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Coleen Rooney reveals she almost QUIT I’m A Celebrity after just a couple of days in the jungle

I’M A Celeb runner-up Coleen Rooney says she considered quitting in the first week as she sobbed over her kids in camp.

In scenes not shown on TV, she cried when looking at her luxury item – a pillow with a picture of her four sons and footie legend husband Wayne.

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Coleen Rooney has revealed she almost walked out of camp in an unaired moment[/caption]
Instagram
Coleen became emotional in camp when thinking about her family[/caption]

But her strong-minded nature set in and helped her battle through to Sunday’s final, when she lost out to McFly‘s Danny Jones by just over ten per cent of the 10million votes cast.

Coleen, 38, said yesterday: “In that first week, I did wake up one morning and obviously I’d been given the pillow that I was sleeping on.

“I looked and I’d seen Wayne and the kids, and I had a little cry and thought, ‘I don’t know whether I can go all this way’. And that was only week one.

“But then I soon snapped out of it and went and done the washing up, and collected the wood and did whatever I had to do and it was fine. I got on with it.”

She added: “I’m quite strong-minded.

“Even though I’m quiet, I battle through things.

“I just think, ‘Come on Coleen, you’ve said you’ll do it, so just do it’. I do snap myself out of things really quickly.”

Coleen was in floods of tears again when her two youngest lads, eight-year-old Kit and Cass, six, surprised her in the Aussie camp last week with her mum Colette McLoughlin, 62.

But Plymouth Argyle boss Wayne was cheering her on from home amid his hectic fixture list, while her eldest lads – Kai, 15, and Klay, 11 – also stayed in Cheshire.

She rang Man United and England great Wazza, 39, in the car immediately after leaving the jungle.

Coleen said: “As soon as I came out I phoned home. They all had a gathering in the house and watched it together.

“Wayne just said how proud he was. In the letter (from home) I got, he said he’s never missed me as much – and I can understand that because we’ve not spoke.

“We’ve been apart for weeks and weeks on end, but we speak a number of times a day, we FaceTime. So to not have that communication, it’s been tough.

“Not keeping up to date on the kids’ school and football… I’m so involved in all that back home. That was hard.”

Doting mum Coleen burst into tears when she hugged Kit and Cass in camp last Friday, having been apart from them for almost four weeks.

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The star came second in the ITV reality show’s grand final[/caption]

In Sunday’s final, she was again reunited with the boys, plus Colette and her dad Tony.

She added: “Obviously my mum, dad and the two younger kids were there, then Wayne and my two older ones at home. It was harder for them to come out of school.

“They’re older, it’s more serious – so we took the decision to keep them in school. The little ones, obviously it’s easier. They’ve brought work away with them.

“They did say they weren’t going to school tomorrow because their mum was in the final.

“I don’t know what school’s going to say about that but, you know, obviously they haven’t come all the way to Australia so maybe they do deserve a day off.”

I'm A Celebrity - All The Winners

Here's every star who has been crowned King or Queen of the Jungle to date:

  • 2024: Danny Jones, McFly star
  • 2023: Sam Thompson, Made in Chelsea star
  • 2022: Jill Scott, England footballer
  • 2021: Danny Miller, Emmerdale star
  • 2020: Giovanna Fletcher, actress and podcaster
  • 2019: Jacqueline Jossa, EastEnders star
  • 2018: Harry Redknapp, England legend
  • 2017: Georgia Toffolo, Made In Chelsea star
  • 2016: Scarlett Moffatt, Gogglebox star
  • 2015: Vicky Pattison, Geordie Shore star
  • 2014: Carl Fogarty, famed racer
  • 2013: Kian Egan, Westlife star
  • 2012: Charlie Brooks, EastEnders actor
  • 2011: Dougie Poynter, McFly star
  • 2010: Stacey Solomon, X Factor star now TV personality
  • 2009: Gino D’ACampo, TV Chef
  • 2008: Joe Swash, TV personality
  • 2007: Christopher Biggins, actor
  • 2006: Matt Willis, Busted star
  • 2005: Carol Thatcher, author and broadcaster
  • 2004 (second series): Joe Pasquale, comedian
  • 2004: Kerry Katona, Atomic Kitten star and reality star
  • 2003: Phil Tufnell, England Cricketer
  • 2002: Tony Blackburn, Radio DJ

There was also an All Star series in South Africa in 2023, which was won by Myleene Klass.

