Latest news with #SaturdayMorning
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
ITV Midsomer Murders star Neil Dudgeon reveals one storyline he thought 'went too far'
Midsomer Murders actor Neil Dudgeon has shared his thoughts on the long-running ITV crime drama and admitted that there was one occasion where he thought the show had "gone too far" Neil Dudgeon has shared the one Midsomer Murders plotline where he felt ITV chiefs might have pushed the crime drama "a bit too far". ITV broadcast a rerun of James Martin's Saturday Morning on July 19, with the celebrity chef welcoming the actor into his kitchen. The 64-yea- old is best known for his role as DCI John Barnaby in the crime drama since 2010, and James was keen to hear Neil's candid thoughts on the show. James queried Neil: "Do you ever look at some of the storylines and think 'it's a bit far-fetched'? Neil responded: "The only time I did think that a bit was when I was first reading the script and a UFO crashed and then me and the sergeant turn up and examine this site and I thought 'even we've gone too far'. "You can say here's a place where all the people believe that there's UFOs and 'oh there's lights in the sky what does that mean?' but you can't actually go 'oh look i think there's a alien' it's just that bit too far", reports the Manchester Evening News. Inquiring about the secret to enduring TV success, James asked: "What do you put it down to? Because we were talking about successful shows and 'successful' nowadays is about three or four years? "I can't put my finger on this one, to be honest. 18 years I've been cooking on Saturday mornings. What would you put it down to?" Neil jested: "If I may say so, the success of your show is even more of a mystery than the success of our show! James shared a laugh with Neil as he succinctly responded: "Precisely." Neil then quickly elaborated: "The reason I say that is because, I think the great thing about Midsomer Murders is... the people who originally created the show. "Neil offered an insight into the enduring series' structure, explaining: "I mean the formula of Midsomer is something - not necessarily a murder - happens in a rural location and two policemen turn up to see what's going on." He further commented on the creative leeway given to writers, which allows for continuous narrative innovation within the show's straightforward yet adaptable format. Discussing the charm of the series, Neil remarked: "You've got this wide formula for what the story of the show could be," highlighting that "You can have endless variety within it and - always there's something people find comforting about seeing the same thing over again - but the same thing is so different!
Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Writing a wish list to go with your will
Talking about what we want after we die is a difficult conversation for many, and a Taupō mum and her 15-year-old son have come up with an idea to make the whole process easier. Suzanne Stevenson and her son Quinn have created a list of wishes, in the form of a book, that can sit aside a will and give families a clearer idea of the deceased's preferences before it is too late. The wishes book goes into the details of what a person would wish for their funeral, things a legal document like a will wouldn't cover, Stevenson told RNZ's Saturday Morning programme. 'Once you've gone through the passing of someone that's died quite suddenly, you don't know what to do, you're in that fight or flight mode, and the will doesn't give you any information about funeral arrangements and things like that.' As well as funeral arrangements the book can also document where family treasures will go, anything that someone might like to be passed on through the generations, she says. Two sudden deaths in her own family, inspired the idea, she says. 'My father died suddenly, and he had always joked and talked about what he wanted. A song would come on the radio and he'd go, 'I like that song, I want it played at my funeral. 'And he was a big advocate for wanting to be an organ donor. So he passed really suddenly of an asthma attack, and we knew what he wanted because he'd talked about it'. When her father-in -aw died suddenly the family had much less idea of his wishes, she says. 'There were question marks about if he was going to be cremated, where he was going to be scattered, the funeral itself, there wasn't really much clarity around it.' The book takes the form of a worksheet, she says. 'So, it's got questions: where would you like your funeral or celebration of life to be held? Are there any songs or poems that you would like? "It details what you'd like for your funeral first.' The idea is the family can then pass this to a funeral director, she says. 'Once you've got through the funeral, then you can start looking at family treasures, if there was like a teacup or something that you want your cousin to have, because it reminds you of a great aunt or if there's any artwork.' While not legally binding, she hopes because it would be written in the deceased's handwriting there would be little chance of families contesting it. She and Quinn have also created a board game The Wishes End Game . 'It's for people who want to have a conversation about death with family members but don't know how to start it. So, it's supposed to be fun. It's supposed to get people laughing. You talk a lot about what you don't want. 'And what I found is while you're laughing about things that you don't want, you talk about things that you do want.'
