Angel Reese has a message for Atlanta Dream fans: ATL Barbie is here to stay.
The two-time WNBA All-Star told People on Tuesday that she was excited when she learned she had been traded to the organization after spending her first two seasons with the Chicago Sky.
“The team has welcomed me so much, the atmosphere, the culture. … I’m so excited to be in A-Town,” Reese told the outlet. The two teams announced the trade Monday, the first day of free agency following the ratification of a new, historic collective bargaining agreement between the WNBA and its players union in March.
The excitement appears to be mutual. Shortly after the trade was announced, the Dream online store had made Reese’s new jersey available for purchase. They sold out so quickly that Reese’s mother posted on social media that even she was unable to snag one in time. (Don’t worry, the Dream’s social media team has her covered).
Reese is a bonafide star on and off the court. A known fashion icon, the Dream forward was in New York on Tuesday to help launch Victoria Secret’s new “The Season of Strapless” campaign. It’s the first time the lingerie and loungewear brand has tapped a WNBA player to star in one of its campaigns.
The collaboration follows Reese’s runway debut at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in October, where she was the first professional athlete ever to walk the show. She’s also set to appear in the second season of “The Hunting Wives.”
At the Tuesday event, Reese had a message for Dream fans.
“Atlanta, what up? ATL barbie is in town and I am here to stay,” she told People.
Reese was selected seventh overall in the 2024 WNBA draft by the Sky after a standout college career that included winning the NCAA championship title with Louisiana State in 2023. She has led the WNBA in rebounding in both of her seasons so far and has averaged 14.1 points and 12.9 rebounds overall.
Reese also shared a message to Chicago fans on Instagram on Monday after her trade was announced.
“To the city of Chicago, you showed me real love from day one,” Reese says over a video montage of highlights of her time as a Sky player. “Thank you Chicago. Always, Chi-Town Barbie.”
The Sky went 23-61 after drafting Reese, including 10-34 last season (1-13 in games without Reese) and missing the playoffs for a second straight year.
Some I’m A Celebrity South Africa viewers were so unimpressed with the latest episode twist that they slammed bosses, and one even called for the format to be axed
22:43, 07 Apr 2026Updated 22:44, 07 Apr 2026
Some I’m A Celebrity South Africa viewers were unimpressed with the latest episode(Image: ITV)
It’s safe to say I’m A Celebrity South Africa viewers were not impressed with the ending of Tuesday’s episode.
Just as Gemma Collins and Craig Charles battled it out during their first trial in the spin-off series, the episode featured a cliffhanger twist that left fans fuming. Gemma and Craig had just decided how much they were going to eat in the eating trial, battling it out for points for their team.
It all came down to the final showdown, but as hosts Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly kicked it off, the show ended. Featuring a cliffhanger and ending the episode before the trial had finished did not go down well with ITV viewers.
As many slammed the decision and bosses, one viewer even called for the format of the spin-off series to be axed entirely. With it being a pre-recorded series, filmed late last year, viewers have less involvement and it’s all a little different to the main series.
Taking to social media to call out ITV for ending the episode too early, one fan said: “What a cruel way to end that.” Another said: “No no no, it didn’t just end like that. Who do I’m celeb think they are. Love island?”
A third post read: “WHAT THE F**K. Axe this pre-recorded format immediately WHAT DO YOU MEAN ending the episode on a cliffhanger in the MIDDLE OF A TRIAL?!”
A further post said: “YOU CANT JUST END IT LIKE THAT WHAT THE HELL.” One fan wrote: “NOOOOOOOO WHY END THERE,” as another said: “A cliffhanger. You’re ending it on a cliffhanger.”
It comes as fans predicted a feud could be headed for three campmates on the show. After Beverley Callard brought up her launch episode drama with David Haye, her co-stars were stunned by his betrayal.
Back in the main camp, another campmate appeared to call David out after he moaned about their dinner, despite it being better than the rations the other camp were getting. David who feared he would go hungry.
Seeing the portion size, especially once split between the five campmates, he told stars including Sinitta that it wasn’t enough food. When it came to eating it though, he couldn’t finish his bowl. Sinitta pointed out that there was more food left over if he was still hungry, but he declined.
Speaking in the Bush Telegraph, Sinitta pointed out how he’d claimed the food wasn’t enough, yet he didn’t even eat what was in the food tin. Viewers were amused at Sinitta calling him out, and predicted both she and Beverley would end up clashing with David in a camp feud.
One fan said: “Sinitta and Beverly vs David Haye feud incoming.” Another fan theorised: “Haye I can see causing rows,” as a third said: “Obsessed with them all hating David.”
Brooklyn Beckham was reportedly called ‘David’ twice at his wedding to Nicola PeltzCredit: AFPBrooklyn is no longer speaking to his famous familyCredit: GettyBrooklyn is currently estranged from the rest of the BeckhamsCredit: Instagram
However, since last May they have been at war with his famous family after they skipped David’s 50th birthday in May.
Brooklyn confirmed he had severed all ties in January in an explosive six-page statement.
His American management teams are said to be in early talks with production heads at Hulu.
An insider said: “Brooklyn is keen. Alongside documenting his culinary business venture, Hulu bosses will hope he will open up about the bombshell rift with his parents.
“This isn’t just any platform. Hulu which is owned by Disney is home to global smash hits like The Kardashians.
“They’d be instantly propelled firmly into the big leagues and in direct competition with Netflix, which, of course, has its own Beckham ties having run authored documentaries by both of his parents.
“Brooklyn and Nicola have been offered big money interviews before but turned them all down.
“When they do decide to speak, it will be on their own terms.
“They also want to make it clear they are not being controlled by the Peltz family and that they make their own decisions.”
Actress Nicola has appeared in several Hulu productions including The Beauty and When The Streetlights Go On.
Unruly salt-and-pepper hair in a long quaff, round glasses and broad smile give James Ortiz the look of a whimsical inventor, the kind that hides away in his workshop crafting extraordinary artifacts.
That description is essentially true; as a puppet designer and puppeteer, his job entails figuring out how to materialize figments of the imagination.
“I love playing characters that are so unbelievable that they have to exist in a different way,” says Ortiz on a video call from New York. “I love over-the-top characters and creatures.”
For more than 15 years, Ortiz has created puppets for theater projects in New York City, including those for “Into the Woods” on Broadway. His skill set has now made its way to the big screen with the box-office hit “Project Hail Mary,” an adaptation of Andy Weir’s 2021 sci-fi novel.
The space dramedy follows scientist Ryland Grace (played in the film by Ryan Gosling) who, against his will, is alone on a mission to save Earth with no return plan.
Ortiz, 42, plays Rocky, an arachnoid alien made of stone-like material, who befriends Grace. As the main puppeteer on set, Ortiz was in charge of moving its face or central carapace — and he also voices him.
Rocky and Grace don’t speak the same language. But when Grace figures out how to use his computer to translate Rocky’s sounds into English, the voice we hear coming from his jerry-rigged laptops is Ortiz’s.
Ryan Gosling in the movie “Project Hail Mary.”
(Jonathan Olley / Amazon MGM Studios)
“We had anywhere between three to six puppeteers on set with me. I would always be on the body, and they would always do the other limbs or legs,” Ortiz explains. “I needed to lead the thoughts and the dialogue and the feelings that Rocky was having.”
