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  • Is Ryan Thomas staying on Coronation Street and why did he leave? Jason Grimshaw’s fate revealed

    Is Ryan Thomas staying on Coronation Street and why did he leave? Jason Grimshaw’s fate revealed

    Ryan Thomas is back in Coronation Street tonight as Jason Grimshaw, but why did he leave in the first place and why is he back on the ITV soap?

    Ryan alongside his co-stars Gareth and Sue
    Ryan alongside his co-stars Gareth and Sue(Image: ITV)

    Ryan Thomas is back on the Coronation Street cobbles – nine years after Jason Grimshaw left for Thailand. The Corrie legend is back tonight, reprising his role as Jason after nearly a decade.

    Ryan is back on the Cobbles amid a huge exit storyline for his mum Eileen Grimshaw, as actress Sue Cleaver quits her role on the soap after decades playing the iconic character. He returns tonight – but for a very specific reason.

    “He’s struggling for money, his girlfriend left him, and he needs his mum. He says he’s come back for Eileen, but he really needs a cuddle and his safety net,” he tells us of his character’s decision to come back.

    Ryan admitted he felt nervous about his return and it was a “shock to the system” being back. He said: “I couldn’t sleep the night before. Even though I’d been there half my life, I felt like the new kid at school. It took me half a day to get rid of the nerves. It was a bit of a shock to the system at first. I even went on YouTube to rewatch old scenes and got nervous.

    Jason is back from Thailand!
    Jason is back from Thailand!(Image: ITV)

    “He’s embraced the Thai way of life. I wanted to come back in the builder’s outfit, but it made sense that he’s in a different phase of his life now. He is all linen trousers and bracelets and beads. It gives you a feel of this older Jason whose life is away from the Cobbles.”

    Fans will be no doubt hoping that Jason might be making a permanent return to the show – but sadly, it has been confirmed his return will just be a brief stint to help Coronation Street fans say goodbye to Eileen.

    “It was a mix of nostalgia and gratitude for what the show has done for me. When they told me Eileen was leaving, it felt right to be a part of that storyline for her and revisit where it all started,” he said.

    Ryan says he has “no regrets” about coming back and admits it was “real fun” stepping into the character once again.

    “I have no regrets. It’s been the perfect storyline and a real memory I can cherish. It felt like the old days, we’ve all been in the canteen, having lunch together and I had real fun,” he said of his return.

    The specifics of Jason’s return are being kept under wraps – and how long he stays. He had originally left all the way back in 2016. At the time, he called his decision a big risk.

    “It’s a risk to leave a show like Coronation Street. I was in a bubble for 16 years. I love the place, it feels like home and I miss people there. But I really enjoy my time out of Corrie, getting to do new things. There’s a time to spread your wings and I felt like that was the time for me. I was ready,” he told The Mirror about his decision to leave.

  • The Grand Tour shake-up as original trio ‘replaced by younger and cooler new hosts’

    The Grand Tour shake-up as original trio ‘replaced by younger and cooler new hosts’

    The Grand Tour was hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond for Prime Video but there’s now speculation over their potential replacements on the show

    Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond, all in shirts, dark jackets and jeans, at an event in 2024.
    There’s speculation over Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond’s potential replacements as hosts of the Grand Tour(Image: Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty Images)

    There’s speculation over the line-up for the Grand Tour, with news hosts said to have signed up. It’s been teased that Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond’s apparent replacements are “younger” and “cooler”.

    Jeremy, 65, James, 62, and Richard, 55, hosted the Prime Video show together from 2016 until it ended last year. They are looking back over it in four special episodes though. One has aired so far and it was previously announced that the others will be released “later this year and into 2026”. It has now been reported that their replacements for the Grand Tour have been decided. It’s claimed that Thomas Holland and James Engelsman – who run the Throttle House channel on YouTube – will front the motoring TV show with viral trainspotter Francis Bourgeois, 24, moving forward.

    Francis Bourgeois holding onto handrails as he rides a First Bus
    It’s been reported that TikTok star Francis Bourgeois is lined up as a new host for the Grand Tour(Image: Katielee Arrowsmith/PinPep)

    A source has told the Sun: “Thomas and James are as knowledgeable about motors as Jeremy, Richard and James – the only difference is they’re younger, cooler and a lot more social media savvy. Francis became famous for his love of trainspotting and will be bringing his humour to the show.”

    Thomas and James are behind the brand Throttle House, which has more than 3 million subscribers on YouTube. Through the channel, the pals post “everything from car reviews to track tests, to epic adventures”. Launched by Thomas, the channel dates back to 2013 and James later joined as a presenter in 2018.

