PETER Andre has said he isn’t perfect amid his ongoing fallout with ex wife Katie Price.
The 52-year-old addressed his ‘nice guy’ image in a new interview, admitting “everyone makes mistakes”.
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Peter Andre has addressed his ‘nice guy’ imageCredit: Getty
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Things recenlty reached boiling point with his ex wife KatieCredit: Getty
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Pete with wife Emily and children Princess and Junior – who he shares with KatieCredit: Getty
The singer, who refused to speak directly about Katie for ‘legal reasons’, told The Telegraph: “’Well, look, nobody’s perfect. No-one’s perfect in this world. Everyone makes mistakes. But you get the measure of me by meeting me.
“You’ll either think I’m too talkative and annoying, or you’ll think, “he’s alright, he’s harmless.”
He added: “But over a period of time you build a picture of someone, it’s about consistency.”
His comments come just a few weeks after he publicly spoke out about his ex wife for the first time in 16 years.
Pete and Katie have been devoted parents to kids Junior, 20, and Princess, 18, since their split in 2009 but the former glamour model has taken every opportunity to slam her ex.
In her podcast, she claimed she had been frozen out of her daughter Princess‘s blossoming career, which includes glam photoshoots, brand deals, and a new ITV reality show titled The Princess Diaries.
Revealing plans to take legal action, Peter said: “Unfortunately, there are many more lies and baseless accusations that I have yet to address. Those will be dealt with in the coming months.”
Princess Andre breaks silence on Peter and Katie’s bitter feud after his blistering statement
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Pete and Katie have failed to see eye to eye since their splitCredit: Getty
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Pete with the three children he shares with wife EmilyCredit: Instagram
Already a real-estate magnate by that point, Trump viewed owning an American football team as a means of building his brand. After attempting to acquire an NFL franchise, a 37-year-old Trump bought the New Jersey Generals in September 1983.
They were founding members of the USFL, which started in the spring of 1983 so did not clash with the NFL. The new league managed to lure top players from the NFL and the college game.
The Generals improved during their two seasons under Trump but lost in the first round of the play-offs in both 1984 and 1985.
However, Trump had made his intentions clear from the outset. He didn’t want the USFL to remain a spring league; he wanted to go directly against the NFL in autumn-winter.
That was not the USFL’s original plan but, in August 1984, Trump convinced team owners to vote on switching to an autumn-winter schedule from 1986.
Then, two months, later the USFL filed an anti-trust lawsuit against the NFL – led by Trump. The case went to trial in May 1986, with the USFL arguing the NFL had conspired to monopolise TV contracts, seeking damages worth $1.7bn (£1.25bn).
Trump hoped it would force a league merger and earn him an NFL franchise. He also envisaged a Trump-branded stadium in Manhattan.
The trial lasted 42 days and a jury found the NFL was an ‘illegal monopoly’. But it rejected the other charges and the USFL was awarded just $3 as the jury felt most of the USFL’s problems were self-inflicted.
The league had built up huge debt and, days after the verdict, it folded.
Trump and then NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle provided contrasting accounts of a meeting they had in March 1984, during which Rozelle is alleged to have told Trump, external “as long as I or any of my heirs are involved in the NFL, you will never be a franchise owner in the league”.
FORT PIERCE, Fla. — A truck driver accused of making an illegal U-turn that killed three people in Florida last week who the Trump administration said was in the U.S. illegally was denied bond Saturday.
The crash sparked a clash between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and California Gov. Gavin Newsom over Harjinder Singh, a native of India who obtained a work permit and driver’s license in the state.
Singh was charged with three state counts of vehicular homicide and immigration violations, and he was denied bond on all charges. He is being held in the St. Lucie County Jail, Lt. Andrew Bolonka from the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office said. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has put a hold on him.
Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said issuing a commercial license to someone in the country illegally is “asinine.” California is one of 19 states, in addition to the District of Columbia, that issues licenses regardless of immigration status. Supporters say that lets people work, visit doctors and travel safely.
Newsom’s press office responded in a social media post on X that Singh obtained a work permit while Donald Trump was president, which McLaughlin disputed.
Florida authorities said Singh entered the U.S. illegally from Mexico in 2018.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dispatched Lt. Gov. Jay Collins to California to escort Singh onto an airplane Thursday.
Singh made the illegal turn on the highway about 50 miles north of West Palm Beach, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. A minivan in the neighboring lane was unable to avoid the truck’s trailer and slammed into it, killing the minivan’s driver and two passengers.
Singh and a passenger in his truck were not injured.
Frankie Bridge has landed a brand new role with ITV as she takes on the role of a judge of an upcoming series, following her reported rift with her Loose Women co-stars
Frankie Bridge has landed a brand new role with ITV as she takes on the role of a judge(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
Former Saturdays singer Frankie Bridge has landed a new ITV role following a reported feud with her co-star Myleene Klass. Frankie, 36, has been involved in a rumoured feud with Myleene and also her former bandmate Rochelle Humes in recent weeks, and ITV reportedly had to step in to ensure the panellists didn’t cross paths.
Frankie has now bagged a new role on ITV and will be appearing as a judge on the upcoming series of ITV’s M&S: Dress The Nation. The singer is known for her style and has regularly shared her fashion outfits and tips online in recent years.
Former Saturdays singer Frankie Bridge has landed a new ITV role(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images for Bvlgari Hotel London)
A source revealed to the Daily Star: “Producers think Frankie is perfect for the show because she’s so fashionable.” The Mirror has contacted Frankie’s representatives for comment.
Despite the reported rift between Frankie and the ladies, they appeared to shut down the rumours as Rochelle and Frankie have both been interacting with one another on Instagram and showing their support for one another.
After Frankie shared a glimpse into her holiday, Rochelle liked the post, and vice versa, after Rochelle went on holiday. However, neither of the ladies has interacted online with Myleene and doesn’t even follow her online.
Frankie, 36, has been involved in a rumoured feud with Myleene and also her former bandmate Rochelle Humes in recent weeks(Image: Justin Goff Photos/Getty Images)
The three Loose Women stars were once thought to be good friends, as Myleene and Frankie attended Rochelle’s hen do back in 2012, however, Rochelle and Frankie have remained friends with Myleene’s ex-husband Graham Quinn.
A source previously said: “Myleene seemed to take that as Frankie taking sides with Graham because of their working relationship.”
It comes as Frankie took to social media to share a cryptic message amid speculation of the rift between herself and Myleene. Frankie posted on TikTok as she enjoyed her latest getaway, and in the clip, she is filmed at a beach resort miming along to Manchild by Sabrina Carpenter.
The video was captioned: “Taking 36 years to realise being a people pleaser doesn’t please anyone.”
Frankie has now bagged a new role on ITV and will be appearing as a judge on the upcoming series of ITV’s M&S: Dress The Nation(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
She went on: “Fad diets are a waste of time. Turns out it’s all about balance?! Who knew?! Only you can make yourself happy.”
And Frankie added: “You can do the hard thing! You’ve got this.” She then added a red love heart emoji to her post. Fans were quick to agree with her comments, letting their feelings be known on the post.
Katie Price and Peter Andre have had many clashes over the years since their shock split – and now their decades-long feud has boiled over with bombshell new statements
11:18, 15 Aug 2025Updated 11:18, 15 Aug 2025
Katie Price and Peter Andre have had a turbulent relationship over the years
Katie Price and Peter Andre’s whirlwind romance began in front of millions on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! and quickly turned into one of Britain’s most watched love stories. With a lavish wedding, a growing family and a string of joint TV shows, they became the ultimate reality TV power couple – until it all came crashing down.
Their 2009 split shocked fans and triggered a years-long saga of public rows, barbed interviews and court battles. Now, with Peter hitting out at his ex-wife in a new bombshell statement, their decades-long feud has ramped up again.
