Strictly’s Shirley Ballas shares heartbreaking reason she wears a whistle wherever she goes

The 65-year-old head judge discussed with Harry Corin about the persistent fear she still has from the harassment campaign.

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. ”

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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.

Aitch’s love life from being filmed in bed to famous exes – what you need to know

What you need to know about Aitch’s love life, from being filmed in bed to famous exes: The Mirror.

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Aitch discussed his romantic relationship with tonight’s I’m a Celeb.

What Aitch, the star of I’m a celeb, said about his famous ex-girlfriends and being filmed in bed.

  • Aitch, a favorite of the stars, opened up about a night he shared with a girl in Brighton during a discussion about kiss-and-tells in camp. He claimed that “some girl filmed me while I was sleeping and posted it everywhere.” He didn’t seem particularly concerned, though, and he just kept saying, “It happens, doesn’t it”?
  • Aitch has had a number of high-profile relationships. Shortly before I’m A Celeb hit screens, Aitch was dating Lois Cottam, a psychology student from his hometown of Manchester. A source said: “Aitch and Lois still have a lot of love for each other, but they decided they are better off as friends.”
  • The star famously had a brief romance with Chicken Shop Date’s Amelia Dimoldenberg in 2022 after he appeared on her show – which sees her audition people for relationships. She even appeared in the video for his song Baby where she turns up at his door.
  • After days of rumours the pair were together, Aitch – whose real name is Harrison Armstrong – shared a picture of them on their third date at a bowling alley, which was followed by a £752 dinner.
  • You guessed it, he said. “Yeah, I guess. F*** off now”. Some people were even persuaded that the relationship was a PR stunt because it didn’t go on forever.
  • The following year he was linked to an Australian influencer called Lola Thompson after she shared a picture of them cuddling up together in a lift. They are thought to have split in October 2023 and she later hit out at him for telling a story she said was about her on a podcast.
  • Aitch even used the 2020 Brit Awards to promote their relationship to stunning model and influencer Taylor Mullings. He shared a picture of the pair together, saying “Gang” in a snapchat.
  • Fans of I’m A Celeb anticipated that Aitch’s most recent romantic relationship would be with former EastEnder Shona McGarty’s campmate. However, romance has not developed in the jungle despite some early flirtations and some enthusiastic cheerleading from Ant McPartlin. Yet.
  • READ THE FULL STORY: I’m A Celeb Shona McGarty’s romance with Aitch: 7 things you need to know
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Doctor who supplied ketamine to late Friends star Matthew Perry jailed

After years of struggle with depression and addiction, actor Perry was discovered dead in his home’s hot tub in 2023.

A doctor was sentenced to a prison sentence for the death of Friends star Matthew Perry before the star’s death. The sentence for Dr. Plasencia was two and a half years. In connection with Perry’s death, he is the first of five people to serve time in prison.

After years of struggle with depression and addiction, the Friends star, who rose to fame as Chandler Bing in the sitcom, was discovered dead in his bathtub at home in 2023.

Plasencia admitted guilt on four counts of ketamine distribution earlier this year. Four others facing charges have already entered pleas of guilt.

Perry’s father John and stepmom Debbie wrote an emotional letter as part of a judge’s “victim impact statement” prior to Plasencia’s sentencing. What were your motivations? I have no idea. a physician who lives devoted to “helping people”?

His heartbroken mum and stepdad also blasted the doctor who supplied him with ketamine weeks before his death.

In a moving victim impact statement released before his court hearing in Los Angeles today, Suzanne and Keith Morrison expressed their anger toward Salvador Plasencia. Plasencia and others were referred to as “jackals” who exploited their son before he died at the age of 54, according to the pair’s statement, which was also included in a victim impact statement.

One of five people who admitted guilt to giving Perry drugs is the doctor. Jasveen Sangha, a 42-year-old British woman, is dubbed the “ketamine queen.”

