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‘Strictly Come Dancing’ contestant Jay McGuiness has spoken out about rumours that he’s been getting close to his pro partner Aliona Vilani, insisting that her husband Vincent Kavanagh has nothing to worry about.

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The rumours started when Jay was pictured with his arms wrapped around Aliona, who was wearing his coat, but the former The Wanted singer has slammed romance claims, insisting that they were actually with friends when the snaps were taken.

jay aliona

The duo attended the Pride of Britain Awards together

Addressing the pics during a chat with OK! magazine, he explained: “I’m not going to let them bother me and neither are Aliona and her husband.

“We have all had a laugh about it as we were actually stood outside with a whole group of people. Aliona was cold and so I put my coat around her.”

Jay went on to insist that he actually gets on really well with Vincent, stating: “Within an hour of meeting him I hoped we would form a lifelong friendship – he’s so lovely. We’re all as thick as thieves together.”

aliona vilani vincent kavanagh

Aliona with husband Vincent Kavanagh

Earlier this month, reports claimed that Aliona and Vincent had been spotted arguing backstage at the BBC, allegedly clashing after a particularly steamy dance between the duo.

“Her husband accused her of ignoring him and was clearly put out by how intimate Jay and Aliona’s dance had been,” a source told The Sun. “Most people on the show feel sorry for Vincent, because it hasn’t been an easy few days for him.”

Jay also defended himself then, stating: “Aliona is happily married to an Irish fellow who I think is a legend. So my eyes won’t wander in our rehearsals.”

Read Jay's full interview in the latest edition of OK! magazine.

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‘Coronation Street’ actress Sue Nicholls has revealed what her husband thinks of her character Audrey Roberts’ fling with Ken Barlow.

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Fans of the ITV soap will see the two characters enjoy a date on tonight’s (28 October) episode, following the death of Ken’s wife Deirdre - who was played by the late Anne Kirkbride - and it looks like romance could be on the cards.

ken audrey coronation street

Coronation Street's Ken Barlow and Audrey Roberts

While many may think it is too soon for Ken to be moving on from his late wife just three months after her death, one person who is a fan of the relationship is Sue’s husband Mark Allen.

“Mark thinks it’s good, he can see the potential,” Sue told The Mirror.

“He also loves Bill [Roache, who plays Ken] – we’re friendly with him on a social level, so that’s nice. It pleases me that Mark thinks it’s right.”

Speaking of her own thoughts on Ken and Audrey’s romance, she added that she “had some big shoes to fill”, given Ken and Deirdre's popularity as a couple.

deirdre ken barlow

Deirdre was written out of the soap after actress Anne Kirkbride died

“They are very different people," she admitted.

"So I was quite surprised when I was first told about what was going to happen, but nicely surprised. In fairness it depends what they are going to do and how it develops, it is nice that it is quite a slow burner and is coming from a mutual friendship."

Elsewhere on ‘Coronation Street’, Audrey’s grandchildren Sarah and David Platt are still trying to cover up Calum Logan’s murder, after they killed him during the soap’s recent live episode last month.

In the coming weeks, viewers will see Sarah discover she is pregnant with the bad boy’s child, leaving her with an agonising decision as to whether to keep the baby or not.

‘Coronation Street’ continues tonight (28 October) at 7.30pm on ITV.

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Cara Delevingne has introduced her ‘Suicide Squad’ character The Enchantress, with a super creepy cover shoot.

The hotly-anticipated film won’t be in cinemas until next year, but Cara and the rest of the all-star cast are now ready to share their characters with the world.

suicide squad cara the enchantress

Terrifying, right?

The model-turned-actress has also teased what fans can expect from her character telling Empire magazine: “She's an ancient sorceress. A feral being.

“She's been trapped for so long and now she's finally let out."

The Enchantress is living in the body of a woman called June Moore, and Cara added: "June is an adventure-seeker who's always wanted some excitement. And she gets what she wished for, in an terrible way."

Cara’s not the only star gracing December’s mag though, as her co-star Jared Leto stars on another (equally terrifying) front page, in his full The Joker costume.

jared leto the joker

Jared Leto as The Joker

A trailer for ‘Suicide Squad’ was revealed earlier this year, after a poor-quality copy was leaked following Comic-Con.

The short clip focussed on Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, and also featured Cara, Jared and Will Smith’s Deadshot.

Read Cara and Jared's full interviews in the December issue of Empire magazine.

Watch the trailer below...

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In the immediate aftermath of her split from Zayn Malik, Perrie Edwards kept a dignified silence - something which she has now well and truly broken.

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The Little Mix singer has now branded her One Direction ex a “bellend”, as she spoke about their breakup in a radio interview.

perrie edwards zayn malik

Perrie Edwards and Zayn Malik

Perrie made the comment on Total Access Radio after being asked about Little Mix’s breakup anthem ‘Hair’, which features the line "He was just a d*** and I knew it".

Explaining the lyric, Perrie’s bandmate Jade Thirlwall said: "Sometimes when you break up with someone they are that word, so it's alright to say in a song."

Perrie then quipped, referring to Zayn: "Yeah he is. He was just a bellend and I knew it."

The pair called time on their engagement in August, having first got together after meeting on ‘The X Factor’ in 2011, when Perrie was a contestant.

It was recently reported that she hasn’t wasted anytime in moving on from the former boybander though, as she was linked to Joey Essex.

The pair have reportedly enjoyed a string of secret dates after sharing a kiss at the Pride Of Britain Awards earlier this month.

joey essex pride of britain

Joey Essex

A source told The Mirror: “It’s very early days, but Perrie likes Joey because he makes her laugh. They are just getting to know each other and taking things slowly, but Joey is already smitten.

“Perrie has just come out of a serious relationship and is enjoying having fun right now.”

Joey remained coy when quizzed about the rumours during an appearance on ‘Celebrity Juice’ last week.

When Caroline Flack asked where they met, he hit back: "Mate, I don't want to say where we met.

"It's not that I'm embarrassed. It's just none of your business, man."

Perrie's spokesperson previously denied she was dating Joey.

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David Beckham has long earned national treasure status, whether he's on duty being a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN, giving us a glimpse of his new underwear collection, or merely making us all cry into our cappuccinos with his latest snap of daughter Harper.

