Clara Amfo has confirmed she was among the famous faces who was considered to take over as one of Strictly Come Dancing’s new hosts.

Ever since Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman announced last year that they were stepping down as Strictly’s resident hosts, the former Radio 1 star had been repeatedly mentioned as a potential contender for the gig.

During the latest episode of her podcast Into It, Clara finally revealed that she was indeed “in the mix” during the casting process.

“I can say it publicly now,” she told co-host Munroe Bergdorf. “I tried out for the main job of Strictly Come Dancing. Didn’t get it. [I was a] bit gutted at the time, but quickly got over it.”

Reflecting on the audition process, she explained that she “tried out” for the show “with another presenter” as a pair, but did not disclose who the other potential host was.

She added: “It was intense, man, But big up Emma Willis. We get on fantastically well. She’s going to be amazing.

“Johannes Radebe, that’s my boy, we love Jojo, and Josh Widdicombe – lovely, lovely man.”

Clara insisted: “I’m never mad at losing out on work to people I respect and who I think are really, really good at their jobs.”

However, Clara – who took part in Strictly back in 2020 – is not the only star to admit losing out on the Strictly hosting role.

In May, Zoe Ball shared that she’d gone through the “seven stages of grief and rejection” after missing out on the job, while Rylan Clark also confirmed that he’d unsuccessfully tried out for the role.

Ahead of their hosting debut, Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe opened up to HuffPost UK and other media outlets about the rigorous Strictly audition process.

“It was quite a long process,” Emma recalled. “And rightly so, because they really wanted to make sure that they were thorough in meeting all the people they wanted to meet – and doing screentests…”

Emma claimed that part of these screentests involved a “fake show”, with Josh noting: “You turned up and it was… I don’t know what you’d call it. Just a room, I suppose you’d call it, that’s all it was. It was a room with a table with a sparkly cloth, with Motsi [Mabuse] and Anton [Du Beke] sat behind it, playing themselves.

“And then Joe, the producer, doing an incredible impression of Craig Revel Horwood next to them. And a great Shirley impression…”

“They’d show a video of a dance, and then, the floor manager from Strictly would pretend to be a contestant, and you’d interview him as if he was Ed Balls,” he continued.

“You were reacting to these classic dances, and then you’d send them upstairs – or they’d be sent upstairs to you because you’d have a go at both roles – and by ‘going upstairs’ that meant ‘going three paces across the room to the next person that’s just stood there’. And then, you’d interview them.”

The trio made their hosting debut during Strictly’s pre-recorded launch show over the weekend, with the first live show of the new season taking place on Saturday night.

On Tuesday night, Nigella Lawson made her long-awaited debut on Great British Bake Off, stepping into the brightly spectacled shoes of Prue Leith.

Dubbed the “legendary, the iconic Nigella Lawson” by Alison Hammond, the chef blew a friendly kiss at the bakers as she joined Alison, Paul Hollywood and Noel Fielding for her first outing in the Bake Off tent.

Nigella’s hiring was met with a rapturous reception when it was first announced at the start of the year, with many declaring it the perfect fit for Channel 4’s baking show – meaning expectations were high when it came to her first show.

Fortunately, her opening episode was full of Bake Off’s signature laughs, drama and innuendo – with two major cake disasters and plenty of tears.

After the episode aired, critics were overwhelmingly positive about Nigella’s appearance, with Metro praising her for the “pedigree, the warmth, the obvious fit with everything Bake Off stands for.”

They even compared her launch episode to the BBC heyday of the baking show.

“Watching Nigella seamlessly play her role and blend in with Paul, Alison and Noel is actually a stark reminder of how much has been missing since the BBC years with Bake Off titans Mel, Sue and Mary Berry,” their four-star take enthused.

In a five-star review for The Guardian, they applauded how easily Nigella fitted into the existing core group of presenters and judges.

“She moves through Bake Off dispensing words of wisdom, generous praise and gentle criticism, just as confident as Leith but a much quieter, more soothing presence that works perfectly with Alison Hammond’s ebullience and Paul Hollywood’s teacher-ish vibe,” they said.

The Telegraph was similarly impressed with the way Nigella conducted herself in the tent, claiming: “She brings glamour, intelligence and poise. And, of course, a hefty dollop of innuendo.”

“Lawson is supportive in her judging but not afraid to tell the bakers where they can improve. She gives helpful advice,” they also praised.

The Times called Nigella the “icing on the cake” of Bake Off, insisting that the series is in “safe hands” with the Domestic Goddess at the helm.

