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Hit BBC series The Traitors has returned this week and the show has risked Ofcom complaints already as a huge rule break aired during Thursday night’s show

Reality TV series The Traitors has risked Ofcom’s backlash just two episodes into the latest series.

The hit BBC murder mystery returned on New Year’s Day for its third series as a whole new set of contestants hope to take home the huge prize money. Claudia Winkleman made her comeback as host of the hit programme and made Linda, Minah and Armani her Traitors.

The other 19 contestants were labelled the Faithful and on Wednesday night, the Traitors had to pick one to be murdered. They settled on communication scientist Yin, who became the first contestant to be murdered and kicked out of the competition. During Thursday night’s show, more drama unfolded as the Traitors decided to get rid of Keith.

The Traitors latest move sent the Faithfuls into a frenzy as they tried to work out who could be behind the moves. Faithfuls Livi, Francesca and Leanne sat down for a chat as they spoke about what had happened so far. During their chat, Livi broke a huge Ofcom rule as she swore before the 9pm watershed. She told her co-stars: “Obviously I am excited for the mission, but again I am s***ting myself for the table.”

Francesca told her: “Just do not think about it for a bit, just enjoy the day.” The watershed begins at 9pm and material unsuitable for children should not, in general, be shown before 9pm or after 5.30am. According to Ofcom, unsuitable material can include everything from sexual content to violence, graphic or distressing imagery and swearing.

Livi swore while talking to Francesca and Leanne ( 
Image:
BBC)
For example, the most offensive language must not be broadcast before the watershed on TV or, on radio, when children are particularly likely to be listening. Frequent use of offensive language must be avoided before the watershed, and must always be justified by its context.

A report from Ofcom in 2021, viewers found the word “s**t” a moderate offense where “context should be considered based on what an audience would reasonably expect.” The moderate rating means there is “greater potential for offence than mild words and a higher level of context should be considered.”

Contestant Yin, who became the first person eliminated from the series, warned the Traitors were too “chaotic” and lacked the ability, currently, to work together. Yin said it could be game over for them after too many errors and that it would take one ultimate betrayal to get them back on track, and to avoid being exposed.

She told the Mirror: “They are too chaotic as a three, you can tell already they are not going to work together. They’ve got the wrong combination of people. As individuals they are all phenomenal but as a trio they don’t congeal. Armani and Minah seem close, but Linda is not very strong and she’s hiding a bit. Jake cottoned onto her, so she could be a bit more proactive about it because he was right about her. In their commentary about each other they are already criticising each other which is a bad sign, a first impression gone sour.

“There should be more respect and admiration, they should be excited to work together but Minah thinks Armani is on another team. She’s already clocked that they do not have a team, and Linda says Armani is doing too much. I can’t see them lasting for very long, that’s the honest truth.”

On her sad exit from the show so soon, Yin confessed she was ‘disappointed’. She told us: “I didn’t get a breakfast, or a roundtable or a proper mission with everyone involved. These are all critical ingredients in this whole experience that I missed out on so it feels disappointing.”

The Mirror has contacted the BBC for comment.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor has spoken out following her BBC New Year’s Eve special which saw her welcome in the New Year by performing some of her biggest hits and cover tracks

Sophie Ellis-Bextor has responded after some branded her New Year’s Eve show “cringe.”

The Queen of Disco put on a show-stopping performance on Tuesday night as she helped BBC One viewers ring in the new year. Over the course of the night, the 45-year-old performed some of her biggest hits, as well as covers of iconic tracks by the likes of Madonna. In 2024, Sophie enjoyed a huge resurgence thanks to Barry Keoghan’s completely naked dance scene in the movie Saltburn going global with her iconic song.

But while some have heaped praise on her performances, others had branded it “cringe” and compared her show to a “karaoke night.” However, the trolling comments don’t appear to have phased Sophie who spoke about how fun the pre-recorded show was to film ahead of the New Year celebrations, as she was performing live in New York’s Times Square on the night.

