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Meghan Markle marked the countdown to her new cookery show With Love, Meghan hitting Netflix next week by sharing a behind-the-scenes look at filming for the eagerly-anticipated show

Meghan Markle has shared a brand new teaser for her Netflix show that features her dancing barefoot and shows a glimpse of husband Prince Harry.

It is less than a week before Meghan’s new lifestyle show With Love, Meghan hits the streaming platform – and to ramp up publicity ahead of the launch, she took to Instagram to post a video showing a behind-the-scenes look at filming for the show.

Set to music, the trailer shows Meghan with her late dog Guy, whose death was announced earlier this year, as well as looking over notes with a producer. In one awkward moment, she can be seen dancing and singing without any shoes on as well as donning beekeeping equipment, something the Princess of Wales has been seen in, and putting a dish in the oven.

Meghan in a teaser for her new Netflix show ( 
Image:
@Meghan/Instagram)
The clip ends with a brief glimpse of Harry, who is seen walking with his wife as they leave filming. Accompanying the clip on Instagram, Meghan wrote: “Six more days until our show launches on @netflix! Celebrating the crew and everyone who helped make this happen! The countdown begins.”

With Love, Meghan is due to drop on Netflix on Tuesday after being postponed several weeks following the devastating wildfires that had engulfed California at the beginning of the year. It also comes after last week, when it was revealed that the Duchess of Sussex had renamed her lifestyle brand “As Ever”.

Meghan revealed that Netflix is not only the streaming platform for her forthcoming series With Love, Meghan, but a partner in her business which had been called American Riviera Orchard – but had hit trademark woes. But it was not just her U-turn that raised eyebrows, as her new logo on her newly-launched website, which features Princess Lilibet, also ruffled feathers.

Harry makes a fleeting appearance in the clip
The logo features a palm tree, which is understood to be a nod to Prince Harry and Meghan’s home in California, as well as two hummingbirds, which are thought to be a favourite of the Duke of Sussex.

However, fury has broken out as the Mayoress of Porreres, a town on the Spanish island of Majorca, claims the branding is strikingly similar their coat of arms. To add to Meghan’s brand headache, now the mayor of the town, Xisca Mora has gone as far as saying the logo is a “complete copy”.

And not just that – a small New York-based clothing firm called As Ever NYC waded into the row, breaking its silence on the name – which one fan joked was “royally scandalous”.

Meghan dons beekeeping gear in the trailerWith Love, Meghan, meanwhile, will run for eight episodes on Netflix. The series was supposed to begin on January 15 but Meghan, who lives with Harry in Montecito, California, felt it would have been insensitive to screen it days after the LA wildfires broke out. She said last month: “I’m thankful to my partners at Netflix for supporting me in delaying the launch, as we focus on the needs of those impacted by the wildfires in my home state.”

Mum-of-two Meghan “shares personal tips and tricks” in the programme, which is said to “barely mention” Prince Harry. His own Netflix show, which was called POLO, was panned in December.

A brand new book by Tom Quinn claims to lift the lid on what a whole host of royals, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, are like behind closed doors – as told by those who work for them

A brand new royal book has hit shelves that claims to expose what the Firm is really like behind closed doors – as told by those who work at the palace.

Yes Ma’am: The Secret Life of Royal Servants by Tom Quinn recounts the memories of staff working inside the royal bubble – and claims to lift the lid on a whole host of royals, including the Prince and Princess of Wales as well as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle before they sensationally quit royal life.

From Meghan’s apparent difficulty understanding how the palace machine worked to Queen Camilla’s alleged moans about protocol, The Mirror takes a look at some of the book’s biggest claims…

Meghan’s hug ‘outrage’

When it comes to Meghan trying to navigate life in the Royal Family, the book examines the hurdles she faced. And it claims that her “warm, friendly hug-everyone approach” caused tension to develop between William and Harry, with problems arising “fairly early on”.

The book contains claims about Meghan’s love of hugging ( 
Image:
Getty Images)

Quinn claims Kate, William and Charles “tended to flinch when she moved in for a hug”, as they weren’t used to so much affection between royals. He says California native Meghan was “understandably hurt”. He also says that Meghan also left courtiers ‘outraged’ with her affection. He added: “The courtiers were almost as outraged when Meghan tried to hug a singularly stiff Old Etonian equerry. He flinched as if she’d tried to poke him in the eye, as one staffer put it.

‘Goody two-shoes’

In another part of the book, Meghan’s approach to royal life is compared to that of her sister-in-law, Kate. Quinn quotes a palace insider as saying that Kate “doesn’t jump in straight away” and that she “bides her time” as she is “very intelligent and intuitive”.

