Comedian Jon Richardson is turning his hand to teaching in the next series of Waterloo Road.

The star, 42, is best known for his appearances on Channel 4 panel show 8 Out of 10 Cats and its Countdown themed spin-off, and also portrays a fictional version of himself in mockumentary Meet the Richardsons.

Now, after a cheeky tease on Instagram, it has been confirmed that he’s joining the hit BBC school-based drama.

He took to social media yesterday to reveal that he was taking ‘a little break’ from his stand-up routines.

‘Hello everyone, it’s Jon Richardson here. I just thought I’d give you a little update’ he said.

‘I don’t really do social media updates because, I’ll tell you why, I don’t think anybody cares.

‘I have a little bit of news. I’ve obviously been taking a little bit of a break from stand-up and it’s really made me want to carry on taking a break from stand-up.’

He continued, alongside a picture of his childhood writing: ‘I’ve been thinking a lot about a diary entry that I found from 1997, I’m fourteen years old and it says: “Although I’d love to be a stand-up comedian, I’ll probably end up being a teacher”,

“I’ve been thinking a lot about that. I’ve loved being a comedian, it was absolutely the right choice, but I have decided it would be nice to try the other option – so that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

‘I’ve been doing some training. I’ve taken a teaching position. I will update you as and when I can, but that’s all from me from now. Just wanted to let you know where I’ve been. Bye for now.’

With over 12.3k likes and almost 800 comments, it seems that everyone is fooled. Either that, or they’re in on the joke.

Fellow comedian Aisling Bea commented: ‘OH MY GOD THE LUCKY CLASSROOM THAT GETS YOU JON BOY!’

The Weakest Link host Romesh Ranganathan added: ‘You’re going to be brilliant mate.’

Shappi Khorsandi, who has starred alongside him on Cats, wrote: ‘I am so happy for you. You were always, as the kids say, a real one.’

There was one notable other comment, though, and it came from Jason Manford – who was headteacher Steve Savage in Waterloo Road last year.

‘Hmmm this isn’t going to end well’, he said.

As someone very familiar with Greater Manchester’s most notorious educational establishment, perhaps Jon should take heed of his words!

Exact details of his role are yet to be revealed, but we do know that he’ll be under the leadership of fierce Dame Stella Drake (Lindsey Coulson).

Jon will be joined by Jason Merrells, who is reprising his Jack Rimmer part in a regular capacity following his guest appearances during the current series, which concludes tonight.

Speaking of his casting, Jon said: ‘I would say that joining Waterloo Road is a dream come true, but in truth most of my dreams about school revolve around not having done my homework or put on my uniform.

‘I wanted to be a teacher growing up so hopefully this role will put all those ambitions to bed, and I can stop telling my friends and family that I will be testing them on what I’ve been saying or telling audiences on tour that it’s their own time they’re wasting.’

Executive producer Cameron Roach added: ‘Waterloo Road always strives to strike the right balance between big emotion and comedy, and we feel we’ve struck gold in casting Jon Richardson as a new media studies teacher at Waterloo Road.

‘Not only does Jon have brilliant comic timing, his dramatic performance will surprise and delight his fans in equal measure. Next term promises laughter, tears and whole lot of mayhem.’

Series 16 of Waterloo Road airs on BBC One and iPlayer later in the year, with Series 1-15 available to stream now.

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Emmerdale’s Beth Cordingly has hit back at a troll, who shared a harsh comment on newcomer Bradley Riches’ Instagram.

Former Heartstopper star Bradley has been cast in the ITV soap as Lewis. Not much is known about the character right now, but he has already started filming.

‘I’m beyond excited to be joining Emmerdale!’ Bradley said when his casting was announced.

‘It’s a real bucket list moment for me, especially since it was my grandad’s favourite soap, I just know he’d be over the moon.

‘Everyone has been so lovely and welcoming, and the village is even more amazing in real life. I absolutely love my character (though I can’t spill too much just yet!), and I’m just so grateful for this opportunity.

‘I can’t wait for everyone to see what’s in store…’

Just recently, Bradley took to Instagram to share a number of pictures behind the scenes at Emmerdale.

Among the comments, a user of Instagram felt the need to share a particularly horrible message to Bradley about his acting career and how he’s ‘acting as if you are a big deal’.

Fortunately though, co-star and all-round legend Beth Cordingly was on hand to respond.

She wrote: ‘I don’t think he’s acting like that at all. I think he’s being very humble and grateful and gorgeous about it all. And who cares if you’ve never heard of him? He doesn’t. And nor do we.

Beth added: ‘We love him. That’s why we are following his page. So if you’d like to be unkind, please can you do it somewhere else, not on his page. (On my page is fine. I’m old and used to it. And I’ll just block you anyway).’

Love her.

Bradley has sadly already been in a position where he’s had to respond to more trolls, who have sent him homophobic and ableist messages.

On social media, he said: ‘But let’s talk real for a second. Some of the comments and messages I’ve received are vile. Too many people are quick to judge me regarding my sexuality or being autistic, without thinking about the impact of their words.

‘Before you speak, ask yourself: Do I really need to say this? Kindness costs nothing, but mean comments and hiding behind your screens says aLOT about you.

‘But lucky for you I won’t be behind a screen… I will be on YOUR SCREEN! If you’re mad stay mad! See you soon x.’

Coronation Street star Colson Smith has filmed his final scenes on the ITV soap, and his exit has left a show legend in tears.

The Craig Tinker star announced his departure in January on social media, revealing that he’d learnt the character was being written out last autumn.

He continued on Instagram: ‘I’ve loved every single second of my 14-year stay as a resident on the greatest street in the world. I feel incredibly lucky to have grown up in, on and around Coronation Street.

‘I’ve learnt pretty much everything about life from the people who call it home. I’m excited to play out the exit story for our Craigy. For me, this is just the end of the beginning.

‘I genuinely can’t wait to see what chapter 2 has in store for me. Long live the cobbles!’

In a recent episode of the On The Sofa podcast, which Colson co-hosts with Corrie co-stars Ben Price and Jack P Shepherd, he revealed that show legend Sally Dynevor, who plays Sally Metcalfe, was in tears during his final weeks of filming.

‘Sally Dynevor started crying in make-up the other day and I said, “Woah, woah, woah, there is still a week for me to mess it all up yet. Don’t tell me I’m all Mr Lovely because you wait!”‘

After wrapping filming on his final scenes, Colson took to Instagram to pay tribute to the show, posting a picture of himself sitting on top of the Rovers Return sign.

It has been revealed that Colson’s final scenes are set to be dramatic, with Craig dying in a blaze of glory.

‘Craig has grown up on the street and he’s become part of it so it was a tough decision to make but one that will be worth it,’ a source told The Sun.

‘PC Tinker will meet his maker in heroic circumstances this summer and there won’t be a dry eye in the house when it goes out.

‘Colson is taking it well and there’s a real feeling that this chapter is closing for him and there are bigger and brighter things ahead.

Coronation Street’s Sue Cleaver has reportedly filmed her final scenes.

The actress, who portrays Eileen Grimshaw in the ITV soap, confirmed she’d be saying goodbye to the role and ’embrace change’ as she ‘reached [her] 60th year’.

Speaking about her time on the cobbles, Sue said: ‘I’ve had 25 privileged years of working on Coronation Street.’

‘The door is still firmly open, but as I reached my 60th year, I decided it was time to embrace change, look for new adventures, and live fearlessly.’

It is understood that she made the decision in the summer, after her appearance in the Sister Act musical tour. She returned to the stage for the first time in about three decades.

Now, according to The Sun, Sue Cleaver has filmed her last scenes as Eileen, meaning it won’t be long until she departs the cobbles.

As part of Eileen’s final storyline, her sister Julie Carp (Katy Cavanagh) has returned.

