Love Island viewers react to VERY awkward moment Shakira discusses her choice of boy with Maya Jama in recoupling: 'Why is she acting like they are friends?!'
Love Island viewers were quick to react to the very awkward moment that Shakira Khan discussed her choice of boy with Maya Jama during Tuesday night's dramatic recoupling.
Shakira was left vulnerable after the first show when bombshell Toni stole her partner Ben off her leaving her single.
Shakira then had 24 hours to tempt another boy away from their couple - with Blu, Conor and Harry risking leaving their current couples to say they wanted to be with her.
Before eventually picking Harry meaning his partner Sophie was dumped, Shakira took a long time to deliberate.
She then turned around and whispered to Maya: 'So the one I pick their girl then gets dumped?'
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Love Island viewers were quick to react to the very awkward moment that Shakira Khan discussed her choice of boy with Maya Jama during Tuesday night's dramatic recoupling
Shakira was left vulnerable after the first show when bombshell Toni stole her partner Ben off her leaving her single
As Maya told her 'yes' she then told her she really didn't know which one she liked the most as the host then asked her she had to go with who she felt the best connection to.
Viewers were quick to react to the awkward moment which took place in ears shot from the waiting Islanders.
They penned on X: 'Shakira thinking she's besties with Maya STOP #LoveIsland.',
'Shakira conferring with Maya like she's her friend is so funny #loveisland.',
'Shakira and Maya Jama was like watching girls in the club toilets talking about the guy she's dating #LoveIsland.',
'Sorry this secret chat between Shakira and Maya is unironically hilarious #loveisland.'
'Not Shakira doing a debrief with Maya #LoveIsland.'
'LOL maya said im not getting paid extra for this get on with shakira is sooo funny #LoveIsland.'
'Obsessed with shakira and maya little off stage chat #loveisland.'
The Love Island villa was left extremely shaken during Tuesday night's show as Sophie was axed from the show, and two new bombshells arrived.
Following the arrival of first bombshell Toni, who surprised the singletons at the close of Monday's episode, Semi pro footballer Shea Mannings and fitness influencer Remell Mullins are the latest arrivals.
Shea, who is a Scaffolder from Bristol, revealed he has a young son, and he will be taking that 'into consideration' when coupling up.
He added: 'She needs to be bubbly and we need to have that initial spark. She needs to have a nice personality - like I think I have - so that we match together.'
Meanwhile, Remell is a Self Improvement Content Creator who boasts a massive 18million likes and half a million followers on TikTok.
Remell shared he is looking for, 'A bubbly, confident, ambitious and fun girl. One feature that stands out to me is a nice smile, nice teeth and someone that can keep me on my toes.'
When asked where he might be found in the villa in the morning, he replied: 'I might be cooking a nice high protein meal, I might be doing my skincare routine, something to level up.'
The bombshells will make their arrival during Wednesday's episode.
Sophie Lee
NAME: Sophie Lee
AGE: 29
FROM: Manchester
OCCUPATION: Motivational Speaker and Author
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? Someone who is fun, spontaneous, who has a lot of jokes and who is attentive. At the moment I'm only finding ones draped in red flags and 'do not cross' signs
IF YOU WERE THE CEO OF SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE? I'm the CEO of empowerment. I want women to feel beautiful and validated in themselves and feel their best self.
NAME: Dejon Noel Williams
AGE: 26
FROM: London
OCCUPATION: Semi-pro footballer and personal trainer
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? Someone who is beautiful on the inside and out, looks after themselves and is healthy
CLAIM TO FAME? My dad being an ex-professional footballer. I've met all kinds of famous people through him. When I was younger it was weird because he was just my dad, but we'd go to a game and fans were asking for photos. I've met David Beckham, he was really nice.
Megan Moore
NAME: Megan Moore
AGE: 25
FROM: Southampton
OCCUPATION: Payroll specialist
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? I'd like to meet someone who is tall, with a nice tan, nice eyes and a nice smile. He needs to have a good fashion sense and a really good, funny personality that I can get on with
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR LOVE LIFE? Bankrupt, right now. But we're going to make sales and get on that corporate ladder and be booming. Profits, profits, profits!
