Category Entertainment News

James Arthur has endured a rocky career following his X Factor win after controversial comments saw the star’s fans and radio stations turn against him

Former X Factor star James Arthur’s career has been rocky to say the least, but the singer has climbed his way back to the top.

The 37-year-old star is ready to take to the Royal Albert Hall stage for tonight’s Teenage Cancer Trust gig. But it was almost so very different for the musician from Middlesbrough. In 2013, he admitted he had been an “idiot” following a homophobia row. It came a year after he won the ninth season of ITV talent contest The X Factor.

After his debut single, a cover of Shontelle’s Impossible, was released by Syco Music and went straight in at number one on the UK Singles Chart, the future looked bright for James. However, he almost lost it all following the controversial comments.

James had been forced to cancel tour dates at the time due to being diagnosed with “acute exhaustion”. However, he provoked huge antagonism when he responded to jibes from underground rapper Micky Worthless, by calling him a “f***ing queer” in a rap. James also used the words “scrubber”, “peasant” and “motherf**ker” to insult the up and coming musician, with Lucy Spraggan later sharing a bitter text exchange between the pair.

Critics immediately launched an online petition to demand the singer was removed from an upcoming X Factor line-up. The petition gathered more than 9,000 signatures, and some fans even requested refunds on his album – which all served to send James into depression at the time.

He also quickly apologised, saying: “I’m extremely disappointed in myself for being so naïve with the diss track I made. I assure you homophobia is something I do not believe in.”

A year later, as he was trying to rebuild his career, his single Get Down failed to enter the UK’s top 40. He went on to have a massive go at his PR team before taking aim at Simon Cowell. In a shocking final fall from grace, James was the fired by a seething Simon.

He decided to keep his head down and, in 2016, James admitted he had a “humongous breakdown.” Looking back, James explained: “I was lost. I look back on the character that I was then and I’m embarrassed. I’m embarrassed about how I behaved and how negative my perspective was and how I handled the pressure.

“Looking back now it’s clear to see it was a mental illness issue that I had and again I just dealt with everything in completely the wrong way. It’s great to be in my mind and be conscious again and be looking forward to just focusing on music and all the positive stuff that’s going on.”

Slowly, James has been rebuilding his career and now is riding the wave of success once again. He returned with a new chart topping album in 2024 and his arena tour won the plaudits.

His recent single titled ADHD is part of his determination to destigmatise mental health issues. He has also been involved in a series of impressive collaborations with the likes of Kelly Clarkson.

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The Duchess of Edinburgh addressed politicians at a summit in Brussels today to describe the “corrosive impact” of web-based exploitation and sent a message to tech companies demanding urgent action

The Duchess of Edinburgh last night called for tougher action to combat online child sexual abuse. Sophie, 60, described the “corrosive impact” of web-based exploitation and the need for tech companies to act “urgently” to curb the risk.

Addressing European politicians at a summit in Brussels, Belgium, she added: “Today, children everywhere in the world are not only falling victim to adults wishing to groom them but are exposed to an enormous amount of dangerous, harmful and inappropriate content including material on suicide, self harm, eating disorders, violence and pornography — all with consequences that can prove devastating. In the UK, the introduction of the Online Safety Act in 2023 placed new duties on social media companies to protect users, particularly children, against harmful content. But neither the UK’s government nor that of any one country can do it alone.

“Technology companies are in a uniquely powerful position to promote positive change in developing services that are safe by design and proactive in addressing online harm [with] safety features built in at the outset.“It will take a collective effort by all, including governments, technology companies, regulators, legislators, civil society and law enforcement to make it happen.“We must also listen to the young people themselves who I know are keen to be the architects of their futures. By understanding how and why they interact online and amongst their community, it will help shape our responses.”Directly addressing the audience, she continued: “It is in your hands, as the task of the utmost and urgent importance, because the lives and future of millions of children around the world will be affected by what you decide or what you decide not to do. “Therefore I implore you now, on behalf of the children of today and tomorrow, to redouble your efforts so that they are empowered to learn, to play, to grow and to thrive in our world.” Sophie attended the event, held by the European Parliament, in her role as patron for children’s charities the NSPCC and Plan International UK.

