leave

The Countryfile presenter has opened up about her initial nerves during Strictly Come Dancing, which she joined following her split from rugby player Richie Myler

Former Blue Peter host Helen Skelton navigated a difficult period following her separation from rugby league player Richie Myler, ultimately reaching the final of Strictly Come Dancing. However, the Countryfile star has admitted she felt “terrified” during the competition’s early weeks.

“I tried to leave,” she disclosed on Kate Thornton’s White Wine Question Time podcast. “I ran and hid on the fire escape, and they filmed Strictly next to The Crown, and there’s a massive wall. I kid you not, I was looking at the wall and thinking, ‘I could get over that’.”

Helen revealed that a member of the production team persuaded her to return to the studio, where her professional dancing partner Gorka Márquez delivered some crucial words of encouragement: “I remember he said to me: ‘It’s like jumping out of a plane, you’ve got to engage the parachute’.”

“He was so wonderful,” Helen continued, praising the Spanish dancer’s unwavering support, which helped build her confidence from those anxious beginnings through to her memorable Cabaret-themed Couple’s Choice routine in the final, which earned a flawless score of 40.

“By the final, I’ve gone from hiding on the fire escape, being terrified to look at the dance floor, to just freestyling. Even all the professionals were crying laughing. They were like, ‘Who are you?'” she said.

Helen’s Strictly experience wasn’t without its challenges, including an unfortunate costume mishap during the semi-finals when part of her outfit tore and hung around her leg for the remainder of the routine. Nevertheless, Helen persevered and secured an impressive 37 points — with Shirley Ballas awarding her and Gorka the lowest mark of 8, while Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke both gave them a 10.

Speaking to Kate, Helen revealed that despite the personal anguish of her eight-year marriage ending, she remained resolute that the circumstances wouldn’t impact her performance — or influence how the Strictly judges scored her.

She remembered: “A few people said if you’d have just cried and gone on about what was going on, you might have won it.”

Helen added that numerous friends had urged her to take up the Strictly opportunity purely due to the massive public fascination with her marriage split: “My friends were just like, ‘Just do it. Just do it.

“It’s going to swallow you up. Just do it. Like, there’s so many people talking about you and looking at you. They may as well look at you in a sparkly dress, mate.'”

Following Helen’s decision to accept the invitation, some audience members claimed she might have had an advantage due to her childhood tap-dancing background. Speaking to ITV’s Lorraine at the time, she said: “I found it so funny when they said it was a fix — Helen’s a tap-dancing champion. When I was seven, yes, I did tap dancing.

“Like lots of little girls and boys, I did dancing and absolutely loved it. I hit an age where I didn’t want to be in a leotard in public and I gave it up. I wish I hadn’t!”

JESY Nelson has revealed that she wanted to leave Little Mix after just two years of being in the band.

The singer, 34, joined the popular girl group after winning The X Factor in 2011, subsequently catapulting her into fame.

The group toured all over the world, accumulated numerous number one hits, and were only one year off celebrating their 10th anniversary as a band – when Jesy decided to call it quits.

But now Jesy’s shared that she actually wanted to leave Little Mix seven years sooner than she did.

Speaking on the Great Company with Jamie Laing podcast, Ms Nelson sat across the table wearing a knitted camouflage patterned zip-up.

Jamie praised her for having the courage to go her own way, and then she explained how doing that “had presented itself” way before she made the final decision to leave.

hard watch

Jesy Nelson breaks down in tears over twins’ battle & ‘really tough’ split

my truth

Jesy Nelson WILL reveal why she left Little Mix as she slams ‘false narratives’

“That [leaving] presented itself far before I made that decision,” Jesy said.

“There was a time where I was like ‘oh, I want to leave’ and I remember sitting down with my family… and it was actually because of my brother that in the end I stayed.”

She continued: “The first time I wanted to leave I remember I went home and we were kinda weighing up the [pros and cons]… and at that point we weren’t even like at our biggest.

“We were, it had only been like two years, but we were still big. Everyone still knew who Little Mix were so it was like ‘if you leave now, what are you going to do?’”

Her brother praised her strength, encouraging her to stay, but also encouraging her to make as much money as she could off of Little Mix‘s fame.

“My brother was like ‘you are so much stronger than you give yourself credit for and I think you can stick this out for another few years.’

“I’m going to be completely honest about what he said, he said ‘just make as much money as you can, you’ve got a chance to really change your family’s life. If somewhere in you can do this for another few years, do it, and then leave, because you’ll never get this opportunity again.’”

