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Metro
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
'I won the Danny Dyer look-alike contest - the prize is the pinnacle'
On a cloudy day in East London, 12 strangers — who look nothing alike — have gathered because they all believe they bear a resemblance to one man: Danny Dyer. Paul Mescal's had one, Harry Styles had one, Timothée Chalamet even turned up to his — and now, inevitably, Danny Dyer has to have one too. The lookalike contest: a badge of honour for any heartthrob. Surely the greatest accolade — at least in theory. Some of these 12 men have travelled from Liverpool, Portsmouth, and Southampton to a corner of Hoxton Square to claim the title of the UK's best Danny Dyer — with varying levels of success. There are football tops, full tracksuits, and Mick Carter's signature trench coat and trainers. I didn't realise Dyer had such aesthetic range, but I've been proved wrong by some of his most devoted fans. Later tonight, Mr Dyer himself will be at Newington Green for the screening of Mr Bigstuff season 2 — the comedy for which he won his first BAFTA earlier this year. The prize for one of these Dyer wannabes? A chance to attend, meet the man himself, and hope he says: ' Blimey, it's like looking in the mirror .' I arrive about 20 minutes before the contest is due to start when I spot either Danny Dyer or his alarmingly good doppelgänger across the green. It's the latter. Richard, from Norwich, is the only contestant around at this point — but surely, the prize is his for the taking. 'I just came to see the experience. A friend told me about it,' he tells Metro. 'People first started telling me I looked like Danny Dyer about 20 years ago, after Football Factory, when I walked into a pub and everyone thought it was Danny.' It doesn't take long before he's in good company. A surprisingly large crowd swarms around a stage featuring a grotty armchair and a cardboard cut-out of Dyer. I start spotting clear contenders — like a real-life Where's Wally, but with the nation's favourite hardman instead. Mike from Southampton says his family dragged him here. They're just a few feet away, giggling. I don't immediately see Dyer in him, but after a couple of questions, I can definitely sense the swagger — if not the resemblance. 'No one's ever told me I look like Danny Dyer, but I've lived a similar sort of childhood — working-class,' he says. He's nailed Dyer's sense of humour, though: 'I'm obviously very good-looking, very charismatic, and a geezer.' Bradley, from London, stands next to Mike and confirms he's also taking part — admittedly, to my surprise. 'I'm meant to be looking like Danny Dyer, so we'll see where it takes us,' he says. 'I sound like him more than I look like him. No one's ever told me I look like him, but I do sound like him. We're both from London, good geezers, and we'd do anything for anyone — he seems like that type of fella.' I don't know if it's the free Scampi Fries or the Haribo handed out to onlookers, but the energy is electric. Hundreds have either snuck out of the office on their lunch break or are pretending they're in a meeting to witness a strangely thrilling spectacle. I arrived curious, but swiftly became genuinely invested. The 12 contenders are put through their paces in three rounds of 'Who Can Be the Most Danny Dyer,' judged by Dyer's Mr Bigstuff co-stars Ryan Sampson and Harriet Webb. The first round is a bloodbath, as 12 are narrowed down to four based on looks alone. Personally, I had my own clear favourites, but everyone gets their chance to shine. The talent ranges from 'bloody hell, is that Danny Dyer?' to someone who looked lost and somehow ended up on stage. It doesn't take long for 12 to become four. A round involving reading classic Danny Dyer quotes quickly cuts it to two: Richard the doppelgänger and Mike the charmer, going head to head to prove who is the most Dyer of them all. The deciding factor? Hobbies. And bizarrely, both are unusually on-brand: Richard makes stained glass windows; Mike grows coral. Two hobbies I didn't know existed — yet somehow couldn't be more Dyer. In the end, Richard may have looked like Dyer's twin, but Mike was just more Danny. He's draped in a sash reading 'Best Danny' and soaks in the glory from his crusty throne — the manky armchair I spotted earlier — drowned out by deafening cheers from the crowd. I catch up with Mike once he's had a moment to catch his breath. 'I didn't expect to win in the slightest,' he laughs. Turning to runner-up Richard, he concedes, 'I feel like I've met Danny Dyer today.' Of course, he actually will meet Dyer later tonight. 'That is the pinnacle,' he admits, though he has no idea what he's going to say. After some deliberation, he settles on a plan: 'I'll ask him, 'What's the most exciting movie he's in?' I'm hoping it's going to be Human Traffic — that's my era.' More Trending 'I hope I've done him proud,' he chuckles. After Mike was crowned champion, the 'least like Danny Dyer' was also given a prize — a smouldering cardboard cut-out of the national treasure. The unfortunate winner was the aptly named Mick from North London, who told Metro: 'I had fun, it was interesting. I thought the guy with no hair should have won this — but it's all fun.' View More » Mr Bigstuff season 2 premieres on July 24 on Sky and NOW. 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: Coronation Street and Emmerdale star Tony Peers dies aged 78 MORE: Major EastEnders fan-favourite asked to return this year – but it didn't happen MORE: Hollyoaks star 'absolutely over the moon' as he announces first baby with girlfriend
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Iconic bags of sweets scanning at Home Bargains tills for just 29p as shoppers scream ‘time to stock up!'
