The former England player appeared on Michael McIntyre’s Big Show on Saturday night
Michael McIntyre’s Big Show returned on Saturday night (Image: BBC)
Michael McIntyre’s Big Show took an emotional turn on Saturday night, leaving a famous footballer fighting back tears.
The beloved family series returned on February 21 with famous faces, including Peter Crouch and Abbey Clancy, who took on the Remember Me segment. The couple was tasked with identifying people from their past whom they haven’t seen in years.
Everyone from their wedding singer to Peter’s childhood crush made an appearance. But it was the former England footballer’s first professional coach, Barry Quinn, who left him utterly stunned.
Upon hearing Barry’s voice, Peter immediately became emotional, and Abbey quickly noticed, pointing out, “He’s crying.”
Although the sports star didn’t break down into tears, the surprise left him teary-eyed.
Speaking of his close bond with the coach, he said, “I’ll never forget him. When I was a kid, I genuinely believed that my technique came from the grounding I had with Barry Quinn.”
The duo knew each other when Peter was finding his feet in the sport at around 10 years old.
The footballer went on to add: “I just think at that time, at that age, it’s such a time for you to develop. I was so lucky to have a coach like Barry, who I felt got me to the next level, really. And I know that grounding was what shaped the player I became.”
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Barry also opened up about their relationship, praising the striker: “He had a fantastic attitude.
“He had natural talent but always wanted to progress, always wanted to get better. Worked harder than everybody else and had great family support. So he was an absolute coach’s dream.”
The 45-year-old striker played for the likes of Liverpool, Stoke City, Tottenham Hotspur, and Burnley throughout his impressive career.
Michael McIntyre’s Big Show is available to stream on BBC iPlayer
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Israel approves West Bank land claims unless Palestinians prove ownership, sparking ‘annexation’ accusations.
The Israeli government has approved a plan to claim large areas of the occupied West Bank as “state property” if Palestinians cannot prove ownership, prompting regional outcry and accusations of “de facto annexation.” The move forces Palestinians to navigate complex legal hurdles after decades of occupation and displacement, amid continued Jewish settlement expansion. What could this mean for the future of Palestinian land?
In this episode:
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Noor Wazwaz and Melanie Marich, with Tamara Khandaker, Marcos Bartolomé, Maya Hamadeh, Tuleen Barakat, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Sarí el-Khalili.
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhemm. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.
Imagine if a candidate for, say, the California Assembly appeared at a political event and delivered the following remarks:
“No to kosher meat. No to yarmulkes. No to celebrating Easter. No, no, no.”
He, or she, would be roundly — and rightly — criticized for their bigotry and raw prejudice.
Recently, at a candidates forum outside Dallas, Larry Brock expressed the following sentiments as part of a lengthy disquisition on the Muslim faith.
“We should ban the burqa, the hijab, the abaya, the niqab,” said the candidate for state representative, referring to the coverings worn by some Muslim women. “No to halal meat. No to celebrating Ramadan. No, no, no.”
For many Texas Republicans running in the March 3 primary, Islamophobia has become a central portion of their election plank, as a longtime political lance — illegal immigration — has grown dull around its edges.
Aaron Reitz, a candidate for attorney general, aired an ad accusing politicians of importing “millions of Muslims into our country.”
“The result?” he says, with a tough-guy glower. “More terrorism, more crime. And they even want their own illegal cities in Texas to impose sharia law.” (More on that in a moment.)
One of his opponents, Republican Rep. Chip Roy — co-founder of the “Sharia-Free America Caucus” — has called for amending the Texas Constitution to protect the state’s tender soil from Islamification by “radical Marxists.”
In the fierce GOP race for U.S. Senate, incumbent John Cornyn — facing a potentially career-ending challenge from state Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton — has aired one TV spot accusing his fellow Republican of being “soft on radical Islam” and another describing radical Islam “as a bloodthirsty ideology.”
Paxton countered by calling Cornyn’s assertions a desperate attack “that can’t erase the fact that he helped radical Islamic Afghans invade Texas,” a reference to a visa program that allowed people who helped U.S. forces — in other words friends and allies — to come to America after being carefully screened.
In just the latest instance, Democrats are calling for the censure of Florida Republican Rep. Randy Fine after he wrote Sunday on X: “If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one.” He’s since doubled down by posting several images of dogs with the words “Don’t tread on me.”
