Latest news with #Possessed
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
REVEALED: Deal Or No Deal's infamous banker FINALLY unmasked 20 years on from first ever episode - and he's a familiar TV face
For years, game show fans have speculated over the identity of the enigmatic Deal Or No Deal Banker - and now one of British TV's greatest secrets has been brought to light. In the original show, which aired in 2005, the Banker was only present in phone calls to the host, Noel Edmonds. But unbeknownst to viewers, the mystery man had been gracing British TV screens long before Deal Or No Deal. Pointless host Richard Osman has revealed that the man on the other end of the phone was none other than Coronation Street star Glenn Hugill. Hugill is best known to fans for his role as police detective Alan McKenna in Coronation Street, a part he played from 1996 to 1997, appearing in 86 episodes of the soap. In the show, Detective Alan McKenna was due to marry Fiona Middleton (Angela Griffin), but their nuptials are called off when he discovers her one-night stand with Jim McDonald (Charles Lawson). But since his character was last seen on the cobbles, Hugill has flipped the script, starring from the sidelines on Deal Or No Deal. In addition to playing the role of the elusive Banker, he was reportedly also involved in the assembly of the show as an executive producer, which was disappointing to fans. The original show ran from 2005 to 2016, before being rebooted in 2023, with Stephen Mulhern as the new host. Hugill ran his own production company behind the scenes, Possessed, which he sold to ITV two years ago to join the team at Wheelhouse, Jimmy Kimmel's media behemoth. It had been previously insinuated that Noel Edmunds was friends with the Banker and, thereby, knew his identity. Despite this revelation, the host of the reboot, Stephen Mulhern, maintains that he has no idea who the current show's Banker is. 'I don't know who the Banker is,' he said, 'so I wouldn't be able to recognise who it was- He could walk past me at any point.' Mulhern notes that the voice on the other end of the phone is 'male,' but divulges no further information. With Noel as the face of the show, Deal Or No Deal ran for almost 3000 episodes. Mulhern's reboot is on its second season and ongoing. But the question of Hugill's replacement remains unanswered - will fans be able to sniff out the identity of the Banker once more?
Metro
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
British TV mystery is solved as fans discover identity of Deal or No Deal Banker
One of British TV's biggest mysteries has finally been solved. For years, Deal or No Deal viewers wondered about the identity of the show's original Banker, given that his voice was never heard and he only featured in phone calls to host Noel Edmonds. But now, the man behind those big-money offers (and the measly ones too) has come to light—and he's actually a Coronation Street star. The earliest Banker in the Channel 4 series – which aired from 2005 to 2016 before being revived by Stephen Mulhern in 2023 – was actor Glenn Hugill. Glenn, now 55, played Alan McKenna on the cobbles from 1996 to 1997, starring in 86 episodes. His character was a detective, and he dated Fiona Middleton (Angela Griffin). They were due to get married, but Jim McDonald (Charles Lawson) exposed his one-night stand with Fiona on their wedding day. Glenn didn't stick around in Weatherfield after that, but he did go on to appear in other shows, including Dalziel and Pascoe, The Upper Hand, and Chandler and Co. In 2001, he also presented the series The Mole. Behind the camera, Glenn had his own production company named Possessed. In 2023, he sold it to ITV and joined Wheelhouse, the media giant established by Jimmy Kimmel. It remains unknown who took over from Glenn as the Banker, but it's believed he stayed in the role for a year. Reboot host Stephen previously said of the Banker's identity: 'I don't know who the Banker is, so I wouldn't be able to recognise who it was. 'So, he could walk past me at any point.' He added that the voice on the end of the phone is 'male,' but that's all he really knows. 