Fraser Dingwall can have an impact for England like Rodri has at Manchester City, says scrum-half Alex Mitchell.
The Northampton Saints centre, 25, is set to win his third cap for England against Italy in the Six Nations on Sunday as he replaces Henry Slade.
“He is like a Rodri at Man City”, Mitchell said, referencing the Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder who is influential at the Premier League champions.
“He doesn’t always get the great goals or the assists or whatever, but he is a mainstay in your team and does all the great things. He is similar to that.
” He is a quality player, a lot of the time he goes unnoticed because he does his job so well.
Dingwall is playing his first England game since the 2024 Six Nations, where he won his first two caps in England’s opening wins over Italy and Wales. He was part of 10 international camps before his first outings for his country.
Mitchell plays alongside him at club level but adds he did not need to console Dingwall after being overlooked by England on several occasions.
“He has got a good head on him, he has captained quite a lot at Northampton so he knows how to deal with himself”, said Mitchell.
“With selection, you chat to them to see if they need anything from you. He is a fantastic human so he knows how to look after himself”.
TOWIE’s Ella Rae Wise is opening up about her relationship with Dan Edgar.
The TOWIE cast is set to grace our screens tomorrow (9th March) on ITVBe with an episode filmed in the exotic locale of Bali, a place that holds significant memories for both Ella and Dan.
Reflecting on the unique circumstances of the trip, Ella candidly remarked, “It’s not ideal being away with your fella’s ex bird”! Dan’s colourful love life, including a messy split from Amber Turner in 2023 after six years and, most recently, his on-off relationship with another fellow castmate, Ella Rae Wise, has had fans gripped for years.
Ella and Dan are going from strength to strength
Expressing the void left by Dan’s absence in Bali, Ella shared, “I’m really missing Dan and it’s so weird without him here because Bali is where it all happened, where we started the love really. Everywhere I look there’s a memory, but absence makes the heart grow fonder”.
Speaking to OK! Last month, Dan also gave an update on his relationship with Ella: “We seem to gravitate towards each other. We were on and off last year, then filmed the TOWIE Christmas special and ended up enjoying each other’s company again. We thought, ‘ Why not give it another go? ‘ I’ve got this habit of over-analysing everything, but I just thought, ‘ Go for it'”.
Ella and Dan’s relationship had previously been marked by turbulence, including flings, cheating allegations, and public disputes, notably a high-profile argument on The Only Way Is Essex. Recently, Ella was rumoured to be involved with businessman Teddy Brunt, but her attendance at Dan’s performance suggested a possible reconciliation.
The TOWIE cast in Bali
Dan’s journey on Dancing on Ice recently came to an unexpected halt, which will give him more time to spend with Ella. The 34-year-old TOWIE star faced elimination after a skate-off with retired footballer Anton Ferdinand. The judges unanimously voted to save Anton, leading to Dan’s departure from the competition. This decision sparked a wave of controversy among fans, with many taking to social media to express their outrage and accuse the show of being fixed, especially given Anton’s noticeable mistakes during his routine.
Despite the controversy, Dan took to Instagram to express his gratitude for the support he received and reflected positively on his experience on the show. His unexpected elimination has fuelled ongoing debates about the show’s judging criteria and the transparency of the scoring system.
The current TOWIE series has been nothing short of eventful. The Bali trip, in particular, will be a focal point, capturing moments of romance, tension, and personal growth among the cast members.
The Only Way Is Essex, Sundays at 9pm on ITVBe and ITVX and TOWIE takes Bali starts Sunday 9 March.
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In her brand new food show, With Love, Meghan, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, opened up about the surname she now uses. But not everyone is too sure about it.
The Californian Royal, who left palace life behind five years ago, has long put aside her maiden name of Markle, but this is still the name to which she is often referred.
While chatting about fast food with Mindy Kaling in the second episode, Meghan can be seen gently correcting The Office actress after she remarked: “People wouldn’t believe that Meghan Markle ate at Jack in the Box”.
Offering some insight into how she refers to herself away from the public eye, mum of two Meghan replied: “It’s so funny, too, that you keep saying Meghan Markle. You know I’m Sussex now. You have kids, and you go, ‘ no I share my name with my children’…I didn’t know how meaningful it would be to me, but it just means so much to go ‘ this is our family name, our little family name'”.