    Francis – whose real name is Luke Nicolson – instead rose to fame through TikTok in 2021. He’s known for posting content about trains, including footage of himself trainspotting, and has more than 3 million followers on the platform

    Thomas Holland in a black top and trousers in front of a car with the bonnet open.
    It’s claimed that he will front the show alongside the duo behind Throttle House, which includes Thomas Holland(Image: Instagram/thomasholland_th)

    It was reported earlier this year that he was being considered for the Grand Tour. A source previously told the Sun: “Francis is a big noise online and Amazon producers are hoping to bring him into the mainstream. […] Francis is not just a social media sensation but trained as a mechanical engineer so knows his stuff.”

    The latest speculation about the line-up comes after former host James May suggested that a younger generation should take the helm of motoring shows like the Grand Tour. He spoke about stepping back on Australia’s ABC News in March.

    After suggesting that he wouldn’t reunite with Jeremy and Richard in such a role, he said: “It was probably time for us to stop because we always said we would land it … we would land it with dignity not fly it into the cliffs. That’s the way we used to talk about it. We have come close to flying it into the cliffs a few times so it was probably the right time to stop.”

    James Engelsman in a blue shirt sat in a silver car with the door open.
    Thomas’ presenting partner James Engelsman is said to be the third new host of the Prime Video show(Image: Instagram/jamesengelsman)

    Discussing the future, he suggested that the former Top Gear presenters are “getting on a bit”. He then proposed that a “younger generation” should find a “new way” of discussing motoring, as opposed to their potentially “dated” view.

    He said at the time: “We’re getting on a bit. Our view of the subject is probably becoming a bit dated. It’s time for a younger generation to reevaluate it and think of a new way of talking about things like cars and transport generally.”

    James expressed hope that “somebody out there” will be able to, though said he wasn’t sure “exactly” how. He said in the interview: “I don’t know how they’re going to do it exactly but I feel sure there must be somebody out there.”

  • Emmerdale announce Joe Absolom is joining soap as ‘dark’ villain with a huge secret

    Emmerdale announce Joe Absolom is joining soap as ‘dark’ villain with a huge secret

    ITV soap Emmerdale has announced yet another fresh face to the village – with actor Joe Absolom set to be joining the cast this summer in a dark upcoming storyline

    Joe Absolom
     Joe Absolom will be joining the cast of Emmerdale(Image: ITV)

    There’s another fresh face expected in Emmerdale this year. The ITV soap has just announced that acclaimed actor, Joe Absolom, will be joining the cast this summer, playing Ray, an old contact of Mackenzies.

    TV fans will recognise Joe from his wealth of television, theatre and film credits, including Doc Martin, The Bay and most recently playing the role of Braden Moore in Code of Silence.

    Soap fans will also recognise the star from his role Matthew Rose in BBC soap EastEnders from 1997 to 2000.

    Speaking on his upcoming role in the soap, Joe said: “Well what an honour to join such a talented team at Emmerdale! It’s an iconic show and I’m grateful to be part of it. I can’t wait to see what’s in stock for Ray!”

    Joe Absolom
    Joe Absolom will join Emmerdale as Ray(Image: ITV)

    As for his upcoming storyline, the soap have revealed that the character, like many others, will have a dark side. Ray will arrive at the farm claiming to be selling farm machinery but it won’t be long before his true drug dealing ways become clear.

    Despite Ray’s calm and collected exterior, it’s clear a menacing streak hides just below the surface.

    The cast and crew are thrilled to have John on board, as Emmerdale producer Laura Shaw said: “We are thrilled to welcome Joe Absolom to the cast. It’s fantastic to have such a high calibre and immensely talented actor join our wonderful team to play the role of Ray.

    Ryan Hawley
    The news comes after Ryan Hawley made his shock return to the soap

    “Charming, charismatic and effortlessly likeable, Ray is an extremely complex character who very quickly shows his dark and villainous side to some of our most loved villagers, leaving them in no doubt as to what he’s capable of”.

    Earlier this year, the soap welcomed Celebrity Big Brother star Bradley Riches as Lewis Barton.

    It was announced in March that Bradley, 23, known for his role on Netflix’s Heartstopper, had joined the cast of the long-running soap opera, and has now become Emmerdale’s first openly neurodivergent character.

    As well as new faces, the soap has also introduced one very familiar face back to the village. This week, fans were left in shock when Ryan Hawley reprised his role as Robert Sudgden, crashing his ex husband Aaron Dingle’s wedding.

    In an interview with Lorraine, the star teased his character was back to “win Aaron back and bring down John Sugden.”

