Latest news with #Enders
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Trolls said I was a liar on Ozempic when I dropped 6 dress sizes, I wouldn't wish truth on worst enemy, says Enders star
'I would go days not even being able to lift a fork to my face, let alone eat something' WEIGHTY TRUTH Trolls said I was a liar on Ozempic when I dropped 6 dress sizes, I wouldn't wish truth on worst enemy, says Enders star EASTENDERS actress turned body-confidence influencer Melissa Suffield on why hurtful claims that her dramatic weight loss was down to diet drugs cut her deep. Having built a vast social media following on the back of an empowering body-confidence message, when Melissa Suffield started losing weight, she faced a bitter backlash. Advertisement 4 EastEnders star turned body-confidence influencer Melissa Suffield on why hurtful claims that her dramatic weight loss was down to Ozempic Credit: MELISSA SUFFIELD 4 The actress with partner Robert and their son River Credit: INSTAGRAM Many saw her noticeably slimmer frame as a betrayal of everything she stood for, and they informed her she'd 'lost her values'. As the former soap star dropped from a dress size 14-16 to an eight (sometimes even a six), others accused her of being on weight-loss injection Ozempic – an insult to someone who had fought so hard against society's beauty standards. The truth was that Melissa, who found fame more than 20 years ago playing EastEnders' Lucy Beale, was seriously ill. She was suffering from a little-known chronic condition called SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), which has made her life a living hell for the last 20 months. Advertisement The effects have been devastating. Symptoms of the condition include abdominal pain, bloating and changes in bowel movements. As well as rapid weight loss caused by her symptoms, Melissa's hair fell out and her mental health plummeted. She's also been sapped of energy, which has left her struggling to care for her five-year-old son River. It's hit her financially, too, as she's forked out thousands of pounds privately to get the answers the NHS couldn't give her. Advertisement 'I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy,' she says. 'It's so consuming and relentless, because if it's not the nausea, it's the brain fog and crushing fatigue. 'People who have suggested I'm on weight-loss injections and then telling me I'm lying – I'd be happy to show them my bank statements proving that I've spent £15,000 on investigations into what's wrong.' Former EastEnders star has had '40 doctors appointments' and spent 'over five figures' amid gruelling health condition Although Melissa, 32, recognises the potential health benefits of drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro in certain circumstances, having been through such misery with her digestive system lately, she can't get her head round why anyone who wasn't severely overweight would contemplate turning to the jabs. 'I can't fathom it. There will be situations where the benefits outweigh the risk. But there are so many people who are nowhere near that point, who just want to lose a few pounds, and that is such a bleak state of affairs.' Advertisement 'We seem to have fallen into a place where body positivity is dead' She adds: 'Now that I've witnessed first-hand the fragility of the digestive system, I know it's not to be messed with. You're playing with fire, if you bugger one bit up, the rest collapses.' Melissa, who has grown an audience of more than 187,000 followers on Instagram as @ says she's lost 'a lot of followers' over the last year – people who claim they no longer relate to her. She admits she's now worried about her future as a content creator, considering her personal brand has been built on the back of curves and loving the skin you're in. 'It's been nerve-wracking, 100%. I can't work for some of the brands I was working with on a regular basis. My boobs have shrunk and I don't fit the bras I was [promoting] so I'm losing income, too.' Advertisement The weight loss has also thrown up some personal conflict for Melissa, which she's still working through. 'When I first started losing weight, I'd look in the mirror and go: 'I look amazing!' and I'd have to stop myself, because that's what society wants – for me to be happy with a smaller body. And actually, I wasn't happy. I felt dreadful. 4 Melissa's illness led to a dramatic loss in weight 'I honestly feel like I'm afforded more respect now that I'm smaller, which is also depressing but not unsurprising, because we seem to have fallen into a place where body positivity is dead. We've gone backwards and I don't like being a part of that.' Advertisement Melissa's ordeal began shortly before Christmas 2023, when both she and River fell ill with a gastric bug on the same day. While River bounced back, Melissa showed no sign of a recovery and made an appointment with her GP as soon as the surgery re-opened. 