“Death By Lightning,” premiering Thursday on Netflix, introduces itself as “a story about two men the world forgot,” and while it is undoubtedly true that few in 2025 will recognize the name Charles Guiteau, many will know James A. Garfield, given that he was one of only four assassinated American presidents. There are less well remembered presidents, for sure — does the name John Tyler ring a bell? — and assassins better known than Guiteau, but if you’re going to make a docudrama, it does help to choose a story that might be more surprising to viewers and comes with a murder built in. It is also, I would guess intentionally, a tale made for our times, with its themes of civil rights, income inequality, cronyism and corruption.
Indeed, most everything about the Garfield story is dramatic — a tragedy, not merely for the family, but for the nation. For the sense one gets from “Death by Lightning” and from the historical record it fairly represents, is that Garfield, killed after only 200 days in office, might have made a very good chief executive. (The stated source for the series is Candice Millard’s 2011 book “Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President”; Millard is also a voice in the more briefly titled, illuminating “American Experience” documentary “Murder of a President.”)
That the longtime Ohio congressman did not seek but was drafted for the job — a compromise chosen, against his protests, on the 36th ballot at the 1880 Republican National Convention, where he’d given a stirring speech to nominate a fellow Ohioan, Treasury Secretary John Sherman — made him, one might say, especially qualified for the job; unlike some politicians one might name, he was self-effacing and humble and not out for personal gain. But he saw, finally, that he had a chance to “fix all the things that terrify me about this republic,” most especially the ongoing oppression of Black citizens, a major theme of his inauguration speech (with remarks transferred here to a campaign address delivered to a crowd of 50,000 from a balcony overlooking New York’s Madison Square Park). “I would rather be with you and defeated than against you and victorious,” he tells a group of Black veterans gathered on his front porch, from which he conducted his campaign. (Some 20,000 people were said to have visited there during its course.)
Political machinations and complications aside, the narrative, which stretches two years across four episodes, is really fairly simple, even schematic, cutting back and forth between Garfield (Michael Shannon, between tours covering early R.E.M. albums) and Guiteau (Matthew Macfadyen), a drifter with delusions of grandeur, as they approach their historically sealed date with destiny. Garfield is goodness personified; we meet him on his farm, cooking breakfast for the family, planing wood to make a picnic table. (A table we will meet again.) Guiteau goes from one failed project to another, living it up on money stolen from his sister, running out on restaurant checks and rooming house bills, telling lies about himself he might well have thought were true, until he decides that politics is the place to make his mark. Under the impression that he was responsible for Garfield’s election, he believed the new president owed him a job — ambassador to France would be nice — and when none was coming, turned sour. A message from God, and the belief that he would save the republic, set him on a path to murder.
Matthew Macfadyen plays Garfield’s assassin, Charles Guiteau, in the miniseries.
(Larry Horricks / Netflix)
The series largely belongs to them — both actors are terrific, Shannon imbuing Garfield with a gravity leavened with kindness and humor, Macfadyen’s Guiteau, optimistically dedicated to his delusions yet always about to pop. But it’s a loaded cast. The ever-invaluable Betty Gilpin, in her fourth big series this year after “American Primeval,” “The Terminal List: Dark Wolf” and “Hal & Harper,” plays Garfield’s wife, Crete, fully up on the political scene and free with her opinions. Shea Whigham is New York senator and power broker Roscoe Conkling, Garfield’s moral opposite, and the series’ villain, if you excuse Guiteau as mentally ill. (The jury didn’t.). As wise Maine Sen. James Blaine, Bradley Whitford exudes a convincing, quiet authority, honed over those years working in the pretend White House on “The West Wing.” All the men have been whiskered to resemble their historical models.
Where most of them, even Guiteau, remain consistent from beginning to end, it’s Nick Offerman’s Chester A. Arthur who goes on a journey. Conkling’s right hand, in charge of the New York Customs House — which generated a third of the country’s revenues through import fees — he’s offered the position of vice president to appease Conkling, New York being key to winning the election. Arthur begins as a thuggish, cigar-smoking, sausage-eating, drunken clown, until he’s forced, by events, and the possibility of inheriting the presidency, to reckon with himself.
When First Lady Crete Garfield wonders whether there should be a little extra security (or, really, any security at all) around her husband, he responds, “Assassination can no more be guarded against than death by lightning — it’s best not to worry too much about either one,” giving the series its title and clearing up any confusion you may have had about its meaning. Indeed, Guiteau moves in and out of what today would be well guarded rooms with surprising ease, managing encounters (some certainly invented) with Crete, Blaine, a drunken Arthur and Garfield, whom he implores, “Tell me how I can be great, too.”
Created by Mike Makowsky, it isn’t free from theatrical effects, dramatic overreach or obvious statements, but as period pieces go, it’s unusually persuasive, in big and little ways. Only occasionally does one feel taken out of a 19th century reality into a 21st century television series. The effects budget has been spent where it matters, with some detailed evocations of late 19th century Chicago and Washington that don’t scream CGI. The first episode, which recreates the 1880 convention, held at the Interstate Exposition Building in Chicago, aligns perfectly with engravings of the scene and brings it to life, supporting the wheeling and dealing and speechifying in a way that one imagines is close to being there.
Because we know what’s coming, the series can be emotionally taxing, especially as a wounded Garfield lingers through much of the final episode, while being mistreated by his doctor, Willard Bliss (Zeljko Ivanek), who ignores the advice of the younger, better informed Dr. Charles Purvis (Shaun Parkes), the first Black physician to attend to a sitting president; many, including Millard, believe it was the doctor who killed him through a lack of sanitary precautions, and that Garfield might have recovered if he’d just been left alone, an idea the series supports.
But you can’t change history, as much as “Death By Lightning” makes you wish you could.
ABU DHABI has been named the happiest city in the world by Time Out.
Scoring a near perfect mark, 99 per cent of locals agreed that Abu Dhabi makes them happy, with 96 per cent saying that people in the city seem positive.
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Abu Dhabi has been named the happiest city in the world by Time OutCredit: Getty
In addition, 93 per cent said that they feel happier in the city than anywhere else.
The city was ranked against five statements: My city makes me happy; I feel happier in my city than other places I’ve visited or lived; The people in my city seem happy; I find joy in the everyday experiences my city offers; The sense of happiness in my city has grown a lot recently.
The city gained top marks for walkability as well, and has been named one of the best cities for culture and green space and nature.
If you are heading to the city, then explore Yas Island – a purpose built island with theme parks and a waterworld.
The island is home to a number of theme parks including Ferrari World Yas Island and Warner Bros World Yas Island.
Ferrari World is the first Ferrari-branded theme park, which is also home to Formula Rossa – the world’s fastest rollercoaster.
Then at Warner Bros. World, visitors can explore one of the world’s largest indoor theme parks, with six immersive lands.
Across each land, visitors will find rides, shows and attractions themed on classic Warner Bros. characters such as Superman.
For those who prefer to splash about in the water, head to Yas Waterworld Yas Island – a massive water park with over 40 rides, slides and attractions.
For something more thrilling, head to Clymb, which boasts the world’s largest indoor skydiving flight chamber and the region’s tallest indoor climbing wall.
Visitors can wander along Yas Bay Waterfront as well, where they can find a number of cafes, restaurants and bars.
