star

Coronation Street’s Megan Walsh could be set for a brutal exit as actress Beth Nixon dropped a massive hint about her character and another villain’s fates on the ITV soap

One Coronation Street star may have given away which villain dies on the ITV soap this week.

Beth Nixon, who plays child groomer Megan Walsh, has teased the game is up for her character. Not only that, but she teased the same about another character who could die this week.

Five villains including Megan face the chop, with someone killed off in Friday’s episode. Speaking exclusively to The Mirror, Beth confessed the doesn’t fancy her survival chances.

She told us: “Megan and Theo are up there as the worst villains. The others can be redeemed but me and Theo are done for aren’t we…” So does this confirm an exit is on the way for Megan and Theo either way, and could one or both of them die?

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Beth also told us how her character had to go as there was no way she could be redeemed at this point. She is keen for fans to get their justice, but admitted she would love a brutal demise for Megan.

She said: “I’d love it if Megan died a dramatic death. She would proper milk it as well wouldn’t she. But I think the best course of justice for her and what she’s done is to be punished.

“I love to see the viewers theories about what they want. I have seen a lot of people say she needs to go to prison and they don’t want her to be the victim as they want the prison exit.”

Beth also laughed off the moment Megan gets attacked, with her shown wandering round with a bloody nose. Beth said: “She’s like, look what they’ve done to me. I’m the victim, call the police now.

“She’s covered in blood. The way it cuts to her, I was having a giggle. Just wipe your face love!” Beth thinks fans will be shocked by the death when it airs.

She said: “I think the audience are gonna love it. I think they’ll jump up at the TV and scream. I’d love to see it on Gogglebox.” With it heavily hinted time is running out for Megan, Beth has loved playing the character because of how fearless she is.

She explained: “She doesn’t care. It’s so fun to play. Me in real life I’m like, ‘oh sorry’ and Megan’s just like, ‘get out the way.’ She’s so far from who I am it’s so much fun.

“I get to speak to people however I want. It is a very important storyline but it’s been made so easy for me in terms of having to deal with it. There’s been a lot of support from the team here. I’ve felt quite held with it.”

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

The Other Bennet Sister proved to be a massive hit with period drama fans last month.

A star of The Other Bennet Sister already has two major new projects lined up.

BBC audiences were captivated by the Pride and Prejudice-inspired period drama The Other Bennet Sister, which retells the classic story from the viewpoint of Mary Bennet (portrayed by Ella Bruccoleri).

While the series predominantly centres on Mary’s individual journey, it does track some of the Jane Austen novel’s more central characters, including snobbish social climber Miss Bingley.

In this BBC adaptation, she is portrayed by none other than Sex Education star Tanya Reynolds, who now has two exciting productions on the horizon.

The first of these ventures is dark comedy Dog Person, a film which the 34 year old is not only appearing in but marks her directorial debut.

She will assume the role of Sally, a dental receptionist who is “overwhelmed by life’s pressures and develops a desire to relinquish control, leading to a dark, unsettling fantasy”.

Reynolds won’t be the sole recognisable face to appear in Dog Person either, as she will be accompanied by the likes of Happy Valley villain and Grantchester legend James Norton.

Completing the principal cast is ITV Downton Abbey and Twenty Twenty Six star Hugh Bonneville.

Dog Person isn’t Reynolds’ sole forthcoming project, with Ted Lasso enthusiasts thrilled to learn that she will feature in the highly anticipated fourth season.

Three years have passed since fans last caught a glimpse of the award-winning Apple TV comedy-drama, and a handful of fresh faces are set to join everyone’s beloved football coach.

Little has been revealed about Reynolds’ character, though she is set to play a new assistant coach for a women’s football team.

Fortunately, the wait is almost at an end, with Ted Lasso season four due to make its debut on Wednesday, August 5, on Apple TV, with episodes dropping on a weekly basis.

The Other Bennet Sister is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Jacqueline Falk, daughter of the late “Columbo” star Peter Falk, died Monday by suicide, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner. She was 60.

Jackie Falk died at her Los Angeles residence, the department’s website said. The case is still listed as open.

The Times was unable to obtain further information about Jackie Falk’s death Wednesday as the medical examiner’s public information office was closed because of staffing issues.

Peter Falk was 83 when he died at his Beverly Hills home in June 2011.

He and first wife Alyce Mayo married in 1960 and later adopted sisters Jackie and Catherine. The college sweethearts divorced in 1976, but according to Catherine — who was around 5 when her parents split — they remained “best friends.”

“I remember watching my mom and dad laugh and tell stories about their college years,” she told Closer magazine in 2023. “It was nice as a teenager to experience that.”

Peter Falk would bring both her and her older sister Jackie to movie premieres and set visits, and loved to take them ice skating, Catherine Falk said.

In 1977, he married actor Shera Danese, who he met while making the 1976 movie “Mikey and Nicky.”

“He saw me walking down the street, and that was it,” Danese told The Times in 1991. She said with a giggle that at 15 years or so into their marriage, “I tell him what to do.” Danese has not acted in film or TV since the year before Peter Falk’s death, according to IMDb.

The family story grew complicated when Catherine Falk alleged that Danese hindered access to their father.

After what she said was an expensive legal battle to gain visitation late in her father’s life, Catherine Falk has a website dedicated to the passage of laws to guarantee a new spouse can’t prevent children from a previous marriage from visiting an incapacitated parent. She said on the site that her dad maintained a 30-year loving relationship with her and Jackie despite alleged interference from his new wife.

In 2009, after petitioning the court to have her ailing father placed under a conservatorship, Catherine was permitted to visit Peter Falk, who was suffering from dementia. Danese was named the “Columbo” actor’s conservator. Jackie, who did not join the court fight to have access to her father, was not able to visit him during the three years before his death, the Catherine Falk Foundation website said.

The women found out about their father’s death via media accounts, the website said.

Not every crowd will gleefully applaud and cheer a known notorious villain. But the Disneyland faithful certainly will, as when Darth Vader set foot in the park’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge on Wednesday morning and the audience erupted in approving hollers.

Kylo Ren has officially been evicted from the fictional “Star Wars” town of Black Spire Outpost. Vader has instead taken up residence, and he will appear multiple times daily in front of the land’s militaristic TIE fighter before stalking the area on the prowl for Luke Skywalker.

In Vader’s first two appearances Wednesday, he spoke of his quest to hunt down the young Jedi. He was flanked by two classic Stormtroopers, who had different dialogue in each showing — one time critiquing Black Spire Outpost and later talking of a run-in with a Jedi.

Vader isn’t the only new addition to the area. Leia, Han and Luke, the latter of whom previously appeared in the land for a limited time last year, are also now regularly appearing in Galaxy’s Edge.

Their presence marks a major shift in direction for the 14-acre theme park land. When Galaxy’s Edge opened in 2019, it was set at a fixed point in the “Star Wars” timeline, namely one in the middle of the latest films in the series.

This was done in part to promote the new cinematic works, but to also facilitate interaction, placing guests on an unknown adventure rather than one with a fixed outcome. It was a theme park experiment to see how much Disneyland attendees would lean in and role play.

But Disneyland wisely hasn’t completely pivoted on the Galaxy’s Edge mission. The characters appear out in the land and on a quest rather than simply standing and posing for photos.

Leia, for instance, spent the bulk of one appearance working with the furry Chewbacca to fix up the starship Millennium Falcon. Later, she joked around with Luke and asked young fans if they wanted to train to learn the ways of the Force.

We’ll have more on the changes to Galaxy’s Edge and what they mean for the future of Disneyland in our theme park newsletter, Mr. Todd’s Wild Ride.

LOVE Island winner Cach Mercer has shared a new video with a stunning TikTok star as they appeared to get to know one another better, weeks after his split from Toni Laites.

The ITV2 star won the show with Toni last summer and she even moved from Vegas to London following the series, but things took a turn for the couple following a row at the BRIT Awards in February.

Toni and Cach attended the star-studded awards ceremony together earlier this year, but The Sun revealed they had an explosive row inside the ceremony.

This led to them unfollowing one another on social media, before promptly adding one another back. We revealed they had split the following month.

