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Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Legendary Channel 4 show returning to screens after 25 years with 'very rude and funny' reboot - and its original host is at the helm
A legendary Channel 4 show is reportedly set to make a huge comeback to TV screens after 25 years off air. TV and radio presenter Iain Lee, 52, who hosted The 11 O'Clock show from 1998 to 2000, has now confessed he is determined to bring it back. While it is understood the show is not yet attached to a channel, Iain has already begun to reconnect with those who worked on the show in 1999, and has firmly declared it is in 'his power' to bring it back. He told The Daily Star: 'Loads of you for years have been asking me to bring back The 11 O'Clock Show and I didn't think it was within my gift. He continued: 'I thought it had to be a channel or something. 'But it is within my power to do it. So next year I will be bringing back Iain Lee's The 11 O'Clock Show.' The star added that he is not quite sure how the show is going to work yet; however, he is currently speaking with a few people who were connected to the show, and they have come up with several ideas. Iain also teased that the reboot will be 'very rude, very funny, and very 1999'. Iain is reportedly hopeful that the new series will air in 2026. The Daily Mail has contacted Iain's representative for comment. The show first debuted on TV screens in 1998 before coming to a close just two years later. Across the show's five-series run, it featured several presenters; however, Iain hosted the first four and was highly praised for the show's success. He worked alongside Daisy Donovan, 52, for three editions of the show. Meanwhile, Jon Holmes and Sarah Alexander took over the final series before it was axed. The British television comedy series is best known for launching the careers of stars including Sacha Baron Cohen, 53, and Ricky Gervais, 64. The 11 O'Clock show was a late-night series on Channel 4 which featured topical sketches and commentary on news topics. After leaving the show in 2000, Iain focused on his radio career and appeared across many major networks. He also took part in I'm A Celebrity in 2017 but later took a step back from his work in 2020 to focus on training to become a counsellor. He was inspired to take on the new career path following his long-term battle with addiction and sobriety.
NDTV
19 hours ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Bangladeshi Hindu Homes Attacked And Looted After Teen's Derogatory Post On Prophet Muhammad
In an alarming incident, a 17-year-old boy's Facebook post on Prophet Muhammad has caused waves of violent mob attacks in Bangladesh's Rangpur district. 15 Hindu homes were attacked in a span of two days – Saturday and Sunday, after which families left their homes, sold off livestock and belongings in distress. The ransacking took place after the boy's arrest over blasphemy. Moreover, army and police were deployed to disperse the rampaging crowd. This incident has sparked anxiety among the Hindu community after their homes were burnt and as they have to take shelter with relatives and are still unsure about when they can even return home. The attacks took place in Aldadpur village after the boy – a third-semester student at a polytechnic institute – posted derogatory content about Prophet Muhammad on Facebook. Despite the widespread violence and protests, there had been no FIR or arrests made. According to The Daily Star, the boy was arrested around 8:30 pm on Saturday evening after police received complaints about the post. "A case was filed under the Cybersecurity Act, and the boy was later sent to a juvenile rehabilitation centre following a court order," a police officer, Al Emran, told Dhaka-based newspaper, Prothom Alo. After his arrest, the violence started, following which the police and army were deployed. "Fifteen houses were damaged or looted. We are preparing a list and working on financial and other forms of support," an official, Mahmud Hasan Mridha, said after visiting the village. "We didn't sleep all night," Kamalakanta Roy, a villager, told Prothom Alo. "We had 10–12 mon (400–480 kg) of paddy, and we're selling it now." Apart from the destruction, valuables were looted. Locals said gold jewellery, legal documents had been looted. This violence falls under a pattern of persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh, since PM Sheikh Hasina's government was ousted. Although the interim government has taken steps to curb such attacks on minorities, Muhammad Yunus, had earlier called these reports "exaggerated propaganda". Per India's Ministry of External Affairs, after Hasina was ousted in August 2024, Bangladesh witnessed a sharp escalation of violence against Hindus. There had been 200 cases of attacks across 52 districts within the first week. By October 22, the interim government had officially acknowledged 88 cases of communal violence against Hindus. National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam condemned the attacks and said that no one should be spared for insulting the Prophet, but "justice must follow the law." "Three families, including that of the detained boy and his uncle, are staying at their relatives' homes at a neighbouring village," the chief adviser's office said. "The repair works of the Hindu households will start from Tuesday under the supervision of the district and concerned sub-district administrations," it said in a statement.
