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Two people were banished from the Scottish Highlands during the latest instalment of The Traitors on Friday, leaving fans completely gobsmacked

The Traitors fans couldn’t believe the result of the two exits on the show.

The show reached the halfway point of the series tonight with 10 of the Faithful either murdered or banished – and having caught just one solitary Traitor. But while they are proving astonishingly bad at discovering the enemies lurking in their midst, viewers have been lapping up the action.

BBC bosses were celebrating after new figures showed the series opener, which aired on New Year’s Day, has now been viewed by 9.1million viewers – making it the most watched Traitors episode of all time. Tonight’s episode saw model and beautician Livi Deane get murdered while bank risk manager Dan Bird was banished, adding to the group’s long tally of misses.

Dan, 33, had spearheaded many of the wrong calls and admitted that it felt “a bit embarrassing to be leaving at this point”. Having admitted that he played the game in a very particular way, possibly because he has autism, Dan said had learned much about himself that he would take forward into his life.

Dan Bird was banished from the castle ( 
Image:
PA)

Livi was also killed off ( 
Image:
BBC)

“I feel like I’m happy that I went out in a big explosion of emotion,” he said. “I’ve learnt so much about myself and my life – I think it has exposed a lot of really good strengths, but it’s also exposed a lot of weaknesses that I want to challenge in the rest of my life. Things like overthinking, trying to do too much. I think I did a lot of stuff in the game that I was really proud of, but I tried to do everything at once, so I just need to refine what I want to do in my life and focus on the things that are really important to me.”

Dan was ousted after lying over who he had gunked during Friday’s mission, in which the players get to win cash for their prize pot, which currently stands at £34,500. He said he’d enjoyed trying to influence how the whole game was played and didn’t mind the conflict – with one of his high points being the argument he’d had with Jake and Joe after the rowing boat mission. Dan added: “Initially I was quite disappointed to be a Faithful because it meant that I’d have a lot less control over the game. But then I thought one of my biggest strengths was that I can be authentic, and this gave me the opportunity for me to be fully me and not have to put on any kind of act.”

Livi, 26, left the castle at the start of last night’s show and claimed in her exit interview to have always known that her pal Linda Rands was a Traitor. Having learned once she was ousted that both Linda and Minah Shannon were pulling the strings in the castle, Livi insisted: “I did have a strategy which I kind of stuck to! I suspected Linda from day one, so I didn’t bring her up at the Round Table and I remained friends with her. We really got on, she was just amazing, and she was so caring with me but I also made friends with her so she wouldn’t murder me. That was my game plan from the start, to make friends with a Traitor.”

Fans have since taken to social media to share their reaction, with one writing: “Not Dan!!! #The Traitors.” A second penned: “And yet again what absolute idiots the faithful are. Dan didn’t help himself, but still. Keep on messing up clueless faithful.” “Right, Frankie out next please,” said a third.

The BBC One show continues on Wednesday, when viewers will discover whether Leon or Fozia is the next Faithful to be killed off.

The Traitors viewers questioned whether BBC bosses sent health and safety in during a ceremony held in the woods on Friday night’s dramatic episode

Fans of The Traitors noticed a subtle change during a scene of the popular BBC reality series on Friday night.

A ceremony was held in the woods and contestants had to put a bucket full of sludge behind the person who they believed was undeserving of a shield. The first two people had the sludge poured over their heads which eventually dripped into their eyes. “Oh my gosh, this is so gross,” Anna said as she spat out the sludge and wiped it from her eyes.

The first few people had the misfortune of cleaning the sludge from their faces but by the time it was Minah and Alexander’s turn, sludge was only poured on the back of their heads and their backs. Fans pointed out the sudden switch and took to social media to question whether the Healthy and Safety team stepped in to make the changes.

“BBC Health and Safety team telling the guards to pour the goop down people’s backs, after blinding the first 2 people by accident,” one user pointed out on X/ Twitter and another commented: “Felt so sorry for Anna getting covered in the gunk, after seeing the reaction everyone else had it poured down their neck not over their head.”

