tipped

Alan Carr won The Celebrity Traitors in a tense series finale on Thursday and, overcome with emotion, the comedian told viewers: “I am and have always been a traitor”

Alan Carr is tipped to become one of the new presenters of Strictly Come Dancing after his The Celebrity Traitors triumph.

The comedian, 49, burst into tears when he was crowned the winner of the reality TV programme last night. Alan declared the prize money, which amounted to £87,500, will go to the children’s charity Neuroblastoma UK, a sum he said would “change lives”.

But his own career is now set to change, with The Celebrity Traitors thought to act as a springboard for more success. An insider has even said Alan is being considered for Strictly, as Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman are set to leave. They added: “He has got to be up there with the BBC to get a huge new role… Wink, wink, nudge, nudge, Strictly.”

And a BBC source said: “Alan has always been a star – but it’s amazing what a month in a Scottish castle can do to elevate your career. He’s ours now.”

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The Mirror had reported how chatter linked Alan to one of the Strictly vacancies, but now his triumph in the Scottish castle is said to have firmed his bid to take the Saturday night gig. The presenter had been praised for “super competitive streak” and charisma during his time on The Celebrity Traitors, which began at the start of October.

A source on The Celebrity Traitors said “people just love Alan”. The BBC believes viewers “loved him and [think] he has been the star of the Traitors,” one insider told the Daily Mail.

Alan, snubbed for a potential role as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent in 2023, was hoping for nothing more than a bit of a giggle when he signed up for the BBC show. He got off to a difficult start as fellow traitor Jonathan Ross worried Alan, born in Weymouth, Dorset, might give himself away.

But Alan showed the resilience and courage to thrive and eventually beat former England rugby star Joe Marler and his fellow Traitor Cat Burns. Bursting into tears when he was declared the winner, the comedian said: “I am and have always been a traitor… I’m so sorry, it’s been tearing me apart.” He told host Claudia Winkleman: “All that lying, all that treachery was worth it, wasn’t it?”

Nick Mohammed covered his mouth in shock when Alan revealed the other traitors. The Ted Lasso star said: “Not Joe!” He added: “Alan Carr. He played an absolute blinder.” Alan said: “What a rollercoaster, how did this happen? I was awful at lying and had a terrible poker face and here I am, the winner.”

Comedian Alan Carr has quickly become an unlikely favourite to win Celebrity Traitors, which draws to a close BBC One on Thursday, and his popularity has rocketed

Alan Carr — teasing millions of The Celebrity Traitors viewers — has been tipped to become a new presenter of Strictly Come Dancing.

The comedian, 49, is vying to win the reality TV series, which draws to a close on Thursday night on BBC One. PR experts say his stint on the programme, a spin-off from the civilians’ version, has helped further boost Alan’s popularity, following previous success with his own titular show on Channel 4.

And now the broadcaster is being touted to step in to host Strictly Come Dancing next year, following the departures of Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly. One insider said: “More people are watching Alan than are watching Strictly right now. He’s been catapulted to the A-list. The star dust is practically dripping off him.”

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It is said Alan, the son of a former professional footballer, thought he would have been the first kicked off The Celebrity Traitors, but he has survived to reach the final five contestants. His antics alongside the likes of Sir Stephen Fry, Kate Garraway, Clare Balding and Celia Imrie have had millions of Brits hooked since October 8.

Alan, who won a BAFTA for Alan Carr: Chatty Man in 2013, was praised for displaying his “super competitive streak” and charisma, traits insiders believe make him an ideal match for Strictly. A source told the Daily Mail: “He’s an old-fashioned showbiz pro who would be just perfect hosting Strictly. If he does manage to win Traitors it will be a sign to the BBC that he has the star quality to present its flagship show.”

The search is on to replace Claudia and Tess, who have both been associated with Strictly and its spin-off programmes for more than 20 years. Former Strictly performer, Vincent Simone, had said the hosts need to be replaced by “familiar faces that the audience already trusts”.

He said: “It’s hard to predict. I think the BBC should go for people who are already well-known and experienced – not newcomers. Familiar faces that the audience already trusts, like Paddy McGuinness or even Noel Edmonds. If you bring in big names the public already loves, they’ll go along with the change more easily.”

Alan, a comedian for nearly three decades, has been ruthless throughout his time on The Celebrity Traitors, dispatching his close friend Paloma Faith, and similarly, actress Celia Imrie on Thursday night. The source continued: “His public persona is one of being a bit of a giggle, a bit of a pushover, but that is definitely not the case at all.”

