reality

Louis Tomlinson reveals heartbreaking reality of juggling being a superstar singer and a dad

LOUIS TOMLINSON has opened up about juggling being a globetrotting singer and a proud dad.

The former One Direction star said: “Being a dad is incredibly rewarding, but it’s also challenging.

Louis Tomlinson has opened up about juggling being a singer and a dad Credit: Getty
Louis shared this pic online when son Freddie was born Credit: PA:Press Association

“On my recent American run of shows, my son Freddie came to two shows.

“I normally do a really good job of splitting myself down the middle – me as dad, and me at work as a singer.

“When those two worlds meet, I find it incredibly stressful because all I want to do is give all of my time to Freddie, but the mental game to stand up on stage is also quite consuming.

“Me and my son almost pretend that I don’t do this job – we live our lives as normally as we possibly can.

Read more on Louis Tomlinson

BIG ISSUE

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it’s a …

Louis Tomlinson’s sister Phoebe reveals gender of unborn baby in sweet video

“When home and work collide, it’s a bit uncomfortable as, truthfully, all I want to do is spend my time with him.”

Louis made the candid comments to The Snuts’ Jack Chochrane for the Finding Joy In Short Moments podcast with Calm.

Despite completing two as-good-as-sold-out world tours, Louis says he still doubts himself at times now he’s without his bandmates.

He added: “It can be tough for me. Sometimes I might not think I am good enough to be on the stage.

“But I never leave the stage with that feeling.”

Coming from a band is always hard – let alone one that contained superstar Harry Styles – but I think Louis is killing it.

LOLA STARS IN STRIPES

Lola Young in a bold, multicoloured co-ord as she performs at the 2026 Austin City Limits Music Festival Credit: Getty

LOLA YOUNG is stripe on trend as she takes to the stage in Texas.

The Messy singer wore this bold, multicoloured co-ord as she performed at the 2026 Austin City Limits Music Festival at the weekend.

Lola’s set went down a treat with festivalgoers, but just days ago the star revealed she sometimes struggles to breathe due to her love of vapes.

Taking to TikTok, Lola explained: “Somebody once said to me, ‘Lola, there will be a day when you wake up, you’ll be 25 or 26, from a deep sleep, and you’ll start to feel the effects of vaping’.

“You know what I said? I said ‘nah’ and rolled my eyes.

“But let me tell you something, the day has come.

“My lungs feel like they’re battery-powered, like they’re just one big battery.

“Breathing feels like a chore, it feels like hard work, it feels like I should be paid for breathing. It feels like there will be no tomorrow.”

MARRIED JOY APPEALS TO TROYE

Aussie star Troye Sivan with Charli XCX Credit: Getty

AUSSIE star Troye Sivan says attending Dua Lipa and Charli XCX’s glitzy weddings gave him a kick up the bum to find a husband.

The Rush singer, who is 31, explained: “All of my friends in Australia, they all got married when we were young, early 20s vibe.

“I felt nothing because I was like, ‘I’m on such a different track of life from them. I’m living in the US, I’m gay and I’m surrounded by people who are not married’.

“Then I started to feel the pressure for the first time when I started to go to music peers’ weddings.”

Troye split from model Jacob Bixenman in 2020. He told the Therapuss podcast: “Seeing Charli and Dua get married, I’m like, ‘Oh, f**k, my excuse of I’m really busy . . .  I’m nowhere near as busy as them and they managed to make it work’.

“So I’m like, ‘OK, yeah, I should try and lock this down somehow’.”

KAI’S SCARY TRIP IS STRICTLY BUSINESS

Kai Widdrington and Chloe Wells attend the VIP night of Shocktober Fest at Tulleys Farm Credit: Getty

IT seems Kai Widdrington has been getting in the mood for Strictly’s Halloween special later this month.

The pro dancer took time out from his gruelling training sessions with celeb partner Delta Goodrem for a date night at the weekend.

The buff star and his girlfriend Chloe Wells headed to the VIP launch of Tulleys Shocktober Fest – the largest scream park in Europe.

Luckily, the scare mazes were the only fright Kai got this weekend as last night he and Delta sailed through to the next week of Strictly.