NAME: Tommy Bradley
AGE: 22
FROM: Hertfordshire
OCCUPATION: Landscape Gardener
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? A girl who is very ambitious, with a big personality, caring, but also someone that doesn't take themselves too seriously. I don't know if that's asking for too much, but I want a bit of everything. I haven't got a specific type in terms of looks, though.
WHAT WOULD YOU BE CEO OF? Taking hours to do my hair
NAME: Alima Gagio
AGE: 23
FROM: Glasgow
OCCUPATION: Wealth Management Client Services Executive
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? A tall man with a handsome face. You know when you just look at a guy and they have that Disney prince look to them? That's it
WOULD MAYA HIRE YOU FOR YOUR FLIRTING SKILLS? I think she'd hire me because I'm a good flirt. I always ask guys on a night out to guess which country I'm originally from. If they get it right, they can get my number.
But they never guess correctly so it works really well if you don't want to give a guy your number. I'm originally from Guinea Bissau. If they're close and I really fancy them, I'll give them my number anyway.
NAME: Ben Holbrough
AGE: 23
FROM: Gloucester
OCCUPATION: Private Hire Taxi driver
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? Someone sexy, good looking, good chat, good vibes, nice teeth and good eye contact - they're all the traits I look for. Oh, and also a cute smile, I just look at you and know I can be around you all day, every day.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR LOVE LIFE? Bankrupt. I'd have been out of business a long time ago. That's exactly why I'm here.
NAME: Helena Ford
AGE: 29
FROM: London
OCCUPATION: Cabin Crew
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? Somebody funny or Northern. I feel like Northern people have much more banter than Southerners. If you look through my previous dating history, you'll see I clearly go for personality. You can pretty much laugh me into bed.
WOULD MAYA HIRE YOU FOR YOUR FLIRTING SKILLS? I would say hire but then quickly fire soon after. It would only be a temporary contract.
NAME: Megan Forte Clarke
AGE: 24
FROM: Dublin
OCCUPATION: Musical theatre performer and energy broker
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
Someone who doesn't take themselves too seriously and has a sense of humour. If they're not bad looking, that's always a plus.
I love a boy that's a bit pasty, like Timothée Chalamet. I don't mind scrawny, or a bit of a 'dad bod'. I'm 5ft1 so any height really.
CLAIM TO FAME? Me and my friends made a Derry Girls TikTok for Halloween and it went a bit viral around Brighton. Sometimes I get stopped in the street about it. I've also done Panto.
NAME: Blu Chegini
AGE: 26
FROM: London
OCCUPATION: Construction Project Manager
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
Someone who is family oriented, has a lot of love to give and a lot of love to receive. Personality goes a long way.
WOULD MAYA HIRE YOU FOR YOUR FLIRTING SKILLS? She'd fire me, but I've got the charm to smooth things over with a girl. The fact I speak fluent Spanish comes in handy when it comes to flirting!
Shakira Khan
NAME: Shakira Khan
AGE: 26
FROM: London
OCCUPATION: Construction Project Manager
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? Someone who is tall, charming, witty, with big arms, a good smile and just really funny.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR LOVE LIFE? Booming, but they're all frogs. It's a busy love life but I've not found 'the husband', I'm looking for 'the one'. I'm looking for the ring.
NAME: Harry Cooksley
AGE: 30
FROM: Guildford
OCCUPATION: Gold trader, semi-professional footballer and model
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? The girl next door that makes me laugh and can hold eye contact with me. I don't think I'd go for the most obvious girl, I like a real sweet girl.
CLAIM TO FAME? I'm the body double for Declan Rice. So when he does a shoot, any body close ups will actually be me. You'll never see my face, but you'll see my shoulder or chest, that kind of thing.
