Category Entertainment News

Many famous presenters were born on the BBC’s hit children’s program The Broom Cupboard, and now Josie D’Arby’s career has taken a surprising turn away from the camera.

In a tiny, cramped booth nestled away in the BBC studios, a whole host of famous TV presenters kicked off their careers.

Children’s TV show The Broom Cupboard began in 1985, replacing the shaky voiceover and still slides linking CBBC shows with real-life presenters.

Despite its practical beginnings it soon became a hit in itself, with the likes of Phillip Schofield, Debbie Flint and Zoe Ball all forging their famous TV personalities on the show.

Edd the Duck, Otis the Aardvark, and Gordon the Gopher, famous for their iconic costumes, even had letters and drawings printed on the walls of the tiny studio room to add to the fun.

Josie D’Arby is no exception to the trend that many of the programme’s stars have recently experienced. Many of the stars have completely new careers.

Josie rose to fame as a face on the likes of Songs of Praise, Top of the Pops, Inside Out, and Cardiff Singer of the World after her stint on The Broom Cupboard.

The 52-year-old Newport, Wales resident became the youngest British woman to host her own chat show on Channel 5 in 1999, titled Josie.

Josie’s media ambitions didn’t stop there and she soon pivoted to acting, where she starred as Alisha Adams in Holby City and made guest appearances in Casualty and Doctor Who.

She even appeared on Richard Osman’s House of Games and Pointless in 2022, where she competed on a quiz show.

Josie has recently abandoned her job to pursue a career that is beyond the scope of presenting. The artist has been working on her artistic talent ever since, even having her painting in a 2023 show at the Newport Museum of Art.

The BBC star started to take art more seriously after winning a televised art competition, South Wales Argus reports. The painting was called Less, which Josie said was “about how little it can take to make people happy.”

“Art is for everyone, and I’m happy if my piece is just a tiny little reminder that public spaces are places to press pause and take a stroll in a beautiful space,” she said.

Before her TV career began, Josie was rumored to be dating Hollywood actor Gerard Butler, who is best known for his iconic roles in 300, Law Abiding Citizen, and London Has Fallen. In 2005, the pair reportedly had a brief romance.

And Gerard isn’t her only celebrity flame, as Josie reportedly went on a date with actor Joseph Fiennes – the brother of Harry Potter legend Ralph Fiennes – in 2006.

Other Broom Cupboard presenters have a different career path, including Josie. Andy Crane, 61, has been enhancing people’s experiences on Greatest Hits Radio since 2019, and he poses in a completely different way from what he did on the CBBC show.

He currently resides in Lake District, which is picturesque. On Greatest Hits Radio, including The Top 10 at 10 and Midnight Music Marathon, Andy, who was born in the seaside town of Morecambe, Lancashire, plays three hours of the best songs from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.

ExCLUSIVE: Stephen Gibb acknowledged Taylor Hawkins’ passing and said the news had hit his father Barry “hard.”

Stephen Gibb has revealed that the death of Foo Fighters icon Taylor Hawkins affected his dad, Bee Gees icon, Barry, “hard”. The music world was left shocked in March 2022 when it was announced that Taylor, aged 50, had died after complaining of chest pains.

On the day of his death, the drummer was scheduled to play. He was unresponsive when his roommates at the Four Seasons Casa Medina hotel called. He was tragically declared dead at the scene, but emergency services immediately began carrying out CPR.

The day after, it was confirmed following a urine toxicology test that Taylor had 10 different drugs, including THC, tricyclic antidepressants, opioids, and benzodiazepines, in his system. Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, Stephen, 50, explained how the death had affected his dad, Bee Gees legend Barry.

He said, “I only spoke to him days before losing him; for both my father and I. My dad and I used to speak frequently at the time, Stephen continued. Dad had to work it out a lot. I’ll never understand why some people stay while others must leave. The best was Taylor. The thing is, he was the real deal when it came to rock and roll love.

The 50-year-old musician continued, “He really enjoyed it. He will never be forgotten, and that is not just a result of my song. Because I adored the man, I wrote that song. We had planned to make music, but I won’t be able to do it. A guy should be getting loved on forever, in this brief love letter. One of history’s greatest drummers, he was the real thing, with heart of gold.

He succeeded in his goals, I believe, and I sincerely hope so for his sake. On their self-titled debut album, Stephen and his Kill The Robot bandmates write a moving song called Western Shores.

Stephen quickly discovered who his real friends were as a father, a global icon, and his own. Knowing who your real friends are is is the hardest part of being a big band when The Bee Gees were still very popular, he said, adding that you might have to sacrifice your life to discover who your real friends were, but you do.

