splits

SINGER Louise Redknapp has split from her boyfriend of over two years Drew Michael.

It was her first serious romance since the breakdown of her 19-year marriage to football pundit Jamie Redknapp, 53, almost a decade ago.

The ex-Eternal girl group star, 51, separated from the businessman and former Army officer, 42, earlier this year.

They had been dating since autumn 2023 but called time on the relationship and he is believed to have left the UK.

However, friends insist she is thriving as a singleton and she recently jetted off twice on girls’ trips to Ibiza.

A source said: “Louise and Drew decided to end things a little while ago.

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“Things had been really good between them but it felt like their relationship had run its course and they both thought it was best to move on.

“It was all very amicable and although it’s never fun when a relationship ends, Louise has thrown herself back into her social life and her busy work schedule.

Drew’s thought to have moved abroad for work so it’s been a clean break.

“She’s in no rush to jump back into another relationship because she feels very fulfilled with her life right now, but she’ll see what happens.”

Speaking about Drew last year, she said their relationship had inspired the track Manifesting on her fifth solo album, Confessions.

Louise, who shares sons Charley, 22, and Beau, 17, with Jamie, added: “Drew is great with my boys.

“He’s just a really great guy.

“I feel very lucky to have met him.”

She is now gearing up for her Naked Confessions UK tour next spring, when she will perform songs from her latest album and mark 30 years since her solo debut, Naked.

Louise separated from Jamie in 2017 following a stint on Strictly.

She said of their separation: “I couldn’t just keep on kind of just being there existing — I’m an entertainer.”

Jamie went on to wed model Frida Andersson in 2021 and they have a son, Raphael, four.

A MUCH-LOVED family ride has been forced to close after it appears it derailed and the track split.

The Big Dipper at Blackpool Pleasure Beach is one of the oldest operating rollercoasters in the world.

Yesterday afternoon, the wooden rollercoaster was forced to close and is still closed today, following some of the carriages of the ride derailing, with a video shared on social media also showing the track split down the middle.

Several videos shared on social media show the ride at a halt on a low part of the track.

The track in front, which rises before a drop, appears to be broken in several places – though, reportedly, no one was hurt.

One rider, Reanna Harrison-Berry, 20, who was riding with her boyfriend, said they heard a “crunch” sound as they went uphill.

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Just moments later, the cart then rolled backwards, with some claiming that the carriages had ‘derailed’.

Reanna added: “As we went three-quarters of the way up the big hill, it just completely smashed backwards really quickly.

“The next thing we realised we were tilted to the left and the back carriage was completely to the right – it was quite scary.”

Another rider said: “We went pretty quick upwards, but then it juddered and rolled back really quickly.

“I was terrified, I’m not going to lie. I’ve never had that happen on a rollercoaster before. We didn’t really know what to do.”

Once the riders deboarded, they gave statements and were offered a free Burger King.

Reanna said: “I couldn’t eat because I was so shaken up, but my boyfriend got a free meal and a couple of other people ate.”

The Big Dipper features five drops and a number of twists and turns.

It was first built in 1923, making it over 100 years old but was later extended in 1934.

The track stretches over a kilometre long and travels up to 34.8mph.

The ride was closed on July 20, 21 and 22 for routine maintenance and then reopened yesterday before the incident in the afternoon.

A spokesperson from Pleasure Beach Resort said: “The Big Dipper came to a stop on Thursday, July 23, around 2pm, at a very low point in the ride.

“Following this, a manual deboarding took place with guests guided safely by trained operators.

“All riders were checked by first aid trained staff, with no injuries reported.

“An internal investigation is taking place to determine the root cause.”

When Sun Travel asked if the ride will be closed for the foreseeable future, Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort declined to comment.

JADE Thirlwall has split from Jordan Stephens after six years as a couple.

The Little Mix star began dating the Rizzle Kicks singer in 2020 and had since moved in together – dividing their time between homes in London and Margate.

But The Sun has learned they separated earlier this year, although are still close.

A source said: “Jade and Jordan had a very serious and loving relationship but recently they have had some frank discussions about their future and have decided to separate.

“It’s not been an easy time but they’ve both been throwing themselves into work.

“Their friends adore them as a couple and are really hoping they get back together but it’s still very raw at the moment.”

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Reps for both Jade and Jordan have been approached for comment.

