Exclusives

THEY are marking 25 years with a record-breaking anniversary tour.

But despite celebrating a quarter of a century together, Westlife say they have never felt younger — thanks to fans still throwing their bras onto the stage.

Kian Egan, Shane Filan and Nicky Byrne have been inundated with fans throwing their undergarments on to the stage during their gigs at Dublin’s 3Arena.

Speaking to Biz on Sunday’s Emily backstage on Friday night, Kian said: “We have a B-stage where we get quite close to the audience. One bra got thrown up, and before we knew [it], it started growing to ten, 14 . . .  It is a bit of fun, and nostalgic.”

Shane added: “We aren’t leaning into it too much or the stage would be covered!”

The Irish hitmakers are on track to surpass 150 dates on their 25th Anniversary World Tour and completed a record-breaking 13-show residency at the 3Arena last night.

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They head to Aberdeen on Tuesday before playing dates across England, Wales and Scotland for their diehard fans.

Shane said: “We have 150 dates and it is growing. We don’t know how many it is going to be, but it is going to be more than 150 for sure.

“You keep yourself fit, you go to the gym, go for a run or surf — you just want to be in good shape for it. It is a very physical show.

“We aren’t out drinking every night, but we still get to enjoy it. We came off stage on the first night with a few pints of Guinness together. It was a lovely moment.”

The boys were fresh-faced twenty-somethings when they embarked on their first tour, East Meets Westlife, in 2000.

Asked if they feel fitter now, Shane said: “Without a doubt. We are getting older but we feel the same on stage.”

Now on their 15th tour, the band have made sure their hits World Of Our Own and Flying Without Wings still form part of their two-hour set.

“All these people have been with us since day one and now they get to relive these 25 years in one show for two hours,” Shane said.

The band are also keen to get former One Direction singer Niall Horan up on stage with them.

Kian said: “It has never been discussed, but you never know.”

Niall, over to you . . . 

NEW LOOK IS A CARDI BY GUCCI

CARDI B looked ready for winter in her furry white jacket at Milan Fashion Week on Friday.

The American rapper was spotted out in the Italian city, where she proved she’s quite the fashion queen herself.

Cardi teamed the Gucci coat with tights from the same Italian luxury fashion house.

And she shared snaps of her look to her 160million online followers, captioning them: “Lord that new Gucci collection.

“So clean, sickening, sexy and detailed.

“Go ahead, just take my whole wallet.”

If I had Cardi’s money, I’d do the same.

ENGLAND rugby legend James Haskell would love to follow ex-footballer Vinnie Jones into acting in a gangster drama, like Guy Ritchie’s hit Netflix series The Gentlemen.

He told me: “I met Guy once. We didn’t talk about roles but if there was ever the opportunity, I’d 100 per cent do it.”

SINGER TALIA MAR has released her video for track Pyscho On A Couch.

The Stay The Night hitmaker stars in the video as herself and a therapist as she explains her troubles.

Fans can catch Talia at Koko in London on October 6.

If this video is anything to go by, Talia will certainly put on a show.

PALOMA HAS FAITH IN VOICE

PALOMA FAITH is ready to teach contestants on The Voice how to make their own kind of music.

The singer will join Sir Tom Jones as one of the guest mentors as the ITV show’s Battles – in which teammates duet – kick off on October 10.

Delta Goodrem joins Kelly Rowland’s group; Cheryl Tweedy works with WILL.I.AM’s team; and McFly’s Dougie Poynter and Harry Judd assist bandmates Danny Jones and Tom Fletcher.

Next Saturday, viewers get a glimpse of the guests at London’s Alexandra Palace, discussing which acts should make the semi-finals.

A source said: “Watching Cheryl’s return to TV and a glimpse of her role as a coach next series will give fans plenty to look forward to.

“Alongside the experience brought by Paloma, Delta, Dougie and Harry, the Battles will be a series highlight.”

DOLLY Parton’s nephew threatened to “destroy her entire brand” in shocking texts exposed by the late icon’s manager.

In a trove of messages and emails obtained by The U.S. Sun, Dolly’s nephew and longtime head of security, Bryan Seaver, sent a flurry of messages to her manager, Danny Nozell, before and after her death on August 25 after a brief battle with cancer.

The texts have been revealed as part of a lawsuit filed by Nozell against Seaver alleging that he threatened various Dolly business entities just before and after his iconic aunt died unless his demands were met.

Nozell claimed her nephew’s threats were aimed at causing “fear and chaos to extort money for his personal gain.”

He claimed that he has been tasked with running Dolly’s businesses through She’s Alive LLC, which was created “through her trust and estate plan,” to “protect her professional property and business interests.”

Seaver, whom Nozell fired from his security role this week, texted the manager that was ready to “destroy the entire brand if you don’t get these [REDACTED] out of our bit,” he wrote, adding, “I’ll earn you more money by virtue of their exit,” he wrote.

Seaver then said to Nozell, “I am your ally. This is a long game you need to start doing on them. The Dollywood brand is dying.”

Dolly’s Dollywood theme park is worth an astounding $300 million, of which she had a 50% stake in.

In another text to Nozell, Seaver threatened to “set up a podcast dedicated to ruining Dolly’s brand partnerships.”

Seaver bragged in another text that, as he was the one to announce Dolly’s passing on her social media, he was “the face of the biggest social media post in human history.”

Seaver also said he “just sold $29 million dollars worth of ammo to Haiti,” to which Nozell saw as a statement to “magnify fear and demonstrate that Mr. Seaver could combine public notoriety with his means and stated willingness to inflict serious commercial damage.”

