The Sun Newspaper

THE ODYSSEY

(15) 173mins

★★★★★

NO need for theme parks this summer, this is a film that will leave you feeling as though you have ­ridden the highest rollercoaster.

Sir Christopher Nolan’s epic is an all-action, mythical nightmare to behold.

It’s a monumental piece of work, which rarely even feels like a film — more a spectacle to be watched in awe and amazement.

The Ancient Greek poem of the same title, written thousands of years ago, has been retold countless times over the centuries. But never to this scale.

The story is of Odysseus (Matt Damon) and his quest to return to his homeland.

DULCIE PEARCE

500 Miles is a sentimental slog of a film and you’ll feel every painful step

DULCIE PEARCE

Woody and Buzz are back to take on kids’ biggest enemy yet in Toy Story 5

He is the King of Ithaca and the mastermind behind the Trojan Horse trick that ended the war.

His long journey back to his kingdom is to reunite with his wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway), and son, Telemachus (Tom Holland).

They have been waiting for his return for 20 years, and Penelope has many more than 100 suitors ready to take up residency in the royal palace.

They spend their evenings eating the food and drinking the wine of their hostess, while plotting what they will do when she marries them.

One is Antinous (Robert Pattinson), a snarly, devious man who can barely hide his contempt for the family but longs for their power.

Stories run alongside this one, showing Odysseus lost on the island of Ogygia, eating lotus flowers with only the nymph Calypso (Charlize Theron) for company.

She tries to get his memories from him, and he retells the journey he took to get washed up there.

It includes battles, terrifying gods, curses, hauntings, a witch (Samantha Morton) who loves to feed her prey and Zendaya as Athena.

Each tale feels like a film in itself and alongside adrenalin-spiking action, there is a lot of heart.

The basis of the story is love, protection and the attempt to right wrongs.

Damon is spectacular in a role that must have pushed him to his limits physically. While being part of huge battle sequences, he is able to show a range of emotions on his face.

The standout performance has to be Pattinson, who as the hateful Antinous, ­manages to curl his lip to perfection.

Don’t let the nearly three-hour run time put you off.

Like any great ride, the moment it is over, you want it to start all over again.

A CLOSE SHAVE

(U) 30mins

★★★★★

IT’S been more than three decades since Nick Park made us all fall for a cheese-loving bachelor and his silent inventor dog.

And to mark the 50th anniversary of Aardman, the world-famous Bristol-based stop-motion and clay animation studios behind Wallace and Gromit, the films have been given national cinema release for a whole new generation to enjoy.

In this tale, from 1995, Wallace (Peter Sallis) and Gromit are running a high-tech window-cleaning service, which introduces them to wool shop owner Wendolene Ramsbottom (Anne Reid) and her evil-genius dog, Preston.

Thanks to his new canine enemy, Gromit is jailed for crimes he didn’t commit. With the help of his clumsy buddy – who is infatuated with Wendolene – he works to clear his name. Film fans will love the parody of prison movies, and there’s an impressive, climactic cheese scene.

Having won the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film and introducing the character of Shaun the Sheep – who went on to have his own TV spin-off series – this really is a delight to watch again. Brilliantly funny, with enough jeopardy and action to keep you hooked.

HEARTSTOPPER FOREVER

(15) 114mins

★★☆☆☆

AFTER three series of the incredibly successful coming-of-age Netflix drama, the story of the much-loved schoolboy couple, Nick and Charlie, is coming to an end.

This feature-film finale shows Nick (Kit Connor) and Charlie (Joe Locke) are still very much in love.

In fact, they’re obsessively infatuated. At every party they stare at each other across the dance floor. They take selfies every few minutes and all their friends fawn over how they’re the best couple ever.

But Charlie is off to university soon and newly crowned head boy Nick has another year at school. So this throws their relationship into a very mediocre level of disarray.

They go back and forth over what they’re going to do, with high levels of self-inflicted angst and many moments that feel excruciatingly cringey.

Meanwhile, their tight-knit friendship group seem to chat exclusively about their own complicated sexualities.

Written by Alice Oseman and produced by Brett Thomas, the fondness for this couple feels like it can’t forgive the incredibly lame storyline that offers little to no jeopardy.

