Jess Phillips

Bargain Hunt and antiques expert Irita Marriott helped Helen and her son Ben sell a collection of family photographs connected to photographers Graham Smith and Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen. Initially estimated at £80 to £120 per photograph, the collection sparked a bidding war and ultimately sold for £12,000. The money helped cover funeral costs after Helen’s husband and Ben’s father, Alan, died before the programme aired, making the sale an emotional tribute to him.

BBC Breakfast viewers criticized Rachel Reeves after she avoided directly answering Peter Ruddick's question about why she was absent when Keir Starmer delivered his resignation statement and was later seen with Andy Burnham. Social media users described the exchange as uncomfortable and accused Reeves of appearing to abandon Starmer in favor of Burnham, while Reeves defended her record and said her commitment to Starmer could not be questioned.

Former EastEnders and E20 actress Emaa Hussen has been arrested and charged in Australia over the alleged attempted importation of 320 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed in charcoal shipped from Ghana. Authorities say the drugs, discovered at Port Botany and linked to a property in Blacktown, had an estimated street value of A$296 million and could have produced about 3.2 million sales. Hussen is being held in custody until a court appearance in August and could face life imprisonment if convicted. Police said the seizure formed part of a wider investigation involving other suspects and demonstrated their ability to disrupt international criminal syndicates.

GB News presenters Patrick Christys and Carole Malone became tearful while watching bodycam footage showing 18-year-old Henry Nowak after he was stabbed by Vickrum Digwa in Southampton. The footage shows Nowak telling officers that he had been stabbed and could not breathe while being handcuffed and moved across the ground. The presenters condemned the police response, which has also been described as disturbing and tragic by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, and Malone called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to watch the footage.

Television broadcaster Judith Chalmers has died aged 90 after living with Alzheimer’s disease for several years. Her former Wish You Were Here...? co-star Martin Roberts paid tribute to her as a charming and approachable television icon. Chalmers began broadcasting with the BBC as a teenager, later moved to ITV, and presented Wish You Were Here...? from 1974 to 2003, earning a reputation through more than six decades in broadcasting and travel television.

The BBC moved Question Time from its usual Thursday slot because UK local elections were taking place and election-related political broadcasting was restricted while polls remained open. A live post-election special will air from London on May 8 at 7:30 p.m. on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with the programme returning to its normal Thursday schedule from Brecon on May 14. The change follows wider election coverage led by Sophie Raworth and also comes amid viewer criticism of Reform UK commentator Zia Yusuf’s repeated appearances on the show despite not holding elected office.

Actor Richard Donat died on March 28 at age 84, according to his family. He was known for voicing a character in the 1985 animated Star Wars: Ewoks series and for playing Vince Teagues in Haven, which was filmed near his home in Nova Scotia. Donat was the younger brother of X-Files actor Peter Donat and nephew of British actor Robert Donat. He is survived by his partner Maggie Thomas, two sons and four grandchildren. An obituary remembered him as a devoted family man, while his family acknowledged the support provided by South Shore Regional Hospital during his illness.

A previously unaired episode of ITV's 60 Minute Makeover reportedly went badly after a grieving widower's daughter arranged a surprise renovation without understanding how attached he was to his late wife's belongings. According to former participant Craig Phillips, the production team dismantled much of the home, including furniture, clothing and possibly the kitchen, before the man returned early, angry and distressed. The episode was cut from the programme, and ITV reportedly returned on later days to restore the house as best it could.

Donald Trump appeared to confuse former counsellor Kellyanne Conway with current press secretary Karoline Leavitt during a White House Women’s History Month event, prompting viewers to question his cognitive health. The incident is presented alongside reports of rashes, bruising, skin discoloration, a possible lump and earlier rumors about his wellbeing. White House officials attribute the symptoms to a prescribed skin treatment, frequent handshaking, aging, aspirin use and chronic venous insufficiency, while medical experts offer possible explanations including fragile skin, medication effects or IV-related bruising without confirming serious illness.

Charlie Dimmock has presented several gardening programmes beyond Ground Force and Garden Rescue, including Charlie's Garden Army, The Joy of Gardening and Charlie's Gardening Neighbours. Based on IMDb ratings, Garden Rescue and The Great British Garden Revival each score 7.9 out of 10, above Ground Force's typical 7.2 rating. The piece also recalls Dimmock's early career in a garden centre and her ambivalence about becoming a television personality.

Dame Esther Rantzen told Sky News that she was deeply saddened by reports that the UK assisted-dying bill is likely to fail in the House of Lords. The terminally ill ChildLine founder criticized peers for allegedly obstructing the legislation with numerous amendments and argued that competent terminally ill adults should have the right to die with dignity. She said she may travel to Dignitas in Zurich because current UK law prevents her family from accompanying or knowing when she will go without risking police investigation.

Marsa Alam is portrayed as an under-the-radar Egyptian destination combining Red Sea beaches and marine life with desert adventures. Jess Philips describes staying at the Jaz Elite Amara through TUI, snorkelling near Port Ghalib, riding quad bikes, attending a Bedouin dinner and stargazing away from urban light pollution. She concludes that the resort is “majestic and otherworldly” and highlights TUI’s all-inclusive packages and excursions, including their prices and booking details.

