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There is a lost EastEnders Christmas special which showed groundbreaking gay character Barry Clark come out to his homophobic dad.

In 1986, bosses on the BBC drama cast the first ever gay couple on the soap with Michael Cashman and Gary Hailes playing Colin Russell and Barry.

The two characters were the first openly gay couple to share a kiss in a British soap. Gary Webster joined EastEnders in 1987 playing Barry’s protective older brother Graham Clark who accepted his sibling was a homosexual man.

Former Minder star Webster has now revealed that an entire Christmas episode was filmed in 1987 around Barry emotionally revealing his sexuality to their father, who hated homosexuals.

Webster insists the unique episode was in the can and due to air on Christmas Eve but when he sat down to watch it, bosses had lost their nerve and left it on the cutting room floor instead airing an episode forcing on Pauline and Arthur Fowler’s broken oven and Sharon Watts coping with Christmas with her parents Angie and Den separated.

None of the scenes were ever shown on the soap.

Webster said: “I was very proud to be a part of that storyline, absolutely. “That was really groundbreaking writing. Not only having Colin and Barry’s relationship out there, accepted or not accepted. It wasn’t for effect it was a reflection of what was happening to people in those relationships.

“It was fantastic writing, the idea that his brother would be fully accepting of it as well, when everyone thought the brother would find it unacceptable. At that time they could have gone further. I remember we shot a whole Christmas episode of the father of Barry and Graham – my character – finding out his son was gay, and he wasn’t accepting of it. It had all been building to that culmination of the father coming into the pub.

“We filmed 15 scenes and it was a whole episode at Christmas. I sat down to watch it at Christmas and they had pulled it and had shot something else. I think they just lost their bottle a little bit at that time.

“No, never broadcast. I don’t what happened to it. All I know is that my parents were sitting down with my aunt and uncle, my current girlfriend at the time was sitting down with her parents on Christmas Eve. I’d told them I’m featured in this episode a lot, this is going to be a big episode. I was sat down on my own, I saw the opening scene and I suddenly realised, ‘Oh my god! This has changed. This is not the episode that we shot.’

“Back in those days if you got an episode on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day it was the pinnacle of your career. Then I thought, ‘I just look like I’m a big liar. Now I’m going to have to take the flak of people going, ‘Right, so you were going to be in a big episode?’ Everyone doubted me for years afterwards.”

Webster – who stars in new independent British horror movie Harbinger – believes the episode was dropped because bosses on EastEnders feared the British public weren’t ready for it.

Despite that history-making episode never making it to television screens, Webster says being a part of the Colin and Barry story is one of the proudest acting jobs of his long career.

He said: “To be a part of that storyline, to work with Gary Hailes and Michael Cashman who played Barry and Colin – I still keep in contact with them both – I look back on that and I am proud of my part of that storyline. It was EastEnders at its very best. “What everyone forgets, people in my industry and in that London scene, we probably lived in a bit of a bubble than what was going on in the rest of the country.

“I felt that maybe people at that time weren’t ready for that yet. But I think people are ready for it at any time. You have to have more faith in the public.”

Webster made a return to EastEnders in 2016 as new character Neville Peacock. The actor still watches the soap and insists it is vital it remains on screens as it is a hotbed of new talent.

He said: “EastEnders is in a battle but I still think the basics and foundations are great, the same with Coronation Street and all the soaps. They are a great breeding ground for great talent whether it’s in front of the camera or behind the camera. People still like that regularity of storyline and characters they now and love. It’s just getting it out there, because there are so many other platforms.

“I did about four episodes of EastEnders as a different character in 2016. There was some hope that I might return. Hope is one thing, reality is another. It doesn’t bother me if something doesn’t quite work out, that’s just the nature of the business we’re in.

“If they called me again I would be thrilled and honoured to be in the show. “I still think there is a lot of value to the soap operas. In this country we do them extremely well. It’s a hot bed for new talent, discovery of new talent across the board that we would lose at our peril. If we allow that to just slip away I think the industry would suffer across the board. I’m a great advocate of retaining all those returning dramas.”

The BBC declined to comment but a soap source said EastEnders had “a rich history of championing LGBTQA+ storylines and characters over its 41-year tenure”.

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A man from London was determined to find his sister, following the death of their mother

A brother and sister have finally been reunited after they both applied to appear on the ITV show.

The latest episode of Long Lost Family, which aired on Thursday (September 10), followed Michael, 56, who was trying to find his older sister, whom he had never met. The retail worker from South East London was determined to fulfill his mother’s dying wish to track down his sister, who had been given up for adoption as a baby.

Mary had been in a Catholic mother and baby home when she took care of her daughter, Angela, for three months before she was placed for adoption. But Michael explained that his mother didn’t think she had a choice.

Their mother, Mary, died of cancer eight years ago at the age of 74, and she had asked Michael to find his sister, Angela, for her. “She said, could you please try and find Angela for me please?” Michael shared. Ever since then, he has been desperate to find her.

Two years ago, in an attempt to find his sister, Michael took a DNA test and got a match with a woman named Gemma. The DNA report suggested that she was his half-sister. He assumed that Gemma was Angela’s new adoptive name and messaged her, however, he never received a reply.

“It’s made me happy, but in another way, it’s made me sad because obviously she’s been looking. It makes me think, why is she not on here, she’s given up. I’m so close now,” he said.

Michael went on: “I’m so close. And it’s like just a brick wall is just there. But I want to knock this brick wall down, but it’s very difficult.” In a twist, the Long Lost Family team discovered that Gemma, who had been named Angela at birth, had also contacted the show in the past to find her biological family.

Gemma was told about her mother’s death off-screen before host Nicky Campbell informed her that she had a brother, and passed on an emotional message. “Your brother, Michael, wanted to tell you that she didn’t want to give you up for adoption. She thought about you every day. She always, always loved you, and she wanted to tell you that. She wanted to see you and tell you that”, Nicky told Gemma.

Later in the episode, Davina McCall informed Michael of the wonderful news that Gemma had been found. This left him feeling incredibly emotional to hear that his sister wanted to have contact with him.

Davina explained: “She has been looking for 30 years. She was really sad to hear that your mum had died, but she was so grateful that someone was looking for her. She applied for Long Lost Family, so it’s incredible.”

Michael couldn’t wait to meet her but wistfully said, “I just wish my mum was here. 30 years? Oh god, if only I had knew.” Gemma traveled from Manchester to London to meet her brother, and when they came face-to-face, they could not stop crying. “This has been the best day of my life. It’s like a dream come true, I finally met my sister,” Michael added.

Long Lost Family is available to stream on ITVX

Monty Don recently quit Gardener’s World after more than two decades but has now landed something new, teaming up with one of the most famous footwear brands in the country

Monty Don has landed a new job just days after quitting Gardener’s World. The TV star,71, is best known for having fronted the BBC agricultural programme, and on air for more than two decades.

But he stepped down from the position earlier this week, and is already onto pastures new as he is the new face of New Balance shoes, following the launch of the launch of the footwear company’s Flimby Garden in Cumbria.

A spokesperson said: “A permanent garden curated by Bleue Burnham for the people behind the New Balance Made In UK at its factory in Flimby, Cumbria.

“Created as a dedicated space for rest, reflection and connection, the garden brought New Balance’s manufacturing heritage with Burnham’s distinctive creative language and longstanding relationship with the natural world.”

