The Sun Newspaper

IN just a few weeks Guy Ritchie and Jason ­Statham will start work on their new movie, Viva La ­Madness.

And I can exclusively reveal the gangster flick is getting a very special supporting character — in the form of Vinnie Jones.

The trio last worked together in the amazing 2000 film Snatch and now former footballer Vinnie is going to be front and centre in the new movie alongside Jason.

A source said: “Viva La Madness is writer J.J. Connolly’s sequel to Layer Cake but the film is going to be a standalone production.

“Guy is thrilled to be back at the helm. And to have Jason on board, as well as Vinnie, is going to make for cinematic gold.

“This project feels so brilliantly British. It’s going to be loud, fast and unapologetically patriotic.

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“Jason and Vinnie are so brilliant together on screen and everyone working on the film was thrilled to hear that Vinnie had signed up.”

‘Come a long way’

I’m told the exact details of the plot are being kept under wraps but it’s expected to closely follow J.J.’s novel.

The book returns to the story of the shady anonymous drug dealer — played by Daniel Craig in the film of Layer Cake — who is pulled back into the criminal underworld after hoping to retire.

But this time, the deals get more risky — with high-level electronic fraud and a bit of money laundering for good measure.

It’s not surprising that Guy has brought Vinnie on board for the film, after casting him in the next series of his Netflix hit, The Gentleman.

Guy previously admitted he and Jason credited ­Vinnie for helping them when times were tough — before they made it big with Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels in 1998.

He said: “Vinnie was ­forever paying for taxis when Statham and I had no money.”

“We’ve come a long way since Lock, Stock.”

I absolutely loved Layer Cake so I cannot wait to watch Viva La Madness.

SEQUIN WHEN YOU’RE WINNING

MARIAH CAREY went into 2026 on Cloud Nine after her performance on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve went off without a hitch.

Nine years ago, the superstar was on the very same stage when she was hit by technical difficulties, meaning she was off-beat when lip syncing.

It got so bad that Mariah stopped pretending to sing, and said: “It is what it is. It just don’t get any better,” before stomping off stage.

This time around, fans watching in New York had a far better time, with Mariah – who wore a tiny pink dress adorned with sequins – sailing through her performance of her 2009 song, Obsessed.

Host Rita Ora stayed cosy in a leopard print coat as temperatures plunged to -2C in the Big Apple, while over in Las Vegas, Demi Lovato was on top form for Dick Clark’s Sin City gig.

She took to the stage in a shimmering sheer jumpsuit alongside stars including Diana Ross, Post Malone and 50 Cent.

BUSY SIAN: I’M NOT WEDDY YET

THIS Morning and Capital Breakfast DJ Sian Welby got engaged to radio producer Jake Beckett two years ago, but they are still no closer to walking down the aisle.

When asked her if she has made any headway with preparations, Sian – who gave birth to daughter Ruby in June 2024 – admitted: “No, it’s an absolute shambles. I’ve honestly not got any brain capacity for wedding planning.

“I think what we’re doing: having a baby who’s waking up in the night, teething, the 4am alarms . . .  combine that with trying to see friends and family up in the Midlands and the thought of trying to plan a wedding is quite daunting.

“I don’t want to be that person that’s engaged for years and years and I would love a big wedding, but it’s everything. Even the guest list fills me with anxiety.”

BACK IN THE PINK AFTER OP

THE brilliant Pink has told fans she spent New Year’s Eve in hospital having surgery on her neck.

Sharing a snap of herself from her hospital bed on Instagram, the So What singer, below, said: “I end the year giving reverence to, paying attention to, and to fixing my body.

“It may not be a fancy face lift, but I am getting two new shiny discs in my neck.

“A new scar – a reminder that I appreciate this vessel that I have and use it for all it’s worth.

“Rock ’n’ roll is a contact sport. And as I sit here by myself on New Year’s Eve in a hospital room while my family is happily snowboarding, I know that 2026 is going to be better because that is the choice that I have made.”

AFTER I revealed the Rolling Stones had cancelled their plans for a UK and European tour this year, Ronnie WOod says he just won’t be sitting at home and ­twiddling his thumbs.

Speaking at Jools Holland‘s Hootenanny, the guitar whizz said: “I just wanna play all the time, or paint. I have a big exhibition planned for the end of 2026 in Germany.”

NEW PIRATES? IT DEPPENDS

THE fate of the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise now rests in Johnny Depp‘s hands, it seems.

Talk of a sixth film has been swirling for years since the last instalment, Dead Men Tell No Tales, in 2017.

Now, actor Kevin McNally, who played seaman Joshamee Gibbs, has revealed the script is with Johnny, who starred as Jack Sparrow.

In an exclusive chat, Kevin said: “I would love to do a new Pirates movie. The only problem is that there are two realities in the world. There is reality, and there is social media.

“As far as social media is concerned, I started filming yesterday. As far as reality is concerned, tumbleweed, but I would love to be part of that again.

“The last two films weren’t great, but for me, if Johnny thinks it’s good enough and wants to do it, I will be there.”

While Kevin waits for the call, he is busy directing and starring in new sitcom Ketchup.

The series is based on author Joe Cawley’s More Ketchup Than Salsa memoirs and will follow a hapless British couple who attempt to run a bar on the Costa del Sol.

WEDDING row couple Adam Peaty and Holly Ramsay gifted 200 guests a £190-a-pop engraved bottle of tequila and commemorative t-shirt.

The generous duo spent around £40,000 on the presents to thank invitees for their “love and support”.

They felt indebted to those who attended their nuptials for sustaining them amid the bitter feud which led to most of the Olympian’s family being banned.

The Sun can also reveal the touching service details at Bath Abbey, where they tied the knot on December 27.

Hymns included Come Down O Love Divine and one of the readings was Psalm 127, which tells of the blessings of children – a hint that the couple are keen to start their own family.

‘Incredibly generous’

A source told The Sun: “Holly and Adam were incredibly generous to their guests, lavishing them all with a bottle of tequila embossed their own initials.

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“And guests were also presented with a cute t-shirt, showing the couple driving in a car and waving in glee as they start their life journey together.

“The t-shirt had the date of the wedding on it and was a wonderful memento for everyone.

“The bride and groom really pushed the boat out. No matter the turbulence behind the scenes they wanted the wedding to be perfect. And it was.”

The Sun told how proud father of the bride Gordon Ramsay told guests he’d spent £50,000 on flowers for their big day.

And we revealed how the TV chef waded into the family feud in a fiery speech – insisting his wife would now be Mum to both newlyweds.

Gordon stunned guests when he addressed the furore head on, and slated his son-in-law’s parents.

He said his missus Tana is an “amazing Mum” – adding he can’t say the same about Adam’s parents.

But he said of the happy couple: “Tana will be a good mum to them both.”

In an emotional speech to 200 guests at the celebrity couple’s wedding feast, Gordon had another sly dig at Adam’s estranged folks.

Gordon gushed how “beautiful” his daughter and wife Tana looked – pointing out to Adam he was a “lucky man”.

He addressed his son-in-law: “Look at Tana and that’s what you have to look forward to.”

Then the chef turned to bride Holly and added: “Shame you don’t have the same.”

He lovingly mocked his daughter’s expensive tastes – calling her easily the “most expensive” of his four kids.

Gord had the crowd in hysterics as he revealed how at a young age Holly worked out how to attach his credit card to her Apple pay.

Holly has always wanted to do Vogue, so this is a coup for her.

Source

And the guests roared as he joked how his three other children will have to get married in a registry office due to the extortionate cost of the wedding flowers alone.

Gordon teased his daughter about their Bath Abbey wedding ceremony, laughing at how, “only Holly could pick the most beautiful church and choose to cover its stunning windows in white roses”.

The Sun revealed how stunning Holly – who wore a bridal cape over her wedding dress as she arrived and left the ceremony at Bath Abbey – will be showing the dress off in Vogue magazine, published on New Year’s Day.

A source added: “Holly has always wanted to do Vogue, so this is a coup for her.”

In his own speech at the glittering reception, thrilled groom Adam subtly acknowledged the pain caused by the bitter bust-up with his own family.

He poignantly turned to Mel Marshall, 43, his ex-swimming coach who has acted as his surrogate parent during his dazzling career.

Tearful Adam gushed how Mel has been “everything” to him – “grounding” him and “inspiring” him in recent years. And after an emotional pause the sportsman added she was, “like a Mum”.

Tellingly Adam thanked everyone for their “support”, adding how it has been a “difficult time”.

The bride had guests dabbing their eyes in emotion after wearing two outfits at their extravagant reception at plush Kin House in Kington Langley, Wilts.

One was her mother’s wedding gown when Tana tied the knot with Gordon in 1996.

A DJ announced the special tribute, sparking a spontaneous round of applause from thrilled onlookers.

Among the guests were David and Victoria Beckham – close pals of the Ramsays – and the A-lister couple danced the night away with all the other guests.

Mobile phones were banned throughout, with guests forced to put them in pouches.

Everyone invited to the nuptials was forced to wear a wristband, embossed with the bride and groom’s initials, to ensure security staff knew they were not interlopers.

I hope you never suffer the depth of pain you have put your mother through and despite it all she loves you still.

Adam’s aunt Louise

And a wedding gift list included a £1,450 green egg outdoor cooker.

The couple also invited guests to buy them a £995 mahogany table, £800 chair and footstool, and £450 log storage bin.

Adam, who turned 31 yesterday, and Holly, 25, banned his loved ones, including his mum Caroline, dad Mark and brothers James and Richard.

The family were left even more distraught amid claims Mark was told by the swimmer’s sister Beth before Christmas he could attend, but had to sit at the back of the church.

Beth was the only member of his family in attendance. She was a maid of honour alongside Holly’s sisters.

Adam had disinvited his great-aunt Janet and her husband Eddie just days before the wedding.

‘Her soul screams’

Adam’s aunt Louise, who was also not invited to the wedding, sent him a message moments before he walked into the abbey with his five-year-old son George, from a previous relationship.

She wrote: “I hope you never suffer the depth of pain you have put your mother through and despite it all she loves you still. Shame on you both. Shame.

“Remember on this, your happiest day, and on each anniversary of your happiest day, that you hurt your mum so deeply her soul screams.”

But a source close to the Ramsays revealed to The Sun that Adam has blocked all of his estranged family – so didn’t receive or read the message.

His family were further enraged when he publicly changed his social media profiles after the ceremony to add ‘Ramsay’ to his surname.

Adam’s mum had intended to watch the wedding from the street, despite being disinvited, but decided against it.

Their feud exploded after she was not invited to Holly’s hen do.

It then escalated when Adam later called cops after his brother James allegedly made threats via text while was on the groom’s stag do.

HEIDI Klum is up to her gold tricks as she takes a dip in the sea in a shiny bikini.

The 52-year-old model was pictured enjoying the sun, sea and sand in the Caribbean island of St Barts.

She was also seen holding hands with her musician husband Tom Kaulitz, 36.

Kaulitz is a German musician who has been dating Heidi since March 2018.

The pair were first spotted together on 14 March leaving Delilah in West Hollywood.

Last month, The Sun told how Heidi and fellow model Stella Maxwell took a pet dog for walkies on the catwalk.

SILVER SIRENS

Heidi Klum, 52, and Stella Maxwell, 35, stun in silver as they film on beach

HELLO HEIDI!

Heidi Klum goes topless in just thong bikini bottoms on St Barts beach

The pair were both glammed up in silver while strutting with Stella’s pet Trip, a chihuahua terrier mix.

They were on set filming for Germany’s Next Topmodel series in LA.

Heidi wore a plunging gown with a see-through skirt, while Stella, 35, was in a slashed minidress.

Stella calls Trip her “most treasured possession”.

A week previously, Heidi changed tack and joined forces with Robbie Williams at the World Cup 2026 draw in Washington DC.

She donned two different dresses, switching up from a red sparkling number to a black blouse and diamante skirt.

She hosted the World Cup draw alongside comedian Kevin Hart and actor Danny Ramirez at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC.

And the supermodel, who previously took part in the 2006 tournament draw in her native Germany, was among the first names on the red carpet.

As Heidi switched into a third dress for the actual draw ceremony – this being a glittering gold number – things seemingly went downhill.

KIM Kardashian looks like she’s ready to plunge into 2026.

The reality TV star and businesswoman, 45, wore a daring £60 bodysuit from her Skims range.

She said it gives the impression the wearer is “not wearing a bra and is naked underneath”.

Kim told her online followers it was her “favourite hack in the entire world”.

She added: “I used to use tape.

“There is a time and a place but this is a low plunge and the back can go in so many ways and gives you a lift.”

Kim shared a rare snap with all four of her kids in a sweet new festive portrait.

The adorable festive shots saw mom Kim looking glamorously festive in silver dress, while North, 12, Saint, nine, Chicago, six, and Psalm, five. coordinated their stylish outfits.

The family unit struck a series of poses in front of snow-dusted Christmas trees, alternating between beaming smiles and fun faces.

Santa Claus and momager Kris Jenner even featured in a couple of snaps as the family went all out for the special occasion.

It was a hit with friends, family and fans.

Khloe Kardashian wrote, “Wow family photo!!!!!!!!!!! I looooooveeeeee.”

Paris Hilton commented with a love heart eye emoji, while a fan said, “Loveeeeeee the hardwork and love that went into this! We all know… xoxo.”

OASIS racked up a million album sales in the UK this year – without releasing a single new tune. 

Their reunion tour has fuelled a massive resurgence in their records, meaning two of their albums finished in 2025’s Top Ten, according to the British Phonographic Industry. 

Brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher, along with their bandmates, also helped to drive an increase in vinyl purchases. 

This year, vinyl sales in the UK were up 13.3 per cent to 7.6million units.  

