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The Irish Sun
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
My awkward moment with ballsy Suranne Jones explains why she, Keeley Hawes & top female stars have ditched the BBC & ITV
AFTER three guys' brains are blown out, another bloke's throat is ripped open with a crowbar before a fifth is despatched by a knife to the eyesocket - all at the hands of a shadowy executioner played, unbelievably, by Keeley Hawes. That's just the first three, breathtaking minutes of her new Prime Video thriller The Assassin, in the latest example of a top British actress shifting to the streamers - and not giving a damn about the fact they forged their careers on the likes of ITV and BBC. Advertisement 6 Suranne Jones at the National Television Awards in 2018 where my question received a frosty response Credit: Getty 6 Suranne in the new Netflix show Hostage, which drops next month Credit: NETFLIX It comes as no surprise to me just how gutsy and determined they are because, as TV Editor, I've met virtually all of them while reporting on hundreds of dramas over the years - one particular brush with one of these ballsy a-listers is still burned in my memory. Standing on a stage with around 100 people watching on she said: "Because I'd have to ask him what he got paid and I just can't do that." Advertisement Without realising it I impulsively flashed her an expression which said: "Well, you probably could, couldn't you?" And Suranne could have just left the little interaction there. Except - and I absolutely love her for this - she didn't. Frightened dormouse "Well, you pull a face," she snapped back, with the brassiness of her former Corrie character Karen McDonald, "but I just can't can I?" At that point the whole room went quiet, she fixed me with a glare, I stared back like a frightened dormouse and the whole room - including her husband Laurence Akers - glared at me for what felt like an hour (it was probably about ten seconds.) Only one of Keeley's knives in the eyeballs would have felt less painful. Now, an average star probably wouldn't have publicly hit back at me like that, but then Suranne isn't your average star. Like Advertisement Which is why, just like Keeley, she's also about to launch her own drama with a streaming giant. Which is quite a leap from playing a Corrie barmaid on ITV. But it's the same leap, with the same streamer, that's been made by 6 Sarah Lancashire in the hit BBC series Happy Valley Credit: BBC Sarah is another one I've done interviews with where, if you dare ask a stupid question, she'll stop you in your tracks and tell you it's a stupid question. And why shouldn't she? She's Sarah Lancashire. She can do that. It only makes me respect her more. Advertisement The list of daring defectors doesn't stop there. Meanwhile the likes of Sheridan Smith, Katherine Kelly and Gemma Arterton, who've all been increasingly dipping their toes in the streamers' waters. 6 Keeley in ITV's The Durrells Credit: ITV 6 And in her gritty new Amazon Prime role in the drama The Assassin Credit: Prime / TNI Though none of them can quite compare with Advertisement Over the past three years she has made seven dramas, four of which have been for non-terrestrial services. As well as The Assassin there was Scoop on Netflix, Orphan Black: Echoes on US cable channel AMC and Sky's supernatural thriller, The Midwich Cuckoos. Before too long there'll be a tipping point where we'll almost only ever see these hugely popular actresses on the streamers - and there's only one way that the likes of BBC, ITV and Channel 4 can stop the rot. The majority of these household names had their big breaks on the terrestrial channels. But these hugely successful women want control by being made exec producers. They want good money (just like the men). And they want to cherry pick daring shows which will provide them with a global audience. The cash-strapped terrestrials will struggle to give them all of that. For us viewers, there's some comfort in the fact that they won't abandon the holy trinity of TV overnight, and we'll still see them pop up here and there on regular telly for a while longer. Advertisement 6 Suranne fired back when I asked her about equal pay for women stars Credit: GETTY Plus, this isn't a fait accomplis. What the execs at the Beeb and commercial channels do need to do is radically change what roles they offer these stars. They need to quit their obsession with conventional period dramas and route one crime thrillers and turn twee Keeley into a killer, or It isn't just about money (though, admittedly, that does help) it's more about giving these stars roles the chance to spread their wings as producers and as performers. But, based on my experiences of these amazing women, they're going to have to grow some sizable kahunas to do it. Advertisement
Scottish Sun
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
My awkward moment with ballsy Suranne Jones explains why she, Keeley Hawes & top female stars have ditched the BBC & ITV