'Supposedly, he goes into the hotel and listens to the contestants and what they're up to. So when he comes on the phone to me, I've got to repeat what he says.' This isn't the first time the identity of the Banker has been spoken about publicly, but it seems Deal or No Deal viewers are only just catching on. In 2015, former Pointless host Richard Osmon told Metro that Glenn was the Banker. It was also discovered that Glenn was an executive producer on Deal or No Deal, leaving some fans disappointed. Speaking about his show Two Tribes and how it came to be, Richard said at the time: '[It] was an idea that Glenn Hugill – the Banker on Deal or No Deal – and I had been thinking about for a long time.' More Trending Glenn himself has never addressed the rumours, but it was previously implied that Noel, 76, was friends with whoever the Banker was. Deal or No Deal ran for almost 3,000 episodes with Noel at the helm, giving away over £40million to contestants during its first run. While the maximum prize now is £100,000, players used to be able to win £250,000. View More » Noel also hosted celebrity specials, which saw the likes of James Corden take on the Banker at his own game. 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. MORE: David Tennant game show becomes ITV's 'most expensive flop in years' MORE: TV fans declare 'worst day ever' after David Tennant's show faces schedule change MORE: Binged Last One Laughing? You need to watch Katherine Ryan's new show next
Daily Mirror
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Deal or No Deal's mystery banker unveiled as iconic Coronation Street actor
During the programme's original run on Channel 4 from 2005 to 2016, the executive producer and the banker turned out to be the same person The identity of Deal or No Deal's mystery banker was a secret for many years before it was revealed that they were actually a huge Coronation Street star. During the programme's original run on Channel 4 from 2005 to 2016, the executive producer and the banker turned out to be the same person. Deal or No Deal's banker turned out to be Glenn Hugill, who is best known for his role as Alan McKenna on Coronation Street from 1996 to 1997. The star appeared in 86 episodes of the show as he took on the role of detective Alan, who dated Fiona Middleton and was meant to marry her. However, their wedding ceremony was called off when Jim McDonald revealed his affair with Fiona, and Alan soon departed the cobbles. The actor also appeared in shows like Dalziel and Pascoe, The Upper Hand and Chandler & Co. In 2001, he took on a presenter role for the 2001 series The Mole. In early 2023, Glenn sold his production company, Possessed, to ITV and became C.C.O. of Wheelhouse, the media empire founded by American talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. He was previously the managing director of the company, which quickly became one of the most successful production companies in the UK. When he was 10 years old, Glenn scored a 207 in a national IQ test designed for under 16s, which was the highest recorded result in the country. Local newspaper The Northern Echo once reported he took another test made for adults and recorded a result of 177, the highest score the test was capable of registering. Glenn is said to have held the role of banker on Deal or No Deal for a decade, but it isn't known who replaced him for the new ITV version hosted by Stephen Mulhern. Stephen previously said: "I don't know who the Banker is. So I wouldn't be able to recognise who it was. So, he could walk past me at any point.' The voice on the phone is "male" but Stephen added: "Supposedly, he goes into the hotel and listens to the contestants and what they're up to. So when he comes on the phone to me, I've got to repeat what he says. "So, he'll say, 'Just tell them blah, blah, blah, blah, blah'. But he gives him nicknames. So like, 'Two Wine Wendy,' because she's always having an extra wine. It's quite creepy. 'That first time the phone rang, it was like, 'What's he going to sound like? What's he going to be like?' But he takes no prisoners. There's one contestant in particular who has a really bad ride and a really bad time, and at the end of it, the contestant is nearly in tears, and the phone rings. "I'm thinking 'Okay, he's going to at least console a tiny bit'. And he went, 'Just tell him it's not a pity party. Let's crack on with tomorrow,' and put the phone down."
