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The Royal Family’s quirky Christmas traditions have become the stuff of legend, from swapping gifts on Christmas Eve to jokingly banning the game Monopoly because it becomes too “vicious”. Another funny tradition sees them buy each other joke gifts at Christmas time, with previous presents including a leather toilet seat, a ‘grown your own girlfriend kit’ and even a shower cap which had “Ain’t life a b****” written on it.

For newcomers celebrating the big day at Sandringham, the pressure of buying gifts for the family must be enormous. Meghan Markle certainly struck gold with her first Christmas present for the late Queen, much to the monarch’s delight.

The inspiration behind their unique gift exchange traces back to Queen Victoria and has been passed down through generations. The royals honour the German tradition of unveiling presents on the eve before Christmas.

In 2021, Royal expert Robert Jobson shared with The Express, “On Christmas Eve when all the clan are together, the Queen’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren put the finishing touches to the 20ft Christmas tree in the White Drawing Room.”

He revealed the ins and outs of their yuletide custom, noting, “Presents will be opened that day at tea time as the royals still keep to the German practice of opening their gifts on Christmas Eve. Gifts are laid out in the Red Drawing Room on a white linen-covered trestle table, with cards marking exactly where the piles of gifts should be put.”

The Royal Family will be returning to Sandringham this year ( 
Image:
UK Press via Getty Images)
The royal guests are treated to a traditional Christmas, complete with tree decorating and the exchange of quirky, inexpensive gifts. Meghan Markle nailed her first festive season with the Royals by gifting the late Queen a singing toy hamster, which reportedly delighted Her Majesty as she quipped: “It can keep my dogs company.

While these presents are typically funny, the Princess of Wales once opted for a more heartfelt gesture. In a 2016 ITV documentary honouring the Queen’s 90th birthday, Kate shared the story behind her gift, saying: “I can remember being at Sandringham, for the first time, at Christmas. And I was worried what to give the Queen as her Christmas present.”

She continued: “I was thinking, ‘Gosh, what should I give her? ‘ I thought back to what I would give my own grandparents. And I thought, ‘I’ll make her something,’ which could have gone horribly wrong. But I decided to make my granny’s recipe for chutney.”

“I was slightly worried about it, but I noticed the next day that it was on the table. I think such a simple gesture went such a long way for me and I’ve noticed since she’s done that on lots of occasions and I think it just shows her thoughtfulness, really, and her care in looking after everybody.”

A source revealed: “Meghan bought a little hamster that sings with a little rope for Her Majesty. It was so funny, especially when the corgis tried to take hold of the toy.”

Sadly, the Queen’s joy was short-lived as her corgis destroyed the toy before Christmas Day had ended.

It is well known that the Royal Family buy each other joke presents for Christmas each year, but it would seem the festive season is not the only time that these gifts are exchanged. It seems the late Diana, Princess of Wales was the chief prankster of the family and would often do cheeky things or buy naughty gifts for her two sons.

But while those gifts are pure family fun, the Royal Family also receive hundreds of gifts and tokens every year from members of the public. And according to Diana’s former bodyguard, the late princess had a genius tactic to keep her sons’ feet on the ground.

Diana is often praised for the excellent mother she was to Prince William and Prince Harry. She often took them to private charity visits and on normal days out as she wanted them to live without the restrictions of strict royal protocol.

Her biographer, Andrew Morton said: “She took the young royals with her on her private charity visits from a young age – one of the reasons was she didn’t want the boys to grow up thinking the whole world was 4×4 Range Rovers, shotguns and nannies.”

And this sense of normality extended to the festive period. According to a close former member of the late Princess of Wales’s staff, Diana would restrict the number of presents her children received.

Diana, Princess of Wales is often praised for being an excellent mother ( 
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2007 Getty Images)
According to her former bodyguard, Ken Wharfe, she would sometimes return gifts that people would send to them or donate them to charity. Mr Wharfe explained that Christmas gifts would show up at the palace for Princes William and Harry from unknown sources.

The bodyguard previously told OK!, “Diana was very careful to ensure that they weren’t flooded with gifts – gifts did appear from unknown sources, and they were often returned or given to charity because they didn’t need them.

She was very conscious about what she bought as she knew the hallway at Sandringham would be full of presents.”

