Latest news with #FranKirby
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The 1% Club alphabet question wipes out a whopping 15 celebrity players - but can YOU crack the code?
The 1% Club aired an alphabet question that wiped out a whopping 15 celebrity players during the latest all-star special - but can YOU crack the code? The ITV show - hosted by Lee Mack - aired a Soccer Aid special earlier this month (June 7 2025) ahead of the annual charity event at the Old Trafford on Sunday (15 June 2025). The likes of Jill Scott, 38, Iain Stirling, 37, Tony Bellew, 42, and Chris Kamara, 67, took to the studio to see if they could get the 1% question. But at the 30% question round, a huge number of celebrities got the boot. Presenter Lee asked the famous faces: 'Which England footballer is spelt out in this code below?' as they were shown nine different symbols. The players were given the options of: A) Mary Earps, B) Ella Toone and C) Fran Kirby. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. After their time was up, Lee said: 'Wow. We've lost 15 of you... 'Let's look at the answer. It's Frank Kirby.' He then went on to explain: 'The only symbol which is repeated represents the second letter of the first name and the third letter of the second name. 'Fran Kirby is the only name that has a repeated letter in those positions.' The host confessed that the person that they thought might win the show was out after the question - Mark Pugatch. Lee asked: 'What happened Mark?' Mark replied: 'I still don't understand it.' Lee confessed: 'Well if it's any help Mark, I read it out and I actually don't understand what the hell they're talking about either.' 'That was beyond me,' Lee said. 'I was trying to work out what the logic was, or whatever. Got nowhere near it.' Footballer Ella Toone, 25, got it right. Speaking about the answer, she said: 'I was gutted it weren't me!' The presenter then went over to Love Island voice over Iain, who hadn't used any of his passes yet and he asked what has been his favourite Soccer Aid so far. Iain said: 'Well I've played in a couple, commentated on a couple, basically it's you showing up every year saying that you're too old and you're never doing it again, and then you score a world in and you come back again the next day.' Earlier this month a recent tricky letters question wiped out 11 players on The 1% Club. During a recent instalment of the programme 11 people got a question wrong as they took on the 70% round. Presenter Lee asked the players: 'If you write the words HIGHER and LOWER with alternating letters, what do you get?' They were given three options to pick from in just 30 seconds. The options included: A) HLOIWGEHERR B) HLIOGWEERR or C) HLIOWGEHERR. Presenter Lee, 56, asked the players: 'If you write the words HIGHER and LOWER with alternating letters, what do you get?' Trying to keep things light while they were trying to figure out the answer, Lee joked: 'I think that first one is the name of Hagrid's German cousin.' The crowd found his comment funny and burst into laughter. Lee then revealed that the correct answer was option B HLIOGWEERR. He continued: 'We lost 11 players there' and went on to speak to those who had to leave the competition. It comes after The 1% Club players were tripped up by an 'easy' spot the difference question - but can you solve it within 30 seconds? The 70% question, which is supposed to be one of the easier ones to figure out, proved to be tricky for several players. It read: 'What is the difference between these two images?' Alongside the question, two images were displayed of Coronation Street pub, The Rovers Return Inn. Host Lee quipped: 'That's easy this, one's on the left and one's on the right.' The question tripped up three contestants who were knocked out of the game. Lee revealed the answer and pointed out that the name of the pub on the right picture had changed to 'Ravers Return Inn' instead of 'Rovers Return Inn'. Another instalment last month of The 1% Club saw a question knock out a whopping 14 players. The 30% question read: 'Jamil is writing a limerick but needs a word that follows these rules to complete the last line... 'Two syllables, only two different vowels, starts with an even -numbered letter and contains at least three letters from the second half of the alphabet. Which of these words would work?' Players had to choose between Doggie, Blades, Hotel, Prizes and Rabbit. After 30 seconds, it was revealed 14 contestants got the answer wrong and were wiped out from the game. The correct answer was Prizes. The 1% Club airs on ITV1 and streams on ITVX.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
'Resilience isn't enough': why the growth of women's football could lead to player burnout