According to the complaint filed on Tuesday, Dolly’s manager claimed Seaver “has individually, and through his associates, made repeated, written threats to Ms. Parton’s staff, partners, legal and business advisors, and others.”

“These were not ordinary workplace disputes or heated words; they were deliberate threats from a self-proclaimed heavily armed, former security operative with a military-contractor background,” Nozell claimed in the complaint.

“Many of these people are now afraid to come to work or have resigned entirely because they do not feel safe.”

Nozell has filed a restraining order against Seaver and his security company, Squadron Augmented Protection Services LLP.

He is asking the court to order Seaver to stay at least 1,000 feet away from any person or entity that may have a business relationship with She’s Alive LLC and to bar him and his company from making any statements that may interfere with the business.

Nozell is asking for damages as well, though the complaint alleges that Seaver’s conduct has caused irreparable harm.

“The loss of safety, goodwill, trusted personnel, counsel, and business relationships cannot be fully remedied by money damages, and [Seaver’s] continuing threats create an ongoing and escalating risk of further harm,” the suit claimed.

The U.S. Sun reached out to Seaver and Nozell for comment.

As The U.S. Sun exclusively reported, Dolly was quietly getting her affairs squared away during her final months.

Just four months before she died, she appeared to lay the ground work in an attempt for an estate fight to be avoided.

Public records show that her expansive Willow Lake Plantation property was transferred from the DP Spousal Trust, which Dolly managed as the trustee, to the DP Dean Trust on April 21 for $0.

CENTRAL Cee and Yasmin Hadlow’s romance has ramped up a notch – as insiders tell me he’s going all out to make her his girlfriend.

Just weeks after revealing he fell for Yasmin, 23, after watching her cracking on inside the Love Island villa, the Sprinter star, 28, is using every tool in his armoury to get her interested.

And the first is his bank balance.

Onlookers spotted the London-born rapper, real name Oakley Caesar-Su, in a very select part of Harrods on Friday with Yasmin, where he was overheard telling her: “Buy whatever you want.”

An onlooker said: “Cench seems he knows how to treat the ladies and Yasmin is no exception.

“Before they went on a date to his party at 77 London, he had organised a shopping experience for her.

“He had it all arranged to go to the private area of the store and told her to spend whatever she wanted and he’d pick up the bill.

“Cench wanted Yasmin to choose whatever she wanted for the date and more.

“She absolutely loved it. It seemed like no one had ever done anything like that for her before.

“You could tell he’s really into her because he was happy to spend thousands on her to make her feel special.

“They’re not officially dating but it seems like Cench was making a heavy play for her to want to see him as boyfriend material.”

We first revealed they were hooking up last week, after Yasmin was seen on a date with the Cee.

He made a move on Yasmin earlier this summer while she was still dating her villa co-star Tommy Stagg.

When asked if he had a celebrity crush, on 60 Seconds With Missy, Cench replied: “I do have one, I’ve got one I’m sure. Yasmin from Love Island.”

Helpfully, Yasmin and Tommy split not long after flying back from Mallorca – and Cee made his move.

Confirming their break up, Yasmin said: “Me and Tommy aren’t together anymore.

“It ended up being… It was just a lot to adjust to on the outside.

“We just ended up saying that we’ve got a lot going on. Our lives essentially weren’t aligning on the outside, but we’re still friends.”

Insiders said it was still early days between the pair but admitted Cee was smitten.

“He’s acting like he’s won the jackpot,” a source told me.

“Cench really fell for Yasmin after seeing her on the show and then on social media.

“Now he’s managed to get her on a date he is going all out to show Yasmin how special he thinks she is.

“It’s early days between them but Cench is absolutely mad for Yasmin.”

I CRASHED Kim Kardashian’s ultra-exclusive VIP launch of her London Skims store in a £35.99 knock-off jumpsuit – and ended up sipping dirty martinis with the A-list.

Arriving at the top-secret Regent Street bash in the pouring rain after a long day at work, I was armed with nothing but a mission and the confidence to somehow convince everyone I was wearing Kim’s Skims brand.

Amazingly, it worked.

In fact, I’d bought my entire outfit, a £35.99 Bershka gym jumpsuit, on the way there — and everyone believed it was one of Kim’s £116 creations.

And, after a humbling 30 minutes in the rain, I blagged my way inside at 7.40pm on Friday.

A couple of months ago I trekked down to an MPS Body and Paint car garage in Kent to recreate Kim’s Met Gala outfit.

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Now I’d gone one step further and found myself inside her crazy world — with the crowds parting like the Red Sea as the 5ft 2in brunette bombshell stepped inside.

Security assumed I had been there from the start and began backing everyone else up behind me.

Before I knew it, I was apparently first in line for a selfie with Kim — and I certainly wasn’t about to correct them.

Kim, 45, looked incredible in a custom leather Ludovic de Saint Sernin gown and, despite my unconvincing Skims impersonation, told me: “It’s lovely to meet you, you look amazing.”

Sadly, I later heard her parrot that to every other person she met in the plush new shop, so alas the compliment wasn’t just rolled out for me.

Famed for her selfie taking, and as one of the most photographed women in the world, it came as little surprise that Kim takes this very seriously.

And as I stepped forward for my snap, I was almost blinded as one of her assistants suddenly held up a huge dazzling torch over our faces.

But after a day at work and a trek through the rain, I have never been more grateful for good lighting.

