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GraceDent has opened up about her new role as MasterChef host after taking over from shamed former presenter Gregg Wallace as she admits the show was a ‘very male place’

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Grace Dent has opened up about her MasterChef journey after she was drafted in to replace Gregg Wallace. The restaurant critic will now present Celebrity MasterChef alongside John Torode, as well as hosting the amateur version of the show alongside new co-host and former Gordon Ramsay protégée Anna Haugh, 45, an Irish chef.

Grace, 52, was given the job after Gregg, 61, was sacked in July when an independent inquiry upheld 45 allegations of inappropriate behaviour against him. Following the filming of the celebrity version, John, 60, was also sacked from MasterChef following nine complaints against him.

Just one of those was upheld, an allegation that he used “an extremely offensive racist term” in 2018 or 2019, which he vehemently denied, saying he has “no recollection” of the incident. Now Grace has addressed the issues at MasterChef, which has been airing on the BBC since 1990.

While Grace sang the praises of John admitting: “I absolutely adore John Torode. He is one of the kindest, most concerned, clever, thoughtful men that I know,” she was not so upbeat about Gregg.

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Talking to The Times, she said, “He was always a very, very big character. After reading the entire [inquiry] report, my recollections of having a nice time with him, drinking coffee and having a biscuit now and again is pretty much irrelevant. For me to sit here now and go, ‘Well, that’s not the Gregg that I knew,’ is beside the point because it’s not about what I think.”

Grace has regularly appeared on the show over the last decade as a critic and is now hoping to refresh the show a little alongside new co-host Anna. She explained: “MasterChef was a very male place for the whole time I was there — utter male energy all the time. To be there now with a woman by my side, it’s fantastic.”

Grace also admitted that she cried when she was given the job at MasterChef, which she referred to as the “biggest and most important food show on British television.” After it was confirmed that she was joining the show, Grace shared a statement which read, “I’ve been watching MasterChef since I was a girl sitting with my dad on the sofa.

“My whole family watches it. It’s all about uncovering and championing talent, and to have ended up in this position is more than a dream to me. I’m so excited that I can’t eat, which is severely detrimental to a restaurant critic.

“I feel very lucky to be stepping in for the next Celebrity MasterChef. I can’t wait to meet the fresh celebrity faces for 2025.

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Gregg issued a furious statement on social media, claiming that the Silkin’s Report into his alleged misconduct “exonerates him of all the serious allegations which made headlines last year.” In a lengthy post shared on social media, he wrote, “I’ve taken the decision to speak out ahead of the publication of the Silkins report – a decision I do not take lightly. But after 21 years of loyal service to the BBC, I cannot sit in silence while my reputation is further damaged to protect others.

“I have now been cleared by the Silkins report of the most serious and sensational accusations made against me. The most damaging claims (including allegations from public figures which have not been upheld) were found to be baseless after a full and forensic six-month investigation.”

He added: “My decision to go public now is also driven by the fact the BBC News division are intending to platform legally unsafe accusations, including claims which have already been investigated and not upheld by the BBC and found not credible by Silkins. The BBC is no longer providing balanced and impartial public service journalism.

“It is peddling baseless and sensationalised gossip masquerading as properly corroborated stories. The BBC is choosing to allow BBC News to run with this uncorroborated tittle tattle in an attempt to ‘get ahead’ of the Silkin’s summary report and derail what has been an extremely thorough process.”

A star behind The Simpsons has died. Dan McGrath, the Emmy-winning comedy writer renowned for the cartoon show, died on Friday, 14 November, following a stroke at the age of 61. His sister Gail McGrath Garabadian announced the devastating news in a heartfelt Facebook post.

“We lost my incredible brother Danny yesterday. He was a special man, one of a kind. An incredible son, brother, uncle and friend. Our hearts are broken,” she wrote.

Tributes poured in for the talented writer as word of his death spread. “Feeling hard the lost of Dan McGrath — a brilliant artist, who I so admired I followed him around for like a year in college. (I can still see him in my mind’s eye, wearing a ‘Jump Up and Kiss Me’ T-shirt and gesturing broadly about his latest play.)

“I was honoured to work with him on ‘As I Lay Dying’ and loved cackling with my family at his wit on ‘Gravity Falls.’ My prayers go out to his mother, Eleanor, the rest of his family, and his many many friends who I know feel this keenly. R.I.P. Danny, we’re better for having known you,” one friend shared on Facebook.

“Oh no!!!! Danny directed me in a few shows, and I loved working with him. A true genius, always kind, and pushing the envelope. It was thrilling. I think of him often, although we were not in touch. So sad…” another wrote.

