Real

FINDING a brilliant UK hotel that is stylish, comfortable and in a top location for under £100 can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Luckily, we’ve scoured Tripadvisor‘s UK hotel data to find incredible Brit hotels that are top-rated and budget-friendly.

All of these UK hotels are winners of the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice award, which puts them in the top 10 per cent of listings on the site based on real guests’ rankings and reviews.

Plus they all have a 4.5/5 rating or over, as well as an average nightly rate of below £100.

We found everything from forest hotels with roaming wild ponies to secret Scottish ‘gaming rooms’ with video-game cheat codes etched into the furniture.

From retro American-style motels to seaside escapes with cabaret entertainment, here are ten of Tripadvisor’s top-rated and affordable UK hotels.

Mollie’s Motel, Bristol

If you’re into all-American style diners and neon-lit motels, you’ll love a stay at Mollie’s.

Just off the M5 at Cribbs Causeway, this retro hotel is hard to miss, with its glowing red sign and zig-zag shaped exterior.

Inside you’ll find a classic diner, with shiny tiled floors, booth seating and a swanky bar, with plenty of stools to sit and sink back a bottled beer.

After chowing down on your burger, hot dog or steak (best washed down with a milkshake, of course) head upstairs to a modern room with scandi-style wooden decor, warm lights and crisp, white linen.

Each room comes with fancy rainfall showers, high-end Cowshed toiletries, fluffy towels, and Dyson hairdryers. You can even borrow some GHD straighteners from reception.

The hotel is rated 4.6/5 on Tripadvisor, with many praising how comfortable it is to stay in.

One reviewer even remarked: “If I could take the bed home with me, I’d be tempted!”

You can book a stay from £68 on Booking.com.

Hotel Indigo Dundee by IHG

This swanky Scottish hotel is set inside a former 19th-century mill, but has been decorated with a modern twist.

Industrial touches like brick walls and iron columns still remain, but inside you’ll find modern, quirky themed rooms.

The Dundee Cake room is decorated with marmalade in mind, while the Comic Room has decorations inspired by “Black Bob” – a comic about a Scottish Border Collie.

Perhaps the coolest part is the Gaming Room, where there are books about Dundee’s rich video game history.

There are even secret GTA codes are hidden within its walls, a nod to the fact that popular game Grand Theft Auto was invented in the city.

You can book a stay from £56 on Booking.com.

EasyHotel Oxford

If you want to explore Oxford without entirely draining your bank account, easyHotel Oxford is a wallet-friendly budget, no-frills pick.

You won’t find fancy hotel bars or luxurious extras here. Instead, it offers exactly what it says on the tin: a clean, practical, and easy place to crash after a day of sightseeing.

The hotel offers clean and comfortable double and twin rooms, but if you want the absolute cheapest rate possible, you can opt for a windowless room.

That way you can secure a room from as little as £26 a night during off-peak times.

When you’re ready to explore Oxford, there’s a bus stop right outside the hotel that will whisk you straight into the city centre and the university colleges in around 10 minutes.

You can currently book a room from £31.50 per night on the easyHotel website.

The Telegraph Hotel, Coventry

The Telegraph Hotel is the #1 ranked hotel in Coventry on Tripadvisor, with a score of 4.5/5 stars.

Once the home of the Coventry Evening Telegraph paper, this building now serves as a stylish hotel, with plenty of nods to its journalistic past.

Inside you’ll find a glamorous, marble-floored lobby with emerald green plush sofas and warm golden chandeliers.

You may spot typewriters, old newspapers, pigeonholes, photos of the original 1960’s newsroom dotted around inside.

Rooms are spacious and on-theme with black and white artwork and those same emerald-coloured chairs.

Rooms start from £65 per night on Trip.com.

The Melbreak Hotel, The Lake District

Named after the Lake District’s Melbreak fell which you can see from the property, this family-run hotel offers a friendly base right on the border of the rugged Western Lake District and Cumbrian coast.

Rooms come with big comfy beds, traditional wooden furnishings, and plenty of space to unpack after a long day of hiking.

They come with all the essentials like free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and en-suite bathrooms. Many of the executive rooms offer gorgeous, sweeping views over the surrounding countryside.

After spending the day exploring the nearby peaks, head to the hotel‘s conservatory restaurant for generous portions of hearty pub classics.

For a relaxed drink, the cosy lounge bar is the perfect spot to sink into a leather chair with a pint of local Cumbrian ale.

Plus stunning spots like Ennerdale Water, Bassenthwaite Lake, and the market town of Cockermouth are all less than a 20-minute drive away.

Rooms are available from £79 on Booking.com.

The Templestowe Hotel, Torquay

The Templestowe Hotel in Torquay delivers big on old school seaside town charm – plus it has a whopping 4.7/5 stars on Tripadvisor.

The excellent evening entertainment includes a massive ballroom and dance floor, plus a stage where you’ll find nightly acts such as cabaret, singers, dancers and comedians.

When it comes to food and drink, forget tiny tasting menus – this hotel is all about generous portions of classic British meals.

You can expect hearty multi-course dinners featuring roast meats, pies, and comforting puddings – plus a traditional cooked breakfast each morning to set you up for the day.

One Tripadvisor reviewer commented: “The entertainment was very good every night”, and that there is “a free bar from 19.00 – 23.00” where “there was never a long queue & you just had to return your empty glasses to get another drink & show your room card”.

Another said: “Great atmosphere. Entertainment was at a very high standard. Great content. A great hotel for the more mature people.”

You can book a stay from £93 per night on Booking.com.

Woodlands Lodge Hotel

This country house hotel is tucked into Hampshire’s New Forest, where you’ll find endless pretty woodland walks and might even bump into a few of the forest’s 5,000 free-roaming wild ponies.

Originally built as a royal hunting lodge in the 1750s, this woodland retreat makes for the ideal countryside escape to return to to take off your muddy boots and laze back by the log fire.

There are 17 bedrooms here, including options with grand four-poster beds and dog-friendly options.

For food and drink you can tuck into some tender lamb or a juicy steak, or sit down to a delicious, homemade afternoon tea with a view of the hotel gardens.

With an impressive 4.5/5 star rating on Tripadvisor, one guest commented “it was a pleasant surprise to find such an idyllic little country house tucked away within the cattle grids and Forest”.

Another said “Our room was lovely. A walk across the back lawn through a gate takes you into the forest where we experienced several horses galloping together, into the shade of the trees.”

You can book a room from £80 per night on Booking.com.

The Crown Hotel Boroughbridge

Once a historic 16th-century coaching inn, The Crown Hotel in Boroughbridge is full of historic charm.

This cosy Yorkshire hotel has low oak beams, roaring fires and comfy rooms with tartan furnishings.

But the best thing about this hotel is the on-site leisure club, where you’ll find a heated indoor pool, hot tub, steam room, sauna and gym to unwind in.

Once you’re suitably relaxed, head to the hotel’s traditional bar and restaurant where you can tuck into pub classics like fish and chips, washed down with a pint of local Black Sheep ale.

The hotel sits on the doorstep of the spectacular North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales. Plus you’re also just a 20-minute drive from Harrogate, the cathedral city of Ripon, and the family-friendly rides at Lightwater Valley.

Rooms start from £74 per night on Hotels.com.

Super 8 by Wyndham Chester East

If you’re looking for a cheap and convenient pitstop that feels significantly cooler than your average roadside hotel, the Super 8 by Wyndham is a top pick.

This is an American budget brand’s first foray into the UK, which arrived at the Chester motorway services in 2023.

But forget the dingy US motel stereotype – this place feels slick, modern and boasts fancy rooms that punch high above their price tag.

Rooms have sleek wooden finishes, mustard yellow details and cityscape artwork that reflects the brand’s American roots.

You also get brilliant tech upgrades that you wouldn’t typically expect from a motorway stay, including large smart TVs, ultra-fast free Wi-Fi, and plenty of USB ports.

The en-suite bathrooms are spotless and feature large walk-in power showers to wake you up before you hit the road again.

