Vernon Kay made the comment after venting about unrestrained rumors about who could take over as Tess Daly’s husband and Claudia Winkleman from Strictly Come Dancing.
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Vernon Kay quickly clarified his comment(Image: ITV)
BBC Radio 2’s Vernon Kay was quick to clarify his comments on-air this week after naming his “best” co-presenter. The television star, who has shared the screen with a host of famous faces including Alex Jones and AJ Odudu, singled out one colleague as particularly memorable.
The 51-year-old fondly recalls how a former Welsh presenter guided him through the process while he was reminiscing about his early years in television. He enthusiastically stated, “I learned a lot with the amazing Josie d’Arby,] she’s probably the best TV presenter I’ve ever worked with,” when he spoke to his co-host Ellie Brennan live on the program.
She would be able to read an A4 piece once, and it would be there. She was incredible, extremely entertaining, and she was trained to read a script. In the 1970s, Vernon and Josie collaborated on shows like TOTP@Play and The Phone Zone, a musical spin-off of Top of the Pops.
The father-of-two said Josie, who is now working in a very different field, held his hand and showed him the ropes of presenting during this time. “She really did, she was amazing,” he continued, before echoing, “Hi Jose! The best presenter I’ve ever worked with. She was so talented and lovely.
Vernon interjected to quickly clear up the situation as his co-host continued to deliver the most recent traffic updates. No offence to any of the other people I’ve worked with, he continued, “I just had a hot flush then, you’re all brilliant.”
Vernon’s comments follow his fury over speculation surrounding his wife Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman’s potential successors on Strictly Come Dancing.
Once the current series is over, the duo announced last month that they would be passing on the “sparkly baton” to new faces. She reflected on her “21 unforgettable years on the program” in a separate heartfelt statement shared by Tess.
She wrote in the post, “Strictly has always been about joy, celebration, and bringing people together,” and I’m so proud to have played a small part in something that still means a lot to so many.
Following their announcement, numerous celebrities have been tipped as possible replacements, with names such as La Voix, Alex Jones, Holly Willoughby, Bradley Walsh and Paddy McGuinness all in the frame.
Vernon blasted the rumors during an on-air chat with Scott Mills, saying, “It’s going to be this person, it’s going to be that person. “
“I just want to say this for the record, and I know a lot of people will listen because we are frequently quoted.” Do you sincerely believe that the hosts of the Strictly Come Dancing mid-series will hold a roundtable discussion about the schedule for the show next year? Vernon continued his tirade, saying that it can sometimes be very important to use your fingers on the keyboard.
Vernon quipped, “I tell you who it is, it’s me and Rylan [Clark],” when Scott suggested he could step in for his wife. You’re done, it’s simple.
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Echoing his co-star’s sentiment that producers are currently focused on the ongoing series, Vernon agreed, saying: “It’s not even finished, as if they’ve got time! They’ve got a Christmas special to organise, just behave yourselves! Wind your necks in, it does my head in.”
As Richard Branson announced the sad death of his wife Joan Branson, the Mirror takes a look at his first marriage to Kristen Tomassi
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Before he met his beloved wife Joan, Richard Branson was married to Kristen Tomassi
British billionaire Sir Richard Branson has paid tribute to his beloved wife Joan Branson, who has sadly passed away at the age of 80. But few may recall that the Virgin tycoon went through a painful divorce before finding the woman he has poignantly described as his “guiding light”.
When Richard first laid eyes on Joan in the bric-a-brac shop where she worked in Westbourne Grove, west London, he was already married to Kristen Tomassi, an American woman who would later break his heart and send him “chasing her all around the world”.
Richard, now 75, and Kristen married very young. He was just 21, although already enjoying prominence as the head of Virgin Records, while she was a 20-year-old architecture and design student. The couple tied the knot in the summer of 1972 at Holy Cross Church in Shipton‐on‐Cherwell, close to Richard’s Manor Studios.
By the end of the ’70s, however, it was all over, with psychedelic singer-songwriter Kevin Ayers later breaking his silence on where exactly the marriage went wrong – and how he was accused of “stealing” the wife of one of the world’s wealthiest men.
READ MORE: Joan Branson: Richard recalls exactly how long it took for him to fall for his wife
Speaking with the Mirror in September 1998, Kevin, who died in 2013 at the age of 68, told of how he and Kristen allegedly fell for each other at a party thrown by Richard himself, who reportedly didn’t anticipate just how far things would go.