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Inbetweeners star Joe Thomas reveals heartbreaking secret health battle

Joe Thomas, the Inbetweeners star, has revealed a secret health battle that was made worse by the pressure he experienced while filming the popular Channel 4 show, and when a “breakdown” occurred.

Joe Thomas has revealed a secret health battle as he opened up about the pressure of filming TV hit The Inbetweeners. The star shared that he was struggling with his mental health and detailed a time when a “breakdown” was even caught on camera.

Alongside Simon Bird, James Buckley and Blake Harrison, Joe was one of the core four stars on Channel 4’s hit comedy series The Inbetweeners, which aired over three seasons and two films from 2008 to 2014, playing hapless romantic schoolboy Simon Cooper.

On their podcast, Joe and James Fact Up, Joe discussed his battle with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). In order to avoid having obsessive and intrusive thoughts that make you act compulsively, you must take action to temporarily lessen the effects of the intrusive thoughts.

The Inbetweeners was being filmed under a lot of pressure, Joe admitted to James. I experienced a lot of pressure. I recently developed crippling OCD, believing that I would fudge up the continuity.

I kept turning up and being told, “I’m so sorry, just worried that I might have made a noise with my chair,” and they replied, “Joe, it’s fine, we’ll let you know. “

He claimed that he had OCD before he started the E4 series, but that the producers paid for a therapist to come on set, who assumed it was a joke.

“It was just generally astonishing OCD… I had it when I left university and when I was on the Inbetweeners it was really, really bad to the extent where they paid for a therapist to come on set and she thought it was a joke. Because it was a Channel 4 show, she thought it was like a candid camera show and it was a stitch up.”

Joe continued to claim that he was “completely insane” because no one else was discussing OCD at the time. He continued, praising Ian Morris, the creator of The Inbetweeners, for his frequent blinking on camera. One of the things he was doing was to “pull my head together,” he said.

When asked about Ian, he said, “I felt seen, that is what it is… There were times when I was just irritated that I was making the show because I wanted to return to my own private worries.”

Joe’s twitches were eventually revealed to James as an outcome of his investigation into becoming a DVD extra.

At one point, according to James, “unfairly, this turned into a DVD extra when Joe was having a breakdown.” There is an outtake where Joe is having a breakdown in the first Inbetweeners movie, and he says, “Well, that did absolutely nothing.”

Joe explained that he would frequently request brief breaks to calm down. “I’d be like, “I can’t do it, can I just… it’ll take about six or nine seconds. “

James continued, “We put so much pressure on ourselves, but it was stressful.” When you consider it, it’s actually really ironic, but there was such a pressure to be funny. We had a burning desire to laugh.

The Inbetweeners may be returning to TV in 2026, as the production team and all four stars have expressed an interest in doing so. Talking to The Mirror, Joe said he’d take any opportunity to work with the team again. “I just love them,” he gushed. “I love being around them. And I’ve worked with them in other contexts as well – really I’ve taken every opportunity to work with one of that group ever since the show ended.”

*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

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Strictly Come Dancing star returns to show with ex for reunion after 7 years offscreen

For a special segment of It Takes Two, the pair appeared on screen together for the first time in seven years, as the company proudly welcomed back two of its renowned professional dancers.

Strictly Come Dancing has welcomed back two of its legendary professional dancers for a special segment on It Takes Two, where they look back on their history on the BBC show. Former couple and professional partners Flavia Cacace and Vincent Simone appeared on It Takes Two tonight, where they opened up about their time on the show.

Vincent and Flavia both joined Strictly in 2006 and stayed on the show for six years. They joined Strictly as both romantic and professional partners, however they eventually split in 2007. Vincent later married wife Susan Duddy in 2015 before divorcing three years later, while Flavia has been married to ex-contestant Jimi Mistry since 2013.

