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EXCLUSIVE Emmerdale boss Laura Shaw told the Mirror about the fallout to Sarah Sugden killing Dr Todd on the ITV soap, teasing Sarah could soon find out another big secret

There could be another big shock for Sarah Sugden on the way on Emmerdale, in the fallout to her killing Dr Todd.

Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, soap boss Laura Shaw teased another huge secret would rock Sarah at some point. While fans are already in the know about a big twist that will no doubt derail her life, Sarah is yet to discover something rather huge.

On Sunday night we saw Sarah accidentally kill Todd, after a showdown with Charity Dingle. Charity had confronted her rapist, wanting a confession after the police closed the case.

Sarah walked in to the house and heard the accusation, realising Todd had raped Charity. It was just before Todd was about to expose Charity’s baby to Sarah that disaster struck.

Sarah pushed Todd, causing her to slip and fall. As she fell, Todd slammed her head on the table and died almost instantly, with Sarah and Charity watching on in horror.

Of course this was shocking, but for Sarah it’s not over it seems. Laura told us that another big shock was still to come for the character, as both Sarah and Charity deal with the aftermath of Todd’s demise.

She explained: “They are locked in a secret and that’s going to be long-lasting and going forward, that’s going to affect their relationship. Obviously, there’s still the baby secret to come out at some point.”

As we pointed out that the baby reveal was inevitably going to be exposed at some point, Laura agreed. She said: “It’s going to, it’s got to happen at some point.

“And how that will affect the story with regards to the murder and Todd, you’ll have to wait and see.” So, Sarah WILL find out about baby Leyla, meaning another huge shock is set to rattle her after she’s just turned killer.

We will see the turmoil threaten to rip Charity and her granddaughter Sarah apart, so will Charity’s betrayal regarding Leyla end their bond for good? It seems, according to Laura, this killer twist will impact the pair for a while yet.

As for the immediate fallout, the soap is keeping coy about what happens next. Very vague spoilers have revealed that in the fallout to Sunday’s death twist, Monday will see Sarah’s life turned upside down.

Charity will be desperate to cling onto her secret, meaning the baby lie. Whether Sarah could be exiting the soap after her killer actions remains to be seen for now!

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

EXCLUSIVE: The series will end after the 11th run and a plan to go out with a funeral got vetoed, despite many attempts to make it work

Grantchester’s producers planned to kill off Robson Green’s character in a tear-jerking series finale of the TV drama. But in the end they got cold feet and decided viewers would prefer a happier ending.

The final series of the ITV smash – starring Robson and Rishi Nair as crime fighting duo Det Geordie Keating and The Rev Alphy Kottaram – will air in the UK next year.

But viewers in the US have already the eleventh and last-ever series and got a shock when Keating was shot and left fighting for his life. Now screenwriter Daisy Coulam has revealed how she wrestled with the idea of killing him off altogether.

She confessed: “I mean the amount of times we tried to be like, ‘He should die. He should definitely die’. I mean he died probably about four times in the story meeting and we just couldn’t do it. It would just be too big.

“You’re like ‘No, because you need that moment at the end’. You need hope and you need joy because it’s a (platonic) love story and you need your two lovers alive at the end, I think.”

Instead fans will see Keating survive the shooting and decide to retire from the force. But he hands ‘the baton’ over to fellow officer Larry Peters (played by Bradley Hall) to carry on sleuthing with the help of The Rev for future cases.

And in a touching moment, Keating leaves his protégé his hat – which he has kept with him since the start.

Daisy added: “The hat moment … it was randomly filmed the day James Norton came to set for a little visit. We were sitting and we said to Robson ‘What kind of thing would you like to do? You know, what scene do you want?’

“And he said ‘I think you should give Larry the hat’. We were like ‘Yes’ because Emma and I are obsessed with Indiana Jones and it’s basically Indiana Jones, isn’t it? It’s ‘the putting the hat on’. So we were very happy and I just think Bradley acted his socks off and he doesn’t say anything but you really, really feel his pride. It’s so sweet.”

During filming of his final scenes on a hospital trolley Robson, 61, decided to lighten the mood. He sneaked in a sign which read ‘Available for panto’ – as the cast knew they needed to start looking for new projects now Grantchester is ending.

When the hospital porters wheeled him in and the cameras started rolling he held up the sign and made everyone burst out laughing.

Afterwards he told The Masterpiece Studio podcast: “I’m going to miss that feeling of when you look at a schedule, you’re going to a certain location. And in this case, it was Grantchester. I’d always look at the schedule and go, ‘When are we going to Grantchester?’ Because it’s like going on holiday with lots and lots of friends. That’s what I’ll miss.”

Plotlines for the final series will see The Rev Alphy question his faith in God and new fashion boutique owners Cathy Keating and Mrs C (Kacey Ainsworth and Tess Peake-Jones) get caught up in a murder.

Grantchester launched back in 2014 and has run for 11 series. It has had three vicars helping Keating along the way including James Norton as The Rev Sidney Chambers and Tom Brittney as The Rev Will Davenport.

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TWO years on from the terrifying ordeal which saw Holly Willoughby fearing for her life, the former This Morning presenter has said she’ll ‘never be the same’ in a teary admission.

Stalker Gavin Plumb was sentenced in July 2024 for soliciting Holly’s murder, kidnap, and the commission of rape in a horror plot.

The Security Guard was caught by an undercover police officer in a chatroom, who believed there was ‘immediate threat’ to Holly – who, thankfully, was never harmed.

In a candid new interview, Holly admits the situation has left her scarred.

“Things have changed, I’ve changed – certain things will never be the same,” she told The Times, admitting: “You can’t not change with something like that.

“And in some ways, I am stronger. And in some ways, I’m not.”

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Holly then broke down into tears as she discussed the situation, stumbling on her words as she began: “I still find it hard to…”

“I can’t… I’m sorry…” she admitted.

Holly continued: “I just don’t really have the words for it. It’s hard to explain…”

She added that the horror plot made her feel “vulnerable in a way that you haven’t ever imagined feeling vulnerable. And I don’t think you’re meant to test that, that vulnerability.”

In 2024, Plumb was jailed after being convicted of soliciting murder, incitement to kidnap and incitement to rape.

He was handed three concurrent life sentences – one for each of the offences – with a minimum term of 15 years.

It was found that he hatched a sinister plan to ambush his so-called “fantasy” Holly at her home and “stupefy” her using chloroform.

The 35st security guard then wanted to tie the star up and take her to a “dungeon” where her screams would not be heard “for miles”.

His twisted plans were only foiled when he divulged all the chilling details to an undercover cop on a site called Abduct Lovers.

Holly, who worked at the helm of This Morning for 14 years, stepped down from her role on the ITV show shortly after the chilling plot was uncovered.

It came after a tumultuous few years for her, with the exit of her longtime co-host Phillip Schofield and the shocking news of his affair with a young male staffer on the show.

She has now returned to work with a brand new show, Together, which airs on YouTube.

The Chase Around the World contestants went up against each other in Paris in the latest instalment

The Chase fans all said the same thing as the ITV show’s spin-off arrived in France.

New series The Chase Around the World started last month and sees six pairs of contestants on a global adventure, where they are tasked with solving a series of questions and challenges in different countries to try and track down the Chasers and host Bradley Walsh. The pair who arrive last in each place will then have to face the Chasers in a quiz.

In the latest instalment, the hopefuls were in Paris, where they had to answer a series of French-themed questions. In one segment two of the pairs had to stay at a classic French brasserie and answer food and drink questions before they could continue on with the race.

