Festivals and Music Tours

COUNTRY music heartthrob Riley Green furiously kicked a “jealous boyfriend” out of his gig after being hit with a phone that left him with a bloody ear.

Riley needed five stitches to piece his ear back together following the Melbourne show on his Cowboy As It Gets tour.

During the gig, he was struck by a phone pelted from the pit which caused him to stop the performance and take off his guitar.

He then pointed out the offender and directed security to haul him out. Smiling with blood running down his neck, Riley then slung his guitar back on before being cheered by the raucous crowd.

The 37-year-old told them: “Damn, am I bleeding? See how tough I am?”

He then said: “You can get your phones out, and you can turn the flashlight on – but don’t throw them at me.”

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The violent incident certainly did no harm to Riley’s aura. His smitten fans sent messages of support on Instagram.

One said: “My babyyyyyy was bleeding.”

Another wrote: “Brother, don’t hurt my wife’s boyfriend!”

A third said: “He was bleeding but he’s a Bama boy…that’s just a little scratch. He can do anything he wants!”

While on one video, a fan wrote: “PSA to the jealous boyfriends., don’t throw your phones at Riley Green xx.”

Riley had a fun time despite the incident and regretted not being able to play for longer.

He wrote on Instagram: “Ole buddy ’bout ran outta anytime minutes last night… but a hell of a time was had.”

Riley’s become a global phenomenon in recent years.

Heartfelt songs like I Wish Grandpas Never Died, There Was This Girl, and Different ‘Round Here (feat. Luke Combs) have resonated thanks to their honest storytelling and southern drawl.

He supported Morgan Wallen at his BST Hyde Park gig in 2024 but put on a headline-worthy show.

Speaking about his summer in the capital, he told Entertainment Focus: “I wasn’t nervous but I certainly didn’t expect what happened! I thought that there would be, maybe, a handful of folks that knew a couple of my songs but they knew every word to every song.

“To see the size of the crowd……. especially when you go to another country and Canada had been the only other time I had played outside the States….. things are usually gradual in building up a fan base, right? It was shocking to see how passionate people were about country music over here.”

And he returned to these shores last year for some sold out gigs of his own.

POUTING actress Sydney Sweeney does more than just pay lip service to her undies brand by modelling the range.

The 28-year-old was marking SYRN’s role as lingerie partner of US music festival Stagecoach.

Sydney said: “We’re making the festival even better.”

Sydney recently revealed her true bra size, admitting her curves made her insecure until her star rose in Hollywood.

Her role in Euphoria helped her embrace her body exactly how it is, according to the star.

“I grew up with boobs. I was wearing a 32DD in sixth grade, and I never felt confident,” she told the magazine.

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“I never had anything I felt good in, and I just wanted to hide. It wasn’t until [I played] Cassie in Euphoria that I started realizing it’s actually powerful to be confident; our bodies are incredible.

“We should embrace [them] and feel really good in our skin.”

Sydney said that while playing Cassie, she was forced to wear things she typically wouldn’t – revealing pieces that highlighted her ample chest.

“I’d always be like, ‘Oh, this fit doesn’t work’,” she said.

“‘I don’t have the support I want. The straps are digging into my shoulders or it’s kind of itchy and riding up.’

“I started a whole Pinterest board of thousands of photos of inspiration, and I [thought], ‘I should actually do this.’ And we put it together.”

“Well, I guess it’s a brother thing.”

The Black Crowes singer Chris Robinson is reflecting on his rollercoaster relationship with his younger sibling, guitarist Rich.

Their explosive chemistry once earned the outfit a fitting accolade — “The Most Rock ’n’ Roll Rock ’n’ Roll Band in the World”.

Chris is first to admit they’ve had their ups and downs since forming in 1984 under their original name, Mr Crowe’s Garden, as schoolkids in Atlanta, Georgia.

“Rich and I, for better or worse, were stubborn and arrogant but always strong believers in the art,” he admits.

“This has always been our path and, no matter what, we have to do it like this.

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“In rock ’n’ roll, there are plenty of show dogs, pure bred and beautiful. We’re f***ing feral.”

Following in the footsteps of other warring brothers — Ray and Dave Davies or Noel and Liam Gallagher — the Robinsons weren’t on speaking terms for five years after their so-called “contractual obligations” tour ended in 2014.

“Sometimes, you have to take your lumps,” continues Chris, employing that very American phrase for suffering setbacks. “But, right now, we’re in the zone. The chemistry is 100 per cent there.

“The way we feel goes right back to when we started — it’s f*** it, just play it — even if we are more well-mannered.”

The Black Crowes’ big reunion began in late 2019 with warm-up shows for a planned 30th anniversary tour of their debut album, the seminal Shake Your Money Maker, the following year.

But the pandemic slammed on the brakes before the dates finally happened across the US in 2021, uncorking the band’s celebrated freewheeling energy.

Back to the live arena came Jealous Again, Hard To Handle, She Talks To Angels and Twice As Hard, songs that somehow bottled up the band’s influences — Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones and Little Feat among them — but still refreshingly their own.

In 2024, with their creative juices flowing, The Black Crowes released their first album of original material in 15 years, Happiness Bastards.

Now the Robinsons are back again — with a bang.

The follow-up, A Pound Of Feathers, comes tearing out of the blocks with the rocket-fuelled, riff-driven Profane Prophecy, setting the tone for another of The Black Crowes’ “love letters to rock and roll”.

The album arrives with some sound advice — “This isn’t a record you play on Sunday morning, this is a f***ing Saturday night burner!”

In a world where smoothly produced pop dominates the airwaves, The Black Crowes are unashamedly sticking two fingers up at it.

“None of what’s going on in that world is relevant to me,” decides Chris, “and rock ’n’ roll is still huge for millions and millions of people.”

He is talking to me via video call from Aspen, Colorado, the premier ski resort in the States, playground of the rich and famous.

“My wife is an avid skier. She’s the Franz Klammer of the family,” he reports with a reference to the Austrian downhill legend.

“I get to do the cooking, the reading and the hanging out.” (And talking to people like me about The Black Crowes). Brother Rich is at home in Nashville and begins his call by apologising for being under the weather.

“I’m going to be coughing randomly,” he says. “I’m in the middle of flu that’s going around.”

After clearing his throat, Rich, the less flamboyant one who lets his guitar wizardry do most of his talking, gamely picks up on Chris’s theme.

“When we got back together, we both agreed we needed to do it properly,” he affirms.

“We knew that bringing back a toxic dynamic wouldn’t be healthy for anyone.

“We couldn’t have the overarching idea that when Chris and Rich get together, it’s a bad thing.

“We’ve always written all the songs, we own the name so coming back with a more mature approach has been very helpful.”

Rich acknowledges that the music landscape for the older, wiser Black Crowes is vastly different from when they started out. “There’s a bunch of people in the industry who like to think rock ’n’ roll is dead,” he says.

“But then there’s a bunch of people trying to keep it alive. Guns N’ Roses, the Rolling Stones, Metallica and Def Leppard are still selling out stadiums.

“Tens of millions of people still want to see bands like them. Rock ’n’ roll is one thing that no one could tame.

“And it’s still like that for us. We can go into a studio with almost nothing and, in a week, make a record.

“There’s a human, organic quality to rock ’n’ roll. We don’t have auto-tune and we don’t have to set our s**t to a grid.”

Looking back at their unfettered past, Chris exclaims: “I have to say I’m so f***ing proud of The Black Crowes, man!

“Rich and I started this band when we were teenagers in Mom and Dad’s house, as a vehicle to write songs.

“And we found our way to being musicians and performers.”

Yet the creation of A Pound Of Feathers has still blown Chris away, most notably because of the stellar contributions from Rich.

The album was made in double-quick time, carried along by the brothers’ spontaneous fusion of riffs and lyrics.

Chris says: “I’ve been on stage and sat in studios my whole life with my brother playing amazing guitar.

“But, with this album, I sat there with my mouth hanging open.

“Granted I’m very close to the flame but everything he did, I was like, ‘Wow, this guy’s taking it to a new place.’”

During the sessions, The Black Crowes were visited by Chris’s friend, Todd Snider, the singer/songwriter who died last November from pneumonia aged just 59.

Chris cherished the chance to hang out with Todd — and to get some memorable feedback from him.

“He was a storyteller, a real poet, and he and I had a great friendship. He also really liked The Black Crowes.

“He asked if he could come and check out the recording. I went, ‘Dude, yeah fine, but you’re going to be the only one here’. So he sat there taking in me and Rich putting music together.

“At the end of the day, he said, ‘Are you f***ing warlocks? Is this some kind of ESP or is it a parlour trick? You don’t say anything yet, 30 minutes later, there’s this massive song blasting out of the speakers’.”

For Rich, the studio is his happy place. “I’ve always loved being in a studio,” he says.

“It’s where you bring to ­fruition all the things you have in your head.

“With this record, we came in without any concrete ideas. By allowing ourselves just to play in the sandbox, it became fun and exciting.”

Rich gives a shoutout to producer Jay Joyce, who also helmed Happiness Bastards.

He says: “Nine and a half times out of ten, he agrees with us when we’re excited about something.

“He’s there with us, not bogging us down by trying to insert himself when its unnecessary.”

So what of the songs? There’s the aforementioned opener Profane Prophecy which captures the unvarnished sound of The Black Crowes’ live mayhem, yet recorded in the calmer confines of a studio.

You hear Chris nodding to past rock ’n’ roll excesses by hollering, tongue firmly in cheek, “My pedigree in debauchery is my claim to fame.”

He smiles, “Of course I have to embrace that life. That’s why I sing, ‘I eat casino breakfast off the kitchen floor’.”

But he maintains that while giving “a vision of a debauched rock ’n’ roller”, he’s also “confusing fact with fiction”.

The four-minute shindig concludes with the ensemble chant of the phrase that yielded the album title, “a pound of feathers or a pound of lead”.

Chris got the line from In Here The World Begins, a song by long-defunct British electro-pop band Broadcast.

“I loved the phrase and what it could mean because a pound is a pound,” he says. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s lead or feathers. There’s some weird wisdom to it.”

We turn our attention to Cruel Streak, pounding rock underpinned by funky rhythm.

“I’m adjacent to funk at all times,” says Chris. “Growing up in Atlanta, there was this multi­racial band called Mother’s Finest who played heavy funk with ‘Baby Jean’ Kennedy as lead singer.

“There’s a lot of Mother’s Finest in The Black Crowes.”

On the R&B-flavoured It’s Like That, which comes with heavy basslines and a hint of reggae, the brothers employed an amphibian guest, which, as Chris explains, fits with their anything goes attitude.

“I was staying in Nashville, and the doors were open. I heard this frog, so I recorded him. That’s my Nashville rasta frog on the solo.”

Rich says: “There are tree frogs all over the South. They were blaring one night and Chris said, ‘Man, I want to use that sound’.

“So he took his phone and pressed record. We found the right space for it on the song.” On the loose, laidback country-tinged Pharmacy Chronicles, recalling the vibe of the Rolling Stones’ Exile On Main St., Chris sings “let the demons find you” because, he insists, we mustn’t think everything is “sugar-coated, glossy and gorgeous”.

