Our modern game owes so much to Gazza... it's sad to see him grow more fragile by the day, writes OLIVER HOLT
In the context of the English game, no one did more to create the boom of the 1990s and lay the foundations for fabulous new stadiums and the rush of billionaires flocking to invest in, and profit from, our clubs than Paul Gascoigne.
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Daily Mail
12 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
MasterChef begins casting for next series as BBC ploughs on after sacking of Gregg Wallace and John Torode
MasterChef has begun casting for its next series as the BBC ploughed on after the sacking of Gregg Wallace and John Torode. The cooking show has been at the centre of scandal after Gregg was dismissed as a presenter after more than 40 complaints against him were upheld following a BBC investigation. Australian-born chef John, 59, also lost his job after two decades over allegations that he used the N-word, which he claims to have 'absolutely no recollection' of. But despite the chaos surrounding the show, MasterChef is forging ahead with a new series. Asking cooking hopefuls to apply, production company Banjay wrote: 'For over 20 years we have been putting Britain's best food talents through their paces. 'Cooking doesn't get tougher than this.' The website added: 'Whether you're an amateur cook looking to showcase your home-taught skills or a professional chef wanting to take your career to the next level you can apply for a UK MasterChef series below.' According to The Sun, Banjay said the decision to cast for a new series came 'after consultation with the contestants'. It comes after Gregg Wallace insisted that he is done with TV and the BBC before making a sensational claim that he was 'groped' during his time on MasterChef as he speaks out following his sacking from the show. The TV personality, 60, said in an interview, how he himself faced sexual harassment from a host of women 'on a regular basis' as he hit out at the broadcaster over their 'complaints procedure'. Speaking to The Sun, Gregg said: 'The whole complaints procedure needs to be readdressed - there are huge problems with it as things stand. Being on MasterChef was brilliant but I had so many bad experiences on that show too. 'Had I wanted to raise any complaints, I'd have had the decency to speak to that person directly. Privately, not publicly. My God, can you imagine the complaints I could have made? Have you got any idea of the sexual references made to me on a daily basis? 'How many times I've been touched by women wanting a selfie? How many times I've been groped? How many times suggestive comments have been made to me? How many female contestants have said inappropriate things on MasterChef?' Gregg added that the thought of complaining wouldn't even 'cross my mind', noting that he wasn't suggesting that groping was 'right', but it was 'happening to me on a regular basis.' The disgraced TV star went on to that he was often 'shouted at and bullied', claiming contestants had a perceived notion that presenters were 'god-like' and adding that he doesn't wish for anyone to be 'dragged through' what he has. MailOnline have contacted BBC representatives for comment. Meanwhile, Gregg, who has been reported to have been banned from working at the BBC, told how he washed his hands of both the TV industry and the BBC having been 'hurt' by recent events. He noted he didn't want 'anything to do with' telly or the broadcaster, before acknowledging that his TV career is now over. When asked if he will watch the upcoming series of MasterChef, he replied with a defiant 'No, no, no, no', stating that he's 'pleased' for the contestants on the show as it was never really about former co-star John Torode and himself. He added that he 'didn't care' who hosted the show next, insisting that MasterChef would be 'absolutely fine' without himself and John at the helm. Gregg's comments come after it was revealed that the BBC would air its amateur 2025 series of MasterChef. In the nine months since the hit BBC programme finished filming last Autumn there have been questions over whether it would ever be broadcast following allegations of inappropriate behaviour against presenters Gregg and John. Meanwhile, Gregg, who has been reported to have been banned from working at the BBC , told how he washed his hands of both the TV industry and the BBC having been 'hurt' by recent events Now the corporation has revealed that the amateur series of MasterChef filmed last year, before allegations against Gregg and John were upheld, will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from August 6. The MailOnline understand that the BBC have told the MasterChef production company Banijay that the show should reduce Gregg and John's screen time to a minimum in light of the report's findings. A source said: 'The BBC have made it clear that it should limit the amount of airtime the presenters have in the editing of the new series, with a bigger focus on the contestants who are at the heart of the competition.' 'Neither Gregg nor John will appear in BBC iPlayer thumbnails and they will not be doing any promotional activity around the latest series.' 'All of the brilliant new contestants were consulted on whether the series should be broadcast, and no one objected.' 'Everyone involved is very keen to promote the hard work of the contestants and that will be our priority.'
