BBC star forced to remortgage house after ‘worst moment in life’ saw him pass out on stage

A British actor known for his roles in the BBC series Spooks and Sherwood, Robert Glenister, revealed that he is still plagued by “anger” in the wake of a difficult financial ordeal.

A BBC star has revealed that he had to remortgage his house after “one of the worst times” in his life saw him pass out on stage in the West End. Robert Glenister, a British actor known for his roles in the BBC drama shows Spooks and Sherwood, has disclosed that he continues to be plagued by “anger” in the aftermath of a prolonged financial burden that he claims led to him “blacking out”.

In a candid reflection on what he called a “horrendous” period in his life, when he reportedly lost a tribunal against HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the 65-year-old described the shocking toll the saga had taken on his health.

He claimed his ordeal, which involved him alleging that HMRC had unjustly ordered back-dated payments for National Insurance (NI) contributions, “carried on for years” and led to a terrifying on-stage incident.

Robert told the i Paper: “The legal battle with HMRC was probably one of the worst times in my life. It carried on for years and was horrendous. I didn’t mind the changing of the rules [and paying] but making it retrospective was unfair. I had to remortgage the house.”

He also noted that people “assume” those who work in TV are well off, but this is “not the case”, conceding that some do, but “not all”, as he confessed he continues to have “so much anger”.

Robert added: “It also impacted on my mental health. It took a toll. There wasn’t a day that went by over the course of four to five years that I wasn’t thinking about it. It led to me blacking out on stage in the West End.

I must have had a bad breath. That night, we called off the show. After the press night, it resumed. I was just saying, “I can’t do this.” I took a week off, and it went well, but I never relaxed. And I struggled to concentrate during a different play. Simply put, I was not there. “

In a further admission, Robert said that, now this has occurred, the fear he might see a repeat of the episode “never really goes away”, adding that he doesn’t like that it “scares” him, as his acting ambitions were centred on working in theatre.

It’s not the first time that the actor has publicly addressed his HMRC ordeal.

In 2024, The Telegraph reported that both Robert and his brother, Philip (of Life on Mars fame) were impacted by what it described as “retrospective changes” to NI.

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It noted that about 60 actors who had been working under the assumption that they were in the category of freelancers were told by the HMRC that they were actually employees, following a “four-year decision-making process”.

It meant the actors then owed thousands in back-dated tax. Meanwhile, Robert, who, as mentioned previously, appealed this but lost, would be on the hook for the staggering reported sum of £150,000.

I’m A Celeb’s Vogue Williams admits Spencer Matthews was ‘not for her’ as she opens up on ‘disaster’

Vogue Williams and Spencer Matthews first met while filming Channel 4’s The Jump, but she admits she didn’t really like him when they first started dating.

Vogue Williams decided husband Spencer Matthews “not for her” after they met while filming a reality television show. I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! Vogue was preparing to compete on Channel 4’s The Jump when she met Spencer in 2017.

The Irish podcaster split from Westlife host Brian McFadden shortly afterward. Spencer, a former Made in Chelsea star, was dating at the time and “didn’t seem in very chatty form” when they first met, according to Vogue.

Had Spencer been single, she feared a relationship wouldn’t “have gone very well” anyway because he “was yet to form a serious bone in his body” while Vogue often found herself “getting serious quickly”. Although Vogue says the pair “got on famously” after Spencer arrived wearing tracksuit bottoms, slippers, and “reeking of booze”.

According to Vogue, in her book, “Big Mouth,” we had come to the conclusion that if I continue to fall for guys I felt I needed to fix or help, I was just repeating a pattern that would disastrously result.

Spencer, a man with red flags, was not for me, as I had a choice, and since I didn’t really like him, it was all good. However, I adored his personality.

Vogue claims that Spencer and I “really wanted to sleep with them.” And she insisted that he would join their friendship group permanently despite the fact that she had told them that “it wasn’t on the cards.”

Romance soon blossomed between Spencer and Vogue and they became engaged in January 2018 during a trip to the Lion King in London’s West End. They married in June 2018 at the Glen Affric estate in Scotland, which is owned by Spencer’s family.

Theodore, Gigi, and Otto are the couple’s three children now, all three of whom are together. Vogue has previously acknowledged that if they had met on a dating app, she would have “swipe past” Spencer.

She made this disclosure while addressing a listener who was having trouble finding romance online in a previous Vogue and Amber episode. You’re just judging someone entirely based on their appearance, according to Vogue.

Spencer is obviously gorgeous, but he wouldn’t have been my type when we first met, I always say. On a dating app, I would have swiped past him.

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We then met, and because we only admired one another’s personalities, we became angry. Therefore, I believe that meeting someone in person can be really amazing, despite the difficulty.

Vogue just recently signed to the I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! jungle . It comes nine years after Spencer, who sat for only five days before the contest, abruptly withdrawn.

