Category Entertainment News

EastEnders legend Anita Dobson has revealed that Queen won’t tour again – but an ABBA-style avatar show is on the cards.

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Anita Dobson, 76, has just celebrated her silver wedding anniversary with Queen guitarist Brian May, 78. She told The Mirror: “They will do little bits and bobs, but they won’t do those big tours. We are all getting old.” The news comes a few weeks after drummer Roger Taylor, 76, confirmed: “We are resting at the moment.”

Pressed further on whether Queen would be “resting forever,” he added: “At one point we will be.” Meanwhile Brian, who had a minor stroke last year, also said last week that Queen weren’t talking about touring, adding: “I’ve done 50 years of it.” He said he was enjoying pursuing his interests in astrophysics and animal rights, as well as spending time with his grandchildren and his animals. But, to put fans’ minds at rest, he made it clear he was still making music, saying: “I love to play. Everybody knows I love to play.”

READ MORE: Brian May’s wife Anita Dobson’s brutal realisation after quitting London

Anita’s bombshell revelations also come as singer Adam Lambert, who stepped into Freddie Mercury’s shoes – has been diversifying into musical theatre – giving critically acclaimed performances in Cabaret and Jesus Christ Superstar. But Anita, who rose to fame playing Angie Watts, landlady of The Queen Vic, in EastEnders, says fans may soon see the band performing Bohemian Rhapsody and other hits as they have never seen them before – as avatars.

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Asked if they would be having an avatar show, like Abba’s Voyage – the highly successful virtual concert – she said: “Yeah talk has been happening. Of course it would work.” But she is not 100% sold on avatars, adding: “I have seen the ABBA show, except that it is a hologram. After a while, you are absolutely certain it is a hologram and I do miss seeing the people.

“There is no spontaneity, they can’t do anything different. What would Freddie [Mercury] make of it? Well, technology is getting more and more clever and futuristic.” But Anita has genuine doubts about AI technology.

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“I don’t know how I feel about technology and AI,” she says. “In some ways it is wonderful for medical research, but in other ways I think it has taken away the desire for people to want to talk to each other.” And she fears that the lack of human interaction could damage our society. You see people glued to their phones. If we are not sociable then we are not a society anymore,” she said.

“I think it is killing a lot of interaction. I see children sitting next to each other on the sofa and texting each other and not talking. What is that about?”

READ MORE: Anita Dobson admits ‘it was overwhelming’ in first TV interview after receiving OBE

Rocketed to overnight fame by their 1997 hit Slam Dunk (Da Funk), the next four years brought a whirlwind of success and scandal for Five’s Abz Love, Ritchie Neville, Jason ‘J’ Brown, Sean Conlon and Scott Robinson – but then things went badly wrong…

Boyband Five are a numbers game. Members Abz Love, Ritchie Neville, Jason ‘J’ Brown, Sean Conlon and Scott Robinson are fresh off the back of a 25-date reunion tour, playing to more than 250,000 fans. Put together and signed to RCA records in 1997, the popstars shot to success and enjoyed eleven top 10 singles, four top 10 albums and a BRIT Award. They released hits When The Lights Go Out, Keep On Movin’, Everybody Get Up and many more in super quick succession, followed by the intense white hot spotlight of fame. ‘It was a hot, fast, rocket that took off. It ended abruptly, and proceeded for the next two decades to completely affect our lives,” says Richie, now 46. Indeed, at the start J was 20, Abz, Richie and Scott were 17, and Sean was just 15. By 2001 the band had burned out, with some suffering various mental health issues. 24 years in the wilderness followed as they individaully tried to piece their lives back together after.

READ MORE: ‘Liam Payne’s death is an absolute tragedy,’ says star of Simon Cowell boyband Five

J says: “It’s better this time around in all respects. We’re all in a different headspace, individually and collectively. We’re older and crucially we all 100% actually want to be in it this time. We’ve got brilliant people around us. “The first time around we were fending for ourselves a lot. We were young kids. We didn’t have any idea about where we were. We were thrust into fame, taken out of our lives, put in a house together and thrown into this crazy thing. We were given half an hour’s media training above a pub in Primrose Hill with [TV presenter] Kate Thornton.”

