Clive Masters has officially arrived in Walford, and while he gets to know Linda Carter, let’s take a look at the actor’s family life off-screen
14:31, 22 Jul 2026Updated 14:31, 22 Jul 2026
Clive Masters has arrived in Walford (Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
EastEnders newcomer Jason Durr has a famous wife who television and gardening fans will know.
During Wednesday’s (July 22) episode of the BBC soap, Jason officially arrived in Walford as Clive Masters, a local Councilor and potential love interest of Linda Carter (Kellie Bright).
As the local community centre is at risk of closing down and being redeveloped, Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) put Linda in touch with Clive, who might be able to help with their fight to save the venue.
During their first meeting, it was clear that there was romantic chemistry between Linda and Clive as they opened up about their former partners, and they were set to grow closer in forthcoming episodes.
Will the pair take a chance on a little romance? The former Queen Vic landlady is yet to find love following the presumed death of her beloved husband Mick, played by Danny Dyer, who disappeared at sea on Christmas Day 2022.
Speaking about joining the cast of the BBC soap, Jason, 58, said: “Few shows command their place in the national conversation quite like EastEnders, so I’m delighted to be joining the cast as Clive Masters. Working with the wonderful Kellie Bright has been an absolute joy and pleasure from day one.”
He added: “All the cast, crew and production staff have been incredibly generous, welcoming and good humoured. I’m excited for audiences to meet Clive and see what’s in store.”
Who is Jason Durr married to?
Former Heartbeat star Jason has been married to TV presenter Kate since 2004, after they met while in Majorca, Spain. Kate, a former actor and model, is a garden designer and has even won a Royal Horticultural Society gold medal for her expertise.
In 1984, Kate enjoyed a brief stint in the children’s drama Grange Hill and starred in the television series Perfect World and Sam’s Game, both of which aired in 2001.
She has had success presenting, hosting Dream Ticket, Night Fever, and An Audience with Lennox Lewis, and is best known for her Guinness World Records presenting work.
The couple lives together in Wiltshire, and Kate often shares pictures on her Instagram of her stunning garden and many gorgeous outdoor designs.
Jason and Kate have three children together, two daughters and a son, and they usually keep their family out of the spotlight.
On Wednesday afternoon (July 22), Jason appeared on This Morning to talk about his latest acting role on EastEnders and paid a sweet tribute to his “lovely” wife.
Speaking to ITV daytime hosts Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond about learning his scripts, he said: “You’ve got to be absolutely pinpoint perfect with your dialogue, and it’s just a joy to be working with other regulars, who get it.”
Jason added, “Keep reading it. It’s one of those things, repetition, parrot fashion, you know, that kind of thing. The kids help me, my lovely wife helps me.”
Before marrying Kate, Jason was married to an Australian named Jeanine between 1995 and 2000. She was a singer-songwriter, and the pair were together for five years before splitting.
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday on BBC One and iPlayer
A hit crime series series that delves into unsolved murders is available to binge
Cold Justice has been a hit with viewers(Image: ITV screengrab)
A series that explores real unsolved murders is streaming on ITVX and viewers are “obsessed”.
Cold Justice follows former Texas prosecutor Kelly Siegler and her team of investigators as they look into old cases that nobody ever managed to crack.
Murders they explore include the death of a young journalist and the killing of a family of four on Halloween. Another episode focuses on a young man who discovers his father dead on his front steps.
The show, which first hit screens in 2013, has proved enormously popular with audiences, with many posting messages online saying that while it is “disturbing”, it makes for a “gripping” watch, reports Wales Online.
“Perhaps the best real crime show on TV,” one viewer wrote on IMDb.com. “I enjoy this show best of all the many crime shows I watch.”
Somebody else said they were “obsessed”, as another said: “Love the show… I’ve been hooked since the first episode.”
“Just found this show and I’m so addicted,” one person wrote on X, which was formerly Twitter.
“Kelly and her team plus the officers really care about these cold cases and want to solve them for the families to get their justice. Really feel Kelly has her heart 100% in this show and I’m hooked. Two seasons down in three days!”
“I’m obsessed with Cold Justice,” remarked somebody else. “I am always in absolute awe watching how brilliant @SieglerKelly is. She just seems like a kind, sympathetic, people person who actually wants to bring answers to these poor families.”
One fan said they had “never missed an episode”, adding: “I am beyond obsessed with the closure and hard work @SieglerKelly and her team do to help with these cases. If you haven’t watched Cold Justice you should definitely start.”
“It is the best show out there!” exclaimed another fan.
“It’s the best show on TV and helping so many families,” commented another.
Nine series of Cold Justice have aired since it began 13 years ago, with Kelly and the team helping to secure a number of arrests and convictions as a result of their investigative work.
HOLLY Willoughby has admitted she knows “what real fear is” after a terrifying kidnap plot as she opens up on experiencing a “really difficult time”.
The presenter, 45, is gearing up to relaunch her career with her brand new show on YouTube.
Holly Willoughby has admitted she knows what real fear isCredit: ITVThe presenter was the victim of a terrifying kidnap, rape and murder plotCredit: PA
But the last few years of her life haven’t exactly been plain sailing after she was the victim of a horrific kidnap, rape and murder plot back in 2023.
Security guard Gavin Plumb was charged in October of that year for soliciting murder and inciting kidnap and rape and was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 16 years.
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Speaking about the difficult time of her life, she told Grazia in a new interview: “Everybody knows what happened and it was difficult. It was a really difficult time.
“It did set me back and made me realise, ‘Right, well of course you haven’t got everything figured out. Of course life is going to keep throwing challenges at you.”’
“When something like that happens, suddenly everything else gets put into perspective and you know what?
“I don’t fear what people think because I know what real fear feels like.”
Last month, The Sun on Sunday reported that Gavin was caught with a sinister stash of pictures of her in his prison cell.
The disturbing haul was found by prison officers hidden under a mattress.
A source said: “Plumb is still obsessed with Holly. The pictures were taken from magazines.
“He should not have been allowed access to images of her.”
Despite everything she’s been through, Holly is focusing on the next chapter of her life as she moves on with her career relaunch.
Her new YouTube show ‘Holly Willoughby Together’ is set to launch on July 28.
Gavin Plumb was sentenced to life in prisonCredit: PAShe’s gearing up for the launch of her new YouTube showCredit: PA
Speaking at her launch event earlier today, she said: “TheYouTubeidea obviously I’ve been away for a little while and my kids, watching my kids how they use stuff now, you know they watch stuff on YouTube they watch stuff onNetflixthat’s how they do things.
“I was like right how am I watching stuff now and I was walking the dog and I’d be listening to Spotify or a podcast and I’d come in and I’d start cooking lunch and then I’d be like oh watch that now.”
“You suddenly realise that the way you see and view things and watch things is very very different.
“I don’t feel like it’s just me, I feel like everybody’s doing the same sort of thing,” added Holly.
The mum-of-three explained she feels as though mainstream TV isn’t the only place that can breed success.
She said: “You see what Gary Lineker has just done with the World Cup, you know collaborating with Netflix and with music, people will go on Radio 2 but then they’ll also go on a podcast.”
Holly added: “I think being a little bit braver and not just going for the obvious options, is the thing that really got me and then I thought ‘yes.’
