Strictly Come Dancing star Vicky Pattison was left in tears as she spoke openly about her experience on the show, which she says is helping her become a ‘better version’ of herself
Vicky became emotional during Strictly(Image: BBC)
Vicky Pattison’s emotions poured out during Strictly Come Dancing’s icons week. The former Geordie Shore star, 37, reflected on the person she used to be and who she is now before she transformed into Cheryl Tweedy for an impressive routine.
As the pre-dance video rolled, Vicky said: “I first started out in this industry at about 21 and I made some bad decisions. I just don’t think at that age I had the tools to navigate that space I was in. Now I do my best to be a better version of myself – someone I can look in the mirror and feel alright about.”
She went on: “What I’ve learnt about myself is that with determination and a little bit of self-belief, you can achieve stuff.” As she opened up on her song choice for the week, Fight for this Love by the Girls Aloud star, Vicky tearfully added: “Apart from being a banger is a very important song to me. The whole idea that the comeback is greater than the setback.
“You can have the life you want. You can change the narrative. You can be who you want to be, not letting the past define you. I think that’s really powerful. I worked on myself and now I’m here in a place that makes us really happy and I’m finally becoming a woman I’m proud of.”
Following her dance, Vicky was left gobsmacked after her icon sent her a personal message. As Cheryl appeared on screen, the reality TV star couldn’t help but gasp and jump around as she was told she had been following her progress.
Cheryl congratulated her fellow Geordie before saying she was “honoured and humbled” to be her choice of icon. Cheryl added: “I know you’ve got it in you because you’re a Geordie.
“So go on, get out there. Fight for your place and I’m sending you loads of love. I’ll be rooting for you from home.” An elated Vicky joked it was amazing that Cheryl even knew who she was as she continued to showcase her disbelief at the message.
Earlier in the show, Ellie Goldstein also received a personal message of her own. After dancing a salsa to a Spice Girls medley dressed as Baby Spice, Emma Bunton surprised her with a touching message.
And fans spotted the sweet moment Ellie’s dance partner Vito Coppola moved to make sure she was okay. After staring down at the star, Vito appeared to wipe away a tear from her eye as the judges gave the duo positive feedback following their routine.
Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, one user gushed: “Vito checking on Ellie and dabbing away a tear. #Strictly #StrictlyComeDancing” They also added crying emoji faces to their comment.
Alex Kingston also transformed into Dolly Parton for an impressive routine alongside Johannes Radebe. And she too was treated to a personal message from her icon.
However, her moment came in private during training. It came about thanks to fellow celebrity dancer La Voix.
TAYLOR SWIFT has admitted she no longer believed in marriage and had given up on love after splitting from long-term boyfriend Joe Alwyn.
The superstar has used her new album The Life Of A Showgirl — out today — to document going from depression to being wooed back to life by her fiancé, Travis Kelce.
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Superstar Taylor Swift as a showgirl in a shot for her new album
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The Life Of A Showgirl documents Taylor going from depression to being wooed back to life by Travis KelceCredit: AP
Though in a move that is sure to get the world talking, Taylor savages a mystery person, believed to be singer Charli XCX, for mocking her.
Taylor and Travis started dating in the summer of 2023 before he popped the question in August this year.
On lead single The Fate Of Ophelia, Taylor sings: “And if you’d never called for me. I might have drowned in the melancholy.
Rediscovered love of life
READ MORE ON TAYLOR SWIFT
“I swore my loyalty to me, myself and I, right before you lit my sky up.”
She adds: “You dug me out of my grave and saved my heart from the fate of Ophelia.
“And if you’d not come for me, I might have lingered in purgatory.
“No longer drowning and deceived, all because you came for me.”
The song is based on Shakespeare’s character Ophelia in Hamlet.
After being toyed with by rich and powerful men, Ophelia goes insane and kills herself by drowning.
Travis Kelce tells Fox NFL Sunday he broke down in tears in emotional Taylor Swift proposal moment
The track acts as a bridge between the doom of Taylor’s 11th album The Tortured Poets Department and her new, rediscovered love of life, all thanks to her Kansas City Chiefs man.
On Eldest Daughter, Taylor pines for true love, admitting she feels played and betrayed by men her whole life.
She says: “I’ve been dying just from trying to seem cool. But I’m not a bad bitch.