The rest weren’t ‘accidentally blinded’ ( 
Image:
BBC)

Another said: “Could be a medical reason, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Joe kicked off at production and made a fuss so they only poured the gunk on his shoulders only… even the girls and those with long hair let it go on them,” while one added: “Why didn’t Joe get the gunk poured over his head?”

Meanwhile, Friday night’s episode ended with four contestants being chosen by the Traitors – who are Linda and Minah – to take part in a “deadly” game. They secretly chose Leon, Alexander, Fozia and Anna, who then met host Claudia Winkleman at a location, where the four of them sat around a table.

It was revealed that they would be playing a game, Deathmatch, and Claudia told them: “At the end of the game, one of you will be dead.” She had already suggested that the Traitors could have chosen any four players – including themselves – to play. She had told them: “Earlier, the Traitors chose you four to play a little game. Just to be clear, the Traitors could have chosen any players, whether they be Faithful or Traitors.”

The game involved each player having two cards, with the majority of cards marked ‘death’. One card in each round would however be a ‘life’ card. Each round, the players would swap card with each other and whoever had the ‘life’ card at the end of the round would be safe and exit the game. Claudia said: “The person left seated at this table will face murder.”

Andrew Lloyd Webber launched four talent shows to find his next West End star – and many of the contestants have gone on to have incredible careers.

Between 2006 and 2010, Andrew Lloyd Webber launched four musical theatre shows with the BBC, and they proved to be a smash hit with audiences.

With live performances, a star-studded panel of judges and new acting challenges every week, the talent show series launched many early careers in both music and acting.

The shows were presented by Graham Norton, and stars to grace the judging panel included John Barrowman, Denise Van Outen, the late Barry Humphries and, of course, Lloyd Webber himself.

The first series in 2006, entitled How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria?, aimed to find the West End’s next Maria von Trapp in Lloyd Webber and David Ian’s stage production of The Sound of Music.

In 2007’s Any Dream Will Do, the search was on to find the next Joseph in the revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

2008’s I’d Do Anything aimed to find two different stars for the upcoming revival of Oliver!, as they needed to cast both Nancy and Oliver.

The final series in 2010, called Over the Rainbow, put out a casting call for an actress to play Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, as well as a dog to play Toto.

Despite the talent show’s short run, huge names have emerged from its four seasons, including the likes of Jessie Buckley, Samantha Barks and Lee Mead.

Without further ado, let’s take a look back at some of Lloyd Webber’s biggest stars.

Connie Fisher – How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?

Connie Fisher won How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?
Connie Fisher won the first ever BBC talent show to find Andrew Lloyd Webber’s next West End star.

In 2006, she earned stellar reviews for her role as Maria von Trapp in The Sound of Music, and her West End contract was extended until 2008, before she resumed the role to join the UK tour in 2009.

Casualty fans might also recognise Fisher for her recurring role as patient Amanda in the BBC One medical drama series.

Sadly, she was diagnosed with congenital sulcus vocalis in 2011 and was told she would never sing again, which led her to pursue other roles.

Lee Mead – Any Dream Will Do

Lee Mead went on to win Any Dream Will Do ( 
Image:
BBC)
Lee Mead was the popular winner of 2008’s Any Dream Will Do, going on to star as Joseph in the West End revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Since then he has enjoyed plenty of success in the theatre world, starring in musicals like Wicked, Legally Blonde and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

In 2014, he also joined the cast of Casualty, playing the role of Ben ‘Lofty’ Chiltern, a part he reprised for Holby City in 2017. His other TV credits include Motherland and The Dumping Ground.

Jodie Prenger – I’d Do Anything

Jodie Prenger won I’d Do Anything
After a close competition for the role of Nancy in 2008’s I’d Do Anything, it was Jodie Prenger who came out victorious, going on to star in Oliver! on the West End.

Before I’d Do Anything, Jodie won the second series of The Biggest Loser in 2006, making her the first woman in the world to win the show after losing a staggering 9 stone.

