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Coronation Street fans are convinced Lou Michaelis is returning to the cobbles after actress Farrel Hagerty was spotted at the soap’s Christmas party with cast members

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A Coronation Street actress has sparked speculation about her return to the soap after joining the cast for a festive gathering. The contentious character made a surprising departure from the show this summer, not long after her first appearance.

Farrel Hagerty, who portrays Lou Michaelis in Coronation Street, was spotted at the programme’s Christmas party held at Refuge in Manchester.

Farrel shared a photo on Instagram of herself alongside Julia Goulding, who plays Shona Platt, and Lucy Fallon, who portrays Bethany Platt. Despite leaving the show earlier this year, her presence at the party strongly suggests she might be making a comeback.

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The three actresses looked fabulous, but Corrie enthusiasts will remember that Lou left the show after admitting to assaulting Gary Windass. While serving time, she decided to cut off contact with her children until her release.

She summoned foster carer Sally Metcalfe to the prison and told her: “I don’t want you bringing the kids to see me anymore. Not regularly. I just don’t want them to get used to seeing me here. And this place getting mixed up in their memory of me.”

Despite Sally’s reassurances, Lou insisted: “I just think it’s best to say goodbye for now. For all our sakes.”

Lou then invited her son and daughters over for their final moments together before bidding them farewell for several years at least. “I’ll look after them, I promise,” Brody said as the family shared a tearful goodbye.

Farrel joined the soap alongside Joe Layton, who plays Lou’s husband.

Mick was also shown the door when his character took the life of Craig Tinker. However, Coronation Street fans were given a glimmer of hope last month when soap writer Jan McVerry hinted at a possible return of the contentious crew on the Stateside Street podcast.

She teased about the Michaelis family, whose abrupt departure left viewers disappointed. She explained: “Our hands were tied with Mick who I thought was a really, really good actor because he had another job to go to. He had some theatre work to go to, unfortunately for us, so we knew there was a ticking clock and at this point we were going to have to release the actor.

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“Sometimes that’s really helpful, because you know that you’re going to crank up the pace of the story and it’s going to end there – and it’s very helpful to know that you’ve got something to work towards,” she added.

She went on to say: “Personally, I was also gutted because I thought he was such a good actor. We brought in the Michaelis family, him and Lou, [it was] very explosive, hit the ground running. The viewers hated them, but they brought a lot of drama with them and they’ve left us a great legacy with Brody.”

She wrapped up by saying: “It’s not the end of the family. We are going to hear from them again.”

Eamonn Holmes has shared his festive best wishes for his ex-wife Ruth Langsford as he admitted he will be spending his Christmas with his girlfriend Katie Alexander

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Eamonn Holmes has expressed his admiration for his ex-wife Ruth Langsford admitting that he thinks she deserves “the best.” The popular TV host has offered a Christmas message to his former partner as their divorce continues.

Eamonn, 66, expressed his best wishes for the Loose Women host while appearing at a Christmas lunch for the broadcasting industry’s Tric Awards, where he was joined by his girlfriend Katie Alexander. He is quoted by The Sun saying: “I wish Ruth all the best, she deserves it.”

The revelation comes after Ruth, 65, confirmed last month that she is having therapy to help her get over the shock split. She is also preparing to release her first book, Feeling Fabulous, next year.

Eamonn and Ruth split last year after 27 years together, with him being snapped with Yorkshire-based mum of three Katie, 44, soon after the breakup. He addressed the couple’s plans for Christmas while speaking at the event.

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He told The Sun: “I’m going to be with Katie this Christmas. I’ve never not been in the UK for Christmas, but maybe one year I’ll go away abroad.” Eamonn – who now uses a walking frame after suffering mobility problems since a surgery he underwent in 2022 – also shared how he hopes to walk more freely again in 2026 and how he has remained resilient amid his health struggles.

He is now hoping to have a revolutionary new stem cell treatment. He said: “My dream next year is to go to a park and be able to walk with my frame and my crutches.

“And then my next dream is to get some sort of movement with my legs and maybe I might need a wee chair to sit down on, but it’s hard to explain the sense of achievement to be able to balance and walk.”

He continued: “I’ve been tested for my suitability for stem cell treatment three weeks ago. Pig cells are put into my lower spine and then spreads to your hips and legs to your lower spine.

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“The idea is that it repairs what is going dead. Health preoccupies everything — to get yourself up for work, to get yourself dressed and get through the day, the awful thing is to always have to ask someone, ‘Can you please get me this, can you please get me that?’ I try my best.”

Ruth recently opened up in an interview with Women & Home magazine where she candidly revealed: “I definitely see light in the future where I didn’t before. Before, I saw darkness and was thinking, ‘Oh my God, what’s going to happen?’

“But now the fear [has] gone, because what do you do? Do you crumble? Do you lay down and die? Oh no, not I. I will survive.”

