WETHERSPOONS boss Tim Martin has doubled down on plans to distribute 1,000 spoons across the country after raking in record sales of almost £1 billion.

The pub boss said that after Covid restrictions disrupted trading, punters had rushed back to Spoons pubs.

2

“The after-work pint is back, even the lunchtime pint is back, although some people think that’s sacrilege.”

He added that liquor sales had been boosted by the comeback of real beer drinkers and younger alcoholics adopting Guinness.

He said sales of the Irish stout were “putting the lights out”.

Total turnover rose 8% to £991 million in the six months to January 28 and pre-tax profits have returned to £36 million, up from £4.6 million the year before.

In a further note of joy, Wetherspoons also said that recent sales had continued to rise by 5.8% over the past seven weeks.

The cost of living crisis and rising beer prices have made Spoons’ more attractive to cash-strapped punters, and Mr Martin has pledged not to increase the price of his £5.40 breakfast.

Mr Martin told LBC: “It won’t rise this year.”

Mr Martin said the broader prospects for price rises were looking easier.

“It’s easier for us. I hesitate to tempt fate, but if I can read the tea leaves, inflation is going down, so we will keep our prices as low as possible, and it’s getting easier to do that,” said he.

Mr Martin said that as the cost of ingredients and supply chains fell, Wetherspoons was spending £125m more than before the pandemic on staff costs as minimum wages have risen.

The pub chain currently has 814 pubs, but Mr Martin told The Sun that there were still 130 high streets in the country, such as Didcot in Oxfordshire, that did not have spoons and that he was determined to bring cheap pints and low-priced meals to them.

He also wants to add another 60 to 70 spoons in major city stations following recent openings such as Captain Flinders at Euston station and at the White Rose shopping center in Leeds.

In the past year, Wetherspoons opened a franchise pub at Newcastle University, where Martin said business has “more or less doubled” since taking over the Student Union.

“They can still get cheap pints, but they don’t sell as much food.

“They’re not as hip as Wetherspoons, we’re the world’s hippest chain.”

The ambition to open more pubs comes despite Wetherspoons reducing the number of pubs it has had in recent years by handing keys back to its own owners.

The company’s accounts show it made a £5.9m loss last year from selling five pubs and handing back the keys to three pubs.

Mr Martin also used the results to renew his call for the Government to reduce the VAT rate paid by pubs to the same level as supermarkets, which sell cheaper drinks, pay.

“It doesn’t make economic sense for the tax system to favor mainly out-of-town supermarkets over mainly pubs on the high streets,” he said.

“This imbalance is a major factor in the decline of the city center and high streets.”

Which Wetherspoons are closed?

Despite ambitions to open 200 pubs across Britain, Wetherspoons has also closed drinking establishments.

It is very common for pub chains or retailers to open and close locations to rebalance their portfolios and ensure they trade in areas where there is demand.

Wetherspoons has closed 44 pubs in locations across the UK in recent years.

Locations in London, Durham, Bournemouth and Southampton are closed.

The Sir Norman Rae in Market Street, Shipley, West Yorkshire, will call for final orders on March 24 after also finding a buyer.

It was one of 11 additional pubs that Wetherspoons put up for sale in September last year – a year after it initially put 32 pubs up for sale.

As many as twenty Wetherspoon’s pubs remain for sale, with fifteen locations currently on offer.

This means that a buyer has made an offer that is being considered by the seller.

This does not mean that the sale is guaranteed, and the sale may remain open if not completed.

The five pubs up for sale are:

• The Pontlottyn, Abertillery
• The Ivor Davies, Cardiff
• The Market Cross, Holywell
• Rochester Castle, London
• Foot of the walk, Edinburgh

There are currently 15 Wetherspoons locations on offer:

• Asparagus, Battersea, London
• Wrong one, Bexleyheath
• The Gatehouse, Doncaster
• Jolly Zeeman, Bristol
• The Mockbeggar Hall, Moreton
• The Alfred Herring, Palmers Green
• The cross keys, pebbles
• Mr Norman Rae, Shipley
• The White Heart, Todmorden
• Spa Lane Vaults, Chesterfield
• Lord Arthur Lee, Fareham
• The Regent, Kirkby in Ashfield
• The Sir Daniel Arms, Swindon
• The Hain Line, St Ives
• The Quay, Poole
• Thomas Drummond, Fleetwood

Do you have a money problem that needs to be solved? Get in touch by emailing squeezeteam@thesun.co.uk.

Moreover, you can join us Sun Money chats and tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories.

Kate Garraway was overcome with emotion as she opened up about her latest documentary following the death of her husband Derek Draper.

The presenter, 56, will explore the final year of her husband’s life, as he struggled with long-term symptoms of coronavirus and required daily care, in a new film titled Kate Garraway: Derek’s Story.

And as the documentary aired next Tuesday, Kate discussed how it feels to have completed the project, as she confessed it was “quite emotional” working on it.

Kate admitted she spoke to co-host Ed Balls on Thursday’s episode of Good Morning Britain “I can’t quite believe” that Derek, who died in January, is not with her to “watch his story.”

‘It was actually quite emotional. It makes you want to jump into the screen and give him a hug.

The presenter will explore the final year of her husband’s life, as he struggled with long-term symptoms of coronavirus and required daily care, in a new film titled Kate Garraway: Derek’s Story

“You can’t quite believe he’s not with us to watch his story. But hopefully it will be very helpful to others going through the same thing. That is the dream and the wish.’