The Sun's TV Editor knows exactly what the terrestrial channels MUST do to stop their top acting talent moving to streamers - and it's not just paying them more STREAM QUEENS My awkward moment with ballsy Suranne Jones explains why she, Keeley Hawes & top female stars have ditched the BBC & ITV AFTER three guys' brains are blown out, another bloke's throat is ripped open with a crowbar before a fifth is despatched by a knife to the eyesocket - all at the hands of a shadowy executioner played, unbelievably, by Keeley Hawes. That's just the first three, breathtaking minutes of her new Prime Video thriller The Assassin, in the latest example of a top British actress shifting to the streamers - and not giving a damn about the fact they forged their careers on the likes of ITV and BBC. 6 Suranne Jones at the National Television Awards in 2018 where my question received a frosty response Credit: Getty 6 Suranne in the new Netflix show Hostage, which drops next month Credit: NETFLIX It comes as no surprise to me just how gutsy and determined they are because, as TV Editor, I've met virtually all of them while reporting on hundreds of dramas over the years - one particular brush with one of these ballsy a-listers is still burned in my memory. Suranne Jones had just scooped a National Television Award for playing the lead in Doctor Foster back in 2018, when I foolishly tried to take her to task during a post-show press conference on the issue of the gender pay gap and why she didn't just demand to get the same wage as her co-star Bertie Carvel. Standing on a stage with around 100 people watching on she said: "Because I'd have to ask him what he got paid and I just can't do that." Without realising it I impulsively flashed her an expression which said: "Well, you probably could, couldn't you?" And Suranne could have just left the little interaction there. Except - and I absolutely love her for this - she didn't. Frightened dormouse "Well, you pull a face," she snapped back, with the brassiness of her former Corrie character Karen McDonald, "but I just can't can I?" At that point the whole room went quiet, she fixed me with a glare, I stared back like a frightened dormouse and the whole room - including her husband Laurence Akers - glared at me for what felt like an hour (it was probably about ten seconds.) Only one of Keeley's knives in the eyeballs would have felt less painful. Now, an average star probably wouldn't have publicly hit back at me like that, but then Suranne isn't your average star. Like Keeley, she's a no-nonsense, single minded woman who knows her worth. Which is why, just like Keeley, she's also about to launch her own drama with a streaming giant. Hostage, which drops next month on Netflix, sees her play a fictional UK Prime Minister. Which is quite a leap from playing a Corrie barmaid on ITV. But it's the same leap, with the same streamer, that's been made by Sarah Lancashire, who's best known for playing the Rovers Return's Raquel. She's now playing a spymaster in Netflix's Black Doves. 6 Sarah Lancashire in the hit BBC series Happy Valley Credit: BBC Sarah is another one I've done interviews with where, if you dare ask a stupid question, she'll stop you in your tracks and tell you it's a stupid question. And why shouldn't she? She's Sarah Lancashire. She can do that. It only makes me respect her more. The list of daring defectors doesn't stop there. Doctor Who favourite Billie Piper has done a trio of Netflix dramas - Scoop, Kaos and Wednesday - not to mention two series of I Hate Suzie on Sky. Meanwhile the likes of Sheridan Smith, Katherine Kelly and Gemma Arterton, who've all been increasingly dipping their toes in the streamers' waters. 6 Keeley in ITV's The Durrells Credit: ITV 6 And in her gritty new Amazon Prime role in the drama The Assassin Credit: Prime / TNI Though none of them can quite compare with Keeley, just to circle back to her. Although we know her best for playing a housewife in The Durrells or a Home Secretary on Bodyguard, there's definitely a gravitation away from ITV and the BBC. Over the past three years she has made seven dramas, four of which have been for non-terrestrial services. As well as The Assassin there was Scoop on Netflix, Orphan Black: Echoes on US cable channel AMC and Sky's supernatural thriller, The Midwich Cuckoos. Before too long there'll be a tipping point where we'll almost only ever see these hugely popular actresses on the streamers - and there's only one way that the likes of BBC, ITV and Channel 4 can stop the rot. The majority of these household names had their big breaks on the terrestrial channels. But these hugely successful women want control by being made exec producers. They want good money (just like the men). And they want to cherry pick daring shows which will provide them with a global audience. The cash-strapped terrestrials will struggle to give them all of that. For us viewers, there's some comfort in the fact that they won't abandon the holy trinity of TV overnight, and we'll still see them pop up here and there on regular telly for a while longer. 6 Suranne fired back when I asked her about equal pay for women stars Credit: GETTY Plus, this isn't a fait accomplis. What the execs at the Beeb and commercial channels do need to do is radically change what roles they offer these stars. They need to quit their obsession with conventional period dramas and route one crime thrillers and turn twee Keeley into a killer, or former Corrie barmaids Suranne and Sarah into prime ministers and secret service chiefs. It isn't just about money (though, admittedly, that does help) it's more about giving these stars roles the chance to spread their wings as producers and as performers. But, based on my experiences of these amazing women, they're going to have to grow some sizable kahunas to do it.
