secret

Writer Deborah Peters was one of the first to set sail on Celebrity Cruises’ newest ship, and discovered endless extravagant eating and entertainment options to explore

Imagine you’re on your dream holiday – how many bars and restaurants would be too many? How many different spaces can you explore in a short space of time? To answer these questions, we were lucky enough to join the maiden voyage of the Celebrity Xcel, Celebrity Cruises’ newest ship for 2026.

The latest in the Edge Series of ships, the Xcel will have you spoilt for choice; there’s so much on offer that it’s hard to decide what to do first. Luckily, inside your cabin you’re provided with daily planners, and there’s a handy app with information on what’s happening where.

Everything on board the Xcel is sparkly and brand new, you’re surrounded by so much art you won’t know where to look first, and the Magic Carpet platform, suspended above the sea, is seriously impressive. Setting sail from Fort Lauderdale, there was certainly a celebratory atmosphere as we started our Caribbean cruise to Bimini in the Bahamas and Cozumel in Mexico.

READ MORE: Where to go on holiday in 2026 – from surprising EU foodie hotspot to ‘cheaper Cotswolds’

READ MORE: ‘I found how to take a Traitors-inspired getaway to Edinburgh for under £100 a night’

What’s on board the Celebrity Xcel?

The Grand Plaza is the main hub of the ship. Set over three open and airy decks, it’s overlooked by a breathtaking chandelier hanging above the martini bar, where the flamboyant bar staff put on a skilled juggling performance in front of an eye-catching golden horse sculpture. It’s the perfect spot for relaxing, with different entertainment each night and brilliant people- watching opportunities at all times (especially during the silent disco!).

One new area on the Xcel is The Bazaar on deck five. It’s approached through a tunnel of changing lights, and is inspired by the cultures, flavours and sights of the destinations you’re visiting on your cruise. Every time we passed through there was a different delicious smell, and it’s full of interesting little stalls from local artisans. Festivals take place here on sea days where you can experience themed sips and snacks, and crafting activities are also dotted around.

The food on board the Celebrity Xcel

There are so many different dining experiences on board the Xcel, and the food standard is excellent. The four complimentary restaurants – Cosmopolitan, Normandie, Cyprus and Tuscan – are all designed differently and have their own signature dishes.

The Oceanview café is a relaxed space with great views and great food. The choice is huge and as well as the main buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner, there’s a pizza and pasta bar, an ice-cream parlour, late night snacks… it goes on and on and on.

There are also seven speciality dining restaurants, bookable for an extra charge. We were massively impressed by Mosaic, an open kitchen concept with a spin on your destination’s signature dishes, all presented beautifully. Bora, meanwhile, is a new outdoor restaurant at the top of the ship, serving extravagant brunches and sunset dinners – perfect for date nights.

What can you do on the Celebrity Xcel?

With all that food and drink, you might fancy some light activity. A walking/running track winds its way around the top decks with views of the pool. For the more active, the state-of-the- art gym looking out to sea is fantastic; we’d never had such a great view from a treadmill.

There’s also a gorgeous spa with its own private sundeck called Vitamin D, and a huge choice of saunas, steam rooms and treatments. It’s so relaxing and quiet, it’s hard to remember that you’re at sea at all.

The Celebrity Pool Club is overlooked by a giant mirrored monkey sculpture that provides the perfect spot for selfies. Poolside valets keep you refreshed all day and there’s a programme of volleyball, poolside trivia and aquafun dance classes. After hours the pool club transforms to host the Shine the Night party with DJs. There are so many entertainment areas on board, there’s something for everyone – a casino, a theatre, The Club with activities, retro video games and game shows, an art gallery, and more bars than you can keep track of.

And of course, there are loads of excursions to choose from when you get off at your destinations too; the shark snorkelling at Bimini in particular was a fantastic experience.

One last thing…

Something worth investigating is the whispered rumours of a secret speakeasy bar on board. You won’t find any information about it online (it’s only referred to as ‘IYKYK’ on the website) and staff will deny all knowledge when questioned, but we happened upon it on our last night. It’s all very hush hush with no photos allowed, but if you can find it, it’s an experience you won’t want to miss. All we’ll say is look out for the photo booth…

How much does it cost?

Celebrity Cruises’ 7-nights Bahamas, Mexico & Cayman Cruise on board the Celebrity Xcel, sailing from 1-8 March 2026, costs from £879.50 per person based on two adults sharing an Inside Stateroom. This price includes food, with drinks packages, flights and WiFi at extra costs.

For additional options for Caribbean cruises, have a browse of TUI’s and MSC’s offerings.

Can You Keep a Secret? aired on Wednesday night starring Dawn French and Mark Heap.

BBC viewers appeared distinctly underwhelmed on Wednesday evening following the debut of a fresh sitcom on the channel.

Can You Keep a Secret? stars Dawn French and Mark Heap as married couple Debbie and William Fendon.

The plot centres on widow Debbie, who goes to extraordinary lengths to safeguard her family following the sudden death of her reclusive husband.

But there’s a shocking revelation: she’s not actually bereaved, as William is very much alive. After being wrongly pronounced dead, Debbie takes the audacious step of going along with the charade and pocketing his life insurance payout, provided he stays hidden from view, reports the Express.

When their son Harry (Craig Roberts) discovers the reality, he’s understandably shaken to find his supposedly deceased father alive and kicking.

As the programme began, BBC viewers wasted no time heading to X to voice their reactions, with many clearly unimpressed.

One viewer remarked: “Makes Mrs Brown look like a comedy masterclass. Wish the bbc had kept it a secret!” Another posted: ” Waiting for the comedy on @bbc #CanYouKeepaSecret.”

A third viewer admitted: “Not sure not raised a half hearted smile so far #CanYouKeepaSecret.”

whilst another simply declared: “Just awful.”

Yet not everyone shared the same view, with some thoroughly enjoying the new programme, as one person noted: “That was lucky. I kept the TV on after #Traitors and Dawn French humour is cracking me up.”

While another viewer enthused: “Same here. This is hilarious!”

Yet the comedy appears poised to shift into darker territory, as the episode’s closing moments revealed someone has discovered William’s survival, with a menacing letter addressed to him being pushed through the letterbox.

A teaser for upcoming episodes showcased a montage of scenes making it abundantly clear the family’s closely guarded secret has been exposed, with the mysterious individual demanding hush money – but whose identity remains unknown?

Discussing her role in the sitcom, Dawn French explained: “Right from the off I could see that she’s one of those people that absolutely believes she’s always right. I don’t think I’ve ever done that in my life, been sat firmly in that righteous place the way Debbie is.

“I may have often imagined that I could be right, but I’ll err on the side of thinking, ‘I’m probably wrong about this’. Debbie just doesn’t have that anxiety or filter. She’s made a split decision in a mad moment, and once the decision is made, unless she’s prepared to go to prison, she knows she’d better man up and deal with it.

“I mean, I’ve never been in this situation, but I guess once you make a life-changing decision like that, and you jump into the dilemma of it, you’ve got to gird your loins and get on with it because once you’re in, you’re in.”

Can You Keep a Secret is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

**For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website**

Cabin crew member Cher shares the insider tricks she uses on every flight – from avoiding being bumped off oversold planes to protecting your skin at 30,000 feet

A cabin crew member has lifted the lid on her insider knowledge and disclosed the tricks she uses when travelling that passengers can adopt too. Flight attendants have racked up some of the best hacks on navigating air travel thanks to travelling the world.

Cher, who has been working on aircrafts for five years, shared three crucial tips she’s gathered during her time in the aviation industry. She ensures she implements her own advice even during personal trips to guarantee her journey runs smoothly.

Her guidelines can be applied by anyone, not just cabin crew, so keep them to hand for your upcoming getaway, reports the Express.

Check-in

Cher’s first recommendation is that she always checks in at the earliest opportunity for her flights when travelling as a passenger. She elaborated: “Airlines often do something called overselling the flight, which is where they sell more tickets than there are actual seats on board.”

The flight attendant explained that typically this system works as numerous passengers tend to miss their booked flight. But if that doesn’t happen, Cher noted you might hear a tannoy announcement at the airport offering vouchers to travellers willing to forgo the flight due to excessive ticket sales.

“If some people won’t take that voucher, it means they are going to bump the last few people that have checked in off of the flight,” she revealed.

“If you are waiting until the last minute to check in for your flight, then you’re going to get bumped onto the next flight either later that day or the next day, which could totally ruin your trip.”

Cher also pointed out that early check-in allows passengers to secure “better” seating options.