After viewers watched a trailer for the program earlier this week, Ed added: ‘It was very moving to hear him speak [that] clip we played a few days ago. Because at At the same time there is vulnerability, but it is also absolutely the Derek I have known for thirty years.’

Kate agreed and continued: ‘You’re right, there is vulnerability, vulnerability, obviously deep ill-health and damage, but yes, he was his own man to the end.’

The mother of two also explained that it was Derek’s decision to make the latest documentary, in the hope that it will provide a lot of help to those who are also suffering from long-term illness.

She explained: ‘It was his idea to make this and his story, so hopefully, as I said, when it airs next Tuesday it will be of great help to a lot of people who find themselves in the situation that Derek is in with a long-term illness and those around them who care for them, as well as the healthcare professionals.’

Ed added, “I can’t imagine how hard it is to do this, but I think it’s really important that you did it.”

Kate replied: ‘I hope so, I hope people see it that way. Thanks Ed.’

Kate previously described the impact of caring for her husband, who died in January aged 56, in two other ITV documentaries entitled Finding Derek and Caring For Derek.

Speaking to co-host Ed Balls on Thursday’s episode of Good Morning Britain, Kate admitted she ‘can’t quite believe’ that Derek, who died in January, is not with her to ‘watch his story’ (together in the photo in 2019)

“You can’t quite believe he’s not with us to watch his story. But hopefully it will be very helpful to others going through the same thing. That is the dream and the wish’

Ed Balls added: “It was very moving to hear him speak [that] clip we played a few days ago. Because at the same time there is a vulnerability, but it is also absolutely the Derek that I have known for 30 years’

Kate said she “vividly” remembers that the idea for the third documentary came from Derek, who said he wanted the main message to be: “Never give up fighting for what you believe in and for the people you love.” holds’.

When asked why he wanted to participate in this film, Derek previously said: ‘I want to be heard.’

Kate said she “vividly” remembers that the idea for the third documentary came from Derek, who said he wanted the main message to be “never give up fighting for what you believe in and for the people you love.” .

“I wasn’t planning on making another one,” Kate said.

“We had to find a way to make Derek’s voice heard and although it was so hard to finish it without him, I’m thrilled that the film is a tribute to Derek and his incredible spirit,” said Kate.

“It is also a tribute to all those who continue to fight to make every second of their lives count, no matter what is thrown at them.”

MARY Portas rose to fame as the Queen of Shops thanks to her documentaries and best-selling books – and of course her iconic Lego-esque red bob.

But the 63-year-old, who has raised £30million for Save the Children, debuted a new look on Wednesday after being appointed OBE for services to retail, broadcasting and charities.

3

Fans likely did a double take after seeing her accept the honor at Windsor Castle, with the television personality embracing her natural gray hair in a longer cut.

After appearing on Channel 4’s Richard & Judy chat show in 2005, Mary has appeared regularly on primetime television and secured lucrative deals through books, TV and private engagements.

She ran four series on the BBC between 2007 and 2010, before jumping to Channel 4 with Mary Portas: Secret Shopper, which followed a similar format.

Most of her TV work sees Mary visiting both independent shops and major chains in an attempt to improve their fortunes with her expert advice.

She rose to prominence for her expertise in visual merchandising and retail strategy, which manifested during her television career.

But it wasn’t all sunshine and roses for the Watford-born presenter.

In 2019, she split from her fashion consultant wife, Melanie Rickey, describing the divorce as “completely awful” in an interview. The guard.

“I got divorced, I had to sell my childhood home, I had to reset my family with this young son, find another home and figure out how things were going to work,” she candidly shared.

After 17 years together, the couple were forced to sell their £5 million home in London’s posh Primrose Hill and move into separate houses nearby.

At the same time as her marriage broke down, lockdown hit and cost Mary’s consultancy business “hundreds of thousands” of pounds.

Mary ditched the bob during the Covid-19 pandemic after discovering she couldn’t go to the hairdresser to maintain her electric color during lockdown.

For a long time, my red bob was ‘me’. When I was Queen of Shops, that haircut defined me

Maria Portas

“My red bob was ‘me’ for a long time,” she shared on Instagram in May last year.

“When I was Queen of Shops, that haircut defined me.

“But then came Covid, and no visits to the hairdresser, and the bob grew out and the color faded.

“At first I panicked a bit; who was I without the bob?

“But then I realized that this was actually an opportunity for the outside of me to change to reflect what was happening inside.

“When my hair started to change in the first dark days of Covid, I had written Work Like A Woman, I started writing Rebuild and I had changed so much of my personal mindset.

“And so I embraced my new look.”

She urged others to “play, experiment, try new things and have joy” as they grow older.

“Find the look on the outside that matches the richness of all the layers on the inside,” she said.

3

RISHI SUNAK finally got some good news yesterday: inflation fell sharply from four percent to 3.4 percent in February, the lowest level in two years.

The crisis began during the pandemic, when lockdowns and Covid restrictions led to shipping containers being stuck at sea and caused massive chaos in the supply chain. When shipping costs soared, companies began passing them on to shoppers.

2

The inflation pain worsened when Russia invaded Ukraine and sent energy prices soaring.

So what does autumn mean for our wallets? . .