However, as this throwback clip proves, he was already giving us lessons in humility and hard work 15 years ago.

Check out David Beckham's chat with Michael Parkinson in the clip above...

Interviewed on this day in October 2000 by chatshow host Michael Parkinson, Becks - then sporting one of his many striking 'dos, this time a skinhead shave that would have tested a less beautiful man - was asked just how talented he was as a football-mad schoolboy.

David Beckham, several years - and hairstyles - ago

Showing remarkable emotional intelligence for - let's face it - a footballer, and the good manners for which he has become increasingly known, he managed to divert the question of his natural gifts into an anecdote about the good influence and tireless support of his father.

I was, because sometimes at school, I used to get kicked all over the place, come home with bruises from head to toe... I'm never one to say I was really good at football when I was 10 or 11. I left for that other people to say. My dad never said I was that good, but I think deep down he knew I had a bit of ability."

And on the subject of hard work, it was clear that Becks' father was once again a defining influence...

"I always say that practice gets you to the top of most of the time," he told Parky. "That's something my dad drummed into me since I was eight, nine, ten..."

If we remember this interview came in 2000, two long years after Becks had been booted out of a crucial World Cup match for his temper, after he'd been turned into a social pariah by the press for his actions, been the subject, along with his wife and children, of malicious and personal chants from the terraces whenever he stepped out for a game, then his calm, polite manner becomes all the more impressive.

Sure enough, his temperament paid off. Less than a month after this interview was broadcast, Beckham was made England captain, a position he held for six years. During his 20-year career, he won league titles in four countries, and received 115 caps in total. In 2004 he was named in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players, and he was made a UNICEF UK Ambassador the following year.

David Beckham's emphasis on being polite has evidently continued. Back in 2013, he told HuffPostUK about instilling good manners in his four children Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper, then two, as well as the need for hard work.

He told us then: "Even my two-year-old daughter says 'please and thankyou'. From living in America, she says 'You're welcome.'"

He added: "We try to lead by example, by showing them it's important to work hard. That's one of the key things me and my wife have always done, (both) before we had children, and now we have four children.

"I've done that throughout my footballing career and I'll continue to do it outside.

"We juggle everything around the family because our main priority is the children, simple as that, and it always will be, but being hardworking is the best thing you can show children."

Check out our pick of the past on our special Nostalgia page...

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Kerry Katona’s had a tough time of late, so we’re delighted to report that she’s smiling again - or should that be gurning?

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The Atomic Kitten singer was seen pulling a series of fabulous facial expressions while getting to grips with a Hoverboard.

Kerry Katona on a Hoverboard is giving us life

Our Kerrah didn’t exactly take to the to the personal-transportation device like a duck to water though, and was having a hard time mastering the technique of how to ride it.

Even her daughters Molly Sue and Lily couldn’t seem to help her get the hang of it, as they practiced on their own matching boards near their home in Crowborough, East Sussex.

kerry katona

Kerry couldn't *quite* master the skills of riding the device

kerry katona

Graceful

Kerry appears to be soldiering on despite her recent split from third husband George Kay.

The star announced she was ending her one-year marriage following an incident at their family home earlier this month.

Police have since charged George with allegedly assaulting her, and also for possession of a stun gun.

Sussex Police told MailOnline in a statement: “A man has been charged in connection with a domestic incident in Crowborough earlier this month.

“Just after 6pm on Saturday, October 3, police were called to an address in Gorsedene Close to a report that a 35-year-old woman had allegedly been assaulted.

“He will appear at Brighton Magistrates' Court on November 26.”

kerry katona george

Kerry recently split from husband George

Kerry confirmed the end of her marriage shortly after the incident, with her spokesperson stating: “It is with deep sadness that Kerry announces the end of her marriage to George Kay. Her focus now will be on her gorgeous children.”

Since tying the knot in September 2014, Kerry and George have hit headlines a number of times, and in August, he was reportedly arrested in connection with the theft of thousands of pounds worth of jewels.

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Even with her gummy smile and unbrushed hair, there’s no mistaking that the child pictured in this adorable throwback photo is Adele.

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The singer proved that she’d barely changed at all since her childhood, as she posted the cheeky snap on Twitter on Thursday (29 October).

Throwing it way back with this! Thank you for all the love, I am so blown away. X #TBT pic.twitter.com/MdpONeUnEt
— Adele (@Adele) October 29, 2015

“Throwing it way back with this! Thank you for all the love, I am so blown away. X” she wrote.

The ‘Hello’ singer treated fans with the snap from her personal collection, just as it was reported that her new single was racking up one million views an HOUR on YouTube at one point, after being released last Friday.

At the time of writing, the five-minute clip boasted a mind-boggling 129 million views, 27m of which occurred on its first day of release.

It has since become the biggest debut of any YouTube video in 2015 and one of the most-watched music video debuts of all time.

The song is also on course to top the UK singles chart tomorrow (30 October), and has already become the fastest-selling single of the year, with combined sales and streams of 165,000 and counting.

The single precedes the release of her third album, ‘25’, which will be available to be buy, download and stream on 20 November.

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Music is a therapy. Whatever way you look at it, the soundtrack to our lives, like a good fragrance, it can take you back to the best of times, the worst of times.

And any woman my age (30 something!) is bound to have at least one Adele song that does that. For me it's 'Chasing Pavements' which takes me back to a time of reflection and transition, just as I was leaving the hedonistic years of my twenties, and about to meet 'the one'. Her album '19' was the soundtrack to this curious time, along with 'Make you feel my love' , they were two of the most played songs on my ipod shuffle of 2008 (ipod shuffle - do you feel old already!?)

So, I was thrilled to hear Adele was returning to the public spotlight with her much anticipated album '25' this week, now like myself - a wife and Mother.

We have grown up with Adele. Her albums are well spaced enough to allow for both herself and ourselves to grow and change during that time. Cleverly marketed by her age, it reminds us all of the transitions we go through. Simply put, Adele's albums run alongside our ever-changing lives.

Adele has gone from music graduate to Mother and wife in a very short space of time. She graduated from the uber famous BRIT school in 2006, released her first album in 2008 and became a Mum to baby Angleo in 2012. That's a quick evolution by anyone's standards.