“I particularly loved the way she raised her eyebrows when everyone chortled at the line “I think the nut size is quite huge”. I’m with Nigella, we’re all with Nigella, who simply added to the cheerful gaiety of a rock-solid format on her terms,” their critic said.

Digital Spy was surprised at Nigella’s debut and how reserved and unraunchy she was.

“If you thought you knew what to expect from Nigella… think again,” the outlet’s review said.

“She is bright and vibrant, with just a touch of nervousness that gives you a sense of how much this new venture means to her. Her vulnerability is endearing and warming, as is the affectionate way she engages with the bakers, like during the showstopper challenge.”

Not everyone was as enamoured with the episode, though, with The Independent suggesting that Nigella’s hiring was a missed opportunity to switch up the “tired” Bake Off formula.

Despite finding it hard to “muster any enthusiasm” for the series, The Indy’s review did praise Nigella for being a “sympathetic ear for contestants”, even if they did doubt “how tight her baking analysis is going to be.”

“By the end of her first day in the tent, she feels part of the fabric. Just another square on the gingham tablecloth,” the review concluded.

Posting on Instagram before the episode aired, she admitted: “I can’t pretend I’m not nervous about tonight but I’m excited, too.

“It’s a huge honour to be part of something as cherished (and rightly so) as Bake Off, and I’m enormously grateful, somewhat overawed and supremely happy.”

“Thanks to you all for your messages of encouragement,” she also gushed. “I appreciate it from the bottom of my racing heart!

“Above all, of course, thank you to our lovely fresh batch of bakers. I can’t wait for you to meet them…”

Great British Bake Off continues on Tuesday night on Channel 4.

Amy Winehouse’s former collaborators are planning something special to commemorate 20 years since the release of her most celebrated work, Back To Black.

On Wednesday morning, music producers Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi announced they were teaming up with The Amy Winehouse Band to put together a one-off concert honouring the critically-lauded album.

The one-off concert will feature Amy’s band playing the Back To Black album straight-through in full, with a series of guest vocalists helping bring the iconic songs to life.

Jorja Smith, Corinne Bailey Rae, Lianne La Havas, Sky Newman and Nia Smith are among those on the line-up, which also includes Jessie Reyez, Nia Smith, Flo, Yebba, Baby Rose and Sasha Keable.

Mark said: “I’m honoured to be asked to come celebrate Amy alongside Salaam and some amazing artists worthy of singing her songs. Doing justice to the legacy of Back To Black is the order of the night.”

“Funny how time flies! I can’t believe it’s been 20 years already,” Salaam also admitted. “I’m excited to see what these ladies bring to their versions of these songs we know and love.”

The event will take place at the Roundhouse in Camden, London on Wednesday 21 October.

General release tickets will go on sale on Thursday 1 October at 10am on Metropolis Music’s website, while those who pre-order a 20th anniversary edition of Back To Black before Monday 28 September will also be granted access to a pre-sale.

For those who don’t get tickets, the concert will also air on the BBC in late October as part of a special night of programming celebrating Amy’s legacy.

Released in 2006, Back To Black featured some of Amy’s signature songs, including Rehab, You Know I’m No Good, Tears Dry On Their Own, Love Is A Losing Game and the album’s title track.

It was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize as well as Album Of The Year at the following year’s Brit Awards, as well as earning the British singer five Grammy wins.

The writers of The Inbetweeners are encouraging fans to have some restraint now work on the upcoming revival is underway.

After years of speculation, it was confirmed earlier this month that a third Inbetweeners movie was in the pipeline, which will reunite the main cast more than a decade on from the most recent film.

Now that the wheels are officially in motion, co-creators Iain Morris and Damon Beesley shared a message with fans on Instagram on Tuesday.

“Beepidy beep beep, time for an Inbetweeners update,” they wrote alongside a behind-the-scenes snap of the reunited cast.

“As you probably know, we’ve started filming a new Inbetweeners adventure. We love that everyone is interested, and it’s brilliant that these four idiots are still considered news.

“We’re all excited for the film, but the rumour mill can sometimes get carried away, so our advice is simple: if you want to fully enjoy what we’ve got in store for you, we’d suggest avoiding photos and conjecture about the story.”

They added: “We promise it’ll be a more enjoyable watch going in knowing nothing. Where we can, we’ll share little updates from the set here.”

Alluding to recent reports in the tabloid press about the movie’s cast, they also clarified that “try as we might, we couldn’t squeeze every single beloved character from the TV shows into this new film”.

“That’s on us, and us alone,” they insisted. “Again, people will speculate about why we make these choices, but sadly the truth is we just couldn’t find a plausible way in the script to bring back all our lovely ‘friends’.

