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A FRIEND of Brooklyn Beckham has spoken out on his heartbreaking fallout with his famous parents – and revealed hopes that the feud will be resolved.

The Beckham feud has been rumbling on for over a year now, largely punctuated by a bombshell statement Brooklyn posted to his Instagram story.

The tell-all statement took the internet by storm, calling out David and Victoria for their ‘performative’ and ‘controlling’ behaviour.

But Brooklyn’s pal DJ Fat Tony (real name Tony Marnoch) believes that an olive branch is still yet to come, and has faith that all will be well with the Beckham clan again.

Speaking to Closer magazine, Tony shared: “I hope that they do sort it out, I really do, for all of their sakes.

“I think they will – of course they will. Like all family feuds, there comes a point where you think, ‘Well, what is this about?’

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“But it’s not for me to say, ‘She was wrong, he was right.’ It’s not my business.”

Tony also shared how he tried to correct the misinterpretation of what happened at Brooklyn and Nicola Peltz‘s wedding.

The duo claimed Victoria was dancing inappropriately and grinding on him during the big day, causing humiliation.

But Tony said: “Brooklyn is a friend of mine, and so is Nicola. I went on This Morning to change the narrative.

“The word ‘inappropriate’ was misused. Everyone thought that Victoria was slut-dropping – there was no slut-dropping.

“I wasn’t on there to take down the Beckhams. No one needs to do that. It’s a family and it’s a really sad situation.”

His comments come amid Brooklyn’s fresh frustrations with his parents after they posted photos of him in commemoration of Father’s Day.

Brooklyn has previously instructed his parents not to post photos of him anymore or to tag him in pictures.

But this request has been broken multiple times, leading to Brooklyn blocking his family online.

He found out about the Father’s Day snaps through friends and the media.

His wife Nicola also appeared to take a swipe back, sharing a cryptic quote to her Instagram story that read:  “I am in love with this sentence: “Forgive yourself for not knowing earlier what only time could teach.””

AMANDA Holden has slipped into a skin-tight gold catsuit for a very sexy Father’s Day date with her husband Chris Hughes.

Amanda, 55, took to Instagram to share snaps with her fans and captioned them: “The name’s Holden. Golden Holden. Licence to shimmer.”

She jokingly added: “Permission to be subtle: denied.”

Wearing a full‑body, metallic gold outfit, the BGT judge looked simply stunning as she posed for the cameras.

In the official shoot, Amanda is posed on all fours on a large, circular, cushioned platform.

In another, she was lying face‑down on a bed with her body angled slightly to one side.

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Amanda also wore matching gold high‑heeled shoes, which addded cinematic Bond vibes to the shoot as she stood beside her husband Chris.

The TV star also shared a video which showed her posing outdoors and having her make-up spritzed.

In full glam makeup and her blonde locks flowing loosely over her shoulders – Amanda also shimmied and danced in the clip.

Her followers flocked to comment and one wrote: “Straight out of a Bond movie.”

TV Presenter Lizzie Cundy wrote: “This is epic!” Towies Sam Faiers said: “The glam!”

Another fan wrote: “Love it! Channeling Shirley Eaton in Goldfinger.”

“Midas Touch,” wrote another.

While another said: “This is epic! Obsessed with your commitment to a theme.”

KATIE Price has slammed “beggy” women after Lee Andrews is sent a saucy snap from a fan asking him to “forget” his wife.

The Sun revealed how the self-proclaimed ‘billionaire businessman’ – who had spent the last month locked up in Dubai’s notorious Al-wir prison –was freed earlier this month.

Lee, 43, wasted no time trying to make some cash out of his notoriety and began selling messages on Cameo.

However, an upset Katie, 48, took to Instagram to share a sexy snap her husband received in his DMs.

The woman, who we will not identify, wrote: “Just forget Katie and let me come look after you x.”

The fan also sent Lee a racy image of herself dressed in a leather miniskirt and black stockings.

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Lee had not accepted or replied to the message and Katie slammed the woman in her Instagram stories.

Posting the conversation, she said: “Why are some girls so beggy messaging my husband?

“Have some decorum, says a lot about @***.*****, I’m embarrased for you.”

Yesterday, Katie made a cryptic post about the hardship couples who are meant to be together sometimes face.

The TV star took to Instagram to share a quote for her followers and left it standing alone with no extra input on her story.

The former model – who recently reconnected with her estranged husband Lee also debuted a bruised new pout after fresh injections during a sweet reunion with daughter Princess Andre.

The reality star teased: “Me & My Princess Ready For Filming.”

However, Katie’s face appeared heavily bruised and tender, with purple marks along her upper lip line.

Lee also appears to have had a makeover as he left Dubai’s notorious Al Awir jail with what appeared to be a fuller head of hair.

Lee marked his social media comeback with a video showcasing a suspiciously dark, freshly overhauled mane.

The Sun revealed how he had visited a hair salon to enquire about a permanent wig – but he didn’t go ahead with it in the end.

He has also claimed he has lost 20lbs after spending weeks in the hellhole Dubai jail.

KATIE Price has made a cryptic post about the hardship couples who are meant to be together sometimes face.

The TV star, 48, took to Instagram to share a quote for her followers and left it standing alone with no extra input on her story.

The quote reads: “Sometimes the two people who are truly meant for each other will face the hardest battles.”

Upon clicking on the post the quote expands to share more detail, continuing to say: “Not because they are wrong for each other. But because the world will test everything real.

“Love like that doesn’t come easy. It’s built through pain. Distance. Misunderstandings. Growth.

“But if they can hold on through the chaos. If they choose each other over and over again. They’ll find something most people only dream of.

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“A love that didn’t just survive the storm. But became unbreakable because of it.”

The post comes shortly after Katie’s husband Lee Andrews was released from Dubai’s Al Awir prison.

After being accused of spying Lee claimed he was captured at gunpoint and ‘slapped around’ before Katie managed to save him.

He then praised his wife for her help in getting British authorities involved in his release.

Posting a video of himself on social media, Lee said: “Hi everyone, this is Lee. I’ve been missing now for several weeks. I can tell you I’m now safe and healthy and with my wife.

“I was taken close to the Hatta-Oman border by men at gunpoint and then I was captured by men with assault rifles.

“They did slap me around a little bit, little s***s, and I was hand-tied, shackled and also had a hood over my head.

“From there I was taken to a black site and I had no use of my phone and from what I know it was an extended arm of the National Guard and that’s all I can reveal at the moment.

“I have signed disclaimers now with state security and from there I was put into the system.

“At no point have I faced anything to do with fraud allegations or any criminal activities such as that.

“So thank you to Katie for making such a noise where the UAE actually listened and let me go.”

However, UAE officials debunked his claims he was in jail for spying and confirmed he has spent the past four weeks behind bars on suspicion of fraud.

Katie appeared to accept his story, sharing Lee’s video on Instagram saying: “My husband is back. I love you.”

GEMMA Collins looked great in a bikini as she makes a bit of extra cash by selling her old clothes for just a tenner.

The former Towie star, 45, took to her Instagram story to tell her 2.3 million followers that she’s uploaded some bits from her wardrobe on app Vinted.

The GC wowed in a blue paisley bikini and matching sarong.

She completed the look with long beach waves.

“Make me crazy prices on Vinted today, it’s all got to go,” she captioned the post.

In the next post she shared a screen shot of her Vinted profile, named “gcwardrobe1”, to display the clothes that she has on the platform for sale

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Gemma has some white shorts, a top and some trousers all on her account for £10.00 each.

She also has an oversized t-shirt dress on there for £15.00.

The self-confessed diva also told fans: “All orders by 3pm before we close the account for summer holidays.”

The reality star has 279 reviews on her profile and has an average of 4.9 rating.

“The wardrobe of the GC items worn once for filming or for a shoot. Enjoy,” the profile bio states.

And now the profile has been closed.

It’s not the first time that Gemma has taken to Vinted to sell her unwanted clothes.

Back in February, there was plenty to pick – from brightly coloured tops to swimsuits and dresses. 

Items ranged from sizes 20 to 30 and prices range from just £3 up to £40.

Just last month Gemma oozed beauty and body confidence rocking a skin-tight swimsuit by the water.

The TV personality posted the stunning snap to her Instagram grid today, alongside an inspirational message for her followers.

In the photo Gemma is sitting on a sun lounger wearing the off-the-shoulder swimwear.

The pink outfit perfectly hugged her curves and featured a sweet bow detail at the bust.

