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Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
New EastEnders bombshell as ex-star Michelle Ryan returns as Zoe Slater – and she's back FOR GOOD after 20 years
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) EASTENDERS legend Michelle Ryan has returned to the soap after 20 years away - and is back for good. As gorgeous Zoe Slater, the actress is best known for her explosive 'You ain't my mother!' showdown with Kat Slater, now Moon. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 EastEnders icon Michelle Ryan is returning to the soap after 20 years – and this time she's back for good Credit: BBC 4 Zoe was embroiled in the murder of Den Watts with accomplices Chrissie Watts and Sam Mitchell Credit: BBC 4 Michelle, as Zoe, in the soap from 2000 Credit: BBC She's now back on Albert Square as Kat marries Alfie for the third time and prepares to take over the Queen Victoria pub. Viewers will see Zoe in two further episodes this week but she will be on board full-time this summer. Speaking on her return to the BBC soap, Michelle said: 'It feels like coming home. 'After doing my first few scenes, it was like I'd never been away. 'It all happened at the right time. 'I'd already been thinking about a return because I'd met up with Kacey Ainsworth (Little Mo) and Kim Medcalf (Sam Mitchell) and we were reminiscing our fond memories of the show, and I'd also joined social media and saw that there was still a lot of love for the character. 'It just so happened that at the same time, EastEnders had announced a new Exec who was keen to explore the potential of a return as he was such a massive fan of Zoe and the Slaters, so both of our worlds aligned at the right time, and I'm so excited to be back. 'When I was pitched the storylines, and when I read the scripts, I knew it was the right decision.' EastEnders new boss, Executive Producer Ben Wadey added: 'Before I even stepped into the role, Zoe Slater was on my wish-list of returnees as, although we haven't seen her on screen for twenty years, her character has transcended time due to her popular storylines.' The mother-daughter spectacle with Kat in 2001 cemented Zoe as one of the BBC soap's most iconic characters. EastEnders' Kat Slater calls her estranged daughter Zoe Slater who left 13 years ago The scene revealed that Zoe, the youngest of the all-female Slater clan, was in fact Kat's daughter but had been brought up by Charlie and Viv Slater as her own. In the storyline, Zoe is fed up of being bossed around by Kat and yells: 'You can't tell me what to do - you ain't my mother,' to which Kat explodes: 'Yes I am!' Zoe also had a string of countless failed love interests, including a disastrous relationship with Dennis Rickman (Nigel Harman). The doomed affair - which resulted in a pregnancy - saw Zoe embroiled in the murder of Den Watts with accomplices Chrissie Watts and Sam Mitchell. Zoe left Albert Square in 2005 but during her time away, Zoe and Kat's relationship was said to have broken down once again and the pair have been estranged ever since. Michelle added: 'I can't say too much as there is a lot of drama to come, but Zoe is a mess. 'She's not the girl that left Walford twenty years ago, and she's been really struggling on her own. 'She has her defences up, but this week you will see that she needs help, but whether she is willing to accept it is another story.' Michelle made her debut in 2000 alongside Jessie Wallace as Kat, Kasey Ainsworth as Little Mo and Elaine Lordan as Lynne. She quit the show in 2005 in a bid to crack Hollywood and landed the lead role in a big-budget remake of The Bionic Woman - but it failed to impress and was axed after just one season. In 2008 she ruled out a return to the soap. She said: 'I just got quite bored in the end, to be honest. 'Doing the same thing day in, day out. 'It's just so boring. 'I like to jump from different things.' She added: 'Money doesn't drive me. 'You couldn't get me back.' However last year she said 'never say never' when asked about a potential return. 4 In 2008 Natalie ruled out a return to the soap Credit: Getty Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club.