Katie Price and Peter Andre split in 2009(Image: Getty Images)
Split announcement – 2009
Following a rocky romance after meeting on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2004, Katie and Peter split in 2009. The TV couple had been married for four years, and had welcomed children Junior and Princess.
A statement from the couple’s management company, Can Associates Limited, said at the time: “Peter Andre and Katie Price are separating after four-and-a-half years of marriage… They have both requested that the media respect their families’ privacy at this difficult time.”
The joint statement marked the last time the exes would ever put on a united front. Katie and Peter, who remained with Can Associates Limited, embarked on multiple public spats as they moved on.
Katie pays Peter libel damages – 2011
Katie was forced to pay libel damages in 2011(Image: Getty Images)
Two years after their split, Katie issued a public apology to her ex-husband, admitting she had been wrong to suggest he had cheated and been insincere about his feelings during their marriage.
Peter had launched defamation proceedings in 2009, soon after their break-up, in response to remarks Katie made during interviews with Heat magazine and on The Graham Norton Show.
She agreed to pay “substantial” damages, which Peter’s solicitor confirmed would be placed into a trust fund for Harvey Price – Katie’s eldest son from her relationship with footballer Dwight Yorke.
Social media spat – 2013
During Christmas 2013, Katie appeared to take a swipe at Peter in a series of tweets. She wrote: “What kind of Dad doesn’t let their children see their mum not even 1 day over Christmas when the children want 2 c their mum #fakefamilyman.”
In another message to a follower, she reportedly added: “From Xmas Eve am to NYE am. I had them last Xmas Day, he had them in the eve onwards. So selfish. Can someone remind him he has a son called Harvey that calls him dad or was that just for show too.”
Katie brands Peter’s new wife Emily ‘disgusting’ – 2022
Katie took aim at Peter’s wife Emily in 2022(Image: peterandre/Instagram)
At the start of 2022, Katie sparked controversy with a quickly-deleted Instagram Story in which she launched an apparent unprovoked attack on her ex-husband’s wife, Dr Emily Andre, who he started dating in 2012.
Sharing a magazine cover featuring the mother-of-three, Katie branded her a “disgusting person.”
“My mouth has been shut for so long but I’ve had enough of people selling stories on me and particularly this so-called woman @dr_emily_official,” Katie began.
She went on to accuse Emily of courting the media despite claiming she didn’t want to be famous, adding: “So cringe she has used my children to make money in photo shoots yet covers her own children’s faces up!”
Writing a year on from her drug-drive crash, Katie also claimed Emily was “jealous” of her relationship with her eldest daughter, Princess.
“She claims to be a doctor who clearly doesn’t have a clue about mental health,” Katie alleged, further accusing Emily of stopping Princess from visiting her at The Priory.
The mum-of-five ended the post by saying: “Emily you are not and never will be my kids’ parent so mind your own business, you’re so two-faced and definitely not the person you portray to the public. I think you’re a disgusting person so stop trying to interfere in my life.”
‘Pete was a nobody’ – 2024
The former couple in happier times (Image: WireImage)
Katie reignited tensions with her ex during an appearance on the podcast Anything Goes with James English, where she claimed Peter’s career had been reignited by their relationship.
“When we did jobs together I’d always get more money, make sure we had separate contracts,” she told the host, suggesting Peter “found that a bit hard.”
“I was like, well hang on, you’ve just turned up in the jungle, I’ve already got a career going on. You had a song like, how many years ago? You need to earn it. This is the truth, I don’t care what anyone says – I made Pete again. I made him,” she continued.
Doubling down on her comments, Katie said: “He was no one before he went in the jungle and that’s the truth, that’s not me being a b****. He done that one hit, like 10 years ago, and I think he forgets where he came from.”
‘Don’t speak to him’ – 2024
During an appearance on the Louis Theroux Podcast in an episode released last year, Katie once again took aim at her ex-husband Peter. She claimed she had been “worth more” than him when they married and explained that the pair had always insisted on separate contracts.
Reflecting on his career before I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, Katie remarked: “Who was he? I was already established. He met me and it was his lucky day. So we always had separate contracts. There’s no way I’m splitting half and half – no thanks.”
When asked about their relationship today, she told Louis: “[I] don’t speak to him.” Pressed further on why, she replied: “Just don’t. It’s all through legals.”
She also alleged that Peter “was quite jealous” of her work commitments during their marriage.
Princess Andre speaks out – 2025
Princess Andre’s new docu-series has stirred up some more drama(Image: princess_andre/Instagram )
Princess Andre has unveiled her very own ITV2 series, The Princess Diaries, chronicling her step into adulthood, exploring the worlds of fashion, beauty, and life under the spotlight.
The fly-on-the-wall series includes footage of her modeling debut in Ibiza and offers a candid look into her personal journey toward independence. Alongside her father Peter Andre, sister Junior, and stepmother Emily, the documentary follows Princess as she carves out her identity in the industry.
Katie has been noticeably absent from the series – something she described as upsetting and hurtful in posts on her podcast and social media.
She alleges her exclusion wasn’t a personal choice, but enforced by producers aiming to preserve Princess’s independent branding and “middle-class influencer” image.
Despite speculation of a feud, Princess herself has pushed back on these rumours, insisting: “The show is not actually about any of my parents. It is about me.” She also clarified that Katie is featured via a voice note in the premiere episode, although filming restrictions kept her out of on-camera appearances.
Bombshell statements – 2025
Just hours after Katie Price appeared to extend an olive branch to her ex-husband by suggesting a ceasefire in their years-long public disputes, Peter Andre responded with a blistering statement that left little doubt he has no interest in reconciliation.
Posting on Instagram, the father-of-five broke what he described as 16 years of silence, writing: “For sixteen years, I have stayed silent in the face of repeated lies from my ex-wife and her family, out of respect for my children and loved ones, but staying silent has been incredibly frustrating. That ends today.
“The latest comments about my children’s welfare and living arrangements compel me to set the record straight. For well-documented reasons, and for their safety, Junior and Princess came into my care in 2018 and remained with me until they reached adulthood. In 2019, the family courts issued a legally binding order to enforce this arrangement. I have never made this public before, out of respect for my children.
“In 2011 and 2015, publicly documented court cases found my ex-wife had made false claims. She was ordered to pay substantial damages and legal costs, and to apologise to me and my management. The same falsehoods are being repeated today. Unfortunately, there are many more lies and baseless accusations I have yet to address. Those will now be dealt with in the coming months.”
In response to the statement, a spokesperson for Katie told the Mirror: “Kate is in a much better and clear headspace and is at peace with the situation. This was in the past and she doesn’t feel the need to bring up tit-for-tat comments, but more importantly, she’s dealing with this the right way and it’s now in her lawyers’ hands. Kate will no longer be gaslighted and bullied as she once was…”
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Governor Gavin Newsom takes combative stance against Trump, urges other Democratic leaders to ‘punch back’.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has said that the country’s most populous state will promote a partisan redistricting scheme aimed at countering controversial Republican-led redistricting efforts in Texas ahead of the United States’ 2026 midterm elections.
Speaking at a news conference on Thursday, Newsom took a combative stance against US President Donald Trump and said that Democrats must respond to what he said were conservative efforts to politicise the electoral process.
“Today is liberation day in the state of California,” Newsom said, appropriating a term used by Trump to refer to the imposition of tariffs on foreign countries.
Newsom and Trump have frequently sparred as the US president seeks to exert pressure on Democrat-led states that have pushed back against his political agenda on issues such as immigration enforcement.
During his remarks, Newsom said that masked immigration enforcement agents had gathered around the venue, which he depicted as a form of intimidation. Trump prompted outrage in California earlier in the year when he deployed the military and National Guard to Los Angeles during a round of aggressive immigration raids, and suggested at the time that Newsom should be arrested.
“Donald Trump, you have poked the bear, and we will punch back,” said Newsom, who is seen as a possible Democratic contender for the presidency in 2028.
Newsom said that the redistricting scheme, which would favour the Democrats and could net them five additional seats in the 2026 midterm elections, will go before voters in a special election on November 4.
