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'Big Brother': Helen Wood Blasts Kimberly Following Winston Shower... After Making Amends With Jale

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Big Brother’ housemate Helen Wood seems to have kissed and made up with fellow contestant Jale Karaturp… but in last night’s highlights show she was seen starting a fresh argument with Kimberly Kisselovich.

Helen had previously been reprimanded by show bosses in the Diary Room for her “unacceptable behaviour” towards Jale, who she’d branded “a slug”, and was warned by Big Brother it could be perceived as “bullying”.

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'BB' housemate Helen Wood, who was accused of bullying by some viewers


Since then the two seem to have patched things up, with Helen telling Jale in last night’s highlights show that she hoped she wasn’t evicted on Friday night.

However, just because Jale and Helen appear to have buried the hatchet doesn’t mean that everything is rosy in the ‘Big Brother’ garden, as we later saw Helen having a go at Kimberly after a few too many sherries.

It all started on the afternoon when, following a task where the housemates were made to shovel manure into bags to win a luxury shopping budget, Winston - quite understandably - decided to shower off afterwards.

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Kimberly and Winston have a shower after shoveling manure for a task


Not wanting to stand around covered in, y’know, poo, a bikini-clad Kimberly jumped right in the shower with him and they had a nice chat as they cleaned off, much to the disdain of some of the housemates.

After a few drinks, Helen told Kimberly she felt it was disrespectful of her to go in the shower with Winston, who had shared a snog with her friend Tamara Stewart-Wood shortly before her eviction.

Helen told Kimberly: “If you had any respect for Tamara you wouldn't have done that”, though the American model was adamant that there was nothing going on between the two of them, insisting: “I would take a shower with anyone in the house.”

Meanwhile ‘Big Brother’ presenters Emma Willis and Luisa Zissman have both criticised Helen for her behaviour, with Emma claiming she thinks her fast pass to the final should be taken away from her if she doesn’t change her ways.



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The Week In 50 Funny Tweets: Starring The World Cup, Jeremy Paxman And Labour Owls

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We're not saying it was an odd week. But it was the week of high football drama:




The week Labour promised to give away owls:




The week Facebook went down. Briefly. But it was long enough:




And the week Jeremy Paxman left 'Newsnight':




We blame Phil Neville.

Yes, here's this week's round-up of tweets starring all of the above (well, Phil Neville and Jonathan Pearce get their own bespoke slideshow below - we felt they deserved them), plus Tony Blair, Father's Day and more. We promise they won't leave you sick as a parrot...



SEE ALSO:




Claudia Winkleman Has Fake Tan Disaster, New 'Strictly' Host Shows Off Orange Arms And White Hands (PICS)

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Claudia Winkleman was seen suffering from yet another cosmetics-based faux pas on Wednesday night, when she was photographed showcasing a seriously dodgy fake tan job.

While the TV personality’s arms and feet were giving off a decidedly tangerine glow as she was snapped leaving the press night for the play ‘Skylight’ in Central London, her hands were looking like they belonged on the complete opposite side of the Dulux colour chart.

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We suspect Claudia forgot to fake tan her hands


In fact, such was the difference between Claudia’s hands and arms that you’d be forgiven for thinking she’d decided to go all out for her theatre trip by donning some white gloves.

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Oh dear


Of course, this isn’t the first time that Claudia has been caught off guard with a cosmetics-related disaster.

Last year she attended the GQ Men Of The Year Awards sporting some seriously dodgy eye-liner and looking like she was channeling Alice Cooper.

Let’s just hope she can sort it out before the next series of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ kicks off later in the year after it was confirmed that she’ll be taking over co-hosting duties from Sir Bruce Forsyth.

She’ll be presenting the show alongside Tess Daly, which will mark the first time a female duo have been at the helm of a primetime Saturday night TV show.



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Kelly Brook's Fiancé David McIntosh Reveals He Works Out Naked And Discusses His Manhood

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It sounds like you might want to keep your curtains closed if you live next door to Kelly Brook’s fiancé David McIntosh, after he revealed he has a penchant for doing his morning work-out in the nude.

David has revealed in a new interview with gay magazine Attitude, that he’s so comfortable with his body that he has no problems walking around his apartment in the nude, and doesn’t feel the need to hide his modesty from his neighbours.

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David McIntosh, during his 'Gladiators' days


He explained: “I do my exercise routines and make my protein shake naked. If you appreciate your body why would you want to cover it up? You might as well show it off.

“I live in an apartment with buildings facing on to it, so when I walk around letting it all hang out I give the neighbours a bit of a shock.”

