admits

I’m A celebrity star Angry Ginge opened up about his feelings to Ruby Wax OBE just hours after the content creator became emotional due to not seeing his family

I’m A Celeb’s Angry Ginge became emotional as tension started to brew. Tensions have been bubbling in camp in recent days, with the group becoming noticeably divided after Angry Ginge sparked a feud among his fellow contestants.

The star caused uproar when he told campmates he had won only five stars in his Bushtucker Trial – only for the truth to come out when a full ten-star dinner turned up.

The revelation left several celebrities questioning whether they could “trust Ginge” going forward. Ginge has also caused a stir after he was appointed camp leader alongside Aitch. The mood in camp shifted when the pair were made leader and deputy, leaving some stars, including Ruby feeling uneasy about the new hierarchy. The actress openly admitted she felt the camp had split into two. However, the 24-year-old appeared to bond Wax, 72 during latest scenes from the programme.

READ MORE: I’m A Celebrity LIVE updates: Ruby Wax risks wrath of campmates with selfish actREAD MORE: Ruby Wax risks camp row as her I’m A Celebrity co-stars rumble ‘selfish’ lie

Ginge – whose real name is Morgan Burtwistle – was recently seen visibly emotional on the ITV reality show, after the stars received pictures of their loved ones.

During one conversation from Tuesday night’s episode (November 25), he opened up about his family life. While showing Ruby his new digs in the leader and deputy treehouse, Ginge also revealed his family photo, pointing out each of his family members to her as she jokingly tells him: “You look a little dorky!”

Checking in on Ginge after his emotional day before, Ruby asked whether he was feeling in a better mood. He then responds: “Much better, yesterday I was just terrible…”

He opens up saying: “Do you know what it was? I’ve gone ten days without seeing my mum for example but I’ve always been able to ring her and text her, so not being able to communicate at all, it all gets on top of you.”

Ginge asked Ruby who she missed more, her husband or her cats, asking her to be honest. She replied: “My cats”, which had Ginge in stitches, before explaining she had been with her husband for 35 years.

As Ruby said she didn’t think Ginge was the romantic type, he explained for his ex before he asked her to be his girlfriend, he had “rose petals, from the front door all the way up the stairs and then it opened to my room, there’s a teddy bear, there’s a rose and then I officially asked her to be my girlfriend.”

In a heartbreaking admission, he went on to reveal that his ex-girlfriend had broken up with him via text message. “I got the message,” he said, adding: “I don’t think it’s working, stuff like that, I agreed,” before saying he had 10,000 people watching him on his livestream.

“I had to carry on for six more hours but in the long run, it’s funny isn’t it,” he said, as he and Ruby went on to laugh about the situation. “When I want to be, I can be romantic,” he said. In the Bush Telegraph, he said to the camera that for ladies who fancied him, he can be romantic.

“She’s an extraordinary woman, she has the same banter as me,” Ginge said of Ruby. Fans were obssesed over the duo. Taking to X, one person said: “Really enjoyed that conversation between Ginge and Ruby. They get on really well. Nice to learn more about Ginge #ImaCeleb.”

Another wrote: “Ginge and Ruby remind me of Maura and The reverend such an unlikely partnership but bloody brilliant #ImACeleb.” A third viewer wrote: “Ruby and Ginge’s chemistry is insane! #ImACeleb.”

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

La Voix has had a ‘sad day’ coming to terms with the fact that she will not be competing in tonight’s edition of Strictly Come Dancing but has been cheered up by a bouquet of flowers

La Voix has had a ‘sad day’ coming to terms with the fact that she will not be competing in tonight’s edition of Strictly Come Dancing. The Drag Race star, 45, has had to pull out of the much-anticipated Blackpool heat of the BBC Saturday night favourite after sustaining a foot injury.

The star, whose real name is Christopher Dennis, took to social media on Saturday in the countdown for the live show to take place, to reveal that she had been presented with a bouquet of flowers that had cheered her up amid the tough time.