After graduating from university, Alan moved to Manchester, with his sights on a career in comedy. He worked in a call centre for five years, while treading the boards in his spare time on the stand-up comedy circuit, winning awards and a huge following along the way.

MANCHESTER and Birmingham could soon get Channel Tunnel trains.

Virgin has revealed that it wants to operate services from Manchester and Birmingham to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, if it wins the bid to run cross-channel services.

If the routes were launched, the trains would need to run via the West Coast Main Line and then divert across north London to join the Channel Tunnel route at Stratford.

A Virgin spokesperson said: “Reopening the stations to be able to accommodate international services requires commitment and resources from all parties and potential competitors involved.

“But if the stations are opened, Virgin will stop in Kent.”

Virgin has also pledged to reopen Ashford International and Ebbsfleet International stations, which have both been closed since 2020.

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Virgin would then run 20 services each day from London St Pancras to Paris and Amsterdam via Brussels, within the next five years.

In the future, Virgin said it could also add services to Germany and Switzerland too.

In August, Virgin signed a deal for 12 new high-speed trains.

The “binding exclusivity” with Alstom means Virgin would get a dozen Avelia Stream trains to use for journeys into mainland Europe.

Virgin is just one of several companies bidding to run services across the channel; other companies include Gemini Trains and Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane (FS).

The latter has said they would look to restart train routes from Ashford International Station as well.

If Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane was successful in its bid to gain a Channel Tunnel contract, they’d launch trains from between London and Paris from 2029 onwards, with a stop in Ashford.

Meanwhile, Gemini Trains has revealed plans to launch 10 trains from the UK to Europe, including routes to Paris and Brussels.

The ORR will make a decision about the future of cross-channel services, by either allowing a new operator to run services or allow Eurostar to grow its services.

If Eurostar did expand, the operator has expressed that it would like to run services to a number of new destinations, such as Frankfurt and Geneva.

A final decision is set to be made on October 31.

Why Virgin taking on Eurostar is good for consumers…

The Sun’s Head of Travel Lisa Minot explains how this is good news for UK travellers

WHILE a second operator on the channel tunnel could only be a positive move for travellers, there are significant challenges before this could become reality.

Eurostar currently has a monopoly on the route and competition would potentially bring more choice, lower prices and new routes.

Eurostar itself is a shadow of the company it was in its glory days with direct routes to Disneyland Paris, Lyon, Avignon and Marseille plus its fabulous ski train to the Alps.

While the pandemic brought the company almost to its knees, it has been steadily getting back on its feet and the merger with Belgian operator Thalys has opened up fast train services to Germany.

But the constrictions on space at St Pancras and the maintenance depot at Temple Mills plus the potential disruption when the new European Entry Exit System finally arrives mean there are still significant problems that need to be addressed.

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SEB COE believes Keely Hodgkinson can be Britain’s greatest-ever athlete.

Hodgkinson is now in Japan for the World Athletics Championships — a year after she won Olympic 800 metres gold.

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Twice she has missed out on the world title over two laps.

But 23-year-old Hodgkinson remains determined to add the crown to her Olympic and European successes.

Given that the Leigh athlete also wants to break the 42-year-old world record in her event, then the sky really is the limit for the next decade.

Asked if she could become the greatest track-and-field star Britain has ever produced, World Athletics chief Lord Coe said: “Yeah, she absolutely could.

“I have no doubt about that. Absolutely, for sure. She could end up at the top of the heap internationally if she goes on.

“Touch wood, she’s got many athletics seasons ahead of her. And she’s also got good coaches in Jenny Meadows and Trevor Painter.

“Those guys know what they’re doing. It’s a really good example of British coaching at its best.

“I have spoken to her enough times to know that, mentally, she’s mahogany hard. She really is.

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“She wants to end her athletics career at the top of the heap — and there’s no reason why she shouldn’t.”

Hodgkinson opened her season on August 16 having not competed for 376 days following two hamstring injuries.

And her time of 1min 54.74sec in Poland  — the best in the world so far this year — was described by Coe as “unbelievable”.

In her next appearance, four days later in the driving rain of Lausanne, Switzerland, she posted a winning mark of 1:55.69.

British middle-distance legend Coe, 68, a double 1500m Olympic champion himself, admitted: “You just have to marvel at how she has come back.

“To be out injured and then basically you first set foot on the track and you’re running 1:54… 

“We’ve been saying for a long time, she is the real deal. What was clever was doing two races back to back.

“She was clearly testing out a thesis: did she have enough in the tank to go back-to-back? That is what she’s going to be asked to do in Tokyo.

“The answer was a resounding ‘Yes’. She’s in good nick.”

