Archive November 8, 2025

MAFS and Celebs Go Dating star, Ella Morgan, speaks to The Mirror about her regrets on her on-screen marriage with JJ Slater and what needs to change on reality shows

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She made history when she became the first ever trans bride on Married At First Sight UK two years ago. But for Ella Morgan, it was her antics on the show and an affair with a groom she hadn’t married – JJ Slater – that ensured all eyes were on her.

Sadly the relationship didn’t last and JJ moved on with Katie Price while Ella went on to appear on Celebs Go Dating and win over a whole new army of fans. She spoke to new about romance, MAFS grooms she’s like to be matched with and representation on reality shows.

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What did you think of this season of MAFS?

I will always say my season was the best – but this is probably one of the most chaotic seasons and I do love and live for the drama. As much as I love dating shows, without the drama I wouldn’t watch it. I couldn’t just watch the happy people that are compatible and fall in love. That would be boring!

Does the show edit people to make them look bad?

People need to stop blaming the edits. A lot of this season, they’re just not taking any accountability, and blame the edits. You’ve gone on to a TV show, you clearly knew that you were going to get some backlash, so why would you act like an idiot? Says me, the one who committed adultery on her season.. You’re stuck in this MAFS bubble, which does take over your life, and then there’s someone there who is naturally more your type, like JJ was, it is very easy to want to jump ship. I know who I would have married if I’d done this season…

And who’s that?

Looks-wise, Stephen [Nolson]. Personality-wise Ash [Dommett], who is also very handsome.

Do you still talk to anyone from your season?

I rarely talk to any of them. They were all very supportive of me when I was on the show, but when the Supreme Court ruling came out in April and excluded trans women from what legally defines a woman, none of them said anything to support me. People turn a blind eye when they think it doesn’t affect them but we live in a world where we do need to start taking accountability for educating ourselves, and not relying on everyone else to do it for us.

What do you think about LGBTQ representation on the show?

I feel a sense of responsibility when it comes to queer representation on the show. I’m the only trans person and when I have the whole affair with JJ, I let a lot of people down, especially in my own community, but I now, when I film things, always think about the fact that I don’t want to let my community down.

What needs to change on reality shows?

I always champion the LGBT couples to show that we can have long-lasting loving relationships, and that we’re not all the toxic couples that sometimes have been portrayed on TV before. Most of the people that watch the show have probably never met someone trans or seen someone trans on TV, because there’s not enough representation of queer people, especially the trans community.

What do you think of trans representation on reality TV?

I don’t think there’s nearly enough. I’m a bit sad that there’s no one trans on Celebrity Traitors, or Strictly. I love having La Voix on there, an amazing drag queen, but it would be nice if after 21 years we could have trans representation on that show. It’s not to push a narrative. But there are loads of children with Downs Syndrome that have someone to look up to through Ellie Goldstein. Trans children deserve that too. We don’t go on these shows to constantly talk about the trans narrative, we just simply want to show that we are there. We exist, just like everyone else who gets the opportunity to be on these shows.

Journalist and TV presenter Gordon Burns, who has a very famous pop star cousin, enjoyed a 50 year career in the media before retiring but he still likes to keep involved in current affairs and make the occasional appearance

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His name and face were synonymous with ITV’s Krypton Factor for what seemed like forever. Gordon Burns presented the iconic game show for 18 years right from the first show in 1977 until the last of the original series in 1995.

But before he reluctantly agreed to host the show as a favour to a friend, Burns was a serious journalist. He landed his “dream job” as a sports news assistant at BBC Radio and went on to have a long and hugely successful career on both telly and radio.

He presented news and sport for Ulster TV, the BBC and ITV, with a lengthy term as anchor for the award winning regional news programme North West Tonight. These days 83-year-old Gordon is taking it a little more easy but he hasn’t shunned the limelight completely.

