Singer Alanis Morissette has spoken very candidly about her incredibly challenging experience with postpartum depression.

The Jagged Little Pill star has three children with her husband husband, Mario "Souleye" Treadway, Ever, 15, Onyx, 10 and seven-year-old Winter.

She refers to what happened to her after the birth of her children as "postpartum activity." Speaking to host Alex Cooper during an appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Alanis explains, "It's not just depression."

She continues, "From my experience, each postpartum experience gets increasingly harder." However, she wanted to be a mother so much that she had more children after her first experience of postpartum depression.

"I just wanted to meet my kids so badly, so I kept going," she says with honesty, although did hope that it wouldn't happen with each subsequent pregnancy.

Recalling how the depression made her feel, the singer says, "Basically, I became another person."

She continues, "All the hormones are all over the place, so there's some version of menopausal flux combined with depression."

Alanis also experienced "invasive thoughts that are so harrowing," and felt "ceaseless" and "terrible." Other emotions she felt were anxiety and rage that were "off the charts."

Trying to give an understanding of just how it felt, she shares, "I felt completely out of control." Yet at the same time, she was touring, working and "taking care of finances and everything," while trying to manage such a difficult condition.

When asked how she made sense of her symptoms when she first began to notice them, Alanis recalls feeling let down. One therapist even advised her to just put her hands over her eyes "when things get bad."

After her first child, the singer delayed getting help, choosing instead to "white knuckle it out."

She waited one year and two months after her first birth to ask for help, eight months after the second, and three days after her third birth - by her third baby, she knew "I'm not doing this again" and got help quickly.

Still working after each child, Alanis recalls that at some points, "I dipped into psychosis, it was a wild ride."

The star has experienced bouts of depression for most of her life, and says she could manage that aspect of her postpartum activity.

The most challenging parts were "the invasive thoughts and the terror." She explains, "All I could picture was death and terrible things. I was losing people's trust in my sanity - that's a bummer."

Asked what she'd learned about the mindset of waiting before asking for help, Alanis says, "Gen X does it, and women do it - this invisible load - it's not going to be invisible anymore, we're making it visible."

"Let's name it," she says enthusiastically, adding, "Even calling it invisible keeps it invisible. It's the load."

She has thoughts on how women can be better supported through their postpartum period. "We need to go back to how we used to live, which is honouring the female endocrine system as a spiritual practice," she says.

She adds, "When a woman is with child, she's surrounded by 30 women and they're giving you broth, and they're cleaning your home and they're holding your baby and they're holding you."

However, instead of this happening, the singer believes women are left completely alone, become invisible, and are made to feel guilty for not be "aesthetically pleasing" fast enough after birth.

The following content contains descriptions of childhood abuse and trauma that some readers might find distressing.

Ruthie Henshall has been a theatre star and TV personality for 40 years, dominating the West End and Broadway and winning a prestigious Laurence Olivier Award.

While audiences have flocked to see her perform for decades, the star has now revealed she's been living with a devastating condition that developed as a result of childhood trauma.

"I haven’t had full brows since I was 10, when I started to ritualistically pull out my eyelashes and eyebrows," Ruthie tells The Telegraph. She adds, "I suffer from trichotillomania (or trich), a compulsive form of hair pulling."

The actress explains that people with the condition "pull hair from their head, eyebrows or eyelashes" and "women are affected by it 10 times more than men."

Ruthie shares that having trich "has caused me enormous distress for most of my life." Being in an industry that values looks, she has often struggled to cover up the condition, making up excuses for her missing eyebrows and lashes, wondering if people "can tell I’m lying."

She says that even on the occasions she's been truthful about her condition and has been offered compassion and understanding, "the shame persists."

Now, after having "hidden it at all costs," Ruthie is speaking out about the condition to "take away the shame for so many others" who are living with it.

Devastatingly, Ruthie developed trich after suffering abuse at the hands of a family member as a child. "I was hiding a secret that has impacted my entire life," she shares, adding, "An uncle by marriage abused me. The first time was when I was six, and it was pretty violent."

She kept what happened to herself, and didn't reveal it to her parents until she was in her 30s. The relative in question is no longer alive.

Afterwards, Ruthie "didn't want to become attractive to men" and was "horrified" when she hit puberty and her body began to change.

Her own home also felt unsafe to her as a child, with her mother suffering from issues with alcohol. "My childhood was full of drunken rows, domestic violence and suicide threats," she recalls.

Pulling out her eyebrows and lashes then became a calming compulsion to a child dealing with so much trauma. "Trich has a high overlap with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety and depression," she says.

Ruthie adds, "It happens when I’m bored, restless and, before I realise it, my hand is up to my eyelashes and eyebrows."

When her mother noticed what she was doing, she shouted at her and made her daughter wear gloves in a bid to prevent the pulling.

Of course, this method didn't work because Ruthie was suffering from a mental illness and wasn't able to stop without specialist intervention, although she has never managed to find a professional who can help.

Explaining her compulsion, the actress shares, "It has to be a single eyelash or brow hair at a time. The thickest, strongest one. You can’t pull out a clump, willy-nilly."

She continues, "It's impossible to stop even if your eyelids bleed. If it doesn’t hurt, it’s not satisfying. Only when I’ve pulled them all out can I relax.

"Sometimes I place the root between my teeth to strip the root from the sheath. But then I think, 'This must look repulsive,' Which brings immense sadness. So I have hidden it at all costs."

In adulthood, the longest Ruthie has ever managed to hold back her compulsion is six months. "I’ve seen so many experts over the years," she says, but none have been able to help.

"You feel so deflated. With most addictions, you can stop. I went to 12-step programmes for years myself. But there is no cure for this," she says.

The actress has spent time worrying she might've "passed down" the condition to her two daughters, and wishes there was more support available for sufferers.

"Over the years, I’ve spoken to other people with trich, and they feel the same shame. I wish it was like Alcoholics Anonymous, where you have a sponsor, somebody to phone or text and say, 'I’m in the middle of a pulling session,'" she says candidly.

Ruthie still "dreams" of someone telling her they can "fix" her, concluding, "I suppose it goes back to my childhood when I was desperate for someone to make me feel safe."

The NHS advice for those with trich says, "Trich is commonly treated using a type of CBT called habit reversal training. This aims to help you replace a bad habit with something that's not harmful."

They say, "It may also help to open up about your trich to people you trust, as hiding it can sometimes make your anxiety worse.

"Many people who have learned to manage their trich say that speaking to others about the condition led to a reduction in hair pulling."

There is information on treatments and self-help advice on the OCD UK website.

Kate Hudson might have shown she was once capable of losing a man in 10 days, but it turns out she needs a bit longer to make it down the aisle with one.

On a recent episode of the podcast she shares with her brother, actor Oliver Hudson, Kate shared that she’s still in no rush to get married, even if her fiancée, actor and composer Danny Fujikawa, did put a ring on it. Five years ago.

The Running Point actress shared the surprising, and perhaps incredibly relatable, reasons why they’ve still not got any further with the wedding planning, telling her brother it’s just “too expensive” and there’s too much planning involved juggling guestlists and all the admin.

On the episode of their podcast, Sibling Revelry, Kate and Oliver were joined by guests, sisters Joey King and Hunter King. When the conversation got on to weddings, Joey chimed in that there’s always more expenses than you can realise, citing the cost of her flowers as something that surprised her.

Kate replied, "That’s part of why I don’t want to get married = it’s too expensive. I just want hors d’oeuvres. I wanna do, like, chips and salsa."

She also said on the episode, "I still am not married. I’m just engaged, and I keep thinking about the wedding, like what are we gonna do. And then every time we start thinking about who we have to invite, Danny’s like, 'I just want a small wedding.’

"I’m like, ‘Our family alone is like 50 people.' There’s a million kids. There’s a million uncles and aunts and cousins."

Kate comes from a large blended family. As well as brother Oliver, who comes from Goldie Hawn’s relationship to their father, Bill Hudson, they have their brothers from Goldie's relationship to Kurt Russell, Wyatt and Boston Russell.

Kate and Oliver also discovered they had other half siblings from their father Bill - a sister, Emily, and a brother, Zachary.

Perhaps proving Kate’s point, Oliver shared how he handled the guestlist for his wedding to wife, Erinn Bartlett, in 2006.

He recalled, "My wedding was controversial with my wife, because we did it in Mexico. We only had 80 people. I did not want to meet anyone at my wedding for the first time. So, I said to Erinn, ‘Look, your girlfriends from high school - I get it, they’re your girlfriends, but, I’m sorry, the husbands can’t come.'

"Maybe I’m an a**hole, but I don’t want to be like, ‘Congratulations,’ ‘Hi, what’s your name? Doug? Really nice to meet you.'"

The Almost Famous actress has spoken about not feeling in a hurry to walk down the aisle before. In 2025, she told Drew Barrymore on her talk show, "I like the idea of being engaged forever. The contractual thing is tough for me. I like my freedom."

It’s perhaps not surprising that Kate - who has been married once before, to Chris Robinson - doesn’t feel the need to make things so formal to have her relationship feel as concrete. Kate’s mum, movie icon Goldie Hawn, has been with her partner, fellow acting legend Kurt Russell, for over 40 years, and the pair have never exchanged vows or even get engaged.

Of their decades-long commitment to one another without feeling the need to get married, Goldie told Entertainment Tonight, "We thought that by getting married that was actually going to take something from both of us that we didn't want. We want to choose each other every day."

Sara Cox has said that she's "really enjoying" not sharing a bed with her husband at the moment, also offering her thoughts on another unusual living arrangement - staying in an entirely different house to your partner.

The conversation began after a listener of her The Teen Commandments podcast got in touch with a question to be read out on the show.

The listener says, "What are your thoughts on married couples living in separate houses? My dad and his wife don't currently live together but are planning on moving in soon"

They continue, "My dad however, likes their current setup of living apart. So I'm asking for an outsider's opinion."

Sara doesn't waste any time in sharing, "As a woman whose really enjoying not sharing a bed with my husband at the moment because I'm getting up early for breakfast and I need my sleep, I think it's quite healthy to have a bit of time [apart]."

Saying that she's "obsessed" with getting a good rest each night, sleeping separately from husband Ben is clearly working out for the presenter at the moment.

However, going as far as living in completely different houses, Sara isn't quite so sure. "Separate houses might be pushing it," she says after pondering for a moment.

Her podcast co-host, Clare Hamilton, has entirely different thoughts on the matter. "Definitely separate houses - I don't ever want to live with a husband if we get married," she says matter-of-factly.

After asserting she'd definitely not want to live with a partner, Sara asks her friend how far away she'd want a person she was in a relationship with to live. "The next road? The next county?" she asks with a chuckle.

"In another country is absolutely fine, I'm not bothered," is Clare's candid and hilarious answer, as she adds, "It would make a very happy marriage for me."

The subject of bed sharing (or not) and living arrangements that don't involve the couples being under the same roof can often evoke quite strong opinions for both options.

However, everyone commenting when the clip of the conversation was shared to Instagram, overwhelmingly agreed with Clare that living in different houses was absolutely the key to a happy relationship.

One person wrote, "I completely agree with Clare. Having lived with men and now been single for some time. I need my peace. Should I meet a man in the future he better work away or be happy for us to have our own places."

Another added their lived experience, sharing, "That’s how my partner and I live, a five minute walk away from each other. It’s the best relationship I’ve ever had!"

Another added to the conversation by saying, "I’ve been single for 5 years now and swear I’ll never live with anyone again. I’d let them come round and possibly stay a night, but it’s a bit like going to the beach - leave no trace please."

It felt like the whole world grieved Dolly Parton’s passing, but there were only a handful of people who were there at the end of her life.

In her first interview since losing her sister, Stella Parton has offered a moving insight into Dolly’s final moments, why she kept her health battle a secret, and revealed more about the “unique” relationship between Dolly and her elusive husband, Carl Dean.

Speaking to CBS host Gayle King, Stella revealed that Dolly was “at peace” and “prepared” to go in those final moments - but she had been left broken-hearted by the shape in which her husband of 59 years reached before his own death in 2025.

Dolly herself acknowledged that she had neglected her own health when she was caring for Carl in his final days, and Stella has shared just the effect it had on her sister. “I know their relationship was very unique and very deep and loyal.

“I think it broke her heart to see him in the shape that he got to before he passed away. But I don’t think that’s what made her sick. I think my sister worked so hard for so long and just kept going. Even to the last conversation I had with her, she was working. That was her passion.”

Carl was famously Dolly’s rock for over six decades, having first met in 1964, but he eschewed the public eye for that whole time. Only those closest to the icon knew what he was really like.

Stella revealed, “He adored her. He was fascinated with her. He thought she was funny, like Tinkerbell - and he was quiet and shy.”

She continued, “He would have rather her be at the house with her hair up in a ponytail, and barefooted, cooking in the kitchen and just messing around the house. I think that’s what he would have preferred.

“He loved her enough to let her be what she was. That’s how I see it.”

Sharing more about Dolly’s final says, Stella reassured fans that Dolly “was at peace… I could always tell by looking at her face, even if I hadn’t seen her in months.”

Her passing after a brief battle with cancer seemed to take everyone by surprise, and Stella has shared that was Dolly’s wish - to stop people worrying about her. “Dolly could not bear negative things and she would not have wanted her fans worried about it.

“She didn’t want a lot of the family worried about it. Some of us knew, the ones that were closer, but not every relative.”

Of her sister’s legacy, Stella said, “She’d be really happy and delighted that people have shown her so much love because she knew that that would make us feel better as her family.”

Pauline Quirke was diagnosed with young-onset dementia in 2021 at the age of 61, but chose to keep her condition private until her family made the news public in January 2025.

Her husband Steve Sheen, and son, Charlie Quirke, have occasionally offered insights into her health since the news broke, but Charlie has now offered a fresh update on his mum's health.

Charlie, also an actor, appeared on Lorraine to speak to host Lorraine Kelly about the "hopeful" campaign he's taking part in with Alzheimer's Research UK, called The First One.

The campaign is built around the belief that the first person to be cured of Alzheimer’s could already be alive, and puts "a positive light on something that doesn't have lot of positivity," as Charlie says.

When asked how his mum is, Charlie shares, "She's great. Every day is different and that's part of our journey but we still do as much as we can."

While photos of a smiling Pauline are shown on screen, Charlie adds that as a family they "still go out to lunch," and that his mum still watches football with him. "She still watches all the games," he says.

He continues sweetly, "We've got such a close family unit, that helps us on our journey," concluding, "touch wood, she's happy."

Charlie has spent time talking to people who knew his mum well, sharing that he's learned what a high opinion others had of her in the process.

"She's just an absolute legend," he says, adding, "exactly what everyone would expect of Pauline Quirke and she's what I expected of my mum."

Since Pauline's diagnosis, Charlie has raised around £330,000 for Alzheimer's research, and raised some of the funds by taking part in a 150km trek and completing a marathon.

"The reason I'm doing this and being an ambassador for Alzheimer's UK is for my beautiful mum and for other people going through the same thing," he says, adding that Pauline is with him "every step of the way."

Speaking of Alzheimer's as a condition, Charlie says, "We're getting closer to a cure," with Lorraine suggesting, "It's true - it could be a newborn baby or it could be somebody older than that," who are cured of the degenerative condition in the future.

Charlie says that his family feel very supported by the public and fans of Pauline. "We really do feel the love and affection, and we're very fortunate for how close we are as a family."

He adds that as a family unit, along with both his parents they spend "so much time together" every day.

He concludes by thanking the public for their "love and support," and for the messages they send which have been "incredible."

Fans of The Game were surprised to get a second season of the Channel 5 thriller, when it looked like the fates of Huw and Patrick were well and truly sealed when the credits rolled on the season 1 finale.

Season 1 saw shamed former detective Huw Miller (Jason Watkins) on a mission to prove his neighbour Patrick Harbottle (Robson Green) was The Ripton Stalker.

The serial killer stalked his victims for months before taking their life, and most people didn't believe Huw's theory about Patrick being responsible had any substance. Patrick enjoyed toying with Huw and playing mind games with his adversary, expertly hiding his identity as the true killer.

However, when it turns out Huw was right and proved it, the series ended with Patrick facing prison but managing to stab Patrick in their final showdown.

With Huw seemingly dead and Patrick finally getting what he deserved, even the cast were shocked to return for a second outing. But audiences are glad they did, because it's been another fantastic ride.

Season 2 picks up two years later, and determined to mentally and emotionally destroy Huw, Patrick manages to continue playing deadly games with him, even from his prison cell.

Their terrifying cat-and-mouse dynamic continued, with Patrick having Huw's daughter stalked and his wife killed, until season 2 reached another shocking climax - let's break it down.

The Game season 2 ending explained

During the season 2 finale, a case had been built against Patrick for the murder of Jonathan Bower, after his wife believed he could've been one of Patrick's first victims.

Jonathan had been stalked in the run-up to his disappearance, which fit Patrick's process, and Patrick sealed his fate by confessing to the killing.

He also knew details about Jonathan such as him carrying an old teddy in his rucksack, and even offers to reveal where the body is buried.

However, DS Jenny Atkins is wary of Patrick's confession, knowing it just isn't part of his murder practice to willingly give away details like these.

She was correct to trust her instincts, but too late. After Patrick manipulated the investigation to make sure Huw was involved, Huw is present when Patrick leads him and the police officers to where he says he buried Jonathan, but he's leading them into a trap.

Jonathan had actually died in a hit-and-run and he had nothing on him to identify him at the time, only the teddy in the rucksack.

Patrick knew about the bear because he'd seen it when Jonathan visited his shop, so he was able to pretend he knew things about him he'd only know if he'd killed him.

By this time, Patrick is leading Huw and the officers into some secluded woods, where Jackie is waiting for them.

Having been manipulated by Patrick, Jackie will do anything for him, including shooting one of the officers to cause a diversion while she and Patrick make a run for it.

But Huw is far too used to Patrick's tricks by now, and was also suspicious of why he'd be knowingly leading investigators to the place he'd put a body.

Also with growing suspicions of Jackie, Huw had planted a tracker in her car and was able to follow her and Patrick to their hiding place.

Pointing a gun at the runaways when he finds them, Huw extracts Patrick from the farmhouse hideout and finally gets him alone so he get revenge for the hit-and-run he thought Patrick organised that killed his wife.