Now, Cach has been getting cosy with influencer Tallulah Metcalfe, who boasts over half a million followers on Instagram and a whopping 5.4 million on TikTok.

In an unexpected crossover, the pair recorded a video dancing together on Tuesday, which Tallulah shared to her Instagram.

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She captioned the post: “Made this dance ourselves btw”.

Fans were shocked to see the pair together, with several commented that they were an “unexpected duo”.

Cach and Tallulah were both staying at celeb hotspot Soho Farmhouse for an event with Snapchat when they filmed the dancing clip.

Also in attendance was the likes of new couple Samie Elishi and Tyrique Hyde.

Tallulah is thought to be single since her split from fellow social media star Owen Lazenby late last year.

Whilst both Cach and Toni are yet to speak out on their split.

However, it appears things are over for good this time around as the former couple unfollowed each other on Instagram yet again earlier this month.

At the time of their split, a source confirmed to The Sun: “It’s definitely over with Toni and Cach and they’ve called it quits.

“It’s a really sad situation but after being on the rocks for a while, the Brits ended up being the final straw and they couldn’t make it work.

“They kept talking and tried to make things work but have now called it a day.”

TIKTOK star Becki Jones has admitted she “fell out of love with food” after losing a considerable amount of weight.

Becki, 33, has been subjected to countless rumours about how she slimmed down with many of her followers assuming she used fat jabs or opted for weight loss surgery.

Whilst Becki has stopped short of saying exactly how she managed to lose the pounds, she has previously alluded to withholding some information regarding her weight journey from public view.

Now, in a new interview, Becki has opened up on her relationship with food and her epic weight loss journey, which has seen her lose close to 11 stone.

Speaking on Not My Bagg, Becki admitted she would not be divulging any further information but revealed she was still going through something in regards to her weight.

Becki said: “I’ve been through, this is quite upsetting but I’ve been through quite a bad time with food, and I’ve fell out of love with food.

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“I’m going through something, still to this day now, that I’m not comfortable talking about anywhere.

“I think people are getting that confused with me, they think I’ve had something done.

“Anything that I’m gatekeeping, as they call it, it’s nothing that would benefit people, it’s nothing that’s a quick fix for them.

“It’s nothing that would bring anything to their life.

“It’s one of the worst things I’ve ever been through.”

Becki had previously made cryptic comments about her “not being honest” about how she lost the weight on a TikTok livestream.

A VIRGIN Island star was tonight forced to look at her own “ugly” vagina after admitting to having a painful issue that has stopped her from ever having sex.

The wild Channel 4 reality show is back on the box, and the latest episode continued to shock.

Virgin Island sees a group of people, who are yet to take the plunge into the world of nookie, get help from a team of sex gurus, headed up by Dr Danielle Harel and Celeste Hirschman.

On tonight’s episode, it was Joy‘s turn to face her sexual fears.

The 22-year-old event coordinator from Falmouth, suffers from vaginismus – a medical condition that causes the vaginal muscles to involuntarily tighten, which can make sex extremely painful or impossible.

However, Joy was seen heading off for a session with one of the resident sex experts, to try and help her overcome this painful issue.

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Viewers then watched as she was given a mirror by the expert and told to look at her vagina.

The sex guru assured her she was “beautiful” down there, but Joy was not convinced.

Referring to her intimate area, Joy said: “It’s weird because I feel like she looks ugly.”

Before going on Virgin Island, she revealed: “Despite having a Vaginismus diagnosis for years, I had only made minimal progress and was starting to lose hope of ever being healed.”

The new TV star also added that she also signed up to Virgin Island because she wanted to “overcome her religious shame around sex”.

Also on tonight’s show, fans saw shy Bertie, 24, be given a masterclass in sex positions by expert Celeste.

The event volunteer from Taunton, who suffers from low self-esteem and body confidence issues, was given his first taste of simulating sex by leading expert, Celeste.

The fully clothed pair were seen humping in various positions, in a bid to boost Bertie’s confidence.

At the end of the session a happy Bertie then turned to Celeste and said: “You are an absolute miracle worker! There is no way I’m leaving!”

Before going on the wild Channel 4 reality show, the shy star described himself as a “grade-A virgin” who had never kissed anyone before.

However, he previously admitted that he worried that “sex would feel overwhelming” and was scared of reaching middle age without experiencing intimacy.

This season of Virgin Island sees the 12 participants take on turn-on classes, as well as kink exploration.

Speaking about the new series, expert Celeste said: “I feel like kinks are really really important because so many people have them.

“When I think of it, I think like sex is really play time. And kinks are one way that people play. And a lot of people like to play with power or sensation. 

“And all of that enhances the intensity and arousal and experience. 

“So we wanted people to have access to all these different kinds of feelings.”

Virgin Island continues tonight at 9pm on Channel 4

JURASSIC Park star Sam Neill has revealed he’s cancer-free after having pioneering treatment to fight the disease.

The 78-year-old was diagnosed with stage three blood cancer in 2022 while promoting Jurassic World Dominion.

In a new interview, he said he was “on the way out” when his chemotherapy stopped working.

“I was at a loss, and it looked like I was on the way out, which wasn’t ideal obviously,” he explained.

But thanks to pioneering Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, the cost of which, on average, is £280,000 per patient in the UK , there is no longer any trace of the disease in his body.

Sam told 7 News in his native Australia: “I’ve just had a scan just now and there is no cancer in my body, that’s an extraordinary thing. I’m very, very excited that this can happen.”

He first revealed he was having the immunotherapy in September 2023 and had been in remission for 12 months.

The treatment is personalised to the patient and genetically modifies their own T-cells to fight and destroy cancer cells.

The actor said he is now looking forward to returning to the big screen.

Stoic Sam previously said he wasn’t afraid of dying after being diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma — a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

“I’m not in any way frightened of dying,” he told Australian Story. “That doesn’t worry me. It’s never worried me from the beginning, but I would be annoyed.”

Sam announced his cancer battle in the first chapter of his memoir, Did I Ever Tell You This?

He wrote: “The thing is, I’m crook. Possibly dying.”

The acting stalwart, who was born in Northern Ireland but grew up in New Zealand, is best known for playing Dr Alan Grant in the dinosaur franchise, beginning in 1993.

His successful movie and television career spans five decades and includes varied roles from The Piano, to The Zookeeper and even Peaky Blinders.

He has two biological children — Tim and Elena — from his marriage to makeup artist Noriko Watanabe.

The couple were married for nearly 30 years, before divorcing in 2017.

A BRIT rock star has revealed how he has become a dad for the first time.

Royal Blood’s guitarist Ben Thatcher, 38, also thrilled fans when he announced his newborn son’s unusual name.

The Brit Award-winning musician revealed that he and his longterm partner Becca had welcomed a baby boy named Phoenix.

The star took to Instagram this afternoon to announce the news and also shared a glimpse of his new arrival with his army of followers.

Writing alongside an adorable snap of the newborn baby, which shows the rocker cradling his son, the proud dad wrote: “Introducing my little boy, Phoenix Rue Thatcher.

“He has stolen my heart. @beccamcginty_ thank you for growing this little miracle.

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“I love you, you’re already the greatest mum to our wee lad. And thank you to @nhssurreysussex for delivering our little boy safely into the world.”

Ben’s friends and followers including some of his celebrity pals were quick to congratulate him on the news.

Strictly Come Dancing star, and fellow new dad, Joe Sugg was one of the first to send well wishes, penning: “Congrats to you both!”

While Radio 1 host Jack Saunders said: “Congratulations to you both. What a gorgeous boy.”

Brit actress Emma Laird gushed: “Congratulations oh my gosh.”

Ben along with his bandmate Mike Kerr formed Royal Blood back in 2011.

They have since gone on to make history after their first four albums all hit the No. 1 spot in the charts.

They aren’t just famous in the UK, Royal Blood have also achieved global success and played sold out shows and festivals across the world.

They have also performed with fellow rock icons including Muse and Foo Fighters, who both personally invited them to support them on their stadium tours.

Previously speaking to The Sun about performing with these huge bands, Ben told us in 2023: “Muse are a fantastic band for us to open up for because our fans kind of have the same DNA.

