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Don’t you ever wish you could explore one of L.A.’s most vibrant boulevards without a car? When the first phase of Metro’s extension to its D Line opens May 8, L.A.’s transit system will add what has long been a missing puzzle piece. A busy, traffic-snarled section of Wilshire Boulevard, home to world-class museums, restaurants and galleries, will at long last be significantly more accessible.

Ride and walk, for instance, to the newly reimagined Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and then stroll to the Original Farmers Market or the acclaimed République. Or take transit to a concert at the El Rey Theatre, then grab a pint at Tom Bergin’s. And do it all without stressing about valet or parking in a part of town where the latter is at a premium.

Though this initial phase of the D Line extension is only three stops, for residents and business owners in the community, it feels monumental.

“I’m so excited for Metro to open and for lots of people to hopefully come and peruse these streets,” says Christina Mullin, owner of Miracle Mile Toys & Gifts. Mullin, who also lives in the neighborhood, has seen the area disrupted by construction for the better part of a decade, and is hopeful the subway stops will bring in an influx of shoppers.

“It’s such a nice, walkable area,” Mullin says. “You can walk all of La Brea and all the way to the Sycamore Kitchen. This will be very good for the city.”

And it seems to be generating much excitement, at least if Metro’s own marketing is any indication. A line of innuendo-filled “Ride the D” shirts went viral and then almost instantaneously sold out. (Those looking for the shirts are likely out of luck, as a Metro spokesperson says the item was intended only as a limited-edition run.)

Here are some highlights of destinations along the new stations, which are located at Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax, Wilshire/La Cienega and will collectively serve Koreatown, Miracle Mile, Hancock Park, Carthay Circle, the Fairfax District and Beverly Hills. All should be within about a 20- or 25 minute walk.

The second section of the D Line will continue west through Beverly Hills and Century City, and the third will extend to Westwood and UCLA. The full rail line, according to Metro, is expected to be open by the end of 2027.

ALEX Reid has revealed his mum Carol has died as he shared a heartbreaking tribute to her on social media.

The Celebrity Big Brother star, 50, took to Instagram to share a series of pictures with his beloved mother as he revealed the devastating news.

He penned: “Today I celebrate the life of the best woman in my life, my mum, who went to join my darling dad in heaven!

“I’m absolutely heartbroken, but have a sense of ease knowing you are in peace now, not in pain.

“I unfortunately missed my mum’s passing by 2 minutes, although I still managed to hold her in my arms, kiss and caress her face, telling her how much I love her.

“Long live Carol Reid!,” Alex concluded.

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His followers rushed to support him with messages of condolences as one wrote: “So sorry Alex. Sending you love xxx.”

Another social media user commented: “I’m so sorry Alex for your loss. You’re so lovely with your mum. Anyone can see the love between you both. May she RIP.”

Someone else said: “I’m so sorry for your loss. Prayers and thoughts are going out to you and the family.”

Yet another penned: “I’m so sorry for your loss! May she rest in peace and I truly believe that she will always be with you in spirit cheering you on. God bless you and your family.”

While a fifth added: “Bless you Alex you’ve been by her side all these years, she knew in those two minutes she will always be in your heart. Love to you all x.”

Alex revealed back in 2020 that his mum was battling Alzheimer’s and was feeling guilty for moving her into a care home.

At the time, he shared a number of headlines surrounding Dame Barbara Windsor, who also had the disease prior to her death in 2020.

He wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: “I know how it feels moving mum into a home with dementia it’s worse than bereavement as they’re still here & so lost.

“You feel an immense sense of guilt to want to do more I see how scared mum sometimes is, wanting to come home, but I see she how she is adapting & her quality of life improves.”

In March last year, he shared a video of him going to the care home to visit Carol as he gave her a bunch of flowers and a card.

He told his followers on Instagram: “Visiting my mum with dementia in her care home today on Mother’s Day, I was so grateful and lucky that she actually said I love you my darling!

“I’ve only had two or three words out of her over the last year! So so grateful! Happy Mother’s Day everyone!”

Alex and his fiancée Nikki welcomed their twin boys Phoenix Bobby and Hunter George back in 2023.

Nikki told Mail Online at the time: “To just have them in my arms. I am complete now. I have my family and I never need to revisit that dark place again.”

Their births came after the pair welcomed daughter Anastasia in 2021 after a seven year IVF battle.

Russell Brand, the British comedian and actor who has been accused by multiple women of rape and sexual assault, said his sexual flings amid the height of his fame in the early aughts included sleeping with a 16-year-old girl.

Brand confirmed the relationship to Megyn Kelly on the the latest episode of her eponymous podcast and YouTube show published Wednesday. “I did sleep with a 16-year-old when I was 30,” he said, “but when I was 30 I was a different person. I was a lot younger and I was an immature 30-year-old.”