But this hotel isn’t just a pit-stop for road-trippers. It’s a 10-minute drive from shopping at Cheshire Oaks, plus Chester Zoo and Chester city are easily accessible from here for a day out.

Rooms are available from £38 per night on Expedia.

Cedar Court Huddersfield Hotel

This hotel in the village of Ainley Top in Huddersfield is in the prime position for exploring the Peaks (only 20 minutes’ drive), plus you can easily nip into Halifax to visit the Piece Hall or the interactive Eureka! children’s museum.

The hotel has a bright, modern and airy feel, thanks to its floor-to-ceiling windows which let the sunlight pour through and look out to well-manicured gardens.

There are 113 rooms here, which have recently been refurbished with sapphire blue, brick and wood decor.

When you’ve spent the day stomping across the Peak District, you won’t want fussy fine dining. Thankfully, here you’ll find familiar favourites like pizzas, chicken and chips plus that all-important buffet breakfast.

And for when you need to unwind, there’s an underground health club complete with a fully equipped gym, sauna, and steam room.

You can book a stay from £45 on Hotels.com.

Who: Real Madrid vs Inter Milan
What: Champions League league phase
Where: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain
When: Tuesday, September 8, at 9pm (19:00 GMT)
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up from 16:00 GMT ahead of our live text commentary stream

When Jose Mourinho left Inter Milan for Real Madrid in the summer of 2010, after leading the Italian outfit to Champions League glory, he was at the peak of his powers.

The Portuguese coach claimed an historic treble with Inter, clinching Serie A in the last week of the season and lifting the Coppa Italia.

Inter beat Bayern 2-0 in the Champions League final at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium, winning the trophy for the first time since 1965 and becoming the first Italian team to win the treble.

The day after the final Mourinho said it was likely his last match in charge and about a week later his appointment at Real Madrid was finalised.

Now 16 years on, and beginning his second stint at Madrid, Mourinho kicks off the record 15-time Champions League winners’ European campaign against Serie A champions Inter on Tuesday at the Bernabeu.

Mourinho denies feeling pressure to lift Champions League

The Champions League is the only trophy that evaded Mourinho during his first stint at Real Madrid.

“No, it is two different spells,” he said when asked at a pre-match news conference if he was in debt to the club. “When I left in 2013, we won what we won and lost what we lost and ‌we gave it our all. And that was that. What I need to do now has nothing to do with the past.”

“Back in 2010, we weren’t even reaching the quarterfinals of the Champions League and it had been ages since we’d played in a semifinal. Now we’ve won six Champions Leagues in a little over a decade.”

All eyes will be on how Real respond to their first setback of Mourinho’s second spell – a 1-0 defeat ⁠by Real Betis in La Liga on Friday.

“We want to win every ⁠match, every competition,” he said. But you have to work to accomplish stability. Stability. Stability … Structure …

“So Real Madrid need to reach that stability that is so important to achieve something great. But Real Madrid are Real Madrid, you ⁠need to win here no matter what.”

‘We all need to improve’

Sitting alongside Mourinho, star striker Kylian Mbappe was asked several times about his relationship ⁠with Vinicius Jr and the atmosphere in the Real dressing room.

“What does an improvement in the dressing room mean?” Mbappe said when asked if there had been a change from last year.

“Do you have the feeling that something wasn’t right ‌last year? No, it’s the same as last year. It’s true we have a different coach, but it’s the same.”

Mbappe acknowledged his side have to improve in front of goal.

“I could say that I score more goals than some PSG players so they need to score more, but I have to be smart and acknowledge that I need to improve too, even if I do certain things that others don’t,” he said.

“It’s an endless debate. We all need to improve [in front of goal], and also with the ball.”

What happened in Madrid’s last match?

Mbappe missed a late penalty as Troy Parrott scored his first goal for Real Betis in their 1-0 win on Friday, ending Mourinho’s perfect start to the La Liga season.

Madrid had won each of their first three matches under Mourinho in his second spell in charge, but Betis goalkeeper Alvaro Valles denied Mbappe from the spot deep into stoppage time to seal a memorable victory at La Cartuja.

Vinicius Junior hit the post in the first half from Arda Guler’s pass across the face of goal, with Mbappe foiled twice by heroic blocks from Natan Bernardo de Souza and Marc Bartra.

As Madrid struggled to break Betis down, the hosts took a surprise lead nine minutes from time when Parrott fired home the rebound after Thibaut Courtois had produced a fine save to deny Nelson Deossa’s header.

What happened in Inter’s last match?

A last-gasp winner from Lautaro Martinez sealed a breathless win for Inter as the Serie A champions fought back from two goals down to edge visiting Napoli 3-2 on Saturday.

The game exploded in the second half when Matteo Politano guided home a shot in the 50th minute before Rasmus Hojlund’s curler doubled the Napoli lead three minutes later.

Inter responded almost immediately when Martinez hammered in his first goal of the season from a Dimarco cross. Substitute Marcus Thuram came agonisingly close to a leveller when he headed off the post.

The France international would not be denied twice, though, and smashed a towering header past Alex Meret in the 82nd minute to level the scores.

Chances fell at both ends before Martinez’s penalty box instincts proved decisive in the 91st minute as Napoli failed to clear in a goalmouth scramble and the Argentina striker pounced to settle an extraordinary match.

Prediction

The Opta supercomputer makes Real Madrid the favourites, with a win probability of 56 percent. Inter given a 22.3 percent chance of winning.

Head-to-head

They have faced each other on 19 occasions; Madrid won 10 games, Inter won seven, and two ended as draws.

Somewhat surprisingly, Inter have not beaten Real Madrid since 1998, a game in which the great Roberto Baggio scored a brace for the Italians.

Last five encounters:

• December 07, 2021:  Real Madrid 2-0 Inter Milan (Champions League)
• September 15, 2021: Inter Milan 0-1 Real Madrid (Champions League)
• November 25, 2020:  Inter Milan 0-2 Real Madrid (Champions League)
• November 03, 2020:  Real Madrid 3-2 Inter Milan (Champions League)
• November 25, 1998:  Inter Milan 3-1 Real Madrid (Champions League)

Real Madrid’s team news

Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Guler and Bernardo Silva will all miss the game due to suspensions carried over from last season.

Madrid also have a host of injuries to contend with as Eder Militao, Rodrygo, Ferland Mendy and Raul Asencio are all ruled out.

Aurelien Tchouameni, Thiago Pitarch, Endrick and Marc Cucurella face late fitness tests as they struggle to recover from injuries, but all are reportedly back in training.

Predicted starting XI:

Courtois (goalkeeper); Dumfries, Konate, Huijsen, Cucurella; Bellingham, Valverde; Diomande, Diaz, Vinicius Jr; Mbappe

Inter Milan’s team news

Left-back Federico Dimarco is unavailable due to a knee injury, while new signing Djed Spence is still working his way back to full fitness after an undisclosed injury and is unlikely to feature.

Predicted starting XI:

Josep Martinez (goalkeeper); Bastoni, Bisseck, Akanji; Diouf, Barella, Jones, Calhanoglu, Augusto; Lautaro Martinez, Thuram

EXPLAINER

Pick which country is bigger, then watch it morph from Mercator to Equal Earth projection to see how close you were.

The map of Africa is much larger than most people think. However, most classroom maps and atlases still understate it – a distortion embedded in the Mercator projection that has shaped world maps for more than four centuries.

The distortion in question is not subtle. On a Mercator map, which was designed for European colonial exploration and maritime trade in the 16th century, Greenland appears roughly the size of Africa, which is actually about 14 times larger.

The exaggeration increases the farther you travel from the equator, so it falls almost entirely on one half of the world, inflating Europe, including Russia, and North America while shrinking Africa, Latin America and South Asia.

To address this, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) voted 164 to 1 on Friday to adopt a resolution promoting the Equal Earth projection, which shows continents in their true proportions, as an alternative to Mercator.

