Latest news with #MinistryofMayhem
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Presenter who was one of the most recognisable faces on TV quit for 'normal' job
Michael Underwood was a mainstay of children's TV in the 1990s and 2000s, presenting shows like Jungle Run, Ministry of Mayhem and Xchange A beloved figure in children's television during the late 90s and early 00s, took an unexpected turn when his presenting roles became scarce - he courageously decided to retrain and embark on a drastically different career path. Initially stumbling into the world of presenting after discovering a callout for audition tapes during his time at a radio station, Michael Underwood carved out a niche for himself, hosting a range of iconic kids' shows like Jungle Run and Ministry of Mayhem, as well as becoming a familiar face as an entertainment reporter for GMTV and Good Morning Britain. Beyond his presenting credentials, at age 39, Michael has also participated in high-profile reality shows such as Dancing on Ice, Celebrity MasterChef, and All Star Mr and Mrs with his partner, fellow presenter and Celebrity Big Brother star Angellica Bell. She too is known for her work with classic children's programmes like Xchange, 50/50, and That's Genius! He and Angellica lead a comparably ordinary life in their five-bedroom Victorian semi in Kingston-upon-Thames, London, with their son and daughter. However, when Michael's opportunities began to wane, he found himself at a crossroads. Speaking to The Mirror, he disclosed: "The phone stopped ringing. It's just not a nice place to be in. I needed to make a decision." "I thought you know what, I've got my teaching degree, I've got 20 years in broadcasting behind me, maybe I can take that skill set and put it to good use. Help build children's confidence, help them with their oracy, and their presenting skills. That's when I thought: 'Yeah, let's grab the bull by the horns and maybe take a step out into a different career'." He first took up a part-time drama teacher position at Surbiton High Boy's Prep School, peppering Year 4 classes with his broadcast experience, until he stepped up as a form teacher in 2019. Last September, with a full teaching degree under his belt, he embraced a full-time position at King's College School in Wimbledon. Reflecting on his earlier ambitions, he shared: "I never grew up wanting to be a television presenter, acting's what I loved but my family could never afford to send me to drama school." Recounting familial influences, he continued: "My mum was a nursery nurse, my sister was a nursery nurse, so working with children was in the family. It was my mum who actually said: 'Why don't you think of doing drama as a teaching degree, specialise in that and you've got something to fall back on if the acting doesn't work out.'".
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
'I was one of the most recognisable faces on TV but I gave it all up to become a teacher'
A face many people grew up with on CBBC and CITV Michael Underwood left his life in front of camera to become a primary school teacher in South West London An icon of children's TV in the late 90s and early 00s Michael Underwood hosted many of the shows a generation grew up on but after work started to dry up he made the incredible decision to re-train and start a very different life. Having almost fallen into presenting after finding a call out for audition tapes while working at a radio station, Michael went on to host some classic kids' TV shows from Jungle Run to Ministry of Mayhem. But it wasn't just kids' TV, he was also a regular entertainment reporter for GMTV and Good Morning Britain. Aside from presenting, the 39-year-old appeared on some big reality shows, including Dancing on Ice, Celebrity MasterChef and All Star Mr and Mrs with his wife, presenter and Celebrity Big Brother star Angellica Bell, who also hosted classic children's shows such as Xchange, 50/50 and That's Genius!. The couple live a relatively normal life in a five-bedroom Victorian semi-detached house in Kingston-upon-Thames, London, with their two children, a son and daughter. But despite his success eventually the jobs dried up, he explained to The Mirror: "The phone stopped ringing. It's just not a nice place to be in. I needed to make a decision. "I thought you know what, I've got my teaching degree, I've got 20 years in broadcasting behind me, maybe I can take that skill set and put it to good use. Help build children's confidence, help them with their oracy, and their presenting skills. That's when I thought: 'Yeah, let's grab the bull by the horns and maybe take a step out into a different career'." He first began teaching part-time for two days a week at Surbiton High Boy's Prep School, teaching Year 4 drama. That was until 2019 when he moved into a role as a form teacher. But in September last year after completing his full teaching degree he moved into a full-time role at King's College School in Wimbledon. He added: "I never grew up wanting to be a television presenter, acting's what I loved but my family could never afford to send me to drama school. "My mum was a nursery nurse, my sister was a nursery nurse, so working with children was in the family. It was my mum who actually said: 'Why don't you think of doing drama as a teaching degree, specialise in that and you've got something to fall back on if the acting doesn't work out.'"