Taking to Instagram, the Murder on The Dancefloor songstress shared a collection of snaps from the night. She captioned her upload: “So so proud and happy that I got to host a NYE disco on @bbc 1. What an absolute privilege – I know New Year’s Eve is a special night.

Sophie duetted with Jessie Ware during her show-stopping performance ( 
Image:
BBC)

“Huge thank you to my guests @jessieware @jakeshears @emilyrobertsguitarist who really brought the party – what a treat to have them on stage with me! – and I loved my finale with the @mdlsingers.” She added: “Special thanks to @victoriajayneadcock for styling – we had a blast dreaming up the looks and then Victoria went the extra mile to make them come true, and thanks to @lisalaudat1 for my hair and make up.

“I’ve seen many a new year in with the @bbc on as Big Ben chimes so I really see it as the biggest honour my band and I got to ring in 2025 with whoever was watching. If that was you, thank you. It’s on @bbciplayer now if you fancy it, too. Big thank you to the amazing @bbcstudios team who captured the show and created a world for us to do what we do. I loved the set, the lighting… Director @lizclaretv did such a brilliant job and the whole crew were so supportive and excited which only made us more excited too! The whole thing has been a really special experience.”

The programme received a mixed response from viewers ( 
Image:
BBC)
The comment section of Sophie’s post was filled with praise, with one follower writing: “Like a Prayer was amazing!” A second penned: “You were AMAZING! Best New Year’s show in years! Icon.” “You brought the party – the tinsel! The high kicks! What a way to being in a (hopefully better) year,” gushed another.

Scissors Sisters icon Jake Shears, who performed two tracks with Sophie commented: “Thanks for having me I had the best time!” But while many were quick to praise Sophie, some trolls took to X, formerly known as Twitter to vent their frustrations. One said: “What on earth is happening with the @BBCOne #NewYear show. Poor Sophie-Ellis Bextor can’t even keep up with her own songs, a breathless mess. Just lip-sync and then you can at least nail the stage presence… this is cringe!”

“This Sophie Ellis-Bextor performance on the BBC wouldn’t be out of place in the local on karaoke Thursdays. Absolute pony,” commented another. “Maybe I’m getting old but I can see why folk who stay in on NYE go to bed if the TV offerings are Sophie Ellis-Bextor or Jools Holland,” typed another.

The Traitors returned for its third series on Wednesday night with a new group of contestants competing at Ardross Castle, though some have already left the game on the show

The first contestant to be ‘murdered’ on the new series of the Traitors’ new series has broken her silence after fans were left fuming by her exit.

The BBC show returned for its third series on Wednesday night and a twist just minutes into the episode saw three contestants forced to leave the game early. The remaining 22 contestants later arrived at Ardross Castle in Scotland.

Call centre manager Minah, 29, retired opera singer Linda, 70, and financial investigator Armani, 27, were then chosen by host Claudia Winkleman, 52, to be the Traitors. For their first ‘murder,’ the trio chose to eliminate communication scientist Yin, 34. Armani said: “She’s just got too much brains and I just see it being a big pain in the a*** down the line.”

Following her departure, Yin appeared on companion show the Traitors: Uncloaked. She said: “I never thought I’d be referred to as a pain in the a***. That phrase did not cross my mind.” When asked about hearing the reason for her elimination, she said: “It is [bittersweet]. Very devastating still but I think the funny thing is … I honestly don’t think I came across as that smart having now seen the episode. I think if anything I looked confused […] And that was deliberate.”

She later said: “I’m not a good analyst of my own articulation and how I hold myself. […] So I must have missed out on signals I was sending through even how I put sentences together, the words I was using, for example, must have given away that intellectual side of it.”

The Traitors returned for its new series this week and Yin became the first contestant to be ‘murdered’ ( 
Image:
BBC)
Asked her reaction to finding out the identities of the Traitors when she watched the episode, Yin shared on the spin-off show: “I was absolutely shocked. It actually proves that murdering me wasn’t the best move because I had no idea.”

