ELIZABETH Hurley really is the gift that keeps on giving and today the sexy star gave fans another treat.
The stunning actress, 60, thrilled her followers when she shared her latest bikini selfie which showed off her enviable figure and also gave them her secret body hack.
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Liz Hurley thrilled fans with her latest sexy selfieCredit: Instagram/elizabethhurley1The star also revealed her secret to taking the perfect bikini snapCredit: Instagram/elizabethhurley1
In Liz‘s latest sizzling post, she was seen modelling a stunning white striped bikini.
The pictures saw the model languishing by a swimming pool, while showing off her timeless body.
In one photo the stunning actress threw her head back to soak up the sun, with her washboard abs on full display.
Taking to Instagram to share the slew of sexy snaps, Liz penned a body positivity message to fans.
The actress showed off her figure in a tiny striped bikiniCredit: Instagram/elizabethhurley1Liz is known for thrilling fans with her sexy snapsCredit: Instagram/Elizabeth Hurley
“Being photographed in a bikini can be scary so here’s my number one tip: LIE DOWN!!” she wrote.
“Even in hideous overhead light, or with nasty hi-def camera phones (these were taken on a phone in direct sunlight) if you s-t-r-e-t-c-h out enough and wear sunglasses you’ll look fine. Thank me later.”
Fans flocked to show their appreciation for her stunning selfie.
One person penned: “Just gorgeous!”
She often strips off on social mediaCredit: Instagram/Elizabeth HurleyThe actress is enjoying a sizzling romance with singer Billy Ray CyrusCredit: Instagram/Billy Ray Cyrus
“Insane hotness!” swooned another.
“You are very beautiful,” added a third.
Reflecting on her secret to the perfect bikini selfie, this fan said: “Thanks for the tip, Elizabeth, but you look great in every picture and in every pose.”
AFTER quietly returning to the dating scene following his split from Chloe Madeley, James Haskell thought he was ready to move on.
But the former England rugby star says one fear involving his ex-wife can still stop him in his tracks.
James Haskell has shared a heartbreaking confession about his relationship with ex Chloe MadeleyCredit: Channel 4The rugby star sat down with The Sun for an honest interview about his split and finding love againCredit: Getty
James and Chloesplit in October 2023 after five years of marriage, just 14 months after welcoming daughter Bodhi, now three, despite appearing to have the perfect family life.
But it was the thought of publicly dating another woman while still close to Chloe – daughter of daytime TV icons Richard Madeley and Judy Finnegan – that caused James to pause for thought.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun about starring in the new series of E4’s Celebs Go Dating, James says: “It sort of felt like I was cheating because it was the first time I was dating in public in front of Chloe. I got all these mixed emotions and froze.
“For me, when you’ve got a daughter and you’ve got an ex-wife, both of them I hold in the highest regard and I want to be the most respectful I can be.
“I talked to Chloe [about doing the show] because it was really important to do that. We discussed it because I was probably getting quite nervous about doing it.
“This is very much out of my comfort zone. You’ve got emotions, you’ve got other people, you’ve got romance…
“It’s a difficult thing to put in the public eye, so I spoke to her about it. She was very supportive.
“I would talk to her about how the stuff on the show went, so she was always informed.
“And if my daughter ever watched it back, I’d want her to be proud of how her dad was.”
James admits navigating romance in the public eye hasn’t been easy off-screen either.
The former rugby star, who dated advertising executive Helen Barclay and Big Brother star Sara McLean in 2025, admits relationships come with added pressure.
James split from Sara just days after they went public with their romance at Cheltenham.
The rugby star has also been linked to other women since his split from Chloe and previously sparked speculation after being spotted looking cosy with a mystery brunette on a night out.
“I’m in the public eye and a lot of my life is centered around stuff on social media and DJ’ing and making music and podcasting stuff,” he explains.
“So I’m always very wary if you were to go out on a date and get photographed, that narrative can be created around that, which puts pressure on both people.
“I want to go on date people and have fun and when it’s the appropriate time, you would then discuss it with an ex partner but sometimes that’s taken away from you.
James and Chloe ended their 10 year relationship in 2023Credit: GettyJames says he is a better person after his marriage to ChloeCredit: Mark Hayman
“So I’ve always been quite nervous. I have dated, I’ve been quite chilled out, but it’s always been quite respectful.
“That’s why this was such a big moment, because actually one of the first things I thought was ‘Oh my God. I’m like, now doing this in front of people’.
“There’s so much more to think about as opposed to just going for a drink with someone.”
James, 41, and Chloe, 38, split while their reality series, Chloe Madeley: A Family Affair, was still airing on TV.
But rather than mixing things up in the future, James reveals he’s in the market for a strong, independent woman – just like his ex.
He says: “I know what I want, I want someone that’s got intelligence, I want someone that’s got their own life, their own success.
“I’m not threatened by having a really powerful partner who could be more successful than me.
“Badass is the wrong word, but that’s the kind of thing.
Former rugby star James is back in the dating gameCredit: GettyThe pair in 2019 after James’ appearance in I’m A CelebrityCredit: Brian Roberts
“I want someone to challenge me so I can learn from them.
“I had a lot of that or had almost all of that with Chloe really, she made me a better person in lots of ways.
“When you come out of a relationship, you want to find that in someone else.
“And that’s kind of what I doubled down with really on this.”
He continues: “While looks and stuff are really important, I wouldn’t settle because all my dating technique would always be to go up to someone and speak to them, I never used apps, I would do everything in person.
“So this process was so weird because someone was telling you who you could date, which is weird.
“This was a bit like looking around in the dark and exploring.”
Fitness fanatic Chloe has spent years documenting her gruelling workouts and toned physique online – and it seems James still has a clear type.
James signed up for Celebs Go Dating in his quest to find loveCredit: PAJames’ mum Susie didn’t hold back on the showCredit: E4
As well as wanting a confident, driven woman, the rugby ace admits he is attracted to women who prioritise their looks, fitness and overall wellbeing. Sound familiar?
He says: “It shows a commitment, just someone who takes care of their appearance because I think it helps in other areas of your life.”
He also reveals the “real reason” he signed up to the show – and it wasn’t just for him to find his dream match.
“Being a strong man with good manners and morals and to show a vulnerable side as well as other sides is really important,” he says.
“I was nervous, but I think I managed to navigate it in the appropriate way and actually show a bit of a different side to myself than some of the bravado and the kind of stuff from being a former sportsman or DJ’ing.
“I grew a lot, I’ve obviously been separated for a little while, but I wanted to have an adventure and I’ve learnt to be vulnerable.”
And while James teases that he isn’t against tying the knot again in the future, his number one priority is crystal clear.
He says: “My priorities are very simple – my daughter, she’s nearly four. I want to be the best dad for her and provide the best kind of life for her.
James with the two most important females in his lifeCredit: madeleychloe/InstagramHe has been enjoying his time on the showCredit: DIGITAL/EROTEME.CO.UK
“We’re obviously having her kind of 50 per cent of the time, which means that you have to prioritise different parts of your life.
“Relationships are lovely and I think if you meet the right person and obviously as we’ve gone through this process, I’ve met lots of lots of really interesting people.
“I’d say that isn’t something that is a real focus to settle down and get married.
“I think if it happens, it happens.
“But I’m quite happy in my own space, really.”
And don’t expect James to introduce Bodhi to a new partner anytime soon, as the star has one very strict rule when it comes to future girlfriends.
“Essentially I’d have to be walking down the aisle [to introduce my next partner to my child],” he says.
“Genuinely my life is very complicated. The idea of bringing somebody into my daughter’s life and putting a sort of a tent pole on the ground and saying, listen, this is something serious.
“I’m light years away from that because it’s not something I want to mess around with.
“Chloe and I are still a family. My daughter is still a family that sits over here. My life sits over here [with them].
“And I mean when is the right moment? It will be light years away.”
And any future girlfriend won’t just need to win over Bodhi – she’ll also have to impress James’ fiercely protective mum, Susie Haskell, too.
This week, Susie Haskell made her Celebs Go Dating debut, and didn’t hold her tongue.
Fearing what she could say, James told the camera: “Mum is an absolute loose cannon at the best of times.
“I am dreading what’s going to come out of her mouth. As long as she does not upset my ex.”
But Susie struggled to hold back as she ripped into Chloe.
Susie said: “I’m not sure where he’s gone wrong because prior to his marriage, I met lots of lovely girlfriends.
“Each of them just loved me, which is a bonus.”
She added: “I do have quite a strong opinion on why I think it went wrong.
“You can’t have two stars because you have them competing for the floor space the whole time.”
Susie continued: “In the past he’s been extremely popular. I’ve seen at rugby matches where elderly ladies have got very close to him.
“He needs someone who can see the softness of him, coupled with quite a brilliant intellect. He’s written seven books. Three of them are on The Times best-seller list.”
James previously admitted that his love of drinking contributed to the end of the relationship, describing their final year together as a “difficult period”.
DENISE van Outen has opened up about her heartbreak over losing a Towie “family member” as she revealed plans to pay tribute to Jake Hall.
The TV star shared an emotional message, reflecting on the devastating loss.
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Denise van Outen reveals her heartbreak over the devastating lossCredit: GettyTowie star Jake Hall has been found dead at a Spanish holiday villaCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
“But he was so lovely whenever I saw him out and he was so friendly and so talented.
“I really feel for his family, my thoughts go out to them, and it is just really sad and he was way too young to go.
“I do wonder what TOWIE will do, I think they’ll do a tribute as they’ve lost a few people recently. I was just really really shocked when I saw it.”
Cops found the 35-year-old former reality show hunk in a pool of blood with fatal head wounds apparently caused by shards of glass.
Officers say inquiries focused on the theory of a tragic accident in which the 6ft 4ins star smashed his head through a glass door.
A source said: “Witnesses told investigators he had been out partying all night and decided to carry on the party back at the place he was renting.
“It appears from what police have been told that he became agitated, possibly from alcohol and other substances he may have consumed.”
