Black Ops, which originally launched in 2023, is making its comeback as viewers will see Gbemisola Ikumelo and Hammed Animashaun return as Dom and Kay.
The first series followed two East London police community support officers who unexpectedly found themselves working undercover.
Tasked with penetrating a criminal gang led by boss Tevin (Akemnji Ndifornyen), audiences were treated to a hilarious journey as the pair attempted to stay under the radar whilst Tevin grew increasingly suspicious, reports Wales Online.
Now, the cast reunite for a fresh series, which will feature appearances from Death in Paradise’s Cathy Tyson and Coronation Street’s Nigel Havers.
Discussing his return as Tevin, Akemnji revealed: “Series one was so nice, of course, we had to go and do it twice! Hugely excited to be going bigger, better and blacker for series two.
“Whatever is next for Dom, Kay – and of course Tevin – one thing is for certain, two things are for sure: it’s going to be a wild and thrilling comedy ride! Seatbelts, please!”
A synopsis for the second series reveals it begins with Dom and Kay working for MI5. Despite operating in the secretive world of espionage, their roles in the organisation are far from glamorous as they’re confined to administrative duties.
However, the situation shifts as an overview states: “All that changes when Dom meets a charismatic spy called Steve, offering the promise of more exciting, classified work.
“Dom and Kay soon find themselves embroiled in an escapade that tests their wits, their friendship, and their love of carnival to the limits.”
The series has received glowing reviews from viewers in the past, with one person commenting: “I find UK shows so much more my level of humour and cadence.. This show is excellent.”
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“The chemistry between the two main characters is spot on. It’s smart and funny and drama all at the same time. That’s hard to pull off. It’s a great storyline.”
Another viewer added: “Thought this was hilarious. The two main characters are a blast. And the series’ plot was twisting and gripping enough to also provided enough suspense to make me keep watching to the end. Loved it.”
Black Ops is available to watch on BBC One from 9:30pm
The plot centres on widow Debbie, who goes to extraordinary lengths to safeguard her family following the sudden death of her reclusive husband.
But there’s a shocking revelation: she’s not actually bereaved, as William is very much alive. After being wrongly pronounced dead, Debbie takes the audacious step of going along with the charade and pocketing his life insurance payout, provided he stays hidden from view, reports the Express.
When their son Harry (Craig Roberts) discovers the reality, he’s understandably shaken to find his supposedly deceased father alive and kicking.
As the programme began, BBC viewers wasted no time heading to X to voice their reactions, with many clearly unimpressed.
One viewer remarked: “Makes Mrs Brown look like a comedy masterclass. Wish the bbc had kept it a secret!” Another posted: ” Waiting for the comedy on @bbc #CanYouKeepaSecret.”
A third viewer admitted: “Not sure not raised a half hearted smile so far #CanYouKeepaSecret.”
whilst another simply declared: “Just awful.”
Yet not everyone shared the same view, with some thoroughly enjoying the new programme, as one person noted: “That was lucky. I kept the TV on after #Traitors and Dawn French humour is cracking me up.”
While another viewer enthused: “Same here. This is hilarious!”
Yet the comedy appears poised to shift into darker territory, as the episode’s closing moments revealed someone has discovered William’s survival, with a menacing letter addressed to him being pushed through the letterbox.
A teaser for upcoming episodes showcased a montage of scenes making it abundantly clear the family’s closely guarded secret has been exposed, with the mysterious individual demanding hush money – but whose identity remains unknown?
Discussing her role in the sitcom, Dawn French explained: “Right from the off I could see that she’s one of those people that absolutely believes she’s always right. I don’t think I’ve ever done that in my life, been sat firmly in that righteous place the way Debbie is.
“I may have often imagined that I could be right, but I’ll err on the side of thinking, ‘I’m probably wrong about this’. Debbie just doesn’t have that anxiety or filter. She’s made a split decision in a mad moment, and once the decision is made, unless she’s prepared to go to prison, she knows she’d better man up and deal with it.
“I mean, I’ve never been in this situation, but I guess once you make a life-changing decision like that, and you jump into the dilemma of it, you’ve got to gird your loins and get on with it because once you’re in, you’re in.”
Can You Keep a Secret is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
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Waiting for the Out follows a man who teaches philosophy to prison inmates
BBC slapped with complaints as viewers fume over new prison drama(Image: BBC)
The BBC has been slapped with complaints as viewers fumed over a new prison drama on Saturday (January 3).
