Section: Showbiz:Celebrity

HOLLY Willoughby has admitted she knows “what real fear is” after a terrifying kidnap plot as she opens up on experiencing a “really difficult time”.

The presenter, 45, is gearing up to relaunch her career with her brand new show on YouTube.

But the last few years of her life haven’t exactly been plain sailing after she was the victim of a horrific kidnap, rape and murder plot back in 2023.

Security guard Gavin Plumb was charged in October of that year for soliciting murder and inciting kidnap and rape and was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 16 years.

Speaking about the difficult time of her life, she told Grazia in a new interview: “Everybody knows what happened and it was difficult. It was a really difficult time.

“It did set me back and made me realise, ‘Right, well of course you haven’t got everything figured out. Of course life is going to keep throwing challenges at you.”’

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“When something like that happens, suddenly everything else gets put into perspective and you know what?

“I don’t fear what people think because I know what real fear feels like.”

Last month, The Sun on Sunday reported that Gavin was caught with a sinister stash of pictures of her in his prison cell.

The disturbing haul was found by prison officers hidden under a mattress.

A source said: “Plumb is still obsessed with Holly. The pictures were taken from magazines.

“He should not have been allowed access to images of her.”

Despite everything she’s been through, Holly is focusing on the next chapter of her life as she moves on with her career relaunch.

Her new YouTube show ‘Holly Willoughby Together’ is set to launch on July 28.

Speaking at her launch event earlier today, she said: “The YouTube idea obviously I’ve been away for a little while and my kids, watching my kids how they use stuff now, you know they watch stuff on YouTube they watch stuff on Netflix that’s how they do things.

“I was like right how am I watching stuff now and I was walking the dog and I’d be listening to Spotify or a podcast and I’d come in and I’d start cooking lunch and then I’d be like oh watch that now.”

“You suddenly realise that the way you see and view things and watch things is very very different.

“I don’t feel like it’s just me, I feel like everybody’s doing the same sort of thing,” added Holly.

The mum-of-three explained she feels as though mainstream TV isn’t the only place that can breed success.

She said: “You see what Gary Lineker has just done with the World Cup, you know collaborating with Netflix and with music, people will go on Radio 2 but then they’ll also go on a podcast.”

Holly added: “I think being a little bit braver and not just going for the obvious options, is the thing that really got me and then I thought ‘yes.’

“I thought ‘that’s it, that’s what I want to do.’”

Holly stepped down from This Morning in October 2023 and despite appearing briefly on Dancing On Ice the following year, she has largely taken a break from the spotlight.

Her glitzy lifestyle YouTube series, which starts on July 28, has a similar format to ITV‘s This Morning.

She will drop two episodes every week, and they will include sections on cookery, lifestyle, fashion, beauty and real life stories, as well as celebrity guests.

The telly legend has already confirmed appearances from actor Stanley Tucci, Spice Girl star Emma Bunton, All Saints singer Nicole Appleton, and comedians Joanne McNally and Katherine Ryan.

PETE Wicks has opened up on his “magical” holiday with Olivia Attwood after they were pictured in a passionate snog on the beach.

Pete, 37, spoke candidly about his romance as he chatted to his pal Sam Thompson, 33, on their Staying Relevant podcast.

During a podcast clip shared to TikTok, Sam said to Pete: “You were on your holidays?”

“Yes, I hadn’t seen Liv for two and a half weeks, so I went to see Liv,” replied Pete.

“Don’t make this a thing,” said Pete as Sam jokingly feigned shock.

Pete continued: “So I went to see Liv, it was wonderful to see her, been two and a half weeks.”

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A smitten Pete added: “We had a fabulous time. I have really hurt my back because I was backflipping off boats.

“We went for lovely dinners, we went to clubs, we drank a lot, it was magical is probably the best way to describe it.”

Sam was delighted and explained that it was a lovely moment to hear about him and Liv.

He added: “I’m a huge fan of Liv’s”

Pete joked: “Not as big a fan as I am,” as Sam cheered his reponse.

Pete and Olivia were recently spotted all loved-up on a date night as they shared a steamy snog.

This came days after Olivia and Pete made things Instagram official after jetting off to Ibiza together.

The pair – who host a KISS FM radio show together – began dating back in February, following Olivia’s split from husband Bradley Dack.

JESSIE J has announced she’s parted ways from her baby daddy Chanan Colman three years after the birth of their son.

The singer took to Instagram to share the news with fans and revealed they broke up “some time ago.”

JENNIFER Lopez sizzled for a naked bathtub snap and suspenders as she celebrated her 56th birthday.

The On The Floor hitmaker was joined by her rarely-seen journalist and TV personality Lynda, who turned 55 last month.

The pop superstar shared a series of snaps on Instagram as she marked her sister’s birthday, while also celebrating her own, as she turns 56 on July 24.

The siblings enjoyed a meal out with friends and a birthday dessert each with a sparkler in it.

Another showed the sisters blowing out multiple candles on a meringue and raspberry pie.

The star then stripped naked as she enjoyed a soak in a bathtub while her sister ate food with her.

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Showing that she’s still got it, Jennifer dazzled in a Dolce and Gabbana black sheer lace bodysuit, fishnet tights and suspenders.

The musician wore a black and gold veil over her head with a huge crown and a gold statement necklace.

She captioned the post: “A double birthday sister trip is always a good idea!! I love you Lynnie!! Happy birthday!!”

Just last week, Jennifer called was called “the most beautiful woman in the world” by fans as she posed braless in a minidress with Erling Haaland.

The singer looked amazing as she posed up a storm while on her travels in Sicily, Italy.

J-Lo showed off her amazing figure and wowed in the plunging number, which she accessorised with a matching bandana and cat eye sunglasses.

She completed the look with a pair of white and black polka dot court show heels.

It comes after the actress attended the Wimbledon Men’s Final in London in a stunning outfit.

She showed off her amazing figure in a cream bodycon maxi dress, oversized Fedora hat and a pair of heels.

And days before J-Lo ditched the bra again in a plunging corset dress at Paris Fashion Week.

The stunning singer was seen strutting her stuff as she headed to dinner with pals.

Jennifer was glowing as she showed off her figure in the plunging halter neck gown, which has a corset-style belt that accentuated her waist.