Sun cream

The cabin crew member revealed she never boards without SPF protection. Cher highlighted that research has shown airline staff face heightened skin cancer risks.

She explained: “I do my best to try to keep the window shade closed as much as I can.” Regular travellers might want to follow suit by applying sun protection and keeping window blinds down during flights.

Hand luggage

Cher urges people to put important items in carry-on baggage rather than checked suitcases. She even recommends these essentials be kept in the personal bag that sits at your feet.

She warned: “It is not uncommon for somebody to mistake your carry on as theirs and take it off. I have seen this dozens of times.”

Cher advises packing underwear, a toothbrush, toiletries or “anything you couldn’t go a couple days without” in this bag. She noted: “The best thing in aviation is to basically prepare for the worst.

“Flight attendant bags are marked up to the nines with custom tags so we can identify them as ours. I would recommend doing something on your bag that will prevent somebody else from confusing it as theirs.

CINCINNATI — A man who broke windows at Vice President JD Vance’s Ohio home and caused other property damage was detained early Monday, the U.S. Secret Service said.

The man was detained shortly after midnight by Secret Service agents assigned to Vance’s home, east of downtown Cincinnati, agency spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement emailed to the Associated Press. He has not been named.

The Secret Service heard a loud noise at the home around midnight and found a person who had broken a window with a hammer and was trying to get into the house, according to two law enforcement officials who were not publicly authorized to discuss the investigation into what happened and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The man had also vandalized a Secret Service vehicle on his way up the home’s driveway, one of the officials said.

The home, in the Walnut Hills neighborhood, on hills overlooking the city, was unoccupied at the time, and Vance and his family were not in Ohio, Guglielmi said.

The Secret Service is coordinating with the Cincinnati Police Department and the U.S. attorney’s office as charging decisions are reviewed, he said.

Vance, a Republican, was a U.S. senator representing Ohio before becoming vice president. His office said his family was already back in Washington and directed questions to the Secret Service.

Walnut Hills is one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods and is home to historic sites, including the Harriet Beecher Stowe House.

Richer and McCormack write for the Associated Press. AP writers Mike Balsamo and Sarah Brumfield contributed to this report.

Fans of The Traitors are searching for answers over the show’s new twist – the Secret Traitor. But viewers think they may have spotted a massive blunder in the background of The Traitors: Uncloaked

Eagle-eyed Traitors fans are convinced they have sussed out who the secret traitor is, after an apparent blunder on spin-off show Uncloaked. With the most recent season of The Traitors starting on New Year’s Day, the format was switched up slightly by BBC bosses, who added in a ‘secret traitor’, as well as the three traitors as usual.

But when fans were watching The Traitors: Uncloaked, they spotted what some thought was a blunder on the show’s behalf. Clocking the photos on the wall behind the hosts, one X user wrote: “Why are the 3 traitors pictured on the wall…..with Harriet.”

Another added: “Spoiler: The portraits of the traitors are in the background of #traitorsuncloaked…. Plus an additional one. Harriet the secret traitor! #TheTraitorsUK #Traitors”

READ MORE: Unmasked star of The Traitors reveals mistakes he made which led to downfall in first interview

A third posted: “Have Uncloaked revealed the identity of the Secret Traitor already?… Imagine though, what a plot twist!? #TheTraitorsUK #TheTraitors”. Although it’s unlikely the producers would make a mistake so obvious, fans are so desperate to crack the puzzle, they are getting “suspicious” over anything – including contestants’ handwriting and choice of words.

During a confessional, psychologist Ellie said she was hesitant as she didn’t want people to think she is the “Secret Traitor”, leading fans to question how she knew those words if the Faithfuls are unaware of this year’s twist. In the interview room, Ellie said: “People will question whether you are sitting and watching as a kind of Secret Traitor…”

Picking up on her choice of words, one fan asked: “Anyone notice Ellie talking in the interview room and saying ‘people will question whether you are sitting & watching as a kind of secret traitor’.”

Another added: “Ellie saying ‘don’t want to look like a secret traitor’ as a faithful who don’t know about a secret traitor??? Suspicious wording.” And a third agreed: “Ellie saying ‘thinking I’m some secret traitor’, why would you say secret and not just traitor unless it’s on your mind?”

Host Claudia Winkleman introduced the new twist to the show on January 1, revealing that for the first time, there would be a fourth traitor, who is unknown to everyone – including traitors and viewers. This secret traitor, who is awarded a scarlet cloak, would call the shots, picking a shortlist of three people that the other traitors could murder.

Speculation is rife among fans, with everyone dying to know who the new secret traitor could be. Last night’s episode (January 3) saw tensions only rise among the traitors, with viewers almost witnessing the uncloaking of the secret traitor.

After Hugo was betrayed by fellow traitor Stephen, the first traitor was banished. The remaining two were set a secret mission that could help them uncover the identity of the secret traitor.

Stephen and Rachel had to highlight the family tree of players with red ink, saying who could be murdered. If they marked nine names, they would not only get to murder a player that evening, but they would also meet the secret traitor.

They succeeded in their mission, but not before almost giving themselves away to Reece. As such, that night, the secret traitor made their way to the traitors’ turret.

But with the credits rolling, viewers will have to wait until at least Wednesday 7 January to find out who it is. That’s if the show reveals it at all.

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

READ MORE: Hours remain to grab Amazon’s Fire TV Stick at better than half-price

The Traitors debuted a new twist for season four in which there is a red-cloaked secret traitor that is calling the shots from the shadows, unknown to faithfuls, traitors and viewers alike

The Traitors‘ secret traitor may have just unmasked themselves. During a confessional, psychologist Ellie said she was hesitant as she didn’t want people to think she is a “Secret Traitor”, leading fans to question how she knew those words if the Faithfuls are unaware of this year’s twist.

In the interview room, Ellie said: “People will question whether you are sitting and watching as a kind of Secret Traitor…” Fans picked up on her choice of words.

“Anyone notice Ellie talking in the interview room and saying ‘people will question whether you are sitting & watching as a kind of secret traitor‘,” one fan asked.

READ MORE: Unmasked star of The Traitors reveals mistakes he made which led to downfall in first interviewREAD MORE: Claudia Winkleman’s secret The Traitors warming layer is a £45 high street buy

Another added: “Ellie saying “don’t want to look like a secret traitor” as a faithful who don’t know about a secret traitor??? Suspicious wording.” And a third agreed: “Ellie saying ‘thinking I’m some secret traitor’, why would you say secret and not just traitor unless it’s on your mind?”

The secret traitor is a new twist on the show. At the start of the first episode, which aired on 1 January, host Claudia Winkleman revealed that, this year, there would be a fourth traitor that is unknown to everyone, including the other traitors and viewers. This traitor, who was awarded a scarlet cloak, would call the shots, picking a shortlist of three people that the other traitors could murder.

Fans have been dying to know who this secret traitor is. Their moment to witness this traitor’s uncloaking almost came in episode three.

During tonight’s episode (3 January), the first traitor was banished. After Hugo was betrayed by fellow traitor Stephen, the remaining two were set a secret mission that could help them uncover the secret traitor.

Stephen and Rachel were told to mark the family tree of players with red ink, indicating who could be murdered. If they managed to mark nine names, they would not only get to murder a player that evening, but they would also meet the secret traitor.

They succeeded in their mission, after almost giving themselves away to Reece. As such, that night, the secret traitor made their way to the traitors’ turret.

But as they arrived, the credits rolled. This means fans have to wait until Wednesday 7 January to find out who it is, if the show tells us at all. Fans have found another way to root out the secret traitor though, should we not meet them.

After the first murder shortlist was revealed, fans noticed that Netty’s name was misspelled as Nettie. As such, they suggested that if they saw someone at the round table misspell Netty’s name, that person could be the secret traitor.

Unfortunately for amateur sleuths, Netty was murdered and therefore never voted for at the roundtable. But the point still stands, and fans have been taking note of the handwritten murder list. One said: “Based on the hand writing on the short list, I think Roxy could be the secret traitor.”

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

THEY have barely aged in 20 years and can still fit into the hotpants that turned them into overnight stars.

Now, Cheeky Girls Monica and Gabriela Irimia, who first ­wiggled their way into the public eye on 2002 TV show Popstars: The Rivals, have revealed their secret to defying time at 43.

Gabriela said with a laugh: “People always ask us our secret to looking good. We have a few strict rules — no eating after 7pm, exercise every day . . . and lots of sex.”

Gabriela was famously engaged to ex-Liberal Democrat MP Lembik Opik, prior to meeting partner Adam Zubek seven years ago.

