Emotional

Sam Thompson was snapped crying on Pete Wicks’ shoulder in an emotional moment after the TRIC Awards show last night, just after snagging the award for Best Podcast

Sam Thompson could not hold back the tears as he was snapped hugging his best friend Pete Wicks‘ and seeming rather emotional. The pair were in town for the TRIC (Television and Radio Industries Club) Awards with a host of other celebs.

Sam, 33, and Pete, 37, won Best Podcast for Staying Relevant. After cinching the award, Pete and Sam stepped outside with Pete holding onto a cigarette as Sam could be seen having an emotional conversation. During the chat Sam was gesticulating wildly and then wrapped Pete in an embrace, resting his head on his best friend’s shoulder.

Sam’s face was red and slightly puffy, suggesting he’d been rather moved by emotion during the awards ceremony.

A representative for Sam told The Mirror after the awards: “Sam and Pete were absolutely thrilled and very emotional to have won Best Podcast Award at the TRICS for the second year running.

“Staying Relevant is such a passion project for them so to receive such a special accolade twice felt all the more special. Happy tears were flowing from the whole team.”

After winning the awards, the Made in Chelsea star sent a chair flying as he jumped around in excitement and bounced around the table. Accepting the prize, he said: “That’s mad! Wahey!” He then accidentally swore as he said: “No! I just didn’t wanna say the word f***, oop!”

He then clapped his hand over his mouth as Pete brushed off the moment, saying: “Don’t do that!”

The duo shared the moment they won on Instagram in a hilarious video captioned: “SECOND YEAR IN A ROW BABY. Thank you Relevanters for every single vote, we wouldn’t be here without you. As Sam would say, we are a community (sorry @p_wicks01 ) See you next year @tricawardsuk.”

This isn’t the first time Sam has been snapped crying on Pete’s shoulder during at the TRIC Awards, but previously the star wasn’t shedding tears of joy.

Pete was snapped comforting Sam in 2024 as Sam visibly shed tears while in the smoking area after the awards. Addressing his tears, Sam later revealed on his podcast that he had heard some bad news. “Firstly, there’s no way of getting around it, I had actually received some bad news, so I actually was really sad, I’m not going to lie about it, but I was.”

“I wasn’t crying though, I wasn’t actually crying. I just want to let everyone know that now,” he added. “There was a paparazzi shot which said ‘Sam Thompson crying after THAT argument with girlfriend Zara’, after the Soccer Aid thing. They linked both of them together.”

Sam continued: “There’s a few things here, I was really sad, and Pete being my best mate, he took me outside and the beauty of it was that Pete said we can’t go out the front because there were a lot of paps there. So, we went through the back. I let it go, I let it all out. I’m literally head-butting Pete’s shoulder – I’m literally caressed into his armpit.

“He’s being such a good mate and saying he’s always there for me and I’m feeling really sorry for myself. I thought, ‘at least nobody is going to see this’, but little did I know that later that day the pictures were everywhere.”

It’s unclear why Sam was emotional on this occasion, but it could have been tears of happiness after clearly being full of joy during the event. Sam is also now dating model and DJ Talitha Balinska, 25, with the pair frequently posting about one another on social media.

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JESY Nelson has shared her twin daughters’ spinal braces with an emotional message ahead of the upcoming Parliament debate.

The mum-of-two made a candid post explaining her daughters now have to wear them every day.

Jesy shared a snap of her twin daughters Ocean and Story’s spinal braces as she urged fans to attend the Parliament debate on SMA screening.

She captioned the image: “Just a reminder that future SMA babies’ lives don’t need to look like this!

“These are Ocean and Story’s spinal braces that [they] now have to wear every day.”

Jesy also shared a snap of the Parliament debate poster and wrote: “I hope to see as many of you there tomorrow. It’s going to be a big day.”

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It comes after Jesy spoke out about the unjust and “nsane” SMA “postcode lottery” – which “decides if children will be disabled or not.”

The loving mum appeared on social media in a candid video expressing her deep frustrations over ‘unfair’ Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) heel prick testing.

The X Factor star – who has racked up over 150k signatures – is calling for SMA to be tested for at birth regardless of where you live.

The debate is set to take place tomorrow, June 22, and, if granted, SMA screenings will be added for newborns.

The singer’s daughters Ocean Jade and Story Monroe were born prematurely in May last year and were diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1.

In the emotional video, the singer said: “I just wanted to come on here to basically chat about a few things that are just so incredibly important to me and I know so many other people.

“Some of you may be aware of the fact that I’ve been trying to get SMA as part of the heel prick test here in England, and thank God for you guys, the signatures got over 150,000 and because of that, it is now going to get debated in parliament this Monday coming up, which is just crazy to me to know that we did that and I just need you guys to know that this has never been debated in parliament before.

“There has been a whole community of people that have been screaming and shouting about this for years and years and years, and it’s never been able to get this far, because it’s been ignored every single time.

“But you guys did it, because you made enough noise and you supported this and you got it there and I cannot thank you guys enough…

“So many thoughts have been going through my mind over this week, because every time I think about it, I’m like, how am I going to Parliament on Monday to debate whether children, future children, are going to be disabled or not?

“That’s how deep it is, because if your child gets this treatment from birth with a simple heel prick test and they get this treatment, you would not even know that they have SMA. 

“That’s how deep it is, right? That is how life-changing this treatment is. You would not even know that your child has SMA, but if they don’t get this treatment and they don’t get the heel prick test, they will go on to be disabled…

“And not only be disabled, but they will go on to have breathing machines, coughing machines, constant operations. It never ever ends.

“And I still can’t believe that in this day and age, when we’ve had three life-changing treatments now for nearly six years, it’s still a thing. It’s still not here in England.

“It is being rolled out in October, but only in certain parts of England.

“How does that make sense? How are we playing postcode lottery with children’s lives? How is that okay? I cannot stress you how important this is.

“This is our future, future children we are deciding on. Mums now that are currently pregnant and maybe about to have a baby that could potentially have this disease. We’re basically going to decide whether they’re going to be disabled or not, like it blows my mind.

“And I just seem to stress this so much, because that’s how deep it is. We are playing with children’s lives and it is not okay.

“It’s not okay to be like, if you live in this area, your child won’t be disabled, but if you live in this area, yeah, they’ll be disabled.

“We’re not doing this anymore. We’ve made too much noise now for this to be ignored.

“Anyway, sorry for getting irate about this, but it makes me so sad to think that my children’s lives could look so different and not only my children’s lives, but so many other families and children are dealing with this across the whole of England.”

Alongside the tear-jerking post, she added: “We have had some amazing news that screening is due to start in October this year, which is a huge step forward!

“But there’s still a big problem… it will only cover 72% of England. That means some babies won’t be screened simply because of where they live.

“A postcode lottery like that just isn’t fair. Every baby deserves the same chance, everybaby’ss life matters!

“On Monday 22nd June, the petition will be debated by MPs in Parliament. I’ll be there alongside @gileslomax from SMA UK and we’re hoping this debate will help push for screening to be available for every newborn across England.

“We’ll be arriving at 5pm on Monday, and it would mean so much to see as many of you there as possible. We’d love to get a photo together outside Parliament before we head inside.

“Please if you can, tag your MP in the comments and ask them to attend the debate and support universal newborn screening for SMA.

“The areas currently missing out on screening are: Bristol, Cambridge, Portsmouth, Leeds, Liverpool, Oxford.

“No baby should miss out because of their postcode. Let’s keep fighting until every newborn has the same opportunity. Thank you for standing with us every step of the way!”

Vanessa Feltz has addressed some of her struggles in the early 2000s and argued that while people were very excited by the introduction of reality TV, vetting is now too ‘sketchy’

Vanessa Feltz has called for an end to “sordid” reality TV shows which she said gave her some of her lowest moments in her career.

The broadcaster, 64, shared her thoughts on how the format has changed over the past two decades, while reflecting on some incidents involving reality stars. According to Vanessa, vetting processes on some shows were “sketchy at best.”

In an article for You, the journalist said reality shows often recruit “individuals desperate for exposure” from social media – with women often asked whether they are looking for love, and men asked whether they are hoping to have some fun. Describing the reality genre as “sordid,” Vanessa said things have significantly changed since the early 2000s.