Yin went on to suggest that fashion choices among the contestants can speak volumes. She said: “This is a show about communication. Through the portraits themselves that are in the breakfast room and how you dress for day one especially, you communicate more through those two things, I believe, than through what you say or do, in that first day, right, where there’s so much chaos and noise.”

She continued: “How you’ve chosen to package yourself, the colours and what you’re wearing, in terms of is it a dress [or] a suit? is it slouchy? Is it sharp edged? It gives a lot away.”

Discussing having brought various options for herself, she said: “I wanted to be able to weaponise and communicate through the clothing that I was wearing and accessories. […] That was all deliberate because you can communicate so much more through that, than through the actions and words I would say, or at least as much, right? That’s why I had the arsenal prepared – it was to have as much flexibility of communication.”

Emmerdale aired some confusing scenes involving Marlon Dingle and Laurel Thomas this week on the ITV soap, hinting something has happened in secret between the exes

Viewers have ‘worked out’ what Emmerdale’s Marlon Dingle and Laurel Thomas are hiding on the ITV soap after some cryptic scenes.

The exes have not been onscreen together really in recent weeks, but something in the latest set of episodes hinted they had a secret. Marlon had been confronted by his family liaison officer amid his teenaged daughter April Windsor going missing.

She had revealed a worrying video filmed by April had been uncovered where it was implied her dad was having an affair with his ex Laurel. April had seen some text messages between them and had apparently shared her fears her dad was cheating on his wife Rhona Goskirk.

Marlon seemed unnerved by this while he asked for Rhona not to be told, insisting there was nothing going on. The mystery has left viewers baffled, as we have not seen anything onscreen involving the pair.

We did see Marlon visit Laurel after the video surfaced, and the pair cryptically discussed whatever it was they were hiding. Laurel was horrified to know April had seen the texts, with Marlon fearing this is why April fled.

Laurel hit back though, fearing her secret would get out. She told him: “OK, you’re under a lot of pressure, I get it. But April hasn’t run away because of some texts. Please Marlon. If this get out I could lose everything.”

Viewers have ‘worked out’ what Emmerdale’s Marlon Dingle and Laurel Thomas are hiding ( 
Image:
ITV)
Viewers now believe they know what she and Marlon are hiding, and what the texts may have been about. Many viewers do not think the pair have embarked on an affair, and that it’s something else that is troubling them.

While the texts could insinuate something has happened between them, fans think Laurel might be in trouble or might be struggling. Could Marlon simply be protecting her at her request?

Viewers think so, believing that Laurel may have relapsed with her alcoholism and Marlon is simply covering for her. One viewer predicted on social media: “What in the Marlon & Laurel is this… (I know it’s not an affair, but am curious about the explanation).”

Another viewer agreed: “Marlon and Laurel are not having an affair… he’s not the one scared the secret is gonna come out, she is, it’s obvious she’s hiding something so everyone needs to chill on the affair thing.” A third fan added: “I feel like Laurel relapsed and went to Marlon.” Viewers will have to stay tuned to find out what’s really going on!

Coronation Street star Simon Gregson has been part of the ITV soap for over 30 years, playing the role of Steve McDonald, but he has had his fair share of health battles

Coronation Street stalwart Simon Gregson has shared an update on his health battles, having previously revealed his struggles with anxiety attacks while filming the popular ITV soap.

The actor, who has portrayed Steve McDonald since he was just 15, admitted that his early rise to fame led to problems later in life, including alcohol issues which eventually resulted in an anxiety disorder.

His drinking nearly cost him his relationship with his wife Emma Gleave, leading to a point where she had to give him an ultimatum. It was then that Simon decided to quit alcohol, but this decision left him battling severe anxiety, forcing him to take a six-month break from work.

