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Ed Sheeran’s Loop tour, in the span of less than two weeks, became an unexpected lightning rod for controversy and conversation about artist activism amid Israel’s deadly war in Gaza. Still, the show will go on.

Sheeran’s tour will proceed as planned, The Times has learned. He is scheduled to play on Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The venue also confirmed on Wednesday that the Saturday concert is still a go, but that supporting acts have yet to be finalized.

A representative for Sheeran’s tour did not immediately respond to requests for additional information, including who will be the new supporting acts.

In a rapid turn of events since rapper and former opening act Macklemore called for Palestinian liberation onstage earlier this month, Sheeran — the singer of inoffensive hits including “Thinking Out Loud” and “Shape of You” — fell out with the fellow Grammy winner, witnessed all supporting acts drop from his lineup and defended himself against accusations of complicity in silencing criticism of Israel. Additionally, Sheeran confronted scrutiny over his largely apolitical public presence. He attributed this to his longtime desire to “bring people from all backgrounds and cultures together” via his music and performances.

“I am not complicit. I have my personal views on this devastating conflict,” he wrote Tuesday on Instagram. “Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn’t mean I don’t have them, and it doesn’t mean I don’t care. Nor does it mean I don’t support causes in my own, personal way.”

Ahead of Sheeran’s first concert since the scrutiny surrounding Macklemore’s performance, read on for what preceded the fallout of Sheeran’s Loop tour.

Macklemore goes from “Thrift Shop” to “Hind’s Hall”

Macklemore performs at Rod Laver Arena on May 15, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia.

(Morgan Hancock / Getty Images)

Before hitting the stage for Sheeran’s Loop tour, Macklemore famously burst onto the music scene in 2012 as part of the duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. The pair gained popularity for the then-inescapable hit “Thrift Shop,” the fourth single off their acclaimed debut album, “The Heist.”

The duo gained further notoriety with hits “Can’t Hold Us” and same-sex marriage anthem “Same Love.” They notoriously bested Kendrick Lamar at the 2014 Grammy Awards in the rap album category. Lamar was nominated for his striking debut “Good Kid, M.A.A.D City.”

A year after releasing their 2016 album, “This Unruly Mess I’ve Made,” the duo announced an indefinite hiatus. Macklemore focused on his solo work, including collaborations with Kesha, Lil Yachty and Skylar Grey. In recent years, Macklemore has taken on a new purpose with his platform.

Macklemore, like many musical acts including Kehlani, Finneas and Irish rap group Kneecap, became a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause after Israel began its offensive in Gaza in the wake of the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. The rapper has channeled his views on the conflict into his music, releasing his protest song “Hind’s Hall” in May 2024. The song calls for a ceasefire, an end to Israeli occupation in Gaza and highlights pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses.

Ed Sheeran announces his Loop tour

Ed Sheeran performs during iHeartRadio Kiss 108’s Jingle Ball 2025 at TD Garden on Dec. 14, 2025, in Boston, Mass..

(Scott Eisen / Getty Images for iHeartRadio)

Last September, Sheeran unveiled his plans to hit the road to promote his eighth studio album, “Play.”

The British “A Team” singer announced at the time that his tour would begin June 2026 with a stop at Arizona’s State Farm Stadium and would run through early November. The announcement did not disclose the supporting acts set to share the stage with him, but informed fans the singer would perform shows across large venues including Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium in August and a pair of performances at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

The concerts at MetLife Stadium would later embroil Sheeran, his tour, Macklemore — and somehow pop star Pink — in controversy.

Macklemore calls to ‘Free Palestine’: Performance or ‘propaganda?’

When Macklemore took the MetLife Stadium stage as the supporting act for Sheeran’s Sept. 4 and 5 concerts, he did not mince words in his message. During his set, Macklemore criticized Israel for its war in Gaza and accused it of genocide of Palestinians. He also projected an edited version of his “Hind’s Hall” music video, which features footage of pro-Palestinian college encampments and protests and military strikes in Gaza.

Video of Macklemore’s performance spread online, drawing ire from some Jewish advocacy groups including StopAntisemitism, which accused Macklemore on Instagram of turning “a mainstream event into a political nightmare against the Jewish state.” Pop star Pink, who is Jewish, shared StopAntisemitism’s post to her Instagram story. She faced backlash for the repost and later clarified in a three-part statement that she took issue with the imagery Macklemore displayed during his performance. She also accused the rapper of taking “the mic to tell all the Jews in the stadium that it wasn’t about them.”

In the wake of Macklemore’s performance, the Israeli American Council and the Anti-Defamation League also decried Macklemore’s performance on social media, with the former publishing a petition calling on Sheeran to remove the rapper from the remaining shows of his tour.

“Freedom of expression does not give anyone the right to turn someone else’s stage into a platform for political propaganda,” the Israeli American Council said on Instagram.

Amid the mounting backlash, Macklemore defended his stance and shared video on social media of his full address to the MetLife crowd. “I said ‘Free Palestine.’ I want those words to be loud and clear so that the people in Gaza all the way to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten them,” he tells concertgoers in his introduction to “Hind’s Hall.”

“To all my Jewish brothers and sisters, criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide in no way is a criticism of you,” he adds, according to video of his address. “My message is for peace, love for all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect and equality.”

The fallout begins: Macklemore fired from Loop tour

Whether Macklemore would remain on Sheeran’s tour amid the public outcry remained uncertain, until he confirmed his status earlier this week. He said in a lengthy statement shared to Facebook that his continued, vocal support for Palestinians amid Israel’s war in Gaza has cost him professionally.

The rapper said he was removed after “some difficult conversations” with Sheeran. He also went into depth about the inner workings that led to his removal from the tour, including conversations between Sheeran and wealthy venue owners, including billionaire Robert Kraft, whose Kraft Group owns Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, where Sheeran is set to play later this month.

“Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium,” Macklemore wrote. “Ed also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively they gave him an ultimatum: if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues.”

Sheeran in a separate statement shared on Tuesday confirmed he had conversations with Kraft but did not speak to the alleged ultimatum. The singer also said removing Macklemore from the tour “was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine” and that Macklemore’s contract was with its promoter. Messina Touring announced on Monday it had dropped Macklemore from the remaining tour dates “after discussions with stakeholders.”

Additionally, Macklemore wrote that Sheeran’s “typical apolitical stance was being challenged” amid the public scrutiny and “he couldn’t get past his public facing, ‘I don’t take sides.’”

Sheeran appeared to address that criticism, writing in his missive that attendees at his concerts “do not expect a political forum.” The singer also wrote he thinks there can be different ways to work toward peace.

“If we only focus on shouting the loudest, nothing will ever change,” he wrote.

Macklemore said in his Monday statement he was hopeful this turn of events would not mean an end to his friendship with Sheeran and he was grateful for the opportunity to play on tour, regardless.

“I didn’t need 10 Shows from Ed. I needed 2,” he wrote. “Two chances to stand in front of 90,000 people and say … ‘Free Palestine.’”

