icon

TV fans have been won over by the celebrity version of The Traitors on the BBC – and now it is being suggested that a Gavin and Stacey star could lead the cast of a second season

A Gavin and Stacey icon is being lined up to take part in a second season of The Celebrity Traitors. Welsh actress Ruth Jones is known to millions as Nessa Jenkins on the hit BBC comedy.

Now BBC bosses are keen to bring the star back to screens as herself as one of the stars of an as yet not confirmed second season of The Celebrity Traitors. TV fans have been won over by the glamorous star packed version of the devious game show that is fronted by Claudia Winkleman.

Celebs including Jonathan Ross, Stephen Fry and Celia Imrie have battled to uncover Traitors and avoid banishing Faithfuls during the first season of the show – which is set to reach a conclusion this week. And already fans are looking ahead to who could be in the cast of a second season.

READ MORE: Alan Carr flees UK before Celebrity Traitors final as he fears being ‘most hated man’READ MORE: Tess Daly supported by lookalike daughter as ‘real reason’ for Strictly exit revealed

A source told The Sun: “The celebrity ­version of The Traitors has been a phenomenal success for the BBC and they’re already approaching stars for the next run. Ruth is one of the names in the frame and she’s been approached about taking part.

“Given the stellar names they secured for series one, the next instalment has to be just as impressive. Ruth would be an incredible addition to the cast if she can fit it into her schedule.”

However, the TV star is said to have one condition on taking part. The source claimed: “Ruth would only consider taking part on the proviso she would be a Faithful.”

The Mirror has contacted representatives of The Traitors and Ruth Jones for comment. Meanwhile, the BBC said they had “No comment” over the speculation.

The Celebrity Traitors has shone fresh light on long-serving stars of the small screen – with reports suggesting Alan Carr could front a new talk show after seeing his popularity surge while taking part in the show. He has thrilled audiences with his treasonous behaviour as one of the traitors.

While rugby star Joe Marler could end up on screens more after impressing audiences – and seemingly figuring out that Alan and Cat Burns are the two traitors on the show.

According to the Mail, BBC bosses have been eyeing him up throughout the series and it reportedly looks as though the broadcaster’s new controller Kate Phillips is keen on him too.

A TV insider told the publication: “The BBC is constantly looking for new talent and the second he stopped playing rugby, there were eyes on him. Bosses knew that getting him on Traitors would be a very good shop window for him and they could test whether or not the viewers would like him.

“As soon as they saw it, they knew he would be someone the British public would adore and they seem to be right.”

They added: “At the same time, he himself is ready for a new career after retiring from rugby. He has long wanted to present from a BBC sofa and The One Show is one of his favourite programmes. To anchor that would be his dream.”

Former Celebrity Traitors contestant Kate Garraway has tipped Alan Carr to win the BBC show. While on Romesh Ranganathan’s BBC Radio 2 show, she said the celebrities asked two questions which they all knew to be true.

And then they were asked if they were a traitor or not. But Alan appeared to look nervous even when answering the question they all knew to be true.

She explained: “The flaw in the plan was everybody slightly flickered, their eyes changed so when you say ‘are you a mother of five’ they just go yes because they’re relaxed about that. But on every single one Alan looked guilty, even on the ones that were true. So therefore I think his thing is that he looks guilty and the more he mucks up and the more he sweats and the more he can’t get out loud I’m a Faithful, then the more it plays in to ‘Alan’s just being Alan’. And I think that’s going to be the genius.”

Earlier in the Celebrity Traitors special, she claimed he could easily win the show. She said: “I think he’s going to win. I don’t know. I’m going to say it now.”

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

KAIA Gerber shimmers in a sparkly red dress beside her mother Cindy Crawford — and shows exactly where she gets her genes.

Model and actress Kaia, 24, looked the mirror image of her supermodel mum, 59, as the glamorous pair rocked up at the glitzy LACMA Art+Film Gala in Los Angeles.

Cindy, who shares her daughter with US businessman Rande Gerber, dazzled in an off-the-shoulder gold dress.

Again in August, Kaia resembled mum Cindy in her new workout range.

The American wore a white vest like Cindy did in her 1992 Pepsi advert.

Kaia said: “I’ve always loved that effortless style from the 90s.”

BRIDE AND VROOM

F1 star Charles Leclerc gets engaged to stunning model partner Alexandra

ROMANTIC GETAWAY

Russell Martin and girlfriend Lucy Pinder look loved-up on Naples holiday

The model previously spoke about her nepo baby status, saying: “I won’t deny the privilege that I have.

“Even if it’s just the fact that I have a really great source of information and someone to give me great advice, that alone I feel very fortunate for.

“My mom always joked, ‘If I could call and book a Chanel campaign, it would be for me and not you.’

“But I also have met amazing people through my mom whom I now get to work with.”

Earlier this year Kaia announced her split from actor Austin Butler after three years.

According to reports, the pair’s relationship had “ran its course”, with them ending things on good terms and having “no bad blood”.

Sources told TMZ that the couple ended their romantic relationship at the end of 2024, with them stepping into 2025 as single people.

But despite the couple splitting, they have kept things on good terms with there being “no bad blood” between them.

The outlet reports: “The relationship just simply ran its course after a good three years together”.

POP icon Nelly Furtado has announced at she’s no longer going to be performing her music after a huge comeback last year.

It comes after she hit back at a flood of cruel comments about her figure after returning to the spotlight.

Nelly proudly embraced her natural curves while headlining Manchester Pride earlier this year.

Taking to Instagram, the Grammy winner made an emotional post expressing gratitude for all her career gave her and that she feels it’s now time for her to “step down”.

She celebrated 25 years in the industry, before adding: “I have decided to step away from performance for the foreseeable future and pursue some other creative and personal endeavours that I feel would better suit this next phase of my life.

“I have enjoyed my career immensely, and I still love writing music as I have always seen it as a hobby I was lucky enough to make into a career. I’ll identify as a songwriter forever.”

‘REFRESHING’

Nelly Furtado praised for her ‘real curves’ in red strapless dress at awards

SHE’S BACK!

What is Nelly Furtado doing now, does she have a new album out and what is the singer’s net worth?

The star, 46, took over radio stations throughout the 2000s, well-known for her song Promiscuous as well as her feature on James Morrison’s ‘Broken Strings’.

Michael Jordan was nervous.

All he had to do was sink a free throw, but a lot was riding on that one shot.

It had nothing to do with a championship or a scoring title or the outcome of any meaningful game.

It had everything to do with being Michael Jordan, the man considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all time.

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.”

‘I previously said there was something we’re not seeing between Julia-Ruth and Divarni, and it turns out their secrets and sex are being held from the group, too’

I’m starting to feel like I should disregard everything I say about most of the couples in this experiment, because the twists and turns of Married at First Sight are never-ending! This week, we saw the drama unfolding between Julia-Ruth and Divarni, Maeve and Joe, and Grace and Ashley over a steamy spa day and a dinner party where the heat was SERVED, even though the actual food is cold.

Last week, I said there was something we’re not seeing between Julia-Ruth and Divarni, and it turns out the secrets and sex are being held from the group, too.

Julia-Ruth feels like, instead of owning up that she’s just not into Divarni, she’s using sex to stay in the experiment (or on TV) for longevity. This programme is about authenticity, real people, real highs and lows of relationships, so you can smell “the extra 15 minutes of screen time” that Keye voiced at the dinner party a mile off.

READ MORE: MAFS UK star ‘can’t walk’ as she shares worrying update from hospitalREAD MORE: Heartbreaking moment MAFS star finds out his wife ‘doesn’t fancy him’ and ‘never will’

I predict we’ll see a “stay” from this couple at the commitment ceremony to solidify that they just want another week on the telly.

