bid

THE race to crown the Christmas No1 will get under way in two weeks.

And a dark horse, or should that be lovable bear, has entered the fray.

Paddington has become a major contender with song One Of Us, which is actually sung by McFly’s Tom Fletcher, who wrote it for the new Paddington The Musical in London’s West End.

He has stiff competition in what is looking set to be the most closely fought contest in years.

Martin Talbot, chief executive of The Official Charts Company, said: “The vision of Paddington taking on this year’s diverse gaggle of new festive chart contenders, alongside seasonal classics from The Pogues, Mariah Carey and Wham!, will be something to savour.”

The winning song will be revealed on The Radio 1 Chart Show just after 5.30pm on December 19.

Lee Phelps, from bookies William Hill, said: “Wham! are our odds-on favourites to be Christmas No1 for the third year running.

“They’ve been popular in the betting and are now as short as 1/2

“Kylie Minogue is the only other single-figure price at 11/2, while Together For Palestine take third spot in our market at 12/1.

“At 14/1, Taylor Swift joins Alison Limerick and Mariah Carey to top the charts on Christmas Day for the first time in the UK.”

Associate Bizarre Editor Howell Davies casts his eye over the contenders . . .

• Odds provided by William Hill. See the full market at sports.williamhill.com.

Paddington and Tom Fletcher — One of Us

6/1

AS one of the nation’s favourite characters, Paddington has topped the box office multiple times.

Meanwhile McFly’s Tom Fletcher has scored seven No1 singles. Now they are joining forces with One Of Us, written by Tom for Paddington The Musical.

The video, which is out today along with the song, sees them appear together at Paddington train station in London and had to be filmed under the cover of ­darkness to keep the secret.

The full soundtrack to the musical will be released in March ­following rave reviews for the stage show.

Wham! — Last Christmas

1/2

WHAM!’s hit about a seasonal break-up, set against jingle bells, has reached No1 for the last two Christmases.

When it was first released in 1984, it was pipped to the top spot by Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas?.

It’s the third best-selling single in UK history and was already the highest ­charting Christmas song on last Friday’s rundown, when it was at No19.

The profits originally contributed to famine aid in Ethiopia, but in recent years George Michael’s estate has been dividing the proceeds between a series of other charity groups.

Roland Gift — Everybody Knows It’s Christmas

66/1

THIS number from Fine Young Cannibals frontman Roland Gift started off as a bet but has since racked up more than 86,000 views online.

It fuses glam rock with a festive, jingle bell ball and is being released on CD and 7in single, as well as streaming and download services, in a bid to boost sales.

Roland told The Sun: “It started out as a bet with my mate, who’s a big Slade fan.

“He said if I could write a Christmas song that was a hit, he’d give my car a free service and new tyres. I hope this song brings a bit of warmth, a smile and maybe a bit of that Christmas magic your way.”

Kylie Minogue — Xmas

11/2

SHE released her album Kylie Christmas in 2015 and now the Aussie star is back to spread joy with a savvy link-up.

Her new song Xmas is ­exclusive to Amazon Music, meaning it can only be downloaded there or played through its streaming service.

But it’s a clever move, because it is among the first tracks to be played when people ask their Alexa devices to play Christmas music.

The last two years have seen Tom Grennan’s It Can’t Be Christmas and Sam Ryder’s You’re Christmas To Me finish in second place in the festive chart because of the power of Amazon.

Alison Limerick — Where Love Lives

14/1

THIS track has swelled in popularity since a cover by Labrinth featured in this year’s John Lewis Christmas advert.

Alison Limerick’s pulsating house tune was originally released in 1990. It peaked at No9 in 1996 but recently re-entered the charts at No44.

Now it is being tipped to rise far higher as the TV ad gets more plays.

Alison said: “Music has always had the power to bring all kinds of peeps together, but I hope this year’s John Lewis Christmas advert will give those who see it a new, emotional connection with the song.”

Denise Welch — Slayyy Bells

100/1

THE firm festive outsider this year is actress Denise Welch with her borderline-unlistenable offering.

The track has been released as a tie-in with choc brand Celebrations – 30 years after she hit No23 with a cover of You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me.

Denise, whose son Matty Healy is lead singer for The 1975, said: “I love Christmas, but sometimes I want to shake things up a bit. We don’t always have to have turkey or play charades. We can celebrate this special holiday our way.