Just days ago, the presenter said the time had come for change and he was ready for his next adventure, but promised his fans that the move does not signal the end of his TV career.

Monty said: “I have decided that the current series of Gardeners’ World is to be my last. I began hosting the programme 23 years ago, first at Berryfields and for the past 16 years here in my own garden, Longmeadow.

“Throughout that time – and around seven hundred programmes – I have had the privilege of sharing my own abiding passion for gardens and gardening with an equally passionate, and often equally knowledgeable audience.

“That connection with millions, not just in Britain but across the world, who share a love of gardens, plants and the natural world is something I have always treasured and which I increasingly believe to be at the heart of a life well lived.

“I have also always relished the craft of programme making and to do so, week in week out, as part of a superlative BBC team has been a deeply rewarding experience. But now is the right time for a change.

“I look forward to continuing to work with and for the BBC on other projects, as well as following new avenues. There are more books to write, more programmes to make. And of course, I will still be gardening, dog by side, here at Longmeadow.”

Born in Germany and raised in England, Monty made his television debut on This Morning in 1989 after his home garden was featured in several publications. After repeat appearances, he got additional TV work on BBC shows Holiday and Tomorrow’s World.

He also began putting his ideas and tips into words, and has published over 25 books since 1990. In 2002, he was recommended by Alan Titchmarsh to replace him as the lead presenter of Gardeners’ World. Monty then became the first self-taught horticulturist presenter in the show’s history.

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A Gogglebox cast member has quit the show after emigrating to Australia with their partner

A Gogglebox star has bid farewell to the show.

Glasgow-based star Calum, 31, first joined the Channel 4 programme last September, alongside his best friend Jake, 27. But now, Calum has left the series after emigrating to Australia with his partner.

Speaking about the move, Calum said: “I am very far away from Scotland right now, and that’s because me and my partner have moved to Australia. That means a few things, the most obvious one being that unfortunately I am leaving the show.

“I had the most wonderful time, and I can’t sing the praises enough of everyone on and off camera, the entire Gogglebox family, so it’s very bittersweet to be leaving.” Calum will be replaced by Jake’s childhood friend, Louis, 28, who will make his debut on Gogglebox this Friday (September 11) at 9pm on Channel 4.

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EXCLUSIVE EastEnders’ Denise Fox actress Diane Parish has told the Mirror how she’s been kept out of the loop with what happens in the big flashforward episode yet to air

EastEnders cast members are completely in the dark about the events of the upcoming New Year’s Day episode.

In January, fans saw the events that were set to take place on January 1 2027, in a flashforward episode. From a kidnapping twist and a wedding day, to mystery links between characters, there were big things teased.

With it being a year into the future, not a lot was explained. Since then new twists have aired that have teased some of the events about to take place, while there’s still so much more to be explained.

In the episode, we knew that Denise was in it but she wasn’t actually shown onscreen. Now we know this is because the soap did not want to give away Denise’s cancer storyline, which is currently unfolding.

But despite new hints at what is ahead, the cast are still very much in the dark like viewers are. Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, Denise actress Diane Parish confessed she didn’t know anything about the looming special episode.

She said: “I absolutely have no idea what’s going to happen! I keep watching things on TV, little bits of our show and they take me by completely surprise, I have no idea what’s going on!”

Diane also spoke about her cancer storyline, calling it “challenging” and confessing she had “struggled”. Diane told us: “It’s very challenging. I think it’s the most challenging storyline I’ve done both as my character or generally as an actress, but it’s really important.

“Sometimes there have been moments I’ve struggled [emotionally]. But I’ve got the blessing of working with people I know really well, I’ve known for years, and Tameka [Empson] and Scott [Maslen] keep it light and keep it fun when we’re working.

“But there are difficult moments because you’re immersed in it. If I was doing a one-off television drama or a film I’d have finished by now, but I’ve got to play this out in real time because we’re on your television every night.”

“I see it as a story of hope, a story about family, and it’s not just an easy story.” Diane praised the storyline though, as she talked of the feedback she had had from viewers.

Diane said: “”The wave of support I’ve got from the public, it’s touched so many lives and in particular highlighting cancer of this type for black people has been really important because statistically the survival rates are lower. That’s due to a number of reasons, including access to treatment and donors, and because people don’t put themselves on the register, making it very difficult without stem cells.

“So what has happened is, people are talking about it which is no small thing, so whether or not I’m having a hard time, it’s my job.”

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Crew Girl heartthrob Sam Braun is openly dating a fellow actress

Crew Girl viewers have been left curious about Sam Braun’s off-screen love life, and it’s not as tangled as his character’s.

The Canadian actor plays popular boy Josh Regis in the brand new young adult show, now available to stream on Netflix. The drama follows Teagan (played by Miku Martineau), a skilled teenage rower who is forced to move to a small town after a family scandal.

She hopes to have a fresh start at the prestigious Easton Prep, but soon discovers she will be the only female on her new school’s rowing team. A synopsis reveals: “Thrust into a world of old money and brutal competition, Teagan must find a way to lead a team that doesn’t want her and somehow bring them together.”

As well as juggling her rowing ambitions and family complications, Teagan also finds herself at the heart of a heated love triangle with Josh and Cam (Kyle Clark). We won’t spoil who she chooses in the end, but many fans have already rallied behind Team Josh.

But what is there to know about actor Sam’s real-life romances?

Who is Sam Braun’s partner?

Sam appears to be dating fellow actress Shanti Harris. The couple often posts loved-up pictures on Instagram, documenting everything from their romantic trips to work collaborations.

She has theatre experience as well as credits in short films, including Untethered, The First Dance, and Laundry. Sam and Shanti are also performing together on a new play called The Truth and Darers, which was written by Shanti.

It’s currently showing at the Vancouver Fringe and follows six teenagers who strike up a high-stakes game of Truth or Dare.

The first season of Crew Girl landed on Netflix on Thursday morning (September 10), and some fans are already hoping it’ll return for a second series. There’s no news yet on the future of the show, but the leading stars have ideas on where the story could go next.

“If we go to season 2, I think we should go on summer break or something, get lost in the woods,” Sam told Tudum. “It’d be really fun to do a summer bash and be on the lake boat and see what their life is [like] outside of rowing too.”

Meanwhile, Kyle added: “We really want to step it up if we have more time.” With leading lady Miku stating: “Who knows what can happen in season 2? A love square — is that even possible?”

Crew Girl is streaming now on Netflix

The chatter among Barcelona fans this summer was all about who would be the club’s next star striker after Robert Lewandowski – the team’s top scorer for the past four seasons – left to play in the United States.

The 18-year-old Egyptian, Hamza Abdelkarim, was not an answer anyone would have given at the beginning of preseason. This time last year, he had only played a single game at senior level, and that was for Cairo giants Al Ahly.

But as Barca’s dogged pursuit of Argentinian striker Julian Alvarez from rivals Atletico Madrid ended in failure, and the club only managed to secure a 10 million euros ($11.5m) move for Gabriel Jesus on the transfer window’s deadline day on September 1, Abdelkarim emerged from obscurity to dominate headlines in Catalonia and Egypt.

Abdelkarim’s four goals in five games made him Barcelona’s top scorer during preseason. He even scored against his boyhood club, Al Ahly, in the Joan Gamper Trophy – the fixture that is used to introduce the team to the fans and inaugurate the league season – but chose not to celebrate the goal as a mark of respect.

“Hamza offers something different,” Adrian Healey, ESPN’s La Liga match commentator, told Al Jazeera.

