Amber Davies has hit back at critics after received four 10s on Strictly Come Dancing last night, pleading with viewers to “be kind” following criticism of her dance experience
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Amber Davies has pleaded with fans on Instagram(Image: BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing star Amber Davies has pleaded with fans to “be kind” after receiving criticism over her dance experience, saying: “I wasn’t even supposed to be in the competition.” The West End star received four 10s from the judges after her Charleston to Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat from Guys and Dolls.
She topped the leaderboard alongside her professional dance partner Nikita Kuzmin and received glowing comments from the judges. However, after receiving criticism from trolls following her performance, the star took to Instagram with a request to her fans.
“Guys, please…it’s really is just a television show,” she wrote on her Instagram story. “I wasn’t even supposed to be in the comp.
“You have no idea what we put our mind and body through for this experience.. I’m really just trying my best with the opportunity that came to me. To anyone who has left a NICE comment thank you. Xx.”
Alongside the text, she also wrote: “The meanies are out to play. Please be kind.”
The 29-year-old filled in for Love Island’s Dani Dyer after she was forced to pull out of the competition. The reality star injured herself shortly after the launch show, but was quickly replaced by Amber ahead of the first week.
Since joining the show, some viewers have criticised Amber being on the line-up due to her performance background – having starred in West End shows of 9 to 5: The Musical, Back to the Future: The Musical and The Great Gatsby.
Commenting on a clip of last night’s performance with Nikita, some viewers accused her of having an advantage in the competition. “An amazing dance but she’s had an advantage as already performed in a few musicals. Strictly to me is about taking a complete novice like George & Karen and turning them into dancers. George & Karen pulled it out the bag tonight,” one person wrote.
Another commented: “Well she waa jn the Great Gatsby this year..of course she can dance,” alongside eye roll emoji.
Other fans have rallied around the star, writing: “Amber, you are amazing! Incredibly talented and completely deserved of all your success. You and Nikita are my winners, no matter what happens x.”
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“Wtf. Im shocked at the hate. You Amber were magnificent. The night belonged to you,” a second wrote.
A third said: “Wow wow I can’t stop watching this performance by @amb_d and @nikita__kuzmin It’s absolutely brilliant!!!!!!”
Former Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan has hinted that she would love to return to the popular ITV soap after seven years since her last appearance on the cobbles
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Helen Flanagan has hinted she would like to return to Coronation Street(Image: Rowan Griffiths / Daily Mirror)
Helen Flanagan has admitted her desire to return to Coronation Street seven years on from her last appearance on the show. The actress became a household name while playing Rosie Webster, having made her debut in the show when she was just 10 years old. The actress, 35, starred as Rosie for 12 years between 2000 and 2012 before she exited. She then returned to the show briefly in 2017, two years after she welcomed her eldest child, Matilda, but exited again in 2018.
Helen was heading on maternity leave at the time, but also wanted to pursue other opportunities as she had grown tired of the character’s “b***y” nature. Helen has worked on multiple reality TV and modelling projects since, but has now developed the urge to return to acting on TV. Speaking to The Sun, she said: “I’d love to go back to Coronation Street, but they just haven’t asked me and I live around the corner, but they just haven’t asked me.
“I’d love to, if they asked me. I’d come back, but they obviously haven’t.” Helen is currently preparing for her festive panto role as The Wicked Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at Liverpool‘s M&S Bank Arena.
Helen’s three children – Matilda, 10, Delilah, seven, and Charlie, four – will be there to support her alongside her parents. She said: “It should be good fun. The kids will love going to watch me so that’ll keep me busy because obviously I’m not with the father of my children.
“He lives in like Somerset and I live in Lancashire. So we live so far away from each other, which is really difficult when you’ve got three young children. I hate calling it co-parenting because I don’t really feel like a co-parent to be honest with you anyway.”
Helen and her footballer ex-fiancé Scott Sinclair broke up in 2022 after 13 years together. She now heavily depends on her mum and dad, who live 15 minutes away from them, to help with childcare, and says she would “really struggle” without their help.
She explained: “I have my children for the rest of the time. Which I would never want any other way. I work most days. Always back and forth, you know, from London, like a yo-yo as well. My mum’s incredible. She really helps me bring up my children really. I’m very lucky to have that support.”
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Helen has appeared on I’m A Celebrity… South Africa and Celebs Go Dating, as well as recently filming Celebrity Ex on the Beach since her last appearance in Corrie. She also underwent a boob job in January 2023, having embarked on a modelling career and often sharing racy lingerie snaps on social media.
