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
17:14, 10 Aug 2026Updated 17:14, 10 Aug 2026
Gone Fishing has a very big appeal amongst viewers(Image: BBC)
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
An aide involved in an affair with Gavin Newsom more than 20 years ago, when he was mayor of San Francisco, detailed their relationship and her journey to sobriety in an essay published by Vanity Fair on Tuesday.
Although Ruby Rippey, 54, has spoken previously about her relationship with the now-governor, her first-person essay offers the most intimate description yet of the affair. It comes at a time when Newsom is wrapping up his final year as California governor and considering a presidential run in 2028.
Rippey, who had worked as Newsom’s appointments secretary, was married to Alex Tourk, the then-mayor’s close friend, campaign manager and prior deputy chief of staff, when the affair became public in 2007. Tourk resigned after Rippey told him that she had been sleeping with their boss, she writes.
At the time, Newsom was newly divorced from Kimberly Guilfoyle and he apologized in front of a gaggle of reporters who packed his office for a news conference, admitting “everything you’ve heard and read is true.” Later, he said he was seeking treatment for alcohol abuse.
In the essay, Rippey details that the affair with Newsom happened when she was a new mother and when her drinking, which had been a problem before the relationship, spiraled out of control.
Rippey writes that their relationship began in July 2005 after a wedding at a Napa Valley estate and spanned months, with intermittent sexual encounters until she entered rehab in May 2006.
They met at his penthouse in San Francisco’s Russian Hill neighborhood, at a private back room in a bar in North Beach and at the W Hotel in Los Angeles, she writes.
“We meet and we drink. There is sex, but it isn’t the point. The point is proximity — to power, to being chosen, to feeling newly visible — no longer muted by pregnancy, by new motherhood, by the strain of white-knuckling long stretches of sobriety,” she writes. “It isn’t love. It isn’t romance. It’s intoxication.”
Izzy Gardon, a spokesperson for the governor’s office, said on Tuesday that Newsom acknowledged his role and publicly apologized for the affair nearly two decades ago.
“In the time since, he met his wife, started a family and has focused on serving Californians. He addressed this chapter of his life, including in his memoir, and out of respect for everyone involved, does not have anything further to add,” Gardon said.
The affair occurred while Gavin Newsom was mayor of San Francisco.
(San Francisco Chronicle / Hearst Newspapers)
Newsom faced renewed criticism for the affair during the 2018 governor’s race amid a larger reckoning over sexual misconduct in politics, corporate America and Hollywood. But Rippey has said she doesn’t see herself as a victim of a powerful man.
“Yes, I was a subordinate, but I was also a free-thinking, 33-yr old adult married woman & mother. (I also happened to have an unfortunate inclination towards drinking-to-excess & self-destruction.),” she wrote on Facebook at the time.
She still doesn’t place blame on the governor for what happened, but noted in her essay that in the post-#MeToo era she came to realize that her then-boss had a responsibility to “hold the line.”
“That didn’t happen. But I didn’t stumble into the space left open — I saw a possibility and went for it,” she writes. “Both things are true: I am responsible for what I did. Power does not distribute consequences evenly.”
For Newsom, she writes, the affair is merely a “footnote in a longer arc of ascent. For me, it is the fracture that split my life into before and after.”
In his memoir, “Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery,” published this year, Newsom acknowledges the liaison with Rippey, describing it as “the briefest of affairs.”
He also writes that he admitted the betrayal to Tourk, a detail that Rippey takes issue with in her essay. She says she was the one who first broke the devastating news to her husband via email while she was at her parent’s house in Napa and he was home in San Francisco with their young son.
“But resentment is a luxury I can’t afford,” she writes. “Instead, I return to gratitude, not for the affair, not for the pain I caused Alex, but for the totality of what followed. I required something catastrophic to change direction. Something that made the cost of going back — of drinking again — unthinkable.”
After the affair, Rippey and Tourk divorced but continued to co-parent their son, who is now an adult. She’s been sober for 20 years, she writes, remarried and now has a son with her second husband.
“The damage was mine,” she writes at the conclusion of her essay. “But so is the life rebuilt in its wake.”
Times staff writer Taryn Luna contributed to this report.
Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has spoken out publicly for the first time since he was arrested during protests in New Delhi, voicing support for student demonstrators who are demanding the resignation of the education minister.
The first proper “Avengers: Doomsday” trailer is finally here — though it remains a bit light on the movie’s plot.
After releasing multiple short teasers to promote its upcoming superhero crossover, Marvel Studios on Monday unveiled its official trailer for “Doomsday.” The new clip shows Thor (Chris Hemsworth) taking on the mysterious Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.), reuniting with Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and trying to persuade various superhero teams — including the Avengers, the New Avengers (a.k.a. the Thunderbolts) and the Fantastic Four — to join forces.
“Something’s coming,” says a mysterious voiceover. “Something we may not be able to deter. Before this day is done, we shall be faced with an unthinkable decision.”
The speaker is presumably Doom, who makes an appearance as the voiceover ends. In the comics, Victor von Doom hails from the fictional southeastern European country of Latveria. The name of the country was briefly shown in last year’s “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” which featured the character’s Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in its post-credits scene.
The trailer then shifts its focus to Thor, who speaks of an unnamed powerful foe as he asks the members of various teams to “put aside [their] petty squabbles” in order to try to thwart this frightening threat together. The new clip concludes by showing Thor’s reunion with Rogers.
“We’re going to need a miracle,” the Asgardian says before he is shown coming face to face with his old friend. Thor then makes the former Captain America take hold of his hammer, Mjölnir, to prove his identity. The hammer can only be lifted by someone it deems worthy, which Rogers did during the events of “Avengers: Endgame” (2019).
The trailer also includes glimpses of Gambit (Channing Tatum) battling Shang-Chi (Simu Liu), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) facing off against Mystique (Rebecca Romijn), Loki (Tom Hiddleston) handling his Time Variance Authority ID card, M’Baku (Winston Duke) and Shuri (Letitia Wright) greeting Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) sharing a moment with Magneto (Ian McKellan) and Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) embracing Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton).
“With much love … here is the trailer you’ve been waiting for,” directors Anthony and Joe Russo wrote Monday in an Instagram post sharing the new footage.
According to Marvel’s logline, “Doomsday” will involve “beloved heroes from three distinct universes … set on a deadly collision course and fac[ing] an existential threat unlike anything they’ve ever encountered.”
The cast also includes Pedro Pascal (Reed Richards), Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson), Wyatt Russell (John Walker), James Marsden (Scott Summers), Joseph Quinn (Johnny Storm), Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes), David Harbour (Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian), Lewis Pullman (Bob Reynolds), Kelsey Grammer (Hank McCoy/Beast), Danny Ramirez (Joaquin Torres), Alan Cumming (Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler), Hannah John-Kamen (Ava Starr), Mabel Cadena (Namora) and Tenoch Huerta Mejia (Namor).
The “Avengers: Doomsday” trailer arrives in advance of this weekend’s San Diego Comic-Con. After sitting out last year’s event, Marvel Studios will return to Hall H on Saturday to showcase its upcoming slate. (It was during its Hall H presentation in 2024 that Marvel revealed its next big villain will be Doctor Doom, played by Downey).
US Congressman Ro Khanna says Israeli settlers armed with US-made rifles detained his delegation while touring Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank.
The Israeli military says troops intervened after receiving reports of blocked vehicles, allowing the convoy to proceed.
WASHINGTON — The Senate’s top two Republicans have spoken individually to Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, according to aides, as the former GOP leader remains in the hospital more than three weeks after being admitted for undisclosed health issues.
Aides to McConnell have declined to release any information about his condition, fueling speculation about his prognosis and whether he will be healthy enough to be at the Capitol when the Senate returns to Washington next week after a two-week recess. McConnell, 84, is retiring at the end of his term next January.
A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said he had spoken with McConnell by phone on Monday and that the two had a “lengthy and substantive conversation that covered a variety of topics, including national security.” As leader, Thune is generally kept up to date on illnesses and absences in his conference as he has to navigate vote counts and his narrow 53-47 majority.
Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the No. 2 Senate Republican, had a 20-minute conversation with McConnell on Tuesday, according to a spokeswoman. The two discussed Senate races ahead of the midterm elections, the Supreme Court and other topics, the statement said.
