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Daily Mirror
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
James May says 'I've failed' as he addresses life after Top Gear and Grand Tour
Former Top gear star James May has spoken about how busy he has been following the end of The Grand Tour as he, Jeremy Clarkson, and Richard Hammond go their separate ways Television personality James May has said he has failed at retirement as he addresses his life after Top Gear and The Grand Tour. James, 62, formed one part of the famous automotive trio alongside Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond that helped define an era of television. In recent months, James has spoken more about the projects he's working on following the end of The Grand Tour. Speaking to The i he joked that he'd been thinking about his retirement since he was a teenager, but admitted that he's currently having the busiest year of his working life for a long time. He told the publication: 'I've failed at retirement. I've been thinking about my retirement since I was a teenager: 2025 was going to be my trial retirement year, but I've been accepted to speak at a couple of history festivals and charity events." He added: 'I've got two TV series, and then I'm doing a live show in Australia, New Zealand and around the UK. This is the busiest year I've had for about a decade. I haven't had a day off in months.' Whilst James has been continuing to make television series, his former co presenters Richard and Jeremy have also been busy. Jeremy has re-invented himself as a farmer with the launch of Diddly Squat farm and the subsequent Clarkson's Farm series. This Amazon Prime endeavour has seen Jeremy, 65, raise the profile of farmers nationwide. However, Jeremy has also been exposed to the realities of farming and the impact of the weather on farmers, something that has begun affecting his Cotswolds farm, reports the Standard. Speaking at the Hawkstone Summer Party at his pub The Farmer's Dog, he said: 'I mean, if there are any farmers here, they'd tell you the same thing. 'Last year, it was the second worst recorded ever, and we think this year is going to be even worse because it just hasn't rained.' Whilst Jeremy has been running his farm, Richard, 55, has launched his own classic car repair shop. Earlier this year he announced the sad news that his father had passed away during an episode of a podcast he co-hosts with his daughter Izzy. He told guest Dr T: 'I have to say quite early on that since we spoke to Professor Green [for the podcast] and since then, we've lost my father, Izzy's grandfather. He died. Probably both of us are undergoing change right now. 'I've noticed that since we lost my dad I don't wander around daily in a cloud of… there was tremendous grief, of course there was, he was my dad, but it's kind of in the background.' 'And when it hits me is when I'm pottering about doing something often inconsequential, or thinking about something big, my brain has already formed the thought, 'oh, I must tell dad'.'
Daily Mirror
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Top Gear's James May in tears as he shares 'tragic' death of family member
Former Top Gear presenter James May has spoken about the death of a beloved family pet a few years ago while the TV star also touched on his closest brush with death Television presenter James May has admitted he got very emotional after his beloved pet cat died and gone into detail about his career to-date as well as his plans for the future. The former Top Gear presenter admitted that the last time he had had a difficult moment was when his beloved feline passed away. The 62-year-old said that his pet's death had been sudden and it had been hard for him to deal with. He explained: 'I last cried when my cat died. We were very close. His name was Fluff because he wasn't long-haired, but still fluffy. He died suddenly of an embolism, in some pain, so it was all a bit tragic.' James also opened up about his time on the popular BBC programme, the hair raising moments, and the closest he felt to death was whilst in his own aircraft. He told The i: 'The closest I've come to death is when I crashed my aeroplane. I tried to land in a gusting crosswind, and the next thing, the aeroplane was on its back." James added: 'There could have been a fire, which would've been the end of me. It was years after I'd started working on Top Gear that I was driving with a mate past an airfield and it had a sign saying: introductory flying lessons, 30 minutes for £120. "He said: 'Let's stop and have one. Now I have my private pilot's licence.'' Alongside reflecting on his near-death experiences, James has also talked in recent months about his business activities including running a pub and shooting videos for YouTube. In fact the media personality said: '2025 was going to be my trial retirement year, but I've been accepted to speak at a couple of history festivals and charity events. 'I've got two TV series, and then I'm doing a live show in Australia, New Zealand and around the UK. This is the busiest year I've had for about a decade.' One of the shows James has been filming has been 'James May's Shed Load of Ideas' which was recently spotted filming at a Gillingham supermarket, much to the surprise of shoppers. In a statement, the store's community champion Diana told The New Blackmore Vale: "We had former Top Gear presenter James May in store filming for his new show, James May's Shed Load of Ideas. 'He lives relatively locally and we are his nearest Asda. He's a lovely man who took time to have his picture taken with lots of customers and excited school children on their way to sports day.'
Perth Now
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Billy Idol wasn't shocked to find out he had a secret son
Billy Idol wasn't surprised to discover that he had fathered a child during the 1980s. The White Wedding rocker found that he was dad to son Brant Broad after his daughter Bonnie – who he has from his relationship with Linda Mathis – discovered her half-sibling through a DNA test and admits that the news wasn't a huge shock due to his hedonistic behaviour at the height of his fame. In an interview with The i newspaper, Billy said: "Maybe a little bit, but the more I thought about it, I guessed there must be something like that, because we were going around in the 80s, and 70s, just having knockdown, drag-out sex with a million people you didn't know. A lot of people in the rock world got children beyond their usual relationships." Idol has forged a close bond with Brant - who lives in New York and works in the construction trade like his father and uncle did. The 69-year-old rocker said: "We're quite good friends, and I love him. He's a nice guy." Billy recounts in the documentary Billy Idol Should Be Dead – which premiered at the Tribeca Festival earlier this month - how he almost died from a heroin overdose and was relieved that he cheated death so he could enjoy the success of his 1983 album Rebel Yell, which reached the top 10 in the US Billboard charts. The Eyes Without a Face singer said: "I'm just glad I didn't die, because I had this great album and I wanted to come back to England and say – 'Now what do you think?' I nearly blew that. So I'm glad I lived through it." Idol, whose real name is William Broad, struggled with drug addiction during his time in the spotlight and admits that his problems were worsened by the fame that came with music success. He explained: "You start being known by the general public who don't necessarily give a s*** about your music. They just know that spiky blonde hair and go, 'Hey it's Billy!' "That's where the pressure came in, as gradually your world closed down. You're stuck in tiny rooms trying to expand your life beyond that. You might as well be as high as a kite doing that." Billy will celebrate his 70th birthday in November and is now happy to be a doting father and grandfather after overcoming his addiction issues. He said: "I'm all set up for that. I'm in a better place in my life. In lots of ways, I've done everything I wanted, at least to my own satisfaction. And now I'm not a drug addict, I can really be there for them."