Fans in Egypt and Barcelona have taken to calling him the Egyptian Erling Haaland on account of his physical prowess and presence in the box.

When the striker caught the eye of FC Barcelona, a low-risk, low-commitment agreement was struck in the winter transfer window with Al Ahly to bring him to Spain. A six-month loan period was cut in half due to paperwork issues, but Abdelkarim made up for lost time by scoring goals; not for the first team, or even the reserves, but the Under-19 team – netting six times in 11 games.

Abdelkarim had also impressed for Egypt at the 2025 U17 World Cup, grabbing two goals and an assist in four appearances.

Despite the lack of top-level experience, Abdelkarim had done enough to prompt Egypt national team manager Hossam Hassan to take a gamble by selecting the uncapped teenager for his World Cup 2026 squad.

The veteran Mostafa Mohammed was left at home in favour of Abdelkarim, who went on to make his debut against Brazil in a friendly and featured in four World Cup matches.

On the advice of Mohamed Salah, the striker decided not to take a vacation after the World Cup and returned to Barcelona immediately after Egypt were knocked out by Argentina in the round of 16.

“Mohamed Salah is always talking to me, and I follow everything he says. He is an example to be followed, and the success he achieved is not by accident,” he told Egypt’s OnSport after FC Barcelona lifted the Joan Gamper Trophy.

The exposure to a professional like Salah has only served to supercharge Abdelkarim’s development.

Barcelona had already seen enough and decided to make his loan move permanent in June, paying Al Ahly 1.5 million euros ($1.75m) for his services.

“I am not surprised at all in Hamza’s [emergence],” Ismail el-Hamalawy, a footballing content creator who has closely followed the young striker’s journey, told Al Jazeera, citing his World Cup performances.

“He is the striker Egypt has been missing for two decades,” el-Hamalawy told Al Jazeera.

The only other Egyptian-born player to have played in La Liga was Mido, who came through the ranks at Zamalek before leaving Egypt as a 17-year-old in 2000 and played in Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, France, Italy and England.

At the turn of the century, most Egyptians followed Mido’s progress through newspapers and local talk shows. Now, Egyptians can easily track Abdelkarim’s development in real time online.

The interest has been so profound that Barcelona signed a surprise sponsorship with EgyptAir through the 2028-29 season this week as both entities look to leverage the image of Egypt’s next great footballer for commercial gain.

The club is now scrambling to improve his contract so that a larger buyout clause can be installed. As it stands, the 18-year-old could be poached by a rival club for only 15 million euros ($17m), so the Catalan giants are looking to place a 150 million euros ($174m) buyout clause to ward off any potential suitors.

An unused substitute in the first two matches of the season, Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has repeatedly told the media that the striker’s time will come.

“He deserves to play, and he will play,” Flick said. “I see him improving day by day. He has the right attitude and mentality.”

With such little top-level experience, it could have been considered irresponsible of the club to give the youngster too much responsibility too soon.

“He will have to [be] patient, but he will get minutes,” Healey said. “[But] I am not sure the signing of [Gabriel] Jesus changes much for him, as I see [Jesus] as just a stopgap solution. Abdelkarim might have had less minutes had Alvarez signed.”

On August 31, Abdelkarim replaced Raphina in the final five minutes of Barcelona’s 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano.

With an official debut out of the way, the striker can focus on clearing the next hurdle – scoring his first official goal for the La Liga champions.

The ITV show returned to screens this week following a lengthy break due to the changes made by the broadcaster this year.

Loose Women has been replaced in another schedule shake-up.

On Monday, the Loose Women panel members were thrilled when they returned to the ITV show after a lengthy break, due to the show being cut to 30 weeks of the year.

Presenter Ruth Langsford told viewers they were happy to be back, adding that they had ‘missed’ the show. However, after three days back, Loose Women has had another schedule change.

At the end of Wednesday’s show, Kaye Adams explained they weren’t going to be on for the rest of the week. She commented: “That is it for today and this week, we are off tomorrow and Friday for the racing.”

Although she told viewers that when the show returns, they’ll be joined by some familiar faces. Kaye continued: “We are back to normal, whatever that is, next week with two guest panellists joining us.

“Dragons’ Den star Emma Grede and Corrie’s Maria, Samia Longchambon. They’ll be here on the panel, we’ll see you at 12:30 on Monday.”

The show is taking a two-day hiatus as ITV covers the racing live from Doncaster, when viewers will see Ed Chamberlin and Francesca Cumani present coverage.

Before September, Loose Women was last on-air back in July as the presenters confirmed their lengthy break at the time, as Kaye told their fans: “We’re done for the summer.”

It comes after the Managing Director of ITV’s Media and Entertainment Division, Kevin Lygo, confirmed the broadcaster will see major changes in 2026 to its daytime scheduling.

Lorraine Kelly’s programme was cut back to 30 minutes as opposed to a full hour, and was also reduced to airing for 30 weeks on a seasonal schedule, similar to Loose Women.

During the weeks Lorraine isn’t on, fans have seen Good Morning Britain extended for an extra 30 minutes.

Speaking about the changes at the time, Kevin commented: “Daytime is a really important part of what we do, and these scheduling and production changes will enable us to continue to deliver a schedule providing viewers with the news, debate and discussion they love from the presenters they know and trust as well generating savings which will allow us to reinvest across the programme budget in other genres.

“These changes also allow us to consolidate our news operations and expand our national, international and regional news output and to build upon our proud history of trusted journalism at a time when our viewers need accurate, unbiased news coverage more than ever.”

Loose Women is available to watch on ITVX.

Comparing the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art to a spaceship has become an internet cliche, but the otherworldly campus really does feel like it exists in a galaxy far, far away. Nestled in Exposition Park beside the Natural History Museum and down the block from the soon-to-open Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center (with its actual spaceship), the Lucas Museum’s Ma Yansong-designed building sticks out like a green thumb.

There are 11 acres of lush public park space to explore, dotted with “Star Wars”-themed statues and a hanging garden, as well as benches and an amphitheater for outdoor events. A waterfall tucked on the north end of the building acts as a cooling mechanism for the 300,000-square-foot structure, but also serves as a gathering spot for jovial seagulls.

If you get peckish, there are two options: A cafe on the ground floor with typical sandwich and salad fare as well as a Starbucks; and a fifth-floor restaurant called Skywalker Grill with a full bar, curved cherry wood walls and lovely views of downtown L.A. (Nab a reservation or you’ll likely never get in.)

There are 100,000 square feet of gallery space, with the art spread mostly across the fourth floor — and in a fifth-floor murals gallery where you’ll find a selection of Banksys hidden in a back corner. More than 30 discrete galleries have something for almost everyone and are curated by broad themes including motherhood, community, romance, sports, science fiction and comics.

And, yes, there is a “Star Wars” exhibit, but it’s just a small part of the overall scene. If you come explicitly for that, your day will be filled with unexpected discovery.

Here’s a useful map to guide your way.

1/3

1. Galleries
2. Galleries
3. Library
4. Sculpture garden 

2/3

5. Education lobby
6. Lucas plaza
7. Oculus
8. Galleries
9. Private event space
10. Main lobby
11. Cafe
12. Gift shop 

3/3

13. Theaters
14. Skywalker Grill
15. Galleries
16. The History of Narrative Art: Heroes, Myths, The Sacred
17. Waterfall 

1/3

4th Floor Galleries 

2/3

4th Floor Galleries 

3/3

4th Floor Galleries 

COMEDIAN Jim Davidson has called off his sixth wedding to his fiancée Natasha after secretly separating – and exclusively revealed to The Sun the reasons behind the split.

