Showbiz Newswrap
From Hancock to broken rings
RING A DING
Former Coronation Street actress Helen Flanagan is said to have broken off her engagement to Scott Sinclair after her engagement ring ‘snapped’ earlier this year, the Metro paper reported. They noted that the Rosie Webster performer ‘has reportedly split from footballer fiancé Scott and was later pictured at the National Television Awards without her engagement ring.’
Helen – who is said to be into ‘all things spiritual’ – called things off with Scott after her engagement ring ‘snapped’.
Nothing worse than a damaged ring.
MATT HANCOCK DEFENDS IAC APPEARANCE
Matt Hancock has defended taking part in I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! while serving as an MP, claiming it is a great way to “engage with voters” reported AOL News. The former health secretary, who during Covid was having an affair while we were all locked up and not able to have random cock fun, is as popular as Rolf Harris at a Children’s party.
ITV confirmed this year’s line up as:
1980s singer – Boy George
Coronation Street regular – Sue Cleaver
Hollyoaks actor – Owen Warner
TV Presenter & Property Expert – Scarlette Douglas
Ex-England Rugby Player – Mike Tindall MBE
Loose Women host and ITV News journalist – Charlene White
Radio broadcaster- Chris Moyles
England Lioness – Jill Scott MBE
Comedian – Babatúndé Aléshé
TV Personality – Olivia Attwood
Returning to its home in Australia after a two-year break, the celebrities will leave their plush pads and luxuries far behind as they spend up to three weeks taking on the Australian jungle with a whole host of surprises created just for them. Ant and Dec oversee the proceeding as usual.
DOCTORS
Speaking to BBC One’s Morning Live actress Wendi Peters revealed she’s joining the Beeb’s medical saga Doctors. Best-known for playing Cilla Battersby-Brown – mother of Chesney and Fiz – in Coronation Street she will return to the Birmingham-based production after playing the one-off character Nicky Connelly last year.
She won’t however be reprising that part with Wendy noting she’ll be a regular as newcomer Dr Nina.
“I’m having a brilliant time,” she said on Morning Live (Nov 2nd). “I’ve been here two or three weeks now and just settling in to playing Dr Nina.”
Wendy went on to talk about how Nina is nothing like her former soap character, the loud-mouth Cilla. “I’m absolutely thrilled that she’s very, very different, Dr Nina is very well brought up. She’s the daughter of two solicitors and she’s a GP, and she was married to a consultant who unfortunately passed away from a stroke. She’s just set on entering into Letherbridge with a mission. She knows what she wants and hopefully she’ll get it.”
The Beeb announced that comments by the BBC News presenter Martine Croxall breached its rules on impartiality. The remarks were made during the News Channel’s newspaper review on 23 October, soon after Boris Johnson said he wouldn’t stand to be Tory leader.
The corporation notes that Martine’s “remarks and reactions… caused a significant risk the audience could believe opinions were being expressed on the Conservative leadership contest,”. Croxall returned to presenting on the news channel after a short absence on November 4th.
During the programme on 23 October, the front pages of the papers were being rapidly rewritten, and Croxall said it was “all very exciting” and asked if she was allowed to “be this gleeful”.
GB News breakfast host Eamonn Holmes will not return to the morning show until 2023 The Mirror reported. The former face of GMTV and Sky News will remain off air until the new year following ‘a horror fall’ the newspaper noted, adding ‘ The veteran broadcaster, 62, had previously been off the airwaves after undergoing an operation in September in a bid to ease the “pain and restrictions” he had been suffering from for over 18 months.’
The Mirror adds, ‘However, the former This Morning presenter has faced yet another health setback after having a fall and fracturing his shoulder at his Surrey home. The latest blow for Eamonn has caused him to go under the knife once again just weeks after the surgery on his spine but despite initially feeling “gutted”, he’s reportedly on the mend now.’
QUICKIES
Coronation Street star Cherylee Houston has collected her MBE for services in the disabled community. The actress, known for her role as Izzy Armstrong also picked up her award for services to drama, collecting her MBE from Princess Royal at Buck House.
Blue singer Lee Ryan has revealed he’s become a dad for the fourth time. The Sun noted that ‘the 39-year-old surprised fans overnight with a TikTok video announcing wife Verity Paris had given birth to a baby girl.’
Russell T Davies has noted that the drama Nolly will use real footage from the soap Noele Gordon starred in, Crossroads. He observed that scenes of the infamous motel fire in 1981 would be used in the forthcoming ITV drama about the career of Noele who died in 1985 aged 65. Speaking to the Radio Times he said “The [ATV] producers spent a lot of money on it. It’s actually a spectacular inferno. We were certain we couldn’t match it, and its perfect so why try to improve it?”
Aaron Carter, singer and brother of Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter, has died aged 34, his representative has confirmed. The US musician opened for the boy band on several tours and concerts, and he also had a successful solo career, releasing numerous albums as a child.
