Bethany Antonia has said she chose to wear her ‘Protect the Dolls’ T-shirt during her Strictly Come Dancing rehearsals without realising it was linked to a charity
Bethany Antonia has addressed the controversy(Image: BBC)
Bethany Antonia has broken her silence on the Strictly Come Dancing censorship row, defending the BBC’s decision to blur a pro-trans slogan on her t-shirt.
The House of the Dragon actress spoke out after the broadcaster faced intense viewer backlash for editing out the slogan “Protect the Dolls” from a t-shirt Bethany, 28, wore during week three rehearsal footage. The star, who is paired with Chinese professional dancer Nancy Xu, 35, on the show, admitted that she chose to wear the top without fully realising its commercial and charitable ties.
She said: “I think I made a choice to wear that T-shirt without considering the fact that it was linked to a charity, and that it was linked to what some people consider a brand. The BBC had to do what they had to do when they edited it out, to keep it fair for everybody.”
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However, she told Digital Spy that she was “thrilled to see so much support for the trans community” as she added: “I stand with my trans family in every way, and they knew what I was thinking when I wore that T-shirt. And that’s all that matters.”
In her Digital Spy interview, Bethany added that she would like to see a trans contestant on Strictly in the future, as she believed this would be “empowering for the whole community”. She shared: “The show is sort of learning with every year, every new contestant; it’s learning as it goes. I think it’s only a matter of years before we see a trans contestant.”
During the October 10 episode of Strictly, a clip was aired of Bethany wearing a top with “PROTECT THE DOLLS” written on it as viewers watched her during rehearsals. But later on in the show, the words were removed to make it appear as if the t-shirt was plain white.
The phrase “Protect The Dolls” is a pro-trans slogan which was first written on a top from fashion designer Conner Ives in 2025. Since then been worn by celebrities and has helped to raised hundreds of thousands for charities.
The term traces back to the 1980s Black and Latina underground ballroom scene in New York City, where “doll” was used as a term of solidarity for transgender women.
Many people hit out at the BBC on social media, accusing the broadcaster of censorship. However, a BBC spokesperson responded, saying: “As is standard practice on any entertainment show on the BBC and in line with our editorial guidelines, appropriate steps are taken to reduce the inclusion of any overt branding or slogans that may be present, regardless of the wording or statement in question.”
That didn’t stop many online responding with annoyance, as a viewer said: “Ironically the phrase originated in the ballroom scene decades ago. It’s genuinely pathetic that the BBC refuses to allow anything remotely pro-trans to air. Love Bethany even more though.”
Another fumed: “The decision to digitally scrub the ‘Protect the Dolls’ slogan from Bethany Antonia’s T-shirt during Strictly Come Dancing is a shameful and cowardly act of censorship.”
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 a huge star who died at the height of fame(Image: Getty Images)
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
MIAMI — A federal judge on Thursday ordered President Trump to sit for a deposition in his $10-billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC by Dec. 11.
The order from U.S. Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett came as the BBC’s lawyers complained that Trump had delayed his appearance. Attorney Charles Tobin said that with two months left in the discovery period, “we still haven’t been able to depose the plaintiff.”
He noted there was an agreed-upon date of Oct. 16, but that the Republican president canceled it for a “matter of national importance.” Tobin said Trump was in fact campaigning in Georgia that day.
“He was participating in party politics and prioritized that over sitting for the deposition,” Tobin said.
Lett said Trump must sit for a deposition by Dec. 11, or face sanctions up to dismissal of his lawsuit — unless the discovery period was extended past Dec. 18.
The BBC asked the judge last week to compel Trump to appear. The British broadcaster says Trump is trying to delay his appearance until January 2027. The judge has threatened sanctions if Trump fails to comply with the court’s schedule.
Trump, who has often avoided depositions, filed his lawsuit against the BBC last December, seeking $10 billion in damages. He accused the publicly funded broadcaster of defamation as well as deceptive and unfair trade practices related to a documentary, “Trump: A Second Chance.”
The BBC acknowledged that filmmakers spliced together quotes from different sections of the speech Trump delivered to his supporters on Jan. 6, 2021, before the storming of the U.S. Capitol, to make it seem he was directly urging violence. The broadcaster apologized over the editing, and the head of the BBC and its top news executive both resigned. The BBC has denied Trump’s claims that it defamed him.
Trump’s lawyers say Jack Smith ‘lacks personal knowledge’ of issues in the case
To bolster its defense, the broadcaster subpoenaed former special counsel Jack Smith earlier this month. Trump’s lawyers argued, in a joint filing asking for a hearing on the matter, that there was no good reason for Smith, who is not a party to the case, to appear.
“Smith lacks any personal knowledge regarding the issues in this matter,” they argued in the filing. “He was not present when President Trump’s January 6, 2021, speech … was made, nor did he participate in its preparation. Smith does not have any personal knowledge regarding President Trump’s state of mind at the time the Speech was given.”
Trump’s side also argued that “Smith’s testimony would be duplicative,” because he published a lengthy report on the events of Jan. 6 and also testified for many hours. “The entirety of his testimony is publicly available,” it argued.
The BBC countered, in the same filing, that there were few more knowledgeable sources about the events of Jan. 6 than Smith, who studied and investigated them for years.
“It is difficult to imagine a more authoritative source on these issues than Mr. Smith, who spent years gathering evidence on those topics with the force of the Justice Department and the power of the grand jury behind him,” the BBC’s lawyers argued.
“No one forced Plaintiff to file this lawsuit and to dispute that his speech on January 6 incited the violence that followed at the Capitol. But as long as he chooses to maintain the case, he cannot commit the fundamental injustice of preventing the BBC from obtaining the evidence it needs to robustly defend itself on every element of his claim…”
When will Trump sit for a deposition?
In a filing Oct. 13, the BBC’s lawyers said they first requested dates for a deposition in July, and followed up repeatedly, with both sides eventually agreeing on Oct. 16.
After weeks of silence, they wrote, “Plaintiff’s counsel responded on September 28, 2026, indicating that ‘the President is no longer available for his deposition on October 16 due to other matters of national importance’ and that counsel would ‘endeavor to provide you with a replacement date by the end of this week.’ He did not.”
They said they were then told that Trump “has no availability whatsoever for a deposition” before discovery is set to close on Dec. 18, and that Trump would instead make himself available the second or third week of January.
Tobin wrote in the filing, “Those delays have flouted the cooperative spirit of discovery and precluded the BBC from obtaining the evidence necessary to robustly litigate its defense.”
Fischer and Noveck write for the Associated Press. Noveck reported from New York.
REVIEW: After one big yawn in the castle, the most disastrous mission ever was followed by the least productive Round Table. What’s going on?