When asked if she would be open to finding love again, she added: “Never say never. I haven’t been put off having a relationship. I haven’t even been put off marriage, but I’m definitely not actively looking, and part of that is because I’ve realised I’m actually quite good on my own. I am independent and quite strong.”

I’m A Celebrity star Jack Osbourne has revealed his wife is pregnant. It will be the pair’s second child together.

And the son of late rock legend Ozzy Osbourne admits the news is helping him with the grief of his dad’s death. Jack, who left the Australian jungle on Friday confirmed his wife Aree is 28 weeks pregnant.

The 40-year-old star revealed the news has been the joy his family needed following Ozzy’s death in July. “It’s awesome,” he gushed as he revealed the sweet news. “I think it’s been partly a healthy distraction, partly healing – probably in that kind of ‘full cycle’ category, in a weird way.”

Speaking to The Sun on Sunday, he added: “It’s very much taken energy out of the grieving side of things and parked in a bit more hopefulness. It’s been easy for me – I think it’s been a lot harder for my wife!”

The star of The Osbournes admitted the family are super-excited and confirmed they had “sort of planned it”. However, he revealed the news had came sooner than the pair expected.

“But it’s definitely something that we were wanting to pursue and somehow it happened, miraculously,” he went on. The child will be their second together, with the duo welcoming daughter Maple in 2022.

At the time, Aree described the little one as her “soulmate,” saying in a sweet social media post: “My soulmate, Maple Artemis Osbourne, came to us earth side on July 9, 2022 at 8:07 pm. new level of love unlocked.”

They are choosing to keep their unborn child’s gender a secret. It will Jack’s fifth child in total.

He shares three children with his ex-wife Lisa Stelly, whom he separated from in May 2018. Jack and Lisa share Pearl, Andy Rose and Minnie. The former couple sadly lost a baby boy named Theo when Lisa suffered a miscarriage during her second trimester in 2013.

Their divorce was finalised in March 2019. Lisa confirmed that she had filed for divorce just months after they welcomed the birth of their third daughter together and told social media users: “What’s best for our family right now is that we separate lovingly and remain best friends.”

An insider previously told Heat magazine.: “They tried to stay strong and support each other and had therapy sessions for years, but there were issues they couldn’t resolve.”

Jack became engaged to fashion designer Aree in December 2021. They became an item months after Jack and Lisa finalised their divorce. The couple shared their first picture together on social media over Labour Day weekend in 2019.

Jack lasted 21 days in camp and proved to be hugely popular among his campmates.

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Thomas Markle, the Duchess of Sussex’s father, is in hospital after undergoing a ‘life or death’ surgery that resulted in his foot being amputated and is reportedly still not out of the woods

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Thomas Markle has issued a desperate plea to hear from his daughter, Meghan, after undergoing a “life or death” surgery. The 81-year-old made the plea from a hospital bed after having his left leg amputated below the knee. The surgery, which happened in a Philippines hospital on 3 December, was reportedly “life or death” as his foot was infected, and the infection could have reached the heart.

His doctor is said to have told press that Thomas is still not “out of the woods”. The Duchess of Sussex has apparently not been to see her father, nor is she thought to have called. Thomas issued a plea begging her to call him, and said: “I don’t want to die estranged”.

READ MORE: Prince Harry takes swipe at Royal Family with Downton Abbey ‘drama’ quipREAD MORE: Meghan Markle: Crucial timescale as dad fights for life after leg amputation

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Talking to the Mail On Sunday, he said he wanted to see his son-in-law Prince Harry, as well as his grandchildren “before it’s too late”. He added that he was “confused” by reports that Meghan had reached out and purposefully did not change his number when they fell out, so that she could always reach him.

His surgeon also spoke to the paper, with Thomas’ permission, and said: “‘It was life-or-death surgery. Had the infection in the foot moved to his heart, it would most likely have been fatal. He is doing well but he is not out of the woods yet.”

The Mail also confirmed with the hospital staff that Meghan had not called them to get through to her father. “If Meghan or anyone connected with her had called here we would have known.”

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However, a spokesperson for Meghan told the BBC that she had reached out to him upon hearing he had to have his leg amputated. Meghan and her father have been estranged since the run-up to her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018.

They fell out after he was found to have colluded with paying photographers to appear in pictures that seemed to show the father and bride preparing for the wedding. Their fighting led to Thomas pulling out of the wedding, citing health problems. As such, Harry’s father, the now King Charles, walked Meghan down the aisle.

In the years since, he has been publicly critical of his daughter and son-in-law’s decision to step back from royal duties. In one interview with Channel 5, he said he felt they were “turning into lost souls” and that they were “cheapening” the royal family.

The Mirror reached out to the Duchess of Sussex for comment.

