winner

Big Brother continues to deliver plenty of drama and chaos as viewers are once again invested in another series

Big Brother’s first ever winner is looking almost unrecognisable decades on from their £70k success.

The hit social experiment has once again returned to screens, bringing with it plenty of drama and chaos as regular people from across the UK move in to the iconic house where they will live for several weeks.

However, before the reality show made its iconic return to ITV, Big Brother had originally launched on Channel 4 screens back in 2000, before making its way to Channel 5 during its third series in 2002.

There has been plenty of iconic moments throughout Big Brother, with the show remaining a firm favourite amongst viewers as housemates face brutal tasks and weekly evictions. But as a brand new series continues, with the new housemates hoping to leave their mark, we have taken a look back at the show’s first ever winner, including his most iconic moment.

Who won the first ever Big Brother?

Craig Phillips was the first ever contestant to win Big Brother UK back in 2000, making history from the launch show. The then-builder from Liverpool saw his life change after 64 days in the iconic house, winning a staggering £70,000 cash prize.

At just 28 years old at the time, Craig became a firm favourite in the Big Brother house where he stayed alongside Nick Bateman (then known as ‘nasty Nick’) as well as Melanie Hill. His success also continued when he won a National Television Award for Best Live Television Moment of the Year.

What did Craig Phillips do with his Big Brother prize money?

After winning the £70,000 cash prize, Craig decided to put his winnings to a good cause, donating it to his friend Joanna Harris who had Down’s Syndrome, to pay for her heart and lung transplant.

According to the official Craig Phillips website: “He had begun raising money with friends for Harris sometime before entering Big Brother, raising only small amounts of money towards the £250,000 needed for her operation in the USA, but within 6 days of winning he achieved the target required for her life saving operation thanks to public support and generous donations from celebrities.”

Craig has worked closely with a variety of charities, often taking part in fundraising events such as abseiling one of London’s tallest buildings as well as sky diving.

Where is Craig Phillips now?

Since his Big Brother success, Craig Phillips has far from faded from the spotlight. He has gone on to build a successful career as a property developer, DIY expert and television presenter, famed for popular shows such as 60 Minute Makeover and Trading Up.

He has also not been a stranger to reality TV, having raised £40,000 for charity from Back to Reality as well as appearing on Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway

Fans may not have realised he turned his attention to music, releasing a charity single for Christmas 2000, which reached the charts, raising tens of thousands for the Down’s Syndrome Association.

Right now though, the former Big Brother winner lives in Spain with his family having also launched the Mr & Mrs DIY TV channel alongside wife Laura.

Craig Phillips’ most ‘iconic’ Big Brother moments

Arguably his most iconic moment was his confrontation with Nick Bateman, then nicknamed Nasty Nick. After Nick was seen breaking the rules, Craig gathered the housemates calling for an intervention before going face to face with his co-star.

Another iconic moment was causing mass panic on Ultimate Big Brother when he gate crashed and staged an eviction.

With millions of people tuning in to the live final, Craig made history winning the first ever Big Brother series as he stepped out to a huge crowned, later earning him the National Television Award.

Speaking to Channel 4 back in 2020, Craig was asked what it was like winning Big Brother as he replied: “This is a question I’ve been asked thousands of times and if I am being honest it’s so hard to answer! Because it was and still is the most surreal moment and experience, I’ve ever had!

“It was the ultimate combination of emotional highs as well as a scary situation to be in – once I’d stepped out the door I started to live a life that most people dreamed of having, almost the entire country knew my name and appeared to love me!

“Every A-List celeb I chatted to became my friend, people and companies were paying me obscene amounts of money to be associated with them, I had bodyguards that chauffeured me around day by day and we changed hotel every night for month and months!”

Big Brother continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX

SIENNA Spiro fans were left confused over her ‘strange’ reaction to meeting Taylor Swift at the VMAs this weekend.

The Die On This Hill hitmaker won Best New Artist at the prestigious awards, while Taylor was awarded three gongs during the bash.

Now, a video of the pair crossing paths backstage is circulating online.

In the clip, Taylor walks past London-born Sienna and seemingly congratulates her with a smile.

Sienna appeared to thank Taylor before looking down and turning to her team and making a face.

In the comment section, some slammed the face Sienna made as disrespectful to the megastar.

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“Why did she look mad???” asked one fan.

Another said: “Wait is she mocking TS? I am confused.”

“Wait is she mocking TS? I am confused.” wrote a third.

However, some defended Sienna – who was holding her high heels in her hands after taking them off – and claimed she was simply overwhelmed following the win.