That said, it sounds like David hasn’t got anything to be shy about - as if we didn’t already know that judging from those infamous shorts - joking to Attitude: “As I always say to the girls, once you go McIntosh, you don't go back. A few have been scared off.”

David also poses nude inside the issue, but we’re not sure whether or not Kelly will be splashing out on a copy, as there’s a rather familiar face on the cover - her ex-boyfriend, Thom Evans who has also whipped his top off for a photo-shoot with the magazine.

Awkward.

thom evans

The latest edition of Attitude magazine is available to download now, and hits newsstands on 25 June.



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Funny News Pictures Of The Week

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From politics to football - including the overlap of the two - we bring you this week's silliest snaps...

Caroline Flack Wanted For 'Strictly Come Dancing' By Professional Dancer Brendan Cole After Quitting 'Xtra Factor' (VIDEO)

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Caroline Flack is the latest star to be linked to the next series of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’, hot off the announcement she has stepped down as presenter of ‘The Xtra Factor’.

Caroline hosted the ‘X Factor’ companion show for three years, first with popstar Olly Murs and then with comedian Matt Richardson, but it was recently revealed that she was quitting the show, meaning her summer would be conveniently free.

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Caroline Flack


‘Strictly’ pro-dancer Brendan Cole has revealed that he’d love to see the presenter strapping on her dancing shoes when the show returns to screens later this year, telling Digital Spy: “Caroline Flack, she'd be great, definitely. That would be amazing.”

However when discussing if he’d like to see any other former ‘X Factor’ stars appearing on the show, he said he wouldn’t like to see ex-judge Nicole Scherzinger stepping onto the ‘Strictly’ dance-floor, as she’s already won the American version of the show.

Besides Caroline, other stars to be rumoured contestants for this year's series include former 'TOWIE' star Mark Wright and Radio 1 DJ Greg James.

Meanwhile, it’s all-change over at ‘Strictly’ this year, after presenter Sir Bruce Forsyth has stepped down as host, having fronted the show since its first series back in 2004.

He’s since admitted that leaving ‘Strictly’ behind after ten years wasn’t an easy decision to make, comparing it to breaking up with a girlfriend, but later said he was fed up of criticisms over his age and said: “You do start to feel a bit stale, like a bit of fruit you’ve put in a bowl.”

His former co-host Tess Daly will be joined by Claudia Winkleman, who was recently confirmed as the new presenter.



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'Big Brother' Housemates: From Brian Dowling And Josie Gibson To Chantelle Houghton... Where Are They Now? (PICS)

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We’ve seen tears, tantrums, romance and drama by the absolute bucket-load… and we’re only a couple of weeks in. That can mean only one thing, another series of ‘Big Brother’ is officially underway.

The wide-eyed contestants currently shacked up in Borehamwood’s most famous bungalow are all living one day to the next without knowing what’s around the corner, whether it’s a shock ‘Power Trip’ twist, a nominations surprise or just another slurred argument after someone’s had one too many of those label-less cans of cider.

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Some of the housemates from 'BB' years gone by


We’ve no doubt they’re all dreaming of the outside world and their lives outside of the ‘BB’ compound, but while some will be thinking about returning to their loved ones and normal lives, ‘Big Brother’ is now into its fifteenth series so we strongly suspect there are one or two who have fame on their minds, and will be grabbing every red carpet invitation and club appearance they can get their mitts on once they’ve left the house.

Of course, some past housemates have managed to use their new-found platform to their advantage, such as Alison Hammond who’s now an interviewer for ‘This Morning’ or Craig Phillips, who won the very first series of ‘Big Brother’ and put his skills to good use to become a TV builder.

That said, not all ex-housemates have managed to pull off a career in the media quite so successfully, and are still turning up the opening of an envelope despite no one having any idea who they are, or even remember they were on ‘Big Brother’ in the first place.

We thought we’d round up some of the best-loved - or, at least, the most memorable - housemates from series gone by and see what they’ve been doing since they left the ‘BB’ house behind…



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The Top 10 Boutique European Festivals This Summer 2014

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Co-author: Tey Bannerman

Ready to take a trek off the beaten festival path? From mountain thermal springs to private secluded beaches to 100% sustainable eco-friendly ventures, all of the festivals on our Top 10 Boutique Festivals list have their own unique points of difference, boldly turning away from current trends to forge their own unique paths on the European festival landscape. If you're looking for those unforgettable experiences that you'll tell your grand-kids about then look no further.

10. Edge of the Lake Festival 2014
Switzerland

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27th Jun - 29th Jun 2014
Tickets from €35 (3 day festival pass)

The 8th edition of Weekend At The Edge Of The Lake Festival takes place in a little summer alpine paradise: the Géronde Lake in Sierre, Switzerland. With over 5,000 festival goers set to be in attendence for three days and three nights of concerts, live sets, DJ sets and visual art performances all taking place at the shore of the little lake.

