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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Soccer Aid gets bigger and better, and one change this year needs to stay'
Over on ITV1 last night Dermot O'Leary was at Old Trafford in Manchester, giving us an update on the state of play. "It's a Sunday night in June when the football season is over," Dermot explained. "What else are we gonna do?" Well Dermot, for any fans looking for a bonus football fix the options were fairly clear. We could fall in with FIFA's latest money-making scheme and watch the likes of mighty Bayern Munich stick ten goals past a bunch of postmen from New Zealand in the World Club Cup. Or we could tune into Soccer Aid, ITV and UNICEF's very own annual money-making scheme, where you could see a bunch of celebrities and YouTubers being put in their place by seasoned ex-pros, and enjoy the "no reachy, no savey" spectacle of Take Me Out's Paddy McGuinness trying to stop a trickler from TV chef Big Zuu sneaking in at his near post. For me it was always going to be the latter. It's a much more satisfying viewing experience. Plus, it's all for a good cause. By the way, is it just me or does Soccer Aid seem to be growing bigger every year? This year it was all across the ITV schedules, from piddling afternoon quizzes such as Ridiculous to prime time monsters such as The 1% Club. It was almost as if ITV had sensed a gap in the market following the recent fall off in interest in the BBC's Children In Need and assorted Relief efforts, and decided to have a shot at gaining some charity ground. Soccer Aid even had its own sporty documentary this year: the tale of Sam Thompson's fund-raising journey to deliver the match ball in time for the big match's kick-off. I'm not necessarily against such rampant expansion. Obviously, we must throw in the usual caveats. Can charities really be trusted with our money? And why should we donate our hard-earned cash when the millionaire celebrities and multimillionaire footballers asking us to do so could achieve similar results with their loose change? The simple truth is Soccer Aid usually offers us laughter and entertainment — and quite a few of the themed programmes were good fun too. Special mention to The 1% Club and to Alex Brooker on Deal Or No Deal. On the night itself, I knew I'd made the right choice when at 6.20pm on a Sunday evening, ITV took the rather brave decision to give Tyson Fury full control of the microphone to deliver a motivational speech to the England team. One "We're England! We're f***ing Spartans!" and several profuse apologies later, I think we could all agree we had just been reminded of the joys of live TV. It didn't stop there either. Just before half-time, with England 2-0 up against the World XI and coasting, ITV decided it would probably be fine to go to Fury again. Of course, you couldn't help but feel moved by the genuine fear and anguish in Alex Scott's face and voice as she said "Once again, I do apologise for Tyson's swearing." There was a little bit of "serves you right" in there from us as well though. The funniest thing about it all was that in the rush to apologise for Fury's behaviour, no one appeared to notice that Harry Redknapp has dropped an F-bomb of his own. The match itself was entertaining enough on its own. After a quiet first half, it burst into life in the second 45 minutes thanks mainly to the introduction of Carlos Tevez and Leonardo Bonucci. If we were being kind, we might say the pair are only recently retired from the professional game and that perhaps explains why they took the match so seriously. If we were being honest, we'd say book a couple of legendary s***housers and you'll get what you pay for. Tevez in particular was a revelation. Not only did he score four goals to give the World XI the edge, he also incurred a yellow card for a blatant foul on fellow ex-pro Aaron Lennon, almost had a scrap with YouTuber Angry Ginge (grown-up name Morgan), and played the crowd like a panto villain throughout. As for Italian enforcer Bonucci, I guess his tackle on England's Steph Houghton finally offered an answer to a question I first posed after the 2018 match: "How come there are no women playing in Soccer Aid?" In Bonucci's defence, he did get the ball and, thanks to Houghton's awkward landing, the tackle actually looked a lot worse than it was. Of course, ITV will still need to consider the ramifications of that incident ahead of next year's match. At the end of the day, it's meant to be a bit of fun. Speaking of next year, I'm fully expecting co-commentator Jason Manford's loan move to be made permanent. I'm not sure why Iain "What's forty quid?" Stirling decided to take a break this year, but Manford is clearly a better fit for this job. It was like listening to someone you might sit next to at a real match. Manford also made me believe that with the right partner in the commentary box Sam Matterface could also one day be reasonably bearable on ITV's proper matches. Unfortunately, Manford almost let the side down near the end of the match when he said something smutty that, to be fair, was probably going through a lot of people's dirty minds at the time. Talking about mobile phones, Matterface said to the viewers, "I know you've got it in your hand and you're playing with it now." "You mean the phone?", Manford said. "Just checking." Jason, mate. Some open goals are best left well alone. Soccer Aid streams on ITVX.