Question: HAS the inflation beast finally been tamed? The rapid decline from 10.4 percent in February last year to 3.4 percent marks the fastest decline in 12 months since 1978. So it’s fair to say the beast has been tamed and muzzled.

But it hasn’t stopped growling yet: we’re not richer, things are just getting more expensive more slowly.

At 3.4 percent, the level is still above 2 percent goal the Bank of England has explained.

However, economists at think tank the Resolution Foundation have said that if the pace of price falls continues to slow, inflation should fall to that golden 2 percent by then. next one month. This could give the Bank more confidence to lower interest rates.

Q: What’s behind the Last Fall? Falling hotel and restaurant prices and cheaper groceries helped bring the rate down.

Question: Does this mean my bills will finally go down? The energy bill, which is determined by Ofgem, is lower than a year ago, as are the petrol and diesel at the pumps.

But you may still see other bills rising and some groceries, including olives oil and chocolate, are increasing.

Mortgage costs have risen due to higher interest rates and rents are rising at a record pace, by 6.2 per cent in the 12 months to January 2024.

In addition, care home costs have increased, with the average weekly rate increasing by 19 percent compared to 2021/2022.

Although inflation is falling, we are not yet in deflation – a sustained decline in the price of goods and services. So overall, we will probably have higher expenses than last year.

Question: Is anything actually getting cheaper? Some dairy products that rose in price a year ago are now falling.

Security labels on packs of Lurpak heralded the start of the cost of living crisis, but now the price of tubs of butter has fallen by nine per cent.

Some dairy products that rose in price a year ago are now falling

Pasta, which also boomed after Russia invaded Ukraine because both countries produce so much wheat, has also fallen in price as supply chains have been strengthened.

Q: What does this mean for family finances in general? Shoppers have been smart and protected themselves from the full blow of inflation by switching to discounters and cheaper private labels.

According to MoneySupermarket’s latest index, regular household expenses such as insurance, mortgages and groceries have fallen by an average of £62.20 over the past three months.

However, this could also mean that households have stopped paying or canceled subscriptions.

A recent report from the banking chain DFS shows that we are postponing major purchases. And according to which? some households are missing payments on credit card or utility bills to keep up with mortgage payments.

Question: Are interest rates linked to inflation? The reason Britain has had fourteen rate hikes in a row is because the Bank is trying to reduce inflation.

Higher interest rates make borrowing more expensive and are therefore intended to reduce spending and encourage saving.

The idea is that a temperate climate would limit companies’ ability to raise prices because people can’t afford them.

Question: Does this mean rates will drop again soon? What does that mean for my mortgage? The Bank is expected to keep interest rates at the current 5.25 percent today, as its team of rate setters wants more confidence that this path of falling inflation will continue.

They are nervous that some big wage increases by top companies could push prices back up. But economists believe the Bank could cut rates within the next three months, with the next meeting in May.

Governor Andrew Bailey has said it doesn’t have to wait for inflation to reach 2 percent, but that it appears inflation is headed there.

There is a risk that if the Bank postpones the interest rate cut, companies and households will come under too much pressure.

Mortgage rates are already falling, with NatWest cutting home loan costs yesterday.

This is because the big banks are more confident that inflation will fall, so the Bank is likely to cut the base rate soon.

Q: What about the economy, will we finally get some growth? We are already emerging from a short recession, but growth is hovering around zero.

Inflation has made it harder for the economy to grow as the rising cost of goods has taken big chunks out of our pockets.

People have had to cut back because they can’t afford what they used to buy, and companies have reined in their investments because interest rates have made the cost of borrowing too high.

If there is more confidence that inflation will fall, people and businesses will start spending again, which should stimulate the economy.

Mortgage rates are already falling, while NatWest is cutting home loan costs

Q: What does this all mean for Rishi? One of the Prime Minister’s five promises was to halve inflation, and he has more than done that.

The problem is that people are still struggling, the price of goods is still expensive and the Bank’s higher interest rates have arguably played a greater role in reducing inflation than any government policy.

But after a grim ten days for the Prime Minister – full of conspiracies and internal rows – it is a much-needed boost.

He can say his plan is working and that people should start to feel a difference as wages continue to rise, mortgage rates fall and free child care is expanded, which should encourage more people to work.

The hope is that an improved economy will allow him to afford another round of tax cuts before the election.

OLYMPIC leaders have lifted a ban on sex for athletes ahead of this summer’s Games.

A gender suspension was introduced ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Games, which took place in the summer of 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

3

The ban was imposed in an attempt to prevent events being disrupted by Covid outbreaks.

But those preventive measures have been lifted ahead of this summer’s Games in Paris, meaning athletes can get as much rumpy-pumpy as they want.

Olympic Village director Laurent Michaud said: “It is very important that the conviviality here is something big.

“Working with the athletes committee, we wanted to create some places where the athletes would feel very excited and comfortable.”

The Olympic Village, according to TMZwill be stocked with as many as 300,000 free condoms.

So athletes will have no excuse not to practice safe sex during the tournament.

However, there will be no free champions to drink during the match.

Although they will have a wide variety of foods from all over the world available to them every day.

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS

3

Former Center Parcs head Michaud said: “[There will be no champagne in the village, of course, but they can have all the champagne they want also in Paris.

“We will have more than 350 metres of buffet with the world food.

“And I’m sure that the athletes will be very happy to have some French specialties made over here.

“But the variety will first respond to the athletes’ needs for their nutrition and their performance.”