One for the superfans.

On Netflix.

IT nurtured some of our broadcasting greats, from Terry Wogan and Tony Blackburn to Chris Moyles and Zoe Ball.

But now staff at BBC Radio 1 fear the station is crumbling beyond recognition.

This week it was announced that long-standing duo Melvin Odoom and Rickie Haywood-Williams will be departing, while DJs Dean McCullough, Nat O’Leary, James Cusack and Swarzy are also on their way out.

Meanwhile, social media stars GK Barry and Charley Marlowe are set to come in as part of a shake-up.

And lesser-known DJs Mylo & Rosie, as well as Emil Franchi, have landed bigger slots.

Insiders say tensions at the flagship youth station reached fever pitch after the comings and goings were announced on Wednesday, with some staffers claiming they only learnt of the changes when the BBC press office made them public.

“To say the handling of this feels like an absolute mess is an understatement,” one told The Sun.

“Some producers had no idea their talent was leaving. One of Melvin and Rickie’s team wasn’t told about the changes until they saw the email.

“They’d been on the station for seven years. So to see them suddenly off out of the back door was really upsetting. The atmosphere was chaotic and some staff were absolutely shellshocked.”

The changes have been met with hostility from listeners, many of whom took to social media to vent their anger.

One Radio 1 listener wrote on Instagram: “This is so disappointing.

“Both GK Barry and Charley Marlowe are incredibly talented at their craft but it’s so discouraging to see BBC Radio 1 providing these opportunities to host to already established presenters when there are so many people looking to break into the industry.”

Another was not happy with “clearing out DJs for social media ‘stars’,” while a third added: “Why is R1 on a self-sabotage mission by bringing in a load of social media ‘stars’ and godawful local radio DJs?”

An emotional staffer told us that a meeting, which was said to have included long-standing radio producers, was called to discuss the changes after the announcements were made.

They explained: “There is a weekly meeting on a Wednesday at Radio 1, but this week they called a second meeting where people were invited to speak up.

“A fair few people put their hands up to raise concerns.

“The main bone of contention was why Radio 1 appeared keen to say goodbye to established broadcasters and replace them with YouTubers and TikTokers.

“Much of the blame is being laid at the door of the big boss, Aled Haydn Jones. Some of the staff are so unhappy.”

Aled was a DJ on Radio 1 between 2009 and 2015 before he succeeded Ben Cooper as head of the station in 2020.

Insiders say he prides himself on championing new talent and is behind the raft of influencers joining the line-up, including GK, who came fifth in 2024’s I’m A Celeb.

Her arrival, alongside social media sensation Charley, has allegedly more than ruffled feathers.

“These influencers are lovely but they’re not radio geeks like most of the DJs who work at Radio 1,” one staffer explained.

“Working at Radio 1 is the dream job for any budding broadcaster who has put in the hard yards on student radio or local stations.

“It was held up as the pinnacle by so many people.

“But now it’s being eroded by this desperation to bring in ‘new’ talent that they think will bring in a new audience.

“The producers who work on these shows are so upset at what is happening.

“A couple have already decided to walk away. And it won’t be long before others start jumping ship.”

Another staffer added: “Aled seems to think social media is going to save Radio 1, but where’s the proof?

“Audience figures are down and they think the way to save it is by plugging the gap with people who are popular on the internet.

“That’s all well and good, but will their millions of followers start tuning into Radio 1 just to listen to them? It’s doubtful.

“Their fans already have access to their content at the touch of a button and that is a daily habit.

“Making them carve out a new habit of listening to them every day is incredibly difficult.”

Launched in 1967, Radio 1 was born out of the need to compete with the rise of pirate radio stations which had become hugely popular.

Legendary broadcaster Tony Blackburn was the first DJ to broadcast on the new station.

It grew into a juggernaut of the airwaves, commanding audiences of ten million for some shows and making huge stars out of presenters including Chris Evans, Simon Mayo and Sara Cox.

But as listening habits change, audiences across the BBC and commercial stations are decreasing.

Figures at the start of this year confirmed that the weekly audience reach across BBC radio stations is in steady decline.