“So, for us to go out into those stadiums is like playing to a lot of our fans really, but in places where we wouldn’t be able to play normally.

“Like the Stade de France in Paris, which was amazing.

“You forget how many hits Muse or Coldplay have.

“They’re both made for stadium shows. Muse really is an unbelievable band.”

Half Man is Richard Gadd’s next major show after his global success with Netflix’s Baby Reindeer.

Richard Gadd is Half Man’s creator and executive producer but he wasn’t always going to star in the BBC drama.

After they find themselves unexpectedly living together, Ruben (played by Stuart Campbell) and Niall (Mitchell Robertson) become like brothers, one fierce and loyal, the other meek and mild-mannered.

Over the course of six episodes, Half Man follows the pairs’ lives over the next 30 years until Niall’s (Jamie Bell) wedding day and violent Ruben ( Richard Gadd ) brings trouble.

While Baby Reindeer star Richard Gadd created and executive produced this new BBC series, he wasn’t initially going to portray Ruben.

It wasn’t until he was convinced that he was right for the part by Billy Elliot icon Jamie Bell that he decided to take on the ruthless role.

Speaking at a Q&A with the BBC, Gadd explained: “I wasn’t going to do it to begin with.

“I wasn’t going to do Ruben, because acting in something and directing and doing everything else is a lot.

“You have to see a show from the inside and the outside which is actually the main pressure of the role.

“So I wasn’t going to do it, I didn’t want to do it. Baby Reindeer was out and that’d take one thing off my plate.

“But Jamie [Bell] was the first to suggest it. He was like ‘have you ever thought about doing this?’

“And it sort of terrified me in a way. I was like ‘Wow. That’s real far.’

“But I often feel that what scares you in life, you should probably do it.”

While Gadd’s co-star Jamie Bell shot to fame as Billy Elliot in the iconic 2000 film, he is set to take on another unforgettable role.

Bell will be joining the Peaky Blinders universe in the upcoming two-season sequel as Tommy Shelby’s (Cillian Murphy) son Duke Shelby in the 1950s.

The role of Duke was originally portrayed by Saltburn star Barry Keoghan in the Netflix film Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.

Half Man premieres on Tuesday, April 28, at 10.40pm on BBC One.

BBC Morning Live’s legal expert, Gary Rycroft said he thought he was suffering from asthma

A BBC star has explained how he was horrified to be ‘hours’ from a potentially lethal heart attack after undergoing a surgical procedure. BBC Morning Live’s legal expert, Gary Rycroft, told hosts Rick Edwards and Helen Skelton that he had been suffering from a few chest pains, but put it down to just getting older.

He decided to do the Couch to 5k challenge – and said he had never felt better in many ways. He said: “I think it’s typical of dare I say men of my age, where we ignore things. We think we’re getting old. I didn’t wear glasses till I was 50. My hearing really is not as good as it used to be.

“So when I started to get chest pains walking my dog, I live on top of a hill, so I’m up and down the hill two or three times a day walking to work, walking my dog, and I’d say every fortnight or so I’d get a chest pain and it would it would pass really quickly. So I didn’t really think anything of it. I put it to the back of my mind as people tend to do.”

Mr Rycroft said whatever people do they should get any symptoms checked out. He only got it checked out because he was doing the Couch to 5k and thought he’d like to hear from a doctor.

He said: “I actually did feel a lot better and I lost quite a bit of weight. So, I was feeling really good, but I’d started this diagnostic journey with my GP. So, I’d had an ECG. They checked out the electrics of the heart. That was fine. And then in January, I went to have a cardiac CT scan, which is kind of an X-ray of the heart to check out the structure and check out the plumbing.

“And when I got the result of that a couple of weeks later, it was really quite bad news which floored me, which was actually the main artery to your heart is pretty much blocked. And of course, you start googling and it was called the left anterior descending artery. Not very helpfully on the internet, it’s often referred to as the widow maker. So, suddenly I was in quite a dark place to be honest, and it was quite stressful for my partner Jenny and the kids.”

It was when he had the straightforward operation to put in a stent that the full extent became clear. Gary said: “The next thing to do is called an invasive angiogram, where they put a little tube up your wrist, and they fit what’s called a stent.

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“So, I had that procedure. It was all done in about 40 minutes. It was pretty remarkable. And you know, thank goodness for medical science. When I came round from that, the cardiologist was kind of, you know, you’re a very lucky person, because you were probably hours or days from having a massive potentially fatal heart attack. So, that was that was quite a lot to take in.“

Doctor Xand van Tulleken said: “If you’ve had this procedure I mean they are safe. They are very common and Gary’s risk you know it is traumatic having these things. You get much closer to death than you would want to. But if you can manage your blood pressure, your cholesterol, quit smoking, manage your risk factors, your GP will help you with all of that afterwards, you you you know Gary’s life expectancy is pretty much the same as it was before the procedure, which is fantastic. That’s the reason to go and have it done.

Gary added: “This is a silent killer for people in their 50s and 60s and people will have lost people. And I wanted to talk about this because I wanted to say to people, don’t wait as long as I did. I had a very close shave. Don’t wait as long as I did. And if you’re living with someone who’s concerned, encourage them to have that conversation. If something’s not quite right, it’s well worth checking it out.”

Gogglebox’s Andrew joined the show last year with husband Alfie and the beloved couple quickly became a hit with fans

Gogglebox star Andrew has become a firm favourite since joining in 2025 – but what do we know about his life?

Andrew made his debut on the show in its 26th series along with husband Alfie. The married couple – who live in the Cotswolds – quickly charmed viewers thanks to their witty remarks and playful jibes at one another.

Away from the programme, Andrew and Alfie keep their loyal legion of combined 50k Instagram fans updated on their everyday lives.

But who is the Hollywood star that Andrew is friends with after meeting on a beach in Mexico? And what were their loved ones’ reaction to their romance? Here’s everything you need to know about Gogglebox’s Andrew.

Andrew and Alfie on family’s reaction to age-gap romance

Andrew and Alfie, who share a 30-year age difference, got married in May 2024. Their wedding was a picturesque affair in Italy, attended by close friends and family.

In a recent Instagram video, the pair took part in a Q&A. When asked what were the reactions to their age gap when we get together, Alfie said: “Well it was slightly different for me and you because you were already openly gay. I was coming out as gay and telling people.”

Andrew then said: “But my mother did turn around to me didn’t she and said that if I went out with somebody or marry someone under 30 she would,” before the video bleeped out what Andrew said next.

Alfie quipped: “Lucikly I just hit that threshold. My mum was very supportive. My father was very shocked and upset and he didn’t speak to me for an entire yeah.” Referring to Andrew, Alfie added: “You were the same age as him.” He then said: “Luckily we moved past that one.”

Andrew’s famous friend ‘he met on the beach’

It turns out Andrew is rather pally with a Major Hollywood star. On Instagram in March, Andrew uploaded a photo of him and Alfie posing alongside actress Rose McGowan.

Rose has appeared in several Hollywood flicks and TV shows including Jawbreaker and horror movie Scream. She also played Paige Matthews in the supernatural drama series Charmed from 2001 to 2006.

In the comments section, both Alfie and Rose explained their friendship. Rose wrote: “Andrew and I met on a beach. Been through joy, tragedy, joy again. Love him and delighted to get to meet Alfie. When I saw him on Gogglebox I was floored. Had to find him again. So happy we’ve reconnected.”

Meanwhile Alfie explained: “They both lived in Mexico for 3/4 years…honestly there is rarely a day I’m surprised by something @andrewdnicolls says.”

Andrew and Alfie’s ‘child’

Fans of Andrew and Alfie will also know that the couple are proud dog parents to a beloved pup called Perkins. The dog has made several appearances on the Channel 4 show too.

What’s more, the pair have also set up their dog’s own Instagram, in which they share updates from the four-legged-friend’s life. In September, they shared a photo of Perkins looking adorable on their “daddies’” sofa.

The post was captioned: “Always loved being on the sofa. Now bringing cuteness to your TV screens every Friday at 9pm on @c4gogglebox with my daddies @andrewdnicolls & @sam.alfie.mulhall.”