A TIKTOK star has left fans shocked as she revealed she’s a nepo-baby with a British TV icon mum – but can YOU guess who her famous parent is?

Social media star Dixie has 11k followers on TikTok, and recently posted a video where she teased the identity of her very well-known mother, who started out on reality TV.

In a video of her and her famous mum on holiday, the 16-year-old could be seen sweeping her brunette locks out of her face as she posed for the camera.

She captioned the post: “When I think I look hot but then my mum walks in.”

The camera then panned to none other than TV star Luisa Zissman, 39. who put on a leggy dislay as she strutted down the streets of St Tropez.

Few fans know that Dixie is the offspring of none other than Luisa, who came in second place on the ninth season of BBC’s The Apprentice.

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Dixie penned underneath the clip of them: “She knows she’s the s**t.”

“Both stunning! You are your mum’s double,” said one fan.

Another fan wrote: “Your mum is an icon.”

A third fan added: “Baddies.”

Meanwhile, a fourth person said: “Queen Luisa.”

Luisa was a very sassy contestant on the BBC reality show, often putting her co-stars in their place if they disagreed with her.

Back in 2013, the mum-of-three was already hugely successful – she ran three businesses with a turnover of around £3million.

Following her stint on The Apprentice, a year later she appeared on Big Brother finishing fourth behind Jim Davidson, Dappy and Ollie Locke.

The entrepreneur now hosts LuAnna: The Podcast alongside dating agent Anna Williamson.

SINCE stepping out of the stand-up spotlight, Johnny Vegas has embraced a calmer life running an antiques business – and now his long-term partner is getting involved.

In a new interview, the Benidorm star has opened up about Vikki Jones in a rare glimpse int his love life.

Johnny, 55, has been dating Vikki for three years and says the pair love working together.

He told The Times: “They say never work with your partner, but it’s great. She and Bev make fun of me most of the time.”

Bev is Johnny’s self-described “long-suffering” childhood friend and assistant, who appears alongside him in his Quest series Johnny Vegas’ Little Shop Of Antiques.

Explaining why he rarely speaks about Vikki publicly, Johnny said: “I wasn’t keeping it under cover, but I don’t share much about it on social media.”

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His antiques venture, Vintage Vegas, began as a pop-up shop at Dagfields Craft and Antique Centre near Nantwich, Cheshire.

It featured in his eight-part TV series, which followed Johnny and Bev as they hunted for unusual treasures to sell.

Johnny describe his business venture as “collectable things of all sorts, really.

“I have a very dangerous bit of knowledge on lots of things. I couldn’t tell you about 18th-century furniture or anything, but I have to think I like it and hopefully I have an eye for this stuff.”

The Benidorm star admitted he was initially unsure whether customers would visit just to get a selfie.

He said: “It’ll be an interesting experiment to see if people come in not just to see me.

“We’ll find out if it’s viable down the line when the circus has left town, so to speak. We’re learning as we go. I never thought I’d see myself as a shopkeeper.”

Johnny has also opened up about stepping away from stand-up comedy after years of struggling with nerves.

He said: “Stand-up was great, but it was manic. The nerves took their toll. Never say never, but I just see that as a project that needs to rest.”

Johnny was previously married to Kitty Donnelly from 2002 until 2008, and they share an adult son, Michael.

He wed his second wife, Irish broadcaster Maia Dunphy, in 2011.

The former couple, who share 11-year-old son Tom, announced their separation in 2018 and later briefly reconciled before splitting again.

STACEY Solomon has been left “heartbroken” after daughter Rose, four, said goodbye to her nursery.

The mum-of-five got very emotional as Rose marked the end of an era, ahead of the next stage of her education journey in September.

Stacey shared a picture of a scrapbook filled with notes and photos from Rose’s time at nursery.

She wrote: “The end of an era [crying emojis]. Looking through Rose’s last 3 years at nursery is actually heartbreaking.”

On another post of an orange sunset, she wrote: “What a day. Watched Rose’s graduation to Primary. Saw my niece finish primary ready for secondary. Said goodbye to some very special teachers.

“Just a little message to say… cuddles to all the parents & carers entering into new beginnings. And just a huge thank you and I can’t even begin to describe the appreciation & admiration I have for learning staff.”

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She continued: “You’re raising my babies with me. Honestly I love our teachers & caregivers so so much. The effort, love, kindness and care every single day.

“Helping us shape our humans ready for the world. Hope you get a rest over the summer. To the moon and back.”

Stacey’s brood are a variety of ages. Her eldest boys — Zachary and Leighton — are from past relationships and are 18 and 14, respectively.

Her youngest three — Rex, seven, Rose, four, and Belle, three — are from her marriage to Joe Swash. She is also stepmum to Joe’s son Harry, 19.

The family live at Pickle Cottage, a picturesque home in rural Essex.

Stacey has amassed a £10m fortune since shooting to fame on The X Factor in 2009.

She’s now best known for her time on Loose Women, her DIY hacks on social media and her decluttering show Sort Your Life Out on the BBC.

KATIE Price’s good friend and podcaster pal Lewis Nicholls shares sweet moment with her son Harvey on social media.

It follows husband Lee’s latest lock up in Dubai, whom Katie, 48, married in January just days after meeting him.

Lewis took to his Instagram to post a heartwarming video of him and Harvey, 24, in his apartment.

Harvey is filmed giving Lewis a flower as a gift as the two share a sweet moment.

As Lewis filmed the gesture, he said: “Best gift ever. Harvey, what did you give me? 

Harvey replied: “A flower.”

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“You got me a flower. It says to Lewis, you look handsome Lewis. Love from Harvey Daniel Price. Thank you so much,” he added.

The video then ends with Harvey sweetly kissing Lewis and saying “Love you”.

He captioned the post: “Harvey just melts my heart. Came back to the apartment and had this gift waiting for me (heart emoji)”

Lewis is close with the family and most recently went on holiday with Katie to Cornwall.

The pair snapped themselves whilst away, dressed in matching harnesses and helmets with Go Pro cameras attached to them. 

“What have we just done,” Lewis captioned the photo of them with an eye emoji.

Katie reshared the image on her Instagram Story and wrote: “Such a fun day with friends in Cornwall.”

She also hung out with Lewis’ parents at a pub, with Lewis sharing photos of them having dinner and cocktails. 