Yas Beach is good for relaxing too, with golden sands and crystal waters in addition to different water spots such as kayaking.
And for a bit of retail therapy, make sure to visit Yas Mall, which is one of the city’s biggest shopping centres.
Elsewhere in Abu Dhabi visitors can head to other cultural destinations such as the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and the Louvre Abu Dhabi – a large museum with art from different cultures.
There is also Qasr Al Hosn – the oldest stone building in Abu Dhabi.
If you prefer to see nature, then explore the Jubail Mangrove Park via its boardwalks or kayak.
The desert is another place to see, where you can take part in a number of activities such as dune bashing (venturing across the dunes in buggies), camel riding and sandboarding.
The city is home to a purpose-built island which has a number of attractionsCredit: GettyThe attractions include Ferrari WorldCredit: Alamy
When it comes to food, a mid-range three-course meal at a restaurant will set you back £50.91 for two people.
One top spot (but that costs a bit more) is Café del Mar, which is located near the beach and often hosts pool parties and Ladies’ Days.
Options include a truffles wagyu beef burger, with cheese, beef prosciutto, truffle and mushroom sauce and fries for £35.65.
Alternatively you could share a salt-baked sea bass, with tomato vinaigrette and fries for £29.54 per person.
Alcohol in Abu Dhabi isn’t cheap either with a beer costing around £8.15.
When it comes to places to stay you won’t be short for choice, with the city also being home to some famous hotels such as the Emirates Palace, which costs hundreds per night.
Though more affordable options include the Royal M Hotel by Gewan Abu Dhabi for around £130 per night.
Direct flights in November, from London to Abu Dhabi cost from £474 or £513 from Manchester.
CELEBRITY Traitors star Tom Daley is diving head first into a pool of cash courtesy of a lucrative side hustle.
The champion diver raked in more than £100,000 from his knitting hobby in 2024 – two years on from setting up his Made With Love label.
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Tom Daley’s turned his love of knitting into a lucrative side hustleCredit: PATom was an early casualty on The TraitorsCredit: BBC
Profit eluded him for the first couple of years, but his woolly items are now coining it in.
Annual accounts for MWLTD Ltd show he made a six-figure profit in 2024 and left £57,000 in cash in the firm’s coffers.
He sells £8.99 balls of wool, patterns and leisurewear via his website and would-be buyers are told by Tom: “A lot of you know that I absolutely adore knitting.
“It’s been a journey for me that started when I first picked up my knitting needles in March 2020. Fast forward and I’m so proud to introduce these kits to you all so that you can experience the joy I found learning to knit.
“I designed these knit kits to help encourage you to pick up those needles, learn the basics, and fall in love with knitting at the same time – all whilst creating something to show off or pass on.”
Wool vest kits start at £53. A pattern and wool for a sweater costs up to £72.
Tom, who hosts Channel 4’s Game of Wool, has said he was banned from wearing his own knitwear when appearing on Celebrity Traitors.
The Olympic gold medallist, 31, revealed in a new interview that self-promotion was prohibited during filming for the BBC gameshow.
The former diving champion appeared as a Faithful contestant on the programme alongside singer Paloma Faith, presenter Stephen Fry and broadcaster Kate Garraway, with the Traitors being Jonathan Ross, Alan Carr and singer Cat Burns.
He also added that he was constantly knitting when they weren’t filming scenes for the show.
“Any time I was in the hotel, I was just knitting, knitting, knitting,” he said.
Strictly Come Dancing fans will be faced with watching new hosts from next series and they have made their thoughts heard about who they would like to replace Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly
Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly announced they are leaving Strictly Come Dancing(Image: BBC)
Tess and Claudia have been the long-time faces of the hit BBC show. But their joint statement revealed this is to be their last series fronting the contest.
Now, a surprise pairing has been called out by fans to take over the baton. Commenting on a behind-the-scenes video from this year’s Pride of Britain Awards, fans have expressed their desire for the couple behind LadBaby to take centre stage on the contest.
LadBaby, whose real name is Mark Hoyle, and his wife, Roxanne, were suited and booted for the ceremony, and as they showed their unique personality in the sneak peek, fans were loving their energy.
One user gushed: “These two beautiful people are my pick for the new hosts to replace Tess and Rylan to replace Claudia on strictly.” A second agreed, saying: “Wow this was brilliant you two are amazing you presented this like real professionals , you both need to be grabbed up for your own show.”
Others didn’t specifically name Strictly, but insisted the pair deserved more time on the small screen. “You two are absolute naturals you should have your own morning show,” another penned.
And a fourth said: “You both make such fabulous hosts. So natural. Hopefully we will get to see you presenting more!” Claudia and Tess’ announcement sees the duo leave their roles after over a decade together. While the decision was a shock to some, it has long been hinted by the pair.
Tess recently revealed she wanted more weekends to herself. On the Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast she revealed how she would miss her children – Phoebe, 20, and Amber 16 – when they move away but it also would have its benefits.
And it was then that she spoke about the fact that in recent years she had missed out on lots of weekends away with pals due to being a mum as well as her Strictly commitments.
She said: “I’m not someone who goes for a day to the spa. I’m thinking, what do my kids need me to do today? Do you know what I mean?
“So I’m always making up for that. If I’ve worked for a day or two, then I’m like, now this time I need to do more for them because I was absent here. So I’m always trying to make up for that. So if I, you know, remove them from that picture.
“Yeah, I don’t know. I mean, it could be quite lovely. Could be really great. I could be on weekend breaks with my girlfriends to Ibiza. How about that? I might be back dancing on podiums.”
Social Security will soon be making a big announcement. On Oct. 24, 2025, the Social Security Administration will finally let seniors know what their 2026 Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) is going to look like.
COLAs happen in most years to help retirees maintain their buying power. Because COLAs increase the retirement benefits seniors collect, the news about how big the raise will be is always much-anticipated.
Unfortunately, although retirees are most likely going to get a bigger benefits increase than last year, many seniors are inevitably going to end up disappointed with the increase to their checks in 2026.
Here’s the surprising reason why that’s the case.
The COLA is going to be bigger– but there’s a problem
Although the official announcement on the Social Security COLA has not been made yet, the Senior Citizens League is projecting that benefits are going to increase by 2.7% next year. This estimate is based on year-to-date changes to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W).
CPI-W is used to determine how much Social Security benefits should increase because it helps to measure inflation, and the purpose of the COLAs is to make sure that Social Security benefits do not lose buying power. While the formula isn’t a perfect one since the spending habits of urban wage earners and clerical workers aren’t exactly aligned with senior spending, the formula does give an idea of how much prices are rising — and retirees get a benefits increase equal to the average year-over-year change to CPI-W in the third quarter of the year.
Since we have a lot of this data available, the Senior Citizens League estimate is probably fairly close to accurate, and barring any major surprises when the September inflation data is released in October, the raise should come in at around that projected 2.7%. And, if it does, that will be a little bit bigger than the benefits increase retirees received in 2025.
A bigger raise should make seniors pretty happy since they’ll get more money to help maintain buying power — but there’s a surprising reason why that’s not necessarily going to be the case. The problem is that a good portion of the additional funds coming to retirees will disappear to cover rising Medicare premiums.