Led by Togo on behalf of the African Group and backed by the African Union, it encourages schools, institutions and tech companies to switch, correcting the shrinking of Africa and other equatorial regions. The African Group is the largest regional voting and dialogue bloc at the UN, consisting of 54 African Union member states.

Map quiz: Pick the bigger country

See it for yourself: pick which country is bigger, then watch it morph from Mercator to Equal Earth to see how close you were.

How did countries vote?

The United States was the only country to vote against the resolution calling the measure a “radical ideological project”. Serbia, Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova and Ukraine abstained.

US representative Yaryna Ferencevych said before the vote that the resolution is “the reason this institution is losing its credibility”. “Instead of focusing on genuine problems … this body is debating map projects from the 16th century,” she said.

Friday’s resolution is nonbinding, intended only to encourage the world’s default maps to change. The UN said it does not ban Mercator or impose a replacement, but simply encourages wider use of the Equal Earth projection.

Togo’s Foreign Minister Robert Dussey told the UNGA that maps shape education, imagination and collective perception, and that the resolution affirms African reality.

The African Union adopted Equal Earth in March. Togo is planning a meeting in Lome early next year, with UNESCO, the African Union and technology companies including Google, to work out what implementation looks like in practice.

Why flat maps lie

Every flat map lies because the Earth is a sphere and no projection can flatten it without distorting something: shape, area, distance or direction.

Gerardus Mercator, a cartographer and geographer who published the world map in 1569, chose to preserve angles and straight bearings, a trade-off that made sense for 16th-century ships but has kept shaping perceptions of the world for nearly 500 years since. Equal Earth makes the opposite trade-off, preserving true area so continents can be compared honestly, at the cost of slightly bending their outlines.

Alexander Isak was the £125m striker who finally arrived at Liverpool by tormenting Ipswich Town – while Cody Gakpo’s virtuoso performance had them giving thanks he never left.

The nuts and bolts of a comfortable Friday in Suffolk were that Liverpool won 2-0 – thanks to two Isak goals in the first nine minutes, giving them their first Premier League victory of the season and new manager Andoni Iraola’s first since succeeding the sacked Arne Slot.

Liverpool‘s win must be placed in the context of being against a newly promoted Ipswich Town who were game, but who shipped five goals at Manchester United last week and look ripe for the picking against attacking quality.

The wider significance, however, was that Isak finally looked like the player Liverpool broke, at that time, the British transfer record to seal an acrimonious transfer from Newcastle United last summer.

Throw in the added bonus that Bradley Barcola showed flashes of devastating pace in a 26-minute debut display after his £123m arrival from Paris St-Germain, and this was a night that ticked every box for Iraola and Liverpool.

Even Barcola’s bow, however, was overshadowed by Isak.

The Sweden striker looked a lost soul in his first season at Liverpool, arriving out of condition after downing tools to secure his move from Tyneside, then troubled by injuries as he gave the impression of being the most expensive vanity purchase in British football history.

He was outshone by fellow striker Hugo Ekitike, his statistics stark as he suffered along with many others in an astonishing decline amid Liverpool‘s dismal title defence that led to Slot’s sacking only a year after he lifted the Premier League trophy.

Isak played 22 games encompassing 1,033 minutes, scoring four goals at a rate of one every 258 minutes. He played 14 games in the Premier League totalling 703 minutes, scoring only three goals at a rate of one every 234 minutes.

He has already equalled that league tally this season, but it was his demeanour as well as his lethal finishing that will have given Liverpool and Iraola confidence that the Isak code has finally been cracked.

And it was done by utilising Isak at his best – running in behind defenders and pressing with pace. It was what made him such a hot property at Newcastle United, and made everything about his every miserable moment on the pitch with Liverpool last term such a mystery.

It was also done in tandem with Gakpo, who could easily have been back in the north west preparing for Manchester City‘s game against Coventry City at Etihad Stadium had the move not collapsed.

Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio has been acquitted of alleged involvement in distributing a sexually explicit video involving a minor.

The 23-year-old was absolved of the offence by a Spanish court, external and charges were withdrawn against him in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria.

The court also gave minimum sentences to the three defendants who were convicted after the victims, who were two women aged 16 and 18, forgave the accused.

The case was “linked to the recording and dissemination of a sexually explicit video related to an intimate encounter at a beach club in Gran Canaria in June 2023”.

Three of Asencio’s former team-mates from the Real Madrid academy were given a one-year suspended prison sentence for “child pornography” and must attend a sexual “re-education” course.

They were also handed a two-year restraining order against the victims, and three years of disqualification from working in any profession related to minors.

In a statement, Asencio said: “Today, after a long period of silence and after respecting a judicial process in which I always had faith, I can say that I have been acquitted.

“Over these past months I have been through a difficult situation and, at times, I have had to see how information and opinions about me were published before justice had its say.

“I understand and respect the work of the media and the right to report and express opinions, but I also believe it’s important to remember that behind every piece of news there is a person and a family who live with the consequences of it.

“I have always trusted that justice would eventually set things right. Today there is a judicial ruling that speaks for itself, and I accept it with peace of mind and with the satisfaction of being able to close a very important chapter in my life.”

In another separate case, Real Madrid have opened disciplinary proceedings against Asencio over a drink-driving conviction which also happened in Gran Canaria.

He was more than three times over the limit in the 16 August incident, which resulted in him being fined and having his driving licence suspended for eight months.

When asked about the incident, Real boss Jose Mourinho said: “Raul Asencio, given the situation he found himself in, I talked to him when he arrived and I talked to him about things that happened in the past.

“I haven’t talked with him since but I don’t discuss situations outside Valdebebas.

“His attitude is perfect here. He picked up an injury a few weeks ago and since then, he is first to arrive and last to leave working on his recovery.

“But obviously a Real Madrid player is a Real Madrid player for 24 hours, seven days a week, 12 months a year, so when you do something outside your professional area, it’s still Real Madrid and it hurts the club’s prestige that is untouchable.

“So I am not happy. We all make errors but no, I’m not happy.”

Asencio referred to his drink-driving conviction in his statement as he added: “I am deeply sorry for what happened and I fully accept my responsibility.

“It has been an experience from which I have learned and I am very clear that it will not happen again.

“I don’t want to get involved in controversies or look back. I want to close this chapter with respect, with my head held high and with a great desire to move forward. And I [am] absolutely in agreement with my coach: not only on the pitch, but also off it.”

Love Is Blind UK star Ryan has faced viewer criticism since the Netflix show aired, and he has now addressed speculation about his reasons for joining and whether he wanted to ‘boost his profile’

Everyone’s currently talking about about the latest series of Love Is Blind following its Netflix debut on August 19. Presented by celebrity duo Matt and Emma Willis, the social experiment sees British singletons dating in “pods” before getting engaged without ever laying eyes on one another.

While series 3 has now concluded its main instalments, fans can still look forward to the reunion episode, which drops on the streaming service today (August 30). From the 30 singletons who stepped into the pods, we followed six couples who emerged engaged. However, two of these pairs called it quits during the cohabitation stage.

These were Jordan and Yasmin, along with Ryan and Cuba.

The latter duo encountered difficulties after settling into a London flat together, as Ryan’s regular absences owing to work commitments and a family bereavement led to the relationship breaking down.

Cuba sensed his heart wasn’t entirely committed, and Ryan confessed his body was “resisting” the commitment. They formally ended things during episode 9, roughly a week ahead of their scheduled nuptials.

Ryan, 33, has encountered substantial online criticism since the episodes went live. Audiences have strongly condemned how the public speaker behaved towards Cuba after exiting the pods, particularly when he promptly flew off for work and subsequently claimed he required “independent alone time” to unwind away from her.

The criticism reached its height following their split scene in episode 9. After informing Cuba his “body was resisting” the commitment, Ryan bizarrely asked Cuba if she fancied any mango (she declined) before the cameras switched to Ryan aggressively and wordlessly devouring the mango.

Viewers deemed the moment peculiar and detached, sparking viral memes. Ryan has subsequently shared a TikTok (while consuming another mango) justifying his behaviour, clarifying that an entire day’s worth of intense discussions was compressed by producers into “a short, sharp focus on fruit.”

