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BOB Mortimer is leading the tributes for Chris Rea following the Driving Home For Christmas star’s tragic death.

The legendary British singer-songwriter penned the festive favourite in 1978, which later became a regular hit on the UK Singles Charts.

Rea passed away in hospital, just three days before Christmas after battling with ill health for several years.

He made a huge impact in the entertainment industry and following his passing a host of celebrities have shared their tributes to the late singer.

Comedian Bob Mortimer branded the star a ‘brilliant bloke’, taking to X to pen a heartfelt message, he wrote: “So so sad. A lovely brilliant funny giant of a bloke. Oh Man….RIP Chris .. Boro legend forever. Love to family and friends”.

On the post the comedian added a sweet picture of Chris in a bubble bath holding an egg, which features in Bob’s memoir recalling a time on Would I Lie To You ? where Chris had ‘supposedly’ put an egg in his bath, after the episode Rea sent him the pic.

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Bob was good friends with the late star, the pair even making the song Lets Dance together in 1997 for Middlesbrough’s Football Club’s FA Cup Final.

The football team also wrote a tribute on their own page for Chris, who hails from Middlesborough, they wrote: We’re deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Chris Rea. A Teesside icon. Rest in peace, Chris.”

TV star Lizzie Cundy also took to X to express her own condolences, she said: “I’m so sad to hear Chris Rea has died. I was lucky enough to star in his music video Driving home for Christmas. 

“I loved every minute and was an honour to work with him and be in his iconic music video . He will always be an inspiration and legend to me. Rest in peace Chris.”

Lizzie appeared in the smash festive hit’s music video back in 2009, alongside a host of celebs including Gail Porter and Martin Shaw.

TV presenter Timmy Mallet wrote in his tribute: “ #RIP Chris Rea I bought his house 1991 on garage wall is happy Christmas message his daughters sprayed it’s still there. 

“Chris is driving home For Christmas now singing for our nearest & dearest. Grateful for his wonderful gravely voice. God bless you Chris #RIP”

During Rea’s last TV appearance, on BBC’s Mortimer and Whitehouse Gone Fishing in 2020, the singer revealed a special gift he gave childhood sweetheart Joan.

He guest starred on the show for a special Christmas episode where he talked about his battle with serious health issues over the years.

Mortimer also spoke about how his health battles had strengthened the bond between him and his family.

Rea was quick to agree and beamed as he said he shared a similar experience with Joan.

The singer replied: “It was exactly the same for me. I was in hospital and the pancreatic cancer nurse comes in and tells me ‘it’s not grade three cancer phone your wife!’

“So I phone my wife and she pulled the car over and burst into tears.”

The musician had his pancreas removed after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2001 and suffered a stroke in 2016.

The singer went on to make a light-hearted joke about leaving his wife the royalties to his famous hit.

“I gave her all the money, all the rights to all the songs, and now she won’t give them back,” he laughed. 

Rea’s wife of 57 years played a key role in writing his Christmas smash hit.

With Redondo Union dominating in the rebounding department in a semifinal game at the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame proved no match for the Sea Hawks, falling 78-68 on Monday night. Redondo Union (10-2) outrebounded the Knights (8-3) 40-26.

Rebounding was a concern for Notre Dame once Tyran Stokes checked out of school. SJ Madison led Redondo Union with 24 points and 10 rebounds. NaVorro Bowman had 22 points for Notre Dame. Redondo Union will play Timpview from Utah in the championship game. Timpview defeated Santa Margarita 61-59.

La Mirada 66, San Gabriel Academy 53: In another divisional semifinal in Las Vegas, La Mirada received 29 points from Gene Roebuck.

JSerra 60, Edgewater 57: Jaden Bailes scored 31 points for JSerra.

Oak Park 77, Newbury Park 58: The Eagles won their league opener behind junior Beau Prophete, who scored 37 points and had five blocks.