Kim had three outfit changes throughout the night and I’d already experienced one of them from the front row.

Earlier, I found myself at the front of a queue for the loo when Kim was suddenly escorted ahead of everyone.

In what felt like the longest wardrobe change in history, at least ten people were left waiting cross-legged before she eventually emerged in the same dress.

Kim later fully committed to the change and slipped into a brown leather corset and a floor-length skirt.

Her third and final look of the night was a tight-fitting, nude two-piece which drew gasps of appreciation from the seven people glued to her side at all times.

As well as two burly security guards — and her lighting flunky of course — she spent the evening with Ludovic, the man who had designed her gown, Tracy Romulus Nguyen — chief communications officer of Skims — and two other assistants who were on hand to bat away anyone trying to get more than Kim’s pre-planned compliment out of her mouth.

Three immaculate bars were dotted around the store, serving gorgeous cocktails in translucent and nude shades to match Kim’s three looks.

Staff floated around with the prettiest — and tiniest — canapes I’d ever seen, from tuna tartare to miniature potatoes smothered in caviar.

I feared I’d be starving by the end of the night, but thankfully the microscopic morsels of food were eventually replaced with much more substantial burgers and fries.

I also made good use of the bar, sipping dirty martinis with celebs including Emma Grede, Rochelle Humes, Love Island’s Lorenzo Alessi and rapper Central Cee.

Kim’s famous hairdresser and current Strictly contestant Chris Appleton was also never far from her side, checking up on her hair throughout the evening and constantly patting down stray flyaways.

Just under two hours later, Kim was whisked away to an afterparty, held in lavish private members. club Maison Estelle. She used a secret lift to escape the 200 fans who had gathered outside.

My exit was a little more down to earth and, naturally, I got my hands on two Skims goody bags before jumping on the Northern Line home.

Inside one of them was an unreleased branded tracksuit worth £220, which some cheeky party-goers have since put on eBay for almost double the price.

Given how much of an upgrade it was from my Bershka number, I’ll be holding onto mine.

SHE has faced a tough few years, but standing centre stage in a pop-up stadium built and named in her honour, Shakira has well and truly nailed her big comeback. 

Nearly quarter of a century after her debut UK hit Whenever Wherever, she is about to embark on a sold-out residency in Madrid.

Over 21 nights, she will perform for more than 600,000 fans after pulling off one of the most impressive career revivals ever.

The concerts are the finale to her 127-date Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour — the highest-grossing Latin tour of all time, and the fifth most lucrative female tour in history.

And Shakira herself is enjoying it just as much as her rapidly- expanding fan base.

In an exclusive chat, the Colombian superstar — who, despite her age-defying looks, turns 50 in February — said: “I feel more secure and more confident than ever; so much more than when I was in my 20s, which is something I never would have believed or expected.”

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She added of her pop renaissance: “I’ve never been more in love with my career, so I’m grateful to still be able to do what I do and just know that people are connecting to that.”

This year has been a game-changer for Shakira. Her World Cup anthem with Burna Boy, Dai Dai, topped charts globally and became one of the biggest hits of 2026 so far.

The video has had more than 1billion views since May, contributing to her becoming the most-watched female artist on YouTube.

The same month, she performed to over 2million people in a single night on Copacabana Beach in Rio De Janeiro — one of the highest- attended concerts ever.

But in Dai Dai, she sings: “You’ve been this brave all along, what broke you once made you strong.”

It is a reflection of her last few years, when life was challenging.

Shakira’s 2017 album, El Dorado, was not received as well as expected, and five years later came her highly-publicised split from Spanish footballer Gerard Pique.

The couple, who never wed but have sons Milan, 13, and Sasha, 11, announced their separation after 11 years together in a public statement.

He was alleged to have moved on with another woman while they were together, although he has not spoken about the circumstances.

Things were made worse when Shakira was dragged into court by Spanish authorities over a tax dispute, in which she claimed she had not spent enough time in the country to pay the taxes they said she owed.

In 2023, she settled on one case of tax evasion, forking out €14.5million in unpaid taxes plus interest, a €7.3million fine and a €432,000 payment to waive a suspended three-year prison sentence.

At the time, things were looking bleak. But she started to turn it around, funnelling her anger into her music, which attracted a whole new generation of fans.

Then in May, a Spanish court ordered the country’s tax authority to refund €55million of taxes, ruling that the cash was improperly collected during the dispute.

Her epic, two-and-a-half hour concert tells the story of a wronged woman who comes out the other side.

At one point in the show, during song TQG,she is seen trying to reprogramme men’s behaviour.

Later, she is depicted as a lone wolf protecting her cubs, and then duets with her sons, who appear on screens for the track Acrostico.

The message is clear as she tells the crowd: “Love is beautiful. But self-love is more beautiful.”

The gig features a set of some 25 songs, more than a dozen extravagant costumes, fireworks, flamethrowers, twerking and Shakira on the drums and guitar.

It is a triumphant moment of celebration and, during her carnival-inspired, multi-coloured performance of Waka Waka (This Time For Africa), she beams from ear to ear.

Shakira hopes her concerts leave fans, especially women, optimistic about the world, as that’s certainly how she feels after the ordeal she has gone through in recent years.

She told me: “I hope women walk away feeling empowered and excited about what’s ahead of them, knowing that they are the ones who decide how to tell their story and what they want to take away from everything life throws at them.

“It’s been such a revelation to realise that the worst I ever imagined could happen . . . and that I can still find this level of happiness again.”

