Entertainment

Glynis Johns, best known for starring as Mrs Banks in Mary Poppins, has died

Published

2 years ago

January 4, 2024

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Glynis Johns, the actress who played Mrs Banks in 1964 film Mary Poppins, has died.

The British actress, born in South Africa, was 100 years old.

Her manager said she died on Thursday at an assisted living home in Los Angeles of natural causes.

Mitch Clem said: “Today’s a sad day for Hollywood. She is the last of the last of old Hollywood.”

Johns is best known for appearing in Mary Poppins, in which she played suffragette Mrs Banks, the mother who reconnects with her children thanks to Julie Andrews’ magical nanny.

Her star turn in the classic film included a performance of the rousing song “Sister Suffragette”.

Wearing a blue dress with white gloves, a straw a hat and a ‘Votes for Women’ sash, Johns sings: “We’re clearly soldiers in petticoats and dauntless crusaders for women’s votes.”

Mary Poppins won five Oscars from 13 nominations and remains one of the most enduringly popular movies made by Walt Disney.

Throughout her decades-spanning career, she took on multi-faceted roles and became known for being a perfectionist.

“As far as I’m concerned, I’m not interested in playing the role on only one level,” she said in 1990. “The whole point of first-class acting is to make a reality of it. To be real. And I have to make sense of it in my own mind in order to be real.”

Johns played Desiree Armfeldt in A Little Night Music, for which she won a Tony in 1973 for Stephen Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns” – but lost the part in the film version to Elizabeth Taylor.

Sondheim wrote “Send in the Clowns” to suit Johns’ distinctive, husky voice and she later said: “I’ve had other songs written for me, but nothing like that.

“It’s the greatest gift I’ve ever been given in the theatre.”

In 1960, she was nominated for an Oscar for the film The Sundowners.

Her final acting role was in the 1999 film Superstar, starring Molly Shannon and Will Ferrell.

Johns had one son, who died in 2007.

Entertainment

Ireland will not participate in Eurovision if Israel is allowed to take part

Published

4 hours ago

September 11, 2025

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Ireland will not participate in Eurovision if Israel is allowed to take part

Ireland will not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest next year if Israel is allowed to take part, RTE has announced.

The Irish broadcaster said in a statement that a number of European Broadcasting Union (EBU) members raised concerns over the participation of Israel in the competition at the union’s general assembly in July.

RTE added that its “position” is that Ireland will not take part in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if the participation of Israel goes ahead.

The broadcaster will make its “final decision regarding Ireland’s participation” once the EBU decides whether Israel will take part, the statement continues.

It adds: “RTE wishes to thank the EBU for the extensive consultation process that was initiated on foot of that meeting, and the extension of the option to withdraw from participation without penalty to December.”

The statement added: “RTE feels that Ireland’s participation would be unconscionable given the ongoing and appalling loss of lives in Gaza.

“RTE is also deeply concerned by the targeted killing of journalists in Gaza, and the denial of access to international journalists to the territory, and the plight of the remaining hostages.”

Ireland has won Eurovision seven times, the joint most of any country along with Sweden. Its last win was in 1996.

Eurovision Song Contest director Martin Green said: “We understand the concerns and deeply held views around the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. We are still consulting with all EBU Members to gather views on how we manage participation and geopolitical tensions around the Eurovision Song Contest.

“Broadcasters have until mid-December to confirm if they wish to take part in next year’s event in Vienna. It is up to each member to decide if they want to take part in the contest and we would respect any decision broadcasters make.”

The 70th anniversary edition of the contest is due to take place in Vienna, Austria, in May after Austrian entry JJ won with his song Wasted Love in Basel, Switzerland, earlier this year.

Ireland was represented by Emmy in Basel, with the song Laika Party, while Israel was represented by Yuval Raphael, with her song New Day Will Rise.

There has been growing controversy about Israel’s participation in Eurovision with protests in host cities in the last two years.