Supporting acts depart tour in solidarity

Grammy winner Finneas was among the supporting acts who announced their departure from Ed Sheeran’s tour on Tuesday.

(Monica Schipper / Getty Images)

Hours after Sheeran shared his side to the controversy, numerous musical acts including Grammy winner Finneas and folk band Beoga, Sheeran’s backing band, pulled from the Loop tour in solidarity with Macklemore and in support of Palestinians.

“Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed. I have decided to withdraw from my upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran,” wrote Finneas, who has been a vocal supporter of Palestinians. “I stand with Palestine and its people.”

Pop band Lukas Graham and Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe, both billed as supporting acts for several upcoming dates on Sheeran’s tour, voiced support for the Palestinian people and spoke against the inner workings that led to Macklemore’s removal.

In its statement, Lukas Graham wrote: “Money doesn’t give you the right to own the conversation. Nobody’s bank balance should decide who gets to speak or which suffering we’re allowed to acknowledge.”

Rowe in his Instagram statement said that Sheeran “has been a friend to me and has changed my life” but that he is sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. “As Irish people we know all too well about genocide, forced famine and violent occupation,” he wrote. The “Hey Ma” singer accused elites of leveraging their power to “silence the rightful voices” and criticism of Israel.

“I need to be true to myself and my ancestors who resisted colonisation, and fought for a freedom that I enjoy today in Ireland,” Rowe continued.

Macklemore announced Wednesday that he will donate his earnings from his shows with Sheeran to charities supporting Palestinians. He also invited Kraft to match his donation and reaffirmed his dedication to the Palestinian cause.

“This is what this has always been about,” he wrote. “Not me. Not a tour. Not the headlines or the controversy.”

The North American leg of Sheeran’s Loop tour is scheduled to end Nov. 7 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. — the same venue that platformed controversial rapper Ye (formerly Kanye West) earlier this summer.

HELEN Flanagan has put on a busty display and risked popping out of her racy black dress on a night out.

The former Coronation Street star, 36, took to Instagram to share some new snaps as she enjoyed a meal out at Gaucho restaurant in Manchester.

She wore a long ribbed black dress as she showed off plenty of cleavage in the revealing outfit.

Helen threatened to spill out of her attire as she only had three small gold clasps holding her boobs in.

The figure hugging dress perfectly cinched her waist as she displayed her hourglass figure.

She wore her blonde locks in a curly hairstyle and opted for a chic make-up look, complete with false eyelashes, eye shadow and a pink gloss.

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Helen appeared to be in great spirits as she beamed from ear to ear and enjoyed some beverages.

The actress simply used a kissing lip emoji as the caption.

Her followers rushed to the comments section to compliment her as one gushed: “The most gorgeous woman ever.”

Another person enthused: “Stunning and classy.”

Somebody else commented: “Sydney Sweeney ain’t got nothing on you.”

Yet another joked: “I mean…..come on, give the other women a chance.”

While a fifth follower added: “You are so gorgeous.”

Helen’s night out comes just days after she joked about selling her knickers to pay for her solicitors fees, amid her ongoing feud with her ex Scott Sinclair.

The Sun revealed how she has had some recent financial concerns after the father of her kids, 37, recently sold their family home, forcing her to downsize.

In a post on Monday, she shared a video where she quipped that she was going to flog her underwear for cash.

In the short clip, Helen was seen shimmying out of her knickers from underneath a long dress, before swinging them in the air.

In the next shot, she headed into the Post Office where she purchased an envelope.

The saucy star was then seen leaving the shop empty handed, implying she had posted her knickers to a fan.

Helen wrote over the top of the video: “When you have to figure out a way to pay for solicitor fees.”

JEREMY Clarkson has backed an Instagram influencer to take over Gardener’s World following Monty Don’s shock exit.

Don announced his departure earlier this week after 23 years on the show.

Writing in his column for The Times, Jeremy has called upon the BBC to carefully consider who will be Don’s replacement.

The former Top Gear presenter reflected on the gardening show tenderly, calling it a “pixelated comfort food”.

However, Jeremy made a surprising suggestion as to who could fill Don’s shoes.

He said: “So, for the new host, might I recommend that the producers trawl the staff in the nation’s garden centres for candidates. Or check out a girl called Chloe from Blooms & Greens on Instagram.”

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Chloe, who boasts 672,000 followers online, is famed for her gardening videos.

She offers short snippets of her tending to her organic vegetable garden or floral bouquet creations.

And it seems Jeremy is not the only fan, with one of her videos racking up 2.3million views.

He said: “This is a show that’s watched by a certain type of people. And it should be presented and written and produced by that sort of person.”

He likened her to Don himself, but 50 years his junior, Irish, and a woman.

Speaking of his own gardening skills, Jeremy confessed to being less garden-native than the beloved host.

He called himself “the only person in human history ever to kill a spider plant.”

And that was not his only planting frustration he reflected on – one time he bought a Baobab tree seed from Morocco.

The same seed refused to grow until he passed it onto his gardener, Shaun, where it is now thriving under his care.

Jeremy also delved into the time he planted 50 Christmas trees, only for 47 of them to grow too tall to be of any use.

He said: “But despite this ineptitude, I do watch Gardeners’ World and that’s why I was sad this week to hear that after 23 years, Monty is leaving the show.”

With the BBC likely currently having conversations about Don’s replacement, Jeremy weighed in with his concerns on the topic.

He said: “I have the most horrible feeling that whoever gets the gig will not be the sort of person who wears corduroy.”

He suggested, if not Chloe, then producers try garden centres to find a host.

Jeremy added: “What they need to remember is that Gardeners’ World is a show about gardening, for sure, but it’s also a state of mind.”

NHS GP Dr Amir Khan says a common method for dealing with nosebleeds is not correct

Dr Amir Khan has offered guidance on how to properly treat a nosebleed, revealing that many people have been receiving incorrect advice. The well-known TV doctor and NHS GP, recognised for his regular slots on ITV’s This Morning and Lorraine, discussed the matter with his followers on the latest instalment of his podcast, No Appointment Necessary.

His explanation may come as a surprise to some who have been instructed to do something entirely different when dealing with a nosebleed. Co-host Cherry Healey appeared to be among them, as she questioned him about the advice people have given her for managing a nosebleed.

She said: “You know when someone gets a nosebleed, they always get told to put their head back. It’s so awful when you get a nosebleed and someone tells you that because it’s what you don’t want to do. Is that true?”

The doctor responded: “No. It used to be that, but it’s not head back. It’s head forward. Yeah, because if you go back, you could swallow the blood and then cause all sorts of issues.”

He then outlined what you should do instead, saying: “First of all, you want to pinch the soft bit of your nose just underneath the bone. I’m talking like this now because I’m doing it. So pinch that bit as tight, as tight as you can and then lean forward.

