OHMYGOSSIP — Timothy Spall “adored” the simplicity of the script for ‘Mrs. Lowry & Son’.
The 60-year-old ‘Harry Potter’ alumnus is set to star alongside Vanessa Redgrave in the new movie about the iconic Manchester-born painter – which is set to be helmed by Adrian Noble.
‘Mrs. Lowry & Son’ examines the relationship between the painter and his overbearing, bedridden and depressed mother Elizabeth, and Spall – who also played artist JMW Turner in the 2014 movie ‘Turner’ – admits he actually paints in his new role.
Speaking to The Times newspaper, Spall said: “What I adored about it was that it had a simplicity that, until you actually read it properly and understand it, looks very simple … imparted like [Lowry’s] painting through sense of feeling, understanding and atmosphere through two people. I do paint a little bit [in the film]. It’s mainly about his relationship with his mother and how that influenced his work … he was an only child. He didn’t have a wife or any lover. It’s about this very unusual close relationship … how that informed his work and how that work happened late in his life.”
Lowry was born in 1887 and is known for his unique depictions of the industrial Manchester and spent his days as a rent collector and his evenings at art classes despite his antagonistic mother’s criticism. He died in 1976.
Although Lowry was somewhat of a recluse and avoided being a public figure, Spall believes there is enough footage of him to help bring the man to life on the big screen.
He said: “There’s not much footage of him, but there’s enough for me to know what he looked like and sounded like.
“He wasn’t a public figure particularly, so I don’t have to worry about trying to be Irving or Paisley.”
‘Mrs. Lowry & Son’ is written by Martyn Hesford – who adapted the story from his own stage play of the same name.
It is set to be produced by Debbie Gray and the movie will start shooting mid-January in both Manchester and London.

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OHMYGOSSIP — Timothee Chalamet wants to work with Christopher Nolan and Guillermo del Toro.
The 22-year-old actor has been catapulted to the world’s attention in the hit coming-of-age movie ‘Call Me By Your Name’ which has been critically received and while accepting the Best Actor award at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association on Saturday (13.01.18), Chalamet revealed who he is ambitious to work with in the future.
Chalamet said: “I’m getting people saying keep working on these kind of projects, keep working on things with integrity that are more independently oriented, and certainly if it was a Christopher Nolan opportunity or was a Guillermo. Hey give me a call if you want to work together! I’m totally serious about that.”
The actor also revealed that he lost out to Tom Holland for the role of Spider-Man in the Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures joint production ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’.
He said: “I read twice and left sweating in a total panic. I called my agent, Brian Swardstrom, and I said ‘Brian, I thought about this a lot and I have to go back and knock on that door and read again.’
“And he told me the story of Sean Young and how in an attempt to become Catwoman had scared everyone away when she showed up at the studio gates in costume.”
The Catwoman story relates to Young’s attempts to win the role of the feline-inspired villain in 1992’s ‘Batman Returns’ by creating her own costume and contacting director Tim Burton and titular star Michael Keaton but the part ultimately want to Michelle Pfeiffer, who gave an acclaimed performance.
After starring in the new movie by Luca Guadagnino – which has been nominated for Best Film at this year’s BAFTAs – Chalamet admitted he loves not having to “audition constantly”.
He said: “Honestly, my favourite part of this last year – besides getting to act in other films and getting to talk about ‘Call Me by Your Name’ – is not to have to audition constantly.
“I try to learn with the folks that I work with and I did a reading with William H. Macy once, who said to me that the best thing that happened in his life besides having a wife and kids is not having to constantly audition.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Timothée Chalamet has recalled his “total panic” when auditioning for the leading role in ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’.
The 22-year-old actor has admitted he read for the role of Peter Parker and his crime fighting alter-ego – which eventually went to Tom Holland – twice during the audition process for the 2017 movie, and has said his agent had to stop him from turning up at the Marvel offices to audition a third time.
He said: “I read twice and I left sweating in a total panic. I called my agent, [UTA’s] Brian Swardstrom, and I said, ‘Brian, I thought about this a lot and I have to go back and knock on that door and read again,’ and he told me the story of Sean Young and how in an attempt to become Catwoman had scared everyone away when she showed up at the studio gates in costume.”
