lavish

MADONNA appears to have outed herself as a fan of The Durrells, after taking over a tiny village made famous by the ITV drama to celebrate her 68th birthday.

After I revealed how Madge had spent the start of her celebrations flying to the monasteries of Meteora in Corfu over the weekend, stunned locals now tell me how she and her entourage descended on Kouramades for a very special party this week.

The tiny community, which has just 180 residents, was one of the locations used on the hit show, which starred Keeley Hawes.

Madge, boyfriend Akeem Morris, her family and entourage booked out tiny taverna Atzaro for a meal, complete with a child choir, who locals told me were specially flown over from Italy to perform.

An onlooker told me: “No one could believe Madonna was coming until she actually turned up.

“The security measures were pretty intense and there was a police presence, as well as Madonna’s security to keep her safe.

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“She wanted to visit the central church but they cancelled it because there was quite a crowd gathering. They headed to Atzaro for dinner and that was really special. Singers and a children’s choir from Italy performed as they ate traditional meals.

“Just before midnight, the group started dancing to the Zorba The Greek song and a birthday cake came out. They sang the birthday song three times and then danced until 2am. Once they left, the crowds that had gathered outside started clapping and chanting her name.”

Madonna’s visit to the village has now gone down in folklore — and I’m told the Material Girl superstar lapped up the attention.

“As she drove away, Madonna seemed to love everyone cheering so she popped her hand out and waved a bit like a member of the royal family,” a local added.

Her birthday isn’t the only thing she has to celebrate, as last night it was announced Madonna is the most nominated artist for the 2026 MTV VMAs, taking place on September 27.

She leads the pack with 11, including Video, Artist and Song of the Year for Bring Your Love, while Taylor Swift is just behind with nine nods.

Jesy’s Ben in rooftop rift

JESY NELSON had to play peacekeeper during a night out after boyfriend Ben Davies was caught up in a ruckus.

Onlookers told me the former Little Mix star and her new man were asked to leave the posh Madison rooftop bar in London on Saturday night after it all kicked off.

One told me: “Ben was getting in people’s faces when he was out with Jesy at Madison.

“Something had been said and he didn’t seem to be happy about it. He looked like he was about to get in a fight before all the bouncers swooped in.

“It was all pretty uncomfortable to watch. Jesy was amazing and kept her cool. She was trying to de-escalate the situation and appeared to be keen to get out of there.”

It’s not the best start to their romance. I revealed earlier this month how Jesy had started dating landscape gardener Ben, who counts Towie’s Lydia Bright among his exes.

They were spotted on a night out in London, before being snapped this week holding hands and snogging in the street, inset.

To avoid Ben digging any more publicly embarrassing holes, I think a quiet night in should be their next date.

Ronan abs go down a Storm

RONAN KEATING marked his 11th wedding anniversary to remind all his fans just how hot he is.

He revealed his gym-honed body with this snap on Instagram, posing alongside his equally fit missus Storm.

The Boyzone singer wrote: “We have the most incredible life and it’s all down to you. God I love ya.

“Thank you for loving me through the good and the bad versions of myself. You make me a better human and I thank you for it all.”

Green Day give us Glasto

GREEN DAY want to headline Glastonbury – but insist they have never been asked.

The American band, who have more than enough hits to top the bill, will be celebrating 40 years since they formed next year, so the timing couldn’t be better for organiser Emily Eavis to get on the blower.

Asked if they would like to do it, drummer Tre Cool said: “Yeah. If they ask us. It’s the last great festival we haven’t done.”

They have just released a comedy movie called Nimrods, which is loosely inspired by the band, but insisted a biopic won’t happen until they’re older.

He told NME: “A biopic is more of a retirement plan. We’ll do that when we’re actually old and we’re doing our residencies in Las Vegas or something.”

Spotify is planning Home Run

SPOTIFY has announced a new live music series, Hometown, which will celebrate artists and the places that shaped them.

Next month, Jorja Smith, Nemzzz and Beabadoobee, will return to the communities where their musical journeys began for intimate, one-night-only performances.

Jorja, who releases her new album What Are The Odds this Friday, will play her gig on September 6.