Alongside a picture of the gift, the TV star wrote on Instagram: “Thank you so much Darlings @blossom_and_ivy. This really is a gorgeous surprise on an otherwise sad day of not dancing in Blackpool.”

READ MORE: Strictly Come Dancing star calls for two judges to be axed in major shake-upREAD MORE: Strictly star exposes huge clue La Voix would be forced to miss Blackpool Week

While La Voix was set to perform in Strictly’s highly anticipated Blackpool special, Strictly announced earlier this week that she was unable to compete after injuring herself. A show spokesperson said in a statement: “Due to injury, La Voix has been advised by doctors to rest and, as a result, will not dance in this weekend’s Blackpool specials.

During an appearance on It Takes Two on Wednesday evening, Christopher opened up about the issue that has been troubling her since earlier in the competition. “This has been ongoing since the foxtrot. I felt a little niggle in my foot hence comments about me being flat-footed. I was thinking this will be fine, but it got gradually worse…” the star told viewers.

La Voix added: “Until on Saturday we had to change shoes, I couldn’t wear heels. I had to wear those awful flat shoes.” Attempts to rehearse on Monday proved the injury was too severe to push through.”

She continued: “We tried on Monday, and it was really clear I was struggling in pain, so we decided to be professional and call this, hoping with some rest I can be back.”

Under strictly rules, the pair will automatically advance to next week’s round, buying La Voix time to recover. When asked whether she expected to return after the Blackpool special, she replied: “I hope so. Some people have said online that it’s just because I wanted to get out of doing the samba. I was desperate to get to Blackpool and do the samba. The production that was planned is going to be incredible.”

Despite the setback, the performer emphasised her love for the show, describing Strictly as a “happy place” and adding: “I am really hoping it continues.”

In a BBC statement released earlier this week, La Voix said: “My heart truly breaks knowing I won’t be dancing in such an iconic venue. I am devastated not to be joining the rest of the cast on that famous dancefloor, but my focus now is on recovery. I’ll be cheering on all the amazing couples this weekend.”

She also addressed her followers directly on Instagram, writing: “As many of you know, I injured my foot last week. With the help of an incredible team — and a whole lot of sparkles and determination — I was able to keep going and perform.”

However, she acknowledged that she now has no choice but to prioritise healing, saying she needed to “listen to her body” after “it became clear that the injury wasn’t improving”.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

The United States Department of Justice has acknowledged that the grand jury reviewing the case against James Comey, a former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), did not receive a copy of the final indictment against him.

That revelation on Wednesday came as lawyers for Comey sought to have the indictment thrown out of court.

At a 90-minute hearing in a federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, Comey’s lawyers argued that the case should be dismissed outright, not only for the prosecutorial missteps but also due to the interventions of President Donald Trump.

Comey is one of three prominent Trump critics to be indicted between late September and mid-October.

The hearing took place before US District Judge Michael Nachmanoff, and Comey’s defence team alleged that Trump was using the legal system as a tool for political retribution.

“This is an extraordinary case and it merits an extraordinary remedy,” defence lawyer Michael Dreeben said, calling the indictment “a blatant use of criminal justice to achieve political ends”.

The Justice Department, represented by prosecutor Tyler Lemons, maintained that the indictment met the legal threshold to be heard at trial.

But Lemons did admit, under questioning, that the grand jury that approved the indictment had not seen its final draft.

When Judge Nachmanoff asked Lemons if the grand jury had never seen the final version, the prosecutor conceded, “That is my understanding.”

It was the latest stumble in the Justice Department’s efforts to prosecute Comey for allegedly obstructing a congressional investigation and lying to senators while under oath.

Comey has pleaded not guilty to the two charges, and his defence team has led a multipronged effort to see the case nixed over its multiple irregularities.

Scrutiny over grand jury proceedings

Questions over the indictment — and what the grand jury had or had not seen — had been brewing since last week.