The California governor said the scheme was a direct response to a similar redistricting effort in the Republican-led state of Texas, which would help secure five additional likely seats for the Republican Party.
He stressed that, unlike in Texas, it would be up to California voters to approve or shoot down the new maps, and that they would only go forward if Texas and other states move forward with their own partisan redistricting efforts.
He added that the planned maps, which are expected to be released on Friday, would be in effect until 2030.
Earlier this month, Democrat lawmakers in Texas fled the state to block a House vote on redistricting efforts that would create an additional five Republican-leaning districts.
On Thursday, the lawmakers moved closer to ending their nearly two-week walkout that has blocked the GOP’s redrawing of US House maps and put them under escalating threats by Republicans back home.
The Democrats announced they will return so long as Texas Republicans end a special session and California releases its own redrawn map proposal, both of which were expected to happen on Friday.
Democrats did not say what day they might return.
Newsom’s move underscores calls within the Democratic Party to take a stronger stance against Trump and the Republicans, including moves that violate previously held norms and rules that Democrats say the US right has long since abandoned.
“We cannot unilaterally disarm,” he said, calling on other Democrat-led states to join California.
“Other blue states need to stand up. We need to be firm,” he said.
All five members of The Saturdays insisted there was no bad blood when they parted ways in 2014.
However, The Sun previously revealed that Rochelle and Frankie’s 24-year friendship may have hit the rocks.
The duo were invited to watch the tennis at Wimbledon as As guests of sponsor Evian.
Frankie Bridge posts cryptic TikTok about ‘being a people pleaser’ amid feud with Myleene Klass
They mingled with other celebrities and guests just yards away from one another in a suite.
However, they failed to actually interact with each other as they enjoyed the delights of the hydrangea building nearCourtOne.
An insider told The Sun: “It was clear the women were keeping their distance. They sat on opposite sides of the suite and kept to themselves.
“While Frankie posed for pictures with S Club’s Rachel Stevens, Rochelle took selfies with her husband Marvin and his I’m A Celebrity campmate Sam Thompson.
“Even though they were pleasant to each other when they did brush shoulders, they didn’t spend any extra time together than they had to, in between being amicable while passing each other en route to watch the tennis.”
Both of the stars were clients of her now ex-husband, who worked as a showbiz security manager.
Their continued friendship is said to have caused a rift as Myleene, 47, reportedly believes Rochelle took Graham’s side.
But they have not been seen on-screen together on the ITV show since an awkward episode last year.
At the time of the first report, representatives for Rochelle and Myleene did not reply to a request for comment.
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Frankie explained that she was prescribed meditation and relaxation her on holidayCredit: Instagram / rochellehumes
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She reportedly avoided her childhood friend and former bandmate Rochelle Humes when they were both invited to watch the tennis at WimbledonCredit: Splash
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Meanwhile, Myleene’s feud apparently stems from their friendship with her ex-husband Graham QuinnCredit: Getty
BROOKLYN Beckham and his wife Nicola Peltz have shared a series of romantic snaps from their recent wedding vow renewal.
The ceremony was officiated by Nicola’s billionaire father Nelson – but Brooklyn’s parents David and Victoria were absent as their family feud rumbles on.
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Brooklyn and Nicola Peltz Beckham have renewed their vows and shared a series of snapsCredit: Instagram
Brooklyn and Nicola said ‘I do’ again on Nicola’s family estate on August 2 in Westchester County, New York.
Three years after they first tied the knot, the couple decided to have a low key ceremony to reaffirm their love for each other.
Brooklyn captioned the snaps “Only love” alongside a white heart emoji.
Katie Price has failed to speak out upon the release of her daughter Princess’ reality show and not publicly reacted to the premiere or shown any support for the new venture
23:15, 10 Aug 2025Updated 23:15, 10 Aug 2025
Katie Price did not say anything publicly about Princess’ reality show when it launched on Sunday evening (Image: Instagram/ @katieprice)
Katie Price has publicly ignored her daughter Princess Andre’s reality show upon its premiere. The Page 3 legend, 47, is mother to Junior, 20, and Princess, 18, with ex-husband Peter Andre and her second child has launched a media career in her own right with her brand new ITV2 show.
In the build-up to the launch of the programme, which aired its first episode on Sunday night, Katie is thought to have missed a planned morning meet-up with Princess Andre on her 18th birthday to party abroad instead and has reportedly been accused of ‘inserting herself’ into Princess’s success as her daughter embarks on a fledgling showbiz career. It’s also been claimed that she has tried to ‘overshadow the launch’ of the show, and all of this has prompted rumours of a rift between the mother and daughter duo.
On Sunday evening, Katie simply used her public platforms to remind fans that a new piece from her fashion collection was available (Image: Getty Images)
Katie’s last posts in the hours before the show went out featured her showing fans a new jacket from her collection with JYY London and encouraging them to buy it by inserting a link. Meanwhile, Princess’ dad Peter, who shot to fame in the 1990s with the release of his hit single Mysterious Girl and was married to Katie for four years following their appearance on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!, appeared heavily in the first episode.
Despite her apparent silence, Katie did actually make a surprise appearance in the episode as a voice note that she had sent Princess was heard playing. Princess had to asked her mother about what she was like as a child and Katie replied: “Who was the naughtiest child? Well, you was a mummy’s girl so you used to push me more and probably get away with things so I’d say you was more naughty actually. You are still very much like me but different if that makes sense, you are more sensible. So yeah, the answer to your question is that I think you were naughty. You naughty girl! before Princess admitted in a confessional: “Me and my mum are so close. We’re more like best friends, we’ll tell each other anything.”
Princess Andre referenced her mum on multiple occasions(Image: ITV)
Just days ago, Katie confirmed on her eponymous podcast that she would not be watching the show, as she said: “I won’t be watching the show. And I won’t be promoting the show because I don’t need it rubbed in my face of everyone playing happy families but disregarding me as the other parent.
“I support Princess in everything she does, but I think it’s really wrong for her at her age to be put in this situation because she’s going to have to do press and they will ask… they are going to be asked what’s all this about your mum and why isn’t your mum and why isn’t your mum in it.”
The mum-of-five previously said she was banned from her daughter’s 18th birthday party and that her former management team – who look after ex-husband Peter Andre and Princess – did not want her on the show as they considered her “trash”.
Speaking on her podcast, Katie claimed: “Princess was like ‘I’m having a party’. And I wasn’t invited because it was for ‘filming’.” She added: “The fact is there’s stuff my daughter is doing and I’m not allowed to be seen at any of it.” But insiders claimed her version of events was far from the truth.
They said the 18-year-old had arranged to see her mum on the morning of her birthday in June in London – but Katie failed to appear. A source said: “It was all in the diary but then Katie claimed she couldn’t make it as she was abroad. It was disappointing. “For Katie to then say she was banned from the afternoon’s filmed party when she was the no-show in the morning is just beyond belief.”
Insiders are perplexed by Katie’s attempts to “repeatedly insert herself into her daughter’s career”. The model herself claimed: “I have not been allowed to go on any photoshoots, signings or Superdrug openings or anything like that. I’m not welcome.”
But the source said: “Why is she making this all about her? What sort of person on the eve of her daughter’s show, starts throwing all these grenades and believes she knows what’s best, and should be given equal billing? Pete keeps quiet about the whole situation with Katie and just wants to support his children.”
Some question whether Katie could be jealous of her daughter’s success. The source said: “Princess’s career is flourishing.”
Rochelle and her JLS pop star husband Marvin were also pictured with Graham in Ibiza.
READ MORE ON MYLEENE KLASS
A source last night told The Sun: “Rochelle was doing what she saw as looking out for a friend in a time of need.
“Rochelle and Marvin are still clearly very much friends with Graham.
“Myleene is of the view that Rochelle took sides from the beginning of her marriage breakdown.
