Category Entertainment News

Judge Rinder star Rob Rinder has opened up about his close relationship with BBC Radio 2 presenter and Celebrity Gogglebox star Rylan Clark, and the impact it has had on his life

Rob Rinder has revealed that people often feel a “sense of disappointment” when they meet him in public without Rylan Clark by his side.

The 47-year-old has formed a tight-knit friendship with fellow telly presenter Rylan over the past few years. Their three-part series Rob and Rylan’s Grand Tour was broadcast in May 2024.

The BAFTA TV Award-winning show saw an emotional Rylan discussing his divorce from ex-husband Dan Neal. The BBC Radio 2 star has since described his journey around Italy with Rob as being “like therapy”, confessing he “wasn’t fully over” the break up.

There have been whispers about a potential romance between the two, but Rylan recently clarified that they are “just friends”. This came as he paid a heartfelt tribute to Judge Rinder star Rob on his birthday, expressing that he “loves him dearly”.

Now, during a fresh chat between the duo on Radio 2, Rob disclosed that fans are often let down when he attends events without former X Factor star Rylan. He shared this insight while calling into Rylan’s Saturday afternoon programme.

Rob said: “I keep walking up to people and they know, obviously, that we’re friends, but you can feel the slight sense of disappointment that they’re like, ‘Oh where’s Rylan?’ As if I’m the warm-up act. I’m like the rubbish warm-up act that no one shows up for.”

Rylan, aged 36, responded: “But Rob, that’s what I get. Everyone goes, ‘Oh, where’s Rob? Where’s Rob?'”.

Before their Italian tour together, both Rob and Rylan experienced painful separations. The programme saw them opening up about their experiences as they bonded over a drink.

After scooping a BAFTA, Rylan opened up about his personal life, saying: “For me, the show, it happened at a really weird time for me like I still wasn’t fully over sort of the breakdown of my marriage and was flung with the judge. It was the best therapy I needed, put it that way.”

Rylan continued: “I think the journey, and I hate that word in telly but it’s so true, when you watch our series, that journey from when we meet to sort of how raw, especially I was at that time.”

Meanwhile, Rob, who celebrated his wedding to former spouse Seth Cummings in 2013 with none other than Benedict Cumberbatch leading the ceremony, later parted ways with his partner in 2018, with sources describing the split as “very sad”.

Launching into TV fame with Judge Rinder in 2014, Rob has since danced his way onto shows like Strictly Come Dancing, enjoyed a spot on Celebrity Gogglebox, and popped up on Good Morning Britain.

Keeping his legal wits sharp, he also serves as a junior counsel at London’s prestigious 2 Hare Court. Meanwhile, Rylan first came into the limelight during 2012’s X Factor run.

Oodie are currently running a major sale on their super handy and stylish poncho towels that are perfect for days at the beach – just in time for this week’s UK heatwave

With the ‘Spanish Scorcher’ heatwave set to hit the UK this week, now is the perfect time to get your hands on a practical, comfortable and fashionable poncho towel that’s sure to be your new best friend for days at the beach or holidays on the coast.

Coming in nine vibrant colourways and patterns, the Ooide poncho towel is just the ticket for getting warm and dry after a dip in the pool or a splash in the sea. Normally retailing for £65, the unisex poncho towels are now up for grabs for the reduced price of £39 while this Oodie sale lasts.

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Touted as the perfect companion for fun in the sun, Oodie’s poncho towel is relaxed and lightweight, set to be your go-to for wearing by the poolside or on the beach.

Though only available in one size, the Oodie poncho towel is generous and roomy. Its one size fits most body types, as it’s based on a 6XL hoodie. It’s equipped with an extra-large pocket that handily stores your essentials so you don’t need to carry your bag as you head to the ice cream stand or bar.

Plus, the poncho towel can be taken with you anywhere, as it comes with a drawstring bag that ensures it’s convenient to carry and doesn’t weigh you down.