In the final quarter of 2025, Radio 1’s weekly audience reach dropped by six per cent compared to the same period last year.

But bosses were keen to stress that their target market of 15 to 29-year-olds was consuming Radio 1 in different ways.

In that same final quarter, the station boasted more than 329million views on social media and Radio 1’s YouTube videos have had more than 6.1billion views.

But one BBC employee said: “It’s not just young people that listen to Radio 1.

“There is a decent percentage of listeners that are older.

“They have stuck with the station since they were young and they tune in to listen to DJs they have known and loved for years. Putting some influencers in their places, regardless of how well known they are, won’t translate as well.

“Many people working at Radio 1 think Aled is making a mistake if he carries on in this vein.”

The remaining jewel in the Radio 1 crown is Breakfast Show host Greg James.

Greg, 40, took over the coveted role from Nick Grimshaw in 2018 and pulls in more than four million listeners, making it the No1 Breakfast Show for young people across the country. But a well-placed insider revealed that BBC Radio 2 — the nation’s biggest station — was keen to bring him on board.

“Greg had meetings with Radio 2 and they were testing the water in a bid to poach him,” a source claimed.

“When Scott Mills left Radio 2’s Breakfast Show and Sara Cox took over, there was a lot of talk at Broadcasting House about whether Greg would make the move. But he’s definitely staying on board at Radio 1 for now.

“To lose Greg would have been horrendous because he is such a figurehead at Radio 1.

“Thankfully, he’s remaining in place.”

The Sun understands some staffers are now considering jumping ship with the departing talent.

And the blame is being solely laid at Aled’s door.

“Aled has been massacring the schedules and the method isn’t working,” one staffer said.

“The feeling is that he is ruining Radio 1 and it is heartbreaking.

“It feels like the craft of making radio isn’t being respected and the people behind the scenes who craft this magic for the audience aren’t being treated with the respect they deserve. Radio 1 used to be the best station to work at, with the most talented pool of people and the most incredible presenters.

“It’s like a shadow of what it once was.”

A BBC spokesman said: “Radio 1 is proud to be the number one station for young audiences and has a strong track record of supporting and developing young and emerging radio talent, with a huge majority of presenters having come through the station’s own initiatives and opportunities.

“Alongside Radio 1’s commitment to nurturing new voices, there will always be a home for DJs with specialist music knowledge and talent from a diverse range of backgrounds who we know resonate with our young audience.”

JESY Nelson says she “can’t stop crying” over her “bittersweet” victory to test all babies in England with SMA – knowing it came too late for her twin daughters.

The groundbreaking rule change comes as the former Little Mix star faces fresh heartache over her one-year-old kids, Ocean Jade and Story Monroe, whose latest test results sparked concern following treatment for the muscle-wasting disease.

It’s feared the girls will never be able to walk after a late diagnosis of the life-threatening condition Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1.

In her new Prime Video show, Jesy Nelson: Life Changing, the singer breaks down in tears over the guilt she carries and worries her children will blame her, when they’re older, for not spotting the signs sooner.

Jesy told The Sun: “I know it’s not my fault, but when I watch back videos of when I brought them home and they were kicking their legs, I realise now that over the course of a month, they just stopped.

“That’s the part where the guilt kicks in because I don’t understand how I didn’t see that. Why didn’t I spot that?

HELL & BACK

I had first look at Jesy Nelson’s new doc… watching her break apart stunned me

TEST WIN

Victory for Jesy Nelson as all babies to get free tests for muscle wasting disease

“But when I left the neonatal ward, I was constantly told to check their temperature, make sure you’re monitoring their breathing and there was so much other stuff that I was looking out for because they were premature babies.

“I just honestly didn’t focus on the movement of their legs.

“Thank God for my mum, because God knows what position I would have been in if she hadn’t spotted it.

“That will probably never leave me. I’ll be honest, I don’t think it ever will. But I really hope as they get older, they understand how flipping amazing they are because they are the most resilient little girls I’ve ever known.

“I’m literally in awe of them. Even with what they have to endure every day, they are the happiest babies.”

At Ocean and Story’s most recent three-month review at St Ormond Street’s Children’s Hospital, doctors warned Jesy the girls were not responding to treatment the way they had hoped.

