TV

'Coronation Street' star Mikey North has got engaged.
The 28-year-old actor - who plays Gary Windass on the ITV soap - took his girlfriend of two years, Rachael Isherwood, by surprise when he proposed as the couple celebrated the blonde beauty's 30th birthday in the Lake District.
He said: "It was coming up to Rachael's 30th birthday. I've always told her that if and when I propose, she'd never see it coming. So I thought if I took her away for her birthday then she would assume it was just for that.
"We were staying in a lovely hotel in the Lake District and our room had its own terrace with a hot tub.
"We were getting ready to go out for dinner and I told her I had a birthday surprise waiting outside."
Mikey confessed that while he had timed his proposal perfectly, he hadn't really planned what he would say to Rachael after getting down on one knee.
He explained: "I told her to shut her eyes. When she opened them I was down on one knee with the ring. I had everything planned in my head apart from what I was going to say. I was looking up at Rachael and I just said, 'Will you marry me?' She asked me if I was being serious then said yes!"
Although she claims Mikey was acting "bizarrely" throughout the day, Rachael insists the proposal still took her by surprise.
She told OK! magazine: "The whole day he seemed like he was acting very bizarrely. It was like he was on edge. He was even doing things like dropping his food on the floor. But I didn't suspect anything. It was all a big surprise."

Benedict Cumberbatch is a huge 'EastEnders' fan.
The 'Imitation Game' star has revealed he's good pals with actress Jessie Wallace, who plays Kat Moon in the BBC One soap, and would love to make an appearance alongside her.
He said: "Jessie's just really lovely and first time I met her was at an awards show like this and she just shouts, 'You're f**king brilliant', and I just shout it back. I think she's amazing."
The 38-year-old actor added: "In fact I'm such a fan ... It's 'EastEnders' next!"
However, the 'Sherlock' actor went on to admit his posh background has left him unable to put on convincing cockney accent.
He confessed his "abysmal" attempts at speaking in an east London twang could scupper his chances of landing a role in the popular drama.
Meanwhile, Danny Dyer - who plays pub landlord Mick Carter in 'EastEnders' - previously agreed with Benedict's claims, insisting he could never play a working class character.
He said: "I love Benedict. 'The Imitation Game' looks amazing. He couldn't play a kid from a working-class estate, but I couldn't do what he does either."
However, the 37-year-old east-Londoner believes he'd be more than capable of taking on one of Benedict's roles.
He said previously: "I think I could play Sherlock, if I did it my way.
"Benedict's brilliant and the lines roll off his tongue, but that role is about being highly intelligent rather than posh."

A new family is set to join 'Hollyoaks'.
The Channel 4 soap will see the arrival of the Lovedays later this month when actors Jacqueline Boatswain, Karl Collins and Duayne Boachie make their on-screen debuts as a close-knit family looking for a fresh start.
Jacqueline is to play self-appointed head of the family Simone - who will take over as manager of the Price Slice supermarket - while Karl will play her husband Louis, the new deputy head of Hollyoaks High.
Meanwhile, newcomer Duayne - who made his feature film debut alongside Idris Elba and Gemma Arterton in 'A Hundred Streets' - will play promising footballer Zack, who is to enrol as a student at the school.
He said: "I'm so excited to be a part of the 'Hollyoaks' team - I already love the cast, the crew and even the food in the canteen! I just can't wait to bring Zack Loveday to life."
Jacqueline most recently appeared in Channel 4's 'Cucumber/Banana' and has also had roles in 'Shameless', 'Silk' and 'In The Club'.
She said of joining the soap: "I am looking forward to everyone meeting Simone. She's a 'no-messing' mum and without doubt the head of the family who are coming to 'Hollyoaks' for a fresh start.
"The Lovedays are a very happy strong family unit and that has seen them through the challenges that life has thrown at them."
Karl - whose credits include 'The Driver', 'Doctor Who' and 'This Is England: 90' - added: "I am really thrilled to be joining the cast of 'Hollyoaks' battling Jacqueline to be the head of the household in a new positive black family in 'Hollyoaks'."