But always one step ahead, Patrick had planned for this moment. He makes several shocking revelations to continue hurting Huw, including that he'd been harassing his daughter Margot by phone for weeks.

And his trump card? Not only has been been stalking Margot by phone, she isn't safe at all because her boyfriend, Sam, is actually working for Patrick.

Patrick had befriended Sam years previously after the vulnerable youngster had been abused by his father. He'd spent years manipulating Sam to do his bidding, and this information is revealed to Huw just before Sam knocks him out with a shovel.

Patrick and Sam take Huw to a remote location before going into hiding. Huw is later found safely, and is determined to be part of the team to track Patrick down and get him back to prison.

Jackie, no longer needed by Patrick, hears nothing more from him and is later found and arrested for her involvement in his escape plan.

Margot, unaware that her boyfriend is dangerous, agrees to go on a romantic trip with him to a hotel. Sam tells Patrick that he'll kill Margot if she doesn't go along with his plans.

He convinces Margot to switch off her phone and have a digital detox, to prevent her being able to get in touch with her father.

Meanwhile, Jenny is able to track Patrick's movements using Jackie's phone, eventually finding out the address of a flat he could be at. When they arrive Patrick isn't there, and Huw realises the flat is familiar and belongs to Patrick's second victim, Ray Butler.

Reviewing the Ray Butler case, Huw and Jenny join the dots to discover Sam was actually Ray’s son. Not only that, CCTV footage reveals Sam to be the person who killed Huw’s wife Alice.

Realising the huge danger his daughter faces, Huw tries to get hold of Margot, who has her phone switched off. Patrick calls Huw to taunt him about the potential fate of his daughter and asks for the pair to meet.

Jenny is tired of Huw going rogue in the investigation and taking matters into his own hands. He's eventually kicked off the investigation and Jenny reports him for being a suspect in Patrick's escape.

Heading off to confront Patrick, Huw says that he can definitely kill him now he knows he was definitely responsible for Alice's death. Patrick counters this by warning Huw that if he dies, Margot will be killed.

Later able to speak to Margot on the phone, she doesn't believe what he tells her about Sam, insisting he's lost his mind in his obsession with catching Patrick.

Patrick tells Huw his plan is to kidnap Margot and hold her hostage for the rest of her life - he'd kill her if she tried to escape. He knows that having Margot as his prisoner would drive Huw more crazy than killing her.

Huw lets Patrick leave, still unable to kill him. As the episode draws to a close, that fates of the characters are left open-ended.

Patrick is on the run and Margot's fate is left in the hands of he and Sam. At the hotel, Sam has a knife ready to kill Margot, who promises he won't hurt her while she tells him she loves him.

Huw briefly goes home to pick up some clothes and pictures of Alice and Margot before going on the run himself as police head to his house to arrest him.

With no closure for any of the characters, it appears the door has well and truly been left open for season 3.

Seasons 1 and 2 of The Game are currently available on 5.

To her legions of fans across the world, Nicole Kidman is effortlessly chic and iconic, but she’s revealed that when it comes to her parenting style, she takes a more traditional stance, and she’s not aiming to be her children’s "best friend".

Speaking to Australia’s Daily Telegraph newspaper, the Oscar winner revealed the parenting boundary that she always establishes with her children. She said, "You're a mother first. You're a mother, but you're also a guide, a mentor, a safe haven, the place you can always come home to."

The Practical Magic 2 icon added, "Ultimately, as I always say to my kids, ‘No, I'm not here to be your best friend, I'm here to actually be the person who is your rock'".

Nicole has four children. She shares daughters, Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret, with her ex-husband, the singer Keith Urban, who she split from in 2025 after 19 years of marriage. Nicole also shares two children, Bella and Connor, with her ex, Tom Cruise.

Nicole’s daughter, Sunday, is taking after her famous parents by forging her own career in the public eye, already modelling for the likes of Dior and Miu Miu at just 17-years-old. Of Sunday’s burgeoning career, Nicole revealed how her own late mother enabled her to make peace with her decision.

She told Entertainment Tonight, "As a mother, I’m just, like, ‘OK.’ My mother let me do my passion that I wanted when I was 14. Actually, before my mumma passed, she was there and I said, ‘Oh, should I let her? She wants to model.’”

Nicole’s mum replied, "'Well, you did it'... That was sort of my mumma’s parting gift to Sunny… She encouraged me to let her be able to follow her bliss and follow her passion and what she wanted.

"That’s exactly what she said, ‘You, kind of, have to let her because I let you.’” Nicole’s mum, Janelle Ann Kidman, passed away in September 2024.

Sunday Rose has also opened up about life with such a famous mother in the past, revealing the advice she’s learnt from her mother as she starts her own career. Speaking to Elle Australia earlier in the year, Sunday said, "Something that's always been followed in my house is doing, not just saying.

"It basically means that if you say you're going to do something, stick to your word and do it… The biggest piece of industry advice Mum has given to me is to always be on time.

"There's always going to be something with an early call time that you don't want to get up for, but it's really important to be on time because it shows that you're prepared and grateful to be there."

She added, “My mum is someone who has always been so creative and my biggest inspiration in life. She's a key part of everything I do".

Nobody is ready to say goodbye to Colin From Accounts, a TV gift so rare it's like a unicorn covered in gold dust that came to our screens once in a blue moon.

Three seasons doesn't seem long enough for a show that's this perfect, but when it goes out on a high and nails the landing like the final series does, it makes it a little easier to bid it farewell.

But the question on everyone's lips remains: Do Ash and Gordon end up together in the finale?

Their unconventional union hasn't been easy. From Ash flashing her boob at Gordon and causing a crash that maimed a dog they ended up sharing care of, leading to an uneasy relationship where neither were sure at times whether they could make it work, sometimes the whole thing has been entirely unromantic.

Audiences have been waiting for them to choose each other, and watching this happen has shown just how hard and messy relationships can be, and how human nature can make everything so damn difficult while we all do our best.

Season 3 picked up after a three year time jump. Ash had left Gordon after his inappropriate proposal at Megan (Meggles) and Rumi's wedding, and both are seeing other people.

They reunite when Gordon needs to see a doctor and unknowingly gets given an appointment with Ash, now working as a GP. A lot happens in between, so let's break down that beautiful finale and answer the ultimate question - can they make it work?

Colin From Accounts ending explained

In the season 3 finale, it's nearly Christmas and all the key male characters are gathered for a choir practice and are singing Deck The Halls - the reasons for which become clear later on.

During a candid conversation with Gordon, Chiara and Brett's new boss Jared, Brett gets past Jared's hard, apparently toxic exterior to find out he's actually quite lonely and vulnerable.

During the conversation Jared reveals himself to be an ardent animal lover - another shocker - and informs Brett, who is supposed to be watching Colin while brewing a drink made from raisins, that raisins are toxic to dogs. You might see where this is going.

Cut to Ash, and she's getting more frustrated than ever with Meggles' mumfluencing. We don't blame her - Ash's best friend has gone from cool best mate to an uptight online parenting influencer caught in the perfect parenting vacuum of being absolutely boring.

Meg later admits that she turned to influencing after having difficulty bonding with baby son Genre, and needed to attempt to prove her worth as a parent by pretending to be a faultless mother. She wants to return to medicine and find some semblance of herself again.

Ash is still also dealing with her feelings after deciding to really make sure Gordon knew she was "all in" for rekindling their relationship, but then finding him at the Elvis party of episode 7 drunkenly snogging Chiara.

Gordon's explanation for his actions stick faithfully to the show's theme that everyone is human and we can all make utterly stupid mistakes sometimes.

He reveals he'd been freaked out by Ash wanting to be back in his life and being so earnest with it, and was also feeling the heavy emotional burden of having put his mum in a care home and helping his brother Heavy cope with his divorce.

He just wants Ash to hear him out but she's having none of it. She's visibly devastated and he's genuinely sorry, but neither can reach an understanding.

Gordon hilariously tries to get advice and sympathy from Chiara, who he deems "half responsible" for messing things up with Ash.

She gives him the best and most deserved response to this neediness of her time: "I'm struggling with neurodivergence, in an open, loveless marriage, and I'm genuinely lost. And now I have to coach soccer - and I hate soccer."

Gordon, don't keep expecting things from a midlife, overburdened mum. She doesn't have time for your nonsense. Saying that, she does eventually visit Ash at her practice to tell her in her own very Chiara way that Gordon loves her and to stop being an idiot about a drunken snog.

Ash becomes convinced the universe is giving her a 'sign' she should be with Gordon after she finds a picture of herself as a kid sitting on Santa's knee - one of his helper elves looks to be none other than Gordon.

While Ash overanalyses everything about her relationship with him, from how the universe brought them together to why he'd keep messing things up if they were "meant to be", Lynelle gets a visit from the police.

Now, as supporting characters go, Colin From Accounts has some of the best in history. But if forced to make a decision, the wildly self-absorbed Lynelle and mesmerisingly grotesque Lee are probably the best.

Anyway, having been warned that she could be in trouble for misuse of funds from her preposterous 'charity' Women Against Women Against Men (WAWAM) it looks like Lynelle really is in trouble.

And no prizes for guessing who is behind the trouble (hint, he's wearing an ankle tag and has just been added to a register, and also lives in her house.)

When Lee is arrested, Lynelle finally gives in and realises she's looked the other way for too long. Sick of his indiscretions and creepy criminality, she gives him the push and recognises her worth.

With Ash still ruminating on fate, what's meant to be and stars aligning, Colin gets into the raisins Brett was using for brewing earlier on, and gobbles some up.

We then have a full circle moment when Ash and Gordon rush him to the vets where they're met by none other than Yvette the vet, who famously tried to claim Gordon had made her pregnant in season 2.

While waiting for news about Colin, Gordon debunks the myth of the Santa photo - it isn't him in the picture, he never worked as an elf. This should be a sign for Ash that she really needs to stop letting outside things and 'magic' decide her life path.

As if reading our thoughts, Gordon takes Ash to the Echo Park Brewery, all decked out for Christmas despite her loathing for the holiday, and tells her just that - they don't need to believe the universe has a plan, or an excuse to be together, they've chosen each other and that's enough.

Agreeing to be a couple once again, Gordon goes ahead with a big gesture he's been planning. The choir practicing at the start of the episode jumps out from behind the bar, to serenade Ash. But wait, it's not the carol they were practicing at the beginning that they sing, but Slice of Heaven by Dave Dobbyn and Herbs instead.

Hold on - amid the happiness, there's a call from the vet about Colin... and it looks like he might not have made it... except - he has! It's all fine, no tears need to be shed and the reunited couple get to take him home.

So, we're minutes from the closing moments of the finale and here's where we leave our beloved characters: Brett is happily in a relationship with Carmen, who is real after all.

Chiara remains in an open relationship with her husband, "so open you can hear the wind whistling through it," and they'll be staying together for the kids for the time being.

Lynelle is hopefully off to work on herself and her issues, and needs to stay out of relationships for quite a while. Lee needs to be nowhere other than prison.

Did we say there's no need for tears? Well, we were wrong. As Nick Cave sings Into My Arms (well played guys,) we see an alternate world that replays the opening scenes from season 1.

An able Colin escapes his first owner, and runs to the crossing where Ash originally flashed her boob at Gordon. In this world, she doesn't do it, Gordon doesn't crash and Colin doesn't become disabled. Both of them go on with their lives without knowing each other.

At this point, Gordon wakes up and is disappointed to find he dreamed the entire show. We are BURNING WITH RAGE that every season was part of his dream, until, sighs of relief all round, Ash and a disabled Colin walk into the bedroom.

It wasn't all a dream after all, and the couple exchange a tender embrace with Colin by their side. It couldn't have been a more perfect ending, and if you're not fighting back the tears to the dulcet tones of Nick Cave at this point, you're dead inside.

And this forces audiences to do a 180 degree turn on shutting down Ash's musings on fate - Gordon's dream proved that her split second decision to flash him did indeed change the entire course of their lives - is fate something to believe in or not?

That's for the viewer to decide, but we're of the opinion that giving too much time to what the universe wants is a waste of time. Live and love in the present, don't waste it looking for 'signs' that something is worth your effort, if you actually want it to be.

The words of Chiara are fitting to remember at this point as we say the final goodbye, "Fate is for people who don't want to make decisions." Farewell Colin From Accounts, we'll really flipping miss you.

All episodes of Colin From Accounts are currently streaming on BBC iPlayer.

Vicky McClure made history at the 31st National Television Awards on September 8, after winning Best Drama Performance from the category's first-ever all-female shortlist.

The actress took home the trophy, her first win at the awards, for the role of police bomb disposal expert Lana Washington in ITV's hit thriller Trigger Point.

Vicky was up against Sheridan Smith (I Fought The Law,) Ella Bruccoleri (The Other Bennet Sister,) Ruth Jones (Run Away,) and Judy Parfitt (Call the Midwife.)

Visibly shaken when she took to the stage to accept the award presented by Vigil star Suranne Jones, the actress was supported from the audience by fellow nominee Sheridan Smith.

"Honest to god, I was just holding Sheridan's hand," she says, adding, "I don't know, I'm not prepared, because I didn't expect this, 100% did not expect this."

The actress reveals that she's "shaking," before going on to humorously offer thanks to her Line of Duty co-star Martin Compston.

"I'll give a shout out to Martin because he's here," she says as Martin laughs from the audience. "Thanks Martin," the actress concludes.

After the ceremony, Vicky wrote a message on Instagram to thank everyone who voted for her.

"THANK YOU SO MUCH!," she began, adding, "This award means the WORLD to me because it’s voted for by the people who matter most…the audience! I’m beyond grateful and happy."

She continues, "And I have to say it again, THANK YOU to everyone who makes Trigger Point! I Can’t tell you what a happy set it is.

"Don’t know how I’m going to sleep tonight, thank you!"

Competition in the Best Drama Performance category was fierce. Sheridan Smith was nominated for the role campaigner Ann Ming in I Fought The Law.

A true story, Ann Ming campaigned tirelessly for a change in the law after her daughter Julie was murdered by a former boyfriend.

Julie's murderer escaped justice because of a legal loophole, and Ann was responsible for getting the law protecting him overturned, eventually seeing justice served many years after her daughter's death.

Although Sheridan didn't win in the category, I Fought The Law did take home the award for best New Drama.

Ruth Jones was nominated for the role of Elena Ravenscroft, a police officer turned private investigator in Netflix's adaptation of the Harlan Coben thriller Run Away.

Veteran actress Judy Parfitt was nominated for her incredible turn as Sister Monica Joan in Call the Midwife. The 90-year-old actress had played the role of the dementia stricken nun for 14 years, until bowing out at the end of season 15.

Her performance and portrayal of Sister Monica Joan's death received huge critical acclaim, while leaving audiences of the fan-favourite character devastated.

Ella Bruccoleri was the youngest actress in the Best Drama Performance category, aged 30. She took the role of Mary Bennet in the BBC adaptation of author Janice Hadlow's 2020 novel The Other Bennet Sister.

The show delighted audiences and broke boundaries as a reimagining of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice, giving an alternative look at what Mary Bennet's life might've looked like if she'd been given more than a look-in than simply being the 'plain one.'

The new series of The Great British Bake Off has now been confirmed to arrive on September 22, and there's so much to look forward to as Nigella Lawson joins the judging line-up, replacing Prue Leith.

In the run-up to the new episodes arriving and during the press launch of the show on September 7, Nigella offered some interesting insights into her new role.

The baking legend delved into topics ranging from what she's looking forward to the most during her time in the tent, to her alleged feud with Paul Hollywood - all delivered with her signature style of memorable wording.

According to The Telegraph, Nigella said at the press event, "I don’t have many skills, but eating is one of them," as she dug into some cake and delighted those present by suggesting, "I like a bit of goo."

Those tuning into the new series can expect to find Nigella gliding gracefully around the infamous tent, gently murmuring phrases that are sure to immediately circulate online and send social media into a complete meltdown.

"These flavours are giving me a lot of pleasure, I’m hoping to find that wonderful frisson," she'll be uttering, as she prepares to pass judgment on tasks that are named as if in her honour, such as the very first one - to create a "sumptuous" stout cake.

Alison Hammond said at the press launch, quite rightly, "Could there be a more Nigella word than ‘sumptuous’?" Probably not.

When Nigella was announced as the new judge on the long-running series, immediate, yet unverified reports arose that she and Paul Hollywood didn't get on.

Addressing these rumours, Nigella told The Times that audiences would believe what they wanted to believe about the stories.

"What will people say of us on the programme?" she asked, adding, "I feel that half will go, ‘Oh, there’s clearly something going on with them,’ and the other half will say, ‘Oh, clearly they don’t like each other at all.’ And I feel like that’s fine."

Paul also appeared to shut down the rumours of a rift between the pair, saying at the show's launch that Nigella had "fitted in beautifully" with the existing presenting team.

He was very complimentary about the new judge, saying of the line-up until now, "We've gone Dame, Dame, Queen." Here, he's referring to original judge Dame Mary Berry, who was followed by Dame Prue Leith, and now, there's Queen of baking, Nigella.

The baking star has also shared that she is looking forward to having a team of colleagues, as she is used to shooting her other baking shows alone.

"I’ve spent a lot of my professional life alone in a room, writing or pacing around thinking," she shared, adding, "It’s actually really lovely to be with lots of people. For me, it’s a sort of treat."

Nigella concludes, "I love solitude, I need solitude, but it’s really good to have a working life that feels companionable."

The Great British Bake Off airs on Channel 4 from September 22.

Tonight is the 31st annual National Television Awards (NTA) and as a TV writer, I get very excited about big ceremonies and like nothing more than predicting who might win.

The competition is absolutely fierce, and the history-making, all-female shortlist in the best drama performance category is going to be next to impossible to call - never before has there only been all women in this line-up, and they're all incredible performers.

Ahead of the NTAs airing tonight, I've gone through the major categories and chosen who I think will be walking away with a trophy. I'll be watching along to see whether voters agree with me, and how many I get right.

Reality competition

The nominees:

• I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
• I’m A Celebrity… South Africa
• Race Across the World
• The Celebrity Traitors
• The Traitors

Who I think will win: The Traitors.

I'll be honest, I'm not hugely into reality TV. But when it comes to The Traitors, I'm fully addicted, cannot miss an episode, and get so invested I end up having The Traitors related dreams.