“This remix, apart from being cool, catchy and a sure- fire hit, is all about ­having fun.”

Mariah Carey — All I Want For Christmas Is You

14/1

AS the Queen of Christmas, Mariah is never far from the charts at this time of year.

All I Want For Christmas Is You was first released in 1994 and has returned to the Top 40 every year since 2007.

It is an unabashedly joyful belter, complete with bell chimes and lyrics about ditching a desire for materialistic gifts.

It topped the charts in 2021 and remains a strong contender for Christmas No1, finishing last year at No3.

In the US, it is even more ­popular and has been the ­festive No1 for the past six years.

Taylor Swift — Opalite

14/1

SHE already has five No1s to her name and has spent the same number of weeks at the top with The Fate Of Ophelia. But Opalite, another track from her The Life Of A Showgirl album, is poised to become a competitor after The Sun on Sunday revealed she had flown to London to shoot a festive video.

She hired out a shopping centre in ­Croydon to film the scenes, with the video believed to include cameos from singer Lewis Capaldi among others.

An updated version of Opalite is expected to be launched alongside the video, just in time for Christmas.

Together For Palestine — Lullaby

12/1

THERE have been plenty of Christmas songs for good causes. Now Together For Palestine are hoping to raise funds with their ­charity single Lullaby.

Musicians including Neneh Cherry, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Brian Eno, Bastille frontman Dan Smith and Celeste have joined forces with Palestinian musicians to appear on the track, which is a reimagining of a ­traditional Palestinian lullaby.

Speaking about the song, out on December 12, Eno said: “We have a real shot at landing Christmas No1 – and turning that moment into vital life-saving support for Gaza’s families.”

Nov. 25 (UPI) — Former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones made his attempted political comeback official Monday, announcing he was running for governor of Alabama in next year’s election.

Jones is the last Democrat statewide elected official in the deeply red state after winning a special U.S. Senate election in 2017 only to lose his seat in 2020 to Republican newcomer Tommy Tuberville. The announcement by Jones sets up a likely rematch with Tuberville, a former Auburn University football coach, who is also running for governor.

“We’re going to be listening to people across the state,” Jones said in a video posted to X announcing what he called the “worst-kept secret” in the state. “We’re going to do everything we can to bring the people back to the state capitol of Montgomery, Ala.”

A former prosecutor, Jones narrowly won his Senate seat against Republican Roy Moore as he faced accusations of past sexual misconduct, which he denied. Three years later Tuberville beat Jones in a lopsided victory.

Jones said in the video that people in Alabama “deserve a governor who is going to fight for them” and not treat the office as “a rest stop on the way to the Florida beach,” a reference to allegations that Tuberville’s primary residence is in Florida.

The Alabama Democratic Party announced earlier it would challenge Tuberville’s candidacy on the basis he does not meet the state’s residency requirements to run for governor and his primary residence is in Florida.

“Assuming he’s the Democratic nominee and Tuberville’s the Republican nominee, it sets it up for a very interesting matchup with two candidates, both of whom have good name identification, which is a big part of being electable,” said Lori Owens, a political science professor at Jacksonville State University, told AL.com

Owens said the matchup would mean Tuberville would have to campaign harder against Jones because he’d “be running against somebody who has won and who has a career record himself.” Running Jones would also give the Democratic Party more credibility, Owens said.

However, roughly two-thirds of Alabama voters cast straight-party ballots in 2024, with most voting Republican, according to AL.com

Sinclair Broadcast Group has made an unsolicited bid to buy rival station owner E.W. Scripps just a week after disclosing it had acquired shares of the company’s stock.

Sinclair filed a statement Monday with the Securities and Exchange Commission saying it will offer Scripps $7 per share, consisting of $2.72 in cash and $4.28 in combined company common stock. The price is a 200% premium over the 30-day average for Scripps shares as of Nov. 6.

Sinclair revealed on Nov. 17 that it gained a stake in Scripps through the acquisition of publicly traded shares. Scripps, which operates 61 TV stations and owns the ION network, is valued at around $393 million.

The Cincinnati-based Scripps said in a statement saying the company’s board of directors “will carefully review and evaluate any proposals, including the unsolicited Sinclair offer.”