A quick follower count shows the popularity of the cast plain as day – the audience likes Leah, Ashley, and Maeve the most. These are all relatable, day-to-day cast members who deserve the world for coming in and being true to themselves.

I think that was mine and Kristina’s story, too. I genuinely went into the experiment expecting a great story to tell in the pub for the rest of my life; anything and everything else that has come my way is a fabulous bonus. I genuinely think these three would say the same.

Haven’t we seen a turnaround for the girls?! I said on Saturday that Leigh and Leah have no chance, but I’ve completely changed my mind in two nights, and I’m proud of them.

I met Leigh a couple of weeks into the show and remember saying to her, “My gosh, you can smile in real life!” She was lovely, we had a laugh, and I’m glad we’re seeing her warm up on screen.

I’m also glad her resting bitch face hasn’t moved, the edit have obviously had a play with that at the beginning but remind me not to get on the wrong side of that stare!

So, onto the retreat, one of my favourite memories of the show, clambering onto the coach like a school trip.

With Leah’s dresses getting bigger by the week, let’s hope she’ll fit the next one through the sliding doors at the dinner party, and let’s hope the retreat serves drama, a wife swap and gives Leisha some more memes to make because they’re killing me on TikTok!

Catch up on Married at First UK on Channel 4*

Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

READ MORE: Homeowners praise interior dehumidifiers that battle mould without using electricityREAD MORE: Take That ticket details and how to get VIP access ahead of 2026 tour

IT’S hard to believe, but at the age of 68, Gloria Estefan, one of the biggest-selling and most-celebrated artists of all time, is marking her 50th year in music.

She has had a stellar career, racking up everything from a slew of Grammy awards to the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

But after her musician daughter Emily performed with Cyndi Lauper at Glastonbury last year, she now has one more thing she wants to strike off her bucket list – a major slot on the prestigious Pyramid Stage.

In an exclusive chat, she told Bizarre’s Howell: “It’s very exciting, big and complex from what I hear from Emily. Like, it was crazy. But that would be super exciting.

“If I’m still around, I would love to do that. Now, Glastonbury likes all kinds of artists.”

With hits like Rhythm Is Gonna Get You, Dr Beat and, of course, Conga, she would have plenty of songs to entertain Worthy Farm.

SNAPPY SNUB

Love Island’s Whitney sparks new feud revealing TV star who was ‘really rude’

NEW LIFE

Celeb SAS star reveals she secretly gave birth to second baby & shares first pic

And she may soon be wowing even more viewers, with a big-budget biopic on the cards.

For the first time, she has confirmed Rachel Zegler, who shot to fame in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, Disney’s Snow White and recently in Evita on the West End, is set to play her.

She said: “I think she’s awesome. I think she’s incredible. I know she’s killed it in Evita.

“We’re still working on the green light because we’re figuring out where to do it, how to do it.

“This has been in the works for quite a few years now. And that’s how it is. You work, you work, you work, and then all of a sudden, boom, the trigger’s pulled and you’ve got to do it right away. But she’s lovely.”

But asked if she thinks Rachel will take the part, she continued: “I think she would. I just need to offer her an actual part. So we need to be greenlit completely and we’re almost there.

“I met her by Zoom. She’s got a beautiful singing voice and she’s a great actor. So absolutely.”

It was originally claimed the film will be an adaptation of her 2015 jukebox musical On Your Feet! although that idea has changed.

The star explained: “The movie’s not going to be the show. There’s a lot in there.”

Gloria was born in Cuba but her family fled to the US during the Cuban Revolution and she has now become one of Miami’s most famous residents.

And as one of the city’s stars, she has become pals with David and Victoria Beckham, who have a home there and have become key to the area with Becks’ football team Inter Miami CF.

But it’s clear they all move in the upper echelons when Stateside.

In a major name drop when quizzed on hanging out with them, she said: “I’ve been at their home. It’s lovely. David is such a lovely man – and Victoria.

“We actually went to a dinner at their home and President Obama was there, and the head of Reddit, and Jeff Bezos. It was really cool.

“It was small, but only the most powerful people in that room. It was great.

“They’re very kind people. And he’s done amazing things for soccer or football, as you call it here.”

And there have been more Brits in Miami, with Dua Lipa performing there last month, when she covered Gloria’s 1985 hit Conga.

“I was so sad that I wasn’t in town,” Gloria said.

“She had invited me to go and do that with her. And I love her. I’m a big fan of Dua Lipa. And that’s the sexiest conga you’re ever going to see, hands down.”

After such an illustrious career, she recently released her 30th album Raíces, which is largely Spanish-language escapism and the perfect soundtrack for a soiree or relaxing evening in.

And it was her husband of 47 years, producer Emilio, who made it happen.

Gloria, who was writing another musical at the time, explained how the salsa record poured out of him.

She added: “It’s got beautiful, romantic ballads. Emilio said, ‘I wrote you a love song’. I go, ‘Babe, you’re going to sing it?’.

He goes, ‘No, you’re going to sing it for me’.”

Charming.

And as for retirement after five decades in the game? Don’t count on it.

She giggled: “In ten years time, I hope to still be alive. That’s my first plan. Who knows?

“I only choose what I really, really want to give my time to. It’s just that. I had all these amazing opportunities. And they just converged this year.”

Kristen chilled Water

KRISTEN STEWART didn’t let the falling temperatures bother her as she headed out in this white mini-dress.

The Twilight actress showed off a stark fringe and bare legs as she left a screening of her new film The Chronology Of Water at the Curzon Mayfair on Thursday night.

It was part of the BFI London Film Festival and the movie, an adaptation of US writer Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoir, is her directorial debut.

Lily ‘cheat’ pain

LILY ALLEN has confirmed my story that she is about to make a return with her fifth album.

And on it, she seemingly accuses ex-husband David Harbour of cheating on her.

The Smile singer married the Stranger Things actor in 2020.

But things crumbled last year, with the relationship inspiring the latest record which is expected to be released imminently.

A new interview with Lily came out in Vogue magazine yesterday.

It features lyrics from two tracks that suggest David romanced other women while they were together and the pair then decided to “open” their marriage.

On one song, Sleepwalking, Lily sings: “You let me think it was me in my head, and nothing to do with them girls in your bed.”

On another, called Dallas Major, she reveals: “You know I used to be quite famous, that was way back in the day.

“I probably should explain how my marriage has been open since my husband went astray.”

And Lily didn’t hold back in her interview, either.

She told the magazine: “I’ve had real problems with my food over the past few years.

She added that during their break-up “it got really, really, really bad”.

Lily, who is sober, said: “The feelings of despair that I was experiencing were so strong.

“The last time I felt anything like that, drugs and alcohol were my way out, so it was excruciating to sit with those [feelings] and not use them.”

KYLIE JENNER says being a pop star is her lifelong dream – despite being mocked this week when she sang on Terror JR’s new song Fourth Strike.

Having just started singing under the name King Kylie, she said: “You know this is my dream. I’ve been talking about this since I came out of the womb… that like I wanted to be a pop star.

“I just never had the confidence or… I think turning 28 just does something to you. Like I’m going to be 30 soon and I don’t want to look back on life and have any regrets.

“This is something I’ve always wanted to try.”

JENNIFER LOPEZ is up for returning to the Super Bowl stage in February – six years after her stellar half-time show with Shakira.

The singer, whose parents are from Puerto Rico, waved the country’s flag during her performance and next year will see rapper Bad Bunny, who is from there, playing the show.

Quizzed on US TV whether they could do something together there, she said there had been “no talk” of a collaboration but that she would be open to it.

She said: “There’s no talk. I have not gotten any calls. So I just want to put the expectation down. But of course if he wanted me to do something, I would definitely do it.”