At the time, the idea of having “real people, doing real things, in real time” on TV seemed “revolutionary”, she argued, as demonstrated by the success of Big Brother. “We wanted ‘ordinary’ people scratching their armpits, pairing socks, quarrelling, vying, lying, picking their toenails and getting their rocks off,” Vanessa, who famously broke down and told Big Brother to “f*** off” during the first-ever Celebrity Big Brother in 2001, wrote.

Back then, mental health wasn’t given the same importance it has now, Vanessa said, meaning that many people – including herself – didn’t realise that reality TV posed any risk to participants. But she wrote: “When I said I’d had enough and please could I pack my case and go – we weren’t being paid, we were doing it free for Comic Relief – Big Brother replied: ‘If you leave, Vanessa, you’ll be the most hated woman in Britain.'”

She said that after being evicted, she “shook uncontrollably” and was “disorientated, trembling” until she was able to reunite with her daughters, which made her “remember how it felt to be myself.” She said: “A quarter of a century later people still ask, what the beep happened? I tell them, when you are on a reality TV show it isn’t a game.

Opening up on her experience of filming Celebrity Fit Club in 2004, Vanessa said she was “so scared” of letting her team down that she “stopped all food and water on Friday mornings” and after the weigh-in on Saturday afternoon, contestants “were all shaky and faint with hunger.”

She said that after drinking a glass of water and eating a couple of Ryvita crackers, they would go back on the scales and find they had already gained back the weight presenter Dale Winton had announced they had lost. “It was hell,” Vanessa reflected.

Giving the example of reality star Sinitta, who appeared on her Channel 5 show Vanessa on June 1 and said she needed therapy after I’m A Celebrity…South Africa due to the amount of trolling she faced, the broadcaster said reality TV is capably of leaving people damaged.

Vanessa’s reflection comes after her Channel 5 daytime chat show was cancelled only a year after its debut. According to reports, the presenter was blindsided and left furious by the news. The chat show sees Vanessa talk to guests and people at home who had called in to share their experiences of whichever topic was on the agenda.

But this week, a 5 spokesperson confirmed to the Mirror that the show would be coming off air, saying: “Due to afternoon scheduling changes, ‘Vanessa’ will be rested from July 17th. We thank Vanessa and her team at ITN for 18 months of warm, witty, wise and searingly honest shows. Vanessa remains a valued member of the 5 family and we are discussing future projects together.”

Following the cancellation, a source told the Mail that Vanessa was blindsided when she was told that the show had been axed. They said: “Vanessa was brought into a meeting after her show came off air this week. She had no idea what the meeting was about and certainly didn’t expect to be told it was not being renewed. She feels so blindsided but also let down by bosses.”

The cancellation is thought to be linked to low ratings for the programme, as well as an inability to get the scam callers under control. The source said that producers “tried their best to crack down” on the pranks, but it couldn’t be done.

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MYLES Smith reveals he was physically abused by his father in his heartbreaking debut album My Mess, My Heart, My Life. 

The Luton-born star, who was raised by his mother Deborah, recalls his difficult childhood in emotional tracks My Mess and Grandma’s House. 

Not since Lewis Capaldi’s astonishing 2019 album Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent have I heard a more impressive and honest debut record, with Myles pouring his truth into the 15-track album. 

Created over the past three years, as Myles’ career went stellar thanks to his 2024 runaway hit Stargazing, the star takes his fans back to his beginnings. 

Lead track My Mess reduced me to tears as Myles regaled his relationship with his father against a backdrop of an upbeat, acoustic guitar. 

He sings, “I was born into a fractured family, where a word can start a war. 

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“Lost my tongue, when I spoke my peace, yeah he grabbed my shirt and he bruised my cheek. 

“Sad a man had to go toe to toe with a boy thirteen.” 

Emotion-packed Grandma’s House, where Myles, 28, recalls finding his safe space as his mum Deborah worked to make ends meet, is packed with emotion and reflection. 

On the track he sings: “Take me back to my Grandma’s place. 

“I was 7 years old when I learnt how to cook, and 10 when I started to sing. 

“Oh she’d bring me to church, and she’d cover my ears, when my Dad would scream horrible things.” 

Myles’ signature acoustic guitar underpins every track, with Hate You untangling the realities of navigating love and Sertraline seeing Myles exploring mental health and complexities surrounding it. 

This is an album for the brokenhearted and the hopeful, with the beautifully worded Lifetime and the dreamy vocals on Heaven – which is my favourite song on the record – seemingly bringing Myles’ the happy ending he’s been searching for. 

Over the past two years, Myles has grown in prominence – winning the Brit Awards Rising Star gong as well as earning an Ivor Novello Award for Stargazing. 

To date Myles has amassed over 4.7billion streams worldwide and is one of our country’s most exciting new stars. 

Opening up about the record, Myles said the album was born out of “therapy notes, old memories, relationships, insecurities, heartbreaks, mistakes and all the moments that shaped me.” 

The latter half of the album moves towards a positive note, with Nice To Meet You and Gold showing Myles coming out on the other side. 

Myles said: “It was important to end the album, and particularly this project on a high. 

“I feel like I always try to mirror my music with my live shows and my live shows are always about taking people on an emotional journey and then sending you home happy. 

“It is that sense of hope which lingers on as Gold closes the album. 

“Even though I may appear miserable for a lot of this album, I genuinely always walk with hope and I walk with joy at the end of the day.” 

Heaven, mark my words, will become a live show staple for Myles, who with My Mess, My Heart, My Life has more than proven he can hold up against the greats when it comes to writing songs about love and loss. 

★★★★★

Lotts of stars at V&A

It was all-white on the night for Maya Jama and Pixie Lott as they stood out in these dresses at the V&A Museum’s summer party.

They were joined at the bash by model Leomie Anderson, in an open white suit with gold jewellery, Ellie Goulding sporting a blazer dress, and Sir Mick Jagger with his fiancee Melanie Hamrick.

Once inside the museum, in London’s South Kensington, guests got the chance to schmooze around the exhibits, while Jessie Ware sang live in a sequin gown.

With tickets flying for her autumn tour, they were lucky to see her.

But access to the fundraiser, for those who did pay, cost £3,999. That is one expensive night out.

KAISER CHIEFS frontman Ricky Wilson will play Teen Angel in Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical.   

The show is being put on by Secret Cinema from July to September at Evolution London in Battersea Park. 

Ricky, left, said: “At school I was in Grease. I was not yet the pop sensation I am today and I only really wanted to do it because I fancied the girl who played Frenchie,  

“I was Doody, so this is my chance to show everyone I should’ve got a bigger part.  

“I don’t believe anyone from that production is now a professional singer – so in short, I win.” 

Sian’s up for toy techover

You will hear some surprisingly familiar voices in Toy Story 5 if you head to the cinema this weekend – as Capital Breakfast’s Jordan North and Sian Welby have landed roles.

They voice a garden gnome and inflatable flamingo in the long-awaited Pixar sequel, and mum-of-one Sian has high hopes for its impact.

Speaking about the film, which is about tech replacing toys, Sian, right, said: “I do think it’s going to start a massive conversation about screen time.

“It made me want to smash every bit of tech in my house and just get out in the grass and play all the games that I did growing up.

“I think a lot of us are going to watch it and feel guilt. It’s sad we have to grow up so fast because there’s so much magic when you’re younger.”

Best-selling novel One Day is coming to the West End as a musical.

The David Nicholls love story – which has previously been adapted for both the big and small screen – will premiere at London’s Garrick Theatre on November 17, following shows in Edinburgh earlier this year.

Tissues and jazz hands at the ready.

MNEK is back in reverse

MNEK is returning with his first album in eight years.

The singer has today released the single Reverse!!, which samples Lethal Bizzle’s Pow! (Forward) and will be on his Bulldozer record this autumn.

Also out now is Jax Jones’ Pulling Me Back, Tiny Habits’ Anything He Was featuring Matty Healy from The 1975 and Grow Down by Luca George.