Last month, they failed to post about their sixth anniversary together, which they had shared updates about in the past.

They have also not been photographed together for several months – with their last red carpet appearance as a couple being at February’s Brit Awards where they partied until the early hours.

Neither have posted about each other on Instagram since mid-March, and Jordan recently wiped all of the TikTok videos they made together from his profile.

When asked in June about progress on her second album, she hinted at her heartache.

She told The Fader: “I’m just writing stuff. Whatever I’m going through at the minute, like privately, I’m sort of putting pen to paper.

“I think this is the exciting phase or the experimental phase, where you don’t know what it’s going to be yet.”

Jade also attended her bandmate Perrie Edwards’ wedding in Portugal last month without him.

The Sun first revealed they were dating in 2020 after they went on a series of socially distanced walks during the Covid lockdowns.

The Shout Out To My Ex singer said she “slid into his DMs” after a friend suggested they would be a good match, and they had dates on video call.

She explained: “It was through a friend. I slid in the DMs. I’d been doing this for quite a while. I kept getting pied left, right and centre.

“Jordan and I did a few Zoom dates in lockdown. We made a joke and said it was business and put suits and ties on and asked each other questions. I did the full shebang, a full suit.

“Then we had a socially distanced date in Greenwich park, apart from each other just chatting.”

Jordan recently took over as co-host of the popular Miss Me? podcast with Miquita Oliver, replacing Lily Allen.

Fans had noticed he hasn’t spoken about Jade on the podcast for several weeks.

He had a successful career as one half of pop duo Rizzle Kicks from 2008 to 2016 before relaunching the group in 2024.

As a musician, Jordan also worked on her debut album That’s Showbiz Baby! which was released last year.

Jade said at the time: “I actually really didn’t want to date a musician. I’d done it previously; it never works out well. But it’s amazing now. We write together.

“He’s on my album; I’m on his. Jordan’s on the backing vocals for Headache.”

She is currently on a festival tour which will see her spend August travelling across America, Japan, Ireland and the UK.

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

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

COURTENEY Cox has split from her Snow Patrol partner Johnny McDaid.

The Friends star’s decade-long relationship with the musician quietly ended last year, it has been reported.

The pair – who were engaged – met in 2013 after being introduced through their mutual friend, pop star Ed Sheeran.

In recent years they had been splitting their time between the US and the UK, which led them to live “different lives” before the break up.

A friend told The Mail on Sunday: “Johnny speaks incredibly highly of Courteney.

“They had a very deep relationship and they remain extremely amicable. They are great friends and care about each other very much.”

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They former couple were last photographed together at the US Open in September.

In the month before, they were spotted on a double date in Malibu, California, Jennifer Aniston and her boyfriend Jim Curtis.

The insider added: “This was not an ugly split.

“They had simply reached a point where they were living different lives.”

Johnny is believed to be in the early stages of a new relationship.

Courteney shares a daughter, Coco, with her ex-husband and Scream co-star David Arquette.

Thousands of Bosnia fans turned Toronto blue as they marched to the chants of ‘Free Palestine’ in Toronto.

Toronto, Canada — Nadia, a Bosnia and Herzegovina supporter who did not share her surname, stood out in her deep blue shirt as a sea of red-adorned Canada fans swarmed around her outside the Toronto Stadium an hour before kickoff to their FIFA World Cup 2026 opening game.

With the blue and yellow Bosnian flag draped around her, she found herself among the minority of “away” fans on Canadian soil on Thursday, less than two weeks after her team was given a warm welcome to the World Cup cohost nation.

It reminded Nadia, an immigrant, of her arrival in Canada in the mid-1990s when her family fled the Bosnian genocide that killed about 100,000 people and displaced more than two million.

“I wish I had space for two hearts so I could properly support both my countries,” Nadia told Al Jazeera when asked about her allegiance as loud roars of the crowd spilled out of the stadium behind her.

Nadia admitted her heart was ultimately with Bosnia, but the Canada cap she sported was a nod to the country that became home when she had to flee hers.

Earlier in the day, thousands of Bosnia supporters turned Toronto into a sea of blue as they marched towards the match venue in the city’s downtown while chanting “Free Palestine” to thunderous claps.

“They [Palestinians] should be free, enough with the wars and genocide,” Nadia said as her eyes welled up with tears. She took a deep breath before adding: “There is so much suffering, especially for the children.”

