
Nicola struggles over emotional death in EastEnders as resident offers support
Forthcoming scenes on the BBC soap will see the Harry's Barn owner wrestling with her feelings as the anniversary of her late father's death arrives.
Nicola's ex-husband Teddy Mitchell (Roland Manookian) advises recent fling George Knight (Colin Salmon) to give her a wide berth, but he ignores the warning.
George and Nicola later compare notes about their difficult relationships with their fathers, and the spark between them is reignited.
While they recently agreed to keep their relationship professional after sleeping together last month, they end up giving in to passion once again.
However, they soon find themselves at odds after George's brother Kojo Asare (Dayo Koleosho) is arrested.
As fans of the BBC soap know, Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara) has been forcing Nicola's son Harry Mitchell (Elijah Holloway) to deal drugs after Kojo innocently flushed a stash he'd found in the boot of Ravi's car at The Arches.
Ravi, Harry and their associate Okie have also been using Kojo's flat – where Harry is living with Kojo – for their illegal activities, and next week Okie gives Kojo a pill to stop him talking when he walks in on him in the middle of a deal.
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After local copper Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) discovers Kojo has taken drugs, George is shaken when Jack explains he'll need to arrest Kojo. More Trending
Convinced Harry gave Kojo the drugs, George makes it his mission to get the truth, leading to a confrontation that drags in Nicola and Gina Knight (Francesca Henry) too.
Will the row put the brakes on George and Nicola's clear attraction, especially if George finds out Nicola has been involved in Harry's antics?
View More »
EastEnders airs these scenes from Monday 18 August at 7.30pm on BBC One or stream first from 6am on iPlayer.
MORE: New EastEnders feud 'confirmed' as Cindy looks set to make a new enemy
MORE: EastEnders nightmare as Walford favourite takes drugs in horror scenes
MORE: EastEnders' George Knight is the talk of Walford as new discovery comes to light

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Wales Online
25 minutes ago
- Wales Online
Strictly Come Dancing's Dianne Buswell's secret career she's kept hidden for years
Strictly Come Dancing's Dianne Buswell's secret career she's kept hidden for years Strictly Come Dancing star Dianne Buswell has had an impressive career on the BBC dance show, and she's also been dating a celebrity Strictly Come Dancing's Dianne Buswell (Image: Daily Mirror) Dianne Buswell's last Strictly Come Dancing partner Chris McCausland quipped she was "over the moon" to be matched with him as it guaranteed an early departure - yet the pair won the Glitterball Trophy. The partnership's routines captivated audiences throughout this series. The Australia-born professional has established herself as a viewer favourite since joining the BBC One dancing contest in 2017. Recognised for her effervescent character, striking locks and spectacular choreography, she's twice come within touching distance of claiming victory. Throughout her stint on the programme, Dianne has also discovered romance with one of her celebrity contestants, and the pair remain together. Early life growing up in Australia and secret career Dianne was born on May 6, 1989, hailing from Bunbury in Western Australia. She commenced dancing aged five following observations of her siblings performing in the dance studio, reports the Manchester Evening News. She subsequently participated in contests representing Western Australia across National and International Ballroom and Latin competitions, achieving four-time Amateur Australian Open finalist status. She and sibling Andrew claimed Western Australian Open Adult New Vogue championship titles in 2008 and 2010. Strictly Come Dancing's Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell (Image: BBC) Article continues below Aged 18, she was selected for Australian television programme So You Think You Can Dance, securing a position amongst the top 20 female contestants in Australia from thousands of hopefuls. This paved the way for Dianne to join the internationally acclaimed and critically lauded stage production Burn the Floor. Following a global tour with the production, she headed back to Australia to become a professional dancer on the television programme Dancing with the Stars. It wasn't long before Strictly Come Dancing beckoned. However, she pursued another career path alongside her dancing that numerous fans remain oblivious to. Prior to becoming a professional dancer, Dianne worked as a hairdresser in her homeland of Australia. She's said: "I had two dreams, dancing and becoming a hairdresser – I'm thrilled to have achieved both." During her appearance on Michael McIntyre's The Wheel on BBC One in 2022, she selected hair as her specialist topic. When questioned about her choice, she explained: "I was a hairdresser. I had my own salon and then I went to dancing." Strictly Come Dancing and week four curse Dianne's inaugural Strictly celebrity partner Reverend Richard Coles failed to impress the judging panel, departing the 2017 series in week three. Whilst she reached the grand final in 2018 alongside Joe Sugg, her journey wasn't quite as lengthy in 2019 with radio presenter Dev Griffin, as the pair faced elimination in week four. Dianne encountered identical misfortune with pop star Max George in 2020, and in 2021, she was partnered with comedy performer Robert Webb, who was forced to pull out in week four owing to health issues. In 2022, she partnered with radio DJ Tyler West, but their journey ended in Blackpool during week nine. In 2023, she reached the final with