On November 13, US District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie raised questions about a span of time when it appeared that there appeared to be “no court reporter present” during the grand jury proceedings.

Then, on Tuesday, Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick took the extraordinary step of calling for the grand jury materials to be released to the Comey defence team, citing “a disturbing pattern of profound investigative missteps”.

They included misleading statements from prosecutors, the use of search warrants pertaining to a separate case, and the fact that the grand jury likely did not review the final indictment in full.

Separately, in Wednesday’s hearing, Judge Nachmanoff pressed acting US Attorney Lindsey Halligan about who saw the final indictment.

After repeated questions, she, too, admitted that only the foreperson of the grand jury and a second grand juror were present for the returning of the indictment.

Halligan oversaw the three indictments against the Trump critics: Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James and former National Security Adviser John Bolton.

All three have denied wrongdoing, and all three have argued that their prosecution is part of a campaign of political vengeance.

Spotlight on Trump-Comey feud

Wednesday’s hearing focused primarily on establishing that argument, with Comey’s lawyers pointing to statements Trump made pushing for the indictments.

Comey’s defence team pointed to the tense relationship between their client and Trump, stretching back to the president’s decision to fire Comey from his job as FBI director in 2017.

Comey had faced bipartisan criticism for FBI investigations into the 2016 election, which Trump ultimately won.

Trump, for example, accused the ex-FBI leader of going easy on his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, calling him a “slime ball”, a “phony” and “a real nut job”.

“FBI Director Comey was the best thing that ever happened to Hillary Clinton in that he gave her a free pass for many bad deeds,” Trump wrote on social media in May 2017.

Comey, meanwhile, quickly established himself as a prominent critic of the Trump administration.

“I don’t think he’s medically unfit to be president. I think he’s morally unfit to be president,” Comey told ABC News in 2018.

He added that a president must “embody respect” and adhere to basic values like truth-telling. “This president is not able to do that,” Comey said.

In Wednesday’s hearing, Comey’s defence also pointed to the series of events leading up to the former FBI director’s indictment.

Last September, Trump posted on social media a message to Attorney General Pam Bondi, calling Comey and James “guilty as hell” and encouraging her not to “delay any longer” in seeking their indictments.

That message was “effectively an admission that this is a political prosecution”, according to Dreeben, Comey’s lawyer.

Shortly after the message was posted online, Halligan was appointed as acting US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia

She replaced a prosecutor, Erik Siebert, who had reportedly declined to indict Comey and others for lack of evidence. Trump had denounced him as a “woke RINO”, an acronym that stands for “Republican in name only”.

Dreeben argued that switcheroo also signalled Trump’s vindictive intent and his spearheading of the Comey indictment.

But Lemons, representing the Justice Department, told Judge Nachmanoff that Comey “was not indicted at the direction of the president of the United States or any other government official”.

DICK Van Dyke has admitted he’s “finally slowing down”, as the Hollywood icon prepares for his 100th birthday.

The father-of-four is set to celebrate his milestone birthday on December 13, and he has been reflecting on his long and incredible life so far.

To celebrate his HUGE milestone, Marry Poppins star Dick chatted to Today’s Al Roker, for an emotional interview about his life.

During their sit down, they discussed the actor’s new book, 100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist’s Guide to a Happy Life.

Al also revealed how the actor had admitted “to finally slowing down” in his incredible career.

Reading from Dick’s new book, Al said: “You’ve written here, ‘I care about the survival of what I have shared with the world.’”

read more on dick van dyke

STAR’S WOES

Dick Van Dyke says he’s ‘diminished’ & largely housebound before 100th birthday

To which Dick replied: “It’s true.”

The star also added of his incredible career: “I got to do for a living, what I would’ve done for nothing.”

Dick also encouraged fans to “look for the best of everything, look what’s positive and the people that are positive.”

It comes just days after Dick revealed that he was becoming increasingly housebound as a result of “physical decay”.