The “Get Him to the Greek” actor, 50, emphasized that the age of consent in the United Kingdom is 16 and reflected on his behavior at the time, adding that he thinks having consensual sex as a famous person “involved exploitation.” He said he felt fame and addiction paved the way for “opportunity for endless consent which led me to be a hedonist and a fool and exploiter of women.”

“That is wrong and that is something that needs to be redeemed and addressed and atoned for,” he added.

Brand’s relationship with a 16-year-old girl became public in 2023 when the Times of London and Britain’s Channel 4 published a joint investigation detailing allegations of rape, sexual assault and other abusive behavior against the once-in-demand actor. One of the women who raised allegations against Brand said she became involved with the former actor when she was 16 and he was 31, and that he referred to her as “the child” in their relationship. According to the woman, Brand reportedly forced his penis down her throat, making it difficult to breathe, and she fought him off by punching him in the stomach. Brand denied the claims at the time.

The investigation centered on alleged incidents that occurred between 2006 and 2013 — the peak of Brand’s Hollywood fame — and laid the groundwork for additional complaints against the raunchy comedian to come to light.

In April 2025, the Metropolitan Police Service charged Brand with single counts of rape, indecent assault, oral rape and two counts of sexual assault connected to alleged attacks on multiple women between 1999 and 2005. U.K. authorities pressed additional rape and sexual assault charges against the “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” actor in December. He will stand trail in October.

Brand, ex-husband to pop star Katy Perry (who is facing her own sexual assault scandal),fell mostly out of public favor within the past decade and pivoted his focus to religious and “free-thinking” content. Last year he appeared at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest 2025.

At the beginning of the podcast episode, Kelly said that after learning about allegations against Brand she “felt anger for a couple years” toward the actor. However, Kelly said she grew open to speaking with him after some time and an “enormous amount of open-mindedness to [Brand] being railroaded and attacked by people.”

Notably, Kelly in November offered a flimsy definition of pedophilia when it came to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Citing “somebody very close” to Epstein’s case, Kelly said Epstein “ was into the barely legal type, like, he liked 15-year-old girls,” Kelly continued.

“I’m not trying to make an excuse for this, I’m just giving you facts — that he wasn’t into, like, 8-year-olds,” she added at the time. “But he liked the very young teen types that could pass for even younger than they were, but would look legal to a passer-by.”

Times staff writer Meredith Blake contributed to this report.

Ciara Miller and Maura Higgins will be among the stars competing for the Mirrorball Trophy.

“Summer House’s” Miller and “The Traitors” contestant Higgins — both publicly betrayed by men they trusted on their shows — are the first celebrities joining Season 35 of “Dancing With the Stars.” Disney announced the new season Wednesday during Hulu’s Get Real House event in Los Angeles.

Miller joins the cast less than a month after it was revealed that her “Summer House” castmate and ex-boyfriend, West Wilson, was dating her friend on the show, Amanda Batula. She teased her “DWTS” news with an Instagram video in which she wrote out her “Next Chapter 2026” to-do list, which included “prioritizing” herself, “taking risks” and “Dancing With the Stars.”

Higgins, who lost Season 4 of “The Traitors” in the finale after being blindsided by her friend and co-star Rob Rausch, rose to prominence on “Love Island” in 2019. Higgins shared her excitement in a video on Instagram, saying, “Please pray for me.”

“Get me on that dance floor. I want to win the trophy,” Higgins said. “I’ve manifested this.”

Higgins told reporters at the Get Real House event that Mark Ballas is her dream partner.

The announcement comes after a landmark season of “DWTS,” which saw a record-breaking number of fan votes. In November, The Times spoke with “DWTS” showrunner Conrad Green, who attributed the ratings spike to reviving “communal viewing experiences.”

“It’s been largely a question of keeping our existing audience and then finding a new audience of 18- to 30-year-olds. That’s partly fed by social media. It’s partly fed by a desire to have communal TV viewing experiences,” Green said. “That was something everyone had with ‘American Idol’ and ‘Dancing With the Stars’ 20 years ago, but TV doesn’t lend itself to that so much anymore.”

During the event, Disney also announced a new spinoff series, “Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro.” “DWTS” Season 34 winner Robert Irwin will host the show. According to the synopsis, it “features 12 exceptional up-and-coming dancers who move into one house and compete in a grueling audition process, all vying for a coveted spot as a pro dancer on Season 35 of ‘Dancing with the Stars.’”

“DWTS” pro and three-time Mirrorball champion Ballas will host the show alongside his mother, former ballroom dancer Shirley Ballas. The series will premiere July 13 on ABC.

Jonnie Park has always gone by many names. The most Google-able is his hip-hop moniker “Dumbfoundead,” which he’s gone by for decades as a seasoned battle rapper and an artist who’s put out a jaw-dropping 13 albums while becoming one of the kings of legendary Leimert Park hip-hop crew, record label and open mic Project Blowed. As a resident of L.A.’s Koreatown since childhood, he’s still known as “The Mayor of K-town.” To his friends, he’s just “Dumb.” Of all the aliases and titles he’s fought for, “author” might seem to be the most unlikely. But as a professional when it comes to producing scathing hot bars in battle raps, it felt only right to put his journey down the warpath of rhymes on paper in his debut memoir “Spit: A Life in Battles,” released April 14 on Third State Books.