The Celebrity Big Brother star, 72, was set to wed at Hampton Court Palace last year – and ending it all has come at quite a cost.

The palatial venue, where all six of King Henry VIII’s wives lived during their marriages, was an amusing nod to Jim’s string of failed marriages – but Davidson and Natasha, 49, have now lost their £10k deposit.

Despite plans to marry six times like the former King of England, funnyman Jim confirmed the engagement is off.

He told The Sun: “There’s no bad blood. Natasha is the most caring and dutiful person. 

“It’s not like we’re splitting up because we don’t love each other anymore.

“It’s a sort of a grown-up separation. The timing’s not right because she has so much time for everybody and how can you knock that?”

Dad-of-five Jim met Natasha, who is 23 years his junior, at the Southampton Boat Show in 2023 soon after the breakdown of his fifth marriage.

The smitten comic later introduced her to pals at Reform leader Nigel Farage’s birthday party saying he was going to make her his sixth wife – despite previously admitting his divorces had cost him around £60million.

He even renamed his £350,000 yacht – previously called Princess Mitchie after his ex-wife Michelle Cotton – Lady Natasha in honour of his new love.

However, the former Big Break and Generation Game host says the couple are no longer in a relationship ahead of their third anniversary.

He told us: “We still speak every other day, but whether we’ll ever find room to see one another again, I don’t know.

“She is very dutiful. She puts family first. And of course she has three children and now a grandson as well. 

“She is just so busy and so I’m very busy as well. I’ve just finished a tour and my a*** is shaped like my car seat after travelling around the country. I get out of the car and I walk like I’m still in it. 

“Our busy lives mean we’ve not been seeing one another. I previously fitted into her life because I’m hardly ever around myself.

“But there’s no bad feelings. I do love her. She’s fantastic.

“She’s the best friend you could ever have. She’s the best mother you could ever have.

“She’s the best daughter you could ever have. And I’m so proud that she was my girlfriend up until now.”

Jim – who was awarded an OBE in the 2001 New Year Honours – launched the Ustreme streaming channel after a successful stint recording short videos during Covid when he was unable to perform live and had no idea how audiences would respond.

The content includes exclusive stand-up shows and in-depth interviews with the aim of “making people laugh like they used to”.

Natasha’s new series is set to air on Jim’s website, where she jokingly refers to herself as the ‘future ex Mrs Davidson’.

Jim continued: “We planned to get married last year and even booked Hampton Court Palace, which we thought was great because Natasha would be the sixth wife and she thought that was hysterical.

“But these days we just don’t have the time to see each other and split up every month.

“So going forward, we might end up seeing each other again, or we might draw a line under it because it’s not practical for the pair of us.

“I said to her, ‘Are you going to give me my jewellery back? and she told me, ‘If you want it back, I’ll just get it from someone else’,” Jim laughed.

“She’s a beautiful girl. How she found time for me, I’ve no idea. She does everything for everybody and asks nothing for herself.”

Ruling out there being another potential wife-to-be on the cards, Jim joked: “The only thing that’s in my life now is a Hyundai Santa Fe and a dressing room.”

Natasha’s new eight-part series launches in October, interviewing an array of celebrity guests.

Meanwhile Jim Davidson – The Christmas Cracker Tour – launches on December 2. 

EXCLUSIVE: A contestant on The Jury has revealed just how difficult it was for the group to reach a verdict in the latest episode

A man who appeared on The Jury has opened up on ‘most difficult’ deliberation yet.

The contestant took part in the Channel 4 hit show and explained the extraordinary difficulty of reaching a verdict as the gripping series heads towards its final episode.

James, one of the members of the specially assembled jury, admitted the group faced an incredibly challenging time when they retired to deliberate over the case.

Speaking to The Daily Mirror about the experience, he said it was “probably one of the most challenging deliberations and claimed it was the most difficult the jurors had faced across the series so far.

James added, “I know for a fact out of 2 seasons previously, it was probably the most difficult of deliberations so far, and I suppose we really, really struggled to come to a decision.”

His comments come as The Jury reached the crucial stage of its four-part run, with the final episode airing on Channel 4 tonight (September 9).

The series has placed ordinary members of the public in the extraordinary position of having to decide the fate of two brothers accused of killing their stepfather.

Unlike a conventional documentary, the programme recreates a real-life murder trial using actors, with the jurors watching the evidence and arguments before being asked to reach their own verdict.

In the real case, the brothers were accused of killing their stepfather after years of alleged abuse and violence within the family home.

The Channel 4 series changed the defendants’ names, with the teenage brothers referred to as Daniel and his older brother as Luke.

The case presented the jurors with a particularly difficult question: could the brothers’ age, background, and claims of abuse alter how responsibility for the killing should be judged?

Reaching a conclusion was far from straightforward, and for James, it was even more difficult as he was voted as the jury’s foreperson.

He recalled the moment he was left feeling “really disrespected” when he was called out by a fellow juror. He said, “There was a moment where I went around all the jury members.

“I went around individually, and I asked people for their final decision, and when it came to be, quite literally, the last person to go, I was really thinking about what I was saying. And then another member of the jury, Phil, called me out, basically said, ‘Come on mate, we’ve not got all day, get a move on’”.

James added: “I just felt really disrespected because I had been voted in as the foreperson, so I had a responsibility to moderate a conversation, a really serious one of that, but also have my say at the same time.”

You can stream the new season of The Jury on Channel 4

The Channel 4 star has continued to bag huge television and film roles

The Inbetweeners star Henry Lloyd-Hughes looks almost unrecognisable almost 20 years after he found fame on the hit comedy.

Fans will remember the British actor, 41, for playing school bully Mark Donovan in the now-iconic series. For those who missed it, the E4 drama aired for three seasons between 2008 and 2010.

It followed the wild adventures of pupil Will (played by Simon Bird) and his group of friends: Simon (Joe Thomas), Jay (James Buckley) and Neil (Blake Harrison). Donovan was known for picking on the main characters, and infamously snapped a picture of Will in the toilet on his first day of school.

We watched the schoolmates’ last adventure together over a decade ago, and Netflix is bringing them back for a third feature-length film. But whatever happened to villain Donovan?

Lloyd-Hughes, the actor behind the teenager, is almost unrecognisable these days. He has remained in the industry, just like most of his co-stars.

The London-born performer recently appeared in Netflix’s The Thursday Murder Club, opposite the likes of Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan. He has also enjoyed roles in Killing Eve and Steven Spielberg’s new thriller, Disclosure Day.

Although casual viewers may not instantly recognise the actor as a “grown up,” devoted fans can pick him out of a crowd even after all these years.

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Lloyd-Hughes shared the story of a sweet run-in with a fan back in 2021. “This is not a humblebrag but I was giving blood this morning. Obviously you’ve got to wear a mask,” he told Square Mile.

He went on to reveal that a nurse came over to him and said: “Excuse me, I’d like to ask a question. Have you ever done any acting?” To which he replied: “Yeah, sometimes.”

The healthcare worker then asked: “Are you The Inbetweeners?” Lloyd-Hughes went on to explain: “It was a middle-aged to elderly Indian man who recognised me.