“Senator McConnell was fully engaged and is eager to get back to the Senate,” said Barrasso spokeswoman Kate Noyes.
Another McConnell ally, Republican strategist Scott Jennings, posted on X that he had also talked to McConnell for 20 minutes on Tuesday, and that “he’s still recovering in the hospital.” Jennings said they spoke about politics, foreign policy “and even a little bit of Senate history.”
Few details released as McConnell remains in the hospital
McConnell was admitted to the hospital June 14, according to a statement from his office that only said he was “receiving excellent care.”
A statement a week later said he would not be voting that week. And a new statement Thursday said he ”appreciates the outpouring of support he’s receiving while he continues his recovery in the hospital.”
“The Senator continues to improve, and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session,” the statement said.
A spokesman for McConnell released the same statement again Tuesday with no new updates.
McConnell has a history of health troubles
The senator’s unspecified health issues come after several hospitalizations in recent years.
While he was still Republican leader, McConnell was hospitalized with a concussion in March 2023 and missed several weeks of work after falling in a Washington hotel. He froze up twice during news conferences after he returned, staring vacantly ahead before colleagues and staff — including Barrasso, who is a doctor — came to his assistance.
A year later, he fell and sprained his wrist while walking out of a GOP luncheon.
McConnell had polio in his early childhood and he has long acknowledged some difficulty as an adult in walking and climbing stairs. He also tripped and fell in 2019 at his home in Kentucky and underwent surgery for a fractured shoulder.
The Kentucky senator was first elected to the Senate in 1984 and was the Republican leader from 2007 until last year, serving as both majority and minority leader during that period. He has remained active as a rank-and-file senator, showing up for work when the chamber is in session, often using a wheelchair to get around.
Lil Nas X says he feels “less fear in my heart” as he opens up about receiving treatment for bipolar disorder and moving forward from the mental health episode that landed him in hot water with law officials last year.
The Grammy winner (real name Montero Lamar Hill) addressed last year’s events in a video Wednesday morning on Instagram. Lil Nas X, 27, informed fans that he has been in a rehab program “for a few months,” spending time with family in Atlanta and with friends in Los Angeles. Since last year’s incident, the singer said he has been focused on “trying to ground myself down to Earth and get out of my head.”
Lil Nas X was hospitalized and arrested in August after he was seen strolling in only his underwear and white boots through Studio City, eventually shedding those items as the night progressed. The singer received treatment at a nearby hospital for a possible overdose but was accused of assaulting police officers.
He was charged with four felony counts: three counts of battery with injury on a police officer and one count of resisting an executive officer. Police accused the singer of assaulting the officers who were trying to take him into custody. Lil Nas X pleaded not guilty to all those counts.
In Wednesday’s video, Lil Nas X explained that he has also started seeing a therapist and psychiatrist to help address his mental condition — one he initially refused to accept. The singer, smiling and standing against a blue sky in his video, told fans that he was hesitant to take medication that would help address his bipolar disorder and joked that living with mental illness would add more to his plate: “I mean I’m already Black and gay…I’m like already living life on extreme hard mode.”
According to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, bipolar disorder is a treatable mental health condition marked by extreme changes in mood, thought, energy and behavior. Manic episodes, marked by elevated changes in mood or behavior, are a symptom of the condition. People with a bipolar disorder diagnosis more commonly experience depressive episodes.
Lil Nas X spoke candidly about his diagnosis months after a Los Angeles judge in April granted the “Industry Baby” and “Old Town Road” singer’s motion for diversion, ordering the musician to enter a two-year mental health program. TMZ reported at the time that the musician would be cleared of his four felony counts if he complies with treatment and commits no other crimes.
The singer assured fans on Wednesday: “I’m doing better, I’m feeling better, I’m creating freely and there’s less fear in my heart and I’m just like smelling the roses.”
He also reflected on his career thus far — he quickly ascended to fame in 2019 with his viral hit “Old Town Road” — and teased that new music is on the way. Lil Nas X concluded his video by thanking fans for their support and for “holding it down.”
“I love you, and all I wanna do is continue to try to make you proud and make myself proud,” he said. “Let’s go dreamboy, let’s go.”
