OHMYGOSSIP — Netflix is believe to be planning a celebrity rival to ‘The Traitors’.
The streaming giant is set to feature a number of US and UK reality stars in their new show, where they will battle it out for a £1 million prize.
And, rather than the BBC’s location of a Scottish castle, Netflix is planning to whisk its contestants off to an exotic location.
A source told The Sun newspaper: “Netflix are working with a British production company for their version of ‘The Traitors’ for celebrities.
“They are casting British and American reality TV stars, with a £1million prize.
“They’ll go to a really exotic location overseas.
“Netflix always puts on big budget, slick shows and they think this could be a huge ratings winner.
“It’ll no doubt annoy the BBC, with their celeb version not yet off the ground.”
‘The Traitors’ – hosted in the UK by Claudia Winkleman – has become a huge ratings hit for the BBC and also picked up prizes at the National Television Awards, TV Baftas and the Royal Television Society awards.
The BBC is working on its own celebrity version with stars including Coleen Rooney, Rebekah Vardy, former Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Gary Lineker all believed to be under consideration.

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — David Baddiel insists comedy sketches are as “high” an “art form” as serious novels.
The 59-year-old comedian, whose TV shows have included ‘Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned’ with fellow comic Frank Skinner, 67, revealed he received “pushback” from the “snobbish” cultural world after he began writing books.
David has since hit back at his critics, and argued that comedy sketches should be consider as much of “a high art form” as novels.
During a talk at the University of Oxford, he said: “I perceive that some art forms are considered by the gatekeepers of culture to be higher than others and that idea that you should stick to your lane as a storyteller has a snobbish element to it.
“I noticed this very much when I first started to write novels. I wasn’t the first ever comedian to write a novel but it was certainly the case there was a pushback, ‘Well, I don’t know if a sketch comedian should be writing novels.’
“I like novels a lot, but I don’t see it as a higher art form than the sketch or even the stand-up comedy.”
David also pointed to a number of “great” comedy sketches, including “the Nazi one” from ‘That Mitchell and Webb Look’, which saw David Mitchell, 49, and Robert Webb, 51, play SS officers that question the ethics of German fascism during the Second World War and worry they are the “bad guys” of the conflict.
He added: “It is such an incredibly profound and comic question about how bad people never understand that they are bad people.
“How is that, or ‘Peep Show’ or ‘Monty Python’, not as high an art form as (novels that compete for) the Booker prize?”
David then cited the advent of alternative comedy by the 71-year-old comedian Alexei Sayle in 1979 as a turning point for stand-up, which he said marked the point when comedians became “storytellers”.
He said: “Alexei Sayle began talking about his life and writing his own funny stories, an oral tradition out loud. That seems to be a good grounding to writing a longer-form story.”

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Amir Khan’s wife Faryal Makhdoom has reportedly signed up for ‘Celebrity Big Brother’.
The 32-year-old, who married the boxer, 37, in 2013, is said to be set to appear on the popular ITV reality show and after she forgave Amir when he was embroiled in a series of cheating scandals.
A TV insider told The Sun: “Faryal is a huge signing for ‘Celebrity Big Brother’.
“She’s had her ups and downs with Amir but wants to step into the limelight in her own right. Faryal has said she wants to do the show, she’s not a doormat that he walks all over.
“She is fiery and feisty and will make a brilliant housemate.”
Her boxing husband had been accused of attempting to solicit sexual images from a 25-year-old bridal model, before the couple reconciled last year.
During an appearance on the ‘They Don’t Teach This At School with Myleene Klass ‘ podcast, Amir reflected on “forgiving” wife.
He said: “I always get told off because I do silly things and I got caught doing silly things and obviously I’m human at the end of it.
“She’s very forgiving, but I think you know if you keep on pushing someone it’s going to get too much, she’s gonna say you know what, get away from me.
“I can see that she loves me to bits and she’s really caring and stuff, because honestly speaking there’s a lot of stuff that she does behind the scenes that people don’t see.
“Like for example, you know, she set my training camp up, she set the contracts, the lawyers she deals with, the accountants she deals with, she deals with all the bills that we have in the UK and all that.
“We have this payment to make, this payment to make. She does everything. I don’t have no house headache, she takes care of all that, like all the admin work, because I can’t do that.
“But it’s good that she’s taken the pressure away from me on that sense … And you know, sometimes you need someone like a good backbone, and there’s someone there for you. Someone to take that pressure away from you.”