Oasis’ greatest hits collection Time Flies . . . 1994-2009 was the fourth most popular album of the year, while (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? was at No7 thanks to a reissue. 

Elsewhere, Taylor Swift’s The Life Of A Showgirl has been crowned the best-selling album of 2025.

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This, despite it only coming out in October, while Sabrina Carpenter has two records in the Top Ten. 

The figures have been released as part of a report by the BPI on recorded music consumption. 

It also tells how a new wave of British talent including Olivia Dean and Lola Young have helped UK recorded music grow for the 11th year, with 210million albums sold. 

And I’ve got my eye on a whole flurry of new stars including Sienna Spiro and Skye Newman as we head into the new year. 

FROM music legends like Ozzy to literary icons such as Jilly Cooper, 2025 saw the loss of many beloved celebrities.

Here The Sun remembers the stars we lost in 2025.

JANUARY

Wayne Osmond, 73, January 1

TALENTED member of Mormon boy band The Osmonds.

Played eight instruments including the saxophone and guitar, sang and also arranged the group’s harmonies.

Wrote worldwide hit Crazy Horses. Died from a stroke.

The Vivienne, 32, January 3

FIRST winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2019.

STRICTLY KNEES-UP

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GIRL PO-WAR

Dani Dyer left with bleeding nose after being punched by MAFS star on Celeb SAS

Born James Lee Williams, their stage name was inspired by a love of designer Vivienne Westwood.

Had a cardiac arrest after taking ketamine.

Found at home two days later.

Jean-Marie Le Pen, 96, January 7

WIDELY regarded as a racist, he made five failed bids for the French presidency.

Founded the National Front party in 1972 but was expelled in 2015 after a row with party leader Marine – his daughter.

Died in a care home.

Peter Yarrow, 86, January 7

FOLK singer who formed Peter, Paul and Mary.

Their version of Bob Dylan’s Blowin’ In The Wind became a US civil rights anthem.

Also had hits with If I Had A Hammer and Leaving On A Jet Plane.

Died from bladder cancer.

Tony Book, 90, January 13

MAN CITY legend captained the side in the late 60s and early 70s, winning four trophies in three years after being signed by Malcolm Allison at the age of 31.

Also managed City to ’76 League Cup win.

Died peacefully.

Tony Slattery, 65, January 14

STANDOUT star of Channel 4’s Whose Line Is It Anyway?

His manic humour masked the pain of depression and addiction.

At the age of 36 suffered a drink and cocaine-induced breakdown.

Died from a heart attack.

Linda Nolan, 65, January 15

THE wildest of the Nolan Sisters singing group dubbed herself the “naughty Nolan”.

Appeared with sister Anne on The Nolans Go Cruising and Coleen on Loose Women.

Died from pneumonia while living with incurable cancer.

Paul Danan, 46, January 15

TROUBLED former Hollyoaks star who played Sol Patrick in the Channel 4 soap.

Had battled with addiction since his early twenties.

His death was ruled as “misadventure” after he took a combination of drugs including heroin.

Dame Joan Plowright, 95, January 16

STAGE and screen star whose career spanned more than six decades.

Married to Laurence Olivier, who she met when playing his daughter in play The Entertainer in 1957.

Won two Golden Globes and an Olivier Award.

David Lynch, 78, January 16

US-born director responsible for cult films Dune, Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive, and Nineties TV hit Twin Peaks.

Nominated three times for the best director Oscar.

Died from emphysema after a lifetime of smoking.

Denis Law, 84, January 17

ONE the all-time Great strikers, scoring memorable goals for Manchester United and Scotland.

Spent 11 years at Old Trafford, netting 237 times.

“The King” was part of the famous “Holy Trinity” alongside George Best and Bobby Charlton.

Broke into the First Division after signing for Manchester City from Huddersfield Town, but after one season joined Torino in Italy, before going to United.

Subsequently rejoined City and scored the goal he believed had relegated his former club, but other results that day meant United would have been relegated in any event.

Law was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia in 2021.

Marianne Faithfull, 78, January 30

SIXTIES pin-up singer and actress who was Rolling Stone Mick Jagger’s lover for four years.

Rose to fame in 1964 with single As Tears Go By.

Starred in 1968 erotic movie The Girl On A Motorcycle, the first film to get an X certificate in the US.

Convent-educated, she recovered from heroin addiction, anorexia and home-lessness in the 1970s to produce critically acclaimed music, starting with her 1979 album Broken English.

She also overcame breast cancer.

Appeared on stage and TV, including Absolutely Fabulous in 2001.

In 1999, she ranked 25th on VH1’s 100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll.

FEBRUARY

Tony Martin, 80, February 2

FARMER who was jailed after shooting and killing a 16-year-old burglar on his property in 1999.

Sentenced to life for murder but released after three years when his conviction was reduced to manslaughter.

Died from a stroke.

Brian Murphy, 92, February 2

BELOVED for his role as hen-pecked husband George Roper in Seventies sitcom Man About the House, opposite Yootha Joyce as ­Mildred.

He also appeared in Last Of the Summer Wine and Benidorm.

Died from cancer.

Aga Khan IV, February 4

SPIRITUAL leader of Ismaili Muslims, billionaire and philanthropist.

Gave his friend the late Queen Elizabeth II a horse that went on to win the Ascot Gold Cup in 2013.

Died peacefully in Lisbon, surrounded by family.

Rick Buckler, 69, February 17

DRUMMER with The Jam who played on hits including Going Underground and In The City.

Was with the trio from their formation in 1972 until they split in 1982 and featured on all their top 40 UK singles.

Died after a short illness.

Gene Hackman, 95 February 17

ONE of the greatest actors of his generation who featured in major movies including The French Connection – as drug cop Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle – which won him the first of his two Oscars.

His other Academy Award came for Unforgiven.

Also featured in Mississippi Burning and Superman.

His cinematic career only began when he was in his 40s.

Found dead, with second wife Betsy Arakawa, 65, at their Hollywood mansion.

Died from heart disease.

Roberta Flack, 88, February 24

SOUL legend who had mega-hits with Killing Me Softly and The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, making her the first artist to win two consecutive Grammy Awards for Record of the Year.

Was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2022.

Henry Kelly, 78, February 25

IRISH journalist turned presenter who hosted game shows Going For Gold and Game For A Laugh in the 1980s and 1990s.

Later became a mainstay on Classic FM and LBC.

Died peacefully after a period of ill health.

Boris Spassky, 88, February 27

RUSSIAN world chess champion whose reign was ended by America’s Bobby Fischer in 1972, in the game’s most famous en-counter dubbed the Cold War Clash.

Major stroke in 2010 left him partially ­paralysed.

MARCH

Brian James, 74, March 6

GUITARIST of trailblazing Brit punk band The Damned who penned the first-ever UK punk single New Rose, released in 1976.

Worked with Iggy Pop and formed Brit-US supergroup The Lords Of The New Church.

John “Paddy” Hemingway, 105, March 17

SOLE surviving fighter pilot from the Battle of Britain who was shot down four times and survived two crash landings.

The Dublin-born Group Captain said he had the “luck of the Irish”.

Died in a care home.

Eddie Jordan, 76, March 20

FORMER Irish street trader turned Formula One owner who introduced grid girls and gave Michael Schumacher his debut.

Numerous business interests meant he left a multi-million pound fortune.

Died of prostate cancer.

George Foreman, 86, March 21

TWO-TIME world heavyweight boxing champ who was known as Big George.

Won Olympic gold in 1968 and a year later took the pro crown with a second-round knockout of the then-undefeated Joe Frazier.

Lost his title in the Rumble In The Jungle against Muhammad Ali in 1974 before retiring in 1977.

Became an ordained minister before coming back to regain the title in 1994 at the age of 45 – the oldest champion in the sport’s history.

His business exploits, including the George Foreman Grill, earned him far more than his boxing.

Colin Hart, 89, March 22

LEGENDARY boxing correspondent with The Sun who befriended and wrote about some of the greats of the sport, including Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, and Brits including Frank Bruno.

Died of cancer.

Andy Peebles, 76, March 22

RADIO 1 DJ who interviewed John Lennon two days before he was shot dead in New York in 1980.

Started out as a nightclub DJ and joined Radio 1 in 1978.

Hosted Top Of The Pops and Live Aid. Died in his sleep.

Richard Chamberlain 90, March 29

DR KILDARE heart-throb who shot to fame in the title role of the Sixties US TV drama.

Had a successful film career featuring in The Three Musketeers and The Towering Inferno.

Died following complications from a stroke.

APRIL

Val Kilmer, 65, April 1

MOVIE great who became one of Hollywood’s biggest heart-throbs as Tom Cruise’s rival Iceman in the first Top Gun film.

Also starred in Batman Forever and as Jim Morrison in The Doors.

Married to actress Joanne Whalley for eight years.

Later dated Daryl Hannah, Angelina Jolie, Cindy Crawford and Cher.

Died of pneumonia.

Jean Marsh, 90, April 13

UPSTAIRS Downstairs actress who co-created show and starred as Rose in the 1970s period drama.

Had three roles in Doctor Who and was wed to co-star Jon Pertwee from 1955-60.

Died of complications with dementia.

Clodagh Rodgers, 78, April 18

NORTHERN Irish singer who represented the UK in the 1971 Eurovision Song Contest with Jack In The Box, finishing fourth and reaching No4 in the charts.

Other hits include Goodnight Midnight.

Died after a three-year illness.

Pope Francis, 88, April 21

THE former nightclub bouncer once joked that whisky was “the real holy water” and later became one of the most approachable popes in history.

Elected in 2013 aged 76, having already lodged paperwork for his ­retirement.

On his appointment, he said: “May God forgive you for what you have done!”

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, he was a fan of local football club San ­Lorenzo de Almagro.

As Pope he shunned luxury, choosing to live in a simple hotel as opposed to the Papal apartments favoured by his predecessors.

Died from heart failure on Easter Monday.

Virginia Giuffre, 41, April 25

SEXUAL abuse survivor who spoke out against child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, who was jailed for 20 years for sex trafficking.

Claimed she had slept with the then-Prince Andrew, eventually settling a civil suit against him for an estimated £12m, although he made no admission of liability.

The allegations rocked the monarchy and led to the royal’s “car-crash” BBC interview.

Giuffre took her own life at home in Neergabby, Western Australia.

MAY

Sir Tom Farmer, 84, May 9

KWIK-Fit boss who turned a tyre-fitting firm into a household name with the catchphrase, “You can’t get quicker than a Kwik-Fit fitter”.

The firm was the third the Scots entrepreneur founded, having become a millionaire at the age of 27.

Alan Yentob, 78, May 24

TV exec who rose from a BBC trainee to become controller of BBC One.

Interviewed dozens of stars including Mel Brooks and Jay-Z and comic Billy Connolly.

Gave the green light to Ab Fab, Strictly and The Office.

Loretta Swit, 87, May 30

PLAYED Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan in Korean war comedy-drama MAS*H.

A ten-time Emmy nominee, she won the award twice during her 11-year stint on the show.

Died at home in New York of natural causes.

JUNE

Uriah Rennie, 65, June 7

THE first black referee to officiate in the Premier League, in 1997.

Born in Jamaica but raised in Sheffield, he took charge of 175 games in the elite division.

Had been battling a rare neurological condition as well as cancer.

Sly Stone, 82, June 9

MUSIC legend who was frontman for Sly And The Family Stone, which featured his sisters and a brother.

The band had huge hits with Family Affair and Dance To The Music.

Died from lung disease COPD and other issues.

Frederick Forsyth, 86, June 9

FORMER MI6 agent who used his years with the secret service to pen 25 books, selling 75million copies in a 50-year career.

His best-known novel, The Day Of The Jackal, was turned into a hit 1974 movie starring Edward Fox.

Brian Wilson, 82, June 11

AS singer and songwriter of The Beach Boys, he was the man behind hits God Only Knows, Good Vibrations, Surfin’ USA, I Get Around and Wouldn’t It Be Nice.

Considered a genius by stars including Paul McCartney, Elton John and Bob Dylan, he suffered mental health issues throughout his life.

A nervous breakdown in 1964 saw him withdraw from regular touring to focus on composition.

Went on to receive huge acclaim as a solo artist, including for 2004 album Brian Wilson Presents Smile.

Died from undisclosed causes.

Kim Woodburn, 83, June 16

QUEEN of Clean with a caustic wit who ventured into some of Britain’s most dirty homes to make them sparkle, along with Aggie MacKenzie, in Channel 4’s How Clean Is Your House?

The show ran for six series. Kim died after a short illness.

David ‘Syd’ Lawrence, 61, June 21

CRICKET star and first British-born black player to represent England.

Awarded an MBE for tackling racism in sport as well as fundraising for motor neurone disease, which he was diagnosed with a year before his death.

JULY

Michael Madsen, 67, July 3

RESERVOIR Dogs star who played Mr Blonde in Quentin Tarantino’s 1992 movie.

He was the director’s go-to actor, featuring in his two Kill Bill films, The Hateful Eight, and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.

Died from a heart attack.

Diogo Jota, 28, July 3

LIVERPOOL striker who won the Premier League with the Anfield club last season.

The Portuguese father-of-three died in a car accident just three weeks after he wed childhood sweetheart Rute Cardoso.

Kop boss Arne Slot vowed the player would never be forgotten as he led a host of tributes including from Prince William and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The player died with his brother Andre Silva, 25, also a footballer, when their Lamborghini crashed in north west Spain.

Jota was on his way to England for the title-winners’ ­pre-season games.

Lord Tebbit, 94, July 7

TORY working-class hero who was one of Margaret Thatcher’s most fervent supporters during his eight years as a government minister.