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The I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! final will air Sunday night where one of the celeb contestants will be crowned king of queen of the jungle
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Lisa lost one and a half stone(Image: James Gourley/Publishd/Shutterstock)
Lisa Riley has explained that she had special meals in camp amid her weight loss on I’m A Celeb. The Emmerdale actress was the eighth celeb to be eliminated from the jungle in a double eviction alongside Jack Osbourne and in a new interview says she was provided with Quorn chicken strips and mince.
The star has been open about her weight loss journey over the years – losing more than 10 stone in 2016. The next year she underwent surgery to remove the excess skin which was documented in her TV show Lisa Riley’s Baggy Body Club. After leaving the jungle, Lisa has spoken about her experience in there and how she has lost a huge stone and a half after a brutal diet of rice and beans. She also said that she given “special meals” in camp due to being a vegetarian.
READ MORE: I’m A Celeb’s Lisa Riley hints she secretly married Al after leaving the jungleREAD MORE: Jack Osborne reveals he broke I’m A Celeb rules with burner phone
As well as her meals being bulked up with extra rice, Lisa also missed out on the eating trials where food such as crocodile and eels are served. Speaking to the Mail, Lisa said: “I’m so fortunate.
“I had things like Quorn chicken strips, Quorn mince, tempeh, never again, and tofu. At the start, when I was cooking, I used to boil it. Now I realise you’ve got to pan-fry it. So when Martin [Kemp] took over my tofu preparation, it was scrumptious. When I was doing it, it was rubbish.”
However, after almost three weeks on the show, Lisa said she doesn’t want to eat rice again. She added: “For me, because I’m vegetarian, my veggie meal was always padded out with more rice. Anyway, do I fancy seeing rice again? No thanks. Rice and I are done.”
Lisa explained that the portion control assisted with her weight loss, adding: “Do you know what it is? It’s portion control. Everyone says, ‘Oh, it’s beans and rice.’ Yes, it is beans and rice, but it’s actually what you consume.
“When you’re in there, people don’t have an idea of the lifestyle, the geography of the camp. It’s the do-ability, the activeness. Like, when you go up to the [Bush] Telegraph to talk, it’s step after step. When you go to a challenge, you never stop moving. It’s endless.”
Lisa said: “It’s not just sitting around a campfire having loads of giggles. The activeness… by the time you’ve consumed the beans at night, you’ve probably burned it off.”
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The final of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of here! will air tonight on ITV1 and ITVX. One of the remaining contestants will be crowned the 2025 king of queen of the jungle.
It will either be former EastEnders star Shona McGarty, YouTuber AngryGinge or Celebs Go Dating’s Tom Read-Wilson will be this year’s winner of the iconic show.
Singer Paloma Faith has revealed she was in hospital before writing about her pregnancy aged 44
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(Image: Instagram/palomafaith)
Celebrity Traitors star Paloma Faith shared an update with followers saying she was in hospital with a mask over her face. She wrote over the top of the image: “Thanks @homertonhospital for nebulising me for FLU A.” The post was accompanied by the song Breathe Again by Toni Braxton.
in a separate picture the star opened up about being pregnant. Alongside a black and white snap showing her bump, the singer wrote: “Pregnancy at 44. Ngl that’s a bit worrying but I’m trying to pretend to myself I’m calm So that eventually that comes true. I couldn’t be more happy about another baby and I’m bracing myself for the storm….”
READ MORE: Strictly’s Lewis Cope’s girlfriend shares sweet message as fans say he was ‘thrown under the bus’READ MORE: Heartbreaking way Meghan Markle’s dad Thomas made sure she can always reach him
Former TOWIE star Jess Wright was among those in the comments section sharing their delight at the upload. She simply shared three emoji faces with love heart eyes. Alan Carr, who also starred with his pal on the Celebrity version of the BBC’s hit Traitors series, also shared three emojis. He commented with three red love hearts. Sheridan Smith gushed: “Love this.”
Paloma is currently expecting her third child and her first with her boyfriend Stevie Thomas. She also shares two daughters from her previous relationship with Leyman Lahcine.
Last month, the Only Love Can Hurt Like This singer posted a reel to her social media as she shared clips of how she looked during her first pregnancy compared to now.
She is dressed casually in the shots and goes about her daily activities. The video then continues to show Paloma lying on her red bed wearing a lace jumpsuit. As she looks at the camera seductively, Paloma says: “Hi boys. Mummy’s making milk.” She then struggles to keep a straight face as she smirks before the clip cuts off.
