Category Entertainment News

Ross Kemp, a legend of EastEnders, played Grant Mitchell on more than 1, 000 episodes, but he admits he couldn’t stay on set and has since improved.

While many soap stars often dismiss their roots when they leave a role and go on to bigger things, EastEnders’ Ross Kemp has never forgotten where he came from. In an exclusive chat, Ross, 61, reflects on his time playing Grant Mitchell on the BBC soap, how Barbara Windsor, who played his on-screen mum Peggy, remains a figurehead five years after her death, and what’s it like being a dad to young kids in his sixties.

He also opens up about returning to to Albert Square this year for the 40th anniversary documentary, saying: “I think it was a good look back on 40 years of British culture. I was very honoured to [be involved] in a number of really big Christmas Day episodes back in the day when we were getting 25 million viewers.”

Hi Ross, how much have things changed since the show’s 40 years?

It really demonstrates how things that were once seen as outrageous in the 1980s and 1990s have evolved into acceptable and commonplace as they should be in a changing Britain. People wouldn’t show domestic violence on TV in the 1960s or 1970s, as gay and lesbian relationships did, you know? EastEnders, in particular, is still regarded as quite groundbreaking.

Were you close to Barbara Windsor when you worked closely with her?

Oh no, Barbara is never far away. In my office, I have a photo of her, and I speak with Scott Mitchell, her widower, frequently. She and I had a very close relationship. I delivered her a funeral eulogy. She had a very special personality. And it’s interesting how many people frequently pass away. Does she not appear to have significantly faded away? That demonstrates how long she spent in the public eye and how much time she spent with the public.

What led you to decide to host a gritty documentary in the modern era?

I think looking back, I couldn’t have stayed at being an actor. I’d spent 10 years at Elstree Studios, and had a brilliant time, but I wanted to go and see the world. I didn’t want to necessarily go and see it in the way that I saw it, but be careful what you wish for! I think I’m a better person for, you know, seeing some of the things that go on around the world.

Without the popularity of Grant Mitchell, I’ve always been very open about the fact that I don’t believe I would have received a documentary commission. As Ross Kemp, I had the sole responsibility for what transpired after that in order to produce the best documentary possible. I’ve won more awards for soap than anything else, but I also have a few honors for documentary that I’m very proud of. The team I work for has developed into a close relationship over time.

What do you have to do next in terms of your career?

To be honest, I’d like to do a little bit more acting. Since it’s always the same, I did EastEnders and two docs last year. You are aware that life is about variety. I have the opportunity to switch genres and produce programs about interesting subjects.

I don’t rule out anything. I think there are some people who do soaps and then they leave them and want to pretend they were never in them because they find themselves successful in other places. That’s their decision and there’s nothing wrong with that at all. WhatI will say is, if I’ve got the opportunity to act in something I think is good and they want me, I’ll take the job.

Could we ever see you wearing a fake tan and sequins? Strictly is back on our screens. !

No, really, not. You shouldn’t ever say “no,” in my opinion. But no, because I’m incredibly busy right now. A five-part documentary is what I’m producing. I’ve only been exercising for 14 days straight. So, I’m currently stuffed to the brim. I enjoy watching Strictly, but I’m not sure if I want to.

Did you always consider yourself a father because you are currently a busy mother of three?

I have a young family, which wasn’t how I wanted to spend my early 60s: running around and doing the school run! But that’s how I’ve lived my entire life. If you had told me at age 30 that I would have three children under the age of 11 in my early sixties, I would have said, “No, that’s not happening”!

Have you been giving your children any financial advice while you’re a part of the Pay Your Pension Some Attention campaign?

To help my children’s education, and to carry out their goals, I’m using a portion of my pension’s tax-free money to do things like help them. Actually, I’m not putting it on myself because I’m not relaxing on the beach in the Bahamas. I get them to school early, get them in the car, and get them porridge inside. I’m already using some of my pension to pay for them.

The most recent Pay Your Pension Some Attention campaign is being directed by Ross Kemp. The TV star urges viewers to follow three easy steps in order to fulfill their retirement plans. Visit Pensionattention to learn more. . uk

Julia Bradbury, a long-running rumor, and Countryfile author, made a rare comment about her relationship.

Former Countryfile presenter Julia Bradbury has set the record straight about a common misconception about her relationship. For many years, reports have stated that the 55-year-old has been married to Gerard Cunningham, with whom she has three children, since 2000.