Sean interjects: “I was 15 years old, straight from school. To go from that to instant fame, with no space away from it or days off was wild.” Richie agrees, saying: “Problems were going to arise, someone was going to crack. Or go nuts.” Having too much of everything too soon, J feels they were destined to implode. Unlike bands like Boyzone, who at least did school tours and slowly built a fan base, they had no warm up, according to Scott.

He says: “We signed our record deal, did a Radio One Roadshow as our first ever gig, and then the very next gig we did was the Smash Hits Pollwinners Party, which we won. We were playing arenas from the get-go, it was just mental. I left the band at 21, still a baby, I’d travelled the world and had a breakdown. No wonder it took us so long to get us back onto the stage. We had to fix our broken minds for 20 years. Piece ourselves back together.”

But they have clearly healed and their strong performances are matched by a strong mental outlook. J says: “The first time around it felt like one big fight, the five of us against each other sometimes.” The reunion has helped Richie to make sense of the past. He says: “My memories of Five would have always had a jagged edge if we hadn’t got back together. I’d have always thought, ‘what was that and why did it happen to me?’ Now it makes sense.”

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And it has helped to Abz to appreciate their talent. He says: “I am starting to truly believe that we are the best band ever. We rock, we’re so good.” But their wilderness years saw them take quite diverse paths. J threw himself into archaeological studies, Richie opened a restaurant, and the others remained in the music industry, writing and performing as solo artists – although Abz was the only one to release a solo album.

Scott says: “I always thought it was my fault we had broken up, I carried that for years. I spent a long time afterwards trying to get the band back together. But it was never the right time. It would never have worked.” They did get back together briefly in 2013 – although without J – for the Big Reunion Tour, which also featured nostalgic bands 911, Atomic Kitten, Honeyz, Liberty X, Blue, and B*Witched. J says: “I never thought I’d do anything like this again. I’ve spent 25 years going in probably the furthest direction anyone could ever imagine from Five. I was so tainted against the music industry. I was disgusted by it and hated what it had done to me and my friends.”

Meanwhile, Richie spiralled into a drink problem when Five split. He says: “I was enjoying a lot of drinking. Then I got depressed. Then I drank every day to forget. Three years I did that for. I’d sit and think, ‘what are you going to do next?’ Like J, I didn’t want to get back into the music industry. Simon Cowell rang and said he wanted me. I just couldn’t do it. It was the wilderness years. I was completely and utterly lost. My partner at the time said to me, ‘Rich, I have never seen anyone as lost as you’.”

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When Five announced their return back in February, with all five members on board, fans went wild. They were not disappointed, with the band’s 2025 tour winning five star reviews. Sean says: “The songs have stood the test of time. People love them now.” He also thinks the band members are now better equipped to appreciate each other. “When we met up for the first time, I instantly felt this magic,” he says. “We appreciate each other now. In the 90s we couldn’t, we were so young. Rabbits trapped in the headlights. Our management definitely made mistakes in the past, but one thing they got right was putting us together. We’ll always thank them for that.”

Now 46, Scott tells The Mirror: “Liam Payne is an absolute tragedy.” Liam died, aged 31, on 16 October 2024, after falling from a fourth floor hotel balcony in Argentina. Richie, also 46, adds: “It did resonate. And I think it affected us slightly differently than perhaps it would somebody ‘normal’, because we’re in a band – and it was in a hotel room.”

They certainly understand how easily partying can tip over into alcohol abuse, as the pressures of fame saw Five (also known as 5ive) earn a reputation for wild behaviour off-stage. Richie and J, now 49, were arrested and charged after a drunken brawl in Dublin and they once attacked each other with baseball bats and took mentor Simon Cowell’s car for a joyride.

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In 2001, with over 20 million records sold, the band split, after “serious mental health issues” for Sean, now 44, while Scott “had a breakdown”. But today they are very grown-up versions of their former selves.

Scott who instigated the reunion in late 2024, recalls: “I phoned Abz [now 46]. And the five of us met up to speak as friends. Too much time had passed, where I would look at Abz or J’s number on my phone and think, ‘Why haven’t I called? Once upon a time they were my brothers’.” Richie adds: “It was 24 years since we’d all been in the same room at the same time.”

