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Saturday night saw contenders back in the ring to try to beat the Gladiators in a string of tough challenges – but one of the tasks was deemed unfair by many fans of the BBC show

Fans of the Gladiators were up in arms on Saturday night as they fumed over one of the trials that the challengers faced.

The smash hit BBC revival has been thrilling viewers since it returned to screens with a second season at the beginning of the year. On Saturday night, fans watched as the contestants entered the fourth heat of the season – with more daredevil tasks required of the cast of challengers.

But one challenge in particular, called Unleash, caused frustration for viewers as contenders Stacey, Poppy, Joe and Junior were forced to race Electro, Fire, Apollo and Phantom across the course. Rules for the trail were strict – with the contenders given a three second head start and then tasked with running along a horseshoe-shaped track.

They then had to leap over a shallow wall, break through a second wall, and then tackle a block of steps. But viewers felt it was unfair that those taking part had to touch every single step at this point of the challenge – meaning they had to take the stairs one step at a time.

The BBC revival has been generally well received by fans ( 
Image:
BBC/Hungry Bear Media Ltd/Graeme Hunter)

Taking to X, many complained about the harsh rules, with one writing: “I really hope they change the one step at the time rule for unleashed in the next series as it’s a really unfair rule #Gladiators.” And another complained: “Think it’s absolute bulls**t to make them run up the steps one at a time. Instantly slowing down and giving the chaser an open target. #Gladiators.”

Further fans fumed over the trial, with one writing: “The stairs in Unleash are so unfair! How is anyone going to make it up going one at a time?! #Gladiators.” Another complaining: “Unleashed is so dumb. Ain’t no way anyone’s out running an Olympian from a standing start & taking one stair at a time #Gladiators.” And another offered an improvement, writing: “How to make ‘Unleash’ better: – replace the wall with another jump – scrap the one-step rule.”

Ahead of the current season, Bradley and his 27-year-old son Barney Walsh, who co-hosts the show, revealed the challenges had been made more difficult for the new batch of contestants. Bradley revealed to the BBC: “The new series is just fantastic, the Gladiators mean business and they are back tougher than before.

“There are some new events this series including the return of a fan favourite, and throughout the series lots of other exciting surprises. The contenders now have helmet cameras fitted, you might have seen from the celebrity special, so you can literally see what they are faced with when going up against the Gladiators. It’s a great new feature and brings a whole new dimension to what you see.”

While Barney added: “One of the new games is called Unleash. The contenders start in a smoke filled tunnel and race around a track and up some steps to grab the winning flag, but an unknown Gladiator is unleashed behind them trying to chase them down. You’re going to love it.”

He added: “I think the public have really connected with the Gladiators because they have strong identities, all with slightly different strengths and disciplines and all with distinctive moves – so everyone can have a different favourite. All the Gladiators are incredible athletes, they are inspiring and super competitive but respect the contenders and bring great sportsmanship… well, apart from Legend and Viper.”

A woman who was branded ‘Lisa Riley’ by Peter Kay and ejected from his Manchester gig has hit back at the comic, appearing on Good Morning Britain on Friday in her first TV interview

The woman kicked out of a recent Peter Kay gig has appeared on Good Morning Britain after the comic compared her to soap star Lisa Riley, saying she feels humiliated and will never watch the comedian on stage again.

Myar Curran, the fan likened to the Emmerdale star by Peter at his recent Manchester show has previously slammed the comedian, accusing him of being a ‘bully’ for comparing her to the Mandy Dingle actress.

At the AO Arena on Saturday night (February 8), Phoenix Nights star Peter halted his performance to have two disruptive fans removed. The comic addressed the incident in a statement released to Good Morning Britain on Tuesday morning.

Speaking herself on the ITV show, Myar said: “I didn’t mean to cause any harm, I was just showing my love as he kicked someone out but he obviously didn’t like it.” She went on to add: “I feel like what I said was not abusive or aggressive – it wasn’t anti-social and I wasn’t drunk. I was just standing up chanting ‘we love you Peter, we do’. It’s just been a bit over the top, his reaction.”