However, some viewers felt it wasn’t a fair comparison as one duo was offered snails and the other was offered garlic.

Mother and daughter Nicola and Maddie were first and were told: “Here you’ll need to answer three multiple choice questions correctly. Get one wrong, and you’ll be frozen out of the game for five minutes.

“But there’s a shortcut. Wrong answers can be removed if you have the stomach for it.” They were then told they could “eat a snail or clove of garlic to remove a wrong option”.

Maddie looked horrified, exclaiming: “I am never ever in my life going to try a snail. The thought of it makes me genuinely nauseous.”

But when Nicola decided that she wasn’t confident about the question they’d been given, she decided to tuck in. “It was vile… it was gritty,” she said afterwards.

However, when father and daughter Ashwin and Nikita entered the restaurant, they had a choice of garlic and onions.

“Nikita and Ashwin are vegans – snails are off the menu, replaced by raw onion and garlic,” the voiceover explained.

Some viewers weighed in on X as it aired, with one insisting: “Can’t compare onion to snails.”

“Raw onion is much easier to eat than a snail…. probably,” someone else posted on the platform, which was formerly Twitter.

“Raw onions instead of snails… not a fair comparison,” said someone else. Another likened it to a scene from I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here, joking: “This snail eating is like watching a Bushtucker Trial.”

The Chase Around the World is airing on ITV.

Coronation Street fans are convinced an affair and a baby twist is on the way for Kit Green and Bethany Platt after Kit was dumped by his partner Sarah Platt on the ITV soap

Fans of Coronation Street think the signs are all there that Bethany Platt and Kit Green will have an affair.

Not only that but a baby twist could also be on the way. After Lucy Fallon, who plays Bethany, told the Mirror earlier this year about a plot on the way that fans would hate, viewers now think they’ve worked it out.

Recent scenes saw Bethany’s mother Sarah Platt dump her partner Kit, after her arrest. She’s currently in prison over Theo Silverton’s murder, and Kit wants to help get her out.

His hatred of Gary Windass, who helped Sarah initially cover up the crime, has led to him looking for evidence to implicate him. On Wednesday we saw Bethany roped in to Kit’s plans, with her also wanting to get her mum out of prison.

With Kit and Bethany teaming up and actress Lucy’s hints about what’s ahead, some fans can’t shake the feeling that an affair is on the way. They have wondered if Kit and Bethany will grow closer and end up sleeping together.

Some fans even wondered if it will lead to a baby twist for Bethany. Taking to social media one fan guessed: “Seeing as Bethany has a big storyline coming up, will it be having an affair with Kit after they bond taking care of Harry?”

Another fan posted: “If Sarah gets out, perhaps both Sarah and Bethany pregnant by Kit.” A third fan added: “Is the Bethany/Kit affair a FOR SURE thing or just a rumour?”

A fourth theory commented: “I also think maybe Kit and Bethany will work to get Sarah out of prison and maybe end up sleeping together.” A further post read: “Oh the tension between Kit & Bethany?! I am SORRY it is happening!”

One fan said: “I wouldn’t be surprised if something happens between Bethany and Kit.” As a fan then questioned if “another affair” was being planned, a viewer replied: “I thought to myself exactly this yesterday.”

It comes after what Lucy told the Mirror about the future for Bethany, in April. She said: “She does [have a big storyline coming up]. I can’t tell you what it is, but it’s not going to be great. I don’t think people are going to be happy about it.

“This one is low-key her fault. Everyone is going to be like, ‘She is a d**k.’ Which is fine.” But Lucy isn’t bothered about taking on controversial storylines on one condition. Lucy says as long as the plot “is good” she’s happy to get her teeth stuck into it.

Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITV X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

Jeremy Clarkson was lost for words during an episode of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

An “unbelievable” moment was aired during a beloved ITV quiz show.

A repeat episode of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? was broadcast on Wednesday (August 5), with host Jeremy Clarkson welcoming more quizzing hopefuls to the hot seat.

The first contestant walked away with just £1,000, after getting a question about actress Emma Stone wrong. Hopes were therefore dwindling as retired IT analyst Roman Dubowski stepped up to take on the game.

“Right, you know the rules, don’t you? We ask questions, one of them’s about Emma Stone and some silly Gucci film, you get it wrong and then we move on to the next contestant. That seems to be the form today,” Jeremy began by saying.

However, it soon became clear that Roman was bucking the trend, as he continued to answer the questions correctly, with the help of the audience and his sister, Danuta.

“It looks like we’ve got a proper encyclopaedia in a shirt here!” Jeremy said after Roman won £250,000.

Roman later reached the million-pound question with two lifelines remaining. “Strangely, I’ve become less nervous as it’s gone on,” he said, moments before Jeremy read out the final question.

The 15th question was: “Used since 1876, which trademarked logo is described in the James Joyce novel Ulysses and depicted in works by Manet and Picasso?”

The options were Bass Ale, The Famous Grouse, Coca-Cola, and Stella Artois.

Roman quickly said: “I’ve got something in my head, but I’m not sure it’s right,” before Jeremy shared: “I’ve got something in my head and it’s called hope!”

After using his 50/50 lifeline, the contestant explained that he had previously seen a Manet painting with the Bass Ale trademark on it, leading him to declare it as his “final answer”.

A nervous wait began, shortly before Jeremy confirmed: “You’ve won a million pounds!” and the audience erupted into cheers. Jeremy added: “It’s an extraordinary thing! That’s fantastic! Only the second man [to do it].”

He went on to say: “It happens so infrequently, I don’t even know what to say. And you did it without my help! Well, that’s just extraordinary.”

Roman revealed that his win hadn’t sunk in just yet, adding: “It’s one of those slow-motion things that’ll probably sink in a bit later today, but at the moment, I just take things one at a time.”

The contestant took a moment to thank his sister, who helped him correctly answer an earlier question, with Jeremy then admitting: “That was at a time when, I’m sure, the whole audience and me, and everybody watching at home, was thinking, ‘Oh, here’s another one. He’ll be gone at 32.’ Not a bit of it. Million pounds. Unbelievable.

“I mean, I don’t even know what to say, other than enjoy it! Because all of your life, assimilating that knowledge, has paid off. So well done you.”

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? is available to stream on ITVX

Rio and Kate Ferdinand have reportedly signed up for an I’m A Celebrity: Wild Frontier, a new spin-off of Ant and Dec’s classic reality show which will be filmed in Canada

Rio and Kate Ferdinand have reportedly signed up for an I’m A Celebrity: Wild Frontier. The football star, 47, who tied the knot with Kate in 2019, is said to be in the final stages of signing up with bosses of the ITV reality show.

If they have signed up, it means they have become the first married couple to join the show, which is focusing on celebrity pairs. Together, they will have to face their own daredevil challenges and Bushtucker Trials and it will mark England star Rio’s first venture into reality TV.

A source said: “Bosses are overjoyed to have landed the Ferdinands. It’s a real coup for the show. They have brilliant chemistry and are great fun. It will be the first time viewers have really seen Rio away from football chat, too.

Speaking to The Sun, the source added: “ITV are still in talks with some other brilliant names and this show promises to be absolutely spectacular — and a real social media talker.”

Just weeks ago, it was claimed that Westlife star Brian McFadden and Boyzone singer Keith Duffy, who have joined forces in recent years to tour as Boyzlife, had also agreed to appear on the show.

Unlike the Australian series, the spin-off will see celebrities competing in pairs, with friends, relatives and couples taking on Bushtucker-style trials together before facing elimination as a duo.

