A member of castle staff revealed that three children were seen “demolishing the battlements” on Sunday, shortly before the site was handed over to ITV.
The worker told the PA news agency he was “astonished”, adding: “Thankfully nobody was injured, but part of the Grade l-listed building was damaged.”
The castle, located near Abergele in North Wales, also posted about the incident on Twitter, along with a photo showing bricks knocked out of place from the historic wall.
Our final day reminded us how far we’ve come, but also how much we have left to do over the coming years.
It was a huge shame to see that somebody damaged one of the restored battlements on the east lawn on our last day. This goes to show the huge task we have ahead of us! pic.twitter.com/oAp1Gq26e3
A message posted on the castle’s Twitter account said: “Our final day reminded us how far we’ve come, but also how much we have left to do over the coming years.
“It was a huge shame to see that somebody damaged one of the restored battlements on the east lawn on our last day.
“This goes to show the huge task we have ahead of us!”
Christopher Furlong via Getty ImagesA view of Gwyrch Castle in Abergele, Wales.
The site was taken over by the Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust in 2018, which said it wanted to make the estate safe and secure.
The trust said the castle has previously experienced arson attacks, vandalism and theft.
A representative for the trust said: “We believe that it’s important that people are aware that even in the 21st century, historical landmarks are still being damaged and left to deteriorate.”
The castle confirmed it closed to the public on Sunday, due to hosting the ITV programme, and would not reopen until 2022.
ITV/ShutterstockAnt and Dec
The move from Australia to the Welsh location will help the ongoing restoration of the castle, according to Mark Baker, chair of the Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust.
Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly will return to host the upcoming series of I’m A Celebrity.
Ant previously said he would be “very happy” for the programme to return to Wales.
The last series of the programme was won by podcast host Giovanna Fletcher.
“I have had loads of offers and they have accelerated in the last 10 hours, as you can imagine,” he explained.
“I will take my free speech campaign around the world and all I require is to have an employer who believes in it as passionately as I do.”
Noting that GMB’s ratings during his tenure as host made him a “valuable commodity”, Piers continued: “I’m considering some very interesting offers right now and I will make a decision quite soon.”
ITV/ShutterstockPiers and Susanna Reid during his final GMB broadcast
If you didn’t already know that new BBC drama Vigil was made by the same people as Line Of Duty, you probably could have worked it out eight minutes into the first episode on Sunday night.
In the same way Jed Mercurio’s hit cop show has become famed for, a major Vigil character was unexpectedly killed off early on – and it was a face that Line Of Duty fans will have found very familiar, too.
Despite being a much-publicised casting, Martin Compston – better known as DS Steve Arnott – was killed off within the first 10 minutes, as his character Chief Petty Officer Craig Burke was found dead under suspicious circumstances aboard the HMS Vigil.
Enter Suranne Jones’ DCI Amy Silva, who was sent to investigate his death while staying aboard the submarine.
Mark Mainz/BBC/World ProductionsSuranne Jones takes the lead in Vigil
It quickly became apparent that there’s a lot to unpack following Burke’s death – not least his connections to a peace group campaigning against trident missiles – leaving us with many questions to be answered as the investigation began…
Why was Burke’s body not taken off the submarine?
Silva was told it was “too late” for Burke’s body to be taken off the boat as the hatch closed, despite it previously being agreed that it would be taken to be examined.
This now means a full post mortem cannot be carried out, and the fact there has been a clear operation to keep his body on board suggests that more than one person could be involved in his death.
Was Jade really Burke’s girlfriend?
BBC/World Productions
Following her arrest for attempting to break into Burke’s room in the accommodation block, she claimed that she’d obtained his keys as she was his girlfriend.
However, it felt rather convenient when she said no-one else knew about their relationship as they “wouldn’t have been happy”. She also didn’t seem particularly emotionally distraught that her supposed “boyfriend” had just died.
Could it be that she’d just met Burke through her campaigning as part of the Dunloch Peace Corp, and had been drilling for the information he clearly had?
What happened to Silva’s family?