Jesy continued to note that her brother “was right” and said she’s now grateful that she stayed and could “change her family’s life” – including getting extra treatments for her twin girls.

She gave birth to Ocean and Story last year and heartbreakingly discovered that they both have spinal muscular atrophy type 1 (SMA), and may never learn how to walk.

If SMA is caught early preventative treatments can assist newborn’s quality of life. However, the symptoms weren’t realised instantly in Jesy’s children, who will now suffer with unknown permanent difficulties.

Jesy did get her twins the treatment they needed, but they were at that point around 8 months old.

The brave mother has since been rallying for SMA screening to be mandatory after every birth to stop the 50 babies per year born with it from suffering.

Around the time of the devastating diagnosis Jesy and her partner Zion called time on their relationship.

They continue to co-parent their daughters during an incredibly tough time.

MINNEAPOLIS — The Trump administration is reducing the number of immigration enforcement officers in Minnesota after state and local officials agreed to cooperate by turning over arrested immigrants, border policy advisor Tom Homan said Wednesday.

About 700 of the roughly 3,000 federal officers deployed around Minnesota will be withdrawn, Homan said. The immigration operations have upended the Twin Cities and escalated protests, especially since the killing of protester Alex Pretti, the second fatal shooting by federal officers in Minneapolis.

“Given this increase in unprecedented collaboration, and as a result of the need for less public safety officers to do this work and a safer environment, I am announcing, effective immediately, we’ll draw down 700 people effective today — 700 law enforcement personnel,” Homan said during a news conference.

Homan said last week that federal officials could reduce the number of federal agents in Minnesota, but only if state and local officials cooperate. His comments came after President Donald Trump seemed to signal a willingness to ease tensions in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area.

Homan pushed for jails to alert ICE to inmates who could be deported, saying transferring such inmates to the agency is safer because it means fewer officers have to be out looking for people in the country illegally.

The White House has long blamed problems arresting criminal immigrants on places known as sanctuary jurisdictions, a term generally applied to state and local governments that limit law enforcement cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security.

When questioned, Homan said he thinks the ICE operation in Minnesota has been a success.

“Yeah, I just listed a bunch of people we took off the streets of the Twin Cities, so I think it’s very effective as far as public safety goes,” Homan said. “Was it a perfect operation? No. No. We created one unified chain of command to make sure everybody is on the same page. And make sure we follow the rules. I don’t think anybody, purposely, didn’t do something they should have done.”

Associated Press reporter Corey Williams in Detroit contributed.

A flight attendant has shared a simple hotel room safety tip that doesn’t require any expensive security gadgets

Hotel stays typically involve minor inconveniences – sluggish Wi-Fi or uncomfortable pillows – but feeling unsafe shouldn’t be one of them.

Sleeping in unfamiliar surroundings whilst travelling can leave you feeling exposed, and it’s perfectly understandable to worry about safeguarding your belongings when you’re away from home.

Nina Bolders, a flight attendant with 15 years of global travel experience and founder of Fly Me to the Vegan Buffet, has revealed a straightforward technique she employs to enhance her security in hotels.

She explained: “Even in a five-star hotel in the safest country, you sleep better when you know that no one can sneak into your room unnoticed while you sleep or shower.

“I used to make my own alarm system by placing a glass or cup on the doorknob and another one on the floor underneath, hoping that the noise would wake me up and maybe even convince the intruder to leave.”

Whilst it may seem peculiar, positioning cups or glasses on or close to your hotel room door can create considerable noise should someone attempt to enter whilst you’re asleep.

Thieves typically seek out straightforward opportunities and may be deterred by unexpected commotion, or pause if they spot an obvious warning sign, as this indicates the room’s occupant is vigilant.

It’s a straightforward method to boost your sense of security when you’re on the road without needing to pack extra items or spend additional cash. Numerous hotels provide door wedges, which can be wedged into your door before bedtime to prevent anyone from attempting to enter your room.

It’s advisable to store essential items, including your phone, wallet, and passport, in an easily reachable spot so you can monitor them regularly.

The most secure location for valuables is either on your person or within a bag that remains in your sight at all times. Should you need to leave them behind, it’s worthwhile purchasing a portable lockbox.

Nevertheless, the most crucial thing to bear in mind whilst travelling, according to Nina, is to trust your gut instinct and remain vigilant in busy areas you’re exploring.