“The big misconception a lot of people have is that because a family is famous, it’s somehow not affected by certain things that everyone else is affected by. The fact of the matter is, like most celebrities that I’ve met in my life, are real people that have problems, just like everybody else – it’s just that they have this unimaginable skill or gift that they’re able to bestow upon the world. It comes with a price.”

He followed his father on the road and in the studios as a child, but when he was eight and nine, he realized that not everyone’s father was a singer, let alone a global icon. We used to be a very close-knit, large family, and we would spend a lot of time together, he said, adding that Maurice and his brothers would often host cookouts. I can’t speak for everyone, but many nights after dinner they would gather around and sing their favorite songs to entertain us. This is one of the most powerful memories we have.

I don’t think it became apparent to me until I was a little older how special, distinctive, and influential their contributions were and are. You are the oldest son of a famous man. I was able to identify the qualities that made me most grateful, such as knowing what it looked like and what it required to excel in a field you truly enjoyed. It required total commitment from my dad, all of them.

What might have happened if the Bee Gees had not returned to the UK, which would have made you the greatest thing ever? Possibly nothing. Being a member of a family that has produced something that has, up until this point, outlived them is an incredible gift and honor. That’s becoming more and more uncommon as I age, in my opinion, with each passing year.

He acknowledged that he had a “bit of a chip on his shoulder” as a child due to his father’s fame and that he had had his fair share of challenges and rites of passage. It does make your children’s lives a little more difficult. Fans of Barry’s appearance at their family home when Stephen was a child faced one of these difficulties.

One or two of them joked, “It’s odd, it comes with its odd things, as I’ve gotten older, I work just as hard as anyone else I know that does what I do,” adding, “I’ve had them say they were my real mum, my dad, and they were going to run away together.” No free lunch is provided, no matter whether you’re John Lennon’s or Barry Gibb’s son. It has two sides, one for each.

Your son has a band, does he sound like his father, you ask? People are disappointed that you have your own fingerprint because I don’t, I don’t. For Kill The Robot’s debut album, “That fingerprint left Stephen” terrified and eager. Although he acknowledges that it’s “hard” to get people to like a new band, the album is a labor of love.

He beamed, “We had a lot of fun making this album with some of my best friends,” he said. He hopes the record will appeal to both new and returning fans as well as those who have remained loyal to him over the years. My hope is that once it’s out, people will be able to identify Kill The Robot as a band and find something to fit their style in our music.

On all major platforms, you can stream and download Kill The Robot via Dark Lab Recordings.

Frank offers confidential advice about drugs and addiction (email frank@talktofrank.com, message 82111 or call 0300 123 6600) or the NHS has information about getting help.

ExCLUSIVE: Love Island’s Dejon Noel-Williams has been the subject of a number of flirtatious, dramatized, and accusations of game-playing in the villa, and now a woman from his pre-villa life has shared her experiences.

As Love Island continues to deliver nightly twists, tears and tension, one Islander has left viewers divided – 26-year-old Londoner Dejon Noel-Williams.

Dejon, currently coupled up with Meg Moore, has been at the centre of flirtations, firepit dramas and accusations of game-playing. But now, one woman from his pre-villa life has claimed to new that his behaviour on-screen doesn’t come as a surprise. Georgia Mercer, 27, dated Dejon in the months leading up to his villa debut. Their brief relationship began late last year and fizzled out around spring – but in that time, she says, she saw a different side to the man now trying to win £50,000 and (hopefully) someone’s heart.

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Speaking exclusively to new, Georgia shares the highs, lows and confusing middle ground of her time with Dejon and says she recognises the very same patterns playing out in front of the nation.

She admits, “He was really hot and cold during our time together.” He would “absolutely want to hang out,” he said, “but the next day I wouldn’t hear much.” It was quite strange to me.

Georgia and Dejon met online and their first real-life meeting came soon afterwards. “It was pretty quick to be fair… after about two weeks or so we went on a date,” she recalls. At first, things seemed promising. “In person, he made me feel super comfortable. I always felt really chill with him. He had a really warm energy when we were together,” she says. “That’s the part I liked about him – I didn’t feel anxious, which I usually do around new people. It was a strong eight on the feeling scale, to be fair.” But while the energy was there when they were together, Georgia says communication between dates was inconsistent. “Over text, it was different. He’d try and call me at random times and I’d be like, ‘I don’t know what you think this is, but… I’m not trying to be casual.’”

Georgia claims that after the romance lasted three months, something just wasn’t working out.