A third person posted on X: “R.I.P. today to Dan McGrath, great person and super-talented writer at The Simpsons, SNL, King of the Hill, and Mission Hill, where he was right-hand man to @Joshstrangehill and me — and responsible for the incredible Gus & Wally episode.”

A fourth added: “The animation community mourns the passing of Emmy-winning writer Dan McGrath who worked on some of the more memorable episodes of The Simpsons, King of the Hill and Mission Hill on Friday, Nov. 14 at age 61.”

A fifth commented: “RIP to Dan and my condolences to his family and the many Mission Hill fans. Gus and Wally are my favorite representation of LGBT in media and that episode really highlights their story.”

Dan launched his career whilst studying at Harvard University, writing for their publication The Harvard Lampoon. He also established himself as a theatre director during this time.

He secured his first Emmy nomination for his contributions to Saturday Night Live in 1992. He would subsequently win the prestigious award for his work on The Simpsons’ 1997 episode Homer’s Phobia, which featured guest voice actor John Waters.

It received praise from organisations like GLAAD for its anti-homophobia message.

Other notable episodes of The Simpsons he wrote include Time and Punishment, Bart of Darkness, Treehouse of Horror IV and Boy-Scoutz ‘n the Hood. In total, he accumulated over 50 writing credits on the programme and more than 20 as a producer.

Despite this, he claimed he was sacked twice from the series. In addition to his work on the long-running animated sitcom, he also wrote for Gravity Falls, King of the Hill and The PJs.

He contributed to Sammy, co-created by SNL collaborator David Spade, and Muppets Tonight.

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Roman Kemp has revealed that I’m A Celebrity bosses edited out a scene when he grilled Olympian Caitlyn Jenner about O.J. Simpson and the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson

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Roman Kemp has revealed I’m A Celeb bosses cut a scene when he grilled Caitlyn Jenner about OJ Simpson. The broadcaster appeared on the ITV show in 2019, alongside the historic Olympian, but some scenes between them had been cut.

The 32-year-old admits that he has no filter and wasn’t afraid to get stuck in and ask the questions that his campmates may have been too scared to ask. Caitlyn, 76, had an unlikely connection to former footballer O.J. through her ex-wife, Kris Jenner, who was O.J.’s wife’s best friend.

On June 12, 1994, Nicole was brutally murdered outside of her home in Brentwood, California, alongside her pal Ron Goldman. Just months before her murder, she had holidayed with Kris, and the pair had planned to have lunch on the day she was murdered. While in the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! camp, Roman wasted no time in questioning Caitlyn, who had previously stated she believed O.J. was responsible for the murders of Nicole and Ron but “got away with it”.

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O.J. was charged with both murders but was acquitted in 1995. During the highly publicised trial, Kris’ ex-husband, Robert Kardashian was O.J’s defence attorney. Reflecting on his time in the jungle and his campmates, Roman said: “Caitlyn Jenner – that was incredible.

“I think maybe because of my job or my lack of embarrassment filter, I loved asking her questions. Everyone for the first three days was hesitant to ask Caitlyn certain questions, but I probably asked everything you could ever imagine. What was fascinating for me was to learn about a trans person; it was amazing for me to learn about the difficulties and challenges of someone going through transitioning, surgically and non-surgically. I remember everyone was doing their own thing, half listening to what I was saying.”

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During an interview in April 2015, Caitlyn came out as a trans woman, citing issues with gender dysmorphia throughout her life. Two years later, the Olympic decathlon legend underwent cosmetic surgery and completed gender-affirming surgery.

Recalling another conversation, Roman revealed: “I went to Caitlyn, ‘Tell me about O.J. Simpson, ‘ and all of a sudden, everyone shot over and was listening intently. Obviously, it never made the cut – she says it’s all in her book anyway. Conversations like that, that’s why I do this job. What right do I have to be in a situation where I’m having a conversation about that person, with this person – that’s what makes this job worth it.”

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And while some may disagree with Caitlyn’s political and social views, Roman said it would be impossible to “not look” at her determination to be who she wanted to be. “That’s one of the great things about I’m A Celeb, you meet so many different people in different walks of life and you learn from so many people,” he commented.

With I’m A Celeb set to start this evening, and Roman’s dad, Martin, taking part, he admits that he gets “jealous” every year when new names are announced. But while it takes a while for names to appear in the media, he revealed that he will occasionally get a direct message from somebody to “catch up” about topics, including camping, making it obvious who is in talks to take part.