“It’s not as headline-worthy, but it’s the truth. Stay tuned for more boring updates like this.”

So far, little is known about what’s in store in the new film, although it has been suggested that the cast were seen filming a wedding scene last week.

The Inbetweeners ran for three seasons between 2008 and 2010, earning a loyal following and winning numerous awards, including three British Comedy Awards and a National Television Award, as well as being nominated for a TV Bafta.

It went on to spawn two spin-off films, released in 2011 and 2014, both of which revolved around chaotic and cringe-worthy lads’ holidays.

After a summer of relentless heatwaves – with one last bout of warm weather hitting this week – a new season approaches, with the nights drawing in and sunset-coloured leaves crunching beneath our feet.

The autumn equinox (23 September) is regarded as a clear marker of the start of autumn and a time when both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres experience equal amounts of daytime and night.

But according to astrologer Inbaal Honigman, its significance goes far beyond the changing seasons.

“With summer drawing to a close, and winter on the horizon, the light half of the year begins to give way to the darker half,” Honigman told HuffPost UK.

“The autumn equinox marks that precise moment of transition, and is a liminal space between light and dark. It is the moment when the sun sits directly above the equator, bringing day and night into balance with almost equal hours of light and darkness.”

Generally, it’s around 21 September, give or take a day or two. But this year, it falls on 23 September (Wednesday).

Here, Honigman talks us through what the autumn equinox could mean for each star sign.

“As the autumn equinox is a time to rest up and gather strength, it leaves you a little perplexed. You like to keep active, Aries, so balance is a dull subject for you. The season gives you the unfair and very welcome advantage: if you’re the only one working hard, you’re likely to find success.”

“This equinox leads into Libra season, which is governed by Venus, planet of love. The same planet governs you, too, Taurus, meaning that romance, the home, and your indoor spaces will be prioritised and taken care of.

“Self care is not selfish, so go ahead and welcome autumn with a day off and a comforting hot drink.”

“On the equinox, night and dark are in perfect balance, a union of opposites. You, Gemini, feel right at home during those liminal times. The moment between day and night, the moment between winter and summer, when you’re neither one or the other. Those times speak to the very essence of who you are, the Twins.

“Enjoy being both active and calm, both serious and humorous, on this day of balance.”

“Autumn gathers life and brings it into the home. You, Cancer, are the most home-loving of the signs, so this time of year ensures that you step into your true character.

“Lighting a cinnamon candle, decorating your living room in fall colours, investing in a large book and a new comforter, you’ve never felt more peaceful.”

“After the equinox, every day will have more darkness than light for six whole months. This isn’t the easiest for you, Leo, as your celestial ruler is the Sun, and the Sun’s light is decreasing.

“While your sunny essence goes unsupported, this is a great opportunity to explore your inner light. Be a light unto others, and show friends and loved ones how to self-generate the joy and strength that you are known for, by exercising more, and being intentional with your career moves.”

“The autumn equinox isn’t just the end of the light half of the year, it is also the end of Virgo season. While the past month was all yours, Virgo, the next 11 months are not.

“You’re a tolerant, welcoming and soothing presence for friends and strangers alike, and as the season leaves you, your kindness doesn’t. Connect with your inner self by taking on volunteer projects and supporting those who need it most.”

“Leading into autumn, the most elegant of seasons, is exactly your time of year. Libra season begins at the autumn equinox, and for you, Libra, this is a quiet and undeniable joy.

“You’re a graceful, peaceful sign that loves making your home into a sanctuary. There can be no better time for you to tidy, reorganise, and be at home with your personal space. Tis the season to be nesting.”

“Welcoming the dark half of the year is what you’ve been wishing for all summer. Even the most extroverted of Scorpios find the sunny season to be a bit much.

“All the socialising, the outdoors, the sweat, are not your cup of tea. In fact, an actual cup of tea is preferable in your eyes. So autumnal fashions, trends and habits make you feel relieved, excited and enthusiastic. The countdown to Halloween can finally begin!”

“For a sign that travels and explores as much as you do, seasons are but a figment. Autumn is for others, you’re already planning your next getaway, Sagittarius.

“As the days get shorter, they’re getting longer elsewhere, and you’re taking steps to get there. Even if you stay at home all season long, the dreams and fantasies of faraway shores, sustain you. And it’s always sunny there.”

“The autumn equinox tolls the bell for the third quarter of the year. You’re the most business-minded of signs, Capricorn, which is why you see every year and every quarter as a reflection of your goals and achievements.

“You’re not looking at the falling leaves and the fragrant lattes, you’re looking at your spreadsheets and deciding how to make the most of winter.”

