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Daily Mirror
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
John Barrowman 'covered up' sexuality as he feared losing BBC job
Actor and presenter John Barrowman has claimed there was a culture of 'cover-up' at the BBC as he feared losing his job if his sexuality was known during the 1990s John Barrowman has accused the BBC of having a "cover-up" culture as he feared losing his job if he didn't follow suit. The actor, 58, claims he was "blacklisted" after accusations of flashing on the set of BBC shows were made against him. He has now made a fresh claim about the corporation, as he says he hid his sexuality. John was one of the original hosts of BBC's children TV show Live & Kicking in the 1990s. In a bombshell claim, he said: "In those days, at the BBC there was a culture, there was a lot of men who were married to women, but those men were clearly gay and they were running the stuff, or very powerful, strong single women who were running certain aspects of it, so there was a culture of cover-up, don't say anything, and I just slotted myself in." He added on the podcast Gay Old Time: "Because of the time, and it was children's television, so you could lose your job. But, for crying out loud, everybody was on the queer spectrum there." In a candid piece penned for The Guardian in 2008, John opened up about growing up in midwest America in the 1980s - where he remembered homosexuality being treated "like a curse". Although John "never doubted [his] sexuality," he felt he couldn't "make it a known thing," and put plenty of effort into fitting in. John, who knew he was gay from the age of eight-years-old, came out in his 20s after a health scare left him fearing the worst. He met his now-husband Scott Gill back in 1991 and they declared their love for each other in a small civil service ceremony in 2006. John continued to work with the BBC – appearing on shows such as Torchwood – until 2021. The Scottish-American star apologised in May 2021 when allegations emerged he had flashed cast members on the sets of both of his BBC TV shows, Doctor Who and Torchwood. Describing his behaviour as 'tomfoolery' he would not repeat, he slammed critics who said it was 'sexual harassment'. No charges were brought against him but a public backlash meant he lost his job as a judge on Dancing On Ice and was forced to cancel an upcoming UK tour. John said in a statement in 2021: "My high-spirited behaviour which was only ever intended in good humour to entertain colleagues on set and back stage has been well-documented, including in my autobiographies and even in song. "There were a couple of times during filming where I'd resort to tomfoolery, but none of this was ever intended nor interpreted as being sexual in nature. "With the benefit of hindsight, I understand that upset may have been caused by my exuberant behaviour and I have apologised for this previously. Since my apology in November 2008, my understanding and behaviour have also changed. At no point was I ever made aware of any sexual harassment, bullying, or sexually predatory behaviour on set." Speaking of the incident on the podcast, he said the allegations were "misconstrued" and the incident was just "a bit of a carry on". He added: "If I was in a nude scene, completely naked, and if somebody walked on set, which they weren't supposed to, I might just do something like that [jiggles] and it was nothing outrageous. I didn't see it as outrageous. It was a different time." The Mirror has contacted the BBC for comment.