She said: “Walsall is where I first started writing and recording music as a teenager. It’s where my love of music began and the people, experiences and sense of community there continue to influence my creativity today.”

Nemzz will perform in Manchester on September 12, while Beabadoobee is scheduled to play a concert in London on September 17.

Noel: My reunion doubts

NOEL GALLAGHER had reservations about reuniting with brother Liam for their sold-out Oasis tour last year.

In the first trailer for Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger, in cinemas from September 9, Noel said: “I just don’t see myself on stage with Liam. I really don’t want to be going back with the tension. Will it fall apart?”

But Liam, who’d pushed for a reunion for years, made it clear he wanted to get back on board with Noel, saying: “The way it finished, unacceptable. It didn’t sit right with me, man.”

Looking back on their rows, which caused Oasis to split in 2009, Liam said: “We all said s**t we didn’t mean. I feel like I am exorcising demons, getting it all out. The rage. I need to calm the f**k down.”

Before the first show at Cardiff’s Principality stadium last July, Noel added:

“One of the biggest moments of our lives, right?

“I’d forgotten what [Liam] means to people. I certainly wasn’t prepared for the intense outpouring. A sense of what it meant to people. You’ve got a chance to change the narrative of the band.”

Isla’s red-hot

YOU can take it as read . . . Isla Fisher is definitely a fiery redhead.

On the promo trail in New York for new movie Spa Weekend, which is out on Friday, she said: “I’m a real redhead and I feel like I’ve earned the right to be red because I was bullied at school and I had all of the usual stuff that redheads go through.

“I always get mad when people just dye their hair red, I’m like, ‘You don’t know what we went through at school to be redhead!’”

THE WANTED are working on new music – but without half of the original line-up.

Max George and Siva Kaneswaran are writing new material as a duo after Nathan Sykes and Jay McGuiness decided not to return following Tom Parker’s death in 2022.

Siva told Culture Fix: “We’ve been writing for the past few months, so we want to carry on.

“The essence of The Wanted was pop/dance and I think we’re going to lean a bit more towards dance.

“I don’t think that’s a crazy thing to do for us.”

CAREFREE Kate Moss holidays with daughter Lila — as it emerged creditors will not see any of the £2.9million owed after her wellness brand collapsed.

Kate, 52, donned a black swimsuit for a soothing dip in the Med while she relaxed on a £1,340-a-day hired yacht.

Model Lila, 23, opted for a bikini on the jaunt with friends to the Spanish island of Formentera.

But back home liquidator reports for Kate’s failed Cosmoss business disclosed £240,000 of remaining products would be destroyed as they cannot be sold.

Kate, worth £55million, launched the high-end brand in 2022.

The move sparked comparisons with Gwyneth Paltrow’s successful firm Goop.

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Kate sold natural, vegan and cruelty-free items including a facial oil, incense, a £120 fragrance called Sacred Mist and a £20 canister of Dawn Tea.

She wrote at the time: “I feel my most authentic self and I’m ready to open up and share with you.”

But the brand quietly shut down and entered voluntary liquidation last summer.

Kate has now withdrawn from a shareholders’ agreement involving her image and intellectual property rights — meaning the stock is worthless.

Paperwork filed at Companies House states: “It was confirmed that the products could not be sold on the open market.

“The stock was abandoned..”

The liquidator’s statement said there is just £3,454.88 left in the company’s coffers.

ACTRESS Emma Roberts has tied the knot with her fiancee Cody John in a lavish Idaho wedding.

The American Horror Story star, 36, said “I Do” in front of close friends and family including the “Nerve” actress’s A-list aunt, Julia Roberts.

A source told Page Six that the ceremony took place in 95-degree weather and lasted about 45 minutes.

Emma looked gorgeous in a white chiffon wedding gown that featured a high slit as she held onto her son Rhodes’ hand as they walked down the aisle.

Cody, 29, looked stylish in a black tuxedo as he stood at the altar reading his vows to his new wife.

The couple got engaged back in July 2024, after nearly two years together.

At the time, Emma shared a photo of herself and Cody with the caption, “putting this here before my mom tells everyone.”

In the selfie, she was shown hugging her new husband while showing off her engagement ring on her finger.

Emma shares a son, Rhodes, with her ex-boyfriend, actor Garrett Hedlund.