New six-part drama Waiting for the Out has been penned by award-winning screenwriter Dennis Kelly from Andy West’s memoir, The Life Inside.
It follows Dan Stewer (played by Josh Finan), who decides to teach a group of male inmates about dominance, freedom, luck and other topics that have troubled philosophers for thousands of years. These topics also gain a new meaning when seen through the prisoners’ eyes, both igniting passions and creating tension.
The official synopsis continues: “Through his work, Dan begins to dig deeper into his own past – growing up with a father (Gerard Kearns) who ended up in prison, as did his brother Lee (Stephen Wight) and uncle Frank (Phil Daniels). Dan took a different path, but this time working in a prison begins to make him worry, obsessively, that he belongs behind bars just like his father.
“As Dan’s personal crisis deepens, his actions begin to threaten both his own future, and his family’s.”
The show’s cast also includes Samantha Spiro, Phil Daniels, Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo, Neal Barry, Alex Ferns, Francis Lovehall, Steven Meo, Ric Renton, Tom Moutchi, Nima Taleghani, Sule Rimi, Charlie Rix and Jude Mack.
The first episode saw Dan begin his first day teaching philosophy in a men’s prison. The lesson soon unravelled as he realised he’d underestimated his audience – and the weight of his own past.
Fixating on small details, Dan lost control of the class, risked his chance to become a father and broke an important promise to his new girlfriend. But when a familiar face resurfaced, Dan was soon forced to confront someone he thought he’d left behind.
BBC viewers were quick to share their complaints after watching the episode, with many sharing their frustration on X (formerly Twitter). “Well this is 45 mins of my life I won’t get back,” one person wrote.
Another added: “This is so weird,” while a third said: “God this is awful. Fella has no survival instinct. I’d be out of there. Don’t think they’d lock him in there alone with no way out.”
Meanwhile, other viewers were impressed with the contents of the episode, with one person writing: “Wow very interesting style! Quite different from anything else I’ve seen,” while another shared: “Just watched #WaitingForTheOut and I think it’s going to be brilliant.”
Andy West, executive producer and author of The Life Inside, previously said in a statement: “I’m so thankful to the writers, directors, producers and everyone involved in adapting The Life Inside. They have brought extraordinary creative and moral imagination to the stories in the book. We all hope to make a series that goes beyond the clichés about prisons and the families inside them and that touches people either side of the wall.”
Writer and executive producer Dennis Kelly added: “It’s not at all unusual for the men in Andy West’s family to end up in prison – but Andy is the only one that chose to be there. His book is funny, insightful, beautiful, genuinely heartbreaking and nothing like what you’d expect it to be – we’ve tried to take that into the series. God alone knows if we’ve succeeded, but we’ve tried…”
Waiting for the Out is available to stream on BBC iPlayer
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Celebrity Mastermind viewers were left fuming as they hit out at the BBC over the line-up
21:10, 02 Jan 2026Updated 21:21, 02 Jan 2026
Fans slammed Celebrity Mastermind(Image: BBC)
Celebrity Mastermind viewers expressed their frustration within minutes of Friday night’s episode, with many voicing the same thing.
BBC host Clive Myrie introduced the latest batch of celebrity contestants on the January 2 instalment, featuring actor Colson Smith, radio presenter Nadia Jae, comedian Grace Campbell, and Blue Peter presenter Joel M.
The four personalities put their knowledge to the test in the iconic black chair, tackling questions on Leeds United under Marcelo Bielsa, Marvel’s Avengers films, actor Robin Williams, and illusionist Derren Brown.
Puzzled viewers took to social media to voice their displeasure, with many admitting they only recognised Colson Smith, whilst criticising the BBC’s choice of guests.
One viewer questioned: “Apart from PC Tinks from #Corrie, who are these other people masquerading as ‘celebrities’?” Another queried: “Shot at fame? So an admission of sorts that many of these aren’t very famous already.”
A third viewer added: “These ‘celebrities’ just get further and further away from the actual label ‘celebrity’ every night. What a joke.”
A fourth remarked: “Oh well. They’ve finally run out of celebrities,” whilst a fifth concurred: “They use the term Celebrity quite loosely, don’t they?”