“I thought ‘that’s it, that’s what I want to do.’”
Her glitzy lifestyle YouTube series, which starts on July 28, has a similar format to ITV‘s This Morning.
She will drop two episodes every week, and they will include sections on cookery, lifestyle, fashion, beauty and real life stories, as well as celebrity guests.
Coronation Street’s Betsy Swain has taken centre stage this week as the ITV soap tackles the silent dangers of non-fatal strangulation in a powerful stroke awareness storyline
Coronation Street’s Betsy Swain has taken centre stage this week as the ITV soap tackles the silent dangers of non-fatal strangulation(Image: ITV)
Coronation Street’s Betsy Swain is currently part of a hard-hitting storyline.
The hit ITV soap is tackling the silent dangers of non-fatal strangulation in a powerful stroke awareness storyline. Only recently, Ryan Connor discovered an unconscious Betsy, where she was rushed to hospital.
Doctors confirmed that she had suffered a stroke caused by a blood clot which was the result of neck artery damage from a temporary loss of circulation.
Once stabilised having suffered a second stroke, an embarrassed and vulnerable Betsy eventually managed to reveal that her boyfriend Dylan Wilson strangled her during consensual sex, despite both believing the pressure applied was minimal.
In the coming months, viewers will witness Betsy’s challenging recovery journeys as she transitions from hospital to home, navigating significant life changes. With Betsy taking centre stage, soap watchers are keen to learn more about actress Sydney Martin’s life from her real age to her normal job before Corrie fame…
Real age
Sydney shot to fame when she joined the ITV soap as Betsy, daughter of fan favourite DS Lisa Swain, played by Vicky Myers.
In the soap, Betsy’s age is 18 with the character having been born in September 2007, meaning she will turn 19 later this year. However, in real life, actress Sydney is in fact 24.
Back in October, Sydney celebrated her birthday, sharing a post on her Instagram revealing she was 24. Reacting to Sydney’s real age, soap fans were left floored at the time.
On a Coronation StreetFacebook fan page, one person said: “Happy 24th birthday to Sydney Martin who plays Betsy Swain!“
Someone else declared: “Never knew she was 24!” A third chimed in and quipped: “I need a moment! She’s 24 What?!” Echoing their thoughts, another person penned: “Def looks younger doesn’t she.”
Normal job before Corrie fame
Before landing her Coronation Street role, Sydney was working at supermarket Tesco and immediately handed her notice in after getting the life-changing call.
Previously talking to The Sun, Sydney recalled how she was watching the film Pitch Perfect 3 with flatmates in Manchester when she got the call to say she had won the role of Betsy.
The actress told the publication: “I just ran to the corner of the flat to answer the phone. I said, ‘It’s going to be a no, so keep watching the film’, and then my agent said, ‘Go hand in your notice’.
“I was doing six days at Tesco, so it’s quite the career change. My flatmate picked me up and we just cried. We didn’t finish Pitch Perfect. I could not have asked for a better first opportunity.
“My parents are my biggest fans. They are over the moon. I had my first picture in a magazine recently and they bought ten copies.”
Sydney admitted that she had previously auditioned for two smaller roles before landing Betsy and it was a two-month process before getting the job.
Coronation Street continues on weekdays at 8:30pm on ITV and ITVX.
Netflix viewers meet grown-up versions of Charlie and Nick in Heartstopper Forever
22:14, 16 Jul 2026Updated 22:15, 16 Jul 2026
Netflix’s Heartstopper has returned with a final feature-length film (Image: Netflix )
Heartstopper fans should prepare for more steamy scenes in the new Netflix film.
The young adult show returns with one final chapter called Heartstopper Forever tomorrow (July 17), which sees Joe Locke and Kit Connor reprising their roles as Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson.
As well as a new challenge, though, fans will notice that Charlie and Nick are more intimate in the new film than in previous seasons.
When asked about the final chapter featuring “a lot more sex,” Connor told The Guardian: “It’s a line that you have to walk: ‘How far are we going to take this?'”
He went on to explain that the inclusion reflected a natural progression in the characters’ romance.
“But at the end of the day, it did feel like these two guys are really attracted to each other at the age where they probably would have been doing it,” Connor added.
Locke agreed, explaining: “It would be weird if we hadn’t shown it. Just because our show is a more earnest version of a queer representation doesn’t mean that sex [shouldn’t be shown]. It’s still a big thing for anyone in the world.”
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Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV plan.
This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Stranger Things and The Last of Us.
The new coming-of-age drama includes traditional sex scenes as well as segments depicting masturbation, which is pretty standard for the genre.
However, Heartstopper has previously centred on the less-explicit elements of young queer relationships.
The actors were actually eager to push the envelope even further with their characters, Connor revealed.
He said: “If I’d had my way, I would have had Nick and Charlie cheating on each other and doing all those stupid things.
“Because young people do that and don’t necessarily need to be villainised for it. Heartstopper Forever takes a step in that direction of not being so rose-tinted about being human.”
Heartstopper Forever premieres on Netflix this Friday, July 17.
Coronation Street detective Kit Green may have a surprising plan for nemesis Gary Windass after finding out his partner Sarah Platt is Theo Silverton’s real killer
18:40, 14 Jul 2026Updated 18:41, 14 Jul 2026
Coronation Street detective Kit Green may have a surprising plan for nemesis Gary Windass(Image: ITV)
Kit Green has a plan for Gary Windass on Coronation Street – but it’s not what you might be expecting.
With Kit finding out his partner Sarah Platt is Theo Silverton’s real killer, he has a decision to make. The detective could put his own career on the line to try to save Sarah from prison – but what about Gary, who helped Sarah cover up the crime?
Amid recent hints that Kit would throw Gary under the bus and could frame him for the crime, Kit actor Jacob Roberts has now had his own say. Teasing Jacob may actually try to help Gary, Kit spilled on what was ahead…
How does Kit feel finding out Sarah killed Theo?
He was incredibly shocked, mostly because he’s just been lied to for all this time. As soon as Sarah found the ring, it completely delayed his plan and put a massive dampener on things. I think Kit always suspected she and Gary had something to do with it and he was actively defending her based on that suspicion. But he never, ever expected it to actually be her who did it. He’s just reeling from the fact that it was her all along.
How compromised does Kit feel now that he knows the truth and how far do you think he’d go to protect her?
He will protect her as much as he can, but Kit is ultimately going to protect himself first. He suddenly realises he’s been living with a murderer right under his nose. He isn’t going to be totally selfless here – he will only protect her as long as his own career is safe. His perspective is very much: “If you had told me this straight away, I could have done something about it. Now, I’m just left to pick up the pieces.”
His career means a lot to him, but does his relationship mean more?
No, his career means everything to him. The trust between them is massively gone. He isn’t prepared to lose anything because he had absolutely nothing to do with the crime. What Sarah did was wrong. Kit is a loyal guy – he’s loyal to family and the people he cares about – so he’ll do what he can, but this has simply gone too far.
Kit already disliked Gary. What are his feelings towards him now, especially knowing Sarah turned to her ex in her moment of need rather than him?
He feels incredibly betrayed. Kit knows how to cover things up way better than Gary ever could, so he feels like Sarah just picked the wrong person in a moment of panic. Gary should have honestly just called Kit himself.
