OHMYGOSSIP — The ‘Mr Bates vs The Post Office’ writer believed the programme would be a failure.
The ITV drama documents the infamous Post Office Scandal, in which sub postmasters were wrongly accused of stealing from the company and were sent to prison after the new system called Horizon logged incorrect figures.
Writer Gwyneth Hughes admitted she thought the programme would be a flop.
Speaking to Sky News, she said: “We’ve all been blown away by it [the reception].
“On the eve of transmission, our boss sent us all a comforting email warning us that it probably wouldn’t do that well, and probably not many would watch it.
“So we woke up [the] next morning and he literally thought he had misheard the ratings, and it just has got bigger and bigger.
“The whole thing is unbelievable, the story of the postmasters, and what happened to them was completely unbelievable from beginning to end and this is just the latest unbelievable chapter in the unfolding, ongoing story.”
The hard-hitting drama stars ‘Indiana Jones’ actor Toby Jones, 57, as sub postmaster Alan Bates, who campaigned for justice for him and his 700 colleagues who were wrongly prosecuted.
Toby was also blown away by the reception the programme has received, and revealed he accepted a pay cut in order to ensure the show could be made.
In an interview with The Times, he said: “There is a huge possibility that shows like Mr Bates will not be made in the future. Not because TV commissioners don’t want them, but because they can’t afford them. The financial pressures are too great.
“These kinds of four-part, very British, thoughtful dramas are massively at threat because distributors worry that it is less likely that they will recoup their investment than they would from an international thriller with lots of episodes.”

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Katherine Ryan has sex exactly twice a month.
The 40-year-old comedienne – who has appeared on gameshows like ‘Taskmaster’ and ‘8 Out of 10 Cats’ – revealed that she and husband Bobby Kootstra, 40, are only intimate twice a month and she “keeps a log” of it in case she ends up pregnant.
In an interview with The Times, where she was asked if she was particularly active in the bedroom, Katherine replied: “No, but I should be. We have sex exactly twice a month. I log it just in case I do get pregnant.”
Katherine has Fenna Grace, 13 months and two-year-old Fred with her husband as well as Violet 14, with ex-boyfriend Alex Edelman.
Despite being kept busy, the comedy star insisted she loves being a mother.
She said: “I’m very confident about it. I do things my way and I never follow what the grandma says or what the book says.
“I never went to NCT groups. They tried to lure you in, [I] said no. I was 24, pregnant in a foreign country with no family and I was like, ‘I got it!’ I got pregnant with Violet on purpose. I joke that she was a surprise, but she wasn’t.”
The ‘Ready to Mingle’ host also spoke about her time as a “Hooters girl”, in which she had to dress in skimpy outfits to serve customers at the restaurant, and revealed she “loved it”.
She explained: “I had gone into it trying to be beautiful, a cheerleader, a cool girl.
“It’s not the right thing to say — that you have a better life if you’re pretty — but you do, and you notice that very young.
“But I found this matriarchy of like-minded almost misfits that worked there. They weren’t the most beautiful girls in the world, but they were a lot like me, were brave and they were chatty and they were impervious to criticism.
“I did it for me, a hobby, just a fun thing. But I excelled into this group of stand-ups.”

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Shirley Ballas nearly turned down the chance to appear on ‘The Masked Singer.’
The ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ judge – who is mother to Broadway star Mark, 37, with ex-husband Corky Ballas – was unmasked as Rat on Saturday (13.01.24) evening’s episode of the game show in which celebrities conceal their identities in extravagant costumes whilst performing pop songs but admitted she only agreed to do the show after her mother Audrey begged her to take on the opportunity.
Speaking on ITV’s ‘Lorraine’, she said: “I had the best time. Well, originally, I wasn’t going to do but but then my mum said to me ‘Please do it, it will be fun’.
“So I actually did it for her. And when I told my son as we know, he’s a Broadway singer, he was a bit doubtful but then he said ‘Go for it, mum! Have the time of your life’.”
The dance champion had to keep schtum upon signing up to appear on the series and admitted that she struggled to stay quiet but noted that she was keen to tackle something “out of her comfort zone” and compared her “journey” to that of the usual ‘Strictly’ contestant.
“I’m not very good at secrets but because you had to sign an NDA…of course, my mum knew and my son. It was pretty difficult because I wanted to tell my close friend Karen and some of my other mates but I couldn’t say anything. It reminded me a little bit of ‘Strictly’, when they start on that journey. So I wanted to take on something that was totally out of my comfort zone. Although I’m not a singer what I’ve learned from the fabulous singing teacher Mark, plus my son Mark, is that I can carry a note.”
The 63-year-old TV star had to go head-to-head with Dippy Egg in a sing-off and the mystery celebrity made it through to the next stage of the show, where they will compete with Owl, Air Fryer, Bubble Tea, Eiffel Tower, Piranha, Maypole, Cricket and Bigfoot to stay in the competition.
Shirley’s exit came after ‘Pointless’ host Alexander Armstrong was unmasked as Chicken Caesar in week two, whilst ‘I’ll Never Fall In Love Again’ singer Dionne Warwick was unmasked as Weather in the first episode of the new series.

