show biz

Bookmakers have suggested Sally Nugent is the frontrunner for the BBC Breakfast position

Bookmakers have tipped Sally Nugent to take over from Naga Munchetty on BBC Breakfast.

Naga announced last month that she was vacating her seat on the sofa, having been with the BBC morning programme since 2009, and now talk has turned to who will replace her.

Coral has now shared some odds and Sally – who is already one of the presenters on the programme – is the clear frontrunner for Naga’s job.

She currently has odds of 1/2, with Coral’s John Hill saying: “Sally Nugent is already a familiar face on BBC Breakfast, and our odds makes her the clear favourite to replace Naga Munchetty on the popular early-morning programme.”

Sally started her career at BBC Radio Merseyside and also worked at BBC North West Tonight and BBC News.

She became a part of the BBC Breakfast team as a sports presenter and then in 2021 it was announced that she was going to be a regular presenter from Mondays to Wednesdays. She usually hosts the programme alongside Jon Kay.

Other TV stars whose names are in the mix include BBC Morning Live host Helen Skelton, who is currently at 5/1 to succeed Naga when she bids farewell to the programme.

Sarah Campbell, who already hosts the programme, has odds of 7/1, while former BBC Breakfast business presenter Steph McGovern is on 6/1. Journalist Tina Daheley is listed at 8/1, while Emma Vardy and Luxmy Gopal, both hosts on the show, are at 10/1 and 12/1 respectively.

Broadcaster and newsreader Victoria Derbyshire is also considered a potential candidate for Naga’s role, and is currently at 14/1.

Naga confirmed last month that she was leaving BBC Breakfast and that she will assume the role of presenting 5 Live Breakfast five days a week from January.

“It has been a privilege to be part of the BBC Breakfast TV team for the past 17 years, working alongside an incredibly talented and hard-working group of journalists who are not only outstanding colleagues but also great friends,” she said in a statement.

“Presenting a flagship programme on 5 Live is an opportunity that was simply too good to pass up. It will take a huge amount of work and require 100% of my focus and energy, and I’m really looking forward to throwing myself into the role.”

BBC Breakfast airs from 6am on BBC One.

JENNIFER Lopez showed off her incredible figure in a satin white bikini for a new photoshoot.

The actress and singer, 57, confidently flaunted her taut abs in the two-piece, which she paired with polka dot court heels for a 1950s-esque look.

Donning black sunglasses and a patterned headscarf, Jennifer posed up a storm for the selection of snaps as she channelled the past.

Sharing the pictures to Instagram, the star captioned the post: “Leo season continues🦁”.

Fellow celebs such as Jessica Alba and Jenna Dewan took to the comment section to praise Jennifer’s looks.

It comes as the star has spent the summer enjoying a road trip around Italy with her children – documenting the trip with a post to Instagram last week.

HATH-A-WAY TO GO

Anne Hathaway flashes bump after hitting back at ‘faking pregnancy’ claims

HAPPY COUPLE

Olympian and CBB star marries TikTok influencer in romantic Denmark wedding

Jennifer shares twins with her ex-husband Marc Anthony.

She is currently thought to be single following her split from Ben Affleck, whom she divorced in 2024.

Last month, it was claimed that her marriage to Ben, which began in 2022 following their reunion after calling off a wedding 20 years prior, was a ‘publicity stunt’.

Speaking out, her first husband, personal trainer Ojani Noa, slammed in an interview: “That marriage was a publicity stunt. She needed people to talk about her again.”

Jennifer married Ojani in February 1997, following a whirlwind romance.

His claims came after The Sun on Sunday revealed how Jennifer’s marriage to Ojani ended after he accused her of cheating on him with her ex, disgraced rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs.

ANNE Hathaway has flashed her baby bump after hitting back at claims she is ‘faking her pregnancy’.

The stunning actress, 43, attended the premiere for her movie The End of Oak Street.

For the occasion on Sunday night, Anne wore some low-waisted jeans and floaty dip hem top.

With her bump on display, Anne received criticism for her look, as well as wild comments that her bump might be “fake”.

As the internet exploded with wild claims, Anne hit back in a subtle yet direct way.

Posting a clip to Instagram in her glam chair as she got ready for the premiere, Anne defiantly wrote in the caption: “Fake hair, real bump.”

HATHING A BABY!

Anne Hathaway, 43, announces she’s pregnant with third baby in bump reveal

BLUNT FORCE

Emily Blunt lifts lid on Devil Wears Prada romances & bond with Anne Hathaway

Fans flocked to the comments to defend the stunning Devil Wears Prada actress.

“Since when was it considered ‘normal’ to comment on a pregnant woman’s bump/appearance in a negative way.

“Anne you look bloody amazing,” said one person.

“Love that you showed off your beautiful bump,” said a second.

“That’s her pregnancy belly! It’s just pale and the baby sitting that way. I saw it jiggle,” penned a third.

While a fourth said: “Fake or not, it’s none of our business.
Stay out of her pregnancy. Let her be a person.”

And a fifth penned: “THIS. This is how you clap back at people’s unsolicited opinions!”

Anne revealed she was expecting her third child back in June.

She shared a sweet post of her showing off her blossoming bump, which left her millions of followers completely overjoyed.

Walking into shot wearing a billowing white skirt and cropped top, Anne showed off her blossoming baby bump.

In the caption of the post she gushed: “x Baby, I’m yours x.”

Anne already has two kids with her husband, Adam Shulman.

She has two sons, Jonathan Rosebanks Shulman, born in March 2016, and Jack Shulman, born in November 2019.

K-POP influencer Mina Chan, 26, has taken her own life during a disturbing livestream.

She said she had been harassed by the fans of a popular boy band for “overstepping boundaries” in the days before her death.

The Japanese social media star died by suicide in the early hours of August 5.

She was based in South Korea and known for running a fan account for K-pop boyband Enhypen.

More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online

Thesun.co.uk is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.

Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us on TikTok @TheSun.

ROD Stewart has sparked concern for his health as he pulled out of a second concert in a week over a mystery medical issue.

It’s been revealed 81-year-old rocker has pulled out of his August 9 gig at the Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati.

This comes after he cancelled a string of concerts earlier this year due to health setbacks.

The organisers of the event announced the shocking news yesterday – the day of the gig.

They confirmed Rod was undergoing an “unforeseen but minor medical procedure.”

The venue shared a statement on social media, which said: “Due to an unforeseen but minor medical procedure that required prompt attention, Rod Stewart’s performance tonight in Cincinnati has been postponed.

GRANDPA ROD

Rod Stewart, 81, is a grandfather for sixth time as daughter welcomes 2nd child

NO SHOW

Rod Stewart cancels gig hours before he’s due onstage – as fans fume

“Rescheduling is currently underway, with additional information to follow on Tuesday.

