Michelle Gayle played Hattie Tavernier in the BBC One soap and also had a pop career – and, unbelievably, she hardly seems to have changed more than 30 years later
Michelle was part of the groundbreaking Tavernier family(Image: BBC)
EastEnders’ Michelle Gayle appears to have defied the ageing process, looking as youthful as ever despite her stint on the BBC One soap being more than three decades ago. The London-born actress, now 54 years old, was part of the groundbreaking Tavernier family – the first Black family to join the soap.
Her character, Hattie, was a waitress and then Ian Beale’s PA at his catering company, The Meal Machine. She was a hit with EastEnders viewers, navigating through intense storylines involving miscarriage and sexual harassment – famously kneeing Ian in the groin. She also frequently clashed with Cindy, Ian’s wife, who was jealous of their close working relationship.
But the star left Albert Square in 1993 to pursue a music career, enjoying seven top 40 singles on the UK Singles Chart, including hits like Sweetness, Looking Up and Do You Know. She also released two top 40 albums before parting ways with her record company in 1997.
Michelle stepped out at a charity ball last year, looking super-glamorous as she sported a black satin dress paired with a chic black bag, red lipstick and gold earrings, posing against a beautiful floral backdrop.
Previously, Michelle had set X, formerly Twitter, buzzing with her age-defying photos, prompting comments such as: “I’ve literally just had to google how old you are……as you look about 20! ! You look amazing! ! X,” and, “There is no way you’re in the 50+ bracket! ! My goodness.”
She went on to appear on stage at Mighty Hoopla 2024 at London’s Brockwell Park, singing a few of her biggest hits.
After EastEnders, Michelle made a return to television, making guest appearances on Doctors and Holby City, before landing a role in Channel 5’s short-lived soap Family Affairs in 2005. She’s also been a familiar face on various reality TV shows, such as ITV’s Reborn In The USA, where she competed against 80s popstars Sonia and Tony Hadley, and Channel 4’s The Games.
In 2007, she became a guest panellist for ITV’s Loose Women and ventured into writing in 2011, releasing her debut novel titled Pride and Premiership.
In 2019, she went on to play the role of Hermione Granger in the West End production of the play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. At the time, Michelle revealed the hardest part of her job was her unusual working hours, saying: “My ‘weekend’ is Monday and Tuesday and all my friends outside of the show are working.”
She was married to ex-professional footballer Mark Bright for 13 years, and they have a son, Isaiah, together. Michelle also has another son, Luke.
In his new role as a special contributor to NBC’s coverage of the NBA — which returned to the network Tuesday night after a 23-year absence — Jordan was interviewed by Mike Tirico in a segment called “MJ: Insights to Excellence.”
In it, the six-time NBA champion who is still the league’s all-time leader in points per game made a somewhat startling admission.
“I haven’t picked up a ball in years,” Jordan said.
Pressed on the matter by a stunned Tirico, Jordan said he was last persuaded to shoot a ball when he was renting a house during the Ryder Cup (he did not specify that it was the most recent edition of biennial event that took place last month in Farmingdale, N.Y.).
The house had a basketball court, and the home owner wanted his grandchildren to see the legendary player in action. Jordan agreed to attempt one free throw.
“When I stepped up to shoot your free throw, it’s the most nervous I’ve been in years,” Jordan said. “The reason being is those kids heard the stories of the parents about what I did 30 years ago. So the expectation is 30 years prior, and I haven’t touched the basketball.”
But this is Air Jordan we’re talking about.
He swished it, right?
Right???
“Absolutely,” Jordan said. “The most gratifying event that made my whole week is that is that I was able to please that kid, not knowing if I could.”
Jordan retired as a player for the third and final time in 2003. Since then, he has become a highly successful businessman — he was the controlling owner of the Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets from 2010-2023 (he still retains a minority ownership in the team) and is the controlling owner of the NASCAR Cup Series team 23XI Racing — with a net worth of close to $4 billion.
In addition to his business pursuits, Jordan told Tirico, he strives to spend as much time as possible with his family.
“You never really know when you in the prime of your career how much time you really do not have for family,” Jordan said. “That’s what I have time to do now. I mean, the most valuable asset I have is time. So that’s probably why you don’t see enough of me, because that time I’m trying to spend with family members and things that I’ve been missing out on for such a long time.”
