Comedy legend Billy Connolly made a rare appearance at a film festival where he was the guest of honour and recognised with an award, presented by Steve Buscemi and Aidan Quinn
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Comedy legend Billy Connolly made a rare public appearance(Image: Key West Film Festival)
Sir Billy Connolly made a rare public appearance this weekend, in an emotional moment at a Florida film festival where he was honoured with an award for artistic excellence.
The 82 year old comedian is rarely seen in public after he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, but left his Florida home to attend the nearby Key West Film Festival, where he was the guest of honour.
While there, Billy, who is known for films like Mrs Brown and Brave, was given an award for artistic excellence, presented to him by his long-time friends Steve Buscemi and Aidan Quinn.
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The comedian was supporting himself with a walking stick at the festival. Dressed in blue-fitted trousers and a black blazer, he stood as Buscemi passed him the award. He explained to the crowd that he needed the stick as he has a “horrible illness”.
“I walk with a stick because I suffer from a horrible illness. It’s a joy to live among you and it’s a joy to be among you tonight. I don’t often do this kind of thing but it’s smashing. I have to thank you for this award. I don’t know what it is, it’s a blue thing. It’s a joy and it will go beside my other prizes.”
Steve and Billy became friends on the set of the 1998 film The Impostors. He spoke about their friendship, sharing that Billy once invited Steve to his “castle” in Scotland, that he shares with his wife, Pamela Stevenson.
He said: “One day on set Billy offhandedly mentioned, ‘You know if you’re ever in Scotland, Pamela and I have a castle, you should drop by’. We always had the best time. It’s wonderful to be here to honour our friend Billy Connolly.”
Though Billy is Scottish and owned a castle in Aberdeenshire before selling it on in 2014, he now lives in Florida. He was encouraged to move there by doctors, who thought living in a warmer climate would help his Parkinson’s.
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive and incurable neurological condition that affects the nervous system, causing symptoms like tremors, slow movement, and stiff muscles. Talking to The Mirror last year, Billy opened up about living with his illness: “You just confront it and make decisions based on it. You just have to think ‘Don’t think you are being badly treated [by life] or you have the bad pick of the straws. You are one of millions. Just behave yourself and relax.”
Steve’s words about Billy were followed by Irish actor Aidan Quinn, who said that the only thing that gave his brother Paul joy during his fight against cancer was watching videos of Billy on YouTube. He said he would be “forever grateful” that Billy had been a part of that before Paul died.
One Strictly Come Dancing pro couldn’t stop crying in an emotional moment when he praised his partner after a difficult week, telling viewers they have ‘no idea’ about work celeb puts in
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Strictly star breaks down in tears and ‘can’t stop sobbing’ on live TV(Image: BBC)
One pro dancer on Strictly Come Dancing started sobbing uncontrollably during the live show, as the judges comments left him emotional about his celeb’s “difficult week”.
In Saturday’s (15 November) live episode, Carlos Gu and footballer Karen Carney danced an American Smooth to You Don’t Own Me by Saygrace featuring G-Eazy. The judges all praised Karen for her improved posture, which she had been struggling with for weeks.
The comments sparked tears as Carlos broke down and started to cry. When he reached host Claudia Winkleman, he was still crying, and she spoke to him first. “Carlos, none of us like you crying,” she said.
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“I know but hearing that…” Carlos replied, unable to stem the tears. Holding on to Karen, he added: “She worked so hard this week. I know ballroom is not her strength but she came into the ballroom and said ‘Carlos, I really want to try hard, but I know my back has problems and I really wanna try.’
“Hearing the judges say that…. You have no idea how hard she’s been working,” he said, breaking down further and covering his face as he continued to cry.
The judges have been picking up on issues with Karen’s posture during several dances, particularly the ballroom ones, and it is something the footballer has to work especially hard to fix, as she is dealing with a medical condition.
Karen suffers from Scheuermann’s disease – a spinal condition that curves the spine and makes the kind of open posture needed for ballroom dancing difficult. Karen opened up about her condition on It Takes Two, telling Fleur East that it is a “physical challenge” and she requires a posture aid.
“It’s a real physical challenge,” she said. “Like, it’s really, really hard. I have a posture aid.” Karen uses a harness that has been specially designed to be worn across the upper back and help train muscles that aren’t properly positioned.
On the Strictly spin-off, Carlos explained how Scheuermann’s disease was weakening her posture. “Her spine is curved in, so she can’t fully open, not with her shoulder but her spine.”
Karen and Carlos ended up in the middle of the table with 31 points. Last week, their Charleston came third, with 35, having received a 10 from Motsi. This was not their first 10, as they received two in Halloween Week for their Argentine Tango.