Despite missing out on the chance to play Spider-Man, Timothée still made an impact last year with his starring role in ‘Call Me By Your Name’, and joked that his favourite part of the year was being able to take a break from the nerve-racking audition process.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the star said whilst collecting the Best Actor award at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards on Saturday (13.01.18): “Honestly, my favourite part of this last year – besides getting to act in other films and getting to talk about ‘Call Me by Your Name’ – is not to have to audition constantly.
“I try to learn with the folks that I work with and I did a reading with William H. Macy once, who said to me that the best thing that happened in his life besides having a wife and kids is not having to constantly audition.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Steven Spielberg thinks Meryl Streep has “no peer” in Hollywood.
The 71-year-old filmmaker directed the multi-time Academy Award winner actress in new drama movie ‘The Post’ alongside Tom Hanks, and Spielberg has praised Streep, 68, as the “greatest actress” working today.
Speaking to the Metro newspaper, he said: “Meryl is unquestionably the greatest actress working in America today. She has no peer.”
The film follows Katharine Graham (Streep) who, as the first female publisher of The Washington Post, relies on the help of editor Ben Bradlee (Hanks) to catch up with The New York Times to break the story of the classified Pentagon Papers, which expose the US government’s lies about the Vietnam War.
Together they must overcome their differences as they risk their careers to help bring the truths to light, whilst risking the future of the Washington Post newspaper.
And Spielberg admitted he was drawn to the story because of the character of Graham who was the first CEO of one of the Fortune 500 companies – a list which ranks the largest American corporations based on their fiscal year.
He said: “What attracted me to ‘The Post’ was Katharine Graham.
“Her story, her evolution. In 1971, when this story was told, there were no women CEOs of any of the Fortune 500 companies. Katharine Graham was the first.”
Spielberg recently insisted he has already done his job in making the movie and regardless of how it performs, he thinks the film will stand the test of time.
Asked how he’d feel if the movie flops, he said: “It’s not about the audience, it’s about the process of getting the story told on film. It’s not about how it will be received.
“Once I finish the film, I’ve done what I had to do. If it flopped at the box office, I would feel that it would still be relevant 20 years from now.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Sylvester Stallone has confirmed he is returning for ‘Expendables 4’.
The 71-year-old actor looks set to reprise his role of Barney Ross in the fourth film in the franchise after posting a picture of his character and admitting his alter-ego “will be back” alongside some new faces.
He wrote: “BARNEY WILL BE BACK ! PLUS THE CREW AND A COUPLE NEW MEMBERS … (sic)”
It comes just a day after the Hollywood star dropped a huge hint he would be returning to the movie series after posting a picture of Barney and Lee Christmas, played by Jason Statham.
He wrote in the caption: “Just when you thought it was safe to go outside…They’re coming back! (sic)”
Last April, Nu Image/Millennium chief Avi Lerner hinted Stallone had quit the franchise due to “disagreements” with him, but admitted there was still a chance he could be involved in the fourth film.
He said: “We’ve got disagreements with Sly, but we’ve had them for over a year and a half. Right now, each one has opinion. We agreed on 95 per cent of things, but there are certain things in production we don’t agree on.
“I don’t think it’s over, but what write whatever you want. In my opinion, it’s not dead.”
Shortly afterwards, Arnold Schwarzenegger admitted he wouldn’t reprise his role as Trench in the franchise without Stallone.
He said: “There is no ‘Expendables’ without Sly. I would never do the movie without him, no.”
But the Hollywood legend insisted even if Stallone did sign up for another ‘Expendables’ movie he wasn’t sure if he would be on board because he didn’t think his character “had any value” in the third motion picture.
He said: “You know, I think the first and second one were terrific. But, the third one, I thought my part was not written well. It was also not playing well in the movie, as far as I was concerned.
“Maybe other people believed differently. But I didn’t believe that I had any value in the movie. I love the franchise, by the way. I think it’s a spectacular franchise, ‘The Expendables’.
“I think that Sly has good ideas, what he wants to do with it, and I think if they write a really good script [in] which my part is very well-developed, I would do it. If not, then I won’t do it.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Heavy D was forced to fork out £5,000 in damages after Judge Rinder found him guilty on today’s show (15.01.18) of trashing his rental home in North London late last year.
The former ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ star was taken to court by landlord Stephen Cooper because he owed him £12,000 in unpaid rent and left the house in Enfield in such a mess that it required thousands of pounds worth of repairs once he had moved out.