All that said, however, Jordan admits he still loves basketball and does wish he could be out there on the court playing at his peak.
“In all honesty, I wish I could take a magic pill, put on shorts and go out and play the game of basketball today,” Jordan said. “Because that’s who I am. That type of competition, that type of competitiveness is what I live for, and I miss it. I miss that aspect of playing the game of basketball, being able to challenge myself against what people see as great basketball.
“But it’s better for me to be sitting here talking to you, as opposed to popping my Achilles and I’m in a wheelchair for a while, but it’s nice to be able to share the things that can still make the game great going forward.”
That is not meant as a slight on the community Shelvey has left behind.
Though Shelvey has uprooted from the UK, the 33-year-old said the north east was “the only place there he would want to live”.
“There’s this debate about whether Newcastle are able to attract the big players compared to the Manchester clubs and the London clubs but, until you go there, you don’t understand what it does to you,” he said.
“There are loads of things to do. I don’t care what anyone says. If players are going to listen to this, it’s a no-brainer to go there and play football.
“You will not find love at a football club like I found at Newcastle, with how they take to their players and how much they back you.”
Shelvey spent longer at Newcastle than any other side – seven years in total following his move from Swansea City – and said he was “honoured” to have represented the club and worn the captain’s armband on occasion.
As well as sticking around following relegation, in 2016, and playing his part in taking Newcastle straight back up, Shelvey also helped ensure the club then stayed in the top flight.
He even scored what proved to be a “massive” goal against Leeds United as Newcastle started to pull away from danger three and a half years ago.
It ended up proving a turning point in head coach Eddie Howe’s reign.
“If I had not scored that, the club would have gone down!” he said. “I’m joking. Looking back at it, you don’t realise how big a goal it was and, to be fair, the keeper [Illan Meslier] chucked one in for us. I scuffed the life out of it.
“But I’ve only got good things to say about my time at Newcastle. I loved it. Even when I first got the call about going there, I drove 12 hours from Swansea because of the traffic. I just wanted to get up there, get my medical done and get signed.
“I had experienced playing against Newcastle at St James’ Park and you get a real buzz, but you never understand how big the club is until you are there.”
New Zealand’s foreign mininster discusses the decision not to recognise a Palestinian state, shifting geopolitical alliances, and diplomacy.
In a shifting world order, New Zealand’s foreign policy faces new tests, from Gaza to the Pacific. Foreign Minister Winston Peters speaks to Talk to Al Jazeera about why his government has stopped short of recognising a Palestinian state, how small nations can stay neutral amid the United States-China rivalry, and whether multilateralism still protects the weak from the will of the powerful.
UCLA’s football team appeared to have a full roster of players at its disposal Monday after the Bruins reached the four-game threshold for redshirting and the halfway point of the 30-day window for entering the transfer portal following the dismissal of coach DeShaun Foster.
Interim coach Tim Skipper said no player had informed him of an intention to redshirt or transfer, though there’s still time to mull those decisions before the Bruins (0-4 overall, 0-1 Big Ten) face No. 7 Penn State (3-1, 0-1) on Saturday afternoon at the Rose Bowl.
Once a player participates in a fifth game, he can no longer redshirt.
Giving any player considering such a move pause might be the situation at Virginia Tech. An attorney tweeted that he was representing a redshirting Hokies player whose decision, in the eyes of the school, constituted “ ‘opting out’ and fraudulent misrepresentation under the NCAA’s bylaws, justifying immediate termination of scholarships and revenue-sharing payments under the House settlement. Redshirting is a standard practice to preserve eligibility, not voluntary withdrawal from a program, and schools cannot void revenue-sharing payments on pay-for-play grounds.”
As of last weekend, three Virginia Tech players had reportedly entered the transfer portal and two had decided to redshirt.
What fate might await the Bruins in the coming days and weeks?
“It’s going to be fluid through the rest of the season,” Skipper said. “You know, as far as when you get to your fourth game, you decide [whether] to keep going. But my whole thing on that is that’s the rules, and if guys decide to do that, we’re not holding them hostage. They can go ahead and do that.
“We’re coaching them hard. We’re showing them a blueprint to go win games, and that’s what we’re going to do. And people that want to be a part of it stay, and then guys that choose to go the other way, they go the other way. But right now that’s not been a big emphasis in anything that we’re doing day to day. It’s getting better and trying to get us a win.”