Daily Mail
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Holly Willoughby looks worlds away from her usual glamour as she braves the rain in black coat and leggings - amid mystery over pal quitting her business firms
Holly Willoughby looked worlds away from her usual red carpet glamour as she was spotted out and about in London on Wednesday, following the resignation of her business partner from her companies. The presenter, 44, braved the rainy weather in a chic hooded mac coat, teamed with a sweatshirt and black leggings. She completed the casual look with black-and-white ankle socks and chunky trainers as she strolled down the street, phone in hand. Holly toted her essentials in a stylish Mulberry bag and accessorised with trendy black sunglasses, seemingly in an effort to go incognito. She kept her blonde locks tucked beneath her hood to shield them from the rain and appeared to go makeup-free for the outing. Holly's relaxed appearance came after her business partner, Vicky Staines, ceased her role at Wylde Moon, of which she was described as finance director. Vicky has also departed from Roxy Management – 'resigned' as a director, according to documents filed at Companies House – of which she and Holly had been the sole board members since it was established in 2020. Vicky declined to respond to Richard Eden's request for comment. The consequent sense of mystery is fuelled by Holly's representatives who also feel unable to issue a statement about Vicky, who has certainly been a cherished member of Holly's inner circle. A snap posted by Holly's sister Kelly – who playfully styles herself 'Lady Willoughby' on her social media account – shows Vicky standing snugly between Holly and Kelly. 'When we come together we really can make dreams come true,' Kelly captioned the image, before adding a couple of emojis and the pay-off: 'Love you beyond.' Holly, of course, is fully aware of the capriciousness of fortune. Scouted by a modelling agency when just 14, she secured her first TV role by the time she was 19, with a stint as a lingerie model for Pretty Polly in between. She subsequently met Dan Baldwin, the man who would become her husband, while presenting children's programme Ministry of Mayhem, which Dan produced. Holly toted her essentials in a stylish Mulberry bag and accessorised with trendy black sunglasses, seemingly in an effort to go incognito Last week, a High Court ruling gave the couple until July 9 to pay £377,000 in taxes owed by another of their companies, Roxy Media, of which they are the only two directors. This follows Richard Eden's disclosure in January that HMRC had issued a winding up petition against Roxy Media, which, according to previous accounts, owed more than £300,000 in unpaid corporation tax. At the time a financial expert told Daily Mail that the looming legal battle might well have been caused by differing interpretations of Holly's tax status. 'It's possible that her Good Morning salary was paid into the company as freelance income,' explained the expert, 'whereas the tax office may consider that she was employed by ITV and that the income should have been taxed on a PAYE basis.' The news came after she put on a leggy display in a throwback Instagram snap from her time on Celebrity Bear Hunt. The TV favourite looked incredible in a colourful co-ord in a picture taken during a break from filming the hit Netflix show. The outfit, which is from Zimmerman and worth £720, boasted a turquoise and white floral pattern and featured a buttoned long-sleeve blouse, mini shorts and a tan belt. The star completed the look with some brown walking boots from her collaboration with Grenson and let her shoulder-length blonde tresses loose for the shoot. She captioned the post, 'The one that got away… Celebrity Bear Hunt @zimmermann @grensonshoes @netflixuk #ad', adding a palm tree emoji to reflect the Costa Rican rainforest location where they filmed the contest. Sources have been claiming that Holly is set to line up several lucrative deals from streamers, including a second series of Netflix's Celebrity Bear Hunt, off the back of the show's success. The programme saw a host of celebs, including Mel B, Lottie Moss and Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen, attempt to escape adventurer Bear Grylls and take part in a series of wild challenges in a bid to be crowned champion. The stunning snap comes after Kim Woodburn launched another blistering attack on Holly, branding her 'useless'. The former celebrity cleaner, 83, has reignited her long-standing feud with the presenter in light of Dancing On Ice being axed after 19 years. Kim famously clashed with Holly and Phillip Schofield when she appeared on This Morning over her experience on Celebrity Big Brother. She told Express Online earlier this month that Holly's success on ITV shows This Morning and Dancing On Ice were largely due to her co-host Phil. Phillip left ITV in 2023 following the revelation of his 'unwise but not illegal' affair with a much younger male colleague. Kim quipped: 'I'm going to say something to you, and I won't change my mind. When a presenter gets a job, you always hope they will choose the right person for that job, and unfortunately, in my opinion, Holly Willoughby is useless. 