NAME: Conor Phillips
AGE: 23
FROM: Limerick
OCCUPATION: Professional rugby player
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?Someone who is really sure of themselves, ambitious, a bit of a go-getter and good craic. I like dark eyes and I don't mind a dominant woman.
WOULD MAYA HIRE YOU FOR YOUR FLIRTING SKILLS? Definitely hire. I ask girls if they want to go halves on a baby. It doesn't work, but it gets them laughing. It's an ice-breaker, not a serious question of course!
NAME: Toni Laites
AGE: 24
FROM: Connecticut
OCCUPATION: Las Vegas Pool Cabana Server
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? I'm looking for darker hair, definitely muscular but not too muscular. Super fit. Clean hair cut. Someone that can make me laugh - I'm super outgoing. And someone that's quite active. Maybe one day we could start our own family together.
I WANT TO DATE A BRITISH GUY BECAUSE... I've lived in three different states and I'm still single. It's time to try something new! I have some British friends and they're pretty charming. I think all Americans love a good accent. British men are just more polite, with better manners.
NAME: Kyle Ashman
AGE: 23
FROM: Stafford
OCCUPATION: Water operative
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? Someone that's fun, confident and just themselves.
WOULD MAYA HIRE YOU FOR YOUR FLIRTING SKILLS? I'd say I'd be hired. I just go with it, find something to compliment a girl on and go from there.
NAME: Shea Mannings
AGE: 25
FROM: Bristol
OCCUPATION: Scaffolder
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? She needs to be bubbly and we need to have that initial spark. She needs to have a nice personality - like I think I have - so that we match together. Also, I have a little boy, so I'll be taking him into consideration with who I couple up with, too.
WOULD MAYA HIRE YOU FOR YOUR FLIRTING SKILLS? Definitely hire. I'm confident to go up and introduce myself and say, 'You look beautiful', to get a conversation flowing.
NAME: Remell Mullins
AGE: 24
FROM: Essex
OCCUPATION: Self Improvement Content Creator
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? A bubbly, confident, ambitious and fun girl. One feature that stands out to me is a nice smile, nice teeth and someone that can keep me on my toes.
IF YOU WERE THE CEO OF ANYTHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE? I'm the CEO of flirting. Sometimes it's just unintentional.
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Daily Mail
14 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE How glum Louis Tomlinson's 'hard stares' at Sam Thompson displayed the depths of their 'playground mentality' just moments before TV star revealed he was out of Soccer Aid match
Sam Thompson declared he would not be able to compete in Soccer Aid on Sunday on doctor's orders, moments after he put on an animated display during training on Friday despite a horrendous calf injury. But anyone could see things were pretty awkward between him and One Direction singer Louis Tomlinson, with Louis giving Sam what appeared to be a 'hard stare' and looking glum and uncomfortable. Sam, 32, previously insisted there are 'no hard feelings' after his ex-girlfriend Zara McDermott moved on pretty quickly with singer Louis, 33, following their split in December, and the new couple have been inseparable since going public in March. But body language expert Judi James believes there is a 'playground mentality' to Louis and Sam, despite their public front - with fans noting there wasn't a single handshake or friendly moment that took place between them. While it's highly commendable that the pair honoured their commitment to children's charity, Unicef and turned up for two days of training, Judi told MailOnline that while Sam appeared well integrated with the other players, smiling and happy, Louis seemed more 'glum' and separate. She said: 'There seems to be more of a playground dynamic growing from the body language here. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'Sam seems to be very much part of the core group, sitting central and being the center of their attention while Louis walks by looking glum at times and rather peripheral to the social interaction. 'As the guys club around Sam, who looks deep in the discussion, Louis seems to glance over with a rather hard-looking stare. 'His eye direction might not be exclusively aimed at Sam, but he does seem to be checking the group out with an unsmiling facial expression.' Judi also believes there could be an 'atmosphere' developing between the two men, particularly in the photo where they are seen together on the pitch. 'When the two men meet on the pitch there is an unsmiling, reflective-looking gaze from Louis,' she said. 'This shouldn't be over-dramatized into any form of specifically directed 'hard stare' as his eye direction does not seem to be aimed directly at Sam, but there could be seen to be a hint of some kind of 'atmosphere' brewing here. 