Eastenders actor Bobby Brazier, but they were pipped to the Glitterball Trophy by Coronation Street's Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola. Dianne and Chris won last year's Strictly (Image: PA) Dianne later expressed her gratitude for being paired with Bobby, stating that dancing with him had been a "win" for her. She shared on Instagram: "I used to be so obsessed with winning a sparkly trophy constantly thinking about that moment and what it would feel like. But what I have realised [is] dancing with this wonderful human is that the win and the sparkle is everywhere if you want it to be." so grateful"Last night, Bobby and I danced with so much joy, passion and emotion that my heart was bursting with happiness and pride and there was our win!". Struggles with eating disorder Dianne has previously spoken candidly about her struggle with an eating disorder that made her "terrified" to dance. Speaking on This Morning, she revealed her obsession over food and over-exercising. She admitted: "You wake up in the morning, and the first thing you think of is, what am I going to eat? How many calories are going to be in that? How much do I need to exercise to burn off those calories?"so grateful"It literally is like a planned thing in your mind that doesn't go away. And that's when you start to go, "Oh, this is a problem because I'm not thinking of anything else." She also discussed the pressure to maintain a certain weight as a dancer, and how the "weekly weigh-ins" at her dance company were utterly 'terrifying' for her as a young girl. She added: "I think it comes from when I was quite a young girl. And obviously growing up in the dance world, you're taught to look a certain way and you see all these other beautiful girls dancing. You kind of want to look like that and want to be winning like they are. "And they look a certain way so I feel like I should look that way. So I think it was it was something from a really young age." She managed to overcome her struggles and has shared her experiences in the book Eating Disorders Don't Discriminate, hoping to support others facing similar challenges. Finding love with Joe Sugg (Image: Joe Sugg/Instagram) Dianne and YouTuber Joe Sugg confirmed their relationship after being partners on the 2018 series of Strictly, where they reached the final. She told the Express that she never anticipated finding love on the show. She said: "I feel like all the stars aligned with Joe because we're just literally such similar people in so many ways. We're very different in ways too, but just our personalities just click so, so well. "I always think it's so weird how we met and I feel like everything was just aligned in the right place, right time for both of us. It was pretty special." She revealed they still dance together, although his memory of the routines is a bit hazy. She said: "When we're at home and a nice song comes on the radio or something, I definitely go like, 'Oh do you remember this Joe - that song that we danced to on the show?'"so grateful"And Joe will be like, 'I can't remember any of that now,' but then I'll re enact the whole dance and he'll be like, 'How do you do that?' So yeah, we still do have a joke around." Dianne moved into Joe's flat in 2019, with the content creator revealing that he gave her a card which read, 'So I have officially invited you to live in my humble abode with me. Do you want to move in with me? Yes or no. Circle your choice. All my love, Joseph. '" She accepted, telling fans on Instagram: "I said yes.... of course. Then I whispered to him do you realise how messy I can be!" The couple later relocated from London and now reside in a country house in Sussex. Father's cancer battle Strictly Come Dancing's Dianne Buswell and her dad, Mark (Image: Dianne Buswell Instagram) Dianne has confessed that her home in Australia sometimes feels very distant now that she's settled in the UK with Joe - but has said she loves life told the Express: "One weird thing, I suppose, is that I just go, 'Wow, I'm actually so far away from where I was born'. Then I think, 'Oh my god, like, of all the places I now am living! The UK is a full 24 hour plane ride away from my hometown. And obviously my family are all so far away from me. But I must say, I do love the UK and I do love all the people here and I love my job here so, yeah, I really enjoy the UK." Following the conclusion of Strictly's 2023 series, Dianne returned home to visit her family, particularly her father Mark, who was undergoing a six-month chemotherapy programme for an undisclosed cancer diagnosis. Dianne described him as her "hero", applauding his resilience and positive attitude throughout his treatment. She posted a compilation on Instagram showing him during his hospital stay, including the emotional moment he rang the bell to mark the completion of his treatment. She posted: "To my daddy you did it 6 months later and 12 rounds done. I am so so PROUD of you it's been a tough road but you have always done it with a smile and a thumbs up. I know you were scared and I know it was not easy but you have done it." During an earlier stage of Mark's cancer battle, she expressed the challenges of being thousands of miles from home, posting: "I wish so much I could be there right now and just cuddle you. You're my hero and you have made me realise we all have so much more strength then we think." During Strictly's 2024 launch programme, Dianne announced that her parents would be travelling from Australia to support her on the show in November. Why signature red hair is her 'comfort blanket' Dianne is recognised for her vibrant red locks and reveals she was captivated by hair styling during her explained she was "fascinated with colour" and would cut, style and dye her Barbie dolls' hair, sharing