In 1981, Tebbit made his famous “get on your bike” speech to the Conservative Party ­Conference, criticising riots caused by unemployment.

He was considered Thatcher’s “enforcer” and a natural ­successor.

The 1984 IRA bombing of Brighton’s Grand Hotel, which nearly killed Thatcher and left Tebbit severely injured and his wife Margaret paralysed for life, put paid to that.

He left ­government in 1987 to care for his wife.

Ian Blair, 72 July 11

MET Police commissioner who led the force during the July 7 London bombings in 2005 and the subsequent police shooting of innocent man Jean Charles de Menezes.

Resigned in 2008 saying he had lost the mayor’s backing.

Connie Francis, 87, July 16

BIGGEST-selling pop artist of her time.

Rarely out of the charts in the 1950s and 1960s with hits such as Who’s Sorry Now?

Her 1962 record Pretty Little Baby went viral on TikTok earlier this year.

Died from ­pneumonia.

Ozzy Osbourne, 76, July 22

HELL-RAISING bat-eating singer with Black Sabbath who later became an unlikely reality TV sensation alongside his wife Sharon in the highly successful The Osbournes.

Black Sabbath’s big breakthrough came with the album Paranoid, which topped the British charts.

After falling out with his fellow band members he went on to achieve solo success which far outstripped the group’s achievements.

His catalogue of addictions included alcohol, heroin, cocaine, barbiturates, amphetamines, cough mixture and prescription drugs.

Died in hospital from a heart attack just 17 days after his farewell concert and was buried under a crab apple tree on the family’s Buckinghamshire estate as per his wishes.

Suffered from Parkinson’s disease since 2020.

On his death certificate he was described as a “songwriter, performer and rock legend”.

Joey Jones, 70 July 22

WELSH footballer who won two European Cups as a full-back with Liverpool.

Also represented Wrexham across three spells with the club, before taking up coaching positions there, earning him the nickname “Mr Wrexham”.

Dame Cleo Laine, 97, July 24

BRITISH jazz legend who performed with Frank Sinatra and Ray Charles as well as in the West End and on Broadway.

Counted the late Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret as friends.

Died peacefully at home in Buckinghamshire.

Hulk Hogan, 71, July 24

THE 21-stone giant was the man behind Hulkamania as TV wrestling boomed in the 1980s.

Born Terry Bollea, he bulked up with steroids when the drugs were still legal in the US.

Won six World Wrestling Federation titles. Died of cardiac arrest.

AUGUST

Stella Rimington, 90, August 3

TRAILBLAZING MI5 chief, the first woman to lead our security service, modernising its dated practises.

Her autobiography, Open Secrets, then took two years to be security-cleared before its publication in 2001.

Made a Dame in 1996.

James Whale, 74, August 4

ACCLAIMED broadcaster who was never afraid to be controversial and out- spoken.

For 13 years he hosted a popular night-time radio show on TalkSport and later worked on TalkRadio.

Died after a long battle with ­kidney cancer.

Jim Lovell, 97, August 7

COMMANDER of Apollo 13 who kept his cool and guided the craft back to Earth in 1970 after an on-board explosion in space.

He uttered the immortal words, “Houston, we’ve had a problem”.

Also in first crew to orbit the moon on Apollo 8.

Biddy Baxter, 92, August 10

FORMIDABLE Blue Peter editor from 1965 until 1988, who turned the children’s show into a national institution and introduced its famous badge.

Awarded an MBE in 1981.

Died after suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and cancer.

Terence Stamp, 87, August 17

THE Cockney legend starred in hit Sixties films including Billy Budd and Far From The Madding Crowd.

He was said to have inspired The Kinks’ song Waterloo Sunset, featuring a couple named Terry and Julie (Julie Christie his then-girlfriend).

Dame Patricia Routledge, 96, August 29

PORTRAYED suburban snob Hyacinth Bucket (she pronounced it “Bouquet”) in the hit BBC One sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, alongside Clive Swift, who played her downtrodden husband.

The show aired for five years and attracted up to 13million viewers, with the Queen Mother reportedly a big fan.

Also starred on Broadway and the West End and in a vast number of TV and radio productions in a career spanning more than seven decades.

Particularly remembered for her roles in BBC TV’s A Woman Of No Importance (1982) and Talking Heads in 1988, also on the Beeb, both of which were written by Alan Bennett.

SEPTEMBER

Joe Bugner, 75, September 1

BOXER twice went the distance with Muhammad Ali, although he lost both fights on points.

The public never forgave the heavyweight for beating the much-loved Henry Cooper in 1971 – a decision he said should have gone to “Our ’Enry”.

Duchess of Kent, 92, September 4

TIRELESS charity worker put away her tiaras and titles in the 1990s to teach at a Hull primary school for 13 years.

Returned to the classroom in West London in 2017 to help kids who had lost homes and loved ones in the Grenfell Tower fire.

Giorgio Armani, 91, September 4

FASHION giant who invented “power dressing” for women.

The Italian was a favourite of a host of famous faces including Princess Diana, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Cate Blanchett and Victoria Beckham.

Died at home due to an age-related illness.

Rick Davies, 81, September 6

SINGER who co-founded Supertramp in 1970 with Roger Hodgson.

As part of the band, Davies had hits including The Logical Song, Goodbye Stranger and Breakfast In America.

He died after a decade-long battle with cancer.

Charlie Kirk, 31, September 10

CONTROVERSIAL conservative activist who founded Turning Point USA, which focuses on young voters.

A close ally of President Trump, he championed free speech and fierce patriotism.

Was shot dead during a rally at Utah University.

Ricky Hatton, 46, September 12

WORLD boxing champ dubbed “The Hitman”, who was backed by his fanatical fans throughout his career.

An avowed Manchester City fan – Hatton was on their books as a schoolboy – he always entered the ring to the strains of City’s Blue Moon anthem.

He won the world crown at light-welterweight and welterweight, but his life went downhill after he was defeated by US great Floyd Mayweather and he turned to drugs.

He was found dead, having taken his own life, at his home in Hyde by his long-time manager and friend Paul Speak.

Thousands lined the streets before his funeral service at Manchester Cathedral.

Robert Redford, 89, September 16

SCREEN heart-throb who starred in iconic movies including Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid, The Sting, All The President’s Men, The Natural and Out Of Africa.

Playing the role of the Sundance Kid, and insisting on doing all his own stunts, he began a lifelong friendship with co-star Paul Newman.

Redford later became a highly successful director, winning an Oscar for his first film, Ordinary People.

Launched the Sundance Film Festival backing independent filmmaking and was also an environmental activist.

Died peacefully in his sleep in his home in Utah.

John Stapleton, 79, September 21

TELLY presenter who interviewed every Prime Minister from Callaghan to Cameron.

His long career saw him working on Panorama, TV-am, GMTV, Good Morning Britain and Watchdog.

Died after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s.

Dickie Bird, 92, September 22

MUCH-loved cricket umpire known for his eccentric gestures to dismiss batsmen.

Son of a miner, he played cricket for Barnsley with boyhood pals Michael ­Parkinson and Geoffrey Boycott before representing his county.

OCTOBER

Dame Jane Goodall, 91, October 1

CHIMPS’ champion whose conservation studies in Africa found the animals experienced social behaviours such as love and grief just like humans.

The London-born veteran primatologist died of natural causes while on US speaking tour.

Patrick Murray, 68, October 2

AFTER previous film roles, played dim- witted trilby-wearing wide-boy Mickey Pearce in Only Fools And Horses, appearing in 20 episodes from 1983 to 2003.

After leaving the industry, he worked as a taxi driver. Died from lung cancer.

Dame Jilly Cooper, 88, October 5

BONKBUSTER novelist whose 1985 book Riders about the sex lives of the upper class launched a lucrative career.

Followed up with a series of best-sellers with titles like Rivals, Rutshire Chronicles, Class and How To Stay Married.

Sold more than 11million copies of her 18 novels and at one point was reputedly earning £500,000 a year.

Started out in the 1950s as a journalist for the Middlesex Independent and later produced candid columns for the Sunday Times and the Mail on Sunday.

Awarded an OBE, CBE and DBE for contributions to literature.

Died after falling down stairs at her Gloucestershire home.

Diane Keaton, 79, October 11

OSCAR-winning actress best known for her role in Woody Allen’s classic Annie Hall and who also starred in other hit movies including The God- father trilogy, The First Wives Club and Father Of The Bride.

Died from pneumonia.

Ace Frehley, 74, October 16

KISS guitarist who in 1973 co-founded the band, whose song I Was Made For Lovin’ You is still a concert staple.

His guitar was adapted to emit smoke and fire.

Alice Cooper was among those who paid tribute to Frehley, who died following a fall.

Lady Annabel Goldsmith, 91, October 18

SOCIALITE, author and political activist who inspired the Mayfair nightclub – set up by her first husband – that carries her name today.

Was a close friend of Princess Diana.

Mother to six including ex-Tory MP Zac.

Dave Ball, 66, October 22

PLAYED with Marc Almond in Soft Cell, the synth-pop duo famous for Tainted Love.

Broke his back after falling down the stairs in 2022 and was in a wheelchair when the group played at Henley-on-Thames in August.

Died in his sleep.

Prunella Scales, 93, October 27

FAWLTY TOWERS star who played Sybil Fawlty, domineering wife of John Cleese’s Basil in the classic BBC TV sitcom.

Her acting career lasted almost seven decades.

Married to fellow actor Timothy West for 61 years.

He passed away in November last year.

Scales, who had vascular dementia, died peacefully at home, a day after watching an episode of Fawlty Towers.

NOVEMBER

Dick Cheney, 84, November 3

FORMER US vice- president was a leading advocate of the Iraq invasion in 2003.

Shaped foreign policy after 9/11 for the eight years he served under George W Bush.

Survived five heart attacks.

Died after a long history of heart issues.

Pauline Collins, 85, November 6

BROUGHT the role of Liverpool housewife Shirley Valentine from the West End to the big screen and earned an Oscar nomination.

Her big break came as a maid in Upstairs, Downstairs.

Died after suffering from Parkinson’s disease.

James Watson, 97, November 6

GENIUS Cambridge scientist was 25 when he co-discovered the structure of DNA with Francis Crick.

The pair are said to have interrupted drinkers in a pub to tell them they’d cracked “the secret of life”.

The Nobel laureate died after a brief illness.

Quentin Willson, 68, November 8

FORMER Top Gear presenter co-hosted the BBC show with Jeremy Clarkson from 1991, appearing as an expert on used cars for ten years.

Was a campaigner for a fairer deal for motorists.

Died after a short battle with lung cancer.

Baroness Helen Newlove, 63, November 11

CAMPAIGNER dedicated her life combating youth violence following the death of her husband Garry, who was murdered in 2007 after confronting a teen gang.

Victims Commissioner for eight years.

Died after a short illness.

Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, 63, November 20

BASSIST joined The Stone Roses in 1987 and two years later featured on their self-titled debut album, considered one of the greatest of all time.

Later became a member of Primal Scream.

Died from respiratory issues.

Jimmy Cliff, 81, November 24

THE sweet-voiced Jamaican’s reggae anthems included I Can See Clearly Now and You Can Get It If You Really Want.

Also had a major hit with The Harder They Come and starred in the film of the same name.

Died from pneumonia.

Billy Bonds, 79, November 30

WEST HAM legend captained the side to two FA Cup Final wins and had club record of 799 appearances over 21 seasons.

Later managed the Hammers, taking them into the top flight at start of the Premier League era.

Died after a long illness.

Sir Tom Stoppard, 88, November 29

PLAYWRIGHT won an Oscar for his screenplay of the film Shakespeare In Love and a host of Tony and Olivier Awards over a six-decade career.

The titan of modern theatre was married three times including to TV’s Dr Miriam Stoppard.

DECEMBER

Robin Smith, 62, December 1

CRICKET legend who played 62 Tests for England and was always willing to take on fast bowling.

Born in South Africa, “The Judge” struggled with alcoholism and mental health after retirement.

Died at his home in Perth, Australia.

Martin Parr, 73, December 6

PHOTOGRAPHER whose camera captured the humour – and often banalities – of British life over a 50-year career.

The world-renowned snapper shot to fame with The Last Resort, a study of New Brighton in Merseyside, in the mid-1980s.

Sophie Kinsella, 55, December 10

BEST known for her chic-lit novels, two of which were turned into the 2009 film Confessions Of A Shopaholic, starring Isla Fisher and Hugh Dancy.

Sold more than 50million books in 60 countries.

Died after suffering brain cancer.

Joanna Trollope, 82, December 11

ROMANTIC novelist won several awards and whose father came from the family of Victorian writer Anthony Trollope.

Known as the Queen of the Aga Saga, her best-known works included Marrying The Mistress and A ­Village Affair.

Stanley Baxter, 99, December 11

BAFTA-winning Scottish comic and 1960s film star who later gained fame with The ­Stanley Baxter Show, a huge early hit on BBC TV.

Moved to London Weekend Television in the 1970s for The Stanley Baxter ­Picture Show.

He declined an OBE.

Rob Reiner, 78, December 14

THE director of Spinal Tap, When Harry Met Sally and A Few Good Men also acted in The Wolf Of Wall Street and Sleepless In Seattle.

Found fatally stabbed along with his wife at their LA home.

Their son Nick has been charged with murder.

Chris Rea, 74, December 22

BEST known for festive hit Driving Home For Christmas, the Middlesbrough-born singer started out working in his Italian dad’s ice cream business.

Diagnosed with pancreatic ­cancer at 33, he had several health ­battles during his life.

John Robertson, 72, December 25

FOOTBALLER called “the Picasso of our game” by his Nottingham Forest boss Brian Clough.

