thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-31--21 Things To Look Forward To In The World Of Entertainment In 2021

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Around this time last year, we put together a list of things we had to look forward to in the world of entertainment in 2020.
We probably don’t need to remind you what happened next, but the long and short of it is… a lot of them didn’t actually end up happening.
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And so, as we stand on the cusp of another new year, we’ve decided to remain optimistic, and put together a brand round-up of the biggest music, film and TV events that lie ahead of us in the next 12 months.
Here are 21 things to look forward to in 2021 (hopefully)...
1. No Time To Die is finally released (and Daniel Craig is finally released from the role of James Bond)
MGM/Eon/Danjaq/UPI/Kobal/Shutterstock
We’re going to start with a rather obvious one. Daniel Craig has been waiting to hang up his tuxedo since… well, since before Spectre came out, if we’re being honest, but he ultimately decided to give 007 one last outing before giving up the character.
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What he probably didn’t count on was that nine months on from No Time To Die’s original release date, the 25th Bond film still wouldn’t have hit cinemas yet.
On a serious note, Daniel did have a few stipulations when he agreed to play James Bond again, so we’re genuinely looking forward to seeing exactly what it was that convinced him to stick around for one last film. Fingers crossed it was worth the wait.
2. The One Where They Finally Agreed To Get Together Again Only For A Literal Pandemic To Get In Their Way
Instagram/Jennifer Aniston
We’ll admit that when details of the much-anticipated Friends reunion special were first announced, we were happy, but not beside ourselves with excitement.
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After all, it wasn’t a full-blown revival, but an unscripted one-off that would see the cast sitting together and reminiscing about old times. It sounded like a laugh, and something we’d be interested in watching, but not something we’d be counting down the days until it arrived.
Fast-forward 10 months, two much-publicised delays and one global pandemic... and we are very much ready for this Friends special now. After all, has the phrase “no one told you life was going to be this way” ever been more appropriate?
3. Eurovision makes a triumphant return
YouTube
The entertainment news cycle in March 2020 was essentially one long list of cancellations, and one that hit especially hard was the news that the pandemic meant Eurovision would no longer be able to go ahead.
At a time of huge uncertainty and global turmoil, the celebration of unity and joy that Eurovision usually delivers in spades would have been the perfect tonic (rather than the actually-rather-bleak Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light which aired in its place).
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Fortunately, with more time to plan, the EBU has several contingency plans in place for 2021 depending on where the continent is at in terms of the pandemic. And even more excitingly – Daði Freyr has already been confirmed as Iceland’s representative. We’ve never needed Eurovision more, and we’re so happy we’ll have it in some capacity in 2021.
4. Channel 4 welcomes a host of celebrities into The Circle
Channel 4
The Circle was one of our reality TV stand-outs of 2019, and after going a whole year without it, we’re happy that there’ll be not one but two new series in 2021.
Kicking the year off in style will be a celebrity special, in aid of Stand Up To Cancer. It’s not clear quite how things will work with a host of celebrities playing the game, but if Richard Madeley’s brief stint during series two is anything to go, we’re in for some laugh-out-loud moments.
And while you could probably play reality TV star bingo with the line-up (Sam Thompson? Check. Charlotte Crosby? Check.), there are a handful that are guaranteed to deliver on the entertainment, particularly when tasked with impersonating another celeb 24/7.
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5. Could The Cabins become our new dating show obsession?
Remember when reality TV fans were crying out for a winter series of Love Island, complete with a snowy backdrop, log cabins and the opportunity for the couples to grow close snuggled up with a cup of hot chocolate?
Remember when what they actually ended up giving us... the same show as usual, but set in South Africa, while British viewers grappled with regular January weather.
Well, it sounds like ITV has finally got it right this time, with The Cabins set to debut in January. The premise of the show is that two complete strangers move into a cabin together, with the hope of growing close in the 24 hours that follow.
We’re intrigued to see how things play out, especially as it looks like bosses have learned from another of Love Island’s biggest criticisms, and decided to make The Cabins a more inclusive experience.
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6. The Weeknd at the Super Bowl
Kevin Mazur/MTV VMAs 2020 via Getty Images
Because of Covid-19 restrictions, we’ve all had to go without live music in 2020, with the only thing coming close to a concert being when artists perform on TV and awards shows.
This has meant that musicians have had to really think outside the box when it comes to their live performances, and one man who’s consistently delivered this year has been The Weeknd.
Not only have hits like In Your Eyes and Blinding Lights dominated the charts, he’s also had us talking with his appearances at the MTV VMAs and American Music Awards. He may have been completely snubbed from the Grammys (seriously, what was that about?!), but we do have what promises to be an epic Super Bowl Half-Time Show still to come in 2021.
7. Before The Weeknd, though... who’s ready for that Friday feeling?
Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
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Nothing screams “Friday feeling” quite like Alison, who’s kept us smiling and laughing throughout the last difficult 12 months.
But while Alison is known for bringing the fun wherever she goes, the multi-talented presenter also proved in 2020 that she’s more than capable of handling more serious themes too.
Alison, you’ve got this. And we can’t wait to see you in action.
8. Arlo Parks kicks off the year in music
Charlie Cummings
While 2020 has admittedly been an all-round horrific year, one thing that can’t be denied is that it’s gifted us with some amazing music. Making sure that the new year in music gets off to a strong start is HuffPost fave Arlo Parks.
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Not only has the London-based 20-year-old gifted us with some of the most thought-provoking and interesting new music in the last 12 months – winning the endorsement of everyone from Billie Eilish to Michaela Coel – she’s gifting us what looks set to be 2021′s first great album with the release of Collapsed In Sunbeams.
We are fully prepared to cry our way through it this January...
9. We really want to say Hello to Adele again (whenever she’s ready)
Adele has been unsatisfyingly vague when it comes to details about her much-awaited fourth studio album, particularly after it turned out her Saturday Night Live appearance was not her way of announcing a return to the music scene, but rather just the singer “putting on some wigs, having a glass of wine or six and just seeing what happens”.
And whether it’s a return to form with huge power ballads or a change of direction (it’s been a pretty bleak year so we’re kind of praying for the latter, tbh), absence truly has made the heart grow fonder when it comes to Adele.
10. Loads more RuPaul’s Drag Race to keep us smiling
BBC/World of Wonder/Ray Burmiston
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Frankly, we’re staggered that there was ever a time people could consider such a thing as Drag Race fatigue. Throughout 2020, Drag Race in its various spin-offs and guises were what kept us smiling during the turbulent times, kicking off with season 12 and ending with the Canadian series, which ran until September.
Right off the bat, 2021 has two brand new batches of queens for us to get to know, with season 13 of Drag Race launching in the US on New Year’s Day, followed two weeks later by the new UK series.
Frankly, RuPaul, you can keep ’em coming. All Stars 6? Bring it.
More RuPaul’s *whispers* Secret Celebrity Drag Race? Why not?
Canada’s Drag Race season two? We’re here for it.
New episodes of AJ And The Queen? Well... erm... actually, maybe that’s where we draw the line.
11. More Star Wars spin-offs than we can even count
The Book of Boba Fett, a new Original Series, starring Temuera Morrison and Ming-Na Wen and executive produced by Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni and Robert Rodriguez, set within the timeline of The Mandalorian, is coming to @DisneyPlus Dec. 2021. pic.twitter.com/YT2zbLufI8 — Star Wars (@starwars) December 21, 2020
Remember when it looked like Disney was cooling things off with Star Wars when the most recent trilogy came to an end? Well, it seems they’ve had a change of heart.
Apparently, 2021 is the year of the Force over on Disney+, with a new original series based on Boba Fett set to debut next year, and an Obi-Wan Kenobi spin-off starring Ewan McGregor also due to begin shooting.
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Then there’s the third season of The Mandalorian, not to mention animated shows like Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Star Wars: Visions and yes even Lego versions of the Skywalker saga.
And yet, no one is interested in our Baby Yoda chat show idea. A travesty.
12. Emma Stone reintroduces us to Cruella DeVil
Disney
We thought we were done with Disney’s live-action remakes... but then we saw the first photo of Emma Stone in character on the set of Cruella.
Admittedly we’re still not 100% sold on how much the world needs an origin story for one of Disney’s most iconic villains ever (surely half the appeal of her is that she’s unapologetically evil without need for any further explanations?), but frankly, it’ll be worth it just to see Cruella’s amazing fashion moments play out on the big screen, won’t it?
13. It’s business as usual for AC-12 as Line Of Duty finally returns to our screens
PA Entertainment
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In December 2019, we were over the moon to hear Line Of Duty would be back on BBC One “sooner than any of us expected”, only for the show to be among the earliest productions to shut down in the early days of the pandemic.
Thankfully, filming is now complete, so we don’t have long to wait until we’re not only reacquainted with the usuals of AC-12, but introduced to Kelly Macdonald, whose new character has been described as the show’s “most enigmatic adversary ever”.
14. Jodie Turner-Smith brings us a new take on Anne Boleyn
MCPIX/Shutterstock
We’re as surprised as anyone else that a Channel 5 original drama has made it onto our list of most-anticipated new shows of 2021, but there’s no denying that we’re excited for the broadcaster’s new take on Anne Boleyn.
Not only is the “psychological thriller” based on Henry VIII’s third wife led by Queen & Slim star Jodie Turner-Smith, it also features Paapa Essiedu in his first post-I May Destroy You role, while White Horse Farm’s Mark Stanley will play the Tudor King.
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15. The French Dispatch has more stars than we can count and we honestly can’t wait
OK, can we please talk about this cast? Benicio Del Toro. Tilda Swinton. Timothée Chalamet. Saoirse Ronan. Anjelica Huston. Jeffrey Wright. Willem Defoe.
We’ll say no more. And we’ll see you in line the exact second this film arrives in cinemas.
16. Sex Education returns from a longer-than-planned school holiday
🍆 NEWS 🍆: Sex Education S3 is officially in production pic.twitter.com/dj1pqdHqau — Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) September 9, 2020
The bad news is that Sex Education won’t be back for its third series in its usual January slot, with filming beginning later in 2020 than planned.
However, if the past two seasons are anything to go by, then the third run will be worth the wait.
Not only do we have the double cliffhanger of Jean’s pregnancy and the Otis and Maeve latest to be resolved, there’s also a wave of new characters, including Girls’ Jemima Kirke as a new headteacher and Dua Saleh as Sex Ed’s first non-binary character.
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17. Better late than never, Emerald Fennell’s Promising Young Woman arrives on our screens
We’ve had to wait a whole extra year longer than we thought to get to see Promising Young Woman, the feature-length directorial debut of The Crown’s Emerald Fennell.
Has our excitement waned, though? Not even one bit.
18. And Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is getting to us fashionably late, too
2020 was supposed to be the year of the big-screen musical, with In The Heights, West Side Story and a Mean Girls musical remake all thought to be coming to us in the last 12 months.
What did we get instead? The Prom, that Eurovision film and Dolly Parton’s Christmas On The Square.
It was Everybody’s Talking About Jamie we were most excited for, though, so we’re happy to see the film version of the West End modern classic has a new release date for 2021. Hopefully our patience is about to be rewarded...
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19. I Can See Your Voice arrives in all its silly glory
BBC
We fully anticipate I Can See Your Voice becoming our new Saturday night TV obsession.
The premise is simple enough, with a celebrity panel having to decipher from a group of people how many of them can actually sing, despite not being able to hear them. And that’s it.
Does it sound totally silly and ridiculous? Yes, obviously. Will we be absolutely glued to it regardless? Most likely. And the fact that it also features HuffPost faves Amanda Holden and Alison Hammond among its regular panel only serves to sweeten the deal.
20. Tuca and Bertie find a new home after being cut short in their prime
Netflix
Netflix has been known to rule with an iron fist when it comes to their original programmes, cutting plenty of shows first when fans are only just starting to find them.
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This was certainly the case with animated sitcom Tuca And Bertie, which was axed in 2019 after just one series, despite largely positive reviews from critics and fans.
Fortunately, it’s been given a second chance on US broadcaster Adult Swim, with new episodes set to debut in the new year. We love a story with a happy ending...
21. New Rihanna music? Maybe?
Kevin Mazur via Getty Images