“I think she was still in shock from winning,” said a user.

Another speculated: “I could tell by her body language she was embarrassed because she was holding her heels in her hands. 😭 I felt that for her. And her facial expression after.

“I can’t tell if she’s having a “how can this be real” moment or an “ew” moment /gen,” said another.

The Sun has reached out to Sienna’s representive for comment.

The awards bash saw music’s top stars in attendance, with Madonna opening the show before being joined by Sabrina Carpenter and later followed by Charli XCX.

Taylor’s three prizes included Video of the Year for The Fate Of Ophelia and meant Taylor is now the most-decorated act in VMA history with 33 gongs, overtaking Beyoncé.

Brandon McNulty became the first American winner of the men’s road race world title in 33 years with a stunning victory in Montreal.

The 28-year-old put his hands on his head in disbelief as he crossed the line 13 seconds clear of the chasing pack, completing the gruelling 273.4km course in six hours and 17 minutes.

Australian Michael Matthews was second, with former winner Mathieu van der Poel, of the Netherlands, in third.

The last American winner of the race was Lance Armstrong in 1993.

“Until the last 800m I didn’t believe, I was so tired,” said McNulty.

“I’m at a loss for words. I knew something could happen but it would take a miracle and I guess today a miracle happened”.

He launched an attack going into the final 30km and was 50 seconds clear going into the last lap.

McNulty visibly began to tire on the final climb and his lead was cut to just 10 seconds, but the chasing pack were unable to reel him in.

Britain’s Tom Pidcock finished seventh, with Ireland’s Ben Healy 10th and Remco Evenepoel of Belgium in 12th place.

Strictly Come Dancing 2026 fans think they already have their winner of this year’s Glitterball Trophy, amid speculation over which pairing will be first from the line-up to leave

Fans of Strictly Come Dancing think they know who will win the series already, after week one.

As all of the line-up performed routines for the fist time with their professional dance partners, there was mixed feedback from the judges. But fans were sure it was clear already who might win the show.

Not only that, other fans were convinced they had already figured out who would leave the competition first, when the vote-off airs next week. Taking to social media, fans shared their thoughts and theories, with a winner ‘sealed’.

While EastEnders actress Lacey Turner initially won people over with her fab routine, Love Island’s Dani Dyer soon became a favourite. Towards the end of the show it was content creator John Nellis who stormed to the top of the leaderboard though, with pro partner Katya Jones.

He scored four marks of eight from the judges, giving him 31 points overall. But it might not even be John who wins, as Australian actress and singer Delta Goodrem’s own performance proved popular with fans.

So much so, fans called her their winner. One fan said: “Ummm, having seen Delta smash that samba in week 1… I think she could be in contention to win it.”

Another fan agreed: “Delta, in it to win it.” A third fan posted: “QUEEN DELTA calling it now,” as another comment read: “She the one to watch for sure. A final comment said: “Delta Goodrem is the one to watch.”

It comes as the cast of EastEnders shared their hopes that Strictly fans will “fall in love with” Lacey Turner as she takes to Strictly. Former Strictly star Emma Barton, who plays Honey Mitchell on EastEnders, told the Mirror: “I’ve heard great things.

“Lacey is just the most adorable woman and the audience is gonna fall in love with her. Whatever she tackles, whatever she’s given, she goes in 10 out of 10, 100 percent.

“I really hope she does well. She is gonna have a wonderful time, and she will deliver.” Meanwhile, she could have a soap rival in terms of getting the trophy.

Emmerdale’s Lawrence Robb could go all the way and win Strictly 2026, his soap co-stars reckon. Katie Hill and Jeff Hordley are supporting the Mack Boyd actor, and reckon his personality alone could bag him the Strictly trophy.

Katie shared: “I think he was brilliant [last week]. I think everyone will love him. He’s such a lovable person. He’s so positive. He’ll give it his best go. I think he’s going to be incredible.”

Jeff added: “He’s a joy. I share a dressing room with him, and he’s just such a lovely man. We all love him and we all want him to do brilliantly, and I think he will because he’s a really dedicated human being.

“He’ll give it 110 per cent. He’s done musical theatre so he’ll know how to shake those hips.” When asked if they were backing Lawrence, Jeff quipped: “If it goes on a personality contest, Lawrence will win hands down. I don’t know about the dancing, but we’ll see.”

Strictly Come Dancing airs Saturdays and Sundays on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

Duncan Sheik, who earned a Grammy nomination for his ubiquitous 1990s hit “Barely Breathing” and won a Tony Award for composing the music for “Spring Awakening,” died Thursday. He was 56.

