Nucti Gatwa makes new claim about withdrawal from Eurovision role
Initially, "unforeseen circumstances" were cited for his withdrawal, but Gatwa clarified on "Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg" that he was "very busy" with work schedules and press commitments.
He denied that his withdrawal was related to the involvement of Israeli contestant Yuval Raphael, reiterating his busy schedule as the sole reason.
Gatwa also discussed his departure from Doctor Who, explaining that the role was physically and mentally strenuous, leading him to decide it was "time" to leave.
He is set to appear in the West End play "Born with Teeth" and the comedy film "The Roses" in August.
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Telegraph
32 minutes ago
- Telegraph
The secret behind Ella Toone's Euros form? Gruelling holiday work-outs
Ella Toone stood in an open field, boots on, sun baring down. The England midfielder was in Cyprus on holiday with her boyfriend Joe Bunney, but there was work to do. The pair took to a local football pitch to perform sprint after sprint in gruelling heat. This was Toone's preparation for a big summer. The Lionesses had 12 days off between their Nations League game with Spain on June 4 and the beginning of their pre-camp for the Women's European Championship. Toone used it wisely, maximising time with family as well as pushing herself to her limits. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Joe Bunney (@joebunney) The Manchester United player knew she would have to be in the best physical shape to force her way into Sarina Wiegman's starting XI. There would have been disappointment when she was not picked to start the opening game against France, but those who know Toone well know she is more dangerous after a setback. Those hard yards in Cyprus paid dividends when Toone started against the Netherlands. She was all over the pitch, pressing and harrying the Dutch defenders, her second-half goal a reward for the tenacity she had shown – but her best was yet to come. Back in the team and back with a goal ⚽️ Ella Toone made it FOUR for England 👏🏴 — ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 9, 2025 Against Wales, Toone scored, assisted and completed 100 per cent of her passes. But it has been her work off the ball that has caught the eye most of all. Toone's inclusion in the team has led to the redeployment of Lauren James from No 10 to the right wing. The switch has allowed James to get on the ball more while Toone has provided balance to the midfield – something which the two players sitting behind her, Keira Walsh and Georgia Stanway, have appreciated. 'She's come in and done an incredible job,' Walsh said after England's victory over Wales. 'People speak about her offensively, but the defensive work she does for me and Georgia when she's in there is incredible. She covers a lot of spaces that we can't. 'That's probably been the main thing that's stopped other teams from playing as well. Obviously, with LJ on the wing, we've managed to get both of them on the pitch at the same time and they are two world-class players.' This is not the first time we have seen Toone overcome adversity. The midfielder's father, Nick, died in September having been diagnosed with testicular cancer the day after he had watched his daughter score in the Euro 2022 final at Wembley. Toone is extremely close with her family, who attend all of her matches for club and country. The midfielder struggled for form at the start of the season before picking up a calf injury that kept her out for six weeks. Toone told Telegraph Sport earlier this year that the injury was a blessing in disguise and allowed her time to grieve. Her return from injury coincided with an excellent run of form. She scored a hat-trick in the Manchester derby in her first game back and went on to win United's player of the season award. It was a surprise to see the midfielder left out of United's starting XI for the FA Cup final in May, but Toone is a player who thrives off bouncing back – much like England have done in this tournament. Toone has been able to lean on Beth Mead, whose mum died of ovarian cancer in 2023, for support in the past year. Both players have celebrated their goals at this tournament by pointing to the sky in a tribute to their late parents. 'I think we've both said the first game we really struggled a little bit,' Mead said. 'You look to the stands for your person who is standing there and they're not there anymore. 'So I obviously understand what Ella felt in that moment. And it's a special to be able to have that moment and think about them and dedicate to them.' Toone has been watched from the stands by boyfriend Joe and mum Karen for each game in Switzerland and the pair play a vital role in supporting her through tough times. Her team-mate and best friend Alessia Russo is also key. The two players have a bond on and off the pitch and have linked up for multiple goals in the last two games. Russo assisted Toone against the Netherlands and was also involved in the build-up for her goal against Wales. Toone then repaid the favour by teeing up Russo in the same match. 😫 Mistakes galore at the back for Wales 🏴 Ella Toone adds a second for England — ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 13, 2025 The pair are chalk and cheese when it comes to personalities but have an incredible understanding on the pitch. 'She's been working so hard on lots of different things,' Russo said of Toone. 'As a best mate, to see someone go on a journey like that, especially after the tough year she's had, it's really nice to see her flourish on the big stage.' With Toone playing behind Russo and James out wide, Wiegman has found the perfect attacking formula. The midfielder was taken off at half-time against Wales because she is carrying a yellow card from the first game and Wiegman knows how valuable she will be in the knockouts. Pick up a booking in the quarter-final against Sweden and she would miss a potential semi-final. Toone has proven herself to be an indispensable member of this team. 'I've been working really hard,' she said after the game against Wales. 'I'm my own worst critic when it comes to me playing in games and training and I've been quite hard on myself. 'I wanted to make sure that for this tournament I was at my best so I've worked hard. The rewards are really paying off and I'm really enjoying it.'