She said: “I’m really happy in my life now. Lembik was a ­genuine guy, we had a great relationship. But there was a lot of pressure from all sides, including from his party.”

Monica married building contractor Shaun Taylor in 2016.

POP ROYALTY

Boyband star, 53, looks unrecognisable 32 years after pop fame

RIP MTV

Inside mad world of MTV that launched careers of Davina and stars as channel closes

Their catchy Cheeky Song (Touch My Bum) co-written by their mum, Hungarian former midwife Margrit, was voted the “worst pop record of all time” in a 2004 Channel 4 poll.  

Yet it sold 1.2million copies worldwide, reaching No2 in the UK charts.

And bookings are hotter than ever for the twins, who also work in the motoring trade, due to the famous track ­taking off on social media and TikTok.

Monica, who is younger by ten ­minutes, said: “People ask us if we’re now ‘cheeky women’ but no, we’re still cheeky girls.

We haven’t had any work done — except our boobs and our teeth, which were a 40th ­birthday present to ourselves.

“We’re proof that, at 43, you can still be sexy, have two successful careers and also have fun.

‘Best of both worlds’

“We’ve performed at some of the biggest festivals, tiny gigs and at old people’s homes and student unions, and we love every minute of it.

“Our smallest gig was for three people at a hunting lodge for a multi- millionaire on a shooting weekend. Our strangest was for a room of deaf people who danced to the vibrations.”

As for those shiny silver hotpants, two years after Kylie Minogue rocked hers in Spinning Around?

Monica said: “The hotpants still fit. I think the bums have got a tiny bit bigger. We’re a little bit curvier, but in a good way.”

The hotpants still fit. I think the bums have got a tiny bit bigger. We’re a little bit curvier, but in a good way

Part of the siblings’ appeal these days is they cock a light-hearted snook at woke cancel culture.

Gabriela said: “Society is now becoming so serious. You can’t say this, you can’t do that . . . Where’s the novelty? Where’s the fun?

“But you can’t cancel us for being cheeky or you’d have to cancel Kylie Minogue and her hotpants, too.”

At the height of their fame, the girls mingled with A-list celebs and ­Gabriela claimed Robbie Williams once tried to charm her when they were both single.

She said: “Robbie was my teenage crush and I was privileged to meet him at an after-party for the Ant And Dec TV show.

“He chatted me up and I chatted him up. He was single, I was single. He told me, ‘You’re beautiful’. I ­fancied him. But it stopped there, unfortunately. Nothing happened.”

And they revealed their biggest celebrity fan was none other than heavy-metal legend Alice Cooper.

Monica said: “When we met Alice Cooper, who is our idol and an iconic artist, he said ‘Oh my god, girls. I love you!’ We were like, ‘Alice Cooper, a fan?’ That made our year.”

We’ve still got it and we are loving every moment

Now, 23 years on from their breakthrough hit, the Romanian twins both work in Audi car showrooms by day — Gabriela in York and Monica in Boston, Lincs — and insist: “There’s always a cheeky deal to be had.”

But people still sing the lyric, “We are the Cheeky Girls” at them in the supermarket or shout, “Cheeky, cheeky!” on the street.

Senior car saleswoman Gabriela said: “By day, we are suited and booted working for Audi cars, but we perform as the Cheeky Girls in ­hotpants by night.

“So we have the best of both worlds. We’ve still got it and we are loving every moment.”

Monica revealed that when customers come in, some do a double take, while others struggle to place how they know the pair.

She revealed: “All the time, customers say to us, ‘Do I know you from somewhere?’. We joke, ‘Do you want a cheeky deal?’.

“You see them frantically scrolling on their phones to check if it’s really us. Others say, ‘Oh, I don’t want to be cheeky, but can I have £1,000 off?’ — then you know they know!

“I’ll joke, ‘Maybe that’s a little too cheeky, but I can definitely offer you a great deal . . .’

“Both of us are petrolheads who love prestige cars, so we love our career as much as we love being pop stars.

“The only thing that could top it would be if we were invited to present Top Gear or appear on Strictly Come Dancing.”

To celebrate the release of their new song Drive, inspired by their day job, they have performed a tongue-in-cheek version of the Cheeky Song (Touch My Bum), instead singing “touch my bumper”, exclusively for Sun on Sunday readers to watch online.

The twins revealed that Love Island bosses had begged them to appear on the show — but they refused.

Gabriela said: “We did get an invitation to go to Love Island but it’s not our thing.

“We wouldn’t want to be seen ­having sex on camera or kissing boys. It’s tacky. If we were to go to Love Island, we’d be boring!”

We are available, 23 years on! We reckon we’d take Britain to glory again

They also insisted they will never do OnlyFans.

Gabriela said: “Twenty years ago, we did magazine covers, including FHM. We’d still be up for that. But you’ll never find us on OnlyFans. If anyone claims to be a Cheeky Girl on there, it’s not us.”

One gig the girls would love to land is Eurovision.

Louis Walsh, who was a judge on the show that shot them to fame, wanted the duo to represent ­Britain in the contest with a version of ­Baccara’s 1977 hit, Yes Sir, I Can ­Boogie.

Gabriela revealed: “At the time, we had the dilemma: would we represent Romania or the UK? But we’d do it now for the UK.

“So Louis, call us. We are available, 23 years on! We reckon we’d take Britain to glory again.”

‘Loss of control’

As well as the highs that come with scoring hit singles, including Take Your Shoes Off and (Hooray Hooray) It’s A Cheeky Holiday, there have been crushing lows.

It all nearly came crashing down as their record label, Telstar, collapsed — reportedly owing them more than £1million. They were declared ­bankrupt in 2009.

Monica recalled: “We are ­talking huge bills. Where do you go? What do you do?”

The pressures led them to spiral into an eating disorder. At one point, they each weighed just 6.5st.

Monica added: “It started with loss of control over everything. You feel like you want to take control of something and the only thing you can control is what you put in your mouth and do with your body.”

While both have now recovered, they are open about their battle to let other sufferers know there is hope.

Monica said: “We recovered many years ago. But we speak openly about this to raise awareness because of the pressures young people feel, ­particularly with social media.

“It also taught us a really important lesson — to stay positive.”

The twins both felt pressure to have boob jobs, after being sidelined for a bustier woman in their music video for Cheeky Holiday.

Gabriela’s first operation was a ­disaster, and she said: “My body rejected the implant. One boob was up, one boob was down.”

She has had a series of operations to correct it.

In 2017, one of her sister’s implants ruptured in two places.

But Monica said they now love their bodies, adding: “When I was in my 20s, you’re not that confident.

“I’ve now reached a stage where I feel I’m completely confident. I feel really sexy. We both feel that way.”

The twins hope to continue juggling their day jobs and singing careers.

Gabriela said: “Due to social media and TikTok, a whole new generation is coming to see us. It’s amazing.

“As long as the phone keeps ringing, the Cheeky Girls are going to be around.

“It’s worked for 23 years, we hope it will work for another 23. Who knows, we may even end up performing one day as the Cheeky Grandmas!”

DEVON has no short supply of beautiful beaches – whether you’re after gold sands, surfing waves or craggy caves to explore.

The two coasts – north and south – vary slightly in what they offer, though you’re sure to find something to keep everyone happy on your £9.50 Holiday in this beautiful part of the world.

North Devon is known for its dramatic scenery and surfing scene, with longer sandy beaches that are more open to the elements than on the south coast.

Here, expect a jagged coastline and windier conditions on the whole.

Meanwhile, South Devon generally has smaller, more sheltered beaches and coves to explore.

Conditions here are typically tamer, and many of its beaches are well-equipped with facilities – especially handy if you’ve got kids in tow. 

We’ve spoken to local experts and Sun readers who have holidayed in Devon to discover the best beaches, whether you’re after something family-friendly or a beach with a pub. 

Here’s what they said…  

Best for surfing 

If you’re keen to surf, North Devon with its exposure to the Atlantic is the place to go.

Croyde, Woolacombe and Saunton Sands are among the best places to surf, with great waves all year round and plenty of surf schools and options for equipment hire.

Paul Braithwaite, General Manager at Ruda Holiday Park near Croyde, said: “Croyde is one of the best beaches in the country, not just in the South West.

“It’s a huge surfer’s paradise and we have a park ranger team keeping the beach clean and tidy.”

The beach is also a fantastic option for accessible surf sessions with The Wave Project who run “Surf Therapy” sessions for youngsters. 