The celebrity contestants found the quiz challenging, with Nadia Jae managing just eight points across both rounds to finish in fourth place. Joel M secured 13 points for third place.
Whilst Colson achieved 14 points for second, and Grace Campbell emerged victorious with a narrow win on 15 points, highlighting the competitive nature of the contest, reports the Express.
Recent episodes have prompted criticism from viewers, who’ve accused the celebrity edition of featuring “dumbed-down questions”.
One fan fumed, “Celebrity Mastermind is a complete waste of licence money.” Meanwhile many fans where pleased to see the show on their TV screens as another added: “#CelebrityMastermind is back, Thank the lord.”
Since its debut as a spin-off in 2002, Celebrity Mastermind has welcomed numerous high-profile participants, including Stephen Fry and Paul O’Grady.
Celebrity Mastermind is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
The second series of ITVs Red Eye aired on Thursday night and it failed to impress some viewers.
17:48, 01 Jan 2026Updated 21:17, 01 Jan 2026
Red Eye fans said the same thing minutes into series two(Image: Bad Wolf/ITV)
ITV viewers said the same thing as series two of Red Eye returned to screens on New Year’s Day. Jing Lusi has reprised her role as DS Hana Li for a new investigation alongside guest star Martin Compston.
Joining Jing and Martin in the new series are Lesley Sharp and Jemma Moore, who also return as Head of MI5 Madeline Delaney and journalist Jess Li.
Eighteen months after Russia is blamed for shooting down a new cargo plane over the Atlantic, DS Hana Li (Jing Lusi) is summoned to investigate the murder of an American diplomatic courier at Heathrow.
The investigation leads her to London’s US Embassy, where the new American Ambassador, Ronald Tillman, is hosting a party.
Realising the killer has infiltrated the building, Hana and US Embassy security chief Clay Brody hunt them down. Meanwhile, a Russian threat is received on board a UK Government jet.
However, just minutes into the new series, one viewer wrote, “The biggest pile of s*** I’ve ever seen.”
Another complained, “Loved Red Eye s1. Now on Red Eye s2 ep 3 & not enjoying it quite so much. Barely believable characters who can’t see/understand the bleeding obvious.”
Pointing out a blunder from the episode, one fan said, “Hmm, Ryanair at Heathrow?”
“Glad I’m not the only one who spotted that,” another viewer replied.
Someone else chimed in, “Did anyone else just spot Ryanair on #redeye at Heathrow? That’s not accurate, they don’t operate there!”
Others defended the ITV drama, with one writing, “First episode of new series wasn’t bad. Run of the mill so far.”
Another agreed, “Definitely one worth watching.” Someone else commented, “Love the addition of Martin Compston.”
In a surprising turn of events, ITV has also announced that Richard Armitage will make a surprise appearance in series two as Dr Matthew Nolan.
When speaking about his shock return to series two of Red Eye, Richard shared, “I loved the idea of Jess’ instinctual gravitation to Nolan’s door.
“In season one, he’d been through the mill and also later learned what had happened to her with Sir George Chapman, his boss, so of course, he was going to help her, albeit under the radar. We decided that the surprise might add to the adrenaline of the ‘who’s next’ scenario.”
When asked where fans will find Dr Nolan, the actor added, “We find him at home, and like season one, forced to perform outside of the box. He was just about to open a bottle of red when the doorbell rang, and he was interrupted to deal with a near-fatal bullet wound and perform an emergency blood transfusion on his dining table, cobbling together equipment.
“He’s basically able to improvise major trauma surgery, with a bag of saline from his fridge and a leftover suturing kit from his bag. It says a lot about him!”
The synopsis for episode two of the new series, which airs tomorrow night and is available to watch on ITVX, teases, “When Fox threatens to blow up the jet if anyone leaves the US Embassy, it becomes clear that Delaney and Hana are looking for the same Russian assassin.
“Compelled to lock down the embassy but refusing to worry about his important guests, Ambassador Tillman secretly traps them inside with a killer. As a Russian laptop is located onboard the jet and leaves Delaney and Peterson to carefully determine if it’s the actual bomb, Fox kills his first unsuspecting victim from a hit list.”
Red Eye is available to watch on ITVX.
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Mrs Brown’s Boys fans were left less than impressed as the BBC comedy returned for its second instalment on New Year’s Day
22:46, 01 Jan 2026Updated 22:47, 01 Jan 2026
After the opening episode broadcast on Christmas Day, Mrs Brown’s Boys made its comeback with a second instalment on New Year’s Day, leaving audiences thoroughly unimpressed.
