OHMYGOSSIP — Lorraine Kelly is praying for Fiona Phillips after she opened up about her Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
The 63-year-old presenter sent her well wishes to the former ‘GMTV’ star, 62, after she revealed she was diagnosed with the illness a year ago after experiencing months of brain fog and anxiety.
On Wednesday’s (05.07.23) episode of ‘Lorraine’, she described the news as “blinking sad”, while praising Fiona for being “amazing and really optimistic as she always would be”.
She added on Twitter: “As expected our much loved Fiona is dealing with this shattering diagnosis with courage and optimism.
“She’s a good, kind soul and I pray the treatment works and results in a massive breakthrough for everyone dealing with this hellish disease.
“Sending her and her family all my love.’
‘Good Morning Britain’ duo Susanna Reid and Ed Balls also paid tribute to the broadcaster earlier in the morning.
Susanna described her as “an incredible advocate” for families affected by the illness.
Ed’s – whose mother suffered with the disease for over two decades – added: “If you have a parent with Alzheimer’s or dementia, it’s always on your mind…
“Could it be hereditary? Could it be me? Now it’s a reality she’s dealing with and doing it so very bravely.”
Fiona lost both of her parents to the degenerative disease – which impacts your memory – and she is hoping she can “help find a cure”.
She told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “This disease has ravaged my family and now it has come for me.
“And all over the country there are people of all different ages whose lives are being affected by it – it’s heartbreaking.
“I just hope I can help find a cure which might make things better for others in the future.”
Fiona is being supported by her ITV editor husband Martin Frizell, 64, who she married in 1997 and with whom she has children Nat, 24, and 21-year-old Mackenzie.
She is now taking part in a trial of the drug Miridesap at University College Hospital, London.
Fiona’s dad Neville died in February 2012 from the condition, and her mum Amy was killed by the disease in May 2006 – with their deaths prompting Fiona to become a prominent campaigner for Alzheimer’s Research UK.

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Andrew Hayden-Smith is “so excited” about the ‘Byker Grove’ revival.
The 39-year-old star – who played Ben Carter on the classic BBC coming of age drama, which ran from 1989 to 2006 – has weighed in on the surprise announcement the programme is being brought back by Ant and Dec 17 years after it went off air.
He told RadioTimes.com: “I’m so excited to hear that Ant and Dec are rebooting the series.
“‘Byker Grove’ never shied away from hard-hitting storylines so it’s going to be interesting to see the show tackle the new challenges that young people are faced with today.”
Andrew appeared in eight series of the original programme, and featured in a number of major storylines, until Ben’s death when the character was run over.
Since leaving the show in 2003, he went onto appear on ‘Doctor Who’ as Jake Simmonds, and also worked as a presenter for CBBC and ‘Blue Peter’.
Most recently, he appeared in over 60 episodes of ‘Hollyoaks’ between 2016 and 2017 as DS Armstrong.
Geordie stars Ant and Dec – who made their name on the show as PJ and Duncan – made the announcement on Tuesday (04.07.23) morning.
They will serve as executive producers for new show ‘Byker’ from Fulwell 73, which will be aimed at a “primetime audience”.
The production company added that the reboot will “engage with a new generation of teenagers navigating the different challenges faced by young adults today”.
In a video announcing the news, Dec Donnelly said: “17 years after it closed its doors for the final time, Byker Grove is opening them up again.”
Ant McPartlin added that the series would be back for a “whole new audience”, as well as viewers “who are old enough to remember it so fondly”.
Dec continued: “Now, it’s obviously a show very close to our hearts, the show which gave us our breaks, so we couldn’t be more excited that we’ll be giving it a new lease of life.
“Once again, it will follow a new generation of young people and their families as they try to navigate the challenges they face today in the 2020s.”

