show biz

To get it out of the way: Yes, Tobias Jesso Jr. has heard about gooning.

“Somebody put me up on it and said it was about masturbation?” says the 40-year-old singer and songwriter, which is about half-right: As detailed in an essay in Harper’s that went viral last month, to goon — a term heretofore associated with Jesso thanks to his cult-fave 2015 album “Goon” — means in Gen Z parlance to masturbate at such great lengths that the act leads to a kind of trance state.

“Well, I’ve never done that,” Jesso says. “‘Goon’ I got from ‘The Goonies’ — it’s just a brilliant movie.” He laughs. “But I don’t care. If it sells more records, sure.”

That Jesso has a record to sell at all might take some by surprise. Though “Goon” thoroughly charmed critics and fellow musicians with its early-’70s-balladeer vibe — many said he evoked the glory days of Randy Newman, Harry Nilsson and beard-and-shearling-coat-era Paul McCartney — Jesso didn’t cotton to the life of a sort-of-famous performer and almost immediately walked away from his solo career to write songs for other singers instead.

He’s thrived in that role, penning hits for the likes of Adele, Niall Horan, Harry Styles and Dua Lipa. In 2023, he was named songwriter of the year at the Grammy Awards; this month he was nominated for that prize for a second time, with the Recording Academy citing his work with Justin Bieber (“Daisies”), Haim (“Relationships”) and Olivia Dean (“Man I Need”), among others.

Yet now he’s back with an unexpected follow-up to his debut called “Shine,” which came out Friday. Stripped back for the most part to just voice and piano, it’s an earnest work of introspection from a guy who knows how to make tenderness feel like strength.

Jesso, who grew up in Vancouver and lives in Los Angeles, announced the album just last week with a music video for his song “I Love You” that features the actors Riley Keough and Dakota Johnson, with whom he’s been close since he first touched down here around 2008.

“I hit them up and was like, ‘You girls think it’s about time I use your fame to get some extra clicks?’” he says on a recent morning at his place in Silver Lake. “The video opens up on them, then it pans away and it goes to me and you never see them again.”

Says Keough, a former girlfriend: “It was a very Tobias ask.”

So why return to the spotlight? According to Jesso, he wouldn’t have had it not been for a breakup that left him “the most depressed I’ve ever been in my life, by far.” We’re sitting in a cozy den that looks out over a lush hillside garden; a bowl of persimmons sits on a coffee table while a copy of “McCartney II” peeks out from a stack of LPs.

Jesso, whose mop of curly hair has begun ever so slightly to gray, says that when he enters a songwriting session with another artist, “I leave my worries and woes outside the door. I’m there to serve you — to write the song you want to write.” It’s an approach that’s endeared him to his star collaborators and yielded songs as deep as Adele’s “To Be Loved,” a stunning meditation on the costs of divorce from her 2021 album “30.”

But earlier this year, for the first time in Jesso’s decade of behind-the-scenes work, he found himself struggling to deliver. “I was feeling so in the dumps that I’d be choking on a line that I didn’t even want to say because if I say it, I’ll start crying,” he recalls.

He cleared six weeks from his busy schedule to process his emotions; the result was a set of songs for himself about heartache — “I can see the love leaving from your eyes in the form of a tear,” he sings in “Rain” — but also about his mom’s experience with dementia and about the young son he shares with his ex-wife.

To record the music, Jesso’s instinct was to go big. “I’m a dreamer, so I was like, ‘Imagine all the people I could have help me now that I didn’t have 10 years ago,’” he says. “I went from so-and-so to so-and-so, trying out studios, making promises I couldn’t keep. But all that stuff over the weeks just kind of flaked away.”

What remained was the beautifully mellow sound of a vintage Steinway piano he’d had restored after buying it on Craiglist for $800. He keeps the piano in a small, uncluttered studio upstairs from the den at his house; that’s where he cut “Shine,” singing live as he accompanied himself in real time.

A small handful of other players appear on the album, most prominently in “I Love You,” which erupts near the end with a wild drum fill performed by Jesso’s old pal Kane Ritchotte. The idea for the percussive outburst came to Jesso after he’d consumed “a s— ton of mushrooms,” he says. “I turned to my assistant at the time — I wonder if I have it — and I said, ‘Record me right now.’ She started recording me, and what came out was that fill.”

He picks up his phone and scrolls for a moment. “Look at this,” he says, turning the screen my way: There’s Jesso in the same room we’re in right now, staring wide-eyed into the camera as he mouths the drum sounds Ritchotte would later replicate exactly.

“That song is about somebody’s inner child being in the middle of a labyrinth, and you’re trying to find them so you can convince them that you’re in love,” Jesso tells me. “You can’t get there and you’re wishing that the whole labyrinth would just be destroyed. So when it gets to that part — ‘Shatter the cracks wide open / And say, “I love you”’ — the drums are the walls coming down. That’s the shattering.”

Tobias Jesso Jr. at the 65th Grammy Awards in 2023.

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Drum theatrics aside, Jesso’s singing is the album’s clear focal point; his pleading, slightly unsteady tone gives the music an emotional intimacy that makes you feel as though you’re sitting right next to him on the piano bench.

Jesso describes his voice as something of a liability, which Keough says has been true since he was ducking the frontman’s job in the various bands he played in when he was in his early 20s. “I always loved his voice, and he just didn’t feel that way for whatever reason,” she recalls. “I don’t know if he felt a sort of shyness, which is really interesting because as a person he’s not shy whatsoever.”

Asked whether Jesso’s decision to follow up “Goon” surprised her, she says, “I was surprised he released ‘Goon’ to begin with.”

The way Jesso sees it, “My voice isn’t good enough for the songs I write, which is why I’ve chosen to work with all these other people.” What he’s comes to realize, though, is that “my voice is perfect for my songs.”

Which doesn’t mean it’s easy for him to hear it. Once he’d finished recording, Jesso asked his friend Shawn Everett to mix “Shine”; what he got back — with every imperfection of his voice under a virtual magnifying glass — terrified him. “It felt way, way, way too vulnerable,” Jesso says.

He texted Everett and said he was sorry but that he couldn’t put out the record like this. “I told him, ‘You just brought out more of me than I’m willing to share,’” he says now. “Then I got home, I smoked a big fat joint and I sat on the couch. I was like, I’m gonna wait until I’m high enough that I can press play and pretend this isn’t me.” He laughs. “I put on the headphones, and I have never in my life had such a profound experience with music.”

Who’d you imagine was singing?
I don’t know — like a 50-year-old dude or maybe a 20-year-old girl who’s got a low voice? It didn’t matter — it wasn’t me, so I wasn’t listening with judgmental ears.

The paradox is that “Shine” feels like the you-est possible album.
There’s no tricks. I didn’t auto-tune, I didn’t cut anything together, I didn’t do any of that. It’s me singing a take, and it’s the best take I got. Whereas with “Goon,” there were a lot of elements that maybe weren’t possible for me to do.

“Goon” was a little more elaborate — more players and producers.
Which was tortuous because I’m like, “How do I recreate this thing that I didn’t even fully make myself?”

Given the unhappiness of your experience after “Goon” came out, I wondered whether this time you’d put certain restrictions on what you’re willing to do.
I’ll say right off the bat: I’m not touring — no way. I’ve met enough artists who say, “I feel totally myself onstage,” to know that there’s a natural state in which people feel comfortable up there. And I’ve tried every which way — by which I mean drinking and not drinking — and I just can’t. It’s not me.

Maybe this is something I still need to work on in therapy, but by being onstage and singing, I’m basically saying, “I’m a singer,” and I’m not comfortable saying that. I’m comfortable saying, “I’m a songwriter.” So there’s this weird shame that comes in where I’m presenting myself beyond what I know my ability to be.

One of the benchmarks I needed to hit on this record was to be comfortable that I’m not misrepresenting myself, which is why I’m OK if there’s an out-of-tune note here and there or if it’s a little bit fast or slow. But even knowing that I can perform it exactly like it is on the record, there’s nothing drawing me to the stage. I don’t really want to have a relationship with fans in that way. I feel very privileged that this is not my main job.

Between “Goon” and now, songwriting became your main job.
So I don’t have to take this as seriously. The parts I do take seriously — the art — I’m willing to put in the work for.

But not for success per se.
Exactly. This is weird to say, but there were moments where I was toiling over this record — listening to Take No. 73 and being like, “Wait, what was the other one?” — and the thought would occur to me: I could go to work today instead of do this and potentially create much more wealth for myself than this album could ever do.