In Madrid, as well as the temporary stadium built in her honour, there is an entire 30-hectare village of attractions based on the Hips Don’t Lie singer.

And she’s bound to rake it in as there are high-profile sponsorships, including a museum about Shakira in partnership with Amazon.

A whole Disney area inspired by the star’s voice role in Zootropolis 2 is another key attraction, along with a library, in partnership with Penguin, promoting authors from South America.

During the residency, hotel bookings in Madrid are up 15 per cent from 2025, while Ryanair added 225,000 seats on flights to the hotspot ahead of the shows, which are generating hundreds of millions for the city’s economy.

Shakira, who has sold 100million records during her career, has now relocated from Spain to Miami with her sons to start afresh — and she is flying high.

She proved as much on the global stage when an estimated 1.5billion footie fans watched her perform at the inaugural World Cup halftime show in July.

And although she sang alongside acts including Madonna, BTS and Justin Bieber, it was Shakira who stole the spotlight.

Her success is a testament to her grit and temerity, with music insiders revealing she is hands-on with every detail of her career.

A source said: “Shakira has worked harder than anybody for this comeback — it’s taken blood, sweat and tears.

“There have been sleepless nights, relentless workouts and a back-breaking schedule, but she loves it and wants to prove to other women what is possible. She pulled an all-nighter with her band last Wednesday just to rehearse for the show in Madrid, not finishing until 8.30am.

“This is very serious to her. She wants to stay at the top for years to come.”

Shakira also teamed up with another in-demand pop star, Zara Larsson, earlier this summer for a remix of her song Eurosummer.

And last week, she released a collaboration called Agua with fellow Colombian star Maluma.

Now, all eyes are on what’s next for Shak, who has barely stopped in her quest to win back her superstardom.

As for a 13th studio album and future collaborations, she teased: “I’ve definitely chatted with a few people recently who would be really fun and unexpected, but I won’t ruin the surprises . . . ”

Although her tour is coming to an end, Shakira shows no signs of slowing down.

She has hinted that she wants to return to the UK, where she has not performed since 2018.

On the prospect of headlining Glastonbury, where she sang on the Pyramid Stage in 2010, she has said: “It’s such an iconic place to perform.

I’d love to go back to England and perform at Glastonbury.

“That would be like the cherry on top for this amazing year I’ve been having.”

As for a break? I wouldn’t count on it. She said: “I take days here and there to rest, but as long as I still have energy and inspiration, I love to stay working.”

TV host Jeff Brazier admits he has made too many mistakes bringing up sons Bobby and Freddy.

He became a single dad after his ex, Big Brother star Jade Goody, died from cervical cancer in 2009 aged just 27.

Jeff — who has since had years of therapy — believes that if model Bobby, 23, and Race Across The World star Freddy, 21, had been raised by the man he is today, they may have escaped some of the trauma, turmoil and family fallouts.

He told the Sun on Sunday: “You always look back with hindsight and feel like, ‘If only I was the version of myself I am today 20 years ago, how much of a better experience of me they would have had’.

“Maybe that might have eliminated some of the bumps in the road we’ve had . . .  you look at the things you could have done better.”

Those “bumps” have at times proved particularly painful for Freddy, with much of the family tension centred around his close bond with his maternal grandmother Jackiey Budden, 69.

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Jeff has always considered Jade’s mum to be a bad influence on the boys.

And Freddy, who has been to rehab, been sectioned and suffered manic episodes, has previously claimed Jackiey got him “hooked” on cannabis.

Things got so bad that last year, a concerned Jeff started legal proceedings in a bid to keep Jackiey away from his son.

Yet despite their clashes, Jeff and Freddy have always found their way back to each other — most recently in March following the arrival of Freddy’s daughter Isla with his on-off girlfriend Holly Swinburn.

Jeff, 47, says: “Thanks to all the mistakes and all the lessons and the learnings along the way, I get to love Isla with a sense of confidence.

“The strength of connection you can have with a grandchild is really special.

“With Isla, it just feels ­natural, effortless and easy, and there’s no ­complications around it.”

Jeff can often be seen on This Morning, has worked with The One Show and TNT Sports and now fronts the Let’s Save Water campaign, urging families to make small changes to help tackle Britain’s shortage after the hot summer.

But the TV star admits he has struggled since his sons moved out of the family home in Essex.

“When they left, I went through nine months of what felt like ­absolute grief,” he admits.

“It’s not just the absence of your children. It’s more the grieving of the role that you played, that you got really comfortable playing.

“It felt like a slow relinquishing of control and responsibility, to the point where you feel redundant.

“Life is a lot quieter right now — the peace can be deafening — but there’s also part of you that’s, like, ‘Shouldn’t I be doing something for someone somewhere?’ ”

Jeff’s home is also quieter following the end of his seven-year ­marriage to PR executive Kate Dwyer last year.

Yet Jeff, who first found fame on reality show Shipwrecked in 2001, is learning to embrace this new chapter and finally put himself first.

He is also discovering how to play again so that he can be the best grandfather possible.

It was Freddy, who suffers from ADHD, who first told him he needed to loosen up, while they filmed Celebrity Race Across The World in 2024.

Jeff, who spent much of his ­childhood in foster care, said: “He ­basically hit the nail on the head.

“As a child, I probably didn’t play that much, or feel safe to play. I’m trying to undo that.”

In a bid to become more playful, Jeff has even signed up to wrestle strangers after discovering the ­unusual kind of therapy at a ­spiritual festival.