Gogglebox airs every Friday at 9pm on Channel 4

FORMER X Factor winner Matt Cardle is set to come face to face with Simon Cowell on live TV again – 16 years after winning the ITV talent show.

I can reveal that Matt is being lined up to perform at one of the Britain’s Got Talent live finals in the coming weeks.

Rather than performing new solo music, Matt will take to the stage as part of a special performance of West End hit Kinky Boots.

He is starring in the musical at the London Coliseum alongside Strictly Come Dancing’s Johannes Radebe.

A source said: “Simon is a huge fan of musicals and the bosses at Britain’s Got Talent are keen to push the arts as much as possible.

“With that in mind, a number of the live acts booked for the finals this year come from West End shows.

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“Matt and the Kinky Boots cast are set to perform in a few weeks’ time – it really will be a full circle moment for him.”

This weekend, former BGT winner Sydnie Christmas will perform her new single – Run.

Bizarre’s Jack hung out on the set of her music video earlier this year, so we can’t wait to see that one live.

Zara‘s feeling f-Lush

Zara Larsson has me counting down the days to my summer holiday after hopping on this float to promote her Main Rose swimwear brand.

She was living her own Lush Life as she soaked up some rays ahead of headlining Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Sunderland next month.

This Friday she will release the deluxe version of her fifth album, Midnight Sun: Girls Trip, packed with collaborations, including Tyla and Shakira.

And it’s testament to Zara trusting herself.

On writing and recording the track, which came out last year, she said: “I stopped focusing so much on what I thought other people would want from me or what I thought radio would want, and just started focusing on what I wanted to do.

“Ironically that’s when people start caring.”

Liam family praise for Louis’s heartfelt concert

Liam Payne’s loved ones made a lowkey trip to his One Direction bandmate Louis Tomlinson’s tour.

Some of Liam’s relatives including sister Nicola were in a VIP box to see Louis perform at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena last weekend.

During the show, Louis was visibly emotional when singing Dark To Light – a track he wrote about Liam’s death.

Taking to Instagram, Nicola said: “Thank you Louis Tomlinson for last night.

“It was extremely emotional, but really beautiful, and it meant a lot to be there.

“Your staging and your songs are beautiful. A truly special night.”

Louis has previously spoken warmly about Liam.

He said: “I could talk all day about how amazing he was.

“We all looked up to him, he was vastly experienced before any of us had done anything.

“If he could just for five minutes live in my head or your head and see how we perceive him, he would be so shocked.

“He was pure.”

The wait for Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter’s collaboration is almost over, as it’s being released this Friday.

The superstars recently performed Bring Your Love at Coachella and now they are putting out the official audio.

The pair made the announcement yesterday when they shared a new photo of themselves with the caption: “We’ve got something to say about it,” which is a reference to Madonna’s 1989 song Express Yourself.

It will be the first official single from the Queen of Pop’s forthcoming album Confessions On A Dancefloor: Part II, after she released a teaser track, I Feel So Free, earlier this month.

Humanize 102 words

Pink girl’s a leg-end

Pink has sold out stadiums and had No1s across the globe, but as far as daughter Willow is concerned she’s top of the charts as an embarrassing mum.

At the opening night of The Lost Boys musical in New York they posed for photots on the red carpet.

But while standing in front of the snappers, Pink gestured at the slit in Willow’s skirt and said, “Show off your legs,” to which the youngster snapped: “No!”

Alan’s tequila stunrise

Alan Carr once fell in the Serpentine in London’s Hyde Park after drinking “hallucinogenic tequila” on his Chatty Man TV show.

The comedian said he was still feeling the effects the next day as he walked his dogs and suffered a mishap.

He explained he’d had a tequila the night before but was given a hallucinogenic one by mistake.

He added: “I couldn’t sober up and I fell in the Serpentine, p***ed.

“My old dog Bev, bless her, she dropped the ball in the Serpentine and I went forward to pick it up. And I think all the tequila rushed to the front of my head and I just fell in.”

Speaking on his Life’s A Beach podcast, he added: “In films, the dogs are meant to jump in and save you, but they were just wagging their tails, like, ‘What’s this p***head done again?’

“So I was just soaking wet and I had to walk . . . You know, when people are pulling their kids away, ‘Come away from the strange man,’ and all that.”

Capital’s Summertime Ball is returning to London, taking over Wembley Stadium to entertain 80,000 fans on June 6.

The line-up will be revealed by Jordan North, Chris Stark and Sian Welby on Capital Breakfast this morning and tomorrow, before tickets go on sale through the Global Player app at 9am on Thursday.

Gracie has secret follow-up

Gracie Abrams is back, two years after her album The Secret Of Us topped the charts.

The American singer released a teaser on Instagram yesterday, and it appears to be a snippet from the lead single for her upcoming third album.

The record is rumoured to be all about falling for Normal People actor Paul Mescal, although it doesn’t sound like it’s been smooth sailing.

They were reported to have briefly split in early 2025, and the song will do little to shut down that speculation.

Gracie sings: “I used to see clearly but it’s bloodshot. And I want you so badly but I closed off.

“I used to think we’d get married. But I guess not.”

Last summer we revealed Paul was at Gracie’s Glastonbury set, singing along to every word.

In February, they made their red-carpet debut at the Baftas in London.

And last month I told how Gracie had moved from LA into Paul’s London home, while he films the upcoming Beatles biopics.

Her last album was all about heartbreak, but I’m expecting some sunnier moments this time around.

Actress Nicola Walker, famous for her roles in The Split and Unforgotten, will soon be back on screen starring in a brand new comedy drama

The release date for Nicola Walker’s brand new series has been revealed.

The actress, widely recognised for portraying DCI Cassandra ‘Cassie’ Stuart across seasons 1-4 of ITV’s detective drama Unforgotten, will appear alongside a star-studded ensemble in Disney+’s Alice and Steve.

The cast and creative team behind the new six-part comedy-drama launched their press tour yesterday (April 26) with a world premiere in competition at CANNESERIES 2026.

The story, which will be available to stream on Disney+ in June, follows Alice, played by Nicola, whose world is turned upside down when her best friend Steve (Jemaine Clement) begins a relationship with her 26-year-old daughter, Izzy (Topol Margalith). Faced with the possibility of losing both her closest friend and her daughter at once, Alice goes to extreme lengths to break them up.

But Steve is ready to fight back, and what starts as a close friendship quickly spirals into a bitter and chaotic feud.

Blending humour with emotional complexity, Alice and Steve explores the tangled dynamics of friendship, family, and love.

This anti-romantic comedy raises big questions such as how far would you go for love or revenge? And can Steve and Izzy’s relationship survive the fallout? One thing that will be certain is the fact that the characters’ lives will change dramatically.

The synopsis for Alice and Steve reads: “Alice tries everything she can to end the relationship. Unfortunately for her, Steve’s more than ready for the attack, and what begins as a perfect friendship devolves into an all-out feud.”

When the new programme was first announced, Nicola said in a statement: “I’m thrilled to be stepping into the fabulous world of friendship, motherhood, marriage, frantic revenge and fierce love that Sophie Goodhart has created, and to be doing it with Jemaine Clement is completely joyful!”

Meanwhile, actor Jemaine also sung Nicola’s praises and said: “I really relate to Steve – he’s classy, stylish and an all-round good guy – except for when he isn’t. I’m excited to be working with the wonderful Nicola Walker and seeing how Steve and Alice’s relationship descends into absolute chaos.”

Nicola was a fan favourite in the detective series, Unforgotten. However, her character was killed off in 2021, leaving viewers devastated.

As well as Nicola taking the leading role, the show includes an incredible ensemble working behind the scenes such as writer-creator Sophie Goodhart (Sex Education), director Tom Kingsley (Stath Lets Flats), Clerkenwell Films executive producer Andy Baker (Baby Reindeer) and series producer Frances du Pille.

All six episodes of Alice and Steve will be available to stream from Monday, June 8 exclusively on Disney+

SCOTT Mills has been dealt with a fresh blow after his sacking from the BBC as his M3 bridge tribute has been permanently removed.

