Latest news with #SomethingSpecial
Daily Mirror
10-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
I was forced to ban Peppa Pig after my toddler continued to repeat one rude word
As a parent I have had to take drastic measures and ban Peppa Pig for good after my daughter continued to repeat and awful word Those of you who have tuned in previously for my Peppa Pig opinion pieces will already know that I am not the show's biggest supporter. I have outlined in the past that I would be switching over to Disney's family fun show Bluey, instead of allowing my two-year-old to follow the likes of Peppa, George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig. However, there was one occasion since my original statement when we accidentally watched the CBeebies programme. In fairness, it was not intentional, we'd tried desperately hard to find other shows that we felt were more suitable for our toddler. We'd just been watching Justin Fletcher's Something Special show and before we'd realised, the infamous pigs were next to follow on the channel. Of course, as Peppa and her family began to chime their snorts in the opening introduction, we were met with a roar of excitement from a toddler - who had not seen the show for sometime now. I shot a look at my partner, both of us providing a nod of approval that we would make one small allowance - and that she could watch it "just this once". What we didn't realise is that we would pay massively for "just this once," a mistake that would live with us for weeks to come. I think it's worth noting for the record that our daughter, apart from when she's unwell, is generally a good eater and will chow down most food with minimal fuss. Any way, back to the show and how this all ties together. We happened to allow our two-year-old to tune into episode 34, of season one, titled 'lunch". I would go out on a limb here and say this was probably the worst instalment I'd ever seen and regret deeply ever putting it on now. In this episode, George, Peppa Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig are visiting Granny and Grandpa Pig, who have collected fresh vegetables from their garden and invited everyone over to sample the goods with them at their table. As they all dig in, sampling the delicious homegrown produce, George is left looking perplexed. Granny, Grandad, Mummy and Daddy Pig prompt him to try various varieties of salad to which he rudely replies: "Yuck," and pokes his tongue out, moving his body away from his plate and turning his nose up. Refusing to try anything put in front of him, he simply tells them: "Yuck," each time before finally bursting into tears. Grandad intervene with a clever tactic, turning the salad into a dinosaur, with T-Rex obsessed George eventually lapping up the healthy goods in no time at all. I can see where the shows creators were going with narrative, that a little bit of creativity goes a long way but to use the word "yuck" in a food environment with impressionable toddlers watching, I simply do not agree with. As soon as we heard the word "yuck" leave George's lips, we knew we were in store for trouble. We're at that age where anything you say aloud will be consumed much like a sponge absorbing water. Sure enough, even after the episode had concluded, our two-year-old continued to repeat the word "yuck," finding it utterly hilarious. We'd hoped this would pass but it didn't. The next day, we presented our daughter with a homemade lasagne for dinner, a meal I had personally prepared totally from scratch and had probably taken the best part of five hours to cook - over the course of various parts of the day. As I placed her plate on the table, I was met with the word "yuck," yet again. I tried to encourage her to eat with playful aeroplane notions and was further shunned as she told me: "Yuck, yuck and yuck," much like George had done previously during the episode. It wasn't just happening in our home and we weren't the only ones to witness her blatant rudeness. We are fortunate enough that we have parents who help us out with childcare once or twice per week. On a visit, they'd dished up a lunchtime staple, peanut butter sandwiches, but were also met with the exact same response. On collection, we were left embarrassed as we summarised that George was to blame for her ill-mannered behaviour at meal times. We all mutually agreed that Peppa Pig would now be firmly banned across both households. Even if Peppa Pig happens to roll onto our screens by accident again, I'll be lunging for the remote as quicker than Usain Bolt to turn it off because in all honesty, from one parent to another, it's really not worth the additional stress or red faced apologies. Peppa Pig currently airs on CBeebies and Netflix.
New York Post
28-06-2025
- New York Post
Brooklyn businessman busted for selling ‘dangerous' fireworks: Officials
The FDNY busted a Brooklyn business owner for running an illegal fireworks operation out of a Flatbush warehouse this week, confiscating $250,000 worth of dangerous explosives just before Independence Day, officials said. Lisen Pan, who runs Everbright Trading Co., was arrested Tuesday for allegedly selling fireworks labeled as 'Morning Glory,' 'Tomahawk,' 'Roman Candles,' 'Something Special,' '49 Shots,' 'Brooklyn Fireworks,' 'Short Circuit' and 'Tec-9,' according to a Brooklyn District Attorneys Office criminal complaint. 5 The FDNY investigated the Brooklyn business after being tipped off to illegal fireworks by another law enforcement agency. Stefano Giovannini FDNY investigators began looking into the warehouse after Suffolk County cops alerted them that they arrested a man who told them he bought illegal fireworks at the business, officials said. 'There were many different styles — products that could cause fires here in New York City due to our tightly cramped nature,' FDNY Chief Fire Marshal Daniel Flynn said. 'They land on roofs sometimes and they cause fires over the Fourth of July season.' 5 FDNY investators made repeated visits to the business and saw that it was selling explosives. Stefano Giovannini 5 The business owner was arrested and charged in Brooklyn. Stefano Giovannini 5 The fireworks had inventive names like 'Something Special.' Stefano Giovannini 5 The fireworks were taken to the NYPD's firing range in Rodman's Neck and destroyed. Stefano Giovannini The fireworks were hauled away in a FDNY hazmat unit truck to be destroyed at the NYPD firing range in Rodman's Neck in the Bronx, Flynn said. Pan, of Queens, was charged with weapons possession, reckless endangerment and unlawful sale of fireworks, authorities said.