Crouchy Enter the Dragon

ABBEY CLANCY and Peter Crouch are slowly turning their home into a zoo – and the next animal they are adding is a bearded dragon.

The couple, who live in Surrey with their four children, already own two dogs, cats and a horse but now they are adding reptiles to the menagerie.

Crouchy says they are getting the reptile, which is native to Australia, because their son is desperate for one as a pet.

As well as the lizard, Abbey wants to also get lambs and chickens.

Peter said: “The more animals the better, apparently. Bearded dragons are next on the horizon. My little boy has wanted one for years. They’re actually all right. I thought it would be a nightmare, but I’ve been down the shop and held them.

“We’re actually going to get one. They grow to be quite big but they’re quite chilled.”

Michael makes big money

MICHAEL McINTYRE’s firm raked in more than £3.2million last year – making him one of the biggest earners on TV.

He had another stellar year presenting Saturday-night series Michael McIntyre’s Big Show and quiz The Wheel.

The comedian’s TV production firm Hungry McBear paid £805,000 in corporation tax in its last financial year up to December 31.

That rate suggests he made just over £3.2million.

Reserves in the company now stand at £1,718,407.

The firm is jointly controlled by Michael and TV producer Dan Baldwin, who is married to Holly Willoughby.

HOLIDAY HUSTLE

All the Xmas jobs available which could pay YOU £6k over festive period

ENDER THE ROAD

EastEnders star leaving soap after controversial storyline

It makes all of Michael’s shows, including Christmas and Easter one-offs and Michael McIntyre: Showman for Netflix.

But the cash doesn’t include earnings from his stand-up tour, so he will be raking in even more.

FRANK LAMPARD has told England’s players that silence is golden if they want to earn a World Cup spot.

The former Three Lions great is advising Thomas Tuchel’s latest squad that mum’s the word when it comes to the German’s team selection.

4

4

The Three Lions’ chief has an array of attacking talent at his disposal and Lampard, who spent the majority of his 106-cap international career being shoehorned into a midfield with Steven Gerrard and Paul Scholes, knows all about compromise.

And he suggested that keeping schtum worked for him — as he went on to score 29 international goals and played in three World Cups and one European Championship as part of the ‘golden generation’.

He said: “I just got on with it. You’re a professional, you get on with it — you are playing different ways, you respect the manager and you crack on. You can have your own opinions — but I tended to keep mine to myself and think about what could I do best if I was asked to play.

“The truth is, I never really played for England much like I played for Chelsea.

“There were times, like in 2004, when Sven-Goran Eriksson was there when I played at the top of a diamond — that wasn’t my ideal, either — but if you are representing your country and the manager’s got an idea, you just go with it.

“That was my story and it’s been documented and people talk about it many years later with a different view to how it felt at the time,

“They just sort of say, ‘It did work or it didn’t work’. Sometimes it did, sometimes it didn’t. But I’m not interested in that conversation.

“Personally, I got on with it, as did Stevie and Scholesy.”

BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK

Lampard is in a unique position to comment now he has crossed over to frontline management.

His Coventry side are sitting top of the Championship this season, having scored an impressive 27 goals this season as he attempts to orchestrate a return to the Premier League.

He believes that times may have changed and that Tuchel might  operate a more relaxed policy.

The German has plenty of options up front — all of whom will make a claim to start alongside skipper Harry Kane.

Bukayo Saka, Anthony Gordon, Eberechi Eze, Jarrod Bowen, Marcus Rashford and Ollie Watkins were all in the squad for the double header against Wales and Latvia.

But the likes of Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish will all be wanting to board the plane to North America for the World Cup next summer.

There are only so many places in Tuchel’s starting XI — and Lampard added: “Now I’m a manager, I understand selection difficulties.

“I’ve had big squads at Chelsea. When I was first there, I went back and they had the 29 players — of which some were disgruntled — that’s another story.

“But in terms of trying to fit players in, you have to make tough decisions as a manager — you have  ideas, you have to work with the squad you’ve got and think, ‘What is the best?’ So that’s why I never really comment on what decisions other managers take because I don’t know the context, what they’re thinking and who and how they want to play.

4

4

“However, I do think it’s more common in the modern day for a conversation to be more open between player and manager.

“It goes manager by manager – some don’t want to talk and say, “This is the team, I’m the boss, you get on with it.’

“There are those who will have individual conversations, and then other people will open up to the group. That all depends on who’s in charge. And players react differently.

“I think there’s a balance to it. I think the players have to feel your authority and believe in what you’re doing.

“It’s not always an open conversation. Our job is to get that bit right. And our job is to be like that.

“But as a manager also, you want to have constant communication in that players feel that they can speak to you because you might find something that you didn’t know.

‘A DIFFERENT ANIMAL’

“England’s a bit of a different animal because you only turn up every now and again.

“At Chelsea, sometimes you’re playing at the weekend and through the week, and you’re training every day and the conversations are there throughout the year much more.” One chat with a great former Chelsea manager sticks in Lampard’s mind.

He added: “I remember once having a conversation with  Carlo Ancelotti about my position at Chelsea when he played a diamond formation.

“It didn’t feel really fluid, not just for me, but for the team.

“That was one of the beauties of Carlo, he would be very open with that chat and I’m not saying he changed his mind, but he was taking on information and then adapting around it.

“That’s why he’s one of the greatest managers, that’s his style — I think those things should be authentic.

“If you want to do your thing and you stick to your guns, you may  succeed or you may fail, that’s what you do. That’s one person’s approach.

“I am more open with my players to try to speak to them, because I want to get better. So every conversation I have with a player may help me, whether I agree with it or not.”

“In the end, the decision is mine — and then hopefully it works.”

Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, a lovable, quick-witted nun who became a national phenomenon for her relentless support of the Loyola Chicago University basketball team during its magical Final Four run in 2018, died Thursday, the school said. She was 106.

Sister Jean, as she was known, was 98 during Loyola’s March Madness splash. Her ever-present smile and the sparkle in her eyes were trademarks as she cheered on an unheralded underdog team that notched upset after upset before falling in the semifinals.

After each victory, she was pushed onto the court in her wheelchair and Loyola players and coaches swarmed to her, believing Sister Jean had somehow authored divine intervention.

“Just to have her around and her presence and her aura, when you see her, it’s just like the world is just great because of her spirit and her faith in us and Loyola basketball,” Loyola guard Marques Townes said at the time.

For her part, the lifelong nun downplayed any celestial impact even when leading the Ramblers in pregame prayers in her role as team chaplain.

“At the end of the prayer I always ask God to be sure that the scoreboard indicates that the Ramblers have the big W,” she told the Chicago Tribune. “God always hears but maybe he thinks it’s better for us to do the ‘L’ instead of the ‘W,’ and we have to accept that.”

Sister Jean lived on the top floor of Regis Hall, a campus dormitory that housed mostly freshmen. She’d broken her left hip during a fall a few months before the March Madness run, necessitating the wheelchair. But once she recovered, the barely 5-foot-tall firebrand was plenty mobile in her Loyola maroon Nikes.

She compiled scouting reports on opponents and hand-delivered them to the coaching staff. She sent encouraging emails to players and coaches after games, celebrating or consoling them depending on the outcome.

“If I had a down game or didn’t help the team like I thought I could,” Loyola star forward Donte Ingram said at the time, “she’d be like, ‘Keep your head up. They were out to get you tonight, but you still found ways to pull through.’ Just stuff like that.”

Sister Jean could also be quick with a joke. And she was hardly self-effacing. Told that the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum sold a record number of Sister Jean statuettes, she cracked during a special media breakout session at the Final Four, “I’m not saying this in a proud fashion, but I think the company could retire when they’re finished making my bobbleheads.”