The statement added that the board will “act in the business interest of the company, all of its shareholders as well as its employees and the many communities it serves across the United States.”

The company’s stock was up around 7.5% on the news of the Sinclair offer, closing at $4.43 a share Monday afternoon.

A takeover of Scripps would be culturally jarring for the local newsrooms at its stations. The company was founded in 1878 with a chain of daily newspapers that defined itself through journalistic independence. The company’s longtime motto is “Give light.”

The Baltimore-area Sinclair is known for the conservative politics of its owners, led by David D. Smith, who have had their views amplified through the company’s local TV news coverage over the years.

Sinclair most recently tried to flex its muscle when it pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” off its ABC-affiliated stations in September after the late-night host made comments about the political affiliation of the man accused of killing right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk.

Sinclair demanded that Kimmel make “a meaningful donation” to Kirk’s organization Turning Point USA in addition to an apology. None was offered, and after a week, Sinclair put the program back on its air with zero concessions from ABC.

Regardless of political leanings, all major TV station ownership groups have urged the Federal Communications Commission to lift the limit on how much of the country their outlets can cover.

TV station owners are limited to reaching 39% of the country, which companies say puts them at a disadvantage in competing against tech giants that have no such restriction in their media endeavors.

While consumer advocates believe consolidation will reduce the diversity of voices in communities, TV executives have argued that it’s no longer economically viable to have multiple station owners in a single market, often covering the same major stories.

Consolidation would also give TV station owners more clout in their negotiations for carriage fees they receive from cable and satellite providers. Such fees are vital as TV stations have struggled to maintain ad revenues due to a decline in ratings and more consumers turning to streaming video platforms.

Sinclair’s attempt to buy Scripps comes after its failed effort to acquire Tegna Inc., which agreed to a $6.2-billion deal to merge with Nexstar Media Group. The deal will require regulatory approval as it would give Nexstar’s stations the ability to reach 80% of the U.S.

Station owners calling for consolidation have been hopeful they had an ally in Trump-appointed FCC Chairman Brendan Carr.

But a social media post suggested that President Trump may be wary of consolidation, saying it could give greater influence to broadcast networks NBC and ABC. The president has been highly critical of the news coverage of both networks, even threatening to go after their TV station licenses.

Postcolonial scholar Mahmood Mamdani says Palestinian rights helped motivate his son Zohran’s run for New York City mayor. He says Zohran didn’t expect to win, but entered the race “to make a point” and trounced his rivals because he refused to compromise on causes “near and dear” to him.

Paramount Skydance is reportedly preparing a bid to acquire Warner Bros Discovery.

Variety, an entertainment industry trade magazine in the United States, first reported the looming proposal on Tuesday, quoting sources familiar with the talks.

The publication said the company formed an investment consortium with the sovereign wealth funds of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi to submit a $71bn bid for Warner Bros Discovery.

The report said Paramount Skydance would contribute about $50bn towards the proposed acquisition with the remainder coming from the wealth funds.

Paramount Skydance has described the involvement of the sovereign wealth funds as “categorically inaccurate”.

Paramount Skydance is now led by David Ellison, the son of Larry Ellison, cofounder of Oracle and a close ally of US President Donald Trump. Warner Bros Discovery previously rejected a bid from the Ellison family, which holds all board voting power at Paramount Skydance.

Neither Paramount nor Warner Bros Discovery responded to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.

Under the proposed structure, the wealth funds would take small minority stakes and each would receive “an IP, a movie premiere, a movie shoot”, the report said.

Warner Bros Discovery – home to the DC film universe and television studios, HBO, CNN, TNT and Warner Bros Games – is on the verge of breaking up, crippled by declines in its television business.

The company said in October that it has been considering a range of options, including a planned separation, a deal for the entire company or separate transactions for its Warner Bros or Discovery Global businesses.

Nonbinding, first-round bids are due on Thursday.

Paramount is the only company currently considering a full buyout according to the US news website Axios. Warner Bros Discovery also wants to have a deal by the end of the year, according to Axios’s reporting.

Political pressures

The looming deal is shaped in part by how the Trump administration views coverage by the news outlets owned by Warner Bros Discovery.

Netflix and Comcast are also reportedly exploring bids, but any Comcast-led effort would need regulatory approval.

Trump has also repeatedly attacked Comcast over its TV news coverage, saying the company “should be forced to pay vast sums of money for the damage they’ve done to our country”.