Metro
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
EastEnders' Yolande vows to call the wedding off after discovery about Patrick
Hearts were warmed when EastEnders' Yolande and Patrick Trueman (Angela Wynter and Rudolph Walker) got engaged earlier this year. However, their future happiness are about to be placed in serious doubt when Patrick's actions prompt Yolande to threaten to call off their wedding altogether. In scenes set to air on the BBC soap next week, Yolande is busy planning her dream nuptials, but worries that Patrick is gambling in order to pay for the celebrations. She insists that Patrick stop placing bets, but he continues to do so in secret. Later in the week, Patrick wins big on the horses and pleads with Howie Danes (Delroy Atkinson) to keep the reason behind his windfall a secret. This being Walford, however, Yolande soon finds out and is angry that Patrick has continued to gamble when she asked him not to. After a tense conversation, she then tells him the wedding is off if he places another bet, which forces Patrick to do some serious thinking. But then Howie offers a solution – he will place the bet for Patrick instead. Is Patrick poised to lose not only the cash he'd already won, but his beloved Yolande too? Yolande and Patrick were previously married from 2004 to 2009, but they split after she left Walford to take a job at the Minute Mart HQ in Birmingham. Actress Angela Wynter made a subsequent guest appearance as Yolande in 2017, before returning to the role full-time in 2023, which saw her character reunite with Patrick. Last year, Yolande was at the centre of a hard-hitting storyline when she was sexually assaulted by her church pastor Gideon Clayton (Howard Saddler) during a community event. 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! Angela's performance was lauded by viewers and critics alike, and also saw her nominated for Best Serial Drama Performance at the National Television Awards. More Trending Last week, it was announced that Patrick's son Anthony Trueman is set to return to the show after an 11-year absence later this summer, as actor Nicholas Bailey reprises the role. As well as being reunited with his father, Anthony is also set to come face-to-face with former flames Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace) and Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) – will he come between mother and daughter again? View More » EastEnders airs these scenes from Monday 28 July at 7.30pm on BBC One or stream first from 6am on iPlayer. MORE: Huge surprise in store for Patrick in EastEnders as he celebrates big birthday
The Irish Sun
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
So why DID pin-up Mel Sykes vanish from the public eye? Pals reveal all about her reclusive life amid ‘tough' few years
She was the ultimate 90s pin-up, the glamour girl with looks, brains and personality who was once voted the eighth sexiest woman in the world. But fast forward three decades and Melanie Sykes - once a successful model and presenter with a Advertisement 18 Mel Sykes was the ultimate lads mag pin-up in the 90s Credit: Rex 18 Mel shines on the red carpet at the 2013 at the National Television Awards Credit: Getty 18 These days, however, Mel has quit the spotlight and lives in Yorkshire where she has discovered a love of making art Credit: Instagram 18 Mel has also recently battled alopecia and has had an autism diagnosis Credit: Instagram Now, the Advertisement And pals insist she 'feels like a completely different person' to the bombshell brunette who kickstarted her career in an ad for Boddington's beer. A source told The Sun: 'She has had a really tough few years dealing with Quit London for Yorkshire Mel has also openly documented her struggles with autism since being diagnosed in 2021, and publicly stated she believes she has Tourette's Syndrome too. The source added: 'She feels like a totally changed woman from the one that was on our screens for all those years, and she is focusing on healing from her trauma, as well as focusing on her health. Her life isn't anywhere near as glamorous as it once was, but she is much happier. She has found a love of painting, which has been really therapeutic for her. Advertisement She's even painted some nude self-portraits of herself which she has shared on her social media. She finds it very liberating - she wanted to practice drawing the female form, so she figured why not make herself the model?' Mel's journey from lairy ladette to practical obscurity stems from a tumultuous time in the TV industry, most notably 'I was done' The brave mother of two sensationally walked away from her successful career after Gregg Wallace, who last week was Gregg Wallace is why I ended my TV career, Melanie Sykes says - as she slams 'jaw-dropping' behaviour on MasterChef set Mel claims that Gregg asked her if models eat, something she found 'ignorant,' before telling her that being on Masterchef would help her career. Advertisement 'I didn't know what to say,' she wrote later. 