Reports suggest the 2025 Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas special failed to crack the top 10 most-watched programmes on Christmas Day, pulling in just 1.6 million viewers.
The 2024 Christmas Day special managed to secure 2.2 million viewers, according to BirminghamLive, representing a dramatic drop from the inaugural Christmas special in 2013, which commanded an audience of 11.5 million.
The plot summary for the second festive episode states: “Tensions are high as Agnes ( Brendan O’Carroll ) and the gang prepare for an incoming storm.
“Buster’s flying high as he nervously awaits his birthday parachute jump, Winnie receives a shock to the system, and a lost nun is in need of help,” reports the Express.
Within moments of the episode beginning, viewers flocked to social media to voice their opinions, with one posting on X: “GET MRS BROWN’S BOYS AXED.”
Another commented: “I swear every shot of Cathy in #MrsBrownsBoys is blurred slightly, even in HD. It’s like watching on VHS.”
A third chimed in: “As if I haven’t had to put up with enough torture today, me nans put Mrs Brown’s Boys on.
“Unfunny drivel,” declared someone else, whilst another simply wrote: “What a load of s****.”
One viewer remarked on X: “Three goalless draws on Match of the Day tonight, and yet it will still be more entertaining than the Mrs Brown’s Boys New Year’s Special.”
However, not all viewers agreed with the criticism. One fan defended the show, saying, “Still a staple of Christmas and New Year’s TV.”
Another chimed in, “The new year one is so much better than Christmas when it comes to the special effects. Keep making more and tell the haters … ‘that’s nice’.”
There was also some discontent about the Christmas Day episode, with fans taking to social media to air their grievances.
One disgruntled viewer remarked, “The BBC has just witnessed the biggest switch off in their history as they announce the Christmas special of #mrsbrownsboys.”
Another quipped: “The 1.6 million people who watched Mrs Browns Boys need to give their heads a wobble.”
Despite the complaints, many fans rallied behind the comedy, advising those who weren’t fans to simply “switch channels”.
One supporter retorted, “What’s with all the people whining about #MrsBrownsBoys? If you don’t like it, change the f***ing channel and move on. Stop ruining it for the people who enjoy it.”
The Mrs Brown’s Boys New Year Special is now available for viewing on BBC iPlayer.
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The Big Night of Musicals Christmas special aired on BBC One on Saturday night (December 27) with viewers spotting a vital detail
Bethany Whittingham and Karen Price Assistant Editor of Screen Time
20:54, 27 Dec 2025Updated 21:00, 27 Dec 2025
Jason Manford hosting Big Night of Musicals(Image: BBC)
Big Night of Musicals viewers were left scratching their heads after spotting a glaring detail during the festive BBC programme.
On Saturday night (December 27), Jason Manford presented what was billed as the Christmas compilation of this year’s finest stage musicals.
The show featured performances from the casts of Matilda, Mary Poppins, and Wicked, alongside numbers from cherished films such as Back to the Future, and tributes to music legends like Tina Turner.
However, within minutes of the broadcast beginning, sharp-eyed fans noticed a dead giveaway that this wasn’t actually a fresh compilation but rather a repeat.
Flocking to X – previously Twitter – numerous viewers highlighted that several audience members could be seen wearing face masks throughout the performances, reports the Express.
It wasn’t long before astute watchers realised this television round-up contained footage filmed during the coronavirus pandemic.
One viewer wrote: “When was the Tina Turner bit filmed if people are in masks?” whilst another questioned: “Erm… I’ve seen this exact performance before? ? ? Is this a repeat?”
A third viewer confirmed their suspicions, stating: “YUP… This entire this was a repeat.”
Nevertheless, despite the programme being a rerun from a previous year, many fans still relished the musical spectacular and flocked to social media to heap praise upon it.
One enthusiastic viewer wrote: “Loving Big Night of Musicals with @JasonManford, great that the schools and colleges have been shown too, not just established productions. I’m looking forward to next month even more now [musical notes emoji].”
Another fan concurred: “Really enjoying watching #BigNightOfMusicals on @BBCOne with @JasonManford,” while a third chimed in: “That was brilliant @JasonManford [green heart emoji]. Only problem is now I want to book to see Wicked, Matilda, and Mary Poppins again [crying emoji, laughing emoji].”