“All previously purchased tickets will be honored for the rescheduled date.”

They claimed Rod is expected to be back tearing up the stage soon.

“Rod is expected to make a quick recovery and looks forward to returning to Cincinnati,” said the Riverbend Music centre.

One fan wrote: “I hope he’s okay,” followed by a praying hands emoji.

“Praying he’s doing well the concert hasn’t been cancelled just postponed,” penned another fan.

This isn’t the first time the Scottish-born star has left his fans feeling concerned.

Back in June the hitmaker was forced to pull out of a gig in California, due to a respiratory infection that later triggered a bout of laryngitis.

Just a week later, Rod stopped midway through his Utah concert and was seen using an oxygen tank onstage after nearly passing out.

Following the sad news, Rod also postponed his concerts at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado in June, citing vocal rest.

He has repeatedly told fans that while he is winding down large-scale global arena touring, he has no intention of fully retiring from music or performing altogether.

Rod Stewart, who is married to TV personality Penny Lancaster, shot to fame in 1971 following the release of his debut album, Every Picture Tells A Story.

His biggest hits include Maggie May, Sailing and Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?

Over his six-decade career, he’s sold over 250 million records worldwide, been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, and received a knighthood in 2016.

Brad Pitt has revealed that he’s back on the sauce.

During a vulnerable interview published in Esquire on Monday, Pitt said he’d started drinking again, in moderation. “I was sober for seven years,” he said. “And then I got back off the wagon.”

The be-all and end-all of movie stars, Pitt had a messy, highly publicized (and litigated) divorce from fellow crème de la crème star Angelina Jolie that stretched from 2016 to 2024. Jolie filed to end the power couple’s two-year marriage after an alleged alcohol-fueled incident on a private plane. The fallout has been consequential for both stars, and served as the catalyst for Pitt seeking help through Alcoholics Anonymous.

Now, maybe after a seven-year itch, Pitt is trying to rework his relationship with alcohol, this time “in a more restrained manner.”

“I got overconfident a couple times, went, ‘Yep, nope, not good for me. Not in big quantities,’” he told Esquire.

When it comes to wine, Pitt says, “Well  . . .  I can have a few. But I can’t have a lot. I have to be professional about it.”

The “Heart of the Beast” star has been candid about his sober-curious journey in recent years and publicly thanked actor (and sponsor to the stars) Bradley Cooper for helping him get sober. “I got sober because of this guy,” he said during a 2020 acceptance speech at the National Board of Review’s annual awards gala. “And every day has been happier since.”

And last June, the Oscar winner sat down with Dax Shepard for an episode of “Armchair Expert” and opened up about the positive experience he’d had in the 12-step program. “I am a stubborn f—, but when I’ve stepped in s—, I’m pretty good at taking responsibility for it and owning up to it,” he told Shepard. “And now it’s a quest to … make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

In the Esquire story, Pitt admitted that, during the darkest period of grappling with what he referred to as “family stuff,” he could see how suicide might feel like relief — but that his survival instinct kicked in. He discussed feeling immense grief and how that grief can leave a gaping hole. Rather than climbing out of it, Pitt said he thought of it as “going through it.”

“And trying and trying and trying and trying to the point of exhaustion and then trying again,” he told the magazine. “I don’t want to ignore the place where you run up against the wall. But I just one day woke up, and it just felt a little sunnier and the air felt a little sweeter. Just microdoses of it.”

It’s been four years in the making, now a staggering ‘real life’ Lion King tells the story of how one cub makes it all the way to the top

When the makers of National Geographic’s Lion started out on their four-year mission to tell the story of a pride of lions in the Masai Mara, they did not think they get the real-life version of The Lion King.

But after 52 shoots over 1400 filming days in Kenya and 1,000 hours of footage, they ended up focusing on the journey undertaken by eight-week old male Kio – the first natural history series to follow a lion throughout their full journey from a tiny cub to a king.

The four-part series is the brainchild of The Lion King director Jon Favreau and BBC Studios executive producer Mike Gunton, and has a score by renowned composer Hans Zimmer. Series producer Jane Atkins said it had been a rollercoaster of emotion. “We poured so much love into the project, so I just hope that passion comes through with the way audiences receive it. We want to make films that transport people.”

Lions have a high infant mortality rate, with more than 50% not making it past their second year – and male lions are notoriously hard to follow because they are always wandering off. Jane initially thought the main story would be about a female matriarch but she soon knew that Kio, who was incredibly close to his experienced mother Summer, had potential to become the main star. “I knew it was risky, because of all the statistics, but I was backing that story quite early on. To not have a clue right at the beginning what our end story was going to be was terrifying. But we thought we must be bold, ambitious and able to shift if we don’t get the story that we want. We were playing a very kind of high-stakes gamble the whole time.”

Mike said that when he pitched the project to National Geographic all those years ago, he could only do so in the vaguest terms. “My pitch was not to tell the Lion King, it was to tell the story of a lion pride,” he explained. “None of us knew that it would end up being a male but relatively quickly this male started to stand out as a potential character. But you’d be foolish to just follow him. We were following some adult females, we were following many other lions but as time went on, he became more and more a key character.

“As time goes on, it gets increasingly risky, because you’ve invested more and more in that individual, both emotionally and in terms of footage. As you get closer and closer to the end – which is when you run out of time and money – every day, you think, please don’t die, please don’t die.”

Across the four episodes Kio not only loses important family members, he also loses his home. But over time he proves himself an equal among his older brothers, becoming strong enough to fight rival males and together he and the brotherhood take over a new pride of females, and finally take control of a new kingdom.

Jane said she has found the filming process pulled at the heartstrings in more ways than one. “We were so in love with the characters, by the end I felt really emotional, not just because I was so proud of the team, but also – this sounds strange – I was so proud of this little cub who had made it. He had become this incredible adult male, and it’s like seeing my 14-year-old son, over those years, kind of become a man.”

She said the male lions had to fight hard to succeed, which wasn’t always easy to watch. “You feel incredibly protective, so it is like having your own son, and having to sort of let go of them a little bit.” She could only relax after three and a half years of filming. “We lived and breathed every second of it,” she said. “Jon Favreau was so nervous, he’d say ‘every time you phone me, I feel like you’re about to say something terrible’. His first question was always, ‘is Kio alive?’

At one point, one of the big characters does die and director of photography Sophie Darlington had to overcome her grief to carry on filming. “The way she died was incredibly sad,” Jane said. “We had meetings straight away in the office, and people were crying and there was a lot of upset, and then we had to ask Sophie to go back out to film the aftermath of what happened on Kio and the boys.”