So it's not a surprise that motherhood was a bit of a shock to Adele, who recently described it in an interview with i-D Magazine as "f*cking hard, I had no idea. It's hard, but it's phenomenal" - words I'm sure many of us would echo.

Yes parenting is exhausting, challenging, rewarding and wonderful - but I imagine those emotions are amplified when you still have a good stretch of your twenties ahead of you.

Of course it's great to be a younger Mum - to have the energy to kick a football with your child and not worry about pulling a hamstring and never feeling old at the school gates.

But that all said, I wouldn't change being an older Mum. I don't mind having to stay in on a Saturday night, because I've been there, done that, thrown up all over the t-shirt. I don't have to 'give up' or compromise too much of my life now I have a little one, because I did it all, and I did it hard in my twenties.

With Adele's new album '25' out, some critics have asked whether Adele has enough 'fodder' to fuel the heartfelt lyrics and emotion we've come to expect in her previous albums.

Charged by love, tryst, anger, heartbreak - songs such as 'Someone like you' and 'Chasing Pavements' have been her trademark thing. But of course, now all is well in happyville, can we expect the same raw emotion channeling through?

I've had a brief listen to her new track Hello and much like her previous work, has a rousing feel to it. And while it's not my favourite Adele song, it's another great addition to her impressive body of work.

I can't wait to hear the album, I wonder if there will be any songs about the challenges of breastfeeding, how you withdraw the dreamfeed, and rekindling intimacy with your partner when you're up every few hours with a screaming baby.

Hello Adele, it's good to have you back!

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After nearly five years of quasi independence as a roving antique dealer and erstwhile fair organiser I found myself boarding an aeroplane heading for the San Francisco Fall Antique Show once again an employee of Mallett antiques. In fact, as I sat in my seat dreamily staring out of the window at the blank sky above the clouds I reflected that I was now the joint CEO of 7 companies! (Mallett Antiques, Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions, Hatfields Restoration, Masterpiece Fair, The Auction Room and Bid for Wine). My days of getting up and sauntering around the park with my dog plotting the day ahead are set to become a memory. The task before me is immense but the immediate pleasure of returning to the foggy city of San Francisco is an unalloyed delight.

The annual Fall Antique Show takes place on one of the piers at Fort Mason, the building is a cream painted warehouse with painted cast iron beams and the bright Californian light streaming in from every door. Stepping outside you are confronted from almost every view with boats of all sizes from pleasure cruisers to massive yachts bobbing in the Pacific and the looming presence of the infamous prison island of Alcatraz. A lesser known fact about Alcatraz that I learnt on a visit some years ago is that it was and is still famous for being the birthplace of the Native American protest movement. On literally the first day of my new job I walked down to the end of the aisle to the Mallett booth greeted and congratulated by folk who seemed to know about my new role even before I did. The antique world bush telegraph is second to none! Hand shakes and bashfulness follow and in the midst of mind bending jet lag I head off to dinner with Justin who has been in charge of Mallett London for the last few months. The cab takes us somewhere I cannot follow and we breeze in to a buzzing restaurant and luckily find two seats at the bar. We drink Californian Cabernet Sauvignon with rare grilled beef cooked in front of us. The heat is tremendous and yet it all slips down happily and after sharing a few thoughts, dreams and worries about the future we head off for our funny Japanese hotel - the Nikko. Being used to the United States from the perspective of NY it is a culture shock to be in the same country but on the other coast where the outlook is to the far East and not as expected back to Europe.

The Mallett Booth (image writers own)

The fair kicks off with one of the most fabulous if not the most fabulous fair parties in the world. The piece de resistance here is twofold. The first joy are the lamb chops which come in small platefuls of three and therefore you need to go around the queues several times over in order to get an ample sufficiency. They are small, juicy, pink and moreishly toothsome. The second is the stands where they offer bites of caviar on a biscuit with sour cream accompanied by shots of ice cold vodka. One year - some time ago, there was a stand just beside the Mallett booth. The waiter was bald and appeared to be missing part of his head as he had a strange plate over half his cranium. That year he had a choice of three vodkas to accompany domestic and imported caviar. The party starts at 4 and ends at 10, that year I visited him every 15 minutes or so throughout the evening, we developed quite a bond; I was delighted to see him still around this year and we greeted with enthusiasm on my part and complete bafflement on his - he had no idea why I remembered him so fondly . That was the year I invented the phrase - what you don't mess up you can claim as a success. Late in the evening a couple came by and admired a pair of mirrors, after some time they asked me if they were still available. I just managed to get out the key word 'yes.' A few minutes later they asked me if they could buy them, again I got out 'yes'. What a great salesman I am. This year the team and myself were feeling very professional and over indulgence was eschewed.

A mountain of tasty shrimp ( image writers own)

Only too soon - after only 4 days - I was off to NY to visit the Mallett shop, meet the staff and visit the long established International show at the Armory. Pushing aside the massive heavy doors you do enter a familiar and almost repetitive world. It is such a legendary venue but overused for fairs and therefore it is a real test for organisers to insert a measure of novelty, originality and individuality. Many visitors muddle which fair they attending. Mallett were not showing but many other friends were and it took some time to go round explaining again and again my new life to the assembled wide eyed trade. New York was wonderfully sunny and bright and the avenues shone as we walked around. I was accompanied throughout by the effervescent new head of the NY Mallett office, Andrew Ogletree. He is a graduate from the English furniture department at Sothebys where he was for 9 years under the avuncular eye of Peter Laing who now resides at Doyles - keeping up with art world game of musical chairs is a challenge. He is tirelessly buoyant and keeps every one in stitches of laughter with his faultless accents and mimicry, whilst simultaneously garnering respect for his knowledge and passion for the art. We viewed at Christies the sale of items from the stores at the Met. That august institution has as leader of its Esda department ( European sculpture and decorative arts) Luke Syson who has walked and triumphed over a perilous tightrope bringing this sale under the hammer. Paying homage to the gifts whilst recognising the need to edit and refine the collection is no easy task. By the time you read this the sale will have been and gone but I anticipate success and hope that the gains will afford the museum an opportunity to acquire many more treasures.