“The last time I laughed this hard was on the trampoline in somebody’s backyard. I must have been eight or nine.
“The night I fell off and broke my arm. Pretty soon I learned cautious discretion. When your first crush crushes something kind. When I said I don’t believe in marriage, that was a lie.”
Vowing she still secretly pines for true love despite being hardened to disappointment, Taylor sings: “And I’m never gonna let you down. I’m never gonna leave you out. So many traitors. Smooth operators.
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Taylor and Travis hand in hand in New York last yearCredit: Getty
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Taylor announces the album on Travis’s podcastCredit: YouTube / New Heights
“But I’m never gonna break that vow. I’m never gonna leave you now.”
Despite only being out today, thanks to pre-orders The Life Of A Showgirl is already the fastest selling album of the year.
Written during Taylor’s record-breaking Eras Tour last summer, the record peels back what life was like for the star away from the stage.
On song Elizabeth Taylor, she sings about dating Travis: “Sometimes it doesn’t feel so glamorous to be me.
“All the right guys promised they’d stay, under bright lights they withered away. But you bloom. Tell me for real. Do you think it’s forever?”
Despite the glitz and glamour, Taylor says she had “everything and nothing all at once” — pining for true love over material goods.
She sings: “Hey, what could you possibly get for the girl who has everything and nothing all at once?
“Babe, I would trade the Cartier for someone to trust.”
On Opalite, Taylor sings about “dancing through the lightning strikes”, a reference to her splitting with British actor Joe just weeks before embarking on the biggest tour of her career.
Storytelling best
Continuing with the theme of yearning for the simple things in life, Taylor uses Wi$h Li$t to double down on wanting love over material goods.
She pines: “I made wishes on all of the stars. Please, God bring me a best friend who I think is hot, I thought I had it right once, twice but I did not.”
She adds: “I just want you. Have a couple kids.”
For the title track, Taylor reverts to her storytelling best alongside fellow superstar Sabrina Carpenter.
The Life Of A Showgirl tells the brutal reality of life on the road chasing fame and fortune.
Taylor sings: “The more you play the more that you pay. You’re softer than a kitten so. You don’t know the life of a showgirl, babe
She continues: “I’m married to the hustle. And now I know the life of a showgirl, babe. And I’ll never know another. Pain hidden by the lipstick and lace.”
As a final nod to her record-breaking 24 months, the song — and album — fades out with live audio thanking fans as she takes her final bow on her Eras Tour.
TRACK-BY-TRACK
1. The Fate Of Ophelia 3:46
AN infectious pop track about Travis making a play for Taylor while she was heartbroken and had vowed herself off men following the breakdown of her relationship with Brit Joe Alwyn.
2. Elizabeth Taylor 3:28
A POP earworm which reveals how Taylor’s life away from the stage isn’t as glamourous as fans think and she pines for a man rather than material goods. She says if her Travis fling doesn’t work out, it will break her.
3. Opalite 3:55
ANOTHER pop track about how she often finds herself thinking about former flames – but meeting Travis has turned her heartbroken days at the start of the Eras Tour to a love-filled life.
4. Father Figure 3:32 (written by Swift, Martin, Shellback, and George Michael)
THIS is about how she was courted by record label Big Machine Records’ Scott Borchetta and signed when she was just 15, looking to him for guidance. He then turned on her and sold her master recordings, forcing a six-year battle to own her own work.
5. Eldest Daughter 4:06
THE most emotional track about how Taylor has desperately tried to be “cool” to win a man but accepts she is never going to be an “It Girl”. Then adds that despite meeting a series of men with bad intentions, she will still do anything for real love
6. Ruin The Friendship 3:40
A LOVE letter to Taylor’s late high school friend Jeff Lang, who passed away aged 21. The track is about the inner battle of whether you tell a friend you have deeper feelings for them and risk ruining the friendship but in turn potentially find The One.
7. Actually Romantic 2:43
BELIEVED to be about Charli XCX and how Taylor believes the singer mocks her and slags her off behind her back. Rather than being offended, Taylor finds her obsession amusing.
8. Wi$h Li$t 3:27
WHILE the world wants material goods, cars and money, Taylor says she just wants a man and kids, and to live her life away from the media spotlight.