COLAs will take a huge hit due to rising Medicare premiums
For any retiree who is on Medicare, the COLA is probably going to be a huge disappointment because of how little of it will be left after Medicare premiums are accounted for.
See, Medicare premiums come out of most people’s Social Security checks. And Medicare Part B premiums are going up by a huge amount next year. The Medicare Trustees’ report projects that premiums are going to increase by $21.50 per month, jumping all the way up from $185 in 2025 to $206.50 in 2026. This is one of the biggest year-over-year increases in the history of the Medicare program.
If a typical retiree is collecting the average benefit of $2,008.31 in 2025, a 2.7% COLA would result in their benefits increasing by around $54. If $21.50 of that disappears, then the typical retired Social Security recipient will end up seeing their monthly payments go up by only $32.50.
By contrast, if someone had started with that same $2,008.31 check in 2025 and received a 2.5% COLA, they’d have seen their benefit go up by around $50.00 — but, since Medicare premiums only rose by $10.30 per month between 2024 and 2025, retirees would have seen benefits go up by around $40.
Retirees need to be aware that so much of their benefit increase is going to disappear to rising Medicare premiums this year, and take that into account during their retirement planning process for the upcoming year. Seniors need to maintain a safe withdrawal rate from their 401(k) and other retirement accounts, and with a Social Security raise that ends up pretty small after Medicare costs take a bite out of it, this may require some careful budgeting.
A presenter has revealed he is the recognisable voice behind the Channel 4 programme introductions we see most days – and shared what a day in the life looks like
You may recognise this presenter’s voice from Channel 4(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
When sitting down to watch television on a night, we get used to seeing repeated adverts, familiar channel logos, and presenters. One voiceover artists has shared what really happens before you hear programme introductions on Channel 4.
Sam Darlastone works as a presenter on Kiss radio and has his own podcast called Embarrassing For No Reason. He also works as a voiceover artist, whose voice you may recognise in between programmes on Channel 4. Now he opened up about how it works. On Instagram, he shared a video of him introducing what was on. Sam said: “If you’ve heard this sort of thing on TV, this is how it comes together. So you may have heard that or something similar on TV before that is called a trending menu.”
Explaining, the presenter added: “So trending menus actually start way before they reach the voice overs here at Channel 4, the team will pick three shows to focus on, some will be old some will be new, well most will be new.”
He noted there will be a mix of genres included in the announcement. He shared: “When I finally get there [to the Channel 4 studios] my job is to spend the afternoon scripting, which sometimes surprises people because in certain voiceover rolls you wouldn’t write your own script, but for these we do.”
Sam added he will be giving a brief with a time slot, typically around 20 seconds, and three programmes to talk about.
He noted: “Then we head down to the recording booth – or some people call it the dungeon.”
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He claimed he records with the video of the show in front of him. He also previously admitted that sometimes he makes mistakes and doesn’t always get it perfect on the first try.
“Great to put a face to the voice,” commented one. “I love this geeky stuff,” said another. One called Sam “the coolest guy for the coolest channel”.
“Love a good insight into some art being made,” wrote a third. Another added: “Love listening to your voice.”
Another wrote: “You’re the Channel 4 voiceover! I’ve heard your voice loads while watching Friday Night Dinner and Channel 4 Player.”
One other said: “I will never hear your channel 4 voice overs the same again.”
“I’ve often thought about this – and no can see the face to the voice,” one other added.
BIG BROTHER housemate Cameron revealed the surprising REAL reason he entered the house.
The 22-year-old farmer, from Somerset, got candid with fellow housemate Zelah, and opened up about his true intentions for coming onto the show.
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Cameron revealed that losing weight was one of the main reasons why he decided to step into the Big Brother house, as he and Zelah discussed body image issuesCredit: ITV2/ITVX
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The pair’s frank and honest conversation won the hearts of fans on social media, with many counting Cameron among their favouritesCredit: ITV2/ITVX
Cameron, who introduced himself as an introvert, told his co-star that he had entered the house on a mission to lose weight, as the pair openly discussed issues around body image.
As the pair had a conversation Cameron admitted that he had come into the house to “lose a bit of weight”.
Zelah, who works a professional trainer, asked if Cameron had any goals when it came to food.
Cameron responded: “Just like not eat so much crap all the time, like don’t binge as much.“
He went on to ask Zelah: “Did you used to be big?”
The personal trainer responded: “I used to be bigger, I used to be overweight.”
Zelah continued: “During my teen years, I developed an eating disorder.”
He opened up about his battle with bulimia, telling Cameron he struggled with “eating and then throwing up”.
Zelah admitted: “It stayed with me for a long time.”
Cameron responded: “At boarding school, we were made to run all the time and I was made to do rugby which I never really liked.”
Big Brother’s second evicted housemate revealed as another star gets the boot
He added: “I never really enjoyed, especially doing it with other people, I never really enjoyed doing all that.
“I felt embarrassed doing all that actually.”
Viewers praised Cameron for opening up about his body image struggles, particularly after he shared his fears over housemates liking him in an emotional diary room confession after entering the house.
Fans on social media admitted that the farmer has started to grow on them.
One viewer wrote on X: “Farmer O.G Cameron is really growing on me. Seems like such a nice guy. Love the way he emotionally checks in with people so effortlessly.”
Another fan said: “Farmer Cameron is a great addition to the cast i shouldnt have judged him prematurely”.
It comes as Gani became the second housemate to be given the boot from Big Brother house – after facing the first public vote of the series.
Poor weather conditions meant ITV bosses had to pull the plug on using their outdoor set forcing this week’s evictee to leave via the back door.
Both Gani and Zelah found themselves facing the public vote after being given an evil eye by the four newest housemates – Richard, Feyisola, Cameron B and George.
Upon his departure being confirmed, he was met by Will Best, who walked him over to the Late and Live studio amid the shake-up.
When asked how he was feeling, Gani looked heartbroken as he confessed: “I seriously don’t know what to even say right now.”
During his exit interview with AJ and Will, Gani admitted he wanted to share more of himself whilst on the show.
Big Brother 2025 housemates
The initial housemates who entered the house were:
Gani, 39, a pizza shop manager from South London.
Cameron, 22, a farmer from Taunton.
Nancy, 22, a graduate from Glasgow.
Caroline, 56, a PR specialist from Canvey Island.
Zelah, 25, a personal trainer from South London.
Teja, 18, a cleaner from Bristol.
Emily, 25, a political events manager from Northampton (evicted).
Marcus, 22, a mechanical engineer from Manchester.
Tate, 27, a business owner from Falkirk.
Elsa, 21, a content creator from Essex.
Sam, 27, a zumba instructor from Skipton.
Jenny, 20, a make-up artist from Derry.
Four new housemates were announced to enter the house as late arrivals:
Cameron B, 25, a personal trainer from Bolton.
Feyisola, 33, a financial investigator from London.
New research suggests that British travellers are forgoing their beloved summer hotspots like Greece and Spain in favour of more far-flung destinations like Thailand
Destinations like Thailand have seen an influx of British holidaymakers this past year(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
According to new research, some key non-European destinations have enticed Brits away from their typical hotspots this summer.
While Italy, Spain and Greece continue to deal with the repercussions of over-tourism, British travellers are casting their holiday sight further abroad. Virgin Media O2 data suggests that visitors to Spain have dropped by about 9% year-on-year, with anti-tourism protests potentially giving British holidaymakers pause.