Coronation Street stalwart Simon Gregson has shared an update on his health battles
Back in 2015, when his wife Emma was pregnant with their third child, Simon realised he needed to make changes and took time off from acting to seek help, eventually receiving a diagnosis of anxiety disorder. A decade after his diagnosis, Simon appeared on Loose Women to discuss his journey and coping strategies, hoping to provide support for others experiencing similar struggles.

Speaking to the panel on Thursday (Jan 2nd), which included host Sunetra Sarker, Kèllè Bryan, Linda Robson and Dame Kelly Holmes, Simon opened up about his progress and gave insight into what life was like during that challenging period.

He revealed: “With me it came to a head in 2015 I had anxiety attacks. I’ve been having them all day today. No way I can go on I’ll just have to go home.”, reports Lancs Live.

The actor has suffered from anxiety disorder for over a decade
He added, “It just hits you like a ton of bricks and makes you incapacitated. Had them since 1990 and I had children and they started noticing. And they start getting anxiety. I thought I’d passed it on, like a cold and knew I had to get a grip.”

In that same candid chat, Simon admitted to the scary moment he doubted his ability to go on-air after experiencing a panic attack just before Loose Women was set to broadcast, saying, “I didn’t think I could come on here today but I thought I’ve got to and I had to be completely open with everybody and say I am having a panic attack,” earning him a round of encouraging cheers from the panel.

Previously speaking on the YouTube channel Deep, Simon recollected the point when things just became too much for him, as he recounted: “I remember ringing my boss, and he said, ‘You okay? ‘. I went, ‘No’. I said, ‘I’m in my car, ready to go work, I can’t get off the drive. I physically can’t drive the car off the drive. I can’t do it’.”

Simon confessed he didn’t think he’d be to make it onto the showThe actor faced pressure to return to the set, but his doctor intervened, insisting on a minimum six-month break from filming. He shared: “Initially they said, well, ideally we could do with you back at this point, and it was like being given a goal post to get mentally better for, and that didn’t work for me. Luckily for me, the doctor was like, ‘No, this cannot be that. It has to be six months at least’.”

Giovanni Pernice and his girlfriend Bianca Guaccero have made a huge decision about their relationship just days after the pair were crowned the winners of the Italian version of Strictly

Giovanni Pernice and his girlfriend Bianca Guaccero have cemented their relationship.

The Italian dancer left Strictly while the BBC probed claims he’d bullied 2023 partner Amanda Abbington. Giovanni, 34, vehemently denied the allegations and was ultimately cleared of nearly all abuse allegations in September after a six-month-long internal BBC investigation.

In November this year, while appearing on the Italian version of Strictly, Ballando con le Stelle, Giovanni confirmed his romance with Italian actress and singer Bianca Guaccero. The couple wowed on the dance floor, and it soon became evident that their ballroom chemistry continued behind the scenes.

Just days after the pair were crowned the winners, it appears that they have made a major decision about taking their romance further. Bianca, has now taken to Instagram to reveal the bold step they have taken which comes with no going back. In view of her 897,00 followers, she shared a string of loved-up snaps of the happy couple.

Giovanni Pernice and his girlfriend have made a huge decision about their romance ( 
Image:
Instagram)

The pair have matching tattoos ( 
Image:
Instagram)

One image saw the happy couple kissing one another before Bianca went on to reveal that they have gone on to be tattooed with the date they won Ballando con le Stelle. Captioning her upload, the actress penned: “21/12/2018. And how could we ever forget that date that YOU made Irreplaceable. Thank you for everything. Merry Christmas to everyone!”

But it appears she made an apparent dig at his Strictly partner, Amanda Abbington. Bianca continued: “I wish you to always be able to go beyond the unpleasant things in life and the envy of those who try to dominate or discredit you. Smile and dream on… against all odds… Make it as. as. as possible. Do it Intensely. Never lose sight of the goal. This is how your path can never be stopped. This has always been my secret. This day is yours. I love you.”

Her post which has been liked over 85,000 times was flooded with sweet messages. Giovanni commented underneath her post, writing: “Love and thanks to all of you who contributed to making all this happen!!” Prior to winning Ballando con le Stelle, the dancer revealed he was open to the idea of marrying Bianca.

