Archive March 29, 2025

Aston Merrygold, Marvin Humes, Oritsé Williams and JB Gill hit the road later this year – and have shared what they’ve got planned for the shows

JLS have let us in on the secrets of their upcoming tour – and it’s sounding epic. The foursome promise to flash the flesh, bring on some huge surprise guests and make their The Club is Alive: 2025 Hits Tour one huge party.

And while they admit the “club” will not go on until 6am like it used to in the old days, the tequila and rosé will still be flowing… as will the ginger shots and manuka honey. Aston Merrygold tells us: “We’ve had our fair share of partying. We enjoy a drink, it’s just different now. We don’t want to be out until 6am. Let’s sit on the bus, have a nice drink, play some poker.”

READ MORE: Inside Marvin Humes’ birthday bash as Sam Thompson and Pete Wicks seen ‘flirting’ with mystery women

In November, JLS – Aston, Marvin Humes, Oritsé Williams and JB Gill – are due to set out on their eighth arena tour, playing 16 UK dates. Aston says: “The crowd are going to know every one of our songs – it’s going to be electric.”

Telling us some of their plans for the live shows, it’s clear one thing has not changed, as Aston mentions: “There’s never very many clothes in a JLS show”. Marvin chips in: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a show when Aston finishes with a top on. Why should that stop? Give the crowd what they want”!

But the band say they are more cautious now when it comes to throwing souvenirs into the crowd. During the last tour JB threw a shoe… which hit a fan in the face. He explains: “The launch was just wrong”. But Marvin insists: “We’ve learned a lot from that situation”.

Another situation they have learned from involved Marv facing one of his biggest fears – and going badly wrong. He recalls: “We did a performance on wires. It went into emergency mode, as in if it broke, it shot you to the top of the arena. That happened to me in Newcastle, and I don’t like heights. I wasn’t enjoying it.

” These guys were just looking up at me, carrying on performing. I was up there, waving my lightsaber about. I managed to get back on for the next tour. No more wires. “

The lads ‘ only fear on tour, it seems, is… white towels. Aston explains:” At one show, someone put brand new white towels on the stage. Dabbing yourself down and then you’re covered in white fluff… it’s not a good look. That’s our only no-no. “

Fans will get to enjoy the extensive JLS back-catalogue, including hits Beat Again, Everybody in Love and The Club is Alive. Says JB:” The club is definitely going to be alive. “

And Oritsé promises:” It’s going to be an epic tour. If it wasn’t for the fans, we wouldn’t be here. This is our thank you to them. It’s going to feel brand new. “

Marvin teases: “There’s always surprise guests at a JLS show. Between the four of us, we’ve got a lot of friends.” And one of those friends will be Example, who is set to support the band on their tour, which kicks off in Glasgow on November 6 and finishes 23 days later at London’s O2 Arena. Tickets are on sale now.

Strictly Come Dancing star Gorka Marquez has opened up about his time on the dance show and revealed he often finds himself trying to make the ‘ right choices ‘

Gorka Marquez has revealed that despite his glittering career, he often struggles with juggling that and his family life. The professional dancer joined the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in 2016 and over the years has been partnered with the likes of Alexandra Burke, Katie Piper, Maisie Smith and Helen Skelton.

But while the dancer may appear the picture of happiness at work, he admits that it can be difficult when it comes to juggling his family life and career. “Let’s be honest, it’s not easy,” he exclusively told the Mirror before explaining: “It’s about making the right choices. When I was in my 20s, it was just about me, me, me. It’s easier because you kind of don’t have anything to worry about more than yourself. When you have a partner and children, sometimes work is great. I always say, there’s a difference between living for work and work for living.

” Now when I work, I work for living and have a good life with my family and kids. The only thing we cannot get back is time. Time flies and kids grow up very quickly. It’s about making the right choice, I’m saying no to things because as amazing as it could be, you need to work out if its worth it being that far away or for a long period of time away from the kids and miss so many things that will never come back.

“You can find another job or make money somewhere else but sometimes, quality time and time with family is not worth half the price”. Away from the dance floor, the Spanish native admits the show completely changed his life.

Just one year after he joined the show, he met former Hollyoaks star Gemma Atkinson, who was partnered with Aljaž Škorjanec. The couple went on to become engaged and now share two children, daughter Mia, six, and son Thaigo, who is two this year.

“Strictly is one of those things that happens in the life of someone and you think it’s a job and an opportunity for your career”, Gorka exclusively told us. He added: “It could be but in my case, it’s beyond that.

” I got the opportunity to do Strictly which led me to meet Gemma, which now means I have a beautiful family. We are happy together, we have two beautiful kids and Strictly’s still part of my life, it’s something that brought my job to meet Gemma and create a family. Without Strictly, I wouldn’t be what I am now, professionally and personally – I’m very grateful.