She said: “Unfortunately, some of the numbers have gone down. We had a long discussion and there’s a possibility they may have to go back on treatment, which is just heartbreaking.

“I constantly battle between manifesting they’re going to defy the odds and trying to come to accept that that may not happen.

“It’s a really weird position to be in because you you think ‘well, if that doesn’t happen, am I just going to feel heartbroken for the rest of my life?’

“Then you worry, if I accept it, am I also manifesting that?”

She added: “I don’t ever want them to feel any less than or feel like it defines them. I really want them to know how special they are.

“I want this to be their little superpower.”

Speaking candidly, Jesy admits the success of her campaign for a breakthrough rule change – adding screening for spinal muscular atrophy to the NHS‘s newborn blood spot test – was a tough pill to swallow.

Every year 50 babies born with the condition will now find out they carry the genetic condition at birth. It means they can be given treatment before nerves and muscles are damaged beyond repair.

Jesy said: “I’ve not stopped crying, I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I just keep going through waves of emotions. I’ve had an outpouring of messages from families within the SMA community.

“It’s just a real weird one because obviously there’s a lot of mixed emotions. I think for people dealing with children that have got SMA, who got diagnosed too late, feel it’s almost a bit bittersweet.

“It’s a tough pill to swallow to know that, yes, this change is amazing and I really don’t want to take anything away from it, but if only this had been here for our children.

“It’s just sad because so many families have campaigned about this for years.

“So yeah I’ve going through a real mix of emotions, but ultimately I am super proud. I’m ridiculously proud and cannot wait until our children are old enough to tell them they’ve played a massive part in change.”

Her new Prime Video doc is released on Friday, July 17.

The 60-minute episode shows the moment Jesy finds out her daughters’ diagnosis and her grit and determination to launch her campaign.

While a phased rollout will begin in October 2026, Jesy’s fight continues to raise awareness of the condition because the screening won’t be available in other parts of the UK.

“I hope as many people as possible see the documentary because I wanted to raise as much awareness as I could about it and the signs to look out for.

“As amazing as the rollout is, Northern Ireland and Wales are still not part of the heel-prick test, meaning many babies will still be undiagnosed and not treated in time.

“I’m just praying that if they watch this documentary, they will spot the signs early enough, take them to the doctor and get them treatment.”

• Jesy Nelson: Life Changing will be available exclusively on Prime Video on July 17.

STRANGER Things star Millie Bobby Brown has had a swimming pool built — just for her dogs.

The 22-year-old British actress runs an animal rescue organisation called Joey’s Friends on her farm in Atlanta, Georgia, and wants to train pooches to swim.

Millie also admitted her most expensive purchases are related to her animals.

Quizzed over the most unnecessary thing she has spent money on this year, she said: “Maybe a goat shed.

“Like I didn’t need the shed, did I? But the goats love it. I just thought it was cute. Also, a new chicken coop. That or I just built a swimming pool for my foster dogs.”

Millie then recalled the chat she had with her husband, 24-year-old model Jake Bongiovi, who she wed in 2024.

More on Millie Bobby Brown

HOLMES HOWLER

Netflix fans spot glaring blunder in Enola Holmes 3 – did you?

GOT THE TRAIT

I want to go on Traitors, says Millie Bobby Brown – here’s why I’d be perfect

She told the On Purpose With Jay Shetty podcast: “He’s like, ‘Why?’

“And I’m like, ‘Because it gets hot in the summer, and I want them to learn how to swim so that when they get adopted, they can swim’.”

Last year she said she had 62 pets including 25 farm animals, 23 foster dogs, ten of her own dogs and four cats.

She is believed to have rescued and rehomed more than 230 dogs.

Millie, who has an estimated net worth of £24million, has several goats named after rappers including Eminem, Cardi B, Slick Rick and Biggie Smalls, as well as chickens.

She said: “I have a lot of animals on the farm that were bullied out of their own farm.

“So the herds just kind of chose, ‘We hate that donkey’. Then that donkey comes to me. I have a lot of outcasts. That’s exactly where I belong.”

Millie hit the big time playing Eleven in the Netflix sensation — at the age of 12.