“The fact Rochelle and Graham’s friendship is still there after all these years has put an everlasting rift between Myleene and Rochelle.
“They both do everything in their power to avoid each other.”
Rochelle and Frankie, 36, previously enjoyed a close friendship with Classic FM host Myleene.
Watch the awkward moment feuding stars Myleene Klass and Frankie Bridge come face to face on live TV
In 2012, Myleene and Frankie, both hosts on Loose Women, attended Rochelle’s hen do.
But they have not appeared together on the ITV show since an awkward episode last year.
The alleged unzipping incident is said to have happened before Myleene and Graham married.
The couple — who share daughters Ava, 17, and 13-year-old Hero — wed in 2011 and divorced two years later, with Myleene citing “unreasonable behaviour”.
The moment that sparked the bitter row between Katie Price and her daughter Princess has been revealedCredit: ITV
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Princess, 18, led the models in the Ibiza catwalk in a pretty turquoise dressCredit: ITV
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At the same time, her mum Katie was partying up a storm in the White IsleCredit: INSTAGRAM @waynelineker
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Princess’ brother Junior was on hand to support herCredit: ITV
Katie, 47, told us she “feels like Brooklyn Beckham” – who is in the midst of a feud with his high-profile family – after being “isolated” by the teen, who has penned a host of influencer deals and bagged her own TV show.
Now scenes for the 18-year-old’s new TV show, The Princess Diaries, show her joining 24 other models on the catwalk in the White Isle.
She opts for a turquoise dress with bra top detail and a flowing skirt after a last minute outfit change which left her feeling anxious.
She toild the camera: “There’s a lot of models here I don’t really fit in.
“I feel really anxious, I can feel my face getting red.”
Yet after being asked to lead the array of models, Princess’ debut was hugely successful.
Her big brother Junior and his girlfriend Jazz were on hand to sip fizz and offer support inn the crowd.
As she wrapped the catwalk she cheered: “I did it i did it, I’m actually really glad I did it.
“It was a lot less intense than I thought.”
Watch the moment horrified Peter Andre reacts to ‘disgusting’ messages daughter Princess, 18 receives from men online
In a snap shared on EastEnders star Dean Gaffney‘s Instagram page, Katie could be seen partying with the former soap actor.
Standing in between Dean and pal Jamie O’Hara, Katie posed and pouted as the two men beamed.
A source told how the drama then played out between the pair as they were in the same location and said: “This should be a really exciting time for Princess but over the last couple of months her mum has been doing everything she can to take the limelight away from her.
The teen said she is seeking out “financial freedom” through her beauty and fashion brand deals, as well as her own jewellery brand named ‘Sparkle’ by Princess Andre.
“Princess was booked to make her catwalk debut at the opening of the Ibiza Fashion Festival back in June, and what did Katie do?
“She flew out to Ibiza and made sure everyone knew she was there with daily stories and pictures with the likes of Wayne Lineker and Dean Gaffney. It’s embarrassing.”
They added to MailOnline: “What mother wouldn’t want to let their child have their time in the spotlight?
“These latest comments are going to really upset Princess.
“Nothing is private with Katie, it’s all about keeping herself in the limelight.”
The TikTok star also addressed the “dark times” while she was growing up.
While Princess was too young to really remember her parents together, she has traumatic memories of the breakdown of Katie’s third marriage to Kieran Hayler.
In her new ITV2 series – The Princess Diaries – the teen opens up about her younger years and admits: “I did have a counsellor, I do still see her every now and then.
“But I don’t feel like I can really talk, so I just write everything down in my notes.”
She also revealed the sick messages she gets from men when she reveals her figure on social media – leaving dad Peter shocked.
While the pair still follow each other on Instagram, Rochelle’s like is a rare move amid their feud – as they rarely publicly support each others’ posts.
The Up singers haven’t liked each others’ uploads in years, and there have been no likes or comment exchanges between the pair since 2013.
This could mean they were wiped if one of them had blocked the other.
Singers and presenters Marvin and Rochelle Humes have enjoyed successes both together and individually. Here are some of their biggest highlights.
S Club Junior/S Club 8: Early in her career, Rochelle was a member of this S Club 7 spin-off group. All of the original members were either early teens or younger when joining the band. They disbanded in 2005.
VS: The brainchild of Blue singer Simon Webbe, a pre-JLS Marvin featured in this group from 2004 to 2005. Although not a member himself, Webbe also managed the band.
The Saturdays: Rochelle joined the English-Irish girl band in 2007, along with Frankie Bridge, Vanessa White,Una Healy and Mollie King, following auditions. The group began an indefinite hiatus in 2014, although each of the members have moved on to other ventures.
JLS: After leaving VS, Marvin met Oritsé Williams through mutual friends, forming the beginning of what became JLS. Adding Aston Merrygold and JB Gill, the group famously auditioned for The X-Factor in 2008. JLS finished as runners-up to Alexandra Burke and initially disbanded in 2013. They later reunited from 2020 onwards.
This Morning: The couple were regular stand-in presenters on the ITV daytime show up until 2015.
The Voice:Marvin hosted series three through five of The Voice alongside Emma Willis on BBC One. The show later moved to BBC One, without Marvin continuing on.
The Hit List: Marvin and Rochelle began presenting this music-themed game show in 2019. The programme’s success has seen both civilians and celebrities take part.
I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!: Marvin participated in the 2023 series of the beloved show. He starred alongside the likes of Josie Gibson,Tony Bellew,Nigel Farage and Fred Sirieix. In the end Sam Thompson was crowned King of the Jungle.
In 2013, soon after Myleene’s divorce from Quinn, guests at the Glamour Women of the Year awards saw her storm over to Frankie after believing she had been blanked.
A source said: “Myleene seemed to take that as Frankie taking sides with Graham because of their working relationship.”
Meanwhile, Frankie and Myleene have not appeared on Loose Women together since an “awkward” episode last December.
Sources said that though they’d rather not be on together, they are professionals and do their best to make things work.
BBC Breakfast has been shrouded with difficult claims in recent months as it’s been reported two of its presenters Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt are under review
17:10, 09 Aug 2025Updated 17:23, 09 Aug 2025
BBC Breakfast has been hit by claims of a ‘toxic’ feud(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/James Stack)
BBC Breakfast stars Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt are facing claims they are embroiled in a ‘toxic feud’ with the show’s editor Richard Frediani.
Richard has reportedly returned to work after taking extended leave as he faced allegations over bullying behaviour. Upon Richard’s return it has been reported that relations between himself and presenters Naga, 50, and Charlie, have ‘turned sour’.
BBC Breakfast is said to be ‘in crisis’(Image: BBC)
A source has said: “Fredi now doesn’t brief Naga and Charlie or any of that sort of thing and someone else is on the talkback to them from the gallery.
“The crew are entirely bemused and exhausted by it — in what world is it normal for a boss to be banned from talking to his staff?,” they added to The Sun.
The BBC said in a statement: “While we do not comment on individual cases, we take all complaints about conduct at work extremely seriously and will not tolerate behaviour that is not in line with our values. We have robust processes in place and would encourage any staff with concerns to raise them directly with us so they can be addressed.”
Representatives for Naga, Richard and Charlie are yet to respond.
Talkback is where production staff can communicate with presenters from the gallery by speaking to them via their earpiece. It has been claimed that Richard’s editorial team now communicates with the presenting duo.
The source added: “Bosses are desperate to get Breakfast back on an even keel and know the tension between Fredi, Charlie and Naga is at the heart of the rising crisis.”
The change was said to have been put in place as a way to “manage the situation in the hope it will all blow over”. It comes after it was reported that Charlie Stayt may also face a probe following reports Naga is “under review” over “bullying” claims.
Naga Munchetty is said to be under review(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/James Stack)
Following the reports Naga is under review, it has since been claimed the BBC star “kicked off” at an intern over ‘how they spread Marmite on her toast’.
And a whistleblower has also alleged Naga complained her porridge was “too hot” and she didn’t like the blueberry topping on the dish.
