bitter

THE once chart-topping boyband is said to have cut all final ties following a long-running secret divide, years of silence and bitter behind-the-scenes fallouts.

The British boy band – made up of Max George, Siva Kaneswaran, Jay McGuiness, Nathan Sykes and the late Tom Parker – have been at loggerheads since their split in 2014.

The platinum-selling group were behind hit songs such as “Glad You Came”, “All Time Low” and “Chasing the Sun” before they disbanded.

They briefly reunited in 2021 for a charity concert in Tom’s honour, but old wounds have reopened – and some members are said to no longer be on speaking terms.

Insiders claimed friendships “never fully healed” after the band’s initial breakup, with egos, solo projects and clashing personalities driving a deeper wedge between the lads.

The break up

The Wanted announced they were to split in January 2014 to “pursue personal endeavours” after completing their upcoming ‘Word of Mouth Tour’.

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In a statement posted on their website, the band said: “The Wanted are pleased to announce the release of their new video and single ‘Glow In The Dark’ taken from their November release ‘Word of Mouth’.

“They are very excited to perform ‘Glow In The Dark’ along with their smash singles ‘I Found You’, ‘Chasing The Sun’, and ‘Glad You Came’, amongst others for their fans on their upcoming ‘Word of Mouth Tour’.

“This tour will be their last for a while as Tom, Max, Jay, Siva and Nathan have collectively decided to take time to pursue personal endeavours following the tour’s conclusion.

“The band wants to stress to their fans that they will continue on as The Wanted and look forward to many successful projects together in the future.

“They thank their fans for their continued love and support and look forward to seeing them on tour.”

‘Very difficult conversations’

Although their official statement claimed they’d “continue on as The Wanted,” Max later revealed that simmering tensions and clashing ambitions had secretly driven the group apart.

Max admitted: “Over the past year, there has been a lot of tension. Our personal lives drove us apart – things started to happen and we were drifting. We used to be such a brotherly pact, but it started to feel like it wasn’t The Wanted anymore.”

He went on to confess that he and bandmate Nathan were the ones who pushed for the split – despite protests from the others.

“We had a very difficult conversation,” Max said. “Our manager Scooter Braun asked us who would want to take a step out after and try to do their own thing. Me and Nathan both said we have other ambitions.”

Both singers went on to be represented by Braun – with Nathan briefly finding solo success (and headlines) thanks to a short-lived PR romance with Ariana Grande, while Max landed a role on Glee.

But behind the scenes, the duo’s diverging paths reportedly caused even more tension within the group.

Siva hits out at Max

Siva hit back at bandmate Max after The Wanted split, slamming his comments about “personal relationships causing issues” as “untrue and very unfair.”

Speaking out in an interview, Siva instead blamed their E! reality show The Wanted Life for sparking tension within the group.

He said: “I think from doing the TV show we all kind of knew where we stood and from that I felt like there was some sense of… I felt like it was every man for himself looking back on when the show aired.

“I’ve never been that way and I’d never actually seen it before until I looked back at the show. I think that is where we lost the team element and from there it kind of just went.”

Despite the rift, Siva said he wanted to find common ground with Max, adding: “Aside from the drama with Max, I’m going to talk to him to find a way forward and be adults about it.

“All of us boys are like brothers, it’s all I’ve ever known and we’re going on tour together.

“I think we’re just going to be professional with each other and give the fans a good show – because it’s all about the fans at the end of the day.”

Nathan cutting ties

In 2016, Nathan admitted he wasn’t talking to Siva or Max anymore.

Nathan told Yahoo: “I still class Jay [McGuiness] as a really good friend. He’s a really nice person. And Tom [Parker], I’m not so sure about where the others are at but I’m sure they are very busy and very happy.”

However, Nathan admitted that if everyone was on board with a reunion, he would be happy to have a “conversation” about it.

He said: “Obviously, I am very focused on my solo career at the moment, so I haven’t thought about the band ever getting back together, but you never know what is going to happen in the future.

“If there was an opportunity and everyone wanted to, it’s a conversation, but if everyone is still happy doing their own thing, then I think everyone will just be happy to continue as they are.”

Meanwhile, Siva was living in Los Angeles, attempting to crack Hollywood.

Tom’s cancer diagnosis

The band eventually put their differences aside when tragedy struck, after Tom was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer in 2021.

His illness brought the group back together, reuniting them publicly in October that year.

Reflecting on the reunion, Max said: “I think I speak on behalf of everyone, in the time away from it, it gave me time to reflect and appreciate what we’d achieved and how good our music actually was.

“Because at the time we were doing it, it was so packed in that we didn’t get to really appreciate how much we enjoyed each other’s company or how good our music was because… like, every day, it was all a bit mad.”

Jay added: “Even when we were under so much pressure and we’d be squabbling and whatever was going on, we always had fun, we were always very down to earth. But really,” he continued on a more serious note, “time helps a lot. And all of our perspective has changed.

“We are grateful, we’re the boy band that walk into the room and are, like, ‘I’m just happy to be here.’ Back in the day, Max has said this a few times, we wanted a number-one after number-one because we’d had that, and we felt terrible when we didn’t get that. And when five young men have that sort of ambition, it can get really tense.”

Jay said he believes the group reunion proved they could finally let bygones be bygones and simply enjoy being together again.

The Wanted made an emotional return to the stage at the Stand Up To Cancer concert organised by Tom at London’s Royal Albert Hall, an event later featured in the Channel 4 documentary Inside My Head.

“There was a moment where I thought I was going to break down and have a meltdown,” Tom admitted.

“But the boys just comforted me… It was just an emotional night all around, even for the whole day and stuff. And just walking into the venue – we had never played the Royal Albert Hall before, when we played all around the world.”

He added: “There’s just something beautifully special about it.”

Max and Siva tour

The Wanted fans were left baffled in May 2024 after Max announced he was heading on tour with just one of his bandmates.

The Strictly Come Dancing star revealed he would be touring alongside Siva – but without Jay or Nathan.

The duo performed in America for a number of dates and finished up in India.

Before the tour, Max told fans: “Myself and Siva can’t wait for this! Our first time in India… dream come true!”

Fans were quick to question the absence of Jay and Nathan – sparking fears the original line-up had officially fallen apart.

It later emerged that Jay would be performing in 2:22 A Ghost Story in Dublin, while Nathan is thought to be focusing on new music.

The shows marked the first time members of the group have performed since the tragic death of bandmate Tom.

The divide

The band have openly admitted there was a clear divide during their heyday – with Max and Tom on one side, and the others forming their own group.

Max and Siva even confessed they never imagined they’d end up touring as a duo when The Wanted went on hiatus in 2014, admitting they “weren’t the closest” and barely spent time together off stage.

Max said: “I’m not going to lie, if you’d said to us 10 years ago that it’d be me and Siva doing this together we’d be like no, never.

Siva agreed: “Max was with Tom, I was with Nathan and Jay.”

Max continued: “Apart from working, we didn’t spend any time together, so I feel like I’ve got to know Siva more in the last year than in the whole 10 before it.

Reflecting on Jay and Nathan’s decision not to rejoin the group, Max added: “We had lots of conversations with the other boys and each other.

“The other boys are so happy doing what they’re doing and they’re really focused on their lives and their careers.

Siva added: “We missed being in the band… we really wanted to get back on stage.”

Future reunion?

Earlier this year, Nathan told The Sun they would never get back together – as the band “will only ever be a five-piece.”

Nathan, Tom, Max, Siva and Jay reunited for a greatest hits album and one-off show in 2021, which was followed by a tour in early 2022, ending just two weeks before Tom’s passing.

Speaking about the emotional concerts, Nathan said: “Obviously, you’d give anything for it not to have happened.

“But, equally, I’m so grateful that we were able to have that time, given that it did happen.

“It was just such a special time and the reception that he got every night, he really felt it. And it meant so much to him that he could do that.

“He was desperate to do that tour. There were tough moments, but we were having some of our fondest memories with Tom over that time.

While Max and Siva toured as The Wanted 2.0 – a four-piece reunion with Nathan and Jay seems out of the question.

Nathan said: “I’m really happy for them. They get a lot of enjoyment in performing the music and they see it as a tribute to Tom.