She was joined by Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips, who told a panel of abuse victims and representatives from the European Commission: “I’m very very sad to say that in the last 20 years, I have seen the situation with child abuse worsen.

“In the UK, it is estimated that up to 840,000 adults pose a sexual risk to children and 7.5 per cent of children will have been sexually abused by the time they are 16 years old.“These statistics are very important for us to understand the scale and nature of child sexual exploitation and abuse. And as the Duchess of Edinburgh pointed out – we forget every single report is a child – these are real children’s lives and they are being abused in the most horrific ways.”The joint visit comes after an alarming probe by the Internet Watch Foundation found over 300,000 web pages containing X-rated images and videos of minors in 2024 – the worst year on record. Category A images – considered the most serious abuse material – rocketed by 22 per cent in the same period.Victims of child sexual exploitation are typically targeted in their own homes by offenders across the globe. Many are blackmailed into sending images of themselves, tragically resulting in some taking their own lives. More than 7,000 Sexual Communication with a Child offences were recorded by police last year alone – up 89 per cent since 2017.

The NSPCC’s CEO Chris Sherwood, who also attended the gathering, said: “There has never been a more important time for international leaders to be working in tandem to tackle online child sexual abuse and exploitation.“We desperately need this unity of purpose and action to take place on a global scale, as we know offenders can be causing harm from anywhere in the world. Every single day our Childline service hears from children and young people across the UK about the devastating impact grooming, sharing of sexual abuse material, harmful content and blackmail can have on their lives.

“And we know the problem is only growing, particularly with the rapid expansion of generative AI which is giving offender communities new way to abuse large numbers of victims with ease. Robust enforcement of the UK’s Online Safety Act is vital, but to tackle the scale of the challenge we face we also need political leadership on the global stage.

“At the same time there must be collective scrutiny of the platforms and sites who, for too long, have let children be harmed under their watch and evaded accountability. We all – governments, regulators and civil society – have a role to play in keeping children safe online and we must work together to make it a reality.”

The Online Safety Act’s illegal codes of conduct came into effect last week, requiring platforms to proactively tackle illegal content including extreme pornography, child sexual abuse and terror-related material. At the start of the year, the government vowed to make new laws to tackle AI-generated child sexual abuse online images – a growing crime. If green-lit, we will become the first country in the world to make it illegal to possess, create or distribute AI tools designed to generate child sexual abuse and to possess AI ‘paedophile manuals’ which teach people how to use the tech to sexually abuse youngsters.

The Duchess of Edinburgh addressed politicians at a summit in Brussels today to describe the “corrosive impact” of web-based exploitation and sent a message to tech companies demanding urgent action

The Duchess of Edinburgh last night called for tougher action to combat online child sexual abuse. Sophie, 60, described the “corrosive impact” of web-based exploitation and the need for tech companies to act “urgently” to curb the risk.

Addressing European politicians at a summit in Brussels, Belgium, she added: “Today, children everywhere in the world are not only falling victim to adults wishing to groom them but are exposed to an enormous amount of dangerous, harmful and inappropriate content including material on suicide, self harm, eating disorders, violence and pornography — all with consequences that can prove devastating. In the UK, the introduction of the Online Safety Act in 2023 placed new duties on social media companies to protect users, particularly children, against harmful content. But neither the UK’s government nor that of any one country can do it alone.

“Technology companies are in a uniquely powerful position to promote positive change in developing services that are safe by design and proactive in addressing online harm [with] safety features built in at the outset.“It will take a collective effort by all, including governments, technology companies, regulators, legislators, civil society and law enforcement to make it happen.“We must also listen to the young people themselves who I know are keen to be the architects of their futures. By understanding how and why they interact online and amongst their community, it will help shape our responses.”Directly addressing the audience, she continued: “It is in your hands, as the task of the utmost and urgent importance, because the lives and future of millions of children around the world will be affected by what you decide or what you decide not to do. “Therefore I implore you now, on behalf of the children of today and tomorrow, to redouble your efforts so that they are empowered to learn, to play, to grow and to thrive in our world.” Sophie attended the event, held by the European Parliament, in her role as patron for children’s charities the NSPCC and Plan International UK.