Not known, clear with picture desk
The star spoke at length about her family whilst in the jungle[/caption]

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Coleen Rooney’s VERY strict workout regime revealed – and you could do it too at home

FITNESS freak Coleen Rooney has revealed her strict workout routine – which she stuck to in the jungle.

The 38-year-old star has confessed that she does a total of 126 squats and pulses every day.

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Coleen Rooney has revealed the exercises that kept her going in the I’m A Celeb camp[/caption]
Rex
The star came in second place during this year’s I’m A Celebrity[/caption]

Coleen said: “Every morning when I’m in the shower I do squats, and that is my thing.

“I get up before the kids get up and I’ll do a routine of squats. And then I know at least if I’ve got them done, then I’m OK.”

Coleen revealed that her continued her epic fitness regime whilst Down Under despite running on empty with the lack of food for the stars whilst in the camp.

She said: “I do a few gym sessions and reformer Pilates, but in the jungle it was my squats.

“Walking up and down those stairs… when you go to trials you are trekking through that jungle, up and down.

“And it’s a long way to go.

“You are tired and you’re on less calories. It’s hot. It’s humid. So yeah, I did like to keep the squat routine up.

“I do 21, 21, 21 of different ones and then I’ll do 63 pulses every morning.”

Her fitness tactics helped her to keep to a routine amid the unpredictability of camp life.

Mum-of-four Coleen came in second place on the ITV reality show – falling just shy of being crowned the champion to McFly singer Danny Jones.

However, it seems like she could be the real winner with the star set to put pen to paper on a cool £1million TV deal with ITV.

On her upcoming megabucks offers, a source told The Sun: “Coleen’s return to public life ­following the Wagatha Christie trial was carefully orchestrated — and it has more than paid off.

“When she was in the jungle, she was being touted as ITV’s next Holly Willoughby and the offers have already started flooding in.

“But there is one deal on the table that has really piqued her team’s interest.

“Given Coleen’s love of the Loose Women show too, the team want her secured on their guest roster, with a view to finding something more permanent for her.

“It isn’t just TV deals — lifestyle and nutritional brands have all been sending lucrative contracts her way, as well as high street retailers. They all want a piece of Coleen. The sky’s the limit.”

I'm A Celebrity - All The Winners

Here's every star who has been crowned King or Queen of the Jungle to date:

  • 2024: Danny Jones, McFly star
  • 2023: Sam Thompson, Made in Chelsea star
  • 2022: Jill Scott, England footballer
  • 2021: Danny Miller, Emmerdale star
  • 2020: Giovanna Fletcher, actress and podcaster
  • 2019: Jacqueline Jossa, EastEnders star
  • 2018: Harry Redknapp, England legend
  • 2017: Georgia Toffolo, Made In Chelsea star
  • 2016: Scarlett Moffatt, Gogglebox star
  • 2015: Vicky Pattison, Geordie Shore star
  • 2014: Carl Fogarty, famed racer
  • 2013: Kian Egan, Westlife star
  • 2012: Charlie Brooks, EastEnders actor
  • 2011: Dougie Poynter, McFly star
  • 2010: Stacey Solomon, X Factor star now TV personality
  • 2009: Gino D’ACampo, TV Chef
  • 2008: Joe Swash, TV personality
  • 2007: Christopher Biggins, actor
  • 2006: Matt Willis, Busted star
  • 2005: Carol Thatcher, author and broadcaster
  • 2004 (second series): Joe Pasquale, comedian
  • 2004: Kerry Katona, Atomic Kitten star and reality star
  • 2003: Phil Tufnell, England Cricketer
  • 2002: Tony Blackburn, Radio DJ

There was also an All Star series in South Africa in 2023, which was won by Myleene Klass.