The pair grew close when Lewis hosted Katie and Kerry Katona’s tour around the UK, An Evening With Katie Price & Kerry Katona.

“Katie – well, what can I say, the most random, funniest and loyal person I have met and we have had lots of laughs from our daily shopping trips, sunbeds and car singalongs,” Lewis wrote alongside photos of them on tour in November.

Speaking of his relationship with Harvey, Lewis said: “Also spending a week with Harvey was the best and to see how much of an amazing mum she is and their bond is just the best, he loved my voice-over.” 

It comes several days after Lee was put into prison once again in Dubai.

The controversial businessman was arrested for unpaid debts.

Many of Lee’s victims have told The Sun he took thousands of pounds from them in supposed investment schemes only to be left high and dry.

Lee has already boasted he’s raised the cash to get out of Al-Awir prison and is expected to be a free man by the end of the week, The Sun exclusively revealed.

In another fresh blow it was then revealed, that Conman Lee Andrews’ father joined him in prison earlier this week, after being reported to officials by a third party. 

Father and son are understood to have seen one another inside the jail, with both believed to be facing allegations of fraud.

Lee is currently trying to raise funds to pay off his debts and be released, from where he faces extradition. He hopes to return to the UK, to be with his wife.

Sources say a patient Katie has finally snapped – and is now “at the end of her tether” with friends urging her to leave Lee once and for all.

RICHARD Gere is spotted getting close with his 28-year-old co-star on the set of controversial romance movie.

The esteemed actor, 76, is currently in New York City and was seen filming scenes with the actress in a park.

The actor is back doing what he does best, and is gearing up for his new flick Asymmetry, which is adapted from Lisa Halliday’s same named novel. 

The film centres around an intense love affair between author Ezra (Gere) who is in his seventies and an aspiring writer called Alice.

The book itself had sparked massive controversy due to the character’s shocking more than four decade age-gap.

As filming began in New York City, Gere and actress Diana Silvers were snapped getting cosy on set.

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The Hollywood star embraced and held hands with his much younger co-star, with the two keeping things strictly professional off-screen.

The pair shot scenes on a bench in Central Park, which is a crucial scene where the two characters meet, before beginning a steamy romance.

The actor can be seen in a white shirt and jeans as he sits alongside Diana who’s styled in a floral mid length dress. 

Both stars were also seen walking around the park laughing and smiling together.

Oscar-winning producer Edward Zwick is directing and writing the film.

He said to People: “It’s about two people who discover that what the world calls asymmetry can in fact have another name: love.”

Pretty woman actor Gere, is happily married within his own age-gap marriage to his 43-year-old wife Alejandra Silva.

The couple have two children together, welcoming their latest baby on April 23, 2020.

He was previously married to Carey Lowell with whom he has a son, Homer – the pair split in 2013 after 11 years of marriage. 

From 1991-1995 he was also married to supermodel Cindy Crawford.

The star has starred in many blockbuster hits, but when he was 41 he was cast in Pretty Woman.

The film, which came out in 1990, saw him star alongside Julia Roberts – and told the story of a romance between a wealthy businessman and a Sunset Boulevard prostitute.

At the time he was already a famous face in Hollywood after the huge success of An Officer and a Gentleman in 1982.

In 2002 he appeared in the film version of the musical Chicago which won six Academy Awards including Best Picture in 2003.

ABBEY Clancy and Peter Crouch have been accused of boasting about their wealth as they revealed they’ve moved to Portugal while their £3m UK mansion is renovated.

The Sun exclusively revealed last month, that the football legend, 45, is set to feature alongside his model wife, 40, and their four children, in a new fly-on-the-wall documentary.

The couple, who co-present The Therapy Crouch podcast, regularly delve into the ups and downs of married life.

Peter read out a question from a listener which asked: “Have you completely relocated to Portugal or are you there while renovating your home?”

Abbey replied: “Obviously we sold our house, we were looking for a new house, we thought we would try living in Portugal for a bit.

“We’ve absolutely loved it and you know it works perfectly for us because you know we can renovate our new place and all come back and it’ll be done.”

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Abbey explained that it had been a nice change and that she didn’t regret it at all.

She added: “The kids have loved it and you know it’s just been a great experience.”

However, some fans thought they were boasting about their wealth and one commented bluntly: “Yeah when you have bagfulls of money, yeah try another country.”

“Bet they’re in Quinta do Lago as it’s very fancy,” added another.

The couple were previously criticised by fans for ‘flaunting’ their enviable £3 million mansion while hosting a lavish Asian-inspired banquet.

The pair were giving a tour of their luxury estate prior to hosting an extravagant dinner party with lavish catering provided by London’s Nobu.

The multi-million pound property featured its own luxury cinema room and a spacious home office for Peter and his trophies.

Fashion-savvy Abbey had her own walk-in wardrobe, while the outside area boasted a ‘magical’ and ‘peaceful’ garden complete with a high-tech BBQ and swimming pool.

One fan commented: “We get it, you’re loaded. Well done.”

A second added: “How they live, we don’t need to know.”

“Once upon a time I might have thought this was amazing – now I’d rather cook a meal myself in my little house and listen to some music with my children,” mused a third.

Another user agreed: “I take it the ‘normal’ person can also get this or what’s the point in posting this other than to show off?”

PIERCE Brosnan, 73, has been spotted with his rarely seen wife Keely, 63, as they went out to lunch at celebrity hotspot E. Baldi in Beverly Hills.

The former James Bond actor, was all smiles as he left the restaurant with a bag and a cold drink.

Keely, looked stunning in a white summer dress and lemon cardigan which she paired with Chanel sandals and sunglasses.

The pair looked as loved up as ever as they drove back home after their lunch date.

Pierce and Keely have been married for 25 years and met at a beach party in 1994 – she was a journalist and had flown out to interview Cheers actor Ted Danson, who had attended the same party.

When Ted left, Keely found herself talking to Pierce, and the two hit it off.

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They shared their first date a few days later in Mexico, sitting under the stars as they held hands and talked until 3am.

The couple married at Ballintubber Abbey in County Mayo, Ireland, in 2001, just six months after welcoming son Paris.

“He was captivating. Tall, dark, and handsome. Everything that everybody would immediately be attracted to,” she said.

“He had a mischievous sparkle in his eyes.”

Pierce has said that when he first laid eyes on sultry brunette Keely at the beach party, he fell head over heels.

