Connect with us

Published

on

Tributes are being paid to Gogglebox fan favourite Mary Cook, who has died aged 92.

The former hospitality worker joined the Channel 4 programme in 2016 alongside fellow Bristolian Marina Wingrove, and the pair quickly became loved by viewers thanks to their “brilliantly witty and often cheeky” comments.

A statement issued by Channel 4 and Studio Lambert, which makes the programme, said she died in hospital at the weekend with her family by her side.

Mary was a “beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother and dear friend to many” who had been married and widowed twice, the statement said. She met Marina at a retirement village more than 10 years ago and they had been friends ever since.

“They joined Gogglebox in 2016 at the start of series eight and became instant fan favourites due to their brilliantly witty and often cheeky comments.

“Mary will be sorely missed by the entire Gogglebox family, cast and crew. Our love and thoughts are with Mary’s family, friends and Marina.”

Gogglebox, which launched in 2013, features a number of families and groups of friends from all walks of life and different places around the UK, reacting to the week’s TV shows and films from their sofas. The 18th series is due to start later this year.

Fellow armchair critics from the show were among those paying tribute to Mary on social media.

Sophie Sandiford, from Blackpool, who appears alongside her brother, Pete, shared a picture of Mary and Marina in her Instagram Stories, writing: “Rest in Peace Mary.” Ellie Warner, from Leeds, who stars alongside sister Izzi, also shared the photo.

Entertainment journalist Michael Hogan said both Mary and Marina were “always great value with their cheeky twinkle and love of a singsong”, while TV critic Scott Bryan shared a clip of Mary singing to her friend.

Twitter user Monty Moncrieff was also among the fans of the show paying tribute, writing: “Aw, no! How sad. Mary & Marina’s saucy cheek was one of the (many) delights of #Gogglebox. How lovely to have enjoyed some late-life popularity though and a absolute treat for us all to share it. Best wishes to Marina and to Mary’s family. 92! Amazing.”

Bristol’s St Monica Trust retirement home, where Mary and Marina lived, said the pair were discovered by a researcher for Gogglebox during a shopping trip to Asda.

According to their website, Mary said: “I was going shopping, so I asked them if they could wait until we got back. They came up to Marina’s flat, held cards up of different famous people and we had to talk about them.”

The friends had been absent from the programme temporarily due to the the coronavirus pandemic, but did take part in the latest season finale in May.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Tomorrowland: ‘Devastating’ blaze destroys main stage at major festival – two days before it was due to begin

Published

on

By

Tomorrowland: 'Devastating' blaze destroys main stage at major festival - two days before it was due to begin

A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.

Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.

Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.

fire destroyed the main stage at the Tomorrowland festival site in Belgium
Image:
The fire gutted the main stage


 fire which destroyed the main stage at the Tomorrowland festival site in Belgium
Image:
Fire crews attempt to bring the blaze under control

The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.

It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.

Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.

A fire destroyed the main stage at the Tomorrowland festival site in Belgium
Image:
Black smoke could be seen rising into the sky


The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.

More on Belgium

The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.

Read more from Sky News:
Ticketless Oasis fans blocked from gig
American Idol executive shot dead

Follow The World
Follow The World

Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday

Tap to follow

Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.

Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.

“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”

Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen who said fire destroyed the main stage at the Tomorrowland festival site in Belgium
Image:
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen told reporters ‘a lot of people are devastated’

Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Robin Kaye: American Idol TV executive and her husband shot dead inside their Los Angeles home

Published

on

By

Robin Kaye: American Idol TV executive and her husband shot dead inside their Los Angeles home

An American Idol TV executive and her husband have been found dead in their LA home.

Robin Kaye was a music supervisor on the long-running reality TV series.

The bodies of the 70-year-old and her husband Thomas were discovered after officers conducted a welfare check at their home.

Both had died from gunshot wounds.

Robin Kaye and her husband Thomas. Pic: Facebook
Image:
Robin Kaye and her husband Thomas. Pic: Facebook

Detectives say Raymond Boodarian has been arrested in connection with their deaths.

It is alleged the 22-year-old had burgled their property while they were away on 10 July – killing the couple upon their return.

According to Los Angeles Police, there were “no signs of forced entry or trouble” at the property.

More from US

Ms Kaye was an industry veteran – and had previously worked on shows including Lip Sync Battle and The Singing Bee, as well as several Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants.

Read more US news:
Trump to ‘refine trade deal’ with UK
Unreleased Beyonce music stolen

Pic: ABC7 Los Angeles
Image:
Pic: ABC7 Los Angeles

In a statement, an American Idol spokesperson said: “Robin has been a cornerstone of the Idol family since 2009 and was truly loved and respected by all who came in contact with her.

“Robin will remain in our hearts forever and we share our deepest sympathy with her family and friends during this difficult time.”

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Action taken to stop ticketless Oasis fans from watching this week’s shows in Manchester

Published

on

By

Action taken to stop ticketless Oasis fans from watching this week's shows in Manchester

Huge steel fences have been erected to prevent ticketless fans from watching the Oasis reunion tour in Manchester.

Liam and Noel Gallagher will resume their sold-out run of shows – their first since 2009 – with a performance at Heaton Park tonight, and two more on Saturday and Sunday.

While tens of thousands bought tickets for Oasis’s first two shows last weekend, crowds gathered to glimpse the large screens above the stage in the distance – in an area dubbed “Gallagher Hill” by some on social media.

People walk past a temporary security fence erected ahead of concerts by Oasis in Heaton Park on 1 July. File pic: Reuters
Image:
People walk past a temporary security fence erected ahead of concerts by Oasis in Heaton Park on 1 July. Reuters file pic

Manchester City Council has now said more steel fences have been erected around parts of the park to prevent ticketless fans from watching the gigs, and to protect nature in the park.

“After taking stock of how the first two nights went, additional measures have now been deemed necessary and will be in place for the next three concerts,” it said.

“The erection of the fencing has a dual purpose – both to protect the environment from further damage and to dissuade people from gathering there.

“The necessary measure means the concert will no longer be visible from this area.”

More on Manchester

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Friday: Excited fans at Oasis homecoming gig

The fences will cover a large area of the hill within the park’s cattle field, which is being developed as a new woodland area with around 300 young trees planted.

The council added that there would be no facilities for people without a ticket, and said the event area is “double-walled with solid high security fencing all the way round”.

More than 2,000 event security staff and police officers will also be on duty around the site “to ensure both the safety and wellbeing of ticket-holders and that only those who have tickets access the concert”, it said.

Read more:
What was Oasis’s first show in 16 years like?
Fans queue all day for Manchester homecoming gig

John Hacking, the council’s executive member for employment, skills and leisure, also said in a statement that “unfortunately our hand has been forced in having to put these additional measures in place”.

He added: “Our advice to music fans who don’t have tickets for the concerts is to head into the city centre instead.

“The whole city is going all out to celebrate and help everyone have a good time.

“We’ve got some fantastic things going on with a real party atmosphere for everyone to enjoy, whether they’ve got tickets for the Oasis gigs or not.”

Continue Reading

Trending