Mike told the Mirror that it was nerve-wracking to make a drama featuring a cast over which they had no control with one of the biggest challenges simply keeping tabs on them. “They’re not collared so we rely on the guides to find them. Every morning before dawn you’d go to where you saw them last, and hope they’re there. If they’re not you drive around and hope that you can find them.”

He said the only script was the one that “nature has written” and explained: “Our job is to just gather and pick the moments of relevant excitement.”

He said the skills of those on the ground were phenomenal. “You are spending 90% of the time with nothing, and then, bang, something will happen almost out of the blue. That’s why the skills of the trackers and the camera teams are extraordinary, they know it’s coming, they’ve got that sixth sense.”

One shocking storyline involves Kio’s mother. “Viewers are going to be shocked by Summer’s story,” Mike warns. “We knew what happened, and it was an interesting filmmaking challenge, how you tell that story without the actual imagery. But you also have to be quite careful politically about how you frame that story.”

Mike found that while it was extremely challenging – it was also incredibly rewarding. “It’s been one of the most joyful things I’ve ever worked on. I say that because it all worked ou,” he laughed. “Imagine if after three and a half years they all died – I would probably be having a very different conversation.”

Mike, who works on many of the David Attenborough series for the BBC, added: “I know epic gets overused, but it does feel, genuinely, like an epic story. I think it’s a real privilege to do something that is this epic.”

In order to know precisely what they were filming, the team gave each lion its own identification card and quickly becoming expert at identifying up to 50 lions from different prides by name and family relationships.

The four episodes will be voiced by actor OJ Lynch – because Favreau wanted the series to use a “storyteller’s voice,” as if the audience was sitting around a campfire with an elder. Lynch previously played Mufasa in the West End version of The Lion King – and also used to work at BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit. “I knew him when he was a postboy about 40 years ago,” Mike says. “I just thought his voice was fantastic. I wanted a voice that wasn’t a famous voice but could be anybody from that part of the world, and Jon felt the same. We felt this was a story that could have been told at any time – 10 years ago, 100 years ago, a thousand years ago. It’s a story of all time.”

– Lion airs on National Geographic as a double bill from Thursday 20 August at 8pm and 9pm, and also streams on Disney +

SINGER Louise Redknapp has split from her boyfriend of over two years Drew Michael.

It was her first serious romance since the breakdown of her 19-year marriage to football pundit Jamie Redknapp, 53, almost a decade ago.

The ex-Eternal girl group star, 51, separated from the businessman and former Army officer, 42, earlier this year.

They had been dating since autumn 2023 but called time on the relationship and he is believed to have left the UK.

However, friends insist she is thriving as a singleton and she recently jetted off twice on girls’ trips to Ibiza.

A source said: “Louise and Drew decided to end things a little while ago.

take me out!

Paddy McGuinness’s stunning new woman REVEALED as star looks smitten on outing

CLEMMIE MOODIE

Bullying, tantrums, THROWING objects… Which A-lister is terrorising crews?

“Things had been really good between them but it felt like their relationship had run its course and they both thought it was best to move on.

“It was all very amicable and although it’s never fun when a relationship ends, Louise has thrown herself back into her social life and her busy work schedule.

Drew’s thought to have moved abroad for work so it’s been a clean break.

“She’s in no rush to jump back into another relationship because she feels very fulfilled with her life right now, but she’ll see what happens.”

Speaking about Drew last year, she said their relationship had inspired the track Manifesting on her fifth solo album, Confessions.

Louise, who shares sons Charley, 22, and Beau, 17, with Jamie, added: “Drew is great with my boys.

“He’s just a really great guy.

“I feel very lucky to have met him.”

She is now gearing up for her Naked Confessions UK tour next spring, when she will perform songs from her latest album and mark 30 years since her solo debut, Naked.

Louise separated from Jamie in 2017 following a stint on Strictly.

She said of their separation: “I couldn’t just keep on kind of just being there existing — I’m an entertainer.”

Jamie went on to wed model Frida Andersson in 2021 and they have a son, Raphael, four.

Emmerdale star Christopher Coghill, who plays villain Kev Barton, was once struck over the head with a handbag by a fan who was horrified at his on-screen behaviour

Soap star Christopher Coghill has discussed what happened during a bizarre fan encounter in Selfridges.

The actor, who portrays Kev Barton in ITV soap Emmerdale, describes his character as “a sympathetic psychopath, if you will”, adding he remains unfazed about being typecast as a villain following his stint playing paedophile Tony King in EastEnders in 2008.

He said: “You’ve got to give people a bit of credit. When I started in EastEnders, there were people who were like, ‘You know, there are people out there who really can’t tell the difference between what they see on telly and real life, and because of the character you’re playing, you’re going to get a lot of shit, and you might need police protection’.

“And then you go out, and people go, ‘Oh, you’re brilliant in EastEnders’, and that was kind of it. I did get hit over the head with a handbag in Selfridges, but apart from that..”

His Emmerdale colleague William Ash, who takes on the role of Caleb Miligan, said he’s encountered similar reactions, adding: “People are genuinely generally really nice. You don’t get any grief, really. I did have one woman at the at the petrol station going ‘oh, you’re right horrible to Moira’.”

The duo, who previously shared the screen in the 2003 drama Burn It and portrayed brothers in both the 2006 one-off comedy Magnolia and a 2016 episode of Moving On, find themselves embroiled in an Emmerdale storyline centred on an assault on Billy Fletcher (Jay Kontzle) at the depot.

Kev is responsible for the attack and Caleb possesses CCTV footage of the incident, but has been concealing it so he can pin the blame on his bitter rival, Joe Tate (Ned Porteous).

Coghill said of the footage: “I hold my hands up, it does look bad – I am bent over him with a crowbar and he’s in a pool of blood.”

Yet it might not prove to be the leverage that Caleb believes it to be.

Ash said: “I think [Caleb and wife Ruby, played by Beth Cordingly] just don’t know how to handle him, like most people in the village. It’s like he’s such a loose cannon. You just don’t know what you’re going to get from him.”

Coghill is equally insistent that he wants no further singing scenes for his character, following his on-screen serenade to estranged husband Robert (Ryan Hawley) with If You’re Not The One by Daniel Bedingfield, and his subsequent attempt to convey his emotions to long-lost son Lewis (Bradley Riches) through a rendition of Boyzone’s Father And Son.

Coghill said: “Do you know what, [producer] Laura Shaw did say to me the other week, do you want to do All I Want For Christmas Is You? And I said, if you keep me till Christmas 2029, I’ll do it then. That’s how my contract negotiations are going. But no, it’s excruciating. Horrible.

“If I could sing, I wouldn’t be an actor. If I could sing, I would have been in a band in the 1990s.”