I honestly think they could go all the way.

GLASTO’S A 42-MIN SELL OUT

Harry Styles is set to headline Glastonbury 2027 Credit: Getty Images

CONGRATULATIONS to all who secured tickets to Glastonbury 2027.

Yesterday hundreds of thousands of hopefuls battled to get tickets to the greatest festival on earth.

Tickets to Glasto 2027 were the highest price ever at £408 each, but they still sold out in 42 minutes.

Headliners are set to be announced soon – with Harry Styles a dead cert for one of the slots. I previously told how Lily Allen has also been officially asked to perform at Worthy Farm.

The last time she was on the bill was in 2014, so I’m sure her set next year will be a moment.

The Bizarre team will be there to bring you all the gossip.


BUSTED’s Matt Willis revealed neither he nor wife Emma thought she would manage to land the Strictly hosting job, but he couldn’t be more proud of her.

He said: “Strictly was a curveball. Taking the biggest job on TV was not on our bingo card for 2026, but I’m so proud of her.

“And if anyone can do it, it’s Emma. I’m stoked for her, she’s perfect for it, and loves the show so much.”


TAKE THAT £73M TO THE BANK

Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald earned £73million from their Circus Live stadium tour Credit: Mike Marsland/WireImage

TAKE THAT are laughing all the way to the bank.

Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald pulled in a staggering £73million from their summer Circus Live stadium tour.

In a report from Pollstar – the leading music analytics firm –  the trio earned £4,299,605.67 every night of their two-hour celebration.

The bank-balance-busting fees break down to £195,436.62 a song, £35,830 a minute, or £597.17 a second.

I was invited to hang out with the lads for their first night in Sheffield, and honestly, it was one of the best nights of my life.

FEARNE IS IN A REAL HAPPY PLACE NOW

Fearne Cotton’s wellness brand Happy Place banked £2million last year Credit: Getty

FEARNE COTTON’s wellness brand Happy Place has put her in just that, as it banked £2million last year.

The former Top Of The Pops host set up the company after mental health struggles left her too scared to continue as a live TV or radio host – and her venture has certainly paid dividends.

As well as Happy Place being a podcast, she now holds the Happy Place Festival, has written books, and has built a market place where she gets a cut if people make purchases.

Latest accounts filed at Companies House show the star’s firm paid £500,000 in tax last year. After paying bills, the company has £1.4m in equity, including close to £1.2m cash in the bank – a rise from £900,000 the year before.

Fearne has been in the spotlight since the age of 15, when she won a nationwide talent search to present TV’s The Disney Club.

While her career has had a few twists and turns over the years, this is sure to have helped put a smile back on her face.

THE WEEK IN BIZNESS

MONDAY: Vicky Pattison takes on her most ambitious challenge yet with Tyne To Thames – a five-day, 250-mile journey from Newcastle to London by kayak, bike and on foot for Global’s Make Some Noise charity.

WEDNESDAY: Danny Beard will host the Attitude Awards at London’s Roundhouse where a host of stars will receive awards ahead of performances from Sugababes and Orville Peck.

FRIDAY: The Social Reckoning, a sequel to The Social Network, starring Mikey Madison and Jeremy Allen White hits cinemas, as Oasis’ film Don’t Look Back In Anger airs on Disney+.

SUNDAY: Andrew Garfield will be in town for the London Film Festival gala screening of his new movie Artificial with Monica Barbaro and Chris O’Dowd, about the firing and reinstatement of OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman.

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Big Brother star Omar’s secret reality TV past revealed as clip of him on show with Chloe Burrows resurfaces

BIG Brother fans may recognise Omar El Mayer’s from another telly show – as it’s not his first rodeo.

The contestant, who is currently taking part on the fly-on-the-wall show, took part on a YouTube series called The Intern, which aired late 2025.

Big Brother star Omar previously took part on YouTube series The Intern Credit: Channel 4.0
The contestant is currently on the ITV fly-on-the-wall show Credit: Shutterstock Editorial

Love Island star Chloe Burrows, Nella Rose, Harry Pinero, and PK Humble featured in the digital comedy series.