Is there a part of Kit that understands why she couldn’t come to him because of his job as a police officer?
No, absolutely not. First of all, she should have never been on that roof in the first place with a guy like Theo. But turning to Gary? No. That’s her ex. Going to an ex for advice or help like that is completely out of order and non-negotiable for Kit. He might sympathise a tiny bit because she was panicking, but he doesn’t think it’s justified at all.
How do you think Kit would have reacted if she had phoned him straight away? Would he have protected her?
Absolutely. He’s done stuff like that before. He’s a bit of a dodgy copper, so he knows exactly how the system works. It was self-defence and he could have handled it. The problem now is that it’s much harder to justify because she kept quiet about Theo’s death for so long and in doing so, she has put Kit in serious jeopardy.
Is Kit happy to send an “innocent-ish” man like Gary to prison just to save Sarah?
Ideally, he would try to get them both off. But if it comes down to a direct choice between Sarah and Gary, he is always going to choose Sarah.
Can Kit get his head around why Sarah is so dead-set on protecting Gary? Do you think it makes him doubt their relationship?
It makes him doubt it massively. He’s clever enough to know there’s a lot of history there and that they’ve probably protected each other over the years, but it’s still a huge dint to his pride. He doesn’t think she’s physically cheating on him, but in a way, an emotional affair can be worse. You just don’t go to your ex for help with something this massive. It’s totally out of order.
Emmerdale star Shebz Miah arrived in the village in 2025. Here’s everything you need to know about the actor.
Kammy (Image: ITV)
Shebz Miah’s real age recently left Emmerdale fans surprised, as they thought the actor was much younger.
In March 2025, actor Shebz arrived in the village as Kammy Hadiq and caused a stir by stealing a quad bike from Moira Dingle’s (Natalie J Robb) land, with Ross Barton (Mike Parr) being blamed for the theft.
This incident introduced Kammy as a bad boy, and he soon caught Sarah Sugden’s (Katie Hill) attention when she found him struggling to start the stolen vehicle by the roadside.
Kammy was soon caught up in a love triangle with Sarah and Jacob Gallagher (Joe-Warren Plant) as both men tried to win her over. As fans know, Sarah and Jacob rekindled their romance, and have since gotten married and are surrogate parents to baby Leyla.
Meanwhile, Kammy caught the affection of close pal Vinny Dingle (Bradley Johnson), whom he had to gently let down, but revealed his true caring and loyal nature following Vinny’s violent attack.
In a devastating twist, Kammy recently confessed to being homeless, a revelation that left viewers in tears. He was living in a barn and explained that his family estrangement was directly linked to the difficult path his life had taken after tragedy struck in his family years ago.
“My dad died. Unexpected,” he told Belle. “I took it really bad, I didn’t look after my mum how I should have done”. Struggling to cope with his grief, Kammy started mixing with the wrong crowd and became involved in stealing cars.
This led Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) to welcome the mechanic into the family as his romance with Belle (Eden Taylor-Draper) blossomed.
Taking to Instagram earlier this year, Shebz, from Bradford in West Yorkshire, shared snippets for his time on the ITV soap so far and wrote: “One year bringing Kammy to life. Grateful for the journey, the incredible people behind the scenes, and everyone who’s welcomed the character into their homes…We’re only just getting started… “
Before his stint in the Dales, eagle-eyed fans might recognise Shebz from his cameo in a 2024 episode of Casualty, where he portrayed Noor Din, and from popping up in Doctors in 2023 as Reece Shaw.
How old is Shebz Miah?
Shebz recently celebrated his 29th birthday, which left fans ‘floored’ as they assumed he was much younger. One fan wrote on Facebook: “Happy 29th birthday to Shebz, who plays Kammy”, as another replied: “29!!! I’m shocked.”
A third chimed in: “I thought he was about 20!!”, as another echoed the sentiment: “Happy birthday, I thought he was only 20 years old, he doesn’t look 29.”
“I didn’t think he was 29, he doesn’t look it. Happy birthday,” exclaimed one person as another simply asked, “29?”
Soap star Shabz tends to keep his private life away from the spotlight and has yet to confirm a romance off-screen.
“The Real Housewives of Orange County” star Jennifer Pedranti says that her son was involved in starting a brush fire that burned in Ladera Ranch.
Pedranti posted the admission on her Instagram stories on Thursday, saying that there will be consequences for her son.
“I would like to clear up the rumblings of my son having involvement in the Ladera Ranch fire,” her statement began.
“He and others were involved. My ex husband and myself take this very serious. This behavior is unacceptable and we are deeply sorry to our community. This is a tough learning moment for our son and our family.”
Pedranti continued that she was thankful that there was no property damage and nobody was injured. “The fire and police were absolutely amazing and gave these boys a lesson they will never forget,” she said. “There were no arrests made, but consequences for actions are being put into place.”
According to Pedranti, her son will be taking a fire safety course to “make sure a mistake like this never happens again.”
“There are consequences within our family and we will make sure our son learns from this accident.”
The brush fire originated near Ladera Ranch’s Narrow Canyon Road and Acaster Way on Tuesday afternoon and spread across seven acres before firefighters were able to get it under control.
Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Augie Romo confirmed to The Times that three minors were interviewed in connection with the Ladera Ranch brush fire and that no arrests were made. A full report will be made available in 10 days, but for now, most details of the incident remain under investigation.
The Bravo reality star shares five children with her ex-husband, biotech entrepreneur William Pedranti: sons Harrison, 22; Dawson, 19; Greyson, 16; and Dominic, 12; and daughter Everleigh, 14. She is engaged to “Real Housewives” cast member Ryan Boyajian, who reportedly was formerly involved in real estate and mortgage lending.
Fans refused to believe Tamera is celebrating her 48th birthdayCredit: TikTokThe star insisted she is embracing her age as ‘every year is a gift not everyone gets to unwrap’Credit: TikTok
Today Tamera shared a clip on TikTok revealing the women are celebrating their 48th birthday, and fans refused to believe it.
The clip showed her being presented with a cake decorated with ‘3’ and ‘8’ candles, before someone off camera switched the first for a ‘4’.
After jokingly running away from the cake, Tamera stopped and pulled the candles from the cake before holding them up and smiling at the camera.
She wrote: “We spend so much time running from our age. Well, this year, I’m dancing with it. 48 and grateful, because every year is a gift not everyone gets to unwrap.”
Twins Tia and Tamera starred in Sister, Sister from 1994 until 1999Credit: Alamy Stock PhotoTia recently confirmed there is ‘distance’ between them following long-running rumours of a feudCredit: Variety via Getty Images
Rushing to comment, one fan wrote: “Why did I think she’s actually 38? She looks amazing.”
Another said: “There is no way they’re 48!!!”
Someone else wrote: “Oh baby you look 28.”
And a fourth added: “Excuse me, 48? You don’t look a day over 20.”
Coronation Street has welcomed real-life family members to the Cobbles over the years
Rosie’s brother Richard used Corrie as a springboard into his music and theatre career
Soap operas blur the line between drama and reality when family members land roles on the same show.
Coronation Street star Isabella Flanagan plays Weatherfield’s Hope Stape, daughter of Fiz Brown (played by Jennie McAlpine), on the ITV show alongside her brother William, who portrays Joseph Brown, son of Chesney (Sam Aston).
