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Anna Maxwell Martin has laid bare the grief and fear she went through following the death of her husband and Notting Hill director Roger Michell.

The couple first met when Michell directed Martin in the 2004 adaptation of Ian McEwan’s novel Enduring Love. The actor was 26 at the time, while the director was 48.

Marrying in 2010, they went on to have two daughters. In 2020, the Line of Duty actor announced that the pair had separated. A year later, Michell suddenly died of an undisclosed cause, aged 65.

The Motherland star, now 47, said that the experience had left her in a state of “financial terror”.

“My husband died three years ago and things were really difficult on every aspect of our lives,” she told BBC Woman’s Hour on Tuesday (29 October).

“One of those was that there’s a lot of stuff that comes with grief, and one of them is financial terror. And then there are real practicalities around your children and their mental health, and supporting them, which is your priority.”

Describing the aftermath of the death, the mother-of-two said, “Looking back, I was probably in a state of shock, and fear, and a heightened state, for a long time actually, until very recently.”

She continued, “I’ve tried this road before, of grief, and sudden traumatic death. I’ve done it before, and so in a way I could pick myself up and do it again.

“It was horrible to have to see my children walk that road, but I’m pretty gritty, I’m pretty strong, and I think I’m quite deft, I hope, at navigating life. And I thought, ‘I’ve just got to keep the motor chugging on.’”

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Describing her first experience of loss, she explained: “When it happened to me [for the first time] and I was 24, I was very lonely. I was very isolated because no-one had been through what I’d been through. I didn’t know those people.

“And then when it happened with Rog, I saw it more as, ‘We’ve all got to keep it together for the kids.’”

Martin explained that as a woman in her 40s she was grateful for “having the best friends and best people around”.

She added, “You’ll have stopped making mistakes in that area of your life. And I really did, I had exceptional friends, an exceptional support network.”

MARRIED At First Sight star Ryan has revealed he’s returned to his day job after his shock exit from the show.

Ryan tied the knot with Sionainn Carmichael before they quit show.

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Yesterday it was revealed he would be making a dramatic return for the reunion with fellow co-star Hannah Norburn.

Just a week after Ryan’s exit was aired, the groom has revealed that he’s returning to his job as a bin man.

During an Instagram Q&A, one fan asked: “What’s next for Ryan?”

He simply replied: “Back on them bins.”

While Ryan also insisted that he was currently single, despite his recent romance with Hannah.

A fan quizzed him on his relationship status.

He revealed: “I’m very much single, most single I’ve ever been actually. It’s hard work.”

It comes after the news that Ryan and Hannah were an item.

Hannah was initially paired up with Stephen Nolson but cheated on him with Orson Nurse who was married to Richelle Cade.

But the other brides and grooms were left shocked when Hannah and Ryan arrived to the reunion hand-in-hand, in scenes yet to air.

Now fans think they’ve found proof it was third time lucky for Hannah as Instagram posts revealed she and Ryan attended the same festivals over the summer after the cameras had stopped rolling.

Snaps show them at Forbidden Forest in Leicestershire in June and that same month they were also both at Parklife in Manchester.

Yesterday MailOnline revealed Hannah and Ryan stunned their fellow brides and grooms with the shock relationship reveal.

A TV source told the website: “The entire cast was left openmouthed when Hannah walked into the reunion hand in hand with Ryan.

“She had made a big point about her friendliness being taken the wrong way and how the female members of the group had misjudged her intentions.

“But after kissing Orson in secret and growing close to Ryan off camera, it seems some of the suspicions from her co-stars were accurate.”

Hannah and Stephen’s marriage was short-lived after their furious fights on honeymoon.

Ryan and Stephen previously went head-to-head in dramatic scenes as Stephen revealed plans to make a move on Sionainn.

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The new Netflix series Territory is earning rave reviews from critics while fans on social media have compared it to hit shows Yellowstone and Succession.

The Australian series arrived on the streaming service last week.