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Who won Soccer Aid? Score, controversial moments and huge amount raised for UNICEF
The iconic Soccer Aid charity match took place last night at Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium with an impressive amount of money being raised for charity as the celebs took to the pitch Soccer Aid 2025 delivered high drama, featuring early injuries, stand-out performances and one of the most surprising comebacks in the charity event's history. Stars from across the worlds of sports, film and television came together once again this weekend for the "world's biggest charity football match". Created by Robbie Williams in 2006, Soccer Aid for UNICEF brings the nation together in support of children across the globe, raising more than £100 million to date to help give every child the best possible start in life. The latest showdown at Old Trafford - the home to Manchester United - where a team of former pros and celebrities represent England against the Soccer Aid team World XI FC, was a complete sell out, with thousands of fans filling the iconic 'theatre of dreams' to watch the star-studded action. England came out aiming for back-to-back victories after last year's triumph at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge. But it was the World XI who came out on top, clinching a 5-4 win, with the final goal being scored by rapper and TV chef Big Zuu. Joining him in the celebrations was former Argentina and Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez, who delivered an impressive performance scoring four goals for the World XI. Before the winning team lifted the trophy in the air, former Take That icon and co-founder Robbie announced that this year's event had raised a massive £15,280,163. Speaking to the crowds in Old Trafford and viewers at home, he said: "As an original founder of Soccer Aid, I couldn't be more proud of the volunteers, organisers and talent, to the team on the ground; everyone who buys a ticket or makes a donation. Together, over the years, we've raised over £121m. Here's to many more games and even more fundraising." Since the charity match was first founded in 2006, it has raised an impressive amount - over £106 million. Before the match got started, host Dermot O'Leary had to "profusely" apologise to ITV viewers after Tyson Fury had a blunder live on air. The heavyweight champion, who was the England team Manager, swore live on ITV while he was giving his team a pre-match talk in the locker rooms. He said: "Let them know how good we are. We are England. We are f****** Spartans. We are Spartans." Presenters Alex Scott and Dermot apologised afterwards, with Scott saying: "What can I say about Tyson Fury? We do apologise for the swearing, but it is Tyson Fury, we don't know what's going to happen." This Morning presenter Dermot then said: "We do profusely apologise." Tyson was not the only star to swear live on air with Harry Redknapp, who was the manager for World XI FC, dropping the F-bomb while addressing his own team. As soon as the game got started, it was heartache for former boxing star Tony Bellew as he was removed from the game in just five minutes, and was seen hobbling along in a lot of pain towards the tunnel. Tony was only one injured starred, as his pal and former I'm A Celeb co-star Sam Thompson had been unable to join the starting line-up or to get onto the pitch until the last minute, due to being injured during his Match Ball Mission, which saw him cycle from Stamford Bridge in London to Old Trafford in Manchester to deliver the all-important match ball. The TV personality was able to get a couple minutes on the pitch, playing in the final few minutes of the charity match.
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Hollywood icon Julia Roberts joins crowds at Soccer Aid in surprise cameo
The Pretty Woman icon was spotted in the crowd. Soccer Aid 2025 has brought footballing legends and celebrities gather to play a game of footie to raise vital funds for UNICEF UK, supporting initiatives that provide life-saving assistance to children worldwide. The event, which was founded by former Take That star Robbie Williams in 2006, usually brings in celebrities from all over the globe but fans were surprised when they spotted Pretty Woman and Notting Hill actress Julia Roberts in the crowds. Ahead of the match kicking off hosts Dermot O'Leary and Alex Scott were on the football pitch discussing the atmosphere and the amazing fans in the crowd, before Dermott announced that the Hollywood star was actually in the stadium. Dermot said: 'The atmosphere is coming along very nicely and, I'll tell you what, anyone who is anyone is here tonight, including a certain Julia Roberts'. Alex appeared to be surprised at the news as she repeated the actress' name in astonishment before Dermot added: 'Apparently, she is a Manchester United fan'. Julia was then captured by the camera as she was seen walking into the stadium, looking the part in a red blazer with large footballs printed all over it. The actress flashed her signature smile as she prepared to join the crowds in spectating the important game. As well as actors, singers and comedians, football stars will also take to the pitch for another game as England goes head to head with the World XI. Soccer Aid has been running for over 20 years and has raised £100million overall. Other notable celebrities who will still participate in the match include football legends Wayne Rooney, Gary Neville, and Paul Scholes, alongside renowned Lioness players Toni Duggan, Steph Houghton, and Jill Scott. Additionally, Steve Bartlett, Paddy McGuiness, Sam Quek, Dermot Kennedy, Tom Grennan, and Martin Compston will join the fray. International football sensation and Euro 2020 winner Leonardo Bonucci, as well as Nadia Nadim and dancer Gorka Marquez, will also take to the pitch. Sam Thompson was also supposed to be playing in the match but sadly had to withdraw due to injury. Despite not being able to participate in the match due to a calf injury sustained during his charity five-day challenge where he succeeded in raising over £1 million for Unicef, Sam has transitioned into a coaching role. He will continue to play a pivotal part in the Soccer Aid event. Soccer Aid initially took place every two years but is now an annual event. Females were first allowed to play in the game in 2019 and it is the only mixed-sex match officially sanctioned by The Football Association. 2020 saw the event held behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Agriland