But in January this year, Pierce, who says he still fancies the pants off his “passionate” wife who makes him “weak at the knees”, was left blindsided by a cruel post targeting Keely online, which ended up going viral. 

Shared on X, it featured two snaps: one from the 1996 Governors Ball for the Academy Awards and another of the couple at the 2008 Mamma Mia! premiere.

The vile troll captioned it: “Dear men, this is why marriage should be avoided.”

The cutting words, which took a cruel swipe at Keely’s weight, sparked outrage. She was inundated with comments of support.

But insiders told us that Pierce, who shares sons Dylan, 29, and Paris, 25, with Keely,  has reached his limit with it all.

A pal of the star told me “He was really furious about it and finds it incredibly sad that their whole marriage is reduced to talk about Keely’s weight. 

“It is truly devastating for him that her body is all anyone talks about. For him, Keely is everything.”

Pierce has described his wife, who he tenderly calls “my girl”, as “a strength I wouldn’t be able to live without”.

He gushed in the past: “I love her vitality, her passion. When Keely looks at me, I go weak at the knees.”

Last week teaser images were released of Pierce in MobLand alongside telly hardman Tom Hardy and Dame Helen Mirren in what is gearing up to be the most explosive season yet.

NO-ONE travelled further to become an international star than Sam Neill, who died today aged 78.

He would leave his home in the South Island of New Zealand to fly thousands of miles to film sets in Britain, Europe and America – but always travel back to his far-flung base the moment they were over to spend time with his family.

They confirmed his death in a statement, writing: “It is with immense sadness that the whānau of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney, Australia.”

This followed a battle with stage three blood cancer after he was diagnosed in 2022.

After undertaking an experimental treatment announced a month ago he was in remission.

His family said: “The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer- free.”

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Sam became famous thanks to his role in Omen III (The Final Conflict) where he played the antichrist who had risen to become a British politician trying to prevent the second coming of Christ.

Before then starring in 1983 British TV series, Reilly, Ace of Spies, in which he played Sidney Reilly, a Russian-born adventurer who became a successful spy during the First World War.

But his entry to the big-time came ten years later in Jurassic Park, directed by Steven Spielberg, which spawned a craze for everything about dinosaurs. 

The film, about a theme park where the public could see cloned dinosaurs, caught the public’s imagination – and broke box office records.

The dinosaurs run riot in the film when all safety fences are broken, killing park workers and each other as there is a battle for supremacy. 

Neill’s lead role of dinosaur expert Dr Alan Grant escaped the carnage and went on to star in sequels, Jurassic Park III (2001) and Jurassic World Dominion (2022), making a personal fortune in the process.

Yet he was a last minute choice after bigger star names like William Hurt, Kurt Russell, Harrison Ford and Tim Robbins all turned it down.

“It was a warning never to become too big or too expensive,” he said. 

“You can lose a lot of good parts in that way. I preferred quiet progress.”

Neill did precisely that throughout his career of over 100 movies in nearly 50 years, in which he would turn up in the most unlikely roles.

It included that of Major Chester Campbell in the first two series of the BBC’s hit series Peaky Blinders.

He was born on September 14th, 1947 in Omagh, Northern Ireland to New Zealander father Dermot, an army officer, and mother Priscilla, who was English. 

Although he was christened Nigel, he later thought the name ‘prissy’ and changed it to Sam in childhood. 

His family continued to call him Nigel.  

He is survived by actor son Tim (b 1983) whom he had with actress Lisa Harrow, a fellow New Zealander.  

Despite reports to the contrary, they never married.

He also has daughter Elena (b 1991) with estranged wife Nariko Watanabe, a Japanese make-up artist whom he met on Dead Calm (1989), which was co-star Nicole Kidman’s breakthrough movie. 

He had a stepdaughter with Watanabe, Maiko Spencer (b 1982).  

Neill spent virtually his entire life travelling, first with his father’s job moves around Ireland and then, when he retired from the army, to New Zealand, aged seven.

His father joined the family brewing wholesale business near far-flung Dunedin, which was Gaelic for Edinburgh and founded in 1848 as a Scottish Free Church settlement.

“I was an outsider from the start there,” he recalled. 

“Bullying at school, mocked for my accent, being called names and beaten up – the lot.

“Cowboy films and TV series were very popular at the time, so I called myself Sam to sound like one. It didn’t do much good.”

He was sent away to boarding school in Christchurch, more than 200 miles north along the coast. 

“It was even more lonely,” he said. 

“I developed a stutter, although I could talk perfectly up to that point.”

He used the experiences and memories when he became an actor, always being prepared to take on new projects wherever they were in the world.

“I had an ability to pretend to be other people – probably because I had to at school,” he told me. 

“I never had any great expectations as an actor.”

He started working in television documentaries and in small acting roles.  

He was 30 before he appeared in a movie, Sleeping Dogs (1977), an action thriller made in New Zealand. 

“That film was a calling card,” he said. 

“It was a critical success and that led to some offers, all thousands of miles away. It was a case of either travel or never leave.”

He had arrived in London when we first met in March, 1989, promoting a film called A Cry in the Dark, with Meryl Streep.

It was an alarming real-life Australian story about a baby girl who disappeared from a campsite.

The baby’s mother, Lindy Chamberlain (played by Streep) insisted that a wild dingo dog had taken her baby, but a disbelieving public felt that she was making up a story to cover up murder.

Neill was playing husband Michael Chamberlain. 

“It revealed to me the price of being an international star, like Meryl,” he said.

“She was the most famous actress in the world at that point and the sort of stuff she had to put up every day was incredible. 

“One was a story about her leaving her husband for Michael Jackson!

“I thought to myself ‘if this is what real stardom means, I don’t want it.’   So I had to be careful. I wanted recognition, but also want privacy and sanity.”

Neill went on to achieve exactly that.  

We met several times over the years. He had a calm, down-to-earth manner, unfussy and unflashy, with a dry self-mocking sense of humour.

“I have always been free of ambition – honestly,”  he said.

“I realised, early on, that if I started to desperately want things, then I was going to be disappointed.

“There was always someone whose career was going to better and bigger than mine. There was also someone going to get the parts I wanted.

“So I never had a game plan. If I’d had one, I would have moved to Hollywood and committed to a career in films, going to endless meetings and being a ‘personality.’