The Scots international made Trevor Francis’ winner in the 1979 European Cup Final vs Malmo and scored in 1980 win vs Hamburg.

Had Parkinson’s.

Brigitte Bardot, 91, December 28

BLONDE bombshell who symbolised a new age of sexual liberation in the cinema in the 1950s.

The Paris-born former ballet dancer won international acclaim in the 1956 movie And God Created Woman.

Abandoned her fame in the 70s to devote herself to animal rights activism.

Died at her home in southern France.

KYM Marsh teases a return to pop isn’t just Hear’Say as she approaches 25 years in showbiz.

The actress and presenter, 49, posed in a burgundy dress for the February 2026 issue of Prima, which is on sale now, and told the magazine the group could put on a surprise performance.

She said: “I always laugh and say ‘never say never’ about a Hear’Say reunion.

“We might pop up somewhere, just for a one-off performance down the line, to surprise everyone.

“But I think we are all just doing our own thing. We all still chat, which is nice.”

The group, also featuring Myleene Klass, 47, Danny Foster, 46, Suzanne Shaw, 44, and Noel Sullivan, 45, were put together on the talent show Popstars and in March 2001, their single Pure And Simple became, at the time, the fastest-selling debut single in the UK.

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On appearing on the ITV show, she said: “It’s the reason I’m sitting here today, so I’m very fortunate to have had that experience.

“There were so many things that happened at that time that you’d never get away with today. There’s that famous scene where Nigel Lythgoe called me fat.

“I’ve never been anywhere near massively overweight, but even if I was, how dare you? It really upset me. I felt humiliated and ashamed, and insecure about myself.”

Kym announced that her daughter Emilie Cunliffe gave birth to her second child on Christmas Day.

The star took to Instagram to share the amazing news that made her a grandmother for the fourth time.

Penned under a snap of Emilie’s son Teddy, 6, and Emilie’s husband’s daughter Polly, 9, Kym said: “Well what a wonderful Christmas gift this is!!

“Welcome to the world Bobby Saint Mykola Hoszowskyj!!! He’s so beautiful!”

Kym then took a moment to gush about her daughter’s strength, and wish fans and followers alike the best for the holidays.

“So so proud of my girl @listentoemilie she is a warrior!!”

ACTRESS Keira Knightley says she almost ditched now-husband James Righton because he ate only cheese on toast.

The Love Actually star had to give the Klaxons singer, 42, an ultimatum.

Keira, 40, said: “He just couldn’t cook — all he ate was cheese on toast.

“I was like, ‘This is not going to work’. He wouldn’t even go out for dinner. He didn’t understand going to restaurants. He was bizarre.”

Keira said she managed to persuade him to test dishes with his eyes shut.

She added: “My oldest friend is a proper old-school bon viveur, we basically trained him.

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“We took him out to restaurants and he wouldn’t try anything. He was like a child. He used to shut his eyes, and we’d be like, ‘Try it, try it!’.”

Keira, who wed James in 2013, told the Dish podcast: “He’d be like ‘OK, it’s nice, it’s nice!’.”

Knightley revealed earlier this month that she has only watched her Christmas classic film Love Actually once — and has forgotten all her lines, she says.

The Brit says she is unable to recall them when asked by fans of the hit 2003 romcom because she has a “delete button” in her head.

She was only 17 when she starred as newlywed Juliet who discovers her husband’s best pal Mark, played by Andrew Lincoln, is secretly in love with her.

The story revolves around his crush and in one scene he confesses his feelings using cue cards on her doorstep.

Ultimately, she stays with her new husband Peter, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor.

JESS GLYNNE has called it quits with Jay-Z’s management company Roc Nation.

The move is to wipe the slate clean for 2026.

It follows a career blow earlier this year when she split from record label EMI following the release of just one album with them.

I’ve now learned she is no longer being looked after by Roc Nation — who I first revealed she had signed to in 2022 — and her career is now being guided by former Bros bass player Craig Logan.

Jess has teamed up with Logan Media Entertainment, which is run by Craig, who was in the Eighties pop band that had hits inculding When Will I Be Famous?.

It means that she is now on a roster alongside Pink, Dido, Louise and Beverley Knight.

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My music insider said: “Jess hasn’t had the easiest situation in music. She has found it hard to get a team behind her who she feels really gets who she is and what she is aiming for.

“Now she has Craig and his firm, there are fresh ideas coming through thick and fast. Big things are being discussed for the coming months.”

Despite a turbulent time behind the scenes in 2025, Jess has had one of her most successful years thanks to hit Hold My Hand — a decade after it was released.

The song was named TikTok’s UK song of the year, after it was supercharged by the viral Jet2holidays trend.

Jess said: “I always knew there was something special about it. Melodically it’s instantly uplifting and catchy, but at its heart, the lyrics are powerful. They are about connection. The Jet2 campaign has brought a really fun, light-hearted twist to the song, and seeing it become TikTok’s song of 2025 ten years after its release has been incredible.

“It breathed new life into it, and I’m so grateful to see a wave of a new audience now connect with it and learn more about the song, and me. I am incredibly grateful for the journey this song is on.”

There has been more good news lately, with Jess suggesting she is preparing to pop the question to her girlfriend Alex Scott following the football presenter’s stint in I’m A Celeb.

During her career, Jess has scored seven UK No1 singles, although her last one was I’ll Be There in 2018.

But with a new team behind her, she will be giving it everything she’s got to add to that hits tally.

Fit Shaun tour vow

SHAUN RYDER is preparing to spend the new year whipping himself into shape ahead of the next Happy Mondays tour.

The group will hit the road for 22 dates across March and April.

Shaun tells me in an exclusive chat: “I am determined to get fit for the tour.

“I still get on my bike, and I love swimming. There is a pool at my gym. I do that a few times a week. But my other hip is f***d, and I need it replaced. So I can’t walk like I used to. “I’ve already had one hip replacement. And that f***d up.

“I should have had the other one done ages ago, but I’ve not had time.”

Shaun also vowed to be on his best behaviour on tour, adding: “I think the last time I went out and did any raving was 2000.

“I went and saw Oasis three nights in a row and danced around like a lunatic but I am totally clean now.

“My only addictions are to tea and Haribos. However, I still have two teenage girls at home.

“This means that when I am at home, I am Shaun’s taxi service. It’s f***ing nuts.

“The missus wants me out of the house as quickly as possible. So, you know, it’s like, I have come back from Ireland, and I am going straight out on the road with Black Grape.

“But I have spent the last few days as a taxi driver for the girls.”

The joys of middle age, eh Shaun?

Khloe’s not to be mist

THIGH and mighty Khloe Kardashian flashes the flesh as she promotes her hair mist.

And it comes after she denied getting back together with basketball player Tristan Thompson after their split in 2021.

The Kardashians celebrated Christmas with a gingerbread house that was iced with the family members’ names, and fans noticed his was on there.

But she replied: “He’s my children’s father.”

Ashley’s melon boat

ASHLEY ROBERTS enjoys a slice of the high life as she chomps on a watermelon during a luxury getaway.

The Pussycat Dolls singer wore a bikini top, shades and headscarf as she posed on a yacht in Mauritius.

She has jetted off with her boyfriend, tattoo artist George Rollinson, for a post-Christmas holiday and looks suitably loved up.

Coming back to dreary England in the new year is going to be quite a shock for her.

Zoe: My Britpop snogs

ZOE BALL has revealed she locked lips with famous names while living life to the full in the hedonistic Nineties.

On her Dig It podcast, she played a game of Snog, Marry, Avoid, and joked: “I did snog and avoid quite a few Britpop stars, none of whom I shall mention now.”

Zoe added: “I would avoid Damon [Albarn] because I can’t talk to him because I go all stupid. Young me would definitely have wanted to snog Liam Gallagher way back in the day.

“He would talk to me and I’d be like, ‘Fair, fair’.

“I don’t think I’d have wanted to marry any of them because I don’t think you should marry or meet your idols, quite frankly.

“But Dave Grohl, however, I would have wanted to marry and snog.”

Me too, Zoe.

Sex pistols are firing with Frank

THE SEX PISTOLS and Frank Carter are planning new music.

The punk band, made up of Glen Matlock, Steve Jones and Paul Cook, have been touring with Frank, who replaced John Lydon as singer.

Now Glen wants the group to get into the studio together.

He said in an exclusive chat: “I’ve got a few ideas. I think Frank has. Steve’s a bit of a, ‘Just go and play’ kind of guy. I think Paul’s sort of on the fence about it, we’ll see. I think we’ve got it in us.”

The Sex Pistols and Frank – whose gigs were branded “karaoke” by bitter John – are also heading on tour again this coming year and have a host of dates in America.

Glen, who has a new documentary out, I Was A Teenage Sex Pistol, said: “We should have been just finishing a two-month American tour, but we had to postpone it because Steve fell over coming out of the Chelsea ground and broke his wrist in three places.

“We’ve had to reschedule everything. We’re going to be busy again.”

Fifth ammendments

FIFTH HARMONY will make their comeback in 2026 after a brief reunion at a Jonas Brothers gig.

NORMANI has confirmed the return, eight years after they split up. She will take part with Ally Brooke, Dinah Jane and Lauren Jauregui, but Camila Cabello won’t be back.

Teasing that fans can expect them back, Normani said: “I don’t have loose lips, but yes, 2026 will be one for the books for Fifth Harmony.”

Freedom for Jade

ANGEL Of My Dreams singer Jade has become Angel Of The North – after being given the Freedom of the Borough in South Tyneside, where she’s from.

She received the honour alongside the owner of local chippy Colmans.

Jade said on Instagram: “What an honour this was, with my family and friends by my side.

“If you see me walking my cattle around the town, mind ya business.”

Olivia’s loving New Year No1

OLIVIA DEAN looks set to claim the first No1 album of 2026, as The Art Of Loving is rising back up the charts.

The British singer’s album is currently in the lead and is expected to spend a third non- consecutive week in the top spot, although Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend is just behind her.

And another Liv – Olivia Rodrigo – is also back in the charts.

After I told last week that she had split up with her boyfriend, actor Louis Partridge, fans have shown their support by streaming her albums.

Guts has risen to No21, while Sour is now at No22.

Card pass for B’s fit

SOMETHING tells me Cardi B was more focused on turning heads than watching the match as she turned up at an American football game in New York.

Her 1991 outfit is vintage Chanel, while the giant pearl handbag is from its latest line.

Take That are poised to dominate 2026 – and their fans have a lot to look forward to.

As well as their massive 17-date Circus Live stadium tour next spring, Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen are just 29 days away from dropping their huge Netflix documentary series.

And bosses at the streaming giant have kindly shared the first trailer for the three-parter, left, exclusively with me. It will be shared on YouTube and across social media today from 10am.

The series will go ahead without Jason and Robbie but fans will see them speaking in never-before-seen interviews and clips from their time in the band.

Insiders told me that nothing was off limits for Mark, Howard and Gary in the documentary, which will see them giving new interviews about the highlights and the heartaches of being part of Take That.

For the opening trailer, Netflix has pulled together some amazing archive footage of the group at the very start of their careers, with Gary heard saying: “Nothing beats being in a band.

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“There’s strength, there’s a buzz.” Mark adds: “From the beginning, there was something within us that wanted to prove something.”

The cameras then cut to footage of the fivesome mucking about backstage, as Jason says: “We were tight among ourselves, like we were kings of the world.”

Elsewhere, a baby-faced Robbie walks into shot and looks at the camera as he says: “We all kiss before the show, in a butch way.”

Discussing the magnitude of what was to come — with Take That landing 20 Top Ten hits including 12 No1s — Howard adds: “I don’t think anything could prepare you for what we were about to take on in the Nineties.”

Netflix has billed the series, which is available to stream from January 27, as “the deeply personal and definitive story of Take That.”

A music insider told me: “Gary, Howard and Mark gave their all for this series.

“Take That was life-changing for all of them but, naturally, with the great highs came great lows.

“So much has been said and written about them, the documentary gives them the chance to say their piece — and no stone is left unturned.

“It really is a must-watch for their fans.”

I can’t wait.

Kim gives kids puppy love

Kim Kardashian pulled off the impossible this festive season – by getting all four of her kids to pose for a snap with her.

She filled her home with snow-covered trees before making North, Saint, Chicago and Psalm smile for the camera. Kim also posed with her mum Kris Jenner and a visiting Santa Claus.

And the kids had a lot to grin about after each were given a Pomeranian puppy, above.

But animal rights organisation PETA blasted Kim’s choice of gift.

Urging people to adopt, not shop, founder Ingrid Newkirk said: “It’s a shame Kim missed the chance to be a spokesperson for shelter pups and is being rightly slammed on social media.”

Tim’s Su-preme gift

Timothee Chalamet got a surprise from one of his heroes as he turned 30 on Saturday.

In a video shared online, Susan Boyle wore merch from the actor’s new movie Marty Supreme to sing Happy Birthday to him.

This month Timothee hailed the Scottish singing sensation, who found fame after dazzling on TV’s Britain’s Got Talent, as one of his greatest Brits, saying: “She dreamt bigger than all of us. Who wasn’t moved by that?”

He seemed chuffed by his special video as he celebrated his milestone.

Sharing it on Instagram, he wrote: “THANK U SUSAN!!!!!!!!”

A dream team for Dermot

Dermot Kennedy has teamed up with Noah Kahan to work on new music, which may well end up on the Irishman’s upcoming third album.

Dermot has been pals with the Stick Season singer for years, but he recently let slip that they have finally got together to record tracks.

In an exclusive interview, I asked Dermot if he had been in the studio with any other artists and he replied: “We did spend a day with Noah Kahan, which was lovely.

“I’ve been a fan of his for a long time.”