Another fluid situation
UCLA didn’t just change the coach running its defense, it also changed the defense. The in-season overhaul led to only a portion of the playbook being installed in the first game under Kevin Coyle.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean the full playbook will be installed in a matter of weeks.
“Northwestern compared to Penn State, as far as what they do schematically, is totally different,” Skipper said, referring to last week’s opponent versus the next one. “So we’re going to have to have a different plan and do different things. Probably how we are right now, we’ll never just have the whole playbook in. We’re going to game-plan as we go week to week because we’re going to play so many different offenses, so many different looks.”
Penn State uses more pre-snap motion than Northwestern, presenting different challenges. The Nittany Lions also are a lot more potent than the Wildcats, averaging 39 points per game.
Skipper said he was pleased with Coyle’s playcalling debut during UCLA’s 17-14 loss to the Wildcats, noting that the team had given up an average of 36 points during its first three defeats. The Bruins also allowed 314 yards of offense, well below the average of 431 they had given up previously.
Etc.
UCLA moved Garrett DiGiorgio to right guard against Northwestern while using Reuben Unije and Courtland Ford at tackle before Unije went down because of an unspecified injury. The Bruins then put DiGiorgio back at right tackle and used Julian Armella at right guard. The extent of Unije’s injury was not immediately known. … Freshman linebacker Scott Taylor made his first career tackle against the Wildcats while enjoying more extensive playing time. “Scott’s a guy that’s flashed,” Skipper said. “He makes plays every day, whether it’s special teams or on defense, and I think he’s getting better and better and better. I think he can definitely be a guy that will keep having major contributions to the team.”
BBC Breakfast star Naga Munchetty has seemingly never been one to follow the crowd and has since been hailed for going against the hosting grain
Kelly Smith Screen Time Reporter
05:30, 16 Aug 2025
BBC Breakfast star Naga Munchetty has been praised by a body language expert for her unique approach to presenting, which completely flips the traditional “TV husband and wife” dynamic.
Judi James, an expert in body language, has shared her insights following reports of tension within the famous red sofa studio, offering her professional opinion on what might be happening behind the scenes. Recent reports suggest that Naga and her co-presenter Charlie Stayt are embroiled in a “toxic feud” with the show’s editor Richard Frediani. Since these allegations surfaced, their on-screen relationship has been under scrutiny, with many speculating if cracks will start to show.
However, after observing the two news anchors, Judi offered a different perspective on what might be happening off-camera. She stated: “Some of the most friendly and bonded-looking TV duos have actively disliked each other in real life. Most performers, comics and journalists tend to be loners by nature and sharing a screen can often be a challenge for the ego.”
A body language expert has weighed in on the BBC Breakfast situation(Image: BBC)
She further commented: “Naga and Charlie have quite a natural-looking on-screen relationship in that it tends to show up moments of tension or disagreement rather than papering over the cracks with cuddly, forced smiles fake laughter,” reports Bristol Live.
Judi, a body language expert, noted that the usual male and female roles were not followed by the two hosts. She pointed out that Naga’s often “dry humour” could come as a “shock” to fans accustomed to the traditional “TV husband and wife” roles.
Naga and Charlie do not follow the usual TV husband and wife hosting format says expert(Image: BBC)
She suggested that viewers might have interpreted Naga and Charlie’s “non-verbal displays” as a warning sign of something else happening. However, Judi speculated that their unconventional dynamic might explain some of their seemingly awkward and silent moments on-air.
Judi remarked: “Their on-screen ‘chemistry’ can tend to look spiky at times and although they can have their playful moments, some of their non-verbal ‘banter’ can show signs of genuine irritation or frustration, with Naga often throwing eye-‘asides’ to either the camera and therefore the audience at home, or to others in the studio and off-camera.
Naga’s dry sense of humour could be mistaken for awkward tension(Image: BBC)
“It’s often a form of dry humour, but to anyone preferring the kind of smiley, giggly, ‘My TV husband/wife’-style on-screen performances it can be a bit of a shock.”
She further emphasised: “One other aspect of these non-verbal displays is the one of status. For many years it was traditional for the male newsreader to be the dominant character on-screen, looking solemn, serious and, at times irascible or irritated. The female would often be expected to provide the smiles, empathy and the softness.”