In a separate video, Ryan has now revealed why he genuinely participated in the programme, following questions about how genuine his motivations were.

Posting a reel on his Instagram account, he informed his 15,000 followers that people continuously questioned him ‘why he bothered to apply’ for the programme.

He clarified that he didn’t apply, and was instead contacted by producers, which he maintained ‘was the same for most of the guys’.

Ryan stated: “When I initially had the call, I didn’t know what Love Is Blind was, I’d never heard of it before.”

Following a producer’s explanation of the concept to him, he considered it sounded “crazy” and acknowledges he still believes it is, though he notes it ‘clearly has a track record of working’ in certain instances.

He mentioned that as he progressed through the experience, he was “very vocal about his apprehensions”, yet his “curiosity was peaking”. Ryan also revealed that when weighing up whether to appear on the show, he found himself reflecting on the role of appearance in today’s world.

“Yes, they’re important,” well to me they are anyway and I think to most people,” he said in the clip.

“We live in a very image-focused world, where most people put most of their pride and joy in how they physically appear, instead of what’s inside.”

With that in mind, he said he ‘genuinely thinks the experiment is a really interesting concept to see if you can connect and communicate with someone deeply without ever seeing him. ‘.

“That’s what really got me in,” he admitted.

Ryan described himself as “open” to getting married, because he was single. “I was so scared, but open to it,” he said.

The public speaker also hit back at suggestions he had simply signed up to the show to “boost his profile”. He retorted: “I think that most people know that when you go on a reality show, you are seen and there’s massive drawbacks and some benefits to that.

“I don’t need or want some plastic clothing contract off the back off this, that’s not what I’m about.”

Which Love Island Blind UK series 3 couples got married?

In the finale of Love Is Blind UK season 3, a record-breaking four couples successfully walked down the aisle and got married. These were Sophie and Taylor, Ciara and Ajay, Faye and Jack and Francesca and Joseph.

Nearly everyone in the pods got engaged during Season 3 of Love Is Blind: UK. Out of the 30 singles who entered the experiment, a staggering 14 couples got engaged.

This shattered a global record for the entire Netflix franchise. Because there were far too many engagements for the production team to physically follow, they had to make difficult editorial choices. As a result, viewers only saw six couples on screen.

The Love Is Blind UK Season 3 Reunion will air on Sunday, August 30 2026 on Netflix

Leah Remini is joining the cast of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”

The “King of Queens” star confirmed rumors that she was joining the 16th season of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” with an Instagram post on Wednesday, writing alongside the announcement, “It’s true.”

Remini’s team didn’t comment on whether the Emmy-winning actor would be a full-time cast member on the series. Tracy Tutor, a luxury real estate broker from “Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles,” will also join the all-star cast, which includes Kyle Richards, Erika Girardi, Dorit Kemsley, Bozoma Saint John, Rachel Zoe and Sutton Stracke. Kathy Hilton and actor Jennifer Tilly also will return in a recurring “friend” role.

Amanda Frances of Season 15 will not be returning. She announced the news and a forthcoming memoir via Instagram on Aug. 5, writing, “I am taking the clarity, the lessons, the plot twists, the spiritual warfare, and the occasional deeply unnecessary dinner party drama into all that God has for me next. … And to anyone watching, please know: Your next move does not require anyone’s approval.”

“The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” turned 20 this year and has the distinction of most-watched of the franchise, with “Real Housewives of Atlanta” coming in second after carrying the torch for a decade.

Per Variety, “RHOBH” began filming earlier this summer with much of the cast — sans Remini and Tutor — jet-setting off to Ghana for Saint John’s wedding to Keely Watson last week. Remini will begin filming in Los Angeles this week.

Remini and her former husband, Angelo Pagán, announced back in 2024 that they were divorcing after nearly 30 years together. In a joint statement, the exes said they’d both changed, “as people do.”

“This decision came after a lot of thought and care, and as hard as divorce is, we are approaching this with a positive outlook because we know it’s what’s best for us,” they said in the joint statement.

The pair had publicly shared their relationship in TV specials that aired on VH1’s “Inside Out: Leah Remini” and on Remini’s TLC series, “It’s All Relative,” which aired for two seasons.

Yan Diomande topped Real’s transfers, and Jose Mourinho says he is happy despite missing out on Rodri to Barcelona.

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho says he is “very happy” with his squad, which he considers complete despite missing out on midfielder Rodri, later signed by rivals Barcelona.

Los Blancos revamped their squad this summer, signing six players including record arrival Yan Diomande, Bernardo Silva and Marc Cucurella.

However, Madrid’s approach for Rodri broke down, meaning that, beyond former Man City playmaker Silva, they have not strengthened in midfield.

“For me the squad is closed, but the market is still open – you never know if a player will come and say ‘I’ve been benched twice and I want to leave,’” Mourinho told reporters on Tuesday.

“In theory, no [more deals]… but something could always happen… In my head the squad is closed, and I have not asked for anyone. I am very happy with the players I have.”

With midfield maestros Toni Kroos and Luka Modric departing in 2024 and 2025 respectively, Madrid have struggled to control matches.

Mourinho’s side snatched a late 2-1 win at Espanyol on Saturday in their La Liga opener, starting with Silva and Federico Valverde together in midfield.

Mourinho said French defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni was not ready to play against Real Sociedad on Wednesday.

“He’s got a problem, the holiday time wasn’t enough [for him to recover], seeing the games approaching, the player wanted to try … but we’ve decided that you can’t start a season in suffering,” explained the coach.

“You can finish a season suffering, the last couple of months, but you can’t start in August not at 100 percent.

“So we decided with him, the staff, the medical department, to get him to return at 100 percent.”

Mourinho said he had faith in Uruguayan international Valverde as a midfielder, despite previous coaches using him in a variety of roles, including right-back and right winger.

“For me he is a player for the centre of the pitch,” added Mourinho.

“Depending on the opponent and our objectives, he might be more set in his position or more mobile.”

Mourinho said that in modern football, players’ positions were less relevant.

“I don’t want to identify Tchouameni as the No. 6, Camavinga No. 6, Fede No. 8, Bernardo No. 10 … things dilute during games.”

Rachel Cusk is not a people pleaser. The prolific, award-winning British author’s novels are often plotless, discursive and frustratingly obtuse. Yet Cusk has found a large fan base for her work, mainly because she is a deft excavator of the human psyche, a writer who can articulate emotional states with uncanny precision and insight.

On a formal level, Cusk’s new book, “Life Of M,” closely adheres to the rigorously calibrated approach that has been so successful for her across 11 novels. In classic Cusk fashion, “Life of M” unfolds from the inside out. It is resolutely internal and hermetic, told from the point of view of a highly observant and self-conscious narrator. When Cusk writes that a character’s smile “had a sweetness that almost seemed to reproach those who looked at it for their dim and suspicious view of life,” it’s that “almost” which saves the line from sinking of its own weight, one of Cusk’s nuanced brushstrokes that give her prose lift and bounce.

“Life of M” is a two-hander. The primary driver of the narrative is an unnamed writer who has approached a famous actor — the M of the title — with the proposition of ghosting her autobiography. This is the extent of Cusk’s setup. The novel is about as stark and stripped of biographical details as a Samuel Beckett story. Cusk is far more interested in how the writer’s identity is unmoored by the actor, and how the world bends to M’s will and thus changes its shape in her presence: “Standing in the street, I realized that I could not be myself around M. She was friendly, generous, disarmingly modest, yet everything I did or said in her company was false. It was as if I was acting, while M came across as authentic and real.”

Author Rachel Cusk

(Siemon Scamell-Katz)

Interspersed between these scenes are chapters that shift time and tone. They appear at first to be the writer’s own story, reflections on the past and life apart from M; the “we” in these sections might be referring to siblings or partners. But they are too strange to be memoiristic: “In the evening we flower; like strange nocturnal plants we put out our display.” Then: “Even if we spend the evening at home this feeling of integration, or our interior and our exterior fusing together, occurs.” Are we in M’s head? Is the collective pronoun meant to be a proxy for her private and public selves? These sections are the least effective parts of Cusk’s book, as they are frustratingly indeterminate and hazy.