Visits to Greece and Portugal are also down by 7% and 5% respectively, the data suggests. Destinations like Thailand, Canada and the US are on British travel radars this year.
Like Thailand, Australia earned 5% of the allotment of British tourists(Image: Getty Images)
Visits to France were even eclipsed by those of the US this summer, which brought in 17% of British travellers compared to France’s 14%. Canada now accounts for 9% of trips from the UK and the United Arab Emirates has enjoyed 8% of the British tourist allocation.
The exceptionally hot weather in the UK this summer could have also influenced why Brits didn’t feel the need to storm their sunny EU holiday destinations.
When it comes to last-minute getaways however, the data shows that convenience is still a top priority for British holidaymakers. Resorts that are a short-haul flight away still saw the biggest influx of travellers. Almost 38% of Brits will take late breaks to Spain while Greece will see 25% and Italy 23%.
Anti-tourist protests have been held across Portugal, Italy and Spain this past summer – affecting British tourism to these countries(Image: Getty Images)
Christian Hindennach, chief commercial officer at Virgin Media O2 said of the latest research: “As Brits explore new holiday spots beyond Europe, we’re proud to keep them connected wherever they may roam.
He continues: “From last-minute trips to far-flung adventures, we’re committed to keeping our customers connected without the worry of hidden fees, so they can focus on enjoying their time away.”
That said, months of active overtourism demonstrations across Spain in particular has been bad news for tourism revenue in some parts of the country.
A once busy Spanish city is now “dead” as Brits have reportedly abandoned the destination for other holiday spots.. Footage has surfaced online showing the area’s completely deserted streets.
Laura, who goes by lauratravelvlogs on TikTok, has been chronicling some stark changes in Barcelona this year, having resided there herself for over two years. She noted a significant drop in visitor numbers and, for months, she’s been posting videos of Spain’s vacant streets, silent roads and empty beaches to illustrate the drastic shift in the country’s tourism landscape.
In a recent video featuring eerily quiet roads, Laura questioned: “Sorry, no one can argue that these roads leading up to the beach were not packed in 2023?”
RIHANNA has hired Love Island’s Ella Thomas for a new Savage x Fenty gig.
The former Islander who featured on season 10, met Rihanna last year and clearly made a good impression.
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Ella looked like the perfect event host in her fab fit, mic in handCredit: Instagram
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She posed outside of the Fenty Beauty Cafe van, ready to greet fansCredit: Instagram
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The pop up sold an assortment of drinks and goodiesCredit: Instagram
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Ella was hand picked by Rihanna herself to host the pop upCredit: Getty
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The pair met last yearCredit: INSTAGRAM……..
The musical superstar and her team got back in touch with the Love Island beauty to host the Fenty Beauty Cafe in Covent Garden today.
After wowing Rihanna‘s team, Ella got chosen for the gig which is a huge deal for anyone looking to break into the world of fashion and beauty, as well event hosting.
A spokesperson said: “Ella met Rihanna last year and really impressed her and her team.
“She was hand picked to host the Fenty Beauty Cafe in Covent Garden today.
“She’s really starting to make a name of herself in the presenting world and it’s obviously a really big deal to work with such a well known beauty brand.”
Ella took to Instagram to share some snaps from the Beauty Cafe with her 1 million followers.
“You’re looking at your Fenty Beauty host!!,” the stunner captioned her carousel of snaps and short clips.
“From loving the brand since day one to hosting with them. very grateful… make sure you visit the Fenty beauty cafe pop up!.”
In the first photo from the afternoon Ella is wearing a brown and white plaid two-piece shirt and skirt set from Fenty.
While looking incredible in the fit, accompanied by light brown boots, a white watch and gold hoops, the TV personality is holding a microphone while standing next to the Fenty Beauty pop up van.
Love Island’s Ella Thomas looks loved-up with new boyfriend on night out
The whole scene screams professional host, as well as chic and autumnal.
Other snaps and videos from the star show her posing inside of the van, and even standing under an umbrella with her microphone, a smile on her face rain or shine.
Ella’s fans were incredibly proud of her, and flocked to flood the comments section of her post with praise.
“Star girl,” said one user.
“Well deserved Ella,” “The greatest influencer,” and “Yas presenter babe,” shared others.
During her Love Island days, Ella finished in third place, making it to the final before leaving the show.
Before Love Island, she had a successful modelling career, even featuring in music videos for artists including Burna Boy and Headie One.
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The pop up appeared to be a successCredit: INSTAGRAM……..
BBC Breakfast’s Luxmy Gopal were left shocked after their co-host shared some statistics on eating in bed
BBC Breakfast: Hosts chat about places to eat dinner at home
Luxmy Gopal told her co-star, “That’s not good,” after he announced some surprising news on Monday’s BBC Breakfast.
During one segment, Ben revealed the latest statistics about where most people eat their tea or dinner in the evenings.
However, when he explained that some people have admitted to eating in bed, Luxmy was left taken aback.
To kick off the discussion, Ben asked his co-star, “What do you think about having your phone at the dinner table?”
“I would say just hygiene-wise, it is not ideal because you know, your phone has a lot of bacteria on it,” Luxmy replied, reports the Express.
“You use it a lot without washing your hands; there is just a lot of dirt there.”
Luxmy said it wasn’t good to eat in bed(Image: BBC)
Ben went on to point out that many people sit at their tables and scroll on their phones or watch TV while they eat instead of talking to their family.
“I understand watching TV, it’s kind of a classic, it’s how TV dinners were a thing,” Luxmy went on. “Watching TV while you eat is quite common.”
Ben then read out some of the statistics that had been reported. He said, “Three percent eat their dinner in a bedroom..”
Before Ben could continue, Luxmy looked disgusted and responded, “Ohhh, that is not good. That doesn’t seem hygienic.”
Ben Thompson and Luxmy Gopal(Image: BBC)
Ben then gave the statistics for how many people stood in the kitchen while they ate.
“Standing up?” Luxmy said in surprise. “That can’t be comfortable or enjoyable. I don’t think that is good for your digestion, is it?”
“I am actually surprised that it is as high as that,” Luxmy chimed in after Ben revealed that a quarter of people still sit at a table and eat together.
“I think that is quite encouraging,” she commented, with Ben adding his two cents: “But the phone has to be away. You can’t have it sat on the table because then it is like you’re waiting for something better to come along.”
Meanwhile, Carol Kirkwood was in the studio to provide the latest weather updates, while John Watson provided the most recent sports news.
BBC Breakfast is broadcast every day at 6am on BBC One.
Jennifer Aniston just came out with an unexpected, wistful comment about her “Friends” co-star Matthew Perry’s death: Part of her, she said, thinks it might be “better” for him that he died.
“We did everything we could when we could,” the “Morning Show” star said in an interview published Monday by Vanity Fair, talking about Perry’s friends’ attempts to help him when he was struggling with addiction. “But it almost felt like we’d been mourning Matthew for a long time because his battle with that disease was a really hard one for him to fight.”
Indeed, Perry discussed his friends’ efforts to help him in his 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing,” which recounted his decades-long struggles with substance abuse as well as his numerous recovery efforts.
