Entertainment

Tom Fletcher And Amy Dowden Test Positive For Covid

Strictly pair Tom Fletcher and Amy Dowden test positive for Covid

Strictly Come Dancing has been disrupted by Covid-19 just one week into the new series, with a couple set to miss the next live show after testing positive for the virus.

Musician Tom Fletcher and his professional partner Amy Dowden, who together earned a score of 21 for their Cha Cha during Strictly’s opening show on Saturday, have been forced to self-isolate.

The pair tested positive for Covid-19, the BBC has announced, and will miss next week’s live show after managing just one dance without disruption.

The announcement follows recent controversy surrounding Strictly sparked by reports that some professional dancers on the show have refused to be vaccinated.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently weighed in on the issue and urged dancers, who are subject to a strict regime of testing, to be jabbed.

The BBC has refused to comment on the vaccination status of those taking part in this year’s series of Strictly, and it is not known whether Fletcher and Dowden have been vaccinated or not.

It is still possible for those who have been double-jabbed to get Covid-19 if they are exposed to the virus.

‘They will return the following week’

A statement from the BBC said that Fletcher and Dowden “are now self-isolating separately following the latest government guidelines”.

It added: “While they will both miss Saturday’s live show, Strictly Come Dancing protocols mean that all being well, they will return the following week.”

The announcement was made on Sunday just hours after McFly frontman Fletcher said he was pulling out of a gig in Glasgow due to feeling “unwell”.

Fletcher had successfully performed a Cha Cha to September by Earth, Wind and Fire on Saturday evening during the first live show of the new Strictly series, in which no couples are voted off.

He and Downden will miss the first truly competitive show next weekend, when the public are able to vote off one of the bottom two couples on the leaderboard. It is not clear how their points score will be calculated.

Safety concerns

Safety concerns had reportedly been raised among the cohort of competitors this year after two professionals were alleged to have refused the Covid-19 vaccine, sparking fears that an outbreak could halt the show and undermine the rigorous health protocols in place.

Contestants are required to isolate in a Covid bubble in a hotel near the Strictly studio and submit to a regime of frequent testing.

It was reported that prior to pairings being announced, celebrities had protested against the allegedly unvaccinated dancers and refused to be coupled with them.

The BBC denied that there were any safety fears among those taking part, stating that: “It is not the case that concerns have been raised with the BBC or the Strictly production team from dancers or celebrities about vaccination, or that they have threatened to quit.

“We have in place strict procedures to protect those on the show and the wider production. Among the many measures in place on Strictly, the dancers are tested regularly to be in close contact with their partners.

The statement added that: “A lot has been written about vaccinations and Strictly in recent days. The BBC has never commented nor confirmed the vaccination status of anyone on the show. It’s not our place to.”

‘Everyone is free to do whatever they want’

Professional dancer Gorka Márquez has commented on the alleged row among Strictly stars, saying in regard to being jabbed that “everyone is free to do whatever they want”.

He added on Lorraine that: “You go in the streets right now and some people might be vaccinated and some people might not.”

The Spanish dancer explained that the BBC had introduced: “Lots of testing, lots of trying to keep everyone distanced and safe [while in] the studio.”

Representatives of Fletcher and Downden have been contacted for comment.

Entertainment

Court dismisses Iyabo Ojo’s N1bn defamation suit against Lizzy Anjorin

A Lagos High Court sitting in Osborne, Ikoyi, has dismissed a N1 billion defamation suit filed by Nollywood actress Iyabo Ojo against her colleague, Lizzy Anjorin.

Justice Olabisi Akinlade, who presided over the matter, held that the suit was incompetent due to procedural defects and a fundamental flaw in the originating processes. The court also ordered Ojo’s lawyer, Dr. Olabimpe Ajegbomogun, to pay N500, 000 to Anjorin’s lawyer, Barrister Ademola Olabiyi.