'The doctor put me on anti-nausea medication and gave me a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), which reduces acid in the stomach. I have since found out that chronic use of PPIs can cause SIBO, so rather than getting to the root of my problem, I was exacerbating it.' Over the next few months, Melissa visited the GP as frequently as four times a week. Advertisement Her partner Robert, 43, works away as a cruise director, and the long spells of solo parenting were becoming increasingly gruelling. An ultrasound of Melissa's abdomen showed nothing wrong, and neither did an upper endoscopy, so after three months, she paid for a private gut health test, which reported an elevated level of methane. Thanks to her meticulous research, Melissa knew this indicated that it might be worth doing a SIBO test, which was positive. Since her diagnosis, Melissa has had to fight for treatment – she has amassed an encyclopaedic knowledge of her condition and is currently under the care of an NHS gastroenterologist, plus a team of private experts, as she works to find a solution. Advertisement 'My nutritional therapist probably has more pictures of my poo in her phone than she's had hot meals! But this is all money and I don't have a bottomless pit. 'I need to be killing the bacteria and healing my gut faster than they can grow back. At the moment, I'm in the middle of a round of antimicrobials, which are like natural antibiotics, and I'm hoping for the best.' 'I would go days not even being able to lift a fork to my face, let alone eat something' Treatment is very much trial and error, and Melissa says that in the meantime her life is in limbo. 'It's very isolating to have a gut condition and have to plan your whole life around it. I've felt guilt because I can't go for long walks to the park with River, we have to stay close to home in case I get tired or sick.' Advertisement Melissa is keen to use her platform to raise awareness and urges anyone with unexplained digestive issues to at least investigate the possibility of SIBO. 'I want to get to a place where everyone has at least heard of it and knows to ask for a test. The more people talk about it, the more the NHS is going to have to listen and learn.' 4 Back in her EastEnders days, when she played Lucy Beale Credit: EASTENDERS She says she's hopeful of leading a normal life again, or at least a new normal she can be happy with. Advertisement 'At the moment, I'm maintaining weight, it's not falling off me like last year, when I'd go days not even being able to lift a fork to my face, let alone eat something. 'I probably won't ever eat gluten or dairy again, but I've made my peace with that. 'I also think there's likely to be quite a lot of trauma to work through once I'm out the other side. But I'm a pretty pragmatic lady and so I'm ready for that.'
Metro
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Why is EastEnders not on tonight? Latest news on today's episode
Just when we thought the Wimbledon scheduling chaos had stopped, EastEnders has been pulled from BBC One again tonight. Yes, again. It's the time of the year when soap viewers battle the sports fans in the fight for the primetime telly position, with it very rarely going in our favour – something which ignites fury in those of us who prefer to see the goings on in Walford and Weatherfield. After weeks of being shunted to BBC Two and doubling up episodes to fit around tennis matches, there's finally light at the end of the tunnel. However, if you're planning on tuning into the Albert Square action tonight, you'll be bitterly disappointed. There is no EastEnders today, because of the Women's Euro 2025 quarter finals. England will face Sweden in Zurich with Gabby Logan presenting coverage for the Beeb. As a result, two episodes of 'Enders aired last night, and can be streamed on iPlayer now. EastEnders will return on Monday, July 21. It's an exciting time for the Slaters as they discuss Kat's potential move into The Queen Vic, but not all of their neighbours are on board with her decision. Jean gets a surprise call from Alfie, but fails to pass on a message to Stacey. As the auction gets underway at the boozer, Jean finally spills. Cindy's less than impressed to hear that Ian intends to sell Beale's Eels to he can afford to buy the pub for himself! Tensions are rising across the road, where Suki is furious that she's been excluded from Ash's engagement joy. Eve tries to console her wife, who is upset that Vinny is secretly planning to attend the party. Want to be the first to hear shocking EastEnders spoilers? Who's leaving Coronation Street? The latest gossip from Emmerdale? Join 10,000 soaps fans on Metro's WhatsApp Soaps community and get access to spoiler galleries, must-watch videos, and exclusive interviews. Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications so you can see when we've just dropped the latest spoilers! A row soon breaks out between mother and son, where Vinny shares some home truths about her parenting. More Trending Elsewhere, Phil remains adamant that Lexi should live with him and Jay is not a happy bunny. The situation escalates when Julie arrives, revealing that Nigel has disappeared. Luckily, it's not long before he's found and is brought back to the Mitchell residence. View More » Plus, Kathy's worst fears are realised when Vicki announces her intentions to report Bernie to the police. She desperately calls Sharon in the hope of convincing her to let Vicki stay in her house. 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. MORE: Naga Munchetty 'set to quit BBC Breakfast following bullying allegations' MORE: Who could replace John Torode and Gregg Wallace as BBC's new MasterChef's judges? MORE: John Torode doesn't remember using racist language – that's a problem
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Football and other premium TV being pirated at 'industrial scale'
A lack of action by big tech firms is enabling the "industrial scale theft" of premium video services, especially live sport, a new report says. The research by Enders Analysis accuses Amazon, Google, Meta and Microsoft of "ambivalence and inertia" over a problem it says costs broadcasters revenue and puts users at an increased risk of cyber-crime. Gareth Sutcliffe and Ollie Meir, who authored the research, described the Amazon Fire Stick - which they argue is the device many people use to access illegal streams - as "a piracy enabler". BBC News has contacted Amazon, Google, Meta and Microsoft for comment. Sports broadcasting is big business, with the total value of media rights across the world passing the $60bn (£44bn) mark last year. The increasing cost of rights deals results in higher prices for fans at home, especially if they choose to pay for multiple services to watch their team play. To get round this, some resort to illegal streams of big events. Enders say there are often multiple streams of individual events - such as high profile football games - each of which can have tens of thousands of people watching them. Bosses of big rights holders, Sky and DAZN, have previously warned piracy is causing a financial crisis in the broadcast industry. There is a risk for users too. The Enders report says fans watching football matches, for instance, via illegal streams are typically providing information such as credit card details and email addresses, leaving them vulnerable to malware and phishing scams. The researchers looked at the European market and focussed on Amazon, Google, Meta and Microsoft. While Meta, the owner of Facebook, was criticised for being the source of adverts for illegal streams, the technology of the other three was blamed for the increase in piracy. The Amazon Fire Stick is a major cause of the problem, according to the report. The device plugs into TVs and gives the viewer thousands of options to watch programmes from legitimate services including the BBC iPlayer and Netflix. They are also being used to access illegal streams, particularly of live sport. In November last year, a Liverpool man who sold Fire Stick devices he reconfigured to allow people to illegally stream Premier League football matches was jailed. After uploading the unauthorised services on the Amazon product, he advertised them on Facebook. Another man from Liverpool was given a two-year suspended sentence last year after modifying fire sticks and selling them on Facebook and WhatsApp. According to data for the first quarter of this year, provided to Enders by Sky, 59% of people in UK who said they had watched pirated material in the last year while using a physical device said they had used a Amazon fire product. The Enders report says the fire stick enables "billions of dollars in piracy" overall. The researchers also pointed to the role played by the "continued depreciation" of Digital Rights Management (DRM) systems, particularly those from Google and Microsoft. This technology enables high quality streaming of premium content to devices. Two of the big players are Microsoft's PlayReady and Google's Widevine. The authors argue the architecture of the DRM is largely unchanged, and due to a lack of maintenance by the big tech companies, PlayReady and Widevine "are now compromised across various security levels". Mr Sutcliffe and Mr Meir said this has had "a seismic impact across the industry, and ultimately given piracy the upper hand by enabling theft of the highest quality content". They added: "Over twenty years since launch, the DRM solutions provided by Google and Microsoft are in steep decline. "A complete overhaul of the technology architecture, licensing, and support model is needed. Lack of engagement with content owners indicates this a low priority." Man jailed for selling online access to TV football TV gang illegally streamed Premier League matches Sign up for our Tech Decoded newsletter to follow the world's top tech stories and trends. Outside the UK? Sign up here.