She captioned the post: “Loving the sun. Wishing you all a lovely bank holiday.

“Get your body in the sun, let your soul exhale

“Own your glow, take up space, wear the swimsuit, dive in the pool, laugh louder, live softer.

“The sun was never asking for perfection… only presence.”

LOVE Island Australia’s Gabby McCarthy, the reality star with the show’s biggest ever boobs, has almost fallen out of her skin-tight dress.

The buxom lass, 22, took to Instagram to share a series of pictures from her night out as her grey and white dress struggled to contain her 34G chest.

She took pictures of herself sitting on a hotel bed as well as standing in front of a luggage trolley.

Gabby posed up a storm as her boobs glistened, thanks to the oil she put on them.

The zip on her dress went up as far as it could go as she nearly had a nip-slip.

In one snap, Gabby got on her knees on the bed as she stared seductively into the camera.

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She captioned the post: “In your dreams.”

Her followers flocked to the comments section as one gushed: “SHE THE BADDEST AND SHE KNOWS IT!!! Stunning as per Queen Gabs.”

Another person commented: “Ooh I’m obsessed.”

Somebody else said: “You are not from this Earth I swear.”

Yet another asked her: “You just get hotter?”

While a fifth added: “Actually unreal,” with love heart eyes emojis.

This isn’t the first time she’s threatened to spill out of her dress and it certainly won’t be the last.

Back in February, she left little to the imagination in a short black dress.

She posted the sizzling pic which accentuated her natural curves.

Gabby accessorised with shades, silver jewellery and knee-high boots to complete her look.

She shot to fame on the seventh series of Love Island Australia which aired last year.

She appeared as the very first bombshell on day one and immediately caused a stir with her confident personality.

The content creator was enjoying a connection with Jotham Russell but after their relationship fell apart, she decided to quit the show.

While on the show, she was accused of lying about surgery after claiming her boobs were natural.

Fans of the programme spotted old photos of her modelling trainers and lingerie and began doubting her chest was as natural as she claimed.

One person wrote on Reddit: “I thought they were natural until I saw pictures of her a few years ago being a b-c cup at best.

“Unpopular opinion, but I believe she has teardrop implants. Natural boobs jiggle and move a lot when you’re walking and running but hers are way more ‘stiff’. Her surgeon did an amazing job making them look natural though.”

Another wrote: “I admit I was searching for the truth on her boobs, only cuz she claimed they were natural. Sparked a bit of debate amongst friends.

“Hard one to call. They look fake to me and don’t believe weight gain caused them to grow.”

During her introduction video, she said: “My name is Gabby, I’m 21 years old and I’m from the Gold Coast.

“I get this question every single day of my life, my boobs are natural guys!

“If I want a guy, then I always get him. I’ve got the teeth, I’ve got the face, I’ve got the body, and I’ve got the boobs.”

Airline passengers took to Reddit to complain about some of the most disgusting things they’d seen passengers get up to on a plane, and many agreed their habits were best left in the privacy of their homes

Being trapped in a metal tube at 30,000 feet seems to bring out the worst in people, and despite sharing a small space with dozens of others, some people treat the plane cabin like their personal living space.

A thread on Reddit’s AskUK titled “Worst thing you seen on a plane? What do you think is just not acceptable?” brought in over 200 responses, with holidaymakers keen to call out bad behaviour they’d seen onboard. And there were definitely some common themes among the complaints.

The original poster started the ball rolling, writing: “For me, it was that the lady sitting next to me was picking her toenails!” and many agreed lack of shoes was a huge etiquette breach. “I was sat next someone yesterday who took off their shoes and socks as soon as the opportunity allowed. They even went to the toilet barefoot.”, claimed one poster.

They added: “It wasn’t just the fact they were barefoot it was the general hygiene, e.g.: coughing and sneezing without covering, etc. They had me on edge the whole time thinking “right… I’m catching whatever disease they’ve absorbed through the soles of their gross feet.””

In a similar thread, posters complained about passengers doing tasks more suited to their private bathroom: “I don’t like it when people clip their toenails. I’ve seen it 3 times. Twice a row across from me and other time in my same row.”, said one. While another posted: “My wife and I were sitting in 1C and 1D. The guy in 1B pulled out dental floss after the meal and started going at his mouth like he was giving himself a root canal. Full on two handed flossing right in his seat.”

Another said: “I try to be kind and understanding of the difficulties and lack of facilities on this, but, a woman changed her baby’s ‘filled’ nappy in the middle of the cabin… twice. The stench roamed right through that B777.”

Instagram account @passengershaming has amassed over 1.3 million followers thanks to its hilarious posts that highlight some of the worst behaviour on planes. In one classic reel, a woman was seen using the overhead air vent to dry the crotch of her knickers. The viral video was captioned: “PRO TRAVEL TIP: Airplane air vents aren’t for drying underwear Kthx!”

Other examples posted to the account over the years include a woman using a foot file to remove hard skin, and a man opening a can of tuna on a plane for a snack, seemingly unperturbed about the smell in a confined space.

While the examples above are mostly harmless, if disgusting, behaviour, recently there have been calls to create a national database for abusive passengers, which would allow airlines to share information on disruptive passengers and restrict their access to flights.

According to the BBC, Department for Transport officials will be meeting later this month to discuss the proposals, and the database would likely be a collaboration between the government and the airline industry.

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

AFTER quitting smoking years ago, Rachel Stevens was spotted in a rare relapse as she puffed on a cigarette on a recent trip to London.

While many a celeb has been caught giving in to their smoking urges, the image is a far cry from her “clean girl” Instagram aesthetic and carefully curated social media, and Insiders tell The Sun that the cheeky cig-break is only a glimpse of the real Rachel, who has hidden behind her S Club 7 persona for years.

One source close to the singer says: “People have always had this perception of Rachel as the ultimate girl-next-door. She’s sweet, wholesome, polite and completely drama-free, but the truth is she’s always been far more complex than that.”

“Rachel has spent years carrying the weight of an image that was created when she joined the band aged just 19, and while she appreciated the love from fans, there were times when she felt trapped by the expectations.”

Even now, at 48, Rachel’s online world remains extremely polished.

Just days ago, she was posting perfectly styled outfits, wellness content and carefully framed snapshots of her life.

Scroll through Rachel’s social media, and you’ll find plenty of evidence of the lifestyle she has built her brand around. One day she’s sharing a Pilates session, the next she’s posting from the gym lifting weights or promoting healthy meals and wellness products. Yoghurt bowls, workout routines and clean living have become as much a part of her image as the pop career that made her famous.

What she wasn’t posting about was arguably one of the biggest professional moments she has had in years.

This summer, S Club reunited to support Boyzone on the first night of their Final Farewell tour at London’s Emirates Stadium.

It marked one of the band’s most significant performances since October 2023.

Yet while many artists would have flooded their feeds with backstage snaps and promotional content, Rachel largely stayed quiet. There were a handful of Stories and a Reel, but little fanfare.

Though some fans were left questioning her excitement, for those close to Rachel, it’s entirely typical.

Our source said: “Rachel has always separated the public version of herself from her private life. She doesn’t feel the need to broadcast everything she’s doing. People assume they know her because she’s been famous for so long, but actually she’s one of the more private people in show business.”

That privacy perhaps explains why so much of Rachel’s personal life has unfolded away from public view.

For years, she was considered to be in one of show business’s most stable relationships. Her marriage to childhood sweetheart Alex Bourne appeared rock solid.

The couple had first met as teenagers before reconnecting later in life, eventually marrying and having two daughters together. Which is why their split in 2022 sent shockwaves through fans.

Following the breakdown of her marriage, Rachel began dating Dancing On Ice professional Brendyn Hatfield. They were together for three years, before calling it quits last summer.

The relationship attracted huge attention, with speculation swirling about timelines and cheating rumours that Rachel was ultimately forced to deny. According to those close to her, the experience was deeply uncomfortable.

A pal said: “Having private matters become public talking points was incredibly difficult for Rachel.

“She’s always preferred to keep her personal life out of the spotlight. The divorce came as a shock not just to fans but to people around her too because they genuinely thought the marriage would last forever.”

Yet relationship drama is far from the only challenge Rachel has faced.

Perhaps the most startling chapter of her life came years earlier when she found herself caught up in two terrifying incidents within weeks of each other. In 2009, Rachel was violently attacked during a robbery at her North London home.