Cultures blend in Toronto

Dan, a Bosnia supporter in his 40s, was the same age as his primary school-aged son when he fled the genocide in his country.

The father-and-son duo enjoyed the game and soaked in the atmosphere among the 45,000-plus fans at the stadium before heading back slightly upset with the draw.

The day Canada opened its first World Cup became an amalgamation of immigrant Bosnian fans’ identities as they shared high fives and traded jerseys with their opposing numbers.

Every shade of skin colour and a multitude of mother tongues made the stadium and a nearby fan festival a microcosm of Toronto’s reputation as a multicultural hotspot.

The fan festival boasted the full spectrum of football enthusiasts — the hardcore supporters with expert analyses, laced with expletives at missed chances, and those in attendance purely for the vibes.

Football aside, several Canadian fans abhorred the immigration policies of their neighbour to the south. They were proud to be known for their hospitality at the 48-nation tournament across North America.

Admir, a travelling Bosnian fan, was full of praise for Canadian hospitality when he arrived from New Jersey.

“Everyone from ordinary people to stadium support staff to restaurant owners have been so accommodating since we got here,” he told Al Jazeera ahead of kickoff.

Compared with the barrage of immigration nightmare stories of World Cup supporters trying to enter the US, his journey to Canada was seamless.

Despite his home state hosting eight World Cup matches, Admir chose to pay an exorbitant price for tickets to see Bosnia, who returned to the World Cup after 12 years following a fairytale qualification.

The sun had drained most fans of their energy after the match, but not Tanya, who drove seven hours from New York to Toronto on Thursday morning.

“The atmosphere at the fan festival was amazing; Toronto has been great.”

“I think our boys played pretty well,” she said of the match. “We didn’t win, but it wasn’t a loss either.”

MOVE over revenge dressing . . .  the new celebrity break-up power move is a revenge campaign.

Maya Jama, who has just split from Manchester City defender Ruben Dias, shared her sexiest looks yet for Agent Provocateur.

She is not the only one turning heartbreak into a big-brand deal.

From multi-million-pound ads to career switches designed to overshadow an ex, the new rule of uncoupling is success.

Celebrity publicist Emma Bunning says: “We’re seeing stars turn break-ups into business opportunities, launching new ventures, signing major partnerships and embarking on career blitzes just as their personal lives hit the headlines.

“It’s savvy PR because it shifts the narrative from heartbreak to success.”

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Maya Jama

AGE: 31

SPLIT FROM: Ruben Dias

Sizzled as she modelled swimwear for Agent Provocateur after her split from the Portuguese footballer last month.

The presenter’s deal with the sexy-yet-sophisticated brand is bound to bolster her bank balance even further.

Her career move comes hot on the heels of fronting the new Love Island series, which kicked off last night, and her upcoming gig on Celebrity Traitors – together bolstering her net worth of £2million.

Miley Cyrus

AGE: 33

SPLIT FROM: Liam Hemsworth

POP rebel Miley turned her 2020 divorce from the Hunger Games actor, 36, into a Grammy-winning, multi-million-pound empire.

After releasing anthem Flowers on Liam’s birthday in 2023, it became the fastest song in Spotify history to surpass one billion streams.

And she celebrated the track reaching No1, and pushing her net worth to an estimated £118million, by sharing a sexy bikini shot.

Bella Hadid

AGE: 29

SPLIT FROM: Adan Banuelos

The model parted ways with the 37-year-old cowboy in January after two years.

She threw herself into promoting her perfume brand Orebella and filming FX science-fiction series The Beauty.

It is a classic business move for Bella, who is one of the world’s highest-paid models and rakes in millions a year.

She also capitalised on her 2017 split from singer The Weeknd by modelling for the Victoria’s Secret campaign.

Sabrina Carpenter

AGE: 27

SPLIT FROM: Barry Keoghan

THE pop pixie hit the campaign trail following her split from actor Barry Keoghan, 33, in December 2024, after a year together.

First up was her massive Netflix holiday special, A Nonsense Christmas, wearing a black and white vintage Chanel ensemble.

Then, in April last year, the singer showed off her curves in Versace’s La Vacanza campaign cementing a total fortune that has skyrocketed to an estimated £16million.