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and STV, and is available to stream from 7am on ITVX, STV Player and YouTube.

Ben Jones, the actor best known for portraying trusty mechanic Cooter Davenport on “The Dukes of Hazzard” before serving two terms in Congress as a representative from Georgia, has died. He was 84.

Jones died Sunday of a heart attack at his home in Virginia, his wife, Alma Viator, said on social media.

“I lost the love of my life today,” Viator wrote on Facebook. “Ben passed from a massive heart attack. He was home resting in his favorite chair waiting for the Braves to come on and whoop the Yankees. Ben had the most amazing rich full life. He loved and was loved by so many. He will be missed. I loved him so so much.”

A character actor whose earliest credits include films such as “Together for Days” (1972) and “Moonrunners” (1975), Jones’ break came when he landed the role of “Crazy Cooter” Davenport on the CBS action comedy “The Dukes of Hazzard.” The series, which aired from 1979 to 1985, primarily followed close-knit cousins Bo (John Schneider) and Luke Duke (Tom Wopat), as well as those in their orbit in the fictional Hazzard County, Georgia.

“The Dukes of Hazzard lost another integral part of their cast today,” Wopat wrote in his tribute to Jones on Instagram. “Ben Jones was a fine friend and a fierce advocate of all the best things we can offer in the entertainment business. He will be sorely missed… Denver Pyle frequently said to Ben, ‘I’m not your Uncle Jesse!’ But I feel like we lost a Duke cousin today.”

Initially introduced as a gruff wild man without much regard for the law, Davenport eventually settled into a loyal, fun-loving “honorary Duke” beloved by fans. The mechanic would often help repair the show’s signature vehicle, an orange 1969 Dodge Charger known as General Lee.

Despite mixed reviews from critics — former Times television critic Howard Rosenberg denounced it in 1980 as “a spittoon of a series about hotrod-speeding, card-carrying hicks somewhere in the South” — “Dukes” was one of the most-watched television shows of its time. Jones would return to play Davenport after his political career in the TV films “The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!” and “The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood,” where the character was also revealed to have ventured into politics as a congressman.

Born Aug. 30, 1941, in Tarboro, N.C., Jones grew up in Virginia and North Carolina before eventually attending the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, to study writing. He was open about his struggles with alcohol and told The Times in 1993 that he had been sober since 1977.

After his time on “Dukes,” Jones was persuaded to run for office, challenging a popular Republican incumbent, Pat Swindall, for his seat representing Georgia in the U.S. House of Representatives. Though he lost his first attempt in 1986, Jones won their rematch two years later after Swindall had been indicted for perjury in relation to a money-laundering scheme. (Swindall was later convicted.)

Jones, a Democrat, served two terms representing Georgia’s 4th Congressional District before redistricting took his seat. He later attempted to challenge then-Rep. Newt Gingrich for his seat but lost in the primary. He ran for office again after moving to Virginia, challenging Republican incumbent Eric Cantor for his seat in 2002 but was again unsuccessful.

“I think there are a lot of similarities between politics and entertainment, even more so with the advent of television,” Jones told The Times in 1993, shortly after leaving office. “It’s all about communication.”

Proud of his Southern heritage, Jones was also known for his controversial defense of the Confederate flag, which he described in a 2015 essay published by the New York Times as “a symbol of a non-racist Southern spirit” that had been “appropriated and desecrated” by racists.

Jones is survived by Viator, his fifth wife; his three children, Rachel, Jeanne and Walker; three stepchildren and 10 grandchildren, according to the New York Times.

JON Cypher, the actor who played Prince Charming in the original TV production of Cinderella, has died at the age of 94.

A family announcement said the thespian died at his home in Central Point, Oregon, on August 3.

His wife of 40 years Carol Rosin was by his side.

The cause of death has not been disclosed.

Jon will perhaps be well-known as the ambitious police chief Fletcher Daniels on the long-running Hill Street Blues.

He appeared throughout the acclaimed TV drama.

Jon also had a prominent role as General March Craig on Major Dad.

He, though, had a long list of credits including Dynasty, Knots Landing, Walker, Texas Ranger, Law & Order, As the World Turns, Santa Barbara and JAG.

Jon first appeared on the small screen alongside Julie Andrews in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s live 1957 CBS broadcast of Cinderella.

At the time, Jon was a virtual unknown,

The big-budget production aired live and in color on CBS in March 1957.

It attracted an audience of more than 107million, more than 60 per cent of US households tuning in.

He went on to play Man-At-Arms in the 1987 film Masters of the Universe.

Jon also made regular appearances on Broadway, with credits including Man of La Mancha, The Great White Hope, Big, Coco and 1776.

Davina McCall was visibly moved on Long Lost Family as she made a life-changing discovery

Davina McCall struggled to keep her emotions under control during the latest epsidoe of the heartwarming ITV series.

The beloved TV presenter fought back tears during an emotional episode of Long Lost Family which aired on Monday (August 10 ) after revealing to 76-year-old Christine that the search for her biological family had uncovered her birth certificate and an unknown brother.

Christine left in a train carriage at Waterloo station in 1949. She was discovered and taken into care, beginning a life in which the identity of her birth parents remained one of the greatest unanswered questions she carried with her.

She has spent much of her life wondering about her biological family and where she had come from. Although she had always questioned whether she would ever discover the truth, she admitted she never expected the moment to actually happen.

Away from the cameras, Davina had already broken the heartbreaking news that Christine’s birth parents had been found but had sadly died.

Speaking to Christine, Davina asked: “How are you?” Christine replied: “It was a bit of a shock. Oh, my gosh. It’s actually happening.” She explained that she had been struggling to process everything, saying that her mind had been “addled” since learning what the Long Lost Family team had discovered.

Christine admitted that she had never really expected to find her birth mother alive. She said: “I didn’t think my mother would be alive now. I’m 76 this year, but there’s always been that question. ‘Who’s my family?’” But Davina then revealed something that made the emotional moment even more poignant.

The presenter was visibly moved as she told Christine: “I want to show you something today. It’s the first time I’ve ever been able to do this for someone. I have a birth certificate.”

Christine was visibly overwhelmed by the discovery. “Oh, goodness. So my birth was registered,” she said. Davina, visibly emotional herself, confirmed that it was. She explained that Christine’s birth mother, Joyce, was just 22 years old when she gave birth to her.

For Christine, the information was difficult to absorb. “It is a lot to take in. Oh, my goodness. So I was born in Portsmouth,” she said.

Davina confirmed that Christine had been born in hospital. The discovery appeared to answer some of the questions Christine had carried with her for decades.