Married At First Sight UK bride Abi shares ‘plot twist’ after ‘marrying stranger’ John

After marrying a complete stranger on the reality show, MAFS star Abi revealed her “plot twist” birthday and opened up about life since returning to the real world.

Married At First Sight UK bride Abi has opened up on her ‘plot twist’ birthday as she gave her followers a glimpse into her life with husband John Shepherd since leaving the show.

The most recent series of MAFS has delivered a series of explosive episodes packed with shocking revelations -from Julia-Ruth’s bombshell about getting matching ink with another groom and texting someone else, to devastating break-ups – but one couple in particular have hit the jackpot.

Abi and John joined the social experiment later in the series as one of the new couples, but they still felt an immediate spark on their big day, and their relationship seemed to be going smoothly in contrast to some other couples who hit rocky roads early on.

READ MORE: MAFS UK’s Abi issues emotional relationship status updateREAD MORE: Who is still together from MAFS UK after multiple splits announced?

Abbie left a sweet message to her fans to celebrate her birthday after the show’s conclusion. The best birthday plot twist, according to her, was marrying a stranger.

I’m happy to be here on my first birthday, which is honestly the happiest birthday I’ve ever had.

The happy bride also shared some romantic photos with John, including their first selfie together, a screenshot of their first text message, and their first photo together at a beachside barbecue and with their kids.

At the dramatic reunion episode, John and Abi declared their love for one another, and John and Abi reaffirmed their romance.

John also revealed on his Instagram that they’d been enjoying quality time in North Wales, with Abi replying: “Best feeling ever is to step into our new lives together! Wales = Home.”

After an explosive series, only five couples managed to reach the final vows ceremony, with four deciding to continue their romances in the real world.

It comes after Abi raved about how “in love” she was on Instagram. She shared a photo of herself smiling from ear to ear earlier this month, captioning “I’m in love!” Meeting John changed everything for me despite having never fallen in love before. I was immediately aware of the existence of something unique, something real.

The reality star continued, “The more time we spent together, the more assured I became that what I was feeling was real. This was the first time I connected with this. During the partner swap, being separated only strengthened my feelings. I deeply miss him, but more importantly, I felt secure knowing that I’ve found the person I’ve always wanted to be. I was aware of my love for him.

One of my life’s most memorable experiences was telling John I loved him. I needed to wait until the right moment when I said, “I love you, it’s for life,”. I wanted to let him know.

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Everything I had hoped for when I heard him say it as well. The wait was worthwhile to discover this kind of love.

Kate Middleton’s emotional hug with Jessie J at Royal Variety Show after cancer journeys

Both Jessie J and the Princess of Wales have battled cancer for the past few years. They shared a sweet moment at 2025’s Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall.

The Princess of Wales and Jessie J shared an emotional moment together at the Royal Variety Performance, after both battled cancer over the past two years. Meeting at the star-studded show held at the Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday (19 November), the pair spoke as the royal couple greeted a line of performers.

Jessie wore a full black outfit to go with her long, dark hair, which she wore in her song I’ll Never Know Why, which was inspired by a friend’s tragic suicide. Kate, who was elegantly dressed in a green velvet gown, and the 37-year-old exchanged a brief conversation.

The two men exchanged a heartfelt hug at the conclusion of their conversation because of cancer they had experienced previously. After having a mastectomy in June, Jessica was earlier this year diagnosed with breast cancer. She later had to postpone her fall tour because a second operation was in order.

READ MORE: Kate Middleton stuns in figure-hugging green dress with sweet tribute to late QueenREAD MORE: Prince William and Kate Middleton arrive for star-studded Royal Variety Performance

Kate has recently been diagnosed with cancer, too. In March 2024, she made the announcement that she had been given a cancer diagnosis and was receiving chemotherapy. The Princess has slowly begun to return to public life, but this was her first performance since she was diagnosed with cancer.

She thankfully discovered in January that the cancer was in remission despite not revealing what kind of cancer. She wrote on social media, “It is a relief to now be in remission and I continue to focus on recovery.”

Jessie, whose real name is Jessica Cornish, said as she explained their hug and that she only wanted to give her a hug because she has recently battled cancer. We made it clear that it was difficult, especially in the eyes of the public.

Kate’s husband, William, the Prince of Wales, and Jessie also had a conversation. He encouraged her to get involved with his charitable work on the subject because it was a talking point during their conversation.

The Prince and Princess’ Royal Foundation is heavily involved in the enduring Heads Together initiative, which encourages people to be more open about their mental health.

The singer has also spoken about mental health, revealing last year that she had been diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). The condition, according to the NHS, is a mental health disorder where a person has obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours. Jessie said her diagnosis had made her love herself even more, writing on social media: “I’m hugging 11-year-old me.

Who would use a toothbrush to clean her trainers when she was stressed out and who has used 1000 lists to survive without feeling life will fall apart? To a deeper understanding of yourself through life. And being completely in love with yourself.

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People living with cancer and their loved ones can receive private support from The Macmillan Support Line. If you need to talk, call us on 0808 808 0000.