READ MORE: Inside Sarah Ferguson’s crumbling home where she lived with toe-sucking loverREAD MORE: Inside ‘high priestess’ Charlotte Church’s witchcraft retreat where she chants and performs rituals

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Gordon is now enjoying a quiet life at home in Manchester with his wife of nearly 54 years. The couple have two grown up children and four grandchildren. He may have retired but the talented journalist has had a colourful career having interviewed eight prime ministers and celebrities such as George Best, Sir Paul McCartney and Ed Sheeran – who also happens to be his second cousin.

The global superstar appeared on Gordon’s radio show and the pair also enjoyed a pint of Guinness together at the funeral of Gordon’s grandfather. “He’s a lovely guy, a very, very nice fellow and a very talented musician and singer,” he told the Belfast Telegraph.

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It was at that paper that Gordon, who was born in Northern Ireland, started his career as a reporter, straight from school. After a stint on BBC Radio’s Sport Report he joined Ulster Television as sports editor and as anchor on nightly news programme UTV. He covered the early days of The Troubles as the region descended into violence and also hosted his own weekend chat show, The Gordon Burns Hour. Terrifyingly, he received threats from both sides of the conflict and discovered his name was on an assassination list. Although he was twice followed by a car as he walked down a street, thankfully he escaped harm.

In 1973 he moved to Manchester where he took up a post with Granada Television. He presented and reported for various shows in his 22 years with the company, including Granada Reports and World in Action. It was during this time that he agreed to host the Krypton Factor as a favour to a friend in the industry.

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After such an illustrious start to his career in politics and current affairs, fronting a game show didn’t really appeal but he said he’d do it for 12 months. He ended up staying for the entire 18 year run, which saw contestants from the UK and Ireland compete in rounds to test their physical and mental strength. The prime time programme was a huge hit and drew in 18 million viewers at its peak.

Branching out into a different area had an unexpected effect on the direction of his career. “It was good in many ways for me, but you get pigeonholed on TV – and the politics and current affairs faded away,” Gordon said in 2019. “Suddenly I ended up doing things like Surprise Surprise with Cilla Black – I appeared in one show and ended up doing five series. I set up my own production company and began to devise quiz-type shows.”

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A couple of years after he left the Krypton Factor, Gordon returned to his roots and took up a role as chief anchor at BBC’s North West Tonight between 1997 to 2011. Journalist and TV presenter Ranvir Singh, who now presents on Good Morning Britain, joined him as co-host on the sofa a decade after his solo reign. In 2011 he left the show and moved onto BBC Radio before eventually retiring in 2013.

Since then Gordon has returned to North West Tonight a couple of times. He led tributes in 2019 to his friend and former colleague Dianne Oxberry. The mum of two tragically died from cancer and Gordon choked back tears on air as he shared memories of working with the weather presenter and reporter. In July this year he went back to the sofa once more for the only reason he said he would ever come out of retirement – to interview Gee Walker, the mother of murdered teenager Anthony Walker, on the 20th anniversary of her son’s death.

After leaving our TV screens and airwaves he put his extensive experience to good use by setting up a media training company, The Gordon Burns Partnership. It offered advice to companies in local and national media on communications, PR and leadership to raise their profile. The company was dissolved in 2020 but was operational for nine years.

MAFS and Celebs Go Dating star, Ella Morgan, speaks to new! about her regrets on her on-screen marriage with JJ Slater and what needs to change on reality shows

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She made history when she became the first ever trans bride on Married At First Sight UK two years ago. But for Ella Morgan it was her antics on the show and an affair with a groom she hadn’t married – JJ Slater – that ensured all eyes were on her. Sadly the relationship didn’t last and JJ moved on with Katie Price while Ella went on to appear on Celebs Go Dating and win over a whole new army of fans. She spoke to new about romance, MAFS grooms she’s like to be matched with and representation on reality shows.

READ MORE: Top Tech: Apple, Samsung and Google phones fall by up to £500 as Black Friday beginsREAD MORE: MAFS’ JJ Slater kept in touch with just two co-stars after moving on with Katie Price

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What did you think of this season of MAFS?