“Whereas Jay and I’s approach to it is that there’s a lot of emotion attached to that still. And I think we would find that really difficult.

“It’s just two different approaches and neither one is wrong. I think it’s really difficult imagining The Wanted as a four-piece because The Wanted has been and will only ever be a five-piece.

“It’s difficult imagining not performing with Tom.”

Nathan’s wedding

Nathan tied the knot with his girlfriend of six years Charlotte Burke in October 2025.

Nathan opted for an intimate celebration, inviting just 61 of their closest friends and family, among them was his bandmate Jay.

But Max and Siva were noticeably absent from Nathan’s wedding.

Speaking to OK! Nathan said: “We haven’t touched base recently, so I’m not sure they would have known the wedding date.

“With them being out in America at the time, we’ve not had the chance to [catch up], but I’m sure we will soon.”

He added: “We had a room full of people we’re comfortable with, so it was a really safe space and allowed us to relax.”

However, it now seems that Max and Nathan might not be talking at all.

Unfollow

Fans on Reddit noticed that the pair unfollowed each other on Instagram, cutting off social media communication.

One said: “Couldn’t help but notice Max and Nathan unfollowed each other? I wonder if there’s any beef between them lol.”

Another added: “I’ve always suspected Max and Nathan had a falling out before they broke up the first time.”

A third penned: “It’s a real shame because teenage me loved Nathan and Max’s interactions.

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“I remember when Nathan used to comment on Max’s ig posts around 2 years ago.

“They haven’t followed each other in a very long time.”

FEUD rumours have reignited inside a huge UK boyband after fans spotted a major clue on their social media.

The group had massive hits between 2009 before it was disbanded in 2014, with plans to bring the boys back together.

But now it seems The Wanted aren’t reuniting, and stars Max George and Nathan Sykes might not be talking at all.

Fans on Reddit noticed that the pair have unfollowed each other on Instagram, cutting off social media communication.

One wrote, “Not to sound parasocial or anything, but for some context, I have been a fan of The Wanted since 2012.

“I have been following all 5 of them on Instagram from 2014 before their breakup.

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“I remember vividly most of them unfollowing each other and specifically Max unfollowing all of them and then ofc all of them followed each other back after Tom announced his diagnosis.

“I couldn’t help but just check for fun to see if the boys are all following each other, and couldn’t help but notice Max and Nathan unfollowed each other?

“I wonder if there’s any beef between them lol.”

The band was first formed in 2009 by Max, Nathan, Jay McGuiness, Siva Kaneswaran and the late Tom Parker.

Max and Siva made The Wanted 2.0 following the death of Tom after his shock death back in 2022.

Another fan replied to the Reddit thread, saying, “I’ve always suspected Max and Nathan had a falling out before they broke up the first time.”

A third said, “It’s a real shame because teenage me loved Nathan and Max’s interactions.

“I remember when Nathan used to comment on Max’s ig posts around 2 years ago.

“They haven’t followed each other in a very long time.

“I think there’s some beef there but I don’t know what.”

Outside of the feud rumours, Max has only recently jetted out to America to support Siva at his first-ever stateside gig in Las Vegas.

The show, at the M Resort Spa Casino’s events space, M Pavilion, marked the duo’s first show in the US since reforming as The Wanted 2.0.

Nathan Sykes and Jay McGuinness did not appear on stage for the Vegas gig.

Meanwhile, Nathan has been busy getting married, with his nuptials alongside his girlfriend of six years confirmed earlier this month.

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The pair were first seen together in public photos in November 2018 and announced their engagement in December 2022.

A stunning wedding ceremony snap shared on the couple’s social media accounts showed the happy two on their special day.

The Middle East in 2025 is still a powder keg, a place where dreams of peace get chewed up by the gritty, messy reality of the region. Donald Trump is swinging big with his “peace through strength” slogan, doubling down on his love for Israel. His grand plan? Pump up Israel’s military muscle, hit Iran where it hurts, and get Arab nations to play nice with Israel. Sounds like a neat fix, right? But it’s slammed headfirst into a wall of troubles: the never-ending Palestinian crisis, the boiling rage of people across the region, and the flat-out refusal of countries like Saudi Arabia and Turkey to let Israel call the shots. Those recent strikes on Iran’s nuclear plants? They haven’t brought peace; they’ve just cranked up the odds of a full-blown disaster.

Where “Peace Through Strength” Comes From

               Trump’s whole Middle East game plan boils down to one idea: flex enough muscle, and diplomacy will follow. He’s got Israel pegged as the region’s anchor, betting that backing it to the hilt while smacking Iran’s nuclear sites will somehow calm the storm. That’s why he’s cheering on Israel’s fights against groups like Hezbollah and Hamas and pushing hard to spread the Abraham Accords. But here’s the kicker; this plan’s all about brute force, not sitting down to talk, and it’s turning a blind eye to the Middle East’s messy politics and deep-rooted feelings. Israel’s dependence on Uncle Sam’s cash and weapons just shows how wobbly this idea is from the start.

               This strategy, born from the alliance between America’s hard-right and Israel’s leadership, mistakenly believes military might can forge peace; a brutal approach that ignores the region’s history and heart. By dismissing the people’s realities and internal politics, the plan is inherently fragile. It hasn’t cooled tensions; it’s ignited them, proving you can’t bully your way to calm.

The Palestinian Challenge

               The biggest snag in Trump’s big vision is Palestine. The war in Gaza’s been a gut-punch to the region, breaking hearts and making it tough for Arab states, especially Saudi Arabia, to buddy up with Israel. Gulf leaders are under fire from their own people; they can’t just sign deals that leave Palestinians in the dust.              Without a real ceasefire and a promise to give Palestinians a state of their own, any talk of peace is just hot air. Netanyahu’s crew, egged on by hardliners, keeps betting on bombs over talks, digging everyone into a deeper hole. With no real plan for what’s next in Gaza, the region’s spiraling toward chaos and new waves of defiance.

               This war’s not just hurting Israel’s rep in the Middle East; it’s tanking it worldwide. Israel’s operations, with their heavy toll on civilians, have lit a fire under Arab anger and slashed global support for Israel. Even countries that got on board with the Abraham Accords are feeling the heat at home to back off. It’s plain as day: without tackling Palestine head-on, no peace plan’s got a shot. Leaning on military might hasn’t steadied the region; it’s kicked it into a tailspin.

               Big players like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt aren’t about to roll over for Israel’s power grab. Saudi Arabia laid it out straight: no Palestinian state, no deal with Israel. Turkey, which used to be on decent terms with Israel, is now one of its loudest critics, thanks to Gaza and Israel’s chummy ties with Greece and Cyprus. Turkey’s bulking up its military and missiles, carving out its own path in the region. Egypt and other Arab states are also holding back, scared of the blowback if they jump on Israel’s bandwagon. This pushback screams one truth: you can’t force peace at gunpoint.

               Even Gulf states like the UAE and Bahrain, who signed onto the Abraham Accords, are getting jittery. They’re worried that sticking too close to Israel without progress on Palestine could spark trouble at home. Turkey’s stepping up in Syria and playing peacemaker, trying to cut Israel’s influence down to size. These rivalries show that banking on Israel to run the show doesn’t bring folks together; it splits them apart. Real peace? It’s still a distant dream.

Striking Out on Iran

Those recent hits on Iran’s nuclear sites, part of Trump’s go-hard-or-go-home strategy, didn’t land the way he hoped. Reports say only one of three targets got knocked out, and the others are set to fire back up soon. Iran’s digging in, moving its nuclear work to underground hideouts, proving bombs alone can’t stop them. Worse, these strikes have trashed any chance of Iran trusting talks, jacking up the risk of a bigger fight. Instead of breaking Iran’s spirit, this move’s just made it more stubborn.

               The plan’s fallout is chaotic. Fearing a collapsed Iran would mean disaster and refugees, Gulf states are balking at the U.S.-Israel warpath. They’re keeping ties with Tehran to avoid a bigger blowup, proving the region isn’t buying a “peace through strength” doctrine. By juggling relations with both sides, they’re pulling the rug out from under a strategy that puts Israel first and ignores the complex realities on the ground.