'With his hands on his hips, Louis does look really down and perhaps rather uncomfortable.' She also noted the difference in demeanour between Sam and Louis when they were posing for the group photo. 'When they sit on the grass for what looks like the group photo it's Sam in the centre again, performing a wide, satisfied and playful-looking grin. 'Louis, however, does a lip-clamped mouth shape that looks more like a stoic, dampened smile as though he's going through the motions but not keen or able to mirror the open-mouthed 'fun' smiles of the others here. 'It's the same story when he poses in the back row behind Sam. Sam is again central and gaining all the smiles of what look like support and attention, even though his own head is dipped modestly. 'Louis is more poker-faced and unsmiling here, staring forward while the rest of the group or team seem to be looking to the side in Sam's direction.' During an appearance on Friday's episode of This morning, the 32-year-old first confirmed the devastating news that he won't be taking part in the charity match this Sunday (15 June). It comes after he suffered a string of injuries, including a calf injury, after his 260-mile Soccer Aid challenge at the start of the month. Instead of playing the game, the reality star will be helping from the sidelines as a coach. This Morning host Alison Hammond was keen to know how he's been since his injury, asking: 'Have you recovered, how are you doing?' Sam replied: 'I'm still very sore, still got the torn calf, however I am here at Soccer Aid HQ and it does not get better than this. During an appearance on Friday's episode of This morning, the 32-year-old confirmed the devastating news that he won't be taking part in the charity match this Sunday (15 June) 'We've still got the management team of England, we've got Vicky McClure, Tyson Fury, who's stepping into some new shoes and Harry Redknapp... 'But also because I'm not going to be able to run around, you've also got me, part of the management team. Come on baby!' Dermot said: 'So you can't play this year obviously because you're literally falling apart. 'So is that right? you're not going to play but you're part of the management team?' Sam said: 'Yeah I came here with high hopes and went to see Gary the physio and I can kick a ball from a standing start, but when it comes to like general chaos of playing competitive sport there's just no way. 'I cant really run properly so yeah. They were very kind and said we still want you to be a part, so I get to go on the dark side with Tyson Fury.' Later on in the episode Sam returned to speak to Alison and Dermot live from the pitch and was alongside actress Bella Ramsey, Paddy McGuinness and Strictly's Gorka Márquez. Sam said: 'Bella, this is your first time at soccer aid, what're your initial thoughts?', to which she said she was 'loving it'. Paddy said: 'Once you're here and you find that everyone is just so lovely, its a really nice vibe and its just magic to be part of.' Sam also touched upon his decision to step away from the pitch, saying: 'I actually will be on the sidelines, Bella I don't know if you're aware of this, I am an England coach now. 'Gary has told me I cant play, which i found quite outrageous as well ... but I will be on the sidelines with Tyson Fury. 'I'm also tiny so I don't know if I'm going to be able to get into his ear.' Louis and Sam finally came face-to-face at Soccer Aid training on Thursday in an awkward meet-up. It remained quite the awkward encounter when Louis and Sam had to train beside one another on the pitch, and tried to avoid eye contact while mingling with their other celebrity teammates. The pair tried to not draw attention to themselves as they kept to their own devices, although at one point, they were briefly spotted sharing a glance as 'showboating' Sam gave him a smile. Judi James also shed some light on the little interaction they had on Thursday, admitting their efforts to avoid each other's gaze only acted as an 'attention-magnet'. Judi told how that Sam's behaviour suggests he's keen to be seen as 'anything but a loser in love', while Louis appears more 'introverted'. 'There probably was scope for these two guys to connect with a hug or a handshake, no matter how cursory, but they chose to perform a non-verbal 'ignore' of the situation, with Sam being Zara's ex while Louis is very much her current,' she said. 'The problem with ignoring a very obvious situation is that is tends to then act as an attention-magnet, so the presumed goal of not upstaging the charity becomes a bit of a problem.' Judi told how Sam's body language saw him 'showboating' as he looked determined to be on jovial terms and wanted to avoid being seen as 'a loser in love', compared to Louis' more introverted state. 'Both guys present as 'good' guys here though even though their lack of eye contact or other form of greeting tends to lend an air of drama to the event,' she went on. 