Last month, Outnumbered singer Dermot announced a huge UK and Europe arena tour, which will begin in May.

And he told how his sleep pattern became “extremely irregular” while working on his forthcoming album.

He said: “There were days where I might start at night and go until all hours.

“When the mood feels right, you do it.”

Lily Allen stocked up on Britney Spears-themed cigarette lighters from Pittsburgh-based artist Jegan Mones, on her recent US trip.

The Smile singer loved the products so much she later returned to the store to buy others emblazened with Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan.

Sounds like Lily is paying homage to fellow reformed party girls in her own way.

Adele is rolling in the dosh

Adele banked £158,000 a week last year, despite not having released an album since 2021.

Her pop empire is run by A Adkins Touring, Melted Stone and Melted Stone Publishing and new accounts filed over Christmas reveal she added £8.2 million to her business riches over the year in 2024.

But that doesn’t include earnings from her money-spinning ten-date residency in a purpose-built venue in Munich, or the final 32 dates of her Las Vegas residency, which ended in November last year.

Even at a modest £100 per seat, the Munich gigs would have raked in £75million in ticket sales alone.

And although her Vegas residency saw Adele, above, performing in a smaller venue, she will still have made millions.

There was a six-year gap between her last two records, so maybe there won’t be too much longer to wait before Adele pops up to say Hello once again.

Sam plays NYE safe

He’s had a cracking year with a new album and his biggest headline show yet but Sam Ryder won’t be opening the champagne on New Year’s Eve.

The singer is headlining the 40th annual London Parade on New Year’s Day, appearing in a line-up featuring 8,000 other performers, and he’s planning to play it safe in the run-up.

In an exclusive chat, he told me: “I love New Year’s, but love an early night more. Pre-gig prep like sleep and rest are super-important to me, so I’ll see in the New Year with friends, family and a few mocktails.”

The London Parade will be shown on London Live and on YouTube from 12pm.

Sam, right, continued: “We have an hour-long set so a decent amount of time to ring in the New Year in style.”

Next summer, Sam will take the lead in an 11-week run of Jesus Christ Superstar at the London Palladium – and is also penning tunes at his new home in Nashville.

He added: “We’ve got the busiest year coming up so I want to get into the most positive space.”

AMERICAN stars Beyoncé and Jay-Z are set to use a “rich person” planning loophole to build a huge rural estate in the UK. 

The couple are said to have bought a 58-acre plot in the Cotswolds for their mansion. 

On the land is a derelict shack near an algae-filled lake. 

Permission has been granted for a spectacular seven-bed property. 

Development is allowed under a special exemption clause in the Government’s National Planning Policy Framework. It gives permission for new homes in rural locations where planning would typically be refused. 

To qualify the design must be of “exceptional quality . . . truly outstanding, reflecting the highest standards in architecture”. 

FACE OF GLOOM

Adam Peaty’s parents look devastated as they break cover after wedding snub

SAD TIMES

Heartbreaking moment Harvey Price bursts into tears over accident at home

It has been dubbed the “rich person clause” because of the ­millions of pounds required to override regular restrictions. 

Planning permission for the development in Oxfordshire was granted in 2021 but work never started. 

The plot was later marketed for £7.5million with the permission attached and has been sold — with Texas Hold ’Em singer Beyoncé, 44, and 99 Problems rapper Jay-Z, 56, believed to be the purchasers. 

The listing stated the property is “totally unique”, adding “The site for the new house is at the head of a long drive that meanders through beautiful countryside to a magical woodland lake. 

“The start of the drive is on the edge of a sought-after village and is within striking distance of Soho Farmhouse. 

“Permission has been granted to create a large contemporary dwelling that part-cantilevers over its own lake, has incredible room volumes throughout, will be exceptionally light and have stunning views over the countryside. 

“The position and the permission are unrivalled.” 

Beyoncé, Jay-Z and their children live in California but have made several trips to the area. 

Stars Jeremy Clarkson, Claudia Winkleman and David and Victoria Beckham live nearby. 

But locals have concerns about an influx of A-listers. One 71-year-old, who has lived there for more than 60 years, said: “My grandson will think this is wonderful that they are coming here. I think it will change the village.” 

GORDON Ramsay gave a fiery speech at daughter Holly’s wedding to Olympian Adam Peaty — saying his wife Tana “will be a good mum to them both”. 

The celebrity chef waded into the swimmer’s family feud as it emerged 31-year-old Adam has blocked their texts. 

Ramsay, 59, gushed at how beautiful Holly looked and told Adam he was a “lucky man”, adding: “Look at Tana and that’s what you have to look forward to.” 

And in a sly dig at Adam’s absent parents he told Holly, 25: “Shame you don’t have the same.” 

Adam’s feud with mum Caroline, 60, exploded last month after she was not invited to Holly’s hen do.  

Last night a Peaty family source hit back at Gordon’s speech saying: “It just goes to show that this was the Ramsays’ plan all along.”  

ICY MESSAGE

Adam Peaty ‘sent brutal text by aunt moments before marrying Holly Ramsay’

FACE OF GLOOM

Adam Peaty’s parents look devastated as they break cover after wedding snub

And it emerged Adam’s aunt Louise texted him moments before he walked into Bath Abbey on Saturday — but he never read it because he has blocked family messages. 

The triple Olympic gold medallist, 31 yesterday, acknowledged the pain caused by the bust-up in his speech at the reception at Kin House in Kington Langley, Wilts.  

He told how his swim coach Mel Marshall has been “everything”, “grounding and inspiring” him. 

After an emotional pause he said she was, “like a mum”. 

Adam also hailed the 200 guests’ support in a “difficult time”. Sister Beth, 32, was his only family at the service, maid of honour with Holly’s sisters Megan, 27, and Tilly, 24. 

Adam’s mum, dad Mark, 65, and brothers James and Richard stayed at home in Staffordshire. 

The family source said: “This was the Ramsays’ plan all along. They wanted Adam’s family gone and they have succeeded. 

“You’d think that as parents, Gordon and Tana would have a bit more compassion towards Caroline, Mark and the family. 

“Caroline did everything and more to help Adam. She and Mark sacrificed a lot to get him where he is. Adam ought to be ashamed of himself for going ahead with the wedding without them after everything they did to support him.  

“Beth has betrayed her mum to see what she can get out of being the only family member who gets on with Adam and Holly. 

“This isn’t the Bethany we all know, she’s changed her appearance and personality to fit in with the Ramsays’ celebrity lifestyle.” 

The source also revealed Adam had disinvited his great-aunt Janet and her husband Eddie days before the wedding — despite them booking accommodation and purchasing outfits. The source added: “It’s completely unacceptable.” 

In her message, shortly before Adam entered the abbey with son George, five, his aunt Louise wrote: “I hope you never suffer the depth of pain you have put your mother through and despite it all she loves you still. Shame on you both. 

“Remember on this, your happiest day, and on each anniversary of your happiest day, that you hurt your mum so deeply her soul screams.”

A family source confirmed Adam did not receive or read the message.  

This was the Ramsays’ plan all along. They wanted Adam’s family gone and they have succeeded

Family source

Holly wore two outfits at the reception — including Tana’s gown when she wed Gordon in 1996. 

A DJ announced the tribute, sparking applause from guests including Ramsay pals David and Victoria Beckham. 

A source said: “David and Victoria were on the dance floor most of the evening. And they were almost the last to leave it. They happily mingled with everyone else.” 

Adam’s best man was Ed Baxter, a former swimmer and business partner. Adam’s coach Mel sparked laughter by referring to her student as Golden Balls, while pointing out “the other” Golden Balls, Becks. 

Mel told of her pride and joy at seeing Adam win the 100metres breaststroke gold at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, and Covid-hit Tokyo Games postponed to 2021. 

All guests wore a wristband embossed with Adam and Holly’s initials to prevent wedding crashers. 

A pal said last night: “Nothing interrupted what was a peaceful, joyous day with those closest to Holly and Adam. 

“The ceremony was magical and the reception very emotional, there were a lot of tears. 

“Gordon made an amazing speech that had everyone laughing and crying. None of the outside noise overshadowed what was an occasion filled with heartfelt joy and happiness for two people who are very much in love.” 

Gordon walked his daughter down the aisle and Tana gave a reading during the hour-long service. 

Look at Tana and that’s what you have to look forward to

Gordon Ramsay

Holly arrived nearly 30 minutes late, wearing a bridal cape over her Christmas-themed dress. 

A crowd of onlookers cheered the couple as they emerged. They were later whisked to the reception in a black Rolls-Royce. The maids of honour wore red dresses designed by Victoria, while Tana wore a similar style dress in green. 

Other celebrities in attendance included Dragons’ Den star Sara Davies and TV presenter Dan Walker, who said on social media: “We had a lovely time celebrating with Adam and Holly. 

“Great wedding, top people, wonderful service, unforgettable reception, brilliant speeches and we got to sing some bangers in the church too.” 

A select few were invited to a breakfast gathering yesterday. 

£50,000 FLOWERS JOKES IN SPEECH

Exclusive by Stephen Moyes

MEGABUCKS chef Gordon jokingly complained about the wedding’s £50,000 flowers in his speech.  

And he poked gentle fun at Holly — calling her easily the most expensive of his six children. 

Gordon revealed how young Holly worked out how to attach his credit card to her Apple Pay. 

And he joked his other children will have to marry in a register office. 

He said: “Only Holly could pick the most beautiful church and choose to cover its stunning windows in white roses.” 

Holly will show off her wedding dress in Vogue magazine, published on New Year’s Day. 

A source added: “Holly has always wanted to do Vogue so this is a coup.” 

Her and Adam’s gift list included a £1,450 Big Green Egg outdoor cooker. 

Other options were a £995 mahogany table, £800 chair and footstool, and £450 log storage bin. 

WE’VE had a corker of a year, travelling far and wide to hunt the best bargain getaways, newest spine-tingling attractions and hottest resorts to share with you, our wonderful readers.

From a behind-the-scenes look at the first new theme park to open in Orlando in 25 years, to discovering secret speakeasys on board the world’s largest cruise ship, here are The Sun Travel’s top trips from 2025.

EPIC UNIVERSE, FLORIDA

Lisa Minot, Head Of Travel

UNIVERSAL’S hugely anticipated third theme park opened this year and I was among the very first to get a sneak peek.

I can definitely say the reality surpassed my high expectations. The attention to detail, sheer scale and truly immersive nature of the five new “worlds” that make up the £7billion park are astonishing.

From the breathtaking recreation of 1920s Paris in the Wizarding World Of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, to the technicolour dreamscape of Super Nintendo World, there is something for every age and interest.

SANDS GREAT

Little-known pink beaches & turquoise lagoons you won’t believe are in Wales

ICE COLD COOL

From lagoons & sauna to divine dishes – the perfect quirky weekend break

Families with younger kids will love How To Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, a whimsical recreation of the movie ­franchise’s Viking village, complete with colourful longboats.

And thrill-seekers will enjoy Dark Universe with its Monsters Unchained and Curse Of The Werewolf attractions as well as the Stardust Racers dual-launch coaster in Celestial Park.

In 2025, visitors were restricted to one-day tickets to the new park, to manage capacity and give as many people the chance to visit as possible.

But from next year, Epic will be included on 14-day multi-park tickets, meaning you can pop in and out as many times as you like.

BAHAMAS CRUISE

Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor

IT has been my year for cruising, from sampling a knock-out cheese souffle on board Oceania’s new Allura to sipping frozen margaritas on the glossy sun deck of Princess Cruises’ Sun Princess.

However, none of these ships were as mindboggling as Star Of The Seas. Royal Caribbean’s newest colourful giant shares its title of “largest cruise ship in the world” with sister ship, Icon Of The Seas.

You need a whole week at sea to sample all the non-stop activities and to sink a beer or cocktail in every one of the 19 or so bars (save room for a punchy boulevardier from the coffee-themed Rye & Bean).

Much of what is on board has already been seen on Icon, including the thrill ride Crown’s Edge that sends passengers free-falling towards the ocean, their plummets saved by a harness as they dangle from the edge of the 16th deck.

What’s unique to Star, though, is the Lincoln Park Supper Club, an all-singing immersive dining experience that takes passengers back to the jazz boom of Chicago in the roaring Twenties.

It is costly for speciality dining but, my word, you’ll be well fed and watered. If you like martinis, you won’t regret booking this.

OSEA ISLAND, ESSEX

Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel (Digital)

PICTURE a private island with two outdoor pools, white clapboard houses and a huge sandy beach and you are more likely to be imagining somewhere exotic in the Caribbean than Essex.

But Osea is a private island linked to the mainland by a causeway you can only drive over for a few hours every day – which means you are marooned for most of the day and night.

Osea has several houses available to rent, from one-bedroom studios to 12-bedroom mansions, the largest featuring a recording studio that has been used by everyone from Stormzy to Rihanna.

It also has a tiny pub, a yoga studio, a bar and a huge event space where people can hold parties for up to 200 people.

I was there for a friend’s 50th and we spent a glorious 48 hours swimming in the sea, going on walks, eating, drinking and generally considering ourselves incredibly lucky to be in such a magical place.

You can only go to Osea if you are booked to stay in one of the properties but they are available to the public, with rooms from £60pp a night.

INDIA

Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor

INDIA has long been on my wish list to travel to, but as a young woman, I was always extremely wary.

However, Intrepid’s Women Expeditions meant I could tick off all of the top bucket list attractions while staying safe with a local female guide.

So I could visit the famous pink palace of Jaipur, and the stunning Taj Mahal in Agra.

But it also meant we got to experience this vast country like a local, meeting female rickshaw drivers and staying at the rustic Chandelao Garh – a 17th century former fort which is now a hotel with 20 rooms.