The pair have co-parented Rhodes since the news of their breakup came out in January 2022.

“It’s been easy for Emma to co-parent with Garrett in a healthy way because she is so happy,” a source told Entertainment Tonight in October 2022.

Emma hails from New Jersey and is an American singer and actress.

She is the niece of Hollywood actress, Julia Roberts, and spent time on the sets of her aunt’s films when she was growing up, which inspired her to pursue a career in acting.

Her Hollywood debut was in the 2001 film, Blow, a role that gained her recognition and landed her an opportunity in Nickelodeon’s series, Unfabulous.

Emma has appeared in numerous films since her debut including Aquamarine, Nerve, Nancy Drew, and Hotel For Dogs and has starred in American Horror Story since 2013.

Former Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard is now commentating at the championship

While Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams have grabbed plenty of headlines during Wimbledon, off the court its Eugenie Bouchard generating all the buzz.

The tennis star, who made it to the final in the championship in 2014, is now one of the pundits commentating on the games on the BBC. She has been winning over viewers, with Wimbledon watchers posting comments on X saying she was a “stand out” new addition to the coverage team and dropping fire emojis to show their appreciation.

“From a historic Wimbledon final to crushing the court in a whole new sport, she’s still a total ace!” one posted on the platform, which was formerly Twitter.

As well as her tennis and commentary skills, Eugenie is also known for her lavish lifestyle, from travel to bags worth hundreds of pounds.

Brand deals

The star was a favourite with some big brands after bursting onto the tennis scene over a decade ago, and things ramped up even further after her success at Wimbledon.

She ended up bagging some major brand deals, working with the likes of Coca-Cola and Nike during her career.

Worldwide travel

Eugenie, who has previously revealed that she was named after Princess Eugenie as her mum is a fan of the Royal family, is no stranger to the high life. She regularly shares snaps on Instagram that show her on her travels, whether its glam nights out in Miami or chic dinners in Paris.

The star, who has previously been spotted boarding a private plane, recently said on Instagram that she travelled a lot for work, sharing: “I’ve taken 36 flights in 2026 so far. That’s 1 flight every 3.7 days. The amount of times friends have said to me ‘following your travel on ig makes my head spin’… lol. I’m type A so if I don’t have something that needs to get done immediately, or somewhere to rush off to, I feel panicky inside. after noticing this, I have started forcing myself to take days off, even entire weekends.”

Handbag collection

According to reports, Eugenie has amassed quite the handbag collection, with an array of pricey totes in her wardrobe.

She apparently forked out over £1,000 for a Louis Vuitton bag after pocketing some prize money, and her collection is now said to include a pink Gucci bumbag worth hundreds as well as a Chanel bag worth thousands of pounds.

Pricey jewellery

Eugenie has evidently developed a taste for the finer things and thanks to her brand deals and winnings, she’s been able to fund a stunning jewellery collection.

The tennis star has previously been snapped sporting a gold Daytona watch – which can cost well over £20,000, and she’s also known to wear flashy gold rings including a costly Kenzo.

Famous friends

Eugenie apparently counts a number of celebrities as friends, including The Big Bang Theory star Jim Parsons and fellow Canadian star Drake.

The sports star was previously romantically linked to Jack Brinkley-Cook, the son of supermodel Christie Brinkley.

Coverage of Wimbledon is airing on BBC One and BBC Two, as well as being available to stream on BBC iPlayer

DUA Lipa has tied the knot for a second time to actor Callum Turner in a picture perfect Palermo-based ceremony.

The popstar and her new husband, who made it official last week with a London town hall wedding, exchanged vows in front of family and famous friends as part of their £1.5m wedding extravaganza in the Italian holiday hotspot.

Dua, 30, and Callum, 36, said ‘I Do’ to one another in an outdoor ceremony adorned with high trees at the magnificent 18th century Villa Valguarnera with A-list pals Charli XCX, Mark Ronson and Tame Impala in attendance.

The Sun can exclusively reveal that bride Dua, 30, walked down the aisle with a bridal bouquet made up of lily-of-the-valley, peonies and hyacinths from a local florist.