“It’s frustrating to feel diminished in the world, physically and socially,” he penned in an essay for The Times at the weekend.

“I get invites to events or offers for gigs in New York or Chicago, but that kind of travel takes so much out of me that I have to say no.

“Almost all of my visiting with folks has to happen at my house.”

SECRETS TO A HAPPY LIFE

Despite his physical ailments, the iconic actor is still positive about life.

“Boiled down, the things that have kept my life joyful and fulfilling are pretty simple: romance, doing what I love and a whole lot of laughing,” Dick wrote.

Despite his physical ailments, the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang star is relentlessly positive about life, praising his wife for keeping him young as well as seeing the world and his experiences of it like a “giant playground”.

“Boiled down, the things that have kept my life joyful and fulfilling are pretty simple: romance, doing what I love and a whole lot of laughing,” he wrote.

Dick also revealed he goes to the gym three times a week, as well as continuing to dance and sing.

BECOMING A STAR

After starring in the film version of Bye Bye Birdie in the role of Albert J. Peterson, which he played on Broadway, Dick got his huge break and was cast by Disney in Mary Poppins in 1964.

His main role was as Bert, a jack-of-all-trades who is very good friends with Mary Poppins, but he was also cast as the doddery old bank chairman Mr Dawes Senior.

The film, which starred Julie Andrews in the lead role, was a huge success and Chim Chim Cher-ee, which Bert sings in the movie, went on to win the Oscar for Best Original Song.

However, to this day, Dyke’s Cockney accent is lambasted as the accent in film history, and according to Dyke, no one on the set of the film told him how bad it was.

SEE CLEARLY

Mechanic reveals ‘secret’ button that will defrost your windows even quicker

waltzing off

La Voix’s statement in full as injured star is forced to pull out of Strictly

But to this day it is still his best-known role and on his 90^th birthday, he was surprised by a flash-mob at The Grove shopping mall in Los Angeles.

Dyke also starred in Disney’s 1968 film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in the lead role of Caractacus Pott, after he turned down the role of Fagin in the 1968 musical Oliver!

BELOVED actor Dick Van Dyke has issued a concerning health update as he shares his secrets to a long and happy life ahead of his 100th birthday.

The award-winning star revealed on Sunday that he feels “diminished” and is becoming increasingly housebound as a result of his frailty.

The father-of-four is set to celebrate his 100th birthday on December 13.

Ahead of the celebrations, he penned an essay for The Times, issuing an update on his health and opening up about the secrets to a long and happy life.

Reflecting on some of his most iconic roles as aged men, the TV icon accepted, “I’m not playing a super-old any more. I am a super-old”.

“I am now a stooper, a shuffler and a teeterer. I have feet problems and I go supine as often as is politely possible,” he wrote.

“I have trouble following group conversations and complain frequently about my hearing aids.

“At mealtime I spill stuff, and when my wife, Arlene, asks me to put on an unstained shirt before we go out, I get impatient.”

The TV icon revealed that he is becoming increasingly housebound as a result of “physical decay”.

“It’s frustrating to feel diminished in the world, physically and socially,” he said.

“I get invites to events or offers for gigs in New York or Chicago, but that kind of travel takes so much out of me that I have to say no.

“Almost all of my visiting with folks has to happen at my house.”

Despite his physical ailments, the Mary Poppins star is relentlessly positive about life, praising his wife for keeping him young as well as seeing the world and his experiences of it like a “giant playground”.

“Boiled down, the things that have kept my life joyful and fulfilling are pretty simple: romance, doing what I love and a whole lot of laughing,” he wrote.

As well as still going to the gym three times a week, being part of a singing group, and always dancing, Dick has a number of rules to staying young at heart while making it to 100.

Trying not to let negativity take over is one of the key tenants of his life.

While he admitted that he can “spiral into anguish over the mayhem and cruelty” of the world, and turn into a stereotypical grumpy old man, “that’s not the essence of me,” he says.