The nine-day World  Championships begin on Saturday and are being staged in the same national stadium which hosted the Covid-hit Olympics four years ago.

However, Coe insists there are contingency plans in place in case the event is impacted by typhoons in the Far East.

Severe weather saw three matches cancelled during the Rugby World Cup in Japan six years ago.

The British boss added: “Let’s hope there isn’t one!

“We do have full meteorological prediction and predictive teams out there at the moment.”

Coronation Street star Adam Hussain could be about sign up for the jungle as he has become a favourite of the bookies to brave the reality show amid his soap exit

Coronation Street star Adam Hussain could be about sign up for I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! The actor, 24, has played the role of Aadi Alahan on the world’s longest-running television soap since 2020 but recently quit the cobbles and his final scenes are yet to air.

But speculation suggests that Adam could be about to trade the the fictional Manchester backstreet for the Australian Outback, when the reality show returns to screens later this year.

Adam has been priced up at 7/1 to swap the Rovers Return for bugs, rice, and beans. It comes after it was announced that Aadi’s twin sister Asha (Tanisha Gorey) is to ‘reach breaking point’ as part of an upcoming special.

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If Adam, who took over the part of shopkeeper Aadi from Zennon Ditchett, does end up venturing off into the jungle, he will certainly not be the first famous face from the soap to take part in Ant and Dec’s long-running reality show, which first aired in 2002. Antony Cotton, who plays knicker stitcher Sean Tully, entered the jungle in 2011 and just missed out on a place in the final, where McFly star Dougie Poynter was crowned winner.

In 2012, Helen Flanagan (Rosie Webster) was voted by the public to face seven consecutive Bushtucker trials, which, at the time, was a record for the programme. And ever since Jennie McAlpine (Fiz Dobbs) joined the jungle in 2017, it has become almost an annual occurrence for a star from the soap to appear.

Last year, Jennie’s on-screen husband Alan Halsall (Tyrone Dobbs) famously struck up a friendship with co-star Tulisa, whilst other Street favourites like Beverley Callard (Liz McDonald), Sair Khan (Alya Nazir), Simon Gregson (Steve McDonald), and Sue Cleaver (Eileen Grimshaw) have braved the programme in recent times.

The news comes just days after Aadi’s exit was teased in sad scenes. As views will know, character has been embroiled in various conflicts over the last few months. Earlier this year, he was unintentionally responsible for Lauren Bolton (Cait Fitton) becoming a victim of spiking when he threw a house party that went wrong, and, amid their budding romance, he has lied to her about the events of that fateful night.

Aadi was entrusted with the upkeep of the corner shop owned by his dad Dev (Jimmi Harkishin) when he took a break but he ran up debts of £6,000 and then staged a failed robbery with Brody Michaelis (Ryan Mulvey) to try to claim on the insurance.

After all that failed, Aadi finally fessed up to Dev, and his dad learned that his partner Bernie Winter (Jane Hazlegrove) had been in on the initial attempt to cover it all up as well, when she brought forward their wedding in the hopes of getting a rich relative to pay for it.

Having been branded a ‘failure’ by Dev, who has owned and operated multiple Weatherfield businesses since he arrived in 1999, things came to a head for the teenager as he hit a new low. Clearly unsure what to do next, Aadi decided to drink his problems away as he ignored calls and text from Lauren, who had been hoping to meet him that day.

Eventually, he was spotted by builders Gary Windass (Mikey North) and Theo Silverton (James Cartwright). He was blocking their van and it all ended in calamity when he refused to move, as he fell and hit his head on a brick wall. Dev, desperate to find his son after he wasn’t in bed after Lauren came calling for him, swooped onto the scene to see what had happened to his son, but Aadi refused any help from him whatsoever and stormed off.

That night, Dev asked him: “What happened with us? You always used to make me so proud of you. Did I not tell you enough? Is that why you’re punishing me?”

Aadi admitted: “It’s not always easy, trying to live up to you. You’re always going on about everything you achieved. I’m not saying you never praised me but it was only when it made you look good. It was never enough to just be me.” Acknowledging that things have to change, Dev revealed that he had been in touch with his cousin Vikram and has arranged for him to go and work with him in India.

Through tears, Aadi protested: “I’m not moving to India!” but Dev said he ‘could not support him anymore. “You’re just kicking me out?” Aadi shot back, to which Dev confessed through tears of his own: “I don’t want to. But you have left me no choice.” Viewers then saw Aadi and Amy Barlow (Elle Mulvaney) act on their true feelings for each other, but even that went wrong in the end, and the character looks set to depart Weatherfield for good in the coming weeks.

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