Latest news with #AnnaWilliamson
The Irish Sun
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Missing Virgin Island? 3 more reality shows for a loved-up summer
IT WAS the hit Channel 4 show that saw 12 adult virgins discovering themselves – and intimacy – on an island retreat in Croatia. From their emotional vulnerability to the joy of being carefree in the moment, it's safe to say the participants of Virgin Island stole the hearts of the nation. Advertisement 4 First Dates host Fred Sirieix (right) with one of the show's stars Merlin Griffiths Now the series has come to an end, are you looking to fill the void it's left behind? Channel 4 has a plethora of shows to choose from, and we've lined up three reality series that are perfect if you loved Virgin Island. Remember the first time Want to continue the theme of firsts? Why not tap into one of Channel 4's most successful franchises: First Dates. Making matches for over a decade, TV's most wholesome dating show is back with its 24th season. Advertisement If you've not seen the show before (where have you been?), just like Virgin Island, First Dates provides heartwarming, authentic encounters between genuine people. With everyone looking for one thing – love – the show provides the most romantic interactions, as well as some hilarious moments that could only happen on a first date. Hosted by TV favourite Fred Sirieix and his stellar team, will this season bring us another First Dates wedding? Or will there be more awkward meetings of exes or first date fails? Advertisement Most read in Reality One thing's certain: this series of firsts will satisfy your reality loving needs! 4 Relationship gurus Anna Williamson and Paul Carrick Brunson (middle) help stars find true love in Celebs Go Dating Guided by experts Do you love the knowledge and wisdom an expert brings to a reality show? Virgin Island had its sexologists, whereas another Channel 4 show brings a different type of boffin – the relationship experts. Advertisement Paul Carrick Brunson and Anna Williamson have entered the chat. They are the relationship experts who guide six hopeless celebrities in their quests to find true love in Celebs Go Dating. From date debriefs to raw, honest chats, the experts provide the no-nonsense advice we wish we could tell celebrities when we read about their relationships online! Back for series 14, the show is set to be a juicy one this year. Advertisement The line-up includes pop star and reality TV legend Kerry Katona, as well as other familiar faces including Olivia Hawkins, Louis Russell, Jon Lee, Mark Labbett and Christine McGuinness. There's nothing more satisfying than learning that celebs are just like us and have the same first date jitters that we do. Expect some hilarious moments, awkward convos and straight-talking advice as we watch the celeb agency clients navigate the world of dating someone 'normal'! Let's just hope no one gets with a fellow celebrity this year. Advertisement 4 A rowdy crew, mad guest requests, lovely boats – it's all in Below Deck Mediterranean Reality in paradise Virgin Island takes place on an idyllic retreat set in the stunning waters of Croatia. If you're craving more sea, sun and summer reality TV vibes, then Below Deck Mediterranean should be next on your watchlist! The latest season is available on Channel 4, letting you dive into the world of yachting and the super-rich. Advertisement With Captain Sandy at the helm, along with her rowdy crew, can the team master the guests' wild demands while also navigating their own personal lives? Expect mishaps, close calls, lavish themed nights and some rather bonkers guest requests – maybe paradise isn't so stress-free after all! Read more on the Irish Sun Already watched the drama in the Med? Find more onboard action in the Caribbean and Australia by streaming Below Deck or Below Deck Down Under. Hot dates to watch out for NEVER miss an episode this summer. Here's when to watch with Channel 4… First Dates Catch up with Fred and the gang, and all the hilarious first dates in series 1 to 23 – available now. Series 24 episodes are dropping weekly. Celebs Go Dating Series 1 to 13 are available, with season 14 episodes coming each week from August 4. Below Deck Season 11 of Below Deck has just arrived, with episodes dropping weekly. You can also watch the latest season of Below Deck Mediterranean. Keep an eye out for the new series of Below Deck Sailing Yacht launching on August 6. 4 Advertisement Stream the f or all the latest reali-tea !