“Especially something as messy as a 40-year career in rock ’n’ roll,” he adds. “I can’t believe some of the s**t I was doing. Get some surgical gloves and get to it!”

But Chris is not one to dwell on the past, with all its euphoric highs and crashing lows. “I am devoid of nostalgia,” he says.

“I like to think I interact with the world as a poet. I’m always writing — it could be because I overheard a conversation at an airport check-in.

“I’m no Bruce Springsteen,” he confesses. “But I connect with the world through whatever inspires me.”

And, as he puts it, “a lot of the darkness that is the United States right now” informs A Pound Of Feathers.

It explains why final track Doomsday Doggerel with its line “a front row seat to the end of times” is in stark contrast to the closing song on Happiness Bastards.

“On that last record, Kindred Friend was a beautiful pastoral thing with harmonica, about me and Rich, the band and our audience,” says Chris.

“Doomsday Doggerel is much darker. We haven’t remembered lessons from our past and the f***ing racism means we’re operating at a very low frequency.

“I just hope that someone can play this record on a Saturday night, keep out the low frequency and get a better hum going.”

As Pharmacy Chronicles ebbs to a close, you hear a defiant chorus of “the good times never end”.

As far as Chris and Rich and the rest of The Black Crowes family are concerned, rock ’n’ roll is the perfect antidote to personal and universal turmoil.

“We’re loud, we can be sloppy but we are like an old cartoon of two people fighting on a train,” says Chris.

“The train goes round a bend, leaning all the way over a cliff, but then it comes back up. That’s us.”

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★★★★☆

THE list of the richest celebs in the world has been revealed — and it’s good news for Taylor Swift.

The US superstar’s net worth has soared since she was named a billionaire in 2023, and she is now worth twice that.

She has risen from No9 last year to No7 in ­Forbes magazine’s annual rundown, which revealed there are now 22 celebrity billionaires — up from 18 last year.

Fellow singer Beyonce, tennis ace Roger Federer, rapper Dr Dre and filmmaker James Cameron are the new additions who have crossed the $1billion threshold.

Taylor, 36, boosted her earnings massively with profits from her record-breaking Eras Tour and the value of her music catalogue, all of ­which she now owns, having bought back the rights to her first six albums last year.

She is said to have amassed $1billion from royalties and touring, while her catalogue of hits has been valued at $900million.

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The Eras 149 gigs across 21 countries from March 2023 to December 2024, made it the highest-grossing tour of all time at $2.077billion, with 10MILLION attendees.

Thanks to the money-spinning shows, she was able to buy the rights to her first six albums.

In 2019 Taylor’s former label, Big Machine, had sold the masters to talent manager Scooter Braun, prompting Taylor to vow to re-record them.

Braun sold them on to LA investment fund ­Shamrock Holdings in 2020.

But last May she announced she finally controls all her music.

Taylor said last year: “That’s how I spent that Eras Tour money. My fans are why I was able to get my music back.”

The rights to the records had been sold for more than $300million, although it is not known how much she spent to reclaim them.

But she is believed to have made an eight-figure sum in profits from the “Taylor’s Version” remakes of Fearless, Red, Speak Now, and 1989 — which all topped the charts.

She also owns $100million of real estate, including pads in New York, Beverly Hills, Rhode Island and Nashville.

The news coincides with new figures from the British Phonographic Industry, which reveal CD sales in the UK returned to growth in 2025, up 3.1 per cent, largely thanks to 226,000 copies of Taylor’s latest album The Life Of A Showgirl being sold here.

She also contributed to the 19.9 per cent year-on-year rise in vinyl purchases, thanks to 147,000 sales of the record on the format.

It meant The Life Of A Showgirl sold the most vinyl of any new album in a calendar year this century. Her 2023 collection Lover (Live From Paris), which was reissued last year, was also the fourth biggest vinyl of 2025.

Taylor has now scored six No1 singles and 14 No1 albums, ­beating Madonna’s record of 12 chart toppers for a female artist.

Taylor’s huge net worth dwarfs that of her American football star fiancé Travis Kelce, 36, whose riches total $90million.

The two are expected to marry this summer in a glittering, star-studded ceremony in the US.

Yesterday Travis hinted Taylor has started working on new music for a potential 13th studio album.     

He said: “It’s amazing to see her keep going to the table, keep finding new things to write about, keep finding new ­mel­odies and things like that.

“On top of that, still seeing her have that love and joy in what she does.

“Of course that’s motivating. That’s motivating for anybody to see, let alone in my fiancée, and knowing that I’m going through something as I try to figure out what the future holds for me.

“Something like that motivates me.”

1. Steven Spielberg

$7.1bn

THE highest-grossing director of all time, 79-year-old Spielberg earns an estimated $100million annually from gross ticket sales thanks to a 1987 deal.

2. George Lucas

$5.2bn

THE Star Wars creator, 81, kept the merchandising rights and ownership of the hit sci-fi franchise and in 2012 sold his firm LucasFilm to Disney for $2.2billion plus shares.

3. Michael Jordan

$4.3bn

BASLETBALL legend, 63, made $2billion from ­corporate deals.

In 2023 he sold majority stake in NBA team Charlotte Hornets, valued at $3bn.

4. Vincent McMahon

$3.6bn

BUSINESSMAN, 80, made sports promotion firm World Wrestling Entertainment – WWE – a global brand before a $21billion wrestling mega-merger in 2023.

5. Oprah Winfrey

$3.2bn

TALK show host made TV and films through her production firm Harpo.

Oprah, 72, has also earned millions partnering with Weight Watchers and through real estate.

6. Jay-Z

$2.8bn

Rapper, 56, made over $1billion from his alcohol brands D’Usse cognac and Armand de Brignac.

In 2008 he founded the lucrative entertainment firm Roc Nation.

7. Taylor Swift

$2bn

8. Kim Kardashian

$1.9bn

Reality star owns a third of her $5billion shapewear brand Skims.

Kim, 45, also earns through her skincare firm, endorsements, real estate, acting and TV shows.

9. Peter Jackson

$1.9bn

MOVIE director, 64, made Lord Of The Rings films and sold the tech division of his visual effects company Weta Digital for $1.63billion in 2021.

10. Magic Johnson

$1.6bn

FORMER basketball player, 66, has a majority stake in a life insurance company as well as part-ownership of four US professional sports teams.

11. Tiger Woods

$1.5bn

GOLFING legend made $1.9billion during his sporting career and through endorsements.

Woods, 50, is estimated to have earned $121million in prize money.

12. Dick Wolf

$1.5bn

THE producer behind hit US TV dramas Law & Order, Chicago and FBI, 79-year-old Wolf signed a five-year, $1billion deal with NBCUniversal in 2020.

13. Tyler Perry

$1.4bn

THE actor and filmmaker has 100 per cent ownership of his 22 films and over 1,200 TV episodes.

Perry, 56, now owns the largest film production studio in the US.

14. LeBron James

$1.4bn

SPORTS contracts have earned $500million for the 41-year-old basketball player – and he has a lifetime $1billion endorsement deal with Nike.

15. Bruce Springsteen

$1.2bn

ROCKER, 76, has toured for five decades, released 21 studio albums and received $500million when he sold his entire music catalogue to Sony in 2021.

16. Arnold Schwarzenegger

$1.2bn

HAVING earned $500million from films, the 78-year-old actor has also made savvy investments, including in an investment firm which manages $1 trillion in assets.

17. Jerry Seinfeld

$1.1bn

THE comedian has earned almost $500million from syndicating his self-titled sitcom.

Seinfeld, 71, still does stand-up and has a Porsche collection valued at $100million.

18. Roger Federer

$1.1bn

Retired tennis player, 44, won 20 Grand Slams but also had lucrative deals with Rolex and Mercedes.

He also has a stake in athletic

19. James Cameron

$1.1bn

FILMMAKER behind three of the four highest-grossing films of all time.

Cameron, 71, directed Titanic, Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water, which made over $7.5bn.

20. Rihanna

$1bn

THE Umbrella singer, 38, has a $200million music catalogue but made her main fortune through cosmetics firm Fenty Beauty and lingerie brand Savage X Fenty.

21. Beyonce

$1bn

AS well as grossing more than $1billion in back-to-back tours, the singer, 44, has a $300million music catalogue and a haircare line, Cecred, valued at $100million.

22. Dr Dre

$1bn

RAPPER, 61, co-founded Beats Electronics and Beats Music, and launched the careers of Kendrick Lamar and Eminem through his label Death Row Records.

WE are just days away from St Patrick’s Day and the UK is full of events to celebrate.

Even though St Patrick’s Day falls on a Tuesday (March 17), this weekend there are a number of events you can head to soak up the celebration.

Some cities are hosting parades and others have more family-orientated events – so here are some of the best.

Belfast St Patrick’s Day Celebrations

Of course, it wouldn’t be this list without the capital of Northern Ireland.

St Patrick’s Day celebrations are spread across several days in Belfast, with a Music Festival from March 13 to 17, Celebrations at St George’s Market on March 14 and 15 and a parade on March 17.

When it comes to the parade on Tuesday, the streets will come alive with performers, music, dance troupes and community groups.

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Also on Tuesday, visitors will be able to enjoy the St Patrick’s Day Festival Village between 1pm and 4pm at Belfast Cathedral Car Park.

The village is free to enter and will boast music, dancing, food and family activities.

London St Patrick’s Day Parade

This Sunday, March 15, London will host one of the largest St Patrick’s Day parades in the country.

Starting at 12pm and running until 6pm, the parade will follow a 1.5 mile route and feature carnival performers, musicians, dancers and marching bands.

There will also be lots of celebrations in Trafalgar Square that are free for the public to enjoy.

For kids there will be arts and crafts sessions and if you get hungry there will be plenty of food stalls around.

Manchester Irish Festival

Manchester Irish Festival will take place across several days with Irish art, comedy, dancing, music, sport and theatre performances.

The parade will take place on Sunday, March 15, starting at 12pm.

It will follow a route into the city centre.

From March 12, there will be the Irish Festival Village at St Ann’s Square, with live music every day, Irish-themed pizza and pints, of course.

Leeds St. Patrick’s Day

Leeds‘ annual St Patrick’s Day celebration will be on March 15.

The day will be full of entertainment but there isn’t a parade this year.

In a statement on social media, the team said: “The Leeds St Patrick’s Day Parade committee would like to inform you of an important change to this year’s festival day.

“Due to matters out of our control, we have had to make the decision not to have floats and walkers travel the parade this year.

“This is a decision which was not made lightly and we hope to have this aspect back next year – bigger and better than ever.

“However, we will still be celebrating St Patrick’s Day in Millennium Square.

“There will be lots of entertainment and displays in the square for all to enjoy.

“It is still set to be a brilliant day – so don’t miss out.”

Birmingham St. Patrick’s Fun Day

On March 15, there will be a St Patrick’s Family Fun Day in Birmingham.

