Category: Gladiators

Inside Montell Douglas’ debilitating health condition which has left her hospitalised with ‘agonising pain’ – as she gets ready for the Strictly quarter finals
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She has been delighting viewers week in week out on the Strictly Come Dancing floor and will be taking on the quarter finals this weekend.

But behind the glitz and glamour Montell Douglas has been battling a hidden health condition which regularly leaves her in ‘agonising pain’.

The Team GB athlete and Gladiators star, 38, suffers from dysmenorrhoea – extremely heavy and painful periods which have previously left her hospitalised.

She suffered with a bad flare up ahead of the first live show earlier this year.

Montell admitted that being hospitalised for the condition a few years ago was a ‘wake-up call’ as she almost ‘passed out’ due to the ‘intense’ cramp pain.

‘That hospitalisation for me was a kind of wake-up call.

Inside Montell Douglas’ debilitating health condition which has left her hospitalised with ‘agonising pain’ – as she gets ready for the Strictly quarter finals

The Team GB athlete and Gladiators star, 38, suffers from dysmenorrhoea – extremely heavy and painful periods which have previously left her hospitalised (seen with partner Johannes Radebe)

‘My body just started convulsing, and I was almost passing out, because the pain was so intense’, she told The Irish News.

‘I was overheating because of the hormones – my body couldn’t control its temperature, and that in turn made me dehydrated.

‘The pain was in waves, coming in like contractions.’

Montell was prescribed strong painkillers to help manage the symptoms.

They need to be taken before the excruciating period pains kick in, which can be difficult to predict.

She continued: ‘I’m going to be really honest about it as I think it’s something we really need to talk about more the agonising pain… not many people and not all women will experience the same thing.

‘It’s so disruptive and it’s very emotionally draining, not to mention physically draining.’

After she had contraceptive implants put in, and said they’ve made a big difference to the severity of her period pain.

The star opened up ahead of taking to the dance floor with her partner Johannes Radebe for the first time.

Montell admitted that being hospitalised for the condition a few years ago was a ‘wake-up call’ as she almost ‘passed out’ due to the ‘intense’ cramp pain

‘My body just started convulsing, and I was almost passing out, because the pain was so intense’, she told The Irish News

Dysmenorrhea is the medical term for painful menstrual cramps, usually felt in the lower abdomen.

It can range from dull aches to intense pain that’s hard to relieve.

Montell has only just made it to the quarter finals after ending up in the dance off last weekend with Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas – with her and Johannes being saved by the judges.

Jamie and Michelle performed their Foxtrot but the judges decided that Montell and Johannes’s Quickstep was better.

All four judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and Shirley Ballas chose to save the Gladiators star, after she found herself in the bottom for a third time.

After she had contraceptive implants put in, and said they’ve made a big difference to the severity of her period pain

Earlier this month Montell, Miranda actress Sarah Hadland and singer Shayne Ward have all now been confirmed for the Strictly tour in 2025.

The celebrity contestants who appeared on this year’s 20th anniversary series of the show will be donning their dancing shoes once again as they take the show around the country from January 17 to February 9.

Meanwhile It Takes Two’s Janette Manrara is also returning to host the tour once again.

The Strictly quarter finals on Saturday night will star Chris McCausland, JB Gill, Montell,, Pete Wicks, Sarah Hadland and Tasha Ghouri.

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Inside Montell Douglas’ debilitating health condition which has left her hospitalised with ‘agonising pain’ – as she gets ready for the Strictly quarter finals
November 26, 2024
Gladiator II fans are surprised by cameo of legendary UK comedian: ‘Why on earth is he in it?’

Gladiator II fans were left stunned after Matt Lucas made a surprise cameo in the highly anticipated blockbuster.

The 50-year-old comedian and actor appeared briefly in the film, taking on the role of the master of ceremonies during the dramatic battle scenes between Pedro Pascal’s Marcus Acacius and Paul Mescal’s Lucius Verus.

Following the release of the movie on November 15, fans have taken to X, formerly Twitter, to express their surprise at the comedians unexpected appearance.