The former couple last appeared together on an episode of The Generation Game in 2018, and they recently reconciled on It Takes Two tonight. Vincent apologised to the audience, “Oh my goodness, I haven’t seen Flavia in a while.” It’ll be lovely to see her once more. It will be nice to catch up and reflect on the wonderful memories we had.

The pair looked back at their 2005 television performance, Strictly Dance Fever. They were hired by Strictly to choreograph an Argentine Tango piece that had never before been performed on the stage.

When Bruce first introduced us, Vincent said, “They are my favorite couple,” while Flavia said, “He used to say that about everyone, but I do believe it was his favorite dance.”

The duo continued performing together for nine years after splitting up with Strictly in 2012. Flavia last appeared on It Takes Two back in Choreography Corner in 2021, while Vincent later made a comeback as a choreographer for Argentine Tangos.

On the program, Vincent said, “Me and you left a legacy. Can you send me my dance shoes, Flavia asked?

Prior to winning with gymnast Louis Smith in 2012, Flavia placed second with Matt Di Angelo, whom she dated for three years. Vincent also placed second behind Dani Harmer and Rachel Stevens in the 2008 season, before ending his run on the show in fourth place.

Flavia is now married to Jimi Mistry, with the pair living on a seven-acre farm in Devon. They now sell fresh produce from their farm and run a bakery.

After moving to Lorraine, she said, “I just needed a break. I never retired.

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When Vincent and I started touring, we would play seven or eight shows each week in each venue. “I toured for eight years. I stopped doing that eight years ago because I was exhausted.

On BBC Two and BBC iPlayer, Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two will air starting at 6 30pm tomorrow.

I’m A Celeb star Aitch in huge boost as beloved sister Gracie flies into Australia

Aitch, the star of I’m A Celeb, and his dear sister Gracie, who was spotted today at the celebrity hotel where she was filmed by ITV meeting the most recent victee Kelly Brook, will be reunited.

I’m a Celeb star Aitch ’s beloved sister has secretly flown to Australia for an emotional reunion. The rapper’s family has arrived Down Under in the last 24 hours in a boost to the star, whose manager was the only person isupporting him so far in person.

And Gracie was seen today at the celebrity hotel as ITV filmed the arrival of Kelly Brook after she became the fourth person to be evicted from the jungle. She was filmed chatting to Kelly, who told her: “I have heard so much about you…can I have a hug.”

We recently heard your song, she continued. It was fantastic. Your brother is truly in your heart. You must have a crush on him, I bet you. Aitch has a close relationship with his two twin sisters, Gracie and Hattie, both of whom are 16 years his junior, and Gracie, who has Down’s Syndrome, in particular, has a significant influence on his life.

He has dedicated his hit track My G to Gracie, with all the funds generated from the donated to the Down’s Syndrome Association. On Tuesday night’s show he sang the song – sparking fans to say he should win.

A fan wrote on X that “Aitch must win.” One commentator called him “such a lovely man” and “bet Aitch’s sisters are so proud of him right now.” A third person expressed her love for Aitch so much. The song touched Aitch’s campmates, who were listening. In particular, Ruby Wax acknowledged that her emotional state had been affected by the performance.

Aitch has opened up in camp to Eddie about the close bond he has with his sisters, particularly Gracie. Talking about how Gracie was born with Down Syndrome, he explained how she loved watching Ellie Goldstein on Strictly Come Dancing, telling him when Ellie came on screen: “She’s one of God’s special children like me.”

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Aitch made it known prior to his show appearance that he would be traveling to the Australian jungle to raise awareness of those with Down syndrome. He continued, “I’m doing it for people all over as well as for people with Down syndrome.” If someone discovers that someone in the family has Down syndrome, I don’t want anyone to feel upset or upset. It is a blessing.

As long as you spend it with that person, you’re going to have the most enjoyable time of your life. Really and truly, my main concern is that I don’t want Down syndrome to be perceived as a negative trait. I don’t want anyone to go through the same stages as my sister or my child, who both have Down syndrome.