Daily Mirror
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
I'm A Celebrity bosses target EastEnders legend after emotional BBC soap exit
An EastEnders star has been linked to the cast of the 2025 season of ITV's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! (Image: ITV) ITV's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! may still be six months away but it appears a former EastEnders star is in the sights of the show casting team for the 2025 season. The long-running reality show brings together a group of stars from the worlds of TV, music and politics and drops them in an Australian jungle where they try to boost their star power. And for the forthcoming 25th season of the reality show, bosses are said to be hopeful they can tap soap star Shona McGarty, 33. The actress is best known for playing Whitney Dean on the BBC's long-running soap EastEnders - a role she held down from 2008 until quitting at the end of last year. Shona had explained she wanted to quit EastEnders after 15 years of service in order to explore other opportunities in the entertainment world. And it seems that I'm A Celeb could be one of the first big projects she undertakes now that she is free of the soap. A source told The Sun: "Shona is Walford royalty and hugely popular with TV viewers, she's got bags of charisma and producers think she'll be a great campmate. "Plus fans haven't seen much of her away from Enders, so I'm A Celeb will be an opportunity for her to show a completely different side to her personality. Show bosses are already talking to some brilliant names for the new series.' Whitney Dean star Shona McGarty has been tipped to star in the 2025 season of the ITV show (Image: REX/BBC) The Mirror has contacted representatives of Shona and I'm A Celeb for comment. Shona would be far from the first EastEnders star to take part in I'm A Celeb. Danniella Westbrook, who played Sam Mitchell in 'stEnders, was the first from the soap to try her luck on the series. She was a contestant during season two of the show in 2003 but withdrew from the contest after just nine days. Sid Owen, who played Ricky Butcher - Shona's character's uncle - was in the cast in the 2005 season, and made it as a finalist. He ended third behind Emmerdale star Sheree Murphy and winner Carol Thatcher - a journalist and daughter of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Dean Gaffney, famous for playing Robbie Jackson on and off since 1993, was a contestant during season six in 2006 - and was a late entrant to the camp, parachuting in on day five of the contest. He did not fare well, however, and was voted off the show less than two weeks later. Marc Bannerman, who played Gianni di Marco on the BBC show from 1998 until 2000, appeared in the jungle the following year - but was the first star to be voted off that season. During the eighth season in 2008, Joe Swash became the first EastEnders star to win I'm A Celeb - romping to victory over runner up Martina Navratilova. He played Mickey Miller on the soap from 2003 until 2008 - and then reprised the role briefly in both 2011 and 2024. Lisa Fowler actress Lucy Benjamin was the next EastEnders star to appear on the show - taking part in season nine in 2009. She failed to win the show and was the third to be voted off that year. It wasn't until 2012 that another EastEnders star took part on ITV's reality show - with Charlie Brooks, who plays the iconic soap villain Janine Butcher entered the jungle and went on to win. The following year, Laila Morse - who plays Mo Harris - took part but was the second to be voted off. Next up was Larry Lamb, more famous for his role on Gavin & Stacey, but he also played Archie Mitchell from 2008 2010. He appeared in the 2016 season - but was voted off roughly halfway through. Rita Simons, who played Roxy Mitchell, appeared in 2018. Lauren Branning actress Jacqueline Jossa won in 2019. Jessica Plummer, who played Chantelle Atkins, and Shane Richie, who plays Alfie Moon, both appeared in the 2020 season - although neither made it to the final. Ian Beale icon Adam Woodyatt starred in the 2021 season and made it just over halfway through the season before being voted off. Danielle Harold, who played Lola Pearce from 2011 until 2024, starred in the 2023 season - and also only made it slightly more than halfway before being voted off, but is the most recent EastEnders star to appear on the show as there were none during the 2024 season. Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads.