The case, marked LD/ADR/5292/2023, was instituted by Iyabo Ojo, who sought N1 billion in damages for alleged defamation. However, Anjorin’s counsel, Olabiyi, filed a preliminary objection, arguing that the suit failed to comply with mandatory pre-action protocols required under the Lagos State High Court Civil Procedure Rules.

Key among the objections was that the Statement of Compliance with Pre-Action Protocol (Form 01) accompanying the Writ of Summons was unsigned by Ojo’s counsel. Olabiyi contended that this omission rendered the suit null and void. He also highlighted that the Writ itself did not strictly follow the format prescribed by the court rules and lacked proper endorsement of the reliefs sought.

The defence further submitted that the unsigned documents in the court file and the absence of a Certified True Copy (CTC) raised concerns about the legitimacy of the processes filed by Ojo. Olabiyi noted that a search of the court file on April 2, 2024, revealed that the original copy of the Writ was unsigned and that the copy filed by the claimant in her counter-affidavit was an uncertified photocopy.

In response, Iyabo Ojo’s counsel argued that the procedural objections did not affect the substance of the suit and urged the court to discountenance the technicalities raised by the defence. The counter-affidavit claimed the Writ was properly signed and that any errors could be amended before the trial commenced.

However, Justice Akinlade ruled that the failure to sign the original Writ of Summons at the time of filing was a fatal defect. The judge noted that the certified copy obtained by Anjorin’s counsel confirmed that the Writ was unsigned when the suit was filed and assigned to the court.

Entertainment

Mohbad: Lagos Coroner’s Court orders prosecution of auxiliary nurse for unlawful medical practice

The Lagos State Coroner’s Court sitting in Ikorodu, has recommended the criminal prosecution of auxiliary nurse Feyisayo Ogedengbe over the d3ath of singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad.

Delivering the court’s findings on Friday, July 11, 2025, Magistrate C.A. Shotobi held that the nurse acted with gross negligence by administering an injection on the singer without a doctor’s prescription.

Although the court ruled out foul play or homicide in the case, it held that the actions of the nurse were both “unlawful and professionally negligent.”

“In pursuant to section 29 of the coroner laws of Lagos State, this court recommends that the prosecution of the unlicensed medical personnel by the office of the Director of Public Prosecution should commence appropriate prosecution against Felicia Ogedengbe for unlawful medical practice and gross negligence,” the magistrate said.

Recall that Ogedengbe was arrested following the singer’s d3ath under controversial circumstances on September 11, 2023.

Testifying before Justice C.A. Shotobi at the Coroner’s Court in March 2025, she disclosed that the rapper had a reaction and started vomiting after she administered a tetanus injection to him.

Entertainment

Veteran actor, Tom Njeamanze battles prostate cancer, solicits financial assistance

Veteran actor Tom Njeamanze is currently fighting for his life after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Footage shared by producer Stanley Ontop on Instagram shows the ailing actor hospitalised, connected to an oxygen cylinder and intravenous drips.

The producer shared the actor’s bank details and urged fans and well-wishers to contribute, emphasising that “nothing is too small” to save the legend’s life.

“Hello guys, one of our Nollywood legends is sick and needs urgent surgery. Sir Tom Njamanze has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and he needs your support to undergo surgery,” he wrote.

“Nothing is too small, fams. Help our legend live again.”

The post sparked an outpouring of support, with fans offering prayers and calling for intervention from the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN).

Many lamented the lack of structural support for aging actors in Nollywood.

Njemanze began his acting career in the 1990s and is known for his standout performances in several films, including ‘Tokunboh’, ‘Pounds and Dollars’, ‘Atosa’, ‘Issakaba’, ‘Osuofia in London’, ‘Brain Box’, and ‘Igbotic Love’.

In February, Ontop also appealed for financial assistance to cover the medical expenses of veteran actor John Amaefule, who was diagnosed with cancer.

He revealed that the actor suffered a stroke on the left side of his brain, which led to weakness on the right side of his body. Thecable.