She says, “If it doesn’t feel like you’re serious, this isn’t really going to work,” she says in a message I sent him. He said, “Let’s talk on the phone,” but he wanted to do it at eleven in the evening. He just carried on the next day as though nothing had happened, I was like, no. I was like, “Are you just ignoring that enormous piece of information?”

It was Georgia who ended the relationship. “I felt like he really did seem to want something, and then the next day it’d be a bit… hot and cold again. Eventually I just said, ‘No, I’m not really feeling this.’”

And what happened afterward? He texted me, “Hi, how are you? ” a few weeks later. she asserts. He doesn’t seem to be a great communicator, I suppose.

Now, watching Dejon as he navigates Love Island, Georgia says there’s a sense of déjà vu. His connection with Meg – which began on day one – has looked solid at times. But viewers have picked up on his flirtations with multiple bombshells including Toni, Yasmin, Billykiss, Caprice and Malisha – and more recently, a jaw-dropping moment in a kissing challenge where he gave Yasmin a score of “zero”, prompting a wave of backlash from viewers.

Georgia responds, “Honestly, it doesn’t surprise me at all.” He is full-on, very affectionate when you’re in person. But when you take a step back or make a serious request, it seems like he isn’t really listening or he avoids it entirely.

Georgia continues, “There were times when I believed he was being truthful, and perhaps he was,” but it became apparent later that it was just easier for him to ignore his feelings. I once told him, “I’m also very chill, just be honest.” But he won’t, as he won’t make me stay put.

Dejon, a personal trainer and semi-pro footballer, is the son of former Premier League striker Gifton Noel-Williams, and has played for clubs including Oxford United and Bedford Town, as well as competing in HYROX events. Friends describe him as “driven and competitive” – traits that have served him well in sport and reality TV alike.

He has asked her to be his “girlfriend” after they have sex since they have teamed up with Meg, and they have exchanged private messages. However, many viewers have questioned his loyalty, especially after Casa Amor, where Dejon confronted new women and exchanged questions with her before making an apology for which he had doubted.

Georgia admits, “He’s charming.” There is no disputing that. You feel as though you are the only one in the room because of his energy. But then he leaves, leaving you unsure of your position.

Georgia says she’s not bitter. “I’m not surprised by anything he’s doing. It’s just who he is. I think, deep down, he’s probably a nice guy, but when it comes to commitment, he gets in his own way.” Does Georgia think Dejon and Meg are the real deal? “I think if he really likes her he needs to show it more, not just say it when it’s convenient. But it’s hard to know – because that’s the thing with Dejon, you never really know.”

The staggering £75 million deal between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with Netflix may allow for a new agreement to be struck, for a very specific reason.

The future of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex ’s £78million mega-deal with Netflix is hanging in the balance, with a PR expert claiming it has also reignited talk of trouble within their marriage. The Duchess’ much-derided TV show, With Love, Meghan, has proved a spectacular flop, ranking at a lowly 383 in the platform’s most-watched titles between January and June 2025.

The wholesome series – which has pulled in just 5.3million viewers worldwide since it was first broadcast in March – showed Meghan cooking, gardening and hosting A-list pals. But in an embarrassing blow, it was outperformed by hundreds of lesser-known shows in the first six months of this year – including repeats of Meghan’s old TV drama, Suits, in which she starred before meeting Harry.

What happens next in the royals’ relationship with the streaming giant is the subject of much conjecture. But PR expert Dermot McNamara believes Netflix won’t sever ties with the Sussexes just yet, as they will want first dibs on that explosive first interview, should the couple ever divorce.

According to Dermot, “the fairytale narrative has stagnated, their creative output hasn’t delivered consistent returns, and audiences are becoming more skeptical.” There are only so many opportunities for Netflix to target them before it’s all just a waste of money.

However, Netflix is aware that the inside story will be in demand worldwide if cracks appear or the couple splits. Their value increases after that.

If the couple decide to split up, Dermot thinks Netflix will want to be “at the front of the queue.” He claims that there is a general consensus among industry circles that Netflix hasn’t cut ties to Harry and Meghan because, in reality, they might be stumbling upon the most valuable of all, “the fallout,” he claims.

The platform is no longer relying on them as creative talent, but they’re keeping the relationship warm by rumors that their Netflix contract won’t be renewed when it expires in September. Why? Because it would be the decade-long streaming coup if the Sussex marriage ever failed. Although Hollywood is involved, the calculation is brutal.