The event will take place at the Irish Centre, starting at 12pm.

There will be entertainment, activities, food, live bands and music.

For children, there will be a lot of fun to get stuck into including a funfair and face painting.

Meanwhile, parents can peruse stalls and have a go at the tombola.

If you want to grab a bite to eat, there will be Irish sausage baps as well as Fitzgerald’s Irish Store, which sells a range of Irish products.

Tickets to the event cost £10 per person, but children under the age of 10 go free.

Cheltenham Festival St Patrick’s Thursday

If you happen to be at Cheltenham Festival on March 12, you will get to see St Patrick’s Thursday.

As the battle for the Prestbury Cup continues, attendees can also make the most of live music across six areas.

For example, The Tumbling Paddies will perform live in The Guinness Village.

Glasgow St Patrick’s Festival Family Fun Day

In Scotland, you can head to Glasgow‘s St Patrick’s Festival on March 14.

Running from midday to 5pm, the festival on Merchant Square will include live Irish music, face painting, a balloon artist and stalls with deals on holidays in Ireland.

There will also be a number of bars and restaurants involved in the event.

Can’t make March 14? On March 17 – actual St Patrick’s Day – head to the Grosvenor Cafe in Glasgow’s West End for live music, dancers, spice bags, pints and even a special appearance from Jedward.

For more upcoming events, here’s what’s on in the UK this month.

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SHARON Osbourne has revealed that Ozzy’s iconic Ozzfest gigs will continue following his tragic passing.

The festival featured an array of artists and was created by Ozzy and Sharon as a music festival tour specialising in rock and metal music.

It was an annual event which ran between 1996 and 2018 and was well known for featuring performances from Ozzy and his band, Black Sabbath.

Now, less than a year on from his sad passing, Sharon has revealed there are plans to revive the music festival tour in his legacy – beginning with a new run of shows in 2027.

Having held discussions with entertainment giant and touring company Live Nation, Sharon confirmed on her son Jack Osbourne‘s podcast that deals had been struck for brand new shows.

She said: “2027, it’s coming back – Aston Villa.

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“We wanna do two days in Aston Villa and then come to America.

“We wanna hear from everyone about where we should go in America.”

She went on to add: “We gotta find a lot of young new talent because that is what your dad would want.”

Jack agreed, adding: “That is what Ozzfest was all about.

“That second stage is where so many guys came out of.”

Sharon appeared to be referring to Villa Park – the stadium of Ozzy’s beloved team Aston Villa in his native Birmingham.

He held his farewell concert there last summer – just weeks before he tragically passed away.

The news will be a welcome surprise for Ozzfest attendees and fans of metal and rock music.

Sharon and Ozzy recently honoured Ozzy at the Brit Awards where he won the Outstanding Contribution to Music award.

IT MIGHT be super early to start thinking about Christmas but it is that time of year again where LaplandUK tickets drop soon.

LaplandUK has announced that tickets to its sought-after festive experience will be released later this month on March 27 at 10am.

The high-demand tickets usually sell out within a few hours after launch and this year is expected to be the same with the newer £30million Manchester LaplandUK experience running for its second time.

Similar to the rush for Glastonbury but for Christmas, LaplandUK is predicting that over one million people want to get tickets.

Last year, 350,000 tickets were available and before the tickets were released, over 750,000 people were waiting in the virtual queue online.

This year, LaplandUK will run from November 7 to December 24, with tickets costing between £60 and £195.

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On March 27, guests will be able to enter the virtual waiting room at 9am, via LaplandUK’s ticketing platform.

Each guest will then need to select their preferred venue – Ascot or Manchester.

At 10am, when tickets are released, each guest will be allocated a random place in the queue for the venue they have selected.

Once they reach position one in the queue, they will be able to select the number of tickets they want and the date they wish to visit.

Kerrie Thomas, 47, from South Wales said: “This year will be our 25th visit.

“The adrenaline of getting tickets to LaplandUK is literally like trying to get tickets to Glastonbury or Adele.

“We have everything ready before the sale opens, and get friends and family involved too.

“It really is worth it to see my daughter’s face when she steps into LaplandUK, it is just so magical.

“It has become an unmissable Christmas tradition in our household.”

Once guests purchase their tickets, they will be sent a personalised invitation.

Then, when it comes to the day of visiting, families will get to explore a snow-filled world with Elves, a frozen pond for skating and a Toy Factory.

Around the experience there will also be smells of the Lapland Bakery and the glistening of twinkling lights.

When guests arrive they will venture through “secret portals in the Whispering Woods of the UK and follow magical pathways to arrive in Lapland”.

The experience also includes performances and interactive activities such as helping out the Elves in the Toy Factory to make a toy to pop in Father Christmas’ Sleigh.

And of course, each child gets a special moment with Santa himself, who will give them a gift to take home and another surprise for Christmas Day – the specific toy they created in the Lapland Toy Factory.

To find out what it is like to visit LaplandUK, one Sun reporter visited the new experience in Manchester last year.

Plus, a mum has shared her top Lapland UK tips, including how to save money and the best areas to go to.

HILARY Duff broke down in tears as she laid bare the heartbreaking feud with her sister.

The So Yesterday hitmaker – who is in the midst of a huge pop revival with new album Luck … Or Something – admitted the pair “don’t speak”.

Hilary, 38, first referenced bad blood with her actress and singer sibling Haylie, 41, in her album track We Don’t Talk.

The track also tellingly samples Gotye song Somebody That I Used To Know.

In a new podcast chat with Jay Shetty, she explained the delicate situation and how the ongoing drama is a “raw part of my existence”.

Hilary, who previously starred with her big sister on the pair’s infamous Lizzie McGuire TV show, fought back tears as she told the On Purpose podcast: “My sister and I don’t speak.

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“And I think in my adulthood I’ve come across more and more people that are having this experience”.

She branded the situation as “a very raw part of my existence’ before she added: “I hope it’s not forever, but it’s for right now”.

Hilary said: “As painful as it feels to share, when I decided to make this record, I could only talk about the things that I’ve gone through.

“Like there would be no purpose to make a record after 10 years than to face, you know, what it’s been like.

“That’s my truth.

“And I really worked hard to lyrically make sure that I’m just speaking about my experience, you know?”

The sisters haven’t been seen together in public since 2019.

During her recent tour Hilary, who is currently relaunching her music career with a slew of stage shows, appeared to lift the lid on the fall out with her sister, and even blamed “jealousy”.

During her recent concert in London, Hilary introduced fans to the new song, We Don’t Talk.

In a clip of her performing the song on stage, she sung: “Don’t know when it happened / Not even sure what it was about,” alluding to their broken down relationship.

She continued: “Cause we come from the same home, same blood.

“People ask me how you’re doing / I wanna say amazing, but the truth is that I don’t know / What I always end up saying is how … ”

For the chorus, Hilary sung: “We don’t talk, we don’t talk about it / We don’t talk about anything anymore.”

It is in the second verse that Hilary alluded to sibling rivalry.

“And if it’s ’cause you’re jealous / God knows I would sell it all, then break you off the bigger half,” she sung.

A fan then took to social media to put: “WOWW… Hilary Duff just sung We don’t talk and it’s 100% about Haylie. But not mean at all. Basically telling her to reach out.”

Another agreed and put: “I think Hilary misses her sister!”

In another interview, she confirmed the spat was the source material for her track.

“Yeah, it is. It’s definitely about my sister,” Hilary admitted.

After years of silence, back in November Hilary seemingly addressed the feud between her and her sister while chatting about “family drama”.

Speaking to Rolling Stone about her musical comeback, the star said she feels “ready to fill in the blanks and share with people and connect with them on the level of now”.

She then told the outlet how she and her fans have gone through twists and turns and “have gone through a lot of the same things”.

“Whether that’s complicated relationships, anxiety, raising kids, divorces, trying to find yourself in adulthood, family drama…

“Finally I felt safe enough and comfortable in my own family to step outside and open that part of myself up again,” she explained.

Chatter previously swirled that the pair, who were once very close, weren’t getting along because of differing political views.

However, social media gossip page DeuxMoi claimed that the sisters fought over Hilary’s husband, Matthew Koma, butting heads with Haylie’s husband, Matthew Rosenberg.

WARMER weather is on the horizon, so why wait until summer to visit your favourite holiday hot spots?

Spain is still top of Brits’ holiday lists and the coming months are a great time to visit this beautiful country, with mild temperatures just right for exploring when it’s not too crowded.

Sophie Swietochowski shares her pick of springtime destinations in Spain and its islands with tips from experts who know the area.

THIS northern port city may not attract as many fly-and-flop holidaymakers as the southern costas, but its coastlines are no less beautiful.

Temperatures can reach the low 20Cs during spring in Bilbao, so Sara Di Lenardo, Destination Manager at British Airways Holidays, recommends hitting the shores.

She says: “There are several wild beaches in the Basque Country. The rocky shores are dramatic and incredibly photogenic.

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“Walk along stunning coastal paths with the Pyrenees as the backdrop — they might possibly still have snowy peaks in spring.”

The month of May is a great time to visit for music fans, thanks to several big concerts and events.

Sara advises to keep your eyes peeled for the Trikitixa, a traditional basque instrument that’s a bit like an accordion.

STAY: Two nights’ room-only at the 5H Melia Bilbao is from £349pp including flights from Gatwick on selected dates in May. Price includes 10 per cent discount. Book by March 31.

See britishairways.com/content/holidays/spain/bilbao.

THE White Isle only starts awakening for its big party season in spring, after a slow winter hibernation — and for travel expert David Mason, this is one of the best times to visit the party isle.

He reveals: “You have all the optimism of a new season commencing, cheap accommodation and flights, plus lots of local food festivals.”

Throughout this month, up until early April, you’ll be able to experience the Pintxa Run food festival in San Antonio, close to the ocean, David says.

Every Thursday throughout the month, dozens of small bars and restaurants dish up tapas and a drink for just three euros with everything from steakhouses to pizzerias participating.

David adds: “The festival includes a free novelty train that takes you from stop to stop — perfect if you’ve had a few too many cervezas on the route.”

STAY: Seven nights’ all-inclusive at the 4H Invisa Figueral Resort Hotel Cala Blanca is from £562pp including flights from Manchester on April 7.

See easyjet.com/en/holidays.

IF you’re a foodie, San Sebastian won’t disappoint.

Sara di Lenardo says this is the top place to sample pintxos in the traditional way (small bites served on a mini slice of bread).

Wash it down with a local beverage for a truly authentic experience.

Sara adds: “Spring is cider season. Try the local drink txakoli — it can be found in most bars in town, but if you have time, make sure to visit Getaria where it’s produced.”

For those seeking seaside relaxation, Sara recommends La Concha, a horseshoe-shaped beach right in the city, offering gorgeous views of the blue Med.

STAY: Seven nights’ B&B at the 4H Bancal Hotel & Spa is from £599pp including flights from Gatwick on selected dates in May. Book by March 31.

See britishairways.com/tenerife.

