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BBC presenter Reggie Yates has undergone surgery for a tumour. The broadcaster explained that last year, he endured one of the “hardest moments” of his life and had initially chosen to bury the news.

He went on to say that while he chose not to forget it, he decided to hide it and “heal, move on.” Reggie continued: “I was wearing my own little lump of uncertainty. A Tumour.

“A collection of cells that could be benign or cancerous. Then followed a fun week of waiting to find out which version of lump my body decided to grow. I wasn’t ashamed, I was a willing participant in an uncoupling.” Reggie, known for presenting the likes of Top of the Pops, said that while he was scared, he struggled not to laugh while wearing a hospital gown and compression socks.

During this period, he says that he learnt “a lot” about himself, while also discovering things about his loved ones. Writing on his Substack, he added: “You learn a lot about who you’re becoming when you go from fears of losing the use of your hand in February, to delivering your publisher a novel typed by that same hand in December…”

Sharing the news on Instagram, Reggie penned: “NEW YEAR, OLD TUMOUR… Funny what you can learn from a little lump of cells.” His post was soon flooded with messages of support from fans and celebrity pals. Zawe Ashton said: “Angel, I’ll read, had no idea. Thinking of you – truly hope you’re okay.”

“I hope it’s a year of healing recovery and abundance,” said one fan. A second commented: “Wishing you a very healthy 2026 (and beyond, obviously!)”

Meanwhile, a third typed: “Being humbled by our own mortality isn’t something we’re prepared for. Ever. One day at a time.” “Praying for your swift recovery,” penned a fourth fan.

Reggie, who made his first television appearance aged just eight, went on to become one of the nation’s most well-known broadcasters – appearing on Radio 1 and fronting several BBC documentaries.

Reflecting on his career, he previously told The Guardian: “The first interview I did as a presenter was on Top of the Pops. I spoke to Sting, and for some reason, I had dressed in a brown corduroy suit from Topshop with matching sneakers. I also had a crap tash and braids.

“I was like, ‘Hi Mr Sting’, and asked him the dumbest questions. I remember him looking at me like, ‘Who is this guy? Get me out of here.’ There were lots of those awkward moments growing up on TV, but I can’t feel too embarrassed as I was just a baby.”

But having been on television for over three decades, Reggie admits he now has a “thick skin” and no longer worries about judgment or criticism.

He added: “The best part of my life now as a writer and director is the variety. One day I can be making a documentary about racism, and the next day I’ll be doing the voice of Rastamouse. I can make silly comedy films.”

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Jodie Marsh has been left devastated after a fire at her animal sanctuary killed two animals.

Local fire crews were called to her farm, Fripps Farm in Essex, on Saturday, following reports of a fire. Two marmosets died in the fire, which started on the first floor at around 5pm on Saturday. The blaze is said to have been accidental and started by an electrical item.

A spokesperson for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said: “Firefighters were called at 4.56pm to a fire in Lindsell, Dunmow. On arrival, the property was full of smoke and crews discovered a fire in the upstairs bedroom. Crews worked hard to extinguish the fire and stop it from spreading.

“The cause of the fire has been recorded as accidental, started by an electrical item.” Nestled in the countryside, Jodie’s animal sanctuary is a five-acre property within striking distance of the historic market town of Saffron Walden. The farm consists of hundreds of animals, most of which the former reality television star says have been rescued.

The animals include emus, llamas, alpacas, goats, sheep, cows, pigs, and deer. There is also an enclosure full of peacocks and chickens, with geese and ducks roaming around.

Beyond the more common farmyard animals, there is a large cage full of marmosets, a small monkey more usually found in South America. There are also enclosures for foxes, meerkats, skunks, and wolf-dogs, and snakes, Essex Live reports.

Jodie claims she spends £25,000 a month to keep Fripps Farm going, paying for her two full-time staff and five part-time workers and all the costs of looking after her animals. The 47-year-old ex-glamour model also has 15 volunteers helping her keep her small zoo of animals going.

She says she pays for some of this through social media, particularly the somewhat controversial OnlyFans platform. However, the farm has sparked controversy as campaigners have accused Jodie of animal cruelty, mistreatment, and having poor living conditions for the animals.

Critics also claim that Jodie buys most of her animals, alleging that she only says she rescues them as an excuse to keep exotic pets that wouldn’t usually be allowed in the UK. However, she denies these allegations.

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Countryfile presenter Adam Henson has shared his heartache over a saddening change he’s witnessed over the years in Gloucestershire, where his Cotswolds Farm Park is based

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BBC’s Countryfile presenter Adam Henson has spoken of his heartbreak at the falling number of orchards near his farm, where he lives with wife Charlie.