The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals is gearing up for its fifth dazzling instalment next month, featuring showstopping performances from West End smashes including Wicked, Miss Saigon, Jesus Christ Superstar and many more.
The show will once again be hosted by Jason Manford and will take place at Manchester’s AO Arena on 26 January 2026. Speaking about the upcoming extravaganza, Manford enthused: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be hosting The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals for the fifth year running.
“The 2026 line-up is phenomenal; some of the biggest shows in the world are coming together for one night only, and I can’t wait for audiences to experience it. This event is also a huge thank you to National Lottery players whose support keeps theatre alive and accessible.
“Without their contributions, so many productions, training programmes, and venue restorations simply wouldn’t be possible.”
For those unable to attend the event, the fifth instalment will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in Spring 2026.
Fans of the show have been given a ‘Christmas Eve gift’ from the streaming service
Samantha King Content Editor
21:00, 24 Dec 2025
Fans of the Netflix romcom have been given an early Christmas present(Image: Netflix)
Netflix has given fans of its beloved romcom Emily in Paris an early Christmas present just days after the release of the eagerly-awaited fifth season.
In a post to its official social media accounts, Netflix shared a video featuring Lucien Laviscount, who plays Alfie Peterson on the show, dressed in a brown trench coat and holding a number of large white placards while standing in a road. It captioned the clip: “Lucien Laviscount has a Christmas Eve gift for you.”
In a nod to classic Christmas film Love Actually’s placard scene, the star then looks directly into the camera as he reveals what each card says, with every single one bearing a handwritten message.
“Hey beautiful. Can you stop scrolling for a second?” the first reads, as Lucien waves to viewers before revealing a second that says: “Please read everything I’m about to show you in a British accent.”
“The holidays bring lots of feelings. This is your sign to exhale,” reads the third. The message continues: “You are my favorite gift this year. Your smile sparkles brighter than the Eiffel Tower and your lips are made to be under a mistletoe.”
The subsequent cards continue: “Aside from your beauty you are an incredible soul, an incredible mother/daughter/sister/best friend. Your optimism is infectious. It even makes me blush.
“I am proud of you and love how you show up for yourself. You deserve all the love that you abundantly give. happy holidays, I love you.”
Fans were quick to react to the surprise clip, with one commenting: “This is such a charming holiday surprise and definitely the best reason to stop scrolling today.”
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A second fan agreed, adding: “A very on-brand Christmas Eve surprise from Lucien Laviscount, consider this gift happily received,” while a third gushed: “Cheers, Lucien – feeling the holiday warmth now.”
Despite being Emily Cooper’s (Lily Collins) love interest in past seasons of Emily in Paris, Alfie was shown pursuing a connection with her best friend Mindy Chen (Ashley Park) in the latest series which released on December 18.
However, Mindy’s reluctance to go public with their situationship causes the duo to go their separate ways. The synopsis for Season 5 reads: “Now the head of Agence Grateau Rome, Emily faces professional and romantic challenges as she adapts to life in a new city. But just as everything falls into place, a work idea backfires, and the fallout cascades into heartbreak and career setbacks.”
Emily in Paris Season 5 is now streaming on Netflix
Described as ‘haunting’ and ‘disturbing’ the 12-episode show is certainly not for the faint of heart
Samantha King Content Editor
18:40, 24 Dec 2025Updated 18:44, 24 Dec 2025
The series follows the aftermath of a schoolboy’s disappearance in a forbidden forest(Image: Netflix)
A supernatural horror series on Netflix is winning rave reviews from viewers who are hailing it as ‘perfect’ and ‘disturbing’ – and it boasts a rare 100 per cent Rotten Tomatoes rating.
The Summer Hikaru Died centres around a town still recovering from the disappearance of a young schoolboy, Hikaru (Shuichiro Umeda), who vanishes for a week into a forbidden forest in the mountains. When he returns, it becomes apparent to his best friend Yoshiki (Chiaki Kobayashi) that he has come back fundamentally changed – but by what?
As per Netflix’s synopsis: “Two best friends living in a rural Japanese village: Yoshiki and Hikaru. Growing up together, they were inseparable… until the day Hikaru came back from the mountains, and was no longer himself. Something has taken over Hikaru’s body, memories, feelings… and everything they know begins to unravel.”
