Emma Barton will give her first dance on next Saturday’s live show (Picture: PA)
EastEnders star Emma Barton has revealed she’s doing the new series of Strictly Come Dancing in memory of her late grandmother, who passed away earlier this year.
The actress, who plays Honey Mitchell in the BBC One soap, furthermore shared that her nan was a massive fan of the show.
Speaking to the Daily Star Sunday, Emma said: ‘I lost my nan at the beginning of the year. She would have loved to see me on Strictly. She loved the show. I just wish she was alive.
‘It’s the only bit of this experience that I’m upset about. She was really supportive of everything I’ve done.’
Emma added: ‘I will 100% be thinking about her when I’m dancing, of course. I will be doing it for her.’
Emma at the launch of this year’s Strictly (Picture: Getty Images Europe)
Speaking about her EastEnders to Strictly predecessors, including Kara Tointon, Jill Halfpenny, Scott Maslen, Jake Wood and Kellie Bright, Emma admitted that they’ve left big shoes to fill.
Despite that, they’ve been super helpful and have provided her with infinite advice – including to avoid falling over.
Len left Strictly in 2016 (Picture: 2010 Getty Images)
In other Strictly news, former judge Len Goodman recently told Metro.co.uk which male professional dancer he’d want to be paired with.
‘Anton would be my partner,’ Len spilled.
‘Me and Anton out there, yes. We’re good friends. We play a bit of gold together and so on. I know him and I know his wife Anna well, so I’d have to pick him. And if we didn’t dance well then we’d certainly have a laugh!’
Now there’s something we’d love to see.
Strictly Come Dancing airs Saturday at 7pm on BBC One.
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This time around though they’re joined by some cast newcomers, including Little Simz – who’s made her mark on the new series as single mum Shelley.
Here’s what you need to know about the rapper and actress.
Who is Little Simz and how is she best known?
Little Simz – real name Simbiatu Abisola Abiola – is 25 years old and is from Islington, North London.
She describes her music as rap and experimental, launching her career with by releasing four mixtapes and five EPs, before her debut album A Curious Tale of Trials and Persons was released in 2015 through her independent label AGE: 101 Music.
Little Simz began acting aged nine before turning to music (Picture: Splash)
Her second studio album Stillness in Wonderland was released in 2016, while she unleashed her most recent album Grey Area this year.
She’s supported the likes of Gorillaz on tour, while Dizzee Rascal and DJ Zane Lowe are among those who have showed acclaim on her music.
Simz has also been acting since she was nine, having appeared in BBC children’s series Spirit Warriors as well as E4’s Youngers, in which she played Meleka.
How did she land the role in Top Boy?
Simz told The Guardian: ‘The link came from Kano. They were gearing up for this season and I guess he put in a good word for me. I had three auditions. The first time I walked out thinking “Ah I don’t think it’s mine” but then I got a recall.
She added that she was a huge fan of the original Channel 4 series, saying: ‘I was at school when it first came out and that’s what everyone was talking about – the fact that we finally had a TV show that represented us.’
Top Boy is available to stream now on Netflix UK.
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it was an emotional time for Dianne Buswell (Picture: BBC)
Dianne Buswell has opened up about the emotional impact Strictly Come Dancing has had on her life and her family as she broke down in tears during The Professionals.
While our new celebrities were getting their dancing shoes on and rehearsing ahead of this week’s first Strictly live show, the Saturday night slot was used to celebrate the unsung heroes – the pro dancers.
Discussing their journeys to the BBC talent show’s dance floor and their favourite moments across the series, Australian dancer Dianne was joined by Nadiya Bychkova and Amy Dowden, having all started their Strictly journeys together in 2015.
And while Dianne may have been the second couple eliminated in her first series with Reverend Richard Coles, the 30-year-old redhead recalled the emotional moment her father saw her dance on the series for the first time.
‘I remember, my dad flew all the way for my very first dance that I did and he started to cry ’ Dianne said through her tears.
‘It was the best moment because I knew how proud I had made them,’ she continued, prompting Amy to dab her eyes at Dianne’s heartwarming story.
Dianne went on to find love on Strictly (Picture: BBC)
Oh god, now we’re getting emotional too.
She may have only lasted three weeks in her first series, but 2018 saw Dianne partner Youtuber Joe Sugg, taking the 28-year-old all the way to the final and snagging herself a boyfriend in the process. Result!
Speaking on Saturday Kitchen, Dev said: ‘I’ve been training all week for a couple of weeks now, and it’s really, really full-on. I love it but it’s a lot of hard work.
‘I got blisters in between my toes, blisters on blisters. I’ve been having Epsom salt baths, basically living on a foam roller, it’s intense.’
Asked if he felt it was worth it, Dev replied: ‘Oh it really is. I did a little bit of musical theatre as a kid so I feel like I’ve regressed back to the 11-year-old me jazz hands, and basically really enjoying showing off.’
Strictly Come Dancing returns Saturday 21 September at 7pm on BBC 1.
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Kevin and Stacey Dooley won last year’s Strictly (Picture: BBC)
A Strictly special which aired last night did a deep dive into the famous romances ignited on the show – but Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton were curiously absent.