Daily Mail
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
TV chef James Martin brings 'guard dog' with him to London for protection after yobs broke his car windscreen on previous visit
TV chef James Martin brought his 'guard dog' to protect him while visiting 'broken London ' after his car was raided by thugs. The famed cook, 53, had vowed to 'bring the Malis' next time he ventured to the capital from his home in Hampshire - referring to his two pet Belgian Malinois. The breed of dogs have fearsome reputations and are used by the military and police to take down criminals and terrorists. Cook's decision comes weeks after he was rocked by a 'broad daylight' attack on his motor, which saw yobs smashing his rear windscreen in central London. Staying true to his word, ITV chef Martin shared a picture of one of his pet hounds wearing a black 'working dog' harness while sitting on the pavement. The James Martins' Saturday Morning host simply captioned the picture 'London' as he shared it with his 761,000 followers on Instagram. Speaking in 2022, Martin previously praised his two dogs, writing in a post: 'I have to say I have had dogs all my life but these two are unbelievably clever. Thanks to the trainer for doing all the work.' At the end of May, Martin revealed to his fans how he and some of his friends had been targeted by crooks while in the capital. The move came after he vowed to bring protection the next time he visited the capital following the vandalism of his car the last time he was in the city Sharing a photo of his smashed up motor, he wrote: 'So in a week two of my friends cars got stolen, one other mate got mugged and now I had this happen all in broad daylight all in central London. 'London is broken big time…next time I'm bringing the Malis.' The chef did not reveal whether anything had been stolen during the attack on his car. However, his fans were quick to show their support - as many sought to criticise London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan over the capital's escalating crime rates. 'This is so sad, what once was an incredible capital city is now a centre for crime,' wrote one woman. 'Sadly our mayor turns a blind eye to it all, pretending it doesn't happen. Heartbreaking especially when you visit other countries and see clean, safe, friendly places.' Another person, who claimed to be living in the city, said the it was 'no longer safe for women', adding: 'I'm a cockney, James, and I hate what's happened to my city. 'I only go into London if I have to... [you] can't even get your phone out to answer it for fear of it getting snatched. 'London has become lawless as has most of the UK because the government is too soft on crime.' A third person simply added: 'Britain is broken. Not just London. Sorry this has happened to you.' The news comes as MailOnline revealed over the weekend that London's knife crime epidemic had reached a record-high for the second year in a row. In response to the spiralling figures, campaigners slammed mayor Sir Sadiq Khan as 'not fit for purpose' and accused him of 'undermining the Met Police at any opportunity '. Home Office data shows more than 16,800 knife crimes were recorded by the Metropolitan and City of London police forces last year, a 16 per cent rise on the previous record of over 14,500 a year earlier. The highest number of knife crimes occurred in several central London neighbourhoods, focused around the high-end areas of Mayfair, Fitzrovia, Soho, St James and the Strand. The most up-to-date figures are from 2023 as the Met stopped publishing data which breaks down weapons offences to this granular level of geographic detail early last year. MailOnline has asked if the force intends to start publishing this breakdown again. The number one area for crime was the neighbourhood – technically a 'lower layer super output area' (LSOA) named Westminster 013G – which features Regent Street, New Bond Street and a small section of Oxford Street. This Westminster suburb saw saw 141 reported knife crimes in 2023, according to Met Police data. A near-600 per cent rise on 2012, where 21 knife-related offences were recorded. Former Met cop and knife crime campaigner Norman Brennan, who was 25 when he was stabbed in the chest and nearly murdered by a burglar while on duty, told MailOnline: 'Under Sadiq Khan, London has no-go areas and the streets have become unsafe.' A spokesman for the Mayor of London told MailOnline: 'Making London safer is the Mayor's top priority. The latest ONS statistics show that the rate of violent crime with injury in London is lower than in the rest of the country. 'Gun crime, burglary and knife crime with injury for under 25s have all fallen since Sadiq become Mayor. The number of homicides recorded in London last year was half the number recorded in 2003, and we had the lowest number of teenage homicides in the capital since 2012. 'Knife crime overall has also been falling over recent months. 'But there's clearly still much more to do to tackle crime. One death is one too many and the Mayor is determined to continue being both tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime. 'The previous government took a wrecking ball to policing budgets and youth clubs in London, which has had serious consequences. In contrast, the Mayor has doubled investment in policing from City Hall and created 500,000 positive opportunities to divert vulnerable young Londoners away from criminal gangs and crime and towards training and employment.' A Met Police spokesman added: 'Tackling knife crime is at the heart of our determination to protect Londoners. 'Through stop-and-search and data-led policing, we are seeing results, with knife crime down this year compared to last. We have also seen an 18 per cent reduction in the number of victims injured by knives and sharp objects, and a 10 per cent reduction in personal robberies, including phone robbery, which makes up the largest proportion of knife crime.