She was joined by Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips, who told a panel of abuse victims and representatives from the European Commission: “I’m very very sad to say that in the last 20 years, I have seen the situation with child abuse worsen.

“In the UK, it is estimated that up to 840,000 adults pose a sexual risk to children and 7.5 per cent of children will have been sexually abused by the time they are 16 years old.“These statistics are very important for us to understand the scale and nature of child sexual exploitation and abuse. And as the Duchess of Edinburgh pointed out – we forget every single report is a child – these are real children’s lives and they are being abused in the most horrific ways.”The joint visit comes after an alarming probe by the Internet Watch Foundation found over 300,000 web pages containing X-rated images and videos of minors in 2024 – the worst year on record. Category A images – considered the most serious abuse material – rocketed by 22 per cent in the same period.Victims of child sexual exploitation are typically targeted in their own homes by offenders across the globe. Many are blackmailed into sending images of themselves, tragically resulting in some taking their own lives. More than 7,000 Sexual Communication with a Child offences were recorded by police last year alone – up 89 per cent since 2017.

The NSPCC’s CEO Chris Sherwood, who also attended the gathering, said: “There has never been a more important time for international leaders to be working in tandem to tackle online child sexual abuse and exploitation.“We desperately need this unity of purpose and action to take place on a global scale, as we know offenders can be causing harm from anywhere in the world. Every single day our Childline service hears from children and young people across the UK about the devastating impact grooming, sharing of sexual abuse material, harmful content and blackmail can have on their lives.

“And we know the problem is only growing, particularly with the rapid expansion of generative AI which is giving offender communities new way to abuse large numbers of victims with ease. Robust enforcement of the UK’s Online Safety Act is vital, but to tackle the scale of the challenge we face we also need political leadership on the global stage.

“At the same time there must be collective scrutiny of the platforms and sites who, for too long, have let children be harmed under their watch and evaded accountability. We all – governments, regulators and civil society – have a role to play in keeping children safe online and we must work together to make it a reality.”

The Online Safety Act’s illegal codes of conduct came into effect last week, requiring platforms to proactively tackle illegal content including extreme pornography, child sexual abuse and terror-related material. At the start of the year, the government vowed to make new laws to tackle AI-generated child sexual abuse online images – a growing crime. If green-lit, we will become the first country in the world to make it illegal to possess, create or distribute AI tools designed to generate child sexual abuse and to possess AI ‘paedophile manuals’ which teach people how to use the tech to sexually abuse youngsters.

Prince George is a huge fan of the show, according to Prince William who visited two young farmers at a Somerset event today and ran into the Clarkson’s Farm stars, Kaleb Cooper and Charlie Ireland.

Prince William is set to appear on an episode of Clarkson’s Farm after meeting star Kaleb Cooper to discuss mental health within the farming community. The Prince of Wales, 42, shared wisecracks with Kaleb and co-star Charlie Ireland and revealed son Prince George is even a fan of the Amazon Prime show.

William took part in an event for sixty of the Duchy of Cornwall’s next generation of farming tenants at Folly Farm, in Somerset. And he also joined a panel chat hosted by television star and presenter Vick Hope which is set to appear on a future episode of BBC’s Countryfile.

The 26-year-old telly star made a joke about Kaleb’s “great hair” to his royal visitor as he met him. Williams inquired if the farmer celeb was sporting a clean shirt while Williams laughed and joked back. And William responded, “Are they the cleanest boots you’ve got?” when Kaleb pointed out his.

Kaleb has frequently addressed young farmers’ mental health issues. For a day of talks and activities for young farmers, he accompanied Clarkson’s Farm Land Agent Charlie Ireland.

However, William continued, “George is watching now.” What should I say if I meet Kaleb, I asked him. Tell Kaleb to think about his language, he said. Wills and Sam and Emily Stables of the charity We Are Farming Minds also convened a panel discussion, Vick Hope, the presenter of Countryfile, and Vick Hope. In an interview with Radio One, the prince claimed that their last encounter was in Birmingham.

Vick responded, “Yes, it was, and you mentioned that the aubergine emoji was your favorite.” Gills laughed back, “Not sure if that’s the current situation, but it did.”