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Strictly's Shirley Ballas' marriage split due to husband's affair with co-star
Shirley Ballas has been married twice, with her second marriage to Corky Ballas ending in divorce after he had an affair with a former Strictly Come Dancing star Shirley Ballas, the head judge on Strictly Come Dancing, saw her second marriage to Corky Ballas crumble when he began a romance with a former star of the BBC programme. Shirley married American ballroom dancer Corky in 1985, twelve months after her first marriage to Sammy Stopford had ended. The couple relocated to Houston in America and had their first child, Mark Ballas, who would later become a professional dancer on Dancing With the Stars. However, their marriage fell apart in 2007 after Corky became involved with his dance student, Kristina Rihanoff, who was nearly a decade his junior. Despite the five-year romance, Shirley maintains it started after she and Corky had separated but before their formal divorce was finalised, reports Wales Online. Shirley, who became head judge on Strictly in 2017, holds no grudge against Kristina, who left the BBC programme before Shirley replaced Len Goodman. "I've had lunch with Kristina. I'm a people person. I love people," she told The Daily Star in 2017. When questioned whether Kristina's possible comeback to Strictly would cause any problems, she responded: "It would be absolutely fine. I have no issues with anybody being on the show at all." Professional dancer Kristina Rihanoff has made headlines throughout her career, both for her performances and her relationships. She first made headlines back in 2009, when she was linked with former boxer Joe Calzaghe, a romance that lasted until 2013, reports the Mirror. That same year, she found herself thrust into the limelight again following her pairing with ex-England rugby legend Ben Cohen, who separated from his wife. Meanwhile, Shirley Ballas, who has also experienced her fair share of romantic upheaval, has recently called time on her six-year romance with actor and fellow dancer Danny Taylor, aged 51. Shirley disclosed they had broken off their engagement, though had remained an item afterwards. However, sources suggest it was their demanding schedules and long-distance arrangement - with Shirley residing in London while Danny was stationed in Liverpool - that eventually led to their split. Their romance kicked off in 2018 when they both starred in Jack and the Beanstalk, with Shirley admitting she was smitten from the get-go, despite Danny being with another partner at the time. "We met on panto as friends. It didn't really take off until March... for him. I fell in love way before... I think for me it was [at] first sight. He was going through a difficult time in his relationship," she remembered. Shirley Ballas shared a sweet tale about their courtship, admitting: "We did become friends and then probably in about February I said, 'I love you Danny' and he said, 'I know'. It took a while," she joked.
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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Bangladesh govt sets up probe panel to investigate Dhaka jet crash
The Bangladesh government has formed a nine-member commission to investigate the tragic crash of a Bangladesh Air Force jet into Milestone School and College in Dhaka's Uttara area on July 21, The Daily Star reported. The commission will be led by former secretary AKM Zafar Ullah Khan and has been asked to submit its report within four weeks, as per a gazette notification issued by the Cabinet Division on Sunday night. The panel includes a retired air vice marshal, three additional secretaries from different ministries, the Dhaka divisional commissioner, an urban planner, and a professor from the mechanical engineering department of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). The commission will look into the reasons behind the crash, assess the damage, and find out who was responsible. It will also examine how many people were killed or injured, especially students and teachers, and the extent of the damage caused to the school and nearby buildings. According to the Daily Star, the panel will also review the construction of Milestone School and other structures around the airport. It will study whether these buildings were legally built and whether their locations posed risks due to their proximity to the flying zone. The commission will also recommend measures to prevent such accidents in the future. This includes suggestions on how training aircraft should operate, rules for building structures in flying zones, and how emergency teams should respond to similar disasters. The investigation will be carried out under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1956. The office of the Dhaka divisional commissioner will support the panel in its work. The commission also has the authority to visit any location in the country and question any person as part of the probe, according to The Daily Star. Earlier in the day, a team of 21 doctors and nurses from Singapore, China, and India met Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna. These international medical teams are in Dhaka to treat victims of the plane crash, many of whom are schoolchildren. During the meeting, Professor Yunus thanked the medical teams for their quick support and praised their efforts in helping during a difficult time. "These teams have come not just with their skills, but with their hearts," he said. "Their presence reaffirms our shared humanity and the value of global partnerships in times of tragedy." The foreign teams are working closely with Bangladeshi doctors to provide emergency care and trauma treatment to the injured. At least 34 people, most of them students, died in the crash on July 21. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Star
3 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Bangladesh government aide pushes 5G project amid graft probe
DHAKA: A special assistant to chief adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus is pressing for a controversial 5G infrastructure project, despite an active investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission into alleged legal violations in the tender process. Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, who took charge on March 5 with executive powers over the telecom ministry, requested the ACC to facilitate the project and asked the state-owned BTCL - the implementing agency - to proceed with equipment purchase, according to documents seen by The Daily Star. This intervention has sparked concerns over conflict of interest, disregard for procurement law and a revival of past practices of executive interference in state contracts. In the letter dated June 22, 2025, Taiyeb told the ACC chairman, "It is imperative to continue the activities of the project titled 'Development of Optical Fibre Transmission Network of BTCL for 5G Readiness' in national interest, and also to prevent delays in 5G readiness, avert technological setbacks for BTCL, ensure ADP implementation rate and operationalise equipment installed under a related BTCL project." He further argued that Huawei, the supplier of 5G equipment, is among the world's leading companies in the sector, and private transmission companies in Bangladesh are already using these devices. Taiyeb's meddling in the BTCL project goes against Rule 11 of the Public Procurement Rules 2008, which says the company's board is the highest authority to make decisions on contract-related issues. Asked, Taiyeb said, "We didn't give any instruction or directive to the ACC. Since Tk 2.9 billion (US$23.8 million) had already been spent during the past government's tenure through an irrevocable LC [letter of credit], and given the low possibility of recovering the funds through a legal battle with a Chinese tech giant, we are trying to move forward with the project." He further said it was necessary to act, as another BTCL project, linked to the procurement of 5G equipment, has become non-functional due to the delay. Moreover, the US dollar appreciated by 40 per cent against the taka. "ACC verbally requested written communication. Based on that, we sent a letter stating that the funds had already been spent and that the corruption allegations originated during the previous administration. "We urged the ACC to investigate and take appropriate action against those involved in graft during that period. We also requested delivery of the equipment for which payment had already been made," Taiyeb said in a voice message to The Daily Star. He also said the ongoing probe into the allegations against a former secretary and the then minister - particularly their attempts to influence the tender process - must continue under the legal framework. "Our initiative is aimed at saving a state-owned company and ensuring that the funds disbursed from its accounts are effectively utilised. There is no other motive behind this." Approved by ECNEC in February 2022, the Tk 1,059-crore project aims to prepare the country for a 5G rollout. Of the total budget, Tk 463 crore was allocated for buying equipment. In November 2023, Chinese telecom giant Huawei was awarded the controversial tender as the lowest bidder at Tk 326 crore. The original controversy was that the project's technical evaluation committee declared all bidders as qualified, even though none met the full technical specifications required by the tender. According to the public procurement rules, any bid that is not fully compliant must be rejected before financial offers are considered. Bidders, as The Daily Star previously reported on December 3, 2023, were given less than 48 hours' notice before financial offers were opened, a deviation from the standard seven-day notice period required by the tender's "Instructions to Tenderers". This prevented at least one bidder from having its authorised representative present. And the notification of award was issued to Huawei with unusual speed amid allegations of interference from high-level officials at the Posts and Telecommunications Division. Following the Awami League government's fall, ACC launched a probe into alleged irregularities and found primary evidence of violations of public procurement law. In a letter dated June 18, the ACC conveyed its concerns to the telecom ministry and Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL). "The ACC investigation team has already found preliminary evidence of violations/breaches of Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2006 and Public Procurement Rules (PPR) 2008 in the procurement process under discussion," said the letter signed by the then ACC secretary Khorsheda Yasmeen. "Under such circumstances, proceeding with the remaining procurement activities may constitute a legal violation, and the related expenditure is likely to be deemed unlawful," it read. Despite the ACC's objections, Taiyeb, who holds the rank of state minister, sought the commission's cooperation to allow the project to proceed. He had earlier visited the ACC office on April 13. In the June-22 letter to the ACC chief, Taiyeb said it was not possible to conduct the Factory Pre-Acceptance Test (FPAT) - a mandatory step to ensure that the procured devices meet technical specifications before shipment - as the Chief Adviser's Office issued a circular on March 23, prohibiting foreign visits funded by suppliers or contractors. However, the circular in question was a continuation of a previous one dated December 9, 2024, which said relevant technical experts may travel abroad for procurement purposes, including FPAT and pre-shipment inspections. What Taiyeb's letter didn't mention was that the telecom ministry did try to obtain the Chief Adviser's Office's approval for FPAT but its proposal was rejected, according to a telecom ministry letter sent to BTCL on May 13. Meanwhile, the telecom ministry wrote to BTCL on May 25, referring to Taiyeb's directives regarding the shipment of 5G equipment from China. Citing instructions from Taiyeb, the letter signed by a deputy secretary told BTCL that the equipment be shipped from China, mentioning that a Subject Matter Expert team would later verify its compatibility with 5G standards and assess service viability for 12 years. Vouching for Huawei, the letter said the government would benefit from the shipment of 5G equipment. Md Monjir Ahmed, project director of 5G Readiness Project by BTCL, forwarded the letter to Huawei. Asked, he claimed that forwarding the ministry letter to Huawei was not in violation of the law as the evaluation process of the tender had already ended. In October last year, the BTCL board at a meeting decided to form a four-member committee to investigate irregularities in the project's tender process. Later, the committee submitted the report, identifying a host of anomalies and recommending a further probe by the appropriate authority. The BTCL board on January 6 decided to forward the report to the ACC but it was not immediately dispatched. On information from a government agency, ACC decided to investigate the alleged irregularities in the project and formed a five-member committee on May 9. It received the BTCL committee's probe report only after the launch of its own investigation. Regarding the controversy-mired project, Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), said that neither the chief adviser's special assistant nor BTCL has the authority to interfere in a project currently under ACC investigation. "This is unacceptable," he said, stressing the need to conduct a proper cost-benefit analysis. Referring to the special assistant's letter to the ACC chief, he said, "This is a clear conflict of interest, which a top government official should have avoided -- especially someone who is part of a government leading institutional reforms." Such actions resemble the kleptocratic practices of the past autocratic regime, where conflict of interest was a defining feature, he said. He urged the government to conduct a fully independent review of the entire project before making any decisions. - The Daily Star/ANN