Amid the vow renewal, music legend Elton John serenaded the couple with a rendition of his smash hit ‘Your Song’ in an incredibly emotional and touching moment.

The special performance prompted tears all round as the 79-year-old belted out the classic love song for his beloved pal and her new husband.

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Elton, 79, and the Be The One singer have a firm friendship with the two previously collaborating on single Cold Heart back in 2021, a remix of his iconic song Rocket Man (1972).

The ceremony kicked off at 5pm and lasted for around an hour with guests arriving from 3:30pm in a whopping 60 minivans.

The bride and groom turned up in a luxury Mercedes Maybach Class V at 3pm prompt to greet their guests ahead of the nuptials.

Post-ceremony, a posh dinner is expected to be laid on by a two Michelin star chef from Rome, and speeches, before the celebrities dance the night away with a party set to go well into the early hours. 

The evening is split into three moments: ceremony in the courtyard, a dinner, followed by an outdoor DJ set by four prominent names on the international music scene.

A huge amp system has been set up in anticipation, with diffusers positioned towards the estate and the villa park to limit sound waves travelling into the Bagheria town

Dua’s wedding dress – a well-kept secret – is rumoured to have been designed by Donatella Versace, who attended a pre-wedding drinks reception last night as she and Callum kicked off their celebrations. 

They shut down two city centre squares in Palermo as famous music pals gathered to celebrate the couple. 

Dua stunned in a white, backless Bottega Veneta dress and also had a £2580 Bottega Anidamo leather clutch bag and Bulgari jewels – including a classic £185,000 Manchette watch. 

She was seen dancing to Le Freak and Kylie Minogue’s Spinning Around.

Waiters later bought out Margarita pizza for guests on silver trays. 

A ring of steel was put around the Piazza Sant’Anna and Piazza Croce dei Vespri with police and private security blocking off access to the public.

The Sun revealed that Dua paid £5,000 to residents who live around the Piaza Croce dei Vespri, where the party was held, to thank them.

But she faced a battle against some protestors who stuck up posters in nearby streets accusing the singer of making their public space a “living room for the rich”, insisting: “Palermo is not for rent.”

Dua and Callum are staying in a £6,000 a night suite at the five-star Villa Igiea.

Their Donna Franca suite has stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea and is described as the hotel’s crowning jewel. 

THEY are already two of the most in-demand Brits in ­entertainment – her selling out stadiums globally and him a front-runner to be the next James Bond.

But one week today, superstar Dua Lipa and her movie star fiancé ­Callum Turner will say “I do” at a lavish ceremony in Sicily, cementing themselves as our most high-profile power ­couple since Posh and Becks.

The Sun can reveal that showbiz pals including singers Charli XCX and Tove Lo are on the guestlist, with friends and family due to fly out on Thursday for three days of celebrations.

There are even whispers that Sir Elton John, who Dua collaborated with on the 2021 song Cold Heart, could perform.

An insider said: “Dua and Callum are both ecstatic that they’re finally getting married. They’re head over heels for each other.

“The original plan was for an ­intimate wedding, but it is now going to be a ­massive, luxurious affair across three days.

“She attended Charli’s wedding in Sicily last year and was really inspired to push the boat out for her own Italian celebrations.

“They have rented out multiple huge venues for the multi-event extravaganza, although the exact details are being kept under wraps due to security concerns, as fans are desperate to catch a glimpse of them.

“The couple have been doing daily workouts at stylish members’ club 180 House in London to prepare for their big day and Dua has been ­telling friends she cannot wait to walk down the aisle.

“It’s going to be a true fairytale ­wedding.”

As well as proving their love for each other, the ceremony will strengthen their position as showbiz A-listers, with the pair expected to bank hundreds of millions between them in the next two years.

Callum will be back on screens this summer in the rom-com One Night Only, but James Bond is the starring role he has his eye on, with the bookies ranking him as favourite to land the part.

There have been ­whispers they could both be involved in 007’s next outing, with Dua said to be in consideration to record the Bond theme, something she has said she has wanted to do for years.

While Callum has been building his acting career, his wife-to-be has been working on her business empire.

As well as making her highly-­anticipated fourth studio album with top producer Mark Ronson — who has been invited to the wedding — she is in the midst of launching her Dua By AB skincare line, which is forecast to become a major money-spinner.