Even the Covid shutdown couldn’t dampen her spirit. In 2021 at age 102, Sister Jean traveled to Indianapolis and watched Loyola upset top-seeded Illinois 71-58 to earn a berth in that year’s Sweet 16. The Ramblers players waved to her in the stands after the game.

“It was a great moment,” Sister Jean told reporters. “We just held our own the whole time. At the end, to see the scoreboard said the W belonged to Loyola, that whole game was just so thrilling.”

Dolores Bertha Schmidt was born in San Francisco on Aug. 21, 1919, the oldest of three children. She felt a calling to become a nun in the third grade, and after high school joined a convent in Dubuque, Iowa.

After taking her vows, she returned to California and became an elementary school teacher, first at St. Bernard School in Glassell Park before moving in 1946 to St. Charles Borromeo School in North Hollywood, where she also coached several sports including basketball. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Mount St. Mary’s College in L.A. in 1949.

“At noon, during lunch on the playground, I would have the boys play the girls,” she told the Athletic. “I told them, ‘I know you have to hold back because you play full court, but we need to make our girls strong.’ And they did make them strong.”

Among her students were Cardinal Roger Mahony, who served as archbishop of Los Angeles from 1985 to 2011, Father Thomas Rausch, chairman of the theology department at Loyola Marymount, and Sister Mary Milligan, who became the first U.S.-born general superior of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary.

Sister Jean earned a master’s degree from Loyola Marymount University in L.A. in 1961 and took a teaching position in Chicago at Mundelein College, a school near Loyola that was all women at the time. She later served as dean.

Mundelein merged with Loyola in 1991 and within a few years Sister Jean became a team chaplain, a position she held until earlier this year.

“In many roles at Loyola over the course of more than 60 years, Sister Jean was an invaluable source of wisdom and grace for generations of students, faculty, and staff,” Loyola President Mark C. Reed said in a statement. “While we feel grief and a sense of loss, there is great joy in her legacy. Her presence was a profound blessing for our entire community and her spirit abides in thousands of lives. In her honor, we can aspire to share with others the love and compassion Sister Jean shared with us.”

Asked about her legacy, Sister Jean told the Chicago Tribune she hoped to be remembered as someone who served others.

“The legacy I want is that I helped people and I was not afraid to give my time to people and teach them to be positive about what happens and that they can do good for other people,” she said. “And being willing to take a risk. People might say, ‘Why didn’t I do that?’ Well, just go ahead and try it — as long as it doesn’t hurt anybody.”

Dolly Parton’s younger sister is calling on fans “to be prayer warriors and pray with me” as the beloved pop culture icon takes a break from the spotlight for her health.

Freida Parton penned her public plea for support on Facebook, writing on Tuesday that she had been “up all night praying for my sister, Dolly.” Freida is one of the “Jolene” singer’s 11 siblings.

“Many of you know she hasn’t been feeling her best lately,” she added, asking that the “world that loves her” lend its support. “She’s strong, she’s loved and with all the prayers being lifted for her, I know in my heart she’s going to be just fine.”

She concluded her post: “Godspeed, my sissy Dolly. We all love you!”

Freida publicly expressed concern for her sister a week after she called off numerous upcoming concerts in Las Vegas to address her health. The “9 to 5” star announced on social media she would delay six concerts at Caesars Palace scheduled for December.

“As many of you know, I have been dealing with some health challenges, and my doctors tell me that I must have a few procedures,” Parton, 79, said in a statement posted to her Instagram and X accounts. “As I joked with them, it must be for my 100,000-mile check-up, although it’s not the usual trip to see my plastic surgeon!”

Parton did not share additional information about her condition at the time. A representative for the entertainer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Last month, Parton also missed the announcement of a new Dollywood attraction as she was recovering from a kidney stone. In a video about her absence, she explained the “little problem,” noting the kidney stone had led to an infection and that it was doctor’s orders to stay put. She reassured fans she was at the reveal event in spirit.

Parton has also put writing new music on the back burner following the death of her husband in March. Carl Dean, who was married to the “I Will Always Love You” hitmaker for almost 60 years, died at age 82. She opened up about grieving the loss in a July episode of Khloé Kardashian’s “Khloé in Wonder Land” podcast.

“Several things I’ve wanted to start, but I can’t do it. I will later, but I’m just coming up with such wonderful, beautiful ideas,” Parton said. “But I think I won’t finish it. I can’t do it right now, because I got so many other things and I can’t afford the luxury of getting that emotional right now.”

MAFS UK’s Emma Barnes knows first-hand what it’s like to walk down the aisle towards a stranger and is ready to give her insight in her weekly Mirror column

Welcome back to my MAFS weekly column!

Well, haven’t things heated up a tad over the last week of Married at First Sight UK? Six out of the nine brides were unhappy with their matches. I’m not sure whether we’re going to see more Julia-Ruth walk-outs by the end of the series or hear more self-penned songs (currently 3:4 on the tally, by the way). I needed half an hour to stare at a wall after last night’s explosive dinner party.

Where else to start than with the storyline of the week? I’m trying to see past the edited faces Sarah pulls, knowing she’s uncomfortable and disappointed in her experience. It’s difficult seeing fireworks around that table while you’re imagining going home, head hanging in shame after just one week and zero snogs.

READ MORE: MAFS UK star Rebecca reveals what procedures she’s had done after fans question ageREAD MORE: MAFS UK chaos as experts to ‘step in’ over bride’s ‘cruel’ comments at groom

Sarah’s disrespect and lack of willingness to get to know Dean went over the line. “I need to understand why the experts matched us, because you’re not what I asked for” is a quote I heard a few times during that first dinner party.

It hurts, and no one deserves that. It’s great to see the room backing Dean, and putting a mirror up to her unkind words, kudos to Davide! I genuinely hope that if they stay another week, Sarah relaxes and learns for the public to witness because the backlash (and body-shaming back) has also been over the line.

There are a few couples with real legs developing (or abs in the case of Bec- phwoar!). Maeve and Joe are cute as a button, and I’m totally team Kevide and team Grashley.

Of course, I’m rooting for the people’s princess, Nelly, and if Stephen breaks her heart, the nation won’t have it. There’s something telling me it’s not going to be sunshine and daisies for these two. Maybe it’s an ex spilling tea online about him?

There’s a debate about whether the cast should have access to social media at all to avoid leaks of the show. This is their time to shine, I say.

I used to love putting my daily pictures up and choosing my backing track. They’ve waited nine months for this! I’m trying to stay out of the gossip, but I’ve even heard some stories about a groom or two… I may or may not reveal more; you’ll just have to keep reading!

I’m now firmly in a habit of sending late-night voice notes to half the cast for their thoughts and trying to be friends.

Yes, I’m that beg from the previous seasons but I don’t care! I think the group are fantastic, I don’t get creeped out by any of the boys which is a green flag, and the fact I’ve had now two parents DM me with pride or concern shows they’re from solid foundations too.

We’re being treated to two dinner parties this week and a commitment ceremony tonight, and I fear Anita and Paul may leave. Let’s hope he takes his post-it to remember to ask how she’s feeling. I’m off to do some sit ups in hopes of getting abs like Rebecca by Christmas.

Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

READ MORE: MacBook Air with M4 chip gets huge £100 price drop, but it’s not from Apple READ MORE: ‘Perfect match’ foundation that leaves skin ‘flawless’ uses ‘world first’ technology

MAFS UK’s Emma Barnes knows first hand what it’s like to walk down the aisle towards a stranger and is ready to give her insight in a weekly column

The autumn chill is settling in, and what better way to celebrate than with a dose of wedding chaos!