She advised: “Be alert when strangers approach you, especially around tourist attractions or when things happen or are being said that make no sense. There are a lot of thieves and scammers out there.”

PORTLAND, Ore. — The mayor of Portland, Ore., demanded U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement leave his city after federal agents launched tear gas at a crowd of demonstrators — including young children — outside an ICE facility during a weekend protest that he and others characterized as peaceful.

Witnesses said agents deployed tear gas, pepper balls and rubber bullets as thousands of marchers arrived at the South Waterfront facility on Saturday. Erin Hoover Barnett, a former OregonLive reporter who joined the protest, said she was about 100 yards from the building when “what looked like two guys with rocket launchers” started dousing the crowd with gas.

“To be among parents frantically trying to tend to little children in strollers, people using motorized carts trying to navigate as the rest of us staggered in retreat, unsure of how to get to safety, was terrifying,” Barnett wrote in an email to OregonLive.

Mayor Keith Wilson said the daytime demonstration was peaceful, “where the vast majority of those present violated no laws, made no threat and posed no danger” to federal agents.

“To those who continue to work for ICE: Resign. To those who control this facility: Leave,” Wilson wrote in a statement Saturday night. “Through your use of violence and the trampling of the Constitution, you have lost all legitimacy and replaced it with shame.”

The Portland Fire Bureau sent paramedics to treat people at the scene, police said. Police officers monitored the crowd but made no arrests Saturday.

The Portland protest was one of many demonstrations nationwide against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in cities including Minneapolis, where in recent weeks federal agents killed two residents, Alex Pretti and Renee Good.

Federal agents in Eugene, Ore., deployed tear gas on Friday when protesters tried to get inside the federal building near downtown. City police declared a riot and ordered the crowd to disperse.

President Trump posted Saturday on social media that it was up to local law enforcement agencies to police protests in their cities. But he said he has instructed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to have federal agents be vigilant in guarding U.S. government facilities.

“Please be aware that I have instructed ICE and/or Border Patrol to be very forceful in this protection of Federal Government Property. There will be no spitting in the faces of our Officers, there will be no punching or kicking the headlights of our cars, and there will be no rock or brick throwing at our vehicles, or at our Patriot Warriors,” Trump wrote. “If there is, those people will suffer an equal, or more, consequence.”

Wilson said Portland would be imposing a fee on detention facilities that use chemical agents.

The federal government “must, and will, be held accountable,” the mayor said. “To those who continue to make these sickening decisions, go home, look in a mirror, and ask yourselves why you have gassed children.”

Summer Robert, 28, claims she was asked to leave Disneyland because staff deemed her outfit “inappropriate”. She says she was unable to cover up her boobs properly

People may think that it’s great to have big boobs, but a woman has shared just how challenging it can be to live with larger breasts. Summer Robert, 28, has previously shared that she can’t control how big her boobs grow due to a rare condition.

She currently has R-cup breasts, but they could grow even bigger, as she suffers from something called Macromastia. This is the medical term used to describe having abnormally large breasts. The health problem can actually cause many issues such as chronic back, neck and shoulder pain and headaches, and she recently explained how people can misunderstand things about how she looks.

Summer, from Glasgow, recently visited Disneyland, in California, where she alleges she was approached by a disgruntled staff member who demanded she “leave the park” as a guest had complained about her. She said the experience was “humiliating”, and it’s not the first time someone has been told they look inappropriate at a theme park.

In an open conversation, Summer, who has over 200,000 Instagram followers, explained: “I was absolutely heartbroken. You go to the happiest place on earth, expecting a wonderful time, but instead I was treated horribly. I have a medical condition I can’t control and, because I can’t find clothes that fully cover my 30R chest, I was kicked from the park.

“Being followed into a shop by staff like I was a criminal simply for existing in my own body is a level of humiliation I wouldn’t wish on anyone.”

Summer said she had visited Disney before and worn a similar outfit, but she’s never previously had any problems. She has been to Orlando and Paris with “no complaints” about her choice of clothing.

During her trip, she was wearing a skirt and a long-sleeved top, something she thought was more than acceptable for the occasion. However, according to her, some members of staff had other ideas.

Summer said: “A male employee approached me and said ‘This is just to let you know someone has complained about what you’re wearing’. I asked him what was wrong with my outfit, and he shrugged, and gave me a look that basically said ‘nothing’.