I mean, that’s almost certainly the case.
In comparison, “Shine” is meaningless in terms of success and potential. And yet I was still drawn to doing it, which made me feel like I was making the right choice for myself. But when it comes to the stuff I don’t think is important, just try to get me to do it. It ain’t happening.

I went back and looked at something I wrote about a show you played at South by Southwest in 2015 where you had to start your song “True Love” five times.
Oh God.

But it’s not like anybody in the crowd was mad about it. People thought it was cute.
I feel like if I was onstage now — and everything’s pointing to I probably should play a show or two — I’d be able to see the value in vulnerability. It’s human, and I like that about it. But at the time I wasn’t able to cope with the people who wouldn’t see it that way. Because I wasn’t seeing it that way. I was seeing it as: I’m trying to pretend I’m OK with this, but I’m actually forgetting my song because I’m such a s— performer. Yeah, the crowd loves it, but I go offstage and I’m not looking for the comments saying, “It was so funny.” I’m looking for the ones that are like, “This guy’s a joke.” And I’m like, f—, I knew it.

Keough shares Jesso’s assessment of what’s put him in a different position today versus 10 years ago.

“With ‘Goon,’ he would have put pressure on himself” to jump through the hoops required of a performer, she says. “He was a barista straight out of the coffee shop. ‘Shine’ is straight off all his Grammys and his big songwriting career. He’s able to be more free as an artist now because the stakes are lower.”

Yet not so long ago Jesso reckoned he might be close to burning out in the pop realm. “I was kind of getting ready to dip,” he says, “because I don’t like going into a room and saying, ‘Oh, this song is blowing up — let’s do the same thing.’”

Tobias Jesso Jr. at home in Silver Lake.

(Ian Spanier / For The Times)

He clarifies that he’s not talking about working with an artist like Dua Lipa, who recruited him as a writer for her 2024 “Radical Optimism” LP. “Dua was great,” he says. “I’m talking about going into pitch sessions and sitting with a bunch of writers and figuring out how to get a song pitched. That’s never really worked for me, and the higher you get with producers, the more into that formula you’re putting yourself.”

What he found with Bieber earlier this year was nothing like that. “It was balls to the wall, ideas just flying around,” Jesso says of the roving sessions for the pop superstar’s experimental “Swag” and “Swag II” albums, which took Jesso and the rest of Bieber’s crew to France and the Bahamas and Iceland before Jesso began work on “Shine.”

“I nearly wept on more than one occasion because of how moved I felt about what Justin was doing,” Jesso says. “It was raw emotion without any tricks, without any wordplay, without any of the stuff that I’d been so jaded by in the industry.” The experience, he adds, “reinvigorated my belief in pop music.”

Which makes it an interesting time to move to Australia, as Jesso plans to do soon in order to be close to his son, Ellsworth, who’s there with Jesso’s ex-wife, the Australian singer and songwriter Emma Louise.

“D-I-V-O-R-C-E, you know — it’s always give and take to meet each other’s needs,” he says. “And one of the things was Australia. She really wants Ellsworth to go to school there, which makes sense in one sense — and professionally makes no sense at all. But I committed to it, and I want to at least give it a try and see it through.

“This album coming out and moving to Australia within the same couple months — it feels like a big moment of change,” Jesso continues. “Maybe I’m letting go of some old things, like music being scary, and embracing some new scary things. I don’t know what the hell I’m gonna do over there. Hopefully I get busy doing something. Otherwise I’ll be pitching the groundskeeper ideas for TV shows the whole time.”

Saturday Kitchen host Matt Tebbutt apologised after accidentally revealing personal details about his guest star on the BBC show

Matt Tebbutt dropped a huge blunder just minutes into today’s Saturday Kitchen (November 22), accidentally revealing where one of his celebrity guests lives.

The TV chef was joined by comedian and actor Tom Allen, famous for his roles on The Apprentice: You’re Fired, Cooking with the Stars and The Great British Bake Off’s Extra Slice.

He popped up on the ITV show to promote his gardening podcast, Pottering With Tom Allen, telling presenter Matt: “I just thought what the world needs is another podcast.”

He went on: “We keep the bird song in, we keep the church bells in, even aeroplanes going over we leave in.”

Matt then chimed in with a cheeky comment about the background noise, which accidentally gave away where the star calls home, reports the Express.

“Please Matt! Don’t tell people where I live,” Tom shot back, before quipping: “It’s true though it’s a very desirable area,” as giggles filled the studio.

The gaffe sparked a hasty “I’m sorry” from presenter Matt, who quickly added: “I didn’t give out the full address.”

Tom then revealed that his neighbourhood was quite compact, meaning even tiny hints were too much information.

“Well it’s not a very big place so if you are in Chislehurst you’ll see me there,” he revealed before throwing a tongue-in-cheek “So thanks for that” Matt’s way.

As the programme progressed, Matt turned to chef Ravinder Bhogal to ask what was next on the agenda. Yet, he couldn’t help but make another quip about his earlier gaffe.

“Right let’s see what else is on the menu today. Ravinder! Tell everyone where you live,” he jested, sparking more laughter from the cast and crew.

Saturday Kitchen is broadcast on BBC One and iPlayer

DUA Lipa looked sensational as she stripped to a bright orange bikini on holiday with her sister.

The Levitating hitmaker, 30, soaked up the sunshine in her matching two-piece as she joined look-a-like sister Rina, 24, on a day bed.

Rina, who is carving out her own career as a Gen Z influencer but has dreams of becoming a top actress, opted for red halterneck swimwear for their day in Brazil.

Both siblings shared their sun tan spot on a balcony above a busy beach.

Yet with the rays playing havoc with their Instagram snap, they shaded their eyes with their hands for their sexy snap.

Dua was seen keeping hydrated with a big bottle of water and sun tan lotion perched on a table alongside her.

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Dua posted a gallery of her holiday snaps to her Instagram grid with the caption: “Rio in my [heart].”

It came just a day after the New Rules hitmaker was seen in the crowds at a South American football clash.

The Brit songstress was spotted at the Fluminense vs Flamengo derby in a Brazil shirt – just days after taking in Argentina’s mammoth showpiece.

She is currently on her ‘Ridical Optimism Tour‘ and after playing two shows at the Estadio River Plate in Buenos Aires, she went to Chile for back-to-back performances.

Last week on November 15, she performed in Sao Paulo, Brazil and isn’t due back on stage until tonight in Rio de Janeiro, so has been letting her hair down and taking some well earned chilled time.

LOVED-UP

Meanwhile, Dua is no stranger to a sexy outfit, and recently posed in a sheer lace top as she told how she had “deeply fallen” for fiance Callum Turner.

She opened up about her actor fiance, who she got engaged to last year, after a whirlwind romance.

Discussing their relationship, Dua said: “I love love. It is a beautiful thing.

“It’s a really inspiring thing. You find yourself so intensely falling all the time in the best way possible. That vulnerability is so scary, but I feel so lucky to get to feel it.

“I’ve spent a lot of time being guarded or protecting my heart, and so I’m letting go of that feeling and just being like, ‘Okay, if I’m supposed to get hurt, then this is what’s going to happen.’ I have to just allow love.”

The singer added: “I’m happier than ever, so it feels like I’m doing a disservice by not talking about it.

“When you’re a public person, anything that’s very personal is very vulnerable. It’s not like I don’t want to share it.”

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The Sun were first to reveal Callum had popped the question last Christmas, after less than a year of dating.

Dua confirmed our story last month and told British Vogue: “Yeah we’re engaged. It’s very exciting.”

Directed by Japan’s monomonikered Hikari, “Rental Family” — a beautifully moving and affably humorous story of human connection — kicks off with one funeral and culminates with another, demonstrating the evolution that our protagonist, Philip (Brendan Fraser), goes through during his personal journey between these two events.

The first funeral is a shock. Philip is a struggling actor in Tokyo, with one massively successful commercial as a toothpaste superhero mascot under his belt. His agent has booked him a gig as “Sad American,” a role he can easily play with his looming height, doleful eyes and a heart he wears on his sleeve. Late as usual, he dashes to check in for work and is shocked to stumble into a somber funeral. He’s even more shocked when the formally dressed corpse starts emotionally reacting to the tearful eulogies.

The scene is a marvel of revelation and reaction from Fraser and, in fact, much of the genius of his performance in “Rental Family” comes from his reactions, especially as he discovers the weird and wonderful new job he’s landed.

In the screenplay by Hikari and Stephen Blahut, Philip finds himself working for Tada (Takehiro Hira), who runs a company called Rental Family that’s hired by clients to provide staff to role-play in various real-world scenarios — the fake funeral, for example, or as a mistress apologizing to a spurned wife or just for friendship. Philip’s first role is quite complex: He plays a Canadian man getting married to a young Japanese woman in a show wedding for her conservative parents. She’s queer and needs an out in order to be with her real partner. Philip, who is earnest and honest to a fault, chafes at the lie but soon realizes that he’s helping someone to live their authentic life, so he throws himself into it.