9. MS Dockville 2014
Germany

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15th Aug - 17th Aug 2014
Tickets from €89 (3 day festival ticket)
Headliners: Birdy

The beautiful MS Dockville Festival takes place in the outskirts of Hamburg, located on an old industrial area by the waterfront, accessible by ferry. Besides the huge lineup, there's an abundance of sights and treats to discover on the festival site. Installations, theater and performances are combined in one awesome art camp, and the location, art, and musical focus on international newcomers make this festival one of Europe's best.

8. Meadows in the Mountains Festival 2014
Bulgaria

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13th Jun - 15th Jun 2014
Tickets from €120 (3 day festival ticket)
Headliners: Maayan Nidam, Ruede Hagelstein, Jazzanova

Meadows In The Mountains Festival unleashes it's otherworldly sunset, sunrise and sun kissed line up for it's 4th chapter this June. With over 40 artists already announced, Meadows is back bigger, better with a wider spectrum of music and a superb array of creative art collectives and installations set across three days in an unrivalled and breathtakingly beautiful festival vista.

7. The Garden Festival 2014
Croatia

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2nd Jul - 9th Jul 2014
Tickets from €18 (festival day pass)
Headliners: Derrick Carter, Crazy P

The Garden Festival is one of the region's leading boutique odysseys, treasured as much for its wide musical spectrum to the delectable fusion of holiday and festival into a sun-kissed adventure with like-minded souls from all over the world. Sound-tracked by leading exponents of the underground scene a liberal dose of headline names, The Garden Festival remains true to its original roots, founded upon an ethos to create a magical and enchanting environment under the dazzling Croatian sun and starlit skies.

6. FOR Festival 2014
Croatia

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19th Jun - 22nd Jun 2014
Tickets from €55 (one-day festival ticket)
Headliners: Darkside

FOR Festival is a non-traditional music event on the picturesque island of Hvar, Croatia. An intimate and exclusive (only 2500 tickets available per day), carefully curated musical experience on one of Croatia's most beautiful islands, it's a festival experience like none other.

5. Secret Solstice 2014
Iceland

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20th Jun - 22nd Jun 2014
Tickets from €127 (3 day festival ticket)
Headliners: Massive Attack

Secret Solstice is an Icelandic music festival that's being held for the first time in 2014. The festival features over a hundred local and international artists from a dizzying array of genres, showcasing both established artists as well as exciting up-and-coming talent over the course of three days. Held during the 24 hour midnight sun during the famous 'summer solstice', the festival is themed on Norse religion and mythology of old, and is set to deliver a unique party atmosphere filled with great entertainment.

4. Positivus Festival 2014
Latvia

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18th Jul - 20th Apr 2014
Tickets from €57 (3 day festival ticket)
Headliners: Kraftwerk, The Kooks

Positivus Festival is a 3 day music festival in Latvia, with international chart toppers and underground emerging talent set in an idyllic holiday location on the coastal town of Salacgriva.

3. Appletree Garden 2014
Germany

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24th Jul - 26th Jul 2014
Tickets from €52 (3 day festival ticket + camping + parking)
Headliners: WhoMadeWho

Looking for a small, intimate festival with a personal touch? New to festivals or simply tired of the crowds at the mega events? Do you want to hear music to entertain, enrich and inspire, and that you can also dance to? Then look no further than Germany's Appletree Garden Festival.

2. OFF Festival 2014
Poland

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31st Jul - 3rd Aug 2014
Tickets from €52 (3 day festival ticket)
Headliners: Belle and Sebastian

One for the indie / alternative music lovers! OFF Festival is a boutique festival that takes place in the lush greenery of the Three Lake Valley in Katowice, Poland. A unique experience where you can discover the boldest and eclectic alternative acts from around the world, OFF Festival is a way of life, one that flies in the face of current trends and stays true to itself and the organisers and crowd have one serious finger on the pulse when it comes to music.

1. Flow Festival 2014
Finland

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8th Aug - 10th Aug 2014
Tickets from €159 (3 day festival ticket)
Headliners: OutKast

Flow Festival is a spectacular music and arts festival in Helsinki, Finland. Synonymous with bringing music from old school legends to hot-to-trot newcomers, Flow hits it out of the park with its lineups each year.


Photo credit: Chris Zielecki

This post originally appeared on Europe Festival Guide.

Preparing For Our First-Ever Stadium Gig at the Capital Summertime Ball

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A few weeks ago, my life and the lives of my three bandmates changed.