21:05, 22 Oct 2026Updated 21:19, 22 Oct 2026
James Acaster knew he’d get a roasting in the turret – and he did
A disastrous Mission – in which the Traitors failed to bank any money at all – was tonight followed by a terrible Round Table, in which the Faithful simply clammed up. The producers must have been tearing their hair out.
It all started to go wrong when James Acaster decided he simply wasn’t going to do anything asked of him in the Mission, because he was “too scared”. And outraged Maya Jama and King Kenny could do nothing about it – because he did’t even raise his blindfold to look them in the eye.
Freaked out by his refusal, the pair of them crept about a bit but never looked close to building their shield, and – spooked by the creaking floorboards – in the end just aborted the mission entirely.
What is staggering is they didn’t even bother to sabotage the shields that had been built, leaving three of the Faithful fully protected from murder that night. So marks for effort to all three – zero.
Emboldened after winning the shields, some of the Faithful realised that the Traitors were on the ropes. “They’ve been absolutely rubbish,” James Blunt said, as Michael Sheen agreed: “They’ve got scared.”
They were absolutely right. But as though their inertia was catching, the Faithful then decided they’d respond by giving up speaking at the Round Table. Theories? Nah, they decided, collectively. Miranda Hart had one, but then withdrew it.
Jerry was asked for her thoughts directly, but having banged on repeatedly about James Blunt since the start, refused to say his name. And that’s after she’d earlier made the astonishing claim that he must be a Traitor because: “His face is redder than a fox’s ass at gooseberry time.” Well, if you say so Jerry.
In the end it was the former model who got her marching orders, not because the others really thought she was a Traitor, but because Michael suggested the next best thing was to get rid of any unhelpful Faithful.
Hang on though, hadn’t they noticed that Jerry and Sharon Rooney were the last ones in to breakfast that morning? Which means – as EVERY self-respecting fan of the show knows – that they must have been the other two Faithful in contention for murder, along with Ross Kemp. Duh. Never even mentioned.
When night fell, James Acaster was fully braced for the backlash he knew he deserved in the turret, saying: “I know I’m going to get a dressing down, I’m aware of that.”
Sure enough Maya and Kenny were fuming that he’d hung them out to dry. “I was scared,” he argued, deflecting their anger by insisting he was getting better at being a Traitor, not worse.
“When I killed Ross Kemp in plain sight, I loved it,” he declared. “And I have enjoyed today more.” Maya said she was proud of him but loyalty-wise, he must be skating on thin ice.
Now Romesh Ranganathan is convinced he’s about to be bumped off and if it’s not him it will be Miranda or Sebastian Croft. (The other two will walk in last to breakfast, you mark my words.)
James picked Romesh saying that his popularity and authority with the other Faithful would make his exit a huge blow. Calling him the “deputy head” of the round table, James said: “Morale-wise, everybody loves having Rom around.”
His words were kind but was this his way of trying to get rid of the fellow comedian, who is said to have made his life tricky in the castle? As Romesh headed to bed, he was muttering: “I’m going to die tonight.” And he could be right.
But whoever goes might find they’ve have a lucky escape if tonight’s effort was anything to go by. If this was a school report it would contain just three words: Must. Try. Harder.
A US judge has ordered President Donald Trump to answer questions under oath in his defamation lawsuit against the BBC by 11 December.
Trump is suing the BBC over an episode of Panorama that edited together two different sections of a speech he gave before the riot at the US Capitol in 2021.
Charles Tobin, a lawyer representing the BBC, said in court that “we still haven’t been able to depose the plaintiff” with two months left in the discovery period.
Trump cancelled a previous deposition on 16 October, citing “matters of national importance” while he was campaigning in Georgia.
In US law, a deposition is an out-of-court statement made under oath in response to questions, which is recorded for use in later proceedings.
The judge in the case, US Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett, said that Trump must sit for the deposition by 11 December, unless the discovery period is extended.
Last week, attorneys asked that Lett compel Trump to face deposition after the last scheduled meeting did not take place.
On that day, Trump attended a midterms campaign rally in Dalton, Georgia and a fundraiser at his property in Mar-a-Lago in Florida.
In a separate filing on Wednesday, Trump’s lawyers said that the president could appear for the interview between 11 and 22 January next year, and claimed that the BBC was “wrong to claim that President Trump is avoiding his deposition in this action.”
Trump’s lawsuit – filed in Florida – accuses the BBC of “intentionally, maliciously, and deceptively doctoring” the speech he gave outside the Capitol on 6 January 2021.
The BBC apologised for the error and said that the broadcast gave “the mistaken impression that President Trump made a direct call for violent action”.
The broadcaster has since asked that the court dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that the programme does not meet the legal criteria for defamation and was not available in the US.
In July, Trump’s lawyers conceded that they had no evidence that the documentary was available in the US on the BBC’s BritBox subscription service – as they originally claimed – or on the BBC’s website, BBC select or through US broadcasters.
Trump ultimately agreed to drop the lawsuit against BBC Studios, its commercial arm, after the BBC argued that it had “no role in creating or producing the documentary.
Typically, depositions take place in a lawyer’s office – rather than a courtroom – without a judge physically present.
Depositions, however, carry legal weight and take place under oath. They are recorded verbatim by a court reporter, and the transcripts can later be used as evidence during trials.
So much has happened over the past seven days, including wondergoals in the Premier League, Cristiano Ronaldo receiving a fine from the Portuguese FA and a boxing heavyweight title clash.
About 11% of quizzers got full marks in last week’s edition. Will you make the grade this week?
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Actor Julie Hesmondhalgh was a Celebrity Traitors superfan and made some surprising friendships before being the third person out of the show this year
Julie Hesmondhalgh was obsessed with Traitors and made new friends on the series.(Image: Jonty Davies/Good Housekeeping UK/Press Association)
Actor Julie Hesmondhalgh has described her time on Celebrity Traitors as “extraordinary” and revealed a quirk of the show means people become friends faster than usual.
The former star of Coronation Street, 56, admitted she was “obsessed” with the show before signing up to star in the 2026 version.
She says she has made some friends for life and explained to Good Housekeeping UK: “The extraordinary thing is that you’re all on the same footing. There’s no status at all. You have these accelerated friendships because there’s a lot of time off-camera when you’re travelling in cars together and aren’t allowed to discuss the game. People tell you about their lives; I found out so much about people and I was really touched that they trusted me.”
Asked who she became closest to, she added: “Romesh [Ranganathan] is one of the greatest human beings. We were in there right at the start, alongside Ross Kemp. The three of us were a very unlikely little threesome. I adored Ross, too.”
Julie was banished as a Faithful from BBC show early on after being voted out in a round table. She was the third celebrity to leave.
The acclaimed actress is best known for starring as Hayley Cropper in Corrie between 1998 and 2014.