In 2022, Jodie began playing Glenda Shuttleworth in ITV’s Coronation Street, and she has also appeared in Waterloo Road and as a guest panellist on Loose Women.

Her other theatre credits include Calamity Jane, Annie and One Man, Two Guvnors.

Jessie Buckley – I’d Do Anything

Jessie Buckley previously dated James NortonWhile she was only the runner-up in I’d Do Anything, Jessie Buckley has since become a Hollywood star since then

Her breakthrough role was in 2018 musical film Wild Rose, where she received a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

Buckley’s performance in The Lost Daughter also earned her nominations for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

In 2021, she also earned a Laurence Olivier Award for her incredible performance as Sally Bowles in Cabaret on the West End.

Her other notable roles include War & Peace, Chernobyl, Women Talking and Fargo.

Samantha Barks – I’d Do Anything

Samantha Barks became a huge musical theatre star
Samantha Barks placed third on BBC’s I’d Do Anything, but went on to be one of the show’s biggest successes. She made her Hollywood film debut just a few years later in 2012, where she starred as Éponine in the Tom Hooper-directed Les Misérables.

She starred opposite Jonathan Bailey in the Disney Channel musical-comedy Groove High and was also a judge on ITV’s Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream.

Barks has also continued to see a lot of success in the theatre world, originating the role of Vivian Ward in Pretty Woman: The Musical on Broadway in 2016. Since 2021, she has played Elsa in the West End production of Frozen.

Danielle Hope – Over the Rainbow

Danielle Hope won Over the Rainbow
Danielle Hope was the winner of Lloyd Webber’s final BBC series, Over the Rainbow, which launched her into stardom as Dorothy in the West End’s Wizard of Oz.

A year later, she was cast as Éponine in Les Misérables in the West End, starting in June 2012.

Her other theatre credits include The Last Five Years, The Sound of Music, Grease and Kinky Boots.

Sophie Evans – Over the Rainbow

Sophie Evans has enjoyed a successful West End career
Over the Rainbow’s Sophie Evans was a runner-up on the BBC series, but she ended up still playing the alternate role of Dorothy in 2011’s The Wizard of Oz, going on to take it up full-time in 2012.

She also went on to bag the part of Glinda in the West End production of Wicked in 2017 and again in 2021.

Her film and TV credits include The World’s End, Pride, Gangs of London and Under Milk Wood.

Stephanie Davis – Over the Rainbow

Stephanie Davis has starred in Hollyoaks and Corrie
Soap star Stephanie Davis may have started her TV journey on Over the Rainbow, only coming in 7th on the BBC show, but her career has gone in a different direction since then

Stephanie is best known for playing Sinead O’Connor in Channel 4’s Hollyoaks between 2010 and 2019.

She also joined the cast of Coronation Street as Courtney Vance in May 2023.

Additionally, she was the runner-up in the seventeenth series of Celebrity Big Brother in 2016.

Claudia Winkleman has long been tipped as a natural successor for much-loved Graham and now she will make her debut as host by fllling in for him

She’s one of the BBC’s biggest stars thanks to her role as host of two of the corporation’s most successful entertainment series.

Now Claudia Winkleman is to stand-in on Graham Norton’s chat show as host for the first time, two years after making a pilot for her own BBC interview series. The presenter, who fronts hit shows The Traitors and Strictly Come Dancing, will cover for Graham when he’s away doing his live theatre tour in Australia next month.

In tonight’s instalment of The Graham Norton Show Claudia, 52, appears as a guest and when he thanks her for covering for him, she quips: “I apologise in advance!” Graham, 60, is a big star in Australia thanks to his UK chat show being on air over there, but hasn’t visited the country since 1987. He will kick off his Evening with Graham Norton show, in which he tells stories about his long career as a comedian and chat show host, on March 9. It is not yet known who Claudia’s guests will be on February 28 but it will be the last live show of the series. Graham will front a compilation show the following week and then returns in September with a new run.

