Archive August 2, 2025

According to reports, Strictly Come Dancing has begun an investigation into allegations that two of its stars allegedly drank cocaine. To investigate the allegations, the BBC has engaged the legal firm Pinsent Masons.

The BBC has reportedly enlisted the services of a top legal firm to investigate accusations of cocaine use by two Strictly Come Dancing stars, with reports suggesting their substance abuse was an open secret on the show.

According to reports this evening, former participants, professional dancers, and crew members have been invited to speak with the attorneys at Pinsent Masons to discuss any issues they might have.

The long-running BBC series, which has been plagued with multiple scandals over recent years, is now embroiled in controversy following drug use claims submitted to the BBC in March by Russells Solicitors on behalf of a celebrity contestant.

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According to some sources, additional individuals have reportedly brought up allegations of drug use on Strictly Come Dancing with the BBC.

In a statement shared with the Mirror this evening, a representative for the BBC said: “We have clear protocols and policies in place for dealing with any serious complaint raised with us. We would always encourage people to speak to us if they have concerns. It would not be appropriate for us to comment further.”

According to The Sun, one of the allegations centers on a Strictly star who allegedly made a comment about another person’s dilated pupils, implying drug use, by saying, “Have you seen their pupils… they’re off their face.”

Additionally, a celebrity claimed that two stars were using cocaine, a subject that was reportedly frowned upon by the cast, making it known in The Sun.

These assertions are “extremely serious,” according to a source. It seems particularly revolting given that the BBC Director-General promised to clean things up Strictly only last year. The concept of the show’s stars talking about taking drugs is incredibly unsettling. The BBC acknowledged receiving these allegations for a while and is aware of them.

The state-funded broadcaster is reportedly “taking firm action” according to reports.

Singing power Mariah Carey has made her long-awaited UK tour stop midway through the performance by inviting some unlikely guests.

Mariah Carey has taken centre stage at Brighton Pride this weekend, headlining the Pride on the Park event at Preston Park on Saturday, August 2, in a performance fans have been waiting for since her originally planned appearance in 2020 was cancelled due to the pandemic.

The 56-year-old international superstar, known for hits like Fantasy, Hero, and We Belong Together, hasn’t performed in the UK since 2019’s Royal Albert Hall shows.

Her Brighton show marked her first UK performance in six years and one of only a handful of international dates confirmed for 2025. It comes after the US singer insisted that ageing ‘just doesn’t happen’ to her in candid admission.

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As Mariah abruptly stopped her performance and asked some improbable people on stage, the audience members were shocked as they sang along in their thousands.

Before continuing with her performance, the American singer said she needed a “touch up.” She then requested that her hair and makeup team, who were on stage, come out to the stage to top off her bouncy curls and makeup.

Speaking to The Mirror, a Mariah fan at Pride said: “What Mariah wants, Mariah must get. She called her makeup and hair team to the stage to touch up her hair and makeup. As she should, the queen that she is.

She was truly incredible, and it just proves that, despite being one of the biggest stars on earth, she is unconcerned about her desire to look her best, just like everyone else.

Carey teased herself in a playful TikTok video that showed her boarding a private jet in Paris while sporting a chic black Prada dress and Louboutin boots prior to the event.

Nothing beats attending Brighton Pride, she said in the clip’s title. “,” causing a flurry of online rage for her fans.

Carey’s performance was hailed as a significant festival moment by the organizers. For the city’s LGBTQ+ celebration, the managing director of Brighton Pride described her as a “global icon” whose appearance would be “truly significant.”

The album Here for It All, which is scheduled for release in September, features tracks from her upcoming album and timeless classics on the setlist. Along with her new single Sugar Sweet, her fans have enjoyed her other albums, including Fantasy, Emotions, We Belong Together, and Always Be My Baby.

Fans have expressed their excitement both online and in person. After being a fan for 18 years, I made my purchase of tickets months ago; it’s my first time seeing her live.

Another emphasized that seeing our legendary artists perform while they are still alive is crucial. She was incredible.

More than 300,000 people were expected to attend this year’s Pride event, which was expected to surpass last year’s record turnout.

With Kathy Sledge as her supporting act, Carey makes her Saturday night appearance. Following the band’s incredible reunion, the Sugababes will take over the main stage on Sunday.

And Carey’s performance went beyond just a headliner. A celebration of her long-awaited return to the UK, a celebration of her enduring musical career, and a major highlight for Brighton Pride.

Tonight serves as a powerful reminder of why she continues to be one of the most well-known vocalists and performers in pop history.

