Maya Jama could be about to exit The Celebrity Traitors after making a plan for the latest murder game and viewers of the BBC show think she has been ‘too obvious’ with her tactics
Fans think Maya Jama could be about to be banished from the castle(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Studio Lambert/Cody Burridge/BBC Creative)
Maya Jama could be about to exit The Celebrity Traitors after being “too obvious” in front of a Faithful.
The Love Island host, 30, is currently taking part in the hit BBC game show as a Traitor fronted by Claudia Winkleman and in Friday night’s episode, she had to join in with a yawning game. The challenge, which left all three of the Traitors feeling the pressure, was to get either of Faithfuls, Jerry Hall or Ross Kemp, to yawn in a specific room after spraying some “deadly sleeping powder” from a perfume bottle, which would be breathed in.
Reading out the instructions in disbelief, comedian James Acaster said: “To seal the murder you must then say, ’Am I boring you?’ – followed by the victim’s name. I can’t believe this.”
To see more of the stories you love from The Mirror and to find them easily in Google then make us your preferred source. Free and easy-to-do, just click on the link here to find more from The Mirror at the top of your feed.
Viewers will have to wait until next Thursday to find out who will be leaving the castle for good, but fans think that Maya could be up for the chop after making the apparent mistake of inviting EastEnders legend Ross into the mix, having decided that the only way to instigate the murder was to start up some contagious yawning.
But many viewers think this strategy will backfire on Maya, as her pretend yawning was deemed “too obvious” and think she could be rumbled as a Traitor immediately if not careful.
One person wrote on X: “Ross Kemp was the last person the Traitors should have encouraged into the room. He will be all over this ‘murder in plain sight’. Captain’s hat anyone?” A third wrote: “Ross clocking Maya’s GCSE drama yawning.” A fourth said: “So you’re telling me Ross was freaking out about every possible evidence of murder at the beginning and now he’s sitting in a room full of yawning traitors, possibly not suspecting a thing.”
A fifth added: “This yawning task is too obvious in front of Ross Kemp.” Another wrote: “Maya Jama’s yawning was more obvious than Richard E Grant saying he was a traitor.”
Meanwhile, Clare Balding, who competed on the first series, said she thinks the best thing for the Traitors is if Ross yawns. Believe me, if Jerry yawns and Jerry goes, Ross will notice,” she said on Uncloaked.
However, other fans had just taken umbrage with the fact they will now have to wait to find out what happens next. One fan said: “NOOOOOOOOOOOO You cant leave on that cliffhanger, the producers are just geniuses. I think the Traitors FAILED to Get them to yawn in the Time…. AND they will be punished in some way IMO!!”
Another wrote: “10 million people are now going to have a tense wait of 6 days to find out whether Ross Kemp or Jerry Hall yawn first. Now thats a TV cliffhanger.”
Miranda Hart broke down in tears on the latest episode of Celebrity Traitors following the exit of Joe Lycett and spoke candidly of the connection they had struck up following her illness
21:27, 16 Oct 2026Updated 21:27, 16 Oct 2026
Miranda Hart broke down in tears on the latest episode of Celebrity Traitors(Image: BBC)
The comedienne, 53, had a hugely successful career in the 2010s with her eponymous sitcom but had to take time out of the spotlight after struggling with chronic fatigue. She had struck up such a close bond with fellow Faithful Joe that when he was banished from the castle, she was visibly moved.
She said: “I can’t believe how emotional I’m getting. Wow. Connection and laughter and joy are bigger than this game and to meet someone and just play and laugh – it’s all us humans need.
“I’ve had times in my life when I haven’t had that through illness and it’s brought up that in a silly sensitive soul.”
Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as your Preferred Source in your Google search settings.
Speaking to Traitor James Acaster, who comforted her with a hug, she said: “I haven’t played like that in so long. The floodgates just opened i guess, it suddenly wasn’t about a silly Faithful or Traitor.”
The TV star previously told how she had suffered a “tick-borne illness” while living in the USA as a teenager. At one point, she was diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, before eventually being diagnosed with Lyme Disease in 2020.
She said: “My decision making in life generally, and certainly work, is follow the joy. I haven’t done much TV work for a long time, having only recently come out of long-term ill health issues and when I was offered this, my whole body sort of relaxed, I smiled, and I just wanted to jump about like a schoolgirl with joy.
“It’s just fun. It’s outdoors, it’s games. All the stuff I love. It’s play basically. And I’m passionate about encouraging people to play more generally, and this game is that in spades.
“It’s a brilliant television show – the only flaw in taking part is that as a fan of the show it will be less fun to watch it with myself in it!”
Despite her new lease of life, the former Call the Midwife star, who secretly got married in late 2024, is still living with elements of her illness and is struggling to a point but has been able to manage her symptoms and insisted she felt well enough to join Claudia Winkleman’s hit BBC game show.
She added: “I’m still living with elements of ME, and that brings fatigue and pain to manage, but I have come to a point where I feel well enough to step out, and that’s also partly why I’m doing this.
“The joy of mucking about on television again will hopefully outweigh some of the challenges. And I think it will be challenging on my body, so it’ll be interesting, and it’ll take some courage as this is a big next step.
“When you live with a chronic illness, it’s invisible, so people don’t know that you’re sitting there in pain. But then it reminds you that everybody’s got their thing. So, I’m also really looking forward to making friends and looking after each other and hopefully they can carry me up a hill or whatever we’re going to have to do!”
Banished Traitors star Hannah Fry revealed she is actually related to one of her co-stars and shared her true opinions of them after leaving Ardross Castle
Hannah Fry was banished from the Traitors castle(Image: BBC)
The aim of the game is for faithfuls to hunt out the Traitors, but for one contestant, they discovered more than they bargained for in the latest series of Celebrity Traitors.
Recently ousted traitor Hannah Fry was part of the group of famous faces battling it out to bag a big lump sum for charity in the second celeb offering of the BBC show.
Thursday’s episode of the saw Hannah feel the force as fellow Traitors Maya Jama and James Acaster turned on her in a bid to save themselves. The mathematician and author, 42, discovered she is related to one of her co-stars.
When she was asked who she was closest to in the Ardross Castle, Hannah said: “I really like Joanne. We actually discovered that we’re cousins, by marriage. So her cousin is married to my cousin.”
To see more of the stories you love from The Mirror and to find them easily in Google, make us your preferred source. Free and easy to do, just click on the link here to find more from The Mirror at the top of your feed.
She then joked: “We’re basically sisters. I really loved her so much. She described herself as how she came out of the womb as a show pony.