Comcast owns NBC News and its subsidiary Versant Media, the parent company of MS-Now – formerly MSNBC – and CNBC.

CBS, owned by Paramount Skydance, has taken a more conciliatory posture towards the administration, including hiring a Trump nominee as an ombudsman to investigate bias allegations after settling a Trump lawsuit claiming its flagship programme 60 Minutes deceptively edited an interview with 2024 Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, who lost to Trump.

Paramount Skydance also recently tapped Bari Weiss, a right-leaning opinion journalist with no television background, to lead the CBS broadcast news division.

Any of the deals that are being discussed raise antitrust concerns. But if Paramount Skydance, which already owns CBS, now purchases CNN as part of Warner Bros Discovery, “that would create an added civic risk”, Rodney Benson, professor of media, culture and communication at New York University, told Al Jazeera.

“Such a deal would put two leading news outlets under the roof of the same large, multi-industry conglomerate with avowed close relations to the party in power – and that could lead to more conflicts of interest, less independent watchdog reporting and a narrowing of diverse voices and viewpoints in the public sphere,” Benson said.

Warner Bros Discovery remains the parent company of CNN.

On Wall Street, Paramount Skydance shares were up 1.7 percent in midday trading. Warner Bros Discovery was also up 2.8 percent from the market open. Comcast gained 0.5 percent, and Netflix climbed 3.5 percent.

De Minaur will be among those willing Alcaraz to victory after maintaining his interest in the season-ending competition despite opening with back-to-back defeats.

The 26-year-old was reluctant to trust the news that he would qualify with an Alcaraz win when he was initially informed in his post-match interview.

De Minaur had lost his past 16 matches against top 10 players, and each of the five matches he had previously played at the ATP Finals.

A painful defeat by Musetti on Tuesday, in which De Minaur held a 5-3 lead in the deciding set before losing four consecutive games to concede the match, had rocked his confidence.

But, against an opponent whom he had lost the two previous meetings, De Minaur reset mentally to produce an inspired display against Fritz.

“It means a lot. A couple of days ago I was in a pretty dark place,” De Minaur told Sky Sports.

“More than anything, I feel proud of my efforts. Not for just coming out and winning, but also the mindset. I made peace with what had happened and just committed.”

Speaking in his post-match interview, he said on court: “I’ve dealt with a fair bit of heartbreak recently.

“I’ve worked really hard, so it was good to get a positive reward for that.

“[The loss to Musetti] was a tough pill to swallow. I didn’t overthink today, I just went out and committed to what I needed to do. I continued to back myself and, whether it worked or it didn’t, I was going to leave it all out there today.”

PORTLAND, Maine — The Democratic primary to take on Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine was shaken up Wednesday by the decision of one candidate to drop out and join a different race with similarly high stakes.

In a move that could have implications for the closely divided U.S. House as well as the Senate, Jordan Wood, a onetime chief of staff to former Rep. Katie Porter, withdrew from the Senate race to instead seek the congressional seat representing Maine’s 2nd District, where incumbent Democratic Rep. Jared Golden recently announced he will not seek another term.

That leaves Gov. Janet Mills, a party mainstay, and Graham Platner, an oyster farmer who has gained attention for his progressive views and provocative online posts, as the top Democratic challengers to Collins.

Wood’s announcement sets up a potential Democratic congressional primary in the key 2nd District with former Secretary of State Matt Dunlap. The leading Republican candidate for the House seat is former Gov. Paul LePage.

“After many conversations with my family and voters in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, I’ve decided to step up and to be the fighter for the district where I was born and raised,” Wood said in a statement Wednesday.

Maine’s upcoming 2nd District and Senate races are both highly competitive and could help shape the balance of power in Congress. Collins is the sole Republican senator in New England, and toppling her has long been a goal of the Democratic Party. Republicans, meanwhile, have prioritized winning back the 2nd District, where President Trump is popular.

Dunlap announced his bid for the 2nd District weeks before Golden’s announcement that he is vacating. Dunlap said in a statement Wednesday that Wood entering the race “doesn’t change our campaign or our commitment” and that he’s “in this to fight for the people of Maine.”

LePage served as governor from 2011 to 2019. He announced his bid for Congress months ago. Brent Littlefield, a LePage spokesperson, said in a statement that Wood is too liberal for the 2nd District.