Love Island’s George Knight has spoken about his exit from the show after the bombshell’s sudden departure just days into filming was finally aired on the ITV2 show
21:46, 08 Jun 2026Updated 21:47, 08 Jun 2026
George is no longer on Love Island(Image: ITV)
Love Island star George Knight has spoken about his sudden exit from the ITV2 show for the first time since his departure was aired. The bombshell decided to quit the villa just days after entering.
He said in an Instagram video: “Hello, everyone. Just wanted to take a moment and come on and say a massive, massive thank you to every single person who has reached out over the past two days, wishing me their love, their support, and all their well wishes.
“It has been completely overwhelming, and I am trying to get back to every message, which is pretty, pretty much impossible. But thank you so much.”
He continued: “And I think moments like this give you a massive kind of perspective on the bigger picture, and as fun and as great my six days in the villa were, it’s obviously important for me to be here with my family, so thank you so much.
“It’s, it’s been, as I said, completely overwhelming, and a massive thank you to all of ITV’s welfare team and the execs who have been amazing. Hopefully it’s not the last you see of me, and looking forward to the year ahead, and yeah, thanks again, guys.”
George was a day one bombshell, entering the villa alongside Yasmin Hadlow. But before the week was over, he had chosen to walk away from the show.
His exit was not shown on Love Island. Instead, the show decided to just portray its aftermath. OG Islander Lorenzo Alessi told his fellow contestants that George had decided to leave for “private reasons”. He said: “George has left the Villa for private reasons and won’t be coming back.”
The Islanders seemed shocked, particularly Robyn Langton, who had been getting to know George. The 21-year-old nsaid: “Aww, George, we love you!” The other Islanders clapped and in a VT, Robyn added: “I can’t believe it, I actually can’t believe it. He was the only person I was actually kind of interested in.”
After leaving the villa, George said on social media: “Family comes first, always. Leaving the @loveisland Villa was a decision made in order to be with my family. Out of respect for them, I’d prefer not to go into any further detail. Thank you to everyone who has reached out with kind messages and support! It genuinely means a lot.”
As well as his official Love Island headshot, he shared a picture of himself and his sister in his post. In the pic, he sat on a garden bench with Emma and their dog. In the comments, Emma wrote: “Love you George.”
Despite only being on the show for a small amount of time, George really shook things up in the villa. The 28-year-old footballer was tasked with choosing a boy to send home and opted for Samraj Toor, coupling up with Mica Harris as a result. However, Samraj and Ellie Chadwick, who was chosen to be dumped by Yasmin, were not sent home and instead re-emerged as bombshells, with the chance to confront George and Yasmin.
Despite being coupled with Mica, George and Robyn kissed. The day before he walked away from the villa, George and Robyn fought, as she felt he was mischaracterising the situation to the rest of the villa. Mica was also hurt and told George she was stepping back from getting to know him because she thought he was better suited to Robyn.
YouTuber Jesse Ridgway and his wife, Ashley, shared that they terminated their pregnancy following a Down syndrome diagnosis. What happened online afterward has shocked the couple, but Jesse said he is hopeful that sharing their experience may help other couples feel less alone.
The YouTuber, who’s been a content creator for 20 years and has more than 4.3 million subscribers on his main channel, shared a video on his personal YouTube channel last week that featured he and his wife receiving the results of an amniocentesis — a test for certain genetic abnormalities, chromosomal conditions, and fetal infections — and the results were consistent with Trisomy 21, or Down syndrome.
After the couple read the results, Jesse said that they’d discussed beforehand whether they’d consider terminating the pregnancy. “I know this is traumatic for the whole community. Now that we have a definitive result, we’ll talk with the counselors, and we’re gonna have some hard conversations,” he said. Both Jesse and Ashley were emotionally distraught and crying throughout the video.
Jesse told The Times over a phone call on Thursday evening, with Ashley beside him as she recovered from her procedure, that sharing the diagnosis online happened accidentally. The couple was in the middle of a gender reveal video when they spotted the preliminary markers for Trisomy 21 on the same report.
“We were filming and ready to celebrate with our audience and we were blindsided,” he said. “What do we tell people? How do we navigate this? I reverted to being honest, and yes, that led us to the last 48 hours.”