I love everything from the compelling drama that comes from the high stakes and intense environment, to Claudia Winkleman's fashion, and can't actually find a downside to this perfection of a TV treat.

I was fairly enraged when The Traitors didn't win last year, so the show had better not walk away empty handed this year.

New drama

The nominees:

• A Woman of Substance
• Believe Me
• Heated Rivalry
• I Fought The Law
• The Other Bennet Sister

Who I think will win: The Other Bennet Sister.

This is a ridiculously strong category and really hard to call. Given the huge success of The Other Bennet Sister, the fact a Christmas special has been ordered after its global success, and rumours are circulating about a follow-up focussing on a different sister, I'm calling it as the winner.

I Fought The Law is a serious contender, and the one I nearly went with as the winner, but I think it will win in another category. I have also written about the joy me and my friends got from Heated Rivalry, and how much I adored A Woman of Substance, and would like them all to get recognition.

But for now, I'm standing by the sheer boundary-breaking delight of The Other Bennet Sister.

Returning drama

The nominees:

• Blue Lights
• Bridgerton
• Call the Midwife
• Stranger Things
• Trigger Point

Who I think will win: Blue Lights.

There was a slight controversy when Blue Lights won Best Drama Series at the 2025 BAFTA TV Awards, with a lot of people deeming it a 'shock.'

I wasn't shocked by this win in any way, because this drama is actually amazing. The gritty realism of life on the front line of policing in Northern Ireland is a real eye-opener, and the brilliant cast do justice to the very complex characters they've been tasked with portraying.

High tension and high stakes, this show really does have every ingredient a good police drama needs. I think it will replicate the BAFTA win and take home an NTA.

Comedy

The nominees:

• Amandaland
• Changing Ends
• Last One Laughing
• Mrs Brown’s Boys
• Not Going Out

Who I think will win: Amandaland.

So, if it's not Amandaland as the winner, we riot? Because for me, it absolutely has to get the trophy. The writing team need some recognition for penning something so funny, I'd still be laughing on my 100th re-watch.

The cast and their perfect comic timing, and minute expressions in all the right places need to be heralded for what they bring to their roles.

There's nothing bad to say about the show, and there's no justice if it doesn't get the gong.

Drama performance

The nominees:

• Ella Bruccoleri, Mary Bennet (The Other Bennet Sister)
• Judy Parfitt, Sister Monica Joan, (Call the Midwife)
• Ruth Jones, Elena Ravenscroft, (Run Away)
• Sheridan Smith, Ann Ming, (I Fought The Law)
• Vicky McClure, Lana Washington, (Trigger Point)

Who I think will win: Sheridan Smith.

This of course, is the history-making category that is a huge challenge to call. I think Sheridan Smith will win for her absolute powerhouse performance in the true-crime drama I Fought The Law.

To be honest, every single woman on this list could and should win, but in being forced to pick, it's Sheridan for this one.

I have to give an honourable mention to Judy Parfitt though. She's always brought a comforting, gentle charisma to Sister Monica Joan, and I think fans of the show will agree she knocked it out of the park for the character's final moments of Call the Midwife season 15.

Daytime

The nominees:

• Good Morning Britain
• James Martin’s Saturday Morning
• Loose Women
• Scam Interceptors
• This Morning

Who I think will win: Good Morning Britain.

Another one that's quite hard to call, I think GMB will pull it out of the bag. It's the show's first ever nomination at the ceremony, and they've put absolutely everything they have into their campaign to get votes.

That aside, they have a strong, professional line-up of presenters, and the show is always delivered effortlessly and is easy to watch.

Talent show

The nominees:

• Britain’s Got Talent
• Strictly Come Dancing
• The Great British Bake Off
• The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer
• The Great Pottery Throw Down

Who I think will win: Strictly.

I know the upcoming series has been shrouded in uncertainty and controversy, with professionals leaving and the presenting line-up changing completely.

But I believe that overall, the public still has a lot of room in their hearts and will make time in their viewing schedule to continue watching - and voting for - the beloved show.

I'm looking forward to the new hosts jiving into the studio to usher Strictly into a new era, and seeing which celebrity will bring their best dance moves to take the coveted glitterball trophy.

TV presenter

The nominees:

• Alison Hammond
• Ant & Dec
• Claudia Winkleman
• David Attenborough
• Stacey Solomon

Who I think will win: Claudia Winkleman.

Not only do I love Claudia, I think she's loved up and down the country and has achieved national treasure status.

I adore her outlook on life - how she embraces ageing and doesn't care what people think of her appearance. I'm enamoured by her enormous talent for presenting and how she comes across as someone I want to be best friends with.

I could listen to Claudia speak for hours and not get bored - any interview with her or anything she appears on, I can't get enough of. I really hope I'm right with this one: Go Claudia!

Authored documentary

The nominees

• Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth
• Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix
• Our Girls: The Southport Families
• Sharon & Ozzy Osbourne: Coming Home
• Sir Chris Hoy: Cancer, Courage and Me

Who I think will win: Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth.

This is a very serious category, and all of these are important documentaries. I've chosen Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth because it resonated the most with me, and I think it will win.

As somebody who closely follows TV and celebrities as part of my job, this was a damning and devastating watch.

I also don't think the mistakes made in the handling of her case have been learnt from enough, and they're something everyone should be taking a bit more notice of and trying to challenge.

Reality docuseries

The nominees

• At Home With The Furys
• Clarkson’s Farm
• Fletchers’ Family Farm
• Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing
• Stacey & Joe

Who I think will win: Clarkson's Farm.

I know opinions on Jeremy Clarkson himself are mixed, but Clarkson's Farm is definitely the strongest contender in this category.

The show really has shone a light on the harsh and devastating state and reality of farming in this country. And Jeremy himself seems genuinely passionate about improving things and helping those in the industry.

Let's not forget about the cast of totally unforgettable characters that also appear on the series - and I don't just mean Richard Ham. From Caleb to Gerald, and Cheerful Charlie to Dilwyn, everyone who appears on the show makes it memorable.

Factual entertainment

The nominees:

• 24 Hours in Police Custody
• Gogglebox
• Secret Garden
• Sort Your Life Out
• The Martin Lewis Money Show Live

Who I think will win: Secret Garden.

In the year of his 100th birthday, it only seems fitting that David Attenborough and the Secret Garden crew take home the award. It's also the best series in this category too, in my opinion.

Who would have thought that what is going on with the often unseen and unnoticed ecosystems in our own back gardens could be transformed into enthralling cinematic drama?

The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award

The nominees:

• Gladiators
• Michael McIntyre’s Big Show
• The Graham Norton Show
• The Masked Singer
• Would I Lie to You?

Who I think will win: Gladiators.

Gladiators, ready! Ready to win, that is. Me and my 10-year-old inner child honestly couldn't believe it when this show was revived.

I was obsessed with it as a kid, and now my own children are equally obsessed with it. Honestly, my favourite night of the week when this is on is a Saturday night - it's escapist family viewing at its finest.

I haven't given an opinion on the quiz and serial drama categories. I don't watch them and they don't come under my areas of expertise, so I cannot accurately offer an informed argument regarding who could win.

The National Television Awards air on ITV and ITVX at 8pm on September 8.

Zoe Ball was married to DJ Norman cook, AKA Fatboy Slim, for 17 years before they separated in 2016. The couple share two children, Woody, 25, and 16-year-old Nelly.

Since the pair separated and eventually divorced, they have build a positive and amicable relationship, and Zoe says they managed this with the help of people around them who served as a "brilliant inspiration" when it came to co-parenting.

The former couple continue to live near each other and Zoe shares, "As a family, we all have a really great relationship. We make lots of time for our kids together. I know it’s not always possible."

It was actually Norman's parents who helped shape this happy dynamic. Divorced themselves, Zoe says they "were a brilliant inspiration for me because they made a point of all being able to be together."

She says, "When we broke up I was like, ‘I want this for my kids,'" wanting to replicate what Norman's mum and dad had done.

In conversation with The Times, the presenter also reflects on her empty nest. Woody is now living in Bristol, and Nelly recently decided to live full time with Norman just before sitting her GCSEs, after moving between both parents' houses for a while.

Describing her house as "so quiet," Zoe explains Nelly's choice, saying, "She comes and goes but basically she had all her revision notes pinned to her dad’s wall like a CSI crime case. So it was just easier to be based there than going between two houses."

She's not entirely alone, with Woody sometimes visiting with his girlfriend, and her new partner now living with her.

She describes her boyfriend, TV production designer Mathieu Weekes, as "very wonderful." Zoe shares, "He’s not in the public eye, he doesn’t love all that stuff," and when she mentions him on her popular Dig It podcast, Zoe refers to Mathieu as "the lodger."

As well as being open about her co-parenting and family dynamic, Zoe often talks about her grief journey after losing several people close to her, particularly reflecting on the loss of her mum Julia to pancreatic cancer in 2024.

After being estranged from her mum until she was an adult, Zoe ended up building a close relationship with Julia after they reconciled.

She once expressed intense anger at her mum's death, and said on her podcast that her loss felt "almost like torture," and that she kept her "alive through love and memory" and "still talking" to Julia.

Offering a fresh update on where she finds herself with her grief, Zoe says, "Grief only gets greater really,” adding, "I miss my mum so much, you just want to share so much with them."

Zoe continues, "I had a lovely conversation with Woody’s girlfriend about how some of Mum’s ashes are still in the lounge." Her mum had once said to Zoe, "Put me in the bin," and she'd had to tell her, "No, Mum, we’re not doing that."

Her choices are often guided by her mum, as Zoe reveals, "I think, 'What would Mum do?' And in most situations, I know she’d always find some laughter and some joy."

The presenter concludes on a bittersweet tone, saying, "Life is so short, so precious, we have to live hard and live well when we can."

There's absolutely no doubt that The Gentlemen season 2 was definitely worth the wait.

After two and a half years, Guy Ritchie's gangster dramedy had a lot of time to either lose the interest of audiences or build so much anticipation that new episodes wouldn't have been worth the hype.

Neither happened and millions have tuned in to watch a second outing that's even better than the first. But, viewers have been left with questions about the fates of some characters after the credits finished rolling on the final episode of the second outing.

Let's break down that ending and make sure all your burning leftover questions from The Gentlemen season 2 are answered.

The Gentlemen season 2 ending explained

Season 2 saw Eddie firmly make the move from a grieving son, reluctantly trying to sort out the mess made by his older brother Freddie and tie up loose ends left by his dead father, to a full blown mob boss ready to scale up a drugs empire.

But, it looks like things have gone too far. At the opening of the season 1 finale, Eddie is desperately on the hunt for whoever ordered the plain crash that killed his new wife Bella during episode 6.

She had been killed instantly when a bomb detonated on a seaplane she was travelling in, instantly killing the new bride during her honeymoon.

This would also be the same person who orchestrated the attack on Halstead Manor in an attempt to wipe out the rest of Eddie's family and kidnap his infant nephew, Tarquin during episode 7.

While interrogating Bravo One, a surviving mercenary from the raid on Halstead Manor, Eddie can't get any true information from the soldier because he only has one confession he wants to torture out of him: Bobby Glass was definitely the person behind it all.

Not willing to hear any other explanation than this wrong assumption, the mercenary eventually gives in and confirms this theory. This leads to Eddie arranging a hit on Bobby in prison.

When Eddie later finds out that Stanley Johnston (with a T) sold Eddie’s debt to Bobby on when he married Bella, Eddie makes the shocking realisation that he's about to take out the wrong man for the crime, and Bobby wasn't behind the Halstead Manor hit and death of his wife after all.

By making a mad dash with Susie to the prison, Eddie manages to halt the hit on Bobby when he finds out he had the wrong person.

Who killed Bella and why?

But who did order the attacks on Bella and the Manor? Eddie eventually finds out it was Gospel John who was behind the plot - and he was helped by none other than Freddy (gasp.)

While staying in a religious rehab during season 2, Freddy came under the influence of rival gang leader Gospel John. Freddy was fuelled by the resentment of losing his inheritance to his older brother and Gospel John wanted revenge on Eddie's family for killing his brother during season 1.

Gospel John then presented himself as something of a spiritual brother who understood Freddy and what he'd lost.

Building that resentment and giving it a religious twist, John won Freddy over and gained his trust. By the time Freddy truly realised what was happening, Bella had been killed and his family attacked.

Bella was killed as part of the plan simply to try and break Eddie and cause him maximum pain.

Series writer and executive producer, Matthew Read, tells Netflix Tudum, "We thought it was really useful to see Eddie as somebody who could be broken, who was vulnerable."

He adds, "To see the journey of how Eddie would respond to such a terrible thing happening to him." Read says that Bella "awakened this possibility of a good life outside of death and destruction" in Eddie, explaining, "so when she's quickly wiped off the face of the planet, his whole sense of self and life is completely deconstructed."

When Eddie finds out the truth, he severely beats his brother and later has Gospel John captured.

Eddie doesn't kill Freddy, instead forcing his brother to kill John as a punishment. Freddy then chops off John's head with a chainsaw for a gruesomely creatively flourish to end his life with before lighting a cigar.

That's where season 2 draws to a close. Bobby has high hopes that his empire can expand even further while Susie is quietly building her own relationships in a possible move to have her own business away from her dad.

Freddy and Eddie's relationship is the most precarious its ever been, and nobody can predict what version of volatile Freddy we'll se in season 3.

As for Eddie, he is hardened to the core, and might've lost all sense of humanity. Theo James disputes this, arguing that he believes Eddie has "saved himself because he hasn’t had to murder his own brother, and he’ll be able to still remain a semblance of himself."

In conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, the actor doesn't give much away about which path his character will take in the next season.

He says, "Ultimately, he’s on a path to surpass Bobby [as a drug lord], but also get complete vengeance from his brother. How that enacts itself is still in the process [of being determined.]"

All episodes of The Gentlemen are currently airing on Netflix.

BBC News presenter Maryam Moshiri has been diagnosed with polycythaemia vera (PV), a rare, incurable type of blood cancer.

While there is no cure for the presenter's condition, it can be managed effectively as a chronic illness.

Maryam has been working at the BBC since 2003, and the 49-year-old has three children aged 13, 11 and nine.

She was given her diagnosis in 2024, and how now shared it publicly to raise awareness about the disease.

"It's been two years since my diagnosis and I've felt that I've started to understand the disease a lot better and the way it affects my life," she told the BBC.

Maryam adds, "I've got a handle on it to a degree now, so I felt it was really important to raise awareness. I'm going to have to spend the rest of my life being treated for this."

The presenter shares that she "had no symptoms" which is "one of the problems with this disease."

Her illness was found because "my GP was so fastidious in the way she did my routine blood tests and immediately sent them for further diagnosis."

According to Cancer Research UK, PV is a slow developing cancer that affects the bone marrow, and causes an increase in the number of blood cells.

For those with the condition, their stem cells make too many red blood cells, and white blood cells and platelets may also be affected.

Too many red blood cells can make the blood thicker, and having thicker blood makes it more difficult for your blood to flow around the body. This can increase the risk of blood clots, and those with a higher number of platelets may also be at risk of haemorrhage.

As part of her treatment, Maryam has undergone venesection sessions. This procedure involves a needle being inserted into a vein in the arm to slowly draw out blood, which can reduce its thickness.

She reports that after these sessions, "my iron levels hit the floor" and she was left "exhausted."

"After a while I started feeling extremely unwell and tired. I started losing my hair, I got itchy all over my body, but the main symptom was fatigue," Maryam explains.

The presenter adds, "I think it's really important people understand that this blood cancer is incurable but it's manageable with the right treatment and you can lead a relatively healthy life."

However, the side effects can be unpredictable. While she wants to continue working and playing with her children, the presenter can sometimes be hindered by fatigue.

"love what I do. I love being where the story is. I don’t want to allow blood cancer to stop me from doing my work," she told The Times.

She continues, "During my worst times when I was going through really quite gruelling treatment, I wasn’t there for my kids.

"I’d be lying on the sofa, and my son would say, ‘mummy, can you come play football with me in the garden?’ And you just can’t. You’re too tired."

Concerned about telling her children about her diagnosis, Maryam shares, "It took me a long time to be able to tell them about this illness, because I don't want to worry them, but they have been so understanding."

Weighing in on the unpredictable nature of the condition, Maryam concludes, "Even though I feel the best I have in two years, I don't know how I'm going to be in six months, one year, two years."

Singer Natalie Imbruglia was "horrified" to find she felt "shame" when she hit perimenopause, not understanding where the feeling came from.

“I felt a glimmer of shame when I first hit perimenopause,” she said during an interview on BBC Woman’s Hour.

She continues, "I was quite horrified by that because I didn’t know where it was coming from, and I didn’t like it."

When asked where she thought the shame came from, Natalie shared that it might’ve come from saying goodbye to the potential to be fertile, but believes it could have stemmed from societal expectations and the patriarchy.

"I had certain people try to hush me if I tried to talk about it in front of a man," Natalie explains, adding, "And I thought, 'This is a mental health issue, every single woman goes through this, possibly for 12 years.'"

Eventually, it was the "glimmer of shame" that led the singer to speak out and share her experiences, to open the door for more women to do the same - to help challenge societal expectations and question patriarchal standards that tried to stop her.

Society appears to believe women should remain young - there's a hugely profitable industry all designed around keeping women insecure about their appearances and leading them to 'believe' they constantly need improving and the only outcome they need to feel happy is to remain youthful.

Hitting perimenopause and menopause is a big indicator that a woman is passing into a new phase of her life, and some might equate it with feeling 'old,' and therefore being unhappy and ashamed of something that's a natural process.

Natalie's comments sparked a debate in those commenting on the post when it was shared to Instagram.

Some agreed that fear of ageing contributes to "shame" about it, while others believe women and their bodies and bodily functions are shamed as soon as they start menstruating.

One person commented to say, "The shaming starts in western culture when we get our first period and never stops. Hiding period products, hiding blood, hiding our suffering. Peri and menopause are just an extension of that."

This is a good point, with young girls suffering with period challenges from heavy bleeding to unbearable pain each month, and many stories of doctors who haven't investigated or a medical profession that's been unable to help them.

Similarly, at the other end of the spectrum, perimenopause and menopause care has been non-existent until recent years, and there's a still a huge gap in the knowledge of healthcare professionals and medical misogyny when it comes to helping women going through challenges during this time.

Women then feel silenced by what's happening to their bodies, and in turn, feel shame. Another person commented to say, "We don’t talk enough about the shaming of women in perimenopause and menopause.