Prince Harry is spending Christmas an ocean away from his royal relatives, but he’ll no doubt be reflecting on time shared with his beloved grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

The Duke of Sussex has previously spoken fondly of a gift he chose for the late Queen that amused her no end, so much so that she displayed it ‘proudly’ at one of her favourite Royal residences. And it wasn’t the jewel-encrusted treasure you might be imagining.

Although you’d expect a royal Christmas, typically held at the imposing 20,000-acre Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, to be a very grand affair, it’s understood The Firm likes a bit of silliness mixed into the season.

When it comes to presents, the family has imposed a strict ban on anything too lavish – it must be difficult to buy for those who admittedly don’t want for much in terms of material possessions. Instead, they prefer to shop around for daft gag gifts or share heartfelt homemade items.

It seems that Harry, 40, excelled in this particular area, with his well-known cheeky sense of humour making Her Majesty’s day even merrier…

The gag gift is said to hang ‘proudly in Balmoral’ ( 
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Getty Images)
The hilarious gift in question was a singing fish. The late Queen apparently loved it so much that it still hangs “proudly in Balmoral” – per Finding Freedom, a book about Harry and Meghan released in 2020. The singing fish even made it into a scene in The Crown on Netflix, however, they depicted that Prince Andrew gave her the much-enjoyed gift.

Another gag gift that Prince Harry reportedly gave his grandmother was a “Ain’t life a b***h” shower cap. Princess Anne is said to have once given her brother Charles a leather toilet seat cover, and Kate apparently given Harry a ‘grow your own girlfriend’ kit back in his single days.

The Royal family prefer silly gifts at Christmastime ( 
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Getty Images)
The royals join Charles at Sandringham on Christmas Eve – which is when they exchange their gifts too, per the German tradition as a nod to the family’s heritage. During the late Queen’s reign, royals arrived in order of seniority, with those lower down the line of succession arriving first.

They are said to all place their gifts for one another on a table before they’re exchanged, and then they go on to enjoy what Ingrid Seward of Majesty Magazine has called “lethal martinis”. The penchant for gag gifts shows that a sense of humour is crucial to enjoying Christmas with the Royal Family, which in many other respects still retains a very formal atmosphere. Reportedly, no television is allowed except the King’s Christmas message and none of the royals are allowed to depart for bed until the monarch has done so.

Since leaving the UK for sunny California, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Christmasses look quite different. Last year, US Weekly reported that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent Christmas in their star-studded hometown of Montecito, with children Archie, five, and Lilibet, three, and Meghan’s mum Daria Ragland.

Opening up in a recent interview with Marie Claire, Meghan offered an insight into what their new Christmasses look like following their breakaway from royal life.

The royal family gathers at Sandringham each year to celebrate Christmas – but it may not be as regal as everyone thinks.

Members of the Firm join King Charles at his estate in Norfolk, and this year was no different, keeping up the tradition of his late mother, Elizabeth II. Prince William revealed earlier this month at an event for families of the 1st Battalion Mercian Regiment at Picton Barracks in Wiltshire that 45 royals would be in attendance at Sandringham this year.

But despite the massive guest list, the residence is one of the smallest and least grand, making it a tight squeeze for the King and Queen Camilla to host their guests. The estate reportedly sleeps around 16 to 18 people comfortably, meaning some guests have to make do with shared rooms and ‘fish finger’ style beds.

King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Prince William, Catherine, Prince George of Wales react upon arrival to attend the Royal Family’s traditional Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham ( 
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AFP via Getty Images)
One solution when they run out of beds is to turn the staff quarters into guest rooms, according to an expert. Royal commentator Rebecca English told MailOnline: “In previous years I’ve been told that they’ve actually had to kick staff out of their quarters. And Edward and Sophie were put in some of the staff quarters because they had nowhere else to stay.”

She added, “It sounds more glamorous than it is.” The expert went on to explain that the royals are able to fit so many beds into one room by using old-fashioned “fish finger beds” that come with “creaky bedsprings.”

It is not known how many bedrooms Sandringham house boasts as it is a private residence, however it is believed to be around 30. Guests traditionally arrive in order of seniority on Christmas Eve, with junior royals first.

December 25 begins with breakfast before the royals walk 330ft to attend the 11am Christmas service at the estate’s St Mary Magdalene Church, famously greeting the crowds as they leave. Back at the main house, the family enjoys pre-lunch drinks – Veuve Cliquot champagne being a popular choice – before sitting down for Christmas Dinner at 1pm.