with the Press Association: "I actually remember for Easter most years, my mum would ask which Easter egg I wanted and I just really wanted hair colour, so mum would buy me a box hair colour instead of an Easter egg." Her path to the striking red hue she's now famous for didn't happen overnight, as she remembered: "I always liked an undertone of red but when I went bright red for a dance show, something clicked.I felt different – more fiery, more passionate. It changed the way I danced." She believes her striking colour has enabled her to distinguish herself in her dancing career, especially on Strictly: "It's given me that extra pizzazz and confidence. People recognise me as 'the red-haired girl', and it's become a part of my identity. "Maybe one day I'll go back to a more natural shade," she admits, "but right now, it's hard to part with the red. It's more than just a colour – it's my comfort blanket." She added: "I've had red hair for about ten years now. I'm a hairdresser by trade, though I haven't done it in a salon for many, many years. But when I was hairdressing, I literally had every single colour you could imagine. "I had blonde, I had black, I had brown, I had black with red stripes, I had black with blonde streaks – it was just like that hairdresser thing where you're just constantly changing the colour of your hair. Article continues below "And then, when I started dancing on stage, I went from jet black to honey blonde. And then I got bored – so I put a red dye over it one day and was like, 'I kind of like this', and it stuck. "Everyone was like, 'Oh my god – red really suits you and works with your eyes'. Then since I went on Strictly Come Dancing, I've been known as the girl with red hair.


Wales Online
25 minutes ago
- Wales Online
Who new Match of the Day host Mark Chapman supports, BBC salary and Gary Lineker quip
Who new Match of the Day host Mark Chapman supports, BBC salary and Gary Lineker quip Mark Chapman will host the first Match of the Day show of the new Premier League season on Saturday evening, with long-term lead presenter Gary Lineker having stepped down Mark Chapman will host Match of the Day on Saturday evening (Image: BBC/Charlie Clift) Mark Chapman will present the opening Match of the Day programme of the new Premier League campaign. Following Gary Lineker's departure, the 51-year-old will alternate hosting responsibilities with Gabby Logan and Kelly Cates throughout this season. The BBC's flagship football show will feature a new permanent presenter for the first time since 1999 after former England forward Lineker stood down, ending all ties with the corporation from last season's conclusion following controversy over an antisemitism-related social media post. Lineker's departure was revealed in November last year, with confirmation arriving in January that former MOTD 2 presenter Chapman, established broadcaster Logan and ex-Sky Sports star Cates would share the presenting duties. Chapman will begin his tenure on Saturday, and we examine his life beyond television, including his footballing allegiances and salary details. Mark Chapman's Gary Lineker quip Whilst Saturday marks Chapman's debut as permanent presenter, according to PA, with colleague Logan handling the Sunday programme, he is well-versed in fronting MOTD, reports the Mirror. Chapman's MOTD 2 responsibilities frequently involved presenting the midweek programmes, and a January appearance saw him deliver a humorous remark during the period of Lineker's exit announcement. Article continues below Chapman quipped about his upcoming role in January (Image: BBC) The 51-year-old began the show alongside Micah Richards and Alan Shearer with a clever reference to his forthcoming position, stating: "Evening, thought I'd get the practice in..." His co-stars couldn't help but chuckle at the admission, with Shearer exclaiming: "You haven't wasted any time, have you? Six months too early!" Chapman retorted: "It's going to be a long night, eh?" What football club does Mark Chapman support? Former presenter Lineker made no secret of his devotion to childhood team Leicester City, where he launched his playing career. He turned out more than 200 times for the Foxes between 1978 and 1985. Chapman, who isn't a former professional, having begun his BBC journey in 1996 as a community announcer, also holds allegiance to a major English club in Manchester United. Chapman is a Red Devils fan (Image: Getty) Hailing from Rochdale, Chapman revealed to the iPaper in 2018: "It's not my fault that I support a big team! I had to put up with a lot of poor, if at least entertaining, stuff in the 1980s. I am a genuine Manchester United fan." Following the Red Devils' challenging 15th-placed Premier League campaign last season, featuring some woeful performances, Chapman revealed during a 2025 Catchphrase appearance: "By the time we go on air, I've had enough time to stop being a sore loser. So by then I'm fairly impartial." How much does Mark Chapman earn? Lineker was famous for being amongst the BBC's most handsomely remunerated employees throughout his tenure with the broadcaster. Reports suggested he earned approximately £1.35million last year prior to his departure. Hosting duties will rotate between Chapman, Cates and Logan (Image: BBC/Charlie Clift) Colleague Shearer was also a top earner last year with a reported salary of £440,000, though Chapman earns considerably less than the two former England strikers. Throughout the 2021/22 season, Chapman earned roughly £250k, and this salary was subsequently boosted the following campaign to around £325k. Article continues below During the 2023/24 season, Chapman took home somewhere in the region of £260k for his coverage on Radio 5 Live, MOTD 2, the Challenge Cup, the Euros and Olympic Games.