Julia disputed the couple’s long-held notion that they had never tied the knot and had no plans to.

Julia stated exclusively at Faulty Towers: The Dining Experience, “He’s my] partner, despite our 25-year marriage, according to Wikipedia.”

Julia frequently praised Gerard, who was seated by the presenter’s side throughout her battle with cancer.

In September of that year, the host had a mastectomy to remove a 6 cm tumour after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Since then, she has received her all-clear and made a number of lifestyle modifications to maintain her health.

She updated the situation and since then has released her new book, Hack Yourself Healthy, which reveals the best health and wellness tricks.

She claimed that they didn’t feel the need to marry their rarely-seen partner because she previously made an open confession about it.

She told The Sunday Times, “No! I’m content in this state. I’ve never wanted to marry, “.

When he asked if she would change her mind, she responded, “Oh, he wouldn’t.” We enjoy how it is. I don’t need to finish me; I’m confident and content.

Although things didn’t start to get romantic until Julia was 39 when she met Gerard through friends more than 30 years ago.

Zephyr, who is now 12 years old, and Zena and Xanthe, twins who are both 8 years old, have since grown up together.

Julia, who was diagnosed with endometriosis in her forties, struggled to become a mother.

According to the NHS, endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes.

It can make it difficult to become pregnant, especially during periods, and be very painful.

Additionally, it can cause fatigue, painful bowel movements, and pain and discomfort during or after sex.

Julia gave birth to her first child at the age of 40 after being worried about her fertility because of her condition.

Three years later, the couple welcomed their twin girls into the world after undergoing five rounds of IVF.

Julia’s first pregnancy came when her mother was diagnosed with bowel cancer, and she believes her happy news helped with her mum’s approach to her ordeal.

She previously told Good to Know, “I think it made a big difference for my mother when Zeph was my baby.

I kept telling her, “You can’t go, you can’t go, you have to stay to meet your grandchild.”

She added, “She felt it would make the baby feel more real, more tangible if she knew,” that Julia also allowed her mother to learn about the baby’s sex before she and Gerard did.

“So we gave permission to tell her that she was thrilled,” the doctors said. I can recall having hands on the couch in the afternoons.

Greg James, a broadcaster who was just 21 years old when he started earning his starting salary, has provided more information.

Radio 1 Breakfast star Greg James has opened up about the eye-watering amount he earned when he had just joined the broadcaster at the age of 21. Greg, 39, is a huge success story at the BBC and now draws in 4.1 million listeners daily with the weekday show he has been fronting for the last seven years.

Greg acknowledges that his starting salary at the BBC was a staggering £80, 000 in his new book, All the Best for the Future: Growing Up Without Growing Old. He described how, at the time, he received two jobs, including a BBC role for £80,000 and one at a neighborhood radio station.

A no brainer on the money front, Greg chose to sign on with the BBC and broadcast his first instalment of the Early Breakfast Show in 2007, the day after he graduated from the University of East Anglia. Greg is now paid £425,000 a year to front the Breakfast Show.

He claimed for The Times that he should have stated in the book that the transition had been made from a regional to a national one. I was in shock at how unbelievable it was. Even though they are lower now, I had no idea of the salaries back then, there may be ownership.

I’m going to tell you my first salary if you’re going to print my salary, as in, “. If that’s the game, that’s fine. James also defended the BBC, saying that he supported the broadcaster’s decision to stay impartial while avoiding praising their talent’s personal opinions.

He said, “I sincerely respect the BBC and its mission; you can’t have 5, 000 presenters spewing personal opinions all day. Yes, it’s imperfect and will always be, but because of that, the BBC is a large-scale corporation run by individuals.

The memoir-style publication All the Best for the Future features self-help advice, anecdotes, and funny stories in the form of Growing Up Without Growing Old. The goal of the book is to motivate people to behave leniently even when they are supposed to be mature adults.

Greg won Radio 1’s Giant Face Off, and he was given the honor of being Greg’s baby by his co-hosts Sophie Habboo and Jamie Laing earlier this year. Greg and Jamie had to work together to find the answers to a number of puzzles that led them to various geographical areas.

After determining the location, the team with the most flags and the location was awarded had to race to retrieve a flag with their opponent’s face on it.

After a few exhausting days of traveling through the UK, Greg and Jamie decided to compete in a real race to the finish line in Newcastle, winning 10 out of Jamie’s nine.