Meghan with sister-in-law Kate
But another former Kensington Palace staffer claims that Meghan thought Kate was “just too eager to please, too much a goody-two-shoes girl.” They added that many at the palace did like Meghan’s feisty nature while others felt her making changes was “not an acceptable role for a complete outsider”.

Wild perception

The new book also says that Meghan’s American upbringing sheltered her from the realities of British royal life. Quinn writes that when Meghan discovered that Harry was only worth about £20million, she “quickly realised” that she needed to “reassess other assumptions she’d made about this strange new family”.

As one royal staff member put it, “She expected a billionaire and she got a millionaire.” A member of her former team is also quoted as saying that the actress “really disliked the hierarchy”. Giving an example of senior royals getting jealous of each other’s materialistic goods, the ex-staff member said: “Meghan thought they behaved like babies.”

Camilla’s request

As another newcomer when she married into the Royal Family almost 20 years ago, the book claims that Queen Camilla also found adapting to royal life tough. And ahead of her wedding to King Charles in April 2005, Quinn claims that Camilla asked her soon-to-be-husband: “Can’t we get away from all this protocol? “It’s all bo****ks.” Charles, who is said to hate swearing, allegedly replied: “You’re doing it [becoming queen] for me, darling.”

Queen Camilla with husband King Charles ( 
Image:
PA

Meghan’s nickname

The royals are known for their love of nicknames, and one that Meghan allegedly earned is detailed in the book. According to Quinn, “her nickname for a while was the Duchess of Difficult, but she had other, friendlier nicknames, including Mystic Meg, while came about because she was so new agey, so woke, about so many things”.

It was previously revealed that Charles had his own nickname for Meghan during her time as a working royal, with the King recognising her resilience. He affectionately called her Tungten, due to her being ‘tough and unbending’, it was claimed. Tungsten refers to a metal in the periodic table, which is known for its high melting point and core strength.

Part-time Diana

Meanwhile, members of staff for Meghan and Harry reportedly revealed to the author that Princess Diana was a big inspiration for Meghan when she entered royal life and that Meghan said she wanted to “finish” what her late mother-in-law “started”. They also noted that the Duchess of Sussex really would have preferred to undertake their royal duties only on a part-time basis – something that both Harry and Meghan have said themselves.

“Meghan once said, ‘What Diana started I want to finish,’ and we took that to mean she wanted to become a sort of globetrotting champion of the poor and the marginalised,” the insider claimed

Meanwhile, life was completely different for William and Kate growing up. While Kate experienced all of the normalities of an ordinary family, William grew up in the spotlight and his family dynamic was broken following his parents’ split and his mother’s tragic death. Quinn writes about William’s “needier side” in the book and reveals a heartbreaking admission a former maid allegedly made about his childhood.

The staffer claimed Kate had to explain many of the things parents do outside of the Royal Family and even showed William how to “give the children a piggyback”. They said: “William said very quietly, ‘My father never gave me a piggyback’.”

Yes Ma’am: The Secret Life of Royal Servants by Tom Quinn is published today.

Meghan Markle has released a teaser for her new Netflix show that shows her taking part in an activity known to be a love of her sister-in-law the Princess of Wales – hours after Kate revealed she also shares another similarity with the Duchess of Sussex

Meghan Markle may not have always seen eye-to-eye with her sister-in-law the Princess of Wales.

But the Duchess of Sussex may have more in common with Kate than first thought if a video posted on her new Instagram account is anything to go by. It is less than a week before Meghan’s new lifestyle show With Love, Meghan hits Netflix – and to ramp up publicity ahead of the launch, she took to Instagram to post a video showing a behind-the-scenes look at filming for the show.

And once again, it shows Meghan donning beekeeping gear – similar to an earlier teaser video for the series that was shared several weeks ago. Kate too is known to be a fan of beekeeping and also once posted on her official social media accounts a photo of her in protective clothing tending to a beehive. It came in May 2023 as the princess marked World Bee Day.

Meghan dons beekeeping gear in the trailer
It is believed that Kate and Prince William keep bees at their Anmer Hall property on the Sandringham estate. Beekeeping is a hobby that Kate reportedly shares with her younger brother James. The new clip of Meghan in the beekeeping gear comes just hours after Kate also revealed she has a jam recipe and promised to send it to volunteers – just days after Meghan revealed she would be selling jam as part of her new As Ever business venture.

During a trip to Wales yesterday, Kate heard how young volunteers at a community garden in Wales were growing their own plums and turning them into jam, and promised: “I’ll send you my plum jam recipe so you can try it.”

The revelation that Kate, 43, has been making her own jam follows Meghan Markle’s foray into the preserve market, sending pots of homemade jam under the name of her American Riveria Orchard brand. Meghan was forced to ditch the name after running into a catalogue of trademark issues, choosing to rename the venture ‘As Ever’.

