A look back at Coney Island Amusement Park, Porthcawl, through the years
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BreakingNews.ie
3 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Wynne Evans accuses Strictly Come Dancing of ‘fundamentally flawed' duty of care
Welsh opera singer Wynne Evans has accused the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing of being 'fundamentally flawed in its duty of care'. The tenor, 53, known for the insurance advertisements, competed in the 20th anniversary series of the hit dancing programme with professional dancer Katya Jones. Advertisement In May, Evans announced he had been dropped by the BBC and would no longer present on BBC Radio Wales after apologising for using 'inappropriate language' during the launch of the Strictly tour. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Wynne Evans (@wynneevans) The apology came after the Mail On Sunday reported in January he had aimed a sexual joke at one of the other professional dancers, Janette Manrara. In an Instagram post with a photo of the Strictly professionals, Evans said: 'What it Feels Like to See Pictures of Strictly? 'I'll be the first to admit I've made mistakes. Not quite the way the Daily Mail would have you believe, but mistakes all the same.' Advertisement Evans accused the BBC of engaging in a series of 'lies and cover‑ups in order to absolve themselves of any wrongdoing' and said this was the 'hardest part' for him. He added: 'From my dealings right at the very top with (BBC director-general) Tim Davie, through BBC Wales and the HR department, one feeling has been constant: the only thing they truly care about is protecting themselves and their jobs and Ratings – people come second. 'When I first stepped into the rehearsal room at Strictly, I thought it would be a magical experience. And at the start, it was. But the very first thing I was told was: 'Don't trust anyone in this room — not even me.' 'That hit me hard. I've always worn my heart on my sleeve, and while I may sometimes sail close to the line, there's never malice in what I do. Advertisement Wynne Evans with the other stars of the Strictly Come Dancing Live tour (Jacob King/PA) 'What I wasn't prepared for was the way people will protect their personal and BBC brands, at any cost.' Evans claimed in his post that the HR department 'twisted facts, invented files and dates, and created a version of events that simply wasn't true'. 'Statements were issued in my name that I hadn't even seen, let alone agreed to. My voice was taken away,' he said. Evans previously said he had never approved of the statement that was issued by the BBC in January in which he apologised for making an 'inappropriate and unacceptable' comment. Advertisement At the time, a BBC spokesperson said: 'The apology issued on Wynne's behalf by the Strictly Come Dancing Tour PR representative on Saturday January 25 was fully approved by Wynne.' Evans also said in his post on Tuesday: 'Tim Davie publicly promised that the BBC would safeguard people who took part in Strictly. 'I thought about that promise while sitting in a psychiatrist's office near the BBC, staring out of the window at the BBC building, fighting to save my own life. That's how close I came to the edge. 'I'm not writing this as a victim, as I said I will own my mistakes. I'm writing it because the system is broken. Strictly is now fundamentally flawed in its duty of care. It's allowed to continue because of ratings, while people's wellbeing is left in tatters.' Advertisement View this post on Instagram A post shared by BBC Strictly (@bbcstrictly) The BBC published a review in 2024 that looked into allegations of bullying and harassment against former Strictly dancer Giovanni Pernice, made by his former dance partner Amanda Abbington. The corporation upheld some but not all of the complaints made and introduced a series of new measures aimed at improving welfare. This included the introduction of a chaperone who is present 'at all times' during training room rehearsals. Evans performed in the 25th anniversary of The Phantom Of The Opera and won 2023's Celebrity MasterChef. Entertainment Fans to bid farewell to Ozzy Osbourne in Birmingha... Read More In May, he told the Sun that the comment he made on the Strictly Come Dancing tour was not sexual or directed at one of the female cast, but instead was a nickname for fellow contestant, EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick. In June, the opera singer announced his return to radio with The Wynne Evans Show, a live weekday internet broadcast. The BBC declined to comment on Evans' social media post.
