ITV faces losing some of its biggest stars to streaming giant Netflix after both Simon Cowell and Holly Willoughby have reportedly signed up for their own shows.

TV presenter Holly, 43, was previously the face of daytime as the host of This Morning, while Simon, 64, was the king of Saturday nights after producing a string of lucrative talent-based shows for the broadcaster.

However, in the last week it has been revealed that both stars have signed to join forces with Netflix, rather than ITV, for their next projects.

They join several other ITV stars who have appeared or are set to appear on Netflix in the near future, including Joel Dommett, Michelle Keegan and Matt and Emma Willis.

Joel, who is the current host of ITV’s The Masked Singer, was reported to have  landed a major role as a host for a new game show on Netflix in December.

The signing means the TV presenter, 38, landed a TV treble, as he presents BBC1’s Saturday night show Survivor as well as The Masked Singer.

While the details of the show have not been revealed, Joel apparently started filming the programme in an East London TV studio late last year, according to The Sun.

A TV insider told the publication at the time: ‘Joel is one of the most in-demand presenters right now and this just proves it.

‘It’s rather unprecedented to be the star man across three networks but clearly he’s doing something right. Joel is really excited by the new show.’

Meanwhile, Michelle Keegan, who was aligned with ITV for years as Tina McIntyre on the show’s long-running soap Coronation Street, now also works with Netflix.

Michelle, 36, appeared in the Harlan Coben adaptation of Fool Me Once earlier this year which was binge-watched around the globe.

It has since been reported that she is poised to score a multi-million pound deal from Netflix to help her crack America after the success of the series.

She starred alongside Joanna Lumley in the hit thriller which shot to the top of the Netflix charts worldwide in January.

It has now been reported that following the popularity the streaming platform is keen to secure Michelle for a number of other projects.

The offer could help the former soap star crack America, and also bag a massive paycheck.

The Sun: ‘She’s proved you don’t have to be the stereotypical plum-voiced leading lady to appeal to an international audience.

‘Michelle offers something different, but with all the charm, glamour and sex appeal that makes her one of Britain’s most exciting acting exports. America is seen as a market where they believe she could make the greatest impact.’

The insider added: ‘With so many rival streamers eyeing Michelle up now, it’s a no-brainer for Netflix to sign her. But they’re likely to have to offer her a six-figure sum to keep her for multiple projects.’

Meanwhile, TV presenting couple Emma Willis and her husband Matt, who are ITV favourites, also signed up with Netflix to front the UK version of Love Is Blind.

Emma currently hosts The Voice on ITV after first joining in 2014, she moved with the show once it was bought by ITV in 2017 after previously airing on the BBC.

Her husband Matt, 40, is also a regular face on the channel, after previously co-hosting the I’m A Celeb spin-off with his wife.

He has also played the role of Garth Stubbs in the ITV sitcom Birds Of A Feather.

But they are both taking their talents to Netflix as the faces of the British version of the dating show, where contestants fall in love ‘sight unseen#.

They were named as the hosts of Love Is Blind UK after seeing off some tough competition from other celebrity couples in August last year.

The presenting job is the first time in more than a decade that the couple, who married in 2008 and have three children, have hosted a show together.

The format of the show, which first launched in the U.S. on Netflix, sees couples meet for the first time in two pods without being able to see each other before one pops the question and they are able to meet properly for the first time.

After the announcement, Matt said: ‘I’m so excited to be presenting the UK version of Love Is Blind with Emma. We love the show!

‘It’s been such a dream working together and fascinating to watch the process unfold. Experiencing this new project side by side has been really amazing and I can’t wait for people to come on this journey with us.’ 

Meanwhile, Emma said: ‘I love to play matchmaker with my friends and love LOVE so I am so excited to be co-hosting the first ever UK version of Love Is Blind. 

‘I’m intrigued to see people connect on a purely emotional and mental level right off the bat, without visuals playing a part. 

‘Plus – you’re getting double Willis! I’ve loved going to work with Matt and we’re both obsessed with the show, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity!’

Another big name apparently set to sign with Netflix is Simon Cowell, who is said to be in talks with the platform to launch a talent show to find the next One Direction. 

The music mogul helped form the band, made up of Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne and Niall Horan on The X Factor in 2010.

He then signed the group to his record label, Syco Records, and the band soon skyrocketed to global success, becoming one of the best-selling boybands of all time.

Now Simon is said to be looking to find another group that can equal One Direction’s success, with a new talent contest.

According to The Sun, filming for the show is believed to have already begun in the UK in partnership with production company Box To Box films.

Sources have claimed that Simon was in a bidding war after first pitching the show, with Apple and Prime Video also keen to come on board.

However, they say he is now in talks with Netflix and ready to sign a huge deal, and has already joined forced with a PR firm to prepare to announce the show in the coming weeks. 