Unfortunately, Harry, 40, and Meghan, 43, have previously been the subject of rumors that their seven-year marriage is in trouble. The couple’s increasingly aggressive work schedules have only increased in recent months as the rumors about everything being fine have grown.

Harry jokingly addressed the speculation in December, blaming the difficulty of keeping up with the “alleged allegations made on social media.” At the New York Times’ DealBook Summit, he claimed, “Apparently we’ve bought or moved houses 10 or 12 times.” We’ve allegedly divorced, probably 10, maybe 12 times. So what’s the point, exactly?

Meghan’s current status, however, is that she frequently speaks glowingly about their union and appears to have nothing but praise for her husband. She was questioned about her belief that Harry and I will “marry forever” on The Jamie Kern Lima Show in her first ever podcast interview in April.

Meghan responded, “Yes. If you haven’t noticed, he’s also a fox. My husband is incredibly attractive. His heart, however, is even more stunning. When you have a partner who is completely in your shoes, something is not to be taken for granted.

“You know, H, that man loves me so much, I mean. And, you know, admire the work we did. We have two healthy, beautiful children, Lilibet and Archie, and we have a beautiful life.

Megan McKenna, a former reality star, turned singer, and author of the bestseller “The X Factor,” discusses motherhood, her love life, and the song that means a lot to her.

Megan McKenna is feeling more confident and settled since becoming a mum, she tells us. The Essex-born star may have made a name for herself on reality TV, but these days she’s better known for her stunning singing voice and delicious cooking, in what appears to be a complete career change.

Now living in Germany with her footballer husband Oliver Burke, 28, and their nine-month-old son, Landon, it’s clear that 32-year-old Megan – who tied the knot with Oliver in June – is feeling at ease in her new life, as she sits down with OK! for an exclusive interview.

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“Motherhood has undoubtedly improved my freedom. I no longer worry about the little details. As we chatted at the London landmark The Shard before taking the stage with acclaimed songwriter Toby Gad, you have the most amazing gift already, so everything else is fine.

The former Ex On The Beach star has been carving out a career in music since winning The X Factor: Celebrity in 2019. In the show, fronted by Simon Cowell, Megan debuted her original song This, which later went to No.1 on the iTunes charts, and made it into the UK Official Charts.

And now that Landon and Oliver have quality time with her, she’s ready to get back into the business. She says, “I moved to Berlin and took a break from music for obvious reasons, so I’ve had a lot on my plate.” I took a break, to be honest, because I don’t enjoy doing things halfheartedly. I want to do what I do because I have a lot of passion for it.

She continues, “This performance is exciting because it’s my first since becoming a mother.” Grammy-winning musician Toby performed alongside other well-known guests, including Paloma Faith, along with other celebrities.

She adds, “I would say definitely The X Factor helped with people realising that I’ve grown up a lot,” she says of the talent contest, which came after her drama-filled stints on Celebrity Big Brother and TOWIE.

“People saw that I could write music and not just a karaoke singer. Because of my own stories, I write so passionately, which is why I won The X Factor.

Megan’s song, This, is often used on social media for engagement and pregnancy announcements, including her own special pregnancy announcement with Oliver in April last year, which came after various fertility struggles for the couple. “I hear my song all the time and get tagged in so many videos using it. It’s really lovely,” she says.

Of course, not only is she embracing the brave new world of motherhood, Megan is also embracing a different culture, as the family-of-three made the move to the German capital to be close to Oliver’s football team, German Bundesliga club Union Berlin.

When we inquire about living abroad, Megan says, “I’m not in Germany full-time, though.” “We moved there, but I’m flying a lot, back and forth”!

It’s obvious that her parents are the only ones who care about her.

She confirms, “My mother has always been so encouraging of me.” She is also my closest companion. Because I travel a lot, having family close is everything. Thank God for FaceTime in the inbetween moments! Even using social media to stay connected to UK friends and family, I believe I’d find it difficult to stay connected.

Megan’s proud parents were in attendance for her performance at The Shard, where she performed Fergie’s Big Girls Don’t Cry alongside Toby, the song’s author. But, according to Megan, they’ve also witnessed her experience the difficulter aspects of her musical journey.

Winning The X Factor: Celebrity meant that the Barking native was awarded a record deal by music mogul Simon Cowell, but she admits that things didn’t quite go to plan.

It was difficult because the label shut down after I won, so it was. I worked so, so hard, so it was difficult. However, our relationship was good. He actually called me to tell me that the label was closing, which was crazy because it’s not typical for Simon Cowell to call you. I’m sorry, but you need to find a new home, he said. However, it’s not simple to do.

