For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

Sarah Hadland became emotional when she revealed the song she would be dancing to on week four of Strictly Come Dancing.

The Miranda star, 53, who wowed audiences with her Viennese Waltz tribute to Maggie Smith last week, performed a Foxtrot to Billie Eilish’s hit track “Birds of a Feather” on Saturday (12 October).

Hadland teared up in rehearsals as she explained the personal inspiration behind the song choice to her professional dance partner Vito Coppola.

Sat in the dance studio, Hadland showed Coppola a painting of two birds she and her daughter had made together.

“[This dance] it’s about my family and me and my little one ,” she said.

“This song is special to us because we sing it together,” Hadland added of her and her daughter’s love of the Eilish anthem.

“It would be really lovely to show how I feel in the dance.”

open image in gallery

For her Foxtrot, Hadland was awarded six points by Revel Horwood and seven points each by Mabuse, Balla and Du Beke.

Hadland was criticised for “trotting” rather than “gliding” during her performance by the Strictly Come Dancing judges in week four.

However, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke admitted they were being harsh on the actor because they knew she could do better.

Her score of 27 was five marks lower than what she achieved in Movie Week and viewers were concerned the star had been given the Strictly “death slot” by being scheduled to perform second on the show.

Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days

New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled

Try for free

Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days

Advertisement

New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled

Try for free

Hadland was second on the Strictly leaderboard following Movie Week and was beaten to first place by Tasha Ghouri by only one point.

open image in gallery

One fan wrote on X/Twitter: “What a beautiful Foxtrot from Sarah. You can tell this song really meant a lot to her and it showed in her performance. Beautiful footwork, very elegant and lyrical. She is really good at engaging the audience.”

Meanwhile, another viewer added: “Amazing dance from Sarah, gorgeous I’d give an eight!”

Elsewhere on the programme, week four of the BBC dancing competition saw the long-anticipated return of DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles after he was forced to pull out of Movie Week due to a leg injury.

“This time last week I thought I was out so I’m over the moon,” the broadcaster told host Claudia Winkleman of his return.

TOWIE star Junaid Ahmed has admitted he is “really loved up” with Joe Blackman as the pair yet off holiday.

Fans of the show were left gobsmacked when they started dating – just days after Joe’s split from Harry Derbidge.

4

Advertisement

4

But despite speculation they wouldn’t last, the pair seem happier than ever.

Speaking to The Sun last week, Junaid said: “We’re really good. Really really happy.  Really loved up.” 

He added: We’re in a really good space. Happy. We’ll see how things go. Let’s see what happens.”

But he admitted he is yet to speak to Harry, his former best friend, about the betrayal.

“No I havent spoken to him and I genuinely wish him the best,” he told us.

“I think that friendship is done. I wish him the best and I hope that he is ok. I send him my love and I hope that he is ok. “

Harry was left completely heartbroken and blindsided by their budding romance, which has played out on screen.

This weekend Joe and Junaid have jetted off on their first proper holiday together – to Ibiza.

The pair have shared numerous snaps as they headed to the party isle, in a move that is likely to upset Harry even further.

During last week’s Towie Harry’s furious cousin Amy Childs was seen confronting Junaid and Joe.

She told Junaid: “I really hope you two get married, but I know for a fact in two weeks time you’ll ring me and say ‘Amy look what he’s done to Harry and now look what he’s done to you,’ so good luck to you.”

Amy was joined by her fiancé Billy Delbosq, who also backed Harry, as he called Junaid and Joe’s romance “fake.”

He said: “Personally I think he’s going to drop you out, and whatever this is that’s going on it’s as fake as a handbag down Dagenham market.”

As they turned to leave, Amy turned back and said: “Yeah you’re snakes, hun.”

4

Advertisement

4

RAG ‘N’ Bone man choked back tears as he opened up on the hugely poignant meaning behind his new album.

The Human hitmaker, 39, performed fresh track, Pocket, live on the BBC‘s Graham Norton Show on Friday.

6

Advertisement

6

6

6

Yet it was when the Uckfield-born star arrived on the programme’s star-studded sofa, alongside the likes of comedienne Miranda Hart, 51, and musician Selena Gomez, 32, when emotion hit.