Peter Kay has defended his decision to kick Myar Curran out of his show ( 
Image:
ITV)

Myar admitted she doesn’t want an apology from the comedian but doesn’t think she will ever be able to watch his work again. In a statement shared with the ITV show, Peter said: “At the show on Saturday night, February 8th, in Manchester I had two hecklers disrupting from the very start” he said in the statement posted on Instagram.

“I did my best to address the situation and made light of it, as any comedian would, but unfortunately, their interruptions continued. I then tried to ignore them, hoping they’d settle down, but when the disruption persisted into the second half of the show, I asked the audience around them if they were being bothered by the noise.

“They all shouted “yes,” and when I asked for a show of hands, at least forty raised theirs. At that point, I had no choice but to take action. The lady who was escorted out did bear a striking resemblance to Lisa Riley, though I don’t see how that’s an insult. This was only the second and third time I’ve had to ask someone to leave during my 114 shows over the past three years of this tour.

“As a comedian, you never want to eject anyone, but when repeated disruptions make it impossible to continue, it’s important to consider the experience for the rest of the audience, who’ve paid to see the show without interruption.”

The disruption started when a man, who was persistently shouting ‘garlic bread’, was escorted out first, followed by a woman who exclaimed ‘we love you, Peter’. Reports claim that before she was taken away by security, Peter called her “Lisa Riley”. Myar, the woman in question, attended the event with her father, aunt, best friend, and boyfriend, as an ardent admirer of the Bolton-born funnyman.

The comedian has defended the gag ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
Wearing a zebra top, she was excited to finally witness his live performance. “We bought these tickets ages ago so we’ve been waiting years for this,” said 25 year old Myar to the Manchester Evening News prior to appearing on Good Morning Britain. “We were so looking forward to it. I lost my mum a couple of years ago and she was supposed to come to the show so it was something that was going to be very special to us.”

During the second half of his show, when Myar affectionately yelled out “we love you Peter,” comedian Peter Kay stopped his performance to have security remove her from the venue. Despite her claims of having no ties to a previous heckler and being seated in proximity, as reported by the Manchester Evening News, she was escorted out. From the stage, Kay quipped: “Go on, off you go Lisa Riley.”

The incident left Myar, who had travelled from Scotland specifically for the gig, in tears back at her hotel, feeling humiliated by both Kay’s remarks and the laughter that filled the 23,000-seat arena. She shared her hurt feelings, saying: “I do feel he was on about my weight,” and explained her sensitivity about recent weight gain after becoming a mother.

“I’m self-conscious about that so to go to a show and feel like you’re having the mick taken out of you because of your weight, I was just a bit shocked. I’m annoyed and upset about it. The whole arena was laughing, I think they thought it was part of the show but there was a nastiness to his voice.”

She felt targeted by Peter, as if he wanted the audience to turn on her, adding: “It was like he was trying to get the crowd against me – it just wasn’t nice, to be honest. I did have a cry about it after I got to the hotel room. I was just so upset. It was just a very rubbish situation. My whole family was disgusted by it.”

Peter spoke out about the incident on Tuesday to clarify his recent controversial comment, admitting on Good Morning Britain that he was unaware it could be taken as an insult. He explained, “She did look remarkably like Lisa Riley, I didn’t realise that was an insult.” Elsewhere, Lisa Riley herself took to Instagram to call for an end to the drama, stating: “PLEASE [praying hands emojis] draw a line under this now, I am not offended, never was offended. I love Peter Kay to pieces. Laughter is my favourite medicine.”

Michael McIntyre’s Big Show viewers were left convinced they had worked out the truth behind the first unexpected star of the new series of the BBC programme

BBC viewers were left disgruntled mere minutes into the show when Michael McIntyre introduced an unexpected guest.