Made from a quick-drying cotton-towelling material that doesn’t leave you feeling damp or chilly after your swim, this poncho towel is soft and sure to keep you comfy all day. Not to mention, the material is UPF 50+ certified and boasts a large hood that’s set to keep you protected from the sun when you’re out at the beach or chilling by the pool.

Shoppers adore this Oodie essential, with plenty of 5-star reviews singing its praises. One thrilled shopper shares: “Perfect for the pool! I swim just about every day during the week, so having this towel is great to throw on and off I go! It’s thick and quite warm and covers everything and is stylish with avo toast design! Love it!”

This customer chimes in: “Comfortable and just what you need after your swim. Love the avocado print.”

Another buyer beams: “Perfect summer dressing gown. A beach Oodie makes an excellent summer dressing gown.”

A fourth notes: “I am very happy with my avocado Beach Oodie. I love wearing it to the beach and it’s just perfect. I also love the Oodie bag that it came in.”

And this shopper says: “This is a lovely beach oodie that does cover my body well after a swim, keeps me warm and dries me quickly and also the hoodie keeps my head and face out of the sun, so it is perfect! And the avocados are so cute!”

Glastonbury 2025 is due to get underway in just three weeks and some shocking changes have just been announced by organiser Emily Eavis. This year’s event has sold out but will not use its full 210,000 capacity as normal it has been disclosed today.

Eavis has revealed that the number of festival goers allowed onto the site has been cut as an experiment after a surge in crowds for big name acts in recent years. “It’ll be interesting just to see how that affects the dynamics on site,” Emily Eavis told the BBC’s Sidetracked podcast, adding that she wants to see if the reduction “can make an impact on some of the busier times”.

She revealed that this year her team have created more room for the audience at the Other Stage, the festival’s second-biggest arena, where Charli XCX is expected to attract a huge crowd when she headlines on the Saturday night.

The current licence allows up to 210,000 people on site including fans, staff and performers.

This year, festival-goers will be urged to use different routes and make use of the whole site to ease congestion.

Eavis added: “Interestingly, people have moved slightly differently since Covid. So they tend to move more in a herd.
”So my main thing really this year is just to communicate that there are like 10 routes to anywhere.”

Organisers will use the festival app’s schedule planner to help predict where people will go and where congestion may happen.

“The app was really accurate last year. People plan what they’re going to see. We can see what they’re going to see, which is really useful for us from a crowd perspective,” she said.

In the podcast interview, Eavis was also asked about a slot on the Pyramid Stage line-up for a mystery band called Patchwork, but wouldn’t be drawn on their identity.

She teased: “I’ve been working on Patchwork for a long time,”, adding that planning for their appearance had taken about a year for “logistical” reasons.

It has been rumoured that ‘Pathwork’ is the code name for Britpop icons Pulp, who were missing from the original line-up.

The full scheduling for this year was announced earlier in the week and includes sets from Irish rap trio Kneecap as well as headline performances from British pop band The 1975, Neil Young and his band the Chrome Hearts, and US pop singer Olivia Rodrigo.

Rod Stewart is set to play the legends slot on the Sunday afternoon, but has sparked concern over the last week after cancelling a string of concerts due to ill health.

He took to Instagram to announce that he was “devastated” to have to cancel or reschedule the six US shows, due to take place in the next eight days.

“I have to cancel and reschedule my next six concerts in June as I continue to recover from the flu,” he wrote. “So sorry my friends.

“I’m devastated and sincerely apologise for any inconvenience to my fans. I’ll be back on stage and will see you soon.”

He signed off “Sir Rod” along with the heartbreak emoji.

He also listed the four shows he was cancelling – in Las Vegas and Stateline, Nevada – as well as two he plans to reschedule – in California.

The 80-year-old musician recently announced he will reunite with his former Faces bandmate Ronnie Wood for his much-anticipated set at Glastonbury.