The show is reportedly due to air in 2027, as part of celebrations marking 25 years of I’m A Celebrity – which first hit screens in August 2002 and saw DJ Tony Blackburn crowned as the first King of the Jungle.

It was thought that the long-time friends had signed lucrative deals to appear in the series, with a source claiming: “Bosses are delighted that Keith and Brian will be taking part, they’ll each bring a lot of fun and mischief to the camp.”

The insider added that producers are excited by the new format, claiming it is expected to get viewers talking as famous duos battle it out together.

Rather than competing individually, contestants will reportedly tackle challenges as pairs, working together to win food and survive eliminations before one winning duo is crowned.

Filming is expected to take place in Canada’s Callaghan Valley, near Whistler Olympic Park, replacing the Australian jungle for the special spin-off series.

The area is known for its rugged wilderness and is home to wildlife including grizzly bears, black bears and mountain lions, providing a dramatically different backdrop for the celebrity survival show.

Brian already has a link to the I’m A Celebrity franchise through his former wife Kerry Katona, who was crowned Queen of the Jungle in 2004. Meanwhile, the main I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! series will continue to be filmed in Australia as normal later this year.

The Mirror has contacted ITV for comment.

EMMERDALE star Jack Downham has quietly quit the show after 17 years.

The actor, who plays Noah Dingle on the ITV soap, is set to exit the soap tonight, but not before their family dog Monty passes away.

The Sun revealed last month that Noah was leaving the Dales.

Noah has recently shared his desire to apply for a job in Germany but Charity was reluctant for him to leave.

On Wednesday’s show, the Woolpack landlady had a change of heart and encouraged her son to purse his dreams.

As Noah prepared to depart, the Dingle family suffered another major blow when their beloved dog Monty was rushed to the vets.

And sadly Monty couldn’t be saved, leaving the Dingle clan heartbroken.

In Monty’s final scenes, Cain praised the pooch for being a good boy all these years and asked dad Zak Dingle to take care of him in heaven.

In emotional scenes, Cain told a dying Monty: “You are a good boy, I know my dad was always grateful for having you.

“When you get up there, tell him how much you love him and that we miss him loads and that he takes you for plenty of walks, just like old times.

“We love you, scruffy old thing,” with tears running down his face, he turned to vet Rhona and added: “I think he’s gone.”

Noah then visited Cain to bid farewell as he headed off on his new adventure.

Last month, we revealed that character was set to depart and had already filmed his exit scenes.

A telly source said: “Jack is such a lovely lad, and everyone adores him.

“He’s been on the show since he was a young child so it’s all he’s ever known.

“He was told of the news last month and his axing has once again sent shockwaves through the cast and crew.

“Everyone is wondering who will be next.”

But one of his pals added: “Jack is looking at the positives though and is hopeful about future opportunities.”

The bloodbath in the Dales has already hit another popular Dingle recently — plus other cast members.

Bradley Johnson who has played Mandy ­Dingle’s on-screen son Vinny for seven years has been dumped, as well as Nick Miles — who’s been in his Jimmy King role for 22 years — and Olivia Bromley who plays Dawn Taylor.

And rumours are rife that bosses are planning a big stunt that could kill off even more of the long-running soap’s cast later this year.

Last month Emmerdale took home two gongs at the ­Television and Radio Industries Club awards — for Soap of the Year and for Best Soap Actor, which went to Jeff Hordley who has played Cain Dingle for more than 20 years.

Jeremy Clarkson has also confirmed major news regarding another one of his shows today.

A Jeremy Clarkson show’s replacement has already been announced and it’s something viewers have been waiting weeks for.

From Top Gear and The Grand Tour to the unforgettable Clarkson’s Farm on Prime Video, Jeremy Clarkson is never too far away from our small screens.

And this evening, Wednesday, August 5, at 9pm, will be no different as he returns in a repeat episode of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? on ITV where he plays quizmaster.

As always, the 66-year-old will be faced with a new line-up of contestants tasked with answering a series of questions that could ultimately change their lives.

However, this will be the last episode of the quiz show reboot to air for a while with ITV confirming what will take its place next week.

Jeremy Clarkson’s Who Wants to be a Millionaire’s time slot will be taken over by ITV’s live coverage of pre-season football.

Kicking off at 7pm and airing for almost three hours, the special is set to air the match between Manchester United and Leeds United, with the friendly taking place at Croke Park, Dublin.

The official synopsis notes: “Normally used for Gaelic sports, this is the first time this 80,000 capacity venue has hosted a club association football match, and while a friendly in name, it is likely to be a highly competitive contest given the historic rivalry between the teams.”

As presenter Hugh Woozencroft leads the coverage, there will also be analysis from John O’Shea and Michael Brown with commentary by Sam Matterface and Lucy Ward.

Clarkson has been in the news for months thanks to the return of Clarkson’s Farm on Prime Video with season five revealing that he had prostate cancer. Thankfully, it has since been confirmed that he is now officially in remission.

But today, Wednesday, August 5, Clarkson is back in the news as it’s been announced he and his former Grand Tour hosts James May and Richard Hammond, would be reuniting.

The Grand Tour came to an end two years ago but the stars will be making cameo appearances in the reboot to help “pass the baton on”.

Hosting duties are being taken over by YouTubers Thomas Holland and James Engelsma with The Grand Tour season seven airing on Friday, September 4.

Live Pre-season Football airs on Wednesday, August 12, from 7pm, on ITV.

Emmerdale spoilers for next week on the ITV soap reveal Dr Todd returns, leading to a showdown with Charity Dingle, while Billy’s fate is revealed after the attack

On Emmerdale next week, spoilers reveal Charity confronts her abuser, Dr. Todd, at Jacob’s Fold and orders her to leave. However, Dr Todd refuses and attempts to goad Charity who instead demands a confession.

Dr Todd threatens to tell Sarah the truth about Leyla, and as things escalate, Charity brands Todd a rapist, which is overheard by someone. Billy and Dawn plan their escape, as Billy continues to claim Joe attacked him – ahead of Dawn’s reported exit.

Caleb is frustrated when Billy clears Joe’s name with the police until Billy explains it’s to make Joe complacent because he and Dawn plan to flee. Dawn tells Billy that Joe’s stag do is the perfect time to escape.

Kev offers to teach Lewis to ride a bike, but it soon becomes clear he doesn’t know how to ride a bike either. As Kev falls off the bike, Lewis joins his dad on the floor and they bond. Lewis soon drops an announcement.

Later, Ruby catches up with Kev and asks him to rob the delivery for Jimmy’s new haulage contract, but he refuses. Dylan admits to April that he’s struggling, but he’s grateful when Bear offers him advice about counselling.

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Cassie Plummer left Coronation Street on Monday night but her exit has left behind a trail of mystery and now spoilers have revealed what happens next on the ITV soap

Coronation Street spoilers have revealed what happens next following the sudden exit of Cassie Plummer. The former drug addict, played by Claire Sweeney, was introduced when the bosses of the long-running soap decided to completely rewrite history and install her as Tyrone Dobbs’s long-lost biological mum in 2023.

But in scenes that aired on Monday night, Cassie left Weatherfield – seemingly for good – as she chose to get in the car with Ross Wilkes when he offered her a lift to the train station. Introduced last month as the long-lost biological dad of Tyrone, Cassie knew he was trouble as soon as he turned up, but it was only when put under pressure that she revealed that he had paid her for sex when she was underage.