According to Kevin, the spark ignited at a bash held at Branson’s former home in Notting Hill, West London, back in the seventies. At the time, Virgin was interested in snapping up Kevin, a former member of rock band Soft Machine, and the popstar was there at Richard’s invitation. But it would appear that, on that night, business was the furthest thing from Kevin’s mind.
Kevin recalled: “It was a rich, middle-class affair with all the usual drink, drugs and rock and roll. Then I suddenly became aware of this beautiful, willowy blonde – Kristen – and there was an immediate spark, a life-changing flash. For the next couple of years, the attraction between us grew. I knew she was Richard’s wife, but everyone knew they were both playing around, so I kept sending her postcards to say’ Hi, it’s me’.”
Kent-born Kevin, who would later up sticks to Montolieu, France, claimed that Richard initially encouraged the growing closeness between him and Kristen, as he himself was attracted to the singer’s then wife, Cyrille. Indeed, Richard was so taken by Cyrille that he allegedly arranged for a party aboard his houseboat on the Regent’s Canal in London’s Little Venice.
Setting the scene for seduction with candles, scatter cushions, and atmospheric music, the two couples drank plenty of wine, and it wasn’t long before desire took over.
Kevin revealed: “During the evening, he disappeared with Cyrille into the bedroom, leaving me and Kristen looking at each other over the remains of the meal. Kristen seemed nonplussed, as if she’d been expecting it, but I realised this was going to be a very important evening for me.
“We’d had so much wine to drink it was no problem. It seemed as if Richard had arranged it, and I didn’t find it awkward to be alone with his wife. It just fell into place for us. The chemistry between us was right, and everything seemed natural, so we became intimate, although we didn’t have sex that night.
“I felt a spark igniting in my brain and my heart. It definitely wasn’t a one-night stand – this was a developing passion. I left the boat during the night, and the next day Cyrille told me, ‘Branson was so cheap the b*****d wouldn’t even pay my taxi fare home.’ However, there’d been no coercion. She had liked the idea of sleeping with him.”
In the weeks that followed, Kevin and Kristen got to know each other during nights out at pubs and concerts, and eventually they took things to the next level and slept together. According to Kevin: “I assumed Richard knew. He proudly boasted how they had an open marriage. But his problem was that this had started out as a game to him, now he was losing control.”
Kevin has claimed that Richard confronted him about the budding romance, sharing: “One day I was doing a concert in Hyde Park, and Richard exploded, ‘How could you do this to a friend, stealing my wife?’ He was angry and very emotional. I said, ‘No one steals a woman – she’s made up her own mind.'”
When it became clear that Kristen had chosen Kevin over him, Richard did everything in his power to win her back, pleading with her during late-night phone calls, as well as in a flurry of desperate letters.
Giving his version of events, Kevin remembered: “It’s pathological, because he can’t stand losing. For a year, he kept up a battery of letters and calls to Kristen, saying, ‘How can you leave me?’ It was nerve-racking and heart-wrenching.
“He’d be on the phone for hours as I sat in the next room, biting my nails. Kristen never told me what he said. It really upset her. She felt very guilty, and he played on her guilt. But Kristen didn’t want to hurt him. We fell in love – it was as simple as that.”
Those early days together were, in Kevin’s words, ‘idyllic’. They set up home together in Provence, where they welcomed daughter Galen, before buying a house in Majorca. Things ultimately began to unravel, however, and the pair called it quits after five years together.
Concluding that the move to Majorca had been a bad decision, Kevin reflected: “But it was a very bad move on my part. The social scene was very intense, a meat market of expatriates all flaunting themselves and on display. My career was going downhill, and I couldn’t provide the kind of security Kristen wanted.
“We drifted apart. Then she met Axel Ball – a rich German property developer – and moved in with him, keeping Galen. She’s been very happy with Axel and has had two boys with him. She was probably right to go. My precarious lifestyle was attractive, but it drove her mad.”
After their marriage crumbled, Richard and Kristen filed for divorce in 1979, and although he was initially heartbroken, he later saw things differently, noting how young they’d been when they’d walked down the aisle. In a 2014 interview with The Guardian, he said: “We were probably a bit too young. I’m still friends with my ex and her children get on well with mine”.
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In 1989, Richard married Joan on Necker Island, which he had previously admitted he purchased to impress his second wife. The couple went on to enjoy 50 happy years together before Joan’s death, with Richard this week sharing the following moving statement: “Heartbroken to share that Joan, my wife and partner for 50 years, has passed away. She was the most wonderful mum and grandmum our kids and grandkids could have ever wished for. She was my best friend, my rock, my guiding light, my world. Love you forever, Joan x.”
Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com.Follow Mirror Celebs onSnapchat,Instagram,Twitter,Facebook,YouTubeandThreads.
READ MORE: Inside Richard Branson’s 50-year relationship with ‘love of his life’ as he issues tribute
When the popstar they were visiting boarded the same flight to Helsinki and she wasn’t even flying first class, music fans at Stockholm Airport were baffled.
Social News Reporter Alice Sjoberg
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Passengers were baffled when they realised who was on the same flight as them (stock image)(Image: Getty Images)
Music enthusiasts in Stockholm, Sweden, were left stunned whilst awaiting their flight to Finland after discovering a very special passenger was also waiting to board the same flight.
Music lovers travel far and wide to see their favorite bands and artists perform live. It’s not unusual for them. No distance appears too far for devoted fans, who frequently use concerts as an opportunity to discover new places, whether it’s a visit to a neighboring city, across the country, or to a completely different country. However, they might not be anticipating bumping into the artist themselves.
However this extraordinary scenario unfolded for a group of admirers who were preparing to board their flight from Stockholm, Sweden, travelling across the Baltic Sea to Helsinki in Finland to see Zara Larsson at her upcoming concert.
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One fan shared the video on TikTok, which shows the incredible moment she was waiting by the departure gate at Arlanda airport in Sweden, only to glance up and see the pop star approaching the exact same gate, instantly attracting the attention of numerous fans who were all traveling to see her performance the following evening.
The fan wrote in the video’s caption, “Pov you’re flying from Sweden to Finland to see Zara Larsson and Zara Larsson shows up.”
One fan swayed as she chatted casually with several supporters at the gate after hearing the superstar’s distinctive voice behind her.
Zara, who donned a black fur coat and pink nails, then showed off some photos with the TikTok creator. She chose to avoid wearing makeup as she arrived for her 26-November concert in Helsinki.
Within the first day of being uploaded to the platform, the video received more than 478, 000 views, and it quickly attracted comments from other fans.
One fan said, “Crazy how she just flies in economy,” while another exclaimed, “OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG” while comparing Zara to her on a plane.
A third fan chimed in, “Personally, I would have started dancing lush life to get my lush life girl moment.”
Without her ex-husband Eamonn Holmes, Ruth Langsford is getting ready for her second Christmas. She says she enjoys keeping the “magical” “traditions alive” with her family.
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Ruth Langsford says she is ‘grateful’ for her career(Image: ITV)
Ruth Langsford says she is “very grateful” as she opens up about life after her split from Eamonn Holmes ahead of Christmas. Television stars Ruth and Eamonn announced they were splitting in May 2024 after 14 years of marriage.
The former couple has a 23-year-old son together. Ruth claims that by keeping “traditions alive,” she still enjoys making the holiday season “magical” for both her own mother Joan and Jack.
She told Woman magazine that she likes to do “stockings,” “loads of decorations” and games over the Christmas period. Although she admits she “particularly misses” her dad, Dennis, who died a decade ago after battling dementia.
Instead of dwelling on the divorce decree, Ruth insists that she is now anticipating Christmas. It’s about anticipating the future and acknowledging a new chapter and beginning. She explains, “It’s exciting.”
Since the split Ruth has continued to make regular appearances on shopping channel QVC as well as working as a panellist on Loose Women. She had previously co-hosted segments on This Morning alongside Eamonn.
She stated, “I am completely aware that I am happier than I have been in a while and have a ton of fantastic opportunities.” I appreciate it greatly.
The TV personality recently discussed a potential return to This Morning. When asked if she would host the program alongside “TV son” Rylan Clark, she responded, “If they’d ask, they’d ask, especially with Rylan,”
“I adore Rylan. Really, he’s like my son. Who knows since we have already worked together and we adore one another?
Ruth acknowledges worry that Joan, 94, might not have enough Christmases left for her. While Ruth’s daughter receives excellent care, Joan, the presenter, manages all of her personal affairs, from taking her to appointments to carrying out any necessary shopping, in a care facility close to her home.
She said, “Each year with her is a privilege because I speak a lot about my lovely mum and the battle she is going through.”
I’ll bring my family over for the big day. I always cook something that I really enjoy. I particularly miss my dad at Christmas. I value every minute I spend with her, but I’m not sure how many more Christmases she [her mother] might have.
While ex-husband Eamonn is said to be dating Katie Alexander, the TV star is currently said to be single. Additionally, Ruth recently made an offensive face-to-face face on Loose Women.