The memoir (which includes a foreword by Park’s longtime friend, R&B star Anderson .Paak) recounts razor-sharp memories starting from childhood, including the harrowing story of his family’s immigration from Argentina to L.A. when he was 3. He talks frankly about the perils and prejudice of growing up Korean American in Southern California and thrusting himself into the hip-hop scene, where, after stumbling in as an outsider to Black culture, he ultimately found his voice on stage. It speaks to the foundation that later served him well as an actor, podcaster, comedian and recently TV writer for season 2 of the hit show “Beef.” But he says his reputation as a battle rapper is the one that will always matter most.

Recently Park spoke to the Times about the hardest parts of writing his new memoir, the importance of Project Blowed and taking his underground rap mentality with him from the gutter to the stars.

For your memoir you purposely take the parts of your life from childhood until about age of 30, the peak of your hip-hop career. What was it like to go back and take that journey again?

To me, it’s always kind of the core of who I am. Even as a multi-hyphenate, I always say I’m first and foremost a battle rapper. It was such a pivotal moment at a time in my life and I take that label with me wherever I go, so it doesn’t feel too distant. But to actually be in that arena feels very distant. I look back and I just think about the audacity of a young Asian kid in that world. I’m just like “Wow, I really had the balls to do this at one point.” And I still love the subculture of battle rap. It’s something I’m a part of and a story that I want to tell in all these other mediums — whether it’s screenwriting or developing a TV show, I still feel like there’s a lot to be done with that subculture.

Why was it important for you to help your readers learn about the technical aspect of battle rap and what it takes to be a battle rapper?

There’s a lot more layers to it than people know. Obviously we know Eminem’s “Eight Mile” was the height of the story of where battle rap got to, and it did a great job of that. Obviously it’s been many years since then. But I also wanted to let people know that the people involved in this subculture aren’t just in poverty trying to make it out and get on a record label. This is a real subculture that people obsess over and I just wanted to find an excuse to nerd about it and also teach people this kind of new era of battle rap. I also highlight some of my peers really deserved it, and including the open mic I went through called Project Blowed. That’s the one thing I love about this book is that I can immortalize some of my personal heroes and places that I hold dear to my heart.

But mechanics of how our brains work when freestyling is something I find interesting. People always ask me “How do you guys freestyle or battle?” And I was really nervous about explaining it. I just didn’t know how I would do that. I had the help of my co-author, Donnie Kwak, who I’ve known for many years. He’s never written a book either, but he’s just kind of like a big brother to me and we’ve had many conversations about this. So being able to break that down was really cool for me. And I still really love that chapter about freestyling and battling for dummies.

Dumbfoundead’s memoir “Spit” chronicles his rise through underground battle rap, offering deeper insight into the subculture.

(Lenne Chai)

What was it like for you as you were discovering your voice through open mics at Project Blowed?

Project Blowed freed such a big part of me. I think when I saw the other rappers there, and they were taking [rapping] to heights I never imagined, the styles of raps that I would see here, from there, were so unorthodox. At that point, I was listening to everything on the radio along with mix tapes and stuff. But this was not even that. This wasn’t even like the underground mix tapes. It was the most raw and purest form of rap. It was so weird and abstract, even for me, just the young Korean kid at the age of 14 that hadn’t gone south of Pico Boulevard, growing up on Third Street, and all of a sudden I’m on 43rd. It was like another world for me. Next thing I know, I’m immersed in this world where there’s black kids that are into anime, punk rock and rapping their a— off. And I’m like, “This is insane!” So it did a lot for my perception of everything, more than just hip-hop.

Why was it so important for you to kind of showcase your Korean from not only the standpoint of a rapper but also as a writer?

Definitely the Korean American part was very important to me, because we see Korean culture, Korea especially being this global powerhouse, and what we know of it is the “Squid Games,” and the K-Pop of it all. And so I did want to share this more in the perspective of a Korean American. Even more specifically, in Southern California, in Los Angeles, there is a different vibe of Asian American life than the rest of the country. I’m the epitome of that. A lot of our parents have these wholesale businesses downtown or dry cleaners or liquor stores. Growing up in K-town, a lot of Korean families have a dad who’s an alcoholic, and there’s a lot of domestic violence situations. I think through my story, a lot of people will see themselves in these situations.

Jonnie Park, a.k.a. Dumbfoundead, writes in his memoir about growing up in Koreatown.

(Third State Books)

I think it also just speaks to all the different layers of struggle, battles that you and your family have gone through. Were there any aspects of this book that were really challenging for you?