An official synopsis says: “When the world’s largest cattle station is left without a clear successor, generational clashes threaten to tear the Lawson family apart.

“Sensing this once great dynasty is in decline, the outback’s most powerful factions – rival cattle barons, desert gangsters, Indigenous elders and billionaire miners – move in for the kill.”

On reviews aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes the series is rated 80% fresh, with Hollywood Reporter critic Daniel Fienberg declaring: “The cattle in Territory may not have a lot of genetic diversity — it’s a plot point! — and the hats may look a bit worn around the edges. But whatever you’re looking for, this series has a lot of it.”

On social media, viewers pointed out the similarities to Yellowstone with one writing: “I’m just 1,5 episodes in, but if #Netflix cancels this Aussie Yellowstone gem of a show, they are damn fools and we all should cancel subscription and renew it for a month when a particular show comes out, because COME ON! #Territory”

Another viewer added: “the new Netflix show ‘Territory’ is a mixture of Yellowstone and Succession. 9/10”

Others were less complimentary about the parallels, with one writing on X: “Territory is just Yellowstone with accents.”

Another said: “Netflix just dropped a new series called Territory that’s basically Yellowstone (hate to admit, it’s an admittedly great show)…”

In a B- review for AV Club, critic Todd Lazarski said he found the show both “bloody” and “soapy.”

“With such a shotgun-and-pickup-truck swagger, and a plot in conversation with season two of Fargo, Netflix seeks to get in on the wide-open-spaces itch of fans of Yellowstone, or Tulsa King, or whatever else Taylor Sheridan is cooking up under the expansive stars of his ranch,” wrote Lazarski.

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“But it’s not long before the tough-guy-and-girl schtick runs a bit toward pulpy, ending frequently in the realm of soapy. And for stretches, it can read as downright sudsy, with a love story sparked around an awkward request to take iPhone vids of some sweet horseback-riding moves. A Road House-esque brawl is precipitated by the kind of bar entrance where you hop on your buddy’s back and jostle his hat down over his eyes and then start a for-fun quarrel with bottles smashed over heads.”

Territory is on Netflix now.

EASTENDERS has aired a horrifying sex blackmail plot in today’s episode as Nish Panesar plunges to new lows.

The killer businessman – who is played by actor Navin Chowdhry in BBC soap – discovered the truth about The Six and Christmas this week.

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And he quickly used it to his advantage in a sickening new development.

Viewers know that Nish is dying and has a very short amount of time to live, but that hasn’t stopped him from enacting his most twisted plan yet.

After confronting The Six – minus Sharon – Nish told Suki that she knows him well-enough to know what it would take to buy his silence.

A horrified Suki first called Eve and left a voicemail: “We’ve been through our ups and downs but we’ve always come through it. I want you to know I don’t want to be with anyone else, not ever. I love you and I miss you.”

After leaving the voicemail, Suki called Nish downstairs and put her plan into motion.

“I’ve been thinking about what you want, what it will take to keep you quiet,” she said.

“Revenge. Eve took me from you, and I know what that did to you, so I’m offering you the chance to take me back, for one night, tonight.”

“One night?” he said.

Suki told him: “One night in our bed, so that every time you see her, you’ll know something that she doesn’t. 

“That you had me. I would do that to keep you quiet. After the way you treated me Nish, it’s more than you deserve. Well?”

But Nish hit back: “I don’t know what disgusts me the most. That you would debase yourself to satisfy my revenge on that woman or that you think that sex is all that I want from you. 

“You know what your problem has always been Suki? You’ve never truly appreciated everything that I’ve sacrificed for you. 

“So I’ve got better and more permanent terms to keep your merry band out of prison. It’s your turn to make a sacrifice for me.”