“I was not expecting, when I was wearing a school uniform, filming for like £5 a week, that ten years later or whatever I’d be getting recognised. Even behind a mask!”

The Inbetweeners series is available to stream on Channel 4’s on-demand service. The Inbetweeners 3 will stream on Netflix.

If Matthew Fine, a 5-foot-8, 165-pound senior running back and lacrosse star for Loyola High, needs a walk-up song, he can go back to 1969 when Frank Sinatra’s hit “My Way” came on the radio with the lyrics, “I did it my way.”

Fine, who lives in Manhattan Beach, declined to be interviewed last week before the Cubs’ game against the public school he lives five minutes from, Mira Costa. He didn’t want to give friends he grew up with any bulletin board material. Then he went out and rushed for 105 yards in a 14-7 Loyola victory.

It was fun for him to catch up with neighborhood kids he used to play with starting at age 5.

“I traded jerseys and traded photos,” he said. “It was nice talking to them.”

Asked if he walked home from the game, Fine said, “I actually considered it.”

Fine, with his speed and strength from lacrosse training, could be the comeback player of the year in football. He quit football after his sophomore year to focus on lacrosse. Loyola has one of the best lacrosse programs in the state, winning last season’s Southern Section championship. He’s earned a lacrosse scholarship to Utah.

Football coach Drew Casani had lobbied Fine to return to football before his junior year with no success. Last school year, after the lacrosse season ended, Casani sent him a text inviting him to return.

“I’m in,” Fine responded.

“I love football,” Fine said. “There was a lot of uncertainty. My junior year is where you get recruited for lacrosse. After sitting out a year and watching all the guys playing football, I got really jealous and wanted to jump back in.”

He rejoined the team this year starting at the bottom of the depth chart. Now he’s had back-to-back games rushing for more than 100 yards. This will be his first and only year playing on varsity.

“I’m doing this for fun,” he said. “I love football. I’ve been doing it longer than any other sport.”

Whenever the season ends, it will be Fine’s final football game.

“I don’t think I’ll have any regrets,” he said. “I’ll just be sad. I don’t want to think about that.”

Incredibly, as much as people believe football gets players in the best shape of their life, Fine once flunked his conditioning test for lacrosse after playing football.

“It’s a different type of conditioning,” he explained.

Casani is thrilled that Fine’s one year off from football has had little effect.

“He picked up seemingly where he left off,” Casani said. “ He’s fast, has vision and is hard to tackle.“

Don’t ask his father, Mickey, what Fine might do next or any day.

“My son does things his own way,” he said. “Sometimes I don’t understand it.”

With a 4.0 grade-point average and terrific lacrosse talent as an attacker, Fine has a bright future. For those who play intramural flag football on Utah’s campus, Fine could be the ringer to deliver a championship next year.

Start the early recruitment, Utes students.

This Morning viewers were less than impressed with the discussion of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on the ITV show.

After six years in America, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are returning to the UK.

As the pair left to live Stateside, they also officially relinquished their senior working royal duties. However, despite their anticipated return, their non-working royal status will remain.

Speaking about the recent revelation on This Morning, ITV presenters Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley discussed the matter with Ashley James and Nick Ferrai.

The 39-year-old shared that despite what people think of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, they were a ‘huge asset’ to the royal family due to their global reach, reports the Express.

Ashley went on to say it’s ‘a shame’ that the situation can’t be dealt with privately, sharing that Harry is a royal, albeit officially or unofficially.

The ITV personality pointed out that, regardless of their non-working status, Harry and his children would still require security protection due to ongoing credible threats against them.

Airing her hopes that, going forward, they could ‘come together’, Ashley stated that, personally, she thinks the monarchy would be ‘so much stronger’ with Harry and Meghan.

However, viewers watching shared their thoughts on the discussion, with opinions very mixed. While one person said they were ‘sick of hearing’ about the royals each time they turned on the TV, someone else stated the ITV show should ‘Leave them alone’.

According to reports, a spokesperson for Harry and Meghan shared that they were ‘surprised’ by King Charles‘ letter, making clear that the couple will remain “private citizens” rather than working royals when they return.

It’s believed that the letter, which was issued on behalf of the King, was sent to over 100 “senior stakeholders” this week.

It stated that Harry and Meghan should not use their HRH styles and “do not represent the sovereign” when they’re out making public appearances.

A spokesman for the Duke and Duchess said: “We were a little surprised not to have been told about this in advance,” adding that the publication of the letter had caught Harry and Meghan off guard.

This Morning airs on ITV weekdays from 10am.

SAN DIEGO — As dusk approached San Diego’s seaside enclave of Ocean Beach, its Sunset Cliffs bustled on a recent Friday evening.

Two engaged couples posed for wedding photos in between joggers, dog walkers and sightseers who clamored around Osprey Street to enjoy the day’s majestic sunset.

It was a deceptively idyllic setting for what authorities say is continued lawbreaking and peril, which authorities just can’t seem to quash.

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The lawbreakers were gathered this day on a cliff and a nearby arch, a crowd of around 50 young people — 14- to 20-year-olds, mostly males. Buoyed by a youthful sense of invincibility, they dared one another to leap, waiting for another to move, like emperor penguin chicks before a first arctic plunge.

After a few minutes, there was a dive off the arch, followed by a cannonball from the next person, a backflip from a third and then other more spectacular and daring stunts from the flock.

The cliff divers, drawn to the thrills of the illicit jumps amplified by social media, reveled in dozens of leaps.

No one was injured that day, but that hasn’t always been the case.

People jump into the water at Sunset Cliffs. San Diego officials urge visitors to avoid jumping, but that doesn’t stop tourists and thrill-seekers.

At least three individuals were rescued after suffering injuries this summer at Sunset Cliffs, leading police to ramp up enforcement as locals debate the need for safety versus the merits of youthful rites of passage.

California dreaming

Back home in Iowa, Marcus English said he’d probably be hosting bonfires or hitting up local pools in mid- to late August. Instead, the 17-year-old was at the cliffs enjoying his last few days off before beginning his senior year of high school.

“There are some places to jump, some lakes in Iowa,” he said, “but nothing like this.”

English wangled a stop during a weeklong family trip to California that included national park visits to stop by Sunset Cliffs, which he saw on social media.

The vistas and cool breezes represented quintessential California to the Midwesterner, equal parts “what I saw on Instagram and a movie.”

English spread out his arms, squatted and then leaped before taking a roughly 15-foot plunge from the arch into the shallow waters. He jumped multiple times on consecutive days.

“It’s just so freeing,” he said of his leaps. “There’s nothing like it.”

‘Hopefully I can walk again’

Jumping happens at several places throughout the cliffs.

The most common launch point is from the arch, with drops ranging from 15 to 20 feet depending on the water level, said a San Diego Police Department spokesperson.

The more exotic and dangerous plunges happen from the adjacent cliffs, with youngsters jumping from 20 to 40 feet, and some as much as 50 feet.

What makes the latter leap more treacherous is a rock ledge that juts out about 10 to 15 feet from the cliffs. Jumpers have little room to run and gain momentum (unlike at the arch) and must clear that formation before hitting the water.

This summer’s safety debate reached a fever pitch in late July. A 17-year-old jumper, according to social media footage, struck the ledge with his backside and crashed into the water.

The incident was covered extensively by San Diego media and resulted in increased policing near the bluffs.

For his part, the unnamed 17-year-old said in a since-deleted social media post that he suffered six fractured vertebrae and a badly bruised tailbone and needed nine stitches in his foot. The Times could not independently reach him.