Daily Mirror
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
ITV chef James Martin takes extreme measure to protect himself after incident
Saturday Morning star James Martin posted a picture of himself with one of his Belgian Malinois dogs while in London. He threatened to bring them with him because of London crime ITV chef James Martin appears to be so scared of crime of London he now takes a protection dog with him on trips to the capital. It comes after yobs smashed the rear windscreen of his car in broad daylight earlier this year, and he says other friends have been targeted there. The Saturday Morning star posted a pic of him with one of his dogs, a Belgian Malinois, in a 'working dog' harnass. He posted alongside the pic: 'London.' Earlier this year the 52-year-old pledged to go to London next time with one of his dogs. He said as well as his car being targeted he revealed 'two of my friends' cars got stolen, one other mate got mugged and nowI had this happen - all in broad daylight, all in central London,' He added: 'London is broken big time... next time I'm bringing the Malis,', which refers to his two Belgian Malinois dogs. As well as his cookery show, he has presented James Martin's Great British Adventure, Islands to Highlands and James Martin's French Adventure. He has also published over 20 best-selling cook books. Neil Young's Hyde Park show dramatically cut off as bosses pull the plug However, he endured a bout with facial cancer in 2018. In November 2023, he announced he was taking a 'little break from work' for several months of further treatment. Speaking to audiences while on tour, he said: 'For me personally, I've been through a lot of s**t with cancer but I'm getting sorted at the end of next month. I will be back fighting at the end of February but I'm going on a little bit of a break to get that sorted. 'I just wanted to say thank you for all your support and all your messages.' Recently, fans of the chef have been left disappointed after he announced he will no longer appear at the Yorkshire Dales Food & Drink Festival just days before the event. James wrote: "I'm so sorry but unfortunately, due to circumstances outside of my control, I will no longer be appearing at the Yorkshire Dales Food & Drink Festival." James had been one of the headline names expected at the festival, which is set to take place from July 18 to 20 at Aireville Park in Skipton. The popular event was launched in 2016 but didn't run last year, so attendees have been looking forward to this summer's comeback featuring music acts such as The Feeling and Go West.
Daily Mirror
05-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
James Martin's eye-watering fortune and how he 'nearly missed out on mortgage'
James Martin has become a household name thanks to his cooking shows and restaurants, but he has opened up about his money worries after 'taking a risk' with his first venue James Martin has candidly revealed his financial challenges after taking a gamble by venturing into the restaurant business. The TV chef, 53, reflected on his journey with "complete faith" in each establishment since launching his culinary career at the Hotel du Vin in 1994. The acclaimed chef maintains that the key to making a restaurant successful is sheer "hard graft", although he acknowledges the inevitable element of "risk" in opening a new venue. In an interview with The Times, James shared: "Ever since I opened my first place at the Hotel du Vin in 1994 I have gone in with complete faith in myself and the people I'm working with. Making it work is not about money, it's about belief and it's about hard, hard graft. "Yes, you're taking a risk, but you take that risk knowing that you will win. If I had any doubts at all, I wouldn't be doing this job." Despite the initial hardships, James credits the triumph of his first restaurant with enabling him to take his first steps onto the property ladder. He recounted his struggle to secure a mortgage, having accumulated enough for a deposit yet lacking sufficient years of accounts, reports Yorkshire Live. He continued: "They wanted three or four years of accounts. I finally went into the Bristol and West Building Society on the high street. Luckily, the lady I spoke to had seen me on telly and thought I had 'longevity'. I walked out of there with £150,000 to play with." James disclosed that he initially purchased a modest three-bedroom flat across from the local estate agent. This humble beginning is a stark contrast to the plush seven-bedroom Hampshire residence he occupies today, complete with a sprawling 1.5-acre garden and a greenhouse. The property is equipped with a swanky outdoor kitchen featuring a massive wood-fired pizza oven, an island and striking green industrial-style lamps. Notably, James Martin's Saturday Morning is produced on a dedicated set constructed within his premises. James has been a staple on our TV screens since his debut on Ready Steady Cook back in the 1990s. He launched his own food series, James Martin: Yorkshire's Finest, in 1996. His career progressed as he co-hosted BBC Food's Stately Suppers with Alistair Appleton and made contributions to the Richard and Judy show. In 2006, James took the helm at BBC's Saturday Kitchen. He stayed with the programme until 2016 and kicked off Saturday Morning the following year. Just last month, James revealed his plans to take a summer hiatus. He commented: "That is also for the series. Me and the crew are heading off on sunny holidays. Different climates." While James soaks up the sun on holiday, his show continues to grace screens every Saturday morning at 9.30am on ITV One.