The beloved character revealed to Eileen and Todd (Gareth Pierce) that she is living with stage four cancer. The duo have now decided to help Julie live her life to the absolute full.

Before Eileen waves goodbye to Weatherfield, she will also be treated to a return in the form of her other son Jason (Ryan Thomas).

Discussing Sue’s departure, and the history of Eileen, producer of the show Kate Brooks said: ‘We’re sad to bid farewell to the wonderful Sue Cleaver.

‘Over the past 25 years, Eileen Grimshaw has been at the heart of some of the most memorable and iconic Corrie storylines, and her onscreen rivalry with Gail Platt will undoubtedly go down in Corrie folklore.

‘There’s certainly no one quite like Eileen, and her character will be hugely missed on the cobbles. We wish Sue all the very best as she embarks on her next exciting chapter.’

Former EastEnders star Danny Dyer has admitted one storyline in particular impacted his decision to leave the BBC One soap.

Danny played the character of Mick Carter until 2022. During his final scenes, Mick was involved in a showdown with Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) and Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks).

Prior to this, Mick had been in a relationship with Janine, with the last part of his storyline ultimately focusing on her desperation to be with him, and Mick coming to the realisation Linda is his one true love.

Mick disappeared as a result of being swept out to sea. Afterwards, Janine was sent to prison, and eventually gave birth to his child behind bars.

Why did Danny Dyer leave EastEnders?

Reflecting on Mick’s relationship with Janine, star Danny Dyer recently admitted it was a ‘mad’ storyline.

In an episode of Rob Beckett’s Smart TV on Sky, he said: ‘Mick’s got a kid with Janine, how mad is that? That’s why I left, they f***ing put me with Janine, I thought I’ve got to f**k off.’

‘It’s the truth!’, he added as the audience laughed.

Last year, Danny joined a variety of famous faces in the Disney+ show Rivals.

Danny played a character called Freddie in the show, who ended up having a secret fling with Lizzie, played by Katherine Parkinson.

After a decade starring as Mick Carter on one of the UK’s biggest soaps, Danny is no stranger to criticism of his acting.

The influx of praise for his stint in Rivals hasn’t gone unnoticed, calling this ‘revelation’ that he can act ‘slightly insulting’.

‘I’m just riding the wave of it at the moment,’ the Marching Powder star shared with us, revealing his involvement with the Disney Plus show was a bit ‘last minute’.

Danny didn’t have much preparation time and ‘was reading [the script] as we were shooting, going “Oh my god, this is so clever”.’

He jokes it ‘could have gone two ways’, either people got it or it would just be ‘there’s Danny Dyer in a wig’ – thankfully it was a smash hit.

This article was originally published on March 7, 2025.

Izzy Armstrong (Cherylee Houston) has been a mainstay on Coronation Street for 15 years now – but what you may not have realised is that she has a famous real-life husband. 

Cherylee’s character arrived on the cobbles back in 2010, and during that time fans have seen her romances with Kirk Sutherland (Andy Whyment) and Gary Windass (Mikey North). 

But away from the soap, Cherylee is married to comedian Toby Hadoke, who has even appeared in Corrie himself. 

Back in 2021, Toby landed a guest role as a character called Fergus, who was introduced as Izzy’s protective neighbour. 

He discussed his appearance on Corrie during a joint interview with Cherylee on This Morning at the time. 

Speaking about his wife, Toby said: ‘She’s such a good actor. I think it’s forgotten because she’s so brilliant at bringing attention to the importance of disability representation. She’s really good.’

However, it wasn’t his first time popping up on the ITV soap, as he previously revealed: ‘If you delve into the archives, I once married Curly Watts. I was a vicar. 

‘They wanted a young vicar at Curly Watts’ wedding. If you go back it was about 747 years ago. That was just a one-off.’

What TV shows has Toby Hadoke been in?

Toby also played a registrar in rival soap Emmerdale in 2014 and more recently appeared in three episodes of Hollyoaks as Mr Reid in 2023. 

Other TV roles include guest appearances in shows including Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights, Hebburn and Shameless. 

Last month, you might have also seen Toby pop up in Waterloo Road, where he played Mr Taylor – the head of maths at the rival local grammar school – in the first episode of the current series. 

Away from the screen, Toby is a known face on the stand-up comedy circuit. 

He has run the Manchester-based comedy club XS Malarkey for 27 years and is a regular performer at the city’s Comedy Store. 

This article was originally published on March 11, 2025.

EastEnders star Ross Kemp has addressed the possibility of another return for Grant Mitchell as he praises co-star Steve McFadden.

Ross recently returned to our screens for the soap’s 40th anniversary as part of a big storyline for Steve’s character Phil Mitchell.

Phil had been battling depression for several months, and best friend Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley) was concerned for his welfare.

Wanting to get to the root of the problem, Nigel called on Grant for support.

However, Grant proved to be of little help, as he brushed off Nigel’s concerns, until things reached a devastating breaking point when they found Phil attempting to take his own life.

The scenes marked the first time Steve and Ross had worked together in ten years, though Ross has revealed that, while they have always been friends, they are now more in touch with each other following his most recent return to the Square.

‘When the producers first asked me [to return] last year I thought, it will make people happy, it will make me happy and it will pay for Christmas!’ He told The Mirror.

‘Luckily Steve had the door open for me – he could have closed it. But we picked up where we left off. We had a couple of chats before I started filming.

‘My first day after not being on set for a number of years was screaming and shouting and crying and wrestling a gun off him as he was about to shoot himself in the head. It starts like that. And it was like that for the next month. 

‘When I finished, we said we’d keep in touch and we have. I mean, we are not phoning each other every day but I think we had a good ten years working virtually every day with each other and I think when you get older, that becomes more important than it was at the time.

He went on to explain that they focused more on their families than each other after working closely together for so long, but that he wouldn’t rule out going for dinner with the actor soon.

He went on to praise Steve’s work in the show, which has also resonated with fans in recent weeks.

‘Steve is a fine actor and I don’t think soap actors get recognised for how good they are. Acclaim and recognition is reserved for people doing films and big one off dramas but Steve is absolutely fantastic.

‘I have great respect for him, in terms of his ability to maintain that energy for 35 years.’

Addressing the possibility of another return to the show, Ross said: ‘It was really good working with Steve again, and I would love to work with him again.’

Could Grant be set to return to Walford? There is certainly unfinished business with Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) after the pair shared a passionate moment.

But with Phil having realised that his feelings for Sharon are as strong as ever, could we be in for Sharongate round two?

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Emmerdale’s Beth Cordingly has teased more drama ahead for her character Ruby Fox-Miligan.

The beloved resident of the Dales has been at the centre of a huge storyline this year, which has seen her family discover Anthony, Ruby’s dad, sexually abused her when she was a child.

Anthony was murdered by Ruby a few weeks ago. In the aftermath, Ruby, Caleb (William Ash) and a number of other characters agreed to keep the truth about Anthony’s death a secret, knowing the repercussions would be life-changing.

Due to the fact Steph (Georgia Jay) was hellbent on finding out why her granddad disappeared from the Dales, Ruby ended up telling her everything, including the fact Anthony is also Steph’s biological father.

It’s been a traumatic time for the family but recently, star Beth Cordingly hinted at the fact there won’t be any respite for Ruby just yet.

On Beth’s Instagram page, she shared a video that confirmed she’s been filming ‘without either of [her] lovely Miligans’.

She said: ‘No Steph, no Caleb today. Just one KitKat Crunchy! But it’s all fine because I have had…Pierre!’.

In the caption the star wrote: ‘Introducing….PIERRE! Everybody’s favourite. He’s a marvel, darling.

‘Ps. In case anyone’s wondering, I am supposed to look sh*t. Ruby’s been up all night and she’s in all sorts of trouble. OBVS.’