The Irish Sun
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Zoe Ball reveals painful struggle with new health condition weeks after surprise return to BBC Radio 2
ZOE Ball has reveal her painful struggle with a new health condition. The much-loved presenter, 54, made the admission just weeks after 3 Zoe Ball revealed she is battling a painful health condition Credit: BBC 3 The much-loved presenter returned to Radio 2 last month Credit: PA 3 Zoe quit her Radio 2 Breakfast Show last year, but has since returned to the airwaves Credit: PA Zoe Ball now just hosts a Saturday afternoon slot, During her latest show, the mum-of-two revealed a painful health condition that keeps flaring up. Addressing fans she said: "Yes, it's come to that. Fifty-four and I got bursitis." Bursitis is a condition that occurs when the fluid-filled sacs (bursa) that cushion the joints become inflamed, painful and swollen. Read more on Zoe Ball Zoe revealed that she is not letting the condition slow her down, and she is continuing to train with her personal coach, Seth. "Thank you to Seth," she said on her Saturday show. "I found out I've got a… what is it? A rating of… was it a four or five on the fitness level? "I was quite impressed with myself - out of, I think it's nine or ten. Most read in Celebrity "You've gotta start somewhere, haven't you?" This is the second time that Zoe has opened up about a painful health condition. Emotional Zoe Ball's final farewell to BBC Radio 2 as she quits show and thanks staff for 'holding her up in her lowest moments' Last year, RADIO COMEBACK At the beginning of last month, Zoe thrilled fans when As she made her comeback, taking over the headphones from Rylan Clark, she told listeners: 'Hello it's me, oh it's lovely to be back on a Saturday. 'This is where it all began for me, back in the day when I used to sweep up and make the teas.' Zoe Ball's career so far Zoe was born in Blackpool and is daughter of the children's TV presenter Johnny Ball and his wife Julia. She appeared on television at a young age as part of the studio audience of the Saturday morning children's show, Saturday Superstore when her father was a guest. The star began her career in broadcasting as a presenter on the pre-school programme Playdays. After various behind the scenes roles, she earned a spot as a regular host of Top of the Pops, when she alternated with the likes of In 1996, she was chosen to front BBC One's saturday morning show Live & Kicking, which led to stints on The Big Breakfast on Channel 4. But she maintained a huge presence on the radio as she was chosen to be the co-host of BBC Radio 1 Breakfast alongside Kevin Greening in October 1997. Zoe was later appointed the sole host of the show in a groundbreaking move by the corporation as she was the first female DJ to hold the post. The presenter chose to leave the station in March 2000 to start a family, where she was succeeded by As a mainstream face in TV through the noughties, she hosted a range of huge programmes for ITV, including the Brit Awards in 2002, Extinct in 2006, and both In mid-2002, she returned to radio when she joined Xfm (later known as In October 2005, she appeared as a contestant on the third series of Strictly Come Dancing, where she was partnered with In 2011, she returned to the franchise as she took over as the host of the magazine spin-off show, She also filled in for Claudia Winkleman on the main show in 2014, when The Traitors star took leave after her daughter suffered serious burn injuries. After 10 years fronting the show, Zoe Zoe's journey in BBC Radio 2 started in 2006 when she fronted specialist documentaries. Over the years she sat in for names such as Dermot O'Leary, After several shake-ups, she returned to the station on a permanent basis when she took over Dermot's Saturday afternoon slot between 3pm and 6pm. In October 2018, Zoe previously made a tearful During her time away from Radio 2, it was revealed she was enjoying doing some gardening and being at home. Zoe even The long-time radio favourite decided to leave her Breakfast show last year, explaining she wanted to spend more time with her family after the death of her mum. , the DJ paid tribute to her "hero" - fellow station star Jo Whiley - and her team on the show, saying they "held me up, quite literally, when I was at my lowest". She was replaced in the slot by Scott Mills.
