GREAT British Bake Off star John Mincher was fired by Lloyds bank after a fraud investigation led to him being accused of stealing thousands of pounds.

The TV wannabe — named star baker in the new series’ first episode last week — was marched out over claims he misused a system intended to pay compensation to customers.

Eroteme

Channel 4 / Love Productions

John Mincher on Bake Off with host Alison Hammond last week[/caption]

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John sharing a celebrity snap with singer Britney Spears[/caption]

Ex-colleagues of the 37-year-old — now an NHS co-ordinator — were stunned to see him on the Channel 4 show.

One said: “This was about seven years ago but I could not believe it when I saw him on Bake Off. I almost spat out my tea. Loads of people remember what happened.

“When he was sacked, it happened in a very dramatic fashion.

“They hauled him into an office. He was accused of going into a system used to pay compensation to customers.

“The bosses accused him of stealing thousands. He was marched out of the office immediately.

“John was a manager and was popular. A lot of people were shocked and upset he was sacked.”

Mincher headed a complaints unit at Lloyds HQ in Pendeford, Wolverhampton, near his home.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqAne7bl9gW/?hl=en

Mincher was sacked from his office job role at Lloyds bank[/caption]

Simon Jones

His former workplace in Wolverhampton, where he was accused of stealing thousands of pounds[/caption]

Channel 4 / Mark Bourdillon

John with his fellow contestants on the latest series of Great British Bake Off[/caption]

TV insiders said it did not come up in pre-show checks as police were not involved.

And they said he could not now be edited out of the pre-recorded show. They said: “Show bosses will not be happy.”

The margarita-loving contestant wept with joy when show judge Paul Hollywood shook his hand and crowned him star baker on last Tuesday’s show.

Speaking later, he said: “I don’t want to cry, but I’m so proud of myself and they are good tears.”

Mincher, who last week joked with presenter Alison Hammond, has also posted snaps from gigs by Britney Spears and Beyoncé.

He did not respond to attempts to contact him. Lloyds declined to comment.

The show said: “Bake Off undertakes robust background checks which are a compulsory requirement for contributors to be able to participate in the programme.”

DO you need to stage a saving this week?

Now is the perfect time to book your next theatre trip, with new West End show tickets released for the winter season.

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Use these tricks to plan your visit.

EARLY BIRD: Many new shows offer discounted rates for early performances.

For instance, Titanique, a musical based on the Titanic film, starts in December with tickets from £16 for initial performances, rising to around £31 in January.

GO OFF-PEAK: Booking Monday or Tuesday shows often means cheaper tickets since most tourists visit on weekends.

Matinees outside school holidays also offer lower prices — check if your chosen production has this option.

DISCOUNT DEALS: NHS staff can get 25 per cent off ATG tickets or 10 per cent off via LoveTheatre.co.uk.

Check healthservicediscounts.com for more offers.

If you have a railcard, you can claim discounts for theatre trips booked with train travel — check availability at DaysOutGuide.tixculture.com.

MORE THE MERRIER: Round up a few friends and book as a group to get money off your next theatre trip.

For instance, booking ten-plus tickets for Mrs Doubtfire in the West End drops the price to £49.50 per ticket, down from around £57.50.

Many theatres offer group rates for 6 to 12-plus people if you check with the theatre directly.

LOTTERY WIN: Some major productions offer daily lotteries for discounted or even free tickets. Hamilton holds a regular lottery via the TodayTix app, where you can win tickets for £10.

Also, follow your favourite shows on social media, where competitions for free tickets are often posted.

ACCESS FOR ALL: If you’re on low income or universal credit, many theatres offer heavily discounted rates.

National Theatre of Scotland’s Theatre for a Fiver programme gives access to £5 tickets, just check local theatre websites for more options.

• All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.

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FOOTBALL fans can mark their calendars, as the latest version of the tactical game that lets you manage your own team now has its release date confirmed.

Much like EA Sports FC, Football Manager receives a new version every year, featuring the latest player database and gameplay enhancements.

Football Manager 25 will be released on November 26, 2024, for PC, Xbox consoles, PS5, and mobile devices.

Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will be able to jump into the game on day one at no additional cost, as it will be included in Microsoft’s subscription.

The mobile version of FM25 is launching as a Netflix exclusive, so subscribers of the streaming service will also be able to download it for free on iOS and Android devices.

Nintendo Switch players will have to wait a bit longer, as the FM25 Touch version of the game is coming on December 3.

Pre-orders for FM25 are now open for the PC and Mac versions, while console players will be able to pre-purchase at a later date.

The game costs £44.99 / $59.99 on PC, but buying it in advance will save you 10%.