The Shaky Ground of the Abraham Accords

               The Abraham Accords, once Trump’s shiny trophy from his first term, are wobbling in 2025. They’ve warmed things up between Israel and some Gulf states, but good luck getting Saudi Arabia or Qatar to join without a fix for Palestine. Public fury over Gaza’s bloodshed has Arab leaders walking a tightrope; they can’t afford to get too cozy with Israel without paying a steep political price. This shakiness proves one thing: a plan that bets everything on Israel’s clout can’t pull the region together.

               Trying to grow the Accords has hit a brick wall too. Countries like Oman and Qatar, who were once open to chatting, are backing off, squeezed by their own people and the region’s vibe. It’s a loud wake-up call: without real movement on Palestine, the Accords won’t turn into some grand regional love-fest. They’re more like quick deals for cash and military perks, not the deep roots needed for lasting peace. It’s another strike against forcing things through.

Israel’s Lonely Road

               Israel’s moves, especially in Gaza, have left it standing alone on the world stage. Even old pals like the European Union are pulling back, though they’re not ready to throw punches. By scoffing at international law with a “rules are for losers” attitude, Israel and the U.S. have dented Israel’s cred as a regional heavyweight. This isolation, plus the crushing cost of war, is wearing down Israel’s staying power.

               This global cold shoulder’s also messing with Israel’s ties to big players like China and Russia, who are calling out U.S. and Israeli military stances while eyeing their own slice of the Middle East pie. This global rivalry, paired with fading support for Israel in world forums, has kneecapped its regional swagger. Without legitimacy at home or abroad, a plan built on firepower can’t deliver lasting peace. It’s a screaming case for real diplomacy and regional teamwork.

               Inside Israel, Netanyahu’s got a firestorm on his hands. Failing to lock in a full Gaza ceasefire or free all hostages has folks fed up, exposing deep cracks in the country. Israel’s die-hard belief that guns can bring peace doesn’t match the region’s reality. The war’s brutal cost, for Palestinians and Israelis alike, shows this road’s a dead end. Without a clear plan for Gaza’s future or a legit Palestinian setup, Israel’s just asking for more trouble and upheaval.

               These homegrown woes are tangled up with money and social struggles. Crazy-high war spending, shrinking foreign cash due to global isolation, and political knife-fights between hardliners and moderates are tying Netanyahu’s hands. This mess, plus pushback from the region and the world, shows that Israel running the show isn’t just a long shot; it’s a one-way ticket to more chaos.

               Trump’s big dream for Middle East peace, riding on Israel’s military might and a chokehold on Iran, has gone up in smoke because it ignored the real issues—Palestine above all. This muscle-over-talks approach hasn’t brought the region together; it’s lit a match under people’s anger and sparked pushback from local governments. Hitting Iran might’ve scored a few points for a minute, but it didn’t stop their nuclear plans; it just killed any hope of sitting down to talk. Countries like Saudi Arabia and Turkey, by saying no to Israel’s grip, have made it crystal clear: peace won’t happen without justice and respect for Palestinian rights. Israel’s growing loneliness, the wobbly Abraham Accords, and its own internal fights all shout that “peace through strength” has only churned up more trouble. A calm, steady Middle East needs real diplomacy, respect for people’s rights, and the guts to face the root of the fight, not just leaning on force and control.

Antiques Road Trip descended into bitter clash on Sunday afternoon’s episode as an expert abandoned co-star during a heated row that saw them split up at the auction house

Antiques Road Trip descended into a bitter clash on Sunday afternoon’s episode as an expert abandoned co-star during a heated row. The BBC afternoon favourite returned over the weekend with a previous instalment when Paul Laidlaw joined fellow expert Margie Cooper on the valuation programme, and the pair ventured from Lincolnshire as they set off on their way to the auction house in Harrogate.

With Paul behind the wheel as Margie set out on an expedition that would see her try to contact spirits from beyond, she warned him ‘not to start with all this war stuff’ as they made their way to the auction house.

Paul began: “I don’t know much about it, airfields! Lincs, East Coast. I’ve got to bring the war up.” Margie then joked: “Oh, don’t, you’re not going to start with all this war stuff!”

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Paul shot back: “My tactic is… but you won’t. I’m sure this won’t upset you. I will just be hovering behind, ready to snatch. Is that the best you can do?”

Margie hit back: “Don’t you dare! Don’t you dare!” Paul, who was pursuing the purchase of military memorabilia and did go on to discover some rather interesting artefacts, joked to his co-star: “We may end up in the same shop this morning. I’m talking about militaria.”

Not quite satisfied with that stance, Margie shot back: “Sniffing around! Oh no! Please! You’re not still buying that old rubbish, are you?” and she suggested once they had arrived: “Shall we divide and conquer? I’ll just abandon you by the roadside!”

Once inside, Margie deliberately crept up on her co-star and he fumed: “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Are you familiar with the concept of trespassing? I thought you were,” but she fired back: “I am allowed to go where I want to! I was told!”

Paul, furious at this stage, ranted: “is this? An interrogation? You come in here and interrogate me!” Despite this, the pair still maintained a good rapport on screen for the rest of the episode and were on civil terms by the time the auction came around.

It comes just days after dealer Paul was gobsmacked after he stumbled upon a rare vintage camera in an antique shop. The camera later fetched a whopping £20,000 at auction.

Paul had snapped up the camera for a mere £60 and was left stunned alongside competitor Kate Bliss at the Bury St. Edmunds auction in Suffolk when the hammer fell at such an astronomical price, especially after watching the bidding increments soar.

The specialist found the camera while hunting for curiosities and collectables in Margate, Kent. The shop owner explained: “Three floors, the upstairs is mainly furniture, but there’s stuff everywhere. And on this floor, there are four rooms through, and in the middle, there’s a staircase which goes down to a room full of chairs and another room full below!”

Faced with the daunting task ahead, Paul joked: “Don’t send the cavalry, okay?” After spending a considerable amount of time rummaging through the treasures, Paul returned to the counter and proposed: “In your cabinet over there, optical instrument… £75 on that, I bid you £50.

“Give me £60 and I’ll shake your hand, but I’m not doing any better than that, I’m afraid,” the proprietor responded. “Shake my hand!” Paul retorted, and the owner added, “Good man, deal done.”

He then turned to the camera and revealed: “What do you get for your money when you open it up? That looks like a peepside and it is!”.

“I think this is a very early camera. If I’m right, that could be quite exciting. The photographic market is very much in the ascent, it’s a hot market, I think that’s a good thing.”

Antiques Road Trip is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

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Katie Price and Peter Andre have had many clashes over the years since their shock split – and now their decades-long feud has boiled over with bombshell new statements

Katie Price and Peter Andre’s whirlwind romance began in front of millions on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! and quickly turned into one of Britain’s most watched love stories. With a lavish wedding, a growing family and a string of joint TV shows, they became the ultimate reality TV power couple – until it all came crashing down.

Their 2009 split shocked fans and triggered a years-long saga of public rows, barbed interviews and court battles. Now, with Peter hitting out at his ex-wife in a new bombshell statement, their decades-long feud has ramped up again.

From that first shock announcement to the most recent legal showdown, here’s how the once-golden couple’s love story unravelled in front of the world’s eyes. It comes after Princess Andre says she’s ‘independent’ from parents as she breaks silence after Katie Price row.

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Split announcement – 2009

Following a rocky romance after meeting on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2004, Katie and Peter split in 2009. The TV couple had been married for four years, and had welcomed children Junior and Princess.

A statement from the couple’s management company, Can Associates Limited, said at the time: “Peter Andre and Katie Price are separating after four-and-a-half years of marriage… They have both requested that the media respect their families’ privacy at this difficult time.”

The joint statement marked the last time the exes would ever put on a united front. Katie and Peter, who remained with Can Associates Limited, embarked on multiple public spats as they moved on.

Katie pays Peter libel damages – 2011

Two years after their split, Katie issued a public apology to her ex-husband, admitting she had been wrong to suggest he had cheated and been insincere about his feelings during their marriage.

Peter had launched defamation proceedings in 2009, soon after their break-up, in response to remarks Katie made during interviews with Heat magazine and on The Graham Norton Show.

She agreed to pay “substantial” damages, which Peter’s solicitor confirmed would be placed into a trust fund for Harvey Price – Katie’s eldest son from her relationship with footballer Dwight Yorke.