And let’s just say the omission didn’t go unnoticed by fans.
Documentary-maker Stacey of course won last year’s series, on which she was paired with now-boyfriend Kevin Clifton.
Strictly the Professionals, which aired last night, looked at a whole array of Strictly couples.
Among them were Gorka Marquez and Gemma Atkinson, Giovanni Pernice and Ashley Roberts, and Dianne Buswell and Joe Sugg.
But when Stacey and Kevin weren’t mentioned, viewers reacted on social media.
One speculated: ‘Is it the bosses that don’t like them or the dancers?’
Stacey and Kevin were paired together on Strictly last year (Picture: PA Wire)
Another said: ‘Kevin and Stacey missed out of the relationship bit then loooooool.’
A third added, puzzled: ‘I don’t get that either, why weren’t Kevin & Stacey featured in the Strictly couples parts.’
Elsewhere in the documentary, Kevin did share the story of how he came to work on Strictly.
Speaking to fellow dancer Aljaz Skorjanec, the reigning champion said: ‘I applied with [ex-wife] Karen. She got the job, I didn’t get it. I had long black hair, eyeliner, black fingernails…
‘They said, “Yeah we’d love to take Karen. But not that guy – we have no need for this gothic scarecrow who thinks he’s the rock star of the ballroom.”’
Kevin spoke about his history with the show (Picture: Mike Marsland/WireImage)
‘Next year, you and Janette both got the job, I got told “no” again. I got turned down twice,’ he continued. ‘And then they went to film the trailer for the show that year.
‘The idea for the trailer was that all these Strictly stars would be dancing with an invisible partner, who’s it gonna be? That invisible partner was me. I just wanted a job.’
Strictly reps declined to comment when contacted by Metro.co.uk
Strictly the Professionals is on iPlayer now. Strictly Come Dancing 2019 returns Saturday 7pm on BBC One.
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Peaky Blinders fans are convinced that Alfie Solomons will make a comeback in scenes due to air tonight, despite having been killed off in series four.
A trailer for the upcoming episode teased that Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) will visit an old friend and audiences are keeping their fingers and toes crossed that the familiar face is Tom Hardy’s infamous character.
We last saw Alfie in the previous season when he was killed off by Tommy during a dramatic showdown on the beach after revealing he was dying of cancer.
Before being murdered, Alfie shot Tommy in an attempt to get him to put him out of his misery with Tommy finally pulling the trigger and causing him to ‘die’ from his injuries to his face.
However, viewers have sneaking suspicions they’ve not seen the last of Alfie just yet.
Could Alfie make a reappearance tonight? (Picture: BBC)
Sharing their predictions of Alfie’s reappearance tonight, one fan wrote on Twitter: ‘Long trailer… big tease for Sunday! It has got to be Alfie! Who else would it be? Tommy doesn’t have many friends.’
Meanwhile, another hoped: ‘Wouldn’t it be great it Alfie Solomon popped up in tonight’s Peaky Blinders?’
Creator Steven Knight has dropped some heavy hints that we could just be seeing Alfie again – which given Hardy’s popularity wouldn’t surprise us.
When asked by the Birmingham Mail last year if Alfie is really dead, Steven simply gave a one-word answer and said: ‘Pass.’
Fans are excited at the prospect of Alfie’s potential return (Picture: Twitter)
It was recently revealed that the idea of Alfie’s shock exit was conjured up just two days before Tom and Cillian filmed the scenes.
During an appearance on BBC Sounds’ Obsessed With Peaky Blinders podcast, director David Caffrey confessed: ‘We had a tiny little window with Tom about. We did the stuff at the beer barrels in Liverpool and then we were about to go to the beach.
‘But that [shooting between Alfie and Tommy] hadn’t been written. Steve had just come up with that two days beforehand. We hadn’t recced it, hadn’t looked at it and so I literally went through a 24 – 36 hour period of, “We need to organise the tides correct”.
‘So yeah, that particular scene – I think it was Tom and Cillian [Murphy] that sort of worked out the scene, that they fire their guns together and both fall over.
‘So pretty much the bones of the scene that Steve had written was there, but you know just through production reasons, you kind of have to approach things in a different way.’
Peaky Blinders continues tonight at 9pm on BBC One.
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Jeremy Clarkson actually got an answer right (Picture: ITV)
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? host Jeremy Clarkson trolled a contestant’s phone a friend for their wrong answer as he finally guessed one correctly on tonight’s show.
The hysterical scenes began when Jezza asked the tricky question: ‘When referring to the UK elite military force, what does the letter “A” stand for in the initials SAS?’
The answers listed included authorised, athletic, air and ability, but an unsure Jodie called for back up.
‘I think it’s air ability but I’m not 100%,’ Kevin told her after she read the question out at full speed.
‘You think it’s what?’ Jodie quizzed. ‘No it’s either air or ability.’
Jodie was stumped by the question (Picture: ITV)
‘What a show this one is turning out to be,’ Jeremy quipped before Jodie chose Ask The Host for more assistance.