Graham will miss the final live show of the series while he tours Down Under ( 
Image:
BBC)

Claudia has appeared as a guest on Graham’s show on several occasions ( 
Image:
PA)

She always enjoys herself! ( 
Image:
PA)
The Mirror revealed last January that Claudia had been toying with the idea of becoming a chat-show host, but the idea had been “put on ice” because she is too busy. The BBC pilot she made was with So Television, the TV production company which makes Norton’s long-running BBC1 series.

Speaking to Graham tonight Claudia revealed she had been given treatment for a bad back while filming The Traitors by a physio who specialised in animals. Revealing what happened when she needed a massage during filming, Claudia explains: “I did my back in so asked if I could see a physio. We are in the middle of nowhere so that wasn’t easy. When this chap turned up the producer asked me not to be chatty with him – I thought she meant I was not to talk about what was going on in the production, so I asked him who else he had treated and he said, ‘Two shire horses and a miniature Dachshund’. It turns out they didn’t want me to know he was a vet.”

After filming her chat-show pilot one insider confirmed that it had gone well but added: “Nothing is going to happen with it anytime soon. Claudia is just so busy, for now the timing is all wrong.” In March last year Claudia stood down from the Radio 2 Saturday show she had previously replaced Norton on in 2021, saying she wanted to spend more time with her family.

While the mum-of-three’s two elder children are away at university, her youngest – Arthur – is 13. Announcing her decision to leave, she explained: “The truth is my children are growing up inordinately fast so I have decided to follow them around at home before they leave for good.”

Graham has previously said he was thinking about retiring but is currently busier than ever as host of gameshow Wheel of Fortune on ITV alongside the BBC chat show and his Virgin radio weekend morning shows. He is also a judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK and hosts the annual Eurovision Song Contest for the BBC.

He said that being unable to work properly during the pandemic had made him realise he wasn’t ready to stop working. “I had this idea that I was going to cut down on my workload, just kind of take my foot off the pedal a bit, and yet the opposite has happened. I’m busier now than I think I’ve ever been,” he explained at the time.

Last year insiders told The Mirror that Claudia was the obvious choice to fill his shoes whenever he finally does decide the time is right to either slow down or step away. Calling it “sensible forward planning” one said: “This is for when Graham decides that he wants to do less. One idea was to keep the chat-show going across the same number of weeks, but have different people hosting it from time to time. So it would be The Graham Norton Show hosted by Claudia Winkleman, for example.”

 

As wildfires rage around California, people have been forced to flee their homes at a moment’s notice – and it appears that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are among the countless celebs who may have to evacuate their mansions as the blazes spread

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have opened up the doors to their mansion to those forced to flee devastating LA wildfires.

But it seems the Sussexes themselves are also having to prepare to escape as the fast-spreading blazes could also threaten their Montecito home.

So far, the upmarket California enclave has not been affected by the fires, which are still some way from the town. However, with the flames spreading extremely quickly, it is believed that Harry and Meghan are prepared to evacuate with their kids if the situation arises, with sources saying they are ready to go into “crisis mode”.

Fires have destroyed homes across Los Angeles ( 
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Getty Images)
Their security team has been coordinating an evacuation plan while packing essentials for their children, Archie, five, and Lilibet, three. A neighbour said: “It’s not chaos here yet but the fire is moving fast and we are not taking any chances.” The couple and their neighbours have been given public safety survival kits containing a solar charger, flashlight, protective equipment, ice, water, snacks and safety pamphlets.

With the fires continuing to devastate and Montecito safe for now, it is understood the Sussexes have invited friends and loved ones who have been forced to evacuate due to the nearby fires to stay with them. The couple is also believed to have donated supplies to people affected by the blazes, including clothing, children’s items, and other essential supplies.

The series of major fires in California have killed 10 people, ravaged communities and sent thousands of people fleeing their properties, including in areas popular with celebrity homes.

Harry and Meghan have already opened up their home to those forced to flee the fires
Yesterday, Harry and Meghan spoke publicly about the fires for the first time with a statement on their website. They also recommended a list of fire service charities, animal groups and other initiatives to support. It said: “In the last few days, wildfires in southern California have raged through neighbourhoods and devastated families, homes, schools, medical care centres, and so much more – affecting tens of thousands from all walks of life.”