Instead, he recommends embracing all life throws at you – the good, the bad, and the ugly – without giving into it.

Dance, sing, and be able to laugh at yourself, he said, if you can’t do the latter, “you’ve got big problems”.

Two other rules he lives by are to always be playful and to refuse to live in the past.

Even on rare outings, the actor makes sure his playful side is on full display.

CAR SMASH TRAGEDY

Three men and two women in 20s killed in horror two-car crash

BUM NOTE

New horror side effect plaguing fat jab fanatics – and it can be a sign of cancer

Last year he even joked that he “hopes he makes it to 99th birthday” as he was seen running errands in Malibu.

Now, as he prepares to reach a century, he is showing no signs of slowing down with his new book ‘100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist’s Guide to a Happy Life’ being released on November 18.

TOWIE star Amy Childs has given a health update after her drastic weight loss, admitting she’s ‘on a journey to self love.’ 

Reality TV star Amy recently dropped two stone, and has spoken openly about her weight loss. 

Now, in a new post, the 35-year-old reality favourite has shared an insight into her weight loss after receiving “a lot of comments lately.” 

Amy snapped a selfie in the mirror of her walk-in wardrobe, and could be seen wearing a green crop top and black leggings. 

She showed off her midriff and stood barefoot while holding one hand up in the air and displaying a glam makeup look. 

SHOW-STOPPING

Princess Andre, Cat Deeley and Amy Childs lead the glamour at ITV Palooza

tight tum

Amy Childs undergoes stomach tightening treatment after drastic weight loss

Amy penned to fans: “Feel like I have to do this post!! A lot of comments lately about my weight. For the past few months I have been really focusing on my nutriton with @jon_jkphysique. 

“I have been really honest with you all, after losing a lot of weight,  I realised I needed to understand how to eat the right way and to eat the right foods.. it’s been tough but I have started to gain healthy weight back( a little way to go) but I have been going gym, focusing on weight training and working on being more toned.” 

Amy continued: “I have also been having my weekly body treatments @3daestheticsuk (will be doing another reel soon) about this treatment. 

“This is not an overnight thing and it’s taking time but a journey to be my best self for the family. So please no negative comments please…

“PS jons foods are amazing 👍🏻 please give him a follow.” 

Fans flooded the comments with messages of encouragement for the star, as one person penned: “you look amazing well done to you be proud of yourself.”

A second added: “Gorgeous and honest,” and a third echoed: “You look great @amychilds1990 people always have too much to say on peoples weight etc, continue to do you and be fabulous.” 

In September, Amy underwent a tummy-tightening treatment.

The Towie star – who used fat jabs briefly two years ago – shared a video of herself on Instagram at the time, telling fans: “So guys, I’m on a journey to feel my most confident self.

“After having four children, dealing with weight loss and stress, my body has been through a lot! But it’s September and the perfect time to reset and create new goals.

The 35-year-old beautician went on to speak about a treatment which claims to “help tighten and firm up” the tummy after losing some elasticity.

A representative for Amy told The Sun: “Two years ago, she briefly tried weight loss injections, but they made her feel unwell and really sick, so she stopped them immediately.

“After having her babies, she wanted to feel like herself again and worked with a nutritionist, which helped her lose weight in a healthy way.

“Still, she was left with a tummy that felt jiggly and loose. This year, after her mum became ill, she lost more weight due to stress which she has spoken about on the show as well as the stress of cancelling a wedding.

“Following this she has felt a renewed drive to focus on her health.

“Through balanced nutrition, consistent training and support from 3D ReFirm treatments, she’s now on a journey to become fitter, stronger, and healthier, inside and out and tackle the areas of concern like her crepey skin on her tummy.”

Amy shares two of her four children with fiancé Billy who she first met in 2000.