Lorna Brown, 41, from West Lothian was introduced, who had journeyed to London for a weekend break with her husband Scott, their three children and her parents. Michael informed viewers: “She thinks she’s about to check into an AirBnb which we have built here,” as he gestured towards a door on stage.

He offered a brief tour of the backstage apartments and hinted at a surprise waiting for her inside a makeshift fridge, which concealed the show’s live audience. After a series of playful antics, including Lorna watching Strictly Come Dancing’s head judge Shirley Ballas perform a risqué routine with an audience member, she finally opened the fridge door.

To Lorna’s astonishment, she emerged onto the stage to a thunderous applause from the theatre audience. However, viewers weren’t convinced that the surprise star was unaware of her impending appearance on Michael McIntyre’s Big Show.

To Lorna’s astonishment, she emerged onto the stage to a thunderous applause from the theatre audience ( 
Image:
BBC)

One viewer commented: “I think the unexpected star didnt seem very surprised when she opened the fridge. I think somebody had warned her beforehand. #michaelmcintyresbigshowAnother noted: “She knew…. #michaelmcintyresbigshow.

“A third speculated: “She absolutely knew what was happening, she didn’t look that surprised, she knew fine #michaelmcintyresbigshow”Another viewer commented on the shock exposure, saying: “This woman absolutely knew what was happening #michaelmcintyresbigshow. “Michael McIntyre himself then confirmed that the lady’s family was in the crowd as he probed her about whether she had any inkling she’d be starring on the show. ”

“No, but then I started to think something is going on,” the participant admitted. Overwhelmed with emotion, Lorna disclosed her passion for music, revealing she leads a community choir and has been singing since she was eight years old.

Michael McIntyre’s Big Show viewers ‘work out’ truth behind ‘unexpected’ star ( 
Image:
BBC)
Her moment in the spotlight resulted in a breathtaking performance – Lorna wowed everyone by delivering Leona Lewis’s rendition of Snow Patrol’s hit ‘Run’. The awe-inspiring act led to a shower of compliments from the audience, as one fan effused: “#michaelmcintyresbigshow belted that out and made it look easy, well done.

“Another admirer shared: “Amazing #MichaelMcIntyresBigShow,” and yet another enthused: “Best part of the show – unexpected star. And Lorna, you looked and sounded incredible. Beautiful performance #michaelmcintyresbigshow. “A different viewer exclaimed: “Lorna absolutely killing it on #MichaelMcIntyresBigShow amazing vocal talent!

“Meanwhile, a hopeful spectator suggested: “She’s very good. Get her for Eurovision this year! #MichaelMcIntyresBigShow.”

Gardeners’ World presenter Adam Frost has opened up about his battle with fibromyalgia, which caused him to be in so much pain that he was unable to sleep

Adam Frost, the beloved host of Gardeners’ World, has opened up about his personal struggle with fibromyalgia, a condition that causes widespread pain and fatigue. The 55-year-old gardening expert first experienced symptoms two decades ago, which also affected his sleep.

Despite the challenges, Adam’s passion for gardening provided solace during a tough bout of depression, even leading him to seek psychiatric help. In a candid chat with the Daily Mail, he shared some stark advice from his psychiatrist, saying: “What came out of it was that I shouldn’t retire. He told me I’d be dead in 18 months… [he told me] ‘If you’re thinking about retiring, go up the high street, there’s an undertakers, go in and choose yourself a box’.”

Adam humorously recalled the blunt guidance, adding: “And I thought: ‘You’re supposed to be helping me.’ It was brilliant.”

Gardeners’ World presenter Adam Frost made a candid admission ( 
Image:
ITV)
He mused on the idea of retirement, quipping, “Why would I retire? Retire and do what? Garden? At least this way I get paid for it.”

Speaking of his diagnosis, Adam said, “It started 20 years ago. I had sharp pain all over the place, I wasn’t sleeping. I was absolutely shattered.”