Ross has already made his mark as the latest villain to turn up in the Manchester backstreet, and viewers know that after striking up a relationship with Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford), he spiked her drink and put her in hospital but has let everyone think that Cassie was the one who did it. Cassie announced on Monday that she had got a job cleaning a cruise ship, and was heading to the train station.

Ross offered her a lift, and she accepted. But whilst in the car, Cassie threatened to go to the police about what Ross had done to her all those years ago. She then began to feel unsafe and tried to get out, but he locked the door and told her they were going “on a little drive.” That was the last time Cassie was seen, and Tyrone later announced to Ross that Cassie had left Weatherfield.

Earlier in the day, Fiz had presented Cassie with a photograph of Tyrone and the kids and an envelope full of cash, but at the very end of the episode, Ross took the photo from his pocket and created a mystery about just where Cassie had ended up.

Now, in scenes set to air this coming week, Ross tells Fiz and Tyrone he wants to move nearby, but Fiz quickly closes down the conversation.

Steve asks Ross where he dropped Cassie off, but Ross feigns ignorance until Steve reveals how he saw Cassie get into his car, forcing him to change his story claiming he took her to Piccadilly Station. Also, in scenes yet to air, Ross tells Hope to help herself to a tenner from his wallet but Hope finds something else which leaves Fiz suspicious.

Viewers have instantly become worried that Cassie did not make it to her new job at all, and are concerned that she might even be dead.

One fan wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: “Oh s*** is Cassie dead???” and another said: “Cassie getting in the car with Ross, they’re gonna leave us hanging for months over what he’s done to her, I bet!”

A third wrote: “I well like Cassie I’ll be sad if she never comes back,” and, on Reddit, another fan said: ” Feel like he’s deffo killed her. But think they’ve done it this way so that they can bring her back again if they wanted to. “

In real life, actress Claire Sweeney, who found fame when she starred on Brookside, chose to leave so she could take on the role of Miss Hannigan in the current UK tour of the musical Annie, and replaced former Strictly Come Dancing star La Voix in the show in early July.

Claire has previously starred in other musicals like 9 to 5, Tell Me On A Sunday and Chicago. But she recently recently explained that she loved her time at Corrie but always wanted to take on the part of the villainous orphanage proprietress, who has previously been played on stage by the likes of her soap co-star Jodie Prenger, as well as Hi-de-Hi icon Su Pollard, the late Paul O’Grady and British acting legend Sheila Hancock.

She told The Mirror: “You’re part of a family at Coronation Street, you feel safe and protected and leaving is like stepping out into the big, wide world again. It feels like I’ve broken up with a boyfriend I’m still in love with. I’ve loved Corrie and leaving bears no reflection on the job, the people and the work.

“It was just that my phone pinged and it was the producer of Annie saying ‘right, do you want to do Miss Hannigan.’ I’d been hounding him for years for this part and I just thought – ‘if I don’t do it now, it might never come again.’ But I think it’s the hardest job I’ve ever had to leave and my exit is very sad; I had a little weep over my leaving scenes. I got quite emotional.”

Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITV X. *

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A dad whose son has been missing since 1988 told his story on ITV’s This Morning

A father has told how his life became “a living nightmare” after his 15-year-old son vanished without a trace.

Lee Boxell was last seen on September 10, 1988 after he left his home in Sutton, south west London, to meet a friend. He was seen on the High Street in the town that day, but there have been no confirmed sightings since.

Police have theorised that Lee could have been killed after stepping in to stop or threatening to report an assault in the grounds of a church where an unofficial youth club took place.

Appearing on ITV‘s This Morning, his dad Peter Boxell shared how the family were “panic-stricken” and went through their “worst nightmare” after Lee didn’t come home that day.

“It was just like a living nightmare from then on,” he said. “I think it’s every person’s, every family member, every parent’s worst nightmare. And for us, it was a living nightmare.”

He told hosts Josie Gibson and Paddy McGuinness: “We couldn’t sleep for weeks after that. We thought, we didn’t want to miss a phone call or a knock on the door if Lee could come home.”

Paddy asked how Peter had carried on through the years, and he replied: “Well, we’ve been essentially living in limbo, not knowing what’s happened to our son, Lee. And we desperately want to know what happened to him. I mean, I’m old now. I’m 80. His mother’s a few years older than me.

“Most of Lee’s relatives have passed on. And he has a sister who desperately wants to know what happened to him. And she has her own children. So Lee’s now got a niece and a nephew. They know all about Lee. And they want to know what happened to Lee.”

Asked what he thought had happened, Peter said: “I think that the police’s theory is correct, that Lee went to the unofficial youth club at the back of the church in the graveyard at St Dunstan’s in Cheam. And I think he went there, maybe only once.

“And I think he may have seen something, some criminal activity going on. Maybe he saw somebody assaulting a child there. And he would either have gone to the aid of that child or he would have gone for help.

“And I’m only guessing. I just think that the adults who were carrying out that crime may have tried to silence Lee. They may have unintentionally killed him. I don’t know, but I think they may have killed him. That’s what I think has happened.”

Josie also read out a comment from the Met, saying: “They have said, ‘We’ve never stopped our investigation into what happened to Lee. And it remains ongoing within the Met’s cold case team.

“We would urge anyone who did not feel able to speak to police in the past to come forward and tell us what they know. If you can help, whether anonymously or otherwise, please, please, please get in touch’.”

This Morning airs on ITV at 10am on weekdays.

The actress opened up about the horrific abuse she suffers on a daily basis from cruel trolls.

Coronation Street star Cherylee Houston has opened up about the horrific abuse she receives daily.

The actress has played Izzy Armstrong in the ITV soap since 2010, and elsewhere plays Maz in BBC Radio 4 series Tinsel Girl.

During an appearance on Good Morning Britain on Monday, August 3, Cherylee opened up about her life away from the spotlight and the abuse she receives daily.

Cherylee was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome when she was 23, and now uses a wheelchair.

According to the NHS, the condition can affect people in different ways, and for some, it can be disabling.

Opening up about her experience, Cherylee told GMB hosts Kate Garraway and Richard Madeley: “A couple of times I’ve been on television and my chair hasn’t been on view, I’ve been bullied for that. People are very easily ready to call out…”

She went on to say that trolls tell her she is “making it up”, and faces the abuse “on a daily basis”.

Cherylee added: “My friend and I were wheeling down the street, and a man was shouting out about how much benefits we got and stuff, and how we make it up. It happens all the time.”

Richard shared: “I have to say, anyone that sees your chair on screen and then puts their fingers on a keyboard to say you’re pretending or you’re seeking sympathy or something, I think they’re a bit thick.”

Cherylee replied: “Yes and no, because I think some of it is about our representation and an understanding.”

She continued: “There’s so much lack of understanding because we’re 1 in 5, but we’re not on screen, our stories aren’t told.”

Cherylee received an MBE for services in the disabled community in 2022, after raising awareness, working to remove barriers for disabled people, and speaking about welfare cuts in Parliament.

She was also involved in a Coronation Street storyline that shone a light on the difficulties disabled people experienced during the pandemic, and the pressures of working remotely while shielding, in scenes filmed in her home.

She said at the time: “I have been unbelievably fortunate that my employers enabled me to continue shielding after the official shielding guidance ended in March. I’ve been so supported by ITV, but I’m aware that many of my disabled peers who were previously shielding haven’t had that safety and have been forced to make the decision to earn money to survive whilst facing the real fear of death or serious illness through Covid.”