Joey Essex has won 'The Jump'.
The 24-year-old reality star beat off competition from rugby player Mike Tindall - who is married to Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter Zara Phillips - and heptathlete Louise Hazel to take the crown after edging the final jump by just half a metre, leaping an impressive 17.5m.
He said afterwards: "I just went for it! When it comes, I put my mind to it and I just do it, man!"
And Joey admitted he was stunned to win as he never expected to "survive" in the competition.
He said: "I thought it was going to a nightmare, I didn't think it was going to survive - growing up I found it hard to learn things, but being on the jump has proved I can."
While he was thrilled with his victory, the former 'TOWIE' star was baffled by his cow bell trophy
He said: "I never thought I'd be able to ski, let alone get to the final, and never thought I'd own a medal, let alone a cow bell.
"What is a cow bell by the way? Does it mean I need to get a cow?"
Earlier in the evening, Jon-Allen Butterworth and Chloe Madeley were both eliminated from the competition after the air jump.
Louise Thompson then lost out with a jump of 15m after Joey leapt 15.5m in his first-ever jump on the show.

Letitia Dean thinks Ian Beale killed Lucy in 'EastEnders'.
The character was murdered last year in one of the most talked-about storylines in the soap's history, and now actress Letitia - who has played Sharon Watts on and off since 1985 - says she believed Lucy's father Ian may be responsible for her death.
When asked who she thinks the killer is, she said: "For dramatic purposes and shock value, I think Ian [Adam Woodyatt]."
However, the 47-year-old actress acknowledged it could be any of a number of characters and she still has no idea who it is, as producers have not revealed the killer's identity to any of the cast.
She continued: "I thought Jane [Laurie Brett] at one point but not now. Abi [Lorna Fitzgerald] is another little red herring, I think. To be honest, we're not privy to what's going on so I don't know who's in and out, so it could be anyone - it could be little Denny [Harry Hickles]!"
The BBC One show will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a week of live shows later this month when viewers will find out who murdered the character, and the actress says she has started to feel slightly nervous about the live week.
She added to OK! magazine: "It's a gamut of emotions - excited, little bit anxious, I don't quite know exactly what I'm doing yet!
"I want to know who killed Lucy Beale because it's doing my head in! Everyone keeps asking me. I have no idea!"

Tina O'Brien thinks appearing on 'Strictly Come Dancing' was the "bravest thing" she has ever done.
The 'Coronation Street' actress - who competed on the BBC One dancing show in 2010 - has admitted that she used to be sick with worry.
She said: "The bravest thing I've ever done is 'Strictly Come Dancing' in 2010. It was an amazing experience but it was right out of my comfort zone.
"Being on live telly, knowing there were millions of people watching, was incredibly frightening. From the Friday morning through to the live show on Saturday evening, I was constantly running to the loo to be sick, I was that scared."
The 31-year-old actress - who is returning to the ITV soap to resume her role as Sarah-Louise Platt - also admitted that being cast in that part at 16-years-old was a "life-changing experience".
She shared: "The best day of my life was getting that phone call when I was 16 telling me that I'd got the part of Sarah-Louise Platt in 'Coronation Street'.
"It was a totally life-changing experience for me."
Despite finding fame at a young age, Tina insisted that she has always stayed "grounded" thanks to her parents.
She told the Daily Express newspaper: "The best thing my parents taught me was not to get too big-headed and carried away with myself. They kept me grounded."

