OHMYGOSSIP — ‘Match of the Day’ will air without presenters, pundits, or commentators on Saturday (11.03.23) night.
On Friday (10.03.23), the BBC announced Gary Lineker would be “stepping back” from the show following a row over impartiality – which began when he tweeted to criticise Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s asylum policy and likened the language used by ministers to “that used by Germany in the 30s” – and as a result, a number of his colleagues, including Ian Wright, Alan Shearer, Micah Richards, Alex Scott and Jermaine Jenas all said they would not appear on the programme either in a mark of solidarity.
And the BBC have now announced the football highlights show this week will instead “focus on match action”.
A spokesperson said in a statement: “Some of our pundits have said that they don’t wish to appear on the programme while we seek to resolve the situation with Gary.
“We understand their position and we have decided that the programme will focus on match action without studio presentation or punditry.”
As well as the presenters and pundits ruling themselves out of the show, commentators Steve Wilson, Conor McNamara, Robyn Cowen and Steven Wyeth shared a joint statement online, saying they “do not feel it would be appropriate to take part in the programme”.
They added: “As commentators on MOTD, we have decided to step down from (Saturday’s) broadcast.
“We are comforted that football fans who want to watch their teams should still be able to do so, as management can use World Feed commentary if they wish.
“However, in the circumstances, we do not feel it would be appropriate to take part in the programme.”
In addition, the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) have spoken to all Premier League clubs to establish a collective position after a number of players were believed to have sought advice on wishing to support Gary by not fulfilling media duties with the BBC after today’s games and have been told they will be given support, Sky News reports.
Following the news of Gary’s absence from the show, his friend Ian Wright was the first to say he would act in “solidarity”.
He tweeted: “Everybody knows what Match of the Day means to me, but I’ve told the BBC I won’t be doing it tomorrow. Solidarity.”
He was followed by Alan Shearer, who said: “I have informed the BBC that I won’t be appearing on MOTD tomorrow night”.
Jermaine and Micah both confirmed they weren’t “due to be working” on the show this weekend but wouldn’t appear if they were asked, while Alex tweeted a GIF of Bernie Sanders saying: “Nah! Not me.”
The BBC had said Gary would be “stepping back” until a “clear” position on the 62-year-old former footballer’s social media use was reached.
They said in a statement: “The BBC has been in extensive discussions with Gary and his team in recent days. We have said that we consider his recent social media activity to be a breach of our guidelines.
“The BBC has decided that he will step back from presenting ‘Match of the Day’ until we’ve got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media.
“When it comes to leading our football and sports coverage, Gary is second to none. We have never said that Gary should be an opinion-free zone, or that he can’t have a view on issues that matter to him, but we have said that he should keep well away from taking sides on party political issues or political controversies.”
Gary hasn’t directly commented on the news but his friend Dan Walker claimed on ‘5News’ he had received a text from him saying the BBC had “told” him to step back, rather than it being his decision.

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Dermot O’Leary will join a number of former ‘X Factor’ stars on a Comic Relief charity single.
The show’s former presenter is “front and centre” of the Red Nose Day track and is joined by some of the most memorable acts from the TV talent show’s 14-year run – which came to an end in 2018 – including Chico, Honey G and Stevi Ritchie.
Sadly, 2010 favourite Wagner was unable to get to the UK from Brazil to be part of the project.
A source told The Sun newspaper: “The X Factor has been off air for five years so what better time to bring back some of their most controversial acts.
“Comic Relief has created a band out of some of the singers and have put X Factor host Dermot front and centre.
“They spent this week ringing some of the show’s past performers and are enlisting the most memorable from the cast.
“Honey G the rapper from 2016 has filmed her part with Dermot, while Stevi Ritchie from 2014 has been approached — along with 2005 star Chico.
“It is the ultimate mega-mix of talent and they’ve got a real catchy hit in the works.
“Simon Cowell won’t be a fan of the end result but if it raises money for Comic Relief it’s definitely a winner.”
Meanwhile, it was revealed earlier this week that ‘X Factor’ boss Simon Cowell is in talks with Channel 5 to bring back the show.
A source said: “This would be a huge move for Simon, who carved out a TV career based on BGT and X Factor on Channel 5’s rival station.
“It would effectively see him turn his back on ITV after two decades which have seen him deliver them two of their biggest hits.
“There’s a strong sense that one chapter is ending and another beginning and Channel 5 are keen to be a part of that.”
However, it’s thought Channel 5 would need to pay a seven-figure sum to land Simon.
The insider added: “But they’d need to nail down a seven-figure contract to seal the deal to bring him across.”