“The more you do it, the more you free something up and heal something,” he says.

“Obviously, no one’s allowed to hurt anyone. But to go and enjoy retreats like that, you’re basically taking your inner child with you.

“That’s where I hope I will be in ten years — running a retreat on a renovated farm in the countryside.

“I would still be exercising and showing up for people, and I’d be looking after numerous grand- children and feel all the love.”

Could that future also include finding love again?

“I hope so,” he says. “Yeah, I believe that will happen to me.”

TOMORROW night in Philadelphia, Ed Sheeran is expected to return to the stage for the first time since the biggest crisis of his career began.

Venues and promoters removed rapper Macklemore as the opening act on his US tour for voicing pro-Palestinian views on stage — prompting a legion of musicians, many of whom were British megastar Ed’s friends, to publicly turn against him over the past week.

This evening at Lincoln Financial Field, Ed will perform to 60,000 fans alone, with just his guitar and his trusted loop pedal, after Irish singer Aaron Rowe and Danish group Lukas Graham pulled out as support acts.

Irish folk group Beoga have performed with Ed on every night of the Loop World Tour — but they have also withdrawn, along with Billie ­Eilish’s brother Finneas, who was due to open six of Ed’s south ­American dates later this year.

“The world feels like a very lonely place for Ed right now,” an insider tells me.

“He couldn’t have done more to change the situation. He genuinely tried everything. This pile-on has been awful.”

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I’m told dad-of-two Ed, 35, is ­planning on pushing ahead with the concert this evening before taking a view on the remaining ten dates across the US before his shows in South America.

My insider explained: “He wants the tour to continue for fans.

“They will have spent a lot of money on travel and hotels and will want to see him perform.

“The plan is to see how it goes tonight and then Ed and his team can take a view on whether they will carry on or not.”

Last night local action groups Philly Palestine Coalition and Shut Down D&Z confirmed they would be demonstrating at the train station closest to the venue.

Police said they would be increasing patrols in the area and were dispatching extra officers to the area around Lincoln Financial Field before the concert starts at 8pm.

Jasmine Reilly, a spokesman for the Philadelphia Police Department, said last night: “Our officers are talking to Ed’s team to make sure all appropriate measures are taken.”

A second source told me: “A nightmare scenario is if unrest begins inside before or during the show. It’s a possibility because of the heightened emotions with everything that is going on right now.

“Naturally Ed and his team’s concerns are for the safety of the people inside and outside the venue.”

Tonight’s gig will take place 15 days after Macklemore lit the touchpaper under Bad Habits hitmaker Ed.

The rapper — real name Benjamin Haggerty — played his pro-Palestinian protest song Hind’s Hall in New Jersey before telling the crowd: “A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could stand up in ­stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine.”

The next day he stood on stage again at the MetLife Stadium and declared: “To all of my Jewish brothers and sisters: criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide in no way is a criticism of you.”

Two days later, the Israeli-American Council published a ­petition calling for Macklemore to be removed from Ed’s shows.

On September 8, Jewish singer Pink ramped up emotions when she shared a statement on Instagram with her 11.7million followers.

She blasted Macklemore for going on stage “in front of a stadium full of music-loving families, with violent images from a war on the screens, dedicated a song to the movement of his choice, and then took the mic to tell all of the Jews in the stadium that it wasn’t about them.”

Three days later Macklemore was removed from Ed’s tour. US promoters Messina Touring Group said that it had been notified by venues on Ed’s US tour that they “will not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the line-up.”

In a statement calling Ed a “brother”, the rapper said: “Nothing I’m writing here is out of spite or because I want to tear down his character.

“But as I told Ed multiple times on the phone, our friendship can’t change my responsibility to tell the truth about what happened.”

Macklemore explained that Ed had told him billionaire Robert Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots American football team and their Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, would not allow him to play the two dates there on September 25 and 26.

Macklemore added: “Ed was in a f***ed-up position.

“His typical apolitical stance was being challenged in a way it never had been before.

“He told me that the words ‘Free Palestine’ and the image of the Palestinian flag were hurtful to a lot of people he spoke with. I told him that if those words were more ­offensive than tens of thousands of Palestinian children being killed by Israel, then there was a fundamental disconnect between where those ­people stood and where I stood.

“But he couldn’t get past his public-facing, ‘I don’t take sides.’ ”

The next day Ed addressed the ­situation in a statement to his 47million Instagram followers and revealed the lengths he had gone to in a bid to get everyone back on board.

He said he had spoken to “activists on both sides” as well as the owners of stadiums to find unity and that he was “appalled” by the conflict.

Ed added: “I am not complicit. I have my personal views on this devastating conflict. Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn’t mean I don’t have them, and it doesn’t mean I don’t care.

“Macklemore coming off the tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine.

“I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work.”

Explaining his decision to remain apolitical, he said: “There is a ­reason I do not use my professional platform for politics.

“My audience includes young people, often children, of all backgrounds.

“Those who come to my shows do not expect a political forum. I respect Macklemore’s strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes in.

“However there is room for multiple approaches to the same end: peace.”

He concluded: “I have spent this week trying to build bridges, to find a solution, and unfortunately I was unable to do so.

“I know who I am, both as a person and as an artist, and those who know my heart know my values too.”

Despite his attempts to make amends, Ed was left flattened the following day as the artists on his tour started to pull out.

In a statement, Irish group Beoga said: “To play in venues that silence anyone advocating for Free Palestine is simply not an option for us.”