On Wednesday, Jesse posted a lengthy statement that disclosed the couple’s decision to terminate the pregnancy. Ashley reposted the statement to her own Instagram.
“This week, my wife and I made the very difficult decision to terminate the pregnancy due to Trisomy 21,” the since-expired Instagram story read.
Jesse continued that the decision was “not made lightly” and said he appreciated the messages of support he and Ashley received. “I know some of you may be very disappointed to hear this news. We are devastated. This has been extremely traumatic for both of us, especially Ashley. She underwent the procedure earlier this week and is on the mend. Thankfully, everything went smoothly, but emotionally we are drained.”
The YouTuber continued the series of posts explaining: “When I first confronted this news, I was shocked but optimistic. … I signed on to be a parent, come what may … but I just didn’t fully understand what Down Syndrome entailed. Once we made it public, it became clear that MOST people don’t know what Down Syndrome entails (and no, it’s not the same as Autism).
“50% of babies with DS have heart defects. 75% will have hearing challenges. Over 50% will have vision problems. Impaired immune function, developmental disabilities, learning disabilities, delayed physical development, poor muscle tone, structural issues with face, decreased lifespan, etc. … Sadly, the list is long, feel free to look it up … Down Syndome isn’t a “blessing”, it is objectively sh— from a health perspective. I didn’t realize just how rough it is for the child, let alone the family.”
According to the National Institutes of Health, about 6,000 babies are born in the U.S. each year with the condition, affecting about 1 out of every 700 babies. “[W]ith appropriate support and treatment, many people with Down syndrome lead happy, productive lives,” the agency notes, but there are often significant lifelong health challenges and risks.”
Ashley had the abortion on Monday. Jesse said he spent the beginning of the week tending to her, and on Wednesday he crafted the post to explain what the couple had decided and why.
“I put it out there for my audience, and then it took on another life. Because it’s a contentious topic, I figured there would be some level of like flak or differing opinions, but to see what it’s become has been pretty shocking,” he said. “There are a million abortions every year, and I’m just shocked that one couple deciding to abort for Trisomy 21 is mainstream news. This is happening every day, and it’s just not talked about.”
Jesse said that his and Ashley’s DMs had been flooded not only with messages of support but also dozens of confessions from strangers who had been through the same experience. And while the supportive messages felt “validating,” Jesse said the couple had received a “tremendous amount of death threats. People saying we’re murderers.”
According to Healthline, nearly 100% of women in Iceland who receive a positive test for Down syndrome terminate their pregnancy. In Denmark, 98% are terminated, in France 77%, and in the United States it’s 67%.
When the Ridgways had finished filming the results of the amniocentesis, they debated whether they should share the video. They said they didn’t even want to watch the tape.
“But I kept coming back to, there are so many people out there like us dealing with these things, and nobody’s talking about it,” he said. “I think if we share this, it will have a net positive for other people, and they can feel more comfortable and less shame confronting these things. … I hope other people can see that, that there is some value in this, but I can’t push it any more than I have. People are going to cast their judgments.”
Malak Mahmoud, the heavily pregnant woman filmed being thrown to the ground by a Dutch police officer as her Palestinian husband from Gaza was detained, has spoken to Al Jazeera.
Police in Zeist issued a statement saying they are reviewing the use of force and have opened an investigation, but have not responded to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.
After a complete shakeup at CBS’ “60 Minutes,” ousted correspondent Cecilia Vega said she had been facing pressure to insert political bias into her stories and dealing with censorship.
“I very much fear what comes next for … the future of the legendary broadcast,” Vega said in a social media post on Thursday referring to “60 Minutes.”
The latest shakeup follows multiple controversial moves by Weiss, who’s set on remaking the institution long defined by tradition. She arrived at CBS News in October with no television experience, installed by Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison after he acquired her digital news outlet, the Free Press, with a mandate to change the network.
Ellison’s pronouncements that CBS News needs to move more to the political center has led to the perception that the network is trying to placate Trump with more positive news coverage, even as “60 Minutes” has remained tough with its White House reporting.
“Our responsibility is to preserve that legacy and vital mission by building a show that thrives in the 21st century,” wrote Weiss in her note to staff. “That requires a new approach: expanding ’60 Minutes’ beyond a one-hour television broadcast, deepening its role across CBS News.”