9. Wood 2:30
A FUNKY track and Taylor’s dirtiest ever. Littered with innuendos about hooking up with Travis
10. Cancelled! 3:31
REMINISCENT of her Reputation album which sees Taylor play the role of an evil villain who masterminds her friends all being cancelled and they unite together in some evil union. Fans will no doubt link it to her fall-out with actress Blake Lively.
11. Honey 3:01
PRIOR to meeting Travis, being called Honey was seen by the star as an insult – but he uses it as her pet name.
12. The Life Of A Showgirl (featuring Sabrina Carpenter) 4:01
A FICTIONAL tale of how many dream of being a showgirl for the fame and fortune but, in reality, it is a lot harder than that in a cut-throat industry
TOTAL LENGTH: 41:40
CHARLI XCX
‘It’s sweet all the time you’ve spent on me‘
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Actually Romantic appears to be a full take-down of Brit singer Charli XCXCredit: Getty
THE most brutal track on the album is called Actually Romantic.
It appears to be a full take-down of Brit singer Charli XCX, who is friends with Taylor’s love rat ex Matty Healy.
Charli’s husband George Daniel is part of Matty’s band The 1975.
Taylor sings: “I heard you call me ‘Boring Barbie’ when the coke’s got you brave.
“High-fived my ex and then you said you’re glad he ghosted me.
“Wrote me a song saying it makes you sick to see my face. Some people might be offended. But it’s actually sweet, all the time you’ve spent on me.”
Charli has long been accused of glamorising drug use – even releasing a vinyl of her latest record Brat filled with white powder. Rather than being a flash-in-the-pan spat, the duo have a long history.
Charli supported Taylor on her 2018 Reputation Stadium Tour. But the Brit hated the experience.
She told Pitchfork mag in 2019: “I’m really grateful that Taylor asked me on that tour. But, as an artist, it kind of felt like I was getting up on stage and waving to five-year-olds.”
From then on things seemed to sour further – and Charli’s Brat album track Sympathy Is A Knife is believed to be about Taylor.
Charli sings: “This one girl taps my insecurities. Don’t know if it’s real or if I’m spiraling. Cause I couldn’t even be her if I tried.
“I’m opposite, I’m on the other side. I feel all these feelings I can’t control.”
SCOTT BORCHETTA
‘They don’t make loyalty like they used to’
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On her track Father Figure Taylor appears to round on Scott BorchettaCredit: Getty Images – Getty
DESPITE plenty of floor fillers, Taylor’s new album is not all sweetness and light. As well as having a dig at Charli XCX, on Father Figure Taylor appears to round on Scott Borchetta.
He is the CEO of her first label Big Machine Records, who sold the rights to her first six albums in 2019.
The track features lines of George Michael’s 1987 single of the same name, as she seemingly talks about how Borchetta, right, boasted about being able to make her a star before stabbing her in the back.
“I’ll be your father figure, I drink that brown liquor. I can make a deal with the devil because my d’s bigger. This love is pure profit, just step into my office.”
She later adds: “They don’t make loyalty like they used to.”
Her reference to brown liquor is thought to be a nod to how Borchetta celebrated selling her masters to Scooter Braun over a glass of whisky.
In an open letter to fans about the sale, Taylor wrote: “These are two very rich, very powerful men.
“Then they’re standing in a wood-panel bar doing a tacky photoshoot, raising a glass of scotch to themselves.
“Because they pulled one over on me and got this done so sneakily that I didn’t even see it coming.”
Earlier this year, Taylor finally bought back her masters.
Hinting at her victory, she ends the track singing: “We drank that brown liquor. You made a deal with this devil. Turns out my d’s bigger. You want a fight, you found it.”
BIZARRE VERDICT
★★★★☆
THE Tortured Poets Department – for me the best Taylor album until now – was always going to be a hard act to follow.
But a drastic change of direction here has served the star well.
Lyrically, she continues at her best – with enough metaphors and coded literary references to keep fans speculating for ages.
Pop records are the hardest to perfect when it comes to both lyrics and melodies, but with producers Max Martin and Shellback by her side, Taylor has once again made magic.
With The Life Of A Showgirl, she proves yet again she’s the best in the business. Are there a couple of skips? Yes. But there’s also some of her best ever work.
