STRICTLY Come Dancing fans have been left stunned as the meanest judge on the panel was softened in the Strictly final, and moved to almost tears.
Judge Craig Revel Horwood is known for his harsh critic and even harsher marking, yet the Strictly Come Dancing finale appeared to move him to almost crying live on air.
As he gave his feedback to comedian Chris McCausland and pro dancer Dianne Buswell, the notoriously strict judge and choreographer was visibly emotional.
Giving his feedback on the couple’s final dance to You’ll Never Walk Alone, Craig revealed he’s had his “eyes opened” after visiting the studio to see McCausland and Buswell practice.
He said: “My eyes were made wide open when i came to join you in the studio, and I loved every second of it.”
He then took things a step further as he read out a Christmas card to the comedian, describing him as a “light that shines for all to see”.
He read out his Christmas card, filled with some jokes before later coming out from his seat to come and hug the couple.
Viewers at home were left surprised by Craig’s actions, as he’s typically more stern faced and hard to please.
Writing on social media, one viewer wrote: “Ugly crying at Chris and Dianne. What an amazing, inspiring partnership this has been. The room and the reaction to their final dance says it all. Craig’s poem was beautiful also.”
Another shared: “Chris‘ last dance. I am sobbing. Dianne was crying before it even started! Craig‘s poem just topped it off.
“I’m so happy that the stingiest judge on earth, knows it’s not just about the scores.”
“I never thought Craig would show his soft side on Strictly. Chris certainly brought it out of him tonight,” said a third.
A fourth added: “That poem was possibly the nicest thing I’ve ever seen Craig do on Strictly. No matter his scores for Chris, that is the kindest moment I’ve ever seen.”
The judge’s comments come as Chris and Dianne were also left in tears after their final performance of the night.
Reflecting on their Strictly journey, Chris said: “I shed a tear during the Viennese Waltz last week and I haven’t been able to turn the tap off this week.
“It’s not taken a lot to get me going. It’s just so overwhelming being in the final. Just the messages I’ve had.
“I’m just really proud of what we’ve been able to do. If I could have picked any [of the judges] to be with me, it would have been Craig.
“He’s been my toughest critic and so there’s more to learn from him.”
Dianne then added: “There’s so much more that is possible. Even I at the beginning thought I didn’t know how we could do this. And he said, Di I can do so much more than you think.
“Everyone that may have a disability or an obstacle, you can do so much more than you believe.”
Chris, as the show’s first ever blind contestant, was also crowned the winner of this year’s series with the pair shocked and surprised to be lifting the Glitterball Trophy.
TRAIN passengers have faced delays nearly 15,000 times in the past five years due to issues with junction points.
Network Rail figures show trains are thrown into chaos over faulty points more than 50 times a week.
One failure alone between Reading and Newbury in Berkshire last January affected 669 separate train services.
Points on junctions allow trains to move from one set of tracks on to another.
Any fault means a train gets stranded on a certain route, unable to change tracks — causing blockages to any locomotives behind.
The points are electrically controlled, and often seize up because of power connection issues.
Last year’s figures show there were 3,175 disruptions as a result of points issues, the highest in the past five years.
They affected almost 56,000 services — 5,360 of which had to be cancelled — and led to 10,396 hours of delays.
As taxpayer-funded Network Rail is responsible for upkeep of tracks and stations, it has been paying out huge sums to rail operators in compensation.
The bill for past year is an estimated £69million — most of which covered customer refunds.
Network Rail said: “In April, we announced our £45.4billion rail improvement plan to meet the needs of the railway.”
It also noted that less than one per cent of services had been affected by points failures.
The Government plans to scrap Network Rail and create a new Great British Railways body that will also handle a re-nationalisation plan.
A blockbuster night of boxing is on RIGHT NOW with stacked cards in Liverpool and Monte Carlo!
Natasha Jonas headlines against Ivana Habazin on Merseyside with Lauren Price and Viddal Riley also fighting on a huge Sky Sports bill.