Christine began trying to piece together what may have happened to her young mother. She reflected: “So, she’s looked after, and I was looked after. She must have left the hospital and gone straight up to Waterloo. But it doesn’t have the father. Probably couldn’t look after me on her own.”

Then Christine asked the question that would lead to another extraordinary discovery. “Did she have any more children?” Davina replied simply: “She did.” Christine immediately reacted with shock. “Oh, my gosh. This just gets better,” she said.

Davina then revealed that Christine had a brother named Barry — and that he had been born just one year before her. Christine wanted to know what had happened to him and asked whether Barry had stayed with their mother.

But Davina revealed that Barry had also been fostered. Davina explained: “Barry has got a birth certificate and that’s what your birth mother’s name is on it. He was the key to everything.”

Later on in the show Christine finally reunited with brother Barry. The reunion was particularly poignant given that Christine had already learned the heart breaking news that her biological parents had both died.

Long Lost Family: Born Without Trace is available to stream on ITVX

Trewley-Precious opened up about the pressure she felt to stay in her marriage because of her culture, admitting she was left feeling ashamed after walking away

A Channel 4 star has opened up about her love life.

The Secret Lives of Gypsy Wives star broke down in tears as she said that she felt like a “failure” after leaving her marriage. Trewley-Precious made a return to our TV screens tonight (August 10) for another episode of her Channel 4 reality show, as she yet again allows cameras into her family life.

She attempts to forge a career online, while balancing the expectations of her traditional Traveller family. During a heartfelt moment, the reality star revealed she married at just 19 and left her husband three years later, admitting she felt a huge amount of shame because of the expectations placed on her within her culture.

In some Traveller communities, traditional expectations can place a strong emphasis on women marrying young, settling down and having children.

Trewley was discussing her life with a friend when she was asked how her family felt about her being a “rule breaker”, with her friend pointing out that, “realistically”, she should probably have been married with three children by now.

Speaking to the camera, Trewley explained: “Yeah, I’ve done one of those things. I was in a relationship for four years, I was a wife. To be married in our culture means that you’ve been given to a man without church and you’re set for life.”

The star went on to reveal that she had married her husband when she was just 19. “I got married to him when I was 19 and then I left him when I was 22,” she said. “I got out of there, it just wasn’t good, it wasn’t the nicest thing.” But despite leaving a relationship she says was not good for her, Trewley admitted she struggled emotionally with her decision.

“I felt a lot of shame when I left him, just because it felt like I had failed,” she said. Later, back in bed with her friend, Trewley became visibly emotional as she reflected on how long she had remained in the marriage. To think I was in such a bad place being in that marriage for so long,” she said. “I should have left that two years prior to everything and I didn’t because it was a shame.”

Fighting back tears, Trewley explained that the experience had fundamentally changed the way she viewed relationships and, most importantly, herself.

“It taught me that the only thing we had in common at that time is that we both didn’t love me and now I do,” she said. “I’d never be in something like that ever, ever, ever, ever again.”

Trewley went on to discuss the expectations she had grown up with about marriage and standing by a husband “through thick and thin”.

“I’ve seen a lot of women survive their marriages, survive this and that but I’m not doing that,” she said. “I’ve just been raised that you stand by a man through thick and thin but now that I’m older, I’ve also realised you show a man that you’ll go through anything with him, they’ll put you through everything.”

Her comments appeared to bring up painful memories of her own family, with Trewley becoming overwhelmed as she questioned how her mum had endured so much.

“How could my mum put up with so much, do so much, I can’t,” she said through tears. “In my head, I just couldn’t do what my mum did. So I failed.”

But her friend immediately reassured her that leaving an unhappy marriage did not mean she had failed. “No you haven’t failed. You know your worth,” her friend told her. Trewley admitted that learning her own worth had taken time. “I didn’t for a long time but it took me ages to get it back,” she said.

And it appears the experience has completely changed what she wants from a future relationship. “The next person I will be with, they will tick, tick, tick,” Trewley said.

You can catch up on Secret Lives of Gypsy Wives on Channel 4.

Coronation Street fans have predicted that a shock reunion is on the cards for Sarah and Gary after they became wrapped up in the murder of Theo Silverton earlier this year

Sarah Platt broke up with Kit Green on Monday night’s episode of Coronation Street – and fans think they know exactly why.

The legendary soap character, who has been played by Tina O’Brien since 1999, was revealed to have killed evil Theo Silverton earlier this year by hitting him over the head with a pipe, marking the end of a vicious cycle of abuse he had inflicted on her best friend Todd Grimshaw.

She chose not to inform Kit when everything unfolded on that dramatic night, for fear of what it could do for his career, and instead called Gary Windass (Mikey North), whom she had a relationship with almost a decade ago, to help her. He helped cover everything up and hid the murder weapon but Sarah couldn’t take the guilt in the months that followed and eventually confessed all to Kit.

Currently in prison having been charged with murder, Kit is doing everything he can to try make sure Sarah gets away with her crimes, and he recently pressured Gary into confessing that he had a hand in it. To make matters worse, Gary’s wife Maria (Samia Longchambon) initially lied to the police to give Gary a false alibi before she even knew of his involvement, and even she was hauled in for questioning on the latest episode of the ITV soap.

Whilst at the station, incompetent copper DS Lisa Swain, who usually puts innocent people in prison, started to plant a seed in Maria’s head. She said: “He must really care about her, though. To risk everything for her like that. You wouldn’t just do that for anybody, would you?

“Only someone who means a lot to you… or you were in love with. I mean, does that not bother you? Not only that, but by getting you to give him a false alibi, it seems like he’s quite happy to risk you getting arrested for perverting the course of justice.

Maria was let go due to lack of evidence, but was furious when she got back home to Gary, as she raged: “Even Lisa said that for you to have done what you did, covering up for her, you must still have feelings for her.”

Meanwhile, Sarah instructed Kit to come to the prison rather than speak to him in person. Almost on the verge of tears, she told him: “I love you. I love you so much. I do. But I can’t watch you jeopardise everything that you’ve worked for, and I can’t watch you do this to yourself. He’s hardly what I’d call a keeper, your Gary, now, is he?”

“You never used to be jealous. Ever. And now you don’t trust me. I can see it in your eyes when you look at me and anything I ever say, or whatever I tell you, you’re never gonna believe a word I say.

“I’m not having a go, because I get it. I know it’s my fault. I can’t do this anymore. I can’t watch you throw your career away because of me. You know as well as I do if I get sent down for us, you’re not gonna be able to stay on in the police force.

“A copper with a convicted murderer for a partner – that’s not gonna work! No, it’s over. Okay? You need to forget about me and move on.” Kit looked on in disbelief but viewers were quick to suggest that, despite Sarah’s protests, she does in fact still love Gary and this will lead to them getting back together.