Coronation Street Producer Iain MacLeod added: “We had to think outside the box in order to tell this story, devising new protocols and ways of scripting scenes that would allow Cherylee to film the scenes herself in her home. It certainly helped that her partner, Toby, is a fabulous actor!

“Despite all the technical challenges we had to overcome, this was a story that needed telling, and I hope it will resonate with millions of people who have found themselves in a similar position to Izzy, and perhaps open the eyes of millions of others who had little awareness of the issues facing disabled people during COVID.”

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and ITVX.

A wartime detective drama series based on real-life historical events has viewers declaring they’ve ‘never seen a better show on television’ — streaming free on ITVX

A wartime drama based on real events during and after the Second World War has completely enamoured audiences, with fans of the ITV series giving it ‘maximum stars’.

Describing the detective war drama as ‘mesmerising’, viewers are saying they’ve ‘never seen a better show on television’.

Foyle’s War — available to stream free on ITVX — is a historical wartime detective drama series created by author Anthony Horowitz who was the screenwriter of the acclaimed Midsomer Murders.

The series stars the talented Michael Kitchen in the lead as DCS Christopher Foyle. Honeysuckle Weeks, Anthony Howell, Julian Ovenden, and Ellie Haddington join Kitchen to round out an altogether stellar cast, all of whom, especially Weeks, have been praised for their performances on the show.

Foyle’s War first premiered on television in October 2002 and saw an eight-season run till 2015. The series was cancelled in 2007 and revived in 2010 owing to encouraging audience numbers for the last series that premiered on telly.

The series was nominated for three BAFTA Television Awards, of which it bagged one, and has gone on to become a highly acclaimed wartime drama for both audiences and critics.

One reviewer said of the wartime series: “This is quality, smart stuff — plot points hinge on citizenship classifications, ration coupons, the location of safe houses. It requires that viewers watch carefully, and pay attention to details.”

While another critic said: “Foyle’s War… returns to Mystery!… with the admirable Michael Kitchen in his usual top form.”

A third critic shared: “You don’t have to pay close attention to Foyle’s War, but it’s worth it for the detail-rich historical context of Anthony Horowitz’s plots, especially now the series has arrived in the murky moral fog of post-war London.”

Audiences can’t stop praising the war drama, with one viewer writing on Rotten Tomatoes: “On our second watching of the entire series. It’s so well-acted and thoughtful, and you learn a bit of history with each episode. Michael Kitchen and Honeysuckle Weeks are so engaging, such a delight to watch, it’s mesmerizing.”

A IMDB user review of the series says: “One of the best! My wife and I became obsessed with the British crime series Midsomer Murders. We’ve seen all the episodes available. Then my wife latched onto Foyle’s War and we’ve become big, big fans of this series also.

“We agree with everyone about Michael Kitchen’s performances and the historical background against which the story unfolds. Everything about this show looks authentic, feels authentic and sounds authentic. Not having lived through that time we are learning so much about the period.”

While one fan of the show said: “Maximum Stars. I’ve never seen a better show on television. “Foyle’s War” is deep, thoughtful television art. Great premise. Acting is tremendous. Only the bad guys overact. To see the characters is to love them. Sets and details have been discussed at length and it’s all just gorgeous.”

Another user review reads: “Outstanding! One of the very best series of all time! This is what great TV is. An outstanding series, taking place from the start of WW2 to the start of the Cold War, but told with the perspective of those ‘back home’ whom the Wars impacted.

“A remarkable achievement. The cast, first and foremost Michael Kitchen as Foyle, are remarkable. TV, or filmed entertainment just does not get any better than this.”

Foyle’s War is available to stream for free on ITVX.

Van Der Valk returns to our screens tonight with three more headscratching investigations on the way.

Van Der Valk fans are eager to know all there is about season four ahead of its ITV debut tonight.

Season four of the hit ITV detective drama Van Der Valk begins this evening, Sunday, August 2, at 8pm, the first of three feature-length episodes set to air every week.

As always, Piet Van Der Valk will be portrayed by Band of Brothers star Marc Warren, who will be joined by Maimie McCoy as Lucienne Hassell, Emma Fielding as Julia Dahlman and Darrell D’Silva as Hendrik Davie.

UK fans have been waiting for three years for the show’s return with season four first released in America in 2024.

But now the wait is finally over so here’s everything there is to know about Van Der Valk’s filming locations for season four.

Where is ITV Van Der Valk season 4 filmed?

As Van Der Valk is a Dutch detective drama, like previous series, season four has been filmed entirely in the Netherlands, primarily in the capital city of Amsterdam.

Some of its standout locations include The Canal Belts, also known as the Grachtengordel, the historic 14km waterways built during the 17th Century Dutch Golden Age.

Other key spots include Cafe Scheltema which is frequently featured when the detectives gather for debriefs and their breakthroughs, as well as the Amstel River.

Along with Amsterdam, some additional shots are filmed in nearby cities like Utrecht and The Hague.

Warren previously opened up about shooting a season one scene at the iconic Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam which he hailed as “amazing”.

“Being on my own, looking up at Rembrandt’s The Night Watch at midnight, I was just thinking, ‘How do these things happen?’, he told Radio Times.

“Just before we shot that, they brought a guy in on a stretcher to give him a private view of the painting. It was his dying wish.

“An hour or two later, I was standing there alone with this masterpiece.”

Van Der Valk season four premieres tonight, Sunday, August 2, at 8pm, on ITV.

Emmerdale is reportedly losing some familiar faces and gaining both old and new characters on the ITV soap, but are Dawn Taylor, Vinny Dingle and Jimmy King leaving?

Emmerdale fans are wondering who is really leaving the ITV soap and who’s staying put.

In recent months, a handful of names have been reported as cast members leaving the show. As it stands, both cast and the show have yet to comment on the claims.

There are some confirmed returns to the village however, and some teased ones too. We’ve had loads of new faces, temporary and permanent, in recent months too, so could there be more on the way? This is all we know so far about upcoming cast changes and news, including FOUR exits and two returns…

Who’s leaving Emmerdale?

Dawn Taylor

It’s been claimed Dawn Taylor is leaving the show after eight years. Actress Olivia Bromley was said to be written out of the show, while the soap has not confirmed this.

She’s centre stage on the show at the moment, with possible feelings for her ex Billy Fletcher ahead of her wedding to Joe Tate. Dawn is pregnant with Joe’s baby, and now fans think she might flee Joe and the village like she had planned to months earlier.

Jimmy King

A shocking exit rumour is that Jimmy King will leave the show after more than 20 years. It was reported recently that actor Nick Miles has been axed from the show after two decades.

Fans have been left furious by the reports, that have not been backed up by the show. It’s claimed Jimmy will be killed off in devastating scenes later this year, while onscreen at the moment it’s teased he might split from his wife Nicola King.

Vinny Dingle

Another unexpected exit announcement claimed Vinny Dingle is leaving the show after seven years. Actor Bradley Johnson is another cast member said to be axed from the show, while this has not been confirmed.

Vinny only recently embarked on a romance with Lewis Barton, amid a huge storyline months earlier that saw Vinny struggling with his sexuality. So the news that Vinny could be leaving left fans baffled.

Noah Dingle

Fans were also stunned when it was reported that Noah Dingle will leave the show after 22 years. Actor Jack Downham has played him since 2009.

It’s claimed writers have axed Charity Dingle’s son from the show, and onscreen Noah has told some family members he plans to work abroad. Again this is not an exit confirmed by the show or its cast, but it’s thought Noah will leave soon.

Who’s returning to Emmerdale?

A Tate?