Lead single The Fate Of Ophelia is an earworm of a track that’s perfect for both radio and dancefloors. It’s also possibly the most infectious Taylor lead single of all time.
Elizabeth Taylor, Ophalite and Cancelled! are also standouts.
Taylor’s reign atop the music industry is far from over.
Victoria Beckham’s highly anticipated Netflix documentary is set to be released on October 9, and the streaming giant has released a brand new trailer.
The eagerly awaited docuseries will arrive on Netflix next week, leaving fans absolutely buzzing with excitement. The three-part programme is scheduled for release on 9 October, and is crafted by the same team behind the Emmy award winning BECKHAM series.
Featuring exclusive chats and shocking revelations, the docuseries will give viewers an unprecedented peek behind the curtain of Victoria Beckham’s world, encompassing both her professional journey and family dynamics. And supporters won’t have much longer to hold their breath.
Netflix has unveiled a fresh teaser as the fashion mogul opens up about her family memories, reports the Manchester Evening News. In the footage, Victoria Beckham reveals: “I’ve always wanted to do this.
“Throughout my life, I’ve used clothes to become someone else, be the person that I always wanted to be, that maybe naturally I wasn’t.
“I used to customise the school uniform in the bathroom at lunchtime. I used to love watching my mum get dressed up, you know she really cared and made the best of herself.
“I remember my mum saying to me if you dress up to get on the aeroplane, if there’s any chance of being upgraded they’re always going to look at who looks the best. I mean the truth is, there is no first class on budget air lines.”
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Posting the teaser on Instagram, Netflix captioned: “Victoria Beckham looks back on the importance of fashion in her life VICTORIA BECKHAM comes to Netflix October 9.”
One excited fan responded: “I can’t WAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIT!” Another chimed in with: “Welcome back.”
While Netflix has already given us a glimpse into the life of her ex-footballer husband David Beckham, this new series will shine the spotlight on the former Spice Girl.
Netflix tantalises viewers with: “VICTORIA BECKHAM, a three-part documentary series, gives all of us a front row seat as Victoria prepares for the fashion show of her life.
“From the teenager who restyled her school uniform, to the Spice Girl who fought to be accepted by a notoriously demanding fashion industry, Victoria Beckham is the story of resilience, reinvention and self-discovery.
“From the makers of the Emmy award-winning BECKHAM and the award-winning director of Michelle Obama’s Becoming.”
Last month, Netflix released the official trailer which saw the star breaking down in tears as she made a shocking confession. She revealed: “We were millions in the red”, while husband David confessed it “made me panic.”
Victoria Beckham premiers on Netflix on October 9.
The 51 year old shepherdess posted a series of photos featuring some of her nine children at their home, Ravenseat Farm in the Yorkshire Dales.
In a poignant message, Amanda, who recently took a swipe at her ex-husband Clive Owen, wrote: “The ace of spades. Whatever life throws at us [dump and explosion emojis]. Come rain or shine. We deal with it.
“Strength doesn’t come from what you can do, it’s from what you reckoned you couldn’t. You can be proud and humble you know and farming is a great leveller.
“You can’t ever get too far ahead before rot sets in, the heavens open or the wheel comes off (literally or metaphorically).”, reports the Manchester Evening News.
“Farming is, after all a profession of hope. #yorkshire #grit #resilience #farm #family #shepherdess #books.”
Her 543K followers were quick to react to the post, with one fan commenting: “You’re an amazing family x” alongside a heart emoji.
Another follower wrote: “Love your posts Amanda.xx”, while another said: “love your family, since I first read your book before you were on telly xx”. Another added: “Love this take on all of what you do supporting one another on the farm x.”
Amanda and her former husband Clive Owen are parents to nine children: Raven, Reuben, Miles, Edith, Violet, Sidney, Annas, Clementine, and Nancy.
Their popular documentary series, Our Yorkshire Farm, ended in 2022 following Amanda and Clive’s split. The show first hit our screens back in 2018.
The Owen family are back on our screens with a new series, Our Farm Next Door, which documents their adventures as they renovate a historic farmhouse nestled in the stunning Yorkshire Dales.
This comes as Amanda candidly discussed her co-parenting journey with ex-partner Clive during an appearance on ITV’s Lorraine.