“That’s the perfect description of that woman. She is phenomenal. She knows exactly who she is, and she is totally unapologetic about it. I cannot tell you how much I admire her. She’s phenomenal.”
In the same episode as Hannah being banished, comedian Rob Beckett was also murdered. He admitted he found being murdered funny. but Hannah she’d cried more during her five days of playing the game than at any other point in her life.
Speaking in the immediate aftermath of her leaving the castle, she said she found the whole experience a rollercoaster of emotions. Hannah said: “I laughed more, cried more and got more excited than I ever have in the entirety of the rest of my life combined.
“I really preferred being Faithful. I think it’s just a much more authentic experience.” She went on to say hat one of the lessons learned was that she hated “lying to people’s faces”.
She continued: “I think there’s actually some pride in being a rubbish Traitor.” And she admitted she knew she wasn’t destined to last long in the game.
“On the first day, I asked Michael Sheen who he would murder, and he said, ‘You’. At that point I knew I was really in trouble,” she said.
Emma Willis has shared an update on Delta Goodrem after she was forced out of Strictly Come Dancing and admitted she could tell “something wasn’t right” with the pop star
19:28, 15 Oct 2026Updated 19:28, 15 Oct 2026
Emma Willis ‘knew something wasn’t right’ with Delta Goodrem before she was forced out of Strictly with an injury(Image: BBC)
Emma Willis has shared an update on Delta Goodrem after she was forced out of Strictly Come Dancing.
Pop singer Delta is currently in the lineup of celebrities trying their luck on the dancefloor. Whilst she and Kai Widdrington managed to top the leader board last week with their Salsa, it quickly emerged that the singer had done the show in “absolute agony” and on the Sunday, she went to hospital with a rib injury.
Appearing on Thursday’s edition of It Takes Two, Emma told host Ellie Taylor that it was somewhat obvious that something was amiss with Delta’s health at the time. She said: “It’s such a shame. I think it became quite apparent after the show that last week that something wasn’t right.”
Delta has been given a free pass – or bye – to the next round of the competition and, even though she will miss out on Icons Week, Emma said the cast and crew are hopeful this will mean she will be back and fighting fit.
She added: “We’re just hoping that because she has this bye week, by the week after, she’ll be good to get back. Fingers crossed!”
Delta, who is best known for starring in Australian soap Neighbours and released hits such as Innocent Eyes before representing her home country at Eurovision earlier this year, has broken her rib but is hoping to recover in time for next week and – following her doctor’s order – has been getting rest at home.
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!!”
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.
It was revealed today that Delta’s planned dance to Dolly Parton’s Jolene with Kai Widdrington will be performed instead by Amy Dowden.
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!”
Sources revealed that Delta’s rib injury “deteriorated” and she was “in absolute agony” performing. She was later rushed to hospital to undergo tests but is now resting at home.
A source said: “Delta has been pushing herself as far as possible to impress Strictly viewers. A small injury at the start of last week has quickly deteriorated. On Saturday night, despite putting on a brave face and smiling, she was in absolute agony.
“Filming didn’t wrap until late Saturday night and she was exhausted. The plan was to go home and get some rest but she could hardly sleep. On Sunday morning she was raced to A&E and then spent most of Monday also at the hospital.”
Rob’s murder left all the Faithful confused while banished Hannah admitted her spreadsheets hadn’t helped her as a Traitor
Beckett’s kicked the bucket – as Claudia described his murder
While comedian Rob Beckett found being murdered funny in The Celebrity Traitors, Professor Hannah Fry said she’d cried more during her five days of playing the game than at any other point in her life.
Hannah was banished at the round table last night with 12 of the 15 remaining players writing her name on the slate – giving them a landslide 80% victory. Speaking straight after leaving the castle, she admitted that she’d found her time there to be a rollercoaster of emotions. “I laughed more, cried more and got more excited than I ever have in the entirety of the rest of my life combined,” she explained.
“I really preferred being Faithful. I think it’s just a much more authentic experience,” she added, saying that one of the lessons learned was that she hated “lying to people’s faces”. “I think there’s actually some pride in being a rubbish Traitor.”
The maths guru, who has two daughters aged eight and six with her ex-husband, said that being a Traitor had been far harder than playing as a Faithful – which is what she’d gone into the game to do. “One of the reasons why I didn’t want to be a Traitor is because the only way your game ends is by being banished or winning – having people vote for you and having heat on you is part of the role of being a Traitor.”
Hannah confessed she’d avoided voting for Julie Hesmondhalgh out of guilt because the actress was “lovely” and had instead gone for Jerry Hall as “the one person on that whole table who could handle being voted for”.
The 42-year-old said she always knew she might not last long in the game. “On the first day, I asked Michael Sheen who he would murder, and he said, ‘You’. At that point I knew I was really in trouble.”
And the BBC presenter also confessed that getting the roman numerals right in her final mission – to help with the group £8,000 – had been far tougher than it looked. “I knew that everyone was going to expect me to be the one to solve it, but I think people have this image in their heads that mathematicians just sit around thinking of big numbers all day – it couldn’t be further from the truth. I haven’t used a number since I was about 16, I’m all about the x’s and y’s.”
Along with the trickier moments, there was also some highs. “Killing Rob Beckett was one of the best evenings I’ve had in my entire life,” she laughed. “I was running through the woods in the middle of the night, opening the door to Rob’s face. It was delightful.”
Speaking after being killed face-to-face with the traitors, dad-of-two Rob said that he cared less about the game and more about the juicy stories the other celebs were sharing in the castle. “What I loved most was meeting everyone and talking to them,” he explained. “When you have Michael Sheen, Richard E . Grant, Jerry Hall, James Blunt, I don’t care who’s a Traitor. Give me the anecdotes, I want the gossip. So everyone was going back to the hotel writing ideas of who it might be in their notepad, and I’ve got a notepad full of anecdotes that they told me that can only get wheeled out when I’m drunk at a party.”
When The Traitors arrived as his crypt to tell him he’d been murdered, he responded jovially: “Thank you very much James Acaster!” But he did say he expected comedy sidekick Romesh Ranganathan to “avenge my death”.
Rob, 40, reckoned the only Traitor he’d potentially identified at the start was Richard E Grant – so was “gutted” when the actor blurted it out. But the funnyman realised too late how James Acaster had been giving him a wide berth. “I gave James the benefit of the doubt because he desperately wanted to be a Faithful, but then that’s the oldest trick in the book, saying that. He had been really quiet, and on reflection, he’d avoided me a lot which makes sense, because I know him quite well. And then Maya Jama does not change her personality, whatever’s happening. So she’s going to be a great Traitor, I think she could win it.”