“Although he asserts he was never high while filming ‘Friends,’ he’d often be sick or hungover,” former staff writer Christina Veta wrote in The Times’ review of the memoir. “Once, Perry passed out on the Central Perk couch and [co-star Matt] LeBlanc had to nudge him awake to say his line. Later, Aniston called him out for drinking again, telling him, ‘We can smell it.’”
Perry told Aniston, “I know I’m drinking too much, but I don’t exactly know what to do about it.”
“In nature, when a penguin is injured, the other penguins group around it and prop it up until it’s better,” he wrote in his memoir. “This is what my costars on Friends did for me. There were times on set when I was extremely hungover, and Jen and Courteney [Cox], being devoted to cardio as a cure-all, had a Lifecycle exercise bike installed backstage. In between rehearsals and takes, I’d head back there and ride that thing like the fires of hell were chasing me — anything to get my brain power back to normal. I was the injured penguin, but I was determined to not let these wonderful people, and this show, down.”
Aniston told Vanity Fair in the new interview, “looking solemn and out toward the ocean” as she spoke about Perry’s death, “As hard as it was for all of us and for the fans, there’s a part of me that thinks this is better. I’m glad he’s out of that pain.”
Perry said in his memoir that amid all his drinking and drug use, he was never suicidal.
“In the back of my mind I always had some semblance of hope. But, if dying was a consequence of getting to take the quantity of drugs I needed, then death was something I was going to have to accept,” he wrote about the period after “Friends” ended.
“That’s how skewed my thinking had become — I was able to hold those two things in my mind at the same time: I don’t want to die, but if I have to in order to get sufficient drugs on board, then amen to oblivion.”
Almost exactly a year after the memoir came out, on Oct. 28, 2024, at 4 in the afternoon, Perry was found dead in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home. The drug ketamine would later emerge as his official cause of death, with drowning a contributing factor.
When I was invited on a trip to Cognac in the south of France, I could never have anticipated learning so much about myself and my hometown in the process
Hannah discovered an unexpected link to her hometown while in France
When I headed to the beautiful region of Cognac, France, it was somewhere I hadn’t really heard much about except for the drink (of which I wasn’t a huge fan).
Despite it not being on my initial radar, I am a firm believer in exploring new places and cultures as they can capture your imagination in completely unexpected ways. Still, when I arrived in Cognac, what I unveiled was never something I could have anticipated.
When I first landed in France, I immediately had a full day of activities planned including a tour of the beautiful home of Baume de Bauteville balsamic vinegar, and a visit to the iconic Remy Martin Cognac house for a private tour complete with a guide to its history and, of course, Cognac tasting sessions. I wasn’t a huge fan of the drink before, but I soon changed my tune. Of course I was posting all about my trip – and that’s when a friend back home got in touch with an interesting revelation.
I will always take any opportunity to travel (Image: Hannah Ballantyne)
They informed me that Cognac was twinned with Perth, Scotland – which just so happens to be my hometown. It completely stole my imagination and got me researching. Immediately I had a lightbulb moment; Perth is also a distillery town, so of course I learned this after a day at a distillery! That was the first piece of the puzzle. So I looked into it all a little bit more.
Twin cities are a concept most of us will have heard of but probably have never thought about before. I will hold my hands up and say that the only time I had ever truly thought of them was when I saw the names on road signs when coming into towns and cities. That is about as far as my knowledge about them went, until now.
The exterior of the Remy Martin house was a dream!
The concept of a Twin City was first coined after the end of WWII in a bid to promote both cultural and commercial ties to the two cities that were involved., whilst also promoting prosperity in a post-war landscape. However, the first ‘official’ twin cities agreement happened in 1931, when Toledo, Ohio twinned with Toledo, Spain.
I could not believe that I had absolutely no idea that Cognac and Perth were twinned before-hand, and it started to feel a little bit like fate that I was there. It really got me thinking about everything and wanting to know more.
What I started to notice was all of the little things that tied these places together. For start, Perth is on a river, as is Cognac. Food and drink are both massive tourism opportunities for both places and they are even similar sizes. The population of Perth is around 47,00 and Cognac’s is 60,000 for the area! It all started to make sense. Even the humble beginnings of Remy Martin reminded me of home.
Cognac in Perth
Wanting to learn more, I reached out to Graham Knight, who runs the ‘Friends of Cognac’ society in Perth. I wanted his unique insight into the partnership and what it meant for both communities.
He explained: “The twinning agreement between Perth and Cognac was signed in October 1991 and arose out of the common elements of whisky and cognac. At that time Perth was the headquarters of a number of whisky companies e.g. Bells, Dewars ,Peter Thomson and Cognac was home to Hennessy, Remy Martin, Martell, and Courvoisier et alia.
“An extract from the twinning agreement reads ‘establishing a firm foundation for future understanding, respect and friendship between the people of Cognac and Perth for all time.’ The most obvious similarity is geographical, both towns (Perth of course now being a city) lying on famous rivers and are important administrative centres. Tourism is also a common thread in each area.”
A bench in Perth that twins with Cognac
“The core of our activity is a programme of group visits to Cognac, and from Cognac to Perthshire in which we are hosted in the homes of French friends for a week, and they in turn are hosted in our homes. These visits enable the sharing of our lives, towns, local areas, activities and cultures, not to mention our food and drink! Over the years strong friendships, often life-long, have been forged, and we’ve even improved our language skills.”
What I began to realise was that actually, there were so many similarities between Perth and Cognac. I realised that these two places are so similar because of the kindness of people, the landscapes, the output of produce in the areas and the rich histories of the two places.
Once I knew that there were ties to Perth all around the French region, my trip felt extra magical. I started looking at everything differently and absorbing more of it – and there was plenty to enjoy.
I spent the morning with Frapin Cognac to tour their impressive distillery and Chateau. It’s been in the family for hundreds of years and you can sense the pride in it all around you. They’ve really kept family at the heart of what they do and I adore that concept. I really could feel the warmth of the people and really felt like I was sat with a family having lunch, much like how many places feel like in Perth.
Hannah lunch at Frapin
That afternoon, I went to the beautiful Cognac Jewellery School and created my own vine leaf earrings. The lovely Jessica guided me through my first taste of metal-work, and we started talking about how she had moved to Cognac from England right before the pandemic hit and fell in love with the region and its culture and beauty. I couldn’t stop thinking about my hometown link; even the leaves reminded me of ones I’d find in Scotland.
I think that’s what I’ve loved the most about all of this, is understanding the ties that bring these two very different places together. Ultimately, what it comes down to is a deep-rooted sense of pride in communities, which is something that I think is beautiful. I love that the two places can share this commonality with one another, showing that as humans, we really aren’t all that different deep down.
Hannah touring Frapin Cognac
Colin Powell once said “the ties that bind us are stronger than the stresses that separate us”. I think the idea of twin cities can encapsulate that perfectly. We are so different, yet there are these commonalities that tie us together in ways we could not have imagined, no matter where you’re from! When I was offered this trip I could never have anticipated learning more about my hometown in the process. Now, I also feel like there will always be a string tying me to Cognac.
Barefoot, in shorts and a tropical-themed short-sleeved shirt, Will Burroughs walks through the narrow backyard of his Venice home and passes a football to his 7-year-old son Jack.
It’s a playful moment that instantly sparks the curiosity of the family’s Australian cattle dog, Banjo, who comes running from the first floor of the newly added accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, at the rear of the property.