Women's football has exploded onto the global stage. Record-breaking crowds, major sponsorships, elite athletes and huge media deals have transformed the sport into a fast-growing spectacle. Its rise may be inspiring, but behind the success, many players are struggling with the growing physical and mental demands of the modern game. As the game becomes faster and more physically intense, players are expected to deliver top performances across crowded domestic seasons, international tournaments and growing commercial commitments. Recovery windows are shrinking, while the pressure to remain at peak performance only grows. Physiotherapists have already warned that many female players face burnout, overtraining and a rising risk of injuries due to inadequate rest and recovery time. With growing visibility also comes increasing scrutiny. Female players now live under the spotlight of social media, where they are expected not only to perform, but to lead, inspire and remain endlessly positive – often while facing online abuse. Chelsea and England star Fran Kirby has spoken openly about the criticism she has received about her body, especially after injuries or illness when she wasn't at peak fitness. Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK's latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences. 'I get called fat all the time,' she has said, highlighting how online abuse adds another layer of psychological strain that isn't always visible, but can be deeply harmful. Mental health is increasingly part of the conversation around women's football, but real support remains patchy. After the tragic suicide of Sheffield United's 27-year-old midfielder Maddy Cusack in 2023, the FA commissioned a report into mental health support across the Women's Super League (WSL). More players are speaking publicly about the pressures of anxiety, burnout and emotional distress, but access to professional psychological care still depends largely on the resources of individual clubs. For some players, the psychological toll deepens even further after injury. One study found that professional female footballers are nearly twice as likely to experience psychological distress after undergoing surgery. Yet mental health support during injury recovery remains inconsistent across the WSL. Millie Bright's story offers a recent example. The Chelsea and England defender missed much of the 2023-24 season due to injury and, in 2025, withdrew from the England squad citing burnout. She eventually underwent knee surgery and chose to prioritise her rehabilitation over international duty, highlighting the difficult choices players face when balancing physical and emotional wellbeing. Governing bodies and clubs have a crucial role to play in safeguarding players' wellbeing. Yet Uefa has come under fire for putting commercial growth ahead of player welfare with its expansion of the women's Champions League into the new 'Swiss model' format. Instead of facing three opponents twice, teams will now play six different teams during the league phase, splitting those matches home and away. While the extra fixtures may boost visibility and revenue, they also add to an already punishing schedule, heightening the risk of fatigue, injury and burnout for players who are already stretched to the limit. Financial security remains another major challenge. Some WSL players reportedly earn as little as £20,000 a year, forcing many to juggle full-time jobs or academic studies alongside football. For mothers in the game, the demands are even higher, as they manage childcare, training, travel and recovery with little institutional support. Maternity policies remain inconsistent, and many players face intense pressure to return quickly to peak form after pregnancy. Despite these enormous challenges, female players continue to demonstrate extraordinary resilience, paving the way for the next generation. But as a 2024 Health in Education Association report notes, resilience alone isn't enough. Without proper investment in both physical and mental health services, the long-term wellbeing and careers of these athletes remain at risk. While mental toughness is often celebrated, research shows that resilience depends heavily on the support structures available. In the WSL, access to mental health care and sports psychology varies dramatically between clubs. The FA has announced plans to make wellbeing and psychology roles mandatory in WSL licensing, which is a positive step. But for many players, consistent, high-quality support remains far from guaranteed. There is no doubt that women's football has finally gained the attention it deserves. But progress must not come at the cost of player welfare. A sustainable future for the sport means investing not just in performance, but in protection: standardised access to physiotherapy, sport psychology and wellbeing professionals for all players, across all clubs. If the game truly wants to thrive long-term, it must create a culture where players aren't just expected to perform, but are supported to rest, recover and speak openly about their mental health – without fear, stigma or consequence. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Helen Owton does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The Sun
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
The 1% Club's tricky alphabet question knocks out a whopping 15 players – but would you have got it right in 30 seconds?