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean are unable to perform on the ‘Dancing On Ice’ final for the first time in the show’s history.
The skating stars – who serve on the show’s judging panel alongside dancers Ashley Banjo and Oti Mabuse – won’t be taking to the ice as usual after Jayne ruptured a bicep tendon during rehearsals for the performance and hasn’t yet recovered sufficiently to be able to even put her skates on again.
She told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “I don’t think I have ever had an injury that’s stopped me doing what we were meant to be doing before.
“We were three days from recording this routine, we had been working on it for weeks and weeks, we were more than ready to perform it.
“It’s like something being snatched away from you in the last second.”
The pair’s new routine would have been skated to Lady Gaga’s ‘Hold My Hand’ and they hope fans will get to see it eventually.
Christopher said: “It’s not the end of us yet!”
Jayne added: “We are hopeful it will see the light of day next season,” says Jayne.
Next year marks the 40th anniversary of their famous ‘Bolero’ routine, which led to them winning Olympic gold in Sarajevo 1984, and fans could get to see them perform the routine again – for the last time.
Christopher said: “You never know, there might be some version of it. We will sit down and talk with ITV, 40 years on is a milestone, we would be silly to miss that.
“It may be the last time!”
Jayne explained the injury happened during a lift, which led to a “dramatic” fall.
She said: “I had kind of tweaked my arm the day before it happened and just felt a bit sore, you get these odd pulls and strains and work through them.
“We were doing a lift that was part of our routine, and I said to Chris ‘Maybe we won’t do this today, this might pull on the tendon,’ and he said OK, and then I said ‘No, it’ll be fine, let’s just do it’ – and I felt it ping, it pinged like an elastic band and it was extremely painful.”
Her skating partner added: “Jayne came out of the lift in an awkward fashion, and I couldn’t help her, so we ended up crashing down into the edge of the ice rink, it was quite a dramatic exit. As you get older, falls hurt more, that’s for sure.”

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Christine McGuiness “worries” about her autistic children.
The 34-year-old TV star has twins Penelope and Leo, nine, as well as seven-year-old Felicity with ex-husband Paddy McGuinness and was diagnosed with the neurodevelopmental condition herself last year but admitted that the more she learns about the disorder, the more she is able to “understand it.”
She told The Sunday Mirror’s S Magazine: “It’s better if you are prepared. I worry about my three autistic children. but the more I understand autism, the less scared I am because I can prepare for those things. I’m looking out for things that other parents might not look for because I know what to expect. I’ve lived through it myself but I’m researching and I am understanding it so much more now. ”
The former ‘Real Housewives of Cheshire’ star went on to add that awareness is the key to feeling “less scared” about autism as she insisted that she wants the “next generation” to be more clued up about what may happen to them in terms of autism.
It’s less scary if you are aware that your daughter might be at a higher risk of having episodes of feeling at a really low point when she is a teenager or at any point throughout her life. It can happen to anybody but if you know there’s more of a risk if your child is autistic, then you can be more prepared to deal with it. I want the next generation to be more aware of things that might happen to them.”

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Joey Essex and Vanessa Bauer have “fallen for each other.”
The 32-year-old reality star is currently taking part in the ITV1 skating competition alongside professional partner Vanessa, 26,- who hails from Germany – and an insider has claimed that the pair are smitten although neither of them is sure that they want a “long term relationship.”
A source told The Sunday Sun newspaper: “Vanessa and Joey have really fallen for each other but neither are sure if they want a long-distance relationship. t is going to come as a huge shock for the pair. Joey might be smitten, but he has a busy work schedule in the UK and doesn’t speak German.”
The comments come just days after it was claimed that the former ‘TOWIE’ star This time I’ve got Joey with me. Obviously we have a bond like I didn’t
have with any of my other partners. It’s going to be special.
“I think it would be nice to see what’s going on on the outside – we’re
mainly interested in the ice rink to be honest.”
During the ‘Dancing on Ice’ Movie Week, Joey seemed to confirm claims they were dating when he planted a kiss on Vanessa’s lips – prompting her to lean away and look flustered.
Joey said about the moment: “I had asked Vanessa probably over 10 times,
‘You wouldn’t pull away would you? You want me to kiss you right?’ And she goes, ‘Yeah I want you to kiss me.’”
The pair have been romantically linked since they started rehearsals for the show and have been spotted spending time together.
Joey and Vanessa are set to go up against former Olympic gymnast Nile Wilson and his professional partner Olivia Smart as well as Drag Race UK
star The Vivienne and skater Colin Grafton in the show final on Sunday
(12.03.23), after
The Wanted singer Siva Kaneswaran and ‘Coronation Street’ actress Mollie Gallagher were last week voted off during a semi-final double elimination.