Rental Family’s service is all about maintaining Japanese values of propriety and politeness through performance, and the little (or big) white lies are manipulations to get what the clients want: an apology, companionship, love, admiration, closure. Philip’s most challenging high-wire act proves to be posing as the long-lost American father of a shrewd and emotionally intelligent young girl, Mia (Shannon Mahina Gorman), in order to secure her school admission. Both Philip and Mia’s mom (Shino Shinozaki), the client, soon realize that it’s much more complicated than just pretending to be a nuclear family for a school interview.

While playing daddy, Philip also juggles a role as a curious journalist profiling an aging, iconic (but largely forgotten) screen actor, Kikuo (Akira Emoto), from whom he learns surprising lessons about life, memory and legacy. He finds himself deeply connecting with these people, young and old, and learning from them, while becoming tangled in their lives.

Empathy pours off Fraser in waves, which is what made his Oscar-winning performance in “The Whale” work. Hikari channels that quality to good use in “Rental Family” but never oversteps. The film is sweet and affecting, never treacly or overly sentimental. She knows how to balance humor and poignancy, to allow Philip to be a grown man with his own needs and peccadilloes and mistakes, though we never question his motivations because of the inherent goodness that radiates off Fraser.

Hikari’s naturalistic style perfectly suits this story. The Tokyo that she showcases is one of quotidian everyday life, not the futuristic neon city that an outsider might capture. Hers is one of small, cramped apartments, karaoke bars, public transit, hotels, temples and schools. It’s a world occupied by normal people who sometimes need a little help, a little push to get the things they want in life. Philip is there to provide that service even though he’s also in need of his own connection to others.

But it’s the mishaps along the way that actually help Philip to grow. By the time we get to the second funeral, we see how much he has bloomed. Fraser has an openness to his expression that’s like a flower unfolding, beaming in the sunlight of recognition and personal fulfillment. As an actor, Fraser’s second act has been a sight to behold. He’s the emotional anchor of this life-affirming and quietly resonant film about the importance of being together — a movie that announces Hikari as a major talent.

Walsh is a Tribune News Service film critic.

BBC Breakfast host Naga Munchetty shared a rare family memory on Saturday morning as she warned weatherman Simon King about a popular Christmas gift.

Viewers watching BBC Breakfast on Saturday morning (November 22) got an unusual peek into Naga Munchetty’s childhood as she revealed a cautionary tale live on air.

Charlie Stayt was alongside Naga for presenting duties today, with the conversation quickly shifting to must-have Christmas presents from their younger days.

Charlie revealed that the BBC breakfast crew had been discussing “iconic” festive gifts, including items the team had desperately wanted but never received during their childhood.

“There are lots of people who will never forgive their parents for not giving them something that they really wanted,” he began, as Naga pushed him for his response.

“No, not me actually,” he clarified, before adding: “Though I did want an action man and it wasn’t allowed – but that was a very long time ago,” as giggles could be heard from the production team, reports the Express.

The presenting pair then turned to weatherman Simon King who revealed he had always longed for a slushie maker during his youth. However, Naga was swift to jump in with a cautionary message.

“My cousins had one,” she began. “And I was really envious of it.”

Carrying on with her story, she explained: “I’ll make you feel better. That product then, a long time ago, when you used to scrunch it because it was a slush-making machine, bits of plastic used to come out as well.

“So it was never very good, so you didn’t miss out,” she added, comforting her colleague.

A relieved-looking Simon responded: “Good, I’m glad for that thank you,” before returning his focus to the weather forecast.

BBC Breakfast is broadcast every day on BBC One and iPlayer starting at 6am.

IT’S been an incredibly choppy lead up to his big day – and this week Adam Peaty and his wife-to-be Holly Ramsay felt they had no choice but to speak out, saying they felt “targeted” and “hurt” by the drama.

But there was one part of the couple’s statement that struck me the most – Adam’s repeated mentions of his sister Bethany, seemingly the one family member he is still talking to – who he mentioned even before his future wife. Now, I can reveal the truth behind their close bond, the real reason they are sticking together and how Bethany is also now estranged from their mum.

The statement was the latest twist in the ongoing drama surrounding the Olympian, 30, and his family – making it very clear just how divided camp Peaty really is. 

Interestingly, it was Bethany, 32, that Adam mentioned first when discussing the pain his family were suffering.

Behavioural psychologist Jo Hemmings tells us: “The mention of his sister Bethany in a positive light is a small lighthouse of loyalty in a storm of familial conflict.”

His sister has had her head turned by all the glitz and glamour.

family friend

At this point, Bethany is the only family member who is still going to Adam and Holly’s upcoming nuptials next month – after they disinvited his mother and others in the group took a stand. 

In fact, she’s so close to Adam and Holly that she has been asked to be a bridesmaid and was front and centre at the hen do – rubbing shoulders with Victoria Beckham.

A friend close to the family told us: “Bethany has always been very close to Adam and she is really taken with the celebrity lifestyle.

“She’s had her head turned by all the glitz and glamour. She was over the moon to be at the hen party, hanging out with Victoria Beckham and couldn’t wait to tell all her friends about it.

“She really fits in with the glam world – she’s blonde and very pretty.

“She got on with Holly straight away and has been asked to be a bridesmaid.”

The siblings grew up in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, but Adam now spends much of his time travelling or in London. Bethany, who now lives in Derby, is thought to spend time with both him and Holly whenever they are back in the UK.

It’s no secret just how much Adam’s life has changed since he became such an acclaimed swimmer – and is now set to marry a woman whose dad is worth £200million.

In contrast, Adam’s working-class family are living the same lives they always have – while he is said to have become “seduced by the fame and glamour of the Ramsays”, which those close to the star tell me Bethany has also now fallen for. 

In his 2021 autobiography The Gladiator Mindset, he openly addressed how it’s all impacted his relationships.

He wrote: “Some of the closest people to me take it personally and despite my reassurances that I really do care, they think that I’ve changed through success and as a result I am ashamed of them and that I should spend more time with them.”

But as well as enjoying the flashiness of Adam and Holly’s life, Bethany and Adam have something else in common – being young parents.

Our insider said: “She’s also a young mum so has really bonded with Adam since he became a dad. It’s made them closer than ever.”

News of the Peaty family rift has sent shockwaves through the showbiz world, but we can reveal it’s not the first time they have all fallen out.

We are told that like in all families they have had ups and downs over the years, but there was one huge row years ago that started it all. 

ADAM’S TOUGH LOVE

They continued: “Adam was always close to his two brothers as well, particularly James, 34, but something happened a number of years ago, which sparked the first fallout.

“Their mum Caroline sides with James, because he has his struggles – his ADHD and mental health problems – and she felt he needed support.

“Caroline feels James is the weaker one and is looking after him right now.

“She felt that Adam was being too tough on his older brother, he can be a real sportsman at times and gives tough love.”

Adam himself admitted in the past that he can lack ’empathy’ and branded himself a ‘selfish athlete’.

The family friend said: “There have been a number of fallouts over the years, and they often fall in and out with each other, but this time feels different.”

And things are now so bad that mum-of-two Bethany is in the same boat as Adam and has been ostracised from the rest of the family – which explains why he has taken her under his wing so much. 

They added: “Caroline is now not talking to Bethany. It’s very sad because it means she’s not seeing the children either. 

“They all feel it’s gone too far now, and they won’t be able to make things up any time soon – let alone within time for the wedding.”

In Adam’s statement he accused his family of “encouraging” false claims about him and his fiancée.

It reads: “Over the past few days, a lot has been reported and comments posted about the private life of Holly and myself.

“My sister Bethany, has also been targeted. This has been almost entirely one-sided and, in many cases, excessive and intrusive. It has been deeply hurtful and upsetting to read, especially given the false basis upon which we have been targeted.

“What makes it worse is that it has been encouraged by members of my family.”

The swimming champion assured fans there were two sides to the story and insisted he only has good intentions.

He continued: “Bethany, Holly and myself cannot go into detail given an ongoing police investigation into serious matters that arose long before recent events.

“For those who know me personally, you know that I work so hard on trying to improve myself as a person who wants to contribute to making the world a better place. I am continuing to learn about myself and how I can be the man I want to be; a worthy partner, father, businessman, friend and athlete; even through these challenging times.