Cousins Brooke Vincent and Ellie Leach have both enjoyed successful stints on the show, while Rick Neelan actor Greg Wood is actually the real-life brother of Tommy Orpington star Matt Milburn.
Last month, Rosie Fleeshman became the latest member to follow in the footsteps of her famous sibling, Richard Fleeshman, enjoying a guest stint on Corrie. Their mum has also starred on the show.
Richard first graced the soap as Craig Harris in 2002, with his family, including father Tommy Harris (Thomas Craig), mother Angela Harris (Kathryn Hunt), and sister Katy (Lucy-Jo Hudson).
The family arrived in Weatherfield as part of a witness protection scheme, and they quickly stirred up some drama. Moreover, young Craig was central to several dramatic storylines during his tenure.
In 2005, he lost his entire family when his sister Katy killed their father Tommy in a rage, and their mother Angela took the fall. Unable to cope with the guilt, Katy later took her own life.
The character also embarked on a romance with Rosie Webster (Helen Flanagan), becoming her first boyfriend. Craig even plotted to flee to Berlin with Rosie.
However, in 2006, Craig departed alone and bid farewell to the cobbles. Since then, actor Richard has kept himself occupied, appearing in shows such as Call the Midwife and Death in Paradise, as well as stage productions.
Richard hails from a talented family, as his mum, Sue Jenkins, who joined the cast of Coronation Street as Gloria Todd in 1985, became a regular face at the Rovers Return pub. She worked alongside Julie Goodyear, who famously played landlady Bet Lynch.
Beyond her time on Corrie, Sue also portrayed Jackie Corkhill in Brookside from 1992 to 2001, and made a brief appearance in Emmerdale in 2008 as Bonnie Drinkwater.
In 2024, Richard appeared on Loose Women and spoke to panellists Kaye Adams, Kelle Bryan, Linda Robson, and Jane Moore about his role on sci-fi show, The Ark and paid tribute to his mum’s time on Brookside.
“She was amazing in that show”, he said. “I was allowed to watch certain episodes growing up. Some of them were a little bit past my bedtime. It was an amazing show and such a great following.”
The revelation of Sue and Richard’s roles on Corrie left fans astounded. On X, previously known as Twitter, one viewer posted about Sue’s stint on Corrie.
Another fan responded: “That’s Richard Fleeshman’s mum!” A third person commented: “Wow, all this time watching and I never knew that, I can see her son in that photo now.” Yet another added: “Her real-life son played Craig Harris, son of Psycho Tommy!”
Richard’s dad is David Fleeshman, who appeared in Boys from the Blackstuff, and he credited his parents for inspiring his successful career. He said, “I grew up with both of them being around the industry fully, so it was just everything I knew.”
Olivia Attwood has revealed the ‘real reason’ why she was cuddling Pete Wicks in those cosy yacht pictures from last yearCredit: YouTube/Olivia’s House with Olivia AttwoodThe pair were snapped looking very cosy on a yacht in IbizaCredit: BackGrid
“Because there is a funny story here. Just as a subtext, okay I was obviously leaning back on him like on the yacht, but nothing happened.”
Olivia and her ex Bradley Dack split up earlier this yearCredit: GettyOlivia confirmed her relationship with Pete four months agoCredit: Getty
Mark then told her: “Tell the whole story!”
Olivia continued: “But the pictures, the actual came back was funny, right? So I am lent back on him and whatever…”
Mark chimed in: “Yeah, but let’s go first, when that woman dunked you! Do you remember? Rebecca is her name. She dunked. Do you remember?
“She slipped drunk and dunked you.”
Olivia confessed that she didn’t remember and Mark explained: “What the hell? You were getting out off the board, you know that board, where you jump? Do you not remember? Where were you?!”
“Did she give me concussion?! Because I don’t remember,” Olivia told him.
Mark continued: “So when you were getting out of the water, you know when you get in that board bit.
“You were getting out and she was rotten, fell down the stairs, slid and dunked you.”
Olivia asked: “So is that why he was cuddling me?”
Mark told her: “Yeah so when you were getting out, you were crying, and I was laughing.”
“I remember hitting my head, but I thought I hit it inside,” Olivia confessed.
Mark said: “No. It was when you got dunked under the water. And you were crying. I don’t see you cry at all.
“So I thought it was funny!”
Olivia then went on to explain the other part of the story.
She said: “Our friend Megan Elliot, who we love, we adore her. She is my second sister. She is my blood, my family.
“But love her, sometimes, she is a couple of sandwiches short of the whole picnic. Sometimes she comes out with things, we go “Oh, shut up, Megan!”
“So anyway, she goes, we’re in the middle of the ocean, right? And not posted anything for days.
“There’s a catamaran, so if you don’t know what a catamaran is, it’s one of those boats that has two bits, and then the middle bit is like, it’s a weird boat.
“She goes, “Someone is taking pictures of us off that boat! I saw a flash, it was massive.”
“And we go “Shut up, Megan!” We were all taking the p**s. Someone is taking pictures of us. Who do you think you are? Jennifer Aniston?!
“We were actually mocking her for it. And then she was like “No I swear!” We carried on about our business, next day we’re at the pool and I’m so hungover, I think I’m going to die.
“I’m on the back. I’m on the bed, and she comes in and she goes “Told you.” And then she was going all like “I told you, I told you”.
“She’s scrolling through and she goes “I knew it, I knew it. I saw…”
But in March, in a statement accusing her ex Bradley of cheating on her multiple times over their 10-year relationship, Olivia admitted she’s trying to move on.
“Yes, I’m dating,” wrote Olivia.
“Yes, I’m getting up every single day even when I have cried all night to film the shows I love filming, record my podcast, record my radio show, shoot campaigns and somewhere in there TRY to move on.”
NBA mock drafts projected Cameron Carr getting selected somewhere between 15 and 20 in the first round on Tuesday night.
Ending up with the Lakers later in the draft, however, was more than Carr could have asked for.
The Lakers acquired his draft rights from the New York Knicks, who took the 6-foot-5 Baylor guard with the 24th pick, in a multiple-team deal in which L.A. sent the draft rights to Spanish guard Sergio De Larrea, who was taken 25th, and cash considerations to New York.
As he sat for his introductory news conference Friday, dressed in all black, Carr shared what his thoughts were when he found out he would be playing for the Lakers.
“I’m going to the Lakers! It was more of an exciting thing,” he said. “It felt surreal. It didn’t feel real for the first couple minutes when I found out. It was trying to get my head around, ‘Man, I’m about to walk across the stage and be an NBA player.’ I’ve dreamed of this my whole life, especially since I was a kid. So it took a second. Still trying to get my head wrapped around it, but nothing but excitement and happiness. I feel more motivated to work.”
Rob Pelinka, the Lakers’ president of basketball operations, met Carr at the facility on Friday but didn’t speak with the media during the news conference.
It meant Pelinka couldn’t be asked about Austin Reaves agreeing to re-sign with the Lakers on a four-year, $185-million deal, or about how conversations are going with free agent LeBron James.
But NBA rules prohibit team officials from commenting on anything during the free agency moratorium, which won’t be lifted until July 6.
So, this day was all about the 21-year-old Carr and how impressed he was being in the Lakers’ building.
