Amy

Great Britain sprint star Amy Hunt visited England’s training base on Wednesday, watching a session and chatting with the team over lunch before Sunday’s Nations Championship match against Australia.

The 24-year-old, who won four gold medals at last summer’s European Championships in Birmingham, is the latest in a string of sporting celebrities to give Steve Borthwick’s squad insight into their careers.

“She seemed buzzing to be here and we love spending time with people who have achieved something in another sport,” back row Ben Earl told BBC Sport.

“Fraser Dingwall told me she has a degree from Cambridge and I always think it is amazing that people can study and achieve something in sport at the highest level.”

“We always get great energy when you get in winners and people who are trying to inspire others by what they do, which is what our lads want to do,” said defence coach Richard Wigglesworth.

“She’ll create some good connections.”

Emma Raducanu, who won the 2021 US Open, visited before the team’s win over New Zealand last autumn, while England football manager Thomas Tuchel and Olympic champion skeleton racer Matt Weston dropped into Pennyhill Park during this year’s Six Nations campaign.

Andrew Shue and Marilee Fiebig are starting their forever, tying the knot a month after respective ex-spouses Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes did the same.

“Melrose Place” actor Shue and immigration attorney Fiebig married Sunday, People confirmed. The coupleentered the new chapter of their relationship in an intimate ceremony at their New Jersey estate, according to photos published Sunday by the Daily Mail. Fiebig wore an off-the-shoulder lace gown, and Shue wore a black suit without a tie, the photos showed. The attorney’s teen daughter with ex-husband Holmes was also present for the ceremony.

News of Fiebig and Shue’s marriage comes just weeks after the latter announced he and Fiebig were engaged.

“You don’t know how you meet the person who’s right for you,” Shue told People at the time. “It just happened.”

Nearly four years ago, the newlyweds and their journalist exes — also recent newlyweds — were embroiled in scandal. Multiple outlets uncovered the alleged months-long relationship between former “GMA3: What You Need to Know” co-anchors Holmes and Robach in December 2022. The journalists said in 2023 they were in the process of divorcing their exes when the Daily Mail and Page Six reported on their romance. Amid the public scrutiny, Holmes and Robach were fired from their ABC News positions in January 2023.

As the journalists finalized their divorces with their ex-spouses in 2023, reports of a budding romance came to the forefront. Page Six reported that Fiebig and Shue struck up a bond over their experience with the scandal. Shue told People in October it felt like “freak luck” how the controversy led him to Fiebig.

Amy Whitehouse was one of the greatest singers of her generation and now the BBC is celebrating 20 years since the release of her Back To Black album

Amy Winehouse was one of the biggest stars of the noughties.

The singer known for her black beehive, heavy make-up and most of all her incredible voice was a huge talent and after launching her debut album, Frank, she quickly shot to fame.

But it was her follow up Back To Black which really cemented her as one of the greatest singers and songwriters around and she went on to amass awards, including Brits and Grammys, as well as critical acclaim.

Despite her global success, Amy struggled with her personal demons and made headlines for her short, ill-fated marriage to Blake Fielder-Civil. Her substance and alcohol abuse as well as weight loss were well documented over the years.

But despite her personal troubles, her musical legacy remains undimmed and on Saturday, October 24, BBC Two is dedicating hours of programming to mark the 20th anniversary of Back to Black and celebrate her legacy.

How did Amy die and how old was she?

Amy was found dead at her flat in Camden, London on July 23, 2011 when she was just 27 years old. A second inquest into her death confirmed that she died of alcohol poisoning after binge drinking following a period of abstinence, reported The Guardian.

It was held after an investigation found the original coroner, Suzanne Greenaway – who was hired by her husband, Dr Andrew Reid, the coroner for inner north London – did not have the correct qualifications for the role.

The new inquest repeated the findings that Amy had 416mg of alcohol per decilitre in her blood, enough to make her comatose and depress her respiratory system.

Recording a verdict of misadventure, the St Pancras coroner, Dr Shirley Radcliffe, said: “She voluntarily consumed alcohol, a deliberate act that took an unexpected turn in that it caused her death.”

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What are the BBC shows?