“Instead, I have never moved my home from New Zealand. I’ve been fortunate in that enough work has come up – and I’ve travelled to do it.

“I had to get used to the biggest jet-lag, the longest time-changes to the body and being away from home. But that’s been worth it.

“Don’t forget that the first time I went to New Zealand in the early 1950’s it took two months by boat and now it’s only 21 hours by plane.”

He was also cautious about being caught in the trap of other well-known actors. 

“I don’t know what it is about us that leads us in to more temptation,” he laughed.

“I think we are sometimes over-celebrated and can have far more fame than is comfortable. So when trouble comes, it’s all over the public domain.

“I once went to a pub’ with English actor Warren Clarke, drank non-stop to keep up, blacked out and woke up in bed with a woman I didn’t know. 

“The trick is to keep your trousers on and go to bed early. It’s mostly worked for me up to now.”

He seemed to effortlessly glide into some major roles in films like The Hunt for Red October (1990) and The Piano (1993) and TV series The Tudors (2007), Happy Town (2010) and Alcatraz (2012).

There was a certain irony that when playing his unrelentingly tough Northern Ireland police chief in Peaky Blinders, he couldn’t master the accent.

“I was born in Northern Ireland and had the accent as a kid, but had buried it so deep in my mind that I had the greatest difficulty digging it up again.”

He ended up calling his Irish friend Liam Neeson for some tips and delivered the part pitch-perfect.  

“I probably over-did it a bit in the end,” he said.

“I love working in Britain. I feel part British, obviously, and the quality of the acting and the film crews are hard to beat anywhere in the world.”

Between each highly-paid role and movie, he would return home to New Zealand and not work, sometimes for months on end, so would simply slip out of the headlines.

On the last occasion we met, he was more interested in talking about his own wine label in New Zealand. 

He had used the old family connection with wine to grow his own and set up a company to produce it.

He lived, very happily he said, among wine-making and animals on a ranch in Central Otago, surrounded by mountains and lakes.

Neill announced in his 2023 autobiography Did I Ever Tell You This? (Penguin) that he had been undergoing chemotherapy since March, 2022 for a type of blood cancer. 

He had first noticed swollen glands when travelling to promote Jurassic World Dominion.

He had put a hold on his acting work. 

“I have been very fortunate to enjoy the best cities in the world – like London, Paris or Rome – and I have never been too jaded to get a kick out of that,” he said. 

“But the thing that pleases me more than anything is to sit still at my home, have a quiet glass of red wine and contemplate life.”

JESY Nelson has broken fans’ hearts as she confessed she’s been “crying all day” with mum guilt.

The mum-of-two has opened up on how her baby girls are struggling amid the high temperatures.

Taking to social media, she told her 10million followers that she is utterly heartbroken over having to put the twins into thick spinal jackets and splints in this heat.

Pop star Jesy shared a glimpse of the girls laying down in their rockers wearing their supports.

She penned over the clip: “I’ve cried all day. Imagine having to wear a spinal jacket and splints in this heat.

“I cannot even begin to tell you how much this breaks my heart into a million pieces. But, if I don’t put them on every day, their spines and feet will only deteriorate and get worse.”

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“These will never correct their spine or feet, it will only prevent it from getting any worse,” continued Jesy.

“Once again no future SMA babies need to suffer like this if they are given the heel prick test and treatment from birth!”

Despite the temperatures soaring above 30 degrees this week, the girls looked content waving their little hands around and taking in their living room.

Dani Dyer wrote in the comments: “Oh Jesy. You are doing amazing,” followed by two red heart emojis.

Billie Shepherd said: “Sending you all so much love. Super mumma, you are amazing.”

“They will still face every obstacle with the biggest smile. They have the best mummy ever and that’s all they need,” one fan penned.

The former Little Mix star’s baby girls – Story Monroe and Ocean Jade – are both battling Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1 – the most severe form of a rare disease affecting muscle strength and movement.

Both Jesy and her ex-fiancé Zion Foster were told their twins were unlikely to ever walk, and may face serious breathing and swallowing difficulties.

Despite the slim odds, she shared a sweet picture of one of their daughters sitting up in a chair all by herself.

Since Jesy’s babies were diagnosed with SMA she has been tirelessly campaigning to make it mandatory for all newborns to receive a heel-prick to determine whether or not they have the disease.

If SMA is caught early the condition is usually treatable but when left undiagnosed it can be life-threatening and cause death within two years.

A fan told Jesy of her work in her comments: “Want to thank you – just had a baby in Scotland and got the SMA heel prick test as standard. Midwives personally named you and the work you’ve done as to why it’s now offered.”

KATIE Price has revealed an explicit photo confession during a chat with Love Island Aftersun host Joe Baggs. 

The former glamour model, 48, was speaking to Joe, 29, to promote her Sky documentary series Nothing To Hide. 

Former Gogglebox star Joe fired off a series of 90s trends to Katie and asked her if she would bring them back or ditch them. 

When he suggested disposable cameras, the mum-of-five suggested she’d used them to snap naughty photos back in the day. 

She said: “Nowadays, because you’ve got your phone, I think people take more explicit photos. 

“With a disposable, you have to be careful and remember you have to take them somewhere like Boots. 

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“So someone is going to look at your pictures. So someone like me is definitely not having a disposable. 

“I don’t want to bring them back.”

It comes after Katie revealed she’ll be starring in a reality show with fourth husband Lee Andrews.

Katie married self-proclaimed millionaire Lee in Dubai in January, just days after meeting him in person.

She stood by her man when he recently spent time in Dubai’s Al Awir jail, where he was held over unpaid debts. Katie said on the Reign podcast this week: “There will be a documentary coming out about Lee, and he knows it.

“He’ll be appearing in it and yes, there is scandal around me — there always is. Not only now, there’s years of it.”

SYDNEY Sweeney looked sensational as she stripped off to cut away lingerie in a sizzling new video. 

The actress, 28, put on an eye-popping display while showing off the latest drop from her lingerie brand SYRN.

In the steamy clip, Euphoria star Sydney was seen shrugging off a fur coat while looking out over a balcony.  

Leaving almost nothing to the imagination in the daring lingerie, Sydney posed up a storm as she showed off her incredible figure. 

Sharing the clip on Instagram, she simply captioned the post: “Did you get your @syrn yet?”