“It is with profound sadness that we confirm the passing of Duncan Sheik,” a statement posted Friday on Sheik’s Instagram account read. “The world has a lost a singular talent, and deeply influential voice in music and theater…. Duncan’s artistry touched many and leaves an indelible mark on the cultural landscape.

“Duncan was a father, husband, son, brother, and friend. He will be remembered for his sensitivity, wit, inteligence, and depth of spirit he brought to those who knew and loved him.”

The statement added that “Duncan passed away last night surrounded by love.”

His mother, Suzanne Sheik, told the New York Times that her son died of organ failure. A statement posted to his Instagram account Thursday said that Sheik was “receiving medical care and remains in critical but stable condition.”

Sheik, a New Jersey native, went to Brown University, where he played in an early band with singer-songwriter Lisa Loeb. His 1996 self-titled debut LP was a hit on the strength of “Barely Breathing,” an exemplar of the upbeat coffeeshop rock that emerged in the wake of grunge on the pop charts. The single stayed on the Hot 100 for over a year, and the album went gold, earning earned him a Grammy nomination for male pop vocal performance.

Sheik’s followup, 1998’s “Humming,” featured rich orchestration, but he already had an eye on Broadway (his sister Kacie Sheik is a stage actor who has appeared in “Hair,” “American Idiot” and “Because of Winn-Dixie,” for which Duncan wrote the score).

He wrote his 2001 album “Phantom Moon” with poet and playwright Steven Sater, whom he’d again collaborate with on the score for the musical “Spring Awakening” — based on the play by German Expressionist Frank Wedekind, which won him a Tony Award — and “Alice by Heart.” His 2009 album “Whisper House” yielded a companion musical of the same name. He also composed the score for the 2004 film “A Home at the End of the World.”

While Sheik sought treatment for alcohol addiction after canceling a tour in 2011, his stage and studio career never slowed. Other major stage credits include hit productions of “American Psycho,” “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice,” the thriller “Noir” and “The Secret Life of Bees,” along with Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” and “The Taming of the Shrew.” His last album, “Claptrap,” came out in 2022.

Whereas players in sports like football earn a salary based on a contract with the team that employs them, and athletes in individual sports like tennis and golf can earn a great deal from prize money at major tournaments, athletics competitors rely much more heavily on personal sponsorships and endorsements.

That is because they are paid no direct annual salary, and the only standardised prize money on offer is $50,000 (£37,000) for winning gold in one of the 48 track and field events at the Olympics.

That prize money was only introduced at the 2024 Games in Paris, and is paltry compared to the potential millions in winnings on offer in other major sports.

Some nations – including the USA – also choose to pay athletes who win medals from their own resources, but Britain does not.

Instead, athletes are awarded funding and grants by UK Sport, with the majority of the money coming from the National Lottery.

UK Sport ranks athletes by how likely they are to win medals at major events, and gives more funding to those whose chances it believes are better.

Athletes typically use that funding to pay for training camps, equipment, travel and, in some cases, personal support staff like physiotherapists, nutritionists and chefs.

So why would athletes be instructed to wear national team kit at the Ultimates?

The Ultimate Championship is billed as three fast-paced evenings with a record $10m (£7.4m) prize pot on offer for the biggest stars in athletics.

The condensed schedule and focus on star names is designed to appeal to viewers on television and social media – the latter likely playing a role in the focus on short, sharp bursts of action which can capture attention online.

Most viewers of athletics are used to watching athletes compete while wearing national kit at the Olympics and World Championships. Put simply, the use of a national kit makes it easier for the casual viewer to quickly spot who they should be rooting for and feel invested in the action.

But Kerr’s comments have highlighted the fact that something which may well improve the viewing experience can be felt as a direct financial negative by the athletes themselves.

With the next edition of the Ultimate Championship set to take place in September 2028, shortly after the Olympics in Los Angeles, the battle between brands and country could continue to heat up.

With Haaland’s goal settling the match, United were unsurprisingly disappointed by the decision.

“I think it was offside,” said Martinez. “And what I can’t understand is the rules. I want to be calm now, I want to control myself.

“It’s so hard because you lose a derby, you lose three points at home, and every season they’re [referees] coming to our club, they explain for one hour the rules, and they look so confident with that, and then after [there are] five or six people doing these kind of mistakes in the Premier League – it’s unacceptable.

“It’s the best league in the world, you have the best teams in the world, the best players in the world, and now we have to go home with this injustice.”