We heard that we'd won the Vodafone Firsts competition on Capital FM to play live to 80,000 people at the Capital Summertime Ball.

We knew we had a chance, but being up against talented emerging artists we admire, including Mic Lowry, Brad Kavanagh and Vix, we were so happy to win with over 7,000 votes.

We went crazy in my mum's front room when we heard the news. I remember hugging Charlie. Mikey flew over the sofa. Betsy was screaming. Finally, we have a chance to show everyone what we can do - something that so many talented musicians never get.

Although we're an unsigned band, over the last few weeks we've had an idea of what it's like as a breakthrough act. We've had photo sessions and been filmed by the Vodafone Firsts crew around our home town of Margate. I've got no idea what the neighbours think, but we're loving it.

We were taken to London where we spent hours with a personal stylist, who pinpointed all of our different looks and chose our stage outfits - each designed to suit our personalities.

The most amazing part of the whole experience has been the studio sessions. Getting to record our own song in a professional recording studio has been incredible. Even though we've played to medium-sized audiences, we've never had time in a real studio, singing and playing our own music and listening back to it. We've had so many first experiences on this adventure, but this one was particularly cool.

When we won this competition, we also won the chance to invite our fans and everyone anywhere on the planet to be part of a crowd-sourced music video we've been making. We've been asking them to upload their favourite images of the sky to our Pinterest page, or to tweet us using #STBFirsts.

Within moments of tweeting this, we had hundreds of uploads. Fans sent us photos of sunsets, sunrises and views through plane windows from all over the world. We've started to choose the best images to appear in our video, with even more scenes being shot live from the stage as we sing at Wembley.

We can't wait to release our film on Monday 23 June and share this amazing journey with everyone who has followed us, or discovered us, along the way.

But for now, it's all about getting ready for the weekend. We keep imagining what it's like, not only on stage but backstage at Wembley. Charlie keeps terrifying himself looking at pictures of Wembley on Twitter. All of us are nervous. We can't imagine performing on the same stage as Pharrell!

We've got to remember our lyrics. We've got to remember to enjoy every second. Our friends, fans and families will be there and we're so excited to get up on stage and do what we love. Meeting Iggy Azalea will be amazing, as well as Miley, who I have followed since her Disney days. It will be mind-blowing to share this moment with them. And who knows, maybe their management will sign us one day. Come on!

Caroline Flack Set To Snub Former 'X Factor' Boss Simon Cowell, By Signing For 'Strictly Come Dancing'?

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Caroline Flack is poised to get her own back on her former X Factor boss Simon Cowell, by signing for rival show 'Strictly Come Dancing'.

Caroline was the longtime host of 'The Xtra Factor', but was told her contract on the ITV2 show would not be renewed this year.

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Apparently, Caroline "has the legs" for Strictly according to a chum


Despite her chemistry with co-host Olly Murs, it seemed Simon had opted instead for the charms of radio host Sarah-Jane Crawford.

But it seems Caroline is not without options, with reports that she is now in talks to compete in this year's BBC1 dance show - which sees a new lineup with Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daley co-hosting the programme, taking over from Sir Bruce Forsyth.

The Sun reports a source close to Caroline, saying: “[She] is considering her options but she’s always been a big fan of Strictly — she’s certainly got the legs for it.

“She knows it could be her next big step and it would be nice to beat Simon in the ratings.”

The last dig is a reference to last season's clash between the two primetime shows, which saw 'Strictly' come out firmly on top, with viewers hooked on the closest competition ever, eventually won by Abbey Clancy.

'Strictly' dancer Brendan Cole has made his feelings known on Caroline being part of the show already - could this be another magic pairing?

Who else would you like to see on the dancefloor? Share your thoughts below...



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Cheryl Cole Reveals Rose Tattoo Was Part Of Bucket-List, Following Malaria Illness In 2010

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Cheryl Cole's enormous rose tattoo raised many eyebrows when it was revealed by the Girls Aloud singer last year.

Now Cheryl has revealed, on Graham Norton's sofa, that the tattoo was one of a list of things she created following her bout of malaria in 2010.

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Cheryl's tattoo was on her bucket-list, it has emerged, following her bout of malaria


Cheryl told Graham: "After I had malaria I created a ‘****-it list’ because life’s too short and the tattoo was on the list."

She also revealed the cost of the thing, which was created by US celebrity tattoo artist Nikko Hurtado, saying:

"He’s an exceptional artist and he was worth it. It was in the £1,000s, probably the cost of a small car."

cheryl cole
Cheryl joined Graham alongside Brendan O'Connell, Don Johnson and John Bishop


Cheryl was full of good cheer on the show last night, revealing her busy time ahead, a new album and tour, as well as return to the X Factor panel alongside Simon Cowell, after what she described as "lots of grovelling".