PEATY FEUD TWIST

Adam Peaty’s brother arrested over stag do threats sent to Olympian

CHOC HORROR

‘Disgusting’ price of 750g Quality Street tins are slammed by Tesco shoppers

In 2023, the pair welcomed twins into the world after a “long and exhausting” labour – but their marriage plans have taken a back seat.

The star, who shot to fame in 2010 on the ITV2 reality show, has recently pushed back her wedding plans due to “last minute changes”.

Vicky Pattison has admitted she spent last weekend ‘bursting into tears’ after competing in the latest round of the BBC show after she topped the leaderboard

Strictly Come Dancing star Vicky Pattison has admitted she spent last weekend ‘bursting into tears’ after competing in the latest round of the BBC show. The Geordie Shore legend , 37, had been awarded a near-perfect score of 39 following her Tango to Taylor Swift hit The Fate Of Ophelia, and found herself at the top of the leaderboard.

The former Loose Women star, who won I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! in the years following her rise to fame, made an appearance alongside professional partner Kai Widdrington on Friday’s edition of Strictly spin-off It Takes Two, where she explained to host Fleur East just how much the successful result had meant to her.

She said: “On social media, someone said ‘I fear Vicky Pattison might chuck herself off that balcony if she ever gets a 40!’ and I fear they are right. For someone like me who had never danced before and was so scared at the start of the process, even now who still has wobbles, that’s a moment I never thought would be mine. I’m still feeling very overwhelmed and I spent Sunday just bursting into tears.”

As a congratulatory gift, Vicky was then presented with a framed picture of the leaderboard and a cushion with judge Anton DuBeke holding up his 10 paddle up on it. Vicky joked: “I am going straight home to bed with this!” Meanwhile, Vicky is hopeful that she and her co-stars will remain friends in the longterm and is confident that it will happen because she is still friends with her fellow showbiz stars from other reality shows.

She said: “For me, all the celebs are absolutely gorgeous. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to be doing Strictly this year because everyone is so lovely. When we lost Dani Dyer originally, it was so devastating and heart-breaking. But then we got the gorgeous Amber, and we’ve got by Bal, La Voix, Caz Carney. I just feel so lucky and I hope we’re gonna be friends forever.

“That sounds a bit soppy, but maybe I am a bit soppy! I’m still friends with Ferne [McCann] and I was in the jungle 10 years ago with her. So I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we’re gonna be friends forever!”

Following the performance, Craig Revel Horwood was full of praise, describing the performance as “perfect”, while Anton admitted he was “a bit stunned” because it was “that good”.

He enthused: “I thought it was absolutely marvellous. I loved it. Your line is the best line I’ve ever seen. It was immaculate.” Meanwhile, Motsi Mabuse and head judge Shirley Ballas declared it their “dance of the night”, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Motsi gushed: “Last week I said you were a contender for the final, and this dance just proved what I meant. You confirmed my intuition. Without a doubt, you are on fire. Whatever is giving you that fire – keep it up. This was for me, till now, the dance of the night.”

After the show, Vicky took to Instagram to share her disbelief, posting a snapshot of the leaderboard with the caption: “This can not be real”. Saturday’s episode marked the halfway point of the series, with nine couples taking to the dance floor.

Follow our Strictly Come Dancing blog by clicking here.

MOLLY-MAE Hague has revealed that she is struggling to sell her home as she admits ‘it’s an end of an era’.

The 26-year-old former Love Island icon’s gated mansion, which was bought for £3.8m in April 2022, is proving to be tricky for the mum-of-one to flog.

Speaking on her latest vlog, Molly-Mae said: “Like I still don’t know what I’m doing in terms of this house.”

She added how it has got to the point where “a lot of big decisions need to be made in terms of what I’m going to do with this house and I’ve mentioned it [but] I don’t want to sell it”.

The influencer went on: “I don’t particularly want to rent it out but then equally, what am I keeping it for? I don’t know.

“I just don’t I really really don’t know.”