Vega claims, in her statement, that “in recent months, my producing teams and I have experienced efforts to insert political bias into our stories.” She also said that reporting teams are holding back on submitting specific story pitches, due to the “fear of the internal repercussions.”
“Let’s call this what it is: censorship, both imposed and self-driven,” Vega wrote. “It is dangerous for the show and dangerous for democracy.”
She said that in working at “60 Minutes” she’s had to keep stories rooted in fact and away from “questionable editorial suggestions.”
“I know from many conversations with colleagues that many producing teams and correspondents working on the show today have had to fight to maintain editorial independence with regularity,” Vega said. “I am far from the only ’60 Minutes’ correspondent who has asked herself, ‘What is my personal red line? How much can I push back before I pay the price?’”
In a statement, a CBS News representative said, “We respect Ms. Vega and her contributions, but her claims are not based in reality.”
Vega joined the newsmagazine in 2023, becoming the program’s first Latina correspondent. Before that, she worked for over a decade at ABC as the network’s chief White House correspondent and co-anchoring “Good Morning America.”
Several journalists like ABC’s John Quiñones and former Univision anchor Jorge Ramos offered words of support for Vega’s remarks. Quiñones commented, “Journalism is stronger because of your voice, your courage and your story-telling, Cecilia,” and Ramos wrote in Spanish that he respects and admires her.
Karen Hauer has spoken for the first time in length about her emotional exit from Strictly Come Dancing after 14 years on the BBC show
Karen’s new chapter has begun(Image: Zoë Birkbeck Photography)
Karen Hauer’s exit from Strictly Come Dancing after 14 years on the show, in the midst of a dramatic shake-up for the 2026 series, stunned fans. But in an exclusive interview, in which she talks about her shock departure for the first time, she says she’s ready for whatever’s next.
The pro dancer, 44, felt like part of the furniture on the BBC show. She was the longest-serving female professional, having graced the famous dance floor with stars including Mark Wright and Jamie Laing – reaching the final with both – and the late Hairy Biker Dave Myers, who she once said was her most “cherished” partnership. So it’s not surprising that the announcement in March that she was quitting evoked some strong feelings.
“It was very emotional, but it did feel like I was ready to get my teeth stuck into other projects and continue evolving. I learned so much from every single celebrity that I came across,” she tells us, with a warm smile. “It’s always about growth. It was a beautiful decision that came from a good place in my heart.”
The Venezuelan-American, who is a Latin dance specialist and World Mambo Champion, decided to keep her decision quiet from everyone, including her fellow pros, except her very closest pals, as she knew they would try to convince her to stay.
“I didn’t say anything because I know it would have been hard for them to digest and they’d have been like, ‘No, definitely no, not you,” she laughs. “I kept it within my tightest circle. But you know what? When I announced it, I’ve never felt such an outpouring of love. So many people were reaching out to me, and just being so kind.”
Karen’s exit is one of many ahead of the new series, with hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepping down and a string of other pros waving goodbye to the show, including Gorka Márquez, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk and Michelle Tsiakkas. Meanwhile, Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe are set to shake things up as the show’s new hosts.
Karen, who moved to the countryside near Preston, Lancashire in 2025 for a quieter life, after years of calling London home, believes Strictly will continue to evolve. “Even before I was on the show, when we saw Bruce Forsyth leave and then Len Goodman, it’s always got bigger and better – that’s the beauty of it,” she says. “Now, there’s new energy coming in. The next generation is only going to lift it even more.”
Karen is excited, she says, to see where the dramatically changed team takes the show. “I’ll be watching, 100%. And I know I’ll miss the people – the camera crew, hair and make-up, the costume ladies, our runners, the producers that make the show work.”
She’ll also miss her fellow pros, with whom she admits, she took on a protective, maternal role. “Ah, my professional dancers – my kids!” she says fondly. “I felt like I was a mother goose and everybody was always so beautiful backstage. I’ll miss the dance floor when it was all quiet and there was nobody around and we were all rehearsing with no lights. Just us there.”
She adds, a little wistfully, “Strictly will always be my home, you know? I will always have a deep connection to it, no matter what.”
After so long on one show, no one would blame Karen for wanting to take a break to recharge her batteries. But no, she’s jumping headfirst into a new project – and that’s just the way she likes it.