One user wrote: ‘Matt Lucas being in the cast of Gladiator 2 was not on tonight’s bingo card.’

Another asked: ‘Why is Matt Lucas in gladiator 2…?’

A third penned: ‘Matt Lucas as the master of ceremonies in Gladiator 2 just made the whole thing feel like a really fraught episode of the Great British Bake Off.’

Gladiator II fans were left stunned by cameo of legendary UK comedian in the highly anticipated blockbuster

Matt Lucas, 50, appeared briefly in the film the new film

‘Biggest shock of gladiator 2 was matt lucas being in it,’ a fourth commented.

A fifth gushed: ‘Matt Lucas from GBBO in Gladiator II? My two worlds collide.’

A sixth added: ‘Gladiator II was sick but Matt Lucas being in it was a step too far.

Matt has appeared in movies including Bridesmaids, Alice in Wonderland and Wonka, but told This Morning that landing a role in a Ridley Scott film was one of the biggest achievements of his career.

He previously told hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley: ‘I’m in four scenes. Actually I say that, I haven’t seen the film yet so I don’t know how much has even made it in.

‘But I had four trips to Malta and I’m the master of ceremonies in the big colosseum.

‘But I’m not one of the main characters…ok, I’m the lead in the film! It was amazing though to be in a Ridley Scott movie.

‘I’ve been in some big films, but the scale of this was like nothing I’d ever seen before. I didn’t know if I’d even make it in.’

Fans took to X, formerly Twitter, to share their thoughts

The actor took on the role of the master of ceremonies during the dramatic battle scenes between Pedro Pascal ‘s Marcus Acacius and Paul Mescal ‘s Lucius Verus (pictured Pedro Pascal and Paul Mescal)

Lucas has appeared in movies including Bridesmaids, Alice in Wonderland and Wonka, but told This Morning that landing a role in a Ridley Scott film was one of the biggest achievements of his career

Talking about the process of auditioning, Lucas added: ‘I had to record myself introducing one of the battles and film myself in the flat I was renting while my house was being refurbished.

‘I think I did about 80 takes til I had one I wasn’t too unsatisfied with.

‘So I sent a couple of tapes and forgot about it, and then 10 days later I got an email saying Sir Ridley Scott would like you to come and do it.’

The long-awaited sequel currently has a ‘certified fresh’ 73% critic approval rating (out of 225 reviews) on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Gladiator II ensemble also includes Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi, and Connie Nielsen.

It comes after Lucas showcased his incredible weight loss in a navy blue suit as he attended the Gladiator 2 premiere on November 14.

It comes after Lucas showcased his incredible weight loss in a navy blue suit at the Gladiator 2 premiere after he dropped from size XXXL to M

The star pictured pre weight loss in 2018

The comedian, who recently dropped from a size XXXL to an medium, put on a sophisticated display as he stepped out in a tailored two-piece ensemble.

He layered his suit over a crisp white shirt and a navy blue tie, patterned with a fun multi-coloured square design. as he showed off his slimmed down frame.

In April 2020, Matt admitted that he was keen to ‘get fitter’ during his time in lockdown, after feeling he had ‘put on a little bit of weight’.

He said: ‘The one thing I need to do is get fitter, I have put on a little bit of weight, that’s my next challenge to do a bit more exercise.

‘I might have to make a game of it when I go out an exercise to stay out of people’s way. I don’t have a garden so I have to find a way to do that.’

The funnyman was previously told to reduce his daily calorie intake to 1,500 by doctors over fears he may develop diabetes.

November 23, 2024
Idris Elba turns heads in a smart black tuxedo as he poses for photos on the red carpet at the star-studded Gladiator II premiere in London
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Idris Elba was all smiles as he posed on the star-studded red carpet at the Gladiator II premiere at Leicester Square in London on Wednesday night.

The actor cut a dapper figure in an eye catching black shirt which boasted a satin panel on the front.

Idris added a smart bow tie to the look and also wore a pair of black trousers and patent lace up shoes.