Fans rushed to comment, with one writing: “Jaw on the floor.”

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Another said: “The most prettiest girl in the world.”

And a third joked: “You should not be allowed to post this.”

Sydney recently defended stripping off to play her Euphoria character Cassie in the latest season of the HBO hit. 

Creator of the show Sam Levinson thought it needed to be toned down, whereas Sydney did not.

“When I first wrote it, I was like, ‘Maybe we shoot all of this, and we don’t have any nudity. Maybe there’s ways to shoot around certain things?’” he told the New York Times.

“Are you kidding?” Sydney reportedly told him.

“I’m playing an OnlyFans model. You’re telling me you’re going to, like, skirt around it?”

And not long after the finale aired, she defended sexy scenes with a slew of snaps from the show and a caption that read: “It’s called… acting.”

JOHN Bishop has revealed that he and wife Mel have secretly renewed their wedding vows after “tough times’ in his marriage.

The comedian, 59, admitted that his marriage had “failed” and “everything had gone s***” before he found a particular musician that helped him heal the problems in his relationship.

John, who has been married to Mel for 33 years, said he really connected to artist David Gray’s music during his lowest times.

Speaking on stage at Silver Clef on Thursday, John said: “Tonight I could never imagined that I’d get the opportunity to say thank you to this artist.

“My marriage had failed, everything had gone s*** and like most men I had no-one to talk to, and the magic of songs is that you listen to them and you hear what that artist is feeling and you hear what that artist thinks of the world.”

John said he was introduced to the singer’s 1998 album White Ladder, which is David’s fourth studio album.

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The stand-up comic said that the Babylon singer became a “constant part of his life” and pulled him through some difficult times.

John continued: “Somebody gave me White Ladder and I listened to it and I realised sometimes there’s an artist that sings songs that tells you what you are thinking and feeling of the world, so when I was at my lowest I was introduced to David Gray and he’s been a constant part of my life ever since.

“I would say 90 per cent of the gigs that I do afterwards I get in the car, I put my headphones on and I listen to David Gray.”

John then dropped the news that he secretly renewed his wedding vows with Mel and even played one of the artist’s biggest tracks, Sail Away

“He [David] was there at the lowest point of my life but then when me and my wife reconciled and then went on to renew our wedding vows we played Sail Away as we walked down the aisle,” John added.

“He’s been there at the highest point of my life.”

John married Melanie in 1993 and they had three boys — Joe, now 29, Luke, 27 and Daniel, 25. But the stresses of life led the couple to split up for 18 months — and they almost signed their divorce papers in 2000.

While performing at an open night, John made a gag about missing his soon-to-be former wife so much that he kept her “severed head in the fridge”.

But unbeknown to the Liverpool-born comedian, she was right there in the audience.

The remarkable tale of John’s stand-up career and marriage inspired a movie directed by Hollywood star Bradley Cooper, which was released in January.

John said about his marriage: “There was no huge fight or a revelation about someone else. We just grew apart.

“Maybe it had something to do with having three kids so quickly.

“For six years there was always someone in the house in nappies. Our marriage just faded.”

Feeling “depressed”, he went to the Frog And Bucket Comedy Club in Manchester, which has helped launch the careers of acts including Peter Kay and Jack Whitehall.

He did not want to pay the £4 entrance fee, so put himself down on the list of comedians for the open mic night.

John recalled: “I clambered up on stage, picked up the microphone and thought, what on Earth am I doing here? I had no jokes, and ­absolutely no material. I just talked about life.”

The audience laughed as he riffed on his marriage woes, so John was invited back to perform again.

One of the routines would make the audience go, “Aww!” — when he spoke about splitting up from his wife. He would then tell them: “Don’t worry, we haven’t divorced — I’ve just killed her.

“But I knew I would miss her so I’ve kept her head in the fridge for three months.”

Melanie turned up with ­workmates for one of those gigs in 2000, and when John saw her ­afterwards he started to apologise for his jokes.

To his surprise, she said: “The man I saw on stage was the man I married. Where did he go?”

The couple went for marriage counselling at Relate and are still together today, 25 years later.

John said: “The pain we had in our relationship, it sounds cliched but it made us stronger.”

It then took John another six years to give up his job in pharmaceutical sales in order to become a comedian full-time at the age of 40.

The decision was the right one because he is now one of the nation’s most popular funnymen.

THE Prince and Princess Of Wales have paid tribute to singer Bonnie Tyler, describing her as a “proud Welsh icon” following her death aged 75.

Bonnie died on Wednesday night, months after being treated in intensive care and being placed in an induced coma following emergency intestinal surgery.

A post on William and Kate’s joint Kensington Palace account said: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Bonnie Tyler.

“A proud Welsh icon, her extraordinary voice and unforgettable music touched millions around the world and will continue to inspire generations to come.

“Our thoughts are with her husband, family, friends and all who loved her. Diolch am y gerddoriaeth (thank you for the music).”

Bonnie was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by the Prince Of Wales in 2023 for services to music.

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It comes after Chicago star Catherine Zeta-Jones said her “heart is broken” after the Total Eclipse Of The Heart singer’s death.

Catherine, 56, said Bonnie was a big part of her life after marrying her cousin Robert Sullivan and paid a heartfelt tribute to the Welsh singer, real name Gaynor Hopkins.

The actress shared a photograph of the pair together on Instagram which was taken the night before her wedding.

She said: “An extraordinary woman with vocals to match. A one of kind artist, who so easily could have been a comedian because she was one of the funniest people I ever met.

“Thank you Bonnie for the joy you brought so many. Sleep tight beautiful lady. We shall forever ‘Keep A Welcome In The Hillsides’ of Wales for you. Sending my love to Robert and the family.”

A statement on the singer’s official website said her family and team were “heartbroken” after she “unexpectedly passed away” on Wednesday night in a hospital in Portugal where she was being treated near her home in Faro.

Catherine was among the stars who paid tribute to the singer including Sir Cliff Richard, Sir Rod Stewart and rockstar Bryan Adams.

Sir Cliff, who sang a duet with Tyler on the 2019 song Taking Control, said she was a “wonderful friend gone too soon” in a post shared on Facebook.

He added: “Bonnie’s infectious zest for life entertained so many around the world, and to be a good friend to all, including me.