Made In Chelsea stars Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo have opened up on their pregnancy for the first time, with Jamie stating that he felt like he was ‘floating’ when he found out

Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo have opened up for the first time about their pregnancy since they revealed they were expecting their first baby at the beginning of June. After relaunching their podcast from NewlyWeds to NearlyParents, Jame described the ‘most insane thing’ about finding out he is going to be a dad.

Jamie, 36, and Sophie, 30, who first started their love story on Made in Chelsea, shared the joyful news on Instagram to share the news, posting a heartfelt video of Sophie undergoing a pregnancy scan. In the video, a visibly emotional Jamie exclaims, “Oh my god!” as he gazes at the ultrasound screen, while Sophie beams with happiness.

In their first podcast episode back, titled ‘WE’RE HAVING A BABY’, Jamie and Sophie describe the moment they found out about the pregnancy.

Sophie said: “I thought it was way too early to be able to tell, but I thought I’d just take one in the morning. I woke up, my eyes were open, and I ran downstairs and pee on a stick, and I’m like ‘no’ then I look again and I’m like *huge gasp*, I burst into tears”.

Sophie then details how she ran downstairs to tell Jamie, who was watching TV. Reminiscing on the moment, Jamie said: “When you came down and you told me, I was like ‘what’! When you told me, I was like purely floating. It’s like the most insane moment ever. It’s wild.”

Sophie then went on to detail that her main symptoms included being really ‘hot’ and irritable, with Jamie joking that her main craving is ‘hating him’.

The couple, who have also recently started working together on BBC Radio 1, shared their pregnancy news with an emotional video where they see their baby on an ultrasound scan. They captioned the video with a simple red heart.

As the baby pops up on the screen in the clip, Jamie excitedly says: “Are you kidding me”. Jamie pans the camera around the room onto Sophie, who has the biggest smile on her face as the couple hears the baby’s heartbeat.

Sophie has replaced Vick Hope on the Going Home show, which runs from Monday to Thursday between 3.30 pm and 6 pm. Vick, who is expecting her first child with husband Calvin Harris, has left the station to go on maternity leave.

Their journey began on the reality series Made in Chelsea, where the public was able to watch their love blossom. After dating for several years, Jamie got down on one knee at the Rosewood London hotel in December 2021, where he and Sophie shared their first ever date, and popped the question.

The couple then started their first podcast NearlyWeds in 2022 which included all the ups and downs on the run up to their wedding. The podcast evolved into NewlyWeds after their wedding and now fans get to join them on their next adventure as they prepare for parenthood.

It has been a tough five years for TV favourite Fern Britton after her stalker hell and divorce but she is loving her new life in Cornwall – and her incredible new look

Fern Britton has revealed how she has overcome a “catalogue of difficulty” in the past few years amid her incredible weight loss success.

Last year, James Haviland was handed a 10-year restraining order after pleading guilty to stalking the TV presenter. She also had to come to terms with her divorce from Phil Vickery, and has battle health issues.

There’s been some creature comforts to help get her through it all and Fern hopes her new slim look makes her perfect for also heading back to the small screen and more TV work in the coming years if she returns to London. Losing five stone, the This Morning legend is feeling better than ever.

She told The Sunday Times: “When I’m not feeling well, one of my cats will always sit on my bed with me. They take it in turns, like a shift pattern. This has been particularly comforting in recent years because I’ve had a catalogue of difficult things to face, from getting my home together here in Cornwall to discovering that I had a stalker.”

Fern is back in great shape but is not hankering for a TV comeback or a man in her life. Instead she wants to continue to write bestselling books from her Cornwall home. At 67, it is now five years since her 20-year marriage to TV chef Phil Vickery ended, but Fern insists: “I’m not looking for love.”

She told Woman & Home: ‘I’m still a bit too wary of losing my liberty. There’s nobody to run something past but, on the other hand, I think back to running things past people and it never really worked out, so why don’t I just make my own decision? Then I’m the only person who can go, ‘I f***ed up there’.”