His journey with fibromyalgia led him to make a documentary to raise awareness about the syndrome, reports the Express.

Adam Frost is a regular presenter on BBC Gardeners’ World ( 
Image:
BBC)
Crisis struck when his wife Sulina fell seriously ill, resulting in a 12-week hospital stay in 2021, during which Adam was the sole visitor allowed by her side.

“Then I caught Covid. I went into a room on my own for ten days and my brain, all the adrenaline I’d been living on – everything came crashing down. I was sitting in a corner bawling my eyes out,” he recalled. Adam revealed that he sought medical help, with the doctor advising the gardening expert to be “kinder to yourself”.

GB News presenter Eamonn Holmes shared a rare insight into his marriage to first wife Gabrielle during a Valentine’s Day chat on air with co-host Ellie Costello

GB News favourite Eamonn Holmes made a rare and candid admission about marriage during a Valentine’s Day chat with co-presenter Ellie Costello, following his recent split from TV partner Ruth Langsford.

Ellie asked if he remembered his first Valentine, to which Eamonn quickly quipped: “I married her.” The sweet admission caught Ellie by surprise as she responded with a heartfelt: “Aww that’s so nice.”

Eamonn was referencing Gabrielle, his first wife who he wed in 1985 and with whom he shares three kids: Declan, Rebecca, and Niall.

Despite their union lasting a decade, it unravelled due partly to Eamonn’s job at GMTV requiring lengthy stints away from home in London, while his family remained in Belfast.

His struggles with the arrangement were detailed in his 2008 autobiography, This Is My Life: The Autobiography, where he penned: “We tended to be apart during the week because of my job, and I had no trouble with that – though Gabrielle obviously did. I always believed absence would make the heart grow fonder and, in fact, the commuting heightened my desperation for her, made the time less bearable and longer.”

Eamonn Holmes made the admission on GBNews ( 
Image:
GB News)
He admitted that his absences let Gabrielle form a separate life with the children, leaving him feeling like an outsider during weekend visits, reports Belfast Live.

Eamonn’s father’s demise in 1991 plunged him into mourning, intensifying his desire for a closer connection with his wife to weather the sorrow. However, their marriage had already drifted apart.

Eamonn penned a heart-wrenching note saying: “Gabrielle was increasingly indifferent and I didn’t know why. I needed her close, I needed her to reach me and ease my pain, but she had concerns of her own, principal of which was an impending birth.”

Eamonn spoke to his colleague on Valentine’s Day ( 
Image:
GB News)
After their separation, Eamonn found love again with Ruth Langsford, introduced by a GMTV colleague. Sparks flew instantly between them.

The pair dated for 14 years before they celebrated their union at Hampshire’s Elvetham Hall on 26 June 2010, in an affair so grand it graced Hello! magazine over two issues. Despite Eamonn’s acclaimed tenure beside Ruth on ITV’s This Morning until 2021, the duo began to grow apart.

Eamonn and Ruth shocked fans with their split ( 
Image:
Getty)Chatting with TalkTV, Eamonn admitted: “Although we live together, we’re not really together… Ruth likes her own space [and] when we do This Morning it’s a rare time we actually interrelate.”

Fans were stunned by the unexpected news of the couple’s breakup last May after they had shared 28 years together, including 14 as a married couple.

ITV’s sixth series of The Masked Singer has aired its big final tonight, with the remaining three celebrities being revealed and a winner being crowned after eight weeks

The Masked Singer’s Pufferfish has finally been revealed in the ITV show’s final as host Joel Dommett crowned them the 2025 series winner.

Tonight’s big final of The Masked Singer saw the remaining three celebrities battle it out for the series six crown, with just Wolf, Pufferfish and Dressed Crab left after eight weeks in the competition.

After performing three songs, the ITV show’s panellists – Maya Jama, Davina McCall and Jonathan Ross – were given one last chance to make their guesses before the stars were finally unmasked.