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Despite the show being billed as grim due to living arrangements and Bushtucker Trials, Roman says it was perhaps one of the best projects he’s ever taken part in. “I think it really helped me figure out,” he said, adding: “I felt like in there, I wasn’t anyone. In the first week, you’re working it out.

“Then in the last two weeks, you are just yourself and you’re happy. I think that’s probably the happiest I’ve ever been in my life – which sounds weird because you’re in a camp that’s meant to be horrible, but it probably was the happiest.”

Tonight, fans will see Roman’s dad make his way into the jungle alongside the likes of Jack Osbourne, Kelly Brook, Angry Ginge and the iconic Ruby Wax. During Roman’s time in the jungle, Martin had encouraged fans to vote for him to do an eating trial. Now, Roman says he’ll be getting his own back on his famous father.

Roman has recently been announced as Marriott Bonvoy’s official Getaway Guru in partnership with Nectar, a campaign he aligns with due to his love of travel. “I always think when it comes to what people spend their money on, is experiences,” he said, adding: “When it came around, talking about how people can build up points on their weekly shops, it’s a no-brainer. I’m always an advocate for people when they go away to realise that the experience you are buying lasts forever.”

I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! champion Sam Thompson said the thought had been “freaking him out”, after recently introducing his new girlfriend to family

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Sam Thompson has expressed hopes of becoming a dad, after recently going public with his new girlfriend. The 33-year-old confirmed his relationship with Talitha Balinska, 25, last month, nearly a year after splitting from Zara McDermott.

During the latest instalment of his and Pete Wicks ‘ Staying Relevant podcast, the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! champion admitted that he wanted to become a father by the age of 36 – though had some doubts.

As he and Pete reflected on their journeys so far and shared what advice they’d give their younger selves, the reality star said he believed he’d be settled down by 27.

Sam also insisted he regretted not pursuing his ambition of living and working in Los Angeles for a year.

When his co-host asked if it was too late for such ventures, he responded: “I don’t know, I feel like I’m getting a bit old. I feel like you’ve got to be pretty young to do all that kind of stuff.

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“I think we’re quite similar like that, I just always wanted to wing it, but I do want to be a dad and that has been freaking me out a bit recently. I’m like, ‘Ah, s**t’.”

Pete then asked his co-star if he had set a deadline for having children, to which Sam responded: “I feel like as you say, it’s got to work with the person you’re with and all that kind of stuff.

“Hypothetically, I would probably say 36, so I have three years, less than three years and I know I’m not going to do that as well, so that kind of sucks.”

Sam’s revelation comes after his sister Louise Thompson posted a snap with him, Talitha, and her son during a recent family outing.

The reality star and Talitha, a DJ and producer, are believed to have first crossed paths in 2023 when she posed for his and Reza Amiri-Garroussi’s eyewear brand, Dinelli.

The pair were reportedly re-introduced by Reza this year, after he brought Talitha along to Sam and Pete’s Staying Relevant performance in London.

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An insider revealed to the Daily Mail: “Sam and Talitha are absolutely smitten with each other. When they first met in 2023, they didn’t speak, but friends could tell they would hit it off.

“Reza knew exactly how to be a supportive friend as Sam slowly moved on, and inviting Talitha to his O2 show was definitely the right call.

“Since reconnecting after the podcast show, the rest is history and for Sam’s friends, it’s lovely to see him finally in a good place after a tough six months following his split from Zara.”

Sam and Zara called it quits at the end of 2024 following five years as a couple.

Speaking briefly after their separation was revealed, he confessed: “It was tough. It’s been a tough month. A real tough month.”

The former Strictly Come Dancing contestant has since found love with One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson, after they were initially seen together in March this year.

Andrea Riseborough plays downbeat loner Colleen in ‘Dragonfly’, the film by award winning director Paul Andrew Williams, and stars opposite Vera star Brenda Blethyn

Acting ‘chameleon’ Andrea Riseborough is being tipped for another Oscar nomination for her latest role.

The versatile star plays downbeat loner Colleen in Dragonfly, the film from award-winning writer and director Paul Andrew Williams which had a memorable opening night at the Tyneside cinema in Newcastle.

Riseborough, 43, nominated for the Best Actress Oscar in 2023 for her role in To Leslie, has played everyone from Mrs Thatcher to Wallis Simpson.

The high-dressed glamour of those roles could not be further from the life of Colleen, who walks around the shops of a northern housing estate in a sweat top, jeans and trainers, her loyal but fearsome American bulldog Sabre by her side.