Kate attends to a hive in the gardens at Anmer Hall, on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk ( 
Image:
AP)

Meghan Markle has announced her lifestyle brand is now called As Ever ( 
Image:
Samir Hussein/WireImage)
The show With Love, Meghan is due to drop on Netflix on Tuesday after being postponed several weeks following the devastating wildfires that engulfed California at the beginning of the year. It also comes after last week, when it was revealed that the Duchess of Sussex had renamed her lifestyle brand “As Ever”.

Meghan revealed that Netflix is not only the streaming platform for her forthcoming series With Love, Meghan, but a partner in her business, originally called American Riviera Orchard before it hit trademark woes. But it was not just her U-turn that raised eyebrows, as her new logo on her newly launched website, which features Princess Lilibet, also ruffled feathers

The logo features a palm tree, which is understood to be a nod to Prince Harry and Meghan’s home in California, as well as two hummingbirds, which are thought to be a favourite of the Duke of Sussex.

However, fury has broken out as the Mayoress of Porreres, a town on the Spanish island of Majorca, claims the branding is strikingly similar to their coat of arms. To add to Meghan’s brand headache, the mayor of the town, Xisca Mora has gone as far as saying the logo is a “complete copy”.

With Love, Meghan, meanwhile, will run for eight episodes on Netflix. The series was supposed to begin on January 15 but Meghan, who lives with Harry in Montecito, California, felt it would have been insensitive to screen it days after the LA wildfires broke out. She said last month: “I’m thankful to my partners at Netflix for supporting me in delaying the launch, as we focus on the needs of those impacted by the wildfires in my home state.”

Mum-of-two Meghan “shares personal tips and tricks” in the programme, which is said to “barely mention” Prince Harry. His own Netflix show, which was called POLO, was panned in December.

The Prince and Princess of Wales enjoyed a day out in Wales ahead of St David’s Day – and the pair were caught in a rare PDA as they headed home after a busy day in Pontypridd

The Prince and Princess of Wales have been caught in a rare public display of affection after a busy day of engagements.

The couple headed to Wales ahead of St David’s Day to visit Pontypridd, where they dropped by the town’s market, had a go at making Welsh Cakes and also met volunteers at a community garden. After a long day of duties, the couple then went to catch their train back home. And in a rare moment, the couple were caught holding hands and chatting to each other as they made their way through the railway station to their platform

William and Kate rush to get the train home after a day out in Wales

The couple were caught holding hands

Kate can be seen in the heartwarming clip posted to their official social media accounts holding her Mulberry tote bag as she clutches her husband’s hand as they make their way up to the platform. And fans were delighted with the loved-up display and rushed to comment on the PDA.

One wrote on X: “Oh my heart” while another said: “I love how they are holding hands, still looking after each other.” And one fan said: “So lovely to see you holding hands, supporting each other. Bless you both.”

It comes after the couple went head to head in a Welsh cake-making challenge earlier in the day. William and Kate took off their coats, put on aprons and picked up large rolling pins as they tackled the task, to keep up with orders at a market trader in Pontypridd, South Wales – and the future king thanked Mary Berry for his baking success.

William and Kate make Welsh Cakes in Pontypridd ( 
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APThe prince and princess rolled out the dough, made ahead of time, as William asked shop owner Theresa Conner, who had shown the couple the process: “Is it thick enough?” William and Kate’s skills were honed when they appeared with TV baking queen Mary Berry on A Berry Royal Christmas show, and William praised her influence.

With flour stuck to the sleeve of his maroon sweater, William smiled and said: “Well I don’t know, my stunning baker skills, Mary Berry taught me everything I need to know.”

The couple cooked their cakes on a hot plate, keeping a watchful eye on them and turning them after five minutes, and Madison Conner, daughter of the shop owner, gave them the seal of approval. She said: “They’re perfect, they’re great – they’re bangin’.”

Ms Conner praised the couple’s efforts with the rolling pin, saying: “They were very good at baking. I asked them if they had made Welsh cakes and they said they had never actually made them before.

The couple tours the Meadow Street Community Garden and Woodland in Pontypridd ( 
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POOL/AFP via Getty Images)“They were surprisingly good, they both were, you could tell they were good bakers. For us ahead of St David’s Day, it’s a real privilege to meet them and have them visit us.”

Some of their cakes were served up when the prince and princess sat down in the neighbouring Fountain Cafe and chatted over a mug of tea with market traders and other businesses about Storm Bert, which struck in late November bringing widespread flooding to Pontypridd when the River Taff burst its banks.

In an unprecedented move, King Charles invited Trump to attend ‘a historic second state visit to the UK’ so the two can work together and enhance their ‘special relationship’

Donald Trump was handed an unprecedented invite from King Charles for what the PM said was a “really special” second state visit.