Girls basketball

Birmingham 72, Las Vegas Palo Verde 30: Kiara Wakabi had 16 points for 11-2 Birmingham in Las Vegas.

Dec. 16 (UPI) — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced Tuesday a bipartisan settlement between 35 states and automakers Hyundai and Kia over selling millions of vehicles without standard anti-theft technology.

Hyundai and Kia’s alleged omission of standard security technology fueled a surge of car thefts, enabled further crime and caused deaths nationwide, including in Minnesota, Ellison’s office announced.

“Maintaining public safety means holding people who commit crimes accountable, but it also means holding corporations accountable when their greed helps criminals harm the people of Minnesota,” Ellison said in a statement.

A 2015 report found that just 26% of Kia and Hyundai cars sold in the U.S. had engine immobilizers, while other makers averaged 96%.

Under the settlement, Hyundai and Kia will give eligible owners free ignition cylinder protectors, add engine immobilizers to all future U.S. vehicles and provide up to $4.5 million in restitution for theft damages.

In addition, they will pay another $4.5 million to cover state investigation costs.

The settlement concludes Minnesota’s March 2023 investigation into Kia and Hyundai for knowingly omitting standard anti-theft tech from their manufactured cars.

Minnesota’s chief law enforcement official stated that Hyundai and Kia “unleashed a wave of auto thefts that cost Minnesotans their cars, their hard-earned money, and sometimes even their lives.”

“In short, they put their profits ahead of people’s safety,” he added.

The multi-state legal effort included Arizona, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont and Wisconsin.

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown said in a statement that Tuesday’s settlement revelation “should prevent these thefts from continuing and provides additional relief” to victimized consumers.

In 2022, Minneapolis saw Kia and Hyundai thefts linked to a slew of violent crimes and hundreds of crashes, in addition to New York and multiple states.

On Tuesday, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the manufacturer’s “lack of urgency and their desire to save money inexcusably prolonged this crisis.”

“Now, the companies must take measures to protect their vehicles from theft,” New York Attorney General Letitia James posted on X.

Meanwhile, consumers who had or were scheduled for software updates but still experienced theft or attempted theft on or after April may file a claim for related expenses.

Dec. 14 (UPI) — Chileans head to the polls Sunday in a presidential runoff election in which the son of a Nazi party member, who has pledged to build a border wall to keep migrants out of the country, is the leading candidate.

Far right former congressman Jose Antonio Kast, 59, built his campaign on a promise to remove tens of thousands of undocumented migrants from the country. He faces Jeannette Jara, 51, a former labor minister in the administration of center-left president Gabriel Boric.

Jara, the leading candidate of the left-wing coalition, finished the first round of polling with 27%, but right-wing candidates, including Kast, secured more than half of the votes.

Kast is a known admirer of Chilean military strongman Augusto Pinochet, and a staunch opponent of abortion rights and same sex marriage.

The campaign has featured a bitter fight between Jara and Kast, with each attacking the other’s ability to address crime, migration problems and a lagging economy.

Jara has pledged to attract more investment in the country and to secure the border while also addressing health care needs. Kast has campaigned on corporate tax cuts, deregulation and departing undocumented migrants.

Both are using the approval rating of the outgoing Boric’s approval rating, hovering at 30%, as a platform for their campaigns, pledging to improve on the job he has done.

Chile has seen a sharp upturn in murder and other violent crime in recent years as international criminal groups have stepped into a country that has long been considered relatively docile.

The feat has spread to other Latin American countries, including Costa Rica and Ecuador.

Boric is considered to have failed to fulfill most of his stated agenda to strengthen public services. He also failed to address problems brought on by organized crime, election watchers have said.

Voters have called for more migration reform, tighter security and for the country to distance itself from Boric’s failed policies.

Billie Jean King, who won 39 Grand Slam titles and is founder of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), believes the organisation’s billion-dollar deal with Mercedes-Benz shows that the tour “continues to lead the way” in women’s sport.

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