Category Entertainment News

Legendary actor Terrence Hardiman, who played an iconic and terrifying headteacher in the hugely popular children’s CBBC series The Demon Headmaster, shared his nerves at returning to the role just a few years before his death

He was the stuff nightmares were made of and scared the life out of a generation of children in the late nineties when he portrayed an evil school principal with terrifying green eyes.

Despite his horribly menacing portrayal of the spooky school leader with a lust for power in CBBC’s The Demon Headmaster and his numerous other roles throughout his lengthy career as serious authority figures, Terrence Hardiman was known to be a true gent in real life.

A highly respected talent in the British entertainment industry, he starred in many hit shows such as Prime Suspect, Casualty and Doctor Who. He also toured with the Royal Shakespeare Company in principal roles but his extensive acting experience and success didn’t mean he had lost his humility.

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He was offered a cameo to reprise his part in The Demon Headmaster when it returned to screens over 20 years after he first sent shivers down the spines of the nation’s kids and he humbly spoke of his nerves beforehand. “I thought, well, it’s 22 years since I played that part on television,” he told the RadioTimes in 2019.

“Are people going to say, ‘What the devil is he doing that for? Doesn’t anyone else want him to do anything else?’ No, it wasn’t quite like that, but I was slightly nervous about meeting new people. I didn’t want them to start saying, ‘Why have we got this old chap in again?’.”

Assuring fans he wouldn’t be scaring them too much, he revealed he would just be making a cameo as the head who loved to be mean and control his pupils. “I just make an appearance for a while,” he explained. “So it’s not about me. It’s the new lot and that’s lovely. I’m not there for long. So I won’t frighten you for too long!”

The return to the BBC series came just a few years before Terrence’s death which was announced in May 2023, aged 86. He was described as a “beloved client and much-loved stage and screen actor” by his agent in a statement at the time. His passing sparked many tributes from his legions of fans who he both delighted and petrified in equal measure.

“Goddammit, we’ve lost Terence Hardiman. I honestly can’t think of anyone who could have played the Demon Headmaster better,” one fan wrote on Twitter as the news broke.

“To this day I struggle to think of a more terrifying figure from my childhood,” another added, referring to Hardiman’s iconic portrayal of the wicked headmaster who hid his eerie eyes behind dark glasses which he only took off to hypnotise his victims as he demanded, “Look into my eyes”.

A third added: “Terribly sad news of Terrence Hardiman passing away. He was supremely terrifying in The Demon Headmaster, but I had the pleasure of meeting him once at one of my school’s fetes, It took a bit of convincing to go up to him, but he was absolutely wonderful and kind. RIP.”

Another mourning fan mused how the actor was so synonymous with the part that many didn’t even know his real name. “Sad news, as he was a big part of my childhood,” they began. “But also, I can’t believe how this is the way 90% of people my age are finding out the name of the actor who played The Demon Headmaster.”

Based on the children’s books by Gillian Cross of the same name, the children’s drama premiered on CBBC in 1996 and ran until 1998. The 2019 sequel starred Nicholas Gleaves as the titular character.

Born in 1937 in Forest Gate, Newham, London, Terence studied English at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, where he got the acting bug. He would go on to become an icon to a generation of kids and performed for The Marlowe Society and the Cambridge University Amateur Dramatic Club, alongside many of his future screen co-stars such as Derek Jacobi who he starred in the long running historical murder series Cadfael with.

Joey Essex showed off his extravagant side just days after his dire financial situation emerged as he shared with fans a number of pictures of his lavish holiday

Joey Essex is never one to shy away from sharing his extravagant lifestyle. And so it comes as no surprise that he was quick to post a series of pictures from his latest summer break to Ibiza on social media.

But his most recent jaunt to the Spanish party island comes just days after it emerged that he has racked up an eye-watering amount of debt.

In an exclusive by the Mirror, it was revealed that he had amassed £1.3million of debt through his performing arts company after he “failed ” to repay a £780,000 loan from his company Joey Essex Management Ltd.

Documents which had been obtained by the Mirror show that liquidators have been left unsure if he will pay back the director’s loan, despite signing a Declaration of Solvency in August last year.

At the time, the document stated: “I have formed the opinion that this company will be able to pay its debts in full together with interest at the official rate within 12 months.”

But his director’s loan is not the only financial strain for the former reality TV star turned boxing champion.