The first programme, Any Winehouse at the BBC, features a collection of memorable archive performances and rare interviews. Through these it shines a light on Amy’s incredible talent, showcasing hits like Rehab’, Love Is a Losing Game and Stronger Than Me.

This is followed by Amy Winehouse: Back To Black at 20, which sees Jo Whiley welcome a star-studded line-up of singers alongside the Amy Winehouse Band to perform each song from the album in a concert held at the Roundhouse in Camden.

Amy Winehouse In Her Own Words is a profile of the star threaded together from interviews she gave to the BBC while the coverage is rounded off with Amy Winehouse at Glastonbury 2007 featuring highlights of her performance on the legendary Pyramid Stage.

The Amy Winehouse programmes start on BBC Two on Saturday, October 24 at 8.35pm

Trump advises the Republican gubernatorial candidate to keep running the controversial advertisement.

US President Donald Trump has backed Republican Vivek Ramaswamy amid controversy over an attack advertisement by the Ohio gubernatorial candidate against his Democratic rival.

Trump said in a social media post on Thursday that Ramaswamy should keep running the advertisement that features Democratic candidate Amy Acton’s estranged mother.

In the advertisement, Donna Arthur, Acton’s mother, disputes her daughter’s account of a childhood involving homelessness and ⁠⁠sexual abuse by her stepfather, urging Ohioans not to vote for her.

Acton says she has not seen her mother since 1978. Acton’s brother has supported her account of being sexually abused by her stepfather when she was a child. The stepfather, who died in 2004, was charged with rape.

“Anybody whose mother spoke about a daughter in that way would normally lead to the daughter being precluded from serving in office,” Trump said.

The US president also attacked Republican Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, who advised Ramaswamy to take down the advertisement, labelling him “disloyal” to the Republican party.

‘It’s wrong’

At a gathering with reporters at the Ohio Statehouse, DeWine recalled the painful experiences of rape victims he dealt with as a county prosecutor and state attorney general.

“It’s wrong to run this ad,” he said. “And, even at this late time – my wife, Fran, saw the advertisement just run this morning on TV – I would just urge the Ramaswamy campaign to take this down.”

Acton’s brother, Philip Stearns, called the advertisement ⁠⁠a “desperate, disgusting attack”, while Acton campaign spokesperson Addie Bullock called Ramaswamy’s decision to promote it “both despicable and entirely predictable”.

Vice President JD Vance, campaigning on Wednesday with Ramaswamy ⁠⁠and US Senator Jon Husted, an Ohio Republican, had brushed aside ⁠⁠the blowback.

Vance, a former senator from Ohio, expressed disgust with Republicans “whining” about the advertisement as low and in poor taste.

Ramaswamy’s campaign said it was spending $4m to promote the advertisement.

Opinion polls suggest Acton is narrowly leading Ramaswamy in a tight race to replace the term-limited DeWine.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — President Trump said Thursday that Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican nominee for Ohio governor, should keep running a controversial ad featuring the estranged mother of Democratic opponent Amy Acton, posting on social media that it was “hitting pay dirt.”

Trump also denounced Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, who criticized the ad as “deeply, deeply troubling” earlier in the day. Acton previously served in DeWine’s administration as a health official. Her mother lost custody of Acton and her brother after her husband — the children’s stepfather — was indicted on a charge of raping Acton.

“He strongly suggested that Vivek should, ‘take down the Ad,’ ” Trump wrote. “He probably wants a Dumocrat to win, and certainly doesn’t want someone who will do a much better job than he is capable of doing. I suggested, on the other hand, that Vivek should keep it up, and let everyone listen to the mother of a defective, dishonest, and incapable Candidate, explain how the daughter is a DISASTER who, uncontrollably, lies, cheats, and steals!”

At a gathering with reporters at the Ohio Statehouse, DeWine recalled the painful experiences of rape victims he dealt with as a county prosecutor and state attorney general.

“It’s wrong to run this ad,” he said. “And, even at this late time — my wife, Fran, saw the ad just run this morning on TV — I would just urge the Ramaswamy campaign to take this down.”