And so I fly home to attend my swan song as a private dealer as I am exhibiting at the Olympia Winter Antiques Fair. It starts on Monday 2nd November and runs through to Sunday and I must rush home to do my labels and prepare my layout as we build the stand on Friday. I love this show for its friendly, convivial atmosphere, the anticipation of what eclectic treasures might be on display and what clients may find irresistible. But most of all I look forward to watching and learning from the selling machine that is Roger Lamb my neighbour.

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'Black Souls' is a gripping, powerful and realistic mafia crime drama - 'Taxi Tehran', Jafar Panahi's 2015 Berlinale winner offers an innovative, insightful and witty glance at modern day Iran - Kevin Allen places a surreal visual fantasy touch to Dylan Thomas's masterpiece, 'Under Milk Wood.'

Director: Francesco Munzi
Cast: Marco Leonardi, Peppino Mazzotta, Fabrizio Ferracane
Genre: Drama
Language: Italian with English subtitles
Country of Origin: Italy, France 2014 103 mins.
Certificate 15
Rating: ****
Grippingly realistic and with echoes of Mateo Garrone's 'Gomorrah,' Francesco Munzi's 'Black Souls' based on a true story and Gioacchino Criaco's novel of the same name follows three brothers from the Carbone Ndrangheta mafia syndicate in rural Calabria. Luigi (Marco Leonardi) and Rocco (Peppino Mazzotta) look after the family's Milan based cocaine business but Luciano (Fabrizio Ferracane) herds goats in the mountains near to the ancestral town of Africo. The family business isn't for him but his discontented and reckless 20-year-old son Leo (Giuseppe Fumo), desperate to join his uncles opens old wounds with the Barracas, a sworn family rival which can only lead to tragedy.

With terrific performances 'Black Souls' is a powerful mafia crime drama that pears into a world of family bonds, social order and respect governed by long held rituals and customs, machismo, blood feuds and rivalry trapped in an endless and tragic spiral of violence shrouded in omerta, the code of silence.

Released 30th October

Director: Jafar Panahi
Cast: Jafar Panahi, Hana Saidi, Nasrin Sotoudeh
Genre: Drama
Language: Farsi with English subtitles
Country of Origin: Iran 2015 82 mins.
Golden Bear & Fipresci Prize, Berlin Film Festival 2015
Certificate 12A
Rating: ****
Jafar Panahi is courageous with a glint in his eye. Banned from making films but not beaten, he's produced 'This is not a Film' (2011), 'Closed Curtain' (2013) and now 'Taxi Tehran,' winner of the golden Bear at this year's Berlinale with a car as his studio and shot with mobile phones mounted on the dashboard. Sounds crazy, but it's innovative, playful, witty and shouts defiance.

Playing himself, Jafar Panahi's an easy going taxi driver who's rarely au fait with Tehran's roads and his passengers have been known to have a free ride and it's through their eyes that we glance at modern Tehran - a liberal female teacher arguing with a reactionary about capital punishment and sharia law, a man selling pirated DVDs, a woman cradles her husband's head after a motor bike accident as he pleads with Panahi to video his last will leaving everything to his wife and Panahi's young niece Hana who's making a short film as a school project brings into play government censorship and what's allowed in Iranian cinema.

Insightful, funny and courageous. 'Im a film maker, I can't do anything else but make films. Cinema is my expression and the meaning of my life.' - Jafar Panahi

Released 30th Octrober

Director: Kevin Allen
Cast: Rhys Ifans, Aneirin Hughes, Charlotte Church, Karen Eli, Boyd Clack
Genre: Drama
Language: English. A Welsh language version is available.
Country of Origin: Wales 2014 86 mins.
Certificate 15
Rating: ****
To cinematically capture the poetic essence, colourful comic characters and the lust and energy of Dylan Thomas's 'Under Milk Wood' takes imagination, flair and a visual feel for his masterpiece. Originally a BBC radio play broadcast in 1954 after Thomas's death and with Andrew Sinclair's 1972 version with Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor and Peter O'Toole considered the definitive version, Kevin Allen veers away from the traditional, literal reflection of Thomas's work.

A series of dreamlike vignettes challenge the eye and whet the poetic appetite. Faithful to the original text, the director presents a visually surreal fantasy of lustful comic characters who haunt this small Welsh village - Organ Morgan, Mr Pugh who dreams of murder, the Reverend Ely Jenkins and Polly Garter who meet and mingle as Rhys Ifan tells the story of 'Under Milk Wood.'

Released 30th October

Recommended Blu Ray/DVDs

Slow West (15) Director John Maclean. Action, thriller, western. 'John Maclean's feature debut is an image defying trail that offers blood and black humour.' Rating: ****

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Never one to be short of an opinion, Barbara Windsor has now left us in no doubt where she stands on Remembrance Day, telling anyone who doesn't wear a poppy to “sod off”.

Speaking about the importance of supporting the Armed Forces, the former EastEnders actress and national treasure asked Sky News on Thursday: “What would we do without them looking after us?”

When asked what she would say to those who choose not to wear a poppy, the 78-year-old pursed her lips and muttered: “They can go and sod off for all I care.”

Barbara Windsor's message to people who don't wear a poppy? 'They can sod off.' #LDNPoppyDay https://t.co/k1joDAvgR2 https://t.co/4va7BRf0TK
— Sky News (@SkyNews) October 29, 2015

Windsor’s comments immediately sparked a Twitter furore, with users accusing the actress of McCarthyism, branding her a “gangster’s moll” and remarking “the last cause I remember [her] getting so worked up about was getting Reggie Kray out of prison.”

Windsor was friends with the infamous East End gangster twins and had supported the campaign for Reggie’s release from prison over his deteriorating health. The campaign was a success and Reggie died in his sleep in the honeymoon suite at a hotel in Norwich in 2000.