“So head between your knees or lean as far forward as you can for, you’ve guessed it, 15 minutes. 15 to 20 minutes is when anything is bleeding.

“That’s how long you need to put pressure on it.” Cherry then replied: “Because that’s how long it takes to clot.”

His advice is important because many people have been given incorrect advice. McGill University in Canada says the tilt-the-head-back method is a ‘common misconception’.

Its website states: “First aid standards have changed throughout the years, making it difficult to keep up with the right practice. Tilting your head backwards is common misconception. Currently, Red Cross standards and most clinicians inform us to sit neutral, tilt head slightly forward, pinch the bridge of the nose, and wait for 10-15 minutes.”

NHS advice on what to do if you have a nosebleed

The NHS website advises that if you experience a nosebleed, you should sit down and lean forward, with your head tilted forward and your mouth open; pinch your nose just above your nostrils for 10 to 15 minutes; and breathe through your mouth. It adds: “Holding an icepack (or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel) on the top of the nose may help reduce the blood flow. But the evidence to show it works is not very strong.”

It also provides guidance on what to do for the 24 hours following a nosebleed. To reduce the likelihood of another nosebleed, for 24 hours afterwards, it recommends you should try not to pick your nose, blow it, or pick any scabs.

It also suggests avoiding lying down flat, doing any heavy lifting or strenuous exercise, or consuming hot drinks or alcohol.

Dr Amir Khan tells patients what not to say in his practice

The doctor’s guidance comes a day after he shared with Instagram followers a list of things he does not want to hear from his patients. The reassuring post, which we reported about on Friday, stated people should not apologise for their weight, their toenails, or their hairy legs.

He said: “Please, you’re having a medical examination, I am not bothered about anything else. “He also said people should not apologise if they feel the need to cry, or if they cannot remember the name of their tablets. And he said: “Please don’t say things like I’m sorry to waste your time.

“If something is worrying you enough that you’ve come to make an appointment to come and see me, that’s what I’m here for.” He concluded by noting: “The only thing that I care about is that you feel able to tell me what’s really going on.

“Because the thing you might be embarrassed about might actually be really important, and I can’t help something you feel ashamed to tell me. So, come as you are, cry if you need to, don’t shave anything on my account, and please stop apologising for just being a patient. You’re not an inconvenience, you’re literally the reason why I’m here.”

Find episodes of the podcast on YouTube, Apple or other platforms.

AS SHE counts down to the birth of her second child, Scarlett Moffatt enjoyed a sweet baby shower this weekend.

The former Gogglebox favourite – who already shares son Jude with her fiance Scott Dobinson – enjoyed a fun-filled ‘baby in bloom’ themed bash with her friends and family.

From baby bingo to hilarious games, the shower saw all of Scarlett’s nearest and dearest come together.

Guests were welcomed to a large pastel coloured balloon arch with a sign that read ‘Baby in Bloom, Scarlett’s baby shower’ inscripted on it.

A floral cake with the same colour scheme and an ‘oh baby’ topper was beautifully displayed for guests to enjoy too.

Scarlett donned a floral dress as she matched the day’s theme, whilst her other half Scott and their son Jude both opted for pastel blue shirts.

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Sharing a carousel of pictures from the day, Scarlett wrote to Instagram: “Baby in Bloom 🌸🌼🩵

“One last big celebration before our littlest love arrives. My heart (and belly 😂) are VERY full 🩵”.

She continued: “Thank you to my mam and bestie for organising it all especially getting up at the crack of dawn to make finger sandwiches lol, to everybody who came we love you so much.

“Honestly what a giggle I’ve had & @balloonsbymollyx as always for the beautiful display”.

Scarlett announced she and Scott were expecting their second child earlier this year, but recently told The Sun that the pregnancy has been far from smooth sailing.

After a very relaxing pregnancy with Jude, Scarlett says she was shocked this time around.

“This time, the first trimester I was still working and filming and I was getting bad travel sickness – I’ve never had that in my life before.

“I was also running off to throw up at work,” admitted the star.

KATE Beckinsale has revealed her PTSD diagnosis and admitted she’s in a ‘lonely place’ in a heartbreaking Instagram video.

The actress said that there’s loads of information around military PTSD but not Civilian PTSD and that people find that harder to understand.

Kate, 53, explained that people who “have seen or experienced levels of horror, terror or violence” see it every time they blink or any time they close their eyes for a second.

She said: “Those people aren’t recognised as heroes.”

She went on to explain that although people with PTSD go about their everyday lives that “they don’t sleep for more than an hour because when they do, it’s full of nightmares.”

She said: “Anything, smells, sounds, thoughts, feelings. Can trigger them into a place that is actually like hell.”

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She shared that since battling PTSD is “invisible,” people should be “kinder and gentler” to others.

She continued: “It really is true that if you haven’t walked a mile in someone’s shoes — however fancy you think the shoes are — you have absolutely no idea what they might be carrying, masking, dealing with day and night.

“And if in doubt, especially to a little child. And I am someone who had a little child who was treated extremely cruelly by grown adults, who forgave themselves immediately.

“So if in doubt be kind. Always be kind.”

The star ended her video by explaining that PTSD victims “are the loneliest people because they are alone with a level of horror that’s incompatible with life.

“Yet a lot of the time these people continue to try and put one foot in front of the other.”

Fans flocked to comment and one wrote: “Thank you for sharing this, I appreciate you being so open n giving some insight, I don’t know if it helps but I hope you know it’s appreciated.”

Kate replied: “I’m really glad that makes me happy. I just hope at least one person can feel seen and appreciated and understood. It can be such a lonely place.”

Another added: “Sending love and hugs.”

A third wrote: “The truest words I’ve heard all f***ing year! Hope you’re ok xx.”

While a fourth said: “You’re right… there’s not enough awareness of complex PTSD at all!”

Kate lost her beloved mum Judy Loe, 73, in 2025 after a battle with cancer.

Kate first revealed her mother’s cancer diagnosis last year, shortly after the death of her famous stepfather Roy Battersby, who tragically passed away following a massive stroke.

The Serendipity star also lost her father Richard Beckinsale at the age of five after he suffered a huge heart attack.

EXCLUSIVE: A female pilot has shared the way she’s experienced sexism in the workplace, saying it’s probably not in the way you think, and shared a common misconception about pilots

Raja Katz was around 12 or 13 years old when she realised being a pilot was the “only thing” she wanted to do as a career. But it wasn’t because she wanted to follow in any family members’ footsteps, as she “didn’t know any pilots, let alone a female one” – it was just a gut feeling she had.

To test out her theory, at 15 she “started flying gliders,” which is how she managed to “turn the fascination into something concrete”. She explained: “Looking back, not having a role model or mentor of my own is a big part of why I now spend so much time trying to help increase representation for female pilots.”

Now, speaking exclusively to the Mirror, Raja has lifted the lid on what life as a female airline pilot – and how passengers react when they realise there’s a woman in the cockpit.

How did Raja become a pilot?