Meanwhile, on the south coast, Bantham has fairly reliable conditions (tip: be mindful of the rips that can take inexperienced surfers by surprise).

Gem Krupa, Holiday Home Sales Manager at Challaborough Bay recommends trying a surf lesson with a company like Discovery Surf School in Bigbury-on-Sea (beginner lessons from £42pp, surfboard hire from £15).

Best beach to escape the crowds

If you’re based in South Devon, you can escape the business of the bigger beaches like Challaborough and Bigbury if you’re prepared to walk.

Ayrmer Cove is around a 20-minute walk from the car park – and has no facilities – but when you arrive, you’re likely to have this picturesque sandy cove with rock pools to yourself.

Tip: this one’s not suitable for wheelchairs or prams.

The next beach along, Wyscombe Beach, is even more remote, around an hour’s walk from the nearest car park (at Ringmore).

Gem Krupa says: “Westcombe is one of my favourites because it has a secret beach that most people don’t realise exists.

“You walk through a cave from Wyscombe at low tide, or at high tide you can paddleboard there.

“But you have to catch it when the tide is right, so check the tides before you go so you don’t get cut off.”

In North Devon, Tessa Lomas suggests Barricane Beach.

She says: “It’s a lot smaller and more hidden than Woolacombe so feels much quieter. It’s good for swimming and there’s a little cafe there, too.”

Best beach with a pub

Just across from Bigbury-on-Sea and Bantham, Burgh Island Hotel plays host to celebs like Nicholas Cage and Paloma Faith – but you don’t have to be an A-lister to visit the island.

Next door, the 700-year-old Pilchard Inn is a former fisherman’s pub, with a cosy atmosphere and great value food.

Pop over for lunch – Kids can tuck into fish and chips (£7) or a side of fries (£4.50) while you crack on with cider battered haddock (£9.50) and a locally-brewed craft beer.

Gem Krupa, Holiday Home Sales Manager at Challaborough Bay, said: “You’re looking at a minimum of £650 a night to stay at Burgh Island Hotel.

“But if you time it right and you go there with the tide out, you don’t have to catch the sea tractor, which costs you £2 per person. You can walk over there for free and have a look.”

Best for families

On the south coast, Challaborough and Bigbury are great family-friendly options, as you can roll a pram straight onto the beach and there are facilities nearby, including cafes and toilets.

Sun reader Richard Tilley, 62, from Devizes in Wiltshire, recommends Paignton Sands for families, saying: “There’s nice soft sand for building sandcastles and the sea doesn’t go deep straight away, which is good for kids.

“You can hire pedalos and you’re also close to family-friendly pubs on the seafront, plus arcades and a pirate-themed pitch and putt (Pirates Bay Adventure Golf).” 

On the north coast, families are also well catered for. For instance, Westward Ho! Has rock pools to explore and showers to rinse sandy feet, while Croyde and Instow have car parks and slipways that are ideal for prams.

Sun reader Dawn Brannigan says Saunton Sands is a good bet for families: “Saunton Sands is brilliant for collecting driftwood – I like to collect it and make driftwood models. It also has its own restaurant and shop, plus showers and toilets.”

Best for dogs

Dog walkers staying near the North Devon coast can take their pick of coastal walks.

Braunton Burrows, a vast area of sand dunes and rural farmland, are great to explore with dogs, who are allowed off the lead.

Dawn Brannigan says: “You can park at Braunton Burrows then walk through the dunes and countryside until you reach the coast at the far end of Saunton Sands. It’s a lovely walk.” 

On the south coast, Bigbury-on-Sea is dog-friendly all year round, but while most people head west towards Bantham, Gem Krupa suggests heading in the other direction.

She said: “If you turn right out of our park at Challaborough, you’ve got three beaches that are pet-friendly and all within walking distance – Ayrmer Cove, Mothecombe and Wyscombe.” 

Best for wild swimming 

Daniel Start, author of the new Wild Guide South West, recommends a dip in one of the tidal pools on the North Devon coastline.

He said: “In the Victorian era wild swimming was very popular for its health benefits, especially along the North Devon coast.

“Tunnels Beach in Ilfracombe is only accessible via a series of hand-carved Victorian tunnels.

“The different pools were once demarcated for men and women, to keep them separate.

“Swim in the crystal-clear waters of a secluded tidal pool, sheltered from the open sea by natural rock formations. When the tide is low, explore the rock pools teeming with marine life.”

It’s the final days before the Alamo Bowl, the last gasps of USC’s football season, and Rock Hanson is still getting over a fever.

For USC offensive line coach Zach Hanson and his wife, Annie, who previously was Trojans recruiting director, the timing isn’t ideal to be tending to a sick 1-year-old. The Trojans are shorthanded in trying to finish out a 10-win season on Tuesday against Texas Christian. The transfer portal opens three days after that. And the coaching carousel is already in full swing, with one assistant already gone and Zach garnering outside interest, namely from his alma mater, Kansas State.

But they’ve been parenting long enough now to know not to stress over a fever. And they’ve been working in college football long enough to know the timing is never ideal. Their past decade together has been a testament to that. Last December, Rock was born on early-signing day, hours after Annie had wrapped up USC’s 2025 recruiting class. Two weeks after that, Zach was thrust into a new role as USC’s offensive line coach. They spent the bowl season in a Las Vegas hotel, walking the Strip with a three-week old, in a new-parent-induced delirium, their whole lives having suddenly turned upside down.

“It was a lot of learning on the fly,” Zach said. “We were figuring all of that out together.”

Rock Hanson, son of USC assistant coach Zach Hanson, wears a Trojans jersey while sitting on the team’s practice field.

(Courtesy of Hanson family)

There aren’t many in college football who have navigated all that the Hansons have during the past two seasons at USC. But their resilience has been the beating heart behind an unexpectedly strong season for a Trojans offensive line that overcame its own harrowing hurdles. Even as injuries forced USC to reshuffle the line on a near weekly basis, Zach still guided the group to its best season since 2022.

“To lose all that we lost, then to have all the reshuffling on the offensive line we had, normally that could almost be a death sentence for an offense,” coach Lincoln Riley said. “We’ve had some big challenges. We’ve been able to respond.”

That’s a credit not only to Zach, who has become one of the most critical assistants on USC’s coaching staff, but also to Annie, who has remained an essential part of the program, albeit now in a more unofficial capacity.

That they’ve proven so adept at navigating such adverse circumstances should come as no surprise considering the uphill climb they faced from the start of their relationship. When they first met on a blind date at an Eric Church concert in 2014, Annie worked at Oklahoma in the development office. Zach was a graduate assistant at Kansas State, a five-hour drive away in Manhattan, near where Annie grew up. They hit it off so well right away that both knew they had to make it work. A year in, just as Zach planned to propose, Annie got a job in Chapel Hill, N.C., leading the Tar Heels recruiting office.

For years, they toiled away, rising through the ranks, hoping their paths would converge. They never did for long. They spent the 2015 season apart, before Zach got the job as North Carolina’s special teams assistant coach in 2016. They spent a year together, then hired Annie was hired to run recruiting at Oklahoma in 2017. They spent another season apart, before Zach returned to Kansas State and that same five-hour drive into Oklahoma.

When Kansas State coach Bill Snyder retired, Zach joined Riley’s staff as a grad assistant in 2019, finally back at the same school as his wife. But in 2020, Tulsa offered him a job two hours away, coaching the offensive line. He took it. They bought a house. And Annie drove two hours every day, there and back, to work in Norman.

It felt, by then, like a blessing.

“You just find a way, right?” Annie says.

Zach dreamed one day of being a head football coach. Annie had gotten into college athletics to someday be an athletic director. At USC, they could pursue those paths for the first time together. Zach coached tight ends while Annie ran the recruiting office. For the first time, it felt like they might stay in the same place for a while. They decided to start a family.

Annie got pregnant in 2024. Then last September, just before the start of the football season, she started to experience serious pain in her leg. One doctor brushed it off. But eventually she went back to the hospital. Another doctor discovered a significant blood clot running from the middle of her calf, all the way up near her belly.

Emergency surgery was scheduled for the very next morning. Annie spent the next six weeks relegated to a wheelchair or a walker. With her husband in the throes of the football season, the Riley family insisted Annie live in the casita of their Palos Verdes home. So for six weeks, while she recovered, Riley’s wife, Caitlin, waited on her every need. “I mean, [she did] everything you could think of,” Annie says, still blown away by the kindness.