Confessing he was happy to go home because he’d been missing his kids, aged eight and 10, Rob said his highlight in the castle has been hitting it off with Jerry Hall. “I love her. She’s got such an amazing energy. She’s just so chilled. We just floated on together. She tells me her life motto probably every eight minutes, and that is ‘what will be, will be’.”
He now wants Jerry, 70, to win – along with his close pal Romesh. “Jerry Hall’s my pick, a rank outsider, but she’s my pick. The ultimate finale would be Leigh-Anne, Jerry and Romesh staring down Acaster. Three on one and they take his sorry ass to the cleaners.”
He believes his relaxed way of playing the game far outweighs the high-pressure path that Hannah had been forced down. ”I’d say, don’t stress yourself about it. All the money goes to charity. Have a good time for a long time.”
One of the surprising things Hannah discovered in The Celebrity Traitors was that she is actually related to Irish comedian Joanne McNally because their cousins are married. “We’re basically sisters,” she laughed. “I really loved her so much. She described herself as coming out of the womb as a show pony – that’s the perfect description of that woman. She is phenomenal. She knows exactly who she is, and she is totally unapologetic about it. I cannot tell you how much I admire her.”
While she’d like to see Joanne win, Hannah now thinks that fellow Traitor Maya or Faithful Leigh-Anne are the most likely to reach the final. “I think Maya is playing the most amazing game. When someone looks like that, I think that you expect her to have a bit of a chip on her shoulder because she’s one of the most beautiful women alive, but she’s also just so much fun. No airs and graces, totally delightful to be around.”
She also believes that Leigh-Anne has a great chance in the game, because she’s been woefully underestimated. “My God, that woman hasn’t got a single thing wrong. She’s the most perceptive person I’ve ever come across in my entire life. Is she psychic?
“Leigh-Anne needs to keep quiet about how good she is because I don’t think people have necessarily noticed. As soon as Maya notices that Leigh-Anne is that good, she’s going to kill her.”
Last night’s episode ended with boxer turned YouTube star King Kenny being recruited into the turret – much to his enormous surprise. “Being a Faithful was fun, but being a Traitor is going to be better,” he declared.
Urging Maya Jama and James Acaster not to double-cross him, he admitted he had concerns about joining them halfway through the game. “I worry the Traitors can switch on me at any time.”
Celebrity Traitors fans think that comedienne Joanne McNally will be banished from the castle next after she made something of a huge mistake during the roundtable
21:38, 15 Oct 2026Updated 21:38, 15 Oct 2026
Celebrity Traitors fans think Joanne McNally will be banished from the castle next(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Studio Lambert/Cody Burridge/BBC Creative)
Celebrity Traitors fans think Joanne McNally will be banished from the castle next.
The Irish comedienne, 43, is currently playing as a Faithful on Claudia Winkleman’s hit BBC game show but one tactic she seems to have employed at the roundtable has seemingly sealed her fate. During Thursday’s episode of the programme, she voted for actor Sebastian Croft to be banished, thereby claiming she believed he was a Traitor.
But the majority of the players had correctly guessed that scientist Dr Hannah Fry was in fact a Traitor, and this was not the first time Joanne had gone against the status quo. She said: “I feel like we’re getting into the habit of punishing vocal Faithfuls, and, at the roundtable, you cannot.”
In the turret, Maya told fellow Traitor James Acaster: “She could blow the whole thing up but no one is expecting her because she’s so all over the place.”
Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as your Preferred Source in your Google search settings.
Earlier in the episode, Joanne seemed to raise suspicion that she was a Traitor, accidentally claming that she had been the Hide & Seek game when Ross Kemp said: “I looked at everybody when we got out of those cars and I thought I was going home, and it was honestly, an awful experience.”
It was then that Joanne bizarrely chimed in with: “It was horrible…it was…I wasn’t there I mean but I was watching.”
At the roundtable, Hannah had claimed that Traitors tend to deflect attention from themselves by voting against the grain.
Reacting to the apparent tactic, one fan wrote on X: “Hannah bringing up traitors voting for random people followed by Joanne voting for Bash… babes.”
Another said: “i do fear joanne is absolutely f***** at the next round table though, especially after throwing out a random vote for bash when almost everyone else had gone for hannah, even the actual traitors. it’s not looking good for her.”
A thrid wrote: “Joanne on another planet because her logic is nonexistent lmao,” and another said: “One of the traitors could wear their traitors cloak to the roundtable and Joanne would somehow vote Claudia.”
A fifth said: “Hannah’s point about traitors not voting for who everyone else seems to vote for is a good point, but why is Joanne not being questioned when she keeps doing exactly that.”
NEW YORK — Lawyers for the BBC say President Trump is trying to delay sitting for a deposition in the defamation case he brought against the British broadcaster until January 2027.
In a filing this week, they asked a Florida court to compel the president to appear in the $10 billion case after they say he canceled an agreed-upon date this week, citing “matters of national importance.”
“Two months of discovery remaining, the BBC still has not been able to depose, and does not even have a schedule to depose, the most central figure in this case: Plaintiff himself,” attorney Charles D. 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.”
Trump, who has a history of avoiding depositions, filed the lawsuit against the BBC last December, seeking $10 billion in damages as he accused the British broadcaster of defamation as well as deceptive and unfair trade practices related to a documentary, “Trump: A Second Chance.”
Britain’s publicly funded national broadcaster admitted 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 like he was directly urging violence.
The 33-page lawsuit accused the BBC of broadcasting a “false, defamatory, deceptive, disparaging, inflammatory, and malicious depiction of President Trump,” calling it “a brazen attempt to interfere in and influence” the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
The broadcaster apologized to Trump over the edit and the head of the BBC and the British broadcaster’s top news executive both resigned. But the broadcaster has denied Trump’s claims that it defamed him.
In the filing this week, BBC lawyers said that they first requested dates for the deposition in July, and followed up repeatedly. Both sides, they said, eventually agreed on Oct. 16.
However, 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.”
Instead, they said, they were told last week that Trump “has no availability whatsoever for a deposition” before discovery is set to close on Dec. 18. and were told that Trump would instead make himself available the second or third week of January.
In a statement in response to the filing, a spokesperson for Trump’s legal team did not address the reasons for Trump’s delay, but repeated its allegations against the BBC and said the president was holding the broadcaster “accountable for its defamation and reckless election interference just as he has held other fake news mainstream media responsible for their wrongdoing.”