The source also said at one point things “turned aggressive” and he may have “tried to harm himself by banging his head against things.”
Officers were called to the rented house in Santa Margalida in the north of the holiday island at around 7.30am on Wednesday morning.
A police source said: “We are focusing on the theory the victim died in a tragic accident after hitting his head against the glass door but it is still too early to say definitely what happened.”
No arrests were believed to have been made as inquiries continued and an autopsy is due to take place in the Majorcan capital, Palma.
An ongoing investigation is being led by the Spanish Civil Guard.
He often spent time in Majorca where he had a second home used as a base for work and leisure.
A statement shared by her talent agent said: “At this time, Misse’s focus is on supporting and protecting their child as they come to terms with this devastating loss.
“The family are asking for privacy, compassion and respect while they grieve privately.”
Jake joined TOWIE in 2015, and dated co-star Chloe Lewis before leaving the programme in 2024.
He also ran a menswear brand called By Jake Hall.
Jake had a daughter, River, with model and Real Housewives of Cheshire star Misse BeqiriCredit: Richard YoungDenise has been voicing the show TOWIE since it started in 2010Credit: Getty
IN northern Arkansas on the banks of South Fork Spring River in the region known as the Ozarks, you’ll find a tiny settlement called Saddle.
Today, it comprises a modest Baptist church, an old timber-clad general store turned events venue (now up for sale) — and very little else.
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Country star Ashley McBryde has revealed that her father still hasn’t listened to her musicCredit: Nathan ChapmanThe singing star also opens up on her childhood in rural ArkansasCredit: Laura Halse
Not so far away, out in the wilds, is the farm where country star Ashley McBryde grew up.
It is the place where she first picked up a guitar and discovered her passion for music, the starting point of her journey to the world stage.
Along the way, she rebelled against her strict preacher father, sang in biker bars, acquired the striking collection of tattoos adorning both arms and fought alcohol addiction.
Yet her inspirational climb has taken her to country music’s spiritual home, the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville and the O2 Arena in London for the C2C festival.
And next month she will support a titan of the genre, Garth Brooks, at Hyde Park in front of 65,000 people.
Since becoming sober in June 2022, Grammy-winning McBryde is making some of the best music of her life, and she’s doing it by returning to her roots.
On one of the rousing songs on her fifth studio album, the aptly titled Wild, she sings these lines with mighty conviction…
“It’s in my throat, it’s in my bones, it’s on my boots and in my blood. That Ozark streak sureе runs deep and it sticks to me like that Arkansas mud.”
I tell her that my only experience of her childhood stomping ground is the TV series Ozark about a Chicago family who decamp to the area, for money- laundering reasons as you do, where they encounter small-time hillbilly criminals.
“Yeah, I’ve known some characters like those,” says McBryde with a knowing smile. “They did a great job on Ozark.”
She is one of a new breed who has learned to accept “the Nashville machine” while remaining true to themselves.
“I’ve done a good job, not a perfect one, of being inside the machine but also sticking to my guns,” she affirms.
“It’s an industry that asks the brunette to be blonde and the girl that’s 5ft 3in to be 6ft.”
At times, McBryde felt she was “falling short of being shinier, blonder, skinnier” but, she adds hand on heart: “You’re just not getting rid of what’s in here.”
In the same bracket, you will find two big bearded male artists keeping it real — Luke Combs and Chris Stapleton, who are among America’s biggest selling artists right now.
These are the natural successors to the original country “outlaws,” who include McBryde’s hero Kris Kristofferson, fellow Arkansawyer Johnny Cash and last man standing Willie Nelson.
She delivers kick-ass songs, drawing on rock and roll as much as anything, but she can also turn her intuitive talents to tear-stained balladry or a country-pop masterclass like recent single What If We Don’t.
I’m meeting the vivacious 42-year-old during her whistle- stop visit to London, and we find ourselves beside a picture window overlooking Kensington Gardens filled with people catching the glorious spring sunshine.
I can’t help sensing the contrast between the swish hotel suite in a teeming capital city and Ashley McBryde’s isolated upbringing that is, in part, the inspiration for her new album.
Taking my cue from the name of her album, I ask her if she was a “Wild” child.
“I think I was a good kid but I was also in trouble a lot,” she replies.
“I asked a lot of questions that people didn’t want to answer. They didn’t care for a child who wanted to know why things had to be a certain way.
“But I was always out in the woods, dreaming up this or that. I would be one of the X-Men, making swords and guns out of sticks.”
The youngest of six, she paints a picture of her childhood that conjures up classic American literature — Little Women, Tom Sawyer or Little House On The Prairie.
In fact, every night her “angel” of a mother would read her a chapter of the latter book as well as one from the Bible.
“I didn’t own shorts until I was an adult,” continues McBryde.
“Because my legs would get so ate up with tick bites from being out in the briars and thorns. It was a very physical existence.
“We worked real hard. We had cows, chickens and horses but my favourite thing about it was I could go wherever I wanted.
“I could go out walking for a whole day. I remember one time I asked mom if I could camp out for the night.
“She said, ‘Why would you want to do that?’ And I said, ‘I just want to cook my soup on a campfire’.
“She was like, ‘Well, knock yourself out’.”
But there was a duality to life in this rustic idyll because McBryde’s farmer and preacher father, William, imposed his strict religious beliefs at home.
This perhaps explains why she has been singing the late Randall Clay’s storming Rattlesnake Preacher live for several years and why, finally, her studio version opens Wild in such uncompromising fashion.
“There was freedom even though we lived in a very, very rigid household,” says McBryde.
“It was all right as long as what you wanted to do was within the parameters of what was considered to be right.
“So there was nothing wrong with going for a walk or riding a horse or digging a hole or learning to play a guitar. Those things were totally OK.
McBryde’s farmer and preacher father, William, imposed his strict religious beliefs at homeCredit: Nathan ChapmanAshley is one of a new breed who has learned to accept the ‘Nashville machine’ while remaining true to themselvesCredit: Laura Halse
“But it was very much a case of the man being the head of the family, the way Christ is the head of the church — and anything that went against that could go to hell. There was no break.”
Although she was generally expected to attend church on “Wednesday night, Sunday morning and Sunday night,” sometimes even that was off-limits “if they were doing something that my father deemed not in alignment with his book”.
This brings McBryde to an extraordinary revelation: “To my knowledge, my father has still not listened to my music.”
That said, she admits that he had to hear one of her songs, Bible And A .44, written about him and appearing on her debut EP in 2016, Jalopies & Expensive Guitars.
It includes the lines: “He taught me how to hunt and how to love the Lord/He carried a Bible and a .44/And they just don’t make ’em like that no more.”
McBryde says: “I sang it to him after I wrote it. He told me, ‘You painted me in an awful nice light. I wish all of it could be true.’
“And I said: ‘You don’t see what I see because you’re not looking at what I’m looking at.’
“It was a nice way to give him a break from being the villain because a lot of the time he was. There were really great qualities about him, too.”
As for her beloved mother Martha, she says: “She’s an absolute angel. I don’t think she’s ever done anything wrong.
“She can make you an outfit right now while she’s making you a casserole while she’s praying for someone who has lost a limb.”
It was in this old-school world that McBryde developed her love of making music, becoming enchanted by the songs of the rugged Kristofferson and the more polished John Denver.
“I knew I wanted to be a singer and a songwriter from a really young age, even before I was a teenager.”
She knew she was on the right path when, after leaving home, she “started making enough playing in bars not to wait tables anymore and to keep the lights on in my apartment”.
A rebel at heart, McBryde recalls playing biker dives and, like the clientele, she got tattoos, wore leather and drank heavily.
As she tried to get a foothold in the country music scene, there wasn’t much hope “for a non-blonde who was covered in tattoos”.
“I did meet a lot of friction,” she says. “Some labels were not in any way interested.”
But her irresistible talent was spotted by, among others, Eric Church, another country star who likes to say it how it is.
“He was a great champion,” says McBryde. “A great name to be associated with because of the way he makes records and the way he approaches music.
“For him to say, ‘I like this songwriter’ does open a door.”
Evidence of that door being opened arrived in 2018 when McBryde’s major label debut, Girl Going Nowhere, was released on Warner Nashville, including one of her signature songs, A Little Dive Bar In Dahlonega.
It’s about resilience in the face of a break-up and, among its references to drinking is the line, “We’ve all got a number we don’t wanna drunk dial.”
I guess it alludes to another aspect of McBryde’s life because, running parallel to her early years in the business, was a dependence on alcohol, which she’s finally coming to terms with.
One of her new album’s most captivating songs is the beautifully sung ballad Bottle Tells Me So.
“I didn’t want to have a problem with alcohol but, like it or not, it’s part of my story,’ admits McBryde. “And I didn’t want to talk about it for a long time.
“I was either drinking, drunk or hung over at all times – and that’s really tough.”
In 2022, matters came to a head when, on the advice of her team, McBryde went into rehab.
Now proudly four years sober, she says: “Writing Bottle Tells Me So was a way to acknowledge it without saying, ‘I’m sober and you should be too.’
“You don’t want to preach but life is so much better for me now that I don’t drink.
“In that song, I’m not saying I’m never going to drink again. There’s no shame involved.”
In explaining why a habit that began while “acting cool and hanging with friends”, McBryde says: “I’ve heard it said that the addicts of all types aren’t addicted to any substance.
“They’re addicted to not feeling their feelings. I would say that is spot on for me.
“Not consuming alcohol anymore is probably the simplest part of becoming sober. You have to completely re-meet yourself and rewire everything.”
McBryde says she feels “1000 per cent” better, both physically and mentally. “I look better and I feel better. Despite still feeling anxious, I’m stronger than I knew and that makes me happy.”
She recalls her first show after leaving after getting sober: “I left treatment on Tuesday, got in the bus on Wednesday and was on the stage on Thursday.
“It was my first time being more than 30 days dry and it was the most terrifying, coolest thing I will ever experience.