The Paris Games – which get underway on July 26 and end on August 11 – are expected to attract the largest crowds since London 2012.

Olympic Games executive director Christophe Dubi told Sky News: “It has to be a celebration and it is a celebration.

“We’ve had many challenges in the past. “In Rio, we faced situations that were amazingly complex.

“But what you see is that with a bit of goodwill from everyone – starting with the organisers.

“But also as far as the Olympic community is concerned – meeting with the challenges and coming up with solutions… is in the greater interest that the Games represent.

“What we all want is for unity, peace and a celebration of the best athletes.

“This is how this creative family works together. Any challenge? We will win.”

A HIGH street fashion chain has closed another branch, after already closing more than 200 branches.

Peacocks, which once had more than 400 stores in the UK, closed another of its stores on March 16.

2

Peacocks fell into administration in 2020 and was forced to close just over 200 of its 400 stores.

The chain was rescued in April 2021 and was able to keep its remaining stores open, saving 2,000 jobs.

But now the retailer has had to close more doors in a desperate bid to stay afloat.

The latest to bite the bullet is the Peacocks branch at Clarendon Square Mall in Hyde, which will close for good on Saturday, March 16.

According to Tameside Correspondent, the nearest branch is now Ashton-under-Lyne.

The Peacocks branch in Hyde even had a closing sale in 2020, although it reopened after Covid restrictions were lifted.

Now it appears the closure is permanent.

It is not the only Peacocks store that will disappear from the high street in the coming weeks.

The retailer has announced it will close its store on Wales’ high street Merthyr Tydfil on March 23.

However, the cheap fashion chain will close with a bang and keep a mega discount of 30 percent on all sales.

Meanwhile, the store at Ashford’s County Square Shopping Center in Kent will also close on March 23.

The unit has just reopened after ‘essential electrical work’ kept it closed for more than a week.

Elsewhere, Peacocks in Camborne, Cornwall, will close on April 3.

In addition, it is also closing its branch in Boscombe, Bournemouth on April 6, which is a blow to locals.

The retailer announced news of the closure on its Facebook page, where a closure notice was also displayed in the branch window.

Peacocks fell into administration in November 2020 and closed half of the 420 stores they had at the time, dealing a major blow to the high street.

The fashion retailer went bankrupt after struggling to do business during the coronavirus pandemic and multiple lockdowns.

However, it has slowly returned to the high street and has built its portfolio back up to around 350 stores.

And in October last year, the chain announced plans to open seven new stores in Wales, England and Scotland.

It has not confirmed the exact opening dates for the new stores.

It comes as several other major chains have taken serious hits on the high street.

Last year, popular retailers such as Wilko fell under administration and disappeared from the shopping streets for good.

Body Shop also recently went into administration and announced it would close almost half of its 198 stores.

Seven branches have already closed with immediate effect, but administrators of the major retailer said they wanted to “safeguard the future of the brand” with the restructuring.

Struggling fashion brand Superdry is also exploring various “cost-saving options” after reports it is considering a major restructuring.

A Sports Direct branch in Stroud, Gloucestershire, will pull down the shutters for good at the end of March – after closing its branch in Central Six Retail Park, Coventry, at the end of January.

Supermarket chains such as Lidl, Tesco and Iceland have been closing their stores since the beginning of 2023.

And budget retailers such as Poundstretcher and Argos are also struggling to keep some of their own stores afloat.

Celebrity Big Brother star Louis Walsh appeared visibly stunned on Friday evening after he was booed by the live audience. 

However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Louis, as when hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best announced the eviction nominees, boos could be heard coming from the crowd each time his name was mentioned. 

After hearing the boos, Louis appeared shocked and gasped, however, he quickly brushed them off by pulling a face to show he was not bothered by their dislike towards him. 

Despite the crowd’s negative reaction towards him, Louis managed to survive the eviction. 

The former X Factor judge, 71, avoided eviction during the live show after he was up against David Potts, Ekin-Su Culculoglu, Fern Britton and Levi Roots

 However, the same can’t be said for celebrity chef Levi Roots and former Love Island winner Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, as both stars were voted out at the same time. 

The live eviction comes after a dramatic nominations twist during Thursday’s episode, where housemates had to vote face-to-face. 

It comes after Louis revealed that he was diagnosed with a ‘rare’ type of cancer in 2020 as he spoke about the major health scare for the first time during Friday’s episode of Celebrity Big Brother. 

The Irish music manager confessed he had Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia, a rare type of blood cancer, but has since been given the all-clear after receiving treatment in Dublin during lockdown. 

And now friends of the star have opened up about Louis’ illness and explained that is the reason he has been sleeping so much in the ITV reality show. 

The star has been seen napping often in the Big Brother house, with his pals revealing ‘you can see how frail he is’.

Speaking about his health to The Mirror, his friends said: ‘Louis is in remission currently but you can see how frail he is and that he has lost a lot of weight. It’s also the reason why he’s sleeping so much, it all took a lot out of him.’   

Louis revealed during the episode that the cancer diagnosis came as a ‘shock’ and gave him a ‘reality check’ and his pals explained that it was the driving force behind him signing up for the Big Brother show. 

However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Louis, as when hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best announced the eviction nominees, boos could be heard coming from the crowd each time his name was mentioned

After hearing the boos, Louis appeared shocked and gasped, however, he quickly brushed them off by pulling a face to show he was not bothered by their dislike towards him

Despite the crowd’s negative reaction towards him, Louis managed to survive the eviction

 They continued: ‘The whole experience was the main driver behind signing up for the show. He’d been really ill and just wanted to enjoy life again and thought “What the hell”.’ 