If you are struggling with mental health, you can speak to a trained advisor from Mind mental health charity on 0300 123 3393 or email info@mind.org.uk

Shirlie Kemp says son Roman’s plea saved family after ‘scary time’

Former Wham! Shirlie Kemp, a backer, and Martin Kemp, the father of EastEnders legend and I’m A Celeb star, have two children named Roman and Harleymoon. However, the couple had a relationship during a vacation and fell in love.

Shirlie Kemp has shared how a request from her son Roman saved her family from being caught up in a catastrophic natural disaster. The former Wham! backing singer, 63, and Spandau Ballet bassist Martin were planning a family holiday back in 2004.

The family’s “very spiritual journey,” according to Shirlie, a mother of two. Roman, a presenter for The One Show at the time, had his sights set on a trip to the Bahamas where he could slide through a sea of sharks.

On Travel Secrets the Podcast, Shirlie disclosed that Roman’s insistence led the family to choose a Caribbean getaway over Thailand in 2004. This was the year when the Boxing Day tsunami wreaked havoc around the Indian Ocean, claiming the lives of around 200,000 people across 14 countries, including Thailand, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

We did not want to go there, according to Shirlie during the podcast because Roman wanted to go to the Bahamas, the Atlantis Hotel, and we did that. And he was obsessed, and he requested that we go, “Please let us go, we can go through a slide and go through sharks.”

I wanted to travel to Thailand and spend a lot of time there. When the tsunami struck Thailand, Roman was successful in doing so. Never have I been so appreciative of your children. He’s like, “Come on, mum, come again,” when I fell down the slide.

There were some risks in Martin and Shirlie’s holiday adventures. When Shirlie ended up rolling a Mini during a rally through a rice paddy during their three-week journey to Vietnam, Martin described a hair-raising incident where he was encased inside the overturned vehicle and was taken to the hospital.

He recalled that “you have to go through these rice paddies because we’re on this big rally within a rally and we’re on this big rally.” I’m navigating while Shirley is driving. You have to put your foot down because it’s a race, which is kind of a time trial. Shirlie puts her foot down as we get going.

Someone told me before we left that if you crash, never hold on to the roll bar because you can get trapped inside because we were in this old Mini. Shirlie places her toe down in the rice paddy, and the entire car turns around and we are upside down in the rice paddy.

What should I do since there is no water in the rice paddy? Grab the roll-bar. Therefore, my hand has been stowed between the rollbar and the roof. Shirlie has since unbuckled herself and fled. I’m trapped upside down in the middle of nowhere in a car that has just been filled with gas and glass.

When Martin saw that his hand had “gone blue,” he was concerned he might “lose my fingers” or something. On the other hand, Shirley recalls being “screaming” until two rice field workers noticed their predicament.

The former soap star was saved and transported to a hospital that resembled “like a little shack.”

Shirlie further explained that the car rolled because Martin’s knee “unintentionally” “knew the navigation system, which prevented her from being notified of an upcoming sharp bend.” She continued, “I’m going too quickly and there’s a huge tree in front of us, and if I don’t, we’re going to have to roll this car.” We will be killed by that tree.

Fortunately for Martin, sensation returned to his hand “a few weeks later”. The Gold singer is currently appearing in I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!on ITV One.

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He will be back on our screens alongside Angry Ginge, Kelly Brook, and rapper Aitch from 9pm tonight (November 20).

Fans say ‘amazing’ as Michael Barrymore shows secret food hot spot hidden gem

The star tried out a secret food hall that the majority of people are unaware was there, but the footage shows him doing so.

Fans can’t believe they’ve never heard of Michael Barrymore trying out a “secret London foodhall.” The TV legend, who was once one of Britain’s highest-paid entertainers, took a picture of himself at the hidden-outlet for a meal.

He shared the video with his 4.1 million TikTok followers, who have already received more than 350, 000 views. Before entering the small food court, Barrymore greets a staff member, passes a shawarma stand, a cookie stand, and heads back to find what he refers to as a “hidden gem.”

He discovers Somali food there, and he places an order for a mixed box. He also grabs a brownie and a banana milkshake while waiting in the quiet food hall.

The 73-year-old then heads to the cookie shop, where the owner surprises her with a whole box of treats before ordering two traditional chocolate chip cookies. He finally makes his way back to the nearly-full barracks, where only two customers were seated, after collecting his Somali dish and milkshake.

A few small independent eateries are housed at W3 Food Court, which is hidden away in Acton, west London. Many fans later admitted they had no idea it was possible.

The video’s creator, Michael from Bermondsey, called it “Secret London Foodhall.” Since then, the post has received over 33 000 likes and comments. One person said, “I didn’t know this existed, I’m in Acton.”

Another remarked, “This is amazing, more hidden gems please”; I work nights in Acton and am constantly looking for good food, a user wrote.

One person continued, “I want to try all these places you go to because they always look so good.” No duds”! “You’re a real foodie just like me, Michael,” one fan said.

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