Trump voluntarily dropped a $500 million lawsuit he filed against his former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen in 2023, days before he was set to give a deposition in that suit.
If you’re one of the (very rare) people who haven’t seen the first few episodes of the Celebrity Traitors, here’s what happened at the end of the last episode…
(Image: BBC)
The three Traitors – James Acaster, Maya Jama and Hannah Fry – had a big decision to make. They chose to play a fatal game of Hide and Seek with four of the Faithfuls. They were allowed to put themselves amongst the four but chose not to, hoping suspicion might fall on one of their chosen Faithfuls and they can safely slip under the radar…
They chose four stars – Leigh-Anne, Ross, Rob and Romesh – and will ‘kill’ one. However, they don’t know that Leigh-Anne has a special key which protects her from being murdered…
Janette Manrara spoke about her husband becoming the latest person to get eliminated from the BBC show.
Janette and Aljaz met on the BBC show(Image: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Aljaž Škorjanec and Melanie Walters were the latest couple to get eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing.
Now former professional dancer on the BBC show, Janette Manrara, has shared how her husband Aljaz is feeling after he wasn’t saved by the judges during Sunday’s results show (October 11) with his celebrity partner Melanie Walters.
While she appeared on This Morning to speak with Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley about her role in a new play, the 42-year-old discussed balancing motherhood alongside her demanding career, particularly while Aljaz features on the BBC programme. The couple are parents to three-year-old daughter Lyra.
After praising their family and support network, she said of combining work and home life: “As long as you plan, if you’ve got a plan and you need the village. Between the two things, you can make it work. Aljaz has no clue, by the way, he just says, ‘Where is she today and who’s got her?'”
She continued: “He’s an amazing dad. At the moment, obviously, he’s left the competition now with Melanie (Walters). He’s sad about leaving the show, but he’s also super happy because he’s going to spend so much time with her (Lyra) now, which is nice.”
Although Aljaz is no longer in the running to lift the Glitterball trophy, he’ll still appear in the professional group dances. Elsewhere, Janette spoke candidly about her feelings upon missing out on the presenting role on the BBC show, reports Wales Online.
When veteran hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman departed from their positions on the BBC programme, speculation was running wild about who might step into their shoes.
While many had tipped Janette as a frontrunner — having previously been a professional dancer on the show before leaving to front spin-off programme It Takes Two — it emerged that she had auditioned for the role but was unsuccessful. The presenting duties ultimately went to Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe.
Ben noted that Janette had previously been forthright about feeling ‘heartbroken’ at being overlooked for the role. She responded: “Yeah, I’ve talked about it on Jamie Laing’s podcast, it was (tough) because Strictly was such a huge part of my life, I was there for almost 14 years.
“Aljaz is still in the show, so I just hoped that it would go in that way for me. But, it didn’t, and that’s ok because I think life finds a way of still giving you that magic that is needed for you. I really wanted to act. I had been working on my acting skills for the last couple of years, actually.”
She continued: “Then, I did Roxie Hart in Chicago on tour, and I got the bug for serious acting, so I really started to push that narrative. I think life has a funny way of closing one door and opening another, and that’s exactly what happened.
“Now I watch Strictly and watch Aljaz and everybody on the show, and I’m just buzzing for them. I’ve been there, and I know how exciting that feeling is.”
This Morning continues weekdays on ITV from 10am. Strictly Come Dancing airs Saturdays on October 17 from 6:15pm.
Rachel Duffy, joint winner of The Traitors UK series four, has wowed fans after debuting a glamorous new makeover months after winning the iconic BBC reality show
12:15, 15 Oct 2026Updated 12:15, 15 Oct 2026
The Traitors star showed off a glam makeover (stock image)(Image: BBC)
A former champion of The Traitors has left people totally wowed as she showed off a super glam makeover. Rachel Duffy is primarily recognised for jointly winning series four of the BBC reality contest The Traitors UK in January 2026, and it’s fair to say life has changed for her a few months down the line.
Now commanding over 200,000 Instagram followers, she recently admitted she took part in a photoshoot, even though she was a bit nervous at first. However, it’s clear people thought she didn’t need to be, as they told her she looked absolutely sensational and showered her with kind words.
Alongside the pictures, she wrote: “FULL transparency. I was petrified doing this shoot! I mean I couldn’t sleep properly the night before. I even Googled how to pose for a magazine.
“I was so chuffed when @jackmurphyjewellers asked me to be their cover girl for @ulstertatler but it sent me into a spiral of self doubt. They should have asked someone younger, thinner, prettier – all these terrible thoughts that go through our heads when we don’t feel we belong.”
Ensure our latest DWP headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as a Preferred Source in your Google search settings
She added: “Some days I have sooooo much confidence in myself and my ability but, on days like this shoot, it was very wobbly! I’m so grateful for the fabulous team at Jack Murphy’s for making me feel at ease, to @gemmamurphyjewel for hyping me up and covering me with the most beautiful diamonds (not to mention doing my zips b/c of my gammy hand), to Charlotte and Tara for being the best wing women and keeping me right and cheering me on behind the camera and to @jamierobb for being so chilled out and making it fun!
“There’s a huge difference between the first shots taken on the day and the last video here. I could have done it all over again.
“Point to my post – I overcame a lot of self doubt on the day and I am beyond happy at how these photos turned out. I’m getting the cover shot printed on my duvet. I’m very proud of myself for pushing through the doubt and encourage you to do the same.
“Here’s to backing ourselves more! A big thank you to @wearonceloved, @salon_602_ and @emzobeauty for making me look so pretty. You’re the best.”
Content cannot be displayed without consent
In the photographs, Rachel can be seen wearing a sleek, off-the-shoulder black dress. Beautifully figure-hugging, she looked absolutely breathtaking in every shot.
She styled her hair in an elegant half-up-half-down look, also modelling a chic black jumpsuit. Finished off with a delicate smoky eye and a touch of lipstick, she looked utterly stunning as she confidently worked the camera.
The post has since amassed more than 8,000 likes, with fans rushing to the comments section to share their reactions. They had plenty to say, clearly blown away by the stunning transformation.
One said: “Damn. Hot.” Another added: “I hope you feel as just as incredible as you look in these photos.”
A third replied: “You are simply gorgeous. One hot lady.”
Meanwhile, a fourth commented: “Wow, Rachel! You take my breath away! Go girl!”
Someone else also responded: “You look amazing. We are so good at putting ourselves down and filling our heads with negativity. Beautiful photoshoot.”