Spectators watch people jump into the water from the arch at Sunset Cliffs.

“For everyone who wants to tell me I’m an idiot for doing that, trust me, I’m aware,” he said. “Hopefully I can walk again, but I’m just trying to take it slow.”

Sunset Cliffs have attracted visitors and tragedies

Injuries and deaths from jumping at the cliffs date to the 19th century, San Diego Reader noted earlier this year.

A schoolboy named Waldham slipped off the cliffs after a scrum with friends and broke his arm in 1881. One of the earliest deaths came in 1926, when a 3-year-old wandered from his home on Narragansett Avenue and fell to his demise.

Police and lifeguards were unsure as to the most recent jumping fatality, with one official pointing to the 2019 death of 15-year-old Anthony Womack, a National City resident.

The Sweetwater High School sophomore was reported to have jumped from nearby Pappy’s Point after skipping school with friends.

Brook Hjelm, the mother of 23-year-old Brian Wilson, who died swimming at Sunset Cliffs in 2015, told the local CBS station she would like to see photos of those who had died posted along with danger signs in the area. “Put signs up of our young men and women that we lost,” Hjelm said. “Let them see the face of something that associates them with what truly is at stake.”

Tracking the action

Attention surrounding Sunset Cliffs injuries ebbs and flows much like the current, according to Frank Gormlie, a longtime San Diego County resident who tracked incidents more than a decade ago.

Gormlie, the founder and editor of Ocean Beach’s online newspaper, OB Rag, scoured media archives and spoke with residents.

He published a list in his October 2015 article “Death and Distress at Sunset Cliffs – 2005 to 2015,” which he described as “incomplete” because of unreported incidents.

“It had gotten so bad that I wanted to chronicle what was going on,” Gormlie said.

His research documented 11 deaths and dozens of injuries during that time span. Those statistics came from jumps, along with vehicular, climbing and health incidents.

Some incidents had little to do with jumping, such a surfer smashing into the rocks. But a 43-year-old woman slipped and fell to her death in 2015, while two jumpers needed crane-assisted rescues after suffering serious injuries, according to Gormlie.

The Sunset Cliffs siren’s song

“People have been visiting the Sunset Cliffs for years because it has a beauty that shocks,” Gormlie said. “But I think social media has found its way to the next generation of adventure seekers who don’t know about the dangers.”

The Sunset Cliffs area is Instagram-ready, and social media has drawn some visitors looking to brave the leap.

Gormlie said swimming and diving are local rites of passage. He noted that Ocean Beach residents commonly “shoot the OB pier” — surfing under that the town’s pier — a risky stunt that Gormlie did as an 18-year-old before shipping off for college.

Gormlie jumped from the cliffs in 2014, shortly after turning 65.

He wrote about his experience through an anonymous post, saying he “did it for all those guys and women my age who drive by every day and secretly wish they could jump off too.”

“It’s irresistible,” he said of jumping.

Police and lifeguard efforts

The teen’s accident in July was one of three incidents and subsequent rescues over a 15-day period, according to the San Diego Union Tribune.

All rescues involved San Diego Fire-Rescue Department lifeguards and personnel. The department shares jurisdiction of Sunset Cliffs with the San Diego Police Department and rangers with the city Department of Parks and Recreation, said Candace Hadley, Fire-Rescue public information officer.

Hadley wanted to remind potential jumpers that the act of leaping from the cliffs violates a San Diego municipal code and could result in fines of $100 or more. Frequent fliers could be smacked with $1,000 fines.

“Cliff jumping isn’t just illegal in San Diego, it’s extremely dangerous,” Hadley said. “One misstep could lead to a life-altering injury or worse.”

Her office tends to offer education on the dangers of jumping, she said, while San Diego police dealout penalties.

The problem of jumpers at Sunset Cliffs has been part of achallenging summer for the lifeguards, who have made 5,480 rescues across the 17 miles of San Diego coastline they patrol from June 1 to Sept. 1. Extreme heat has driven more people to the beach, and high surf fueled by Pacific tropical storms has added to the dangers.

The rescues have mostly been of swimmers not properly judging the strong currents. In a normal year, Hadley said, the lifeguards make about 7,500 to 8,000 rescues.

Sgt. Saum Poorsaleh, San Diego police public information officer, said his department had issued more than 50 citations at Sunset Cliffs and dispensed about 350 warnings, written and oral, since mid-June.

But he said the department is short-handed, and increasing enforcement permanently is not feasible.

“There are warning signs all over the cliffs noting the dangers, but people still jump,” Poorsaleh said. “Mix in social media — which is drawing in tourists from all over the country — and a young person’s feeling of invincibility and there’s a chance for trouble.”

Visitors have been jumping at the Ocean Beach location for decades. One local said he jumped after turning 65, calling it “irresistible.”

San Diego City Councilmember Jennifer Campbell, who represents Ocean Beach, recently issued a statement reminding visitors “to prioritize safety and not jump from the cliffs.”

“The cliffs can be unpredictable,” she said, “and changing tides, strong currents, rough surf, and hidden rocks can quickly create life-threatening conditions.”

A longtime local tradition

Lyne Miller has lived all her life in Ocean Beach, where saltwater runs in locals’ veins and it’s not uncommon to see residents toting surfboard as they ride a bike or golf cart to the beach.

From a young age, Miller, 80, said she promised her mom that she “would never jump.”

Miller says the number of teens arriving at the beach, likely driven by social media, “is more than ever.”

But she acknowledged that locals had been jumping at Sunset Cliffs since at least the 1950s in surf-centric Ocean Beach.

“This is a playground for those who love the water, who love the ocean,” she said. “I hope if there’s a crackdown on jumping, it’s not harsh.

“I don’t necessarily feel negative about the jumpers,” she added. “I just wish they would be smarter and jump from safer spots at better times.”

A HAPPY Mondays star has been forced to cancel work and an Ibiza holiday – as they revealed their mother is in hospital after a fall.

The singer, 60, performed with the iconic alternative dance band across two stints.

Rowetta – ful name Rowetta Idah was part of the group from 1990 to 1993 and again from 2012 to 2024.

Taking to Instagram, she shared a photo of her mother lying in a hospital bed, sipping a drink.

Rowetta captioned her post: “Apologies to friends & family but my mum has had another fall.

“She has 3 broken ribs and her left lung needs to heal, so I won’t be on here much and studio & Ibiza are on hold.

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“She’s in a great place so hopefully back soon.”

One person commented: “Thinking of ye both. I hope she gets better soon.”

Another wrote: “Wishing her a speedy recovery and sending you lots of love, strength and courage.

“Please do get in touch if I can help with anything.”

A third said: “Hope she feels better soon.”

Aside from her work with the Happy Mondays, Rowetta is the vocalist on 1989 track Reach Out.

It has since been sampled by other artists including The Black Eyed Peas and Steve Angello.

Meanwhile, Rowetta competed on The X Factor‘s inaugural 2004 series, placing fourth and being the highest placed female contestant.

A second celebrity has been eliminated from ITV’s The Box, after losing a duel on Gary Lineker’s new celebrity game show.

A contestant on The Box has spoken out after their exit from the gameshow, as they became the second star to be eliminated.

