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Emmerdale’s Lisa Riley opens up about scammers using her photos to swindle fans as Coronation star Daniel Brocklebank says his likeness has also been stolen by fraudsters

An Emmerdale star has admitted that she has been a victim in an online scam – as criminals have been using her photographs to sell fake diet pills.

Lisa Riley, 48, who plays Mandy Dingle in the soap, explained that her picture has been used without her permission to sell the pills to unsuspecting people on the internet. She told ITV’s Tonight: “They say you will lose 15 kg in 3 weeks, and the amount of people that have bought slimming aids with my face linked to it is off the scale.”

In Celebrity Scams: Are You At Risk?, which airs on Thursday night on ITV, Alex Beresford speaks to both soap stars and victims to understand the rise of celebrity scams. Dan Brocklebank from Coronation Street said people have been creating fake accounts impersonating him to lure fans into giving up their money.

Lisa plays Mandy Dingle in Emmerdale
Brocklebank said: “It’s happened so many times, people set up what they call my personal account or my official account and start to message people, and they’re being conned out of thousands of pounds”.

Lisa said these fake accounts are “happening more and more” and claimed the scammers were “hunting vulnerable women”. She said: “They start talking under a fake account commenting on the storyline telling someone you’re beautiful, you’re gorgeous. And I’ll step in and say he’s not real!”

And scammers are not only using celebrity identities to dupe people into buying fake weight loss products as one victim’s daughter in the show reveals she was duped into believing she was in a relationship with not one but two soap stars. A daughter of one of the scam victims, referred to as Kirsty in the documentary, opened up about how traumatic the ordeal was for her and her family. In 2023, her mother was contacted by someone she thought was Emmerdale actor Tony Audenshaw.

Lisa plays Mandy Dingle in Emmerdale
Brocklebank said: “It’s happened so many times, people set up what they call my personal account or my official account and start to message people, and they’re being conned out of thousands of pounds”.

Lorraine: Emmerdale star on his character’s terrible two years

Lisa said these fake accounts are “happening more and more” and claimed the scammers were “hunting vulnerable women”. She said: “They start talking under a fake account commenting on the storyline telling someone you’re beautiful, you’re gorgeous. And I’ll step in and say he’s not real!”

And scammers are not only using celebrity identities to dupe people into buying fake weight loss products as one victim’s daughter in the show reveals she was duped into believing she was in a relationship with not one but two soap stars. A daughter of one of the scam victims, referred to as Kirsty in the documentary, opened up about how traumatic the ordeal was for her and her family. In 2023, her mother was contacted by someone she thought was Emmerdale actor Tony Audenshaw.

Lisa has described the scams using her images as “upsetting”
After noticing a change in her mother’s behaviour, Kirsty said she drove to her house and found suitcases in her hallway. Her mother told her she had fallen in love with someone from Emmerdale. “I immediately got suspicious, she said he’s my soul mate, I know him really well,” Kirsty explained.

Almost £20,000 in gift cards had been drained from her mum’s savings and while she was able to get some of the money back, the same thing happened a year later. “I noticed that she’d spent about £2000 in a three day period. I phoned her and the first thing she said was: ‘it’s not a scam, he sent me videos of himself this time’,” she said.

This time, the scammer was pretending to be Jeff Hordley, another Emmerdale star and had used artificial intelligence technology to tailor his words towards Kirsty’s mum. Kirsty said: “Mum felt really humiliated, she’s grieving really, it’s the loss of not just money, it’s, it’s the loss of what she thought was a relationship as well.” The documentary will be airing on Thursday night at 8.30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

The future King has an exciting summer ahead following the news that his close friend Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster, is having his first baby with wife Olivia

Prince William could earn himself an exciting new title after a lovely announcement from his close friend.

On Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Westminster confirmed that the couple are expecting their first child together – and it’s highly likely that the future King will take on an important role.

A spokesperson for the couple – who tied the knot in June 2024 – said in a statement: “The Duke and Duchess of Westminster are very pleased to share that the Duchess is expecting a baby in the summer. The couple are delighted with the news and are very much looking forward to starting a family together.”