Daily Mail
14 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Love Island's Shakira and Harry set for VERY awkward meeting with her mum after she branded her daughter's love interest a 'd***head' in scathing rant
It was revealed at the end of Sunday night's Love Island episode the contestants are set to be reunited with their loved ones in the family and friends episode. However, it seems not everyone will be playing happy families with their offspring and their chosen love interest, judging by Shakira 's mother Sukina's TikToks. As Harry made another play for her daughter, Sukina launched into a furious tirade about the situation and warned him off Shakira. Labelling the Islander a 'd***head' in a scathing online rant, Sukina - who runs an online tarot card reading business - suggested Shakira will need a 'spiritual cleanse'. Sharing her unfiltered opinion, Sukina said: 'When I think of the villa I just think of a cesspit, it is just a cesspit and she is surrounded by snakes. 'She will be getting a deep spiritual cleanse when she comes home and I am just going to add this - Harry needs to the f*** up about Shakira. It was revealed at the end of Sunday night's Love Island episode the contestants are set to be reunited with their loved ones in the family and friends episode 'Seriously, the only person that's trying to give life to that little situation is that d***head. There, my love and light slipped for a minute.' 'That's about as negative as I got, d***head'. A teaser at the end of the latest episode revealed that Monday's show will see family and friends temporarily enter the villa to reunite with the Islanders. The clip showed Toni's mother Leslie making a bombshell arrival in the villa, shouting for her daughter who screamed from the terrace when she spotted her. The iconic episode, which airs days before the final, typically brings happy reunions but also some home truths from those who have been watching from home. It has not been confirmed that Sukina is one of the relatives entering the villa, however her arrival will certainly make for very awkward viewing. Shakira and Harry called it quits when he began showing an interest in Helena again, with Shakira ending their romance when she caught wind of Harry's behaviour. However, in a twist of events, Shakira ended her blossoming romance with Conor because of her lingering feelings for Harry. Helena was chosen by Blu after Harry picked to recouple with Shakira After hearing how Shakira felt, Harry began questioning his own connection with Helena, who he had just asked to be exclusive with. An explosive Grafies episode, private clips exposed Harry's true feelings for Shakiraw which he later admitted to Helena. Shakira and Harry are now exploring their romance again, much to her mother's dismay, and have recently recoupled. After calling time on their relationship, viewers have slammed producers for giving Helena and Harry a 'sad edit'. Following a row at the firepit where Helena said she was 'done', the pair later had an emotional chat where they confirmed their romance was over and hugged it out. Later in the day Harry was seen crying in the bedroom and Helena asked if he was okay before giving him another intense embrace. But viewers were sceptical of the scenes and criticised producers for laying sad music over their conversations. Viewers said they 'weren't buying it' when it came to the 'sad edit', as they felt it was an ill-judged attempt at a 'redemption arc' for Harry. Taking to X, formerly Twitter, they said: 'I wonder if the producers realise that we're not buying it? Why is Helena acting like this is Harry's last day on Earth?'; 'I actually don't care about the saga between Harry and Helena so please end it tonight!'; 'I hope to god Helena's friends and family have a long talk with her about her self worth and how she allows people to treat her when she gets home. It makes me sad to see how much she was willing to accept and even watching her hug Harry and say she'll miss him!'; 'WHAT WAS THAT SONG DURING THE HARRY AND HELENA MOMENT ("i know i don't deserve you blah blah"),'; 'Turn this emotional music off, the Helena sad girl edit is not going to work. She was soooo horrible to Shakira when she was with Harry I cba,'; 'This whole episode is the sad Harry show & I'm done with it tbh. They've given Harry more support than either Shakira or Helena, I don't understand,'; '"I'm going to miss you" Helena, Harry isn't dying, you'll see each other at events and be back mates in no time,'; 'Why are they acting like Helena/Harry was a love for the ages? I cannot deal!'; 'Can we move on from this Helena