeпed fire.

It was also coпfirmed late oп Sυпday eveпiпg that a пυmber of sυspicioυs items had beeп foυпd iп the viciпity of the iпcideпt, iпclυdiпg aп improvised explosive device.

The items are beiпg examiпed by specialist officers.

A witпess told Daily Mail: ‘These meп pυlled over their car pυt a black flag with aп emblem oп the wiпdshield theп walked over the footbridge aпd started firiпg.’

Tim Hamiltoп was with frieпds iп North Boпdi wheп he thoυght he heard a car backfiriпg bυt ‘more violeпt thaп that, like a little bit loυder’.

‘I stood υp aпd looked over aпd theп I jυst saw people oп the beach rυппiпg really fast away from that area, like the Boпdi Pavilioп bυt the пorth side of it,’ he told Daily Mail.

At least 12 people were killed, iпclυdiпg childreп

NSW Police are υrgiпg people to avoid the area

He added that people were hidiпg behiпd the coпcrete wall aпd rυппiпg iпto the oceaп to try aпd stay clear of the shooters.

Tim said he did пot receive aп emergeпcy alert oп his phoпe followiпg the iпcideпt.

‘Wheп we were walkiпg home, we saw this gυy who was υp at Speedo Cafe, which is kiпd of пear the North Boпdi grass, aпd he was oп the pavemeпt bleediпg.

‘That was qυite far away from where the shooters were. So I thiпk oпe of the bυllets mυst have travelled qυite far. There were people helpiпg him.’

Families were evacυated from the beach at aboυt 9pm, with pareпts holdiпg emergeпcy blaпkets over their childreп.

Police coпfirmed there have beeп пo reports of aпy other iпcideпts iп Sydпey coппected to the iпcideпt, iпclυdiпg Dover Heights, where a similar Chaпυkah eveпt was expected to be held.

‘Please do NOT share υпcoпfirmed rυmoυrs,’ it said.

Police have set υp aп exclυsioп zoпe

Kate Garraway’s New Boyfriend Revealed – Why She Fell for Him and Why She May Be Ready to Go Public Soon

For months, fans have been wondering if Good Morning Britain presenter Kate Garraway might one day find love again — and now, it seems that moment has arrived.

Sources close to the beloved broadcaster have confirmed that Kate is quietly dating someone new, over a year after the heartbreaking death of her husband Derek Draper. And while she has remained private, whispers inside her circle suggest that she’s finally ready to step back into the light — not alone, but with a man who has helped her heal.

“He didn’t try to fix her — he just stood beside her”

The man, described as “genuine, grounded, and quietly compassionate,” is not part of the TV industry. The two reportedly met through mutual friends at a healthcare charity event earlier this year. While his name has not yet been made public, insiders say he has also experienced personal loss — creating a bond between the two that runs deep.

“What makes him special is that he never tried to make her forget Derek. He simply gave her space to grieve, to be herself, and slowly begin to smile again,” a friend shared.

Unlike the whirlwind romances that dominate headlines, Kate’s new relationship has grown slowly and carefully — built on mutual respect, understanding, and long conversations that often happen away from cameras and attention.

From pain to peace — and perhaps, to public

Kate has been spotted looking noticeably more relaxed and content in recent weeks. On set, colleagues say she seems “lighter,” with a softness in her presence that’s hard to miss.

While she hasn’t commented publicly on the relationship, sources say she’s no longer actively hiding it. In fact, one insider hinted that she might “make things official” soon — possibly through a subtle acknowledgment in an upcoming interview or charity appearance.

“She’s always been incredibly respectful of Derek’s memory, and she still speaks of him with love,” the source added. “But she also knows that he would want her to be happy.”

A new beginning — not a replacement

Kate’s journey has been one of strength, sorrow, and unimaginable emotional resilience. Her care for Derek during his prolonged illness, and her grace in the face of loss, earned admiration from viewers across the country.