The term-limited DeWine’s remarks place him at odds with Ramaswamy, whom he has endorsed. The biotech entrepreneur and former presidential candidate plans to spend $4 million to broadcast it online and on television.

DeWine stops short of pulling his endorsement

But the governor stopped short of pulling his backing of the Republican for now. DeWine recalled a previous line of attack by the Acton campaign had mentioned Ramaswamy’s mother and said that also was wrong — “family members have always historically been off limits” — though he noted it was never used in a multimillion-dollar ad campaign.

That critique from the summer cited an investigative report into Geetha Ramaswamy’s role at a pharmaceutical company run by her son, whom Acton and Democrats described as “hiring his own mother to manipulate clinical trial data.”

The Ramaswamy campaign called those claims “slanderous” and said he’s being held to a different standard than Acton and other Democrats who have attacked Republicans’ families.

“Governor DeWine is correct that the first and only candidate to attack the mother of her opponent in this race was Amy Acton,” spokesperson Connie Luck said in a statement, adding, “We refuse to accept the media’s double standards.”

Ohio Republicans divided over the ad

By chiming in, DeWine has entered the fray of a growing rift among Ohio Republicans over the advertisement — as both the governor’s race and a race for U.S. Senate appear far tighter than expected in a state Trump won handily three times. The video features Acton’s birth mother, Donna Arthur, calling her “a liar” and insinuating she has mental health issues.

Acton, Ohio’s COVID-19-era health director, has made no secret of facing homelessness and abuse as a child. Arthur lost custody of her children after their stepfather, Arthur’s husband, was indicted on a charge of rape involving Acton. Acton’s campaign on Tuesday posted a video of her brother, who supported her backstory about living in a tent and being abused.

Republican Vice President JD Vance, an Ohio native son, expressed disgust during an Ohio campaign swing Wednesday with Republicans “whining” about the ad as low and in poor taste. But Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, DeWine’s former lieutenant governor — running in a tight retention race against Democrat Sherrod Brown — has said he would not have run the ad, as has Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose, who is running for state auditor.

Another influential Ohio Republican, former U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, posted a lengthy essay on X overnight, suggesting that “the floor may have just fallen out from under the Republican campaign for Ohio Governor” and urging every Republican to distance themselves from it.

Amid the turmoil, Ohio Republican Party Chairman Alex Triantafilou posted what sounded like a warning, or a threat.

“The final days of a tough campaign are always the best time to find out who is really with you and who just posts and pretends,” he wrote. “Yes—we are keeping score.” The quote was followed by a winking-eye emoji.

Ad has faced bipartisan rebukes, support in conservative media

The ad is also dividing Republicans nationally.

Nikki Haley, who sparred with Ramaswamy during the 2024 Republican presidential primary over the personal nature of his attacks, called him “a bad guy” in a social media post Tuesday. “It’s a shame he continues to get away with it,” she wrote.

At the same time, Media Matters for America, a left-leaning media watchdog group, has reported that many within the national conservative media are promoting and praising the ad. Ramaswamy’s campaign manager, Jonathan Ewing, characterized it as “a campaign-ending moment for Amy Acton.”

Wayne Allyn Root, of Gateway Pundit, called it “absolutely hilarious” and Daily Wire host Michael Knowles described it as “brilliant.”

Police and court records show Cledith Arthur was arrested and charged with the rape of Acton in July 1978, when she was 12, after her biological father lodged a formal complaint against him. The abuse allegedly happened from December 1976 to April 1978. Cledith Arthur failed to show for a court appearance and became a fugitive.

Donna Arthur remained married to him until his death in 2004.

Smyth writes for the Associated Press.

IN the last six months of her short life, there was one person Amy Jade Winehouse could turn to unreservedly.

Dale Davis, her band leader and confidante, provided her with a shoulder to cry on and a reason for her to break into the infectious laughter that came with her wicked sense of humour.

He was there to give Amy “a cuddle” during her final public outing, and three days later — on the night before she died aged 27 in 2011 — he spent 15 minutes on the phone to her, telling her she was “the best”.

“We were always chatting in those final months,” he says today to mark the 20th anniversary of Amy’s stellar Back To Black album.

