Category Entertainment News

Balamory, which starred the likes of Julie Wilson Nimmo as Miss Hoolie, is set to return after the BBC announced last year that it had commissioned two new series for CBeebies

A cast member from the original Balamory has announced that they will be part of the pre-school show’s return on CBeebies. It comes after the BBC announced plans for a “reboot” of the show, which is said to be getting a “revamp”.

It was announced last year that Balamory would be revived more than 20 years since it last aired. The broadcaster said at the time that the reboot is expected to launch in 2026 with the first of two new series that it had commissioned.

The BAFTA-winning show, which launched on the BBC children’s channel in 2002, focused on the fictional island community off the coast of Scotland. It ran for four series before coming to an end two decades ago in 2005.

It included Julie Wilson Nimmo, now 53, who played Miss Hoolie, among its cast. Miss Hoolie, who acted as the narrator of each episode, was introduced as a nursery teacher and remained the lead character throughout.

Julie has now confirmed that she will be back for the new series of Balamory. She shared the news in response to a fan who asked about the prospect in the comments section of a post about the actor doing yoga on Sunday.

The fan asked in the comments section on Instagram over the weekend: “Are you going to be in Balamory reboot?” Julie, who liked the comment, addressed the prospect in a reply. She simply responded to the fan: “Yup.”

It was previously suggested by the BBC that the new series will feature characters from the original show, as well as introducing a host of new residents of Balamory. No casting details were included in the initial announcement, though.

Balamory had been filmed in the village of Tobermory. It was announced last year that the new series will either be filmed in the same location or elsewhere in Scotland, with the prospect of Rothesay mentioned at the time.

Julie returned to Tobermory at the end of her BBC Scotland show Jules and Greg’s Wild Swim, in which she toured wild swimming locations with her husband Greg Hemphill. She teased then that she felt emotional being back.

Whilst arriving into the village, she told her husband on the docuseries, which aired last year: “This is magical. ” She added: “I actually feel really emotional. ” Julie, who later took photos with fans, then said: “I’m pure welling up. “

Speaking about the reboot, Julie said: “It’s the craziest and best news ever that Balamory is coming back. I seriously think this is bigger than the Oasis reunion. Everyone I know loves the show and has been missing it. “

When the BBC first announced the revival last year, it said that the new series will be set in the fictional Balamory, with stories “centred around a nursery school and their teacher. ” It added that it’s interested in “some” of the original characters being included alongside “a host of new faces”.

Kate Morton, Head of Commissioning 0-6 for BBC Children’s and Education, said at the time: “A whole new generation will discover and enjoy Balamory as we bring families together with this new update for CBeebies. It will be a real treat for parents who grew up with the show to now introduce their little ones to the brightly coloured world getting to know a host of old and new characters together.”

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Nigerian documentary filmmaker Joel Kachi Benson has revealed that his decision to pursue a career in nonfiction storytelling was once met with scepticism, even from friends, before his recent global recognition.

“I remember when I first said I wanted to make documentaries, my friends thought I was half crazy. They were like, ‘What does that even mean? ’ ‘What’s the model behind that? ’ I couldn’t really explain it — I just knew I loved nonfiction, real stories, and unscripted TV.

“I love these real stories and I felt happy doing them. So I was like, Look, man, I’m just happy doing this. So I’m going to do it. And years later, we’re telling the kind of stories that we want to tell, how we want to tell them and putting them on these, you know, platforms,” Benson said in an interview with Channels Television entertainment.

Fast forward to 2025, Benson made history as the first Nigerian to win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary at the News and Documentary Emmy Awards in New York City.

The winning film, Madu, co-directed with Oscar-nominated Matt Ogens, tells the inspiring story of Nigerian ballet dancer Anthony Madu.

“I see myself in Anthony. Pursuing a dream that is seemingly unachievable, but you put your heart to it and, you know, let time and chance and all of that take care of the rest,” Benson said.

‘Nigerian Stories Matter’

The Disney Original Documentary Madu was honoured at the ceremony held at the Palladium Times Square, where it also received a nomination for Outstanding Direction (Documentary).