‘Here’s what I think,’ Jeremy said. ‘I think you should have spent some time researching me before you came out because I presented what, four military history documentaries.
‘It’s air and I’m 100% sure and that’s my final answer so let’s get on with it.’
Jeremy trolled Jodie’s phone a friend’s answer (Picture: Twitter)
Yep, Jeremy finally got an answer right guys. This is not a drill!
Watching along at home, Jeremy then trolled Kevin on Twitter by writing to his 7.2million followers: ‘Air ability. I mean Jesus.’
Jeremy has come under fire in recent weeks, with audiences branding him a ‘useless’ lifeline for not being helpful when contestants seek out his help.
Looks like things are about to change for the better, folks.
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? airs on Sundays at 8pm on ITV.
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The question stumping Martin was: ‘In 2019, which band had their first UK Top 40 single in nearly eight years with “Hello My Love”?’ with Busted, Westlife, East 17 and Boyzone all listed as answers.
As an uncertain Martin opted to Ask The Host, Jeremy replied: ‘Right, here’s what I think. I’m absolutely certain that I don’t know this. Proud as well that I don’t know this.
‘That is my final answer.’
Westlife released a new album earlier this year (Picture: Getty)
Not so helpful are we, Jezza?
Viewers were confused as to why Martin had decided to use his Jeremy lifeline, with one slamming: ‘WHY would you ask Jeremy Clarkson a question on modern pop music? You should’ve just used all your lifelines!’
Echoing a similar sentiment, another added: ‘Why ask Jeremy?! He blatantly wouldn’t know that!!’
Westlife released their single Hello My Love from their album Spectrum back in January and the track reached the top 20s in the UK singles chart, so take note Jeremy.
However, the presenter managed to turn things around tonight by actually getting a question right when hopeful Jodie needed some assistance.
Jeremy was challenged with the question: ‘When referring to the UK elite military force, what does the letter “A” stand for in the initials SAS?’ but managed to get it right thanks to his military history documentaries.
The answer is air, in case you were wondering.
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? airs on Sundays at 8pm on ITV.
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Peaky Blinders lost one of their own tonight with the sudden and violent death of Ben Younger (Kingsley Ben-Adir).
After working closely with Tommy (Cillian Murphy) to take down Oswald Mosley (Sam Claflin) from the inside, it seems that someone caught wind of their plan – and had him killed.
Planting a bomb in his car outside Tommy’s office, poor younger was just a sitting duck as he turned the key in the ignition – sending himself and a child playing nearby up in smoke.
As a result, Tommy has been ruffled, and after trying to play nice vowed to return to his old ways in order to get justice – as well as getting Oswald off the streets for good.
But who exactly planted the bomb? Is it who Tommy thinks it was? Or someone else?
Here’s who could be responsible for the death of the loyal military man, and what it could mean going forward…
Ben Younger was blown up after a bomb was planted in his car (Picture: Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd. 2019)
Section D
Section D is a foe that the gang have briefly encountered before – and it’s clear that they had their eyes on Younger.
Moments before Younger was killed, Younger told Mosley that he had received threats from organization Section D, which clearly rang alarm bells for Tommy.
Section D, was connected to Father Hughes (Paddy Considine) back in season three – the official title being The Economic League but also had the alias of The Vigilance Committee or The Odd Fellows.
They were a far-right organisation comprised of men in high power, such as high-ranking military officers, newspaper directors and industrialists who monitored alleged left wing ‘troublemakers’.
(The Economic League was also real – founded in 1919 by William Reginald Hall before being disbanded officially in 1993.)
If they did kill off Younger, then what do they have in store for Tommy?
Was Mosley sending a message to Tommy? (Picture: BBC)
Mosley and the Billy Boys
Knowing that Mosley and the Billy Boys are in cahoots is a dangerous bit of knowledge – and one that neither party are going to want to be public knowledge.
When Younger’s car blew up, it took with it the concrete evidence that Tommy provided him that the two parties were connected, and it was something that the government couldn’t ignore.
At the ballet recital last week, it was obvious that Mosley was sceptical at finding those papers, and that he had friends in high places to keep an eye on Tommy.
Perhaps Younger was meant as collateral damage in Mosley’s war against Tommy, considering his death a message to his frenemy not to cross him.
Was Ben’s death meant for Tommy Shelby? (Picture: BBC)
The Government
Those in higher rank than Younger were not happy with Younger’s investigation into Mosley’s actions, and would repeatedly attempt to put a stop to his work.
Could they have taken the most extreme method possible to get rid of their problem?
It could lend headway into the corruption of politicians of the time, which with the exception of Mosley, hasn’t really been touched upon this season.
Tommy would also end up in serious trouble because it could mean he’s in much deeper than he imagined, and he might actually be completely powerless.
Younger died refusing to give up Tommy as his whistleblower, and it’s something that’s clearly weighing on his mind as a result.
Ben was helping Tommy take down Mosley from inside the government (Picture: BBC)
The IRA
After making themselves known at the beginning of the season thanks to the kidnap of Michael (Finn Cole), the IRA have actually been keeping themselves quite low this season.