The allegations come after it was claimed last week a number of colleagues have filed complaints over Naga’s alleged bullying behaviour on BBC Breakfast and her BBC Radio 5 Live show, which she presents from Monday to Wednesday. It has been claimed the BBC has officially moved to “place the complaints under review”.
“The review is to ascertain whether a full-on investigation is required and that could come in weeks,” the insider claimed to The Sun.
A BBC spokesperson said: “While we do not comment on individual cases, we take all complaints about conduct at work extremely seriously and will not tolerate behaviour that is not in line with our values. We have robust processes in place and would encourage any staff with concerns to raise them directly with us so they can be addressed.”
FRANKIE Bridge has raised eyebrows after saying “you’re dead to me” in a scathing post after appearing to ‘snub’ former bandmate and friend Rochelle Humes.
The Loose Women panellist, 36, took to TikTok to share the damning video, showing her sipping on a glass of rosé wine.
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Frankie raised eyebrows with a scathing post about someone being ‘dead to her’Credit: Getty
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Last month it was revealed she and former bandmate Rochelle – pictured with husband Marvin Humes – ‘snubbed’ each other at WimbledonCredit: WireImage
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The former pop stars have been working together since they were 12Credit: Getty
A caption written over the clip read: “You’re so quiet…
“Thanks, you said something five years ago and I’ve just realised you’re actually dead to me.”
Frankie then added below: “Takes me a while, but once you’re dead you’re dead.”
The Sun has contacted a representative for Frankie for comment.
Mum-of-two Frankie and presenter Rochelle, 36, shot to fame together at just 12-years-old in pop group S Club Juniors.
Frankie and Rochelle then joined girlband The Saturdays in 2007, going on to enjoy a string of huge hits including Issues, Ego and What About Us.
The Saturdays – also made up of Vanessa White, Una Healy and Mollie King – have always insisted their decision to go on indefinite hiatus in 2014 wasn’t down to them falling out.
Speaking to HELLO! previously, Frankie explained: “We never fell out. We never really officially broke up or anything, so the option [to get back together] has kind of always been there.”
As guests of sponsor Evian, the pair were invited to watch the tennis in a suite in the sought-after hydrangea building nearCourtOne.
But while they mingled with other celebrities and guests just yards away from one another – they failed to actually interact with each other.
The I’m A Celebrity clip I use to win any row with Marvin, says Rochelle Humes
An insider told The Sun: “It was clear the women were keeping their distance. They sat on opposite sides of the suite and kept to themselves.
“While Frankie posed for pictures with S Club’s Rachel Stevens, Rochelle took selfies with her husband Marvin and his I’m A Celebrity campmate Sam Thompson.
“It was a shame because having the two girls from The Saturdays together for a mini-reunion was exciting for everyone there.
“Even though they were pleasant to each other when they did brush shoulders, they didn’t spend any extra time together than they had to, in between being amicable while passing each other en route to watch the tennis.”
While Frankie has taken the “never say never” approach to a potential Saturdays return and Una, 43, has admitted several times she’s ready to perform with the girls again, Rochelle previously insisted she “highly doubts” it will happen.
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Frankie and Rochelle performing with Saturdays bandmates Una, Vanessa and MollieCredit: WireImage
Emmerdale’s new farmer Celia was seen making an offer to join forces with Moira Dingle during Friday’s episode of the ITV soap, but recent hints could tease a twist
19:00, 01 Aug 2025Updated 19:20, 01 Aug 2025
Celia in Emmerdale had an offer for Moira Dingle during Friday’s episode(Image: ITV)
Celia in Emmerdale had an offer for Moira Dingle during Friday’s episode, amid the farm facing trouble.
With Moira desperate to raise the funds to keep the business going, she’s had to fend off trouble from Joe Tate and new villain Ray as well as an expensive fine after the slurry leak. So when there was an opportunity for some money, Moira took her chances – as shown in Friday’s episode that dropped on ITVX on Friday morning.
But could Celia actually be targeting Moira to help another villager? It comes as Joe was seen trying to convince Moira to sell her farm to him for Kim Tate, using dirty tactics and bribery to try and get Moira to sell up.
With Moira desperate to raise the funds to keep the business going, she’s had to fend off trouble(Image: ITV)
Moira ended up realising what was going on and called him out, refusing to sign the papers. Joe then came between Moira, her husband Cain Dingle and their family after an incident that saw Moira accidentally harm Lydia Dingle.
Moira has been panicked over the farm’s finances for a while now and this week was no different. So when potential rival and soap newcomer Celia entered her home on Friday with some news, Moira was initially unsure.
Celia soon pleaded her case, and revealed her rent had been hiked up by landlord Kim and she wasn’t pleased. She turned to Moira and suggested, amid Moira’s own issue with the Tates, they pretty much team up.
With a possible new business venture, she offered Moira the chance to supply meat to a posh hotel restaurant. According to Celia the restaurant needed beef and poultry, but she only had the latter.
Knowing Moira could meet the other end of the deal, she claimed she knew Moira needed the money and offered the help, no doubt wanting to get back at the Tates too. Moira thought about it and eventually agreed to the deal.
Emmerdale’s new farmer Celia was seen making an offer to join forces with Moira Dingle (Image: ITV)
Joe was obviously unimpressed by this, while fans were thrilled to see the two farmers seemingly team up. That said, could Celia actually be working with someone to target Moira, and could she be up to something?
Recently, Moira actress Natalie J Robb hinted to press that there could be more to it while there’s also every chance it’s a legit deal. She said: “She starts a kind of different approach, she starts to befriend her and Moira actually quite likes her in the end.
“The question is, Celia could be working with someone else to try and push her out, but it’s whether Celia will stick with that. She’s a force to be reckoned with, she’s not somebody you would go against!”
In the final weeks of philanthropist Wallis Annenberg’s life, her family and closest friends were consumed by a fierce power struggle over her medical care, court records show.
Three of her children — Gregory, Lauren and Charles — believed their mother was being mistreated during her most vulnerable time, wrongfully confined to her bed, isolated from family and longtime staff and overmedicated to the point of stupor.
They blamed their mother’s longtime partner, Kris Levine, and Kris’ older sister, Vikki Levine.
Vikki, who served as Annenberg’s personal assistant and held authority over her medical decisions, was exerting control over their mother in “likely fatal” ways, hastening her decline with excess narcotics, the children alleged in court documents. The children said they were shielded from information about their mother and were distressed that the Levine sisters had indicated plans to remove Annenberg’s body from her Century City villa within hours of her death and send her remains for composting before a proper goodbye.
“If there is anything suspicious about her death — which is appearing more and more likely given Vikki’s ongoing abuse of Wallis — it will render it impossible to conduct an autopsy,” the children’s legal team asserted in court filings.
The dispute drew in some of the city’s top lawyers, triggered calls to police and led the Annenberg children to march into Los Angeles County Superior Court in a frantic effort to dislodge Vikki Levine from overseeing their mother’s medical care.
Vikki and Kris Levine adamantly denied over-medicating or mistreating Annenberg, the heiress to her father’s publishing empire who, through her family’s foundation, gave about $1.5 billion to scores of organizations and nonprofits across Los Angeles County.
In court filings, Vikki Levine said the children’s “vicious and false accusations” stemmed from sadness that their mother didn’t disclose to them that her cancer had returned, that they weren’t in charge of her care, that her death was rapidly approaching and that she wanted to die “as gently as possible.”
“The Children have misdirected their pain, grief and anger at the wrong person, which is so much easier than confronting reality,” Vikki Levine said in a court filing in which she also accused the Annenberg children of creating a “toxic environment” when they visited.
Kris Levine, who started dating the heiress in 2009 and had lived with her since 2012, submitted a declaration stating that the Annenberg children had engaged in a campaign of “lies” to their mother, including telling her that her partner was trying to kill her. She insisted that the children had been permitted to visit but lamented that her home had become engulfed by acrimony.