Intriguing!

Ruby and Steph currently remain unaware that Caleb has been stabbed and is in hospital.

He was attacked by a man called Shaun, who was working with Joe Tate (Ned Porteous) in his plan to secure a kidney transplant.

Joe got Caleb to Doctor Crowley (James Hillier), but the episode ended with Caleb flatlining, leaving the two villains fearing they might have his death on their hands…

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Coronation Street’s Georgia Taylor led the birthday tributes to co-star Julia Goulding as she turned 40 this week. 

Julia, who plays the Street’s Shona Platt, celebrated the milestone on Thursday, with a number of her soap castmates posting messages on social media. 

Georgia, who is best known as Weatherfield’s Toyah Battersby, shared a selection of pics on Instagram of her and Julia, who she said ‘lights up her life’.

She captioned the post: ‘Happy big birthday to this absolute rock star @julia_goulding The best dressing room buddy I could ever wish for. 

‘Jooey, you light up my life every day.’

Julia’s on-screen husband Jack P Shepherd, who plays David Platt, also shared his birthday wishes. 

He posted a photo of Julia on her Stories, writing: ‘Happy birthday Mrs Platt.’ 

Soap newcomer Farrel Hegarty, who plays nightmare neighbour Lou Michaelis, also shared a snap of them on a night out together. 

‘Happy 40th gorgeous human. Love you @julia_goulding,’ she captioned her Story post. 

Julia was recently delighted to welcome Farrel to the cast, as the pair are close friends in real life. 

Farrell was also in attendance at a birthday bash Julia threw for her 40th earlier this month.

‘We’ve known each other getting on 20 years nearly, I think,’ Julia revealed.

‘She went to drama school with my best friend from Manchester, and then when I lived in London, I went to a different drama school. We were just all a big gang in London. 

‘It’s wonderful having her here.’ 

Meanwhile, Julia told her followers of how her mum went all out for her 40th. 

She shared a picture of a birthday cake overloaded with candles, writing: ‘40 candles…my man nearly set the house on fire.’

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Kidney Research UK has raised concerns about the portrayal of a storyline in Emmerdale, which has seen Joe Tate (Ned Porteous) go to desperate lengths to have a kidney donated to him.

Joe lives with AAT deficiency and as a result, he has developed chronic kidney disease. This week, after learning his uncle Caleb Miligan (William Ash) was a match to him, he began a plan that kickstarted the operation process.

Because Joe never asked Caleb, the unethical and illegal plan saw him stabbed by a man called Shaun to knock him unconscious.

Joe then found Caleb outside the depot and took him to Doctor Crowley (James Hillier), the surgeon working with Joe in return for a lot of money.

Due to the fact Joe has gone down this dark route, leading charity Kidney Research UK has written to the producers of Emmerdale (along with Coronation Street and EastEnders) to remind them of the importance in telling a story about kidney disease accurately and responsibly, ‘rather than using it as a sensationalist plot device’.

They have said that with better consultation, soaps will be able to deliver storylines without ‘sacrificing medical realism’ or ‘reinforcing harmful misconceptions about kidney disease’.

Lucy Sreeves, Executive Director at Kidney Research UK said: ‘For millions, kidney disease is not just a plot twist.

‘We appreciate that soaps need drama, but reckless storylines send the wrong message, creating fear and confusion at a time when we desperately need more people to understand kidney disease and step forward as living donors.

‘Six people die every week waiting for a transplant, organ donation is a highly regulated process and misleading portrayals ignore the harsh reality of being on the waiting list.’

She added: ‘Today we’re urging writers and producers to consider the positive difference they could make to the 7.2 million people living with kidney disease in the UK by ensuring their plot twists are accurate and plausible.

‘Soap operas have come a long way in recognising the importance of sensitive and accurate portrayals of events that affect a character’s mental health, and it is time the same approach applied to devastating conditions like kidney disease.’

The charity has extended their offer to all production teams to connect writers with researchers, patients and clinicians who are able to provide insights into the impact of kidney disease.

Lucy Griffiths, who has a young son who lives with kidney disease, also noted:

‘People have no comprehension of what a gruelling, invasive and dangerous treatment dialysis is and how major a transplant is. If the soaps got this right, they could educate people about how life after living donation carries on.

‘How agreeing to share a loved one’s organs in the most terrible circumstances can give someone the chance of a “normal life”.

‘Don’t insult patients and their families by sensationalising this cruel and debilitating disease, it’s dramatic enough already.’

An Emmerdale spokesperson told Metro: ‘Emmerdale covers a wide ranging scope of subjects in its storytelling. From births to deaths and everything in between, the nightly stories entertain, inform and raise awareness.

‘We regularly work with organisations, help groups and charities for the portrayal of many of these subjects. But sometimes our characters go rogue acting out of desperation or whilst under pressure. Joe Tate’s desperate actions are not being held up as an example and as with any soap villain he will ultimately get his comeuppance.’

Coronation Street’s William Roache has been given a lifetime achievement award for his work on the ITV soap.

William has played Ken Barlow since the very first episode of the show, and holds the Guinness World Record as the longest running TV soap star.

A few days ago, the actor, who is 92, was handed a prestigious award at the Entertainment Agents Awards.

The lifetime achievement accolade celebrates a person who has made an ‘outstanding contribution to the UK entertainment industry’.

So, of course, it was handed to Bill.

‘It’s a huge honour to receive this award, and I am very grateful for it. I’ve enjoyed a wonderful career, and to have spent so many years working on such a special programme like Coronation Street has been magical’, he told the Champions Speakers Agency.

What has Bill Roache said about Ken Barlow’s future in Coronation Street?

The star added: ‘I’ve been fortunate to work with some absolutely incredible actors over that period and made a lifetime of memories. I’m looking forward to being in the programme for many more years to come.’

The actor was given the award by Claire Sweeney, who plays Cassie Plummer in the show.

Opening up about working alongside the soap legend, Claire said: ‘I feel very honoured to have worked with Bill.

‘Not only is he a legend, he is part of the very fabric of British television.

‘Watching him and working with him – he never drops a line, he’s so smart and aware, and just seems to be ahead of everyone. He’s brilliant, he’s a kind and generous man, and I feel honoured to have this storyline with him.’

Claire’s character Cassie spent months drugging Ken Barlow. The plan began shortly after Ken told her that he no longer needed her help as a carer.

Not wanting to lose her income, and the friendship she had built with Ken, Cassie began lacing his tea with antihistamines.

Fortunately, Cassie’s plot was exposed recently in the show, but it came after her actions caused Ken to fall unwell multiple times.

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EastEnders legend Martin Kemp, 63, has recalled an incident that left him struggling for breath after being punched by a fan.

The Spandau Ballet icon played Walford bad boy Steve Owen from 1998 until 2002, and the character certainly ruffled feathers.

During his time on Albert Square, Steve made an enemy of the Mitchell brother’s, married Mel Owen and bludgeoned Saskia Duncan to death.

Steve’s (literally) explosive exit saw him lose his life after crashing his car during a dramatic car chase, with the vehicle bursting into flames with him trapped inside.

Speaking to son Roman on the FFS! My Dad is Martin Kemp podcast, Martin recalled an interaction with a fan of the BBC soap who wasn’t impressed by Steve’s dodgy behaviour.

‘I was punched in the chest once, really hard. Hard enough to stop me breathing, you know when you can’t breathe?’ He revealed.

‘I was walking down Tottenham Court Road thinking, Oh yeah, life’s good”, and I was Steve Owen in EastEnders.

‘Tottenham Court Road, on my own, and you know you don’t want people to recognise you so I’ve got my baseball cap on and my head’s down a little bit, so my eyes are not looking what’s in front of me and I’m looking down at the pavement.