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Prue Leith hopes to “stick with” ‘The Great British Bake Off’ amid reports it has been hit with money woes.
The 83-year-old judges the Channel 4 cookery show every autumn alongside baker Paul Hollywood, 57, and it’s been reported the popular series may be forced to move to Netflix due to Channel 4’s apparent cash issues.
Prue told the Daily Mirror about her future on the programme: “Oh my God, I hope to stick with ‘Bake Off’ wherever it goes. But I don’t think it will move.
“I know a lot of people are having a hard time of it and Channel 4 has lost a lot of shows.
“But I am quite sure while Channel 4 is there, they will hang on to ‘Bake Off’.
“It is certainly one of their best shows. I think it has found its natural home at Channel 4.”
The channel ditched several shows in 2023, reportedly to keep costs under control, and it’s rumoured ‘Bake Off’ could be next for the axe.
The broadcaster’s contract to air the baking contest reportedly ends after the 2024 series, and it has been claimed there have not yet been talks to extend it.
Channel 4 is also allegedly planning to cut up to 200 jobs following a huge decline in television advertising.
The reports have sparked speculation the cuts could make ‘Bake Off’ prime for poaching by streaming giants such as Netflix.
An insider told The Sun about the supposed conundrum facing Channel 4 executives over the series: “Bosses have a dilemma – break the bank to keep ‘Bake Off’, or lose it to a rival.
“It’s no secret that Channel 4 is facing cash problems so do they really have the money to secure another deal?
“They’ve been making cutbacks and this could well be to fund a new deal.
“But if they can’t match the pay demands, there’s not much they can do, and that opens the door for rivals like ITV and Netflix to swoop in, the fact is, this year is crunch time for the future of the ‘Bake Off’.”
‘Bake Off’, which is also presented by comic Noel Fielding, 50, and Alison Hammond, 48, launched on the BBC in 2010 but was bought by Channel 4 in 2016 for £25 million.
Netflix currently has the rights to air ‘Bake Off’ in the US.
Channel 4 said: “Any speculation around contracts is just that and we look forward to bringing many more soggy bottoms to our viewers in future.”

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Domhnall Gleeson says his new TV drama is about how “good people” can hurt others.
The 40-year-old actor stars in the Channel 4 romantic drama series ‘Alice and Jack’ as the titular male character, with the show tracing Jack’s tortured relationship with Alice over a period of 15 years.
He says on the Friday (02.02.24) night edition of the BBC’s ‘Graham Norton Show’ about the series: “It’s about love and how good people can hurt other people.
“It is beautiful and moving and I am really, really proud of it. It’s gorgeous.”
Domhnall recently admitted he found shooting ‘Alice and Jack’ so intense he took nearly a year off acting when it wrapped to shake off his character.
Despite playing parts including a psychotic murderer in ‘Calvary’, he admitted he was forced to take the time out as he found the role so closely intertwined with his life.
He told The Sun about playing lovelorn Jack alongside 42-year-old Andrea Riseborough, who stars as ‘Alice’: “This role really amazingly synched up with my life, and how long I’ve known Andrea.
“We kept crossing over every few years over 15 years, washing in and out of each other’s lives.
“I took 10 months off after the shoot because I found it really hard to shake off at the end of it, because I’m so similar to Jack in a weird way.”
The six-part ‘Alice and Jack’ also stars comic Aisling Bea, 39, and Aimee Lou Wood, 29.
Created and directed by ‘Mad About You’ filmmaker Victor Levin, 63, Channel 4 has billed it as a “love story for the ages”.
A synopsis said: “When Alice and Jack first meet they’re bound by a connection so powerful it seems nothing can break it, but will their path lead them to a place of happiness and togetherness?
“Or will life and their own emotional complexities get in the way? Honest, intimate, and surprisingly funny, the series shows love in all its unexpected, technicolour, kaleidoscopic beauty.”
When asked by Graham, 60, about how his fans react to him, Domhnall – who is the son of Hollywood veteran Brendan Gleeson, 68, joked: “People seem to remember me most for a comedy sketch I did years ago when I pooed in a lemonade bottle.
“They shout at me in the street. I want to shout back, ‘I’ve been in ‘The Revenant’ goddamn it!’”
‘The Graham Norton Show’ is on BBC One on Friday 2 February at 10.40pm, and is available on BBC iPlayer.