She said: “The short storyline was supposed to be Roy Cropper [David Neilson] falling for Hayley, then running for the hills when she comes out as trans. But everybody loved the relationship. It became a key storyline almost by accident, which was the best way, because it wasn’t an issue that was shoehorned in.”
On her exit, she added: “There’s a photo of me on the floor, foetal. I was like, ‘What have I done?’ I have no regrets about leaving, but when I watch the credits and see that so many of the cast and crew names are the same, it feels a bit strange.
“Had I stayed, it would have become embarrassing. Anachronistic. But I maintain that Hayley and Roy’s love story was important. It got people talking. It’s so upsetting that trans rights have now gone backwards.”
In real life she is married to writer Ian Kershaw and they have two grown up daughters Martha and Lyss.
Julie reflected: “I found a lot of motherhood a struggle. Balancing my own life and work with motherhood was tricky at times. I have a lot of regrets about losing my rag with my kids. I took things too personally; I felt like they were almost trying to make my life difficult, which obviously they weren’t. They were just children.”
Asked by the magazine who she’d invite to a fantasy Christmas lunch, she said: “Patti Smith, because I adore her. Rebecca Lucy Taylor [who performs as Self Esteem]. James Baldwin. Naomi Klein – I loved Doppelgänger and realised she’s funny as well as formidable. Tony Benn. Oh, and AOC [American politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]. Who else? Emma Thompson – I’ve never met her, but I think she’s a good person.”
* The full interview can be read now in the December issue of Good Housekeeping UK.
The Repair Shop expert Kirsten Ramsey was on hand to help restore a prized Pride of Birmingham Award, which was accidentally smashed
A mum was left feeling guilty after accidentally breaking her son’s Pride of Birmingham Award (Image: BBC)
A mum was left feeling terribly guilty after accidentally breaking her son’s most prized possession while doing the housework.
During Wednesday’s (October 21) episode of The Repair Shop: Beyond the Barn, BBC viewers saw ceramics expert Kirsten Ramsey tasked with fixing an award statuette belonging to Mikey Akers from Coventry. In a cutaway scene, viewers saw Mikey alongside his mum Louisa share more about the incredible story behind the award.
In 2018, Mikey was 16 years old when he won a Pride of Birmingham Award for his tireless campaigning to raise awareness about verbal dyspraxia, after being diagnosed with the rare neurological speech disorder when he was two.
Mikey struggled to learn to speak and, throughout his childhood, needed intensive speech therapy to find his voice.
When he was 13, he wrote a poem called I Am The Boy about his struggles and set up campaign organisation, Mikey’s Wish, to raise awareness and support other young people with the condition.
Louisa explained: “It affects the messages from the brain to the mouth, and they struggle to move the muscles and the nerves in order to form the sounds needed for speech.”
Speaking about his diagnosis, Mikey added: “Growing up with verbal dyspraxia was quite lonely. People outside of my family struggled to understand what I was saying. It was quite common that people thought I weren’t as intelligent because of my speech. It was very frustrating.”
Mike was ecstatic with the Pride of Birmingham award and called it his “proudest achievement”; however, the angel-like trophy was damaged when Louisa knocked it off a shelf while doing housework, shattering it. “When it shattered, I was mortified. I felt so guilty”, Louisa told the camera.
Back at the Repair Shop, Kirsten was determined to make the award look brand-new again and said, “You don’t get this unless you’ve done something quite extraordinary.”
The expert explained that it would be tricky to recreate the award’s shiny surface because of all the broken pieces that would need to be reattached.
As Mikey and Louisa visited the barn to collect the award from Kirsten, Louisa said she “just wanted to see it back in one piece again.”
Miraculously, Kirsten had managed to make the award statuette look brand new, leaving Mikey elated. “Oh wow, Thank you”, he told Kirsten while Louisa joked: “The guilt has gone”, as the mother and son giggled.
“I am proud of him”, Louisa added as Mikey confirmed: “It brings me back to when I first got it, it’s a nice feeling.”
Kirsten commented: “You’re clearly an inspiration to many, many people, which really spurred me on to try and do the best job that I possibly could, and It’s ready to go back to whatever safe spot you’ve got for it. “
The Repair Shop Beyond the Barn is available to stream on BBC iPlayer
Ukrainians have died because Kyiv is still not receiving reliable US warnings of incoming Russian attacks, according to a key adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov told the BBC that lives had been lost because there had not been time to warn citizens about ballistic missile strikes, saying: “It’s dangerous… I think it’s really very bad… People [have] already died.”
The adviser also said restrictions to Ukraine’s use of the Starlink internet network were ongoing.
The White House said there had been no changes to intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
Despite the denials from Washington, many in Kyiv suspect the issues are not a coincidence.
On Monday morning, Zelensky wrote on social media: “Overnight two ballistic missile attacks were reported on the capital, one without warning, the second with only minimal time to take shelter.”
Hours earlier, an interview the president did with NBC was published, in which he said intelligence sharing had been restored after a three-day pause.
“We are very thankful for this,” he said. “Only [the] United States has this unique intelligence to tell our side when Russia uses ballistic missiles.”
But Beskrestnov told the BBC that American intelligence continued to be incomplete and inconsistent, and that the US had failed to provide a clear explanation for the issue.
“This looks very strange,” he said. “Sometimes we receive this information before the attack, another time we [do] not.”
He continued: “And for example, last night we received it, but… one minute before the attack.”
However, he said other collaboration with US continues, adding: “Intelligence data keeps flowing, and the issue is solely with the air raid alert component.”
Beskrestnov also said the US had given no clarity about who was responsible for the ongoing restrictions to the Starlink internet network and its military service Starshield, which Kyiv uses to provide connectivity for drones, helicopters and military communications.
Last week, Starshield restricted the speed at which mobile units could move while staying connected to the network to 100mph (160km/h).
This has limited Ukraine’s ability to shoot down incoming drones or to launch mid-range drone attacks into Russian-occupied areas.
Starlink owner Elon Musk said last week that the US government ultimately controls access to Starshield, which was designed for the Pentagon, suggesting it may therefore be behind the restrictions. Trump has denied involvement.
Beskrestnov said he thought both issues occurring at the same time was “probably” a deliberate move to put pressure on Ukraine.
He told BBC News: “It’s probably the United States trying to say [to] us, ‘let’s have the conversation, negotiation with Russia, you should find the compromise’.”
Beskrestnov also said Ukraine had its own radar data to provide some limited warning of incoming attacks, but was urgently looking into using alternative communication systems.
He added: “Now we understand that something begins to happen with Starlink, and we’re not sure what will be the next step.
“We understand that we should be prepared for some problems in future. And now we’re thinking about an alternative for Starlink, not only for air defence, for communication between our forces, between our staff, for civilians also, because we don’t know what we should expect in future regarding Starlink.”