After all that, having a baby didn’t feel so daunting. Riley told her to take the time after Rock was born. She still worked from home, setting up recruiting visits for January. She didn’t want other women in the business to think you couldn’t have a baby and run recruiting for a major college football program. But one day, she came into USC’s football office and set Rock up in a pack-and-play in one room while she ran a staff meeting in another. As she spoke to her staff, Rock wailed silently on the baby monitor app on her phone. She couldn’t take it.

USC assistant coach Zach Hanson embraces his wife, Annie, and son, Rock, share a hug on the field at the Coliseum after a USC football game.

(Courtesy of Hanson family)

“I turned to my counterpart [current director of USC recruiting strategy] Skyler [Phan] and said, ‘Girl, it’s your turn. You’ve got it,’” Annie recalled.

She’d already told Riley she was thinking about stepping away. Actually doing so “was incredibly difficult” for Annie, Zach said.

She made it official in March; though, she maintains it’s just temporary.

“My time in college football is not over,” Annie says. “I truly believe whenever I do return, I’ll be a much better leader now that I’m a mom.”

Just as Annie stepped away, Zach set out to put his imprint on USC’s offensive line. Immediately upon taking over the group, he started switching up combinations, to ensure that each linemen learned multiple positions, never knowing which combinations he might need.

He’d also learned over the course of his career how critical chemistry could be up front. If it was off, it could sink the whole season. So he made a concerted effort from the start to bring the group together outside of football.

USC offensive line coach Zach Hanson; his wife, Annie; and son, Rock, join linemen and staff for a group photo in the Trojans’ locker room.

(Courtesy of Hanson family)

“One of the coaches I worked for several years ago told me, the players aren’t just going to come to you,” Zach said. “You’ve got to bring them in.”

So they hosted dinners at their house. Annie baked every lineman their favorite cake on their birthdays. They wanted the linemen to know that they cared about them as more than just football players.

“He’s a great coach,” guard Alani Noa said. “There’s nothing too personal. There’s nothing out of whack. Everything is open as far as conversations.”

They’ve even taken to holding Rock, who’s now already 33 pounds.

“It’s so important to Zach,” Annie says, “that those kids understand, like, ‘You can do this, and we believe in you, and we are going to prepare you to a point of trusting your training. So when you get out on that field, like there’s not even a question, you know, and I think that those guys very much played that way this year.”

USC was without stalwart left tackle, Elijah Paige, for half the season. Starting center, former walk-on Kilian O’Connor, played in eight games. And just two of its starting lineman — Tobias Raymond and Justin Tauanuu — started all 12 games heading into the Alamo Bowl.

USC offensive lineman Alani Noa (77), Amos Talalele (75) and Kilian O’Connor (67) warm up before facing Notre Dame at the Coliseum on Nov. 30.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

“This is a position group where it’s not always the most talented guys you throw out there,” Zach said. “It’s the five guys who played best together.”

Zach managed to keep finding those five all season, keeping the front steady all season in spite of injuries. USC gave up just 15 sacks, fewer than all but 14 teams in college football. The line also cleared the way to average 5.29 yards per carry, the highest rushing clip at the school in over a decade.

Other schools are starting to notice. At Kansas State, his alma mater, Hanson’s name has been mentioned as a potential offensive coordinator under newly hired coach Collin Klein, who Hanson described to The Times as “one of my best friends” whose “family is like family to us”. Annie’s family also hails from just outside of Manhattan, Kan.

“That place is certainly a place that’s special to us,” Zach said of Kansas State.

But in the same breath, Zach says he’s “extremely happy [at USC] doing what we’re doing.” It’s not lost on the Hansons how much the Rileys have done for them.

In the coming days, those questions will surely come up again. But for now, the Hansons were more preoccupied with kicking a 1-year-old’s fever and preparing USC to play Texas Christian without three of its top seven linemen.

“Our philosophy has always been, as a family, we’re going to be all in no matter where we’re at,” Zach says.

At USC, that has certainly been the case. That includes Rock, who is a perfect 9-0 at USC games he’s attended heading into Tuesday’s Alamo Bowl — and can now say the word “ball.”

Whether he’ll get to build on that record beyond the bowl game remains to be seen. But there have been other options elsewhere before. Options closer to family, for childcare purposes.

But USC, Annie says, “has made our experience so incredible and worth the sacrifices.”

“We’ve chosen to stay because of how special this place is, you know?”

This 800-year-old village is a must-see in the New Year.

Portugal boasts numerous attractions that draw visitors from across the globe. Lisbon and Porto remain incredibly sought-after destinations, with travellers flocking to wander their charming cobbled lanes and savour exceptional cuisine.

Yet venture beyond these hotspots and you’ll discover a corner of Portugal that remains largely unexplored.

This settlement represents a true hidden treasure, though those who’ve discovered it regard it as amongst the nation’s finest spots to visit.

Indeed, Castelo Novo in Portugal received international acclaim from the United Nations’ World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

The UNWTO assesses settlements using rigorous standards, covering environmental responsibility, prospects for locals, safety measures, plus preservation of cultural and natural heritage.

And Castelo Novo in Portugal secured recognition amongst the globe’s top tourism villages, reports the Express.

This historic community, founded eight hundred years ago, contains one of the area’s most important archaeological locations. The Roman Baths of Quinta do Ervedal represent the main attraction drawing travellers to Castelo Novo.

UNWTO observed: “The oldest mention of Castelo Novo, then called Alpreada, dates back to around 1202 AD. To protect his kingdom against any potential threats, King Dinis rebuilt the village castle adopting typical Gothic features and commissioned several Medieval-style buildings.”

The settlement has also earned praise for its groundbreaking environmental initiatives, becoming Portugal’s first location to reach total carbon neutrality. Castelo Novo offers five electric vehicles to ferry visitors from nearby train stations.

One traveller who visited the village shared: “A secret kingdom. Located in the heart of the Beira Baixa Region, once the capital of Portugal, it is a picturesque stone village that looks out onto the Garduna mountains. It has a terrific visitor centre.”

Another holidaymaker noted: “The castle on top of the hill is a gem. Once at the top the view of the surrounding area is superb even on a grey day.”

Visitors can also learn about the traditional grape-treading methods used by former residents and admire the historic manor houses in the settlement.

Those touring the area can follow the Miller’s Way to see the windmills that were once a crucial part of village life.

The journey to Castelo Novo from Lisbon takes roughly three-and-a-half hours by train or two-and-a-half by car. The village is also conveniently located near Coimbra, a charming riverside city in Portugal with a medieval Old Town.

The drive is just under two hours, making Castelo Novo an easy day trip from the city.

THE UK is home to some breath-takingly beautiful seaside towns.

So its no surprise that each summer, hoards of holidaymakers flock to the coasts to make the most of the sun.

However, visiting these seaside towns in winter can actually be a much better time to go.

Visiting in winter gives you all the time, peace and quiet to enjoy the beauty of these towns – sometimes practically all to yourself.

So whether you’re looking for a big family day out with amusements and plenty to do, or a quaint and scenic spot to enjoy some fish and chips – we’ve rounded up some of the best seaside towns to visit this winter.

Robin Hood’s Bay, North Yorkshire

The dramatic cliffs of Robin Hood’s Bay, a small village in North Yorkshire, feel even more magical during the winter.

Read more on seasie towns

TIME TO GO

I lived on UK seaside town high street named one of Time Out’s coolest in world

SANDS GREAT!

I visited the English seaside town that’s better in autumn with new hotels

Weathered rock faces, continuously battered by a moody sea, and views of windswept countryside create an ambience that would fit in well with an Emily Brontë novel.

Don’t expect stereotypical seaside beauty here.

Instead it’s the ruggedness of the place that makes it special, with asymmetrical houses lining the hilly streets and pokey shops where huge bay windows showcase books and little souvenirs.

Wrap up warm for a ramble along the Cleveland Way coastal path to the neighbouring shores of Whitby before holing up in one of the cosy pubs in front of a roaring fire.

For cracking homemade pub grub, head to the 17th century Smuggler’s Inn, so named because of the region’s history as a smuggling cove, where spirits, tea and tobacco were snuck through cavernous tunnels.

– Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor

Broadstairs, Kent

Having made the move from London to Kent nearly four years ago, it’s fair to say I’ve explored my fair share of seaside towns.

But one that I always love visiting even in winter is Broadstairs.

The magic of the town comes alive when the crowds have gone, where you can head to The Mermaid for some fish and chips before going to the Charles Dickens for a pint.

It’s even great in the winter if you need to do some early Christmas shopping.

I’ve already half finished my list of presents thanks to the independent stores. Kope + Loko does beautiful clothing behind its coffee shop while Hope by SP is the best for interiors and knick knacks.