Just weeks ago, soap boss Laura Shaw teased a Tate was heading to the show. She didn’t specify whether it was a brand new character entirely, or a past Tate character.

There’s still no news on this, while Mirror will be dropping some new hints very, very soon so stay tuned. For now, fans have been speculating whether it’s a new character like Serena Sugden, or if we might see Jamie Tate return to the show, amid Serena targeting Kim Tate.

Sadie King

The big return coming up is Sadie King, who will return to the village very soon first the first time in 20 years. Actress Patsy Kensit is reprising the role, and the Mirror caught up with her recently – so keep an eye out for that interview!

Sadie left in dramatic fashion in 2006, so what has brought her back after all these years? There’s trouble, secrets and plenty of drama on the way!

Victoria Sugden

Victoria Sugden is heading back to the show at some point, after she fled earlier this year. Actress Isabel Hodgins is currently on maternity leave after welcoming her first child this year.

Isabel was recently spotted on the set, sparking return claims. That said, Isabel previously stated she would like to return around September time, but she’s not completely sure when she will be ready – but she definitely is going back at some point.

Are there any new characters joining?

There’s been no news about some new characters joining soon. That said, there’s not always an announcement, while there was for the likes of Kev Townsend and Serena Sugden.

Recently, Kev’s pal Steve, played by actor Jason Done, joined temporarily. Then there was Kev’s old flame Kylie too, and some other guest roles along the way.

So, there’s new faces all the time and we can expect more. Whether there’s an actual new character joining remains to be seen. If the Tate arrival is a new Tate, then that will be a new character!

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

EXCLUSIVE: Sadie King’s return to Emmerdale is almost here, and now actress Patsy Kensit has told the Mirror her ‘terror’ over her ITV soap comeback after 20 years

There’s not long to wait until Sadie King returns to Emmerdale, after 20 years away.

But while fans are excited, actress Patsy Kensit, 58, confessed she was utterly terrified reprising her iconic role. “I was shaking like a leaf,” she told the Mirror. “It’s been a long time. I’ve done so much work in between, but this… I phoned up Mark Charnock actually, who plays Marlon Dingle.

“I told him, ‘I’m really scared,’ and he said it would be weird if I wasn’t, and that it’s only because I care. But I’m in the swing of things now, and I’m definitely settling in.”

Emmerdale are keeping quiet, for now, on what triggers Sadie’s shocking return, and when the scenes will air. What we can reveal is that she brings trouble to the village in classic Sadie fashion, and there’s some big secrets waiting to be discovered too.

She shared: “We will find out what’s happened to her and it’s interesting. It’s not just a one-note portrayal. Things have happened to her over the last 20 years, and we get older, but I can’t say too much.”

Patsy revealed her role isn’t a full-time return to the Dales. She’s only there for six months, with her set to wrap up filming in December. There’s plenty of drama on the way though before she leaves again, with village residents left reeling over her out-of-the-blue return.

It’s hardly surprising, after her devious antics during her two-year stint on the show between 2004 and 2006. From teaming up with Cain Dingle to con her own family, to her involvement in the deadly show home collapse that left three characters dead, she’s earned her status as one of the soap’s most ruthless characters ever.

But the big question is, has Sadie King changed? “Well, obviously it’s been 20 years,” Patsy told us. “We would hope she’s evolved slightly.

“It was quite easy to slip back into Sadie’s shoes, and it’s really interesting the way that it’s been written. She sort of comes in and causes trouble. People will be unsure if she’s a different person now.”

Patsy was thrilled to be asked back by bosses, first confiding the news in her two sons, James, 32, whose father is Simple Minds frontman Jim Kerr, and Lennon, 26, who she shares with ex-husband, Oasis star, Liam Gallagher.

Patsy beamed: “They were really happy. They thought it would be a really great thing for me to do, and they have been really supportive.”

While Sadie isn’t expected to get a warm welcome when she steps back into the village, the same cannot be said for Patsy who was welcomed back with open arms.

“It’s been exceptionally nice,” she told us. “It’s a wonderful place to work. The pastoral care here is incredible, the cast, crew, everyone, every department. They really, really put their arms around me and looked after me.”

Patsy loves playing Sadie, so she jumped at the chance to be her again. But she admitted Sadie isn’t someone she’d be keen to know in the real world.

“Oh gosh, no, she’s awful,” laughed Patsy. “But, no, I do love her. You can’t play a character, really, that you hate.

“I think you’ve got to find something in there. Her sheer capability… I’m pathologically polite, and she will say and do things that I would never do in a million years, and get away with, so I can kind of live vicariously through her at times.”

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

EXCLUSIVE Emmerdale’s Joe Tate actor Ned Porteous has told The Mirror all about whether his character is capable of trying to kill someone after Billy Fletcher’s attack

Who attacked Billy in Emmerdale might have been revealed, or at least someone may have been ruled out.

Amid theories from viewers about who was to blame, Billy’s fate remains unknown. He’s in a coma, fighting for his life after being brutally attacked and left with a serious head injury.

Billy sustained a bleed on the brain, after Kerry Wyatt found her colleague lifeless on the floor of the depot where they work. He was lying with his head in a pool of blood, with his loved ones warned he’s in a bad way.

Kerry and boss Caleb Miligan were quick to point out to the police that Joe Tate may have attacked Billy. After all he had threatened Billy to Caleb, after Caleb told Joe about Billy and Dawn’s apparent kiss.

Of course it’s not the first time Joe has caused someone to be injured or killed, while it’s not like him to get his hands dirty. But has he taken a brutal revenge on Billy, or is he being framed?

Fans have mixed ideas on the truth, and now speaking exclusively to the Mirror, Joe actor Ned Porteous has had his say. He addressed whether Joe is capable of hurting Billy in this way, while he also teased whether his character is the real attacker.

With some fans saying it’s too obvious to be Joe, Ned discussed this and pointed out Joe did have it in him to commit the crime. That said, something he told us could hint that Joe is not to blame.

Asked if Joe could be at fault, he replied: “I think Joe has it in him to do a whole bunch of things. Yeah. I think the beauty of this character, and the fun I’ve been having with the character, is the duality between his capabilities for great good and great evil.

“I think as a thematic tool, Joe, and characters like Joe, are extremely useful for the screenwriters, because we can see that he is a good dude, but he has no practice at it. He’s volatile, he has a complete lack of control of his emotions.

“So, if you were to get to him, he’ll get you back sevenfold.” We then questioned whether if Joe was innocent, will he struggle to prove that innocence given Joe’s dark ways in the past.

He told us: “Absolutely. I think everything that Joe does in this village is guilty until proven innocent, because why on earth wouldn’t it be? We’ve only ever seen Joe do bad things to people, apart from the one or two people that he’s let close to himself and his heart that know that he’s not completely evil.”

So does this comment about not being completely evil and being “guilty until proven innocent” suggest Joe isn’t the one to blame? After all, some fans are suspecting Joe’s nemesis Caleb Miligan may have attacked Billy, not Joe.

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

Cassie Plummer could be about to face a “really dark” exit from Coronation Street after worrying scenes aired on Friday night’s episode of the long-running soap

Cassie Plummer could be about to face a “really dark” exit from Coronation Street. The former drug addict, played by Claire Sweeney, was introduced when bosses of the long-running soap decided to completely rewrite history and install her as the long-lost biological mum of Tyrone Dobbs, and initially came to blows with Tracy Barlow when she set about poisoning Ken for financial gain.