“Mainers will pick a job creator, Paul LePage, who will grow the economy and push back on high prices,” Littlefield said.

Two other one-time Democratic candidates for the Senate seat, brewery owner Dan Kleban and former Air Force civilian contractor Daira Smith-Rodriguez, recently dropped out and endorsed Mills. A handful of other Democratic hopefuls remain, though only Mills and Platner are campaigning aggressively.

Whittle writes for the Associated Press.

WASHINGTON — The defeat of Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) was a victory for Republicans on Capitol Hill, who had grown increasingly frustrated by his aggressive opposition to many of President Bush’s legislative initiatives and judicial nominations.

After election results seesawed through the evening, Republican John Thune, a three-term former congressman, emerged as the victor early today.

The most closely watched, bitterly contested Senate race in the country, the South Dakota campaign was also the most expensive. Together, Thune and Daschle spent an estimated $35 million to $40 million to bombard South Dakotans for months with nonstop attack ads and campaign mailers.

The South Dakota fight reflected the bitter partisanship and stark divisions that characterized the 2004 elections. Daschle warned that Thune would act as a rubber stamp for Bush and the Republican leadership and, as a junior senator, would be unable to deliver federal money and vital projects to South Dakota. Thune attacked Daschle as a pillar of Washington’s Democratic elite, a man out of touch with his roots.

Not since 1952, when Majority Leader Ernest McFarland (D-Ariz.) lost to conservative Republican Barry Goldwater, has the leader of a party in the Senate been defeated in a bid for reelection.

Normally, congressional leaders come from safe districts, and the opposing party does not target them. But in this polarized campaign year, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) outraged Democrats by personally campaigning for Thune in South Dakota.

Still, Democrats hoped that Daschle’s stature in the Senate and his reputation among South Dakota voters for delivering federal largess to the rural, sparsely populated state would ensure his survival.

“People in that state, in South Dakota, know that Tom Daschle delivers for them,” Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) told CNN. “Why would anyone in South Dakota … want to give up having someone who is Democratic leader in the U.S. Senate?”

But Daschle was running in a heavily Republican state that voted solidly Tuesday for Bush. And Republicans used Daschle’s stature against him, presenting him as a symbol of gridlock in Washington and of the efforts of liberal Democrats to block Bush’s tax-cutting agenda.

“I’ve always described Daschle as the Darth Vader of the U.S. Senate, from the perspective of conservatives like me,” said Stephen Moore, president of the Club for Growth, a Washington-based conservative group that poured money into Thune’s campaign.

Conservatives first targeted Daschle during the 2002 South Dakota Senate race, when he wasn’t even a candidate, Moore said in an interview Tuesday. In that race, Thune lost by just 524 votes to Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson, the state’s junior senator, but Daschle was a frequent Thune target.

Conservatives said Daschle was two people: “the Tom Daschle who was the prairie populist when he was in South Dakota, and the Tom Daschle who was the darling of Hollywood and the East Coast elites in Washington,” Moore said.

The argument gradually gained ground with many South Dakotans, said Burdett Loomis, a political scientist at the University of Kansas.

“The argument of Republicans [against Daschle] has taken its toll over the years. There is that assessment that he is out of step,” Loomis said.

Although Daschle made a point of visiting every county in his sprawling state, Loomis said, “he can take that drive and visit every county every year and it simply may not be enough when you’re the leader of the party.”

Daniel Pfeiffer, Daschle’s spokesman, said the senator had fought hard against the relentless attacks aimed at him.

“For three years, they have spared no expense to beat Tom Daschle,” Pfeiffer said. “Tom has had to fight day in and day out to beat back those attacks on his record and his character. And here we are, the polls haven’t yet closed, and he’s still standing. It is a testament to Daschle’s long and deep support in this state.”

The US Supreme Court has declined to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, its landmark ruling that legalised same-sex marriage nationwide.

On Monday (10 November), the court denied the appeal from Kim Davis, the former Kentucky county clerk who made headlines for refusing to sign marriage licenses for gay couples. Davis faces hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages and legal fees.

The possibility of same-sex marriage being overturned gained widespread attention in 2022 after the court’s 6-3 conservative majority overturned Roe v. Wade, ending the federal right to abortion. Another factor is that the Supreme Court is now far more conservative than the court that decided Obergefell in 2015.