As Yoshiki grapples with the grief of his losing his best friend while maintaining a friendship with the shell of him, he finds himself losing grip of his emotions and questioning if he’s truly safe with Hikaru in his life.
The 12-part anime series blends horror with a coming-of-age tale, and many have praised its LGBTQ+ undertones. It is based on a comic of the same name by manga creator Mokumokuren.
At time of writing the Japanese language show has an impressive 100 per cent critics’ score while viewers awarded it a strong 87 per cent, with plenty of praise for the animation style.
One glowing review praising its director read: “Ryohei Takeshita’s direction is something to behold. His masterful orchestration of perspective, textures, and spatial composition is reminiscent of Twin Peaks in its gift for making the ordinary feel faintly poisoned.”
“The Summer Hikaru Died is the perfect series for horror fans to experience a haunting, heartfelt reminder that anime still has the power to surprise, disturb, and move viewers,” another show fan penned, while a third added: “Each episode leaves you with a constant feeling of unease, which doesn’t rely too heavily on jump scares but instead focuses on building tension.”
Tentative anime watchers were reassured by one viewer, who gushed: “This is the most interesting animated series I’ve ever seen. It’s use of animation is so fun and unique, working perfectly in tandem with the surreal plot. The whole tone of the show is spectacular.”
The Summer Hikaru Died is now streaming on Netflix
The ITV spectacular made its return this evening, with presenter Jason Manford welcoming an array of acts including Jessie J, Paddington The Musical and Sir Stephen Fry.
During the early stages of the programme, Irish boyband Westlife delivered a medley of their biggest anthems, sending fans into raptures.
One gushed: “Westlife haven’t aged in 25 years,” whilst another declared: “The gorgeous Westlife fellas!”
A third person raved: “Westlife still the finest boy group,” while someone else exclaimed: “3 ‘Benjamin Buttons’ right there! Looking incredible boys! ! !”, reports Wales Online.
Another spectator remarked: “Well those Westlife lads are looking and sounding as good as they always did.”
Yet another agreed: “These boys from Westlife literally look the same.”
The performance saw Shane Filan, Nicky Byrne and Kian Egan take to the stage. The Irish band formed in 1998, consisting of the three bandmates as well as Mark Feehily.
Brian McFadden was also a member of the band before he left to pursue a solo career in 2004. Westlife disbanded in 2012, but later reunited in 2018.
Mark has not joined the band in recent performances, with the group launching an upcoming world tour and releasing four songs this year.
He recently shared the health setbacks he’s faced, including a pneumonia diagnosis in 2022.
In June, Mark’s absence from Westlife’s shows was announced as part of their anniversary plans. The band said in a statement: “Sadly, Mark will be unable to join the celebrations. We hope he can join us back on stage when he is ready and able. He sends his love and positivity to you all as always.
“The four of us can’t quite believe its been 25 years. We could only have dreamt of the continued love and loyalty you have consistently shown us around the world.
“We are so lucky to have all of you with us and we can’t wait to celebrate together! Happy 25th To Us All! Love, Kian, Mark, Nicky and Shane x.”
Last year, Mark had announced a temporary departure from the band, ahead of their first American tour.
He said: “Hello and much love to you all! It’s Mark here.. Most of you are aware that I have had some health challenges over the past while.
“It actually all started 3.5 years ago in August 2020 when I had surgery. Within a few days of this surgery I was in severe pain and was rushed into A&E.
“I eventually ended that awful day in ICU (Intensive Care Unit) where I was informed that due to a complication with the surgery, I had developed severe ‘Sepsis‘, a life-threatening infection that would require immediate emergency surgery to rectify the problem and basically save my life.”
He went on: “It was physically and mentally a very difficult time, not to mention traumatic having to spend so long in ICU.
“In late 2021, I became very ill in Newcastle before a concert and ended up back in A&E, this time being told I had pneumonia. I was told I had to go straight home to recover and regrettably miss the rest of the concerts that December.”
He continued by explaining other surgeries he required, saying he “tried my best to soldier on” for fans, but “the physical demands of the concerts and extensive travel were proving too much for me”.
After developing a “incisional hernia” and requiring his fourth major surgery, Mark confirmed his temporary hiatus from the band, saying: “It is with the upmost level of regret that I must now temporarily stand down from all Westlife touring until a time ote: that I have had the chance to fully recover from the turbulent journey I have been through as an individual.