Lorraine Kelly, the show’s host, noted: “The fact that you have managed, even though you’re separated, the two of you – you and your husband – have managed to still work together, parent together, can’t have been easy but you’ve made it work!
“I’ve talked to you about this before Amanda, you have made it work and that’s a wonderful thing to have done.”
Amanda replied with a humorous anecdote: “He was on the phone this morning, he had fried eggs in some yellow washing up liquid!
“So he was complaining that I shouldn’t buy washing up liquid in yellow! Washing up liquid should only be green!”.
Lorraine responded with amusement: “Oh I see… because he thought it was like, okay…” before breaking into laughter. Amanda insisted: “So you see, we are up against it!
“Believe me, it’s the idea that we’re just getting on with it, there’s plenty to do, plenty of space and a heap of things always on the go. Let’s be honest, that’s reality!” with Lorraine replying: “Of course it is!”
Gary Lineker made a candid confession about his presenting future after his surprising win in the Best Presenter category at this year’s National Television Awards
23:32, 10 Sep 2025Updated 23:41, 10 Sep 2025
Gary Lineker at the NTAs 2025(Image: Getty Images for the NTA’s)
Gary Lineker opened up on his BBC exit as he took home the award for Best Presenter at the National Television Awards. The shock victory at London’s O2 saw the former Match of the Day presenter finally knock Ant and Dec from the top spot for the award.
For the first time in 23 years, the Geordie duo were left empty handed in the category, with 64-year-old Gary even joking he had won the “Ant and Dec trophy” in his winner’s speech.
However, despite his award coming from his time on the BBC’s main football show, he has admitted he won’t work with the organisation again following his early exit.
Speaking after his win, he said: “I really don’t know. At the moment, I’m really looking forward to working with ITV and I’ve got a podcast business that I have to run so I’m not so sure. I’ve got so many great memories from such a long period at the BBC.”
He added: “I don’t think anyone thought I was cancelled. It was obviously just a mistake, an oversight. I was never in the slightest bit concerned for that but this is lovely and there’s no doubt that there’s perhaps a message here that it’s ok to share your views and speak up for those who don’t perhaps have a voice.”
Gary departed his role as the main presenter of BBC’s huge football show earlier than first expected. His exit came after he had shared a series of controversial comments during his social media activity.
One comment specifically saw him post in May 2025 concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that included a rat emoji.
The rat image has been historically used in anti-Semitic propaganda and while Lineker said sorry for sharing the post, explaining he was unaware of the image, he said he “would never knowingly share anything anti-Semitic”.
Gary Lineker enjoyed his win(Image: Getty Images for the NTA’s)
Despite Gary’s apology, the controversy led to the BBC confirming his early exit from the show. He later confirmed he would not be part of their coverage for the 2026 World Cup or the 2025/26 FA Cup.
Prior to his win on Wednesday night, Gary had received the backing of his The Rest is Football podcast pal Alan Shearer. Whilst many might have expected former Magpie Shearer to support his Geordie pals, the ex-Premier League legend is thought to have bucked the trend and voted for his sports mate.
After laughing off the suggestion that he was only going to attend the ceremony if he won, Gay told the podcast it was the “Ant and Dec award anyway”. He hinted he thought he had little hope of winning.
However, Shearer acted shocked before adding: “I have voted for you, though.”
Our Yorkshire Farm’s Amanda Owen was faced with extreme weather
Channel 4 broadcast a repeat episode of Our Farm Next Door: Amanda, Clive and Kids on Saturday evening.
The episode, which originally aired earlier this year from the second series, showed the farm facing harsh weather conditions as it became blanketed in snow, with the family struggling to safeguard their expectant sheep spread across the hillsides.
Clive expressed his worries about the snow, saying: “January and February were funny months, and anything can happen. That Beast from the East was quite nasty, the kids were little and we had no electric for a week.”
He continued: “You know, everybody gets a little bit of snow, but it can be absolutely unbelievable here, and you’ve got to be careful, otherwise it’ll have you out of business.”
Amanda shared her thoughts on the bitter snow conditions: “When that snow hits, it can be exhausting. It can be exhausting mentally and physically. Day one, day two, yeah, it is fun, day four, five, six, seven, and beyond, it is a real test.”, reports Gloucestershire Live.
Further into the programme, Amanda made a frank confession about farming, particularly during severe weather conditions.