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In a documentary called Lucy Letby: Beyond Reasonable Doubt?, medical experts question the allegations that the convicted nurse killed seven babies and attempted to kill seven others as her legal team prepares to file an appeal.

Several medical experts criticise the “deeply disturbing” and “flawed” evidence used to convict killer nurse Lucy Letby in a new documentary on TV tonight.

Letby was found guilty of murdering seven newborn babies and attempting to kill seven others and was handed 15 whole life sentences, meaning she will never be released from prison.

But in ITV’s Lucy Letby: Beyond Reasonable Doubt? her barrister Mark McDonald says: “There’s no direct evidence, no one saw her do anything wrong.” It comes after it was reported that ‘scared’ Letby can’t lose weight as she hoards ‘junk food’ behind bars.

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She has caused harm, he adds, “In the trial, they started from the beginning.” We’ll just come up with a theory, so we can show how she has hurt each child. And that theory led to her conviction.

There are no longer any appeals. However, a panel of medical experts led by Dr. Shoo Lee discovered that Letby had not mutilated any infants. The Criminal Cases Review Commission has now received a request from her defense team.

Former Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health president Dr. Neena Modi says: “It’s been deeply unsettling that such a hugely significant trial has been conducted with so many shortcomings.”

A shift chart, which allegedly demonstrates that Letby was present when the babies were being treated at the Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016, is one alleged flaw.

However, Letby was absent from some instances, according to statistician Professor Jane Hutton, adding that, “This is a summary that can only be described as grossly misleading.”

Additionally, it was claimed that Letby had removed a breathing tube to cause the death of one baby. However, some experts claim that there are “various reasons” why the tubes can be dislodged.

In court, Letby’s notes, including the phrase “I am evil I did this,” were given as confessionals. However, it is claimed that hospital staff encouraged her to record her feelings to help her manage stress.

Additionally, it is claimed that Dr. Dewi Evans, the prosecution’s lead expert, has had his perspective on the deaths of three children in the past three years.

He denies this, claiming that a jury and the Court of Appeal have sided with him on his evidence. He also contends that Dr. Shoo Lee’s panel’s case contains significant factual errors and has not been subjected to legal scrutiny.

Following two jury trials, Lucy Letby was found guilty of 15 different counts by the CPS.

Letby’s request for an appeal was denied by the Court of Appeal in May 2024, rejecting her claim that expert prosecution evidence was flawed.

Additionally, it stated that it is taking into account police reports from the Countess of Chester and Liverpool Women’s Hospital regarding additional infant deaths and collapses.

Beyond Reasonable Doubt, Lucy Letby? is on ITV1, at 10.20pm, tonight.

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Harry Redknapp, the former football manager, is going on a tour later this year, and he’s asking fans to pay an extra £15 to take photos with him at his venues.

Fans of millionaire Harry Redknapp are being told: “He’s a celebrity… get him £15 more for a selfie.” The extra charge is being slapped on those who want a snap with the King of the Jungle at a talk he is hosting.

The former football manager, whose love for wife Sandra and jam roly-polys helped him win ITV reality show I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here in 2018, is touring venues near his Sandbanks home in Dorset. But only fans with an £80 VIP ticket for An Evening with Harry Redknapp at St Petroc’s Church in Bodmin, Cornwall, will get a selfie with the 78-year-old.

Others at the October 9 event, who have splashed out up to £60 for a ticket, must pay £15 more for a pic. At Tregenna Castle in St Ives on October 3, a VIP ticket with a selfie costs £169, or £149 without one. It comes after Channel 4 breaks silence after Gogglebox couple suddenly dumped from show .

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Fans who pay the price for “Premium VIP” admission also receive “a personal photo opportunity (taken by us with your own camera/phone)” At the same time, it costs £149 for a VIP ticket without the snap.

Former managers of Bournemouth, West Ham, and Portsmouth will be sharing insider secrets, football anecdotes, and plenty of laughs, according to an advertisement for the talks. Additionally, it lists one of football’s “most charismatic figures” as a Q&A and Q&A session.

Harry, who may return to the jungle in an all-star spin-off, is not the only famous name to charge for photos. Actors Danny Dyer and Sir David Jason have also previously asked fans to shell out extra for snaps.

When a reporter suggested Harry was a wheeler-dealer, Harry, who is known for his clever moves in football transfers, stormed off a 2010 TV interview. He responded, “F*** off, I’m not a dealer and wheeler.” Football manager is a f******.

In September, burglars broke into Harry’s £5 million home and took her wife Sandra’s jewelry.

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