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James Van Der Beek will strip off to raise awareness for cancer after being diagnosed with the disease.

The Dawson’s Creek actor shared his diagnosis in a statement earlier this month, stating: “I have colorectal cancer. I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family.”

He apologised added: “There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good,” and apologised after loved ones discovered his diagnosis through the press

Van Der Beek, 47, will take part in The Real Full Monty, which is based on the UK show of the same name that sees famous stars strip in an attempt to get people talking about cancer and checking themselves to raise awareness of the disease.

The televised event, launched in 2017, was originally inspired by The Full Monty – an Oscar-nominated 1997 film about a group of unemployed men who decide to get involved in the stripping business to earn a living.

Van Der Beek will appear on The Real Full Monty alongside actors Taye Diggs and Anthony Anderson, former Strictly Come Dancing judge Bruno Tonioli, musician Tyler Posey and Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones.

In the special, six celebrities will train and rehearse for “the most revealing performance of their careers”, which will end with “a big strip-tease dance, where they will bare all in front of a live audience”.

The synopsis for the special that’s set to air on Fox reads: “Leading up to the final disrobing, the men will push their limits of comfortability, modesty and brotherhood with a series of rehearsals and experiences, both private and public, designed to build confidence and remove them far from their comfort zone and strengthen their bond as a group.”

A source told MailOnline that Van Der Beek “really wants to help others by doing this show”.

Meanwhile, The Best Man actor Diggs told PEOPLE of the special: “Embarrassingly, I thought I was just doing Anthony Anderson a favour and supporting cancer. But then once we got there and we really started to talk about these issues, everyone started opening up and we got to know each other on a different level.”

Colorectal cancer is a type of cancer which starts in either the colon or the rectum, which are both part of the large intestine in the body’s digestive system.

GK BARRY has sparked fears she’ll QUIT I’m A Celeb as an unearthed video reveals her biggest fears.

It comes after ITV was slammed for singing up the YouTube star, 25, following controversial comments she made on her recent Saving Grace podcast.

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And now in an old clip, GK, real name Grace, has revealed that she’d struggle to survive in the wild.

While appearing on Loose Women last month, Kaye Adams asked the influencer how she would cope in camp.

GK replied: “I would die. I’m looking into that camera now, I would die.

“I hate the dark, I hate insects, I don’t have a positive bone in my body, I would just give up straight away.

“I just think it’s not for me.”

She added: “Some people are outdoorsy and some people are sit and do nothing, and I’m sit and do nothing, and that’s fine.”

Some fans are convinced that GK won’t make it past the first week.

One wrote: “Hates insects but going on I’m A Celeb,” followed by a laughing emoji.

A second said: “She is gonna end up with all the eating challenges with her emetophobia.”

A third said: “She won’t be able to cope in there, she’ll be first out.”

Last week, GK as slammed for comments deemed to be “harmful” after her chat with Only Fans creator Bonnie Blue, who recently made headlines for bedding a series of University students during Fresher’s Week.

She has also boasted about sleeping with a dad and his son.

The podcast host – who turned down a Strictly spot for a stint in the I’m A Celeb jungle – is now in the midst of an “absolute PR nightmare,” a source has told us.

They were first to tell The Sun of the sheer impact on show planning and said: “I’m A Celeb is a family show and they can’t have anyone on there who agrees with sleeping with barely 18 years olds.

“The top brass have held crisis talks as to how they handle the backlash with GK enters the show.

“GK has deleted the video but the furore hasn’t gone away.

“The backlash is already huge on YouTube and social media this is an absolute PR nightmare for ITV.

“They rely on advertisers wanting to spend money on the show and it’s not a good look when one of the campmates has had someone so controversial on her podcast and agreed with everything she said.”

FAN FURY

Fans were quick to round on Grace after her episode with Bonnie was released.

They called out how she dealt with the difficult subject matter and accused her of platforming “harmful behaviour” and a being “disgrace to feminism“.

Thousands have shared their concerns that her 3.6million TikTok followers are largely under 20 – and questioned jungle bosses decision to sign her up for ITV’s family friend show.