If Jamie had won, Greg would have been appointed the host of Jamie and Sophie’s unborn child.

On Thursday, September 25, the release of All the Best for the Future: Growing Up Without Growing Old is scheduled.

Following his tragic passing earlier today, Kate Garraway took to social media to express her condolences to her “love friend” and “journalist hero” John Stapleton.

Kate Garraway was one of the first celebrities to post a tribute following the death of her ‘dear friend’ John Stapleton, who died earlier today. The late news presenter was 79 at the time of his death following a battle with Parkinson’s disease.

The presenter’s career spanned almost five decades and was known for news programmes including Newsnight, Panorama and GMTV’s News Hour. Within his career he covered the war in Kosovo, four US elections and the iconic funeral of Pope John Paul II in Rome.

His agent confirmed his death by stating that John had pneumonia-related Parkinson’s disease. His son Nick and daughter-in-law Lisa have always supported him, and John passed away peacefully this morning in the hospital.

And his famous pals and former coworkers eluded social media to express their affection for the journalist right away.

One person in particular was Kate Garraway who posted a throwback picture of the pair during their time presenting GMTV.

She wrote, “Absolutely devastated to learn of the passing of my dear friend and journalistic hero John Stapleton.” The ultimate gentleman and a rock solid broadcaster. His work dates back to the Yorkshire Post’s cub reporter days.

She continued, “On his first day alone in the office, he received a call from the police that they were beginning to search the moors for the bodies of murdered children.” He arrived at the scene of one of our country’s most heinous crimes less than an hour later.

Kate continued, “Others will speak testimony to his incredible career better than I do, and I hope they do, but all I can say is that he was a most generous copartner, always lifting up those he was with, never crushing or ramming those he knew better (which he did),” down their throat, never assuming any responsibility, and always fair, truthful, and honorable.

No one told a story in the pub better than John, she said as she finished her tribute. “Huge fun too. He won’t be seen like that again. Thinking of Nick and all those who knew and loved him, Nick.

Good Morning Britain host Susanna Reid closely followed Kate as she took to X to pay her condolences.

She said: “So so sad to hear of John Stapleton’s death. He was a legend in broadcasting, the consummate pro and always good-humoured and gracious to work with. A huge part of GMB’s story and television history. Sending love to John’s family.”

The late star’s girlfriend, Nicky Campbell, also shared a picture of him and said “he’s got some respect.” He expressed his sadness, “. For many years, John Stapleton and I worked together on Central Weekend Live.

He continued, “He was a broadcasting giant, a kind friend, a kind, wise, and very funny man.” Effortless, at ease, and sharp. A velvet glove with a steel handle. To all those who loved him, my condolences. There are numerous. Please rest in peace, my friend.

Presenter Gabby Roslin took to Instagram and described him as a “good, kind, caring man.” She wrote: “John Stapleton was a good, kind, caring man. My love and thoughts are with his family. John has a proper twinkle in his eye.”

Nick, a son Nick, and his late wife Lynn Fauld Wood, John left behind. In an interview on BBC Morning Live from October 1, John revealed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

He said at the time, “For the better part of 50 years, speaking is how I’ve made my living.” Sometimes it’s very frustrating, especially when someone keeps saying, “Sorry, what did you say? ” And you must constantly repeat yourself.

He continued, “I’m a fairly sane person about the possibility that this will get worse.” What purpose does it serve to be negative, I try to stay positive?

The well-known newscaster also revealed that his grandmother and mother also had the same illness.

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With her most recent BBC documentary, former Love Island star Zara McDermott has sparked outrage in Thailand as she exposes the negative effects of tourism.

Zara McDermott has sparked fury from locals in Thailand after she called the country “Benidorm on steroids.” The former Love Island star has been accused of making a mockery of the tourist hotspot in her new documentary – Thailand: The Dark Side of Paradise – where she draws attention to the seedy underbelly of the travel destination.

The series sees Zara, 28, visit Bangkok and Pattaya as she highlights some of the complex issues the country faces – such as the availability of drugs and prostitution. However, some residents have hit back accusing the show of being one-sided.

Zara says in her documentary that Thailand is “Benidorm on steroids: cheap, cheerful, full of women,” but locals have countered that it is a “welcoming and warm country.” One resident of the famous Khaosan Road in Bangkok said, “I have talked to my clients from around the world many of them, of course some are English, told me here is safer than in their own countries.”