The singer later recalled being ambushed by a man who grabbed her around the neck and covered her mouth.

Speaking in court years later, she admitted she was left “absolutely terrified”. Just weeks after that ordeal, she found herself caught up in another traumatic incident while having dinner with family in St John’s Wood when a gunman opened fire nearby during a gangland shooting.

The experiences left a lasting mark – Rachel later revealed she suffered PTSD, anxiety and fears around travelling alone with strangers.

The star admitted: “The two incidents that happened so close together definitely caused a lot of post-traumatic stress. After that, I felt scared to even leave my house, get out of my car, and I was just very fearful.”

It was a side of the pop star the public rarely saw. After all, while Rachel was being voted one of the sexiest women in Britain and appearing on magazine covers, privately she was battling fears few fans knew existed.

The source adds: “Everyone assumed she was confident because she was on TV and branded one of the sexiest celebrities in the world every week. But privately she could be incredibly anxious and hard on herself.”

Even Rachel’s driving ban became a talking point because it didn’t fit the image many people had of her.

The singer appeared in court after accumulating 21 penalty points from five speeding offences and attempted to avoid a ban by explaining how it would affect work commitments and family life.

Again, it surprised many because it felt so at odds with the Rachel the public thought they knew. But insiders insist that’s precisely the point.

Our source explained: “She’s made mistakes, faced challenges and dealt with consequences when things have gone wrong. The idea that she’s some squeaky-clean pop robot isn’t accurate. But neither is the suggestion that there’s some secret wild side waiting to be exposed.”

Indeed, those closest to Rachel say these photos will reveal a whole new authentic side to the pop star.

An insider added: “What people are seeing now is a woman who’s much more comfortable being herself. The smoking pictures might surprise some fans, but those who know Rachel aren’t shocked.

“She’s never claimed to be perfect, and she’s certainly never lived her life trying to be a saint.”

For years, Rachel Stevens was boxed into a role she never quite chose: the impossibly perfect girl next door. But behind the green juices has always been somebody far more human.

As one insider puts it: “The real Rachel sits somewhere in the middle. Warm, emotional, resilient, occasionally rebellious and a lot more human than the image people have projected onto her for the last 25 years.”

And if a cigarette outside a venue is finally enough to remind people of that, Rachel probably won’t lose too much sleep over it.

COURTING controversy is nothing new to supermodel Emily Ratajkowski.

The American beauty found global fame dancing in a nude-coloured thong in the video for US singer Robin Thicke’s 2013 song Blurred Lines.

But that seems tame compared to her latest stunt — posing topless, with a glass of sparkling wine in hand, while pretending to breastfeed a plastic baby doll.

In the same shock shoot, a “lover” in boxers is pictured at her window as she nurses the doll.

But that seems tame compared to her latest stunt — posing topless, with a glass of sparkling wine in hand, while pretending to breastfeed a plastic baby doll.

Emily, 35, who has previously been linked to Harry Styles, shared the controversial images with her army of 27.9million Instagram followers.

It was to promote an explict essay she wrote, titled MotherF***er, for lifestyle and culture website The Cut.

But is this bizarre shoot — in which she has been accused of sexualising breastfeeding — an act of genius from the Gen Z favourite rumoured to be worth £6million? Or a sign her star power is waning?

Many believe the backlash is what London-born Emily had hoped for.

A source says: “She has perfected the art of turning internet outrage into a multi-million pound brand.

“For every ‘disgusted’ comment, she gets another thanking her for her honesty. The business she has built around her body and brain is astonishing. Emily is incredibly intelligent, but most people don’t see that.”

The insider adds: “Women abhor and adore her in equal measure, and most men lust after her.

“She wants to empower women, she is open about her sexual expression.

“When people tear her down, it only goes to prove her point about how she is perceived by people.”

Emily’s Instagram post from her latest photoshoot drew more than 8,000 comments within hours.

Nude images The size 6 model pouts toward the camera while pressing the toy to her 32C chest.

She wears a black leather blazer and matching trousers, heavy eye make-up, and her brunette hair has been styled as dishevelled.

One Instagram user wrote: “That photo is genuinely disturbing.”

Another said of the shot: “When art becomes awkward, uncomfortable and unnecessary.”

Others called it a “desperate cry for attention” — which echoes criticism recently faced by Emily’s close pal Sydney Sweeney.

American actress Sydney shocked viewers of US coming-of-age TV drama Euphoria when the 28-year-old’s character Cassie Howard dressed as a baby while making content for her OnlyFans account.

It seems Emily and Sydney — both regulars on “hottest woman in the world” lists — will go to extreme lengths to make headlines.

Emily’s MotherF****er essay has also proved divisive, as she reveals she turned to casual dating after her marriage to Sebastian Bear-McClard failed in 2022 following the birth of their son Sylvester.

She writes about motherhood and marriage: “It was a violent transition into a new reality of screaming baby on my aching tit and ring on my swollen finger.

“And then, in a time period that felt both instant and excruciatingly slow, my marriage collapsed. Six months after my son was born, my husband and I stopped having sex. Less than a year later, we separated.”

The divorce was finalised last year and she reveals how it changed her as she began “compulsively dating”.

But Emily, who spent the first five years of her life in London before moving to the US with her family, writes of her time before that: “I knew that boys didn’t treat girls they thought of as sluts tenderly. Boys didn’t fall in love with, want forever with, raise babies with, or take care of sluts.

“I wanted to be taken care of — desperately. I tried to be a ‘good girl’.

“Keeping my body count low was insurance. I thought it meant no one would ever cheat on me, that I’d always be loved, happy and safe.” But she adds: “None of that had turned out to be true.”

In graphic detail, she recalls dates with a man she refers to as the “elder millennial” — and performing a sex act not long after they first met.

She writes: “I’d found everything I’d come there for — a praying mantis devouring her mate.”

Sparing the blushes of the men she has previously dated — including a whirlwind romance with Brad Pitt, and US comic Pete Davidson — Emily uses pseudonyms in the essay.

She adds: “I decided to f*** my way into a new kind of woman. I wanted to destroy the Madonna, the special girl I’d worked so hard to be before an eight-pound baby had torn my vagina in two, and replace her with the whore.”

She goes on to write that, “men are turned on by motherhood”, adding: “I’d been so scared that, as a single mother, I was unlovable, used up and discarded. I soon came to find out it was quite the opposite of ‘they don’t care’. In fact, they liked it. There were many men who experienced the loneliness that comes with years of selfishness. They were particularly attracted to the idea that being a parent meant self-sacrifice was a given in my life. Did they want me as their mummy? Maybe.”

Emily was first signed as a model at age 14 but got her big break in the controversial Blurred Lines video.

She was then named as one of the world’s “hottest sex symbols” by Rolling Stone mag, and soon after announced as FHM’s “fourth sexiest woman in the world”.

Emily, who was born to an English mum and American dad, moved into acting while also modelling for the likes of Dolce & Gabbana, DKNY, Marc Jacobs and Miu Miu.

But as her fame grew, she became vocal about protecting women.

In 2016, she went to war with US photographer Jonathan Leder, who used Polaroid images of her from a shoot four years earlier in a book she claimed was a “violation”.

Emily said she believed the photos were taken for a magazine — and that she did not give consent for the pictures, which included nudes, to be used in a book.

She wrote at the time: “Five out of the now hundreds of released photos were used for what they were intended: an artful magazine shoot back in 2012.

“These photos being used without my permission is an example of exactly the opposite of what I stand for — women choosing when and how they want to share their sexuality and bodies.”

She was supported by Kim Kardashian — who similarly has turned controversy into cash.

The pair posed topless together for a selfie taken in a bathroom after Kim was reviled for posting a naked photo online.

Emily captioned the shot: “We are more than just our bodies, but that doesn’t mean we have to be shamed for them or our sexuality.”

It led to uproar on social media, as Emily became embroiled in a row with broadcaster Piers Morgan — who claimed they were undermining feminism.

Emily later hit back, explaining: “Kim said to me, ‘You know, when Lena Dunham takes her clothes off, she gets flak, but it’s also considered brave. When Justin Bieber takes his shirt off, he’s a grown-up’.

“When a woman who is sexual takes off her top, it plays into something. The whole idea is that when Kim takes a nude selfie, she’s just seeking attention. That’s not the issue. A woman can be seeking attention and also make a statement. They don’t need to be mutually exclusive.”

Emily later started writing essays that she made into a book, My Body, which became a New York Times bestseller in 2021 — and she also launched her own swimwear business, Inamorata.