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Adam Hills has claimed ‘The Last Leg’ has been cut due to “advertising revenue”.
The 52-year-old comedian – who previously addressed news that Channel 4 has decided to reduce the next season of the Friday night topical comedy show’s run by four episodes – suggested the change is due to the “cost of living” crisis as advertisers are having to scale back their budgets.
He told ‘The Big Jim Show’ podcast: “They have just cut four episodes of The Last Leg from us because they’re not getting the advertising revenue, because people aren’t buying.”
He also put the blame on the way audiences took “a while to come back”.
He added: “It took a while for audiences to remember how to be audiences, it took them a while to come back.
“It then started to hit, and I think the cost of living thing has then stopped people again.”
Adam – who helmed the first episode of its 28th season with regular co-hosts Josh Widdicombe and Alex Brooker, 39 – recently joked on social media that their show was suited to “losing a few bits”.
He tweeted: “If ever there’s a show that can cope with losing a few bits, it’s ours.”
Adam has previously described his show as “three guys with four legs talking about the week”, as he was born without a right foot, while comedian Alex had his right leg amputated when he was a baby.
The new series of ‘The Last Leg’ returned on Friday (30.06.23) and Adam shocked viewers with a brutal joke one week after it was confirmed the missing Titan submersible imploded during an expedition to see the wreck of the Titanic, with five people losing their lives.
He made a joke while chatting about The Wagner’s attack on Vladimir Putin’s authority, claiming “it’s hard to know who to cheer for”.
He quipped: “This is like the time Jeremy Clarkson punched Piers Morgan. This is like Elon Musk taking on Mark Zuckerberg in a cage fight.
“Most of the planet is thinking, ‘Yeah instead of a cage, can it be a submarine?’ ”
The audience weren’t quite sure how to react, but Adam decided to double down.
He added: “Yeah okay, probably shouldn’t have gone there… but nor should they.”

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Anneka Rice rents out her ‘Challenge Anneka’ jumpsuits for hen parties.
The former ‘Treasure Hunt’ star revealed people hire out her iconic costumes from the BBC One series, while she maintains a “shrine” to the huge collection she still has in her personal archive.
Speaking at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, she told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “I’ve got, literally, a shrine to the jumpsuits. I’ve got about 50 of them. I guess. I lend them out to people for hen nights.”
The 64-year-old broadcaster loves to get updates from the people using them via social media and she’s delighted they have “a new life”.
She said: “People run around Brighton in my jumpsuits. They just get in touch by Instagram or Twitter.
“And I go, ‘Yeah, whatever, have it, wash it afterwards, thank you.’
“They do treasure hunts, they do challenges in the Peak District. It’s an industry. They’ve got a new life.”
Anneka – who has sons Tom, 26, with Thomas, 30, with her ex Nick Allott and Josh, 29 with Tom Gutteridge – recently commented on Channel 5’s decision to “reschedule” the reboot of the show – which originally ran between 1989 to 1995 – after only two episodes aired.
She previously said: “They wanted it exactly as it was.
“Apart from satnav, and our production team being able to access people online, rather than through Yellow Pages, viewers will find it similar. People still use paintbrushes and you still have to wait for plaster to dry.”
In April, the network admitted to yanking the show because the weekend slot was “highly competitive”.
They said: “The first episode of ‘Challenge Anneka’ was enjoyed by 1.25 million viewers, but Saturday evenings are always highly competitive, especially at this time of year.
“The public and critical reaction to ‘Challenge Anneka’’s return has been amazing and we have decided to preserve the remaining two shows and reschedule them soon.”
Channel 5 later announced their plans to air another installment earlier this year to mark Dementia Awareness Week in May.
A spokesperson said: “Fans have been asking us when it will be back, so we are delighted to announce that the next episode will be shown during Dementia Awareness week (w/c 15 May), confirming the specific day and time in the coming weeks.”

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — ‘The Chase’ brainbox Paul Sinha can no longer drive or dance amid his Parkinson’s battle.
The 53-year-old quizzer was diagnosed with the degenerative neurological disorder in May 2019, and he’s given an update on his deteriorating health and how it impacts his day-to-day life.
He told the Daily Star: “My Parkinson’s means I can’t dance anymore. I couldn’t do ‘Strictly’ or anything like that. And I don’t drive anymore.
“Everything is slower in general. To go to an event, I have to wake up an hour earlier than I otherwise would have done.”
The Sinnerman wouldn’t be able to get by without the assistance of his husband, Oliver Levy.
He continued: “It takes that bit longer to get dressed. I am much more dependent on my husband than I used to be. But he helps me a lot.”
Paul doesn’t want anyone to feel sorry for him and still works “as hard as I can”.
He added: “With the pandemic and social media, you are constantly aware that other people are having harder lives than you are.
“You realise that you should not concentrate on feeling sorry for yourself.
“I do what I have to do to improve my quality of life. I don’t consider myself brave – I consider myself practical and pragmatic. I am ploughing on and working as hard as I can.”
The TV star accepts that life will “get tougher” for him in the future, but he always tries to “look [his] best” because he doesn’t want to “vanish”.
He recently told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “I have Parkinson’s. It is a tough call, and it will get tougher for me.
“In the years that I have ahead of me, I want to do my best to show that it doesn’t have to ruin your quality of life, and that you can fight against the stereotypes others have of you.
“For that reason, when I’m out and about, I try even harder to look my best. I want people to know that I am not vanishing, I’m still fighting as hard as ever.”
In July 2021, Paul admitted he grows increasingly concerned his health is deteriorating whenever he gives an incorrect answer on ‘The Chase’, to something he would have previously known.
In an interview with Radio Times magazine, the doctor-turned-comedian said: “Every time I get a question wrong in a quiz that I used to know the answer to, I think, ‘Should I be worried?’
“And then I realise that everybody does it. I’m just quite pragmatic about it.
“Yes, I’m 51, and I’ve got Parkinson’s – things are going to fall out of my head, things are going to stay in my head.”