However, just as fans were getting used to the idea of “Meghan Sussex”, King Charles ‘ second cousin Lord Ivar Mountbatten came forward with a clarification, insisting that the 43-year-old duchess had gotten it quite wrong.
Season two of With Love, Meghan has now been confirmed (Netflix)
Lord Mountbatten, who recently appeared on The Traitors (US), told Town &, Country: “It’s interesting because she’s completely incorrect. Her family name is not Sussex, her family name is Mountbatten-Windsor. Her children are called Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor, they’re not called Archie and Lilibet Sussex because Sussex is a title”.
The aristocrat continued: “So, they are the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, but actually he’s Harry Mountbatten-Windsor and she would be Meghan Mountbatten-Windsor. My brother is the Marquess of Milford Haven, but his surname is Mountbatten, so he’s called George Mountbatten, the Marquess of Milford Haven. When I read that, it was an article about her new program, and she said that her family name is Sussex”.
He went on to clarify that he hadn’t yet tuned into With Love, Meghan, which hit Netflix on Tuesday, March 4, predicting: “I might be interested to watch it, it might not last long”.
However, it would appear that this food show is no flash in the pan, with Netflix confirming on Friday (March 7), that the series will be returning for a second season, which has already been filmed. Taking to Instagram with a video shared to her Stories, Meghan announced: “Lettuce romaine calm… or not (!) because I’m thrilled to share that Season 2 of ‘ With Love, Meghan ‘ is coming”!
You can stream With Love, Meghan on Netflix now.
Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia. banim@reachplc.com. Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has described as untrue, the ₦700 billion fraud allegation leveled against his immediate predecessor, Udom Emmanuel, by the Network against Corruption and Trafficking, and being probed by anti-graft agency EFCC.
“I don’t know where they get those figures from because it can’t be from Akwa Ibom State, it can’t be from us – we don’t have such figures”, Eno said at a town hall meeting in the Abak area of the state on Saturday.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governor condemned what he described as a vilification of the past governors of the oil-rich South-South state since the return to democracy in 1999.
Eno said, “I begin to feel that how we treat our leaders after they have put in all their efforts to serve can be very discouraging.
” We have done this consistently from Obong Attah, even the distinguished Senate President (Godswill Akpabio), we also vilified him, we went to EFCC. Now, we are doing it to Gov Udom Emmanuel. “
The governor said subjecting leaders to fraud probes after they have served their people well in office would discourage those currently in office from giving their best whilst in service.
” I’m already expecting that it will happen to me but what this does is to discourage leadership, it discourages you from giving your best, from burning out yourself because at the end of the day, the people don’t show you that gratitude, “he said.
” When a man has served his state meritoriously like Governor Udom Emmanuel did, honestly, should be honoured, and should be respected.
“I don’t see a place for this kind of vilification that is going on, it is not correct – I don’t believe it should go on.
” It is not correct, it is not truthful and we need to just dismiss it with a pinch of salt, “he added.
On Tuesday, March 4, 2025, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detained Emmanuel for alleged ₦700 billion fraud.
This followed the petitioner’s allegations of money laundering and diversion of funds preferred against PDP’s Emmanuel, who was Akwa Ibom State governor from May 2015 to May 2023.
Nottingham Forest dealt a major blow to Manchester City’s bid to qualify for the Champions League as Callum Hudson-Odoi’s late winner sealed a 1-0 victory in the top four shoot-out on Saturday.
City have been reduced to battling for a place in next season’s Champions League after a dismal campaign.
Even that usually routine target is far from assured for Guardiola’s men following their ninth league defeat this term.
Goalscorer Nottingham Forest’s English midfielder #14 Callum Hudson-Odoi celebrates after the English Premier League football match between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City at The City Ground in Nottingham, central England, on March 8, 2025. Forest won the game 1-0. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP)
With six titles in the past seven seasons, City have rarely had to worry about their place in the Premier League’s top four in the Pep Guardiola era.
Yet they left the City Ground looking anxiously over their shoulders after a first league loss to Forest since 1997.
Fifth-placed Chelsea, just one point adrift of City, will go above the champions if they beat lowly Leicester on Sunday.