The hardest part was definitely writing about my father, and knowing that this book is going to be out in the public because it’s so revealing. There’s affairs, there’s businesses that he worked at that are named. These families do exist — I grew up with that family that my dad had an affair with. I don’t talk to them or anything, but it’s all in the book. And I did want to be honest, I just felt like this is a place to do it if I’m going to do it. I don’t know if my dad will read it, but if it ever got translated into Korean, he’s definitely reading it. I still don’t have a great relationship with my father and I just feel like there wasn’t, there’s not much of a closure to that still. And maybe the book will help open up some new conversations between him and I. So that part was a little difficult, and also talking about some of the domestic violence in my house. Growing up with my dad and my mom, it made me feel for my mom a lot.

The beginning and the end is the most difficult part, because the end really discusses kind of like that insecurity as an artist, and where I’m at in my life as an artist, seeing a lot of my friends becoming extremely successful. I really wanted to be honest about that. The book doesn’t necessarily end with me being triumphant and feeling at ease.I still feel that as an artist, and I think that’s why it’s just an ongoing battle.

Describe what that’s like having come out of that underground rap scene and showing your skills to the world in TV and film while holding on to that underground mentality.

Even being in a writer’s room for “Beef” Season 2 — that was my first writer’s room — felt like a cypher. Knowing when to jump into the conversation at the right time, and knowing when to fall back. That just tells you that the skills that I acquired from freestyling and battle rap, I was able to take into the real world and apply it in so many different places.

I think it’s so interesting that I got that “Beef” Season 2 gig because the showrunner and the creator of the show really loves my perspective on Asian American culture on my podcast [“Fun With Dumb”], just based off of that. I got to a place in my life where I just felt very comfortable being vulnerable and self-deprecating through all the things I’ve done in battle rap. I was able to apply it to podcasting, too. And to have that humor and wit and that vulnerability, that comedic sense that I’ve acquired from battling and freestyling, one thing just led to the other. I still have the same kind of slate of stories and ideas that I’ve been trying to get made for many years. That includes stories on battle rap, K-town and being Korean, American. Those are always kind of the things I take with me to whatever I’m trying to make right now, and maybe once I make those, I can move on, but I’m still working on that.

PRINCESS Andre, Towie’s Ella Rae Wise and Gemma Arterton were among the glamorous big-name celebs at tonight’s ITV Showcase.

The great and the good of the channel’s talent descended on London’s Design Museum to champion its 2026 schedule.

Ant and Dec, Michelle Keegan and Olivia Attwood also attended as did pregnant Scarlett Moffatt with her fiancé Scott.

Reality star Princess went all out in a satin dress befitting of her royal name, while Ella Rae gave a glimpse of her bra in a fitted white suit and carried a pink Chanel bag.

Bond Girl Gemma showed off her legs in a black mini skirt and heels, which she teamed with a black vest top and white tee.

She joined Tom Bradby on the black carpet and the pair looked to be having a good laugh in between posing for pictures.

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Michelle Keegan also opted for a power suit and cut a happy and relaxed figure beside actor Douglas Booth.

Olivia Attwood wore a baby blue corset with a suit jacket hanging off her shoulders and loose-fitting smart trousers.

Love Island‘s Whitney Adebayo looked stylish in a plunging striped dress, while Marcel Somerville rocked a patterned shirt and pristine white trousers.

Glam Gabby Allen curled the front of her blonde ‘do and dressed in a slinky nude number.

Emma Willis was typically cool in a beige suit and crop top, while Joey Essex gave European Bachelor in a buttoned-down white shirt and trousers, accessorising with a necktie and shades.

Influencer Perrie Sian went hell for leather in a chocolate brown jacket and matching skirt

Sir Mo Farah was full of energy, striking fun poses in his blue blazer and stone-coloured trousers.

Graham Norton attended in a black blazer emblazoned with a colourful flower motif, while Natalie Simpson was a vision in red.

Among the programmes coming to screens are new entertainment show The Neighbourhood, fronted by Norton, and gameshows The Box, hosted by Gary Lineker, and Nobody’s Fool, hosted by Danny Dyer and Emily Atack.

Then there are the familiar favourites such as Love Island, I’m A Celeb and Britain’s Got Talent as well as new dramas Secret Service, with Arterton in the lead role, The Blame, featuring Booth and Keegan, and The Party, with Luke Evans and Elizabeth Day.

Jimmy Bullard, described as “a massive joker”, is set to reunite with Adam Thomas for the live I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here finale months after that bust-up

Jimmy Bullard is said to be plotting his “ultimate sweet revenge” on Adam Thomas ahead of the live I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here finale tonight.

ITV bosses are understood to be nervously counting down to the reunion amid uncertainty over what might unfold between Bullard and Thomas, whose bust-up in scenes that aired this week was described as the programme’s biggest ever row. It is reported Bullard, 47, remains “seething” over the argument, which happened several months ago as the I’m a Celeb spin-off is pre-recorded until the final.