Colleen moves in next door to Brenda Blethyn’s Elsie Roberts in what turns from a tale of neighbourly friendship to dark thriller.

Abandoned by her mum and brother at eight years old, Colleen confides to Elsie that she was taken into care before living on benefits.

She has no friends and spends all her time with Sabre, who follows her around everywhere. She starts to run errands for Elsie, whose only regular visitors before her newfound friend’s arrival are care nurses who shower her and make her meals.

The film, inspired in part by the Covid crisis, is a study of the loneliness that brings the two lead characters together.

Williams admitted that at times, he left his stars to interpret his script without any interruption. “I was extremely fortunate to have two such brilliant actors,” he said.

“It is really special when people do inhabit your work. It was their own interpretation, and I could see it looking at the monitor, it was all left to the actual filming; I was very lucky.”

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A visit from John (Jason Watkins), Elsie’s son, is a turning point which brings an unforgettable ending.

The two stars have again been nominated for a Tribeca film award for their work together and Riseborough said: “I would never in my life imagined that I would ever be nominated with Brenda Blethyn.

“It is the best thing that has ever happened to me and I was married last month.” She fell in love with French-Lebanese actor Karim Saleh on the set of Luxor in 2020. Both she and Blethyn told how they read the script to Dragonfly and found it too good to turn down.

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Blethyn, 79, had just finished her final ever appearance as Vera in the hit ITV series and was preparing for some time off work.

Riseborough told how the audience during a Q&A at the Tyneside that she was determined to take the part. “I absolutely wanted to do it because it is so beautifully done, so beautifully written, and extremely moving.

“I am just humbled that I was asked to do it.” But she joked: “I was staying in a safari park in Yorkshire when I was filming it and Brenda was worried that I was going to be eaten by a lion.

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“I was very lively and I could hear if they started roaring so it was a very different experience; if you needed something to drink you went to the karaoke and bingo.”

Blethyn added: “I was completely isolated by a cemetery, with no transport, I think that I would rather have been with the lions.”

Both Blethyn, twice Oscar nominated for Secrets and Lies (1997) and Little Voice (1999), and Oscar winner Kate Winslet, who worked with Riseborough in Lee, the story of war photographer Lee Miller, paid tribute to the ‘chameleon’ in their co-star.

Winslet said: “She is gentle and sparkly, but then opens her mouth in character and wham! You are given an entirely alternate universe with one breath, or a small adjustment to her posture. Even her eyeballs change shape, for God’s sake!”

Blethyn wanted to do Dragonfly as soon as she discovered she would be opposite the Geordie-born star. “She is brilliant, she is a chameleon, someone called me that once and I was very flattered by that, but then I saw her at work.

“You can try to be clever but I don’t think actors should ever think that they are more interesting than the characters they play.

“We both worked with Mike Leigh and did not divulge anything that we did not need to know.” Riseborough told how they would film some of the emotionally charged scenes towards the end of the film, “then talk about ginger biscuits” in the breaks.

She became famous playing Margaret Thatcher in The Long Walk to Finchley, and in the Madonna film W.E. as a glamorous Wallis Simpson, and as Audrey Withers, editor of Vogue, in Lee.

Colleen is played with an intensity that keeps you glued to the screen, wondering what she might do next; Riseborough admits that her body feels sore at times due to the movement and gait of her characters; with Mrs Simpson, it was painful “from the waist down”.

Her parents George, a car salesman who passed on a love of film, and Isabel, a secretary who loved Shakespeare, were with her for the opening night at the Tyneside.

Riseborough was born and brought up in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, where she gave up her A levels to try her hand at acting and never looked back.

She said of her return to the Tyneside cinema, where she saw some of her favourite movies: “I can’t tell you how much it means to me. I saw so many films here growing up, so many incredible pieces of cinema in this room.

“It is really important to me. I’m looking at the first person who played my dad when I was nine, here in the audience. And remember daddy is here as well.

“There really are no words.”

The Mirror beauty team members have rounded up their pick of the very best Christmas gifts to buy a beauty lover this year, with something for every budget

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If you know someone who loves beauty, the chances are that there’s a beauty product (or three) high up on their Christmas wish list this year. And even if they don’t necessarily know their Murad from their MAC, we bet there aren’t many people who wouldn’t love to find a nice hand cream, luxurious moisturiser or scented candle under the tree.