Hugh Grosvenor, who is the seventh Duke of Westminster, is very close to William – and he is godfather to his eldest son, Prince George. King Charles, meanwhile, is Hugh’s godfather, while Hugh’s mother Natalia is one of William’s godparents.

Hugh and Olivia – the Duke and Duchess of Westminster – on their wedding day ( 
Image:
Getty Images)

With such close ties, it seems highly likely that the Prince will in turn be asked to be a godfather to Hugh and Olivia’s firstborn. Prince William served as an usher at the couple’s wedding last year, which was held on 7 June 2024 at Chester Cathedral. It was reported at the time that Prince Harry had also been invited – but declined amid ongoing tensions with William.

Hugh is believed to be one of the few people who remains close to both brothers despite their fallout, and he is also a godfather to Harry and Meghan’s son Archie.

Hugh, 34, inherited his title and control of the Grosvenor Estate, then worth an estimated £9 billion, following the death of his father in 2016. He is now ranked as one of the richest billionaires in the world thanks to his estimated £10.6bn net worth.

He received the title despite having two older sisters. And, as it stands, Hugh and Olivia’s first child will also be impacted by a centuries-old rule.

Peerages can currently only pass down the male line (known as male primogeniture), which means that the peerage can only be inherited by a male relative.

The couple have announced their exciting news ( 
Image:
PA)

The couple’s firstborn child will be impacted by a centuries-old rule ( 
Image:
PA)
Therefore, if the Duke and Duchess’ firstborn child is a girl, under the current laws, she will not be entitled to inherit the Westminster title, nor the family fortune and estate that goes with it. Instead, she would be styled as Lady, while the eldest son would be known as Earl Grosvenor until he inherits the dukedom.

The same rule directly impacted Hugh and his two older sisters, Lady Tamara and Lady Edwina Grosvenor. When their father, Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster, died in 2016, the family title went to Hugh, his third child and only son.

Lady Tamara married Prince William’s close friend Edward van Cutsem in 2004 and has three children, Jake, Louis and Isla van Cutsem. Lady Edwina, meanwhile, married TV presenter and historian Dan Snow in 2010 and also has three children, Zia, Wolf and Orla.

There is also a younger sister, Lady Viola, who married Dragoon Guards officer Angus Roberts in a secret family wedding and celebrated with a party in Kenya.

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni could be heading for trial amid their legal battle, and Ryan Reynold’s pal Hugh Jackman could be deposed, it has been claimed

Hugh Jackman is reportedly the latest celebrity to become involved in the legal dispute between Blake Lively and her It Ends with Us co-star Justin Baldoni.

In December, Lively, 37, filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, 41, claiming sexual harassment. He countersued Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds, 48, for £321 million, accusing them of trying to destroy his reputation and career.

Lively then filed an amended complaint that she says provides “significant additional evidence and corroboration” of her original claims.

The Hollywood actress is also the subject of a $7 million (£5.6 million) lawsuit by crisis publicist Jed Wallace, after she previously claimed that he “weaponised a digital army” against her as part of a smear campaign by Baldoni’s team. All parties have strongly denied the claims made against them.

An insider claimed that Baldoni’s legal team ‘are not going to leave any stone unturned,’ and Hugh Jackman could be called in to speak on his pal Ryan Reynolds at trial ( 
Image:
AP)

With filings piling up and the main parties denying the claims made against them, Hollywood star Jackman is reportedly set to be deposed if the dispute continues to trial.

Jackman starred in Deadpool & Wolverine with Reynolds, with the superhero film having been released just a couple of weeks before It Ends with Us.

An source claimed to the Daily Mail that “there is no way that [Jackman] cannot” expect to be deposed if a trial occurs, considering “Baldoni’s legal team is doing everything they need to do to get a full scope of Ryan’s conduct during the time that It Ends with Us was filmed.”

The source added that Jackman is “Ryan’s good friend,” and as such: “They are not going to leave any stone unturned.”