THIS vibrant student city, which sits a little south of Alicante, is fascinating for history lovers, with its 14th-century cathedral taking pride of place in the city centre.

Tom Wilkinson, product manager at Explore Worldwide, says: “This lesser-known southern gem enjoys 320 days of sunshine each year, with mild winters and a semi-arid climate.”

The sights are best explored on two wheels, says Tom — on a cycle tour you’ll pass through white-washed villages and historic Moorish towns, pausing to watch the sun set.

Fruit and veg are at the forefront of cuisine here and you can expect rich stews as well as freshly baked cakes.

Try Keki, not far from the cathedral, which serves up a Murcian cheesecake to die for.

STAY: A seven-day Cycle Southern Spain tour costs from £970pp including six breakfasts, all accommodation, cycle gear and flights from selected airports on May 10.

See explore.co.uk.

HOLIDAYMAKERS jetting off to Menorca in spring can expect rugged landscapes backed by chalky white cliffs and sandy bays overlooking vibrant blue seas.

“The beaches are some of the most beautiful in the world, offering Caribbean-style scenes without the time difference,” says Kate Bigger, destination manager at British Airways Holidays.

She suggests strolling the impressive Cami de Cavalls, adding: “This is a walk that goes through the length of the island, with spring being the perfect time to do this.”

Vineyards are scattered across the island and many of them invite visitors to meander among the vines, sampling wines as part of a tasting lunch or dinner.

STAY: Seven nights’ B&B at the 5H Melia Cala Galdana is from £1,099pp (includes €28pp tourism tax, payable locally) including flights from Gatwick on selected dates in May. Book by March 31.

See britishairways.com/menorca.

MUMS have their mothers’ meet-ups and Facebook community groups, but did you know the dads have their very own festival?

Every year, DadFest – the only festival in the country for just fathers and their kids – takes place in Yorkshire.

During the festival at South Cliff Holiday Park, you can create your own campfire with your little ones or stargaze together.

For active families, there’s the opportunity to have a go at archery, bouncing on trampolines, crazy golf and high ropes.

Dads who want to take a seat and watch their kids play can head to the disco or a Forest School.

And if you love exploring the wilderness, there are even bat walks to head off on.

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Of course, you can expect arts and crafts sessions too and children’s entertainment.

For a laugh, make sure to catch the Regional Dad Dancing Championships at the festival, which will pick one dad as Yorkshire Dad Dancing Champion.

It’s not just dads though – other male figures including step-fathers, uncles and grandparents are welcome.

All of the activities are included in a festival ticket, as well as access to The Edge Aerial Adventure (high-ropes course), camping and parking.

There is food for purchase on site too but you can bring your own camp stove and prepare your own food.

Guests can use the holiday park’s facilities whilst staying, which include the Conservatory Restaurant and two bars.

There is also a fish and chip shop if you prefer a salty takeaway and a small shop.

The holiday park also boasts an outdoor playground, with nest swings, zip lines, climbing walls and a giant tower with slides.

And whilst you stay at the park and enjoy the festival, make the most of the coastal location as well.

The holiday park sits right by Bridlington South Beach, which is a huge stretch of golden sand, is dog-friendly, ideal for watersports and has fascinating low clay cliffs.

The festival was created by The Dads’ Network CIC which is for dads, father figures, male carers and their children and last year, it won the award for the ‘Best Small Event in the UK’ by the National Outdoor Events Association.

Councillor Nick Coultish, cabinet member for culture, leisure and tourism at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “This unique festival gives dads and children the chance to connect with nature while enjoying fun activities that help develop new skills and strengthen family bonds.

“I had the privilege of taking part in the last DadFest and was hugely impressed by how well organised it was and by the wide variety of activities on offer.

“My daughter and I had a fantastic time, and I’m delighted to see the event return.”

DadFest organiser and founder of The Dads’ Network, Ian Blackwell, said: “DadFest started in Devon in 2014 and we ran our first DadFest in Bridlington in 2025.

“We are really pleased to be bringing our small, award-winning festival to East Yorkshire in partnership with East Riding Council and Rewilding Youth.

“The festival will also be bringing the renowned ‘Yorkshire Dad Dancing Championship’ – a hotly contested dance off by grooving dads, much to the sheer embarrassment of their kids.

“The winning dad in Yorkshire will take home the bragging rights as the Yorkshire Champ and will get free tickets to The World Dad Dancing Championships in Devon in September, along with a fetching trophy for the mantlepiece.”

DadFest will take place from 3pm on May 15 to May 17.

Tickets cost £112 per dad and one child, £122.50 per dad and two children or £132.50 per dad and three children.

For more family days out, here are the best UK family days out from £10 to completely free this Easter holidays.

Plus, the UK’s best campsite your kids will love – you get free theme park access and it’s just £25 to stay.

LITTLE Mix star Jade Thirlwall looked incredible as she ditched her bra in a daring see-through jumpsuit while performing on tour.

The singer stunned fans with the bold outfit, confidently taking to the stage in the eye-catching look as she wowed the crowd.

Jade performed in Cologne in the show-stopping jumpsuit, taking to the stage in front of a roaring crowd.

The singer commanded attention as she delivered an energetic set, with fans cheering as she strutted across the stage in the daring outfit.

Her outfit featured sheer lace detailing in a very on-trend chocolate brown shade, adding a sultry edge to the stage look.

The intricate design hugged her figure while the see-through panels gave the performance outfit a bold, fashion-forward finish.

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Her make-up was just as daring, with bright pink and purple eyeshadow paired with a bold burgundy lip.

The striking glam look added even more drama to her performance, perfectly complementing the statement outfit.

Jade shared her ensemble and snippets from her show on Instagram with the caption: “The girls dolls and party boys rising above the dirty noise with me in Cologne last night.”

The performance comes as Jade continues to focus on her blossoming solo career.

She launched her solo career in 2024, releasing her debut single “Angel of My Dreams,” followed by her 2025 album “That’s Showbiz Baby.”

Her first solo tracks quickly climbed the charts and earned heavy radio play.

After rising to fame with Little Mix, Jade has been carving out her own path in music, releasing new material and performing to packed crowds across Europe.

Fans have praised her bold new era, with many saying the singer has fully stepped into her own spotlight since launching her solo career.

But fans are still hopeful for a Little Mix reunion.

Jesy Nelson revealed she has reconnected with her former bandmates and are on speaking terms again.

Jesy shared in her documentary, Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix, that Jade, Perrie and Leigh-Anne reached out when she fell pregnant with twins.

She was candid about how they were now adults and had left any drama behind them.

Could a Little Mix reunion be on the cards?

HARRY STYLES has reason for plenty more disco dancing after scoring the biggest opening week of sales for a UK artist since Adele four years ago.

He released his album Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally on Friday and I can reveal he sold 125,000 copies in the UK in the first two days alone.

The massive figure means he has already eclipsed the first week sales of his last album Harry’s House, which sold 113k copies in seven days in 2022.

It’s likely to be the third fastest selling British album of the last decade and the biggest since Adele’s 30 which shifted 261k in its first week in 2021.

Over on the singles chart, he looks set to occupy all three top spots with American Girls currently in the lead at No1, followed by former chart topper Aperture at No2 and Ready, Steady, Go! at No3.

And the figures globally are massive too, as Harry scored the biggest album debut of 2026 on Spotify worldwide with 63million streams on Friday.

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The killer news comes after former One Direction star Harry smashed his One Night Only performance in Manchester’s Co-op Live on Friday night.

Fans who didn’t manage to get their hands on the £20 tickets, which were sold in a ballot, can now watch the show back on Netflix after it premiered on there last night.

Following the gig, Harry flew to the US to be in the audience for Saturday Night Live, where he will perform and host the show this weekend.

Chatting with Ryan Gosling, who was in the hot seat, Harry, who previously hosted and sang during an episode in 2019, said: “It’s been awhile, so I wanted to watch, get a feel for it.”

Insiders said the stripped back set, which saw Harry performing his new album from start to finish, will be ramped up for his upcoming 12 Wembley Stadium shows.

A source said: “Harry is celebrating this new era with an incredible stage set up.

“His team are building an epic set for the Wembley residency. Because he’s not moving around, they can really go to town.

“There will be enormous big screens and likely fireworks at the end of the shows.

“Harry gave his fans a taste of what is to come from the shows during the Brit Awards when he did an amazing choreographed routine as he sang Aperture.

“These shows are going down in history.”

I was lucky enough to be in Manchester’s Co-op Live to see Harry in action on Friday night and can confirm this album sounds incredible live.

His decision to lock away camera phones was masterful, as I could see the 20,000-odd fans properly connecting with his music – rather than watching him through an iPhone screen.

I think Harry should keep the ban in place when it comes to his Wembley shows, which kick off on June 12.

Enjoying music in the moment is the best feeling in the world — and Harry has reminded everyone, myself included, of that.

LIZZO is back and she’s riding higher than ever.

The About Damn Time singer headlined the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s Black Heritage Night six years after her performance there was cancelled because of Covid.

And she made up for lost time and entered the ring to the sounds of the Texas Southern University Ocean of Soul marching band playing Chamillionaire’s 2005 hit Ridin.

During her set, Lizzo whisked punters through her hits including Truth Hurts and Good As Hell and gave fans a thrill as she pulled out her flute to play the melody of Houston native, American rapper Mike Jones’s song Still Tippin’.

Speaking after her set, Lizzo said: “You have no idea how much this night means to me.

“This night will forever change my life.”

I’m a massive fan of Lizzo’s and last saw her on stage at Glastonbury back in 2023.

Please can she come back soon?

LOLA AND JAMES ON TRACK

LOLA YOUNG is showing no signs of slowing down.

Just last week she performed a near sell-out show at the London Palladium and now I can reveal she’s back in the studio.

Insiders tell me Lola has been getting to work with James Blake with the pair recording after a chance meeting last year.

A source said: “James and Lola have been in the studio working on a few songs and hopefully at least one of the tracks will end up on her next album.”

After being forced to cancel her tour last year to focus on her health, Lola has also announced she will play Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and London in June.

It’s great to see her back.

Rita’s got our hearts racing

RITA ORA isn’t a woman who does things by halves.

And when she performed at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne over the weekend she dressed up like a chequered flag.

Rita teamed her black and white jacket with a pair of tiny black pants and stockings for her performance, which saw her singing some of her biggest hits – including her 2012 breakout song Hot Right Now.

Over the weekend, Basement Jaxx also performed a headline set at the race – which was won by British racing driver George Russell – with DJ Duke Dumont putting on the final show last night with an epic turn on the decks.

BOY GEORGE is to appear on Eurovision – but will be representing San Marino instead of the United Kingdom.

The Culture Club legend will feature on the tune Superstar, performed by Italian singer Senhit, who has qualified for the tiny nation.

He didn’t appear at the regional selection event on Friday night, in which Senhit won her place, but I’m told he does intend to be on stage in Vienna at the contest in May.

She previously represented San Marino in 2021 with the track Adrenalina, which had another famous feature, as American rapper Flo Rida joined her on stage.

