Latest news with #BadGirls
Metro
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
EastEnders star cast in another iconic soap for 'traumatic' story
EastEnders star Simone Lahbib joins River City in an explosive new role. From Walford to Shieldinch! The former Albert Square star is trading the Queen Vic for something different, landing a role in BBC Scotland's longest-running soap, River City and is sure to stir up some trouble! The actress who played Katy Lewis, a Walford villain, left Albert Square four years ago. Viewers will remember Katy's chilling storyline, which tackled one of the show's heaviest topics as it was revealed Katy had sexually assaulted Mick Carter, played by Danny Dyer, as a child, triggering an emotional storyline. Now she's back in the land of soaps, and this time on home ground. Born and bred in Stirling, Simone is thrilled to be back filming in Scotland. She said, 'Working in Scotland for me always feels like coming home. It's literally the most perfect location for me – I get to stay with my parents between filming, so I spend time with all my family and even have my mum to go through my lines with me – she gets very into her roles!' Simone is now stepping into the role of Viv Barton – a no-nonsense gangster matriarch with a mysterious past. Viv is part of the notorious Foulkes family and has been believed to be dead for decades. She's back in town in hopes of reconciling with her son, Tyler (Cameron Fulton), after walking out on her marriage with Harry Foulkes (Jim Sturgeon) and her family over two decades ago. Simone went on to say, 'Viv is desperate to reconnect with her son Tyler, and all the while avoid her ex-husband, gangster Harry Foulkes' More Trending 'Unfortunately, the way she will go about things turns what is already a delicate, emotionally charged situation into a series of traumatic events.' 'She's like the proverbial cat among the pigeons, a bull in a China shop, a tornado, causing devastation to everything and everyone in her path. Viv is a wonderfully complex character. She'll do and say anything she needs to survive, but surviving isn't enough for Viv…she has plans.' Fans will also remember Simone from her iconic role in Bad Girls as 'Helen Stewart', the forgiving Larkhall prison governor whose romance with Nikki Wade became one of British TV's most renowned LGBTQ+ love stories. With River City announcing the show will come to an end in 2026 after 24 years on air, could Simone's explosive character be a key player in the show's endgame? If her soap track record is anything to go by, Viv Barton won't go quietly! If you've got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@ – we'd love to hear from you. Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage. View More » MORE: EastEnders Shirley Carter star's return to TV confirmed – alongside Danny Dyer
Daily Record
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
EastEnders and Bad Girls star Simone Lahbib to join River City in its final year
The actress will play Vivienne 'Viv' Barton in the soap in a new gangster family storyline Former Eastenders and Bad Girls star Simone Lahbib is to join the cast of BBC Scotland soap River City in its final year. Simone, 60, from Stirling, is set to arrive in Shieldinch as Vivienne 'Viv' Barton. The former St Modan's High School pupil will appear in the drama as part of the formidable Foulkes gangster family. Simone will make her River City debut at the end of June as part of the forthcoming new series. She is best known for her roles in 'Bad Girls', as Wing Governor Helen Stewart, and 'Wire in the Blood' as DI Alex Fielding, opposite Robson Green. She also played Katy Lewis in iconic BBC soap Eastenders. Business owner Viv will arrive in Shieldinch in the hope of reconciling with her son Tyler (Cameron Fulton), after walking out on her marriage to Harry Foulkes (Jim Sturgeon) and her family over two decades ago. Her surprise arrival shocks family friend Eddie Corrigan (Rob Jarvis), who reveals to Viv he thought she was dead – a lie Harry spun for decades. Stunned, Viv will reveal the shocking truth behind her decision to abandon her family – but questions remain over whether Tyler will forgive her. Looking ahead to the role, delighted Simone said: : 'Viv is a wonderfully complex character. She'll do and say anything she needs to survive but surviving isn't enough for Viv…she has plans. 'Viv is desperate to reconnect with her son Tyler, played by the super talented Cameron Fulton and all the while avoid her ex-husband, gangster Harry Foulkes who is played by the lovely Jim Sturgeon. Unfortunately, the way she will go about things turns what is already a delicate, emotionally charged situation into a series of traumatic events. 'She's like the proverbial cat among the pigeons, a bull in a china shop, a tornado, causing devastation to everything and everyone in her path.' Martin McCardie, BBC Studios Executive Producer, says: 'Everyone is thrilled to have Simone on board at River City. Her character Viv Barton is wonderfully complex and will make quite an impact on arrival. She's a caring mum who desperately wants to make amends with her estranged son, Tyler but she also has her eye on the Foulkes family fortune and the power her ex-husband Harry has. Viv doesn't care who will be collateral damage in her pursuit of these things…including her son. We're sure audiences will be enthralled by Viv Barton and the chaos she brings with her.' Returning to Scotland is a perk of the job for Simone. River City is filmed on a set in Dumbarton – just a short distance from her hometown of Stirling, where she will stay with her parents during filming. Simone added: 'Working in Scotland for me always feels like coming home. It's literally the most perfect location for me – I get to stay with my parents between filming, so I spend time with all my family and even have my mum to go through my lines with me - she gets very into her roles! 'River City has a truly wonderful cast and crew. There's a real family feel on set which comes from working with good people. Everyone has made me feel so welcome from day one.' BBC Scotland announced in March that the long-running soap will end in autumn next year, sparking concerns from two trade unions and the region's MSP. The soap is filmed on a bespoke studio, located at Lomondgate, in Dumbarton.