'So I smiled and said: 'Yes,' but I was really thinking: 'Yes, you have finally helped me decide to end my television career once and for all. I was done.' She called Earlier this month, 45 out of 83 allegations made against him during his tenure on the show were substantiated. But despite the victory for Gregg's victims, and his insistence that he is 'deeply sorry' for his actions, it's not likely to instigate a return to the limelight for Mel. These days, Advertisement 'Industry creates monsters' She boasts almost 300k followers on Instagram and 6.45k subscribers to her YouTube channel, also writes a regular Substack blog, following the closure of her magazine, The Frank, last year. 18 Mel shares snaps of her canvases on her social media Credit: Instagram 18 The star is open about dealing with PTSD from her time in the TV industry Credit: YouTube 18 She says an appearance on Celebrity Masterchef in 2021 led to her quitting fame Credit: BBC 18 She described the now axed presenter's behaviour towards her as 'unprofessional' and 'jaw-dropping' Credit: BBC Advertisement Using her various outlets, she regularly updates fans on her mental health, often sharing her artwork with hashtags such as 'recovery', 'blessed', and 'healing' or sitting down to address viewers with videos that cover everything from menopause and her She spoke recently about suffering from an irregular heartbeat, which she claimed doctors ignored and also talked at length about a After learning Gino was accused of misconduct, Mel 'didn't sleep a wink', she has said. 'This industry creates monsters,' she said on her YouTube channel, Melanie Sykes Is. 18 She previously worked with shamed chef Gino D'Acampo Advertisement 18 Mel lost some hair recently, which she has documented on her YouTube channel Credit: YouTube 18 Melanie Sykes was once a fixture of the tabloids and on TV screens Credit: Getty - Contributor 'I feel like I was in a war zone in that industry – 24 years of battling through an industry that didn't feel right to me anyway.' Since walking away from her lucrative telly jobs, Mel doesn't appear to be making the same money she did in her heyday, when she fronted shows such as But our insider insists she is getting by. Advertisement The source said: 'Obviously she doesn't have the income she once had from all her TV and modelling jobs, which has been challenging and stressful at times, but she has savings and she makes money from writing her Substack newsletter, still has some royalties from her biography and she gets paid to speak at various festivals and events. 'She's also been getting funding for some film projects, which she is working on behind the camera and hopes one day to be able to make a living from her paintings.' 18 She shot to fame in the legendary Boddington's beer ads Credit: Boddingtons Mel, who came third in I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! in 2014, was once a well-known face on the showbiz circuit. Her modelling career, followed by a successful stint as a reporter on MTV and The Big Breakfast, catapulted her to fame and lads' mags couldn't get enough of her. Advertisement As a result Mel dated a string of famous faces, including She went on to marry twice, once in 2001 to actor Daniel Caltagrione, father of her two sons, Roman, 23, and Valentino, 21 and later, in 2013, to roofer Jack Cockings, a union which lasted barely three years. She also famously enjoyed a romance with a 24 year old-gondolier, Now, however, those days of public romances are behind her. 'You won't catch Mel getting snapped with a lover again,' says a friend. 'She feels very scarred by how some of her romances played out in the media, and she feels like the way her love life was scrutinised impacted her relationships. These days, she is focused on putting herself first, not a man.' Advertisement 18 Mel was linked to actor Steve Coogan Credit: Getty - Contributor 18 She also dated Bros hunk Matt Goss Credit: Getty 18 Mel's first marriage was to actor Daniel Caltagrione Credit: Getty Images - Getty As for her old TV pals, Mel still keeps in touch with a few people from the industry, including Alan Carr, but, according to our source, a lot of her 'showbiz friendships have fallen by the wayside'. 'Mel prefers to keep a small circle of close friends,' our insider said. 'Since being diagnosed as neurodivergent, she has learnt a lot about herself and realised she doesn't have the energy to cope with lots of casual, flighty friendships, she finds it really draining.' Advertisement Looking to the future, feisty Mel has vowed to continue to use her voice to speak out about the wrongdoings in the TV industry with friends insisting she 'isn't afraid to call out the wrongdoings and BS she has experienced.' The source continued, 'It's really inspiring to see how far she has come. A lot of people who have been through what Mel has been through would have totally crumbled, but she is a survivor. "She's living proof that you can fall down in life and not only survive - but start all over again.' 18 Alan Carr is one of the few showbiz pals Mel remains close to 18 Mel during her stint on I'm A Celebrity in 2014 Credit: Rex Features Advertisement 18 Mel no longer shares racy swimwear snaps on her social channels, instead posting about her life and travels, here to India