One wrote online: “Her audience is 13-20 year old girls. Young and impressionable. This is not the message young girls should be hearing. We need to start de-platforming.”

Another added: “GK Barry having bonnie blue on her pod and AGREEING with the harmful s*** she was saying is beyond disappointing. Do better babe.”

A third said: “GK Barry agreed with all Bonnie said and it’s sickening. What was said is disturbing and has nout to do with feminism. The glorification of [sex work]  has put girls and young women in serious danger.

Bonnie went on a tour of universities during Freshers Week, aiming to sleep with as many students as possible for free, as long as she could upload the footage to OnlyFans.

It came after Grace revealed Love Island star Ekin-Su threatened to sue her after she chatted about the actress on her platform.

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Netflix users have been left grumbling about new series The Diplomat – but for a rather positive reason.

The TV series, which was compared to The West Wing when it first started in 2023, has returned for a second, with the series rapidly shooting to the top of the streaming service’s most-watched list alongside some new films that are receiving more negative reviews.

Season one introduced viewers to Keri Russell‘s US Ambassador Kate Wyler as she gets caught up in an international crisis, and won fans with its fast-paced narrative and many twists and turns.

While the new episodes have been even more acclaimed than the ones featured in season one, the common complaint is that there just aren’t enough of them: The Diplomat season two has just six episodes, which is two less than the first.

Six episodes is commonplace for a British TV drama, but not that typical for Netflix shows, which usually last for anything from eight to 13 episodes.

Fans are now expressing their frustration over the low episode count on social media, which should be read as praise by the show’s creator Deborah Cahn, who began her career as a writer and producer on The West Wing before working on Homeland.

However, Netflix has good news for fans of the show: a third season is on the way and it was filmed back-to-back with season two, meaning it will most likely arrive in 2025.

Still, this has not abated the anger in the interim: “Whyyyyyy is S2 of The Diplomat only 6 episodes when S1 was 8????” one fan wrote, with another stating: “Six episodes are not enough, I wished it was a 26-episode season. Geopolitical storytelling at its best and I wish I’d been in the writers room. Twisty AF.”

One fan waded in: “We waited 18 months for a six-episode season!? I hate Netflix so much. Please bring back network television with respectable 22-episode seasons.”

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An additional viewer, who has been lapping up season two, also stated on X/Twitter: “Just finished Season 2 and I’m so mad it was only 6 episodes because it was the best 6 episodes I’ve watched all year. I’m trying hard to think of something better I’ve seen in 2024 and honestly I can’t!

One person said that they felt “cheated” by the lower episode count.

The Diplomat is available to stream on Netflix now

MARRIED At First Sight UK viewers were left stunned after Luke took a swipe at Amy’s appearance in an old photo. 

This week, the remaining couples of the E4 experiment are on homestays, with each visiting their loved ones and local areas to see how they fit into each other’s lives. 

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However, with Luke and Amy already struggling, it appeared the couple went from bad to worse when Amy brought her new husband home to Blackburn. 

Showing him around her home, Luke stopped when he saw an old photo of Amy on her staircase wall.

Amy beamed that the picture was from when she went with her family in Ibiza, but was left far from pleased with Luke’s comments.

Shocked, Amy asked him to repeat himself, causing him to say she looked “bloated” in the picture and was “skinnier” now. 

“I prefer you now, is this before the glow up?” he asked, causing her to sarcastically say “thanks”.

“You look stunning there, but you look stunning here more. You look skinnier now than in there,” he continued.

“You look skinnier now than in here. In here you look… bloated.”

“I’m absolutely fuming right now. Luke’s saying i basically look hideous in this photo,” she told cameras.

“Nothing’s changed I just had my teeth done. Bit of filler in my lip. That’s it. Glow up? Bloated?!”

Viewers were stunned at his comments, and believe that Amy has begun to “check out” of the relationship after multiple arguments with little change. 

“Luke is 100% being petty now comments about her ‘pre glow up’, the mould in her room lmao,” one fan wrote on X. 