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
Accountant-turned-fireman honoured in song celebrating 200 years of rail
An accountant who volunteers shovelling coal as a steam engine 'fireman' has had her life immortalised in a song for a special BBC series. Working with steam engines connected Joanne Ormesher to her beloved late grandfather and gave her strength during her battle with an aggressive cancer. Now, she is one of five people whose stories have been turned into songs by top folk artists for BBC Radio 2's 21st Century Folk, which this year celebrates 200 years since the birth of the modern railway. The bicentenary year, led by Railway 200, began with a 'whistle-up' of more than 200 locomotives across five continents, and Inspiration, a free travelling exhibition train showcasing the past, present and future of rail, is now touring the country. Ms Ormesher's grandfather was an engineer who made model trains, and she recalls engine parts strewn across his home. But it was not until two decades after his death that she happened upon an iconic steam engine waiting at a local station. 'I thought they were consigned to museums,' she remembers. 'But this was hissing and breathing at the station. It felt alive. I stood at the back of a throng of enthusiasts, and it felt like my grandad was there. 'The smells and the sounds, everything reminded me of him.' Her life changed that day and she began volunteering cleaning engines at a local heritage railway and quickly rose through the ranks to become a fireman. She now volunteers on the Llangollen Railway in north Wales, a journey that can take up to three hours from her home near Blackburn. Starting as early as 5am, Ms Ormesher shovels hundreds of kilos of coal and ensures the train's engine is working correctly. It took her body nearly a year to adapt to the punishing labour. Despite the toil, she often daydreams about being back on the railway while working in the office as an accountant. In 2019, she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, and the railways helped her through. 'I didn't know if I was going to survive, I shouldn't have survived,' Ms Ormesher said. 'But I was determined to get back to firing steam engines. It's what kept me focused. Ten weeks after my treatment I was back at it.' Now in remission, she continues to volunteer as a fireman. Ms Ormesher also strives to pass on her knowledge to the next generation of enthusiasts and champions greater opportunities for women on heritage railways. She said she loved the song about her – Firecracker, by Findlay Napier – and was 'so emotional' when listening to it. The five songs celebrate 200 years since the first steam-powered, passenger rail journey when George Stephenson's Locomotion No. 1 travelled along the Stockton and Darlington Railway. Emma Roberts, programme manager for Railway 200, said: 'The BBC and the folk artists have done an amazing job bringing these five stories to life. 'Joanne's story is inspirational and it really demonstrates the powerful impact that the railways can have on people's lives. 'This is a momentous year for the UK, and it's been wonderful to see so many people getting involved, with hundreds of events happening across the country and the rest of the world.' The songs are being played on BBC Radio 2 this week. On Friday, Jeremy Vine will broadcast live from The Greatest Gathering, a railway summit in Derby. BBC Radio 2's Folk Show presenter Mark Radcliffe said: 'Folk music tells the story of everyday life, with melodies and lyrics that are passed down through generations of families. 'It's been amazing to see these listeners' stories take on a life of their own with these special compositions, written and performed by some of the folk world's most loved artists.'
The Sun
5 hours ago
- The Sun
Pier in one of the UK's ‘worst seaside towns' named top amusement park in Europe
CLACTON Pier has been crowned one of the best amusement parks in Europe by Tripadvisor. Despite Clacton-on-Sea being voted one of the country's 'worst seaside towns ', its pleasure pier up came up trumps, winning big in the 'Best of the Best Amusement & Water Parks' category. 6 6 Clacton Pier was given rave reviews by visitors and beat actual theme and water parks to bag 11th place in the Tripadvisor Travellers ' Choice Awards. The pier is the biggest of its kind in all of Europe, being 360 metres long, and has its own amusement park. The pier has 16 rides and attractions including the Looping Star rollercoaster, White Water Log Flume, a big wheel and helter skelter. There's even a go-karting track, as well as a bowling alley, darts and shuffleboard, adventure golf, video arcade, and a soft play centre. Currently, there's an attraction called Jurassic Pier where kids can get up close to life-size dinosaurs. Throughout the summer, the pier is also having free firework displays. When you get hungry, stop in at the Boardwalk Bar and Grill, or the Bay Family Restaurant which has pizzas, wraps, burgers and hot dogs. You can get burgers on the go and stop in Candy Corner for donuts, ice cream, candy floss or seaside rock. If you want to explore the pier yourself, you can buy a 'Big Day Out Band' which is £22.50 if bought online. With this pass you can go on unlimited rides, play a round of adventure golf, explore the new Jurassic Pier attraction, go on the big wheel, play five video games and get 50 arcade prize tickets. I went on holiday to the 'worst' seaside town in the UK – but it's a great family trip and my kids loved it 6 6 One visitor wrote in their Tripadvisor review: "One of the BEST experiences in the area! Everything from the arcade, rides, soft play, golf and food is great PLUS the workers are super kind so it's definitely worth a visit." Another said: "This is a giant of a pier with acres of fun, rides, bars, food, bowling - you name it they have it." Upon winning the award, the Pier general manager Harry Peek said: "This is amazing and a very prestigious accolade which comes from real visitors with real experiences and real feedback." Despite the pier's success at the Tripadvisor awards, Which? revealed Clacton to be one of the worst seaside towns of 2025 - as voted for by the public. Which? asked holidaymakers to go to and review their favourite and least favourite seaside towns across the UK. The towns were rated across categories like hotel prices, beach quality, seafront and pier, food and drink, accommodation and tourist attractions. 6 Clacton received a low destination score of just 42 per cent. On the other end was Bamburgh in Northumberland, which had an overall rating of 84 per cent. However, one writer insists that Clacton doesn't deserve its low score as half of its success is because it's "bright, brash and bustling." When she visited the seaside town, not only was the pier a big hit with her family, but she also checked out the Upside Down House in Essex. Find out where Sun Travel's favourite seaside towns are - and they're all less than 90 minutes from London. And check out the UK pier that's home to the world's largest fish and chip shop. Tripadvisor's Winning 'Best of the Best Amusement & Water Parks' Heide Park, Germany Puy du Fou, France The Web Adventure Park, UK Paultons Park, UK Drayton Manor Theme Park, UK LEGOLAND Billund, Denmark The Milky Way Adventure Park, UK Walt Disney Studios Park, France Djurs Sommerland, Denmark Bellewaerde Park, Belgium Clacton Pier, UK Aquafollie, Italy Aqua Dome, Ireland Paphos Aphrodite Waterpark, Cyprus Walibi Holland, The Netherlands Avonturenpark Hellendoorn, The Netherlands Aqualand Corfu Water Park, Greece Fraispertuis City, France Prater, Austria Nigoland, France Le PAL - Parc d'Attractions et Animalier, France Fort Fun Abenteuerland, Germany Katmandu Park, Spain Legoland Deutschland Resort, Germany 6