Have you warmed yet to Cheryl's tattoo? Share your thoughts below...



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Patsy Byrne, Blackadder's Nursie, Dies Age 80

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Patsy Byrne, the actress best known for playing Nursie in the Blackadder television series, has died at 80.

Denville Hall, a care home for elderly actors in north-west London, said she died on June 17.

Byrne played Nursie - a woman whose real name was Bernard - alongside Miranda Richardson's Elizabeth I in the second series of the hit comedy, set in the Tudor era.

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Patsy Byrne as Nursie in Blackadder II



'Go Out There And Have A F***ing Good Life': Watch Rik Mayall's Brilliantly Funny Graduation Speech

Rik Mayall's World Cup Song Is A Posthumous Hit

Rik Mayall 'Suffered Cardiac Event At Home' Reveals Widow


She is the second star of the cult 1980s series to die in as many weeks, with Rik Mayall, who played Lord Flashheart in the second and fourth series, buried yesterday. He died at his home in Barnes, south-west London, last week.

The two shared screen time during the second series of Blackadder in 1986, with Mayall's sex-obsessed lothario asking Byrne's plump middle-aged female character: "Am I pleased to see you or did I just put a canoe in my pocket?"

Tributes poured in on the Blackadder Facebook page, where a statement said: "Very saddened to hear that Blackadder has lost another amazing actor. RIP Patsy Byrne AKA Nursie AKA Bernard. You and Flasheart (sic) can flirt for an eternity now."
















RIP Patsy Byrne.


'Big Brother' Pauline Bennett Denies 'Bullying' Jale Karaturp Following Her Eviction, While This Week's Nominations Are Revealed

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Big Brother’ contestant Pauline Bennett has rejected the idea she is a “bully”, after she became the second housemate to be evicted from the current series.

Pauline was facing eviction against five of her fellow housemates, including Jale Karaturp who some viewers had accused her of “bullying”, and after receiving the most votes from the public she left the house on Friday night.

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Pauline Bennett, who became the second housemate to be evicted from the 'BB' house on Friday night


She’s insisted that because of her own experiences with bullying that she couldn’t bully anyone else, telling The Sun: “I have a firm mind and large mouth but the one thing I would not do is bully. I’ve been bullied my self before, in a serious fashion.”

The dance teacher went on to say that her treatment of Jale in the house was justified, adding: “It also depends on what you’ve had to deal with. That young lady put me under pressure.”

Pauline’s time in the house started off well, becoming an early favourite to win the series when she was named the Power Housemate by the public on the first night of the series.

However her popularity took a nose dive after she, along with fellow housemate Helen Wood, were accused of bullying Jale and trying to turn the rest of the house against her by viewers.

Meanwhile this week’s nominations have been revealed, with Christopher, Jale, Danielle, Chris, Ash, Marlon, Steven and Winston all facing the public vote, after new Power Couple Matthew and Toya were given the chance to nullify three of their housemates’ nominations.

One half of the Power Couple will also join the eight already nominated contestants when voting opens later in the week.



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Capital Summertime Ball 2014: Miley Cyrus And Cheryl Cole Lead Acts Taking To The Stage At Wembley Stadium (PICS)

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Miley Cyrus and Cheryl Cole were among the acts to wow the crowds at Wembley Stadium for Saturday’s Capital Summertime Ball.

Both stars delighted the massive audience when taking to the stage and showcasing their hits for the audiences, while also showing off quite a bit of flesh in the process.

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Cheryl performed her new single 'Crazy Stupid Love'


Cheryl took to the stage earlier in the day, performing a brief set of three songs with intense choreography. She wore a white crop-top featuring the words ‘Crazy Stupid Love’, the name of the lead single from her upcoming fourth album, ‘Only Human’.

She also performed her signature songs ‘Fight For This Love’ and ‘Call My Name’, both of which topped the charts when they were released earlier in her career.

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Miley Cyrus and a dancer


Meanwhile, Miley put on a predictably energetic performance, which featured twerking, spitting and - of course - a giant inflatable rubber duck. Why not, eh?

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Miley's duck


The star whizzed through her hits - kicking off with ‘Wrecking Ball’ and going on to sing ‘Party In The USA’ and ‘We Can’t Stop’, among others - while truly taking the “summer” theme of the event to heart with her outfit, a silver crop-top and skirt emblazoned with some flowers.

It wasn’t just Miley and Cheryl who took to the stage as some of the biggest names in the world of music were all there to entertain ticket-holders, including Rita Ora, Ellie Goulding and Pharrell Williams.

Click through our gallery to see who else took to the stage at the Capital Summertime Ball...