Sir Keir Starmer revealed the heartwarming letter to the US President during a press conference in the White House’s Oval Office as the pair were snapped by reporters. A second state visit would make Trump the first elected president in modern times to be hosted for two state visits by a British monarch.

As he handed him the letter, Starmer said: “This is really special. This has never happened before. This is unprecedented. It is my pleasure to bring from His Majesty the King, a letter. He sends his best wishes and his regards, of course, but he also asked me to bear this letter and bring it to you. So can I present a letter from the King.” Mr Trump accepted the invitation immediately.

The King said a second meeting with Trump would further enhance their ‘special relationship’ ( 
Image:
AP)
The full contents of the King’s letter read: “Quite apart from this presenting an opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest, it would also offer a valuable chance to plan a historic second state visit to the United Kingdom.

“As you will know this is unprecedented by a US President. That is why I would find it helpful for us to be able to discuss, together, a range of options for location and programme content. In so doing, working together, I know we will further enhance the special relationship between our two countries of which we are both so proud.” The note was signed “Yours Most Sincerely, Charles” at the bottom.

‘This has never happened before’ Starmer said as he handed Trump the letter ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
Keir Starmer presented Trump with the invite whilst on his first visit to Washington since the US President returned to the White House. His trip comes shortly after he announced an increase in UK defence spending, ostensibly as a signal to Trump that the UK is prepared to bolster Europe’s security, and as he aims to broker a fair peace deal for Ukraine amid Trump’s warming relations with Russia.

Trump said at the White House earlier today: “We’re going to be discussing many things today, we’re going to be discussing Russia/Ukraine, we’ll be discussing trade and lots of other items, and I think we can say we are going to be getting along on every one of them. We’ve had a tremendous relationship and, frankly, the Prime Minister and I have met twice before, and we get along very famously, as you would say, and I look forward to it very much.”

Prince Harry made a surprise appearance at the Upfront Summit in Los Angeles, where he talked about how ‘basic morals and empathy are abandoned’ in what could be seen in a dig at US President Donald Trump

Prince Harry appeared to make another veiled dig at Donald Trump – just hours after his father King Charles extended him an ‘unprecedented’ invite.

The Duke of Sussex made a surprise appearance at the Upfront Summit – a summit for investors, entrepreneurs, and leaders – in Los Angeles. Harry’s appearance at the event had been unannounced but he took to the stage for a speech telling delegates he had something important to say

During his speech, he explained how he had been investing his money over the last five years since quitting his royal role and how he still approaches his work “through the lens of service”. But in one eye-raising moment during the speech, he appeared to take another swipe at the US president when he talked about how billions of people are feeling the “detrimental effect” when “basic morals and empathy are abandoned in favour of power and control”.

Prince Harry spoke at the Upfront Summit ( 
Image:
PA)
He added: “Now this would be a great time to talk about how a sickness in leadership across sectors—from politics to tech—can have a detrimental effect on millions, if not billions, of people. When service to others is sacrificed for personal gain. When basic morals and empathy are abandoned in favour of power and control. But I’m not gonna get into all that now!”

The veiled swipe came just hours after Keir Starmer met President Trump at the White House yesterday with the Prime Minister delivering an invitation from the King for Trump to make a second state visit to the UK.

Keir Starmer gives Trump a letter from the King during a trip to the White House ( 
Image:
PA)
During a meeting, the Prime Minister presented Trump with a letter from the King, as he invited him for the visit. As the two were sitting next to each other in the Oval Office, Sir Keir handed him the personal invitation from the King, later saying “this is truly historic and unprecedented”. After reading it, Mr Trump then said: “That’s a great, great honour. And that says at Windsor – that’s really something.

However, it is not the first time, Harry has seemingly criticised Trump. Earlier this month at the opening of the Invictus Games in Canada, the Duke of Sussex also railed against the “lack of weak moral character in the world “. That also came hours after Trump criticised Harry’s wife Meghan calling her “terrible”.

Elsewhere in Harry’s speech yesterday, he also claimed that he has never been allowed to vote in elections – but has personal experience of the “power of serving others firsthand.” He explained: “I’m not one to be caught in the divide between left or right views, not cornered by a belief in blue or red. Hell, I’ve never even been allowed to vote!

“From my institutional role travelling the world to my decade of duties in the military, I saw the power of serving others firsthand,” he said. “My personal experiences overseas taught me that when you put others first, you build stronger, more sustainable systems. That’s true from Nigeria to Nepal, and from Sydney to Santa Barbara.”

Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa have both been found dead in their home in the Santa Fe Summit, with the Santa Fe County Sheriff confirming the sad news

Two time Oscar winner and author Gene Hackman has been found dead at the age of 95 alongside his wife Betsy Arakawa.