They added: ‘It’s little wonder he has decided to immerse himself in the Celebrity Big Brother house. It’s almost as a reaction to what has happened. It was quite the ordeal, not least as the cancer is so rare that it took a while to get diagnosed.’

Louis discussed his health with Levi and Ekin-Su on Friday he told the pair that ‘no one knew he was sick’. 

Levi asked how Louis spent the Coronavirus lockdown, he replied: ‘I was sick, and I think nobody knew I was sick. I had cancer. A mild version, a rare one.’

Levi asked: ‘Which part? Pancreatic Cancer?’

‘In my blood, I didn’t even know that I had it until I went to the hospital, and then they checked me, checked me, checked me, then they found it.

‘They said it’s a rare one, and I said [shrugs] gone. replied Louis.

The music manager admitted being diagnosed with cancer left him in ‘shock’ and gave him a ‘reality check’. 

He continued: ‘It did affect me mentally, I got to be honest with you. [Points to his head] It’s just up here, even when I go past a hospital I almost get sick. 

‘It’s all gone, I’m fine. It was just the shock of being sick and that word…nobody wants that word.

‘I have it blocked out, a reality check, you see so many people sick and it’s terrible.

‘In my world, it was all about pop music and all that. I didn’t think of anybody getting sick or anything like that. And that was like wow reality check, you’re in the real world.’

Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia (also known as lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma) is a rare form of low-grade lymphoma (a type of bone marrow cancer), which is associated in most cases with the presence of an excessive amount of abnormal protein in the blood. 

Before entering the house, Louis revealed he had signed up to the ITV show to have fun after attending two recent funerals for friends that gave him a reality check about his mortality. 

It comes after Louis’s pals spoke out about his ‘rare’ blood cancer as they explained his REAL reason for taking part in the reality show 

Friends of the star opened up about Louis’ illness and explained that is the reason he has been sleeping so much in the ITV reality show as they added: ‘you can see how frail he is’

The former X Factor star confessed he had Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia, a rare type of blood cancer, but has since been given the all clear after receiving treatment in Dublin during lockdown – as he spoke about it for the first time on Friday  

 He told the Mirror: ‘I don’t want to be in my final chapter, I want to live. I want to enjoy myself. I don’t want to die. But then it makes sense that you get to this age and think, why not? Life’s too short. 

‘I’ve lost some people in my life recently and that changes you. I went to two funerals. Yeah, It’s a reality check, for sure. It makes you think about what life is all about. It makes you rethink what’s important and what you care about. Losing friends makes you think about your own mortality.

‘I want to enjoy myself more. I want to see the world. Everywhere. I don’t have a bucket list. I don’t like that word. I just want to see the rest of the world. I just want to enjoy life – live, love and laugh. I don’t want to be older and think if only I had done that. I don’t want to do that no. There’s no time for regrets. I’m happy. I’m honestly happy at the moment and this has given me an extra nudge to go and enjoy life even more.’

Louis said: ‘I was sick, and I think nobody knew I was sick. I had cancer. A mild version, a rare one in my blood, I didn’t even know that I had it until I went to the hospital’

The music manager, who said his cancer is now ‘gone’, admitted being diagnosed left him in ‘shock’ and gave him a ‘reality check’ as it really affected him mentally

It comes after viewers were left furious when Louis ordered Nikita Kuzmin to ‘stop crying’ in tense scenes on Thursday night. 

Louis scolded the Strictly star, 26, during the shocking face-to-face nominations, when the latter began crying while voting for the former. 

The housemates were ordered to kiss the co-star they nominated – and when a sobbing Nikita approached Louis after saying he was lazy around the house, the septuagenarian spat: ‘Stop crying for God’s sake’. 

Nikita – who stated: ‘I don’t think Louis has helped around the house as much as everyone else has, that’s my reason’, before Louis’ slur – has scored legions of fans since entering the house, many of whom swarmed Twitter after the moment. 

Angry fans penned: ‘LOUIS TELLING NIKITA TO ‘STOP CRYING FOR GOD’S SAKE’ YOU ARE A BITTER EMOTIONLESS OLD MAN LEAVE MY BABY ALONE… @kuzmin__nikita is so pure Louis is vile we must protect Nikita at all cost!!!…’

CELEBRITY BIG BROTHER 2024: MEET THE LINEUP

SHARON OSBOURNE

AGE: 71

FAMOUS FOR: Being a member of the Osbourne family, married to rock legend husband Ozzy as well as being a judge on The X Factor.

GARY GOLDSMITH

AGE: 58

FAMOUS FOR: Being Kate Middleton’s ‘black sheep’ uncle.

EKIN-SU CULCULOGLU

AGE: 29

FAMOUS FOR: Winning Love Island in 2022 

COLSON SMITH

AGE: 25

FAMOUS FOR: Playing Craig Tinker in Coronation Street

FERN BRITTON

AGE: 66

FAMOUS FOR: Nineties TV sensation, and acting as Phillip Schofield’s This Morning sidekick.