Reacting to the emotional scenes, one fan wrote on X: “After all this, sarah and gary have to end up together, right? I mean, Gary’s risked his livelihood for sarah and she keeps trying to protect him.”

Another said: “Gary & Sarah have been protecting each other over & over for real crimes while hurting their actual partners. All I’m seeing is Gary & Sarah endgame“

A third wrote: “I would’ve understood if Sarah had been convicted but all the things she’s mentioning are only relevant if she gets sent down. She’s giving up on Kit so easily while gladly going to prison for longer just so Gary doesn’t have to for committing a crime to protect her.”

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 .

Whitney Houston is the latest addition to the world of Barbie.

The El Segundo-based toy company is honoring the late pop star with a new Barbie Signature doll. The toy, which debuted over the weekend in Atlanta, is wearing the recognizable look from Houston’s 1987 hit music video, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me).” The Houston doll wears a lilac-hued tank dress, colorful drop earrings and vibrant eye makeup, and comes with a microphone stand. The collectible costs around $60.

Houston’s estate worked closely with Mattel to create a doll that captures the late singer’s essence and glamour. The release lands about 40 years after the New Jersey-raised musician appeared in the music video for the popular song.

“Whitney Houston’s music has been the soundtrack to countless moments for fans around the world. Barbie is proud to honor her extraordinary legacy with the latest addition to the Barbie Signature Series,” Mattel Vice President and Head of Barbie Nathan Baynard said in a statement. “We hope it gives fans a meaningful way to celebrate the artist whose voice and influence continue to resonate around the world.”

The doll arrives at an uneasy moment for the brand it’s built on. In second-quarter results reported Aug. 4, Mattel’s worldwide gross billings for dolls fell 5% to $318 million, driven primarily by a decline in the Barbie brand — the same story as the first quarter, when doll billings dropped 8%, and as 2025, when the category slid 7% for the full year on Barbie declines. In March, Mattel laid off 65 employees, roughly a year after cutting 120 jobs to reduce costs. Shares of Mattel hovered around $14.72 midday, down 0.5%.

Mattel hopes to appeal to adult collectors and fans of Houston with its latest release.

Throughout her career, Houston earned the nickname of “The Voice” because of her unparalleled vocal abilities. Some of her biggest hits include “Saving All My Love For You,” “I Have Nothing,” and her cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.” To this day, Houston holds the Guinness World Record for the most awards won by a female artist, with more than 400 prizes, including six Grammys. The singer died unexpectedly at age 48 in 2012.

Houston is joining other iconic female musicians as Barbie dolls. In recent years, Mattel released dolls that resemble Tina Turner, Stevie Nicks, Gloria Estefan and Mariah Carey. Mattel’s Signature Series appeals to collectors of all kinds, as the company releases dolls of athletes such as LeBron James and Angel Reese, fictional characters such as Cher from the 1995 feature film “Clueless,” Supergirl and historical figures such as Ida B. Wells.

“The new Whitney Houston Barbie honors a woman whose voice, grace, beauty, and spirit inspired generations around the world,” Pat Houston, the executor of Houston’s estate, said.

“May this doll remind every child and every collector that dreams have no limits, excellence leaves a lasting imprint, and true greatness never goes out of style.”

SALZBURG, Austria — With the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel heading off on a brief tour to London and Edinburgh, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra steps in Tuesday night at the Hollywood Bowl with an all-Mozart program. Mozart has long been a specialty of LACO.

And it so happens that the orchestra is using the Mozartean occasion to announce that its next music director will be German composer and conductor Matthias Pintscher, who has been busy conducting in Mozart’s birthplace, Salzburg, where I caught up with him.

Pintscher, who will succeed current music director Jaime Martín beginning in 2027-28 season, augurs a new era for LACO. The orchestra will have a part-time residence when the Colburn Center opens next fall. The innovative 1,000-seat hall for concert, opera and dance looks to be Frank Gehry’s last music-meant masterpiece certain to usher in a new era for the Grand Avenue cultural district.

It also means a sort of homecoming for LACO, which gave its first concert in 1969 in the then-new Mark Taper Forum, the last of the Music Center’s initial three venues. The orchestra had been founded as an outlet to Hollywood studio musicians, and its first music director was the lively Mozartean, Neville Marriner. LACO’s first nine seasons included a Monday night series when the theater, originally meant to be a chamber music hall, was otherwise dark.

A little odd, perhaps, but the Taper remains until now the most intriguing venue of the peripatetic ensemble that has roamed through the years from Santa Monica to Pasadena, and that helped give the ensemble a distinctive image.

That is still the case. Once the Colburn Center opens, LACO will continue its series at the Wallis as well as at various chamber music programs around town.

Pintscher made his LACO debut in 2016 and already there was talk about him succeeding Jeffry Kahane, at two decades, who was the longest-running and most admired music director. Pintscher then served as its artist-in-residence, during which he oversaw a stab at the avant-garde. Not all LACO patrons were pleased.

It was out of the modernism, if not exactly avant-garde (but close), that Pintscher emerged first as a composer of colorfully complex orchestral and vocal scores that reflect a dizzying technical command and often a deep philosophical concept, sometimes taken from ancient Judaic tradition. His first big break as a conductor was as music director of France’s premiere new music Ensemble Intercontemporain that was founded by Pierre Boulez. But Pintscher also expanded in other directions. At the same time, he guest conducted orchestras in Europe and America with programs, while heavily weighed on the 20th century, that went back to Mozart and Haydn. He developed a surprising reputation as an interpreter of Rachmaninoff and other romantics disliked by modernists.

In 2008, he moved to New York, where he has remained, teaching composition at the Juilliard School and guest conducting widely (including the Los Angeles Philharmonic). Two years ago, he became the unlikely music director of the Kansas City Symphony. It was, he said over coffee at Salzburg hotel terrace, love at first rehearsal. His programming is a kind of wish-list of the new and recent with newly-buffed chestnuts, and it’s worked. His contract has been extended to 2034.

Pintscher, who is 55, says he is not ready to make any grand statements about LACO other than being eager to explore West Coast music and that he loves combining old with everything else. There is always room for Mozart and Haydn, to say nothing for his recent infatuation with Aaron Copland. He also described a mission for collaborative and theatrical projects, noting eager discussions with the Los Angeles Master Chorale (expect a Haydn “Creation” sooner rather than later) and director Peter Sellars.

When asked whether he saw himself as a composer who conducts or a conductor who composes, he simply laughed. But Pintscher did say he had no intention, at least for the present, of conducting his own works, feeling that to be a kind of self-promotion. But his mind can be changed. After two years Kansas City talked him into doing a piece, even if a small one.