Channel 4 aired a repeated episode of Our Farm Next Door: Amanda, Clive and Kids on Saturday night(Image: Channel 4)
Whilst caring for the horses, she revealed: “On a day like today, when you see that light shine through the window and you know that it’s icy and snowy out there, you don’t pull the duvet over your head; you’re like, ‘Let me at it’.”
She pondered: “Because that’s what you have to do. And I always think to myself, ‘the day that you don’t want to do that, you’ve got to quit’.”
Initially hitting our screens in 2018, Our Yorkshire Farm showcased the extraordinary way of life of Clive and Amanda Owen with their nine youngsters at their remote sheep farm in Yorkshire.
Amanda and Clive are mum and dad to nine children: Raven, Reuben, Miles, Edith, Violet, Sidney, Annas, Clementine, and Nancy. The beloved documentary programme concluded in 2022 after Amanda and Clive’s split.
The episode, which aired earlier this year from the second season, saw the farm face extreme weather as it was covered in snow(Image: Channel 4)
Continuing to enchant viewers, the Owens have made a comeback with the following instalment of their journey in Our Farm Next Door, following the family’s escapades as they restore a period farmhouse situated in the picturesque Yorkshire Dales countryside.
The 1800s dwelling sits in Swaledale close to Ravenseat Farm and bears the name Anty John in honour of a previous occupant called Anthony John Clarkson.
In the final instalment of series two, Amanda gathered the entire brood to unveil the most recent progress in their continuing restoration project following 20 months of grafting, highlighting “how far we’ve got and how far we’ve got to go”.
Our Farm Next Door is available to watch on All 4.
Princess Andre has appeared to take subtle swipes at mum Katie Price after the former glamour model criticised producers of her new show, The Princess Diaries
Princess Andre(Image: ITV)
Princess Andre has appeared to take subtle swipes at mum Katie Price as she continues to carve her own showbiz career. In her new documentary series, The Princess Diaries, the teen is showcasing her blossoming career, but the show has opted against airing Katie’s role in her daughter’s life.
Instead, dad Peter Andre is a mainstay in the production, showing his close bond with his eldest daughter. And in the latest edition, Princess, 18, has confessed to the things she will never do that her mum did.
Speaking to the cameras for the ITV show, Princess admitted she would never do glamour modelling like her mum did. The revelation came as Princess took part in a photoshoot to mark her 18th birthday.
Peter Andre,Emily Andre, Junior and Princess Andre
As she wore a number of different outfits for the shoot, including a very sheer robe, Princess looked back at her mum’s success in front of the camera. She said her shoot reminded her of her mum Katie, 47, and her campaigns over the years.
However, she admitted: “But obviously she did topless. And I would not do topless.”
She later revealed how she goes to her stepmum for advice. Princess lives with her dad and Emily Andre and their kids and added: “I feel like, if I’m ever in a situation that I don’t want to talk to dad about, I’ll speak to Ems about it.”
It comes after Princess had revealed the impact her mum’s split from Kieran Hayler had on her. Katie, 47, married Kieran, 38, in 2013 but they separated five years later after he cheated on her, including with one of her “best friends”.
After saying she didn’t feel as though she recovered from the split, Kieran has since apologised. He said: “I am as sorry as I can be to Princess witnessing us go through such a horrible separation.
“Leaving them was one of the hardest things I ever had to do.”
Despite the turmoil and apparent swipes, Princess did gush over her friendship with her mum. Addressing rumours of a rift, Princess told Closer ‘there’s no rift’.
The teenager said: “At the end of the day, it’s my show – it’s not really about any of my parents. Mum was actually featured in it, it’s just that I live with my dad. There’s no rift between anyone.”
And on the show, she revealed: “I love her, she’s like my best friend.”
Princess made her modelling debut last year with PrettyLittleThings. She has now moved into the reality TV spectrum in her own light and the influencer is set to make thousands and take after her famous parents by becoming a reality star.
Jonathan Hertwig-Ødegaard has opened up about his journey as an openly gay athlete.
On 1 August, the Norwegian decathlete sat for an interview with Norway’s public radio and TV broadcaster NRK, where he discussed coming out and why it shouldn’t get so much “attention.”
