Latest news with #GylesBrandreth
Daily Mail
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Sir David Jason reveals how his long lost daughter discovered his identify and says despite being 'astonished' to discover he had a secret child its become a true 'happy ever after' story
Sir David Jason has recalled how his long lost daughter Abi Harris discovered the Only Fools And Horses icon was her biological father. The actor, 84, learned of his secret child after 52-years in 2023 following a brief relationship with actress Jennifer Hill during a stage production of Dylan Thomas's Under Milk in 1970. Speaking on Gyles Brandreth's Rosebud podcast he said: '[Me and Jennifer] parted our ways and we drifted apart and she got involved with someone else and married him and that was it,' 'And then many many years later her daughter was talking about about where she came from and Jenny Hill said "That chap you call dad is not your father"'. 'She said: "What do you mean he's not my father?" and she replied "I think you'll find your father is David Jason, because we had a fling together when we did these shows" and that's [how she found out] she said'. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Sir David then agreed with Gyles that despite the shock for everyone involved the reunion became a true 'happy ever after' with Abi welcomed into his family. Opening up on the extraordinary moment in his life and how he wishes he knew Abi sooner, David said in his 2024 memoir This Time Next Year that there is 'the pang of sadness for those missing years, all that lost time'. Explaining that he received the 'most astonishing' letter from the secret daughter he never knew he had, David recalled sitting down in his kitchen and how his hands shook as he started reading it. David said he felt 'wonder and amazement, through anxiety and heartache, to fear and outright panic', when he knew the possibility that he had a second daughter. In the letter, Abi wanted David to take an anonymous paternity test because she was uncertain - but insisted she didn't want any financial support. He penned: 'You will be unsurprised to learn that my hands were shaking by now. What had I just read? I had to go back and read the whole thing again. And then I had to read it again. And then again after that. 'I have to say it really hadn't crossed my mind that Abi Harris was my daughter – that my relationship with Jennifer Hill while we were in that production of Under Milk Wood in 1970 could have produced a child without me knowing about it. 'At no point in the nearly fifty years that had gone by since then had that thought had cause to enter my head.' David credits his wife Gill Hinchcliffe, whom he shares a daughter Sophie with, for being 'so supportive and understanding' about it all, despite the shock they were both in. When he met Abi for the first time, David said they both felt an 'inevitable sense of distance' due to the lost time they had. David added that it was 'such a complicated thing to process, for us both', after their first encounter. When he found out about Abi, he also discovered he had a 10-year-old grandson, Abi's son Charlie. Abi said while she had no idea who her father was - she had her suspicions after hearing about Jason's relationship with her mother. Her belief grew stronger after realising she shared the same shaped nose as him, and her parentage has now been confirmed. She had previously thought her father was Geoffrey Davion, who was married to her mother, until his death in 1996. Since the surprise discovery was made, Abi and Charlie have been to visit him and spent a period over Christmas with him and his family at his home in Ellesborough, Buckinghamshire. She also seems to have inherited some of his famed acting ability, having appeared in an episode of Doctor Who and remarkably a revival performance of Under Milk Wood in 2008 where Sir David and her mother also took part. Friends who saw the legendary actor and Abi stood next to each other remarked on their similar facial profiles, and as the years went past, she worked up the courage to find out the truth.
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Inside Queen Elizabeth II 'relaxed' and 'intimate' relationship with her favourite Prime Minister
On paper, Harold Wilson and Queen Elizabeth II could not have come from more different walks of life. Wilson was a proud Yorkshireman from Huddersfield born into a lower middle-class family. Meanwhile, Queen Elizabeth II came from a very different social background as a member - and head - of the most famous family in Britain. Despite the stark differences between the two, Wilson and the Queen devolved a close friendship which led Elizabeth to bestow upon Wilson the honour of being her favourite Prime Minister. Today, is 30 years since Wilson died from colon cancer aged 79 and while the late Queen did not attend his funeral it is likely his death had a profound effect on Her Majesty. As according to author and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth Wilson and Elizabeth enjoyed a 'relaxed intimacy' which was unique as the meetings between the Queen and her PM were typically very formal. Writing in his biography of the Queen, 'Elizabeth an intimate portrait', Brandreth revealed that Her Majesty allowed Wilson to smoke his pipes during their meetings which 'grew longer and longer: one touched two hours, a prime-ministerial record'. Brandreth believes that their friendship developed for a number of reasons. Prior to Wilson's election in 1964 as the Queen's first Labour PM, all of the Prime Ministers were much older than the young Elizabeth. 