Karen will be touring the UK this summer in a revival of feel-good comedy Stepping Out, which follows a group of seemingly mismatched amateur tap dancers as they prepare for a charity gala performance. She will play Mavis, the group’s teacher – a role last played in 2017 by Tamzin Outhwaite, and by the legendary Liza Minnelli in the 1991 film version.
When she thinks of all the famous faces she’s put through their dancing paces, Karen says it feels tailor-made for her. “It just fell into my lap at exactly the right time, after closing a massive chapter of my life with Strictly,” she says. “The fact that Mavis is a dance teacher, dealing with so many different personalities and stories just resonated with me so much.”
It’s not the star’s first brush with the stage. Over the years she’s had acclaimed stints in the West End and on Broadway. “I’ve always loved theatre,” she says. “I mean, live TV and stage shows are equally nerve-wracking, but when you’re on TV, it’s a one-hit wonder because you don’t get to repeat, you just have to perform and leave it there. In theatre, you evolve each time within the character.”
“When you’re doing a show like Strictly, there’s a certain part of you that you protect,” she adds. “It’s okay to hold back certain things about yourself, to protect yourself in a way. That’s completely okay. I think that’s how you need to be to be able to function. Acting is a completely different demon.”
Karen clearly has boundless energy as she will also be joining fellow Strictly pro Nikita Kuzmin on his Burn The Floor extravaganza, Supernova. The brainchild of Strictly’s director of choreography Jason Gilkison, she says it will always hold a special place in her heart as she was the principal female dancer in the original Broadway cast and toured the world with the ground-breaking show.
“I turned into the performer I was always meant to be because of Jason and Burn The Floor. He gave me that confidence, that belief in myself,” she tells us. “Nikita’s energy and charisma is just… beyond. I did not see it coming, so it was really nice to be asked. It’s almost like going home again.”
Away from work, Karen – who split from her third husband in 2023 – found love again two years ago with former rugby coach Simon Davidson. Smiling, she says her favourite thing to do when she’s not working is spend quality time with her handsome other half – and their four adorable rescue dogs.
“I have an amazing support network of friends, my family, my dogs, my partner at home,” she says. “He just turned 40, I’m 44, and there’s a different mindset when it comes to that stage of life – the enjoyment of life and making sure we’re taking care of each other.
“Our lives are very chaotic and we both travel a lot, so when we get back together, we have that total peace at home with our dogs. Just enjoying the little things in life is really important for both of us.”
Karen is the first to admit she’s had a rollercoaster love life. She was married to her ex-dance partner Matthew Hauer for nine years and went on to wed Strictly’s Kevin Clifton, who she then split from in 2018. She tied the knot with fitness professional Jordan Wyn-Jones in 2022, but they called it a day just 16 months later.
“I’ve definitely had my ups and downs in relationships,” she says softly. “But I think this one’s definitely an up for me, and for him as well. I think we can sense our emotions and our energy very quickly as well. We’re very aware of what makes the other tick.”
Her relationship advice? “It’s important to communicate with each another on even the smallest things. Life is too good to be hung up on little things.”
A year and a half ago, Karen decided to stop drinking alcohol, which, she says, has been transformative. “It’s completely changed my emotional state and boosted my energy levels. I’ve made so many little tweaks for self-improvement, from the inside.”
Her social media is full of posts about fitness, and Simon is even hoping to convince her to sign up to gruelling fitness competition Hyrox one day.
As for what the future may hold, Karen says, “The world’s my oyster. I don’t want to be afraid to try new things, so anything that comes my way, I’ll go for it. Because what’s the worst thing that can happen?”
With a new chapter beginning, what would Karen tell her 30-year-old self on the first day of her Strictly journey? She flashes a huge grin. “Strap in, put the seat belt on, you’re gonna fly!”
Pilgrims gather on the Day of Arafah, the spiritual peak of Hajj, retracing the Prophet Muhammad’s final sermon, braving intense heat. Al Jazeera’s Ahmed Idris meets worshippers reflecting on faith, equality and their journeys to Mecca.
Russia has launched one of its largest attacks on Kyiv since the war began, firing hundreds of drones and missiles across Ukraine overnight.