“Bethany, Holly and I will get through this – we do not ask for sympathy. We just need people to be aware that there are always two sides to every story. To those of you who have reached out and shown kindness and understanding – thank you. It is deeply appreciated.”

‘STABILISING THE NARRATIVE’

Behavioural/media psychologist Jo has analysed the statement and believes he is making a clear point with his choice of words.

She explained: “By calling out Bethany positively, Adam is signalling that she occupies a safe harbour in a turbulent sea. He’s saying: ‘Here is someone I still trust, someone on my side, someone whose presence matters to me.’

“In the turmoil of exclusion, perceived betrayal and hurt feelings, naming one person as being on his side helps to stabilise the narrative for him – and for us as observers.

“The fact that only Bethany appears singled out for praise suggests a selective boundary-setting. It appears he is differentiating between ‘us’ and ‘them’ in his family sphere – Bethany is part of his chosen ‘us’ whereas others are very much in the ‘them’ category, including his outspoken mother and aunt.

“In publicly acknowledging Bethany, Adam may also be signalling a hope (or at least an intention) for reconciliation, but on his terms. He may be saying: ‘We will – at least – stay connected at this sibling level, even if other layers of the family relationship are fractured’. It shows that despite the rift, there is at least one relationship bridge he is keeping intact.”

She went on to discuss the impacts of weddings on family dynamics, saying: “Weddings, especially high-profile ones, often precipitate identity shifts: you take on your partner’s family, you step into new social circles, you leave things behind. 

“By praising his sister and by positioning her as part of his inner circle, Adam is implicitly affirming: ‘I’m still anchored in my roots.’ In doing so, he signals to himself and to others that even as his life changes (new partner, new family-in-law, maybe new social position), he hasn’t entirely left behind who he is or where he comes from.

“The mention of Bethany is a soft way of acknowledging that there is hurt, that there is estrangement, that there is a dividing line being drawn. By choosing to publicly show gratitude to one family member, he implicitly reveals that others are excluded or wounded – without naming them or going into all the gritty detail. It’s a controlled way of saying ‘this family situation is fractured’ but with focus on who remains.”

Adam’s aunt Louise previously branded his fiancée Holly “divisive and hurtful” in a bitter online rant after her sister Caroline wasn’t invited to her hen do at Soho Farmhouse, which of course Bethany attended.

Caroline was later banned from the couple’s wedding at Bath Abbey next month.

NO WAY BACK

In a heartbreaking interview, Caroline said she has reached rock bottom over the family feud, which has seen Adam pull closer to the Ramsays.

Worried Holly called the police last weekend while Adam was on his stag do in Budapest over concerns he could be assaulted by his brother James when he got back to the UK.

Adam was escorted by five police officers through passport control upon touching down in the UK. His brother was later arrested at his Staffordshire home.

His father Mark previously told The Sun that the feud had spiralled out of control.

He said: “They’re brothers.

“They’ve always been close but like any normal family, brothers fight, argue, fall out, make-up and start all over again. But it’s got out of hand.

“There’s been very little empathy towards Jamie’s genuine mental health difficulties.”

Over the years Adam, who is heavily religious, has written extensively about his alcoholism and mental health problems, so knows more than anyone what it’s like to go through a hard time.

He has certainly changed a lot from the boy who first hit headlines all those years ago – and as his statement suggests – his sister, his partner and their future are his priority. And at the moment there is no room for anyone else. 

“Forever chemicals” don’t die — they just regroup. Only instead of regrouping in hell, as that old Marines saying goes, it’s in the oceans, where such compounds were dumped for decades.

For years, Times environmental reporter and Pulitzer finalist Rosanna Xia has been covering the legacy of forever chemical DDT, a pesticide once applied to humans as innocuously as hairspray and yardhose water. In 2020 she broke the story that barrels of DDT’s toxic waste, last sent to the ocean floor decades ago by its biggest manufacturer, Montrose, were closer to Southern California’s shores than previously thought. Her ongoing investigative work is now the subject of a documentary, “Out of Plain Sight,” which Xia co-directed with Daniel Straub. (Full disclosure: It was produced by L.A. Times Studios, an affiliate company.)

The film is a fleet, urgent-sounding dispatch, centering on Xia herself as an intrepid factfinder roving the affected coastline, dropping in on scientists, oceanographers, biologists and wildlife experts as she tries to piece together the effects of half a million barrels of forgotten DDT, banned in 1972 but still having an impact on an already fragile ecosystem and the descendants of those exposed to it. Her inspiration, quoted up top and glimpsed in archival footage, is Rachel Carson, whose seminal 1962 book, “Silent Spring,” spurred enough public outcry against chemical pesticides to lead to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Carson’s galvanizing alarm was, paradoxically, an absence, seen in declining bird populations (hence the “silent” of her title). Xia’s clarion call, meanwhile, starts with robot-captured images of leaking barrels on the ocean floor. That’s the beginning of the sea-to-land food chain that starts with DDT-ridden marine life. Microplastics are the current bete noire and rightly so, but we’re still in the dark about the causal calamity of a past era’s chemical polluting. It’s one thing if a company like Montrose, now defunct, once believed no one would notice their massive DDT-waste-dumping operation. It’s another, the movie argues, if we choose not to wrestle with the environmental ramifications being felt today.

“Out of Plain Sight” strives to be more cinematically alive than the standard talking-head-laden documentary. A brief history of DDT, from the corporate excitement over its invention to protesting, is given a snazzy split-screen archival montage treatment, sourced from educational films, newsreels and interviews but scored to the Zombies’ “I Don’t Want to Know” as a cheeky touch. And all of Xia’s interviews are filmed in the field in a vérité style, a nod to journalism in action, from UC San Diego labs and mammal rescue operations treating cancer-riven sea lions to microbiologist David Valentine’s attempts to collect samples from those time-bomb-like barrels of sludge.

Though we need movies that demystify journalism (and Xia is an appealing on-camera correspondent), that aspect is less interesting than the propulsive portrait of a dedicated, multi-pronged effort to expose, understand and hopefully clean up a still-viable threat. “Out of Plain Sight” doesn’t need to be earthshaking filmmaking to relay a valuable ongoing story about a hidden nightmare for all of us. It brings to mind another famous saying, just as applicable to DDT’s longevity as the one about the Marines, from William Faulkner: “The past is never dead — it’s not even past.”

Emmerdale spoilers have teased violent scenes next week as Bear challenges Ray over Anya’s death, and Lewis is reeling over some news about Kev when the police come knocking

There’s some big moments on Emmerdale next week, with new spoiler clips teasing violence and an exit.

Bear Wolf lashes out at villain Ray Walters next week on the ITV soap in the wake of poor Anya’s death. Grieving, a discovery sends him into a rage, and he confronts Ray in dramatic fashion.

It comes following Anya sadly passing away, amid the soap’s horrifying modern slavery storyline. With Ray and Celia Daniels refusing to get Anya the medical help she needed after an injury, she got sick and passed away.

Bear had grown close to her and vowed to look after her, so her death hits him hard. But it seems as far as he’s concerned, Anya’s body has been taken away from the farm.

He soon finds out the truth though and goes looking, where he finds Anya’s body up against a wall in the feed shed. Disgusted with the way she has been discarded like she’s nothing, Bear lashes out.

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Holding a bracelet Anya’s daughter had made for her, Bear tells Ray he’s seen the body and knows he’s been lied to. He accuses Ray of not caring about what’s happened, and treating her like an animal.

Ray gets annoyed and tells Bear to calm down, trying to get control over the situation. But as he starts shoving Bear and telling him to back off, Bear loses it and shouts in his face.

Grabbing him by the collar, he shoves him up against a wall leaving Ray gasping. But is this the moment that he sees he’s being manipulated, and that Ray is not on his side?

Also in the village next week, scenes could seal an exit. Lewis Barton is left stunned when the police arrive at the café, declaring they need to speak with Kev Townsend.

Kev is in the café at the time amid his growing friendship with Lewis, his secret son. When the police arrive and ask to speak with him, Lewis asks if Kev is being arrested, when they reveal it’s about an armed robbery.

Kev tries to downplay the situation, telling the police they have got it wrong and they will soon realise he’s had nothing to do with it. But with them claiming they’ve found evidence, and viewers knowing he did carry out the crime, could this lead him being sent back to prison for his crime in a rather abrupt exit for the newcomer? Viewers will have to tune in to find out!

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 .

GOGGLEBOX star Amy Tapper has revealed she needs surgery to remove her loose skin after a stunning 8st weight loss.

Amy, who overhauled her lifestyle with clean eating and regular exercising before turning to weight loss jab Mounjaro, looks incredible after the transformation – but can’t do anything about the excess skin that comes with it.