The book saw Emily discuss being sexualised and exploited during her career — and allege she was sexually assaulted by singer Robin on the set of Blurred Lines.

Of the video and how it changed her life, Emily writes: “I wasn’t just famous; I was famously sexy, which, in many ways, felt gratifying.”

She adds: “I am complicit. But I also think it’s a mistake to shame a young woman for wearing a tight dress because she wants to be noticed by someone powerful.

“I don’t think we should continue to criticise women for saying, ‘This is how I can succeed and capitalise off of my image or my body’. That is an extension of the same misogyny I’ve seen so much in my life. We are all complicit.”

Those close to Emily believe she will steadfastly continue baring her soul despite the pushbacks that come her way.

A friend says: “Emily’s honesty is uncomfortable for some, but provides validation and solidarity for others.

“People will always have something to say. There’s nothing she can do about that.

“Emily’s said it herself, she doesn’t care what people think. It’s white noise. She is doing what she wants and saying what she wants. It is her truth and it is her choice to say it.”

As Emily put it: “Like any art, there’s a million ways to interpret it. All I can say is that when a woman is naked, that’s not ­immediately anti-feminist.

“I have no apologies for it, and I’m not ashamed at all.”

June 12 (UPI) — Facebook and Instagram were back to normal Friday afternoon after a morning outage.

The online outage tracking website Downdetector.com showed that Facebook had 291 reports of outages, and Instagram showed 207 as of 3:35 p.m. EDT.

Instagram’s peak of users reporting outages at 9:30 a.m. was at 10,553, while Facebook peaked at 127,222 at 9:48 a.m.

Meta’s systems dashboard showed all green checks at 2:15 p.m. EDT, noting “no known issues” or “resolved.”

One person on X reported Friday morning:

“FACEBOOK IS DOWN

“INSTAGRAM IS DOWN

“META ADS MANAGER IS DOWN

“QUICK EVERYONE GO OUTSIDE AND TOUCH GRASS”

Earlier Friday, Downdetector showed more than 100,000 people were having problems logging in to Facebook as of 10 a.m. EDT. It also showed more than 9,000 users reporting problems with Instagram and nearly 20,000 with Facebook Messenger.

Some users confirmed in the comments on Downdetector that they were experiencing issues with these platforms, noting that they were “automatically logged out,” “Can’t log in,” or were receiving an “Unknown error.”

KERRY Katona has stripped completely NUDE to pose with her fitness instructor boyfriend Paolo Margaglione.

The pair who met on Celebs Go Dating in early 2025 can be seen posing for a naked selfie in a bathroom mirror in his recent Instagram post.

Paolo held his iPhone as he snapped the racy photo with one arm around his stunning girlfriend.

Kerry posed and threw her arms around Paolo as he nuzzled into her neck.

In the caption of the post, Paolo penned: “Can we just take a minute to appreciate how lucky I am.

“I’ll shout it from the roof tops with pride, my woman is a certified BADDIE.”

HEALTH UPDATE

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HARSH JAB

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Kerry commented on the photo dump, which included several other sweet photos, as well as the very racy one.

She penned: “Baby, you’ve made me cry.

“I truly love you and I too am eternally grateful for you.”

Kerry went on to say how Paolo is an amazing father and partner, gushing over how proud she is of him.

Last month, one year on from finding love on Celebs Go Dating, Kerry returned to the E4 show.

As Anna Williamson asked what the public support has been like for Kerry and Paolo since they got together, the mum-of-five admitted: “I found it really overwhelming.

“I think since I joined the agency people see me for who I really am rather than just reading a headline.

“People actually watched me fall in love, and the support I’ve had from people – it’s been so overwhelming – for people to be so invested in somebody who I’ve chosen to love.

“It’s been really overwhelming, I’m not sure how to deal with it.”

Wiping away tears with a tissue, Kerry continued after a pause: “Life is so good, it’s so unbelievable that it scares me.”

Kerry met Paolo whilst filming for the show last year, with the TV stint coming after she split from fiancé Ryan Mahoney.

She was with Personal Trainer Ryan for six years after meeting on a dating app.

Prior to this, Kerry was married three times, first to singer Brian McFadden, then to taxi driver Mark Croft, and then to the late George Kay.

She shares eldest daughters Molly and Lilly with Brian, middle two Heidi and Max with Mark, and youngest daughter DJ with George, who passed in 2019.

Paolo is also a dad to two daughters from his previous relationship.

FORMULA One star Lewis Hamilton has gone Instagram official with Kim Kardashian after sharing his first photo of the reality star following the Monaco Grand Prix.

The snap quickly sent fans into a frenzy, with followers flooding the comments section as the pair confirmed their relationship.

Kim Kardashian appeared in Lewis Hamilton’s photo dump from the star-studded Monaco Grand Prix weekend attended by a host of celebrities and sporting icons.

Kim looked glamorous as ever, and many were quick to point out that it was the first time Lewis had shared a photo featuring Kim on his social media.

In the snap, Kim was seen holding Lewis’ racing helmet.

The reality star opted for a daring black sheer top, adding to the glamour of the Monaco Grand Prix weekend.

HEART TO KARD

Hamilton finally breaks silence on Kim K romance as he blows kiss from podium

‘BURNT OUT’

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The stylish photo immediately caught fans’ attention.

One commented: “Great pics Lewis and a fab weekend well done ❤️ And welcome to the family Kim kardashian ❤️”

Another added: “In his boyfriend era”.

A third penned: “YES!!!!!! Kim on the grid!”

A fourth said: “Omgggggg kimmmmmm😍”

A fifth wrote: “Omg Kim !! U guys are so cute”.

Kim made her F1 trackside debut to support her Ferrari driver boyfriend.

She arrived with her sister Khloe Kardashian as well as a huge entourage.

Kim wore a stunning cream one-shoulder maxi dress, while Khloe opted for a satin plunge midi dress also in cream.

Kim watched the race and Lewis narrowly miss out on winning.

Kimi Antonelli became the youngest winner at 19 years old. 

Despite the loss, Lewis appeared in high spirits as he blew Kim a kiss and sprayed her with champagne as he celebrated on the podium.

Kim and Lewis have been friends for over a decade.

They were first spotted getting cosy on New Year’s Eve in Aspen. 

They went public with their romance at the Super Bowl in February.

Just last week, they took a huge step in their relationship as he was seen with her four children for the first time.

A source previously said that the couple have an “intense” relationship and Kardashian’s family absolutely “adores” him.

BUSTED star James Bourne has become centre to quite the mystery as it’s been revealed his Instagram account has disappeared.

This comes just six months after he pulled out of the band’s huge tour with a serious illness.

When fans click through to scroll his profile, it’s completely gone.

It shows a blank white page with the words, “Sorry this page isn’t available.

“The link you followed may be broken, or the page may have been removed.”

This message usually pops up when Instagram has removed the account or the account holder has deleted their page.

WHO NOSE?

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James pulled out of the group’s tour alongside their pals McFly last September, just hours before they were due on stage.

The 42-year-old confessed he would not be tearing up the stage with the rest of his band –  Charlie Simpson and Matt Willis.

He cited the reason for pulling out as “health” problems and said he “hoped to come back further down the line”.

James said in his statement: “The VS tour kicks off tomorrow night in Birmingham and as excited as I’ve been all year for this tour to begin, I’m really sorry to say that over the last 8 days it has become clear that I am not in good enough health to play these shows.

“There’s a lot of information I still don’t have about my condition but my bandmates, management and I are unanimous in deciding that I should focus on medical stuff for now.”

None of the boys wanted to let fans down and so they decided to push ahead with a replacement on guitar.

Bassist Matt told the Birmingham crowd: “You may have noticed our best friend is not here tonight. James Bourne is really f***ing sick and we love him and we miss him.

“This is the first show we’ve ever played without him and it’s really weird but we’re going to do the best we can.

“This happened really fast, y’know, health is wealth.”

The remaining Busted stars explained to their fans that they’d asked James if they should continue and he agreed saying, “you totally should.”

Back in April James opened up to Busted fans, sharing he was having a major surgery in the hopes it would extend his life expectancy.

“Hopefully [the surgery will] make me well enough to come back to what I love the most which is touring and making music. It really sucks to be out of the game,” admitted James on his Instagram story.

The singer, who shot to fame when Busted arrived on the pop scene in 2002 with What I Go To School For, is yet to reveal what illness he is battling.