“It is shocking news to wake up to this morning and I send my love to her family at this very sad time.”

Bonnie was due to perform at the Sunshine Festival in Worcester this summer, along with a number of European dates, and was also booked to perform at Cardiff’s Utilita Arena on December 17.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also paid tribute to the singer, who he described as “one of Britain’s greatest recording artists”.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “An iconic figure, she leaves behind a catalogue of music – from Total Eclipse Of The Heart to Holding Out For A Hero – which continues to touch lives, flood dance floors and fill karaoke booths.”

He added: “The Prime Minister’s thoughts are very much with her friends and family.”

The singer achieved international fame in the 1980s with the release of Total Eclipse Of The Heart, which shot to the top of the charts in the UK and the US.

Faster Than The Speed of Night, the album which featured the smash-hit track, was also a chart-topping success and landed the singer her only UK number one album.

Recognisable for her husky voice, Bonnie released many other hit songs over the years including Holding Out For A Hero, It’s A Heartache and If You Were A Woman (And I Was A Man).

Welsh First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth led tributes on Thursday and said Wales had “lost a true icon”.

He posted: “I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Bonnie Tyler.

“Wales has lost a true icon, whose music brought joy to so many.

“I extend my heartfelt condolences to her family, friends and fans across the world.”

She represented the UK in the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, with the song Believe In Me finishing in 19th place.

Welsh broadcaster Carol Vorderman also paid tribute, writing: “I’m so very sorry to hear this. As a Welsh woman Bonnie and her music represented so much to us, it was about fighting and power and living life without apology.

“May you rest in Musical Glory Bonnie.”

The star, who was born in Neath in South Wales, continued to make music and perform until her death, having released her 18th studio album The Best Is Yet To Come in 2021.

Despite being a widely acclaimed and globally-renowned star, Bonnie never received a Grammy Award during her decades-long career but did receive three nominations.

Bonnie’s official website appears to have crashed since the news of her death was announced.

BONNIE Tyler fans have some incredible songs to remember her by after the sad news of her passing in Portugal on Wednesday night.

On Thursday it was confirmed that the singer had died aged 75, weeks after undergoing emergency surgery and being put in an induced coma.

The star was put into a coma back in April at Faro Hospital, later suffered complications, but woke up from the coma in June.

Her heartbroken family shared a statement that she had passed away from an illness last night.

Bonnie, who was born in Gaynor Hopkins in Mumbles, South Wales, shot to fame in the 70s and has had an amazing singing career.

Over the years, according to Official Charts, Bonnie has had one UK No.1, five UK top 10s, seven UK top 40s, and 12 UK top 75s.

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Her single Total Eclipse Of The Heart, which was released in 1983, peaked at No.1 and was there for a total of two weeks.

Meanwhile the 1984 tune, Holding Out For A Hero, peaked at number 96 in the charts.

It’s A Heartache, which was released in 1977, got to number 4 and was in the charts for 12 weeks.

And the 1976 tune Lost In France hit number nine and was there for a total of 10 weeks.

Married Men, which was released in 1979, peaked at 35 and was in the charts for 42 days.

The 1983 song Fasted The The Speed Of Night was in the charts for 35 days and managed to get to number 47.

And Have You Ever Seen The Rain?, released in 1983, hit number 47 and was in the charts for three weeks.

She’s also had a number of other chart-topping songs including A Rockin’ Good Way, Getting So Excited, Holding Out For A Hero, and Believe In Me.

Over the years she also released over 15 studio albums.

Her album, Faster Than The Speed Of Light, peaked at No.1 in 1983 and was there for one week.

It stayed in the charts for an amazing 45 weeks.

The Greatest Hits peaked at number 18 in 1986 and was in the charts for 21 weeks.

Her other albums include The World Starts Tonight (1977), Natural Force (1978), Diamond Cut (1979), Goodbye to the Island (1981), Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire (1986).

Some of her others are Hide Your Heart (1988),Bitterblue (1991), Angel Heart (1992), Silhouette in Red (1993), Free Spirit (1995), All in One Voice (1998), Heart Strings (2003), Simply Believe (2004), Wings (2005), Rocks and Honey (2013) and Between the Earth and the Stars (2019).

And most recently, The Best Is Yet to Come, which was released five years ago.

It comes after a statement published on the singer’s website today (9 July 2026) confirmed the legendary singer passed away last night following an illness.

It read: “Bonnie’s family and team are heartbroken to announce that Bonnie unexpectedly passed away last night in hospital in Portugal as a result of the illness that she was being treated for.

“We will issue a further statement shortly but for now ask for privacy to deal with this tragedy.”

In April, she began to feel intense abdominal pain shortly after arriving in Portugal, where she has a second home, following tests in London.

It was announced in May that Bonnie had been rushed to hospital with a serious tear in her bowel and had to have emergency surgery.

But complications from the operation meant doctors had to place the singer in an induced coma.

Portuguese media claimed Bonnie went into cardiac arrest when doctors first tried to bring her out of her induced coma several weeks ago.

She was due to perform at the Sunshine Festival in Worcester this summer, along with a number of European dates.

Bonnie had also been booked to perform at Cardiff’s Utilita Arena on December 17.

The singer who was married to property developer Robert Sullivan since 1973.

She competed at the Eurovision Song Contest for UK in 2013 and finished the competition in 19th place with her song Believe In Me.

STORAGE Wars legend Darrell Sheets left behind a chilling suicide note blaming online bullying before taking his own life.

Newly released police documents have shed shocking new light on the 66-year-old’s death as police records reveal his final days.

Darrell died at 67 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, the US Sun confirmed in April.

Officials responded to reports of a deceased person at Darrell’s home at 2am on April 22, according to a statement from Lake Havasu City Police Department obtained by The U.S. Sun.

He was pronounced dead at the scene after his girlfriend called 911 reporting she had heard a gunshot

Investigators have found a handwritten note hidden inside a black basket in a bathroom closet near where he was found dead.

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According to the report, obtained by TMZ, detectives said the note appeared to reference the online abuse Darrell had been facing

Police summarised the message as reading: “I could not take anymore the Facebook bulling, f*** you [redacted]”.

Investigators also noted the handwriting appeared shaky.

The heartbreaking discovery came as cops pieced together Darrell’s final hours, revealing a disturbing picture of stress, sleepless nights and family turmoil before the fatal gunshot.

