Ricky Gervais, Greg James, and Aymeric Laporte are among the famous names to react after Twitter blue ticks are removed.
In case you missed it, Twitter CEO Elon Musk confirmed last week that all celebrities, public figures, and other ‘legacy verified’ accounts were to be stripped of their blue tick verification symbols on Thursday 20 April, unless they pay for the newly-launched “premium subscription service” Twitter Blue.
The social media platform first introduced the now-famous ‘blue tick’ verification symbol all the way back in 2009 so that individuals, businesses, organisations, and accounts of notability could prove their identity – but in recent months, after the highly-publicised takeover by multi-billionaire founder and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, Elon Musk, Twitter users will have likely noticed the colour of a lot of these verification symbols for certain official accounts changing from blue to grey/silver and gold.
At the start of 2023, Twitter began rolling out a grey tick verification mark for government-related accounts, and a golden tick mark for companies.
The classic ‘blue tick’, according to a statement on the Twitter website, was then left to mean that the account was either ‘legacy verified’, or that the account has an active subscription to Twitter Blue and meets the platform’s eligibility requirements.
Although Musk’s past antics and previous comments may have lead many to questioning whether or not he was serious about the date blue ticks would be removed, it was, in fact, genuine as hundreds of thousands of accounts began losing their verifications yesterday.
And lots of celebrities had something to say about it.
I lost my blue tick but your rocket blew up so who’s the real loser
Comedian and actor Ricky Gervais, BBC Radio 1 presenter Greg James, Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte, and Game of Thrones actor John Bradley were among some of the famous names to take to Twitter to tweet their hilarious reactions to the loss of their blue ticks.
“I lost my blue tick but your rocket blew up so who’s the real loser,” Greg James said comically, pointing to the failed SpaceX rocket launch attempt only a few hours earlier.
Ricky Gervais shared one of his well-known bathtub pictures with the caption: “My blue tick has gone. I’m not sure if I’m really me or not.”
Aymeric Laporte seemed a bit confused with his reaction: “Damn Elon what did u do lol”, while John Bradley took a moment to look ahead to Manchester United‘s then-upcoming UEFA Europa League match with his tweet: “Blue tick may have gone but it could be worse. At least United are still in the Europa League.
“This tweet could have a shelf life of 2 sweet hours.”
And he was right as that obviously didn’t age well considering the Reds were defeated, quite spectacularly, by Sevilla 0-3 last night.
Halle Berry, Henry Winkler, Ciara, and Finneas are among the other famous names to tweet their reactions.
Walkers launches TWO new permanent crisp flavours for the first time in decades
Emily Sergeant
Walkers has launched two new crisp flavours to its permanent lineup for the first time in decades.
We all know the legendary crisp manufacturers have been no strangers to bringing out weird and wonderful concoctions and collaborations over the years – with Marmite, spicy tomato ketchup, fish and chips, steak and ale pie, and even Christmas pudding being just some of the foods turned into crisp form by the company over the years.
These limited-edition Walkers flavours usually have shoppers flocking to their nearest supermarket to stock up before they sell out.
But this time, there’s no need to dash, as these two new flavours are staying for good.
Walkers has launched two new permanent crisp flavours for the first time in decades / Credit: The Manc Group | Mustafa Bashari (via Unsplash)
It’s been a long time – decades, in fact – since Walkers announced permanent crisp flavours that would be stocked on UK shop shelves for years to come, but all that’s set to change, and we have a feeling they’re going to be pretty well-received.
Inspired by the authentic flavours of Japan and India, the two new Walkers crisp flavours are Sticky Teryaki and Chicken Masala.
These new additions come following a year of ‘rigorous’ testing of 63 different potentials, and Walkers said its research and development team finally landed on two flavours that are ‘so delicious’, they simply ‘had to be added’ to the permanent lineup.
The new Sticky Teriyaki flavour provides a balance between sweet and tangy, and it’s sure to hit your senses with an array of flavours from Japan.
The new Masala Chicken, on the other hand, packs a punch of flavour and provides the rich and spicy taste that makes Tikka Masala a firm favourite dish in the UK.
“Our development team has been on a mission for the past year to find two new flavours that meet the highest standards,” commented Wayne Newton, who is the Senior Marketing Director at Walkers, ahead of the crisps being launched.
“After thousands of crisps crunched, flavours tested, and bags rustled, we’re pleased to bring something entirely new to the table”.
Walkers’ new Sticky Teriyaki and Masala Chicken crisps are available to buy now in stores across the UK, so keep your eyes peeled.
Featured Image – Esperanza Doronila (via Unsplash)
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Britain’s top five neighbour ‘red flags’ revealed in an eye-opening new survey
Emily Sergeant
The top five ‘red flags’ of neighbours have been revealed, according to an eye-opening new survey of hundreds of Brits.
In an ideal world, we’d all be friendly with those on our street – but despite everyone’s best intentions, it doesn’t always work out that way, as the dream can begin to unravel once you find out the neighbours aren’t quite what you hoped for.
It’s no secret that who lives next door can shape your day-to-day life, regardless of whether you own or rent your home.
Unlike a dodgy paint colour or a bathroom that’s is need of some modernisation, neighbours aren’t really that easy to change.
Britain’s top five neighbour ‘red flags’ have been revealed in a hilarious new survey / Credit: James Feaver (via Unsplash)
But what exactly is it that really gets under Brits’ skin when it comes to their neighbours? In a bid to find out, Rightmove conducted a new survey and asked members of its research panel, Living Room, to share the neighbourly habits that raise the biggest ‘red flags’ in their books.
The number one neighbour red flag was discovered to be those who ask to borrow your WiFi password if theirs isn’t working or is yet to be installed, with 87% of survey respondents calling it a ‘no-go’, saying it’s not just cheeky, but can also slow down your connection too, meaning you’re left buffering when you don’t need to be.
So-called ‘bin offenders’ take the second spot. You know, those with overflowing bins spilling onto the street? Seven in 10 Brits say it’s a major red flag.
‘Parking pinchers’ take the third spot, with more than half of people (51%) said they’d be unhappy if a neighbour took their parking spot, 71% saying they are irritated by people parking outside their homes, and 70% disliking it when non-residents use their street.
70% of Brits say nosy neighbours are a ‘real issue’, meaning so-called curtain twitching is a red flag, and then 38% say knocking on or inviting round for a surprise cuppa is a ‘boundary-crossing’ move, as peace and quiet matters and unexpected visits can ‘throw off your home’s calm’.
Rightmove also found that 59% of Brits considering a moving to an area will drive by the property at different times of the day and week to check the ‘vibe’, and 43% will check local community groups for neighbour disputes that may apply.
58% say they are open to new areas if it means better neighbours.
Emily Sergeant -
21st April 2023 