Scottish Sun
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Missing Virgin Island? 3 more reality shows for a loved-up summer
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) IT WAS the hit Channel 4 show that saw 12 adult virgins discovering themselves – and intimacy – on an island retreat in Croatia. From their emotional vulnerability to the joy of being carefree in the moment, it's safe to say the participants of Virgin Island stole the hearts of the nation. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 First Dates host Fred Sirieix (right) with one of the show's stars Merlin Griffiths Now the series has come to an end, are you looking to fill the void it's left behind? Channel 4 has a plethora of shows to choose from, and we've lined up three reality series that are perfect if you loved Virgin Island. Remember the first time Want to continue the theme of firsts? Why not tap into one of Channel 4's most successful franchises: First Dates. Making matches for over a decade, TV's most wholesome dating show is back with its 24th season. If you've not seen the show before (where have you been?), just like Virgin Island, First Dates provides heartwarming, authentic encounters between genuine people. With everyone looking for one thing – love – the show provides the most romantic interactions, as well as some hilarious moments that could only happen on a first date. Hosted by TV favourite Fred Sirieix and his stellar team, will this season bring us another First Dates wedding? Or will there be more awkward meetings of exes or first date fails? One thing's certain: this series of firsts will satisfy your reality loving needs! 4 Relationship gurus Anna Williamson and Paul Carrick Brunson (middle) help stars find true love in Celebs Go Dating Guided by experts Do you love the knowledge and wisdom an expert brings to a reality show? Virgin Island had its sexologists, whereas another Channel 4 show brings a different type of boffin – the relationship experts. Paul Carrick Brunson and Anna Williamson have entered the chat. They are the relationship experts who guide six hopeless celebrities in their quests to find true love in Celebs Go Dating. From date debriefs to raw, honest chats, the experts provide the no-nonsense advice we wish we could tell celebrities when we read about their relationships online! Back for series 14, the show is set to be a juicy one this year. The line-up includes pop star and reality TV legend Kerry Katona, as well as other familiar faces including Olivia Hawkins, Louis Russell, Jon Lee, Mark Labbett and Christine McGuinness. There's nothing more satisfying than learning that celebs are just like us and have the same first date jitters that we do. Expect some hilarious moments, awkward convos and straight-talking advice as we watch the celeb agency clients navigate the world of dating someone 'normal'! Let's just hope no one gets with a fellow celebrity this year. 4 A rowdy crew, mad guest requests, lovely boats – it's all in Below Deck Mediterranean Reality in paradise Virgin Island takes place on an idyllic retreat set in the stunning waters of Croatia. If you're craving more sea, sun and summer reality TV vibes, then Below Deck Mediterranean should be next on your watchlist! The latest season is available on Channel 4, letting you dive into the world of yachting and the super-rich. With Captain Sandy at the helm, along with her rowdy crew, can the team master the guests' wild demands while also navigating their own personal lives? Expect mishaps, close calls, lavish themed nights and some rather bonkers guest requests – maybe paradise isn't so stress-free after all! Already watched the drama in the Med? Find more onboard action in the Caribbean and Australia by streaming Below Deck or Below Deck Down Under. Hot dates to watch out for NEVER miss an episode this summer. Here's when to watch with Channel 4… First Dates Catch up with Fred and the gang, and all the hilarious first dates in series 1 to 23 – available now. Series 24 episodes are dropping weekly. Celebs Go Dating Series 1 to 13 are available, with season 14 episodes coming each week from August 4. Below Deck Season 11 of Below Deck has just arrived, with episodes dropping weekly. You can also watch the latest season of Below Deck Mediterranean. Keep an eye out for the new series of Below Deck Sailing Yacht launching on August 6. 4 Stream the new season of Below Deck now for all the latest reali-tea!