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-31--Diversity Performer Perri Kiely: 'Britain's Got Talent Performance Was Common Sense To Us'

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Considering it’s been over a decade since Diversity triumphed in the third series of Britain’s Got Talent, long-serving troupe member Perri Kiely has been something of an unlikely constant throughout the uncertain year that 2020 turned out to be.
The 25-year-old began the year as a frontrunner on the most recent series of Dancing On Ice, making it all the way to the final alongside partner Vanessa Bauer, finishing as the year’s runner up.
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Perri then rounded off the year by appearing on both BGT’s Christmas episode and a skating special of The Real Full Monty, and has also been waking up Kiss FM listeners since August as the station’s new breakfast show host.
Perri Kiely pictured last year, in the lead-up to his Dancing On Ice debut Matt Frost/ITV/Shutterstock
Truly, is there anything he can’t do?
As part of HuffPost UK’s interview series 2020: The Year That Wasn’t, we spoke to Perri about navigating his jam-packed year and why he has no regrets about Diversity’s much-publicised BGT performance…
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Thinking back to January, how did you feel looking ahead to 2020?
Super positive. In January I was starting on Dancing On Ice, and the year was looking super busy. I remember telling myself, ’2020 is going to be a good year, it’s going to be really eventful, there’s going to be loads to look forward to’.
I remember being on Dancing On Ice, actually, and the news being on in the backstage area, and there being all of this Covid chat, and everyone being like ‘is this serious?’ or ‘it’s mad what’s happening over there’.
And then it all kind of kicked off – if there’d been a week’s difference in Dancing On Ice ending when it did, I don’t think the final would have happened, which is crazy. We just missed it.
Perri with his Dancing On Ice skating partner Vanessa Bauer Matt Frost/ITV/Shutterstock
How did lockdown affect what you already had planned for the year?
Oh my god, pretty much everything changed, you know? Me and the boys, we’re performers, and we couldn’t meet up, we couldn’t be in groups, we couldn’t have an audience, we couldn’t do rehearsals. So it kind of put a stop on absolutely everything.
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Thank god for Facetime and things like that – but even though we could do Facetime and rehearse and train that way, it’s like, what are we actually rehearsing and training for? It was a bit of a weird time for us, because once again, it’s amazing to say we’re busier now than we ever have been, only for the world to completely stop, it’s insane.
How did you make it work in 2020 and what are you most proud of?
I think it’s got to be the Kiss breakfast show that I’m most proud of, you know? That was really weird as well – we got the call about taking over the Kiss breakfast show mid-lockdown. So it was like, ‘OK, the world’s ending’, and then all of a sudden this crazy opportunity came about, which was amazing.
At the same time, me and Jordan weren’t even crazily experienced on the radio side, so we had to make it work – but we still couldn’t go in and practise and do whatever we had to do. But the fact that we’re now doing it, we’re pulling it off and we’re enjoying it, it is quite an achievement.
Perri and fellow Diveristy star Jordan Banjo began hosting the Kiss Breakfast Show in 2020 Marco Vittur
Diversity’s Britain’s Got Talent performance sticks out, too – it sticks out like a sore thumb in terms of Ofcom complaints! But it was amazing to go back to Britain’s Got Talent, with such a strong message.
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The performance was a sum-up of 2020: how crazy has this year been, the events that have happened in it, but everyone is sticking together and if we have hope we can get through this. So it was amazing to go back and do that. Of course, there was a little bit of backlash, which was more than expected, but it was still a bit mad.
With any performance you do, not everyone’s going to like it, and when you bring in a subject like that [the majority of complaints referenced the Black Lives Matter aspect of Diversity’s performance] to TV, of course you’re going to expect people to say things... but I think it was like 24,000 complaints to Ofcom, which is insane, it’s unheard of. Especially when you’re not doing anything wrong, you’re just saying it how it is.
And when it’s something that we need to be talking about, and something that’s close to our hearts, we’re not going to shy away from it. It wasn’t a “Black Lives Matter” routine at all, it was a sum-up of 2020 – but if you’re doing a sum-up of 2020, you can’t leave out something as big as that.
Some people have asked us, ‘do you regret it?’, but we don’t regret it at all. The minute [troupe leader Ashley Banjo] said, ‘this is what we’re going to do’, we were all like ‘this is amazing, perfect’.
Ofcom dismissed more than 24,000 complaints that were made about Diversity's performance on Britain's Got Talent Dymond/Thames/Syco/Shutterstock
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We’d never been those types of people to be “controversial” or put ourselves out there like that, but this was more than important, this was actually happening in the world, and we were given a platform of that scale – to us it was common sense.
We’re all really proud of it, everyone around is us super proud. And it’s incredible to see the amount of people that have come up to us and kind of said they stand with us and respect everything that we’ve done. People that you wouldn’t expect to say that, too.
What’s one thing that got you through lockdown?
TikTok was my saviour, I can’t lie. I feel like with things like Instagram and maybe even Twitter, it can be a little bit fake, you know, you’re showing the best version of yourself. But whenever I go on TikTok, it’s just people having a laugh, taking the mick out of themselves and dancing about – whether you are a professional dancer or you are just getting involved in a challenge. It kind of popped off at the best time.
And not only did it take up all that time and give us something to focus on, everyone was in the same boat, so everyone was interacting with each other and trying new things, and I think it just put a smile on everyone’s faces, to be honest.
What did you find to be the biggest challenge or the lowest point of the year?
I think for me it was just being away from everyone. I’m with the rest of the boys every single day, even if we have a day off we’re together, so it was hard being on my own.
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But at the same time, it’s all relative, because I’m still lucky enough that I’ve got a garden, I can go and sit out in the sun and make Tik Toks, and do some training, whereas imagine living in like a high-rise flat, with nowhere to go, literally being stuck indoors. So it’s all been a bit mad, I think we’re all just happy that we made it through.
Perri on his first day in the Kiss studio Eamonn M. McCormack via Getty Images
What’s the biggest lesson you’re taking away from 2020?
I think just ‘if we can get through this year, we can pretty much tackle anything’. You know what I mean? I don’t think you could throw much more at us – maybe if aliens invaded or something... but aside from that, there’ve been so many obstacles thrown in everyone’s way, and everyone has found a way around it, and a new way of working.
How do you feel now looking ahead to 2021?
I do feel positive, I feel like there’s still loads to come. Like I said, we’re all finding new ways to get around all of this, so I feel like we’ll all be OK. I feel like it’s all still going to be weird for a little while, but I think you’ve just got to have that positive mental attitude.
And I won’t ever take things like family and friends for granted again. We’re busy all the time, and you kind of lose track of it a little bit, but now it’s put into perspective for everyone that all that stuff really matters. So I’m going to take that with me into 2021, for sure.
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Listen to Perri and co-host Jordan Banjo on the Kiss Breakfast Show, weekday mornings from 6am or catch up on the Kiss Kube app.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-31--Celebrity Deaths 2020: The Stars We Lost Too Soon

