Dan Laurie

Jamie Bamber is joining EastEnders as Ned Roper, a former military serviceman who retrained as a PTSD therapist. The character will arrive in Walford with the Hawkins family and has an unexplained history with Alfie Moon, while tensions already exist between Ned and his sister-in-law Nicola Mitchell. Bamber said he never expected to work on the BBC soap and became emotional while reflecting on the broadcaster’s cultural importance and international reputation. Executive producer Ben Wadey said the Hawkins family’s complicated history and fractured relationships will drive upcoming storylines.

Former Strictly Come Dancing professional James Jordan said he still cringes at describing himself as the “Brad Pitt of the dancing world” during his 2014 appearance on Celebrity Big Brother. He explained that the remark was made jokingly during an extended exchange with Gary Busey, who was boasting about his fame, but that he later felt horrified by how it sounded. The report also discusses James and Ola Jordan’s recent separation after more than two decades together. The couple said they are taking time apart while prioritising their six-year-old daughter Ella, co-parenting her, and dealing with significant personal and mental-health challenges. They asked the public for kindness, empathy and privacy.

Emmerdale is teased as heading into a major transformation, with promotional material highlighting six leading female characters. Upcoming storylines include Sarah Sugden confronting the truth about baby Leyla’s parentage, Charity Dingle becoming trapped in dangerous lies, Sadie King returning with a secret, Dawn Fletcher facing a feud before her wedding, Serena Sugden protecting dangerous secrets, and Gabby Thomas confronting a potentially devastating moral dilemma. Producer Laura Shaw promises an intense season filled with explosive secrets and peril.

Naga Munchetty returned to BBC Breakfast alongside Charlie Stayt after announcing that she will leave the programme in January to co-present the BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast Show. She said the new role was too good to reject and paid tribute to her BBC colleagues, while confirming that she would continue presenting Breakfast until her departure. Attention has shifted to her replacement, with Betway making Nina Warhurst the favourite and listing several other BBC presenters as contenders.

Strictly Come Dancing has announced five new professional dancers for its 2026 series: Ukrainian-Italian dancer Aleksandra Isaeva, her Italian partner Cristian Priori, South African champion Lethabo Monametsi, UK ballroom champion Maddie Ingoldsby and Canadian Latin champion Mark Karmalita. The dancers bring extensive national and international competition experience, with additional backgrounds in television, theatre and film. They will join the returning professional cast, while Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe are set to form the show’s new presenting team. Celebrity contestants will be announced during the summer, ahead of the programme’s autumn return on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Actor Jason Done has joined Emmerdale as Steve, an old friend of Kev Townsend, whose arrival raises suspicions that Kev may be targeting Claudette Anderson’s fortune. Done is best known for playing teacher Tom Clarkson in BBC’s Waterloo Road from 2006 to 2013 and has also appeared in several other television dramas, including Coronation Street, Silent Witness and Brassic. The article also notes his marriage to agency director Anoushka Done and their two children.

Vanessa Feltz is launching a YouTube series titled At Home With Vanessa following the cancellation of her Channel 5 programme. She is building a home studio and aims to create a relaxed, vibrant format reminiscent of her Big Breakfast days. The shift to YouTube reflects both creative flexibility and lower production costs. Holly Willoughby is also preparing her own YouTube lifestyle series, marking a broader move among TV presenters toward digital platforms.

Fans call for the revival of Alan Carr’s Chatty Man after Claudia Winkleman steps down from her BBC talk show following one series. Viewers express enthusiasm for Carr’s return as the long-running Channel 4 programme’s history and successor, Alan Carr's Happy Hour, are revisited. Carr clarifies that no plans for a reboot currently exist, despite rumours. Winkleman thanks the BBC and her guests while explaining her decision to leave due to nerves, highlighting the notable guests featured during the show's seven-episode run.