And, with Virgin Atlantic launching more flights to India in the New Year, it’ll be easier to get there than ever before.

SARDINIA

Cyann Fielding, Travel Reporter

ITALY is full of stunning, historic cities and hidden gems, but one island destination, thought to be a top spot to visit in 2026, offers a serene escape in the Mediterranean Ocean.

Sardinia is closer to Africa than mainland Italy, so boasts warming breezes and the smell of olive trees in the air.

If I am heading to a hot country, I prefer to be somewhere where everything I could want is at my fingertips – and Hilton’s Conrad Chia Laguna Resort achieves this.

Many of its stylish, sprawling rooms have small private ­gardens looking out to Chia Beach, surrounded by cream-coloured limestone.

The Conrad also has relaxing pools ideal for a refreshing dip before stretching out on one of the sun loungers.

For a touch of indulgence, the spa has a circuit of saunas, hot tubs and steam rooms ideal for a rejuvenation session.

The plush Hilton resort is just an hour from Cagliari – the island’s vibrant capital – which boasts a rich ­history and is the ideal spot for a day trip.

Return flights with British Airways in January start from a bargain £35 per person.

FINLAND

Alice Penwill, Travel Reporter

I’VE always been a fan of a hot holiday and since I live in the UK, who can really blame me?

But after heading to ­Finland for a winter adventure, I now think chilly getaways could be the way forward.

After a variety of activities from hiking through a snowy blueberry farm in outer Jyväskylä to taking a dip in a frozen lake in the city of Tampere – after a hot sauna, of course – I came to appreciate and love the cold.

One of the most special nights was at Revontuli Lakeland Village, in Hankasalmi, Jyväskylä Region, where I was able to get all cosy and enjoy a beautiful snow-scape from the comfort of a pretty igloo.

WHOEVER or whatever chiselled Chesil Beach did a mighty fine job.

The XXXL sandstone cliffs and 12 miles of shingle on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast are a treat for fossil hunter, swimmer and rambler alike.

But for a winter getaway, whether you like a bracing seaside walk, or brooding, storied villages like from the Thomas Hardy novels, Dorset is your wonderland.

First stop on our recent break was the latter — the village of Cranborne, inspiration for Hardy’s Tess Of The D’Urbevilles with its Norman church, coaching inn and thatched cottages.

But our Victorian hotel-restaurant La Fosse was as worldly as it was olde-worlde — chef-patron Mark Hartstone’s cuisine as classy as the interior design by his French wife Emmanuelle and the dining area’s woodland mural with REAL branches.

The menu proudly lists Mark’s local suppliers and our three-course feast, £75 for two, included treats such as anchovies and rhubarb compote, pork tenderloin in apple sauce, and braised quince with praline ice cream. Our bedroom was then just as sumptuous, with church view.

‘timeless classic’

Ex-England star puts Dorset mansion with sea views on market for £12m

FIRE FEARS

Dorset Wildfire ‘may last days’ as major incident declared & blaze spreading

Our next stop, Portland Peninsula in the English Channel off Weymouth, could not have differed more — the full windsock, this wild outpost, but great for blowing away thoughts of the annual tax return.

Our home, though, was the height of comfort — literally so, for the Pennsylvania Estate’s luxury Clifftop Apartments lord it high over the Channel with grandstand terraces.

Hewn of the same Portland Stone as Buckingham Palace, these glass-fronted superpads with James Bond-style kitchen-lounge, two bedrooms, and your own telescope for whale-watching, are quite the treat for two couples sharing or a family.

We swam in nearby Church Ope Cove, named for a now ruined 11th- century chapel with pirate graves — and it was a fine appetiser before bussing into Weymouth for dinner.

Star of the town’s bouji harbour is seafood restaurant The Catch, hailed recently by one posh critic as “the best restaurant in the world”.

Again, you are in treat land — the tasting menu and wine flight for two costs several hundred. But our fare, from oyster with fermented chilli and pickled shallot, and pickled mackerel with beetroot and salted plum, to chocolate, pear and hazelnut praline choux, was of the gods.

The harbourside Ebike Cafe, in a former grain warehouse, is also foodie heaven — its power porridges, buddha bowls, smoothies and fine wines as hipster-trendy as anything East London could serve up.

Across the harbour is Bennett’s Fish & Chips — top spot to meet the locals and admire old photos of the town — before the posh eateries then spill out on to nearby Chesil Beach.

Walk the epic shore, famed for TV drama Broadchurch, and The Watch House, Hive Beach Cafe and The Club House all offer premium bites.

At the first, we had the best beer-battered haddock, with craft cider, and at The Club House sea bass in seaweed butter sauce, and oysters.

If all that makes you lazy, The Island Sauna, overlooking Portland Harbour, is just the place to flop.

Another trip highlight, literally, was a tour of the Edwardian Portland Bill Lighthouse. As you climb its stair, you hear a haunting recording of the foghorn, at a polite fraction of full might, before being regaled with Spanish Armada tales.

Offshore is the Portland Brace tidal race where currents collide to create perilous turbulence, and our guide told how Sir Francis Drake suckered the Spanish into it before turning his guns on them.

Dorset get more exciting? Surely not.

WAG Rebekah Vardy has run into trouble with her booze brand less than a year after it was launched.

Vardy, 43, launched SKTL last December with former footballer and I’m A Celebrity campmate Dennis Wise, 58.

The £25 flavoured vodka — inspired by husband Jamie’s love of mixing Skittles sweets into the spirit — appears to still be on sale from the company’s website.

But disappointed fans told The Sun on Sunday they had waited months for bottles ordered in October that never arrived.

Eventually, they received an automated message saying their money would be refunded but were given no explanation for the delay or cancellation of the order.

When one customer tried to contact Sktl, they found the company’s main email address bounced back.

READ MORE ON REBEKAH VARDY

VARD TRUTH

Vardy becomes first Englishman to win prestigious award at age of 38

VARDY RAID

Vardy burglars crept in through OPEN WINDOW of couple’s £2m Lake Garda villa

Another customer said: “I’m furious, it took two months to find out they weren’t going to deliver.”

Pals of Rebekah — whose husband moved from Leicester to Serie A side Cremonese this summer — revealed the mother of five has paused work on the drink brand to settle into life in Italy.

The source said: “There’s no problem with the brand; and it’s still something Rebekah wants to push on with.

“But, just for the moment, she’s had to take a breath – so she can focus on Italy and organising the family moving out and then getting settled in there.

“Once that’s all sorted, vodka will be back as one of her focuses!”

FORGET the Oscars, these are the gongs that matter: The Biz on Sunday Awards for 2025.

It’s been another epic year in showbiz, and today we look back at the best, and worst, of it.

From Katy Perry’s space voyage to Alan Carr winning The Celebrity Traitors, here is our round-up . . .

REUNION OF THE YEAR

WHEN Noel and Liam Gallagher walked out on stage together for the first time in 16 years, Oasis fans around the world breathed a huge sigh of relief.

The brothers finally put their long-running feud behind them and took us back to the Nineties with their Live ’25 Tour.

After 41 dates, spanning 13 countries on five continents, it is safe to say that their reunion will be talked about for years to come.

MR AND MRS

Adam Peaty and Holly Ramsay wed with his sister as bridesmaid amid feud

CHRISTMAS CRACKER

Rhian Sugden looks incredible in knickers and ‘naughty but nice’ crop top

Here’s hoping that 2026 holds even more for Oasis.

MOMENT OF THE YEAR

POP star Katy Perry proved she was out of this world when she soared 62 miles above Earth in April.

The American singer went into space on Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket with an all-female crew, and promised that a song inspired by the trip was on its way.

But critics branded her part in the mission “tone deaf” in light of the world’s economic struggles.

FALL OF THE YEAR

McFLY singer Danny Jones and Love Island beauty Maura Higgins certainly had a rocky start to 2025.

After both appeared in ITV’s I’m A Celebrity . . . Get Me Out Of Here! in 2024, they were spotted together at a Brit Awards after-party in March – and married guitarist Danny was filmed kissing single Maura.

Luckily for Danny, his loyal wife, model Georgia, later forgave him.

Hopefully he will be on his very best behaviour next year.

SPLIT OF THE YEAR

LILY ALLEN proved that revenge is a dish best served cold – following her split from Stranger Things star David Harbour.

The British pop star laid bare her marriage breakdown through 14 tracks on her album West End Girl, which was released in October.

Lily’s tell-all lyrics came after months of hints about her toxic split with American David last December, amid rumours she caught him cheating.

If the album is anything to go by, her West End Girl tour will be one to remember.

TV TWIST OF THE YEAR

THE Celebrity Traitors was the year’s biggest TV show – with 12million viewers tuning in to watch Alan Carr win.

The comedian became the standout star of the series after “murdering” his best mate Paloma Faith – and having the worst poker face at the round tables.

Alan will be forever remembered as the best and worst Traitor in BBC history.

COUPLE OF THE YEAR

TAYLOR SWIFT and Travis Kelce broke the internet in August when the announcement of their engagement scored 37million likes on Instagram.

In a joint post, US hitmaker Taylor was pictured surrounded by flowers, with her American football star boyfriend on one knee, and a cryptic caption quipped: “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.”

The couple, below, first sparked rumour of a romance when Taylor was spotted watching a Kansas City Chiefs game in 2023.

If the engagement is anything to go by, this is going to be the wedding of the century.

UNLIKELY NEW ROMANCE

HE is Britain’s most eligible pop star – so when Harry Styles stepped out with Catwoman Zoe Kravitz in Rome in August, fans went wild.

The As It Was singer was seen walking arm-in-arm with US actress Zoe through the streets of the Italian capital.

Could we see a diamond ring in the new year?

ARIANA GETS A GRANDE HOTEL

ARIANA GRANDE seems to be planning a Wicked time during her rumoured West End stint — including a £1million hotel stay.

I hear the US singer and actress, who is tipped to star in a revival of hit musical Sunday In The Park With George, has included accommodation at the 5H Mandarin Oriental among conditions for her potentially taking the role.

Penthouses at the Hyde Park hotel start from £40,000 a night.

The three-bedroom suite is almost 5,000sq ft, with a walk-in wardrobe and grandstand private terrace.

If the play runs for six weeks, Ariana’s hotel bill would run to more than £1million.

Fans believe she is set to star in a revival of Stephen Sondheim’s 1984 musical Sunday In The Park With George at London’s Barbican Centre in 2027.

If so, she would line up alongside Jonathan Bailey, who played her Wicked character Glinda’s love interest.

A source said: “Ariana wants to stay at the Mandarin when she stars in the play.

“She really appreciates her downtime when she is working on productions and is a huge fan of the hotel.

“Ariana loves London and believes that the Mandarin Oriental has the city’s best views.”

Meanwhile she is nominated for Best Supporting Actress in Wicked: For Good at the Golden Globes in January.

She will then start her The Eternal Sunshine Tour in June, in Oakland, California, to support her album of the same name.

Sounds like she deserves some five-star R&R.

GET READY FOR A HARRY NEW YEAR

HARRY STYLES has given his most telling clue yet that he is preparing for a comeback.

He put on his YouTube channel a clip from his final Love On Tour gig, in 2023 in Italy – and the post was cryptically titled, “Forever, forever”, with text declaring: “We belong together.” He is at the piano, sparkling in gold.

It comes amid rumours of a fourth solo album – and a stage return.

The former One Direction star released his last album, Harry’s House, in 2022.

Looks like 2026 will be his year.

SPOTTING yet another shark, my sister Hayley shouts: “Quick! There are loads over here,” pointing towards the edge of the reef.

We’ve only just jumped into the sea on our 90-minute guided snorkelling trip, £53 each, so I decide to closely follow the guide instead, who points out moray eels, box fish and spotted eagle rays, plus the aforementioned reef sharks, which are thankfully harmless.

There is coral aplenty, and it’s teeming with sea life in every colour of the rainbow, as if I’ve swum straight into a scene from Finding Nemo.

Water View

Staying in a water villa at Oblu Xperience Ailafushi – complete with an outdoor rainfall shower and deck with a ladder straight into the turquoise water below – offers the classic Maldives experience.

The sound of the waves lapping beneath us is more calming than any white noise track I’ve listened to.

Thankfully, this all-inclusive resort on Ailafushi island is not solely aimed at couples, unlike many luxury getaways in the Maldives.

ROCKIN’ AROUND

Moment TORNADO hits Spain as Xmas lights destroyed amid weather red alert

COSTA LITTLE

This is Spain’s cheapest island with £169pp holidays – and it’s still 23C

Even better, it’s just a 15-minute speedboat ride from the capital Malé, which works out much cheaper than a sea-plane transfer.

The main restaurant, Element X, is a buffet eatery, which also helps keep costs down.

Here, we find dishes from all over the world, but it’s the Indian selection with rich, buttery paneer masala, spicy lentil daal and fresh roti, that most hits the spot.

All the action on Ailafushi centres around the main pool, the X360 bar and the neighbouring beach, where water shoes prove handy for the coral.

Daily activities include aqua Zumba, water polo and volleyball, plus a DJ hits the decks at sunset.

There’s even a twice-weekly foam party, which reminds us of teenage trips to Ibiza.

After a few frozen piña coladas, the nightly karaoke proves entertaining, and there’s a games room complete with pool tables, board games and huge screens playing live sport.

But it’s the water slide that drops you straight into the Indian ocean that becomes our favourite activity.

Beach Happy

At the other side of the island – a 10-minute stroll away – we find the Elena Spa And Wellness Centre, one of the Maldives’ largest spas, with landscaped tropical gardens that blend indoors with outdoors.

My treatment room overlooks the beach, and beneath the spa soundtrack I can hear the gentle sound of the waves.