Daily Mail
32 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Bride breaks down in tears after wedding dress rips just moments before she walks down the aisle
A bride has shared the the horrendous moment her dress ripped just minutes before she was due to walk down the aisle. Bianca Ross, 29, from Greater Manchester, was getting ready to tie the knot earlier this month when two of her bridesmaids helped her do up her corseted dress. As the trio were struggling to get into the dress, they heard a sudden rip, with the back of the dress opening. The trio, jaws dropped, stood in shocked silence for a moment while the bride started crying. However, the crisis was quickly averted when one of her friends revealed that she had brought her sewing kit and was able to mend the tear. In a video posted to TikTok, Bianca was all laughs and smiles as she was being helped into her fitted embellished gown by her bridesmaids. She was tossing up whether to use the detachable straps or not as her friends were tugging and pulling at the top of the dress, trying to do up the clasps. 'I look like a princess,' Bianca said. One of the bridesmaids then pulled slightly too hard on the back of the dress which let out a big ripping sound. Bride Bianca was brought to tears when her dress ripped just moments before she was due to walk down the aisle The women gasped before Bianca burst into tears. 'Oh my god, it's f***ing broke,' one panicked bridesmaid said. 'How many times have we squeezed into this f***ing dress? How many times have we fought with this dress?' Viewers were unable to see the damage but the bridesmaid who caused the rip was quick on the case. 'I brought it for a reason! I've got my sewing kit,' she shouted as she ran out of the room. One viewer said the tear was 'every bride's nightmare and asked if Bianca went on to get married which she confirmed she did - not letting the mishap stop her from enjoying her and her new husband's big day. The internet is never short of a wedding drama and, previously, a groom raised eyebrows after he said he wanted to divorce his new wife just days after saying 'I do'. The married man, who is 44 years old, took to Reddit to complain about his 42-year-old wife shortly after their wedding and explained the big day had been riddled with issues - including one incident that completely broke his trust. On the thread, the new husband said a black cloud hung over his wedding day thanks to his wife's egregious actions. He lamented he now feels like he 'married someone else' after his wife changed her hair colour two days before the big day. He complained that she had abandoned her 'regular girl next door style' and along with her new hair colour she had also worn a 'revealing' dress that left him stunned. But it was a request she made of her guests behind the groom's back that really left him reeling. The Reddit-poster complained that his bride's dress showed off her legs and cleavage and was too sexy to be walking down the aisle in. He even thought that some of the male guests avoided her all night out of embarrassment. He wrote: 'On the wedding day, she showed up wearing a sheer lace dress that was too revealing and no flesh coloured lining. 'I could see her whole legs and her undies (they were lace and not sheer). I would have preferred that she didn't wear her cleavage bursting out. It wasn't necessary. 'I thought sexiness was reserved for the wedding night, not for our guests to see. I would have been okay with it had I been used to this being her style, but I don't know what happened. 'Our friends and families (males) kept a bit distant trying to avoid her and I think it's because they were trying to be respectful. The top of the dress wasn't sheer, but her breasts were almost popping out and she couldn't dance as happily and carefree as she always does because of it. The groom explained that he knew it was a minor detail and just an 'aesthetic dispute' that he would forget about eventually but he said it went against their traditional family's values. While the dress and hair colour were a shock, the new husband revealed what really upset him was the discovery that his wife had been asking for money from guests without his knowledge. The Reddit poster explained that they had previously agreed not to ask their guests for money - although he clarified they did get 'cash gifts and physical presents' - but was shocked to find out his wife had tired to establish a minimum fee. He revealed he only discovered the betrayal after her best friend dropped out of the wedding due to pressure to give extra cash. The groom confessed he had been left disappointed because 'the church was missing a chunk of guests' and he felt a 'black cloud' hanging over them all day. He went on to say that the trust between him and his new wife is completely broken because he lost friends and people he cared