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Amy Hart went back to work the day after she gave birth.
The 31-year-old star – who shot to fame when she appeared on ‘Love Island’ in 2019 and has since carved out a successful career as an influencer – welcomed baby Stanley with fiance Sam Rason in March 2023 but shocked a nurse when she started working again from her hospital bed in the middle of the night.
Speaking on the ‘Spinning Plates’ podcast, she told ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor: “He was born on the Friday morning, at three o’clock in the morning, and one of the nurses came into my hospital room to check on the baby on the Saturday. She was like ‘What are you doing?’ and I said ‘I’m just sorting out this, I’ve got a giveaway on my Instagram and I need to screenshot all the people who got the answer right’.
“She said ‘It’s three o’clock in the morning, you had a baby yesterday, please go to sleep!'”
The TV star is self-employed and as such enjoys no maternity benefits but while she is “lucky” enough to be in a position to take a year off, she would never think of doing so in case there was “nothing” available to her when she came back.
She said: “So that was when I went back to work was the next day and it sort of went from there. I don’t work all the time, I’m very lucky but when your job is being you there’s not very much time off.
“I have a lot of people who tell me I could afford to take a year off when I tell them there is no maternity leave. I can afford to now, but if I took a year off work there wouldn’t be anything there when I came back. It’s all about momentum and it’s all about keeping it going.
“It’s a fickle industry, especially with influencing now. It’s so saturated. But I love my job.”
“I don’t even really see it as a job. I used to be an air hostess and I always say that if I ever had to go to work, that would be the job I’d want to do. My job is a job. I pay my tax, I pay my national insurance.”

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Liberty Poole has been reunited with her ex-boyfriend Jake Cornish on ‘Love Island: All Stars’.
The 24-year-old beauty – who first appeared on ‘Love Island’ back in 2021 – and Hannah Elizabeth were actually the first contestants to enter the villa in South Africa, and they were soon joined by Jake and Chris Taylor.
After he came face-to-face with Liberty, Jake said: “What are the chances?”
Chris subsequently joked: “Well, this is a fantastic start isn’t it? You’re going to have to have it out.”
The former couple then explained to the other Islanders that they haven’t seen each other in around two years.
What’s more, Liberty pointed out that Jake has changed his appearance since they last spoke to each other.
He replied: “Yeah, I’ve got a bit of a beard. I’m more mature now!”
Later in the episode, Liberty and Jake were chosen to couple-up, as all of the contestants were put into pairs.
After the news was announced, Jake quipped: “What are the chances of that, eh?”
Prior to entering the villa, Jake suggested that he’d grown and matured following his split from Liberty in 2021.
The TV star – who insists that there’s no “bad blood” between himself and the blonde beauty – said: “Me and Lib left the show, not seen her about, not spoke to her, but I’ve definitely matured massively. Older, bigger, wiser, better looking.”
Liberty, on the other hand, suggested that she’s still best-known for her dramatic split from Jake.
She said: “I’m probably best known for breaking up with my ex Jake a few days before the finals.”
Meanwhile, the other couples selected in episode one of the series included Mitchel Taylor and Kaz Kamwi, Anton Danyluk and Hannah Elizabeth, Toby Aromolaran and Georgia Steel, Luis Morrison and Georgia Harrison, and Chris Taylor and Demi Jones.

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Michelle Keegan is set to be offered a multi-million-pound deal from Netflix after the success of ‘Fool Me Once’.
Former ‘Coronation Street’ actress Michelle, 36, stars in the streamer’s adaptation of Harlan Coben’s 2016 novel, which is currently its number one TV series in the UK and US, and Netflix bosses are said to be considering offering Michelle her own multi-show deal.
A source told The Sun newspaper’s TV Biz: “She’s proved you don’t have to be the stereotypical plum-voiced leading lady to appeal to an international audience.
“Michelle offers something different, but with all the charm, glamour and sex appeal that makes her one of Britain’s most exciting acting exports.
“America is seen as a market where they believe she could make the greatest impact.
“With so many rival streamers eyeing Michelle up now, it’s a no-brainer for Netflix to sign her.
“But they’re likely to have to offer her a six-figure sum to keep her for multiple projects.”
Meanwhile, Michelle previously revealed she thought she would never work again after leaving ‘Coronation Street’.
Michelle first found fame as Tina McIntyre on the ITV soap in 2008 before her alter-ego was killed off in 2014 and Michelle admitted she struggled with the idea of leaving.
Speaking on ‘The Graham Norton Show’, she said: “For me, it was a massive learning platform. I took a long, long time to decide to leave – it was very hard.
“And then when they told me they were killing off my character and there was no going back, I thought I would never work again. My security was ripped away, which made me push forward and work harder.”