The source told the publication: ‘Simon is preparing to sign a huge deal with Netflix to find the world’s next biggest boy band. 

‘He is working with the team behind Drive To Survive on the show and wanted to get it on a streamer because it fits the audience better. Simon knew The X Factor had grown tired so he wanted to do something that looked completely fresh and new.

‘He is renowned for spotting talent and One Direction’s success came off the back of him putting them together. Simon wants to replicate this and find a group who can reach the heights One Direction did. 

‘Filming for the show has already started in the UK and he is so excited about what’s to come.’

Simon’s new project comes six years after the final series of The X Factor, which he admitted took a toll on him.

Most recently, Holly sensationally signed to Netflix to host a celebrity jungle-based reality show named Bear Hunt, MailOnline exclusively revealed.

The presenter, who quit ITV’s This Morning last October, will appear on the show alongside star survival expert, Bear Grylls.

Described by television insiders a more challenging version of the BBC’s Survivor, celebrity contestants will be pitted against Grylls. It will be filmed in the South American jungle.

It is Holly’s first show away from terrestrial television.

A show insider told MailOnline: ‘It’s a great and such an exciting fresh series and of course a great challenge for Holly.

‘It’s a great opportunity for her.’

The show, which is produced by Grylls’ company, will see him pursue celebrity contestants and when he catches them, they will be eliminated.

Holly’s new job comes just days after Cat Deeley replaced her on This Morning, five months after she announced her departure.

She will begin filming the programme later in the year and it is expected to air in 2025.

Netflix bosses are said to be ‘ecstatic’ that they have been able to hire her. One said: ‘Holly was their woman for this project from the word go.

‘They are absolutely delighted to have got her to sign on the line, hopefully there will be many more opportunities to work with her down the line too.’

Holly, 43, will be familiar with the jungle surroundings. 

In 2018 she hosted I’m A Celeb alongside Declan Donnelly – the highest rated series ever.

Holly Willoughby has hired Maya Jama and Sam Smith PR in a bid to ‘expand her global brand’.

The 43-year-old presenter, who quit ITV’s This Morning last October, is now represented by Cherry PR – who have an impressive portfolio of stars under their belt.

It comes after MailOnline revealed Holly has signed with Netflix to host a famous jungle-based reality show called Bear Hunt. along with star survival expert Bear Grylls.

A source has now told the newspaper Mirror: ‘After everything she went through last year, those around Holly felt like she might be stepping out of the spotlight. Her ordeal dented her self-confidence. But with this new move, she actually plans to expand her brand further than ever before.

“She believes the team are the best people to help make this happen and is excited to be working with them.”

PR firm Cherry Create also handles rapper Aitch, Zayn Malik and Lola Young.

MailOnline has contacted Holly’s representatives for comment.

It comes after Holly sensationally signed with Netflix to host a celebrity jungle-based reality show called Bear Hunt, MailOnline can exclusively reveal.

The presenter, who quit ITV’s This Morning last October, will appear on the show alongside star survival expert Bear Grylls.

Described by television insiders as a more challenging version of the BBC’s Survivor, it will see celebrity contestants face off against Grylls. The film will take place in the South American jungle.

It is Holly’s first show outside of terrestrial television.

A show insider told MailOnline: ‘It’s a great and exciting new series and of course a great challenge for Holly.

“It’s a great opportunity for her.”

In the show, which is produced by Grylls’ company, he will chase celebrity contestants and when he catches them, they will be eliminated.

Holly’s new job comes just days after Cat Deeley replaced her on This Morning, five months after she announced her departure.

She will begin filming the program later this year and it is expected to air in 2025.

Netflix bosses are said to be ‘ecstatic’ that they were able to hire her. One said: ‘Holly was their woman on this project from the start.

“They are absolutely thrilled to have gotten her on the line, hopefully there will be many more opportunities to work with her.”

Holly, 43, will be familiar with the jungle environment.

In 2018, she co-presented I’m A Celeb with Declan Donnelly – the highest-rated series ever.

She replaced Ant McPartlin who was in rehab for alcohol and painkiller addiction and was hailed a great success.

She also presented Freeze the Fear with Dutch extreme athlete Wim Hof ​​in 2022, which was shown on BBC One.

Holly’s new role comes just days after The Mail on Sunday revealed that ITV have offered her a lucrative new contract to host next year’s series of their skating show, Dancing On Ice.

She is expected to accept the deal after happily presenting the program alongside her long-time friend and colleague Stephen Mulhern.

A source from the show said: ‘Holly really loved it this year, she found it really fun and enjoyable.’

The star quit last October this morning after 14 years after an alleged plot to kidnap and kill her surfaced, leaving her terrified.

