Showbiz 5: Phil and Holly, Ofcom complaints and Jungle Queen

Can it be that a week has passed since we last chewed the beef over some celebrity tittle-tattle? Yes, it certainly is. So without a GB News-style five-minute opening rant, let’s just get right on into the action…

HOLLY V PHIL

After several ‘scandals’ with fellow This Morning presenter Philip Schofield, it seems Holly’s had enough. There have been issues concerning an off-screen member of staff that no one is allowed to talk about, there have been issues with Phil’s brother and how the former Going Live! presenter handled that, a ‘brave’ coming out, as well as a number of former guests and presenters seemingly having a distaste for the silver fox, ranging from Fern Britton, Amanda Holden and Ruth Langsford.

This week, amid rumours of a rift between the pair, Holly is said to have been left stunned when Philip went to The Sun newspaper and put out a statement saying she had always been ‘his rock’ and ‘the past few weeks had been difficult’.

“The statement came out of nowhere for Holly and it was upsetting. What a betrayal. It feels like he Phil is looking after himself here, with no regard for her. Holly has kept a dignified silence out of respect. Now she is seriously thinking about what to do next. Can she move forward with Phil? Probably not. That’s certainly what those who care for her are saying. How can he say she’s his rock and then put that statement out.” – a ‘This Morning source’ speaking to the Daily Mail

This Morning of course is bigger than any presenter which was shown when original hosts Richard Madeley and wife Judy Finnigan quit for Channel 4.

BANKS ON FREEDOM

‘Actor Stephen Tompkinson found not guilty of GBH after confronting drunk man outside his home’ stated the Sky News headline. It was baffling to many how it even got to court in the first place.

Stephen, who was living with his partner and her seven-year-old son when the incident occurred, said he came out of his house in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, at around 5.30 am after hearing “strange noises” to discover Karl Poole and a friend drunk at the bottom of his driveway on 30 May 2021.  Poole accused Stephen of punching him, leading to him falling to the ground and breaking his skull when his head hit the pavement.

‘Tompkinson called 999 after seeing the pair try to stand up and fall several times while drinking from a bottle of Jagermeister’ Sky News reported, continuing, ‘While waiting to be connected, Tompkinson went outside wearing pyjamas and a dressing gown and told the men who he was calling. He told the court the two “heavily intoxicated” men “took great objection to me complaining about them being there”… He said he put his hand out to stop Mr Poole from coming any further.’

Jurors at Newcastle Crown Court found Stephen not guilty of punching the drunk fool.

TERRIBLY RACIST

If a white person had said a family was ‘terribly black’ they’d have been cancelled quicker than a Scotrail train to Dumbarton. But it seems if its the other way round, to ITV at least, it’s perfectly fine. The organisation has been rather silent on the issues that arose from their coverage of the Royal Coronation of King Charles III.

It however isn’t fine with viewers and toothless/useless TV regulator Ofcom has been inundated with complaints about Adjoa Andoh’s comments leading to the incident becoming the most complained programme to Ofcom so far this year. Adjoa Andoh noted that the Buckingham Palace balcony was ‘terribly white.’ It would be, as its a white family… It’s not like the Oxo family where you can recast someone to tick a few diversity boxes larv…

The Mirror reports that Adjoa has now insisted that she didn’t mean to cause offence with her remarks, but it hasn’t stopped the record number of complaints.

Actor Terrence Hardiman, best known to older audiences for his long-running role in Granada Television’s Crown Court and with the youthful lot who edit TV and newspaper stories these days as Children’s BBC’s The Demon Headmaster, died aged 86.

Born in 1937 in east London, Hardiman studied English at the University of Cambridge, he performed for the university’s amateur dramatic club leading into professional roles. Other work includes on BBC school drama Grange Hill, Yorkshire Television’s Justice and Thames Television’s Minder.

KLASS ACT

Myleene Klass has won the pre-recorded South Africa-based series of I’m A Celeb. The ‘All Stars’ run saw past participants battle it out to become the ultimate jungle king or queen.

With the action relocating from Australia to South Africa, the contestants were pushed to their limits like never before. With no public vote, they competed against each other in a battle to become the first ever ‘I’m A Celebrity Legend’. Myleene previously took part in the sixth series of the show in 2006, finishing runner-up to Matt Willis.

“I’ve been in my element. I can’t believe what the jungle gave me first time and I’ve actually had the opportunity to relive it a second time round. It’s one of those things, it was so magical the first time you start thinking did I remember that as it was or have I recreated those memories?

“They say don’t go back to an ex and don’t go back to a reheated dinner. I thought to myself oh no, what if it’s not as good? And I’ve gone back into the bush and it’s been even bigger, more majestic, bigger trials. South Africa is vast. And it’s not been against any campmates, it’s been against the best of the best. It’s just been mind-blowing. Everything was as magical, very tough – challenging both mentally and physically – and something that I’ve loved throwing myself into.” – Klass