As the show came to an end, Pufferfish was declared as the 2025 winner, with viewers learning that it was actually Mamma Mia: I Have A Dream host Samantha Barks underneath the belting blowfish.

Samantha Barks was revealed as Pufferfish during The Masked Singer final

Speaking to the celebrity panel after her win, Samantha said: “For me, because I’ve played Elsa for three years, it’s been so fun to do lots of different stuff and each week, I wanted to do a new kind of style and new kind of song.”

She added that she loved keeping it a secret and revealed that all of the references to swimming and the sea were in connection to her being from the Isle of Man. “There were lots of island things,” she said.

“I’ve had the best time. Underneath the mask, I’ve been smiling so hard,” she said. “Thank you all so much for your lovely comments.”

West End and ITV star Samantha Barks was revealed to be Pufferfish
Samantha rose to fame on the BBC talent show I’d Do Anything in 2008, coming in third place, before landing the role of Sally Bowles in the National Tour of Cabaret that same year.

She later played Eponine on the West End in Les Misérables, and went onto star in the same role in the film version.

Samantha, 34, since became a judge on ITV’s talent competition Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream and starred as Elsa in Frozen on the West End. Back in October 2023, Samantha welcomed her first child with stage actor husband Alex Stoll, naming their son Rafael Richard Barks-Stoll.

Grammy winning singer Gregory Porter was revealed to be the star behind Dressed Crab, with the singer admitting that he overcame his claustrophobia to take part in the ITV show.

Earlier in the show, Marti Pellow was unmasked as Wolf, placing third in the competition. Speaking to the panellists, Marti revealed that he couldn’t contain his laughter in the previous episodes at some of the guesses – which included Simon Le Bon and David Tennant.

Samantha Barks is best known for her roles on the West End ( 
Image:
ITV)
Meanwhile, the episode left viewers puzzled with Mo Gilligan missing from the judging panel, while the show failed to acknowledge his absence during the big finale.

One fan wrote on X: “Where is Mo on masked singer he’s not even been mentioned????” Another typed: “Where did Mo go from the Masked Singer ??” While a further fan typed: “Where’s Mo Gilligan? He’s been absent in the past couple of episodes.#MaskedSingerUK #MaskedSinger.”

However, Mo’s absence from the final had previously been explained by The Mirror, with the comedian missing out on the final due to work commitments. A source told the Mirror earlier this month: “Mo Gilligan reportedly missed out on filming the final two episodes of the current series, as he had to complete tour dates in the US.”

Mo was replaced on the celebrity panel by last year’s winner Danny Jones, who took the stage twice to perform during the supersized finale. He opened the show alongside host Joel Dommett in a duet, before returning to the stage to perform alongside Pufferfish in her last song on the show.

Over the past few weeks, fans have been convinced that it was Coronation Street star Kym Marsh behind the sea-dwelling songstress. One person said on X: “Pufferfish is kym marsh or Jodie prenger.” A second viewer wrote: “Either Kym Marsh or Jodie Prenger is Pufferfish.” A third chimed in: “Pufferfish is definitely Kym.”

Marti Pellow was revealed to be Wolf on The Masked Singer

Grammy winner Gregory Porter was unmasked as Dressed Crab ( 
Image:
ITV)However, others were sure that it was West End star Samantha Barks behind the mask after Pufferfish’s renditions of Chappell Roan’s Good Luck Babe, Girls Just Want to Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper and Teddy Swims’ Lose Control.

After Pufferfish made a reference to having a five-year diary, one fan spotted that it could be a reference to Samantha’s stint in the musical The Last Five Years back in 2021 with Jonathan Bailey.

“Five Year Diary reference, wasn’t Samantha Barks in the stage musical ‘the last five years’? #MaskedSingerUK #maskedsinger,” one viewer wrote.

While another wrote: “Pufferfish HAS TO BE Samantha Barks #maskedsingeruk.”