“I told him there was nothing inappropriate about what I was wearing. I was dressed the same as most people there, the only difference being that I have larger breasts. He laughed and said ‘Trust me, I’m trying not to look — you’re good’.

“As I started to walk away, an older female employee came up to me and began shouting. She said ‘I’m a mother, an aunt and a daughter and I can tell you’re dressed ridiculously. You need to go to your car and get a sweatshirt to cover them up’.

“I told her I didn’t have a sweatshirt, it was 30° heat, and asked why I would. She then told me I needed to buy one from the Disney store or leave.”

At this point, Summer claimed she was “yelling”, which made the male employee “extremely uncomfortable”. Summer said he kept glancing at her as if to apologise for her behaviour.

Summer told them they were about to leave anyway, which seemed to please the female member of staff. However, it’s claimed she then followed Summer and her friends.

“My friend and I went into a store outside of the park, thinking she had stopped following us,” she added. “While we were browsing, she approached us again and said ‘Unless you’re in here buying something to cover them up, you need to leave NOW.’

“I had remained calm the entire time, because I didn’t want to draw attention to myself, and was honestly embarrassed, but at that point I spoke up. I told her ‘We’ve left the park. I’m not buying something to cover up.

“There is absolutely nothing wrong with my outfit, there are people walking around in sports bras and leggings. I am fully covered. The only difference is that I have large breasts, which I cannot help’.

“She changed her story and claimed the issue was now my skirt, a skirt that had shorts underneath. This was despite her repeatedly saying I needed to ‘cover those up’, clearly referring to my chest. A back-and-forth followed. People were staring, and several parents were visibly shaking their heads at her in disapproval.”

Summer stated the entire experience left her feeling “disgusting”, and led to her crying all the way home. They spent around four hours in the park before the events unfolded, and also received a free fast pass ticket for a ride from a worker prior to this.

She added that she now won’t return to California Disney, as the incident left her feeling so “embarrassed”. Summer continued: “It’s sad, because we were having such a good time until it happened, and now I just have a sour taste in my mouth.”

Disney has been asked to comment.

Stacey Hamilton has stayed in hundreds of hotels and says a simple visual reminder has saved her from costly mistakes when checking out

If you’re a seasoned jet-setter, you’ll be all too familiar with the minor irritations that come with hotel stays. From inconveniently placed plug sockets to baffling air conditioning controls and light switches that seem to operate something in another postcode.

Stacey Hamilton, a travel guru from Private Tours England, who has clocked up hundreds of hotel stays both in the UK and abroad, has revealed her go-to trick for hassle-free hotel living. From securing valuables to smarter packing and ensuring a good night’s sleep, she claims these simple hotel hacks have saved her time, money and a fair few early morning scrambles.

One particular technique she swears by might sound a bit odd, but it’s come to her rescue on numerous occasions.

Stacey admitted: “For years, I avoided using hotel safes because I was convinced I’d forget what I’d put in there. It sounds silly, but when you’re rushing to catch a train or heading out early with guests, it’s very easy to walk out and leave valuables behind.”

To combat this, she now always stashes one of her shoes in the safe along with her passport and jewellery, reports the Express.

She explained: “I physically cannot leave the room without realising something is missing,” she says. “It’s usually a heel for me because I need them for work, but the principle works with anything you wouldn’t dream of leaving behind.”

“If you travel with trainers, pop one trainer in there. If it’s winter, your coat works just as well. The idea is to create a visual reminder you can’t overlook.”

Before checking out of the hotel, after retrieving her shoe and other valuables from the safe, Stacey always makes sure to take one item with her. She never departs a hotel without pocketing one of the complimentary shower caps.

She explained: “They’re perfect for covering shoes when you’re packing to come home.”

If your shoes have become dirty from extensive walking or hiking, it’s not ideal to pack them directly against your clothes in your suitcase. That’s where the shower cap comes in handy.

She said: “Instead of wrapping shoes in plastic bags or hoping for the best, I slip a shower cap over the sole. It keeps everything else clean, and it packs neatly.”

Stacey also revealed another clever use for the shower cap.

She shared: “I also use shower caps on TV remotes. Let’s be honest, those things are filthy. It’s a simple barrier that makes me feel a lot better, especially if I’m staying somewhere for a few nights.”.

Two US federal agents involved in the fatal shooting of intensive care nurse Alex Pretti during an immigration raid in Minneapolis have been placed on administrative leave, as fallout from the most recent killing of a US citizen continues to cause outrage. Al Jazeera’s Manuel Rapalo explains.