Ahead of his opening night in Jesus Christ Super-star in London, Sam Ryder has released What’s The Buzz.

And to support England’s World Cup efforts, Kerry Katona has re-recorded Atomic Kitten’s Whole Again as Home Again to raise cash for kids in care.

She said: “Even if you think it’s s***, please download it so we can give back.”

Olivia Rodrigo has officially begun her new era, and this time she invited her fans to experience it alongside her.

To celebrate the release of her latest album, “You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love,” Rodrigo collaborated with American Express to re-create the set of her music video for “The Cure.” The pop-up event, which opened last Thursday and ran until Sunday at Mica Studios, featured props from the video, storyboards, exclusive merchandise and several photo ops for fans.

With a beating felt heart and lab beakers to pose with, the pop-up transformed an industrial studio space in the Arts District into a pastel-painted cardboard hospital. Ahead of the public opening, Rodrigo surprised a small group of AMEX cardholders and select fans.

“I have an album that’s coming out today in about one hour, which is crazy,” Rodrigo said, wearing a blue “Nurses Do It Better” baby tee. “I figured since we’re all here, maybe we should just listen to a few of them together? Would that be cool?”

A little over an hour before the album’s release, Rodrigo played four songs from the album as the room brewed with excitement. She began with “Maggots for Brains,” a song about being so infatuated you can’t focus when your partner is away. Although it was their first listen, the song’s catchy chorus already had fans dancing along.

Banner for Rodridgo’s pop-up event hands above Mica Studios

(American Express)

Rodrigo explained that her next song, “Purple,” paid homage to the aesthetics of her previous albums, “Guts” and “Sour.”

“Obviously, this is my first non-purple album, but I just had to shout out purple somehow,” Rodrigo joked. “This song started out as a love song and sort of devolved from there, so I’ll let you guys be the judge.”

Playing off the somber vibes of “Purple,” Rodrigo played “Less” next. The piano ballad follows the dissolution of a relationship as the couple grows apart.

“I’ve been going back and forth on what the saddest song on the record is, but I think this one might be it,” Rodrigo said.

In a room full of fans, the song struck an emotional chord with many of the listeners. To bring the mood back up, Rodrigo finished the night by playing her new single, “Stupid Song.”

“This next one is a happy one, and it actually has a music video that comes out tonight,” Rodrigo said. “I love this song so much. It’s basically about having such an intense crush on someone that it drives you totally f— insane. I feel like we’ve all been there at some point in our lives.”

Rodrigo was all smiles at her event celebrating her latest album steeped in heartbreak and romance.

(American Express)

After Rodrigo previewed her music, “The Cure” music video exhibition was opened up to the fans. The showcase ranged from interactive photo ops to gallery walls featuring behind-the-scenes photos from the video shoot and Rodrigo’s nurse costume on display. The video’s props, which were primarily designed using cardboard and felt, were displayed in glass cases for visitors to admire.

Dressed in fun fashion including light pink and polka-dot outfits, fans posed throughout the set, re-creating scenes from the music video as “The Cure” played overhead. Many had thrown on a piece of the Los Angeles-exclusive merchandise on sale at the pop-up, with shirts and hats reading “You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl in Los Angeles.”

So while some fans teared up at her lyrics and others beamed with excitement, everyone was hyped to experience Rodrigo’s new album.

“I really hope you enjoy this little exhibition. It is so gorgeous, and I am so proud of it,” Rodrigo said. “Thank you guys for being here, and I really hope you love ‘You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love’ as much as I do.”

KATIE Price has emotionally reunited with her husband Lee Andrews just days after his release from prison.

The Sun revealed how the self-proclaimed ‘billionaire businessman’ – who has spent the last month locked up in Dubai’s notorious Al-Awir prison –was freed on Friday.

After weeks apart, Katie quickly jetted back to Dubai from the UK over the weekend to see her other half.

Sharing an emotional reunion on Sunday evening, the former glamour model jumped into Lee’s arms as he picked her up and hugged her.

The beaming couple were pictured kissing, hugging and holding hands as they headed to Vox Dubai, an outdoor rooftop cinema, to catch a World Cup football game.

While Katie previously told The Sun she had plenty of questions for her elusive husband upon their reunion, it appeared those could wait as the couple got straight back to PDA – with the reconciliation appearing to be a far cry from crisis talks.

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The mum-of-five said earlier this month that she will only divorce the suspected conman once she has questioned him herself.

She said: “I cannot just walk away from my marriage without seeing him again.”

The Sun previously reported how Lee had been locked up in Al-Awir over a “private civil matter”, believed to be related to allegations of fraud, on May 14.

Among the claims, one of the cases against the self-proclaimed businessman is understood to be over a bounced cheque.

He initially claimed to Katie that he had been arrested on suspicion of spying. Authorities in Dubai later confirmed to The Sun that this was not the case.

This weekend, Katie confirmed that she had touched down in Dubai ahead of the reunion via Snapchat, where she shared a selfie in front of the city’s skyline.

Who is Katie Price’s husband Lee Andrews?

KATIE Price tied the knot with Lee Andrews in January 2026. Yet who is he?

• Katie Price has married businessman fiancé Lee Andrews in a whirlwind wedding
• It is the fourth time Katie, 47, has been a bride. She has also been married to Peter Andre, Alex Reid and Kieran Hayler
• Katie and Lee met just after being introduced on social media
• Lee claimed he is a billionaire in a failed clip from his acting career
• He now claims to be a Dubai-based businessman
• Yet The Sun has unmasked him as a fantasist who faked celebrity links using AI-generated photos and recently talked about marrying two other women
• Failed actor is just another title to add to Lee’s questionable CV, after he claimed to have once worked as the Director of Philanthropy at The Prince’s Trust (now The King’s Trust)
• Lee also shared images – since proven to be AI – of him working with Elon Musk and Kim Kardashian
• It’s been revealed shameless Lee told former girlfriends that he had studied at Cambridge University, and has a PhD in biotechnology science
• But The Sun has seen a response from the university explaining it could not find a record of Lee being registered as a student with a date of birth they had provided
• His LinkedIn profile says Lee has been a Member of the Board of Advisors to the Labour Party since 2015
• Lee was also mocked for repeating the exact same wedding proposal on Katie – that he did for another woman just four months ago.

Katie’s return to the UAE comes just a week after she headed out there in the hopes of freeing him from prison, but was told she’d need a hefty £140,000 to bail him out – which she refused.

She gave The Sun exclusive access to the trip, with Showbiz Editor Clemmie Moodie joining her.

During which, Clemmie sat Katie down to confront her about Lee and the many untruths he has told over recent months – with the full 56 minute sit down available to watch here.

At the time, Katie admitted there were several questions she didn’t know the answer to, and was waiting for Lee to exit prison to quiz him.

Since then, Lee has returned to social media and has been spotted interacting with his wife’s posts.

However, he is yet to address the public, despite sparking a national manhunt before it was confirmed he was in prison, as he seemingly went AWOL.

MEXICO CITY — FIFA president Gianni Infantino described Mexico City Stadium as a venue “blessed by the gods” and a “true cathedral of soccer.”

Azteca Stadium, as most people know it, is steeped in soccer history and is now the only venue to host three World Cup opening ceremonies. But the Mexican national team had never much World Cup success at the venue.

On Thursday, spurred on by most of the 80,824 fans in attendance and forwards Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez, Mexico managed to defeat South Africa 2-0 and securing its first opening match victory.

Mexico opened the scoring in the ninth minute when Quiñones capitalized on a defensive error by South Africa and fired a shot down the middle, between the legs of goalkeeper Ronwen Williams. The striker, a top scorer in the Saudi Pro League, immediately ran off to celebrate with the bench, marking the first goal of the tournament. The crowd responded by throwing beer into the air.

Mexico continued to press with numerous chances in the first half, including another shot by Quiñones that hit the post and another great save by Williams, who was South Africa’s best player.

“We were far superior in the first half; we could have been up 3-0,” Mexico coach Javier Aguirre said.

South Africa was reduced to 10 men just as the second half began when Sphephelo Sithole brought down Brian Gutiérrez, who was heading toward the goal unmarked. Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio showed a red card.