The Balinese massage, £57 for 60 minutes, melts away tension from our long flight, while Hayley’s detoxifying lymph massage leaves her abs looking super-sculpted.

As well as treatments, there’s a steam room, sauna and salt water infinity pool, £8 for an hour, plus a juice bike which you can pedal to blend your fruits of choice.

Later, on the 90-minute dolphin cruise, which costs £53 each, we camp out on the bow of the boat, and are soon fortunate enough to spy a pod complete with a calf leaping out of the water just as the sunset turns the sky orange.

We celebrate with a delicious five-course lobster-themed beach dinner from The Copper Pot food truck, £60 each, that includes brown butter lobster tortellini, poached lobster, fennel and mango salad and a gigantic lobster thermidor.

Another ray in paradise

Our most memorable evening is spent at Oblu’s underwater restaurant Only Blu.

At 6.8m below sea level, we tuck into three courses with wine pairings, and marvel at the marine life on the other side of the super-sized windows.

As we’re feasting on scallops with pickles and cauliflower, and Maldivian yellowfin tuna poke, a 5ft-long nurse shark glides past and hundreds of tiny fish quickly dart into the reef to camouflage themselves among the coral.

It’s not long before we spy a similar-sized blacktip reef shark, and I lose count of the number of rays that appear alongside brightly coloured trigger and lion fish, before my main course of melt-in-the-mouth, pan-fried reef fish with corn mash and an olive and caper emulsion arrives.

A gulab jamun cheesecake and rich deconstructed banoffee pie don’t disappoint either, and the night proves well worth the extra £95 each.

With the fish still entertaining us just a few feet away, if we could, we’d both happily stay here until sunrise.

ISLE BE BACK

Meanwhile, writer Samantha Rea found joy on the island of Sark.

The “toast rack” – which is basically a row of benches on a trailer pulled by a tractor – is chugging me uphill from the harbour.

With no seat belts or doors, I hold on for dear life.

But seeing as only tractors and horse-drawn carriages are allowed on the tiny isle of Sark (yes, there are no cars!), this is the best way to reach The Avenue, Sark’s main street.

And at £1.80 a ride, it’s worth a go.

Sitting in the English Channel, just off the French coast, Sark is 3.5 miles long and 1.5 miles wide with some fab foodie gems.

At Caragh Chocolates, I decorate truffles and a huge slab with hazelnuts, fudge and cranberries alongside owner Caragh, before leaving with my delicious creations.

Ninety-minute workshops cost £45 (Caraghchocolates.com).

While at cosy Nova’s Bistro, portions are generous and the rich beef stew with pastry lid, £26, and treacle tart, £9.50 (@Novas. bistro) are well worth the 20-minute walk from Stocks Hotel, where I’m kipping

I walk off some of my indulgence the next day on a one-hour tour of La Seigneurie House and Gardens, with its gorgeous fountains, bridges and chapel. It’s owned by a family who are like Sark’s royals and has a fascinating history. Entry costs £8 (Laseigneurie desercq.uk).

Sark is also great for wild swimming – the best spots being Dixcart Bay, Les Fontaine Bay and La Grande Greve.

Meanwhile, if you want to see the Milky Way once night falls, head to Sark Observatory, £10 (Darkskyisland. co.uk).

And just like the song, you’ll hopefully soon be counting stars. . .

UK flights to Guernsey cost from £100 return. Ferries to Sark cost from £38.50 return (Sarkshipping.gg).

Double rooms at Stocks Hotel cost from £250 B&B (Stockshotel.com).

STROLLING the empty grounds of the “UK’s most beautiful castle”, I imagine myself as former resident Catherine of Aragon – minus the impractical clothing and messy divorce.

It was an autumnal Sunday morning after I had booked my family into one of the new Knights’ Retreat Lodges at Leeds Castle, near Maidstone in Kent, for the night.

The wooden lodges, named after mythical creatures such as Basilisk, Gryphon and Hippogriff, are built at the far end of the grounds, next to the children’s playground and falconry — an important detail for families when the grounds span 500 acres.

Our lodge slept five people, with a double bed in one room and three single beds decorated with cute shield pillows (available in the gift shop for a reasonable £14), plus a lounge area with a kitchenette and a bathroom. The lodges are a masterclass in small space management.

This allowed the adults to spend an enjoyable couple of hours chatting over a bottle of wine in the lounge, while the two boys battled it out in the bedroom with their shields.

Huge sandpit

But we weren’t there for chilling. Because a stay in the lodges gets you two-day access to Leeds Castle and its grounds, so we had to use our daylight hours wisely.

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First stop, the Knights’ Stronghold Playground, an enormous medieval-themed play area that is potentially the best “climbing frame” in the country. The four-storey castle has enough bridges, turrets, walkways, ziplines and slides to keep your child entertained for hours.

But we gave ourselves a strict two-hour time limit so we didn’t miss out on the rest of the action.

In the kids’ corner of the grounds, there is a huge sandpit almost as big as a small beach, an obstacle course and the birds-of-prey centre, which holds falconry shows featuring the resident hawks, falcons and owls.

The impressive show saw the handlers weaving through the crowd so that the birds were encouraged to whizz among us. They were so close that I had to duck on more than one occasion.

But the attraction that has been discussed most since our return to the commoner life is the maze, which was built in 1988 from 2,400 yew trees.

We were so bad in there that we had to ask for help to reach the middle. At that point, we were rewarded (for our cheating) with entrance to the magical underground grotto.

Thanks to back-to-back activities we’d worked up quite the appetite, so we took the woodland path over to the Castle View Restaurant for dinner.

We dined on classic dishes including ham hock terrine, rib-eye steak, chargrilled cauliflower and glazed pork chops, with a fantastic view of the castle all lit up at night.

Another brilliant thing about a stay in the Knights’ Retreat Lodges is you get access to the castle grounds before they open to the public. We took advantage of that with a magical hour’s stroll.

For the price of a night’s stay in a lodge that works out from £69 per person, it was quite something to have such a famous location to ourselves.

On the whole walk, we bumped into just two members of staff and got plenty of fantastic crowd-free pictures of ourselves outside the castle.

It also meant we were among the first inside the castle itself, so the four and six-year-olds in our company were able to exclaim loudly at obscure details in the lavish property, last decorated by Lady Baillie in the early 20th century.

As a rule, heritage properties don’t hold much interest for young boys, but Leeds Castle allows you to walk in among the items in many of the rooms instead of being roped off. You’re even encouraged to play a game of chess in the games room.

And at Christmas, they decorate the entire place, making it the perfect time to visit.

If you’re looking for some extra festive magic, they also have a Christmas Lights Trail, which runs until December 31, and features a small food market and fairground.

Even the great Catherine of Aragon would have been impressed.

LYING by the pool, white wine in hand, I wonder if the Seaside Palm Beach hotel might be the most beautiful resort I’ve ever stayed in.

In front of me, hundreds of wild palm trees — the tallest I’ve ever seen — sway in the afternoon breeze as canaries sing in the shade below.

The scene marked the start of a calm and relaxed weekend on the tranquil Spanish island of Gran Canaria, where temperatures can easily reach the 20s in the winter months.

Just a four-hour flight from the UK (costing less than £30 each way with easyJet from Luton), this trip was the ultimate warm oasis retreat . . . without the jet lag.

The 5-star hotel, situated on the south east coast in Maspalomas, is a haven of luxury.

The serene spa is home to a new sauna, cold plunge and hydrotherapy suite, where guests have the option to strip off completely for an authentic wellness experience.

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Small but buzzing

While my pal and I weren’t that brave, we did manage to plunge ourselves into the freezing ice bath (a welcome break from the October sunshine) before treating ourselves to a massage (99 euros for one dreamy hour) in the garden rooms, which have views of the botanical plants.

After a quick dip in the pool to wake ourselves up, we headed to the terrace for lunch of prawn caesar salad, calamari and homemade bread, with an ice-cold beer to wash it down.

Unlike most all-inclusive hotels I’ve stayed in, the Palm Beach offers guests the option to order lunch a la carte from the poolside restaurant as opposed to being stuck with just the buffet area, making it a much more intimate and luxurious experience.

Dinner was an equally impressive affair, with both a la carte and buffet options available on different nights.

Highlights included the Italian barbecue, with a homemade pasta station and a selection of fresh meat and fish grilled to order.

Outside of the hotel, local Italian restaurant il PosTo served us a delicious Neapolitan pizza for 18 euros, with a night cap of limoncello on the house.

The strip here is small but buzzing, with sunset beach bars lining the boardwalk, perfect for a pre-dinner cocktail with stunning views of the Atlantic ocean.

But the most impressive place we visited had to be the natural wonder of the Maspalomas sand dunes. This protected nature reserve is home to 400 hectares of desert-like dunes and lagoons.

A ten-minute walk from the hotel, it is the perfect place to explore in the early-evening golden hour when the heat of the day has died down.

For those wanting something a little more buzzy, the resort of Puerto Rico is a 20-minute drive south.

Here you’ll find shopping malls, discos and a wider selection of restaurants, as well as dozens of daily boat excursions to explore the local coastline.

For 40 euros, we hopped aboard Spirit of the Seas’ whale and dolphin watching tour — a 2.5-hour excursion with local experts who have worked on the sea here for 25 years.

We weren’t fortunate enough to see any marine mammals, but the company offers visitors a free voucher to go out again if there are no sightings — so it’s worth doing this excursion at the start of your trip to allow time to try again.

The next town along, Mogan, is also well worth a visit.

We paid a visit to the Hotel Cordial Mogan Playa, one of the grandest in the town, which offers day passes for 55 euros per adult and 27.50 euros for kids, including lunch.

The terracotta hotel blocks surround a garden spa featuring luxurious day beds, an outdoor heated hydrotherapy pool, hot tub and hot and cold foot spas.

After enjoying a fresh juice here, we tried the volcanic lava exfoliation treatment inside.

The 40-minute session started with a full-body exfoliation using black sand from the island’s northern beaches, followed by a massage using locally-sourced aromatic oils.

It was the perfect end to a three-day retreat — a break I will definitely want to repeat in the cold, dark winter months.

“IF you go above 50mph, a monkey will jump out and give you a speeding ticket.”

I have been warned, but it certainly feels like I’m going that fast as I whizz through the jungle on a zipline.

Thankfully the monkeys keep to themselves, although you’ll often see them popping out from the trees while in St Kitts.

The Caribbean island is definitely one for the adventure-seekers. At least that’s what I’m told as I zoom down The Boss zipline, speeding through the tree canopies around me.

My grin is ear to ear as I throw my hands out, flying along like a bird. When I come back to earth with a massive spring cushioning my fast fall, I’m sad it’s over — but there’s so much more to come.

Next up is hiking the live volcano Mount Liamuiga. It’s not for the faint-hearted, as the six-hour trek is up 2,000ft, with the majority of it scrabbling up rocks and tree roots.

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Even as someone relatively fit, it was a battle of my will to get all the way up.

Thankfully, the view was worth it as I overlooked the grassy crater while perched on the edge of a rock. Even the hazy clouds covering the top couldn’t stop me feeling proud of the achievement.

But those clouds soon turned into some of the heaviest rain our guide said he’d seen outside of hurricane season.

Those tropical storms that just last an hour? Not this one.

The already treacherous walk down was made all the harder when the steep route was turned into a waterfall.

Soaked in minutes, it’s no surprise I walked (slid) down to the bottom in half the time it took to go up. I was only too grateful for the very deep tissue massage waiting for me at the beautiful Belle Monte Hotel at the end.

But if you are desperate for that knockout island view, there is a much easier way to get it.

At the very south of the island is Cockleshell Beach, home to all of the island’s top watersports. And it’s how I found myself 60ft in the air during my first attempt at parasailing.

The view from up there let me see both St Kitts and its neighbouring island, Nevis, uninterrupted, as my pro captain sped along the waves.
Evening smores

And I spotted his cheeky grin as he dunked us in the water “accidentally” when bringing us back to the boat.

Evening smores

Most of our travel went through the middle of the island, where the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea meet.

On the Atlantic side is the St Kitts Marriott Resort, which overlooks a sandy beach. The rooms are simple, but large, so more than enough room to spread out.

And the rest of the hotel will keep you occupied, with a huge central pool complete with swim-up bar, volleyball nets and enough sun loungers for everyone.

There’s also tennis courts, ice-cream parlours, shops and the island’s only casino.

Make sure to check the board for activities too — we missed the live bands but managed some evening smores over the outdoor fire pit.

While you can eat at the hotel restaurants, most resorts in St Kitts aren’t all-inclusive.

It’s a good thing, though, with amazing diners dotted throughout the island.

There is Shipwreck, a pirate-like bar on Frigate Bay that serves the best jerk chicken and rice I’ve ever had.

Or head to Rock Lobster for a beautifully rich lobster thermidor.

Or for something fancier there is Carambola, with a huge fresh sushi bar as well as delicious surf and turf.

But I barely scratched the surface when it comes to island thrills.

There’s snorkelling and catamarans, beach horse-riding, jet skis and even retro train rides.

“It’s an island where you can do something different every day,” my boat captain tells me during an impromptu sailing lesson.

After a week of ziplining, hiking and paragliding, it might just be the first holiday I came home fitter from than when I left.

THE turkey leftovers are nearly finished and the Christmas tree might be looking past its best.

While we have still got all the fun of New Year’s Eve this week, our thoughts will no doubt be turning to something we can look forward to in 2026.

And, of course, that has to be a holiday.

Travel companies are going all out this year to encourage us to get planning and there are some great deals to be had in their New Year sales.

Lisa Minot takes a look at some of the bargains to be bagged before Big Ben’s chimes usher in 2026.