This new chapter, it seems, is not about “moving on,” but rather moving forward — with someone who brings peace, laughter, and quiet joy back into her life.

As one close friend put it:
“She didn’t go looking for love — but maybe love found her when she needed it most.”

Rylan Clark issues EMOTIONAL Rob Rinder update as he says ‘CAN’T BELIEVE I’m saying this’ – What He Revealed Left Fans in Tears.

Rylan Clark issues EMOTIONAL Rob Rinder update as he says ‘CAN’T BELIEVE I’m saying this’

Rylan Clark and Rob Rinder won over viewers when they joined forces for their own Grand Tour travel show last year.

Rylan Clark and Rob Rinder shared a huge announcement with their followers (Image: SCU)

Rylan Clark and Rob Rinder were flooded with support as they issued a huge update about their hit BBC Two programme. The dynamic duo won over audiences after first teaming up last year for their travel show, Rob and Rylan’s Grand Tour. The three-part series followed the pair as they explored Italy’s most exquisite art treasures in cities like Venice, Florence, and Rome, tracing the path of 19th-century poet Lord Byron and other historical Grand Tourists.

In October, it was confirmed the duo would be returning to screens for another series, but this time they will be travelling across India. Their project is clearly going from strength to strength as Rylan, 36, announced that it has been nominated for a BAFTA TV Award in the Factual Entertainment category. Taking to Instagram, the This Morning presenter admitted he “couldn’t believe it” as he shared the news with his followers.

Rob and Rylan’s Grand Tour has been nominated for a BAFTA TV Award (Image: Rob Rinder X/Twitter)

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, we’re nominated for a @bafta thank you so much for watching,” he wrote alongside an image of The Grand Tour on the nominees list.

Rob, 46, commented on the post: “‘There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.’ Well done you clever, kind brilliant human.”

The Good Morning Britain host shared the news on his own Instagram with the same image, writing: “So @rylan said we’d either get cancelled or win a BAFTA???????????? Proud of you my friend. Thanks to everyone who watched us and found joy.”

Their posts were inundated with supportive messages from their friends and followers who couldn’t wait to congratulate them on the nomination.

“FANTASTIC! So well deserved….winners already in my eyes,” gushed Loose Women star Ruth Langsford.

Their show has been renewed for a second season and will follow the duo as they travel around India (Image: BBC/Rex TV/Zinc Media/Lana Salah)

Rob’s Good Morning Britain co-star Susanna Reid penned: “So amazing. And totally deserved. Wonderful programme, gorgeous people.”

“Loved it, can’t wait for the next one,” added another fan as a fourth agreed: “Loved this programme well deserved!”

Rob and Rylan’s The Grand Tour is up against Disney+ series In Vogue: The 90s, as well as BBC One shows Race Across The World and Sort Your Life Out.

Netflix phenomenon Baby Reindeer leads the nominations at this year’s BAFTA TV Awards with eight, while Mr Bates vs The Post Office, Rivals and Slow Horses each have six. The annual awards ceremony will take place on Sunday 11 May.

‘Every Time I Think of Her, I Break Down’: AngryGinge’s Emotional Story Behind His I’m A Celeb Win

AngryGinge left the I’m A Celebrity jungle in a Hummer limo, wearing a floral crown and heading home with a life-changing cheque — yet he insists none of it has convinced him he’s actually famous.

Only five years ago, at 19, Morgan Burtwistle was earning £450 a month working as a school “dinner lady”. He shared a council-estate home with his nan Julie, paid £200 rent, and spent every spare minute gaming in his bedroom. After eight months serving meals at Clarendon Road Primary School, he finally took the plunge into full-time streaming — a decision that eventually earned him millions and a place on ITV’s biggest entertainment show.

On Sunday night, the 24-year-old claimed a storming victory with 65% of the public vote, becoming the first social media star to win the series. “The one phrase I’ll always live my life by is, ‘Never forget where you came from’,” he said. “No matter what I achieve, I’ll still always be the kid from the council estate.”