“I remember her saying to me, ‘Dale, I’ve just realised that I’ve spent my whole adult life with you’.

“I was with her from when she was 19 to 27. The things I miss about her most are her big grin and that glint in her eyes.”

Dale joined Amy’s band in 2003 as bassist because the original choice was “too expensive” and, as he self-deprecatingly admits, he was “the uglier, cheaper” alternative.

A year later, he became her musical director and remains the keeper of her flame by leading The Amy Winehouse Band on its regular tours of the UK and abroad.

Though he was 17 years her senior, they bonded over a shared love of “hip-hop, soul and Nineties R&B”.

He adds: “We were also the only members of the band who drank Jack Daniel’s — so there was a lot of affinity there. If Amy loved you, no matter who it was, she loved you hard. She always had my back and I always had hers.”

Reaching the 20th anniversary of Back To Black, released on October 27, 2006, is a milestone Dale finds “surreal”.

Amy’s second album, the follow-up to her debut Frank, catapulted the vivacious, naturally talented singer on to the world stage and has sold more than 20million copies (and counting).

It contained raw, personal songs loaded with pathos and humour, such as Rehab, Me & Mr Jones, Tears Dry On Their Own and Love Is A Losing Game, all delivered in deliciously smoky, jazzy tones.

It charted in graphic detail Amy’s turbulent relationship with the love of her life, Blake Fielder-Civil, as well as her battles with drug and alcohol addiction.

“I believe she was the first star of this millennium, of the broadband generation,” maintains Dale.

“She was a most courageous performer and human being. Amy had a massive heart, but it left her open to the highs and the lows.”

To give an example of her inner conflict, Dale vividly recalls being with her on February 10, 2008, when she scooped five Grammy awards in the wake of Back To Black.

“Life was never dull and that night I saw an indication of what she was going through,” he says.

Amy could not attend the ceremony in Los Angeles because she’d been denied a visa amid drug and legal issues, but she was hooked up remotely to perform from London’s Riverside Studios.

“When she won her third Grammy, it was just me and her on stage,” continues Dale.

“Everyone else had walked off. I said, ‘Well done, Amy’. And she just said, ‘No, this is s*** because Blake’s not here’.

“While she was winning all those awards, her heart was going through the extreme pain of not being with him. There was no middle ground with Amy, and things like that are so destabilising to your mental health.”

When he considers the Back To Black songs, he says Wake Up Alone was Amy’s favourite, but he singles out a sad track, Love Is A Losing Game, and a funny one, Me & Mr Jones.

There’s an exquisite demo rendition of Love Is A Losing Game on the new, expanded anniversary editions, just Amy’s sublime, soulful voice and the strums of an acoustic guitar.

Dale says: “She was equally comfortable with an orchestra or on her own.

“The great thing about that version is that she delivers the most beautiful performance and then, at the end, she goes, ‘Is that all right?’. That really sums her up.

“Amy was so bright and so intelligent, but because she spoke so normally, it fooled people.”

Of Me & Mr Jones, with its old-school jazz vibe and jaw-dropping line, ‘What kind of f***ery is this?’, Dale says: “That’s my favourite song on the album. It’s right up my street. It’s got doo-wop. It’s got swing.

“I can imagine the mischievous grin as she’s thinking, ‘Right, I’m going to turn this into a funny old song’.

Also, you can’t play it on the radio. That’s the great thing about Amy — she knew no boundaries.”

Yet Dale senses that the star who burned bright for a fleeting moment “sold herself short in the end”.

“Amy was the most rebellious person I’ve ever come across,” he decides.

In 2004, the year Frank came out, Dale remembers “having breakfast with Nick (Shymansky, her first manager), who said, ‘We’ve got some issues with Amy’. I said, ‘Just leave her be, she’s a punk’.

“She had that spirit which could be destructive. However, the only harm she ever did was to herself.

“At the same time, she was so funny — her observational humour was ridiculous.

“I could always tell something funny was coming when I saw that glint in her eyes.

“Had she lived, Amy would have been like Barbra Streisand or Bette Midler — an all-round entertainer.

“I can imagine her having her own TV programme or being a great actress. She even talked about wanting to do some acting.”