The source likened Jackman’s link to the case to that of Taylor Swift, adding that “Hugh helped promote It Ends with Us in the same way that Taylor did when they did their group shot for the cross-promo with Deadpool,” claiming he would have been aware of any tensions at the time. The Mirror has contacted representatives of Jackman, Baldoni, and Lively for comment.

Taylor Swift, like Jackman, is another celeb who has been embroiled into the feud between Baldoni and Lively, after Baldoni published a string of alleged messages from Lively in which (using a Game of Thrones reference) described Swift as one of her “dragons”.

In his filing, Baldoni claims that Lively brought Swift to a meeting about script changes. He claims that she used her “mega-celebrity friend” to intimidate him, and the “subtext” of Swift’s presence at the meeting was that he “needed to comply with Blake’s direction for the script”.

While Swift is also allegedly expected to be deposed at a possible trial, some fans have been disappointed by her silence on the feud.

A source previously shared that Swift’s silence could even be used by Baldoni’s camp, explaining: “Some people feel [Taylor] should be offering comfort and using her platform to rally Swifties in support of what is right.

“Instead, Taylor appears to have gone silent and is staying out of the public eye. This will likely play a role in Justin’s defence. If Taylor does not believe Blake, she will be the smoking gun in this case.”

Katie Price teamed up with Diesel for a new modelling job, and fans were divided over the eye-catching bikini shot emphasising her famous figure

Katie Price has seemingly scored a major new modelling campaign with fashion brand Diesel in a jaw-dropping photo.

Peter Andre’s ex shared a snap of herself posing for the clothing company on Instagram today, and fans were stunned by the avant-garde image. In the shot, Katie, 46, posed in front of a walk-in sunbed in a kitchen

The reality TV star wore just a tiny grey bikini for the photo, showing off her slim physique and multitude of tattoos. Katie’s dark hair was pulled back to emphasise her sharp facial features, and she stared into the camera as she clutched a black bag with both hands.

In other images from the campaign, her Married at First Sight alum boyfriend JJ Slater, 31, featured, but the loved-up duo haven’t shared any shots of them together. “Who says the Pricey can’t do high fashion [winking emoji] @diesel campaign,” Katie wrote alongside the bikini pic.

Some fans said Katie’s collab with Diesel created her ‘best pics yet,’ while others thought the arty shot she posted was ‘ridiculous’

Many fans were wowed by the photo, with one writing: “Never underestimate the Pricey.” Another shared: “Congratulations angel!!!!! Best pics yet,” alongside a string of fire emojis.

In contrast, some of Katie’s followers weren’t keen on the eye-catching shot at all. “Errrm what am I looking at exactly?” one person asked, while another slammed: “She looks ridiculous.”

“I thought she was squeezing a strength bar,” said a third, with someone else arguing the bag looked more like “a massive Xbox controller.” Another troll commented: “Whoever told you that this is high fashion lied to you.”

Some people commented on Katie’s body in the photos, after she recently revealed that she’d embraced a healthier lifestyle amid rumours she was taking diabetic medication for weight loss.

Katie has recently been forced to defend herself against claims she’s using diabetes medication for major weight loss
“I was eating the wrong things. Potatoes, pasta, carbs, they just puffed me up and made me fart but I’ve cleaned up my diet a lot and eat better things so now I don’t fart,” she told The Sun, adding that she had previously gained weight while taking IVF medication in an attempt to have a sixth child.

Katie’s body and facial tweaks were on full display in the photo, after she recently underwent a dramatic £10,000 face lift and a procedure to pin back her ears.

Much like some fans in the comment section, Katie’s friends have reportedly voiced concern that her surgery addiction could be an issue. “Friends think Katie has gone too far. They feel like she’s obsessed and loves the attention – and the money from the pictures – that the surgery brings in,” an insider told the Daily Record.

The person close to Katie’s circle said that her attitude towards surgery was relaxed, rather than seeing the transformations as a life-changing choice. They shared: “It seems to them like she’s locked into a dangerous ugly cycle, but Katie loves being able to reinvent herself and looks at a procedures list like a menu. She wants to try everything.”