When quizzed on their success, he said: “If we win the show, I’ll seriously think about it.” He went public with his romance with the 43-year-old actress and singer last month after appearing to have grown close over the weeks. Speaking in a clip before the pair performed on screen, he said: “Bianca is my priority. She has been my priority from the beginning. She is still my priority today and will be until the end of the show and beyond.” Touched, she replied: “Being someone’s priority is something new for me. I have always been the one taking care of others.”

The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, has seemingly returned to the spotlight with her own Instagram account – seven years on from deactivating her original account to join the Royal Family

The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle has seemingly returned to the spotlight and launched her own personal Instagram account – a possible sign she and husband Prince Harry have ‘professionally split’ in terms of their respective careers.

The Duchess seems to have a new account with the simple handle, ‘meghan’, and one singular post, a video reel. However, the account has yet to be verified with a blue tick. The video showed the royal and former actress running along the beach before she bends over to write ‘2025’ in the wet sand.

She could be heard dusting her hands before she laughed and ran past the camera. Prince Harry was nowhere in sight for the actual video but was reportedly the one filming the short clip. Comments are turned off on the post but her account has already gained over a 100,000 followers in a short period of time.

In January 2018, ahead of marrying Prince Harry, Meghan deactivated her Instagram, Twitter (X) and Facebook accounts, alongside her lifestyle blog The Tig, ahead of becoming part of the Royal Family. Meghan previously hinted at her return to social media in August 2022, telling The Cut: “I’m getting back … on Instagram.”

She wrote ‘2025’ in the sand ( 
Image:
Instagram)

Meghan’s new Instagram account was created in June 2022, around the time of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, and has had one previous username prior to its current handle. The mum-of-two and Prince Harry have an official joint Instagram account, ‘sussexroyal’, with over 9million followers.

Meghan’s solo return to Instagram follows the former Suits actress and husband Harry sharing some festive cheer with their 2024 Christmas card, featuring a joyful family photo. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s card last month showcased a new snap of their children, Archie, 5, and Lilibet, 3.

One of the six photos in the greeting captures the kids from behind as they excitedly dash towards their parents. The card depicts Meghan beaming at Archie while Harry greets Lili, affirming his recent remarks about her long, red hair – just like her big brother’s. “On behalf of the office of Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Archewell Productions and Archewell Foundation,” the card’s message read.

Meghan was reportedly filmed by her husband, Prince Harry
The montage also includes five other snaps of Prince Harry, 40, and Meghan, 43, from their visits to Nigeria and Colombia this year. “We wish you a very happy holiday season and a joyful new year,” it concluded. For Royal enthusiasts, it was a rare chance to see the Sussexes’ children, who were last seen in the couple’s Netflix docuseries ‘Harry and Meghan’, released in December 2022.

Nearly half a decade after stepping down as senior royals, Harry and Meghan have kept up the tradition of releasing their Christmas card photograph just like other Royal Family members. The 2023 season’s greeting featured the Sussexes at the Invictus Games in Düsseldorf—a cheerful snapshot with Harry in a chic black shirt and jacket, and Meghan dazzling in a sophisticated dark green strapless dress.

While fans eagerly await their card each year, the couple has sometimes chosen not to include their children in it. An insider previously informed People earlier that Harry is cautious about publicising his children—not out of secrecy but to shield them from the spotlight and safeguard against threats.

“Harry has been reluctant to show his children publicly, not out of a desire to hide them but to protect their privacy and safety from potential threats.” Concern for their normalcy and safety related to abduction fears is paramount for him. “He wants them to lead as normal a life as possible without the fear of kidnapping or harm. Harry is determined to ensure that history doesn’t repeat itself,” alluding to the tragedy of Princess Diana’s passing.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ( 
Image:
Anadolu via Getty Images)Meanwhile, fans have been wondering about the state of their relationship amid a string of solo appearances. Harry was forced to address cruel claims during an appearance in New York at a prestigious event, where he laughed off any discontent in the marriage and added that he felt ‘genuinely’ sorry for the trolls, whose “hopes are just built and built, and it doesn’t happen”.