Rather than disappearing, maybe they were waiting for their moment to try and get Shelby on board.
By using an explosion and framing it on another of his enemies, it would make Tommy more compliant to the ideas that they have.
Or maybe they’re in league with Mosley as well? Which could mean the political mastermind has all bases covered, and Tommy is surrounded.
The Chinese
Perhaps it was a case of mistaken identity, with Younger just an unfortunate victim in a bomb meant for Tommy.
After all, there was only one flashy car on that street, and it was right in front of Tommy’s offices. It makes sense to assume that the car was the mobster’s.
Having sorted a shady business dealing in which seven tonnes of heroin is now being brought into Birmingham by the Blinders on behalf of the Chinese, maybe they planned to double cross them.
After all, it’s worth millions and that’s the kind of cash that people could kill over.
Peaky Blinders continues Sunday at 9pm on BBC One.
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Are you ready for one explosive finale? (Picture: BBC)
***Warning: Major spoilers for Peaky Blinders season 5 episode 5 ahead***
Peaky Blinders’ season 5 is almost at an end (we know…we can’t quite believe it either). But there is a hell of a lot to wrap up in the final episode next week.
With plans for the assassination of Oswald Mosley officially under way, the gang are playing with fire and have already lost essential members of their team in the fall out.
So what comes next? Here are just some things we’re questioning as we head towards next week’s finale.
Will Linda return?
So, Linda survived the shooting – but it seems that seeing his wife in that much pain has finally caused Arthur to realise that he needs to let her go.
It’s been clear for years that Linda has never truly fit in with the Blinders, instead tolerating each other for Arthur’s sake rather than truly feeling like family.
Driving off after her arm was crudely fixed up by amateur surgeon Tommy, it seems she may finally be free of the Shelbys.
Or is she?
Linda has left Arthur but he’s not willing to let her go just yet (Picture: Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd. 2019)
Is Arthur going to die?
Arthur really seems to have given up on life after losing Linda for good.
Ever since the beginning of this series, the phrase ‘sometimes killing is a kindness’ has been following him around and it surely must mean something.
As Linda bitterly tells him that killing him would’ve been a kindness, it seems that something is running through his head.
Despite Tommy talking him down off that ledge as they tended to Linda’s wounds, Arthur is clearly a man in trouble.
What that means for him in the long run, we dread to think.
An explosion spelled the end of a series regular (Picture: BBC)
Who was behind the bomb that killed Younger?
Poor Younger (Kingsley Ben-Adir) – no one deserves to go out quite like that, especially one of the genuinely nice guys caught up in the messy world of the Blinders.
But who was it that planted the car bomb that killed him and the poor young boy who was caught up in the explosion just by being at the wrong place at the wrong time?
We have some thoughts – and each one of them could have dire consequences for Tommy, depending on who it is.
But it appears that their frenemy-ship is still living on, and when talking to Jimmy McCavern (Brian Gleeson), Tommy appeared to nod that perhaps Alfie isn’t as dead as most assume.
When discussing thoughts for the future with Mosley in charge, Tommy told Jimmy: ‘I would suggest the most competent organiser of men in the south, is Alfie Solomons.’
Jimmy brushed it off, telling him that a ‘dead and Jewish man’ can’t run the London sector…but seeing as Tommy was the one that dealt the fatal shot, surely he’d be the one to act like he was dead?
What is Ada’s son Karl going to do about the baby?
Ada (Sophie Rundle) is a loving woman, but she acted surprisingly cold on the news that baby daddy Younger had shuffled off this mortal coil.
Raising a mixed race baby is going to be a hard thing to do, especially in 1929, and we’re sure she’s going to love and raise that child fine.
But we’re more worried about her other son, Karl, who took a severe dislike to Younger’s presence in the house and was being influenced by the kids at school to be more far right leaning.
How’s he going to deal with having a half-brother that’s half-white, half-black?
Should the Shelby’s be worried about Barney Thompson?
Breaking the troubled Barney Thompson out of an asylum is a ballsy move on Tommy’s part – and now they’re shaping him up to shoot Oswald Mosley in the middle of a rally.
Thing is, Tommy is going to be standing right next to him, and that’s a pretty daring thing to do considering the man holding the gun is not in the most fragile state.
Years of being cooped up in a hole has made Barney loyal to his Sargeant Major, and he’s a man who follows orders – but it’s been years since he held a gun.
While there’s little doubt his intentions are good, there is also a heavy chance this could seriously backfire on everyone involved – not least of which poor Barney.
Can the famed sniper get one last shot perfect?
Peaky Blinders continues Sunday at 9pm on BBC One.
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But this week, it’s Arthur’s turn, and by God does he show up in a blaze of glory.
Paul Anderson is the phenomenal star of the show, and this week’s episode The Shock truly comes to life whenever he’s on the screen.
Throughout this episode you see him broken at the loss of his wife Linda (Kate Philips) from presumed death to her leaving him, all the way through comedy relief and ending on action star.
Arthur is a very complicated man, but he is definitely the heart and soul of this episode.