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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-31--Why We Feel Constantly Distracted Right Now

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Staring at the wall instead of emailing your boss? Analysing your lockdown house plant purchases more than usual? You’re not alone.
Distraction has defined our days during the pandemic, as our sorry brains seek to make sense of all the ways our lives have changed. Working from home, going out less (or not at all), and living in a state of perpetual present without no future plans has become reality for most of us.
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And it’s stress inducing. In April, the Office of National Statistics said nearly half of Britons surveyed reported ‘high level’ anxiety, and by October, one in four adults surveyed by the Campaign to End Loneliness charity feared they would spend Christmas alone – both signifiers of a national mental health nosedive.
“Feeling low, feeling depressed, feeling down and not knowing what to do about it is the main reason why people do not carefully select distraction – but do anything that will take them away from having to face this uncontrolled thing in front of them,” says occupational psychologist Professor Chris Lewis,
Slice of banana bread, anyone?
NataBene via Getty Images Banana bread helped many of us through the early stages of the pandemic
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Baking was one way we kept ourselves busy in the early stretches of the pandemic. Jigsaws, Couch to 5k and Yoga with Adriene were some others.
“We felt we were in control,” reflects Prof Lewis of that period where we all seemed to be playing the same game of distraction bingo. “Part of that control was a perception that the end was in sight. That turned out not to be the case.”
A dawning realisation that coronavirus wouldn’t be over for months “seriously damaged our expectations,” he explains. “Then lack of control crept in, producing anxiety and possible depression. This resulted in: ‘why bother?’”
And as winter lockdown loomed and we lost sense of when it all might end, distraction (as measured by its Instagram potential) became a thing of the past.
“You’re basically pissed off with everything and you just want to get through it, you just want to survive it. And that’s why baking banana bread or doing something else which people might see as noble is not worth anything,” says Lewis, of our growing lethargy. The motivational juggernaut has moved on.
Dougal Waters via Getty Images
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Distraction can be healthy in certain doses, of course, providing our brains with light relief from a seemingly never-ending experience. “Anything’s better than sitting there suffering from the pressure that doing that work is causing you,” says Lewis, of the distraction that plagues those working from home. Staring into the middle distance for an hour or bingeing a boxset is harmless enough.
But there’s a tipping point where it’s doing us more harm than good – too much or too little food, say, drinking or drugs, or simply hours lost to a social media feed that leaves you feeling worse off than when you started. Distraction isn’t always a good way of handling our emotions, say the experts.
While appearing to offer an escape, we should be aware that any sense of control gained can be an “illusion,” psychologist and EDMR therapist Dr Caroline Schuster tells HuffPost. In fact, distraction is sometimes the canary in the coal mine – warning of, rather than relieving, mental health issues.
“It may be a sign that something more serious is at play,” she says – acute stress, depression or addiction, for example. “The time to seek help is when we can’t deal with what we perceive to be a problem, ourselves, any more.”
“Self-help books can be useful, but of course they were not written for you personally, so may only have a limited effect,” says Dr Schuster, who suggests meditation and mindfulness as more productive ways to spend your time.
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“I often send people to look at free YouTube videos such as those of Eckhard Tolle, the author of The Power of Now. He is a wise soul, who helps people to recognise that their thoughts will often hijack them.”
At this point, you might be expecting some familiar tips and tricks: try a new hobby, pick up an old hobby, start exercising with Joe Wicks, take a bath. But this is not that article.
Another theory for why many of us feel so distracted while also actively seeking it out is that we’ve reached the limit of what’s known as our ‘surge capacity’ – a phrase coined by Ann Masten, professor of child development at the University of Minnesota, to describe the collection of adaptive systems that humans draw on for survival in stressful situations, such as natural disasters.
“In those early months, I, along with most of the rest of the country, was using ‘surge capacity’ to operate,” wrote science journalist Tara Haelle on Medium. “But natural disasters occur over a short period, even if recovery is long. Pandemics are different – the disaster itself stretches out indefinitely.”
For the time being, while we weather the storm, we might just be best to embrace distraction for all that it is. As Prof Lewis puts it: “It can be useful to seek in stressful times – going for a walk or stopping for a fag... What some might deem as ‘unhealthy distraction’ might well be necessary right now.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-31--I’m Not Worrying About What I Didn't Achieve In 2020. You Shouldn't Either

Courtesy of the author
I spent the last few hours of the 2010s getting drunk in a giant ball pit. I lost my shoe, and ended up on a night bus home at 4am wearing a pair of borrowed, and very unattractive, jelly sandals.
I then spent the first day of 2020 severely hungover, but packing for a long weekend to Lisbon to fly at the crack of dawn the next day. It was an early birthday trip, and what I thought would be the first of many European getaways that year.
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Oh, how I couldn’t have been more wrong.
To say that this year has been unproductive would be an understatement. It certainly hasn’t been the year to make life-changing plans, like I thought it would. But as my mum has always asked me: “If you knew what was around the corner, you wouldn’t go round there would you?”
That said, I reckon many of us achieved more than we realise in 2020. Yeah, you might not have taken that dream holiday you’d been planning or quit your 9-5 job to go it alone, but, let’s face it, 2020 was not the ideal time to be taking financial risks.
I’ve had a few panicked moments this year wondering when my next paycheque would be. I’ve told myself, on the days and weeks where I had no work booked in, that I could finally get round to doing all of the things that I had made excuses for when life was ‘normal’. I could continue writing my book, finally begin some kind of exercise regime, bake, go for long walks, deep clean my bedroom…
Surprise, surprise, I did none of it.
“Yes, I drank a bit too much wine, ate too much chocolate, and spent way too many hours in my bed watching Netflix. But each to their own, right?”
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But rather than beat myself up for being so unproductive, I’ve accepted this was just my way of surviving 2020. Yes, I drank a bit too much wine, ate too much chocolate, and spent way too many hours in my bed watching Netflix. But each to their own, right?
This pandemic has affected all of us, all in very different ways. When the news became too depressing and the daily death figures made me feel anxious, I made a conscious effort to try and find the positives in the absolute mess that was 2020.
At the top of the list for me, and I’m sure many others, will be not taking the little things in life for granted: a hug with a friend or a relative, a trip to the theatre, a workout at the gym, a pint without a “substantial meal”.
For many of us, it was a time to learn how to be alone. If you’re lucky enough to live with family or friends you may not have felt the loneliness as much, but for some of us it was unbearable. Two weeks before the first lockdown, I moved into a new house share – and found myself cooped up with strangers. Zoom and FaceTime suddenly became lifelines for me, as I’m sure they did for many people, and just seeing my mum or sister’s face for ten minutes instantly made me feel less isolated.
That being said, 2020 was a great opportunity to learn to enjoy your own company – and that, in my opinion, is in itself very productive.
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However, when summer came around I was definitely ready to socialise again and managed to enjoy a few (socially distanced) nights out as well as a summer holiday to Italy. Some normality had resumed for a few months, and it felt so good. But as the nights began to draw in and the prospect of another lockdown loomed, I tried to mentally prepare myself for another bout of being cooped up at home. “I survived months of this, so I can get through it again,” I told myself.
“When I couldn’t taste my coffee I decided to take a Covid test, which came back positive. It felt like a final “fuck you” from 2020...”
I was sensible. I only saw people in my bubble and only went out to do the food shopping, but one early December day woke up feeling a bit bunged up and aching all over. When I couldn’t taste my coffee I decided to take a Covid test, which came back positive. It felt like a final “fuck you” from 2020, but I honestly felt so exhausted – mentally and physically – that the thought of self-isolating inside the four walls of my rented room didn’t even bother me anymore.
December is supposed to be the busiest month of the year for social butterflies like me – jam-packed with festive parties, overdue catch-ups with friends and epic hangovers. Instead, I’ve ended up having the most sober December of my life since I was a kid.
Jokes aside, luckily my brush with Covid wasn’t horrendous. I’m in good health, and so are my nearest and dearest. And if there’s one thing 2020 has taught me, it’s how important it is to be there for one another, even from a distance. You can’t put a price on that.
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So, don’t be down on yourself. Instead, give yourself a huge pat on the back for surviving what has probably been the toughest year most of us have ever experienced. And don’t even think about putting too much pressure on yourself to make up for lost time in 2021 either. If anything, this year taught us how to slow down, how to appreciate the small things in life, and how to be content with just the basics. So let’s take those lessons forward with us and not rush back into the hectic and stressful lives we led before.
Nothing really matters apart from good health, your friends and family, and having a roof over your head. The rest, I’ve learned, is just details.
Kirsty McCormack is a journalist and editor. Follow her on Twitter at @kirstymccormack