The Sussexes added: “If a friend, loved one, or pet has to evacuate, and you are able to offer them a safe haven in your home, please do. Be sure to check in with any disabled or elderly neighbours to see if they need help evacuating. “Some families and people have been left with nothing. Please consider donating clothing, children’s toys and other essentials. The American Red Cross is on the ground helping those in need.”

Airbnb and 211LA, a non-profit organisation offering housing advice, have partnered to provide free temporary housing to people displaced, Harry and Meghan said. They added that long-time Archewell Foundation partner World Central Kitchen is serving meals to emergency service crews and victims. The list also included Cal Fire and LA Fire Department Foundation which are supporting firefighters, as well as the Animal Wellness Foundation which is housing evacuated animals.

Baby2baby is offering nappies, clothing and emergency kits to families, Compton Cowboys is providing emergency transport for horses and bookshop All Power Books is keeping its doors open to distribute aid and offer supplies and water for pick-up, the Sussexes said.

TV personality Paris Hilton, US actor Billy Crystal, The Princess Bride star Cary Elwes, talk show host Ricki Lake and Oscar-winning songwriter Diane Warren are among those who have confirmed that their residences have been destroyed in the fires.

In 2014, Prince Harry had been enjoying a romance with aspiring actress Cressida Bonas but according to a book, their relationship came to an abrupt end after a royal tour embarked on by Prince William and Kate

Prince Harry might be settled with former actress wife Meghan Markle, but long before they met, he dated another actress.

For two years, the prince had an on-and-off relationship with Burberry muse and model Cressida Bonas – after reportedly being introduced by Harry’s cousin Princess Eugenie. But the romance fizzled out and now Cressida is pregnant with her second child with husband Harry Wentworth-Stanley.

And it appears the reason why her royal romance didn’t last was because Cressida decided royal life was just too much for her – especially after seeing Harry’s sister-in-law, the now Princess of Wales, on TV.

Harry and Cressida dated for around two years ( 
Image:
AFP/Getty Images)
According to the book Battle of Brothers about Princes William and Harry, royal expert Robert Lacey claims William and Kate’s royal tour of New Zealand and Australia “spooked” Cressida. He writes: “A rising actress, Cressida did not enjoy the critical remarks that she could hear people making behind her back when she walked down the street in London – she felt that the fame of her relationship put her “in a box”.

“In 2014, she was said to have been ‘completely spooked’ after watching the TV coverage of William and Kate touring New Zealand with baby George in tow – that was not the way she would want to enjoy her eight-month-old son, she regretfully explained to Harry.”

At the time of their split, a friend said: “It’s very sad that they have decided to split but this is a completely amicable separation and they are remaining the very best of friends.” However, Harry and Cressida remained friends, and the actress was invited to Meghan and Harry’s royal wedding back in 2018.

Cressida is now expecting her second child ( 
Image:
Dave Benett/Getty Images for Hershesons)

Cressida married husband Harry Wentworth-Stanley in 2020 ( 
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Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images)
Cressida had a secret lockdown wedding to her husband Harry, an estate agent and the son of the Marchioness of Milford Haven, in August 2020. The bride and groom enjoyed a private ceremony in the countryside joined by a select few friends and family. Cressida wore an unexpected and understated £599 dress for her big day which she had previously worn in a James Arthur music video.

Two years ago she welcomed her son Wilbur and is now expecting her second child after she used an embryo she had frozen following struggles to conceive her first child. The 35-year-old said: “I am now well into my second pregnancy. Having conceived through IVF the first time, we were fortunate to have another embryo stored away in a freezer… I’ve been battling morning sickness. I’ve never had it before, and now feel like I’ve been swaying on a boat for months.”

The actress’s joyful news comes years after she said her “body was failing” her when she struggled to get pregnant despite a specialist told the couple “there was nothing fundamentally wrong”. Writing in The Sunday Times, Cressida had said: “I spent time and money on reflexology, nutritionists, acupuncture and psychics…Even a German healer who speaks to angels. I heard nothing, not a squeak.