Make time for the award-winning,cosy Bar Ingo for some small plates, where even now I don’t understand how a simple fish of mushrooms and butter beans can be one of the best things I’ve eaten.

The fresh glass of Portuguese wine might have perhaps been one of the reasons…

If you don’t want to get the last train, book a stay at the newly-opened Smiths Townhouse, a a trendy yet intimate space that makes you feel like you are staying at your cool mate’s house.

– Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor

Southwold, Sussex

Southwold always holds a special place in my heart because of the sheer amount of weekends I’ve had there with my family over the years, especially during blustery winter.

The beach is great, but let’s face it when it gets cold, you’re just wanting to go inside

Despite this, it is worth going for a quick stroll to see the multi-coloured beach huts, as well as the traditional amusement arcades.

The town has great shops as well as an Adnams brewery – you can go and experience tastings and tours too.

There are plenty of fish and chip shops throughout the town, but for the best ones head to the Sole Bay Fish Company which is out of the town towards the harbour.

– Alice Penwill, Travel Reporter

Dartmouth, Devon

Whilst not strictly a ‘seaside’ town, Dartmouth does sit on the coastline in Devon and features pretty beaches.

The waterfront town is full of charm, with cobblestones, streets and wonky buildings.

All centred around a harbour, it is the ideal place for a day trip with everything close together.

Tucked away from the more popular seaside towns of Torquay and Paignton, Dartmouth is a top coastal retreat.

It sits on the banks of the River Dart and its estuary position is ideal for boat trips and cruises that venture from the town to the sea. 

And at Castle Cove, there is a small shingle beach only accessible when the tide is low.

For those who don’t like the crowded beaches and arcades found in seaside towns across the country, Dartmouth is a great alternative.

– Cyann Fielding, Travel Reporter

Seahouses, Northumberland

The vast swathes of sweeping beaches on the Northumbrian coast from Seahouses up to Bamburgh are beautiful at any time of year.

But winter means less crowds and the chance to explore the dramatic coastline on wonderful windswept walks.

This pretty fishing village has a bustling Victorian harbour – enjoy some of the freshest fish and chips at Neptune’s Fish Restaurant.

Seahouses is also a great base for joining boat trips over to the Farne Islands, home to one of the UK’s largest colonies of Atlantic grey seals.

Serenity Farne Island Boat Tours has special grey seal cruises with pups born from October to December.

The cruises also offer an insight into the heroism of Grace Darling, the lighthouse keeper’s daughter who rescued survivors of the SS Forfarshire paddle steamer in 1838.

For a cosy end to a blustery beach walk, enjoy a pint at the Olde Ship Inn that has been serving the community since 1812.

– Lisa Minot, Head of Travel

Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk

I was born and raised in this North Norfolk seaside town which surges in popularity in summer – and I can understand why we draw in the crowds!

But in the winter, you can enjoy all the beauty of the town without the chaos that comes with the summer holidays.

Next door to royal favourite Holkham, Wells-next-the-Sea has everything you could want for a day at the seaside.

This includes a fishing boat-dotted quay to go crabbing, a high street with independent shops, traditional arcades, a sweeping golden beach, and some of the best fish and chips you’ll ever eat. (Tip from a local – French’s beats Plattens for me!)

I grew up quay jumping with my friends and causing mischief at the annual carnival, which takes over the town with unique music acts, foods, crafts and events.

But one of my favourite and lesser-known parts about my hometown is that you can go alpaca trekking across the marshes.

Book an alpaca trek and bring some apples in your bag, and suddenly you’re having the most unique day out at the seaside!

Plus, the grand Albatross boat that sits on the quayside once used to serve Dutch pancakes – now it’s opening up as a quirky four-room boat B&B.

For me, Wells-next-the-Sea is the best seaside town in Norfolk, with its perfect blend of seaside tradition and quirky character.

– Jenna Stevens, Travel Writer

St Mawes, Cornwall

St Mawes is a bit of a unicorn in terms of Cornish seaside towns – it’s beautiful with great pubs and restaurants, but is hardly ever busy because the windy roads into the centre make it virtually impossible for coaches to get there. 

As a result, the town is a wonderfully peaceful coastal destination, where children can play on the sand while their parents sip their pint in the nearby pub. 

While I love St Mawes in the summer, which is also when I usually visit, it’s also a fantastic winter break thanks to all the places to eat and drink. 

The Rising Sun is great for a lunchtime drink if the sun’s shining, as it beams right down on the front courtyard. 

But the St Mawes Hotel is my favourite pub, with excellent food served too. Bagsie one of the squidgy leather sofas and play a boardgame with views of sea from the balcony and a pint of Cornish cider. 

Plus the kids can catch a movie in the hotel’s own private cinema. 

If you fancy a bracing walk, the Place Ferry takes you over to the SW Coastal Path along the Roseland Peninsula. 

Or alternatively, check out the St Mawes Castle that was built by Henry VIII – which is even more fun on a blustery day.

– Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel – Digital

Blackpool, Lancashire

When it comes to the British seaside, Blackpool has a bit of everything.

Sea swimming and sunbathing are off the agenda in winter (for me, anyway) but between September and December is the best time to visit.

The Blackpool illuminations have been running for 140 years and are a staple winter attraction along the seafront.

The streets are decorated with light installations, illuminated trails and even the classic Blackpool trams are kitted out with hundreds of fairy lights. 

The seaside town’s unique attractions are just as fun in the winter months.

You can visit the iconic Blackpool Tower year-round and Blackpool Pleasure Beach is open until the end of November with special Winter Weekends on selected days until March.

You can also ice skate for free on the beach at the Christmas by the Sea village in front of Blackpool Tower. 

However, nothing beats a good fish and chip tea, sitting on a bench on the promenade. It’s what England does best, whatever the weather.

– Helen Wright, Travel Writer

Emmerdale’s Kerry Wyatt actress Laura Norton has revealed all about her character’s shock wedding to village legend Eric Pollard, amid a separate wedding being planned on the ITV soap

Emmerdale‘s Laura Norton as revealed all about the shock wedding twist on Wednesday.

In an unexpected turn of events, fans saw her character Kerry Wyatt tie the knot with none other than Eric Pollard. Just as Jacob Gallagher and Sarah Sudden prepared for their own secret wedding, they rumbled the truth.

In a major plot twist is was announced the pair had wed, leaving Jacob horrified. Speaking about the scenes, actress Laura has revealed all behind the decision for Eric and Kerry to marry.

With the wedding coming about as a means of keeping Jacob’s inheritance safe, amid Eric’s concerns about his finances, Laura addressed whether there was more to it. She shared: “Kerry however dysfunctional and chaotic she is, is a girl with a heart who makes true friendships. She is loyal and does genuinely care and about and love people and when she came into the village, Eric and Val had adopted Amy.

READ MORE: Soap spoilers for next week: Multiple exits ‘sealed’, wedding drama and flashforwardREAD MORE: EastEnders legend Pam St Clement admits struggle with emotional return

“And they did a really fantastic job and she was well cared for and Amy was very happy. They thought Kerry was such a mess and a car crash but they were kind and they took her in as well because they loved Amy. But now Amy’s gone. I feel like this is some sort of misplaced guilt a little bit. I think she genuinely does care about Eric.

“They’re both loveable rogues, they’ve both got a really similar default, but I feel like it’s a full circle moment where it is like you looked after my daughter and I know that my daughter would want me to do this for you.”

Laura hasn’t ruled out love for Kerry and recent flame Jai Sharma though, while she hinted that for now it wouldn’t go anywhere. Laura said: “Kerry and Eric are a mad combination but it works and they’re doing it for all the right reasons.

“But her and Jai have hated each other for years. She worked under him at the factory, and they were always bickering and they come from two completely different worlds and now she works up at the depot and it is the same sort of dynamic.

“But there was this moment when they both got to look at each other in a different way, it was a massive surprise to both of them and for the fans, I had quite a lot of messages on social media with people just saying, I don’t know why, but that really works. She brings out a nice side of Jai. A softer side.

“I think that’s why he’s attracted to her as he’s been very doom and gloom and everything she does is a joke and then when she realises he had stuff going on with his son, everything she did was like jokes, but she genuinely, tried to help and suggested things to him and I think it changed his attitude towards her.. she’s not so bad, but she’s also like really funny. I think as to what will happen in the future, watch this space as yeah.

“Who knows? But it did surprisingly work well.” Laura enjoyed the twist too. She shared: “That period of filming was the most fun I had filming in ages, because obviously last year we did all of the limo stuff and I had to say goodbye to a few of the girls in the show that I loved, it was really a bitter sweet.