Raja, who posts on social media as @raja_in_the_sky, explained: “Broadly, there are two ways in. You can go through an airline’s own cadet programme, where you’re selected and trained specifically for that airline, which is comparatively rare and highly competitive. Or you go through a private flight school that you fund yourself, which is the far more common route.

“Either way, you start with classroom training, the theoretical side covering things like air law, meteorology, navigation and aircraft systems, and you sit a set of legal exams for that, either alongside or before your practical flying. The practical side starts on small, single-engine aircraft and builds up from there.

“You then add a multi-engine rating, which qualifies you to fly aircraft with more than one engine, along with an instrument rating and multi-crew training. Once you’ve completed the required theory exams, you hold what’s called a “frozen” ATPL (Airline Transport Pilot License), which becomes a full license once you’ve built up enough flight hours.

“The final and most specific step is the type rating: the license for one particular aircraft type, an Airbus A320 or a Boeing 737, for example. This is most often provided or paid for by your employer once you’re hired.”

A typical day

Raja explained that there’s no such thing as a typical day at work as a pilot, and “every day is different”, but that’s what she loves about it. She explained: “Flying long-haul, you start your working day at your home base anywhere between early morning and late evening, depending on the flight.

“You report for duty and meet your fellow pilots, and depending on the flight time, there can be more than two of us on duty for a flight. Shortly after, you meet the cabin crew and go over the particulars for that flight: safety-relevant aspects and procedures, often for the first time, since it’s frequently the first time most of us have met at all.

“Then we take the crew bus out onto the apron (the area of the airport where planes are parked), boarding the aircraft, and once all checks are complete, the passengers board too. We finish our flight preparations: entering the route into the onboard computer, calculating our takeoff speeds, and thoroughly briefing the crew on that specific departure.

“Once loading is done and everyone’s on board, we get pushed back, taxi to the runway, run through our checklists, and we’re ready to take off. During cruise, we’re constantly monitoring weather, routing and terrain, and building contingency plans in case we ever need to land immediately.

“My long-haul sectors typically run between seven and 14 hours. As we get closer to our destination, we brief the entire approach and descent procedure in detail. After landing, we taxi to the gate, the passengers disembark, we hand the aircraft over to maintenance for its routine checks, and we head off to clear immigration and get to the hotel.”

Her experience with sexism

Raja has experienced sexism, but probably not “in the way people expect”. She explained: “The pilots and cabin crew I actually fly with have never questioned my competence, not once, and my colleagues take me seriously. Where I do notice it is with passengers, and it happened more often when I was flying short-haul.

“On those smaller aircraft, there’s barely any physical distance between where passengers board and the cockpit door, so people would see me walk in and react on the spot. Long-haul jets are bigger, and there’s simply much less contact between passengers and the flight crew, so I hardly ever get those moments now.

“Any form of discrimination is, of course, unacceptable. Sometimes, however, it’s more of a surprise on some faces when a woman is flying rather than rejection, and I understand that reaction, because it’s still rare”.

What Raja wishes people knew about pilots

Raja explained there’s “one thing” that she’d “love to clear up”. “It’s the difference between ‘pilot’ and ‘co-pilot’, because a lot of people assume the co-pilot is somehow the backup, someone who’s there just in case and doesn’t really fly the plane”, she said.

She continued: “That’s not how it works. Both the captain and the first officer, which is the correct term for what most people call the co-pilot, hold the same type rating for that aircraft and are both fully qualified to fly it.

“We take turns being ‘pilot flying’ and ‘pilot monitoring’ from one leg to the next, so on any given flight, it might be the first officer’s hands on the controls for takeoff and landing, not the captain’s. I’m a first officer myself, so I fly plenty of those sectors, take-offs and landings included, exactly like a captain would.

“The real difference between the two roles is seniority and responsibility. Captains have more experience and additional command training, and they carry the final legal authority and responsibility for the flight. But day to day, both of us are pilots in every sense of the word”.

For more information on learning to become a pilot, including the qualifications needed and the costs involved, visit the Civil Aviation Authority website.

Dolly Parton has been laid to rest in a private ceremony.

The immediate family of the country western star who died last week gathered at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville on Friday morning.

Parton was buried alongside her husband of almost 60 years, Carl Dean, who died in March 2025. The bronze crypt plate mounted at the mausoleum had the star’s name engraved on it before she died, alongside her husband’s name and a depiction of her Tennessee home.

In a social media post, Amelia Young from Nashville’s NewsChannel 5 shared photos of Parton’s burial site and said that the cemetery had set out velvet ropes and guest books so fans could visit Parton and pay their respects.

“Dolly’s fans and friends from around the world are encouraged to pay tribute to Dolly on social media tagging @dollyparton,” according to the cemetery’s obituary. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum is Nashville’s largest cemetery, where many other country western stars have been interred including George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Eddy Arnold, Marty Robbins and Porter Wagoner — Parton’s former mentor, for whom she wrote “I Will Always Love You” as a professional farewell when she went solo in 1973.

Parton’s great-niece Lainey Parton shared a tribute following the funeral, writing on Instagram, “This is a really hard post for me to make. I wanted to wait until after my granny was laid to rest yesterday before I tried to put any of this into words.

“From the time I was little, my granny always had a way of making me feel like I was enough. She never made my dreams feel too big or made me feel like I couldn’t do something. She believed in me before I even knew how to believe in myself.

“Most people can think of at least one bad memory with everyone in their family. I honestly can’t think of one with her.

“Because she couldn’t have kids of her own, she always made us feel like we were hers. She loved us that way, and I’ll forever be grateful for that.

“One memory I’ll always hold onto is when she asked me to sing with her on her @smokymountaindna album. I was a freshman in high school and SO nervous. But she had a way of making me feel like nothing bad could happen. She made me feel safe, confident, and like I belonged right there beside her. …

“She didn’t just tell me to chase my dreams, she helped me get there.”

Parton died peacefully last week, her nephew Bryan Seaver announced in a news release shared with The Times. Seaver also announced her death in a video shared to the singer’s Instagram page. Parton was 80.

In a statement, a representative for the country music icon said: “After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones.”

The type of cancer was not specified.

LOUISE Redknapp has shown her toyboy ex what he’s missing as she posed in a green bikini on the beach after the split.

The Eternal star, 51, took to Instagram to share a sneak peek into her holiday as she posed up a storm in the green number.

Louise looked beach ready in the bikini which she paired with a cream and brown monogrammed skirt as she gave a peek of her midriff.

She wore a chocolate brown long-sleeved top which she left unbuttoned to reveal her two-piece.

The singer accessorised with some chic sandals and a black bag with tassels.

She went make-up free for the beach day as she popped a pair of sunglasses on her head as well as several necklaces around her neck.

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Louise Redknapp rocks skimpy bikini beneath plunging dress

The Strictly Come Dancing star appeared to be moving on from her break-up as she flashed her pearly whites for a sweet snap.