BBC sitcom Daddy Issues will come to an end after the third series has aired but not before a star-studded lineup of guest stars has joined the cast for its final outing
22:21, 14 Oct 2026Updated 22:58, 14 Oct 2026
Daddy Issues will come to an end after the third and final series has aired(Image: BBC/Fudge Park Productions/James Stack)
Daddy Issues will come to an end after the third and final series has aired, the broadcaster has confirmed. The BBC Three sitcom stars Aimee Lou Wood as Gemma and David Morrissey as Malcolm, following a pregnant party girl who moves into a flat share with her recently-divorced father.
But the programme, which is Danielle Ward and co-written with David Reed has confirmed a string of guest stars for its final outing. Men Behaving Badly star Neil Morrissey will be amongst those joining the cast, taking on the role of as Malcolm’s new friend Ellis.
Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as your Preferred Source in your Google search settings.
Shobna Gulati, best known as Sunita Alahan in Coronation Street and Anita in dinnerladies, will play new neighbour Odette whilst former Peep Show star Sophie Winkleman will play campsite owner Mary.
Sarah Hadland, best known for her role as Stevie Sutton in Miranda and for her Strictly Come Dancing stint, will be back as Rita, joining fellow returning cast members David Fynn as Derek, Taj Atwal as Cherry and Celebrity Traitors star Sharon Rooney as Catherine.
The new run of six episodes will focus on Gemma’s newfound set of calamities as she tries to settle into her new promotion at the salon whilst daughter Sadie thrives at nursery. Chaos ensues when the flat she still shares with her dad floods, and a new romance leaves her stuck in a web of lies.
Over the last few years, actress Aimee, who the BAFTA Television Award for Best Female Comedy Performance after making her screen debut in Netflix hit Sex Education, has enjoyed global success with US comedy drama The White Lotus.
Through her role as Chelsea, she earned Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. Aimee has also hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live UK, starred as Sally Bowles in the West End production of Cabaret and is due to appear in a string of Hollywood films including The Beatles, Anxious People, and The Idiots.
Speaking about the series coming back, Aimee shared nothing but excitement as she expressed her joy at being part of the comedy series.
She said: “I’m so happy to be back with David and the brilliant Daddy Issues cast for one final time. Gemma and Malcolm are one of the funniest and sweetest comedy double acts on TV, and I’ve loved being a part of it.”
Meanwhile, David Morrissey added: “I love doing Daddy Issues so much, such a great cast and crew! So I’m delighted to be coming back to have more adventures with Gemma, Malcolm and the gang!”
Mary Berry has had her say on Nigella Lawson, who has taken over Prue Leith’s role as judge on The Great British Bake Off. Mary originally held the role alongside Paul Hollywood
Mark Jefferies at Cheltenham Literature Festival
19:37, 14 Oct 2026Updated 19:40, 14 Oct 2026
New Bake Off judge Nigella Lawson alongside Paul Hollywood on the show(Image: Channel 4)
TV cook and former Great British Bake Off judge Mary Berry has backed Nigella Lawson – saying she is a “glamorous” addition to the show who has brought “new life” to the format.
Dame Mary said: “Bake Off is a wonderful format. We started it off not knowing what we were doing and then Prue has been doing it and it is a format and you fit into it.
‘I am delighted Nigella is there. She has got to keep control of a certain person. Paul needs handling and he has this handshake which keeps appearing.
To see more of the stories you love from The Mirror and to find them easily in Google then make us your preferred source. Free and easy-to-do, just click on the link here to find more from The Mirror at the top of your feed.
“Nigella has brought some glamour to it, and she really likes tasting doesn’t she? And I know how she feels, I always took a proper mouthful because if you just take a little bit, the person whose food you are tasting, their auntie will say ‘well she didn’t even taste it’. So I was aware of that.
“Nigella is a joy and I think she has brought new life and I think it will do really well. A touch of glamour.”
Speaking on stage at Cheltenham with comedian and former host of Bake Off Mel Giedroyc, the pair recalled how Mary would sometimes arrive for day two of filming in the tent with the same hair and make up, having slept without taking it off to minimise the amount of time she needed to be styled.
Laughing, Dame Mary said: “Why not? I used to put a towel over the pillow, I didn’t want them to think I was grotty. It does take such a long time for someone to do your make up.”
She also said she found the tent cold and would hide hot water bottles under her jackets.
Dame Mary was appearing at Cheltenham to promote her first gardening book, My Gardening Life and a new cook book All In One.
Arguably she was a gardener before she could cook, as she recalled how her father grew practical crops such as potatoes, sweet peas and celery during wartime to feed the family.
“My dad had to take to gardening because he had to dig for Britain and he gave me a little patch and I grew radishes,” she recalled.
Nowadays she has six raised beds in her garden raised to above knee height so she can easily reach them and even perch on the edge if she wants to take a rest.
She said one of her greatest pleasures now in life was ‘deadheading’ in the garden, the process by which you removed faded or spent flowers to tidy up plants.
She explained: “Deadheading is one of my favourite things, you don’t have to dress up for it. I can do it when I get in tonight if its not dark. I can deadhead the roses which are still flowering and it so encourages more things to come on.”
She added: “Gardening is similar to cooking, you follow a formula. But cooking you can follow a recipe and produce it by tonight. Gardening you have got to be much more patient.
“Which do I prefer, gardening or cooking? I think the two go together. We grow vegetables that we eat, things that I like, so there is no kale, lots of herbs and I think they go together.
“I am a fair weather gardener, I would walk a dog in any weather but I don’t garden in any weather. I wait until the sun comes out.”
Dame Mary is of course better known for her baking and cooking. Having studied in France and the UK, she worked for a number of food industry bodies and wrote recipe pages of Housewife magazine.
Her first cookbook, The Hamlyn All Colour Cookbook, was published in 1970 and since then she has gone on to write more than 50 others, which have sold millions of copies around the world.
Already a big name in food, Dame Mary became a household name to a new generation of cake lovers when she landed the role as a judge on The Great British Bake Off, alongside Paul Hollywood, Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins in 2010.
She quit the show in 2016, along with the hosts Mel and Sue, when it moved to Channel 4, staying loyal to the BBC and continuing to make shows there.
* My Gardening Life by Mary Berry is out now, published by DK.
Fans reported audience members walked out of cinemas when it was first released
The Substance teaser clip
Film fans say it is one of the best thrillers ever, so long as you can stomach it.
Ahead of Halloween, a number of horror movies have been added to BBCiPlayer for fans to enjoy at no extra cost. That includes The Substance, which was originally released in cinemas to great acclaim back in 2024.