“I was worried and asked myself, ‘What if I can’t do this?’ But I got out there and was spot on. Bullseye! Now I’m at the top of my game.”
McBryde is undoubtedly dialled in on Wild, produced with sparkle and empathy by John Osborne of country duo Brothers Osborne.
“John’s magical, playful and curious,” she says. “When I try something, he will say, ‘If you love it, we keep it. If you hate it, we toss it.”
It’s a healthy state of affairs for an artist who is increasingly cherished by the country music establishment in Nashville.
She says: “My friends and I always joke, ‘You can never change where the machine is headed unless you climb inside the machine.’
“I want to make music that people will hear. I like being able to make your guts hurt.
‘And the only way to get it heard is to abide by certain rules.”
One her proudest achievements is becoming a member of Grand Ol’ Opry, showcase for the greats from Hank Williams (even if he did get banned) and Patsy Cline onwards.
“I love it,” says McBryde. “Just thinking about it now, I smile so big. My face is complete cheese.”
And there we have it. Ashley McBryde, force of nature, born and raised in the Arkansas Mud but reaching for the stars.
ASHLEY McBRYDE Wild
4.5 STARS
Wild by Ashley McBrydeCredit: SFTW – MUSIC ALBUM – ASHLEY McBRYDE – Wild
KATIE Price is plotting to get around her seventh driving ban after her husband Lee Andrews claimed he bought her a Ferrari.
The former glamour model, 47, has received bans totalling more than six years since she wasfirst disqualified in 2010.
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Katie Price is planning to get around her seventh driving banCredit: Katie Price / BackgridThe media star was banned again after failing to respond to police lettersCredit: Getty
And last month, Katie was banned for a seventh time after failing to respond to police letters about an 80mph speeding ticket.
But the media personality said she is now planning to get an international driving licence – despite her UK driving ban.
Katie shared a life update with her social media fans today.
She was joined by her husband Lee as she filmed a clip from the back of a moving car.
Lee Andrews reveals his big plans for him and Katie Price…Hyrox togetherCredit: wesleeeandrews/instagramKatie addressed her seventh driving ban last monthCredit: Alamy
Katie said: “Hey guys, we are just going to the hospital to get my stitches taken out and then we are going to Lee’s dad for a cup of tea.”
She added: “And to get my international driving licence…”
Lee interjected and said: “That’s the easy one, then you’ll see the car,” referring to the £180k Ferrari that Lee claimed he gifted his wife.
But Katie’s followers were quick to correct the star, with one writing: “You cannot drive with an international driving licence with a driving ban. It still stands in other countries, there is no way around it.”
A second said: “I hope Katie realises as I wouldn’t want her to do anything illegal in Dubai.”
A third said: “Not with a ban in the UK, you can’t as the Dubai authorities do checks.”
Another commented: “You cannot get an International Driving Permit or drive in Dubai if you have a current UK driving ban. You must hold a valid full driving licence to apply for an International one and the UK court will have taken her licence so she cannot apply for one.”
This person added: “It appears you cannot legally drive in Dubai with a revoked UK licence.”
According to the GOV UK website, you cannot obtain an International Driving Licence if you are banned from driving in another country.
It is only issued to holders of a valid UK driving licence, which is revoked or suspended when you are banned.
But the motor was completely different from the Ferrari she previously claimed had been a gift from self-confessed multi-millionaire Lee.
She previously told how the flash car, believed to cost around £180,000, had to remain in the UAE.
It is not clear how or when Lee purchased the car and whose name it is in ownership of.
Yet despite previously gushing over the “beautiful” gift it was nowhere to be seen during her recent video.
Lee took charge of filming as Katie got settled behind the wheel and said: “Kate is driving now – is this your first time driving in Dubai?”
She was then heard swearing as she got to grips with the automatic before he assisted and said: “There you go”.
Katie then added: “First time driving in Dubai.
The former glamour girl’s latest run-in with the law comes after a Ford Capri registered to her was caught at 80mph on the A64 near Strutton in North Yorkshire.
CCTV released by the police showed Katie behind the wheel during the incident on October 15, 2025, the same day she appeared on stage with celeb pal Kerry Katona for An Evening with Katie Price & Kerry Katona at Scarborough Spa.
Katie, who was first banned in 2010, was subsequently prosecuted and convicted of failing to respond to police, landing her with a six-month driving ban and a legal bill topping £1,000.
The former pin-up was keen to set the record straight last month.
Speaking on her podcast, The Katie Price Show the star revealed: “I found out I was banned by the papers.
“I am actually livid about that because if I’d got the letters I would have replied to it.”
Revealing what happened, Katie said: “Basically I’ve paid someone to do a job.
“They haven’t done it and… now I’m now banned from driving for six months, but I am gonna go back and see if I can appeal it.”
She then added: ” Yeah, or I just think it’s only six months where I live now, I can walk to the shop. the kids schools are ten minutes up the road.
“I get shopping delivered here anyway, because I’m always at home when I work at home.
“So it’s not like in the past where I’ve been stuck right in the middle of nowhere.”
It comes after Katie’s after new husband Lee claimed he is moving to the UK in May AND revealed details of a second wedding.
A noughties TV legend and star of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! has explained just why so many people refused to appear with him on television at the height of his career
Dom Joly has admitted that he struggled to get some people to appear with him on Trigger Happy TV(Image: PA)
Dom Joly has revealed that several people refused to appear alongside him on TV – all for the same reason. The comedian, 58, shot to fame when he began fronting Trigger Happy TV in 2000, and the format saw him going out in public to intentionally put himself in embarrassing situation, all to get a reaction.
When the programme first started, viewers and participants alike assumed the chaos, which was being caught on hidden cameras, was genuine and it became an overnight success. But as the series progressed and became more popular, members of the public became wise to when Dom was out and about filming.
The show came to an end in 2003, and now Dom, who went on to appear on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! alongside This Morning star Alison Hammond and eventual winner Stacey Solomon, has revealed that a considerable amount of people refused to be seen on camera because they were being unfaithful to their partners at the time, and couldn’t risk having that broadcast to the nation.
Speaking on the Remember Me? podcast, he told host Maisie Adam: “We got away with quite a lot but the main reason people didn’t sign consent forms – it’s not that they didn’t want to be on telly, it’s because they were having affairs.
“I can not tell you the amount of people we did, and when the second series went out, the guy would go ‘Oh my god, it’s Dom Joly! Am I being filmed? Oh! That’s not my wife.’ That was just the people we talked to!”
Dom’s most famous bit is, ironically, his least favourite – that enormous phone. Just days after the first episode aired in January 2000, he was on a train when he heard that now-familiar Nokia ring tone.
He said: “Three people stood up and shouted, ‘HELLO?! YEAH I’M ON THE TRAIN – IT’S RUBBISH!’ I was like, ‘f***. What is happening?’” It’s a catchphrase that has haunted him for 25 years.
“I swear there’s not a day where it doesn’t happen. Even on the way here, a bloke spotted me and shouted, ‘HELLO?!’ And 25 years later I still don’t have a good response to it! Like, ‘Yes, hello!’”
“So many scenes went wrong, but the worst we did was with Sarah Ferguson,. We were walking past the Duke of York barracks on King’s Road and there’s a party going on, so we go in and blag some free drinks. Suddenly we spot Fergie sitting in the corner on her own, so we say, ‘let’s do it’.
“We go right up to her, she looks panicky and I stick my microphone in her face and say, ‘Good morning Your Majesty, you are live on Good Morning Mexico – do you have anything to say to the people of Mexico?’
“She starts blabbering on into this tiny camera, and after a while I ask her to pause because we’ve gone to a commercial break, and could she absolutely freeze?
KATIE Price has revealed she’s back in hospital for more surgery after sharing a topless snap and asking fans to guess what procedure she’s having.
The former glamour model, 47, recently travelled to Belgium for more work on her ‘biggest ever boobs’.
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Katie revealed she’s back in hospital for more surgery and asked fans to guess what she’s havingCredit: Facebook/BackgridIt comes just weeks after the former glamour model travelled to Belgium for more work on her ‘biggest ever’ boobsCredit: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire
And it seems Katie’s not done yet as she shared a new snap showing her topless in a hospital bed while medical staff worked on her.
She wrote: “Quick Little Procedure, Any Guesses?”
Katie underwent her 17th boob job in 2024 in Belgium where she had work done to refine the biggest chest she has ever had.
EMMY award-winning actor William H. Macy has revealed the most difficult Hollywood stars, according to him.
The star, 76, has been acting for four and a half decades and has worked with the who’s who of Hollywood in his time.
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William H. Macy has revealed the most difficult Hollywood stars in his opinionCredit: SXSW Conference & Festivals viaHe shared his thoughts on the We Might Be Drunk podcastCredit: WE MIGHT BE DRUNK POD
He appeared on the We Might Be Drunk podcast with hosts Mark Normand and Sam Morril as they attempted to get some gossip out of him.
Mark asked: “We gotta ask, which actors do you really hate?,” before listing off some big names, including Tommy Lee Jones, who he acted in the 1994 film, The Client with.
William responded: “He was rough,” before adding: “I’m not letting out any secrets.”
The hosts then asked him what he thought about Jim Carrey, to which he replied: “I did not act with him, but I’ve just heard he can be really tough.
“You know, there are a lot of actors out there, it p****s me off, who make life miserable for a lot of people and they don’t get busted for it and it p****s me off.”
William began his career on stage in theatre, before building his career by starring in small, independent films.
His breakthrough role was in black comedycrime film Fargo in 1996 which got him critical acclaim and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
He went on to star in big Hollywood films in his career, including Psycho, Jurassic Park 3, Spartan and The Lincoln Lawyer.
He claimed Tommy Lee Jones was “rough”Credit: Getty – ContributorWilliam was asked what Jim Carrey is likeCredit: Getty
William’s television work includes playing Dr. David Morgenstern in ER for 15 years and as Frank Gallagher on the US Shameless for 10 years.