United boss Carrick also expressed his confusion.

“We put things in place in the game now, we have people in offices with all the screens for this decision,” he said.

“It’s more worrying about if that’s the interpretation of football now. If that’s the interpretation of not interfering in the game now, that’s really worrying for me. It’s a staggering explanation.

“The decision isn’t going to change the season, but it’s had a major impact on the game.”

Wayne Rooney, part of the BBC’s MOTD2 team, said: “Surely it’s offside. Martinez is impacted by Fernandez’s movement, and he is offside.”

Gary Neville said on Sky Sports: “I think we’ll see some sort of apology from the referee’s association, there’s no doubt Fernandez is playing that ball and is trying to put off Martinez. I think it’s one they’ll recognising they got wrong.”

Micah Richards added: “I think it’s been a bad day for referees. They got the Foden decision wrong and the Fernandez decision wrong. I think they got it so wrong but I don’t think it takes anything away from City’s performance.”

Meanwhile, City boss Maresca said: “I think it was onside clearly so it’s good.”

Senne Lammens: Not as busy as he might have expected to be. Absolutely vital save from Fernandez to prevent City second. 7

Diogo Dalot: If only he had been able to control Bruno Fernandes’ chipped pass into the penalty area he might have marked his 250th Manchester United appearance with a rare goal. Didn’t look down the line to see he was clearly offside as United pressed just before half-time. Screwed shot wide after break. 4

Harry Maguire: Decent performance from veteran central defender and not far away from an equaliser with late header. Needless push on Enzo Fernandez in the box, for which he was booked. 6

Lisandro Martinez: Didn’t dive in when Bruno Fernandes played a pass towards his own goal straight to Erling Haaland and won the ball from the Norwegian. Decent effort 7

Patrick Dorgu: Replaced Luke Shaw at left back in the starting 11 and did OK but doesn’t have the same link with Rashford. Attempted block proved so crucial to City’s opener. 6

Kobbie Mainoo: Another assured display in front of England boss Thomas Tuchel. Came close to giving his side the lead just after half-time and was home side’s most effective midfielder. 8

Youri Tielemans (off 66, Sesko): Best performance of the season so far but yet to make the standout contribution expected. 7

Bryan Mbeumo: Probably United’s most-effective attacking player. Header just wide before injury-time effort saved. 8

Bruno Fernandes: Fortunate to get away with no sanction at all over the incident that led to Foden’s dismissal. Not one of his better efforts 6

Marcus Rashford (off 83, Zirkzee): Curling long-range free-kick against the post with Donnarumma beaten and shot into side-netting but still waiting for first goal since his return. 6

Matheus Cunha: Preferred to Benjamin Sesko in starting line-up and dragged early shot wide. Got involved on plenty of occasions, but again by dropping deep. Off target with a second-half opportunity. 7

Subs:

Benjamin Sesko (on 66, Tielemans): Brought on to make an impact and tried his luck from distance soon afterwards. 6

Joshua Zirkzee (on 83, Rashford) 6

Subs not used: Darlow, Mazraoui, Mount, Yoro, Santos, Heaven, Lacey.

Cape Town and Rio de Janeiro are two cities on most people’s bucket lists, but which one reigns supreme when it comes to the best – one writer compares the two

Days shaped by sand, surf and salt air. Nights by bars, beats and grills. All played out in a city somehow woven between soaring mountains and sun-swept shores. Sounds good, no? Well this is both Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro and South Africa’s Cape Town. Then chuck in vibrant waterfront neighbourhoods, primeval hiking trails, world-class food and drink, plus a melting pot of cultures and you’ve got what it takes to be the greatest city in the world. Which is what both have boldly claimed.

But they both can’t be right, so which takes the crown? I’ve lived in samba-soaked Rio, and recently spent a month exploring the city straddling Africa’s southern tip, so may just be qualified enough to have a say in the debate that’s enraged Brazilians and South Africans online. The neutral voice of reason ’n’ all that.

Weather

Rio has a glorious tropical climate. Hot and humid, with sweltering summers often as high as 40C. You’ll rarely feel cold, but if you’re of a sensitive disposition, it may be too much heat to handle. Plus biblical rains can wash your trip away.

Conversely, Cape Town has a Mediterranean-style climate. Dry, warm summers with highs of a perfect 30C. Fantastic if it weren’t for one thing – the wind. Known as the “Cape Doctor”, it’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced. Sweeping in off the ocean, it can make a hot summer’s day feel like autumn. Worse, it can be downright violent, turning beaches into giant sandblasters, stinging your skin, near blinding you. Bad doctor.