  • British Soap Awards 2025 winners list in full as EastEnders storms to victory

    British Soap Awards 2025 winners list in full as EastEnders storms to victory

    EastEnders and Emmerdale were the joint shows to beat at the 2025 British Soap Awards as both had an impressive 13 nominations over 12 categories each – but the BBC soap proved triumphant on the night

    The full winners list of the British Soap Awards 2025 has been unveiled
    The full winners list of the British Soap Awards 2025 has been unveiled(Image: PA)

    EastEnders were the big winners at tonight’s British Soap Awards, taking away the top gong. Named Best British Soap, they beat Emmerdale, Coronation Street and Hollyoaks to the coveted accolade.

    Walking away with eight awards in total, Steve McFadden picked up Best Dramatic Performance and Best Single Episode for Phil Mitchell’s psychosis. It comes in the soap’s 40th anniversary year.

    Hollyoaks got three awards, Emmerdale got two and Coronation Street walked away with one – the Outstanding Achievement Award to David Neilson, who has played Roy Cropper for 30 years. The biggest names in soapland dazzled on the glitter carpet – with Hollyoaks actress Jorgie Porter and Corrie favourite Tina O’Brien both looking sensational in the same dress, a sparkly Oh Polly number.

    EastEnders icons Gillian Taylforth and Anita Dobson were in attendance at the awards
    EastEnders icons Gillian Taylforth and Anita Dobson were in attendance at the awards(Image: PA)

    Speaking before she was presented with the scene of the year award, EastEnders legend Anita Dobson said: “It was just perfect.” And asked if she could return again, she said: “I don’t think so, although I should say never say never, it would have to be something extra special.”

    Gillian Taylforth, who plays Kathy Beale, added: “It was just brilliant, although none of us knew that she was coming back! We’ll need Ange back if anything ever happened to Kathy, not that I want it too.”

    Hosted by Jane McDonald, telly favourites Sir David Jason and Larry Lamb presented awards at London’s Hackney Empire.

    The awards were back after being cancelled last year. Watch the British Soap Awards 2025 on Thursday 5 June via ITV1 and ITVX at 8pm.

    The British Soap Awards 2025 winners list in full;

    BEST BRITISH SOAP

    BEST LEADING PERFORMER

    EastEnders: Lacey Turner (Stacey Slater)

    VILLAIN OF THE YEAR

    EastEnders: Navin Chowdhry (Nish Panesar)

    BEST COMEDY PERFORMANCE

    Coronation Street: Jack P. Shepherd (David Platt)

    BEST FAMILY

    Hollyoaks: The Osbornes

    BEST DRAMATIC PERFORMANCE

    EastEnders: Steve McFadden (Phil Mitchell)

    BEST SINGLE EPISODE

    EastEnders: Phil’s Psychosis: The Mitchells In 1985

    BEST ON-SCREEN PARTNERSHIP

    EastEnders: Rudolph Walker & Angela Wynter (Patrick & Yolande Trueman)

    BEST NEWCOMER

    Hollyoaks: Isabelle Smith (Frankie Osborne)

    BEST STORYLINE

    Hollyoaks: Sibling Sexual Abuse

    BEST YOUNG PERFORMER

    Emmerdale: Amelia Flanagan (April Windsor)

    SCENE OF THE YEAR

    EastEnders: Angie Watts’ Shock Return

    OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

    David Neilson presented by Julie Hesmondhalgh

    THE TONY WARREN AWARD

    Emmerdale – MIKE PLANT

  • Amy Childs reveals shocking reason for staggering weight loss amid wedding heartbreak

    Amy Childs reveals shocking reason for staggering weight loss amid wedding heartbreak

    EXCLUSIVE: Amy Childs has been open about her weight loss journey in recent months, and now the reality star has revealed the real reason behind her staggering transformation

    Amy Childs is no stranger to comments about her weight loss, since the mum of four lost a staggering amount of weight in the last few months.

    Now, Amy is opening up about how she lost her weight after she was forced to cancel her wedding to fiance Billy Delbosq. The Only Way Is Essex star Amy, 34, announced her engagement to Billy in 2023 – weeks after the couple welcomed twins together. The couple then postponed their nuptials in October of the same year.

    She recently wowed fans with her latest Instagram offering as they declared she “looks like a different person”. The reality star has made no secret of the fact that she has been on a gruelling weight loss journey in recent months, and it’s clear that her hard work is paying off.

    Amy
    Amy has recently made headlines for losing alot of weight(Image: Chelsea White)

    Speaking exclusively to OK!, Amy addressed the recent speculation about her weight loss and the vicious trolling she’s suffered as a result of it.

    “People don’t know what is going on behind closed doors,” Amy says emotionally. “I’m going through so much at the minute that the weight has fallen off me. I worry about my mum constantly. She’s very emotional – she thinks she’s going to have another heart attack.”