"We can no longer hold ourselves to society’s expectations of what a woman should be: accommodating, productive, attractive, calm, endlessly coping.

"Instead of compassion, we get criticism. Perhaps we’re not becoming 'too much.' Perhaps we just have less capacity to keep making ourselves smaller."

The debate in the comments was certainly very interesting, and Natalie's comments definitely sparked a lot of conversation and women wanting to share their own experiences.

Another person wrote, "That shame is so interesting, because it says something about the stories women absorb long before perimenopause actually arrives."

"The symptoms are one thing… the sudden sense that ageing has somehow made you less visible, less desirable or less yourself can be another layer entirely."

In answer to the question about whether or not society shames women in menopause - the collective experiences of women engaging with the Woman's Hour post strongly suggests that yes, it does.

Nowadays, tweakments and a subtle zhuzh are part of many people’s beauty regimes - no longer reserved for Hollywood stars and no longer carried out in secret.

People will happily talk about the best filler or how certain injectables have helped with plenty of skin concerns, from sagging to fine lines and hydration. Or will they? On a recent episode of their podcast, Dig It, Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball got on to the topic of keeping their tweakments secret from their partners or families.

For Zoe, it’s all a question of do they even need to know, while Jo agreed that, sometimes, people can have the wrong impression and think that an injectable here or there is going to ruin one’s face.

Zoe got the conversation started, saying, “Who tells their other half about having Botox? Because I think most of the men I know are always like, ‘Oh, don't wreck your face. Don't do this. Don't do that to it’.”

She continued, “I don't hide it from them. Because obviously sometimes you can't hide it when you've had a bit too much or suddenly you can't smile anymore”.

Not only does Jo agree, she let listeners in on her own beauty regime secrets. She shared, “I have Profhilo, which I really like, which is just like very, very hydrating, and then a tiny bit of baby Botox just between the eyebrows and then around the eyes.”

Like Zoe, Jo doesn’t have any shame in the treatment, but there was a reason she didn’t tell her family about it. “I didn't tell anybody for ages because a bit of me was intrigued to see whether the family would notice.

“And also I knew they had quite strong views about it. I didn't want to tell them in the beginning, just out of my own curiosity to see whether they would actually notice anything different. And when they didn't, I was like, okay, so I'm getting away with it.”

Zoe added, “I really admire and respect people who don't do anything and look fabulous. But sometimes a little bit of something has made a difference to me and made me feel a little bit better.”

This issue struck a chord with many listeners who were quick to rush to the comments to debate the topic of judgement around these beauty choices, and why some still feel the need to keep it secret.

Perhaps proving Zoe and Jo's arguments, many of the comments seemed disappointed that the pair were even having the treatments in the first place. One comment read, "Have to admit, I feel a little disappointed in this. Icons who I thought would not reinforce impossible ideals. Such a shame we don't seem to be able to embrace who we are as we age."

On the other side of things, one fan wrote, “People dye their hair, it's not natural. Hairy armpits, very natural. Everyone has their line of what they will and won't do. Let's support freedom of choice and other women.”

Another seemed to prove Jo’s point that these treatments can be so subtle people just won’t notice when they added, “I was amazed how many of my friends have Botox when I discussed it.”

Jennifer Aniston paid tribute to Dolly Parton this week, and revealed the nuggets of wisdom shared by the late country singer that she tries to live by.

While hosting a Q&A in New York City with her boyfriend, Jim Curtis, Jennifer couldn’t help but stop to honour the legacy of her "dear friend" - joking that everyone in the world was suffering from “post Parton” blues. Despite the sadness, Jennifer thought of Dolly when she was asked what’s the best piece of advice she could give.

She shared that Dolly would often say, "'I chased a few rainbows and I caught some, I caught a few.'" The Friends star movingly added, "Go chase your dreams and go catch some rainbows. You’ll catch a few. [Dolly] did that, for sure."

Jennifer is paraphrasing one of Dolly’s famous quotes that was also a song lyric from her 2014 track, Try. In the inspirational song, Dolly sings, "I've chased after rainbows, I've captured one or two. I've reached for the stars, I've even held a few”.

Dolly and Jennifer became friends when they collaborated on the 2018 Netflix movie, Dumplin’, which featured Dolly as an off-screen influence and inspiration for the title character. The movie even featured existing and original music from the singer.

True to Dolly’s nature, Jennifer revealed at the time just how generous she had been during the making of the film. “She was only supposed to write one song and she ended up writing six,” she said. “The movie wouldn’t have been made if she said no.”

The two would even record together for the film, and Jennifer earned Dolly’s respect. “She did good, though, I have to say,” Dolly told Entertainment Tonight at the time. "She was a little nervous at the start, but she walked in there like she does everything else, like a real pro."

For Jennifer’s part, she recalled that she “burst into tears” after getting the chance to sing with Dolly, a hero of hers. In fact, Jennifer once had a dog named after Dolly.

When she appeared on the Jimmy Kimmel show back in 2018, Jennifer shared, “I loved her since I was little. You know, sang into a hairbrush singing Dolly Parton. I told her that I named my dog after her.

She added, “Dolly and I were doing press and somehow that came up. And then… she was like, ‘I know when she said I named my dog Dolly after you, I don’t know how I felt about that.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, God, I’ve insulted her.'"

Fortunately, Dolly couldn’t have been too insulted. The pair remained friendly and reportedly gave Jennifer her blessing for her planned remake of Dolly’s movie, 9 to 5. It’s reported that Jennifer has been working on a reimagining of the 1980 comedy film which co-starred Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin.

In 2025, Dolly said of the remake, “I love Jennifer. I think it’ll be a wonderful thing… I do wish her the best, because the script I read, I thought, was really good and a new and different take that really brings the office up to date the way that people live now”.

The Gentlemen is finally back for season 2, with episodes airing on Netflix from September 3.

While there's been a huge buzz surrounding the release of the new season, and excitement that the hit comedy has already been renewed for a third series, there seems to be one big question everyone is asking about the show: Will Meghan Markle be in season 3?

Rumours have been widely circulating that Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, will make a spectacular return to acting in the show's next outing (which hopefully we won't have to wait another two and a half years for.)

While waiting for official confirmation or denial of the reports of her involvement in The Gentlemen, Theo James who plays the role of Eddie Halstead in the series, seems to have offered a definitive answer to the question.

"I think that is just a rumour," James said when asked by Digital Spy whether Meghan had a role in season 3. He adds, "I don’t even know the practicalities of how one would make that happen."

When asked who he'd like to be cast in a starring role instead of the Duchess, Theo replied, "In terms of people that I would like to have in the series, I’d like someone psychopathic, like old school Robert Carlyle."

When rumours first began that Meghan was in talks to appear in The Gentlemen, an insider told The Sun, "The gossip in TV circles is that Meghan could play the ultimate temptress, who puts the cat among the pigeons by seducing an aristocrat.

"The Gentlemen would be perfect for her as it’s a big budget, glossy production which is quintessentially British.

"But because it is on Netflix that gives it a huge global audience. In fact it is one of the streaming giant’s biggest hits of recent years.

"It would see her star opposite Theo James, who plays Eddie and he is one of the frontrunners to be the new James Bond."

They concluded by saying, "Everything about the project screams quality, but it is also one with a bit of an edge too."

However, it was later reported by Tina Brown, the former editor-in-chief of Vanity Fair and The New Yorker, that Meghan has been dropped from the project.

Writing on her Substack, Brown suggested, "I learned this morning that the casting of Meghan Markle in season 3 of Guy Ritchie’s Netflix series The Gentlemen has been withdrawn.

"The backlash in the UK was so intense, it became untenable to go forward. This does not bode well for Meghan’s acting comeback in the UK."

Meghan became widely known following her leading role as Rachel Zane in the legal drama Suits, in which she played the character for seven seasons.

On the big screen, she had a small role in the comedy Horrible Bosses, and had major parts in the Hallmark movies When Sparks Fly and Dater’s Handbook.

She retired from acting in 2018 following her marriage to Prince Harry, and recently made a small foray back to the small screen playing herself in the Amazon comedy Close Personal Friends.

The Duchess hasn't been entirely absent from TV screens during her retirement from acting, having appeared in a presenting capacity, fronting her own lifestyle show on Netflix.

In 2025, she hosted With Love, Meghan, as part of her and Harry's production deal with Netflix. Here, she chatted to celebrity friends, and shared favourite recipes and crafts with viewers.

The Gentlemen is finally back after a very long wait of two and a half years. With the new season comes new filming locations, as the tweed-clad characters move their scheming and deals to another country.

When we first met Eddie (Theo James,) he'd joined forces with Susie Glass (Kaya Scodelario) to help lead the cannabis operation her family had been running from a bunker on his family's estate.

Now Eddie would quite like to be rid of Susie and her dad Bobby (Ray Winstone.) They helped him sort out the financial mess Eddie’s brother Freddy (Daniel Ings) got himself into during season 1, which mean they had quite a strong hold over him.

But now he wants to go solo and be free of their clutches, by venturing to Italy to do a few drug deals and get himself a nice bit of sunshine in the process.

With the story moving between sun soaked Italy and the UK, we look at where the cast and crew actually filmed season 2 of The Gentlemen.

Where is The Gentlemen season 2 filmed?

Italy

In Italy, filming took place predominantly around Lake Maggiore in the Piedmont region of the country - the lake sits in northern Italy along the border of Switzerland next to the city of Verbania.

Verbania itself also features heavily in the character's Italian adventures. In the Pallanza district of the city, the Villa Rusconi-Clerici was used as a filming location.

This neoclassical lakeside estate features tiered formal Italian gardens, and the production crew built a temporary pier at the location that sees characters arrive at the villa on speedboats.

Elsewhere in Pallanza, the Grand Hotel Majestic also makes an appearance in the show. The luxury hotel was used as a filming location for key pre-wedding strategy meetings scenes, while the Catholic parish church Chiesa di San Leonardo was used to film the actual ceremony.

Outdoor scenes in Pallanza were shot at the district's Piazza Garibaldi and Via Vittorio Veneto. These areas were closed off to the public at various points to allow for uninterrupted filming of exterior and street scenes.

It's also been reported that Theo James spoke about filming in Stresa, a town on the shores of Lake Maggiore, and the Borromean Islands, which sits between Verbania and Stresa.

Speaking about filming in Italy, Guy Ritchie says, "This chapter sees a deliberate expansion, both geographically and thematically, as we journey from the English countryside to the Italian lakes.

"Eddie and Susie find themselves navigating an increasingly volatile empire as they’re besieged on all fronts by an influx of enigmatic new players."

Ashcombe House

One of Guy Ritchie's own properties features in season 2 of The Gentlemen, in the form of Ashcombe House in Wiltshire. The manor sits roughly halfway between the villages of Berwick St John and Tollard Royal, near Salisbury.

The estate and its lake serve provide the the setting for Eddie’s hunting party in the opening episode of the season.

The Grade II-listed Georgian manor was bought by Ritchie in 2001 when he was married to Madonna.

It remained his home following the couple's divorce, and the estate is open for private bookings. On site activities are also available, including a spa and wild swimming.

Salisbury Cathedral

Some scenes involving Eddie Horniman and Stanley Johnston (Giancarlo Esposito) were filmed in Salisbury Cathedral, Wiltshire.

Considered a masterpiece of Early English Gothic architecture, the Cathedral is home to both Britain's tallest spire (123 metres high) and the largest cloister court in England (roughly half an acre.)

The cathedral's Chapter House also holds one of only four surviving original copies of the 1215 Magna Carta. While in conversation with Eddie during one of their scenes there, viewers can see Stanley pause to look at the document.

Swakeleys House

Swakeleys House is a Grade l-listed Jacobean mansion built in 1638. It is a central feature of the Swakeleys Estate, a historic 25-acre estate located in Ickenham, in the London Borough of Hillingdon.

Swakeleys House can be seen in The Gentlemen when it's used as the St. Bartholomew's rehab facility where Eddie’s older brother Freddie is staying.

If you remember Freddie's spending, drug taking, chicken dancing and trying his best to financially ruin his family during season 1, you'll see that getting the help he needs (and getting out of his younger brother's way) is the best place for him right now.

The house and the estate are usually closed to the public, except for a few days a year when it opens as part of London's open house festivals.

The house is visible from Swakeleys park, a public park that was originally part of the estate's grounds before being sold to the council in the 1920s - this would be the perfect place to have a look at the location for those wanting to see it in real life.

Badminton House

Badminton House, Gloucestershire, makes a welcome return as Halstead Manor, where Eddie and his family were born and raised. The home has been in their family for generations.

The Grade I listed country house can be found in the village of Badminton, South Gloucestershire, surrounded by the 52,000-acre Badminton Estate. The house and estate sit around 15 miles north-east of Bristol.

The estate hosts multiple events throughout the year, including the famous Badminton Horse Trials. Some areas can be hired for weddings and events, but the house generally isn't open to the public apart from occasional heritage open days as it's actually somebody's home.

The house is actually the private residence of Harry Somerset, the 12th Duke of Beaufort, and his wife, Georgia Beaufort.

Speaking about the estate, The Gentlemen location manager Iggy Ellis says, "Badminton felt immediately right for Halstead because it's a proper, lived-in home, rather than a National Trust museum."

Iggy adds, "So inside there'd be some walking sticks by the door or a few shotgun rounds from where they'd been out shooting. There were cracks and tired bits, as you'd get in every family home. But there was also an oil painting and history and majesty. It felt perfect for our story."

The Gentlemen airs on Netflix from September 3.

Lorraine Kelly has been a steady presence on morning television for over 40 years, and has broken some of the most devastating news stories the country has ever seen during that time.

She has also had a diverse range of people sitting on her sofa to be interviewed, from celebrities and authors, to campaigners and members of the public with inspiring or emotional stories to tell.

Recently reflecting on her career, Lorraine was asked whether anyone had ever stormed out of her studio. She revealed that someone had, giving insight into the experience.

Sharing who it was Lorraine says, "Michael Winner, he was a movie director." She immediately describes the now deceased filmmaker as "prickly, to say the least."

Making the admission during an appearance on the Experience Is Everything podcast, Lorraine continues, "He actually stormed out during the break."

She adds, "He was sitting there talking about a movie he was doing, and he'd just had a triple heart bypass. I just happened to say, as you would with anyone who'd had a serious illness, 'Gosh how are you doing? Are you alright?'"

Lorraine went on to ask him whether he'd recovered or was still taking medication, and Michael became very offended by her questions.

He said to her, "I'm not here to talk about my health," and with that, Lorraine recalls that he "stood up, took his microphone off and buggered off."

Sharing what she thought of the encounter at the time, the presenter says her first thought was, "Oh, silly old idiot," suggesting that "some Hollywood stars can be a real pain in the neck."

Lorraine does also hint that having difficult people on her sofa is a very rare occurrence, saying, "But most people that come on are lovely."

She also keeps one thing in mind when she finds a person challenging, sharing, "I always give them a benefit of the doubt, they might be having a bad day."

However, after that a person will be out of chances. "But if the second time I meet them and they're exactly the same - well yes, you're just a nuisance, that's who you are," she says candidly.

Lorraine says she'll always try to give people another chance because "you don't know what people are going through." She adds, "Nobody ever knows what people are going through, you really don't."

She continues, "Put yourself in their shoes or give them the benefit of the doubt."

The presenter shares that a very important lesson she's learned by talking to such a diverse range of people throughout her career, is that, "We are all the same."

"The more people I've spoken to or interviewed, the more you realise we're all just wanting to get on with our lives - we've got more in common that what divides us."

She concludes, "When it comes down to it, we all just want to get on with our lives, make sure our kids are OK, make sure we've got friends, and make sure we're doing the best that we can."

Vigil actress Suranne Jones is among campaigners calling for a "bold and ambitious" plan to improve access to early and accurate diagnosis of dementia.

Presenter Jon Snow revealed in June that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, a form of dementia, in 2023.

With research suggesting many members of the public face "months of delays" when it comes to getting a diagnosis of the cognitive condition, Jon, Suranne and other Alzheimer's Society ambassadors have signed a letter urging the government to improve how dementia is addressed and treated.

They were joined by Vicky McClure, Sir Jonathan Pryce and Dame Meera Syal, in signing the letter that outlines better treatment is required for those affected by dementia, which was handed in to Downing Street on September 2.

The campaign asks the government to set an ambitious goal to reduce the number of people that die from dementia; ensure robust plans are in place to deliver disease modifying treatments, as they become available; support the delivery of high-quality dementia training for the social care workforce; and ensure everyone can access an early and accurate diagnosis.

The call to action for improvements to dementia care comes as a survey by the Alzheimer's Society of just over 1,000 UK carers of people with dementia, found 45% had waited over six months for a dementia diagnosis after asking for help.

Of 868 carers supporting someone who had been officially diagnosed with dementia, 46% said waiting times for a diagnosis had affected their work. A further 35% said it had made it harder to plan for the future, while three in 10 felt their life was on hold while they waited.

The charity wants the government to introduce a new nationally recognised standard care pathway to ensure people with dementia receive an accurate diagnosis within 18 weeks of a GP referral. This would include having a care plan in place and access to treatment where appropriate.

As such a plan already exists for all other major health conditions, Michelle Dyson chief executive at Alzheimer’s Society says it would never be accepted for someone to be "left to work out the next steps on their own" after being diagnosed with cancer, but this is "the reality for too many people affected by dementia”.

Michelle says, "A dementia diagnosis can bring answers, understanding and access to the support, treatment and care that can make a real difference to people’s lives. But we know things can be so much better."

She adds, "Too many families spend months, and sometimes years, waiting for answers while their dementia progresses.

“It is like trying to plan a journey without knowing where you are going or when you will arrive. Behind every delayed diagnosis is a family living with uncertainty and trying to prepare for the future without the support they need."

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson says, "This government is determined to strengthen the support that is available both to individuals affected by dementia, and the family members who look after them.

"We are bringing forward the timetable for Baroness Casey’s commission on reform of the social care system, and we are appointing a new dementia tsar to help lead our work in that area, as recommended by Baroness Casey.

"We are also implementing a new action plan for unpaid carers to ensure that they receive the support and recognition they deserve for the selfless work they do."

We’re calling this the one where Jennifer Aniston’s boyfriend made everyone go ‘awww’ - Jim Curtis has offered rare insight into his relationship with the Friends star, and he couldn’t feel more "blessed".