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'Stars In Their Eyes' To Return To ITV With Harry Hill In Place Of Presenter Matthew Kelly?

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Some good news for classic TV fans, ‘Stars In Their Eyes’ - y’know, the show where Brenda from the Tesco checkout would disappear behind some dry ice and re-emerge looking a dead ringer for Britney Spears - is rumoured to be coming back to our screens.

The singing show, which gave us the iconic catchphrase ‘Tonight, Matthew, I’m going to be...’, could be returning to Saturday night telly, but with Harry Hill at the helm, according to Forbes.

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Harry Hill


‘Stars In Their Eyes’ was previously hosted by Matthew Kelly, though Davina McCall and Cat Deeley later presented it towards the end of its run.

This wouldn’t be the first show ITV have revamped, as Holly Willoughby recently took over the relaunched version of Cilla Black’s show ‘Surprise, Surprise’ - though sadly she’s yet to sing the theme tune herself like our Cilla used to - while Stephen Mulhern now presents a new version of ‘Catchphrase’.

An ITV spokesperson told Forbes: “We are talking to Harry about projects, and we love working with him, but there are no confirmed programmes commissioned at this stage.”

We think it would be great to see the show coming back, but while it’s all well and good watching Ted the road-sweeper chuck a wig on and pretend to be Elvis for two and a half minutes, what we’re really excited about is the prospect of a celebrity series.

During the original run of ‘Celebrity Stars In Their Eyes’ we got to see Denise Welch taking on the Petula Clark staple ‘Downtown’, while ‘Coronation Street’ star Vicky Entwistle later tackled the Björk hit ‘It’s Oh So Quiet’ with eyebrow-raising results.

Yes, those are real things that actually happened.

And, of course, who could forget Carol Vorderman’s rendition of Cher’s ‘The Shoop Shoop Song’, complete with a leather-look bustier and giant wig.

We promise you we are not making this up…



Sensational.



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'EastEnders' Spoiler: Roxy Plots Revenge After Finding Out Aleks Has A Secret Wife In Latvia (PICS)

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Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons) is about to become an extremely unhappy woman in ‘EastEnders’, after discovering that her new beau Aleks Shirovs (Kristian Kiehling) has been hiding a massive secret from her… he already has a wife in Latvia.

In fact it’s Alfie (Shane Richie) and Tamwar (Himesh Patel) who discover Aleks’s shocking secret, and Roxy flies off the handle when she discovers that he’s been lying to her all along.

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Roxy is shocked to learn her boyfriend has been hiding a massive secret from her


In scenes that will air next month, Roxy angrily confronts Aleks about his secret marriage, but predictably the feisty club owner is not going to take this lying down.

Instead, it sounds like Aleks might want to watch his back from hereon in, as Roxy’s anger quickly subsides into feelings of revenge, and it doesn’t look like she’s going to rest until she’s got her own back on Aleks for his betrayal.

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Roxy is furious and begins planning her revenge


Aleks arrived in Walford back in January, and ever since his soap debut the character has been very secretive about his old life in his home country of Latvia and now it’s clear why...he’s been leading a double life and hiding a secret marriage from everyone.

Soap fans can look forward to Roxy’s confrontation - and watch her beginning to plot her revenge on Aleks - when these scenes air in ‘EastEnders’ on BBC One, Thursday, 3 July.



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The Clint Eastwood Tip That Will Turn Your Book Into A Bestseller

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Watching a Clint Eastwood film just recently - and after all the shooting and all the explosions, Dirty Harry comes out with a line that perfectly sums up how to do well in your career; and in your life; and, even, in selling your book.

A man's got to know his limitations.

It has utterly transformed the way I sell my novels.

So let me spell it out: before you can make any headway with a project, you've got to know your weaknesses.

When you know your weaknesses, you can identify your strengths.

And then you can start playing to them.

What are my strengths? Well I've got a few - but one of the big ones is my kids. Unlike me, they are cute (ish).


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Knowing your strengths - and weaknesses - is important for almost any venture you can think of. But in that weird, arcane business of selling your own book, it is absolutely essential.

Today, more books than ever before in history are being published. Thanks to self-publishing, over 10 thousand new books are hitting the shelves every month.

20 years ago, if you'd written a turkey and couldn't find an agent or find a publisher, then you'd just have to go off into some dark pit, lick your wounds, and write a better book.

Not any more though. These days we can all stick two fingers up to the agents and the publishers and - regardless of the quality (or lack of it) of our manuscripts - we can just go off and get the thing printed.

So: a lot of competition out there.