“We played well; there were moments when Mexico didn’t know what to do and our organization was very good,” said Hugo Broos, South Africa’s coach.

It seemed the match was going to be easier for the Mexicans with South Africa short-handed, but fans began to boo the Mexican players after they stopped attacking and appeared nervous.

Seeing his players’ lackluster performance on the field, Aguirre responded with substitutions: bringing on 17-year-old Gilberto Mora, a fan favorite, as well as Luis Chávez, to reshape the midfield.

Mexico’s Raúl Jiménez cries while hugging teammate Roberto Alvarado after scoring against South Africa in Mexico City on Thursday to open the World Cup.

(Natacha Pisarenko / Ap Photo/natacha Pisarenko)

“[It was] the start of the World Cup. It’s an intense atmosphere,” Aguirre said.

“In 25 games, we’ve never had players with cramps — today we had three. It was a very intense, emotional state. It shows that the setting weighed on them a little. Not on everyone.”

Shortly after the substitutions, Roberto Álvarado crossed the ball from the right to Raúl Jiménez, who headed it past South Africa’s goalkeeper, Williams, in the 67th minute.

South Africa was reduced to nine men after Themba Zwane struck Álvarado off the ball. After consulting the video assisted referee, the official gave Zwane a red card.

“I think you can accept the first red card,” said Broos. “I think the second one is debatable. It was a bit harsh on the referee’s part. We have two players who won’t be able to play in the next match.”

After the second red card, Mexico took its foot off the gas again and was met with whistles from the crowd, who were hungry for more goals.

Mexico and South Africa faced off in front of 80,824 fans at Mexico City Stadium, more commonly known as Azteca Stadium, on Thursday to open the World Cup.

(David Ramos / Getty Images)

Mexico’s César Montes was sent off in stoppage time for bringing down Khuliso Mudau outside the box as he was heading toward the goal.

With the win, Mexico leads its group with three points and waited to see the result of South Korea versus the Czech Republic in Guadalajara later Thursday. South Africa has zero points. Mexico’s next match is in Guadalajara on June 18 against South Korea, while South Africa faces the Czech Republic in Atlanta.

“We need the next three days to get over the disappointment and fatigue,” Broos said, before addressing his team’s mere two shots on goal. “We have to work on our offense because it wasn’t enough today.”

The match marked the debut of Mora, the youngest player in the World Cup.

“For his first game, he didn’t disappoint,” said Aguirre.

Arne Slot says he is leaving Liverpool “exactly where it belongs: among Europe’s elite” after he was sacked as head coach on Saturday.

The Dutchman, 47, won the Premier League title in his first campaign but was dismissed by the club’s hierarchy after the Reds finished fifth in the league this season, 25 points behind champions Arsenal.

Liverpool will open formal talks with former Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola this week over becoming their new head coach.

In an emotional open letter published in the Liverpool Echo, external, Slot said fans made him feel welcome from the start and helped him on his path. “That is something I cherish,” he added.

“I leave with complete confidence in what lies ahead.

“The players who have given so much to this club, who have upheld its values and helped create so many unforgettable moments, have built foundations that will endure.”

Despite suffering 20 defeats in all competitions, Slot secured Liverpool‘s place in next season’s Champions League.

“Securing Champions League football was an important responsibility and one that ensures Liverpool can continue competing at the highest level next season and beyond,” he added.

“Change is part of football, but I know that this club will continue to make its people proud.

“When I first stood beneath that sign in the Anfield tunnel, I knew what this club demanded. I leave knowing we never stopped striving for it.”

Vinnie Jones is best known for playing villains on screen, but the actor and former footballer has shown a touching side.

Fans of Vinnie Jones are not used to seeing this side of him in his documentary series.

Celebrated actor and footballer Vinnie Jones is primarily recognised for portraying violent offenders and hardmen, but he has subsequently revealed a gentler nature.

The star presents a Clarkson’s Farm-style documentary series entitled Vinnie Jones in the Country, which follows him undertaking substantial projects at his extensive West Sussex rural property while confronting his own personal struggles.

In the third series of the programme, which broadcasts on Discovery+, he discussed acquiring the estate from its former owner and the commitments he made to her.

He was filmed clearing the barn at the property’s perimeter when he discovered some vintage photographs which had been abandoned by the woman. He explained how the former owner acknowledged it was a “struggle” to maintain it, noting: “She was terrified of losing her legacy.

“She didn’t want people coming in and splitting it up,” he stated. Numerous individuals had expressed interest in the property, but the owner was determined to sell to Jones.

He purchased the property while she remained alive and promised she could reside there until her death.

Handyman Paul Worby remarked on his friend’s compassionate character, observing: “That is a side of Vincent that not a lot of people see. He has got a very kind side.

“You know, he was very good to me when I was down. He kind of resonates with people who are at a bad stage in their life and tries to give them a bit of a pat on the back.”

Jones revealed one of the touching gestures he made honouring the former owner, explaining: “Part of the deal was, there is a little field down there called Mum’s Field. Her mum is buried down there. I put the ashes down there with her mum.”

While Worby and Jones examined the woman’s belongings, Worby remarked: “It’s someone’s life isn’t it, it’s someone’s memories.

“That’s why I get emotional about it all,” Jones responded. The actor purchased the property in Petworth, West Sussex, in 2022, several years following the death of his wife, Tanya.

She passed away after a battle with cancer and Jones has previously spoken about how relocating to the countryside “saved him”.

Vinnie Jones in the Country is available to stream on Discovery+

Divers in Laos have rescued four more villagers trapped in a flooded cave. The first survivor was pulled out on Friday. Two more men remain missing. They entered the cave to look for gold before flash floods blocked their escape 10 days ago.

Karen Hauer has spoken for the first time in length about her emotional exit from Strictly Come Dancing after 14 years on the BBC show

Karen Hauer’s exit from Strictly Come Dancing after 14 years on the show, in the midst of a dramatic shake-up for the 2026 series, stunned fans. But in an exclusive interview, in which she talks about her shock departure for the first time, she says she’s ready for whatever’s next.

The pro dancer, 44, felt like part of the furniture on the BBC show. She was the longest-serving female professional, having graced the famous dance floor with stars including Mark Wright and Jamie Laing – reaching the final with both – and the late Hairy Biker Dave Myers, who she once said was her most “cherished” partnership. So it’s not surprising that the announcement in March that she was quitting evoked some strong feelings.

“It was very emotional, but it did feel like I was ready to get my teeth stuck into other projects and continue evolving. I learned so much from every single celebrity that I came across,” she tells us, with a warm smile. “It’s always about growth. It was a beautiful decision that came from a good place in my heart.”

The Venezuelan-American, who is a Latin dance specialist and World Mambo Champion, decided to keep her decision quiet from everyone, including her fellow pros, except her very closest pals, as she knew they would try to convince her to stay.

“I didn’t say anything because I know it would have been hard for them to digest and they’d have been like, ‘No, definitely no, not you,” she laughs. “I kept it within my tightest circle. But you know what? When I announced it, I’ve never felt such an outpouring of love. So many people were reaching out to me, and just being so kind.”

Karen’s exit is one of many ahead of the new series, with hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepping down and a string of other pros waving goodbye to the show, including Gorka Márquez, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk and Michelle Tsiakkas. Meanwhile, Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe are set to shake things up as the show’s new hosts.

Karen, who moved to the countryside near Preston, Lancashire in 2025 for a quieter life, after years of calling London home, believes Strictly will continue to evolve. “Even before I was on the show, when we saw Bruce Forsyth leave and then Len Goodman, it’s always got bigger and better – that’s the beauty of it,” she says. “Now, there’s new energy coming in. The next generation is only going to lift it even more.”

Karen is excited, she says, to see where the dramatically changed team takes the show. “I’ll be watching, 100%. And I know I’ll miss the people – the camera crew, hair and make-up, the costume ladies, our runners, the producers that make the show work.”

She’ll also miss her fellow pros, with whom she admits, she took on a protective, maternal role. “Ah, my professional dancers – my kids!” she says fondly. “I felt like I was a mother goose and everybody was always so beautiful backstage. I’ll miss the dance floor when it was all quiet and there was nobody around and we were all rehearsing with no lights. Just us there.”