Opening up on the heart-wrenching track, from fresh release What Do You, host Graham told how the lyrics came from “a beautiful sad place.”

Rag ‘n’ Bone Man, real name Rory Graham, agreed and said: “I was trying to figure out how to talk to children about loss and how you sugar coat things and say someone has gone to a better place.

“Even if you don’t necessarily believe that, it was OK to say.

“And I guess what do you believe in means – ohh sorry,” before a sharp intake of breath.

As he continued to stay silent, host Graham said: “Are you OK? You don’t look …” before the audience filled the silence with a round of applause.

Rag ‘n’ Bone man said: “No I am good.”

Graham, offering further support, added: “If its hard to talk about then don’t, honestly you’re fine.”

Yet the hitmaker battled on and said: “Basically I was trying to tell my kids about the loss of my mum.

“And basically what I concluded was it doesn’t really matter what we believe in, it’s about our collective love for each other, and how we get through that together as a family.”

After the emotional confession, Graham replied: “I didn’t mean to upset you but thank you for sharing that.”

Addressing the panel on the sofa, the tattooed singer said: “I didn’t want to bring things down.”

Trying to add a splash of humour Graham quipped: “And also it is one of those things – you’ve called the album that so you are going to have to tell that story again, so I’m so sorry.”

Jane was a key figure in the Uckfield music scene prior to her passing in January 2023.

Fans were quick to take to X to comment on the emotional scenes.

One remarked: “An emotional but lovely #GrahamNorton tonight! Both Miranda and Rag N Bone Man sharing today, and love how supportive the other celebs were!”

Another posted: “I’m not a follower of any of the guests on the #GrahamNorton show, BUT it just gets better, glued to the screen. Proper emotional stories and connections.”

A third put: “That was like a therapy session tonight …”

Another mused: “Ooo love #Ragnboneman on #GrahamNorton tonight.”

The singer recently raised eyebrows among fans as he revealed his very normal job before finding fame.

6

Advertisement

6

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

Ian Hislop exchanged words with former Conservative MP Andrea Jenkyns during Friday’s (11 October) episode of Have I Got News For You.

The awkward exchange was ignited when Jenkyns praised former prime minister Boris Johnson, prompting groans from the audience in the studio. At this point, she accused the long-running BBC panel show of deliberately selecting its audience to be stacked with people critical of the Conservative party.

Hislop, one of the team captains on the series alongside comedian Paul Merton, described the claim as “b*****ks”.

Jenkyns served as the Member of Parliament for Morley and Outwood from 2015 to 2024, but lost in the election earlier this year.

During Johnson’s controversial time in office, she was made Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Skills. Johnson’s stint as prime minister was widely criticised for his handling of the Covid pandemic, and the violation of his own lockdown restrictions in the scandal that became known as “partygate”.

Speaking about the possibility of Johnson returning to politics on Have I Got News For You, Jenkyns said: “I don’t think it’s over for him. I still think Boris was one of our better prime ministers.”

This remark drew groans of dissent from the studio audience. Jenkyns then turned to Hislop and said: “I see you’ve selected the audience. The people who don’t like Boris or Conservatives.”

open image in gallery

“You can’t just say, ‘You’ve selected the audience,’” Hislop responded. “You’ve got no evidence for that, no proof. It’s just b*****ks. This isn’t GB News.”

Viewers shared their reactions to the exchange on social media, with some deeming the encounter “awkward”.

Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days

Advertisement

New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled

Try for free

Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days

New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled

Try for free

Earlier this month, Hislop made headlines when a taxi he was travelling in was briefly thought to have been targeted by gunfire.

The panel show stalwart, who is also the longstanding editor of Private Eye, was travelling through Soho, London on Tuesday morning when the window of his car suddenly shattered.

Urgent forensic examinations were undertaken, but showed that no firearm had been discharged. Instead, it is believed that a mechanical fault may have caused the window to shatter, according to the police.

Hislop and Merton subsequently saw the funny side of the incident during an episode of Have I Got News For You, with Merton quipping: “I have an alibi.”