Former guard Gavin Plumb will appear in court in June after pleading not guilty to the charges last November.

Holly’s departure came five months after Phillip Schofield left ITV after admitting to the Mail that he had had a relationship with a much younger colleague and lied about it.

In a statement to the Mail, he said he was ‘deeply sorry’ for lying about the relationship with ITV, his colleagues, friends and agents.

He said: ‘I was in a consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning.

“Contrary to speculation, while I met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him get on television, it wasn’t until he started working on the show that it became more than just a friendship.

‘That relationship was unwise, but not illegal. It’s over now.’

Holly Willoughby has sensationally signed with Netflix to host a celebrity jungle-based reality show called Bear Hunt, MailOnline can exclusively reveal.

The presenter, who quit ITV’s This Morning last October, will appear on the show alongside star survival expert Bear Grylls.

Described by television insiders as a more challenging version of the BBC’s Survivor, it will see celebrity contestants face off against Grylls. The film will take place in the South American jungle.

It is Ms Willoughby’s first show outside of terrestrial television.

A show insider told MailOnline: ‘It’s a great and exciting new series and of course a great challenge for Holly.

“It’s a great opportunity for her.”

In the show, which is produced by Grylls’ company, he will chase celebrity contestants and when he catches them, they will be eliminated.

Ms Willoughby’s new job comes just days after Cat Deeley replaced her on This Morning, five months after she announced her departure.

She will begin filming the program later this year and it is expected to air in 2025.

Netflix bosses are said to be ‘ecstatic’ that they were able to hire her. One said: ‘Holly was their woman on this project from the start.

“They are absolutely thrilled to have gotten her on the phone and hopefully there will be many more opportunities to work with her.”

Ms Willoughby, 43, will be familiar with the jungle environment.

In 2018, she co-presented I’m A Celeb with Declan Donnelly – the highest-rated series ever.

She replaced Ant McPartlin who was in rehab for alcohol and painkiller addiction and was hailed a great success.

She also presented Freeze the Fear with Dutch extreme athlete Wim Hof ​​in 2022, which was shown on BBC One.

Ms Willoughby’s new role comes just days after The Mail on Sunday revealed that ITV have offered her a lucrative new contract to host next year’s series of their skating show, Dancing On Ice.

She is expected to accept the deal after happily hosting the program alongside her long-time friend and colleague Stephen Mulhern.

A source from the show said: ‘Holly really loved it this year, she found it really fun and enjoyable.’

The star quit last October this morning after 14 years after an alleged plot to kidnap and kill her surfaced, leaving her terrified.

Former guard Gavin Plumb will appear in court in June after pleading not guilty to the charges last November.

Ms Willoughby’s departure came five months after Phillip Schofield left ITV after admitting to the Mail that he had had a relationship with a much younger colleague and lied about it.

In a statement to the Mail, he said he was ‘deeply sorry’ for lying about the relationship with ITV, his colleagues, friends and agents.

He said: ‘I was in a consensual on-off relationship with a younger male colleague at This Morning.

“Contrary to speculation, while I met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him get on television, it wasn’t until he started working on the show that it became more than just a friendship.

‘That relationship was unwise, but not illegal. It’s over now.’

Will wearing a weighted vest while I’m ironing make me as fit as Davina McCall? I decide I’d like to find out!

Masked Singer presenter Davina is known for having the abs of a Victoria’s Secret model, the arms of an Olympian and thighs that could crush cars.

I’d always thought Davina’s superhero physique was down to crack-of-dawn workouts that would put a mere mortal in hospital.

However, as I was faffing about online to avoid tackling my overflowing inbox, I stumbled across a video of Davina wearing a weighted vest, which she says she wears around the house.

‘You’ll be able to do housework in it,’ she explains in the clip, adding that if you wear it while you’re doing the washing or unloading the dishwasher: ‘You’re gonna feel it!’

Usually when I think of celebrities wearing weighted vests I picture Bear Grylls doing pull-ups, David Beckham running, Mark Zuckerberg doing The Murph Challenge, or Gemma Atkinson doing Tabata style workouts.

Then there’s the trend for ‘rucking’ which involves putting on a weighted vest or heavy rucksack for a hike, to make it harder.

But could wearing a weighted vest get me fit while I’m just doing everyday activities like putting the rubbish out or walking to Tesco?

Well if Davina says it can then I’m pretty much sold – and there are actually stats to back it up.

A Swedish study found that participants who wore a weighted vest eight hours a day, for three weeks, all lost weight – just while going about their daily lives as usual.

Could this work for me? To find out, I got onto Argos to order the 3kg £22 weighted vest from Davina’s fitness range.

In the study, participants who wore 11kg weighted vests lost 1.6kg in body weight. This would be great, but the prospect of carrying 11kg makes me fear for my spine, so I figure 3kg is a pretty good place to start.