Megan says she’s prepared to take on the industry once more now that Landon is a little older, despite what might have seemed like a huge setback. “Many times are changing, and releasing music without a record label is a breeze,” he said.

Meanwhile, she’s being kept very busy with plenty of other ventures, including her blossoming culinary career. With a Sunday Times bestseller cookbook (and autobiography) already and millions tuning into her mouthwatering recipe videos on social media – in which she whips up everything from comfort food classics to gluten-free dishes – Megan has made quite a name for herself as a cook.

“I adore cooking. It seems so natural to me. It’s normal to share my recipes because I always prop my phone up and film while doing it. I look horrendous the majority of the time! I always consider, “Oh, maybe I should try and put some lipstick on,” but at the end of the day, I realize, “Oh, that’s impossible!” She exclaims, “I love cooking, I love singing, Landon, and I love Ollie,” before continuing. Really, that’s all I need.

Exclusive: Despite the fact that Katie Price’s relationship is alleged to be “on the rocks,” JJ Slater’s boyfriend has reportedly issued an ultimatum to the actress.

Katie Price has been issued an “ultimatum” by her boyfriend JJ Slater, a source has revealed to new. The ex-glamour model, 47, admitted last week that she was on the brink of homelessness, as she must move out of her rental property – due to the landlord selling up – and is struggling to find a new home.

Our source claimed that between Katie’s financial stresses and drama-filled lifestyle, JJ, 33, is putting his foot down and urging her to take her problems more seriously.

They asserted that JJ has already experienced enough drama. Katie has been dealing with the moving circumstance, which JJ feels she occasionally takes out on him, and she isn’t responsible for the money. If they want to have a real chance together, he has issued an ultimatum to Katie, saying that she needs to start taking control of her finances and get her ducks in a row.

Tongues had been wagging of late when JJ was absent from Katie’s Instagram page for more than a month. Meanwhile, Katie hasn’t appeared on his social media since April – and neither of them has spoken publicly about their relationship in weeks. It caused fans to question whether there was trouble in paradise – previously, Katie and JJ have taken numerous romantic getaways, delightedly sharing loved-up snaps together on social media.

But seemingly dispelling any notion of a split, Katie shared a snap to Instagram Stories while on a photoshoot last week which revealed JJ sitting in the foreground.

Discussing her precarious living situation, the mum-of-five had explained on an episode of her podcast, The Katie Price Show, that she couldn’t rent a new property, as she was struggling to find a guarantor.

“It p****s me off”, said Katie. I can’t get a guarantee for some properties I look at. Some people don’t make enough money to support me. Even though I have the best reference ever from her former landlord, the landlord wants me to pay six months’ rent upfront and provide a guarantor.

Katie has been renting a £5,000-a-month new build since being legally forced out of her ‘Mucky Mansion’ property in May last year, following a bankruptcy declaration in March 2024. She had owned the home since 2014 and it was sold last December.

It’s thought that JJ has been living with her in recent months, but last week it was reported the reality star had moved out and they had gone their separate ways. While our source said this is not the case and the pair are still very much in a relationship, they did claim the pair have issues they need to tackle.

Our source claimed that “Katie and JJ are on the rocks.” He says, “He is half living with her and half not, and it’s a challenging situation right now.” He believes that because of how much they are together, he becomes a cutting board for her to take stress out of.

The couple met after JJ rose to prominence during a stint on 2023’s Married At First Sight UK. Katie subsequently messaged him on Instagram and they began dating at the start of 2024, going public in February. The pair seemed to progress quickly as a couple and Katie gushed last December that she was keen to marry JJ, saying, “I’d love to get married again.”

If the couple were to end up getting married, it would be Katie’s fourth time walking down the aisle, after previous failed unions with Peter Andre, Alex Reid and Kieran Hayler. More recently, she was engaged to Carl Woods, who she split from at the end of 2023 after a turbulent relationship.

Katie, the mother of Harvey, 23, Junior, 20, Princess, 18, Jett, 11, and Bunny, 10, has unmistakably expressed her desire for more children and has even explored IVF with Carl. Katie said in November, “I’m at that point and I do want more kids,” and that she wants to accomplish it with JJ, who doesn’t have any children. And I don’t want to be told that I can’t have more, either. I am aware that I haven’t finished. I would if I could have two more children.

With JJ, whether those hopes will materialize remains to be seen. According to our source, there is no denying the love between them; however, it needs to change. The source claimed that JJ loves Katie and that he is aware of their potential happiness. She simply needs to stop being so invested in drama and take things more seriously. JJ only wants that.