A general view of the front of Anmer Hall on the Sandringham Estate ( 
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Getty Images)
There is no starter, with guests going straight to the main meal of turkey – traditionally ordered from nearby Scoles of Dersingham – with mashed and roast potatoes, stuffing, sprouts, carrots and parsnips, with cranberry and bread sauce. A flaming Christmas pudding, doused in brandy and decorated with holly, is then served with brandy butter and brandy sauce before a cheese course with port.

Earlier this month, Prince William revealed that he was “no way” ready for Christmas this year, but expressed his excitement for long dog walks with his family over the festive period. He said he was also looking forward to spending time with his family members “all in one room”.

On Wednesday, the Princess of Wales sparkled in green as she walked to church in Sandringham, clutching Prince Louis’ hand. King Charles led the Royal Family to church for their traditional Christmas Day service with Queen Camilla by his side.

They were followed by Prince William and Kate, who wore a forest green coat by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen and a matching hat along with a green tartan scarf. Louis held his mum’s hand and looked grown up in a suit and overcoat with a green tie.

Also in the walking party was Princess Anne, Edward and Sophie the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Mike and Zara Tindall and their children, as well as a pregnant Princess Beatrice, her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and his son Wolfie.

The Queen welcomed Meghan Markle with open arms, and initially believed she would be a ‘breath of fresh air’, according to insiders. Harry and Meghan started dating in 2016, with the former Suits star going on to meet the late monarch at Royal Lodge in October that same year, some 12 months before the couple got engaged.

Furthermore, the Queen broke with tradition to invite Meghan to Sandringham at Christmas prior to her wedding to Harry. Neither Princess Kate nor Duchess Sophie were asked to attend until after their own nuptials. A courtier later told royal reporter Richard Eden that “the Queen believed that Meghan – a divorced, mixed-race American actress – would be a breath of fresh air and a great asset to the Monarchy.

“The Queen fast-tracked her entry into the Royal Family, inviting Meghan to join her at a service to mark Commonwealth Day – her first official engagement with the Queen – two months before the wedding. It was another clear indication that Her Majesty valued Meghan and wanted her to be seen as a part of the family without delay.” However, the Queen is said to have started to have concerns about Meghan’s behaviour and attitude the closer it got to the couple’s wedding in 2018, according to the expert.

The late monarch was said to be surprised after Meghan rejected her suggestion that Duchess Sophie guide her on marrying into the Royal Family and was also “taken aback” at her choice of a bridal gown, as well as her attitude towards the tiara.

“She had offered Meghan access to her collection of tiaras and, during what Harry later described as an ‘extraordinary morning’, allowed her to try them on in front of her, her devoted dresser Angela Kelly and a royal jewellery expert in her private dressing room,” Eden wrote. “Something later went badly wrong, however, when Meghan tried to arrange a fitting with Kelly, who, it seems, did not like the manner in which she was being treated by the bride and groom.”

Harry later denied in his memoir Spare that he had angrily told Kelly, “What Meghan wants, Meghan gets.” He did, however, admit they had been exasperated by the dresser, who “fixed me with a look that made me shiver”. It is further claimed that royal staff formed the opinion that the Duchess “may not have wanted to make a success of her life in Britain” when she started working as a royal and appeared to be “actively seeking reasons to be unhappy or resentful”.

Since quitting the Royal family, Meghan and Harry have attacked The Firm on a number of occasions, including in their infamous Oprah interview, Harry’s memoir, Spare, and their tell-all Netflix series. Meghan raises eyebrows in the latter when she appeared to mock the deep curtsy she had performed in front of the Queen at their first meeting. Mr Eden continued: “How sad that the Queen’s genuine efforts to welcome Meghan during her final years, when she was in failing health, were thrown back in her face.”

From their walk to the Christmas Day service at Sandringham to the King’s speech, Christmas for the Royal Family is steeped in tradition. However, this year King Charles opted to do things a little differently by recording this year’s Christmas message from Fitzrovia Chapel in London rather than at Buckingham Palace.