Glasgow Times
a day ago
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Scottish actress Simone Lahbib joins River City cast
Simone Lahbib, known for her roles in Bad Girls, Wire in the Blood, Loch Ness, has joined the BBC show as Vivienne 'Viv' Barton who is part of the formidable Foulkes gangster family. (Image: Image of Simone Lahbib, pictured by Jamie Simpson) Business owner Viv arrives in Shieldinch in the hope of reconciling with her son Tyler (Cameron Fulton), after walking out on her marriage to Harry Foulkes (Jim Sturgeon) and her family over two decades ago. Her surprise arrival shocks family friend Eddie Corrigan (Rob Jarvis), who reveals to Viv he thought she was dead – a lie Harry spun for decades. Stunned, Viv will reveal the shocking truth behind her decision to abandon her family - but will Tyler forgive her and how will Harry feel to see his wife back from the dead? Simone will make her debut at the end of June as part of the forthcoming new series. The actress' debut episode will air on BBC iPlayer on June 23 and June 25 on BBC Scotland. READ NEXT: Hit US rapper Nelly sends message to Glasgow fans ahead of OVO Hydro show (Image: Image of Simone Lahbib, pictured by Jamie Simpson) Speaking on her new role, Simone said: 'Viv is a wonderfully complex character. She'll do and say anything she needs to survive but surviving isn't enough for Viv…she has plans. 'Viv is desperate to reconnect with her son Tyler, played by the super talented Cameron Fulton and all the while avoid her ex-husband, gangster Harry Foulkes who is played by the lovely Jim Sturgeon. Unfortunately, the way she will go about things turns what is already a delicate, emotionally charged situation into a series of traumatic events. 'She's like the proverbial cat among the pigeons, a bull in a china shop, a tornado, causing devastation to everything and everyone in her path.' Simone went on to explain how returning to Scotland is the real perk of the job. She said: 'Working in Scotland for me always feels like coming home. It's literally the most perfect location for me - I get to stay with my parents between filming, so I spend time with all my family and even have my mum to go through my lines with me - she gets very into her roles! 'River City has a truly wonderful cast and crew. There's a real family feel on set which comes from working with good people. Everyone has made me feel so welcome from day one.' (Image: Image of Simone Lahbib, pictured by Jamie Simpson) Martin McCardie, BBC Studios executive producer, added: 'Everyone is thrilled to have Simone on board at River City. Her character Viv Barton is wonderfully complex and will make quite an impact on arrival. "She's a caring mum who desperately wants to make amends with her estranged son, Tyler but she also has her eye on the Foulkes family fortune and the power her ex-husband Harry has. "Viv doesn't care who will be collateral damage in her pursuit of these things…including her son. We're sure audiences will be enthralled by Viv Barton and the chaos she brings with her.' READ NEXT: Huge chain could open new store on Glasgow's Buchanan Street The news comes as BBC bosses announced plans to cancel the show next year, claiming viewing patterns had shifted. BBC Scotland director Hayley Valentine said: 'I didn't take this lightly and I did think about the consequences for cast, for crew, for people who are impacted by the decision, of course I did. 'However, we have to put our audience's needs first, and the audience for River City has declined significantly over the past five years.' Cast and crew, as well as the actors' union Equity, have already appeared before the committee to warn of the impact of the soap's cancellation.