His showdown with the Irish in Chinese territory should be played on repeat in the Louvre. It’s spectacularly shot and amazingly acted – with a man with nothing to lose pretty much deciding that if he was going to go out, he’ll literally go out guns blazing.
By stark comparison, over in Tommy (Cillian Murphy) territory, the realities of the life he lives are definitely getting the better of him. His attempts at becoming a good man have basically fallen through like flour in a sieve, and all he has to show for it is the dead body of a confidante.
Arthur is the star of this week’s episode (Picture: BBC)
The shootout between Arthur and the Titanics is a phenomenal moment of telly (Picture: BBC)
Abandoning the official roots, Tommy makes a decision – Oswald Mosley (Sam Claflin) has to be stopped, and he’s going to do it publicly.
Ignoring the fact that by doing so Tommy makes Mosley a martyr for the fascist cause if he succeeds, the troubled leading man is basically resorting to what he knows best – violence and bloody vengeance.
Tommy is having to resort to extreme measures to regain control (Picture: BBC)
Recruiting an old sniper bud who has been spending the last decade of his life in a mental health facility after losing his mind is another odd idea – but hey, he’s running out of options here, and Mosely has managed to pry his way into everything. Out of the box is all he has left.
Next week’s episode is going to be an intense one as the showdown between the two political bigwigs continue – it’ll be interesting to see whether writer Steven Knight sticks to historical fact and has Mosley survive, or whether he’ll go Tarantino and create his own timeline.
Either way, we’re not entirely convinced that every member of the Blinders will make it out alive…and it’s more of a case of who we’ll lose, and not if.
With so much to wrap up in one episode, there’s a lot of ground to cover. But if anyone’s going to do it, it’s the Peaky F***ing Blinders.
Peaky Blinders continues Sunday at 9pm on BBC One.
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Could Alfie Solomons actually still be alive? (Picture: BBC)
Peaky Blinders fans have been given a glimmer of hope that Alfie Solomons (Tom Hardy) may actually still be alive after the penultimate episode of this season.
Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) appeared to hint that his long-held frenemy might actually still be alive despite pulling the trigger on him back in season four’s finale.
Speaking to Jimmy McCavern (Brian Gleeson) at the docks about what Oswald Mosley (Sam Claflin) has planned for them, Tommy told him about needing ‘certainty in the south’.
When Jimmy tells him that Oswald is up for suggestion over who should lead, Tommy responded: ‘I would suggest the most competent organiser of men in the south, is Alfie Solomons.’
Seeing as he’s the one that shot him on the beach several years ago, surely no one more than him would know the fate of the East End gangster?
Jimmy laughed off the suggestion, and told Tommy: ‘He’s dead, and he’s Jewish. And I’d say as far as our boss is concerned him being dead would be less of an obstacle than him being Jewish.’
But viewers of the show aren’t so sure…and with the finale just next week, they’ve become convinced that the presumed dead gangster will return as back up for Tommy one last time.
Hard nut Alfie formed an unlikely friendship and rivalry with Tommy (Picture: BBC)
Taking to Twitter, they shared their excitement and theories at the prospect.
Alfie was last seen lying in the sand dead after he and Tommy shot at each other as their feud came to a head.
Even as Alfie admitting he was ‘riddled’ with cancer, the pair’s love/hate relationship has become a firm favourite plot for the ever-complicated Birmingham boys.
Next week, in the season five finale, Tommy and Arthur (Paul Anderson) are going to need all the help they can get as they prepare to assassinate Mosley and take down the Billy Boys.
Reckon Alfie could rise from the ashes and bury the hatchet with Tommy in the same of facing a mutual enemy?
Peaky Blinders continues next Sunday at 9pm on BBC One.
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Fans were obsessed with Arthur’s epic takedown against the Titanics (Picture: BBC)
Peaky Blinders fans across the country were cheering on Arthur Shelby (Paul Anderson) after one of the most epic fights in the show’s history.
Season five went all out when Arthur and his gang went to collect the seven tonnes of opium promised to them by the Chinese – only to be met with an ambush by the Titanics.
With Brilliant Chang (Andrew Koji) beaten and left for dead in a corner, it was up to Arthur, Aberama Gold (Aidan Gillen), Isiah (Daryl McCormack), Charlie Strong (Ned Dennehy), Curley (Ian Peck) to take them down.
Rather than unite, Arthur grabbed his Tommy gun during the retreat, and told the other members: ‘In the war they were very capable. Very capable soldiers.
‘But so was I. I was a f***ing capable soldier too.’
And with that he ran out of the room and managed to take them all down by himself, using his unrelenting anger to fire into the sky and the rooms above, seemingly killing them all.
The shootout between Arthur and the Titanics is a phenomenal moment of telly (Picture: BBC)
However, all is not well with Arthur, with him seemingly getting a death wish after wife Linda (Kate Philips) tried and failed to shoot him last week.
Shot in the arm by Polly, both Linda and Arthur made it out of the scrap alive – but Linda made it clear she was leaving Arthur for good.
What’s more, is that Arthur was kind of ready to check out and was ready to be shot.
The Peaky Blinders proved they aren’t to be messed with (Picture: BBC)
Is he going to end this series doing something stupid that the rest of the family will have to live with the consequences of?