I’ll be wearing the weighted vest for eight hours a day and living my life as usual. This means working from home, either at my standing desk or sitting down with my laptop on my lap – I tend to do a bit of each throughout the day.

I’ll wear the vest while I’m working, cleaning, nipping to the shop and doing anything else that’s part of my daily life – but I’ll take it off when I do anything that could be considered a workout, whether that’s yoga, running or anything in the gym.

This means that although I’ll wear the vest for eight hours a day, it might be over a nine or ten hour period.

WEEK 1

When I first put it on, on the Monday, I feel like: ‘Oh no, eight hours of this is going to be horrible,’ but I quickly get used to it, and find myself checking in with my posture (shoulders back and down, abs engaged) in a way I would usually only do at the gym.

I’m tallying up the time I’m wearing the vest, and when I check towards the end of the afternoon to see how long I’ve got left, I’m surprised to find that I’ve already clocked up just over eight hours.

The only downside on my first day has been slightly achey shoulders when I’m typing at my standing desk. I wonder if it’s because the vest has elasticated shoulder straps which makes the weight feel like it’s really hanging down on me.

It’s only on Friday, when I put the vest back on after a yoga break that I somehow put it on differently and I realise this is how I should have been wearing it all along. It turns out the vest doesn’t have elasticated shoulder straps – I was wearing it upside down!

My first outing in the vest is to pick up a parcel that I’ve had delivered to a collection point. It’s a 40 minute round trip, at a slow stroll. The weighted vest fits easily under my coat and it crosses my mind that I’m glad it’s coat weather.

I live on the fifth floor of my building and I always use the stairs so I’m hoping that carrying an extra 3kg will improve my cardiovascular fitness and work my muscles more, giving me a gym bunny body without the squats.

Over the course of the week I walk up the five flights, wearing the 3kg vest, seven times.

It feels light when I’m not carrying much, but on the Saturday I do my food shopping on the way home from swimming and the weight of bags combined with the vest makes it a tough walk home.

I weigh the bags when I get in and they come to 9.5kg. This is a fairly regular shop for me as I tend to stockpile tins of lentils (and wine, OK, wine) but as I’m wearing the 3kg vest, it means I’ve carried a weight of 12.5kg up five flights of stairs.

This is probably a personal record, and it definitely feels like my limit. If the vest had been any heavier, I might not have made it up the stairs.

On the flip side, when I take the vest off for yoga breaks, I feel so light I think I might float off my mat, and when I go to the gym on Wednesday evening, I whizz through my reps – and beyond.

The leg extension is so easy, I feel like my legs are literally weightless and I have to double check that I’m using the usual weight that I’ve been stuck on for three months. It’s like I’m an astronaut doing a workout in space.

At the end of the seven days I should have wracked up a total of 56 vest hours, but I’ve gone over a bit most days, and I find I’ve worn it for 57 hours 37 minutes.

WEEK 2

Taking it up a notch, this week I am wearing a 5kg vest from Wilko (priced at £19.99). I’d planned to go to the gym on the Monday evening, but I find I’m physically too tired.

I don’t know if it’s the increase from 3kg to 5kg, or the fact that this is the eighth day in a row that I’ve been wearing a weighted vest, but I decide to do yoga at home instead.

On the Tuesday, rather than risk a repeat of getting too tired, I go to the gym in the morning. It’s a 10-15 minute walk and I wear the weighted vest until I get to the changing room, then put it in my rucksack. The vest feels heavier to lift in a bag than it does to wear – and this is an issue because I am not putting it in a locker.

Lugging the bag from the locker room to the gym, then around the gym with me, leaves me exhausted.

On my way out, the receptionist asks if I had a good workout and I tell her: ‘I’m very tired now,’ in the manner of a three year old who’s overdue a nap. I think this is making me out of sorts.

By the Wednesday, the prospect of putting on the vest makes me feel like Leonardo DiCaprio in The Man in the Iron Mask where he’s forced back into the mask after a taste of freedom.

The main problem is achy shoulders when I’m typing at my standing desk. Although I’m now wearing the vest the right way round – which helps – the aches are still an issue and I’ve reached the point of hating it.

This week I keep a closer eye on the clock and wrack up 56 hours 16 minutes.

WEEK 3

I’d intended to take it up another notch by wearing an 8kg vest for my final week. However, my shoulders say no, so I decide to stick to 5kg.

On the Monday, when I take off the vest for a gentle jog, I do not feel like I’m flying – instead I’m really feeling it in my legs. I think that two weeks of the weighted vest has taken its toll.