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza has confirmed just after midnight that the legendary actor and the classical pianist, 63, and their dog had been found dead, but no foul play is suspected in relation to their passing. Tributes have flooded in for the star and police have now requested a search warrant for the home.

In an interview given to local media, Sheriff Mendoza said they did not suspect foul play and have yet to provide a cause of death or confirm when the couple had died. He said: “All I can say is that we’re in the middle of a preliminary death investigation, waiting on approval of a search warrant. I want to assure the community and neighbourhood that there’s no immediate danger to anyone.”

A further statement from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office said: “On February 26, 2025 at approximately 1:45 p.m., Santa Fe County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to an address on Old Sunset Trail in Hyde Park where Gene Hackman, 95 and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 64 and a dog were found deceased. Foul play is not suspected as a factor in those deaths at this time however exact cause of death has not been determined. This is an active and ongoing investigation by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office.”

Gene Hackman in his hit movie The French Connection ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
Gene Jackman had a career that spanned more than six decades, where he won a number of gongs including an Oscar for Best Actor in 1972 for his role in The French Connection. He also won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Unforgiven.

Over the years, he picked up two BAFTAs as well as four Golden Globes, three awards at the National Board of Review Awards, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. He picked up a number of film critic awards too.

Gene was born in 1930 and enlisted in the army at the age of 16 after lying about his age. After four years in the army, he turned to acting where he met friend Dustin Hoffman at a local theatre, the Pasadena Playhouse.

It was his role in Broadway show Any Wednesday in 1964 that shot him to fame and quickly he signed up for his debut film Lilith. From there, he appeared in Bonnie and Clyde in the late 60s, which saw him garner his first Oscar nomination. Another nod came just a few years later for his part in I Never Sang for My Father.

Gene and Betsy had been married since 1991, but the pair mainly kept out of the spotlight. The reclusive star seemed frail on a rare last appearance including a lunch out at a restaurant near to his and Betsy’s home.

Gene and Betsy had been married since 1991 ( 
Image:
Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

Gene Hackman was last seen on a rare outing in March 2024 ( 
Image:
Backgrid)
Gene rarely did interviews too, admitting he “didn’t like to speak about himself”. He said: “I don’t like to talk about myself that much. I don’t know. It’s the same as watching myself on film, it makes me uncomfortable. I love doing the acting. I love that part of it.”

Gene’s last movie aired in 2004, a comedy called Welcome To Mooseport where he starred alongside Ray Romano and Christine Baranski. It wasn’t until years later that he confirmed his retirement. He said in 2008: “I haven’t held a press conference to announce retirement, but yes, I’m not going to act any longer. I really don’t want to do it any longer.”

After he stopped acting, he turned to writing novels, which he loved the “loneliness” of.

“I like the loneliness of it, actually. It’s similar in some ways to acting, but it’s more private and I feel like I have more control over what I’m trying to say and do. There’s always a compromise in acting and in film, you work with so many people and everyone has an opinion. … I don’t know that I like it better than acting, it’s just different. I find it relaxing and comforting,” he shared.

Betsy is a classical pianist and the pair reportedly began dating in the mid 1980s following the end of his first marriage. Gene denied at the time that he had ‘abandoned’ his first wife Faye Maltese to be with Betsy.

Gene and Betsy stayed out of the spotlight in recent years ( 
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(Photo by Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images))“By the way, I did not leave my real-life wife for a younger woman. We just drifted apart. We lost sight of each other. When you work in this business, marriage takes a great deal of work and love,” he said.

The pair reportedly met at the gym and fell in love. She is also a stepmother to the actor’s three children from his previous marriage, including son Christopher Allen and daughters Leslie Anne and Elizabeth Jean.

Speaking about his kids, he said in 2000: “It’s tough being the son or daughter of a celebrity. I couldn’t always be home with them when they were growing up and then, living in California, they’ve had my success always hanging over their heads.”

The pair were very private but in 2020, Gene made some rare comments about their weekly ritual as a couple, insisting they always had a date night on a Friday. He said: “We like simple stories that some of the little low-budget films manage to produce. Friday night is set aside for a Comedy Channel marathon with particular attention paid to Eddie Izzard. The speed of thought is amazing.”

Gene Hackman and Christopher Reeve in a scene from Superman IV: The Quest for Peace ( 
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Warner Bros)Gene is survived by his three children – Christopher, Leslie and Elizabeth. He has been open about his relationship with them over the years, and recalled how he had to borrow his eldest daughter’s car to go to auditions in the 70s and 80s.

“I used to have to borrow my daughter’s car to go to interviews in Hollywood Just a piece-of-s*** Toyota and I’d have to park it a couple of blocks [away] and walk so I wouldn’t be seen as being that needy. … I was just barely hanging in, taking pretty much anything that was offered to me and trying to make it work,” he said in 2000.