However, the theatre star – who has starred in Pretty Woman: The Musical, Frozen in the West End and the 2012 film of Les Misérables – denied that she was the person behind Pufferfish earlier this month. “It’s not me sorry,” she told fans on X.

Over the last eight weeks of the competition, viewers have watched as the likes of Kate Garraway, Natalie Cassidy, Example, Mel Giedroyc and Prue Leith have been unmasked as this year’s disguised line-up.

Meanwhile, the show faced chaos is week three after singer Macy Gray was unmasked as Toad in the Hole – and stormed off stage after the panel decided to save Bear instead of her.

Fan were left in shock as the I Try singer seemingly refused to take off her mask, with many describing the moment as “awkward”.

TV star Ruth Langsford shared a personal lunchtime recipe after taking inspiration from social media – here’s everything you need to know

Ruth Langsford has shared a personal lunchtime dish with fans, encompassing several healthy ingredients. The Loose Women panellist, 64, noticed so many ‘pretty’ variations on social media and decided to whip up a version of her own.

“Keep seeing these posts of salad bowls so thought I’d try one,” she wrote to her 1.1 million followers. “So pretty & healthy!” Ruth’s note was accompanied by a short clip of her meal which was a far cry than just green leaves and dressing.

Prawn, cherry tomatoes, olives and lettuce were among the ingredients she included, as well as avocado and what appeared to be celery and tuna. While each of these staples boast their own unique health benefits, avocado has received special attention from experts after being dubbed a ‘superfood’.

This is because they are brimming with several key nutrients like magnesium, potassium, and omega-3 fatty acids. The latter is what’s often referred to as ‘healthy fats’, which are critical for heart health, reducing diabetes risk, and cognitive function, according to emerging research.

Specialists at the University of Rochester Medical Centre outline: “Omega-3s are a helpful and important form of fat. Your body needs it but can’t make it. Your body needs 2 forms of omega fatty acids. These are omega-3 and omega-6.

“Experts believe that omega-3s help prevent coronary heart disease (CHD) in healthy people. They also believe omega-3s can slow progress of the disease in those who already have it.”

This isn’t the first time Ruth has shared a healthy recipe on Instagram. The TV star’s ‘upside down salad’ trick was also celebrated by fans, after she unveiled a tutorial on the platform.

Prawn, cherry tomatoes, olives and lettuce were among the ingredients Ruth included ( 
Image:
Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)Last September, she explained: “So, now I’m going to make what I call my ‘upside down salad’. So, basically, I put everything in layers in one of these [glass tubs], which means that when I tip it out the lettuce is on the bottom and everything else that I want is in layers. Anyway, you get the gist.

“So, basically I put kitchen roll in the bottom [of the tub] because then any kind of juices from the tomatoes and cucumber soak a bit into that, so the whole salad doesn’t get soggy. So, that’s the gist and let me show you how I do it.”

This time, Ruth’s salad included nine key ingredients, these are:

Tomatoes
Red onion
Tuna in olive oil
Hard boiled eggs
Avocado
Black olives
Cucumber
Lettuce
Brianna’s Honey Mustard DressingShe previously added: “I take this to work most days….stops me grabbing unhealthy, processed food. Even when you make a healthy choice and buy a salad, in my experience, they’re mostly leaves!!

“This way you get a good, decent portion salad and you get to put all the things you like in it!”

Former Love Island star Maura Higgins posted an Instagram story that showed she wasn’t staying at home on Valentine’s Day following her reported break up with Strictly Come Dancing’s Pete Wicks

Maura Higgins posted an Instagram story on Friday night that showed she was having a great time on Valentine’s Day without Strictly Come Dancing star Pete Wicks.