In an exclusive interview, he recalled: “It was an hour-and-a-half every day, five days a week, on minimum wage. I’d give my nan £200 and try to live off the remaining £250. I did that from April to December 2020, then went full-time in streaming in January 2021.”

Raised by single mum Michelle, who juggled three jobs to provide for him and his sister Tasha, Ginge says he’s grateful for a childhood that wasn’t easy but taught him everything. “It was tough at times, but I look back on it very happy. Mum would say, ‘Morgan, nip to the shop and put £10 on the electric so it doesn’t go off.’ We couldn’t even afford pick ’n’ mix at the cinema. We’d get the ‘three for £1’ sweets from Asda to sneak in.”

During the show, he was repeatedly moved to tears whenever he mentioned his mum. “She’ll never understand how much I appreciate and love her,” he said after breaking down when they reunited on the jungle bridge.

Despite millions of followers across YouTube and Twitch, Ginge says the word “celebrity” still doesn’t sit right with him. “I don’t like the word ‘celebrity’ or ‘famous’. I prefer ‘in the public eye’,” he explained. “When I walked in and saw Shona, Martin Kemp, Lisa, Ruby, Aitch — these are people I grew up thinking were celebs. I didn’t belong there. But then I just fitted right in.”

Even after triumphing in the highest-rating live show for 16–34 year olds this year, he still can’t quite comprehend the scale of his win. “People ask if it’s sunk in. I don’t know what that would feel like. But it’s amazing to think ten-year-old me watched this show and now I’ve won it.”

His contact list now includes Wayne Rooney, James Maddison and darts sensation Luke Littler — though he joked Rooney “will be having words” after backing Aitch in the public vote.

Ginge reportedly gave up “hundreds of thousands of pounds” in streaming revenue and Christmas brand deals to appear on the show, all to make his mum proud. Bigger things are already coming: ITV gigs, new partnerships, and what insiders say could be a £5 million year after extending his ambassador deal with Red Bull.

But he swears none of it will change him. “Honestly, I just want to go see my nan, the rest of the family and friends,” he said. “Stream, watch Manchester United, coach Winton Yanited. Back to reality, back to normal.”

For millions who watched him eat vile bugs, push through brutal trials and bond with campmates like Ruby Wax and Lisa Riley, AngryGinge may not think he’s famous — but the public won’t be forgetting him anytime soon.

Emmerdale killer gets his comeuppance in death scenes in early ITVX release

Emmerdale killer gets his comeuppance in death scenes in early ITVX release

Emmerdale plunges viewers into one of its darkest and most emotionally devastating chapters yet in a run of episodes now available early on ITVX. What unfolds is a harrowing story of coercion, exploitation and desperation, as one family finds itself trapped in the grip of two of the soap’s most chilling villains. With death hovering over the village and morality pushed to breaking point, these episodes mark a turning point that will leave a lasting scar on the Dales.

At the heart of the drama is April, a young woman whose life has been systematically dismantled by Ry’s ruthless manipulation. In a gut-wrenching confession, April finally tells Marlon the truth: she was forced into drug dealing under Ry’s control, coerced through threats and psychological abuse until she believed there was no way out. The revelation lands like a bombshell, not only exposing Ry’s crimes but shattering Marlon’s belief that he could always protect his family.

Any hope that April might escape Ry’s clutches quickly evaporates. Burdened by debt and fear, she becomes convinced that her only option is to keep working for him until she has paid what she owes. Marlon, desperate to save her, begins quietly plotting ways to clear the debt himself, a decision that alarms Rona and sets him on a dangerous path of his own.

April’s torment runs deeper still. She believes she has blood on her hands after an encounter with Callum, a vile man who paid her for sex. In a moment of terror and self-defence, she struck him with a heavy object and thought she had killed him. Ry later “confirmed” Callum’s death, using the lie to bind April to him completely. The truth — that Callum survived — is a cruel secret Ry wields as leverage, knowing April would never dare go to the police if she believes she is a murderer. It is psychological imprisonment at its most insidious, and April’s guilt becomes the strongest chain holding her in place.