Read More about Molly-Mae

COSTLY PAD

Molly-Mae Hague reveals she’s been overcharged by builders on new £5m home

MAE OH MAE

Molly-Mae admits she should have ‘waited a few years’ before starting a family

She later added: “Like there’s some things, that I know in my mind like I’m ready to do, and I want to do, but like in terms of this house…

“This house will always be so incredibly sentimental to me.”

Molly-Mae said how the house “is everything to me” and “represents so much more than just a house”.

“I don’t know. I think just like need to figure out like what the next few months is going to look like in terms of where I basically go from here and with this house.”

She then said how she would ideally like her mum to move up from down south, but she cannot as her mum’s husband has an amazing job down south.

Molly-Mae continued chatting about her situation before saying how she felt “emotional and a bit weird, just like it’s kind of the end of an era”.

Elsewhere in the video, Molly-Mae revealed how she had been given sky-high quotes by landscape gardeners for the £5m love nest in Cheshire that she bought with Tommy Fury earlier this year.

She explained in her most recent vlog, while she was driving, that she “had to go to the new house to basically meet a gardener”.

Molly-Mae went on: “I’ve had like three quotes now for some landscaping outside of the new house.

“Literally some potted plants and a bit of soil, like literally nothing major just outside the house.

“And the quotes I’ve been getting like for this landscaping is absolutely mental,” she explained.

The former Love Island bombshell went on: “So I just went and got my fourth quote.”

JUNGLE READY

I’m A Celeb full line-up revealed with soap legends and TV pin up

JAB TRICK

I lost 13st on Mounjaro and needed a new passport – you must check your ‘TDEE’

She added: “I told him the quotes I had from the other companies and he was like, ‘Yeah, like they’re basically charging you about basically triple what it should be.’

“I didn’t think I was going crazy.”

Ibiza’s tourism minister has admitted that 20,000 fewer Brits visited the Balearic island during the high season this year compared to 2020, as protests against overtourism raged across Spain

Tens of thousands of Brits stayed away from Ibiza this summer, the island’s tourism minister has admitted.

Last summer, protests aimed at overtourism raged across key Spanish holiday destinations as locals declared that they’d had enough. They did so during a record-breaking year, with 94 million holidaymakers heading to Spain in 2024. According to the Spanish Ministry of Tourism, international travellers spent an estimated €126.3 billion in the country in 2024, a 16.1% increase on the year before.

As welcome as the cash likely is, the pressure such high volumes of visitors are having on housing, public infrastructure, and the way of life in Spain is simply not worth it for many. And last year, huge numbers decided to take to the streets to make their voices heard.

At the World Travel Market (WTM) in London this week, Ibiza’s Minister of Tourism, Jaume Bauza, addressed the potential impact of the protests on visitor numbers, and said that 20,000 fewer Brits had decided to visit the Balearic island during the high season this year compared to 2020.

Do you have a story to share? Email [email protected]

READ MORE: Ibiza at breaking point as tourism forces locals to leave in drovesREAD MORE: I ditched the UK for the ‘friendliest city in Europe’ once known for its grumpiness

However, the island’s tourism chiefs are hopeful they’ve just moved their breaks to October and November, when temperatures are less sizzling and the chances of protest disruption are lower. Flight capacity to the Balearics is up 8% this November compared to 2024, in anticipation of more shoulder-season travellers.

When asked if people were not travelling because they were worried about getting swept up in overtourism protests, Mr Bauza said through a translator: “The truth is, any decrease in the attendance from our main markets, such as the British market, is a reason to worry. However, this has been compensated for by the increase from the French, Swiss, and Italian markets. The increase is comparable to last season. Any decrease from our biggest markets is something we need to pay attention to. With regards to protests, we respect them, but they do not worry us.”

Ibiza has signalled a shift towards higher-end, higher-spending tourism over the past year. At the WTM, Mr. Bauza detailed plans to crack down on illegal holiday lets and to monitor the tourism industry’s impact on the island’s natural environment.

