Danny Murphy, a pundit for Match of the Day, is impressed by the Arsenal squad’s strength and depth as their adjustments, particularly down the right, worked against Brentford.
WATCH MORE: With a victory over Brentford, Arsenal extend their unbeaten run.
Children’s author Julia Donaldson says she wants to branch out into West End musicals. Julia, 77, who has delighted kids of all ages with the The Gruffalo, Stickman and Room on the Broom, hopes to work with the likes of Lord Lloyd-Webber or Sir Elton John.
She said: “I might approach some terribly well-known West End impresario who’s got the next big hit all ready and I’ll just write the lyrics and I won’t have to do any of the hard work. I do know a few people. I think I might put out a few feelers.” Julia is making a festive appearance in the Christmas edition of The Repair Shop, alongside Dame Helen Mirren and Gavin & Stacey star Rob Brydon.
Rob also crops up on Christmas Day, voicing Reginald Rake, the baddie in the animated film of Julia’s book The Scarecrows’ Wedding. Part of the storyline involving Reginald had to be edited for the TV version.
The marriage plans of Jessie Buckley’s and Harry O’Hay’s (Domhnall Gleeson) are in jeopardy thanks to Reginald. The half-hour movie is likely to be very popular.
However, Julia is unable to see a follow-up to The Gruffalo and Zog’s. What might it be, she said? The divorce of the Scarecrows? I wouldn’t want to ruin that because this is a happy-ever-after tale. They might have “baby scarecrows,” I suppose. She might want to avoid a new controversy. Much to Julia’s annoyance, Reginald’s cigar burns a field in The Scarecrows’ Wedding, which caused her to cut.
She continued, “But then there was this thing about smoking.” I believe that some Mumsnet mothers once said something that was later blown up.
There were no complaints when the book first appeared, according to the author. It is noted that it causes a cough and can cause a fire, and that it is unhealthy. He is a weak actor who is flaunting himself. Julia receives hundreds of letters from children each week after her 52-year marriage to Malcolm ended last year.
There are many funny ones in my collection. They occasionally don’t even mention the books in their entirety. They say things like “I love your books,” “I love your books, but that’s all I can say about you.” I’m seven years old, have blonde hair, and pony.
Axel Scheffler, the illustrator who published Julia Donaldson’s books last year, gave the impression that her books might look different in the future. He said, “We’ve written about 30 books already, but is that really enough? “
* Christmas Day, The Scarecrows’ Wedding airs on BBC1 and iPlayer.
Stacey Solomon says being underestimated no longer makes her angry because she can use it to her advantage. The TV star and businesswoman, 36, has amassed a multi-million pound fortune and is admired by fans around the UK for her down-to-earth attitude.
Speaking about defying the expectations of others, she told Good Housekeeping UK : “The thing is, I come from Dagenham and I’ve still got the accent. I didn’t have a private education. I’m blonde. I’m of a happy disposition most of the time. Those characteristics label me as stupid. It used to make me angry, but now I use it to my advantage. If I’m underestimated, I can only impress people. The truth is that most of the time I’m just winging it and faking it till I make it.”
According to reports in April, Stacey had £9.7m in her business accounts thanks to TV series and brand endorsements and business investments. And there have now been two series of BBC ’s Stacey & Joe reality series with husband Joe Swash as well as previously fronting Channel 4 show Renovation Rescue.
Stacey acknowledged that it wasn’t always easy, despite continuing to surprise people with her success and standing well on screen and in business. Being a strong woman with a career is a f*ing struggle, she continued.
You can be successful as a woman in this industry while earning significantly less than a man. Making a name for itself in this sector is a f****** success. Please excuse my swearing. However, it ought to be celebrated.
It’s difficult to accept that you can’t control everything, especially if you’re ambitious and frequently feel like a powerful woman. When something is beyond your control, it can be very intimidating. I’m always worried, but [now] I’m much more adept at feeling confident.
Stacey and Joe married in 2022 and have been together nine years. They are set to film more of their home life for the BBC. After rising to fame on the X Factor in 2009, Loose Women star Stacey has become a national treasure and is best known for her bubbly personality and as the Instagram DIY queen.