“Walking in the building, first thing you notice is the rich tradition of the people that have been here before you,” Carr said. “It’s a moment of happiness. As a kid, you always dreamed of walking across that stage and accomplishing everything you wanted to. Man, it just felt good to walk in the gym and look at the people that came before me. Now I’m in their shoes.”
Carr was viewed by NBA scouts as athletic with his 42½-inch vertical leap and as having a good jump shot.
During his sophomore season at Baylor, Carr averaged 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 blocks in 34 games. He shot 49.4% from the field, 37.4% from three-point range and 80.1% from the free-throw line.
But Carr quickly talked about how playing defense will be his calling card with the Lakers.
“Stepping into an organization with people with the same type of mindset and abilities, it only makes my job easier,” Carr said. “I’ve just got to cut and dunk the ball for them, and run in transition. But first things first is establishing a defensive consistency and showing I can be dominant or a plus on the defensive end as someone they would like to guard the best player.”
Carr always had his dad, Chris Carr, to lean on during his journey as a basketball player. Having him as a mentor was so beneficial because his father spent six seasons in the NBA. His most famous moment came in 1997, when he became the runner-up to Kobe Bryant in the slam dunk contest.
Now father and son have something else in common: making the NBA.
“I’ve always wanted to be better than him,” Carr said. “I’ve always been behind, so I want to show he’s put a lot of work in me becoming a better man. So I feel the only way I can credit him and show I’m thankful for him is by putting in the work and using it every single day. He was a heck of a player, so it’s some big footsteps I’ve got to follow and a long journey.
“It’s good motivation. My ‘why’ is just to be better and show people I’m better than a lot of people that are put in front of me. I feel like that’s the chip on my shoulder, or the fire under my feet.”
THIS may sound strange, but as we finished our first circuit around Yorkshire Wildlife Park, I was pleased we hadn’t seen all the animals who call this place home.
We hadn’t spotted them all because the amazing beasts — including giraffes, rhinos, zebras, lions, tigers, polar bears and wallabies — live in huge, free-roaming enclosures.
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Visitors at Yorkshire Wildlife Park can see the baby cheetahs that were born on Valentine’s Day this yearCredit: Dominic Lipinski/Yorkshire Wildlife ParkThe attraction is home to amazing beasts including giraffes, rhinos, zebras, lions, tigers, polar bears and wallabiesCredit: supplied
They have areas to play, relax, eat and sleep instead of being squashed in small cages just so humans can instantly peer at them.
The humans on my trip included my son Alex and his friends Jack and Finn, together with their mum Laura. They travelled from London and we went from Manchester, meeting at the park in Auckley, Doncaster.
Even though our visit to the 175- acre adventure park was in February we were lucky with the weather and by the end of our day we were lucky with the animals we saw, too.
It takes about 90 minutes to walk the 3km circular route, and once you’ve done it the first time, you can do it all over again.
As we passed by the 30 life-size dinosaur models and then watched sea lions, the boys used the park’s app to decide which animals they wanted to see.
For Alex, it was the six polar bears. They live in ten acres, with grassy plains, rocky beaches, water pools and shaded caves, but thankfully seemed to love being near visitors.
One gigantic bear dipped in the pool and had a kickabout with a football right in front of us.
Finn chose the red pandas. Visitors can book 30-minute experiences with several of the animals, including the red panda, and feed them.
But Finn was thrilled just to see the “real-life Kung Fu Panda”. Jack’s wish was to see the tigers.
As we headed there, we first saw monkeys swinging through trees and playing, which the boys loved. Then we stopped at Leopard Heights, which has a large elevated viewing platform plus ground-level glass wall to see the big cats play on their huge wooden climbing frames.
The polar bears live in ten acres, with grassy plains, rocky beaches, water pools and shaded cavesCredit: suppliedVisitor Alex loved the Jungle lookout, climbing through wooden tree forts and over obstacle coursesCredit: Supplied
But as big cats go, they weren’t as majestic as the lions who sprawled out on rocks, seemingly oblivious to everyone gazing at their splendour.
Throughout the park, signs explain each animal’s back story. There is a big focus on environmental projects and it was lovely to read how the lions had been rescued from dangerous situations, including from Ukraine.
The Amur tigers were a highlight. One wandered right past us making moaning noises, which apparently indicated contentment. But as one man behind me rightly commented: “You wouldn’t want to hear that on a dark night, would you?”
There are several picnic spots here, too. One is sensibly inside and next time I visit I’ll shove a sandwich or two in a backpack.
But we weren’t that organised so had lunch at the Safari Cafe. Two very decent coffees for the adults, plus sandwiches and quiche with salad, and three portions of nuggets, chips, beans and apple juices for the kids came to £45 which, for a tourist spot, didn’t seem like bad value.
There are also many play areas and the boys loved the Jungle lookout, climbing through wooden tree forts, over obstacle courses and down slides as us adults had a catch-up.
Finally we returned to the Yorkshire Hive — a hub at the centre of the park with a beauty salon, shops, cafes and fitness centre plus hotel the Hex, where we were staying.
After dumping our bags, we went to Evolution Experience Restaurant where there were more roaring dinosaurs, illuminated dragons, smoke effects, crayons and colouring sheets for the boys.
They each had home-made pizza, apple juice and organic fruit lollies for £10 while we had ribs for £12 with a decent sauvignon blanc and prosecco.
The hotel ticked a lot of boxes — bunk beds and giant bean bags for the boys to sit on and watch Netflix plus black-out blinds, Temple Spa bathroom products, fresh coffee sachets and the cutest packets of mini Jammie Dodgers I’ve ever seen.
But without doubt the best bit of that room was two oblong windows in the walls — one at kids’ level and one at adult height — giving a bird’s eye view over the park.
We watched the wolves prowling and then eating their breakfast. It was the highlight of our trip.
After we had our own breakfast — a full English buffet at the Wilds Cafe Bistro — the boys had a final run around at the large soft play centre, while we relaxed and chatted.
That’s what is so perfect about this place — they catered for the needs of the animals, the kids and us. And for me, that was the real winner.
GO: Yorkshire
STAYING THERE: This summer, you can enjoy a stay at the Hex Hotel, including a one-day pass for the Yorkshire Wildlife Park, from £45pp, based on two adults and two children sharing a standard family room.
Coastal La Guaira state showed widespread infrastructure damage. (Reuters)
Caracas, June 25, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuela suffered two successive major earthquakes on Thursday afternoon that caused devastating damage.
Authorities reported that 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes struck 39 seconds apart just after 6 pm. The epicenters were close to San Felipe, Yaracuy State, some 120 kilometers west of Caracas.
The tremors strongly shook central and northern Venezuela and were felt as far as Brazil and Colombia. Geological services registered 20 aftershocks in the following hours.
Emergency services, firefighters, and civil protection brigades were immediately deployed. Videos circulated on social media showed collapsed infrastructure in parts of the capital and nearby towns and rescue teams removing rubble to reach survivors.
Reports from the coastal of La Guaira showed completely devastated areas with rows of destroyed buildings.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez addressed the nation on Thursday night and again in the early hours of Friday, calling for calm and unity in the wake of the natural disaster and declaring a state of emergency.
Rodríguez decreed a suspension of educational and “non-essential” activities, as well as the Caracas metro and suburban trains. The Simón Bolívar airport in nearby Maiquetía was likewise temporarily shut down.
