What's happened? I haven't been there for a few days so I didn't know anything had happened

Hope you're OK? There has been a minkski shaped hole in all social media.

There was the usual discussion about x-factor, which I never read since I don't watch it, then it obviously got really heated. Luke stepped in and declared his facebook group an x-factor free zone. For some reason a couple of people really took umbrage and went to another facebook group where they laid into him, the admins and the group generally. Eventually everyone who had been doing that was removed from the group, causing all kinds of hurt feelings on all sides; but I support the decision entirely.

It's funny because I've been checking out the new people over the past couple of weeks (in my unelected and entirely voluntary capacity as doorman or doorperson) and the total numbers have been going up and down and a few people have been newly added despite having been well-known names in the group. I thought it was just facebook playing up or people who'd previously deactivated their facebook profiles but now it seems there's been a bit of trouble for a while and eventually the admins decided that enough was enough.

Sad that it's come to this although there are plenty of nice, happy, genuine supporters of Luke left on the group. I'm over the moon with my card, it was a genuinely lovely gesture.

I hadn't noticed the numbers, but I know there is more of a background to all this than I saw. I thought Luke was a bit valiant last night when there was massive huffing and "who has dared?!!" type posts, and he posted "I did."

Shall we go over there and have a bitter fight about who killed the princes in the tower and see if anyone joins in? No I suppose it wouldn't be a very good time.

I'm really sad that the group has become so fragmented and hostile I agree, It was a very nice gesture of Luke to send everyone a the group Christmas cards.

I didn't remember that but I've checked again and yes it was when they said who has dared copy something from my group and Luke valiantly said it was me. I saw some stuff before where they were having a go at Luke banning discussion on the X Factor and how dare he tell them what they can and can't comment on - (a) it's his group and if he bans us from discussing cream cakes or reindeer because he doesn't like them then we should respect that decision and (b) it had already caused massive fall-outs. Some people are unbelievable but I am shocked at PS. I agree he is only young and I have a feeling he will regret his decision but saying that .Luke has his favourites and the rest are crap to him is totally uncalled for and simply untrue. I can't imagine any reality tv winner giving more of their time and energy to his supporters than Luke has and you get back what you put into the group as you do with any relationship.

I would imagine there has been a lot more going on behind the scenes than the bit that was posted. Shocking.

Aww thanks WD xx I'm fine btw, just needed to do some work LOL

I also don't watch X Factor, so have never read any of those threads, and how fickle are some people to lay into him for trying to stop squabbles?

I was thrilled (and surprised) to receive a Christmas card today from Luke and Becki- shame I was out at the time as my cat has made a good attempt at disemboweling it

I want to ask him if there's been any news on Simba, but I don't want to stir up any bad news.

Nothing's been said about Simba so far as I know so it doesn't look like he's back home. Shame about your card. Is it really bad?

LOL some bite marks and crumpled a bit grrrr

No, someone did ask Luke recently and he said he just hoped Simba had found another family to look after him, which cats are very good at.

I think things will be ok on facebook. All the negatives have been taken off now and people can go back to the normal smut and innuendo.

Well he actually has given up smoking. (Two weeks today). In spite of a LOT of stress and putting the worst picture I have EVER seen on facebook this morning, which cast a pall of deepest gloom over my working day, he hasn't given in. Considering how much he was smoking, I think that's a real achievement.

NOOOOOOOO! He should never give up. Pets can turn up months or years later. Poor little mog probably got disorientated with the house move and the holiday, then got spooked by the fireworks. Now it's starting to get cold he's going to struggle if he's gone feral.

Ah well, that's one of the reasons why I'm not a cat person. No loyalty.

Oh look, it's my 1000th post. I ought to use it to say something profound...

...erm...

...ahem...

...don't eat the yellow snow.









Oh and I frikkin love you lot.

Congrats on your 1000th post Val

I was in your neck of the woods yesterday- we should have arranged a meet

WD, I agree that picture was horrific glad all is well for the moment

That's profound enough for me. xx

♪♪ ♫ Congratulations, congratulations ♫ ♫ ♪♪

I'm starting to have a lot of sympathy for the surgeon, bearing in mind that a certain person doesn't seem to know what resting means. They let you out of hospital so that you can recover at home not so you can go running about the countryside and doing videos saying 'oh it's ok but I can't lift my arms up like this because it pulls' or something along those lines.

I realised some time ago when I hurt my back but had to go to a job interview that taking pain-killers has its downside .... doped up to the eyeballs I noticed I could pretty much do what I wanted without it hurting but it dawned on me that I still had to be careful because the damage was still there and I wanted the injury to heal. When someone is in enough pain to need to take a cocktail of painkillers then the chances are they should stay at home and rest, especially if they have had recent surgery. Let's hope Luke's learnt his lesson.

Oh and congratulations on your 1000th post Val

Let's hope even more that the scars stay neat this time. But yes, he doesn't seem to handle total inactivity very well. Bless him though messaging someone from A & E because he knew she had a tribunal next day and was worried.

He's been ordered to bed rest which is what he's doing, and he's cancelled the visit this weekend - so it looks like he's behaving himself

Hmmm, absolutely, though they would have a better chance if he would learn the meaning of resting. For someone who was alleged to be shown as a bore who spent all his time sitting smoking in the garden he does seem to be pretty blooming active, even when recovering from surgery (!)

I must admit when I saw that he said he needed to go running again, I was thinking 'running, I didn't know he was so active' then there was talk of Adam and the gym and I thought 'gym???!?', followed by the talk of the disappointment at the girly step exercisor thingy (you can tell it's not MY strong point) but now it seems he can't even sit still after a fairly big op and being in serious pain. You have to wonder how they managed to hide the fact that he is such a livewire so well in BB - not to mention WHY????

Me too. I hate it when people fall out. Fortunately most of the people I like the most in the group have stayed on the same side.

yes, it was hard for some people. Like when your friends have a bad divorce. As I always feel an extra bond with the DS people, let's not fall out with each other.

Luke used to run for his school - I think even for his county btw. And in one of his interviews he said he got on well at school up to a certain age because he was sporty. (It obviously went downhill after that, because he said he and his sixth form friends were outsiders just like on BB).

I do too WD xx

I think also we have the thread here, so we sort of got familiar with each other beforehand anyway

I feel an extra bond too with the DS people- but then we can actually like people (unlike some of the DS lot who don't seem to really like anybody) and at least be fair to those we don't because we're awesome

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