She keeps her social media followers in the loop as she has transformed Pickle Cottage into a family home. As well as her dream home which features in the series, Stacey has the dream family life too with former EastEnders actor fiancé Joe Swash, and her five children; Zachary, 17, Leighton, 13, Rex, six, Rose, four, and Belle, two.
Stacey referred to the myth of the perfect marriage, which she claimed didn’t know existed despite the fact that Joe eventually remembered the happy times. How is it possible for you and your husband not get married? That is a pipe dream! Although we do have assistance, our house is not fully equipped.
Dad looks after the kids while my mother will wash them. We constantly argue over what needs to be done, Joe and I. Everything is a kerfuffle because there are five children in that time, three of whom are young.
We share the same morals and values, and, according to her, “we’ll eventually remember why we got together in the first place. Even if we do have a few months of, “F***king hell, I can’t even look at you right now.”
* The full interview can be found in Good Housekeeping UK‘s January issue.
Steve Cropper, who co-authored The Dock of the Bay and Otis Redding’s (Sittin’ on), passed away at the age of 84.
His son, who also played with the musical group The Blues Brothers, confirmed to Variety that Cropper passed away on Wednesday. He is also known for his roles in John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd’s musical.
Eddie Gore, a long-time associate, reported being with Cropper on Tuesday at a Nashville rehabilitation facility following a recent fall. Gore and Cropper both claimed that Cropper had been working on new music.
Gore remarked, “He’s such a good person. We were undoubtedly blessed to have him.
Shaun Murphy, the Grammy winner, said, “Saying a fond farewell to the great Steve Cropper… what a presence he’s made in his lifetime of music” on X. Joining our former bandmate, Donald “Duck” Dunn, in the “most soulful band upstairs”!
He started playing guitar when he was 14 years old, and in 1996 British music magazine Mojo named him the second greatest guitarist ever. “Cropper puts everything he has, which is considerable, at the disposal of the artist and the song: metronome-crisp timing, deadly-accurate chops, earth-moving bottom-line riffs, sharp, nasty little licks, and grace notes. His solos never leave you wanting more or outstaying their welcome.
Cropper was named one of the “secret ingredients in some of the greatest rock and soul songs,” according to Rolling Stone magazine, which placed him 39th among its 100 Greatest Guitarists.
His second wife Angel, their two children, and two of his children from his first marriage remain.
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Judd Trump, the world’s number one, defeated Si Jiahui 6-3 to advance to the quarter-finals of the UK Championship in York.
On his way to a 4-1 lead, the Englishman crafted a top break of 117 and pinched the fourth frame to the black with a break of 65.
Si, who reached the 2023 World Championship semi-finals, rallied with runs of 61 and 58 to regain 4-3.
Trump, who hasn’t won any silverware in 2025, made the most of an eighth frame’s shoddy editing and secured his position with a judicious 50 break the following.
In the final eight, Scott Donaldson of Scotland or Si’s Chinese compatriot Ding Junhui will face off.
It was very edgy, I thought. Trump told BBC Sport, “I don’t quite believe that,” at the moment.
“I was initially confident. There were a few bad shots at 4-1, and I started to feel a little hesitant and trying to find some trouble afterward because I wasn’t winning.
With that cue, I feel good. The arrangement was flawless. They don’t go in if you’re a little off. “
Trump is confident that he can return to his best form in order to find a winning style of snooker.
I don’t feel a lot of it, I say. He said, “I have no expectations for me.” I have a feeling of confidence that things have been going well over the past few tournaments.
With a 6-2 victory over Zhou Yuelong, Mark Selby continued his quest for a third UK crown and highlighted his position as one of the favorites in the auditorium.
Wu, from China, broke 62 with a first frame against Robertson.
However, as the Australians took control, it was mostly one-way traffic.
Robertson, 43, who has previously won the UK title three times, drew breaks of 51, 65, 75, and 68 as he reeled off the next five frames.
Wu, who won the International Championship last month, appeared to struggle with the table conditions throughout, with Robertson overcoming a 48-point deficit to win the seventh frame and seal his victory.
Robertson has appeared revived in recent years despite initially falling to 28th in the world in 2023 and 2024 after a terrible run of form.
He is currently at the top of the snooker one-year list for prize money, having previously won the lucrative Saudi Arabia Masters earlier this year, and he is now third overall in the world rankings.