It followed twenty contestants claiming to be superfans of Nella and fight to win a real internship working with her.

But some participants were hidden clout-chasers trying to fake their fandom to win a £3,000 cash prize instead of the job.

Omar was a participant on the online series and revealed himself to be a “clout chaser”.

ROLL THE TAPES

Huge Big Brother twist as house is rocked by Love Island-esque Movie Night


WITCH HUNT

Big Brother house in bust-up over shocking comment that leaves newbie in tears

Omar has clashed with some of his fellow housemates this week Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
Yasmin hit out at him for being the ‘fun police’ after they repeatedly clashed Credit: Shutterstock Editorial

He admitted he was only there for the money and fired by the hosts during the elimination process.

Things have continued to spiral on Big Brother, with a series of rows and housemates butting heads.

In a recent explosive clash, Omar and Yasmin went head-to-head as she insisted he was the “fun police“.

The first row kicked off when Omar clashed with Rob after he was seen dancing barefoot across the kitchen table.

A fuming Omar loudly exclaimed: “Get off the table – we eat on it. Get off the table, please.”

Rob continued to dance before being shouted at once more by Omar.

Annoyed at Rob, he remarked to Rochelle: “This is mad – I put my bread on that table yesterday. And he’s got his feet on it. It’s horrible.” 

A back and forth soon ensued with Omar saying: Yesterday I put my toast on that table and ate it off the table.

“That means if I didn’t see you do that, today I would have put toast on top of your feet.”

Rochelle later remarked that Rob is left upset by Omar’s comment before Omar raged: “I don’t care if he is sensitive, bro and he needs to f***ing deal with it, bro.”

But Rob was not his only target with Yasmin also coming under fire from Omar as he took aim at her loudness.

He said to her: “You need to stop with the obnoxiously loud songs.”

As Yasmin hits back and suggested he was against “people having fun,” she soon got more riled up and said: “Let your hair down. Have a laugh. It’s alright.

“F***ing hell. I’m going to do what the f*** I please.

“Stop telling me what to do. You keep telling me what to do and I don’t like it.” 

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Mike Tomlin’s ‘Minecraft’ obsession has one ex-Steelers star stunned

Mike Tomlin’s YouTube video detailing his labor of love of more than a decade is well on its way to a million views in less than 24 hours. His tweet about it has accumulated more than 20 million views.

No, it’s not a deep dive into Tomlin’s 19 years as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, a reign that produced a Super Bowl title, zero losing seasons and a 193-114-2 overall record.

It’s about his obsession with “Minecraft,” the immensely popular video sandbox game that takes place in a world of 3D cubes representing raw materials such as wood, ores, stone and dirt. Players craft elaborate structures and — certainly in Tomlin’s case — full-blown cities.

At least one of Tomlin’s former players is astonished that he was able to construct a sprawling “Minecraft” community in the limited spare time enjoyed by an NFL head coach.

“we were tryna to win super bowls and coach T was on minecraft building cities,” former Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell wrote on X, adding a crying emoji.

Countless adults were introduced to the game by taking their kids to “A Minecraft Movie,” the 2025 film starring Jack Black, Jason Mamoa, Sebastian Hansen and Emma Myers that brought in a worldwide box office total of nearly $1 billion.

Tomlin got an earlier start, watching his middle school-age sons spending weekends playing the game in 2014, the same year the Steelers went 11-5 to begin a four-year streak of double-figure wins. His sons, Dino and Mayce, eventually outgrew the game, but Tomlin’s interest increased.

“At different times over the course of a 12-month calendar, I would have different levels of fixation on this, but it’s been a project that’s been ongoing for 12-plus years,” he said on the 19-minute video titled “Rooftops, Penthouses, and Urban Living.”

Tomlin said he preferred playing in creative mode, as opposed to survival, hardcore or adventure modes. He also said getting his mind off of football was good for his mental health.

“I kind of remember when I was building communities, neighborhoods, buildings, etc.,” he said. “But more than anything, it was therapeutic for me, some mindless entertainment. I’m not a big TV watcher. [“Minecraft”] allowed me to detach from the realities and pressures of life.”