Thanks to both Gosling’s tongue-in-cheek charisma — as well as the curious and utterly sincere personality that Ortiz imbues into Rocky through his voice performance and intuitive puppeteering (with plenty of improvisation) — the movie becomes a disarming interstellar, interspecies bromance.
“I was always playing Rocky like the universe’s little brother,” Ortiz adds. “There was a little bit of a childlike thing that was being put in there.”
Over the years, Ortiz had developed a relationship with casting director Jeanne McCarthy, who often invited him to audition for acting jobs. Ortiz is a trained actor and has occasionally appeared on camera as himself, sans puppets. But every time McCarthy would reach out, he had a theater commitment. The timing finally worked when McCarthy mentioned she had an opportunity for Ortiz as a puppeteer in “Project Hail Mary.”
“I wasn’t familiar with the book, but then when I mentioned it to two of my friends, they knew everything about it,” Ortiz says. He soon met with directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord and had an immediate connection. “They are so delightfully immature that I felt like they were my cousins,” he says. “They are such artistic geniuses, but so silly and playful.”
For a chemistry read with Gosling, with the film’s producers also present, Ortiz opted for using a version of Rocky he had made himself, which looked like Thing from “The Addams Family” built off a fancy glove, instead of the larger puppet the production had available. That his hand version of Rocky could climb onto Gosling, and interact with the actor more directly, allowed for an amusing rapport to develop instantly between them.
Puppetry, Ortiz says, is intricately technical. When bringing a puppet to life, he’s concerned with the placement of the rods used to move the characters’ body parts, and in this case, he’d have to pay attention to where the camera is and where he and his fellow puppeteers have to hide. Amid all those preoccupations for his physical performance, Ortiz also had to deliver his lines and be present in the moment, reacting to Gosling with spontaneity.
Puppeteer James Ortiz plays Rocky, the adorable alien in “Project Hail Mary.”
(Jonathan Olley / Amazon MGM Studios)
“I promised Ryan that between action and cut, all of [the technical elements] were going melt away,” Ortiz recalls. “I said, ‘I’m just going to be an improvising partner with you. I’m never going to let you think that Rocky isn’t real, because I want this relationship to feel as playful and as dynamic as possible.’”
The more intricate Rocky puppet that appears on screen was later designed by Neal Scanlan, a legendary special effects artist, at the Creature Shop in London. Ortiz admits it was an adjustment to work with a puppet he didn’t design himself. Fortunately, Scanlan’s openness to involve him in the fabrication process made for a fulfilling experience.
“I had ultimately a lot of input, never on how Rocky looked, but a lot on how he was operated and what materials he was made out of,” Ortiz says. “I was able to pick what types of fiberglass we were using to cast him out of, because I knew, given the amount of improvisation that we would be doing on set, [that] I needed a puppet that could do anything.”
It’s not common for a puppeteer to voice the character they are manipulating. “It doesn’t usually happen because moviemaking is a business and you have to have names and sell it,” Ortiz says. Yet, as the post-production process advanced, and Lord and Miller started testing the film with audiences, Ortiz’s lines from set became the preferred Rocky voice.
Knowing that Rocky’s voice would come from Grace’s unsophisticated computer setup, Ortiz gathered inspirations, at times subconsciously, from a variety of robotic sources. These included Tik-Tok, a robot in 1985’s “Return to Oz,” one of his favorite movies.
“I have always valued my lifelessness,” Ortiz says in a hilariously monotone voice, quoting Tik-Tok. And there’s also a bit of the robot bartender from the futuristic world of “The Fifth Element” — “you want some more?” he says, making an impression.
Ortiz believes puppetry found him by accident. The youngest of three children, he grew up in Richardson, Texas, a suburb of Dallas, with a mother of Italian descent and a Puerto Rican-born father who met in 1970s New York.
“Interestingly enough, when I was growing up, there was a touring marionette theater of Richardson that was one of the first places that excited me towards puppets,” Ortiz recalls.
An introverted child, Ortiz grew up enjoying painting and handcrafts, as well as having an interest in engineering and how things are built. “My father was always in the garage building something,” he recalls. “We’re not talking like building a spaceship but building little simple machines.”
On multiple fronts, his dad has served as a source of inspiration. “My father was born in Puerto Rico and moved when he was about 4 or 5 to Brooklyn in the early 1950s,” Ortiz explains. “He was his mother’s translator. She didn’t speak any English at all. I have such admiration for him, because he was learning English in real time in school and helping his mother get through the day. It’s a powerful part of my narrative and something I’m really proud of.”
For Ortiz, this part of his heritage, his father and grandmother struggling to communicate with the world around them in a new city, connects with “Project Hail Mary.” He adds: “What I love is that there’s a little bit of that in Rocky, because so much of this story is about someone struggling to be understood and then ultimately being understood.”
Ryan Gosling stars as biologist-turned-schoolteacher-turned-astronaut Ryland Grace and Sandra Huller as mission leader Eva Stratt in “Project Hail Mary.”
(Jonathan Olley / Amazon MGM Studios)
In middle school, Ortiz enrolled in theater classes. Soon after, making marionettes entered the picture. “I discovered puppetry around the same time, because it’s sort of the center of that Venn diagram of crafts, fine arts, engineering and acting,” he says. For undergrad he attended Purchase College in New York to study acting in a classical program. After graduating, however, the phone wasn’t ringing with professional opportunities.
Ortiz’s first job out of school was working on Venezuelan-born theater director and filmmaker Moisés Kaufman’s 2010 production of Xavier Montsalvatge’s Spanish-language opera, “El gato con botas.” It was his self-taught talent with puppets that landed him the gig.
“I’m grateful that I’ve been able to have a pretty long career. I’ve been doing everything. There was one year on Broadway [when] I was doing all the special effects makeup; [another] I was doing set design.”
Puppetry, it turned out, moved from a supplementary expertise to Ortiz’s prime artistic strength. “I’ve worn so many different hats and what was interesting is that puppetry kept being the thing that invited all of me to work, as opposed to just a part of me,” he adds.
Since those early days, Ortiz has designed puppets for “The Woodsman,” which he also wrote, directed and starred in; “Disney’s Hercules” (for productions at Public Theater in New York and in Hamburg, Germany), and more recently for Lileana Blain-Cruz’s production of “El Niño” at the Metropolitan Opera.
Now that “Project Hail Mary” has launched the possibility of a fruitful Hollywood career, Ortiz’s only aim is to continue letting his abilities lead the way without inflexible expectations.
“I’m not a very calculated career person. I’m running towards bliss and then seeing what happens,” he says, smiling and running his hands through his imposing hair.
SCOTT Mills will not be performing DJ sets at Boyzone concerts this summer after being removed from the lineup.
Mills, 53, was sacked from the BBC two weeks ago following a probe into his personal conduct – seven years after a police probe into alleged sexual offences with a boy under 16 that was later dropped for lack of evidence.
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Scott Mills was sacked by the BBC two weeks agoMills has now been removed from summer DJ setsThe gigs were due to be held at Arsenal’s Emirates StadiumCredit: EPA
The former BBC presenter had been lined up to spin the decks at Boyzone’s massive shows at the Emirates Stadium in June.