Coleen is expected to be inundated with TV offers
Eroteme

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Dan Ashworth’s four-man shortlist to replace Ten Hag ‘revealed’ with axed Man Utd chief not a fan of Amorim appointment

AXED Dan Ashworth drew up a four-man shortlist to replace Erik ten Hag – and Ruben Amorim was reportedly NOT included.

The sporting director left Manchester United after just five months in his role, in what has been a farcical season for the Red Devils.

File photo dated 06-10-2024 of Manchester United sporting director Dan Ashworth, who has left the club after just five months, the Premier League side have announced. Issue date: Sunday December 8, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER Man Utd Ashworth. Photo credit should read Mike Egerton/PA Wire.
Dan Ashworth’s four-man list of replacements for Erik ten Hag was rejected by United chiefs
Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Nottingham Forest - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - December 7, 2024 Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim looks dejected after the match Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO USE WITH UNAUTHORIZED AUDIO, VIDEO, DATA, FIXTURE LISTS, CLUB/LEAGUE LOGOS OR 'LIVE' SERVICES. ONLINE IN-MATCH USE LIMITED TO 120 IMAGES, NO VIDEO EMULATION. NO USE IN BETTING, GAMES OR SINGLE CLUB/LEAGUE/PLAYER PUBLICATIONS. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE FOR FURTHER DETAILS..
Ruben Amorim was reportedly not favoured by Ashworth
Brentford manager Thomas Frank before the Premier League match at the Gtech Community Stadium, London. Picture date: Saturday December 7, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER Brentford. Photo credit should read: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.
Brentford manager Thomas Frank was among Ashworth’s top contenders

Ashworth, 53, was given the boot less than hour after United’s 3-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford on Saturday.

And it has since been revealed by sources close to The Athletic that Ashworth wasn’t keen on Amorim’s appointment

Instead the former Newcastle and West Brom director wanted an English manager with more experience in our game.

He had a list and those he did propose had a theme: Premier League experience.

The first two names included were Eddie Howe, despite the picture not always being rosy at Newcastle as well as Fulham‘s Marco Silva.

The next two: Brentford manager Thomas Frank and ex-Chelsea boss Graham Potter, possibly as an interim until the end of the season.

Potter is now reportedly willing to temporarily take over at West Ham should Julen Lopetegui be sacked this week, according to talkSPORT.

But co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe wanted to hear more adventurous ideas from the man they gave Newcastle £2.5million for, and away from the people Ashworth already knew.

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But the sporting operation expert allegedly didn’t provide clear, compelling arguments for who to bring in.

It’s perhaps far from a coincidence that there was nothing from Ashworth on the official announcement of Amorim.

Ashworth had been quoted on Ten Hag’s contract extension and every signing brought in during the summer.

According to The Athletic, Ashworth was said to have had little input on selecting Amorim as United’s boss, with CEO Omar Berrada a major influence on the Portuguese getting the job.

It was Berrada who flew to Lisbon when Ten Hag was sacked to negotiate with Sporting president Frederico Varandas face-to-face.

But it should be noted that Berrada went because he, rather than Ashworth, knew the people at Sporting.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Fulham v Arsenal - Craven Cottage, London, Britain - December 8, 2024 Fulham manager Marco Silva before the match REUTERS/Isabel Infantes EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO USE WITH UNAUTHORIZED AUDIO, VIDEO, DATA, FIXTURE LISTS, CLUB/LEAGUE LOGOS OR 'LIVE' SERVICES. ONLINE IN-MATCH USE LIMITED TO 120 IMAGES, NO VIDEO EMULATION. NO USE IN BETTING, GAMES OR SINGLE CLUB/LEAGUE/PLAYER PUBLICATIONS. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE FOR FURTHER DETAILS..
Ashworth pointed to Marco Silva’s Premier League experience at Fulham