On the Tuesday I am playing ping pong at Bounce in Farringdon, at 5pm. I’ve taken the vest off for swimming, earlier in the day, so I’m yet to meet my eight hour target. This means I am still wearing the vest when I arrive for ping pong. Only it’s not just ping pong, it’s a second date, and now I don’t want to take my coat off because what kind of weirdo turns up for a date wearing a weighted vest?

I awkwardly slip off my coat then sit there holding it up in front of me, like a bath towel. We chat for a bit, as if there is nothing strange about this. My date does a good job of pretending not to notice, but overcome with embarrassment I tell him I am wearing a weighted vest and I don’t want him to see. I am afraid it will give him the ick.

He doesn’t seem fazed, so I put the coat down and we begin our game of ping pong. He tells me I look like I’m wearing body armour, but this seems to be more of an observation than an issue – although he’s probably pleased when I take it off for dinner.

On the Wednesday, I change at home for a press workout at Barry’s, then dash out the door, forgetting to put the vest back on for the walk there and back.

I’m out for about three hours, which puts me behind on getting my eight hours in. I arrive home exhausted and despair at the prospect of dragging myself about in the vest until the early hours of the morning, like one of Scrooge’s ghosts, weighed down by chains. Something has to give, and I accept defeat at 6 hours 35 minutes.

I make up the time over the weekend, which includes a dog walk around Regent’s Park. My weekly total comes to 56 hours 50 minutes, so I actually end up going over.

THE RESULTS

By sticking to my usual routine, but wearing a weighted vest while I’m doing it, I’ve lost 1.5kg and 2cm off my waist. This is basically the weight I put on over Christmas, drinking litres of Baileys and eating acre long boxes of chocolates – so don’t worry folks, I’m not wasting away (and I’ve still got lockdown weight to lose).

It seems incredible that the vest could make such a difference, without doing anything extra while I’m wearing it, so to get an expert opinion I talk to Dr. Bradley Elliott. He’s a senior lecturer in physiology at the University of Westminster, and a research scientist specialising in how and why we lose muscle mass with age, and what can be done to prevent this.

He says: ‘One of the great things about walking with a weighted vest or bag is that you’re working lots of muscles. So all the muscles in your legs, back, chest, shoulders, abdominals – it’s a multi-muscle effort. You’re using a bit of everything, all the time.’

He adds: ‘We know that aerobic style exercise like walking is good for you. We also know that strength training is good for you. I like the combination of both of them together. So it’s not just strength training and it’s not just walking, it’s a bit of both, which I think is brilliant.’

But I don’t have to walk to get the benefits of the weighted vest. Dr. Elliott explains: ‘You’re doing more work just standing up out of a chair. If you weighed 60kg before and then you weighed, artificially, 65kg, it takes more effort to get you out of a chair or to walk up stairs or do anything.’

As weighted vests are thought to improve cardiovascular fitness, I’ve done a VO2 Max test, at the University of Westminster, before and after the three weeks of wearing the weighted vest.

This involves running on a treadmill while wearing a heart rate monitor and being wired up to a computer. It’s a way of measuring cardiovascular fitness and I’m doing it to see if three weeks of wearing the weighted vest up and down the stairs has made a difference.

In terms of how my body uses oxygen, the results of the VO2 Max test are pretty much the same, before and after. However there is a difference between my tests. On my first test, I run for eight minutes, at a top speed of 9km per hour. On my second test, I run for eleven minutes, at a top speed 11km per hour.

I ask Dr. Elliott if he thinks I’ve gained muscle mass in the time I’ve been wearing the vest. He says: ‘Yes, I think you’ve plausibly gained muscle mass, and over a longer period of time you would gain muscle mass. Absolutely.’

I started this challenge thinking about weight loss and cardiovascular fitness, but it seems like the benefits of the weighted vest go way beyond this – perhaps even to the extent of reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

We know that bone density can decrease with age, especially for women, and we know that this can potentially lead to osteoporosis. We’re told that doing weight bearing exercise such as walking can help with this – so could wearing the weighted vest while walking reduce the risk of osteoporosis?

Dr. Elliott’s opinion is: ‘Probably yes.’ He explains: ‘Walking is good for bone density. That’s one of the reasons why walking and running is better for your bones than cycling, where you’re not actually bearing any weight. So adding a bit of mass on there would, I think, help gain more bone density as well.’

Now that my three weeks is up, I’m glad not to be wearing the weighted vest for eight hours a day, and I definitely won’t wear it at my desk again.

However, I’m happy to wear it while I’m walking or doing housework, and given the benefits it would be mad not to. 

For no extra time, and barely any extra perceptible effort, wearing the vest means I’m burning fat, increasing bone density, and getting a full body workout. And it only costs around £20. What’s not to like?

King Charles is known for his love of the outdoors and often breakfasts on fiber-rich linseed on fruit.