“The priority right now is to save lives,” the acting president told press. “Later we will address the material reconstruction.” Rodríguez gave a preliminary figure of 32 dead and over 700 injured.
The acting president called the situation in La Guaira “a real tragedy” and a “disaster zone” with dozens of collapsed buildings. She expressed condolences to relatives of victims and urged Venezuelans to report missing people or damaged infrastructure via a dedicated phone app.
Rodríguez went on to call on people to evacuate buildings with visible structural damage and urged medical personnel to report to their stations as soon as possible.
During her press conference, Rodríguez thanked multiple countries for expressing solidarity and offering support, and announced the imminent arrival of rescue teams from the US, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, and Qatar.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on social media that Washington is “immediately deploying search and rescue teams, medical resources, and humanitarian assistance to Venezuela.”
Caracas additionally received support from Bolivia, Brazil, Cuba, and a host of other nations. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum reported that specialized rescue teams are being prepared and that her government is in contact with Venezuelan counterparts.
Some areas of the capital and nearby states remained without electricity hours after the earthquakes. Authorities temporarily disconnected the direct supply of cooking gas to avoid secondary fires.
A future that, he says, has always intrigued him – and perhaps not dissimilar to David Beckham.
Like Bale, the English icon was his nation’s footballing figurehead and could have had his pick of post playing jobs, before ending up a co-owner of MLS franchise Inter Miami as part of various business interests.
Was that route an influence?
“I think so; a lot of American athletes do that type of thing and I would read about it and listen to interviews about what they’ve done,” says Bale, whose old Real Madrid teammate Luka Modric has become a minority investor in Swansea City.
“A lot of players still go down the coaching route, management or even with younger players at academies.
“But you are seeing more players being a bit more business minded. Maybe because we’ve done so much on one side, this side becomes a new chapter, a new world.
“It always really interested me, but I didn’t really have the opportunity before being introduced to John.”
The John who could help Bale build it like Beckham is experienced US investor John Shulman, founder of private equity firm Juggernaut Capital.
The company is said to have $1bn in capital commitments and had already been investing in various sport businesses – from golf courses and volleyball to “thrill” sports – but sensed an opportunity, especially when it came to Europe and the UK.
Shulman says he wanted to bring on board “an elite, iconic athlete” to help launch a sports specific investment platform – Juggernaut Diversified Sports – ready to invest more than £500m.
And after an introduction – and, naturally, a round of golf – found one.
“There is only a small number of human beings on the planet who have done what Gareth has done,” Shulman says.
“We’re good investors, but what we lacked is the mindset, experience, drive and unique perch Gareth does.
“I mean, the guy has got it all. What he can do on the pitch, I’ve seen him do in the boardroom metaphorically. So I have nothing but excitement about [our plans], doing it at the right time and the right place and the right way.”
One of the most devastating moments in world history will be brought to life on Disney+ by a beloved star of The Night Manager and Marvel blockbusters
The Night Manager star bags role in ‘gripping’ period drama(Image: BBC)
It’s shaping up to be one of the year’s most gripping docudramas.
BBC The Night Manager star Tom Hiddleston will be playing time detective in an immersive new historical series coming to National Geographic and Disney+ later this year.
Pompeii: Out of Time will reunite the iconic Marvel star with Loki executive producer Kevin R Wright for the three-part series that promises to lift the lid on the explosive historical moment.
The first-look trailer has given fans a glimpse of Hiddleston stepping into his new role as he makes the case that the eruption of Vesuvius wasn’t just a catastrophic day of death and destruction.
His latest series will feature an eye-opening investigation into those who may have survived the blast, brought to life with immersive and thrilling dramatisations.
Along for the journey is a team of ancient Rome experts, from archaeologists and historians to geologists and disaster experts, who will uncover remarkable real-life stories that challenge assumptions people have about the fateful day in 79 AD.
A teenage apprentice, a powerful businesswoman and a mysterious Praetorian Guard are all vital pieces of the puzzle as Hiddleston steps back in time to explore the hours before and during Vesuvius’ eruption in what is shaping up to be an essential watch for any history buff. A synopsis from Disney+ teases: “As the volcano awakens and the countdown to catastrophe begins, the evidence converges in a gripping race against time to uncover who survived, who perished, and what determined their fate.”
Hiddleston says in a statement: “The ancient world has compelled my imagination and curiosity for as long as I can remember: I’ve been fascinated by it all my life.
“Classical Antiquity is the foundation and cornerstone of Western and European culture. To visit Pompeii is to feel the distance of the 2,000 years between now and then compress. The past becomes the present; the past feels so close. Tangible, honest and real.
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“Our relationship with the past is alive — studying who we were in order to understand who we are. Pompeii is a gateway for that conversation. It’s a privilege to host this visually immersive and dynamic series.”
He added: “Pompeii is often remembered for how its story ended. But by looking closer, we can uncover the details of people’s lives, the choices they made, and the moments that came before the city was buried.
“To revisit the final hours of those ordinary people, caught in an extraordinary moment, and to help bring these remarkable human stories back into the light, is a genuine honour.”
The upcoming series is already generating excitement amongst fans, with one user commenting below the trailer on YouTube: “Omg this seems so interesting.”
“This is absolutely fascinating — Pompeii is an incredible place, and this approach brings its story to life in a very powerful way,” someone else replied, adding they’re “really looking forward” to tuning in.
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Disney+ is offering a discounted subscription at £3.99 per month for three months when signing up by May 6. This provides cheaper access to hit series like Rivals, Only Murders in the Building and The Bear, plus countless titles from Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and more.
“I want to see it NOW!” another fan exclaimed, and a final fan wrote: “For someone who’s survived Ragnarok, Tom Hiddleston couldn’t be better suited for this doc. Looking forward – or back – to it.”
Mark your calendars, as all three episodes will be available to stream in just over a month’s time.
Pompeii: Out of Time with Tom Hiddleston premieres Thursday, 23rd July on National Geographic and Disney+.
Midfielder Bernardo Silva has joined Real Madrid on a two-year deal, linking up with manager Jose Mourinho.
Silva, 31, left Manchester City at the end of last season, bringing an end to a trophy-laden nine-year spell.
Silva was heavily linked with a move to Spain, with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid also reportedly chasing his signature.
He becomes Real’s second signing of the summer as a free transfer after defender Marc Cucurella joined from Chelsea in a deal worth £52m.
Real did not win a trophy last season.
They finished eight points behind La Liga champions FC Barcelona and were knocked out in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Silva is at the World Cup with Portugal and is expected to play a pivotal role for his country.
Real are understood to be targeting departing Inter Milan defender Denzel Dumfries, while France defender Ibrahima Konate is set to join after leaving Liverpool.
Defender Antonio Rudiger this week signed a contract extension with Real until 2027.
Emily Ratajkowski posing topless, with a glass of sparkling wine in hand, while pretending to breastfeed a plastic baby dollCredit: Instagram/emrataA ‘lover’ seen in boxers as Emily poses with the dollCredit: Instagram/emrata
But that seems tame compared to her latest stunt — posing topless, with a glass of sparkling wine in hand, while pretending to breastfeed a plastic baby doll.
In the same shock shoot, a “lover” in boxers is pictured at her window as she nurses the doll.
