Showbiz Newswrap
Showbiz 10: ‘If you ever touch me again, I’ll break your f***ing arm’
From Ruth Langsford to Michael Parkinson its this week’s Showbiz 10.
It’s our ten to one Showbiz newswrap as we enter November 9th 2020.
Positive message
Susannah Constantine, one half of the Trinny and Susannah fashion duo, has spoken about being a recovering alcoholic.
The former What Not to Wear host and make-over expert spoke about ‘shame’ when hiding her problems and it was a great help to acknowledge being an alcoholic. Susannah went on to explain, in the My Mate Bought a Toaster podcast, that she has been sober for nearly seven years.
“It’s not something I’ve spoken about before really, but it’s important. I’m in recovery, so I’m an alcoholic and I’ve been in recovery for nearly seven years now… As an addict, often what you would do, and certainly what I did, I would put all my own defects – I would find someone else to attach them to.
“And so I thought my husband was passive-aggressive, but actually I was the one who was passive-aggressive.”
Staged reunion
Former EastEnders actress Tamzin Outhwaite is teaming up with current Albert Square regular Max Bowden as they reunite on Bowden’s forthcoming theatrical project.
The Haunting of Alice Bowles, a supernatural thriller is being staged by the Original Theatre Company for online viewing.
Outhwaite played the late Mel Owen in the series for two stints in 1998-2002 and again from 2018-2019. Bowden is the most recent actor to portray troubled Ben Mitchell.
Fawlty Tweet
Actor and comedy star John Cleese caused a bit of a stir on social media when speaking about Donald Trump losing the presidential election.
The Monty Python legend Tweeted about the outgoing US president, noting – as many others have – it is unlikely the orange-tanned leader of the free world will not concede defeat.
Trump supporters however were left reaching for their virtual pistols when he added “White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows has Covid 19 And they tried to hush it up. I suspect Trump’s been dead for two days at least. Probably shot himself when Murdoch dumped him.”
Potty parenting
Former Coronation Street actress Helen Flanagan has taken to social media to defend herself against accusations she is ‘lazy’. The criticism came when the performer and model – most recently seen fronting her own Pour Moi range – told her followers how she’s only just started to potty train her nearly three-year-old daughter Delilah.
Helen, currently pregnant with her third child, said on Instagram that ‘she suffers from hyperemesis gravidarum.’ “Going back to potty training this month and lockdown. I really do not like potty training at all… I would have done it earlier with Delilah Pops but I’ve been so unwell.”
I’m a Celebrity 2020
Last evening ITV unleashed the names for I’m A Celebrity 2020, this year coming from the glamorous world of a Welsh castle.
The well-known names this year of the ten participants are former Family Fortunes presenter Vernon Kay, BBC News face Victoria Derbyshire, ex-EastEnders’ actor Shane Richie and Jessica Plummer, Coronation Street icon Beverley Callard, Paralympic Gold Medallist Hollie Arnold MBE and Olympic winner Sir Mo Farah CBE.
There’s also making up the numbers Radio 1 DJ Jordan North, podcaster Giovanna Fletcher and Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer AJ Pritchard.
The latter, according to The Sun, is self isolating with his girlfriend Abbie Quinnen near the I’m A Celeb castle following testing positive for Covid-19. ‘Despite the pandemic bosses were determined to press ahead with this year’s 20th series, hosted by Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly.’ The tabloid noted.
AJ is hoping to be well enough for the launch show this coming Friday.
Bummer
Ruth Langsford talked about how Coronavirus has forced to visit her mum from behind a Perspex screen during the pandemic in a chat with OK! magazine.
The This Morning regular, alongside husband Eamonn Holmes, talked about her special bond with her elderly mum, who lives in assisted accommodation.
“We have a Perspex screen between us and I have to wear a mask, gloves and an apron… She’s been amazing, but she’s of that wartime generation… She’s 88, she’s very stoic about it all. But I do miss her.”
In other Ruth news she last week spoke about sexism in television. Commenting on Kate Thornton’s podcast, the former TSW continuity announcer, recalled her days in television before she switched from behind-the-scenes to presenting.
“I remember years ago before I was on TV, when I was a transmission assistant, we had to take these big trays of tea around at the evenings for the VT and telecine engineers… it was all men. We had a little kitchenette and for some reason it was deemed to be my job (as a) woman.
“I remember taking this tray round and a guy pinched my arse, and I literally put the tray down, I slapped his tea down, and said: ‘If you ever touch me again, I’ll break your f***ing arm’ and I marched out… It just came out.
“Maybe he was used to doing the old feely bum-bum and no-one would say anything, but he wasn’t banking on me.”
A plea from Price
Last week Katie Price was back in the newspapers, this time asking for help. The need for advice follows son Harvey putting on weight due to his Prader-Willi Syndrome, underactive thyroid and diabetes.
“Can anybody help I’m looking to rent a treadmill and rowing machine for Harvey that can take his weight – 28 and a half stone and other gym bits. Through lockdown I have to make sure he can exercise at home, please help, DM me.”
In the same week, Katie was left speechless when it came to light a mocking video had surfaced taking the micky out of Harvey and herself.
“I’ve been sent this disgusting racist mockery p**s taking video about me and Harvey mocking his disabilities. Clearly planned hence the face painting! Does anybody know these disgusting humans as I will be reporting this to the police. Words cannot describe how upset I am, this is so cruel. These people need reporting.” – Katie Price
In the video, a woman, dressed tartily, asks a man ‘blackfaced’ “If someone says something horrible to Harvey, what do we say?” to which the Harvey impersonator responds “Hello you c***s.”
By the end of the week fans were more concerned she was heading for a ‘mucky manson II’ when shots of her latest pad featured holes in the wall and falling plasterwork.
Not bewitched
Comedian Alex Brooker, who has hand and arm impairments, is one of many who have spoken about the ‘portrayal of disability’ in Anne Hathaway movie The Witches.
The Last Leg regular said that he was ‘sad’ that Hathaway’s Grand High Witch is portrayed with long fingers with two digits missing – not a feature of Roald Dah’s original story.
“As someone with missing fingers, it’s made me so sad to see how this is portrayed as something to be scared of.” – Alex speaking to the Daily Star
A spokesperson for Warner Bros. said ‘It was never the intention for viewers to feel that the fantastical, non-human creatures were meant to represent them. This film is about the power of kindness and friendship. It is our hope that families and children can enjoy the film and embrace this empowering, love-filled theme.’
Farewell
Norm Crosby, comedian Who Was Master of Malaprops, died aged 93, Uriah Heep performer Ken Hensley died aged 75 suddenly with his wife Monica at his side.
It was also goodbye to Australian actress Joy Westmore who passed away aged 88. Joy had been living with dementia. She is best known for her long-running role in Prisoner: Cell Block H, a part that was initially background and later moved to the centre of several storylines.
Men have bigger titters
Sir Michael Parkinson, who has interviewed some of the biggest names in showbiz across his six-decade career, has pondered those who make us laugh.
Parky, now 85, and happily given up flogging Sunlife insurance, told Stellar Magazine that men, in his view, have a better sense of humour.
“Most men I know are… very sensitive and also very funny. That’s the thing I like most about men. It’s a very contentious statement, but they’re much better than women in their sense of humour.
“There you are, that will get me – if I were on [any social media channels], I would be in trouble right now.”
This month marked the 25th anniversary of the death of ‘the UK’s first lady of comedy’ Marti Caine, who Parkinson hosted the BBC’s tribute programme to her in 1995 and said of her ‘she was a very singular woman’.
Other great female funny women include Victoria Wood, Dawn French and Janet Brown.