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Star of iconic noughties show joins River City
THEY'RE set to shake up Shieldinch following the announcement that the series will be axed in 2026 after a 24 years run. Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FORMER EastEnders star Simone Lahbib has joined the ranks of River City after a shock soap switch. The Scots actress, from Stirling, played villain carer Katy Lewis in Albert Square and left Walford four years ago. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 1 Simone Lahbib has joined the cast of River City. Credit: BBC Now the Bad Girls favourite, 60, is set to shake up Shieldinch following the announcement that the series will be axed in 2026 after a 24 years run. She joins the cast as Vivienne 'Viv' Barton – part of the formidable Foulkes gangster family - as she hopes to of reconcile with her son Tyler (Cameron Fulton), after walking out on her marriage to Harry Foulkes (Jim Sturgeon). Simone said: "Viv is desperate to reconnect with her son Tyler and all the while avoid her ex-husband, gangster Harry Foulkes "Unfortunately, the way she will go about things turns what is already a delicate, emotionally charged situation into a series of traumatic events. 'She's like the proverbial cat among the pigeons, a bull in a china shop, a tornado, causing devastation to everything and everyone in her path. "Viv is a wonderfully complex character. She'll do and say anything she needs to survive but surviving isn't enough for Viv…she has plans." Her surprise arrival shocks family friend Eddie Corrigan (Rob Jarvis), who reveals to Viv he thought she was dead – a lie Harry spun for decades. Stunned, Viv will reveal the shocking truth behind her decision to abandon her family - but will Tyler forgive her and how will Harry feel to see his wife back from the dead? She added: 'Working in Scotland for me always feels like coming home. "It's literally the most perfect location for me - I get to stay with my parents between filming, so I spend time with all my family and even have my mum to go through my lines with me - she gets very into her roles. Iconic Scots BBC show AXED after more than 20 years 'River City has a truly wonderful cast and crew. "There's a real family feel on set which comes from working with good people. "Everyone has made me feel so welcome from day one.' River City returns June 23 on iPlayer and June 25 on BBC Scotland
Pink Villa
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Who was Choi Jung Woo? From City Hunter to Lady Vengeance, must-watch dramas and films featuring him amid death at 68
The South Korean entertainment industry is grieving the loss of veteran actor Choi Jung Woo, who passed away on May 27, 2025, at the age of 68. His agency, Bless ENT, confirmed the news, stating that the specific cause of death has not been disclosed. Born on February 17, 1957, Choi Jung Woo, made his acting debut in 1975 with the play The Life of an Actor, later working as a voice actor for Dongyang Broadcasting in 1980. Over the years, he carved out a prominent place in both television and film, beloved for his commanding performances and dignified presence. Choi Jung Woo's television legacy is extensive, with roles spanning over two decades. Choi Jung Woo's Dramas: He appeared in Bad Girls (2002), Strongest Chil Woo (2008), Brilliant Legacy (2009), Prosecutor Princess (2010), Late Night Hospital (2011), City Hunter (2011), Midnight Hospital (2011), 49 Days (2011), Ghost (2012), Advertising Genius Lee Tae Baek (2013), Master's Sun (2013). Wow Girl (2013), Doctor Stranger (2014), I Have a Lover (2015), Goodbye Mr. Black (2016), Five Enough (2016), The Legend of the Blue Sea (2016), Matrimonial Chaos (2018), I Hate You Juliet (2019), Alice (2020), Sisyphus: The Myth (2021), Call It Love (2023), The Tyrant (2024) and more. He also took on diverse roles, further demonstrating his versatility across both family-oriented and medical drama genres. Choi Jung Woo's Filmography In cinema, he delivered standout performances in a range of acclaimed films, including Yellow Hair (1999), Legend of the Wind (2004), Another Public Enemy 2 (2005), Lady Vengeance (2005), Sunday Seoul (2005), Girl Scout (2008). The Chaser (2008), Our Town (2007), Sky and Ocean (2009), Two Cops and Two Cops 2 (mid-1990s), The Witch (2018), The Moon (2023) Throughout his decades-long career, Choi Jung Woo was celebrated not only for his work onscreen but also on stage, winning major awards such as the Best Actor honor at the 36th Dong-A Theatre Awards in 1999. The funeral will be held on May 29, 2025, at 10:00 AM at the Woori Hospital Funeral Hall in Gimpo, with his final resting place at Suwon Yeonhwa. Choi Jung Woo leaves behind a legacy of excellence, remembered for the depth and dignity he brought to every role. His absence will be deeply felt across the industry.