Entertainment

Gary Lineker ends Ant and Dec winning streak at National Television Awards months after antisemitism row

Published

10 hours ago

September 11, 2025

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Gary Lineker ends Ant and Dec winning streak at National Television Awards months after antisemitism row

Former Match Of The Day presenter Gary Lineker has won the best TV presenter prize at the National Television Awards – months after he left the BBC following an antisemitism row.

Lineker, 64, apologised “unreservedly” in May after he shared a post on Instagram about Zionism which featured an image of a rat – a symbol used to represent Jewish people in antisemitic propaganda, including in Nazi Germany.

The former England footballer said in a statement that he would “never knowingly share anything antisemitic” and that he removed the post when he “became aware of the issue”.

He announced he was leaving the BBC days later, saying that “stepping back now feels like the responsible course of action”.

Lineker had presented Match Of The Day since 1999 and was the BBC’s highest-paid on-air talent when he stepped down.

Prior to the antisemitism row in May, Lineker already had a reputation for sharing political views on social media – something which went against the BBC’s impartiality rules.

This included posts about Tory migrant policy, Brexit, Qatar’s human rights record and a documentary about Gaza.

Collecting his “TV Presenter Of The Year” award last night, Lineker said: “I think it demonstrates that perhaps it’s OK sometimes for us to use our platform to speak up on behalf of those who have no voice.”

Lineker’s win at the National Television Awards also ended Ant and Dec’s 23-year streak in scooping the best presenter prize.

Speaking at the winners’ press conference after the ceremony, the former Match Of The Day host said the presenting duo, whose real names are Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, are “brilliant” and that “it’s an honour to follow in their footsteps”.

Reflecting on life after presenting Match Of The Day, Lineker added: “I’m doing great. I’m enjoying having weekends off for the first time in my adult life, which has been great fun.

“I’m still watching loads of football, still doing the same sort of things, and I’ve got a new show coming up for ITV, which I start filming next week – The Box, which goes out, I think, probably next year.”

Asked if the award proves he has not been cancelled, he said: “I don’t think anyone seriously thought that I was cancelled at any point.

“It was obviously just a mistake and oversight. And I think everyone saw it for that.

“So I was never in the slightest bit concerned for that.”

Former England footballer Alan Shearer, a Match Of The Day pundit who worked alongside Lineker on the show, posted on X: “Yesssss @GaryLineker congratulations.”

The former footballer also beat competition from The Traitors host Claudia Winkleman, This Morning’s Alison Hammond and TV presenter and reality star Stacey Solomon to win the best presenter prize.

Entertainment

Sir Elton John ‘so proud’ of Watford FC as new kit marks 50 years since he became chairman

Published

19 hours ago

September 10, 2025

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Sir Elton John 'so proud' of Watford FC as new kit marks 50 years since he became chairman

Sir Elton John has said he is “so proud” of Watford FC as the football club released a new kit marking 50 years since he became its chairman.

The blue shirts and silver shorts will be worn by the Championship team for the first time in their home game against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

Watford, who are nicknamed the Hornets, have worn yellow home shirts since 1959.

The choice of blue is inspired by the colour Watford wore during the singer’s early days as a supporter.

Speaking in a launch video for the kit, the 78-year-old musician said: “My passion for this club has never died, and I’m so proud of this club, ever since I was five years old when we played in blue and there were two rickety old stands.

“What can I say? It’s in my heart and my soul, you can’t get rid of it. The supporters of this club have always been in my heart.”

The shirt is inspired by the artwork for his Diamonds hits compilation, and features his E logo, an embossed print of the lyrics of his hit track Your Song, and the Happy Hornet badge, which was the club logo when Sir Elton became chairman in 1976.

Complementing the shirt are silver shorts with E taping running down both sides. The silver WFC crest features on the shorts.

Sir Elton remains honorary life president at the club, having left his second stint as chairman in 2002, with Watford crediting the star with changing “the trajectory and future of the club forever”.

During his time as chairman, the club rose from the fourth division to second place in the top flight in the late 1970s and early 1980s, playing European football and reaching an FA Cup final.

Watford are currently managed by Paulo Pezzolano. The team are 14th in the Championship table, having won just one of their first five league matches.

Sir Elton has enjoyed 10 UK number one albums and 10 UK number one singles during his career.