It later landed on premium subscription services following its theatrical run. This includes the likes of Paramount+, where it can still be found, but the broadcaster’s platform states it can be watched at no extra cost on iPlayer for the next three months.
According to its synopsis, the film’s story follows fading actress Elisabeth Sparkle who becomes distressed when her chauvinistic boss fires her from her aerobics show. She soon injects herself with a new and mysterious serum that promises a younger, better version of herself. As you might expect, it’s not long before things go horribly wrong.
Despite being a relatively low-budget production at under $20 million, the title boasted an impressive cast list. This includes Demi Moore, Dennis Quaid, and Margaret Qualley.
It would go on to earn more than $80 million at the box office globally and even earned plenty of awards buzz both for the film and its stars. The Substance was also one of the highest-rated movie releases of the year it came out, boasting an 89% score on the website Rotten Tomatoes.
When it first arrived in cinemas, some reports claimed that moviegoers struggled to actually sit through the entire thing. There were claims on social media that people walked out, unable to stomach it all, while others stated that audiences applauded at the end.
A number of reviews backed this up, such as one which claimed: “The Substance is an incredibly difficult watch, even for the most hardened horror fan. “This film is exemplary, there’s no doubt about that, but it pushed me to my absolute limit – perhaps even just beyond it. Don’t be fooled by the big names in the cast, this does not operate in the boundaries of mainstream cinema, it shatters them completely and you’ll feel like you’re fighting for your life. Bravo.”
Another critic agreed and added: “It’s the kind of film that requires courage from everybody involved, including the caterers who were presumably tasked with preparing a menu that wouldn’t end up on the shooting floor every day.”
Despite this, many fans still recommend it, as one posted online: “What a spectacular film, out of the ordinary, what an incredible social critique, the ending was just a bit exaggerated, but that’s also part of the criticism, I thought it would be just another generic horror film, no, far from it…”
But some still urge caution: “Warning! This movie is insanely gruesome and bloody. So much so that if you can’t handle excessive gore, you might just find yourself gagging. But if you can stomach it, The Substance is an absolutely wild ride, delivering one of the best horror-thriller experiences in years.”
Someone else called it “bonkers” and added: “The last 45 minutes were one of the greatest cinema experiences of my life, listening to a group of humans howl with laughter and scream and cover their eyes and ears in equal measure.”
The Substance is streaming on BBC iPlayer and Paramount+
On Tuesday, October 13 Matt Baker made a return to the famous sofa to talk about his latest project. The Countryfile presenter caught up with his former co-star Alex Jones alongside Roman Kemp to chat about his new series for More 4, Matt Baker: Our Barn in the Dales.
Viewers will see how Matt and his wife Nicola are turning part of his family’s farm into a stunning new home. On Instagram, Matt explained: “We’re deep in an epic adventure which will be spanned across 2 series. The first starting in a couple of weeks is all the building and conversion stuff and another series next year will be the interior bits and bobs.”
Matt made a permanent move to the farm following his mum Janice’s tragic accident back in 2021, and he has made a number of changes since in order to make his family’s life easier.
During his appearance on The One Show, Matt explained why now was the right time to embark on the ambitious barn renovation. He said: “Work and life gets in the way and things get put on hold and last year Nicola and I were like ‘right, it’s time’ Our children are at the age now where they’re off to university and theyre going to go off and fly into their lives.”
He continued: “We knew it was going to be so full on, it’s such a beautiful place and yet it’s so dramatic some of the stuff that we’re doing but it feels so right. And it’s home for me and I feel so happy with what we are doing.”
Matt shared his plans for the barn which has sweeping countryside views and Alex told him “you’ve made the right decision” when he said that he’s decided the new hexagonal extension would house the kitchen rather than his living room.
“The trials and tribulations of what we’re doing,” he laughed as he opened up on the plans and running the farm at the same time. “Well it’s just what you do on farms,” he explained when Roman asked how he managed his time. “You’re just constantly busy. That’s why I love that life. I’m always on the go Roman. I never stop. This is life, this is what I’ve grown up with. It’s where I feel at home.”
Matt and Nicola’s farm is a 100-acre organic sheep farm in the Durham Hills, part of the wider Durham Dales in County Durham. Back in 2015, Matt wrote an article for the Countryfile website about what he loves most about the area, sharing: “You never ever know how good something like this is until you leave it.
“Now this area is like a magnet for me. I come up here with my wife and kids and to stay with Mum and Dad whenever I can. I feel at my happiest here; it’s where I’m meant to be.” The article was written before his mum’s incident, which prompted his permanent move to the farm.
During his appearance on The One Show Matt also discussed his lifelong love of dogs which has inspired his new book, My Dogs & Me. Matt also revealed that he has another string to his bow away from TV presenting and farming – he’s a professional dog trainer.
He fondly spoke of all the dogs he’s had in his life including his first dog, Cromwell, and Meg, the pet who was by his side during his Blue Peter years.
The One Show is on BBC One weekdays at 7pm and on BBC iPlayer
Fans of the ‘gritty’ BBC drama have been waiting for news about the show’s future
17:38, 13 Oct 2026Updated 20:12, 13 Oct 2026
New cast members for the upcoming series have been confirmed(Image: BBC)
It’s the news fans have been waiting for.
BBC has confirmed when Waterloo Road will return to our screens alongside an exciting update regarding its future. It comes as the series celebrated its 20th anniversary earlier this year.
Every single episode is still available to stream on BBCiPlayer from the original series which first aired in 2006, up to the recent instalments starring cast members such as Jon Richardson and Adam Thomas. Fans can also catch up on select series via Channel 5 and Disney+.
Now, the broadcaster has now confirmed that series 18 will release in January 2027. Not only that but they have given the go ahead for a 20th series which begins filming this year in Greater Manchester. Fans have been anticipating news about the show’s return which some describe as “one of the best comfort shows ever” and a “gritty real life drama” that keeps them hooked from the first episode.
For those somehow unaware, the synopsis describes the drama series as following the day-to-day activity at Waterloo Road school. It is a place where lessons learned have a way of extending beyond the classroom.
It was initially set at a rundown comprehensive school in Rochdale before moving to an independent school in Scotland. However, after a few years in its new surroundings, the series ended its original run.
It was revived in 2023, with a return to Greater Manchester as its setting and production location. Fans are promised that the new series will continue to explore real-life issues affecting teens, families and school staff.
The drama will continue to tackle bold storylines, balanced with comedy, friendship and romance, all brought to life with Waterloo Road’s trademark warmth and wit. It’s also been confirmed that original cast member Chelsee Healey will return as Janeece Bryant.