Social media spat – 2013

During Christmas 2013, Katie appeared to take a swipe at Peter in a series of tweets. She wrote: “What kind of Dad doesn’t let their children see their mum not even 1 day over Christmas when the children want 2 c their mum #fakefamilyman.”

In another message to a follower, she reportedly added: “From Xmas Eve am to NYE am. I had them last Xmas Day, he had them in the eve onwards. So selfish. Can someone remind him he has a son called Harvey that calls him dad or was that just for show too.”

Katie brands Peter’s new wife Emily ‘disgusting’ – 2022

At the start of 2022, Katie sparked controversy with a quickly-deleted Instagram Story in which she launched an apparent unprovoked attack on her ex-husband’s wife, Dr Emily Andre, who he started dating in 2012.

Sharing a magazine cover featuring the mother-of-three, Katie branded her a “disgusting person.”

“My mouth has been shut for so long but I’ve had enough of people selling stories on me and particularly this so-called woman @dr_emily_official,” Katie began.

She went on to accuse Emily of courting the media despite claiming she didn’t want to be famous, adding: “So cringe she has used my children to make money in photo shoots yet covers her own children’s faces up!”

Writing a year on from her drug-drive crash, Katie also claimed Emily was “jealous” of her relationship with her eldest daughter, Princess.

“She claims to be a doctor who clearly doesn’t have a clue about mental health,” Katie alleged, further accusing Emily of stopping Princess from visiting her at The Priory.

The mum-of-five ended the post by saying: “Emily you are not and never will be my kids’ parent so mind your own business, you’re so two-faced and definitely not the person you portray to the public. I think you’re a disgusting person so stop trying to interfere in my life.”

‘Pete was a nobody’ – 2024

Katie reignited tensions with her ex during an appearance on the podcast Anything Goes with James English, where she claimed Peter’s career had been reignited by their relationship.

“When we did jobs together I’d always get more money, make sure we had separate contracts,” she told the host, suggesting Peter “found that a bit hard.”

“I was like, well hang on, you’ve just turned up in the jungle, I’ve already got a career going on. You had a song like, how many years ago? You need to earn it. This is the truth, I don’t care what anyone says – I made Pete again. I made him,” she continued.

Doubling down on her comments, Katie said: “He was no one before he went in the jungle and that’s the truth, that’s not me being a b****. He done that one hit, like 10 years ago, and I think he forgets where he came from.”

‘Don’t speak to him’ – 2024

During an appearance on the Louis Theroux Podcast in an episode released last year, Katie once again took aim at her ex-husband Peter. She claimed she had been “worth more” than him when they married and explained that the pair had always insisted on separate contracts.

Reflecting on his career before I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, Katie remarked: “Who was he? I was already established. He met me and it was his lucky day. So we always had separate contracts. There’s no way I’m splitting half and half – no thanks.”

When asked about their relationship today, she told Louis: “[I] don’t speak to him.” Pressed further on why, she replied: “Just don’t. It’s all through legals.”

She also alleged that Peter “was quite jealous” of her work commitments during their marriage.

Princess Andre speaks out – 2025

Princess Andre has unveiled her very own ITV2 series, The Princess Diaries, chronicling her step into adulthood, exploring the worlds of fashion, beauty, and life under the spotlight.

The fly-on-the-wall series includes footage of her modeling debut in Ibiza and offers a candid look into her personal journey toward independence. Alongside her father Peter Andre, sister Junior, and stepmother Emily, the documentary follows Princess as she carves out her identity in the industry.

Katie has been noticeably absent from the series – something she described as upsetting and hurtful in posts on her podcast and social media.

She alleges her exclusion wasn’t a personal choice, but enforced by producers aiming to preserve Princess’s independent branding and “middle-class influencer” image.

Despite speculation of a feud, Princess herself has pushed back on these rumours, insisting: “The show is not actually about any of my parents. It is about me.” She also clarified that Katie is featured via a voice note in the premiere episode, although filming restrictions kept her out of on-camera appearances.

Bombshell statements – 2025

Just hours after Katie Price appeared to extend an olive branch to her ex-husband by suggesting a ceasefire in their years-long public disputes, Peter Andre responded with a blistering statement that left little doubt he has no interest in reconciliation.

Posting on Instagram, the father-of-five broke what he described as 16 years of silence, writing: “For sixteen years, I have stayed silent in the face of repeated lies from my ex-wife and her family, out of respect for my children and loved ones, but staying silent has been incredibly frustrating. That ends today.

“The latest comments about my children’s welfare and living arrangements compel me to set the record straight. For well-documented reasons, and for their safety, Junior and Princess came into my care in 2018 and remained with me until they reached adulthood. In 2019, the family courts issued a legally binding order to enforce this arrangement. I have never made this public before, out of respect for my children.

“In 2011 and 2015, publicly documented court cases found my ex-wife had made false claims. She was ordered to pay substantial damages and legal costs, and to apologise to me and my management. The same falsehoods are being repeated today. Unfortunately, there are many more lies and baseless accusations I have yet to address. Those will now be dealt with in the coming months.”

In response to the statement, a spokesperson for Katie told the Mirror: “Kate is in a much better and clear headspace and is at peace with the situation. This was in the past and she doesn’t feel the need to bring up tit-for-tat comments, but more importantly, she’s dealing with this the right way and it’s now in her lawyers’ hands. Kate will no longer be gaslighted and bullied as she once was…”

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THE exact moment that sparked Princess Andre’s feud with mum Katie Price was captured on camera as the teen made her modelling debut in Ibiza.

The mum and daughter duo, who are often hailed “twins” due to their lookalike appearance, are battling through a tricky patch in their relationship, as exclusively revealed by The Sun.

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Katie, 47, told us she “feels like Brooklyn Beckham” – who is in the midst of a feud with his high-profile family – after being “isolated” by the teen, who has penned a host of influencer deals and bagged her own TV show.

Now scenes for the 18-year-old’s new TV show, The Princess Diaries, show her joining 24 other models on the catwalk in the White Isle.

She opts for a turquoise dress with bra top detail and a flowing skirt after a last minute outfit change which left her feeling anxious.

She toild the camera: “There’s a lot of models here I don’t really fit in.

“I feel really anxious, I can feel my face getting red.”

Yet after being asked to lead the array of models, Princess’ debut was hugely successful.

Her big brother Junior and his girlfriend Jazz were on hand to sip fizz and offer support inn the crowd.

As she wrapped the catwalk she cheered: “I did it i did it, I’m actually really glad I did it.

“It was a lot less intense than I thought.”

Yet at the same time as she was walking the runway, Katie was flashing her bum and new tattoos on the party island.

In a snap shared on EastEnders star Dean Gaffney‘s Instagram page, Katie could be seen partying with the former soap actor.

Standing in between Dean and pal Jamie O’Hara, Katie posed and pouted as the two men beamed.

A source told how the drama then played out between the pair as they were in the same location and said: “This should be a really exciting time for Princess but over the last couple of months her mum has been doing everything she can to take the limelight away from her.

Who is Princess Andre and what’s her job?

Princess Andre born June 29, 2007, is the daughter of Mysterious Girl singer Peter Andre and former glamour model Katie Price.

The pair also welcomed a son while they were together, Junior, born on June 13, 2005.

Katie and Peter then split in early 2009, with their divorce being finalised in October of the same year.

Princess also has six half siblings, four from Katie and two from Peter.

As of June 2024, Princess has an impressive 750,000 followers on her Instagram account, @officialprincess_andre.

Ahead of her 16th birthday, in June 2023, Princess opened up about what she wants to do with her future during a Q&A with fans and followers.

The teen said she is seeking out “financial freedom” through her beauty and fashion brand deals, as well as her own jewellery brand named ‘Sparkle’ by Princess Andre.

“Princess was booked to make her catwalk debut at the opening of the Ibiza Fashion Festival back in June, and what did Katie do?

“She flew out to Ibiza and made sure everyone knew she was there with daily stories and pictures with the likes of Wayne Lineker and Dean Gaffney. It’s embarrassing.”

They added to MailOnline: “What mother wouldn’t want to let their child have their time in the spotlight?

“These latest comments are going to really upset Princess.