According to reports, he has other debts of £497,246. He reportedly owes £442,303 to HMRC which is for outstanding VAT, PAYE, corporation tax and court costs.

The former TOWIE star was taken to court last year due to his outstanding debts and was served with a “winding up petition.”

So you’d think that the TV personality would be more humble when it comes to splashing the cash.

Posting to his Instagram stories, in one picture Joey is seen sat with a pal drinking a beer.

Dressed in all black with matching shades, Joey, who recently won his boxing debut, looked relaxed and content.

In another picture, he shared with fans the enviable sea view.

And it seems he is also sharing his trip with his new girlfriend Leila Soper. The couple were spotted kissing while frolicking in the sea.

With their arms around each other, the pair seemed oblivious to those around them.

Leila is the daughter of British racing driver Steve Soper.

Leila is a photographer and her career focuses on editorial and fashion photography.

Away from his budding relationship, Joey’s financial strain also includes £39,942 to Coutts bank and £15,000 to Companies House.

Joey is reportedly the company’s only director as well as shareholder and the company was set up in 2011. This is the same year he joined TOWIE.

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In light of Prince Harry’s recent trip to the UK, royal expert Jennie Bond has revealed how the Duke of Sussex has shown exactly want he wants to do now when it comes to his work

Prince Harry has concluded his rare four-day trip to his home country, accomplishing a series of charity engagements and a 55-minute private tea with his estranged father King Charles.

While Harry has maintained his life in California with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children, Archie and Lilibet, since they quit the Firm in 2020 before relocating to the US, the Duke of Sussex has continued to invest his time into his philanthropic efforts around the world.

After finishing his final engagement in London on Thursday, Harry then made a surprise trip to Ukraine to meet with veterans of the war-torn country and offer his support on rehabilitation for those gravely injured in the years-long battle raging in the nation.

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And with the prince still supporting causes close to his heart that were forged during his time as a working royal, royal expert Jennie Bond believes that the Duke of Sussex has carved out his own rules when it comes to his work.

The former BBC royal correspondent told the Mirror : “Harry never ceases to surprise us these days! Everyone assumed he was flying straight back to California and now there he is in Ukraine. You have to hand it to him, he is finding the halfway house the Palace refused to allow him— and he’s doing it on his own terms.”

When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left the Firm in 2020, it was claimed he was force to pick between remaining in the UK and being a working royal, or severing ties completely and living a private life.

However, Jennie claims that despite this ultimatum, Harry has found a way to make both options work for him, as he charmed his way around the UK on his brief visit before returning to his life in America with his family.

She said: “Could it not have worked, half in half out? He is the spare, he isn’t going to be King, so why couldn’t they have worked out some sort of compromise?”

Jennie went on to say that while undertaking his charitable work on his UK trip, Harry seemed to be in his element, proving what a “great loss” his presence in the royal family, and his home country, has been.

“He is so damned good at the job and this week he really seemed to be enjoying himself,” she said. “He’s a natural with the crowds: funny, informal, charming. This week has shown what a great loss he is. But as far as the Palace is concerned, it seems the basic conundrum remains: how can a working member of the royal family, even a part-timer, also operate in the commercial world?”

Despite juggling the expectations of his family, his philanthropic work, and the ongoing tension with the royal family, Jennie believes that Harry has managed to find the solution to seemingly have it all.

“Perhaps Harry has now come up with the answer: short, busy trips like the one he’s just done on his own terms and with his own security, and then back to his celebrity life in California with the wife and family he loves so much.”

BBC Radio 2 presenter Vernon Kay has hit back at people who tell him he should not be going to nightclubs in his 50s, saying it ‘winds me up’

Broadcaster Vernon Kay has defended himself against critics who reckon he’s too old to be hitting the clubs in his 50s.

The BBC Radio 2 favourite, 51, has been spinning decks at nightspots for twenty years, and he’s acknowledged getting wound up by those who believe he should hang up his headphones.

He declared: “I think when you’re 50 you’ve really got to focus on the things that you enjoyed when you were younger.

“It gets my back up when people say: ‘You’re 50 and you still go to clubs?’ I’m like: ‘yeah, of course I do,’ because that’s where the life force of all generations is at.”

Standing firm on his passion, he told The Sun’s TV magazine: “If you go to a nightclub, you see everyone, it’s not just young people. You see a great mix of people enjoying good music.