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Derek Draper’s children told him they loved him at his packed, star-studded funeral.
The late political strategist, who died on 3 January aged 56 after suffering long-lasting symptoms from coronavirus, was honoured with a final farewell in north London on Friday (02.02.24) attended by his TV host wife Kate Garraway, 56, and their children Darcey, 17, and 14-year-old Billy, as well as ITV hosts and Sir Elton John.
Among the flowers laid out for the funeral procession around the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Primrose Hill was a wreath bearing the word ‘Dad’.
Alongside the arrangement were two handwritten cards from Derek’s kids, with his daughter Darcey’s saying: “I love you with all my heart.”
His son William said on his note: “I love you Dad. Your son, Bill.”
Kate’s daughter Darcey also joined five other pallbearers to carry her dad’s coffin out of church following the morning service, while her ITV host mum looked on.
Kate was seen holding hands with her son William as the pair led mourners out of the packed church, and also held candles lit during the service.
Derek’s funeral was held at the church where he married Kate nearly two decades ago.
Kate, who tied the knot with Derek in September 2005, wore a long black cloak as she arrived for his funeral, and was supported by her ITV co-stars Susanna Reid, 53, and 49-year-old Ben Shephard.
Singer Sir Elton, 76, who became a close friend of Kate and Derek’s, was also at the goodbye.
Derek fell gravely ill during the early part of the Covid pandemic in March 2020 and spent 13 months in hospital before he was discharged.
When he moved home Kate moved his bedroom downstairs and has spoken about how she had to give him 24/7 care as he battled to recover from the devastating effects of the virus.
Kate often provided health updates about her husband on ITV’s ‘Good Morning Britain’ show that she fronted as he battled illness, and hosted two documentaries on the channel about how her family’s life had been altered following her husband’s illness.
Derek was a leading figure in New Labour in the 1990, and had been admitted to hospital in December when he had a heart attack.
Kate announced her husband’s death on Instagram in a post that said: “As some of you may know he has been critically ill following a cardiac arrest in early December which, because of the damage inflicted by Covid in March 2020, led to further complications.
“Derek was surrounded by his family in his final days and I was by his side holding his hand throughout the last long hours and when he passed.”

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Phoebe Dynevor’s ‘Coronation Street’ star mum Sally Dynevor told her to “just enjoy” her success when ‘Bridgerton’ became a huge streaming hit.
The 28-year-old actress’ career was launched into the stratosphere thanks to her role as Daphne Basset, Duchess of Hastings, in the Netflix period drama.
Luckily, Phoebe’s mother Sally, 60, is used to fame due to her role as Sally Metcalfe in ‘Corrie’ – a role she has played on the ITV soap since 1986 – and was able to offer her daughter some words of wisdom on how to cope with her newfound celebrity status.
Speaking to ELLE UK – for which she was photographed by Rosaline Shahnavaz – Phoebe said: ” My mum’s best advice has been to just enjoy it all. There was a certain point with ‘Bridgerton’ where I was over-analysing everything and my mum told me to just embrace it all, and not to be terrified of it. Fame doesn’t do great things to people in the public eye – particularly men! She’s really helped me navigate it all.”
Phoebe comes from an acting family, as her grandmother Shirley Dynevor was a theatre and television actress and her dad Tim Dynevor is an actor-and-screenwriter.
The ‘Fair Play’ star can remember visiting the set of ‘Coronation Street’ – on which her grandmother Shirley worked as a stage manager for 15 years – as a child and her mum Sally inviting her castmates back to the family home.
She said: “I grew up outside of Manchester. My grandma was an actress, as well as my dad and my mum. So I’ve been surrounded by creativity from day one. When I was younger, we would go on set (of ‘Coronation Street’) a lot, and I got used to seeing people from TV come to our house. I was in awe of it all and loved seeing the family that people built on set and how everyone worked in very different jobs to create something.”
Although Phoebe is now used to being a celebrity, she insists she is much happier being at home rather than on the red carpet because she is a “real hermit”.
She said: “Day to day I’m very low key though. I’m happiest at home in my tracksuit and I never leave my neighbourhood in North London. I have my little coffee place that I go to every day and I read and I’m a real hermit!”
Go to Elle.com/uk/PhoebeDynevor to read the full interview.