When I caught up with Dale this week, he was preparing for last night’s Back To Black 20 show, directed by the album’s producers, Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi, at The Roundhouse in Amy’s London stomping ground of Camden.

Among the singers due to step into her ballet flats at the gig were Baby Rose, Corinne Bailey Rae, FLO, Jessie Reyez, Jorja Smith and Lianne La Havas.

Mention of the venue prompts Dale to cast his mind back to Amy’s final public outing, which took place there on July 20, 2011 — three days before she left us too soon.

Dale was by her side for a showcase by her goddaughter, the singer Dionne Bromfield.

Amy bravely appeared on stage — “dancing and being a good sport” — to support Dionne, but declined to take the mic.

“She was wearing a vest and jacket and looking as well as when I first met her,” says Dale.

“After the show, Amy said, ‘Let’s hang out’. So I spent two hours with her and we chatted so much. Before we left, we went outside and she said, ‘Cuddle me because I’m cold’.

“I spent the last ten minutes holding her. When I look back on that moment, I’m thinking it wasn’t like her because she was never cold.”

Dale believes Amy’s “eating disorder got her in the end”, a subject of great sadness to him.

He says: “She was never ever big — curvy at most. But I know a comment was made one year and then suddenly all the weight came off. I felt sorry for her.

“It has taken me a long time to realise what eating disorders are.

“I wish I’d had more knowledge so I could have helped.

“Towards the end, her nervous system was getting more and more shocked with the lack of eating.

“And when Blake went to prison, she also stopped sleeping. That had a massive impact on her physical state.”

This brings us to Dale’s phone call with Amy, which started at 11.15pm on July 22, 2011, hours before she died.

He says: “Purely by chance, I had the longest conversation with her that night.

“Even at her funeral service, I ended up right next to the coffin because there was no room for me elsewhere. All those weird things draw me in to make sure that I protect her legacy.”

Dale describes their final conversation: “Amy said, ‘Dale, I’ve had a little bit to drink’. And I said, ‘Well, you don’t sound at all drunk’.

“Then she said, ‘I’ve been watching some old clips of me on YouTube. I CAN sing, can’t I?’. And I just said, ‘Of course you can. You’re the best’.

“I’m so glad that, on her last evening, she could turn round and say that because she was the least arrogant person about her abilities.”

In the wake of Amy’s tragic death, there have been blame games involving various parties — Blake, management, the music industry, the media, her parents.

Mention of this prompts Dale to launch a staunch defence of Amy’s divorced mum and dad, Janis and Mitch.

He says: “I feel so sorry for Janis because when Amy started to get famous, Janis had her own health problems.

“Amy always said her mother was so serene — and then she had to go through her struggles and watch the demise of her daughter.”

Turning to her London cabbie dad, who left the family home when Amy was about ten but became more involved in her life as her career took off, Dale says: “People point the finger at Mitch.

“Me and my dad don’t really get on, but we love each other and are there for each other.

“It was very difficult for someone like Mitch coming back into Amy’s life when she’d become a self-made multimillionaire. It must have been quite hard to try to direct someone when they’ve made it themselves.”

On a more general note, Dale adds: “The industry and everyone else can take steps to do everything they can — but there’s always going to be someone who slips through the net.”

Next up for him is a UK tour with his Amy Winehouse Band, a chance to hear some of that beautiful, rebellious spirit.

“They tried to make me go to rehab but I said no, no, no.”

• UK tour details at theamywinehouseband.com. The Back To Black 20 ­Concert is on BBC Two on Saturday, 9.35pm, and Radio 2, Monday, 7pm. Expanded editions of Back To Black, with unheard demos and a 2007 live show, are out on Friday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Republican Vivek Ramaswamy ’s team confirmed late Tuesday that it produced a controversial advertisement featuring the estranged mother of Amy Acton, and the campaign said it will spend $4 million to promote it despite facing bipartisan rebuke for dredging up the painful childhood of his Democratic opponent in Ohio’s governor’s race.

The decision exacerbates a deeply personal element in one of the country’s most closely watched and expensive campaigns for state office. Questions about the video will likely shadow Ramaswamy, a biotech billionaire who previously ran for president but has never before held public office, in the final two weeks of the contest. Democrats said he was growing desperate at a moment when more than 676,000 people have already cast ballots in Ohio.