Even though it’s a small gesture, it encapsulates what Burroughs and his wife, Frith Dabkowski, hoped for when they added the ADU to their backyard.
With their home in the background, Frith Dabkowski and husband Will Burroughs are joined by their son Jack and dog Banjo on a single ribbon of wood that runs the entire length of the garage.
“They’re fun,” architect Aejie Rhyu said of the creative couple as she walked by the undulating two-story ADU she helped them realize.
Rhyu’s assessment helps to explain the joy that permeates the family compound, from the pink Los Angeles Toile wallpaper in the bedroom (humorously adorned with illustrations of L.A.’s beloved mountain lion P-22, the La Brea Tar Pits and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre) to the tricked-out garage on the first floor, which includes overhead bike storage, an espresso maker, a mini-fridge and a large flat screen TV that allows Sydney-born Burroughs to watch Formula 1 car races and cricket games at 4 a.m. when his family is asleep.
The one-bedroom unit features a full kitchen, custom millwork, colorful bathroom tile and a waterfall island that dips to create a dining room table.
Like so many ADUs in Los Angeles, the couple’s addition was driven by a need for more space to accommodate work and family life. At a time when California ADU laws continue to evolve to encourage more housing, the couple saw it as an opportunity to demolish their garage and build a new multipurpose flexible space that includes an office, garage and housing for family members from Australia who stay for weeks at a time.
To help them create an ADU that was fun and ambitious, Burroughs reached out to his childhood friend, Australian architect James Garvan, whom he has known since kindergarten.
A view of the ADU, including its rooftop terrace, from the street …
… and from the backyard.
Garvan said that when he first received a call from Burroughs about designing an ADU, he was impressed by the American concept of adding a second home on the same property as a larger one. “It’s an elegant way to activate parts of the city that are otherwise unused,” he said.
The couple collaborated with Garvan on the design plans, but because he was in Australia, they subsequently engaged local architect Rhyu to deliver the project. Despite his location on the other side of the world, Garvan worked with the team during FaceTime and Zoom meetings.
The ground floor of the ADU serves as a garage, office and media room for the family.
Burroughs installed a subwoofer speaker beneath the sofa to give the garage the feel of a movie theater during family movie nights. “Jack went flying off the couch when we watched “Top Gun,” he said, laughing.
“We wanted to contribute to the street and not just to the backyard,” Garvan said of a neighborhood tour he took on FaceTime with Burroughs. “It was crucial that the ADU referenced the neighborhood. That’s why we have the lovely tapered geometry and white fence paneling as cladding — it continues the fence and ties the house to the neighborhood.”
The couple, 41-year-old marketing executives who met while working at an advertising agency in San Francisco, may have wanted a showstopper. But they also wanted to respect their neighborhood, where small bungalows coexist alongside enormous, newly built homes in a Brutalist style.
Dramatic shutters that can be opened and closed give the ADU the feel of a music box.
“We were adamant about not having a monolithic structure,” Burroughs said, emphasizing the neighborhood’s diverse architectural styles where noted Los Angeles architects such as Frank Gehry, Ray Kappe and Barbara Bestor have all practiced their craft.
Dabkowski, who was born in England and moved to Dallas when she was 11, shared a similar perspective in not wanting the ADU to stand out too much. “I grew up in the suburbs where homes were built in a development and all looked the same,” she said. “I love the array of different houses in Venice, but it is jarring when people build something out of scale with the neighborhood.”
Situated on a corner lot, the two-story ADU appears simple and square from the street and curvaceous and soft from the backyard. While the traditional 1949 bungalow out front is one level, the ADU out back is tall but doesn’t overwhelm the atmosphere of the street.
Working with Plot Design LA, the family were able to preserve a segment of the backyard, which gives the dog and kids room to run around. “There’s a nice thoroughfare,” Burroughs said. “Kids ran around and threw water balloons at Jack’s 7th birthday party.”
Jack Burroughs, 7, plays with blocks as the family dog Banjo runs into the ADU.
Once inside the compound, the ADU, which cost approximately $450,000 after several increases due to the custom millwork and spiral staircase, is not what you would expect. And that’s precisely the point.
“We told James from the beginning that the ADU is separate from the house and is supposed to be different,” Burroughs said.
Pink Los Angeles Toile wallpaper from Flavor Paper adds a touch of whimsy in the bedroom of the ADU.
Clad in stained cedar siding with shutters that open and close like a music box, the ADU is composed of a 460-square-foot garage on the ground floor and a 560-square-foot one-bedroom unit one flight up. A custom steel spiral staircase connects the two floors on the outside of the building, as it would have eaten up too much space if placed inside. Above it all is a rooftop terrace with views of Santa Monica, the Marina and Penmar Park, with Burroughs affectionately comparing it to “being up in the trees.”
Inside, the open-plan kitchen, living room and dining area are flooded with natural light from two large circular skylights. A waterfall island, equipped with storage on either side, dips to form a dining room table. Floor-to-ceiling custom cabinets in the kitchen continue into the living room, where they create a media center. Adjacent to a queen-sized Murphy bed, there’s a stackable washer and dryer, as well as a linen closet. Cork tile flooring adds warmth and serves as an acoustic buffer to help separate the unit from the office space below.
Architect Aejie Rhyu of ARA-la Studio in Los Angeles collaborated with Australian architect James Garvan on the project, which took more than a year to complete.
Working with interior designer Danielle Lanee, Dabkowksi added colorful accents to the living spaces to make the interiors “warm, inviting and fresh.”
“They wanted the ADU to be a fun experience for their guests,” noted Rhyu. “There’s an outdoor shower. Colorful lighting. It’s quite different from the main house, but it works because it’s situated on a corner lot. When you are in the backyard, you note that, but from the street, it almost feels like its own separate structure.”
Will Burroughs and his future architect James Garvan prepare to rollerblade in Sydney, Australia.
(Courtesy of James Garvan)
At one point, Burroughs worried they were having too much fun with the colorful interiors, which include pink and red clé tile in the bathroom, pale green custom cabinets in the kitchen and pink Flavor Paper wallpaper in the bedroom. “I was worried it would feel like you were living in a Mondrian painting,” he said.
Now that it’s complete, however, Burroughs is thrilled with the way it turned out. “Frith added a lot of whimsy to the ADU,” he said. “I love that it feels homey and functional, and I love the balance with the architecture. Once you walk inside, you don’t feel like you’ve sacrificed form or function.”
In Sydney, where he grew up, Burroughs said architecture is often designed in harmony with the landscape. Here, his childhood friend was assigned the same task. “I was impressed that James was able to take a rectangular block … and make it sit beautifully with the trees and fence line,” he said. “And Aejie took drawings from afar, accomplishing them by walking around with a camera and reviewing drone footage. Aejie was able to take his high-order thing and make it work.”
Looking ahead, the couple envisions the unit could work as a rental, but for now, it has been booked by family and friends, including those who were displaced by the Pacific Palisades fires in January. The couple have hosted Burroughs’ parents for six weeks at a time, and friends with three kids — who shared the Murphy bed — stayed for 10 days.
In the living area of the ADU, custom millwork includes a Murphy bed, floor-to-ceiling storage, a linen closet and a stackable washer and dryer.