Luckily, we have Married At First Sight legend Emma Barnes here to give her verdict for the Mirror on all the weekly tears and madness the E4 show…

Firstly… Welcome to my weekly column! Honoured to pen my thoughts on, let’s face it, the UK’s welcome to Autumn. Darker nights, drama-filled dinner parties and clinging onto the hope of some happy endings while our dating life is in tatters: MAFS IS BACK PEOPLE!

What a first couple of episodes! The series will fly by with this new format, switching between weddings and honeymoons. We all get a bit bored of the often repetitive nuptials and personally I’d send Mel, Charlene and Paul to the honeymoons, some of these couples need them.

The cast seem a kind, calmer collective than the previous couple of series (for now, we all know!). I think I’d totally fit in with this group had I not made it into last series. Love that there’s two same sex couples, and I want to be bezzies with Nelly immediately.

This week Davide and Keye hitched in a classy, emotional day (round of applause on their guest’s pure style please!). Sarah’s asked for a bad boy and her new husband pre-wrote an acapella number that went down like a lead balloon, and we all learnt some lessons in feminism from Grace’s protective pal.

READ MORE: ‘I’m a beauty writer and this Clarins deal stack gets £278 worth of free products’

If you go into this experiment expecting the full package, you’re going to be disappointed, and emotions were running high. Types come up every year, two brides had tears after their vows. Sarah’s never dated someone like Dean. She likes a flirt, a cheeky wink and someone to through her down on the bed and rip her clothes off. Dean with the dimples is a kind, gentle, poet, and that’s not helping his sex appeal.

Grace expected an instant spark, (Ashley is going to have queues at his door if this doesn’t work out, he’s totally a bit of me!) but here’s the thing; from my experience women are more open to getting to know the person if the spark isn’t there. It will be a refreshing twist on blokes wanting fit birds and nothing else. Mark my words I predict one of these couples will go some distance with a sprinkling of expert help.

This is why we get hooked, the twists, turns, feedback and growth. The happiest couples on their wedding day face rocks in the road, while what starts off Grace’s tears after the ceremony could turn in a river of love by Christmas. Plenty of weddings to go so strap in, get hitched onto that sofa and get a wine and crisp in hand.

P.S I hate taking out the bins – totally a blue job if I had a boyfriend…

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

USAIN BOLT has stunningly revealed he huffs and puffs when he climbs a flight of stairs.

The Jamaican sprinting legend, the fastest human in living history, won a litany of titles during his career – including eight Olympic gold medals and 11 world titles.

4

4

4

Bolt called time on his illustrious career in 2017 and has been dealing with the devastating effects of a torn Achilles tendon for the last year.

And the injury has taken its toll on his once amazing cardiovascular endurance.

He told The Guardian: “I mostly do gym workouts 1757974939.

“I’m not a fan, but I think now that I’ve been out for a while, I have to actually start running.

“Because when I walk upstairs, I get out of breath.

“I think when I start working on it fully again, I will probably have to do some laps just to get my breathing right.”

Bolt, 39, still holds three world records, including his world-famous 9.58-second running of the 100m.

He also holds the records for the fastest-ever 200m and 4x100m, having run them in 19.19 and 36.84 seconds respectively.

SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET £50 BONUS WHEN YOU JOIN

4

Despite the advancements in training, nutrition and running technology, nobody has come close to breaking them.

When asked why this generation of sprinters aren’t as quick as his, he replied: “We’re just more talented. That’s all I’m saying.

“Of course, it shows when it comes to the men. You can see the women are different.

“They’re running faster times and faster times. So it shows – it has to be the talent.”

Bolt stopped watching athletics after his retirement but travelled to Tokyo this month to watch Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Oblique Seville win gold.

The pace of Bolt’s once hectic life has changed in large part due to his three children, Olympia Lightening, five, and twin boys Leo and Saint, two.

But he wouldn’t trade dad life for anything, partly because it’s helped him find a passion for Lego.

When I walk upstairs, I get out of breath.”

Usain Bolt

He said of his post-athlete daily routine: “Well, normally, I wake up just in time to see the kids off to school.

“And then it depends on what I have to do. If I have nothing to do, I just chill out.

“I might work out sometimes if I’m in a good mood. I just watch some series and chill until the kids come home.

“I spend some time with them, hang out, until they start annoying me then I leave.

“And then afterwards, I just stay at home and watch movies or I’m into Lego now, so I do Lego.”

YUNGBLUD shared a sweet gesture toward late star Ozzy Osbourne during his MTV VMAs tribute performance.

The singer joined Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith and Nuno Bettencourt to commemorate the rocker’s career with a medley of his greatest hits following Ozzy’s passing in July.

4

4

4

Fans noticed at the start of the performance that Yungblud showed the cameras his gold cross necklace and kissed it before heading onto the stage.

They then recognized the piece as the exact necklace that had been gifted to the young artist by Ozzy himself before his death.

Viewers pointed out the connection on social media.

“Dom playing crazy train with the necklace ozzy gave him still on,” one person wrote on X, while others shared they got emotional over the touching tribute.

During a red carpet interview with E! News before the show, Yungblud flashed the momentum and said Ozzy was “here with me” throughout the night.

A FOREVER BOND

Ozzy acted as a mentor to Yungblud in the final years of his life and presented the cross necklace to him at the heavy metal star’s final concert this past summer.

The Crazy Train singer also received a special message from his son, Jack Osbourne, and grandkids, in a touching video played before the performance.

Ozzy died on July 22 from “acute myocardial infarction” and “out of hospital cardiac arrest,” per the former TV star’s death certificate.

He was laid to rest next to the lake in his Buckinghamshire home days later, with his friends and family in attendance.

The Osbournes alum had been battling numerous health conditions in recent years, including Parkinson’s Disease.

His wife, Sharon Osbourne, stayed close by the Black Sabbath star’s side throughout his health struggles, and was in tears at his funeral service.

Also in attendance were his son, Jack, his daughters, Kelly and Aimee, and a number of celebrity pals, including Marilyn Manson, Elton John, and his Black Sabbath bandmates.

Yungblud was also there to say his final goodbyes to the Dreamer singer.

“I didn’t think you would leave so soon the last time we met you were so full of life and your laugh filled up the room,” Yungblud wrote in a touching Instagram post the day Ozzy died.

WILDEST MOMENTS IN VMAS HISTORY

Madonna’s Like a Virgin performance (1984): The controversial performance at the first-ever VMAs launched her into superstardom and established the awards show as a venue for bold pop culture moments.

Britney Spears, Madonna, and Christina Aguilera kiss (2003): During a medley that showcased Britney and Christina in wedding gowns, Madonna kissed them both. But it was Britney and Madge locking lips that was the kiss seen around the world. The moment was especially shocking when the camera cut to Britney’s then-boyfriend, Justin Timberlake, whose stunned reaction seemed disapproving.

Kanye West interrupts Taylor Swift (2009): After Taylor, 19, won the award for Best Female Video, Kanye, 32, rushed onto the stage and infamously declared that Beyoncé had the “best video of all time” for Single Ladies and deserved the award instead. This was the beginning of a decades-long feud between Kanye and Taylor, which continues to this day.

Lil Mama crashes the stage (2009): In the middle of Jay-Z and Alicia Keys’ performance of Empire State of Mind, Lip Gloss rapper Lil Mama inexplicably walked up, despite being held back by Beyonce. She posed alongside Jay-Z and Alicia as she invited herself into the performance. She posed on stage with them at the end, despite Lil Mama not being a part of the song or the performance.

Lady Gaga’s meat dress (2010): The pop star wore a dress, hat, and shoes made entirely out of raw flank steak. She later explained the outfit was a protest against the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, stating it symbolized fighting for your rights or ending up “meat on your bones”.