It shone in the arts and culture category, beating entries such as As We Speak: Rap Music on Trial, Butterfly in the Sky, Hollywood Black, and King Coal (POV).

The 44-second viral video that inspired the film showed Anthony, then aged 11, dancing barefoot in the rain in Lagos. It garnered over 16 million views online, leading to a scholarship offer from the Elmhurst Ballet School in the UK.

READ ALSO: Kachi Benson Wins Emmy For Disney Documentary ‘Madu’

Reflecting on his surprise win, Benson said, “It wasn’t something I was expecting, because when they mentioned all the nominees, I was shocked. But I always see wins like this not just as personal victories but for the entire Nigerian documentary filmmaking community.

“It shows our stories matter. We can tell them on the biggest platforms and hold our own. I hope this inspires someone to say, ‘If Kachi can do it, then I can too. ’”

Nigerian Doc Filmmaking Funding A Challenge

Benson used the platform to call for greater funding access for documentary filmmakers in Nigeria, describing it as the biggest hurdle in the industry.

“The biggest challenge for doc filmmakers in Nigeria is just access to support and funding to tell the kind of stories we want to tell,” he said.

“That’s something I’m really committed to right now—whether it’s training or figuring out ways young filmmakers can access funds, no matter how little, to pursue their dreams. ”

He stressed that not every production needed a big budget and said he was already in talks with stakeholders like iREP founder Femi Odugbemi on how to make documentary filmmaking more accessible.

“It shouldn’t revolve around only a certain group who have access. The more filmmakers we empower, the better for the ecosystem — and the better for Nigeria. Who knows what the next guy could do to put us on the map? ” he said.

Benson also revealed that his latest documentary Mothers of Chibok — the sequel to his Venice Lion-winning Daughters of Chibok — recently won three major awards at the Encounters South Africa International Film Festival, including Best Documentary, Best Feature Documentary, and the Al Jazeera Prize.

Bridgerton star Genevieve Chenneour was left shaken after fighting off a teenage thief who attempted to steal her phone at a London coffee shop before she tackled him

The teenager who attempted to steal Bridgerton actress Genevieve Chenneour’s phone has been jailed for 22 months. The star, who appeared as Clara Livingston in the third season of the popular Netflix series, was ambushed at Joe & The Juice in Kensington, south-west London.

The 27-year-old former Team GB athlete bravely confronted the thief, Zacariah Boulares, after he grabbed her phone off a counter. Dramatic CCTV footage captured Genevieve grabbing him before wrestling him to the ground with the aid of her then-boyfriend, scriptwriter Carlo Kureishi.

During the tussle, she reclaimed her phone and hit him with it, later stating: “They didn’t expect me to stand up for myself, but I did. ”

Carlo, son of writer Hanif Kureishi, was assaulted during the scuffle and warned he would be stabbed. Recounting the ordeal at Isleworth Crown Court, Genevieve expressed how “extremely shaken” she was by the February incident.

Her victim impact statement detailed her heightened anxiety and reluctance to leave her home, saying: “I am extremely worried I might see both suspects, I felt like I emotionally shut down, and I am anxious to leave my home again. “

She admitted her fondness for Joe & The Juice but confessed to feeling apprehensive about returning and even contemplating moving away from London due to fear. She also said she was left with concussion and claimed even her dog was “traumatised”.

Echoing her feelings, Carlo shared his own unease, remarking, “I feel like being in a cafe is going to make me feel paranoid and unsafe. ” Prosecutor Alex Mullen told the court: “She ordered a drink and sat waiting for it to be made.

“While she was waiting, she noticed that the defendant walked past her. Then, a short time after, she heard a sound as if someone was very close behind her. She turned and she witnessed the defendant taking her phone from the counter. ”

She said Carlo was able to detain Boulares, but was attacked by an unknown accomplice who threatened to “f** [him] up or stab [him]. ”*

Police were called by Genevieve and other café customers as the drama unfolded. Boulares, 18, from Hounslow, admitted theft and common assault. He also pleaded guilty to stealing a handbag from a diner at Pizza Pilgrims, and a backpack from a blind couple at Five Guys all in Kensington, within ten days.