Her stalker hell was her biggest challenge since the collapse of her marriage. Haviland, 63, drove 200 miles to stay in 66-year-old Fern’s holiday cottage in the village where she lived and last week admitted he’d stalked ther for two years. He started by sending Fern flowers and cards before embarking on a mega journey to be close to her – staying in the village she lives – Cornwall’s Padstow.

Fern first met Phil when she hosted Ready Steady Cook in 1999, and they married the following year, having daughter Winnie in 2001. They also appeared regularly on ITV’s This Morning, which Fern fronted for a decade from 1999 and Phil joined as chef in 2006, with Fern quitting in 2009 while Phil still makes occasional appearances.

Appearing to have one of the strongest marriages in showbiz, no one expected Fern and Phil’s split announcement in January 2020. “After more than 20 happy years together, Phil and I have decided to go our separate ways,” Fern tweeted. “We will always share a great friendship and our lovely children . We would appreciate it if our privacy is respected at this time. Thankyou for your continued kindness and support.”

Shoppers can currently save a whopping £300 on a Google Pixel Pro smartphone that shoppers have touted as ‘much better than iPhone’ as it gets its price axed in an Amazon flash sale

If you’ve been looking for an excuse to pick up a new smartphone without having to splash out for its full price, look no further than this Amazon sale. A Google Pixel 9 Pro is up for grabs with a massive discount, saving shoppers £300 while this deal lasts.

The Google device has become a serious contender in the Android mobile market, and this deal makes it even more irresistible. The Pixel 9 Pro is touted as the most powerful Pixel yet. It is armed with Gemini’s built-in AI assistant and has a pro-level rear camera that gives you super-close close-ups, sharp selfies, and rich colours—even in low light.

The Google Pixel 9 Pro is available in four colourways and has three storage options: 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB. All three options are currently sporting a major £300 discount, though prices will vary depending on the storage size you opt for.

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Armed with a game-changing Google Tensor G4 chip and a Snapdragon CPU, this smartphone provides 16GB of RAM and promises up to 24 hours of battery life. With seven years of security updates and Pixel Drops, this Google smartphone is built to keep up with you all day long and promises longevity.

Not to mention the revolutionary in-built AI, which helps get things done faster. Gemini makes complex projects easier, searches and organises info, and jumpstarts your creativity in just a few taps.

Another feature of the Pixel 9 Pro that’s supported by AI is the Add Me feature, which ensures no one is left out of a photo—you can take a picture with the group, then swap in the photographer with ease, as Pixel seamlessly merges both photos. Plus, the Magic Editor can suggest the best crop and reframe your photo to ensure you get the best results to post online. It even expands your image to get more of the scene.

Backed by Gemini, Pixel Screenshots helps you save info you want to remember later – like events, places, and appointments. So you can find what you need, right when you need it.

Normally retailing for £999 (128GB), this Pixel 9 Pro is now up for grabs for the majorly reduced price of £699 while this Amazon sale lasts. This model is also available at Argos for the same cost, which is the lowest ever price it’s sold for at that retailer. Currys and Very are also offering this Google Pixel model for £699.

Amazon shoppers can’t stop raving about this smartphone, with plenty of 5-star reviews pouring in. One saitisifed customer shares: “This phone is fantastic. Great photos and ways to adjust photos. Clear sound screen is Sharp. Highly recommend. This is the best phone I have owned. It is smaller than I use to but you lose nothing. Texting is smooth.”

Another buyer beams: “It’s a Fantastic phone— I can’t fault it. I came from iPhones after the damp squib of iPhone 16. It’s seamless for me– feels very much like an iPhone but just much better and customisable. Camera is excellent, even the capacity to swipe back with your thumb is a revelation.”

A thrid raves: “The cameras are insanely good thanks to Google’s AI Processing, they fixed the slow Tensor chipset performance issues, everything is snappy now you would think it has a Snapdragon if you didn’t see the specs. Battery life is stellar, I can get 1 to 1.5 days easily with moderate usage and it looks perfect, people always think I have an iPhone 16 Pro when they see the phone which is a good thing as it has a flat screen and very easy to hold.”