13-06-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Co. Louth free-range farm walk to focus on ‘sustainability'
A farm walk is due to take place next week at the family-owned free-range Belview egg farm in Co. Louth, with the aim of promoting sustainability in the sector. Dermot Herlihy, who has a strong focus on environmental responsibility within poultry on his enterprise, will host the farm walk on Wednesday, June 18 at 11:00a.m. The Teagasc-organised walk will take place in Carrickbaggot, Co. Louth, and all are welcome to attend. The company – which was established in 1978 by Dermot and his wife Nicola – has grown over the last 40 years from 5,000 hens to a brood of 288,000 hens today. The event will primarily discuss poultry manure in tillage, European Innovation Partnership (EIP) farming for water quality, as well as solar panels and energy savings. Poultry manure in tillage Broiler litter is a mixture of chicken manure and bedding material, and is a fertiliser often used for tillage crops in Ireland. It can be a very cost-effective way of building soil fertility in comparison to artificial fertilisers, particularly on soils low in phosphorus (P). Chicken manure has a high dry matter content, which helps to build soil organic carbon, improve the soils water-holding capacity, and can also improve the soil biological activity. Broiler litter is rich in essential nutrients, including P, nitrogen (N), potassium (K), and trace minerals. European Innovation Partnership (EIP) The Farming for Water European Innovation Partnership (EIP), will provide €50 million to approximately 15,000 farmers up to the end of 2027 in a bid to improve water quality, according to Teagasc. There are over 40 measures to choose from, including: completing a rainwater management plan; a farmer training course; and a Nutrient Management Plan. It also provides funding for items such as solar pumps, stream fencing, and hedge and tree planting. This grant aid is targeted to specific priority areas for action. Solar panels and energy savings For many farmers, solar power is becoming a prominent option when dealing with current environments. Research suggests solar panels can cut energy costs, support sustainability, and give electrical independence to farmers. Depending on battery specification, a farmer can displace the majority of his electricity, and may even be approved to be eligible to return to the grid. If eligible, the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) provides a 40% grant on a solar PV investment, while young qualified farmers can get up to 60% in grant aid.
The Irish Sun
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary pay emotional tribute to This Morning star feared dead in Air India plane crash
AN emotional tribute was paid to a This Morning star on the show today as he is feared dead in the Air India plane crash. Advertisement 4 Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary paid tribute to a This Morning star who is feared dead 4 Fiongal Greenlaw and his husband Jamie Meek are feared dead after holidaying in India and boarding the Air India flight that crashed soon after take off 4 Fiongal appeared on This Morning back in January Fiongal and his husband Jamie Meek, 45, are understood to have been onboard the flight which was due to land at London's Gatwick Airport. The aircraft went down shortly after take off, with one known survivor walking away from the crash. Fiongal and Jamie, who are known for being wellness gurus, were enjoying a holiday together in India. The pair founded wellness branded together, which had previously been promoted on This Morning. Advertisement Read More about This Morning Fiongal appeared on the show earlier this year. On today's show, at the top of the episode, Dermot O'Leary and Dermot explained that Fiongal "appeared on This Morning twice this year" adding: "We loved his energy that he brought to the studio. "Fiongal was on board the plane with his husband." Advertisement Most read in TV Dermot then spoke about how the couple shared videos online before they boarded plane. "Our thoughts and our prayers go to their loved ones and all those affected by this terrible tragedy." Brit survivor WALKS AWAY unscathed from Air India plane crash after jumping from flaming jet He made an appearance on the ITV Daytime show back in January. During the episode, he gave hosts Ben and Cat a reading on their auras. Advertisement This comes after former This Morning editor Martin Frizell shared a moving tribute. Sharing a snap of Fiongal posing with Ben and Cat from the show, Martin penned: "So so sad to hear that Fiongal Greenlaw Meek and his partner are reported to be among the passengers and crew killed today on board the Air India flight bound for Gatwick. "I remember his visit to the studio in January, he was passionate about auras and although I'm a sceptical sort his vibrancy and sheer enthusiasm won folk over." He continued: "And I know for a fact that he hoped to use his appearance on This Morning to build his Wellness brand, he had a great future ahead of him. Advertisement "Thoughts are with his family and friends and those of his partner Jamie." Back in January after Fiongal appeared on the show, he took to social media to share his excitement. Sharing the post on his wellness brand's Instagram, Wellness Foundry, the caption of the post read: "So this happened ... "The biggest gig so far! Advertisement "Fiongal on This Morning - it was very nerve-wracking but he was honoured to chat about one of his favourite topics to such a big audience." 4 Alison and Dermot spoke about the horror crash on This Morning today