Barbara Windsor has always been a champion of morality..... #LDNPoppyDay pic.twitter.com/ZYzxeur1uw
— John Traynor (@Mr_JDTraynor) October 29, 2015

The last cause I remember Barbara Windsor getting so worked up about was getting Reggie Kray out of prison.
— Richard Blandford (@rblandford) October 29, 2015

Millions died for us to have the right not to wear the poppy. Gangster moll Barbara Windsor can take her McCarthyism to N Korea #LDNPoppyDay
— JeSuisFedUp (@JeSuisFedUp) October 29, 2015

So for Barbara Windsor hanging around with murderers is OK. not wearing a poppy is bad.
https://t.co/lG13zkbR4J pic.twitter.com/PJnkYB8FGY
— Pretty Hat Machine (@PrettyHatMech) October 29, 2015

I refuse to be moralised into wearing a poppy. Having Barbara Windsor screech at me in tube stations ain't gonna swing it either.
— Guido Tallman (@GuidoTallman) October 29, 2015

Barbara Windsor completely misunderstanding the principle that grief and remembrance are personal, and embarrassing herself in the process.
— Louise Ann Davies (@louanndavies) October 29, 2015

Someone should remind Barbara Windsor that millions died so we have the freedom to CHOOSE whether we wear a poppy or not. #LDNPoppyDay
— Liz (@captainboo) October 29, 2015

@BigDaveBigsense Exactly like Barbara Windsor this morning completely missed the point. Her "they can sod off" comment undermines the appeal
— Louise Ann Davies (@louanndavies) October 29, 2015

The actress, who is backing the poppy campaign by the Royal British Legion, also appeared on Good Morning Britain.

She said: “My dad, god bless him, he was in the eighth Army when I was a little girl, when I was six, which is umpteen thousand frozen years ago, and he explained why he had to go into the Army, he had to fight these not very nice people, especially this one person, and not to think daddy didn’t love me any more but he would be back.

“Fortunately my dad did come back and that is why, and it’s always been part of my life and we must look after our forces, so anything I can do for them I will.”

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Events are taking place marking London Poppy Day today as members of the Armed Forces try to raise £1 million in just one day.

The poppy has become a symbol of remembrance of those who have given their lives fighting for their country. It was Canadian surgeon John McCrae's iconic poem, In Flanders Fields, which inspired the adoption of the poppy as such as symbol. The poem pays tribute to those who lost their lives on the battlefields of WW1.

The flower has sometimes been the flashpoint for controversy, with some pointing towards incidents involving members the British Armed Forces.

Twitter account Crimes Of Britain (@crimesofbrits) regularly tweets posts such as this:

The Ballymurphy Massacre saw the British Army murder civilians in cold blood over a 3 day period. #Poppy pic.twitter.com/u3yl1BtXrD
— Crimes of Britain (@crimesofbrits) October 27, 2015

Jeremy Corbyn this week bowed to convention to wear a red poppy in the Commons.

The Labour leader, who recently stepped down as chair of Stop The War, had in previous years worn a white poppy.

Channel 4 newsreader Jon Snow caused a stir in 2011 by refusing to wear a red poppy on TV.

He said: "I am begged to wear an Aids ribbon, a breast cancer ribbon, a Marie Curie flower ... You name it, from the Red Cross to the RNIB, they send me stuff to wear to raise awareness, and I don't. And in those terms, and those terms alone, I do not and will not wear a poppy. Additionally there is a rather unpleasant breed of poppy fascism out there - 'he damned well must wear a poppy!' Well I do, in my private life, but I am not going to wear it or any other symbol on air."

Last year the Poppy Appeal – the biggest cash collection in Europe –raised over £45 million for The Royal British Legion’s ongoing support for those serving in the British Armed Forces, veterans and their families.

45 million people are expected to wear a poppy this year. Why do you wear yours? Share your story using #MyPoppy! pic.twitter.com/Lv0a3gXOsj
— Royal British Legion (@PoppyLegion) October 27, 2015

Our next set at @NetworkRailLST #LiverpoolStreet will be 1715-1815. Show your support for @PoppyLegion #LDNPoppyDay! pic.twitter.com/x5vkZXR8Xy
— Parachute Regt Band (@PARA_Band) October 29, 2015

#LDNPoppyDay @BarclaysUK join tug of war at Canary Wharf. Get your team together and join in pic.twitter.com/4vuokeRIgm
— Royal British Legion (@PoppyLegion) October 29, 2015

Come and say hello to our @BritishArmy #LDNPoppyDay collectors at @NetworkRailVIC! #PoppyAppeal pic.twitter.com/m0QZwJogZl
— Royal British Legion (@PoppyLegion) October 29, 2015

Give a warm welcome to the Gurkhas at @NetworkRailVIC supporting #PoppyAppeal #LDNPoppyDay pic.twitter.com/wyyeTMKpJ8
— Network Rail (@networkrail) October 29, 2015

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If the James Bond franchise stops after Spectre we won't all be turning the blame on Daniel Craig. No, instead, it'll be the fault of MI6 and its latest recruitment drive that paraphrases down to "Bond wouldn't get a job with us". Ouch.

It's a tongue-in-cheek shock for us 40-something generation to be told that one of our most enduring heroes is out of fashion. The reason, we are told, is that he doesn't display enough emotional intelligence.

Give the man a break - he's seen girlfriends turned to gold, new-wives shot, lovers poisoned and been forced to shoot femme fatale's at point blank range. That's got to leave an emotional scar a mile wide.

But no, the new 'touchy-feely' MI6 is looking for people that understand the 'human side' of spying on people. Wanting recruits who are good at teamwork, they just aren't interested in the 'lonely misogynist' that is James.

Heaven knows he's trying. The current Bond has the lowest notches on his bed post of any predecessor - perhaps linked to his increased drinking during this current incarnation, or, more charitably, associated with a renewed sense of propriety (although, in an earlier attack on him, his drinking was highlighted as likely to leave him impotent).

A bit of me chuckles at the story, as I imagine a 'touchy feely' agent discussing with Jaws how his dental situation may be leading to anger issues. But another, perhaps louder, part of me shouts 'hands off!' - Bond is an institution that we all enjoy and recognise that he's a caricature of a glamorous, dangerous lifestyle that we all know is un-PC.

MI6's new breed of operative is one far more emotionally equipped to cope in the new spying landscape, and there's quite likely a slight chill to the bones of the mature workforce when they hear about this. It boils down to a generational shift, which we will all face at least twice - once as the vanguard and once as rear guard.

Being told a hero is now a has-been is tough, and it's a reminder to organisations everywhere - praising the up-and-coming generation as the 'next great thing' is a tough message to land on those moving out of that phase.