BRADLEY RICHES

AGE: 22

FAMOUS FOR: Starring in Netflix’s Heartstopper

MARISHA WALLACE

AGE: 38

FAMOUS FOR: Broadway actress and singer, with roles in Dreamgirls and Aladdin

LOUIS WALSH

AGE: 71

FAMOUS FOR: His stint as an X Factor judge following a prestigious career as a music manager to bands like Westlife and Boyzone.

DAVID POTTS

AGE: 30

FAMOUS FOR: Ibiza Weekender 

ZEZE MILLZ 

AGE: 35

FAMOUS FOR: Social media star 

LAUREN SIMON

AGE: 47

FAMOUS FOR: The Real Housewives of Cheshire 

LEVI ROOTS

AGE: 65

FAMOUS FOR: One of Dragons’s Den’s biggest success stories.

NIKITA KUZMIN

AGE: 26

FAMOUS FOR: Being a professional on Strictly Come Dancing 

Louis Walsh onthulde dat bij hem in 2020 een ‘zeldzame’ vorm van kanker werd vastgesteld toen hij voor het eerst sprak over de grote gezondheidsproblemen tijdens de aflevering van Celebrity Big Brother op vrijdag.

De voormalige X Factor-ster, 71, bekende dat hij de macroglobulinemie van Waldenstrom had, een zeldzame vorm van bloedkanker, maar heeft sindsdien alles vrij gekregen nadat hij tijdens de lockdown in Dublin werd behandeld.

En nu hebben vrienden van de ster zich opengesteld over de ziekte van Louis en uitgelegd dat dit de reden is dat hij zo veel heeft geslapen in de ITV-realityshow.

De ster is vaak gezien terwijl hij een dutje deed in het Big Brother-huis, terwijl zijn vrienden onthulden ‘je kunt zien hoe zwak hij is’.

Over zijn gezondheid gesproken De spiegelzeiden zijn vrienden: ‘Louis is momenteel in remissie, maar je kunt zien hoe zwak hij is en dat hij veel is afgevallen. Het is ook de reden dat hij zo veel slaapt, het kostte hem allemaal veel.’

Vrienden van de ster hebben zich opengesteld over de ziekte van Louis en legden uit dat dit de reden is dat hij zo veel heeft geslapen in de ITV-realityshow, terwijl ze eraan toevoegden: ‘je kunt zien hoe zwak hij is’

Louis onthulde tijdens de aflevering dat de diagnose van kanker als een ‘schok’ kwam en gaf hem een ​​’reality check’. Zijn vrienden legden uit dat dit de drijvende kracht was achter zijn aanmelding voor de Big Brother-show.

Ze vervolgden: ‘De hele ervaring was de belangrijkste drijfveer achter het aanmelden voor de show. Hij was heel ziek geweest en wilde gewoon weer van het leven genieten en dacht: wat maakt het uit.’

Ze voegden eraan toe: ‘Het is geen wonder dat hij heeft besloten zich onder te dompelen in het Celebrity Big Brother-huis. Het is bijna een reactie op wat er is gebeurd. Het was een behoorlijke beproeving, niet in de laatste plaats omdat de kanker zo zeldzaam is dat het een tijdje duurde voordat de diagnose werd gesteld.’

Lodewijk besproken zijn gezondheid bij Levi en Ekin-Su op vrijdag hij vertelde het paar dat ‘niemand wist dat hij ziek was’.

Levi vroeg hoe Louis de lockdown door het coronavirus doorbracht, hij antwoordde: ‘Ik was ziek, en ik denk dat niemand wist dat ik ziek was. Ik had kanker. Een milde versie, een zeldzame.’

Levi vroeg: ‘Welk deel? Alvleesklierkanker?’

‘In mijn bloed wist ik niet eens dat ik het had, totdat ik naar het ziekenhuis ging, en toen controleerden ze me, controleerden me, controleerden me, en toen vonden ze het.

‘Ze zeiden dat het zeldzaam was, en ik zei [shrugs] weg. Weg’, antwoordde Louis.

De voormalige X Factor-ster, 71, bekende dat hij de macroglobulinemie van Waldenstrom had, een zeldzame vorm van bloedkanker, maar heeft sindsdien alles vrij gekregen nadat hij tijdens de lockdown in Dublin werd behandeld – zoals hij er vrijdag voor het eerst over sprak.

Ze legden zijn echte reden uit om de show te doen: ‘De hele ervaring was de belangrijkste drijfveer achter het aanmelden voor de show. Hij was erg ziek geweest en wilde gewoon weer van het leven genieten en dacht ‘wat maakt het uit’ (foto maart 2020)

De muziekmanager gaf toe dat de diagnose kanker hem in ‘shock’ bracht en gaf hem een ​​‘reality check’.

Hij vervolgde: ‘Het heeft mij mentaal beïnvloed, ik moet eerlijk tegen je zijn. [Points to his head] het is gewoon hier, zelfs als ik langs een ziekenhuis ga, word ik bijna ziek.

‘Het is allemaal weg, het gaat goed met mij. Het was gewoon de schok van ziek zijn en dat woord… niemand wil dat woord.

‘Ik heb het geblokkeerd, een reality check, je ziet zoveel mensen ziek en het is verschrikkelijk.

‘In mijn wereld draaide het allemaal om popmuziek en zo. Ik had er niet aan gedacht dat iemand ziek zou worden of iets dergelijks. En dat was zoiets als wow reality check, je bent in de echte wereld.’