Mark Mainz/BBC/World Productions
After experiencing claustrophobia in her bunk, a flashback appeared to suggest Silva’s partner Ian and their daughter were in a car accident that saw them plunged into water. Did they lose their lives? And does this suggest Silva isn’t perhaps the best person to be on board a literal submarine right now?
Why did Silva give up medical school?
She didn’t answer when Dr Doherty asked. Is this to do with the past trauma in her family?
Why did Hadlow go to see Burke before he died?
BBC/World Productions
Hadlow was one of the last people to see Burke alive and was also the person who found him dead in his bunk. However, questions were raised about exactly why Hadlow had gone to disturb Burke in the first place.
Were they in on some sort of conspiracy together? Or perhaps he was going to confront him about what Burke been up to in the bomb shop?
Which submarine pulled the Mairi Finnea down? And why?
It was claimed that the Mairi Finnea trawler was pulled down by an enemy submarine, something Vigil captain Paterson Joseph is keen to keep secret, as it would expose the fact they have “always been at war”.
Was Burke killed for risking exposing the truth? After all, we now know that he was about to expose corruption within the British Navy. Speaking of which…
What exactly was Burke’s plan?
Mark Mainz/BBC/World Productions
The USB that DS Longacre found in Burke’s room had a pre-recorded video message from Burke on it, which he made in case of his death, hinting he anticipated the possibility of being killed for exposing the corruption and fear within the Vigil crew.
In it, he speaks of “20 different ways to kill Vigil crew single handed” – was he actually going to kill someone before he met his own end?
If the Vigil’s mission is to “stay hidden”, how come Silva was allowed on board?
BBC/World Productions
The boat must have taken a serious security risk to come up to the surface to allow Silva aboard, so does that suggest Captain Joseph was lying about the crew’s mission to “stay hidden”?
Who killed Burke?
At this point in time, there looks to be a number of possible suspects in Burke’s murder – not least Hadlow, Glover, Prentice and even Captain Joesph.
But with this being a six-part series, something tells us we’re not about to get a definitive answer any time soon…
Matt Frost/ITV/ShutterstockMillie Court and Liam Reardon have won this year’s Love Island
After the result of the public vote was announced, Millie and Liam had to decide whether to stick or split the cash prize.
Millie received the envelope with the money but decided to split it with Liam. meaning they took home £25,000 each.
Speaking after their win, she said: “I cannot believe we have just been crowned the winners of Love Island. We have literally had the summer of our lives and we are going to leave here and now explore our future together.”
During an interview with host Laura Whitmore, Liam also asked Millie to officially be his girlfriend.
The couple had a rocky journey in the Love Island villa, with Millie previously calling things off with Liam when she discovered he had been unfaithful to her with Lillie Haynes during the Casa Amor twist.
Meanwhile, during their final interviews, Toby joked that describing his relationship with Chloe as a “massive journey” was an “understatement” after the pair also broke up and then got back together during the series.
Matt Frost/ITV/ShutterstockLove Island finalists Faye Winter and Teddy Soares, Chloe Burrows and Toby Aromolaran, Kaz Kamwi and Tyler Cruickshank and Millie Court and Liam Reardon
It’s official, the summer of love is nearly over as the sun sets on Love Island 2021.
After a somewhat slow start, this series finally lived up to its high expectations and provided us with some much-needed TV gold over the last few weeks.
From the iconic Casa Amor recoupling, to couples being on-and-off (and on again – we’re looking at you, Chloe and Toby), series seven has brought drama, an abundance of love and one very questionable talent show.
Ahead of Monday night’s grand finale – where one couple will walk away with the £50,000 prize fund – here’s a roundup of our favourite viral moments that we’re still *puts on Lucinda’s voice* reallllllyyyy obsessed with…
1. Hugo’s recoupling speech
One of the most fiery fire pit moments this year was undoubtedly Hugo’s speech after Toby coupled up with Abi instead of Chloe. It marked the turning point of the series, as we saw our first real glimpse of drama.
Throwing a number of shady comments at his fellow islander Toby, Hugo said of Chloe: “She doesn’t deserve to be treated how she has been this past 24 hours.”