He is a two-timeEmmy Awardand four-timeScreen Actors Guild Awardwinner, and has been nominated for anAcademy Award, aDrama Critics’ Circle Award, and fiveGolden Globe Awards.
The Hollywood star married actress Felicity Huffman in 1997 after dating on and off for 15 years.
The pair went on to have two children together – daughters Sophia Grace and Georgia Grace.
JUNIOR Andre has revealed he’s working on new music after talks to sign a huge new six-figure deal to team up with sister Princess for an exciting new project.
Junior has revealed he’s working on new music after spending the day in the studioCredit: InstagramHe released his debut single Slide in 2022 and enjoyed huge success with the trackCredit: Instagram
Now Junior, who released debut single Slide in 2022, has told fans he’s working on new tracks.
He took to Instagram to share a clip of him in the car and said: “Just finished the gym, on my way to the studio now.
It comes after The Sun revealed he and sister Junior are have sparked a bidding war to host their own podcastCredit: ShutterstockJunior and Princess with their dad Peter AndreCredit: ABACA/Shutterstock
“I’m excited to make another banger, you lot just wait. I feel good.”
Junior enjoyed huge success with his debut after Slide hit number one on the UK iTunes pop chart in 2022.
We told how Junior and Princess, the children of Katie Price and Peter Andre, are still deciding to who sign with after the huge interest in them.
A source exclusively told The Sun: “Princess and Junior are set to host their own podcast together.
“There was a huge bidding war and they’re still deciding who to sign with.
“It’s worth six figures and everyone is really excited about it.
“They really impressed a lot of podcast bosses on Princess’s TV show and during TV appearances, it’ll actually be their first time hosting together.”
Fans were obsessed with Princess and Junior’s dynamic on her reality show The Princess Diaries and it appears bosses are keen to replicate this on the podcast.
ITV2‘s The Princess Diaries follows Princess as she navigates social media influence, her personal branding and the challenges of being raised in the public eye while trying to trying to maintain a normal teenage life.
Jedward star John Grimes has revealed that the Celebrity Ex On the Beach was put under security lockdown after the building was stormed by curious fans wondering what was going on
John was reunited with his ex on the series (Image: Paramount Global)
Jedward star John Grimes has revealed that the Celebrity Ex On the Beach villa was put under security lockdown. The former X Factor contestant, who shot to fame alongside his twin brother Edward on the ITV talent show in 2009, can currently be seen taking part in the fourth series of the Paramount+ hit, which began airing in March.
The former Celebrity Big Brother star, 34, filmed the show alongside Coronation Street actress Helen Flanagan as well Toby Aromolaran and Curtis Pritchard, both of Love Island fame, and Towie’s Dani Imbert amongst a host of others, but this is one of the very rare times he has appeared on-screen alongside his twin.
The programme, which sees famous faces staying abroad and beginning relationships only for their former flames to get involved, is all filmed in Tenerife and John has now explained all about the fan intrusion that all took place in the sunny location. He said: “People knew the location of the villa.
Speaking to The Sun, he continued: “Fans and people in the local area were trying to come into the grounds. Things kept happening. It was the only lit up place in a desolate area, so people were like, ‘What’s that? Let’s try to get in…’ Producers were like, ‘We’re trying to film a show.’ Security stopped anyone from getting in!”
John, who alongside his twin, enjoyed hits with tracks like Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby) and Lipstick after finding fame on The X Factor, recently explained what it was like going solo for the reality show.
He said: “Every now and again there are some pre-judged opinions about me out there, but I think going on this show marks a new chapter because I did it on my own, away from Edward. It’s a different situation.
“I was just talking to [Edward] there on the phone. He was a huge supporter of me doing the show, as was Gemma [Collins]. She was very excited. At first, I was a bit kind of touch-and-go. I thought, “Oh, will I do this?”
The star, who was greeted by his ex-girlfriend Sarah Carragher during his time filming the series, also spoke of how he asked his brother for advice when he was approached to to the show.
“But obviously, I always confide in Edward and he was like, “Oh yeah, you should do it,” because you always end things on a neutral note with your exes. If they wash up on the beach, you possibly rekindle something, maybe start cleaning slates,” he added.
“I think it’s like, obviously, you take that risk going on the show. You don’t know who’s going to pull up, but the one that does pull up may say, “You know what, maybe I’ll give them another chance.” John recently revealed via social media that he and Sarah are back together, but the move was said to have angered bosses behind the scenes.
A source said: “John posting that he’s back with his ex was terrible timing as it makes his whole storyline on the show pointless. Cast were asked to keep a bit of mystery around who got back with their ex and who hooked up with who so people tuned in, but clearly John was so thrilled he just went ahead and posted without thinking.
“Bosses are fuming but it’s not like he did it on purpose. Sarah has been quietly telling her pals, as well as John, that she’s really nervous to be thrust into the spotlight and so John wanted to throw his support behind her all the way.”
Simon Cowell could be bringing back The X Factor, nearly eight years after the contest was axed.Credit: Shutterstock EditorialThe X Factor discovered huge acts – including One DirectionCredit: Rex
And now the music mogul is considering a revival for the Gen Z years, following the success of his Netflix show The Next Act, which spawned rising pop stars December 10.
Simon told TV presenter Jamie East on his new podcast Tales From The Celebrity Trenches: “Do you bring it back as X Factor or do you bring it back as the Z Factor? We talk about it a lot.
“There’s still no question — the power of TV in terms of getting people to know an artist.
“It is so important if you are not writing your own material.
“You do hear about these artists who break online, but so rarely.
“We could have made [The Next Act] online.
“I just don’t think it would have had the same effect.
“The truth is, thank God, people like being on TV.”
Running such a huge talent show is not always plain sailing, but Simon had a distinctly New Age solution when the stresses got just too much while filming The Next Act.
He turned to crystals.
Simon recalled: “We were running out of money so I did have a little mini meltdown.
“And then I just sat with my crystals and they just comforted me.
“I can feel the energy.
“I thought it was kind of comforting having the crystals rather than everyone in my ear driving me crazy.”
He added: “I definitely believe in the powers of the universe.
“I feel that if you can harness the power of the universe to try and make your mind just calm down for a moment . . . ”
I don’t think I’ll be swapping a medicinal glass of rosé for rose quartz any time soon, but each to their own . . .
She confirmed yesterday that the Inxs frontman will be included.
Kylie Minogue will pay tribute to late boyfriend Michael Hutchence in her new Netflix documentaryCredit: NETFLIXKylie with MichaelCredit: NETFLIXKylie shared photographs of them together while they dated between 1989 and 1991Credit: NETFLIXKylie stayed close to Michael even after their split, until his death aged 37 in 1997Credit: NETFLIX
In a first-look trailer, Kylie shared photographs of them together while they dated between 1989 and 1991.
She said previously: “He was a dark bad boy and I was the pure good girl.
“He opened up a whole new world for me.”
The three-parter will also feature Kylie’s friends and family talking about highs and lows she has faced, including her breast cancer diagnosis in 2005.
Kylie is heard saying off camera: “I felt removed from my body.
Fans will have to wait until May 20 to watch the series in full.
Kylie seen in the iconic video for Can’t Get You Out of My HeadCredit: NETFLIXKylie with sister Danni in the documentaryCredit: NETFLIXThe three-parter will also feature Kylie’s friends and family talking about highs and lows she has faced, including her breast cancer diagnosis in 2005Credit: NETFLIXThe show will be released on Netflix on May 20Credit: NETFLIX
Hol lotta Caity
Caity Baser was hostess with the mostess as she opened a beach club in the back garden of her seaside home.
She squeezed into a tight blue dress and posed with bunting and flowers at the party to mark the release of new single Holiday Song this Friday.
Caity Baser was hostess with the mostess as she opened a beach club in the back garden of her seaside homeCredit: Handout
The singer’s pal Joel Corry was drafted in as DJ for the bash in Brighton.
She ordered a tonne of sand to turn her garden into a beach – but revealed to TikTok followers that she ordered builders’ sand by mistake.
She referred to her makeshift club as Ibiza Crops – a reference to Ibiza Rocks on the White Isle – but was dreading the prospect of clearing it all up afterwards.
If the release of the single goes as well as her party, she’ll have a very fun summer.
Jack Cullen began his first headline European solo tour in Bristol last night, and has a long slog in front of him.
The musician, who released single Face To Face on Friday, will play across the UK in the next few days then head to Brussels, Cologne, Amsterdam and Berlin.
He’ll then Run 22 marathons in 22 days – back from the German capital to London for the tour’s final night, headlining Oslo in Hackney on June 12.
Last summer was one of the best-ever for gigs, with Oasis, Dua Lipa and Coldplay selling out stadiums, while Radiohead, Lewis Capaldi and Tate McRae played to packed arenas.
The Pussycat Dolls have been forced to cancel their North American tour as ticket sales disappointCredit: GettyZayn Malik has also been forced to cancelCredit: Getty
But ticket prices have only continued to rise since live shows returned after Covid, and now it’s clear punters have had enough of greedy artists taking advantage.
Shows are already hugely expensive in the UK, but over in the US, the prices are even higher.
Suki Waterhouse, Ella Mai and Logic and G-Eazy’s tours there later this year are also struggling to shift tickets, with fears they could be axed too. It’s only a matter of time before we see a similar knock-on effect in the UK.
Even some major tours here this summer are yet to sell out, after insatiable promoters added strings of dates and pushed artists into bigger and bigger venues.
As you know from this column, I love a good concert.
But at a time when everyone is strapped for cash, paying through the nose for a couple of hours of singing is just not an option for many.
So if the music industry keeps moving like it is at the moment, it’s only going to turn people off altogether.
It’s a three-horse race to the No1 album spot this Friday, with Mel C, Michael Jackson and Kneecap all battling it out for the prime position.
Just under 3,000 chart units separate third place from the top spot, so it’s all to play for.