“Lol Amy and Luke need to call it a day,” said a second. “How he communicates and how she receives said communication are polar opposites. They shouldn’t even finish the week together.” 

A third noted: “Luke just verbalises every single thought he has. He needs to take a moment and think about what he’s about to say before he says it.”

“Brother, Luke, please, just stop,” said a fourth. “I mean, you’re hilarious but come on man, you’re not helping yourself.” 

Things went from bad to worse for the couple, with the next morning not making things any easier. 

While he got on like a house on fire with her beloved dog, it seemed he and Amy were not on the same page when it came to communication. 

He later pointed out the mould in the corner of her bedroom, prompting yet another argument between them. 

Prior to their Blackburn visit, the couple had already had a barney at Luke’s house, when he was caught out lying about cutting up a photograph he had on his wall. 

When Amy asked why half a photograph on his wall was missing, Luke initially said he “wanted it to be a portrait photo”. 

However, Amy didn’t buy it, and he eventually admitted that there was a woman in the photo he had since cut out. 

Fans think that this is the beginning of the end for the couple, with nothing seeming to get them on the same page. 

“Why is Luke just digging himself holes left right and centre hahahah just tell the truth big man,” one wrote.  

While another said: “Amy’s checked out and wants Luke to do something bad enough to justify her dumping him.” 

“Amy and Luke are done, she’s checked out,” noted another. 

By the end of the episode, Luke had declared himself a “single man” to her friends, saying that he felt “disrespected” and was “being portrayed in the wrong way”.

Married At First Sight UK continues tomorrow at 9pm on E4.

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JLS singer JB Gill has broken his silence after dance partner Amy Dowden was forced to withdraw from Strictly Come Dancing after a medical emergency.

It was confirmed earlier today that Amy had been forced to permanently say goodbye to the BBC contest following a foot injury after she temporarily stood down over the weekend.

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Her celeb partner JB has now issued a sympathetic message to Amy in the wake of the news.

Commenting underneath her Instagram post in which she revealed her exit, a sombre JB said: “Heartbreaking news [Amy] but our moments will be forever in Strictly history, never forget that.

“Thank you for being the best teacher. Nothing but love from all of the Gill family.”

He then went on to share on his own Instagram story: “Heartbroken for you right now [Amy], but like a phoenix you will rise. Isaiah 40:31.”

Earlier today, a spokesperson for the BBC dance contest confirmed that Amy would be replaced by Lauren Oakley who had filled in for her over the weekend.

They said: “Sadly, Amy Dowden MBE will not be partaking in the rest of the competition this year.

“Whilst Amy focuses on her recovery following a foot injury, fellow Professional Dancer, Lauren Oakley, will step in as JB’s dance partner.

“The health and wellbeing of everyone involved in Strictly are always the utmost priority. The whole Strictly family sends Amy love and well wishes.”

Speaking for the first time on being forced to leave the show via Instagram earlier today, Amy said: “My heart is breaking right now. The past few months I finally felt like me again.

“Cancer was no longer the first thing I thought of when I woke up. It was choreography, music choices, which dances in which order, what we needed to work on. I felt free again.

“My goal since hearing those words you have cancer was to get back on the Strictly dance floor. It’s been such a challenge to get back, one I devoted 2024 too.”

She went on to add: “My heart right now is breaking having to pull out of the competition due to a foot injury and I know only too well ‘this too shall pass’ and I’ll be soon better and back dancing.

“Something I’ve had to get used to in my life. I’m sure at some point we will dance again JB.”

Her most recent foot injury comes after her fractured foot last November, which occurred whilst rehearsing a dance at home, three days after she finished cancer treatment.

Amy Dowden’s statement in full

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“My heart is breaking right now. The past few months I finally felt like me again. Cancer was no longer the first thing I thought of when I woke up. It was choreography, music choices, which dances in which order, what we needed to work on. I felt free again.

“My goal since hearing those words you have cancer was to get back on the strictly dance floor. It’s been such a challenge to get back, one I devoted 2024 too. Which with my incredible team we got there. Something I wanted to do for myself and loved ones.