He has 12 previous convictions for 28 offence,s including threatening Songs of Praise presenter Aled Jones with a 20-inch machete during a Rolex robbery in 2022. Aled, 52, was out with his son when Boulares, then 16, told him: “Give me your f*king Rolex or I will cut your arm off. ”

After handing over the £17k Daytona, they tried to follow him – only for Boulares to threaten: “Walk the other way or I will cut your head off. ”

Boulares served just 14 months of a two-year sentence. In court this week, Boulares appeared in a grey tracksuit and flipped his middle finger at reporters after being sentenced.

Judge Martin Edmund said: “The trauma extends also to his girlfriend. You chose to adopt a systematic lifestyle of preying on those who had more than you. ”

He said Genevieve was “seriously affected, experiencing depression and anxiety to the extent that she is considering leaving London. ” In court, Boulares was handed consecutive sentences, with five months for a theft at Pizza Pilgrims, seven months for snatching Genevieve’s phone, four months for assaulting Carlo and six months for an incident at Five Guys.

An application for a criminal behaviour order will be heard on July 9. Superintendent Owen Renowden said: “His behaviour showed a blatant disregard for others and their belongings, even going as far to admit that he only targets vulnerable people. I commend the determination of officers who brought him to justice. ”

Amazon’s sale extravaganza kicks off next week, but the deals won’t be available to everybody

Amazon Prime Day kicks off next week, but shoppers will need to do one thing before the global shopping event gets underway on 8 July. The sale extravaganza will see thousands of products discounted until the end of the event on July 11, however these deals are exclusively for Amazon Prime Members.

This includes Amazon Prime monthly, annual and free trial members, Prime for Students, and Amazon Family. Shoppers yet to become a Prime member can sign up to a free 30-day Prime Trial here to ensure they can take part in the four-day sale.

Customers who are not a Prime member can still buy Amazon products throughout next week, however they will have to pay the usual retail prices. Prime Video members must upgrade to a full Prime membership before being able to take advantage of the deals.

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Not only do Prime members get exclusive deals during Prime week, they can also snap up great discounts all-year round. Members can also enjoy free next day delivery on a variety of products, plus they have access to Prime Video and Music.

Shoppers with a Prime membership can also set up app notifications to ensure they don’t miss out on deals. Although this year’s summer Prime Day sale is yet to get underway, there are already some fabulous offers up for grabs.

Sign up to Amazon’s 30-day Prime Member Trial

Free

Sign up

Amazon is not the only retailer currently offering deals via a sale. Debenhams has a blue cross sale with up to 75% off across garden, home and fashion.

Alternatively, Dunelm has a huge clearance section with offers running across bedding, curtains and various other homeware items. There are even some garden furniture pieces included in the sale.

Households that suffered during the recent UK heatwaves may need a trusty fan. The online giant’s 24% discount on the Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo Portable Fan has come at the perfect time.

Originally priced at £129. 99, the misting fan is now available for £99. It’s suitable for indoor and outdoor use, available in several colours, and offers an airflow range of 20 metres.

One Amazon shopper declared the Shark fan ‘the best’, adding: “Lightweight, powerful, the misting function works better than expected. Sleep easily with it on speed setting three – quiet running. Like that it’s handheld and runs on a battery. Well worth the money. “

However, they did go on to note a slight issue, as they explained: “Only disappointment was the fact I paid £129. 99 and then the next day Amazon reduced the price to £99. 99. I was tempted to send this one back and reorder it to save £30. “

Another top Amazon deal is a £100 discount on the Samsung Galaxy S10 FE Android Tablet, perfect for shoppers needing to replace their current device. Reduced from £499 to £399, this gadget offers a 10. 9-inch display, 128GB Storage, 8GB Memory, and comes with an S Pen.