Beyoncé’s pregnancy reveal (2011): At the end of her performance of Love on Top, Beyoncé unbuttoned her blazer and rubbed her belly, confirming her first pregnancy to the world. Her husband, Jay Z, watched from the crowd and celebrated with the audience.

Nicki Minaj vs. Miley Cyrus (2015): While accepting the award for Best Hip-Hop Video, Nicki called out Miley Cyrus, who was hosting that year, by asking, “Miley, what’s good?” Nicki later claimed she was genuinely upset with Miley due to comments she had recently made in an interview.

“But as it is written with legends, they seem to know the things that we don’t. I will never forget you – you will be in every single note I sing and with me every single time I walk on stage.”

He also mentioned the necklace, calling it “the most precious thing I own,” and that he was “heartbroken” over losing the music legend.

4

Derry Girls actress Siobhan McSweeney appears alongside Will & Grace star Eric McCormack in a new BBC thriller, playing a supporter of US President Donald Trump

Siobhan McSweeney has ditched comedy for “straight” drama in her next role – playing an American supporter of Donald Trump in BBC thriller Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue.

The six-part murder-mystery is written by the creator of Foyle’s War, Anthony Horowitz, and features a cast of nine main characters who survive when their plane crashes in the Mexican jungle.

But in the plot they then begin to die one after another in strange and violent ways and soon realise there is a murderer in their midst. As the story unfolds in flashback, viewers will meet the survivors as they battle to stay alive against the heat, a shortage of supplies – and each other.

READ MORE: Tommy Fury angers triathletes after claiming he ‘completed’ race – but got DNFREAD MORE: American woman could soon prove she’s descended from Queen Victoria’s ‘love child’ with DNA test

Derry Girls and Amandaland star Siobhan, 45, said the whole project had been a departure from the norm for her. “It’s the first time, apart from theatre, that I’ve played an American, so the accent was a challenge,” she admitted.

“Another challenge would be one that’s the same with every show, where you’re going to spend an awful lot of time with these people and you worry if you are all going to get on. It turned out to be one of the most joyful jobs I’ve ever been on.”

In the series by Horowitz, who has also scripted Agatha Christie’s Poirot and Midsomer Murders, Siobhan plays a Trump-loving Texan woman who runs a chain of motels with her husband, who is also on the plane and a fully signed up member of the Make America Great Again campaign.

She laughed that in real life if she was caught in a similar situation to this group, she’d be a goner. “I’d be dead within two days!” she said. “What really comes across, which is something that you never think about in these survival stories, is that you think they’re on the move but they’re not. They’re stuck in one area. They’re stuck beside the plane, so I guess I’d die of boredom.”

When it hits the screen later this month viewers will also see Will & Grace favourite Eric McCormack, who plays a doctor who has been struck off. He says that if the situation was real, he’d fare even less well. “I’d last 30 to 40 minutes,” he declared. “Actually, I take that back. There’s a full bottle of vodka on the plane, so I’d last six to seven hours, until the vodka ran out.”

Siobhan, who also hosts Channel 4’s Great Pottery Throwdown and is currently fronting the Irish version of The Traitors, said she jumped at the chance to film in “Mexico”, which was actually Gran Canaria. “Then there was the idea of filming in the Canary Islands for the summer, whereas I usually get to film in Northern Ireland. So it was like ‘Let’s have a bit of fun’.”

Writer Horowitz said he hopes that BBC viewers enjoy the series. “I’ve always believed that murder stories are popular because they’re about the search for truth. We live in a world in which it is very hard to be sure of anything anymore – we have 24-hour news, fake news, post-truth. How do you know what’s real any more? But whodunnits lead to absolute truth. It’s revealed at the end of the final episode.”

– Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue will air on BBC1/iPlayer this September

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

I Fought The Law has had viewers in tears and as Sheridan Smith’s triumphant return to the screen plays out, she is joined by a host of other familiar faces

I Fought The Law has had viewers in tears in recent days after the ITV drama first began to air. The four-part series follows the remarkable true story of the story of Ann Ming, a mother-of-three from Billingham, County Durham, who battled for 15 years to see her daughter Julie’s killer brought to justice after he was initially acquitted.

Julie Hogg, aged 22, was a mother to three-year-old son Kevin and wife to husband Andrew. She vanished after working a late shift at a local pizza parlour.

Heartbreakingly, Ann found Julie’s body hidden in the bathroom of her home in January 1990. 80 days earlier, the murderer had concealed Julie’s body behind the bath panel.

READ MORE: Killer Billy Dunlop now as I Fought The Law brings harrowing true story to ITV

READ MORE: Filming locations for Sheridan Smith’s ITV drama I Fought The Law revealed

Despite extensive searches by police forensics teams after Julie’s disappearance, they failed to locate Julie’s body.

The brand new drama features a stellar cast, headed up by none other than British TV legend Sheridan Smith, who has been a regular face on screens for decades. She started her career as Janet Smith on the BBC Three sitcom Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, which she appeared on alongside the likes of Ralf Little, Natalie Casey and Beverley Callard.

During the show’s lengthy run throughout the 2000s, she also appeared on Fat Friends opposite Emmerdale star Lisa Riley as well as sunny sitcom Benidorm and BBC favourite Gavin & Stacey. She then turned to musical theatre, winning an Olivier Award for her portrayal of Elle Woods, the character made famous by Reese Witherspoon, in the West End production of Legally Blonde.

Further stage credits in Funny Girl and, more recently, Shirley Valentine and Opening Night followed.

But it’s gritty dramas that Sheridan has really made her mark. In 2014, she starred as Cilla Black in Cilla, played a cleaner with a gambling addiction in Cleaning Up and also starred in a number of true crime dramas with her the mother of a young gay man killed by Stephen Port in Four Lives, and as Karen Matthews’ friend Julie Bushby in the BBC drama The Moorside.

But Sheridan is not the only famous face to be starring in the much-anticipated drama. She is joined by Enzo Cilenti as DS Mark Braithwaite. He previously starred in Jekyll & Hyde for ITV alongside Hollywood star Richard E. Grant and Strictly Come Dancing’s Natalie Gumede. He also had a main role as Aubrey Hackett in The Last Tycoon opposite Lily Collins, Matt Bomer and Kelsey Grammar and can also be seen alongside Olivia Colman and Dominic West in the 2019 BBC version of Les Miserables.

Esteemed actor Andrew Lancel makes an appearance as Guy Whitburn QC in I Fought The Law, but soap fans are likely to remember him as the villainous Frank Foster on Coronation Street. He appeared as the business associate of Underworld manager Carla Connor (Alison King), and subjected the factory boss to a horrific act of rape.

He was later found dead on the factory floor and it turned out that he had been murdered by his own mother Anne, who was played by Heartbeat favourite Gwen Taylor, after she discovered what he had done. Prior to his stint on the cobbles, he had appeared on Bad Girls and Queer as Folk and has also carved out an illustrious career in theatre having starred in tours of The Sound of Music and Cilla.

The cast is rounded out by Victoria Wyant, who plays the victim in question, as well as Rivals star as Rufus Jones. The actor recently starred as Paul Stratton in the hit Disney+ series and has also starred in The Casual Vacancy and appeared in the likes of Inside No. 9, Beyond Paradise and Black Ops over the years. Fans of Hollyoaks might also recognise Kent Riley, who played Zak Ramsey in the Channel 4 soap.

CBBC fans might also recognise Aimee Kelly, who plays Judith Morden in the drama series. The actress first found fame as a teenager when she played Maddy Smith in the hit supernatural series Wolfblood opposite Bobby Lockwood.