But that seems tame compared to her latest stunt — posing topless, with a glass of sparkling wine in hand, while pretending to breastfeed a plastic baby doll.
Emily, 35, who has previously been linked to Harry Styles, shared the controversial images with her army of 27.9million Instagram followers.
It was to promote an explict essay she wrote, titled MotherF***er, for lifestyle and culture website The Cut.
But is this bizarre shoot — in which she has been accused of sexualising breastfeeding — an act of genius from the Gen Z favourite rumoured to be worth £6million? Or a sign her star power is waning?
Many believe the backlash is what London-born Emily had hoped for.
A source says: “She has perfected the art of turning internet outrage into a multi-million pound brand.
“For every ‘disgusted’ comment, she gets another thanking her for her honesty. The business she has built around her body and brain is astonishing. Emily is incredibly intelligent, but most people don’t see that.”
The insider adds: “Women abhor and adore her in equal measure, and most men lust after her.
“She wants to empower women, she is open about her sexual expression.
“When people tear her down, it only goes to prove her point about how she is perceived by people.”
A close-up of the fake ‘breast-feeding’ picCredit: Instagram/emrataEmily joins Kim Kardashian for a topless selfie in the bathroom in 2016Credit: Refer to Source
Emily’s Instagram post from her latest photoshoot drew more than 8,000 comments within hours.
Nude images The size 6 model pouts toward the camera while pressing the toy to her 32C chest.
She wears a black leather blazer and matching trousers, heavy eye make-up, and her brunette hair has been styled as dishevelled.
One Instagram user wrote: “That photo is genuinely disturbing.”
Another said of the shot: “When art becomes awkward, uncomfortable and unnecessary.”
Others called it a “desperate cry for attention” — which echoes criticism recently faced by Emily’s close pal Sydney Sweeney.
American actress Sydney shocked viewers of US coming-of-age TV drama Euphoria when the 28-year-old’s character Cassie Howard dressed as a baby while making content for her OnlyFans account.
It seems Emily and Sydney — both regulars on “hottest woman in the world” lists — will go to extreme lengths to make headlines.
Emily in ‘nude’ briefs with Thicke, for his Blurred Lines video in 2013Credit: Refer to SourceA source says: ‘She has perfected the art of turning internet outrage into a multi-million pound brand’Credit: Getty
Emily’s MotherF****er essay has also proved divisive, as she reveals she turned to casual dating after her marriage to Sebastian Bear-McClard failed in 2022 following the birth of their son Sylvester.
She writes about motherhood and marriage: “It was a violent transition into a new reality of screaming baby on my aching tit and ring on my swollen finger.
“And then, in a time period that felt both instant and excruciatingly slow, my marriage collapsed. Six months after my son was born, my husband and I stopped having sex. Less than a year later, we separated.”
The divorce was finalised last year and she reveals how it changed her as she began “compulsively dating”.
But Emily, who spent the first five years of her life in London before moving to the US with her family, writes of her time before that: “I knew that boys didn’t treat girls they thought of as sluts tenderly. Boys didn’t fall in love with, want forever with, raise babies with, or take care of sluts.
“I wanted to be taken care of — desperately. I tried to be a ‘good girl’.
“Keeping my body count low was insurance. I thought it meant no one would ever cheat on me, that I’d always be loved, happy and safe.” But she adds: “None of that had turned out to be true.”
In graphic detail, she recalls dates with a man she refers to as the “elder millennial” — and performing a sex act not long after they first met.
She writes: “I’d found everything I’d come there for — a praying mantis devouring her mate.”
Sparing the blushes of the men she has previously dated — including a whirlwind romance with Brad Pitt, and US comic Pete Davidson — Emily uses pseudonyms in the essay.
She adds: “I decided to f*** my way into a new kind of woman. I wanted to destroy the Madonna, the special girl I’d worked so hard to be before an eight-pound baby had torn my vagina in two, and replace her with the whore.”
She goes on to write that, “men are turned on by motherhood”, adding: “I’d been so scared that, as a single mother, I was unlovable, used up and discarded. I soon came to find out it was quite the opposite of ‘they don’t care’. In fact, they liked it. There were many men who experienced the loneliness that comes with years of selfishness. They were particularly attracted to the idea that being a parent meant self-sacrifice was a given in my life. Did they want me as their mummy? Maybe.”
Emily is snapped with Harry Styles in 2023Emily has a tender moment with her real-life son SylvesterCredit: instagram/emrata
Emily was first signed as a model at age 14 but got her big break in the controversial Blurred Lines video.
She was then named as one of the world’s “hottest sex symbols” by Rolling Stone mag, and soon after announced as FHM’s “fourth sexiest woman in the world”.
Emily, who was born to an English mum and American dad, moved into acting while also modelling for the likes of Dolce & Gabbana, DKNY, Marc Jacobs and Miu Miu.
But as her fame grew, she became vocal about protecting women.
In 2016, she went to war with US photographer Jonathan Leder, who used Polaroid images of her from a shoot four years earlier in a book she claimed was a “violation”.
Emily said she believed the photos were taken for a magazine — and that she did not give consent for the pictures, which included nudes, to be used in a book.
She wrote at the time: “Five out of the now hundreds of released photos were used for what they were intended: an artful magazine shoot back in 2012.
“These photos being used without my permission is an example of exactly the opposite of what I stand for — women choosing when and how they want to share their sexuality and bodies.”
Pals Sydney Sweeney, left, and Emily in New York last yearCredit: GettyEmily said: ‘Like any art, there’s a million ways to interpret it. All I can say is that when a woman is naked, that’s not immediately anti-feminist’Credit: Instagram
She was supported by Kim Kardashian — who similarly has turned controversy into cash.
The pair posed topless together for a selfie taken in a bathroom after Kim was reviled for posting a naked photo online.
Emily captioned the shot: “We are more than just our bodies, but that doesn’t mean we have to be shamed for them or our sexuality.”
It led to uproar on social media, as Emily became embroiled in a row with broadcaster Piers Morgan — who claimed they were undermining feminism.
Emily later hit back, explaining: “Kim said to me, ‘You know, when Lena Dunham takes her clothes off, she gets flak, but it’s also considered brave. When Justin Bieber takes his shirt off, he’s a grown-up’.
“When a woman who is sexual takes off her top, it plays into something. The whole idea is that when Kim takes a nude selfie, she’s just seeking attention. That’s not the issue. A woman can be seeking attention and also make a statement. They don’t need to be mutually exclusive.”
Emily later started writing essays that she made into a book, My Body, which became a New York Times bestseller in 2021 — and she also launched her own swimwear business, Inamorata.
The book saw Emily discuss being sexualised and exploited during her career — and allege she was sexually assaulted by singer Robin on the set of Blurred Lines.
Of the video and how it changed her life, Emily writes: “I wasn’t just famous; I was famously sexy, which, in many ways, felt gratifying.”
She adds: “I am complicit. But I also think it’s a mistake to shame a young woman for wearing a tight dress because she wants to be noticed by someone powerful.
“I don’t think we should continue to criticise women for saying, ‘This is how I can succeed and capitalise off of my image or my body’. That is an extension of the same misogyny I’ve seen so much in my life. We are all complicit.”
Those close to Emily believe she will steadfastly continue baring her soul despite the pushbacks that come her way.