Maura and Pete have reportedly called time on their on-off romance, but the former Love Island star proved she was getting along just fine without reality star Pete in a social media post in which she was “painting the town red” with celebrity hair stylist Carl Bembridge.The Instagram story featured Maura and Carl at central London restaurant Sheesh, with both of them dressed in matching burgundy outfits. While Carl sported a muscle-defining long sleeve T-shirt and leather trousers, Maura celebrated Valentine’s Day by wearing a corset-style mini dress with ruffled skirt. Maura posed for a video clip entitled “My date is hotter than yours,” and also shared photos in which she and Carl posed with a glass of red wine. The song she featured on her Instagram story was Whitney Houston’s classic It’s Not Right But It’s Okay, which features lyrics in which a woman confronts her lover about his infidelity.

Maura shared photos of her Valentine’s night out ( 
Image:
Instagram/ @maurahiggins)

Maura wished her fans a Happy Valentine’s Day ( 
Image:
Instagram/ @maurahiggins)
It is believed that Maura and Pete have decided they are better off as friends after being in an on-off relationship for several months. Rumours the long-time pals had struck up a romance began last year when they were caught sharing a kiss during a Soho dinner in August. But it now looks like the relationship is over before it even really began.

A source told MailOnline: “Maura and Pete have decided to call off their romance. There have been a few clashes, and it was eventually agreed they were better off as friends. Those closest to them know it’s been a very on and off relationship, which is why they were so resistant to go public in the first place. They remain close and share a deep connection.”

Both Maura and Pete have previously been questioned about their relationship, most recently when Maura appeared on Loose Women following her time in the jungle on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!

A red-faced Maura Higgins was grilled about Pete Wicks romance rumours on Loose Women ( 
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She was left blushing when she was questioned about her supposed boyfriend Pete. When asked if she would consider appearing on the All Stars version of the ITV2 dating series that made her a household name, Maura quickly responded “no”, adding: “My dating show days are done!”

The panellists were quick to probe further into her comment, leading Maura to clarify: “I don’t want to go on a dating show, I’ve turned down All Stars before and I turned down the Celebs Go Dating. I’ve done it once and I spent the whole time in Love Island single!”

She was then asked by panellist Katie Piper if that meant she was not currently single, to which Maura replied: “No, did I say that? I know what you’re doing! No, I never said anything, next question! ” Frankie Bridge then directly asked: “Is there anything going on with Pete?” and commented that they made a lovely couple.

Maura responded: “Do we? I never really thought about it. He’s got better hair than me to be fair! There’s not really much to tell, I know that’s very boring, we’ve known each other for what, six years? We spend time together, we get on very well, our personalities are very very similar and he’s a great person but there’s actually nothing to tell. There’s really not though, no one believes me, there’s not!”

Emmerdale actor Jeff Hordley, who played Cain Dingle on the ITV soap for over two decades, has opened up about his battle with a chronic disease that has impacted his life

Jeff Hordley, best known for his role as Cain Dingle in the popular ITV soap Emmerdale, has shared how a simple lifestyle change has helped him manage his chronic Crohn’s disease without medication.

The 54-year-old actor opened up about his health battle on the Another Day Another Collar podcast. Crohn’s disease is a long-term condition that causes inflammation of parts of the digestive system, according to the NHS. It falls under the category of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

When asked by host Steve Mann if he was still an ambassador for Crohn’s disease, Jeff responded: “Crohn’s; no, I’m not anymore, but I was for years because I’ve had Crohn’s since I was 24, 25, and I’ve now managed to keep it under wraps because of diet.”

He went on to explain: “Certainly, like you were saying about, we eat very much seasonally; we eat from our allotment, from definitely June through to now.

“So that’s how I’ve managed to do it and exercise and things like that. I’ve managed to avoid any medication, which not every Crohn’s sufferer manages to do, but that’s the way I’ve managed it.”

Jeff went on to be an advocate who campaigned to raise awareness ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
Jeff added that people look for “quick fixes” rather than looking at things “holistically”. Instead of taking note of their rest, exercise, and what they are “putting” into their bodies, he said they ask for a tablet, something he described as the “modern way.”