A TRICKY alphabet question on The 1% Club knocked out a whopping 15 players. The ITV quiz aired a Soccer Aid special with professional footballers and celebrities playing for Unicef. 5 5 5 However, a challenging 30% question saw 15 famous faces get eliminated. Lee Mack asked the remaining players: "Which England footballer is spelt out in this code below?" The contestants were shown nine horizontal photos with symbols on them. They had only 30 seconds to decipher if it was A) Mary Earps, B) Ella Toone and C) Fran Kirby, being represented. After time was up, it was revealed a total of 15 people had answered incorrectly. The right answer turned out to be C) Fran Kirby. Lee explained: "The only symbol that is repeated represents the second letter of the first name. "Fran Kirby is the only name to have a repeated letter in those positions." Ella Toone, who happened to be one of celebrity contestants in the studio, answered the puzzle correctly. It comes as viewers were in awe when a "genius" footballer bagged £100,000 for charity on The 1% Club. The 1% Club viewers in awe as 'genius' footballer wins £100k for charity - but would you have got final question right? The same Soccer Aid special saw former footballer Clarke Carlisle and comedian and former Soccer AM host Lloyd Griffith as the final two contenders. Their 1% question was: "In the opening verse to the original version of Three Lions, what TWO words feature exactly three times in the lyrics?" The lyrics were shown on screen as a reference as they tried to figure out the answer in 30 seconds. Here's what they were shown: Everyone seems to know the score, they've seen it all before They just know, they're so sure That England's gonna throw it away, gonna blow it away But I know they can play, 'cause I remember... So did you spot the repetitive words in just 30 seconds? When it came time to answer, Lloyd, 41, admitted he'd misread the question. Meanwhile, Clarke, 45, offered up "it" and "know" as his answer to the puzzle. It was soon revealed that Clarke was correct - and had bagged a whopping £100,000 for Unicef. The 1% Club's Most Difficult Questions The 1% Club sees 100 contestants try and make it to the 1% question and be in with a chance to win a share of the jackpot. Here are just some of the show's most difficult teasers. Players had to compare and contrast three images of butterflies then explain which of the butterflies were exactly the same on both sides. Find the image and answer here. Players were shown groups of six symbols then asked which were in the same order whether you read them from left to right or right to left. Find the image and answer here. Players were asked how many different combinations were there of displaying four digits on one hand. Find the answer here. Peter had recently found his old diary that he'd written in secret code but he couldn't remember how to decipher what he wrote. Players were asked to crack the code and find out what the bold word was. WH89 I GR1W UP I WA92 21 B8 A 5L1RI72. Find the image and answer here. Players were tasked with working out how many eyes they could see in an image, which was made up of letters, symbols and emojis. Find the image and the answer here. A 1% question was based on a grid of numbers going in ascending order from 1 to 49. Starting on 25, the middle square, SEEN took you to square 27. From there, NEW took you to 20. From there, which square would SEWN take you to? Find the image and the answer here. And finally, an easy one - What common food in bold has had its letters rearranged into alphabetical order? ABDER If you really don't know you can find the answer here. Fans took to X and sang the star's praises, with one penning: " Clarke Carlisle you Brainiac!! Well done!" A third added: "Clarke Carlisle is a genius!!" The 1% Club airs on ITV1 and ITVX. 5
Scottish Sun
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
The 1% Club's tricky alphabet question knocks out a whopping 15 players – but would you have got it right in 30 seconds?
Can you crack the difficult question in 30 seconds? over and out over and out The 1% Club's tricky alphabet question knocks out a whopping 15 players – but would you have got it right in 30 seconds? Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A TRICKY alphabet question on The 1% Club knocked out a whopping 15 players. The ITV quiz aired a Soccer Aid special with professional footballers and celebrities playing for Unicef. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 5 This question knocked out 15 celebs on The 1% Club - can you solve it in 30 seconds? Credit: ITV 5 The popular ITV quiz hosted a Soccer Aid special Credit: ITV 5 A selection of the famous faces who took part Credit: ITV However, a challenging 30% question saw 15 famous faces get eliminated. Lee Mack asked the remaining players: "Which England footballer is spelt out in this code below?" The contestants were shown nine horizontal photos with symbols on them. They had only 30 seconds to decipher if it was A) Mary Earps, B) Ella Toone and C) Fran Kirby, being represented. After time was up, it was revealed a total of 15 people had answered incorrectly. The right answer turned out to be C) Fran Kirby. Lee explained: "The only symbol that is repeated represents the second letter of the first name. "Fran Kirby is the only name to have a repeated letter in those positions." Ella Toone, who happened to be one of celebrity contestants in the studio, answered the puzzle correctly. It comes as viewers were in awe when a "genius" footballer bagged £100,000 for charity on The 1% Club. The 1% Club viewers