Ruth Langsford relaxes by tidying her underwear drawer.
The 'Loose Women' presenter enjoys being at home and unlike her husband Eamonn Holmes she gets great satisfaction from cleaning her house and organising her bras and knickers.
She shared: "I find it much easier than Eamonn to switch off at weekends and I'm a real home bird. I never get bored around the house. If I suddenly realise on a Saturday that (our son) Jack's out and Eamonn is watching the football or something, then a really nice way for me to spend the afternoon tidying up my underwear drawer.
"I enjoy doing it and I feel great satisfaction when I've finished."
The 54-year-old star - who co-hosts 'This Morning' with Eamonn - also likes to spend her free time playing board games with Jack, 11, so he doesn't spend too many hours on his video games console.
Speaking to The Daily Telegraph newspaper, she explained: "On Sunday evenings Jack and I like playing board games. I'm happy because it gets him off the PlayStation and I'm currently teaching him cribbage which is quite hard.
"My father taught it to me and I loved it, and because Dad is sadly no longer with us I feel quite emotional when I am teaching Jack, even though he gets a bit bored. It has such fond memories for me."
Ruth also loves cooking for her family and Beyoncé's music provides the playlist for her culinary adventures on a Sunday.
She said: "I love cooking a Sunday roast. Eamonn often tells me I shouldn't go to all the trouble, but I don't see it like that. I find cooking very therapeutic and one of my great joys in life is preparing vegetables ... Jack and Eamonn now might start watching the football and I'll shut the kitchen door, put the music on and sing like Beyoncé and have a little think about this and that as I peel my carrots and wash the swedes."

Michelle Visage is working with Jonathan Ross on a UK version of 'RuPaul's Drag Race'.
The 'Celebrity Big Brother' star is a judge on the US series and is teaming up with the talk show host - who has his own production company, Hotsauce TV - for a British edition of the drag contest because she thinks it would be a huge success in Britain.
She said: "We are working ferociously at making that happen with Jonathan Ross and some others, and guarantee in my heart of hearts that I know it is going to happen. If they can show embarrassing bodies where people are literally opening their bodies inside out on the telly, then there's absolutely no reason people need to be afraid of Drag Queens on the telly".
The 46-year-old singer - who came fifth on 'CBB' - would also be interested in getting show winner Katie Price involved with the show.
Asked if she'd ask outspoken runner-up Katie Hopkins to be a part of the programme, she told website UnrealityTV: "Why would I want to? She knows nothing about fashion or beauty. Katie Price, perhaps?"
And Michelle would jump at the chance to join Rylan Clark on spin-off show 'Big Brother's Bit on the Side'.
She said: "I would never take it away from Rylan, but if I could do it with Rylan, then absolutely. Imagine the fabulousness of that!"

John Altman quit drinking because he was worried about the increasing number of blackouts he was experiencing.
The 'EastEnders' star - who confessed last week to having tried every drug from marijuana to LSD - decided to ditch alcohol and get sober because he recognised the dangerous implications his drinking was having on his life.
He explained: "I'm a survivor.. I was quite an adventurer really, I went travelling, I tried lots of things once. Now, I haven't had a drink for nearly 18 years. I've been sober for 18 years.
"It's something that people don't often admit to or talk about as much as illegal drugs. But it's more freely available. It was just blackouts. I got a bit fed up with it in the end."
The 62-year-old actor - who plays 'Nasty' Nick Cotton in the BBC soap - feels "fresher" now than he did in his 40s after giving up alcohol, quitting smoking and taking up exercise.
However, his co-star June Brown - who plays his long-suffering on-screen mother Dot Cotton - often tries to tempt him into having a cigarette.
Speaking on 'This Morning', he said: "For me, over that last 18 years, it's been a lot easier. I feel fresher now than I did then. I can do 5K in under half an hour ... I've given up cigarettes as well. June is trying to get me back on them. She says, 'Oh you're a bit tense, have a cigarette.' She's still puffing away!
"No alcohol, no cigarettes (for me), I feel really fit."
John - whose ex-wife Bridget Pouhan and daughter Rosanna left him at the height of his alcoholism - also believes he has been able to help others struggling with alcohol addiction after battling his own problem.
He said: "In my belief because I experienced it, I've also saved a lot of people possibly an early death. Because I gave up, I've helped a lot of people."