‘I was walking to Groucho’s at the end of Tottenham Court Road and someone walked up to me, completely out of the blue, and said: “Steve Owen, I owe you this,” and punched me as hard as they could in the chest, in my ribcage. I could not breathe.’

He went on to explain how the altercation left him struggling for breath as he watched the culprit run off down the road, and that the people around him avoided the incident.

As well as starring in EastEnders, Martin has had roles in series like The Bill, Heartbeat and Waterloo Road.

He received critical acclaim for his role as Reggie Kray opposite brother Gary in the 1990 film The Krays, and has continued to appear in movies.

Most recently, he starred in A Gangster’s Kiss alongside fellow EastEnders stars Patsy Kensit and Michelle Collins.

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The cast of EastEnders have flooded social media with praise for young actress Aaliyah James, after a powerful episode of the BBC soap.

This week’s episodes have seen Avani Nandra-Hart left traumatised after being strip-searched by police who believed she had been handling drugs after finding a bag of pills at her feet.

The teen was taken in for questioning alongside Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd) and Lily Slater (Lillia Turner), who were free to go when their guardians arrived to collect them.

When no one arrived to pick up Avani, police claimed they had no other option but to search her for more narcotics due to her attitude and lack of cooperation.

Later, Suki Panesar (Balvinder Sopal) arrived to take Avani home but was disgusted by the treatment she had been subjected to.

Though Suki was keen to make a complaint, Avani clearly wanted to forget about the whole ordeal. However, she was unable to do that when Priya Nandra-Hart (Sophie Khan Levy) found out what had happened, and stormed over to confront Jack Branning (Scott Maslen).

Humiliated by her ordeal and her mum shouting about it in the street, Avani suffered a panic attack.

Taking to social media after the harrowing episodes, actress Sophie Khan Levy praised the work of her on-screen daughter.

‘Appreciation post for this one!’ She wrote, alongside a carousel of photos of her with the actress.

‘Unbelievably proud of you for taking on such an important and difficult storyline and playing it heartbreakingly well. This is why I love being part of a soap, watching you grow as a performer while Avani grows as a character is something very special and I feel very very lucky!

‘You are a brilliant actor and I absolutely LOVE playing your onscreen mama,’ she gushed.

‘Ps. Thank you for letting me test drive my parenting skills before hopefully having my own one day,’ she added.

The post was flooded with support from other EastEnders stars, with Balvinder Sopal writing: ‘Absolutely brilliant! Just WOW ladies.’

‘What a duo! You ladies were [fire] tonight!’ Denise Fox actress Diane Parish agreed.

‘Absolutely brilliant performances from one and all,’ Harriet Thorpe, who plays Elaine Peacock, added, while Ravi Gulati actor Aaron Thiara simply said: ‘Ma Girls.’

We’ve known for a few months that Daisy Midgeley (Charlotte Jordan) will soon be leaving Coronation Street.

Now, her exit scenes have been confirmed – and there’s a lot still to come before we ultimately say goodbye to her.

The character’s life changed when she discovered she was pregnant, but wasn’t sure if the father was Kit Green (Jacob Roberts) or Daniel Osbourne (Rob Mallard).

When Daisy learnt the truth via a DNA test, she chose to lie to Daniel, allowing him to believe he was going to become a dad again.

When Daniel discovered Daisy and Jenny Connor’s (Sally Ann Matthews) lie, Daisy’s hopes of being a mum were taken away from her. In a panic, she rushed out of the Rovers but ended up being involved in a car accident.

After getting rushed to hospital, Daisy then learnt she had suffered a miscarriage. Broken by the development, Daisy blamed Jenny and said if they hadn’t lied to Daniel in the first place, her baby would still be alive.

With more twists and turns ahead involving Daisy and her relationships with residents on the cobbles, a Coronation Street spokesperson has confirmed to Metro that her exit will be a strong focus next month.

They said: ‘The story is a huge one for us in April and runs for weeks with lots of shocks, twists and turns. An exit story is not just about the moment the character leaves the street it is about the events that lead up to that departure.

‘The loss of her baby started the trail of events which lead to her brilliant exit.’

Before she departs, Daisy will have to deal with the return of her biological mother Christina (Amy Robbins).

However, as Daisy’s relationship with Jenny remains in a difficult place, the dynamic she has with Christina will be slightly different.

Instead of finding her mum simply insufferable, Daisy will create a plan with Christina to catfish Jenny, allowing her to believe she’s building a connection with a man from a dating app.

Ouch.

EastEnders legend Natalie Cassidy has revealed the real reason she’s chosen to give up her role as Sonia Fowler in the BBC soap.

The actress announced her departure earlier this year, leaving fans of the show in shock.

It came after the character was involved in a huge storyline that saw her sent to prison to await trial for a murder she didn’t commit, before discovering that partner Reiss Colwell was the true culprit – and all that while pregnant!

During the 40th anniversary live episode, Sonia gave birth to daughter Julia in dramatic scenes.

As Natalie prepares to leave the show, she has opened up about the real reason for her departure.

‘I left because I felt the time was right to do so, I was ready for a change, after 32 years,’ she told Bella Magazine.

‘I adore EastEnders but you can’t do everything. EastEnders is a factory with 60 cast members and 300 staff.

‘They can’t cater for someone who says “By the way, I need two months off to do this, I need another three months off to do this”. It’s not fair.’

Natalie has previously taken time away from the London-based soap to pursue other projects, with her most recent break taking place last year.

During that time she started a new podcast, and filmed for series two of comedy Boarders. She is also set to release her first book later this year.

There is one project that Natalie is eager to be a part of, she revealed to the publication.

‘I would love to do the Channel 4 game show Taskmaster,’ she said.

‘I’d love to be a part of it! I keep dropping hints but it hasn’t happened yet. I so hope it does -it’s a fantastic programme and it’s huge on my bucket list!’

EastEnders star Aaliyah James is currently at the centre of a huge storyline, that has seen her character Avani Nandra-Hart strip searched for drugs.

The character was bunking off school with pals Lily Slater (Lillia Turner) and Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd) when her former vape dealer dropped the pills by their feet, and they were soon carted off to the police station.

Parents Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara) and Priya Nandra-Hart (Sophie Khan Levy) were too preoccupied to answer their phones, and whilst the other girls were taken home, Avani was detained for further investigation.

Unwilling to cooperate, the officers decided that she would have to be strip searched to ensure she wasn’t concealing any more narcotics.

In horrific scenes, she was forced to undress in front of two strangers – an incident which has left her traumatised.

Who plays Avani Nandra-Hart?

Avani is played by actress Aaliyah James, who joined the show in 2023.

EastEnders marks the young star’s screen debut, as she revealed when the arrival of her character was announced.

‘To be given this opportunity as my official debut to screen is a true blessing,’ she said upon her casting.

‘I have found home in the supportiveness of the cast and crew, and I’m very thankful to feel a part of the EastEnders family already.

‘I can’t wait to bring Avani to life and to walk her path in Walford, and I’m excited to see what the universe has planned for my own future.’

During her time on the show, she has been involved in some huge storylines, including one which has seen her inherit all of grandfather Nish Panesar’s (Navin Chowdhry) wealth and businesses, alongside brother Nugget Gulati (Juhaim Rasul Choudhry).

She was also brought into the show as the secret daughter of Ravi, and viewers have been able to see their relationship develop over the past year.

How old is Aaliyah James?

While Avani is just 15 years old, actress Aaliyah is actually 24, having been born on 26th June 2000.

The actress joked about the age gap between herself and her character in a birthday post on Instagram.

‘Guys… I’m now 15.. i mean 24 years old.’ She joked.

Her EastEnders co-stars were quick to send her some birthday love, with Suki Panesar actress Balvinder Sopal writing: ‘Happy birthday baby.’