She made her movie debut in 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters before starring in The Enola Holmes Mysteries.

She has since launched her own fashion range.

ONCE the golden couple of Hollywood, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s multi- million-pound divorce battle rumbled on longer than they were man and wife.

And ten years since proceedings first started, the bitterness between those involved shows no sign of slowing down.

Brad, 62, watched in horror this week as the final steps were taken to remove any trace of him from the once-glorified “Brangelina” clan.

In a brutal move, his children Maddox, 24, and Zahara, 21, have both filed court papers to officially change their surname from Jolie-Pitt to just Jolie.

Siblings Shiloh, 20, and Vivienne, 18, have already turned their backs on the Pitt name, while Knox, 18, has also dropped it from informal documents and is estranged from Brad.

This leaves only Pax, 23, still using the Pitt surname.

ROO ARE YA?

How Coleen Rooney masterminded Wayne’s transformation amid fat jab rumours

bride beauty

Liam Hemsworth’s ex and Dynasty star weds long-term boyfriend in New Zealand

Insiders say that Brad has been left privately “devastated” by the decision.

A source said: “One by one, his children, who he was once so close to, have removed their connection to him.

“He really wonders if he’ll ever rebuild bridges with his shattered brood now.”

It is the latest twist in the family saga, following on from allegations of physical abuse, financial coercion and severe family PTSD as well as a Father’s Day Instagram post from Pax calling Brad a “world-class a**hole”.

It all helps cement Brad and Angelina’s divorce as perhaps the most toxic the entertainment world has ever seen.

In September, it will have been a decade since Maleficent star Angelina, 51, first filed for divorce from movie heart-throb Brad.

Their relationship started not long after they met on the set of 2005 film Mr & Mrs Smith, when Brad was still married to Jennifer Aniston.

They wed in 2014 but, less than two years later, in September 2016, they split in explosive fashion.The former couple had previously adopted Maddox, Zahara and Pax before having Shiloh, Vivienne and Knox.

But Brad, who was once inseparable from all six kids, has now been well and truly frozen out.

Legal notices published in the Los Angeles Daily Journal yesterday reveal that both Maddox and Zahara have filed petitions to change their surnames.

If approved, the changes will become official in court, with Maddox’s hearing set for September 14 and Zahara’s two weeks later.

Zahara has publicly gone by Zahara Jolie since starting university.

Shiloh legally dropped “Pitt” after turning 18 in 2024, while Vivienne was credited simply as “Vivienne Jolie” as a production assistant for the Broadway show The ­Outsiders.

Pax is the only one still using the Pitt surname, but he has an incredibly difficult relationship with his dad, who he once claimed made his younger siblings ­“tremble in fear”.

Brad’s relationship with his children seemed to change for ever after an ill-fated flight in 2016, which also marked the end of the high-profile showbiz marriage.

The couple are said to have tried to keep their blistering rows from the children, but that became impossible in the confines of a private jet.

In a report filed by the FBI about the incident, Angelina claimed Brad yelled at her before pulling her into the toilet, where he pushed her against the wall and punched the ceiling repeatedly.

It is also alleged that when one of their kids tried to protect their mum, Brad “choked one of the children and struck another in the face”.

It has long been rumoured that it was Maddox who was assaulted.

The report said Brad then poured beer on his family as they tried to sleep.

The incident led to an investigation by children’s services, with Angelina being awarded temporary full custody and Brad only allowed supervised visits. He was later fully cleared.

Just days later, Angelina filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable diff­erences.

Pax’s private Instagram post on Father’s Day 2020 suggests the kids experienced problems before and after the plane incident.

He wrote: “You time and time again prove yourself to be a terrible and despicable person.

“You have no consideration or empathy toward your four youngest children, who tremble in fear when in your presence.

“You will never understand the damage you have done to my family because you’re incapable of doing so.”

Brad later confirmed that his boozing had become a problem, revealing he had visited Alcoholics Anonymous groups.

He said: “I had taken things as far as I could take it, so I removed my drinking privileges.

“You had all these men sitting around being open and honest in a way I have never heard.

“It was this safe space where there was little judgment, and therefore little judgment of yourself. It was actually really freeing just to expose the ugly sides of yourself.