Praising the Radio 5 Live presenter for her unique approach, Judi said: “Naga, though, thankfully, seems to have turned this outdated tradition on its head, presenting a more assertive display complete with moments of irritation or disapproval, while Charlie seems to appear to be softer and more likely to smile.”
In America, the NFL laps every other sport. Around the world, where its product is labeled “American football,” the NFL has largely failed to export its massive domestic popularity.
When the Olympics called, the NFL said yes. In 2028, the L.A. Summer Games will include flag football — and a selection of NFL players. How better to sell your sport internationally than to attach it to the world’s largest sporting event?
Baseball is, uh, still thinking about it.
Two years after we first started talking about whether major leaguers would play in the 2028 Olympics, Major League Baseball still has not said yes, and now the NFL and its publicity-gobbling machine is threatening to steal the spotlight.
If MLB withholds its players, the NFL will steamroll whatever collection of minor leaguers and collegians appear on the Olympic diamond. So will the NBA All-Stars competing for basketball gold.
If MLB agrees to let its players participate — and Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge and Bryce Harper have made clear they want to compete — hardly anyone will care about flag football.
“Wimbledon will end, they’ll come here. The Tour de France will end, they’ll come here and compete. Obviously, men’s and women’s basketball will have the greatest basketball players in the world. So we think that a sport like baseball ought to have the best players in the world playing.”
Here is a statistic the NFL could never match: Of the rosters announced for Tuesday’s All-Star Game, one in three players was born outside the United States. Those players represent eight different countries.
MLB has leveraged that global marketing opportunity into the World Baseball Classic, which has grown over two decades from a curiosity into a must-see event. The WBC returns next spring.
“I think it’s eventually going to get moved to the middle of the season,” Team USA manager Mark DeRosa told me at Saturday’s Futures Game. “I think it’s going to be a monster event moving forward.”
The only difference between a WBC in the middle of the season and the Olympics in the middle of the season: MLB controls the WBC.
Dodger Stadium will host six games during the 2028 Olympics, but will MLB players be on any of the teams participating?
(Mike DiGiovanna / Associated Press)
That is not a good enough reason for MLB to skip the Olympics. The best interests of baseball cannot always be measured in today’s dollars.
Should major leaguers participate in the Olympics?
“Oh, yeah,” DeRosa said.
“It’s not that simple a question,” said Tony Clark, executive director of the players’ union, onSaturday.
Clark said the union has had “encouraging informal conversations” with LA28 officials. What Clark would like to see from MLB is an actual plan — all the logistics for all the players, as the NBA and NHL provide when their players participate in the Olympics.
MLB has its own logistics issues too. For instance, if MLB skips the 2028 All-Star Game to accommodate the Olympics, how does the league compensate Fox? The league’s media contracts expire after the 2028 season, so the 2029 All-Star Game might not be available to Fox, and MLB would rather not refund the big bucks.
This much is set, according to Wasserman: The Olympic baseball tournament would cover six days at Dodger Stadium, with a six-team field. The United States would automatically qualify as the host country. The 2026 WBC could serve as a qualifying tournament for other countries, although that is more concept than certainty at this point.
What did Wasserman say in his pitch to major league owners?
“What an incredible opportunity to elevate the sport in a city where you have one of the great cathedrals of the sport,” he said. “There is no better chance to tell the global story of baseball than from the Olympics in Los Angeles.
“They understand that. We could have another Dream Team, or two, depending on the countries. That is a vehicle to tell the story of baseball around the world, and that is really powerful.”
To his credit, commissioner Rob Manfred gets that.
“We do see LA28 as a, you know, real opportunity from a marketing perspective,” Manfred told the Associated Press Sports Editors in April.
Logistics aside, Manfred needs to convince the owners — his bosses — that interrupting the regular season is worth it. If the Games were held halfway around the world, shutting down the season for two weeks might be problematic.
But in Los Angeles, for one week? Kill the All-Star Game for a year, and start the regular season three days early, or finish it three days late.
Wasserman said he has had “pretty consistent dialogue” with the league.
“We hope they get to the right answer, which is Major League Baseball players being eligible to play,” Wasserman said.
“We’ll be as patient as we need to be to get to the right answer.”
The wrong answer: The world is watching the Olympics, and MLB is giving us the Colorado Rockies.