‘Earth day blessings fam,’ Aaron Thiara wrote, while Emma Barton, who plays Honey Mitchell said: ‘Happy Birthday.’

This article was originally published on 16th October 2024.

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Coronation Street’s Georgia May Foote has opened up about the experiences she is having after endometriosis surgery.

Endometriosis, according to the NHS, is where cells similar to those in the lining of your uterus grow in other parts of the body.

Symptoms of the condition during your period can include pain when you go to the toilet and period pain so severe, it stops you from doing normal activities.

It currently isn’t known what causes endometriosis, and at the minute there isn’t a treatment that cures it. However, some treatments can help manage pain symptoms.

You can also have surgery to remove part of your bladder or bowel if impacted by endometriosis. You can also have an operation to remove your womb or ovaries, as well as fluid-filled sacs caused by endometriosis.

For Georgia, who played Katy Armstrong in the ITV soap, she underwent surgery last year following her diagnosis.

Now, however, the star experiences symptoms such as severe bloating that she finds ‘so upsetting’.

Taking to her Instagram Stories, Georgia shared some images of her stomach at points where she’s experiencing a flare up.

She wrote alongside: ‘Having to deal with this kind of bloating for the last few months has been absolutely awful. I had my endo surgery last year so to still be having this is just so upsetting. Hormones everywhere. Pain. No one understanding. Them trying to give us a tablet that causes early menopause. It’s a joke’.

In the video, the star said: ‘What we have to go through hormonally is just unbelievable. On top of that, we have conditions like PCOS and endometriosis, we have to deal with the bloating and the pain and the absolute fatigue that comes with it.

‘The lack of energy, the mood swings, and we still get up and go to the gym. I’ve really been struggling with it this month.

‘It is endometriosis awareness month and I want to give a shoutout to all you little warriors who are dealing with it on a day-to-day basis. Honestly, it’s not nice, I wouldn’t wish it on anybody.’

Georgia first appeared in Corrie back in 2010 as Katy Armstrong.

She soon began a relationship with Chesney Brown (Sam Aston) and the pair had son Joseph (William Flanagan).

After her exit from the show in 2015, Katy was killed off-screen in a car accident in 2017.

Patsy Palmer has made a huge impact on soapland thanks to her role as Bianca Jackson in EastEnders, but did you know she shares a real-life connection with one of her co-stars?

Former EastEnders star Lindsey Coulson recently made a return to our screens as Waterloo Road’s new head teacher. 

The actress joined the cast as Dame Stella Drake for the new series of the hit BBC school drama. 

To millions of EastEnders fans, however, Lindsey is best known for her role as Carol Jackson, who she originally played from 1993 to 1997 before returning for a guest appearance in 1999 and another five-year stint from 2010. 

The soap also has a deeply personal connection to Lindsey, as it is through her former co-star Patsy Palmer that now-husband Harry Harris. 

Harry is the real-life brother of Patsy, who is known for her role as Lindsey’s on-screen daughter Bianca Jackson. 

Lindsey and Harry married in 2002 and they have a daughter called Grace together. Lindsey also has a daughter from her previous marriage to showbiz agent Philip Chard. 

Speaking to Good Housekeeping about her marriage to Harry in 2020, Lindsey said: ‘I think I love him more now than I did when I met him – just in terms of having grown really well together.

‘It’s not hard work, although relationships can be. I was lucky enough to meet somebody who’s on the same page as me.’

Revealing the secret to their happy marriage, Lindsey said: ‘Conversation. I’m lucky in that he’s a psychotherapist and we’re interested in the same things – and we’re great talkers.’

Lindsey recently ruled out the possibility of returning to EastEnders as Carol, telling Metro: ‘In my head, Carol Jackson is somewhere, she’s done an Open University degree, she’s reading books on a beach with a really lovely man in her life and she doesn’t really want to come back to that Square at all because she’d end up working in the caff or the pub.

‘I like that she’s gone off into the wherever and in my head she’s really grown as a person and is good.’

When Carol departed Albert Square, she had separated from partner David Wicks (Michael French), and was seen riding off into the sunset on a motorbike.

The character has been notably ‘missing’ during a number of key stories for her family over the last year, including her daughter Sonia Fowler’s (Natalie Cassidy) wrongful imprisonment for the murder of Debbie Colwell. 

Natalie recently announced she will be leaving the role of Sonia after 32 years in the coming weeks, which Lindsey reacted to during an appearance on This Morning. 

She said: ‘I’ve known her since she was 10, and she was like that – she was a grown-up then. I love Natalie.’

This article was originally published in February, 2025.

Former Hollyoaks star Sarah Jayne Dunn, 43, has branded adult site OnlyFans ‘safer’ than the Channel 4 soap.

The actress played Mandy Richardson in the show on and off from 1996 until 2021, when she was axed after refusing to shut down her OnlyFans account.

During her time on the show, she was at the centre of some extremely hard hitting storylines, including ones that saw Mandy report her father for rape, deal with the deaths of her family members and give birth prematurely.

Mandy jetted off to LA in early 2022 after a co-star allegedly reported Sarah’s account on the adult website to Hollyoaks bosses, leading to her firing.

However, Sarah Jayne has said she has ‘no regrets’ over her decision to swap careers, previously explaining to Metro that she enjoys being herself instead of playing a character.

‘I think I’ve just found like a really nice space for me to be me to be creative, to be expressive, to be Sarah, as opposed to a character,’ she enthused.

Now, she has spoken out about safety features on the website that have left her feeling safer than during her time on Hollyoaks, after show bosses were unable to do anything about a terrifying stalking ordeal that saw the actress bombarded with ‘disturbing’ messages during her time on the show.

‘[OnlyFans] has actually been a much safer space than the likes of Instagram or TikTok or any of the other platforms that I use and that I am active on,’ she told The Sun.

‘I was getting horrendous messages on Instagram through an account, really disturbing that I went to Hollyoaks with and I contacted the police about. But they don’t do anything and they can’t do anything. And that’s terrifying.’

Sarah continued to the publication: ‘I went to Hollyoaks and it was a case of “right, just send us what he sent you'” And then I went to the police and there’s not much they can do, it’s really scary actually.’

She went on to explain how settings on OnlyFans mean that messages she is sent are pixelated, giving her the choice of whether or not to view them.

Metro has reached out to Hollyoaks for comment.

The actress previously addressed how she felt the Hollyoaks bosses’ decision to axe her was hypocritical, pointing out that she had done racy magazine photoshoots to promote the show.

‘I’d been sexualised and been made an object of sexual desire for my entire adult life. 

‘To then be told I couldn’t do it on my own terms? That was really the bit that stung because it just didn’t make sense to me.

‘I had spent years going on set, being put in short skirts and having a camera pan up and, you know, almost upskirt me and things like that.

‘And then you’d have directors manhandling you and feeling uncomfortable… to be told that I couldn’t take control myself was the biggest kick in the teeth.’

It was recently announced that Heartstopper star Bradley Riches would be joining the cast of Emmerdale, but the exciting news has been tainted by homophobic and ableist comments directed at the actor.

Bradley, who played James McEwan in the Netflix drama, is gay and autistic and has hit back at trolls in an online post.

Taking to Instagram, the Celebrity Big Brother star shared a picture of the Emmerdale village sign alongside a response to the ‘vile’ messages.

‘Beyond excited to be joining Emmerdale! A dream come true,’ he began.

‘But let’s talk real for a second. Some of the comments and messages I’ve received are vile.

‘Too many people are quick to judge me regarding my sexuality or being autistic, without thinking about the impact of their words.

‘Before you speak, ask yourself: Do I really need to say this? Kindness costs nothing, but mean comments and hiding behind your screens says aLOT about you.

‘But lucky for you I won’t be behind a screen… I will be on YOUR SCREEN! If you’re mad stay mad! See you soon x.’