Nicole Kidman

AGE: 58

SPLIT FROM: Tom Cruise

HOLLYWOOD icon Nicole, who also divorced Keith Urban, 58, in January, gave us the ultimate blueprint for post-split success following her 2001 divorce from Tom Cruise after 11 years.

Nicole launched a relentless solo career that culminated in her winning an Oscar for The Hours in 2003 and bagging a record-breaking multi-million-pound deal as the face of Chanel No.5, which paid her £500,000 per minute for a single commercial.

Khloe Kardashian

AGE: 41

SPLIT FROM: Lamar Odom

When it comes to turning a messy split into a business empire, we certainly have to hand it to Khloe.

Following her highly publicised divorce from the former NBA player in December 2016, Khloe stepped out in skin-tight dresses for her E! series Revenge Body in 2017.

Since then, she has stripped down for her fashion brand Good American, swelling her worth to £44million.

Lily Allen

AGE: 41

SPLIT FROM: David Harbour

SINGER Lily put her career centre stage following her split from her Stranger Things husband, David, 51, after four years of marriage.

Launching her highly anticipated comeback in October 2025, just one month after she filed for divorce, Lily released her fifth studio album, West End Girl.

The record detailed their divorce, and helped to build her a sturdy personal net worth of an estimated £1.5million.

Shakira

AGE: 49

SPLIT FROM: Gerard Pique

Latin superstar singer Shakira didn’t just move on from the former Barcelona centre-back, 39, she really cashed in.

After his alleged infidelity, Shakira launched her BZRP Music Sessions diss track and reportedly raked in £24million from her heartbreak trilogy.

She also stepped out for high-fashion brands, including in a sheer, diamond-encrusted gown for Burberry.

JEFF Brazier has just shared a trio of adorable photos of his son Bobby spending time with his niece Isla Jade.

The sweet snaps come shortly after Jeff’s other son, Freddy, announced that he had split from Isla’s mother, Holly Swinburn, again.

In two of the photos, Bobby is holding Isla and looking down at her lovingly.

A third shows Bobby laying on the floor with Isla as she reaches her hand out to him while on a baby mat.

Bobby grins widely at little Isla, who was bundled up into a beige babygrow.

Jeff lovingly wrote in the caption: “Uncle Bobby x Isla Jade,” followed y a love heart emoji.

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Fans of the family gushed in the post’s comments section about how wholesome the snaps were.

One user said: “Heart melting.”

A second shared: “So precious… an unbreakable bond.”

A third added: “Stop it. So so beautiful.”

Race Across The World star Freddy and Holly welcomed baby Isla into the world back in March.

The pair have been on/off for the past year having previously split while Holly was pregnant.

They then split again briefly just weeks after Holly gave birth

Their most recent split comes three months after Isla’s birth, with a source telling The Sun that this time the break up is ‘for good’.

The source said: “It’s all over again sadly, they’ve been rowing and fighting and it just all got too much.

“Everyone hopes they can put their issues behind them to co-parent.”

The couple were also reported to have not spoken since the fiery argument.

The source added: “They have split for good. Holly and Freddy just can’t make a relationship work. They’re both too young and similar.

“It all ended after a huge row. They had a fight that got really nasty. Since the row they haven’t seen each other or spoken.

“Friends and family really hope this is the end for them.”

HIS fans have been speculating that something isn’t quite right between Jake Quickenden and his wife Sophie Church over the past couple of days.

And now his pals have ­confirmed to me that the couple, who married in 2022 and have two children together, have formally separated.

Former X Factor star Jake, who has also appeared on I’m A Celeb and Dancing On Ice, and Sophie are understood to have told their close friends and family about their decision to split.

“Jake and Sophie have ended their marriage but they remain incredibly amicable,” a pal told me.

“There is still a huge amount of love and respect between them.

“Their main priority has always been, and continues to be, their children, and they are fully committed to being the best parents possible.

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“Over time, they started to grow apart and Jake and Sophie have had some long and honest conversations about this.

“While they might not be together any more, they are still on great terms and are looking to the future, co-parenting together. Maintaining a happy and supportive family unit together is their focus now.”

Jake and influencer Sophie got together in 2018.

They dated for three years before he popped the question during a holiday to Rhodes in 2021.

Jake spoke about his love for Sophie in the days following their wedding in Ibiza a year later, saying: “I thought it was an angel walking down the aisle.”