The ITV series, which premiered on Saturday (September 5), sees 10 celebrities take part in a variety of challenges. Fronted by former Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker, the cast includes Danny Aarons, Ranvir Singh, Joey Essex, Ellie Taylor, JB Gill, Jenny Ryan, John Bercow, Sara Davies and Shakira Khan. During Saturday night’s debut episode, Graeme Souness became the first star to be eliminated, and now a second celebrity has been sent packing.

After losing out on The Duel, a head-to-head game after the main challenge, Sara Davies was confirmed to be going home. She shared how much she enjoyed her experience, adding that she was “dead proud” of putting herself through challenges, reports the Express.

She went on: “Where I’ve played this wrong is, I’ve shown my true colours a little bit. They’ve seen that actually, she’s playing this to win. And I think that’s what’s been my downfall.”

Sara continued by saying how much she’d enjoyed her time taking part in the show, adding: “I’d do it again in a heartbeat.” Each episode of the show sees a celebrity get enclosed in a yellow box, before finding themselves in mystery locations across the country.

“They will never know where they are, or what challenge is facing them on the other side. The challenges could be physical, mental, logical, funny, a bit daunting, or all of those at once,” the synopsis adds. “With minimal or no instruction, they must decipher and work out what to do. At the end of each episode, two players will battle it out in The Duel, a high-stakes head-to-head game to avoid elimination.”

Just a day earlier, when The Box premiered, Sara shared a message about filming the programme on social media. She shared: “So around this time last year, I was asked to take part in a brand new and totally different show for ITV called ‘The Box’.

“I received a phone call asking if I would take part and, because the show had never been made before, I didn’t really fully understand what I was letting myself in for. I just knew I was going to be put into a big yellow shipping container, transported SOMEWHERE, and then I’d have to work out what the hell was going on and what I needed to do about it the split second the box doors opened!

“What they did promise was that it would be a challenge, it would be unexpected, I’d be pushed well out of my comfort zone, and I’d have to challenge myself in ways I could never have imagined. Well, they weren’t wrong and I can’t wait to hear what you all think of it!”

She went on to say that unfortunately she’d be missing the show airing as she was walking the Great Wall of China with breast cancer charity CoppaFeel, but she wanted to share the “truly memorable experience” with her followers with some behind-the-scenes pictures.

Sara was widely supported from fans after her post, with one writing: “Love this can’t wait to watch.” Another said: “Just watched 1 and 2 episodes big love from another Northern Gal.” Someone else wrote: “I’m watching the second episode now and it’s brill xx.”

Sara’s exit from The Box comes after she quit Dragons’ Den last year. She had become the youngest ever female Dragon when she joined in 2019.

She shared at the time: “Little update from me… As this last run of Dragons’ comes to an end I have to say l’ve loved every minute of this series so far and I’m so proud of the businesses l’ve invested in this year!

“As a lot of you will know, l’ve taken up my position again as CEO of Crafter’s Companion and my business is my big priority this year. And when I commit to a business, I really commit, which is why I find Dragons’ Den such a rewarding role.

“As well as filming an incredible show, being a Dragon requires so much dedication and time behind the scenes as you join the life of each business you invest in. It means seeing through your investment and committing to your part in that organisation. It’s so much more than a TV show.

“That’s why l’ve taken the decision to step away from the Den for now, to focus on my own business, which was my first baby! So I won’t be filming with the team this year for the next series.

“Sending so much love to my fellow Dragons and the amazing team behind it all. In the meantime, you can still catch me in the second half of this series of Dragons’ Den later in the year – it will not disappoint!”

The Box is available to watch on ITVX

Game of Thrones’ Rose Leslie still remembers what she learnt when winter was coming.

Rose Leslie has shared some handy behind the scenes Game of Thrones tricks she used for Vigil season three.

Vigil continues to air every Sunday and Monday night on BBC One as DI Kirsten Longacre (played by Rose Leslie) heads up the latest murder investigation.

But in a complete 180 degrees move to series two which was mostly set in the Middle East, season three takes place in Svalbard, Norway, which is located in the Arctic Circle.

And with Svalbard having an average annual temperature between minus 11 and minus 16 degrees, it wasn’t the easiest of conditions to work in.

Nevertheless, Leslie did pick up a few helpful tips while shooting in Iceland’s freezing temperatures for Game of Thrones.

“Filming back then, I was given a brilliant hack that I also used for Svalbard as well.

“Essentially, if you get a heat pack and you place them on both your kidneys, you are then heating up your blood because your blood is going through your kidneys and then whizzing everywhere else in your system.

“So if you’re heating up the blood going through your kidneys, you’re actually going to warm yourself up.

So I was like ‘Guys, you’ve got to listen to me on this!’ And it works!

“That really helped me on every single day we were filming outside on the mountain tops.”

Vigil season three returns for its third episode tonight, Sunday, September 6, where Kirsten will finally be reunited with DCI Amy Silva (Suranne Jones).

It’s been teased that Amy travels to Svalbard to “clear Kirsten’s name” as she faces the “wrath of the Russians”.

The official synopsis continues: “Together, they dig into the complex motivations within the hub whilst something more sinister bubbles beneath its surface.

“The truth of Hodge’s murder may be closer to home than they thought, but the situation threatens to combust before they can get to the truth.”

Vigil is available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Emiliano Martinez: There was concern when the Argentina goalkeeper was accidentally kicked in the head by Gabriel early on, but he was beaten too easily at his near post for Havertz’s equaliser. He later made a high-quality save from Saka in the second half. 5

Josh Acheampong: Often dragged into uncomfortable areas by Tzolis from a tactical perspective, but handled his individual defensive duties well. 6

Maxence Lacroix: Miscontrolled a ball early on and allowed Havertz’s shot to pass through his legs but also impressed at other times. 6

Wesley Fofana: Unconvincing defensively against Saka, Odegaard and, ultimately, Havertz for the equaliser, but the most composed of Chelsea‘s defenders in possession. 6

Pedro Neto: Tasked with marking Calafiori while also providing an attacking threat. Hit the post just before half-time with a brilliant curling effort. 7

Reece James: Saw a well-struck long-range effort saved after 22 minutes and was arguably Chelsea‘s best passer. 7

Romeo Lavia: Produced a superb defensive header to clear the danger in the 32nd minute and competed aggressively throughout. 6

Jorrel Hato: His determination helped create Rogers’ volley and he matched that effort defensively, although he struggled to contain Saka at times. 6

Cole Palmer: Had one effort on target in the first half and was booked for a professional foul. Also had a second-half shot saved. Arsenal largely kept him quiet. 5

Morgan Rogers: Opened the scoring with a first-time volley after just two minutes. Later curled an effort narrowly wide in the 31st minute and was Chelsea‘s most dangerous attacking player. 7

Joao Pedro: Unconvincing defensively at set-pieces and had few opportunities in front of goal, including an ambitious effort from distance. Still made a significant contribution through his work-rate, physical presence and ability to bring team-mates into play as the number nine. 6

Subs:

Malo Gusto (on 60, Lavia): Poor effort moments after coming on, albeit playing out of position in central midfield. 5

Pep Chavarria (on 60, Hato): Struggled to track his runners on a few occasions. 6

Estevao Willian (on 80, Neto): The Brazilian’s sensational curling effort almost levelled but was saved by Raya.

Danny Welbeck (on 87, Rogers)

Subs not used: Penders, Colwill, Barco, Quenda, Gittens

A contestant on The Voice UK shared the inspirational support he’d received behind the scenes.

A coach on The Voice UK was left in tears moments before Saturday’s episode came to an end.