Busted confirmed their split in an emotional press conference on January 13, 2005.

However they thrilled fans when they got back together ten years later, and have been going strong ever since.

The group have continued to rack up hit after hit.

Another Brat summer is upon us.

Charli XCX announced Monday that her new album, “Music, Fashion, Film,” drops July 24, and it already looks iconic.

That’s because the cover art, which Charli shared on Instagram, features three icons within their fields. The Velvet Underground’s John Cale represents music, Marc Jacobs stands for fashion and beloved director Martin Scorsese symbolizes film.

“My new album Music, Fashion, Film is out july 24th,” Charli wrote on Instagram. “11 songs, 30 minutes, 5 seconds. available to pre order now, love you xx.”

She released the first two singles, “Rock Music” and “SS26,” in May. The latter, a shorthand for the fashion industry’s current “Spring, Summer ‘26” season, has an accompanying video that features the artist strutting down an X-shaped runway, singing, “We’re walking on a runway that goes straight to hell / Nothing’s gonna save us, not music, fashion or film.”

“Rock Music,” the album’s first single, was met with mixed reactions from critics and fans. The song telegraphs Charli’s genre switch from electronic pop to the titular rock music, announcing, “I think the dance floor is dead” over heavily distorted guitar.

“If I’d made another album that felt more dance-leaning, it would have felt really hard, really sad,” Charli told British Vogue in April. “What’s interesting for me is to bend the possibilities of what my perspective on [rock music] could be.” She later clarified on Instagram, “I never said i was making a rock album.”

“Music, Fashion, Film” is not the artist’s first album in 2026. She released “Wuthering Heights,” the soundtrack to Emerald Fennel’s movie of the same name, in February. Cale is featured on “House,” the soundtrack album’s lead single.

Charli has added acting and producing to her repertoire in recent years. She produced and played a somewhat fictionalized version of herself in Aidan Zamiri’s mockumentary “The Moment,” based on the “Brat” album cycle, which Times film critic Amy Nicholson called “ ‘Spinal Tap’ for the era of stan culture.”

She also co-starred in Daniel Goldhaber’s “Faces of Death” remake, released in April, and is set to appear in Gregg Araki’s upcoming erotic comedy “I Want Your Sex” and Cathy Yan’s art-world thriller “The Gallerist” by year’s end.

“I’ve always been really inspired by cinema when making my music, more so than listening to music, to be honest,” Charli told The Times at the Sundance Film Festival in January. “It’s an honor to be able to be acting, working on projects and writing and producing films. It’s kind of my dream.”

Dua Lipa and Callum Turner are writing a new chapter in their romance, tying the knot two years after a meeting that would make most bookworms swoon.

The Grammy-winning “Levitating” pop diva, 30, and “Eternity” actor, 36, exchanged their vows Sunday morning at the historic Old Marylebone Town Hall in Westminster, London, officials confirmed to the Associated Press. The Daily Mail published photos of the newlyweds all smiles and hand-in-hand descending town hall steps. Callum was spotted wearing a navy suit as his bride donned a custom Schiaparelli skirt suit, white gloves and a wide-brimmed hat, according to the Daily Mail. The singer also wore white Louboutin heels and a serpentine necklace by Bulgari.

Lipa and “Masters of the Sky” star Turner began dating in January 2024, after numerous missed opportunities. Turner told the Times of London in October 2025 that he and his now-wife (“I just thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world”) first met in Los Angeles before a mutual friend’s birthday and struck up an instant connection. “We sat next to each other and realized we were reading the same book, which is crazy,” Turner said.

Lipa runs her own book club and blog, titled Service95, and announces the selected reads on Instagram. When they met, the bookworms-turned-lovebirds were each making their way through Hernán Díaz’s “Trust.”The novel won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2023.

“I had just finished the first chapter and I told her and she looked at me and said, ‘I just finished the first chapter too.’ I said, ‘So we’re on the same page,’” he told the Times. “In the movie version of it I look up to the sky and I’m like, ‘I hear you. I understand. The signs are loud, don’t worry.’ And that was really the first [moment].”

Lipa hard-launched her romance with Turner on Instagram in July 2024, sharing photos from Glastonbury. Over the following years, the singer continued sharing photos of sweet moments between herself and Turner, who does not have an Instagram account, and the pair were spotted together at numerous public events including the 2025 Met Gala. In December 2024, Lipa posted photos featuring a diamond ring on her left ring finger, spurring engagement chatter. After months of flaunting the ring on social media posts, Lipa confirmed the engagement to British Vogue in June 2025.

“It’s very exciting … This decision to grow old together, to see a life and just, I don’t know, be best friends for ever — it’s a really special feeling,” she told the outlet at the time.

AFTER returning to Instagram Katie Price has found herself with one less loyal follower – her husband Lee Andrews.

Katie was previously left fuming after her account with a whopping 2.6 million followers was removed from the platform.

The ban came at a tumultuous time for the former glamour model, following a man hunt for Lee, who is currently thought to be jailed in Dubai’s Al Awir prison.

But after regaining access to her page earlier today, she was met with a mystery.

Katie’s conman hubby Lee has hit the unfollow button on the star, something that usually points towards trouble in paradise.

Lee now follows nobody over on the app.

NO SHAME

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PRICEY IS BACK

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Things between the pair have certainly been a rollercoaster these past few weeks as she claimed to have told him he was the “most hated man in Britain” over the phone.

The reality TV legend told fans last week that she and Lee had a two-minute phone call from which he dialled in from a prison call box.

Lee claimed he’d been detained on suspicion of spying but that lie was quickly debunked.

Authorities confirmed to us he was NOT being held over spying charges and we understand he’s behind bars over claims relating to a private, civil matter.

Lee, who has “three phones” and bragged about being an “arms dealer,” is due for release today but must pay a four-figure fine.

The self-confessed “businessman” has certainly fuelled speculation on his relationship with Katie after savagely unfollowing her.

She was furious with Lee when he “made her look a d**k” after failing to show up for their joint GMB interview but this could be the ultimate betrayl.

Podcast host Katie had her Instagram account taken away over the weekend due to her flashing her boob in one post, alongside a flurry of promotions for CBD products.

Meta, the company behind the social media giant, removed her entire profile as it investigated.

Execs are understood to have analysed her posts and stories, and found no wrongdoing, hence why her profile has now returned.

One more day and it’ll all be over. I’m referring to the primary election, of course, and the unremitting campaign ads that have infiltrated every aspect of our being as Californians.

Authentic or paid influencers promoting candidates on TikTok and Instagram. Facebook ads vilifying or praising various measures. Incessant, repetitive TV campaigns that get nastier with every election, yet still manage to feel like an analogue remnant from 1982. The worst? Those sponsored leaflets and postcard mailers that end up as makeshift coasters, mosquito swatters or unread refuse that goes straight from the mailbox into the blue recycle bin.

The king of ad spending is Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer. He’s behind the most expensive political advertising campaign in the country this year. A former hedge fund manager, Steyer has reportedly spent more than $200 million on his campaign, with a major chunk of that for broadcast TV, cable and radio — 20 times the amount spent by fellow Democrat, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra. And Steyer is still polling behind Becerra.

I never thought I’d write this but it’s not always about the money.

Xavier Becerra, front-runner in the race for California governor, speaks before a crowd at UFCW Local 1167 Union Hall.

(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

Voters have more resources than ever should they choose to actually research and learn about who and what is poised to shape the future of their city, county and state.

There’s no shortage of broadcast, cable, digital and print reporting about former reality TV personality turned mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt. He uses AI!

The battle between incumbent Karen Bass and her closest Democratic competition, Los Angeles city council member Nithya Raman, dominates local newscasts. And there’s pundits from both sides arguing for and against these choices on every available platform.

Given the amount of information now at voter’s fingertips, we should be the most informed voting populace in the history of ballot casting. But are we?

A new poll by UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies that was co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times asked 8,578 registered voters across California what sources they rely on to get news and information about election-related issues. The poll, which was conducted online May 19-24 in English and Spanish, found that nearly half of the state’s electorate (47%) said they refer to the official voter information guide that is mailed to voters in advance of each election.

Discovering that a nonpartisan, non-sponsored source of data topped the list is a welcome surprise. Today’s media-verse is so fractured and bifurcated along political lines, I just assumed that confirmation bias would drive most folks toward friendly sources, i.e. what they want to hear.