And there is no danger of them being silenced any time soon. On Sunday, they were the surprise guests at Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball at London’s O2 Arena, while this weekend they will perform on Strictly Come Dancing. Richie adds: “We enjoy each show like it’s the last one we’ll ever do. Because it could all end. The first time around I didn’t ever consider that.”

Sean adds: “But nobody anticipated what our songs would mean to people so many years on. The industry got that wrong.” Some of their most loyal fans have grown up with Five. Scott says: “We once gave a group of girls some yellow blankets outside a hotel, because they were freezing and in the rain – and they came back to see us this year. They were 16 then – this time they brought their kids. It’s crazy.”

And Richie says: “This tour has healed us all, in every way. The way I see it, we made a lot of people happy… and nobody got headbutted.”

READ MORE: Simon Cowell recalls calling Liam Payne’s parents after heartbreaking death

Artificial Christmas trees are a great way to save money each year on decorations, and this festive season, shoppers can save £160 on this ‘beautifully realistic’ tree

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Christmas can be a pricey affair, with presents, festive food, decorations, and get-togethers all contributing to a hefty bill. Consequently, many Brits are on the hunt for ways to cut back on their yuletide spending. One of the biggest expenses over the Christmas period is often the tree itself, with 6-foot real fir trees setting you back up to £65 – a cost that certainly mounts up over time.

On the other hand, online home and garden retailer Christow suggests that artificial trees could be a smart choice for households. Artificial trees range between £40 and £100 as a one-off purchase. This means families could recoup their costs in just a year and potentially save as much as £875 over a 15-year period, all while cutting down on annual stress and expenditure.

And what’s more, this particular 5-feet option is currently up for grabs for a massive £160 less as we inch closer to the Christmas period.

READ MORE: Shoppers rave these Royal-approved waterproof boots are ‘perfect for walking’ in winter

READ MORE: ‘This small but mighty dehumidifier has done wonders for clearing the damp in my attic room’

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Perfect for adding a timeless charm to your Christmas celebration, this artificial Christmas tree from Balsam Hill (now £119 down from £179) is made with 100% Classic Needle foliage for a full, abundant look that maintains a realistic aesthetic without the risk of the tree dying before the end of the holidays.

Available in a variety of heights, with lighting options available to suit your space and decorating style. This Canadian Blue Green Spruce features dense foliage composed of soft yet sturdy needles in blue-green and silvery hues, complemented by light brown-tinted stems that add depth and create a rustic, more natural finish.

The pre-lit version of the tree comes equipped with innovative Twinkly LED lights, allowing you to create and control different light colours, light shows, or choose from a pre-programmed selection of patterns and colours, all from your phone using the mobile app. That said, this discount applies to the unlit variation.

Customers who have picked up this artificial tree can’t stop singing its praises, with one 5-star reviewer beaming: “When I opened the box, I was thankful for the gloves to fluff the tree. It is a beautiful 7-foot tree, and once it is fully opened, there are plenty of branches for the large number of baubles my wife has to put on the tree.”

Further love comes from this shopper who shares: “I bought a 7-foot Canadian Spruce; it fits beautifully in my room in the middle of the window, it is not too wide, so I can easily walk past without moving our big coffee table. Lovely full and realistic branches with no gaps and a great shape. Also free delivery to the Shetland Isles.”

And this customer raves: “A beautiful fir tree that really makes a statement. I was sceptical since I grew up with real fir trees, but this one completely won me over. It does take a little while to shape it after delivery, but once it’s up, it looks fantastic even without decorations. Just like a real tree.”

Though one 4-star reviewer does note: “This tree is simply beautiful and has completely exceeded our expectations. Such a clever and simplistic method for lighting each section. We really enjoyed building the levels as you see from the photos. I do have to say that delivery was an issue, though not the fault of Balsam Hill. “

For alternative artificial options, Christow’s debut collection of pre-lit Christmas trees is making festive decorating a breeze. The trees come with built-in LED lights that can switch between warm white and multi-coloured settings, including a flashing option, allowing customers to change the mood or theme at the touch of a button. With timer functions and multiple light effects, families can set their festive glow and forget about it.