According to reports, the court did not provide an explanation for its decision to deny the appeal.

Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said in a statement: “Today, love won again. When public officials take an oath to serve their communities, that promise extends to everyone – including LGBTQ+ people. The Supreme Court made clear today that refusing to respect the constitutional rights of others does not come without consequences.”

Justice Anthony Kennedy, the key swing vote who authored the Obergefell decision in 2015 and retired three years later, added: “No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than they once were.”

Davis was represented by Liberty Counsel, a far-right Christian legal group and Southern Poverty Law Center-designated anti-LGBTQIA+ hate group.

Founded in 1989, the group has consistently campaigned against LGBTQ+ rights, opposing same-sex marriage, the decriminalisation of homosexuality, and measures banning conversion therapy.

In her Supreme Court appeal, Davis raised several arguments, focusing on religious freedom and claims of sovereign immunity, while also directly challenging the Obergefell decision.

She contended that the Constitution “makes no reference to same-sex marriage and no such right is implicitly recognized by any constitutional provision.”

Mary Bonauto, a seasoned civil rights attorney with GLAD Law who argued the Obergefell case, welcomed the Supreme Court’s swift dismissal of Davis’ appeal.

“The only thing that has changed since Obergefell was decided is that people across the country have seen how marriage equality provides protection for families and children, and that protection strengthens communities, the economy and our society,” she said.

“Today millions of Americans can breathe a sigh of relief for their families, current or hoped for, because all families deserve equal rights under the law.”

POSING in the exclusive £300-a-night Soho Farmhouse wearing a pair of £100 wellington boots, Elle Swift proudly showed off her latest brand – a collection of oversized tracksuits.

But what should have been a defining moment swiftly turned sour and sparked a huge backlash. It’s the latest scandal to engulf the 29-year-old star after she was accused of racism, her American dream collapsed, and both her and husband Connor’s dads’ prison stints came back to haunt them. Here, we take a look at the struggles Elle and Connor have faced along the way.

Three years ago, popular TikTok influencer Elle was close to losing it all when a series of highly offensive racist tweets she had written as a teenager re-emerged online – she was dropped by her management, lost over 100k followers and was forced to publicly apologise.

Elle and Connor – who she married that same year in 2022 – made the decision to relocate to America for a fresh start, but after just 12 months the pair returned to the UK, with their future very much up in the air.

Eight months on, Elle was finally ready to reveal her rebrand. And last weekend, after much teasing, she finally unveiled Our Good Sunday, her new clothing line and latest bid to secure fame and fortune.

She was once very down to earth and while people get she wants to be aspirational, it is in fact just unaffordable.

Insider on her launch

But almost immediately, a notably slimmed-down Elle was hit with criticism, with an insider telling us: “The launch of Our Good Sunday wasn’t as good as they had been hoping at all.”

Fans questioned the extortionate price point and a rival social media couple teased their own very similar product.

While she has waxed lyrical about the high quality materials used to make the clothes, the price tag is nothing short of eyewatering. 

A plain hoodie will set you back £66, the sweatshirt is £60, a t-shirt £40 and a tote back £45.

The aesthetic Elle is aiming for is clear – the luxury location she shot the collection in and the expensive clothing she’s used to accessorise it are a clear sign. 

But the move has left her fans feeling angry and alienated – with one person commenting: “I was hoping the prices would be a bit more affordable, as a parent myself I can’t afford this luxury.”

Another added: “Most women/Mums won’t be able to afford this. Such a shame. I really think you should review the prices.”

The insider explained: “People are very confused about the whole launch and are struggling to understand why she would be charging so much for simple clothes. She was once very down to earth and while people get she wants to be aspirational, it is in fact just unaffordable and pricing out her core audience.”

Further questions were raised when she initially told her followers there was limited stock – but days later said they had ordered lots of stock to ensure fans would be able to get their hands on it. Her fans speculated that she had been hoping to sell out, so backtracked over how much stock she had.

A representive from Elle’s legal team told us: “We are informed by Elle Swift that she is proud to launch Good Sunday. The first limited edition collection is made in small batches from certified organic fabrics in Portugal, reflecting Good Sunday’s commitment to ethical production and sustainable practices. Each piece is designed to be special, and once sold out, it won’t be restocked.”