“It’s nice to have enough space where family can come and stay comfortably for a decent amount of time,” Dabkowski said. “Staying in an Airbnb is expensive.”
The ADU impressed Burroughs’ parents so much that they hired Gavan to design a home for them in Sydney now that they are downsizing.
“They were so impressed with the skylights, the airflow of the unit, which improves our quality of life tremendously,” Burroughs said. “Our mothers are best friends. He’s [Gavan] going to be a part of the family even more now.”
“I am happy that my friends like their home, but I hope the community likes it too,” Gavan added. “I hope it contributes positively to the streetscape.”
The ADU is designed to engage with the landscape and nestle into the garden, says architect James Garvan.
The couple treasure the personality and history of their 1949 bungalow. “We just love it so much and don’t feel like we need to match the ADU,” Dabkowski said. “The old and the new can live in harmony together.”
In the Dodgers’ 5-1 win over the Kansas City Royals — a victory that clinched the weekend series and gave the club a 5-1 record on this past week’s road trip — Wrobleski continued to quietly impress as a depth pitching option for the Dodgers, pitching six scoreless innings that were short on flash but long on substance; serving as the latest productive outing in his suddenly auspicious sophomore season.
“Justin’s confidence is at an all-time high,” manager Dave Roberts said. “And he’s a confident young man already.”
Entering the game behind opener Lou Trivino at the start of the second, Wrobleski made easy work of a struggling Kansas City offense, giving up just three hits and one walk in a six-strikeout showing as the Dodgers (53-32) pulled away at the plate.
Kiké Hernández hit a two-run homer in the second. Will Smith added a solo shot in the sixth. And by the time the team tacked on two more runs in the seventh, such extra insurance was already looking unneeded.
Instead, Wrobleski further raised his stock in what has been a surprise midseason rejuvenation, turning in his best career performance at the big-league level.
Over his 83-pitch outing, the Royals (39-45) only once managed to even put a runner in scoring position. They squandered all three leadoff hitters who reached base. And during their best opportunity to rally in the third, Wrobleski mowed through the heart of their order, sandwiching one strikeout of Jonathan India and fielder’s choice grounder from Vinnie Pasquantino with a statement-sending punchout of Royals star Bobby Witt Jr., getting him to whiff on a 96-mph fastball and putaway two-strike slider.
“Bobby Witt is one of the best hitters in the game,” Roberts said. “And for him to beat him with the fastball, he wasn’t doing that last year.”
Indeed, few saw Wrobleski’s surge coming this season.
Wrobleski was optioned back to the minor leagues after that, and made only one MLB appearance over the next two months: a four-inning outing in mop-up relief duty during a May 15 blowout of the Athletics.
At the start of June, however, he was called back up to make a spot start in St. Louis, turning in a decent six-inning, four-run effort. And since then, he has continued to get better each time out. In his last 20 innings — all of them coming in bulk relief — he has conceded just four earned runs while striking out 21 batters. His overall ERA in five June appearances was 2.73.
“Having that bad one in Washington, honestly, set me back in a good way,” Wrobleski said. “I had to go back down, make a few adjustments.”
And now, he joked, that D.C. start “feels like it was three years ago.”
The biggest difference with Wrobleski of late has been his fastball. In that April start against the Nationals, it averaged just 93 mph. In every outing since, it has sat around 96-97 mph, and topped out above 99 mph.
Wrobleski credited the improvement with some small mechanical tweaks, having adopted a wider base in his pre-pitch stance and incorporated a rocking motion in his delivery to help him direct his momentum toward the plate.
But also, he said he has simply found a way to throw with maximum effort more consistently — coupling it with an increased reliance on his sinker to attack the zone and induce quick outs.
“I think it just goes back to me being me,” said Wrobleski, an 11th round pick out of Oklahoma State in 2021. “That’s how I got here was doing that. I got away from it a little bit, tried to quote-unquote ‘throw strikes,’ and when you do that, it leads to results that are not desirable. But at the end of the day, [I just want to] throw my best stuff for as long as I can until they take the ball. I think that’s been a major key.”
As a result, Wrobleski’s name is quickly rising among the hierarchy of young Dodgers pitching.
The fact that he was even on this road trip was a sign of the organization’s growing confidence in his abilities.
During the team’s last homestand, fellow young talent Emmet Sheehan returned from Tommy John surgery with four sharp innings, and seemed primed to occupy an open spot in the Dodgers’ rotation moving forward. However, with Sheehan not yet fully built up, the club elected to option him back to triple A and have Wrobleski pitch twice in a six-day span this week, with a five-inning, two-run outing in Colorado on Tuesday preceding Sunday’s gem in Kansas City.
Sheehan should be back in the majors soon, having pitched six perfect innings with 13 strikeouts in a start with Oklahoma City on Wednesday (manager Dave Roberts said Sheehan’s next outing will also be with OKC, though he could still rejoin the Dodgers before the end of their upcoming homestand).
But now, he’s not the only former prospect showing flashes of being an impact option in the majors.
“He’s changed a lot,” Roberts said of the team’s evaluation of Wrobleski. “We’ve always valued him and thought a lot of him as far as the talent. But right now, he’s getting major league hitters out … And in the spirit of getting opportunities while earning them, he’s doing that.”
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Strictly Come Dancing’s Wynne Evans hits back at claims he made a sexual slur against his co-star Janette Manrara, which happened when Wynne was standing in the middle of a line-up of the entire cast in Birmingham
22:59, 24 May 2025Updated 23:00, 24 May 2025
Wynne Evans has opened up about ‘what he really said’ to Strictly Come Dancing’s Janette Manrara(Image: PA)
Wynne Evans has opened up about ‘what he really said’ to Strictly Come Dancing‘s Janette Manrara after he was ‘forced’ to apoplgise for the sexual slur – which he now claims was the farthest thing from what he actually meant it to be. The opera singer, 53, best known for his Go Compare adverts, was caught on camera in January making a vile “spit roast” remark towards a co-star.
The footage, which was released in January, shows Wynne standing in the middle of a line-up of the entire cast in Birmingham as Janette, who is the host of the BBC spin-off show It Takes Two, is asked to join them.
Wynne was recorded making an inappropriate sexual comment to Janette Manrara, who acts as host on the tour, when she walked over to the group. He sang out: “Go Compare,” before adding: “Not too close to Jamie [Borthwick].” He then used the hugely demeaning term “spit roast” in reference to a lewd sexual act.
At the time, Evans said in a statement to the Mirror: “My language was inappropriate and unacceptable, for which I sincerely apologise.” He was seen with the tour cast as they turned up to Liverpool after having to pull out of the Glasgow shows due to an injury. However, he later pulled from the tour entirely.
Wynne was slammed for using the sexual slur on the show(Image: BBC/Ray Burmiston)
However, Wynne has denied making the comments caught on camera. After issuing an apology at the time, the opera singer has now revealed what he actually meant by saying the words ‘spit-roast’, claiming it was a nickname for his fellow Strictly star and EastEnders actor, Jamie. Wynne told The Sun in a new interview: “I didn’t see the statement. Old Spit-roast Boy was a nickname for Jamie Borthwick. I’m not a bad guy, I’m not a misogynist, I’m not any of these things.”
