Latest news with #Powys
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The forgotten feud between Helen Skelton and huge TV star that saw her sensationally blasted for 'plagiarising' show with rip-off series - just days before 'romance' with Gethin Jones made public
George Clarke revealed his frustration over Helen Skelton 's brand new property show Forever Home in a now-deleted post. The 51 year old - best known for presenting Channel 4 's George Clarke's Amazing Spaces - took to Instagram to share his annoyance over the new programme. Forever Home, which is presented by Helen and architect Patrick Bradley, hit BBC Two on May 15. The show's press release states: 'In the programme, presenter Helen Skelton and Northern Ireland architect Patrick Bradley follow one such young couple. Jess and Colin are leaving London to return to their family roots in Powys in rural Wales where they hope to create their dream house.' But one person who isn't very happy about the show is George. Sharing a screen grab of the press release of the new programme, George fumed: 'What is that saying again?…. DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loo p. However the post backfired as someone pointed out in the comments section: 'Nobody tell him Kevin McClouds been doing Grand Design for 30 years' 'Oh that's it…. 'plagiarism is the sincerest form of flattery' #BUILDINGHOME #CHANNEL4 @channel4.' However the post backfired as someone pointed out in the comments section: 'Nobody tell him Kevin McClouds been doing Grand Design for 30 years.' The post is no longer on George's account. MailOnline contacted George's rep for comment. Speaking about the show, Helen said: 'Bringing old properties back to life is always something that has fascinated me, I love a property with a story to tell. 'Watching Colin and Jess create their forever home with Patrick's guidance and ideas has been a total privilege. 'It is not always straightforward creating a dream property. 'I have lived the restoration highs and lows myself having completed my own project so getting a ring side seat for this one was a total joy.' George is an architect, who studied at Newcastle University, and is best known for presenting the likes of The Restoration Man, The Home Show and George Clarke's Amazing Spaces. He's also worked on the likes of Property Dreams, Build A New Life in the Country, George Clarke's Remarkable Renovations and George Clarke's Building Home. George's rant came days before Helen and Gethin 'went public' as she wrapped her arms around the Blue Peter star on a motorbike ride. The pair - who work together on BBC's Morning Live - have been linked romantically in recent months. Looking stylish, Helen opted for a tan leather jacket and denim jeans as she gripped Gethin's waist. Wearing a black motorbike helmet, the star hopped on the back of Gethin's Triumph Bonneville bike. It came after the pair were seen leaving the BBC Morning Live studios just minutes after each other on Wednesday. Earlier this week it was revealed that Gethin is reportedly 'ticking all the boxes' for Helen. A source told The Mirror: 'Helen and Gethin are definitely getting close, they've been on a few outings together. 'Gethin has helped her through some really tough times, it's not been an easy few years for Helen, but he has been a tower of strength for her.' Helen split from her husband Richie Myler, 35, in April 2022. The former couple met in 2011. They split just four months after the birth of their third child. The two share Ernie, nine, Louis, eight, and Elsie, three. Meanwhile Gethin has been linked to Katherine Jenkins, Lucy Mecklenburgh, Katja Zwara and Cici Coleman.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Jacqueline Wilson ‘very wary' of writing adult Tracy Beaker novel
Jacqueline Wilson has said she would feel 'very wary' about writing an adult novel about Tracy Beaker 'because it would seem inappropriate that we would learn about her sex life'. Last year, the beloved children's author published her first novel for adults since the 1970s. Think Again was a sequel to her Girls series for teenagers, which was published between 1998 and 2002, and revisited its protagonist Ellie, who in the new book is turning 40. It became a bestseller, resonating with fans who grew up with Ellie and her friends. Wilson has since announced a second adult sequel, due out in August, this time revisiting her 1999 children's book The Illustrated Mum. Writing these sequels 'gives me pleasure', Wilson told the audience at the Hay festival in Powys. But though she plans to write more, she said Beaker, her most famous character, is unlikely to be a subject. Beaker, largely thanks to the popular TV series based on Wilson's novels, has become much bigger than just the character she created, the author explained. The feisty, curly haired heroine means a great deal to Wilson personally, too: 'She's my girl that made everything happen for me.' So while she was happy to write about Beaker as an adult from the perspective of her daughter, Jess, writing about a grownup Tracy does not appeal, as it would involve writing about her sex life. 