I will always say my season was the best – but this is probably one of the most chaotic seasons and I do love and live for the drama. As much as I love dating shows, without the drama I wouldn’t watch it. I couldn’t just watch the happy people that are compatible and fall in love. That would be boring!

Does the show edit people to make them look bad?

People need to stop blaming the edits. A lot of this season, they’re just not taking any accountability, and blame the edits. You’ve gone on to a TV show, you clearly knew that you were going to get some backlash, so why would you act like an idiot? Says me, the one who committed adultery on her season.. You’re stuck in this MAFS bubble, which does take over your life, and then there’s someone there who is naturally more your type, like JJ was, it is very easy to want to jump ship. I know who I would have married if I’d done this season…

View 4 Images

And who’s that?

Looks-wise, Stephen [Nolson]. Personality-wise Ash [Dommett], who is also very handsome.

Do you still talk to anyone from your season?

I rarely talk to any of them. They were all very supportive of me when I was on the show, but when the Supreme Court ruling came out in April and excluded trans women from what legally defines a woman, none of them said anything to support me. People turn a blind eye when they think it doesn’t affect them but we live in a world where we do need to start taking accountability for educating ourselves, and not relying on everyone else to do it for us.

What do you think about LGBTQ representation on the show?

I feel a sense of responsibility when it comes to queer representation on the show. I’m the only trans person and when I have the whole affair with JJ, I let a lot of people down, especially in my own community, but I now, when I film things, always think about the fact that I don’t want to let my community down.

View 4 Images

What needs to change on reality shows?

I always champion the LGBT couples to show that we can have long-lasting loving relationships, and that we’re not all the toxic couples that sometimes have been portrayed on TV before. Most of the people that watch the show have probably never met someone trans or seen someone trans on TV, because there’s not enough representation of queer people, especially the trans community.

What do you think of trans representation on reality TV?

James Martin has presented on Saturday morning television for over two decades but says his mum has one blunt criticism whenever he appears on screens

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James Martin is often on the end of blunt criticism from his mum. The 53-year-old has been a regular face on television screens since the 1990s.

His Saturday Morning show is even set for a new slot on ITV One next year as viewing figures continue to grow. The show, which began in 2017, will be extended until midday from January, reports the Mirror.

And while James has seen his audience share increase by around 8%, it seems his mum is often critical about one part of the programme. The Yorkshireman says his mum Sue often slams his outfit choices.

Speaking to IrelandLive, he said: “Usually my mum phones me up and says, ‘That shirt looks s*** – you can’t wear that again’. That’s usually the comment I get on Saturday Morning – ‘What the bloody hell are you wearing that shirt for?’ That’ll be the one, after all these years.”

James says his mum often sends him critiques of his look on screen. He explained she often says his hair “looks a mess” and asks if he had a night on the town before recording.

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The chef however jokes that it “keeps him grounded”. James has now been on Saturday morning television for over two decades, first on Saturday Kitchen on the BBC before making the jump to ITV in 2017.

James has previously revealed that the desire to pursue his own projects was part of the reason for the switch.

Speaking at the Love Food show, James explained that ITV bosses ask what type of shows he wants to front.

Discussing his TV career, James said: “Television, I got dragged into it with the Hotel du Vin and I got dragged into it even more with the BBC and I think, having a reset, and by leaving that and resetting and going to ITV.

“ITV were the first people in 30 years who said, ‘What do you want to do?’ And that’s when I sat in a meeting and said, ‘Look, I’d love to go back to where I used to work in France’.”

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James launched his illustrious career at Hotel Du Vin, where he became head chef at just 22 years old, a role that paved the way for his television debut on Ready Steady Cook and The Big Breakfast.

Before joining the Winchester establishment, he refined his culinary skills at Hostellerie De Plaisance in Saint-Émilion, France.