Gene was thought to have had two German Shepherds before he adopted another pooch in 1999. When he was filming The Replacements in Baltimore, two stray dogs made their way onto set and Gene took them to a local shelter. The dogs were named after him and his co-star Keanu Reeves and Gene and Betsy went on to adopt the one named after him.

Over the years, he had been open about his health. Of his decision to quit acting, he admitted he was worried about the stress: “The straw that broke the camel’s back was actually a stress test that I took in New York. The doctor advised me that my heart wasn’t in the kind of shape that I should be putting it under any stress.”

Gene’s home in Santa Fe was where he and his family tragically died. The property is on twelve acres of hilltop land with a 360-degree view. The 1950s block building was renovated for them into a “part pueblo, part colonial New Mexico, part Spanish Baroque” property.

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Phillip Schofield is said to be supporting his pal and former This Morning colleague Gino D’Acampo, with a source claiming they both feel they have been treated unfairly by ITV

Phillip Schofield is reportedly supporting Gino D’Acampo after the  TV chef was axed from ITV following misconduct claims.

The pair are thought to have remained close since they worked together on This Morning, with Gino regularly presenting the cooking segment on the show. Now Phil – who lost his TV career in 2023 after admitting an “unwise, but not illegal” affair with a younger male colleague – is said to be helping his pal, who was ‘cancelled’ earlier this month after numerous women came forward to claim he had behaved badly towards them.

Gino, who firmly denies the allegations, has been accused of “distressing” and “sexually inappropriate” behaviour in an ITV News probe. More than 40 people are reported to have come forward to detail experiences described as “unacceptable,” “distressing” and “horrendous” while working with him over a period spanning more than 12 years.

One woman, who has been named as Hannah to protect her identity, alleged she was on the receiving end of vulgar comments from Gino in 2011. She claims the chef said he would “like to turn me over and f*** me up the a*** against the kitchen counter.” Another former colleague, who was a runner at the time, claimed Gino once told him: “If you don’t get me a Cornetto, I will f*** your girlfriend.” People are said to have been fearful of any consequences if they ever spoke out about their alleged encounters.

( 
Image:
Ken McKay/ITV/REX)

But with ITV pulling Gino’s shows, such as Family Fortunes and Gino’s Italy: Secrets of the South – and pals like Gordon Ramsay reportedly “throwing him under the bus” – it’s Phil who is said to have stepped up to be there for his former colleague. Gino and Phil’s wives, Stephanie and Jessica, are also said to be close, with Phil and Steph reportedly attending Jessica’s 50th birthday party at members’ club Soho House last month.

A source told the Mail on Sunday: “Phil and Gino always got on well. He was part of the This Morning family for a long time so Phil has kept in contact with him, and he is a very good listener. Phil knows what it’s like to go through losing his TV career, so he’s been a good support. As well as working together, their wives are close. Mental health is something Phil cares about deeply. He wants to help where he can.”

The source claimed that both men believed they were treated unfairly by ITV. Phil is said to maintain that if he’d had a straight affair with a younger woman, instead of a man, he would have been treated differently by the broadcaster. While Gino claims he was encouraged to act in a ‘laddy’ and ‘flirty way’ before he was axed by the channel this month. “You can just imagine what they would have to say about ITV during their chats,” the pal added. The Mirror has approached Phil’s reps for comment on this story.

Gino has firmly denied all allegations against him, saying he finds them “deeply upsetting”. In a statement he said: “I have been told by ITN news that allegations have been made about me acting inappropriately, some dating back over ten years ago. I have never been made aware of these matters previously and the allegations are firmly denied. I would not do anything that I thought would upset or distress anyone. This is simply not in my nature. I do not recognise the version of events being put to me.”

The statement continued: “Not only have these allegations never been raised with me before, I have been repeatedly supported by executives at the highest level and was commissioned on prime-time programmes during the period in which it is now suggested I was acting inappropriately. I am a father, husband and have worked with well over 1,500 people on around 80 productions in my career, which I have been so proud of. I take such matters extremely seriously and the suggestion that I have acted in an improper way against is deeply upsetting.”

The tattooed hunk has ditched his bad boy image and is using his platform to rescue dogs

FROM breaking hearts on Towie to shaking his hips in hot pink lycra on Strictly Come Dancing – Pete Wicks’ reinvention has been a rollercoaster ride.

He’s now set to become a tattooed Paul O’Grady-type presenter in a show that could rival Alison Hammond’s For the Love of Dogs.

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Strictly’s Pete Wicks has turned around his reputation and financial woesCredit: E4

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Pete Wicks: For Dogs’ Sake kicks off on January 7 on U&WCredit: UKTV
The 37-year-old’s new four-parter, Pete Wicks: For Dogs’ Sake, follows him volunteering at Dogs Trust rehoming centres.