As the writer and the actor spend time together, and the narrator tries to pry open some small window into M’s psyche, the process of gathering material is constantly being thwarted by M’s casual instructability. It seems M has perfected the art of using candor as a carapace, so that the image of her authentic self recedes the more Cusk’s writer spends time with her. M is not governed by the usual impulses of the civilian; she has no use for love or hate, desire or abnegation. “Acting involved pretending to be other people, whose own emotional states —such as she understood them — could preoccupy her for a time,” writes Cusk. “Once they were completed, she was as locked out of these recordings as the millions of other eyes that watched them.”

M and the writer move through highly mediated spaces that amplify certain features and downgrade others, a kind of edited, hyperreal landscape. M researches a part in a mansion that has been meticulously art-directed to resemble the house of a family who in fact never lived there. Cusk describes these spaces in great detail, as if they were fetish objects. The mansion’s interior is “not heavy or dark,” she writes, “rather it is light and mellow and the panels have finely carved patterns around their edges.” It is the seduction of surfaces Cusk is exploring here, the ways we are taken in by so much that is chimerical: lavish interiors, actors, our own doubled selves.

Cusk has previously explored this gap between truth and signifiers of truth in her “Outline” trilogy. But “Life of M” feels different, perhaps because the world feels far different than it did eight years ago, when “Kudos,” the last book in the trilogy, was published. Now that we have fallen straight through the looking glass of the internet, that gap has narrowed to the extent that we are having far greater difficulty discerning reality from its uncanny simulations. Sadly, we are complicit in this occluding of authentic experience. Millions of us toggle so frequently between our real lives and the well-curated fantasyland of our social media personas that it’s scrambled our neural pathways. We are living the double consciousness of public figures no less readily than a celebrity like M. The notion of a “complete inversion of internal and external that fame brings about” is no longer exclusive to the famous.

According to internet gossip, Cusk’s M is in fact a shadow portrait of Natalie Portman. And there are strong hints in the text that indicate this might be the case. But to think of this novel solely as a journey to the center of Portman’s mind is not only irrelevant; it cheapens Cusk’s project. What the novelist is getting at here resonates far beyond a single celebrity. This is a short, potent book that has much to say about the spiritual rot of our present culture.

Weingarten is the author of “Thirsty: William Mulholland, California Water and the Real Chinatown.”

EXCLUSIVE: Vanessa Feltz has a career spanning over four decades but the talk show legend has confirmed she will not be heading into the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! camp whatever the fee

ITV bosses have reportedly been asking one talk show legend to sign up for I’m A Celebrity for years.

Despite the gruelling ITV reality show being one of the biggest shows of television, Vanessa Feltz has revealed that she won’t be heading Down Under anytime soon.

With a career spanning over four decades, it’s no wonder producers are keen to sign up the 64-year-old presenter but she won’t be swapping her life of luxury like Caitlyn Jenner, Coleen Rooney and Noel Edmonds – no matter how much they offer her.

When asked if ITV have been knocking on her door this year, Vanessa confirmed: “Not yet, but they usually are in touch but I have not changed my mind. I would be so appalling at it.”

“Every single thing they would ask me to do, I would be terrible. I think I’d be so terrible, it wouldn’t even be funny. I don’t think people would like it.

“I’d be bored, I’d be fed up, I wouldn’t like being hungry, I wouldn’t like being eaten by mosquitoes, I wouldn’t like the rats, the snakes and I wouldn’t like some horrible rat scuttling over my face.”

Vanessa continued on behalf of BetWright Casino: “I don’t care about seeing Australia or the jungle, I couldn’t care less and I like being where my family are in North West London or in East Cork. So, no, I’m not going to say yes but the funny thing is, every time I say no, they think I’m doing it for the money.

“Every time I say no, they offer me more money but I really mean no. I’m not bargaining. I do not want to go and that’s it. I think it would be absolutely terrible. I think I’d just look like an absolute cretinous idiot.”

Vanessa may not be tempted to take on the dreadful Bushtucker Trials but she is keen to face the roundtables on Celebrity Traitors but she says there’s one problem.

“I wouldn’t mind having a bash at The Traitors but I’m not sure I’d be any good at that because I think I’m so fluent and so many words come tumbling out of my mouth at all times, she explained.

“I never seem to stop for breath and I’m never fishing around for the next word. The vocabulary just runs and runs and I think people never believe a word I say.

“Years ago I did a show called Call My Bluff, where they had to guess are you lying or are you telling the truth?. They kept thinking I was lying when I wasn’t at all.

“So I think if I was on Traitors, people would just think I was a Traitor straight away and I’d be the first person, like Paloma Faith, on the bus going home within ten and a half seconds.

I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! is due to return to ITV1 and ITVX later this year

Caracas, August 22, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – The Venezuelan National Assembly unanimously approved on Friday the Law on the Promotion and Protection of Housing Construction, a reform establishing updated rules for the construction and commercialization of residential properties.

The legislation, which replaces the Law Against Real Estate Fraud from April 2012, consists of four chapters and 40 articles establishing rules for purchase and sale contracts, construction company responsibilities, and oversight mechanisms under the Ministry of Housing and Habitat.

“This is a law that protects real estate developers and companies dedicated to housing construction while also protecting homebuyers so they can gain access to housing quickly and preventing any situation that undermines their right to acquire a home,” National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said on social media.

The initiative was backed by opposition parties alongside the ruling United Socialist Party (PSUV). COPEI deputy Miguel Salazar stated that the legislation creates “great expectations” and “strengthens the legislative ecosystem that protects the real estate sector.”

The law has been sent to Acting President Delcy Rodríguez for final approval before being published in the National Gazette.

The newly endorsed legislation establishes a series of conditions for real estate developers to meet before beginning to pre-sell housing units, including proof of land ownership, municipal approval of the preliminary project, and mechanisms to protect funds contributed by buyers.

The law also establishes a unified registry for real estate projects and provides a financial protection mechanism. Funds deposited through an escrow arrangement may only be released once the development has obtained the corresponding permits. Companies must also detail the characteristics of the homes and the construction schedule in each contract.

The law also establishes fines for delays in submitting documents, permit failures, non-compliance with regulations, and violations of preventive measures, among other offenses.

At the same time, the legislative project establishes incentives for private sector constructors such as greater flexibility to set prices, an end to a prior existing 24-month deadline for completing certain projects, and modified conditions benefiting sellers should buyers fail to make payments.

The bill also eliminated the lending banks’ liability in case the real estate project is not completed. For buyers, the change removes one of the parties they could potentially hold accountable in case the purchased home is not delivered.

Venezuelan authorities have moved to improve conditions for private real estate companies and landlords in the wake of the 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, leaving some 17,900 people homeless, particularly in La Guaira state. On July 14, National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez estimated that 25,000 homes would be needed to accommodate those who lost their houses.

The government has assigned 335 apartments to displaced families since the earthquake. Acting President Rodríguez has pledged to deliver 4,000 homes before December and reach 10,000 by the end of 2027. Venezuelan authorities have likewise created a credit program for housing purchases and provided loans to condominium boards for repair works.

The legislative initiative favoring real estate developers came on the heels of the Residential Property Lease Law approved on July 31. Authorities presented the project’s goal as improving conditions for landlords to put their properties on the market.

The law allows landlords and tenants to freely and independently establish contractual terms and rental rates and sidelines the state’s housing superintendency SUNAVI. The bill allows rents to be paid in national or foreign currency and establishes a three-month rent limit for deposits.

In addition, landlords and tenants have access to multiple mediation mechanisms, including conciliation centers, arbitration, the intervention of local peace justices, or municipal court proceedings. Tenant organizations had recently denounced recurrent landlord practices of bringing trespassing criminal charges as a way to force evictions.