The Cheltenham Festival is in full swing with thousands of punters descending on Prestbury Park to celebrate St Patrick’s Thursday, with a few famous faces also in attendance

The celebrities are out in force at the Cheltenham Festival today for St Patrick’s Thursday, one of the most distinctive and celebrated days of the four-day festival.

There is a sea of green and gold at Prestbury Park today, contributing to one of the most distinctive and joyful atmospheres as the build-up to Gold Cup day on Friday continues, with a few famous face popping up at the racecourse in their Sunday best,

Gates opened at 10.30am, with the first race scheduled for 1.20pm and the last at 5.20pm, and former EastEnders actor Danny Dyer was one of the first to embrace the spirit of the day and swig down at few pints in the AM.

Gemma Collins and Danny Dyer caught up at the festival ( 
Image:
Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)

The pair were in the same box watching the racing ( 
Image:
Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)
Newly married Georgia ‘Toff’ Toffolo, 30, also made an appearance at the famous racecourse. The former Made in Chelsea star, who tied the knot with Brew Dog found James Watt earlier this month, was all smiles as she posed for snaps in a skirt, tweed jacket and red jumper.

Retired footballer Peter Crouch, 44, did his best Peaky Blinders impression as he arrived at Cheltenham in a flat- cap, suit and overcoat. Former Coronation Street star Katherine Kelly is also enjoying a day of racing and rubbing shoulders with royals. The actress was spotted chatting with Mike and Zara Tindall by the track at one point, with Anne, Princess Royal also present at the racecourse.

Georgia Toffolo is a regular at Cheltenham Festival ( 
Image:
PA)

Peter Crouch did his best Peaky Blinders tribute ( 
Image:
PA)Marching Powder star Danny Dyer, 47, seemed to be enjoying himself this morning as he sunk a glass of fizz in the Paddy Power suite at Cheltenham today, alongside the likes of Peter crouch and Gemma Collins. The former soap star looked dapper in a grey suit and blue shirt combo, donning shades and clutching his cigarettes as he entered the grounds.

Despite attending a posh event like Cheltenham and running the risk of bumping into a royal, Danny hasn’t lost touch with his working class roots. Speaking earlier this week to promote his new film with Nick Love, Marching Powder, the former soap star called for change in the arts and the world of politics.

“It seems like the elite are just looking after each other. I don’t know how we’ve regressed so much that there’s pensioners in this country that can’t turn on the radiator,” Danny told Time Out. “I don’t know how the f**k we got to the point where young people have no hope of getting on the property ladder, and that wages don’t match bills. How the fuck has that happened?”

Danny Dyer cut a dapper figure as he arrived at the racecourse ( 
Image:
Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)

The former soap star sunk back some fizz before midday at the star-studded event ( 
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PA)
He added: “We had a f**king Tory government for far too long to fuck things up, but now we’ve had a Labour government and it’s hard to trust them. Keir is not a leader. He is a sir. The first thing he did was drop the ‘Sir’, that fu**ed me off immediately. So straight away, you’re playing smoke and mirrors. It doesn’t matter that you’re a ‘sir’, just be kind and open. So I struggle with him. Angela Rayner I did like, but she seems like a puppet as well. The whole Grenfell thing is a f**king disgrace. Who do you believe? Who have we got to lead us through these times?”

Marching Powder sees Danny reunite with The Football Factory director Nick Love to play Jack, a middle-aged man who spends his weekends fighting and getting high outside football matches. When an arrest leaves him just six weeks to get clean or face a stint behind bar, Jack faces a battle to stay out of prison.

“It’s a working-class film made for the working-class masses,” Danny says of Marching Powder. “We’ve found ourselves in the realm of people making films that have been a bit beige and a bit boring. People are frightened to actually make a film with boll**ks. I watched the BAFTAs recently, and the films they chose seemed like obvious choices. You need a film that’s in your fucking face, that’s slightly controversial.”