With all that seemingly swept under the carpet, now Tracy has sparked a romance with Ross, who is Tyrone’s long-lost biological dad. Cassie was underage when Tyrone was conceived, and it emerged earlier this week that Ross had paid her for the sex they had all those years ago.

When it looked as though Ross was sticking around having got a job at the local prison, Cassie tried to get him out of their lives once and for all by crushing painkillers up into his flask that he was about to take to his new place of employment, hoping that he would fail the drugs test and then clear off out of Weatherfield. It backfired when Ross figured out what Cassie had done so, in a cruel twist, he poisoned Tracy with the drink and now she is in hospital. But because Cassie has got form, Tracy has now got completely the wrong end of the stick.

Sitting up in her hospital bed on Friday night’s episode of the ITV soap, she raged: “If I have been spiked, I know who I’m pointing my finger at. How else have I got this much codeine in my system if it’s not from the local poisoner, who also happens to hate my guts?”

Steve told his ex-wife to calm down, but she shot back: “Well, I’m trying to do that, Steve, but it’s quite difficult when your girlfriend tried to kill me. She’s jealous of me because I’ve got Ross and she’s stuck with a useless lump like you!”

The taxi driver, who has been played by Simon Gregson since 1989, was convinced that Tracy (Kate Ford) was wrong, but then decided to do some investigating, and found the painkillers in Cassie’s cardigan pocket.

When he confronted her, she explained: “It wasn’t meant for Tracy. It was meant for Ross. And it was just a couple of tablets so he’d fail his pee test at his prison job and he wouldn’t be hanging around here any more.” Tyrone then knocked at the door, having been informed of the situation by Steve, and Cassie tried once again to explain but they were having none of it.

Steve said: ” I don’t get it. First of all Ken, now Tracy. I mean, are you not gonna be happy till you’ve killed the lot of us?” Tyrone then yelled that it was “a lot more” than the couple of tablets Cassie claimed she had tried to spike Ross with as Cassie cried: ” I put it in his travel cup, which I got out of his bag, so how did Tracy end up with it, eh?

“Ty, I know it was a stupid idea, but I was desperate. You’ve no idea what he’s like!” Ross then turned up at the house, having been playing the dutiful long-lost granddad and took Ruby and Hope for a game of football. Cassie warned them that he was taking them all for a fool but no one would listen and Tyrone told her to get out of the house.

Tracy headed across the road to number one, where Steve answered the door and told her as he struggled to hold back the tears: ” Believe me. If you only knew how much I wanted this to work after all the disappointment I’ve had over the last few years.”

Cassie tried to plead with Steve, but he decided to split up with her there and then. He shut the door in Cassie’s face, and she burst into tears as she wept: “But Steve, I love you!”

Reacting to the emotional scenes, one viewer wrote on X: “Tyrone shut the f**k up you mug, Cassie is better than Ross. Honestly hope Tyrone finds out the hard way his dad is a creep,” whilst another said: “Cassie shouldn’t have done it, I get why she did though. The reality was, Ross knew and deliberately spiked Tracey to frame her, just another form of manipulation.”

A third wrote: “I don’t know how Cassie is gonna get out of this one,” and a fourth simply said: “Oh, Cassie!” and added a face-palm emoji. Another wrote: “Cassie thinks she is smart, however, Ross seems to always be one step ahead. This storyline is going to get really dark #Corrie.”

In real life, actress Claire Sweeney, who found fame when she starred on Brookside, chose to leave so she could take on the role of Miss Hannigan in the current UK tour of the musical Annie, and replaced former Strictly Come Dancing star La Voix in the show in early July.

Claire has starred previously starred in other musicals like 9 to 5, Tell Me On A Sunday and Chicago. But she recently recently explained that she loved her time at Corrie but always wanted to take on the part of the villainous orphanage proprietress, who has previously been played on stage by the likes of her soap co-star Jodie Prenger, as well as Hi-de-Hi icon Su Pollard, the late Paul O’Grady and British acting legend Sheila Hancock.

She told The Mirror: “You’re part of a family at Coronation Street, you feel safe and protected and leaving is like stepping out into the big, wide world again. It feels like I’ve broken up with a boyfriend I’m still in love with. I’ve loved Corrie and leaving bears no reflection on the job, the people and the work.

“It was just that my phone pinged and it was the producer of Annie saying ‘right, do you want to do Miss Hannigan.’ I’d been hounding him for years for this part and I just thought – ‘if I don’t do it now, it might never come again.’ But I think it’s the hardest job I’ve ever had to leave and my exit is very sad; I had a little weep over my leaving scenes. I got quite emotional.”

Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITV X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

The new series of ITV’s Long Lost Family begins with an emotional story of a search for a family.

A remarkable new series of Long Lost Family on ITV uses DNA technology and painstaking detective work to reunite two foundlings with family members they lost contact with or never met.

In December 1960, David Stevenson was discovered inside a locked apartment block in North-West London. He was found in the corridor up on the second floor, outside one of the flats. He was several days old and cold, but well fed. For Long Lost Family: Born Without Trace, 65-year-old David returns to the flats more than six decades on still with burning questions about why he was left in such a specific place and whether this provides any clues as to who his birth parents are.

David says: “This place is part of me and part of my identity, no question. This is where my story starts here, so coming back here is emotional. Babies are often left at a police station or a hospital. Whoever put me here…this is a locked private block. Were some of the other residents somehow involved? The WPC arrived and discovered me on the floor with people milling round.”

Although some residents were investigated by the police, enquiries failed to help identify David’s birth parents or link them to him. David was adopted by the Stevenson family and had a happy childhood in nearby Edgware. He grew up knowing about his start in life, but for a long time he wasn’t curious to know more.

“I did know that I was a foundling but as far as I was concerned I had a mum and dad and it wasn’t a problem for me.”

He now has three sons of his own. They reflect on the risks involved with searching – the answers could be upsetting. David is also conscious of the experience of his birth mother.

“If I find my birth mother and she didn’t tell anyone and she wasn’t keen on that secret turning up that would be hard because it would be rejection all over again. The consensus from the police doctor was that I was a result of an unattended birth. and that must be a traumatic experience for any woman,” he says.

With his sons now grown up, David remarried and now lives with his second wife Julie. In 2009 they launched a national appeal for information. Ultimately it did not provide answers, but it did mark the start of a decade of their own extensive investigative work.

Using the apartment building as their primary clue, they developed several hypotheses about the residents. More recently David has turned to searching through DNA, which revealed that he has both Dutch and French heritage. While this is a significant development, the search has stalled, leaving him still not knowing who his birth parents are. Thankfully the LLF team get a breakthrough on David’s search.

There is a strong connection to a particular Dutch family. Two family members, including a woman called Marianne agree to take DNA tests. The pair of them testing enables LLF expert Ariel Bruce to – with certainty – identify David’s birth mother. Her name is Petra and she sadly died in 2010. Upon seeing a photo of David, the family immediately see a likeness to Petra.

Show host Nicky Campbell travels to the Netherlands to meet with Marianne – David’s aunt and his first cousins Saskia and Bart. He wants to see how they are dealing with the news and to learn more about Petra. It transpires that nobody in the family ever knew that she was pregnant and gave up a baby in London. They are left with mixed feelings. They are desperately sad that Petra had to endure this alone but delighted to be able to meet their new cousin and welcome him into the family.

After finishing school, Petra moved to Paris to work as an Au Pair and was living there when David was conceived. This tallies with David’s French DNA and the thinking that his birth father is French. She then moved to London and subsequently parted with David.