The ‘Storage Hunters’ funny man – who is also known as Colin Newell – had also filed a counterclaim for £8,000 on the basis of loss of earnings because he believed a negative story that Stephen had sold to a newspaper for £200 had ruined his career.
Speaking on today’s episode of ‘Judge Rinder’, Heavy D said: “No one is going to book me again, it’s going to affect my livelihood and I can’t provide for my family.”
However, after looking into all of the evidence – including seeing photographs of the state the property was left in – Judge Rinder decided to throw out Heavy D’s counterclaim out because Stephen had given his £200 fee to Great Ormond Street Hospital and he didn’t feel he went to the papers in order to be “malicious.”
Judge Rinder said: “Now I don’t know whether it’s £6,408 but I am perfectly satisfied that it is in excess of £5,000 to put that house right.
“Consequently, as a matter of law, you are liable for that sum because you had to keep that house in good and reasonable order … and you did not.
“So this court awards you the maximum sum of £5,000. Now because you did not leave that house in good and reasonable order, he was, as a matter of free speech, entitled to tell the world about it and consequently he got in touch with the newspaper. I would be upset if he pocketed that money himself but he did not.
“It give some some indication as to whether he was malicious or not. He was cross, certainly, but not malicious! … This court does dismiss your countercase. ”
And Stephen was pleased with the ruling because he thinks Heavy D is a “leech.”
He said: “He can’t be allowed to carry on like this. He’s just a leech. He just thrives on other people and it’s not right. What you did to my family, I will never forgive. I am totally pleased you have lost money.”
But the 45-year-old star doesn’t believe Stephen gave his newspaper fee to charity and is convinced he’s just “obsessed” with him.
He said: “I don’t believe he gave the money to charity. You’re obsessed with me…”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Gary ‘Gaz’ Beadle has become a father for the first time.
The former ‘Geordie Shore’ star has announced that he and his girlfriend Emma McVey have welcomed their little boy into the world and he is “perfect in every way.”
Taking to his Instagram account today (15.01.18), the 29-year-old hunk uploaded a photograph of him holding his son and accompanied it with the caption: “WOW what a feeling no words can describe it meet our son he is perfect in every way and healthy weighing 6lbs 2 @emma_jane1392 is fine and did amazing… I am a dad can’t believe it… I cried I smiled I panicked but I will be there for him no matter what xxx (sic)”
It’s not yet known whether the couple have decided on a name for their little one and the details about the birth have been kept tightly under wraps.
But Emma admitted last week that she had been dreaming about her baby being born with a “full set of teeth” because her midwife had told her she may have a harder birth.
She said at the time: “The more I think about it, the more I panic and worry it’s going to be horrific, so I think we’re just going to go with the flow.
“I would love a nice, quick and natural birth. I’d rather not have an epidural as the thought of it freaks me out, but one thing the midwife did say was that my hips are so small and narrow that it’s harder for birth but I’m not sure why. After they gave me that news I’ve been having really weird dreams, I dreamt the baby was born with a full set of teeth, hopefully that doesn’t happen, it would be a bit weird!”
Gaz and Emma have been dating since August 2016, but they briefly split in May 2017 after she branded him a “cheat and liar”, before they rekindled again.

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OHMYGOSSIP — Natalie Lowe has got married.
The former ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ professional tied the knot with her beau James Knibbs on Balmoral Beach in Sydney, Australia, on January 8 surrounded by their friends and family.
Natalie told Hello! magazine: “He [James] looked so handsome. I didn’t want to look up [as I walked down the aisle] as I didn’t want to be a blubbering mess before I reached him … Ian [Waite] recited a poem that he and his husband drew [Merriman] had written for us. It was extremely moving, funny and heartfelt.”
The couple held their reception at the Public Dining Room restaurant and their guests were treated to Australian food and wine, including local salmon and king fish, before they took to the floor for their first dance to ‘Iris’ by the Goo Goo Dolls.
Natalie added: “The whole day was filled with lots of laughter, singing and dancing.”
The 37-year-old dancer met James in 2013 when she was on a train to Leeds and the couple are convinced their meeting was fate because Natalie had just pulled out of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ with a leg injury and was on her way to a meeting.
She added: “I always knew James was the one for me from the moment we met on that train.”