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Topping the leaderboard this week was Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin, who got a 38 for their Paso Doble. One point and one leaderboard position behind them was Lewis Cope and Katya Jones, who danced a Tango.
I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! is back on ITV on Sunday night, with former Arsenal and England star Alex Scott among the line-up of campmates taking part in the 25th series of the popular reality show
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The I’m A Celeb stars have to spend a minimum time in camp to get their fee(Image: James Gourley/ITV/Shutterstock)
The stars of I’m A Celeb will have to survive 72 hours in the jungle to secure their full I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! fee. Former footballer Alex Scott is among several big names set to star in the popular ITV show, which launches its 25th series on Sunday.
Joining the 42-year-old are reality star Jack Osbourne, rapper Aitch, and streamer Angry Ginge, in what promises to be an exciting edition of the Australia-based programme. As one of the top names among the 10 campmates participating in the show, it’s fair to assume that the Arsenal legend is receiving a substantial payment.
The stars must comply with a lesser-known rule of the ITV show or risk forfeiting their fee. According to reports, celebrities must stay in the jungle for at least 72 hours to earn their wage; otherwise, they risk leaving Australia empty-handed.
Football Focus star Alex follows a long line of football stars who’ve appeared on the show, including fellow Arsenal icon Ian Wright and former Tottenham and West Ham manager Harry Redknapp. During a remarkable playing career that spanned 12 years, during which she had three separate spells with Arsenal, as well as stints at Birmingham City and Boston Breakers, Scott clinched 22 trophies with the north London club.
She was a stalwart for England, collecting 140 caps across a 13-year international career before retiring in 2018 and transitioning into broadcasting. A recognisable figure on BBC programmes, Scott has helmed The One Show and Goals on Sunday, whilst also hosting the Sports Personality of the Year awards ceremony.
Scott isn’t the first former Lioness to tackle the jungle ordeal, as she follows in the footsteps of her ex-England colleague Jill Scott, who snatched the crown in 2022.
Looking back on Scott’s Queen of the Jungle victory, the BBC Sport presenter admitted it would be absolutely astounding if she managed to clinch the title. “I have been retired a lot longer than Jill and in my head, she had that moment and it has been done,” she told ITV. “It would take a lot and if I did win, I would burst out crying. I don’t think I would even expect it.”
In keeping with the programme’s established custom, the paltry servings of rice and beans will be the contestants’ primary sustenance should they fail to earn stars for decent meals of fish or meat.
However, the prospect of surviving on rice and beans doesn’t trouble Scott, given her Jamaican roots. She revealed: “I love rice. With my Jamaican background, it’s all about the chicken and rice. If I come out of the jungle never wanting to eat rice again, I’m going to be devastated!”.
Alex also exclusively up opened to The Mirror about how much she will miss girlfriend Jess Glynne in the jungle, saying the pair are “genuinely so in love”. The TV presenter and former Lioness admits her taking part on the show will mark the longest they have ever been apart. The former England star, who is heading into the I’m A Celebrity camp, said singer Jess pushed her to say yes to the ITV show.
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She said: “It is a test for both of us. I know she is at home, and she is going to be my biggest cheerleader, supporting me, and she really wanted me to do this because she knew that I wanted to test myself, and it is going to be a challenge for us both being separated. But I suppose that is what makes the heart grow fonder, right?”
She laughed that Jess has turned her into a carb lover. She says: “So I have never really enjoyed it, but now I understand the flavour. Absolutely love it.” Alex admitted the couple, who only went public with their romance after keeping things private at first, are still fiercely protective of what they have.
Fans were left in meltdown tonight as they spotted two famous faces in the audience of the BBC dance competition
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Fans were shocked to see who was in the audience tonight(Image: BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing viewers were left stunned just minutes into tonight’s programme after spotting two legendary figures in the audience. The glittering BBC dance extravaganza carried on this Saturday, November 15, with the surviving pairs now battling for their spot to dance at the iconic Blackpool Tower Ballroom next weekend.
As usual, hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly were present to guide the evening’s events, introducing both the glamorous panel of judges and the performers to the stage. But fans were gobsmacked when the camera swept across the audience, revealing two football superstars that were cheering and clapping.
The sporting heroes – Leah Catharine Williamson OBE and Scotland’s Kim Alison Little MBE – are thought to be attending Strictly to cheer on former footballer Karen Carney and her dancing partner Carlos Gu.
Moments after the celebrated duo appeared on television, thrilled viewers rushed to X, previously known as Twitter, to highlight their presence at the show.
“Leah Williamson being at Strictly tonight is SO important to me”, one person commented. Someone else wrote: “Leah Williamson and Kim Little at Strictly holy s***”, whilst a third declared: “Kim and Leah at Strictly woah my worlds colliding, it’s a big day for annoying people.”