Bradley is set to arrive in the Dales as a brand new character, with show boss Laura Shaw promising some ‘wonderful stories’ ahead.

‘We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Bradley to the Emmerdale family,’ she said.

‘Bradley brings a wealth of talent and his warmth, wit and charisma makes him perfect for this new Emmerdale role.

‘We have some wonderful stories for him to play and we can’t wait for the audience to see Bradley bring his new character bursting into life on screen.’

‘I’m beyond excited to be joining Emmerdale!’ Bradley added.

‘It’s a real bucket list moment for me, especially since it was my grandad’s favourite soap, I just know he’d be over the moon.

‘Everyone has been so lovely and welcoming, and the village is even more amazing in real life. I absolutely love my character (though I can’t spill too much just yet!), and I’m just so grateful for this opportunity.

‘I can’t wait for everyone to see what’s in store…’

This article was originally published on March 20, 2025.

A new face in Coronation Street has been written out of another soap after securing his ITV role.

James Cartwright has been cast as Theo in the show, who will become Todd Grimshaw’s (Gareth Pierce) new love interest.

The actor, who is 40, is best known for playing Nathan Jones in CBBC’s The Story of Tracy Beaker, and PS Harrison Burns in the Radio 4 soap The Archers.

While James said a permanent goodbye to his role as Nathan way back in 2004, his farewell to Harrison Burns is a more temporary one, as the star has confirmed what his character will get up to while he’s working on the cobbles.

‘I am a Lancashire man, and the writers sent my character on secondment to Yorkshire, which I think they thought was hilarious!’, he told the Mirror.

‘I am currently on a special mission with the ability to pop back from time to time and check in’, James confirmed.

‘What an honour in an actor’s life it is to be a part of two seminal institutions – Corrie and The Archers.’

Gareth Pierce, James’ co-star, is also known for his role in The Arches. Over Christmas last year, the star returned to the show as Gavin Moss, meaning he was also in two soaps at the same time.

James’ first scenes as Theo will see him working in Weatherfield as a scaffolder. He will catch Todd’s attention due to an interaction with Julie Carp (Katy Cavanagh).

In the week, Todd updates Julie on the situation with Theo, but reckons he isn’t interested.

Julie decides to hatch a plan and gets Theo over by claiming that they’ve got a leaky roof. At Number 11, Theo finds Todd alone and realises that he’s been set up. He spells out to Todd that he’s not gay, and would appreciate it if he’d leave him well alone.

Todd respects Theo’s comments and later, they have a drink and start to get to know each other.

After enjoying time with his new pal, Todd heads home and opens a dating app. He flirts with a guy on there and when he eventually sends a picture, Todd is thrilled to see that it’s Theo.

Former EastEnders star Joe Swash has revealed the terms in which he’d return to his Mickey Miller role full time.

The actor and TV personality, 42, originally starred in the BBC soap between 2003 and 2008, before making a brief return in 2011.

He then reprised the part for two episodes in November as part of the lead-up to the show’s 40th Anniversary.

The unexpected comeback saw him reunite with some Walford favourites as he joined in on their saucy charity calendar shoot to raise awareness of the Bridge Street market’s closure.

When Mo Harris (Laila Morse) was left without a photographer, he was more than happy to chip in!

Mickey also solved another dilemma when he stepped in to be Mr. December, stripping off in the Square gardens and only covering his modesty with a Christmas present.

We were also handed a fresh update on the unruly Miller clan, who now all work at his group of luxury, eco-friendly B&Bs in the Cotswolds.

The surprise appearance left fans desperate for him to make a more permanent stint – and Joe hasn’t ruled this out.

‘I love that place. I have the most amazing fond memories of being on EastEnders. I was super honoured to be asked back. It felt like home’ he revealed to The Mirror.

‘If they wanted me to go back in, that would be something I would think about.

‘I’ve got a big family so it would have to suit me and the family ultimately. Soaps are quite full on and I have quite a young family.’

Joe is married to presenter and singer Stacey Soloman, who found fame on the sixth series of The X Factor in 2009 and is now a Loose Women panellist.

Together they have three children; Rex, five, Rose, three, and Belle, 23 months as well as Harry, 17, Zachary, 16 and Leighton, 12 from previous relationships.

He continued: ‘I really enjoyed my time. The people that worked there, the directors and the writers and the bosses all were just such amazing people.

‘I loved it there, I really did. So yeah, I’ll be celebrating the anniversary with everyone else.

‘As much as I was in it, I’m a fan of the show as well. 40 years they’ve done really well. It’s a real milestone.’

However, it seems that a full-time ‘Enders return could be off the cards, as Joe and Stacey are about to star in their very own BBC reality series.

The show will air on BBC iPlayer from Tuesday 1 April, Stacey confirmed on her Instagram this week.

‘I did not expect to see this!’ she joked.

‘I keep forgetting we filmed a whole reality documentary and it’s actually coming out soon. This has actually made my tummy flip over! I’m scared!’

Earlier this year, the duo confirmed that they had shot six, hour-long instalments.

‘We’ve been so nervous & excited to share this’ they said in a joint statement.

‘In 2024, we opened up our home & made a series about our lives, family, work & everything in between.

‘It was a huge leap into the unknown & it’s been an absolute whirlwind making it.

‘But last year as a family we decided to say yes to more & do things we’d never done.’

This article was originally published on 18th December 2024.

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Coronation Street favourite Charlotte Jordan’s new role has been revealed following her Daisy Midgeley exit – and it involves on-screen step-mum Sally Ann Matthews.

The actress, 29, announced earlier this year that she would be departing Weatherfield after four years as the feisty Rovers Return co-owner.

Speaking of her exit, she said: ‘‘After a brilliant four years for Daisy, it’s time for me to start a new chapter and explore other opportunities.

‘It’s been a privilege to be part of a wonderful institution with even more wonderful colleagues who have taught me so much.’

Yesterday it was reported that she had already filmed her final scenes – meaning that we could be saying goodbye to Daisy within the next two months.

Now that she’s left the show, Charlotte isn’t straying too far from the cobbles of Weatherfield – as her new project with co-star Sally Ann involves waxing lyrical about the show.

Corrie has long had a dedicated fan base in Canada, where it airs on public broadcaster CBC.

For decades, cast members from the ITV soap have been visiting the country for meet and greet events, with Charlie and Sal the latest to sign on the dotted line.

In a video released on Facebook, the stars were stood behind the bar of the Rovers Return as they announced the events.

‘Hi Canada, guess what? We’re coming out to see you! We’re coming to Canada to help celebrate Corrie’s 65th anniversary with you guys,’ beamed Sally Ann.

Charlotte continued: ‘We can’t wait to meet you all, and we can’t wait to tell you about all of the gossip that we hear, and here in the Rovers, we hear it all!’

‘It’s time to let our hair down, have a night out with all of you guys, and just have a good natter. 65 years, can you imagine?’ continued Sally Ann, to which Charlotte chirped: ‘No. I’ve not been here that long.’

Sally Ann joked: ‘No, you haven’t, but you did make an impression when you were!’

It’s not yet known how Charlotte will bid farewell to Daisy, but recent scenes have seen her at odds with Jenny before losing her unborn baby in a collision with a car.

Tensions continue to rise next week when Daisy learns that her step-mum has had a secret windfall, and has not used it to pay off their debts over the ownership of the Rovers to Carla Connor (Alison King).

It’s also been reported that Daisy’s mum Christina Boyd (Amy Robbins) will be making a grand return… and whenever she’s nearby, there’s trouble!

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Emmerdale’s Beth Cordingly has urged people to be kind to themselves as she opened up on how important it is to regularly ‘take a breath’.