On Monday, when asked about intelligence sharing, Trump said: “We’ve given a lot to Ukraine. They’ve given us nothing.”
Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had said there had not been a “pause” to intelligence sharing.
“I don’t know where [Zelensky is] getting these things or why he’s saying these things to the press,” he told reporters on Monday.
Rubio said he could not comment on the incident, adding: “I know a few nights ago there was a software problem involving their early warning system.”
The BBC has contacted Starlink for a response.
A White House official said there were no changes to intelligence sharing operations between the US and Ukraine.
The official spoke on background to discuss intelligence matters. Trump is focused on ending the war, the official said, and added that the US has provided more aid to Ukraine than any other country.
Russian attacks continued late on Monday, with Ukrainian officials saying at least six people were killed – including a toddler in her pram and an 11-year-old girl – in a drone strike near a park café in the north-eastern Kharkiv region.
Zelensky described the attack in which another 14 people were injured as “absolute atrocity”.
EXCLUSIVE: Strictly Come Dancing professional Kai Widdrington has shared what makes his dance partner Delta Goodrem so special as the singer prepares to return to the ballroom this weekend
Kai reveals Delta’s secret weapon on Strictly return
A painful rib injury put Delta‘s Strictly Come Dancing journey on hold, forcing the singer to sit out last week’s show and leaving fans disappointed.
The 41-year-old first injured her ribs early last week, ahead of her performance on Saturday, October 10. Her condition worsened as the week went on, but she still took to the dance floor for the live BBC show despite being in excruciating pain. Speaking exclusively to the Mirror on the red carpet at the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards, professional dancer Kai shared an insight into how Delta has been getting on as they prepare for Saturday’s show.
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He said: “Delta really enjoyed it too. It is nice being back in training. We’re looking forward to Saturday. She is doing good. She has a heart of gold, and her spirit is so pure and honest.
“She brings that energy to the training room and to the dance floor. She is unapologetically herself. She is such a professional with the way she carries herself around the place and the way she conducts herself on and off the dance floor, so to have that energy around me every day is very inspiring.”
With the competition continuing to heat up, the pressure will be on the pair to impress both the judges and viewers at home when they return to the ballroom.
And while Kai is keeping his expectations measured ahead of the weekend, he made it clear that he has faith in his celebrity partner and what they can achieve together.
He added: “We will see what happens Saturday, but I am confident in my partner.” Speaking of former professional dancer, Johannes Radebe, taking on the role of presenter, Kai commented: “He’s been brilliant, he’s one of my best friends, so to see him shining up there, he’s amazing. He used to be my roommate 11 years ago, way before Strictly was on the cards.
“When we were in South Africa together, he was telling me where he used to live, so to see him here, shining like the light he is, it’s the most amazing thing. I think Britain has kind of adopted him as one of our own.”
Delta had planned a dance to Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” with Kai during Icons Week, but Amy Dowdenperformed it instead. A spokesperson for the show had said: “Due to injury, Delta Goodrem has been advised by doctors to rest and, as a result, will not dance on this weekend’s Strictly Come Dancing.
“In line with the rules of the show, Delta and Kai will receive a bye through to next week, when it is hoped they will be able to dance again. We wish Delta the very best as she continues her recovery.”
Delta added: “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!”
Nick Knowles has spoken out after the news that DIY SOS was being rested by the BBC and whilst he is “disappointed,” he can understand the reasons behind the decision
15:46, 19 Oct 2026Updated 15:46, 19 Oct 2026
Nick Knowles has admitted he is “disappointed” that DIY SOS has been rested by the BBC(Image: Daily Mirror)
After 27 years, the BBC has admitted cost-cutting methods are behind the decision to bench the show for the foreseeable, and now former Strictly Come Dancing star Nick has spoken out on the matter.
He wrote on Instagram: “You may have already seen the news that DIY SOS is being put on ‘pause’. Of course, I’m disappointed not to be filming the show next year or again in the same format we know and love.
“But I do understand there’s no endless pot of money at the BBC and sometimes they have to make difficult decisions. Thank you for all the messages and comments over the weekend. It’s so clear you share my sentiment and deep love for this show.
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“For 26 years it’s been an honour and a privilege to be part of DIY SOS and I’ve loved nothing more than making it. What I always come back to is that it’s the people who are the beating heart of SOS. “
Nick used the rest of his lengthy post to reflect on the help that the programme has brought to thousands during its time on air, and thanked everyone who has been invoved.
“Over the years we’ve had thousands of tradespeople, suppliers and volunteers, all people trying to make their own living, who have shown up time and time again for the families who need it most. Kind, hardworking people and real working-class heroes coming together to build a better community. It really is the best of Britain and we need to see more of it on telly.
“I’ve always put my head above the parapet for tradespeople and this industry I love and I’ll keep doing that. But for now, I want to say thank you to every family for sharing their story with us over the last 26 years.
“To the volunteers, production team, purple shirts, commissioners and everyone watching at home, we couldn’t have done this without you. And to everyone who hasn’t seen the series yet, give it a watch. I promise your heart will be warmed.”
Despite initial reports that the programme had been cancelled entirely, the BBC were keen to stress that this is not the case.
A BBC Spokesperson said: “In light of the BBC’s savings challenges we have taken the decision to rest DIY SOS in 2027 and commission a new spin off show instead from producers South Shore. DIY SOS Rebuilt My Life (w/t) will revisit successes from the show’s past and expand the brand on the BBC in a more cost-effective way next year.”
The comments come after sources claimed the show was to be cancelled all together. A source told The Sun : “We were told it was being paused, but when we asked whether it would come back in 2028 or 2029 they couldn’t give us an answer.”
They went on: “It’s a disgusting outrage that a BBC show, which genuinely helps some of the neediest people in our country, is being shut down because it’s basically seen as ‘too expensive’.
“DIY SOS is one of the few shows on television that genuinely represents working-class people. Thousands of tradesmen and women offer their time, and often the materials, for free to people in need, even when they’re struggling to make ends meet themselves.”
The feature-length factal drama was rigorously researched but Huw has asked for it to be examined inder the ‘fairness and privacy’ clause of the Broadcasting Code
14:36, 19 Oct 2026Updated 14:36, 19 Oct 2026
Huw Edwards has filed an Ofcom complaint against the drama about his downfall
Ofcom has launched a probe into Channel 5’s factual drama about Huw Edwards following a complaint which can only have come from the ex-BBC newsreader himself.
The two-part factual drama, called Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards and starring Martin Clunes as the disgraced journalist, is being examined for “fairness and privacy” under Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code.
The investigation’s criteria covers “unjust or unfair treatment of individuals or organisations in programmes” or “unwarranted infringement of privacy in programmes”.