As the family reels, their hopes shift to Dylan, who lies in a coma after being deliberately run down in a shocking act of violence. They cling to the belief that if Dylan wakes, he could expose everything — Ry and Celia’s drug trafficking operation, their exploitation of vulnerable workers, and the modern-day slavery taking place under the guise of farm labour. For Marlon and Rona, Dylan’s testimony represents their last chance at justice.

But April, tragically wiser to the rules of this brutal game, sees the truth before anyone else. If Dylan talks, he will be killed. Terrified, she begs her brother to stay silent, even if it means sacrificing their only hope of freedom. It is a devastating reversal of instinct — a sister praying not for recovery, but for silence.

Detective Carter’s arrival briefly raises the stakes. Ry masks his fear behind a performance of concern, while Celia watches from the shadows. When Carter emerges to announce that Dylan remembers nothing, the reactions speak volumes. For Marlon and Rona, it is another crushing blow. For Ry, the relief is unmistakable. Whether Dylan’s amnesia is real or a calculated act of self-preservation remains agonisingly unclear, and the uncertainty becomes a fresh form of torture for his family.

Meanwhile, the threat expands with the looming return of Mary from her holiday. Blissfully unaware of the nightmare engulfing her daughter’s family, Mary represents another potential victim in Celia’s widening web. Rona, driven by raw maternal instinct, makes a devastating choice: she lies to her own mother, fabricating a quarantine scare to keep her away. It is a small mercy bought at the cost of deep guilt, and a sign of how far Rona has been pushed from the woman she once was.

Marlon’s own desperation spirals into recklessness. Feeling powerless and emasculated by his inability to protect his children, he makes a catastrophic gamble — literally. Hearing whispers of an underground poker game frequented by dangerous men with deep pockets, Marlon convinces himself that winning big could buy April’s freedom. He sells his mother’s locket, his last sentimental tie to a safer past, and steps into a world where fear and violence rule.

The poker game is a masterclass in tension. Outmatched and visibly terrified, Marlon initially loses everything, until sheer desperation hardens into resolve. For a fleeting moment, it seems as though fate might finally be on his side. Chips pile up. Hope flickers. Then it all collapses in a brutal final hand. Facing a silent, tattooed enforcer, Marlon’s full house is crushed by four of a kind. The loss is absolute. Worse still, he has now drawn the attention of men who do not forgive debts.

Back at the hospital, the pressure reaches boiling point. April, hollowed out by guilt, has accepted the identity Ry forced upon her — a killer, beyond redemption. She sits at Dylan’s bedside, whispering a prayer no sister should ever have to make: that he never wakes. It is love twisted by fear into something unbearably tragic.

The balance shifts when Bear Wolf, one of Celia’s exploited workers, steps out of the shadows. Quiet, observant and underestimated, he has been documenting Celia and Ry’s crimes in a hidden journal. When he overhears them plotting to permanently “solve” the problem of Dylan, he realises silence is no longer an option. Risking his own life, Bear Wolf brings the truth to Rona, igniting a fierce, unyielding resolve.

The final scenes unfold like a tragedy hurtling toward inevitability. A violent storm batters the hospital as Rona stands over Dylan with a syringe in her trembling hand, torn between mercy, fear and vengeance. Bear Wolf guards the door. Marlon arrives, bruised and broken, just in time to witness the impossible choice before them. April begs her mother to stop, her voice echoing the last remnants of innocence.

Then the door swings open. Ry appears, smug and unrepentant — and he is not alone. The tattooed enforcer from the poker game steps forward, calmly claiming what he is owed. The past and present collide in a single, suffocating moment as the screen cuts to black.

These episodes deliver Emmerdale at its most uncompromising, exposing the devastating consequences of exploitation and the terrible choices people make when cornered by evil. With villains closing in and lives hanging in the balance, the stage is set for a reckoning — and not everyone will survive to see the dawn.