'Sir Anthony Eden, born 1897, who succeeded Churchill, and Harold macmillan, born 1894, who succeeded hIm, were of a similar vintage and each in his own way, played the old school charmer with the young queen... essentially telling her what was going on rather than seeking to draw any advice,' Brandreth said. Wilson was different. He was the Queen's first Prime Minister who was not educated at a public school, although he was Oxford educated like three of her four previous PMs. But most importantly Wilson was closer to her own age - at just ten years her senior - and treated the Queen as an equal. As a staunch royalist, the Labour politician is reported to have said: 'I have great respect for tradition. I like the real ceremonies of the Monarchy.' Which explains why Wilson made it 'his business to endear himself to his queen', according to Brandreth. His mission was a resounding success with Elizabeth inviting Wilson to stay for drinks after their very first meeting. The late Queen also got on well with Wilson's wife Mary. Brandreth wrote that the Queen 'admired Lady Wilson's poetry and did not like the way it had been "belittled in certain quarters" when Mary first published a collection of her poems.' Wilson with his wife Mary. The late Queen also got on well with Wilson wife Mary. Brandreth wrote that the Queen 'admired Lady Wilson's poetry and did not like the way it had been "belittled in certain quarters" when Mary first published a collection of her poems' Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh leaving Downing Street in 1976. As a mark of their close friendship, the Queen accepted Wilson's invitation to have dinner at Downing Street just before he stepped down. The Queen had not dined at No.10 since Winston Churchill invited her in 1955 According to Robin, Harold and Mary's son, they got on so well that Mary was invited to Buckingham Palace in 2016 to have tea with the Queen to mark her 100th birthday. In 1970, Wilson lost re-election in a surprise defeat at the hands of Tory leader Edward Heath. Elizabeth relationship with Heath was in stark contrast to one she enjoyed with Wilson. 'Heath was socially awkward at the best of times and found it hard to relax and, unlike Wilson, found it difficult to relax with an attractive, intelligent women ten years his junior,' Brandreth said. However, the Queen was given the unusual opportunity to resume her weekly meetings with Wilson when Labour beat the Conservatives in the 1974 election making Wilson PM once again. By now, aged 58, Wilson had grown weary of British politics having been leader of the Labour Party for over a decade. He reportedly told a close adviser in 1974 that: 'I have been around this racetrack so often that I cannot generate any more enthusiasm for jumping any more hurdles.' Two years after he re-entered No.10 Wilson resigned reportedly out of physical and mental exhaustion from his time as Prime Minister. As a mark of their close friendship, the Queen accepted Wilson's invitation to have dinner at Downing Street just before he stepped. The Queen had not dined at No.10 since Winston Churchill invited her in 1955. The Queen also immediately made him a Knight of the Garter, the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system. After his departure, Elizabeth and Wilson remained close friends. So much so that Brandreth claims Wilson showed him a small photograph of him and the Queen which he kept permanently inside his wallet. In the years running up to his death in 1995, Wilson developed Alzheimer's which caused his health to deteriorate significantly. But through his health struggles in later life the Queen kept in touch with the Wilsons. Tragically, his health struggles meant Wilson struggled to earn money post-premiership as his Alzheimers meant he struggled to write and give speech - which was a traditionally a source of income for former Prime Ministers. Upon his death the then-Prime Minister John Major paid tribute to Wilson describing him as a 'formidable political opponent'. 'In the ledger of life, his credit balance is very high. It is a privilege for me, as one, nominally, of his political opponents, to pay him this tribute and I do so unreservedly,' Major added. A memorial service was held for Wilson at Westminster Abbey which was attended by Major and all the living former Prime Ministers. While the Queen did not attend, the then-Prince Charles was at the service.