Daily Mirror
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Anna Williamson refuses to ban technology from her kids despite 'fights'
Celebs Go Dating coach Anna Williamson spoke to the Mirror about parenting amid concerns over technology and social media after hosting the Great British Phone Switch Anna Williamson has opened up her approach to parenting, including revealing some of the rules that are in place within her home. The Celebs Go Dating coach offered advice to other parents whilst discussing her own experience. The life coach and presenter, 43, has two children with her husband Alex Di Pasquale, 36. The couple, who have now been together for more than a decade, are parents to an eight-year-old son and a five-year-old daughter together. Anna spoke to the Mirror about her family earlier this week whilst reflecting on the Great British Phone Swap. The Channel 4 show, in partnership with Tesco Mobile, sees parents swap phone habits with their children for 48 hours. Fronted by Anna and clinical psychologist Dr Martha Deiros Collado, the experiment explores topics including online safety and the use of AI. Each parent and child duo left the experience with a set of goals for their family, such as scheduled time away from devices and weekly check-ins. Asked her main takeaway, Anna said it was "boundaries" and having "healthy, open communication". "Boundaries being time when you are not on your phone and I think we found that was really beneficial for all families," she added. The show also saw parents introduced to their kids' lives on platforms like TikTok. Anna said: "When [they] lent into the teenager's worlds, they were actually less fearful about what was happening because they understood it better." Although her own kids aren't on social media, Anna revealed that her eldest child is now starting to ask when he will be allowed a phone. She shared that even though he doesn't have one yet, she's already using parental control on games and apps that he's interested in on another device. Concerns over screen time were raised on the Great British Phone Swap and Anna teased that she can relate to the other parents. Asked what the dynamic is like in her family, she told us: "We're always fighting against screen time in my house but very much we try and lead from example." Anna said it's "very difficult" as a parent because "a lot of our work nowadays is online". She said that can be tough to convey to kids, who may interpret their parents being on devices as them playing a game or browsing social media. Although that may sometimes be the case, Anna encourages leading by example. She said in our interview: "The approach of 'just do it because I said,' it doesn't really wash because you're typically gonna get a child that will rebel. They won't trust you, they won't lean in to you, they won't talk to you and they will just do it anyway." Anna said that she tries to make sure that her own devices are away as much as possible between the time that she picks her kids up from school and their bedtime. She then explained: "I might jump on later on and reply to emails and do a lot of my messaging after that." She said that as a result when she's trying to get her kids off their devices they know that she's "boundaried" with her own. Anna revealed that her kids get an hour of screen time each per day, which they can use when they want. Anna said their allowance could be used before or after school, through "approved apps" or "things they wanna watch". She said that her son may choose to use his hour altogether on completing a video game level, for example, rather than taking it in scattered periods over the day. "It's teaching your children that they do have a choice but they have a choice within your boundaries," Anna said. Summarising her approach, she added: "So we try and keep reduced screen time. We do have parental controls. I do keep a very close eye on what my children are watching." Anna went on to discuss one participant in the show having suggested that their generation spent time outside, rather than playing on devices, as children. The podcast host however said that it's the "reality" of the world we live in now. She said: "I do think that we have to accept where we are. We always evolve, we have to evolve. [...] I think as we portray in the Great British Phone Switch phones aren't a bad thing. Tech isn't a bad thing. But it's about consuming the right things on it and that's the important thing here." Anna, who said that parents are "always grappling" with issues like screen time and whether to let their children have a phone, told us that she doesn't support banning technology at home. She said: "What I always say is that banning it completely I don't believe is a particularly useful or helpful idea in the long run." She explained: "Because what you ban, you're not teaching someone to use it sensibly. The analogy being; you wouldn't just stick a 17 year old out in a car without giving them driving lessons to teach them how to drive it safely." Anna suggested that the same benefits apply to technology. She said: "It's exactly the same with tech - you need to teach your children how to navigate it. Where the pitfalls are, where the hazards are, where the safe spaces are." She added that banning it completely doesn't give kids the "skills" and the "tools" that they need in the modern world. Anna however suggested that it doesn't mean children should have no restrictions when it comes to using devices. "The heavy caveat is to not be consumed by it and to make sure there are other things going on in your life that are face-to-face," she said. "Making sure that those interpersonal skills are just as acute as their digital skills." Anna also shared that she isn't letting her kids on social media at the moment and opened up about no longer showing their faces on her own Instagram. She recalled making the decision a few years ago when she "became increasingly aware around consent". She said that although her job in the public eye is a choice that she has made, the same can't be said for her kids. "I didn't want my children to be in a position where they thought I'd made the wrong decision for them," she said. Anna went on to say: "I'm not shading anyone that does choose to share their children or their families online. I think everyone makes the right choice for them and their family." All five episodes of the Great British Phone Swap are available now through Channel 4.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bob Mortimer 'no longer fears death' following life-saving heart surgery
Comedian Bob Mortimer has recently opened up about the life-saving heart surgery he received that led him to see "the light". 10 years ago, the BBC Would I Lie To You? star was left close to death when his heart stopped beating for a terrifying 32 minutes due to blocked arteries, leading him to undergo the surgery. The 65-year-old's health issues didn't stop there, as last year he confirmed a shingles diagnosis, leaving him unable to walk. Read more: Celebs Go Dating's Anna Williamson has 'word of advice' for families visiting Black Country Living Museum Shingles is a painful rash caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. The NHS states: "The rash appears as blotches on your skin, on 1 side of your body only. A rash on both the left and right of your body is unlikely to be shingles." Due to his varied health struggles, the father-of-two said he no longer fears death on Kathy Burke's podcast Where There's A Will, There's A Wake. He said: "I don't feel scared about death, I just feel so frustrated and sad to think I won't see how stories end. My children's story. My wife's. The football. All the stories going on in the world that you're going to miss the end of. "I did see the light at the end of the tunnel. I experienced going towards the light and feeling happier than I have ever felt, ever. " "It was quite extraordinary, and then I woke up a day later and I was OK. I thought, 'This is great. I no longer fear death and everything'." Bob's concern turned to his family, worried about their future if the worst were to happen. Because of this, he married his partner, Lisa Matthews, just 30 minutes before his heart surgery. During a press conference a year following the surgery, he said: "I found out I needed heart surgery on the Thursday, so I made a will on the Friday. Found out I couldn't get married to Lisa because you have to give 21 days notice." "But my consultant said I was incredibly ill, so the registrar in London - I don't live in London - gave me permission to get married on the Monday. "I got married at half 9 on the Monday then went into hospital for the operation at 10."
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Celebs Go Dating's Anna Williamson has 'word of advice' for families visiting Black Country Living Museum
Celebs Go Dating's Anna Williamson had a 'word of advice' for families visiting the Black Country Living Museum. The TV presenter and dating expert visited the Dudley attraction earlier this week with her two children. Anna, 43, revealed she'd been to the Tipton Road museum when she was at school and thought it was "as fabulous as ever". READ MORE: Matalan's 'must-have' £35 jacket that 'goes with everything' Taking to her Instagram page, she told her 474,000 followers: "Embracing the great British staycation, off to the Black Country Living Museum, somewhere I've not visited since I was 11!! "Thanks to Gemma from tennis who recommended this… We loved it! 1940/50 immersive experience… "We played on the old fashioned fair, ate fish and chips, bought sweets from the retro shop, watched live demos of bricks and chains being made, had a school lesson 40's style, took the bus… "The whole experience is still as fabulous as ever. The kids loved it." Anna, who hosts the LuAnna podcast with pal Luisa Zissman, continued: "And we thought the alleyways and parts of the village looked familiar. It turns out they filmed Peaky Blinders there. "If you're looking for a day out, I can thoroughly recommend it." However, she concluded the post with a top tip for visitors: "Word of advice, don't let your kids wear white fabric sandals…the coal dust from the mines is unforgiving." Many of Anna's followers replied that they'd also enjoyed a day out at the Black Country Living Museum, which is rated as the 'number one thing to do in Dudley' on TripAdvisor. One said: "Best fish and chips ever!! Love it there." Another wrote: "This has brought back great memories… Loved this place… School trip on the way to the Year 6 residential." A third commented: "Black Country Museum is bostin', cor beat it."