'I don't want to go there,' the 79-year-old author said. However, Wilson did add that over the years she has learned not to say, 'I would never do that.' In two or three years' time – 'if I've got them!' the author joked – 'something or other' might make her think, 'ah, I could do it this way,' she said. 'So who knows?' Wilson said she does know which of her former characters is next to be revisited in an adult book, but she hasn't started writing it yet, and her publishers won't allow her to say who it is. However, she said she hopes the book will be out next year, 'and I hope it will be a good choice'. The writer acknowledged that some people might think she is only taking on these adult projects because she 'can't get any new ideas', but she insisted that is not true. 'But I do like to go back,' she said. 'It's a kind of literary Friends Reunited.' During the Hay event, Wilson also expressed worry that 12 of her novels have apparently been used to train AI models. 'Authors are completely unable to monitor what happens,' and 'certainly don't give permission for that,' she said. However, the author 'takes comfort' from finding that, when her partner's brother-in-law asked AI to write a story for his daughter in the style of Jacqueline Wilson, 'it was just unbearably awful. So I hope anyone who likes my books could not be happy with an AI version.'
Powys County Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Powys venue to host Britain's elite bowlers this summer
The British Bowls Championships and International Series will be held at Llandrindod Wells Bowling Club from next month. The showpiece event begins on Monday, June 23 and will conclude on Sunday, June 29. Practice will dominate Monday before the championships take place on Tuesday and Wednesday with the international series beginning on Thursday after Wednesday morning's opening ceremony. Llandrindod Wells Bowling Club is the largest bowling club in Wales. Set in the heart of the Welsh countryside with panoramic views, there are three greens of international standard catering for all levels of competition. A major venue, the club is host to national, international and county bowling events throughout the season, as well as club competition. The series will see the top bowlers from Wales, England, Scotland, Ireland and Jersey compete in singles, pairs, triples and fours disciplines. The event will bring over 300 bowlers from Wales, England, Scotland, Ireland and Jersey to Llandrindod Wells for a week long feast of bowls action. The event will bring hundreds of bowlers and spectators to the event using the local bars and restaurants, pubs and accommodation within the town and the local area. Entry to the event is free and is a great spectacle with action each day from 8.30am until 8.30pm. Powys will be well represented with June Morgan, Barbara Sheers, Fiona Preece and Jo Weale of Presteigne Bowls Club competing in the ladies fours championship. Berriew's Caroline Taylor captain's the senior women's side in the international series and is joined by club-mate Emma Gittins along with Naomi Evans from Llanidloes and Jo Weale from Presteigne.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
Gisèle Pelicot's daughter says she believes online porn played role in rape case
There is 'no way' that Gisèle Pelicot would have been raped more than 200 times without the existence of porn websites, her daughter has said. Speaking at the Hay festival in Powys on Thursday, Caroline Darian said there were 'so many social problems like online porn' that can lead to instances of abuse. Pelicot survived nearly a decade of rapes by dozens of men, including her then husband Dominique Pelicot, Darian's father, who drugged his wife and facilitated the abuse. Pelicot rose to international fame last year for waiving her right to anonymity in the trial of her ex-husband and other defendants. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Darian was at the festival to promote her book, I'll Never Call Him Dad Again. Asked by a male audience member how men can 'step up' and be part of breaking cycles of abuse, she said 'you need to talk between guys' about porn, because it is 'part of the system' of misogyny and violence. Actor and activist Jameela Jamil, who was chairing the event, said that 'there are so many men in my life, even, who don't know all of the facts of this case in the way that women do.' What we 'desperately need' men to do 'is to check your mates' and challenge their misogynistic comments and behaviour, she said. Darian is a pen name, a combination of her brothers' Florian and David's names, because she wanted to honour the fact that they have been so involved in the process of telling her story. The author spoke with great compassion and admiration about her mother, but explained that they were not currently on speaking terms. In her book, she wrote that they reached a 'point of no return' in their relationship after her mother did not believe Darian when she claimed her father had raped her. Darian told the Hay audience that she thinks her mother's reluctance to support her was a 'way for her to protect herself'. It's 'quite difficult' to accept that your child has been abused, she said. 