The advertisement features Acton’s birth mother, Donna Arthur, calling her “a liar” and insinuating she has mental health issues. Acton, Ohio’s former public health director, has made no secret of facing homelessness and abuse as a child. Arthur lost custody of her children after their stepfather was indicted for raping Acton.

The video’s origins were initially murky when it started circulating online. It first surfaced in a post by an Ohio political blogger, then spread across social media. It did not include the “paid for” tag that is legally required to air on television so viewers can know who produced and paid for it. D.J. Brynes, who blogs as “The Rooster,” told CNN he got the video from a voter who viewed it as part of a poll and recorded it.

Connie Luck, a spokesperson for Ramaswamy’s campaign, said Acton’s mother was not paid for the one-minute video, which she said will stream online and air on television.

Acton spent Tuesday condemning Ramaswamy for the ad even before his campaign confirmed its provenance.

“I won’t normalize somebody who has said that my childhood is just something I’m complaining about, who today just released an ad using my birth mother, who I was removed from at the age of 12 for severe abuse and neglect, and sexual abuse,” she told Spectrum News, a cable news outlet in Ohio.

She said Ramaswamy made similar personal attacks during his run for the Republican presidential nomination two years ago, calling it “a lifelong pattern.”

Ramaswamy’s campaign initially issued a statement that did not address whether he was responsible for the ad or knew who produced it. In the earlier statement, Luck said Acton “has some serious problems with the truth that the public needs to be aware of.”

Democrats and Republicans condemn the ad

Casey Putsch, a car designer and YouTube provocateur who competed against Ramaswamy for the Republican nomination for governor, said on social media that he would be voting for Acton in the wake of the ad’s release. He called the video “pretty damn low.”

Acton’s campaign released a statement from her brother, Philip Stearns, who said the two were removed from their mother Donna Arthur’s custody as children after their stepfather, Arthur’s husband, was indicted for raping Acton as a child. Acton has not seen Arthur, whose last known address was in Pennsylvania, since they were in a courtroom together in 1978.

Later Tuesday, the Acton campaign released a video featuring Stearns, who recalls his older sister taking “the worst” of the abuse they faced as children in order to protect him and disparages Ramaswamy and his allies for exploiting the situation.

According to police and court documents obtained by the Associated Press, Cledith Arthur was arrested and charged with the rape of his stepdaughter, then 12, in July 1978, after Acton’s biological father reported him to authorities. The abuse allegedly happened from December 1976 to April 1978.

Cledith Arthur pleaded not guilty. He was indicted by a grand jury that September, but failed to show at a court hearing and remained a fugitive until at least 1981. He has since died.

High-profile Republicans who back Ramaswamy — including Donald Trump Jr. and influencer Laura Loomer — elevated the video in online posts.

But others joined Democrats in condemning the ad. Meghan McCain called it “dastardly” and Dan Hauser, a strategist for Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, said he deleted his post sharing the video once he realized “the very serious accusations that caused their issues.”

The Democrat running for U.S. Senate in Ohio, Sherrod Brown, described the spot as “disgusting” and said everyone — including his opponent, Sen. Jon Husted — should be willing to condemn it. Husted’s campaign didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Smyth writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Ali Swenson in New York contributed to this report.

AMY Dowden has taken the high road in response to ex-Strictly pro Brendan Cole’s remarks about her abilities as a dancer.

Brendan – who featured as a pro on the show from 2004 until 2017 – brutally claimed that Amy has “not been doing a very good job”, despite returning to the show after undergoing treatment for grade three aggressive breast cancer.

Brendan made the dig after Amy was the first to be voted off this year’s Strictly for the second year in a row, this time with her partner Chris Appleton.

In a new interview with The Mirror, Amy addressed Brendan’s comments, saying: “I’ll be honest, what do you expect from him?

“It’s fine – I’ve never been brought up to be personal, and in this day and age especially I think it’s so important to be kind, and to think about the next generation.

“I always try to use my platform in the right way – I work with various charities.