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Gorka Márquez has landed a new TV role.
The ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ pro will be swapping the dancefloor for the judges’ desk as he joins the panel of TV show ‘Bailando con las Estrellas’, Spain’s equivalent to ‘Strictly’
He wrote on Instagram: “”I finally can share the news that I will be one of the judges in the Spanish version of Strictly, Bailando con las Estrellas @bailandoest.
“So excited to [be] back in Spain and doing the show that changed my whole life and excited to be sat on the other side of the floor this time even if I am not sure I will be able to hold myself and not dance.
“First show is this Saturday (13.01.24) and I can’t wait.”
Gorka’s fiancée and former ‘Strictly’ contestant Gemma Atkinson wrote: “Woohoo! So proud and so excited to watch (if I can figure out the Spanish tele).”
‘EastEnders’ actress Tameka Empson, who was Gorka’s first-ever partner on the show, said: “Well done Gorka!! If ever you want to show off your dancing skills [with] a partner, I’ll be ready to jump on a plane and help you out! Remember Tamorka for ever!!!”
Dancer Katya Jones said, “Get in!!!! Go show them Gorks!!!!”, while fellow professionals including Dianne Buswell, Luba Mushtuk, Carlos Gu and Johannes Radebe also sent supportive messages.

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Roxy Shahidi was “unable to breathe” after dislocating her rib during ‘Dancing On Ice’ training.
The 40-year-old ‘Emmerdale’ actress was left in agony after suffering the injury and admitted she struggled with agonising spasms.
She told The Sun newspaper: “I dislocated my rib and I felt very sorry for myself. I didn’t even know that was a thing. It was hard to breathe. If I coughed or sneezed it was agony. Absolute spasms.
“But over the course of about three weeks, it got better and over Christmas, it’s really rested. And all I’ve got left is like a lump where it’s kind of come out, which is scar tissue, so I’ve just got to be careful with it and if I feel it again, get strapped up.
“That’s been the main physical issue that I’ve had. They think it’s been apparently it’s quite a common injury with the lifts, but it didn’t happen doing a lift.
“he muscles kind of tighten up and it slowly ekes out after, like repeated compression.
“I was sat in the car, dropping my daughter off at school.
“I sneezed and like, all of my body went into spasm, I’ve never felt pain like it. And I literally, like, I couldn’t breathe for if it felt like 10 minutes, I could barely open the car door, it took me about 10 minutes to get out of the car.
“I had no idea what had happened and as soon as I spoke to Sharon the physio, she was like, ‘Yeah, that’s quite a common injury for skaters. It comes from the kind of the compression on the ribs and, you know, the compression of the rib cage.’
“So she’s given me exercises to work on strengthening and stretching exercises and that I’ve been doing every day and it certainly feels a lot better, but once that’s happened there is always that anxiety, that it’s going to happen again, you know, because the lifts are just going to get bigger and bigger as you go on.”
Roxy recently revealed she is thrilled to be finally taking part in the show, seven years after she was first approached about it.
She said: “I wanted to do the show nearly seven years ago, I thought it’d be fabulous, lots of sequins and big hair, but then I realised I was 12 weeks pregnant.
“I didn’t know when I originally had the meeting, so I then had to say ‘Oh look, I’m pregnant, I don’t think it’s going to be a good idea for me’.
“Then my daughter was small, and it’s a huge commitment, it’s very demanding – but I just knew for a long time it wasn’t really something that would be right for me to do.
“And then this year I got the call, ‘Do you want to pop in?’ and I was like, ‘Oh, do I?’ I’m a little bit older now and a bit more cautious.
“But after ten minutes on the ice, all my anxieties melted away.”