“I want the British who visit our islands who are, and will always be, warmly welcome, to be aware of and familiar with this transformation process, because I want them to be aware and participate in the changes we are undertaking,” the tourism boss said.

“Because it’s not about growing for growth’s sake, but of taking care of what we already have, of ensuring each visitor experiences the very best of our islands and that our residents feel the same pride.”

Pedro Homar, managing director of the Palma Tourism Board, said visitor numbers to the Majorcan capital remained strong this summer. He told the Mirror: “British tourism is the number one nationality for us in the city of Palma, it has been like that for the last five years and we want to continue like this. We really want to make sure that Palma gets more UK tourists, and they’re more than welcome.”

Return to Paradise star Anna Samson has spoken out about the future of the BBC series

Return To Paradise star Anna Samson has opened up about the triumph of the Death in Paradise spin-off series as it makes its comeback for a second series, confessing there was no certainty the storyline would continue.

The Home and Away actress broke new ground as the franchise’s inaugural female lead when she stepped into the shoes of DI Mackenzie Clarke.

The debut series, which broadcast last year, followed her character’s homecoming to Australia after establishing her reputation within London’s Met Police.

Whilst she briefly rejoined Dolphin Cove’s local constabulary to assist with a murder investigation, accusations of tampering with evidence prevented her planned return to London, compelling her to face her Australian past for an indefinite period.

Adding complexity to her position, her ex-fiancé Glenn (Tai Hara), whom she previously abandoned at the altar, ultimately confesses he still harbours romantic feelings towards her.

Return to Paradise has now progressed with a second series, placing Mack in charge of unravelling another collection of puzzling killings, reports the Express.

Speaking about how it felt to return to the world of Dolphin Cove, she shared: “We were so thrilled to get a second series, which is never a guarantee, even if your show’s a huge success.

“We adore each other: the cast, crew, everyone in the office, and the producers. It’s a workplace full of love, support, kindness, and fun. Getting the chance to go back and do it all again, there aren’t many better opportunities in the world than that.”

Teasing the new episodes, she added: “You can expect murders, and for Mackenzie and her team to solve them! We’re expanding the emotional world of all the characters in series two. Who they are and why they are the way they are.

“Colin and Mackenzie’s friendship becomes ridiculously joyful. They act like best friends while having no idea that they feel that way, which is really fun to play.

“That love triangle between Glenn, Mackenzie and Daisy also gets even more complicated, giving us a peek into her vulnerable side. We really challenge the emotional wall she puts up in this series.”

Admitting she was “overwhelmed with heartfelt positivity” from the response to the first series, Anna continued: “The show comes with an incredibly loyal and enthusiastic fanbase already, as it is part of a franchise.

“We felt a responsibility to do justice to the show and to honour the audience. The biggest surprise for me, and maybe it shouldn’t have even been that surprising, but how many of the fans are young women – I was so moved by that.

“Seeing the impact of a character like Mackenzie, who isn’t always smiling or worried about being liked, yet remains at the centre of the story, is what made putting on the waistcoat every day feel so valuable.”

The storyline for the second series of Return to Paradise hints: “Detective Sergeant Mackenzie Clarke finds herself trapped in her hometown of Dolphin Cove to solve more perplexing cases, while grappling with the end-of-series-one bombshell that her ex-fiance, Glenn, still has feelings for her.

“The team contends with even more perplexing cases in this series, including the chemical poisoning of a man alone at sea, alongside having to deal with larger-than-life characters like a troublesome rock band who fall under suspicion when one of their members turns up dead.

“Beyond her detective duties, Mackenzie is forced to face Glenn’s shocking confession that he still has feelings for her, despite his impending wedding to Daisy, complicating her own feelings toward him even further.

“Meanwhile, the unexpected arrival of Colin’s old friends from back home starts to crack the mystery behind his decision to leave everything behind and build a new life in the tight-knit community of Dolphin Cove.”

Return to Paradise is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.