Pro-Israeli billionaire Kraft then came out fighting in Ed’s corner.

Shortly after Macklemore announced he was donating his $1million fee for the tour to humanitarian organisations providing aid to Palestinians, Kraft said Ed had been in touch before asking to match a donation he had made.

Kraft said: “I have dedicated much of my life to building bridges between all people.

“I believe deeply that all lives are worth protecting.

“Earlier today, before Macklemore challenged me to match his donation, Ed called me and asked me to commit $2million to match his donation to aid in the region to fight this humanitarian crisis.

“Ed now plans to reach out to other venue owners and our goal is to continue to work together to build bridges.”

Kraft also pointedly recalled Macklemore’s stunt in 2014, where he performed on stage in a costume which featured anti-Semitic tropes.

Macklemore apologised and said he did not mean to offend anyone but conceded the outfit could have looked like a “Jewish caricature”.

In the days prior to tonight’s show, high-profile stars have waded into the row, including British singer Paloma Faith, Hacks actress Hannah Einbinder and Formula 1 champ Lewis Hamilton.

The controversy also spilled over into politics, with US senator ­Bernie Sanders blasting Kraft.

The Democrat wrote: “In the United States of America, billionaire stadium owners should not be able to silence artists because they speak out on political issues.

“Today it is the genocide in Gaza. What’s next? If they can silence one artist, they can silence anyone.”

Since his statement, Ed has not spoken and is, insiders tell me, “staying focused” on the hours ahead of the concert.

A source said: “Ed has never faced anything like this before.

“It’s been devastating. He is trying to do the right thing by everyone. Sadly that isn’t always possible.

“As he said in his statement he has his own views on the conflict.

“Just because he has not been public in speaking about them, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t care or hasn’t actively been helping in whatever way he can.”

GUY RITCHIE is casting the net wide for the third series of The Gentlemen – in the hope of Baggin’ two huge Hollywood superstars.

Insiders have told me the hotshot director is trying to sign up Lord Of The Rings actors Elijah Wood and Orlando Bloom for the hit Netflix show.

If he pulls off the move, it would reunite Orlando, who played Legolas, and Elijah, who starred as Frodo Baggins, two decades on from Peter Jackson’s hit film trilogy.

A source said: “The Gentlemen is the hottest TV show in town and Guy has big plans for the third series.

“Elijah is being courted to appear as a villain, while Orlando is also one of their key casting targets.

“For Lord Of The Rings fans working on the production, the idea of having Frodo and Legolas back together would be amazing. No deals are signed yet, but discussions are ongoing.”

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And those aren’t the only actors that Guy is lining up for a part.

Prince Harry’s wife Meghan’s name is being bandied about as a potential star of the third instalment.

And it seems Guy’s show needs a bit of a Hollywood rocket to give it a boost.

Streaming figures for The Gentlemen’s opening weekend of the second series were 50 per cent down on the initial run of shows, with 6.7million views in the first four days it was available to watch.

Season two saw Theo James reprising his role as aristocrat-turned-drug kingpin Eddie Horniman alongside Kaya Scodelario, who plays ice-cold crime boss Susie Glass.

Love Island host Maya Jama made her acting debut in the second series after being cast as mob wife Aisha.

And she is definitely back for the next run, admitting she loved working with Guy on set. Maya said: “He’s very personable and he would be like, ‘Yeah, you’re doing well’, and reassure me, which was really nice.

“He’s just really involved and kind of a genius to watch, because everyone’s practising their lines and then he says something that’s way better than the original.”

SPICE GIRLS, Girls Aloud and Little Mix are just some of the huge girl groups who have ruled the charts over the years.

Now the next generation is ready to get in on the action.

Step forward Manifest — Turkey’s picture-perfect group, who are taking the world by storm.

Despite being yet to release a single English-language track, the girls already have 7.3million monthly listeners on Spotify alone.

The group is made up of six amazing women: Sueda Uluca, Hilal Yelekci, Lidya Pinar, Mina Solak, Esin Bahat and Zeynep Sude Oktay.

And they have the backing of Dua Lipa, who personally invited them to perform as part of her Sunny Hill music festival in Kosovo earlier this summer, and has tipped them for greatness.

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They said: “Dua was amazing. We really love her, and meeting with her was like a dream come true. We saw meeting Dua and playing her festival as a step to becoming global stars.

“She gave us some great advice and was keen for us to just remember to enjoy the show.

“She encouraged us to enjoy our time on stage and not worry too much. If we have fun, the fans have fun.”

Each member has their own distinct personality and style, and since being put together on a TV talent contest in Turkey last year, their popularity has skyrocketed.

Keen to take on the world, the girls invited Bizarre’s Jack to Izmir, on Turkey’s Aegean coast, to see them in action at their three-day festival, Manifestival.

He was blown away — not only by the vocals and the sharp choreography but by just how lovely the girls were backstage.

In their first UK interview, the group explained: “We have been manifesting ourselves to be a successful band for years. We have always believed we can do it and make it global.

“We believe people can manifest anything, so when it came to picking a name for us, as soon as someone mentioned Manifest, it stuck.

“We loved it. We didn’t want a name that was too cheesy.”

The group are putting in some serious hours to make themselves stars.

They explained: “We don’t have days off, we have hours. We are so busy, but that’s good. We are constantly in rehearsals.

“It only takes us one day to learn a dance but then we practise it over and over again.

“We want the show to be perfect. Sometimes we will practise a single routine for five days until it’s ready.”