David Beckham and Prince William have been close friends for a number of years, but after a quick Q&A and putting his footy knowledge to the test, the future King may have just put his foot in it

It’s no secret Prince William is a huge football fan – but he may have upset close pal David Beckham after a candid confession.

The future king is regularly spotted at Villa Park as one of Aston Villa’s biggest fans, and William definitely knows his stuff when it comes to the game.

In a candid interview, the royal was involved in a fun game of a spin-off of the viral ‘Football Legends – Head 2 Head’ game, where he was given some tricky questions and decisions to answer.

When asked by The Sun who he would choose in a shoot-out between Zinedine and England legend Beckham – who joined the prince celebrating Air Ambulance heroes last October, Wills grimaced and said: “This gonna hurt. Becks, I think – just… I think Becks might kill me if I don’t say him.”

The pair often work together ( 
Image:
Getty Images)

However he had no hesitation when choosing between Cristiano Ronaldo over the former England and Man United winger.

It comes after Beckham opened up about his royal connections and how he responded to a request from Prince William. The former England captain has made a string of high-profile appearances with both the Prince of Wales and King Charles in recent months.

The 49-year-old was recently appointed an ambassador for the King’s Foundation and also joined a royal engagement with William to unveil the London Air Ambulance’s new helicopters and during an event at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Becks was asked about his royal pals and recent work with the monarchy. And he became emotional and admitted he always gets “emotional talking about anything that I do with our Royal Family

When it came to William, Becks said that he’s joined forces with the Prince “whenever he’s asked me to get involved”. He explained: To be involved in that has always been a ‘yes’ for me. Whenever the Prince of Wales sends me a message and says ‘I need you to do this’ or ‘be there’, it’s always a ‘yes’.”

When it came to his role with Charles’ King’s Foundation, he praised the monarch as an incredible man and revealed his mum Sandra burst into tears when he told her he’d been asked to be an ambassador for the charity.

Prince William has spoken about his long obsession with Aston Villa as well as his favourite players, managers, and even his match day superstitions to make sure his team wins

Prince William was seen celebrating with Aston Villa fans on Wednesday, as the heir to the throne’s favourite team made it through to the quarterfinal of the Champions League for the first time. Amid his team’s success, the lifelong Villa fan has opened up about the depths of his obsession.

The royal even has a few odd superstitions and match-day rituals to try and help Aston Villa win a match, including telling his children where they can sit. 42-year-old William has followed the Midlands team since he was a boy, forming an interest after friends took him to see a game

But it wasn’t until later in life that he began to follow the team in earnest and develop a “sense of belonging”, the prince said to the Sun. His interest in the minutiae of everything Villa blossomed In 2016, as they were being relegated.

He told the publication: “There were a few moments that happened. I had some family friends who took me to my first Villa game when I was younger because they are big Villa fans.”

Prince William was there to witness Aston Villa make it through to the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time ( 
Image:
PA Wire/PA Images)

He continued: “It was against Bolton and I sat in the stands with my Villa beanie hat on and I remember Paul Merson was playing for Villa at the time. With the camaraderie among the fans and the chanting and the singing, I just felt like I belonged there.

“I kept an eye on Villa from then on but didn’t get too involved initially. But Villa being relegated to the Championship in 2016 got me even more interested, strangely.

“A few years earlier, we’d finished sixth under Martin O’Neill and now we weren’t even in the Premier League.

When the Prince fell down the Villa rabbit hole

Prince William watching Aston Villa play Celtic ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
The prince attributed his increased attention to Villa in 2016 to his rising smartphone use and easy access to results, data, and forum rumours.

He said: “I’d grown up looking at Ceefax on the television or the back pages of newspapers and if you didn’t have those to hand you were a bit out of the loop.

“But now you can get so much data and follow how your team is doing all the time and there’s so much more discussion and debate. That’s how my passion really increased.”

Now that Villa’s fortunes are on the rise, Prince William’s love for the team has only grown, but he continues to be excited for the future. He shared: “I’m incredibly proud of the club and the journey it’s been on.

“It’s hard to put into words and a lot of Villa fans are still pinching themselves a bit that we’re here and we’ve done this.”