The Luther star beamed for cameras as he rocked greying facial hair and accessorised with a chunky watch.

Idris stopped to pose with Top Boy actor Riaze Foster, who dressed to impress for the night in a black tuxedo.

Idris Elba was all smiles as he posed on the star-studded red carpet at the Gladiator II premiere at Leicester Square in London on Wednesday night

The actor cut a dapper figure in an eye catching black shirt which boasted a satin panel on the front

Gladiator II stars Paul Mescal as the former heir to the Roman Empire Lucius Verus, who is forced into slavery and eventually pushed to fight in the Colosseum in an effort to restore glory.

Early review from critics have called Gladiator II the ‘best movie of the year’ and a ‘true epic’ as they hailed Paul and Denzel Washington’s performances.

With Russell Crowe’s legendary Maximus long-since dead and buried, it is vengeful Lucius (Paul) who must fight for his liberty in the film after being taken into slavery and ripped away from his wife and daughter by general Marcus (Pedro Pascal).

It comes after Idris revealed that he wants to settle in Africa within a decade.

The actor wishes to help bolster their film industry and is opening film studios in Zanzibar and Ghana’s capital Accra.

Idris – whose mother is from Ghana and father is from Sierra Leone – was born in Hackney in east London.

Last month, he told the BBC: ‘I would certainly consider settling down here — not even consider; it’s going to happen.

‘I think I’ll move in the next five, ten years, God willing. I’m here to bolster the film industry. That is a ten-year process. I won’t be able to do that from overseas. I need to be in-country, on the continent.’

Idris added a smart bow tie to the look and also wore a pair of black trousers and patent lace up shoes

Idris stopped to pose with Top Boy actor Riaze Foster, who dressed to impress for the night in a black tuxedo

Paul stars as the former heir to the Roman Empire Lucius Verus in the new blockbuster Gladiator II

‘I’m going to live in Accra, I’m going to live in Freetown [the capital of Sierra Leone], I’m going to live in Zanzibar. I’m going to try and go where they’re telling stories – that’s really important.’

He added that he thinks it is vital for Africans to play a key part in all areas of the film-making process including in financing, distribution and marketing.

He said that in the current sector if you watch films that have anything to do with Africa all you will see is ‘trauma, war, how we were slaves’ but that in reality if you travel there you see that that is not true.

In March Idris revealed plans to transform a remote island off the coast of Sierra Leone, the West African nation where his father was born, into an eco-friendly ‘smart city’.

The British star said he wants to make Sherbro Island an ‘afro-dynamic eco-city’ – an urban hub for the whole of Africa combining sustainability, community and economic growth.

Sherbro Alliance Partners (SAP) say the development will be done while protecting its ‘delicate ecosystem’, with the 230 sq mile island covered with mangrove forests and an important nesting site for sea turtles.

Home to just 40,000 people, most of whom work in fishing and rice farming, the actor hopes to cultivate economic growth and bring prosperity to the former British colony.

The development scheme has not got a specified budget but is likely to run into the billions of dollars, with SAP seeking out investment and Mr Elba admitting that it is a ‘big dream’.

‘Never in my lifetime would I have thought I could build the foundation for a new smart-city… I’m not qualified for that,’ he told the BBC. ‘But I am qualified to dream big.’

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Idris Elba turns heads in a smart black tuxedo as he poses for photos on the red carpet at the star-studded Gladiator II premiere in London
November 14, 2024
Andrew Scott supports ‘wonderful friend’ and All Of Us Strangers co-star Paul Mescal at his Gladiator II world premiere in London

Andrew Scott reunited with his All Of Us Strangers co-star Paul Mescal as he supported him at his Gladiator II world premiere in Leicester Square, London on Wednesday night.

The Irish actors couldn’t contain their smiles as they wrapped their arms around each other to pose for photos on the star-studded red carpet.

Andrew, 48, cut a cool figure in a blue and black cardigan which he paired with black trousers and coordinated slip on shoes.