Martin Frizell, the husband of former TV presenter Fiona Phillips, has been sharing heartbreaking updates about her battle with Alzheimer’s
The husband of Fiona Phillips has revealed that the former TV presenter has not cooked in years and has no time for her dressing room of designer clothes as she battles Alzheimer’s.
Martin Frizell said all his wife’s favourite hobbies and interests are now gone – she has not cooked in two years and wears the same T-shirt and trousers every day.
He asked The Telegraph: “What do I do with all these clothes?” And of her previously beloved cookery books, which now lay piled in the basement: “Do I take them to the dump?… She’s never going to open one again.”
But he’s determined not to let her favourite interests – of looking glamorous and eating delicious food – to completely disappear and he regularly helps her to get her hair coloured and nails done.
And he said the best thing his friends could do is to cook for them, leaving something on the doorstep, reports MailOnline.
Fiona Phillips is battling Alzheimer’s(Image: Karwai Tang, WireImagevia Getty Images)
The ex-GMTV host, 64, was diagnosed with the brain disorder in 2022, aged just 61. It came after she left the former ITV breakfast show in 2008 to care for her father, who suffered from it too, and died in 2012. Her mother also passed away from the disease in 2006.
Martin, 66, left his job as Editor of ITV’s This Morning after 10 years in February to care for Fiona. She has now written a memoir, Remember When: My Life With Alzheimer’s, with the help of her husband and journalist friend Alison Phillips, about her diagnosis.
Ahead of its release on July 17, Martin has now spoken out about some of the most heartbreaking impacts of the disease, which is the most common cause of dementia. There is currently no cure but there are medicines which can somewhat alleviate symptoms.
Martin, who married Fiona in 1997 and shares two children, Nathaniel, 26, and Mackenzie, 23, with her, started by contributing a few paragraphs to his wife’s memoir but ended up generating more than 24,000 words.
Fiona Phillips with her husband Martin
He recalled when she was diagnosed and given a leaflet on living with the disease that had a old couple with a Zimmer frame on it. It completely jarred with how young she was, having only just turned 61, Martin said: “She was wearing skinny jeans and high-heeled boots. This was a degenerative disease for old people like the ones on the leaflet,” he said.
The couple first put her symptoms – brain fog, social withdrawal, mood swings, depression and anxiety – down to the menopause.
His wife has always been active – so Martin wondered if her diagnosis could have been caused by stress.
At one point, during her turn on GMTV from 1993 to 2008, she was starting work at 3am, taking part in Strictly Come Dancing, bringing up her young sons, and caring for her parents, who lived far away in Wales.
But he also thought it could be their lifestyle in their younger years – which saw them regularly drink a bottle of wine each every night.
Martin Frizell on This Morning(Image: ITV)
Martin, who has also edited GMTV and Loose Women, now cares for her full-time at their home in London. He revealed she has declined considerably over the last 12 months, needing help with basic tasks like brushing her teeth, developing more confusion, pain, delirium and psychosis and mostly staying inside
Martin appeared on This Morning on Friday, July 11 to tell hosts Alison Hammond, 50, and Dermot O’Leary, 52, about his wife’s progress.
He shared how challenging family life has been since Fiona’s diagnosis three years ago.
He said: “In the book, there’s a picture of her at the end of our road, the most recent picture I took, only a few weeks ago.
“And she’s looking great and she’s smiling and she’s got her coat on. And what you don’t know is she thought I’d kidnapped her. This was us going out.
“Because you get delusions because you get so worked up. She keeps saying, ‘I want to go home’.”
Asked by Alison if she still recognises him, he said: “She does recognise me most of the times. Doesn’t quite know that I’m her husband but she knows who I am.”
Home and Away actor Tristan Bancks is best known for his role as Tug O’Neale on the popular Australian soap and, since leaving the show, has landed a string of impressive roles
Tristan found himself at the heart of numerous high-profile storylines
From its debut in 1989, Home and Away became a must-watch for soap fans With its gripping plotlines and the beautiful backdrop of Summer Bay, it’s no wonder audiences continue to enjoy the Aussie soap after more than three decades. Over its impressive 36-year run, Home and Away has seen a host of stars grace its screens, including Tristan Bancks, who played the character Tug O’Neale. From 1992 to 1994, Tristan was a regular fixture on the soap, having been chosen from among 200 hopefuls for the role.