Despite the special guest that year she finished 22 out of 26, so Boy George will be hoping to improve on that.

But given the UK came 19th last that year, perhaps George has the right idea singing for somebody else.

LADY GAGA has hinted she will marry fiancé Michael Polansky any day now.

Gaga, whose tour ends in the US on April 13, sent a note into pal Bruno Mars’s iHeartRadio livestream.

She said: “Me and my fiancé have been travelling all year, but we’re getting married soon. We were hoping you could choose a special song for us.”

TRAITOR ALAN SAYS TOO MUCH

ALAN CARR has called his upcoming comedy tour, Have I Said Too Much, and I can confirm he has.

But it’s bloody hilarious. During a small gig at the Soho Theatre in London on Saturday night, he took pops at his Celebrity Traitors co-stars – and had the crowd in stitches.

Alan said: “Wasn’t I good in The Traitors? Was I good or were the other celebrities just s**t?

“They were thick as mince and as stupid. When I laughed in their face and said: ‘I’m a faithful,’ I went home and packed.

“What more could I have done? I could have come down in that cloak with the severed head of CLAUDIA WINKLEMAN and they still would have gone: ‘I think it’s JOE MARLER.’”

Alan added: “Do you think I killed Paloma Faith first? No – I killed Clare Balding. We shoved her in the coffin but could not get the lid down because of that quiff.”

DR CALL FOR MUSO PETE

HE went from playing foul-mouthed Malcolm Tucker in The Thick Of It to becoming Doctor Who, and then trying his hand at music.

And after his second album, Sweet Illusions, was released last year, I’m told Peter Capaldi is already lining up his third record.

Peter worked with Blow Monkeys frontman Dr. Robert for album two and now they’re teaming up again, following the end of Peter’s debut run of headline shows.

A source said: “Peter finished his final show at the 100 Club in London last night, and the plan is to get back into a studio and lay down some new tracks.

“He has been blown away by the response to his first ever live shows with his band, and he already has a host of tracks for a new record.

“More than anything he finds making music fun.

“Peter doesn’t need to get to the top of the charts for this all to be a success for him.

“He would never have even recorded one track if it wasn’t for his friend Dr. Robert urging him to remember his student days as a punk and write some new songs.

“He trusts Dr. Robert and can’t wait to get to work with him again.”

Peter’s first foray into music was when he was at art college and he was the lead singer and guitarist in a punk rock band called the Dreamboys.

His biggest music moment so far came last year when Franz Ferdinand frontman Alex Kapranos pulled Peter up on stage at Glastonbury to perform Take Me Out with them.

CAUGHT LIVE

Harry Styles @ Co-op Live, Manchester

★★★★☆

HARRY STYLES fought back tears during his One Night Only in Manchester gig – as he broke off to make an emotional statement about our troubled world.

He shared his feelings with fans, from the stage, in between belting out songs from his brand-new album — Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.

As war in Iran rages, to add to other troubles, Harry said: “In a world like we have today that feels so chaotic it’s easy to feel so hopeless.

“But seeing this room, where there is so much hope, I encourage you to keep being the change in the world that you want to see.

“There are so many dangerous things that feel so powerful but love and kindness are powerful — go out and spread it.

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“The world could use a little extra peace right now.”

I was among the 20,000 fans who were lucky enough to get £20 ballot tickets to Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena for Harry’s first concert in three years.

The former One Direction star said: “It’s a privilege to be able to perform and connect through music.

“The only reason I get to put an album out is because of all of you. I hope that one day my album might mean something to you and get you through something hard, too.”

The stripped-back set for Harry’s show, on a circular stage amid the sea of revellers, gave a nightclub vibe.

The relaxed feel was then added to by Harry’s dressed-down style on the night, in contrast to his usual flamboyant outfits including the pinstripe suit he wore for his Brits show last weekend.

His rider for the night was also anything but fancy as fitness enthusiast and marathon runner Harry requested, er, yoghurt, nuts, coffee and water.

The gig then began with Harry on keyboard before he was joined by his live band and later the House Gospel Choir — who performed with him at the Brits.

There were nods to LCD Soundsystem, Genesis and Seventies disco in the music, as standout tracks included American Girls and Ready, Steady, Go!

Harry revealed that among the audience were his family — and friends including James Coden and Apple Music’s Zane Lowe.

The gig, streaming on Netflix from tonight at 7pm, is a warm-up for his Together, Together tour later this year — when fans will be in for a treat.

Meanwhile, in Paris…

HARRY teased fans by revealing the “very special person” behind his track Clara’s Song was in the audience.

Fans have speculated that person is really his girlfriend Zoe Kravitz.

But, er, she has been busy in Paris.

Oh, we do love a riddle.

FOOTIE WILL GET ANGRY

ANGRY GINGE has revealed he is on the football pitch every weekend – as he practises for Soccer Aid.

The I’m A Celebrity winner – real name Morgan Burtwistle – will play in the charity football match at the London Stadium in May alongside England legend Wayne Rooney.

YouTuber Ginge told me at the Brit Awards last weekend: “When I have not got anything on in terms of work, I always play on Saturdays.”

Meanwhile, he revealed that he is a big fan of his Soccer Aid teammate Tom Hiddleston’s ex-love Taylor Swift.

Bit awks, that.

BURGLARS BEST NOT TRY TO JAMA A LOCK

LOVE ISLAND host Maya Jama and her Manchester City star boyfriend Ruben Dias have beefed up security at their home, after it was burgled, by paying for live-in security.

The guards will be camped out in the garden of the couple’s £4million property in leafy Alderley Edge, Cheshire, round the clock so they can keep watch on all comings and goings at whatever time of day or night.

They will even get their own mobile toilet, so they are never off duty.

Maya, and Portuguese Ruben, were left devastated in January when raiders targeted their house just weeks after they moved into it.

The raid took place while Maya was in South Africa filming Love Island and Ruben was in Turkey watching his teammates defeat Galatasaray in the Champions League, while he nursed an injury.

Cops investigating the break-in at the couple’s superpad confirmed a number of high-value items had been taken, but they are yet to make any arrests.

Now there will be no expense spared by Maya and Ruben after they called in the 24/7 watchmen.

A source said: “They were both really shocked when the burglary took place because the house already had state-of-the-art security systems.

“But they are not the first celebrities to be targeted by so-called ‘away-day’ robbers, while not at home, and they are unlikely to be the last.

“The couple asked a security firm to come in and assess the property and the suggestion was that having live-in, round- the-clock guards would act as a great deterrent. Lots of footballers have private fitness coaches, chefs and drivers – and now are adding security guards to the list.”

But following the burglary we revealed how Premier League players fear their security arrangements are being leaked by insiders who are trusted members of their inner circle.

The source added: “It’s driving some of the players mad.

“Some think they are just being targeted by criminals but others believe they are being betrayed by someone they have let into their circle of trust.”

As Cheshire Police continue to investigate the hit on Maya and Ruben’s house on January 28, a spokesperson urged anyone with information to contact them.

The Sun has previously told how valuables burgled from footballer homes often make their way to the Dublin-based Gucci gang, which has links to the infamous Kinahan drugs cartel.

Footballers whose properties have been targeted in recent times include Everton playmaker Jack Grealish and former Arsenal ace Raheem Sterling, now at Dutch side Feyenoord.

Reality TV stars Olivia Attwood and Molly Mae Hague have also had their homes broken into.

FANS’ JIG PROBLEM WITH BRITS’ A.I. USE

THE Brits has been slammed for using AI for a sketch at the ceremony last weekend.

Organisers recreated a TikTok dancefloor meme for a fun part of the event in Manchester – but they used AI performers instead of real talent.

In the sketch, Jack Whitehall was seen dancing at a Harry Styles tribute night, surrounded by computer-generated partygoers in a copy of a viral scene from Jon Hamm’s hit Apple+ show Your Friends & Neighbors.

But many fans were quick to ask why Brit awards bosses did not hire actual dancers. One said: “Seriously Brits. Why are we using AI for such a simple task for an event with your budget?!”

Another added: “The Brit School is literally in Croydon and more than capable of filming this there using students as extras.”

A source added: “The scene was based on the Jon Hamm viral meme. It is a shame the organisers didn’t use real people for this scene. The rest of the sketch featured real actors.”

This comes after last year’s ceremony saw artists including Lola Young and Myles Smith back the Make It Fair campaign to protect musicians from having their work exploited by AI.

RITA’S A BELTER

RITA ORA looked buckled up for the action at the Australian Grand Prix in this ridiculously big belt.

It almost distracted from her very low-cut black dress as she stepped out at the Formula 1 showcase in Melbourne alongside her filmmaker husband Taila Waititi.

But maybe not quite.

A NEW 1,000-plus capacity rooftop destination will open in London this year.

Freight Brixton in South London will open on May 7 as an open-air food, drink and music venue.

And it is set to become the capital’s largest rooftop venue.

There will be chef residencies, cocktail bars, live music, DJ sets, food festivals and major sports screenings, amongst other events.

With the upcoming World Cup, the rooftop will boast a dedicated World Cup Fanzone with screenings of the matches.

Food festivals include Taco Fest and Bite Twice presents Dine Hard.

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And brunch lovers won’t miss out either as there will be Reggae Brunch and Maggi Brunch.

There will be family-friendly daytime sessions in the summer too.

When it comes to grabbing a tipple at the venue, guests will be able to choose from a number of speciality bars.

One bar will be the Casamigos ‘House of Friends’ and another will be Hotel Milano, centred on the much-loved Italian aperitivo concept.

Hotel Milano will also form part of the new Brixton Cocktail Club.

Each Thursday, the venue will host South of the South as well, which is a collaboration with Cross The Tracks Festival and includes jazz, funk and soul music.

The line-up for the opening of the venue will include reggae musician Davis Rodigan on May 9.

Laurence Guy will then perform house music on May 16 and on May 30, Ghosts of Garage will take over the rooftop.

In total, 50 jobs will be created as well and the venue aims to also host grassroots events, youth programmes and charity fundraisers.

Dan Morris, Managing Director of Freight Island, said: “Freight Brixton is an incredible rooftop in the heart of South London and will be a place for locals and the city beyond to come together and enjoy themselves with the best food, drink and music.

“I cannot wait for us to get this open – we have seen what creating these kinds of spaces can do for a community in Manchester, and we are all very excited to build something just as special in Brixton.”

Freight Island already has a destination in Manchester, located near Piccadilly Station.

And another new destination was recently announced for Leeds, inside the Trinity Leeds shopping centre.

In addition to street-style food stalls and independent bars, there will also be an outdoor terrace which will look over City Square.

If you are looking for more rooftop venues to explore in the capital, here’s London’s best rooftop bars including one that feels more like Mykonos.

Plus, Europe’s highest rooftop bar is in the UK and it is like ‘stepping into another world’.

IT was in this very column that Delta Goodrem first revealed it was her dream to represent Australia at Eurovision.

Now, nine months later, she has been officially unveiled as the contest’s Aussie entry, with the Lost Without You singer firmly crediting Bizarre with making it happen.