The Duke of Cornwall, the Prince of Wales, and We Are Farming Minds, a charity that aims to promote the mental health of Duchy farmers, have been named as new patrons. He told the panel that “removing the taboo” around mental health in the farming industry is still a work in progress.

He said, “We can do more to support farmers and discuss mental health.” Williams has spoken extensively about mental health issues and said, “I never realized what I’d stumbled into when I scratched the surface. Mental health is a delicate subject that needs to be addressed. Vick Hope inquired about what was in his “toolbox,” which he said was used to deal with stress and mental health issues. “My toolbox is quite large.

He continued, “You have to have certain tools in your farm, and you have a tool box that is a mental toolbox, to deal with any problems that arise in life.” Find someone who can give you that tool if you don’t already have it.

“Don’t be afraid to ask for a bit of help. For me breaking work life balance, breaking the cycle where you can. I know in farming world you life, sleep, breath, everything, but try and find away to come away from it, otherwise you’ll find yourself talking about the same thing that bother you on a day to day basis. And it goes round in circles.”

Kaleb has made a statement about how significant mental health is in farming. And stated to William, “Most 20-year-olds go to clubs and pubs, but young farmers are stuck on their tractors, which is great, but they are not talking to anyone.”

He informed William that he receives about 250 calls each day “chatting away” with other young farmers who are working on their own fields. Afterward, he stated in a statement that Prince George enjoyed watching Clarkson’s Farm. He continued, “It’s family TV, and I do get verbally offended and I try to stop.”

William’s efforts to promote mental health in family settings were described as “the more people that shout about it the better.” It’s irrelevant who you are, but it’s great to have a Royal standing and pushing this.

Charlie Ireland once said, “You don’t need to be in farming to understand that there is a problem, and that’s what he’s highlighting, which is fantastic. Additionally, there were workshops for Duchy farmers of the future, children whose families will inherit, and mental health support advice. Williams also witnessed young farmers playing tug-of-war. His visit is scheduled to appear in Clarkson’s Farm series 4 from the beginning of May, as well as an upcoming Countryfile episode.

Prince William joined young farmers at an event in Somerset today and ran into the stars of Clarkson’s Farm – Kaleb Cooper and Charlie Ireland – revealing that Prince George is a huge fan of the show

Prince William is set to appear on an episode of Clarkson’s Farm after meeting star Kaleb Cooper to discuss mental health within the farming community. The Prince of Wales, 42, shared wisecracks with Kaleb and co-star Charlie Ireland and revealed son Prince George is even a fan of the Amazon Prime show.

William took part in an event for sixty of the Duchy of Cornwall’s next generation of farming tenants at Folly Farm, in Somerset. And he also joined a panel chat hosted by television star and presenter Vick Hope which is set to appear on a future episode of BBC’s Countryfile.

As he met Kaleb, 26, the telly star joked to his royal visitor: “Great hair.” William laughed and joked back asking if the farmer celeb was wearing a clean shirt. And when Kaleb pointed out his boots, William said: “Are they the cleanest ones you’ve got?”

Kaleb has passionately spoken out in the past about mental health challenges for young farmers. He joined Clarkson’s Farm land agent Charlie Ireland for the day of talks and activities for young farmers.

But William told the pair: “You’ve got George watching now. I said to him ‘what shall I say if I meet Kaleb?’ He said ‘tell Kaleb to mind his language.” William also met Vick Hope, presenter of Countryfile, and hosted a panel with Wills and Sam and Emily Stables of charity We are Farming Minds. The prince pointed out the last time they met was in Birmingham during an interview with Radio One.

Vick said: “Yes it was, you mentioned the aubergine emoji was your favourite.” Wills replied laughing: “It felt like the right environment to to do it, not sure maybe today.

The Prince of Wales, who is also the Duke of Cornwall, was announced as the new Patron of We Are Farming Minds which aims to improve the mental health of Duchy farmers. Speaking to the panel he said ridding the “taboo” around mental health in the farming community is a “work in progress”.

He said ” we can do more” to support farmers and speak about mental health. William is a keen advocate and has spoken about mental health issues for several years and added: “I never realised what I’d stumbled into when I scratched the surface. The issue of mental health is fragile and not spoken about enough.” Asked by Vick Hope what was in his “toolkit” used to cope with mental health issues and stress, he replied: “My toolbox is quite big.”