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Fred Sirieix believes ‘Road Trip’ with Gino D’Acampo and Gordon Ramsay is “finished”.
Earlier this year, Gino shocked fans with his decision “not to film any more” road trips for the popular ITV travel and food show, but insisted it was “nothing to do with Gordon or Fred”, noting their “friendship is very strong”.
He said in an Instagram video at the time: “It’s just because we can’t get the dates together and sometimes when we do get the dates together sometimes they get changed and it causes a lot of problems for me because I have other stuff that I have to do.
“Personal problems as well because when I have to change things with my family it is very complicated and also because [of] contracts.”
Gino explained that he made the decision to preserve his friendships.
He continued: “Because contracts start to become very complicated and very stressful, I personally value the friendship with Gordon and Fred so much that I would rather the friendship than arguments with the contract.
“So I have decided not to do it anymore because I want to be friends with the boys for many, many years ahead.”
Fred would love to reunite with the pair for another trip but admits it’s unlikely.
He told The Mirror: “Well, you never know … if we can get the dates together perhaps [‘Road Trip’ will return] but we don’t seem to be able to get the dates together.
“So there we go. C’est La Vie, as they say. It was good while it lasted, but it’s finished and we move on. There were so many wonderful memories, it was a lot of fun.”

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — ‘Gogglebox’ star Hannah Worthington doesn’t own a television.
Despite being paid to comment on programmes from the sofa with her parents Alison and George at their family home on the Channel 4 show, the reality star doesn’t have a telly at her own house.
She told OK! magazine: “I don’t really watch telly at home, I don’t have a TV but [‘Gogglebox’ is] how I catch up on what’s going on. I go to my mum’s and use her electric to watch the telly.
“It’s a pretty good gig because you get to sit down and eat food and watch telly. I always thought that I’d never be able to do that with any sort of kudos but you can now. It’s great!”
Hannah welcomed a baby boy called Erwin in August 2019, and he’s appeared on the show.
She was forced to confirm her age after she was trolled for being a teenager and having a baby when she was actually in her late twenties at the time.
Hannah also got called out for not revealing the father of her little one.
She hit back on Instagram: “FYI – not that this should matter! I am not 18 I am 29 and my baby does have a father, but I wish to keep that side of my life private. If a young woman has children from an accidental pregnancy, they do not deserve to be s***-shamed by anyone, especially other women!”

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Former ‘Emmerdale’ star Meg Johnson has died.
The veteran actress – who played Pearl Ladderbanks on the soap for 17 years until 2020 – has passed away at the age of 86 after battling dementia, her family have announced.
A joint statement from her family, the talent agency Jorg Betts Associates and the ITV show released on Sunday (02.07.23) said: “It is with great sadness that we announce that actress Meg Johnson passed away peacefully yesterday evening surrounded by her family. Meg was a kind and wonderful lady, full of warmth and always with a twinkle in her eye.
“Meg had an outstanding career that ended with her playing Pearl Ladderbanks in ‘Emmerdale’ from 2003. Meg had dementia for the last few years, but battled on personally and professionally regardless.
“She will be greatly missed by everyone who knew her.”
Before landing her role in ‘Emmerdale’, Meg played Eunice Gee in ‘Coronation Street’ in the early 1980s and reprised the role briefly in 1999. She also had a third soap role, playing Brigid McKenna in ‘Brookside’.
‘Emmerdale’ actor Danny Miller was among the first to pay tribute to his late former co-star.
He tweeted: “Truly devastated to hear this. Pearl was a fair way to describe our lovely Meg.
“The creator of ‘pigs bum!!’ – should she ever forget her lines, and a loved soul throughout the building.”
And Lisa Riley praised Meg for having taught her “discipline, respect, comedy, and how not to take life too seriously.”
She added: “You are the true meaning of the words-wonderful woman. your energy lives on, because you were so very special. R.I.P. Meg.”
Gemma Oaten noted other former ‘Emmerdale’ stars Shirley Stelfox, Freddie Jones and Richard Thorp would “take good care of her up there”.
She added: “Sending so much love to the Emmerdale family and family of the late and great Meg Johnson. A beautiful woman inside and out, who was always so kind to me during my #Emmerdale days.
“Such a sad loss, but what a life and what a treasure she was. She was always so kind (and wickedly funny!).”
Meg was married to ITV Granada’s continuity announcer Charles Foster, who was reported to have died earlier this year.