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“But also I want to be the right kind of role model.

“I run a dance academy and all my little boys and girls really look up to me.

“That’s important.”

Amy had also reacted to Brendan’s comments in an Instagram post, shortly after he made the remarks.

Dressed in a glittering ballroom dress, she lip-synced and danced to the iconic Mariah Carey track Obsessed. 

She also penned the caption: “If you know, you know #bekind #inaworldyoucanbeanythingbekind”

Brendan’s remarks came during a chat with Sky Vegas, where the 50-year-old, who exited Strictly a decade ago, said: “To be a pro on Strictly is a big job and one has to be up to the challenge. 

“Amy has not been up to the challenge, in my opinion.

“I don’t think Amy’s been doing a very good job for the last few years and she’s been out first for the last few years. One can do the maths on that.

“She’s standing out there counting him in. She’s counting every step for him.

“It’s very obvious that the job has not been done, and I don’t think people are enjoying it.”

Amy’s fans were seething at his words, calling Brendan “wrong” and ordering him to “leave her alone”.

Writing underneath The Sun’s story about Brendan’s comments, one user said: “It’s really wrong to have any complaints re Amy, she has been through a lot, and paired with a few contestants who were not ‘gifted’.”

“Leave her alone. Don’t you think she has been through enough, and to be the first one out is taking its toll on her,” said a second, as a third echoed: “How dare he say these awful things. Amy is immensely talented. His comments are plain cruel. Never liked his arrogant attitude.”

Amy Dowden has teased her comeback to Strictly Come Dancing after it was confirmed she would be replacing injured Delta Goodrem, who is unable to dance this week

Amy Dowden has teased her comeback to Strictly Come Dancing as she’s set to replace injured Delta Goodrem.

Singer Delta has been forced to miss this year’s Icons Week after breaking her rib. She has been forced to pull out of the show this week and will get a bye to the following week as per the rules.

It has been confirmed that Amy will dance with Kai. Vogue Williams said on Lorraine today: “It’s good to see her back, but she’s going to be dancing with Kai, and supposedly to Dolly Parton’s Jolene. I mean, that’s going to be so good.”

Now, footage has emerged of Amy – who was first out the competition with Chris Appleton – reacting to the group dance. “I really think this Icon’s Week is going to be phenomenal,” she said as the group prepared to dance to a Madonna number.

Today, Delta shared an update on her own health. Taking to social media, she wrote: “Just wanted to come on here and say a big Thank you to everyone who has sent messages and wrote lovely comments the last couple of days, I see them all.

“Not the start to the week I’d hoped for but your support has meant the world. Also special big thank you to my amazing dance partner @kaiwidd who I will miss dancing with this weekend but I am so beyond grateful for his guidance and friendship through it all.. as well as the wonderful Strictly team!!”

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Delta had previously said she was “absolutely gutted” to be out the show for the week, and hoped she’d be back the following week. She told fans: “I’ve been loving every second of this experience, so having to sit this one out is heartbreaking – especially after the high of Saturday night.

“I cannot tell you how much I love being a part of this magical show. I’m going to focus on resting and recovering, and hopefully I’ll be back on that dancefloor very soon. Thank you so much to everyone for all the love and support. It’s so appreciated. I’ll be cheering everyone on from the sidelines this week!”

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Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes finally ran off and made the thing official.

The former “Good Morning America” anchors tied the knot in a private Arkansas ceremony back in September. The marriage license, obtained by People, confirmed the Washington County nuptials.

Last October, the couple announced their engagement on the “Amy & T.J.” podcast. “We’re actually surprised we’re just now talking about it,” Holmes said. “We wanted to let you all know before anybody was able to. We learned that lesson I guess in the past about our relationship: We want to be the first to talk about it.”

The lesson Holmes is referencing is the couple’s big relationship reveal, which happened while they were both anchors on “GMA3” and married to other people.

In 2022, the paparazzi leaked photos of the two holding hands, nestled into each other at a New York bar, and Holmes patting Robach on the rear. Chaos broke loose in the media and behind the scenes at ABC. Holmes’ then-wife, attorney Marilee Fiebig, filed for divorce shortly thereafter, followed by the divorce of Robach and her second husband, “Melrose Place” actor Andrew Shue, months later.