Not as surprising is that 44% of those polled said they use Google or other search engines to seek out election-related information, and greater than 3 in 10 obtain election-related information from social media (39%). Traditional means of information weren’t far behind search engines. Those polled said they still rely on national or cable TV news (39%), newspapers, online or in print (37%), and local TV news (35%). One in three (33%) get information word-of-mouth from family, friends, neighbors or co-workers.

Gubernatorial candidate and billionaire Tom Steyer, right, meets with supporters at a campaign stop.

(Sara Nevis/For The Times)

“The substantial differences in news sources across generation, education and partisanship suggest that we are a considerable distance from the information environment that dominated most of the 20th century, where local newspapers, network news and local television stations dominated,” said Professor Eric Schickler, co-director of the Institute of Governmental Studies. “This fragmentation means that voters may no longer share a common frame of reference when evaluating candidates and election issues.”

The increasingly splintered ways in which voters seek information, fueled by the rapid changes in technology and media, has kept political campaign strategists on their toes.

“Getting attention is the first barrier, and then once you have that attention, how do you convert that into support?” says Democratic campaign consultant and strategist Brian Brokaw. “You have to create a surround-sound effect in order to persuade the voter to go for your candidate or your issue, and they have to hear from multiple avenues. Voters are innately skeptical of advertising, especially when it’s a very direct sale from a candidate. That’s why you’re seeing the use of more influencers in campaigns, particularly paid influencers, who may or may not be disclosing that they are being paid. That’s been a prominent issue in the governor’s race.”

Age, or generational differences, are another deciding factor in where voters look for more intelligence on issues and candidates. The poll found that two-thirds of voters under the age of 30 (67%) and a majority of those ages 30-39 (52%) use social media such as Facebook, X, Instagram, or TikTok to get their information.

Getting to know a candidate, particularly via social media, isn’t necessarily part of a rigorous, fact finding mission. Laughing at Pratt’s Batman-themed video or Gov. Gavin Newsom’s satirical X posts are more about bonding with the person than unpacking their policies. Real or perceived, discovering a candidate via one’s Instagram feels more organic than seeing them on billboard or TV ad.

“One way that politics has changed is that people are craving authenticity. Someone like [Zohran] Mamdani, was very successful and promoted himself from the back of the pack to mayor of New York City. But what people are seeing doesn’t mean that’s the truth,” warns Republican consultant and campaign strategist Kevin Spillane. “I’ve been involved in politics for 40 years. A lot of people are not how they present themselves. But we still crave authenticity, we want to believe [in someone], we want that connection.”

We’ll soon see who Californians choose to represent them and their concerns — or which candidate waged the best campaign warfare, substantive political arguments be damned. But it may take a minute to count all the votes. California reached a record number of registered voters ahead of Tuesday’s primary election, according to the Secretary of State’s office. Officials say more than 23.1 million Californians are now registered to vote statewide.

West Coasters who want to understand what they’re voting for have infinite resources to turn to, some more useful than others. Sponsored mailers (the aforementioned mosquito swatters) only appealed to 9% of those polled as a useful source of information. But did you really need a poll to tell you that?

A British couple have shared a video showcasing lesser-known paradise islands dubbed the ‘Hawaii of Europe’ – and it’s just a four-hour direct flight from the UK

With summer firmly on the horizon, it’s natural to start hunting for attractive holiday bargains to capitalise on the scorching temperatures and glorious sunshine the season brings. But while Britons typically gravitate towards France, Spain or Turkey for their holidays, there are numerous other destinations many may not even know are merely a just a short flight from the UK.

While Hawaii frequently tops the list of dream getaways, there are several comparable alternatives within Europe — and it’s not Lanzarote or Madeira that are typically likened to the American state. Instead, there’s an archipelago situated in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean that features similar natural beauty and stunning coastlines.

Taking to Instagram, British duo Ellen and Tom have revealed their insider recommendation for travellers seeking an exotic escape without opting for the usual Spanish or Turkish resorts.

“Nobody told us Europe had it’s own Hawaii,” the text overlay announced at the beginning of the clip, which proceeded to showcase footage of the breathtaking island destination in question.

“And no, it’s not Madeira. This is São Miguel in the Azores and we genuinely think it’s Europe’s most underrated island,” they explained in the post’s caption. “Volcanic, lush, and warm year-round. We were there in July and barely saw another tourist.”

The Azores is a Portuguese archipelago comprising nine volcanic islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, situated roughly 1,500km west of Lisbon, or around four hours by air from the UK. While each island boasts its own distinct personality, the largest and most frequented is São Miguel, commonly known as “The Green Island”.

Both British Airways and Ryanair run direct services from the UK to Ponta Delgada, São Miguel’s capital. With a journey time of just four hours, it’s a remarkably accessible option for a quick weekend getaway or an extended break.

The islands also offer an abundance of activities, catering to all tastes regardless of what you’re seeking from your getaway.

Ellen and Tom documented a range of experiences from their July trip, which featured visits to the volcanic landscapes at the vivid green crater lakes, discovering the black sand shores, and relaxing in hot springs. Visitors can also embark on treks through the verdant mountains, or venture out to spot whales and dolphins at sea.

Regarding the climate, there’s genuinely no poor season to travel, as the summer months deliver mild, agreeable, and predominantly settled conditions, with daytime temperatures typically ranging between 21C and 25C. It’s the driest and most tranquil period of the year, making it ideal for rambling, bathing, and whale observation.

That said, a summer visit isn’t essential to enjoy warm, tropical-like conditions. The region is known for a weather phenomenon called St Martin’s Summer, which typically falls between 11 and 20 November, bringing prolonged sunshine and daytime highs of between 20C and 22C, according to Living Azores. Temperatures seldom become uncomfortably warm, thanks to the moderating influence of the Atlantic Ocean on the local climate.

The video quickly drew a flood of comments from viewers left astounded by the Portuguese island region, with one person writing: “Omg, I think we need to go here!!

“I was there in 2024 and it was unbelievable beautiful!” another enthused, while a third added: “This is absolutely stunning.”

Mel Fielding, who has more than 26,000 followers on Instagram, shared her first solo break on the social media platform and what she had learned from the experience

While going on holiday with your family or best friends can be a lovely experience, sometimes taking a break by yourself can be exactly what you need. One travel influencer took herself on a 24-hour break to one of the most scenic parts of the UK and documented the experience on Instagram.

Mel Fielding, who has more than 26,000 followers on Instagram, shared her first solo break on the social media platform. She said: “Although I’ve done a few solo trips abroad over the years, and love exploring the UK, I’ve never really been on a solo trip in the UK before, so last week I decided to head to Devon for one night on my own.”

First, she visited Hope Cove, five miles west of Salcombe, where she went for a meal, saying she “felt super self-conscious at first”.

“I knew I wanted to watch the sunset but I had two hours to wait, so I headed down to the beach on my own,” she said. “I read my book and felt myself relaxing as I watched the sun go down. I felt so happy that I’d pushed through the awkwardness and stayed until the sun had set.”

Mel was staying in her van overnight, and had booked into nearby Bolberry House Caravan and Camping Park, which she said “felt really peaceful”. She continued: “I survived my first night along in the van and slept surprisingly well!

“It wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be! Isn’t it funny how things usually feel worse in our minds than they actually are.”

The next morning she visited Salcombe, and the Snapes Point viewpoint. “By this point, I felt like I’d relaxed into the trip so I headed on a solo sea swim,” she said.

“No one else was swimming and I did feel a little self-conscious at first, but knew I’d regret not going for a dip on such a beautiful day. I made coffee on the beach afterwards and realised that, although I’d done a few solo trips before, doing stuff solo is a bit like exercising a muscle. You have to keep using it to keep it strong.

“I consider myself a pretty adventurous person, but I also realised it’s okay to feel nervous before doing things you don’t do that often. I ended up having a really wonderful 24 hours and it was a good reminder to feel the fear and do it anyway. Now I’m already planning my next solo overnight adventure.”

Writing in the video description, she added: “I know that to some people this won’t be a big deal, but I also know that to some, it will, so if you’re in the latter group and would also love to go on a solo break in the UK this year, but feel nervous about it, I hope sharing this helps in some way!”

People in the comments left their own experiences of solo travel. One said: “I have been single for seven years, so I decided a while back to do whatever I wanted to, even by myself. My biggest challenge was camping in my tent in Wales last summer… best thing I ever did.