According to the National Health Service, Crohn’s disease is one of the two main forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which affects more than 500,000 people across the UK.

Of this number, around 115,000 individuals are living with Crohn’s, based on data from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

Jeff was diagnosed with Crohn’s after he sadly lost his mother, who also had the condition, and he went on to be an advocate who campaigned to raise awareness.

While on an episode of Loose Women, his wife, Zoe, opened up about her husband’s fight with the condition, saying it “changed [their] lives” and that Jeff was concerned it would prevent him from pursuing a career in acting.

Jeff Hordley explained how he manages to “avoid any medication” ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
As an ambassador for Crohn’s and Colitis UK, Jeff reassured others by saying: “You are not alone if you are suffering from Crohn’s or Colitis… although sometimes you might feel as if you are.”

Crohn’s symptoms can range from diarrhoea and abdominal pain to blood in the stool, fatigue, and unexpected weight loss. The disease can cause flare-ups that are either persistent or sporadic.

The health service says you should visit your doctor if you notice poo in your blood, experience diarrhoea for more than seven days, have constant cramps or aches in your stomach, lose weight for no apparent reason, or your child isn’t growing as you’d expect.

You can learn more about Crohn’s disease via the NHS website here.

Princess Kate recently made a poignant visit to a prison to meet mothers behind bars, and she was able to put everyone at ease as she toured its on-site nursery

The Princess of Wales has a knack of putting people at ease when they meet her face-to-face. And that natural charm came into play when she visited a women’s prison in Cheshire earlier this week.

Kate, 43, continued her measured return to public duties by touring HMP Styal near Wilmslow, a closed-category prison for adult female and young offenders over the ages of 18. Inmates are serving sentences for everything from robbery and drug offences to the most serious, such as murder.

The princess was there to tour a Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) in her role as Patron of Action for Children to highlight how important “strong, loving and consistent” relationships are to a child’s development, even in the most challenging of environments. Amanda Taylor, Action for Children’s Operational Director of Children’s Services, later spoke to People about Kate’s “incredible visit”.

“We felt very privileged that the princess visited one of our mother and baby units,” she said. “We consider them our little gems that we don’t always get publicity about. It is incredibly important work that we deliver and for the princess to shine a light on that work was a fantastic opportunity for us.”

Although the mothers in the unit were “nervous,” the Princess of Wales made everyone feel “incredibly comfortable,” Taylor says. “She just naturally helped the women to feel relaxed,” she explains. “One of the women found it hard to talk and she spent some time with her at the end, talking to her one to one. She is very skilled at making people feel comfortable. These are very vulnerable women in a difficult situation.”

The prison, which has a capacity of 454, currently has about 400 female prisoners, both on remand and those already completing their sentences, including those for life. Pregnant women and mothers live in a separate area of the building and are supported to care for their babies by trained prison staff and early years experts, who even ensure that babies are exposed to regular experiences such as going on walks, shopping and travelling on a bus. They also help to organise overnight stays with other family members to establish strong bonds with a wider network.

Ultimately, the MBU’s aim is to help establish and maintain a strong bond between mother and child, particularly in the crucial few months of their lives. The hope is that the units will also help break the cycle of re-offending, which for female offenders in England and Wales sits at a rate of 22.3 per cent.

During her visit, the princess met staff and former residents to hear about the high-quality nursery provision the prison provides, as well as targeted intervention and parenting support for inmate mothers. She also visited its on-site nursery to see where babies and children living on-site can learn and play. And she chatted to a group of current inmates on the MBU to hear about how Action for Children has been helping them.

One of them left the prison six weeks ago with her toddler son after serving a 14-month sentence for an undisclosed offence, and another was 30 weeks pregnant when she began an 11-month sentence and gave birth to a daughter in prison.

One of the women told Kate how it was only by being sent to prison that she received “so much” help, something that was unlikely to have been available in her local community. The future queen replied: “It shouldn’t have to take something like this to get access to something like this…”