Next month, Manifest will jet to the UK for their first ever headline show on British soil and, boy, are they starting big.

Leapfrogging smaller venues due to demand, they will headline London’s Wembley Arena on October 16.

As well as the gig, the girls are set to take part in a number of promo activities across the capital to show there’s a new band in town.

Admitting they still battle with nerves even though they have “made it” in their home country, the group said: “When we first started to perform, we were really nervous — it almost felt like you were having a heart attack from the nerves.

“But now it’s just excitement. Every time we perform, it’s still so exciting for us. It’s what we love to do.

“We have rituals to calm us down, and we pray to God before we take to the stage.”

In another sign Manifest are attracting all the right attention, they have also landed themselves a Netflix series which will show them on the road and take each member back to their home town.

Setting their sights as high as possible, the girls now hope they can emulate their Girl Power idols.

They added: “We would love to be as big as the Spice Girls; they are our inspiration.

“We have just recorded our first English song, which should be out soon, and we are coming to London.”

Take it from us, there are big things to come from Manifest.

Sam’s on £400m sales

SAM SMITH looked pleased as punch receiving this plaque celebrating the sale of 400million singles worldwide.

The Lay Me Down singer, whose latest album Hazel Eyes came out last month, beamed backstage at the London Coliseum.

Sam played the first show of an eight-night To Be Free residency there on Tuesday, and I’m sure this boost was most welcome before taking to the stage.

An ABBA Fab tribute

IN what I can only describe as the maddest musical mash-up I’ve heard of in a long time, Una Healy, Samantha Mumba, Duncan James and Antony Costa are teaming up for an ABBA extravaganza.

All Stars: The Music Of Abba is a new stage show ­celebrating the Swedish group’s biggest hits.

Across a 21-date tour, The Saturdays star Una, Samantha and the Blue bandmates will form a pop supergroup paying homage to the works of the chart legends, backed by a live band.

Further dates are expected down the line, but they will kick off in Croydon on February 26, before ­taking in shows in cities nationwide including Aberdeen and Edinburgh, Cardiff, Birmingham, Southend, Nottingham and Hull.

Tickets go on pre-sale from 10am today online at allstarsonstage.com.

SHAKIRA’S World Cup anthem Dai Dai with Burna Boy has surpassed one billion views on YouTube and made her the most-viewed female artist on the platform.

The achievement comes ahead of the launch next week of her sold-out 12-night residency at a purpose-built stadium in Madrid.

THE WEEKND has wrapped his 42-date After Hours Til Dawn 2026 tour, grossing £255million after performing in front of more than two million fans.

The gigs gave a massive boost to local economies and raised more than £1.6million in charitable donations for both the United Nations World Food Programme and the Global Citizen project.

Strike a pose Julia

JULIA GARNER is the spitting image of a young Madonna as she vows that the superstar’s biopic will be made.

The Ozark actress sported cropped blonde hair and a feathery gown in the October issue of Elle magazine after being cast in the film, which was canned amid budget rows.

Julia insisted: “I think the movie has to get made. But we’ll see . . .”

She and Vogue singer Madge filmed for Apple TV show The Studio together earlier this year. Their spoof storyline is inspired by the Queen of Pop’s axed film.

Julia said: “She’s one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. Like actually. And people don’t know that.”

Peter’s spaced out in new film role

WHATEVER you think about Peter Andre, it’s safe to say he likes to keep his career varied.

Last year he played a gangster trying to secure his nan’s £35,000 care home fee in comedy film Jafaican.

Now, I’m told the Mysterious Girl singer is about to start work on his next ­production.

Insiders tell me his latest foray into the movie world will be Love In Space, which has a similarly hilarious plot.

It will tell the story of a young man who falls in love with a charming female ­scientist after being abducted by UFOs.

A source said: “Pete just loves acting and if the project feels right and he likes the script, he goes for it.

“This film is really futuristic and Pete will be filming at the end of this month in a ready-made spaceship.”

Popcorn at the ready . . . 

A Biggie break for Swayvo

ANOTHER nepo baby has bagged a major role in Hollywood.

The son of neo-soul pioneers D’Angelo and Angie Stone has been cast as Biggie in the upcoming Snoop Dogg biopic.

Swayvo Twain, whose real name is Michael D’Angelo Archer II, will star in the Universal Pictures movie called Snoop, which is being produced by the rapper himself.

Biggie, also known as Notorious B.I.G., was one of the biggest names in hip-hop in the Nineties and had a mutual appreciation with Snoop, despite the fact they were on either side of the East Coast-West Coast rap rivalry.

Jonathan Daviss will play the main man himself in the flick, which is due to hit cinemas next August.

Nirvana go for a gong

NIRVANA will be honoured with the prestigious Video Vanguard Award at the MTV VMAs on September 27.

The gong is akin to a lifetime achievement award and has been won by Mariah Carey and Rihanna in recent years, with Nirvana being the first band to do so since Duran Duran in 2003.

They only released three albums before frontman Kurt Cobain died, but surviving members Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear are being tipped to attend, 34 years after winning the Best New Artist and Best Alternative Video prizes for Smells Like Teen Spirit.

The 2026 ceremony will take place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, with Madonna leading the nominations with 11.

In reach for Adela

WITH just one day of sales left, the battle for No1 is almost over but breakout star Adela is fighting for the top spot.

And it’s not just chart success she is hoping for but world domination, following the release of her brilliant debut album Prima on Friday.