Scottish Sun
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
So why DID pin-up Mel Sykes vanish from the public eye? Pals reveal all about her reclusive life amid ‘tough' few years
Insiders explain how Mel makes money now and why she won't have another public romance TO MEL AND BACK So why DID pin-up Mel Sykes vanish from the public eye? Pals reveal all about her reclusive life amid 'tough' few years She was the ultimate 90s pin-up, the glamour girl with looks, brains and personality who was once voted the eighth sexiest woman in the world. But fast forward three decades and Melanie Sykes - once a successful model and presenter with a string of high-profile boyfriends and legions of male fans - has practically vanished from the public eye. Advertisement 18 Mel Sykes was the ultimate lads mag pin-up in the 90s Credit: Rex 18 Mel shines on the red carpet at the 2013 at the National Television Awards Credit: Getty 18 These days, however, Mel has quit the spotlight and lives in Yorkshire where she has discovered a love of making art Credit: Instagram 18 Mel has also recently battled alopecia and has had an autism diagnosis Credit: Instagram Now, the former Big Breakfast star, 54, spends her days painting - even dabbling in nude self-portraits - writing about her various health struggles and shunning showbiz parties after quitting the bright lights of the big smoke for a quiet life in the Yorkshire countryside. Advertisement And pals insist she 'feels like a completely different person' to the bombshell brunette who kickstarted her career in an ad for Boddington's beer. A source told The Sun: 'She has had a really tough few years dealing with various health issues, and has openly admitted she has PTSD from working in the TV industry." Quit London for Yorkshire Mel has also openly documented her struggles with autism since being diagnosed in 2021, and publicly stated she believes she has Tourette's Syndrome too. The source added: 'She feels like a totally changed woman from the one that was on our screens for all those years, and she is focusing on healing from her trauma, as well as focusing on her health. Her life isn't anywhere near as glamorous as it once was, but she is much happier. She has found a love of painting, which has been really therapeutic for her. Advertisement She's even painted some nude self-portraits of herself which she has shared on her social media. She finds it very liberating - she wanted to practice drawing the female form, so she figured why not make herself the model?' Mel's journey from lairy ladette to practical obscurity stems from a tumultuous time in the TV industry, most notably her experience on Celebrity Masterchef in 2021, which became the catalyst for her to quit the business for good. 'I was done' The brave mother of two sensationally walked away from her successful career after Gregg Wallace, who last week was sacked from the show following an enquiry into alleged misconduct, made inappropriate comments to her on set. Gregg Wallace is why I ended my TV career, Melanie Sykes says - as she slams 'jaw-dropping' behaviour on MasterChef set Mel claims that Gregg asked her if models eat, something she found 'ignorant,' before telling her that being on Masterchef would help her career. Advertisement 'I didn't know what to say,' she wrote later. 'So I smiled and said: 'Yes,' but I was really thinking: 'Yes, you have finally helped me decide to end my television career once and for all. I was done.' She called Gregg's behaviour towards her 'unprofessional' and 'jaw-dropping', said she didn't like him being around her and even made an informal complaint against the former greengrocer. Earlier this month, 45 out of 83 allegations made against him during his tenure on the show were substantiated. But despite the victory for Gregg's victims, and his insistence that he is 'deeply sorry' for his actions, it's not likely to instigate a return to the limelight for Mel. These days, Mel prefers to keep in touch with her fans via online mediums where she is in control. Advertisement 'Industry creates monsters' She boasts almost 300k followers on Instagram and 6.45k subscribers to her YouTube channel, also writes a regular Substack blog, following the closure of her magazine, The Frank, last year. 18 Mel shares snaps of her canvases on her social media Credit: Instagram 18 The star is open about dealing with PTSD