RIVAL CLOTHING LAUNCH

Negative comments appeared to have been deleted and a week on – plenty of stock is still available despite Elle and Connor relentlessly plugging the brand and hinting there will be more than just tracksuits. 

And in a twist that the couple weren’t expecting – social media’s most famous couple, Alfie Deyes and Zoe Sugg used this weekend to tease their new brand, which rather unfortunately is called Dear Sunday.

Our insider said: “Zoe knows Elle well and actually stood by her when a lot of people didn’t. There is no way she knew that Elle was doing something so similar but it’s all very bad timing. At the end of the day Zoe and Alfie still have the ultimate pulling power.”

Those who have followed Elle for a while will know it’s not the first time she’s launched a clothing brand.

The social media star, who went by the name Elle Darby before she tied the knot, was initially known for posting vlogs about her trips to the gym, plus the usual make up tutorials and get ready with me videos.

She launched Angelle clothing in 2019 – it featured a range of tracksuits and tote bags and was affectionately named after her followers, who she refers to as angels. It was a huge hit.

I didn’t speak to my dad for an entire year when he was in prison because he was too emotional to speak on the phone to his kids.

Elle on her dad

But in 2022, she announced that the brand was taking a break and she wasn’t sure what its future would hold.

Elle married Connor earlier that year after the birth of their son Romeo.

They went on to have son Saint in 2023 and in December 2024 they welcomed daughter Honey Jane.

RACISIM SCANDAL

The break from Angelle came shortly after her horrifying racist comments, which she wrote when she was 15, circulated online. She has since apologised.

In March of last year the couple decided to start afresh in America and set up home in Houston. It ended up being an incredibly expensive relocation and after having her third child, Elle and Connor decided to move back home.

Our insider said: “The whole America move ended up being a bit of a disaster really and Elle really didn’t want to admit defeat.

“It cost them a lot to move out there but also life there was very pricey and at the end of the day they were homesick. It’s also a lot harder to be a stand out social media creator in a country with many established names.”

Since coming back to the UK, Elle has been inundated with comments about how ‘glowing’ she is and how happy she looks.

Fans also questioned how trim Ellie has been looking just months after giving birth, with one person commenting: “Girl we need a weight loss journey.”

Another added: “I can not get over your hair and your body transformation, mum goals and motivation.”

AMERICAN DREAM AND PRISON DADS

The move to America was tinged with sadness – her mum Deborah had passed away in 2020 and her dad – Giles – is prohibited from visiting the States, so it meant she would be completely isolated from her family. 

Elle’s love of America actually started when her dad – a multimillionaire banker – was convicted of fraud and extradited to the US,  in the wake of one of the biggest scandals in business history.

The family spent nearly two years in and out of court in the US and Elle has admitted she loved that time, saying her dad made it a ‘positive’ experience. 

Giles, along with Gary Mulgrew and David Bermingham, was one of the NatWest Three – a trio of British bankers convicted of fraud and sentenced to 37 months in separate American jails in 2002.

Elle – who is one of five girls – was 10 when her dad went to prison for two years but has insisted it didn’t affect her. 

The brave influencer explained: “I think surrounding issues caused a lot more impact on my childhood than him actually being a prison.

“I missed him, I didn’t speak to my dad for an entire year because he was too emotional to speak on the phone to his kids.”

Interestingly, Connor’s dad was also in prison – and was absent from the first two years of his life, even missing his birth. 

The insider said: “The fact that both Connor and Elle’s dads have been in prison was a bonding experience for them. It does however haunt them both and no matter how hard they try to portray a picture perfect image, it does hang over them.”

In 2020, Elle suffered more heartache when her mum Deborah passed away on Mother’s Day after battling a brain tumour for five years.

The moment changed her life forever and while she spoke about gratitude a fair bit before, it took on a whole different meaning to her.

As she remembered her mum this year, she told her followers: “Five years ago this week my entire life changed forever. I said goodbye to my mum and had a humbling life lesson that the things we ‘think’ matter.. just don’t. Here’s your reminder that if you’re lucky enough to have love, you have it all.”

Elle might have had a few hiccups along the way – and her latest launch might not have had the impact she hoped, but she’s determined to succeed. And despite everything, it looks like this time she might just.

The Sun has contacted Elle for comment.