It was officially unveiled as The Scott Mills Bridge back in 2016 and a plaque was installed at Fleet Services on the M3.

His then BBC Radio 1 co-host Chris Stark and Welcome Break staff led a campaign to rename it after him.

However, after his dismissal from the BBC, the plaque has now been removed.

In official pictures obtained by The Sun, the plaque which was previously on a wall next to a set of stairs, has been taken down.

The black and silver frame previously said “The Scott Mills Bridge” alongside the Welcome Break logo and his signature.

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The Sun previously revealed that the bridge would be renamed as Welcome Break, who own the service station, want to disassociate themselves from Scott, 53, following the scandal.

A source explained last month: “It’s highly likely Welcome Break will rename the bridge in light of Scott being fired, especially given the nature of the allegations.

“It’s not a great look for them to be associated with any scandals.”

Scott was suddenly axed by the BBC with news of his sacking being made public last month.

He was last on-air as host of the Radio 2 Breakfast Show on Tuesday, March 24, before a complaint arose.

BBC chiefs are understood to have taken swift action in sacking him thereafter.

The complaint is believed to relate to “serious sexual offences” against a teenage boy.

He was questioned by police under caution in 2018 – when he was in his 40s, the Mirror reports.

The interview was related to alleged offences which took place between 1997 and 2000.

The case was dropped in full due to a lack of evidence.

A source close to Mills — the BBC’s 11th highest-paid star — told The Sun: “Scott was told about the allegation in a meeting with senior staff present. He was tense.

“He has completely shut down now and no one can get hold of him. No calls, no messages — nothing.

“The people who know him are blindsided by all of this and they can’t get hold of him.”

An internal message was sent around Radio 2 after Mills’ exit was made public.

It was revealed last week that Sara Cox will take over as host of BBC Radio 2’s Breakfast Show.

She expressed: “There are not enough adjectives to really sum up how I’m feeling about being trusted with such an iconic show but let’s start with ecstatic, honoured and incredibly chuffed.

“It’s been a dream to host the Breakfast Show since I joined Radio 2 and it feels like a bit of a full circle for me.

“I’ve had the most glorious seven years of my career on Teatime so thank you to my brilliant Teatime listeners who hopefully will join me at Breakfast for excellent music and all my usual nonsense plus some superstar guests.

“I honestly can’t wait to wake the nation up with the biggest most fun breakfast show ever.”

We went back for a second day of Stagecoach and spent most of the day holding on to our hats. Before strong winds resulted in the short-lived nighttime postponement and evacuation of the festival, Day 2 had plenty of gusto that carried us through the afternoon and evening, including sets from Bush and Teddy Swims along with some high-octane cooking with Guy Fieri. When crowds were called back after the wind-related fiasco that pushed everything back for headliner Lainey Wilson and caused Journey and Riley Green to cancel their performances, fans who returned still got to witness Wilson triumph over the elements and get down and dirty with Pitbull at Diplo’s Honky Tonk. Luckily the unexpected havoc didn’t blow away all the good vibes. Here are the best, worst and windiest from Day 2.

Guy Fieri features his latest smokehouse dish during the Stagecoach Country Music Festival.

(Evan Schaben / For The Times)

Food lessons from the Guy Fieri fever dream

Stagecoach is known for strange bedfellows (see: Emo Nite with Ashlee Simpson Friday) but Guy Fieri with Wynonna Judd, Billy Bob Thornton, Gavin Rossdale and Gavin Adcock is so odd it seems like an AI hallucination. I promise you it happened Saturday afternoon.

“Everybody loves food. That’s the common denominator,” Fieri told the crowd, which included a woman who impressively dressed up as Fieri, fake mustache/goatee and a flame-covered bowling shirt.

“Flavortownnnnn!” Judd said as she walked onto the demonstration stage at Guy’s Stagecoach Smokehouse.

“Just so you know, we could do our own cooking show,” Fieri said as he introduced her.

Each of the stars was paired with a chef, which included Eric Greenspan, Mark Murphy, Aaron May and Hunter Fieri.

Thornton made salmon and fried okra with spicy hummus with Hunter Fieri. The “Landman” star said the key for good fried okra is to use cornmeal. He also shared his favorite chili, which isn’t hot for the sake of being hot.

“Calabrian chili has a flavor,” Thornton said.

He also told the crowd of a new delicacy he discovered: white grapes dipped in spicy Dijon mustard.

“It blew my mind,” Thornton said.

Adcock, meanwhile made a giant prime rib sandwich and beer-battered onion rings.

“I’m a big beef guy,” Adcock said.

Meanwhile, Bush frontman Rossdale was doing what Fieri said was a first for Stagecoach — he made an Asian dish of smoked chicken dredged and flash-fried and shared with two sauces: one a Japanese rice wine and the other a sweet sauce.

“This guy is a real foodie,” Fieri said about Rossdale, who has his own cooking show. “I’m gonna put a chef with him, but he doesn’t need it.”

Speaking of strange things, here’s my pitch for an “Odd Couple” reboot: Rossdale and Adcock with Fieri as the wacky neighbor. Someone point me to the Paramount+ tent so I can pitch it. (Vanessa Franko)

Teddy Swims performs Saturday on the Mane Stage during the second day of Stagecoach in Indio.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Does Teddy Swims just live here now?

Has anyone checked on Teddy Swims’ house in whatever city he lives in besides Indio? The tattooed soul-rock singer played Stagecoach on Saturday night after doing both weekends of Coachella, and once again he brought out David Lee Roth to sing Van Halen’s “Jump” — an indelible ‘80s staple these guys are double-handedly willing into a Gen Z anthem. (Mikael Wood)

Diplo introduces Sydney Sweeney, who gave out her Syrn lingerie to the crowd at Diplo’s Honkey Tonk on the second day of Stagecoach.

(Evan Schaben / For The Times)

Theo Von crowd surfs, Sydney Sweeney tosses out lingerie and Shaboozey parties in Diplo’s Honky Tonk

If the first Stagecoach fever dream of Saturday was the unlikely cast of Billy Bob Thornton, Wynonna Judd, Gavin Rossdale and Gavin Adcock cooking and chopping it up with Guy Fieri at the Stagecoach Smokehouse, a close second was Diplo’s early evening set in the Honky Tonk.

Already billed as Diplo with podcaster-comedian-Ella Langley duet partner Theo Von and Barstool Sports media personality Caleb Pressley, it also attracted some special guests. Actor Sydney Sweeney showed up to toss panties from her Syrn lingerie brand into the crowd. (She has a pop-up Syrn saloon on the festival grounds).

The “Euphoria” star wasn’t the only surprise during the set — “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” hitmaker Shaboozey also made an appearance. Even though they played some of his songs, he didn’t perform. Like Sweeney, Shaboozey also has a pop-up saloon at the festival, his promoting upcoming record “The Outlaw Cherie Lee & Other Western Tales.”

And when you think things couldn’t get any weirder, Von went crowd-surfing. Stay weird, Stagecoach. (VF)

Singer and guitarist Gavin Rossdale and drummer Nik Hughes of Bush perform on the Mustang Stage at sunset as extreme weather begins to move in during the second day of Stagecoach.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Catching up with Bush’s blustery Saturday evening set

Just before we were told to evacuate Friday night, I was about to write about Bush’s Stagecoach debut on the Mustang Stage.

Even as the weather turned colder and the winds turned gnarlier, Gavin Rossdale seemed to be having a great time as the band ripped through a 50-minute set packed with hits including opener “Machinehead,” “Everything Zen,” “Swallowed,” “Glycerine” and set-closing sing-along “Comedown.”

Stagecoach festivalgoers evacuate the Mane Stage after announcements were broadcasted to evacuate the area due to extreme high wind gusts during the second day of Stagecoach.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The wind advisory and short-lived postponement nearly blew the fest away

Due to high winds, Stagecoach promoter Goldenvoice postponed the festival Saturday night until further notice and crowds were evacuated. An “emergency evacuation” message showed up on screens on the festival’s Mane Stage saying “the festival has been postponed until further notice. Please move quickly and calmly to the nearest exit.”