Unfortunately one buyer wasn’t completely satisfied with the tablet, as they explained: “I really don’t like a lot of the software already installed on it.” However, someone else is thrilled with the device, as they wrote: “It’s fast and the screen is very clear. I’m a huge fan of Samsung products and I am thrilled with this tablet.”

The Tefal Easy Fry Dual Zone Digital Air Fryer is another product that Amazon is currently offering a big discount on. For a limited time, this 8. 3L air fryer can be purchased for £99. 99, a significant drop from the usual £179. 99 price tag.

The cooking device has several programmes, including roast, bake and dehydrate. Both the large and smaller baskets can be used at the same time or individually.

Sadly one customer was left unimpressed with the air fryer’s ‘very loud beeping’ and found it’s ‘not user friendly’. In contrast, a delighted shopper rated it five stars and said: “Incredible value for money compared to alternatives.

“Very even cooking, high heat, great crispiness and extremely convenient. The two different drawer sizes are great and add up to a considerable amount. The sync and flip reminder features are great too. “

In this Tuesday’s Mirror Daily Digest, we’ve pulled together the biggest stories of the day from the country’s longest ever cold case conviction to a common prescription drug warning

Welcome to the Mirror’s Daily Digest, where we’ll be pulling together all the best stories of the day from our News, Royal, Politics teams and more. This Tuesday, we’re bringing you inside the newsroom with coverage on the country’s longest ever cold case conviction through to the amber health alert.

Our Politics team has been following the latest on Keir Starmer’s major rebellion threat, with a key vote on welfare reforms later today. Meanwhile, we’ve also covered the arrest of three ex-members of the senior leadership team at a hospital where Lucy Letby worked in connection with alleged manslaughter.

Ryland Headley, 92, to die in jail for 1967 rape and murder of Louisa Dunne, 75

Our News team has been closely following the country’s longest ever cold case conviction, in which a 92-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison – with a minimum term of 20 years – for the rape and murder of an elderly widow in 1967.

Ryland Headley claimed he was innocent but was caught after his DNA was found back in the 60s and re-tested with modern forensic techniques. He was found guilty after a trial at Bristol Crown Court of killing 75-year-old Louisa Dunne in her own home.

The twice-widowed woman was found dead by a neighbour in her home in the Easton area of Bristol on June 28, 1967. She was fully dressed, but had her knickers round her ankles and a nylon type stocking lying across her neck. She had been strangled.

Read the full story here.

DWP chief Liz Kendall beams outside No10 despite brewing welfare rebellion

Meanwhile, our Politics team has been working around the clock to provide live updates as Keir Starmer faces rebellion over the controversial welfare cuts. This evening, MPs are due to vote on reforms – first set out in March – with the government bracing for a huge revolt from angry Labour MPs.

Ministers hope major concessions will be enough to win over Labour rebels. Welfare chief Liz Kendall was this morning seen smiling as she put on a positive face ahead of this afternoon’s debate. She yesterday defended the massive DWP shake-up after a bruising week for the government over controversial disability cuts.

While some Labour MPs have said they will back the government after last week’s concessions, which will protect current claimants, some 50-60 of them are still said to be considering voting against the government. It would be the biggest revolt of Mr Starmer’s premiership so far.

Read the full story here.

Common prescription drugs that can be fatal when taken in scorching 35C heat

In other news, an amber health alert has been issued in parts of the UK for the second time in two weeks amid the sweltering heatwave. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issues the alert during periods of extreme heat, which could impact people’s health and wellbeing and therefore put strain on public services like the NHS. The amber warning means the entire population could be at risk from the extreme heat, with travel likely to be disrupted, and more ambulances needed.

Experts have warned that five million Brits could be at a further increased health risk due to a common prescription medication: antidepressants. One of the common side effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) is sweating more than normal – and in a heatwave this can present a danger, experts have claimed.

Read the full story here.

Three former bosses at Lucy Letby hospital arrested

This morning, our News team reported that three ex-members of the senior leadership team at the hospital where Lucy Letby worked have been arrested in connection with alleged manslaughter. The three were in leadership roles at the Countess of Chester Hospital in 2015 and 2016, but have not been named. They were arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter.