As a dedicated dog dad to two French rescue bulldogs – Eric and Peggy – animal lover Pete will host the UKTV show via his own production company as he uses fame as a platform to campaign for animal rights.

It comes after he turned around his image in recent years following the closure of two companies with £1million worth of debt.

His personal firm PW Promotions Ltd went bust in February 2023 in £100k of debt, much of this owed to HMRC and the bank.

Pete was also a director and co-founder of the clothing firm Happy Brands along with his The Only Way Is Essex co-star Jake Hall, which accumulated losses of £796,258 since its inception seven years ago.

However, his luck has turned around in recent years since his surprise bromance with Sam Thompson.

The posh and excitable Made in Chelsea star winding up “glass half empty” Essex boy Pete with pranks proved popular – and has propelled them to stardom online.

In March 2024, the unlikely best pals started up a production company called Staying Relevant – the same name as their self-deprecating weekly podcast, which focuses on their quest for fame and fortune.

Despite never watching the BBC dance show ever before, Pete signed up for Strictly to please his friends and management.

It turned out to be the perfect opportunity to show off “the real him” – banishing his bad boy image from cheating on ex Megan McKenna once and for all.
Watch the adorable moment Pete Wicks tells best pal Sam Thompson he’s doing Strictly Come Dancing
After reaching the semi-finals, Pete’s fanbase widened outside of reality  TV obsessives and he’s now using his soaring popularity to continue his mission to ban puppy farms.

He pitched For Dogs’ Sake through Staying Relevant and wrote the scripts for the series himself.

Launching tonight, the star will be seen wearing PPE to sit in on canine operations and winning trust with abused strays.

Pete told The Times: “At a party, when there’s an animal there, I’ll be the one sitting in the corner with the dog. I talk to my dogs as if they understand what I’m saying — I believe they do.

“I’ve never met a bad dog. I prefer dogs to people. I feel more comfortable and safe and myself around animals.”

But he adds: “A lot of people have messaged me saying they had an opinion of me before Strictly, and then they actually appreciated what they saw in the show, which is lovely.”

Jeremy Clarkson has gone on a furious rant against cancel culture as he defended under-fire stars Gino D’Acampo, Wynne Evans, and Gregg Wallace.

Italian TV chef Gino, 48, known for his cheeky on-screen persona, is now at the centre allegations from dozens of people who describe his alleged conduct over the past 12 years as ‘distressing,’ ‘unacceptable,’ and even ‘horrendous’.

Meanwhile, disgraced TV presenter Gregg has been accused of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ by several women he has worked with and Wynne Evans is facing backlash for a vile comment he made towards Strictly star Janette Manrara.

Amid the controversy, the former Top Gear host, 64, made his feelings clear as he flocked to the defence of the three stars, claiming they hadn’t done anything ‘illegal’.

Writing in The Sun, he argued: ‘None of them is accused of doing something illegal. They just said something or did something which someone found offensive.

‘And that’s that. It doesn’t even have to be a current misdemeanour. It’s getting to the point where, soon, only Monty Don will be left.’

Jeremy Clarkson issued a furious rant against cancel culture on Saturday as he defended under fire stars Gino D’Acampo, Wynne Evans and Gregg Wallace

The former Top Gear host, 64, let people know his take on the trio being ‘cancelled’ in his latest column for The Sun (Gino pictured)

He claimed that the TV stars have been left out ‘on the scrapheap’ with no chance for a ‘trial’ or to ‘mount a defence’.

‘That’s bad enough when you get fired from a job stacking shelves, but when you have a household face and you are catapulted into oblivion it’s a very different kettle of fish,’ he added.

Gino has ‘firmly denied’ the allegations made against him, saying they were ‘simply not in my nature’ and describing them as ‘deeply upsetting’.

Two episodes of Gino’s Italy: Secrets of the South, were due to be shown on ITVBe between 6pm and 7pm on Sunday, but were replaced by an episode of Abbey Clancy: Celebrity Homes amid the controversy.

ITV also dropped Family Fortunes, hosted by Gino, and replaced it with Wheel of Fortune with Graham Norton on ITV2 last week and again at the same time on Monday evening.

Sources told MailOnline that ITV began to ease out Gino in the wake of the scandal that engulfed the BBC over MasterChef’s Gregg Wallace.

Disgraced TV presenter Gregg has been accused of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ by several women he has worked with, including a Celebrity MasterChef contestant.

The MasterChef judge, 60, has strenuously denied the allegations against him, which include making inappropriate s3xually suggestive comments to female co-workers.

In a statement via his legal team at the time, they said: ‘It is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a s3xually harassing nature.’