Speaking to our Jack, Delta said: “This is, literally verbatim, all your fault. It is all on you — you and Bizarre started this.

“Your article went back to the Aussies who were like, ‘Do you want to do this?’ So thank you. I have a big job to do.”

Delta will head to Vienna this May to compete with her song Eclipse and it ticks every box, with an infectiously camp chorus and a complex piano bridge.

A beaming Delta explained: “From your article, people started reaching out.

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“Then one of the songwriters, Jonas Myrin, who I wrote the song with, took a screengrab of the article and sent it to me saying, ‘Delta, if you ever go to Eurovision, I want to write the song with you’.

“He’s in Sweden. Sure enough he flew to Australia when I said I was doing it. Even the first question I got asked when doing my first Australian interview was, ‘We heard it all started from an article from the UK,’ and yes, it did.”

It’s been three years since Australia last qualified for the live final, which adds to the pressure on Delta, who has sold eight million records worldwide.

“Of course I am nervous, but it’s so joyous and I am so excited to be a part of it,” she said.

“I can’t control what will happen. All I know is that I am honoured to represent Aus.

“I will fly the flag and give my heart and soul.

“Two of my greatest idols, who are part of the reason I am in music, Olivia Newton-John and Celine Dion, did Eurovision.

“I am grateful to be able to step into that.

“What an honour it is to be able to perform anywhere, let alone on the biggest stage in the world. I am excited.”

We Brits can’t vote for our own act, Look Mum No Computer (aka Sam Battle), whose entry Eins Zwei Drei is out on Friday, so Delta is hoping the British jury will give her our 12 points.

Explaining how it all fell into place, she said: “I had always said, ‘Oh, you know, when the time is right’. I always have an open heart to new things and being a coach on The Voice I celebrate all types of music. Then it all came into focus.”

It’s not the first time a country has sent a major household name to Eurovision, with Bonnie Tyler, Engelbert Humperdinck and Blue all taking part in the past.

Speaking about what people should expect when she competes at the second semi-final on May 14, Delta explained: “The staging is important, but you will have to wait and see.

“There is a high bar out there but I am enjoying the creativity of it. I love the out-of-the-box moments, but I also love past winners Loreen, Alexander Rybak and Mans Zelmerlow.”

This year’s competition has already been rocked by controversy with Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain all pulling out due to Israel being allowed to take part in the contest, amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

But Delta is keen to use the platform to help bring people together and celebrate our common ground.

She said: “I am in music for unity and the healing spirit,” adding that she loves the sense of “togetherness” generated by music and song.

Delta added: “Eurovision has been going for 70 years and there is a reason everyone comes back, united in song.

“I am really looking forward to being united together. At my shows, that is what you want, too.

“My song is about one love and connection.”

You’ve got our votes, Delta.

DECEMBER 10 are playing a free O2 Presents . . . gig at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire on April 8.

There will be 767 pairs of tickets available to O2 and Virgin Media broadband customers via a ballot, which will be open from March 9- 23 on the Priority app.

COMPASS TO GO THE COLE MILE

I TIPPED big things for Belfast pair Broken Compass after they released their debut single Storm in October.

Now the duo, Ben Dadidson and Allen Gordon have landed roles in Anything Goes at Belfast’s Grand Opera House.

Running from April 14-18, the show features songs from Cole Porter including I Get A Kick Out Of You.

While Allen has graced the stage at the venue before, it will be the first time for Ben, who previously toured with Westlife in boyband Most Wanted.

Ben told Bizarre: “This has been such a whirlwind, moving to Belfast and joining St Agnes Choral Society.

“Opening myself up to theatre as well as pop has been a dream come true.”

OASIS will feature on the new Help(2) War Child album with a standalone 7in single of Acquiesce, recorded live at Wembley last September, being included in the vinyl edition.

It will be a hidden track on the double CD version, and on streaming, when the charity record is out on Friday.

Arctic Monkeys, Olivia Rodrigo, Damon Albarn and Pulp will also feature.

RAYE SETS LIFE BOAT AFLOAT

RAYE will return to dance music on her upcoming album with a belting electro track called Life Boat.

The singer debuted the song at London’s O2 Arena on Sunday night and it features emotional ­lyrics against a euphoric chorus.

In the verse, she sang: “Cry yourself an ocean, trying not to drown in it. Lord send me a lifeboat, something I can cling to.”

Then in the chorus she repeated: “I’m not giving up yet.”

Earlier in her career Raye had a string of dance hits including Bed, Prada, You Don’t Know Me and Secrets, so she knows a thing or two about releasing a banger.

And with her album, This Music May Contain Hope, out on March 27, there isn’t long to wait.

OH BUCKET! AL’S FOR HIGH JUMP

IF you thought it was funny ­watching Alan Carr take part in the challenges on Celebrity ­Traitors, his next show will see him jumping out of a plane.

He is shooting a travelogue called The F**k It List for Prime Video, which will see him and other comics taking on bucket list experiences, but it sounds like he’s drawn the short straw.

Alan said: “I was sold this show about a bucket list. I thought I would be on the Orient Express and swimming with dolphins.”

Instead, he admitted on his Bottoms Up ­podcast: “I’m skydiving, bungee jumping and stroking a tarantula. I hate spiders.”

Thera’s so much promise

SHE’S the vocal powerhouse from Prague who, aged just 18, is already turning heads across Europe.

And as rising star Thera wraps up supporting Jason Derulo on his The Last Dance world tour, she opened up backstage about juggling school with breaking into the industry.

The Czech singer, who first toured with Loreen, said: “I’ve gone through a lot that made me mature faster, which is why people are shocked I’m 18.
“It doesn’t feel strange to me. Those experiences shaped who I am today and how I handle things and what I do.

“School has really helped me, even though it’s very stressful and chaotic at times.

“It’s almost forced me to be organised and have a system, which I feel has helped me in the music world.”

On tour it was the Les Twins, who also went on the road with Jason, who acted as her “big brothers”.

She added: “They’re role models, but also feel like family.”

Her biggest night yet was Prague’s O2 Arena on Sunday, where her whole family watched alongside 20,000 fans.

OLIVIA Dean was queen of the Brit Awards last night, scooping four gongs — ten years after she attended the ceremony as a student.

The singer-songwriter, 26, won the best artist, album and pop act categories and the publicly voted song of the year with Rein Me In, with fellow award-winner Sam Fender.

London-born Olivia, who stunned on the red carpet, also performed on stage, a decade on from partying at the event as a Brit School student in 2016.

Her impressive haul followed the success of her second studio album, The Art of Loving, which spent seven weeks at No1 following its release last year.

The songstress celebrated by holding a private afterparty in Manchester where the ceremony was held.

The switch to the city’s Co-Op Live arena marked the first time the event has been staged outside London.

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A source said: “Olivia wanted to thank everyone around her for their support. She sees the success of the evening as a group effort.”

Olivia won a place at the free Brit School in Croydon, South London, aged 15, following in the footsteps of singer-songwriter former students Adele, Amy Winehouse and Jessie J.

She enrolled on a theatre course but later switched to songwriting as she began creating tracks on a second-hand piano which she begged her mum, Christine, to buy.

Speaking about the Brit School, Olivia said: “It set me up for life. I knew what I wanted for myself and it taught me so much. I just think it is a magic place.

“Look at all the people it has produced and will continue to do so.”

Last summer, Olivia made her first public appearance with her American drummer boyfriend Eddie Burns as they stepped out at the Wimbledon tennis championships together.

SOME fans across the country have discovered that their tickets to see Harry Styles have been automatically refunded.

The popular artist, 32, announced his latest tour Together, Together last month which will debut new songs from his upcoming album Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.

In addition to performing 12 shows in Wembley Stadium, Harry had one gig booked at Manchester‘s Co-op Live in March.

However, due to overwhelming demand that couldn’t be met, select tickets to the show have been cancelled and refunded.

Ticketmaster released a statement on the decision to axe the tickets, explaining that some customers managed to purchase tickets they shouldn’t have been able to buy in the first place.

These include many of the £20 tickets which were later resold on other ticket selling sites, and therefore were no longer eligible for use at the venue.

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Ticketmaster explained: “We’re working with the Harry Styles ‘One Night Only’ team to cancel and refund any orders that have violated the rules of sale.

“As all tickets are non-transferable, any tickets listed on unauthorised resale sites are void and will not get fans into the show – so we’re cancelling and refunding these.

“There is also a ticket limit of 2 tickets per person, so any orders above that are being cancelled and refunded.”

The majority of the voided tickets appear to have been sold on Viagogo.

Ticketmaster added: “They [Viagogo] have been asked to stop listing tickets, in line with the artist team’s goal of keeping tickets in the hands of fans for no more than £20 [+ fees].

“While we are cancelling all tickets we find listed there, ultimately Viagogo controls what is on their site – meaning listings can remain even after we’ve cancelled them.”

If you’re hoping to see Harry at the event, your best bet is to keep an eye on Ticketmaster’s wesite.

Though the show is in incredibly high demand, so luck will need to be on your side.

HALF-TERM may be over but it doesn’t mean the fun has to be as there are lots of free activities taking place across this week.

Whether you want to head out for a walk to make the most of the sunshine or are wanting to pick up a new artwork for your home, this week has a great range of indoor and outdoor activities.

Europe’s largest artist and designer fair, London

This weekend you can head to Europe’s largest artist and designer fair at Chelsea Town Hall in London.

The Parallax Art Fair features over 10,000 works of art and design, that are all marked 40 per cent off of their usual price for the weekend.

The fair will also be playing music and there’s even a cinema.

The BRITs Art Trail, Manchester

Until March 16, you can explore a citywide art trail in Manchester with 21 artists.

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The trail features wall murals, immersive window installations and billboards.

Visitors can explore the art and the city in the lead up to the BRIT Awards, with art in some of the city’s most loved spots.

Beryl Cook Sculpture Trail, Plymouth

In Plymouth, Devon, you can currently discover a series of life-sized Beryl Cook sculptures.

As if they have stepped straight out of the artist’s paintings, the sculptures celebrate humour and love for everyday life.

There are four sculptures to find before the end of July.

Wedding Showcase at Natural History Museum

Future brides and grooms can head to the Natural History Museum to catch the Wedding Showcase this weekend.

It starts at 7:30pm on Saturday and you will get to see what a wedding is like at the Natural History Museum.

There will be entertainment, dining experiences and even bridal styling.

You must book ahead of the event, but it is free to attend.

Viking Experience Day – Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle

On Friday, head to the Great North Museum in Newcastle to enjoy a day all about vikings.

Visitors will get to meet real-life Vikings as well as Viking experts.

For little ones, there will be storytelling sessions and riddles to solve as well as the opportunity to make your own rune stone to take away with you.

Fairy House Trail at Saltram House, Devon

At Saltram House in Devon, you can head on a fairy house trail until this Sunday.

Hidden around the garden of Saltram House you will find tiny fairy homes.

There are 10 in total to spot and as you discover them there are also some magical activities to participate in as well.