“Nothing is private with Katie, it’s all about keeping herself in the limelight.”

Katie’s rep has been contacted for comment.

KATIE’S SNUB

ITV2 bosses reportedly told how Katie could not be a part of the series.

A source told The Sun of the family turmoil and said: “Katie feels isolated and disregarded.

“She loves Princess so much and is supremely proud of the young woman she is becoming.

“Princess told her mum that she needed to distance herself publicly and yet chats to her all the time behind closed doors.

“She feels a bit like Brooklyn Beckham, with no one in the Andre family really speaking to her.”

Katie and Peter started their relationship in 2004 after getting together on I’m A Celebrity . . . Get Me Out Of Here!.

They had Junior and Princess during their four-year marriage.

But their relationship fell apart in 2009 and they divorced.

SHOW SNUB

Princess is said to be hoping to show fans a different side to her with her brand new fly-on-the-wall series.

Despite Katie not getting a look-in, the programme will feature her dad and his wife Emily, according to MailOnline.

A source said: “Katie will not be in Princess’s show, the decision has been made and it’s final.

“Princess loves her mum, and they have a great relationship, but the show is all about her work and home life.

“Television bosses were adamant that nothing was to be ‘staged’ to include Katie as it would not be a real and truthful insight into her life.”

STRAINED RELATIONSHIP

It comes after Princess admitted this month she “wishes she had a happier childhood.”

The TikTok star also addressed the “dark times” while she was growing up.

While Princess was too young to really remember her parents together, she has traumatic memories of the breakdown of Katie’s third marriage to Kieran Hayler.

In her new ITV2 series – The Princess Diaries – the teen opens up about her younger years and admits: “I did have a counsellor, I do still see her every now and then.

“But I don’t feel like I can really talk, so I just write everything down in my notes.”

She also revealed the sick messages she gets from men when she reveals her figure on social media – leaving dad Peter shocked.

For his part, he stood by his eldest daughter as they posed in a new snap taken on holiday.

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KHABIB NURMAGOMEDOV has put aside his near decade-old feud with Conor McGregor to wish his former rival well for the future.

Nurmagomedov and McGregor, 36 and 37, respectively, took part in the biggest grudge match and PPV fight in UFC history back in October 2018.

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The blood feud didn’t end when ‘The Notorious’ was submitted in the fourth round of their UFC 229 showdown in Las Vegas.

McGregor has fired several shots the Russian’s way over the years and has often accused him of running away from a rematch with his retirement.

Nurmagomedov has seldom spoken about his old rival but is aware of all the legal troubles he’s had in recent years.

And the Dagestani recently revealed he hopes McGregor can get on the straight and narrow, albeit without mentioning his name.

During a recent Q&A event in New York, Nurmagomedov said: ““I don’t wanna mention his name.

“This is punishment… The most beautiful part of this is Allah always give the chance to come back.

“We always have in this world the chance to come back, and this is the most beautiful thing.

“It doesn’t matter how you’ve been, Allah is gonna give you a chance always to come back. I think he has a chance.”

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Nurmagomedov believes McGregor turning his life around would be a story which could inspire people across the globe.

The former undefeated and long-reigning lightweight champion said: “He has to change how he is living.

“Why am I talking about this? If he’s gonna change, he can change with him so many other lives too.

“That’s why I wish him to change himself. If he’s not gonna change, it will be punishment all his life.”

McGregor has only fought three times since losing the biggest fight in UFC history.

The Irishman got back in the win column against Donald Cerrone in January 2020 before suffering back-to-back stoppage losses to Dustin Poirier the following year.

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McGregor hasn’t set foot inside the octagon since breaking his leg in his trilogy fight with Poirier four years ago as injury scuppered his comeback clash with Michael Chandler last July.

The UFC’s first simultaneous two-weight world champion is hellbent on returning to the octagon and recently re-entered the promotion’s testing pool.

If McGregor fights again, his next outing will be his first since he was found civilly liable for having assaulted Nikita Hand at a Dublin hotel in December 2018.

McGregor appealed the verdict turned in at Dublin’s High Court but lost his bid to overturn the civil verdict late last month.

In the final weeks of philanthropist Wallis Annenberg’s life, her family and closest friends were consumed by a fierce power struggle over her medical care, court records show.

Three of her children — Gregory, Lauren and Charles — believed their mother was being mistreated during her most vulnerable time, wrongfully confined to her bed, isolated from family and longtime staff and overmedicated to the point of stupor.

They blamed their mother’s longtime partner, Kris Levine, and Kris’ older sister, Vikki Levine.

Vikki, who served as Annenberg’s personal assistant and held authority over her medical decisions, was exerting control over their mother in “likely fatal” ways, hastening her decline with excess narcotics, the children alleged in court documents. The children said they were shielded from information about their mother and were distressed that the Levine sisters had indicated plans to remove Annenberg’s body from her Century City villa within hours of her death and send her remains for composting before a proper goodbye.

“If there is anything suspicious about her death — which is appearing more and more likely given Vikki’s ongoing abuse of Wallis — it will render it impossible to conduct an autopsy,” the children’s legal team asserted in court filings.

The dispute drew in some of the city’s top lawyers, triggered calls to police and led the Annenberg children to march into Los Angeles County Superior Court in a frantic effort to dislodge Vikki Levine from overseeing their mother’s medical care.

Vikki and Kris Levine adamantly denied over-medicating or mistreating Annenberg, the heiress to her father’s publishing empire who, through her family’s foundation, gave about $1.5 billion to scores of organizations and nonprofits across Los Angeles County.

In court filings, Vikki Levine said the children’s “vicious and false accusations” stemmed from sadness that their mother didn’t disclose to them that her cancer had returned, that they weren’t in charge of her care, that her death was rapidly approaching and that she wanted to die “as gently as possible.”

“The Children have misdirected their pain, grief and anger at the wrong person, which is so much easier than confronting reality,” Vikki Levine said in a court filing in which she also accused the Annenberg children of creating a “toxic environment” when they visited.

Kris Levine, who started dating the heiress in 2009 and had lived with her since 2012, submitted a declaration stating that the Annenberg children had engaged in a campaign of “lies” to their mother, including telling her that her partner was trying to kill her. She insisted that the children had been permitted to visit but lamented that her home had become engulfed by acrimony.

“No one is attempting to hurt Wallis — we love her. No one is keeping her children from her. Despite the outrageous behavior they exhibit in my home at such a sensitive time, they are still welcome,” Kris Levine said in a declaration.

Annenberg had opted to go into hospice in the final weeks of her life, and Kris Levine questioned why the children would defy their mother’s wishes and disparage her choices, particularly in such a public way.

“Nobody controlled Wallis Annenberg and for anyone to say otherwise would contradict the truth and be disrespectful of her and her legacy as one of the most transformative philanthropists of our time,” said Stuart Liner, an attorney for Kris Levine, in a statement to The Times.

This account of the Annenberg family’s internal conflict is based on court records that provide a window into one of Southern California’s most prominent families. Wallis Annenberg’s estate lawyer, Andrew Katzenstein, and the children’s lawyer, Jessica Babrick, declined comment. Representatives for Vikki Levine did not respond to messages seeking comment.

Wallis Annenberg, center, sits between her son Charles Annenberg Weingarten and Kris Levine at a 2015 event.

(Chris Weeks / Getty Images)

Annenberg died Monday at age 86, drawing tributes from former President Biden, Gov. Gavin Newsom, and luminaries in the worlds of art, business and philanthropy.

The public mourning has highlighted Annenberg’s generosity toward elder care, animal welfare and USC, where she was a life trustee, among other causes. The turmoil among those closest to her, however, has persisted following the intense legal battle over her final days.

The dispute, at least so far, has not touched on the Annenberg family’s wealth — or what either side stood to financially gain or lose with the matriarch’s death. It originated, in part, in an advance healthcare directive that Annenberg allegedly signed on July 11, 2023, the year after she was diagnosed with lung cancer, according to court records.

The directive, which was notarized and executed with assistance from Annenberg’s attorney, Katzenstein, endowed Vikki Levine with primary authority over medical decisions and designated Annenberg’s son Gregory Weingarten as an alternate.