    “People think I’m not eating, but I do eat. To be honest, I do feel better when I’m a bit heavier than I am at the moment. There’s so much going on at the minute – it’s the result of pure stress. We’re also having renovations done in the midst of parenting four kids.”

    “But I’m strong, I’ve been in this industry for 15 years. I’ve had lots of people concerned about me, which I completely understand, but yes, people can be so quick to judge.

    “It’s so unfair – it shouldn’t matter what size people are. Imagine if I was really happy and healthy this way? I’ve been open about losing too much, but I’m working towards putting some back on now.”

    Amy is also keen to address rumours that she has been using weight-loss injections. “I just want to be clear that, as I’ve said before, I’m not using weight-loss injections. I did try the jab, but just once about 18 months ago.

    “It made me so, so ill. I injected myself and literally a few hours later I threw up three, four times. I’ve never had sickness like it. The nausea stayed with me for three days. And it scared me so I stopped immediately. It doesn’t agree with everybody and it obviously didn’t agree with me at all.”

    Amy and Billy
    Amy was forced to postpone her wedding to fiance Billy due to her mum’s ongoing health battle(Image: Chelsea White)

    Amy explains that she had gone to a private doctor with the hope of losing some weight. She had her weight and blood pressure checked during a 30-minute consultation before being prescribed the injections, which started at the lowest dose.

    “Bill was like, ‘I don’t know if you really need to do it,’ but he’d proposed to me and I felt like I wanted to look amazing for my wedding day and wanted to lose some baby weight after having the twins – although I do think it’s important that women shouldn’t feel under pressure to lose weight after having a baby. But after feeling ill I stopped straight away, so it’s not the reason for my weight loss.”

    The reality TV star, famed for her stint on The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE), has graced our screens for 15 years. Despite regularly dazzling fans with her glamour on the telly, Amy openly confessed that she had lost touch with loving her figure and has suffered with self-confidence issues.

    Now a proud mum-of-four, Amy’s journey through the last decade-and-a-half has been significant, and recently she had been refreshingly honest about her struggle with body image. Acknowledging her tendency to consume “complete rubbish”, she noticed distinct changes in her physique.

    Amy then began a training and healthy eating routine in order to shape up naturally. She started working with Freya from Potentia, an online weight-loss coach based in Dubai.

    Amy
    Amy says her weight loss is due to ‘stress and worry’(Image: Chelsea White)

    “I decided, ‘Right, I’ve got to do it the proper way now.’ Freya gave me amazing recipe plans and workouts to follow, which I stuck to religiously. She got me in the gym four times a week, eating really clean. I had to be very boring for a good six months, but I felt amazing. It’s only more recently that I’ve been losing weight due to stress that it doesn’t feel healthy.”

    Amy, who waved goodbye to The Only Way Is Essex after two years on the show, made an epic return in 2020 and, since then, she has been delighting viewers with her on-screen charm.

  • Nicola Peltz’s pals break silence for first time over Brooklyn Beckham claims

    Nicola Peltz’s pals break silence for first time over Brooklyn Beckham claims

    Nicola Peltz’s pals address claims that she is “isolating” Brooklyn Beckham in new defence – as sources close to the Beckham family speak of their continued upset as the feud rumbles on

    Brooklyn and Nicola Beckham Peltz
    The Beckham feud is rumbling on amid new claims – as Nicola’s pals fight back (Image: INSTAGRAM)

    Brooklyn Beckham’s Instagram video last week in which he said he would “always choose” his wife must have hurt his parents amid their well-publicised family feud.

    But other recent social media posts have allegedly proved just, if not more, painful to David and Victoria as the falling out shows no sign of abating.

    A picture uploaded to Instagram three days ago shows Brooklyn sipping a pint in a pub, with bottles of his own-brand hot sauce on the table in front of him.

    Innocuous enough to outsiders – but friends of the Beckhams recognised the distinctive light fittings and stark green walls in the background. One pal says: “The picture was taken in London’s Wigmore pub, which is part of the Langham Hotel where the Beckhams have sometimes stayed.

    “The fact that Brooklyn appeared to be in the country and failed to see any of his family was heartbreaking. And not only that, but here he was posting about it.”

    Brooklyn, 26, and his wife Nicola Peltz, 30, had flown to London for a joint photoshoot with Italian luxury fashion brand Moncler, which took place less than two miles from the Beckham family home in Holland Park.

    Nicola and Brooklyn Beckham
    New claims: Brooklyn and Nicola

    Dad David, 50, was not far away – he was pictured with the King at the Chelsea Flower show that day – just three miles from the Wigmore.

    A pal reveals: “Brooklyn had kept the visit quiet from not only his mum and dad but his siblings and extended family. It was terribly sad that he had flown thousands of miles to London and hadn’t engaged at all. It would have been very easy to meet up.”