Meanwhile, Natalie walked away from the ballroom and latin show in 2016 because she wanted to try something different, but she has since admitted that she goes through waves of getting cold feet because it was such a huge part of her life for so long.
She said: “I’m still pinching myself – have I made the right decision? But no, I’m excited to see what’s going to happen next.
“I was a part of that world for 14 years. It is my life, it’s still my family and I will still be heavily involved doing choreography eventually. I could not have ‘Strictly’ not be part of my life.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — George Alagiah has bowel cancer again.
The BBC newsreader is set undergo another bout of treatment over the next few months after he was told the disease, which he first beat back in 2014, had returned.
He said: “My brilliant doctors are determined to get me back to a disease-free state and I know they have the skill to do just that. I learned last time around how important the support of family and friends is and I am blessed in that department.
“I genuinely feel positive as I prepare for this new challenge.”
The 62-year-old presenter was first diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2014 and he was later told that the disease had spread to his liver and lymph nodes.
He was then given the all-clear a year later and returned to work 18 months later.
And, although he “always knew” the cancer could return, he’s disappointed that he’ll have to battle it again and he feels terrible for his family because they have to go through it again.
Taking to his Twitter account, George said: “Always knew cancer could come back but still tough dealing with disappointment. Harder for my family. I know what I have to do: stay calm, stay content, stay fit and let doctors do their best. (sic)”
The journalist underwent several rounds of chemotherapy and three major operations – including one that removed almost all of his liver – when he was first diagnosed and, although it was a hard battle, he said he was a “richer person” for the experience.
He told the Telegraph newspaper in 2016: “I realised I wouldn’t give back a single day of the previous year’s experience. I am a richer person for it.
“I wasn’t afraid of dying. I just wanted to get on with treatment.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Dan Whiston has moved in with Cheryl Baker.
The Bucks Fizz singer has asked the professional skater to move into the home she shares with her husband Steve Stroud – with whom she has 23-year-old twin daughters Kyla and Natalie – while she’s competing on ‘Dancing on Ice’ because it gives them more time to practice their routines away from the ice.
Speaking to OK! magazine, the 63-year-old star said: “Dan moved in last week.
“It gives us more time to practise off the ice. I absolutely adore him. He is kind and understands about my fear.”
Dan added: “I moved in and there are times we’ll be dancing around the kitchen. If anybody walked by and looked in they’d be thinking it’s a mad house.”
Cheryl took to the ice last night (14.01.18) and admitted she was struggling with her nerves because she slipped over during her first day of training and hurt her coccyx.
She explained: “It’s a lot more difficult than I expected. I love dancing but I’ve never skated. I thought: ‘It can’t be that hard.’ But on day one I fell over heavily and hurt my coccyx and it absolutely terrified me. I damaged my spine in the coach accent – I broke three vertebrae that were attached to my spine – and it took a long time to get better…
“I’d been learning basic steps and thought: ‘I can do this!’ But the fall made me realise how hard ice is and how much it hurts. That changed something in me and I became afraid. I fell over a few days later and hurt my shoulder and wrist.”
But Cheryl is hoping her performance last night will help boost her confidence.
Meanwhile, Dan is no stranger to moving in with his partners as he went to live with Linda Lusardi, her husband and their children when they were training for the show 2008 and they all got on so well that he joined them on a family holiday in that March.

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OHMYGOSSIP — Jacqueline Jossa is pregnant.
The ‘EastEnders’ star and her husband Dan Osborne – who already have two-year-old daughter Ella together – have announced they are expecting their second child.
Speaking to OK! magazine, the 25-year-old actress said: “In mid-October I started to suspect I might be pregnant when I went to watch Daniel taking part in a charity boxing match. I was drinking wine but wasn’t feeling drunk. I didn’t understand what was going on and then it hit me that the same thing happened before I realised I was pregnant with Ella. We took a test the next day. We both started laughing when the test was positive.”
Dan added: “We hadn’t been trying so it was a huge shock.
“I think I’m still getting my head around it. Kids are a blessing but having three children is going to be a big responsibility. I’m not going to lie, I feel quite scared!”
Jacqueline has just finished shooting her final scenes for ‘EastEnders’ and was hoping to jump to another job but has had to put that plan on the back burner now she’s pregnant.