Jim was interviewed on the Jamie Kern Lima podcast, where he discussed more about his work as a transformational coach working with a blend of neuroscience and spiritual principles - and, naturally, questions about his courtship of the Emmy winner came up.

The pair have been together for a year-and-a-half, and Jim described himself as being "incredibly blessed" to be "in a relationship with someone that is so open-hearted, kind and loving" - and shared their top tool for handling arguments.

He said, "My experience of her is so grounded and so open and caring and kind and loving… She uses words like ‘my love’ and she has this group of best friends that are like family."

"I feel incredibly blessed to be welcomed into that family", he continued, before adding, "Such a beautiful community and group of people. It really speaks to her and them, that everybody is so grounded, so kind and it's not just to me."

When the host shared her own experience with Jennifer, praising her for being “inclusive”, Jim heaped even more praise on his partner, giving her credit for remaining so open given everything that she’s gone through so publicly.

He said of her kindness, "You would understand if she was less so, right? I think that she is a real example of stepping into possibility. She came from living in New York and New Jersey and into this kind of household name and retained herself."

In a conversation about overcoming negativity and the more difficult moments, Jim did touch on how he and Jennifer handle their own arguments. When asked what their best way of dealing with it is, Jim answered, "Meditation".

He added, "Jen and I have been together a year and a half" so he doesn’t necessarily need to rely on loftier ways of conflict resolution yet. Instead, in addition to meditation, they turn to "Acceptance, understanding… In a honeymoon phase, your tools don’t have to be like big sledgehammers."

During a previous appearance on the Ced with Intention podcast, Jim touched on this topic in more detail. He said, "I spend a lot of time with my girlfriend. We spend a lot of time in the house together. Sometimes, we can have little things flare up. We have the opportunity to be silent, angry, leave the house, think about it and meditate on how to change it."

"Or we can say, 'Hey, this is what happened, I'm sorry,' and do the repair, and then go and work on making sure it happens less or doesn't happen again. Because once you make a repair and it just happens five more times, no one trusts it."

Jennifer has kept things relatively private, but she did praise him during an Elle magazine interview in 2025 as "very special, very normal and very kind" adding, "He's quite extraordinary, and helps many, many people".

As the BBC's horrifying exposé of the forced adoption scandal instantly lets viewers know, between 1949 and 1976, 250,000 unmarried mothers in the UK were forced to have their babies adopted.

Stolen Babies airs on September 2 on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer, and the 90 minute film uncovers the true extent of the cruelty women and girls faced, just for becoming pregnant out of wedlock.

Some victims of the forced adoption scandal were in relationships and abandoned when they found out they were expecting a baby, others faced further trauma of having their babies as a result of sexual assault.

The documentary outlines "shunned" women, sent away to give birth, who were often denied pain relief and in one case, slapped during delivery, as penance for their so-called "sins."

"This scandal has echoes of everything that horrifies people about The Handmaid's Tale," says Dr. Michael Lambert, a lecturer and historian who appears in the documentary whose expertise helped uncover the extent of the horrors.

Victim Ann Keen hauntingly adds, "Let's face it, we were working-class, unmarried girls having babies that were being adopted by middle-class women."

Most of the women and girls wanted to keep their babies, but had no power against the church, state, social workers and a system that used them as vessels to provide children for women deemed to be of better social standing, unable to have their own.

"It was a machine that gathered vulnerable young women, and left us broken," says Judy, another victim.

Viewers hear distressing details of girls in the mother and baby homes gathering as they hear footsteps of adoptive parents arriving to take a baby away, not knowing whose child it be.

This would be followed by grieving howls when one of them realised it was her child, and she would be left devastated by the forced loss.

In some instances, a girl wouldn't find out her baby had gone until she was faced with an empty cot one morning and told to change the sheets ready for the next baby.

Joan Chambers spent nine months with her baby boy before he was taken. "Not knowing where your child is, it's complete and utter torture every day of you life," she says.

Heavy misogyny of the time placed all blame and responsibility on the shoulders of the girls who fell pregnant.

Some describe moments of kindness from midwives and workers in the mother and baby homes, but for most, they had become fallen women and forced to deal with their trauma and shame with no support or empathy.

Former social worker Wes Cuell appears in the documentary to give an idea of how the unmarried mothers were treated at the time.

"It was highly charged in terms of morality," he says, adding, "It was that they had morally transgressed and it was their fault, their responsibility, they were reprehensible and they were unfit to be a mother."

He finishes, "The only option we would be considering was adoption."

Scotland were the first to apologise to women who had their babies taken through forced adoption. Wales followed, and in 2025, Northern Ireland began a public inquiry into their own.

After years of campaigning for official accountability, The UK government formally apologised for the forced adoption scandal on July 2, 2026.

Speaking after the apology is delivered, victim Judy Baker says, "I think of all the things this experience brings, all the pain, the sorrow, the grief, the guilt, the biggest thing to deal with is shame."

She continues, "To be relieved of it is just amazing."

Although the figure of 250,000 victims of the scandal has been given, it's also been acknowledged that the true numbers will never be known.

Stolen Babies airs on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.

She's a fearless and savvy businesswoman, and known to millions as a firm but fair voice as an investor on Dragon's Den.

Now, Deborah Meaden has given rare insight into her life away from TV, revealing why she's happily child-free, and the reason for once being reluctant to get married.

The businesswoman and presenter appeared on an episode of the Second Act podcast, to speak to host Ateh Jewel about her achievements, ageing and some of life's biggest decisions.

'I never felt maternal, it's as simple as that," Deborah shares of her choice not to be a parent. She adds, "When I looked into my future, children weren't there."

Deborah continues, "I've never felt the need to do what's expected of me, that's always been a big thing in my life. You can hand me that baby as much as you like, it's not going to change my views."

Deborah also feels she isn't "good with babies," and says she has always listened to her body. Using food as an analogy, she shares, "I eat when my body tells me to eat - if my body had said, 'I want you to have babies,' I would've had babies."

She concludes, "But I didn't feel it." Not that she has to defend her decision to anyone, the businesswoman also shares that she has received backlash for her very personal choice in the past.

She once gave an interview and mentioned that children weren't on the cards for her and her husband. "I got quite a lot of unpleasant feedback," she reveals, adding that she'd been asked, "What's wrong with you, and why not?" when it came to not wanting to become pregnant.

When it comes to marriage, this is something else Deborah felt really strongly that she didn't want to do. She did however eventually compromise and has been married to her husband Paul for 33 years.

They met when Paul was working for her father at Butlins, and at the end of the season, Deborah recalls, "I jumped on him and asked him for a cup of coffee."

As well as seeing her mother marry three times which put her off marriage herself, the businesswoman says she was "fiercely independent" and "worried marriage would change me" through too much compromise.

She says that her relationship with Paul works because they're "really good friends," and share the same sense of humour, love for travel, and don't feel the need to "hold hands all the time."

The couple briefly split up over Deborah's reluctance to get married, as she reveals they kept engaging in "circular discussions" over it, with neither of them changing their stance.

Realising she loved Paul after their split, Deborah did agree to marry him, but was firm in letting him know, "If marriage is the thing that keeps us together for the rest of our lives, then I'll get married."

However, she did keep her own surname, and was sure to firmly tell her husband on the morning of their wedding, "I'm only doing this for you."

However, she does sweetly share, "It was actually the best thing I ever did."

Susanna Reid has now made a welcome to return to Good Morning Britain, following a well-earned break for the summer.

While she was away from presenting duties, Susanna also gave herself a very short break from her usual teetotal 'rule' by allowing herself to have an alcoholic drink.

Now, the star of morning TV has shared why she makes just one yearly exception to usually remaining alcohol free.

According to The Mirror, Susanna usually allows herself a drink when she goes on holiday to Ibiza, and this year was extra special because she was also celebrating GMB being nominated for a National Television Award (NTA).

Her sons also love holidaying on the island, and the presenter shares, "Generally, as you know, I don't drink. I allow myself one day when I have a drink."

She continues to reveal her drink of choice, saying, "So I have Paloma, which is tequila and grapefruit."

Her one alcoholic drink is also usually consumed at the same famous open-air club and pool party venue. Susanna explains, " So I have a drink at O Beach, but very, very steady. I don't go mad. One or two to enjoy the day, and then I leave about maybe 8 O’clock."

Her sons, Sam, Finn and Jack are all in their early 20s. They of course are not ready to leave at that time. "The boys leave just a little bit later, and then they go to nightclubs," Susanna shares.

The presenter continues, "And I go back to the hotel and have an early night. I'm up early in the morning to do my exercise because, of course, there is a big wellness thing, and I'll be there. You know, the health side, that's part of it as well."

"I go and have a walk on the beach, which is beautiful. I like to see the sunrise if I can, have some nice lunch and put something on and go and do it all again."

While away on her holiday, Susanna was also forced to address ageist comments made about her outfit choices.

The presenter shared some images of herself to Instagram, celebrating the NTA nomination wearing a swimsuit and a pair of denim shorts.

Some comments suggested at 55, she was too "old" to be wearing such an outfit, letting her know their thoughts.

Susanna later wrote in a caption on the social media site, "Don’t let anyone tell you that you are too old, that you shouldn’t wear the swimsuit - or the shorts!"

Defending herself further, the presenter says of her outfit, "I loved it because I'm 55 years old, and if you're not going to go out and enjoy yourself in a swimsuit, what are you doing in Ibiza at 55?"

"It was great fun. I was at O Beach, which is one of the best daytime clubs." She continues to explain, "I'd been there and we had just been shortlisted, not just nominated, shortlisted for best daytime programme so it made total sense I would celebrate."

"And O Beach have these lovely women in their swimmers who hold up placards to celebrate people's birthdays or a significant achievement."

Susanna concludes, "It didn't feel out of place. It felt like I was appropriately attired for the environment that I was in. Exactly that."

After a long, hot summer off our ITV daytime favourites are preparing to return to our screens next Monday (7 September).

From letting loose at Ibiza’s infamous club, Ocean Beach, to a special wedding and unforgettable trip to Canada, it’s safe to say they’ve enjoyed their break. But now they’re raring to be back and reunite with one another.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone,” gushes Lorraine Kelly while This Morning’s Cat Deeley adds, “I can’t wait to see the team. Our crew are just brilliant, there isn’t a day when I go to work and don’t laugh.”

She explains that this is especially the case now that, following ITV daytime’s cuts earlier this year, This Morning, Lorraine, Loose Women and Good Morning Britain are all now in the same studio.

“I also love how we now all share the same space. I like to get to the floor early, and I sit on our blue sofa and watch Lorraine. Sometimes I forget I’m not at home and laugh - Ben has to remind me I’m not actually watching the television!”

Former woman&home cover star Ruth Langsford adds, “I always look forward to being back with the other women - for me that’s the best part of being involved.”

“I know it sounds a bit cheesy but we really are a family, we’re all different, we all gel. We all get on so well and we have the best time, being on Loose Women is not like going to work.”

While Alison Hammond says she “loves a little break to recharge,” she admits “there’s something really special about walking back into the studio.”

She explains, “It genuinely feels like coming home. I miss the team, I miss Dermot and I miss that feeling of not quite knowing what the day is going to bring.”

It’s the unexpected nature of live TV that Cat loves so much. “The show is at its best when things don’t go to plan,” she shares, explaining, “The spontaneity and the fact it’s live, means you never know what’s going to happen and you can’t do a retake.”

As for what they’re looking forward to the most as they start their ‘new term’, Lorraine is excited for her show’s ‘Check Your Boobs Day’ in October. While Ben Shephard teases, “We have got some brilliant showbiz guests lined up.”

He adds, “We've got a couple of really important campaigns, one in particular is going to offer real support to so many parents and children as they head back to school.”

New Season on ITV Daytime from 9.30am on Monday 7th September on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player

As a TV writer, nothing excites me more than sharing my favourite TV shows with other people, and finding out someone else has also watched and loved a film or series I'm obsessed with.

There really is nothing better than endless conversations about perfectly written characters, jaw dropping or totally implausible plot lines, and the frustration of cliff hangers.

So, if you're struggling to pin down the top TV shows worth your time in the coming month, you've come to the right place.

The search stops right here, because one of these shows from my September top three will definitely become your next TV obsession, and fill the void long and sunny evenings left behind. If you watch them, let me know what you think.

The top 3 TV shows to watch this September

The Gentlemen season 2

When is it on TV? All eight episodes of The Gentlemen season 2 will arrive on Netflix at the same time on September 3 for your bingeing pleasure.

If you haven't seen season 1, this could be good news, because it means you have the joy of making your way through those episodes first, before diving right in for the next helping of this guy Ritchie caper.

For those of you who have seen season 1, it seems to be the norm that audiences are in for lengthy waits between seasons of great shows nowadays, and The Gentlemen is no different - you might've given up counting down the days for a second outing after the latest episodes took two and a half years to materialise.

Anywhere, they're here now, and definitely worth the wait. The action picks up a year after the events of season 1, and Eddie (Theo James) and Susie (Kaya Scodelario) are working together to expand Bobby’s (Ray Winstone) overseas criminal empire in Italy.

The new episodes see the pair's endeavours hindered by far reaching ambitions and Bobby's increasingly unsound decisions.

Expect more style, corruption and sharp humour, but with a far darker and more intense ride than season 1 gave you.

Slow Horses season 6

When is it on TV? Slow Horses season 6 premieres on Apple TV on September 16, with the finale airing on October 21.

Apple TV is jam packed full of hidden gems, and Slow Horses is absolutely one of them. You know it must be good when a TV show reaches its sixth outing and fans still want more - I'll certainly never tire of returning to Slough House and Jackson Lamb's unruly bunch of exiled MI5 misfits.

Again, if you're new to the show, what are you waiting for? Get those first five seasons under your belt (you'll get through them in no time, each episode is totally addictive,) and get ready for season 6.

The show is based on Mick Herron’s award-winning Slough House book series, and this season is adapted from the sixth and seventh novels, Joe Country and Slough House.

This time around, there’s a list kill list with all the Slow Horses’ names on it, and a race against time to bring down the assassins before they can take out our favourite motley crew.

Expect more of what is definitely a career best performance from Gary Oldman, plus some new faces joining the talented line-up of stars in the cast.

MobLand season 2

When is it on TV? MobLand season 2 makes a welcome return to Paramount+ on September 18.

Yes, there is another gangster-based drama on the list, and yes it's another one with Guy Ritchie involvement but trust me, this is one of the best things you'll ever see.

Forget whatever you've heard about dodgy accents and spats between the cast, you'll be drawn in by the incredible action, and watching Tom Hardy (Harry Da Souza) threatening absolutely everyone in his path is the entertainment you never knew you needed.

There's a lot of violence - season 1 was essentially a buffet of murder tapas, each one more terrifying and gratuitously gory than the next.

There's also Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, and a brilliant cast who are joined this time around by the equally brilliant Ophelia Lovibond and Johnny Flynn.

Season 1 saw two rival families in the grip of a bloody gang war. The series ended with heads of the Harrigan family mob Maeve and Conrad (Mirren and Brosnan,) off to jail, and their fixer Harry stabbed by his ex-wife.

Season 2 sees Maeve and Conrad out of jail and set to take on more power struggles. It's wild and I'm here for it, with all its strong 90s throwback vibes and people's wrong opinions that it's not very good - it really is.

With the end of summer approaching, thoughts turn to cosy nights in watching the TV - enter The Celebrity Traitors.

The show has become a staple of the colder months - thanks in part to Claudia Winkleman’s wardrobe of chunky knits, stylish accessories and timeless boots - and the second series promises more drama than ever before.

The BBC released the first look, with Claudia asking for "thoughts and prayers" for the star-studded cast, and based on what the showrunners have teased, she really means it. The BBC's Director of Entertainment, Ed Havard, revealed that he nearly had "to step in" during the series as "paranoia was off the scale".

Just as the broadcaster dropped the first teaser look for the new series, Ed teased what to expect from the show’s return at the Edinburgh TV Festival. He revealed, "The thing about this season is, things happen that you didn't think could happen... I came from working on the US version, and it just shows how many surprises this show can deliver.

"The paranoia is off the scale. I really wanted to step in and go, 'no one is actually being murdered. I don't want to give too much away, but there are tears in this series.

"I don't think that I thought there would be this many surprises in this season, but there are."

In the first look at the new series - which stars the likes of actor Richard E. Grant, comedian Miranda Hart and supermodel Jerry Hall - Claudia oversees proceedings with her usual flair, decked out in a heavy black blazer and a white, high-necked ruffle shirt.

Addressing the celebrities sitting in a church, Claudia announces, "A moment of silence for the celebrities gathered today. Thoughts and prayers."

As she exits the church, she says, “Who doesn’t love a dramatic exit?” as a background shows what appears to be funeral flowers spelling out ‘VIP/RIP’.

When is the Celebrity Traitors series 2 airing?

An official release date hasn’t been given yet, but expect it to come in a matter of weeks. Series one began airing on October 8. It aired nightly across Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays before concluding on November 6.

The inaugural series of The Celebrity Traitors was the most-watched show on British TV in 2025, being watched by an average audience of 14.9M, with a peak of 15.4M for the finale.

The full cast of celebrities joining Claudia in the Scottish Highlands and Ardross Castle this year are:

• Amol Rajan
• Bella Ramsey
• James Acaster
• James Blunt
• Jerry Hall
• Joanne McNally
• Joe Lycett
• Julie Hesmondhalgh
• King Kenny
• Leigh-Anne Pinnock
• Maya Jama
• Michael Sheen
• Miranda Hart
• Myha’la
• Professor Hannah Fry
• Richard E. Grant
• Rob Beckett
• Romesh Ranganathan
• Ross Kemp
• Sebastian Croft
• Sharon Rooney.

The bank holiday weekend has arrived, and there's nothing better than knowing you have an extra day to kick back and watch some of the brilliant new television on offer.

Saying that, it can get a bit overwhelming when you're presented with listings for multiple channels and streamers and can't decide what to tune into.

To stop the channel doom scrolling and frustrating indecision that can come with that, I'm sharing the only two TV shows going on my watch list this weekend, and they should be going straight on yours.

They're both intense, gripping, and will leave you wanting more - what more do you need?

Vigil season 3

Suranne Jones and Rose Lesley are finally back as married detectives Amy Silva and Kirsten Longacre in Vigil - hurrah! I've been waiting nearly three years for this.