Back in February, Arsenal announced Mills would support the Irish boyband across two nights of their “Two For The Road” concerts.
But in a dramatic U-turn, the club has scrubbed any mention of Mills from its site and it is understood he will no longer appear at the North London venue.
On promotional material, Mills was quoted as saying: “What a dream to support the lads this summer, it’s going to be 2 nights of big tunes, big singalongs and plenty of 90s nostalgia. I hope you’re ready!”
Last week the BBC launched an internal investigation into why he was allowed to stay on air.
In a statement they confirmed The Sun’s exclusive that bosses were aware Mills was being investigated by the Metropolitan Police years ago and was now trying to unravel who knew what and when.
Mills later released his own statement and said: “An allegation was made against me in 2016 of a historic sexual offence which was the subject of a police investigation in which I fully cooperated and responded to in 2018.
“As the police have stated, a file of evidence was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service, which determined that the evidential threshold had not been met to bring charges.
“Since the investigation related to an allegation that dates back nearly 30 years and the police investigation was closed seven years ago, I hope the public and the media will understand and respect my wish not to make any further public comment.”
The BBC are expected to announce Mills’ replacement for his Radio 2 Breakfast Show in the coming weeks.
He was honoured with the silver plaque on his final day at Radio 1 in 2022, with the 82A studio he broadcast from renamed as 82 Mills.
Insiders said the plaque, which was up in the studio, had quietly been removed over the Bank Holiday weekend.
Mills was axed on March 24 after new evidence emerged relating to an investigationMills said in a statement that he fully co-operated with a police investigation in 2018Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
SIR Lewis Hamilton has taken his relationship with Kim Kardashian up a gear — going Instagram official.
The Formula 1 great took his girlfriend for a spin in a Ferrari in Tokyo and shared a video of it on social media.
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Loved-up Kim Kardashian shows off her curvesCredit: EPALewis took Kim for a spin in a Ferrari in TokyoCredit: InstagramLewis shared a video of the outing on social mediaCredit: Instagram / Lewis Hamilton
It showed the reality star grinning in the passenger seat.
After drifting down a road and spinning, he brought the car to a stop and Kim, said: “That’s insane.”
She flew out to Asia to be with him at the end of last month for the Japanese Grand Prix, but did not attend the race itself.
They have since been seen together in Paris and the US, but this is the first time either has publicly posted about the other on social media.
Kim, who was four kids with disgraced rapperKanye West, 48 — who she was married to from 2014 to 2022 — said last October she could not imagine herself dating another famous man.
She told a podcast that the person “would have to be someone super- special” for her to start another relationship.
Kim explained: “I don’t know if I have the energy or whether I’ve met the right person that I would want to blend my family with.”
On whether she might date another musician or athlete, she added: “Neither. We’re going, like, lawyers and longevity scientists who would give me all their secrets.”
After splitting from Kanye, she dated comedian Pete Davidson and then NFL player Odell Beckham Jr until things fizzled out in April 2024.
Kim flew out to Asia to be with Lewis at the end of last monthCredit: ShutterstockFormula 1 great Hamilton has hit out at those who criticised his recent performances on the trackCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
Lewis has not had a serious relationship since he split from Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger in 2015 after almost eight years.
The driver is currently fourth in the F1 standings behind his team-mate Charles Leclerc — and hit out at those who criticised his recent performances.
Seven-time champ Lewis said: “When you have difficult years, there are lots of questions.
“It felt great to come into this season and start off strong, to be able to show that I still have what it takes to be able to compete at the front.”
Organizers canceled the popular Wireless Festival after the United Kingdom denied its headliner, the embattled rapper Ye, a visa into the country.
The U.K. government cited Ye’s history of antisemitic outbursts as a reason for denying him a travel permit.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said on Tuesday that “Kanye West [Ye’s former name] should never have been invited to headline Wireless.”
“This government stands firmly with the Jewish community,” he continued, “and we will not stop in our fight to confront and defeat the poison of antisemitism. We will always take the action necessary to protect the public and uphold our values.”
As a result, the entire summer festival was scrapped and ticket holders were issued refunds.
“The Home Office has withdrawn YE’s [electronic travel visa] ETA, denying him entry into the United Kingdom. As a result, Wireless Festival is cancelled and refunds will be issued to all ticket holders,” Wireless Festival organizers said in a statement on Tuesday. “As with every Wireless Festival, multiple stakeholders were consulted in advance of booking YE and no concerns were highlighted at the time.”
“Antisemitism in all its forms is abhorrent,” they continued, “and we recognise the real and personal impact these issues have had. As YE said today, he acknowledges that words alone are not enough, and in spite of this still hopes to be given the opportunity to begin a conversation with the Jewish community in the U.K.”
Ye said, in a statement reported by the BBC, that he was “following the conversation around Wireless”, and that “I know words aren’t enough…I’ll have to show change through my actions. If you’re open, I’m here.”
Ye has been mounting a comeback after years of erratic and conspiratorial remarks about Judaism and Jewish people, and openly embraced Nazi symbols in his merchandise. He recently took out an ad in the Wall Street Journal, saying he struggled with a frontal-lobe injury from a car crash and a bipolar type-1 diagnosis. “I gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika…I lost touch with reality. Things got worse the longer I ignored the problem. I said and did things I deeply regret.”
He recently released a new album “Bully” and headlined SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, performing a hit-heavy set without incident. He did not address his recent behavior.
Billionaire investor Bill Ackman has launched a $65 billion bid to purchase Universal Music, the label representing some of music’s biggest names like Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar and Bad Bunny.
As part of the proposed deal, UMG would merge with Ackman’s investment firm, Pershing Square Capital Management, and the company’s stock listing would be relocated from Amsterdam to the New York Stock Exchange.
Pershing Square already holds more than 4.5% of the music giant’s shares. Ackman said the move to a U.S.-based stock exchange would increase the value of UMG .
“UMG’s stock price has languished due to a combination of issues that are unrelated to the performance of its music business and importantly, all of them can be addressed with this transaction,” said Ackman in a statement.
The proposed deal includes Universal Music merging with Pershing Square SPARC Holdings, an acquisition company approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2023. If agreed upon, the proposed transaction could close at the end of the year, according to the company.
Universal Music Group currently has its corporate headquarters in the Netherlands and a local L.A. office in Santa Monica. The label was founded in 1996. Over the years, it’s cemented its reputation as one of the music industry’s “Big Three,” alongside Warner Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment. Universal also controls smaller labels like Republic Records, Interscope Geffen A&M, Capitol Music Group, and Def Jam Recordings.
The news has drawn a level of skepticism, as Ackman will need two-thirds of UMG’s investors to approve the proposed deal, including French billionaire Vincent Bolloré, who is UMG’s largest shareholder with a morethan 18% stake, according to Bloomberg.
If finalized, UMG shareholders would receive €9.4 billion in cash, around €5.05 per share, or roughly $10.9 billion and $5.84 per share.
Investors would receive 0.77 shares in the new merged company. This would value the total consideration package of cash and stock estimated to be worth €30.40 per share, a 78% premium to UMG’s stock price. The transaction will also include the cancellation of 17% of UMG outstanding shares. The new UMG will have 1.541 billion shares outstanding.
