SHIRLEY Ballas has issued a fresh update on Nick Knowles after he was forced to pull out of Strictly last weekend owing to injury.
The BBC head judge spoke out on Nick as she appeared on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on Virgin Radio UK.
Nick was forced to withdraw from last weekend’s edition of Strictly Come Dancing after he injured himself after falling when he did a jump during a dress rehearsal – leaving him on crutches.
It is the second injury to blight Nick on Strictly after he injured his shoulder and arm while changing a car tyre.
It threw his place on the contest into jeopardy after he was given a bye to the next round as per BBC guidelines.
If he is unable to return to the contest this weekend, Nick risks losing his place on the show altogether.
However, Shirley has now admitted she is very hopeful that the star will be back dancing on the programme on Saturday night.
Speaking on Virgin Radio UK this morning, Shirley said: “Apparently, he is possibly on the mend.”
Shirley admitted she “wasn’t sure” what injuries he had sustained and to what body parts as she spoke to Chris about the budding celeb dancer.
She added: “We are hoping that by the weekend he will be back because he is an assert to the show.”
Fans were at first left fuming when it was revealed that Nick would be given the chance to remain in the contest without having to compete whilst another star would still be sent home.
Pop singer Toyah Wilcox saw herself axed after a low-scoring number with her pro partner, Neil Jones.
Fans are less than impressed with the DIY SOS presenter who’s complained of a litany of injuries since joining the show.
Writing on social media site X, one fan said: “Nick Knowles has to go.”
Another said: “When he is hopefully able to…”. And what if he isn’t? What do you say to the couple who goes home this week for no reason?”
Nick broke his silence after The Sun exclusively revealed the news, taking to X to say: “I’m absolutely gutted and feeling very very sad.”
As is tradition, the first week scores are rolled over and combined into the second week. Here’s how the leaderboard now looks after the combined scores
A source said: “Nick won’t be able to take part in Strictly tomorrow night after hurting his knee.
“He was in a dress rehearsal with his partner Luba Mushtuk when he did a jump and landed awkwardly.
“Nick has hurt his knee and is having to use crutches to get around now.
“It is such a devastating blow for him and he is being supported by the Strictly team.
“They are sending him for scans and are doing everything they can to make sure he is okay.”
PAYING rent or a mortgage can be crippling, but one 28-year-old shared how she doesn’t pay a penny of it by choosing to live in a tiny home.
UK-based Roxi Janiszewska, who is better known as Roxxsaurus online, gave a tour around her small pad that she’s lived in for a year – and shared what she would change about it.
In a YouTube clip, she shared: “It’s actually been over a year now—probably about a year and a half—since we moved into our tiny home.
“We’ve definitely learned a lot from living in such a small space, and I wanted to share the good, the bad, and any changes we’d make if we were to build another one.”
Roxi shared how she is living in the tiny home with her husband to save money on rent while she builds her dream home.
The pad is also located close to the building site which helps her ensure that “everything is running smoothly.”
Roxi, who started making YouTube videos in 2014 as a “hobby”, continued: “Originally, when we thought of living in a tiny home, we planned to buy an old, static caravan, but unfortunately, we couldn’t get it through the access.
“That’s when we decided to build our own tiny home.”
She then gave a tour around her humble living space, and started in the lounge area, which connects to the kitchen.
Roxi said: “It’s a small space, but it’s been designed to house everything we need.
“We’ve got a two-seater sofa, which works fine since it’s mostly just the two of us here.
“I also have my work desk in this space, which I love because I can work whenever I want without walking over to my studio.
“We have a coffee table, a TV, and everything is mostly the same as when I filmed the original house tour.
“The only issue we’ve had is the TV unit falling off the wall due to the weight, but we fixed that by adding more support.”
Next, the YouTuber showed off her “small” but “great” kitchen, and said: “It houses everything we need, and I’m happy with the white colour scheme—it makes the space feel light and airy.”
She then weighed up the pros and cons of living in a tiny home.
Roxi continued: “The positioning of the tiny home is perfect. It’s south-facing, so we get sunlight all day, although it can get quite hot.
“It’s also conveniently located close to the front gate, so I don’t have to run far when packages arrive.
“I also love the open-plan living space, especially for socialising while preparing food.”
But she was honest about the drawbacks.
She added: “However, the main thing I’d change is our laundry system.
“In the summer, laundry is fine, but in the winter, it’s a nightmare because we don’t have space to dry our clothes.
“We end up with piles of laundry, and it’s just not practical. I wish we had invested in a washer-dryer sooner.”
She added how she would also love to improve their storage.
Roxi said: “As much as I love the floating units, we could have used freestanding ones for extra storage.
“The breakfast bar, which we thought would be a great feature, hasn’t been used at all.