“I was adopted by a lovely family for drinks around the campfire. You’re never truly alone. But the feeling of accomplishment when you do these things alone, immense! Makes you remember you can conquer anything.”

Another said: “I have never done a solo trip ever. If I ever get better I have promised myself a trip to Florence.

“Not having anyone else dictate where I am going. I always put others first. So it would be an amazing dream. Good on you! More of us need to lead by your example.”

In the age of Ozempic, the buzziest hardcovers are getting smaller — and slip right into your Baggu. At Book Soup in West Hollywood, the bestselling hardcover fiction display is marked with laminated cards that denote the book’s place in the top 10, with each one cut snugly into the popular hardcover frame of 6-by-9 inches. But lately, more of the books rising to the top wear the placard noticeably looser.

I should know, I work at Book Soup so I spend a lot of time staring at this display and can tell you, the answer to this problem is definitely to print out smaller cards cut to the little sister “trim size” of 5-by-8 inches — or 5½-by-8¼ to be specific.

While the New York Times bestsellers from 2025 skew in favor of the 6-by-9 trim, the popularity of 5-by-8 books appears to be on the rise. Current utilizers of the smaller cut include the buzzy Vanderbilt heir Belle Burden’s “Strangers,” George Saunders’ darkly humorous “Vigil” Lena Dunham’s millennial-tinged tell-all “Famesick” and the infamously tablet-sized “Transcription” from Ben Lerner.

1/5

“Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage” by Belle Burden  (The Dial Press)

2/5

“Famesick: A Memoir” by Lena Dunham  (Random House)

3/5

“Vigil: A Novel” by George Saunders  (Random House)

4/5

“Transcription: A Novel” by Ben Lerner  (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

5/5

“Lost Lambs” by author Madeline Cash  (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

Gretchen Achilles is the director of interior design at Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Achilles recently implemented the 5-by-8 cut for one of this year’s breakout hits, “Lost Lambs” by Madeline Cash. “It’s a tone,” she says. “Smaller trim sizes have an intimacy. … You want to echo what’s going on in the text as an experience for the reader.”

According to Achilles, FSG frequently implements the 5-by-8 trim size. She said that length is the No. 1 factor when deciding to employ it, followed by genre. She listed literary fiction, memoir, biography, and essay collections as the defining genres of the smaller size books.

Caroline Mason is a writer in New York whose debut novel “An Endless Cycle of Evenings” from Hyperion Avenue is slated for 2027; she runs the Instagram account @literarycrushes. Mason described a 5-by-8 hardcover as shorthand for a specific book she seeks out when she is in a bookstore because it often signals a character-driven novel. “It’s my favorite kind of book,” Mason says. She adds that it’s also Instagram-friendly.

“Holding the book up to take a photo of it is easier,” she says with a laugh. “Although I do sometimes still drop it.”

Dahlia de la Vega is an L.A.-based Bookstagrammer who runs the page @ofpagesandprint. According to De la Vega, she finds the shrunken books more approachable. “When I sit down to read a small hardcover, it almost feels like I’m reading a journal,” she says. “Whereas when I read a large hardcover, it almost feels like I need a journal to jot down notes about what’s happening.”

Ethan Mann, my colleague and a supervisor at Book Soup, told me he remembers the place he was both mentally and physically when he purchased a 5-by-8 hardcover copy of “The Parade” by Dave Eggers. (Right before the pandemic struck at CSUN campus store at Cal-State Northridge). “It’s easier to attach relevance to the specific feel of [the book] because it seems one of a kind,” he says.

Mann adds that hardcovers are sometimes a tough sell on the floor. They are often derided for their cost, and customers declare they will wait till the paperback comes out. But the smaller hardcover has the benefit of fitting into nearly any bag.

Esther Margolis is a publishing veteran and the founder of Newmarket Press. She says that the 5-by-8 hardcover is nothing new. According to Margolis, the smaller trim size was previously the industry standard for U.S.-based publishing houses, and any fluctuation is due to the evolution of printing technology.

“Unlike for mass-market paperbacks, hardcover books were shelved, so it didn’t matter that the books were different sizes,” Margolis says. “They didn’t have to fit into a pocket.”

The popularity of the 5-by-8 hardcover is, at the very least, indicative of a shift in what I witness consumers at Book Soup seeking out. With social media making it easier than ever to connect over the act of reading, or looking like you are reading, cover design and presentation — and how it cuts through the noise of the attention economy— is perhaps a factor too.

“A small hardback is like a Labubu,” my co-worker Mann says. “ The feeling in your hands isn’t just about books — it’s about all cute things. … We like small things we can control.”

The success of the publishing industry could never rest on the tiny shoulders of the small hardcover. It may not even represent any changes in production. But on the bestsellers display at your favorite local indie, it represents the small pleasure of palming a near-pocket-size book in your hands.

And, yes, maybe Instagrammability too.

Messinger is a writer in L.A. who runs the Substack adumbmessinger.

The idea grew as organically as the purple cauliflower at Erewhon. One day, I walked from my place in Los Feliz to the beach. I stopped at two Erewhon locations on the way to refuel. I made a reel about my journey and posted it to Instagram. My friend Fish saw it and said, “You should walk to all the Erewhons.”

I thought: I don’t have time to do that. I’m a very serious person who needs to write her novel.

But later I found myself mapping out an 89-mile hike in my Notes App, starting in Pasadena and ending in Calabasas, stopping at all 10 Erewhon locations on the way. (My route did not include the Palisades, which is closed because of the fires; nor did it include LACMA or the new Glendale locale.)

“I need to write my novel” is a thought I have a lot. I usually heed this thought and sit at the desk like a soldier, imagining the wonderful day when I’ll sell said novel — for an amount that would probably be comparable to a fraction of an Erewhon employee’s yearly salary.

Erewhon Trail map illustration by Swan Huntley.

(Erewhon Trail map illustration by Swan Huntley. )

I really wasn’t in the mood to write the novel, though. When I imagined myself pecking away at the keyboard, I felt bad. When I imagined myself walking around L.A. in my Home Depot gardening hat, I felt good. So, I put on my hat, got into an Uber headed for Pasadena, and texted my sister, “Carpe diem, bitch.” Or at least that was my intention. What I actually sent was, “Carpet diem hitch.”

Over the summer, I hiked a little bit of the Pacific Crest Trail. A few years ago, I biked the Camino in Spain. I’ve walked from Los Feliz to the beach a handful of times. I’ve traversed the length of Manhattan thrice. Before that, when I was a teenager, I used to trek from La Jolla to Del Mar while drinking beer (I carried a cooler; yes, I’m sober now) and listening to Sarah McLachlan on my Discman. I’ve always been drawn to activities that many people find tedious. Like walking forever. Or writing a novel.

Starting in the fourth century, pilgrimages were served up by the church as a way for Christians to pay penance for their sins. They were hard and dangerous and a lot of people died. Fast-forward to now: Such treks have taken on an “Eat, Pray, Love” aura. Or a “Wild “ aura. They live in the realm of self-help and of sport. They’re a way to create friction in an increasingly frictionless world. By walking from Mexico to Canada, or from Erewhon to Erewhon, I wonder whether we’re trying to get back to the part of ourselves that wants to try harder.

Or we just want to become more valuable dinner party guests.

What do you do?

I do really long walks.

I ordered a Goddess Smoothie in Pasadena, and then I repeated this tradition at every store thereafter. The smoothie costs $19, tastes like heaven, and it’s green, which my brain reads as “good for me.”

It took me a little over three hours to walk 11 miles to Silver Lake. I got a Vegan Avocado Sandwich for lunch, took an Uber home and posted a reel on Instagram about my first day on the trail. A lot of people liked it. Some of them called me a genius.

In the last 10 years, I’ve published four novels and two illustrated books for adults. I was naïve and just totally blindly happy about the publishing process in the beginning. People wanted to buy my work? Other people wanted to read it? Cool.

The first book, “We Could Be Beautiful,” did well because the publisher put real money into the marketing of it. Then that stopped happening. At a certain point, I realized that expecting too much was unwise. It was up to me to market my books myself. Which meant: social media.

They say you have to see a book cover six times before you buy the book — or consider buying it. There are a lot of book covers on Instagram. Actually, there’s a lot of everything on Instagram, and out of all the everything, is a book cover that exciting?

No.

My second reel, which depicted my journey from Silver Lake to Studio City, went a little bit viral. To date, almost 10,000 people have shared it with their friends. Why? I think the answer has something to do with a desire for levity.