Scottish Sun
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Zoe Ball reveals painful struggle with new health condition weeks after surprise return to BBC Radio 2
Zoe quit her Radio 2 Breakfast at the end of last year to 'focus on her family' ZOE'S PAIN Zoe Ball reveals painful struggle with new health condition weeks after surprise return to BBC Radio 2 ZOE Ball has reveal her painful struggle with a new health condition. The much-loved presenter, 54, made the admission just weeks after her surprise return to BBC Radio 2. 3 Zoe Ball revealed she is battling a painful health condition Credit: BBC 3 The much-loved presenter returned to Radio 2 last month Credit: PA 3 Zoe quit her Radio 2 Breakfast Show last year, but has since returned to the airwaves Credit: PA Zoe Ball now just hosts a Saturday afternoon slot, after quitting Radio 2's famous Breakfast Show at the end of last year. During her latest show, the mum-of-two revealed a painful health condition that keeps flaring up. Addressing fans she said: "Yes, it's come to that. Fifty-four and I got bursitis." Bursitis is a condition that occurs when the fluid-filled sacs (bursa) that cushion the joints become inflamed, painful and swollen. Zoe revealed that she is not letting the condition slow her down, and she is continuing to train with her personal coach, Seth. "Thank you to Seth," she said on her Saturday show. "I found out I've got a… what is it? A rating of… was it a four or five on the fitness level? "I was quite impressed with myself - out of, I think it's nine or ten. "You've gotta start somewhere, haven't you?" This is the second time that Zoe has opened up about a painful health condition. Emotional Zoe Ball's final farewell to BBC Radio 2 as she quits show and thanks staff for 'holding her up in her lowest moments' Last year, she revealed she had TMJ (temporomandibular joint) which affects the jaw and can cause painful headaches. RADIO COMEBACK At the beginning of last month, Zoe thrilled fans when she made a triumphant return to Radio 2 for her new Saturday afternoon slot. As she made her comeback, taking over the headphones from Rylan Clark, she told listeners: 'Hello it's me, oh it's lovely to be back on a Saturday. 'This is where it all began for me, back in the day when I used to sweep up and make the teas.' Zoe Ball's career so far Zoe was born in Blackpool and is daughter of the children's TV presenter Johnny Ball and his wife Julia. She appeared on television at a young age as part of the studio audience of the Saturday morning children's show, Saturday Superstore when her father was a guest. The star began her career in broadcasting as a presenter on the pre-school programme Playdays. After various behind the scenes roles, she earned a spot as a regular host of Top of the Pops, when she alternated with the likes of Jayne Middlemiss and Jo Whiley. In 1996, she was chosen to front BBC One's saturday morning show Live & Kicking, which led to stints on The Big Breakfast on Channel 4. But she maintained a huge presence on the radio as she was chosen to be the co-host of BBC Radio 1 Breakfast alongside Kevin Greening in October 1997. Zoe was later appointed the sole host of the show in a groundbreaking move by the corporation as she was the first female DJ to hold the post. The presenter chose to leave the station in March 2000 to start a family, where she was succeeded by Sara Cox. As a mainstream face in TV through the noughties, she hosted a range of huge programmes for ITV, including the Brit Awards in 2002, Extinct in 2006, and both Soapstar Superstar and Grease Is The Word in 2007. In mid-2002, she returned to radio when she joined Xfm (later known as Radio X), when she was the voice of the weekday drivetime show until December 2003. In 2004, she stood in for Ricky Gervais while he filmed the second series of The Office. In October 2005, she appeared as a contestant on the third series of Strictly Come Dancing, where she was partnered with Ian Waite, The star impressed viewers with her footwork and the duo waltzed into third place. In 2011, she returned to the franchise as she took over as the host of the magazine spin-off show, It Takes Two. She also filled in for Claudia Winkleman on the main show in 2014, when The Traitors star took leave after her daughter suffered serious burn injuries. After 10 years fronting the show, Zoe announced she was quitting her role on BBC Two in May 2021. Zoe's journey in BBC Radio 2 started in 2006 when she fronted specialist documentaries. Over the years she sat in for names such as Dermot O'Leary, Ken Bruce and Chris Evans. After several shake-ups, she returned to the station on a permanent basis when she took over Dermot's Saturday afternoon slot between 3pm and 6pm. In October 2018, Chris Evans moved to Virgin Radio and he personally announced that Zoe would take over his popular slot. She started presenting the breakfast show on 14 January 2019. Zoe previously made a tearful goodbye to the Breakfast show after six years at the end of 2024. During her time away from Radio 2, it was revealed she was enjoying doing some gardening and being at home. Zoe even worked shifts in at Big Beach Café in Hove with her ex-husband Norman 'Fatboy Slim' Cook, who she's been married to since 1999. The long-time radio favourite decided to leave her Breakfast show last year, explaining she wanted to spend more time with her family after the death of her mum. In an emotional final farewell to listeners, the DJ paid tribute to her "hero" - fellow station star Jo Whiley - and her team on the show, saying they "held me up, quite literally, when I was at my lowest". She was replaced in the slot by Scott Mills.