“We could have replaced it with more storage space. Lastly, I would extend the overhang of the house to protect us from the sun—it gets really hot because of all the glass.
“Despite the small frustrations, I still love living in our tiny home.
“The cosy, small space feels perfect for now, but I am curious how it will feel to move into a bigger house.”
Roxi shared some background information about her life with her husband, saying: “We bought our first house together in 2016 and documented that journey, and now, we’re building our dream home together. It’s surreal!
“Things like this don’t usually happen to people like me. I rarely talk about my background, but I grew up in a poor family, and my parents worked tirelessly to provide for me.
“There were times when we didn’t have enough money for food, and I didn’t even have my own room.”
By Jonathan Rolande
Property expert Jonathan Rolande told Fabulous: The reason we are seeing more creative ways of finding a home: super-high property prices and rents. Younger people are remaining in the family home later in life to avoid paying high prices and to save for a deposit. With increasingly busy lives, staying within a larger family group makes sense, chores such as gardening and housework can be shared.
Garages are rarely used for their intended purpose as cars are far more reliable and less prone to rust and so are perfectly happy outside. On the other hand, the amount of property space per person has been shrinking – converting a garage can make great sense.
Things to consider. (the boring stuff)
Usually easier than building from scratch but still a lot to do to turn a garage in to a habitable space.
You’ll need to check if you need planning (more likely to be required if the garage is detached).
Building Regulations stipulate many things to make homes safe and secure. Consider
Walls, are they cavity?
Roof height
Windows
How will you get plumbing, electrics and drainage connected
Insulation – it will be cold!
Fire safety
Damp proofing
Also consider if, by converting, you are adding or deducting value from the main home. Garages can add value in busy urban areas where parking is limited.
WHEN four children survived 40 days alone in the Amazon jungle after a horror plane crash, it made headlines across the world.
And now I can reveal the incredible survival of four siblings – aged 13, nine and four plus their one-year-old baby brother – is being looked at for a new blockbuster Netflix documentary.
The four children Lesly, Soleiny, Tien Noriel, and tiny Cristin were found fighting for their lives in the wilderness in June 2023 after a rescue code-named Operation Hope combed through more than 1,600 miles of dense forest.
The children were travelling with their mother from the Amazonian village of Araracuara to the town of San José del Guaviare when the single-engine Cessna plane crashed on May 1, nose-diving into dense undergrowth.
Rescuers found the bodies of all three adults on board when the crash site was discovered 16 days later — but just a set of children’s footsteps leading away from the wreckage.
A source said: “The story of the Mucutuy family was always destined for Hollywood – it’s an incredible story of survival against the odds.
“The piece will honour the bravery of the children as well as pull out the twists of the tale that captivated the world and, among others, Netflix are in discussions around it now.
The tale is so dramatic, it’s perhaps no surprise that Netflix won’t be the first seeking to bring it to the screen.
In May, National Geographic commissioned a feature-length piece looking at the case.
Whoever wins the race to bring it to air first, it’ll be a jaw-dropping watch.
SUE JOHNSTON and Ricky Tomlinson first played a husband and wife on Channel Four soap Brookside in 1982.
They portrayed another couple in BBC sitcom The Royle Family and now they have been on a journey together into their pasts for ITV’s genealogy show.
Scouser Ricky’s story begins with a surprise in the Lake District, as he discovers his family has roots in Ambleside where his ancestor was instrumental in speaking out for change for those living in poverty.
Ricky says: “That fills me with joy, actually. I’m made up with that.”
Labour supporter Sue is in for a shock when a DNA alert sends her to a former Conservative Club where she discovers she is related to early 20th century MP for Tottenham, William Prescott.
But he was a man of his time, a war hero who fought for the best homes for returning soldiers.
Sue says: “I couldn’t be prouder of him, and the qualities he had. It’s something I’d aspire to. I admire him.”
The series begins tomorrow at 9pm, with Ricky and Sue’s episode to air on October 16.
TV funnyman John Bishop has ensured his fans won’t be left out of pocket seeing him live.
The comedian announced his new tour yesterday to celebrate 25 years of standup and he’s capped tickets at £25.
Tickets can be purchased from johnbishoponline.com.
PHYLLIS LOGAN is swapping Downton Abbey for detective work in a thrilling new crime series.
The actress, who played Mrs Hughes in the period drama, takes on the lead role of Cora Felton in Channel 5 drama, The Puzzle Lady.
Based on the best-selling books by American author Parnell Hall, the story begins when a strange murder takes place in the sleepy town of Bakerbury.
A crossword left on the body baffles the police, so they turn reluctantly to Cora – who has gained a reputation for solving such puzzles.
But quirky Cora isn’t who she claims to be and brings chaos to the investigation, as well as the baffled community.