and Harry sob story now,'; But viewers were sceptical of the scenes and criticised producers for laying sad music over their conversations Viewers said they 'weren't buying it' when it came to the 'sad edit', as they felt it was an ill-judged attempt at a 'redemption arc' for Harry 'They really gave Harry the redemption arc sickening,'; 'Are we supposed to care about Harry and Helena splitting up'; 'Is this episode meant to be music and Harry and Helena crying the whole episode in some attempt of a redemption arc,'; 'Can they wrap up this Harry and Helena storyline?? We are halfway through this episode and nothing has happened by tears ???'; 'No one else left in the villa. Why is it a harry and Helena episode. They broke up let's move on.' The aftermath of the Grafties continued for many of the Islanders during Sunday's episode, including Harry who came back into the Villa after sleeping outside. Sitting together inside, Harry and Shakira debriefed about how they were feeling. Harry said: 'I have really tried with her [Helena], but we [Shakira and Harry] had like a week and it was, for me, the feelings were obviously way stronger and still are. I'm sorry I never like tried again. I really thought the door was just, like, slammed.' Shakira replied: 'Do you want some home truths… it's obviously the way you go about it and the steps you take in between to come to these conclusions obviously hurt people along the way. Taking to X, formerly Twitter, they said: 'I wonder if the producers realise that we're not buying it? Why is Helena acting like this is Harry's last day on Earth?' 'It's all well and good you saying "hold my hands up guys, sorry" but you still hurt people.' 'And it's a pattern,' she added, before Harry confessed: 'Look, I'm either leaving here alone or with you.' Still feeling confused by the situation, Helena pulled Shakira to try and make sense of it. Shakira told Helena: 'Nothing's changed. There's been no miracle… I was saying I've not let myself heal over the situation and then he was like, "Same". I was like, "What?" He said, "I've not processed how I felt towards you, I've hopped into something with Helena." I don't understand it.' 'No, I don't understand it,' Helena said, before pulling Harry and asking him: 'Have you felt this way about Shakira this whole time?' Harry replied: 'I didn't, I just buried it all. I just didn't address any of my feelings and we were flying…' Helena went on to admit: 'I thought I had something genuine in here.' Later, Shakira too tried to make sense of how she was feeling, telling Harry: 'Like, how you're feeling now is not making sense from what I've seen for the past however many weeks.' Dejon Noel Williams NAME: Dejon Noel Williams AGE: 26 FROM: London OCCUPATION: Semi-pro footballer and personal trainer WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? Someone who is beautiful on the inside and out, looks after themselves and is healthy CLAIM TO FAME? My dad being an ex-professional footballer. I've met all kinds of famous people through him. When I was younger it was weird because he was just my dad, but we'd go to a game and fans were asking for photos. I've met David Beckham, he was really nice. Megan Moore NAME: Megan Moore AGE: 25 FROM: Southampton OCCUPATION: Payroll specialist WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? I'd like to meet someone who is tall, with a nice tan, nice eyes and a nice smile. He needs to have a good fashion sense and a really good, funny personality that I can get on with HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR LOVE LIFE? Bankrupt, right now. But we're going to make sales and get on that corporate ladder and be booming. Profits, profits, profits! NAME: Helena Ford AGE: 29 FROM: London OCCUPATION: Cabin Crew WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? Somebody funny or Northern. I feel like Northern people have much more banter than Southerners. If you look through my previous dating history, you'll see I clearly go for personality. You can pretty much laugh me into bed. WOULD MAYA HIRE YOU FOR YOUR FLIRTING SKILLS? I would say hire but then quickly fire soon after. It would only be a temporary contract. NAME: Shakira Khan AGE: 26 FROM: London OCCUPATION: Construction Project Manager WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? Someone who is tall, charming, witty, with big arms, a good smile and just really funny. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR LOVE LIFE? Booming, but they're all frogs. It's a busy love life but I've not found 'the husband', I'm looking for 'the one'. I'm looking for the ring. NAME: Harry Cooksley AGE: 30 FROM: Guildford OCCUPATION: Gold trader, semi-professional footballer and model WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? The girl next door that makes me laugh and can hold eye contact with me. I don't think I'd go for the most obvious girl, I like a real sweet girl. CLAIM TO FAME? I'm the body double for Declan Rice. So when he does a shoot, any body close ups will actually be me. You'll never see my face, but you'll see my shoulder or chest, that kind of thing. NAME: Conor Phillips AGE: 23 FROM: Limerick OCCUPATION: Professional rugby player WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?Someone who is really sure of themselves, ambitious, a bit of a go-getter and good craic. I like dark eyes and I don't mind a dominant woman. WOULD MAYA HIRE YOU FOR YOUR FLIRTING SKILLS? Definitely hire. I ask girls if they want to go halves on a baby. It doesn't work, but it gets them laughing. It's an ice-breaker, not a serious question of course! NAME: Toni Laites AGE: 24 FROM: Connecticut OCCUPATION: Las Vegas Pool Cabana Server WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? I'm looking for darker hair, definitely muscular but not too muscular. Super fit. Clean hair cut. Someone that can make me laugh - I'm super outgoing. And someone that's quite active. Maybe one day we could start our own family together. I WANT TO DATE A BRITISH GUY BECAUSE... I've lived in three different states and I'm still single. It's time to try something new! I have some British friends and they're pretty charming. I think all Americans love a good accent. British men are just more polite, with better manners. NAME: Yasmin Pettet AGE: 24 FROM: London OCCUPATION: Commercial Banking Executive WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? I'm looking for a guy who is fit, has a nice body and who is funny with a bit of banter. WHAT'S YOUR BIGGEST ICK? A guy that's stingy NAME: Megan Moore AGE: 24 FROM: Dublin OCCUPATION: Musical theatre performer and energy broker WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? Someone who doesn't take themselves too seriously and has a sense of humour. If they're not bad looking, that's always a plus. I love a boy that's a bit pasty, like Timothé e Chalamet. I don't mind scrawny, or a bit of a 'dad bod'. I'm 5ft1 so any height really. CLAIM TO FAME? Me and my friends made a Derry Girls TikTok for Halloween and it went a bit viral around Brighton. Sometimes I get stopped in the street about it. I've also done Panto. NAME: Blu Chegini AGE: 26 FROM: London OCCUPATION: Construction Project Manager WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? Someone who is family oriented, has a lot of love to give and a lot of love to receive. Personality goes a long way. WOULD MAYA HIRE YOU FOR YOUR FLIRTING SKILLS? She'd fire me, but I've got the charm to smooth things over with a girl. The fact I speak fluent Spanish comes in handy when it comes to flirting! Jamie NAME: Jamie Rhodes AGE: 26 OCCUPATION: Electric Engineer WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? Bubbly, cheeky, outgoing, good face card and a nice bum. WHAT KIND OF ISLANDER DO YOU THINK YOU'LL BE? I'll be in amongst the drama! It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, I'm gonna take it by the horns and go for it. NAME: Ty Isherwood AGE: 23 OCCUPATION: Site Engineer WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? I go off energy, if we vibe. I've typically dated brunettes, tanned, nice teeth with a nice smile. WHAT KIND OF ISLANDER DO YOU THINK YOU'LL BE? A head turner! I get along with lads easily and like to make people laugh. NAME: Cacherel 'Cach' Mercer AGE: 24 OCCUPATION: Professional Dancer WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? Someone who's emotionally intelligent, beautiful, charismatic, caring, affectionate, and I'd say an intro extrovert. WHAT KIND OF ISLANDER DO YOU THINK YOU'LL BE? I think I'm gonna get into trouble, I feel like I'll be the joker of the group! I'll also be the person people come to for advice… and a bit of eye candy at the same time. ......................................................................................................................... Angel NAME: Angel Swift AGE: 26 OCCUPATION: Aesthetics Practitioner and Salon Owner WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? I'm ready to make memories with someone, go travelling with them and fall in love WHAT KIND OF ISLANDER DO YOU THINK YOU'LL BE? I feel like people have been getting their heads turned very easily. I do feel like I have quite a good chance of turning someone's head.