    Another Instagram post, made on May 16, showed Brooklyn with Nicola’s late grandmother to mark the anniversary of her death.

    He captioned it: “I miss you and will love you forever.”

    A friend said: “Brooklyn’s heart is of course in the right place…but it hasn’t gone unnoticed how all the while he is posting about Nicola’s family he is silent about his own, including his own grandfather whose birthday it was last week.”

    To acquaintances of the family, the blame for what they believe are “performative” social media posts lies with heiress Nicola.

    They list concerns that she is somehow orchestrating her husband’s social media activity, which they claim is out of character, and that she is responsible for “isolating” Brooklyn from his friends and family.

    A pal says: “She is creating conflict where there is none and divides are springing up left, right and centre.”

    But a source close to the couple has hit back at suggestions Nicola is “controlling” her husband – and insists Brooklyn is very much his own man.

    They reveal: “She is not isolating him at all. He is free to do what he wants and he loves his wife and they are happy together. They are each other’s family.”

    Brooklyn captioned last weekend’s motorbike video, shot in Beverly Hills: “My whole world. I will love you forever. I always choose you baby.”

    The source insists this was “completely misinterpreted” as being a dig at his own family.

    The source adds: “It’s a real shame that what Brooklyn did – which was a statement of love for his wife – is being portrayed as something that it’s not.

    “He loves his wife and everyone should be proud: his parents, his family friends. He stands by his wife and that’s a normal thing to be a loving and supportive husband.”

    Asked if there was any desire for reconciliation on Brooklyn’s side, the source said it was impossible given the highly charged atmosphere.

    The Beckhams
    Broken: Family Beckham (Image: Instagram/victoriabeckham/jamesdkelly)

    Sources close to Nicola have previously insisted that as “an outsider coming into the Beckham family, she has helped Brooklyn see the emotional abuse and toxic behaviour within”.

    The claims – described as “patently untrue and ludicrous” by friends of David and Victoria – were the “nail in the coffin” of any future relationship, according to insiders. Despite this, sources close to Nicola claim she doesn’t want any fighting and is upset by the feud being played out publicly.

    Her friends say she tried to integrate.

    “Nicola was working hard to have a healthy relationship,” says one. Pals of the Beckhams dispute this, with one saying: “It’s hard to find a way back after absurd allegations of emotional abuse.”

    Despite Nicola’s pals claiming she doesn’t want a battle, in other facets of her life she is known to fight.

    Last week it emerged she had hired high-powered celebrity attorney “Mad Dog” Marty Singer, who has represented stars such as Michael Jackson and Kim Kardashian.

    Nicola is suing a dog groomer she alleges is responsible for the death of her chihuahua Nala and French bulldog Frankie.

    It comes after previous legal battles with her wedding planners.

    A source said: “Nicola’s family haven’t become billionaires by being shy and retiring… it’s in their nature to fight for what they believe is right.” As for the feud with her in-laws, many wonder how it will ever resolve.

    Some say a big sign will be if Brooklyn acknowledges his sister Harper’s 14th birthday next month – he did not publicly mark Victoria’s 51st nor David’s 50th this year.

    Brooklyn and Nicola have posted pictures of themselves with Harper, and he is thought to be very fond of his youngest sibling.

    A pal says: “Brooklyn isn’t talking to his mum and dad, as well as Romeo, because he disapproves of his girlfriend.

    “But in that case this ‘feud’ should start and end with them…

    “The fact he has distanced himself from the whole, extended family is what makes this so sad. Perhaps Harper’s birthday – and an acknowledgement of it – will be the first steps towards a peace deal.”

    Watch this space next month – but at this rate peace looks a long way off.

  • Romesh Ranganathan reveals personal turmoil after dad’s jail time for fraud

    Romesh Ranganathan reveals personal turmoil after dad’s jail time for fraud

    TV presenter Romesh Ranganathan has spoken of how his family’s life was turned upside down when his father, Ranga, was sent to prison for fraud during the comedian’s teenage years

    Romesh
    Romesh is opening up about how his life was turned upside down after a turbulent childhood(Image: PA)

    Comedian and TV star Romesh Ranganathan has recalled how his perfect upbringing was turned upside down when his dad Ranga who was imprisoned for fraud. Romesh was a teenager living in Crawley at the time and attending private school, when he and his younger brother and mother were forced to move out of the family home and live in a Bed & Breakfast for some time. Romesh recalled: “My dad had fallen into financial trouble. What it turns out is that he’d lost his job and he was trying to make money in this sort of Sri Lankan Del Boy way, and it wasn’t working out. And he couldn’t keep up the mortgage repayments on their house. And they couldn’t afford, even with my scholarship, they still couldn’t afford the fees at this school I was going to.”

    Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan
    Romesh is known for his profession as a comedian and TV presenter(Image: Getty Images)

    Matters came to a head when it became apparent Ranga had also been having an affair and when he disappeared for several days, Romesh was tasked with asking the ‘other women’ where his dad was, on behalf of his anxious mother. Romesh said: “She tells us that my dad had been arrested three days previously, and he had been involved in some sort of fraud case. I don’t know why we’d not heard, why he’d not got in touch, but this lady knew. “He ended up going to prison for two years, or just under two years. You know, I remember my dad being convicted and going to prison the day before my birthday. I think it’s my 15th birthday. And so my friends are having a party for me. I just went and pretended that wasn’t going on because you want some normalcy. “Because for a while, we moved out of the house, and then a counsellor gave us a room in a bed and breakfast.” Romesh told Lauren Laverne on Desert Island Discs that he would regularly hear his mum crying in this period, and she managed to provide for her sons by getting a job as a cleaner. His father did come back to the family home when he was released from prison and they patched up their relationship over time. Romesh said: “On my dad’s 60th birthday, by that time, our relationship had really kind of improved. I’d had kids at that point, and I saw the way that my dad was being with my children.

    I was like, I’ve never seen this side of my dad, and we’re in a really good place. My memory of my dad is of like a flawed tornado.”

    His parents came to the UK from Sri Lanka and Romesh pays tribute to his mother Sivashanthini – known as Shanthi – who kept the family together during his father’s absence. Romesh admits that he didn’t appreciate the sacrifices she made at the time.

    Shanthi has since gone on to appear alongside her son on television where she has proved to be a funny and observant sidekick. Romesh believes his late father would have been proud of Shanthi’s role as, what he laughingly describes as, “one of the safest hands in British comedy.”

    He speaks openly on the Radio 4 programme about his struggles with mental health which started around the time he took his A-Levels. He tells Lauren that he has thought about taking his own life more than once and explains that he saw it as a solution to his emotional turmoil. He reveals that he’s experienced serious dark periods at several points during his life but has learned how to manage those times. He says that he talks about the experiences he has been through on stage but explains that talking about it comes with responsibility. “You got to be careful because it’s triggering,” he said. “I’m trying to destigmatise (mental health) but you do also have to be mindful of the fact that people may have been affected by that and then if I suddenly say I had thoughts about taking my own life and somebody’s lost someone through that or they’ve had those moments themselves, you have to be sensitive to that and you don’t always get it right but I think the rewards outweigh the risks.” Rarely off screen, Romesh has presented travel programmes and documentaries, starred in his own sitcom and hosts the Weakest Link on BBC One. He also presents Radio Two’s Saturday morning show and another weekly Radio Two programme in which he shares his love of hip hop music, which make up many of his choices when it comes to Desert Island Discs.

    Romesh
    Romesh felt like he experienced dark periods during his life(Image: CBS via Getty Images)

    Romesh addressed his reputation for having a busy workload, he says there is no game plan, he just does “whatever feels good”. He reveals that he is thinking about taking, what he calls, a step back. Romesh added: “I want to be at home a bit more.”

    “And by the way, this is not an announcement of retirement, but I do feel like, relatively recently, this is quite fortuitous that we’re talking at the time that we are, because I have just hit this period of thinking I am probably going to just be a bit more measured in what I do going forward. And I think I might take, like, a bigger break between bits.

    A walk in the park could lead to my next stand-up idea. Who knows…I need to fill up my reserves.” His music choices on the show include tracks by Eminem, Public Enemy and Stevie Wonder.

  • EastEnders’ Zoe Slater ‘set to return’ 20 years after quitting BBC soap

    EastEnders’ Zoe Slater ‘set to return’ 20 years after quitting BBC soap

    A much loved EastEnders star is tipped to return to the BBC show this year – reprising her role as one of the soap’s most iconic characters a full 20 years after she walked away

    EastEnders fans may need to brace themselves for a bombshell – as rumours have suggested Michelle Ryan will be returning to Albert Square. The 41-year-old TV star famously played Zoe Slater on the BBC soap from 2000 until 2005, and appearing in 559 episodes.

    Her character was involved in one of the most explosive and iconic moments of soap history – when she dismissively told Jessie Wallace’s Kat Slater that she couldn’t order her around, famously barking: “You ain’t my mother!” Only for Kat to deliver the explosive response: “Yes I am!

    Michelle bowed out of EastEnders in June 2005 when she departs Walford for a new life in Ibiza after being wrongly made to believe she had killed Den Watts. But now it has been reported that Michelle will make a return to the show that launched her into the spotlight.