Kneecap are currently at No1 with Fenian, closely followed by Mel’s Sweat and MJ’s 2005 compilation album The Essential, which is back in demand after the Michael biopic.
Pete aims for Kyle collab
Pete Doherty is recruiting The View’s frontman Kyle Falconer to collaborate on songs for his next solo album.
They previously worked together on Pete’s track Midas Touch, on Kyle’s recent LP Lovely Night Of Terror.
Pete Doherty is recruiting Kyle Falconer of The View to work on songs for his next solo albumCredit: Getty
Now Kyle has revealed he visited Pete’s home in the South of France and will return soon to work with the Libertines rocker, right, again.
He said: “I was just over in France to see him, we’re talking about loads of stuff.
“It was all very arty. We were painting together, and talking about films.”
Pete’s last solo effort was 2025 album Felt Better Alive, while the last Libertines record was 2024’s All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade.
Two years ago Kyle moved to Alicante in Spain with his wife Laura and their four kids.
He now runs songwriting camps from his La Sierra Casa studio, and said: “The camp is getting bigger and better every year, and we’ve just moved to a new place.”
Celebrity treasures on sale
War Child is back with its Spring Clean auction – packed with some of the most random and brilliant celebrity treasures going.
Fans can get their hands on Alan Carr’s Isabell Kristensen blazer from RuPaul’s Drag Race, and even a signed Devil Wears Prada 2 script donated by Stanley Tucci.
There’s a Fantastic Four script signed by Vanessa Kirby, plus one of the strangest items on offer – the infamous radish prop from Netflix’s Beef, signed by the cast.
You can also win a private film screening and lunch with Simon Pegg.
Meanwhile, sci-fi lovers can snap up a personalised photo signed by X-Files co-stars Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny.
Music lovers are also in for a treat, with signed setlists and memorabilia from Robbie Williams, The 1975 and Coldplay all among items up for grabs.
It runs until May 27, and will raise money to support children in war zones. See springclean.charitystars.com to get involved. Prize draw entries start at £10.
Liz up to sun-thing
Lizzo is lapping up as much sun as she can before she kicks off the promo for her new album, Bitch.
The Truth Hurts singer shared this snap with her 11million Instagram followers with the caption: “Best Birthday Ever”.
Lizzo lapping up the sunCredit: Instagram/lizzobeeating
Lizzo turned 38 last week and used her special day to announce the record, which is the follow-up to her 2022 album, Special.
Teasing what Bitch has in store, Lizzo said: “I think it’s always going to be the Lizzo sound.
“I posted a snippet of one of my new songs that’s coming out very, very soon and somebody was like, ‘The Nineties are back’.
“I love constructing and producing and creating just well-crafted music and songs.
“I hope everyone likes it.”
As a massive Lizzo fan myself, I am sure I’m going to love it.
Gen Z heartthrobs Zendaya and Tom HollandCredit: Getty
They are one of the most in-demand couples in Hollywood, so what do Gen Z heartthrobs Zendaya and Tom Holland do in their spare time?
The British actor, above with his other half, said: “So we have been crocheting at home. I absolutely love it.”
“I just find it turns my brain off. I can’t do anything else and do it. I have to be lasered in.”
DAVID Beckham has shrugged off estranged son Brooklyn’s snub once again after celebrating his birthday with family.
The former footballer, who has turned 51, enjoyed his day being ‘blessed’ and ‘spoiled’by loved ones, despite being dealt another blow from Brooklyn and his daughter-in-law Nicola Peltz.
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David Beckham has shrugged off son estranged Brooklyn’s snub once again after celebrating his birthday with familyCredit: Instagram / David BeckhamThe former footballer enjoyed his day being ‘blessed’ and ‘spoiled’ by loved onesCredit: Instagram / David BeckhamDavid was dealt another blow from Brooklyn his daughter-in-law Nicola PeltzCredit: Getty
Taking to his Instagram, David shared two sweet snaps of him as a child and him present day smiling as he blew out his birthday candles.
He added the caption: “I feel very lucky & blessed to have had a very special day today being spoilt by my wife, kids , family and friends from the moment I opened my eyes till now.
“And I just want to say thank you and I love you all so much @victoriabeckham & my beautiful family thank you (heart emoji).”
On the star’s birthday, David was met with a barrage of birthday shoutouts from the Beckham clan.
In the caption, the fashion designer penned: “You are our world, our everything. We love you so much!!!
“Happy birthday to the best husband, daddy, son, brother, and friend.”
Brooklyn’s brothers, Romeo and Cruz, also praised their dad by sharing photos of their younger selves with David.
Cruz wished his father a happy birthday with Romeo penning the message: “Happy birthday dad love u so much. Thank u for everything you do.”
Eldest son Brooklyn chose to remain silent for the second year in a row, which comes as no surprise considering he and wife Nicola’s major fallout with the rest of his family.
Former Spice Girl Victoria led the birthday shoutouts for her husband and gushed over him by sharing a series of unseen private snapsCredit: InstagramRomeo Beckham wished his dad David a happy 51st birthday on InstagramCredit: InstagramYoungest son Cruz Beckham also gave dad David a sweet birthday shoutoutCredit: instagram
Earlier this year Brooklyn had launched a nuclear attack on his family stating that he did “not want to reconcile” with his them, and accused his parents of “controlling” the narrative.
Speaking to The Wall Street Journal magazine, Victoria did not refer to Brooklyn by name when asked about the rift but discussed how she had only ever tried to “protect and love our children”.
The Spice Girls star said: “I think that we’ve always—we love our children so much.
“We’ve always tried to be the best parents that we can be. And you know, we’ve been in the public eye for more than 30 years right now, and all we’ve ever tried to do is protect our children and love our children.
“And you know, that’s all I really want to say about it.”
Eldest son Brooklyn chose to remain silent on his fathers birthday for the second year in a rowCredit: Getty
Maura Higgins says her soaring career has come at a cost, with high-profile exes struggling to cope with her successCredit: GettyMaura, pictured with ex Curtis Pritchard, says that her friends tell her she needs to find a partner who is quieter than herCredit: Rex
But Maura, 35, reveals that some high-profile stars actually struggle to cope with her popularity and success.
She said: “My friends tell me that I need someone quieter than me.
“Some of my ex-partners didn’t like me overshadowing them — it was probably an ego thing.
“My friends keep saying that my next partner needs to let me shine and be who I am.”
The former hairdresser and grid girl showed she was not afraid to speak her mind on Love Island seven years ago.
Fans loved her and TV companies could not wait to snap her up.
She was soon signed for Dancing On Ice, and by 2024 she was starring on I’m A Celebrity.
Now she has cracked America, too.
Maura dated Strictly dancer Giovani Pernice – before a sudden splitCredit: ErotemeShe also had a relationship with TOWIE lothario Pete Wicks – who is now dating Olivia AttwoodCredit: BackGrid
She has just been announced as a competitor on Dancing With The Stars, the US version of Strictly, which follows on from her presenting Love Island USA and finishing runner-up on the American version of The Traitors in February.
It has led to her walking some of the biggest red carpets Stateside, including at the Oscars.
And her work there has seen her gain American friends, including fellow Traitors star and Melrose Place actress Lisa Rinna.
Maura recently went to Lisa’s home for an event and was blown over by the relationship she has with husband of 29 years, Clash Of The Titans and L.A. Law star Harry Hamlin.
Maura told Cosmopolitan: “Harry gave a speech, and I sat there thinking, ‘That’s exactly what I want’. He spoke about her with so much respect, and he adores her.
“I genuinely thought, ‘That’s the type of relationship I want. I want a man to let me be me and not try to dim my light’.”
It was during her stint on the fifth series of ITV2 reality series Love Island that she began her first high-profile romance, with Curtis Pritchard.
After leaving the villa, they dated for eight months but Maura says: “I feel like starting on Love Island is why everyone is so invested in my love life and wants to know whether I’m single or dating.”
The former hairdresser and grid girl showed she was not afraid to speak her mind on Love Island seven years agoCredit: Rex FeaturesShe has become a regular on our screens since – including a stint on I’m A CelebrityCredit: Rex
It is probably also because there have been so many relationships with fellow celebrities.
Next came another ex-Love Islander, Chris Taylor, in 2020, followed by Strictly pro Giovanni Pernice in 2021.
At the time, friends said he had “never felt like this about anyone before”. But four months later it ended, leaving Maura reportedly “blindsided”.
Next came Towie lothario Pete Wicks. The pair split in February last year after a series of rows.
And on Valentine’s Day she was overheard telling a friend who asked where he was: “I don’t know, probably cheating”.
But the following month, she was caught in a cheating drama of her own — kissing married I’m A Celeb campmate Danny Jones, the McFly guitarist, at a Brit Awards after-party. He later apologised to his wife.
Maura is now becoming a star in the US – where she is cementing her place as America’s Irish sweetheartCredit: Rex FeaturesMaura is appearing on Dancing With The Stars in the US and says she cannot believe itCredit: Getty
Maura then started to spend more time in America.
Now, the announcement that she will star in the new series of the US dance show cements her place as America’s Irish sweetheart.
But many people are now commenting on her accent, with American fans on social media joking about her saying, “tink”, instead of “think”.
Maura told Cosmo mag: “Everyone’s spelling it T-I-N-K! Even I’m doing it now.
“My Irish fans — they’re all DM-ing and making videos. I’ve seen a few Irish people get defensive and say, ‘You shouldn’t be doing this’.
“But look, if I’m OK with people making fun, then I tink it’s fine.”
After she landed the job on Dancing With The Stars she told fans: “I tink I’m very excited.” And she told American TV show ABC News how she “manifested” her appearance on the dance show.
She said: “I was asked to do Dancing With The Stars Ireland when I first came off Love Island. But around that time there was a lot going on.
Maura says she was previously tempted to do Strictly – but wanted to save herself for the US versionCredit: Rex FeaturesMaura says when she is feeling at her best she is ready to take on the worldCredit: Rex
“And then when Strictly came about I was very tempted because I always wanted to do a dance show.