She told the Mail: “Unfortunately and inevitably, when you’ve lost as much weight as eight stone, and there’s gonna be more, there’s a lot of skin that is just not gonna disappear with exercise.

“It’s not possible, you know? It’s stones and stones of fat and it’s now just skin.

“My arms and my tummy are definitely gonna need surgery at some point, but my legs are actually OK.”

Amy, 26, has been using her personal trainer for five years and has continued to exercise alongside using jabs. She currently takes a 15mg weekly dose, having increased gradually from a starting dose of 2.5mg a week.

weigh to go

Gogglebox’s Amy Tapper shows off incredible 7 stone weight loss in fitted dress

Weight to Go

Gogglebox’s Amy Tapper shows off 7 stone weight loss as she strips to swimwear

Speaking on Good Morning Britain in September, Amy warned viewers the jabs aren’t a permanent solution to weight issues.

She said: “I think a lot of the way that people look at the injections is that it’s a quick fix, everything like that. And it is. It’s very quick.

“But it’s not fixing you forever. Because the minute you come off of it, my body’s just going to start doing exactly what it was doing before. Which means that, yeah.”

The Channel 4 star then revealed her plans for long term use of fat jabs.

“I will be on it for life. I mean, obviously, we will look through it and we’ll see as we go along,” she said.

“We don’t know what can happen. But the plan is, I’m on the highest dose at the moment.”

Amy exclusively told The Sun that she began taking jabs as a last resort and called the results “life-changing”.

She said: “I’ve gone to doctors all my life and they can never tell me the problem – because there’s actually nothing wrong with me. 

“My bloods are always amazing, I haven’t got polycystic ovaries, I haven’t got a thyroid problem and I haven’t got anything that usually makes you put on weight. It is just genetics.”

Continuing, she added: “I felt there was nothing else I could do.”

Life has a way of taking things from us that we think we can’t do without. Often that means the death of a loved one, but sometimes it can be home — and with it, our grounding in the world. When we meet Dusty, the laconic protagonist of “Rebuilding,” he has already lost so much. His marriage is over. His parents have been dead and buried for quite a while. But as this modest drama begins, Dusty is grappling with the most crushing of blows: His cherished 200-acre family ranch in Colorado has burned down in a devastating wildfire. He survived but he might as well be a ghost.

Dusty is played by Josh O’Connor, who lately has cornered the market on sensitive, passive outsiders. With his wiry frame and shy eyes, the British actor has demonstrated in films such as “La Chimera” and “The Mastermind” an appetite for soft-spoken characters who exude a gentle masculinity. We don’t know if Dusty’s voice is noticeably hushed because of his recent tragedy, but as he tries to pick up the pieces, this lonesome cowboy drifts through his days, doing his best to pretend he’s holding up OK.

Writer-director Max Walker-Silverman’s second feature shares with his first a sympathy for strong, silent types. His flinty 2022 debut “A Love Song” was drenched in melancholy, casting Dale Dickey and Wes Studi as aging childhood friends reunited, a tentative romance faintly sparking. Similarly, “Rebuilding” is a tale of grief and what-ifs populated by everyday folks who speak in terse tones. The movie radiates the spare, rugged poetry of a short story or a John Prine song. (Fittingly, the musician appears on the soundtrack.)

O’Connor keeps Dusty’s inner life a mystery as he reluctantly moves into a beat-up trailer at a temporary FEMA camp, struggling to make it hospitable for his grade-school daughter Callie-Rose (Lily LaTorre), who primarily lives with Dusty’s ex-wife Ruby (Meghann Fahy) and Ruby’s boyfriend, Robbie (Sam Engbring). Dusty is not a bad father or a snide former spouse — everybody in his orbit likes him, including Ruby’s ailing mother Bess (Amy Madigan). But when Callie-Rose informs Dusty that Ruby said he underachieved in school, we believe her. “Rebuilding” doesn’t reveal much about Dusty before the ranch was incinerated, but what eventually becomes clear is that he’s always been something of a disappointment.

It’s a performance that requires O’Connor to hint at an ineffable void. The character operates at a remove from even those closest to him — he has a kindly spirit, but he can’t quite connect. Dusty and Ruby were adolescent sweethearts, but the audience doesn’t need to know the whole backstory to guess why they broke up. He’s the kind of guy weighed down by an internal inertia, asleep while standing up, stuck in a rut. At least he had his ranch. But after the wildfire, Dusty’s omnipresent cowboy hat is all that remains from the only life he’s ever known.

In keeping with Walker-Silverman’s naturalistic approach, “Rebuilding” eschews a conventional plot, instead observing Dusty’s negotiation of an outside world he’s tried to avoid. He gingerly makes friends at the FEMA camp, most memorably with Mila, depicted with gruff authenticity by Kali Reis. This de facto support group has no big inspirational speeches to offer Dusty, just a weary resilience to keep going because, really, what else can they do? Some of the film’s finest moments involve O’Connor ceding the spotlight to his co-stars, each of them so offhandedly genuine one might assume Walker-Silverman gathered actual wildfire survivors.

The movie’s verisimilitude may trigger some Los Angeles viewers who know all too well the pain of recovering from a natural disaster. When “Rebuilding” premiered at Sundance in January, Southern California festivalgoers couldn’t help but feel a queasy déjà vu: The Eaton and Palisades fires were still raging, destroying communities and displacing so many. That horror and sorrow loomed heavy over those initial screenings, and no doubt for many in our city, 10 months will hardly be enough time to enter the proper headspace to appreciate Dusty’s processing of his disorienting new normal.

But while Walker-Silverman couldn’t have imagined his movie’s jarring real-world parallels, “Rebuilding” is as much a character study as it is a warning about our increasingly fragile planet and the beloved places we call home. The story’s studied minor-key tone can occasionally come across as mannered, yet “Rebuilding” possesses its own delicate grace, especially once Dusty endures other losses — some personal, others more existential. Walker-Silverman introduces a minor twist near the end that comes across as a little too narratively convenient, but one can hardly begrudge him seeking a sliver of hope for those whose sense of place has been obliterated. As Dusty learns, when you’ve lost nearly everything, all you’ve got is whatever’s left behind.

Coronation Street spoilers have teased more concern for Todd Grimshaw next week as Theo Silverton fumes, while a character’s disappearance leaves one resident confused

There’s worrying scenes on Coronation Street next week, as Todd Grimshaw once again faces the wrath of Theo Silverton.

Todd is struggling with the constant running Theo is forcing him to do, and so James Bailey pops round and offers to help Todd after dropping off some equipment. While Theo and Todd are preparing lunch, Todd appears to reveal he’s suffering from aches and strains in his legs.

In the preview clip, Todd is on the floor in his dressing gown while James is trying to ease the pains in his legs. The pair are joking around, as Todd suggests he’s torturing him in exchange for an invite to lunch.

While this is all going on, Theo is staring darkly towards them both, his infuriation building. Todd notices this and looks alarmed, and swiftly makes a point of saying James can’t stay.

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James realises he has somewhere he needs to be, and jokes about Todd making sure he’s dressed next time and putting some pants on. As Todd laughs, Theo is not amused and just stares, while saying goodbye to an oblivious James.

When Todd gets up, he laughs and comments that his legs are feeling a lot better. But as he stares at Theo, his face drops as he quickly realises Theo is unimpressed.

Fearing the consequences after Theo’s recent outbursts, as well as his controlling and manipulative behaviour, Todd watches on as Theo’s face continues to darken. But is Todd in danger?

Also next week, Kit Green grows concerned about his boss DI Costello who appears to go missing. At the station, he’s noted that Costello hasn’t shown up for work and it’s not like him.

As time passes and he’s still a no-show, Kit asks a colleague about him, and wonders where he is. While the colleague doesn’t seem to be alarmed, it’s clear Kit is a bit concerned by Costello being AWOL and not declaring his whereabouts.

Of course Kit has every reason to be worried, as spoilers have revealed that Costello is attacked next week. When Kit finds out, he’s quick to inform his colleague Lisa Swain about their boss’ state.

That’s not all though, as he soon shares his concerns with Lisa that her ex Becky Swain may be responsible after recent drama between the pair. But how will Lisa react to this claim, and might Kit be on to something? If he is, he may want to watch out before taking Becky on.

Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 and ITV X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

JESS Glynne has hinted she’s already bought an engagement ring to propose for girlfriend Alex Scott.

Her I’m A Celebrity star partner said on the ITV show she was “waiting” for the pop star to pop the question.

Since then, Jess has suggested she’s already got a plan in place to make Alex’s dream come true.