'They each appear to have adopted contrasting states. Sam's body language puts him in an attention-seeking mode, showboating with a wide smile and animated gesticulation, while Louis appears more introvert, watching the action with a grin rather than instigating it himself. 'Sam's behavior suggests he's keen to be seen as anything but a loser in love here. His body language looks actively upbeat, confident and excited, suggesting he's moved on since the end of his relationship with Zara. 'Louis appears watchful and interested but there's no outward sign of anything competitive or of open resentment from the two men who are both known as nice guys.' Commenting on the moment the two men caught eyes and shared a brief smile, Judi said Sam was sending the more 'active communication' while Louis still remained 'impassive'. It looks like Sam sending a more active communication across while Louis stands in a more impassive pose with his hands on his hips, watching,' she added. 'Sam's partly raised hands and his what looks like a qualifier smile with his upper lip raised, pushing his cheeks up while his mouth falls open looks like a gesture of friendly sporting bravado. 'He seems to have his bicep 'aimed' at Louis to create a message of physical strength here while his hand is curled into a loose fist. 'If there's a friendly but competitive feel to Sam's pose it's not pinged back by Louis, who looks relaxed and unbothered here.' Zara moved on quickly with Louis after her split from Sam, with the smitten couple having been spotted on a string of loved-up outings and holidays since their romance was made public in March. Sam and Louis were spotted trying to avoid each other during the training session but the singer was caught giving the TV star a lingering stare while on the pitch as Sam glanced back. The pair were seen having a kick about with their fellow players wearing the same blue football kit. Louis appeared visibly awkward as he stood directly behind a cheerful Sam - although it's not known if the pair have interacted with each other behind cameras. But it seems that Sam and Louis will still be keeping their distance from each other in the changing rooms as they have separated spaces. As Sam arrived at the training day, he put on a brave face for photos, while beaming Louis was captured arriving and making his way on to the pitch. And Zara showed her support for her new boyfriend Louis the night before, as she cooked the pair a 'creamy salmon pasta for dinner', as she captured the plate with the singers guitar noticeably in the background. The new couple have enjoyed a loved-up getaway at his home in LA and to Costa Rica together after Louis flew his new flame out to the island first-class. Meanwhile, Sam has moved on with Love Island beauty Samie Eilshi, 25. After their blossoming romance was confirmed when they shared a steamy kiss in Mayfair last month, speculation of a split grew after Samie was noticeably absent from Sam's highly-publicised challenge for Soccer Aid last week. Such rumours have since been squashed however, with their romance reportedly going from strength to strength as they 'love spending time together on their days off', a source close to the couple told MailOnline. Beaming Louis was captured arriving and making his way onto the pitch He couldn't wipe the smile off his face Louis got some tips off of Jill Scott Sam trained alongside the opposition team and his best pal Tony Bellew The session was held out Champneys Tring Sam and Zara confirmed they had ended their relationship in January after more than five years together (Pictured October 2022) During an episode of their podcast Staying Relevant's last month, Pete Wicks, 37, teased Sam about the prospect of the potentially awkward encounter between him and Louis. The TOWIE star asked his co-host: 'You're really going through it with the whole f****** body and dieting and training loads. Is that for Soccer Aid?' But, not dropping the subject, Pete then asked: 'Any kind of people in there who you're looking forward to playing with?' 'Loads,' Sam laughed: 'Tom Grennan. I'm really looking forward to playing alongside Wayne Rooney, Tyson Fury's the manager. I can't wait'. Pete joked: 'I mean that's gonna be f****** amazing. Make sure you get him on side though because you may need him in your corner in case you fall out with anyone. Not that you will but just in case there's any rivalries or anything. 