While Cheavon Clarke goes for the vacant European cruiserweight title against Leonardo Mosquea in DAZN‘s show in Monte Carlo.
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BAKE Off star Rahul Mandal has become a dad for the first time – and says it is better than winning the show.
The 37-year-old, who won the show in 2018, shared his happy news today with an announcement in The Times before posting pictures online.
In a touching post, Rahul told his followers: “There is something we want to share. You might have read it in today’s @thetimes.
“If there is anything that can ever top the experience of holding @britishbakeoff trophy, this is it.
“Everyone, let me introduce you to our daughter, Debeshi Mandal, born on 10th December 2024.”
He continued: “We are back from the hospital today. Please send your blessings to Debeshi.
“Now, to the reality of looking after a baby, that neither of us have much experience of. But we will keep trying to do our best, as we did during the pregnancy.”
Rahul went on to describe the difficulties the couple have faced, explaining: “Thousands of miles away from our family the past 9 months was a journey that brought us closer and made us stronger as a couple. Hopefully, we will be good parents, so please, any advice, suggestions, and support is welcome.
“We also had to do tonnes of laundry to sort out. Our washing machine decided to take a break and enjoy our parenthood with us. Hopefully, it will be sorted soon.
“Just wanted to thank the maternity team in Rotherham Hospital and the amazing team in Greenoaks for supporting us during this amazing journey.”
During this time on the baking show, Rahul overcame two disasters to be crowned the unlikely winner
He was distraught when his icing bag exploded during the first doughnut challenge.
And he suffered an even worse catastrophe during the final showstopper task, to create an Edible Landscape, when his mixing bowl smashed, forcing him to start again.
But judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, were impressed with Rahul’s efforts and he beat his rivals Ruby Bhogal, and Kim-Joy Hewlett, to the title.
The scientist was born and raised in Kolkata, India, before his big move to the UK at 23, when he won a scholarship.
Since the show Rahul has continued his day job and works as an engineering researcher at the University of Sheffield’s Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre.
He has however written his own cookbook – Showstopping Cakes: Mastering the Art and Science of Baking – writes for The Times and also makes regular TV appearances.
SMALL boat crossings broke winter records last week when 609 migrants reached our shores on just one day.
Thursday’s shocking milestone pushed up the annual total to a staggering 34,500, 19 per cent more than at the same point last year.
With asylum claims costing an average of £100,000 each, British taxpayers will now be picking up a £3.4billion bill just for processing these cases.
That is before the eye-watering impact on the NHS, social services and housing.
As we show in today’s paper, new arrivals have no difficulty landing illegal jobs, even if they are only delivering takeaways.
Today Yvette Cooper announces new measures to track the cash of traffickers, strengthen policing across Europe and kick out more of those who don’t belong here.
We welcome the Home Secretary’s actions.
But we’ve been promised results for years, and even if they work these moves will take an age to produce significant results.
Nobody is denying Sir Keir Starmer’s government inherited a migration mess from the Tories.
But by scrapping the genuine deterrent of the Rwanda scheme he has made beating the traffickers so much more difficult.
This issue will define our politics far into the future, as it is doing in America and Europe.
That is clear from the popularity of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
The British people demanded real change on this issue at the election and the PM needs to show real results.
If he fails to deliver, voters will never forgive him.
PRINCE Andrew should not be the only one facing tough questions over the Chinese spy known only as H6.
Today we publish alarming pictures of the businessman with former Prime Ministers Lord Cameron and Baroness May.
It is clear he burrowed his way into the very heart of the British establishment.
Now this individual has been identified as a security risk, he must be named as soon as possible.
All his contacts in politics and the Royal Family must be fully examined to check that his influence has not spread beyond the gullible Prince.
And Andrew must make clear where every penny comes from that allows him to keep paying for Royal Lodge.
We cannot afford to lower our guard one inch in dealing with the ruthless, snooping Beijing regime.