United's summer transfer signings

Arrivals:

  • Leny Yoro (Lille) – £52m
  • Manuel Ugarte (PSG) – £50m
  • Matthijs De Ligt (Bayern) – £43m
  • Joshua Zirkzee (Bologna) – £36.5m
  • Noussair Mazraoui (Bayern) – £16m
  • Sekou Kone (Guidars) – £1m

SunSport also exclusively revealed three weeks ago that United’s new hierarchy were locked in a blame game over their summer business, and who decided to extend Ten Hag’s contract only for the Dutchman to be sacked 14 games later.

Berrada and Ashworth were trying to wash their hands of it all, claiming they had arrived too late after serving their gardening leave.

But their denied involvement irritated Ratcliffe, who said making decisions was all down to them.

The Red Devils co-owner, who bought a 27.7 per cent stake, also revealed “it’s not my decision” before Ten Hag was given the boot.

Ashworth’s departure was instigated by those at the top of the club.

The sense among staff is a joint decision between Ratcliffe, Berrada, Sir Dave Brailsford and co-owner Joel Glazer.

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 02: Newcastle United Head Coach Eddie Howe looks on with a ball under his arm during the Newcastle United Training Session at the Newcastle United Training Centre on December 02, 2024 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe was named on Ashworth’s shortlist
File photo dated 08-01-2023 of Chelsea manager Graham Potter. Potter was poached from Brighton on a five-year contract in early September but failed to work his magic at Stamford Bridge. Issue date: Friday May 26, 2023. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER Premier League Gallery. Photo credit should read Martin Rickett/PA Wire.
The sporting director also named ex-Chelsea boss Graham Potter ahead of Amorim

Tension was also apparent when Ashworth proposed bringing in a data company to evaluate the candidates to replace Ten Hag.

Ratcliffe was said to have reacted badly, countering that it was Ashworth’s job to know such matters rather than outsource it.

Eyebrows were also raised when Ashworth took a holiday on Amorim’s second day at Carrington.

There were mitigating circumstances, with Ashworth marking a significant family event having postponed previous attempts for work reasons.

His absence, around the same time, from November’s executive committee meeting was however seen by some as a further indication all was not well.

Ashworth had attended the ExCo summit in October at Ineos headquarters in London, as well as the previous one in Barcelona.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has played a huge role in the boardroom shake-up

Who is Dan Ashworth?

DAN ASHWORTH is a true footballing man who has progressed through the game’s ranks all the way from player to club director.

He never made it to the top as a player, instead featuring for a number of non-league sides and in the US.

After hanging up his boots he quickly moved into the backroom, landing his first job at Peterborough.

His big break came at West Brom, before he moved on to the Three Lions job where he was instrumental in creating ‘England’s DNA’.

Two roles with Premier League clubs followed before Man Utd swooped in the summer.

So what’s next for Ashworth?

READ HIS FULL STORY HERE:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/25099220/who-dan-ashworth/

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I’ve been Wagatha Christie for years… I knew what Xmas presents I was getting and sniffed things out, says Coleen

COLEEN ROONEY revealed she was a super-sleuth long before her Wagatha Christie escapades – even cracking what she was getting for Christmas as a kid.

The mum-of-four, 38, who exposed some camp secrets on I’m A Celebrity, confessed she has always had a nose for a mystery.

I’m A Celeb’s Coleen Rooney has revealed she was a super-sleuth long before her Wagatha Christie escapades
Rex
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Fans have loved seeing how Coleen was willing to get her hands dirty during Bushtucker trials[/caption]

And she put it to good use in the lead up to the festive season working out what her prezzies would be.

Coleen’s detective skills came to light in 2019 after a social media post accusing her rival and Sun jungle columnist Rebekah Vardy of leaking stories to the Press.

This year’s I’m a Celeb runner-up said with a laugh: “I usually get on to things.

“I usually sniff things out before it actually happens.