The realities and pressures of coaching in the NFL include a 24/7 work mentality. Watching film and diagramming plays deep into the night. Sleeping on a cot in the team facility.

The attention to detail he brought to his day job was evident in his “Minecraft” creations.

“I was always really conscious of appropriate amenities,” Tomlin said. “You’ll find, you know, an appropriate number of public restrooms and stuff throughout all my public facilities. Not anything over the top in terms of detail: sink areas, stalls, etc. It was important that I represented that.”

Tomlin’s younger son, Mayce, a 24-year-old Columbia graduate, is having a kick on social media posting reactions to his father’s “Minecraft” reveal.

“Bro I used to come home sometimes and my PlayStation would just be gone. And I wasn’t in trouble😭😭😭” Mayce wrote on X.

Tomlin retired from coaching after the 2025 season and now works as an NFL studio analyst for NBC Sports on the pregame show “Football Night in America.” Presumably he has more time to devote to “Minecraft.”

“I like to build, I’ve always had an interest in architecture and so forth,” he said. “So I started doing this creative city. It was a means of spending time with [my children]. They participated. All over this city, all my kids have got buildings.

“Over the course of time, they got disinterested in the game. They were going to high school and off to college, and their participation became less and less over the years. My participation probably at times increased.”

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Seven things I learned watching Coleen and Wayne Rooney’s new family reality show The Real Rooneys

The Real Rooneys gives fans a real insight into the lives of Wayne and Coleen Rooney and also some surprising details of what goes on

The Real Rooneys throws up some interesting and surprising scenes and a lot of nuggets of information and Wayne and Coleen which will be new for fans. Coleen says of the series: “We live in this in this extraordinary world, but we are normal at the end of the day.”

Wayne adds: “When you know you’re on TV or you’re doing something, you maybe tone things down a little bit, but at home with four young boys, that’s impossible. It’s real what you see.” Here are some of the more shocking and surprising things I spotted previewing the first four episodes…

WAYNE’S WINDOWLESS REQUEST

The Rooneys live in an incredible mansion with dozens of rooms and grounds which are big enough for them to race around in go karts, as we see on the show. But despite paying for the property, Wayne had just two slightly odd requests when it was built. He says: “I only wanted two things in here, a small little room with no windows, not because I am a psycho for playing PlayStation or watching a movie. And a snooker table. I didn’t really care what else.” Thanks to Coleen there is also other great rooms which have fun things in them like a swimming pool and a boxing ring.

COLEEN LUCKY TO BE ALIVE

Coleen’s mum reveals that her beloved daughter may never have met Wayne or survived beyond a brief childhood having been very ill as a small child.

Colette McLoughlin tells the cameras: “When Coleen was three, she got really sick. It turned out it was encephalitis, and her brain was swelling. She couldn’t walk. She couldn’t speak. She was stumbling her words. When we got to Alder High Hospital, she ended up in a coma. For 24 hours it was touch and go. She had to learn to walk again. All the coordination had gone, but I’m so grateful because she was alive.” This help she got at hospital is one of the reasons Coleen’s parents became foster carers.

WAYNE WATERWORKS AT TV SOAPS

Wayne admits now he is older he gets emotional about lots of things. The subject comes up when Kai’s football career is being discussed and he is asked if he will cry if his eldest son gets a scholarship at Manchester United. Wayne replies: “Probably. I cry at everything anyway. I’ve cried over some mad things, Coronation Street, X Factor, when Barry got pushed off the hill by Janine in EastEnders, I’m pretty sure I was crying.”

COLEEN CONSIDERED SPLIT FROM WAYNE

His bad behaviour down the years is well documented and Wayne is not perfect husband material in the series either. Like most married couples there are some rows and at one stage Coleen says: “There’s times where I think ‘Is the answer to see what it’s like if we were separated?’.”

She then adds: “But the we still care for each other, we still have good times. You know, we still love each other.”

At another point she tells Wayne: “It’s been a bit of a lads holiday for you, staying up all night. You can’t just keep doing what you do. It is not fair of everyone else. It is only you that can fix it because no one else is doing it. I’m just hoping that things change.”