Suits actress Meghan and her husband have been busy with their projects, with Meghan gearing up to launch her brand American Rivieria Orchard, while Harry’s Invictus Games will take place in February in Vancouver and Whistler in Canada. Sources close to the couple also claimed one of them always stays behind from appearances for their children.

One pal previously told People: “What we are seeing is a functional and healthy relationship with two working partners, not the contrary.” Meanwhile, another source also told the magazine that it shows the couple’s new “twin-track approach” with Harry focusing on his charity endeavours and Meghan on her entrepreneurial projects and business.

And PR expert Mark Borkowski told The Telegraph that the Sussexes’ “separation of work” has been ongoing for a while now, especially as Meghan works on her new American Riviera Orchard brand. Borkowski thinks their solo appearances is because the “star power” they believed they might have had as a couple when they dramatically quit their royal roles simply “didn’t work”.

Coleen Rooney won over the nation when she appeared on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!, a spell which has reportedly sparked a bidding war as broadcasters are “desperate” to snap her up.

Wayne Rooney is set to become a “house husband” as Coleen is “in the driving seat” as the family star.

The 39-year-old former England footballer left his job at Plymouth Argyle on Tuesday. The club announced they “mutually agreed to part ways” with their manager as they sat bottom of English football’s second tier.

And while Wayne may now be facing a spell out of work, Coleen’s popularity has soared as she came second to McFly’s Danny Jones on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! last month. The show is often seen as a commercial springboard for celebrities.

It is another big win for Coleen who has had a rollercoaster couple of years following her High Court dispute with Rebekah Vardy. According to The Telegraph, Coleen’s appearance on I’m a Celeb has sparked a number of high-profile broadcasting offers.

Wayne could become a stay-at-home dad for his four children. ( 
Image:
Instagram)

Coleen, 38, is reported to have been paid £1.5 million to enter the jungle. The star is now said to be the centre of a bidding war as broadcasters are said to be “desperate” to sign her up.

An insider told Closer: “ITV are the frontrunners to get her for Loose Women and she would love to do it, but Netflix are now coming in with some big-money offers – we’re talking offers of well over £1 million.”

And with Wayne set to return home to his wife and children at their Cheshire home, he could now take on the role of “house husband” as Coleen “takes the driving seat,” reports The Telegraph. The publication says Wayne is “unlikely” to move into punditry full-time, claiming he “lacks the telegenic fluency” of the likes of Gary Lineker.

Manchester United’s record goalscorer could however make another move into management in the future. He has already had spells in charge of Derby County, DC United in Major League Soccer, and Birmingham City.

The Sun however claims Wayne’s future looks set to be in the media as the star has been offered a lucrative move into punditry. It would see Wayne making a similar move to fellow Liverpudlian Jamie Carragher or ex-Manchester United defender Gary Neville who have become popular figures on Sky Sports.

An insider said: “Wayne is regarded as one of the best pundits in the business.

“He’s very, very knowledgeable about the game. And even though he’s actually quite a shy person, he really feels at home in a TV studio.”

Coleen shares four children with husband Wayne. ( 
Image:
coleen_rooney/instagram)
The Mirror previously reported the family could also feature in a Kardashians-like reality TV show. It would star Wayne and Coleen along with Kai 14, Klay 11, Kit eight, and Cass, six.

The concept is said to have gained interest from both Amazon and Disney. An insider said: “It was all set to be Disney’s and then Amazon appeared in the frame. That has sent the fee up. It looks now like the show will go to Disney, but there’s still time.

“Coleen’s time on I’m a Celeb has made her the nation’s sweetheart, even if she didn’t win. The British public can’t get enough of her. Her profile is bigger than ever and the fee for her family’s reality show will reflect that.”