Paloma made her pregnancy announcement in October. To make the big reveal to the public she posed alongside her pet dog and proudly showed off her bump. In the images, she was wearing a sports jersey rolled up to show her stomach. She paired it with a polka dot skirt by Taylor Dorry and a matching sports cap as she clung to her dog.
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She captioned the upload: “Plot twist, mother is mothering (again),” before adding the hashtags #morethangeriatricpregnancy #oappregnancy #oapmilf #18weekspregnant.
Taylor Swift is ‘in the best possible place’ after ‘triumphant year’ which included her summer engagement to NFL superstar Travis Kelce and new album The Life Of A Showgirl
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“As we come to the end of 2025, Taylor seems to be in the best possible place,” says PR expert Lynn Carratt. (Image: Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
After what’s been one of her most triumphant years ever, Taylor Swift is gearing up for a cracking Christmas. With her summer engagement to NFL superstar Travis Kelce and an early Christmas gift to fans in the shape of a new album, it’s been another remarkable 12 months for the pop icon.
“As we come to the end of 2025, Taylor seems to be in the best possible place,” says PR expert Lynn Carratt. “After riding the wave of her Eras Tour and releasing The Life Of A Showgirl, settling down with Travis is definitely the icing on the cake.” As if that wasn’t enough, this week, on 12 December – the day before her 36th birthday – a brand new docuseries celebrating the star, titled The End Of An Era, will be shown on Disney+.
READ MORE: Taylor Swift fans in meltdown over huge Eras Tour film updateREAD MORE: How to view your Spotify Wrapped 2025 as fans encouraged to take action today
The six-parter, set to be released weekly in two-episode instalments, promises to give “an intimate look at Taylor’s life” and follows the singer as she takes her phenomenal Eras Tour around the globe. Huge names from the world of music, including Gracie Abrams, Sabrina Carpenter, Ed Sheeran and Florence Welch all feature, along with her band, dancers, family members and, of course, fiancé Travis.
In August, Taylor and the Kansas City Chiefs ace caused a social media meltdown after announcing their surprise engagement. “The reaction was just incredible,” says Lynn. “They knew by putting it on Instagram it would blow up, and it’s all everyone was talking about – even President Trump commented on it.”
Alongside beautiful photos of Travis, 36, proposing in the garden of his Missouri estate, the momentous announcement included Taylor’s now-immortal words, “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.”
It became the fastest post to ever reach a million Instagram reposts, achieving the milestone in just six hours. And with the news coming hot on the heels of Taylor’s big reveal about The Life Of A Showgirl, it brought double delight for the Swiftiverse.
“The timing of both announcements, just two weeks apart, could not have been better,” says Lynn. “It was a genius strategic PR move, firstly getting fans excited about her new music, and then offering this rare glimpse into her personal life.”
The pair first got together in the summer of 2023, after Travis attended one of Taylor’s Eras shows and then revealed his crush on her on his and brother Jason’s New Heights podcast. He urged Taylor to “just meet me once, just give me a chance” and, after agreeing, they became instantly smitten.
Speaking on her beau’s podcast in August, Taylor opened up about the early days of their romance, revealing they got to know each other “in a way that’s very natural, very pure, very normal”. She also said Travis “could make me laugh so immediately about normal things” and called him “a vibe booster”.
Just as lovestruck, Travis said of their first meeting, “It was the easiest conversation I ever had.” Within weeks of their first date, Taylor was seen watching Travis at Chiefs matches. Though some initially claimed the relationship was a publicity stunt between the biggest pop princess on the planet and the alpha-male athlete, that was far from the case.
“Travis is not the jock that some assumed him to be,” says Annie Zaleski, author of Taylor Swift: The Stories Behind The Songs . “He has a sensitive side and often gets emotional when talking about Taylor.”
Coming just four months after Travis’ picture-perfect proposal, this festive season is set to be even more precious for Christmas-obsessed Taylor.
“Her birthday falls just before Christmas [on 13 December], so the second half of the month is always super-celebratory,” says Annie. “She loves spending time with family, and I think the added element of her being engaged will make it even more special.”
Taylor’s love of the season stems from her days growing up on a Christmas tree farm in Pennsylvania, and she was only 17 when she released her first festive album, The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection.
In 2019, she released the aptly titled Christmas Tree Farm, based on her childhood memories of the holiday season. “I really love Christmas,” she once said. “I wish it was all year round.”