from her time in the TV industry Credit: YouTube 18 She says an appearance on Celebrity Masterchef in 2021 led to her quitting fame Credit: BBC 18 She described the now axed presenter's behaviour towards her as 'unprofessional' and 'jaw-dropping' Credit: BBC Advertisement Using her various outlets, she regularly updates fans on her mental health, often sharing her artwork with hashtags such as 'recovery', 'blessed', and 'healing' or sitting down to address viewers with videos that cover everything from menopause and her autism diagnosis to her TV experiences and health woes. She spoke recently about suffering from an irregular heartbeat, which she claimed doctors ignored and also talked at length about a recent battle with alopecia, both of which she said were triggered by the allegations made against former Let's Do Lunch co-host Gino D'ACampo, earlier this year. After learning Gino was accused of misconduct, Mel 'didn't sleep a wink', she has said. 'This industry creates monsters,' she said on her YouTube channel, Melanie Sykes Is. 18 She previously worked with shamed chef Gino D'Acampo Advertisement 18 Mel lost some hair recently, which she has documented on her YouTube channel Credit: YouTube 18 Melanie Sykes was once a fixture of the tabloids and on TV screens Credit: Getty - Contributor 'I feel like I was in a war zone in that industry – 24 years of battling through an industry that didn't feel right to me anyway.' Since walking away from her lucrative telly jobs, Mel doesn't appear to be making the same money she did in her heyday, when she fronted shows such as Today with Des and Mel, Shop Well For Less and was the voice of the Blind Date reboot. But our insider insists she is getting by. Advertisement The source said: 'Obviously she doesn't have the income she once had from all her TV and modelling jobs, which has been challenging and stressful at times, but she has savings and she makes money from writing her Substack newsletter, still has some royalties from her biography and she gets paid to speak at various festivals and events. 'She's also been getting funding for some film projects, which she is working on behind the camera and hopes one day to be able to make a living from her paintings.' 18 She shot to fame in the legendary Boddington's beer ads Credit: Boddingtons Mel, who came third in I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! in 2014, was once a well-known face on the showbiz circuit. Her modelling career, followed by a successful stint as a reporter on MTV and The Big Breakfast, catapulted her to fame and lads' mags couldn't get enough of her. Advertisement As a result Mel dated a string of famous faces, including Steve Coogan, Max Beesley and even Olly Murs. She was also in a long-term romance with Bros singer Matt Goss, which ended in 1997, when she discovered he was cheating on her. She went on to marry twice, once in 2001 to actor Daniel Caltagrione, father of her two sons, Roman, 23, and Valentino, 21 and later, in 2013, to roofer Jack Cockings, a union which lasted barely three years. She also famously enjoyed a romance with a 24 year old-gondolier, Riccardo Simionato, who she met on a canal in Venice in 2020. Now, however, those days of public romances are behind her. 'You won't catch Mel getting snapped with a lover again,' says a friend. 'She feels very scarred by how some of her romances played out in the media, and she feels like the way her love life was scrutinised impacted her relationships. These days, she is focused on putting herself first, not a man.' Advertisement 18 Mel was linked to actor Steve Coogan Credit: Getty - Contributor 18 She also dated Bros hunk Matt Goss Credit: Getty 18 Mel's first marriage was to actor Daniel Caltagrione Credit: Getty Images - Getty As for her old TV pals, Mel still keeps in touch with a few people from the industry, including Alan Carr, but, according to our source, a lot of her 'showbiz friendships have fallen by the wayside'. 'Mel prefers to keep a small circle of close friends,' our insider said. 'Since being diagnosed as neurodivergent, she has learnt a lot about herself and realised she doesn't have the energy to cope with lots of casual, flighty friendships, she finds it really draining.' Advertisement Looking to the future, feisty Mel has vowed to continue to use her voice to speak out about the wrongdoings in the TV industry with friends insisting she 'isn't afraid to call out the wrongdoings and BS she has experienced.' The source continued, 'It's really inspiring to see how far she has come. A lot of people who have been through what Mel has been through would have totally crumbled, but she is a survivor. "She's living proof that you can fall down in life and not only survive - but start all over again.' 18 Alan Carr is one of the few showbiz pals Mel remains close to 18 Mel during her stint on I'm A Celebrity in 2014 Credit: Rex Features Advertisement