Gavin and Stacey star James Corden has revealed the show was nearly scrapped after the first draft was ‘awful’ and it was named something different before it aired

Gavin and Stacey star James Corden has revealed that the 2019 Christmas cliffhanger episode was very nearly scrapped, after struggling to write it with co-creator Ruth Jones.

Gavin & Stacey: A Fond Farewell covers the series from start to finish, how it became a huge hit and that cliffhanger ending in 2019, as well as featuring an emotional goodbye from some of its stars. Co-creator Ruth also reveals how the beloved comedy was originally called something very different to Gavin and Stacey.

In the behind the scenes BBC documentary, star and co-creator James revealed how the Christmas cliffhanger episode in 2019 very nearly didn’t make it at all. When James and ‘Nessa’ actress and fellow co-creator Ruth Jones came to write it in 2014, their first version was “awful”.

Gavin and Stacey: A Fond Farewell gave viewers a behind the scenes look at the beloved sitcom ( 
Image:
PA)
James recalled: “The 2019 special, I don’t know if people know this, but we gave up on it at one point. We’d written maybe half way through and we read it and we were like ‘this is rubbish, this is awful, it’s terrible’. Like it’s extraordinary how close we were to just…I actually remember saying to each other ‘well thank god we didn’t call the BBC’.”

He added that they ate dinner and then decided to try again, with their next attempt luckily much better. He continued: “I said ‘Look, I think we probably owe it to the show to go back in and talk about why it’s bad and say goodbye to it really.’ We were like two hours from saying goodbye to it and we can never do it again because it isn’t very good.”

Ruth added: “But then we realised – which is true for every episode of Gavin and Stacey – that the reason these people are together is because of Gavin and Stacey, so we realised that the reason it wasn’t working is because there wasn’t anything substantial for them.” James concluded: “And then that night at 11pm is when we came up with the scene of Stacey keeping hold of the matches and it changed everything.”

The documentary revealed Gavin and Stacey was almost known as ‘It’s My Day’ instead ( 
Image:
PA)
The stars also revealed how the idea for the beloved BBC sitcom was thought up and it was named something totally different. Ruth explained: “I said let’s write this treatment so we can send it off, it was called It’s My Day, it literally was just about the wedding with lots of these little vignettes.” James added: “We also wrote, really just for us, a backstory for of who they were.”

After sending it off to the BBC, the response was positive but ultimately there was “no space” for a one hour comedy special, so they were asked to turn it into a series instead. Deciding to explore the backstory of the romance then became Gavin and Stacey, which first hit screens in 2007 and became an instant hit.

The finale episode of Gavin & Stacey aired on Christmas Day, and was watched by 12.5 million viewers who had tuned in. The episode reunited the cast following the last festive special in 2019 and there were some surprise appearances in it too. Despite the Christmas Day episode being the last ever for Gavin & Stacey, there has already been talk of a spin-off with BBC bosses said to be keen. BBC bosses reportedly see it as “madness” to walk away from such a big hit, despite Ruth and James being “adamant” Gavin and Stacey is over. An insider has claimed: “But, when a programme achieves such results, execs will always hope for more. At the end of the day, ratings talk and it would be madness to close the door on such a hit forever when fans loved it so much.”

This week, Traitors viewers will be introduced to contestant Olivia Dean, who has defied all odds after undergoing an incredibly difficult health battle throughout her childhood and teen years

It’s crunch time for 25 new new hopefuls vying to outwit each other and smoke out the Traitors to bag the cash prize. Or, in the case of the traitors, murder all the other players and scheme their way to the final.

This week, viewers will be introduced to one contestant who has defied all odds after undergoing an incredibly difficult health battle throughout her childhood and teen years. Beautician and model Olivia (Livi) Dean, 26, was persuaded to take part by her mum, who’s a huge fan of the show.