Meanwhile, a new opera by Pintscher, “Das Kalte Herz” (The Cold Heart), which had its premiere in Berlin earlier this year, happened to be directed by the Long Beach Opera artistic director and chief creative officer, James Darrah Black. Watch this space.

Pintscher was enticed to the Salzburg Festival as part of this summer’s homage to the ageless Hungarian composer György Kurtág, who turned 100 this year. Pintscher conducted two programs with Vienna’s new music ensemble Klangforum Wien. In one, noting Kurtág’s affinity to Samuel Beckett, Pintscher led a transfixing performance of Morton Feldman’s “For Samuel Beckett” holding an audience prisoner for 50 minutes within a chord that won’t go away.

A mystical aura filled the heat-wave-sweaty Kollegienkirche, a voluminous central Salzburg church. Written on his deathbed in 1988, Feldman‘s piece reflects a final harmonic vision combining mismatched patterning of Turkish rugs and Hebraic chant. It remains super soft throughout and nothing seems to happen. But under the surface, little bits of notes fall precisely in and out of place in a rhythmic structure almost too hard to count.

The world’s complexity and emptiness simultaneously filled the church. Afterward, I walked past the home where Mozart was born. It was late at night. The tourists had turned in. My hotel was nearby, just across the river. But I made a lost, wrong turn.

Pintscher had put a peaceful, Feldman-esque, Twilight Zone spell on Mozart.

TINIE Tempah was spotted crashing a couple’s beach wedding after performing at Boardmasters festival in Cornwall.

The rapper, 37, who has just announced a new album after ten years, looked as if he was in his element as he posed next to the newlyweds.

Bride and groom Jenny and Dave Boorman had just got married in Newquay, when they were spotted by Tinie.

The singer saw the couple from Leicester celebrating with their friends and family on the beach.

The kind-hearted star then came over to Jenny and Dave and congratulated them on getting married, and the three of them all posed for photos.

Just hours before, Tinie had performed to 50,000 at the Boardmasters Festival, as he signals his return to music.

READ MORE ON TINIE TEMPAH

BACK FOR MORE

Chart-topping Brit music star announces first album in nearly 10 years

HE’S BACK

Huge Brit rapper reveals new album is WEEKS away 9 years since last record

The star announced at the weekend that he is set to release his first album in ten years.

The singer’s last record, Youth, came out in 2017, and included songs Girls Like featuring Zara Larsson and Not Letting Go with Jess Glynne.

A decade on, and Tinie thrilled fans when he shared the exciting news that he’s releasing his fourth studio album.

“Last time I announced an album, lockdown wasn’t a thing,” he told fans.

“The UK was still in the EU, Supreme was selling bricks, memes were taking over the world, and 1 Bitcoin was worth £500.

“So much has happened in the world since then.

“It’s crazy to be announcing my 4th studio album, ‘The Night’s Not Dead,’ coming 16th October 2026.”

He added: “The journey of a night out starts today with Heaven Or Hell ft. Reggie. The track to start your night with. Let’s go!”

The Sun was first to reveal that Tinie was making his comeback.

Last month, he told us: “I’ve not released new music in a while, but I’m back on the grind and it feels good.

“I’ve started putting new music in my sets, but the album is coming in October.”

Tinie’s debut tune, Pass Out, hit the top spot in 2010 and he’s collaborated with massive stars including Rita Ora, Zara Larsson and Ellie Goulding.

Bob Mortimer has spoken about the appeal of his BBC show as Paul Whitehouse opened up about his late mother during an episode of Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing

Bob Mortimer has previously opened up about the unlikely appeal of Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing.

The comedian, who stars alongside Paul Whitehouse in the much-loved programme, said he hopes the show encourages people to spend more time with their friends, whatever their age.

Speaking during an appearance on Saturday Kitchen, Mortimer explained that much of what viewers see comes from the pair simply talking while spending long hours together by the water.

“We’re on the riverbank for eight hours, Matt. So, you know, we just talk most of the time when we’re not fishing,” he said. According to Mortimer, the production team then searches through those lengthy conversations for moments that work on screen.

“They try and find 30 seconds here or a minute there that’s worth putting on the telly,” he explained, adding that he could not imagine the programme working in quite the same way if it were scripted.

Mortimer also suggested that part of the show’s success comes from its relatability, with viewers perhaps recognising their own friendships in the relationship between the two presenters.

“I think a lot of people watch it. Certainly a lot of fellas watch it and think, ‘Oh, that’s me and my mate. That’s what we’re like,'” he said.

The relaxed conversations between Mortimer and Whitehouse have become one of the defining features of Gone Fishing, with the pair regularly discussing subjects far beyond fishing. Over the years, they have spoken openly about their health, personal experiences and events that have had a lasting impact on their lives.

One particularly emotional conversation saw Whitehouse discuss the devastating effect Alzheimer’s had on his mother, Anita May Whitehouse.

In a repeat episode of Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing airing tonight (Monday, August 10), Whitehouse, 68, reflected on his mother’s illness while speaking candidly with his friend and co-host.

Whitehouse’s mother died in January 2022, and he later described the heartbreaking reality of seeing her suffer with the condition. Introducing the subject, Mortimer asked: “Alzheimer’s is the big for you though, isn’t it?”

Whitehouse replied: “Well, it is, you know. My poor mum, there was no existence. It’s become one of the biggest killers now.”

The pair have never shied away from difficult conversations on Gone Fishing, with their friendship providing a backdrop for discussions about everything from serious health problems to major moments in their personal and professional lives.

Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing airs tonight at 10pm on BBC Two

A huge TV star has joined the cast of a new 5 drama adaptation of a book by Graham Norton

Inspector Morse star Kevin Whately has bagged a role in a “compelling” new drama.

The actor is best known to viewers for appearing in the hugely successful crime dramas Inspector Morse and Lewis.

In his new Channel 5 programme Forever Home, he will be playing a character called Silent Dave. The six-part series – a screen adaptation of Graham Norton’s novel – tells the story of a second wife dealing with the memories of the woman who went before her.

“When Carol discovers a long-dead body hidden in the basement of her home, the horrific realisation is undeniable – she’s living with a killer,” the broadcaster teased when the show was announced.

“The story that her husband’s first wife ran away never to be seen again now looks like a lie, and the fact he’s insisted on never selling the house suddenly makes sense. But one dark family secret is soon to be replaced by another…”

Other cast members include Amy Nuttal, Douglas Henshall, Lewis Cope, Jenny Walser, Shane Zaza and Denise Welch, who will star as Carol’s mother Moira Crottie.

The series, which has been filming in Northumberland, is co-produced by FilmNation Entertainment and The Mediapro Studio, supported by the North East Production Fund and North East Screen.