As Tug, Tristan found himself at the heart of numerous high-profile storylines, tackling issues such as mental health and bullying. However, after two years, he decided to step away from the show to explore new opportunities. After leaving Home and Away, Tristan, now 50, relocated to London for a short time where he secured several presenting roles, including hosting the game show Don’t Try This At Home.
Tristan was friends with Dieter Brummer, who played Shane on Home and Away(Image: Twitter/@tristanbancks)
Upon his return to Australia, Tristan resumed his acting career, with roles in the short film Dust and the 2002 feature Beneath Clouds. He has also ventured into directing, with his short comedy Soar being showcased at both the London Film Festival and Melbourne International Film Festival, reports OK!.
Tristan seemingly remains ever-youthful, and has carved out a successful career as an award-winning author, penning popular children’s and young adult books such as Two Wolves, The Fall, and Detention. His latest work, Scar Town, hit the shelves recently, with Tristan attending a flurry of book launch events.
Tristan doesn’t seem to have aged a day
With over 5,000 followers on Instagram, the ex-soap star frequently offers glimpses into his life as a writer, sharing moments from writing retreats, literary talks, and book festivals.
Beyond his professional achievements, Tristan enjoys a private life with his partner, editorial and wedding photographer Amber Melody. The couple are proud parents to two sons and although he keeps much of his personal life under wraps, Tristan occasionally shares heartfelt posts about his family on Instagram.
He posed with one of his sons for a picture on Instagram in September last year, saying: “First Father’s Day with my eldest son living away in Melbourne. Missed him a lot but he’s doing great things. And I did get to have lunch with my youngest son and his girlfriend and my mum and her husband. And my beautiful wife who I’ve been lucky enough to bring up our two fine boys with. Also, Lego!”
And one Valentine’s Day, he shared an affectionate post for Amber, referring to her as the “love of my life”.
His Instagram caption read: “Happy V Day to the love of my life, Amber Melody. [man and woman in love emoji] Great start to the day with brownie pain au chocolate and croissant French toast (breakfast of champions) at @bambam_bakehouse. :).”
The author happily posed with one of his lookalike sons(Image: Tristanbancksbooks/Instagram)
In another heartwarming post, Tristan uploaded a photo with his sons during a magical trip to Disneyland Paris, expressing that travelling with his family is his “favourite thing to do.”
His books have won and been shortlisted for many awards, including a Children’s Book Council of Australia Honour Book, the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards, and the YABBA children’s choice book awards. Scar Town was named the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Book of the Year for Younger Readers.
But his talents don’t stop there, as Tristan’s website reports that “he is currently working with producers to develop a number of his books for the stage and screen.”
FIRE-BREATHING US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley may just have given himself the chance to finally unlock the suitcase that has remained off for limits nearly 11 years.
After experiencing a second successive Ryder Cup defeat at Gleneagles in 2014, Bradley vowed never to unpack his case until he finished on a winning USA team.
4
Keegan Bradley won the Travelers Championship on SundayCredit: Reuters
4
After losing the Ryder Cup in 2014, Bradley vowed never to unpack his case until he finished on a winning USA teamCredit: Getty
That looked increasingly unlikely as the man from Vermont failed to play his way back onto the team, was controversially snubbed for a wild card in 2023, and was then installed as US captain a year ago.
But exactly a year to the day after he was asked if he wanted to take on the Ryder Cup captaincy, he clinched a victory that handed him a whole new dilemma.
But after his dramatic win in the Travelers Championship, he admitted he would have to take a “pretty hard look” at whether he should be on his own team.
That propelled him to a career high seventh in the world rankings, and catapulted him from 17th to ninth on the Ryder Cup qualifying list.
Only the top six qualify automatically. But the question now is whether Bradley, 39, can afford NOT to pick himself, unless his form falls off a cliff between now and September 26, when the battle with Europe begins at Bethpage Black in New York.
No-one can doubt Bradley’s passion for the Ryder Cup. Or anything else.
Bradley is set to become the Ryder Cup’s first player-captain in 62 yearsCredit: Reuters
He has become famous for the sort of frenzied celebrations that followed his latest win – letting out a massive roar, screaming a few obscenities at the adoring New England crowds and chest bumping caddie Scott Vail.