“Even down to Christmas presents when I was younger — I knew what I was getting before it was Christmas.”

Wag Coleen — married to footie manager Wayne Rooney — displayed her investigative talents on the ITV reality show when she sussed out Maura Higgins’ and Rev Richard Coles’ Jungle Junkyard fibs.

She realised the pair, who were secretly living in luxury, were too content to have been telling the truth about slumming it.

Down-to-earth Coleen won fans over during her I’m a Celeb stint with tales of her footie star hubby and how he would write her romantic poetry.

The first week was tough. The headache set in day three – obviously, withdrawal from caffeine, sugar
and alcohol

Coleen

But in the first few days of her adventure Down Under, she could have done with a pick-me-up herself — after suffering withdrawal from booze and coffee.

Coleen — who planted fake stories on her private Instagram and accused fellow Wag Rebekah Vardy of leaking them, leading to their High Court libel trial — went cold turkey on caffeine in the camp.

‘Dunny doesn’t bother me’

And she revealed she paid the price for not weaning herself off it beforehand.

Coleen said yesterday: “The first week was tough.

“Obviously you’re weaning yourself off caffeine.

“After a few days, I was thinking, ‘What have I signed up for? What am I doing here?’.

“The headache set in, day three.

“Obviously, withdrawal from caffeine, sugar and alcohol. And then the hunger — we didn’t get stars in the first week.

“I didn’t do any prep before I went in there. I didn’t stop.

“Loads of people said that they cut out this and cut out that.

“I never. I just continued as normal.”

That was not all she struggled with in the early stages of the competition.

In fact, Coleen says she considered quitting in the first week as she sobbed over her kids in camp one morning.

In scenes not shown by ITV, she cried when looking at her luxury item — a pillow with a picture of her boys and Wayne on it.

But her iron will set in and helped her battle through to Sunday’s final, when she lost out to McFly’s Danny Jones by just over ten per cent of the 10million votes cast.

Coleen explained: “In that first week, I did wake up one morning and obviously I’d been given the pillow that I was sleeping on.

“I looked and I’d seen Wayne and the kids, and I had a little cry and thought, ‘I don’t know whether I can go all this way’.

“And that was only week one.

“But then I soon snapped out of it, done the washing up and collected the wood and did whatever I had to do and it was fine.

“I got on with it.”

She added: “I’m quite strong-minded.

“Even though I’m quiet, I battle through things.

“I just think, ‘Come on Coleen, you’ve said you’ll do it, so just do it’.

“I do snap myself out of things really quickly.”

Coleen was in floods of tears again when her two youngest lads — eight-year-old Kit and Cass, six — surprised her in the Aussie camp last week with her mum, Colette McLoughlin, 62.

But Plymouth Argyle boss Wayne was cheering her on from home amid his hectic fixture list, while her eldest lads — Kai, 15, and Klay, 11 — also stayed in Cheshire.

She rang Manchester United and England great Wazza, 39, in the car immediately after leaving the jungle.

Coleen said: “As soon as I came out, I phoned home.

“They all had a gathering in the house and watched it together.

“Wayne just said how proud he was.

“In the letter (from home) I got, he said he’s never missed me as much — and I can understand that because we’ve not spoken.

“We’ve been apart for weeks and weeks on end, but we speak a number of times a day, we FaceTime.

“So to not have that communication, it’s been tough.

“Not keeping up to date on the kids’ school and football . . . I’m so involved in all that back home. That was hard.”

Doting mum Coleen burst into tears when she hugged Kit and Cass in camp last Friday, having been apart from them for almost four weeks.

In Sunday’s final, she was again reunited with the boys, plus Colette and her dad Tony.

She said: “Obviously, my mum, dad and the two younger kids were there, then Wayne and my two older ones at home.

“It was harder for them to come out of school.

“They did say they weren’t going to school tomorrow because their mum was in the final.

“I don’t know what school’s going to say about that but, you know, they haven’t come all the way to Australia so maybe they do deserve a day off.”