UMG’s stock price has jumped over 11% to €19.05 Tuesday morning, due to this potential acquisition.
Netflix has shared an update on Love on the Spectrum’s fifth season
The heart-warming Netflix show has just released its fourth season (Image: Netflix )
The future of Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum has been confirmed, but there’s good and bad news.
Fans have been following the dating show for six seasons overall, including two instalments of Love on the Spectrum: Australia. It centres around adults on the autism spectrum as they tackle the uncertain world of romance.
But what does the future hold for Love on the Spectrum?
Will Love on the Spectrum return for season 5?
Yes, Netflix has confirmed that the dating show will come back for a fifth series.
The streaming giant has also teased what’s in store. “In Season 5, Love on the Spectrum will follow a group of neurodivergent daters as they navigate the confusing world of relationships,” they shared.
“By learning the inexplicable rules of dating (rule No. 1: don’t say “I love you” on the first date) and embracing the many intricacies of communication styles and sensory sensitivities, the romantic hopefuls offer an unfiltered look at life and love on the spectrum.”
The news comes as fan favourite Connor Tomlinson shared his own major update.
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‘Dearest gentle reader’, as the fourth season of Bridgerton follows second son Benedict love story, there’s a way to watch this fairytale-like season for less.
Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV plan. This lets customers watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes the new season of Bridgerton.
Is Connor returning for Love on the Spectrum season 5?
Connor has confirmed that he will not return to the show for series five. He told Variety that three seasons were “enough to tell his story”.
“It is with humility and a heavy heart that I share I will not be partaking in season five,” he told the publication. Connor went on to joke: “I’ve chosen to pass the torch to the next person who can make it as big as me.”
But it probably won’t be the last time fans see the Netflix star as he is venturing into acting.
He explained: “Don’t worry about me — I’m still going to be in the acting business, especially voice work. I’ve always been a huge fan of animation and would love to be involved with a TV show.”
Loose Women’s Penny Lancaster shared insights into her marriage to Sir Rod Stewart and revealed how they keep their spark alive after 26 years together
15:19, 07 Apr 2026Updated 15:27, 07 Apr 2026
Penny Lancaster said she was ‘desperately missing’ Rod Stewart
Penny Lancaster has opened up about the secret behind her successful marriage to Rod Stewart. The couple have been together for 26 years, tying the knot in 2007 and going on to welcome two sons, Alastair Stewart and Aiden Stewart.
Penny, 55, Rod’s third wife and his longest marriage to date, shared what has helped keep their relationship strong – and the main reason might come as a surprise.
According to the former model, spending weeks apart has played a huge role in keeping things exciting. She told Best Magazine: “We don’t [live in each other’s pockets] and time apart helps keep the spark alive.”
At the time of the interview, the pair had been apart for three weeks and were planning on reuniting.
She told the publication: “We’re desperately missing each other and have been counting down the days. Rod generally has a driver pick him up from the airport, but I’m meeting him because we can’t wait to see each other. Right from the start of our 26 years together, we’ve spent time apart.”
Reflecting on the first year of their relationship, Penny said she had been studying photography in the UK while Rod was based in the US, meaning much of their time together was spent communicating through a screen.
“We’d spend hours and hours on the phone talking about everything, including photography and paintings,” she revealed.
Sharing more about her husband away from the spotlight, she added: “Rod has a deeply, spiritual, sensitive and artistic side. That’s what he’s like underneath it all.
“That’s the real man. He can be quite demanding and he does require a lot of attention, but that’s fine because I’m good at giving it,” she added.
In the same interview, the Loose Women star said effort was key to their relationship, revealing the pair make sure to have regular date nights – whether that’s going to the theatre or enjoying “long romantic walks” together.
She also said the couple still “flirt with each other and make each other laugh” to keep the intimacy alive. “We don’t take each other for granted,” she added.
Alongside the two sons he shares with Penny, Rod is also father to six other children – Sarah, Kimberly, Ruby, Renee, Sean and Liam.
Previously opening up about fatherhood, the Maggie May hitmaker admitted he has had to be “several different fathers” due to the large age gaps between his children.
His eldest daughter, Sarah Streeter, whom he shares with a former partner, is 62, while his youngest child with Penny is 14.
According to MailOnline, he added: “You really have to treat all of them as individuals with individual problems. As a dad, I’ve learned to listen and not blow my top.”
With Gustavo Dudamel’s final season as music and artistic director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic reaching its homestretch, the orchestra has announced the appointment of its latest not music director. Anna Handler, a former Dudamel fellow and rapidly rising young conductor, will be given the new title of conductor-in-residence for the next three seasons.
She will spend three weeks each season conducting the orchestra at Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl, as well as working with students at the Beckmen YOLA Center in Inglewood. In a phone call from Boston, where she serves as assistant conductor at the Boston Symphony, she says she is also strongly driven by technology and wants to explore all kinds of projects with the latest devises.
“The sky is the limit,” Handler exclaims with the boundless enthusiasm that is said to have won over the orchestra and the administration.
That might include, she further fantasizes, a technology tool you don’t even notice but that focuses your attention to sound vibrations the way glasses give clarity to blurry vision. “Why not glasses for the ears?” she excitedly asks.
Kim Noltemy, the L.A. Phil president and chief executive, says Handler’s appointment does not necessarily imply the orchestra won’t ultimately find a music director who can oversee the bigger picture of the world’s most artistically diverse, expansive and wealthy orchestra. But the L.A. Phil has so many fingers in so many pies that no one person can do it all.
Meanwhile, the L.A. Phil now adds what it has been missing in what the institution calls its team of creative collaborators. As creative director, former music director Esa-Pekka Salonen will spend six weeks a season helping envision what a 21st century symphony orchestra might look like. John Adams continues his role as creative chair as do early music specialist Emmanuelle Haïm (artist collaborator), Herbie Hancock (creative chair for jazz) and Zubin Mehta (conductor emeritus). None, however, is younger than 60. Handler turns 30 this month.
Born in France, she grew up in Germany and is Colombian German. Both her parents are electrical engineers, whom she says her love for technology come from. And she notes that her roots also make her feel at home with the L.A. Phil. She connects with Salonen’s pioneering fascination with technology and the orchestra. With a Colombian mom, she is readily attuned to Dudamel’s Venezuelan heritage. Like her, Salonen, Dudamel and Mehta first began working with the L.A. Phil in their 20s.
Handler’s appointment came, she says, as a surprise. It was after her conducting the L.A. Phil at Disney last month that the orchestra suddenly sprang the idea of a residency beginning almost immediately with the 2026-27 season, even though the Bowl and fall seasons are already planned. Noltemy puts it to the fact that Handler and the orchestra simply got caught up in her energy.
Handler says she jumped at the chance to return to L.A. even though she would be beginning her first season of her first music director job at the Ulster Orchestra in Ireland. A pianist who loves chamber music (which she says will make part of her L.A. residencies), she also becomes artist in residence of the Beethoven House in Bonn, Germany. But, she excitedly exclaims, “At the L.A. Phil you can dream big. And if you have any big ideas, please tell me about them.”