“Believe me, I wish things could be different! I would like to thank you so very much for your support and understanding of me and my health over the past few years.”
The Royal Variety Performance is airing on ITV1.
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Coronation Street viewers blasted one character’s sudden exit storyline as they struggled to believe it could happen and labelled the whole thing as a ‘disaster’
22:52, 16 Dec 2025Updated 22:57, 16 Dec 2025
Dee Dee Bailey looks set to wave goodbye to Weatherfield for good (Image: ITV)
Coronation Street fans described Tuesday’s episode as a “disaster” after Dee Dee Bailey announced her plans to leave. The lawyer, who has been played by Channique Sterling-Brown, 28, since 2022, decided on the latest episode of the world’s longest-running TV soap that it was time to move on from the Weatherfield backstreet.
The programme normally airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays but there was a slight schedule change owing to ITV’s upcoming coverage of the the Carabao Cup. It has been known for some time know that Dee Dee was set to leave the show, and in newest episode, she revealed she had been offered a new job – but there was a catch.
At first, she was hesitant to tell her father Ed about it, but over a celebratory lunch with him and her brothers at the Bistro, she revealed that it was in Singapore.
Fans will know that Dee Dee is mother to baby Laila, who was born in March, but there had been a lot of back-and-forth over whether her brother James would take on the guardianship. Once James realised what this meant, he raged: “A creche in Singapore, 24/7? You really think that’s in her best interests? What do they even speak out there?”
Pleading her case, Dee Dee said: “I have agonised over this. And yes, it’s the right thing for me, but I’m sorry, it is also the best thing for Laila. A job where I can make a difference!” James raged: “I was there for you. I was there for Laila. I provided a solution. This was your idea! This was always, always going to happen.”
He then told his sister that she had “timed” everything to make sure things turned out this way and when he and Michael were in the pub later on, things had still not calmed down. When Dee Dee walked in, she offered to buy James a drink but he refused. He then headed into the pub toilets where he burst into tears, and text on/off lover Carl Webster to see if he wanted to meet up.
As details of Dee Dee’s exit plans came to light, fans took to social media to share their reaction. One wrote: “Losing Dee Dee but keeping the rest of the Baileys is such a disaster,” whilst another said: “So Dee dee has been a solicitor in New York Wethersfield and now Singapore. Where next Seaham Harbour?”
A third added: “I like Dee Dee but I wish this new job was a bit more believable. She is going to Singapore alone, no support, with a baby. If she took a job near her ‘gone to look after her aunt and never seen again mother’, I could believe it,” and a fourth wrote: “Dee Dee never spends any time with her kid now when she’s surrounded by family, so she’ll probably never see her in Singapore. She’ll be fobbed off to a nursery or nanny.”
Actress Channique, 28, announced her departure to The Mirror and other press, explaining for the first time her reasons for stepping down from the role. Channique said it felt like the right time “to be brave” and try new roles, as she got tearful in her exit chat.
Becoming emotional, she revealed she would miss her character, as she explained her decision that she made months ago. She said: “I made the decision in spring, and it wasn’t a rash decision. You know, I really took a couple of months from being offered my next year contract to actually even respond.
“I felt really torn, but I really just had, you know, the sense that it just felt like the time. I feel like I’ve been so privileged, and I’ve got to tell some great stories, and it’s been so wonderful. And obviously I’m very led by my faith as well.
“So I just really took my time over it and prayed into it. And I think, yeah, I found a real sense that I had done what I’d come to do, if that makes sense, not that I ever knew exactly what it was, but it just felt like I had achieved what I was sent here to do, so it was time to be brave.”
She told us: “I think Dee-Dee has changed a lot. She’s been through a lot. She was so ditsy and all this stuff when she came. But I think she very quickly, like we saw her heart with her being with Paul a lot, and we saw her strength standing up to Adam.
“We saw her, you know, soft side with all the stuff with her dad and the gambling. So I think, you know, she, she still has all those things. I think she’s definitely, obviously a bit worse for wear.
“But I think she’s finding her way back to herself at the minute. I think that’s really lovely, where we see her on screen. She’s finding some happiness. She’s finding herself again. And I think that’s life, isn’t it? You obviously change and things shape you, but it’s how many times you get back up? That’s what counts.”
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