'You know, you have to train together and it's a lot, you know when you're kind of in close quarters with someone like that. All sorts gets brought up. Anyway...' Elsewhere singer Tom Grennan showed off his muscular physique in a fitted white T-shirt and blue denim jeans as he arrived for Soccer Aid training. Meanwhile former goalkeeper Joe Hart beamed as he posed for photos ahead of the game and Strictly star Gorka Marquez also arrived. Last week, Sam suffered a calf injury on the first day of his gruelling 260-mile Soccer Aid challenge for Unicef. Sam feared his legs will be the reason he won't be able to take part in the football game after his challenge last week - but it seems he is all ok to play as he arrived at training Louis was pictured checking out the training grounds It comes after Sam revealed he will be at Soccer Aid as he shared a new Instagram snap on Thursday after suffering a string of agonising injuries Sam gave a heartbreaking update on whether he will be able to play in Soccer Aid after suffering a string of agonising injuries during his charity challenge The Made In Chelsea star has since moved on with Samie Eilishi (pictured last week), 25, after the couple were snapped sharing a steamy kiss last mont Pete Wicks teased Sam about Soccer Aid 'rivalries' during a recent episode of their podcast In a clip posted to Staying Relevant's TikTok account, Pete asked Sam: 'You're really going through it with the whole f****** body and dieting and training loads. Is that for Soccer Aid?' Despite the TV personality fearing his legs will be the reason he won't be able to take part in the football game and insisting he is doing everything he can, it seemed Sam might be able to play some of the game as he took part in training. On Tuesday, Sam shared another update, he wrote: 'Trying to get those legs right for soccer aid!! I WILL play a part [laughing face emoji].' Sam laughed and assured he's 'loving it' but 'no, it's not' for the game, to which Pete continued: 'Are you sure it's not for Soccer Aid? How are you feeling? You're playing again. Must be really exciting.' He added: 'How do you feel about the line up? Do you think you've got a strong team?' Awkwardly laughing, Sam replied: 'Got a really strong team'. Louis will join the likes of Tyson Fury, Jill Scott, Grennan and Paddy McGuinness in the star-studded squad, while Wayne Rooney will step out of retirement as one of the managers. Sam may now have more time to pursue his romance with Samie, who recently opened up about their relationship for the first time. Sam first met Samie, who appeared on Love Island in 2023 and returned to the All Stars series this year, through his presenting role on Aftersun. Samie spoke about the blossoming relationship for the first time during an appearance on the Chloe Mediumship podcast. The show is hosted by a psychic medium and in the episode, the beauty revealed how she's previously had negative gut feelings in past relationships. She explained: 'I've had gut feelings with guys before. I've had a couple of relationships where I've known it was never it. Like this is gonna come to an end, I'll have something telling me every day it's coming to an end, this isn't for you. 'You put it to the back of your mind and then you start noticing the chaos increase. It's like the universe saying I'm gonna blow you both up if you just do not separate. Then I'm like if I only I listened all those months ago when I got that first message.' Then, host Chloe asked: 'Obviously, you don't have to talk about it too much but the guy you're currently speaking to, do you have that gut feeling? Like do you think it's gonna be really good?' Keeping her cards close to her chest, the former Love Islander replied: 'There's been no bad stuff at the minute so yeah I suppose it is all positive right now. It's early days.' Pete hilariously parodied Sam's ex Zara McDermott's famous 'you can!' moment from Made In Chelsea as he supported him on his mammoth challenge last week Sam couldn't hide his emotions after he battled through a calf injury last week to complete his mission for Unicef and Soccer Aid The reality TV star travelled more than 260 miles from London to Manchester over a five day period, raising £1.5million for Unicef in the process Read More BREAKING NEWS Sam Thompson breaks down in tears as he FINALLY completes his gruelling Soccer Aid challenge Zara and Louis sparked relationship speculation at the start of this year before going public in March, three months after MailOnline revealed Zara and ex-boyfriend Sam had parted ways. Despite his heartache over Zara moving on so quickly, sources close to Sam exclusively told MailOnline at the time he holds no grudges against Louis over the new romance. A source close to the star said: 'Sam has no hard feelings towards Louis, that's for sure. 'As far as he's concerned, Louis is Zara's new man and he's just got to accept it. 'He's a positive guy and will just move on from this, throwing himself into work and getting stuck into the exciting projects he's got coming up. 'Obviously he was sad when their relationship broke up and, like anyone, when your ex moves so quickly it's tough. And if he was both angry and devastated, that would be understandable. 'But he's not sitting around wallowing in self pity, far from it.' This year's Soccer Aid for Unicef match airs on the evening of Sunday 15 June on ITV1 and ITVX from Old Trafford, Manchester.