Huw, 65, has not publicly stated that he has called for the probe. But under the Ofcom code, in order to make a fairness and privacy complaint, it must come from either the affected person directly or by someone authorised to complain on their behalf.
An Ofcom spokesperson told Broadcast : “ We are investigating a fairness and privacy complaint about this programme.”
The feature-length film, Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards, told the story of the former BBC News presenter’s shattered career. It showed him befriending a 17-year-old boy and grooming him to send explicit photos or videos in exchange for cash. It also showed him linking up with a convicted paedophile online, leading to a criminal conviction for making indecent images of children, for which he pleaded guilty and was given a suspended sentence.
The 90-minute special is currently Channel 5’s highest-rating show of the year, pulling in 3.8m viewers over 28 days when it aired in March.
Ahead of the drama transmitting, Huw claimed that producers had failed to “check with me the truth of any aspect of their narrative” in the factual drama.
In a statement after the drama aired, he accused Channel 5 of “belatedly” asking him for a response after the drama had been made and claims the broadcaster “refused to disclose whether any of those making allegations” used in the research of the drama “had been paid for their contributions”.
In response, a Channel 5 spokesperson insisted it had been “based on extensive interviews with the victim, his family, the journalists who revealed his story, text exchanges between the victim and Edwards, and court reporting”.
They added: “It has been produced in accordance with Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code. All allegations made in the film were put to Huw Edwards via his solicitors six weeks before transmission.”
Huw resigned from the BBC on health grounds, before being charged in June 2024 following a Metropolitan Police investigation.
The Welsh newsreader pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates’ Court to three charges of making indecent images of children. These included seven category A images, the most serious classification, which had been sent to him on WhatsApp by 25-year-old convicted sex offender Alex Williams.
Ofcom is now expected to take representations from both sides before either upholding the complaint or dismissing it.
Former Neighbours star Delta Goodrem will return to Strictly Come Dancing this week after previously being forced to take time out when she sustained a rib injury
12:15, 19 Oct 2026Updated 12:16, 19 Oct 2026
Delta Goodrem will return to Strictly Come Dancing this week, it has been confirmed(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/BBC Studios)
Delta Goodrem will return to Strictly Come Dancing this week, it has been confirmed.
The pop star, 41, had been forced to take time out of the BBC Saturday night favourite when she sustained a rib injury and was given a free pass but it was uncertain whether she would be well enough to make it back to the show at all.
“She’ll return to the #Strictly ballroom on Saturday night, and Abi Clarke will pop into her rehearsal room for a chat on Training Room Diaries on Wednesday evening.”
Reacting to the news, one fan said: “Great news can’t wait to see your dance this week,” whilst another wrote: “Whoop whoop have missed her.”
A third wrote: “Unfinished business to attend to! Can’t wait to see you back out there,” and a fourth said: “Amazing news, welcome back delta.”
Delta, who is best known for starring in Australian soap Neighbours and releasing hits such as Innocent Eyes, recently told fans she was hoping to recover in time for the next round and – following her doctor’s order – had been getting rest at home.
Taking to social media, Delta, who is paired up with professional dancer Kai Widdrington, 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!!”
She added: “Resting and recovering at home and will be cheering everyone on from my couch on Saturday night xx.” 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.
A spokesperson for the show had said: “Due to injury, Delta Goodrem has been advised by doctors to rest and, as a result, will not dance on this weekend’s Strictly Come Dancing.
“In line with the rules of the show, Delta and Kai will receive a bye through to next week when it is hoped they will be able to dance again. We wish Delta the very best as she continues her recovery.”
Delta added: “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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EXCLUSIVE: His co-star Tessa Peake-Jones, who played Raquel, says it was ‘poignant and quite sobering’ watching the comedy legend grapple with the past
21:31, 18 Oct 2026Updated 21:32, 18 Oct 2026
David Jason was at the peak of his career in the 1990s
Only Fools and Horses star Tessa Peake-Jones has told how Sir David Jason felt saddened watching himself playing Del Boy in lost archive clips, as he hankered to be back in his prime.
The actress, who played his wife Raquel from 1988 for 15 years, says she enjoyed sitting with him, and other actors from the hit BBC sitcom, to watch newly discovered gems that they all believed had been lost many decades ago.
But she revealed that at times the 86-year-old became maudlin as he looked back. “You know, he’d just been knighted, he was in every programme going, Darling Buds of May, all of them. And he said, ‘There I am in my prime, and now here I am as an old man sitting watching it.’ I found that really quite moving.
“He just said, ‘Oh, I’m finding it very sad,’ and I said, ‘What do you mean?’ I ended up becoming his therapist on the sofa and he said, ‘I just I look at myself then in my prime as the best I could possibly be,’ which of course he was then – in his forties and fifties, he was more famous than anyone in Britain on telly.
“And I knew what he meant when he said he felt sad because this is us looking back on what we were, particularly for him because he was at his absolute peak. It must have felt very peculiar. You’re not ever going to be what you were then.”
And she added: “He’s still a very vibrant man, he’s got a lot of energy, he’s doing things all the time, but it was just very poignant and quite sobering.”
At the end of the first episode, which airs on Tuesday, David can’t get over how good the pair of them looked back then. “It is difficult because we are looking back at a time when we were both beautiful,” he says. Tessa responds with positivity, telling him: “Maybe we still are but we don’t see it as easily.”
But speaking afterwards she said she had also found watching the lost archive clips and outtakes difficult at times too. “Some actors really like looking at themselves. I will run a mile, I absolutely loathe it. So it was slightly torturous for me, particularly because not only are you watching scenes that you’re acting in, but you’re 30 years older.”
She believes that the secret of the comedy’s longevity is that its humour, written by the late John Sullivan and also starring Nicholas Lyndhurst as Rodney, had universal appeal. “John didn’t leave anyone out. He really cared about family and he cared about what people shared watching on telly.
“I know we all go, ‘oh, isn’t Del awful with all his scams’, but at the end of the day he’d do anything for anyone. He was kind. Looking at comedy these days, bar the odd brilliant one like Ghosts, some of them are quite cruel. It doesn’t make me laugh when you see someone being horrid about someone else.”
Tessa, now 69, says that she has received thousands of letters from fans over the years wanting to talk about her role as Raquel.
But even though she was in Only Fools for many years, she still gets more fan mail for one tiny role that she played in 2013.
“I had 30 seconds of screen time on Doctor Who,” she laughs. “But it happened to be when one Doctor becomes another. I was in a Christmas special when it happened – it was Matt Smith leaving and Peter Capaldi coming in. I must have had six lines in it, maybe seven. But I’ve had more fan mail about that 30 seconds of screen time than anything I’ve ever done in my career.”