His irrational and dangerous behaviour has not gone unnoticed by those around him, with Isiah and Aberama in particular worrying about their boss’s mental state.
With the finale next week and an assassination to plan, now’s not the time for live wires.
Will Arthur’s behaviour have dire consequences?
Peaky Blinders continues Sundays at 9pm on BBC One
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Britain’s Got Talent star Phil Neale appeared on Dragons’ Den (Picture: BBC)
Britain’s Got Talent finalist Phil Neale appeared on Dragons’ Den tonight as he tried to win investment for his new sleep app.
The 29-year-old singer-turned-entrepreneur, who competed in the ITV competition show four years ago, stood before Deborah Meaden, Peter Jones, Tej Lalvani, Sara Davies and Theo Paphitis and revealed his claim to fame as he pitched his phone alarm Snoozle.
‘In 2015, I made the live final of Britain’s Got Talent and I made Simon Cowell cry in the semi-final,’ Phil enthused.
‘One year later, I managed to disrupt the UK charts managing a slightly cheesy family band.’
Phil was then asked by Peter to show off his vocal ability, with the money maker telling him: ‘Sometimes you have to do things that are slightly out of your comfort zone.’
Phil Neale performed alongside his dad and brothers in the group called The Neales (Picture: ITV)
Slightly apprehensive about the prospect, Phil said: ‘I will not sing very well’, but eventually he gave the fivesome a sample of his talents and sang Train’s Soul Sister.
Sadly though, Phil failed to attract any investors for his app with all five panelists backing out of the commercial proposition.
‘Instead of snoozing, I think he needs to wake up,’ Peter quipped once he’d left the den.
‘Pitching in front of the dragons is out of your comfort zone, anyway so Peter asking me to sing was an extra test,’ Phil told the cameras.
‘I’m sure I wasn’t very in tune, but neither was Snoozle today.’
Phil made it to the finals alongside his dad and two brothers in the group called The Neales, losing out to dog trick act Jules O’Dwyer and Matisse.
Dragon’s Den airs Sundays at 8pm on BBC One.
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Stacey Dooley gushed about Kevin Clifton’s commitment (Picture: Rex/BBC)
Stacey Dooley has publicly praised her other half Kevin Clifton for his determination to get on Strictly Come Dancing.
Her applause comes after the professional dancer revealed how he made two attempts to get onto the BBC talent show before bosses finally caved and hired him for a trailer, where he dressed in a Morphsuit to jive with the other stars.
Speaking to Aljaž Škorjanecabout his turmoil about being rejected from the series time and time again, Kevin began on The Professionals: ‘I applied with Karen [Clifton]. She got the job, I didn’t.
‘I had long, black hair, eyeliner, black fingernails. Don’t think that I’m your average ballroom dancer, guys!
‘They said, “Yeah, we’d love to take Karen but not that guy. We have no need for this gothic scarecrow who thinks he’s the rock star of the ballroom.”‘
Kevin continued: ‘Next year, you and Janette [Manrara] both got the job, I got told “no” again. I got turned down twice and then they went to film the trailer for the show that year.
Kevin and Stacey won Strictly last year (Picture: BBC)
‘The idea for the trailer was that all these Strictly stars would be with an invisible partner. Who is it gonna be? That invisible partner was me.
‘I just wanted a job.’
Stacey gushed about her boyfriend’s commitment in the comments of the video, which was posted on Instagram, and wrote: ‘It’s this level of persistence and hard work that makes you one of the most successful pros in Strictly history I guess????’
Proud girlfriend alert!
Stacey and Kevin won last year’s Strictly, beating the likes of Ashley Roberts, Joe Sugg and Faye Tozer to the series 16 glitterball.
‘Kev and I have agreed not to go into too much detail about our private lives because you can’t really indulge that and then ask for privacy,’ she told the Guardian.
‘That’s why we’ve turned down interviews that have offered us tens of thousands of pounds. What I am happy to say is Kev’s amazing, I’m happy, life happens, I’ve got an amazing career and I’m very lucky.’
Strictly Come Dancing continues Saturday at 7pm on BBC One.
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Ronaldo cried during his interview with Piers Morgan (Picture: ITV)
Cristiano Ronaldo broke down in tears as Piers Morgan presented him with a video he’d never seen before of his late father.
In his upcoming documentary Cristiano Ronaldo Meets Piers Morgan, the Good Morning Britain host showed the legendary footballer a clip of his dad Dinis, a year before he died of alcoholism in 2004, being interviewed on Norweigan television outside his house.
Upon being shown the footage, which sees Dinnis speaking about how proud he was of his son, Ronaldo cried.
‘I never saw the video,’ he said. ‘I never saw that video. Unbelievable.’
‘To hear your father speak about how proud he was of you must mean a lot to you,’ Piers said.
Ronaldo replied: ‘Yes, a lot. I think the interview would be funny, but I didn’t expect to cry.
‘But I never saw these images. I don’t know where you … I have to have these images to show my family.
‘But I really don’t know my father 100%. He was a drunk person. I never spoke with him, like a normal conversation. It was hard.’