Better to leave them stirred, not shaken.

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Les Mis has passed it's 30th anniversary date and we are continuing to celebrate Club 24601 with our series of interviews with former Jean Valjeans. Today, it's the turn of Australian Dan Koek who played the role in 2013-2014.

Dan first heard about the possibility of playing JVJ in early 2013 when he was back in Australia getting ready to reprise his South Pacific role in Melbourne and Sydney. After an initial meet and greet audition, he then went through a total of nine auditions before he finally landed the role. However, he first served his JVJ apprenticeship as he calls it, starting in the ensemble for twelve weeks before the creative team were sure he would be ok in the role. Dan says that there were "a lot of notes after each performance" but after the first month or so he relaxed into the role more and that he just had to "make my own decisions about how to play the role". Fans have their favourite JVJ but Dan found he couldn't think about that although he was sometimes conscious of following on from other stars.

In common with all the other JVJ actors I spoke to, Dan said that the best thing about the role was the "sheer exhilaration of singing that amazing score everyday. I never tired of it." However, also in common with the other actors, the amazing score was also the worst thing about the role. Dan comments "the pressure is always to be amazing, especially if you're tired...it can start to eat away at you".

When I started this series of interviews I wanted to know how similar the experiences of being JVJ would be, in particular, would they all choose the same song as their favourite? Apart from Bring Him Home, of course, named as the "pressure song" by Dan, the most popular favourite song was the soliloquy. In Dan's case he chose it as it was "very satisfying from both an acting and singing point of view". On one occasion, however, the soliloquy was definitely not a good moment; in his first couple of weeks as JVJ, Dan was pretending to eat the bread before the soliloquy when a crumb shot up his nose and lodged in the back of his throat. To his horror, the crumb stayed there and audience members may have been impressed by the emotion apparently shown by the tears streaming down his face when in fact, it was just that piece of bread!

In terms of favourite songs by other characters, Dan chose Eponine's On My Own, mainly because of the incredible voice of his Eponine, Carrie Hope Fletcher. That is also my favourite song of the show, and Eponine is my favourite character too.

Earlier this year, Dan released his second album, High, after leaving the show last year. He would love to go back at some time in the future, Cameron Mackintosh said he "looked forward to bring him home" but left in order to further his recording career. As mentioned above, JVJ is very demanding, takes all the actor's energy and it was also Dan's fifth year of being in a long running musical, so time for a change.

Another reason for the change was the chance to make himself more employable and so the album, High is what Dan terms popera, pop with a classical twist as opposed to "someone like Alfie Boe who does more classical with a pop twist". The tracks work well together, with highlights being Remember Me (duet with Carrie Hope Fletcher) and Always and Forever. Of course, being a former JVJ, Bring Him Home features on the album - which is a duet with Jonathan Ansell.

This article first appeared on www.thoughtsofjustafan.com.

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What is happiness? There are as many different possible answers to this question as there are people - and dogs - on the planet, but perhaps, to paraphrase Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, we simply know it when we see it.

Now, The Happiness Project is a brand new production that explores our understanding of happiness and well-being. It brings together a company of young artists aged 12-19 and six scientists and academics to create a piece of contemporary theatre coming to London's Roundhouse Theatre.

"We were keen to create a space onstage where all these people could come together to share their conversations with the audience," say directors Emma Higham and Tashi Gore of their work, which is the culmination of a two-year research process.

Robb Rutledge, advisor on the production, is the scientist who originally came up with the equation to predict happiness, something he tells HuffPostUK that involves "gambling, risk, potential reward".

He explains: "When we ask people how they're feeling at each stage of our experiments, we have to weigh up what's happened to them recently, and take into account expectations and potential reward.

"When we all feel actual happiness, it depends not on how things are going objectively, but whether things are going better or worse than we previously expected."

For the producers of the show, it was important to focus the show on the young participants and see life through their eyes. It seems the areas that most affect the happiness of young people in the UK are education, opportunities, expectations, consumerism, love, politics and power.

Were any universal truths uncovered from this marriage of arts and science?

"Music, finding your flow, being lost in something bigger than yourself, doing something for someone else, a community, a collective moment/action/experience – these were all things which came up repeatedly within our process," say Emma Higham and Tashi Gore.

"These are really difficult questions," confirms Robb Routledge, "ones that people have been asking for thousands of years. Art and science have a lot in common, they just use different methods."

Robb is convinced that audience-goers will be stimulated to think about what happiness really means to them. "There can be a lot of demands on people, especially youngsters," he says, "and everybody has to decide for themselves what happiness really means to them.

"There are obviously lots of 'happiness guarantees' that turn up in top-20 lists, including getting more sleep, enjoying more family time, eating well, meditating... but we can't assume this is true across the board.

"People need to pay attention to their own happiness, and feel free to cherry-pick from these lists. But it's great that governments are finally joining in the conversation."

Isn't there an awful lot of pressure these days to be as happy as everyone else claims to be on Facebook and other bragging forms of social media?

Robb agrees wholeheartedly. "It may be helpful for people to think of happiness less as a moment to moment thing, and more of a tool for them to understand themselves better.

"People shouldn’t worry about whether they’re happy or not, if you’re happy all the time, you can’t tell whether the restaurant you went to was good, or the movie was bad. It's much better for your emotions to be varied to give you some sense of perspective."

The Happiness Project is at the Roundhouse 3-14 November. For tickets: www.roundhouse.org.uk 0300 6789 222

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‘Married At First Sight’ couple Jason Knowles And Kate Stewart have had their marriage annulled, just eight months after meeting on the channel 4 show.

The divorce was granted in a London hearing that lasted less than two minutes, according to reports, and neither Kate nor Jason were present at the court.

It all started well for Jason and Kate...

MailOnline state that Kate filed for the annulment and stated she would find it “intolerable to live with” Jason, adding that the marriage had not been consummated.

The couple actually split up just two weeks after getting hitched in February, and the cracks were already showing during their episode of ‘Married At First Sight’, when Kate discovered Jason had been using the dating app Tinder.

Jason previously admitted his unease at their coupling, recalling their honeymoon and stating: “We would kiss and cuddle but it's a strange thing to be lying next to a complete stranger night after night.”