The Irish Sun
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Zoe Ball says it's ‘lovely to be back' as she returns to BBC Radio 2 after stepping down from breakfast show
ZOE Ball has made her triumphant return to BBC Radio 2 as she debuted her new Saturday radio show today. The 54-year-old star has now returned to 'where it all began' by 5 Zoe is now back on the airwaves after a five month break Credit: PA 5 The star will now present the Saturday show from 1pm to 3pm Credit: Instagram @bbcradio2 5 Roisin Conarty joined Zoe as one of the first guests Credit: Instagram @bbcradio2 She previously made a tearful As she made her comeback, taking over the headphones from Rylan, Zoe told listeners: 'Hello it's me, oh it's lovely to be back on a Saturday. 'This is where it all began for me, back in the day when I used to sweep up and make the teas.' She will be maintaining a slot every Saturday from 1pm to 3pm, and has been billed as "the best songs and chat for a Saturday". READ MORE BBC RADIO 2 She was joined on her first show by Roisin Conarty for a natter, as well as having a catch up with old pal, Rylan. Helen Thomas, head of Radio 2, previously said: "Zoe is one of the UK's most loved presenters, so I'm thrilled to announce that she has a new home on Radio 2 on Saturday lunchtimes, plus she'll be hosting various specials for us throughout the year." In recent months, Zoe has kept a low profile and focused on renovating her garden, making some public work appearances in the process. She also played a part in the Most read in Showbiz Zoe even The long-time radio favourite decided to leave her Breakfast show last year, explaining she wanted to spend more time with her family after the death of her mum. Emotional Zoe Ball's final farewell to BBC Radio 2 as she quits show and thanks staff for 'holding her up in her lowest moments' As part of it, she , the DJ paid tribute to her "hero" - fellow station star Jo Whiley - and her team on the show, saying they "held me up, quite literally, when I was at my lowest". She was replaced in the slot by Scott Mills. Zoe Ball's career so far Zoe was born in Blackpool and is daughter of the children's TV presenter Johnny Ball and his wife Julia. She appeared on television at a young age as part of the studio audience of the Saturday morning children's show, Saturday Superstore when her father was a guest. The star began her career in broadcasting as a presenter on the pre-school programme Playdays. After various behind the scenes roles, she earned a spot as a regular host of Top of the Pops, when she alternated with the likes of In 1996, she was chosen to front BBC One's saturday morning show Live & Kicking, which led to stints on The Big Breakfast on Channel 4. But she maintained a huge presence on the radio as she was chosen to be the co-host of BBC Radio 1 Breakfast alongside Kevin Greening in October 1997. Zoe was later appointed the sole host of the show in a groundbreaking move by the corporation as she was the first female DJ to hold the post. The presenter chose to leave the station in March 2000 to start a family, where she was succeeded by As a mainstream face in TV through the noughties, she hosted a range of huge programmes for ITV, including the Brit Awards in 2002, Extinct in 2006, and both In mid-2002, she returned to radio when she joined Xfm (later known as In October 2005, she appeared as a contestant on the third series of Strictly Come Dancing, where she was partnered with In 2011, she returned to the franchise as she took over as the host of the magazine spin-off show, She also filled in for Claudia Winkleman on the main show in 2014, when The Traitors star took leave after her daughter suffered serious burn injuries. After 10 years fronting the show, Zoe Zoe's journey in BBC Radio 2 started in 2006 when she fronted specialist documentaries. Over the years she sat in for names such as Dermot O'Leary, After several shake-ups, she returned to the station on a permanent basis when she took over Dermot's Saturday afternoon slot between 3pm and 6pm. In October 2018, 5 Zoe has been a longtime favourite for radio listeners Credit: PA 5 The star bid a tearful farewell to the breakfast show in December Credit: PA
Metro
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Inside Holly Willoughby's family life after kidnap plot horror