She said: “It was a lot to take in for both of us, especially because I was still coming to terms with the fact I was leaving ‘EastEnders’. I had hoped to go straight into another job but when I found out I was pregnant I realised that wouldn’t be possible. In many ways, thought, it’s the perfect time to be pregnant because I can enjoy my pregnancy without working full time, which was what happened when I was expecting Ella.”
And her pregnancy hasn’t been easy thus far as she’s been battling morning sickness.
The brunette beauty – who is 16 weeks – said: “I’ve been throwing up nearly every morning, which I’ve found hard because I didn’t have any sickness with Ella.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Christopher Biggins wants to make a new documentary about cannabis.
The 69-year-old actor starred in ITV’s ‘Gone To Pot: American Road Trip’ – which investigated the pros and cons of using the psychoactive drug – in 2017, and Christopher says he would love to make a follow-up programme.
The British star – who previously confessed to being “completely out of it” after eating cannabis-laced ice cream – said: “I know that ITV are really pleased with how it went and I would love to do a follow-up doc.”
But after his previous experience, which caused him to vomit 15 times, Christopher has pledged to be more careful if he’s afforded a second chance.
He told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “I learned my lesson the hard way and would never ingest the amount that I did on the show as collapsing was pretty terrifying.”
The original show also starred the likes of Linda Robson and Pam St Clement, and he’s confident that the duo would both been keen to make a follow-up documentary.
He said: “I think we will do it. I know that Linda and Pam are up for it.”
On the basis of the original show, Christopher advocates the decriminalisation of cannabis, saying it does “fantastic things”.
He shared: “All of us felt that, from a medical point of view, that it should be used and made legal. It is a fantastic plant that does fantastic things.”
Meanwhile, Christopher previously explained how he views the drug in light of making ‘Gone To Pot: American Road Trip’.
He said: “I think, certainly medically, it should be decriminalised because there are a lot of good things you can do with it.
“And I reckon if you do that, you have to do it from a recreational side, otherwise you’ll have tremendous problems.
“The trouble over here at the moment is that a lot of drugs are mixed with bad things to pad them out.
“Marijuana in America is so clean. We were very impressed when we went round cannabis factories – they even played Bob Marley music to the plants!”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Gemma Collins’ father “controls all her money.”
The ‘Only Way is Essex’ star – who has her own boutique, clothing line and is regularly asked to do public appearances – has admitted her dad Alan is very cautious about her squandering her cash so he keeps a tab on what she buys.
Speaking to the Daily Mail newspaper’s YOU magazine, she said: “My dad controls all my money. Seriously, I have to ask him if I want to upgrade my car.
“I’ve just sold my bespoke £87,000 Range Rover because it just felt too materialistic and I have nothing to prove. I’m fine with a BMW 6 Series.
“When we went to Tenerife I took out 250 euros from a cashpoint and he kept asking me what I was spending it on.
“I bought a skirt and top for 60 euros and he kept fussing about whether I actually needed them. But I know he has my best interests at heart.”
But, although she is “quite content with the money she’s made” thus far, the 36-year-old reality TV star believes she’s very down to earth and doesn’t let it go to her head.
She explained: “Every so often I need to go back home, sweep my floors and put a pile of washing into the machine.
“People think I’m on a chaise longue sipping champagne all day but I’m just Gemma in her PJs watching EastEnders like the rest of the country.
“People see me in Poundstretcher in Romford and I know they’re thinking: ‘She’s bloody loaded, what is she doing here?’ But I love a bargain, me.
“If all this ended tomorrow I’d be quite content with the money I’ve made and I’d get a market stall for the banter.”
However, although she’s got a very successful career, Gemma is desperate to find love and has admitted her “only regret in life” is dating bad boys in the past.
She said: “My only regret in life is all the bad boys I’ve ever met. I gave so much and received so little in return. I have never been out with a nice guy – I made the mistake of wanting the buzz they brought and I’ve been out with too many men who treated me like a meal ticket and abused me physically and emotionally.
“I want a partner who is going to love me for me. I can be intimidating, because I’ve got more money than many men in the UK, but there must be someone out there.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — James Cracknell’s wife has reportedly banned him from doing ‘Strictly Come Dancing’.
The 45-year-old rowing champion was approached by bosses of the ballroom and latin show recently because they wanted him to take part in the new series later this year, but his spouse Beverley Turner – whom he married in 2002 – has told him no.