Verdict: Rio is the winner.

Beaches

Oh my, what an amazing array of beaches they both have, like no other city in the world. Apart from each other, of course. Both have smaller arcing sands near the city centre, becoming longer and more pristine the further out of town you head.

Just south of the centre, Rio has the world-famous Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, broad stretches of golden sand where the whole city decants to at weekends to let it all hang out in too-scant swimwear.

Cape Town has the likes of smaller yet very pretty Sea Point, Clifton and Camps Bay, which were far more debonair than I expected. More like the Cote d’Azur than the Cape of Good Hope.

Further up the coast, Rio has beautiful Barra, and Cape Town kite-surf strewn Bloubergstrand, giant stretches of glorious open coastline pounded by those big blue waves.

But the key difference is that Rio’s waters are much warmer, whereas Cape Town’s side of the Atlantic is surprisingly cold year-round, plus that wiiiind, meaning you don’t see many people swimming – the complete opposite of Rio.

Verdict: Rio takes the crown.

Mountains

Both have an imperious plethora of peaks. Cape Town’s most famous is Table Mountain, which your eyes can dine upon from all over the city. Rio’s is craggy Corcovado, atop which the statue of Christ offers redemption to thousands of tourists daily. But there are countless breathtaking viewpoints from many other fantastically surreal mountains, plus hiking trails that transport you into oh-so-big nature – lush jungle in Rio, temperate forest in Cape Town – a world away from the urbanity below.

Verdict: All too amazing to call. Draw.

City centres

Surprisingly, their city centres are the least impressive aspect. Both have smallish downtowns and historical quarters, which are nice but nothing impressive compared to some global cities. Much better are the colourful colonial-era neighbourhoods – Lapa in Rio, Bo Kaap in Cape Town – where you can join the tourist hordes to get your Insta-pics.

Down by the water, Rio’s Port Zone has cool museums and galleries, while Cape Town’s upmarket V&A Waterfront is very pretty with great views and shops, albeit a tad generic. Then both have plush beach front neighbourhoods, where you can whimsically while away days on the golden sands or trendy terraces.

Verdict: Again, too close to call. Draw.

Food and drink

Both have excellent culinary scenes, especially their meats and barbecues. Yum. But Cape Town has a much broader option of cuisines and restaurants, local and international, and during the entire month I was there I didn’t have a single bad meal. Caipirinhas and other potent cocktails get the party rocking in Rio, but Cape Town’s wines are next level. Despite being of proud Provençal stock, I can freely admit their rosés were the best I’d ever tasted. Perfect sundowners.

Verdict: Cape Town is the clear winner here.

Prices

Both have similar prices, which are considerably cheaper than the UK and Western Europe. Decent budget meals are around £4-£10, and mid-level accommodation around £50-£100pn. There are plenty of upmarket options, which are also relatively good value for money.

Verdict: Draw.

Nightlife and music

Both cities come alive even more when the sun sinks into the ocean. Your more mainstream bars and restaurants line the beachfronts, while cool bar-clubs are found in the more hipster hoods of Ipanema and Lapa in Rio, and Bree St and Woodstock in Cape Town.

Both cities are home to world-class music, Rio sways to the sound of samba, rap and “funk”, whereas in Cape Town it’s Afro house, amapiano and 3-step that get things thumping.

Verdict: Cape Town (but mostly due to my penchant for house music), although if we were judging it on Carnival season alone, nothing comes close to Rio!

Vibe

Brazilians are famously some of the most friendly and welcoming people in the world, which is true for Rio, but like any big city, you get plenty of miserable buggers too. People of all shades were friendly with me when I was in Cape Town, yet seemingly not that much with each other.

Sadly, both cities are still riddled with historical divisions between class and race, yet in Cape Town the legacy of Apartheid looms large indeed, and as a tourist you unfortunately won’t see much of the native African side of the city. The division feels tense.

Verdict: Rio.

Overall verdict

My biggest gripe with Cape Town is that as a tourist, you only really see the predominantly rich, white neighbourhoods that feel more like Canada, the US and Australia than Africa.

In Rio, though, everywhere is very Brazilian, no matter the social makeup of the area. Plus the beaches are a leveller, especially Copacabana where the whole city congregates for communal sun-worshipping, eating, drinking, sport playing, and strutting of stuff, no matter if black, white or brown, muscle-bound or beer-belly beautiful – nobody seemingly cares.

And that, for me, is the key difference – which is why Rio is my overall winner.