Well Jason, you probably shouldn’t apply for a show called ‘Married At First Sight’ then, should you?

Not all of the show’s couples have failed to make things work though, and James and Emma remain married. Aww!

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Since its inception, television has been a unifying social force, bringing family, friends and different groups of people together. Even watching television on your own connects you to the multitudes of others watching the same thing across the globe.

TV has come a long way: from black-and-white to colour, from a rare treat accessible to few to a household staple for everyone, from standard definition to tomorrow's ultra-HD screens.

Perceptions of TV audiences have also changed over time. While theorists once believed TV viewers were passive, zombie-like figures transfixed in front of their televisions, numerous studies have proven that TV audiences are engaged, active and critical of the programmes they watch.

In the last several years, we've seen a dramatic shift that's placed viewers in control of their own scheduling. There's also more choice than ever before when it comes to accessing favourite programmes and watching them when and where they like.

"There are two simultaneous trends emerging when it comes to our TV watching habits, and they're two opposite trends, which is interesting," says Professor Sonia Livingstone OBE, a full professor in the Department of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics.

"One: we're watching TV on our laptops, tablets and phones, wherever and on whatever."

And two, somewhat paradoxically, we're seeing a growth in the size of the screen in the living room. People talk about how everyone is watching TV on a 'small screen', but there's also a new viewing growing up around this enormous screen, as well as the more individualised viewing."

Now, we watch shows wherever we want, whether it's relaxing in the bath with Corrie characters, catching up with a favourite drama on our phone during a morning commute or settling down in the sitting room every week to enjoy GBBO, gathered around the biggest 'and best' screen in the house. Equally, thanks to the latest in wearable tech, our most beloved television content has become a coveted accessory, accessible with a swipe on our watch.

Subscription-free services like Freeview Play have also given us more options than ever before, with over 60 TV channels, 12 HD channels and over 25 radio stations a remote click away, plus the freedom to catch up on shows from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. Other services like Netflix and Amazon Prime also give us the opportunity to watch shows we missed the first time around - in one sitting, if we so desire! - while simultaneously introducing us to new and original programming.

"We keep fearing that people won't talk to each other anymore," says Professor Livingstone. "There's the choice to watch separately and the choice to come together, whether it's binge viewing or the greater choice of programmes than ever before."

All of this choice has had a positive impact on TV consumers, according to Professor Livingstone.

"Most of the evidence is that people are feeling empowered and delighted. There's been an enormous welcome from people about the joys of having so much control and more choice than ever before."

People are also prepared to pay to improve their television watching experience, whether that's spending on bigger HD screens or subscription services.

While scheduling is fairly unimportant for younger generations, the middle-aged and young elderly population that remembers how television used to be is growing, so scheduling continues to play an important role for them.

For those younger generations, the definition of whether TV is 'a five minute clip of a beauty vlogger's latest haul on YouTube or a critically respected docudrama' calls into question what TV viewing really means these days.

"People have been saying for a while that scheduling is dead, but there's no getting rid of schedule for the 40s or 50-pluses who absolutely adhere to traditions of what to watch and when," says Professor Livingstone.

Rapidly emerging trends, like the increase in individual TV consumption across new tech and the importance of the living room big screen as the centrepoint of family life, ensure that the landscape of television scheduling is in constant flux and the future of television remains uncertain.

One thing we know? We'll still be watching.

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Not content with being one of the best Formula One racers in the world, Lewis Hamilton was keen to show off his skills as a wrestler during a trip to Mexico.

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The F1 champion took to the ring during a Lucha Libre promotional event at Arena Mexico, where he proved to be a worthy competitor.

Lewis Hamilton took to the wresting ring in Mexico

Lewis took on professional wrestler Mistico - real name is Luis Ignacio Urive Alvirde - and ended up surprising the crowd by delivering a knockout blow.

Lewis looked like a gonner at one point

He was crowned the victor of the small fight, after managing to get Mistico on the floor, who was then counted out.

Lewis, who won his third Formula One title last weekend, then celebrated this win with a lap around the ring on the shoulders of another professional wrestler, Mephisto.

lewis hamilton

He was crowned the victory after taking out Mistico

“I've seen this on TV, in movies, but to actually be there and be in the ring is really cool,” he said.

“They were talking about just doing a very simple manoeuvre but I wanted to really do it. Hopefully you were kind of impressed by my wrestling moves. Maybe when I retire I'll come back,” he added.

lewis hamilton

Lewis celebrated his win on the shoulders of Mephisto

Lewis was in Mexico City ahead of the penultimate race of the F1 season, which takes place this Sunday (1 November).

His win in Austin, Texas last weekend, means he can not be beaten for the championship, and has now won the title three times, Jackie Stewart's record.

“Every day I am waking up and I'm like, 'I can't believe it. I'm a three times world champion,” he said of his success.

“I don't know when it's going to kick in but I'm definitely enjoying it. When people tell me three, I have them repeat it because it sounds really cool.”

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Because Caroline Flack and Olly Murs are undoubtedly the best thing about 'The X Factor' this year...

1. Like all good friendships, Caroline and Olly's is based on being able to make each other die laughing

2. And their chemistry is so incredible that they've questioned whether they fancy each other

caroline flack olly murs

3. There's been plenty of moments where everyone thought they would get together

4. But they decided to remain as mates, because men and women can just be friends, ya know

5. Given that things are strictly platonic between them, they can get away with stuff like this:

6. And this:

Giddy up

A photo posted by caroline (@carolineflack) on Sep 14, 2015 at 4:19pm PDT

7. But they still have a pact to ensure they don't grow old lonely, just like in 'Friends'

caroline flack olly murs

8. They're there to catch each other when one of them (quite literally) falls

via GIPHY

9. And are always ready with a comforting hug when one of them is feeling down

via GIPHY

10. Absolutely nothing grosses them out, and there's no boundaries between them

A video posted by caroline (@carolineflack) on Aug 23, 2015 at 4:18am PDT

11. And they can behave like complete dorks in front of each other

via GIPHY

12. They can bust out a decent dance routine together

13. They're able to rip the piss out of each other

caroline flack olly murs

14. And they're the masters at pulling pranks

15. Occasionally, they'll hack each other off

via GIPHY

16. And sometimes they'll even fight

17. But it's never long before they make up

18. Because, after all, they love each other, and only want the best for one another

caroline flack olly murs

Thanks for being you, Carolly.

via GIPHY

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"The call was coming from inside the house." This now infamous line from the urban legend is chilling, and powerful too. There are others, of course; "Whose hand was I holding?" from Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House is a creeptastic classic. But what is it about fear in storytelling that audiences find so addictive?