“Autumn equinox brings change to nature all around us, from trees and grass to birds and pets, as well as human friends. You’re a great nature lover and humanitarian, Aquarius, and for you, any change is as good as any other.

“As the season changes, you’ll find yourself inviting friends over, adopting strays and protecting your neighbourhood shrubs from sudden frosts. The dark season gives you new focus, and a reason to activate your caring heart.”

“As nights overtake days, there’s more time to dream and imagine. You’re a romantic, psychic, intuitive sign, and you welcome the change of seasons, which inspires you creatively.

“Every moment spent outdoors under the autumn drizzle, evokes a thought.”

Inbaal revealed all for Heart Bingo Online.

We spend each morning and night applying every lotion and potion under the sun to our faces and necks. But when it comes to our scalps, we think that simply washing it every few days is enough.

While our awareness of scalp health has made some strides over the last few years, we’re still blissfully unaware of what is going on beneath our hair, according to medicated scalp shampoo brand Polytar.

According to research done by the brand, 54% of people believe their scalp is healthy, and 88% claim to feel confident in how to clean their scalp.

However, 75% continue to experience scalp conditions like itchiness, eczema, or psoriasis – so clearly something is going wrong along the way.

To help you better understand your scalp health, Polytar has launched a free scalp calculator, which asks you 13 questions about your scalp, gives you a scalp health score out of 100, and offers personalised insights into how to improve it.

Built by trichologists, the calculator will ask you about your symptoms, diagnosed scalp conditions, triggers, patterns, environmental factors and protective behaviours that you might have not even considered.

In fact, it’s quite common for people to not recognise the impact of scalp conditions on their overall wellbeing, says Amy Hunt, a registered trichologist and hairdresser.

“A common misconception I see as a trichologist is people assuming they have a healthy scalp, when in reality they may be experiencing ongoing low-level issues,” she says.

“This is often because their symptoms, such as mild flaking, irritation or oiliness, have been consistent over time, so they view it as ‘normal’. In many cases, there is a lack of awareness around what a truly healthy scalp should feel and look like, as well as how to properly care for it.”

Scalp health isn’t just about your hair looking good, though, it can also impact your hair’s health.

“Scalp health is fundamental, as it directly impacts hair growth, comfort and overall hair quality, yet it’s often overlooked in everyday routines,” Hunt explains.

So you don’t have yet another thing to think about when you’re in the shower, Polytar’s calculator offers simple and practical tips that can easily be integrated into your everyday routine.

Having suffered with painful scalp psoriasis flare-ups for five years, Ross Berridge, 37, says using the calculator helped him understand his triggers.

“[The calculator] made me realise how frequently I get flare-ups and symptoms,” he says.

“It also made me think of some of the triggers for these, including hard water and sweat from exercise, that I hadn’t considered.

“Psoriasis is often a vicious cycle, where the impact on your mental health can make it worse.

“Learning to accept it is the first step. Finding out what triggers it is the second. The third is building a routine that mitigates the triggers and provides a proactive and reactive safety net.”

While Netflix is yet to announce a decision about the future of its controversial true crime anthology series Monster, bosses already have big plans for the franchise.

During a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ian Brennan – who co-created the show with TV superproducer Ryan Murphy – claimed that he and his collaborator have “both said we want to do 10 of them”.

Asked about whether the team had settled on a central figure for a potential fifth run, he claimed: “We never do. We always switch. It’s always three or four different ones, and we toggle between.

“There’s a hopper of three things, but Ryan and I both said we want to do 10 of them. It’s a fairly exhaustive list, but it’s tricky.”

He continued: “You’d be surprised at how many subjects we start and then abandon, because it’s just not [right].

“You can really tell when it’s wrong right away, because you’re asking people to spend seven or eight or nine or 10 hours getting inside this person’s head. They better be really interesting.

“That’s always the challenge with this show – finding that. And then once we do, it flies out.”

So far, the seasons of Monster have focussed on figures as wide-ranging as Jeffrey Dahmer, the Menéndez brothers, Ed Gein and, most recently, Lizzie Borden.

Meanwhile, in a separate interview published last week, Ian reeled off a list of names that season five could explore, revealing that serial killer Dennis Rader – known to true crime followers by his pseudonym BTK – was one that had been “talked about” in the past.

“[He] is a fascinating one”, Ian noted, before disclosing that Ted Bundy, Gary Ridgway (the so-called Green River Killer) and even Luigi Mangione were subjects that had also been tossed around behind the scenes.

Ryan Murphy has already ruled out the idea of a Monster season hooked on Ted Bundy’s crimes, claiming that his story doesn’t provide enough of a fresh commentary on American culture and society.