Fans rave over 'banging' new flavour years in the making SWEET TREATS Iconic bags of sweets scanning at Home Bargains tills for just 29p as shoppers scream 'time to stock up!' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HARIBO fans are buzzing after Home Bargains slashed the price of its iconic share bags to just 29p — and shoppers are rushing to grab them. Home Bargains posted on Facebook: 'This is not a drill – Haribo share bag only 29p.' Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 The 650g packs are perfect for sharing and come as part of Haribo's exclusive travel range Credit: Facebook/homebargains 4 The mega deal was spotted at stores across the UK Credit: Facebook/homebargains 4 The resealable packaging makes it easier to snack on the go or save some for later – though fans admit they rarely last that long Credit: Facebook/homebargains The announcement sent fans wild, with one excited shopper commenting: 'That's cheap.' Another wrote: 'Time to stock up for work.' A third joked: 'Sorry, no way I'd share,' while others tagged their mates to spread the word. Normally priced at more than triple that, the discount is seen as the perfect excuse to load up the cupboards – whether it's for the kids, the office, or a late-night treat. Some of the bags spotted include fan-favourites like Giant Strawberries and Supermix – both popular choices among sweet-toothed Brits. Some shoppers are even turning to social media to show off their haul, with one uploading a photo of their trolley packed full of sweets, captioned: 'Don't judge me.' The sweet offer follows more good news for Haribo lovers. The brand recently launched a brand new Berry Clouds flavour, made up of triple-layer foam gummi sweets in fun, cloud-like shapes and flavours like blueberry, wildberry and strawberry. The 650g packs are perfect for sharing and come as part of Haribo's exclusive travel range. There's a drawing lurking in this picture of sweets - so can YOU work out which bit isn't real? The resealable packaging makes it easier to snack on the go or save some for later – though fans admit they rarely last that long. Elisa Fontana, Haribo's Director of Marketing, said: 'We are pleased to present this exciting new innovation and product launch that further strengthens our support to our retail partners. "Berry Clouds was developed in direct response to consumer feedback.' Punters have praised the new flavour. 'These are banging,' one fan raved, while another added: 'I need to try these!' Haribo's recent push for innovation started in 2020 and has already earned major awards, including the US Consumer Survey of Product Innovation in 2022. There's more magic in store for fans, too. The sweet brand has dropped limited-edition Harry Potter gummies at Lidl – and they're proving just as popular. At only £1.39, the packs feature flavours inspired by the wizarding world, including Butterbeer, green apple from the Forbidden Forest and Dumbledore's favourite lemon drops. The themed sweets come shaped like characters, creatures and symbols from the beloved books, making them a hit with both kids and grown-up fans. Meanwhile, Haribo has also just opened its first stand-alone store in Scotland. The shop, located in Glasgow's Silverburn Shopping Centre, is the brand's 12th in the UK and offers more than 30 sweet varieties from both HARIBO and MAOAM. Visitors can build their own mix from a giant Pick Your Mix station, buy exclusive global flavours, and even snap selfies with fun photo ops inside the colourful shop. Rebecca Fox, Head of Retail at Haribo UK, said: 'We're so excited to be opening our first HARIBO retail store in Scotland.' With bargain share bags, new flavours, themed sweets, and a shiny new shop, it's a good time to be a Haribo fan. WHAT RARE SWEETS CAN YOU FIND AT HARIBO BLUEWATER? HARIBO Favoritos and Watermelon from Spain HARIBO Dragibus and Tagada from France HARIBO Schnecken from Germany
Irish Examiner
17-07-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Bernard O'Shea: Five things I've learned about counting calories
1. MyFitnessPal is not my pal So, like every man who's ever muttered the words 'I think I'm in a cutting phase' while hiding in the car eating a breakfast roll, I downloaded a calorie-tracking app. At first, it was thrilling. Logging things. Scanning barcodes. Feeling smug. Until I realised that MyFitnessPal had the passive-aggressive tone of a schoolteacher with a clipboard: 'That snack was 847 calories. Would you like to log your shame?' Scientifically speaking, calorie tracking works. According to a study published in the , people who kept a food diary lost twice as much weight as those who didn't. But I'll also tell you this: people who didn't keep a food diary were probably just enjoying themselves. If you're thinking of counting calories, here's my tip: pre-log your day. Don't wait until you've eaten six biscuits to 'guess' how many calories you clocked up. Plan your meals like a tight wedding seating chart. Keep the butter away from the bread roll. Keep the cheesecake well away from your mouth. In the end, calorie tracking taught me something important: food is often an emotional issue. I wasn't logging nutrients — I was logging every mistake I'd made since 1997. But once I got past the guilt, it actually gave me a bit of power back. Because knowledge is power. And apparently, so is protein. 