He added: “If you imagine all of the tools you have in a farm, have a tool box that is a mental toolbox and in their you have to have certain tools to deal with any problems that come along in life. If you don’t have that tool, find someone who can provide you with that tool.

“Don’t be afraid to ask for a bit of help. For me breaking work life balance, breaking the cycle where you can. I know in farming world you life, sleep, breath, everything, but try and find away to come away from it, otherwise you’ll find yourself talking about the same thing that bother you on a day to day basis. And it goes round in circles.”

Kaleb has spoken out about the importance of mental health in the farming community.And told William: “Most 20-year-olds are going to clubs and pubs but young farmers are stuck on their tractors, which is great, but they are not talking to anyone.”

He told William that he has around 250 phone calls a day “chatting away” with other young farmers while they are working on fields alone.Speaking afterwards he said it was “great” that Prince George watches Clarkson’s Farm. He added: “It’s family TV and I do get told off for swearing and I try to stop.”

Speaking about William’s efforts to help mental health in family communities, he said: “The more people that shout about it the better. It doesn’t matter who you are but it’s great to have a Royal standing with us and pushing this.”

Charlie Ireland said: “You don’t have to be in farming to understand that there is a problem and that is what he is highlighting, which is fantastic.” The fun day also held workshops for next generation Duchy farmers, youngsters who will inherit from their families and advice in mental health support. William also watched young farmers take part in a tug-of-war. His visit is expected to feature in Clarkson’s Farm series 4 next year and an upcoming Countryfile episode in May.

Simon Gregson, who plays Steve McDonald in Coronation Street on the ITV soap, has been spotted without his wedding ring, which has fueled speculations that he has broken up with his wife Emma.

Coronation Street legend Simon Gregson has sparked concern over his marriage after appearing to ditch his wedding ring. The actor, 50, who plays Steve McDonald on the ITV soap, has been married to wife Emma for 14 years.

Simon fuelled split rumours earlier this year when a tax report regarding his finances said the star and his “estranged” wife, had three years to pay back debt from their production company’s account. And he’s now got tongues wagging again after appearing without his wedding band while out running errands after Emma was spotted without hers last month.

The father-of-three looked deeply thought out in Cheshire as he opened a packet of cigarettes with his ring finger clearly visible and his phone in his pocket while sporting a grey hoodie, baseball cap, jeans, and Nike trainers.

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The star’s alleged relationship with his ex-wife was revealed in official documents after his fans expressed concern about her.

The Mirror previously reported the Steve McDonald star could be forced to sell his house if he does not pay back a £252,000 loan he took from his production firm, with official papers showing the soap legend and Emma must repay Simon Gregson Productions a sum of £1,500 per month. The paperwork states the pair, who have been married for 14 years and have three sons, had separated. However, Coronation Street confirmed last week that the couple was still together.

The director’s report stated that she had an overdraft of £282,824 on her loan account. Additionally, it was discovered that this money had been moved into Mr. Gregory’s joint bank account with his estranged wife after being taken out of the company’s bank account. Any dispute would therefore be directed at both parties.

Standing next to a house with a For Sale sign after the story broke, Simon was papped.

However, a source told The Sun that the actor’s marriage was still intact, stating that “Simon and Emma are still very much together.”

“Simon has no idea why Emma is listed in his financial paperwork as his “estranged wife.”

Simon has frequently praised his wife Emma, who owns a tea room in Cheshire, for supporting him while managing his demanding filming schedule.

The couple revealed their relationship to one of his soap star coworkers last year. Emma continued, “I used to go to Bev’s pub with my brother Michael and she was running a singing competition called Eccles Factor,” adding, “We met 18 years ago in the pub in Eccles owned at the time by Beverley Callard.

Because he likes you and is single, Bev asked if I liked him. When Simon and Emma ran into each other at a charity event a few weeks later, they have been dating ever since.

Alfie, 17, Harry, 15, and Henry, 8, are the couple’s three sons.

Simon’s representatives have been contacted by The Mirror for comment on this story.

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