“No one is attempting to hurt Wallis — we love her. No one is keeping her children from her. Despite the outrageous behavior they exhibit in my home at such a sensitive time, they are still welcome,” Kris Levine said in a declaration.
Annenberg had opted to go into hospice in the final weeks of her life, and Kris Levine questioned why the children would defy their mother’s wishes and disparage her choices, particularly in such a public way.
“Nobody controlled Wallis Annenberg and for anyone to say otherwise would contradict the truth and be disrespectful of her and her legacy as one of the most transformative philanthropists of our time,” said Stuart Liner, an attorney for Kris Levine, in a statement to The Times.
This account of the Annenberg family’s internal conflict is based on court records that provide a window into one of Southern California’s most prominent families. Wallis Annenberg’s estate lawyer, Andrew Katzenstein, and the children’s lawyer, Jessica Babrick, declined comment. Representatives for Vikki Levine did not respond to messages seeking comment.
Wallis Annenberg, center, sits between her son Charles Annenberg Weingarten and Kris Levine at a 2015 event.
(Chris Weeks / Getty Images)
Annenberg died Monday at age 86, drawing tributes from former President Biden, Gov. Gavin Newsom, and luminaries in the worlds of art, business and philanthropy.
The public mourning has highlighted Annenberg’s generosity toward elder care, animal welfare and USC, where she was a life trustee, among other causes. The turmoil among those closest to her, however, has persisted following the intense legal battle over her final days.
The dispute, at least so far, has not touched on the Annenberg family’s wealth — or what either side stood to financially gain or lose with the matriarch’s death. It originated, in part, in an advance healthcare directive that Annenberg allegedly signed on July 11, 2023, the year after she was diagnosed with lung cancer, according to court records.
The directive, which was notarized and executed with assistance from Annenberg’s attorney, Katzenstein, endowed Vikki Levine with primary authority over medical decisions and designated Annenberg’s son Gregory Weingarten as an alternate.
Annenberg’s children have since cast doubt on the document, asserting in a court filing that the signature appears to be right-handed, while Annenberg was left-handed.
Vikki Levine, with David Dreier, attends The Wallis Delivers: A Benefit Evening To Support Wildfire Recovery at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on April 30 in Beverly Hills.
(Rodin Eckenroth / Getty Images)
Why Annenberg installed Vikki Levine in the role is unclear. In court papers, she is described as Annenberg’s best friend, personal assistant and sister to “life partner” Kris Levine. Voting records show that all three women resided at Annenberg’s home. Vikki Levine had worked for the heiress since at least the mid-2000s, when Annenberg installed her as trustee over a granddaughter’s trusts, court records show.
Although Kris Levine was not listed among Annenberg’s survivors in several obituaries, she was a mainstay in her life, publicly accompanying her to events and co-chairing philanthropic events.
Last fall, after being in remission, Annenberg’s cancer returned. According to a court filing by Vikki Levine, the philanthropist decided not to tell her children or anyone but her “closest friends.”
“Wallis determined not to seek treatment, but to enjoy as much as possible, the time she had left,” according to the filing.
In April, after Vikki Levine told Annenberg’s children about their mother’s health, they “had nearly unlimited access to Wallis,” the filing said, asserting that the children’s claims rest on scores of in-person interactions with her, making it unlikely that she was forcibly isolated.
“Wallis has been visited virtually daily by her Children and/or grandchildren, and has 24 hour care by experienced medical staff,” Vikki Levine’s attorneys said.
Wallis Annenberg, seated, with her children Gregory Annenberg Weingarten, Lauren Bon and Charles Annenberg Weingarten.
(Hamish Robertson)
Around early May, Annenberg began hospice, with medication aimed to alleviate pain and anxiety from her decreased lung function, according to a declaration from one of her hospice nurses that was reviewed by The Times.
But the Annenberg children were growing increasingly alarmed, they said in court filings.
In June and early July, Vikki Levine had dismissed longtime household staff and was demanding that a new team overmedicate their mother, “administering excessive amounts of powerful narcotics and opioids, such as Fentanyl, Morphine, Ativan and other similar drugs,” the children alleged in a court filing.
The cocktail of narcotics kept their mother “in a vegetative state” and risked catastrophe, the children claimed, writing, “When Wallis is able to emerge from this near-comatose state, she is adamant that this is not what she wants and that she believes, in her own words, that Vikki is ‘kidnapping her.’”
To back their accusations, the children provided a judge with signed declarations from three of their mother’s caregivers, who said they had been ousted around late June after observing shocking scenes, including forgery of records and misrepresentations to Annenberg’s doctors.
“I witnessed Vikki forcing pills in Ms. Annenberg’s mouth when she clearly did not want to take them. I told Vikki that Ms. Annenberg seemed calm and did not need more medication,” said Annenberg’s housekeeper and caregiver of nearly 20 years. “Vikki told me the pills were for her upset stomach, but I told her that I knew they were Ativan because I saw the bottle.”
Another healthcare worker — a registered nurse of 40 years employed by a concierge medical service — said she was dismissed shortly after she objected to providing Ativan to Annenberg, who at the time was sleeping and did not appear anxious or agitated.
The nurse alleged that Vikki Levine forbade the staff from keeping a proper medication log and allowed Annenberg to drink alcohol, even while on medication.
“It is difficult for me to believe that this kind of conduct can happen to anyone, let alone Ms. Annenberg. No one deserves to be rushed to death,” the nurse said in her sworn declaration.
Lawyers for Vikki Levine said that all three former staffers supporting the Annenberg children had been fired “for cause,” but did not elaborate.
Before turning to the courts, the children asked Dr. Peter Phung, of Keck Medicine of USC, to visit their mother. Phung “determined that she was, indeed, being overmedicated” and trimmed her dosage, the children claimed in court filings.
“As a result, Wallis had her best day in weeks,” the children said. “Unfortunately,” they continued, Vikki Levine blocked access to the doctor, and she and her sister “completely barred” the children’s visits on July 13.
The following morning, the children petitioned a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge to suspend Vikki Levine’s authority as Annenberg’s healthcare agent and appoint one of her sons or a third-party professional instead. The children also asked the judge to impose a three-day period before Annenberg’s body could be transported out of L.A. or cremated.
In a 73-page filing, the children provided extraordinary details about their mother’s medical care, along with their concerns, situating their petition as an act of desperation.
“We have been informed that my mother may only have weeks to live, and I do not want those weeks to be spent in a medically-induced coma due to Vikki’s actions, which are contrary to medical advice and harmful to her well-being,” daughter Lauren Bon said in a declaration.
Annenberg’s daughter, artist Lauren Bon, stands in an L.A. River project site in 2023.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Vikki Levine and her sister vehemently contested the allegations, denying any abuse and claiming that the children were misinformed or omitted key information.
“Dr. Phung did not determine that Wallis was being over-medicated as alleged,” said one of Vikki Levine’s filings. “To the contrary, Dr. Phung confirmed to Vikki that there has been ‘no mismanagement of symptoms.’”
Annenberg, they said, was confined to the bed because of doctor’s orders, not cruelty.
A hospice nurse who saw Annenberg nearly daily in the final weeks of her life also contested many of the claims of the children and the former caregivers.
The nurse, according to a signed declaration reviewed by The Times, said Annenberg’s care relied on direct orders from her physicians and was carried out by registered nurses from VITAS, a hospice service. The medical team kept all appropriate records, and Annenberg was confined to her bed because moving would have risked dangerous falls, respiratory distress and other calamities.
The Levine sisters portrayed the Annenberg children as improperly interfering in their mother’s affairs.
“They crowd around Wallis’ bed while the nurses are caring for her, tell Wallis that she doesn’t need the medication, refuse to get out of their way, ask numerous questions about the medication and procedures being employed, and generally make the situation untenable for a care-provider to work,” Kris Levine said in a declaration submitted to the judge.