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Alison Hammond is set to replace Paul O’Grady on ‘For The Love Of Dogs’.
‘This Morning’ and ‘Great British Bake Off’ presenter Alison, 48, is the frontrunner to present the show, which Paul hosted for 11 years until his death in March last year.
A source told The Mirror: “Paul is obviously irreplaceable but they believe that not only does Alison bring some of Paul’s trademark self-deprecating humour to proceedings, but that she can also make it her own, just as Paul did.
“Alison would be a great signing… and as her ever-expanding portfolio of shows demonstrates, capable of putting her hand to anything.”
Comedian Ricky Gervais, 62, TV and radio presenter Amanda Holden, 52, and actor Martin Clunes, 62, have all been considered for the role.
Paul had a deep connection with the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, where the documentary series is filmed, adopting mongrels Arfur and Nancy, shih-tzu Boycie, chihuahua/Jack Russell cross Eddie and a dachshund called Sausage.
Speaking in 2012, he said: “Hand on heart, this has been one of the nicest jobs I’ve ever had. Battersea is a magical place. People think it’s all doom and gloom but it’s not, it’s such a happy place. I’ve had a ball. It’s such an enriching place to work.”
Chief executive Peter Laurie previously revealed the Dogs and Cats Home was considering a permanent tribute to Paul, 67, who died “unexpectedly but peacefully” on March 28, 2023.
He said last year: “We will be looking to find a suitably fitting way to remember the profound impact Paul had at Battersea and the rescue animal sector – something that will support the animals Paul loved so much, and that would make him proud.”

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Shirley Ballas has been unmasked as Rat on ‘The Masked Singer’.
The 63-year-old dancer – who is best known as the head judge on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ – had been taking part in the ITV1 singing competition where celebrities conceal their identities whilst performing famous songs but not one member of the judging panel managed to guess that it was her behind the mask.
Mo Gilligan believed it could be ‘Coronation Street’ actress and West End star Claire Sweeney, whilst Davina McCall thought it could be ‘Killing Eve’ actress Jodie Comer, Olly Murs incorrectly guessed former Atomic Kitten singer Kerry Katona and Jonathan Ross speculated that it was Jodie Whittaker of ‘Doctor Who’ fame.
Speaking to host Joel Dommett, immediately after revealing herself, Shirley said: “I was very flattered because I just don’t sing at all and some of the people you were saying, I was like ‘Wow!'”
The dance champion had given several clues to her real identity during her time on the series including noting at one point that she had “crossed paths with danger” after climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for Comic Relief in 2019, whilst the costume’s tattoos were a nod to the body art she has inked across her behind.
She said: “I’ve got tattoos all over my backside and then I tattooed my boyfriend’s name on it – I’m not sure that one was a good idea. Bruno [Tonioli] used to make me show him them!”
Shirley added that taking part in the series has been one of the “best things” she has ever done even though she was “way out of her comfort zone” throughout.
She said: “I would say it’s been one of the best times of my life. I enjoyed every minute of it, I was way out of my comfort zone and I totally loved it.”
Shirley then gave her first unmasked performance of ‘Nelly the Elephant’ before exiting the stage for the final time.
The TV star had to go head-to-head with Dippy Egg in a sing-off and the mystery celebrity made it through to the next stage of the show, where they will compete with Owl, Air Fryer, Bubble Tea, Eiffel Tower, Piranha, Maypole, Cricket and Bigfoot to stay in the competition.
Shirley’s exit comes after ‘Pointless’ host Alexander Armstrong was unmasked as Chicken Caesar in week two, whilst ‘I’ll Never Fall In Love Again’ singer Dionne Warwick was unmasked as Weather in the first episode of the new series.

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Patsy Palmer is returning to ‘EastEnders’.
The 51-year-old actress – who now lives in California with her family – will be reprising her role as Bianca Jackson for “a short stint this spring”, which will begin when her stepdaughter Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) visits her in Milton Keynes with Zack Hudson (James Farrar) following her off-screen break-up with Terry Spraggan (Terry Alderton), and the soap veteran is “so excited” to be back once again.
Patsy said in a statement: “I’m so excited to be reprising the role of Bianca. ‘EastEnders’ holds such a special place in my heart so it’s always a pleasure to be back.”
Executive producer Chris Clenshaw is “thrilled” Patsy agreed to come back to the show again because she has always been a “fan favourite” and teased there will be lots of “drama” for Bianca.
He said: “I’m thrilled to welcome the fabulous Patsy back to the iconic role of Bianca Jackson. Although the character was last seen on-screen in 2019, Bianca still remains a fan favourite. We know our audiences will be thrilled at her return as she is thrust into the heart of the drama alongside step-daughter Whitney.”
Bianca made her debut in Albert Square in 1993, with Patsy leaving the soap in 1999 before returning again in 2008 for a six-year stint. The actress last reprised the role for Whitney’s planned wedding to Callum Highway (Tony Clay) in 2019 but a planned reappearance in 2020 was axed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shona is known to be leaving the soap this year but it is currently unknown if Bianca will be involved with Whitney’s exit storyline, or how long Patsy will be on screen for this time around.

Source: VacationHunter.Online