KAI MOCKS HIS DAD

It seems Wayne struggles with early starts as he is shown sleeping through alarms and missing doing the school run on at least one occasion.

But one morning – seemingly the first time the Disney+ cameras are at the home – Wayne is seen up early, although he seems in need of coffee. His eldest son Kai is clearly not used to seeing his dad before school. With a grin he says: “Bro’s up for the cameras”.

Kai also states he is the best footballer in the family, and that he wants people to “know the name Kai Rooney” so he is a star footballer in his own right in the future.

WAYNE SOMETIMES HATES FAME

Wayne and Coleen take their two youngest children Kit, 10; and Cass, eight to Poland for an educational trip.

Initially it goes well and Wayne goes unrecognised but a trip on a horse drawn cart in Krakow blows his cover and he is soon swamped for autographs and selfies, and then family need to beat a sharp exit.

Afterwards Wayne reflects on what happened and says his level of fame has changed him as a person and he would love to be able to live unrecognised more often. He says: “I’m not a celebrity. People who know me know, know that I want to be as normal as possible.

“Back to when I was a kid, and you wanted to be a football player. That’s all I ever wanted to do, and didn’t care about fame or money or whatever. I just wanted to be a football player. I think I’d be such a better husband, dad, person, friend without it(fame). It affects places I go, things I do.

“I bought a mask I saw on TikTok[to use as a disguise], it looked incredible but it was terrible.”

WAYNE’S JEWISH ROOTS

As part of the break with Kit, 10; and Cass, the family visit Auschwitz because Kit asked to visit while learning about the Second World War at school.

Wayne tells the cameras: “I recently found out my mum’s mum, so me nan, her family were Polish Jews.”

He is told by producers that would make him technically jewish. Wayne replies: “I’m Catholic, but then I’ve always asked questions like, why aren’t we Jewish?”

Told it could make a whole spin off show he says with a grin: “Roo the jew!”

* Stream The Real Rooneys on Disney+ from September 24.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .



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Gemma Collins’ fiance Rami admits ‘I have a drinking problem’ as explosive rows are exposed in new reality series

GEMMA Collins’ fiancé Rami Hawash has admitted to having a drinking problem.

Gemma, 45, has revealed viewers will see how Rami’s alcohol dependency impacted their relationship in Gemma Collins: Everything. All At Once.

Gemma Collins’ fiancé Rami Hawash has opened up about his alcohol dependency Credit: Instagram/@rami_hawash_
Her reality series Gemma Collins: Everything. All At Once debuts on September 15 Credit: Getty

The upcoming reality series officially debuts on Sky and NOW on September 15.

Speaking at the show’s launch, Rami shared: “I drink, I’ve got a drink problem and I don’t want to hide it.

“I wanted people to know it is a problem. I’ve got a problem and life is not that great.

“I don’t know why, but I find the drink, it was like, kind of my friend. You know, I have a few drinks and I’m forgetting everything.”

Read more on Gemma Collins

FALL OUT

Inside Gemma Collins’ agony & explosive rows with Rami over secret booze battle


FRIENDS AGAIN

Gemma Collins ends six-year feud at NTAs as she and rival bury the hatchet

The couple originally met in 2011 and got engaged in 2013, but this was later broken off Credit: Instagram
The couple are thought to have gotten back together in 2023 Credit: Getty

Meanwhile, Gemma said of her experience in the documentary: “You can see I’m unwell.

“You can see I’m not in my best, and life just got progressively worse as I let the cameras in. It was hell.

“But you know, one thing my mum taught me was resilience, I’m resilient to get through all this really.

“It can get better. So let’s hope everything starts to get better now because I can’t take any more. I need a break.”

Gemma originally met partner Rami all the way back in 2011 in an Essex pub.

The pair announced their first engagement on December 27, 2013, although this was broken off several weeks later.

They are thought to have gotten back together in 2020, with Gemma confirming in December the following year that they were once again engaged.

Gemma and Rami are yet to tie the knot.

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High-Yield Reality: CFOs Rethink Corporate Debt Strategies

With high rates here to stay, CFOs rely on internal cash and working capital for stability.