“My mind was on a constant worry loop and my obsession with getting pregnant became overwhelming, No matter how many Mystic Megs I saw or expensive supplements I took, nothing was working, and I felt as if my body was failing me.” In July 2022, Cressida, also a model, confirmed she had fallen pregnant after undergoing IVF, and she gave birth to Wilbur in November of that year.

Royal expert Jennie Bond said Zara and Mike Tindall would ‘step up’ if Prince William calls on them as he did at a garden party last year – but they don’t want official roles

Zara and Mike Tindall are willing to “step up” if Prince William asks them to do so, a royal expert has claimed.

The couple, who are now attending 2025 Magic Millions events in Australia, have seen their popularity skyrocket in recent years and are seen as firm favourites among royal fans. According to royal expert Jennie Bond, Zara and Mike have “the very best of both worlds” due to their unique position within the Firm and while they are unlikely to want more involvement, they would be ready to “step up” if need be.

The expert said: “Although they don’t have titles, they obviously have the cachet of being so much part of the extended Royal Family. They have managed to use that commercially without getting into too much bother.”

The couple have ‘the very best of both worlds’, according to Jennie Bond ( 
Image:
UK Press via Getty Images)

Zara and Mike at Ascot in June 2024 ( 
Image:
UK Press via Getty Images)
Ms Bond said: “They are both very close to William, and if he calls on them again (as he did at a garden party last year), they will definitely agree.” Clarifying that this support would not extend to official working roles, Ms Bond added: “Not to an official working role, nor do I think the public would want to fund any more working royals.”

Praising the couple’s genuine connection after seeing pictures of them at events in Australia, Ms Bond said: “Zara really is a remarkably beautiful woman, no wonder Mike always looks so proud and happy. The feeling is mutual: she oozes love for her big bear of a rugby star husband, with his crooked nose and rugged appeal.”

Zara, 43, and Mike, 46, live on Princess Anne’s Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire and seem to be “living life to the full”, always showing love for each other, the royal expert said.. While speaking about Mike’s and Zara’s relationship, Ms Bond said: “Zara really is a remarkably beautiful woman, no wonder Mike always looks so proud and happy. But the feeling is mutual: she oozes love for her big bear of a rugby star husband, with his crooked nose and rugged appeal. I think we all enjoy seeing them out and about together, usually arm in arm or having a cuddle – living life to the full.”

Mike and Zara are a fan favourite when it comes to Royal couples ( 
Image:
Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Earlier today, we reported that a property expert has warned that Zara and her brother, Peter Phillips could be hit with a hefty inheritance tax bill if they inherit their mother’s Gatcombe Park estate. Purchased by the late Queen Elizabeth in 1976, the property is now estimated to be worth a whopping £6million.In the documentary Gatcombe Park: A Royal Residence, royal experts suggested the children could inherit the estate. Simon Vigar, royal correspondent at 5 News, said: “I think Gatcombe Park is the forever home for Anne and Tim, it’s obviously where she is happy. She’s been very happy there since the late 1970s.”

Meanwhile, Editor-in-chief at Majesty Magazine Ingrid Stewart said: “I think it’s absolutely no doubt that Zara and Peter will keep Gatcombe going, the last thing in the world they’d want to do is to have to sell it and they won’t.” But Zara and Peter may face a monumental issue should they indeed inherit the estate – a giant tax bill.

Terry Fisher of We Buy Any Home shared his expertise, explained: “If Gatcombe Park is valued at £6million, inheritance tax (IHT) could be substantial. In the UK, inheritance tax is currently charged at 40% on estates exceeding the £325,000 threshold, unless exemptions or reliefs apply.”

Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman are said to have been locked in discussions with Strictly Come Dancing bosses as their contracts drew to a close

Strictly Come Dancing hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have confirmed whether they’ll appear on the show again.

The presenters have become a huge hit amongst fans each week as they front the BBC flagship entertainment programme on a Saturday and Sunday night. But it’s said that their contracts had been drawing to a close and bosses behind the show were worried that other broadcasters may offer lucrative deals.