She grew up in a strict Catholic household where news of her pregnancy would not have been tolerated. Marianne says: “It was parents after Second World War. They would be angry.”

Bart adds: “They were Catholic and they would also have been very concerned with what society would think of having a child born out of wedlock.”

The sad news that Petra has died is shared with David away from the cameras. French privacy laws mean that DNA testing is very uncommon in France and so Ariel and the team are not able to identify his birth father. Referring to the death of Petra, David tells host Davina McCall: “It’s a shame because it closed an avenue that might have been open to me.”

Davina explains that the nature of Petra’s relationship with David’s birth father is unknown, along with any possible connections to the building where David was found. She describes Petra’s strict upbringing in The Netherlands and explains that she never confided in her family about giving birth at 20. David is quite affected by learning that after returning to the Netherlands, she did not have any more children.

David says: “Oh wow. I find that surprising. And quite sad actually, you know, not having a family, having given up the one child that she did have.”

Davina then reveals that Petra has family members in Rotterdam who were all too willing to take DNA tests. She passes on a letter that they have written him, where they explain that they would love to meet and share as much information about Petra as they can. David is moved by this gesture.

He says: “To meet people close to Petra would be very nice. To put a name to my mother and a picture, it’s a profound feeling. That is amazing.

“I’ve often said I’m not looking for another family, you know. All I want to know is where did I come from? But seeing these[photos] and reading the letter, you know, I want to meet these people. Yeah, that’s as big as it can be.”

After travelling to Rotterdam and has an emotional first meeting with Marianne, Bart, Saskia and another first cousin Jan. They share details about Petra, her personality and interests. David concludes: “One of the most rewarding things…is to hear them talk about her, and, and it’s helped me form an idea of her character. I’m very excited abut the future. There was nothing but love from them.”

Petra’s sister Marianne tells him: “She would love you and you would love her.”

The other search on next week’s programme sees Sarah Gray search for her birth mother.

She was found inside a Leicester telephone box in June 1983. Just a newborn baby, she was discovered by a woman going to make a phone call. Now a mother herself of 3-year-old twins, she often reflects on her own beginnings. She had a very happy and fulfilling adoption but her start in life was never openly discussed.

“I think you know in your family the conversations that can come up freely, and I think there’s a time and a place for certain things and I didn’t push it.”

Returning to the telephone box she sees that it’s on a busy road where there would have been lots of passers-by.

Sarah, 43, said: “Whoever it was has left me in a public phone box right next to a bus stop, next to a community centre… they definitely wanted me to be found.”

The search team make incredible strides with Sarah’s case and identify her birth mother. Davina is able to finally bring Sarah some answers about who she is and where she comes from, Sarah’s mother – who is alive – wants contact and a meeting to be done off camera.

* Long Lost Family: Born Without Trace Series 8 begins on Monday night at 9pm on ITV and ITVX.

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Comedian Alan Carr has announced that he will be joining Davina McCall, Maya Jama, Jonathan Ross and Mo Gilligan as a judge on the next series of The Masked Singer

Alan Carr is joining The Masked Singer as a judge. Bosses of the hit ITV competition, which sees celebrities dress up in elaborate costumes in an attempt to conceal their identity as they perform pop songs, had teased that a famous face was set to join the panel for the next series.

Since its inception in 2020, Jonathan Ross and Davina McCall have been part of the programme, whilst Mo Gilligan joined in the second series and Love Island host Maya Jama replaced Maya Jama just under two years ago. Joel Dommett has served as the presenter since the beginning as well and now, Celebrity Traitors winner Alan, 50, has announced that he is joining the panel.

Speaking on ITV’s This Morning on Friday, he said: “Yes, it’s me, Alan. I’m sick and tired of watching that panel make terrible guesses. I’ve been Red Panda, I’ve been Teeth. Dunno why they thought of me!

“So yes, I’m bringing the panel something they desperately need – intelligence. Watch out, Jonathan, Maya, Davina and Mo because I’m bringing my own detectives to rival yours! Oh yes, and we’re not here to play, we are here to win!”

Hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary were thrilled with the news, and Alison said: “Oh my gosh, that has made my day. It’s gonna be brilliant! It’s gonna be great, well done, Alan, we can’t wait to see you joining the panel.”

Alan has previously served as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent and was also part of the panel for ITV’s Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream, which sought to find two unknown performers to play the leads in the ABBA jukebox musical.

In the build-up to the reveal, the social media account for The Masked Singer had teased that someone new was on the way and laid out a series of clues in the video. Fans instantly started to speculate as to who the mystery celeb could be as the video claimed that “something big” was about to happen.

Initially, followers thought that a singer was joining the panel, with one writing: “We do need a singer panellist ngl,” and another said: “we need someone on the panel that knows singing like the back of their hand that does singing full time like [former panellist] Rita [Ora]”

One fan thought that, if a singer was indeed joining the panel, it could be West End star Mazz Murray. They wrote: “Mazz Murray because of the Greece postcard and it says missing you and Mazz left Mamma Mia! and Donna Sheridan is one of her most well known roles.”

Another thought it could be McFly stars Danny Jones and Tom Fletcher, but another simply said: “Whatever it is, if it’s being teased early it’ll be big.”

The Masked Singer normally airs in January, and earlier this year, Sugababes singer Keisha Buchanan won the series after no one managed to guess that she had been secretly performing as Moth.

Other winners over the years include pop stars Nicola Roberts and Natalie Imbruglia as well as West End actress Samantha Barks, who is best known for her roles in Les Miserables and Frozen.

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Bradley Walsh was back on screens for a new episode of ITV’s The Chase Around The World

Viewers watching The Chase Around The World were all left saying the same thing.

The ITV spin-off show returned to screens on Thursday (July 30) – hosted by beloved presenter Bradley Walsh. The latest programme saw the remaining teams land in Lisbon, racing through the city towards the finishing point.

Required to solve various puzzles and answer questions throughout their route, the teams had to successfully complete games involving custard tarts, tins of sardines, phone boxes and tuk-tuks.

However, it appears viewers were not that impressed with the latest instalment, with several disgruntled fans airing their thoughts on X.

One person moaned: “I really hope they don’t do another series of this. I really thought this was gonna be good but it’s s**t.”

Someone else chimed in: “Feels like a rip off of the BBC’s Race around the World but with a few quiz questions.” A third added: “Should be called The Chase Across Europe cos they are only going to European Cities!”

A fourth person penned: “Totally boring, half a dozen silly questions and people running round back streets for hours. You’re worth more Brad!!!”

Nonetheless, when the show first aired a few weeks back, the reception was positive.

On Facebook, one person said: “Loved it. Watching G No 3 now. It’s great if you like general knowledge.” Another wrote: “I quite liked it.” Someone else penned: “I liked it but wow the questions were hard.”

It comes after host Bradley Walsh gushed about the exciting new spin-off series. He teased: “I would describe it as The Chase… but around the world! It’s out and about.

“It was very different doing it on location, in these incredible places, instead of being in a studio. I’ve been locked in Elstree Studios for 17 years!

“The locations were unbelievable. I loved it, I really did, but then again, I wasn’t chasing around, literally chasing around, the cities we were in.”

Discussing how intense the competition became, he disclosed: “The competition really heated up; you could see the contestants thinking, ‘Right, this is what we’ve got to do. This is how to play this game’.

“There were times when some were over-taking others, some were slipping back. And, a couple of times, which is really quite interesting and what I liked, they literally saw each other on the street, or in a place where they were getting a clue.”

The Chase Around The World airs every Thursday at 9pm on ITV1.