His speech was obviously met with some iconic facial reactions from the Islanders, which were immediately turned into memes.
2. Mary and Millie’s talent show efforts
Picture this – it’s Christmas Day and your cousins are performing their talent show to your family… oh wait, you don’t have to imagine after this particular Love Island moment.
From a rendition of Grease’s You’re The One That I Want, to two semi-pro footballers showing their (lack of) tricks, the Love Island 2021 Talent Show scene was jam-packed with debatable ‘skills’.
However, the real stand-out acts for us were Millie and her keyboard take on Ed Sheeran’s Perfect, and Mary’s tap dancing, both of which left the fellow Islanders – and indeed viewers – speechless.
3. Faye trying her hardest to be unbothered at AJ’s arrival
All the other girls were peeking over the terrace to get a first look, but Faye remained the queen of reactions as she filed her nails and emphasised how unbothered she was: “I’m not bothered at all, AT ALL.”
We totally believed her…
4. Rachel slides head-first into a fence
A rare moment of silence fell in the Line of Booty challenge as Rachel was whisked off her feet, but sadly not by Brad.
Coming down the slide at speed, we saw Rachel going head first into the fence and later recalling the event as “tragic”.
— Stephanie Soteriou 🛸 (@StephanieRiou) July 8, 2021
Luckily, she was OK, but we can still feel the pain.
5. Toby’s unusual reaction to losing Sports Day
The internet was left confused when Toby’s immediate reaction to his team losing Sports Day was to start lifting weights.
However, we weren’t the only ones left baffled as many of his fellow islanders were also unsure as to what was going on.
6. Priya getting the ick from Brett over… Brie?!
Now we’ve heard of a lot of reasons for getting ‘the ick’ but being put off by thinking your partner’s favourite cheese was Brie? Well that is unheard of.
Cheese-lover Priya struggled to picture a future with Brett as she thought his choice of favourite cheese was quite boring. Maybe it’s a Gouda idea to start choosing our partner’s based on their favourite cheese from now on?
FYI, Brett later confirmed that he never said that and in fact he isn’t really a fan of cheese at all.
7. Hugo’s job being “done”
Many of us would probably love to hear some words of encouragement or affection after our first kiss with a new partner. However, Hugo took a slightly different approach after locking lips with Amy in Casa Amor… and we wouldn’t recommend it.
The PE teacher thought the statement “Job done” was the perfect way to win someone over. Spoiler: it didn’t turn out that way.
8. Lillie gets her moment
The nation’s jaws collectively dropped when Lillie entered the main villa to deliver some home truths about what Liam had been up to in Casa Amor.
Never before has an Islander made such an impact in such a short space of time. A Love Island legend.
9. The record-breaking amount of times Jake called Liberty his GIRLfriend
Some would say that Jake had an obsession with having a girlfriend after the amount of times he’s mentioned the G-word.
After a rocky few weeks of their relationship, it seemed as though Jake’s preferred method of reassurance was repeatedly stating Liberty was his “GIRLfriend”.
Sadly, it wasn’t to be for the couple, who ended up leaving the villa after splitting days before the final.
10. This culinary monstrosity
You know what they say, food is the way to the heart. However, we’re not sure that Aaron’s choice of a Halloween DIY-looking carrots in hummus is quite what is meant by that.
The carrots in question were unpeeled and wedged vertically into a bowl of the dip, leaving them looking like inedible witches fingers.
Rachel made us question our French GCSE after she described Coq au Vin as ‘duck with wine’ to Brad.
The mistake didn’t seem to go unnoticed with viewers, as social media flooded with the correct description for the dish, which is actually chicken braised in wine.
We have to give Rachel a A+ for confidence though.
12. Shannon’s brutal dumping
This year’s contestants were prepped for the summer of a lifetime, but for OG Islander Shannon this was not the case – in fact she was packing her case after just one day in the villa.
After the mandatory two-week quarantine before entering the villa, we can only imagine how it felt being dumped after day one.
13. Georgia. That’s it.
After Hugo was stuck on ‘Friend Island’ for the majority of his time in the villa, viewers were glad to finally see the arrival of Georgia, who had her sights firmly set on Hugo and Hugo only.