Leading man Paul, 28, looked dapper in a black suit which he teamed with an open collar satin white shirt.

The pair looked in good spirits as they chatted away on the red carpet held at London’s Odeon Luxe.

Andrew Scott reunited with his All Of Us Strangers co-star Paul Mescal as he supported him at his Gladiator II world premiere in Leicester Square, London on Wednesday night

Paul and Andrew starred in the 2023 film All Of Us Strangers together (pictured)

Previously Andrew revealed how Paul played a pivotal role in helping him through a tough time after his beloved mother Nora died suddenly in March, right in the middle of the awards season spotlight.

‘I adore Paul, he’s so, so … continues to be …’ Andrew told The Sunday Times. ‘Obviously it’s been a tough time recently and he just continues to be a wonderful friend. It’s everything.’

‘The more I work in the industry, I realise, you make some stuff that people love and you make some stuff that people don’t like, and all really that you are left with is the relationships that you make. I love him dearly.’

All Of Us Strangers sees Andrew star as a screenwriter drawn back to his childhood home who enters into a fledgling relationship with a mysterious neighbor played by Paul.

The film is an adaptation of Taichi Yamada’s 1987 Japanese psychological novel Strangers.

Director Andrew Haigh previously said that Paul and Andrew were ‘fearless’ when filming their sex scenes in the new movie.

Speaking to Vanity Fair, he said: ‘There was chemistry between the two of them literally the second I saw them together.

‘Both of them were pretty fearless. There was no sense of them being afraid of approaching those scenes. They knew how important they were.’

The Irish actors couldn’t contain their smiles as they wrapped their arms around each other to pose for photos on the star-studded red carpet

Andrew, 48, cut a cool figure in a blue and black cardigan which he paired with black trousers and coordinated slip on shoes

While leading man Paul, 28, looked dapper in a black suit which he teamed with an open collar satin white shirt

The pair looked in good spirits as they chatted away on the red carpet held at London’s Odeon Luxe

Paul and Andrew were seen beaming as they chatted away before heading onto the red carpet for photos together

Paul stars as the former heir to the Roman Empire Lucius Verus in the new blockbuster Gladiator II.

The film follows Lucius Verus, the former heir to the Roman Empire who is forced into slavery and eventually pushed to fight in the Colosseum in an effort to restore glory.

Early review from critics have called Gladiator II the ‘best movie of the year’ and a ‘true epic’ as they hailed Paul and Denzel Washington’s performances.

With Russell Crowe’s legendary Maximus long-since dead and buried, it is vengeful Lucius (Paul) who must fight for his liberty in the film after being taken into slavery and ripped away from his wife and daughter by general Marcus (Pedro Pascal).

In a new interview with Variety Paul told how there was a scene towards the end of the film where a weary Lucius mounts a horse in hot pursuit of Macrinus.

Paul was keen to do his best for the action-packed moment and the other stunts so ‘trained for f***ing months’ – before Ridley changed his mind about the scene.

Paul told the publication: ‘Two weeks before the scene, Ridley says, ‘You’re not f***ing doing it,’ and I was like, ‘What the f**k?,’ and we had this argument.’

Ridley had decided to cut the scene due to some equine advice he had received on another movie

Paul added of the altercation: ‘I was pestering him constantly. And then the day before, he goes, ‘OK, you can do the stunt, but if you come off, it’s two Bentleys.’

Paul stars as the former heir to the Roman Empire Lucius Verus in the new blockbuster Gladiator II

He eventually pulled the move off in just a couple of takes.

It comes after last week Paul revealed he became so ripped he felt his body ‘could inflict real damage’ after his intense training sessions for Gladiator II.

The star explained that after working out with a fitness coach, riding horses and learning to fight, he began to feel strong and powerful.

Paul, who had no previous experience of body building or working out, transformed himself for the role in Ridley Scott’s film.

He told The Sun: ‘You start feeling like your body can inflict damage, which is weird.

‘It changes the way you move and operate. And that’s a fun kind of place to live when it’s make-believe.’

November 14, 2024