“I dunno, like my sights were always set on Dancing With The Stars America and I didn’t want to do anything that would jeopardise that position.
“It’s something I’ve been manifesting. I’ve had it on my vision board for the past couple of years.
“And now it’s actually happening. I cannot believe it.”
Maura revealed that although she rarely cries, she was overcome with emotion when she landed the gig.
She said: “I don’t get like that about anything. I don’t think I’ve ever had a moment like that, but because I really wanted it . . .
“If I could get to the finale I’d be over the moon. Obviously I’d love to win. I’ve never won a show in my life.”
It does mean, though, that she will be spending more time in America — and less in the £1.25million home she bought last year in a gated community in Essex.
Maura was so excited when she got the keys that she set up her own Casa A’Maura Instagram — a nod to the Casa Amor villa on Love Island.
But since then she has barely been at the house and only posted twice — one picture of her bean bags in an empty lounge and a second of her cooking pasta, with Sex And The City playing on a TV in the background.
She previously revealed she has not had time to furnish it as she has not been home due to her hectic schedule.
As well as her TV career, Maura has also landed lucrative tie-ins with brands including Primark, L’Oreal Paris, Mac, Ann Summers, Victoria’s Secret and Uber.
Her face may be everywhere, but it has also come under scrutiny on social media, with some asking if she has had tweakments.
Others have commented about her weight loss since her days on Love Island.
Maura told Allure mag: “I have never in my life had cheek filler. If they’re talking about Botox, however, yes, I do get Botox.
“But the only filler I’ve ever had was lip filler, and I’ve not had it in years.
“I’ve had my teeth done. I had Invisalign when I came out of Love Island, and then I had bonding over my teeth, which obviously is going to change my face a lot.”
But one thing she is never without is a spray tan — something that will hold her in good stead as she competes for the glitterball as Ireland’s current hottest export.
She said: “When I’m tanned I feel good, and I’m ready to take on the world”.
MATT GOSS has revealed how he bravely stood up to muggers who tried to steal his gold Rolex watch.
The former Bros singer sat down with Biz On Sunday’s Emily to speak about the scary incident, which occurred while he was walking his dog Reggie with fiancée Chantal Brown.
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Former Bros singer Matt Goss has revealed how he fought off muggers trying to steal his rolexCredit: Paul HarriesMatt told Biz On Sunday’s Emily Webber that he would love to reunite on stage with his brother Luke againCredit: Supplied
Matt, who is back in the studio at London’s famous Abbey Road, said: “We were approached by two people asking for directions.
“We were friendly and tried to help them, but when I pointed the way, they noticed the watch on my wrist.
“One of them immediately became aggressive, trying to distract me by dancing while also grabbing at my wrist.
“I reacted instinctively and, feeling threatened, pushed my head into his before telling him firmly: ‘Don’t you dare’.
“Chantal and I then went straight into a nearby hotel and called the police.”
Matt, who was born in Lewisham, South East London, where he grew up with twin brother and fellow Bros star Luke Goss, said he would like to see more police on the streets.
He added: “I do feel safe in London overall, but I find it sad that, in such a beautiful city, you can’t always wear something nice without concern.
“I truly wish we still had more bobbies on the beat, with that sense of community, presence and understanding of the local area.”
Matt is back in the UK after spending 25 years in America, where he had a highly successful residency in Las Vegas for 11 years.
His new track, Thank You For The Pain, is out now and will form part of his upcoming album scheduled for September 29.
Matt said: “It’s back to commercial music. I love performing live and I loved the Vegas show and I am super proud of that.
“But there is something about going in the doors at Abbey Road that gives you a sense of occasion and, ‘you better bring your A-game’. It really makes you step up more because of the history.”
He added: “You are going into your church and you are baring all and being extremely truthful. Thank You For The Pain is about turning your pain into something that makes you a better person.
“We have all been hurt by people and that song really helps you recognise what hurts makes you stronger.”
Matt sold 17million records in the Eighties boyband Bros, with the brothers making their big breakthrough in 1988 with Top Ten single When Will I Be Famous?
But after the boyband split up in 1992, the pair went their separate ways until reforming in 2017 to play two dates at London’s O2 Arena.
The lead-up to the comeback was filmed for documentary Bros: After The Screaming Stops, which also showed the ongoing tension between the twins.
Matt revealed in 2024 that they were “completely estranged”.
But he is hopeful that they may manage to sort out their differences and step out on stage together once again.
He said: “I would love nothing more than to jump on stage with my brother again, I’m pretty sure we don’t hate each other but we have stuff to sort out.
“I believe there is respect for each other. I’d love to do Glastonbury with my brother.”
MATT GOSS has given Biz On Sunday readers the first full clip of his new video, Thank You For The Pain. It is Matt’s first animated video and is created by Nobody Asked Studios.
A source said: “Matt is a huge fan of Nobody Asked Studios and the track worked perfectly with the animated style.”
Millie’s book Taylor made
Millie Mackintosh is working on a new book following her recent split from Hugo TaylorCredit: Getty
The ex-Made In Chelsea star is working with publisher Little, Brown Group on a new book.
A source said: “Millie’s been through a lot in the last year and she’s writing it all down.
“Her first book was about her sobriety, but this one will look at motherhood, her ADHD diagnosis and the changes in her personal life, including her split from Hugo.
“Writing is very cathartic for Millie, so it’s also helping her process what’s been going on in her life. She will reveal a lot about the breakdown of her marriage and there will likely be a few surprises.
“Millie really wants to be honest and relatable.”
The book comes after Millie’s first husband, rapper Professor Green, gushed about her recently . . .
Zara’s Shak for more
Zara Larsson has joined forces with Shakira to remix her track EurosummerCredit: InstagramShakira reached out to congratulate pal Zara on the track’s releaseCredit: Instagram
ZARA LARSSON and Shakira look summer ready after collaborating on a new song.
The Swedish pop star has remixed her track Eurosummer with the Hips Don’t Lie hitmaker.
It comes as Zara releases remix album Midnight Sun: Girls Trip featuring Pinkpantheress, Tyla and Robyn.
Shakira posted on Instagram: “Happy release day, Zara Larsson. Can’t wait for our video to come out.
“In the meantime, starting my Euro summer from Rio.”
Dean’s back on market
HE is known for being a ladies’ man, but it looks like former EastEnders star Dean Gaffney is single once again.
I can reveal that he has split from Harvard graduate Kate Black after dating for a year.
A source said: “Dean and Kate have agreed to go their separate ways. “They enjoyed a whirlwind romance, but decided that their relationship was more friendly.
“Kate wasn’t Dean’s usual type, but he learned a lot from her.”
Kate studied international relations at the top US university and artificial intelligence at the University of York.
A mutual pal introduced them and they started dating in April last year, a month after she split from her long-term boyfriend.
Last June, Dean, who played market sweeper Robbie Jackson in the BBC One soap, was spotted on holiday in Ibiza with Kate.
DJ Greg: Will.I.Am so rude
RADIO 1 DJ GREG JAMES has named The Voice coach Will.I.am as one of the worst famous people he’s ever met and described his music as “s**t”.
Speaking at an intimate gig in North London for the launch of his book, All The Best For The Future, he said: “Will.i.am was a nightmare and he was rude.
“He barged into the studio and had his Bluetooth headset on, even though I was trying to interview him.
“He didn’t say hello to anyone in the room and he was just ignoring everyone.
“Eventually he sat down and took his headset off and I had to interview him. Mad, and his songs are s**t aren’t they? Apart from his Black Eyed Peas track I Gotta Feeling, if we’re being really honest with ourselves.”
I have to disagree. Scream & Shout and Heartbreaker are both bangers…
Stones face music for album launch
The Rolling Stones have teased the cover for their new album Foreign TonguesCredit: InstagramThe Rolling Stones’ album will be released in July and a clock is ticking downCredit: Getty
THE ROLLING STONES have teased the cover for their much-anticipated new album as they prepared for its press launch this week.
A poster appeared on social media yesterday showing Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood imagined as one face. The eyecatching design was dreamt up by American painter Nathaniel Mary Quinn.
On Tuesday, the band will hold the press launch of the new record, Foreign Tongues, in New York. Then, on Wednesday, Mick Jagger will appear on The Tonight Show, hosted by Jimmy Fallon.
The US TV star presented a global press conference in 2023 in East London for the band’s last album, Hackney Diamonds.
A countdown clock for the new record, out on July 10, has now appeared outside the group’s merchandise store on London’s Carnaby Street. It also shows the album’s title written in a variety of different languages.
One staff member claimed everyone was sworn to secrecy, adding: “I plead the Fifth Amendment.”
Another said: “They have not told us anything in case it backfires on them.”
And, yet again, the band have also updated their famous tongue logo, originally created by British art student John Pasche in 1970.
Last month, The Stones released a vinyl-only single, Rough & Twisted, under the pseudonym The Cockroaches. Meanwhile, I revealed that PAUL McCARTNEY will also feature on a new album track following his cameo on Hackney Diamonds.
Sounds like this is going to be the album of the year.
MAYA Jama has shared a health update after being told by doctors she had to receive more tests following a smear test.
The Love Island presenter sent a warning out to fans to get checked, as she admitting to feeling “very nervous” over the trip.
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Maya Jama has revealed that she has had to undergo tests after having a smear test scareCredit: InstagramThe Love Island presenter admitted she was feeling nervous as she headed to get checked after an abnormal test resultCredit: Instagram
Taking to her Instagram Stories on Thursday, Maya shared a snap of her feet as she sat in the waiting room at the doctors.
She explained: “At the drs now as a follow up from my smear test the other day.
“I have to get those cells burned off, feeling nervous but this is why smears are so important!”
In the next picture, she explained that the cells actually didn’t have to be burned off in the end, but she did have to undergo more tests.