    Fans had hoped to see Zoe return amid the dramatic 40th anniversary events on EastEnders earlier this year – that saw Martin Fowler get killed off and Angie Watts, who had an off-screen death in 2002, make a shock return as a hallucination in the mind of Sharon Watts as she battled to stay alive following an accident.

    Now Zoe is expected to return to the Square at some point in 2025. A source told The Sun: “Bosses have repeatedly reached out to Michelle over the years, but the timing has never been quite right.

    Michelle played Zoe Slater on the show - the unexpected daughter of Jessie Wallace's Kat Slater
    Michelle played Zoe Slater on the show – the unexpected daughter of Jessie Wallace’s Kat Slater 
    Image:
    BBC)
    “People are still talking about her character, so it’s a real coup to bring her back. She feels like now is the perfect moment — and there was an exciting script on the table.” A spokesperson for the BBC offered “no comment” when asked about the reports of Michelle’s return.

    The Mirror also contacted representatives of Michelle for comment. The latest suggestion of a return comes just over six months after Michelle confirmed she would consider returning to the BBC show.

    Speculation was ignited last November when Little Mo Slater actress Kacey Ainsworth shared a photograph on social media and wrote: Just got back from a lovely dog walk with my friend Kacey. We worked together many moons ago (no pun intended) on Eastenders as sisters. Part of the Slater family

    Asked about a comeback she replied to one fan: “Never say never,” before telling another: “That’s for the producers to decide.” Explaining her past decision to not come back, she went on: “That has been the case. Moving forward who knows what could happen. I genuinely have no idea. If that changes I would post to let people know.”

    Away from EastEnders, Michelle has had a reasonably steady career as she continues to act. She has had roles in Agatha Christie’s Marple, Mansfield Park, Death in Paradise and even Doctor Who over the years.

    She has also enjoyed success in film roles, and is set to star in a film called Finding My Voice this year. Respectably, Michelle has never resorted to appearing in reality shows in order to try to stay in the spotlight – with not a Dancing On Ice, Celebrity Big Brother, I’m A Celeb or Strictly Come Dancing credit anywhere on her CV.

    The star has updated fans about her life via social media, frequently posting from Paris in recent weeks and revealing what movies she has been watching at the cinema lately.

    The star also connected with fans from her doomed sci-fi drama Bionic Woman, a 2007 remake of The Bionic Woman series from the 1970s. Tipped as a huge show for the British star, the American series was savagely cancelled after just eight episodes

    Last week, she shared a photo of promotional photos from the series that she has been sending to fans. She wrote in an accompanying caption on Instagram: “Answering fan mail time. Thank you to fans in the US for sending dollars for postage.

    “I always hope the letters makes it across the postal systems. And to all fans I need to get some new photos printed so if you need the photos sooner rather than later please send images you would like me to sign and I will collect from my agency or they will send on to me.”

  • Ruth Langsford’s savvy ‘upside-down’ salad trick – it stops it from going soggy

    Ruth Langsford’s savvy ‘upside-down’ salad trick – it stops it from going soggy

    Loose Women star Ruth Langsford shared her ‘upside-down salad’ recipe with fans last year

    Ruth Langsford attends the Alzheimer's Society Memory Walk on October 01, 2023 in Painshill, England.
    The Loose Women star swears by a particular salad recipe (Image: Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty Images)

    Ruth Langsford has taken to Instagram to share her ingenious ‘upside-down salad’ technique with followers. The 65-year-old Loose Women presenter divulged how her knack for stacking ingredients not only prolongs the salad’s crispness but also prevents a dreary, soggy texture.

    In an Instagram post from September, Ruth provided a simple guide for putting together this creative salad with nine key ingredients. “So, now I’m going to make what I call my ‘upside-down salad’,” she said at the time, according to SurreyLive.

    “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.”

    Kicking off her salad assembly, Ruth commenced by chopping a variety of little tomatoes along with onions, unperturbed by the tomatoes’ minor squishiness as she combined them. She continued: “Tuna on top of that.

    “I like tuna in olive oil, maybe a bit more calorific, but I don’t care because I love the taste. One hard-boiled egg, you can put them the other way around, so that when you tip it up the yolks’ pointing up at you. It doesn’t really matter.

    “Then some avocado, this is a bit brown, because I actually chopped it last night to use for something else and forgot it. It’s been in the fridge, it’s a bit brown, but it’s fine because it will be covered in salad dressing.

    “Black olives, if you like them, I love them. There’s the cucumber – I scraped the seeds out because they are very wet and watery and will make that [salad] go soggy. Cucumber in, and then all I’ve got to do now is put the lettuce on.”

    Ruth presented her packed lunch to the viewers, displaying the colourful layers of her homemade salad creation. To complete the ensemble, she lavishly poured her treasured Brianna’s Honey Mustard Dressing, a delightful extra flavour.

