Category Entertainment News

Radio 2 DJ Sara Cox has been left devastated after a close pal passed away – a matrer of weeks after she completed a tough and emotional challenge for Children In Need

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Sara Cox, 50, has been left heartbroken after her beloved friend Peta died, just weeks after the radio star finished her 135-mile Great Northern Marathon Challenge for Children In Need – raising an incredible £11.5m.

She announced her friend’s tragic death on Sunday with a moving tribute to her – including throwback snaps of the pair together over the years.

In the sweet carousel of pictures, Sara and Peta could be seen smiling and enjoying themselves at various moments, including on exotic holidays and at fancy dress parties together. Alongside the snaps Sara wrote: ‘Sleep tight Peta, You’ll always be in my heart x.’

READ MORE: Cat Deeley takes style notes from Kate Middleton in Boden knit that ‘fits perfectly’

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Fans shared their condolences in the comments section, with one saying: ‘Sorry for your loss Sara. So hard when we lose a close friend’. Another wrote, ‘’Sara I am so sorry to hear this. Life can be so cruel and unfair at times. Sending you love and thoughts’.

Back in 2012, the Radio 2 DJ opened up on her special friendship with Peta to The Standard – confessing that one of her favourite things to do when she was in London was go for dinner with Peta, and her mum Jackie Cox.

The sad news comes not long after one of the presenter’s most gruelling challenges to date. Just last month Sara revealed that donations were continuing to stack up after completing her epic Children In Need challenge, after she shared her behind-the-scenes appeal film, Sara Cox: Every Step of the Way.

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She covered an incredible 135 miles on foot across Northumberland, County Durham, North and West Yorkshire – the equivalent distance of five marathons across five days – and afterwards received congratulations from Prince William and rapper Stormzy.

Sara revealed the new total on her Radio 2 show and said: ‘You are legends. Every fiver, tenner, every twenty, every thirty. Whatever you gave a couple of quid on the side of the road.

“The kids that gave their money that they got from the tooth fairy. Every penny goes to helping children and young people in the UK and you are absolutely incredible.

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‘If it’s safe to do so, you are not operating heavy machinery, holding a small child or nursing a large whiskey, give yourselves a pat on the back. That is beautiful. Eleven and a half million pounds. We did it together, thank you.’

After crossing the finish line, Sara revealed to Scott and Radio 2 listeners that music got her through the challenge: ‘I would like to thank Chase and Status and Stormzy for Backbone.

‘And I’d like to apologise to my son because on telly, if it stays on the documentary, I am singing that song quite a lot and it’s so cringe.

‘So I am so sorry to my kids. We spend a lot of time playing brilliant music on Radio 2… I was singing along at one point like a mad woman, singing along to Blur, and all sorts just to try and push through.’

I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! winner, Angryginge, has spoken to the Mirror about his new heartthrob status after being crowned King of the Jungle on Sunday

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I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! winner, Angryginge, has lifted the lid on his new sex symbol status in an exclusive chat with the Mirror.

The YouTube star, real name Morgan Burtwistle, 24, has amassed a whole new fan base after being crowned the King of the Jungle on Sunday in what many have hailed as the ‘best I’m A Celeb final ever’.

Ginge – who admitted his ex-girlfriend broke up with him via text while he was livestreaming before he went in the jungle – said of the new female attention: “It’s not something I would have anticipated, I must admit. But yeah, maybe me in jungle attire is quite sexy.”

READ MORE: Angry Ginge reveals exact I’m A Celeb weight loss as he devours crisps and Red BullREAD MORE: I’m A Celeb’s Tom says he didn’t deserve to ‘pinch’ Angryginge’s win in honest admission

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He also said his mum, Michelle, who brought up Ginge and his sister, Tasha, on a council estate in Manchester, is receiving messages on her personal Facebook account from girls swooning over her superstar son.

Fellow YouTube and Twitch stars Tays and Scousemali have claimed that Ginge went onto I’m A Celebrity to find a girlfriend.

In a clip from their livestream shared by a fan to TikTok, Tays said: “Ginge told me before he went on there, that he’s going on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here to find a girlfriend.”

He continued: “That is the reason he said he is going on I’m A Celebrity. He said that he is going there to find a girlfriend.”