At the same time, the new law acceded to a long-time demand from real estate lobbies in fast-tracking evictions. Landlords can rescind the rental agreement if tenants are two months behind on rent, have illegally sublet the property, or have given it a different use than the one agreed to, among other conditions.

The 2011 law regulating housing leases, which was approved by former President Hugo Chávez and is highly protective of tenant rights, remains valid for existing contracts, while all rentals signed in the future will be governed by the new law. However, local media have reported on a spate of evictions after the new law was enacted.

Edited by Ricardo Vaz in Caracas.

THE 15-year-old son of former Real Housewives star Kim Zolciak and NFL player Kroy Biermann has been arrested for alleged sex crimes against a girl in a gym.

Kroy Biermann Jr. was taken into custody on August 17 in Alpharetta, Georgia, and was hit with felony charges of aggravated sodomy and aggravated sexual battery.

The teen is accused of leading a 15-year-old female acquaintance into a family changing room at a Life Time Fitness location before physically restraining her and forcing her to engage in sexual acts on April 23.

After the alleged attack, the girl went to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta where she was examined by a nurse and a sexual assault kit was taken.

The Alpharetta Police Department confirmed he has been charged as an adult.

His father Kroy Biermann played for the Atlanta Falcons while his mom Kim starred in the Real Housewives of Atlanta.

On Friday his mom, who starred in the show between 2008 and 2012 issued a statement to US Weekly regarding the accusations.

“The allegations being made against my son are nothing short of reckless and deeply troubling,” she said.

“He categorically denies ever being involved with this woman or engaging in the conduct she has alleged.”

“My son voluntarily took a polygraph examination regarding these allegations and passed.”

She claimed that no DNA belonging to her son was found on the alleged victim and highlighted that “false accusations can have devastating consequences” for both the accused and survivors of such crimes.

The teenager is next due to appear at Fulton County Superior Court on September 8 and remains in custody at the Metro Regional Youth Detention Center with no bond set.

Biermann Jr. is the eldest of four children Zolciak shares with former Atlanta Falcon Biermann.

The pair filed for divorce in August 2023 after 12 years of marriage.

If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.

The show’s co-creator says it turned out to be one of his ‘great joys’ in life

The beloved show’s creator shared there are two main reasons behind the decisions.

Fans of Parks and Recreation are still discovering some behind the scenes secrets. This includes the reason behind some of the names used for both key characters on the show, as well as some who only appear briefly in an episode.

For those unaware, the series follows the parks department in the fictional Indiana town of Pawnee. They are lead by the overly enthusiastic Leslie Knope, who rallies her colleagues and friends to do the best for their community, including their attempts at creating a new park.

Co-created by former writers of The Office, Mikes Schur and Dan Goor it is described by some fans as one of the best comedy series ever made. Despite it being more than 10 years since it finished airing, its dedicated fan base are still learning secrets of the show.

Schur appeared on Amy Poehler’s podcast Good Hang where he revealed some of his own. At one point during their conversation, Amy notes that Schur enjoyed coming up with character and names. He even had a long list of alternate choices for her role of Leslie Knope.

Asked why he put so much thought into names of every character, he explained it was for two reasons. One was that he was heavily inspired by Monthy Python, who would often utilise silly names in their sketches.

He decided that the fictional town of Pawnee would also be a place that contains almost limitless people who happen to have ridiculous sounding names.

However, he also explained another meaningful reason. He said: “The actual thing that’s going on here is different. I would go to actors’ IMDb pages to see what they had been in when we were casting them in the early days of the show and you would see like woman number two or like man in crowd or guy with sandwich and it really bummed me out.

“Because I love actors. I love them so much. I think that they have the hardest job when it comes to making a show. It is so hard. Anyone who doesn’t believe this should try it, by the way. Try acting.”

Schur continued: “That person auditioned for this and booked this gig and drove all the way cross town and like put on fake clothes and put on makeup and whatever and had to stand in a certain place, follow a million instructions, say a line or two, and then they yelled cut and that person went home and they got paid like $600 for like a week’s worth of work.

“They should be something better than man number two or man and crowd. So I decided early in season one of Parks that every character who appeared on the show was going to have a first and last name. So instead of man in crowd, you’re like, ‘Oh, well that it doesn’t really count as an acting gig’. But if you see Marv Vavma, which is a name I gave a character once, you’re like, who the hell is Marv Vavma? What was Marvma up to?'”

The writer described the decision as one of ‘great joys’ in his life to give every actor a character name. He added that there is also a legal issue, with names used on the show needing to be cleared in case they used the name of a real person. As a result he would opt for the ‘weirdest names’ as there would be a chance that no one else has that name.

Some of Schur’s favourite names they created for the show include Mona-Lisa Saperstein, who was played by Jenny Slate and Trodd Frankensteip who was a reporter who only appeared briefly.

There was also a Tyrion Fonzarelli, which was a combination of Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones and Arthur ‘Fonzie’ Fonzarelli from Happy Days. Coincidentally, Henry Winkler, who played Fonzie, also starred in Parks as Dr. Lu Saperstein.

One fan discovering for the first time commented: “I never knew about this and I love it!” Another added: “These names are just incredible.”

Parks and Recreation is streaming on Paramount+, Channel 4 and U.

HER reality star romance with Joey Essex failed to flourish — but Love Island’s Jessy Potts is now smitten with the son of a controversial Real Housewife.

The villa beauty, 27, is dating Innis Jenkins, 26, whose mum multimillionaire mum Diana, 52, appeared in the Beverly Hills version of the franchise.

Jessy has shared a number of loved-up pics with Innis from their holiday in Sorrento, Italy, without sharing his name.

She also posed with a beaming smile beside Innis and Diana on the businesswoman’s Instagram account, before it was swiftly deleted overnight.

The Sun has contacted a rep for Jessy for comment.

Entrepreneur Diana, who is worth an estimated $300m, made headlines for the wrong reasons earlier this year when she was wrongly linked to a shocking story in the late actress Hayden Panettierre‘s memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning.

The troubled Nashville star, who was found unresponsive at a residence in  in South Carolina from a suspected overdose aged 36, described how a British socialite put her in a bed with a naked British singer-songwriter in his 30s when she was 18. She also discussed the incident on Jay Shetty’s hit On Purpose podcast in May.

Reading the passage on the podcast, Hayden said: “She physically put me in the bed next to this undressed man who was very famous… My hair stood on end, and I became ferocious. I was like, ‘This is not happening.’

“I had nowhere to hide. I bolted, and I hid wherever I could think of to hide on a boat. There was no jumping off and swimming away… and I realised that there was nobody who was going to be empathetic to my situation, that this was nothing new to them.”

Though Hayden didn’t name the socialite, rumours began spreading online that it was Diana, leading the Real Housewife to vehemently deny any involvement.

In a statement to TMZ, her rep said: “Diana has had to deal with false online rumors before, and sadly this is just another example of that.

“So let me be 100 per cent clear about this: It most certainly is not Diana, and anyone who claims it is her will be sued.”

Diana’s connection to Hayden goes back at least 16 years when the Sarajevo-born businesswoman released a coffee table book called Room 23 that featured provocative and intimate shots depicting Beverly Hills life and featured an array of stars including Lindsay Lohan and George Clooney.

At the time of her involvement, Hayden was 20 and riding high in superhero drama Heroes.

Hayden wrote of their friendship in her book, stating: “It was a weird friendship for sure, but as I stretched into my newfound adulthood, I had to see which relationships suited me, on my own terms. At that moment, Diana seemed like she could give me everything I needed.”

Innis grew up in LA and attended a posh private school. He is said to be an entrepreneur but keeps a low profile publicly with no posts on his own social media page.

He has made cameo appearances in the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills over the years but was very much a background figure.

His dad is Brit banker Roger Jenkins, who divorced Diana in 2011.

In the early noughties he was said to be the highest paid banker in London, coining in a reported £40m a year.

He was dragged to the Old Bailey in 2019 for a high-profile fraud case dating back to the 2008 financial crisis and his involvement in Barclays’ emergency £11bn capital raise to avoid being nationalised.