The Independent
18 minutes ago
- The Independent
Strictly co-host Tess Daly made MBE for services to broadcasting
TV presenter Tess Daly shed tears when she opened the letter telling her she was to be made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to broadcasting. The 56-year-old has been recognised, with her Strictly Come Dancing co-host Claudia Winkleman also becoming an MBE in the King's Birthday Honours. She told the PA News Agency: 'This genuinely came as the greatest surprise of my life. I don't think I've come back down to earth yet, I didn't see it coming, and it almost didn't happen, because the letter went to the wrong address. 'And thank goodness, someone very kind found me. And so by the time I got it, I only had, I think it was two or three days left to accept it. There's a deadline of acceptance. I can't imagine not ever wanting to accept such a wonderful award. But of course I did. 'But yes, it was cutting it fine, because it went to the wrong address first of all, but it ended well.' She added: 'I cried when I opened the letter, because I just I couldn't believe it. 'I genuinely couldn't, and the first thing I wanted to do was tell my dad, because I lost my dad many years ago, and I know how proud my dad would have been, and I would love to have shared that news with him more than anything. 'He would been incredibly proud in a very Northern, humble fashion. Because you're under strict instructions, of course, not to share the news before it's made public. But I must admit, I did tell immediate members of my family and swore them to secrecy.' Daly, who has co-presented the BBC One dancing competition since 2004, first appeared on screens in 1999 when she hosted The Big Breakfast's Find Me A Model competition on Channel 4. Daly, a model herself, has taken to the catwalk for the likes of Vivienne Westwood and Red Or Dead, and even appeared in music videos for English pop rock band Duran Duran. In 2002 she presented coverage of the stars arriving and celebrating backstage at the National Television Awards (NTAs) for ITV2 and in 2003 she replaced Ulrika Jonsson as presenter of ITV makeover show Home On Their Own. A year later she was hired as co-host of Channel 5's Back To Reality, with Richard Bacon, which saw 12 reality TV stars live together in a west London mansion. She reached new levels of fame as co-host of Strictly Come Dancing, which she presented alongside the late Sir Bruce Forsyth up until 2014, three years before his death at the age of 89. Since then Daly has co-hosted the Saturday show with Traitors presenter Winkleman, and the pair helmed coverage of its 20th anniversary series late last year. In 2024 they picked up the entertainment programme gong at the Bafta TV Awards. She told PA of her MBE: 'It feels like the most wonderful honour, because when you work as a broadcaster, you're part of people's viewing habits. 'It feels like a genuine privilege for people to invite you into their living room. For example, being part of Strictly and part of people's Saturday nights for the past 20 years is something that you don't ever take that for granted, and it's just something that I've genuinely enjoyed being a part of all these years. 'And as a career, it's been something really special to share people's lives in that way it feels like a wonderful honour. 'Broadcasting is without a doubt a collective effort. I've been really fortunate to work with some of the very best production teams that there are in the business. And so my biggest thanks is to them, because you're only as good as your team.' Daly appeared alongside Sir Terry Wogan when they co-hosted coverage of annual charity appeal show BBC Children In Need, which she has presented numerous times. Across her career she has interviewed stars including Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, rock band No Doubt and US musician Lenny Kravitz. She fronted a BBC Two documentary in 2011 titled TV Greats: Our Favourites From The North where she took a look at Manchester's broadcasting past as BBC North bid farewell to its studios in the city to move to Salford. Daly, along with her husband Vernon Kay, whom she married in 2003, have been patrons for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity since 