Speaking to Hits Radio presenter Tom Green, Jess admitted that the “pressures on” after hearing Alex mention “the ring” in I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here.

However once she heard it, Jess admits: “I went to the shop straight after….”

She was performing at Hits Radio Live in Birmingham’s bpPulse Live Arena tonight alongside Alex Warren, Jade, Myles Smith and Calvin Harris.

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The Hold My Hand singer, 36, watched as the Football Focus presenter, 41, opened up about their romance on Tuesday.

Alex told camp co-star Ruby Wax: “I think before her, I never knew happiness.

“She approached me in Chiltern Firehouse…I was in there with my friends and she just walked up to me… [it was] really ballsy.

“I was like, I like your ballsiness, and then the spark was just instant and then yeah…we fell madly in love.”

Asked if marriage was on the cards, Alex said, “I will get married to her, just waiting for her to ask, Rubes.”

Jess drove fans wild as she went on Instagram, saying, “I better go get a ring.”

The pair are thought to have started dating in the summer of 2023, all before going public with their romance that October.

Former Lioness Alex previously told The Sun what she’ll miss about Jess while she spends time in the Australian jungle.

“Her cooking pasta for me is absolutely everything.

“Those quiet moments when your life’s 100mph, just coming home… she loves to cook, and we love to sit and have a glass of wine.

“I’ll most probably be watching football in the background. I’m definitely going to miss that, especially when I’m so hungry.”

Alex added, “It’s a test for both of us. I know she’s at home and she’s going to be my biggest cheerleader supporting me.

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“She really wanted me to do this because she knew that I wanted to test myself.

“It is going to be a challenge for us both being separated. But I suppose that’s what makes the heart grow fonder, right?”

Y la chona se mueve, al ritmo que los Fortniteros toquen.

Starting Friday, “Fortnite Festival” players across the globe can rock out to the story of la chona as Los Tucanes de Tijuana’s mega hit “La Chona” is the latest track to hit the “Fortnite” universe.

The 1995 song — which has long been a staple on party dance floors — has crossed over into international fame thanks to its prevalence on social media and the overall increased visibility of Latinos. People from within and outside of the culture have embraced the track’s playful nature and undeniably catchy melody—Metallica even got in on the fun with a 2024 live cover of the single at a show in Mexico City.

Like “Guitar Hero” and “Rock Band,” “Fortnite Festival” — a spinoff of the popular survival/ battle royale-style online game “Fortnite” — is a rhythm game that requires players to hit notes in-time to properly perform songs as members of a virtual band.

Los Tucanes de Tijuana have long been a staple of the música Mexicana scene on both sides of the border. In 2019, the group became the first norteño band to perform at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, and have played massive gigs at Dodger Stadium, New York’s Central Park and Mexico City’s Zócalo Plaza.

The band made headlines in 2010 when it was banned playing in its hometown of Tijuana as a result of a 2008 concert in which the group’s lead singer, Mario Quintero Lara, sent his regards from the stage to the city’s most notorious and wanted men, “El Teo and his compadre, El Muletas.”

“El Teo” refers to Tijuana drug cartel leader Teodoro Garcia Simental, who was captured by authorities in 2012. “El Muletas” — which Spanish for “crutches” — was the nickname of Tijuana cartel leader Raydel Lopez Uriarte, who was captured in Mexico in 2010. The moniker stands for the trail of disabled people Lopez Uriarte left behind as part of his brutal attacks.

The shout-out enraged the city’s then-police chief Julian Leyzaola. He said the band’s polka-driven narcocorrido songs glorified drug lords and their exploits and were, therefore, inappropriate to play in a border city that had long suffered from drug-related violence.

“La Chona” is only the most recent playable song available as part of “Fortnite Festival’s” 11th season, which unlike previous iterations, is made up of songs from several performers rather than having only one featured artist. Other artists featured in the latest season include Jennie from Blackpink, Doja Cat, Simple Plan, Elton John, Fall Out Boy, Tyler the Creator, Slipknot and Olivia Rodrigo. Previous seasons of the game revolved around the music of Billie Eilish, Karol G, Bruno Mars, the Weeknd and Lady Gaga.

The “Fortnite” franchise first dabbled in the world of music in 2019 when DJ Marshmello performed a virtual concert on “Fortnite Battle Royale.” It was estimated that over 10.7 million people tuned in for the concert.

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fortnite metaverse became a refuge for artists looking to connect with audiences. Travis Scott performed for over 12.3 million players in April 2020, and Ariana Grande played inside the game in August 2021. Other artists who have rocked the “Fornite” stage are Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Juice Wrld, Metallica and Ice Spice.

Gogglebox returned once again on Friday night on Channel 4

Gogglebox stars Dave and Shirley Griffiths shared some huge news just minutes into Friday’s episode.

As the episode started, Dave was seen surprising Shirley by letting off a loud confetti cannon, leaving his wife shocked.

Shirley said: “What have you got there?” before adding after the confetti cannon went off: “You stupid cow! You d**k!”

This prompted a beaming Dave to declare: “Happy anniversary!” before kissing his wife. He continued: “We’ve got to celebrate, haven’t we, 50 years!”

To which a giggling Shirley pointed out: “I was going to say, you’ve covered the b****y dogs!” as their pet dogs were seen covered in the confetti.

It comes as the duo also celebrated the milestone on Instagram as they shared a throwback snap on their joint account, writing: “50years on November 15th I wed the lovely Shirley, Happy anniversary darling here’s to making more happy memories.”

Gogglebox also celebrated the anniversary as they posted on their own Instagram: “How it started… how it’s going” with yellow heart emojis.

They added: “Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary @dave_shirl_gogglebox #50years #Golden #Wedding #Anniversary #Gogglebox #FreshEveryFriday 9pm @channel4.”

The couple’s fans and Gogglebox viewers were quick to react to the lovely news and incredible milestone.

“Happy golden wedding anniversary you lovely pair,” commented Ellie Warner, whilst her sister Izzi contributed: “Congratulations both! Wishing you many more years of wedded bliss.”

Simon Minty wrote: “Hid your names and asked Jane to guess. Took a couple of clues and then she cried, ‘Jeepers!’ She guessed you first Shirl and I guessed you first Dave. A very happy anniversary to you both.”

Ex-Gogglebox star Mica Ven added: “Happy anniversary you beauties,” whilst Jenny Newby and Lee Riley joked: “Awhhhhhh Happy Anniversary to you lovely pair but who gets the medal.”

Meanwhile, one fan commented: “Happy anniversary to you both, may you share many more in the years to come,” whilst another viewer added: “Gorgeous!! Happy Anniversary to a beautiful couple.”

The Welsh couple, who first appeared on the Channel 4 programme back in 2015, have quickly secured themselves as fan favourites.

Gogglebox airs on Friday nights at 9pm on Channel 4.

A CELEB stylist who dressed Princess Di and Liz Hurley is suing ­Harvey Nichols for age discrimination — claiming he was barred from serving Prem footballers. 

Furious Dean Aslett, 55, says England stars Bukayo Saka and Ivan Toney were top clients at the luxury department store and would blow up to £35,000 during lavish spending sprees. 

Dean was dubbed “Mr Safety Pin” for picking out actress ­Hurley’s famous Versace side-fastened dress in the 1990s. 

But the personal shopper says Arsenal winger Saka, 24, former Brentford striker Toney, 29, and other footie aces were routinely handed to younger colleagues. 

Dean said: “I’ve been working as a stylist for 35 years and I thought I would have something to bring to the table but, if ­anything, my experience worked against me. 

“The management would give me all the difficult, much older clients no one wanted to service, while all the lucrative appointments with affluent young ­people were given to others, so I was effectively being penalised. 

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“Premier League footballers were coming in and they were amongst the biggest spenders. 

“They could drop between £10,000 and £35,000 a time. 

“I remember Saka spent over £10,000 on clothes for a Halloween party in October 2024. 

“He was also buying clothes for his girlfriend and he was handed straight to a young ­personal shopper. 

“Ivan Toney came in with about ten of the Brentford team — again it was a five-figure sum they spent. But they refused to give any of the high-net-worth footballers to me.” 

Dean once worked with Diana and helped style Elton John and Joan Collins while at Versace. 

In 1994, he was asked to pick a film premiere frock for Hurley. The black number he chose became known as “that dress” — held together by giant safety pins and making her a huge star. 

But he claims he faced ­discrimination from his first day at Harvey Nichols in London in January 2024. He was let go in December the same year. 

His employment tribunal case against the company is due in April. Harvey Nichols said it was unable to comment ahead of it. 