He excitement over music education and community outreach also proved a draw. At 17, she formed her own student orchestra, which performed in schools, old age homes, prisons, all over. And she points out that she is young enough to feel relatively close in age to the students at YOLA, or Youth Orchestra Los Angeles. She describes one of her missions in life as getting young people involved with classical music.
“My long-term dream,” she proclaims, “is to build a Disney World for classical music.” There could be a Beethoven’s Fifth ride. She imagines melody, rhythm, harmony and form as little creatures whom we follow on their journey through the piece. “I’m all about decoding the rhythms of the music,” she adds.
Tellingly, Handler had already been scheduled to be the first conductor to follow Dudamel’s final Hollywood Bowl concert as L.A. Phil music director this summer at the iconic L.A. venue. It features Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. Her two programs at Disney next season include West Coast premieres of Philip Glass’s Symphony No. 15 (“Lincoln”), which the composer recently withdrew from the Kennedy Center, and John Williams’ recent Piano Concerto.
Eamonn Holmes’ future on live TV has been revealed after he concerned fans by ‘falling asleep’ on air, before later admitting that he was working on his microphone pack
13:18, 07 Apr 2026Updated 13:18, 07 Apr 2026
Eamonn concerned fans(Image: GB News)
Eamonn Holmes’ future on TV has been revealed after he sparked concern by ‘falling asleep’ on air. The TV star was presenting his GB News breakfast show when he appeared to ‘fall asleep’.
He later insisted he had been examining faulty equipment. He said: “I was just looking down at my mic pack to see why it was not working, as we don’t have floor managers or camera operators. Apparently I was sleeping? Whatever!”
However, since that time, he has been off air, and is believed to be taking extended leave. Fans had become concerned on Twitter, wondering when he’d be back on the show given all that’s going on.
“There have been lots of whispers about Eamonn being off. It’s unlike him. He lives and breathes presenting on television,” a source told The Sun. However, he is expected back on air soon.
A GB News spokesman confirmed that Eamonn is due back on Monday, April 13. During his one man show, Eamonn opened up about how life has changed since he began using a wheelchair after a string of health setbacks.
“Experiencing the world differently as a wheelchair user, Eamonn wants to see better access for disabled people. He said: “If you are in a wheelchair you are either at the front of the cinema or the back,” he said.
“Why can’t you be in the middle? The thing that makes me laugh is rooms that are classed as accessible in hotels. They are not at all. Everything is wrong, the bathrooms and the showers. I would love to advise hotel people as they are no use to anybody.”
He also used his show to criticise TV standards, and said that TV budgets were affecting programme output. He explained: “It is a great pity. If you can’t justify the audience then it’s over. ITV will be the next one down the tubes. It will be sold to an American company and they will make it a streaming company.”
Eamonn has been in a wheelchair after suffering with chronic pain since 2021. He suffered a dislocated pelvis, which caused him to have three slipped discs. He fell down the stairs and broke his shoulder whilst recovering and underwent further operations in 2023.
“I’m sick. I’m in a wheelchair. That’s been horrendous to deal with for two years. Certainly I don’t think TV wants to know you when, I mean there’s nothing you and I are talking and no one can there’s anything wrong but I can’t get up,” he said.
The I’m A Celebrity All Stars have only been in camp a day but Sinitta is already opening up about her famous exes – including Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt
12:13, 07 Apr 2026Updated 12:20, 07 Apr 2026
Mandatory Credit: Photo by David Fisher/Shutterstock (16733131j)
Sinitta
‘I’m A Celebrity… South Africa’, Series 2 TV show photocall, London, UK – 09 Mar 2026
Sinitta has been regaling her I’m A Celebrity campmates with tales of her Brad Pitt romance. The former singer is one of the stars competing in the latest All Stars series in South Africa.
During Monday night’s launch, viewers saw the first set of celebs join the show with latecomers Craig Charles and Gemma Collins set to follow this evening.
A preview for tonight’s episode, sees Sinitta talking about her famous exes. In Main Camp, conversation turns to Sinitta’s former flame Brad Pitt. “Did you, like, kiss and that?” Scarlett asks cheekily while the group all listen giddily.
Reflecting on the relationship in the Bush Telegraph, Sinitta confesses: “Even I do think, wow, it was nice while it lasted.”
When Scarlett asks if the memories still exist in her head, Sinitta confirms: “All I have to do is close my eyes and there he is.”
“I’d be napping all the time,” jokes Scarlett.
Sinitta tells her co-stars she dated the Fight Club actor ‘years ago’ before he was ‘famous’ and ahead of the release of Thelma & Louise in 1991. Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts tells her that was ‘prime’ Brad Pitt as they congratulate her on the experience.
Sinitta has previously revealed she dated Brad for two years in the 80s before he became a major Hollywood star. She has described him as “fun,” “sweet,” and having “the most amazing body.”
Her first high-profile romance was with singer David Essex, when she was 16 and he was 37.
Sinitta said she was initially not interested in Brad, who she thought was a ‘nobody.’
“He was in Dallas at the time and I was more of a Dynasty fan,” she said. After asking for his number, Sinitta said they went on a first date and ‘clicked immediately.’
“We were both quiet people, Christian, normal and healthy people underneath our crazy, public lifestyles and, at that point, he wasn’t really, really famous. He was just the hottest boy – drop dead gorgeous.
“Everywhere we went, all the gay guys were after him, all the girls were after him. Everybody just loved him because he was stunning.”
When Tina LaMonica and Warren Wellen purchased their South Pasadena Craftsman home in 2001, the one-car garage dated back to 1917, a time when people parked their narrow Ford Model T cars inside garages like this one.
“We bought it for $650,000,” LaMonica says of the house. “Of course, we could never afford to buy it now.”
The couple moved in when their daughters, Sophie and Ruby Wellen, were little, and their tree-lined street was full of families with young kids who rode their scooters throughout the neighborhood.
“We all grew up together and had block parties,” says Sophie, 30. Now, she adds, “There are no new families moving in. No one left. Why would they?”
Tina LaMonica and Warren Wellen sit on the patio with their daughter, Sophie Wellen, and their dog, Hazelnut, next to the 230-square-foot ADU where Sophie lived for two years. Her younger sister is now living in the ADU.
Music was always a part of their home, Sophie says, thanks to her father, Warren, 65, who is both an attorney and a musician in the alternative rock band Brahms’ Third Racket.
“He plays everything,” Sophie says. “Throughout my entire childhood, he was always making music.”
LaMonica adds, “It can be disruptive.”
So in 2021, the couple pulled together money from different sources, including a line of credit, and turned the garage into a tiny 230-square-foot accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, for Warren to use as a music studio.
“It was intended to be a creative space, not a home,” says LaMonica, 64, who is a commercial real estate broker. “The total cost was around $125,000, including permits, construction and all systems — a significant investment, but one that ended up serving our family in unexpected ways.”
The garage before, left, during, right, and after, below, construction. (Tina LaMonica)
A few months after using his new music studio, Sophie, who had been in law school at the University of Michigan, moved back to Los Angeles after being away for 10 years.
“She wasn’t working right away, and like many new grads, she had student debt and credit card debt from getting through school,” says LaMonica. “Market rent in the Los Angeles area wasn’t realistic, even with a job offer lined up. So, the studio became her first home. It gave her stability and independence during a major transition.”