2007. In March 2023 the presenter released a food and fitness guide featuring recipes and wellness tips, titled 4 Steps: To A Happier, Healthier You. She said of Strictly: 'I love that for the last 20 years our only agenda has been joy. It's been just feel-good entertainment, and being a part of that has felt like a gift.' Daly added: 'I've got so many wonderful memories from working with Sir Bruce Forsyth back in the beginning, 2004, to working with Claudia and being the first all-female presenting duo on Primetime Telly, and that meant a lot as a mother of girls, to sort of pave the way, that felt quite important at the time, because it hadn't been done before. 'So to be a part of that and to stand by Claude, Claudia is absolutely brilliant fun, and to do that with her at that time felt quite groundbreaking.'
The Independent
18 minutes ago
- The Independent
Reality TV star Georgia Harrison ‘blown away' at MBE for campaigning efforts
Reality TV star Georgia Harrison has said she is 'completely blown away' at being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to tackling online privacy and cyber crime awareness. Over the past couple of years the 30-year-old, who has starred in reality TV shows including The Only Way Is Essex and Love Island, has turned her hand to campaigning on violence against women and girls after becoming a victim of revenge porn. She told the PA news agency: 'Honestly, I'm completely blown away to be receiving an MBE – it's one of my proudest achievements and something I didn't expect to be coming through the letter box this summer. 'It means the world to have this kind of recognition, not just for me, but for all the survivors who've been through what I have. 'Speaking out after what happened wasn't easy, but I knew it was important. 'I didn't want anyone else to feel as alone or powerless as I did. I've tried to turn something painful into something positive, and this honour is a reminder that we can make change when we use our voices. 'Thank you to everyone who's supported me along the way, to all of the MPs that invited me in to speak with open arms and to all the charities that supported me and my fellow survivors. 'I'll never stop fighting for what's right and I'll always step up when and where I think I can make a positive difference for others.' In 2021, the TV star waived her right to anonymity amid a trial that saw her ex-partner, Stephen Bear, accused of sharing a secretly recorded sex tape of her to adult content website OnlyFans. Bear, also a reality TV star, served 10 and a half months of a 21-month sentence after being found guilty of voyeurism and of two counts of disclosing private sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress. In April 2023, the month after he was sentenced, Harrison attended a demonstration, held outside Parliament by domestic violence charity Refuge, calling for specific protections for women and girls to be included in the Online Safety Bill. She also called for social media platforms to be 'held accountable' for online harassment and abuse, and criticised the justice system for failing to 'keep up'. Later that year, she discussed the Bill in a Downing Street meeting with former technology secretary Michelle Donelan as it returned to the Commons for its final stages. In recognition of her work advocating for online safety and the prevention of violence against women and girls she won the activist gong at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards 2023. Reflecting on her campaigning, she told The Sun in October 2023 that she had had 'serious conversations with a couple of Labour MPs' about a bid to represent an Essex constituency. In 2024, she helped Thames Valley Police launch a campaign about sexual consent titled Consent Conservations. Harrison explored the prevalence of deepfakes and image-based sexual abuse in an ITV documentary titled Georgia Harrison: Porn, Power, Profit, which was released earlier in the year. As well as Love Island, she has taken part in reality TV shows including Celebrity Ex On The Beach and Channel 4 reality show Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, which she won with boxer Lani Daniels. In April, she announced she was expecting her first child with her partner Jack Stacey.