In Texas, the venom starts at the top with Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who’s waltzing toward reelection to an unprecedented fourth term.
Not to be out-demagogued, Bo French, a candidate for Texas Railroad Commission, called on President Trump to round up and deport every Muslim in America. (French, the former Tarrant County GOP chair, gained notoriety last year for posting an online poll asking, “Who is a bigger threat to America?” The choice: Jews or Muslims.)
Much of the Republican hysteria has focused on a proposed real estate development in a corn- and hayfield 40 miles east of Dallas.
The master-planned community of about 1,000 homes, known as EPIC City, was initiated by the East Plano Islamic Center to serve as a Muslim-centered community for the region’s growing number of worshipers. (Of course, anyone could choose to live there, regardless of their religious faith.)
Paxton said he would investigate the proposed development as a “potentially illegal ‘Sharia City.’ ” The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development last week jumped in with its own investigation — a move Abbott hailed — after the Justice Department quietly closed a probe into the project, saying developers agreed to abide by federal fair housing laws. That investigation came at the behest of Cornyn.
The rampant resurgence of anti-Muslim sentiment hardly seems coincidental.
What’s more, cracking down on immigration no longer brings together Republicans the way it once did.
General support for Trump’s get-tough policies surpasses 80% among Texas Republicans, said Henson, who’s spent nearly two decades sampling public opinion in the state. But support falls dramatically, into roughly the high-40s to mid-50s, when it comes to specifics such as arresting people at church, or seizing them when they make required court appearances.
“Republicans need to find something else that taps into those cultural-identity issues” and unifies and animates the GOP base, said Henson.
In short, the fearmongers need a new scapegoat.
Muslims are about 2% of the adult population in Texas, according to the Pew Research Center’s Religious Landscape Study, completed in 2024. That works out to estimates ranging from 300,000 to 500,000 residents in a state of nearly 32 million residents.
Not a huge number.
But enough for heedless politicians hell-bent on getting themselves elected, even if it means tearing down a whole group of people in the process.
SHE’S got her showbiz career nailed, but will it be boom or bust for Sydney Sweeney as she takes on Kim Kardashian in the lingerie business?
It is the big question in Hollywood following Syd’s very ambitious move to rival Kim’s Skims brand with her own label, Syrn.
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Sydney Sweeney has launched her own lingerie label SyrnCredit: SYRN.comSydney is rivalling Kim Kardashian’s Skims labelCredit: Instagram/Skims
Last month, Sydney finally launched her highly anticipated range of undies with $1billion of support from a fund backed by Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos.
And this week, she upped the ante with a cheeky promo video, which sees her raiding a local store with a gang of pals flashing their bras.
It is a ballsy scheme for a relative rookie who, despite cementing herself as a leading lady in the acting world, has yet to prove she has the business acumen to “do a Kim” and turn her sex symbol status into a corporate, billion-dollar brand.
Since co-launching her shapewear company Skims in 2019, Kim, 45, has defied the odds, making it a global lifestyle behemoth worth $5billion.
But evidently, Sydney, 28, isn’t one to be deterred — and why should she be when she’s got the world’s fourth-richest man on her side, injecting big bucks into her new venture?
Syrn, pronounced “siren”, is a lingerie line that promises to offer inclusive sizing, up to a 42DDD.
So far, the inventory is limited, with a handful of sexy bras, corsets, thongs and knickers offered on its online store, mostly priced at around $100 (£73) or under.
But sales have already been sky- high, with the “Seductress” collection going out of stock almost immediately.
Like Kim, Sydney has chosen a platform to stand on.
While Skims’ remit focuses on inclusivity — with shapewear sold in nine skin colours and in a large range of sizes — Syrn includes bigger-breasted women, who might not otherwise be catered for by traditional retailers.
It is a clever move, positioning the actress and her own famously ample chest front and centre, with the underlying message that she has something innovative to offer.
According to sources close to Sydney, the Euphoria star’s new business isn’t a half-baked move.It is a calculated plot to elevate her to the big leagues and prove she can more than keep up with the Kardashians.