Another supporter shared: “Ahhhhhhhh OMG Leah Williamson and Kim Little in the Ballroom I’m crashing out now wtf this was not on my bingo card for Strictly 2025.” Meanwhile, somebody else commented: “Queen Leah Williamson in the audience”, accompanied by a heart-eyed emoji. With fewer than half of the contestants remaining, tonight is one of the most crucial weeks yet for the stars.
After taking on the American Smooth to You Don’t Own Me by SAYGRACE tonight, Karen says the scores don’t matter, and she’s just happy for Carlos to see how hard she’s trying to earn her place in Blackpool – leaving Carlos emotional saying: “She couldn’t stop dancing!”
Anton called the dance “brilliant but brittle” and asks for more fluidity through the entire body. Craig says the couple danced with a “supersonic speed” and agrees that Karen needs “to soften everything out”. But Motsi says the footballer “is authentic to the way she dances” every week giving her a total of 31.
Karen has Scheuermann’s disease that has left her with a curved spine but she’s not let it hold her back on the dance floor. In an exclusive chat with the Mirror, Karen shrugs off the restraints of her condition. “I’ve always remained that I’m happy, I’m healthy, and it’s never stopped me from doing what I want to do,” she says.
“I just want to show that I might not be the perfect dancer. I will not have the perfect posture, but I’ll certainly give it my best. Dancing is always about joy; it’s how much fun you have and how much joy you can bring to the audience.
“I think if you can achieve that, that’s the whole point.” Opening up about her condition, Karen adds: “I’ve had it for years and I coped with it in football. I adapted and found a way. So it’s a challenge for me to adapt and find ways in something that’s very unfamiliar to me in the dancing world. But I think we’ve had some really good advice and really good support to try and make that easier for me and we work on it.”
“My back is very stiff, mobility-wise it’s very restrictive and I’ll be open and honest about that. But it doesn’t mean I won’t try and work on things, it doesn’t mean I won’t try and help improve my mobility and Carlos has been very, very, very supportive, emotionally as well, to try and help me.”
The public vote will decide who will be performing at the iconic Blackpool Ballroom Tower next Saturday, 22 November. But who will be gracing the dance floor once again for the unforgettable show and who will narrowly miss out on this golden opportunity?
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Strictly’s results show tomorrow night will also feature singer Olly Murs performing, as well as the professional dancers showcasing an incredible routine with dance troupe Diversity.
Oti Mabuse has showcased her impressive weight loss as she said she feels ‘stronger, healthier, and more alive’ after setting goals and dropped from a size 18 to a size 10
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Oti Mabuse is best known for her impressive performances on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing. She has also entertained viewers from her stint in the I’m A Celebrity jungle.
But after leaving the dance show and becoming a mother, Oti saw her weight rise. Now, the professional dancer, 35, has showed off her impressive weight loss transformation after shedding the pounds and dropping dress sizes.
Oti, whose younger sister Motsi is still a judge on Strictly, shared her weight loss journey with her fans. Oti, who is featuring on The Wheel this weekend, has since opened up on her bid to lose weight. In a candid social media post, she called it “one of the toughest but most beautiful experiences of my life”.
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Taking to TikTok last year, Oti explained the life changes she made in order to hit her target. She revealed she had dropped from a size 18 to size 10, confessing to feeling “stronger, healthier, and more alive”.
The decision came ahead of her latest tour and she explained she gave herself goals rather than getting on the scales. And she shared a video of her updates along the way. While she explained the journey keeps on going, Oti was very proud of her update.
At the time, taking to TikTok, Oti said: “After my pregnancy, dealing with gestational diabetes meant I had to be even more mindful of my health, especially being pre-diabetic. So I started to change how I approached food, movement, and how I looked at my own body.”
She revealed the weight loss journey wasn’t about “getting skinny,” but more rather about “gaining strength, confidence, and discipline in a way that feels sustainable and true to me”.
She continued: “And honestly? It hasn’t been easy. Changing lifelong habits, trying new foods, pushing my body in ways I never have before— it’s been hard work.
“But the results? Wow. To see my body transform, not just in shape, but in how it feels… that’s a win every day. I’m proud of where I am, at whatever size, and I want every woman to feel that sense of pride too.”
While Oti revealed at the time her weight loss was ahead of her tour this year, she coincided it with a spell on I’m A Celebrity. She fell just short of an appearance in the final.
She lasted 22 days in the Australian jungle and told Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly after leaving camp: “I expected to be nervous the whole time but when you’re in there… my goal became to focus and get the job done.
Discussing her efforts in the Bushtucker Trials in her eviction interview, she admitted: “You tell yourself ‘calm down, it’s not about – you feed the children’!”