Annenberg’s children have since cast doubt on the document, asserting in a court filing that the signature appears to be right-handed, while Annenberg was left-handed.

Vikki Levine, with David Dreier, attends The Wallis Delivers: A Benefit Evening To Support Wildfire Recovery at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on April 30 in Beverly Hills.

(Rodin Eckenroth / Getty Images)

Why Annenberg installed Vikki Levine in the role is unclear. In court papers, she is described as Annenberg’s best friend, personal assistant and sister to “life partner” Kris Levine. Voting records show that all three women resided at Annenberg’s home. Vikki Levine had worked for the heiress since at least the mid-2000s, when Annenberg installed her as trustee over a granddaughter’s trusts, court records show.

Although Kris Levine was not listed among Annenberg’s survivors in several obituaries, she was a mainstay in her life, publicly accompanying her to events and co-chairing philanthropic events.

Last fall, after being in remission, Annenberg’s cancer returned. According to a court filing by Vikki Levine, the philanthropist decided not to tell her children or anyone but her “closest friends.”

“Wallis determined not to seek treatment, but to enjoy as much as possible, the time she had left,” according to the filing.

In April, after Vikki Levine told Annenberg’s children about their mother’s health, they “had nearly unlimited access to Wallis,” the filing said, asserting that the children’s claims rest on scores of in-person interactions with her, making it unlikely that she was forcibly isolated.

“Wallis has been visited virtually daily by her Children and/or grandchildren, and has 24 hour care by experienced medical staff,” Vikki Levine’s attorneys said.

Wallis Annenberg, seated, with her children Gregory Annenberg Weingarten, Lauren Bon and Charles Annenberg Weingarten.

(Hamish Robertson)

Around early May, Annenberg began hospice, with medication aimed to alleviate pain and anxiety from her decreased lung function, according to a declaration from one of her hospice nurses that was reviewed by The Times.

But the Annenberg children were growing increasingly alarmed, they said in court filings.

In June and early July, Vikki Levine had dismissed longtime household staff and was demanding that a new team overmedicate their mother, “administering excessive amounts of powerful narcotics and opioids, such as Fentanyl, Morphine, Ativan and other similar drugs,” the children alleged in a court filing.

The cocktail of narcotics kept their mother “in a vegetative state” and risked catastrophe, the children claimed, writing, “When Wallis is able to emerge from this near-comatose state, she is adamant that this is not what she wants and that she believes, in her own words, that Vikki is ‘kidnapping her.’”

To back their accusations, the children provided a judge with signed declarations from three of their mother’s caregivers, who said they had been ousted around late June after observing shocking scenes, including forgery of records and misrepresentations to Annenberg’s doctors.

“I witnessed Vikki forcing pills in Ms. Annenberg’s mouth when she clearly did not want to take them. I told Vikki that Ms. Annenberg seemed calm and did not need more medication,” said Annenberg’s housekeeper and caregiver of nearly 20 years. “Vikki told me the pills were for her upset stomach, but I told her that I knew they were Ativan because I saw the bottle.”

Another healthcare worker — a registered nurse of 40 years employed by a concierge medical service — said she was dismissed shortly after she objected to providing Ativan to Annenberg, who at the time was sleeping and did not appear anxious or agitated.

The nurse alleged that Vikki Levine forbade the staff from keeping a proper medication log and allowed Annenberg to drink alcohol, even while on medication.

“It is difficult for me to believe that this kind of conduct can happen to anyone, let alone Ms. Annenberg. No one deserves to be rushed to death,” the nurse said in her sworn declaration.

Lawyers for Vikki Levine said that all three former staffers supporting the Annenberg children had been fired “for cause,” but did not elaborate.

Before turning to the courts, the children asked Dr. Peter Phung, of Keck Medicine of USC, to visit their mother. Phung “determined that she was, indeed, being overmedicated” and trimmed her dosage, the children claimed in court filings.

“As a result, Wallis had her best day in weeks,” the children said. “Unfortunately,” they continued, Vikki Levine blocked access to the doctor, and she and her sister “completely barred” the children’s visits on July 13.

The following morning, the children petitioned a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge to suspend Vikki Levine’s authority as Annenberg’s healthcare agent and appoint one of her sons or a third-party professional instead. The children also asked the judge to impose a three-day period before Annenberg’s body could be transported out of L.A. or cremated.

In a 73-page filing, the children provided extraordinary details about their mother’s medical care, along with their concerns, situating their petition as an act of desperation.

“We have been informed that my mother may only have weeks to live, and I do not want those weeks to be spent in a medically-induced coma due to Vikki’s actions, which are contrary to medical advice and harmful to her well-being,” daughter Lauren Bon said in a declaration.

Annenberg’s daughter, artist Lauren Bon, stands in an L.A. River project site in 2023.

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Vikki Levine and her sister vehemently contested the allegations, denying any abuse and claiming that the children were misinformed or omitted key information.

“Dr. Phung did not determine that Wallis was being over-medicated as alleged,” said one of Vikki Levine’s filings. “To the contrary, Dr. Phung confirmed to Vikki that there has been ‘no mismanagement of symptoms.’”

Annenberg, they said, was confined to the bed because of doctor’s orders, not cruelty.

A hospice nurse who saw Annenberg nearly daily in the final weeks of her life also contested many of the claims of the children and the former caregivers.

The nurse, according to a signed declaration reviewed by The Times, said Annenberg’s care relied on direct orders from her physicians and was carried out by registered nurses from VITAS, a hospice service. The medical team kept all appropriate records, and Annenberg was confined to her bed because moving would have risked dangerous falls, respiratory distress and other calamities.

The Levine sisters portrayed the Annenberg children as improperly interfering in their mother’s affairs.

“They crowd around Wallis’ bed while the nurses are caring for her, tell Wallis that she doesn’t need the medication, refuse to get out of their way, ask numerous questions about the medication and procedures being employed, and generally make the situation untenable for a care-provider to work,” Kris Levine said in a declaration submitted to the judge.

While Kris Levine acknowledged that she had halted visits from the children on July 13, she said in a court declaration that she asked them not to come that day because of a series of heated confrontations, and that she had wanted to impose visiting hours to give Annenberg some rest and continuity.

“The children, particularly Gregory Weingarten, have aggressively refused my requests. Indeed, he has insisted that my name is ‘not on the deed,’ that I have ‘no rights’ to our home, and that he had ‘more rights’ to be there than I did,” Kris Levine said in her declaration.

The tensions boiled over with “multiple” calls to police by Annenberg’s children.

Vikki Levine said that when officers arrived on a recent Friday night, they “determined that there was no mistreatment of Wallis, no elder abuse as alleged, and told Vikki that she did not need to let the Children back into the house.”

Nevertheless, both Vikki and Kris Levine said they made it clear to the children that they could still visit their mother.

On July 22, Judge Gus T. May found that there was “good cause” to suspend Vikki Levine from serving as Annenberg’s healthcare agent.

In her place, the judge appointed Jodi Pais Montgomery, a professional fiduciary who has held roles in other celebrity cases in probate court, including Britney Spears and Carol Burnett’s grandson.

Montgomery was instructed to follow Annenberg’s advance healthcare directive and share confidential medical information with the Annenberg children, as well as with the Levine sisters.

Annenberg died less than a week later.

A confrontation between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Armenia’s top Christian clerics seems to be deepening, polarising the deeply religious South Caucasus nation of 3 million.

St Echmiadzin, the Armenian Apostolic Church’s headquarters, has been “taken over by the anti-Christian, immoral, antinational and antistate group and has to be liberated”, Pashinyan wrote on Facebook on Tuesday, adding: “I will lead this liberation.”

The dispute escalated late last month, with bells ringing tocsin over St Echmiadzin on June 27.

Usually, the loud and alarming sound signals an event of significance, such as a foreign invasion.

But on that parching-hot June day, the noise rang out to signal the detention of a top cleric who, according to Pashinyan, was part of a “criminal-oligarchic clergy” that was involved in “terrorism” and plotted a “coup”.

He said the “coup organisers” include the Church’s head, Karekin II, who has disputed with Pashinyan in a months-long personal feud.

But the conflict should not be seen as a confrontation between secular authorities and the entire Church, observers said.