Ronaldo then explained that he has a great sadness over the fact his dad never fully appreciated him being number one.
‘He never saw how great you became,’ Piers commented.
‘Never. Never,’ Ronaldo admitted.
The gripping documentary is set to air on Tuesday, with Piers teasing: ‘Ronaldo is a football genius and a global superstar.
‘He’s also a compelling character and this is the most revealing interview he has ever given. Prepare to laugh and cry and to be shocked and inspired.’
Gushing about the opportunity, Piers wrote on his Instagram: ‘It’s a wrap! Just finished an astonishing interview in Turin with @Cristiano – the biggest star on the planet.
‘You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll be shocked & you’ll be utterly fascinated. An extraordinary footballer, an extraordinary man.’
Cristiano Ronaldo Meets Piers Morgan airs Tuesday at 9pm on ITV.
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If you think this has a happy ending, you haven’t been paying attention. (Picture: PA Wire)
Winter may be coming but this huge tapestry in France illustrating the events of HBO’s Game of Thrones just set our hearts on fire.
The almost 90-metre long tapestry was created in Northern Ireland – one of the principal filming locations for the hit series – and is currently located in Bayeux, in the the Normandy region of France.
Around 30 stitchers worked for about 1,500 hours on the 87-meter stretch of fine linen, which begins with King Robert Baratheon visiting the Starks in Winterfell and ends in fire and blood with the final, controversial, scenes of the eighth season.
Chief project embroiderer Valerie Wilson said depicting all the gore in the show using jacquard threadwork was no easy feat.
Wilson said it ‘references the Bayeux tapestry stylistically and in terms of some of the motifs that have been used and the way that the story unrolls in a linear fashion.’
We are reeling just thinking about how much red thread went into show the blood spilt at The Red Wedding.
Look at the size of it! Picture: AFP
Did we mention it is HUGE?!
The GOT tapestry was actually inspired by a medieval Bayeaux tapestry which recounted another bloody battle – the invasion of England by William the Conquerer.
The original eleventh century tapestry – recognised by UNESCO as a treasure – is located in a museum just down the road from where the GOT tapestry is on display at the Hotel du Doyen and they form neighbouring exhibitions in the historic town.
‘The two tapestries also address a common theme,’ said Antoine Verney, chief curator of the Bayeux Tapestry Museum. ‘It’s whether we can justify violence to claim power.’
Ouch! (Picture: Reuters)
The GOT tapestry was originally 66 metres long when it was first unveiled in 2017 at the Ulster Museum in Belfast.
After the conclusion of the eighth and final season it was extended to reflect that season’s six episodes.
Each panel is about 11 metres in length and every scene is incredibly detailed – one even includes the controversial Starbucks coffee cup that accidentally appeared in a final shot of the show.
*Italian chef kiss*
The infamous Starbucks coffee cup cameo. (Picture: AFP)
While the fantasy series may have ended the GOT farewell tour isn’t over, because of course.
You can see the Game of Thrones tapestry for yourself in Bayeux from September 13 until December 31 at France’s Hotel du Doyen.
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Top Boy has buoyed its cast with a top-notch return (Picture: Netflix)
Top Boy has been such a success on Netflix that it would be almost unthinkable for fans to have to wait as long as they did for its next series following a six-year hiatus.
The gritty, compelling depiction of life on a tough Hackney housing estate, featuring drug dealers Dushane (Ashley Walters) and Sully (Kane Robinson), seemed to have no future when it was dropped by Channel 4 after two seasons in 2013.
Fortunately for creator Ronan Bennett, whose powerful writing has earned rave reviews since its return, the show has a superstar fan in the form of chart-topping rapper Drake.
Two years ago, the Canadian contacted Bennett and Netflix, starting the momentum which would result in the return to filming soon afterwards.
While the first two seasons up to 2013 only had four episodes each, this series has had 10 installments.
That has given Robinson ample scope to expand his character and enjoy the sensation of being able to answer fans who had pestered him for new episodes during the long break between seasons.
Now 34, the man also known as rapper Kano admitted: ‘I had six or seven years or whatever it was of being constantly bombarded with questions.
‘I couldn’t even put petrol in the car without someone saying, ‘Yo when are they gonna do a third one? It was just like, ‘oh my God.’
Will there be a second series of Top Boy?
Fans can expect an announcement from Netflix before the end of the year, and viewers will anticipate another series given the popularity of Top Boy and the revitalised air of its cast.
Walters has offered a note of caution by suggesting that its popularity could allow him to feel fulfilled even without another series.
Bennett has confirmed the production team are willing and in talks with Netflix about a new season, telling metro.co.uk: ‘We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve all achieved with the new season.
‘Sometimes you write something for screen and it just doesn’t come out as well as you’d hoped even though all the individual parts are good, but somehow when they’re all together they just don’t gel. This is different.’
If Drake has his way, too, Top Boy should be back. Speaking about the driving force behind the inception of series 4, Bennett said: ‘He was just magnificent.
‘He loved the show. He just wanted to do whatever he could and didn’t really seem to have any ego about it.