Despite being the third girl to make Hugo’s rejection list, Georgia’s short stint in the villa consisted of elocution lessons with Lucinda, bringing the sequins and the inspirational message “Never meet your heroes” – and to be honest, we’re not mad about it.
14. Millie’s comedy timing
You can always count on Millie to keep it 100% real, and let’s be honest her comedic inputs have been up there with the best of them during her time in the villa – case in point, this moment from Unseen Bits.
Is it a bug? No, Millie simply humbled her Chloe by calling her a mug for taking Toby back after their on-and-off romance. We have to say the timing was 10/10.
15. Hair horror
The Undercover Lover challenge wasn’t only very messy but it also left the girls in need of a trip to the hairdressers, as the vibrant slime and accidentally dyed their hair all the colours of the rainbow.
16. Chloe’s Beach Hut entries
Chloe has brought many iconic one-liners to the table this series, often from her Beach Hut entries.
ITV
She has offered hilarious commentary on the day-to-day twists and turns in the villa, and who could forget her “very muggy” speech that came after Toby’s head started to turn?
While she proved to be a slightly Marmite character at the beginning of the series, many of us can now agree that Chloe has carried the humour of the show and we love to see it.
Love Island continues on Sunday and Monday at 9pm on ITV2.
Rachel has now co-hosted 3000 episodes of Countdown since taking over from previous maths whizz Carol Vorderman in 2008.
To celebrate the occasion, she was visited by her partner, former Strictly Come Dancing professional Pasha Kovalev, and their daughter Maven in the studio and was also presented with flowers by the production team.
Rachel tweeted: “Loved my surprise visitors for my 3000th show today! One of them was particularly disappointed when it was time to go.”
She added: “I’ll always be the new girl but who can believe it’s been 3000 shows already!Thanks Countdown family.”
Loved my surprise visitors for my 3000th show today! One of them was particularly disappointed when it was time to go. Thanks for the gorgeous flowers @C4Countdown 😆☹️💐 pic.twitter.com/bWe0z3vR3F
The Crown has offered fans their first look at Imelda Staunton as the Queen in the upcoming fifth series.
The actor is taking over the royal role from Olivia Colman in the hit Netflix drama, which is set to return in 2022.
The Crown’s official Twitter account shared the image on Friday afternoon, writing: “An early glimpse of our new Queen Elizabeth II, Imelda Staunton.”
Imelda is leading a brand new cast for in the new series, which sees the action jump ahead in time.
Speaking about taking over the role in an interview in a Woman’s Hour earlier this year, Imelda explained: “I think my sort of extra challenge, as if I needed it, is that I’m now doing the Queen that we’re a little more familiar with.
“With Claire Foy, [her version of Queen Elizabeth II] was almost history and now I’m playing one that people could say ‘she doesn’t do that,’ ‘she’s not like that’. And that’s my personal bête noire for me to deal with.”
Sophie Mutevelian Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II
Jodie Whittaker has finally confirmed speculation she is leaving her role as the Time Lord in Doctor Who.
The actor, who has played the 13th incarnation of The Doctor since 2017, will exit the hit BBC sci-fi series alongside showrunner Chris Chibnall.
Questions about her future with the show began earlier this year, with Jodie now saying in a statement that she had Chris had decided to leave together.
Gary Gershoff via Getty ImagesJodie Whittaker is leaving Doctor Who
She said: “In 2017 I opened my glorious gift box of size 13 shoes. I could not have guessed the brilliant adventures, worlds and wonders I was to see in them. My heart is so full of love for this show, for the team who make it, for the fans who watch it and for what it has brought to my life. And I cannot thank Chris enough for entrusting me with his incredible stories.
“We knew that we wanted to ride this wave side by side, and pass on the baton together. So here we are, weeks away from wrapping on the best job I have ever had. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to express what this role has given me. I will carry the Doctor and the lessons I’ve learnt forever.”
Jodie, who made history when she was cast as the first female actor to play The Doctor, added: “I know change can be scary and none of us know what’s out there. That’s why we keep looking. Travel Hopefully. The Universe will surprise you. Constantly.”