After Dark Festival, London

On February 26, make sure to head to UEL’s After Dark festival to see a number of outdoor performances and installations that have all been inspired by the four elements.

The festival takes place at the Docklands Campus and includes light, fire and circus performances such as illuminated acrobatics and a glowing parade.

It will run from 5pm to 8pm.

Bristol Light Festival

Bristol Light Festival will finish at the end of this week, so make sure to explore the trail before it disappears.

There are different installations across the city to check out including a cluster of illuminated hot air balloons.

There’s also a wider event programme with walkabout performers such as stilt-walkers and jugglers.

And for adults there are comedy shows and a night market as well.

Big Days Out: Underwater Worlds – Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Newcastle

From Wednesday February 25 to Friday February 27, between 10am and 6pm visitors can head to the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Newcastle for Underwater Worlds.

Visitors can explore the ocean by building underwater worlds and even having a dance at the Cereal Disco – where you can grab breakfast and have a boogie at the same time.

There will be a marine biologist on hand too for you to learn about marine life from.

Mini-museum hunt for 50 years of Aardman at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery

Love Wallace and Gromit? Then head to the Bristol Museum & Art Gallery to go on a treasure hunt around the museum.

Lots of tiny creations from the animation studio Aardman have been hidden around the museum, which guests can look for.

You can grab a map which helps you tick off each treasure.

The treasure hunt is running until September.

Cardiff Music City, Wales

To celebrate St David’s Day, head to Cardiff Music City festival, which features free performances at a number of venues.

For example, you could head to Cardiff Market on Saturday and Sunday between 5pm and 10pm for street food, independent traders and performances by Radio Sudd.

Heritage Weekend at Lauderdale House and Waterlow Park, London

Over at Lauderdale House and Waterlow Park this weekend, you can experience the annual Highgate Heritage Weekend.

On Saturday, the Local Heritage Fair Day will be on with 20 local organisations and special talks throughout the afternoon.

Then Sunday is the family day, with activities for all ages.

If you are looking for UK staycation ideas, here are six of the best staycation deals across the UK from Cotswolds cottages to lakefront lodges.

Plus, here’s our 26 must-visit UK beaches for 2026 – including tropical-feel spots and family-friendly finds.

GARY “MANI” MOUNFIELD’s legacy lives on thanks to a huge vault of unreleased music.

The rocker was laid to rest in December following his sudden death the month before.

I’m told there have been talks with his Stone Roses bandmates about releasing a song dedicated to him.

A source said: “Tracks Mani recorded with the band after their reunion in 2011, along with songs he made with Primal Scream, are all in a vault which could soon be opened.

“Mani was one of the most prolific musicians around and as well as playing with The Roses and Primal Scream, he was involved in numerous side projects.

“There are tracks featuring him by The Stone Roses, Primal Scream, Free Bass and Mantra Of The Cosmos.

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“The hope is that these tracks will come out in tribute to him, possibly even as a compilation. It’s all early days but there are ongoing discussions about how best to pay tribute to his music legacy.”

After The Stone Roses reformed for concerts in 2011, they went into the studio to record new material and released two singles, All For One and Beautiful Thing.

But a third album never materialised, despite there being more songs.

Zak Starkey, son of Beatle Ringo Starr, revealed Mani agreed to be the bass player for Mantra Of The Cosmos but had to walk away after initial sessions to care for his wife Imelda, who died in 2023.

Drummer Zak said: “Due to his amazing strong woman Imelda being very sick, he couldn’t commit to Mantras.

“There was no substitute for Mani so we never had a bass player, it just wouldn’t have been right.”

Bella in nightclub hold-up

IT’S not often we see celebs falling out of nightclubs these days, given they’re more prone to neck a protein milkshake than a martini.

But Bella Hadid almost took a tumble outside the Chateau Marmont Hotel in Los Angeles.

Luckily for Bella, all those years walking in heels on catwalks means she’s a pro at keeping her balance – and she grabbed on to a handily parked 4×4 car to keep her upright.

Bella shared snaps from her night out at the trendy haunt and revealed she was with New York designer Noah Ruttenberg and her stylist Mimi Cuttrell before making this spectacular exit.

EX-Coronation Street actor Adam Rickitt is relaunching his solo career.

He got the part of Nick Tilsley in 1997, and went on to have a No5 song with his debut single I Breathe Again in 1999.

But after album Good Times limped in at No41, he was dropped from his label.

Adam said online about going back into the studio: “We did a version of Breathe Again, which was nice. We’ve got a really good song idea. We’re going to record a new song.”

SCAM FEAR CUT SHORT J-LO HAIRDRESSER GIG

CELEBRITY hairdresser Chris Appleton thought Jennifer Lopez was a scammer when he first got an email from her.

He told Roxie Nafousi’s Rise With Roxie podcast: “I remember I got an email from J-Lo’s team.

“It was like, ‘Jennifer Lopez is doing her Vegas tour and she would, you know, want to work with you.’ I remember I ignored the first email because I thought, ‘Oh this is probably just spam or something’. And then I got another one and I remember thinking, ‘How does J-Lo know who I am?’.”

Unluckily for Chris, who counts Kim Kardashian among his famous clients, he ended up missing the boat because he failed to respond.

BANDS including A Day to Remember, The Primals and Creeper have joined the list of rock gods playing Download Festival.

The mega event taking place at Donnington Park from June 10 to 14 will also feature acts such as headliners Limp Bizkit, Guns n’ Roses, Linkin Park, plus Cypress Hill, Trivium, Bad Omens and Pendulum.

Tickets for the festival in Leicestershire will go on sale at 10am tomorrow.

JAIL JOB STIRS UP MARCUS

MARCUS MUMFORD says working with jail inmates gave him inspiration for new album Prizefighter.

The Mumford And Sons frontman said: “Alley Cat, I wrote in a prison actually. I go into prison and do poetry workshops and that came out of one of those sessions with the lads.

“I felt slightly conflicted about it to start with.”

While the track hasn’t yet been picked as a single, the record is going down a storm.

Prizefighter is on course to give Mumford And Sons their fourth UK No1 album on Friday, after topping the chart in the midweek update.

Marcus has been volunteering in prisons since the end of lockdown.

The singer added: “If all of us were defined by the worst thing we ever did, we’d all be f***ed.

“I believe in grace, I believe in mercy, I believe in responsibility, choices, consequences, of course.”

Good for him.

CRUZ GETS HIS BREAK IN EUROPE

CRUZ BECKHAM AND THE BREAKERS are making waves with sold-out shows in London, Brighton, Southampton and Leeds.

Now the youngest son of Posh and Becks has announced a European leg including gigs in France, Germany and the Netherlands.

Cruz said: “I’m so excited to get out on the road.

“I’ve always been inspired by bands who do it the right way.”
Their run of shows kick off tomorrow night at Mama Roux’s in Birmingham.

“LINDA looks so beautiful, so cool,” says Paul McCartney.

He’s just been watching a film about the decade of his life after The Beatles broke up — and it is filled with images of his much-missed first wife.

“The Linda stuff was very emotional,” he admits at the Man On The Run launch event in London.

“Linda, the kids, me and John [Lennon] — all these memories. It’s like my life flashing in front of me.”

Macca is talking to an intimate gathering that includes his daughter Stella, son James, superfan Noel Gallagher and the actor who will play him in a forthcoming biopic, Paul Mescal. Oh, and me.

He continues: “Seeing me and Linda interacting is special because, you know, she’s not here.

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“So is seeing the kids when they were little, because they’re not little any more. They’ve got kids of their own now.”

The film stirs memories of forming his own band, Wings, with Linda in 1971, prompting this from McCartney: “We tried to follow The Beatles — it’s mad!”

It also brings into sharp focus his relationship with Lennon, which broke down in the wake of The Beatles split but, as we see, they reconciled shortly before John’s death.

Directed by Oscar-winning Morgan Neville, Man On The Run is a masterpiece of ­documentary storytelling.

Rich in source material, partly because Linda was a professional photographer who also shot home movies, it is raw, heartfelt, funny, poignant and, crucially, not remotely sugar-coated.

Before the screening starts, Sir Paul, looking fit and well for his 83 years, strolls on to the stage and quips: “I just want to say thank you to Morgan for keeping in all the embarrassing moments that I asked him to take out.”

But let’s get back to the big ­question: How DO you follow The Beatles?

It was a conundrum that weighed heavily on McCartney as the ­Swinging Sixties drew to a close.

As he puts it himself in the movie, the first thing he did was “escape” and then he had to learn how “to grow up”.

He had married American Linda Eastman in March, 1969, at Marylebone Town Hall, London, and soon afterwards adopted her daughter Heather from a previous marriage.

McCartney was still only 27 when, on April 10, 1970, he told the world that he, John Lennon, George ­Harrison and Ringo Starr were going their separate ways.

The announcement came amid acrimony over the band’s crooked business manager Allen Klein, favoured at the time by John and the others but later described by Paul as “a sort of demon”.

It was all over for the band of four likely lads from Liverpool who changed popular culture for ever.

In private, McCartney had known for months that his songwriting partner Lennon was leaving.

“John broke up The Beatles,” Macca affirms in Man On The Run. “But I got the rap. And that’s a bit of a weight to bear.”

Around the same time as ­Lennon’s bombshell, in late 1969, there were rumours across the US and around the world that “Beatle Paul may be dead”.

There’s a hilarious moment in the film when his younger brother Mike is asked whether it’s true.

“It’s a hoax, it’s a con,” he exclaims, before being asked when was the last time he saw his brother.

Mike replies: “The last time? It was his funeral, I think!”

It turned out that McCartney had the perfect bolthole, in an archetypal middle of nowhere, to hide away and reset his life.

In 1966, he had bought High Park Farm, a 183-acre sheep farm on the Mull of Kintyre (yes, that explains the song) in Argyllshire, only reached via a “long and winding” track.

With its corrugated iron roof and general state of dilapidation, it was, as someone in the film points out, the sort of place a poor farm labourer might baulk at accepting.

But, as the Sixties ebbed to a close, Paul, Linda, their daughters, Heather and baby Mary, plus their Old English Sheepdog ­Martha decamped to the Scottish wilds.

In the movie, McCartney suggests, “We got up there to escape”, and ponders whether he would write “another note of music” before confessing to drowning himself in one wee dram of Scotch after another.

But, with the responsibility of supporting a young family on his shoulders, he realised that “it was a question of HAVING to grow up”.

At the Man On The Run launch, McCartney reflects: “With The Beatles, we were just lads. Everyone, all our management, used to call us ‘the boys’.

“Then I got married and then there was a baby [Mary] on the way.

“I had to grow up. I thought, ‘We can’t just be these ‘boys’ any more’. It was time to think about stuff.

“Even though the film is kind of madcap and you see all our insane decisions, in the background there were some sensible decisions, too.”

He remembers how Linda was his guiding light through those years.

“If there was an idea that was a little bit crazy, I’d say, ‘Should I do that? Could I do that?’ She’d say, ‘It’s allowed’. It was a brilliant philosophy in life.”