“Obviously, it was an amazing piece of television, but this recent stuff was just great back to old school Kerry and now she is partnered with somebody who is so.. it’s like a duo that you shouldn’t put together, but for some reason it just works. They are in a situation that is so ridiculous, it’s all so incredibly funny. So, yeah, I’ve loved it for several different reasons.”

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX, with an hour-long episode on Thursdays. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

Long-haul flights can feel daunting for both passengers and cabin crew. But while travellers can sit and put their feet up, what happens to the flight attendants on a long shift?

Travelling is fun but when it’s a long flight, it can feel quite draining for everyone on board. Passengers, however, get to tuck into countless meals served by cabin crew, watch multiple movies back-to-back and relax.

So when travellers get some shut eye, especially if it’s a night flight, those working on the flight still have a job to do. Luckily there are moments of the trip where they can get their feet up for some rest. A long-haul flight shift for cabin crew can reach up to 18 hours, although it’s around 12-16 hours with in-flight rest. This can sometimes extend to longer if there’s any delays along the way.

Now have you ever wondered how they rest? One flight attendant shared a video which showed a secret area where “no passenger is allowed” and it’s only for cabin crew staff to put their feet up.

In a video, Bryan, who boasts 5,000 Instagram followers, said: “People ask me: Where do flight attendants sleep when they have a 17-hour flight?”

Seconds later, he jumps into his pyjamas before taking his phone to show the secret area cabin crew can go to rest during their shift.

The title, which read: “A place where no passenger is allowed”, then shows the attendant walking up some stairs before showing a hidden cabin with beds and curtains.

It’s called CRC which stands for Crew Rest Compartment, and this is where they go when it’s time for their break. In the sleeping area, there is a seatbelt, which must be fastened in case of turbulence, some blankets and, of course, pillows.

There’s also overhead lights and even curtains for privacy, with a TV for “endless entertainment”.

His post garnered hundreds of likes since it was shared as one wrote: “Wow that’s awesome.” Another added: “I would sleep all the way through. No alcohol. No entertainment. Just rest. We need our bodies to perform on Earth. Thanks for sharing.”

A third posted: “Thanks for sharing! So cool to see ‘behind the scenes’ with the crew.”

How do cabin crew survive long-haul flights?

Flight attendants usually rotate their scheduled rest periods by using the hidden crew bunks. By doing this, it ensures there’s coverage during flights up to 16+ hours.

The crew members manage fatigue with routines, wellness, nutrition and use seniority to bid for better schedules, they also balance intense work with multi-day layovers to explore cities or rest before the next leg of their trip, often spanning several days.

Long-haul offers extensive travel for flight crew, while short-haul provides more home time. Often flight attendants choose this based on lifestyle preference.

Meanwhile extended periods away from home are common, with long blocks of days off after demanding trips to recover from the job.

A shell company with Israeli ties exploited Palestinians desperate to flee the ongoing war in Gaza, charging them large sums of money to covertly exit the country in what may be an official plan to ethnically cleanse the territory.

In an exclusive digital investigation, Al Jazeera probed last month’s mystery flight that spirited 153 passengers from Gaza to South Africa, unearthing figures working for Al-Majd Europe, an unregistered front organisation that falsely claimed to be working for humanitarian aims.

The Palestinians arrived at OR Tambo International Airport, which serves the cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria, on November 13. Refused entry by border police as they did not have departure stamps from Israel on their passports, they were stuck on the aircraft for 12 hours before being allowed to disembark.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa admitted the passengers “out of compassion”, but said at the time that his government, which has long been a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause, would investigate as it seemed that they had been “flushed out” of the Gaza Strip.

Forced evacuations

Israeli officials have previously openly stated that they support what they have termed the “voluntary emigration” of Palestinians from Gaza, in what effectively would be their forced evacuation.

In March 2025, Israel’s security cabinet set up a controversial bureau to get Palestinians to leave Gaza voluntarily, which was headed by former deputy director of the Ministry of Defence, Yaakov Blitstein. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said at the time that 40 percent of Gaza residents were “interested in emigrating”.

The previous month, Al-Majd Europe set up its online presence with a new website stating that it focused on relief efforts in Muslim countries, specifically “for Gazans wishing to exit Gaza”, with claims that it had organised mobile health clinics in the enclave and trips for Palestinian doctors abroad that Al Jazeera later discovered to be false.

A passenger from the November flight to South Africa, whose identity was kept hidden for his own protection, said he contacted the organisation after finding the link online, which promised not only a way out of Gaza, but safety and medical treatment for injuries. “Initially, it said it was free. Then they asked for $1,400 [per person]. Then the price went up to $2,500,” he said.

Testimonies gathered by Al Jazeera showed that payments requested varied from $1,000-2,000 per person, with strict criteria for signing up. Only families would be accepted on condition that they kept their departure secret, with details on flight departures only released a few hours before takeoff.

Passengers say they were told to arrive at the Karem Abu Salem crossing (called Kerem Shalom in Israel) in southern Gaza. When they arrived, their personal belongings were confiscated, and they were put on buses to Ramon Airport, near the Israeli city of Eilat, apparently by Israeli authorities.

Nigel Branken, a South African social worker who helped tho Palestinians on the plane, previously told Al Jazeera that there were “very clearly … marks of Israel involved in this operation to take people … to displace them”.

Evacuees told Al Jazeera they were not informed of their final destination until moments before boarding. They were then escorted onto a flight registered to a brand new airline called FLYYO without exit stamps in their travel documents.

Al Jazeera discovered that FLYYO has organised a number of similar flights, all taking off from Israeli airports, headed to Romania, Indonesia, South Africa, Kenya and other destinations.

False identity

Further scrutiny of Al-Majd Europe, which said it was a “humanitarian foundation established in 2010 in Germany”, with a head office located in Sheikh Jarrah, a neighbourhood in occupied East Jerusalem, later revealed its identity to be a sham.

Al Jazeera found no company registered by that name on any German or European database. The supposed address does not appear in official Jerusalem records, with the location on Google Maps corresponding to a hospital and a cafe.

While digging into the flights, Al Jazeera found two faces linked to the organisation – both Palestinians. The first was Muayad Hisham Saidam, which the organisation lists as its humanitarian projects manager in Gaza.

A search of Saidam’s name reveals that in May 2024, his wife created a public page to ask for donations to help her family leave Gaza. A year later, Saidam posted an image of himself boarding a plane chartered by Fly Lili, another Romanian airline, announcing that he was departing Gaza.

Using the angle of his shadow, time of the flight and the location of the plane on the Ramon Airport runway, Al Jazeera discovered Saidam was likely on a flight on May 27, 2025, which left Israel for Budapest, with 57 Palestinian passengers from Gaza.

It appears that Saidam’s identity is real, and that his family was likely evacuated to Indonesia. But his connection to Al-Majd Europe is unclear.

The second public face of the organisation belongs to a man named only as Adnan, though he appears to have no digital footprint.

On November 13, the day of the Johannesburg flight, a page containing a number of partner companies was deleted from Al-Majd’s website. Using open-source intelligence techniques, Al Jazeera recovered the page, which showed a number of well-known groups that Al-Majd claimed to have been working with, including the International Red Cross.

One name stood out: Talent Globus – a recruitment company established in Estonia in 2024, with a fund containing only $350. Its website lists four employees, including Director Tom Lind, a businessman with Israeli and Estonian citizenship.

Lind’s name has been linked to a number of other companies where he’s listed either as a founder or director – all without official registration or physical addresses.

Lind’s name appeared in reports by Israeli newspaper Haaretz as one of the coordinators of the flights of Palestinians leaving Ramon Airport.

In May 2025, Lind posted on his LinkedIn page that he had left Talent Globus, and was instead focused on “humanitarian efforts to support Palestinians”. He said that, alongside a network of individuals and groups, he had assisted with the evacuation of a “substantial number” of people from Gaza.

Photos of the other three employees of Talent Globus from its website – James Thompson, Maria Rodriguez, David Chen – all turned out to be stock images.

And much like those employees, it appears as though Al-Majd itself is a fake humanitarian group, leading to the question of what those behind the organisation are trying to hide.

Publicly, Israel has seemed to back down from its plan to encourage “voluntary emigration”. But Al Jazeera’s investigation poses more questions – is Al-Majd part of a bigger plan, a way to quietly empty Gaza of its inhabitants, one secret flight at a time?

ACTRESS Jessie Buckley has revealed she had given birth to her first child.