ITV bosses broke the bank to make Coleen the most expensive signing in the show’s history, with a deal reportedly worth over £1.5million.

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Wag Coleen displayed her investigative talents on the ITV reality show when she sussed out Maura Higgins’ and Rev Richard Coles’ Jungle Junkyard fibs, pictured during a trial[/caption]
Getty Images
Coleen was oblivious to the fact her childhood sweetheart Wayne was behind a surge in votes which forced her into her first jungle trial[/caption]

And they got their money’s worth.

Viewers loved hearing her tales of encounters with the rich and famous, such as previously meeting “dirty b*****d” President elect Donald Trump in the White House.

Fans also loved seeing how Coleen, who lives in a £20million mansion, was willing to get her hands dirty during Bushtucker trials.

And between necking cocktails of blended pig’s testicles and sinking shots of liquid cockroaches, she did chores such as cleaning the dunny with ex-Love Islander Maura Higgins, 34.

I’m not a princess. I don’t mind getting my hands dirty. I might not have camped that much . . . but I used to clean chalets at Pontins when I was younger

Coleen

But none of that bothered Coleen (apart from, maybe, a fishbowl containing blended giant mealworms, blended fermented herring, crocodile anus and vomit fruit, which made her retch).

She said: “I’m not a princess. I don’t mind getting my hands dirty.

“I might not have camped that much . . . but I used to clean chalets at Pontins when I was younger.

“I’ve got four boys and we’ve been in situations where we’ve got dirty before.

“We go to places like mud trails and we go in ponds — none of that fazes me.

“If I had my lot there, I could’ve stayed there for weeks and weeks.

“Going to the dunny doesn’t bother me.

“I’ve gone behind a tree before. I have got luxuries in life and I feel that that’s what my campmates were surprised with — that I wasn’t fazed with living outside.

“But it’s nice to come back to luxury.

“It’s nice to have the nicer things in life, but I don’t depend on it.”

Before jetting to Oz, Coleen wrote instructions for friends and family looking after her sons on a whiteboard as if they were footie tactics.

Her regimented home schedule stood her in good stead for knuckling down with camp chores.

‘It’s so boring in camp’

She said: “It’s my daily life to pick up after people and get on with it.

“If I don’t do it myself, it might not get done. And it was hard to step back.

“There were times where people took longer to do their chores, where I was thinking, ‘I’m desperate to go and do that’. But we got punished for it and couldn’t do it.

“Also, I like doing it to keep busy because it’s so boring in camp.

“There’s not much in between when people go out for trials, and you’re just there and, once your job’s done, it’s done.

“I’m not a napper, but now I am.”

Coleen said she is also “not a crier”, but that seeing mum Colette in camp “really surprised me”.

It was one of the only times producers managed to pull a fast one on the Wag, who was also oblivious to the fact her childhood sweetheart Wayne was behind a surge in votes which forced her into her first jungle trial.

She thought her tale about a rat gnawing its way into her car was to blame, but that never even aired on I’m A Celeb.

Instead, it was her hubby pleading with his 62million social media followers to vote for her which left her covered in rats, cockroaches and worms.

Coleen said: “Back home, I had a rat in my car, and it caused damage.

“It was chewing the wires.

“That was why I thought I got voted for that trial, because it was rats in a van. But obviously it wasn’t.”

She added of Wayne’s push: “I’m glad he did because I was desperate to do a trial.

“I thought, ‘What’s the point in coming in here if I’m not doing any trials?’.”

Coleen also revealed the strict workout routine she stuck to in the jungle.

In one episode, she was seen squatting in the shower area.

She says she does a total of 126 squats and pulses every day, adding: “Every morning, when I’m in the shower, I do squats.

“I do a few gym sessions and reformer Pilates.

“But in the jungle, it was my squats.

“Those stairs . . .  when you go to trials, you are trekking through that jungle, up and down. And it’s a long way. You are tired and on less calories.

“It’s hot. It’s humid.