While Kris Levine acknowledged that she had halted visits from the children on July 13, she said in a court declaration that she asked them not to come that day because of a series of heated confrontations, and that she had wanted to impose visiting hours to give Annenberg some rest and continuity.
“The children, particularly Gregory Weingarten, have aggressively refused my requests. Indeed, he has insisted that my name is ‘not on the deed,’ that I have ‘no rights’ to our home, and that he had ‘more rights’ to be there than I did,” Kris Levine said in her declaration.
The tensions boiled over with “multiple” calls to police by Annenberg’s children.
Vikki Levine said that when officers arrived on a recent Friday night, they “determined that there was no mistreatment of Wallis, no elder abuse as alleged, and told Vikki that she did not need to let the Children back into the house.”
Nevertheless, both Vikki and Kris Levine said they made it clear to the children that they could still visit their mother.
On July 22, Judge Gus T. May found that there was “good cause” to suspend Vikki Levine from serving as Annenberg’s healthcare agent.
In her place, the judge appointed Jodi Pais Montgomery, a professional fiduciary who has held roles in other celebrity cases in probate court, including Britney Spears and Carol Burnett’s grandson.
Montgomery was instructed to follow Annenberg’s advance healthcare directive and share confidential medical information with the Annenberg children, as well as with the Levine sisters.
United States President Donald Trump arrived at the Federal Reserve’s headquarters in Washington to tour the site of a $2.5bn renovation of two historical buildings, which the White House criticises as overly costly and ostentatious, as tensions escalate between the administration and the independent overseer of the nation’s monetary policy.
Thursday’s rare presidential visit to the Fed is happening less than a week before the central bank’s 19 policymakers gather for a two-day rate-setting meeting, where they are widely expected to leave the US central bank’s benchmark interest rate in the 4.25-4.50 percent range.
Trump has repeatedly demanded that the Fed lower rates by 3 percentage points and has frequently raised the possibility of firing Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, though the president has said he does not intend to do so.
On Tuesday, Trump called the Fed chief a “numbskull”.
On Thursday, Trump publicly scorned Powell for the cost of an extensive building renovation as the two officials began a tour of the unfinished project.
Trump said the project cost $3.1bn, much higher than the Fed’s $2.5bn figure, while Powell, standing next to him, silently shook his head.
“This came from us?” Powell said, before he figured out that Trump was including the renovation of the Martin Building, which was finished five years ago.
“Do you expect any more additional cost overruns?” Trump asked.
“Don’t expect them,” Powell said.
Trump said in his career as a real estate developer, he would fire someone for cost overruns. The president joked that he would back off Powell if he lowered interest rates.
“I’d love him to lower interest rates,” Trump said, as Powell stood by, his face expressionless.
Powell typically spends the Thursday afternoon before a rate-setting meeting doing back-to-back calls with Fed bank presidents as part of his preparations for the session.
Elevated by Trump to the top Fed job in 2018, and then reappointed by former President Joe Biden four years later, Powell last met with Trump in March when the Republican president summoned him to the White House to press him to lower rates.
The visit takes place as Trump battles to deflect attention from a political crisis over his administration’s refusal to release files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, reversing a campaign promise. Epstein died in 2019.
White House officials have ramped up Trump’s pressure campaign on Powell in recent weeks, accusing the Fed of mismanaging the renovation and suggesting poor oversight and potential fraud.
White House budget director Russell Vought has pegged the cost overrun at “$700m and counting”, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called for an extensive review of the Fed’s non-monetary policy operations, citing operating losses at the central bank as a reason to question its spending on the renovation.
Those losses stem from the mechanics of managing the Fed’s policy rate to fight inflation, which include paying banks to park cash at the central bank. The Fed reported a comprehensive net loss of $114.6bn in 2023 and $77.5bn in 2024, a reversal from years of big profits it turned over to the Treasury when interest rates – and inflation – were low.
Renovations in the spotlight
The Fed, in letters to Vought and lawmakers, backed up by documents posted on its website, says the project – the first full rehab of its two buildings in Washington since they were built nearly a century ago – ran into unexpected challenges, including toxic materials abatement and higher-than-estimated materials and labour costs.
Ahead of Trump’s visit, Fed staff escorted a small group of reporters around the construction sites. They wove around cement mixers and construction machines, and spoke over the sound of drills, banging and saws. Fed staff pointed out security features, including blast-resistant windows, that they said were a significant driver of costs, in addition to tariffs and escalations in material and labour costs.
The renovation project started in mid-2022 and is on track to be completed by 2027, with the move-in planned for March 2028. A visit to the roof of the Eccles Building – a point of particular scrutiny by White House critics that the renovations were ostentatious – revealed an impressive view of the Lincoln Memorial and the National Mall, the pool report said.
Staff explained that rooftop seating, although inexpensive, had been removed because of the appearance of it being an amenity and was one of only two deviations from the original plan. The other was the scrapping of a couple of planned fountains.
Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott, a Republican who sent Powell a letter on Wednesday asking a series of questions about the cost and other details of the renovation, as well as Powell’s own statements about it, is part of the visit as well.
Market reaction to Trump’s visit was subdued. The yield on benchmark 10-year Treasury bonds ticked higher after data showed new jobless claims dropped in the most recent week, signalling a stable labour market not in need of support from a Fed rate cut. Stocks on Wall Street were mixed.
Trump’s criticism of Powell and flirtation with firing him have previously upset financial markets and threatened a key underpinning of the global financial system: that central banks are independent and free from political meddling.
His visit contrasts with a handful of other documented presidential visits to the Fed. Then-President Franklin Delano Roosevelt visited the central bank in 1937 to dedicate the newly-built headquarters, which is one of the two Fed buildings now being renovated. Most recently, former President George W Bush went to the Fed in 2006 to attend the swearing-in of Ben Bernanke as Fed chief.
Central bank independence critical
“I think it’s important that he send a signal that he really isn’t happy with how things are going at the Fed,” said Senator Cynthia Lummis, a Republican member of the Senate Banking Committee. She said the visit was a “good decision” by Trump.
Senator Mike Rounds, another Republican who sits on the Senate Banking Committee, said on Thursday he also saw no problem with Trump’s visit, though he added that Powell’s independence as Fed chief is “critical for the markets. I think he’s done a good job of that”.
“I think the more information the president can glean from this, probably the better off we are in terms of resolving any issues that are outstanding,” Rounds said, noting that Powell had indicated “that they have had a significant amount of money, just in terms of foundation work and so forth, that was not anticipated to begin with”.
Former Fed chiefs Janet Yellen and Bernanke this week wrote an opinion piece in The New York Times warning that the public’s belief that the US central bank is willing to make hard decisions based on data and independent of politics “is an important national asset. It is hard to acquire and easy to lose”.
Economic experts widely agree.
“As we’ve seen through the disinflation process that has been taking place over the last few years, the credibility of central banks around the world has been instrumental in anchoring inflation expectations and in bringing down inflation across many countries in the world,” International Monetary Fund spokesperson Julie Kozack said on Thursday.
“And it is also important that independence, of course, must coexist with clear accountability to the public.
Tesla CEO says he has formed a new political party after falling out with US President Donald Trump over the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’.
Billionaire Elon Musk has followed through on his pledge to create a new political party in the United States after President Donald Trump signed his controversial budget legislation, the so-called “One Big, Beautiful Bill”, into law.
Musk in a post on X on Saturday declared the formation of the “America Party“, to “give back” the people of the US their freedom and challenge what he called the nation’s “one-party system”.
He cited a poll, uploaded on Friday – the US’s Independence Day – in which he asked whether respondents “want independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system” that has dominated US politics for some two centuries.
The yes-or-no survey earned more than 1.2 million responses.
“By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it!” Musk wrote on Saturday.
“When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy. Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom,” he declared.
The move comes amid a worsening of the feud between the world’s richest man and Trump over the new budget law, which the Tesla and SpaceX CEO said would bankrupt the US.