And this healthy lifestyle will ensure that the monarch is in the best position possible in his fight against cancer.

In addition to a healthy breakfast, the king says he regularly refrains from eating meat, fish and dairy on certain days of the week.

A lover of fresh produce, he even launched his own food brand, Duchy Originals, in 1990, which is now run as Waitrose Duchy Organic.

Meanwhile, a list of facts about Charles on the royal family's website confirms that he 'doesn't eat lunch' due to his hectic schedule.

His former press secretary Julian Payne also said: 'The king doesn't eat lunch; So an early lesson I learned while out and about with him was to have a big breakfast or pack a few snack bars to keep you going.

'The working day is quite brutal. Starting with the headlines on the radio and a breakfast of seasonal fruit salad and seeds with tea.'

In fact, his only break in his relentless schedule is taken around 1 p.m., “not to eat, but to go outside for a walk.”

“The king doesn't like to be inside for too long and always has the windows wide open,” Payne said.

This love of the outdoors – including hiking and camping – is said to have originated during his time at Gordonstoun School.

This has never diminished as Bear Grylls describes him throughout his life as 'an adventurer through and through' and a 'champion of the outdoors'.

Experts agree that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important both in cancer prevention and during cancer treatment.

There is some evidence that it may help manage the stress and fatigue caused by cancer and its treatment, with the only exception being certain cancers, such as those of the bone.

Research has also shown that people who exercise during treatment not only cope better with side effects, but also live longer.

International guidelines recommend patients stay active and resume normal activities as soon as possible.

With a reputation for being fit and healthy for his age of 75, Charles has remained active with hill walking and gardening.

He has rarely required hospital treatment, apart from relatively minor ailments, his recent treatment for prostate enlargement and accidents resulting from his active lifestyle such as polo and skiing.

Numerous falls during his many years of playing polo are thought to be responsible for the back pain he has suffered for decades.

A tartan cushion is often taken on royal tours, while a red velvet equivalent is apparently always placed on the king's chair during state banquets at Buckingham Palace.

During an engagement at a Sikh temple in Southall, west London, in 2003, he told the congregation he would need some care as he sat on the hard floor.

“I don't think I've ever needed an osteopath so much as I do now,” he said. “My back isn't quite set up to sit on the ground, so I might need some help when I go outside.”

That same year, he underwent hernia surgery at the private King Edward VII's Hospital in London, the hospital favored by the royal family.

In typical fashion, he took it easy and even joked “hernia today, gone tomorrow” to waiting media after he was fired the next day.

Five years later, in 2008, he underwent a minor, routine procedure to have a benign growth removed from the bridge of his nose.

More recently, in March 2020, it was reported that then-Prince Charles had tested positive for Covid-19 but had only mild symptoms.

While isolating in Birkhall, Aberdeenshire, away from the then Duchess of Cornwall who tested negative, he continued to work at his desk.

The king reported losing his sense of taste and smell for a time and later spoke of the “strange, frustrating and often disturbing” experience of being without friends and relatives during the lockdown.

He struck Covid for a second time in February 2022, but by then he had been triple vaccinated.

An advocate of alternative and complementary medicine, including homeopathy, Charles was even a patron of the regulatory body, the General Osteopathy Council.

As a result, he has urged health ministers to take a more holistic approach to tackling health problems – an approach he is now likely to take himself alongside what has been described as a 'schedule of regular treatments'.

He has become one of the most talked about men in Britain after his insidious lies, which saw him crowned the winner of the BBC show The Traitors.

And now, after taking home a cash prize of £95,150 in what was a breathtaking final on Friday night, Harry Clark has revealed he plans to quit the army as he prepares to make a fortune as a television star .

The Mail on Sunday can reveal that showbusiness agents are already queuing up to sign him up as they think he has the potential to become a big star – thanks to his good looks and cheeky personality.

BBC bosses are also said to be 'captivated' by the 23-year-old, having noted his popularity with a younger audience they are keen to attract.

Clark, from Slough, Berkshire, is tipped to make a 'small fortune' thanks to The Traitors and become the face of a high street brand or follow in the footsteps of TV stars such as Bear Grylls and Ant Middleton . both of whom are ex-Special Forces.

His 86,000 – and growing – followers on Instagram also mean he will be inundated with offers from brands to promote their products in return for five-figure sums of money. Speaking on BBC Breakfast yesterday, he admitted he is unlikely to return to the army, where he is an aeronautical engineer with the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers.

He said: 'The army was great… I'm not sure if that will be my life as such now, but they supported me.

“It was strange going back to work Monday to Friday, normal work. I left, had that amazing experience, but couldn't tell anyone and went back to work.

'That was the strangest transition. Now it's gone crazy again.'