At the Walk of Fame ceremony honoring her late husband on Thursday in Hollywood, Chadwick Boseman’s widow shared the underpinnings of the actor’s creative success.

Simone Ledward Boseman, who married him privately before his death on Aug. 28, 2020, first described the “42” and “Avengers” star in video from the event as “a spiritual teacher fortified by a family and close friends that kept him grounded in faith.”

“Chad taught all of us a great deal,” she said in a speech that came after words from “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” co-star Viola Davis and “Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler. “His heart was so vast he could give each and every person a specific part of him and still have so much left to share with the world.”

She said she still sees synchronicities far too often to call them random — his star, for example, is No. 2828 on the Walk of Fame — and is at those times reminded that her husband is “still teaching.”

“You lived with honor and you walked in truth,” Ledward Boseman said. “You are as brilliant as you were beautiful and as courageous as you were kind. We love you, we miss you, we thank you.”

She followed that by reading her husband’s own words in the form of his “Instructions for Creative Work.”

Simone Ledward Boseman, center, poses Thursday with “Black Panther” actors Letitia Wright and Michael B. Jordan after the dedication of her late husband’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

(Richard Shotwell / Invision / AP)

“Write the vision and make it plain,” she recited. “Keep that word fastened in your journal and shut it in your bolted drawer until the appointed time.

“Let the ideas, the visions that God gives you, fester inside of you. Let the word that he has put inside of you bubble over. Do not speak it to another until the time appointed by God.

“The secrecy of the vision is the second stone laid in the building process. It is the project’s fortress, for a word spoken too early on the ears of men is a bulldozer and a stumbling block.

“Forget the self that entered the process and be made into a new creature through the work.”

For the unveiling of the star, she called the actor’s brothers Kevin Boseman and Derrick Boseman with her to the red carpet, where they were met by Davis and director Ryan Coogler.

The star — in the movies category, of course — is at 6904 Hollywood Blvd., in front of the Hollywoodland Experience store.

Kelly Brook’s stepdad described the bullying accusations by Kelly Osbourne as ‘a load of rubbish’ following the model’s spat with Jack Osbourne on I’m A Celebrity

Kelly Brook’s family has hit back at Kelly Osbourne’s bullying accusations following a clash with her brother on I’m A Celebrity earlier this week.

The model, 45, said she felt Jack Osbourne, 40, pushed his way into taking over preparing the campmate’s dinner of eel. On the ITV show, Ozzy Osbourne’s son was seen asking Kelly if she wanted him to help her prepare the meal as he noticed that she was gagging and retching over the smell.

However, after agreeing, Kelly told the camera that she felt Jack “elbowed” his way into taking over the cooking for camp. But Jack’s sister, 41, took the comments personally and criticised her brother’s campmate on her Instagram Stories.

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“Kelly Brook… I don’t think I like you,” Jack’s elder sister said. “Elbowing out of the way to get to the fish… you’re so performative, with all the gagging and the over‑dramatics. You bring out my big‑sister vibes where I want to attack you because I feel like you’re a bit of a bully.”

But Kelly’s stepdad leapt to her defence and, while talking to the Daily Mail, he described the bullying accusations as “a load of rubbish”. The awkward conversation between Kelly and Jack happened on Wednesday when he stepped in to help her, asking: “Would you like me to cut up the fish?”

Kelly accepted the offer but then said in the Bush Telegraph: “I saw Jack’s eyes light up, it was like Christmas to Jack, and he came running over and elbowed me out of the way to get to this fish like a caveman, and I was like, no, I’m going to do it.”

The spat was the second time Kelly and Jack clashed on the show, after he previously criticised her potato slicing skills while preparing another meal. Jack had previously taken on the role of unofficial chef at camp, but locked horns with Kelly over how to prepare potatoes correctly.

Confessing that she felt “displaced” by Jack, Kelly said, “I’m not gonna lie, last night I just felt, I just felt a bit lost.” She added, “I just want to be so useful, I’m just still trying to find my place in the camp in terms of what to do.”

Later apologising for what some fans online have said is her trying to start a “feud”, she added, “I’m so sorry Jack if I’m coming at you and if I’m cutting potatoes wrong, but honestly it’s only coming from a place where I just want to help.” Jack seemed unimpressed, as he hit back: “That’s just because in my world at home I’ve got four kids and I’m always just doing, doing, doing.”

Their altercation had clearly left its mark, as Jack, who lost his legendary father Ozzy in July, then decided to hand over cooking duties to Alex Scott and Shona McGarty. But when Alex later asked Kelly if she would like to lend a hand, she refused. Claiming the cooking wasn’t his to delegate in the first place, Kelly told her fellow campmates: “So he’s not in charge but then he’s in charge of everything, choosing who’s gonna be in charge!”

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FROM Three Lions to Vindaloo, England have their fair share of rousing football anthems.

But now that Scotland have qualified for their first World Cup since 1998, proud Tartan Army faithfuls Biffy Clyro are planning their own tune to cheer on their lads next summer.

The trio scooped the Live Act gong at the Rolling Stone UK Awards at London’s Roundhouse on Thursday night and told me they are already putting plans in motion.

Asked whether anyone from the Scottish team had been in touch, frontman Simon Neil said: “Well, we’ve been in touch with them.

“We want to do Scottish Band Aid or Live Aid. This is a historic moment for Scotland.”

But on the team’s chances in the tournament, he said with a laugh: “Ninety minutes after the first game, with all of our heads in our hands, it won’t matter. But see, this next six months is truly magical.

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“In this day and age, we all find so many reasons to fall out and disagree that it’s surprising it’s football that’s bringing people together. Lionesses last year, all of England would celebrate.

“I’ve got the lyric for the chorus: ‘The party’s starting because the tartan’s marching’. There you go. That’ll be in your head for now. I want that to stimulate the song.”

Sounds like a belter to me.

Meanwhile, the third annual ceremony was packed with celebs and saw FKA Twigs win the Album award for Eusexua, and Lewis Capaldi the Artist award.

Comedian Mo Gilligan was brought in to present Lewis with the prize, this time pronouncing his name correctly — after accidentally calling him Sam Capaldi on stage at the Brit Awards in 2023.

A host of glamorous guests also turned out for a knees-up, including ex-Eternal singer Louise and former Pussycat Dolls band member Ashley Roberts, who both wore sheer black outfits.

Jessie J was on top form as she gears up to drop her first album in seven years, Don’t Tease Me With A Good Time, this Friday.

She said: “It has been a long time. I finished writing it in 2022.

“I have a lot of music in my phone. So if someone wants to steal my phone, and put it out for me, it would save me a lot of agg. No, but I’m excited for people to hear it, you know?

“I just want to make people feel something.”

And now that Jessie’s back in the spotlight, she has found that her two-year-old son Sky has a taste for fame.

She added: “Oh, my God, he’s so funny. He’s like, ‘Can I come to work? I love when the people say, yay’.

“It’s so cute. I can’t tell him I’m going to work because he wants to come with me.”

Danny Dyer did a cracking job on hosting duties — and raised a glass to The Stone Roses bassist Gary “Mani” Mounfield — so ITV would be mad if they didn’t hit him up to host the Brit Awards.

It was typically chaotic, with Danny at one point vaping on stage and later dropping his cigarettes on the floor as he made his way home, despite the fact the whole thing was sponsored by nicotine pouch company Zyn.

He is in the middle of shooting series two of Eighties TV comedy drama Rivals, but promised to get “off his nut” and later celebrated at the after-party until 1am.

IN his opening monologue on the night, Danny said: “It’s been an amazing 12 months because I won a f***ing Bafta.

“There was only one thing that could top that, and that’s the fact that my first-born child married the captain of West Ham United.”

Welcoming Mo Gilligan on stage: “It’s the 11th funniest comedian in the country. He’s funnier than Joel Dommett, I can tell you that.”

Before handing out the Film award: “Here’s a fact for you, I’ve been in 50 films, 47 of them are s**t.”

Introducing the Television award: “They didn’t nominate me for this one, can you f***ing believe it? I’ll come down there and put a nut on ya.”

And while presenting the Festival award: “Deep down, we are all dreaming of being in a field somewhere, warm lager in our hand and off our t**s on mushrooms.”

WICKED A GOOD CHOICE, BEN

WEST END star Ben Forster is going head to head with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo with his new album.

Musicals Greatest Hits was released yesterday and it features a cover of Wicked’s For Good, just as the second film’s soundtrack, also featuring that song, came out.

But his record features the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Britain’s Got Talent winner Sydnie Christman.

Ben whose roles include playing the Phantom in The Phantom Of The Opera, told Bizarre: “I’m so excited that everyone can finally hear my album. Creating it has truly been a dream come true.”