She has also just become a global brand ambassador for Nespresso alongside George Clooney and is expanding her ­editorial and cultural platform ­Service95.

And just this week, she announced a new partnership with Google Maps to share her top travel tips.

Holiday-loving Dua knows all about those, having been on a string of getaways including, in the past month, a visit to Copenhagen with Callum and a holiday to Ibiza with more than 20 pals for her hen do.

Among the friends who joined her was fashion designer Simon Porte Jacquemus, the man behind the label Jacquemus, who is believed to have created at least one of the dresses she will wear for her wedding ­celebrations.

Dua previously wore a sheer white dress designed by him when she attended his wedding to partner Marco Maestri in 2022.

The Sun first revealed Callum had popped the question to New Rules singer Dua in December 2024 after just a year of dating, and she ­confirmed the news in an interview with British Vogue last June.

Dua, who completed her 81-date, £100million-grossing Radical Optimism Tour in December, said at the time: “I want to finish my tour — Callum’s shooting, so we’re just ­enjoying this period.

“I’ve never been someone who’s really thought about a wedding, or dreamt about what kind of bride I would be. All of a sudden I’m like, ‘Oh, what would I wear?’.

“This decision to grow old together, to see a life and just be best friends forever — it’s a really special feeling.”

The singer also revealed Callum had her engagement ring made ­especially for her, after discussing it with her sister Rina, who is expected to be a bridesmaid along with her best friends.

Dua said: “It’s very exciting. I’m obsessed with it. It’s so me. It’s nice to know the person that you’re going to spend the rest of your life with knows you very well.”

But while their white ­wedding is shaping up to be one of the most spectacular in recent showbiz ­memory, they have some competition.

This summer will see a slew of celebrity services, with superstar ­Taylor Swift set to tie the knot with American football star Travis Kelce a month later on July 3.

That wedding is already one of the most talked-about events of the year, with the nuptials of America’s favourite couple potentially even competing with the 250th anniversary Independence Day celebrations the following day.

Selena Gomez, Gigi Hadid and Cara Delevingne are among the many stars who have been invited to the wedding, which is set to take place at a highly secure venue in New York City.

Security is so tight for the big day that guests have been warned they will not be informed of the exact location until hours before the ceremony.

But as the hottest ticket in town, some guests have this week fumed about their “no ring, no bring” policy, after one ­person claimed they had been invited, but told they could not bring a “plus one”.

The anonymous guest told one newspaper: “What am I supposed to do? Go alone? That is so awkward.”

Taylor and Travis started dating in 2023, shortly after the end of Taylor’s whirlwind month-long romance with The 1975 rocker Matty Healy, who she is now racing to beat up the aisle.

He is also engaged after finding love with model and musician Gabbriette Bechtel, and they are set to tie the knot in July, too.

Unlike Taylor, they have opted to do so on the other side of the country in ­California, where his bride is from. The couple have already spent more than £100,000 on flights for their friends and family to travel over from the UK.

Charli XCX has also been invited to their wedding after marrying Matty’s bandmate, drummer George Daniel.

And Matty’s mum, Loose Women star Denise Welch, has revealed she is relieved it is Gabbriette and not Taylor her son is marrying.

Last July, she said: “Obviously, on pain of death can I talk about that episode, but being her mother-in-law is a role I am glad that I lost.

“Not that I have anything against her at all. It was just — it was tricky.

“She . . . listen, you’re not allowed to say anything, and then she writes a whole album about it.

“Matty has taken it all in ­completely good grace. He’s very happy with his amazing fiancée Gabbriette, who is ­gorgeous. So, we’ve moved on.”

They aren’t the only exes who could both be saying “I do” this year.

Miley Cyrus got engaged to her musician boyfriend Maxx Morando at the end of last year and is believed to be planning an intimate wedding.

Meanwhile, actor Liam Hemsworth, who split from Miley in 2019 after less than a year of ­marriage, got down on one knee for his model partner Gabriella Brooks last September.

So while wedding bells will be ringing out at ridiculously opulent and over-the-top ceremonies this summer, you can bet their showbiz exes will be keeping an eye on whose was better.