She adds, a little wistfully, “Strictly will always be my home, you know? I will always have a deep connection to it, no matter what.”

After so long on one show, no one would blame Karen for wanting to take a break to recharge her batteries. But no, she’s jumping headfirst into a new project – and that’s just the way she likes it.

Karen will be touring the UK this summer in a revival of feel-good comedy Stepping Out, which follows a group of seemingly mismatched amateur tap dancers as they prepare for a charity gala performance. She will play Mavis, the group’s teacher – a role last played in 2017 by Tamzin Outhwaite, and by the legendary Liza Minnelli in the 1991 film version.

When she thinks of all the famous faces she’s put through their dancing paces, Karen says it feels tailor-made for her. “It just fell into my lap at exactly the right time, after closing a massive chapter of my life with Strictly,” she says. “The fact that Mavis is a dance teacher, dealing with so many different personalities and stories just resonated with me so much.”

It’s not the star’s first brush with the stage. Over the years she’s had acclaimed stints in the West End and on Broadway. “I’ve always loved theatre,” she says. “I mean, live TV and stage shows are equally nerve-wracking, but when you’re on TV, it’s a one-hit wonder because you don’t get to repeat, you just have to perform and leave it there. In theatre, you evolve each time within the character.”

“When you’re doing a show like Strictly, there’s a certain part of you that you protect,” she adds. “It’s okay to hold back certain things about yourself, to protect yourself in a way. That’s completely okay. I think that’s how you need to be to be able to function. Acting is a completely different demon.”

Karen clearly has boundless energy as she will also be joining fellow Strictly pro Nikita Kuzmin on his Burn The Floor extravaganza, Supernova. The brainchild of Strictly’s director of choreography Jason Gilkison, she says it will always hold a special place in her heart as she was the principal female dancer in the original Broadway cast and toured the world with the ground-breaking show.

“I turned into the performer I was always meant to be because of Jason and Burn The Floor. He gave me that confidence, that belief in myself,” she tells us. “Nikita’s energy and charisma is just… beyond. I did not see it coming, so it was really nice to be asked. It’s almost like going home again.”

Away from work, Karen – who split from her third husband in 2023 – found love again two years ago with former rugby coach Simon Davidson. Smiling, she says her favourite thing to do when she’s not working is spend quality time with her handsome other half – and their four adorable rescue dogs.

“I have an amazing support network of friends, my family, my dogs, my partner at home,” she says. “He just turned 40, I’m 44, and there’s a different mindset when it comes to that stage of life – the enjoyment of life and making sure we’re taking care of each other.

“Our lives are very chaotic and we both travel a lot, so when we get back together, we have that total peace at home with our dogs. Just enjoying the little things in life is really important for both of us.”

Karen is the first to admit she’s had a rollercoaster love life. She was married to her ex-dance partner Matthew Hauer for nine years and went on to wed Strictly’s Kevin Clifton, who she then split from in 2018. She tied the knot with fitness professional Jordan Wyn-Jones in 2022, but they called it a day just 16 months later.

“I’ve definitely had my ups and downs in relationships,” she says softly. “But I think this one’s definitely an up for me, and for him as well. I think we can sense our emotions and our energy very quickly as well. We’re very aware of what makes the other tick.”

Her relationship advice? “It’s important to communicate with each another on even the smallest things. Life is too good to be hung up on little things.”

A year and a half ago, Karen decided to stop drinking alcohol, which, she says, has been transformative. “It’s completely changed my emotional state and boosted my energy levels. I’ve made so many little tweaks for self-improvement, from the inside.”

Her social media is full of posts about fitness, and Simon is even hoping to convince her to sign up to gruelling fitness competition Hyrox one day.

As for what the future may hold, Karen says, “The world’s my oyster. I don’t want to be afraid to try new things, so anything that comes my way, I’ll go for it. Because what’s the worst thing that can happen?”

With a new chapter beginning, what would Karen tell her 30-year-old self on the first day of her Strictly journey? She flashes a huge grin. “Strap in, put the seat belt on, you’re gonna fly!”

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Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden was left in tears after uncovering a heartbreaking family discovery.

Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden was left fighting back tears after uncovering a heartbreaking family secret during her appearance on BBC’s Who Do You Think You Are?

The beloved dancer delved into her ancestry on the popular genealogy programme, where she made a series of shocking discoveries about her family’s past.

Among them was the devastating revelation that a 13-year-old relative had been murdered, prompting Amy to seek out the truth behind the tragedy.

However, it was another discovery that truly struck a chord with the Welsh star. Exploring her dad’s side of the family after learning her grandfather had been adopted, Amy uncovered the story of her great-grandmother Louisa, who passed away young, leaving behind several small children.

The emotional revelation hit particularly close to home for Amy, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2023, aged 32, after finding a lump before her honeymoon with husband Ben Jones.

Upon learning that Louisa had died in 1921 at just 39 years old from breast cancer, Amy was visibly overcome with emotion, reports Wales Online.

“Oh my goodness,” Amy said, speechless for a moment. “That’s made me a little bit emotional.”

Pausing to compose herself, she tearfully shared, “She was only in her 30s. I wonder if there’s a link between her and me.”

Amy continued: “What an awful few years they went through, the war and then this cancer diagnosis, never mind then the Lockout with the collieries.

“My mum had breast cancer and witnessing her go through it, that was tough. Just the thought of the family having to go through what we went through, and it would have been worse then.

“But also, knowing the timing as well. Poor Bill, losing his wife to breast cancer and then having six children.

“Also, she had one of the same type of breast cancers as me, and I’d love to find out more, did she get surgery, did she have treatment? Was there a chance of cure?”

She added, “Knowing what she went through is horrible, but I’m lucky, I’m still here; it took her life, so it’s a bit raw.”

Hearing of the treatment that wouldn’t have been available for Louisa, with cancer at the time known as an incurable disease, Amy shared: “I can’t imagine, I know what it’s like to have a cancer diagnosis, but I’m a lucky one, I’ve been able to come out the other side.”

Louisa’s six children were aged between 11 years old and just one year old, including Amy’s grandfather Frank, who was informally adopted after her death.

“You instantly just feel for these children,” Amy said. “To lose their mum, the girls grew up without a mother and probably also had to become a mother really to the younger siblings.”

She continued, “It’s heartbreaking to see a family go through losing a mum. I couldn’t imagine what it was like to be told you’ve got cancer, and knowing then that was a death sentence.

“I’d imagine Louisa and Bill had to make a very difficult decision, most likely together, about my grandfather Frank, and that must have been absolutely heartbreaking.”

Amy Dowden’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are? airs on Tuesday 2 June at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer, with Zoe Ball’s episode airing tonight.

Kelvin Fletcher will return to screens tonight with an episode from series one of Fletcher’s Family Farm.

Kelvin and Liz Fletcher were forced to make a heartbreaking decision on the farm.

Following the end of series four of the ITV reality show, which follows Kelvin Fletcher and his family as they run their farm in Cheshire, fans will be treated to a repeat episode tonight.

In episode seven, available to watch on ITVX, Kelvin and Liz faced brutal decisions, one of which left their daughter, Marnie, feeling upset.

The family decided to put their pet lamb, Aga, with the rest of the flock before sending two of their sheep to slaughter.

Kelvin reflected, “It’s the right thing for him, but a day we’ve all been dreading.”

As they walked Aga up to the top field, he went on, “Our Aga is more like a dog than a sheep, and we’ve all become very attached to the little guy.”

“I don’t want him to go,” Marnie pleaded with her parents. Kelvin then proceeded to mark Aga with a special love heart on his back before he joined the rest of the flock.

The former soap star commented, “He seems reluctant to join the flock, giving Marnie a little more time to say goodbye.”

Marnie shared her fears that her dad would send Aga to the butchers for the family to eat, but Kelvin reassured her that he was part of the family.

“She’s gutted,” Kelvin said to his wife, Liz. “She’s going to be upset, isn’t she?”