The BBC has removed Call the Midwife from its February 22 schedule because the BAFTA Film Awards will occupy its usual BBC One slot, with the Winter Olympics closing ceremony airing on BBC Two. The programme's official Instagram account said the interruption is only for one week and that series 15 will resume the following Sunday. Although fans reacted with disappointment and speculation continues over whether series 15 could be the last, the BBC has confirmed plans for two Christmas specials, a new series, a film, a prequel and a sixteenth series.

BBC viewers criticized the broadcaster after its iPlayer coverage of a 50km cross-country skiing race ended about 40km into the event and moved to BBC Two without, according to viewers, adequate warning. Complaints described the Winter Olympics coverage as among the broadcaster’s worst, with viewers also objecting to repeated channel switches. The criticism follows an earlier camera error during Team GB’s gold medal-winning mixed-team skeleton relay performance, prompting commentator John Hunt to apologize on air.

The BBC apologized after its Winter Olympics coverage missed Matt Weston's crucial skeleton relay start, showing his coach on the main feed instead while Weston set off. The footage came from the Olympic Broadcasting Services feed, but commentator John Hunt apologized on air. Viewers criticized the error as particularly damaging during Team GB's gold-medal performance, although others praised the BBC's subsequent celebratory montage.

Former ABC7 presenter and journalist Jim Vargas has died aged 78. He passed away on January 14, 2026, with his cause of death undisclosed. Vargas worked in broadcast journalism for about 40 years, including two decades at ABC7, and won an Emmy for coverage of the Patty Hearst kidnapping and a Peabody Award for reporting on the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Former colleagues praised his reporting, kindness and work ethic. He is survived by his sister, sister-in-law and 11 nieces and nephews, with his funeral scheduled for February 6 at St. Brendan's Church.

Viewers reacted angrily to a Celebrity Mastermind episode featuring JB Gill, Susie McCabe, Richie Anderson and Lucy Shepherd. Complaints focused on McCabe choosing Margaret Thatcher as her specialist subject, the contestants’ perceived lack of recognisability, and Anderson’s incorrect answer that Mel B’s Spice Girls nickname was “Abrupt Spice” rather than “Scary Spice.” Some viewers called the programme painful or cringeworthy and said they switched off, though others found the mistake amusing. The episode remains available on BBC iPlayer.

Andy Friendly, a programming executive known for his work at CNBC and King World and for producing Entertainment Tonight, died at his Bel-Air home on January 4, 2026, aged 74. No cause of death was disclosed. Friendly was praised by Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav and fans for his leadership, talent development and influence on entertainment news. His death came months after that of his wife, actress Patricia Crowley, who died aged 91 in September 2025 of natural causes and was known for Please Don't Eat the Daisies and numerous other television and film roles.

Gardeners' World is concluding its 2025 season with a festive episode featuring Monty Don and his dog Ned, prompting fans to express disappointment that the programme will not return until 2026. Don will return to BBC Two on January 16, 2026, with the new series Monty Don's Rhineland Gardens, which has already generated excitement among viewers.

Eric Berman, a four-time Jeopardy! champion and longtime Indiana journalist, died on December 5, 2025, aged 60, after battling cancer for nearly 19 years. He won more than $57,000 across Jeopardy! and Trivial Pursuit, reached the Tournament of Champions, and later appeared on the 2024 edition of Trivial Pursuit. Berman spent nearly three decades reporting on radio, including work for WIBC and WOWO, and is survived by his wife, Christine, and their son, Christian. Former colleagues and supporters paid tribute to his kindness, intelligence and journalistic character.

Natasha Raskin Sharp has announced that her BBC Radio Scotland programme, which she has hosted since 2016, will end after one final show. Fans have shared emotional tributes, while a petition opposing the cancellation of several Radio Scotland programmes has attracted more than 13,000 signatures. The Scottish Music Industry Association warned that the changes could harm grassroots musicians, but the BBC said radio schedules must evolve in response to audience feedback and a more competitive audio market.

John Torode and Lisa Faulkner have launched a YouTube channel filmed in their home kitchen, promising weekly recipes ranging from family favourites and desserts to international dishes. The couple said every recipe will be tested at home before publication and encouraged viewers to subscribe. The announcement comes as Torode appears in his final series of Celebrity MasterChef.

Pauline Potter, a star of TLC’s My 600-lb Life, died on Thanksgiving, November 27, 2025, after months of complications following a January car accident. Her son Dillon said the crash caused serious injuries and was followed by unexplained difficulties eating, an oesophageal blockage, COVID-19, an infected wound and respiratory failure. Potter was later placed in hospice care and died at her sister’s home. Her family is raising money for cremation costs, while Dillon says insurance and legal difficulties have prevented them from obtaining compensation for the crash. Potter had previously lost more than 440 pounds after weighing 678 pounds.

Sky News presenter Ashna Hurynag has announced her departure after five years with the broadcaster. Colleagues surprised her with a farewell broadcast featuring a montage of her reporting in severe weather, while viewers and friends shared messages of support. Hurynag thanked the Sky News team for its kindness, friendship and support, adding that she would soon appear on another screen.