Roger was one of three men acquitted in 2020. He is now reportedly worth close to $100m.

Before dating Jessy, Innis had a relationship with Ava Dash, the daughter of Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder Damon Dash.

Jessy appeared in the Love Island villa in series 11 as a bombshell. She hit it off with Towie star Joey Essex, who had started the series as one of the original villa boys, turning his head away from ex-girlfriend Grace Jackson who was also in the villa.

The pair narrowly missed the series final, and their relationship was short-lived in the outside world.

Opening up on Love Island All Stars, Jessy said: “It only lasted about a couple of months afterwards. It was just, we’re definitely different people, so when you leave here and it’s like, ‘Oh, s***!’

“He’d done TV before, so he already had a lot of people who had opinions about him anyway. And it just wasn’t, it wasn’t for me.”

The Let’s Marry Harry star has addressed speculation about his marriage to Amber Mozo

Fans aren’t buying his explanation.

Netflix’s latest reality TV sensation follows 20 women competing for Harry Jowsey’s heart. You may recognise the famed bachelor from other hit programmes like Perfect Match and Too Hot to Handle, and this new series tracks his hunt for a wife.

After weeks of living with his “fiancées,” Harry finally narrowed it down to Dannelle Davidson and Amber Mozo. He ultimately tied the knot with Amber in the season finale, admitting that he loves her “confidence and how she thinks about the world“.

Despite exchanging vows in a sweet ceremony, viewers were quick to point out that the couple didn’t legally get married. This has only fuelled rumours that they split up before the show aired.

Australian star Harry has now set the record straight, revealing that their wedding involved real marriage certificates but they haven’t been submitted yet.

He told Entertainment Tonight: “When we filmed the show, there were certificates, but they weren’t submitted, because it would have ruined the show. They’re out there. I just don’t know where they are, when they’re getting submitted.”

Reality TV fans have been known to dig up marriage certificates for their favourite shows, including Love Is Blind, which sometimes spoils the outcome of the series.

While Harry claims the certificates have been kept private to prevent spoiler leaks, viewers are convinced this is further proof he is no longer with Amber.

Commenting under Entertainment Tonight’s interview clip, one fan said: “They not together anymore that’s why.”

Someone else shared the same opinion, adding: “They broke up! See y’all for season two same time next year.”

Yet another fan chimed in with: “You’d think they’d both share pics and videos together on their timeline now that we know who he chose and…nothing.”

Amber and Harry didn’t post loved-up snaps on their social media pages after their marriage was confirmed, which has naturally left fans suspicious.

But other viewers believe the reality stars are just trying to ramp up anticipation for the upcoming reunion episode.

“I just LOVE how all these ppl know the outcome already and how they THINK they know Harry personally. y’all c’mon they gotta make it suspenseful and keep u interested,” commented one.

Harry and Amber’s current relationship status will be revealed in Netflix’s forthcoming reunion special, streaming on Wednesday, August 26.

Let’s Marry Harry is streaming on Netflix.

INFLUENCER Perrie Sian is known to her millions of followers for her fashion and hilarious sense of humor.

But she recently went global after sharing a video of her accidentally sharting while doing an outfit reveal on holiday in Antalya.

The clip has been watched almost 20 million times in ten days, with her bottom blooper making the news in the US, Australia and even Turkey.

And Perrie told The Sun it was Stacey Solomon’s dad Dave who persuaded her to post the viral moment.

She said: “I wasn’t sure I had recorded it because my phone is always filming for my vlogs, but I watched it back and then heard it and I was in hysterics,” Perrie explains.

“I was on holiday with Stacey Solomon  and her family, and it was her dad Dave who said post it.

NOT HAPPY

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PERRIE EXCITING

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“The internet can be such a negative place and I thought, if this can make someone smile then it’s worth it.

“If you want some entertainment, go read the comments, there are over 4,000 and they are brilliant.”

Of the global reaction to the clip, Perrie adds: “National TV in Turkey, I’m obsessed. And the New York Post. Imagine this being your entry into America, them writing about your shart.

“But it’s been giving people such a laugh, it’s worth it. The memes are so good, my podcast Can I Be Candid posted one that said, ‘total eclipse of the shart,’ after the eclipse last week.

“I’m actually really just glad that I did post it. It’s made my family and friends laugh, it’s made so many people laugh now across the globe.

“I don’t think any video I do will come close to this annoyingly. I might try but I don’t think it will.”

If you’ve yet to catch this moment of comedy genius, check out @perriesian on TikTok and Instagram.

The last time Real Madrid went two consecutive seasons without a major trophy (2008-2010), they eschewed Galacticos and brought in Jose Mourinho who built the team from the back.

So after the last two trophyless seasons, they brought Mourinho back.

That means ultra-conservative tactics, plus a slew of central defenders and outside backs, not something that would normally excite Madridistas.

But even a superstar-studded attack does not work without a solid, veteran back line.

Welcome, then, Marc Cucurella, Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate. But Real Madrid President Florentino Perez did not forget about scoring goals.

He also added Yan Diomande and Bernardo Silva to an attack featuring Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, along with Brahim Diaz, Endrick, Arda Guler and Rodrygo.

Recent failures aside, Real Madrid remains ambitious. Los Blancos expect to compete for both the Champions League title and La Liga.

Perez is not going to easily give in to Paris Saint-Germain’s newfound Champions League pre-eminence, or Barcelona’s attempt at a La Liga three-peat.

Real Madrid tops the Champions League charts with 15 titles, and has won La Liga 36 times, seven more than Barca.

Al Jazeera takes a look at the key questions before the new season for Real Madrid.

Second time a charm at Real Madrid for Jose Mourinho?

Mourinho’s first Real Madrid stint followed a two-year trophy drought, and the solution worked, sort of. The Portuguese won La Liga once and reached three Champions League semifinals from 2011-13.

Improvement, but not what the Merengues were looking for when Mourinho arrived on the heels of capturing the 2010 Champions League with Inter Milan.

These days, Mourinho’s stock has not exactly risen, and he is still looking for another Champions League success. But after last season’s coaching fiasco – Xavi Alonso being replaced by Alvaro Arbeloa mid-season – Perez is apparently hoping conservatism and discipline will bring out the best in the most expensive roster in La Liga.

The preseason presented a preview of Mourinho-ball, with Real Madrid winning the Trofeo Teresa Herrera last week. So, Los Blancos carried off a rather bulky trophy, though not a major one.

And the 1-0 victory over Deportivo A Coruna was classified as a preseason friendly, complete with 19 substitutions. They were, though, playing to win at all costs, judging by Antonio Rudiger’s first-half hip-check that sent Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang flying.

Good transfer business for Real Madrid?

Madridistas expected the arrival of a high-profile transfer, such as Alessandro Bastoni, Achraf Hakimi, Michael Olise, or Vitinha – not to mention Rodri. That did not happen, but the newcomers provide upgrades that could make a difference.

Cucurella, replacing Ferland Mendy, brings guile and tactical savvy, supporting Vinicius Junior on the left. He also happens to be Real Madrid’s only World Cup winner with Spain’s national team.

Dumfries might not compare with Hakimi, but he presents an alternative to Trent Alexander-Arnold. The Dutch defender is a dependable, physical right back, who captured two Serie A scudetti and reached two Champions League finals with Inter.

Silva contributes composure, and his ability to settle the midfield fills a need lacking since the departure of Luka Modric. Konate provides physicality and recovery ability in central defence, and could challenge Dean Huijsen and Rudiger for a starting spot.

Diomande burst onto the scene with Red Bull Leipzig and starred for Ivory Coast in the World Cup. Diomande was “discovered” in northern Florida in the United States by Leganes last year, after being passed over in Major League Soccer tryouts.

He earned a 125 million euro ($144.5m) transfer that could be considered excessive, as rival suitors dropped from the scene, leaving Real Madrid to essentially bid against itself. Real Madrid will hope the investment in Diomande pays dividends, as he resembles a dynamic, younger version of Vinicius Junior, and can perform on either wing.