"Every story is, in its tiny way, a horror story," says author Chuck Wendig. "Horror is about fear and tragedy, and whether or not one is capable of overcoming those things. It's not all about severed heads or blood-glutton vampires. It's an existential thing, a tragic thing, and somewhere in every story this dark heart beats."

So lock the front door, check under the bed for monsters, and huddle under the covers as we take you through the three reasons why sometimes, just sometimes, it's good to be afraid.

1. Horror holds up a funhouse mirror to the real world.

You could rationally argue that real life already has enough frightening, dangerous things in it without imagining more ghosts, vampires or werewolves into existence. But it is equally possible to argue that scary stories provide a valuable service in this regard.

While we have Walt Disney to thank for the sanitisation of many fairy stories, the originals collected by the Brothers Grimm were dark, cautionary tales, told to children for whom death by disease or starvation was a very real threat. And while kids today might not face the same dangers as they did back then, they still have a whole host of other worries, like bullies. Learning about fear within the context of a story can be incredibly empowering for young people, says comic book creator Greg Ruth: "Plainly put, horror provides a playground in which kids can dance with their fears in a safe way that can teach them how to survive monsters and be powerful, too."

Horror fiction has always echoed the world around it. Victor Frankenstein was a character whose own hubris led him to play god, at a time when scientific and technological advancements were threatening to overtake the status quo. Count Dracula, meanwhile, was the ultimate symbol of moral corruption, an insidious and seductive aggressor to traditional Victorian values. These days, the apocalyptic thriller exploits our uniquely 21st century fears; contagion, climate change, the terrifying possibility of a life without internet or infrastructure. And then there is the classic ghost story, which has at its heart one of the oldest burning questions in human history; what happens to us after we die? Stories provide a safe space in which to explore and unpack these ideas.

2. Fear stimulates the brain.

Making people jump or scream can be just as powerful as making people laugh, in terms of the emotional and chemical response it provokes. While the amygdala is the part of the brain that responds to danger in real life, it is the visual cortex which is stimulated by horror films. Watching a scary movie creates a "sustained anxiety", after which the viewer experiences a rush of endorphins similar to that felt by somebody who has just been on a rollercoaster. In that sense, horror buffs are no different from adrenaline junkies; except watching a film is a lot safer than jumping out of a plane.

3. Being scared can bring people together.

Whether you and your friends are telling ghost stories round a campfire, or all jumping at the same part of a slasher film, sharing these narratives can be an intense, constructive communal experience. (If you and your friends never tried to sneak into a horror film when you were kids, you missed out on an important rite of passage.) These films drive conversations in a way that no other form of storytelling can quite achieve; just think back to the controversies caused by films such as The Exorcist and The Blair Witch Project.

There's also some dubious research to support the theory that fear can strengthen romantic attraction; a 1980s study conducted by Dolf Zillman and Norbert Mundof revealed that women are more attracted to men who remain stoic during a horror film, while men are more attracted to women who display fear and vulnerability. Perhaps the most horrifying results of this study are the archaic gender stereotypes -- it would be interesting to see the same research carried out on audiences in 2015.

So what's the key to telling a scary story?

The first goal of a horror story is not to scare you. Its first goal is the same as any other story; it has to convince you that what is happening is real. Then it has the power to actually scare you.

One of the masters of this is Stephen King, of course, who will create characters or entire towns that feel plucked from the real world, each complete with their own detailed, often mundane history. The protagonists of a King story aren't the beautiful teenaged heroes and heroines of a slasher film; they're more likely to be housewives or librarians.

A good storyteller will wait until these people's lives feel real, until they begin to matter to us, before they pull the rug out from under our feet and send in the killer clowns.

This article originally appeared at Ogilvydo.

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Monica Michael has been unveiled as this year's wildcard on ‘The X Factor’.

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The singer will return to the ITV talent show as a bona fide contestant when the live shows begin on Saturday (31 October).

monica michael x factor

Monica Michael is returning to 'The X Factor'

News of her return comes just days after Rita Ora dumped her from her category, following Judges Houses.

It was announced by Simon Cowell on Thursday’s edition of ‘The Xtra Factor’ that Monica had been given another another life line.

"I walked away from that show and I thought, we have to bring that girl back," he said of Sunday's Judges' Houses episode. "I thought she was going to get a chair.

"The competition wouldn’t have been the same without her," he added.

An update on the show’s official Twitter page also spread the news:

We are VERY excited to announce that this year's #XFactor Wild Card IS...@monicamichaeluk! #XtraFactor pic.twitter.com/FPrMYJtETD
— The X Factor (@TheXFactor) October 29, 2015

After the announcement, Monica also posted: "Hi guys! I know Halloween is upon us but this is not a trick... I AM BACK!!!! #XtraFactor #WildCard."

Monica originally lost out on a place in the live shows to Kiera Weathers, Louisa Johnson and Lauren Murray.

After failing to chose her for the Girls category, mentor Rita said that “it wasn’t the right competition for her”.

"It was hard to say goodbye to that amazing and original moment. But you have to bear in mind that going forward this is a competition, and maybe for Monica she should be singing her own material and it may not have been the right route for her,” she told Digital Spy.

"Her songwriting is so powerful that now she can go away and make her own record in her own time and present it it in her own light.

“You know, that was a really tough decision, but I knew I had to make it," she added.

Monica first auditioned for the show in 2014, but was controversially axed during the Six Chair Challenge by then-mentor Cheryl Fernandez-Versini.

‘The X Factor’ continues on Saturday at 8pm on ITV.

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Happy Halloween! Here's Why Scary Stories Matter

'X Factor' Wildcard Revealed As Monica Michael, With Singer Returning For Live Shows Just Days After Being Dumped From Rita Ora's Girls Category