She said the Only Fools fans aren’t far behind the Doctor Who ones. “We have many extremely obsessive fans who are almost as as powerfully connected.”
Tessa said the remaining cast from the hit sitcom were all astonished to hear that 66 bits of film, including full scenes and outtakes, had been discovered. “What’s so hilarious is that I believe all these bits and bobs were found in like a drawer at the BBC in White City,” she laughs. “Think what other gems are in drawers somewhere in those buildings. It’s extraordinary, isn’t it?”
She said it had been hard at times to work out if she even knew whether the clips had been cut from the original upsides. “I suppose you’re you’re wound up in the general whirly gig of all of it. You’re rehearsing constantly. You’re filming every weekend – life’s marching at quite a pace. So I suppose even when you record these things, if they don’t get put in, you sort of forget them.”
But, in the films, Sir David marvels at just how much ends up on the cutting room floor. He laughs: “I remember discussing it with John – we cut more jokes out than other shows had got in their entire episode.” The extra bits span 10 episodes from the 90s and cover the stories about blow-up dolls, Peckham Spring water, Cassandra’s miscarriage and Raquel giving birth to Damian., as well as the Jolly Boys coach trip to Margate.
By the time Tessa joined in 1988 the show had been on air for seven years and was a huge hit. The actress is enormously proud of the reaction her first episode got, when Derek Trotter first met Raquel on a blind date. “John wrote that brilliant script and it’s the only time the programme’s ever won a BAFTA,” she recalls. “He did that just to see what would happen for Del Boy’s character if if he was to fall in love.”
Having conceived Raquel as a one-off character, the writer quickly changed his mind. “John saw the public response and thought he could take this character of Raquel further – that it might change the dynamics of Derek and Rodney Trotter’s relationship. He thought, ‘Iet’s bring her back and see what happens’. And then a lot did happen. Such a lot.”
Unlike Sir David Tessa does not consider Only Fools to be the pinnacle of her career. “This was one of many, many things. I wouldn’t call it the thing I’m proudest of, I don’t think it’s my greatest achievement being in Only Fools, much as I’ve loved doing it. I’ve still got to meet my peak,” she laughs. “I might reach it next year.”
And well she might because 2027 brings viewers not only the last series of ITV’s Grantchester, in which Tessa has played vicarage housekeeper Sylvia Chapman since 2014, but also new Channel 5 crime series The Last Resort, in which she stars as a sixty-something sleuth alongside Caroline Quentin and Jason Watkins.
Tessa believes that, for fans, these new documentaries will be the last surprise from Only Fools and Horses, which is marking its 45th anniversary having launched in 1981.. “We’re all too old and also there is no one to carry John Sullivan’s mantle,” she says. “He was a one-off genius. So I don’t think there can be any other surprises. Thank God for things like UK Gold – who knows, in 100 years people might still be watching it.”
– Only Fools and Horses: The Lost Archive, U&Gold, Tuesday 20th & 27th October
The third and final episode of Jimmy McGovern’s prison anthology drama Time has had BBC viewers saying the same thing
22:58, 18 Oct 2026Updated 22:58, 18 Oct 2026
David Tennant in BBC drama Time(Image: BBC)
Jimmy McGovern’s gripping drama Time has ended.
The third and final series reached its conclusion on BBC One on Sunday, October 18 and it seems fans were left more than impressed with the episode and the series as a whole starring David Tennant and Siobhan Finneran.
Set inside a Young Offenders Institution (HMYOI Alderwick) it follows the intersecting lives of staff and teenage inmates. A synopsis for the final episode read: “The possibility of romance and an opportunity at work makes Bailey (Tennant) question his choices, and he turns to Marie-Louise (Finneran) in a moment of need.
“She receives the sign she has been waiting for, but debates whether she is able to take a risk. Meanwhile, new evidence complicates loyalties between Peter and his friends, driving tensions higher, and James confronts his fears.”
After the credits rolled, viewers were rushing to X, formerly Twitter, to have their say. One said: “What a programme #Time is that is exceptionally well written by Jimmy McGovern and Sam Bailey. It leaves you with so much to think about.”
A second added: “Time was just spellbounding – the writing, the acting, everything. What drama should be.” Another commented: “Really enjoyed that #Time on @BBCOne with the fabulous #DavidTennant @SFinneranTV.”
A fourth posted: “#Time on @BBC, all three episodes – outstanding and brilliant drama. Possibly the best series of all three.” Agreeing to the post, one responded: “I’d have to agree. @ #Time was astoundingly good. Those young actors – all of them but especially the actor playing Peter. The writing. Just brilliant, emotionally draining but worth it. And glad some good endings.”
Time first began in 2021 and has featured the likes of Stephen Graham, Jodie Whittaker and Bella Ramsey. McGovern explained that while the first series focused on a male prison and the second series was based on a female prison, he knew he wanted to focus on young offenders next, but didn’t have a story.
That was until he found a real-life story in his research about a mother going to see her son in a Young Offenders Institution, whom she hadn’t seen for years.
Speaking to RadioTimes about the series ending he said: “There’s very little altruism involved with these stories. I do them because I love doing them, although I think this will be the last time. I have said that many a time before, though, because these are also stories I feel bound to tell.”
Ahead of the series launch, Tennant, who plays Bobby Bailey, said of taking on the role: “Initially, you go, ‘It’s a Jimmy McGovern script, I’ve never worked with him, he’s the guv’nor and this is an opportunity I can’t pass up.’
“Then you read the script and what Jimmy and [co-writer] Sam Bailey have created is just so human and accessible. I was a huge admirer of the first two series; prison is such a fertile ground for storytelling, because it’s such an extreme situation, pushing that human experience to the limits.
“So, while these aren’t necessarily the easiest stories, they’re the best stories and exactly the kind of characters you want to have a go at.”
Meanwhile Finneran, who plays the returning character of Marie-Louise O’Dell, said of coming back for series 3: “Who doesn’t want to work on a McGovern script? They’re raw, but written with real heart and care, so it was a pretty big yes. I’m thrilled to bits.”
Death in Paradise will see the return of a beloved detective on Monday night as the BBC airs a repeat from series 12
Ralf Little played DI Neville Parker in Death in Paradise(Image: BBC)
Ralf Little will be back on screens as DI Neville Parker on Monday night.
The repeat from series 12 of Death in Paradise gives fans another chance to watch the show’s longest-serving detective tackle a puzzling case on Saint Marie.
The episode synopsis reads: “The team investigates a survivalist commune when one of its members is poisoned inside a locked bunker. However, with CCTV footage showing that no one went in or came out while he was in there, it seems likely that he has taken his own life – or has he? Meanwhile, Neville has a series of adventurous dates with Sophie.”