Despite the show being surrounded by scandals including the alleged behaviour of professional dancers Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima, bosses are hoping that the next series will be a roaring success with viewers at home. It’s said that they’ve pulled out all the stops to ensure that Tess and Claudia return.

Now, TV sources claim that having been offered a more lucrative contract, it cements Tess and Claudia’s dedication to the show – and indeed their relationship with the BBC. It’s claimed that the pair had been offered an “enhanced” contract by bosses.

Iconic duo Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman will be back on Strictly ( 
Image:
BBC)

“They’re looking to the future after the past 12 months which have been dogged by claims of misbehaviour behind the scenes by pros Giovanni Pernice and Graziano di Prima,” a source told The Sun. They went on to add: “Now bosses want to draw a line under this troubled chapter in Strictly’s history and focus on the positives – which includes having two women fronting the biggest show on TV, which is something the BBC are very proud of.”

The new contracts also show the “commitment the corporation has to the show,” according to the publication. The BBC declined to comment when approached by the Mirror. Previously, Claudia who started presenting the programme in 2014 revealed the lengths she would go to, to ensure that she would still continue to front the show.

She said: “They’d still have to prise my cold, dead hands off that shiny Glitterball.” Earlier this week, Winkleman who also presents The Traitors revealed what really happened behind the scenes during the famous Blackpool week. She sat down with actress and comedian Kathy Burke for her When There’s A Will There’s A Wake and discussed a spontaneous night after a Strictly show in Blackpool. Speaking to Kathy, she said: “We were doing Strictly in Blackpool and for some reason in the audience was Peter Kay, Rick Astley had been performing.

“I want to say Dean Gaffney… Maybe that’s just my fantasy. And we ended up getting drunk in the bar at the hotel we always stay at called The Big Blue. I ended up doing the conga through the kitchen using a pizza slice as, almost, a steering aid… But I was using it to steer the conga…

“You can never be grumpy if you have either taken part or during a conga that will mark the end of the wake!” The podcast asks guests questions about their life and death, such as: “How do you want to die?”, “Who gets your prized possessions?” and more.

Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean have announced a huge change to the Dancing on Ice format ahead of the 2025 series as they prepare to return to the ITV show’s judging panel

Dancing on Ice’s Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean will skate for the final time on live TV in the show’s upcoming series, with the Olympic champions saying they are ‘too old’ to perform.

The British ice dancers won 16 gold medallists during their competitive skating careers at World, European and British Figure Skating Championships until retiring in 1998.

They took home gold at the 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics, where their performance to Maurice Ravel’s Bolero became one of the most-watched events in British TV history with 24 million viewers. While the skating legends have performed together on Dancing on Ice since the show began in 2006, Torvill and Dean are hanging up their skates for good after this year.

“This will be our last live skate – here on Dancing on Ice,” Christopher said. “We’re doing our last tour this year as well so once we’ve finished our last skate on tour, we won’t be performing again. There are lots of endings.”

Jayne and Christopher posing at the Winter Olympics in 1984 ( 
Image:
Bob Thomas/Getty Images)

Torvill and Dean have been with Dancing on Ice since its first series – and will no longer perform on the show from next year ( 
Image:
ITV/PA)

The 66-year-old added that he is ready to bring his skating chapter with Jayne, 67, to an end after over five decades on the ice. “We’ve been doing it a long time and people our age shouldn’t be doing it now,” he said. “So we’re just happy that we can still do it.”

The pair will no longer perform on Dancing on Ice, however they will continue in their roles as judges alongside Diversity’s Ashley Banjo and former Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse. “Dancing on Ice feels like our baby because we were approached by ITV in the early days and we came up with this format together of how it might work,” Jayne said. “We didn’t know much about TV but they didn’t know how skating works so together, the programme developed and it’s great that we were there from the beginning.”

Christopher revealed that after giving up skating, he plans to follow in the footsteps of David Beckham with a surprising new hobby. “I’ve taken up beekeeping. It sounds like a good thing to do,” he said. “It just sounds so idyllic. It’s outdoors, it’s gentle.”