British Airways

BRITISH Airways and BA Holidays’ January sale offers savings on trips to some of its most-searched holiday destinations in 2025, including New York, Orlando, Dubai, the Maldives and Barbados.

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With 2026 marking the centenary of America’s Route 66 and the World Cup kicking off, there are return flights from £411 to Los Angeles, £427 to San Francisco and £439 to Miami.

Flights to Dubai start from £449 and Cancun from £482.

British Airways Holidays has seven-night packages to European destinations including Malaga, the Algarve, Malta and Majorca from £299pp.

And for a cheeky city break, there are deals in hot spots including Barcelona, Nice and Venice from £199pp.

There are also discounted holidays to the US, with Florida and Los Angeles from £599pp.

Deals include seven nights’ room-only at the 4H Pestana Alvor Beach Villas in Alvor, Portugal, from £299pp including Gatwick flights on dates in March and 23kg luggage.

Or seven nights’ room-only at 3.5H The STRAT Hotel, Casino and Tower in Las Vegas from £649pp including Heathrow flights on select dates in November.

To book, go to ba.com/sale.

Virgin Atlantic

THERE are savings of up to £120 per couple and £210 for a family of four on Virgin Holidays packages to the Caribbean, Orlando and Tampa with a low deposit of just £75pp.

Deals include 14 nights’ room-only at the Rosen Inn at Pointe Orlando from £908pp including Virgin Atlantic flights from Heathrow on March 4, 2026.

There are also holidays to new route Cancun in Mexico, with seven nights’ B&B at The Fives Downtown Hotel from £1,086pp including Virgin flights from Heathrow on September 19, 2026.

In Virgin Atlantic’s sale there are return flights to New York from £373 on select dates in February 2026, as well as return fares to Phuket in Thailand from £648pp on selected departure dates in October 2026.

You can also get return flights to Cape Town, South Africa, from £729pp on selected dates in January and February 2026.

See virginatlantic.com.

TUI

TOUR giant TUI is touting its biggest sale ever with up to £500 off holidays, zero deposits with direct debits to spread the cost and thousands of free kids’ places in the school holidays.

There are flexible departures from more than 20 local airports and hundreds of free room upgrades.

The sale offers savings of ten per cent with the code SALE up to a maximum saving of £500 as long as you download the TUI app and create an account.

As well as land-based holidays, there is up to £300 off TUI River Cruises when you spend over £3,500, or £200 off if you spend over £2,500 on sailings departing between March 2026 and the end of October 2027.

The deal is valid on sailings of five nights or longer on Europe’s River Rhine, Douro or Danube and River Nile in Egypt.

Or you can head long- haul to the Caribbean with seven nights’ all-inclusive at the 5H Riu Negril in Jamaica.

It costs from £1,420pp including flights from Gatwick on June 16, 20kg hold luggage and transfers.

To book, go to tui.co.uk.

Jet 2

THE UK’s largest tour operator is sharing the love with £100 off ALL holidays booked in its sale, with a low deposit of just £25 needed to lock in a great deal.

The sale, running until January 12, also includes 20 per cent off all flight-only bookings on jet2.com, including on one-way flights.

All package holiday deals include 22kg luggage, 10kg hand luggage, under-seat bag, return transfers, plus ABTA and ATOL protection.

There are millions of free child places, as well as pay monthly plans to spread the cost.

Deals are available on more than 75 destinations across Europe, the Med, North Africa and the Canary Islands.

Offers include seven nights’ all-inclusive at the 3H Club Mac Alcudia Resort and Waterpark in Majorca from £579pp with flights from Leeds Bradford on April 18.

And seven nights’ B&B at the 3H Hotel La Barracuda, Costa del Sol, from £389pp including flights from Stansted on February 27.

See jet2holidays.com.

easyJet

THE Big Orange Sale from easyJet holidays is promising up to £400 off city breaks and beach escapes.

Holidaymakers can get £50 off a minimum spend of £500, £100 off an £800 minimum, £150 off a minimum of £1,500, £300 off a £3,000 minimum spend and £400 off a £4,000 spend with the code BIGSALE.

The deal is valid on 8,000 hand-picked hotels in more than 100 destinations in Europe and North Africa, from popular cities including Amsterdam and Prague, and beach spots from the Canaries to Cape Verde.

All holidays include flights and hotels, and beach packages also come with a 23kg luggage allowance and transfers.

Deals include four nights’ room-only at the 3H Espresso City Centre in Amsterdam from £227pp including flights from Southend on February 1.

And seven nights’ all-inclusive at the 4H Valeria Dar Atlas Resort in Marrakech from £435pp including flights from Liverpool on February 5, with 23kg luggage and transfers.

Book with a £60 deposit at easyjet.com/en/holidays.

WITH her steamy shower scenes and sexy outfits, you might assume the much-hyped Sydney Sweeney is the centre of attention in new thriller movie The Housemaid.

Instead, critics are raving about her older co-star Amanda Seyfried as the standout of the film that hit UK cinemas yesterday.

Mamma Mia! actress Amanda, 40, is tipped for an Oscar nod for The Testament Of Ann Lee, which is out in February and sees her play the founder of the Christian fundamentalist Shaker Movement in the 18th century.

But it is The Housemaid, based on the same-named bestselling 2022 novel by US author Freida McFadden, that will be putting bums on seats first.

In the sexy flick, Amanda plays deranged housewife Nina Winchester, who hires 28-year-old Sydney’s Millie Calloway to take care of domestic chores and her daughter.

But nothing is what it seems in this psychological potboiler as Amanda — also famed for 2004 teen movie Mean Girls, as a student who believes her breasts predict the weather — steals the show.

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Revelling in the role, she teases: “It’s dark as s**t. But when you get opportunities like that — to go nuts, go anywhere — I’m so happy I can still do it.

“There were ample opportunities for me to play unhinged, and playing unhinged is delicious. I had so much fun.”

In The Housemaid trailer, the two co-stars appear to be at each other’s throats. There is shouting, screaming and knives are reached for.

But in real life, fellow Americans Amanda and Sydney became great pals while making and promoting the film.

‘She’s a sweetheart’

For a bit of fun together, they even took a lie-detector test for Vanity Fair magazine, with a very animated Amanda asking Sydney whether her breasts were real.

Sydney is now caught in a storm over her recent “great jeans” ad, as some claimed its pun on “genes” hinted at white supremacy.

But Donald Trump, hailed it “the hottest ad out there”.

There have also been online rumours of her having romances with co-stars including Housemaid actor Brandon Sklenar and Glen Powell, who Sydney got steamy with in 2023 rom com Anyone But You. None of it was true.

Amanda knows about falling for a co-star, having dated Dominic Cooper from 2008 film Mamma Mia! for three years before the British actor reportedly broke her heart.

But asked about all the hype around pin-up Sydney, she told Vanity Fair: “I don’t envy anything she’s going through.

“I’ve spent a lot of time with her, we just hit it off immediately. She’s a sweetheart. I did not have a moment like she’s having, ever.”

If Sydney ever wanted to know more about the ups and downs of fame, Amanda would be a great person to chat to.

People would run into me and kids would be like, ‘Hey, can you tell us what your boobs are thinking?’ I got that so often, but I didn’t mind it’

Amanda Seyfried

Her pharmacist dad Jack and mum Ann, an occupational therapist, brought her up on a college campus in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

At school, Amanda started modelling then, in her teens, broke into acting with roles in US soap operas As The World Turns and All My Children.

This led to the “liberation and freedom of living on my own in New York City”, as her career took off.

She says: “I was having so much fun — paid a thousand dollars a day and working, like, three times a week — for a 17-year-old.”

The dream seemed to be over when the TV work dried up, and she enrolled at college.

But then an audition for mega-hit Mean Girls, which starred Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams, saved her career.

Amanda says: “I was just happy to be working — big cheque.”

But playing that student who believes her boobs have superpowers led to some pointed questions from admirers.

She recalls: “People would run into me and kids would be like, ‘Hey, can you tell us what your boobs are thinking?’ I got that so often, but I didn’t mind it. I did my job, good enough, I guess.”

Four years later, she got the lead role of Sophie in Abba-inspired smash-hit movie musical Mamma Mia!, alongside Meryl Streep.

Amanda says of the much sought-after part: “I can’t f***ing believe I got that role but it felt like something I should be doing, could be doing.”

She was on a roll as further box-office success followed, including 2009 comedy-horror Jennifer’s Body with Megan Fox, 2010 romantic drama Dear John with Channing Tatum, and 2012 hit Les Miserables.

But not all of her career choices turned out well. She passed on the role of green alien Gamora in 2014 superhero blockbuster Guardians Of The Galaxy, only for it to take nearly £600million worldwide and spawn a pair of sequels.

The part was played instead by Zoe Saldana. Amanda says: “The offer came in and I was like, ‘I should take this, right? But this is going to be Marvel’s first bomb and I do not want to be ruined for the rest of my life. Who the f is going to see a movie with a talking raccoon?’”

But her later decision to star in an off-Broadway play in New York called The Way We Get By in 2015 was to have a major impact on her personal life. Co-star Thomas Sadoski would become her husband two years later.

She says: “We met, we came very, very close, and then we started seeing each other a year later — and now we have kids [a daughter born in 2017 and son born in 2020].”

Amanda had never intended to be a mum because she feared it might ruin her career.

But she says: “If you’re lucky enough to accidentally get pregnant, which was me twice, I’m just like, thank God. I would have been, ‘I’m too busy’, ‘I’m gonna disappear from Hollywood and it’s gonna be hard to get back on track.’”

If you’re lucky enough to accidentally get pregnant, which was me twice, I’m just like, thank God. I would have been, ‘I’m too busy’, ‘I’m gonna disappear from Hollywood and it’s gonna be hard to get back on track.’

Amanda

In reality, after getting pregnant, Amanda took only a few months off and discovered she was being offered “mum” roles by casting directors.

She says: “There’s something that happens to you when you become a mother or a father.

“You know, when your life no longer matters as much and you can’t live for yourself any more.

“That sacrifice also is very enriching and the roles got better. But it was funny how fast that happened. They’re like, ‘She’s pregnant. Is she pregnant? Oh, she had a baby. Oh, yeah, no, she’s a mom. She’s a mom now.’

“But I did play one character where I was not a mom, since then.”

One mum she played was silent film star Marion Davies in Gary Oldman’s 2020 movie Mank, about alcoholic screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz railing against 1930s Hollywood society while completing the screenplay of 1941 movie classic Citizen Kane.

That led to a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination in 2021, which in turn secured a starring role in the Disney+ series The Dropout, for which she won an Emmy and Golden Globe.

‘Weird dance’

Amanda says: “Going to the Oscars, you’re like, ‘I’m just happy to be here’, honestly. But it brought me up the casting list. I got the offer for The Dropout the next day.”

But there were restrictions on playing real-life character Elizabeth Holmes in The Dropout because the medical fraudster was not convicted until January 2022.

The programme’s lawyers even advised against sex scenes.

Amanda says: “Every script went through a team of lawyers.

“We couldn’t say certain things, we couldn’t do certain things. We couldn’t show them making love, so we had that weird dance scene because that was their foreplay.”

Every script went through a team of lawyers. We couldn’t say certain things, we couldn’t do certain things. We couldn’t show them making love, so we had that weird dance scene because that was their foreplay

Amanda Seyfried

Fast-forward to now, and her title role in upcoming period drama The Testament Of Ann Lee, about the UK-born Shaker Movement being taken to the US by Manchester lass Ann in 1774.

It sees Amanda shake ecstatically as the ultra-puritanical sect, which avoided earthly pleasures such as sex, celebrated the Almighty.

Also known for their pacifism, the Shakers’ number peaked in the mid-19th century but then declined with industrialisation, with only one active community remaining today, in Maine. Amanda says of Ann: “Nobody could have sex because sex, she thought, was the root of all evil — the root of why she was in so much pain.

“She had got pregnant and lost her babies.

“The idea that taking sex away could make you closer to wholeness is kind of beautiful. I think she’s nuts and also very cool.”

But despite her impressive credits reel, Amanda still reckons she must battle to stay on the “list” of most-wanted actresses in Hollywood.

She says: “These f***ing lists. Every time I’m auditioning it’s like I fluctuate. I fall down the list, I go to the top of the second list or keep going back to the bottom of the first list, and it’s like, I’m lucky to be on the list at all.”

But after The Housemaid, she shouldn’t need to worry about being on that Tinseltown A-list.

EROTIC AND CAMP

THE HOUSEMAID (15) 131mins

★★★☆☆

By LINDA MARRIC

A GLOSSY, erotic thriller that is as hilariously camp as it is suspenseful.

Adapted from Freida McFadden’s smash-hit novel by director Paul Feig and screenwriter Rebecca Sonnenshine, Sydney Sweeney stars as Millie, a young woman fresh out of prison.

She takes a live-in maid job at the lavish home of wealthy couple Nina and Andrew Winchester (Amanda Seyfried and Brandon Sklenar).

What initially promises a fresh start for the young woman, quickly turns into something far stranger as Nina’s wildly erratic behaviour borders on the theatrical, while Andrew’s “perfect husband” routine grows increasingly unrealistic.

Feig, usually known for his work in comedy, brings an over-the-top energy to this adaptation that makes for a fun, if slightly ridiculous, ride.

While his shift into psychological drama feels a bit bumpy, the film’s knowingly silly vibe is exactly what makes it so entertaining.

But it struggles with its own shifting tone and at 131 minutes, the pacing sags and several twists are made a little too obvious.

Sweeney does her best with the script but it is Seyfried who ultimately comes out on top here, putting in a brilliantly unhinged performance as Nina.

The Housemaid may lack subtlety and genuine menace but no one can deny that it is a great deal of fun from start to finish.