“Strictly is the best show on telly, who doesn’t love Strictly”? Gorka continued: “It brings entertainment, music and dance and it also has a good story because every celebrity brings their own journey, their own story. Everyone can relate to any of those journeys – that’s why this show is so successful and has been running for many years”.

Through fits of laughter, Gorka said: “The dancers are incredible, especially the Spanish one – he’s so good”! This year, Gorka is making his Soccer Aid debut playing for World XI – which he teased could cause some rivalry as his fiancée Gemma is a celebrity supporter for the England team.

“I’m so excited, it’s something I watch on the TV, it’s a big opportunity to raise awareness and money for a good cause”, Gorka said. He went on to say growing up, football was his main love and to now be able to play alongside some of his footballing idols at Old Trafford is a “dream come true”.

Aiming big, Gorka wants Roberto Carlos on his team. “He is from Brazil so he could play on my team”, he joked. He went on to explain that growing up, he had the number three on his football shirts – the same number which he will be playing with on June 15.

He said: “That was Roberto Carlos’ number, he was a left back and I used to play left back. Funny story, it was the World Cup of 1998, I was eight-years-old, they were playing and lost against France, I asked my dad to shave my hair like Roberto Carlos. I went to the barbers and asked for the proper bald head, I wanted to be like Roberto Carlos. I’m a big fan of Manchester United, class of 92 was amazing. I think if I could play with them, I would probably play against them, Gary Neville, Wayne Rooney, David Beckham.”

But, if Beckham did appear on the line-up, Gorka admits he wouldn’t be able to contain himself. “I would probably be fan-girling like ‘ Come on David, ‘ I would let him score”. Now, Gorka lives just down the road from Old Trafford and admits he cannot contain his excitement to step out onto the pitch.

Speaking from Manchester’s Hotel Football overlooking the Theatre of Dreams, he said: “Playing football in the Theatre of Dreams, I’m very excited to play in the stadium where I’ve watched players I idolise and support. I remember the first time that I stepped into Old Trafford, they allowed me to go to the bench and sit on the bench and be on the pitch. I was starstruck.

” When you go to Old Trafford, even if you’re not a fan of football, you appreciate the atmosphere, the passion and now to step onto the pitch and play, I bet someone will ask me to dance on the floor. I said if I score, I’m going to go to the corner and dance. I will do the dancing if I score.

“I think I should wear sparkly underpants, if I score, I take them out and dance with someone. Anything to raise money for children”. But Gorka admits he wishes Gemma was playing so he could play against her – “I would be tackling her all the time”, he laughed. Since Soccer Aid kicked off in 2006, over £100 million has been raised for UNICEF, which is part of Gorka’s decision to sign up for the game.

“That situation with children, when it comes to hunger or not having basic things like water, food and clothes, since I became a dad, it makes you appreciate it more”, Gorka said. He continued: “For children to have a basic education, just a bed to sleep, somewhere to be warm. I think being part of this means a lot, I know how much it will help children. I know how vulnerable and sensitive children are, we need to take care of them. They are the future.

” You see children suffering and struggling and it’s not their fault, it’s a consequence that they get dragged into it from bad choices and situations in their countries. They’re so vulnerable, anything that we can do is good. “

The match takes place on Sunday 15th of June at Old Trafford, Manchester, with adult tickets priced at £20 and juniors from £10. Tickets are available now on the Soccer Aid for UNICEF website.

This time five years ago, Linda Lusardi lay in hospital, preparing for her own death after becoming one of the UK’s first Covid patients. She has recalled the horror of watching her limbs ‘ turn blue ‘ as she felt her ‘ organs fail ‘

This time five years ago, Linda Lusardi was faced with the unimaginable prospect of preparing for her own death.

Lying in hospital as her weight plummeted and her limbs turned blue, the iconic pin-up was warned that her chances of surviving Covid were ‘slim’. But channeling her famous feisty energy, glamorous Linda, 66, fought back and is delighted to have lived to see the day when she could draw her first pension.

“I just got my first pension payment. I’ve got money going into my bank without having to do anything. The state pension’s not bad, that will pay for my shopping, the other private one will probably just about pay for my electricity bill”, she said.

In her younger years, Linda, who married former Coronation Street actor Sam Kane in 1988, worked tirelessly to save for retirement, but the last few years have marked a subtle withdrawal from the spotlight.

“I think nearly losing your life puts things in perspective. I do work but I take plenty of time at home,” said Linda, who recently turned down a big money job to spend time with her family.