Since she quit the supernatural series more than a decade ago, she has appeared in episodes of Call The Midwife, Grantchester and Holby City. In 2024, she played Sasha in the psychological thriller Platform 7. Others set to appear in the programme, which finishes its run on September 8, are Jack James Riley, Bryony Corrigan, and Buddy Wignall-Ho.

Ann, unhappy with the Cleveland Constabulary’s investigation, took it upon herself to challenge senior officers in a bid to uncover the truth about her daughter Julie’s murder and bring the culprit to justice.

William Dunlop was twice put on trial for Julie’s murder, each time denying his guilt. On both occasions, the jury failed to reach a verdict, leading to his formal acquittal and release.

In 1999, while serving a seven-year sentence for violent offences, Dunlop confessed to a prison officer that he had murdered Julie. At the time, due to the double jeopardy rule, he could not be retried for the murder following his acquittal.

Ann, who also serves as a consultant on I Fought the Law, expressed her support for the ITV series and shared her delight that actress Sheridan would be portraying her, stating she was “overwhelmed”.

“I am very pleased that Hera Pictures will tell the story of my campaign to overturn the Double Jeopardy Law. My daughter’s killer was wrongfully acquitted, and a number of years later confessed to her murder, for which he could only be prosecuted for perjury due to the 800-year-old Double Jeopardy Law. I wasn’t going to let this stand in my way of getting justice for Julie.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

EASTENDERS legend Cheryl Fergison has revealed she’s been left unable to walk following her stroke.

The actress was struck by the medical emergency in May which has left her walking with a stick.

3

3

3

She told the Mirror: “You lose the ability to coordinate your hands, to walk properly, your balance is gone.

“It’s frustrating and makes you angry. But I’ve started to recover; I am coming on in leaps and bounds now.”

Recalling the terrifying experience, former EastEnders star Cheryl, 59, said: “I went to bed but couldn’t settle.

“When I got up in the night to go to the bathroom, my balance completely went and I had to stop myself from falling over. My whole right side felt numb, heavy and tingly.”

Cheryl admitted that her health battle has reminded her what’s really important in life.

She added: “Material things don’t matter; they can be lost or broken, but memories are everything. Friends, family and laughter – that’s all that matters.”

Cheryl, who shot to fame as Heather Trott in EastEnders, has been very open about her financial struggles since being axed from the soap in 2012.

Speaking to The Sun recently, she said: “Until I have steady work, I’m not rich or comfortable—I’m just surviving.

“I’ve been saying yes to everything for no money, but I need to start valuing my work and asking for fair pay. Even my agent insists on it.”

With no acting work, Cheryl turned to performing in a local Chinese restaurant to earn some cash.

She said: “I’ll never give in. I want to keep singing. If people criticise me for singing in small restaurants, so be it.

“At the end of the day, I’m an entertainer. Community has always been important to me, and I’ll perform no matter the crowd.

“If only two people show up, I don’t care—I’m still being paid, and I’ll still give it my all.”

The Thursday Club is based on the best-selling book from former Pointless star Richard Osman.

The Thursday Club is set to make its cinema debut this week with fans understandably excited thanks to the unbelievable cast.

Hype has been mounting for the premiere of the silver screen adaptation of Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club for quite some time but now the wait is almost over.

The Pointless star’s best-selling 2020 novel revolves around four friends in a retirement home who spend their time solving cold case murders for fun.

However, things actually get real for them when a property developer is found dead and the gang find themselves in the middle of the murder investigation.

The Thursday Murder Club cast in full

Elizabeth Best – Helen Mirren

The one and only Helen Mirren is behind Elizabeth Best in this eagerly anticipated adaptation, an ex-spy and the founder of the Thursday Murder Club.

Mirren is renowned for starring in massive hits such as The Queen, Hitchcock, Age of Consent, Excalibur, Gosford Park and Calendar Girls.

Ron Ritchie – Pierce Brosnan

Fellow member of the Thursday Murder Club is Ron Ritchie, a former union activist.

Irish star Pierce Brosnan is globally best remembered for starring as James Bond in the iconic franchise but has also been in Mamma Mia! and most recently starred in Paramount+’s Mobland.

Ibrahim Arif – Sir Ben Kingsley

Ron and Elizabeth are joined by fellow retiree and ex-psychiatrist Ibrahim Arif.

Sir Ben Kingsley has featured in major blockbusters including Sexy Beast, Shutter Island, Jules, William Tell and Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi.

Joyce Meadowcroft – Celia Imrie

Actress Celia Imrie is a star of both TV and film, with projects like The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Bridget Jones’ Diary, Calendar Girls, Keeping Faith, The Diplomat and Patrick Melrose under her belt.

Imrie is behind former nurse and latest member of the club, Joyce Meadowcroft.

DCI Chris Hudson – Daniel Mays

Another recognisable star of British TV is actor Daniel Mays who is known for his work in Lin of Duty, Ashes to Ashes, White Lines, Des and Code 404.

He is behind DCI Chris Hudson who gets sucked into the workings of the Thursday Murder Club.

Donna de Freitas – Naomi Ackie

In Osman’s novel, Donna de Freitas is an eager policewoman who has just been transferred from South London.

Actress Naomi Ackie won the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress in Netflix ’s The End of the F*****g World, and has also been in BBC ’s Small Axe, Star Wars : Rise of Skywalker and portrayed Whitney Houston in the biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody.

Stephen Best – Jonathan Pryce

Welsh star Jonathan Pryce has featured in mega hits like The Age of Innocence, Pirates of the Caribbean, Evita, Tomorrow Never Dies and The Two Popes.

Pryce, who will play Elizabeth’s husband Stephen Best, also portrayed Prince Philip in the final two seasons of The Crown.

Ian Ventham – David Tennant

Scottish star David Tennant has featured in an abundance of exciting shows and films including Broadchurch, Good Omens, Deadwater Fell, Jessica Jones, the Harry Potter franchise, The Sandman and, of course, as the tenth Time Lord in Doctor Who.

In The Thursday Murder Club, Tennant portrays Ian Ventham, the dodgy owner of the retirement village Coopers Chase.

Bogdan Jankowski – Henry Lloyd-Hughes

Actor Henry Lloyd-Hughe is behind the Thursday Murder Club’s right-hand man, although how he becomes involved isn’t made clear.

Lloyd-Hughes has starred in The Irregulars, Indian Summers, Parade’s End and The Long Shadow but many may remember him best for playing bully Mark Donovan in The Inbetweeners.

Tony Curran – Geoff Bell

Actor Geoff Bell has starred in The Business, Once Upon a Time in London, Daylight Robbery and, most recently, Mobland, just to list a few.

He is behind Tony Curran, a builder and business partner at the retirement village.

Jason Ritchie – Tom Ellis

Jason Ritchie is Brosnan’s character Ron’s son who used to be a famous boxer who previously made some “shady deals”.

He is brought to life by the unforgettable Tom Ellis who starred as Lucifer himself in the titular drama, and also had roles in Miranda, Washington Black and Once Upon A Time.

Bobby Tanner – Richard E Grant

Also joining the cast is actor Richard E Grant who is playing a character called Bobby Tanner.

Grant is known for his roles in Saltburn, Waltlock, Death of a Unicorn, Dom Hemingway and Withnail and I.

John Grey – Paul Freeman

John Grey is a fellow resident at Coopers Chase and the husband of a friend of Elizabeth’s.

Actor Paul Freeman is remembered for starring in The Dogs of War and Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Patrice de Freitas – Sarah Niles

Actress Sarah Niles is best known for starring as Dr Sharon Fieldstone in Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso.

She is playing Patrice de Freitas, young police officer Donna’s mum.