At 8:42 p.m., the festival advised via its mobile app that Stagecoach would resume momentarily. “We are working to open doors and prep the site for your safety,” the alert said. Just before 9 p.m. the gates were reopened. Stagecoach updated its schedule for Saturday night after a temporary evacuation due to high winds. Journey, which had been scheduled to play the Mustang Stage, did not perform; Riley Green, set to play the Mane Stage, also didn’t perform. Lainey Wilson, who was set to headline the Mane Stage, played an hour later than originally scheduled at 10:30 p.m. (VF/MW)

Lainey Wilson performs on the Mane Stage during the second day of Stagecoach.

(Evan Schaben / For The Times)

Lainey Wilson takes the stage after the wind
After an hourlong delay due to high winds, Lainey Wilson kicked off her headlining set at Stagecoach on Saturday night with a one-two punch of “Can’t Sit Still” and “Wildflowers and Wild Horses” — each a solid example of the riff-heavy country-rock that’s made Wilson one of the biggest stars to come out of Nashville in the last 10 years.

“Y’all ready to sing it loud tonight?” she asked the crowd, which was maybe a bit thinner than it might’ve been thanks to fans who left before the festival announced it was reopening. Those who stuck around seemed plenty willing to bellow along. (MW)

The one item on Pitbull’s Stagecoach agenda

Pitbull hit the Mustang Stage an hour later than expected Saturday night after gusty winds forced Stagecoach to evacuate attendees for more than an hour, but Mr. Worldwide didn’t let a delay stop the fun.

“We came here to do one thing and one thing only,” he said from the stage early in the set.

The one thing? Party.

After an intro featuring his DJ and full band that included Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” and Beastie Boys’ “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!),” Mr. Worldwide appeared, flanked by a half dozen dancers in revealing costumes, to open the raucous set with “Don’t Stop the Party.”

After the song he thanked everyone at Stagecoach for staying and also name-checked some Goldenvoice employees, including Stagecoach booker Stacy Vee, as well as Lainey Wilson, who had just wrapped her headlining set on the Mane Stage.

He followed up the moment of gratitude with “Hey Baby (Drop It to the Floor)” and “Hotel Room Service.”

Later on in the set, Lil Jon joined Pitbull for “Jumpin” before being showered with more gratitude from Pitbull and the crowd. Then the pair performed “Damn I Love Miami.”

I’d like to start a petition for Stagecoach to book Pitbull every year — and bring him to Coachella too! (VF)

AMY Childs has signed up for the next series of Celeb SAS: Who Dares Wins.

The former TOWIE star, 35, will appear on the next series of the gruelling Channel 4 show which is expected to air next year.

A source said: “Amy is ready to be pushed to her limit on the show.

“She wants to prove to herself and her children that she has what it takes.

“Amy has also been working hard with her personal trainer to be physically ready to take on the challenge.”

Earlier this month Amy tied the knot with her long-term boyfriend Billy Delbosq at Marylebone Town Hall in London.

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Meanwhile Amy has also faced cruel backlash from trolls online over her drastic weight loss.

She also faced further turmoil last year when her mum Julie was rushed to hospital following a heart attack last year.

Speaking to OK! Magazine, she said: “People don’t know what is going on behind closed doors.

“I’m going through so much at the minute that the weight has fallen off me. I worry about my mum constantly.

“She’s very emotional – she thinks she’s going to have another heart attack.”

The Sun has also revealed that Married At First Sight star Ella Morgan will compete on the military challenge show.

It will be the first time that a famous trans person has competed on Channel 4’s military challenge show, which films its ninth series this summer.

Meanwhile Freddy Brazier is also in talks to compete on the show – following in the footsteps of his dad Jeff Brazier, who starred on the show in 2019.

Former Special Forces big dogs Billy Billingham, Jason Fox, Rudy Reyes, and Chris Oliver will all be on hand to push the stars to their limit.

Series eight, which went out in January, was given a Team UK v Team Australia theme and produced in conjunction with Aussie broadcaster Channel 7.

Seven stars from each country were pitted against each other to find out which of them were capable of completing the course.

Former Love Islanders Dani Dyer and Gabby Allen as well as retired Australian swimmer Emily Seebohm were crowned the winners.

Jimmy Bullard took Adam Thomas to task over their I’m A Celebrity row, which he claims was a lot longer and much more expletive ridden than was aired

Jimmy Bullard ranted at Adam Thomas over their I’m A Celebrity spat during the live final last night.

In extraordinary live television, Jimmy had explained what really happened with the row between him and Adam over the Rancid Run trial. He said he had told everyone he planned to leave – after the trial was changed from collecting stars to staying in the competition.

He had said for his own reasons – thought to be his father’s health – he wanted to go home, but because of his contract, he would have to quit a certain way or he wouldn’t receive his full fee.

During an extraordinary moment last night, Jimmy said: “Listen, Adam and all of you can be upset with me and I absolutely threw him under the bus, I get it and I’ll wear that.

“But what I don’t stand on, is someone being abusive, aggressive and intimidating, I don’t stand on that.” He then asked Ant and Dec – who were hosting the show – to share their opinions.

“You [Ant and Dec] were there and you didn’t show any of that footage. You didn’t show any of the C-bombs, it’s a liberty,” Jimmy told them. Ant then argued back: “The reason we didn’t air the C-bomb is because that is unbroadcastable. I was there and I didn’t think it was intimidating. I was there Jim.”

David Haye then stepped in to back Jimmy over Adam, who was sat in front of him. Adam then stepped in to say: “Let the finalists speak,” as he was cheered on by the audience.

Adam then said: “I take full responsibility for my actions and yes emotions were definitely running high in that moment. I have nothing but love for Jimmy in that moment. I have apologised to Jimmy on numerous occasions and I do take everything that he is saying into account and the only thing I can do is apologise.

“That is not how I want to show myself off and I have never shown myself off like that before or after that. I do apologise Jimmy.”

David then said: “Funny way of showing it,” as Ant and Dec stopped him from speaking.

“I like to say how I see it, I like to keep it real and what I have seen is a lot of editing to make this poor guy [Adam] the victim so the people will support him,” David continued to say, as boos filled the audience, “We all had banter back and forth, a lot of it was cut out from their side. But I think it is time for the truth.”

Sinitta then stormed off stage as she told the audience: “Guys, you weren’t there, I was there and it was aggressive and abusive, we were shaking.” Gemma, who is a support for Adam, also walked off the stage.

“You can’t be aggressive, abusive and intimating, it doesn’t matter if Adam said sorry. I will not take you [Ant] saying it wasn’t aggressive, abusive and intimating, you can’t say that. Show it, let everyone watch it, let’s play it now!” Jimmy said.

Ant and Dec then closed things off, saying: “Right, let’s leave it there. We’ll agree to disagree Jim.”

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

Ciara Miller and Maura Higgins will be among the stars competing for the Mirrorball Trophy.

“Summer House’s” Miller and “The Traitors” contestant Higgins — both publicly betrayed by men they trusted on their shows — are the first celebrities joining Season 35 of “Dancing With the Stars.” Disney announced the new season Wednesday during Hulu’s Get Real House event in Los Angeles.

Miller joins the cast less than a month after it was revealed that her “Summer House” castmate and ex-boyfriend, West Wilson, was dating her friend on the show, Amanda Batula. She teased her “DWTS” news with an Instagram video in which she wrote out her “Next Chapter 2026” to-do list, which included “prioritizing” herself, “taking risks” and “Dancing With the Stars.”

Higgins, who lost Season 4 of “The Traitors” in the finale after being blindsided by her friend and co-star Rob Rausch, rose to prominence on “Love Island” in 2019. Higgins shared her excitement in a video on Instagram, saying, “Please pray for me.”

“Get me on that dance floor. I want to win the trophy,” Higgins said. “I’ve manifested this.”

Higgins told reporters at the Get Real House event that Mark Ballas is her dream partner.

The announcement comes after a landmark season of “DWTS,” which saw a record-breaking number of fan votes. In November, The Times spoke with “DWTS” showrunner Conrad Green, who attributed the ratings spike to reviving “communal viewing experiences.”