“There’s great value in that.”

The confession did nothing to quell the animosity between the parties, though.

And while the divorce might have been finalised in 2024 — after eight agonising years — another legal fight is still rumbling on.

The former lovers are locked in an acrimonious $350million court battle, known as the War Of The Rosés, over Angelina’s decision to secretly sell her stake in their ­Chateau Miraval vineyard and home for $64million to Russian booze tycoon Yuri Shefler in 2021.

Brad then sued her in a bid to void the sale.

The couple bought the 1,300-acre Miraval estate in Provence, southern France, in 2008 and married there in 2014.

Angelina claims she originally wanted to sell her stake to Brad, but he demanded she sign an $8.5million non-disclosure agreement as part of the deal.

Her legal team argued it was a coercive tactic to prevent her ­talking about his alleged abuse.

A trial has been scheduled for February 1 next year.

Insiders have claimed that Brad’s partner of four years, Ines de Ramon, 33, has tried to persuade him to end the hostilities.

A source said: “Ines wants to have a life together — with possibly children in the future — without the albatross that is the eight-year War Of The Rosés.”

While Angelina’s attorneys have filed explosive allegations in court, she has kept a mostly dignified silence.

In 2020, the actress turned human rights advocate addressed the ugly split in a rare interview with Vogue.

She said: “I separated for the wellbeing of my family. It was the right decision.

“I continue to focus on their healing.”

During another interview, when asked if she worried about the safety of her children, she said: “Yes, for my family. My whole family.”

And during the Press tour for her 2021 Marvel film Eternals, in which she played Thena, a warrior battling memory loss and a fantasy-world version of PTSD, she revealed that she had been diagnosed with the condition.

She said: “I had talked to the director about experiencing PTSD myself a few years ago and my own fears about not being strong enough to protect those that I love.”

And while Brad might have moved on, Angelina, who was widely once considered one of the world’s most beautiful women, remains single.

Last month, she said: “To be candid, I haven’t dated since I divorced a decade ago.

“So I kind of get in my head that that aspect of me is not centered in my life if I’m focusing on my children, my family.”

It is true that all six children have certainly been caught up in the crossfire of their parents’ decade-long war, with the sorry saga serving as a cautionary tale to other Hollywood couples on the cusp of divorce.

Now, as the February 2027 trial over the battle for the French vineyard looms, peace still seems a long way off.

And while Brad might still be fighting over his financial future, his legacy with his family appears to be long gone.

BUSTED’s Matt Willis has penned an emotional book about his life on and off the stage.

The musician says he hopes the project will help others who are currently battling addiction issues.

Speaking about Mending: Busted, Breaking and Getting Better, out on October 8, Matt said: “For a long time, I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to tell this story, or even if I should.

“But over the last few years, I’ve realised that talking honestly about addiction, recovery, family and everything I’ve learned along the way might help someone else.

“This isn’t a book about having all the answers. I definitely don’t.

“It’s about learning that recovery isn’t a finish line, life doesn’t suddenly become perfect, and that we’re all still figuring things out as we go.

ROO ARE YA?

How Coleen Rooney masterminded Wayne’s transformation amid fat jab rumours

bride beauty

Liam Hemsworth’s ex and Dynasty star weds long-term boyfriend in New Zealand

“Writing it has been one of the hardest and most rewarding things I’ve ever done, and I honestly can’t wait for you to read it.”

Just four weeks before his marriage to Emma Willis in 2008, Matt checked into rehab, and despite a relapse in 2016, he’s now been sober for almost nine years.

He’s a brave man, and I’m looking forward to reading his book.

WANT A BLUE PETER BADGE LIKE HARRY? YOU JUST HAVE TO ASK

HARRY STYLES said it was one of his proudest achievements when he was given a Gold Blue Peter Badge to mark his record-breaking run of 12 shows at Wembley .

But I can reveal that the Beeb has now resorted to giving the famous accolade away on freebie websites in a desperate bid to keep the younger generation tuning in.

Once a prized possession, Blue Peter badges used to be given out strictly on merit.

However, an online listing reads: “The BBC are giving away free Blue Peter badges to anyone aged between five and 15.