It came during a discussion about former Prime Minister David Cameron, who recently revealed he fought prostate cancer. The condition was discovered after Lord Cameron’s wife Samantha encouraged him to go and get tested.
Addressing the announcement, Loose Women panellist Myleene Klass remarked: “It is a known fact that men live longer when they’re married because they have wives, and women live longer when they aren’t married shall we say… you do the maths!”
Ruth responded, “Good to know! “she laughed about the prospect of a longer life now that she is single with the audience and her fellow presenters.”
Jeff Brazier’s crumbling marriage as he splits from Kate: 5 things you need to know – The Mirror
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TV presenter Jeff Brazier and his wife of seven years Kate Dwyer have split, separating in the summer after a rollercoaster on and off relationship and a “year of hell”
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Jeff Brazier’s crumbling marriage and split: 5 things you need to know(Image: Mike Marsland/WireImage)
What you need to know about Jeff Brazier’s split from Kate Dwyer after seven years of marriage
On 24 November, reports broke claiming Jeff Brazier and Kate Dwyer had broken up. The split was reported to have come after a “year of hell” and amid growing tensions between Jeff and his younger son Freddy. A source told The Sun that Kate “had enough” and had moved back to her flat in Hackney.
A day later, fans started to notice signs of the split, as Jeff appeared on Good Morning Britain without his wedding ring. The missing symbol of eternal love wasn’t the only hint – Kate’s cryptic posts about the “hardest season” of her life and her trip to Vegas without Jeff all pointed towards a split.
Tension between the couple was thought to have arisen as Jeff faced issues with his son Freddy. Earlier this year, Jeff launched legal action to stop the 21-year-old from seeing his maternal grandmother, Jackiey Budden, to “keep him safe”. The suit was dropped but it was still said to cause friction in the family.
Jeff confirmed the split on Instagram on 25 November. He wrote: “I’m so full of love and gratitude for Kate. For all we achieved, for how much we grew, for everything we endured. We separated in the Summer and kept it private for as long as we could to give us some time to adjust.”
This isn’t the first time the couple have broken up. Their last split was in 2022, and like this time, Jeff confirmed it on his Instagram as Kate moved out of their home. But in 2023, they rekindled their romance.
READ THE FULL STORY: Jeff Brazier reveals he split from wife months ago but will always ‘love’ her
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Kate Lawler, the winner of Big Brother, recently opened up about her perimenopause issues in an emotional interview.
Kate Lawler has said that she is “getting help” while she gave her fans an update on her recent health battle. The Big Brother winner opened up recently in an interview about how she is struggling with perimenopause.
The ITV presenter thanked her followers for showing their support since the interview as well as explaining what her next steps are from here. She uploaded a video to her Instagram page where she said how she has been feeling.
Kate expressed her shock at how many people have contacted her in the interim. The transitional period leading up to menopause is characterized by irregular periods and signs like hot flushes, mood swings, and sleep disturbances as a result of fluctuating and declining hormone levels.
READ MORE: Kate Lawler breaks down as she admits ‘I’ve lost who I am as a person’READ MORE: Big Brother icon hasn’t aged over two decades on from reality show debut
Kate stated in a video that many people saw on social media about how depressed and depressed she felt. I find it hard to believe how many people have emailed and expressed gratitude.
I appreciate your messages greatly. I’m sorry if I haven’t yet responded to you all. How many other women experience perimenopause and are denied it or given incorrect treatment for their depression, or even have their hormones prescribed incorrectly.
“The system seems to have some flaws, and more needs to be fixed,” he said. I don’t want to be the person who moans constantly. This Instagram account used to be fun in a good way. I once laughed aloud. However, I’ll soon return to being my former self. “I’ll keep you.”
Kate explained that despite taking HRT, a recent blood test revealed that she had no testosterone and low oestrogen. I’m starting testosterone, so I’m upping that. Kate continued, “I’m going to get better, I’ll get better, and I’ll get back to being my old self.”
She concluded by saying, “But to anyone out there who is struggling, go to your GP and seek help.” We’re working together on this.
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Kate appeared on the Is It Hot In Here last week and discussed perimenopause. Dr. Naomi Potter hosts a podcast. She continued, “I’m exhausted because I constantly have to mask my shortcomings because I’m not okay right now.” My husband and I both feel bad about living together.
Does anyone like me, please? Do my friends know? I’m completely lost in who I am. I just want to be who I am because I’ve changed so much.