Daily Mail
15 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Emotional moment Lucy Bronze consoles close friend and Spain star Ona Batlle following Euros final - after inseparable pair holidayed together before tournament
This is the emotional moment Lucy Bronze consoled her close friend Ona Batlle after England came from behind to beat Spain and retain their Women's Euros crown. Bronze started every game of the tournament but was forced off in extra-time before the Lionesses went on to win 3-1 in a nerve-shredding penalty shootout. At 33 years, eight months and 30 days, Bronze was her side's oldest player at the tournament and she was again front and centre of a record-setting triumph. Chloe Kelly proved herself the hero for her country again by slotting home the winning spot-kick after Mariona Caldentey and Aitana Bonmati saw their efforts saved by goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, while Salma Paralluelo skewed off target. Jubilant celebrations saw Kelly's team-mates flood onto the pitch to begin the party, but Bronze took a moment to escape the hubbub and made a beeline for Batlle. Inseparable on and off the pitch, the two friends high-fived before sitting down on the pitch, seemingly discussing the pulsating showdown that had played out in Basel. Once the madness had died down, Bronze, kitted out with her gold winner's medal around her neck, took a stroll with Batlle, who had changed into her tracksuit. The roles were reversed back in 2023 after Spain got the better of England in the World Cup final, when Batlle consoled a tearful Bronze after full-time. The duo were all-conquering team-mates in the 2023-24 season when they were at Barcelona, and they struck up a blossoming friendship, too. They also won the Champions League, Liga F, the Spanish Cup and Spanish Super Cup together. Bronze then completed a move back to England with Chelsea last summer. Bronze, 33, and Batlle, 26, enjoyed a holiday together ahead of Euro 2025 in Switzerland, sharing photos of the trip across their social media profiles. It appeared the duo were celebrating Batlle's birthday, with the Spaniard's caption on Instagram reading: 'Bday week.' One photo shared online showed them enjoying an ice cream in the sun, while another saw them relaxing on a lilo together in the sea. Bronze and Batlle also took a boat trip on their vacation and spent time together in a private pool. Their holiday this summer was by no means their first. Last Christmas, Batlle posted snaps of the two at Disneyland Paris, with the caption: 'What a magical place'. Bronze tends to keep her personal life very private. Hailing from Berwick-upon-Tweed in Northumberland, she was brought up bilingual thanks to her Portuguese father and was exposed to football from a very early age by her older brother, Jorge. Incredibly, she revealed she had played all of Euro 2025 with a fractured tibia. 'I've actually played the whole tournament with a fractured tibia but no one knew,' she said after the game. 'Then I've just hurt my knee today on the other leg. 'I think that's why I got a lot of praise from the girls after the Sweden game because I've been in a lot of pain, but that's what it takes to play for England. 'That's what I'll do. They know that, I think we inspire each other by playing through things like that, and they got us to the end of them in the end. It was very painful but I'm gonna party and gonna enjoy it, that's it.' Head coach Sarina Wiegman paid tribute to Bronze, saying: 'Her mentality, the whole team has an incredible mentality, but she has a crazy mentality, it's unbelievable.'