The highly anticipated third instalment of the entertaining crime thriller arrives on BBC iPlayer and BBC One from Sunday 30 August.

While previous seasons have seen the detective duo investigating wrongdoings on board a submarine, and then across Scotland and the Middle East, series 3 is taking a totally chilly turn and sees Amy and Kirsten sent to a remote Arctic research station.

A member of a covert British special forces mission has been murdered, and as well as catching the killer, there's potential international confrontation to defuse with different nations trying to control the Arctic and its resources.

Arctic scenes were filmed in Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. Suranne Jones has said filming there was an "amazing" experience, as was getting to spend more time shooting scenes with Rose than she did during seasons 1 and 2.

Suranne says, "Rose and I felt like we were just on top of the world because we went to places that tourists don’t normally visit since we were filming in such remote locations."

"There were reindeer outside the breakfast room every morning, we got to drive the snow buggies. The people and the crew in Svalbard were incredible."

The pair were also very adventurous with their food while in Svalbard, and even got to eat some of it in a pretty glorious location.

"We tried some moose and reindeer, which is part of the local cuisine – I had moose stew," Suranne shares, adding, "I went to a husky café where you get to have a coffee and meet retired husky dogs!"

Sweetly, she says that filming with Rose was a "standout" moment for her. "Rose is always my standout of filming Vigil," she says, concluding, "because it’s always gorgeous to see her and work with her. We didn’t stop talking the whole time."

Trigger Point season 4

The excellent Vicky McClure is back for Trigger Point's fourth outing, as the fearless but troubled Lana Washington.

Like Vigil, Trigger Point season 4 also airs from August 30, and will be available on ITV and STV, and later can be streamed on ITVX and STV Player.

Getting straight into the action, the series opens with Lana on the front line with Counter Terrorism Command as London finds itself under attack after a wave of devastating bombings.

Chasing down skilled and dangerous adversaries, it's not long before unsettling cracks start to appear in the investigation. Lana needs to work out who to trust as some of those she works closely with are hiding dark secrets and time is running out.

Speaking about filming the stunt scenes for the show, Vicky says she was absolutely "knackered" by it, but proud of herself for doing it.

"I was knackered! There's a lot of running on Trigger Point," she says, adding, "I've made it quite clear that I don’t go to the gym, but I do enjoy being active and I just knuckle down as much as I can to make the stunts look realistic."

The actress continues, "I still feel young-ish, but I never would have thought I'd be doing action stuff in my early 40s, and I’m quite proud that I am. I'll always have a go because you're never going to get those experiences again."

Elaborating on what audiences can expect from the new episodes, Vicky shares, "This series is the most ambitious yet – we had to up the ante because the audience deserves ambition, they deserve for us to stretch ourselves and go as far as we can."

She adds, "We’ve thrown everything at this series, to make it as entertaining and as real as possible. The priority is always character – plot is vital to keep the story moving, but I always want to make sure the audience gets as much as possible out of all the characters."

The actress concludes, "After that, my motto is just that I want to enjoy it. We get the best job in the world and we’re very lucky to make this show, so let’s make sure we enjoy it and that it's a happy, joyful place to be."

Dame Kristin Scott Thomas knows that people often mistake her for the "cold" women she often plays on-screen, but her reality couldn’t be more different.

In a candid and open conversation on Paloma Faith’s Mad, Sad, Bad podcast, The English Patient star opened up on feeling like "a dismal failure" and resenting becoming a statistic when her first marriage ended.

However, she revealed why her second marriage feels "freer" because of how much better she knows herself as an individual - as well as celebrating the lessons "women [have taught] the new generation of men".

Speaking with Paloma, Kristin was asked how differently marriage and romance is when it comes later in life - when there’s no pressure in terms of feeling like one should be having children or building their career.

Kristin shared, "It's a different thing. It's different. You know, he's got three children. I've got three children… I think it probably is freer

"You're established as a person. You know who you are by then. You know, when I was 21, I didn't really know who I was very much. I know what works, what doesn't work, where the danger zones are, and what I should look out for”.

This sense of freedom has allowed the Slow Horses actress to really hone in what she relishes and what to "make the most of and go full flat out down a certain path."

Kristin is married to John Micklethwait, a journalist, with the pair tying the knot in 2024. Before, Kristin was married to François Olivennes between 1987 and 2005, with the pair sharing three children.

When that first marriage ended, Kristin concedes, "I felt like a dismal failure. The worst thing about it was the fact that I became a statistic. I became one of the 40something percent or whatever it is and I really resented that".

Despite the marriage ending, in a conversation about how things have changed over the years, Kristin revealed they remain in one another’s lives and things are the best they’ve ever been.

Kristin said, "I think a lot of women feel that they're trapped, socially, financially, economically... They feel that they have to stay in a relationship because otherwise what do they do?

"You know, they've given up work to go and to look after children or whatever. I think that is probably a case of a lot of women, but certainly wasn't in our case. I mean, I'm really lucky in that my ex-husband is still quite present in my life.. And it's great.

"To be honest, I'm 65 now and things have never been better."

Kristin also spoke about the changes she’s noticed in relationship dynamics over the years, praising the younger generation of men for being more hands on with childcare.

Speaking about her own family, and spending a weekend with her grandchildren, she was proud to see how involved the men were.

"Just to see how the dads were with these children was extraordinary for me. I mean, it was totally thrilling because they were so on it and completely natural, efficient, brilliant. Just didn't even think twice about changing the nappy or feeding. It was just completely organic.

"It's a testament to us women teaching the new generation of men to see child rearing as a group activity."

Davina McCall has always been frank and open about her health battles, sharing her journey through her brain tumour and breast cancer with fans.

But as the TV icon picked up the Outstanding Achievement Award at the Edinburgh TV Festival, Davina opened up like never before, revealing the moving reason why she feels “almost grateful” - and it has to do with her husband, Michael Douglas.

Davina shared that losing her short term memory as part of her brain tumour "pushed us apart", with her hairdresser husband "worrying if [she] was ever going to come back". It was going through breast cancer afterwards that "smushed" them back together.

The Long Lost Family host said, "At the end of brain-tumour-gate, cancer brought us together. The tumour pushed us apart because I had no short term memory - I was over here trying to get better and he was over worrying if I was ever going to come back.

"But cancer smushed us back together in such a weird way, it was just a beautiful way for us to just reconnect and rebond. I was almost grateful for that experience".

"I caught it early so I did make a full recovery but there was something about it that we needed."

That wasn’t the only new insight Davina shared while collecting her award. She shared that an unlikely fellow celebrity proved to be an invaluable support for her during her cancer treatment - comedian Peter Kay.

Davina started by revealing how differently the two diagnoses hit her - with her response to the brain tumour in 2024 allowing her to feel in control while breast cancer a year later left her "angry”.

She said, "I had this brain tumour diagnosis and I spoke about it because I was going to disappear off the face of the earth for three months. So I said exactly what it is, how big it is and the name of it so [the media] could cover everything they needed to, and I would be left alone. It was a really good way of dealing with it.

"But when I got breast cancer, it was like... I could really disappear and not talk to anybody about this, but I can’t because I have done this before.

"And do you know who helped me? It was Peter Kay. He called me when I was in hospital with my brain tumour. And I don’t really know him that well, but he was unbelievably supportive.

And then when I had my breast cancer diagnosis, he helped, and he just talked me through He said, ‘I think you know what you want to do. And I was like, ‘Yeah I want to talk about it.'

"I was kind of angry about having to talk about it because I knew I was going to be questioned about HRT and there was going to be judgment around that."

Fortunately, things are looking much better. Davina completed preventative radiotherapy in early 2026 and shared in April that she was all clear. She also married her husband in late 2025 in a small, intimate wedding before having a huge party to celebrate it after she had the all-clear earlier this summer.

Actress Lisa Riley has shared hurt and anger over AI pictures of herself circulating online, depicting her holding a baby scan and also an infant child.

The faked pregnancy 'reveal' comes after the star's struggles with IVF and fertility that have left her unable to have a child of her own, despite wanting to be a mother.

Lisa shared the devastating pictures to Instagram, writing, "THIS HAS TO STOP! It’s absolutely horrendous! Saying that I’m pregnant again!"

She continued, "How is this allowed, it makes me so upset… What world do we live in that these lies, and more lies are allowed to be put in the public domain. I’m sick to death of it now."

The actress has been very open about her fertility journey, discussing it with the Loose Women panel on some occasions when she's been hosting the show.

Having built her career starring in the likes of Waterloo Road, Fat Friends and Emmerdale, Lisa once shared that she "waited and waited" to find the right person to have a child with.

She's been with her musician boyfriend Al since 2014, and decided he was the right person to start a family with. Sadly, despite "trying everything," Lisa has been unable to fall pregnant.

Now aged 50, the star has admitted that, "Sometimes in life it's not meant to be."

During one Loose Women appearance, Lisa shared, "I couldn't fall pregnant, I would've given everything in my life to have had a child."

She added, "I wasn't that lucky. I tried everything." Committed to continuing to try, it was her partner Al who eventually convinced her to stop.

Lisa shares that Al turned to her one day to say, "You have to stop all the IVF treatment. It's diminishing you, it's taking your personality away, you're trying too hard."

Agreeing he was right, Lisa says she felt like a "jigsaw with a missing piece," realising she wouldn't have a child, and sometimes "still struggles" when conversations she's having head towards pregnancy and babies.

The actress received many supportive comments when she shared the AI pictures of the faked scan and herself holding a newborn.

One person wrote, "What on earth!? Have people lost their minds? This is so upsetting. Sending you lots of love," while another added, "Inexcusable. Sending tons of love Lisa."

Elsewhere in the comments, another supporter shared, "So wrong on so many levels.
Truly hope you’re ok. It needs to stop and Instagram has a responsibility to those being affected by it."

Echoing the same sentiments, another person said, "Oh Lisa this is just so awful. I’m so sorry you have been subjected to this. It’s disgusting. Sending you the biggest hugs."

The world lost an icon this week, with Dolly Parton passing away on August 25, aged 80. The country music icon left behind a legacy of philanthropy, music and wisdom - especially when it comes to keeping the spark alive.

Dolly was married to her husband, Carl Dean, for 58 years before his passing in March 2025 - having met outside a laundromat by complete chance in 1964, And while Carl kept out of the spotlight for most of that time, Dolly often spoke about how they made it work.

The Jolene singer might have been famous for her big hair and big personality, but she understood that the secret to marriage was in the "little things we do", including going camping in the RV, Carl bringing her bouquets of flowers or writing her "a little poem", and her belief that some distance and separation was healthy.

"When people ask me why it’s lasted this long, I say, ‘Because I stay gone,'" she told Entertainment Tonight in 2020. "And there’s a lot of truth in that - the fact that we’re not in each other’s faces all the time."

"I travel a lot, but we really enjoy each other when we're together and the little things we do."

She has also said to E! News in the past "It's worked for us because we both do different things and it's exciting when we are together. So the fact that there's some little space makes it exciting when you go home.

"He's not in the music business at all, so we have different things to talk about, his world and my world, and we work really well together. We have a lot of love and respect for each other."

She also added how the pair respected each other’s boundaries and didn’t try to change one another.

In an interview with Good Morning America, she addressed Carl’s absence from the spotlight and why he was never by her side at awards shows. She explained he said to her once, "I want you to do everything you want to do and I wish you the best, but don’t ever ask me to go to another one of these damn things ’cause I ain’t going.”

Public displays of affection might have not been his style, but when the two were alone, they made the time for another completely.

She told People in 2022, "My husband and I, we’ve been together 56 years… we still have our little times, like in the springtime when the first yellow daffodils came out.”

“Even if there’s still some snow around it, my husband always brings me a bouquet. And he’ll usually write me a little poem. Which to me, that’s priceless. That’s like a date in itself.”

When Carl passed on March 3, 2025, Dolly dedicated a song, If You Hadn’t Been There, to him, sharing a sweet message on her social media. She wrote, "I fell in love with Carl Dean when I was 18 years old. We have spent 60 precious and meaningful years together.

"Like all great love stories, they never end. They live on in memory and song. He will always be the star of my life story”.

After Carl’s passing, Dolly started to hint at her own health struggles after being forced to cancel a few appearances and a planned Las Vegas residency.

In a statement following her death, her publicist revealed Dolly had quietly been battling cancer, releasing a statement that read, "After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones."

Sandra Bullock’s return to the big screens is imminent, with the Oscar winner reprising her role for the much-anticipated Practical Magic sequel out in September.

It marks her first role since 2022’s The Lost City, after which she took a step back from acting to focus on caring for her late partner, Bryan Randall, who was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (sometimes known as motor neurone disease) in 2020.

The Miss Congeniality star, who is known for being more private, opened up for the first time about her decision to step out of the spotlight for a while, the emotional toll she felt trying to raise her family while caring for Bryan, and the heart-breaking reason she started to grieve for him years before his passing.

Appearing on the SmartLess podcast, hosted by actors Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett, Sandra shared that trying to act and deal with Bryan’s diagnosis proved too much, leading to her worried she might "have a little bit of a mental issue".

She shared, "When Bryan got sick, after Lost City, I was like, ‘I can't.’ I thought I was going to have a little bit of a mental issue. I was like, ‘I can't, I can't, I can't,'" she said.

Trying to continue working while dealing with it all - and raising her children Louis and Laila - she continued, "I came for the reshoot on a couple of hours' sleep and I remember walking in and everyone went, 'What, what, did you not sleep?!'

"I looked so bad, and when I say so bad, like my face, it was horrific. I could maybe manage four hours of the reshoot and they were like, ‘Can you just give us [another take]?’

"I was like, ‘I can't, I can't, I've got to go home.’ And I went home."

"The amount of money they had to spend to fix my face to match the rest of the film digitally. It was a horror show. So I did that and then I just pulled the plug. I said I can't anymore. I have nothing to give right now. Nothing. Zero."

Sandra also went into detail about caring for Bryan after his diagnosis and up to his death on August 5, 2023, and why she started grieving him when he was still alive.

"I started grieving Bryan four years before he passed. Something in me said, ‘Start grieving now’ because I knew I would be the caregiver… I could see that the bright eyes that I knew - there was something that had shifted. It was a traumatic diagnosis.

"My person left a lot earlier than the body left. I don’t think I ever dealt with that until after he passed, because you’re just on this treadmill".

Jo Whiley has opened up on the "amazing send off" her "legend" of a father received at his funeral - which was "unconventional" and heart-warming in equal measure.

Jo’s father, Martin Whiley, passed away on July 21 at the age of 86 following a battle with Parkinson's disease, and Jo has candidly shared her experience throughout his illness and dealing with the grief on Dig It, the popular podcast she hosts with friend Zoe Ball.

In a recent episode, Jo shared an update about his funeral, including the touching way her sister said goodbye, and how she left the entire church falling about laughing with the "comic timing" she inherited from their late father.

Jo shared, "It was never going to be conventional because of my dad and because of Frances. I knew that Frances wouldn't sit in her pew, that Francis would want to go and be involved in this.

"And sure enough, she just kind of plonked herself right at the foot of the coffin. And there's a picture of dad there as well. So you've got the flowers, sunflowers, then a gorgeous picture of my dad who's actually watching Elbow on stage. So there's this photograph of him and he is beaming because it's his favourite band in the world.

"And Frances just kind of straightened up the picture and she looked at dad and she just leant on the end of the coffin for such a long time while the vicar was talking. And she was just talking and looking at dad while the whole service went on.

"After a little while, she went and sat on a chair again, right in front. It just set the tone of this unconventional funeral."

Jo’s sister, Frances, has Cri du chat syndrome, a rare genetic disorder. On a previous episode of the podcast, Jo talked about how she was dealing with losing her father, and how the family were able to explain it to her.

She shared, "Frances has been extraordinary, and she completely understands what is going on", adding that the family weren’t sugar-coating the reality they were facing.

She explained that they told her, "'Well, [their dad] is not going to come home'. And she kind of pauses and she's like, ‘OK, where is he going?’ And my mum is a really, really devout Christian, and she says, ‘Well, he's going to Jesus, and that's where we all go.'"

Frances was also able to help lighten the mood during the service, Jo revealed, with an impromptu comment that left everyone in stitches.

Jo shared, "My dad was a comic, and Frances has inherited that from him. So there was this really good friend of my dad who did a lovely tribute. He took a pause. And as he took a pause, Frances just went, ‘Finished yet?’ Really loudly. And the whole church just fell about laughing."

In a post on her social media, Jo also added that the family celebrated afterwards with a karaoke night in honour of Martin.

Accompanying a moving set of photos, Jo wrote, 'It seemed only fitting that after the funeral we celebrated him with songs all night long. He would have loved seeing his grandchildren step up and kick things off with Elbow’s One Day Like This followed by the song he sang at every opportunity - Sweet Caroline.

'All day long, people hugged each other and cried and laughed and sang through their tears - it felt very much like he was with us throughout.'

Gavin & Stacey might have signed off for good with the 2024 Christmas special, but it will live on forever in the hearts of fans who sit down for endless re-watches and quote the series to their friends.

As an enduring comedy classic, it really is one of the most quotable TV shows there's ever been. Still keeping the spirit of our favourite Barry Island/Billericay favourites alive, Joanna Page has recently shared her top six lines from across the episodes.

Fans who haven't seen the clip of sharing her rankings will go wild when they do, and ones who have went into an excited frenzy. The actress's decisions could also be divisive, especially for die hard viewers who will definitely have strong opinions on their favourite lines.

Let us know what you think of Joanna's choices. Appearing on Magic FM, Joanna goes straight in with an absolute Pam classic, "It's all the drama Mick, I just love it!"

She says, "I want to go straight in and say that's my number one, but I won't allow myself to do that." The actress quickly decides, "I'm going to do that as my number two."

Right, so second place has been filled. What will come next? Straight away, she's shown a clip of the absolutely perfect scene that sees Smithy ordering an Indian takeaway.

"Chicken bhuna, lamb bhuna, prawn bhuna, mushroom rice, bag of chips, keema naan and nine poppadoms." It never gets old.

Of this line, Joanna says, "I've hear that one so many times. I'll give that one a four." She even shares that as well as hearing the line quoted on multiple occasions, she even once saw a man with it tattooed on his stomach.