Maya headed straight to the doctors upon landing home from a quick trip to IbizaCredit: InstagramThe star hopped over to the White Isle after a romantic few days in Rome with her boyfriend Ruben DiasCredit: Instagram
Sharing a mirror selfie from the bathroom following the appointment, Maya said: “So turns out I didn’t need the cells burned off but a mini biopsy to monitor the cells further.
“Again reminder to go in if you are putting it off.”
Cells are removed or “burned off” to stop them from developing into cervical cancer in the future.
Smear tests can determine whether any abnormal cells are present and whether this needs to be done.
The medical trip came as Maya had just touched down back home after a quick trip to Ibiza, with the star sharing that it was a “fun 24h” before returning home.
Before that, she spent a romantic few days in Italy with boyfriend Ruben Dias.
Maya shared an Instagram photo dump of the break to Rome, which included visits to the Sistine Chapel and the classical Vatican Gardens with with her Man City star boyfriend.
And she gushed about the trip to her three million fans, writing: “Can you tell I love it here?”
Adam Thomas has claimed David Haye lied to him while they were in I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! South Africa camp, leaving the actor at a complete loss for words
Daniel Bird Assistant Celebrity and Entertainment Editor
22:37, 29 Apr 2026
Adam Thomas has opened up about a conversation with David Haye(Image: YouTube/AtHomeWithTheThomasBros)
Adam Thomas has claimed David Haye lied during their time on I’m A Celeb. The Waterloo Road star was crowned the winner of I’m A Celebrity… South Africa last week during a tense live final.
Throughout the series, former boxer Haye came under fire for comments he made, including branding his girlfriend, Sian, an “ugly duckling”. He said: “She’s like tall, blue eyes. She’s lovely. She’s got the personality of a proper ugly bird.” He added that “ugly girls” need to have “a personality and banter,” to overlook “the fact that they’re not aesthetically amazing”.
Elsewhere, when Adam, who suffers from psoriatic arthritis, stated he didn’t feel physically able to take part in a trial, Haye branded him “useless,” adding he didn’t “give a s**t”. While the pre-recorded show was airing, Adam explained that he felt “broken” in the camp and considered leaving.
Adam has now spoken out on his podcast, claiming that David lied to him in an attempt to rile him up. Despite his struggles in the camp, Adam never spoke to anybody about his feelings. “I didn’t talk about it to anyone,” he told his brothers, Scott and Ryan on At Home With The Thomas Bros.
He went on to say: “It wasn’t until I was with David, and I came back from this trial, and he was goading me about fainting, that’s when I finally had the courage to go, ‘Listen, shut up now, enough is enough’.
“He got pulled to the Bush Telegraph, and then he came out and he sat me down and said, ‘They’re worried about your mental health. They’ve told me to stop now. Have you been crying about me in there?’
“So that was when I realised, I was like, ‘So, they know, they know what’s been going on’, and that upset me more. Because it’s the fact that I’ve never once talked about [David] or mentioned what [David’s] done to me in here to them.”
Adam later confronted the producers of the show to ask why they would disclose such information to David, who confirmed that there had been no conversation about Adam’s mental health. “I asked David when I got out and he said ‘Yeah, I just made it all up,'” Adam said.
He fumed: “I was like, ‘Wow, you really fu***ng manipulated the s*** out of me!'” Following the dramatic final, Ant and Dec broke their silence tonight, branding it “weird”.
In the preview to their podcast Hanging Out with Ant & Dec, the duo joked about the chaos from the event, with Ant joking, “If you didn’t see it, I bet you read about it!”
“It was quite the night!” said Dec, promising to explain the “ins and outs” of the event. Ant replied: “It was a weird night of TV,” adding that there were “walk-outs” Highlighting the main topics of the upcoming podcast episode, the pair promised to discuss Jimmy Bullard as Dec said: “The first question was to Jimmy about why did you call I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here.”
Ant added in response: “On the night I said I disagreed with him,” likely speaking about Jimmy Bullard, whom Ant publicly disagreed with when Jimmy asked him to confirm that Adam was aggressive on the show.
According to Acting Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche and other top administration officials, the U.S. Secret Service did a fine job protecting President Trump and Cabinet members from the gunman who breached the White House Correspondents’ Assn. dinner Saturday.
“That horrible act was stopped because of the courage and professionalism of law enforcement — the officers who responded without hesitation and did their jobs as they were trained to do,” Blanche said Monday.
However, according to a detailed accounting filed Wednesday by federal prosecutors in the criminal case against suspect Cole Tomas Allen, the performance of the nation’s preeminent protection agency was marred by inattentiveness and misfires and saved by “extraordinary good fortune” and the gunman falling to the ground.
“The defendant, armed with a 12-gauge shotgun, a .38 caliber pistol, two knives, four daggers, and enough ammunition to take dozens of lives, was apprehended by [Secret Service] officers mere feet away from the ballroom where his primary target was located, along with other members of the Cabinet,” prosecutors wrote Wednesday, in a filing arguing for Allen to be held in detention pending trial on one charge of trying to kill the president and two firearms charges.
Contradicting a prior claim by Blanche that officers had “promptly tackled and detained” Allen, prosecutors wrote that the 31-year-old tutor from Torrance simply “fell to the ground” after blowing past a team of agents just two open flights of stairs from the ballroom.
They wrote that one officer fired at Allen five times, but never hit him.
The same officer saw Allen fire his shotgun “in the direction of the stairs leading down to the ballroom,” prosecutors wrote, and officers later discovered “one spent cartridge in the barrel and eight unfired cartridges in the magazine tube.”
Prosecutors said nothing about the Secret Service officer who Blanche said was shot in his ballistic vest during the incident — adding to speculation that the officer may have been shot not by Allen, but by a fellow officer, or not at all.
Agency critiqued before
In all, the court filing brought further into focus a chaotic Secret Service response that appeared flawed from the start, including in a video Trump posted shortly after the incident in which agents appeared to be idling around an unobstructed entrance when Allen ran past them.
It added to concerns that law enforcement, security experts and members of Congress had raised about the performance of an agency that has been repeatedly called on to improve after previous attempts on Trump’s life. At a 2024 campaign rally in Butler, Pa., a gunman fired a bullet that grazed Trump’s ear, and that same year, another assailant prepared to shoot him from the unsecured perimeter of a Florida golf course.
Robert D’Amico, a former FBI deputy chief of operations for hostage rescue teams who is now a security consultant, said the security failures he saw in the Secret Service’s preparation for Saturday’s dinner — including its failure to set up basic barriers to prevent people from sprinting into the secured area — were stunning, especially given the past threats and the fact the nation is at war with Iran.
“It’s for a person like Trump, who’s had two assassination attempts before and is at war with Iran, which has terrorist training and proxies up, and you still don’t have the basics?” D’Amico said. “It’s unfathomable.”
Other concerns have been voiced by members of Congress, including Republicans.
The House Oversight Committee has requested a briefing from the Secret Service, and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has called for a hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which also investigated the Butler incident.
In a letter urging the hearing, Hawley said the latest incident “raises questions about presidential security arrangements, potential resource needs, and the degree to which reforms previously proposed by Congress have been adopted.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told Fox News that from “a layman’s perspective,” event security “looked a little lax in terms of getting into the building,” and that it “doesn’t sound like it was sufficient.”
Sean M. Curran, director of the Secret Service, has been on Capitol Hill in recent days briefing lawmakers.
He told CBS News that agents did a “great job,” but also that the incident remains under review. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has said that White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles would be leading discussions on potential updates to Secret Service plans for securing the president.
Fear of graver threats
Blanche has argued that proof of the Secret Service’s effectiveness at the press gala was in the result: Allen was stopped, Trump and other officials were unharmed and no one was killed, despite Allen’s alleged intent.
However, the concerns being raised have to do with the vulnerabilities that were exposed as much as those that were exploited.
Because the dinner was not designated a major “national special security event” — such as a political convention — there were no trained counterassault agents on standby to prevent a breach or to take down a person with a weapon, officials have said.
Law enforcement experts said that was clearly a mistake given so many top officials — Trump, Johnson, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, among others — were in the room.
Such a gathering could have been targeted by foreign adversaries or others with far more experience, less regard for human life and much greater firepower than Allen, experts said.
“Most of my military friends are all saying the same thing,” said D’Amico, who is also a former infantry platoon commander in the U.S. Marines. “If you had had a team of three or four [gunmen], they would have gotten to [Trump].’”
In the initial criminal complaint against Allen, prosecutors included the text of an email Allen sent to family just as he was preparing to rush the security perimeter, in which he allegedly wrote that he had chosen to use buckshot in order to “minimize casualties” and prevent bystanders from being wounded by more powerful bullets penetrating walls.
He also allegedly wrote that he was willing to “go through most everyone” at the event to get to top administration officials, but that guests and hotel staff were “not targets at all.”
In Wednesday’s filing, prosecutors describe Allen’s actions as “premeditated, violent, and calculated to cause death,” and say he was “laden with weapons” as he breached security. But none of those weapons included assault-style rifles that can fire multiple bullets rapidly and have been used to kill civilians in mass shootings across the country for years.
The filing described Allen — a Caltech graduate and high school tutor — not as some trained tactical expert, but as an ideologue who spent part of his Amtrak journey from California to Washington waxing poetic about the landscape around him, describing Pennsylvania’s woods as “vast fairy lands filled with tiny trickling creeks in spring.”
Could have been worse
D’Amico said he and other Marines learned early on in Iraq that entrances to secured locations have to be designed in a “serpentine” fashion, forcing anyone approaching to move more slowly through the area and giving security officers more time to assess their intentions. And at an event the size of the correspondents’ dinner, with so many top officials gathered in a public hotel, you would want to make entrances “even more difficult.”
And yet no barriers seemed to be in place at the event, he said — something anyone trained more than Allen could have capitalized on.
“If they just had come through in a team of three or four who were coordinated and trained, there absolutely would have been penetration into the ballroom,” D’Amico said. “It would have been a gunfight.”