“So yeah, I did like to keep the squat routine up.”

Mum Coleen says she considered quitting in the first week as she sobbed over her kids in camp one morning
Australia Media
Rex
Plymouth Argyle boss Wayne was cheering her on from home amid his hectic fixture list[/caption]
Getty
Coleen’s detective skills came to light in 2019 after a social media post accusing her rival and Sun jungle columnist Rebekah Vardy of leaking stories to the Press[/caption]
Getty
Rebekah leaving court during the Wagatha battle[/caption]

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West Ham vs Wolves LIVE SCORE: Latest from El Sackico with Julen Lopetegui and Gary O’Neil’s jobs on the line – updates

WEST HAM are taking on Wolves in a huge Premier League clash RIGHT NOW.

Hammers boss Julen Lopetegui and Wanderers manager Gary O’Neil are under immense pressure, with both gaffers hanging onto their jobs by a thread.

Each man will be desperate for a win, knowing they could be handed their marching orders should they lose.

Ahead of tonight’s game, West Ham players showed their support for teammate Michail Antonio after the striker was involved in a road traffic accident on Saturday.

  • TV channel: Sky Sports Main Event/Premier League
  • Live stream: NOW/Sky Sports app
  • West Ham team: Fabianski; Wan-Bissaka, Kilman, Mavropanos, Emerson; Soucek, Alvarez, Soler; Kudus, Bowen, Summerville
  • Wolves team: Johnstone; Semedo, Bueno, Toti; Doherty, Andre, Lemina, J.Gomes, Ait-Nouri; Cunha, Strand Larsen

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Follow ALL the action from the London Stadium with our live blog below…

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People are only just realising they’re making jacket potatoes wrong – & Spud Man says you don’t even buy the right thing

WE all think we know how to make the perfect jacket potato, right?

Well, according to the infamous Spud Man, it turns out we’ve been doing it all wrong.

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According to the Spud Man, we’ve been cooking our jacket potatoes all wrong[/caption]
It turns out there are three things you must pay attention to if you want the perfect spud
TikTok/@spudarmy
From buying the right variety, to ditching the tin foil, Spud Man shared his top tips
TikTok/@spudarmy
Getty
He also stressed the importance of “feeling” your spuds once they’re cooked[/caption]

Not only are we cooking our spuds incorrectly, but we’ve also been buying the wrong thing too.

So if you want to tuck into a hearty jacket potato with cheese and beans, or maybe tuna is more your topping of choice, you’ll need to listen up and take notes.

Spud Man, a 39-year-old who took TikTok by storm after going viral for selling baked potatoes from his food van, has shared his top tips and tricks to ensure that your next jacket potato is fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside. 

According to the potato pro, who has 3.8 million followers on social media, and has people all over the world flocking to Tamworth to try his tasty tatties, there are three areas that people go wrong when cooking a jacket potato.

The food lover, whose real name is Ben Newman, has been selling his faultless baked potatoes out of his food van since 2003. 

And according to Ben, who cooks around 8,000 spuds every week, it’s important that you choose your potato wisely, feel it properly and ditch the foil. 

Buy the right spud

According to Spud Man, the type of potato you buy is crucial to the success of the bake. 

Posting online, he explained: “Everyone wants to know how to cook the perfect jacket potato at home

“The first thing you need to understand is the difference between a good potato and a bad potato.

According to Ben, whilst “variety is everything”, Cara potatoes “make good potatoes”, as he confirmed: “They’re quite dry, low starch content – these are good bakers.”

Ben explained that Melody potatoes, which are quite yellow, are also good.

But whilst many foodies will buy Harmony potatoes for their jackets, Ben warned against it, as he stressed: “This is a very white potato which means it’s going to be quite starchy. This isn’t gonna be a great baker. Avoid.”