If the atmosphere of the world could be depicted by an Erewhon beverage, it wouldn’t be a vibrant, cheerful one, like the bright magenta Pitaya Smoothie. It would be the dark and brooding Germ Warfare Shot. I find it perplexing that people talk about the apocalypse as if it’s happening later. It’s happening now. If we were really thinking about how climate change is affecting us, we’d be out in the streets screaming. All the time. But we’re not doing that. We’re carrying on with our usual lives. Apparently, for me, that includes walking to Erewhons.

Any long-distance trek is as much an internal journey as it is external. As I continued the trail, I started to think that maybe my endeavor was a reaction to my feeling of total powerlessness. I can’t save the polar bears. I can’t force the president to go to therapy. But I can add some levity to the brooding atmosphere.

Recently, someone commented on one of the reels, “Transplants make LA locals look bad.” This person, and many others, hear the name Erewhon and assume I’m poking fun at it. Erewhon has become a joke about L.A. — a joke that was amplified after Hailey Bieber invented her smoothie in 2022 that Erewhon dubs the “Strawberry Glaze Skin Smoothie.” I’ve never had it, but I can tell you that it looks like a sky full of strawberry clouds. According to an Erewhon employee I spoke to, this smoothie was a turning point. It aligned the brand with wealth and power. Now, Erewhon evokes the image of smooth-skinned, health-conscious Angelenos with money to burn.

The Erewhon Trail, then, inevitably becomes a conversation about privilege, my own included. Instagram hid my two favorite comments, because it was worried they’d be too rude to show, but I think they’re the funniest ones.

This is what white people do on Prozac.

This is what happens when a liberal arts teacher gets fired.

To both of these comments, I say: Yes.

I’m not on Prozac yet, but maybe after I get fired, I will be.

In order to get fired, though, I’d have to get an actual job, which might never happen.

The most intense leg of the trail was from Santa Monica to Calabasas. My friend Fish joined me. Google said it would take 27 miles. After marching through the mountains, I decided to use my own intelligence to make the route shorter. This cut out four miles, bringing the total to 23. For long stretches, Fish and I walked in the bike lane, or in the bramble by the side of the road. That’s the penalty for straying from Google. Your sidewalks disappear and your chances of getting hit by a car go way up.

My legs were noodles by the time we got to Calabasas. I crawled across the parking lot to show my viewers how weak they’d become. The employee at the door smiled at me and handed me a basket, and I thought about the pain of my legs, which no one could see, and about all the secret battles people are fighting all the time, and I wished that we cared about each other as much as Erewhon cares about us. Multiple employees were perfecting the already-perfect plateaus of bell peppers and apples in the produce section. Their thoughtfulness was the opposite of the vibe I encounter in most public restrooms, which is that the strangers who were there before me didn’t have many thoughts about my experience. As lame as the fact that an Erewhon smoothie costs $19 is that so many of us need to be paid to be nice to each other.

When I tell people about my love for Erewhon, they either say, “Duh, I know,” or something along the lines of, “That place is ridiculous, right?” This is almost always followed by the mention of a food item and some amount of money. Like, “Doesn’t a carrot cost $12,000?”

Actually, I tell them, no. Although sometimes, yes. There is a Japanese strawberry that’s famously expensive ($20), but that’s avoidable. I then explain that contrary to popular thought, there is a way to shop at Erewhon on a budget. A jar of soup, for example, costs $15.50. If you return the bottle, you get $3 back. In my opinion, the soup can be two meals, so that’s $6.25 per meal. A lot of the produce is either the same price or only a little bit more expensive than at other health food stores, and it’s in consistently better shape. The most important piece of making Erewhon more affordable, though, is becoming a member. You get 10% off, a free drink of the month and discounts on a bunch of items.

You might be wondering: How many Erewhon memberships has she personally sold?

She’s lost count.

The other reason to go to Erewhon is the environment. It’s visually appealing and the employee-to-customer ratio is notable, and the result is that you feel like you’re at a resort. And frankly, these simple things — a nice environment, high quality food — should be available to everyone.

Back to the question of whether or not Erewhon is ridiculous — yes, of course it is. If you sit at any of the locations and listen to the conversations around you, you’ll probably feel like you’re an extra in a satirical movie. At Studio City, I overheard two moms in white pants and cashmere sweaters talking about how, based on their Instagram recon, they figured out that so-and-so was sitting next to so-and-so at a benefit dinner. Another snippet I overheard in Studio City: “You gotta make music from the heart, man, and the label will feel it.”

It didn’t occur to me to ask for free merch until after I’d finished the trail. Armando at the Santa Monica location was the lucky recipient of my request. I explained my uniquely heroic feat to him, and then wondered aloud if perhaps I could get a sweatshirt, or at least a hat.

Sadly, Armando was unauthorized to give me merch, but he did offer me a gift card in a tiny envelope. I was very grateful. I assumed the card was worth $50 at least.

After we parted ways, I opened the envelope.

Ten dollars.

Enough to put a down payment on a smoothie.

My dreams now are so different from when I was younger. Back in grad school, I imagined that maybe I’d write a bestselling novel, and maybe it would be adapted for the screen, and maybe my tombstone would read: She contributed very serious literature to civilization.

What I never accounted for was, of course, the unknown. Maybe one day, over a decade after school ended, I’d get a lot of attention for making performance art about walking to grocery stores.

Huntley’s novels include “I Want You More,” “Getting Clean With Stevie Green,” “The Goddesses” and “We Could Be Beautiful.” She’s also the writer/illustrator of the darkly humorous “The Bad Mood Book” and “You’re Grounded: An Anti-Self-Help Book to Calm You the F— Down.” She lives in Los Angeles.

Ryan Porter, the acclaimed trombonist and fixture of the West Coast Get Down jazz ensemble, has died. He was 46.

Porter died Saturday from injuries sustained in a “severe” car crash on April 28, Porter’s bandmate Tony Austin wrote on Instagram. “Despite the best medical care, his condition deteriorated,” Austin wrote, noting that Porter “took his last breath, peacefully surrounded by his loved ones.”

Porter was a pivotal figure in contemporary Los Angeles jazz, beginning with his studies under legendary educator Reggie Andrews in the Multi-School Jazz Band in Watts. Porter formed close friendships and musical connections with saxophonist Kamasi Washington, multi-instrumentalist Terrace Martin, bassist Thundercat and the key players that would later form the West Coast Get Down.

“When it comes to keeping the lineage of jazz in L.A. alive, there have been people who were selfless and sacrificed a lot,” Porter told The Times in 2024. “For me back then, it was hard to understand why they cared so much. But it was because they saw potential in all of us so early, so we could see it for ourselves.”

That group cultivated a following at Leimert Park’s beloved venue the World Stage. They would go on to craft dense, experimental and spiritually yearning compositions for Kendrick Lamar’s 2015 LP “To Pimp a Butterfly,” among countless other LPs in the L.A. jazz scene, including Washington’s 2015 breakthrough “The Epic.”

Porter released four solo albums in his career — 2018’s “The Optimist,” 2019’s “Force for Good,” and 2022’s “Resilience,” along with his 2017 children’s album “Spangle-Lang Lane” — each featuring arrangements from his lifelong bandmates. In 2024, he released a documentary film, “Resilience,” focused on the impact of free music education programs in Los Angeles and how they helped build the city’s modern jazz scene.

“In the inner city, you can be a gang member or drug dealer, but most kids want to take their best steps,” Porter said in 2024. “Friends and music teachers inspired me through their work ethic, giving us a place to perform where we could take advantage of that expertise. Now it’s our turn to take care of them for the next generation.”

Washington, Porter’s frequent collaborator, remembered Porter in a poignant statement on Instagram. “I love you Ryan Porter, I miss you, and you will always have a space in my heart and soul. I will cherish the many years we had together, I thought we would have more, but I am thankful for what we had,” he wrote, adding, “You have been my friend for most of my life. I’ve looked up to you since I was 11 years old. We learned from each other, we supported each other, we created beautiful music together and shared it with people all over the world.”

“You would always tell me that you wanted more than anything else to be a FORCE FOR GOOD and you did it, you are the complete embodiment of that,” Washington continued. “You did so much good Ryan, your life made this world better.”

Porter is survived by two daughters, both of whom are preparing for college, according to a GoFundMe page set up by his friends to contribute to funeral costs and support his children. “Beyond the stage and beyond the music, Ryan’s greatest pride was being a father and provider for his family,” the fundraiser states.