Business Mayor
06-05-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
Film industry reels as Trump threatens 100% tariffs
Donald Trump's threat to impose 100 per cent tariffs on films made abroad would be 'devastating' for major Hollywood production hubs in countries including the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, executives warned. The US film industry and cinema chains would also be hit hard, with studios likely to have to swallow much higher costs, and consumers could face higher ticket prices, executives and analysts said. Trump, the American president, said on Sunday night that he wanted to introduce a '100% tariff' on any movies coming into the US because 'the Movie Industry in America is DYING a very fast death', while other countries were using 'incentives to draw our filmmakers and studios away'. Shares in Netflix fell 2 per cent on Monday, reflecting fears of higher costs, even though media executives questioned how the tariffs would work in practice. Claire Enders, a London-based media analyst, described the potential tariffs impact as 'beyond devastating' for key production hubs, including the UK. 'These are key services for the UK,' Enders said. 'We have been making movies in tandem with the US for 100 years.' Enders added that this was one of the first times that Trump had targeted services through his tariff plans, which would raise fresh worries for services-led economies such as the UK. Matthew Deaner, chief executive of Screen Producers Australia (SPA), said tariffs would 'send shockwaves' through the film industry worldwide. But executives also questioned how any tariff could work in practice, given films are often now distributed globally on streaming platforms and are not a physical good that passes a border when shown in US cinemas. 'In what sense can you put a tariff on a Netflix show made in the UK and distributed worldwide over the internet?' said Peter Bazalgette, former chair of British broadcaster ITV and an adviser on the creative industries to the UK government. Actor Robert Downey Jr at the 2024 Comic-Con International in San Diego, California. The US state has its own financial offers to lure filmmakers ©The fate of the industry would depend on what the US president meant by film production, and if this included the sorts of high-end streaming series being made by global platforms such as Netflix and Amazon that account for the most spending overseas, Bazalgette said. Analysts at Barclays said film studios would likely freeze activity until 'there is some clarity on actual policy'. The White House did not offer further details of the plan on Monday. A White House spokesperson told the Financial Times: 'Although no final decisions on foreign film tariffs have been made, the administration is exploring all options to deliver on President Trump's directive to safeguard our country's national and economic security while Making Hollywood Great Again.' Trump on Monday afternoon said: 'We're going to meet with the industry. I want to make sure they're happy with it. Because it's all about jobs . . . It's an industry that's abandoned the USA where it started.' He added that the film industry had been 'decimated' by incompetence and singled out California Governor Gavin Newsom as 'a grossly incompetent man', saying: 'He's just allowed it to be taken away from Hollywood.' Read More xAI Adds Memory To Grok To Personalize Future Responses Executives say free trade for the global film industry is hugely economically important to the US, where labour and facilities are more expensive. Given most money was made outside of the US, any reciprocal tariffs would be extremely damaging, they warned. However, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, a union that represents behind-the-scenes workers in the film and TV industries, said, 'Federal policymakers must act to level the playing field and make the US film and television industry more competitive on the global stage.' It added: 'President Trump has correctly recognised that the American film and television industry faces an urgent threat from international competition.' The US film and TV sector generated a trade surplus of $15.3bn in 2023 and made $22.6bn in exports, with a positive balance of trade in every major market in the world, according to the Motion Picture Association. The industry runs a trade surplus larger than each of the telecommunications, transportation, insurance and health-related services sectors, the association said. Even so, the US has lost ground in the past two decades in a global battle with countries in Europe and Asia to attract film makers with generous offers of tax incentives to offset some of the costs of production. Production in Greater Los Angeles fell 5.6 per cent in 2024, making it the second-least-productive year ever, said industry body FilmLA. Only 2020, disrupted by the global Covid-19 pandemic, had lower levels of filming, it said. Hollywood studios and streamers have instead turned to countries such as the UK, which offer generous tax incentives alongside world-class facilities, access to talented staff and a common language. The British Film Institute in February said spending on film and high-end TV production rose by almost a third in the UK to £5.6bn in 2024, with films such as Wicked made in the country. In 2024, almost two-thirds spent on UK film production was from five major American studios and three major US streaming platforms — Netflix, Apple and Amazon. The UK is not alone, with even higher tax breaks available in countries in parts of Europe. Australia last year boosted its tax incentives for foreign movies and TV series, which had already attracted movies such as The Fall Guy and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes . California has its own financial offers, including a $330mn-a-year film and television tax incentive programme that Newsom wants to expand to $750mn per year. Additional reporting by James Politi in Washington and Myles McCormick in New York