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-31--The 50 Most Hilarious Tweets From Parents In 2020

My daughter had a Zoom class yesterday. The teacher's internet went out, so one of the kids was made the default host. He muted everyone, pretended to teach the class, and then just said "fart" over and over until the teacher was able to join back. It was amazing.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-31--Brexit Transition Period Ends As UK's New Trade Deal With EU Takes Effect

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The Brexit transition period between the United Kingdom and European Union has ended 47 years after the UK joined the trading bloc, with new arrangements now in force.
Membership of the single market and customs expired at 11pm – four and a half years after the in-out referendum which sought to settle the issue but sparked political turmoil.
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Prime minister Boris Johnson said the EU had provided the UK with a “safe European home” during the 1970s, but the country has now “changed out of all recognition” with global perspectives.
His Christmas Eve deal with Brussels, which comes into effect immediately, allows for the continuation of tariff-free trade with the EU single market – though businesses and individuals will have to follow new rules.
The UK has reached several agreements with non-EU countries – such as Japan – to ensure continuity of trading arrangements for British companies from January 1.
Johnson, writing in the Daily Telegraph, said the “great new deal” honoured the “most basic promises” of the 2016 referendum, and added that the UK has “taken back control of our money, our laws and our waters”.
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“And yet it is also the essence of this treaty that it provides certainty for UK business and industry, because it means that we can continue to trade freely – with zero tariffs and zero quotas – with the EU.”
Under the new arrangements, freedom of movement rights will end, and while UK citizens will still be able to travel for work or pleasure, there will be different rules.
Passports must be valid for more than six months, visas or permits may be needed for long stays, pets will need a health certificate and drivers will need extra documents.
The automatic right to live and work in the EU also ceases, and the UK will no longer take part in the Erasmus student exchange programme.
Hauliers will face new rules, and lorry drivers heading for the Port of Dover will have to ensure they have a Kent Access Permit before entering the county on their way to the border.
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Travel to Ireland will not change, but the Northern Ireland Protocol governing trade between Great Britain and the region entered into effect at 11pm.
It means Northern Ireland will remain in the EU single market for goods, and will apply EU customs rules at its ports, even though the region is still part of the UK customs territory.
The protocol will also see Northern Ireland follow certain EU rules on state aid and VAT on goods.
Gibraltar, whose sovereignty is disputed by Spain and Britain, will remain subject to the rules of the free-travel Schengen area, keeping the border with Spain open.
Government officials insisted the necessary border systems and infrastructure in the UK are in place, and they are ready for the “new start”.
Big Ben chimed at 11pm, but celebrations were muted by the coronavirus pandemic. The prime minister is understood to have marked the occasion with his family in Downing Street.
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Eurosceptic MPs, once derided as fringe eccentrics on the margins of the Conservative Party, expressed their delight that the UK was finally leaving the customs union and single market.
Sir Bill Cash said it was a “victory for democracy and sovereignty” that could only be compared in peacetime with the evolution of modern democracy after the end of the Stuart dynasty.
Sir John Redwood expressed his “relief” that the UK had stated its wish to be “self-governing”, saying he looked forward to using the “new freedoms and opportunities now open to global Britain”.
Peter Bone, who planned to celebrate with French champagne to “show that we are pro-Europe but anti-EU”, said Eurosceptics had gone from being viewed as “strange” to getting the “support of people to defeat the establishment”.
Mark Francois, chairman of the European Research Group of Tory Brexiteers, said that waving goodbye to 2020 and the EU was a “marvellous example of a buy one, get one free”.
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The UK’s chief negotiation Lord Frost said the UK has a “great future before us” with the chance to “build a better country for us all”.
But Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, a vocal critic of Brexit, said: “Scotland will be back soon, Europe. Keep the light on.”
Johnson’s Brexit trade deal was overwhelmingly backed by MPs and peers as it cleared Parliament on Wednesday before receiving royal assent.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-31--New Year Celebrations In Covid-Free New Zealand Look Very Different Compared To The Rest Of The Worl

New Year Celebrations In Covid-Free New Zealand Look Very Different Compared To The Rest Of The World

Thanks to the coronavirus outbreak, the year has ended unlike any other in memory.
With more than 1.7 million people dead and 82 million infected around the globe since last New Year’s Eve, the traditional boisterous celebrations have been replaced by lockdowns and deserted streets.
But not everywhere resembled a ghost town.
New Zealand has been lauded for its handling of the coronavirus. While still isolated by international border closures, months of zero recorded cases in the country have let Kiwis return to life that is an approximation of “normal” – with large crowds gathering in Auckland and Christchurch to watch a fireworks displays and concerts.
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People watch New Zealand band The Black Seeds perform during New Year's Eve celebrations at Hagley Park in Christchurch. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sophie Jackson and Monique Lee, both from Christchurch, attend New Year celebrations. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Fireworks explode over Hagley Park in Christchurch. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Fireworks from the SkyTower during Auckland New Year's Eve celebrations in Auckland, New Zealand. Dave Rowland via Getty Images
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The crowd enjoys the Jordan Luck Band during Auckland New Year's Eve celebrations in Auckland. Fiona Goodall via Getty Images
Other capital cities rung in the new year too – but, by contrast to New Zealand, with a distinct lack of people.
Fireworks soared into the sky above the Sydney Opera House, but the harbour below was empty.
No light show illuminated Beijing from the top of the TV tower. St Peter’s in Rome was nearly empty for vespers. London’s Trafalgar Square, Moscow’s Red Square, Madrid’s Puerta del Sol and New York’s Times Square were all barricaded off.
While some cities would launch fireworks over empty streets, others, such as London and Singapore, called their displays off. Paris, Rome and Istanbul were under curfew.
New York’s countdown ball was set to drop on Broadway. But in place of hundreds of thousands of people jammed shoulder-to-shoulder in Times Square, the audience would be a few dozen pre-selected key workers – including nurses, doctors, a grocery store worker and a pizza delivery man - their families kept six feet (2 metres) apart in socially distanced pens.
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Barricades are set up to keep social distance before the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square, New York. KENA BETANCUR via Getty Images
Times Square stands empty prior to New Year's Eve celebrations. David Dee Delgado via Getty Images
David Dee Delgado via Getty Images
In the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the pandemic originated a year ago, thousands were expected to gather at landmarks across the city centre to count down to 2021.
In Australia, where Sydney’s fireworks annually serve as the world’s first big visual display of the new year, gatherings were banned and internal borders shut. Most people were barred from Sydney’s downtown.
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A near-empty Sydney Opera House forecourt during New Year's Eve celebrations. Brook Mitchell via Getty Images
DAVID GRAY via Getty Images
The virus did not stop North Korea from staging its celebration in Pyongyang. State media showed revellers in face masks filling the main square for a concert and fireworks.
But in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol, where Spaniards typically count down to midnight by stuffing grapes into their mouths at each clock strike, police put up barriers to keep people out.
In Britain, under ever tighter restrictions to fight a new, more contagious variant of the virus, official billboards instruct the public to “see in the New Year safely at home”.
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A pigeon sits in a square in Covent Garden during the New Year's Eve amid the coronavirus disease outbreak in London. Simon Dawson / Reuters
Police officers are pictured at Piccadilly Circus during New Year's Eve. Henry Nicholls / Reuters
Police officers walk past a street vendor selling nuts on Westminster Bridge. Hannah Mckay / Reuters
People stand outside a pub that is open for takeaway drinks on New Year's Eve in London. Hannah Mckay / Reuters
Italy’s bars and restaurants were closed, and a curfew imposed for 10 p.m.
The rules prevented the traditional assembly of thousands of Roman Catholic worshippers for New Year’s Eve vespers at St Peter’s Basilica. Pope Francis cancelled plans to lead the service because of a flare-up of his sciatica, the Vatican said, and a cardinal read the pope’s sermon to a small congregation at a secondary altar.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-31--Even Closing Schools Is 'Highly Unlikely' To Curb New Covid-19 Variant, Say Government Scientists