Sydney wants to dethrone Kim — she knows she has the potential to make enormous money and turn Syrn into a multi- billion-dollar company, like Skims
Sweeney insider
“Sydney is extremely competitive and knows she has the potential to reach the very top of the fashion industry,” an insider exclusively tells The Sun.
“That’s exactly why she launched her lingerie brand.
“Syrn is one of her biggest dreams, and she is fully committed to doing whatever it takes to turn it into a major success and compete with top brands like Skims.
“She isn’t afraid of anything.
“She’s aware that Kim Kardashian and her team aren’t happy about her entering the lingerie space, and she was warned by several people not to do it, including friends close to Kim.
“But she never cared about Kim’s opinion, and she never lets others influence her business ideas.”
The insider adds: “Sydney wants to dethrone Kim — she knows she has the potential to make enormous money and turn Syrn into a multi- billion-dollar company, like Skims.
Sydney’s ‘Seductress’ sold out almost immediatelyCredit: SYRN.comSince launching Skims in 2019, Kim has made it a global lifestyle behemoth worth $5billionCredit: Instagram/ Kim Kardashian
“She sees this as a competition and she loves that challenge.”
Sydney showed her rebellious streak — and got her brand some extra publicity — with a video in which she and her production crew scaled the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, before hanging Syrn bras across the famous letters.
Some hailed her a cheeky rabble-rouser.
Others dismissed it as a PR stunt.
Either way, it got Sydney noticed and made her brand a talking point — especially after the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which owns and licenses the sign, slammed the actress, saying she did not have prior authority.
So could Sydney go to jail thanks to her zest and zeal for selling big-sized bras to the world?
No. But for an actress who knows the power of a good performance, she put on one hell of a show.
According to brand and culture expert Nick Ede, the stunt was in keeping with Sydney’s bold approach, which hinges on her unapologetically selling her biggest asset: herself.
She is not afraid to stick two fingers up to propriety to make her mark — and money.
‘STUNT MAVERICK’
Nick says: “While Kim is all about being wanted and admired, and always making sure everyone loves her, Sydney doesn’t care.
“She knows that people want to buy into the brand, and she is being maverick with her stunts.
“We didn’t know much about the lingerie line until a few weeks ago, but she’s stepped it up in a strategic way to cut through other celebs with huge brands and endorsement deals.
“Look at Meghan Markle — she had so much around her when she launched her brand.
“She had her TV show and her status, but Sydney has cut through all that in a punky way.
“In Euphoria, she’s a little bit messy as her character Cassie, and she’s a little bit messy as an actual celebrity.
“She’s sticking with her persona, which works well as a brand.”
Fans and critics will remember the chaos last year over Sydney‘s American Eagle ads, which boasted that she “has great jeans”.
Sydney has curves that match her confidenceCredit: Getty
But Sydney proved that sex plus controversy sells.
The clothing brand duly reported a massive spike in sales, plus a stock surge of 25 per cent.
Initially, Sydney refused to discuss the controversy.
However, in December, she said: “I’m against hate and divisiveness.
“In the past, my stance has been to never respond to negative or positive press, but I have come to realise that my silence regarding this issue has only widened the divide, not closed it.”
That said, she didn’t regret the ads, nor the impact they made.
And she’s not about to moderate her behaviour . . . not when she’s got her own brand to promote.
As Nick explains, the actress knows what her assets are, with curves that match her confidence, and she’s putting both on display.
“Sydney’s selling and creating a fantasy,” he explains.
‘SULTRY SELFIE’
It’s very ‘old Hollywood’ in many ways, but it’s gritty, too, and that’s why there is such huge appeal.
“She will become a mega-brand in the future.”
As for Kim, it is no surprise her nose has apparently been put out of joint over the Sydney uprising.
While she often gets models and celeb brand ambassadors to model her Skims wear, the week of the Syrn launch in January saw Kim post her own sultry selfie to Instagram, posing in her brand’s lacy lingerie.
Fans could not help but notice the timing of her decision to model a sexy Skims set, hot on the heels of Sydney’s own saucy campaign, also on social media.
As one follower said: “Kim said, not today, Sydney Sweeney,” while another weighed in: “Is this the Sweeney fight back?”
Ramping it up, Kim this week called in little sister Kylie Jenner to model a bra and knicker set from her “Everyday Cotton” Skims range in a bid to reel in younger fans.