However, Ginge told us that he considered quitting the show after setting up camp in the jungle when the reality of what was ahead of him hit home.

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Viewers later watched the star break down in the Bush Telegraph as he missed home. And he reveals that he later spent some time alone.

He admitted: “I came out the Bush Telegraph, and then I went and sat by the pond by myself there.

“I asked myself ‘Do I want to go the extra two weeks. I was debating it, but then I just powered through it.’”

However, revealing he wanted to make his beloved mum proud, he continued: “I will never forget where I came from, and I think because I started literally from the bottom and watched everyone around me from my mates to their parents, my mum, everyone had to graft their way to get wherever it was.”

Money was tight and Ginge’s mum had to work several jobs to keep them afloat. Even so, when the star was 18, Michelle was forced to sell the family home and move somewhere cheaper. He moved in with his Nana round the corner to ease the pressure.

As a result, Ginge says his aim from the outset was to make his mum proud. He concluded: “She told me I’d done that…but then she also said: ’I was already proud of you…you didn’t need to go on the show to do that.”

For one day only shoppers can get the Moschino perfume gift set for free with a clever deal-stacking hack, and it’s great for saving money on Christmas shopping

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Fragrance enthusiasts can snap up a complimentary Moschino perfume gift set thanks to an ingenious deal combination. However, those keen to secure the freebie must act swiftly, as the offer is valid for today only (Monday, 8 December).

Available from The Perfume Shop, the Moschino Toy Eau de Toilette Spray Gift Set comprises four 5ml fragrances. The collection includes Toy 2; a fruity and fresh scent with ‘delicious’ notes of apple, mandarin, white currant and peony, Toy Boy; a floral musky fragrance, Bubblegum; a ‘fun and playful’ perfume with sweet and fruity notes of rose and bubble gum, and Pearl; an ‘effervescent marriage’ of sharp citrus and delicate jasmine.

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The Moschino collection has been reduced from £35 down to £19.99, representing a saving of £15.01 for beauty enthusiasts. Yet there’s now a way for customers to essentially obtain it without spending a penny through a smart cashback arrangement.

For a limited 24-hour period, TopCashback is providing members with the opportunity to make substantial savings on sought-after perfumes with 30% cashback at The Perfume Shop. First-time TopCashback members can secure an additional £15 welcome bonus on purchases over £15, meaning the Moschino Toy collection becomes effectively cost-free for them following cashback. Complete instructions on claiming this promotion can be located at the end of the page.

Customers have warmly embraced the set, awarding it a flawless five-star rating on the high street shop’s website. One reviewer, who headlined their feedback ‘beautiful set’ said: “Great set, amazing gift. Beautiful individual little bottles. Great quality. Great price.”

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For those who’d rather not sign up to TopCashback, there are other fragrant bargains to be had on the high street. We found a deal at Boots on the YSL Libre Eau De Parfum 30ml, slashed from £72 to a more palatable £54.

Over at LookFantastic, savvy shoppers can nab the 50ml Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Glitter Eau de Parfum for half its original price. Once £105, it’s now just £52.50.

While the Moschino Toy perfume gift set hasn’t garnered any negative reviews on The Perfume Shop website, it’s worth bearing in mind that scent is subjective and what smells divine to one person might not to another. So, when shopping via TopCashback, consider your personal preferences.

The Moschino collection is described as having fruity, floral, sweet and citrus notes. If you’re after something a bit different, why not check out the Versace Miniatures via TopCashback for just over £2?

For new members of TopCashback and all customers of The Perfume Shop, the miniatures set effectively comes down to £2.24 after cashback (currently on sale for £22.99, RRP £39). There’s also a men’s collection which, like the women’s, effectively costs £2.24 after cashback for new TopCashback members (on sale for £22.99, RRP £39), reports the Liverpool Echo.

How to get the Moschino Toy fragrance set for free via TopCashback

• Sign up via TopCashback.
• Search for The Perfume Shop and click ‘Get Cashback Now’.
• Shop the Moschino Toy Eau de Toilette Spray Gift Set and checkout as usual.
• Cashback will then track and appear in your TopCashback account within 7 working days of your purchase. The cashback will become payable (and available to withdraw and spend) after The Perfume Shop has paid TopCashback the commission for your purchase.