Darrell’s girlfriend told investigators he had struggled to sleep on the night he died and got out of bed in the early hours before walking into the doorway of his office

She said he told her to “go back to bed” – before moments later a single gunshot rang out.

Police records also reveal growing family tension in the days before his death.

Darrell’s girlfriend said his son had recently visited and the pair became embroiled in a heated argument over “family drama” before he left.

She claimed the situation worsened after Darrell received text messages from his daughter-in-law accusing her of being suspicious and stealing money from him.

The messages allegedly left the reality star visibly upset.

In a follow-up interview, his girlfriend told detectives the arguments between Darrell and his son became so intense she left the house after the son was yelling at him.

She claimed Darrell later told her he did not want to be alone with his son and had been “sad as hell” following the confrontation, believing he had let him down.

Investigators also revealed Darrell had been battling severe insomnia for months and was under huge pressure in the run-up to his death.

His girlfriend said he often struggled to sleep and was dealing with overwhelming stress – but insisted he had never spoken about harming himself and that their relationship remained strong.

The medical examiner later ruled his death a suicide.

Following the tragedy, his son Brandon Sheets broke his silence with an emotional tribute, calling Darrell “the best dad a son could ask for”.

He also revealed plans to reopen his father’s Arizona store, Show Me Your Junk, to continue the family legacy.

The mention of Facebook bullying in Darrell’s final note has also raised fresh questions, after fellow Storage Wars star Rene Nezhoda previously claimed Darrell had been facing relentless online harassment before his death.

Police investigated the bullying claims as they worked to understand what led to the TV star’s devastating final moments.

Darrell appeared on Storage Wars as a main castmember from 2010 to 2021 and was known as “The Gambler” for his high-risk purchases.

He continued to make appearances on seasons 14 and 15 as a guest buyer before leaving the show for good.

Darrell was joined by his son, Brandon, for nine seasons on Storage Wars.

Darrell also made appearances on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno and on Rachael Ray’s cooking show.

After retiring from Storage Wars, he moved to Lake Havasu, Arizona, where he operated an antique shop called Show Me Your Junk.

He previously had health issues, including a heart attack in 2019 that he had surgery to recover from.

UK: For help and support, call the Samaritans for free from a UK phone, completely anonymously, on 116 123 or go to samaritans.org. 

US: If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org. 

LEIGH-ANNE Pinnock is pregnant with her third child – five years after she and husband Andre Gray welcomed twin daughters. 

The Little Mix singer, 34, took to social media to confirm the happy news, sharing a sweet post. 

Leigh-Anne wrote: “As one chapter ends, another begins.”

The Don’t Say Love hitmaker and footballer Andre, 34, are fiercely protective of their children and have never shown their faces or revealed their names. 

Earlier this year Leigh-Anne opened up on her decision to keep her daughters out of the public eye. 

She told People: “I remember when they were born, I was going through this online hate thing and really seeing the toxicity of social media.

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“I mean, I probably would’ve still decided to not show their faces anyway, but that just kind of confirmed it for me. I want them to be able to make that decision.

“I want them to be able to [choose] if they want to be famous or not, because once they’re out there, they’re out there.”

Leigh-Anne and Andre tied the knot in 2023 in a beachfront ceremony in Jamaica. 

They got engaged in May during lockdown, with Andre presenting Leigh-Anne with a £40,000 ring.

A year after Andre popped the question they revealed Leigh-Anne was pregnant with twins. 

KATIE Price’s husband Lee Andrews has confessed he’s going bald – and blamed his thinning hair on prison food. 

Lee recently spent time in Dubai’s notorious Al Awir jail where he was held over unpaid debts. 

In a new social media clip, the conman told followers he will be exposing “60 people from the celeb world” who have been talking bad about him recently. 

During the video, Lee pointed to his head and showed off a bald spot before saying: “I’m going bald. What the f**k?”

Sighing, he added: “Prison food.” 

One celebrity who has made her feelings about Lee very clear is Vogue Williams. 

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Calling out Lee’s recent debunked claims he’s adopted Katie’s five children and landed a part in EastEnders, she said: “He’s saying he’s adopting the kids now. 

“He is actually one of those people that I look at and I’m like, ‘erghhhhh’.”

Vogue continued: “He’s taking the p**s out of everybody.

“This is why I have such a problem with it, I’ve likened it to being really stupid.

“He’s trying to make people seem stupid and think that we actually believe his b******t and I can’t bear it.

“I feel like he doesn’t even have two brain cells to rub together, that’s how I feel about him and I hate being dragged down to his level.”

TALLIA Storm has shared an emotional tribute to her late father Sascha following his funeral on Wednesday and praised mum Tessa Hartmann for her strength during the difficult time. 

Last month Real Housewives of Jersey star Tessa revealed her husband had passed away suddenly. 

Today pop star Tallia took to social media to share moments from the day as the family celebrated Sascha’s life. 

She wrote: “Wednesday wasn’t just a funeral.

It was a celebration of life. Our favourite gospel choir flew in from London, Zac on the saxophone followed by Zac on keys and me singing ‘Sunny’.

“Johnnie, Kae & my amazing Mum with an incredible speech… Tessie’s strength & nothing but love across the entire church.

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“A celebration of the greatest man we’ve ever known.The entire day felt like we were in a film, sadly, the film was a real life story.”

Tallia included a clip of her singing at the funeral, showing her performing an emotional rendition of Sunny by Bobby Hebb.

She added: “Thank you to my unbelievably amazing Mum for being so strong at a time where our worlds have shattered.”

Tessa shared her own heartbreak last month when she revealed Sascha’s passing. 

She wrote: “This August we were meant to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. Instead, I am organising his funeral.”

“The past 24 hours have passed in a blur. We are utterly shattered. Broken beyond anything I could ever have imagined. 

“I ask, if you are able, to keep our family in your prayers as we try to find the strength to face the days ahead.

“Sascha, we loved every single part of you. Your kindness. Your laughter. Your humour. Your remarkable mind. Your music. Your beautiful piano playing. We will keep playing your songs, telling your stories, and carrying your love with us for the rest of our lives.

“Until we meet again, my love. My person. My soulmate. My best friend. The father of our four beautiful children. Thank you for giving me the greatest gift of all – our family. I will cherish that, and you, forever.”