Darkest soap storylines

Over the years the likes of EastEnders, Emmerdale and Coronation Street have all tried to try outdo each other with their outlandish plots in a bid to keep us tuning in each week. But here are some of the darkest that had fans in shock…

EastEnders: Tony grooming Whitney (2008-2009) – Tony King first appeared in Albert Square in 2008 as the boyfriend of Bianca, played by Patsy Palmer. But it was quickly revealed he was a paedophile who had been grooming vulnerable Whitney, Bianca’s adopted stepdaughter from a previous relationship, since she was 12. The shocking storyline attracted more than 200 complaints within a week of it beginning. Whitney waited until her 16th birthday to reveal the truth to a horrified Bianca, who called the police.

Emmerdale: Holly’s drug addiction and shock death (2010-2016) – In 2010, Holly Barton (played by Sophie Powles) became Emmerdale’s first teenage drug addict. The shocking storyline saw her taking cocaine on a night out before developing a deadly heroin habit. Parents John and Moira desperately tried to help get their daughter clean but when Holly returned in 2016, following a four-year absence, she quickly relapsed. Fans were left stunned and heartbroken when distraught Moira found Holly dead in her bed from a heroin overdose.

Hollyoaks: Luke’s rape (2000) – Actor Gary Lucy was just 17 when he took on this groundbreaking storyline, which saw his character Luke Morgan become soap’s first male rape victim. Luke had endured a long-running bullying campaign by football rival Mark Gibbs – who raped him after Luke stood up to him. Luke was left suicidal following the brutal attack, before opening up to his brother Adam. Gibbs was sentenced to eight years in prison. Gary won the Best Actor gong at the British Soap Awards in 2000 for his performance.

Coronation Street: Evil Richard Hillman (2001-2003) – Just a mere mention of ‘Richard Hillman’ is enough to send a shiver down the spines of soap fans. He is often ranked one of the most evil soap villains and it’s not hard to see why. The smooth-talking financial adviser bashed his ex-wife Patricia over the head with a shovel. In a bid to keep his mother-in-law Audrey quiet, he set fire to her house. And when Maxine caught him trying to murder Emily Bishop, he took a crowbar to her head. He made his exit from the cobbles in 2003 when he drove Gail Platt, played by Helen Worth, and her family into the canal. They survived, but he didn’t.

Nish wants Suki to spend his last months with her as his wife – and all that entails.

Will she go through with it? Or does she have another way to beat Nish?

STRICTLY Come Dancing has been slammed by an animal rights charity over a ‘violently obtained’ part of the show.

Every week, millions of viewers tune into the BBC One show to watch some of their favourite stars compete for the glitterball trophy.

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This year, the likes of actress Sarah Hadland, EastEnders personality Jamie Borthwick and Love Island‘s Tasha Ghouri have all received high scores from the judges.

However, the bosses have not received such praise from animal charity PETA, who have slammed Strictly Come Dancing.

The organisation’s Vice President of Corporate Projects Yvonne Taylor has personally written to bosses, as she highlighted the continued use of feathers in the costumes of the show.

In her document that was seen by The Sun, she wrote: “Like many Brits, we love the dazzling dances Strictly Come Dancing brings to our screens, but we must spotlight one major concern: the series’ use of feathers.

“Real birds’ feathers are a product of extreme cruelty to animals and have no place on your dance floor. They are gory, not glamourous.”

In her letter, Mrs Taylor then went into more detail of the harmful effects of obtaining feathers for clothing materials.

“Industry use of other birds – like pheasants, parrots, and peacocks – is shrouded in secrecy, breeding black market activity.

“Live plucking, which is common, causes birds immense pain and sometimes fatal injuries.

“When you consider that factory farming birds to rob them of their plumes also increases the very real risk of a deadly bird flu pandemic, feathers are definitely something you don’t want to touch with a limbo stick!”

The charity noted that huge fashion designers like Stella McCartney are moving away from ‘cruelly obtained feathers’.

It also pointed out that the recent Victoria’s Secret show featured designs that were made exclusively from handcrafted faux feathers.

The Sun has contacted the BBC for comment.

Strictly 2024 pairings

Here’s who is matched with who this series…

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Strictly Come Dancing is available to watch on BBC One and stream on BBC iPlayer.