The Yorkshire Vet star Peter Wright has opened up on 10 years of the popular Channel 5 show and discussed the many emotional roller coasters over a decade of the series

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It has been 10 years since The Yorkshire Vet hit screens and won over two million viewers as three vets take on nail-biting rescue missions complete with northern charm. Fans of the Channel 5 show have been taken on many emotional roller coasters over a decade – including when horrified vet Peter Wright, 69, treated a bulldog injured while trying to have sex with a hedgehog.

Colleague Matt Jackson-Smith, 36, was given the grisly job of removing Gideon the goat’s testicles, while Julian Norton, 53, helped Gary the donkey with a huge cyst on his penis. All in a day’s work for the trio. The show originated at Skeldale Veterinary Centre in Thirsk, first made famous by James Herriot and All Creatures Great and Small.

Animal dignity – or lack of – aside, no one is more stunned that such jobs could amass a global audience than Peter. He says: “We were approached by a television production company to make a programme about a country vet in Yorkshire.

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“I thought, ‘Well, no’ and deleted the email. I didn’t even really look at it. A few weeks later they sent another and I read it this time and I still thought no – so I didn’t respond to that, either.”

But Peter trusted his instincts when he met the producers. He says: “I eventually agreed to let the managing director see us. He had an honest face, and he used the words ‘trust’ and ‘loyalty’ and he said he won’t let us down.

“I still thought it would be a flop. All these veterinary programmes had been done before, I said it’s old hat. I said to my wife Lin nobody will watch it.

“She reminded me they would not be interested in me, they would be interested in the patients. I don’t find myself interesting, and neither does my wife! Here we are 10 years and 250 episodes on being shown in 18 countries.” Peter has even been recognised at the Taj Mahal by Australian tourists.

He adds: “Every time I see the managing director, he rams it down my throat how wrong I was. It has been a success for a number of reasons. I think it’s our beautiful countryside in Yorkshire, and I think it is also we have a very dry local sense of humour and of course a welcoming, friendly nature.”

Peter is not the only star who can’t believe the show is still going after a decade, as the cast mark 22 series.

Matt, who joined the show five years ago, says: “At the start, I didn’t watch it, my grandma did, and she said that I should. It was a ­pinch-yourself moment. The ­audience could not have been more welcoming and it was the best decision I could have made.

“My wife and I were on ­honeymoon in Mauritius and there was a Yorkshire Vet fan. I do get, ‘I thought it was you!’ quite often. The show’s fans are incredible. We’re so fortunate.”

Of course the real stars are the animals, but what really sets this show apart is the Yorkshire scenery. Peter adds: “It was said Ben Frow, head of programmes at Channel 5, had a love affair with Yorkshire. He told me, ‘There would have been none of these programmes if ­Yorkshire Vet had failed’, including All Creatures Great and Small.

“That’s an earth-shattering statement. If we’d failed, it would have been the end of that love affair. We wouldn’t have all these wonderful programmes.”

Strictly Come Dancing star Motsi Mabuse had viewers in hysterics after she slammed professional dancer Neil Jones live on air when he rudely interrupted her

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Strictly judge Motsi Mabuse left viewers stunned after she called out professional dancer Neil Jones live on air. Musicals Week hit screens on Saturday as the final five couples put on a spectacular show.

Former footballer Karen Carney and her partner Carlos Gu had performed an energetic samba to The Rhythm of Life by Sweet Charity when Motsi began to share her opinion on the offering. She said: “One spin here was absolutely sensational. That was so difficult and you pulled it off.”

Neil however, interrupted the commentary by shouting down from the balcony and interrupting her. Taking no nonsense from him Motsi bit back turning and shouting: “Neil, you get a partner next year and I’ll be careful what numbers I will be pulling.”

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She then held up the number two card at him as the studio erupted into laughter and then continued with her analysis. Viewers amused by the moment took to social media to share their opinions. One wrote: “Motsi shutting down Neil is EVERYTHING to me lol.” A second said: “The shade towards Neil from Motsi. IM DEAD!”

A third added: “Not Motsi calling out Neil and giving him a 2 bwahaha.” A fourth social media user shared: “Motsi taking down Neil is everything. Absolutely brilliant, the savage cutting down.”

A fifth quipped: “Neil has been well and truly told. Welldone Motsi, teach him some manners.” The exchange comes after Neil’s fellow Strictly professional and ex-wife Katya Jones took a swipe at him claiming: “We were never really good”,

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The pair were married for six years and a couple for 11 years before they separated in the summer of 2019. Katya appeared on Strictly’s spin-off show It Takes Two alongside pro Amy Dowden this week, with the pair competing in a samba pro challenge.

It Takes Two host Janette Manrara then asked their predictions for how the other pros might do in the challenge. She asked: “Out of the pros left, who do you ladies think will be a good challenger for the 33 at the top?”

Amy responded: “I am saying Neil this year,” before Katya joked: “Why does everyone say Neil? We were never good at Samba!”

Janet replied: “Well we will have to wait and find out, there is still plenty more to go.” She looked at Katya and said: “Neil will love you for that one!” with thepair erupting into laughter at their joke.

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