The ITV competition has returned, with Kelly Rowland joining will.i.am, Sir Tom Jones and duo Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones. During the third round of the blind auditions on Saturday (September 5), viewers saw a show-first, as a Scottish singer made history, becoming the first contestant to be given the Rewind. ITV had earlier teased the game-changing format, saying: “If a coach realises they have made a mistake, they can hit Rewind, bring the act back, and offer them a place on their team.

“However, with only one Rewind available to each coach, they must choose their moment wisely. For an act who thought their journey was over, it could change everything…”

Elsewhere during the show, an emotional final audition left Kelly wiping back tears. 24-year-old Aaren was the last performer that day, hoping to impress the coaches.

Before taking to the stage, the ambulance care assistant, from Warrington, opened up about the support he’d received behind-the-scenes. He shared: “I live with my nan, she means the absolute world to me, she’s like a second mum.”

He went on to reveal that his nan had been diagnosed with breast cancer, adding: “There was a level of uncertainty there, whether we would have to say goodbye, when that would be, so I moved over to look after her.”

Aaren’s nan went on to praise him as “such a lovely person, inside and out”. “This is all you’ve wanted to do,” she added, talking about his audition.

Aaren shared: “This is one of the most nerve-wracking things I’ve done, and probably ever will do. But the amount of times my nan will say, I wish I’d have done this when I was younger. I don’t ever want to get older and have any regrets, I want to be able to say that I’ve tried.”

After his performance, both Kelly and Sir Tom turned around, hoping to win Aaren onto their team. Kelly shared: “I turned around because I love a male soulful voice, that wants to croon. Like nobody sings from their gut, heart and soul anymore… it’s a talent.”

As she heard about Aaren’s nan, she broke down in tears. She said: “That was sweet, to watch him love his grandmother like that, I love that.” She added: “You always want them to have this really sweet space for a woman who is a rock in their life.”

After the auditions came to an end, Kelly added: “Aaren had me moved to tears, he just makes me kind of putty. He’s so honest, he was a really special guy so I’m really excited.”

The Voice UK is available to watch on ITVX

Graeme Souness is one of ten celebrity contestants on Gary Lineker’s new ITV game show The Box

Graeme Souness is appearing in new ITV show The Box on Saturday night.

The Scottish former professional football player, manager and television pundit, 73, is one of ten celebrity contestants on Gary Lineker’s new game show. Also joining the line-up are Danny Aarons, Ellie Taylor, Joey Essex, JB Gill, Jenny Ryan, John Bercow, Ranvir Singh, Sara Davies and Shakira Khan on the new ITV show.

It comes as The Box crew were forced to fly a drone to find a ‘missing’ star during filming and The Chase’s Jenny, 44, admitted she felt ‘guilty’ over brutal decisions in the new ITV show.

Away from the ITV show, Graeme has spoken candidly about his health over the years after he was diagnosed with a heart condition aged just 38, which left him asking ‘how can this happen to me’.

Graeme shared his experience with the British Heart Foundation (BHF), revealing what life was like following his diagnosis and treatment for heart disease as a young, physically fit man.

While managing Liverpool in 1991, the Scot was struggling to sleep and experiencing chest pains in bed. With a family history of heart disease, alarm bells were ringing. He underwent an electrocardiogram (ECG) – a straightforward test used to assess the heart’s rhythm and electrical activity.

Following the results, he was referred for an angiogram, a specialised X-ray procedure used to examine blood vessels. Despite displaying no obvious symptoms, Graeme was diagnosed with three blocked arteries and coronary heart disease. Just five days later, he was facing open heart surgery.

Speaking on the British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) podcast, the Ticker Tapes in 2021, he said at the time: “At the time I was training like the professional football players and was only 38-years-old. I kept thinking ‘how can this happen to me?’

“I looked after myself in terms what I ate and drank and had trained from the age of 15 – I trained as vigorously as a professional athlete. I didn’t carry any weight, I never had done. How had this happened to me?

“I didn’t have the obvious symptoms that there was something badly wrong with my heart so I’m so glad I got checked when I did. It’s because of this that I’m here 30 years later.

“If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone. At that time I was a very fit, young man. If you’re concerned about your family history, go and get checked. You must get yourself checked.”

In 2015, Graeme suffered a heart attack and has since become a British Heart Foundation (BHF) ambassador, throwing himself into numerous campaigns and events, as well as making visits to BHF research laboratories.

Graeme said of the terrifying health scare: “My heart attack was very scary but I’m still here, able to talk about it thank goodness. Fortunately, it hasn’t caused me any lasting problem.

“It’s so important to go to your doctor and get yourself diagnosed if you’re at all concerned. You owe it to yourself and those close to you – your wife, your children and your grandchildren. They want you around as long as possible.”

The Box launches on Saturday 5th September, with Episode 2 airing on Sunday 6th September, on ITV1, ITVX, STV & STV Player.

EastEnders star Kitty Castledine is about to take center stage as her character, Penny, hides a baby bombshell

EastEnders star Kitty Castledine is the sister of a famous footballer and they also have well-known parents.

The 24-year-old actress arrived on the BBC soap as Penny Branning in January 2024, taking over the role from Mia McKenna-Bruce, who appeared between January and April 2008.

Penny, the daughter of local copper Jack Branning (Scott Maslen), has since been caught up in a drugs smuggling plot, has caused a dangerous club crush, and enjoyed a brief romance with Harry Mitchell (Elijah Holloway).

Most recently, she found love with local businessman Vinny Panesar (Shiv Jalota), but before the romance could blossom, she found out she was pregnant, and confirmed that Vinny was the father.

In an unexpected twist, a midwife appointment soon revealed her dates didn’t match up, and her unborn baby is biologically Harry’s after they shared one night of passion, casting doubt over her relationship with Vinny.

Penny is yet to reveal the truth about the baby’s paternity as she moves in with Vinny and they set up a loving family home. Will the truth come out as Penny’s due date edges closer?

Away from Albert Square, Penny actress Kitty Castledine leads a much simpler life with her family in London.

She is the daughter of television star Lucy Alexander, who is famed for hosting popular daytime shows such as Homes Under the Hammer and A Place in the Sun.

Kitty’s father is ex-Premier League footballer Stewart Castledine, who played for Wimbledon for over 9 years. He also featured for Wycombe in the second tier.

Stewart has also appeared on television screens, hosting BBC One’s Big Strong Boys and Houses Behaving Badly.

Stewart and Lucy are said to have wed in 2000, during a ceremony in Richmond, London, after meeting through a mutual acquaintance.

They have two children, including Kitty and a son, Leo Castledine, 21, who is also a footballer and currently plays for Middlesbrough.

Who is Leo Castledine?

Leo is a midfielder for the Championship team Middlesbrough after joining the club in January 2026.

Prior to his current move, Leo was on loan at Huddersfield Town from Premier League side Chelsea, where he impressed, scoring 12 goals in 27 games for the Terriers.

“I’m absolutely over the moon to join what is a massive, massive club,” Leo explained about joining his new club. “It’s a really big step for me in my career, and I’m very excited to be here.

“There’s always been trust in young players at this club if they can perform, and I want to perform at my highest level”, reported BBC News.

Leo joined Chelsea as an Under-15 from AFC Wimbledon and worked his way up to make one substitute appearance for the first team, a Carabao Cup semi-final against Boro in January 2024. He has also worn the England shirt for the U19s five times.

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday on BBC One and iPlayer