The actress, who plays Ruby Fox-Miligan on the ITV soap, took to social media on her way home from a tiring day of filming to discuss mental health as she sent ‘big love’ to her followers.

‘It’s ok to need to take a breath,’ wrote the soap star, sharing a selfie of the ‘curly’ look she sported on set during the day in question.

‘I’m not very good at that bit either. Be kind to yourself tomorrow please and remember that there’s nothing wrong with you because everyone finds it tricky sometimes.’

Beth admitted that, like everyone else, she tends to ‘forget’ to be kind to herself.

She continued: ‘When your head doesn’t stop and you’re scared of the day and you can’t make decisions and it all feels too much and you feel like a mad person and you don’t know what to do about anything and you think, “why are you like this, stop being mad, there are people with real problems in the world….”.

‘This too shall pass and there are millions of us who all feel the same. Loads and loads of love. All we can do is keep trying …and be kind. Love x’

Fans were quick to comment on Beth’s powerful statement, with user @jazzybge writing: ‘Beautiful words and beautiful photos of you Beth’ while Hannah wrote: ‘Been so busy this week that I needed those reminders. Be kind to yourself too Beth’

Beth, who is in a relationship with former Emmerdale star Ian Kelsey, has received acclaimed for her performance as Ruby, who was at the centre of a huge storyline after it was revealed she was abused by father Anthony when she was a teenager.

Anthony’s arrival in the village left her traumatised, with Ruby subsequently killing him and covering up his death with some assistance from husband Caleb (William Ash) as well as John Sugden (Oliver Farnworth) and Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller).

Ruby’s daughter Steph (Georgia Jay) subsequently discovered that Anthony was her biological father and, horrified that her mum was abused by the villain, she agreed to keep quiet about the death.

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US soap star Mark Dobies has passed away at the age of 65.

Dobies was best known for his role as serial killer district attorney Daniel Colson on ABC’s One Life to Live between 2003 and 2005.

He also took on the role in sister show All My Children.

Prior to that, he starred as Dr Noah Chase in Guiding Light.

His death, which happened on 11th March, was announced locally in New Jersey. The obituary described him as ‘a loving father, accomplished athlete and talented actor’ who ‘lived a life full of passion, perseverance and love.’

It goes on to say that his ‘greatest love was his family’ and that his children were the ‘the center of his universe.’ 

No cause of death has been revealed.

The actor was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and kickstarted his career in shows Fame L.A., Just Shoot Me! and Home Improvement.

More notable roles included guest stints in Everybody Loves Raymond, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Gossip Girl and Law and Order: Criminal Intent.

His last credited role was in 2016 film Greater, a film about American football.

The production had a personal meaning to Dobies – as prior to becoming an actor, he had earned a football scholarship at Delaware Valley University.

On stage he played Bruce Niles in the 2004 off-Broadway revival of Larry Kramer’s The Normal Heart at The Public Theatre.

Dobies’ former publicist, Alan Locher, paid tribute on Instagram, writing: ‘I hate to be sharing this really sad and unexpected news,’

‘Mark Dobies passed away on March 11th at 65 —far, far too young.

‘I was lucky to work with Mark at Guiding Light and always knew him as a genuinely good guy. I also feel very lucky that I got to see his performance in The Normal Heart,’

‘I’ll never forget this small-world connection: When I started dating my now-husband Ray and we were going to meet his parents for the first time, their street name sounded so familiar to me.

‘It turned out Mark and his family lived just down the road. His children and ex-wife, Linda, are still our neighbors today.

‘Please keep his family in your thoughts during this difficult time. Rest in peace, Mark. You will be missed!’

Mark is survived by children Francesca, 27, Olivia, 24, and Robert, 21, his mother Suzanne and siblings Paul and Sandy.

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Former Coronation Street star Shobna Gulati has revealed they identify as non-binary.

The actor, 58, is best known for playing Sunita Alahan across two separate stints in the ITV soap between 2001 and 2013.

Shobna found fame in Victoria Wood sitcom dinnerladies, and portrayed Ray in both the Everybody’s Talking About Jamie musical and subsequent film adaption.

They’ve also had recurring roles in Doctors, River City, Doctor Who and Channel 4 comedy Hullraisers.

In a recent interview with former Loose Women co-star Kaye Adams, Shobna, who has been deputy lieutenant of Greater Manchester since 2015, revealed they only recently realised that they identified as non-binary.

‘I’ve become more happy describing myself as a person’ they explained on the How to be 60 podcast.

‘What do people call it now? Non-binary. So, I suppose that’s who I am.’

‘I’ve never had a word for it, but I’ve learnt from our younger generation what that might look like in terms of a word, because I know what it feels like in terms of being me.

‘All the way through my life I’ve never had the words for that and I’ve never managed to explain that and I suppose my immediate family have not really thought about it.’

The Corrie favourite continued: ‘They’ve just thought: “Shobna is either extremely feminine or extremely masculine.”

‘Because I was just accepted as a person who fell out of the tree and equally the person who put on all this make up and did a dance.

‘My father would say things like: “Oh, you haven’t dressed up today,” or “You haven’t washed your hair,” or “Your hair looks limp, you can’t go out like that.” I’d say: “Why not?”

‘He’d make comments along the way… “I walk like a boy.”

‘Lots of people tell me I walk like a boy, and I do. I just don’t know quite where it all comes from; it’s just who I am, and I’m happy in that now.’

Shobna went on to tell Kaye that the realisation was made following a conversation with a non-binary sound engineer that was working on the same show.

‘The sound person said to me that they were non-binary and I said: “what is that?” So, then they explained and I thought – “well, I feel like that, but I didn’t ever have that vocabulary.”

‘They said that they saw themselves as a person and that the gender – the he or the she – wasn’t important to who they are. And I thought: “that’s all I’ve ever thought.”

‘And I think now I’m free to say it out loud. I think people around me have accepted who I am for a long time without any explanation, but I suppose when I’m asked now, I’ll say it.’

Later, the star revealed some exciting relationship news.

Shobna was married to architect Anshu Srivastava, the father of son Akshay, in a Hindu ceremony in 1990, but they split four years later.

Between 1993 and 2003, Shobna was coupled up with Emmerdale’s Carlos Diaz, actor Gary Turner.

They told Kaye that they struggled with having a relationship in the public eye: ‘I did have relationships, but then they were very public.

‘It was sad for me, because I didn’t feel that I got enough time to have a relationship and to have more children and have a private life, because it was so un-private and so exposed.’

Speaking about their new partner, Shobna added: ‘I think I’ve loved this person all my life.’

Kaye asked whether her podcast guest would be open to dating all genders, to which they continued: ‘That is also something I’m looking at – what that means to me.

‘So yes, I would go for a person absolutely, regardless of their gender.’

Shobna left the cobbles in explosive fashion in 2013, when Sunita was trapped in the Rovers cellar during a catastrophic explosion.

Fearful that their affair would be exposed, twisted Karl Munro (John Michie) turned off her life support machine.

In a statement released at the time, the soap star said: ‘I have loved playing Sunita but, having played the role originally from 2001 to 2005 and then returning to Corrie four years ago, I really feel the time has come for me to focus on other aspects of my career.

‘I had always told myself I would see my son through school, and I have done that.

‘Comedy writing has long been a passion of mine and the commitment to a show like Corrie is huge and doesn’t really leave enough time to concentrate on other projects.

‘I’d love to be able to combine my writing and acting career in the future.

‘Playing Sunita has been a fabulous opportunity. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed her journey and am looking forward with excitement to her dramatic departure.

‘I shall miss her. That said, I have made a host of friends [in the] cast and crew – friendships that will stay with me.’

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A former EastEnders legend looked completely unrecognisable from his soap heyday as he was spotted out and about this week. 

Nick Berry was pictured with with a thick grey beard as he left a Marks & Spencer in Essex on Tuesday. 