Hosted by Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern, Dancing on Ice’s new series sees the likes of EastEnders’ Charlie Brooks, footballer Anton Ferdinand, The Traitors’ Mollie Pearce, TV presenter Michaela Strachan and Olympic rower Steve Redgrave lace up their skates. Jayne and Christopher revealed that the skating standard is “quite high” this series – however, Coronation Street star Sam Aston is one to watch in the competition. “Sam has taken to it quite naturally,” Chris said of the Chesney actor.

Jayne added: “I was impressed by Anton as well. I like his attitude because of his football background.”

Loose Women star Penny Lancaster has sent touching birthday wishes to her husband Sir Rod Stewart as the rock icon marks his 80th birthday, saying she is ‘so blessed’ to have him

Rock and roll icon, Sir Rod Stewart, is celebrating his 80th birthday, and his wife Penny Lancaster, 53, has sent a seriously sweet message to him on social media marking the new decade he’s entering. ” Happy birthday my darling,” Penny wrote. “So blessed to be sharing this day together with all our kids. Building more memories to carry with us into the future and to be held close to our hearts forever, I love you xx.”

The loving message accompanied a sweet photo of Rod wearing a straw hat and looking pretty sunkissed whilst he smiled gently at the camera. The couple is reported to be celebrating the musician’s landmark birthday in the Caribbean, and the festivities to celebrate the massive milestone will span across “several weeks,” Penny has previously said.

Penny and Rod have been married for nearly 17 years after tying the knot in an intimate ceremony in Portofino, Italy, back in 2007, and have been together for 25 overall. They share two children: Alastair, 19, and Aiden, 13. The couple first met in 1999, when Penny was working as a photographer and asked to take some snaps of Rod during one of his tours, when the musician was separated from his second wife Rachel Hunter.

Rod and Penny have been together for over 25 years ( 
Image:
Dave Benett/Getty Images for Annabel’s)
Rod also has six other children from previous relationships – and they could well be joining the fun in the sun as the family celebrates Rod’s birthday. The music icon’s children span a large range of ages, with his eldest 61 years old, and his youngest only 13.

Sarah, 61, is the child of Rod and Susanna Boffey, and he also shares Kimberley, 45, and Sean, 44 with his first wife Alana Stewart – who he was married to from 1979 to 1984. Rod then had Ruby, 37, with ex-girlfriend, Kelly Emberg, before marrying Rachel Hunter, with whom he had Renee, 32, and Liam, 30.

Rod also boasts three grandkids: Delilah, 13, and Otis and Louie, who are both 19 months – so any time the entire family gets together is bound to be a seriously lively and busy occasion.

Sir Rod is due to headline Glastonbury Festival next summer, and shows no sign of retirement being on the horizon, despite reaching his eighties. “I have no desire to retire,” Rod posted on Instagram last November, adding: “I’m fit, have a full head of hair, and can run 100 metres in 18 seconds at the age of 79.”

Penny has confirmed that her husband shows zero signs of taking his foot off the gas any time soon, “He’s a workaholic and constantly on the move,” Penny has admitted. “I struggle to keep up with his training schedule. He works out three or four times a week — even on tour.”

Penny and Rod’s love story is one for the ages
Rod’s made it clear that his lust for life hasn’t diminished one bit as he has got older, despite being diagnosed with prostate cancer back in 2016 – he got the all-clear in 2019. The musician told The Sun last year : “I’m aware my days are numbered but I’ve got no fear. We have all got to pass on at some point, so we are all in the same basket. I am going to be enjoying myself for these last few years as much as I can. I say few — probably another 15. I can do that easy mate, easy.”

Despite a brief two-week break-up some time ago, Penny and Rod’s love story is still going strong, with Rod previously saying, about the couple renewing their wedding vows: “Penny is my whole world. What a girl.

“Love means many things to many people but to me, it’s wanting to share everything with the one you love and I love Penny more now than ever, if that is at all possible. It was a beautifully romantic thing to do. We’re not proving anything, just sharing our love with our friends and family.”