CHRIS McCausland’s journey to become the first blind winner of Strictly Come Dancing went from him being a reluctant competitor to a champion of the show.
The 47-year-old beat fellow finalists Miranda actress Sarah Hadland, Love Island star Tasha Ghouri and JLS singer JB Gill in the final, which has been branded the ‘most emotional’ of all time.
Chris has made history as the first ever blind contestant to take part in and win the BBC dance show.
He performed three routines this evening alongside his pro partner Dianne Buswell.
Speaking after his win, a shocked Chris said: “It’s astonishing. I don’t know what to say.
“I honestly thought I could go out in the first week or two. We have just lasted and lasted.”
But what do we know about Chris’ journey before he lifted the glitterball trophy?
The comedian has hosted his own programme on ITV on Saturday mornings and has also featured on panel shows such as Have I Got News For You, 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown and QI – as well as appearing on Celebrity Gogglebox.
Before taking part in the dancing show, he joked he must be the only contestant to participate in the show who has “never watched” it before, but thought it would be good to be out of his “comfort zone”.
Chris lost his sight completely by the age of 22 due to retinitis pigmentosa, a hereditary eye disease which causes gradual degeneration of the retina.
The actor – who has been on BBC shows Moving On, Me Too!, Not Going Out and EastEnders – being included in the line-up was quickly welcomed by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), but he admitted he turned down the show several times in the past.
After being partnered with Australian professional dancer Dianne Buswell, they both admitted they were going to have to “figure out” how logistically performances were going to happen, but soon won plaudits for their well-timed dances.
Anton Du Beke said Chris’ first routine, a cha cha to Beatles hit Twist And Shout, was “one of the most extraordinary things I’ve ever seen in my entire life”, and continued to be astonished by his progress along with his fellow judges.
The next week, Chris received a standing judges ovation after lifting Buswell during a performance to Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy by The Tams.
Despite the success, he found himself in trouble during Halloween week after the judges placed him joint-last on the leaderboard with Morning Live doctor Dr Punam Krishan.
However, he was saved by the public vote, and scored 29 dancing the tango to Kiss’s Rock And Roll All Nite during the next week, and went on to never find himself in the dreaded dance-off again.
It was in week eight that his blackout performance, imitating his own experience with blindness, went viral.
During a couple’s choice to Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) by John Lennon, McCausland could be seen placing his hands over Diane’s eyes as the room faded to black, before the ballroom went dark.
A few moments later, it was revealed the comedian was spinning Dianne on his shoulders, with pyrotechnics flaring in the background.
The performance received rapturous applause from the audience and a score of 33 from the judges, which he later admitted to the PA news agency was a “leap of faith” and that he did not want to be “cliche”.
He also said he was worried about performing the dance as there was “jeopardy” over how it would represent blind people, and said he did not think people with disabilities need inspiring, but people needed to see them doing things that were “normal”.
Chris also told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that “there are quite low expectations of people with disabilities”, citing people questioning whether he can walk down steps on his own.
“People’s ideas of disability can be antiquated,” he added. “I hope (me on Strictly) goes some way to stretching people’s ideas of what is possible.”
He also sailed through Blackpool, where he and Dianne were the 100th Strictly couple to perform in the Tower Ballroom, and during week 10 brought the Australian dancer’s parents to tears when they delivered a fiery paso doble.
After finding out he was through to the final last weekend, Chris became emotional, saying he “could barely talk”, and admitted it was “knackering”, and the “scariest” thing he has ever done.
Dianne said that McCausland was “hard to crack”, and “hides behind his comedy a lot”, but he had been overcome with emotional at landing a place in the final.
Earlier this week, the comedian told a press conference that “it’s certainly been the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done”, and revealed his daughter was initially “nervous” for him in case he fell over and “embarrassed” himself.
As the show has gone on, he said his 11-year-old has been sharing how proud of him she is, and telling him: “It doesn’t matter daddy if you go out because I think you’ve already won.”