But she’s also poked fun at her festive fixation, branding herself an “obnoxious Christmas sweater, gingerbread cookie girl”.
It’s not all about dressing up in Yuletide knits, though – the superstar likes to focus on giving back across the whole month and has become known for “Tay-lurking”, where she finds out where fans live, work and what makes them happiest.
In 2014, an event dubbed “Swiftmas” saw her post Christmassy emojis on 32 lucky fans’ socials before she sent each a selection of handpicked gifts – with the FedEx label crossed out and replaced by “SwiftEx”. For one fan, Rebecca Cox from Michigan, thoughtful gifts included a Victoria’s Secret duffel bag, a Polaroid camera, bath and beauty products, a sweater, blanket and candles.
“There’s no one in the music industry who has a heart as big as she does,” said Rebecca at the time. You can tell that she wrapped all the gifts personally.” With Christmas fast approaching, fans can expect yet more seasonal goodwill from Taylor. Last December, she visited Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, where she was pictured hugging young patients, and later gifted one of them, Naya, a replica of the outfit she wore that day.
During the festive period, she also donated $250,000 to a Kansas City children’s non-profit organisation. Though she and Travis will no doubt spoil each other rotten, they’re likely to focus on those less fortunate, too. “They both seem to want to help make the world a better place and use their platforms to improve people’s lives,” says PR expert Lynn.
Despite such a full-on festive season, the couple will also have the small matter of a wedding to plan – with Lynn saying a summer ceremony could be on the cards.
“I’m sure it won’t be a very long engagement – I think they’ll want to get on with it,” she says. “It’s already been framed as the wedding to end all weddings.”
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! finalist Shona McGarty tried to mask her health issue during her EastEnders fame, before seeking help
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I’m A Celebrity’s Shona McGarty has made it to the final (Image: ITV/Shutterstock)
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! star Shona McGarty has opened up about a health issue that has affected her for many years. The 34-year-old revealed that before saying yes to the jungle, she went through a stage of turning down many opportunities due to suffering with anxiety.
“Anxiety for me has been there constantly and it’s stopped me from doing so many things, so many opportunities as well,” she revealed. “It can be controlled and then it comes back.”
The former EastEnders star said she first realised something was wrong when she suddenly struggled to get through live interviews to discuss her role as Whitney Dean.
Recalling a particularly challenging moment on This Morning, she continued: “I was young and I felt this real nervous energy because it was live and they’re doing that thing that they do. They go, ‘Five, four, three, two’ and you go, ‘Yep, act natural’ You know?, which I hated.
“And I just went into like trauma mode and I just did this [stared with no emotion] and I just sat there and I looked really casual and arrogant.”
Speaking to Joe Law on his Yellowbelly podcast, she added: “If you want to have a laugh, watch it. I’m literally petrified.”
To help her get through live chats at the time, the actress recalled having to invite her co-star Ricky Norwood along for support.
“I just couldn’t do it,” she continued. “Ruth [Langsford] and Eamonn [Holmes] were talking at me and I couldn’t even hear what they were saying. It was just like white noise.
“I thought, ‘What’s happening to me?’ My hands were sweating. I just felt my heart going and I thought, ‘This isn’t me. What? I’m going to faint’.”
She continued: “That was the first time and then it kept happening to me and then it would be in social situations and things like that.
“My hands would sweat and I’d have to like go, I’m just going to take a phone call just to get out. [It was] really overwhelming, really horrible.”
After speaking out about her concerns and seeing her doctor, she discovered it was anxiety and has since sought help to manage it.
“It was horrible. It would keep me up at night and things like that. And now I’m so much better. I’m starting to say yes to everything,” she added.
Ahead of entering the camp, Shona told The Mirror she was determined not to let her anxiety win as she prepared for life out of her comfort zone.
The actress signed up to the jungle after stepping away from EastEnders to pursue other work opportunities, such as recording music.
In scenes from camp, the actress hasn’t shied away from showcasing her impressive vocals, much to the delight of viewers.
After recently belting out Tina Turner’s Proud Mary in a clip that wasn’t aired on the main show, one viewer wrote: “Get her and Aitch on a track!! What a voice.”
A second commented: “She is an astounding singer!”, while a third added: “Wow who knew, hope we see more of Shona.”
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Shona is the last female standing in the final with Tom Read Wilson and Angry Ginge. Tonight, one of the three will be crowned the new King or Queen of the jungle, following Danny Jones’ win last year.