2. Calories are not feelings — but they're close There was a moment, about two weeks into tracking my food, where I found myself shouting at a rice cake. A rice cake. It was 35 calories, but emotionally, it cost me my will to live. You see, I had become what I swore I'd never be — someone who Googles 'Is Haribo a carb?' in a petrol station car park. Calories had taken over my brain. Suddenly, everything had a number. Tea with milk? 20 calories. Walking to the shop for more milk? 40 calories burned. Getting irrationally angry that I'd wasted 20 calories on tea? 10 calories in rage alone. I don't do calorie guilt very well. I do Catholic guilt. And I have enough of that to power a small hydroelectric dam. Science says that when you restrict food, your body wants it more. It's called the 'what-the-hell effect' — as in, you eat one biscuit, then go 'what the hell' and eat seven more. Here's my practical tip: Use the 80/20 rule. Eat well 80% of the time. Then let the 20% be a celebration, not a sin. Life's too short to turn down cake from someone who loves you. 3. I've become my own food auditor I've turned into someone who does maths before breakfast. Who knows the difference between olive oil (119 calories per tablespoon) and spray oil (20 calories per sad squirt). I'm not eating food anymore — I'm playing a nutritional version of Wordle. Nutritionists say food logging helps you learn what you're actually eating — not what you think you're eating. But I now know more about sodium content than I do about my own children. Counting calories made me realise I'm not bad at food — I'm just bad at stopping. 4. Restaurant menus are lying to you — but you want them to Menus with calorie counts are a relatively new concept in Ireland, but in the United States, they've been in place for years. A Starbucks muffin there is 620 calories. That's the same as a chicken stir-fry. And I've never cried into a stir-fry. Research shows that people tend to underestimate the number of calories in restaurant meals — by as much as 50%. So, if the menu says 500, assume it's 750. If it says 'drizzled,' that means 'bathed.' If it says 'light option,' that means you'll be hungry again by the car park. My advice: Choose joy, not sabotage. Don't order the 'healthy option' if you're just going to go home and eat your child's Easter egg. Get something you'll enjoy — just maybe skip the starter and don't inhale the bread basket like a Dyson on heat. 5. The goal is not thinness — it's not crying in Dunnes At one point in my calorie-tracking journey, I caught myself weeping beside the special offer yoghurts in Dunnes. It wasn't the flavours. It was the realisation that I was doing all this — the tracking, the measuring, the boiled eggs — for one thing: to feel good in my own skin. And maybe fit back into those jeans with the button that now looks like an explosive hazard. Now we have influencers, smartwatches, and people online with abs so sharp they could cut the dishes. And in fairness, some of them are helpful. But most of them live on açai bowls and filtered light. The science suggests that focusing solely on weight loss can lead to burnout. Focusing on health — including strength, sleep, and energy — yields better long-term results. That's what I'm aiming for now. Not a number. Just being able to put on socks without making noises that sound like I'm re-enacting Braveheart. Ultimately, calories are just numbers. They don't define your worth. You are not a spreadsheet. You are a full-fat, richly marbled, occasionally crumbling, gloriously messy human being. Just try not to eat a full Viennetta in one sitting. Counting calories didn't make me a better person. But it did make me more aware. I still have days where I eat like I've just come back from an Arctic exploration, but at least now I know how many sins are in the biscuits. And to whoever invented the phrase 'empty calories' — have you tasted them? They are delicious.
Barnama
16-07-2025
- Business
- Barnama
Haribo Opens Asia's 1st Offline Store In S. Korea
SEOUL, July 16 (Bernama-Yonhap) -- German confectionery company Haribo opened a dedicated offline store in South Korea on Wednesday, marking the brand's first standalone outlet in Asia as it seeks to meet growing demand in the region's fourth-largest economy, Yonhap News Agency reported. Haribo, the world's leading manufacturer of fruit gummy products, has sold its products in South Korea for more than a decade. In early 2023, it established Haribo Korea Ltd. to expand its presence in the local jelly gum market. South Korea has become Haribo's largest market in Asia in recent years, a company spokesperson said, without disclosing specific sales figures.
Korea Herald
16-07-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Haribo opens Asia's 1st offline store in S. Korea
German confectionery company Haribo opened a dedicated offline store in South Korea on Wednesday, marking the brand's first standalone outlet in Asia as it seeks to meet growing demand in the region's fourth-largest economy. Haribo, the world's leading manufacturer of fruit gummy products, has sold its products in South Korea for more than a decade. In early 2023, it established Haribo Korea Ltd. to expand its presence in the local jelly gum market. South Korea has become Haribo's largest market in Asia in recent years, a company spokesperson said, without disclosing specific sales figures. The company plans to increase the number of offline stores nationwide over the long term, the spokesperson added. The flagship store, Asia's first, is located at Shinsegae Simon Premium Outlets in Yeoju, about 65 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)