Speaking about the tradition of wassailing, an ancient winter tradition involving singing and dancing on the Twelfth Night (January 5), Adam said he was glad that despite the falling number of orchards in Gloucestershire, wassailing was still taking place.

Writing in Cotswold Life about nature in winter, Adam said: “In days of old, the sheer number of fruit orchards dotted across Gloucestershire made the county a prime place for wassailing.

“The Twelfth Night custom of blessing the trees in hope of a good crop later in the year dates back to pagan times.

“I can’t guarantee that chasing away the evil spirits always worked but I do know that every self respecting wassail involved singing, dancing, the lighting of bonfires and drinking plenty of farmhouse cider.

“It’s heartbreaking that so many orchards have been list in recent decades but it’s good to know that there’s renewed interest in wassailing. Gatherings now take place all over the region.”

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Adam’s concerns over the loss of many orchards in the Cotswolds come as the Gloucestershire Orchard Trust warns that changes in buying habits and infrastructure are impacting the number of orchards in the county.

In a statement, they said: “Traditional orchards have unique ecological, genetic, heritage and landscape value that we need to conserve and celebrate.

“Changes in agriculture and in the way supermarkets buy and sell fruit have meant that Gloucestershire has lost over 70% of its orchards in the past 50 or so years and what was once a familiar part of the landscape is now increasingly rare.”

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This isn’t the first time Adam has talked about the importance of trees, in an article for the official BBC Countryfile website, he discussed about what people get wrong about them, especially old veteran trees, and how they’re so much more than they appear.

He explained: “You might think that a tree that is full of holes, cavities and crevices is no use to anyone but, in fact, veteran trees are incredibly important for biodiversity and nature conservation.

“For starters, fungi and lichen provide a free home for insects, food for animals such as squirrels and voles, and nesting material for birds.

Call the Midwife icon Max Macmill

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Call the Midwife icon Max Macmillan delighted viewers when he returned as Timothy Turner for the Christmas specials.

The 23-year-old actor first appeared on the much-loved BBC period drama in 2012 when his character was introduced during the first-ever festive episode as Doctor Patrick Turner’s (Stephen McGann) mischievous, though kind-hearted, son.

During his Call the Midwife debut, Timothy is a young schoolboy who waits for his dad in a car whilst he attends to an older lady in dire need of medical attention.

He was also a Boy Scout who got involved in Nurse Chummy’s (Miranda Hart) Christmas nativity, giving his dad a look of pride as he performed the violin in a memorable heart-warming moment.

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Timothy, who was first seen during the 2012 festive episode but he disappeared off-screen for season 14, which aired last year. It was here that Dr Turner made no secret of his missing eldest son, Timothy, who was away working as a junior doctor in Edinburgh.

However, during the recent festive specials, which aired on Christmas Day and Boxing Day 2025, Timothy returned to Poplar and reunited with his family. The tense episodes included an explosive plot abroad as the nuns and nurses embark on a rescue mission.

Set in 1971, the plot kicked off with Fred (Cliff Parisi) and Violet Buckle (Annabelle Apsion) leaving Poplar, East London, and travelling to Hong Kong to spend Christmas with her son, Derek (Nicholas Atkinson).

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However, tragedy struck when the Hong Kong Branch House collapsed, and there were multiple fatalities. A rescue mission was hastily organised, and a team from Nonnatus House made emergency plans to head out to Hong Kong to do what they could to help.

Call the Midwife fans have seen Timothy grow from a young lad to a young man as he follows in his father’s footsteps and becomes a doctor.

Who is Max Macmillan’s mum?

Away from the BBC drama, Max isn’t the only star in his family as his mother is the internationally bestselling author Gilly Macmillan, who writes thriller books. She has eight published novels, including The Manor House, The Perfect Girl, The Nanny, The Long Weekend and The Burning Library.

The proud mum has previously reshared photos posted on the official Call the Midwife Facebook page. Reposting a snap of Max on the drama’s set with his co-star Daniel Laurie, who plays Reggie, Gilly penned back in 2017: “My boy Max on set at #CallTheMidwife.”

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As Max started his acting career on Call the Midwife, the actor has not appeared in many other series.

However, he did star in a short film called “The Night to Come.” In 2019, Max appeared as Peter Stemp alongside Tim Roth and Clive Owen in The Song of Names, a film about two boys who form a bond over their shared love of music.

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Away from acting, Max is a man of musical talents as he can sing and play instruments. He can be seen playing the piano on Call The Midwife, and he has also performed several concerts in real life.

He is also a keen photographer, and you can find Max Macmillan’s photos on his Instagram page: @lazydonkey27.