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Jonnie Irwin has died aged 50.
The TV presenter – who was best known for hosting ‘A Place In The Sun’ and ‘Escape To The Country’ – has passed away after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2020.
In a statement, his family said on Instagram: “It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Jonnie’s passing.
“A truly remarkable soul, he fought bravely against cancer with unwavering strength and courage.
“Jonnie touched the lives of so many with his kindness, warmth, and infectious spirit.
“At this time, we kindly ask for the privacy of Jonnie’s family as they navigate through this profound loss. Their grief is immeasurable, and your thoughts, prayers, and support are deeply appreciated.”
The family added that Jonnie’s “love, laughter, and memories will live on”.
The statement continued: “As we remember the beautiful moments shared with Jonnie, let us celebrate a life well-lived and a legacy that will forever be etched in our hearts.
“Jonnie may be gone from our sight, but his love, laughter, and memories will live on.
“Rest in peace, dear Jonnie. You will be dearly missed, but never forgotten. [dove and broken heart emojis] (sic)”
Jonnie was diagnosed with lung cancer in August 2020, and the TV star was told that he was terminally ill after filming an episode of ‘A Place in the Sun’ in Italy.
Jonnie – who had a son named Rex and twins, Rafa and Cormac, with his wife Jessica – told HELLO! magazine in 2022: “Within a week of flying back from filming, I was being given six months to live.
“I had to go home and tell my wife, who was looking after our babies, that she was on her own pretty much. That was devastating. All I could do was apologise to her. I felt so responsible.”

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Jonnie Irwin’s wife has paid tribute to him with a heartbreaking message on Instagram.
The 50-year-old TV presenter – who was best known for hosting ‘A Place In The Sun’ and ‘Escape To The Country’ – passed away on Friday (02.02.24) following a diagnosis with terminal cancer in 2020.
And, his beloved wife Jessica shared a post, which read: “Good night my favourite. Thank you for everything. I will always love you. The hardest day has come, a day I prayed wouldn’t come. It’s with all the saddness in the world that I confirm Jonnie has passed away earlier today. His magical brain that continued to fight to the end has now gone to sleep. He has given me more than I could ever have wished for, 8 bonkers years of love and adventure and 3 amazing boys.
“I will continue to make you proud but only with your love still finding me and guiding me for the rest of my life, me and the boys still need you. Jonnie you really were the most handsome man I ever knew and I am so sorry for this cruel end. It really wasn’t fair and you didn’t deserve any of this. You gave so much time to others and touched everyone you met, I have never experienced anything like the effect you had on people. I love you so much and forever proud of you xxx.”
Jonnie’s family also posted a message on his Instagram page, saying: “It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Jonnie’s passing.
“A truly remarkable soul, he fought bravely against cancer with unwavering strength and courage.
“Jonnie touched the lives of so many with his kindness, warmth, and infectious spirit.
“At this time, we kindly ask for the privacy of Jonnie’s family as they navigate through this profound loss. Their grief is immeasurable, and your thoughts, prayers, and support are deeply appreciated.”
The family added that Jonnie’s “love, laughter, and memories will live on”.
The statement continued: “As we remember the beautiful moments shared with Jonnie, let us celebrate a life well-lived and a legacy that will forever be etched in our hearts.
“Jonnie may be gone from our sight, but his love, laughter, and memories will live on.
“Rest in peace, dear Jonnie. You will be dearly missed, but never forgotten. [dove and broken heart emojis] (sic)”
Jonnie was diagnosed with lung cancer in August 2020, and the TV star was told that he was terminally ill after filming an episode of ‘A Place in the Sun’ in Italy.
Jonnie – who had a son named Rex and twins, Rafa and Cormac, with his wife Jessica – told HELLO! magazine in 2022: “Within a week of flying back from filming, I was being given six months to live.
“I had to go home and tell my wife, who was looking after our babies, that she was on her own pretty much. That was devastating. All I could do was apologise to her. I felt so responsible.”