They will be joined by newcomer Lauren Hylton as her on-screen daughter, Cheryl Bryant, a new student at Waterloo Road. Other new student cast members include Leo Ashton (Liam Shaw), Callum Broome (Nathan Clark), Yousef Naseer (Ibrahim Azzi), Lewis Pemberton (Cane Morris), and Keelan Wright (Marshall Clark).
A wave of newly qualified teachers will also walk through Waterloo Road’s doors. Tashinga Bepete will play Edward Connell, Cora Kirk as Leah Merchant, and Mollie Winnard as Gemma Tully.
Announcing the news, Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama said: “We’re so pleased to announce a new series of Waterloo Road, giving audiences the opportunity to follow the drama of the characters they’ve come to know and love.
“We look forward to seeing what the next chapter holds for the pupils and staff of Waterloo Road. We can’t wait for the series to return this January.”
Waterloo Road is streaming on BBC iPlayer, Channel 5 and Disney+.
Time returned for a ‘hard-hitting’ third series of the BBC One prison drama starring David Tennant and Siobhan Finneran
BBC One launched a new series of Time starring David Tennant and Louis Shelton(Image: BBC/BBC Studios/Peter Marley)
BBC One viewers were left “shocked” following a violent ending of the new prison drama Time.
Time has returned for a third series, consisting of three episodes, set inside a young offender institution called Alderwick, bringing together David Tennant as officer Bobby Bailey and Siobhan Finneran as prison chaplain Marie-Louise O’Dell.
Written by Jimmy McGovern and co-writer Samuel Bailey and directed by Paul Whittington, Time follows Marie-Louise, who arrives at the institution having lost her faith, where she meets Veteran officer Bailey, a man in the midst of his own crisis.
Away from his day job, Bobby drinks while staring vacantly at the TV as his relationship with his wife, Erica (Vinette Robinson), comes under intense strain.
Back inside the prison, Bobby and Marie-Louise lock horns over how to handle Ushindi, formerly Christopher (Chukwubuikem Molokwu ), a young man with a stammer who has recently reconnected with his birth mother.
Meanwhile, two teenage offenders, Peter (Ollie McNulty) and James (Louis McCartney), struggle through the terrifying first weeks and months of their incarceration, but they are hiding significant secrets.
The most jaw-dropping scene came at the end of episode one, as a mediation meeting between Ushindi and seriously violent offender Patsy Flynn (Louis Shelton) goes horribly wrong, leaving viewers in shock.
Despite the brutal final act of the first episode, Time viewers were left wanting to see what happens next to Patsy and vowed to binge-watch the whole series on BBC iPlayer.
Taking to X, one viewer wrote: “What an ending to EP1, gonna have to binge the lot tonight! #bbciplayer #time”, while a second agreed: “2 more episodes on iPlayer, now #Time.”
“Don’t think I’ve been so traumatised since I saw Scum about 45 years ago #Time”, confessed one viewer.
“#Time.. wow, the best yet. Fantastic writing and acting by all involved. A really shocking watch”, said one impressed viewer of the series.
“What was grim but utterly brilliant! Nobody does hard-hitting drama like the BBC. #Time”, added another.
The next episode of Time airs on BBC One at 9pm on Monday (October 12), while the final episode broadcast on Sunday (October 18) at 9pm.
Time continues on Monday at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer, with all episodes available now on iPlayer
Jimmy McGovern’s BAFTA-winning BBC drama is returning to screens with David Tennant and Siobhan Finneran leading the cast
15:49, 11 Oct 2026Updated 15:49, 11 Oct 2026
The third series of Time is set to air on BBC One this October(Image: BBC)
Time returns tonight for its third but there’s some bad news for fans.
The wait is almost over for a brand new instalment of the gripping BBC drama which first began in 2021 and has featured the likes of Stephen Graham, Jodie Whittaker and Bella Ramsey.
That was until he found a real-life story in his research about a mother going to see her son in a young offender institution, whom she hadn’t seen for years. Although she didn’t speak English and he didn’t speak her language, which Jimmy shares is Swahili, in their BBC story.
However, the creator has shared that the upcoming series, which will being on Sunday night (October 11) will be its last. Speaking to RadioTimes, 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.”
A synopsis for the third series of Time details that viewers will see two young offenders struggle through the terrifying first weeks and months of their incarceration. However, an unlikely friendship between them looks to shift the trajectory of their futures.
The description further reads: “Meanwhile, Prison Chaplain Marie-Louise (Siobhan Finneran) comes to the young offender institution having lost her faith.
When tragedy strikes in the prison, Marie-Louise clashes with veteran officer Bailey (David Tennant), a man in the midst of his own crisis. Bailey knows more about the circumstances that led to this major incident – but will he come clean before the guilt gets too much?”
Since the series first began five years ago, it’s been highly praised by viewers, with some hailing it as a masterpiece. On Rotten Tomatoes, one person has said: “Absolutely riveting drama, a must-watch from start to finish. Brilliantly acted and excellent plot.”
Meanwhile, on IMDb, another added: “I expected a mediocre show, but got a well-crafted masterpiece. In its two seasons, each with three episodes, ‘Time’ tells the stories of two people who are imprisoned for the first time and, in my opinion, it does this excellently” While a third wrote: “Serious, realistic and brutal. If you want to see something serious and realistic, this is for you.”
Also joining David Tennant and Siobhan Finneran in the third series will be Vinette Robinson, Jo Joyner, Daniel Ryan, Warren Brown, Louis McCartney, Ollie McNulty and Chukwubuikem Molokwu will star in the third series.
A source has claimed that even though the line-up of The Celebrity Traitors signed NDAs while filming the show, the finalists have become ‘a hot topic’ at showbiz events
22:50, 10 Oct 2026Updated 23:00, 10 Oct 2026
Claudia Winkleman hosts the popular BBC show(Image: BBC )
The Celebrity Traitors has been thrown into chaos with the finalists being “leaked”. The leaks have reportedly become “a hot topic at showbiz parties”, as bosses scramble to protect the identities.
On Friday, October 9, the BBC released record-breaking audience figures for the popular show, revealing that the third episode achieved a peak audience of 10.3 million viewers. Then, on Friday night, an estimated 9.6 million fans watched the fourth episode of the show, hosted by Claudia Winkleman, 54 – but this could all be in jeopardy if the names get out.
While the all-star line-up signed non-disclosure agreements pledging to keep the game’s results secret until the episodes air, a source claimed that news of the final has leaked. Because of this, executives at the BBC are said to be on edge as the finalists are discussed at various celebrity events, with bosses hoping the names don’t become public knowledge.