A source told The Sun newspaper: “James was offered Strictly but his wife Bev said there was no way it was happening … James was up for taking part as it’s a good way to boost his profile again but Bev said no. He joins an ever-growing list of celebrities who don’t want to risk falling foul to the show’s infamous curse.”
It comes just days after it was claimed producers were panicking as some of the stars – including Lacey Turner, Angela Scanlon, Claude Littner, Mel Giedroyc and actress Martine McCutcheon – that they were keen to sign up have already snubbed the chance because they’re worried about the infamous show curse, which sees relationships falling apart during or just after the show, striking again.
A source said recently “‘Strictly Come Dancing’ used to be show that no celebrity ever turned down. But the curse has changed all that. There is now a genuine concern that appearing on the show can negatively impact relationships.”
Jamie Redknapp has reportedly been contacted about the new series now that he’s divorced from Louise Redknapp but he’s snubbed the offer because he believes the BBC One show was to blame for his split from the singer after she competed alongside Kevin Clifton in 2016.
An insider said: “Jamie only has negative feelings about ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ now. There’s absolutely no way he would appear.”
But producers may be in luck as Holly Willoughby has admitted she’d love to learn the dance technique following Ruth Langsford’s attempt last year.
She said: “Everyone would be watching me do it and that would be horrendous because I’m not very good at dancing. I’d love to learn to dance but not on telly.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Gemma Atkinson has ruled out returning to ‘Emmerdale’ anytime soon.
The 33-year-old actress’ character Carly Hope departed the Dales in June 2017 to begin a new life with her ex Matt (Jack Hickey) after boyfriend Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock) persuaded her to walk away, but she doesn’t have time to star in the soap and present her Key 103 radio show.
She said: “I’m doing Key 103, I’m still on that. I’ve decided to keep it going for another year.
“Emmerdale’s left open and I absolutely love it so I’ll never say never but at the minute, I can’t do both.”
Gemma appeared on the soap and presented her radio show alongside one another for six months but the workload nearly “killed” her, so she doesn’t want a repeat of such a hectic schedule.
Speaking on ‘Sunday Brunch’, she added: “I did both for six months and it just … the hours, it killed me, and the travelling.”
However, following her departure from the Yorkshire village, Gemma previously admitted there is a “huge possibility” her character will return to the Emmerdale village one day because she has “unfinished business”.
She added: “I think the possibility of Carly coming back is huge.
“She has got her dad in the village, and little April. She doesn’t say bye to [Marlon’s daughter] April so that will weigh heavily on her mind.
“She’ll go and try having a really happy life with Matt but there will be a shadow over it because she has unfinished business in Emmerdale.
“I think Carly will go off and do some living, but she will come back and make amends, so to speak.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Alison King gives her ‘Coronation Street’ co stars “great massages.”
Samia Longchambon – who plays Maria Connor in the long-running soap – is thrilled that the 44-year-old actress has decided to reprise her role as Carla Connor in the ITV show because it means she gets to have some work done on her shoulders in between takes.
She said: “It’s lovely. She’s slotted back in. It’s like she’s never been away. She gives great massages.”
And, although the cast are very busy with their storylines, the 35-year-old actress still gets to spend a lot of time with her friends away from the soap and last summer went on a spa date with Jane Danson.
She added: “Jane Danson and her family live around the corner. Over the summer we had time off at the same time so we were having coffee, going for walks and visiting the spa. It was great.”
However, it hasn’t been the easiest of times for the soap as Liz Dawn – who played Vera Duckworth – tragically passed away from a long illness she’d been battling.
Samia explained: “That was so sad. I went to see her in hospital a few days before she passed away. I was really glad I saw her. She is so missed by us all.
“It still doesn’t feel real that she’s not at the end of the phone. We used to speak every few weeks, just to have a catch up. I can’t delete her umber out of phone.”
Meanwhile, Samia’s alter-ego Maria was wrapped up in one of the soap’s biggest storylines last year as she embarked on an affair with Aidan Connor (Shayne Ward) and, although they’re no longer seeing each other, the brunette beauty is worried about who she’ll get involved with next.
She told OK! magazine: “I’m not sure who Maria’s next victim is. That’s what I’m calling them now. Anybody she goes out with has something bad happen to them. She’s going to be getting involved in other people’s business for a change.”

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