Liz shared, “We’ve had him from literally day one. The second he was born, we’ve looked after him, and it’s a success that he’s a healthy lamb, and he’s good enough and well enough to now go out in the big field.”

Kelvin noted, “Neither of us are willing to accept it just yet. He’s probably thinking, ‘I want to be back with you, Dad, back down there,’ but within a day, he’ll be happy, I hope.”

Calling to his daughter, Kelvin shouted, “Marnie, come on now, darling. We’ll come and check on him later on, okay?”

“Right, darling, come here. It was a bit tough, that wasn’t it, a bit tricky,” Kelvin said as he cuddled his daughter, who was visibly upset.

“But listen, he’s only in this field, he’s with all his friends, just like the first day at school.

“In a couple of hours, he’ll be out there running around with all his friends, and we’ll come and check on him, and I’ll do you a deal. I promise, shake hands…. that we’ll always have him.

“I’m making you a promise, you see. Like the other lambs and the other sheep, sometimes they help feed everybody. He won’t end up on our plate. I promise you that.”

“That may not have been the most profitable decision I have made today, but family comes first,” Kelvin added as they walked back to the farm.

Fletcher’s Family Farm will air tonight at 7.30pm and is also available to watch on ITVX.

Outgoing Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said the memories and relationships built during his decade at the club mattered more than the 20 trophies he won, as he reflected emotionally on his unforgettable spell at City following his final match in charge.

NIKITA Kuzmin shared a heartbreaking post to Instagram today announcing his grandad has died.

The emotional tribute received a lot of love from fans as well as other members of the Strictly cast.

In the first picture in the carousel of snaps, Nikita is pictured beside his granddad beaming at the camera.

Others show the duo spending time with friends and other members of family.

The professional dancer emotionally penned a tribute in the post’s caption, writing: “Looking at these pictures my heart is beating so fast and I’m not sure what to write or how to even begin expressing how much I love you.

“Just memories of when I thought you’re the fastest walker in the world and how when I was a teenager I was proud of speeding past you, but you still were the quickest grandad in town.

tumbleweed

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off stage

Strictly’s Nikita Kuzmin shares pic with Amber Davies’ boyfriend after head kiss

“But specially how much you always took care of us, no matter what, always there.”

Nikita finished the post off by writing, ‘I love you, Grandpa,” in Russian followed by a red love heart emoji.

Strictly contestant Tasha Ghouri led the comment section, sharing two love heart emojis.

Actress Sarah Hadland added another series of hearts.

Meanwhile a fan wrote: “Thinking of you and your family. Sending hugs.”

Another fan added: “Sending so much love.”

Nikita joined Strictly Come Dancing as a pro dancer back in 2021.

In his first year on the show he was paired alongside Gordon Ramsay‘s daughter Tilly.

The nation’s financial advisor admitted there was a connection between the date he found himself writing his awards acceptance speech and the day his mum died when he was a young boy

Martin Lewis has reflected on his childhood as a “broken, scared boy” who “barely left the house” as he picked up a BAFTA special award for his work in the TV industry.

The financial journalist and broadcaster, 54, was acknowledged for his dedication to helping the nation change the way it thinks about money, and had previously been hailed by Bafta as “the most trusted man on television”.

The Money Saving Expert gave an emotional speech after being presented with the prize by Richard Osman, during the award show at Royal Festival Hall on Sunday night.

The Manchester-born broadcaster opened his speech by joking that his Martin Lewis Money Show on ITV, which he has hosted since 2012, is “basically a powerpoint presentation with a Q&A after”.

He added: “TV doesn’t have to be format-driven. People will embrace something actionable, something real, something that helps. They will even embrace complexity, if we make it worth it.”

Growing visibly emotional, Lewis admitted he wrote the speech on Thursday, 42 years after his mother’s sudden death days before his 12th birthday.

He said: “For six years, barring school, I barely left the house. Now I’m picking up a BAFTA. For all those of you out there struggling with your own demons, know this: life can be transformed, it can get better.

“If you had told that broken, scared boy that I’d proudly be a campaigning journalist, his jaw would have dropped. So I dedicate this to consumer journalism, where I found my fire.”

Lewis continued: “It’s not seen as sexy, sadly, but in recent years, it’s helped people navigate pandemic support, pushed governments to backtrack on energy hikes, legislate against scam ads – though far more is needed on that – and against aggressive, destructive council tax debt collection and far more.”

He also issued a plea to Rachel Reeves, criticising the “morally wrong” freezing of the repayment threshold for plan 2 student loans, which is due next year, saying: “Chancellor, please.”

He continued: “That power to hold power to account with trust and impartiality is needed more than ever in our fractured world.”

Lewis wrapped up the speech by thanking his viewers, who “don’t just watch, but act and save a shedload” and that his audience is “what keeps me doing this”.

He also thanked his wife of almost 20 years, Lara Lewington, and their daughter Sapphire. Through his decades-long career as a financial expert, Lewis has become known as a consumer champion who provides tips on issues such as debt and consumer rights through his broadcasting work and his website.

He was made an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2014 and a CBE in the New Year Honours in 2022, for his services to consumer rights and charitable services.

The BAFTA special award is one of the academy’s highest honours and previous recipients include historian and broadcaster David Olusoga, comedian Sir Lenny Henry, TV presenter Cilla Black and actor Idris Elba.

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Westlife have paid tribute to Simon Cowell during an appearance on Britain’s Got Talent, with Shane Filan, Nicky Bryne and Kian Egan all taking to the stage without bandmate Mark Feehily

Westlife have paid tribute to Simon Cowell during an appearance on Britain’s Got Talent.

The band – which features Shane Filan, Nicky Bryne and Kian Egan – performed their biggest hits ahead of their 25th anniversary tour. However, they were without bandmate Mark Feehily, who will also not appear on the tour.

There was no specific mention of Mark, but the trio paid a heartfelt tribute to judge Simon, who was instrumental in their success.

“It’s been a long time since Simon Cowell suggested standing up from our stools on a key change,” Nicky said. Kian went on to pay tribute to Simon and said they wouldn’t have been there without him.

In June, it was confirmed Mark would be absent from the tour. The band said in a statement: “Sadly, Mark will be unable to join the celebrations. We hope he can join us back on stage when he is ready and able. He sends his love and positivity to you all as always.”

Mark announced he would be taking a break from Westlife just days before first ever tour of America in 2024. At the time, he shared: “Hello and much love to you all! It’s Mark here.. Most of you are aware that I have had some health challenges over the past while.

“It actually all started 3.5 years ago in August 2020 when I had surgery. Within a few days of this surgery I was in severe pain and was rushed into A&E. I eventually ended that awful day in ICU (Intensive Care Unit) where I was informed that due to a complication with the surgery, I had developed severe ‘Sepsis‘, a life-threatening infection that would require immediate emergency surgery to rectify the problem and basically save my life.”

He explained that he was in hospital for months during lockdown, and was later told he needed more surgery.

“It was physically and mentally a very difficult time, not to mention traumatic having to spend so long in ICU. In late 2021, I became very ill in Newcastle before a concert and ended up back in A&E, this time being told I had pneumonia. I was told I had to go straight home to recover and regrettably miss the rest of the concerts that December,” he said.

Speaking about Mark missing their big anniversary tour, Kian told us: “We’re devastated he won’t be joining us on this tour. We’ll be missing him every night just as much as the fans will. But he’s given us his full support. This is the 25th anniversary, it’s something that we all felt needed to be celebrated. We hope as soon as he’s ready he’ll be back with us and we look forward to that moment.”

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TOWIE star Jake Hall laid bare the “only reason” he was still alive after hitting rock bottom in his heartbreaking last interview.

The 35-year-old, who has been found dead in a Spanish holiday villa, said the only thing that kept him going was his daughter River.

Now eight, the little girl brought him back from the brink after the collapse of his first fashion label Prévu in 2023.

He said: “I was at a very low point.

“I’d lost something that I’d loved and grew from my bedroom. I went through a lot of turmoil.

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“If I’m honest, River is the reason I’m here today. She’s amazing and we’ve got an incredible relationship. She’s very creative, is always dancing and loves clothes.

“It was that part that hurt most when I lost Prévu. I lost something that was for her, everything I do is for her and her future.”