HE’S busy prepping for the upcoming Oasis tour, but I can reveal Noel Gallagher has got another reason to celebrate – he has managed to keep one of his big family homes in the country.
I’ve learned the rocker became the sole owner of the £8million mansion in Hampshire earlier this year following his divorce from Sara MacDonald.
It was widely assumed Sara had been handed the Grade II-listed pile as part of a £20million settlement.
But Noel actually retained it, according to changes made to Land Registry ownership documents.
The couple announced they were to divorce in January 2023 after more than two decades together.
They met at Space nightclub in Ibiza in 2000 and married in 2011, two years after Oasis broke up.
At the time of the divorce statement, the couple said that kids Donovan and Sonny “remain their priority.”
The pair bought the house — described by historians as an “early 18th Century gentleman’s residence” — overlooking the Meon Valley in 2019 for £7,950,000.
A 1916 sales notice boasts about the house’s incredible views over the South Downs.
At one point it was owned by William Douglas-Home, the writer, politician and younger brother of Tory PM Alec Douglas-Home.
It has a swimming pool, tennis court, croquet lawn and library.
The main bedroom, with extended views across a national park, has a four-poster bed and vast walk-in wardrobe.
It also has three guest bedrooms, including a double-bunk room in an adjoining brick-and-flint cottage.
Noel added his stamp too, applying for a woodland gym area in 2019 and improving security with extra fencing, gates and CCTV a year later.
That came after the star previously decamped to a swanky £2,500-per-night Claridge’s hotel suite when the marriage collapsed, costing him a small fortune.
Maybe the country pile will be a secluded enough venue for him to start rehearsing with brother Liam.
YOUTUBE star and rapper KSI is looking to pick up his own football club to help promote his sports drink Prime.
I’m told the star – said to be worth £20million – has held talks with Bromley about investing in the League Two side.
KSI, whose new single Dirty is out now, was given a tour of the club’s ground on the south-east edge of London, but did not reach an agreement.
An insider tells me: “KSI is a massive football fan and may invest some of his millions in buying a team. While the Bromley talks did not progress, KSI and his advisors will consider other options. Buying into a club is a logical step.”
SABRINA CARPENTER has revealed Paul McCartney was her childhood crush – and she grew up convinced the pair would one day tie the knot.
The Espresso singer, who has split from Irish actor Barry Keoghan, told how she fell for Macca after she listened to The Beatles as a child.
Sabrina said: “When I was very, very young, my dad played me Rocky Raccoon for the first time, and I was so mesmerised by that song and the songwriting of it that I fell in love with Paul McCartney.
“I was convinced that was my future husband. But he was quite old. And I was so young I didn’t understand he was much older.”
Despite a 57-year age gap, Sabrina admitted on US TV’s The Late Show that at the time she thought Macca was only a decade older than her, adding: “I didn’t understand maths . . . I was a child.”
Sabrina met Sir Paul at an awards bash in LA last February.
Of their meeting, she said: “I just formed tears in my eyes and he was so normal and casual and charming. It felt like I was entering an alternate universe, like the Upside Down vibes? Like Stranger Things – but a lot happier than Stranger Things.
“But he was so sweet. In every room he enters, he makes everyone seen and heard. It was such a beautiful experience to see that from someone I admired so much. I am obsessed with him.”
Looks like poor Barry is well out of the picture.
KATY PERRY looked hot despite the freezing weather as she performed in New York City.
The California Gurls hitmaker donned silver thigh boots and fake reindeer antlers for the iHeartRadio’s z100 Jingle Ball in Madison Square Garden on Friday.
She sang her hit Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F) but changed the lyrics to “this Friday night” and played the guitar for 2008 track Hot N Cold.
Despite being the star of the show, Katy was the ultimate cheerleader too, as she sang along to fellow Jingle Ball performer Tate McRae and revealed that she was a huge “fangirl” of the Canadian singer.
Now, that is a collab I would love to see.