But sources believe the former professional footballer is ready to give his version of events tonight. One insider said: “Jimmy is a larger-than-life character with a wicked sense of humour and will be revelling in the opportunity to make everyone sweat.

“He’s a massive joker, so they don’t know what he’s going to say or do in the live final. He is also not afraid to say exactly what he thinks — and that means he won’t be toeing ITV’s line… It’s the ultimate sweet revenge.”

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Adam, an actor who is in Waterloo Road, and Jimmy clashed on the show as they teamed up for a Bushtucker Trial which would end with the losing duo being sent home. Former Fulham midfielder Jimmy quit the challenge and, in an angry confrontation, Adam raged at him: “You’re taking the p***!”

Campmates, including Harry Redknapp and Craig Charles, will now gather for the last time in tonight’s programme. Despite the row, Adam was allowed to remain in the camp and so battles to win the competition tonight.

But it will be the first time the former Emmerdale star comes face to face with his rival since the bitter spat, recorded last autumn. It was unclear whether dad-of-two Jimmy would attend the series finale because he remains so furious over the edit of his dramatic clash with Adam. Boxer and fellow campmate David Haye had said in an interview: “It was a lot more intense.”

ITV, though, insists what viewers saw was an accurate and fair representation of events. It also denied wild claims Adam attempted to kick Jimmy. A spokesperson had told the Mirror: “This is categorically not true. Adam did not try to kick Jimmy.”

While Adam, from Manchester, was visibly angry over Jimmy’s decision and he did kick a door in the trial area, it was said to be “nowhere near” his co-star, and was included in the broadcast this week.

AFTER literally breaking the scales, Alison Hammond has spent recent years vehemently denying fat jabs helped her to shed 13st. 

And we can reveal her astonishing weight loss is actually the result of an adventurous gym routine, a toyboy boyfriend and a £2.85 supermarket secret.  

A close pal said: “Alison was mortified when she stepped on the scales in 2020 and her weight was so high the sensor broke. 

“It stopped at anything over 29st, so she has no idea exactly how much she weighed back then. 

“It was a real wake-up call and she began a strict diet that day. 

“People are constantly accusing her of cheating and saying that she’s on fat jabs, but she’s not.

“They weren’t even around then.”  

Instead, the Great British Bake Off host, 51, has been munching on Itsu crispy seaweed thins — with just 24 calories in a pack.  

Her mate added: “When shoppers see her in Tesco the trolley is usually packed high with boxes of Itsu seaweed snacks.

“She eats about four packs a day.

“Instead of toffees she’s addicted to seaweed.” 

It is a far cry from the terrifying moment a few years ago that kickstarted her bid to get healthy. 

The scale shock prompted her to visit the doctor, who confirmed she was prediabetic and needed to slim down or face an early death. 

Being prediabetic — the point where your blood sugar is higher than normal but not high enough yet to be diabetic — genuinely terrified her as it can bring serious health problems.  

Following her doctor’s grave warning in November 2020, and in a desperate bid to reverse her diagnosis, the popular This Morning host made a plea to viewers live on air.  

Begging for help 

“I need some help,” she said bravely.

“I’ve really got to change my ways, if you guys see me out there buying sweets or chocolates, please I’m begging you, I’m not allowed to have it. 

“It’s serious now.”  

Viewers were quick to react, messaging the show in their droves with supportive comments and sharing their own struggles too.  

I thought, ‘I have to be an adult about this’. The sweets had to stop and the fatty foods.

Alison of changing her life

“Ali knew she was morbidly obese and was genuinely concerned that she was going to die,” says her pal.

“But the encouragement from viewers really touched her.

“It inspired her to make changes.” 

She previously said that her mother Maria, who died in January 2020 from lung and liver cancer, influenced her decision to overhaul her lifestyle. 

“My mum had type 2 diabetes,” she said.

“She was worried for me, so when I then found out I was prediabetic, that was frightening.  

“I thought, ‘I have to be an adult about this’. 

“The sweets had to stop and the fatty foods.”  

It was not the first time Alison had tried to lose weight.  

She had a gastric band fitted after a chair broke underneath her while she was interviewing actor Matt Damon in 2007.  

However, following the op, Alison experienced complications and “couldn’t keep anything down”. 

After two years, she decided to have the procedure reversed.  

Then, ten years later, she appeared on TV show Sugar Free Farm, which followed celebs as they embraced a sugar-free diet and farm work. 

While she managed to lose two stone on the show, the side effects from the sugar withdrawal left her feeling dizzy and sick.  

Now Alison, who is mum to Aidan, 21, works out three to five times a week with her personal trainers Lui Mancini and Ellis Gatfield.  

She combines strength training, boxing and Pilates rather than cardio and when she is busy working she enjoys walking.

A video posted by Lui displayed her hard at work with kettlebells, medicine balls and a punching bag. 