During her time on Stricltly, Oti was crowned the winner on two occasions. Her first Glitterball trophy came with soap actor Kelvin Fletcher in 2019.
She followed up that achievement with comedian Bill Bailey in 2020. However, she went on to quit the show after performing with rugby player Ugo Monye in 2021 and she defected to ITV to take up a chair as a judge on Dancing On Ice in 2022.
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Kelly Brook opens up to the Mirror as she prepares to enter the I’m a Celebrity jungle on Sunday night and issued a heartfelt plea to fans who will tune into the show
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Kelly Brook has asked fans of I’m A Celeb to accept her curves(Image: James Gourley/ITV/Shutterstock)
TV star Kelly Brook has begged I’m a Celebrity viewers to accept her curves in the wake of getting trolled over her figure. The star was the target of vicious comments about her body after landing at Brisbane airport last Sunday.
As she prepares to strip off for the famous Jungle shower, the former model and TV presenter urged viewers to be “accepting” of the way she looked. She said: “Obviously, I am not a 20-year-old bikini model anymore. You know, life changes and your body changes. And I just hope people are accepting of me and how I look now, and not comparing me to how I used to look. You know, I am a very different person. I am older, but I am still strong and I am still fit, and that is the most important thing.”
Instead, she said she had “embraced” her curves. “I feel really confident. I feel like my body is in good shape. I just feel great,” she says. “I am 46, I embrace my curves. I embrace my body. I ran a marathon this year….so I am proud of that.”
Kelly has been forced to address comments over her figure for years. She once said: “I’ve always been a curvy girl and I’m proud of that.” When trolls previously accused her of being “too big”, she replied: “I’m a healthy size 12. I’m not apologising for having boobs and a bum.” And she is prepared to show them off after packing “plenty of swimsuits” for the famous Jungle Shower.
In fact, she has even discussed it with Myleene Klass whose white bikini went down in I’m a Celebrity history, in 2006. “Yes, Myleene did talk to me about the shower,” Kelly says. “She said that when she arrived she did not actually have a swimsuit that was appropriate for the television… so she actually had to run out and get something. I think it would be very difficult to try and recreate something like that. That was fate that was meant to be, and that was her moment”
Although she has vowed to strip off, it won’t be for long. “The showers are freezing so I will be in and out very quickly,” she says. Kelly admits the toughest part of being away is being separated from husband Jeremy Parisi, 40.
“That is what is really quite frightening,” she says. “We have been together 10 years… we do pretty much everything together.” Their relationship was a highlight of BBC hit Race Across the World, but the experience also raised a question for Kelly.
“I wonder if I can do this on my own,” she says. “I relied on Jeremy so much…so when this opportunity came up, I thought, ‘You know what? I should really test myself.’” She admits she doesn’t know how he will cope with her being out of the country.
“I am actually more worried about him being at home alone… I did not freeze any little meals for Jeremy, and he will probably be living on like takeaways,” she says. His mother, however, will step in.
“We have organised for his mum to come over and take care of him and the dog in the house. He is Italian. At the end of the day, he is a mamma’s boy.” Kelly says she quietly sought advice from several friends who’ve done the show before, including Oti Mabuse, Jane Moore, and Chris Moyles.
“Everyone I spoke to said it was life-changing… one of the best things they have ever done,” she says. Chris offered one unlikely tip. “He said ‘make sure you can sneak in a microwave,’” she laughs. Fellow Loose Woman Jane also advised keeping busy. “She said, if you love cleaning… that really passes the time,” she says.
Like every contestant, she has specific fears about what might be in store. “I have heard that the dunny is the place where all the spiders hang out,” she says. “When it rains, they all kind of crawl in there.”
Then there was the leech story. “Jane showed me a picture of her bra where a leech was… it lived off her breast all night. That was pretty gross.” Kelly has filmed and worked around the world, but says nothing compares to this.
“I have never, ever been in the middle of a jungle, sleeping under the stars,” she says. “I think it is going to be probably the most challenging thing I have ever done in my life… I have heard that it is life changing.” She adds: “I do not know who I am in there with yet but I am just hoping we just all have fun together.”
Kelly will turn 47 in camp, but managed a small party before flying out with her Heart Radio colleagues. “We had some drinks, and I got gifted a beautiful cake of my face, which was hilarious… So we had a little celebration before I left.”
One issue when she is in camp could also be mornings. “I am not great in the mornings, and not having sugar, salt, coffee… that is going to be the biggest test,” she says. “I kept saying to myself every day, I am going to wean myself off the coffee in Australia.”
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The show, which starts on Sunday night on ITV, also features Angry Ginge, Jack Osbourne, Martin Kemp, Lisa Riley, Aitch, Alex Scott, Eddie Kadi, Shona McGarty and Ruby Wax. Ant and Dec return to presenting duties.