“You get past a certain stage and you think ‘ I am who I am’. There’s more important things than work. I do still get asked to be photographed in bikinis – I did it at 50 and swimwear at 60 – but not so much now, and life’s too short to be worrying about what you look like too much.

“Obviously I like to look as good as I can and I do have tweakments, but it’s not the be all and end all to look young any more. I’m not young.”

But while she might have wound up her modelling work, mother-of-two Linda is about to embark on a new adventure as the DIY internet sensation no-one saw coming. From tiling and caulking to wallpapering and woodwork, Linda has traded her make-up bag for a tool box and amassed 134, 000 followers with her handyman skills.

And it is that passion that could tempt her out of semi-retirement. “We’ve had interest both from TV and a couple of publishers. It’s looking like it will happen. I think they’ve seen the interaction I’ve had on Instagram,” she said.

” Honestly, the interaction I get for the DIY stuff is so much higher than pictures of me all done up going out!

It all started during Covid when professional work on her kitchen was halted and she was forced to cook on a camping stove. She decided to renovate the kitchen herself, and daughter Lucy, 28, encouraged her to share her progress online.

One video of her water jetting her patio had an incredible four million views. Linda’s inspiration was her late dad Nello, a master craftsman who managed shop re-fits, including Harrods ‘ food hall, and while watching him she would ask questions and help him at home.

“I’ve got a lot of his tools, which I still use”, she said. “Over the years I think I’ve made and saved more money from doing up homes and selling them at a profit than I did from being a nationally-recognised model.

” I project-managed two houses and watched craftsmen thinking ‘ why are they doing it like that, I could do it better’. I just thought ‘ Well, I’ll give it a go’, and then did a lot myself.

“I didn’t talk publicly about it while I was modelling, but tradesmen would come round and see me on the floor in the bathroom and they would be like ‘ What? Have you done that? ‘

” I don’t know if that’s because I was a woman or because it was me, covered in grout on the floor. I only started putting it on Instagram a few years ago after Lucy said ‘ You should put that on there mum, people won’t believe what you can do – people your age don’t get down and dirty and do all that’.

Now the proud owner of a Milwaukee caulking gun – a gift from her husband – Linda has refurbished her en-suite and is now working on her downstairs toilet. She is also on-call for DIY projects at Lucy and 26-year-old son Jack’s homes. “My dad would be so proud”, she added.

However, despite her new project, said she’s not done with the stage just yet and will continue to do panto on the condition it’s alongside her daughter Lucy at the Blackburn Empire Theatre this Easter.

“I’m going to struggle to learn my lines on this Easter panto, because it doesn’t come as easy now. I’ll only do panto with her now”.

Lily Allen’s best friend Miquita Oliver has opened up about going through a secret abortion -and how she felt like she could take time away from her TV job

Lily Allen’s best friend Miquita Oliver, 40, has opened up about her ‘secret abortion’. The star revealed that she had the abortion at 24 – with the termination taking place the day before she was due to present the Fashion Rocks event on T4 – in which Lily was performing.

Opening up on the pair’s Miss Me? podcast, she said: “All these popstars would come and sing with a brand, but I’d had an abortion the day before. It was really quite serious and I was only 24”.

Speaking on going to work the next day, she continued: “I didn’t say, ‘ I know, why don’t I call in and say ‘ I’ve had an abortion and I can’t move from pain, ‘ I thought ‘ you can’t do that to Fashion Rocks, who is going to host the T4 coverage? ‘”

She then spoke about the “next level cramps” she experienced while walking around London’s Royal Albert Hall. Miquita then revealed how she was “so embarrassed and so scared” that her ex wouldn’t want to go out with her anymore, which is why she kept it to herself.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that Miquita would be teaming up alongside Simon Amstel for the first time in 19 years after an early noughties stint. The pair were aged just 16 and 21 when they rose to fame on old music show Popworld.

They went on to front the T4 show on occasion, but called it quits in 2006. At the time, Alex Zane and Alexa Chung replaced them as their careers went separate ways.

The pair then joined forces once again as he covered for Lily on the pair’s Miss Me? Podcast. It came after the singer revealed she would be taking a break from the show as she dealt with her marriage breakdown with Game of Thrones star David Harbour.

It came after Miquita claimed Simon would ‘ never work with her again’. Speaking to Metro in 2022, she revealed: “Simon will not work with me again. I don’t know why.

” He’s like, ‘ It was brilliant. Let’s just leave it there’. And I’m like, ‘ Yeah… but we were so good’. “

As well as Simon, Miquita was also joined by singer Mabel and rapper Jordan Stephens as they also covered for Lily during her time away.

Childhood best friends Miquita and Lily began their Miss Me? Podcast in March last year – where viewers hear the pair discuss their lives and plans for the future.