Director Neville picks up on this theme: “I looked into the questions Paul was trying to ask of himself, questions that I felt were universal.

“How do you deal with your own legacy and the expectations people have of you? How do you balance your career with your family?

“In Paul’s case, he made them one and the same. And that, I thought, was completely inspirational.”

Though Kintyre provided a necessary respite from the dazzling glare of publicity, Macca has never been far away from making music. It’s in his blood.

In 1970, he released his debut solo album, simply titled McCartney, with its intimate DIY aesthetic and featuring at least two songs with his beloved partner in mind — The Lovely Linda and Maybe I’m Amazed.

In 1971, he formed Wings with ex-Moody Blues musician Denny Laine and, controversially, Linda, who until that point had little or no experience, as core members.

Rehearsals for their debut album Wild Life took place at Macca’s converted barn in Scotland, dubbed Rude Studio.

It felt to him as if he was starting over, at the bottom of the pile.

“It was so impossible to do something like that,” he says today.

“Just go back to square one, show up at a university, don’t book hotels, take the dogs in a van. For some reason, we thought it was a great idea!”

If Wings took time to take flight, everything changed in 1973 when they released third album Band On The Run, loaded with classic tunes such as the title track, Jet and Let Me Roll It.

Recorded in extraordinary ­circumstances at EMI’s studio in Lagos, Nigeria, not far from where Paul and Linda were mugged at knifepoint, it paved the way for ­stadium-sized shows in America.

Without the McCartneys’ sojourn to Scotland, there would have been no Mull Of Kintyre, which, at the time of its release in 1977, became the biggest selling single of all time.

A “love song” to that remote idyll, it featured Great Highland bagpipes played so passionately by the local Campbeltown Pipe Band.

Yet, interwoven with stories of Wings’ upward trajectory, there are musings on McCartney’s strained relationship with Lennon during the Seventies.

We’re reminded of John’s caustic song How Do You Sleep?, directed at Paul with its line, “The only thing you done was yesterday”.

And there’s his old buddy left thinking, “Aside from Yesterday, what about Eleanor Rigby, Lady Madonna, Hey Jude, Let It Be and the rest?”

Macca says: “As it shows in the film, I knew John from a very early age — we were just a couple of rock and roll fans.

“We enjoyed hanging out together and we started writing little songs round at my place.

“My dad had a pipe in his drawer. So we thought we’d smoke it. We couldn’t find any tobacco so we smoked tea! We had all those ­memories in common.

“Then we went through the whole trajectory of The Beatles. But John was always just that guy to me, even when he was being really mean and I was having to take it.

“At the same time, it was like, ‘Yeah, it’s just John, he does that’. He’d always done that — so that made it a little bit easier.

“But I loved him, you know. I loved all the guys in The Beatles.

“I try and think of how else it could have been, but with just me, John, George and Ringo, it was a magic grouping. And we did OK!”

Near the end of Man On The Run, you see McCartney being confronted by camera crews about the shocking death of Lennon, who had been shot the day before outside the Dakota Building apartment he shared with partner Yoko Ono in New York.

Macca was criticised at the time for a rather cool, unemotional response — but one look in his eyes reveals his utter devastation.

As for the aforementioned “embarrassing moments” on display in the film, they are what make it so refreshing and endearing.

Hence you see McCartney singing Mary Had A Little Lamb wearing a red clown’s nose with Wings guitarist Henry McCullough looking as if he wants the earth to swallow him.

There’s a moustachioed Paul in a baggy pink suit performing the cabaret-style Gotta Sing Gotta Dance, complete with dancing girls, for his 1973 variety show.

And what about him getting ­busted by Japanese cops in 1980 for having 219g of cannabis in his luggage, spending nine days in custody before being booted out of the country?

McCartney was supposed to be embarking on a Wings tour of Japan but, as it turned out, they never played together again.

He says: “So many bits are embarrassing. The look on Henry McCullough’s face! He’s not happy.

“I was thinking, ‘Maybe we could cut those bits, the dance routine, cool out my image’.

“But Morgan said, ‘No, let me keep them in. You’ll see all that stuff but because you overcame it all and found yourself, you won in the end’.”

Finally, McCartney takes a long hard look at himself — at the ­person “growing up” in Man On The Run and the man he is today.

He says: “You start to see yourself, not just in the mirror, but to realise what your character is like.

“It’s natural for me to be enthusiastic so I don’t always see pitfalls, With me, it’s, “Nah, nah, just do it’.”

SINCE my exclusive story broke about Kim Kardashian and Lewis Hamilton, everyone wants to know how long they’ve been together.

And now I’ve been given a little more insight into their top-secret romance.

While it was thought that Kim and Formula 1 star Lewis started growing closer over Christmas, I can reveal it was a lot earlier than that.

My moles tell me Kim visited Lewis in Las Vegas in the days before the Grand Prix there on November 22.

From what I know, they went all-out to keep it hush-hush.

One insider said: “Lewis invited Kim to be his guest inside the garage over the week. That included for the preparation and the race itself.

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“She was there when the race happened and was alongside him, talking to him and hanging out with him before he took to the circuit.

“Nicole Scherzinger did that back in the day when they were together.

“People saw it and didn’t think much of it — but now it all makes sense.”

A second source in the F1 world added: “Three days before the race, Kim was spotted coming out of a garage where Lewis’s car was.

“She headed to his trailer. That was one of the few times Kim was seen.

“Something was definitely happening between them then. Why else would she have been there?”

Why, indeed?

I revealed Kim and Lewis enjoyed a night at posh Estelle Manor in the Cotswolds on January 31, before heading to London for a second date and Paris for a third.

Lewis then flew back to Los Angeles with Kim on her £100million private jet, and days later they made their first public appearance together at the Super Bowl on February 8.

Since then, the A-list couple have been apart, with him flying to Bahrain, where he spent time last week doing pre-season testing in his Ferrari F1 car.

Lewis said he had a new-found vigour ahead of the season, adding: “I’m reset and refreshed.”

I’m sure that Kim has helped boost his drive . . . 

ESTEEM DREAM

SELF ESTEEM will be in Manchester this Saturday for the Brit Awards – and she may have a very special man by her side.

I’ve learned the singer-songwriter, who is nominated for Artist of the Year at the ceremony, is dating actor Wilf Scolding.

And I’m told they have been seeing each other since 2023, when they were cast in West End show Cabaret together.

The singer, whose real name is Rebecca Lucy Taylor, hinted they are an item when Wilf appeared in the video for her song The Curse in August.

A source said: “Rebecca and Wilf have been together for a while – they live together and even have a dog.

“But they aren’t showy with their personal lives so haven’t flaunted the relationship in the public eye.

“She’s had bad dating experiences in the past but Wilf is a good guy. He has the seal of approval from her mates.”

Wilf, who starred in Game Of Thrones and BBC One drama The Passing Bells, is a sea-change from the singer’s last boyfriend, who she has never publicly named but said was “a real nasty bastard”.

Self Esteem referenced her “current male lover” in an interview back in November.

When asked how often she has sex, she said: “Oh, often. That is one thing I don’t compromise on.”

Good on them both.

JUSTIN TIME FOR UK GIGS

JUSTIN BIEBER is set to embark on his biggest tour in more than a decade.

I’m told the Baby hitmaker will announce a string of global dates after playing two headline slots at US festival Coachella in April, as well as plans for a new pop album.

A source said: “This year is set to be a huge one for Justin.

“He kicked things off with his Grammy performance earlier this month and bosses hope his Coachella sets will remind the world why he became one of the most successful singers on the planet.”

As part of his upcoming world tour, Justin is expected to announce a show at BST Hyde Park in London.

He previously played BST in 2017 – but hasn’t done a full concert on UK soil since then.

ANTI’S EURO VISION

LOVE Island fans might spot a familiar face at the Eurovision Song Contest in the spring.

While the UK will be represented by YouTuber Look Mum No Computer, Cyprus’s act is Antigoni, who starred in the ITV2 series in 2022.

She wore this striking red dress in the video for her entry song, Jalla – and eagle-eyed viewers might recognise someone else in the promo.

Antigoni, who was born and raised in London but is of Greek-Cypriot descent, managed to get Stavros Flatley star Demetri Demetriou to make a cameo.

Currently, Antigoni is tenth favourite to win, while Look Mum No Computer is 14th.

I’ll keep my fingers crossed for them both.

KEEP an eye out for LA-based singer Amelia Moore, who has just completed a UK tour supporting Ashnikko.

She has been getting rave reviews off the back of her latest EP He’s Still Just Not That Into You! and I’m expecting big things in the coming months.

FOO FIGHT FOR GIGS

FOO FIGHTERS have announced a set of surprise shows this week – leading to thousands of fans queuing in the streets for a ticket

Tonight they will play The Academy in Dublin, before a show on Wednesday at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire and the O2 Ritz in Manchester on Friday.

Tickets were released yesterday but fans had to queue at the venues’ box offices in a bid to stop online touts ripping people off.

The gigs come ahead of the release of their 12th album Your Favourite Toy on April 24.

I’ll be in Manchester to see the band – I can’t wait.

THE SEX PISTOLS BACK ON ROAD

THE SEX PISTOLS ft. Frank Carter have announced a brand new tour celebrating 50 years of punk.

Anarchy In The UK will see them play five shows at the end of the year, kicking off in ­Ireland at Dublin’s 3 Arena on December 7.

They will then play Edinburgh’s Corn Exchange on December 9, before hitting Glasgow’s O2 ­Academy the following evening.

Frank and Co will then head to London to play the Brixton Academy on December 18 and the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith two days later.

MARGOT IS SHEER DELIGHT

MARGOT ROBBIE skipped the Baftas and headed Down Under for Tropfest 2026 in Sydney.

The film festival, which celebrates the best short films and new rising stars of the industry, enlisted Margot as the president of this year’s jury.

Next year, I know Margot will be front and centre at the Baftas in London – with her new film Wuthering Heights expected to pick up a raft of nods, including Best Actress for her star turn.

Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel has caused a storm among cinema lovers, with Margot’s co-star Jacob Elordi expected to be shortlisted for Best Actor.

BARRY Manilow has been forced to reschedule his shows AGAIN after undergoing cancer surgery following his diagnosis in December.

The veteran singer, 82, has delivered a health update to fans while revealing he will have to push back his tour dates.

In his post, Barry revealed he was rescheduling his first batch of arena shows, which were due to begin in a matter of days.

He explained that the shows that are being canceled are the February 27 up until March 17 shows, on the order of his surgeon.

Barry then delivered some happy news when he said he would likely be able to do the Vegas shows at the very end of March, and the second batch of arena shows at the beginning of April.

“I’m SO, SO sorry I have to reschedule some of these first arena shows, again,” Barry added.

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The full statement read: “Hi everyone, Barry here.

“Just got home from visiting the surgeon. Very depressing visit.

“I told him that I have been using the treadmill three times a day (I have) but that I still couldn’t sing more than three songs in a row before I had to stop.”

Barry added that he told his surgeon that he was sure he would be able to do the arena shows in a few weeks, but the surgeon shook his head.