‘He also did the bulk of the pitch to Netflix and I hardly had to say anything. That was fantastic.’
How did Drake play a part in the return of Top Boy?
Drake was at the premiere of Top Boy’s return in Hackney (Picture: Ian West/PA Wire)
Drake gave fans a sneak preview of what has turned out to be a hit regrouping effort during a major concert at London’s O2 Arena.
Bennett is grateful for the singer’s involvement but still vividly remembers receiving the news that his show had been cancelled, saying: ‘As a writer you learn to kind of roll with the blows a bit.
‘A show doesn’t get made or a show gets cancelled. You shrug and you move on to the next one but I felt really bad about this one.’
He said: ‘Fat-shaming only does one thing, it makes people feel ashamed, and shame leads to depression, anxiety and self-destructive behaviour like over eating.’
On Good Morning Britain, Piers sided with 63-year-old Bill, saying: ‘We’ve become a society now where we don’t tolerate morbid obesity, we celebrate it.
‘Stop celebrating being massively overweight. I don’t know how you get people to lose weight unless you say, come on. Enough.
‘Is there a way to tackle chronic obesity, to stop putting massive models on the cover of magazines and say this ain’t so great.
‘We put people who are 320 pounds on the cover of glossy magazines and say “isn’t this empowering?” and this is the problem that Bill Maher has rightly identified to me.’
He added that he would be ‘quite happy’ with his co-host Susanna Reid fat-shaming him.
Piers went on: ‘I think the best way to lose weight is when someone goes, “Blimey you’ve put on a bit, son.”
‘So you feel a bit insecure and then you go off and reduce one Big Mac a day to half a Big Mac, and so go you go on.’
The Gavin and Stacey star drew on his own experiences to respond to Maher in a passionate speech on his show.
‘Fat-shaming never went anywhere,’ he explained: ‘Ask literally any fat person, we are reminded of it all the time on airplane, on Instagram, when someone leaves a pie on the windowsill to cool and they look at us.
‘There’s a common and insulting misconception that fat people are stupid and lazy and we’re not. We get it, we know.’
He added: ‘We know that being overweight isn’t good for us and I’ve struggled my entire life trying to manage my weight and I suck at it.’
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV.
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A source told The Sun: ‘Michael has always been TV gold and show chiefs appreciate there’s still a huge amount of interest in him. There’s no doubting he’ll be hilarious on the ice.’
The 67-year-old was prominent on Saturday night television in the 80s and 90s, fronting such shows as My Kind Of Music and Strike It Lucky.
Dancing On Ice, hosted by Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield, has given its judging panel a revamp after Jason Gardiner decided to quit earlier this year.
He will be replaced by actor John Barrowman who joins Ashley Banjo, and British ice-skating icons Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean.
Gemma Collins was a big talking point on the show this year (Picture: ITV)
She said: ‘I think he will bring some fair criticism. He might be quite harsh but I think he will explain it in a fun way.
‘I think we will miss Jason and his straight forward comments.’
She went on: ‘We worked with John in the first series and he was actually really quite good.
‘Growing up in Canada he had skated a little bit as a youngster. We had real high hopes for him but he went out maybe fourth week or something. Found himself in the skate off and I think he was a bit nervous and he made a big mistake. I think he fell or something. So there was no way the judges could keep him in, so it was a shock he went out so early.
‘So it’s nice that he can come back even in a different capacity and be part of the show again.’
Metro.co.uk has contacted Dancing On Ice for comment.
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Brian Turk has died aged 49 (Picture: Getty Images, HBO)
Carnivale actor Brian Turk has died at the age of 49, it has been confirmed.
The TV star, who was best known for his role in the HBO series, died on Friday after a battle with cancer.
It comes little more than a year since he was diagnosed with brain cancer before it became terminal.
In July, a GoFundMe page was created by Carlos Marlene Montiel on behalf of Brian and his wife, Emily Wu, in hopes of raising funds to pay for his medical expenses.
Confirming the news in a statement, Carlos wrote on the page: ‘Unfortunately Brian passed away Friday morning, 9/13 from complications of his cancer.
‘Please continue to share this Go Fund Me and I will send out funeral arrangements once they are finalised. Thank you for the continued support for the Turk family.’
So far, the page has raised $28,100 of the $50,000 goal.
In a previous message on the account, Carlos said: ‘Just over a year ago our dear friend, Brian Turk, was diagnosed with cancer. Being the selfless and private person that he is, Brian kept this quiet so as not to concern his family and friends.
‘[Brian’s] will to live is strong but this is expensive. Brian has been the breadwinner supporting his family as his wife has been physically unable to work full time.’
Although Brian was best known for playing Gabriel in Carnivale, he also had other roles in hit TV shows such as Two and a Half Men, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Beverly Hills, 90210, ER, Boy Meets World, Criminal Minds, NCIS and The Jamie Foxx Show.
Smaller roles included American Pie 2, Crocodile Dundee In Los Angeles and The Lost World: Jurassic Park.
Brian played Carnival’s Gabriel in all 24 episodes over the show’s two seasons.
The actor is survived by his wife and eight-year-old son.
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