But no doubt also helping Alison’s confidence — and her weight loss — is her lover.  

She met David Putman, 29, a former Russian model, when she booked in for a massage in 2023.

The couple kept their relationship secret for about a year but now it is very much out in the open and despite the 22-year-age gap they are desperately in love.  

“It was pretty much love at first sight,” said her pal.

“She fell totally head over heels with David and he’s besotted with her.

“When you see them together it’s so sweet.

“He gets on really well with her son too.” 

But a change in her diet has had the most dramatic effect on her.

In a bid to reverse her prediabetes she has cut back on sweets and fatty foods — which has not been easy, especially as the host of C4’s Great British Bake Off, where she is surrounded by temptation.  

“Ali was completely addicted to toffees,’ says her pal.

“She would eat bags of them.” 

For people who need to use them, weight-loss jabs are a good thing. But for me, as soon as I hear any scare story, I get frightened.

Alison on using fat jabs

But these days she relies on seaweed.

The salty snack, combined with a rigorous exercise regime, has seen her weight drop to under 17st.  

She now drinks two litres of water a day and has a high-protein diet with lots of chicken and turkey mince bolognese.  

“She eats half of what she used to eat,” revealed her friend. 

Alison, who also hosts Your Song on Channel 4, previously told how weight loss jabs were not for her because she was “frightened” by “scary” stories surrounding them. 

She said: “For people who need to use them, weight-loss jabs are a good thing.

“But for me, as soon as I hear any scare story, I get frightened. 

“So I haven’t wanted to use them, but that’s not to say I wouldn’t in the future, and I certainly wouldn’t look down on anyone who did.” 

But industry insiders have warned there could be an issue if her slimdown becomes too extreme, especially as she vies for the presenting gig on Strictly.  

“There’s a fear that if she gets too skinny she might not be as popular with her fans,” said another source.  

Pals insist Alison has no intention of losing her curves or trademark sparkle.

Her journey has never been about fitting into a certain dress size but building a healthy life.  

During an interview on Loose Women last year, she summed up her attitude perfectly: “You know what, all I can do is be me.

“I can’t do anything else. 

“I’m a black, big, bubbly woman, who is slowly deflating a little bit.” 

Only time will tell if Alison’s next steps will be into the ballroom. 

But one thing is for certain, it will be seaweed, and not Ozempic, in her handbag. 

MasterChef was back with the first quarter-final of series 22 on Thursday night

MasterChef fans were left scratching their heads over Thursday night’s quarter-final challenge.

Series 22 sees celebrated chef Anna Haugh and restaurant critic Grace Dent take over from Gregg Wallace and John Torode as judges. The pair will test 48 of the country’s best amateur cooks with an array of spectacular challenges.

On Thursday’s first quarter-final of series 22, the first challenge saw the amateur home cooks tasked with creating pancakes, making the most of the fresh produce on offer.

However, it was the second challenge that left viewers baffled. During the episode, legendary food critic Jay Rayner joined the show as a special guest as he set a task for the cooks.

Jay, 59, said: “The challenge I’ve set you sounds very simple. I’ve asked you to make a salad. But we do not want a limp bowl of lettuce, we want structure, texture, we want a killer dressing… something that will rock us back on our feet.” The chefs were then given 90 minutes to create their salads.

However, viewers were left baffled over the salad challenge taking to Twitter, now X, to share their thoughts. One person said: “#masterchef A salad …, a salad, are you for real” to which another account put: “Salad? Or a mix of things #MasterChef.”

Elsewhere, another fan referenced The Simpsons as they joked: “#Masterchef You don’t win friends with salad, you don’t win friends with salad…”

Another baffled viewer simply commented: “A salad?! #MasterChef” while a different fan quipped: “No good story ever started with ‘I was having a salad and then'”.

Following the challenge, Jhané and Sabina left Anna, Grace and Jay blown away with their incredible salads. Jhané opted for a Thai-inspired salad with grilled pork, pork skin, sugar snap peas, lettuce, mint, fennel and thai basil. Jhané served it with deep fried rice paper and a lime sesame dressing, which was praised for being a ‘clever’ presentation.

Guest Jay was left delighted as he gushed: “This is exactly what I was hoping for when I set the salad challenge!”

Meanwhile, Sabina also impressed with her ‘harmony salad’, which was spiced black pea falafel, gem lettuce, carrot, pomegranate, salted chicken skin, beetroot quail eggs, puffed rice and curry leaves. It was served with a confit garlic and mustard oil dressing. Jay praised the salad for being “amazing”.

After all the contestants had shown off their creations, Jay admitted: “It was a tough challenge asking them to make a salad, some of them embraced it brilliantly!”

At the end of the show, it was revealed that Jhané and Sabina had sailed through to the next round, they were joined by fellow contestant Jim.