The series will air next year, with more cast members to be announced.
BIG Brother’s 16 new housemates are making themselves at home following Sunday night’s live launch.
After 11 of the group were immediately put at risk of eviction, yesterday evening they began playing for immunity in a game of strategy and deception.
But I can reveal one of the newcomers is already well-versed in double-dealing after hiding a showbiz past.
Marcello, 34, from East London, told hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best that he was a youth mentor but instead he is a wannabe rapper and music producer.
And he’s not too bad at it – the self-described “connoisseur of rap” co-wrote Junior Andre’s debut single Only One and has even released music of his own.
I’m sure Marcello won’t miss the chance to spit some bars in the house.
Big Brother continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.
HOLLYOAKS’ time jump plotline has left even its cast confused.
Newcomer Sherrie Hewson’s character Martha Blake survived the E4 soap’s mass cull.
She told Johnny Seifert’s Secure The Insecure Podcast: “ It’s very confusing. I just go, what’s the next scene?”
CLAUDIA WINKLEMAN has admitted she wants to look like “a male mature French student”.
The Strictly Come Dancing host has revealed she bases her looks on an imaginary figure she calls Jean.
Speaking to Vernon Kay on Radio 2’s Tracks Of My Years this week, Claudia said: “Jean in Lyon, with just a few bells or an epaulette, something a bit piratey.
“Sometimes on Strictly, they’re like, ‘You can’t dress as Jean, you have to be somebody else’.”
“The only way I can get out of my uniform is I have to dress as somebody. This series because I just want to wear kaftans, it was Demis Roussos and Kris Jenner.”
I happen to think she’s more Jean Claud Van Glam.
JACK GREALISH has become a dad for the first time after partner Sasha Attwood gave birth to their baby.
The couple were childhood sweethearts and have welcomed little Mila after ten years of dating.
Grealish and Sasha shared a pic of the tot gripping a finger with the words “Mila Rose Grealish 27/09/24”, suggesting she was born last week.
They announced they were expecting in July with Sasha showing off her big baby bump.
She shared the good news on social media along with the caption: “Half of me, half of you – beyond blessed 
.”
While Grealish, 28, wrote: “Life’s biggest blessing 
.”
Sasha spent a lot of her pregnancy testing out different clothing and offering tips and advice for other mums-to-be.
She signed a lucrative deal with PrettyLittleThing in the summer and began plugging the brand’s maternity wear to her thousands of social media followers.
Grealish and Sasha first started dating when they were teenagers at school together in Solihull.
Sasha has been with the midfielder throughout his professional football career – supporting him at Aston Villa before the big-money move from their hometown of Birmingham to Manchester in 2021.
She celebrated with the winger on the pitch as he won his second Premier League title with Manchester City earlier this year.
Sasha, 28, has helped Grealish ditch his party boy persona and they now have a family, welcoming their child into their £5.6million Cheshire mansion with their beloved apricot cockapoo Skye.
Grealish was given Skye as a birthday present by Sasha, and calls her the “world’s best dog”.
The couple enjoy a glamorous lifestyle which includes five-star holidays to places like Sardinia and Dubai.
MANCHESTER UNITED legend Wayne Rooney has added yet another award to his illustrious legacy.
Wayne, 38, is United’s all-time record goalscorer and also held the same status for England when he broke Sir Bobby Charlton’s record in 2015 before Harry Kane overtook him last year.
And now the legendary striker has been honoured by Legends of Football, an annual awards ceremony that sees the worlds of football and music come together to honour the greatest names in the game.
The event has been described as the “best night in the football social calendar” and this year’s ceremony honours the ex-Everton star and England’s most capped women’s player Fara Williams.
The Plymouth manager attended the gala at Grosvenor House in London alongside his wife Coleen and their son Kai, who is following in his dad’s footsteps at United’s academy.
Wayne recently said: “I am delighted to announce that I will receive the 2024 Legends of Football award.
“The award has been previously awarded to some of the biggest names in the game, to be recognised alongside all of them including some of my teammates, opponents and footballing icons means a lot.
“Throughout my life and career; music has always been a massive influence and inspiration for me, and to see how Nordoff and Robbins use music to help people connect and communicate is truly special.
“I’m really looking forward to celebrating with Fara for a great night of football, music and fundraising at Grosvenor House on October 7th.”
Wayne amassed a total of 253 goals and 139 assists in 559 appearances during his 13-year stint at United before his departure in 2017.
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The legendary forward also registered 53 goals in 120 England caps.
And now Kai, 14, is winning over his dad’s fans after a series of impressive performances with the Red Devils’ youth sides.
The young forward is the eldest of Wayne’s four sons, with Klay, Kit and Cass his younger brothers.