She captioned the post: “Making the most of the last days of Summer, happy bank holiday.”

Her loyal fans flocked to the comments section to compliment her as one gushed: “Beautiful as always Louise.”

Another person enthused: “You’re literally sunshine personified!”

Somebody else wrote: “Oh jeez, you look phenomenal.”

While a fourth social media user added: “Stunningly beautiful.”

The Sun exclusively revealed earlier this month that she had split from boyfriend Drew Michael earlier this year after two years together.

They had been dating since autumn 2023 but called time on the relationship and he is believed to have left the UK.

It was her first serious romance since the breakdown of her 19-year marriage to football pundit Jamie Redknapp, 53, almost a decade ago.

A source said: “Louise and Drew decided to end things a little while ago.

“Things had been really good between them but it felt like their relationship had run its course and they both thought it was best to move on.

“It was all very amicable and although it’s never fun when a relationship ends, Louise has thrown herself back into her social life and her busy work schedule.

Drew’s thought to have moved abroad for work so it’s been a clean break.

“She’s in no rush to jump back into another relationship because she feels very fulfilled with her life right now, but she’ll see what happens.”

ABBY Lee Miller showed off her incredible figure in a black swimsuit as she enjoyed a trip away this week.

The Dance Moms star, 60, was soaking up the sun in Long Island, New York, and took to Instagram to share snaps from the trip with her fans.

Staying at the four-star Hotel Indigo, Abby beamed for the camera as she took a dip in the pool in a black one-piece swimsuit.

She matched the swimwear with statement gold jewellery and had her brunette tresses styled into a bouncy blowdry.

Sipping on a mocktail, Abby posed for several poolside shots.

She later added a butter yellow beach coverup over her bathing suit while relaxing by the pool.

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Abby captioned her post: “Couldn’t have asked for a better spot to stay while I was on Long Island this summer! 🌊☀️

“@indigoeastend was not only beautiful, but the perfect place to relax and enjoy all the amenities, from the pool to their fabulous restaurant, @bistro72, with a gorgeous sunset view! Top of the pyramid👏🏼👏🏼“.

Abby has been using a wheelchair since 2018, when she underwent spinal surgery and battled Burkitt lymphoma – a rare form of cancer.

Before her health woes, the TV star and dance instructor dropped from a size 24 to a size 16 and has been looking incredible over recent years since becoming cancer-free in 2019.

Abby rose to fame in 2011 when Dance Moms hit screens as the strict dance coach and leading personality of the show.

The series, which launched the careers of stars such as JoJo Siwa, was centred around the young girls who were members of the Abby Lee Dance Company and their mothers, who were also in competition with each other.

SINGER Miguel has called out abuse and racist attacks on his partner and child in a furious online rant.

The record producer, 40, has been in a relationship with former Vogue China editor-in-chief Margaret Zhang for three and a half years.

The couple are parents to a son named Angel and are currently expecting their second child together.

However, the performer has claimed that he and his family have been subjected to racism and harassment.

Taking to his Instagram feed, he began: “Over the past year, my family and the people I love have been subjected to racism, harassment, stalking, invasions of privacy, and false allegations.

“Recent racist and anti-Asian attacks directed at my partner – including comments and DMs, as well as abusive comments about my child – crossed a line that should require no explanation.

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“People can have opinions about me, about the music, about the work.

“I accept the realities that come with doing anything in public but racism, threats, harassment, stalking, invasions of privacy, and targeting of children are abuse. not opinion.”

The Adorn singer continued: “It doesn’t become acceptable because someone dresses it up as criticism, fandom, speculation, or “concern.”

“Responsibility also lies with organizations and individuals that knowingly amplify or enable racism, harassment, or false allegations for attention and engagement.

“If you participate in this behavior, you are not supporting me, you are not part of this community.

“Where legal and ethical lines have been crossed, action has been and will continue to be taken,” he warned.

“To everyone who has treated my family with kindness, dignity, and respect: we see you. we deeply appreciate you,” Miguel signed off.

His loyal fans rushed to the comments section as one said: “This makes me really sad. People just need to let people LIVE!

“Praying for you and your family @miguel and continue to make great music!”

Another penned: “You have a beautiful family and no one deserves the hate ya’ll receive.

“Children are to be celebrated no matter their ethnic background. We love you Miguel and fam.”

He went on to write in the comments: “Overwhelmed reading your comments of support loved ones, thank you.”

Miguel and Margaret began dating in 2022 and quietly welcomed their son in 2024.

He was previously married to his high-school sweetheart Nazanin Mandi but they got divorced in 2022, shortly before he met Margaret.

DAVID Beckham kissed his wife Victoria on their “special” family holiday – without estranged son Brooklyn.

The former footballer, 51, took to his Instagram stories to give fans a sneak peek into the holiday as the Beckham clan visited Spain, France and Italy.

David and Victoria, 52, were joined on the trip by their children Romeo, 23, Cruz, 21 and 15-year-old Harper.

Also there were his mum Sandra, Victoria’s dad Tony and Romeo and Cruz’s girlfriends Kim Turnball and Jackie Apostel.

Their estranged son Brooklyn and his wife Nicola Peltz were of course noticeably absent from the trip.

In one snap that David uploaded, he and Victoria were seen enjoying a smooch while on a boat in Ibiza, Spain.

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Another showed the pair swimming in a stunning blue ocean as he penned: “Someone doesn’t love the ocean but she loved this moment.”

He posted individual pictures with Harper and his mum as he told them he loved them.

In one particular photo, the family are seen sitting around a table for dinner as David writes: “Family moments. Love you all.”

Brooklyn, 27, and his wife Nicola, 31, have been estranged from his family for the past three years.

While his family enjoyed their European holiday, he and Nicola posed up a storm in bed selfies as they were joined by their pet pooch.

The two were seen snuggled in their bed as they cuddled each other in one snap.

The chef released a bombshell statement in January and suggested public image and Brand Beckham was the biggest priority to his mum and dad.

He alleged that his mum cancelled making his wife’s wedding dress in the eleventh hour.

He claimed she was excited to wear one of Victoria’s designs and had to urgently find a new dress at the last minute.

He went on to say his mum called him “evil” for choosing to include his Nanny Sandra and Nicola’s Naunni on their table at the wedding because they didn’t have their husbands.

Brooklyn also claimed that his mum hijacked his wedding dance to dance “very inappropriately” on him and alleged she invited women from his past into his current life.

The former photographer said his parents cared more about keeping up with “Brand Beckham”.

Victoria said in an interview that when it comes to parenting, she has “always tried to protect” her children.

She told Emma Grede on her podcast: “Our children have had a very different upbringing to myself and David and I think the world is also a very different place now then to what it was when they were younger.”

The Beckham clan have made several attempts to lend olive branches to Brooklyn on social media, mentioning him on birthdays and special moments.

However, he’s remained firm on his decision to keep away from them as he continues his life in Los Angeles with Nicola.