A number 9 for Real Madrid, anybody?

Endrick wears the number 9, but does not fit the profile of a hold-up striker. Nor does Mbappe, though he has made the position his own. Endrick, 20, failed to meet expectations after arriving on a 47.5 million euro ($54.9m) transfer from Palmeiras. He ended up on loan to Olympique Lyon, scoring five times, including a hat-trick against Metz.

At 6-foot-4-inches, Carlos Espi represents Mourinho’s conception of the number-9 role. The 21-year-old lacks experience but showed promise with Levante, converting 11 goals last season.

Perez, though, is sticking with his investment in Endrick. Last year, he let Nico Paz go to Como, and, this year, Gonzalo Garcia to Fulham.

Two go-to guys, but not enough goals?

Few can match Mbappe’s ability to stretch defences and finish.

Last season, Mbappe totalled 42 goals, plus another 10 for France in the World Cup. But should Mbappe be a lone striker, or should he be breaking down defences on the wing?

As for Vinicius Junior, his effectiveness on the left wing is unquestioned. The problem has been capitalising on the talent of Mbappe and Vinicius Junior. Despite Mbappe’s goal explosion, Real Madrid’s La Liga totals declined from 87 in 2023-24 to 78 the next season and 77 last season.

In the past, Mourinho’s forwards have sacrificed scoring to concentrate on defending. Not exactly what Mbappe or Vinicius Junior signed up for, but Mbappe indicated he is ready to go along with the programme in an interview with Real Madrid TV. Mourinho, Mbappe said, “is a coach that knows how to win.”

Time for Bellingham to go on the offensive?

As a 20-year-old, just arrived from Borussia Dortmund, Bellingham converted 10 goals in his first 12 La Liga games in 2023. Bellingham’s scoring tailed off after that, and he’s fallen into a complementary role in midfield. But after a breakout World Cup, maybe Bellingham will reassert himself as an attacking midfielder.

Performing for England, Bellingham ignited the offence, driving through the midfield, setting up teammates, and also converting seven goals. He also displayed leadership qualities, rallying the team in difficult conditions in Mexico City and leading a comeback against Norway.

Bellingham has plenty of midfield support at Real Madrid, playing alongside Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde. But will Mourinho allow Bellingham to go forward at will, as he did prior to the arrival of Mbappe, or have him thinking defence first?

What about Arda Guler?

Guler was a regular from last season’s opener on; his 51 appearances were second on the team to Vinicius Junior’s 53. And Guler is expected to be a sure starter this season. The arrival of Silva, though, could create a squeeze for playing time.

Mourinho favours experienced players, and also appears to be on a wavelength with Silva, partly because of their Portuguese backgrounds. Guler can be spectacular, breaking past opponents on the dribble, sparking the attack. But the threat of a reduced role has led to reports that Guler is considering a return to Fenerbahce.

BEACHGOERS are being warned to stop trying to visit closed UK beach.

Local authorities have said that a number of Brits have been putting themselves in danger by ignoring signs at a beach that has been closed for two months.

Selwicks Bay near Flamborough Lighthouse in Yorkshire has been closed for several weeks now after an inspection revealed that steps down the cliff side were damaged.

Since the closure, there has been a barrier at the entrance of the steps.

Now the local council is urging visitors to not climb over the barrier or ignore signs near the beach.

Councillor Nick Coultish, the council’s cabinet member for culture, leisure, tourism and planning, said in a statement: “We don’t want to restrict access to this beach, but these steps are in a dangerous condition, so we had no choice but to close them.

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“Please don’t ignore the barrier and closure signs, because there is a real risk that someone could get seriously hurt if the steps give way.

“This won’t be a quick repair, unfortunately. The damage means we may have to rebuild them.

“We look forward to reopening these steps when they are made safe, but until then please don’t use them.”

The steps are the only way to reach the beach, so until new steps are built the beach will remain closed.

The spot is also popular with paddle boarders and the council is concerned that they could become stranded or have to turn back as there isn’t a way to get up from the beach.

Engineers are currently planning a solution for the beach, but the council has said this may take some time.

When she’s not showing off her brainiac skills, The Chase star Jenny Ryan is loved-up with her actor partner

Jenny Ryan is a firm favourite on The Chase – but who is her real-life boyfriend?

The brainiac shot to fame when she joined the ITV quiz show – hosted by Bradley Walsh – back in 2025. Since then, Jenny has become a regular on TV screens.

From stints on Celebrity X Factor to the new spin-off programme, The Chase Around The World, Jenny, also known as the Vixen, has remained booked and busy.

But away from the TV sets, Jenny is loved-up with her long-term boyfriend, Thom Tuck who also happens to work in the showbiz and entertainment industry.

Over the years, Thom has appeared in the likes of a number of hit shows, including The Crown, Fresh Meat and Babylon. He’s also shown off his talents on stage, performing in theatre productions of Death of A Salesman and Three Sisters.

Thom was also nominated for Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Fringe for Thom Tuck Goes Straight-to-DVD. The show managed to get adapted to BBC Radio too.

But that’s not all, as Thom is one-third of the acclaimed sketch troupe The Penny Dreadfuls who have made series for Radio 4 and several audio dramas.

What’s more, Jenny and Thom even worked together when they co-starred in the pantomime production of Sleeping Beauty at the Wyvern Theatre in 2025, in which Jenny played the Wicked Fairy Carabosse and Thom played King Keir.

The pair also appeared on Celebrity Escape To The Country in 2023, and shared their plans to move from the city “back home” to the countryside near her hometown of Bolton.

Looking to relocate with a budget of £850,000 Jenny and Thom were shown an array of residences, turning down the first one but falling totally in love with the second one.

After the show aired, Jenny issued an update to fans a year later on her and Thom’s living situation, revealing on Instagram that she sadly did not buy the house.

She explained that before she could even get another viewing, another person put an offer on the property. Jenny then said she was not surprised another house hunter had bought the property but quipped “the search continues”.

The Chase Around The World airs every Thursday at 9pm on ITV1

Heartbreaking true crime doc A Child of My Own has landed on Netflix and fans are wondering where Alejandra is now.

A Child of My Own explores what happened when a woman faked a pregnancy and kidnapped a newborn.

Netflix has released the one-off true crime special A Child of My Own, telling the story of Mexican native Eleonor Alejandra Marin Mendoza who committed the unspeakable crime in June 2009.

Alejandra was already pregnant when she married Arturo Calderon Gamino at just 17, but suffered the first of several miscarriages and went through IVF in her 20s.

Facing pressure from her family and society to become a mother, she didn’t tell anyone about her miscarriage at 26 and instead faked a full-term pregnancy.

Working as an administrator at a hospital, she came up with a plan to steal a newborn from the maternity ward with CCTV footage showing her walking out with a baby girl in a large gift bag.

After seeing the baby, Arturo realised that Alejandra hadn’t been pregnant and, after authorities were able to track her down a few hours later, the couple were arrested at a hotel in Mexico City.

Is Alejandra from A Child of My Own still in prison?

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Alejandra was convicted of kidnapping, specifically of the illegal deprivation of liberty of a minor, in 2011 and given a 13-year prison sentence.

Alejandra has now served her time and is no longer in prison, having been released in 2023, while her husband Arturo was acquitted of any wrongdoing after spending two years behind bars.

At the end of A Child of My Own, which was filmed two years after her prison release, Alejandra is still residing in Mexico but a lot has changed.

She shared that Arturo didn’t want to give up on his dreams of being a father but Alejandra didn’t want to go through with another pregnancy or more treatment.

The pair briefly broke up and Arturo then began another relationship, welcoming a baby son with a different woman before they also split.

However, Arturo and Alejandra rekindled their romance shortly after as she explained: “It makes me very happy to see him smile and to be fulfilled as a father.

“It makes me even happier that he sees me in his life as a mother or a parent to his son.”

The Netflix documentary ends with Arturo and Alejandra happily playing with his young son in the park.

A Child of My Own is available to watch on Netflix.