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Kate Garraway’s husband Derek Draper was readmitted to hospital shortly after her MBE ceremony.
The ‘Good Morning Britain’ presenter was recognised for in the 2022 New Year Honours list for her services to broadcasting, journalism, and charity and she was joined by her partner – who is still battling the aftereffects of COVID-19 – for the presentation by Prince William at Windsor Castle last Wednesday (28.06.23).
However, Kate has now revealed Derek – who still needs 24-hour care after suffering major organ damage – had to go back into hospital shortly after her big day. In a post on Instagram, she wrote: “Well what a week, that started with Derek in hospital and ended with Derek in hospital, but with this extraordinary day in the middle.”
She added of the ceremony: “I am so incredibly moved and humbled by the whole experience. So many of you have sent so many lovely messages, including the lady who stopped her car a few minutes ago outside our house to say ‘I know what you’re going through, and I know how much that moment meant and I am a nurse.’
“It was so wonderful to see Derek’s determination to be there. So kind of the Prince of Wales, to make it special for him and to recognise the work of Jake our incredible carer, who represents all those who make Derek’s daily life possible.
And of course my long-suffering mum and dad. It was also so humbling to meet all the others, much more deserving than myself, who were there to receive their honours.
“The Prince of Wales managed to make every single one of them feel as special as they are.”
Kate went on to reveal Derek would be returning to hospital once again on Monday (03.07.15) but she remains thrilled he was able to be there for her special moment.
She added: “Tomorrow Derek is back in hospital and of course the daily struggles go on – but the fact that he was able to be part of Wednesday is to be treasured and I can’t thank everyone in the NHS and all around him who love him for making it possible … ”
Kate previously opened up about the experience in a chat with ITV News revealing Derek burst into tears when he locked eyes with the Prince of Wales. She said “He [Prince William] was lovely, and he said he was very pleased to give it to me. “He asked me how Derek is, and I said that he’s here and then they looked at each other and Derek burst into tears. “Derek’s been very emotional all day today, saying ‘I’m so proud’. It’s a lovely thing.”

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — ‘Made in Chelsea’ star Olivia Bentley is “done” dating Chelsea boys.
The 27-year-old reality star and her 24-year-old co-star Tristan Phipps were in an on/off relationship from 2020 until May this year, and Olivia admits she’s better off single than dating another Chelsea boy.
She told OK! magazine: “I think that’s where I’ve gone wrong – no more Chelsea boys!
“I think I’m going to stay single for a bit. I need someone to calm me down…”
The pair split up three times, but she believes the romance has run its course.
She continued: “We’ve done it three times before so it doesn’t get easier but I am alright.
“It’s for the best. We’ve given it a good old go.”
Tristan moved into her Chelsea pad last year and they were even talking about starting a family.
Olivia hasn’t ruled out settling down in the future, but it won’t be with her ex.
She said: “So I probably won’t have babies with Tristan, but with someone else for sure.”
And it’s not on the cards anytime soon with the star not getting broody by her friends’ babies.
Olivia insisted: “I’m not in a rush for any. There’s enough people around me having kids, I’ll just hang out with them for five minutes and then remind myself why I’m not at that stage. I think as much as everyone around me is having babies, it hasn’t made me want them yet.”
The blonde beauty insisted their romance ended “very amicably” and she wishes him well.
Confirming their latest split in May, Olivia wrote on her Instagram Stories: “Just to clear this up and put a stop to all the comments and messages.
“Tristan and I are no longer together.
“It ended very amicably and I do wish him all the best.”
In November, Olivia insisted marriage and children with Tristan were “on the cards”.
She told MailOnline at the time: “I’d love a ring on my finger. We do speak about it. I don’t know if I’m in a rush to have kids yet. I do want them, but probably not in the next year. But I mean, I’d love to get engaged.
“I think some guys get a bit nervous talking about that sort of thing but we’ve very much discussed our future. We’ll be together and marriage and kids will be on the cards.”
Speaking about their living arrangement at the time, Olivia said: “It’s actually been really good, shockingly. I mean … the day we moved in, there was nearly a breakup!
“But no, it’s been really nice. I think he’s a hoarder. He had boxes and boxes of just rubbish and I was like, ‘I need to put my foot down about this.’
“He just needs things from his … like he’s trying to move all his tinfoil and his cling film. And I was like, ‘We don’t need that!’ Lots of strange things.
“But then he does hold onto very sweet things. Like if I’ve ever written him a little note. He’ll hold on to it.”

Source: VacationHunter.Online