In August, U.S. Treasury yields reached multi-decade highs. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent responded by doubling the size of buyback operations for 10- to 20-year and 20- to 30-year securities to a floor of $4 billion each, effective Sept. 9 — a stopgap lasting through November 4, when the Treasury releases its next official policy statement.

Yet while Washington intervenes to stabilize government debt, finance chiefs must reckon with higher costs of capital.

“Higher rates have changed the math and, more importantly, reduced the margin for error,” Thomas DeFabrizio, CFO, Americas at Impellam Group, said in an email. “The hurdle rate should move when the cost of capital moves. Otherwise, you are pretending the financing environment has not changed.”

This reality is forcing companies to look inward, turning operational efficiency into a primary source of funding. “Every dollar released from receivables or inventory is a dollar you do not have to borrow at today’s rate,” DeFabrizio said — a meaningful gap when investment-grade credit is yielding around 5.5% and broad high-yield debt is near 7%, with lower-rated credit running considerably higher.

“That makes working capital much more than a finance housekeeping exercise,” DeFabrizio added. “It becomes a capital-allocation decision.”

Era of Cheap Capital Ends

Elevated borrowing costs directly filter down into corporate balance sheets and consumer demand, sparking broader concerns over whether public and private debt issuance has reached a tipping point. Rather than waiting for a rate relief cycle that may never materialize, finance leaders are taking direct defensive action.

Duncan Young, principal at San Francisco-based consulting firm Saorsa Growth Partners, specializes in providing fractional CFO services to companies. Businesses, he told Global Finance via email, are now prioritizing balance sheet durability over aggressive expansion.

To hedge against benchmark rate risks, companies are restructuring their short-term obligations and shifting benchmark exposure.

Portrait photo of Duncan Young,
Saorsa Growth Partners
Duncan Young,
Saorsa Growth Partners

“This is likely a function of risk-off bondholders and bank balance sheets, shifting away from Treasuries towards corporates. We’re pricing off SOFR when possible, to avoid the Treasury rate risk,” he said.

Instead of speculating on interest rate cuts, companies with near-term debt maturities are moving quickly to lock in fixed terms to insulate themselves from further upside volatility in yields.

“Our ‘current debt’ revolvers are being paid back [or] termed out to give us more resilience, heading into uncertainty. We aren’t expecting yields to ease,” Young said.

That posture is showing up across the broader CFO community.

Companies Are ‘Stretched Thin’

Middle-market companies, firms that typically generate less than $1 billion in annual revenue, have even less room to maneuver. Nick Araco, CEO of CFO Alliance, hears that many CFOs “are stretched thinner on what their current options are.”

As a result, they’re watching the Federal Reserve more closely, he added. “They don’t have the same flexibility to just refinance on their own timeline.”

“The ones sitting on debt maturing in the next 12 to 24 months are largely not betting on yields easing meaningfully,” Araco said, describing conversations across the group’s roughly 9,000 members.

This conservative stance is fundamentally altering capital allocation strategies. Rather than relying on leverage to fuel aggressive top-line targets, firms are relying on internal cash generation. They’re scaling back capital expenditures and holding cash as a strategic buffer.

“Return on cash gives us some benefit — for example, it softens the opportunity cost of us paying off debt. Terming out on a fixed rate and sitting on the cash so we can stay liquid in the next liquidity crisis is insurance worth paying,” Young added. “Given the AI outlook and the consequences of a bubble pop, we’re prioritizing resilience over growth rate, and this means less leverage and a more liquid balance sheet.”

Preparing for Double Shock

Government debt continues to test the limits of market capacity. An August 30-year Treasury auction drew below-average demand and record dealer absorption as yields hit 5.2% — the highest since 2001. Meanwhile, foreign investors’ share of U.S. debt has slid to about 30% from a 2008 peak of 49%, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget and the Bipartisan Policy Center.

That combination — elevated base yields sitting alongside historically tight credit spreads — is unsettling CFOs more than the headline numbers suggest.

“Tight spreads feel almost like a false sense of calm,” Araco said. CFOs aren’t treating today’s all-in cost of debt as the new normal, he added. They’re stress-testing what happens if spreads normalize on top of already-elevated base rates.