“There was no feeling like it dancing again in the ballroom with my strictly family. Then I was partnered with the talented,kind, gentle soul JB. Every day our training room was chilled, hardworking and full of big smiles enjoying what we was creating together with a blossoming friendship.

“JB thank you for being the perfect partner back. We topped the leader board week one and continued to work so hard and thank you for being so passionate about understanding the ballroom and Latin fundamentals.

“For me that rumba will always be one of my favs. I’m so sad, so upset and asking why me, why now that our journey has been cut short. My heart right now is breaking having to pull out of the competition due to a foot injury and I know only too well ‘this too shall pass’ and I’ll be soon better and back dancing.

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“Something I’ve had to get used to in my life. I’m sure at some point we will dance again JB To all the fans, to my loved ones, my strictly family thank you.

“JB I know you and Lauren will continue to ace that dance floor I’ll forever be your biggest cheerleader.”

It came after two gruelling rounds of chemotherapy, during which she contracted life-threatening sepsis.

Over the weekend, fans were left in tears as they watched Amy cheer on JB from the clauditorium.

Amy sobbed as Lauren and JB scooped a hugely impressive 39 out of 40 for their routine.

Concerns for Amy’s health first arose when an ambulance was called to the set at Elstree Studios after she collapsed backstage.

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Although the dancer was said to be “doing much better”, BBC bosses confirmed that Lauren Oakley would step in whilst Amy took a week off to recover.

The TV personality has Crohn’s Disease and has been battling stage three breast cancer for almost 18 months.

Strictly 2024 pairings

Here’s who is matched with who this series…

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MARRIED At First Sight’s Sacha and Ross have baffled fans with their ongoing issue about where to move.

On Monday night’s episode, the home stay week continued with Sacha bringing Ross to Walsall to visit her family.

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Sacha was determined to show him the highlights of the area in a bid to make him move there from Manchester.

However, Ross has reservations as his daughter, Blue, is currently living in Manchester and he didn’t want to be too far away from her.

With Sacha wanting to remain closer to her family, it seems the pair have hit a roadblock in making their relationship work.

However, this came as a bit of a shock to viewers – especially when they discovered that Walsall and Manchester is only about an hour-and-a-half drive down the motorway from each other.

As a result, some are accusing them of playing up the issue, wondering why they don’t move somewhere in the middle to make things work.

They also thought they were blowing the issue way out of proportion.

Speaking on X, one fan wrote: “For a bit of context, Walsall and Manchester are a 1 hr 40 mins drive apart – I drive 1 hr 20 mins (each way) to work, twice a week. It’s really not the dealbreaker they are making it out to be!”

“Being from the North of Scotland, I thought the distances Ross and Sacha were talking about were enormous!” said another,

“Then I googled it and realised Manchester and Walsall are a 1 hr 40 min drive apart! That is absolutely nothing!”

“Get a grip, it’s literally down the road… it’s not another country Sasha!!!” said a third.

A fourth joked: “Last time I looked Manchester was 90 mins from Walsall. Not 3 flights, a visitors visa and a malaria injection away.”

“For the love of God it’s like 70 miles from Manchester to Walsall. This is NOT A BIG DEAL,” said a fifth.

“Why don’t Ross and Sacha get a place in between Manchester and Walsall (like Stoke on Trent)?” noted another.

“Then they’d only be an hour from each place. That’s doable, no?”

The pair’s marriage hangs in the balance of the decision, with the final commitment ceremony coming up quickly.

Currently, it looks like nearly all the couples are hanging on by a thread, with Kieran and Kristina returning to their homes alone, and Polly and Adam spending the entire time arguing.

Things didn’t look much brighter for Luke and Amy, who seem to be unable to get through a single conversation without triggering an argument.

A dinner with her friends resulted in Luke declaring himself “a single man” much to the anger of Amy.

Nathan and Lacey appear to be the only couple who could go the distance at this moment in time, with the pair getting closer by the day to the approval of Lacey’s mum.

Married At First Sight UK continues tomorrow at 9pm on E4.

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