Daily Mirror
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Mr Tumble's life from quitting BBC role, relationship status and famous dad
Justin Fletcher has been a staple of children's television for well over two decades, but away from the bright lights and cameras, the much-loved TV star keeps his private life out of the spotlight There's not a tot across the nation who wouldn't recognise Mr Tumble, having entertained and assisted countless children over the years. Despite his immense popularity among young viewers due to his work on CBeebies and his sell-out tours across the country, little is known about television personality Justin Fletcher when he's off duty. In fact, the highly acclaimed star, who was honoured with an MBE by the late Queen Elizabeth II, generally keeps his personal life out of the spotlight, although he has occasionally offered glimpses into his home life and upbringing. As a youngster, Justin frequently moved around with his parents due to his father's successful career as a music writer, which often necessitated relocation and brought some very famous faces to their family home. The beloved TV personality is actually the second oldest of five siblings - with a 12-year age gap between him and his youngest sibling - and Justin once told Metro: "There was always someone to play games with while we were growing up. My dad is a songwriter and my mum was a housewife," reports Surrey Live. At a tender age, the CBeebies star confided in his father, Guy Fletcher, expressing his desire to pursue acting and further his drama studies. His father warned him of the challenges he would face in the industry but gave him his "full support", something Justin continues to appreciate to this day. Net Worth The 54 year old entertainer has been the face of popular CBeebies shows like Gigglebiz and Justin's House. However, his most notable achievement is the programme Something Special, specifically designed to assist children with communication by integrating Makaton signs, speech and symbols throughout. Having been a hit on children's TV for over two decades, it's no surprise that his endearing characters have evolved into a multi-million-pound industry. Past reports suggest that his Something Special DVD sold over 100,000 copies, raking in more than £1 million, and an accompanying magazine generated a monthly income of £180,000. As a result, it's estimated that his net worth is around £1.5 million. Stepping down from BBC role Earlier this year, the television legend shocked fans when he announced he was stepping back from his proudest creation, Something Special, confirming he was passing the baton to three other presenters. After an impressive 22-year stint, during which the programme produced 12 series and five specials, Justin decided it was time to hand over the reins to TV stars Maddie Moate, Ben Cajee, and George Webster, who confirmed the news on social media. Relationship status and plans for starting a family The Bafta Award-winner, who voiced beloved characters such as Doodle and Jake in Tweenies, Shaun the Sheep and Harold from Thomas the Tank Engine, has dedicated his life to children's TV, so much so, that he's been too busy for romance. Back in 2012, kids' TV favourite Justin Fletcher, known to many as Mr Tumble, confided in The Mirror about the numerous romantic proposals he'd received from enthusiastic mums writing to him. He spilled to the publication: "I have had emails," and revealed his bachelor status with: "I'm not married, live alone and have been single for a while now because I've been a workaholic filming Something Special, Justin's House and Gigglebiz." Although his diary's chock-a-block with showbiz commitments, Justin has got his heart set on fatherhood, sharing with the outlet his aspiration: "I do want to free up some time for myself and my family. I would love to have children so need to find someone who likes kids. A couple of kids would be lovely." He echoed this sentiment to the Metro in 2013, saying: "I'd love to have a family of my own in the future – I'd like to do that in the next few years but, at the moment, I'm producing three TV shows and do live tours. I can't keep doing this forever but if I finished next week, I'd feel I'd achieved a lot." Famous father Justin isn't just any entertainer; he's got showbiz in his blood, being the son of legendary songwriter Guy Fletcher, whose tunes graced the repertoires of icons like Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, and Joe Cocker. Chatting with BBC 6 Music's Chris Hawkins, Justin opened up about his musically rich upbringing and even revealed that his beloved character Mr 'Cliff' Tumble is an homage to Sir Cliff Richard. He shared: "I was always brought up around musicians and we had a recording studio built onto the house. My character Cliff Tumble is a homage to Sir Cliff, who I've met a lot and is lovely, very charming. "Dad wrote his Eurovision entry Power to All Our Friends. The biggest hit he wrote for Elvis was Just Pretend, which he used to perform in his Vegas shows. Pretty cool, really," Justin remarked.