Another one from Pam makes it's way into the top six, and this time it's, "I'm not being funny Stacey, but you want to get a life. What you said just now was really boring."

Joanna shares, "I really like all of Pam's quotes," as she places this one in third place, admitting to "holding out my number one for something big."

That number one spot is then immediately filled. Joanna offers the coveted position of best quote in the entire series to her own character and Stacey saying, appalled, "You're eating ham, Pam."

Giving a rationale, the actress says, "Stuff it, right, I'm putting that as number one. Because I never put myself as number one."

That leaves two spaces left in Joanna's top six Gavin & Stacey quotes of all time. Of course, there had to be one from Nessa in there, and she makes her way into the chart with, "I'll have a pint. Of wine."

Because who doesn't casually order pints of wine when they're out? Revealing her thoughts, Joanna says, "I now feel bad right, because I really like Nessa's one," indicating that she might've liked to place it higher.

The actress recalls watching Ruth Jones delivering that line as Nessa, and feeling "the weight behind it, and the heaviness and the solidness of just Ness."

This line of brilliance goes in at number five. That leaves one more spot, and the quote going in at number six comes from the absolute icon that is Doris.

Who will ever forget her turning to Gwen to announce, "Gwen, I'm absolutely t****ed"? Nobody, that's who.

Through laughter, Joanna says, "Oh, it's Doris! I think it's ok to be number six, because she does do a swear word."

Joanna concludes, "I'm quite happy with all of my rankings there." Tell us which of the quotes in her top six is your favourite.

If you answered "other" in the poll, let us know what your all time favourite Gavin & Stacey quote is in the comments!

Lesley Manville has been reflecting on the enduring popularity of her 2016 sitcom Mum, and the importance of portraying older relationships on screen.

The actress also rightly points out that there shouldn't be age limits when it comes to love and romance, whether on television or in real life.

Mum was written by the incredibly talented Stefan Golaszewski, the man behind 2010's comedy-drama Him & Her - the show was four seasons of utter perfection, starring the brilliantly cast Sarah Solemani and Russell Tovey in the lead roles.

After Him & Her came Mum, and then the more recent Babies. Both the latter two reflect the challenging feelings Golaszewski continues to work through from the years he and his wife suffered the trauma and grief of baby loss.

In Mum, Lesley Manville plays 59-year-old recently widowed Cathy. Audiences are introduced to her on the day of her husband Dave's funeral. The quiet and thoughtful Michael (Peter Mullan,) and old friend of Cathy and Dave, then spends three seasons slowly revealing that he has feelings for Cathy.

The series was a sweet, subtle ode to the love of two people in their 60s who also break boundaries of what is expected of people of their age.

"People tend to equate middle-aged people with not being naughty any more. But these two are and it’s just delightful," Lesley tells The Guardian of Cathy and Michael.

She continues, "From my experience of strangers talking to me about it, they were really pleased to see a love story about people who weren’t in their 20s or 30s."

The actress continues to share that the series is the "thing that people stop me to talk about the most." Lesley reveals, "Just this week, someone stopped me and said, 'Oh I love Mum, it was my favourite!', and they’re always asking, 'Are you gonna do any more?'"

Despite being happily single and not actively dating, Lesley still enjoys the idea of romance for those who want it. "I mean, who wouldn’t want romance?," she asks, continuing, "Who wouldn’t want somebody sharing, receiving, giving…"

She believes that in "this messed-up world we’re living in" it's a good thing to "keep it simple, just a little bit of good, honest, basic to and fro, love, romance."

In her own life, the actress has been divorced twice, and has spoken candidly about the devastation she felt when her first husband walked out on her three months after she gave birth.

Lesley wed Gary Oldman in 1987 and gave birth to their son Alfie in 1988 after falling pregnant on their honeymoon. Oldman walked out on his wife and son when Alfie was just three months old.

"We were having the most amazing time together and we loved each other," Lesley once said about her time with Oldman, adding, "We got married. I got pregnant on my honeymoon. We were having the best time, but then the rug was very severely pulled from under my feet..."

However, the actress knew she wasn't going to let the incident define or destroy her. "I wasn't going to fall apart. I didn't fall apart," she says. Lesley recalls, "There was absolutely no question about it for me that I was going to carry on working and I was going to be the most brilliant mother."

Despite what has happened in her own romantic life, Lesley's latest comments show how much she enjoys portraying love stories on screen. She also reiterates the importance of acted romance, and any love, being normalised as something that can happen at any age.

"I guess the big thing is, there is no age limit on falling in love," she says, simply.

After graduating from Cambridge university and starting her career in radio, Katie Derham went on to become one of TV's most beloved newscasters.

She joined ITV in 1998 and at the age of 27, became the youngest newscaster on British television and the youngest in ITN history.

Now aged 56, Katie is a presenter at BBC Radio 3, and known as "the face" of the BBC Proms coverage.

Turning 56 was also a poignant moment for the presenter, because her mother Margaret was the same age when she was sadly diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's.

Margaret died aged just 61, from complications of pancreatitis. Recently, Katie has shared insight into the grief she feels at her mother's passing, and the uncertainty she experienced for her own future after losing a parent to something that took them early.

She also expresses sorrow that she doesn't have anyone close to her to discuss midlife issues and menopause with, something she would've liked to do with her mum who could've given her advice.

Speaking to Ateh Jewel during an episode of the Second Act podcast, Katie shares that losing her mother to such a cruel disease "definitely changes you," and made her "more determined" to "carry on doing well."

"I've stopped being quite so angry as I was for many years," Katie says of her path through grief, adding, "she never met my second daughter, and she had such a bright and interesting mind."

She continues, "It seems particularly cruel. She was 61 when she died - that's nothing is it?" Her mother's early death made Katie feel as though she had to "step up" and be the "mother of the family."

Bringing the conversation around to menopause, Katie says of her mum, "I don't know how she responded to changes in midlife, because she was already ill by the time she was that age."

She continues, "I don't know how she responded to the menopause, I don't know what she was like as a young grandma - I don't know what she was like as an older grandma."

The presenter feels that it's a "bit odd that I don't have that modelling," to get a semblance of how she herself might've responded to these issues and been able to ask questions about her mum's experience of them.

She does still have her mother-in-law, whom she describes as "wonderful" and "amazing." However, despite her being the "most fantastic role model in the world," Katie says there's still so many gaps left by not having her own mother.

She feels this particularly keenly when asked for her medical history. "I've no idea what might've happened in the next 10 years," she says, adding, "because she [her mum] wasn't around."

Katie finishes with a message about what she's learned from losing her mum in such difficult circumstances.

"Don't waste time, go for it and try and enjoy it," she says of making the most of life. She concludes, "Just step back and enjoy these wonderful things that we're all doing, whether it's work or family - just enjoy it."

Dolly Parton has had her "wings clipped" - but it’s all in the name of her health.

The country music legend, who turned 80 this year, was scheduled to appear at the launch of a new ride at her iconic Dollywood theme park in Tennessee but dropped out at the last minute, offering fans a pre-recorded message instead.

In the video, a typically made-up Dolly, complete with bold blue and pink eyeshadow and a sparkly rhinestone jacket, told fans, "I’m supposed to be there in person, like we planned. Now I’ve told you before, all my fans, that I have had a few little health issues. And sometimes I get a little dizzy, and I get dehydrated."

She continued, "I’m dehydrated. And so my Nashville doctor clipped my wings, saying you ain’t travelling this week. So I guess if your doctor tells you you ain’t travelling this week, you ain’t travelling this week."

Dolly, famous for her relentless work ethic and energy, has faced a few cancellations and rescheduling in the past couple of years, often addressing her health in a joking matter.

Last September, she had to cancel a different Dollywood event. In a message back then, she announced, "Hello, Dollywood! It’s me. I know, I’m here, and you’re there. And you’re wondering why that is?

"Well, I had a little problem. I had a kidney stone that was causing me a lot of problems. Turned out it’d given me an infection. And the doctor said, ‘You don’t need to be travelling right this minute, so you need a few days to get better.’"

The Jolene singer also postponed a much-publicised sell-out Las Vegas residency that was set to run in September of this year. Dolly has previously said that the death of her husband Carl Dean in 2025, at the age of 82, led her to not “take care of” herself - but she wanted to reassure fans that she had plenty of life left in her, especially after a post from her sister caused concern.

Her sister, Freida Parton, had fans fearing the worst when she asked for their prayers for her sister. In classic Dolly style, she responded with a hilarious video where she quipped, "I ain’t dead yet."

In the video, she explained, “I wanted to say I know lately everybody thinks I am sicker than I am - do I look sick to you?

"I appreciate your prayers because I’m a person of faith. I want you to know that I’m okay. I’ve got some problems as I’ve mentioned. There’s just a lot of rumours flying around, but I figured if you heard it from me, you’d know that I was okay.

"I’m not ready to die yet. I don’t think God is through with me and I ain’t done working. So I love you for caring, and keep praying for me."

Lorraine Kelly has been a staple of the nation's morning television for over 40 years, and viewers are drawn in by her kind and amiable presenting style, feeling like they're sitting down with a friend when they watch her shows.

Having made a hugely successful career in journalism, TV and radio, you'd think Lorraine would consider these roles her greatest achievements.

However, she's recently revealed that there is only one job she considers to be her "proper job," and it has nothing to do with being a presenter.

In conversation with Yours magazine, Lorraine shares that caring for her two-year-old granddaughter Billie, is the one role she covets the most in life.

"I would babysit her every day," Lorraine reveals, adding, "I consider that my real job. Looking after my granddaughter - that's my proper job."

Lorraine has one daughter, Rosie, with her husband of more than 30 years, Steve Smith. Rosie gave birth to her first child, Billie, in August 2024 and Lorraine has been a devoted grandmother ever since.

Giving insight into what she loves the most about spending time with Billie, Lorraine says, "It's wonderful because she's at that stage where everything is exciting."

She continues, "She can spend half an hour just looking at bees or splashing around in puddles, and it's just magical."

The presenter does express an element of regret that she was unable to do these things with her own daughter, due to a hectic work schedule.

"It's such a privilege as a nana to live so close to your granddaughter and to be trusted to look after her," Lorraine says, adding candidly, "I feel like I've been given a second chance, because when Rosie was little, I was simply working far too hard."

Lorraine also shares that now she's older, she has "more patience" when spending time with a young child.

"You don't mind reading the same book over and over again," she says, continuing, "Billie has three or four favourites that we read again and again, and she never gets bored."

Lorraine quips that she doesn't get bored of doing things repetitively with Billie either, sweetly sharing that her granddaughter "came along at exactly the right time for me."

There was more happiness in the presenter's life recently, when Rosie married her partner, and Billie's father, Steve White.

The couple wed on July 25 at Sir Andy Murray's Cromlix hotel, near Dunblane. Billie was present as flower girl, and Lorraine has said it was one of the most "joyful" days of their lives.

The wedding was full of poignant moments and nods to wider family members. "It was on the day of my mum and dad's wedding anniversary," Lorraine shares, which is especially moving in the wake of her father's sad death earlier this year.

Rosie also paid tribute to her parents' 1992 nuptials. She thoughtfully wrapped her bouquet with a piece of the same Douglas tartan Lorraine had used for her own wedding invitations.

"We got lots and lots of photos, all those unguarded moments," Lorraine says. Some of their favourites will be adorning the mantlepiece at her home, taking pride of place.

"Those photos are going to be on the mantlepiece for ever, long after I'm away," she concludes.

The public have spoken, and now the women are making history - the National Television Awards (NTA) voters have selected an all-female shortlist in the best drama performance category for the first time ever.

As a TV writer, I am both incredibly excited by this, and also felt it in my blood that these incredible women were going to get the recognition they deserved.

First up, the impossibly talented Sheridan Smith has been nominated for her performance as campaigner Ann Ming in ITV's true crime series I Fought The Law.

Always an absolute powerhouse, Sheridan doesn't put a foot wrong in telling the story of one mother's long fight to change the law to get justice for her murdered daughter.

If you haven't seen it yet, all four episodes are available on ITVX, and I guarantee the hauntingly devastating story will stay with you for a long time after the credits have finished rolling - and a poignant cameo at the very end will leave even the most hardened viewer sobbing.

Another small screen legend, Ruth Jones has been nominated in the category for her role as Elena Ravenscroft in Netflix thriller Run Away.

Well known for her comedy acting and writing, Ruth shows her range in a very straight role as a firearms officer turned private investigator pulled into a dark web of secrets and death in the adaptation of a Harlan Coben thriller.

As one of the most bingeable shows you'll ever see, clear a massive space in your diary if you are yet to see this one. This will allow you to get through the eight episodes without having to take a break, because you won't be able to tear your eyes from this one.

Next up is Vicky McClure for the role of Lana Washington in Trigger Point. One of the most versatile, memorable actresses of her generation, nobody does thrillers quite like Vicky.

There's three seasons of this gripping show on ITVX, and if you like relentless threat in the form of the utter precarious nature of bomb disposal, this is for you. Season 4 is also arriving this autumn, so get the other three firmly under your belt in readiness.

I definitely let out a scream when I found out Ella Bruccoleri had been shortlisted for her portrayal of Mary in The Other Bennet Sister.

Now, this is one of the most joyful, life affirming, boundary breaking shows you'll ever see. The sort that I mentioned to absolutely everyone who would listen, in the hope they'd watch it so I could talk endlessly about every second of it to someone other than my cats.

The 10-parter is based on author Janice Hadlow's 2020 novel of the same name, reimagining Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice through the eyes of the overlooked Mary Bennet.

Viewers are treated to a glimpse of what Mary's life could've been if she'd been known for what she is, rather than simply being the 'plain one' of the sisters.

And I'll say it again for those at the back, it is GLORIOUS viewing. Watch it, and hit me up with what you think, it's all available to view on BBC iPlayer.

Last and absolutely no means whatsoever least, the inimitable Judy Parfitt is nominated for playing Sister Monica Joan in Call The Midwife.

If you still haven't seen season 15 of this incredible show, a) where have you been, and b) look away now because there's spoilers ahead.

Now, it's been eight months since Sister Monica Joan's soul was led away from Nonnatus House by Sister Evangelina no less, and I still can't think about it without crying.

I was hooked by the charm of Call The Midwife from the very first moments of the opening episode, all the way back in 2012, and my love for it has never waned.

It's since become one of my ultimate comfort watches, and Judy Parfitt's perfect portrayal of a kindly nun suffering dementia and memory loss has been one of the greatest performances myself and all viewers have been blessed to witness.

The show won't be the same without her, but how wonderful to see such a fine actress rewarded for the dedication she gave Sister Monica Joan right until the very end.

All 15 seasons and Christmas specials are on BBC iPlayer. If you're watching for the first time, you're in for a treat. If you often go back for a re-watch like me, welcome to the club.

With the shortlist for the best drama performance award now public, another round of voting is open to determine the winners in the ceremony's 15 categories.

It's impossible to pick a favourite from the wonderful actresses above, so I'll be rooting for all of them when the NTAs air on September 8.

As summer enters its final weeks, the season of cosy nights in front of the TV beckons - which makes the return of the BBC’s Ludwig even more exciting.

The series stars David Mitchell (Peep Show) as John Taylor, a reclusive puzzle expert who goes by the pen name of Ludwig. His twin brother, James, is a police detective who has gone into hiding.

John ends up impersonating his twin brother to help the police solve crimes, all while joining forces with his brother’s wife, played by Anna Maxwell Martin (Motherland), to work out the mystery of his disappearance - and he realises there’s much more to it than meets the eye.

While trying to solve the overarching mystery of his brother’s disappearance, each weekly episode will see a different crime being solved by John and the police. Guest stars this season will include Stephen Merchant (The Office).

How to watch Ludwig in the UK

If you're in the UK, it's very simple to watch Ludwig, as it's free to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Providing you have a TV licence, you can watch the new episodes when they begin airing on Thursday, August 20. The episode airs on BBC One from 9pm, and will be available to watch on iPlayer.

New episodes are expected to air weekly in the same time slot. The first series had a total of six episodes and the second series is expected to have the same.

You can also catch up on all episodes from series one now.

How to watch Ludwig from anywhere in the world

If you’re going to be away from your usual TV set-up when Ludwig starts airing, but can't wait to see what cases he cracks, there's still a way.

You can still enjoy all episodes when they become available with the use of a Virtual Private Network - a VPN.

A VPN allows you to change your IP address to that of the area of what you want to watch, meaning you can tune in to the show, even if you're not there.

Our sister site, TechRadar, has tested all of the major VPN services and they rate Nord to be the absolute best.

They say, "It’s compatible with all of your devices, supports most streaming services, and ranks among the fastest. You can even install it on devices like an Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox, and PlayStation. So for a one-stop-shop, you can’t go wrong with Nord."

If you've never installed a VPN before, don't worry, it's quick and easy. Just follow these three steps:

• Download and install the VPN following NordVPN's easy-to-follow instructions.
• Once you've installed your VPN, open the app and select your server location as anywhere in the UK.
• With your VPN installed and server location set to UK, you can now watch Ludwig on BBC iPlayer.

How did Ludwig season 1 end?

If you haven’t caught up with the first series on iPlayer yet, there could be spoilers ahead.

In the final episode of the first series, John - still impersonating his missing brother - helped clear his sister-in-law, Anna Maxwell Martin, of a murder for which she was almost set up.

Elsewhere, John’s brother’s disappearance was set up to be connected to former journalist, blogger and conspiracy theorist Roger Sinclair. After Sinclair was murdered, John’s brother James was one of the first cops on the scene.

James suspects something is wrong with the handling of the death scene, after the contents of Sinclair’s home go missing and his boss, DCS Carol Shaw, tells him to stop investigating. Both James and his police partner, Matt, went missing shortly after being told to drop the investigation.

James, who has been watching John from the shadows throughout the season, ends up leaving him an unusual voicemail in which he seemingly tells John to drop the investigation, too. However, using his puzzle solving brain, he realises his brother was hiding the truth in his cryptic message.

After solving the clue, John and James’s wife, Lucy, are led to a storage unit where the contents of the murdered Sinclair’s home are hidden away. What had Sinclair worked out, and who is trying to keep it hidden?

That’s what season two will explore…

TV audiences have an ongoing fascination with true crime, and there's no shortage of documentaries and dramatisations of criminal wrongdoing to keep up with appetites for the genre.

When crimes have been committed against a child and the mother is found to be responsible, the public find these particularly jaw-dropping.