With the change in backdrop, viewers noticed another change to the annual message – it featured no photos on display in the background. Over the years, messages from the monarch have often led to conversations about the specific photos on display, including whether there are any pictures of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

King Charles’ Christmas broadcast broke tradition by being filmed in a different location ( 
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Jordan Peck|Getty Images)

Kate looked stunning as she attended the annual carol concert in church ( 
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PA)
However, the monarch avoided this scrutiny this year by filming in the neutral backdrop of the Fitzrovia Chapel, which only featured a Christmas treat in the background. Speaking exclusively to OK!, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond explained that while this was a “convenient” choice, this isn’t the first time that zero photos have been on display.

“I think the choice of the chapel was specifically to relate the King’s message to his gratitude for all that the health service does. But obviously it was convenient that it avoided analysis of any photos in the background,” she said. “However neither of his two previous Christmas messages have featured any photos either. So I don’t think anything can be made of this.”

Having stepped back as senior royals in 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have spent nearly five years living in Montecito, California where they are doting parents to their children Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three. Since then the couple have also been busy carving out their own paths by championing causes close to their hearts and working on projects including the Archewell Foundation and Archewell Productions.

Due to this, Jennie believes that Prince Harry and Meghan wouldn’t have been “surprised” not to feature at the royals’ festive gathering at Sandringham. “Harry and Meghan have chosen a life separate from the rest of the royal family, and as time goes by, I think Harry becomes more and more set on making a happy, settled life in California with his wife and children,” she explained.

“It may be that he and the King exchanged some form of message at Christmas time, we simply don’t know and it is right that it should remain private. So I don’t think they would have been in the least surprised that they didn’t feature in any way in the celebrations at Sandringham.”

Christmas shopping for a princess certainly sounds like a daunting task – particularly one as fashionable as Princess Kate – and it even took Prince William a while to get used to it.

There’s no doubt the couple will have exchanged thoughtful gifts this year at their annual get-together at Sandringham, but back in the early days of their courtship, William was far less confident in his gift-giving abilities. And one blunder left his now-wife seriously perplexed, so much so that she vowed to “never let him forget it”.

William, 42, revealed the unusual present during an appearance on former England striker Peter Crouch’s podcast on BBC Radio Five Live. In a discussion about presents, Crouch confessed to buying his model wife Abbey Clancy a raincoat three years running for her birthday.

And William admitted: “I did get my wife a pair of binoculars once – she’s never let me forget that. That was early on in the courtship that was – I think that sealed the deal. It didn’t go well. Honestly, I have no idea why I bought her a pair of binoculars, it seemed like a good idea at the time.”

It’s well known that the royals prefer not to lavish each other with expensive, ostentatious gifts at Christmas time – instead preferring to give light-hearted joke presents. Due to the fact they descend from Germanic roots, they also adopt traditions the rest of us in the UK might not recognise – like exchanging goodies on Christmas Eve rather than the big day.

It’s thought that on Christmas Eve, each member of the family creeps downstairs during the afternoon to lay out their gifts, eagerly awaiting 6 pm when the unwrapping begins. Before the exchange starts, each person’s gifts are cornered off in a specific pile before they’re opened.

For decades, the unwrapping was always overseen by the late Prince Philip, who would give the go-ahead for someone to tear into their presents. Some of the more memorable gifts exchanged over the years have included a bath hat given to the late Queen by her grandson Prince Harry that read: ‘Ain’t life a b*tch’. Meanwhile, Kate made a witty quip to her brother-in-law Harry one Christmas when she handed him a ‘grow-your-own-girlfriend kit’ – after he’d made headlines with a string of high-profile romances.

Kate has described Christmas as being one of her ‘favourite’ times of year ( 
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PA)
This festive season will likely hold special significance for the family as they gather together after what has been a very difficult year. King Charles III is still undergoing treatment for cancer, while Princess Kate announced back in September that she had finished her preventative chemotherapy.

In a poignant letter addressed to guests of her annual Christmas concert, Kate, 42, wrote: “Christmas is one of my favourite times of the year. It is a time for celebration and joy, but it also gives us the opportunity to slow down and reflect on the deeper things that connect us all.

“It is when we stop and take ourselves away from the pressures of daily life that we find the space to live our lives with an open heart, with love, kindness and forgiveness – so much of what the Christmas spirit is all about. The Christmas story encourages us to consider the experiences and feelings of others. It also reflects our own vulnerabilities and reminds us of the importance of giving and receiving empathy, as well as just how much we need each other in spite of our differences.”