Speaking to Al Jazeera after visiting damaged sites, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the strikes and the targeting of civilian infrastructure, as Ukraine vowed retaliation.
May 19 (UPI) — Vice President JD Vance took questions from reporters Tuesday at a White House press briefing
, reiterating President Donald Trump‘s repeated assertion that the conflict in Iran is meant to keep the country from developing a nuclear weapon but that it is “not a forever war.”
“We want to keep the number of countries that have nuclear weapons small, and that’s why Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” he said during the briefing, “on top of all the other things that we might be worried about, that they themselves could use it, that they could use it in leverage and economic control or economic negotiations.”
Vance was the second person, following U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, to stand in for White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who is on maternity leave.
Iran was a dominant topic of the briefing. Vance said the United States has made progress in negotiations despite Iran’s position being “fractured,” but that U.S. forces are ready to attack again if necessary.
“We’re going to take care of business and come home,” he said.
Rubio and Vance are both considered presidential candidate contenders for Republicans in 2028, but the vice president demurred at a question
suggesting the press briefing role could be a sort of audition for candidacy.
“I’m a vice president,” he said. “I really like my job, and I’m going to try to do as good a job as I can.”
Vance also dealt with questions about the Justice Department’s new $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization fund,” which was created to compensate those who say they were unfairly targeted by former presidential administrations.
Some officials have criticized the fund as a way for the government to pay Trump allies who say they were targeted during the Biden administration. Earlier Tuesday, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said he could not rule out payments to convicted Jan. 6 rioters.
“We’re not trying to give money to anybody who attacked apolice officer,” Vance said at the briefing. “We’re trying to compensate people where the book was thrown at them, they were mistreated by the legal system.”
Frances Tophill, one of the leading presenters on Gardeners’ World, has been heavily tipped to replace Monty Don at the head of the BBC series when he steps down
The Gardeners’ World presenting team(Image: BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine/Ja)
One of the stars of Gardeners’ World has spoken about whether she would like to replace Monty Don when he eventually decides to leave the show.
Monty, still very much a feature of the BBC programme, has been a key part of it for decades. However, following his milestone 70th birthday, questions have recently turned to who might replace him should he decided to put down his televisual trowel.
One of the people often highlighted as a potential successor is Frances Tophill, currently designing a garden for the Chelsea Flower Show alongside Alan Titchmarsh, Sir David Beckham, and King Charles III.
Frances, 36, has been on Gardeners’ World for over a decade, but has now made clear she doesn’t see herself replacing Monty.
She told The Sunday Times: “I have a huge respect for Monty – it is such a generous thing to give your garden space to the nation and he does it so well. I hope he never leaves….Broadcasting is not my day job, my day job is being a gardener.”
This isn’t the first time Frances has pushed back against the suggestion she could replace Monty. In a previous interview with the Telegraph, she said that after covering for Monty in a 2023 episode of the show, she got a glimpse of what fame might be like for him.
After she covered for him, she went to help a friend sell plants, but was shocked to see people flood towards them, not because of the plants, but because they recognised her from the show. She said: “That’s when I got a glimpse of what being Monty must be like… I don’t want that.”
Frances’ comments on the future of Gardeners’ World come as the RHS Chelsea Flower Show gets underway.
Frances has been busy working with the King, Sir David Beckham, and Alan Titchmarsh. Given the high profile nature of her royal clientele, Frances was asked, also by the Telegraph, whether she had been told anything about the monarch before she started work.
She said: “Everyone keeps saying that he’s so detail focused that he’ll notice all the tiny things.” Frances added that she had been searching the internet for the right gnome, as she was adding it in tribute to the King’s Highgrove garden. She said: “He hides it in the stumpery for the gardeners to find.”
Meanwhile, in an official statement on the King’s Foundation website about the garden, Frances went into more detail about what the experience had been like.
She said: “I’m so excited to share my first garden for RHS Chelsea Flower Show. With input from His Majesty The King, Alan Titchmarsh and Sir David Beckham, I’ve had a lot of fun incorporating elements both celebrating their involvement and ideas they have contributed.
“With sustainability front and central for His Majesty, there are no man-made materials being used in the garden, and it will be a concrete free construction.”