To see more of the stories you love from The Mirror and to find them easily in Google, make us your preferred source. Free and easy to do, just click on the link here to find more from The Mirror at the top of your feed.
“Because of the leak, who makes the final is now a hot topic at showbiz parties,” the insider told The Sun. “It’s also spread how certain players get on, not helped by the fact that another source has been suggesting who’s been placed for interviews around the final.
“It’s vital the leaks don’t make it to gossip forums online and on social media, where fans can find the information. The BBC is hoping that anyone happening upon the info or hearing it from friends will help keep the secrets of the castle and stay quiet.”
The source added: “The problem is a small group will be aware of The Celebrity Traitors’ secrets, including those who work on the show, the celebrities who ran the course and possibly their close family and friends.”
The BBC show is so popular that even Prince William and Kate Middleton are said to be obsessed with it. Speaking on Palace Confidential on YouTube, Daily Mail royal editor Rebecca English revealed that the Prince and Princess of Wales are huge fans of The Celebrity Traitors, which has an IMDb rating of 8.7.
“Now, William and Catherine are massive Traitors fans. I can tell you that now. They love the programme. Absolutely glued to it,” Rebecca said.
The 2026 celebrity spin-off of the psychological reality game show takes place at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands, where a star-studded cast plays for a £100,000 charity prize pot. The show is currently in the middle of its broadcast run, following the massive success of Series 1 in late 2025, which was won by Traitor Alan Carr.
Currently, there are three Traitors – comedian James Acaster, 41, TV presenter Maya Jama, 32, and mathematician Hannah Fry, 42 – on the show. Actor Richard E. Grant, 69, was banished by the Faithful during the first roundtable.
Episodes air weekly on BBC One and are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Claudia Winkleman is known for her bold fringe and dark eyeliner
Claudia Winkleman(Image: Darren Gerrish/WireImage for The Royal Academy of Arts)
Recognised almost as much for her bronzed complexion, striking fringe and dramatic eyeliner as for her razor-sharp humour, Claudia Winkleman is adored by millions of television viewers. Claudia, 54, made her comeback to screens earlier this month for the second series of Celebrity Traitors on the BBC.
Claudia, who stepped down from her position as Strictly Come Dancing co-host last year, alongside Tess Daly, has previously joked that her distinctive look is what secures her work. She said: “I think it’s the only reason I get work. I’m sure TV producers go, ‘Who’s the one with the fringe? We’ll have her’.”
Claudia inherited her passion for a sun-kissed appearance from her mum, journalist and editor Eve Pollard, previously revealing: “Like me, my mum loves an orange glow, so I remember her swirling huge brushes of orange over her face and thinking it was the most glamorous thing ever.”
Looking like a ‘real-life’ pirate
She also told Closer Magazine: “I think my fringe starts at the back of my head, it’s got more weight to it than a tonne of bricks. They gave it to me and I knew that was that.
“You have to make much less effort when you have a really heavy fringe. I love eyeliner, but you don’t even need makeup really. If you’ve got a very heavy fringe, you’re wearing some old, battered, buckled-up boots and you’re holding a book then you’re done. You look like a real-life pirate”.
And while she undoubtedly possesses a distinctive style, a rediscovered photograph reveals Claudia sporting a more understated look.
In the image, captured for Red Nose Day in 2003, Claudia holds a giant cheque and appears without the heavily tanned complexion she’s recognised for, alongside lighter hair styled to one side.
While Claudia is currently most recognised for presenting The Traitors and Strictly, she launched her career conducting celebrity interviews on ITV’s This Morning. She also fronted several gameshows throughout the 90s.
KATHERINE Ryan couldn’t resist taking a cheeky pop at David Beckham as she joked about being “cancelled” by the BBC after her rude slur about his wife Victoria.
Katherine Ryan made a cheeky joke about David Beckham just weeks after complaints over her slur about Victoria was upheld by the BeebCredit: GettyShe couldn’t resist a joke at David’s expense but declared her love for VictoriaCredit: instagram/victoriabeckham
Two weeks ago, Katherine issued an online apology to Victoria, 52, after the ruling by the BBC‘s Executive Complaints Unit (ECU).
Raising the controversy during a stand-up gig in Chelsea, London, last night, the 43-year-old declared her love for Victoria Beckham while making a sly joke about her famous footballer hubby.
Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter
Thank you!
“I have been cancelled by the BBC for allegedly calling Victoria Beckham the C word,” she said.
“Or as David Beckham knows it – the K word, because bless him the alphabet is hard,” prompting laughter from the audience.
“But I actually did not do that, I actually love Victoria Beckham.”
Katherine make a joke about David Beckham in a London comedy gig last nightCredit: @alwaysbecomedy/InstagramThe comedian came under fire for her rude remark about Posh on an episode of Have I Got News for YouCredit: BBCThe BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit said ‘there was no such justification’ for the comment about Victoria which two viewers had complained was ‘gratuitously offensive’Credit: PAKatherine later apologised to Victoria online and showed the message she had sent her privatelyCredit: Instagram/kathbum
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 Ryan publicly apologised to Victoria in an Instagram reel where she shared a screenshot of her message to the fashion designer.
“Hi I’m comedian Katherine Ryan and today the BBC announced their decision to uphold a complaint made by two very influential viewers about a joke that I tried to make on an episode of Have I Got News For You eleven months ago,” she began.
“At that time, though there is no defence, I was suffering from a condition called matrescence.
“I was in that building with a 10-day old baby. Should I have left the house?
“This is gonna be a tough one for the feminists because I was a woman going to work but I did call another woman a c***.
“Sometimes I forget that celebrities are not my friends. If I had called Jimmy Carr a c***, he wouldn’t have minded.
“Joanne McNally, c***, she wouldn’t have minded but this was described by the BBC as a slur.
“As though c**** are part of a protected group,” Katherine said in her trademark sarcastic way.
“The trouble is now that section’s been taken off iPlayer so the incident only exists in printed media, online media and then you lost the context because on the day, if you watched it, it was clearly a joke and the whole audience went ‘huhhhh’ and I said ‘whoaaaa’.”
She then plugged her new book before adding: “I love Victoria Beckham so much that I actually included her in one of my celebrity firstborn daughter chapters.
“I’d like to read you that now whilst remaining very sorry.”
In her apologise message to Victoria shown on screen, Katherine told her it was a “throwaway” comment and that she immediately expressed her love for her after, making it clear it was a “stupid joke”.