The nation’s most peculiar food combinations revealed

Brits reveal unusual food combinations that are so wrong, they feel right

Research by LNER claims that a whopping four in five Brits experiment with unusual flavours, and almost a quarter have a ‘guilty pleasure’ when it comes to unconventional food combinations,

  1. Crisps and chocolate  
  2. Cheese and chocolate
  3. Crisps in jam sandwich
  4. Chips and milkshake
  5. Cheese and bananas 
  6. Apples with salt and pepper
  7. Avocado and chocolate
  8. Popcorn and hot sauce
  9. Tuna and marmite
  10. Gherkins and peanut butter

Not only this, but the “worst culprit in the supermarket”, according to this chef, is the Nadine variety. 

He emphasised that whilst “they look beautiful on the shelf”, they are “super high starchy” and “bake absolutely awful”. 

Feel it real good 

In addition to getting the right spud, when it comes to “cooking the perfect jacket potato”, Ben stressed that “timings only get you so far.”

According to Ben, the way to really know if your spud is soft inside is to feel them. 

You’ve got to feel those spuds

Spud Man

He explained: “You need to be able to tell that that spud is perfectly cooked all the way through and the way to do it is touch. 

“You’ve got to feel those spuds.”

Hacks for Keeping Food Fresh in Your Fridge

IF you want your food to stay fresh, you'll need to try out this useful hacks...

  1. Herbs in Water: Store fresh herbs like parsley and coriander in a glass of water, then cover with a plastic bag to keep them fresh for weeks.
  2. Wrap Greens in Paper Towels: Wrap leafy greens in paper towels before placing them in a plastic bag. The towels absorb excess moisture, preventing wilting.
  3. Use Mason Jars: Store salads, chopped vegetables, and even leftovers in mason jars. They are airtight and keep food fresher for longer.
  4. Revive Stale Bread: Sprinkle a bit of water on stale bread and pop it in the oven for a few minutes to make it fresh again.
  5. Baking Soda for Odours: Place an open box of baking soda in your fridge to absorb odours and keep food tasting fresh.
  6. Freeze Herbs in Olive Oil: Chop herbs and freeze them in olive oil using an ice cube tray. This preserves their flavour and makes them easy to use.
  7. Keep Cheese Fresh: Wrap cheese in wax paper instead of plastic wrap. Wax paper allows the cheese to breathe, preventing it from becoming slimy.
  8. Store Avocados with Onions: Place a cut avocado in an airtight container with a slice of onion. The sulphur compounds in the onion slow down oxidation, keeping the avocado fresh.
  9. Use Vinegar Wash for Berries: Rinse berries in a mixture of water and vinegar (one cup of vinegar to three cups of water) before storing. This kills bacteria and mould spores, extending their shelf life.
  10. Egg Freshness Test: To check if eggs are still fresh, place them in a bowl of water. Fresh eggs will sink, while old ones will float.

Implement these clever hacks to maximise the freshness of your food and make the most of your groceries.

After around 70 minutes in his professional oven, Ben removed a potato and used his hands to test it.

Whilst he stressed that you should be careful when doing this, or use oven gloves, the foodie gave his spud a squeeze and claimed that he can gauge it better using his hand than with an oven glove, as he highlighted: “It’s all done by touch.”

Ditch the foil

Finally, if you want to ensure that you make the best jacket potato possible, you’ll need to bin the tin foil.

Whilst Spud Man uses foil to cook his potatoes when using a professional appliance, he stressed that when cooking in a home oven, it is not necessary.

I’m so ignorant in the potato world

TikTok user

It’s a common misconception that a jacket potato needs to be wrapped in tin foil before going in to cook, but Spud Man was eager to set the record straight.

He told Ninja: “I never wrap my potatoes in foil at home. 

“You’re less likely to burn them in your home oven as opposed to an industrial potato oven which hits 300-350 degrees.”

Foodies react

Foodies were left stunned by Spud Man’s claims and many flocked to the comments to express this.

One user wrote: “I’m so ignorant in the potato world. I only know Maris and King Edward.”

A second chimed in: “That’s so helpful thanks so much.”

Meanwhile, someone else commented: “Thank you for showing us.”

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