The 35-year-old star kept her pregnancy largely private and only confirmed she was expecting when she proudly posed with her baby bump on the red carpet back in April of this year.

Now, the star has revealed she is a mother after welcoming a child, a baby girl, earlier this year.

Jessie has confirmed her motherhood during promotion for her upcoming film, Hamnet.

The star has admitted in a new interview that she was longing to become a parent during the filming of the movie and eventually fell pregnant with her child shortly after it wrapped.

She was heard speaking on The New York Times‘ Modern Love podcast in which she detailed falling pregnant after playing the role of a grieving mother for the movie.

Read More on Jessie Buckley

REAL LIFE HERO

Oscar-tipped star Jessie Buckley on secret husband & Olivia Colman’s farts

BEST JESS

Inside rise of Oscar nominee Jessie Buckley who John Barrowman dubbed ‘farm girl’

Jessie said: “I’m not surprised I got pregnant a week after I finished filming because I had coaxed… it was also quite intense to have that need while I was in this place of absolute mother and it not be a real thing yet.”

During the interview, she revealed she had welcomed a daughter when she opened up on what she hoped to pass onto her in the future.

Jessie added: “I think the thing I can hope to impart to her, and I’m sure she’s going to go on her whole own trajectory, and she should, is we have one life.

“There’s always going to be things in our life that are going to make us doubt or be afraid or feel like it would be safer to be smaller in some way.

“And I see this little life that’s so new but so full and so untarnished by an idea or a projection of what we’re supposed to be. And I just hope that if I can pass anything onto her in the way that my mother’s has passed on to me is that all the parts of you are not too much. 

“The world needs all of you, and that means incubating the struggles, is like living through the struggles, the shadows.

“The things that are going to challenge you, you have to metabolize it and incubate it. And there’s no too-muchness. It’s only to be lived fully.”

Jessie is notoriously private about her personal life and rarely discusses her life outside of acting.

She is understood to have got married in 2022 to a mystery man known only as Freddie.

According to reports he is a North London based mental health professional.

They are understood to divide their time equally between plush homes in London and Norfolk.

HARRY Potter star Jessie Cave has opened up on an “awful” two years with boyfriend Alfie Brown after the pair’s secret split.

The actress, 38, told of the “terrible” time, which also “massively affected” her own career and self-confidence in a lengthy Instagram message.

It came after actress, comedian, author, and cartoonist Jessie, best-known for her role as Lavender Brown in the Harry Potter franchise, launched a podcast with stand-up Alfie, also 38.

He began performing stand-up in 2006 and is known for his work at the Edinburgh Festival and Next Up Comedy series.

He is the son of composer Steve Brown and impressionist Jan Ravens who was “cancelled” in 2023 after old footage showing him using a racist slur in 2015 emerged.

The performer has since apologised.

Marital Mayhem

Jessie Cave reveals secret split from Alfie Brown and admits break-up fears

‘WHY DO WE GO?’

Disgusted Harry Potter star Jessie Cave spots ‘balls of mould’ at soft play

Now Jessie – who revealed their previous secret split earlier this year – has let slip the detail of their rough time period on social media.

She uploaded an image of their son watching Alfie’s stage show on the TV followed by various snaps showing her man doing his day job.

Yet her emotional caption revealed the reality and she put: “My boyfriend was what is/was called ‘cancelled’ in 2023 on the day our youngest son Becker turned one.

“It was the beginning of a terrible year, two years, actually longer…. I won’t make this about me and tell you how AWFUL it has been to watch the person you love most in the world go through so much pain, public shaming and humiliation – or even how it has massively affected my career and self-confidence too – because he has just put his comedy special about it the whole thing out on YouTube, and it’s getting a brilliant and entirely well deserved response… though it’s not been easy at all to get it out there.

“I’ve watched him hide away and overthink, lose himself. I watched him do Edinburgh shows in tears at midnight, as he first worked the show out, a few months after everything disintegrated.

“I’ve watched his whole life change in the last three years, losing not only his career but with the shocking deaths of his great friend and director Adam Brace and his wonderful dad Steve Brown… two of the most vital and supportive people to him.

“I’ve watched as people we thought we could trust betray him. I’ve watched as the theatre we used to love and who we both worked with for over a decade cover up posters of him and act like cowards.

“I’ve stood by him for it all as I will stand by him forever.

“But I think the saddest thing of all is that I’ve watched him shy away from gigs when it used to be that being onstage was the most natural thing in the world to him.

“I tried to pick photos from during that time for this post but they were all too bleak. But I like the ones I’ve chosen as he looks so uncertain and scared, yet determined to find a way forwards onstage, telling jokes.”

In a brighter note, with Alfie’s The Last Cancelled Comedian show now available for free on YouTube, she added: “Everything is much better now.

“He’s back onstage again, we are close to happy (if you listen to our podcast you might know what I mean).

“I find the show very hard to watch, though I’ve seen it over 10 times. I think it’s incredible and I would love people to watch it.

“Thank you if you already have. I love you Alfie.”

LOVE STORY

In 2012, Alfie and Jessie first crossed paths at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where they were both performing stand-up.

Two years later, the two were set up on a date through a mutual friend.

They went home together but didn’t see each other again – until four months later when Jessie discovered she was pregnant with his child.

They welcomed their son, Donnie, in October 2014, followed by their daughter 2 years later.

SPLIT SHOCK

In 2018 the couple went through a complicated breakup – as recently revealed on their brand new podcast Before We Break Up Again (BWBUA)

In February, on the show’s release, the hosts jokingly declared that it will run “from now until we break up again.”

Speaking with The Sunday Times, Jessie revealed that she’s not sure if the pair “will remain a couple for ever”.

In October 2020, they had a second son, and by December 2021, they announced they were expecting their fourth child.

AMY Schumer and her onetime best friend, fellow comic Nikki Glaser, are embroiled in a secret feud, The U.S. Sun can report.

Sources have said Golden Globes host Nikki, 41, has quietly distanced herself from Amy, 44, and the two are now no longer speaking.

The feud comes at the worst possible time for Amy, as she battles the fall-out from her marriage ending.

A source close to the stars exclusively told The U.S. Sun that Nikki – who is set to host the Globes again in January – has quietly parted ways with the onetime superstar.

“Amy and Nikki used to be attached at the hip, but you don’t really see them together anymore,” the source claimed.

The insider said that Nikki – who used to give glowing interviews about her friendship with the I Feel Pretty star – is sick of walking on eggshells around Amy.

‘DIFFICULT DECISION’

Amy Schumer and Chris Fischer split after 7 years of marriage

“All of a sudden, Amy became very woke in the sense that you can’t say anything in front of her without her getting offended,” the insider explained, adding that the women no longer respect each other’s style of comedy.

“They just don’t like each other’s stuff anymore.”

A separate source summed up: “They stopped being close because Amy got weird.”

The second source also claimed Amy’s other former dear friend, Rachel Feinstein, has also quietly cut out Amy from her life.

The U.S. Sun reached out to Amy, Nikki and Rachel for comment, but did not hear back.

BEST FRIENDS

Nikki, who was featured on Amy’s former Comedy Central show Inside Amy Schumer, gave several interviews about their friendship over the years.

In one interview with US Weekly in 2015, Nikki said: “She’s like the type of person that you’d be like, ‘Oh my god, I want to be best friends with her,’ so it’s like a miracle to me when I hang out with her…I’m like, ‘Do you know I’d be stalking you [if we weren’t friends]?””

In a post the following year, Amy called Nikki her “main chick,” while plugging her show that was about to be released, Not Safe With Nikki Glaser. 

HEARTBREAKING DIVORCE

The friendship fall-out comes at a tough time in Amy’s personal life, as she announced last week she is splitting from her husband of seven years, celebrity chef Chris Fischer, 45.

“Blah blah blah Chris and I have made the difficult decision to end our marriage after 7 years,” she said on Friday, December 12.

“We love each other very much and will continue to focus on raising our son,” Amy wrote, referring to their six-year-old son, Gene David Fischer.

The comedian then added that their separation was not caused by her recent weight loss, despite rumors that have been circulating in recent weeks.

“We would appreciate people respecting our privacy at this time. [It’s] not because I dropped some lbs and thought I could bag [a] basket [sic] and not because he’s a hot [James] Beard award-winning chef who can still pull some hot tail.

“Amicable and all love and respect! Family forever,” Amy concluded her post.

The U.S. Sun also recently reported in November that the star was having difficulty selling the $12.75 million Brooklyn townhouse the couple share, even after significantly reducing the asking price.