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
New EastEnders bombshell as ex-star Michelle Ryan returns as Zoe Slater – and she's back FOR GOOD after 20 years
EASTENDERS legend Michelle Ryan has returned to the soap after 20 years away - and is back for good. As gorgeous 4 EastEnders icon Michelle Ryan is returning to the soap after 20 years – and this time she's back for good Credit: BBC 4 Zoe was embroiled in the murder of Den Watts with accomplices Chrissie Watts and Sam Mitchell Credit: BBC 4 Michelle, as Zoe, in the soap from 2000 Credit: BBC She's now back on Albert Square as Viewers will see Zoe in two further episodes this week but she will be on board full-time this summer . Speaking on her return to the BBC soap, Michelle said: 'It feels like coming home. 'After doing my first few scenes, it was like I'd never been away. READ MORE TV NEWS 'It all happened at the right time. ' 'It just so happened that at the same time, EastEnders had announced a new Exec who was keen to explore the potential of a return as he was such a massive fan of Zoe and the Slaters, so both of our worlds aligned at the right time, and I'm so excited to be back. 'When I was pitched the storylines, and when I read the scripts, I knew it was the right decision.' Most read in News TV EastEnders new boss, Executive Producer Ben Wadey added: 'Before I even stepped into the role, Zoe Slater was on my wish-list of returnees as, although we haven't seen her on screen for twenty years, her character has transcended time due to her popular storylines.' The mother-daughter spectacle with Kat in 2001 cemented Zoe as one of the BBC soap's most iconic characters. EastEnders' Kat Slater calls her estranged daughter Zoe Slater who left 13 years ago The scene revealed that Zoe, the youngest of the all-female Slater clan, was in fact Kat's daughter but had been brought up by Charlie and Viv Slater as her own. In the storyline, Zoe is fed up of being bossed around by Kat and yells: 'You can't tell me what to do - you ain't my mother,' to which Kat explodes: 'Yes I am!' Zoe also had a string of countless failed love interests, including a disastrous relationship with Dennis Rickman (Nigel Harman). The doomed affair - which resulted in a pregnancy - saw Zoe embroiled in the Zoe left Albert Square in 2005 but during her time away, Zoe and Kat's relationship was said to have broken down once again and the pair have been estranged ever since. Michelle added: 'I can't say too much as there is a lot of drama to come, but Zoe is a mess. 'She's not the girl that left Walford twenty years ago, and she's been really struggling on her own. 'She has her defences up, but this week you will see that she needs help, but whether she is willing to accept it is another story.' Michelle made her debut in 2000 alongside She quit the show in 2005 in a bid to crack Hollywood and landed the lead role in a big-budget remake of The Bionic Woman - but it failed to impress and was axed after just one season. In 2008 she ruled out a return to the soap. She said: 'I just got quite bored in the end, to be honest. 'Doing the same thing day in, day out. 'It's just so boring. 'I like to jump from different things.' She added: 'Money doesn't drive me. 'You couldn't get me back.' However last year she said 'never say never' when asked about a potential return. 4 In 2008 Natalie ruled out a return to the soap Credit: Getty Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club.
Scottish Sun
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Dragon's Den star reveals biggest regret after investing millions on BBC show
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DRAGONS' Den legend Duncan Bannatyne wishes he had quit the telly hit sooner – so he could concentrate on his own endeavours. The gym chain boss, 76, forked out over £2 million on 36 investments during his ten-year reign on the BBC show. 4 Duncan doesn't miss Dragons' Den. Credit: BBC 4 Duncan with wife Nigora in Portugal. However, after bowing out in 2015, followed by his last major TV appearance in I'm A Celebrity . . . Get Me Out Of Here in the same year, he revealed that he regrets not declaring 'I'm out' years earlier. Duncan said: 'I left the show ten years ago. I regret not leaving earlier, actually, as it's a huge commitment and takes up 26 days of the year to film. I spent a lot of time away from my family. 'When you invest in someone, you then need to take responsibility for that person and make hard decisions, sometimes it's not nice. 'I just didn't want to be involved in it any more, I have my own businesses.' Duncan also revealed he doesn't regularly keep in touch with his fellow Dragons. He added: 'We all lead very different lives, but I did bump into Theo recently.' And reflecting on his TV career, Duncan says he's unlikely to return to the small screen. He says: 'I don't think I'll do any more television — it doesn't appeal to me. I've done everything I wanted to.' Away from television, Clydebank-born Duncan leads a busy and fulfilling personal and professional life. He began his career in the Royal Navy in the 1960s, but received a dishonourable discharge after threatening to throw an abusive officer off a boat landing jetty. His entrepreneurial journey began at age 30 when he bought an ice-cream van for £450. From there he built the largest chain of independent health clubs in the UK and expanded into hotels and property. I was on Dragons' Den - here's which Dragon is the most intimidating and which one is totally different off camera Today, Duncan oversees 68 gyms, takes pride in being a devoted husband and enjoys spending time with his seven grandchildren. He's also involved in charity work, including Operation Smile, a global organisation dedicated to helping children with cleft conditions. He says: 'I went to a black tie dinner and one of the auction prizes was a trip to Mexico with Operation Smile. I bid for it and won. 'On that trip, I was absolutely amazed at how the charity transforms lives. Children with cleft conditions are often ridiculed, called 'demons' and suffer from malnourishment due to difficulties eating. 