The actor, 61, is best known to millions for his role as Walford heartthrob Simon Wicks. 

Simon arrived in EastEnders way back in 1985, eight months after the soap had first launched on the BBC. 

Quickly becoming known as ‘Wicksy’, Simon’s most memorable storyline came as he embarked on a steamy affair with Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins). 

When the truth came out, it sparked a subsequent feud with his step-brother and Cindy’s husband Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt).

Cindy would of course go on to have another famous affair with Wicksy’s half-brother David (Michael French). 

Nick eventually left the cast of EastEnders after five years on the Square in 1990. 

Simon briefly reprised the role for a one-off cameo in 2012, following the funeral of his on-screen mum Pat Butcher (Pam St Clement). 

Away from Walford, Nick is also known for his starring role in classic police drama Heartbeart. 

Set in the 1950s, Nick played lead copper PC Nick Rowan in the ITV show from 1992 to 1998. 

After his last starring role in BBC detective series In Deep from 2001 to 2003, Nick stepped away from the limelight. 

Speaking in 2011, Nick told the Daily Mail that he decided to be a ‘stay-at-home dad’, which he ‘loved.’

‘I always said that when the boys were teenagers I could go back, but the longer you don’t do something the harder it is to do it, and I haven’t really missed it,’ he told the publication at the time.

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Waterloo Road star Kym Marsh has quit the BBC drama after five series, and she’s already filmed her final scenes.

The actress has starred as canteen worker Nicky Walters since the school-based drama was rebooted in 2023, but is set to hang up her apron at the end of the current series.

During her time on the show, the character has been at the centre of some huge storylines, including poverty, son Preston’s eating disorder, daughter Tonya’s (Summer Bird) endometriosis and her relationship with Donte Charles (Adam Thomas).

Waterloo Road marked Kym’s first screen acting role since leaving Coronation Street in 2019.

The actress starred as Michelle Connor from 2006 to 2019, and was involved in some major plots, including a stalking ordeal, several love triangles and the devastating loss of son Ruairi.

After departing the cobbles, she tread the boards in several productions, including Elf the Musical, Fatal Attraction and Greatest Days the Musical.

She also turned her hand to presenting, and still appears on BBC’s Morning Live.

Now, she plans to try ‘new things’ ahead of her 50th birthday, a source told The Sun.

‘Kym is in a new chapter of her life. She’s heading towards 50 and wants to try as many new things as she can.’

Her exit comes after a reported breakup from boyfriend Samuel Thomas, who she met on tour with 101 Dalmatians the Musical.

‘One of the reasons she dumped Samuel was because she just wanted to have some fun and see where her work takes her.

‘She’s already got a busy work and family life and is very much enjoying her freedom and being able to take on exciting new projects wherever they may take her.’

Fans are already hoping the actress may return to the cobbles, with one taking to Twitter/X to say: ‘she can return to corrie as michelle now.’

‘Manifesting michelle connor back in corrie,’ another wrote.

Kym hasn’t ruled out a return to the ITV soap, previously telling the publication that she is open to going back.

‘I’d never say never to going back as I absolutely adore Coronation Street and I had some of my best years there,’ she said.

‘I learned so much on that show and I made so many friends.

‘But I left to kind of pursue other projects and I’m still in the middle of doing that, but, maybe one day!’

Real-life soap couple Nikki Sanderson and Anthony Quinlan have enjoyed a loved-up holiday together after she announced she would be leaving Hollyoaks. 

Last month, the actress shocked fans when she revealed she’d quit her role as Maxine Minniver in the Channel 4 soap. 

She later jetted off on a romantic getaway with boyfriend Anthony, who shot to fame as Gilly Roach on Hollyoaks between 2005 and 2011 – though the two didn’t cross paths on the soap as he’d departed for pastures new by the time Nikki had landed her role.

The couple, who first went public with their relationship in 2022, both shared a carousel of pictures of their trip to Cyprus on Instagram. 

Anthony, who is also known for his role as Pete Barton in Emmerdale, wrote: ‘Spent a week living our best lives… eating, relaxing, and pretending we don’t have responsibilities. 

‘Fully recharged but want to go back!’

Nikki commented: ‘The BEST time with you… always ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️.’

Earlier this month, Nikki opened up about her decision to leave Hollyoaks after 12 years, revealing it was an ‘incredibly difficult’ decision to walk away. 

‘Maxine is a huge, huge part of my life – and a part of my life that I’ve loved,’ she said. 

‘It’s difficult to think, “It’s time”, and it wasn’t an instant or overnight decision, it took me a long time to make it and it was something I genuinely fought with myself about, but I’m lucky that I could talk to people around me and get people’s opinions.

‘I’m grateful that I’ve had the stability for so long, now I’ve just got to embrace the instability of not knowing what’s next.’

Speaking to OK! Magazine, Nikki said that her recent 40th birthday played a part in her decision. 

She said: ‘I know I’m older, and time is going fast, but I want to embrace it and be excited about my forties. 

‘I’m more confident and comfortable in myself than I used to be, and I want to make the most of whatever exciting things might come my way.’

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Actress Amanda Mealing has admitted to driving her car under the influence of drugs, leaving a nurse at the wheel seriously injured.

Magistrates heard that Mealing drifted across the road before colliding with Mark Le Sage’s vehicle whilst he commuted to work.

Amanda, 57, reportedly experienced a broken wrist, broken clavicle and a cut to the head in January 2024.

She admitted to driving with cocaine in her system and driving without due care and attention, and was banned from driving for 22 months and ordered to pay a fine, totalling £485.

The court heard that she had 18mcg of cocaine in her blood, with the legal limit being 10mcg.

She was also in excess of 240mcg of benzoylecgonine, which is the chemical that cocaine leaves after being metabolised in the body.

This is almost five times over the legal limit of 50mcg.

Who did Amanda Mealing play in Holby City?

Amanda first appeared in the role of Connie Beauchamp in Holby City in 2004, and was a regular until 2010.

She made a number of guest appearances until 2019, whilst also appearing as the same character in Casualty.

The character continued to appear across the soaps until 2022.

During her time on the shows, she was involved in some huge storylines, including a battle with cancer, a violent assault and a diazepam addiction.

In 2021, the BBC decided to axe Holby City after 22 years.

‘I can’t believe it’ Amanda told Metro.

‘Particularly for me, it’s the birthplace of Connie. It’s just heartbreaking. When I started Holby, I said to Oliver Kent, the executive producer at the time, “let’s make it the West Wing of the medical world”, it’s got those long corridors, it reminded me of the West Wing so much.

‘I’m so sad, poor Connie’s birthplace is going.’

What else has Amanda Mealing appeared in?

Her first role was in children’s soap Grange Hill in 1980, and she recently turned her hand to directing in the revival of Waterloo Road on BBC One.

This came after her direction of a number of episodes of children’s series The Dumping Ground, which is based upon the Tracy Beaker books by Jacqueline Wilson.

Away from Holby and Casualty, she has appeared in The Darling Buds of May, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Death in Paradise, The Bill and Midsomer Murders.

Is Amanda Mealing married?

Amanda has been married to screenwriter Richard Sainsbury since 1998, with whom she shares two sons.

The day after giving birth to her second son Milo, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and continued to champion Breast Cancer Care, becoming an ambassador for them in 2010.

What has Amanda Mealing said about her family life?

In 2011 she reflected on the death of her adoptive brother Stephen, who died aged 32 from substance abuse. ‘He was 14 years older than me, but we were incredibly close,’ she told The Times.

‘I think he had dabbled in drugs as a teenager. But it was just an accident. It was a real tragedy for everyone and, yes, it did influence me.

‘It reminded me that life can be short and I thought there’s no point sitting around. Go out and live each day.’

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