A lot of these writers will have read up on how to sell their books. Tweet! Blog! Suck up to journalists! Schmooze the reviewers! Shower out your books like confetti, and hope and pray that they will eventually end up in front of A Player.

Well... I'm not saying it doesn't work. It might work. But it is probably not going to work - the reason being that there are tens of thousands of other writers out there, all of whom are also screaming and yelling from the roof-tops.

And there you are, a nightingale trying to be heard above this great chorus of seagulls!

So: Tweeting and blogging and schmoozing can all work. Sending your books out... well it can work. But never forget that you are going to be up against some really serious competition - writers who are tweeting and blogging and spending weeks on end doing all things internetty. One writer I know, very successful, is called Robert Twigger. How did he come by his name? Twitter Plus Blogger Equals... Go figure. But Twigger is hungry! There are a lot of hungry writers out there doing their stuff on the internet. They're good at it and they're really, really keen.

But if it's not your strength... and if you don't really feel comfortable tweeting or cold-selling your books in Waterstone's, then what I'd suggest is doing something different.

Analyse your strengths. Start playing to them.

Well I've got a few strengths. I'm a journalist - so I can sniff out stories.

I'm okay with puns.

Ohh... and one more thing. I've got these two sons. And though I'm not saying they're cute, what I AM saying is that they're a lot cuter than me. What... Exploit my kids to sell my books? Is this man completely without shame??


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When my first love story came out seven years ago, a friend of mind, Tim Maguire, made a video to help plug the thing. The book was called The Well-Tempered Clavier, (lousy title; tell me about it) and I was looking soulfully at the camera as I mumbled on about the book.

The video was as good an author video as you've seen. Did what it says on the cover.

But the problem - the big problem - was that author videos are, by definition, incredibly boring. Who wants to see an author yakking on about their book? Even if it's J.K.Rowling or Bernard Cornwell, it's still pretty tedious stuff.

So: a few years later, I had my next love story out. MUCH better title - The Woman Who Made Men Cry. Don't you just love the sound of that woman? Doesn't she just sound like a heart-breaker?

And this time, along with all the bloggin' 'n' the tweetin', I decided to make another video.

But a very, very different kind of author video. The sort of author video that no-one had ever seen before.

Work out your weaknesses. Analyse your strengths. Apply them.

First of all: I wasn't going to be the star. I couldn't be the star - I'm not cute!

But the kids on the other hand... well, they're not too bad.

And as it turned out... the video was hilarious. Even tenth time round, I still find it funny. Painful. But funny.

I can promise you this is the funniest author video you will have ever seen. (Not that that's saying much, as most of them suck.)

Anyway - here's a pledge. If you DON'T laugh, then drop me a line. I'll send a book to the first 100 curmudgeons who fail to be amused. Free. Gratis. And for nothing.

Well - after that video, I had truly seen the light.

With my most excellent friend Ross, I started churning out more and more of these slap-stick videos, all of them in the same vein.

Author tries to plug his book; kids cock it up; author gets bashed/humiliated.

Simple - yet effective.

We did it again.

And again.

And again.

And then when the latest love story came out - The Woman Who Was The Desert Dream (not quite as good a title as The Woman Who Made Men Cry, but just about passes muster) - we did it AGAIN!

So I'm not saying that funny videos are the way forward for any up-and-coming author. And I'm not saying that you shouldn't be blogging and twiggering and plundering the internet for all you're worth.

But what I know is that if you're not good at it, and if you're heart's not in it, then it is going to be a hell of an uphill struggle. You'll always be going against the grain - because you'll be competing against authors who love it and who are very, very good at tweeting and blogging.

Though that's not a problem. It's just a weakness. And you know it.

So now you can analyse what your strengths are. And start playing to them.

If you're a charmer, good with people, then you should be meeting people in person. Don't waste your time on e-mails. Schmooze the book-shop owners and the festival directors in person.

If poetry is your thing, then start tweeting in haikus.

If you are funny, then find yourself a vehicle to start making people laugh.

Look: anyone who tells you that there is some magic bullet out there which will turn your book into a bestseller is a complete and utter charlatan. There isn't. There are so many new books out there that even a lot of really good books are sinking without trace.

Which means you've got to be much more clever when it comes to selling your book. It's no good just doing what every other author is doing. Blogging and tweeting may have shifted a ton of books ten years ago - but that bandwagon has now well and truly disappeared over the horizon.

The only thing that is really going to sell your book (brilliant writing excepted) is a clever, quirky idea that is... FRESH. New!

And you're the one to work out what it is.

Like Clint says: know your limitations. Work out your strengths. Apply them.

Official Singles Chart To Include Streaming Data From Websites Such As Spotify And Napster

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The UK Official Singles Chart will undergo a huge change on Sunday 6 July, when - for the first time ever - data from streaming websites will be taken into account.