Joining Ralf in the episode are Tahj Miles as Officer Marlon Pryce, Ginny Holder as Officer Darlene Curtis, and Shantol Jackson as Naomi Thomas, giving viewers a chance to catch up with more familiar faces.
Neville first joined the Saint Marie police team back in 2020, stepping into the shoes of DI Jack Mooney (Ardal O’Hanlon).
During his four-year stint as Detective Inspector, he weathered countless challenges, conquering his allergies and aversion to the sun, and even surviving a plot to frame him for murder, cementing his status as the island’s longest-serving investigator.
Ralf ultimately departed Death in Paradise in 2024, with his character sailing off into the sunset alongside his love interest, Florence Cassell. Both he and the show’s producers agreed that Neville’s story had reached a fitting and natural conclusion, reports the Express.
Ralf was subsequently succeeded by another outstanding actor, Don Gilet, who portrays DI Mervin Wilson. Tim Key, Executive Producer for Red Planet Pictures, commented at the time: “Joining a successful show like Death in Paradise as the lead is a daunting and risky prospect, but Ralf’s confidence and talent shone through from day one, and the audience response to Neville and his journey has been amazing.”
He added, “I can’t thank Ralf enough for everything he has brought to the show, on and off screen, and wish him all the very best for the future.”
This marks not the first occasion the BBC has broadcast a repeat of Death in Paradise. Last month saw Kris Marshall and Ardal O’Hanlon return to screens as DI Humphrey Goodman and DI Jack Mooney, respectively.
Back in September, the show’s Instagram page revealed a watch-along of series six, episodes five and six, starring Kris Marshall opposite Josephine Jobert as DS Florence Cassell.
Fans can also catch Kris in the Death in Paradise spin-off, Beyond Paradise, which unfolds in the fictional town of Shipton Abbott.
Death in Paradise is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Despite other stars taking the top spot on the leaderboard, a lot of Strictly Come Dancing viewers think there’s other one ‘underrated’ star who could win the BBC show
Strictly fans think one ‘underrated’ star could win the show this year(Image: BBC)
Last night’s October 17 episode of Strictly Come Dancing was Icons Week, where the remaining couples paid tribute to musical icons. Viewers of the BBC show saw two couples top the leaderboard by both scoring 34 points. These were Love Island star Cach Mercer and partner Maddie Ingoldsby, who delivered a dapper Foxtrot that wowed the judges, earning 34 points (8, 9, 8, 9).
Actress Jaime Winstone, who was in the bottom two a few weeks ago, also was in the number one spot with her professional partner Carlos Gu after they performed an energetic, David Bowie-themed Paso Doble, scoring 34 points (8, 9, 8, 9).
Despite these two taking the top spot this week, a lot of Strictly viewers think there’s other one ‘underrated’ star who could snatch the glitterball from them.
Taking to X during the show, one fan wrote: “Tabby’s becoming one of my favourite contestants in this competition, she’s delivering in these dances and got potential winner written all over her.”
During last night’s show, British skeleton racer Tabby Stoecker and her professional partner Mark Karmalita scored a total of 29 points for their Samba.
This placed them in a three-way tie for 5th position on the leaderboard alongside Lacey Turner & Vito Coppola and John Nellis & Katya Jones.
Tabby, 25, has not topped the leaderboard outright in any week yet, but she came very close in Week 3 when she performed her Argentine Tango. She placed joint 2nd on the leaderboard with 31 points, just 2 points behind Delta Goodrem, who was awarded 33 points.
People seemed to agree with the original poster’s prediction, as the post racked up thousands of views and hundreds of likes.
One wrote: “Same, I had no idea who she was before strictly but she quickly became my fave celebrity I absolutely love her!”
While another added: “Tabby and Mark, I am obsessed!”
A third chimed in: “Oh, Tabby is that diva.”
While a fourth added: “Tabby is the underrated star of the series.”
However, not everyone agreed, as one person wrote: “Tabby, Cach, and Delta (if she comes back) are finalist material in my opinion.”
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While another added: “Would love to see Tabby win but, I think Lacey (Turner) might beat her.”
Last night’s show saw Delta Goodrem was missing from the episode due to a painful rib injury. Under standard Strictly Come Dancing rules, she was granted a bye through to Week 5.
Doctors advised her to rest and recover, and both Delta and the BBC confirmed the expectation is that she will return to the dance floor next week, provided her recovery goes smoothly.
The Strictly Come Dancing Week 4 Results show is on tonight at 7:10 pm on BBC One and is all available to stream live or on-demand via BBC iPlayer.
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People looking for a gripping TV drama to watch have been recommended a BBC show that is leaving people ‘hooked from start to finish’. The programme features stars such as David Tennant and Stephen Graham
10:39, 18 Oct 2026Updated 11:07, 18 Oct 2026
The BBC drama has people ‘hooked’ from start to finish(Image: BBC/BBC Studios/Peter Marley)
Deciding what to watch next has become a daily headache for millions of British viewers, thanks to the sheer volume of streaming platforms now available, including Netflix, BBCiPlayer, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV+. But one influencer is on a mission to make that choice easier by sharing his top TV and film picks online. EccyReviews’ is the online handle of Luke Eccleston, a well-known UK-based content creator and self-proclaimed “TV fanatic” who regularly shares his must-watch television recommendations with his 5,000+ followers.
In one of his most recent posts, Luke put forward a TV suggestion for anyone “looking for a gripping new TV drama series to go and watch right now”.
He added: “You’ll be completely hooked from start to finish.”
The show in question is BBC prison drama Time. “Season 3 just dropped on BBC and I’ve binge-watched all three episodes and it is my favourite season by far,” he said.
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Time is a critically acclaimed, BAFTA award-winning BBC series penned by celebrated British screenwriter Jimmy McGovern.
Each three-part series shines a spotlight on a different setting and ensemble cast within the UK criminal justice system, exploring themes of guilt, punishment, redemption, and institutional failings.
Season 1 centred on Mark Cobden (Sean Bean), a former teacher consumed by guilt after accidentally killing a man while drink-driving, who is subsequently sentenced to four years behind bars. It also features Eric McNally (Stephen Graham), a principled prison officer attempting to safeguard the inmates in his charge.
When a dangerous prisoner uncovers Eric’s weakness, he faces an excruciating decision between his professional obligations and his loved ones.
Series 2, meanwhile, relocated the action to a women’s facility, Carlingford Prison. It follows three women who arrive on the same day: Orla (Jodie Whittaker), a mother who tampered with her electricity meter; Kelsey (Bella Ramsey), a pregnant young drug addict; and Abi (Tamara Lawrance), a woman serving a life sentence carrying a tragic secret.
Compelled to share a cell, they forge an unlikely alliance to endure.