Allen himself questioned the security at the event, according to court records, allegedly writing that he had walked into the Washington Hilton with multiple weapons and no one considered “the possibility that I could be a threat.”
He wrote that if he “was an Iranian agent, instead of an American citizen,” he “could have brought a damn Ma Deuce in here and no one would have noticed” — referring to a powerful machine gun.
“It is fortunate he was only armed with what he had,” said Ed Obayashi, a California law enforcement expert on use of force.
Works are starting on reopening Southport Pier for 2027Credit: GettySouthport Pier was forced to close back in 2022 due to safety concernsCredit: Alamy
However it was announced last year that £20million was being put into its reopening, and works have now started.
Local website Stand Up for Southport confirmed that contractors are now doing pre-construction work, with the full restoration expected to take up to 16 months.
This includes replacing the decking, as well as adding new gates and CCTV, while fixing the steelworks as well.
Sefton Council said: “The first task contractors will have is to assess the current condition of the existing paintwork on the structure’s columns. We want to ascertain if there has been any deterioration since previous assessments were undertaken.
“If the condition is good it can be left as is, however if not we will also need to repaint the whole structure as part of the repair works.
“This pre-construction work will take at least five days to complete. Following this we’ll shortly be moving onto the ground investigation stage within the coming weeks, which checks the stability of the ground underneath and around the Pier for materials like scaffolding.”
Southport Pier is the oldest iron pier in the UK, dating back to 1860, and is the second longest (only behind Southend Pier).
However, the original pavilion was destroyed in 1897 by a fire, with another fire in 1959 damaging the decking.
It was later given Grade II listing in 1975. with a new £7million tram in 2002.
Councillor Marion Atkinson, leader of Sefton Council, previously said: “The Pier is a symbol of Southport’s identity, history, and now, thanks to the Council and Central Government, secured for the town’s future too.”
Sam Neill has revealed he is cancer-freeCredit: GettySam Neill is best known for playing Dr Alan Grant in Jurassic Park
In a new interview, he said he was “on the way out” when his chemotherapy stopped working.
“I was at a loss, and it looked like I was on the way out, which wasn’t ideal obviously,” he explained.
But thanks to pioneering Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, the cost of which, on average, is £280,000 per patient in the UK , there is no longer any trace of the disease in his body.
Sam told 7 News in his native Australia: “I’ve just had a scan just now and there is no cancer in my body, that’s an extraordinary thing. I’m very, very excited that this can happen.”
He first revealed he was having the immunotherapy in September 2023 and had been in remission for 12 months.
The treatment is personalised to the patient and genetically modifies their own T-cells to fight and destroy cancer cells.
The actor said he is now looking forward to returning to the big screen.
Stoic Sam previously said he wasn’t afraid of dying after being diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma — a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
“I’m not in any way frightened of dying,” he told Australian Story. “That doesn’t worry me. It’s never worried me from the beginning, but I would be annoyed.”
Sam announced his cancer battle in the first chapter of his memoir, Did I Ever Tell You This?
He wrote: “The thing is, I’m crook. Possibly dying.”
The acting stalwart, who was born in Northern Ireland but grew up in New Zealand, is best known for playing Dr Alan Grant in the dinosaur franchise, beginning in 1993.
His successful movie and television career spans five decades and includes varied roles from The Piano, to The Zookeeper and even Peaky Blinders.
He has two biological children — Tim and Elena — from his marriage to makeup artist Noriko Watanabe.
The couple were married for nearly 30 years, before divorcing in 2017.
NICOLA Roberts has revealed she underwent secret surgery at 22 weeks into her pregnancy.
The Girls Aloud singer, 40, is currently expecting her first child with fiancé Mitch Hahn and is set to give birth in the coming months.
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As she counts down to giving birth, Nicola Roberts has revealed she underwent secret surgery 22 weeks into her pregnancyCredit: Instagram/ @nicolarobertsThe mum-to-be revealed that the procedure was done to ‘keep the baby in’ as she shared the news in a postCredit: Getty
In a new post, Nicola shared a myriad of pictures from the last week, and revealed she had actually recovering after undergoing a medical procedure.
Sharing that she had surgery to “keep the baby in” at 22 weeks, Nicola didn’t expand on what had gone on, but did say she was in recovery mode.
The singer wrote to her page: “Some pics I took this week.. Hasn’t it been so nice to really feel spring..
“I’ve been under instruction not to do much since I had the surgery at 22 weeks to help keep baby in.
The Girls Aloud star is set to give birth in the next month and has been winding down ahead of the new chapterCredit: Instagram/ @nicolarobertsShe is expecting the little one with fiancé Mitch HahnCredit: Instagram/lilnicola
“Hitting that 34 week mark was a big relief. I now only have a few weeks left. Safe to say, this last bit is not the easiest is it?!
“In one breath, it will be nice to feel more comfortable again but I will also really miss my bump and having this tiny little thing in there”.
In her carousel of pictures, Nicola snapped a selfie in bed with a hot drink as she displayed her blossoming bump.
Whilst another showed the Moses basket she has prepared ahead of the little one’s arrival, with other snaps giving a glimpse into the pregnant star’s relaxed week at home.
Nicola didn’t reveal which surgery she had undergone or why, but there are several procedures which can be carried out mid-pregnancy to prevent problems further down the line.
A BRIT rock star has revealed how he has become a dad for the first time.
Royal Blood’s guitarist Ben Thatcher, 38, also thrilled fans when he announced his newborn son’s unusual name.
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Royal Blood star Ben Thatcher has revealed he has become a dad for the first timeCredit: Roddy ScottThe drummer shared this picture of his babyCredit: Instagram/ @benjitalentBen welcomed his son with his partner BeccaCredit: Instagram/ @benjitalent
The Brit Award-winning musician revealed that he and his longterm partner Becca had welcomed a baby boy named Phoenix.
The star took to Instagram this afternoon to announce the news and also shared a glimpse of his new arrival with his army of followers.
Writing alongside an adorable snap of the newborn baby, which shows the rocker cradling his son, the proud dad wrote: “Introducing my little boy, Phoenix Rue Thatcher.
“He has stolen my heart. @beccamcginty_ thank you for growing this little miracle.
“I love you, you’re already the greatest mum to our wee lad. And thank you to @nhssurreysussex for delivering our little boy safely into the world.”
Ben’s friends and followers including some of his celebrity pals were quick to congratulate him on the news.
Strictly Come Dancing star, and fellow new dad, Joe Sugg was one of the first to send well wishes, penning: “Congrats to you both!”
While Radio 1 host Jack Saunders said: “Congratulations to you both. What a gorgeous boy.”
Brit actress Emma Laird gushed: “Congratulations oh my gosh.”
Ben along with his bandmate Mike Kerr formed Royal Blood back in 2011.
Ben shot to fame as the drummer in Royal BloodCredit: Getty – Contributor
They have since gone on to make history after their first four albums all hit the No. 1 spot in the charts.
They aren’t just famous in the UK, Royal Blood have also achieved global success and played sold out shows and festivals across the world.
They have also performed with fellow rock icons including Muse and Foo Fighters, who both personally invited them to support them on their stadium tours.
Previously speaking to The Sun about performing with these huge bands, Ben told us in 2023: “Muse are a fantastic band for us to open up for because our fans kind of have the same DNA.
“So, for us to go out into those stadiums is like playing to a lot of our fans really, but in places where we wouldn’t be able to play normally.
“Like the Stade de France in Paris, which was amazing.
OLLY MURS is taking a leap into the unknown on a brutal 250-mile challenge for Unicef’s Soccer Aid.
In an exclusive chat with Bizarre, the singer revealed he will run, row and cycle from Manchester United’s Old Trafford to West Ham’s London Stadium across five punishing days for Olly Murs: Into The Unknown.
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Olly Murs is taking on a brutal 250-mile challenge for Unicef’s Soccer AidCredit: Tom Dymond for UNICEF
He admitted that a life-changing trip to Romania had given the challenge a whole new meaning.
The Troublemaker star travelled to Eastern Europe to see the charity’s work first-hand, and was moved after meeting mum-of-one Oksana, who escaped Ukraine after Russia invaded and is now living in a Unicef facility in Romania.
“Her baby was only seven months old,” Olly said. “Coming here in the middle of a war on her own, no family, no friends.
He explained: “All I want to do is keep my baby safe and keep the (children) healthy and happy, and that’s the same for every parent around the world.”
Olly and wife Amelia TankCredit: Getty
While the cause is inspiring, the 250 miles sounds absolutely brutal.
In a harsh twist, Olly won’t know exactly what he’ll be facing each day.
He revealed: “It does scare me because it’s really hard when you’re preparing for something when you don’t know the distances.”
Even his birthday is being sacrificed to the cause.
Olly laughed: “The 11th of May is when I start it — my birthday week.
“I’ll be celebrating my birthday whilst running or cycling or rowing somewhere.”
Olly, who has undergone four knee operations, is worried about what impact the arduous challenge will have on his joints.
He added: “I don’t know how my knee’s going to cope. It’s definitely going to have an effect on my body, and my knees.
“But I’m confident that I’m fit enough to do it.”
Olly on his ‘life-changing’ trip to RomaniaCredit: Supplied
Away from the graft of preparing for his charity challenge, Olly says his home life has become his priority, with music temporarily on the back burner.
“I’ve really enjoyed just being at home and not singing any more,” he explained.
“I’m just singing and entertaining my kids.
“I posted a video the other day of me singing to my kids some of my songs and Maddie kept saying ‘No.’
“It’s a tough crowd at home.”
Olly is now hoping he’ll have an easier time on the pitch at Soccer Aid on May 31, when he will line up as part of the England squad alongside Wayne Rooney, Tom Hiddleston, Gk Barry, Jill Scott, Angry Ginge and with SoccerAid founder Robbie Williams as coach.
The Soccer Aid World XI features ex-players Jordi Alba of Spain and Italy’s Leonardo Bonucci, with the team being coached by Olympian Usain Bolt.