MasterChef season 22 is available to stream on BBC iPlayer

With more than 60 song credits, Armenta’s songwriting prowess can be heard across some of the most popular música mexicana albums to date, whether by Fuerza Regida, Tito Double P, Peso Pluma or Dareyes de la Sierra.

“I consider myself a tailor,” said Armenta, 25. “[I’ll create] a sound that will be good with your vocal timbre, with your tones, with the vocal intention you need.”

The singer-songwriter wrote Fuerza Regida’s gritty hit “Marlboro Rojo” in 45 minutes, ensuring that the song’s aggressive, battle-ready lyrics also captured a romantic spirit. (“The devil’s bullets and I only think of your eyes,” sang Jesús Ortiz Paz, a.k.a. JOP.) And he wrote “Dos Días” for Tito Double P and Peso Pluma one early morning after a wild night out with friends; you can hear the emotional hangover in the way the vocalists’ rugged voices flail in desperation.

“The most important thing is always to convey something where people can immerse themselves in a feeling,” said Armenta, whose full name is Miguel Armenta.

He dialed into our interview from a tour bus departing from Austin, Texas, en route to the next concert venue on the Dinastía Tour by Peso Pluma, Tito Double P and friends. Armenta was instrumental in writing and producing Tito Double P’s 2024 debut “Incómodo,” a 21-track project that helped distinguish the Mexican corrido singer from his already famous cousin, Peso Pluma.

“I feel that it’s a project that has solidified the responsibility we have as composers and as artists, [it’s] an album full of hits,” said Armenta, who later wrote tracks on Tito Double P and Peso Pluma’s joint 2025 LP “Dinastía.”

Since the beginning of March, Armenta has joined the pair of cousins on stage for their acoustic- and brass-powered song “London,” a track on the deluxe edition of “Dinastía” that indulges in fantasies of living like kings. The song was cut from Armenta’s own 2025 debut, “Portate Bien,” a blend of corridos tumbados with melodic touches of reggaeton and pop.

“I had just bought my own house and I wrote [‘London’] feeling like king of the world in my own studio,” Armenta said. “I thought that song was dead, but I got a call from Double P [Records] asking if I was interested in releasing it with them.”

Armenta’s entry into the música mexicana realm was not as calculated as his lyricism; at least not at first. Coming from a family full of industrial engineers, the Sinaloa-born, Tijuana-raised composer initially set his sights on a degree in biomedical engineering. “I liked the idea of being able to use technology to create advancements that benefit humanity,” he explained.

His passion for music, however, lingered persistently in the background. Starting from when he was 11 years old, Armenta would write lyrics in journals and strum along to the guitar his brother bought him. “He didn’t like that I used his guitar, so he bought me one,” he recalled.

He also gravitated toward independent YouTube artists who uploaded their raw compositions online. By age 18, he would compose one of his first R&B songs, titled “Dame” — though the tenderly sung track wouldn’t be published until two years later.

“It was the first song that I bet on as an artist, and I spent the very little money that I had on it,” Armenta said. “A literal sacrifice. I knew that the song had something, but I didn’t know what until later.”

In about 2020, Armenta helped compose some songs for Angel Ureta, a friend who signed with Street Mob Records, founded by Fuerza Regida’s JOP. Armenta eventually developed a working partnership with the indie label, which continued sign popular música mexicana acts like Calle 24, Chino Pacas and Clave Especial.

One of Armenta’s earliest hits with Fuerza Regida came in late 2022 as “Bebe Dame.” The band recorded the song alongside Grupo Frontera, who earlier that year had reached TikTok popularity for the cumbia nortena spin on “No Se Va,” a 2018 pop song by the Colombian band Morat.

Armenta proposed the adoption of his own track from the vault, “Dame,” which by that point had fewer than 1,000 views online. With some lyrical tweaking by Edgar Barrera — a 29-time Latin Grammy-winning songwriter, who Armenta later befriended — the revamped version, “Bebe Dame,” became an immediate sensation.

It helped score Fuerza Regida their first career entry into the Billboard Hot 100 at the start of 2023, later peaking at No. 25. By 2024, Fuerza Regida became one of the biggest streaming Latin acts in the U.S., alongside Junior H, Peso Pluma and Bad Bunny.

In 2024, Armenta and Barrera reunited again in secret to hash out what would be Grupo Frontera and Fuerza Regida’s joint EP, “Mala Mía” — “without either group knowing,” Armenta said. Their viral corrido-cumbia single, titled “Me Jalo,” secured Fuerza Regida’s first Latin Grammy nomination, and Grupo Frontera’s fourth, under the category of regional song at the 26th Annual Latin Grammy Awards.

“Edgar and I focus a lot on how to evolve sounds,” Armenta said. “We are in the process of recognizing [the value of] música mexicana, that we can’t let this die.”