It comes after Letby, 35, was found guilty of murdering seven children as well as attempting to murder seven more between June 2015 and June 2016. She had been working at the neonatal unit at the hospital at the time.

Read the full story here.

‘Buckingham Palace pretends royals prudent with our money – it’s hogwash! ‘

Finally, former Minister of State for Home Affairs Norman Baker has slammed Buckingham Palace ‘pretending to be prudent’ as ‘utter hogwash’. It comes as the Royal Family’s accounts for 2024 to 2025 have been revealed, showing the Firm spent a total of £2.7million last year on travel by private jet, helicopters and rail.

In an opinion piece for the Mirror, Norman wrote: “Buckingham Palace pretends the royals are being prudent with public money. What utter hogwash. They even have the cheek to suggest that Charles is being generous because he only takes 12% of the income of the Crown Estate.

“Reality check: the Crown Estate has in effect been a public body since 1760, and until 2011, 100% of its profits went to the Treasury to pay for schools, hospitals, defence and, yes, disability benefits. This 12% is a new royal tax on the public purse.”

He added: “The shocking truth is that the royals really don’t care how much public money they spend. Last year they incredibly ran up a bill for the taxpayer of almost £1. 2m on charter flights just within Great Britain to places as difficult to reach as Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle. ”

Read the full story here.

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Jenny Ryan, also known as the Vixen, competed against two contestants in the final round of ITV’s the Chase in an episode hosted by Bradley Walsh that aired yesterday

Some viewers were left confused over an answer that was accepted by host Bradley Walsh on an episode of The Chase that aired this week. It came during a team’s final showdown against Jenny Ryan on the ITV quiz show.

An episode that aired yesterday saw four contestants take on Jenny, 43, who is also known as the Vixen, in a series of general knowledge rounds. Only two of them, Nick and Laura, made it to the final round against her, though.

The contestants had amassed a prize fund of £3,000 by that point and the pair managed to get 14 correct answers in their last round. Jenny then faced her final questions and one of her answers caught the attention of viewers at home.

Early on in her final chase, Bradley, 65, asked: “What colour top indicates semi-skimmed milk on bottles? ” After taking a moment over the question, Jenny responded: “Red and silver. ” The host reacted to her answer: “I’ll accept. “

Some fans were confused over the decision, though, with them suggesting that the correct answer should have been green. They shared their thoughts on X, with one viewer writing on the platform: “Semi-skimmed milk tops are green. “

Another asked: “I thought semi-skimmed was green? ! ” Someone else commented amid discussion about the episode: “Weird he just accepted a wrong answer! ” Whilst another person wrote in a post: “Semi-skimmed is green! “

It was however pointed out that glass and plastic containers differ in colour coding. Some fans noted that glass bottles for semi skimmed milk have foil caps featuring red and silver stripes, whilst plastic alternatives often have green tops.

Addressing the confusion, one person wrote on X this week: “Semi skimmed milk in glass bottles are red/silver striped. Poly containers it’s green. ” Another said whilst the episode aired yesterday: “On bottles it’s red and silver stripes. “

It isn’t the first time that the question has prompted a reaction, with the episode having previously aired in 2022. At the time, it similarly was met with reaction from viewers over the accepted answer by host Bradley on the quiz show.

After answering the question, Jenny went on to get more correct answers in the final chase than the two remaining contestants, despite some pushbacks. Although they didn’t win the money, they received praise from the chaser.

Jenny, who had seven seconds to spare, told the team that they had “great answers” to a few “tricky questions”. She told them: “I think that shows that the total in the final chase doesn’t tell the whole story because you scored 14 with some great answers to some tricky questions. “

She added that as a result, she faced some challenging questions herself. Jenny said: “It meant that the equal set for me had some tricky ones in there that were gonna catch me out, but also some straightforward ones that I should have got. “

The Chase airs most weekdays on ITV and ITVX from 5pm.