Jodie and Chris will leave Doctor Who in what the BBC described as an “epic blockbuster special” to air in autumn 2022, to tie in with the broadcaster’s centenary celebrations.
BBCJodie became the first female Doctor in 2017
Chris added: “Jodie and I made a “three series and out” pact with each other at the start of this once-in-a-lifetime blast. So now our shift is done, and we’re handing back the Tardis keys.
“Jodie’s magnificent, iconic Doctor has exceeded all our high expectations. She’s been the gold standard leading actor, shouldering the responsibility of being the first female Doctor with style, strength, warmth, generosity and humour. She captured the public imagination and continues to inspire adoration around the world, as well as from everyone on the production. I can’t imagine working with a more inspiring Doctor – so I’m not going to!
Jodie has already filmed the thirteenth series of Doctor Who, consisting of six episodes which will air later this year and also see John Bishop make his debut will as the Doctor’s new companion, Dan Lewis.
The series will then be followed by three specials – the first of which will transmit on New Year’s Day 2022, with another later in spring and the final one will see the Thirteenth Doctor will regenerate in the autumn.
The BBC has said Jodie’s replacement will be announced in due course.
Writing in the Sunday Times this weekend, he criticised the broadcaster, and claimed he had been encouraged to take the knee when he first alerted a producer to the fact he would be doing so.
“Immediately before going on air, I mentioned that I was considering making the gesture,” he wrote, noting he was then told: “If you do it, do it to camera three.”
GB NewsGuto Harri taking the knee live on air on Tuesday afternoon
Guto continued: “GB News captured the moment and proudly cascaded it through social media. Watch five minutes of the channel and you’ll see how presenters are encouraged to speak freely, confront sensitive subjects, engage in difficult debates and make a case.
“However, what followed was a tsunami of disappointment, resentment and hate. Old friends were amused to see me described as woke and Marxist. By Thursday night, the boss called and I’d been taken off air for the summer.”
He added that he first joined GB News as a part-time presenter because he “supported the broad vision”, but accused the station of having become an “absurd parody of what it proclaimed to be”.
He wrote: “Rather than defending free speech and confronting cancel culture, it has set out to replicate it on the far right.”
GB News stands four square against racism in all its forms. We do not have a company line on taking the knee. Some of our guests have been in favour, some against. All are anti-racist. We have editorial standards that all GB News journalists uphold.
The Independent reported on Sunday afternoon that Guto has now made the decision to quit GB News altogether, quoting a resignation letter in which he told bosses he felt he had no other option but to resign.
“I now see that you’ve hired Nigel Farage who immediately declared in public that he will not be taking the knee,” a section of the letter reads (via The Independent).
“Please explain how that does not breach editorial standards but I did – so I can share it with my lawyers.”
Kerry Washington celebrated her former co-star Scott Foley on his birthday by reminding fans of their very scandalous on-screen love triangle involving Tony Goldwyn.
The award-winning star, who famously played Olivia Pope in Scandal, posted a fun selfie on Instagram on Thursday of herself pictured with Tony, who played one of her love interests, Fitzgerald Grant III.
However, the caption of the post was dedicated to Scott, who played Jake Ballard, another character romantically involved with Olivia Pope.
“Happy birthday @scottkfoley!!!!” she wrote. “Miss seeing this gorg face every day. Hope you have an amazing birthday.”
Kerry’s Instagram followers, including Scott himself, quickly took notice. He commented on Washington’s post to clear things up.
“This is not me,” he wrote.
She then made amends by posting another photo that showed her making a punching gesture at Scott.
“WHOOPS wrong TV bae,” she joked. “I really do miss seeing your face (even when I’m fake punching it) every day.”
Fans of the show got a kick out of the mix-up, including Scott’s real-life love, his wife, actor Marika Domińczyk.
“Queen,” she wrote in the comments section of Kerry’s picture with Goldwyn.
Scandal wrapped up its final season in April 2018 after seven seasons. Kerry told ABC News in 2018 that she’d found it “really hard to say goodbye” when the show ended.