Football Manager 25 is the biggest update for the series, as the upcoming version has been rebuilt using a new game engine.

FM25 will also bring women’s football to the game for the first time, alongside a revamped user interface and a brand-new Matchday experience.

Football Manager’s next instalment promises vastly improved visuals and realistic player animations for a more immersive feel during matches.

The developers have also outlined an FM25 pre-launch roadmap as they unveil all the game’s new and improved features over the coming weeks.

FM24 players will be able to carry over their progress into the new game, and for the first time save transfers will be available for the mobile version, too.

If you’re looking for more upcoming games, check out the biggest game releases for October 2024.

TODAY executives haven’t given up on keeping Hoda Kotb on the show, and are begging her to stay despite her exit announcement. 

A source exclusively told The U.S. Sun that NBC higher-ups still believe they can stop Hoda from leaving the morning show altogether.

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A source told The U.S. Sun that NBC execs are still trying to convince Hoda Kotb, with Jenna Bush Hager on air, to stay on at Today even if it’s only one day a week[/caption]

NBC

Hoda tearfully announced her upcoming departure on Today last week[/caption]

“There are negotiations in the works with pleas for her to do one day a week, like Barbara Walters once did on The View,” the source said.

“That’s why she’s been very vague about when she’s leaving and what she’s doing next. They’re still figuring it out.

“She wants to do prime-time specials like Diana Sawyer does for ABC. This isn’t the last we have seen of Hoda.”

The insider also took issue with a Puck report that Hoda, 60, was asked to take a pay cut. The outlet reported the alleged cut was the real reason behind her exit at Today.

“That’s not true, they are begging her to stay. Plus, Hoda has never cared about money. She’s not flashy.”

MORE THAN MONEY

An insider previously said NBC execs had been trying to convince Hoda to stay on full-time at Today, but she “just didn’t want to do it.”

“Hoda feels at 60 years old, morning TV is a young person’s game,” the source said, adding that a 4am wakeup time “messes up your whole life.”

They added that it came down to wanting more time with her girls and finding love again.

ALL ABOUT THE GIRLS

The single mother of two has wanted to dedicate more time to her adopted daughters, Hope, 5, and Haley, 7.

They explained that with the hours that come with Today, by the time her daughters get out of school she’s just “completely wiped.”

They also added that last year, when her youngest daughter, Hope, fell ill and was hospitalized “everything changed for her with her views on work.”

Frighteningly, Hoda’s daughter was hospitalized in February 2023, though the host has not disclosed the nature of her illness.

At the crux of Hoda’s decision to leave Today was her struggle to find a manageable work-life balance.

The insider claimed that doing morning TV is akin to being an athlete, and that “your whole life revolves around it.”

Adding to the conflicting scheduling pressures is that Hoda’s 8pm bedtime became earlier than her daughters’ now that they are no longer toddlers.

HODA’S NEXT ACT 

“Hoda has been in talks about her departure with NBC for about a year.”

Hoda will be changing gears to special correspondent work and interviewing celebrities in long-format segments, they added.

She will continue recording her podcast, Making Space, and the accomplished children’s author will also continue writing books, according to the insider.

In her announcement, Hoda said she will wrap up her time at Today in early 2025.

Instgram/hodakotb

Hoda Kotb said she wants to give her daughters, Hope and Haley, more of her “time pie”[/caption]

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Hoda Kotb announced she was leaving Today and told fans her run on the show is over in 2025[/caption]

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Hoda Kotb told Today Show fans she is expected to wrap up her time at Today in 2025 (pictured on the show)[/caption]

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Motonmori Kekere-Ekun, has revealed that a total of 2,398 financial crime convictions were recorded in the judiciary between January 2, 2024, and August 2, 2024, by anti-graft agencies. Kekere-Ekun disclosed this on Monday, September 30, 2024, while making her first official statement at the 2024/2025 legal year of …

By Madison Burgess Published: 2:06 PM EDT, September 30, 2024 | Updated: 2:33 PM EDT, September 30, 2024 Advertisement Phillip Schofield returns to television tonight on Channel 5’s Cast Away, more than a year after resigning from ITV’s This Morning following an ‘ill-advised’ affair with a junior colleague. The 62-year-old broadcaster will be stranded on […]

By Germania Rodriguez Poleo, Chief US Reporter Published: 1:56 PM EDT, September 30, 2024 | Updated: 2:33 PM EDT, September 30, 2024 A dead baby was found in the bathroom of a Manhattan restaurant on Monday. The newborn’s body was discovered at Sophie’s Cuban Cuisine in the city’s financial district. Police responded to the scene […]

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