“It’s been largely a question of keeping our existing audience and then finding a new audience of 18- to 30-year-olds. That’s partly fed by social media. It’s partly fed by a desire to have communal TV viewing experiences,” Green said. “That was something everyone had with ‘American Idol’ and ‘Dancing With the Stars’ 20 years ago, but TV doesn’t lend itself to that so much anymore.”

During the event, Disney also announced a new spinoff series, “Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro.” “DWTS” Season 34 winner Robert Irwin will host the show. According to the synopsis, it “features 12 exceptional up-and-coming dancers who move into one house and compete in a grueling audition process, all vying for a coveted spot as a pro dancer on Season 35 of ‘Dancing with the Stars.’”

“DWTS” pro and three-time Mirrorball champion Ballas will host the show alongside his mother, former ballroom dancer Shirley Ballas. The series will premiere July 13 on ABC.

“Storage Wars” star Darrell Sheets was found dead by police on Wednesday in Lake Havasu City, Ariz. He was 67.

According to Variety, which obtained a report from the Lake Havasu City Police Department, Sheets died from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The statement said that on Wednesday around 2 a.m., officers were dispatched to Sheets’ home on Chandler Drive after reports of a deceased individual.

“Upon arrival, officers located a male subject who suffered from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The male was pronounced deceased on scene and the Lake Havasu City Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Unit was notified and responded to the scene to assume the investigation,” the statement read.

“The body was ultimately turned over to the Mohave County Medical Examiner’s office for further investigation,” the release continued.

Police said that they identified the man as Sheets and that his family had been notified. “This incident remains under active investigation, and additional information will be released as it becomes available.”

Sheets appeared across 15 seasons of the popular A&E reality show “Storage Wars” from 2010 to 2023. His son, Brandon Sheets, was also a cast member, and the father-son duo was often considered the heart of the show. Darrell would use his not-so-stealthy approach when bidding on storage lockers that he was willing to bet contained what he would describe as “wow factor” treasures.

“I’m a buyer by trade. I love buying storage sheds. It’s my addiction,” he said on the series. “I’m basically known for taking the good stuff and just getting the heck out of here.”

According to Sheets’ cast bio, the antiques enthusiast loved to brag about “four Picassos and the world’s most lucrative comic book collection” that he scored through storage auctions. He told The Times in 2015 that he once invested in a locker and discovered pieces of original artwork by Frank Gutierrez that he said appraised for about $300,000, making for the biggest take in the TV show’s then-five-year history.

Rene Nezhoda, another “Storage Wars” cast member who was often considered Sheets’ rival due to their onscreen antics, posted on Instagram after news of Sheets’ death broke and called out cyberbullies.

“Unfortunately, Darrell Sheets took his own life,” Nezhoda said. “I know a lot of you guys think we hated each other because we competed a lot on the show, and you know, we had our moments. We had our run-ins, but that’s because we were both competitors, right?

“Deep down, me and Darrell were friends. We talked every now and then. He is a very hard worker that cared more than anyone I’ve probably ever met about their family, about his son, about [his granddaughter] Zoie.”

Nezhoda said that Sheets had someone “really, really tormenting” him on social media.

The “Storage Wars” alum then addressed cyberbullies for their treatment of public figures, saying, “Just because you watch us on television doesn’t mean you know us. You never know what demons somebody faces.”

Tamil Nadu, India – Standing on top of a customised van on a hot and humid afternoon in Tirunelveli, about 600km (373 miles) south of Tamil Nadu’s capital Chennai in southern India, C Joseph Vijay tells his supporters his opponents have joined hands to stop him from becoming the state chief minister.

“My rivals might appear different from outside, but they have only one aim: that Vijay should not become the chief minister,” says the 51-year-old actor-turned-politician to a mammoth crowd that begins to chant his name, which means “victory” in Tamil, in unison.

Tamil Nadu, one of India’s most developed states with impressive human development indices, also has a long history of electing film stars as leaders, some of whom are still revered by people as demigods years after their deaths.

As Tamil Nadu votes on Thursday to elect its 234-member state legislative assembly, Vijay’s bid for power is the latest addition to the state’s trend of film star-politicians, turning a traditionally bipolar battle into a triangular contest.

‘A blessing and a curse’

Vijay entered politics with much fanfare when he launched the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party in 2024, promising to end the decades-old dominance of the governing Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the main opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).

Incumbent Chief Minister MK Stalin leads the DMK and its 14-party Secular Progressive Alliance, in which the Indian National Congress is a junior partner. On the other hand, opposition leader Edappadi K Palaniswami of the AIADMK heads the 10-party National Democratic Alliance, which also includes Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The DMK and the AIADMK identify themselves as Dravidian parties, which derive their names from a powerful political and social justice movement in Tamil Nadu that opposed caste inequalities, championed social reforms, and rejected perceived attempts by India’s more dominant north Indian parties to impose Hindi – and upper-caste Hindu values – on the non-Hindi speaking southern states.

Dravidian parties have held power in Tamil Nadu continuously since 1967, with national parties like the Congress and the BJP playing secondary roles. While the BJP is contesting 27 seats in alliance with the AIADMK, the Congress is fighting for 28 seats as part of the DMK-led coalition.

More than 87 percent of Tamil Nadu’s 72 million people are Hindu, followed by Christians at 6.1 percent and Muslims at 5.8 percent, according to the last census conducted in 2011.

Among Hindus, the so-called “backward” or less-privileged castes constitute 45.5 percent, “extremely backward” castes 23.6 percent, while Dalits are at 20.6 percent. Dalits, formerly referred to as “untouchables”, fall at the bottom of India’s complex caste hierarchy and have faced marginalisation and violence for centuries.

Vijay, son of a Christian filmmaker father and a Hindu mother who is a background singer in films, belongs to the Vellalar community, an affluent agrarian group in Tamil Nadu with both Hindu and Christian members.

Vijay started his film career as a child actor in movies directed by his father. His 1992 debut as a hero, however, in Naalaiya Theerpu (Tomorrow’s Verdict), flopped. Following the setback, his father cast him alongside popular star Vijayakanth — who later founded his own political outfit, Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) — in Senthoorapandi (1993), which gave his career a new lease of life.

It was the 2004 film Ghilli (Gutsy), which carried a subtle political undertone, that catapulted Vijay to superstar status. He dropped hints about his political ambitions in the 2013 hit Thalaivaa (Leader), which was launched with the tagline “Time to Lead”.

Soon, political messaging became central to many of Vijay’s subsequent films. Even the title of his yet-to-be-released Jana Nayagan (People’s Leader) — which he claims will be his final film — alludes to his political aspirations.

Riding on personal charisma, Vijay has attracted millions of supporters to his rallies, despite allegations of poor crowd management, which caused a stampede at one such gathering in September last year, killing 42 people.

He is expected to draw a share of Dalit and minority Christian votes that would have otherwise flowed to the DMK-led coalition. He is also banking on anti-incumbency votes that could have benefitted the AIADMK alliance.

Yet analysts say Vijay’s ambition of becoming the next chief minister will not be as easy as the scripted blockbusters he has built his career on, since he faces two opponents with decades of experience in real politics.

That leads political commentator R Kannan to describe Vijay as “both a blessing and a curse” for the two Dravidian coalitions.

“When the AIADMK joined the BJP-led NDA, many predicted the Dravidian party would lose heavily, with minorities and Dalits flocking to the DMK. Vijay’s entry, however, has offered the AIADMK a ray of hope — he is expected to draw a decent share of votes that would otherwise have gone to the DMK,” he said.

“At the same time, he works in the DMK’s favour by siphoning off anti-incumbency votes that might not entirely have gone to the AIADMK. For both Dravidian parties, he is at once a blessing and a curse.”

Tamil Nadu’s tryst with stars

Vijay is aiming to follow the path of illustrious predecessors: Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran, popularly known as MGR, and his protege, Jayaram Jayalalithaa – Tamil Nadu’s most beloved on-screen pair.

Born into poverty, MGR’s rise to stardom was nothing short of phenomenal. He captured the imagination of Tamil Nadu’s working class, who idolised him in return. From his first superhit, Rajakumari (Princess) in 1947, his films cast him as a champion of the masses, battling oppression and corrupt authority.