about. He added: 'I don't see how therapy can fix this. It's not just about my trust, but about how this person is a whole human being apart from the woman that I thought I knew.' On the Reddit thread, the recently married man asked whether it was reasonable to ask for a divorce even though he knew it would 'destroy her' and said he wanted to at least file for a legal separation. He added he felt he could no longer go on 'sleeping next to someone who was willing to take from others' and said he felt too betrayed. And other Reddit users rushed to his defence with one writing: 'I would run if I realised my fiancé's idea about a wedding was about filing up her bank account. A wedding should be a celebration of love. I don't have an opinion about her dress.' Another said: 'Divorce or annulment. If she does things like this behind your back before marriage, think of the things she will do behind your back now that she has you locked in. 'A good foundation for any relationship is built on trust, respect and clear communication at the bare minimum and she violated all three. Run for the hills.' And one commented: 'The clothing thing is not important, but lying and pressuring loved ones for money behind your back is an early indicator of how your life will be going. Is this someone you can spend the rest of your life with? I think the answer is no.' But others were on the wife's side and criticised the groom for slating his new bride's wedding dress, encouraging her to run for the hills. One person said: 'The money hustling is tacky and worth divorcing over. Hating her hair/dress is tacky and worth her divorcing you over. 'So maybe you two flawed people should talk about all this, apologize to each other, and do better moving forward.' Another user wrote: 'This poor woman has married a complete monster.'
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
Danny Dyer: Why I would turn down a knighthood
has said he would turn down a knighthood, because the title 'isn't for me'. The former EastEnders actor, 47, explained that he was too 'anti-establishment' for the accolade, bestowed upon individuals by the monarch for a significant contribution to society at large. Speaking to Radio Times, Dyer said he would follow the example of his 'hero' Harold Pinter, the Nobel-winning playwright, who turned down a knighthood in 1996. The actor also joked that he was the 'cheaper version' of Sir Gary Oldman, the Slow Horses star who was knighted in King Charles II's Birthday Honours this year. Asked if he had ever been approached about appearing on the New Year's Honours list, Dyer said: 'Harold was my hero and turned down a knighthood. He was anti-establishment as well, so I don't think it's for me.' Dyer first starred in Pinter's play Celebration at 22 years old before going on to appear in the writer's productions of No Man's Land and The Homecoming. Pinter declined the honour of a knighthood – offered to him on behalf of the late Queen Elizabeth II when John Major was prime minister – but accepted the award of Companion of Honour in 2002. He was then presented with the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2005 as well as the French Légion d'honneur in 2007. Dyer's knighthood comments come after the long-running 'arise, Sir Danny Dyer' quip, which began in 2017 when Michael McIntryre, the comedian, sent a spoof offer of the honour to Dyer's friends and family during a TV show. As part of the skit, which aired on Michael McIntyre's Big Show, friends, co-stars and family responded to the message with a mixture of congratulations and disbelief. The actor also discovered he was descended from royalty during his 2016 appearance on Who Do You Think You Are? which showed he was a relative of King Edward III. 'A cheaper version' Dyer became a household name in EastEnders, the popular BBC soap, from 2013 to 2022. He has since appeared in Disney's hit Rivals, the comedy series Mr Bigstuff, and Three Quick Breaths, the upcoming Irish film. Discussing his starring role in the latter, the actor quipped that he had been chosen as the 'cheaper' version of Sir Gary, who he joked was approached for the part first but requested £2 million 'just to read it'. 'But I was next in line, which I'm chuffed with,' he said, adding: 'If you go Gary Oldman and I'm next, it's because I'm obviously cheaper. I'm happy to be a cheaper version of Gary Oldman.' In the thriller, Dyer plays the sole character, an old-school football agent who desperately tries to get his star player one final payday before his own life and his player's reputation implodes. Speaking about the second season of Rivals, for which filming is underway, the actor said he couldn't reveal much but teased that 'we've got no issues with the old second-album syndrome'. 'I've been blessed with a lovely character. He's not the lead and he doesn't need to be the lead,' he added.