'I think my mum is not able to recognise it because otherwise I think she's going to die.' Dominique Pelicot's actions have 'really impacted the whole family, and everyone from her family had a different position', she added. 'But I just have to be grateful for what [Gisèle Pelicot] did.' Telling her son, who was six at the time, about her father's actions was particularly hard, Darian said. She felt a responsibility to tell him the truth but 'it was a shock' as he had previously had a good relationship with his grandfather and 'loved him very much'. Her son saw a psychiatrist for almost four years after finding out the news, and Darian said she was 'trying to educate him about what is consent'. Raising a young man in a positive way was 'a question of open dialogue' she said and 'a question of education'.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Farmer's 'world ended' after getting tenancy axe
A farmer who rented his land from a mid Wales council said his "world ended" when he received a letter telling him he had six weeks to vacate the property. The Powys county farms estate is the largest estate of its kind in Wales, and the fifth largest in the UK, but the local authority has ended 19 tenancies and sold multiple farms this year. Farmers and agricultural unions said they were concerned about the impact it could have on the ability of new farmers, who cannot afford to buy, to join the industry. Powys council said it was "reviewing and streamlining" its properties and any income from sales would be "reinvested" into its projects to improve the county. No plans to pause new farming subsidy scheme 'Nonsense' to base farming funding on population Farmers face 'bullying behaviour' by supermarkets Michael Davies, 35, was given a farm tenancy near Newtown in 2012 and said he "worked tirelessly to turn a farm that was unproductive into a productive farm". "All that is wasted because three months ago I was served a notice to quit," he said. "They're not supporting new entrants, they're cutting my daughter's chance at farming. "I've reseeded over 100 acres, and 3,000 metres of fencing, installed a new bathroom and laid a new drive. Powys have not spent a penny on that holding. "My world ended [when I received my letter] it was my dream to be a farmer. Selling the property and retaining land only helps established farmers grow bigger. "The disregard I've received from the council is disgusting. They gave me six weeks to disperse my business and find a new family home." At a meeting on Tuesday, about 150 people gathered to discuss the future of the council's tenant farms. In 2011, Powys council had 163 farm holdings – as of Tuesday it had about 130 and there were fears that more would be sold over the coming years. As of Tuesday, 19 people have received a notice to quit, but the council said some of these will be given another term. Many of the council's tenant farmers were in Montgomeryshire in north Powys where the meeting in Sarn Village Hall near Newtown was held. Chairing the meeting, David Jones, Kerry community councillor, said: "There's been concern over the past 18 months about the situation. Farmers are feeling very uneasy with the situation. "All of a sudden Powys have made this decision to sell £10m of assets each year and it's very, very obvious to us that they intend to do that by selling farms. "Powys has around 130 farms and 30 of those are within our community. The effect on our community could be massive. "Ultimately that's a decision for them but we need answers." The reaction of farming unions included Ian Rickman, FUW president, who said: "These are vital stepping stones for young people to get into the industry." He said the council had a "responsibility" to the tenants and said the plans should be reviewed, a sentiment which was echoed by NFU Cymru. Powys council said its streamlining of property would "reduce maintenance liabilities, improve operational efficiency, and release capital from underutilised or surplus assets". The council said income raised from sales will be reinvested to support the delivery of the council's projects which include essential services, infrastructure and sustainability.