Souvenir shop owner Cletana Thangworachai continued to the Daily Mail, “The documentary is unfair. It could make a negative image about safety here in Thailand and it could shake the confidence of foreign tourists. I think what they report was not true particularly about the safety here. I regularly walk at night alone leaving it very late night or very early morning not only in Bangkok but also in the rural area. I think those who made this story just wanted to boost their engagement.”

Anutr Tosirikul, a 53-year-old local, claimed the documentary might have a negative impact on Thailand’s tourism sector. He continued, “It seems to me that she already had a predetermined outcome in mind.”

“The story appears to have been presented from only one side, which I believe is unfair to Thailand. This isn’t the kind of approach we expect from journalists, and I think it undermines the credibility of the BBC.”

Thailand is described as the “sex capital of Asia” in the documentary, which features young British men having sex with prostitutes for as little as £23.

It seems to me that some young Brits are acting in Thailand in a way unlike they would never behave in the UK, Zara says in the show. They are completely content to live under entirely different rules when they do, and they do it.

A YouTuber who appeared in the documentary just days before the backlash claimed the documentary was “full of lies” and “false scenes” that were staged.

She is shown around the red-light district of Pattaya by the man who runs the channel Mac TV Travel Learn Inspire, but he has since claimed that producers have edited “his dialogue and” dramatized everything.

The BBC responded to the Daily Mail’s article, “We refute any notions that this contributor was misrepresented or that any sequences were fabricated. He fully understood the nature of his contribution and the entire series before taking part, fully consented, and understood what he was doing.

They added, ” Zara McDermott has explored a range of sensitive issues in multiple documentaries for BBC Three over the past five years.”

Zara admitted to having some difficult and emotional conversations with sex workers in Thailand in an interview with the BBC on Tuesday.

Because I firmly believe that sharing our stories gives us women power, I want these women to feel completely seen and heard. I feel incredibly sorry for the women who are subjected to work in such a volatile and occasionally unsafe industry.

John Stapleton, a legendary TV personality, made his final television appearance just months ago as he discussed how Parkinson’s disease was affecting him in his agonizing diagnosis.

John Stapleton made his final TV appearance prior to his death just months before he passed away at the age of 79. The iconic broadcaster appeared on air back in June as he discussed his Parkinson’s diagnosis on BBC One’s Morning Live.

John revealed he had been diagnosed with the debilitating condition in October last year and was a guest on the show where he shared an update on his health. Speaking with presenter Janette Manrara and medical expert Dr Oscar, he said, “I’ve still got the tremor, which is difficult, it makes dressing difficult and a bit of a challenge some mornings.

I’m having to repeat myself whenever I enter a room with ambient noise, like a pub, which I do occasionally frequent, as you may know. I hope you can at least hear me now loud and clear. It becomes a little stale and frustrating.

As John continued, “My limbs are getting stiffer,” he further explained how his mobility was affected. I find using my left side difficult, and I occasionally lose balance. I have to be very cautious when climbing and falling stairs and ascending too quickly. I’m a little sluggish.

Then he sarcastically retorted, “Life is a barrell of laughs.” John also discussed how he had witnessed his mother’s Parkinson’s battle at the time.

He said, “I first saw firsthand what can happen to people with Parkinson’s because my mother had Parkinson’s.” She changed from a very intelligent, outgoing woman to a prisoner at home. That prospect is not something I’m anticipating.

“But having said that, many people with Parkinson’s live almost normal lives and there is constant research being done, so think optimistic.”

He continued, “I’m doing everything I can.” I have a lovely speech therapist who insists that I speak slowly, and a keep-fit lady who visits me every week and completely knackers me.

John, who had pneumonia, passed away on Sunday, September 21, in a hospital. His agent, Jackie Gill, shared the sad news and said that his family had been there when he passed away.

She claimed that John had pneumonia and Parkinson’s disease. His son Nick and daughter-in-law Lisa have always supported him, and John passed away peacefully this morning in the hospital.

John was a household name for decades thanks to his work on BBC’s Watchdog and GMTV’s News Hour. He announced his Parkinson’s diagnosis in an interview on ITV’s Good Morning Britain in October 2024.

He said, “It’s pointless to be miserable. It won’t ever alter. For the rest of my life, Parkinson’s is right here with me. The best thing I can do is try to control it and heed the advice of the experts.

Lynn Faulds Wood, John’s wife, passed away from a stroke on April 24, 2020, at the age of 72.