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — The Vivienne has a “mutual love of shiny things” with Holly Willoughby on ‘Dancing on Ice.’
The 30-year old drag queen is currently taking part in the ITV1 skating competition and ahead of Sunday’s (12.03.23) final, admitted that she and Holly – who hosts the show alongside Phillip Schofield -have a passion for fashion and that she has also been on nights out with judge Oti Mabuse.
She told The Sunday Mirror newspaper: “When we skated to Evita, Holly said ‘Oh my God, I love that dress!” Me and Holly have found our mutual love of shiny things.
“Oti has out-dragged me a couple of times this season. She’s fabulous.”
The former ‘Ru Paul’s Drag Race’ winner – whose real name is James Lee Williams – went on to joke that new would never fit into one of Holly’s dresses as she noted that she is “blessed” to be taking part and explained that the broadcaster have been including drag queens for years, with the likes of Paul O’Grady’s alter ego Lily Savage having been a fixture on the channel in the late 1990s.
She added: “One of Holly’s dresses would probably fit on my thigh so I’ll take two. I’m taking all the outfits with me. I’m so blessed ITV have put me on. They’ve been doing it for years with Lily Savage. It’s nothing new. But I’m honoured to fly the flag.
“We have inspired youngsters, who are watching us and copying us. ‘All I can say about my final routine is that it’s the ‘Hunger Games’ of ‘Dancing on Ice’.
“Dancing on Ice’ has given me a new lease of life. I’m going to start driving and learn to play the piano

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Brian Dowling thinks it is “important” that fans hear from his sister Aoife after she carried his baby,
The 44-year-old TV star welcomed Blake Maria Rose with husband Arthur Gourounlian last September after his sister carried the baby via surrogate and is now fronting a documentary to showcase the journey and explained that there was “no legislation” for surrogacy in his home country.
He told Chic magazine: “I think that we wanted to do the documentary to kind of showcase what it was like, in this day and age, to have a baby through surrogacy – especially in Ireland, in a country at the time where there was no legislation regarding surrogacy, and from a same-sex couple.
“Surrogacy affects loads of families. And I think that people probably won’t realise how emotional it really was and what goes in to all of that.
“They’re going to get a chance to hear from Aoife, to see her being interviewed and going about her day.”
Brian – who shot to fame when he won ‘Big Brother’ in 2001 – went on to add that while the process of the shoot was not “nerve-wracking”, it was still “scary” because he and his husband had to consider how “vulnerable” they would appear to be on camera.
He added: “Obviously, it’s part of the jobs that we do I started in reality TV when I won Big Brother in 2001. So it wasn’t that (it was nerve-wracking). What was scary was how open are we going to be? How vulnerable are we going to be? And how much are we going to share? But I think that we shared the right amount. We feel like being vulnerable can be a good thing, showing the emotion and how you’re feeling.” Arthur told how when they began the filming process, they said that “either we’re going to go in 100% or nothing!”
‘Brian and Arthur’s Very Modern Family’ airs on Monday March 13.

Source: VacationHunter.Online

OHMYGOSSIP — Gary Lineker will reportedly return to the BBC next weekend after a deal was struck to get him back on air.
The footballer-turned-TV host was asked to step back from presenting flagship football show ‘Match of the Day’ last week in a row over impartiality after he tweeted criticism of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s policy on refugees – prompting a mass walk out of BBC pundits and presenters who stood by him – but now a new report suggests he will be back to present the BBC’s coverage of next weekend’s FC Cup fixtures.
A source told The Sun newspaper: “Gary will be back to host the BBC’s FA Cup coverage. A deal has been struck … the details of the deal are unclear at this stage.”
The row kicked off when Lineker took to Twitter to comment on video of Home Secretary Suella Braverman in which she presented a plan to detain migrants who crossed the Channel in small boats or remove them to either their country of origin or a safe third state within 28 days.
Lineker likened the language used by ministers to “that used by Germany in the 30s” and was later asked to step aside from hosting ‘Match of the Day’ for seemingly breaching the organisation’s rules on impartiality.
As a result, a number of his colleagues, including Ian Wright, Alan Shearer, Micah Richards, Alex Scott and Jermaine Jenas all said they would not appear on the BBC either in a mark of solidarity.
BBC bosses decided to air the programme as a highlights show without any presenters or commentary.
A spokesperson said in a statement: “Some of our pundits have said that they don’t wish to appear on the programme while we seek to resolve the situation with Gary. “We understand their position and we have decided that the programme will focus on match action without studio presentation or punditry.”
As well as the presenters and pundits ruling themselves out of the show, commentators Steve Wilson, Conor McNamara, Robyn Cowen and Steven Wyeth shared a joint statement online, saying they did not feel “it would be appropriate to take part in the programme”. They added: “As commentators on MOTD, we have decided to step down from (Saturday’s) broadcast. “We are comforted that football fans who want to watch their teams should still be able to do so, as management can use World Feed commentary if they wish. “However, in the circumstances, we do not feel it would be appropriate to take part in the programme.”
As well as having ‘Match of the Day’ cut back, bosses were forced to scrap planned episodes of ‘Football Focus’ and ‘Final Score’ while BBC Radio 5Live’s football coverage over the weekend was also axed as presenters including Mark Chapman declined to take part.

Source: VacationHunter.Online