On Friday night, after the final was shown, Clark partied with a group of friends at Raffles nightclub in Chelsea. Sources say he was 'harassed' by other guests at the venue, which was once a favorite of the Princess of Wales.

The night before saw him celebrate his win at a pub in Shepherd's Bush, west London, with some of his co-stars, including fellow traitor Paul Gorton and fan favorite Diane Carson. Clark, who is dating children's television presenter and social media influencer Anna Maynard, was spotted with two pints of lager in his hand.

But one person noticeably absent from the meeting was his good friend on the show, Mollie Pearce.

The pair struck up a close relationship, but 21-year-old Ms Pearce was left in tears after learning that Clark had betrayed her during the three-week series by pretending to be a 'faithful'.

In the final scenes of the show, hosted by Claudia Winkleman, Mrs Pearce failed to identify Harry as a traitor, despite fellow contestant Jaz Singh voting to banish him. She therefore did not win any of the prize money.

Yesterday Ms Pearce – a disability model – insisted the pair had walked out of the final, saying Clark had promised her a holiday to make up for his backstabbing. “We've had time to process it,” she said.

“We're doing well, it was a game, you go in with a chance to win. It's all good vibes.

“He promised me a vacation, so I'm pretty happy about that.”

After being crowned the winner at the lavish castle in the Scottish Highlands, Clark said: “My legs are shaking. I've just won £95,000.

'Mollie is actually the reason I'm here, I have to regain her trust. I greatly underestimated this. You come here and there are 22 great people, and I've been a traitor from the beginning. I've had enough of being naughty and bad, because that was next level.'

Annabel Croft was lifted into the air by partner Johannes Radebe on Tuesday as they rehearsed ahead of the Strictly Come Dancing semi-final.

The former British tennis player, 57, was spotted after being bottom of the leaderboard last week.

She felt comfortable in blue sports leggings that she paired with a matching sweater as she danced with a choreographer for partner Johannes.

Annabel wrapped her arms around her professional partner’s neck before he lifted her over his shoulders and tightened around her.

The pressure is on for the contestants as they learn two new dances ahead of next weekend’s BBC show.

Annabel showed off her beautiful smile as she headed out for the evening after a grueling nine-hour rehearsal.

She dressed warmly in a long black coat from Canada Goose, which she combined with a pair of beige sneakers.

It comes after Annabel and Johannes found themselves bottom of the leaderboard with 33 points last week after dancing the Foxtort to Wicked’s Good.

The pair will compete against Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola, Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell, and Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin, in the hope of making it to the final.

BBC viewers were left furious by Sunday’s ‘pointless’ and ‘boring’ show after Nigel Harman’s departure failed to spark a dance party.

Actor Nigel, 50, had competed in the BBC Latin and ballroom competition alongside professional partner Katya Jones, 34, but withdrew from the series just hours before Saturday’s live show after attempting to perform a stunt during the rehearsals, leaving him with a rib injury.

And the 40-minute results show featured the usual dance-off and musical performances, but the rest of the episode featured interviews and video messages from celebrities in an attempt to fill the time.

Joss Stone sang as Billie Piper and Bear Grylls sent their best wishes, but viewers at home still wanted more.

On X, formerly known as Twitter, someone wrote: “The results show this week is a bit pointless.”

While a second said: ‘Tonight’s whole Strictly Come Dancing show just feels pointless and boring now that there’s no elimination or public voting this week.’

Someone else commented: ‘This week seems quite pointless’.

Nigel’s last-minute exit caused chaos on the show, forcing the usual dance and elimination to be scrapped.

Last week Annabel appeared on This Morning and spoke about her ‘horrific’ year following the sudden death of her beloved husband Mel Coleman.

Mel died in May at the age of 60, just weeks after being diagnosed with stage three cancer. She said she “really wished” he could have met Johannes.

She told presenters Dermot O’Leary and Rochelle Humes: ‘It was a horrific year, it was something I never expected, this was never meant to be how life would be, I thought I had a future with my husband, we been together since i was 21, together 36 years and i miss him terribly, no doubt about it.

‘I really want to talk to him about what we are doing, I miss his humor and I really wish Johannes had met him because I feel like they would get along so well.’

David Beckham struggled to stay awake as he watched Britain’s Jodie Burrage be defeated by Russian player Daria Kasatkina on day three of Wimbledon on Wednesday. 

Despite the gripping match, the former footballer, 48, was pictured rubbing his tired eyes after a late night celebrating his 24th wedding anniversary with his wife Victoria, 49.  

David sat in the Royal Box with his mother Sandra, 74, as play got under way. 

Dressed in a light brown blazer and tie, David appeared in high spirits but a little sleepy as he stifled a yawn after his evening out at Harry’s bar in Mayfair. 