CARMEL Electra has gone topless under just pineapple slices as she enjoyed breakfast al fresco style.

The actress, 54, took to Instagram to share some racy snaps from her vacation in Berlin.

In the pictures, she could be seen enjoying an outdoor breakfast, complete with a fruit platter, pastries and a Coca Cola.

In one snap, she pulled her bikini down as she covered her boobs with two pineapple slices.

She showed off her toned body in a blue and yellow underwear with tassels as she posed on a rooftop for the suggestive picture.

Carmen sported a heavy make-up look, complete with eyelashes, a dark eye shadow and a nude lip.

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The bottom of her blonde locks were dyed red as she wore her hair in a straight hairstyle.

Another photo showed her sitting down in front of the fruit as she popped her bra back on and held a strawberry in her hand.

Carmen shared a clip of herself taking a bite of a banana as she seduced the camera.

Yet another snap saw the model showing off her perky bum as she put one knee on a chair and looked directly into the lens.

She captioned the feed post: “Breakfast in Berlin.”

Her fans flocked to the comments section to compliment her as one said: “Breakfast of champions.”

Another follower enthused: “What a beautiful morning.”

Somebody else commented: “A hell of a breakfast.”

Yet another penned: “Hottest breakfast I’ve ever seen!!!!”

While a fifth added: “How is this possible, god damn.”

Her posts come after she modelled for Playboy, three decades after she first graced the magazine.

The sex symbol stunned in a new photoshoot in July as she stripped down for the Summer 2026 issue.

One shot showed her positioned on all fours on a green leather couch, wearing skintight black leather lingerie and fishnet tights.]

The outfit left little to the imagination as the cut-out tights exposed her bare backside, which she directed at the camera.

Carmen completed the look with black sky-high platform heels, heavy black eye makeup, and her long, blond-highlighted locks flowing straight down.

A new influencer fad is ready to hit Instagram and TikTok by storm, three years after the croissant XXL by acclaimed French pastry chef Philippe Conticini won our hearts

If you were on social media in 2024, then you will know about the giant croissant.

The bloated continental breakfast item took the post-Covid world by storm, triggering food influencers to flock to Paris to film themselves marvelling at its impressive proportions.

Known as the croissant XXL, it was the doughy-brainchild of acclaimed French pastry chef Philippe Conticini. The 1kg whopper debuted in his Paris bakeries before making it across the Channel to Phillipe’s Islington cafe, inspiring other Instagram-savvy food creators along the way.

Christophe Michalak delivered the le big pain aux raisins (350g), Yannick Delpech dropped la chocolatine XXL and Parisian department store Galeries Lafayette tried big pain au chocolat (a relatively svelte 320g).

Type any of those names into the Instagram or TikTok search bars, and you’ll be inundated with photos of glamorous people attempting to cram the medium-dog-sized pastry into their mouths. Clearly, these videos are a hit. The first clip that comes up on Instagram is less than 10 seconds long and has 116,000 likes.

In social media terms, this is all very old news. The big croissant fad came and then, just as quickly, it went. But now there is a new big food trend on the scene. On a recent trip to Gothenburg, I visited the beautiful district of Haga, the city’s oldest neighbourhood. It’s a great place to explore, to wander down the pedestrianised cobbled streets packed with excellent homeware, furniture, book and clothing shops. And also Café Husaren. The cosy wood-paneled spot is the inventor of the massive ‘hagabullar’ cinnamon buns.

Stretching close to a foot from edge to edge, these enlarged treats are a significantly puffed-up, Instagram-friendly version of a good that is firmly baked into Swedish life.

The average Swede eats cakes and pastry equivalent to 316 cinnamon buns per year, according to the country’s tourist board, and the act of taking fika (a cake-and-food-focused period of time) is so important that two coffee breaks per day are an unwritten rule in many Swedish workplaces.

The hagabullen has been described as a “masterpiece and the epicentre of a luxurious fika”. One happy reviewer called them a “dream and very delicious, but only suitable for a person with great hunger.”

And this is the problem. The hagabullar are simply too big to be enjoyable. They contain too much stuff. While it is undeniably fun to buy novelty-sized things (foam fingers, big Chuppa Chups at airports, etc.), sometimes bigger is not always better. Particularly when it comes to food. The smaller something is, the stronger its ratio of surface area to innards is. The oversized croissants and hagabullar simply have too much inside and not enough outside to be tasty.

But then again, no one can tell that in an Instagram post. Nor can they see the waste that’s left over. The overly doughy croissants left to the pigeons; the belly-busting hagabullar that prove too much for an influencer to handle; the bin full of unfinished lattes bought so people can pose next to a pink wall in LA.

In fairness to Café Husaren, it’s not only an elegant place with an array of absolutely delicious baked goods, but it’s been selling the hagabullar for over 40 years. Far longer than the croissant XXL. Regardless, I was sad to see Swedes and tourists buying a hagabullar, snapping a pic and then discarding the majority of the sweet bun. Hagabullar sat, unloved, on several vacated tables close to mine.

Conticini’s XXL croissant is advertised as feeding eight people, but in reality, it is often nibbled by one or maybe two influencers, photographed, and then dumped.

They say that you eat with your eyes as much as with your stomach. While this is true, this kind of social media-friendly food is 90% for the eyes and far too little for the tum.

All of this is in service of an algorithm that rewards extremes, whether that be the biggest, the most extravagant (see Eating with Tod’s ‘tuna fight club video) or the grossest (see muckbang). It’s designed to shock in its extremity, which means it is ripe for ridicule.

Juliette Moreno is a Cordon Bleu-trained chef whose videos making fun of these trends have won her more than 400,000 Instagram followers. Her most recent efforts have seen Juliette create a huge Minion cookie, Monster energy drink soufflé, rat meringues, and hot dogs boiled in the dishwasher.

Her videos are funny because they take ideas that have been percolating on Instagram and TikTok to their most extreme possible end. She fills up the boot of a car with tiramisu so we don’t have to. Because we shouldn’t.

Around 645 million people didn’t have enough food to eat in 2025, according to the WHO, but the world produces food for two billion more people than currently exist. On a planet where Sudan and Gaza are currently facing famine, maybe we should give the big food videos a break for a while.

MELANIE Sykes has revealed a new look with a wig – after shaving her head amid her alopecia battle.

The 56-year-old, who revealed her autoimmune disease diagnosis last year, took to her Instagram page to share the stunning selfie with fans.

According to NHS Inform, alopecia is a “general term for hair loss”.

The TV star has proudly been showing off her new shaved head look after previously being left “two thirds bald”.

But she recently was all smiles as she posed for a picture while rocking a brunette bob.

Melanie captioned the post: “Options………….. #chameleon #wigstagram.”

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Melanie Sykes shows off her bald head after alopecia battle

Earlier this month Melanie, looked radiant as she went back to her modelling roots for the first time since losing her hair.

And just days before she showed off her bald head in her “Monday Motivation” post.