The most recent season, which recently dropped, has shifted attention to a Young Offender Institution. The narrative examines young men ensnared in the justice system following a tragedy, grappling with prison overcrowding and institutional collapse.
This instalment is fronted by David Tennant and Siobhan Finneran, who returns to her recurring role throughout the anthology as prison chaplain Marie-Louise O’Dell.
Since each season presents a self-contained narrative with a different principal cast, viewers can jump into any series without prior knowledge, though chaplain Marie-Louise serves as the connecting element throughout all three.
Discussing the latest series, Luke tells viewers: “I was gripped from start to finish and all the performances are brilliant.
“I guarantee that you will absolutely love this show.”
The recommendation proved a massive hit, with the post amassing more than 7,000 likes.
One person wrote: “Watched it all tonight – best thing I’ve watched for ages. Very violent and very sad. The writer spent a lot of time in these youth offenders prisons and was horrified at the conditions, it was all based on truth.”
Another added: “I have just started watching it, it’s brilliant very gripping.”
While a third added: “Totally hooked from the start! Talent is incredible.”
All series of Time are available to stream on BBC iPlayer now.
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COMEDY star Katherine Ryan has branded herself “lazy” when it comes to her sex life.
In a new interview with The Times, the comedian shed light on how often she and her high school sweetheart husband Bobby Kootstra sleep together, having previously announced that they have sex “exactly twice a month… just in case I get pregnant.”
Katherine Ryan has branded herself “lazy” when it comes to her sex lifeCredit: GettyThe comedian shed light on how often she and her high school sweetheart husband Bobby Kootstra sleep togetherCredit: PA
“It’s still not loads. It’s probably once a week, sometimes twice a week, but still not loads,” she told the newspaper. “I just don’t try – I’m a lazy shag.
“I’m really vanilla and Bobby is quite vanilla. We’re well matched in that way.”
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Katherine added: “But the things I’ve seen and heard on my travels, my God.
“I just want to have nice, brief, marital sex. That’s it!”
“I just don’t try – I’m a lazy shag!” Katherine admitted in a new interviewCredit: GettyKatherine has a daughter – Violet – from a previous relationship, but now also shares three children with Bobby – Fred, Fenna and HollandCredit: RexKatherine recently got into hot water with a comment she made about Victoria BeckhamCredit: PAKatherine publicly apologised to Victoria in an Instagram reel where she shared a screenshot of her message to the fashion designer, elaborating that she “actually loves Victoria Beckham”Credit: Instagram/kathbum
Katherine and Bobby, both 43, married via civil partnership in 2019.
Despite dating as teens, they split and reconnected later in life.
Katherine has a daughter – Violet – from a previous relationship, but now also shares three children with Bobby – Fred, Fenna and Holland.
Previously talking about sex with The Telegraph, she said: ‘I do think it’s important.
“But in reality, working parents who have small children are so knackered by nighttime, intimacy is just off the table.
“We have to find stolen moments in the day like before heading to work or during a nap, which isn’t always very alluring.”
Last year she spoke to The Sun ahead of the second season of revamped fly-on-the-wall show At Home With Katherine Ryan.
“It’s a real in-depth, all-access, no-holds-barred look at our family, my life and my marriage,” explained the Canadian-born star.
In it, she and Bobby attend their first marriage coaching session where they also discussed their sex life.
“I was surprised to find that I am a lot more prudish about my sex life than I thought,” she admitted. “I think when you talk about sex as a greater theme on stage, you have the shield of humour to dance around.
“You go: ‘Oh, well, I was making a joke!’ But when your husband is sat opposite a marriage coach and he’s like: ‘We had intercourse in the bathroom,’ I was like: ‘Oh God. What’s the punchline?’
“There’s no punchline to hide behind!”
Katherine recently got into hot water with a comment she made about Victoria Beckham, having to explain herself and clear the air over it.
Speaking in an episode that aired on November 7 in 2025, Katherine made reference to a 2013 private email sent by David Beckham, where he allegedly used the word ‘c***’.
She said on the show: “I don’t know that we are allowed to broadcast the C-word, but you did reference Victoria Beckham earlier and we’ll allow that.”
The BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit said “there was no such justification” for the comment which two viewers had complained was “gratuitously offensive”.
They added that the word was justified in relation to David’s alleged use of it, but not in reference to his wife.
Now an edited version of the episode has replaced the original on the BBC’s streaming service.
Katherine publicly apologised to Victoria in an Instagram reel where she shared a screenshot of her message to the fashion designer, elaborating that the context around the slur had not been intended as offensive and that she “actually loves Victoria Beckham”.
Strictly Come Dancing fans have made the same remark about new host Josh Widdicombe after a rocky start to his co-hosting duties on the BBC show and calls for him to be replaced on the programme
There have been some calls by viewers to replace Josh Widdicombe as a Strictly Come Dancing host
Josh Widdicombe is winning support from Strictly Come Dancing viewers after his first appearances as co-host drew a wave of criticism online. Fans have begun rallying behind the comedian, whose arrival on the ballroom show initially divided opinion. The 43-year-old joined Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe in a presenting shake-up at the BBC programme. Together, the trio replaced long-standing hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who stepped down last year.
A persistent complaint from audiences throughout the initial episodes centred on having two main presenters on the primary dance floor at once feeling superfluous. Numerous viewers also contended that Widdicombe’s comedic credentials would prove far more effective in the upstairs section with the dancers, where impromptu interactions occur naturally, instead of co-hosting the more formal introductions and judges’ commentary.
Social media detractors additionally branded Josh‘s initial outings on the show as “wooden”, “awkward”, or “out of his depth” for a rapid-fire live ballroom programme, with certain audiences believing his approach didn’t instantly gel with the conventional Strictly ambience.
Nevertheless, opinion seems to be changing, with an increasing proportion of audiences embracing Josh after last weekend’s show.
Reflecting on his performance on X following last Saturday’s October 10 episode, one viewer wrote: “I might be the only one but I actually like josh a host.”
Another agreed: “I really like him too!” A third concurred: “I think he’s brilliant,” while someone else added: “I’m enjoying these presenters, it’s a fun vibe.”
As fourth remarked: “I really enjoyed tonight. I think Josh is so natural and I found him genuinely funny tonight.”
The support will come as a welcome boost for Josh, following widespread calls from BBC viewers to have him removed or replaced.
Many argued that Emma, 50, is more than capable of hosting the main floor on her own, with some dismissing Widdicombe’s presence alongside her as unnecessary.
Neither the BBC nor the show’s producers have signalled any plans to replace Widdicombe. Production staff and fellow cast members, including the professional dancers, have publicly rallied behind the presenting trio, emphasising that new line-ups need a brief period to find their feet and pointing to the chemistry already building behind the scenes.
Strictly Come Dancing airs next on Saturday 17 October 2026 at 6:15pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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