Obviously, when it comes to the Hollywood pool of superficial friendships, Kim and Sydney are on decent terms, having rubbed shoulders last year at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s wedding.
Needless to say, having a mutual pal like Jeff will keep them civil — on the surface at least — as they have too much to lose if they fall out and put him in the middle.
Kim has also spoken about expanding into the beauty space with SkimsCredit: Getty
But, according to insiders, Kim feels particularly irked by Sydney’s apparent bid to claim some of her global spotlight.
The Kardashian beauty is used to being the most talked-about woman in any room, but — since Sydney became a pop culture phenomenon — she’s been pulling eyes away.
The fact that she is now launching this lingerie line feels a little too close to home for Kim, especially since it has been reported that Sydney has also filed to trademark the Syrn name for cosmetics and beauty care products.
Coincidentally — or maybe not so — Kim has also spoken about expanding into the beauty space with Skims.
Now, she has reportedly been complaining to friends that Sydney is nothing more than a “copycat”.
Still, as Nick tells us, the pair actually have more to gain from this rivalry than meets the eye, as “it’s all about the amount of column inches and publicity they can get”.
‘REBELLIOUS STREAK’
Kim is hardly naive when it comes to the art of publicity.
This is the woman who “broke the internet” in 2014 after exposing her very famous bum to the world on the cover of Paper magazine.
She is hardly going to blush at the thought of engaging now in some performative bra wars with Sydney, as she knows full well that the oxygen for any successful brand is attention and visibility.
So who will ultimately triumph?
Well, Kim’s obviously got a tremendous head start.
She steered her brand to global domination, proving that — despite her internet-breaking derriere — she does nothing half-arsed.
But, like Kim, Sydney understands the power of harnessing one’s sex symbol status to achieve fame and fortune, combining that with business-minded savvy and sizeable investments to create a brand with real selling power.
Add to that her rebellious streak and she could be on to a winner with Syrn.
Whether she overshadows Kim remains to be seen, but one thing remains clear.
In the big, bad world of bra- selling celebs, this storm in a D cup will run and run.
SYD’S GEAR
The Show Off plunge bra: £65Credit: SYRNString You Along low-rise thong: £14Credit: SYRNThe Showpiece basque: £72Credit: SYRN
SYDNEY SWEENEY
AGE: 28.
WEALTH: £30million.
FAMOUS FOR: Starring in The White Lotus, Euphoria and 2025 film The Housemaid.
CONTROVERSIAL MOMENTS: Her American Eagle clothing ad, with the tagline “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans”, which saw her accused of promoting genetic supremacy.
Plus having her bath water used to make a soap range in 2025.
RELATIONSHIPS: Dated businessman Jonathan Davino from 2018 to 2025.
Began dating controversial music executive Scooter Braun in 2025.
BRANDS: As well as Syrn, Sydney has her own production company, Fifty-Fifty Films.
She has also collaborated with Armani Beauty, Kerastase haircare, Laneige skincare, Ford motors and Miu Miu fashion.
FAMOUS FOR: Reality shows including Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
CONTROVERSIAL MOMENTS: Leaking of a sex tape starring Kim and Ray J in 2007, “breaking the internet” with her 2014 cover of Paper magazine, and a 72-day marriage to Kris Humphries.
RELATIONSHIPS: Married music producer Damon Thomas at 19 and split after three years; Kris Humphries, married and split after 72 days, 2011; Kanye West, married 2014, split 2021.
She is now dating Lewis Hamilton.
BRANDS: KKW Beauty (2017-2021), SKKN By Kim – skincare brand from 2022, Kardashian Kloset – resale site for TV family’s clothes.
Skims has also launched collaborations with Nike, Dolce & Gabbana and Fendi.
THE search for Savannah Guthrie’s mom has taken a dark turn as investigators are filmed searching a septic tank.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, has been missing for over a week after she was taken from her home in Tucson, Arizona last weekend.
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Savannah Guthrie’s mother Nancy has been missing for over a week and is believed to have been abductedCredit: GettyCops were seen searching a septic tank behind Nancy’s Arizona houseCredit: Fox News
Now, as investigators admit they have no suspects or persons of interest, officers from the Pima County Sheriff’s Department have been seen back at her property opening up a manhole cover.
Drone footage taken on Sunday shows them searching the tank behind Nancy’s house.