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Closing all schools may not be a “sufficient” measure to control the new Covid-19 variant, the government’s scientific advisers have said.
Documents show members of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) advised on December 22 that it is “highly unlikely” that the outbreak’s growth can be suppressed if schools remain fully open.
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At the time, ministers were engaged in battle with council leaders to keep schools open – with the government even threatening legal action if they shut early ahead of Christmas.
On Wednesday, education secretary Gavin Williamson announced around a million primary school pupils in some of the areas hardest hit by Covid-19 will not return to their desks as planned next week. But critics raised concerns about schools staying open in areas where the disease is running rampant.
The advisory group notes that the R rate may not drop – and remain – below one even with full lockdown and closure of all schools because of the contagious new mutation.
“It is highly unlikely that measures with stringency and adherence in line with the measures in England in November (i.e. with schools open) would be sufficient to maintain R below 1 in the presence of the new variant,” the scientists said.
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“R would be lower with schools closed, with closure of secondary schools likely to have a greater effect than closure of primary schools. It remains difficult to distinguish where transmission between children takes place, and it is important to consider contacts made outside of schools.”
The minutes added: “It is not known whether measures with similar stringency and adherence as Spring, with both primary and secondary schools closed, would be sufficient to bring R below 1 in the presence of the new variant.”
It comes as the leaders of London councils where primary schools have been asked to return on Monday have urged the government to rethink the decision.
In a letter to Williamson, they expresses concern about why schools in some boroughs in the capital will stay open while those in neighbouring postcodes will close.
The Leaders of the London boroughs where primary schools have been asked to return on Monday have written to Gavin Williamson formally asking him to reverse this decision, which isn’t supported by the evidence. pic.twitter.com/2Ek7lLlwtQ — Richard Watts #STAYSAFE (@RichardWatts01) December 31, 2020
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The government announced on Wednesday that primary school pupils in some of the areas hardest hit by Covid-19 will not return to their desks as planned next week, with students in exam years returning to secondary schools a week later than planned, from January 11. Other secondary and college students will go back full-time on January 18.
A list of 50 areas where it is expected that some primary schools will not open as planned to all pupils next week was published by the Department for Education and featured council areas in London, Essex, Kent, East Sussex, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.
But schools in 10 London boroughs will remain open under government plans, despite London being under Tier 4 restrictions following a spike in Covid-19 cases.
Earlier this month, Greenwich and Islington councils rowed back on their advice for pupils to be taught online in the last few days of term before Christmas amid rising Covid-19 cases in the capital.
Waltham Forest Council said schools in the north London borough had been threatened with potential legal action by the government if they followed the council’s advice to shift learning online.
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Redbridge said it would support a switch to online learning as schools faced “huge strain” due to the impact of local coronavirus cases. All four are Labour-run authorities.
Leader of Islington Council Richard Watts said it was “vital” London was “treated as one” as so many pupils and school staff travel between boroughs.
“The stated reasons why some boroughs have been excluded simply don’t add up with the data we have,” he wrote on Twitter.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-31--Why We Could Be Heading For A Third National Lockdown

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With millions more plunged into the toughest tier 4 Covid restrictions last month, and cases continuing to rise despite the increasingly strict measures, it has felt to some like a matter of time before the UK goes into a third national lockdown.
On Monday Boris Johnson said tougher rules would be imposed, but did not specify what they would be.
His comments came the day after Labour leader Keir Starmer called for a national lockdown “within the next 24 hours”.
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What do the current statistics tell us?
The UK is in a dire position in its fight against Covid-19. Amid the ongoing outbreak of a more infectious mutation of the virus, case numbers have rocketed and deaths have returned to levels not seen since the April peak.
Cases
On Sunday, a further 51,437 people tested positive for coronavirus.
People in hospital
On Sunday, Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, urged for “appropriate restrictions” as he expressed concern over the number of coronavirus patients admitted to hospital in the past eight days.
“What we’ve seen since Christmas Day, which was just eight days ago, is a very, very rapid rise in the number of patients who are in hospital with Covid-19,” he told Sky News.
“So we had 17,700 patients in hospitals on the 25th of December, we’ve now got 23,500 as of yesterday, so that’s a 5,800 increase. That’s something like 12 extra full hospitals, full of Covid patients, a 33% increase in just eight days.”
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Deaths
On Sunday the total number of deaths passed 75,000.
The R rate
The R is currently between 1.1 and 1.3, which means that on average every 10 people infected will infect between 11 and 13 other people.
On top of this, it is still too early to understand the impact the festive period has had on infection rates.
Speaking at the Downing Street press conference on Wednesday evening, deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van Tam said: “It is a pretty grim and depressing picture. The situation in the UK is precarious and it is almost certainly true that the NHS has not seen the impact of the infections that will have occurred during mixing on Christmas Day, which is also rather sobering.”
Are we in a worse position than we were before the March lockdown?
Back in March, very little was known about the virus. There was no precedent of national lockdowns and the idea of a vaccine seemed a distant dream.
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We now have a far greater understanding of what lockdowns can do to a nation – both from an epidemiological viewpoint and an economic one. But with soaring case numbers, an R (reproduction) rate well above 1, and hospitals still struggling to cope, our methods of dealing with an outbreak have changed little over the course of the past nine months.
Cases
Testing capabilities were very different in March. On March 23, when the first lockdown was announced and came into immediate effect, 967 people tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total to 12,657.
People in hospital
Government data show that, on March 23, 1,271 patients were admitted to hospital with either confirmed Covid-19 or, in Wales’ case, suspected Covid-19. A total 4,861 had been admitted since the pandemic began (but no breakdown is available for previous days).
The first data about patients on mechanically ventilated beds listed on the government’s Covid-19 dashboard are from April 2, at which point 1,813 patients were recorded – still lower than the 1,847 recorded on December 28.
Deaths
Some 165 people had died on March 22 having tested positive for Covid – a daily total that rose extremely extremely quickly over the following weeks to the peak of 1,073 on April 8.
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The R rate
There was no official R rate at this point of the pandemic either, as the government only started publishing these figures in June.
What about before the November lockdown?
Cases
There had been 24,405 positive coronavirus tests in the previous 24-hour reporting window – again, half of current levels.
It is important to note that on October 31, 292,573 tests had been carried out in the last day, while on December 30 this figure was 420,492. But that doesn’t get us off the hook: about 8.3% of tests on October 31 were positive, compared with 13% now.
People in hospital
October 31 saw 1,457 admitted to hospital with Covid-19.
It brought the total of in-patients to 12,291 – a little over half the number currently in hospital.
A total of 1,003 patients were in ventilated beds.
Deaths
On October 31, the UK recorded 320 more deaths of people who had recently tested positive for Covid-19. That’s less than a third of the current figure.
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The R rate
When Boris Johnson announced the November lockdown on October 31, the nation’s R rate was deemed to be between 1.1 and 1.3, meaning on average that every 10 people infected would infect between 11 and 13 people. That’s the same as it is now.
What do scientists want us to do?
National coronavirus restrictions are needed to prevent a “catastrophe” at the start of 2021, a member of the government’s New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag) warned last week.
Andrew Hayward, professor of infectious diseases epidemiology at University College London, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I think we are entering a very dangerous new phase of the pandemic and we’re going to need decisive, early, national action to prevent a catastrophe in January and February.
“A 50% increase in transmissibility means that the previous levels of restrictions that worked before won’t work now, and so Tier 4 restrictions are likely to be necessary or even higher than that.
“I think we’re really looking at a situation where we’re moving into near lockdown, but we’ve got to learn the lessons from the first lockdown.”
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The Independent Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Independent Sage) warned on Wednesday that unless the entire country was put under national lockdown there could be tens-of-thousands avoidable deaths.
The Guardian reported quotes from Christina Pagel, professor of operational research at University College London and a member of Independent Sage, who said the situation was as dire as it had ever been.
She told the paper: “The frightening thing is that they are going to continue to get worse.
“Action is needed now to avoid the collapse of the NHS in a few weeks. It is that serious.”
What has the government said about a third lockdown?
On Monday, Boris Johnson said there was “no question” tougher restrictions were needed, and said they would be announced “in due course”.
Matt Hancock also hinted at the potential for a new national lockdown, saying the government is prepared to act “rapidly” where necessary.
The health secretary told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “We are prepared to take the sort of action (lockdown) if that is what’s necessary.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-31--New Covid Strain Means Face Masks May Be Needed In Schools And Workplaces, Say Scientists