More than a million videos have been made on TikTok using the audio for her single Ain’t In LA.

Now that single is set to enter the Top 20 tomorrow, plus A-lister Nicole Kidman has praised Adela after the Slovak singer named her next track after the actress.

Meanwhile, Adela has revealed her drive to become a pop star in the first place.

Speaking about her favourite Disney Channel show as a youngster, she told Bizarre’s Howell: “Hannah Montana’s where I first saw like, ‘Oh, you can sing and dance for a living and you can be a pop star. This is what that is like’.

“That’s literally where this all first began. For me, it was seeing that show and becoming obsessed with it.”

Of the show’s star Miley Cyrus, she added: “She’s like a mythical creature to me. I don’t think I can actually meet her.”

If Prima manages to clinch the No1 spot from competitors Kasabian, who she is just 332 copies behind, she will be the first solo female to go straight to No1 with her debut album since Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour in 2021.

And judging by Adela’s drive, talent and creativeness on this record, the world is her oyster.

SHARON Osbourne has launched a High Court bid to remove her late hubby Ozzy’s long-term accountant as an executor of his will. 

Papers lodged yesterday show the rocker’s widow, 73, issued a claim against Colin Newman under a law used to remove or replace estate representatives. 

Ozzy died in July last year aged 76, weeks after a farewell gig with Black Sabbath in his home city of Birmingham.

His wife and two other executors, her niece Georgina Maszlin and assistant Melinda Varga, now want Mr Newman removed from administering his ex-client’s estimated £100million fortune.  

He had looked after the couple’s finances since before they married in 1982 and is one of the most senior money men in the UK music industry.  

Companies House records show he was a director of Ozzy’s main UK firm, Monowise Ltd, for years before quitting in April. 

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Sharon was appointed director last December, five months after Ozzy’s death, with the firm officially controlled by the “estate of John Michael Osbourne” — Ozzy’s real name.  

Judges can remove an executor for a variety of reasons, including if they have already been involved in the will but then later decide to step away.  

It is not clear if Mr Newman is contesting the application or if he has agreed to stand aside. 

He first met Sharon while working as a junior accountant for her father, notorious rock manager Don Arden.  

He is credited on several of Ozzy’s albums and they were long-term pals.  

The rocker is once said to have burst into his accountant’s Soho office swinging a dead rabbit and spraying blood on the walls.  

Ozzy also slept on a park bench opposite Mr Newman’s house in 1984 instead of going to the hospital where Sharon was about to give birth to their daughter Kelly. 

Mr Newman, 79, also acted as former X Factor judge Sharon’s literary agent. 

He and Sharon’s legal representatives were invited to comment. 

REBEKAH Vardy is to swap the dolce vita of Italy for Burnley FC after hubby Jamie joined the Clarets yesterday.

The Wag, 44, will have to pack up her glam dresses to make the move from their £2million villa in Salò, Lake Garda, where former England striker Jamie played for Cremonese last season.

He is returning to England on a deal to the end of the season.

It means he is likely to relocate to the Lancashire town — 137 miles north of the family home in Grantham, Lincs.

It is hoped he will revive the Clarets after a bad start to the season.

Jamie, 39, said: “This club has a proper footballing history and passionate fans who deserve a team that represents them and their town. I can’t wait to get going on the pitch and help the team move in the right direction.”

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Rather than move full-time to Burnley, it is expected Becky will remain at their Grantham home near to where their children, Sofia and Ella, go to school.

She faces a two-and-a-half-hour drive to Turf Moor to see Jamie in action.

Becky is a regular at his games and previously spoke about getting more nervous than he does during matches.

She said: “Jamie is so laid back about football, he doesn’t get nervous.

“The only time I get nervous is when he has to take a penalty.

“It’s anxiety-inducing and I’m always so relieved when he hits the back of the net.”

Becky faced a public backlash after losing her 2022 “Wagatha Christie” High Court libel case with Coleen Rooney, over leaked Instagram stories.

MELANIE C is in fine shape after raking in £1million last year from her solo work and Spice Girls royalties.

New accounts for Mel’s touring company, Red Girl Media Ltd, show Sporty Spice raked in £550,000 from solo shows in the year to 31 August 2025.

During that time Mel embarked on a DJ tour of the UK, Ibiza and Australia.

Latest paperwork for her publishing firm, Red Girl Productions Ltd, shows she took home a further £300,000 last year from solo royalties.

She also earned her share of Spice Girls royalties worth £600,000.

The money is set to keep rolling in for the recently married singer, as the accounts don’t cover the release of her latest album Sweat earlier this year.

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The 52-year-old, is also set to start a solo world tour, including gigs in London, Birmingham and Glasgow in October.

Last week Mel shared her new tattoo tribute to her summer nuptials and wild honeymoon.

The Spice Girl married partner of three years Chris Dingwall in a stunning ceremony in the grounds of The Country House Cumbria in July.

The happy couple were surrounded by their loved ones and a host of celeb guests, including her bandmates – bar Victoria Beckham who was away supporting husband David at the World Cup.

Shortly after saying I Do, Mel and Aussie model Chris were seen snogging in the sea during their Ibiza honeymoon – and her latest body art marks their first trip as husband as wife as well as her work on the White Isle.

In a new video posted to TikTok, Mel was seen having a cherry icon tattooed onto her forearm.

The cute design, which featured the striking red fruit on its stalks, also commemorated her fifth year DJing at Ibiza club Pacha, which has the twin cherry as its emblem.