At present, the chart rundown includes sales figures for physical CD singles and downloads, however from July onwards, listening figures from Spotify, Napster and a number of other streaming websites and apps will be taken into account.

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Bastille may have made it to number one with 'Pompeii' if streaming was taken into account


The Official Charts company have released a statement explaining how the changes will work.

The company’s Chief Executive Martin Talbot has said: “Audio streaming has grown at an extraordinary rate over the past year – and the time is now right to take this important step.

“The UK’s Official Singles Chart is culturally among the most important and influential in the world.

We have been looking at this possibility for some time and now feel comfortable that our methodology is correct and that summer 2014 is the time that we should take this step.”

Importantly, one stream of a track will not count as a purchase. Instead, 100 streams of a song will be equivalent to one single purchase.

One band who could benefit from the change is Bastille. While their 2013 release 'Pompeii' didn’t quite make it to number one in the Singles Chart, it is the most-streamed song of all-time, with over 26 million online plays since its release.

The new Official Breakers Chart will also launch on 6 July, and bosses have described it as an attempt to "reflect the fastest-growing new tracks".

See all the details of the new changes here.

What do you think of the decision to include streaming figures in the Official Chart figures? Watch Bastille explain the changes and leave your comments below…





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'Big Brother': Toya Washington Rages At Fellow Housemates Following Nominations Announcement (PICS)

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Tempers flared in the ‘Big Brother’ house over the weekend after Toya Washington - one half of this week’s Power Couple - appeared to have taken her ‘Power Trip’ a little too far, getting into a blazing row with three of her fellow housemates.

As the Power Couple, both Toya and fellow housemate Matthew Davies have a say in who goes up for eviction this week, and made the decision to cancel three of their housemates’ nominations.

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'BB' housemate Toya rants at her fellow contestants


Big Brother gathered the housemates on the sofas - in scenes from Sunday night’s highlights show - and listed the six contestants who’d received the most nominations, before going on to reveal that because of the Power Couple’s involvement, Kimberly would no longer face the public vote.

A discussion about what was going on quickly escalated into a full-blown row, with the housemates all shouting over one another and Toya begging the others to “calm the f*** down”, which - unsurprisingly - did little to ease the tension in the house.

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Ash is furious after being told to "calm the f*** down"


Ash, Winston and Marlon were not happy with Toya’s attitude, which was when insults began to be thrown around left, right and centre. It was difficult to keep up with who was saying what to whom, but we’ll try and round up some of the best insults that were thrown around.

So, once the arguing really got underway, Toya called Winston Shown a “barbaric animal” (slightly dramatic), after he branded her “Sylvester Stallone” (slightly hilarious).

As the housemates become more irate at Toya’s seemingly power-crazed behaviour, Marlon Wallon told her she was a “fake”, which she said was rich coming from a man who - in her words - spends “all day looking in the mirror”.

And to think we were worried things might get a bit dull now that Pauline Bennett has been evicted...

All we can say is that we can’t wait to see the aftermath in Monday night’s highlights show, airing on Channel 5 at 10pm.



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'Coronation Street' Star Brooke Vincent: 'Guys Always Ask Me If I'm A Lesbian Like My 'Corrie' Character, Sophie Webster'

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Coronation Street’ actress Brooke Vincent has revealed that when she first meets men they often jump to conclusions and think that she's a lesbian, because of her character in the soap.

Brooke plays Sophie Webster in ‘Corrie’, who dramatically came out as gay in a storyline back in 2010 after falling in love with her friend Sian, though the actress herself is actually straight.

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'Corrie' star Brooke Vincent


In an interview with The Sun she was asked whether or not men often assume she’s gay in real life, to which she replied: “That’s the first question a lad will ask me, ‘Are you really a lesbian?’ ”

However, despite her soap character having a minor impact on her love life now that she’s newly single, Brooke has revealed she’s proud to play one of the few LGBT characters around in Soapland.

She revealed: “It’s just knowing you’re helping that one person, it makes such a difference. So many people tweet me and say: ‘Thank you for this.’

“A lot say: ‘Oh, my gran understands now, because you’re a lesbian on ‘Corrie’ and she watches ‘Corrie’.’”


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Brooke in character as Sophie


In the soap, Sophie is currently caught up in a relationship with Maddie, played by actress Amy Kelly, who has caused trouble on the cobbles since she arrived at the tail-end of last year.

Amy, who is also not gay in real life, recently gave an interview where she admitted that her first onscreen same-sex kiss was “daunting” at first, but admitted: “Now it doesn’t bother me - I get on so well with Brooke it’s not weird anymore.”



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