Joanna Meadowcroft – Ingrid Oliver

Actress and comedian Ingrid Oliver, who was part of the double act Watson and Oliver and played Petronella Osgood in Doctor Who, is behind Joyce’s daughter Joanna Meadowcroft.

In real life, Oliver is also the wife of The Thursday Murder Club author Richard Osman.

The Thursday Murder Club premieres on Friday, August 22, in cinemas, and on Thursday, August 28, on Netflix.

In the late 1950s, Norwegian toymaker Asmund Laerdal received an unusual brief: to design a life-like mannequin that resembled an unconscious patient.

Peter Safar, an Austrian doctor, had just developed the basics of CPR, a lifesaving technique that keeps blood and oxygen flowing to the brain and vital organs after the heart has stopped beating.

He was eager to teach it to the public, but had a problem – the deep chest compressions often resulted in fractured ribs, which meant practical demonstrations were impossible.

It was in his search for a solution that he was introduced to Laerdal, an intrepid innovator then in his forties who possessed extensive knowledge of soft plastics, honed through years of work with children’s toys and model cars. He had even begun to collaborate with the Norwegian Civil Defence to develop imitation wounds for training purposes.

Laerdal, who had rescued his son from drowning by applying pressure to his ribcage and pushing water out of his lungs just a few years earlier, was eager to help, and the two decided to create a training model.

The Norwegian toymaker had a vision: It needed to look unthreatening, and assuming that men would not want to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on a male dummy, it should be a woman.

So he went looking for a face.

The unknown woman of the Seine

It was on the wall of his parents-in-law’s home in the picturesque Norwegian city of Stavanger that he found it.

It was an oil painting of a young woman, her hair parted and gathered at the nape of her neck. Her eyes were closed peacefully, her lashes matted, and her lips curled in a faint, sorrowful smile.

This was a face which, in the form of a plaster cast, had adorned homes across Europe for decades.

There are many rumours as to how the original mask was created, but one story that has cemented itself as urban legend is that it was of a woman who had supposedly drowned in the Seine River in 19th-century Paris.

In the French capital at the time, it was common for the bodies of the deceased who could not be identified to be placed on black marble slabs and displayed in the window of the city’s morgue situated near Notre Dame Cathedral.

The purpose of this practice was to see if any members of the public would recognise the deceased and be able to provide information about them. Yet, in reality, it became a morbid attraction for Parisians.

As the story goes, a pathologist, struck by her beauty and serene expression, commissioned a sculptor to produce a death mask of her face, a plaster or wax mould of a person made shortly after death.

No documents survive in the Paris police archives, and it is impossible to verify the truth of this story.

However, a sculpture of the supposed death mask captured the public’s imagination, and reproductions of it began to circulate in the early 20th century.

Her face soon decorated Parisian salons and wealthy people’s homes.

The visage was known as L’Inconnue de la Seine – the Unknown Woman of the Seine – and it became a muse for writers, poets, and artists.

The French writer Albert Camus called her the “drowned Mona Lisa”, while the Austrian poet Rainer Maria Rilke said of her serene expression, “It was beautiful, because it smiled, because it smiled so deceptively, as if it knew.”

Resusci Anne

It is not known whether Laderdal was aware of the legend behind the painting in Stavanger, but in 1960, he gave it new life when the first CPR doll was officially launched with the subject’s face.

The doll was given a soft plastic torso – a compressible chest for practising CPR – and open lips for mouth-to-mouth rescue.

She travelled around the world, appearing in fire stations, schools, hospitals, scout groups, and airline training centres, where she was used for CPR training.

She was also finally given a name, “Resusci Anne,” by Laerdal, a shortening of the word “resuscitation”. Anne is a common female name in Norway and France, which suggests that by this stage, the toymaker was aware of the legend behind the face. In the English-speaking world, she became known as “CPR Annie”.

“Annie, are you OK?” became the go-to training phrase as people simulated how to check for responsiveness in the event of a cardiac arrest.

In the 1980s, about a century after Annie was reported to have been found in the Seine, Michael Jackson immortalised her in pop culture.

As the story goes, the superstar heard the phrase during a first aid training session and, struck by the rhythm and urgency of it, worked it into the chart-topping song, Smooth Criminal, repeating it like a heartbeat: “Annie, are you OK? So, Annie, are you OK? Are you OK, Annie?”

‘She would be proud’

Laerdal died in 1981, but the company he founded, Laerdal Medical, continues to be a juggernaut in emergency medical training and the development of cutting-edge healthcare technology.

Annie herself has received technological upgrades, including flashing lights, lung feedback, and sensors that indicated if compressions were off-rhythm.

But her face stayed the same.

Pal Oftedal, director of Corporate Communications at Laerdal Medical, says that regardless of whether the story behind Annie is true, she has had a positive impact on engaging people worldwide in the lifesaving practice of CPR.

He said that one in 20 people would witness a cardiac arrest in their lifetime, with 70 percent occurring outside the home.

The American Heart Association says that immediate CPR can double or even triple a person’s chance of survival after a cardiac arrest.

Annie has been joined by a new selection of mannequins featuring a range of ethnicities, ages, body types, and facial features as Laderdal seeks to diversify its product offerings.

Laerdal Medical estimates that Annie and her fellow resuscitation mannequins have been used to train more than 500 million people worldwide.

Oftedal says that he believes whoever Annie was, he is sure “she would be proud of the important contribution she has made to the world”.

This article is part of ‘Ordinary items, extraordinary stories’, a series about the surprising stories behind well-known items. 

Read more from the series:

How the inventor of the bouncy castle saved lives

How a popular Peruvian soft drink went ‘toe-to-toe’ with Coca-Cola

Aug. 8 (UPI) — A cruise passenger aboard the Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas was injured when a section of a water slide broke off.

The incident occurred Thursday, the cruise line said. The seven-day cruise departed from Miami on Saturday, and the incident happened while the ship was in the Eastern Caribbean between the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Bahamas.

“Our team provided medical care to an adult guest when acrylic glass broke off a water slide as the guest passed through the slide,” a Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson said in a statement to the Orlando Sentinel and ABC News.

“The guest is being treated for his injuries. The water slide is closed for the remainder of the sailing pending an investigation.”

He was listed in stable condition aboard the ship, the cruise line said.

The Frightening Bolt slide is among six on the ship’s Category 6 water park, which is the largest at sea.

The slide sends riders through a trap door with the translucent section on the top. Then, riders are dropped through a bomb door apparatus into the 46-foot-tall slide, which starts on the ship’s 15th deck and is the biggest one on a cruise ship.

The rider was hurt when passing through the broken section.

A video posted on X showed footage from after the incident and the reaction from onlookers. One person is heard saying: “Stop the slide.”

“These slides are probably much more frequently than land-based are continuously and constantly being inspected for any issues,” Stuart Chiron with the Cruise Guy told ABC News. “If cracks are determined, these slides and attractions are immediately taken out of service.”

The Icon of the Seas’ cruise stops were in Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands; and the island’s private island at CocoCay, Bahamas.

The Icon of the Seas will sail through the Western Caribbean, starting in September.

On July 28, there was an altercation on the ship between two crew members from South Africa. While the vessel was off the coast of San Salvador Island in the Bahamas, a 35-year-old man allegedly stabbed a 28-year-old woman.

He fled, jumped overboard and died. The woman was in stable condition after being stabbed in her upper body.

In January 2024, the Icon of the Seas became the world’s largest cruise ship with a maximum capacity of 7,600 passengers and a crew of 2,350. It is 250,800 gross tons with 20 decks.

The Icon of the Seas is in the Icon class. The Star of the Seas is scheduled to include its first paying guests from its home at Port Canaveral in Florida in September. Two other ships are planned for the class.

In all, the Royal Caribbean has 28 ships.