“And it just winds me up when people say: ‘You shouldn’t be doing that at your age.’ It’s like: ‘What are you doing?'”

Vernon is famously wed to Strictly Come Dancing host Tess Daly and the couple share two daughters, university student Phoebe, 20, and Amber, 16.

During the same chat, Vernon insisted his girls have both grafted for their achievements so far, arguing that while celebrity offspring are often branded ‘nepo babies’, talent alone determines success.

Last week the TV personality, who calls Buckinghamshire home, hit back at BBC Radio 2 colleague Jeremy Vine who shared ParentKind research revealing fewer than half of youngsters in the UK tackle household chores. Jeremy posed a question to Vernon, asking if the “whole point of childhood is that you don’t do them”.

Vernon retorted: “Don’t make me angry Jeremy. You won’t like me when I’m angry.”

He continued: “It starts at the sink, washing up, get involved, stacking up the dishwasher if that’s your equivalent these days, siding the table, you know, that kind of stuff.

“Going down the pit, that was the old school equivalent, some of our parents were working at 16.”

Over the weekend, Vernon grabbed headlines again after he joked about getting “fired” for his flirty exchange with Radio 2 in the Park co-host Michelle Visage.

The duo were hosting from Chelmsford’s Hylands Park, an annual event featuring stars like Jessie J and Olly Murs, when RuPaul’s Drag Race judge Michelle, 56, commented on the heat.

Vernon cheekily responded: “But wherever you are is always hot.”

A Love Is Blind UK star has opened up about their time on the show

A Love Is Blind UK star has insisted that all contestants got a “fair edit” despite those who felt “villainised”.

Love Is Blind UK season two came to an explosive end last month as the unique dating experiment returned to Netflix screens. A group of new singletons hoped to find their perfect match, but only four made it to the altar.

During a fiery reunion on August 31, married duo Matt and Emma Willis discovered only one couple remained happily married, gamer Kieran and dancer Megan, as it was revealed Ashleigh and Billy and Sarover and Kal saw their relationships end, within days of one another, earlier this year.

Fans will remember Bardha’s brutal rejection at the altar when she said she could no longer marry Jed, as well as Scottish nanny Katisha walking away from Javen before their wedding day. The reunion episode saw fiery confrontations as well as tears as the cast of season two opened up about their lives and their relationships since the show.

But now, one star has opened up about the dating experiment as well as life outside. One of season one’s success stories included Nicole Grunewald-Bridey and Benaiah Grunewald-Bridey.

On the show, Nicole was initially engaged to Sam Klein before ultimately choosing Benaiah. Since marrying on the show in September 2024, their relationship has only grown stronger, and the couple continues to enjoy their time together.

Speaking to Heart Bingo, the duo admitted everyone got a “fair edit”, despite other’s thoughts. Benaiah said: “Yeah, I’d say everyone got a fair edit, maybe even a good edit. Including those who may have felt villainised.”

Nicole added: “I was very surprised how well they depicted things, even down to my microexpressions. I didn’t think people would be able to pick up on how hesitant I was feeling with Sam (Klein), and the cameras managed to capture that so well, even down to the moment I had doubts.

“I now realise how expressive my face is and it allowed me to see myself in a bird’s eye view. It opened me up to some blind spots I didn’t realise in myself. So I’ll always be grateful to the show for that.”

Opening up about the reality behind the scenes Benaiah said it was a “long day”, that viewers don’t get to see. He said: “It’s a long day.

“We actually stay in a hotel, the boys in one and the girls in another. We probably get to the lounges at about 7:30 in the morning and on day one, you date everyone. It’s maybe 10 minutes per date.

“We have lunch and you can grab a drink, but you probably wrap up filming around 9pm. Then after day one, you pick who you felt a connection with and they see who matched, and you gradually date less and less people.”

Admitting the marriages are legally binding, the couple went on to say producers rarely helped in what to talk about. Nicole went on to say: “I was naughty and was always asking for help. Decision making is very intense for me.

“I was in meltdown and questioning whether Sam was a good guy or not. The production just kept telling me to trust my heart, and that was it. They wouldn’t give me anything more.”

Hosts Matt and Emma are also said to not get too involved with relationships as they “don’t want to sway us or impact a natural connection” so they “stay out of it”. However Benaiah added: “But they’re a great couple to learn from as they’ve gone through hard times.”