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Time of India
Death Metal guitarist shot dead by police after violent clash over tree dispute with neighbour
A death metal guitarist was fatally shot by police in San Francisco following a violent altercation with a neighbour, reportedly sparked by a dispute over a tree. Brian Montana , guitarist for the band Possessed , was shot and killed by police on Monday evening after allegedly opening fire on officers responding to reports of a man brandishing a weapon. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now According to the South San Francisco Police Department , officers responded to a call on Arroyo Drive at 5:55 p.m. and quickly requested backup after discovering the suspect was firing into an occupied home. The shooter was later identified as 60-year-old Brian Montana. Montana then moved to a neighboring driveway, where he took cover behind parked cars while armed with a handgun, a shotgun, and a rifle. According to police, a 25-minute gunfight followed, during which Montana fired at officers from various positions, using vehicles and nearby landscaping for cover. 'Officers took cover behind their vehicles as they came under heavy gunfire and managed to return fire,' the South San Francisco Police Department said in a statement. 'They were eventually able to hit the suspect, stopping him from continuing to shoot at officers and surrounding homes.' After confirming that the gunman no longer posed a threat, officers approached and found him unresponsive. Despite efforts to revive him and the arrival of medical personnel, the suspect died at the scene from his injuries. A resident from the house Montana had fired at was transported to a nearby trauma center with injuries that were not life-threatening. Police also conducted checks on surrounding homes to ensure no one else was harmed. Fortunately, no officers sustained any injuries during the incident, according to authorities. According to police, the dispute stemmed from tree debris in Montana's neighbor's yard. Local resident Cory David explained to CBS News Bay Area that the altercation began over a tree hanging into Montana's yard, with one party trimming it back. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now David described the situation as senseless, noting that the disagreement escalated when one individual resorted to violence. Montana was an early member of Possessed, a pioneering death metal band that originated in the San Francisco Bay Area in the early 1980s. Known for helping shape the death metal genre , Possessed gained recognition for their influential sound. Another guitarist from the band, Larry LaLonde, later joined the iconic rock band Primus. Possessed's official Instagram page confirmed the tragic news of Brian Montana's death, sharing an early photo of the band with the caption: 'Rest in Peace Brian Montana.' The official Possessed Instagram account shared a heartfelt tribute to Brian Montana, highlighting his kind nature. The post read: 'I just feel like people should know that Brian Montana was a very nice guy. He was jovial and a gentleman. He was nothing like what I'm seeing written about him. He was obviously going through some struggles, and I think this is the time to be respectful towards the Montana family and friends, as this is a tragic time for them. I know that I still feel this is a great loss, and I'm deeply saddened.' The South San Francisco Police Department confirmed that the two officers who discharged their weapons during the incident have been placed on administrative leave, as per standard protocol. An investigation into the events is currently underway. The department added that in the coming weeks, they plan to release further details, including audio and video recordings related to the incident.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Yahoo
Heavy Metal Guitarist, 60, Dies During Police Shootout
Brian Montana, the former guitarist of heavy metal band Possessed, died on Monday, April 28, during a shootout with the police. Montana, who was 60 years old at the time of the incident, was shot and killed by law enforcement near his Arroyo Drive home in San Francisco, the South San Francisco Police Department said, per the San Francisco Chronicle. Officers responded to multiple 911 calls just before 6 p.m., reporting a man, now identified as Montana, wielding a weapon and arguing with a neighbor. When law enforcement arrived on the scene, Montana had already fired his weapon into an occupied house. He was also barricading himself behind parked vehicles and landscaping.'The armed suspect repositioned into a neighboring driveway and fired multiple times at officers using a handgun, shotgun, and rifle,' the South San Francisco Police Department said in a statement. 'Officers used patrol cars as cover and returned fire. The suspect was struck and ultimately pronounced deceased at the scene.' Despite life-saving efforts, Montana died on the scene. Additionally, an unidentified neighbor was grazed by a bullet and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Possessed acknowledged Montana's death. 'Rest In Peace Brian,' the post read, along with several photos of the band and a screengrab of the New York Post article reporting his passing. 'Still can't believe it … rest well,' one user responded. 'Sorry for your loss, may he rest in peace,' added another. Possessed was formed in 1983 and is often regarded as one of the earliest death metal bands. Their original lineup was Jeff Becerra on vocals and bass, Mike Torrao and Brian Montana on guitars, and Mike Sus on drums. Their current lineup, as of their 2019 album Revelations of Oblivion, includes Jeff Becerra on vocals, Daniel Gonzalez and Claudeous Creamer on guitars, Robert Cardenas on bass, and Emilio Marquez on drums.