Robertson claims that tighter pockets have fostered a fairer test and are more in line with his first ten years as a professional despite the complaints of several players about the table.
Robertson said on BBC Two, “I believe there have been much more events with much bigger pockets over the past ten years.”
You have a group of players who are great even in those pockets and a group who aren’t great in those pockets, the statement reads. Many of the mistakes I saw in my first ten years as a professional have now come to mind.
“There are too many matches where three or four people go on to win, and you wonder whether they actually reached that level of quality?” ‘.
Selby has solid credentials. Nobody would be surprised to see him win the trophy on Sunday because he won the World Championship and the Masters with multiple titles at this competition.
He opened with a 73 before being forced to concentrate and dig deep.
Due to the low expectations that the 27-year-old Zhou had for the game, he checked out of his hotel before winning in the last 32 match against Ronnie O’Sullivan.
Although it was difficult to get a repeat of Zhou’s 132 runs to put a 2-1 lead on the night, Zhou delivered the highlight of the evening.
Selby stayed at 2-2 after 62 minutes and 50 seconds without even potting a ball.
The Leicester man then seized complete control.
After a protracted fifth frame that lasted more than 53 minutes, he jokingly glanced at his watch before allowing 71, 75, and 56 runs to set up a last-eight meeting with Barry Hawkins or Elliot Slessor.
“I was over the moon at 2-2.” I felt like I had some decent playing and control of the game after the score of 3-2, “Selby said.
Zhou may decide to leave York this time, but Pang, his Chinese compatriot, is still on the lookout.
Pang, who had only met Welshman Williams once before, lost 6-1 to him, who had a standing ovation after posting a superb 116-point break to cap off his victory.
The 25-year-old Chinese won the final three frames after the players split the opening two.
Williams, who had two centuries, managed to rally briefly to win 4-3, but the 50-year-old unintentionally knocked in a red while potting the pink, which gave his opponent the lead in the subsequent frame, and was then punished for missing a long red in the ninth frame.
I played pretty poorly, I guess. I either play well or I’m terrible, Williams said.
Strictly Come Dancing head judge Shirley Ballas said she never leaves the house without a whistle around her neck – even when she’s taking her dog to the park – after enduring almost seven years of stalking trauma.
The 65-year-old opened up to Harry Corin about the persistent fear she still has following the relentless harassment campaign that targeted her and her family in a candid new episode of the Question the Default podcast, which was released yesterday.
How will I protect myself if I don’t ever leave the door without thinking? Shirley acknowledged that her 88-year-old mother had a significant influence on her safety, blaming her for it.
My mother still regards me as 10-years-old, she said. When I leave, she whistles at me. If I take the dog to the park, I now have to turn the whistle around my neck, and I occasionally believe it will also benefit her peace of mind. “
Shirley continued, “I could be all dollied up and have a whistle on my neck,” reflecting on the bizarre reality she currently resides in. It is quite odd. ”
The TV personality claimed that her mother had suggested a variety of protection items for her. You can’t carry a lot, of course. She decided on the whistle because knives and forks and other similar items are not transportable. ”
In the past, Shirley has spoken out about the devastating effect that bullying had on her life. She stated to the Sunday Mirror in August that life shouldn’t be that way because she is constantly looking and watching. ”
She claimed on the podcast that she has always been “hyper-vigilant,” but the stalking episode caused her worries to skyrocket. The first thing I do is check if the doors are locked, even if I’m driving, because I constantly second guess what might happen.
I’m the first one to come out of the window if someone knocks at my window when I stop. You may not want to stop and chat, but today you simply don’t, so be cautious. ”
Additionally, Shirley evoked the heartbreaking impact the circumstance had on those who were present. Because a stalker won’t just stop with you, it has an impact on your entire family and all of your friends. They want to reach your friends, but this stalking of our lives had an impact on everyone who lives there. ”
Shirley and her loved ones battled escalating events since 2017 and 2023, including Kyle Shaw, who claimed to be her late brother David’s biological son, who died in 2003. In her memoir, Best Foot Forward, Shirley revealed that Shaw even confronted and followed her mother Audrey while they were shopping in the Wirral in 2019. This was a terrifying situation that Shirley moved her mother to London to save.
Shaw received a 20-month suspended sentence on April 1, 2025, following his eventual arrest in 2023.