She continued: “Above all else, it encourages us to turn to love, not fear. The love we show ourselves and the love we show others. Love that listens with empathy, love that is kind and understanding, love that is forgiving and love that brings joy and hope.

“It is this love which is the greatest gift we can receive. Not just at Christmas but every day of our lives. Love something we can offer one another. Gentle words or a receptive car, an arm around an exhausted the light that can shine bright, even in our darkest times.”

Vernon Kay has been married to Strictly Come Dancing host Tess Daly for longer than the hit TV show has been on the air – but he has not once been asked to compete on the show

Vernon Kay has let loose over the fact he has never once been asked to compete on Strictly Come Dancing – despite the fact his wife is the host.

The 50-year-old model and former T4 presenter has been married to 55-year-old Tess since 2003 and together they are proud parents to daughters Pheobe, 19, and 14-year-old Amber. Tess has been a host of the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing since the show launched in 2004 – first co-hosting with the late Sir Bruce Forsyth and more recently alongside Claudia Winkleman.

This year, comedian Chris McCausland, 47, won the 22nd season of the show – which concluded earlier this month and saw the blind stand-up lift the glitterball trophy alongside professional dancer Dianne Buswell. While the very first season was won by newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky alongside her professional dance partner, Brendan Cole.

While Vernon has been married to Tess for longer than the show has been on the air, he has been left less than impressed that he has not been able to land a part on the show as a contestant. And while he may not be impressed that the BBC show has not yet asked him to take part, it seems he has a well rehearsed answer to give if the moment ever arises.

Tess has hosted Strictly since 2004 ( 
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BBC)

Speaking to The Sun, Vernon revealed: “If they asked me, I’d think about it – and then I’d say no. Let’s be honest, it’s been 20 bloody years and I’ve still not had a phone call. It’s like, I’m right here! Hello!” He added: “Every now and then I’ll bump into the BBC executives at Broadcasting House, so I think it’s time I say ‘hello, remember me’.” After Chris and Dianne won the 2024 season of the show, Vernon revealed that Tess had struggled to retain her composure after being impressed by the comedian’s win.

He explained: “Chris has done absolutely amazingly and Dianne had everyone in tears in the semi-final when she said, look, Chris hasn’t seen other people dance. He hasn’t seen what he’s accomplished, what he’s achieved. He hasn’t seen his own hand placement or footwork.”

“It just struck a cord and touched everyone in the studio. Tess was in tears and she had to really fight back tears when she did the next link to introduce the next dancer.” Viewers watched Tess struggle to fight back tears when Dianne shared her own pride over her Strictly win.

Accepting the trophy, she said on the show: “I have taught Chris all this time without a single visual cue. He’s not been able to look at a video back to see if he did a great job or needs to work on anything. He’s never been able to see his competitors, yet he’s seen this competition so well because he’s captured the spirit of the show. I could not be more proud of him. He has shown that anything is possible.”

It’s set to be a family affair on Lorraine’s Christmas Day special this year.

The TV star, 65, will be joined by granddaughter Billie on the show as well as her dog, Ruby the dachshund.

In September Lorraine announced that her daughter Rosie Smith had welcomed a baby girl called Billie with her fiancé Steve White and gushed that she is ‘bursting with joy’.

Social media sensation KSI, Coronation Street actress Jane Danson and pop icon Katy Perry will also feature in the festive episode.

The show also wouldn’t be complete without three wise men, of which Lorraine has enlisted the help of experts Dr Hilary, Dr Amir and Mark Heyes, plus, a sprinkling of Hollywood sparkle from showbiz guru Ross King.

Taking viewers behind the scenes of the recording of their chart topping version of Love is All Around, Lorraine will also partake in a festive performance with Scottish singer Marti Pellow and the Change + Check Choir.

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It’s set to be a family affair on Lorraine’s Christmas Day special this year. The TV star, 65, will be joined by granddaughter Billie on the show as well as her dog, Ruby the dachshund

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In September Lorraine announced that her daughter Rosie Smith had welcomed a baby girl called Billie with her fiancé Steve White and gushed that she is ‘bursting with joy’

In September Lorraine made her long-awaited return to ITV for her 100th episode this year, after almost seven weeks off for summer and becoming a grandmother – and fans couldn’t help but make the same jokes.