When he calmed down, a sheepish-looking Bradley confessed: “I kind of lost it again there, didn’t I? I might be in trouble with my mom for using some bad words.”
Keegan Bradley set for Ryder Cup job that hasn’t existed for 62 years after stunning PGA Travellers Championship win
It would not be the first time.
Despite being known for his fiery nature, Bradley shocked plenty of people with his outburst in the USA’s President Cup team room, shortly after holing the winning putt in their victory over the Internationals last year.
He roared: “I’ve been doubted my whole f***ing life, That’s when I do my best work. We are gonna go to Bethpage to kick their f***ing ass.”
Bradley later claimed he was surprised that comment was broadcast on Netflix’s Full Swing series. Really?
They did not hold back from showing the stunned reaction of the entire Bradley family when he missed out on a wild card pick from Zach Johnson two years ago, with the out of form Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler picked ahead of him.
Maybe the memory of how the Scottish crowd taunted Bradley over his exaggerated pre-shot routine – a dozen or more club twirls, and backing away from his ball a few times before pulling the trigger – counted against him.
And his volatile on-course antics, which once saw him in a World Match Play face-off with Migel Angel Jimenez that had to be defused by a rules official, has also raised a few eyebrows.
Off the course, Bradley is a completely different animal – a devoted family man who dotes on wife Jillian and their two sons.
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Bradley has formed a close friendship with basketball legend Michael JordanCredit: Getty
Bradley was their original brand ambassador when the range of Jordan golf shoes was launched, and he still wears them now. Do not be surprised if golf nut Jordan is one of the US cheerleaders at Bethpage Black in September.
Bradley, 39, insists he will not surrender the US captaincy, “under any circumstances”.
But he admitted the possibility of doubling up – and leaning more heavily on vice-captains Webb Simpson, Brandt Snedeker, Kevin Kinsner and Jim Furyk to look after the off course stuff – is now a real possibility.
He said: “This changes the story a little bit. I never would have thought about playing if I hadn’t won. This definitely opens the door to play.
“I don’t know if I’m going to do it or not, but I certainly have to take a pretty hard look at what’s best for the team and we’ll see.
“I never really planned on playing. I really wanted to just be the captain. I really felt strongly about that. I want to serve the guys. They asked me to do a job. I want to do it to the best of my abilities.
“Now, with the amazing vice captains that I have, and I have a better perspective of playing in the Presidents Cup and being around a lot of the guys, I feel a lot more comfortable if I went that route.”
“It’s still only June, so we’ve still got a long ways to go. This definitely changes things a little bit, and we’ll all get together and figure out the best way to do this.”
SACRAMENTO — The big question in California politics is, “Will Kamala Harris run for governor?” But that’s the wrong question. Far more important is, “Should she?”
And that’s not a question to be answered based strictly on her prospects for winning.
Rather, the answer should be determined based on what strengths, goals and ideas she would bring to the table — her specific plans for fixing California’s enormous problems, her eagerness to fight even political allies to achieve her objectives and her own desire to lead the state’s comeback.
She shouldn’t view the job as a consolation prize after losing the presidential election to Donald Trump. Voters would smell that and, anyway, Harris would be miserably bored in the state Capitol dealing with budget minutiae and relatively inexperienced legislative leaders.
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So far, since returning from Washington to her native state, Harris, 60, has displayed none of the above criteria that California needs in its next governor.
But neither did she previously in any noteworthy way as a U.S. senator or — particularly — state attorney general. As attorney general, Harris refused to take positions on important ballot measures, including those dealing with her role as California’s so-called top cop — propositions to stiffen criminal sentences and both abolish and expedite the death penalty.
Harris has a record of being overly cautious about taking positions that could alienate interests she deems important to her political career.
But, look, you don’t need to be a gubernatorial candidate to express concerns about your state. Any resident who’s conscious should be alarmed.
“Home prices have skyrocketed as supply slumped over the past three decades,” the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California noted in a report last week.
California’s median home price in March was $884,000 — very tough if not impossible for many middle-class families. The housing shortage is largely due to over-regulation, tangled red tape that slows issuance of building permits and abuse of California’s environmental protection laws.
There’s a strong move in the Legislature to ease regulations, but it’s highly controversial. Does Harris have a thought on this?
Homeowner insurance rates are rising fast in the aftermath of wildfires. And in many fire-prone regions, traditional policies are impossible to obtain. The next governor needs to fix this.