Waldenstrom-macroglobulinemie (ook bekend als lymfoplasmacytisch lymfoom) is een zeldzame vorm van laaggradig lymfoom (een type beenmergkanker), dat in de meeste gevallen gepaard gaat met de aanwezigheid van een overmatige hoeveelheid abnormaal eiwit in het bloed.

Voordat Louis het huis binnenging, onthulde hij dat hij zich had aangemeld voor de ITV-show om plezier te hebben nadat hij twee recente begrafenissen voor vrienden had bijgewoond, waardoor hij een reality check kreeg over zijn eigen sterfelijkheid.

Louis zei: ‘Ik was ziek, en ik denk dat niemand wist dat ik ziek was. Ik had kanker. Een milde versie, een zeldzame in mijn bloed, ik wist niet eens dat ik het had totdat ik naar het ziekenhuis ging’

De muziekmanager, die zei dat zijn kanker nu ‘weg’ is, gaf toe dat de diagnose hem in ‘shock’ had achtergelaten en gaf hem een ​​‘reality check’ omdat het hem mentaal echt beïnvloedde

Hij vertelde de Spiegel: ‘Ik wil niet in mijn laatste hoofdstuk zitten, ik wil leven. Ik wil genieten. Ik wil niet sterven. Maar dan is het logisch dat je deze leeftijd bereikt en denkt: waarom niet? Het leven is te kort.

‘Ik heb de laatste tijd een aantal mensen in mijn leven verloren en dat verandert je. Ik ben naar twee begrafenissen geweest. Ja, het is zeker een reality check. Het laat je nadenken over waar het leven om draait. Het doet je nadenken over wat belangrijk is en waar je om geeft. Het verliezen van vrienden doet je nadenken over je eigen sterfelijkheid.

‘Ik wil meer genieten. Ik wil de wereld zien. Overal. Ik heb geen bucketlist. Ik houd niet van dat woord. Ik wil gewoon de rest van de wereld zien. Ik wil gewoon van het leven genieten – leven, liefhebben en lachen. Ik wil niet ouder zijn en denken: had ik dat maar gedaan. Dat wil ik niet doen nee. Er is geen tijd voor spijt. Ik ben gelukkig. Ik ben eerlijk gezegd gelukkig op dit moment en dit heeft mij een extra duwtje in de rug gegeven om nog meer van het leven te gaan genieten.’

Het komt erna kijkers bleven woedend toen Louis donderdagavond Nikita Kuzmin beval te ‘stoppen met huilen’ in gespannen scènes.

Louis schold de Strictly-ster, 26, uit tijdens de schokkende face-to-face nominaties, toen de laatste begon te huilen terwijl hij op de eerste stemde.

De huisgenoten kregen de opdracht de co-ster die ze hadden genomineerd te kussen – en toen een snikkende Nikita Louis benaderde nadat hij had gezegd dat hij lui in huis was, spuugde de zeventigjarige: ‘Houd op met huilen in godsnaam’.

Nikita – die zei: ‘Ik denk niet dat Louis net zoveel heeft geholpen in het huis als alle anderen, dat is mijn reden’, vóór de smet van Louis – heeft legioenen fans gescoord sinds ze het huis binnenkwamen, van wie velen daarna op Twitter zwermden het moment.

Boze fans schreven: ‘LOUIS VERTELT NIKITA OM TE STOPPEN MET HUILEN IN GOD’S JE BENT EEN BITTER EMOTIELOZE OUDE MAN LAAT MIJN BABY MET ALLES… @kuzmin__nikita is zo puur Louis is gemeen dat we Nikita koste wat het kost moeten beschermen!!!.. .’

Blood Cancer UK kan iedereen advies en ondersteuning bieden

CELEBRITY BIG BROTHER 2024: ONTMOET DE LINE-UP

SHARON OSBOURNE

LEEFTIJD: 71

BEKEND VAN: Lid zijn van de Osbourne-familie, getrouwd met rocklegende Ozzy en jurylid bij The X Factor.

GARY GOLDSMITH

LEEFTIJD: 58

BEKEND VAN: Kate Middletons ‘zwarte schaap’-oom zijn.

EKIN-SU CULCULOGLU

LEEFTIJD: 29

BEROEMD OM: Het winnen van Love Island in 2022

COLSON SMITH

LEEFTIJD: 25

BEKEND VAN: Craig Tinker spelen in Coronation Street

VAREN BRITTON

LEEFTIJD: 66

BEKEND VAN: TV-sensatie uit de jaren negentig en optreden als This Morning-sidekick van Phillip Schofield.

BRADLEY RIJK

LEEFTIJD: 22

BEKEND VAN: Met in de hoofdrol in Heartstopper van Netflix

MARISHA WALLACE

LEEFTIJD: 38

BEKEND VAN: Broadway-actrice en zangeres, met rollen in Dreamgirls en Aladdin

LOUIS WALSH

LEEFTIJD: 71

BEKEND VAN: Zijn periode als X Factor-jurylid volgde een prestigieuze carrière als muziekmanager bij bands als Westlife en Boyzone.

DAVID POTTEN

LEEFTIJD: 30

BEKEND VAN: Ibiza Weekender

ZEZE MILLZ

LEEFTIJD: 35

BEKEND VAN: Sociale media-ster

LAUREN SIMON

LEEFTIJD: 47

BEKEND VAN: De echte huisvrouwen van Cheshire

LEVI WORTELS

LEEFTIJD: 65

BEKEND VAN: Een van de grootste succesverhalen van Dragons’s Den.