MGR launched the AIADMK in 1972 after breaking away from the DMK and served as Tamil Nadu’s chief minister from 1977 to 1987. He introduced several welfare programmes, the most significant being the Puratchi Thalaivar MGR Nutritious Meal Scheme, which provided free meals to schoolchildren to eliminate malnutrition and boost school enrolment.

His political heir, Jayalalithaa, was a six-time chief minister between 1991 and 2016, when she became India’s first female state leader to die in office. She is remembered for launching several women-centric programmes, including all-women police stations and subsidised two-wheelers for working women, apart from her work in curbing female infanticide.

The DMK also has a history of film personalities, including the party’s founder, CN Annadurai, who rose to fame as a pathbreaking scriptwriter with films like Velaikkari (1949), and MGR as the party’s star campaigner and leader before he founded the AIADMK.

Soon, Muthuvel Karunanidhi emerged as another prominent writer, poet and screenwriter with films like Parasakthi (1952), meaning Supreme Power, often cited as a turning point in Tamil cinema. Directed by Krishnan-Panju and written by Karunanidhi, then 28 years old, the film fiercely attacked casteism and social inequality, while propelling the spread of the Dravidian ideology.

Karunanidhi, popularly known as Kalaignar (artist), wrote scripts for more than 75 films that resonated with the struggles of the working class, championing rationalism and social equality.

He won the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election for a record 13 terms and served as the state’s chief minister for five terms between 1969 and 2011. He died at the age of 94 in 2018, when his son, Stalin, took over as chief minister and DMK chief.

Film star-politicians who embraced Tamil identity politics flourished, while those who did not fell by the wayside.

“Successful leaders such as MGR, popularly known as Puratchi Thaalaivar [Revolutionary Leader], Jayalalithaa, who earned the monikers Puratchi Thalaivi [Revolutionary Female Leader] and Amma [Mother], embraced identity politics. Another popular film actor, Sivaji Ganesan, by contrast, could not make the same mark in politics even after he tried,” said Kannan, who has written biographies of MGR and Annadurai.

In 2005, popular actor Vijayakanth added to the starry mix by launching his DMDK party, another Dravidian political outfit. He made every attempt to position his party as an alternative to the DMK and the AIADMK, but failed. The party won just one seat in 2006 — Vijayakanth’s own — and drew a blank in 2009. Though he went on to become the leader of the opposition in the assembly in 2011, the election reverses forced him to seek alliances. The DMDK, now led by his wife Premalatha, is contesting 10 seats in alliance with the DMK.

Which is where, say analysts, Vijay’s pitch for power is unlikely to make an impact in this election. They say his TVK party does not fall in the long line of Dravidian parties that have a distinct political ideology and programme that appeals to their voters.

“Tamil Nadu is an ideologically and politically evolved state. Issues such as social justice, centre-state relations, and linguistic and cultural identity are paramount here. People will not back a politician without a clear ideology,” Ramu Manivannan, former professor of political science at the University of Madras, told Al Jazeera.

Manivannan said large crowds at Vijay’s rallies should not be mistaken for potential votes. “Film stars always attract crowds. To assume all of them will translate into votes is unfair.”

Vijay’s TVK is rooted in his fan clubs, which thrive on masculine aggression, said S Anandhi, retired professor at the Madras Institute of Development Studies.

“Vijay’s populist rhetoric — defying all authority — appeals strongly to the youth. But he never clarifies what he will actually do in power. He frames it as all established forces being arrayed against young men, and youngsters see this as an opportunity for a new kind of collectivisation. I would call it a dangerous class,” she told Al Jazeera.

Appeal to young, female voters

Vijay appears to be banking heavily on two voter blocs: younger voters between 18 and 39 years, who number 23 million of the state’s 57 million voters, and women, who account for more than half of them.

At his rallies packed with young people and women, Vijay has alleged that Stalin’s true allies are “bribery and corruption”, framing the contest as a personal battle between himself and the chief minister.

Stalin, for his part, has largely brushed off Vijay’s attacks. “Newly-formed parties have a wrong notion that they can survive by criticising DMK,” he said in a recent interview.

Instead, Stalin has focused his attacks on the Modi government, accusing it of depriving Tamil Nadu of its share of federal funds, and framing the election as a contest between Tamil Nadu and New Delhi – a ploy that simultaneously targets the AIADMK for allying with an “adversary”, the BJP.

The AIADMK’s Palaniswami has countered by saying Stalin raises the centre-state issue only because he has “no achievements of his own to show”.

Despite their ideological differences, all parties are competing heavily on welfare promises in a state known for freebies during elections.

The DMK has pledged to double the monthly women’s allowance to 2,000 rupees ($21), offer 8,000 rupees ($85) in home appliance coupons, and build one million homes for the poor over five years. The AIADMK, also promising a monthly allowance of 2,000 rupees for women, has additionally offered free refrigerators to the poor and a one-time family grant of 10,000 rupees ($106).

Vijay’s TVK, hoping to cash in on the ongoing global fuel crisis, has promised six free LPG cylinders annually, 2,500 rupees ($26.5) monthly support for the female heads of a household, 8gm gold and a silk saree for poor women getting married, 4,000 rupees ($42.5) stipend for unemployed college graduates, and interest-free education loans of up to 2 million rupees ($21,257).

Still, Kannan feels Vijay can at best be a disruptor in the three-cornered contest.

“Vijay’s campaign gained momentum in the final lap. He turned what was a bipolar contest into a three-cornered one. But apart from his personal charisma, he lacks proper organisational machinery. Many of his party’s candidates are unknown faces,” he said.

HE was a 90s heartthrob in one of the decade’s biggest British boybands.

With a bad boy image and bundles of energy, John Hendy, 55, and East 17 stood out from other, more clean cut, acts like Take That and Boyzone.

But even at the height of the group’s fame, they saw little of the money generated by hits like their huge Christmas number one Stay Another Day.

In the early days, the group’s members were only pocketing £125 a week each, proving the pop dream wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

The boys had differing fortunes after splintering in 1997 following controversial comments band member Brian Harvey made about taking ecstasy.

Band leader and songwriter Tony Mortimer continues to receive an estimated £97,000 each year for the popular Christmas hit.

PARKA LIFE

Astonishing amount East 17’s Tony Mortimer makes a year from Stay Another Day

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East 17 star axed from karaoke competition after singing his OWN hit

But bandmates John, Terry Coldwell and Brian Harvey aren’t included in the royalties.

John continued with the next iteration of the group, E-17, and was part of various line-ups over the years.

In 2018 though, enough was enough, and he decided to leave after falling out with Terry Coldwell and new arrival Robbie Craig.

It wasn’t long afterwards that he fell on hard times when the coronavirus pandemic shook the world. He was forced to move into a hostel with his family for 18 months, which he found particularly tough.

But in recent years things have taken a positive turn and John is successfully plying his trade as a roofer, the job he held before his pop career began.

He shares his trade on TikTok and his latest job saw him working on a tall property in Lewisham.

Though he was praised for his work ethic, fans feel he should have made enough from music to retire.

One person commented: “No hate, but how is this guy still working when he sold the records he did. He should be retired and living it up somewhere hot. Great resurrection album E17.”

Another said: “Nothing but respect for this man – royalties and fair distribution should see him retired and taking life easy – very unfair but what a lovely guy – humble.”

John previously reflected on how shortchanged his group was in an interview with the Mail Online.

He said: “I haven’t even got a house and people think you’re millionaires and that, and I’m thinking, I don’t even got an house out of it.

“We should have all come out with a house, at least.”

However, John admitted that, despite hanging out with “rich friends”, he is content with his work van and regularly discusses the highs and lows of having money with his pals.

He recalled: “When I turn up to a party and my rich friends are coming in their Porsche’s and Range Rovers and I’m pulling up in my roofing van and I’m like ‘oh mate, it makes me feel sick coming to your parties’.

“And then they put it in perspective to me. They are like ‘John, mate, it’s money, it doesn’t mean nothing, mate’.

“One friend said to me ‘I’d rather give this all up and then just go out for one week and experience what you’ve done’, you know what I mean? Because what an experience that is.”