The latest British hope for Wimbledon is Jodie, 24, who has taken on Daria Kasatkina, 26, on Centre Court.

Burrage is fresh off her first ever win at the showpiece event after she advanced into the second round of Wimbledon on day one with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over American Caty McNally. 

She faced a tough ask to reach the third round as she comes up against Russian No 1 Kasatkina, who is ranked No 11 in the world. 

The 24-year-old arrived with high hopes after reaching the Nottingham final last month and then knocking out Caty McNally on Monday for her first win at a grand slam and a likely place in the top 100.

But she found herself staring down the barrel of a humiliating ‘double-bagel’ in the second round after dropping the first set without winning a game.

Burrage recovered her composure in the second set but Russian Kasatkina, the Eastbourne finalist and 11th seed, proved too strong in a resounding 6-0 6-2 victory.

David’s arrival in the Royal Box coincided with the roof opening on Centre Court after several rain showers, with rays of sunshine lighting up the grass. 

David, who regularly visits the All England Club, was transfixed by the match and looked tense as the two women ferociously fought on the court to win. 

He later took to Instagram to share a snap with Roger Federer and wrote: ‘At Wimbledon with Mr Wimbledon’.

Posh and Becks celebrated their anniversary milestone with their children; Romeo, 20, Cruz, 18, and Harper, 11. Their eldest son Brooklyn, 24, lives in America. 

Victoria took to Instagram to document the night out, sharing sweet snaps of the family as they enjoyed the lavish meal out.

Posh looked as loved-up as ever with David as the pair posed for a playful snap, with the former footballer glancing over his sunglasses.

Another photograph saw Harper sweetly cuddling up to her father, while other shots saw David posing with Romeo and Cruz.

Alongside the gallery of pictures, Victoria gushed: ‘Last night in London celebrating our 24-year wedding anniversary. Love you all so much.’

Meanwhile, Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom looked loved-up as they arrived at Wimbledon. 

The singer, 38, was all dressed up in a vintage inspired look as she headed into the All England Lawn Tennis Club with her fiancé, 46. 

Bear Grylls and his glamorous wife Shara Cannings Knight appeared in high spirits as they arrived to watch the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club.

The adventurer, 48, who married his wife Shara in 2000, sported a quirky new moustache during the outing.

He cut a dapper figure in a navy suit, teamed with a crisp white shirt and a mint green satin tie. 

Shara looked typically chic in a blue and black maxi dress, teamed with matching strappy heels.

She opted for a natural blush makeup look, while her blonde locks were swept back into a ponytail. 

Elizabeth McGovern looked typically stylish in a white suit as she attended day three of the lavish event.

Katie Boulter and Jodie lead the British hopes on Wednesday as Wimbledon plays catch-up.

Only eight matches were completed on Tuesday as rain lashed the All-England Club and restricted play to just Centre and No 1 Courts for the most part.

With less than 90 minutes’ action possible on the outside courts on day two before the heavens opened, organisers cancelled 69 scheduled matches.

It means Wednesday’s order of play features a mixture of first and second round single matches, with the start of the doubles tournament pushed back a day to Thursday.

But the backlog could grow further with some showers forecast on Wednesday amid sunny spells. Play has already been delayed to 12:30pm on the outside courts due to rain.

Burrage and Daria’s match will be followed by the No 1 seed in the women’s draw Iga Swiatek taking on Sara Sorribes Tormo and then the reigning men’s champion Novak Djokovic playing Jordan Thompson.

There is further British interest on No 1 Court as wildcard entry Arthur Fery plays his first round match against Russian third seed Daniil Medvedev at 1pm.

After that, Heather Watson takes on the 10th seed Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic.

Rounding off the Court One schedule is the second round match-up between Jannik Sinner and Diego Schwartzman.

Boulter was held up by the weather on Tuesday and the British No 1 will resume her match against Australia’s Daria Seville trailing 6-5 towards the end of the first set on Court 18.

The 26-year-old is second on Court 18, after the match between Grigor Dimitrov, a former Wimbledon semi-finalist, and Japan’s Sho Shimabukuro.

Another Brit finishing their first round match is George Loffhagen, who had just lost the first set of his tie with Denmark’s Holger Rune on a tie-break. They are slated to be second on No 3 Court.

Jan Choinski faces a tricky second round test against Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz, the 17th seed and former SW19 semi-finalist. They’re due on last on Court 12.

In the women’s singles, another British hopeful, Sonay Kartal, starts her tournament against the American Madison Keys on No 3 Court after the conclusion of the Loffhagen match.

Andy Murray, who prevailed in his all-British first round clash with Ryan Peniston on Centre Court , will be keeping a close eye on the Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Dominic Thiem match to be played to a finish on No 2 Court.

Austrian Thiem took the first set 6-3, but the Greek fifth seed leads in the second.