NIKITA KUZMIN

LEEFTIJD: 26

BEKEND VAN: Een professional zijn op Strictly Come Dancing

AJ Odudu looked nothing short of sensational as she hosted the latest live eviction of Celebrity Big Brother on Friday.

The presenter, 35, sent temperatures soaring in a figure-hugging brown rubber dress as she took to her Instagram Stories ahead of the show.

AJ’s outfit hugged every inch of her stunning figure and featured a very racy, thigh-high slit that showed off her long, toned legs perfectly.

She added extra height to her slim frame with a pair of strappy heels and wore her brunette locks in loose waves.

AJ oozed confidence as she posed up a storm for the camera before taking to the stage with co-host Will Best, 39.

The presenter sent temperatures soaring in a figure-hugging brown rubber dress as she took to her Instagram Stories ahead of the show

Earlier in the episode, Louis Walsh revealed he was diagnosed with a ‘rare’ form of cancer in 2020, as he spoke about the major health concerns for the first time.

The former X Factor star, 71, revealed he had Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia, a rare form of blood cancer, but all has since cleared up after receiving treatment in Dublin.

When discussing his health with housemates Levi and Ekin-Su, he told the pair that “no one knew he was sick.”

Levi asked how Louis was spending the coronavirus lockdown, he replied: “I was sick, and I don’t think anyone knew I was sick. I had cancer. A mild version, a rare one.’

Levi asked, “Which part?” Pancreatic cancer?’

“In my blood, I didn’t even know I had it until I went to the hospital, and then they checked me, checked me, checked me, and then they found it.

“They said it was rare, and I said [shrugs] away. Away,” Louis replied.

The music manager admitted that the cancer diagnosis left him in ‘shock’ and gave him a ‘reality check’.

AJ’s outfit hugged every inch of her stunning figure and featured a very racy thigh-high slit that perfectly showed off her long, toned legs

AJ oozed confidence as she posed up a storm for the camera before taking the stage with co-host Will Best, 39

He continued: “It has affected me mentally, I have to be honest with you. [Points to his head] it’s just here, even if I go to a hospital, I almost get sick.

‘It’s all gone, I’m fine. It was just the shock of being sick and that word… no one wants that word.

‘I blocked it out, a reality check, you see so many people sick and it’s terrible.

‘My world was all about pop music and stuff. I didn’t think about anyone getting sick or anything like that. And that was like wow reality check, you’re in the real world.’

Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (also known as lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma) is a rare form of low-grade lymphoma (a type of bone marrow cancer), which in most cases is associated with the presence of an excessive amount of abnormal protein in the blood.

Before entering the house, Louis revealed he had signed up for the ITV show to have fun after attending two recent funerals for friends, giving him a reality check about his own mortality.

Earlier in the episode, Louis Walsh revealed he was diagnosed with a ‘rare’ form of cancer in 2020, as he spoke about the major health concerns for the first time.

The former

He told the Mirror: ‘I don’t want to be in my last chapter, I want to live. I want to enjoy. I do not wanna die. But then it makes sense that you reach this age and think: why not? Life is too short.

‘I’ve lost a number of people in my life lately and it changes you. I’ve been to two funerals. Yes, it’s definitely a reality check. It makes you think about what life is about. It makes you think about what is important and what you care about. Losing friends makes you think about your own mortality.

‘I want to enjoy more. I want to see the world. Everywhere. I don’t have a bucket list. I don’t like that word. I just want to see the rest of the world. I just want to enjoy life – live, love and laugh. I don’t want to be older and think: I wish I had done that. I don’t want to do that, no. There is no time for regrets. I’m happy. To be honest, I am happy at the moment and this has given me an extra push to enjoy life even more.’

CELEBRITY BIG BROTHER 2024: MEET THE LINE-UP

SHARON OSBOURNE

AGE: 71

KNOWN FROM: Being a member of the Osbourne family, married to rock legend Ozzy and a judge on The X Factor.

GARY GOLDSMITH

AGE: 58

KNOWN FROM: Being Kate Middleton’s ‘black sheep’ uncle.

EKIN-SU CULCULOGLU

AGE: 29

FAMOUS FOR: Winning Love Island in 2022

COLSON SMITH

AGE: 25

KNOWN FROM: Playing Craig Tinker in Coronation Street

SAILING BRITTON

AGE: 66

KNOWN FROM: Nineties TV sensation and appearance as Phillip Schofield’s This Morning sidekick.

BRADLEY RICH

AGE: 22

KNOWN FROM: Starring in Netflix’s Heartstopper

MARISHA WALLACE

AGE: 38

KNOWN FROM: Broadway actress and singer, with roles in Dreamgirls and Aladdin

LOUIS WALSH

AGE: 71

KNOWN FROM: His stint as an X Factor judge followed a prestigious career as a music manager with bands such as Westlife and Boyzone.

DAVID POTTEN

AGE: 30

KNOWN FROM: Ibiza Weekender

ZEZE MILLZ

AGE: 35

KNOWN FROM: Social media star

LAUREN SIMON

AGE: 47

KNOWN FROM: The Real Housewives of Cheshire

LEVI ROOTS

AGE: 65

KNOWN FROM: One of Dragons’ Den’s biggest success stories.

NIKITA KUZMIN

AGE: 26

KNOWN FROM: Being a professional on Strictly Come Dancing