The Guardian
25 minutes ago
- The Guardian
My Cultural Awakening: Years & Years helped me accept my bisexual identity
I first discovered Olly Alexander, of Years & Years, by accident. I was teaching English as a foreign language in South Korea, and I showed a video of a BBC Glastonbury roundup on the projector as part of the lesson. I remember glimpsing an incredibly cute blond guy on stage, and being transfixed. I knew immediately that he was gay because the way he moved was unashamedly fluid and graceful. He was doing a pirouette. The clip was so short there wasn't even a mention of the name of the band, so I had to do some detective work. I Googled something ridiculous like 'bleached hair gay man Glastonbury 2015' and trawled through hundreds of search results until I found him. I was 24 and out as bisexual, but I had never done more than kiss a man. I grew up on the west coast of Ireland, and while my area was relatively liberal, we still used the F-slur regularly and referred to anything remotely crap or weak as 'gay'. At school, I liked girls enough to distract myself from the fact that I also liked boys – but by the time I was in my final year of university, I wasn't able to ignore my feelings for men any more. I told friends and family I was bisexual, but I did it in an almost aggressive way. My attitude was: 'I'm bisexual and if you have a problem with that, I don't want to hear about it.' Looking back, I think I was being defensive: I didn't want to discuss my sexuality because I wasn't entirely comfortable with it yet. It made me feel vulnerable to accept that I was interested in men because it messed with my sense of masculinity. I am still often perceived by strangers as straight. When I did develop a crush on a boy, growing up, it would be a macho lad who liked football and girls. Discovering Olly Alexander was seismic for me because it was the first time I fancied a man who was openly gay in his presentation. In the weeks after I found Olly online, I listened to Years & Years' debut album, Communion, on repeat. In a few songs, Olly refers to his love interest as 'boy', and I remember listening out for that word and feeling electrified by it. I was taking taekwondo lessons in my spare time, and I suggested to my instructor that we put Communion on in the background while we trained. Because it's a form of combat, taekwondo is a hypermasculine sport, but it is also elegant and feminine in the sense that it is like a dance. Listening to that music while doing those moves made me feel as if I was pulling together the two parts of my own nature, and finding some balance between the masculine and the feminine. Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. after newsletter promotion At the point in the session when we were doing a particularly high-intensity kicking routine, the song King would start playing on the record – which is all about being desired by another man on a night out. My instructor loved the record too, although he was a very traditional South Korean man, and from small comments he had made I could tell he was casually homophobic. He had no idea that he was enjoying an album about gay men in the club. The music unlocked something in me. I began to pursue boys and go to gay first sexual experiences with men happened at precisely the same time as I was discovering Communion. When I listen to Shine now – which is about the magnetic feeling between two men – I still get this feeling in my stomach. It's difficult for me to disentangle the feeling of desire from the excitement I feel when I hear the opening bars. I started dating my first boyfriend around the time Years & Years' second album, Palo Santo, came out, so Olly Alexander's music doesn't just sound like lust to me. It also sounds like love. Anonymous Did a cultural moment prompt you to make a major life change? Email us at You can tell us how a cultural moment has prompted you to make a major life change by filling in the form below or emailing us on Please include as much detail as possible Please note, the maximum file size is 5.7 MB. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. If you include other people's names please ask them first.