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Face masks may need to be worn in schools, workplaces and crowded outdoor spaces to protect people against the new Covid strain, scientists have told the government.
Documents show members of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) advised on December 23 that the uncertainty surrounding increased transmission of the new variant meant tougher measures were likely to be needed.
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Millions more people are living under tier 4 restrictions as of Thursday due to soaring infections and Boris Johnson said the mutant strain, first identified in the south-east of England, was responsible for 60% of all new cases.
“It may be necessary to extend the use of face coverings to a wider number of settings (e.g. workplaces and education) where they are not currently mandated,” a meeting report states.
“This is important even when people are more than two metres apart, as correctly worn face coverings also reduce the emission rate of small aerosols.”
The government does not currently recommend face coverings in education settings, though secondary schools and colleges can ask students and staff to wear them where social distancing isn’t possible. Primary school heads can also ask staff and visitors to wear masks in the same situation, though guidance states primary school pupils don’t need to wear them in any circumstance.
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As for workplaces, government advice states social distancing, high standards of hygiene and screens are the best way to minimise the risk of transmission, though in some circumstances masks may be “marginally beneficial” to protect other people.
The scientists also recommended that the two-metre social distancing rule should be restored as the default measure, rather than one-metre-plus.
And the report adds it is “likely to be necessary” for the government to also “reinforc[e] the importance of using face coverings, including in settings where they are not currently mandated, such as education, workplaces, and crowded outdoor spaces”.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “It is mandatory for face coverings to be worn on public transport and in a range of indoor public settings where social distancing may be difficult and where people come into contact with others they do not normally meet.
“We are guided by the advice of our scientific and medical experts and keep the evidence on face coverings under constant review.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-31--UK Records 964 More Coronavirus Deaths In 24 Hours

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The number of people who have died in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus has risen to 73,512 – an increase of 964 over 24 hours.
The government said that, as of 9am on Thursday, there had been a further 55,892 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK.
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It brings the total number of positive tests in the UK since the start of the pandemic to 2,488,780.
Dr Yvonne Doyle, Public Health England’s medical director, said: “We know the overwhelming majority of deaths reported today are people who sadly passed away in just the last few days. Every life lost to this disease is a sadness. It is imperative we all take action now to protect our families and our friends.
“We have all had to make huge sacrifices this year, but please ensure that you keep your distance from others, wash your hands and wear a mask. A night in at New Year will mean you are significantly reducing your social contacts and can help stop the spread of the virus.”
Press Association Images
Separate figures published by the UK’s statistics agencies for deaths where Covid-19 has been mentioned on the death certificate, together with additional data on deaths that have occurred in recent days, show there have now been 89,000 deaths involving Covid-19 in the UK.
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Rates of infection are continuing to rise in all regions of the country, according to the latest weekly surveillance report from Public Health England.
It comes as the number of people testing positive for the virus in England also reached a new record high, with a total of 232,169 in the week to December 23 – the highest weekly total since Test and Trace was launched in May.
New restrictions which came into effect at midnight mean a total of 44 million people, or 78% of the population of England, are now living under the toughest Tier 4 measures.
Health trusts continue to face pressure, with Covid patient numbers in England having surpassed the April first-wave peak.
It was disclosed on Wednesday that Buckinghamshire had followed Essex by declaring a major incident amid fears that rising numbers of Covid-19 patients could overwhelm health services.
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With 22,713 Covid-19 patients in hospitals in England as of 8am on Wednesday – higher than the first-wave peak – NHS Providers said pressure on hospitals is “intensifying”.
London’s rate of new cases stood at 735.5 per 100,000 people in the seven days to December 27, up from 711.9 in the previous week, according to Public Health England.
Eastern England saw the second highest rate, followed by south-east England, while Yorkshire and the Humber had the lowest rate at 188.3.
Case rates in England remain highest among 30 to 39-year-olds, Public Health England said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-31--Harry and Meghan Announce Goal To 'Build A Better World'

“We believe in the best of humanity. Because we have seen the best of humanity. We have experienced compassion and kindness, from our mothers and strangers alike.
“In the face of fear, struggle and pain, it can be easy to lose sight of this. Together, we can choose courage, healing, and connection. Together, we can choose to put compassion in action.
“We invite you to join us. As we work to build a better world. One act of compassion at a time.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-12-31--John Bishop Shares Promising Health Update After Saying He'd Been 'Flattened' By Covid-19

Comedian John Bishop has shared a reassuring update after revealing that he and his wife Melanie had tested positive for Covid-19.
Earlier this week, John said he and Melanie had been “flattened” by the virus, tweeting that it was the “worst illness that I have ever had”.
On Thursday evening, the A League Of Their Own star thanked fans for their support since speaking out about his illness, and revealed that he and Melanie were getting better, albeit slowly.
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“Thank you for all the messages of support regarding my recent positive Covid test,” he said. “I have been overwhelmed and moved by the amount of messages privately and publicly.”
John Bishop Empics Entertainment
He added: “Every day we are getting a little stronger and I will be back at work in Jan.”
Thank you for all the messages of support regarding my recent positive Covid test. I have been overwhelmed and moved by the amount of messages privately and publicly. Every day we are getting a little stronger and I will be back at work in Jan. Keep safe and Happy New Year John x — John Bishop (@JohnBishop100) December 31, 2020
A day earlier John shared a screenshot of his positive coronavirus test result, writing: “This came through on Christmas Day.
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“This is the worst illness I have ever had, debilitating headaches, muscle joint and even skin pain, dizziness, nausea, no appetite, incredibly chronic fatigue... I don’t wish this on anyone.”
This came through on Christmas Day This is the worst illness I have ever had, debilitating headaches, muscle joint and even skin pain, dizziness, nausea, no appetite, incredibly chronic fatigue . My wife and I are fit non smokers and it's flattened us. I don't wish this on anyone pic.twitter.com/htqhQ8kTIo — John Bishop (@JohnBishop100) December 30, 2020
John has been married to Melanie since 1993 and they have three sons.
He isn’t the only public figure to share his unpleasant experiences of Covid-19.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-31--Team Siannise, Team Rebecca & Casa Amor’s Return | Love Island Unpacked

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Team Siannise, Team Rebecca & Casa Amor’s Return | Love Island Unpacked
The nation was divided for different reasons this week, with Team Siannise versus Team Rebecca, as the pair went to war over Luke T. The villa also said goodbye to Connor as he was ripped away from Sophie, and six new girls are waiting in Casa Amor.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-31--What It Was Like In Brussels In The Days Before Brexit

What It Was Like In Brussels In The Days Before Brexit
There was singing. There were tears and jeers. People waved flags and scarves for rival camps. At 11pm on Friday January 31, those MEPs will find themselves with no role left to play, as Boris Johnson finally gets Brexit over the line. Their European colleagues must go back to work and adjust to life without them. HuffPost UK follows Jude Kirton-Darling, Luisa Porrit, Magid Magid and Claire Fox as they pack up their offices, say goodbye to their friends and reflect on their last few days in their positions.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-31--Led By Donkeys' Farewell Message To Europe Has People In Tears