Between 2024 and 2026, 12 of Armenta’s songs have been recognized by the BMI Latin Awards — which honors songwriters, composers and publishers — including Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera’s joint collaborations “Bebe Dame” and “Me Jalo,” as well as Fuerza Regida’s “TQM,” “Nel” and “Por Esos Ojos.” Tito Double P’s “Dos Dias” and “Escapate” (feat. Chino Pacas) also received accolades.

For now, the songwriter shows no signs of stopping his lyrical magic, though he figures he might part ways with the music world 10 years from now — but not before winning a couple of Grammy Awards, he said, or even starting his own publishing label for songwriters and composers. (“My mom says I’m going to get gray hairs,” he added.)

“I think that life put me here to have fun,” Armenta said. “I had another destiny, but life accommodated itself to place me in this valuable situation.”

HARRY Styles and Zoe Kravitz are engaged after an eight-month romance, a report in US outlet Page Six claims.

A source told the site that the former One Direction star, 32, “is completely smitten” and the Batman actress, 37, “is on cloud nine” with the pair now set to tie the knot.

They added: “No one in their circle is surprised.”

Rumours of their engagement had swirled since Zoe was recently spotted wearing a large diamond ring on her finger while kissing her pop-star boyfriend outside a hotel in London.

One onlooker said of the rock: “You couldn’t miss the ring on her finger. It is absolutely huge.”

There had been months of whispers the couple had already taken the next step in their romance.

ROCK ON

Harry Styles and Zoe Kravitz kiss in London as she’s seen wearing HUGE diamond ring

NOT AT HARRY’S HOUSE

Harry & Zoe sleep in separate beds during UK stay despite cosy dates

The Sun first confirmed the pair were dating last August after insiders spotted them snogging inside Rita’s bistro in Soho.

They were also then caught enjoying some downtime by a fan in Rome, who filmed the couple walking arm-in-arm down a cobbled street in the Italian capital. 

The pair later spent Christmas together at Harry’s family home in Cheshire before jetting to the Bahamas for New Year, where locals claimed a proposal may have taken place.

One insider had said at the time: “Harry and Zoe saw in the New Year together in the Bahamas.

“This one is said to have been extra special and there has been talk amongst locals that a proposal did take place.”

By January sources said that the Watermelon Sugar singer was Zoe’s “soulmate”.

They were also photographed last month holding hands when arriving at a Saturday Night Live afterparty in New York City.

Harry, whose new album Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally, went straight to No1 last month, is set to head out on tour soon.

He will play a string of shows in Amsterdam before taking over Wembley Stadium in London for a record-breaking 12 concerts.

From there Harry will head to South America before a 30-date residency at Madison Square Garden.

JANE Fallon has given her fans a health update after having her second surgery following her cancer diagnosis.

The author, 65, who is the partner of Ricky Gervais, told fans earlier this month that she was suffering with breast cancer, despite having no symptoms before the diagnosis.

Posting a sweet pic alongside her cat Pickles on Instagram, Jane wrote: “Little update. So, my 2nd surgery went well.

“They got the clear margin they need on the original excision, which is great. 

“They did hit a new little patch of precancerous cells on the other side of the new bit they took out but, thankfully, everyone agrees more surgery would be overkill. 

“A huge % of pre cancer doesn’t develop into cancer. 

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“I saw the oncologist today & we’ve agreed the risks of radiation outweigh the benefits in my case.

“Which leaves Tamoxifen (or similar) or wait and see (my preferred option). 

“I’m very nervous about going the drug route, because I know the side effects can be hideous, but I’m taking all the info on board & luckily there’s no pressure to make a quick decision.

“So, all good & I’m just looking forward to getting back to normal.”

Jane’s followers flocked to support her, including author Jojo Moyes who wrote: “Well done for getting through another surgery.

“Wishing you some reassuring news very soon x”

A fan added: “Happy to hear the update and it sounds very positive … yes take your time to decide , & so all the research … as of course you will x”

Another said: “That’s such uplifting news , so pleased your doing well. onwards and upwards x And cats will always upstage.”

This comes just days after Jane slammed a fake obituary that was published online after she was revealed she had cancer.

She said: “I’ve taken the post about the obituary down, because I don’t want people to think I’m upset by it. I’m not. P***ed off yes.

“But more, I just want people to know that any photos you see of me in hospital, looking sad or with tubes sticking out of me are 100% fake – AI generated.”

Following her recent procedure, Jane told her followers she was feeling “remarkably fine” and in good spirits.

She assured people she wold update them once she had the medical all clear.

“Then 8-10 days wait for confirmation that they’ve got it all & the margins are clear (small % chance of more surgery if not),” Jane wrote.

She has been resting up at home with the support of cat Pickles.

When Jane announced her diagnosis, Jane asked fans not to “panic” and said her prognosis was “excellent”.

She has been with comedian Ricky for more than 40 years after meeting back in 1982.

Jane is the author of 14 bestselling books and has penned titles such as Getting Rid of Matthew, Got You Back, Queen Bee, Worst Idea Ever, and Faking Friends.