Meanwhile US singer Meghan Trainor got into the festive spirit with her Mrs Claus outfit.
For fans, it was the perfect early gift.
SHE famously sang about a Woman’s World.
But American legend Cher has admitted she has to “play by the rules” of “unrealistic” beauty standards – while male stars can get away with looking “scraggly”.
When asked if she accepted the beauty expectations faced by women in the public eye, she told BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs with Lauren Laverne: “It’s a bitch but I’m in it, so I play by the rules. I play by my own rules, but still, there’s a standard to keep up and if you can do it, you do it for as long as you can – it’s more fun.”
Cher agreed that the same is not expected of older male celebs, adding: “But what is? They just come in, in their jeans, shaved or not, but men in Hollywood are vain. But it’s hard for women, because men can get scraggly.
“They can get old. I see some women doing it – Helen Mirren does it really well, and Judi Dench.”
Since releasing a Christmas album last year, Cher has suggested her next album may be her final one.
She said the new record “will probably be my last, because you’re not really supposed to be singing at my age,” as “your voice runs out – you can’t hit the high notes or whatever”. I’ve got great songs, so I really want to try my best, to do my best.”
From what I can hear, Cher is still at the top of her game.
KIND-HEARTED Ellie Goulding will spend the Christmas period quietly volunteering at homeless shelters, I can reveal.
Speaking at the Rolling Stone Awards on Thursday night, she told me: “We do karaoke, play games, we talk, we eat mince pies and drink tea together. It’s always fun.”
As well as working with charities Crisis and the Marylebone Project, Ellie is looking forward to making December 25 extra-special for her son Arthur, three.
The singer added: “He is very excited. He has written his list for Santa.”
Don’t forget to leave carrots out for Rudolph and his pals.
HE is one of the world’s most successful footballers – and now I can reveal that Kylian Mbappe is aiming to score online.
The Real Madrid and France striker, who is worth around £150million, is looking for love on A-list dating app Raya.
It comes days after a rape and sexual assault case against him was dropped in Sweden.
The hunk showed off his muscly arms in snaps accompanied by the tune Supposed To Be Loved by DJ Khaled.
Perhaps his teammate Jude Bellingham, who has also been spotted on the app, introduced him.
Speaking about his love life this week, Kylian said: “Yes, in the past I have been in love and I hope that I will be again. But currently, no.”
Hopefully his luck will change soon.
THE stars rallied at Brixton Academy for a charity gig curated by The Jam legend Paul Weller.
Artists included 2024 breakout trio Kneecap, who brought their rave-dipped rap from breakthrough album Fine Art to life.
Even older tunes such as Get Your Brits Out were ecstatically received by a sold-out venue.
Paloma Faith later urged the audience to light up their phones for a spine-tingling performance of Only Love Can Hurt Like This.
Meanwhile, the man behind the Friday show for Gaza delivered old and new hits including Shout To The Top.
A closing Wild Wood was the perfect appetiser for Primal Scream’s headline set, with frontman Bobby Gillespie looking like he had raided John Travolta’s 1970s movie wardrobe.
WEST End star Marisha Wallace has revealed that King Charles is a secret fan.
The US actress and singer met the monarch backstage following filming for the Royal Variety Performance, which airs at 8pm on ITV tonight.
She said: “I have performed for the King twice this year, because I did the 80th anniversary of D-Day where I met him.
“It was sort of like talking to an old friend.
“He was like, ‘Your voice is amazing – I only have one problem. I just wish you had sang more songs.’
“To hear that from the King was pretty amazing.”
Marisha added: “I did the Festival of Remembrance in 2020 and Queen Elizabeth was still around at that time.
“No one was in the Royal Albert Hall for it because it was during Covid.
“I was called in at the last minute because someone got the virus.
“I had to get to the Royal Albert Hall and sing The White Cliffs Of Dover and I had never sung it before in my life, so I kind of saved the show.”
Looks like Marisha is well on her way to a honorary damehood.