I’m A Celebrity star Shona McGarty has spoken about how EastEnders legend Barbara Windsor gave her a ‘bad telling off’ for being late – and how it changed her career

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I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! star Shona McGarty has revealed she once received a “bad telling off” during the early days of her career – and explained how the experience influenced her work ethic on EastEnders and beyond.

The actress, who spent 16 years portraying Whitney Dean on the BBC soap, opened up on the Yellowbelly Presents podcast about joining the programme as a teenager and the challenging adjustment that followed when she became part of one of Britain’s most popular dramas. McGarty secured the role aged just 16, and despite residing “literally across the road” from the studios, she confessed she didn’t always understand the standard of professionalism required on set.

Speaking frankly, she remembered a particular incident that served as a significant reality check. “Barbara taught me not to be late, which I have spoken about before,” she said, referencing EastEnders legend Barbara Windsor.

“See, the thing is, you wouldn’t mind, but I literally lived across the road. So there was no excuse,” she added, according to the Liverpool Echo.

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McGarty acknowledged that beginning such a prominent job as a teenager presented its own difficulties. “Being 16 is such a young age. You think you’re like all that, but actually, you’ve not got a clue,” she chuckled.

“Yeah, you still haven’t got a clue, to be honest. I’m 33.”

But the lesson hit home – largely thanks to Windsor’s no-nonsense approach. “The being late thing? Barbara told me off so badly. It kind of gave me a wake-up call, and I was like, actually, I do want this job. I had to remember that this is what I’d dreamed about for such a long time. This is an amazing opportunity, and I don’t want to ruin it for myself.”

From that moment onwards, she revealed, everything shifted. “So I did get up to that alarm, and I did stay in the show. Thank you, Barbara.”

McGarty remained with EastEnders from 2008 through to 2024, establishing herself as one of the soap’s most familiar faces. Throughout her tenure, she handled significant storylines including Whitney’s abuse, turbulent relationships, and numerous hard-hitting social issue narratives.

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She has consistently acknowledged senior cast members, including Windsor, for supporting her through the demands of working on a long-running soap.

In 2009, just 12 months after joining EastEnders, McGarty won a British Soap Award for Best Newcomer. Her closing scenes as Whitney were broadcast in May 2024, with the character leaving Walford to start anew with her baby daughter, Dolly.

Her time on EastEnders also served her well during this year’s series of I’m A Celebrity. Recognised for her sharp humour, emotional openness, and genuine connection with fellow campmates, she emerged as a fan favourite – securing third place behind Celebs Go Dating receptionist Tom Read Wilson and winner, YouTube star Angryginge.

Tim Westwood has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges – including rape and sexual assault.

At Southwark Crown Court on Monday, Westwood denied four counts of rape, nine counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault. He pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.

The former broadcaster, who also appeared on Capital Xtra, wore a maroon shirt and black trousers for the hearing. He spoke only to confirm his name and enter his pleas. Westwood was granted bail with a condition not to contact the complainants. A provisional trial date for January 25, 2027, was set by the court.

Westwood, who lives in Westminster, is accused of offences against seven different women, some of whom were aged 17 at the time. He was charged in October this year with four counts of rape, nine counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault.

The alleged incidents are believed to have taken place between 1993 and 2016. Westwood denies all allegations made against him. He previously said: “It’s all false allegations.” 

Police previously said that Westwood had allegedly indecently assaulted a 17-year-old girl in Fulham, west London, in 1983. He also faces allegations of indecently assaulting a woman in her 20s in the Vauxhall area of London in 1986.

He was also accused of raping and indecently assaulting a woman, aged between 17 and 18, between 1995 and 1996 in London. He’s also accused of raping and indecently assaulting a woman between the ages of 17 and 18 between 2000 and 2001, also in London.

Westwood was also accused of sexually assaulting another woman, aged in her 20s, in Stroud, Gloucestershire, in 2010. He also faces an allegation of assaulting a woman, believed to be in her 20s, in the Finchley area of London in 2016.

Andy Furphy, Detective Superintendent of the Metropolitan Police, said: “It takes courage to come forward and report allegations of this nature.

“The women who have done so have put their trust in us and we continue to provide them with all available support. Our investigation remains open and we’d encourage anyone who has been impacted by this case or anyone with information to come forward and speak with us.”