Throughout Mel’s alopecia battle she has been open and honest about the impact it has had on her.

She previously explained how her autoimmune condition had progressed over time and had left her with noticeable bald patches across her head.

Mel told how she was in “so much pain” after spending a long period of time unwell.

The star said at the time: “I’ve got an autoimmune condition, I am losing my hair, I keep having crazy inflammation all over and I am working on healing.

“In the last three months, I’ve done a meditation teacher training course.

“I was too ill to finish it, like the last two days of it I couldn’t do.

“It’s meditation teacher training, I don’t necessarily want to teach, but I can do…

“Mostly I’ve been living a very, very very spiritual existence.

“I’m two-thirds bald, really. Every time I say I’m bald I laugh, I don’t know why… Thank god I can laugh.”

Alysa Liu is stepping away from skating again.

The first time, following her bronze medal at the 2022 world championships, Liu considered herself retired at age 16.

This time, six months after becoming the first American woman to win Olympic gold in skating since 2002, the 21-year-old athlete says she’s simply taking a year off from the sport and is already planning her return.

“I will not be competing this season,” Liu wrote Monday on Instagram. “I always want to challenge myself in new ways, so my artistry & skating can evolve. It’s important to me that my sport reflects my personal growth. I’m gonna take the time to recalibrate, fine-tune things & whatnot.

“So fear not, I’ll be back, & in the meantime I’ll be rooting for my teammates near & far. See yall soon!!”

Born in Clovis and raised primarily in Oakland, Liu won back-to-back U.S. championships in 2019 and 2020 at ages 13 and 14. In February 2022, she finished seventh at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

Less than two months later, Liu announced on Instagram that she was “done with my goals in skating [and] i’m going to be moving on with my life.”

During her two years off, Liu hiked to Mount Everest base camp with friends, enrolled at UCLA and focused on herself.

“I found what I like and what I didn’t like,” Liu said earlier this year. “Really got to know myself, because [when] I had skating, I didn’t really know myself. I couldn’t know myself. I only ever did one thing.”

She returned to skating in 2024 on her own terms, with a new look that included a halo hairstyle and a “smiley” piercing in the tissue connecting her upper lip to her gums. A gold medal at the 2025 world championships set the stage for her triumph at the Milano-Cortina Games.

While her last break was an effort to get away from skating, Liu told NBC Sports that this time she will continue training to improve her “overall artistry, spins, jumps, everything.”

“I really want to improve my skating, and I wanted to take the time to do that for myself and just to evolve, and then I’ll be back after that is done,” Liu said. “But I’ll still be cheering on all my competitors and my teammates, and I’m really excited.”

She added that “logically and emotionally and physically, this just makes the most sense” and “I just felt this was right. So I’m trusting my instincts.”

BROOKLYN Beckham has once again divided fans over his cooking methods after sharing his latest creation.

The budding chef often shares his recipes to Instagram, and this time confused some fans over the way he made his mashed potato for a cottage pie.

Filming himself as he created the recipe, Brooklyn was seen boiling the potatoes for the pie with the skins on and then peeling them once they were already soft boiled.

This was instead of peeling the skins off before cooking the potatoes, which is the traditional method.

The move divided fans in the comments, with some unsure over the method.

“Why don’t you peel the spuds first?” asked one.

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“Why would not peel the potatoes before?” agreed another.

A third said: “It looks nice and he obviously loves cooking… weirdest way to do potatoes though…? Like if they’re going to to be mashed up anyway 🤷🏻‍♀️”.

However, some agreed with Brooklyn’s method and said they did the same at home.

“Because it’s easier and less time consuming the way he did it,” hit back one, a follower argued back.

“It’s much easier to peel after cooking the potatoes,” agreed a second.

Brooklyn did also take to the comment section of the post to remind fans he isn’t a professional chef.

The famous son of David and Victoria wrote: “Im obviously not a professional chef haha x just love cooking and eating xx love all the lovely comments ❤️”

Whilst he may not be a professional, Brooklyn often shares cooking videos online and has fronted digital series such as Cookin’ With Brooklyn.

However, the star – who has also attempted careers in the likes of photography and modelling – is often subjected to backlash over his creations.

Meta, parent company of Instagram and Facebook, is on trial over claims it sought to hook young users on its platforms despite mental health concerns.

The top executive at Instagram has admitted that few teenagers have used a feature meant to counter addiction before it was turned on by default, as hearings in a landmark trial against its parent company, Meta, continue in the United States.

Adam Mosseri testified on Tuesday as Meta’s trial – over accusations that it designed its platforms, including Facebook, to be addictive to young people – entered its second week.

Mosseri, who has led Instagram since 2018, denied any suggestion by US states suing Meta that Instagram had stalled by not making the “Take a Break” feature the default setting for teenagers until September 2024, nearly three years after its launch.

“Most teens didn’t want it,” Mosseri said. “We decided to push forward with it anyway.”

Mosseri is a central witness in the lawsuit brought by 29 US states, in what experts call the biggest legal test yet of social media’s effects on young users.

Four of the states – California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey – have accused Meta of designing the platforms to hook young users, driving anxiety, depression and even suicide, while misleading consumers about the platforms’ safety.

All 29 states say Meta violated US federal law by improperly collecting and employing the personal data of children under 13 while they used its platforms.

The states are seeking approximately $200bn in damages from Meta.

‘Designed to fail’

Meta has rejected accusations that it sought to addict children, saying its research showed no clear link between adolescents’ social media use and a lack of wellbeing.

Under questioning from Jason Slothouber, a lawyer for Colorado, Mosseri acknowledged that the percentage of teenagers using Take a Break was in the low single digits before Instagram made it ⁠the default.

Take a Break encourages teenage users to close the app after a certain amount of time. Mosseri had estimated in a December 2021 blog post that more than 90 percent of teenagers who turned the feature on kept it on.

That number, however, referred to the number of those who had turned on the feature.

When asked whether Meta had disclosed its low adoption, which had reached only 1 or 2 percent of accounts, Mosseri admitted the company had not, but said the safety features were later turned on by default in Teen Accounts, which launched in 2024 and have parental controls.

Former Meta employees have said that features such as Take a Break and Quiet Mode were difficult to find and not widely used, casting doubt on whether they represented a serious effort by the company to limit screen time for young users.

“In my experience, Take a Break is a feature that’s designed to fail,” Arturo Bejar, a former Meta engineering director, testified last week.

George Volichenko, a data scientist who worked on safety features at Instagram in 2022 and 2023, likewise stated on Monday that adoption rates of such features were “very low” and that company leadership had declined to approve turning on Quiet Mode by default for young teenagers.

He added that turning on such features automatically would have had a “notable negative impact” on user engagement.

The trial could last six weeks.

Jurors are expected to issue an advisory verdict. US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will decide whether Meta is liable and, if so, determine any civil penalties and changes to Facebook and Instagram.

A GARDENER’S World fan-favourite has passed away suddenly, with BBC anchor Monty Don admitting he is “heartbroken”.