'In the UK these issues are resolved quickly but in many parts of the world there aren't enough trained medics to address them.' Duncan is currently on a charity mission in Morocco with Uzbekistan-born wife Nigora Whitehorn, 45. The multi-millionaire tied the knot in 2017 with the stunning brunette, who is 31 years his junior. They at an intimate ceremony before family and friends on a Portuguese beach, close to where they live. The entrepreneur has five daughters and one son from his previous marriages, while Nigora has one daughter who Duncan calls his own. They met shortly after his divorce in 2011 from his second wife, Joanna McCue, which is said to have cost £345 million. Nigora was working as a dentist's receptionist in London's Harley Street when the pair first met. Duncan admitted that the connection on his side was instantaneous. 4 He's much happier doing charity work now. Credit: Supplied 4 Duncan enjoys working closely with his wife after quitting telly. Credit: instagram The smitten husband said: 'It's great that I get to do charity work alongside my wife, we're a good team. But it's not just my wife, I've got my son and daughter here with me as well as my wife's daughter, who I call my own. 'It's like a family operation, I get to spend time with my loved ones while doing work for a great cause.' Duncan told how he keeps in touch with families and feels a sense of attachment after hearing of their horrific ordeals. And he is happy to pull on a surgical gown and watch doctors at work in the operating theatre. He added: 'Handing a baby back to their mother after the procedure is an amazing feeling. "There are about 400 children at one time and sometimes you get attached to a certain child. You want to see them through the full process. I've kept in touch with a few families. "One story that sticks out was a young girl with six fingers. She had no nose and was coming in for her cleft lip and the surgeon used her extra finger to create a nose.' Duncan also loves spending quality time with his seven grandchildren. He said: 'I get to see them quite a bit, most of them spend summer with me in my house in Portugal. 'A few of them are out here with me now, my oldest grandson came over too. My granddaughter works for one of my clubs — she's loving it.' Duncan shows no signs of slowing down after dancing the night away in February at a Miami nightclub for his star-studded 76th birthday bash. Nigora declared her devotion to the Scots entrepreneur online, saying: 'I love you to the moon and back . . . Happy birthday to someone who never fails to brighten my day.' A source said at the time: 'Duncan had an absolute ball. There might be a few sore heads in the morning, but it was worth it.' The Scot has also swapped the boardroom for board games. He adds: 'During my downtime here in Morocco, I like to relax — by thrashing my son at backgammon.'
Scottish Sun
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Andy Murray starts new career as AGONY AUNT as he reveals details of ‘terrible' first date with wife Kim
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ANDY MURRAY has started an unlikely new career - as an AGONY AUNT. The retired Scottish tennis legend has been delighting surprised fans at the Queen's Club tournament in London this week by giving his best advice to anyone who follows mysterious signs advertising 'Free Coaching'. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Andy Murray carves new career as 'Agony Andy' Credit: BBC 4 He's offering up some 'free coaching' Credit: BBC 4 Murray with wife Kim at the races Credit: Getty A video shared by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) shows the three time Grand Slam winner holding court at the court now known as the Andy Murray Arena. It's a job the Scot unsurprisingly takes to with gusto, dispensing home truths to all and sundry. And it all culminates in a story he tells about his first date with his future wife Kim. Asked what a "perfect first date" would look like, Murray first suggested a bike ride then added: "First dates can be tricky. "I had a terrible one with my wife. We went to an okay restaurant but she wasn't speaking to me. "I had to take a break to go to the toile to compose myself." The Scot did something similar prior to the final set of his first Grand Slam win at the US Open in 2012, and some of the other tricks of his trade are here. Other highlights from the video include his top tip to young couples moving in together. "I'm saying this from the man's perspective, maybe you can tell him this, I've found that helping out with little things, like putting the dishwasher on, putting the dishes away, goes a very long way." Andy Murray admits embarrassment at being beaten by 5-year-old son in different sport Asked his advice to someone with ten days' annual leave left to take, he said: "I would travel somewhere, Get out of the UK, go and explore somewhere different. That is what I would do." Another member of the public asked Andy for his advice to solve her chronic issue with anxiety before going into meetings. The Scot said: "Think about all the things that are making you nervous, write them down, and then play out those different scenarios. "I used to do that before matches, I would write down the things that were worrying me then if those situations came up I would know how to deal with them because I've prepared to deal with them already." As for his advice to the young man who just wants to "Get ripped", Murray replied: " "Just go in there and lift huge." 4 It's got a ring to it... Credit: BBC Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
The National
12-06-2025
- Politics
- The National
Donald Trump is reshaping democracy for authoritarians