Sophie, who describes her relationship with her parents as close, says the ADU was always meant to be temporary and she’s grateful for it.
“At 28, I didn’t know where I wanted to live in L.A.,” she says. “I had only grown up in Pasadena, which is a small community. I felt lucky to be able to live in this little house in the back and explore the city to find the right place for me, instead of rushing to grab the first place I could, like so many of my associates had to do. It was right after the bar exam, and I was really stressed.”
The ADU features a Murphy bed and and a nice-sized kitchenette.
The kitchenette has a compact air fryer-toaster oven from Our Place, and a slim, Classic retro-style refrigerator.
After clerking for a judge in Washington, D.C., Sophie’s boyfriend William Lang moved to Los Angeles and joined her and her dog in the ADU, bringing his two cats with him.
“It was a full house,” Sophie says, laughing. “And yes, they were indoor cats! But we made it work. Finding a rental was hard. I couldn’t really afford a nice apartment in L.A. I had to save up and wait until my boyfriend got here so we had two incomes.”
It’s no surprise they felt at home. Although it’s small, the unit is sunny and bright, with a pitched roof and a big picture window overlooking the lush backyard and swimming pool. (The blinds can be closed for privacy.)
There’s a Murphy bed that turns into a love seat when pulled down, which saves space, and classic black-and-white checkerboard porcelain tile from Mission Tile in South Pasadena that gives the living spaces a surprising sense of fun. The unit also has a bathroom with a shower, a closet and a storage nook above the bathroom.
The ADU has room for a desk, flat-screen TV and comfy chair.
There’s also room for a desk, a flat-screen TV on the wall and a comfortable chair. Not having a dining room isn’t a problem because there’s a welcoming patio just outside the French doors, with two chairs, a couch and a coffee table.
“The backyard was our saving grace,” says Sophie. “Most of the time, William sat at the little table. It was cozy and nice. I got to be near my parents, and they got to know my partner better.”
The ADU has a roomy kitchenette with white cabinets and countertops, a compact air fryer-toaster oven from Our Place, and a slim retro-style refrigerator from Unique. “You can bake, broil and fry with the small Wonder Oven,” LaMonica says. “Ruby uses it all the time.” There’s also a mini-split system for heating and cooling, and if needed, a stackable washer and dryer can be added later.
A patio area provides another living space steps outside the ADU.
Soon after Sophie moved out, having lived in the back house for two years, her 27-year-old sister Ruby moved in. “She works in Torrance and can’t afford to rent an apartment close to her job,” her mother says. “The ADU gives her a chance to live affordably, stay safe and be near family, while building financial footing on her own terms.”
LaMonica is happy with the ADU, though she wishes they could have added a second floor, which the city of South Pasadena didn’t allow at the time.
She imagines a future in which one of her daughters lives in the main house, and she and her husband live in the ADU. “I think an ADU is a great long-term solution,” she says. “It keeps people from moving out of California. With an ADU, at least you can keep your family on site.”
In some ways, the small ADU is more than just a solution for young people who can’t afford to live in Los Angeles. A 2025 study found that Los Angeles ranked second among the 50 largest U.S. metros for its share of working adults (ages 25 to 40) living with parents.
Backyard homes can also help people connect with their community.
“The nice thing about the ADU is that it can give you a sense of community that’s hard to find right now because people are so isolated,” says Sophie, who now rents a two-bedroom duplex in Hancock Park with Lang for $4,500 a month. “We’re both lawyers at private law firms and doing well, but I still don’t feel like I could have a child right now and give them the life I want. It’s hard to make big life decisions in L.A., especially if you have student debt. It was really nice to have dinner with my parents every once in a while. They didn’t want William and I to leave.”
The bathroom inside the ADU.
As Southern California gets more crowded and housing costs rise, young people have to look for options different from those their parents had when they were growing up.
LaMonica says she and her husband never thought they would house both daughters in a converted garage. “But in a place like Los Angeles,” she says, “the tiny ADU turned into a flexible and essential lifeline for our family, not just once but twice.”
And maybe one day, Warren will finally get his music studio.
In recent months Ant & Dec have spoken more about their televisual adventures both in front of the cameras and behind them as I’m A Celebrity South Africa kicks off
Ant McPartlin Declan Donnelly(Image: ITV)
Declan Donnelly, one half of the Ant & Dec presenting duo, has said they were stunned by an intruder at their lodge on I’m A Celebrity South Africa.
The pair are out in the region presenting the latest series of the ITV programme, which features 12 celebrities, including Gemma Collins, Sinitta, Seann Walsh and Sir Mo Farah, competing for victory.
Anthony McPartlin, 50, said to Declan on their podcast Hanging Out with Ant & Dec: “Didn’t you have a bush baby in your room?” The bush babies Anthony was asking about are a type of nocturnal primate.
In response, Declan, 50, said: “In my lodge was a thatched roof, and I came back from work and my fruit bowl — there was an orange on the side — and it had been half peeled, and there was wee on the worktop.
“Somebody came round — one of the guys who come to pick us up. I said, ‘Have you seen this? Looks like wee on the side and my fruit’s had a go at.’
“He went, ‘Oh, you’ve got bush babies. They live in the thatched roof and they come down and they come at your fruit, have a wee and then they go again.’”
This isn’t the only time Ant & Dec have spoken about their lives behind the television screens, with their podcast seeing the pair speak a little more about the famous people they’ve talked to and the hilarious incidents along the way.
Notably, the pair spoke earlier this year about what it was like when they met King Charles when he was the Prince of Wales in the early 2000s, and how Declan got distracted whilst meeting the then heir to the throne.
The interview, to mark the 25th anniversary of the Prince’s Trust — now the King’s Trust — with the future monarch took place at Highgrove House. Declan recalled how Charles said that he wanted to chat with Ant & Dec off camera before the interview began so they could get to know each other.
As a result, he invited them in for tea. However, Declan said he got a bit distracted by not knowing who was going to pour the tea.
He said: “So, we went in, sat in this room, and he came in and shook our hands and we sat down and they brought in this massive tray with a big teapot, teacups on it, biscuits and stuff, and we sat there and he’s talking to us.
“I’m sitting there going, ‘Who’s going to pour the tea? He’s not going to do it. Do we do it? Are we supposed to do this? Should one of us just dive in?’ I was really distracted.
“‘Has this been left for us to do because he’s not going to do it? So have we got to do this?’ I was really distracted through the whole thing. I kind of wasn’t listening to what he was saying because I was too worried.”
Declan’s comments came ahead of the pair’s travels to South Africa to film the I’m A Celebrity spin-off, which returns to screens at 9pm tonight on ITV.
Strictly Come Dancing star Carlos Gu opened up about his time on the show and whether he plans to return, following the recent exits of several of his co-stars
09:19, 07 Apr 2026Updated 09:19, 07 Apr 2026
Strictly stars Neil Jones, Carlos Gu, Karen Hauer, Amy Dowden, Kai Widdrington and Lauren Oakley
Carlos Gu has opened up about his future on Strictly Come Dancing amid a shake-up to the line-up. Since joining the show in 2022, the professional dancer has performed with three celebrity partners; Molly Rainford, Angela Scanlon and Karen Carney, who he lifted the Glitterball trophy with last year.