Do his children follow Aston Villa?

Prince William cheers on Aston Villa during their Champions League clash with Bayern Munich ( 
Image:
AP)
But whether the prince’s children will also be Aston Villa fans remains to be seen. Prince George has often been seen attending matches with father William, but he has decided not to force Charlotte or Louis to pick the team.

He told the Sun: “I’m kind of hoping they’ll all find their own teams in time. They don’t all have to be Villa fans. I’m trying not to be biased but obviously they see how passionate I am about it and they watch the matches with me. I’m trying to spread the love a little bit.

“They do have Villa shirts, and ask to come to games with me, but they have other shirts as well. There’s been a bit of courting going on by other managers too.”

That is not to say that the whole family don’t have a role in cheering the team on. When William is forced to watch on TV, the position of everyone – on and off the pitch – can prove pivotal.

The prince shared: “If I’m home alone with the children, I probably don’t have the pre-match pint but I do have a bit of superstition about where I sit when I’m watching them.

“If we’re not doing very well, I start moving round the house quite quickly and I put the children in different positions hoping that’s going to change our luck.”

Why Prince William was at a Birmingham Wetherspoons

Prince William chats to fans in the pub at Birmingham New Street Station ( 
Image:
PA)If you are not at Villa Park, the next best place to see a game is surrounded by other fans. William said: “I like mixing with the fans. Anything Villa I love and they all love their Villa.

“It’s a family within a family and I do feel part of the Villa family. This club does an awful lot — and I know lots of clubs do it too — but I particularly feel it with Villa in my life that I’m very included.

“The morals and the vision and the general atmosphere and the culture of the club really matters.

“For me, it’s always been very welcoming, very diverse, and all-encompassing.”

However, Prince William will likely be making it to Villa’s quarterfinal match, in order to the “make the most” of his team’s run of success. He shared: “Getting up to Villa Park isn’t the easiest thing for me but I like to watch as many games as I possibly can either by being there or on TV.

“I’ve tried to really make an effort to get there for all the Champions League games because it feels like that’s something you’ve got to make the most of when you’re in it.

“The biggest thing at home is trying to find it on TV sometimes because obviously you’ve got the Saturday 3pm blackout which is irritating.”

Anonymous double life on Villa forums

You could be arguing with the Prince of Wales if you frequent Aston Villa fan forums ( 
Image:
The LIFE Images Collection via G)
But the prince does not just mingle with fans in Spoons and at Villa Park. Unbeknownst to many of them, he lurks in online forums for discussion. However, the heir to the throne only posts using anonymous profiles.

He said: “I like going on the forums, I can be on there for ages. I listen to what other fans have to say and give them my opinions. I get quite into it, definitely. It’s important to have that debate.”

He added: “Having said that, while I may be an armchair fan, I wouldn’t presume to tell Unai if he’s doing anything wrong.

“I’m fascinated by what Unai is doing and how he tweaks his system and what he sees.

“I’d love to know more about how he goes about managing the team better and how do you see those little details which no one else does.”

Gregg Wallace appeared on the final of MasterChef: The Professionals, after the Christmas specials of the series were pulled from BBC schedules

Gregg Wallace was shown on the BBC for what is potentially the last time in tonight’s MasterChef: The Professionals final, where he praised winner Dan Merriman, 29, for his “dish after dish of absolute beauty”.

Throughout the competition Dan has wowed the judges Marcus Wareing, Monica Galetti and Gregg Wallace and impressed restaurant critics and some of the country’s leading chefs – delivering outstanding, innovative food and skilful cookery.

Reacting to his win, Dan said: “To walk away as MasterChef Champion, it means the world to me. There’s not been that many times where I’ve been proud of myself in my life, but I’ve hit the pinnacle! This whole competition has changed my life. I’m forever grateful.”

The judges had so much to say about Dan, with Marcus Wareing commenting: “We have a star. I see Dan’s cookery as fine dining at its very, very best. His food is precise, technical, it’s incredibly creative. I think it’s outstanding. This guy is shining. I can’t wait to see what this chef is going to do in the future.”

