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Bake Off star Nadiya Hussain speaks out after BBC cookery show is axed: 'It made me reassess where I want to be'
Bake Off star Nadiya Hussain speaks out after BBC cookery show is axed
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Daily Mail
42 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Samantha Womack reveals quitting EastEnders WASN'T her choice as she admits she was 'REJECTED' by BBC bosses
Samantha Womack has opened about leaving EastEnders, revealing she was forced out of the show after being 'rejected' by its directors. The actress, 52, became a fan favourite as the fiery Ronnie Mitchell on the BBC soap opera, having bagged the part in 2007. But after a decade in Walford, Samantha's time on the show came to an abrupt and brutal end in 2017 as Ronnie and her sister Roxy (Rita Simons) were killed off together on Christmas Day. The move was a widely unpopular one, with some EastEnders die-hard fans even choosing to boycott the prime-time soap over the death of the much-loved Mitchell sisters. Now, Samantha has opened up on her EastEnders exit in an interview with MailOnline, revealing she still 'doesn't understand' why her and Rita's characters were killed off. The much-loved siblings were brutally killed off on Christmas Day in 2017 after an accident in a swimming pool (pictured) - Samantha still 'doesn't understand' why fan-favourites Ronnie and Roxy were killed off by BBC producers The mother-of-two said: 'It was really hard for us because it wasn't in our hands. 'We didn't make the decision to go. I don't really understand what happened, one producer was leaving and another was coming in, I don't know what went on. 'At the time it felt like bereavement, it felt like losing a family member. It was like losing family and losing stability. 'But the thing that was the most painful - and it really was painful - was that me and Rita loved feeling like we belonged there, and then to be rejected, and I know that's emotional but that's what it was, it hit us both so hard. 'I do look back now and think, "God, I could still be there", I would never have moved to Valencia, I would never have done half the things I've done. I was like getting a barnacle off a rock, I probably needed to be forced off at that time.' Since leaving EastEnders, Samantha - who shot to fame on EuroVision aged 18 - has made her way into the world of theatre, appearing in a West End production of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe in 2022. But it was during her time playing the White Witch that she was diagnosed with an 'aggressive' form of breast cancer. 'I didn't have any lumps or feel ill,' she said, 'I've never been a doctor person so in the middle of two shows I went for a check-up not expecting to find anything. 'So I went for the ultrasound and there was a little screen on the wall in the doctors' room, looking at it afterwards we saw this little black shadow that wasn't a circle. My step-dad is doctor and I knew that most things natural are circular. Everyone just went quiet. 'In my brain, I did think, "there you are". I do feel like somewhere in our brains, our intuition is important. I've learnt to listen to that voice in my head as it basically saved my life.' Samantha was back in the theatre just hours after her scan, and recalls giving a hectic performance on-stage as the reality of the situation sunk in. 'I hadn't thought the whole thing through, I think we all knew that it was cancer but it hadn't been confirmed yet,' she said. 'I didn't have any time to think about going back to the theatre to do a second show. I was playing the White Witch, and the play's all about life and death and how close those two things are. 'For my entrance, I was lifted into the sky on this machine and all of this snow is coming down, there's cello music playing. I just remember having this moment of floating in all this snow, looking out into all this black space - I couldn't process what was happening. 'It was sinking in on-stage in front of everybody. I was mad that evening, I was doing all kinds of crazy things. In a way I was letting go of everything.' Samantha was later diagnosed with a high grade three form of breast cancer and required chemotherapy in order to recover. The EastEnders star - who was diagnosed in her late 40s - called the treatment 'terrifying' and remembers the 'awful' smell of chemotherapy on her skin, but went on to announce she was cancer-free five months later. Three years on from her recovery and the actress is now working with GenesisCare on their Keep Abreast of your Breast Density campaign to educate women about breast cancer diagnosis. In particular, they're encouraging women to ask vital questions during mammograms about issues such as their breast density. Women with extremely dense breasts are shockingly six times more likely than those with fatty breasts to get breast cancer. 'Cancer-free's a weird term,' Samantha said, 'we all have cancer in our cells all the time, so there's always a chance it can come back. 'To get a proper diagnosis you need proper information. There are four types of breast density, A, B C and D, but if you're extremely dense it's really difficult to spot a tumour. 'There are options though, if there's anything bothering you at any time, you can instigate these investigations on your own. GenesisCare are empowering women to ask the right questions, and they will tell you what your breast density is. 'Early diagnosis is the difference between cancer sounding like a death sentence and like something you can work through.' Samantha says that she's now feeling 'better, calmer and happier' than ever as she enjoys life at her home in Valencia, Spain. She's more picky and 'willing to say no' to opportunities now, but didn't close the door on a possible return to soap television in the UK. 'The fanbase for Ronnie and Roxy is extraordinary,' the actress said. 'They still to this day go loopy when they hear there's any sort of chance we could come back. 'I don't know (how we could come back), the only way is that they could possibly say that we didn't actually die. I don't know. 'It's a big commitment, I know only too well what those working days are like. But I have a strong affection for the show, I love everyone there and I miss everyone there. 'I loved working with Rita, it felt silly, it felt fun, we were controversial, we were naughty.