in awe as 'genius' footballer wins £100k for charity - but would you have got final question right? The same Soccer Aid special saw former footballer Clarke Carlisle and comedian and former Soccer AM host Lloyd Griffith as the final two contenders. Their 1% question was: "In the opening verse to the original version of Three Lions, what TWO words feature exactly three times in the lyrics?" The lyrics were shown on screen as a reference as they tried to figure out the answer in 30 seconds. Here's what they were shown: Everyone seems to know the score, they've seen it all before They just know, they're so sure That England's gonna throw it away, gonna blow it away But I know they can play, 'cause I remember... So did you spot the repetitive words in just 30 seconds? When it came time to answer, Lloyd, 41, admitted he'd misread the question. Meanwhile, Clarke, 45, offered up "it" and "know" as his answer to the puzzle. It was soon revealed that Clarke was correct - and had bagged a whopping £100,000 for Unicef. Fans took to X and sang the star's praises, with one penning: "Clarke Carlisle you Brainiac!! Well done!" Another shared: "Absolutely delighted for Clarke! Always had a brilliant brain - but came close to losing him!" A third added: "Clarke Carlisle is a genius!!" The 1% Club airs on ITV1 and ITVX. 5 A total of 15 people were eliminated Credit: ITV
Times
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Times
Fran Kirby: ‘I've been through far worse than missing the Euros'
Footballer Fran Kirby, 31, grew up in Reading. She has represented England at four major tournaments and was part of the Lionesses team that won the Euros in 2022, but announced her retirement from international football on June 3. When she left Chelsea last year, she was the club's all-time top scorer. She now plays for Brighton & Hove Albion. People online have said, 'She looks pretty big in that kit, doesn't she?' I score a hat-trick, but they still comment on my weight. At the top level, a lot of people worry they will get abused if they gain weight. I'm not willing to sacrifice my energy levels to look a certain way. When I woke up the day after retiring, I didn't regret it. So it was clear to me I'd made the right choice. I had spoken to [England manager] Sarina Wiegman about where I stood with the Euros: I was probably not going or would be on standby. I said to her, 'I've been in this team a long time. I've had my health problems, my injury problems, and I've made a decision.' She was amazing the way she took it. But I still want to play in the WSL [Women's Super League] and give it my all. Losing a parent at any age is tough. I was 14 [when her mother died]. I didn't know how to handle my emotions or how to grieve. Whenever I feel sad, I always think, this is nowhere near how you felt then. I've been through a lot worse in my life than not going to a Euros. I was so ill with my heart condition, pericarditis. I knew I wasn't feeling right. I was tired and agitated, probably not a good person to be around. But as an athlete you think, I'm just tired from training. You don't think it's something sinister. So I ignored it. For a while, walking up and down the stairs counted as overdoing it. It was really tough. I wanted to tell the England girls I was retiring to their faces, because they have been a massive part of my life. I didn't want them to find out through social media. Lucy [Bronze] said some really nice things that made me cry. My dad was both Dad and Mum. For me to have him there at the Euros meant it was like she was there. I got emotional. I was in pain every time I walked. So I had surgery for my knee problem. That was a relief, because even though I was missing the 2023 World Cup, I was fixing the issue. Mary Earps's England career hasn't been plain sailing. I don't know the ins and outs of Mary's retirement, but it takes bravery to make that decision. She's an amazing advocate for the women's game, both on and off the pitch. I hope Millie Bright takes the time she needs and doesn't feel pressure to come back. [ Bright withdrew from selection for the Euros.] It's not easy to have a conversation with a manager and say, 'I'm going through something at the moment.' She's doing it because she knows she might not be the team-mate everyone needs, which would then have an even bigger impact on your mental health. I would have wanted my mum to have been at Wembley when it was my last game for England. Or my last game for Chelsea. I always want my mum to be there. With my extreme fatigue, just because there's no diagnosis, it doesn't mean it's all in your head. I knew how exhausted I was, even though there was no science to back it up. It was really frustrating. England are definitely one of the strongest teams going into the Euros. They have the squad capable of doing it. And the group is really tough. But we never had conversations like, 'We won the last one. We have to win the next one.' A mural in her honour on the Kirby Estate in Bermondsey, London PA GETTY IMAGES People will have something negative to say about you, no matter what you do. When I first got selected for England, I scored a goal in the World Cup, but the next game I didn't score. Bang, I was getting abuse: 'She doesn't even look like a footballer.' I could enjoy the last three days of being an international footballer without any noise. I stayed in camp until the Tuesday, because I just wanted to be around the girls for the last few days. I didn't tell anyone what was going on. I didn't want anyone to treat me any differently. I didn't want people to look at me and be sad.