'For 14 years, Holly was on This Morning with Phil, and you tell me, any time that you can recall that she ever said to Phil on that show, "I'm sorry, Phil, I don't agree with you!" Not once! She got a career on Phil. That is how she got her career and her money. 'She was then on that Dancing On Ice, and she's useless! Once again, standing hands together in front of her, saying, "Oh yes". She doesn't do anything! I mean, I had my problems with Phil, but let's face it, he was extremely entertaining. But she got a job with Phil and turned on him, and her career.' It came after the presenter snubbed long-time co-host Phillip as she broke her silence on the Dancing On Ice saga. Taking to Instagram, Holly shared a gushing tribute for the skating show and thanked all who worked on it in the past 19 years - however, she notably failed to mention Phil, with whom she hosted the show for 13 years. Alongside a plethora of snaps from her time hosting the ITV programme, Holly penned: 'A huge thank you to @itv, The brilliant team, Crew, Celebrities and Everyone who has been part of our Dancing on Ice family over the last 19 years. 'Every year, just when January felt at its greyest, Dancing on Ice arrived like a burst of glittering, dazzling light, warm, joyful, and full of heart… 'It has been an absolute privilege to work alongside true national treasures Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, and to have a front-row seat to their breathtaking skating. Watching them glide across the ice was nothing less than pure magic… 'A special thanks must also go to Arnica, Deep Heat, Spanx and fake tan, unsung heroes of the rink! … I will miss it hugely, but I count myself so lucky to have had it for as long as we did. Finally and most importantly, thank you to you for watching, you're the BEST! …' While Holly featured a selection of photos which included her current co-star Stephen, as well as judges Torvill and Dean, Oti Mabuse and Ashley Banjo, there were no images of Phillip.
Daily Mail
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EDEN CONFIDENTIAL: Mystery as Holly Willoughby's friend and trusted ally quits from her key role in her firms
Mischievous observers are asking whether she'll soon be heading to Rome – and nipping ahead of the tens of thousands waiting to pay their respects to Pope Francis. But Holly Willoughby – bitterly accused of jumping the 13-hour queue at Westminster Hall when Queen Elizabeth lay in state – is unlikely to be distracted. Indeed, there is plenty to keep her attention unwaveringly focused on matters at home – most notably developments at two of her companies, Wylde Moon, the fledgling lifestyle brand she set up in 2021, and Roxy Management, her talent agency. I can disclose that both must now soldier on without Vicky Staines, who had become one of Holly's closest and most trusted allies. Staines, 39, has ceased her role at Wylde Moon, of which she was described as finance director, and where her co-directors were Holly, 44, and Holly's older sister, Kelly Foster, 46. Staines has also departed from Roxy Management – 'resigned' as a director, according to documents filed at Companies House – of which she and Holly had been the sole board members since it was established in 2020. Staines doesn't respond to my request for comment. The consequent sense of mystery is fuelled by Holly's representatives who also feel unable to issue a statement about Staines, who has certainly been a cherished member of Holly's inner circle. A snap posted by Holly's sister Kelly – who playfully styles herself 'Lady Willoughby' on her social media account – shows Staines standing snugly between Holly and Kelly. 