In the BBC's recent documentary The Mother of All Cons, those tuning in couldn't believe the lengths Jean O'Brien went to in order to fabricate her daughter, Megan Bhari's illness.

Following in the show's footsteps, a new channel 4 documentary, Love You To Death, investigates the case of Lisa Hayden-Johnson and how she came to be labelled "Britain's most evil mum."

Airing from August 19, the three-part series looks at how Lisa created a vast number of claims that her son Matthew was incredibly ill. This included maintaining the lies that he was unable to walk, eat or breathe without assistance.

We look at what Lisa did to her child, and where they both are now in the aftermath of her shocking deceit being uncovered.

What did Lisa Hayden-Johnson do?

When Lisa Hayden-Jones' son Matthew was born prematurely in 2001, he temporarily needed a tube for feeding.

However, he made a full recovery and could have been discharged home to live a normal life, except Lisa spent the next six years insisting he was very unwell.

She claimed that Matthew was allergic to nearly all food, diabetic, had cerebral palsy and cystic fibrosis, suffered from a neurological disorder which reduced his mobility, and was intolerant to sunlight.

To continue the myth that her son suffered from diabetes, Lisa spiked his urine samples with glucose before testing, and even his own father believed in his apparent conditions and that he couldn't eat or swallow food.

Matthew was examined by doctors in Bristol and at Great Ormond Street hospital, and they couldn't find anything wrong with him.

However, Lisa countered their findings by falsely claiming that she was a qualified nurse and was the best person to judge how ill her son was. If medical professionals questioned her about Matthew's conditions, she threatened to sue them.

Matthew later had surgery at the age of four to fit a permanent feeding tube directly into his stomach. By the time he went to school, he attended in a wheelchair fitted with oxygen bottles.

Matthew also believed in his illnesses, while Lisa collected £130,000 in benefits after claiming £20,000 a year in disability living allowance over a period of just over six years.

She also received gifts from children's charities including a new car and a cruise in Tenerife. Lisa was given free X Factor tickets and sold her story to magazines - she even accompanied Matthew to collect a Children of Courage award at Downing Street.

However, in 2007, Matthew's paediatrician voiced suspicions that his illnesses had continued for too long without an official diagnosis.

Medical professionals insisted that Matthew needed more detailed tests and Lisa's story began to unravel.

In order to cancel a hospital visit, Lisa claimed she had been sexually assaulted, harming herself to make the made up attack seem real. An arrest was nearly made over her story.

Lisa Hayden-Johnson was eventually arrested in October 2007. By this time, Matthew had been subjected to 325 medical actions.

When the case went to court, the BBC reports that the prosecution told Lisa that her "sadistic fabrication of non-existent symptoms" amounted to "24-hour-a-day torture" for her child.

During Lisa's trial, the court heard that she often referred to Matthew as "the most ill child in Britain" and Matthew, as a result, was "convinced that he was chronically and seriously ill."

Lisa's defence team told the court she was suffering from conditions formerly known as Munchausen syndrome and Munchausen syndrome by proxy.

Now called Fabricated or Induced Illness (FII), the condition is something health, social care, and safeguarding professionals say is a rare form of child abuse where somebody exaggerates or deliberately causes sickness in a person under their care.

Two years after her arrest, Lisa pleaded guilty to charges of child cruelty and perverting the course of justice. She was sentenced to three years and three months in prison.

Where is Lisa Hayden-Johnson now?

Now aged 50 and remarried, Lisa does appear in the documentary, but doesn't show her face. Giving a reason for her anonymity, Lisa says, "I live in quite a small community, and I don’t want this to upset my life as I have it. And I want to be able to move on."

Unsurprisingly, she lost custody of both her children - she also has a daughter called Laura who is two years older than Matthew. Laura chose to rebuild a relationship with her mother when she was released from prison.

When she hit her teens, Laura went to live with Lisa, but the two fell into difficulty. Laura was suffering from PTSD as a result of witnessing what her mum did to her brother.

"I was getting that mother attention that I needed," Laura tells The Telegraph of going to live with Lisa.

However, Lisa's mental health went into decline when her daughter was living with her. "I would push her around in this wheelchair and become her carer," Laura explains, adding, "Every time we got into an argument… she would regress into this five-year-old state."

"She claimed that she had developed a regression disorder. She would be watching Peppa Pig, trying to self-harm." The relationship broke down Laura no longer speaks to Lisa.

Matthew appears in the documentary - he is now 25 and works in finance. When he was first removed from his mother's care, he was initially put into foster care while his father was questioned.

When it was ascertained that his father knew nothing about Lisa fabricating his illnesses, Matthew was returned to his care and reunited with Laura. Shortly afterwards, the family relocated from Devon to Sheffield to have a fresh start.

Matthew also regained some contact with his mother, but not the same level as his sister, but has since cut contact altogether and says he has no plans to ever see Lisa again.

He says this is because Lisa refuses to change, and in the documentary she continues to acknowledge any wrongdoing.

"How can I be Britain’s most evil mother?" she asks, adding, "The only thing I was guilty of was putting my son first and fighting his battle, which is what I did. And I don’t regret that."

While he no longer wants any contact with Lisa, Matthew forgives her and wishes her well. He says, "I forgive her. What other option do I have? I can’t hold the hate over her. I wish her the best. I just want to move on with my life."

Love You To Death airs on Channel 4 from August 19.

Some call it ‘loudcasting’. Others, like Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball, just consider it ‘unbelievably rude’. It is, of course, the incredibly divisive act of using one’s phone out in public without the use of headphones.

On a recent episode of Jo and Zoe’s podcast, Dig It, the pair waded into the topic of whether it should be outright banned to listen to music, watch videos or take calls with the volume coming out of the speaker on the phone.

For Jo, it was a crystal clear yes. She told Zoe, “It's so rude. I cannot believe that people think it's okay to do that.” In fact, if she comes across someone committing the annoying act, she said she has been known to give them the “Paddington Bear stare”.

Moving the conversation along, Zoe asked if she had it correct that they are trying to actually enforce a ban of people listening to things without their headphones on certain airlines. And the bad news for anyone hoping this is the case, is that it’s not an actual law yet - especially in the UK.

Some airlines, like United Airlines based in the United States, have indeed made it mandatory for people to use headphones whenever they’re listening to something, and staff are allowed to remove passengers who refuse to comply.

In London, passengers across the TfL network can get fined for not using headphones on public transport. A bylaw exists, technically banning people from playing music on services, with fines of up to £1,000.

However, Time Out reported that a Freedom of Information (FOI) request last year revealed that not a single person was ever actually fined for this in 2024.

An overwhelming number of the comments on the Dig It podcast’s Instagram page were in agreement with Jo that it’s unbelievably rude and should be banned, with some even offering their own unique ways of dealing with offenders.

Sharing a rather tactful approach, one person wrote, “I like to pretend I don’t understand tech and cheerfully tap them on the arm and say I don’t think your headphones are working because everybody can hear that”.

Another suggested, "I read somewhere that someone carries a spare pair of earphones and gives them to the offending person... Going to try to do that!"

Others prefer a different approach. “Next time it happens to me, I’m going to sit next to them and play Agadoo at full volume on mine with a big smile.”

However, there were those who took an opposing view to Jo - but they were in a clear minority.

One follower replied, “Genuinely don't understand why [people] moan about calls on speaker - you wouldn't moan about a conversation if they were sat next to you!” Another person replied, “It’s called tolerance”.

Whatever side of the debate people fall on, the root cause was another topic that inspired debate. Some blame it on the rise of "main character syndrome".

One of the replies offered, "It’s like all the worlds a stage. Look at me, listen to me, I need attention! I wonder if it has also come from parents paying less attention to their children due to their own phones and this is another result of that need for attention from others?"

Should it be officially banned, with a fine introduced? Or is that taking it too far?

It has become one of the nation’s most comforting shows, having run for 16 years and counting, and it introduced a whole new generation to the likes of Dame Mary Berry and Prue Leith.

However, Mel Giedroyc, who was there at the very beginning of The Great British Bake Off, revealed that she nearly quit on “day one, series one” because it was not the “kind of show” with which she wanted to be involved.

Mel told the How to Fail podcast that the original direction of the show felt “grim” - which led to her issuing an ultimatum. “There was a bit of a summit meeting where I spoke up and I just said, this is not the kind of show that we want to make… We won't get the best out of people.

“I don't like this vibe where everyone's crying and then suddenly they're on camera. People do cry on Bake Off, but they cry because it's kind of emotional and they've put stuff into it. We don't want to make them cry because they're so exhausted.”

Mel, who was one of the original presenters of the series, along with comedy and presenting partner Sue Perkins, explained how what she saw on that first day led her to tell her agent, “I want out of this”.

Describing what filming was like, she said, “Go, go, go. Get that person. They're crying. Right. They're having a breakdown. Get that person. Move the cameras. Quick, quick. There was that kind of vibe.

“I was really shocked, actually. It'd been like an 18 hour shoot and everyone was in tears.”

Mel said a collective effort - including her threatening to walk - helped reshape the focus of the show. “I hope we made it very clear the kind of show that we wanted to make. And I've never done that before. I've never threatened anything like that in my life.

“I'm just not that kind of person. But I felt in that instant, I had to say something because it would have been really grim and things changed. Things changed after that day.

“We were proud of ourselves that we'd sort of spoken up because I think it would have been a very different show.”

Mel and Sue were part of the show’s original line-up, presenting from 2010 until 2016, when the show aired on the BBC. After Bake Off moved to Channel 4, Mel, Sue and Dame Mary Berry departed, with Paul Hollywood being the only cast member to remain.

Since then, a few changes have taken place over the years, with Noel Fielding presenting alongside Sandi Toksvig, Matt Lucas and Alison Hammond. Prue Leith replaced Mary for eight seasons, before announcing her departure.

Nigella Lawson will join Paul as the expert judges in the upcoming 17th series, set to air a little later this summer. Channel 4 stated that viewers "can expect to see Nigella bringing her trademark warmth, wit and passion for flavour to the tent".

Antonio Banderas has shared where he stands with his ex-wife, fellow Hollywood star, Melanie Griffith, calling her one of his "best friends" over a decade after their divorce.

In an interview with People, The Mask of Zorro star revealed that the pair continue to share a close “healthy” relationship, describing the Working Girl actress as "if not my best friend, one of my best friends".

He added, "When I go to Los Angeles, we get together anyway; we have a lot of fun. We laugh and we just... It’s a very healthy thing, and it was very healthy for our kids."

The starry couple were married between 1996 and 2015, welcoming their daughter Stella in 1996. Antonio also became a stepfather to Melanie's daughter, Fifty Shades of Grey star Dakota Johnson, from her previous marriage to actor Don Johnson and her son, Alexander Bauer, who she had with second husband Steven Bauer.

For Antonio, the secret to staying on such good terms with his ex-wife comes down to one thing - sincerity. He explained, "The thing is that when we were a couple, when we separated, we were always very sincere.

"We came out of our relationship in a nice way that was very important for [the kids] and for us.” Antonio also credited Melanie for keeping the blended family together, calling her "an unbelievable mother".

Apart from an interview a couple of years after the split, Melanie has kept her life rather private. In 2017, she told Net-a-Porter magazine that the split came because she felt “stuck.”

She said, "Nobody else is to blame. It's just that I personally got stuck and I won't let that happen again. I want to enjoy life, I want to do whatever I want to do."

At the time, she added "I'm shy with men now, very reticent. I haven't met anyone in the almost two years I have been divorced. I don't go on dates, nobody has asked me on a date. I go out with my girlfriends."

In 2019, four years after their split, Antonio declared that he would always love Melanie. He told People, “Melanie is not my wife anymore, but I think she is my best friend. I love her and will love her until the day I die. She’s my family.”

He also offered a rare look at their family dynamic, and how naturally becoming a stepfather was. "I was there because I love their mother and I am totally taken with their mother and they were the most important part of what she came with.

"Very soon they understood that. They called me Paponio, a mixture between Papa and Antonio."

Elsewhere in his new interview, Antonio talked about learning to cherish the “experience of living” nearly a decade after his 2017 heart attack. “It was like somebody put glasses on me so I could see the reality that I didn’t see before.

"I was just too worried about stupid things. We sometimes forget that we are going to die. People live like they are not going to die. They collect things and they collect. I don’t want to collect anything. I want to just experience."

While many people - especially those in the public eye - might feel a pressure to fight the signs of time as much as possible, Gillian Anderson has an altogether different mindset - and it’s so refreshing.

The X Files star has revealed that she chooses to "ignore" ageing and thinks the conversation about getting older needs to change, with more acceptance and not something to be afraid of or needing "to be fixed".

When asked by Grazia magazine how the 58-year-old feels about getting older, she replied, “I ignore it. I behave as I have always behaved - as though I am invincible and never going to die.”

She added, "There are so many tools for arresting ageing. And as much as the conversation around ageing has evolved, most of the narrative still centres around it being something we should be afraid of, running from, or something that needs to be fixed.

"We need to be more accepting of ageing, to embrace it - we've still got a long way to go."

This is something she’s had to learn herself, too, admitting that she was guilty of being self-critical of her appearance in the past. "I was very judgemental about myself when I was younger. Of how I looked, my weight."

Gillian has really walked the walk when it comes to promoting a more confident attitude as she’s gotten older, and this has included writing her best-selling book all about female pleasure, Want.

Speaking to Stylist in the past, Gillian opened up about the importance behind the book’s message. She said, "Sadly, I think many women worry that at a certain age they won’t be desirable any more, or that they won’t feel desire as it will disappear with menopause or post-menopause.

"Women are starting to realise that life does not end at 50 or at menopause and that there is a whole new world of pleasure out there that they can embrace and lean into."

The Sex Education star has also shared her “very simple” approach to skincare, opting for a less-is-more approach. She has shared with Harpers Bazaar that, far from trying all the latest fads and treatments, she keeps her beauty regime to some simple steps.

"First and foremost, it starts with, are you going to take your make-up off in the evening?

"Now, most of the time I don't wear make-up. If I leave the house, I will have mascara on, and so sometimes it's only, are you going to clean your eyes before you go to sleep or not? And so that's the first step.

"So if I do actually take that step and clean off my makeup or my eye make-up, then I will most likely follow it up with moisture."

She does allow some indulgences, though, with a “glug” of a luxurious bath oil added to her soaks. In an interview with Sheer Luxe, she shared, "Baths are my favourite way to unwind.

There’s always a good glug of oil in my tub from Jo Malone London or Le Labo."

Jo Whiley has revealed that a visit to Dame Judi Dench's beautiful home for her gardening podcast, RHS Roots, transformed the way she thinks about her own house, inspiring her to create a space that's filled with family memories, rather than scaling things back and keeping it pristine, as she'd planned.

Speaking in our exclusive interview, the Radio 2 host admitted she'd coincidentally been on a major decluttering mission before visiting the Oscar-winning actress.

However, she noticed that rather than looking cluttered, Judi’s house felt warm and welcoming. "I'd been getting rid of things and trying to make everything look a bit more streamlined now the kids have left home. Coco’s the last one still living with us full-time, and she’s off to uni soon."

Everything changed when she stepped inside Judi's home and noticed how full of life it felt. "It was packed with family photographs, children's drawings and memories everywhere. It made me realise that's what a home should feel like.

"Seeing Judi’s reminded me that lived-in spaces are often the most beautiful because they reflect a lifetime of love, family and shared experiences.”

The presenter says seeing the beloved actress surround herself with sentimental keepsakes made her rethink her decision to have a further purge.

"I suddenly thought, 'Why am I putting all these things away?' As soon as I got home, I immediately put all the family photographs back out."

She revealed that the experience reminded her that our spaces are meant to tell the story of the people who live in them, rather than looking like a show home.

Jo now believes family pictures, her kids’ old artwork and much-loved mementoes deserve to be on display, saying they bring far more joy than perfectly styled shelves ever could.

"It's those little things that make a house feel like home. It's the memories that matter."

Emma Willis has been married to husband Matt for 18 years, tying the knot after four years of dating.

The couple share children Isabelle, 17, Ace, 14 and Trixie, 10. With their marriage still going strong after nearly two decades, and three children added to the mix, fans might want to know what their secret is.

There is one, and it's very simple - spending as much time together as possible. As Love is Blind season 3 approaches its release date on August 19, a show the couple host together, Emma has some thoughts.

"You'd think if you lived and worked together, you'd be like, 'Christ, I need a break,'" the presenter tells Closer.

She continues, "But we don't. We just absolutely love being with each other all the time."

Matt is in total agreement with his wife. "Of all the things I do, Love is Blind is my favourite, and it's mainly because I'm working with Emma," Matt shares.

He continues, "We get to do this really cool job together, and I'm with my best mate every day."

Filming the series also takes the couple to their "happy place," Ibiza. The retreat segment is filmed on the island, and it also happens to be somewhere Matt and Emma visit every year and is very special to them.

"We've been going there on and off for 20 years," Matt explains, with Emma continuing, "The island is like a second home."

She shares, "We go every year, so even when we're only there for a few days for work, we know exactly where we want to go and how to get there."

However, things weren't always plain sailing for the couple, who share sweet stories of their early dates together.

Matt reveals that he once tried to pick a really "posh restaurant" to impress Emma on one of their first dates. "I knew her as this glamorous woman who was a model and on MTV," Matt explains of why he chose an expensive place to eat.

But things went awry when Emma "couldn't eat anything on the menu because she didn't like any of it." Humorously, Matt adds, "I could've chosen somewhere cheaper!"

Revealing why she didn't like the restaurant, Emma says, "He didn't realise he was going out with someone from Birmingham who didn't care!"

The couple also had more serious problems to overcome when Emma supported Matt through issues with addiction. Once speaking to Rylan Clark on his How To Be In Love podcast, Matt says his relationship with Emma was the "anchor" in his recovery process.

“I always knew I had to [get clean] and I wanted to because I wanted her," he says, adding, "I wanted it for myself as well. I didn’t want to live that miserable, horrible, agonising life [of addiction] anymore."

Emma says, "I knew he was unwell but didn’t want to be unwell… I knew I would never leave him," sharing that therapy changed their relationship.

"People think if you go to couples’ therapy you must be [in trouble]," she says. Emma adds, "Actually, I’m glad we went when we went because it absolutely had a positive effect on our relationship… It’s about knowing how to communicate."