He went on to admit they wrote their own vows, joking: “I was saying, ‘I won’t leave empty wrappers in the cupboard any more’. I said, ‘I’ll still love her when she makes a noise when she eats like a squirrel’.

“I said at the end, ‘I think there’s only one true love and you’re my soulmate’.”

Although it hasn’t worked out, I’m glad to hear they’re still on good terms.

MGK’s swipe after Yung’s ticket rap

THEY were once close friends and collaborated on Acting Like That and Body Bag in 2020 and 2019’s I Think I’m Okay but Machine Gun Kelly has now declared war on Yungblud.

The US nonentity took a swipe after Doncaster rocker Yung spoke out about the ­rising cost of live music tickets.

In a video posted on Instagram, Yungblud – who cancelled several dates of his North American tour last year – said: “Live music has become inaccessible, that’s a fact. Artists are cancelling all the time based on lack of ticket sales, because it is an issue, it’s completely unaffordable for people.”

But MGK lashed out: “You cancelled a tour because you couldn’t sell tickets, blamed it on mental health then got paparazzi’d at Nobu the next day Pinocchio. Your tour tickets are the same price as every other artist. Shut the f* up you ­silver-spooned preachy w**r.”

Taking the higher ground, a rep for Yungblud – real name Dominic Harrison – replied: “He genuinely hasn’t got time to engage in this.”

Dom should now let his music do the talking. His last three studio albums went straight to No1, and earlier this year he landed a Grammy for his rendition of pal Ozzy Osbourne’s 1972 hit Changes.

MGK, meanwhile, has never hit the top spot here . . . 

Kylie strikes chord with pal Chris

KYLIE MINOGUE has revealed Coldplay frontman Chris Martin helped bring her new song Light Up to life by sending her a voice note.

I joined a handful of Kylie’s biggest fans at Spotify’s Listening Lounge in London ahead of the launch of her new Netflix docuseries simply titled Kylie, which dropped yesterday.

She explained: “I was coming out from the studio on the phone to Chris while I was working on [album] Tension.

“I told him some of the lines I had, and he asked if he could put some chords to them. Within half an hour, I had a voice note back from him.”

She added: “I can’t imagine Chris is ever very far away from a guitar or drums.”

As well as her new music, fans are finding a new resonance in Kylie’s older tracks following the docuseries – particularly 2023 release Story.

In the Netflix show, Kylie reveals that the closing track from her Tension album was actually about her second cancer diagnosis in 2021.

She sings: “I didn’t let the world know, I was fighting a big fight. Fighting a dark light. Raging hard on the inside.”

Kylie is one of life’s fighters.

Madge point

MADONNA has taken a swipe at Charli XCX after the Guess singer said she reckons dance floors are “dead.”

On her new song Rock Music, Charli sings: “I think the dance floor is dead, so now we’re making rock music.”

Madge’s dance-heavy new album, Confessions On A Dance Floor: Part II comes out on July 3, and she certainly doesn’t agree.

Her original Confessions On A Dance Floor in 2005 was one of the top albums that year and one of the best-selling records of the 21st Century.

So in response, Madge posted this snap on Instagram last night and wrote: “If your dance floor feels dead, maybe you’re playing the wrong music.”
Ouch.

All dolled up

THE PUSSYCAT DOLLS might have been forced to cancel their US tour but they want us to know it is business as usual.

Kimberly Wyatt, Nicole Scherzinger and Ashley Roberts came together in pink outfits to perform at a Huda Beauty event in London.

It was the first official comeback performance ahead of their shows later this year.

They hit Europe and the UK in September.

Frank in new goal

HE co-wrote one of the world’s best football songs with 1996 classic Three Lions, and now Frank Skinner is at it again.

Ahead of Euro 2028, Frank has written a new poem to kick-start BT’s partnership with the competition.

“If you properly care, then you’re properly there,” the poem reads.

“Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, West Bromwich, ready to cheer, to revere and pay homage to our teams and our dreams, our fists punching the air or clenched in despair.”

Let’s hope it’s not the latter.

UNA HEALY has quit alcohol because she was sick of having a “rotten hangover”.

The Saturday’s star, who is five months sober, said on Instagram: “I’ve been asked, ‘Is it hard? Is it tough?’ Well, it is hard.

“Sometimes you feel like you’re missing out but you’re not missing out on that rotten hangover.

“If it’s one day without feeling like s**t because of drink, then bring it on.”