Category News

Tributes have been paid after the death of a ‘brilliant’ actor – who appeared in one of the most iconic scenes in Love Actually. Jo Bacon played Natalie’s mum in the 2003 film when the Prime Minister played by Hugh Grant knocked on the door of their south London house looking for Martine McCutcheon’s character.

Bacon who was a hugely popular figure across the world of TV, theatre, film and ballet also made appearances in EastEnders, Casualty, The Bill, Pie in the Sky, Little Britain, A Touch of Frost and New Tricks. And she won rave reviews for her performances in Breeders where she played Jackie the mum of Paul played by Martin Freeman.

Freeman was one of many actors who paid their last respects to Bacon, who has died at the age of 72, at her funeral yesterday.

The celebrant Jo Moore said: “Jo’s talent as an actor was a gift that she shared with the world. On stage and on screen, she brought us joy, laughter, and inspiration, leaving an indelible mark on the lives of everyone she reached.

“She was a woman of many talents and facets, and I would like to share with you a description of Jo, given by Gill, one of her lifelong friends: ‘Jo’s life was a wonderful, elaborate, kaleidoscope with different sections for each of her passions and only Jo was at the centre and could see and enjoy the whole kaleidoscope. In many ways Jo was a contradiction – a flamboyant extrovert, a superb wit, a natural communicator and yet, at the same time, an introspective loner.

“We all thought we knew her so well but, in reality, we each only knew and loved one aspect of her.’”

After her cancer diagnosis in January, Jo herself said “I have had a brilliant life. I have been so lucky to do the things I have done and to have met the wonderful people I have met. I have no regrets.”

Bacon’s close friend Patrick Roberts spoke passionately as he recalled Jo’s love of life, love of travel and love of animals. There was applause, laughter and tears as the congregation listened to a string of anecdotes about her life and career.

Another friend Barry Bowen said: “The thing I remember and love most about her I suspected in those early local days and it proved true in spades as the years went by…. her unfailing loyalty to her friends. If Jo had wanted to be anything other than the humble person we all knew, she was so well equipped to be a name dropper. Sharing stages and studios with the likes of Redgrave, O’Toole, Mirren, Bates, Rickman, Grant, Firth and Freeman were a silent compliment to her.”

The congregation heard how Bacon started her career in the 1960s and 1970s at amateur dramatic groups in Hatfield Heath and Harlow, Essex. And as she enjoyed increasing success in her career Bacon remained a steadfast supporter of local groups near her home in Hatfield Heath regularly attending many performances of the Heath Players, Harlow Ballet and at Harlow Playhouse

Her coffin left the venue at GreenAcres Epping to the sounds of the Rolling Stones Honky Tonk Women. A huge animal lover, particularly dogs, she asked for donations to be made to a local charity called Mutts in Distress.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs onTikTok,Snapchat,Instagram,Twitter,Facebook,YouTubeandThreads.

While attending a ceremony at Devonport naval base, Queen Camilla has been awarded an esteemed title in a historic move, making her the first royal family member and first woman to hold the designation

Queen Camilla has become the first member of the royal family and first woman to be appointed Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom. The honour was given to the Queen during a ceremony at Devonport naval base in Plymouth today, where, as the sponsor of HMS Astute, she joined a ceremony to mark the end of the submarine’s first commission.

Gen Sir Gwyn Jenkins, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, said Camilla’s new historic title would “further enhance Her Majesty’s relationship with the service” and reflected the “high regard” she commands with sailors and other Naval officers.

Arriving at the naval base, Queen Camilla inspected a Guard of Honour consisting of submariners before the ship’s company performed a traditional “Cheer Ship” salute, as the Queen descended onto the submarine’s deck.

As Lady Sponsor of the HMS Astute submarine, the Queen has maintained close ties with the vessel, and the Navy at large, since naming it in 2007. Since taking on the role of Lady Sponsor, she has been considered a key member of the submarine’s ship’s company and has stayed closely connected with the 135-strong crew.