The same month that news of the scandal broke, ABC parted ways with the anchors, and they deactivated their social media accounts. A year later, the broadcasting duo embraced their coupledom, naysayers be damned, and teamed up with iHeartPodcasts to launch “Amy & T.J.,” marketed as “informative, entertaining, and above all, authentic; it will mark the first time Robach and Holmes speak publicly since their own names became a part of the headlines.”

In the debut episode, Robach and Holmes detailed how the scandal unfolded and insisted they’d been quietly separated from their spouses before their love affair began. Both said that the scandal dominating the headlines and the loss of their dream jobs sent them into the depths of despair.

“But we have had each other through it all,” Robach said. “It has been the most beautiful relationship I have had in my life.”

Finucane will now be putting together the final touches before this week’s World Championships, which are in Shanghai, China, from Wednesday to Sunday and are live on the BBC.

She is part of a 19-strong British team for the first event to count towards qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Although there has been disruption in the build-up after Finucane’s partner Matt Richardson was withdrawn amid reports he is under investigation for misconduct.

At her fifth World Championships, Finucane will ride in the team sprint, individual sprint and keirin.

The 23-year-old, speaking before Richardson’s departure, says she is desperate to regain the world champion’s rainbow stripes after two disappointing silvers last year.

It says a lot about the high bar she has set that two world silvers can even be seen as “disappointing”, but Finucane has a new outlook on that now.

“It’s something I learned last year actually,” she said. “I came fifth or sixth in the sprint competition and I felt I failed.

“It’s how you pick yourself up from that. I went into the keirin and I got second, which is the best keirin result I’ve ever had, so I was able to turn that around.

“Essentially, Worlds is a stepping stone to get to LA. I spoke to Scott (Pollock, her coach) and he said we either go there to win or we learn. I like that approach.

“I don’t fail. I win or learn something about myself.”

The preparation for the next Olympics has already long begun. Earlier this year Finucane and her teammate Sophie Capewell travelled to Los Angeles to get their first taste of the velodrome.

The World Championships might only be a stepping stone to there, but it is a vital one.

And Finucane wants to end them with the rainbow stripes back on her jersey.

AMY Childs has admitted to feeling “emotional” having wrapped filming on her Towie wedding special.

Amy Childs: The Towie Wedding follows Amy and her now-husband Billy Delbosq as they prepare to tie the knot.

The spin-off sees the couple make arrangements before getting legally wed in London, followed by a lavish ceremony at San Roque Golf Club, near Marbella.

Taking to Instagram, Amy shared behind-the-scenes snaps from filming.

She captioned the images: “And that’s a wrap!

“Feeling so emotional our show has come to an end however I am so excited for you to all to see (dates coming soon)!

wedding joy

Towie couple in talks for huge wedding spin-off after Amy Childs’ TV nuptials

FAIRYTALE WED

Towie’s Harry Derbigde shares snaps of Amy Childs wedding ahead of TV special

“It’s been incredible!”

Referencing her daughter, Amy added: “PS Polly the star of the show!”

Amy’s photos saw the reality star sat for cameras solo as well as with Billy.

Another shot saw Polly, nine, who Amy shares with ex Bradley Wright, sat for her own solo pieces to camera.

Amy also shared a selfie, taken after getting glammed up for filming.

She looked chic in a black blazer and matching top, showing off a freshly-styled mane in shades of caramel and hazlenut.

Amy showcased her flawless make-up, with a tanned glow to her complexion, striking black lashes and a slick of rosy gloss across her pout.

She sported a necklace with Billy’s name on it, as well as the names of all her children: Polly and Ritchie from previous relationships and twins Millie and Billy with her now-husband.

The pair had their second ceremony at the end of September, surrounded by 180 guests including Towie co-stars such as Jordan Brook and Sophie Kasaei.

Amy was walked down the aisle by her dad, who is also named Billy, with guests all adhering to a black tie dresscode.

Amy and Billy had their first wedding back in April having previously postponed their nuptials last year.

The new show is expected to land on ITV in the coming months.