Scotsman
an hour ago
- Scotsman
Smash-hit comedian Chloe Pett to bring brand new stand-up show to Edinburgh Fringe
After three consecutive smash-hit, sell-out Fringe runs followed by UK tours, Chloe Petts (Live At The Apollo, Have I Got News For You, Hannah Gadsby's Gender Agenda) announces a brand-new show, Big Naturals. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The show debuts in Edinburgh for the full month this August and tours the UK & Ireland from 2026 with 40 dates including Bristol, Brighton, Birmingham, Canterbury, York, Leeds, Cardiff, Liverpool, Salford, Newcastle, Belfast and Dublin. Chloe will kick-start her biggest tour to date with a three-week run at London's Soho Theatre, performing Downstairs from Friday, January 2 to Saturday, January 17 at 7.15pm. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Edinburgh Festival Fringe tickets are on sale now. Tour tickets go on general sale at 10am on Friday, July 4 with an exclusive fan pre-sale on Thursday, July 3 for Chloe's mailing list subscribers. Full dates and tickets at Chloe Petts brings her brand new show, Big Naturals, to the Pleasance Courtyard, Forth as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 30th July – 24th August (excl 13th) at 7.00pm and then on tour. For the past three years Chloe has been recommended as one of the top comedy shows to see at the Edinburgh Fringe by multiple titles including The Guardian, The Times, Evening Standard, The Scotsman, Edinburgh Evening News and Time Out, and in her brand-new show, she's delving where she's never delved before: this is a show about sex. The problem is that she blushes every time she says that word. From Page 3 to fronting a Christian rock band to putting things in a popcorn box that you definitely shouldn't, join Chloe for her most titillating hour yet. It's been a big year for Chloe; in January she made her debut on Live at the Apollo (BBC), before making her third appearance in the space of twelve months on Have I Got News For You (BBC) and selling-out her third UK tour. Elsewhere on television and radio, last year also saw Chloe star in Hannah Gadsby's Gender Agenda (Netflix), a multi-comic special featuring seven global genderqueer comics, appear on The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice (Channel 4), and land her debut BBC Radio 4 show, Toilet Humour, a five-part series about the history of the loo. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Previously, Chloe has had her own regular segment on Sky Sports News where she would irreverently round up the week in football and has also appeared on MOTDx (BBC), The Frank Skinner Show (Absolute Radio), Jonathan Ross's Comedy Club (ITV), The Stand-Up Sketch Show (ITV2), Richard Osman's House of Games (BBC), Random Acts (Channel 4), Hypothetical (Dave), Fighting Talk (BBC Radio 5 Live), BBC Three Quickies (BBC), as well as winning Pointless Celebrities (BBC). On podcasts, Chloe was a popular guest on (subsequently going on to co-host) The Guilty Feminist Podcast with Deborah Frances-White and has made memorable appearances on many of the most iconic shows including Off Menu and Films to Buried With. As a live performer, Chloe was nominated for Chortle Awards Breakthrough Act 2023, is an alumna of the prestigious Pleasance Comedy Reserve, has been shortlisted for the BBC New Comedy Award, was a finalist of Leicester Square New Comedian of the Year Awards 2017 and came runner-up in the Funny Women Awards 2017. Chloe supported Ed Gamble's 2022 and 2024 UK tours, Frank Skinner's 2023 West End run and 2024 UK tour, as well as being selected to perform at the prestigious Melbourne International Comedy Festival for the past three years. EDINBURGH FRINGE LISTINGS INFORMATION Chloe Petts – Big Naturals Venue: Pleasance Courtyard, Forth Date & Time: 30th July – 24th August at 7pm (excluding 13th August) Duration: 60 min
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Neil Young does a U-turn as Glastonbury set WILL get BBC broadcast after he said the festival was 'under corporate control'
Neil Young has made a dramatic U-turn and will now allow his Glastonbury set to be aired on the BBC. The 79-year-old music legend is one of the festival's major headliners this year, joining a star-studded line-up that includes Sir Rod Stewart and Nile Rodgers. Earlier this week, it was reported that Neil had requested his performance not be broadcast live on TV. However, in a surprise move, the BBC has now confirmed that his highly anticipated set will, in fact, be shown. A BBC spokesperson said: 'We are delighted to confirm that Neil Young's headline set from Glastonbury on Saturday will be broadcast live to audiences across the UK on the BBC.' It will be on iPlayer's Pyramid Stage stream from 10pm, as well as BBC Two and Radio 2.