The range, crafted from premium PVC with full, lifelike branches, includes Christow’s Pre-Lit Nordmann Fir (£99.99), which combines the natural, sparse silhouette of a real tree with built-in LED convenience. Available in 6ft, 7ft, and 8ft sizes, it features warm white LEDs, hinged branches for easy assembly, and a sturdy metal stand.

Bros icon Matt Goss, whose successful music career has spanned more than 38 years in the music industry, has shared advice to Simon Cowell as he forms a new boyband

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Matt Goss has reflected on his career and revealed what Simon Cowell needs to look out for when creating his new boyband. Singer-songwriter Matt, 57, has enjoyed a lengthy career in music and showbiz. He rose to fame as a teen in hit ’80s pop band Bros, which also featured his twin brother Luke and pal Craig Logan.

The group and Matt enjoyed huge success with hits such as When Will I Be Famous? and I Owe You Nothing and has also enjoyed a successful solo career, too – releasing five studio albums. With this in mind, the pop star is more than equipped to share his thoughts on what will make a successful band as Simon Cowell announces his new boyband, which he formed as part of his new Netflix show, The Next Act.

READ MORE: Simon Cowell’s net worth, partner and rise to fame as The Next Act hits NetflixREAD MORE: Simon Cowell’s new boyband pose together in first photo – as their odd name is revealed

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Speaking at the Nordoff and Robbins Christmas Carol Concert, which saw Matt perform at St. Luke’s and Christ Church in Chelsea alongside Rick Astley and Katie Melua, Matt compared his experience to being in Bros to one of Simon’s formed bands.

He said: “I feel like me and Luke [didn’t] struggle with that in a way, the fact that we were discovered by a label, we didn’t audition. They heard our music – there was no choreography – Luke played drums, I played multiple instruments and Craig played bass. I think because we were screamed at it’s different. Like, for us, it doesn’t quite gel.”

Matt then added of his advice to Simon: “But I would say in general, pick people that have a solid goal, that are musicians that don’t just want to be famous because fame is the easy part, but the hard part is maintaining.

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“A journalist said to me the other day I’ve been in the press every month for 38 years. And I think if somebody said to me, ‘Do you want to have a hit record right now, number one record, and then roll the dice, or do you want a 38-year year career?’ I’d be like, ‘Give me a 38-year career’.

“That’s the true meaning of success to me; is that you’re still in it and there are still options. I’m still amazed that there are things on my horizon. That beautiful thing called hope. I have a very hopeful horizon and that’s a luxury to me.

“I’m gonna continue to navigate the industry the way I’ve done it. And hopefully as a gentleman and a little bit of a bit of a rebel as well, I think I’ve done alright.”

Speaking about taking part in the Nordoff and Robbins Christmas Carol Concert, which raised £50,000 for the charity, Matt said: “First of all, I’m privileged to be asked. But to say yes is easy because they create so much momentum with healing.

“As I said before they put light where there’s darkness. It’s a transformative charity, they change lives. And it’s also a medium that I understand very well – even in my own life and how music has helped me and just to be part of it is really a no-brainer for any musician.”

It comes as Simon’s new band, called December 10, have been pictured together for the first time as Simon’s new Netflix series, The Next Act, is released on the streaming platform. The lads consist of Cruz (19), Danny (17), Hendrick (19), John (17), Josh (17), Nicolas (16) and Sean (19). They are from Chorley, Rochester, Dublin, London, Lisbon and Walsall, and between them Irish, Brazilian, Indian, Nigerian and Jamaican heritage.

It seems it may be the end for one real life EastEnders and Coronation Street romantic crossover, as a couple made up of one star from each show has appeared to call it quits

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A real life soap couple have appear to broken up, just months after the EastEnders and Corrie stars were seen smooching in public. EastEnders Max Bowden and Corrie’s Katie McGlynn are said to have gone their separate ways.