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Anti-Brexit campaigners Led By Donkeys have bid farewell to the EU with a moving video, projected onto the white cliffs of Dover just hours before the UK formally leaves the union behind.
The video shows a man identified as Second World War veteran Sid, 95, appealing to the rest of Europe with a message of unity.
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“What I would like to say to you now in Holland and in Germany and France, Belgium, everybody, this is a message from the white cliffs of Dover, from Britain,” he says.
“I feel very, very sad about it all because we don’t know which way things are going,” Sid continues.
“First of all, I’m Welsh, and I’m British, and I’m European, and I’m a human being.
“So let’s all think of these lovely cliffs. Look from your side to this side, see these white cliffs, and we’re looking across at you and feeling we want to be together. And we will be together before long, I’m sure.”
As the Brexit process has drawn out over almost four years, Led By Donkeys have been responsible for a number of installations – mostly in the form of billboards and projections – holding pro-Brexit politicians to account in full view of the public.
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A message to Europe, this morning on the White Cliffs of Dover. Sound on. pic.twitter.com/E3VY8BaGjK — Led By Donkeys (@ByDonkeys) January 31, 2020
The video also features another veteran, brigadier Stephen Goodall, 97, who says he feels “really depressed” by the UK’s departure from the EU “because it has meant so much” to him.
“I like to be called a European,” he adds. “And the feeling that one has of comradeship as one goes round Europe is really quite something.
“At my age I shan’t be living much longer, but I hope that for the sake of my children and my grandchildren and my great grandchildren that England, Britain, will move back to be much closer to Europe than what we have done now.”
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The final moments of the video show the stars of the European flag fading one by one, until the final star remains.
“This is our star,” the message reads. “Look after it for us.”
Unsurprisingly, the emotional farewell video reduced some pro-remain campaigners to tears:
This brought me to tears. What is this idiocy that has gripped us? And why have we allowed this comradeship to disintegrate? A sad, sad day in our nation's history. — Melanie Parr (@melaniejparr) January 31, 2020
Thank you, even though you've managed to reduce me to tears with this. — smtfhw #FBPE 🇪🇺🇬🇧🇩🇪 #REJOIN #WATON (@smtfhw) January 31, 2020
I'm crying.
These men know the price of peace.
They know the power of union❤🇪🇺 — Taru (@taru_sisko) January 31, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-31--January's Been A Long Old Month. Here's How To Celebrate This Weekend

bortonia via Getty Images
You’ve done it. You’ve made it to the end of the week.
If it’s been a particularly tough one, you might want to hibernate all weekend once you clock off – but we say choose a few activities that will boost your mood, instead.
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Start your weekend off with a (homemade) killer coffee.
Of course, we’d all love to go out to our favourite coffee shop and order flat white after flat white – but we also want to stay in our PJs. Make a killer cup of coffee at home with these hacks from baristas. Whether you drink instant coffee, use beans, or grind your own, there are ways to make your fix even more delicious – before you get back in bed and watch Netflix for another hour.
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Take yourself out for a walk.
No excuses. Wet? Get your raincoat. Muddy? Put on your wellies. If it’s cold, get wrapped up, take your favourite pal or a loved one, and spend a few hours nattering away about your week, your month, your future holidays, and things you have to look forward to. Walking outside is great for our mental heath, as we all know, so it’ll also give you a boost of energy for the rest of your weekend.
As our writer Rachel Moss puts it: “In a world where we’re surrounded by images of Insta-worthy perfection, that reminder that nature is, at times, ugly and unforgiving, is the most beautiful moment of them all. Sure, the flowers on a summer walk are lovely, fringing the path with colour and scent. But spotting a disobedient bloom poking out of the twigs during winter is an unparalleled joy.”
Do, or start, a hobby.
If you love gardening, drawing, painting, bouldering, badminton – whatever it is, this is the weekend to fit it into your schedule to boost your happiness levels.
Want to be active, but find the idea of hitting the gym mind-numbingly boring? Find something you love instead. It might be mindful running, wild swimming, Jiu Jitsu or boxing that sparks the shift. Perhaps it’s bouncing on a trampoline, learning a new dance style or trying fitness drumming. It’s a thing.
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Or maybe you want to try something new – a creative activity, like calligraphy? Use these tips from experts on how to get going with beautiful handwriting.
Make yourself a ‘fakeaway’.
Save the takeaway money for a treat (see below) – and instead, cook up an absolute storm in your kitchen. Choose from three recipes of chicken rogan josh, vegetable chow mein or a prawn red curry – all from TV nutritionist, Dale Pinnock. You’ll get that feeling of satisfaction when you tuck into it. Or if you’d prefer to rustle up something quicker, try these instant pot vegetarian recipes – meaning you can chuck it all in while you luxuriate in front of the TV.
Go out dancing – but avoid the hangover.
If you’ve committed to staying sober for more than just a month, you can still go out dancing (like no one’s watching). But if you do decide to have a drink or three this weekend, use these expert tips to make sure you don’t ruin the next day hungover in bed.
Treating isn’t cheating.
Give yourself a treat, something to indulge in. Browse through our shopping site, HuffPost Finds, to read all our latest brutally honest reviews of things worth your hard-earned cash.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-31--This Morning’s Most Iconic Guest | Good Vibes Only

This Morning’s Most Iconic Guest | Good Vibes Only
In the week that This Morning bagged its 10th National Television Award, it also had arguably the most iconic guest of all time in the form of Iris chatting about her, ahem, nights of passion with her toyboy. Elsewhere in the world of entertainment, Lewis Capaldi’s star turn at the Grammys inspired this week’s red carpet-themed quiz. We also talk Dua Lipa's new single and Kelly Brook breaking wind at Madonna's house.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-31--Peppa Pig Gets A New Voice As Actor Harley Bird Quits Role After 13 Years

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The voice of Peppa Pig has announced she is quitting the role after 13 years.
Harley Bird landed the role of voicing the hugely popular children’s character when she was just five years old.
But after more than a decade providing the voice of the two-dimensional pig, the 18-year-old is stepping aside to make way for Amelie Bea, nine, to take over the role.
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Harley Bird and Peppa Pig. Ian West - PA Images via Getty Images
Speaking about the news, Harley, who is said to have raked in £1000 an hour for her role, said: “Becoming the voice of Peppa at the age of five was the start of an incredible journey, and I’ll never forget my time on the show.
“The people that work on Peppa Pig have become like a family to me and they’ve given me some unforgettable memories. I wish Amelie the best of luck in the role and am looking forward to starting the next chapter in my life.”
Lily Snowden-Fine was first to voice Peppa when the series debuted in 2004, before Cecily Bloom provided the voice of the character in the second series in 2006.
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Before landing the job of providing the voice of Peppa, Amelie starred in EastEnders, where she played Daisy - the adoptive daughter of Ashley and Dan.
The hugely popular, Bafta-winning cartoon follows the adventures of a family of talking pigs and their farmyard animal friends.
Earlier this week it was revealed that the composers of Louise Redknapp’s 90′s hit Naked had been involved in a legal battle with the show’s makers.
The composers of her 1996 number five hit accused the Canadian company Entertainment One of infringing their copyright over the song Peppa’s Party Time, which was released on Peppa Pig: My First Album last July.
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According to Metro, Entertainment One has since settled with producer Denis Ingoldsby and the song’s authors. The Mirror claims that they could stand to make £1 million, as they are now entitled to all backdated and future royalties, while their names have also been added to the credits on Peppa’s track.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-31--My 5-Year-Old Son Organises Better Birthday Parties Than I Do

HuffPost UK
One of the great joys of parenting is getting to determine your child’s reality. If they detest mushrooms and you tell them grownup chocolate tastes like mushrooms, the results can make you feel a little like a king – a petty king, yes – but one with a still-intact secret stash of Dairy Milk.
I think all parents must do this, on some level. Mine made sure to mention how “the night air makes you so sleepy”, so I never saw the point of asking to stay up past bedtime. And, instead of a no screen time rule at the end of the day, I tell my kids all their favourite characters go to bed two hours before they do.
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A major perk of all this is that you can do anything and call it a birthday party. This has served me very well since I am not the world’s most organised mum, partly thanks to ADHD; partly plain laziness. I’d rather eat my own arm than handwrite a series of party invitations, or oversee a themed toddler disco.
But having little kids means you can get away with minimal effort – invite Granddad round; bust open a Colin the Caterpillar cake; go to the pub; anything – and your children won’t know it’s not a birthday party. How would they? They’re just little kids. They’ll believe anything you tell them.
Up to, of course, a point – the point at which they realise other families may do things differently.
invincible_bulldog via Getty Images
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Since my older son started school in September, the invitations to classmates’ parties have been coming thick and fast: pizza-making parties at Pizza Express; a “unicorn disco” in a village hall; my son’s best friend had his birthday at the local trampoline park, and asked all the guests to dress in their favourite animal onesie.
“It was great, great, great!” my son shouted, when I asked if he’d enjoyed it. “And, Mummy, I’d like to *celebrate* you to my birthday party, which is also going to be at Euro Bouncy House!” Then he ran around the room, cheering, in his fox onesie.
Of course, I had to nip that one in the bud. My son’s fifth birthday was on a school night, so we figured we’d do cake after dinner – with Granddad – and do something bigger at the weekend. However, every day this week – inspired by his classmates’ weekend reports – my son has come home informing me of an addition to our birthday plans. “Mummy, it’s going to be in a giant castle, and it will have a bouncy castle!” “The real Power Rangers are coming!” “THREE DIFFERENT MAGICIANS!” and so on.
Most recently, my son informed me that his birthday party would take place in “the blue and orange shop” (his name for a large discount homeware store), to which I chuckled, before several mums at the school gates came over to ask for the address of this shop, and whether they should bring anything.
Which is how I ended up swapping a day of work this week for a mad dash round the shops for bunting, balloons, and party food – because somehow my son is better at organising birthday parties than I am – and on his birthday we wound up with about 10 kids running around our house, hopped up on homemade birthday cake and entirely failing to pin the tail on the donkey.
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It was all very enjoyable, but it’s been two days and I still haven’t recovered my strength, and I’m a bit concerned that my five-year-old son is such a hit on the party circuit that he might be the next Paris Hilton.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-31--Two Cases Of Coronavirus Confirmed In UK