Reflecting on his transition from the competitive dance industry to television, he claimed it was “a completely different world” to what he’s been used to for the last 20 years.
Before Strictly, Carlos competed professional with Susan Sun, winning multiple competitions as a well-known duo.
Discussing the industry, the 33-year-old described it as “very challenging and hard”, but also “unstable” as he shed light on the realities of being a dancer.
“It doesn’t matter how hard you work or how good you are, you are the one always being judged and being chosen, your results are always unstable. You never know, today might be good but tomorrow might not,” he explained.
“We worked so hard for 20 years and we made our way there and everybody knows us, we come out, everyone knows Carlos and Susan.”
Reflecting on himself joining Strictly and not being given a celebrity partner in his first year, he added: “Then joining Strictly and not being given a partner made me realise I’m going back again to being chosen, because to have a partner or to not have a partner is out of my control, it doesn’t base on how good I am or how hard I am working, it’s not, it’s purely out of your control.
“I never worked in the TV world, it’s a completely different world,” he added.
Asked by Kate Thornton on her White Wine Question Time podcast about his future on the show, Carlos admitted he was yet to know if he will be returning.
Addressing the news of some of his co-stars leaving the show, he said: “I know we’ve heard, we’ve all seen the news but nothing confirmed by the BBC yet, so we’re waiting. I think they’re going to make the final announcement for all the cast.
“But like I said, being in a position not knowing if you’re going to stay or not is scary. We work so hard in our lives, but those things are out of your hands.”
In a statement announcing her exit, she told fans it was “the right time to close this chapter and take on new projects in other areas I’m passionate about”.
This comes after Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepped away from their hosting duties after 11 years together on the main show.
Giles Wood and Mary Killen have become staples on screens thanks to their Gogglebox stint – but away from the show the couple have faced their fair share of hardships
Joe Crutchley Screen Time Reporter
08:24, 07 Apr 2026Updated 08:24, 07 Apr 2026
Gogglebox Giles and Mary’s terrifying illness, rarely-seen children and marriage struggles(Image: CHANNEL 4)
Gogglebox’s Giles Wood and Mary Killen have become telly legends thanks to their stint on the Channel 4 show – but what do we know about their real lives?
Over the years, Giles and Mary – who live in Wiltshire – have had fans in stitches thanks to their witty banter and one-liners and comical takes on the telly highlights.
Away from the show though, both Giles and Mary have faced their fair share of hardships in their marriage, including a terrifying health scare. Here, we’re taking a look inside the couple’s lives.
Giles and Mary’s romance
Giles and Mary’s romance dates back decades, after meeting each other for the first time when they were just 21 years old. When they crossed paths, Giles was at Wimbledon Art School and Mary was a model.
The pair have been married for over 30 years, most of which time they have spent living at their cottage in Wiltshire.
Giles and Mary are also known for referring to each other with the nickname ‘nutty’ on the series. Mary has previously revealed that the nickname is in reference to The Nutty Professor cartoon strip.
She said: “We call each other ‘nutty’ because we both consider the other to be a bit mad. Certainly Giles has multiple personality disorder so he’s all sorts of people and one of them is a bit of a genius.”
Giles and Mary’s rarely-seen daughters
Giles and Mary also have two grown-up daughters together, who don’t feature on the show, although one was reportedly due to appear alongside Giles before deciding against the idea.
Little is known about Mary and Giles’ daughters however Mary once did give an insight into family life. Speaking to The Guardian about banning swearing in their house, Mary explained: “There’s so much on telly, I don’t want it in my own cottage. Giles swears occasionally because he’s always having minor accidents. Our children turn on him and tell him off. Poor Giles.”
Meanwhile, in 2021, Giles and Mary gave a rare look at their daughters after the couple posted a throwback photo of the family. In the picture, Mary and Giles could be seen holding their girls who wore a white shirt with their blonde hair styled in pigtails.
Gogglebox ‘saved’ Giles and Mary’s marriage
Despite appearing very close on the show, Giles and Mary have admitted to facing challenges in their relationship but credit the Channel 4 programme with bringing them closer together.
Giles recounted how their routine changed dramatically due to the show. He told MailOnline: “Working together on Gogglebox – watching telly at the same time – meant Mary and I suddenly no longer lived like two intimate strangers.
“Mary working from 6am till 8pm, then falling asleep slightly drunk at 9pm; me gardening from 1pm till 3.30pm, when I have lunch, and then going to bed at two in the morning after watching vintage horror films. It has definitely saved our marriage.”
Mary on the ‘closest she’s come to death’
In 2018, Mary revealed her near-death experience after contracting Legionnaires’ disease. Speaking to the Guardian, Mary said: “The closest I’ve come to death was contracting Legionnaires’ disease in 1999.
“I caught it from air conditioning in the Bahamas and developed something called Beau’s lines: white ridges across the fingernails which are a sign that your body’s shutting down for death.”
Coming out of the ordeal battered but alive, she confessed: “It knocked the stuffing out of me. I’ve never been quite the same since.”
Mary’s health ordeal
Years later though, Mary was struck by a severe bout of campylobacter food poisoning which she suspects came from “grubby” homegrown vegetables.
While on antibiotics during her treatment, Mary found herself unable to drink alcohol. She recalled: “Immediately afterward, I found I couldn’t face alcohol. I remember going to a house party on the Isle of Mull a short time later. All sorts of wonderful wines were being served and I couldn’t touch any of them.”
Surprisingly, the sudden aversion reminded her of pregnancy : “It made me recoil,” she explained to MailOnline. The condition she suffered from, campylobacteriosis, is an infection from bacteria commonly found in tainted food and water, and can lead to symptoms such as diarrhoea, cramps, and fever.
Gemma Collins says she will prove she is ‘strong woman’ in I’m A Celebrity camp second time around.
07:00, 07 Apr 2026Updated 07:02, 07 Apr 2026
Gemma Collins is back on I’m A Celeb and vowing to stay for longer this time(Image: ITV/Shutterstock)
Former TOWIE star Gemma Collins has insisted she is committed to I’m A Celebrity second time around.
The reality TV star lasted just 72 hours first time around before quitting in 2014, but has been given a second chance in South Africa. Gemma, who went in as a late entry alongside Craig Charles, said: “Going on All Stars is a real moment for me in my career – it’s redemption. To be able to do this again is the greatest honour ever. I am going to be the best campmate and get those stars. None of us will be starving under my watch.”
The 45-year old also revealed she will be walking into the South African jungle as ‘Gemma Collins’ and not her dive persona ‘The GC’.
She said: “I am dreading the whole lot, I don’t think anyone goes into the jungle going ‘woohoo’. It’s not normal to be faced with animals, but I am going in as Gemma Collins. Gemma Collins is a self-made woman. I have been to hell and back to get to where I am today. I am just looking forward to proving to people I can do it.
“There is no way I am going to be leaving after 72 hours. I am in it to win it. I am going through to the end. Last time, there were no highlights for me. But I wasn’t the strong, assertive woman I am today and I’ve got a totally different mindset.”
She says if she were lucky enough to win the series, it would be the ultimate pinnacle in her career.
Gemma said: “If I could get crowned the ‘Legend’, I would just feel complete in my life. Me quitting has been a shadow hanging over me. It would be my real redemption moment of my career that I had done this and nobody could take it away from me.”