Jake shot to fame on The Only Way Is Essex in 2015 and had an explosive on-off relationship with Chloe Lewis, with millions of viewers following every moment of their doomed romance.

He left the show in 2016 and later revealed he had not kept in touch with any of his co-stars.

“I was very young,” he said.

“And it was an experience. I’m in a very different place in life now and want different things. There has been a lot of good and bad.”

Jake also opened about finding early success hard, and that he had struggled with self-belief when he was younger which had a major impact on his life.

He was desperate to be a role model for children who had faced similar problems and could not see themselves succeeding.

He said: “School was tough for me.

“I had dyslexia and quite a lot of problems growing up, and I want to show guys who might be similar to me that they can do it too. If I can, so can they.”

At the time of the interview in May last year, Jake was celebrating the launch of his second clothing brand By Jake Hall.

It had already been worn by major stars including David Beckham, former Vogue editor Edward Enninful and Manchester City star Erling Haaland.

Enninful, one of the most respected names in fashion, had worn one of Jake’s suits during the Monaco Grand Prix and had ordered two more.

A second disaster has struck the prized car collection of The Repair Shop star star Dominic Chinea, and he says this may be the final straw as he considers selling it

TV star and The Repair Shop presenter Dominic Chinea admitted “it’s getting worse and worse” as he introduced the latest update on his Land Rover restoration project.

The engineering expert has been restoring a dilapidated 1957 Series 1 Land Rover that he found buried in a hedge near his new home in Cornwall. He has described it as one of his most challenging projects to date, given that the chassis was completely rotten and the vehicle had been half-buried in undergrowth for several years.

Dominic hasn’t had the best of luck with the rebuild. Only a few weeks ago, Dominic admitted that he had hit a major snag after accidentally damaging the Land Rover’s seat base as he lifted the rear tub.

He said he was thinking of reaching out to Repair Shop co-star, upholstery expert Sonnaz Nooranvary, before the Land Rover can be considered complete.

But Dominic’s trials and tribulation with the Land Rover restoration aren’t his only problem at present, because he’s had a second mishap with his vintage VW Caddy.

The BBC star is something of a petrol-head, counting a 1957 Porsche 356a, multiple Land Rovers (Series 1 and Defender 110), a 13-window VW camper, a 1958 VW split bus, and a 1936 BSA motorbike among his extensive collection. One of the numerous vehicles undergoing restoration in Dominic’s new workshop is an early Eighties Volkswagen Caddy pickup.

Back in February, back-to back storms caused a major accident in his new workshop, causing major damage to the Mk1 Caddy.

Dominic explained: “Previously, during the last storm, part of the roof flew off of the workshop and landed on the Caddy, smashed into the bonnet. It made a hole in the bonnet, dented the wing, and I was gutted.”

He added that the reinforced concrete beams that support the structure of his workshop are becoming increasingly corroded: “The steel rebar is getting rusty and swelling up and it’s breaking the concrete and a chunk of that has fallen off the roof.

“Of course, it’s landed on the windscreen of the Caddy and broken the windscreen”

Dominic blamed himself for the accident, explaining that he’d had some work done to install a ramp into the workshop and that the vibration from the machinery may well have dislodged the loose chunk of concrete: “That is my stupid fault,” he said. “I should have put something a board over [the cars] or moved them outside or something like that.”

Dominic said that after this latest disaster he was close to giving up on the pickup: “I may well sell it because I haven’t really used it since I’ve been down here and I feel bad that the poor thing is just getting worse and worse whilst it’s here.”

He called out to fans, saying that he wasn’t really sure what the car might be worth, saying: “Make me an offer.”

Catch Dominic on The Repair Shop tonight (Wednesday, May 6) on BBC One from 8pm to 9pm.

JESY Nelson today shared an emotional update about her twins, months after their SMA diagnosis.

The former Little Mix star, 34, has been keeping fans up-to-date with how her daughters, Story and Ocean Jade, are doing as they battle Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1.

The tots’ devastating diagnosis is a genetic condition that weakens the muscles by damaging motor nerve cells in the spinal cord.

Today, Jesy shared a new update with fans where she revealed how Ocean and Story had tried eating in their specialised feeding chairs for the first time.

In the heartmelting moment, the singer could be seen feeding her daughters some fruit purée.

Speaking to Ocean as she gently spooned food into her little mouth, Jesy said:: “Excuse me, you’re supposed to eat it, not spit it out.”

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She then turned her attention to Story, who was seen enjoying her dinner,

Jesy previously revealed how she got emotional when the special chairs arrived back in February.

“So the girls need special feeding chairs that came yesterday and I couldn’t help but burst into tears yesterday when I saw them,” she said at the time.

“It just made me feel so sad as it’s just another reminder of another obstacle we have to tackle.”

Meanwhile, Jesy’s latest update comes after she revealed last week how Story, who is just 11-months-old, had said the word “muma” for the first time.

SMA1 patients typically have limited or no spoken speech with communication usually made through eye movement and guttural sounds.

But Jesy’s baby girl is fighting against all odds, and managed to very clearly get out her first word, in a video posted on Instagram.

Story was wrapped up in a blanket, laying down on the sofa when she gave her mum quite the shock.

Jesy could be heard shouting with happiness: “Yeahhhhhh! Yesss clever girl.

“Storyyy good girl, you’re such a clever girl. Wow well done. Yeah do it again.”

The Boyz singer wrote the words, “Story said muma for the first time my life is complete,” over the top of the clip.

Jesy captioned the post: “My heart is so full.”

The star bravely revealed the twins SMA1 diagnosis back in January and has since been keeping fans updated on their battle via social media.

Both the girls have had feeding tubes fitted into their noses to clear their chests.

TV star Jesy has also shared some of the stretches she’s been doing with the girls to help strengthen their legs.

SMA1 leads to progressive muscle wasting, and if untreated, the life expectancy of a baby with the disease is just two years.

Jesy and her ex-fiancé Zion have been told it’s unlikely the girls will ever walk, and may face serious breathing and swallowing difficulties.

The 34-year-old has opened up on her hopes to use her platform – of over 10 million followers – to raise awareness of SMA1 and shine a light on the realities families face when caring for children with the condition.

Jesy previously said that if sharing her story helps even one other parent feel less alone, it will be worth it.

Spinal Muscular Atrophy: Signs and symptoms

Spinal muscular atrophy is a disease which takes away a person’s strength and it causes problems by disrupting the motor nerve cells in the spinal cord.

This causes an individual to lose the ability to walk, eat and breathe.

There are four types of SMA – which are based on age.

• Type 1 is diagnosed within the first six months of life and is usually fatal.
• Type 2 is diagnosed after six months of age.
• Type 3 is diagnosed after 18 months of age and may require the individual to use a wheelchair.
• Type 4 is the rarest form of SMA and usually only surfaces in adulthood.

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms of SMA will depend on which type of condition you have.

But the following are the most common symptoms:

• Floppy or weak arms and legs

• Movement problems – such as difficulty sitting up, crawling or walking

• Twitching or shaking muscles

• Bone and joint problems – such as an unusually curved spine

• Swallowing problems

• Breathing difficulties

However, SMA does not affect a person’s intelligence and it does not cause learning disabilities.

How common is it?

The majority of the time a child can only be born with the condition if both of their parents have a faulty gene which causes SMA.

Usually, the parent would not have the condition themselves – they would only act as a carrier.

Statistics show around 1 in every 40 to 60 people is a carrier of the gene which can cause SMA.

If two parents carry the faulty gene there is a 1 in 4 (25 per cent) chance their child will get spinal muscular atrophy.

It affects around 1 in 11,000 babies.

ZAYN Malik shared a heartfelt statement with fans after cancelling 22 gigs following his shock hospitalisation.

The former One Direction star revealed he is now back at home and recovering from his mystery illness – but his world tour dates have taken a hit.

The singer has been forced to cancel the entire US leg of his KONNAKOL tour, as well as some UK performances.

In an Instagram story today, he wrote: “To my fans : Thank you so much for all the support and love you’ve shown me on the album release and more importantly, your love, prayers and well wishes for my health.