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The first cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the UK with two members of the same family testing positive, the chief medical officer for England has said.
Later on Friday, Public Health England (PHE) confirmed the two people being treated had been staying in York when they were taken ill.
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The pair are being treated by Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in its specialist Airborne High Consequences Infectious Disease Centre (HCID).
According to the PA news agency, they travelled to the UK from China recently and are undergoing treatment at the Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary.
A spokesperson for the hospital told the Newcastle Chronicle there was no risk to anyone else being treated at the hospital or visiting patients.
Professor Sharon Peacock, director of the National Infection Service at PHE, said the agency was contacting people who had “close contact” with the people taken ill.
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“The two cases were staying in York when they became unwell,” she said.
“Close contacts will be given health advice about symptoms and emergency contact details to use if they become unwell in the 14 days after contact with the confirmed cases.
“This tried and tested method will ensure we are able to minimise any risk to them and the wider public.”
Update on #Coronavirus:@CMO_England statement on two confirmed cases in England.
▶ https://t.co/lAQUTk8qm4 pic.twitter.com/7p77OihKmv — Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) January 31, 2020
In an earlier statement, chief medical officer for England Professor Chris Whitty, said the patients “are receiving specialist NHS care”.
He added: “The NHS is extremely well-prepared and used to managing infections and we are already working rapidly to identify any contacts the patients had, to prevent further spread.
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“We have been preparing for UK cases of novel coronavirus and we have robust infection control measures in place to respond immediately. We are continuing to work closely with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the international community as the outbreak in China develops to ensure we are ready for all eventualities.”
On Thursday evening the WHO declared coronavirus a global public health emergency.
More than 170 people have died in China and around 7,700 have been infected, with cases detected in countries including the US, Japan and South Korea.
The new virus has now infected more people in China than fell ill during the 2002/03 severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) outbreak.
The number of cases has jumped to 7,711, surpassing the 5,327 people diagnosed with Sars. While coronavirus is more infections than Sars, it is not as deadly which killed 774 people.
It comes as ministers said the government will send another plane to coronavirus-hit Wuhan to rescue British citizens if needed.
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Families had been told that relatives with Chinese passports would be unable to join them after Chinese officials denied them permission to leave the country.
That decision was reversed hours before the plane was due to depart, but some people did not have time to get to the airport.
The PA news agency understands that the Foreign Office (FCO) is working with EU countries to add British passengers to any rescue flights they may charter back from Wuhan.
After several delays, the evacuation flight left Wuhan at 9.45am local time on Friday, carrying 83 Britons and 27 non-UK nationals, mostly from EU countries.
The flight arrived at the Brize Norton RAF base in Oxfordshire at around 1.30pm.
Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove told Sky News on Friday that another plane will be sent if necessary.
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He added: “The flight which is in the air at the moment is not the end of our efforts.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-31--The Best Vegetarian Instant Pot Recipes

The Best Vegetarian Instant Pot Recipes

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Instant Pot recipes are everywhere, whether they come from the myriad cookbooks dedicated to the multi-cooker, the active community of “Potheads” on Facebook, or the food bloggers and chefs who agree that certain foods are just plain better in the Instant Pot. There’s just one problem.
The Instant Pot works miracles on meat, turning it into tender, juicy, melt-in-your-mouth hunks of goodness. And because of that, the Instant Pot recipe space is crowded with ideas for Instant pot ribs, bolognese, pot roasts and briskets. But what about vegetarians?
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We’ve rounded up some of our favourite vegetarian recipes for the Instant Pot, because it’s not just for meat ― it works wonders on beans, soups and other veggie-friendly dishes too. We’ve got mac and cheese, mujadara, lentil curry, vegetarian chilli, creamy rice soups and so much more.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-31--Someone Gave Katie Hopkins A Fake C**T Award – And 'She Flew To Prague To Accept It'

It’s been a bad week for Katie Hopkins.
On Thursday the controversial commentator was locked out of her Twitter account for violating the platform’s “hateful conduct policy and abusive behaviour policy”.
Then, just hours later, it emerged she had apparently been duped in absolutely epic proportions by YouTube prankster Josh Pieters, who said he made her fly all the way to Prague to accept a fake award – the Campaign To Unify The Nation Trophy.
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Now that Katie Hopkins can’t read Twitter, I can tell you that on Monday I made her fly to Prague to pick up a completely fake award. Video up shortly. pic.twitter.com/8EeQsQX6U3 — Josh Pieters (@joshua_pieters) January 30, 2020
Now there was some criticism of the stunt....
Imagine the backlash if this were done to a famous feminist by some people on the political right. — John Filiss (@JohnFiliss) January 30, 2020
But in response, someone highlighted an edited segment of some of the comments she made during the ceremony.
If anyone was wondering if he went a bit too far... pic.twitter.com/iLMIqTbrBs — Harry England (@Harry__England) January 30, 2020
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Some quotes include:
“If you call ‘Mohammad’ in school playground in the UK, 2,000 fucking kids come running and you don’t want any of them.”
“East London is smelly and shitty at the best of times, it’s 82% Muslim.”
[Speaking about Greta Thunberg] “Autistic fucking wench.”
Hopkins has been contacted for comment.
Hopkins used to have columns and radio shows on a number of mainstream outlets but was gradually dropped from all of them after a series of controversial remarks.
In 2017 LBC radio sacked her after she tweeted remarks in the wake of the Manchester bombing that some interpreted as calls for ethnic cleansing.
How come you changed this from "final solution" to "true solution"? Come on, stand by those nazi words, nazi. pic.twitter.com/qzfpGqZeP0 — 🍔 (@JohnSeaborn) May 23, 2017
Later in the same year, she was dropped as a columnist by the Mail Online after her contract was not renewed “by mutual consent”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-01-31--Katie Hopkins Has Disappeared From Twitter After Countdown's Rachel Riley Meets With Social Media Gi

Katie Hopkins Has Disappeared From Twitter After Countdown's Rachel Riley Meets With Social Media Giant's Bosses

Countdown star Rachel Riley has revealed that she played a part in Katie Hopkins’ disappearance from Twitter.
Hopkins’ account on the social media platform has been locked as Twitter conduct an investigation into her tweets following complaints from anti-racism campaigners.
Rachel Riley (left) and Katie Hopkins. Rex
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The former Apprentice star, who has over 1 million Twitter followers, has become known for her pro-Trump, pro-Brexit and anti-immigration views since appearing as a contestant on the BBC show.
Rachel applauded Twitter’s suspension of Hopkins’ account, which came about after she met with the company to discuss both Hopkins’ account and that of George Galloway.
Rachel, who is Countdown’s resident maths expert, told her 654,000 followers: “I met with @Twitter yesterday with @imi_ahmed from @CCDHate and asked them among other things to review George Galloway & Katie Hopkins’s presence on their platform. I am pleased to see that action appears to have been taken!”
She added: “This is what happens when they have the #WillToAct.”
I met with @Twitter yesterday with @imi_ahmed from @CCDHate and asked them among other things to review George Galloway & Katie Hopkins's presence on their platform.
I am pleased to see that action appears to have been taken!
This is what happens when they have the #WillToAct pic.twitter.com/yy92irqeNp — Rachel Riley 🍊 (@RachelRileyRR) January 30, 2020
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At the time of writing, George Galloway’s account is still active.
The Center for Countering Digital Hate said they had also been in discussions with Twitter.
In a statement, they called for further action against Hopkins’ Twitter and said: “We hope they now remove her from their platform and continue to demonstrate the will to act. There is a long road ahead before social media is made safe for dialogue, information exchange and the formation and maintenance of relationships.
“The fact parents are so hesitant and fearful of allowing children on to social media platforms shows how toxic many of these environments have become.
“We believe social media can empower the world to be even better, but handing megaphones to hate actors is irresponsible and dangerous.”
STATEMENT: We are pleased that @Twitter appears to have taken action against Katie Hopkins, following our discussions with them this week.
We hope they now remove her from their platform and continue to demonstrate the will to act. pic.twitter.com/iFwCQSJqTd — Center for Countering Digital Hate (@CCDHate) January 30, 2020
Speaking about the investigation into Hopkins’ account, Twitter explained: “Keeping Twitter safe is a top priority for us – abuse and harassment have no place on the service.
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“We take enforcement action against any account that is violative of our rules – which includes violations of our hateful conduct policy and abusive behaviour policy.