Describing his book, Graham said that it was “a funny, twisted, ‘dark-romp’ full of farcical scenes”. He went on: “In writing Forever Home, I was initially inspired by the simple idea of packing up a home later in life, and the ‘what if’ scenarios and complexities that come with later-life relationships.”

When it was announced, Paul Testar, commissioning editor at 5, said: “We’re delighted to partner with FilmNation and The Mediapro Studio to bring Graham Norton’s compelling novel to UK screens, supported by an outstanding cast.”

Kevin’s first major role was as Neville Hope in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, a role he held from 1983 to 2004.

“Then in 1987 he was cast as Detective Sergeant Robert Lewis in Inspector Morse. He was in the hit series until 2000, then from 2006 to 2015 starred in spin-off, Lewis.

The actor has appeared in several other big TV series during his career, including Peak Practice, Vera and Midsomer Murders.

Forever Home is coming soon to watch and stream on 5.

Video podcasts from the Jonas Brothers and the cast of “Boy Meets World” are heading to Disney+ as part of a new licensing partnership with iHeartMedia designed to capture viewers on mobile and beyond.

The agreement will bring six iHeartMedia podcasts to Disney+ and Hulu, starting with “Hey Jonas!” hosted by Kevin, Nick and Joe Jonas on both streaming services. “Pod Meets World,” hosted by the stars of the ’90s sitcom “Boy Meets World,” will also appear on Disney+ later this month.

Other podcasts coming this fall to Hulu include “Fake Doctors, Real Friends with Zach and Donald” hosted by the stars of medical comedy “Scrubs,” “Desperately Devoted” that will discuss drama “Desperate Housewives,” “StraightioLab,” that delves into straight culture and “Thanks Dad with Ego Nwodim.”

“Fans can’t get enough of the stories and talent they love, and podcasts have become one of the fastest growing ways for audiences to connect with them,” said Lauren Tempest, Head of Content Planning & Partnerships, DTC at The Walt Disney Company in a statement.

The additional iHeartMedia content adds to Disney+ and Hulu’s existing collection of 30 podcasts available to stream in the U.S.

Disney and iHeartMedia declined to comment on the financial terms of the deal.

“From iconic rewatch series and fan-favorite conversations to original storytelling, this deal gives both existing listeners and new viewers an easy way to discover and connect with some of podcasting’s most engaging voices through video,” Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO for iHeartMedia, said in a statement.

Podcasts initially started as audio only, but over the years, have delved into showing video too. Other streamers, including Netflix and HBO Max, have video podcasts available on their platforms.

Netflix made deals with Spotify and iHeartMedia to bring popular video podcasts, including “The Bill Simmons Podcast,” “The Breakfast Club” and “My Favorite Murder” to its streaming service.

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said in an April 16 earnings presentation that people consume podcasts on Netflix during the day, at a time when the streamer historically has less engagement and they’re watching the podcasts more on mobile devices, where professional TV and film historically makes up a small percentage of mobile viewing, he said.

“It’s great that we get to meet members where they are, even when they’re enjoying other forms of entertainment,” Sarandos said.

Weather presenter Tomasz Schafernaker is reportedly considering quitting the BBC along with two other long-serving presenters amid major cuts announced by the broadcaster

Tomasz Schafernaker, and two other presenters are reportedly considering quitting the BBC. The meteorologist, 47, first joined BBC Weather in 2000 and is currently the lead presenter.

But now, insiders have claimed that the broadcaster is planning to downsize its national weather team, and it’s thought that Tomasz, along with fellow long-serving presenters Louise Lear and Darren Bett are “”considering voluntary redundancy” following the huge changes to the brand that were announced last week.

The BBC initially claimed that they were planning to “make more of their much-loved local weather presenters,” which would mean a reduction in those who present on a national basis. A source said: “It’s the end of an era for our weather presenting. The audience wants a bit of digital and TV – including a good old fashioned forecast.”

Speaking to The Times, one presenter added: “The team is already very lean and punched above its weight for many years producing a huge amount of output across all platforms 24 hours a day. It isn’t fair to compare it to the behemoth that is the rest of BBC News.”

In 2006, Tomasz became famous when he jokingly raised his middle finger to newsreader Simon McCoy live on air and enjoyed a media career off the back off it, going on to model for magazines and appear on TV shows like Celebrity MasterChef, Would I Lie To You?, Pointless Celebrities, and The Weakest Link.

Meanwhile, Darren presented Look North before becoming part of the launch team for BBC News 24 in 1997, and is currently the main weather presenter on BBC Radio 5 Live. Before joining the BBC in 1998, Louise worked as a weather presenter for Central Television, has been seen on Countryfile and is regularly fronts the weather segment on BBC News At Six.

Another presenter told the outlet that whilst there is still an audience for weather, there is a push to lean towards a more digital output with the genre.

The insider said: “The appetite for weather has massively grown, but people standing in front of a map giving a national picture is less relevant. We are going to be more digital-focused because there’s a really strong argument that what is now needed is more reporting than presenting.”

The BBC initially cut ties with the Met Office service in 2017 and turned to Dutch MeteoGroup, which was the acquired by the US weather services company DTN, for their meteorological output. But last year, a new deal was put in place which meant the broadcaster would reunite with the UK’s national weather and climate service.

Announcing the changes and a more digital approach to the output following the summer heatwave, BBC News’ interim CEO Jonathan Munro said: “As this summer’s heatwaves have proved, up-to-the minute and accurate weather information has never been more important.

“I’m looking forward to our partnership with the Met Office – this is a very apt time for our two trusted national institutions to be reunited.”

It all comes amid what the BBC has called a £500 million cost-cutting drive, with staple programmes Live at the Apollo, Blankety Blank and Celebrity Mastermind having already faced the axe.

Executives are aiming for at least £100 million in yearly recurring savings, which will eventually cut original television output by 100 to 150 hours across the broadcaster.

Falling audiences also had a significant influence on the decisions. Live at the Apollo plummeted from 1.3 million viewers in 2018 to approximately 660,000 for its most recent series.

Meanwhile, Celebrity Mastermind tumbled from an average of 4 million viewers in 2017 to 1.7 million. Blankety Blank similarly dropped from 5.5 million viewers during its 2021 debut to 2.3 million. BBC One’s Breakfast will no longer air on Sunday mornings from September whilst the production teams making Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg and Newsnight will merge.

Radio 4’s The World Tonight will end from September, and the number of permanent presenters on Today will be cut from five to four with a single anchor on the show on Saturdays. World Tonight is being replaced by Newshour, and Breakfast on Sunday is being replaced by the BBC News Channel.

The Mirror has contacted representatives for comment.

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