'When we come together we really can make dreams come true,' Kelly captioned the image, before adding a couple of emojis and the pay-off: 'Love you beyond.' Holly, of course, is fully aware of the capriciousness of fortune. Scouted by a modelling agency when just 14, she secured her first TV role by the time she was 19, with a stint as a lingerie model for Pretty Polly in between. She subsequently met Dan Baldwin, the man who would become her husband, while presenting children's programme Ministry of Mayhem, which Dan produced. Last week, a High Court ruling gave the couple until July 9 to pay £377,000 in taxes owed by another of their companies, Roxy Media, of which they are the only two directors. This follows my disclosure in January that HMRC had issued a winding up petition against Roxy Media, which, according to previous accounts, owed more than £300,000 in unpaid corporation tax. At the time a financial expert told me that the looming legal battle might well have been caused by differing interpretations of Holly's tax status. 'It's possible that her Good Morning salary was paid into the company as freelance income,' explained the expert, 'whereas the tax office may consider that she was employed by ITV and that the income should have been taxed on a PAYE basis.' Arguments of that sort may be less frequent for Holly in the future. Last month ITV announced that it was 'resting' Dancing On Ice, of which Holly first became a co-presenter way back in 2006. Proof that the axe sometimes falls on even the most graceful of necks...
Daily Mirror
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Angellica Bell's CBBC star husband who quit fame and his comments about Martin Lewis
Presenter Angellica Bell received the backing of her CBBC star husband Michael Underwood as she entered Celebrity Big Brother in her TV return after Martin Lewis axe Celebrity Big Brother's Angellica Bell has been supported by her husband following her exit from the ITV house, yet he is equally famous in his own right. The TV presenter is loved up with former children's TV presenter Michael Underwood, who cheered her on every step of the way. Unlike Angellica, who returned to the spotlight by entering the Big Brother house, Michael decided to turn his back on fame despite being just as famous. Back in the 90s and 00s, he hosted the likes of Jungle Run, The Big Bang and Ministry of Mayhem but he now works as a part-time teacher. Many fans didn't realise the former children's TV stars are happily married until Michael made a rare appearance to support Angellica. He shared a wholesome video online as she entered the house two weeks ago. Away from the air, Michael has also been on hand to support his wife following her sudden exit from The Martin Lewis Money Show back in 2023. Just before leaving the house in the brutal triple eviction, Angellica was left in tears as she reflected on her time on the show. She admitted: "I've loved every minute, it's probably the best thing I've done in a long time. Before I came in here, I was a little bit scared. The press were asking me if I would talk about the Martin Lewis show and stuff, it took me a long time to get over that. "I was so grateful to all of the audience who messaged me about it, also to other celebrities who contacted me and stuff because those messages are what got me through. "That's why I wanted to come onto this show and tap into my old self because it's taken me a long time." Angellica was bluntly informed that her presence was no longer needed on set and saw herself promptly replaced by the former Olympian turned broadcaster Jeanette Kwakye. She had joined the show back in 2017 but she also hosted Channel 5's revamped edition of The Gadget Show – renamed Shop Smart, Save Money. There were reports a 'conflict of interest' led to her speedy exit from the ITV gig. At the time, ITV said: "Angellica is not working on the Martin Lewis Money Show Live, however, the relationship with her remains amicable and we are working with her on other forthcoming programmes." Michael hasn't directly spoke out on Angellica's exit, yet he was fully behind her decision to join Celebrity Big Brother and get back onto TV screens. Before entering the house, he said: "I just hope she goes in there and shows you what I see every day and have seen every day since we met like 25 years ago, and what I see every day since we've been married. You know, just that kind, funny, straight talking person. "I hope you get to see that because I think in all the other stuff she's done on TV, that hasn't always come through because of the type of show she's working on. But I'd love it. This is her chance to be herself and I think that'll work really well for her." He also hinted Angellica was planning to open up on the exit while in the house. A fan asked: "Why did she stop working with Martin Lewis? I thought they were great together." Michael responded: "It's not for me to say but she might talk about it on Celebrity Big Brother."