Times
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Gyles Brandreth: ‘I know the royals, but you can't be friends'
Gyles Brandreth, 77, grew up in London and is a broadcaster, author and former MP. He hosted his first series for Radio 4 in 1971 and has since presented on LBC, ITV, BBC1, BBC2, TV-am and Channels 4 and 5, while writing puzzle books, biographies and novels. He was MP for Chester from 1992-97. He lives in London with his wife, publisher and writer Michèle Brown. They have three children. I justify working at my age because I need the money. We have three children and seven grandchildren, and we've found that money is the one thing keeping us in touch with them. Being tested is the key to resilience. I was born after the Second World War to food rationing and bomb sites in
Daily Mail
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Rylan left stunned after Emma Willis makes hilarious awkward blunder live on This Morning
Rylan Clark was left speechless during a recent instalment of This Morning when his co-host Emma Willis made a hilarious awkward blunder live on air. The TV presenter, 36, was on the iconic sofa on Monday for an instalment of the programme to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day. He was joined by Emma, 39, as they got stuck into the day's topics - including one that has a raunchy double meaning. The duo discussed the days headlines and trends with Gyles Brandreth and Alison Phillips when a new trend called 'barebacking' came up. Reading from his cue card, Rylan explained: 'In a world where digital distraction is a default, Gen Z is now flipping the script with a baffling new commuting trend that is sparking curiosity.' However, he abrupty stopped and said: 'I'm gonna hand this over to the Willis because I don't want to get us taken off air.' Rylan Clark was left speechless during a recent instalment of This Morning when his co-host Emma Willis made a hilarious awkward blunder live on air The TV presenter, 36, was on the iconic sofa on Monday for an instalment of the programme to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day Looking confused by his comment, Emma continued the segment as she read: 'Okay it is called barebacking. So you know like horseriding where you ride bareback? 'So this is called barebacking for Gen Z where they travel without anything so no backpacks, no digital devices. 'They do wear clothes. They've got to have something because if you're getting on the train, how do you pay?' The awkward scene saw Rylan clutch onto his cup of tea and raise his eyebrows as he glanced around the room, which fans found hilarious. While the other three discussed the topic, the presenter made sure to stay firmly out of the conversation. Gyles then added: 'I began doing this a few years ago and I was called a 'raw-dog,' which led Rylan to shoot another exasperated look. He continued: 'You're living life in the raw. Getting back to reality. Putting away all the contraptions, devices, distractions. And just feeling the moment.' Emma chimed in with: 'I've heard of raw-dogging as well'. At this point, Rylan simply leant back in his seat and tried to contain the laughter, with Emma also surpressing a smile. While the other three discussed the topic, the presenter made sure to stay firmly out of the conversation The moment has racked up views online and fans have rushed to react to it, joking that Rylan was 'trying so hard to keep it together' The moment has racked up views online and fans have rushed to react to it, joking that Rylan was 'trying so hard to keep it together'. Viewers wrote on X: Rylan's faces are absolutely killing me, he was trying so hard to keep it together.' 'Nahh they are fully mocking, this has to he a joke, they've been set up!' 'Rylan is fighting hard to keep his job.' 'His facial expressions just screams "Now see, if I had been the one that said it..."' 'Not on breakfast TV' 'Fair play to Rylan, not sure I'd have held it together there.' 'Good job he didn't have a mouthful of tea when said barebacking.' 'His face just spoke a thousand words.' 'I couldn't stop laughing. Don't know how he composed himself.'
The Sun
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Watch awkward moment Rylan is left speechless on live TV as co-host Emma Willis makes raunchy blunder
RYLAN Clark has left This Morning viewers in hysterics after he was rendered speechless thanks to his co-host Emma Willis. The duo were on the ITV sofa together marking VE Day when Emma dropped a very unfortunate double entendre. 5 5 5 Emma and Rylan had been joined by Gyles Brandreth and Alison Phillips for a headlines review and they began to discuss the trend of "bear-backing". Getting himself off the hook at the first chance, Rylan began by saying: "I'm going to hand this over to The Willis, as I don't want to get us taken off air." Emma, 49, continued: "Okay, it is called 'bare-backing' for Gen Z, where they travel without anything. So no backpacks, no digital devices. "They do wear clothes. They've got to have something because if you're getting on the train, how do you pay?" Rylan, 36, said nothing and instead raised his eyebrows and tightly clutched a cup of tea in a Union Jack mug before taking a gulp. Gyles, 77, told the group: "I began doing this a few years ago and I was called a 'raw-dog'." The This Morning camera immediately flashed to Rylan's exasperated face as he tilted his head to the side in dismay. "You're living life in the raw," Gyles continued. "Getting back to reality. Putting away all the contraptions, devices, distractions. And just feeling the moment." Emma told Gyles: "I've heard of raw-dogging as well." To that, Rylan leant back in his seat and sighed as Emma glanced at her co-star and attempted to maintain her composure. The amusing clip as now gone viral on social media, with almost 300,000 people liking it. One person commented on Instagram: "Rylan's broken the 5th wall- he looked to camera and just knew in this moment was going direct to instagram." Another added: "I love the way Emma Willis gives him a little extra stare, daring him to lose it 🤣." A third wrote: "That man had more composure in that 2 minute timeframe than I've had in my whole life 😂." And a four even said: "Rylan babe, you did SO well 😂 Emma was having the TIME of her LIFE!" A rep for condom giant Durex has even comment on the footage, posting: "I couldn't keep a straight face 😂." Rylan, meanwhile, has also acknowledged it. He simply posted a 'shrugging' emoji, which has been liked almost 29,000 times. One fan even suggested Rylan be put forward for an award of the highest order, saying: @Rylan your stiff upper lip here deserves an OBE." 5 5