Manchester City’s Spanish manager Pep Guardiola (C) consoles Manchester City’s Croatian midfielder #08 Mateo Kovacic (L) after the English Premier League football match between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City at The City Ground in Nottingham, central England, on March 8, 2025. Forest won the game 1-0. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP)
Finishing fifth could still be enough for City to reach Europe’s elite club competition depend on the results of the English clubs who remain in continental competitions this term.
For City to achieve that modest goal, they will have to significantly improve on the latest limp display in a turbulent season.
Third-placed Forest are four points clear of City thanks to only their third win in their last eight league games.
Enjoying a fairytale season just a year after battling relegation, the former European champions are closing on a berth in the Champions League for the first time since 1980-81.
Nottingham Forest’s Scottish midfielder #08 Elliot Anderson (L) vies with Manchester City’s Brazilian midfielder #26 Savinho (R) during the English Premier League football match between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City at The City Ground in Nottingham, central England, on March 8, 2025. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP)
After Forest’s former defender Stuart Pearce was rushed to hospital having been taken ill on a flight this week, his old club displayed a big screen message reading ‘ Get Well Soon Stuart’, after three minutes of the Premier League game, recognising Pearce’s old shirt number three.
– City Ground erupts –
Forest were able to draw on the ultra-aggressive Pearce’s trademark fire and brimstone in a stirring finale that followed a tepid first half.
Nico Gonzalez fired just wide from 25 yards as City tried in vain to seize the initiative in a nervous start from both teams.
The unseasonably sunny weather by the banks of the River Trent gave a soporific feel to what should have been a high-tempo clash with so much at stake.
City went close when Josko Gvardiol picked out Phil Foden, whose goal-bound shot was blocked by Nicolas Dominguez, before Bernardo Silva wastefully fired over with Erling Haaland unmarked and waiting for a pass that never came.
Jeremy Doku’s strike forced Forest keeper Matz Sels into action for the first time.
But a woeful effort from Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White finished closer to the corner flag than the goal, an ugly misfire in keeping with the scrappy fare.
Anthony Elanga crossed to the far post where Dominguez’s volley finally forced Ederson to make a save soon after the interval.
Guardiola sent on Omar Marmoush, Kevin De Bruyne, Rico Lewis and Mateo Kovacic in a bid to spark City into life.
The changes didn’t have the desired effect as Forest found late momentum.
Ederson made a fine save, turning Hudson-Odoi’s curler onto the post.
De Bruyne’s free-kick was saved by Sels, but Hudson-Odoi stole the points as the City Ground erupted in the 83rd minute.
Gibbs-White conjured an inch-perfect pass to Hudson-Odoi and the forward cut inside before drilling a superb strike past Ederson’s weak attempted save at the near post.
The United Nations has urged women around the world to stand their ground in the face of adversity.
The call was made as the world celebrates the 2025 International Women’s Day on March 8.
According to the human rights group, the IWD is a chance to rise and make the world equal and better for everyone.
“On International Women’s Day (8 March), that is the bold call for action for all women and girls worldwide.  ,  , As we mark the 30th year of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the world is deeply unequal.
” International Women’s Day is a chance to rise and demand action and to deliver on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action to make the world equal and better for everyone.
“There is power in each woman who stands her ground. There is power in each girl with a book in her hands. There is power in each leader who speaks up for equality”, the UN wrote on its X handle.
READ ALSO: ‘ Your Strength Fuels Nigeria’, President Tinubu Celebrates Women On 2025 IWD
The UN said there is hope as it lists its progress on women’s rights.
It listed the progress as:  ,
For 89 per cent of governments, ending violence against women is a top priority today, and 193 countries have legal measures against it.
Data shows that countries with domestic violence laws have seen fewer cases of violence against women.
Most of the world has reached parity in education. By bridging the gender gap in accessing and shaping science and technology, we clear the remaining bottlenecks to equal opportunities and create technology that serves more people and the planet.
More States have strengthened care services and 32 per cent of countries globally now promote better pay and safe working conditions for care workers.
There are 112 countries with a national plan to engage women in peace and security processes – a significant increase from 19 countries in 2010.
READ ALSO: 2025 IWD: WOWICAN Appeals For Women Empowerment In Literacy Education