A friend says: “Emily’s honesty is uncomfortable for some, but provides validation and solidarity for others.
“People will always have something to say. There’s nothing she can do about that.
“Emily’s said it herself, she doesn’t care what people think. It’s white noise. She is doing what she wants and saying what she wants. It is her truth and it is her choice to say it.”
As Emily put it: “Like any art, there’s a million ways to interpret it. All I can say is that when a woman is naked, that’s not immediately anti-feminist.
“I have no apologies for it, and I’m not ashamed at all.”
He had a heart-tugging origin story that saw him transform from a has-been television star into one of the thousands of residents who lost their home in last year’s Palisades fire. He faced an unpopular incumbent in Mayor Karen Bass. He was powered by a vigorous social media presence and an angry electorate thirsty for change.
He was able to capitalize on those conditions to outraise his main rivals, Bass and city council member Nithya Raman, and transform his candidacy from an afterthought into a national story. Running as a Republican in a super-blue city like L.A. put him at an automatic disadvantage — one that might have been extremely difficult to overcome in the end. But the Pratt posse started to feel like a bona fide movement the more it thundered on, the type of revolt against the old guard that in previous eras led to the passage of Proposition 13 and the recall of Gov. Gray Davis — the type of movements that forever alter California politics.
Pratt, however, faced an apparently insurmountable obstacle.
Pratt.
With almost all votes counted, he’s going to finish in third place with about 26% of the electorate — the same slice Donald Trump received in 2024 — while Bass and Raman proceed to face each other in November. Political strategists will teach his failed attempt to their clients as a cautionary tale of how a candidate blew every advantage they had when they couldn’t afford to lose one.
Pratt’s first mistake was thinking that Angelenos wanted a campaign of wanton rage. Yes, many residents are furious at the state of the city. Yes, they want change. Yes, the angry Angeleno archetype is a real phenomenon that flares up in local elections to smack back at the powers that be.
But L.A. is not MAGAlandia — running from the right on apocalyptic, whiny messaging will only get you the few Republicans that remain in the city and some disaffected liberals. Pratt didn’t run as a MAGA candidate, but it’s hard to say he didn’t run like one — even as he swore he was running for everyone.
He took every opportunity to ridicule progressives in a city where four democratic socialists sit on the city council, one of them — Raman — has a good chance of becoming the next mayor, and five of the six candidates endorsed by the local chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America either won outright or are moving on to the general election.
Instead of making overtures to that side of the populist coin, Pratt recorded videos obsessing over Bass’ trip to communist Cuba in the 1970s, a well-known fact he treated as revelatory and which made Pratt sound like he was stuck in a John Birch Society meeting circa 1965. His dismissal of Raman as “stupid” and the mayor as “Basura” — trash — came off as facile juvenilia at a time when we already have the Big Juvenile Delinquent running things in the White House. Ridiculing homeless people as “zombies,” “vagrants” and “bums” only riled up the worst elements of the city and turned off anyone with a heart.
Keith Casey of Casey’s Family BBQ serves up food as L.A. mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt hosts a campaign “block party” event on 10th Avenue in Los Angeles on May 20.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Pratt undoubtedly attracted votes from a good amount of non-MAGA people fed up with various problems afflicting L.A. But many of the supporters who brayed the loudest on his behalf were the same people already doing daily propaganda on social media for a failed, hate-filled president and his baleful cronies.
Pratt acted like he believed the AI-generated videos created by fans that cast him as a comic-book hero was real life instead of forgetting that he was a novice trying to take on two experienced politicians. While Bass and Raman trekked across the city during the primary, Pratt limited his public appearances mostly to the Westside and random encounters with supporters he posted on social media. The few times he appeared outside those safe spaces came off as safari expeditions in a mysterious city the 42-year-old lifelong Angeleno obviously didn’t know.
Take the South L.A. block party he hosted last month. Instead of having something thoughtful to say about the state of Black L.A. or how its political leaders continue to neglect the region, all Pratt seemed to take away from that afternoon was that it was in the territory of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips, a detail he shared ad nauseum on social media and to the press — as if kicking it with gang members would fix L.A. or gain him any votes or grant some kind of street cred.
That self-centered cluelessness ended up torpedoing Pratt’s best campaign moment. In the one debate he participated in, Pratt put Bass on the defensive, turned Raman into a tongue-tied mess, kept his answers sharp and relatable, and even earned the praise of the moderators. He should’ve demanded more gatherings like that to flex his mastery of television cameras, make his case to as many Angelenos as possible and showcase the self-proclaimed Pratt Daddy as someone willing to take on hard questions anytime, anyplace, from anyone.
Instead, Pratt declined an invite to their only other scheduled debate and never bothered with the forums civic groups across the city held in order for their members to hear from candidates. Instead, Pratt flew out to New York the week before election day to appear on Fox News.
Sticking to largely sycophantic media who lobbed softball questions hardened his ceiling. Pratt needed to proselytize — not preach to the choir.
The thing is, Pratt made some strong points about the inefficiencies of L.A.’s political status quo and the outrage that is having tens of thousands of people live on our streets. And there’s something appealing about an outsider crashing City Hall, which is way too beholden to sclerotic lifers who can be as clueless about what the city needs as Pratt turned out to be.
Instead, he platformed people who saw L.A. as a hellhole — or “shithole,” as Trump likes to call certain places. It was hard to see what some of Pratt’s loudest and most strident supporters actually thought was worth preserving in the city — but not why they felt he was their man.
In the wake of his loss, Pratt sure hasn’t push back against unfounded claims by too many of his followers and Trump, Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson that Democrats somehow rigged the election against him. Quite the contrary, Pratt has insinuated on social media that they’re onto something.
That last point reinforces the ultimate reason Pratt could never become L.A.’s next mayor: He really doesn’t believe in L.A.
Angelenos don’t mind haters — it’s the type of city that frustrates residents even on its best days. But one insult residents won’t brook is someone who doesn’t have confidence in better days ahead for the city no matter how dire things may be.
Angelenos can spot a phony from far away — and Spencer, you’re turning out to be phonier than the fake drama on any of the television shows you ever appeared in.
You vowed to leave L.A. if you didn’t win the race for mayor. Maybe you should stay and try to righteously pressure Bass and Raman to make much needed changes. If you do, urge your followers to do the same instead of them pouting and sitting out the mayor’s race.
But if you don’t, well, maybe you never really loved L.A. as much as the City of Angels, warts and all, deserves. And you kind of need to really love L.A. to really fix what ails it.
Benfica said they had “reached an agreement” with Silva who is set to sign a contract until the end of the 2027-28 season which can be extended to 2028-29.
Fulham were Silva’s fourth English club after spells in charge of Hull City, Watford and Everton.
Mourinho’s exit from Estadio da Luz was also announced, with Benfica saying Real Madrid will pay them £13m (15m euros) in compensation to bring the 63-year-old back to the Bernabeu.
“The coach [Mourinho] has given his agreement to this hiring,” added a Benfica statement.
“Thus ended Jose Mourinho’s second spell as manager of Benfica’s professional football team.”
Mourinho took charge of Benfica in September and led them to third place in the Primeira Liga this season as they went through the league campaign unbeaten.
In his previous spell in charge of Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, the Portuguese won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.