Wynne now insists his mistakes on the show were simply light-hearted pranks which completely backfired on him, leading to his career taking a massive plunge. The Strictly star has also revealed that he suffered a dreadful mental health collapse after his axe from the show, admitting that he was on even 24/7 suicide watch by an NHS crisis team.
Wynne Evans has said that he has suffered mentally after the ordeal(Image: BBC)
“I would be the first to apologise if I had used it in the double meaning of that word,” Wynne told the publication. But it absolutely wasn’t meant sexually – and the fact I used ‘boy’, all right it’s nuanced, but it shows I was talking to Jamie, NOT Janette.
“Anyway two weeks after that photocall, I was sat in this hotel room and I start to get these calls saying, ‘You have used a term that is really offensive’. And then I’ve got my team ringing me, I’ve got the Strictly team ringing me, I’ve got the tour team ringing me.”
Wynne went on to claim that he didn’t see the press statement that was published on his behalf, and was left blindsided by it. “Of course, your natural reaction is, if you’re told you’ve offended someone, you say, ‘God, I’m so sorry’. And so I went, ‘I’m so sorry’. And that was taken as a formal apology, so the press team issued a statement. I didn’t see it,” he said.
The Strictly star has revealed what he really said in the footage(Image: PA)
“When I read the apology within the context of the story as it had been written, I was absolutely horrified. And I was embarrassed and I was ashamed of myself. Because the apology always makes it look worse.
“It validates the story. It’s been a truly awful past few months, having to keep my counsel and let the narrative that I’m some sort of weirdo run. I’m not a misogynist, I’m not any of these things.” The statement which was released on his behalf at the time read: “My language was inappropriate and unacceptable for which I sincerely apologise.”
The broadcaster has launched an investigation into his behaviour and the conclusion is believed to be revealed in a couple of weeks. A BBC spokesperson also previously confirmed they had spoken to Wynne and stated they “do not tolerate such behaviour.”
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the live tour said: “We were not previously aware of the remark and did not receive any complaints. We have made it very clear to Wynne that we do not tolerate such behaviour on the tour.”
*If you’re struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] or visit their site to find your local branch
I tested myself if I could go a day without using my phone by participating on an 18-mile hike with nothing but a bottle of water – and what I discovered about myself was unexpectedly rewarding
I ditched my phone for my first hiking experience because of this one reason(Image: Columbia Sportswear)
I’m not the only one who says that I live attached to my phone and that everything I own and treasure is there. Realising that my screen time is higher than the average person’s, I wanted to prove to myself that I could go a day without it. So, when I saw the opportunity to go on a hike in the middle of nowhere with zero phone service, I couldn’t say no to it.
I wouldn’t consider myself a very sporty person, nor do I think I would have ever been interested in completing a hike by choice. With no expectations or preparations, except for a nice kit provided by Columbia Sportswear, I went for it – and let me tell you, it was so worth it.
The hiking trail took over three hours, completing a total of 18 miles(Image: Ashley Bautista)
Throughout the year, Columbia Hike Society hosts multiple “Hike Fests” across the world. The whole point is to walk for miles and miles until you reach your destination, where a reward awaits you.
In our case, it was an emerging duo group called Lavender Music and Bombay Bicycle Club, an English indie rock band – and of course, a beautiful beach that looked like the ones in the Almafi Coast.
We walked through fields, along coastal paths and over sand dunes to an isolated area of Anglesey, located in north-western Wales. There was something so therapeutic about listening to the wind, the birds, the waves of the sea, and even the sound of the sole of the shoe touching the rocky ground.
Hiking is an underrated activity that is both engaging and relaxing. I appreciated the silence and being fully present in nature for three hours without using my phone and without listening to music. It’s also a social media trend called ‘rawdogging’, which is aslang term is used when undertaking an activity without any assistance, preparation or comfort.
Hiking is an underrated activity that is both engaging and relaxing, and it won’t be my last one participating (Image: Ashley Bautista)
Thankfully, my friend joined the trip, which made it much more bearable, with a few laughs in between. We kept stopping to take pictures, but the insane views can’t be as appreciated through the lens as much as they are through your own eyes. Being born and raised in Barcelona, and also being used to the busy London environment, I didn’t think that the UK had the potential to be so beautiful!
Once we arrived at the beach, we sat down to eat our lunch and enjoyed performances from Lavender and Bombay Bicycle Club as the clear blue skies and sunlight graced us. That’s when I realised that I was going to wake up the next morning with a stiff body and that I was so unfit and should probably start going to the gym – but that’s another story.
What started at 10am, ended at 13:46pm, to be exact. During those long hours of non-stop walking, it gave me plenty of time to think about a lot of things, and I learnt to enjoy my own company without wanting to check my phone notifications.
I’ve also learnt to live in the moment, something we sometimes forget to do because we spend most of our time focused on what’s happening on social media and don’t look at what’s right in front of us.
But the one thing that I appreciated the most about this hiking trip was the realisation of how little we actually invest into ourselves and our well-being, and although it was my first time hiking, it will definitely not be the last one.
It’s not the summer destination you’d expect from the head of the Catholic Church, but Pope Leo XIV’s friend has revealed his favourite summer destination
The beautiful holiday destination, the Pope fell in love with(Image: Getty Images)
Surfing, beaches, camping and long road trips – not your typical summer for the man leading a billion Catholics. But for Pope Leo XIV, that lifestyle feels like a second home.
While Rome is now where he lives, it was in Australia where he truly enjoyed spending his down time. The 79-year-old has visited Australia many times and is said to have fallen in love with its lifestyle – its beach culture, vast roads and famous laidback spirit.
A close friend revealed it wasn’t just the beaches he fell in love during his trips, but he genuinely connected with the country’s pace and spirit. Father Banks, originally from Melbourne is a close friend of Pope Leo XIV revealed he visited the country many times and “loved the beaches”.
Father Banks revealed the Pope’s favourite summer destination(Image: Philip Coburn/Daily Mirror)
Banks has lived in Rome for the past 12 years and has witnessed how the Pope’s bond with Australia has grown stronger over time. “He felt very much at home in Australia, as a second home,” he added. “He enjoyed being in our company.”
But it wasn’t only the sun that he enjoyed, Pope Leo also saw the beauty in the country’s scale and silence. “He enjoyed driving from Brisbane to Sydney,” Father Banks said. It was the “the loneliness of the distances” that he was really drawn to.
However his connection with Australia was deeper than holidays. He once visited during World Youth Day – a Catholic gathering, typically held every few years. In 2008, it was hosted in Sydney’s Randwick Racecourse.
The beautiful sunrise in Australia(Image: Getty Images)
Over that time, he also stopped at St Augustine’s College in Brookvale and met students and staff in a warm, down to earth exchange. “He has many great memories of Australia,” his friend added.
Australia is known for the relaxed atmosphere, surf scene and beautiful nature, which may seem a world away from the Vatican, but it seems the contrast is exactly why the new Pope loved it.
The country offered something he often didn’t find elsewhere, a place to slow down and just be – enjoying the outdoors and easygoing attitude. Whether it was the freedom of an open road or the casual warmth of a location conversation, Australia gave Pope Leo something beyond a holiday – it gave him a feeling of home, according to Father Banks.
Pope Leo was appointed last week and as he steps into one of the most powerful spiritual roles in the world, the memories he made in Australia will undoubtedly stay with him.