Lorraine told fans that it’s ‘so good to be back,’ after her extended break, which was covered by the likes of Christine Lampard and Ranvir Singh.

Updating viewers on becoming Granny Smith, Lorraine said: ‘I am biased but she is absolutely beautiful.

‘

‘And Rosie’s great, she’s really taken to it. I knew she would anyway, super organised. She really has taken to it so so well and her Steve is an angel. He’s been brilliant, already changing nappies, he’s so hands on.’

Regulars Dr Amir Khan, Mark Heyes, and Dr Hilary Jones sat down with the ITV star as she was gifted some presents for the little one on air – including a Lorraine baby grow.

However, as she made her comeback, the ongoing viral jokes about her absences also made a return on social media.

The X (formerly Twitter) account Where Is Lorraine?, with the handle @LorraineKWatch, updates followers on whether or not the Scottish star has hosted the show that day.

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Social media sensation KSI (seen), Coronation Street actress Jane Danson and pop icon Katy Perry will also feature in the festive episode
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The show also wouldn’t be complete without three wise men, of which Lorraine has enlisted the help of experts Dr Hilary, Dr Amir and Mark Heyes

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Lorraine will also be joined by soap legend and Coronation Street star Jane Danson, and suggests a soap collaboration

Taking to social media to joke about her comeback, fans quipped: ‘A grandchild for Lorraine Kelly? She’s just secured the next 20 years of half-terms and summer holidays off work! #Lorraine’

‘Lorraine Kelly when the public ask why she hasn’t presented her own show for 6 weeks #Lorraine’

‘Jesus #Lorraine is blagging this granny business now get on with your show you’ve had 6 weeks off’

‘The nation on edge anticipating Lorraine’s return’

In February, Lorraine hit back at the work-shy criticism and set the record straight as she addressed the Twitter account committed to tracking her days off.

Speaking on Woman’s Hour with host Anita Rani, Lorraine admitted she was aware of the account, which now has over 12,000 followers, as she said: ‘I know, the amount of space that I occupy in people’s heads is quite bizarre.’

Watch Lorraine on Christmas day from 9am on ITV1, ITVX, STV & STV Player.

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Lorraine Kelly and her pregnant daughter Rosie earlier this year

Sunday Brunch hosts Tim Lovejoy and Simon Rimmer were joined by a star-studded line-up of guests, including Steve Pemberton and Joel Dommett, who made a surprising admission

On December 22, Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch made a comeback with hosts Tim Lovejoy and Simon Rimmer going live. The festive episode saw a host of celebs join the fun, including Joel Dommett, Zoe Birkett, and Steve Pemberton.

The show ran a segment called ‘Whose line of work was it anyway?’ where Simon whipped up a ham dish in the Christmassy kitchen as Tim engaged the stars in a game to guess which one had previously worked in a pet shop before hitting the big time.

Tim posed the question: “Simon which one of our celebrities worked at a pet shop?” and, directing his gaze towards Steve, Simon inquired: “What was your typical day and what kind of animals were there?”

Inside No. 9 and Benidorm star Steve pretended he was the pet shop worker and spun some humorous fibs about selling pooches.

Steve Pemberton joked he sold dogs in a pet shop during Sunday Brunch ( 
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(Image: Channel 4))

Steve elaborated: “There were lots of domesticated pets mainly”, and further explained, “The owner was actually allergic to dogs so I had to make sure they were all well brushed and we got all the hairs off them, and feed the fish”, reports the Express.

Tim interjected: “You were selling dogs in the pet shop?” to which Steve confirmed: “Yes”, leaving Tim baffled yet nodding along.

“I thought it was just fish and rabbits?” said Tim, expressing his surprise over dog sales in pet shops, “It’s blown my mind they would sell dogs in a pet shop.”

Joel confessed he quit he job at the pet shop after they refused to increase his wages ( 
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(Image: Channel 4 ))
Simon then revealed he once got his own dog from a pet shop, saying, “It was just a mongrel from a pet shop that was called Daily’s in Liverpool.”

The bombshell revelation completely took Tim by surprise, prompting him to exclaim: “That’s mad isn’t it”, which was followed by Joel humorously questioning where he believed dogs originated from.

The comedian and TV presenter Joel then revealed that he was indeed the individual who once earned £15 a day at a pet shop, only to resign when his request for a pay increase was turned down.