    Ruth Langsford attends the National Television Awards 2020 at The O2 Arena on January 28, 2020 in London, England.
    Ruth Langford’s recipe contains nine key ingredients(Image: undefined via Getty Images)

    “There you go! That’s tomorrow’s upside-down salad,” she concluded, while adding in the video caption: “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!”

    In addition to its delicious taste, Ruth’s layered salad contains an impressive collection of ‘superfoods’, which are often defined as nutrient-rich foods considered beneficial for health and well-being.

    For instance, a 2024 study from the University of Bristol revealed that men who ate over 10 portions of tomatoes a week saw an 18% decrease in their risk of developing prostate cancer. Nutritionist Helen Bell from Help & Advice acknowledged this during a conversation with the Mirror, noting that cooking tomatoes could enhance their protective effects.

    “There is evidence suggesting that tomatoes might lower prostate cancer risk, largely due to lycopene,” she said. “This antioxidant is thought to reduce inflammation and prevent cancer cell growth. When I’ve looked into it, cooking tomatoes seems to increase lycopene availability, so enjoying them in sauces or soups might be particularly beneficial.”

    Moreover, health experts frequently praise avocados for their abundant omega-3 content, crucial fats for brain and heart well-being. Experts at the US-based University of Rochester Medical Centre previously explained: “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. Omega-3 is the most important. 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.”

  • Prince Harry’s explosive move sparked ‘furious reaction’ from key royal who refused to see him!

    Prince Harry’s explosive move sparked ‘furious reaction’ from key royal who refused to see him!

    When Harry and Meghan dropped a bombshell, there was one member of the Royal Family who was so furious at the Duke of Sussex that they refused to see him at all, a new documentary has claimed


    One senior royal refused to speak to Harry after bombshell move(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)

    It’s been over five years since Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, announced their intention to step back as full-time working royals – and at the time, their decision sent shockwaves across the UK.

    For the couple, things inside the monarchy had become untenable, and something needed to change – but for the rest of the Royal Family, their public announcement that they wanted to adopt a half-in, half-out approach to royal life presented a massive set of issues.

    The Sussexes had been spending time in Canada before their shock announcement, and Meghan had to return to the country to be with Archie – leaving Harry to attend what has been dubbed as the Sandringham Summit to hash out the details of their exit by himself.

    A new documentary on Channel Five – Megxit: Inside the Sandringham Summit – has seen experts and commentators dive into what really happened behind closed doors at the summit, and what the long-term impacts of it have been on the monarchy.


    Harry and Philip shared a close bond(Image: 2015 Max Mumby/Indigo)

    One expert revealed that there was allegedly one senior member of the House of Windsor who was left utterly “horrified” by Harry’s decision to step back: his grandfather, Prince Philip. Royal author Andrew Morton claimed in the new documentary, “Prince Philip is someone who doesn’t take fools gladly, and he was horrified that they had come to a situation where the Royal Family were deciding whether to split up or not.”

    Another expert explained the late Duke of Edinburgh’s feelings were so strong that he left Sandringham altogether, rather than come face-to-face with his grandson Harry. “Philip was so angry,” explained journalist Emily Andrews, “that he refused to even be there. I was told that he just couldn’t bring himself to see his grandson, he thought it was a huge dereliction of duty.”

    Whilst Prince Philip always demurred to the authority of his wife, the late Queen Elizabeth, when it came to matters of the crown, when it came to private matters, said to be “very much the head of the family “.

    Prince Philip had a very close relationship with both Prince Harry and his elder brother Prince William – as well as the rest of his six other grandchildren – and he was called “brilliantly effective” at helping the two brothers when they tragically lost their mother in 1997.

    Author Tina Brown wrote: “A member of the Balmoral staff [where the boys were when they received the news Diana had died] noted that Prince Philip, who had effectively lost his own mother at the age of 10 when she was committed for three years to an asylum in Switzerland, was brilliantly effective with his grandsons, offering them gruff tenderness and outdoor activities like stalking and hiking to tire them out”.

    Equally, the Independent reports that during the planning of Diana’s funeral, Prince Philip reminded those involved in organising the day that “It’s about the boys, they’ve lost their mother.” He also helped them on the day of the funeral itself, when he told them he would join them in the funeral procession, saying “I’ll walk if you walk.”

    However, despite their close bond, the year following the Sandringham Summit and Harry’s decision to leave royal life behind that Prince Philip passed away – only a month after the Sussexes sat down with Oprah Winfrey for their bombshell interview detailing the reasons why they had chosen to walk away.

    Prince Harry returned for his grandfather’s funeral, which, subject to social distancing restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, had a limited number of guests.