“It’s a personal clash,” Richard Giragosian of the Regional Studies Center think tank based in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, told Al Jazeera.

But some Armenians still described the furore in almost apocalyptic terms.

“We lost our statehood so many times, so being part of the Church was equal to being Armenian,” Narine Malikyan, a 37-year-old mother of two from Armenia’s second-largest city of Guymri, told Al Jazeera. “Attacking the Church is like attacking every Armenian.”

The Church, whose doctrine differs from that of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox sees, has for centuries helped maintain the identity of Armenians while their lands were ruled by Iranians, Byzantines, Arabs, Mongols, Turks and Russians.

‘The Karabakh clan’

The conflict between Pashinyan and Karekin is rooted in the 2020 war between Armenia and Azerbaijan that ended a decades-old “frozen conflict”.

In the early 1990s, Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous Azeri enclave dominated by ethnic Armenians, broke away in a bloody war that uprooted up to a million.

Moscow-backed separatist leaders from Nagorno-Karabakh became part of Armenia’s political elite and cultivated ties with the Church.

The so-called “Karabakh clan” spawned two presidents who ruled Armenia for 20 years but were accused of corruption, cronyism and pocketing donations from Armenian diasporas in France, the United States and Russia.

In 2018, Pashinyan, an ex-lawmaker and popular publicist, led huge protests that toppled the “Karabakh clan”. He became prime minister with approval ratings of more than 80 percent.

Some protesters back then flocked to St Echmiadzin to urge Karekin to step down as they lambasted his penchant for luxurious cars and lavish parties.

‘An illegitimate child’

Two years later, Armenia lost Nagorno-Karabakh in a 44-day war that proved the superiority of drone attacks and hi-tech stratagems.

By 2023, Azerbaijan regained control of the entire Dubai-sized territory, while tens of thousands of its residents flocked to Armenia.

Karekin blamed Pashinyan for the defeat, even though observers have argued that the responsibility lies with his predecessors’s miscalculations.

Pashinyan struck back.

He claimed that 73-year-old Karekin – who was ordained in 1970, studied theology in Austria, Germany and Moscow and became the Church’s head in 1999, broke his vow of celibacy to father a child – and should, therefore, vacate his seat.

“If Karekin II tries to denounce this fact, I’ll prove it in all necessary ways,” Pashinyan wrote on Facebook on June 9.

He did not specify the details, but Armenian media “discovered” that Karekin’s alleged daughter is a medical doctor in Yerevan.

Karekin did not respond to the claim but accused Pashinyan of dividing Armenians.

“The anti-clerical campaign unleashed by authorities is a serious threat to our national unity, domestic stability and is a direct blow to our statehood,” the grey-bearded clergyman, clad in a ceremonial robe adorned with crosses, said on June 22 at a ceremony at St Echmiadzin.

A day later, a priest called Pashinyan “Judas” and claimed he was circumcised.

Pashinyan retorted by offering to expose himself to the priest and Karekin.

A failed detention

On June 27, dozens of intelligence officers interrupted a conference in one of St Echmiadzin’s tawny, centuries-old buildings to forcibly deliver another Pashinyan critic, Archbishop Mikael Adjapakhyan, to an interrogation.

But priests and parishioners summoned by the tocsin fought them off – while critics compared the incident to the 1938 killing of Armenia’s top cleric in St Echmiadzin during the Soviet-era crackdown on religion.

Hours later, Archbishop Adjapakhyan volunteered for an interrogation, telling supporters that he “was being persecuted illegally”.

He was arrested for two months – along with 14 alleged “coup organisers,” including another archbishop, Bagrat Galstanyan, opposition lawmakers and “Karabakh clan” figures.

The coup was supposed to take place on September 21, on Armenia’s Independence Day, according to its plan leaked to the Civic.am daily.

Also arrested was construction tycoon Samvel Karapetyan, who made his estimated $3.6bn fortune in Russia and owns Armenia’s main power company.

Karapetyan had threatened Pashinyan, saying if the conflict with Karekin is not solved, “we will take part in it all in our own way.”

The arrests were “a move by the Armenian government to preempt any potential Russian interference in the coming [parliamentary] elections that are set for June 2026”, analyst Giragosian said.

‘Pashinyan is hard to negotiate with’

Those opposed to Pashinyan’s Civil Contract Party have accused him of siding with Azerbaijan and Turkiye.

But Baku has its qualms about Pashinyan.

“Pashinyan is by far not a peace dove,” Emil Mustafayev, chief editor of the Minval Politika magazine based in the Azeri capital, Baku, told Al Jazeera. “He is hard to negotiate with.”

However, after the loss of Nagorno-Karabakh, Pashinyan “began to take heed of Baku’s position”, Mustafayev said. “Of all possible options in Yerevan, he’s the least problematic partner one can have a dialogue with, no matter how complicated it is.”

Analyst Gigarosyan agreed.

“Pashinyan is the best interlocutor [Baku and Ankara] could hope for because of predictability and also because he’s looking to turn the page,” he said. “He’s not looking for revenge.”

And even though Pashinyan’s current approval ratings are well below 20 percent, his party may become a political phoenix and win the June 2026 vote.

Armenian opposition parties are either centred around two former presidents from the “Karabakh clan” who are deeply mistrusted, or are too small and splintered to form sizeable coalitions and influence decision-making in the unicameral, 107-seat parliament.

“They’re likely to win,” Giragosian said of Pashinyan’s party. “Not because of a strong degree of support, but because the opposition is hated and feared more.”

MAFS Australia’s Adrian Araouzou has riled up fans after posting a video listing his “high standards” for his future wife.

In a video titled “Unpopular opinion 💁🏻‍♂️”, which he uploaded to Instagram, Adrian was seen eating food on a camp chair by a fire as he wrote across the screen.

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He wrote: “High standards because I don’t want my kids to have a mum who’s drunk every weekend, thinks it’s ok to disrespect their body, looks at doing anything for their man as a chore, has no faith in God, or prioritises material things over nature’s beauty. ”

Fans weren’t best pleased with the message, and made sure he knew it in the comments.

“what do you bring to the table though…” said one, while another wrote: “Misogynistic manosphere springs to mind… Andrew Tate!”

“Good luck with that.. maybe u should join the priesthood.. no woman would touch u now with your attitude,” noted a third.

“You must also meet these requirements. Not only your future wife!” wrote a fourth.

The 31-year-old reality star appeared on the 12th season of the dating show favourite, marrying Awhina Rutene in the experiment.

However, while they initially seemed to like each other when they met at the altar, things went south quickly when Awhina revealed she had a six-year-old son.

He later became central to cheating speculation with another bride, Sierah, after they were seen playing footsie under the table at a dinner.

While they didn’t actually cheat, Adrian later left the experiment for a small period of time, leaving Awhina before eventually returning to complete the show.

He also was criticised for making his new wife cry in other scenes after refusing to take part in writing a confession letter.

At the Final Vows the pair decided to break things off, thinking they wouldn’t work.

However, in a strange twist, before the show was over they had their mind and opted to give their relationship a proper shot away from the series.

Unfortunately they didn’t work out, and since the show aired they have both remained single.

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Kylian Mbappe says he is not bitter over Paris St-Germain’s Champions League victory less than a year after leaving the club for Real Madrid.

The forward left PSG as the club’s record goalscorer but was unable to win European football’s premier club competition in seven seasons with the French giants before signing for Madrid on a free transfer in July 2024.

PSG cruised past Inter Milan 5-0 to win their first Champions League title on 31 May.

“I didn’t leave too soon; my story with PSG was over. I am not bitter; I had reached the end of the road,” said France captain Mbappe, who scored 256 goals for PSG.

Speaking on Saturday at a news conference before France’s Nations League third-place match with Germany, Mbappe added: “I tried everything, and it was destiny that meant it had to happen without me.

“PSG winning the Champions League without me doesn’t affect me. I was happy – I think they deserved it.

“They’ve had so many years where they struggled. I’ve been there too; I’ve played in every Champions League stage in Paris except for the victory.

“They’re the best team in Europe. I don’t remember seeing a team win 5-0 in a major final.”

The closes Mbappe came to Champions League success with his boyhood club was a runners-up medal following defeat by Bayern Munich in the 2020 final.