Ben embarks on a huge tour next year.

He will play theatres up and down the UK from September.

NEIL YOUNG AND THE CHROME HEARTS are performing in the star-studded line-up for the new Blenheim Palace Festival on July 3.

They are joining acts including Katy Perry and Teddy Swims at the series of gigs in Oxfordshire.

ALBUM PERFECT FOR DOJA TAT

DOJA CAT was so impressed with tattoo artist Claudio Traina’s work that she decided to use his design on her latest album Vie.

Claudio, of Sixty Ink in London, told me: “I met her in a house in LA.

“We were doing tattoos for everyone there, and she got so excited, she decided to get her first tattoo. Two days later she called me for more.”

Claudio, whose clients also include Yungblud and Demi Lovato, added: “Now, every time she’s in London, she comes to the studio for fresh ink.

“She liked the word Vie, meaning ‘life’ in French, and decided to get it tattooed. A few months after, I got a message saying they had used that tattoo I designed for the album cover.”

CHRISTMAS will be arriving early for fans of Jade.

I can reveal that the former Little Mix singer is to announce a bumper deluxe edition of her debut album, That’s Showbiz Baby, which came out in September.

The new album, with fresh songs added, is expected to be available on December 5.

FOREIGN LINGO KEY FOR ALICIA

ALICIA KEYS has teamed up with Italian music great Eros Ramazzotti for his latest album.

But rather than sing in English, the 17-time Grammy-winning Empire State Of Mind singer learned the track in both Italian and Spanish.

Alicia told Bizarre: “We had such a fun time. We’re doing this beautiful song, L’aurora, and I was learning it in Spanish as well as Italian.

“And so, it’s really exciting to be able to sing in a whole different language and poetry and the beauty of how it goes and how it feels coming out is incredible.”

She added: “It felt very easy. It felt natural, it felt fun.”

Proving you may grow older but don’t have to grow up, she added of the 62-year-old Italian singer : “He’s a prankster, a jokester.

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“He’s trying to scare me the whole time, but I’m tough. So, you can’t scare me. But it was beautiful. I love it and I’m so excited about this project.”

The record, Una Storia Importante, also features opera singer Andrea Bocelli, and Eros will kick off a tour in Paris on Valentine’s Day.

Six years ago, when San Jose author Katie Keridan joined Disney+, the cost was just $6.99 a month, giving her family access to hundreds of movies like “The Lion King” and thousands of TV episodes, including Star Wars series “The Mandalorian” with no commercials.

But since then, the price of an ad-free streaming plan has ballooned to $18.99 a month. That was the last straw for 42-year-old Keridan, whose husband canceled Disney+ last month.

“It was getting to where every year, it was going up, and in this economy, every dollar matters, and so we really had to sit down and take a hard look at how many streaming services are we paying for,” Keridan said. “What’s the return on enjoyment that we’re getting as a family from the streaming services? And how do we factor that into a budget to make sure that all of our bills are paid at the end of a month?”

It’s a conversation more people who subscribe to streaming services are having amid an uncertain economy.

Once sold at discounted rates, many platforms have raised prices at a clip consumers say frustrates them. The entertainment companies, under pressure from investors to bolster profits, have justified upping the cost of their plans to help pay for the premium content they provide. But some viewers aren’t buying it.

Customers are paying $22 more for subscription video streaming services than they were a year ago, according to consulting firm Deloitte. As of October, U.S. households on average shelled out $70 a month, compared to $48 a year ago, Deloitte said.

About 70% of consumers surveyed last month said they were frustrated the entertainment services that they subscribe to are raising prices and about a third said they have cut back on subscriptions in the last three months due to financial concerns, according to Deloitte.

“There’s a frustration, just in terms of both apathy, but also from a perspective that they just don’t think it’s worth the monthly subscription cost because of just fatigue,” said Rohith Nandagiri, managing director at Deloitte Consulting LLP.

Disney+ has raised prices on its streaming service nearly every year since it launched in 2019 at $6.99 a month. The company bumped prices on ad-free plans by $1 in 2021, followed by $3 increases in 2022 and 2023, a $2 price raise in 2024 and, most recently, a $3 increase this year to $18.99 a month.

Disney isn’t the only streamer to raise prices. Other companies, including Netflix, HBO Max and Apple TV also hiked prices on many of their subscription plans this year.

Some analysts say streamers are charging more because many services are adding live sports, the rights to which can cost millions of dollars. Streaming services for years have also given consumers access to big budget TV shows and original movies, and as production costs rise, they expect viewers to pay more, too.

But some consumers like Keridan have a different perspective. As much as some streaming platforms are adding new content like live sports, they are also choosing not to renew some big budget shows like “Star Wars: The Acolyte.” Keridan, a Marvel and Star Wars fan, said she mainly watched Disney+ for movies such as “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and shows like “The Mandalorian.” Now she’s going back to watching some programs ad-free on Blu-Ray discs.

While Keridan cut Disney+, her family still subscribes to YouTube Premium and Paramount+. She said she uses YouTube Premium for workout videos instead of paying for a gym membership. Her family enjoys watching Star Trek programs on Paramount+, like the third season of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” Keridan said.

Other consumers are choosing to keep their streaming subscriptions but look for cost savings through cheaper plans with ads, or by bundling services.

“Consumers are more willing today than ever to withstand advertising and for the sake of being able to get content for a lower subscription rate,” said Brent Magid, CEO and president of Minneapolis-based media consulting firm Magid. “We’ve seen that number increase just as people’s budgets have gotten tighter.”

Keridan said she’s already cutting other types of spending in her household in addition to quitting Disney+. The amount of money her family spends on groceries has gone up, and in order to save cash, they’ve cut back on traveling for the year. Typically, Keridan says, they would go on two or three vacations annually, but this year, they will only go to Disneyland in Anaheim.

But even the Happiest Place on Earth hasn’t escaped price hikes.

“Just as the streaming fees have risen, park fees have risen,” Keridan said. “And so it just seems every price of anything is rising these days, and they’re now directly in competition with each other. We can’t keep them all, so we have to make hard cuts.”

During a podcast interview, Alex Jones has opened up about the sexting scandal, which saw her former The One Show co-presenter Jermaine Jenas sacked by the BBC last year

The One Show star Alex Jones has said she was “the last to know” about Jermaine Jenas’ sexting scandal, which saw him sacked by the BBC. The TV presenter and football pundit, 42, was axed in August last year over claims he had sent inappropriate texts to female colleagues. He was removed from his role as a presenter of The One Show and a pundit for BBC Sport after an internal investigation was launched.

Jenas’ BBC contract was terminated and he also parted ways with his long-term agents MC Saatchi in addition to being let go from his role presenting Formula E. Now Alex, 48, has spoken about the scandal while appearing on Jamie Laing’s Great Company podcast.

The TV star, who worked alongside Jenas until his departure from the show last year, said: “JJ and I had become good friends. I was the last to know. The BBC dealt with it, and I think if people feel uncomfortable, they have to deal with it.

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“If it was my daughter, and she was at work in whatever industry and she felt uncomfortable, I would hope to God that I’d given her the tools to be able to speak up.” She added: “If she was brave enough to speak up, because it is a brave thing to do, I would hope that the company, corporation, whoever, would deal with it.

“Lots of journalists are asked, ‘Have you ever had experiences that are uncomfortable?’ I mean, if you go back to the 90s, early 2000s, there was stuff and there were ways that things were said that weren’t great. But, nothing has stuck with me, nothing makes me shudder. And I know the type of girl I was then, and I wouldn’t have handled it.”

Alex said she has “a lot of respect” for the women who spoke out, which she described as “an incredibly brave thing to do.” In addition to the professional repercussions, the scandal also led to the breakdown of Jenas’ marriage. In March, Jenas’ Ellie Penfold announced her split from him. Ellie, who shares four children with the presenter, took so social media to confirm the end of their 16-year relationship.

“I never imagined I would have to share something so personal with the public, but given the situation, I feel it’s necessary,” she said. “After 16 years together and 4 wonderful children, Jermaine and I have decided to part ways.

“We will remain friends and continue to co-parent. We kindly ask that you respect our children’s privacy during this challenging time. Thank you, Ellie.” After the allegations emerged, Jenas said that he was “ashamed of himself” after the allegations came to light, and that his wife was livid and not speaking to him.

The axed host has stressed he has done nothing illegal and said he was sorry if he made any of the women he had messaged feel uncomfortable. Jenas spoke of his shame after his world collapsed following the corporation’s confirmation and an “excruciating” meeting with HR and execs. The former One Show star denied sending any explicit pictures or videos.

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