“It’s less about action today and more about scenario planning,” Araco said, “and making sure that their capital structure isn’t fragile if that spread compression reverses.”

Corporate leaders are taking matters into their own hands. By prioritizing liquidity, extending duration, and managing leverage, CFOs are ensuring their organizations remain resilient regardless of where government bond yields head next.

“If Treasury yields remain elevated and spreads widen at the same time, the all-in borrowing cost can change quickly. I would model that combined shock now,” DeFabrizio warns. “Once you need the capital, your negotiating position has already changed.”

Anthony Noto covers corporate finance and private credit. Contact him at anoto@gfmag.com

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How struggling reality stars are turning their kids into money-making grabs

FROM #ad posts to children launching their own fashion lines, the world of influencing is no longer reserved for reality stars and celebs – but their mini-mes too.

Amy Childs became the latest star to cash in on her daughter Polly when she revealed last month that the nine-year-old was launching her own fashion range – with a crop top-clad Polly telling the camera all about her new venture.

Amy Childs’ revealed recently that her nine-year-old daughter was launching her own fashion brand of gym and athleisure wear Credit: amychilds1990 and mypollyuk/ Instagram
Ferne McCann is often seen promoting products with her daughters Sunday and Finty Credit: instagram

The announcement didn’t go down quite as positively as Amy had hoped, with many fans slamming her for ‘exploiting’ the youngster for the money-spinning venture – leaving her ‘devastated’.

It comes as a whole host of celebs have welcomed their offspring into the world of business.

Ferne McCann’s daughters Sunday and Finty often feature in her social media brand deals, Molly-Mae’s three-year-old Bambi joined her in fronting a campaign for laundry detergent brand Comfort and Persil, and Rochelle Humes’ three children often appear in front of the camera for her brand, My Little Coco.

But why are so many celebs turning to using their children for new cash-grabbing ventures?

‘devastated’

Amy Childs hit by backlash over kids’ gym clothes with daughter Polly, 9


mum mode

Molly-Mae Hague shares health update on son Midas & admits ‘it’s been savage’

Molly-Mae Hague’s daughter Bambi joined her in promoting Persil and Comfort laundry products Credit: Persil
Rochelle Humes’ children are often seen in social media adverts for her brand, My Little Coco

PR expert Luana Riviera says celeb parents are a ‘goldmine’ when it comes to money-making, as she says: “Being seen with their children makes even the most famous faces seem more down-to-earth and relatable.”

However, fans have been left concerned over the rise in celeb children on their screens.

Amy Childs’ was flooded with comments about ‘exploitation’ after revealing daughter Polly’s clothing brand.

Something feels off about this. Sorry but it’s a money making thing and doesn’t seem right.

“She isn’t old enough to do this sort of thing and have the maturity to understand,” said one.

Another echoed: “God let her be a child a little longer.”

Molly-Mae faced similar backlash after showing daughter Bambi in the bath on her Amazon Prime series and taking part in campaigns together.

“From a PR point of view, the use of families is appealing and will certainly get people talking about the brand and the marketing campaign,” explains Launa, who is the founder of Dauntless PR.

She continued: “But it is important to remember that these decisions are forever and when children get older they may wish they had been given more privacy and normality in their younger years.”

“Whether or not celebrities SHOULD put their children in the public eye in this way is an area which people will have lots of opinions on.

“Some will argue it is a safety risk and that the children themselves aren’t old enough to fully consent or understand the implications of establishing a level of fame in their own right.”

With the move such a controversial one, will the young stars see any of their hard-earned profits?  

PR expert Carla Speight believes they will reap the rewards, just not anytime soon.

“These industry savvy parents will be making sure their kids won’t work for free, especially in the case of Molly Mae’s Bambi in the Comfort ads.

“Bambi will have been paid for that and the money will sit in a trust earning interest until she’s at least 16, which gives her a good financial head start.

“Just like most of the celeb children, they’ll either have shares in the brands or they’ll get a wage for each time they showcase the brands and in the case of their parent’s brands, it’s likely they’ll get both.”

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