California’s poverty rate is the nation’s highest when the cost of living is considered, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Despite our spending many billions of dollars and regardless of ugly finger-pointing at each other by Newsom and local officials, 187,000 Californians are homeless — a 35% increase in 17 years. That’s the highest in the nation — only partly because we’ve got the largest population.
Gasoline prices are roughly $1.60 a gallon higher in California than the U.S. average. And two oil refineries are planning to shut down, invariably hiking pump prices even higher.
We’re a high-tax state, a fact Newsom is in denial about. We lean too heavily on the wealthy for tax revenue and that produces roller-coaster budget deficits and surpluses depending on the stock market. It’s ridiculous. State taxes should be modernized. But no politician has the guts to attempt that.
Then there’s California’s historic problem of not enough water for its thirst.
Does Harris have anything to say about any of this? She hasn’t so far.
Of course, the seven leading announced Democratic candidates have been practically mute themselves on matters that risk aggravating party interest groups.
One exception is former Los Angeles Mayor and state Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa, who has been bolder than most of his rivals.
Harris has said she’ll decide by the end of summer whether to run for governor in 2026. Maybe she’ll seek the presidency again in 2028 or retire from politics and make a bundle in the private sector.
But Villaraigosa already is taking shots at her — including last week for allegedly helping to cover up former President Biden’s cognitive decline while in the Oval Office. Villaraigosa included in the attack another gubernatorial candidate: former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra.
Harris is a lot more vulnerable than Becerra on the issue.
But it’s a cheap shot. How many people would publicly accuse their boss of being mentally incompetent? And Harris would have instantly been blasted for being self-serving by plotting to push the president aside so she could grab the Democratic nomination.
Harris could help herself and California’s voters, however, by occasionally voicing some anxiety about her home state.
The little we’ve heard from her this year are attacks on Trump. She also has been lending her name to anti-Trump fundraising appeals by the Democratic National Committee.
But the last thing California Democrats need is another politician — especially a potential governor — telling them that Trump is an evil, ignorant con artist. They’re fully aware of that. They need someone who can tell them how their state can be fixed.
If she ran, Harris would be the initial favorite because of her broad name recognition, past election successes in California and fundraising ability. Some current candidates would probably drop out.
But there doesn’t seem to be a public clamoring for her to run.
Harris needs to start showing people why she should even consider seeking the job. Because, so far, she’s sounding more like a 2028 presidential retread.
Rachel has also starred in White Gold and All Creatures Great and Small
Emmett J. Scanlan played gangster turned anti-hero Brendan Brady.
Emmett played the love interest of Steve Hayes, with their romance delighting fans until it turned violent.
Since his departure Emmett has appeared in Peaky Blinders, The Fall, Gangs of London and even appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy
Emma Rigby joined Hollyoaks when she was 15 as Hannah Ahsworth.
Hannah’s eating disorder storyline was the first of it’s kind on TV while other plots included being caught in a fire, gangland drug dealing and running away.
Since leaving the soap in 2010 Emma has gone on to star in ABCs Once Upon a Time in Wonderland as the Red Queen. Other roles include guest appearances in Death In Paradise, Ripper Street and Fresh Meat
Nico Mirallegro got his big break with Hollyoaks starring as emo Barry ‘Newt’ Newton.
Nico’s main storyline in the soap was developing schizophrenia which culminated in a suicide pact.
He left the soap in 2010 and went on to star in My Mad Fat Diary, Our Girl, Rillington Place, The Ark and Common, Penance, as well as the Mike Leigh movie Peterloo and was nominated for a Bafta for his role in period drama The Village.
Ricky Whittle used Hollyoaks as a stepping stone to break America.
He played one of the soap’s resident hunks, Calvin Valentine, from 2006 to 2011 – when he was killed off at his wedding.
He also appeared in Strictly Come Dancing in 2009.
Warren Brown joined Hollyoaks in 2005 for a year as evil Andy Holt.
His stint on the show consisted of date rape storylines and a crime spree, before eventually being killed off.
After leaving Hollyoaks, Warren became a big hitter in TV playing DS Justin Ripley in Luther, as well as major roles in a number of dramas including Liar, The Responder, Homefront and Good Cop.
Wallis Day played Holly Cunningham in the soap for years before leaving.