Amid the controversy, the former Top Gear host, 64, made his feelings clear as he flocked to the defence of the three stars, claiming they hadn’t done anything ‘illegal’

Disgraced TV presenter Gregg has been accused of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ by several women he has worked with, including a Celebrity MasterChef contestant

Meanwhile, Wynne Evans is under fire for a vile comment he made towards Strictly star Janette Manrara

Meanwhile, Wynne Evans was recorded crudely suggesting a three-way s3x session with presenter Janette, using the hugely demeaning term ‘spit roast’. Janette did not make a complaint against the singer.

Wynne agreed with the BBC to step away from the Strictly live tour and any other work commitments to ‘take some time out’ as the inappropriate jibe looks set to sink his entire career.

Now, the Go Compare star is reportedly planning to ‘take the BBC to a tribunal’ over his ‘unfair treatment’ after he left the Strictly tour.

It has been claimed the s3xual remark didn’t come as a surprise to those in his circle as the comment was ‘known to many of the professionals and  celebrities taking part in the tour’.

According to The Sun, the phrase was ‘widely remarked on and laughed at during the tour and became something that was regularly bandied about’, before Wynne was caught.

Friends of the Welsh opera singer told the publication that Wynne is ‘incredibly upset’ no one jumped to defend him publicly in light of the ‘long-running joke’.

A friend told The Sun: ‘Wynne loves to fill silences. He is a funny person by nature and when you are with him he will crack jokes left, right and centre.

‘Some are on the knuckle but it’s nothing worse than anything any 50-something-year-old bloke would say.

MailOnline contacted Wynne’s representatives and the BBC for comment at the time.

Now, the Go Compare star is reportedly planning to ‘take the BBC to a tribunal’ over his ‘unfair treatment’ after he left the Strictly Come Dancing live tour

Jeremy isn’t the only  celebrity who has come out in support of the stars, particularly Gino.

John Barowman has claimed TV producers would have encouraged some of Gino’s antics by ‘s3xualising’ the way he appeared on shows.

The actor, 57, said certain television segments – such as when Gino cooked naked apart from an apron on This Morning in 2011 – were likely suggested by producers and likely sparked other behaviour now deemed inappropriate.

John, who has struggled to get work in the industry after allegations of s3xual harassment dating back to as early as 2008 surfaced, revealed he has not got any work in the pipeline due to the ‘false allegations’ against himself.

He told The Mirror: ‘No, you won’t see me. Nothing lies ahead for me because of all the c**p that was said about me, which is not true.

‘It’s the same with Gino D’Acampo at the moment, which is unfortunate because they’re the ones who – the TV shows, and I use this as example – like the one where he’s on the TV show and he’s standing there cooking in an apron but he’s naked.

‘Now he didn’t decide to do that. Production asked him to do it. So they’re s3xualising him in the same way as when I was on camera, and they would do something like, “You gotten be naked. You’ve got to do this”.

John went on to suggest it is hypocritical of producers to encourage this atmosphere of ‘having a laugh’ and then claiming they were not on board with it later down the line.

And Jeremy isn’t the only one to come out in support of the stars, particularly Gino – who has been hit by ‘over 40’ allegations

John Barowman has claimed that TV producers would have encouraged some of Gino’s antics by ‘s3xualising’ the way he appeared on shows

He added: ‘Once that all dies out maybe [I will be back on TV].’

Presenter Richard Osman also waded in on the scandal surrounding the Italian TV chef, insisting people only lose their jobs when there is a ‘pattern of behaviours’.

Speaking on his podcast The Rest Is Entertainment, Richard said: ‘People do not lose their job because they said a couple of things a couple of times.

‘It’s a pattern of behaviours, it’s upset a number of people over a number of years.

‘There has to be a whole series of things that happen it has to go on long enough and for it to be tiresome enough.’

Gino has been rocked by ‘over 40’ allegations of s3xually inappropriate and intimidating behaviour over a 12-year period – claims which he denies.

One woman has claimed that her 2018 complaints about Gino were not acted upon by ITV, while This Morning staff allegedly raised concerns about him a decade ago.

Now, it has been reported that ITV are under ‘increasing pressure’ to explain Gino’s actions and why further action wasn’t taken against him, according to The Sun.

One woman has claimed that her 2018 complaints about Gino were not acted upon by ITV, while This Morning staff allegedly raised concerns about him a decade ago

In response, ITV told MailOnline that ‘where a complaint is made to ITV or serious concerns raised, we will look into it, and if we find that something inappropriate has happened, we will take action’.

Those complaining about of Gino’s alleged behaviour have accused ITV and other production companies of ‘furiously protecting’ the presenter for fear of losing financial investment.

A previous statement by ITV said: ‘All of the concerns and complaints raised by those who have spoken to ITN [the producer of ITV News] describe behaviour which is inappropriate and unacceptable.

‘Most were not reported to ITV at the time. Where issues have been raised with ITV action has been taken.’