Ahead of filming the show last year, Gemma also said she was looking forward to chatting with Ant & Dec again in the jungle.
She added: “It has been embarrassing whenever I have been to ITV parties knowing their first thought might be, ‘oh no, there is that girl who left the jungle’. They are fabulous. I want to show them what I am made of and get that new-found respect.”
As well as Gemma other returning stars include Olympian Sir Mo Farah, former Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt, Pussycat Dolls singer Ashley Roberts, actor Adam Thomas, singer Sinitta and comedian Seann Walsh.
Gemma and fellow latecomer Craig Charles will be competing in a trial before they arrive in camp tonight.
Asked if the show changed her first time around, she added: “No but now with hindsight, I realise I wasn’t wholesome or grounded when I went in. I was this girl from Essex who was all about Range Rovers, fancy jewellery and fancy coats. I am going to South Africa with a very different mindset.”
Offset was shot near the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., on Monday evening and is currently listed as stable, a spokesperson for the rapper told The Times.
“We can confirm Offset was shot and is currently at the hospital receiving medical care,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “He is stable and being closely monitored.”
The Seminole Police Department said in a statement that officers responded to an incident in the valet area of the hotel and casino shortly after 7 p.m. One person was transported to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police detained two people in connection with the incident, and an investigation remains ongoing. The scene has been secured and operations at the Hard Rock are continuing as normal, police said.
The circumstances around the shooting remain unclear.
The 34-year-old rapper, whose real name is Kiari Cephus, gained prominence as a member of the Atlanta rap trio Migos, which was founded in 2008 and rose to hip-hop fame in 2013 with the breakout hit “Versace.” The group, whose members included rappers Quavo, Takeoff and Offset, achieved major mainstream stardom in 2016 through “Bad and Boujee,” which shot to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The three members grew up together in the Atlanta area. Takeoff was Quavo’s nephew, while Offset is a close family friend.
In 2022, the group split up due to differences between Offset and Quavo. In November of that year, Takeoff, whose real name is Kirsnick Khari Ball, was fatally shot outside of a bowling alley in Houston. He was 28 years old.
Patrick Xavier Clark was indicted by a grand jury in the murder of Takeoff in May 2023. He has pleaded not guilty and the case is awaiting trial.
Since the breakup of Migos, Offset has focused on his solo career, releasing his album “Set It Off” in 2023, which features artists including Travis Scott, Don Toliver, Future and Cardi B. He released his latest album, “Kiari,” in August.
Times staff writer Emily St. Martin contributed to this report.
White is the latest festival alum added to the bill for a surprise slot in recent years, joining the likes of Weezer and Ed Sheeran in 2025, Blink-182 in 2023 and Arcade Fire in 2022.
The sold-out festival is topped by Sabrina Carpenter on Friday, Justin Bieber on Saturday and Karol G on Sunday. Carpenter has the earliest headlining spot of the three, with a set scheduled for 9:05 to 10:35 p.m. Following Carpenter on opening night is electronic artist Anyma, who is debuting a production called “Æden” at midnight on the Coachella stage.
It’s free to see, but there’s a reservation system for a time slot. People who can’t make a reservation will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis.
On the Coachella website, it describes the Bunker as being located near the Sahara Tent.
CARDI B’s ex, Offset, has been hospitalized after getting shot near a popular Florida casino.
The 34-year-old rapper was involved in a shooting on Monday.
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Cardi B’s ex Offset has been shot near a Florida casinoCredit: GettyOffset was hospitalized and receiving medical treatment, spokesperson for the rapper told The U.S. Sun in a statementCredit: Getty
“We can confirm he was shot and is currently at the hospital receiving medical care.
“He is stable and being closely monitored,” a spokesperson for the rap star told The U.S. Sun in a statement.
TMZ first broke the news about the incident, which occurred near the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood.
A rep for the Seminole County Police told the outlet that “two individuals have been detained” and “there is no threat to the public.”
Further details about the shooting are unknown at this time.
It comes nearly four years after Offset’s Migos bandmate Takeoff was fatally shot after an argument erupted outside of a Houston Bowling alley.
Hours before the latest shooting involving the Bad and Boujee rapper, Cardi, 33, shared videos on Instagram of their kids jumping for joy as they hunted for Easter eggs at her home.
The estranged pair share three children: a daughter, Kulture Kiari Cephus, born in 2018; a son, Wave Set Cephus, born in 2021; and a daughter, Blossom, born in September 2024.
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Offset – real name Kiari Kendrell Cephus – is also a father to three other children from other relationships.
Cardi – birth name Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar – filed for divorce from Offset in August after seven years of marriage and is reportedly seeking primary custody of their kids.
The Bodak Yellow rapper had previously accused her ex of cheating, though insiders claimed to Page Six that the reason for their split was they’d “grown apart.”
Aside from their children, the former couple appeared to have abandoned all other connections they’d had to one another.
The U.S. Sun exclusively reported in November that half a Georgia street the duo owns has been left rundown, with rotted homes and no signs of being fixed up.
Offset is also said to be facing financial troubles with more than $2.3 million in tax liens, according to documents obtained by The U.S. Sun.
Cardi was most recently linked to NFL star Stefon Diggs, with whom she welcomed a baby in November.
Days before the New England Patriots’ wide receiver played in the Super Bowl, and Cardi B appeared in the halftime show, rumors circulated that the couple had parted ways.
A week later, Cardi confirmed their split when she appeared to shade the football star during a performance on her Little Miss Drama Tour.
The incident occurred near the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in HollywoodCredit: GettyA spokesperson told The U.S. Sun that the rap star is in ‘stable’ conditionCredit: GettyCardi B filed for divorce from Offset in August 2024, though it has not yet been finalizedCredit: Getty
In March, Bad Bunny performed his first-ever concert in Asia when he played in from of 2,300 fans in Tokyo as part of Spotify’s Billions Club Live series.
Starting April 8, a filmed version of that performance will be available on Spotify for the “Nuevayol” artist’s millions and millions of fans not in attendance.
The show, officially titled “Billions Club Live With Bad Bunny: A Concert Film,” was billed as a special stop in the Grammy-winning performer’s “Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour” — which kicked off with a November concert in the Dominican Republic and has since sold out stadiums across Latin America and Australia. He notably didn’t include dates in the United States as part of the tour.
Footage of the Japan concert swept social media, as it showed Bad Bunny doing a never-before-seen salsa rendition of his 2018 collaboration with Drake. He also notably sang his 2021 single “Yonaguni,” which features lyrics in Japanese.
Bad Bunny’s generational run looks to have no immediate end in sight, as he will kick off the European leg of his world tour with a May performance in Portugal before making stops in Spain, England, Sweden, France, Poland and Italy.
But the “Dakiti” artist’s newsworthy year hasn’t been limited to the music world.
In February, it was announced that Bad Bunny will star — alongside Academy Award-winning actor Javier Bardem and multiple-time nominees Edward Norton and Viggo Mortensen — in Puerto Rican rapper Residente’s directorial debut, “Porto Rico.” The film, which has yet to announce a release date, will explore the complicated colonial history of Puerto Rico through Western/historical drama storytelling devices.