Musk was Trump’s main campaign financier during the 2024 election, and led the Department of Government Efficiency from the start of the president’s second term, aimed at slashing government spending.
The two have since fallen out spectacularly over disagreements about the “Big, Beautiful Bill”.
Musk said previously that he would start a new political party and spend money to unseat lawmakers who supported the bill, which experts say will pile an extra $3.4 trillion over a decade onto the US deficit.
“They will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth,” Musk had said.
There was no immediate comment from Trump or the White House on Musk’s announcement.
Trump earlier this week threatened to cut off the billions of dollars in subsidies that Musk’s companies receive from the federal government, and to deport the South African-born tycoon.
“We’ll have to take a look,” the president told reporters when asked if he would consider deporting Musk, who has held US citizenship since 2002.
It is not clear how much impact the new party will have on the 2026 mid-term elections, or on the presidential vote two years after that.
On Friday, after posting the poll, Musk laid out a possible political battle plan to pick off vulnerable House of Representatives and Senate seats, and for the party to become “the deciding vote” on key legislation.
“One way to execute on this would be to laser-focus on just 2 or 3 Senate seats and 8 to 10 House districts,” Musk posted on X.
All 435 US House seats are up for grabs every two years, while about one-third of the Senate’s 100 members, who serve six-year terms, are elected every two years.
Despite Musk’s deep pockets, breaking the Republican-Democratic duopoly is a tall order, given that it has dominated US political life for more than 160 years, while Trump’s approval ratings in polls in his second term have generally held firm above 40 percent, despite the president’s often divisive policies.
WASHINGTON — In a final push to prevent passage of President Trump’s signature legislation into law, Elon Musk, once his largest benefactor and later his top White House aide, threw the kitchen sink at his former boss.
The world’s richest man threatened to fund primary challenges against supporters of the bill “if it is the last thing I do on this Earth.” He threatened to fund the creation of a third party based on fiscal responsibility. And he accused the president of using the bill as a vehicle to defund the ability of courts to enforce contempt orders, making it all but impossible to hold him and his allies accountable for violating the law.
There is still a slim chance that Musk succeeds. But a Senate vote approving the bill on Tuesday brought Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” to the doorstep of passage. The only thing standing in its way now is a handful of Republican lawmakers in the House.
Trump reacted to Musk’s campaign on Tuesday with a pointed threat. The Department of Government Efficiency, a federal program Musk ran at the start of the administration that aimed to reduce federal spending, could be directed to gut Musk’s properties of federal contracts, the president warned.
“We might have to put DOGE on Elon,” Trump said. Musk owns SpaceX, an aerospace company with deep ties to NASA, as well as Tesla and the X social media platform. “You know what DOGE is? The monster that might have to go back and eat Elon — wouldn’t that be terrible? He gets a lot of subsidies.”
“If DOGE looks at Musk, we’re going to save a fortune,” Trump later added. “I don’t think he should be playing that game with me.”
The “Big Beautiful Bill” included several provisions that could have rankled Musk, including a phaseout of green energy tax credits passed during the Biden administration that have benefited companies like Tesla.
But Musk said his priority in the bill was not its impact on the electric vehicle market. Instead, his concern is its overall price tag — a ballooning of the federal debt over the next decades that he said fundamentally undermines his work in the administration.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the Senate version of the bill will add $4 trillion to the debt by 2034, and even more if Congress votes later on to remove a series of expiration dates built into the legislation.
Musk left the Trump administration at the end of his tenure as a special government employee in late May, honored in the Oval Office by Trump with a press conference and a custom embroidered key. But the men fell out dramatically days later, trading insults in an acrimonious public feud that included Musk taking credit for Trump’s election victory.
Even within the last few days, Trump has offered mixed messages on the state of his relationship with Musk, wishing him only the best in an interview with Maria Bartiromo of Fox Business.
A president who built his reputation as a real estate mogul and TV personality, not through political office or military service. A cultural influencer and entrepreneur best known as the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, he also leads companies like Neuralink and The Boring Company, both embroiled in a feud. An intriguing moment in politics, one that could steer the direction of public discourse and holds potential for both factionalism and authoritarian tendencies. Two political outsiders beefing in the political space. Perhaps, if both were real politicians, the first thing to say would be that in politics there are no permanent friends and no permanent enemies, only permanent interests. Since both are businessmen, perhaps the philosophy of supply and demand should take the lead.
One key area of tension is their vision for power and influence. Trump has traditionally sought loyalty and absolute control over his political base. Musk, on the other hand, champions a decentralized, free speech-centric internet and promotes what he calls “rational centrism.” Their feud exposes a broader struggle over who gets to define the conservative movement in the digital age. Is it career politicians like Trump or tech disruptors like Musk?
As the feud between Elon Musk and Donald Trump escalates, it signals a seismic shift in where power and influence now reside in America. Musk represents the rise of the tech oligarch—billionaires who command not only wealth but also control over critical digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence. In contrast, Trump embodies the traditional fusion of business interests and political power. This public clash reflects more than a personal rivalry; it marks a defining moment in history when unelected figures with vast digital reach are rivaling, and in some cases eclipsing, the authority of elected officials. At stake is the very foundation of American democracy.
The cultural impact is equally significant. In today’s fragmented media landscape, Musk owns and controls X (formerly Twitter), one of the most influential social media platforms. Trump, meanwhile, promotes his views through Truth Social, his own media venture. Their battles play out in real time across these platforms, often fueling misinformation, deepening tribal divides, and eroding a shared sense of truth. This dynamic contributes to a growing destabilization of democratic norms. The rise of personality-driven politics is not confined to the United States; it is a global trend, reshaping leadership and public discourse worldwide. As Musk and Trump dominate headlines, millions are drawn into a media spectacle that distracts from urgent challenges like climate change, economic inequality, healthcare reform, and global instability. In this new era of digital power, the question remains: who truly holds the reins of influence, and at what cost to democratic society?
Elon Musk’s companies play a pivotal role in the U.S. economy, particularly in the automotive, aerospace, and infrastructure sectors. Should President Donald Trump choose to launch a political or rhetorical campaign against Musk, it could prompt Republican policymakers to reassess their support for clean energy subsidies, government contracts, or regulatory leniency. At the same time, Musk’s significant influence over financial markets—including cryptocurrencies and tech stocks—means that any sustained public clash with Trump could spark market volatility, especially if investors anticipate political retaliation or regulatory changes.
Should this feud be prolonged, the two figures could have far-reaching implications for Silicon Valley and the broader culture of innovation. Elon Musk is widely regarded as a symbol of entrepreneurial ambition and visionary risk-taking. Should former President Trump cast him as a political adversary, it could politicize certain elements of the tech industry, potentially undermining bipartisan support for innovation-driven initiatives. On the other hand, such a clash might encourage other tech leaders to adopt more overt political positions, either aligning with Musk’s views or deliberately distancing themselves from his influence, thereby challenging the traditionally apolitical posture of the tech sector.
The cultural implications of such a feud could be profound. Elon Musk resonates with younger, tech-savvy audiences through memes, livestreams, and direct engagement on social media platforms. In contrast, Donald Trump appeals to an older demographic that emphasizes traditional values and nationalist rhetoric. A prolonged conflict between the two figures could highlight and deepen the generational and ideological divides in American society. As business and politics become increasingly performative and adversarial, the space for collaboration, empathy, and thoughtful public discourse may continue to shrink.
Ultimately, in a nation already grappling with deep polarization, media fragmentation, and widespread institutional mistrust, a public clash between Elon Musk and Donald Trump could intensify existing divisions. While such a feud may appear, at first glance, to be mere spectacle, its ripple effects could extend far beyond headlines, impacting politics, economics, culture, and technology. As highly influential figures, both Musk and Trump bear a responsibility that transcends their personal brands. Their actions and their conflicts resonate throughout American society, making the consequences of their feud not just personal, but profoundly national.