“I’ve felt it, and it’s meant the world. I’ve been at home recovering and I’m doing well and will be better and stronger than before.

“I’ve had to take another look at my schedule for the months ahead and reduce the number of shows on the KONNAKOL Tour.

STEPPING BACK

Zayn Malik cancels two UK gigs after hospitalisation and Louis punch-up

TAKING SIDES

Niall Horan throws support behind Louis after it’s revealed Zayn punched him

“I want to make sure I still get out and see as many of you as I possibly can. I’m really looking forward to playing these shows for you, and I hope to see the rest of you around the world very soon.”

The cause of Zayn’s hospitalisation is not yet known, but in a previous statement, he thanked his cardiologist, which suggests it could be to do with his heart and or blood vessels.

Alongside a photo of him in a hospital bed, he wrote: “To my fans – thank you to all of you for your love and support now and always.

“[It’s] been a long week and am still unexpectedly recovering. Heartbroken that I can’t see you all this week, I wouldn’t be in the place I am today without you guys and am so thankful for your understanding.

“Thank you to the incredible hospital staff or Drs, nurses, cardiologists, management, admin, and everyone who has helped along the way and continue to. You are all legends! Big big love xxx z.”

The health scare came amid the revelation from The Sun that Zayn had punched his close pal and former band member Louis Tomlinson as they found themselves in a vicious row whilst filming for their new Netflix documentary.

Louis and Zayn were joining forces to film a three-part road trip docuseries for the streaming service, which has since been axed.

Sources told The Sun their astonishing on-set row was triggered by a remark from Zayn about Louis’ mum Johannah Deakin, who died of leukaemia in 2016.

The Sun understands Louis and Zayn have not spoken since the incident six months ago.

WITH a rocketing career and A-list girlfriend Sabrina Carpenter on his arm, Barry Keoghan had the world at his feet in 2024.

But after his relationship soured — amid false claims the actor cheated — he was so badly burned by the fallout that he has become a recluse.

Barry has quit all social media, stopped seeing his mates and has even moved house — all while internet trolls continue to hurl insults his way.

The strife all stems from a rumour that he had an affair while seeing Espresso singer Sabrina, 26, which she herself has said was false.

Saltburn actor Barry, 33, who is currently filming the upcoming Beatles biopics as Ringo Starr, said: “I have been avoiding stuff.

“I’ve stopped socialising. And again, it’s because there was a narrative that’s not true.

Read more on Barry Keoghan

BARRY’S TRUTH

Barry Keoghan breaks silence on Sabrina Carpenter cheating rumours

manchild

Sabrina Carpenter jokes she’s ‘had to train men’ – as she strips off for shoot

“I never confirmed or said anything about it, and, you know, I just disappeared.”

Pushed on what that narrative is, he continued: “It’s that I cheated.

“I don’t want to ever bring anyone else into it, but unfortunately having a relationship in the public eye, we all know this, it gets put out there, and it’s amplified.

“A girl made a video and then the girl actually made [another] video and went, ‘Sorry for making that up’, but no one seemed to latch on to that video.”

Gossip site DeuxMoi and social media influencers had claimed he was seen at a members’ club and steakhouse with another blonde woman while he was dating Sabrina.

Fans believed he had cheated with influencer Breckie Hill, although she insisted it was untrue and that they had never even met.

Barry now says that despite deleting his accounts, he is still drawn to the vicious things people write about him online, almost 18 months after his year-long romance with the chart-topper ended.

He explained: “I’m not on Instagram or Twitter or any of that but I still go on and have a little . . . I go on my brother’s account. I can access it that way.

“I do go on and have a look because I’m curious, but there’s a lot of hatred towards me for just looking like this. It’s just crazy.

“There’s videos on TikTok that literally go, ‘I hate him’.

“I went through addiction myself and then sobriety, and to battle all of that, to then want to drag that person down . . . ”

Sabrina did little to suppress the online noise against him when she released her No1 album Man’s Best Friend last August — on which she sang about dating a “manchild”.

And Barry says he struggled in the aftermath, as he did not want her to have to deny the cheating rumours following their split.

He explained: “It’s a hard one because I never want to speak on behalf of other people. And I also never want to mention other people or involve them.

“And even if it is those people that were in a relationship, it’s not their place to come forward and speak on my behalf.

“It’s unfair to them. They’re also in a relationship. It’s both of us being out there, so I’m very aware of that.”

Barry, who hails from Dublin, said he has even relocated from London to the Oxfordshire town of Henley-on-Thames due to the mental toll events have taken on him.

But it is fair to say he has faced plenty of other challenges in his life, having largely grown up in foster homes.

His mum died when he was 12 after years spent battling a drug addiction.

Now, speaking on the Friends Keep Secrets podcast, Barry has talked about how he fell into a similar spiral of addiction and has only managed to overcome his substance dependence in recent years.

Barry said: “I’m clean now. But my mum died at 32 from heroin and my dad passed away. But the curiosity of still wanting to do this, for me, was absolutely . . . 

“It took me three attempts at rehab and it was finally Malibu, The Pointe, where there was a sudden switch and it was when I was 32, the same age my mum was. Like, ‘That’s it, I’m not doing it’.”

Asked if he ever drinks now, he added: “I don’t do anything.

“I used to try to justify it by going, ‘Maybe I’ll be off the drink for a while’, but now I like to think I’m allergic to alcohol because my reaction is: Cocaine. That reaction can make me die.”

And he claims he actually has died — and was brought back to life — in 2021 due to being high on drugs.

He was hit by a bottle in a pub and developed the rare bacterial infection necrotising fasciitis.

Barry explained: “This is a flesh-eating bacteria infection that I got and almost died.

“I got it right before I filmed the movie Banshees Of Inisherin and literally, I got it three weeks beforehand. I got it because I went through psychosis.

“An event happened and I got hit with a bottle, and something happened to my arm. It went to my blood system and whatever. But it’s a very rare infection.

“This basically eats your limbs and they have to remove it.

“I technically did die for a few seconds.”

He went on to deliver an outstanding performance in The Banshees Of Inisherin, for which he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars.

But the infection was so touch-and-go that he even believes he had a “post-death vision”.

He said: “I did. I swear to you, it was almost like a f***ing painting. It happened in London. I went for a few seconds and there was this sort of image. There was this girl walking away and she wouldn’t look back.

“She had blonde hair, but she was walking away and I kept calling her.

“She just kept walking and I wanted to see who it was.

“It was almost like she was walking away to get me to follow.

“On this side was council flats, it was black and white, and this side was in colour.

“On this side, there was loads of lads stabbing me and trying to push me over and, obviously, it was the doctors doing the work on me, you know, that’s what I was feeling.

“But in this vision, they were stabbing me and pushing me, and I was holding on to them, and they were trying to push me over to this side.

“I swear, I was begging them that I could stay. I said, ‘Please let me stay’.”

In 2022 he was arrested in Dublin for public intoxication. Months later he became a dad to a little boy with partner Alyson Kierans, a dental nurse. But they split in mid-2023.

Later that year, he got together with Sabrina, and gained mainstream success in the dark comedy Saltburn.

That led to an outpouring of love and support, which no doubt helped him land his next role — and the most important one of his career so far.

He is playing Beatles drummer Ringo in the four-film cinematic biopic being created by director Sam Mendes.

Asked about how he is finding work on the project, which is halfway through a year-long filming schedule, he said: “I’m loving it.”

He will appear alongside Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson as John Lennon and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison.

However, Barry revealed the tight work schedule is having a major affect on his body — and he has lost a stone since the cameras started rolling.

He said: “I’ve lost so much weight on this movie. I was 65 or 66 kilos and I’m like 58 kilos now. But it’s because of my ADHD meds as well.

“No one tells you to lose weight and I don’t need to lose it for Ringo either. But it’s more of getting into character and the stamina.

“Movies usually last six or seven weeks and I always lose weight by the end, but by that time I’m gone. But this one’s a year.”

He is expected to spend the majority of this year finishing the movies, before they hit screens in April 2028.

And hopefully by that time, at least, he will feel able to leave the house with his head held high.