Westwood stepped down from his programme on Capital Xtra in April 2022. He also left Radio 1 and Radio 1 Xtra in 2013 – almost two decades after he joined the BBC.

He also presented the MTV UK programme, Pimp My Ride UK, which aired for three seasons between 2005 and 2007.

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Angry Ginge opens up to the Mirror in his first chat after the Jungle as he reveals how he was on the verge of quitting twice on the ITV show

King of the Jungle Angry Ginge has told how he nearly quit the show after just TWO hours. The star opened up to the Mirror just hours after being crowned the winner of I’m A Celebrity. In his first chat he revealed how:

He considered walking almost immediately over the food, and later “debated” quitting a second time after his tears in the Bush Telegraph. He also says he kept going to make his mum proud, who told him: “I was already proud of you…you didn’t need to go on the show to do that..” And he’s amazed at his new heartthrob status, saying: “Maybe me in jungle attire is sexy.”

We can also reveal how being on the show has actually cost him more than £100,000 in lost brand deals in the build up to Christmas. A source said: “His fee for doing the show was nothing compared to the money he could have earned on the outside. But he just wanted to make his mum proud.”

READ MORE: I’m A Celeb’s Aitch finally breaks silence on Shona McGarty to reveal true feelings

Opening up about nearly quitting the ITV show, he said it happened on Day One. He said: “I was debating on the very first day, and I’d only been in there for a couple of hours. It was late when I’d got in, and I was expecting a steak but it was one steak between four of us, and that was a shock. That was the eye opener. I think, forget the snakes around the head.

“And then it was just getting later and later, and our other camp mates hadn’t joined us yet, and I was just sat there thinking, ‘this is going to be tough. It’s going to be really tough.’ He said that things improved slowly but by the time he got to Day 10, he was struggling again.

He admits: “Jack Osbourne warned me day 10 would always be the hardest and I don’t know what it was, but I just woke up emotional that day. I just said to him: “I just don’t feel that good today.’” Viewers later watched him break down in the Bush Telegraph as he missed home. And he reveals that he later took himself off by himself. I came out the Bush Telegraph, and then I went and sat by the pond by myself there,” he says.

Once again he considered quitting. He said: “I asked myself ‘Do I want to go the extra two weeks. I was debating it, but then I just powered through it.’” He says that the thought of making his mum Michelle proud – as well as his humble beginnings – powered him on during the dark times.

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He says: “I will never forget where I came from, and I think because I started literally from the bottom and watched everyone around me from my mates to their parents, my mum, everyone had to graft their way to get wherever it was.” His mum Michelle brought up Ginge, whose real name is Morgan, up with his sister Tasha on a council estate in Eccles, Salford.

Money was tight and she had to work several jobs to keep them afloat. Even so, when Ginge was 18, Michelle was forced to sell the family home and move somewhere cheaper. He moved in with his Nana round the corner to ease the pressure. He says his aim from the outset was to make his mum proud

“She told me I’d done that…but then she also said,’I was already proud of you…you didn’t need to go on the show to do that..” Asked what it means to make his mum happy, he says it meant everything.

He says: “I want her to know how well she did raising us, and how much I do appreciate everything that she did. From literally being a single parent since I was probably one……and working all of the jobs that she had. Just to know that anything I can do would make her proud, is just the best feeling.”

He added it brought him great joy being able to say bring her Down Under to watch him triumph. “I remember her saying years ago, one of her main aims was to go with Australia, and I managed to get her a free holiday there, so I’ve done all right,” he says. Now he has his sights on treating her even more now he is King of the Jungle.

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He said: “Christmas is obviously around the corner, so I need to get something big. But yes I’ve got a few things up my sleeve, but I don’t reveal in case she finds out.” He also says seeing his mum and sister Tasha in their surprise camp visit also helped give him the motivation to continue. “It made me so happy. I had their photo, and letter, but to actually see them was that extra bit of fuel I needed to get through the next few days,” he says.

Ginge also reflected on his friendship with Aitch – and joked about their rivalry. “He often refers to himself as the king of Manchester, but I think he’s been overthrown,” he laughs. But he said having his friend in the jungle was a huge help mentally. Every night, knowing I’m sleeping next to my mate from Manchester, who I’ve known for ages and it hurts me to say, am a fan of his music. It’s like a comfort blanket, just to know I’ve got him there.”

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