Daily Mirror
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Will Young gives rare update on his 'wonderful partner' as he talks about plans
Pop Idol winner Will Young has opened up about his private life after the popstar previously spoke about his desire to start a family and potentially foster children Will Young has opened up about his personal affairs and the blossoming hope of starting his own family someday. The inaugural Pop Idol champion, 46, has poured out details about his "wonderful partner" and the enriching life they're creating together. This heartfelt insight comes after he previously disclosed last year his aspirations to have a family and even venture into fostering children. In an interview The i, Will said that his heart had finally unfurled, attributing this change to overcoming the limelight's challenges that once complicated his love life, in part due to the relentless paparazzi pressure he said he used to experience, reports Devon Live. He explained: "I'm in a lovely relationship. I'm having a wonderful time with a wonderful partner. I had a closed heart, but it's opened up now. Why has my heart opened up?" "Meeting the right person. And making the choice to be open to someone. If you're waiting for that Hollywood moment, you might be waiting for the rest of your life, so you've got to make a choice that you want to be in a relationship. I was restricted by the mainstream music industry. "Being followed by the paparazzi used to be stressful, but it's just not a thing any more. Maybe it was quite exciting for partners of mine in the past or maybe not; I don't know, but I don't think it made dating more difficult." Last year Will shared with Attitude magazine his dream to father a family following the release of his album Light It Up. He told the publication: "I'm quite interested in fostering... I think I'd be very good at being emotionally available and emotionally validating." Reflecting on his dating life, Will shared that he, like many others, uses dating apps. He said: "It's a bit of a lottery. My last boyfriend was off an app. And the person I'm dating at the moment's off an app." Will has been open about his personal journey, including his battle with PTSD, and how gardening has become a therapeutic outlet for him. In an interview with the Telegraph, he said: "When I first went into treatment for PTSD, I had just begun work on one of my gardens. I think because I totally focused on that, it really helped me get better. "I've found that the simple act of putting my hands in the soil helps because it's grounding... it literally grounds me, it grounds my whole body.... I find one little job to focus on, it calms me down. It is meditative." On top of his musical endeavours, Will is set to feature in the 22nd series of the BBC 's ancestral exploration programme Who Do You Think You Are?, airing tonight (Tuesday, June 3) at 9pm on BBC One.
Edinburgh Live
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Doc Martin's Martin Clunes shares bad review of Trump hotel after checking out a day early
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Martin Clunes, star of Doc Martin, has was not impressed by one of Donald Trump's hotels, an experience so memorable that he checked out a day early. Martin, known for his role in Men Behaving Badly, was discussing the worst places he has stayed when he listed one of Trump's Scottish properties. Speaking to The i newspaper about his acting and documentary-making career, the 63-year-old actor revealed his worst stay was "a trucker's shack in Madagascar". He described it as a series of cells, with a light socket featuring protruding wires and matchsticks to wedge in plugs, and a cup full of condoms on the table. A close second was one of Trump's hotels in Scotland. Remembering the experience, Martin recalled: "It has the atmosphere of Terminal Five at Heathrow. It's just bizarre. We checked out a day early." This isn't the first time his Scottish properties have been a talking point, with some wedding celebrants saying they won't marry couples at Trump's buildings in the country unless their ownership changes. Humanist celebrant Tim Maguire told the Daily Record: "It took a long time for humanists to win the right to conduct legal marriage in Scotland, and we won that right because we have certain distinctive beliefs. 'The change in leadership in the US represents a backward step for human rights and secular values, which has repercussions across the world. As Donald Trump continues to undermine the enlightenment values on which the US was founded, I feel I need to take a stand against him, small as it is." Martin's comments come after it was revealed that Doc Martin is set to undergo a transformation for a US version of the show. However, it is not a remake that will feature the actor in his traditional lead role. Instead, fellow actor Josh Charles will take on the character for the American rendition. Fox Television Network's president Michael Thorn expressed his enthusiasm for the US adaptation. He told Variety: "The story of Doc Martin has resonated worldwide with its humanity, originality, and humour, and with Best Medicine coming to Fox, that eccentricity gets a small-town America spin, complete with idyllic charm and absurdity. "Liz, Mark, Philippa, Ben, and Rodney have done a terrific job adapting this signature character for the Fox audience, especially in casting the terrifically talented Josh Charles as our lead." As Doc Martin gears up for an American revival, the UK is preparing to bid farewell to the series after a remarkable 20-year run and 10 seasons on television. Ahead of the final UK season, star Martin and producer Philippa Braithwaite shared their gratitude with fans. In a statement, they said: "When we launched the series in 2004 we could never have imagined how much our loyal viewers would take to the grumpy Doc like they have. "The series has avid fans both in the UK and throughout the world and we are thrilled that Doc Martin has topped the ratings every time. "However, after sixteen years we now feel that the time has come to say goodbye to Portwenn. We will be making the tenth and final series in 2021 and we are very much looking forward to returning to Cornwall to film it."