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Michael McIntyre put on two stone after checking in to a weight loss clinic.
The 47-year-old comedian travelled to a clinic in Austria to seek help with losing weight and although he initially dropped the pounds, he admitted he has put them all back on again.
He told The Sun newspaper: “I went to this place called the Mayr Clinic (in Austria) and lost quite a bit of weight, which I kept off for a little while.
“It was a week of pain and they did all these tests on me, put little probes on the end of my tongue and told me I shouldn’t eat apples.
“Apparently apples will make me very lethargic and confused in my brain.
“It’s the only thing I’ve taken from it, really.
“I mean, I’ve put all the weight back on but I’ve got this real fear of apples, which are actually really good for you.”
Michael’s wife Claudia was not impressed with his weight loss and prefers him as “teddy bear Michael…the man she first met.”
He said: “The problem is my wife doesn’t like me losing weight.
“It would be a hell of a lot easier to stay thin if she was quite rude to me about my weight but it’s that annoying thing of she just loves me.
‘You’ve got to keep going with the diet, and I didn’t’
“She wants teddy bear Michael, not racing snake Michael, the man she first met.
“She was like, ‘Who is this? Who is this insanely hot, chiselled man in front of me?’ She didn’t like it. So that was quite demotivating. The problem is you’ve got to keep going with the diet, and I didn’t. I piled it all back on again.”

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Steven Moffatt doesn’t think he would “fit in” at ‘Doctor Who’ anymore.
The 62-year-old writer penned scripts for the sci-fi saga under Russell T. Davies’ tenure as showrunner when the programme was rebooted in 2005, before taking the reins himself from 2010 to 2017, and now his friend is back in the hotseat, he has been subjected to rumours of a return but he has insisted the show is “fine” without him.
Asked about a potential return, he told RadioTimes.com: “Look at my ageing face. How can I fit in? And I know, because I’ve seen the feedback, that people think I’m being evasive on the subject.
“The truth is, if I say anything negative about Doctor Who it goes everywhere, like boom, everywhere, right?
“It doesn’t exactly bring joy to the world that I just say something negative about ‘Doctor Who’. The fact is, it’s fine without me.”
Steven insisted Russell and his current team of writers are creating an exciting new era for the show and its Fifteenth Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa.
He added: “We’ve got Russell there. We’ve got a bunch of new writers there. We’ve got Ncuti there. It’s all good.”
When he previously worked as a writer on the show, Steven penned fan favourite episodes including ‘The Empty Child’ and ‘The Girl in the Fireplace’, and introduced the sinister Weeping Angels to the programme in ‘Blink’.
As showrunner, he brought in Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor and Peter Capaldi as his successor, as well as Karen Gillan and Jenna Coleman as their respective companions.
Steven – who also created ‘Sherlock’ – was in charge of the show’s 50th anniversary special ‘The Day of the Doctor’, which brought together Matt and David Tennant’s Time Lord and introduced the late William Hurt as the War Doctor.
The scriptwriter recently expressed his hope ‘Doctor Who’ can go on forever and heaped praise on returning showrunner Russell.
He said: “I just want it to go on. I want it to not stop. I want it to, and I know Russell’s going to make use of its infinite adaptability to always be the number one predator in the environment.
“That’s what I want. I want it to go on forever. I believe it can. Like the stories of Robin Hood and King Arthur and Sherlock Holmes. Some things always go on.”

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Sally Lindsay would have loved to have returned to ‘Coronation Street’ in 2011 – but she was “never asked”.
The 50-year-old actress has revealed she and former co-star Suranne Jones – who played Shelley Unwin and Karen McDonald, respectively, on the long-running ITV soap – were both keen to make a comeback for legendary character Betty Williams’ on-screen funeral in 2011 after actress Betty Driver died.
However, Sally claims neither of them was invited to reprise their roles.
She told Prima magazine: “I loved every minute. Suranne [Jones, Karen McDonald] and Jennifer James [who played Geena Gregory] are still my best friends – we just had a weekend away in Norfolk together.
“I definitely would have gone back to Corrie for Betty’s [the late Betty Driver] funeral because she was a very dear friend. Suranne said she would have done as well, but they never asked us.”
Sally previously said starring alongside the Betty’s Hot Pot cook was part of the “magic of” ‘Corrie’.
The ‘Mount Pleasant’ star said: “She could waltz in at midday, put her glasses on and steal the scene. Her comic timing was sublime.”
Sally also said she would be “dead now” if she had to film 18 scenes in a day – as she used to on ‘Coronation Street’.
The actress played the barmaid from 2001 to 2006 but feels as though her time on the cobbles was “like living another life”, and she praised the ITV soap as a great “northern powerhouse training ground”.
She said: “‘Coronation Street’ is a northern powerhouse training ground, if you take it as it is and you learn from it.
“I remember doing 18 scenes in one day – I’d be dead now. I’ll never have a character as deep as that. It was like living another life.”

Source: VacationHunter.Online