And at this time of year there are so many lovely things to pick from, from limited-edition collections to beautifully packaged gift sets. To help you to narrow down your search, our beauty editors here at The Mirror have seen plenty of gorgeous gifts this year – including skincare, perfume, make-up and self-care – and these are the items they would genuinely recommend buying for anyone who loves beauty.

READ MORE: New Boots Black Friday deal gets you a £29 MAC setting spray for under £10

READ MORE: ‘Perfect for dads’ coffee advent calendar gets you barista-quality drinks for £2 a cup

Best beauty Christmas gifts for 2025

OK! Beauty Box Christmas Beauty Gift Edit

£59.99 from OK! Beauty Box (worth over £375)

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OK! Beauty Box has launched its annual Christmas Beauty Gift Edit, containing 10 top skincare, make-up, hair and self-care treats and priced at £59.99 – but its contents are worth more than £375 in total. In fact, one product in particular, a luxe anti-ageing eye cream from Rodial, is worth a whopping £145 just on its own – more than double the cost of the entire box – so altogether it’s a real steal.

NEOM Christmas Wish Scented Candle

Currently £30 from NEOM (usual price £40)

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OK, so it’s not really a beauty item, but we reckon that anyone who loves everything else on this list would also love to receive this gorgeous Christmas candle; our beauty team are big fans of NEOM’s candles.

With notes of mandarin, cinnamon and tonka bean, this new scent will fill the home with festive fragrance – and, even better, it currently has 25% off.

Charlotte Tilbury Charlotte’s Mini Viral Beauty Icons

£45 from Charlotte Tilbury (worth £67)

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You’re spoilt for choice for Christmas gifts over on the Charlotte Tilbury website, where the brand’s annual ‘gifting universe’ has something for everyone, and every budget. This travel-friendly set gets our vote as it contains four of our all-time favourite CT products, including the iconic Pillow Talk lipstick and lip liner. It’s an excellent introduction to the brand too, if anyone hasn’t tried it before.

PHLUR Holiday Ornament

£18 from Space NK

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PHLUR’s warm, gourmand and totally Instagrammable body mists have converted beauty editor Laura Mulley away from her designer perfumes, and this cute little bauble makes a lovely stocking filler. Inside is a handbag-friendly 7ml bottle of one of PHLUR’s bestselling scents, Vanilla Skin, for you to enjoy this Christmas and beyond.

The Body Shop Sugarplum Passion Body Butter

£19 from The Body Shop

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There’s no such thing as having too many body creams in winter, and The Body Shop’s iconic Body Butters are about as rich and nourishing as they get. This limited edition scent, Sugarplum Passion, is Christmassy yet still juicy and refreshing – ideal for those who don’t like rich, overpowering Christmas fragrances.

Jo Malone London Ginger Biscuit Cologne

£128 from Jo Malone London

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No one does Christmas gifts quite like Jo Malone; we can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t be thrilled to see one of its cream-and-black, ribbon-tied boxes under the tree.

This festive fragrance smells like straight-out-of-the-oven gingerbread men, with notes of spicy ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon alongside caramel, roasted hazelnuts, tonka bean and vanilla.

L’Oreal Paris Volume Million Lashes Panorama Mascara

Currently £9.74 from Lookfantastic (usual price £12.99)

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Proving that excellent beauty products needn’t cost a fortune, this is one of Laura’s favourite ever mascaras, delivering volume and definition without clumps. Stick this in someone’s stocking and they’ll be sure to thank you.

You’ll also often find it in Black Friday deals at this time of year, including this 25% off offer at Lookfantastic.

12 more beauty Christmas gifts

• This Works Perfect Hands Stocking Filler, £10 from M&S
• Murad The Retinal Resculptors Gift Set, £105 from Murad (worth £197)
• Neal’s Yard Remedies All Aglow Duo, £22 from Neal’s Yard Remedies
• Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil £33 from Dior
• ghd Duet Blowdry Hair Dryer Brush set in Cherry Chic, currrently £339 from ghd (usual price £399)
• Vieve The Heroes, £58 from Sephora
• Laneige Hot Cocoa Lip Sleeping Mask, £21 from Lookfantastic
• Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Cheek and Lip Trio Rare Beauty, £40 from Sephora
• Elizabeth Arden Hyaluronic Acid + Peptides Ceramides Hydra-Plumping Water Cream, currently £61.60 at Lookfantastic (usual price £77)
• Gucci Guilty Absolu De Parfum Pour Femme, £128 for 60ml from Lookfantastic
• Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Bergamot & Cardamom cleanser, £36 from Boots
• Jo Loves Christmas A Layered Candle, currently £72 from Cult Beauty (usual price £90)