Holly Willoughby has returned to screens in recent months on Netflix series Celebrity Bear Hunt and Dancing On Ice after a difficult year. In 2023, Holly quit This Morning after 14 years of hosting – just months after a very public parting of the ways with former This Morning co-host Phillip Schofield. The ITV presenter, 44, then remained out of the spotlight for months after a plot to kidnap and murder her. Security guard Gavin Plumb was sentenced to life in prison in July 2024 after his plot to kidnap, rape and murder the presenter which left her with a 'life changing' impact. In a statement shared after the verdict, Holly said: 'As women we should not be made to feel unsafe going about our daily lives and in our own homes. 'I will forever be grateful to the undercover police officer who understood the imminent threat, and to the Metropolitan and Essex police forces for their swift response. Thank you to the Crown Prosecution Service, the Rt Hon Mr Justice Murray, Alison Morgan KC, the members of the jury and all involved in this case for ensuring that justice was done and that the defendant will not be able to harm any more women. 'I would also like to commend the bravery of his previous victims for speaking up at the time. Without their bravery this conviction may not have been possible.' While her onscreen life has been very much in the public eye, Holly's also spoken many times about her life offscreen and about how she fell in love with her husband. Who is she married to and how old are their children? Holly has been married to TV producer Dan Baldwin since 2007. Dan, 49, has worked on such shows as Celebrity Juice and the Channel 4 game show Virtually Famous, and in 2014 also co-founded his own independent media company, Hungry Bear, together with Juliet Denison and Peter Jones CBE. In their website bio he writes that his career started at the BBC as a researcher on Live & Kicking. Holly and Dan met on the kids' TV show Ministry Of Mayhem in 2004, which Holly co-hosted with Stephen Mulhern, and were together for three years before they tied the knot. However they were close friends for six months before they began dating, keeping their romance a secret for eight months. Previously speaking on her Wylde Moon Instagram page, Holly explained: 'He came in as our new producer and we started this real intense friendship – it was mad actually. There was sort of two other guys that started at the same time, and we just became inseparable. 'We'd rehearse, and then we'd go out afterwards, and then we'd end up … We were filming down in Maidstone Studios and we used to stay in a hotel there. 'And you know everybody would go to the bar and then everybody would come back into either my room or their room and we'd all sit round just talking and laughing, and I just remember it just being such a fun time. I always describe that time as sort of my university years, really.' 'And this must have been six months of real intense friendship and I remember this one night we were in the bar,' she added. 'I cheersed Dan, and I remember my eye just caught him for a little bit longer than it should have done, and I looked at him, and thought, 'Oh my god, I fancy Dan Baldwin'. 'And it took me by complete surprise, and then the rest is history.' The pair's wedding was on August 4 2007 near Holly's childhood home in Sussex, with the ceremony attended by guests including Dermot O'Leary and Fearne Cotton. Holly and Dan are parents to son Harry, 15, daughter Belle, 12, and nine-year-old son Chester. The couple keep their children largely out of the public eye, with Holly explaining on This Morning in 2021: 'I choose not to put my children's faces on Instagram because I know once they're out there, they're for public consumption.' However she does sometimes discuss her family, such as when she addressed the 'new challenges' of her children being older. Speaking on This Morning just before Christmas in 2022, she explained: 'Looking ahead to next year, as I'm sure any parent would say that with every year brings new challenges, but the flip side of that is that you're watching these little humans grow and develop and become fully formed people. More Trending 'I think I'm just looking forward to what's next to come with them and seeing who they are turning out to be. She continued: 'My oldest is 13 now and the relationship changes hugely. You know, they sit at the table with you and you are talking about things that aren't just about what they got up to at school that day, it's about how they view and see the world and I'm really enjoying it. 'I'm enjoying this phase and seeing all those things that you put in place throughout their early childhood years, suddenly blooming and I can't wait for more of that and just being a bit of a spectator with a helping hand.' View More » A version of this article was originally published on October 11, 2023. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