Monica Galetti added: “From the moment he walked in, he let his cooking do the talking. I don’t think Dan realises how good he is. The kind of cooking he’s been doing takes years to get right.” Gregg Wallace said: “Dan’s food has been blowing us away, not just in this Final but for round after round. Dish after dish of absolute beauty. Watching this chef grow in stature has been a wonderful thing to witness. I think this has been a turning point in Dan’s life.

The final three ( 
Image:
BBC/Shine TV)
The Christmas specials of MasterChef have been pulled from the BBC ’s schedules after allegations surfaced about Gregg’s behaviour. BBC bosses previously said the corporation will not “tolerate behaviour that falls below the standards we expect” and will continue to champion “a culture that is kind, inclusive and respectful”.

Last week, Gregg apologised for claiming complaints about his behaviour came from “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age”, adding he will “take some time out”. Lawyers for the presenter have previously strongly denied “he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature”, according to BBC News.

With regard to the Christmas specials, a BBC spokesperson said: “As we have said, MasterChef is an amazing competition which is life-changing for the chefs taking part and the current series of MasterChef: The Professionals is continuing as planned. The celebrity Christmas specials are obviously a different type of show and in the current circumstances we have decided not to broadcast them.”

It comes after Sir Rod Stewart’s wife Penny Lancaster has claimed she was “bullied” by Gregg on Celebrity MasterChef. The model and Loose Women star, 53, said she believes he “used his position of power to intimidate and cause distress” on set, and claims production

Last month, Sir Rod, 57, alleged that the presenter “humiliated” his wife when she took part on the show in 2021, saying “good riddance” to Gregg after he stepped away from the BBC programme while the show’s production company Banijay UK investigates claims of misconduct.

Now, Penny has spoken about her experiences with Gregg, 60, for the first time, saying on Loose Women: “I most definitely was witness and victim to some of the bullying and harassment behaviour of Gregg Wallace, and unfortunately, a lot of those involved in the production team were also witness to that.

“I really feel that he used his position of power to, I believe, intimidate and cause distress to a lot of people on set. And it’s really unfortunate that someone like him is allowed to get away with that, and while others sort of stand by and let it happen at the same time

She added that Rod had posted his now famous critique of the presenter as a “tubby, bald-headed, ill-mannered bully” without her knowledge. “I didn’t realise my husband had sent that post out until it was out,” she said, adding she was “in shock” when she read it.

Penny continues: “I felt a little bit vindicated that something was put out there, going back to sort of that whole Me Too (movement), it’s shocking to think how many women do suffer in the hands of… (men) in a powerful position and are too afraid to talk out. They don’t feel at the time that they’re going to be supported or listened to. So sometimes it can take a few years later for someone to mention something. It gives the other victims and people that have suffered the confidence to come forward.”

Pickle Cottage has been decked out for weeks, with Stacey Solomon preparing the house for her and Joe Swash’s blended family’s Christmas – but there are significant changes to their festive plans this year

Joe Swash has revealed that he and wife Stacey Solomon have made a major change to their Christmas plans, just weeks after they were allegedly seen rowing in the street.

The couple have been preparing for Christmas at their £1.2 million Pickle Cottage with their children, with Loose Women star Stacey, 35, starting her decorating back at the start of November. She shared a video on social media showing a section of their home covered in multi-coloured lights and Christmas decorations swinging from the ceiling.

Between them, Stacey and Joe have six children, sharing their youngest three, Rex, five, Rose, three and one-year-old Belle. Stacey has two boys, Zachary, 16, and Leighton, 12, from a previous relationship, while Joe’s eldest Harry, 16, is from his relationship with Emma Sophocleous.

Their blended family shared last Christmas together, with Stacey going all out. She even has her own BBC show Stacey Solomon’s Crafty Christmas, in which she shows viewers how to make homemade gifts and decorations.