“I think it’s great that you can be a role model, but at the same time, I hope in the long run that it doesn’t have to be necessary, and that it gets so much publicity and attention,” he revealed.
Hertwig-Ødegaard went on to discuss the current state of coming out as a gay athlete and how there is a “bit of a wrong focus.”
“The problem is perhaps that among athletes, people talk about ‘it’s so brave and tough’ when people come forward,” the 20-year-old explained.
“I feel that there is a bit of a wrong focus, that the responsibility should not lie with individuals. I think it is the responsibility of society at large to facilitate that people are comfortable being open about their sexuality, also as athletes.”
While Hertwig-Ødegaard doesn’t want massive amounts of attention focused on his gay identity, he did reflect on how having more openly queer athletes could have positively impacted him during his formative years.
“I think it would have helped me as a young boy or young athlete. Not necessarily to have someone to look up to, but just to see that it is completely normal to be gay and be a top athlete. Because it is,” he told the news outlet.
Towards the end of his interview, the young decathlete exclaimed that he was “proud and happy” to be gay and if others have an issue with his sexuality, “it’s their problem.”
Two weeks before his recent sit-down, Hertwig-Ødegaard made massive waves at the European Athletics U23 Championships, dominating six out of ten events and scoring 8,002 points, a personal best.
Alongside his recent feat, he is ranked 81st in the world in the decathlon rankings, has won the Norwegian Under-20 title three times, and is preparing to attend the University of Texas, where he will compete for NCAA titles.
We can’t wait to see what the future holds for Hertwig-Ødegaard.
Alison Hammond’s son Aidan has revealed that as a child he would seek solace at his grandmother’s house which was across the road every time his mum annoyed him
09:47, 05 Jul 2025Updated 09:50, 05 Jul 2025
Alison Hammond will be joined by her sister Saundra and son Aidan on Celebrity Gogglebox(Image: Channel 4)
Alison Hammond is best known for her bubbly personality while presenting This Morning along with Dermot O’Leary. However, according to her son and Celebrity Gogglebox co-star Aidan, the TV presenter wasn’t always a delight to live with.
Alison, 50, who soared to fame following her memorable stint on Big Brother back in 2002, made her Celebrity Gogglebox debut last night, critiquing TV shows with her rarely seen sister Saundra and her 20 year old son. Giving fans a more intimate account of his mother while growing up, Aidan revealed that he used to run away from home and stay with his grandmother, who lived across the road.
Alison Hammond and her son Aidan co-host their travel show Florida Unpacked (Image: BBC/Rock Oyster Media Productions Ltd)
And this would happen on a regular basis every time he and Alison failed to agree on certain things. Speaking on the Spin Justice podcast, Aidan said: “When we were in the flat, she (his grandmother) had a house pretty much opposite us, so we could literally leave and run across the road.”
He added: “So when my mum was doing my head in, I’d just go to my nan’s.”
Before Alison’s mother Maria sadly passed away five years ago, the trio enjoyed an incredibly special bond. Aidan described their relationship as “very, very close”.
Despite his youthful age, Aidan is no stranger to the world of TV after appearing on a number of quiz shows with his mum and starring in their very own travel show, Florida Unpacked which aired on BBC Two.
He then went on to say: “She’s passed away now, but we were very close all the time – me, my mum and my nan – and that was kind of the little trio.”
Alison will sit along side her sister and son for their debut on the popular TV show, mugs in hand ready to analyse TV shows watched by the nation.
Speaking about sharing the moment with another family member apart from her son, Alison chimed in: “I’m so excited to be doing Celebrity Gogglebox with my son Aidan.”
She said: “We’ve always loved watching telly together, and now we get to do it on the sofa for the nation! It’s a real family affair too, because my fabulous sister Saundra is getting involved as well. “
The Great British Bake Off presenter then went on to say: “Expect laughs, eye-rolls, and lots of commentary, classic Hammond style!”
Alison and her family with join the cast of the new series for the charity Stand Up To Cancer.
A TV source reportedly told The Sun: “Producers were impressed by the dynamic between Aidan and his mum on their new travel show, so wanted a piece of it for Celebrity Gogglebox.”
They added: “They’re always looking for new duos to appear on the programme to keep it constantly feeling fresh, and, of course, fronting the Great British Bake Off means she’s already part of the C4 family.”