Max, who plays Ben Mitchell on the BBC soap, met Katie, who played Sinead Tinker on ITV’s Coronation Street, earlier this year, when they both starred in the play Murder at Midnight. The pair soon started dating and were snapped kissing after a night out in Mulvern in October. But, only a few months after their passionate embrace, they are thought to have broken up.

READ MORE: Truth behind Katie McGlynn’s new romance with EastEnders legendREAD MORE: Katie McGlynn’s ex furious as she snogs EastEnders’ Max Bowen weeks after split

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A source told The Sun that the relationship is over, as Katie “decided to end things”. They said: “Max and Katie have had a bit of a whirlwind romance. Working together has meant they didn’t have much time for anything else and one thing led to another but Katie has come to her senses and decided to end things.”

They added that Max was “pretty cut up” by the split and that things backstage on the Murder at Midnight tour were “awkward”. The tour is set to continue with both Max and Katie well into 2026. There will be a break over Christmas, but it will pick up again in the New Year, and the source said Katie was “hoping Max will be over it” when they next work with each other.

Katie and Max have been very publicly affectionate with each other during their relationship and have been seen on multiple nights out together. But Katie is not the only costar that Max has dated.

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In the past, he has been linked to Shona McGarty, who played Whitney Dean on EastEnders before her time on I’m A Celeb, and Danielle Harold. Danielle played Lola Pearce on the show, who had a daughter, Lexi, with Max’s Ben Mitchell.

Meanwhile Katie has previously dated TOWIE star Ricky Rayment. He was reported to be devastated when he learned that his ex had moved on with Max, and was said to have been hurt by the photos of the pair kissing.

A source previously told The Sun: “[Ricky] wishes her the best, he would just rather not have seen those snaps while things are still pretty raw for him.” The Mirror has reached out to Max and Katie’s reps for comment.

On the lookout for a new winter coat? Beauty editor Laura Mulley thinks she’s found it with this duvet-style puffer coat that keeps you so warm even when temperatures plummet

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Living in the north of England, a warm and practical winter coat is an essential item in my wardrobe, having to practically live in it throughout the autumn and winter months. Thick, duvet-like puffer coats are hugely popular at the moment, and if you’re looking for a recommendation for an excellent one, I’ve found it – and it’s better than my old one that was double the price.

I recently swapped my old The North Face puffer coat – which cost at least £400 when bought new a few years ago, and which still retails for around this price – for a similar style coat but which costs around half the price: Columbia’s Amaze Puff Hooded Down Puffer – and I’m super impressed by how warm and snuggly it is.

READ MORE: Shoppers find £6.50 Superdrug perfume they say ‘smells very similar to Baccarat Rouge’

READ MORE: 12 best Christmas candles including Yankee Candles for £3.50 and M&S designer collabs

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The long one that I’ve got costs £270, and while the exact long black style I’ve got is now only available in limited sizes online, you can find various other colours and sizes both on the Columbia website and on ASOS. And if you’re willing to sacrifice a little length, the midi version of the black is still available in all sizes on the brand’s website for £235.

There are a number of reasons why I think it outperforms my previous coat in terms of warmth, comfort and fit. Firstly – and perhaps my old coat had gone a little flat over time – but it just feels softer, puffier and more cloud-like, really cocooning the body.

Unlike my North Face one, is also has adjustable elastic ties around the waist on the inside, which not only adds a little shape but also pulls the coat closer to your body. Additionally there are also cuffs with thumbholes on the sleeves, stopping gusts of wind from creeping up your coat sleeves.

Other practical features include a removable hood, fleece-lined pockets and straps for carrying the coat on your back if you get too hot – something that I didn’t realise was a thing until I saw my friend make use of those in her coat on an unexpectedly warm day.

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One minor downside is that I do find that the zip occasionally gets stuck and needs some wiggling to get free, and it is a little bit closer fitting to the body than my old one; if you’re between sizes and planning on wearing it over lots of thick layers, you may want to go up a size.

If £270 (or £235) is out of your budget, I’ve also found some cheaper options: this French Connection coat in this season’s must-have shade, chocolate brown, is now reduced from £159.99 to an impressive £39.99 here, while for something a little trendier, this shiny berry-coloured Feather & Down Stormwear Diamond Quilted Padded Coat from M&S is £115.