Joe Swash and Stacy Solomon make major change to their Christmas plans ( 
Image:
@staceysolomon/Instagram)

But this year’s festive celebration will be a significantly smaller affair than last year, with the couple toning down the occasion compared to last year. Joe, 42, told Metro : “Last year, we had about 28 people at our house for Christmas dinner. This year is a bit more quiet: just me, Stacey, the kids and three or four other people coming.”

Fans will be hoping their pared back Christmas is nothing to do with their argument, which saw Stacey appearing to be consoled by a film crew in the street after the pair had fell out. The couple ended up leaving separately, according to a source, with Stacey appearing to be hugging a production member.

Joe and Stacey will have a pared back Christmas ( 
Image:
BBC/Optomen TV/Mark Dolman)
The onlooker said that Joe left a building alone and “stormed off down the street” while vaping. He was then taken to one side while someone else went to check on him, it was claimed.

They added that 15 minutes after their “tense” exchange, Stacey shouted at Joe, with the pair leaving separately. The Sun shared footage and photos of the incident, with a witness claiming: “Joe came out of a building on his own and stormed off down the street, he looked upset and was sitting on some steps for a while. Stacey came out of the building in tears and she looked really emotional, she was hugging someone.”

They added: “About 15 minutes later Joe was having an animated talk with the man. Eventually Stacey walked towards Joe in the car and shouted something. They ended up leaving separately. It all looked very tense.”

Emmerdale saw Ruby Fox-Miligan make a major admission about her dad Anthony to her daughter Steph – and fans think it will land John Sugden in hot water

Emmerdale fans think they’ve clued into what will happen next on the show after a very emotional episode.

In the March 13 episode of the ITV soap, character Ruby Fox-Miligan admitted to her daughter Steph that the person Steph knew as her grandad – Anthony Fox – was also her dad, after Anthony abused Ruby when she was a teen.

Anthony was killed back in January by Ruby, but John Sugden thought his partner Aaron Dingle was responsible for the murder and “buried” Anthony’s body in the woods. After Ruby confessed Anthony’s crimes to Steph, fans thought that Steph’s next move would be to dig up her real father’s body – only to find it missing.

On Reddit, one fan shared: “I enjoyed the episode because it pushed a few of the storylines on, I wonder if this now leads to Steph trying to dig up her grandad and his body not being there? Because I don’t believe for a second that John buried him there!”

Steph finally found out that her grandfather Anthony is also her father – and viewers suspect she’ll undertake an action that could unearth several major secrets ( 
Image:
ITV)

Others were just pleased that Steph believed Ruby, agreeing that the storyline will develop quickly now that she’s in the know about her true parentage.

“Definitely glad Steph believed Ruby, I did wonder if they were going to go another direction with that!” one person said, with another saying: “It makes sense that she jumped to it. She has said herself she always knew she was conceived around Ruby’s 16th birthday. She knows Ruby left bc of Anthony, so with the timeline it’s pretty easy to figure out that it’s a possibility.”

Another fan praised: “Beth Cordingly’s performance during the reveal was great. If you listen very closely there’s a slight hesitant stutter before she says ‘sexually,’ which just adds to the scene. Really emphasises that she doesn’t want to have to say it, but knows she needs to. And Steph, was good to see her express some completely new emotions/mood today. Shows more of the actress’s range.”

While viewers were impressed with actress Beth Cordingly’s performance as Ruby, the star herself has admitted that she cries a lot off-screen to help her decompress from her intense storyline.

“I cry a lot in real life, it’s a joke with my own family,” she told the Mirror. “My daughter doesn’t even notice when I’m crying now. Most people just laugh at me when I’m crying because it happens so much.”

Beth only joined Emmerdale on January 25, 2024, and has already dived into some very emotional scenes. She’s dating former Emmerdale star Ian Kelsey, and revealed this year that Ian was vital in encouraging her to take on the role of Ruby.

Considering how they live in Sussex while the show films in Leeds, and Beth has a daughter and Ian has two, she knew it would be a lot to juggle. She described: “Ian was really supportive and wanted me to do it, which is lovely. There is that thing as an actor where you are always taken away from home. But he totally gets it.”