The 71-year-old revealed the sad news on his Instagram page and admitted they suffered a “very short illness”.

Monty‘s Yorkshire Terrier pooch Patti, who made her Gardener’s World debut in 2020, has passed aged seven.

He uploaded a series of snaps showing his adorable pet exploring the great outdoors, and one image showing her cuddled to his chest, with the caption: “I have sad news.

“Our lovely Patti died suddenly this morning after a very short illness.

“She was much loved, and lit up our lives.

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“We are all heartbroken”.

One fan was quick to send condolences and wrote: “Such a shock for you, Patti was a lovely little dog we always enjoyed seeing her on GW. X”

A second put: “So very sorry for your loss”.

A third then posted: “Monty, I’m so sorry to hear this very sad news, today! Thinking of you all at this difficult time.

“Patti was adored not only by you but the nation too! RIP dear Patti”.

She is the smallest of Monty’s dogs, with the gardening icon also owning Golden Retriever Ned, who also appears on screen.

In 2023, Monty told how an accident in lockdown led to Patti retreating from camera life.

Replying to one concerned fan online, he penned: “She hates the tripods because one fell on her during lockdown.

“That is why you always see me holding her. When the cameras are not here she is out with me all the time.”

His fellow Golden Retrievers Nigel sadly passed in 2020, while pooch Nell died three years later.

KATIE Price has spoken out on her 26-year feud with Victoria Beckham as a throwback clip goes viral on social media.

The media personality, 48, has famously been long-rumoured to be at loggerheads with Posh Spice since the early 2000s when Victoria admitted they’ll never be “best friends”.

But Katie has now re-shared Victoria’s interview clip to her Instagram story as it continues to go viral.

Putting an end to any speculation, Katie shared her love for Victoria with a simple message.

Katie wrote online: “I have no problem with @victoriabeckham either [red love heart emoji].

“She is [an] amazing business woman.”

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In the clip from T4 in 2000, Victoria was asked about Katie, then known as Jordan, amid reports the pair were feuding.

Victoria clarified that they “used to” know each other as Katie’s boyfriend at the time, Another Level singer Dane Bowers, worked closely with Victoria to create her debut solo album after leaving the Spice Girls.

When Victoria was asked if she would ever form a friendship with Katie, she appeared to politely decline and explained her reasons as to why.

She said on the old Channel 4 morning show: “I actually used to know her.

“She was going out with Dane and I was working with Dane and she was very sweet.”

Victoria then added: “Now, I don’t really know her anymore.”

That comment was used as fuel in the fire as to their apparent rowing.

Posh Spice went on to add: “I very much doubt we would ever become best friends.”

A savvy traveller shared a simple £6.50 packing hack that could slash your suitcase weight by over 2kg, potentially helping you dodge costly excess baggage fees at the airport

A woman shared how she spent £6.50 to ditch over 2kg from her suitcase thanks to a sneaky life hack she now uses on every flight because it really works.

There’s nothing worse than rocking up to the airport and being told your luggage is overweight and having to pay for the extra kilograms, as they really do not come cheap. It can get your holiday off to a grim start, and could make you feel the opposite of relaxed, which is how you want to feel when you’re about to explore another country. Plus, the last thing you want to do is ditch your hair masks, body creams, and toner pads at the airport because they weigh a lot.

That’s why Poppy Adams shared the perfect solution to keep your cash where it belongs. Poppy revealed her hair and skincare products alone weighed in at 2.5kg because they all come in large containers, and she has far too many outfits to pack to justify carrying that much weight.

She branded it the “best weight and space saver for your suitcase,” acknowledging her “clothes overpacking has got better with age,” but her “toiletries have got worse”.

What’s her solution?

Poppy explained she has a “very simple solution” and demonstrated how you can make all your creams and hair products fit “into the palm of your hand”.

She revealed you need some cosmetic sample jars, which she bought from Amazon for £6.49, and they also include stickers so you can label each one, eliminating any confusion about what’s where, plus you receive spatulas for easy transfer.

Poppy detailed how she decided which product would go in which containers based on the pot size, and then she decanted the products accordingly.

She also noted if you “have products that you know work really well together, you can pre-mix them in your little pots so you don’t have to do that when you’re on holiday”.

Poppy packed essentials, including snail mucin, toner pads, a hair mask, and a glowy foundation, for her holiday, making sure she had everything she needed while away.

She joked it “low-key feels like when you were a kid, and you used to play potions,” as she blended all her body moisturisers together.

Once everything had been decanted, she weighed it once more, and it came in at just 326g, saving a whopping 2.2kg.

Reaction

Many people were amazed by the hack as one said: “That’s another pair of shoes, I’m sold.”

Another added: “I’m the same Poppy, I decanted stuff for the first time this year and even put it in my hand luggage. I’m still really bad with my makeup, I need it all around me, as I just know that 4 bronzers, 2 highlighters and 5 or 6 large eyeshadow pallets just won’t be enough!”

While a third suggested: “Always decant fragrances, too! You can take more options, and if it gets damaged, at least you’re only losing out on a few ml and not the whole bottle.”

Would you give this packing hack a go? Let us know in the comments…

KIM Cattrall has stunned in a very sexy shot for her milestone 70th birthday.

The Sex and the City legend took to Instagram to share a risque snap of herself to commemorate her big day.

In the black and white photo, Kim was seen wearing a white bath robe, which nearly slipped off her bare shoulder.

She sat beside a bathroom sink as she crossed her leg and smiled for the camera in the sexy shot.

The actress proved that age is just a number as she showed off her toned legs as she seduced the camera.

Kim captioned the post: “My heart is full!! Thank you for all the sweet birthday wishes!”

Her loyal fans flocked to the comments section to wish her well on her special day.

One person gushed: “70 has never looked so good. I hope you had a beautiful one Kim. Our forever Samantha Jones.”

Another follower enthused: “Happy birthday to THE icon.”

Somebody else commented: “Happy birthday to one of our greatest inspirations.”

Yet another said: “Happy Birthday to the best of the best. Beauty, Brilliance, Talent, Humour, Empathy #icon.”

While a fifth fan added: “Happy birthday queen. 70 and fabulous.”

Kim got married to her toyboy boyfriend Russell Thomas, 54, in London in December last year.

The ceremony took place at Chelsea Old Town Hall with only 12 guests in attendance.

She wore a stylish suit by Dior for the nuptials, which were described as “quiet” and “understated”.

The couple met almost 10 years ago in 2016 when Kim appeared on an episode of Woman’s Hour to talk about insomnia and Russell was working as a sound engineer.

This is Kim’s fourth marriage, having first tied the knot in 1977 to Larry Davis, but the union was annulled after two years.

Her second marriage was from 1982 to 1989 to Andre J. Lyson, with the couple residing in Frankfurt, Germany.

Then in 1998, she tied the knot for the third time with Mark Levinson, but that ended in divorce in 2004.