“I thought I’ll just apply for it, but I didn’t take it too seriously until I got a bit further in the process,” she admits ahead of the show airing for the first time this evening. “I used to think I’d be amazing as a Traitor, but I’ve thought about it and I’m actually an honest person. I think if I lie, nothing good will happen for me, so I always avoid lying. I do really want to be a Faithful and I think I’d be a good Faithful.”

Liv was just 12 when she went to the opticians with her sister and mum to get sunglasses and have her eyes checked. “My vision was funny, I said, so maybe I needed glasses too,” she told the Telegraph. “Ironically, there was a problem with my eyes, though I’d never clocked that things weren’t totally normal. For as long as I could remember there was this big black ‘floater’ in my vision in my right eye. Because it had always been there, I’d thought that other people must have one as well.”

Olivia Dean was diagnosed with cancer at 12 ( 
Image:
livi.deane/Instagram)

However, when the optician saw the mass in her eye, he told her she needed to go to the hospital to have it checked. He’d believed it was cataracts but considering how young she was, it was also suspicious.

She was referred to St Bart’s – a specialist hospital for heart and cancer care – in London after her local hospital in Horsham struggled to diagnose her condition. Sadly, she was told she had a form of cancer called retinoblastoma in her right eye.

Livi was transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital to start chemotherapy straight away. She recalled her mum and nanna bursting into tears as she stared in shock and asked if she was going to die. Livi was told that the worst case scenario would be that she would lose her eye, but that they would try to stop that from happening.

“To this day I’m the oldest person ever to be diagnosed with retinoblastoma in Britain, a form of cancer that’s usually found in children under four – so in reality, no one knew what was going to happen,” she said. “Specsavers saved my life, I know now. Had I not gone for that checkup I would have died.”

Livi underwent chemotherapy for three weeks but said that the “worst thing” was losing her hair. She said: “I knew it was going to happen. It came out of my short brown bob in clumps, when I brushed or washed it. The kids at school were horrible, calling me a boy and making fun of my bald patches. I was gifted a beautiful wig from the Little Princess Trust that saved my self-esteem, and that my mum could never have afforded herself.

She lost hair from all over her body, including her legs, eyebrows, eyelashes and armpits. She recalled her period stopped just a few months after they had started – prior to the diagnosis and treatment – and that she felt like she’d been “held back in childhood”.

She has a prosthetic eye but feels more beautiful without it ( 
Image:
livi.deane/Instagram)

Livi is now a model and beautician ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
Tragically, none of the treatments fully worked so, in a last ditch attempt to save her eye, they became the eleventh person in the world to be offered chemotherapy intravenously through a transfusion into her groin while under general anaesthetic. Thast was able to freeze her tumour and she was in remission.

But, sadly, she was told just before Christmas that her cancer was growing again and that they would have to remove her eye. “I was going to be disfigured, I thought, with a horrible, scary crater in my face,” she said. “What would kids at school think? Later they would call me a cyclops, so I was right about what was coming.”

She underwent the surgery on December 30 and recalled “howling” when she woke up after the removal, admitting it hurt to move her remaining eye around. “The first thing my mum said when I woke up was that I looked beautiful. She was my guiding light through all of this,” she said.

Sadly, her cancer didn’t fully go away despite her eye being removed and she needed another round of chemo for it to go fully into remission. Describing it as a “miracle” she survived, Livi admitted that she was “so resigned to dying that the hospital almost had to call social services to force [her] to come in for treatment”.

Livi went on to have a prosthetic eye designed for her at Moorfields Eye hospital, but says that if she has it in today people think she has a “lazy eye”. She also doesn’t feel like the “real her” when she puts it in and feels more beautiful without it.

Three years ago, while working as a cleaner for her sister’s company, she posted about her eye loss story and shared a photo of herself without her prosthetic. It was from this post she was discovered by Katie Piper, who helped get her signed to a modelling agency. Since then, she’sappeared in Vogue magazine without her prosthetic.

Livi said: “I never got to be a normal teenager, but my illness taught me that there is more to life than the little inconveniences and dramas we all get so wrapped up in.”