Three detectives were seen putting a long pole down the manhole at the rear of the property, but it is not known what they are looking for.
Meanwhile, investigators also went back to her daughter Annie’s home on Friday night.
Officers arrived in an unmarked vehicle and stayed for around two hours, during which time camera flashes were seen in the garage and other parts of the house, per Fox News Digital.
It comes as…
Annie and her husband Tommaso Cioni were the last people to see Nancy before she went missing after going for dinner and dropping her home on January 31.
Officials have not commented on if any members of the Guthrie family have been ruled out as suspects in her disappearance.
Again, the heartbroken children were seen begging for the release of their mother, with The Today Show host saying, “we will pay”, in reference to a ransom sum that has been demanded in exchange for Nancy’s life.
Savannah said in the short video: “We received your message, and we understand.
Officials have said they do not have any suspects or many leads as the case enters its second weekCredit: Reuters
“We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her.
“This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”
A number of ransom notes have reportedly been received by the family and local news stations and it is not known which one they were responding to in the video.
Former FBI agents have decoded some of the hidden messages in their clip, revealing how they signal what is going on behind the scenes of the investigation.
“The fact they are now negotiating and willing to engage means they believe there is some validity behind [the notes],” one ex-agent told The Daily Mail.
“They aren’t asking for proof of life anymore, they’re only speaking to the ransomer.
“That shows there was something in the most recent ransom note [received Friday night] that changed the way they’re responding, at least for now.”
In their latest update, the Sheriff’s Department said on Sunday that the investigation is “ongoing”.
“Follow-up continues at multiple locations. No suspects, persons of interest, or vehicles have been identified,”the post on X read.
“If any significant developments occur in the case, a press conference will be called.”
Savannah and her siblings Annie and Camron addressed their mother’s captors in a video on Instagram on Friday afternoonCredit: Reuters
If anyone told Mariah Carey ahead of time that Friday night’s MusiCares Person of the Year tribute would feature a live auction — an auction in which a meet-and-greet with the singer in Abu Dhabi was offered to the highest bidder — you sure couldn’t tell by observing her reaction.
Seated near the stage at the Los Angeles Convention Center, a camera feeding close-up images of her face to several screens, Carey appeared genuinely surprised by an auctioneer’s description of the backstage hangout in which she’d be expected to participate next month.
But such is the life of a queen.
Watching Carey respond in real time was actually the best thing about this annual Grammy-weekend gala meant to honor an artist’s work and philanthropy. Though the 56-year-old herself sang for only a minute or so at the end of the show, Carey was a delight to behold as a series of admirers took turns performing some of her many hits (and a handful of deep cuts).
Jennifer Hudson performs.
(Emma McIntyre / Getty Images)
The look of game recognizing game as Jennifer Hudson crushed “Vision of Love.” The tenderness with which she regarded her old friend Busta Rhymes doing their “I Know What You Want.” The slowly dawning realization that this heavily tattooed white man named Teddy Swims was really going to pull off “Without You.”
“That was terrifying,” Swims said when he finished the song — an all-timer of a power ballad with a lengthy chain of custody going back through Carey, Harry Nilsson and the doomed Welsh band Badfinger.
Best of all was the sight of Carey proudly singing along to Foo Fighters and Taylor Momsen as they blazed through a pair of tunes from the cult-fave grunge album she secretly recorded in the mid-1990s under the name Chick.
Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters, left, and Taylor Momsen perform.
(Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images)
Other acts on the bill included Adam Lambert, who went slow and moody for “Can’t Let Go”; the British girl group Flo, which gave an airy performance of “Dreamlover”; and Laufey, who kept a watchful eye on a giant prompter scrolling lyrics at the back of the room as she did “It’s Like That.”
Then there was Billy Porter, who took “Always Be My Baby” way over the top with wild vocal runs that made up for what they lacked in precision with — well, mostly with volume.
Carey took the stage late in the evening to give her thanks to “so many friendly and familiar faces — people I’ve worked with, people I’ve long admired, even people I thought I’d never see again.” After her speech, Jon Batiste popped out to lead a random assortment of stars through an all-hands finale of “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which recently set a new record for the most weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100.
Charlie Puth? Gayle King? Rita Wilson? Carey looked pleased(-ish) to see each one.