Camilla’s support has come in the form of annual writings to the crew onboard the vessel, as well as the delivery of care packages that include English breakfast tea and shortbread, which were “really well received on board” according to naval sources.

The office and esteemed title of Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom dates back to the mid-16th century, after it was created by Henry VIII in 1513. The most recent holder of the title was Admiral Lord Boyce, the former First Sea Lord and Chief of the Defence Staff, who died in 2022 aged 79.

Rear Admiral Andy Perks, head of the submarine service, presented Camilla with the honour, which included the formal presentation of a burgee, or pennant, to recognise the Queen’s ongoing support for the Royal Navy.

Commander Christopher Bate, HMS Astute’s Commanding Officer, expressed the crew’s pride in the Queen’s sponsorship, as he said: “Her Majesty The Queen has supported us from the very beginning. She has consistently shown a deep commitment to all aspects of our work.”

He added: “It is a proud and memorable moment to welcome Her Majesty to HMS Astute and for her to meet our families as we mark the end of our first commission.”

While at the naval base, Queen Camilla was given a very unusual gift: a roll of cling film. The Queen was presented with the roll of cling film on a wooden stand after the ceremony, which was engraved with the words: “First of class, second to none.”

The gift marks an inside joke between the submariners as cling film apparently kept the vessel going when they used it to wrap the engines more than two years ago. Camilla found the strange gift very amusing, exclaiming: “The famous clingfilm!” The submariners engraved the gift with a special message: “Clingfilm, keeping Nuclear Submarines at Sea”.

General Sir Gwyn Jenkins met with Queen Camilla earlier today at another event, and expressed his joy over bestowing Camilla with the honour.

He said: “We’re super proud of Her Majesty’s role with HMS Astute, as are the crew, it really matters a lot to us as a Navy and to them as a crew that it’s the Queen’s submarine.”

The Queen then joked to him about not wanting to serve on a submarine, with the head of the Royal Navy saying: “I think we would all recognise that being a submariner is a very special skill set, you have to be really committed to the role and what you do for the country. It can be phenomenally rewarding, it’s an amazing sense of teamwork onboard, but it’s not for everyone.”

Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean have finished their farewell tour, Torvill and Dean: Our Last Dance, after four final performances in their home town of Nottingham

Jayne Torvill has opened up about the secret to her enduring partnership with Christopher Dean following their emotional final performance together.

The legendary ice skating duo, who captured the nation’s heart with their Olympic gold at the 1984 Winter Games, decided to hang up their skates as a pair in 2024.

After concluding their goodbye tour, Torvill and Dean: Our Last Dance, with four last shows in Nottingham, they reflected on the journey that started it all.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Torvill, aged 67, said “It was all just very new for both of us.

“As we skated together a few more times, I think we both realised that we both had a passion for it, and we both wanted to get better. Keep doing it, practice, get better. And I think that’s what kept us going all these years.

“I always say that we never got married, so that’s why we are still best of friends and still love working together.”

Chris, now 66, added: “Never leave the ice with an argument though. We’ve grown up through all those stages of life, from 15-year-olds to 20-year-olds to 30-year-olds to marriages to children, retirement now.

“We’ve done so much over the 50 years and seen so much together over the 50 years.”

The Dancing on Ice legends, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, have hung up their skates for the last time as a duo, 40 years after clinching the 1984 Olympic gold with their iconic Bolero routine in Sarajevo, reports the Manchester Evening News.

As they embarked on the UK stretch of their goodbye tour this April, they performed Bolero one last time, with Chris hailing the crowd as “phenomenal” and expressing joy at being able to “bow out on a high”.

While this signifies the end of their joint performances, the pair assured fans they have other ventures lined up and will continue to stay connected.

Chris revealed: “We’ll meet up in London and go and watch a show at least once a month, something like that. We like mentoring. We’ll work with other people.

“I still really enjoy choreographing, so I hope to work with other skaters, and certainly other shows, other skating shows.”

Jayne added: “We’ve got other work things coming up, but not performing on the ice together. We are quite often invited to give talks at events and so on.