Mbappe’s Madrid, who were knocked out by Arsenal at the quarter-final stage of last season’s Champions League, ended the campaign without a trophy for the first time in four years.

The 26-year-old did enjoy some success, though, after scoring 31 La Liga goals to win the European Golden Shoe.

A MARRIED At First Sight UK star has revealed she’s found love a year after splitting from her show groom. 

The former couple called time on their relationship in February last year after being paired up on the 2023 series of MAFS UK. 

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But Erica Roberts has teased a new romance following her turbulent time with Jordan Gayle. 

She took to Instagram to share snaps from a recent romantic trip to Brussels with her new man – but kept his face hidden in the photos. 

One showed them posing for a selfie, with Erica’s mystery man putting his arm around her, while another saw them laughing in a sweet photo both snap. 

Fans rushed to comment on the post, with one writing: “Soft launches are killing us all.” 

While another urged Erica to reveal her boyfriend’s identity, saying: “Hard launch the new man, we all want to see.” 

In February Erica made a surprise appearance at the 2024 series reunion – where it was revealed she’d enjoyed a secret fling with Kieran Chapman, much to the surprise of his show bride Kristina Goodsell. 

Fans were less than impressed when Erica put Kieran on the spot and pushed him to tell Kristina about their fling. 

Gutted Kristina said to camera: “I feel like a bit of a nob, Erica’s been kissing my ex-husband.”

At the table, she held it together well, telling him: “Kieran, whose tongue you have in your mouth is none of my business.

“Erica, I hope you haven’t got a cold sore now.”

Following the awkward scenes, Erica also ended up in an online spat with Sacha Jones.

Erica was accused of also hooking up with Sacha’s show husband Ross McCarthy, with Sacha later insisting her rival was creating drama “for the fame”.

Sacha told The Sun: “Some of Erica’s friends have been commenting on my posts saying, ‘you know the industry’. I’ve blocked them. 

“That gave me the impression that she’s been doing what she’s doing to draw attention. This reality TV career is obviously something she really, really, wants.”

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THERE have been some massive fall outs among famous siblings.

From Brooklyn and Romeo Beckham spat to the Gallagher brothers’ bitter feud, there are several famous faces who are at war, or have been in the past, with their family,

And British stars aren’t the only ones, because there are several high-profile Hollywood stars who have been at war with their loved ones.

From Julia Roberts to Leonardo DiCaprio – The Sun explores some of the biggest sibling feuds.

Brooklyn and Romeo Beckham

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Brooklyn Beckham and his wife Nicola Peltz were notable absentees from his dad David Beckham‘s recent birthday bash.

Brooklyn’s siblings Romeo, Cruz and Harper all turned out to party with their dad, mum, and famous names like Tom Cruise and Guy Ritchie, while the eldest Beckham child was nowhere to be seen.

And since the snub, a rift between Brooklyn and his younger brother Romeo has been uncovered.

Romeo’s girlfriend is Kim Turnbull, who previously dated Brooklyn.

Romeo and his girlfriend Kim, who Brooklyn once dated, have kept things low-key since going public in November.

The Sun understands Nicola and Brooklyn had intended to be at David’s birthday bash but cancelled at short notice due to Kim being in attendance.

Brooklyn felt uncomfortable that his ex would be in attendance.

But the blame is being levelled at Nicola, which has upset Brooklyn, according to a source.

They said: “She has never told him what to do and has been nothing but supportive — she’s a loyal wife.”

Brooklyn and Nicola also missed an intimate evening last Wednesday at the family’s £10million Cotswolds mansion.

The dinner was attended by Victoria, Romeo, Cruz, and his girlfriend Jackie.

Kim was absent, as were Brooklyn and Nicola.

Liam and Noel Gallagher

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The two Manchester-born stars became famous together when they were in the band Oasis.

Clashing personalities saw Noel briefly quit the band after Liam threw a tambourine at him during a performance.

Later, Noel hit Liam on the head with a cricket bat when Liam annoyed him while he was working.

Liam’s last-minute pull-out and heckling from the audience during their MTV Unplugged performance in 1996 added to the feud. 

The last straw was when a backstage argument in Paris in 2009, reportedly over Liam’s clothing firm, Pretty Green, led to Noel’s decision to leave the band. 

But last month, Liam and Noel performed together for the first time in 16 years as they took to the stage of a members’ club in north London.

And now, the pair are preparing for the Oasis reunion tour which will take place later this year.

Leonardo DiCaprio and his step-brother Adam Farrar

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Although Leo and his step-brother Adam were close as kids, as they grew up, they grew apart.

In the 00s and 10s, Adam accused Leo of putting fame before his family.

In 2016, Adam spoke out about his relationship with Leo.

“We were once so close. I loved him and I still do,” he told MailOnline.

He added: “But we’ve not spoken in a couple of years. The last time I saw Leo was at his birthday party a couple of years ago.

“I’d been invited by another friend. Leo was pleased to see me and gave me a hug.

“But when I try to call him, my messages go unanswered. He has a whole team around him now and it’s impossible to penetrate that wall of hangers-on.”

He also told the paper: “Leo wants to save the world but he seems more concerned about the environment and climate change than he does about his own brother. It hurts.”

While Leo got famous, Adam developed a marijuana and cocaine habit, as well as a serious heroin addiction, with this coming to a head in 2008.

“I was arrested five or six times for petty theft, shoplifting from supermarkets, trying to support an opiate addiction of half a gram to a gram a day,” Adam told the outlet.

“Leo and I never had an argument. But he started surrounding himself with people that didn’t want me around. He’s the biggest star in the world and there’s me, messed up on drugs. I was slowly shut out of his world.

“Finally I got tired of going in and out of jail. I’ve been off heroin since 2013,” he said.

Meghan Markle and her half-sister Samantha Markle

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Megan and her half sister Samantha Markle have been embroiled in a feud that has been long-running for many years.

According to Samantha, she and Meghan were close when they were growing up, although this is not backed by the Duchess.

The pair are 17 years apart and did not grow up at the same time.

In 2018, Vanity Fair reported that Doria Ragland and Thomas Markle “moved in together a couple of years before Meghan was born, along with Samantha and Thomas junior, who had relocated to L.A. after living with their mum.”

In Meghan’s chat with Oprah in 2021, she declared: “I grew up as an only child, which everyone who grew up around me knows, and I wished I had siblings.”

Samantha is estranged from Meghan, and the pair have not spoken for more than a decade, since her “early twenties”, it has been claimed.

Due to their estrangement, Samantha was not invited to Meghan’s wedding to Prince Harry in 2018. Samantha said at the time: “Out of respect and humanitarianism, the Markles should be invited if 2,000 complete strangers are. Our uncle, brother, me, best friend of 30 years, nephews. At issue is not a matter of closeness. Family is family.”

Nick and Aaron Carter

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Nick and Aaron Carter grew apart over the years.

The pair’s bond weakened due to childhood trauma, addiction, and family drama.

In 2019, Nick filed a restraining order against Aaron, saying he had made violent threats.

Aaron denied this also accusing Nick of abuse.

On November 5, 2022, Aaron died at his home in California at the age of 34.

His body was found in his bathtub by a housekeeper.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner later ruled that Carter’s death was accidental: drowning after inhaling difluoroethane and taking alprazolam (Xanax).

He was cremated, and his ashes were left in the care of his twin sister Angel.

Julia Roberts and her half-sister Nancy Motes

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Julia Roberts and her half-sister Nancy Motes had a “tortured” bond before she died by suicide.

In 2014, Nancy, who was 37, was found in a bathtub filled with water at a friend’s home in Los Angeles, where she had been dog-sitting.

LA County Coroner spokesman John Kades said prescription drugs had been found at the residence.

She wrote a suicide note blaming Julia for bullying her most of her adult life.

In the three-page note, she said: “My so-called siblings get nothing except the memory that they are the ones that drove me into the deepest depression I’ve been in.”

Louis Tomlinson and his half-sister Georgia

The One Direction star’s biological dad left shortly after he was born and became estranged from him.

His father later had a daughter called Georgia who became a huge One Direction fan when she was 14.

She and Louis’ biological dad, Troy, then saw Louis in a One Direction concert when the band were at the height of fame.

The siblings failed to reconnect.

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