It depicts US president Donald Trump as a firefighter arriving at an emergency scene somewhere – most likely Los Angeles – declaring: 'I'm here to put out the fire.' Facing off against him is a lone US citizen who duly points out to the firefighter that what, in fact, he's carrying is not a water hose but a flamethrower. To say that it encapsulates what is happening in Los Angeles right now would be an understatement, for the United States is changing in ways rarely seen before. READ MORE: SNP minister responds to 'secret meeting to discuss John Swinney leadership' reports Some, rightly, will argue it was ever going to be thus after the last US presidential election, and Trump was unleashed by the American people on themselves. In retrospect, doubtless some Americans regret electing Trump now that they see him set about the nation, brandishing every available tool or weapon capable of causing division or harm. 'Chainsaw' or 'flamethrower,' these have become Trump's weapons of choice in reshaping his country's democracy in tandem with imposing a blueprint of authoritarian rule. Yes, Trump has insisted that sending in federal troops is aimed at restoring calm or 'putting out the fire' of radical 'left-wing' agitators. He's even suggested invoking the Insurrection Act to quell the protesters in Los Angeles. But the real insurrection here – as back in January 2021 – is one ignited by Trump himself. There is a familiar even deeper historical pattern emerging here too, one that I was reminded of while watching a repeat on BBC4 recently of the landmark series, Rise Of The Nazis. As one newspaper review of the original series aired back in 1999 rightly noted, it served as a lesson in 'how easily – and petrifyingly quickly – a democratic country can move to a totalitarian dictatorship'. (Image: Evelyn Hockstein, REUTERS) Those who say such an observation is nothing but hyperbole in relation to America right now, need to think again. For watching the Rise Of The Nazis is to recall the ease with which propaganda, economic exploitation, and political manipulation came together and were harnessed for authoritarian rule. Trump like Hitler – and all those with authoritarian tendencies – know the political value in triggering those same tendencies among supporters by presenting them with a perceived threat to their shared way of life. Just as the Nazis manufactured crises to work to their advantage, so too does the Trump administration. Right now, the federal intervention in the US – again like 1930s Germany – is aimed at creating a showdown by painting a picture of a threat of disorder to the country at large. In Los Angeles, the template being deployed was outlined succinctly this week in The Economist magazine and goes as follows. First, 'announce an immigration crackdown on a city whose leadership does not want it, wait for protests, then call in the troops to put down the protesters. Cracking heads serves as a warning to other cities that might resist. It is also a signal to MAGA loyalists that Trump is doing what they elected him for'. (Image: MARK FELIX, AFP /AFP via Getty Images) Trump then is increasingly keen on using the military to quell protests against his policies. Sound familiar? 'We're gonna have troops everywhere,' he said, when asked about the situation in Los Angeles. And that's just the start, for Americans will see lots more US military personnel and weaponry on the streets of Washington this weekend as parades marking the US Army's 250th anniversary get underway. That there are echoes here of the Nuremberg rallies of 30s Nazi Germany has not been lost on many. The deployment of federal troops and US Marines in Los Angeles aside, we've also seen paratroopers drop from the sky with Trump giving a partisan encore speech to troops at Fort Bragg. This weekend it will culminate in a 'big beautiful' parade to coincide with the 'great leader's' birthday that will make last month's Victory Day parade in Moscow look quaint by comparison. Only the most blinkered could fail to see what Trump is doing here. This, after all, is a president with whom the US military has by and large had little truck until now. Trump's timely diagnosis of bone spurs in his heels that led to his medical exemption from the military during Vietnam never did him any favours in the eyes of many veterans. His unwillingness to recognise their sacrifice in fighting fascism in the Second World War led also to that infamous remark that Europe's military cemeteries 'were filled with losers'. But now, for Trump, it's time to think again, for that's what despots and dictators do when they need the military onside. All this wooing of America's armed forces with false praise allows Trump to make a point of showing executive force he always coveted but could only dream of during his first term. Admittedly, not everyone is convinced by Trump's newfound 'celebration' of America's military might, with reports that US veterans are split over their president's true motives. While some see it as a thing to be proud of, others remain wary of Trump's manipulation of it for his own political ends. Which takes me back to events unfolding in Los Angeles, for here the devil lies in the detail. That detail is how Trump's administration has cited a provision in the armed forces code allowing the president to put National Guard members under federal control when there is a 'rebellion or danger of a rebellion' against the authority of the US government. It's almost as if Trump and his cabal know what's coming with regard to America's future as they cynically seek to expand the powers of his presidency by riding roughshod over America's political system of checks and balances between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Some might say so what? Trump, they argue, was elected democratically by a sweeping majority. But so too have other leaders who went on to consolidate authoritarian regimes. Back in 1930, while appearing before a constitutional court, Adolf Hitler brazenly informed the court that once he had achieved power through legal means, he intended to shape the government as he saw fit. 'So, only through constitutional means?' a judge asked, to which Hitler's now infamous sharp reply was, 'Jawohl'. Yes indeed. Just as Germany transformed politically in the 1930s before the world's eyes, likewise the momentum in America's shift toward authoritarian rule is accelerating by the day. It's high time we sat up and took notice of just what that could mean for us all.