“The badge allows you to gain free entry to over 200 attractions. Just send Blue Peter a letter explaining why you’d like one. That’s all.”

I understand it’s a sign of the times, but it seems a bit bleak to give it away for next to nothing.

BRITAIN’S Got Talent winner Sydnie Christmas joined American legend Gloria Gaynor for an unlikely collaboration on her 1979 hit I Will Survive at Boogie- town Festival in Surrey at the weekend.

Sydnie said: “I didn’t want it to end. Her love and passion consumes you.

“In that moment, nothing else mattered but the love of music.”

PUB MICK: IT’S CRAWL OVER NOW

SIR MICK JAGGER has revealed how he ended up singing in a pub in Oxford last month.

The global rock icon, whose band The Rolling Stones are on course for their 15th No1 album on Friday with Foreign Tongues, joined an Irish folk group at The Half Moon pub where he sang Handsome Molly with them.

Explaining how it happened, he told the Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend podcast: “I had dinner at an Oxford college and then one of the students who I was talking with said, ‘I play mandolin. I’m going down the road to play with an Irish band. Do you want to come?’.

“I said, ‘Sure’, and I took a couple of people I was with and the provost of the college, who took his gown off.

“The band was doing fiddle pieces and the guy joined in with his mandolin, but no one was singing so I thought, ‘Well, here’s an opening. This is my chance for pub crawl singing’.”

I don’t think you’ll ever have to revert to that, Mick.

Kerry’s all gold

KERRY WASHINGTON was going for gold as she hit the red carpet.

The actress wore this quirky metallic gown at the opening of stage production The Whoopi Monologues in New York.

Things really are going swimmingly for US star Kerry, who appears in the show penned by Sister Act’s Whoopi Goldberg.

The one-woman comedy turn debuted on Broadway in 1984, starring Whoopi herself, pictured with Kerry at the opening.

Speaking on US TV’s The View about the original hit, Kerry said: “Whoopi has been such a groundbreaker – a trailblazer and an inspiration for so many of us.

“Throughout my career, this show became a bonding place with other actresses. I would meet them and we would talk about how it impacted us and our idea of what was possible.”

SET FOR A MAIDEN VOYAGE

IRON MAIDEN have sold a stake in their publishing and master music rights, name and image to the Pophouse Entertainment company run by Abba’s Bjorn Ulvaeus, with massive plans to expand their legacy.

The big-money deal with Bruce Dickinson and the group was announced yesterday and comes after the firm partnered with other acts including Tina Turner and Kiss.

It will mean the band can pursue new creative ventures, including the filming of their Run For Your Lives tour for a “major cinematic project” as well as “developing a digital universe centered around” their mascot Eddie.

It’s exciting news for fans of the band, given Pophouse is the founding investor in Abba Voyage.

Perhaps Iron Maiden will be returning to a stage, in digital form, soon.

Kim’s heart is racing

KIM KARDASHIAN and Lewis Hamilton’s romance is motoring.

She shared this cute selfie with the F1 legend and her daughter Chicago, taken on a family getaway to Idaho.

Kim captioned the post on Instagram: “Summers at the lake with my favourite people.”

I first revealed in February that Lewis and Kim were dating, before they were pictured at the Super Bowl.

Since then, they’ve jetted all over the world on a series of dates, with Kim recently supporting her man at the Monaco Grand Prix.

Judging by the smile on her daughter’s face, Kim isn’t the only one who’s been won over by Lewis.

WHILE many will be hitting beaches across the UK, we’ve got an idea to help you swerve the crowds.

These glorious woods and forests are perfect for escaping the current heatwave, with plenty of dappled shade for lovely treks and picnics.

Here, Sophie Swietochowski looks at seven great days out . . . 

WESTONBIRT ARBORETUM

One of the UK’s largest and most glorious arboretums, Westonbirt, in Gloucestershire, is much more than just a forest.

More than 2,500 species are thriving here and some of the trees in this 240-hectare space are so ancient, they’ve weathered almost 2,000 years of change.

Why not grab a sandwich from the cafe and take a pew next to the arboretum’s oldest tree — a small-leaved lime in the Silk Wood area.

WAIL OF A TIME

I drove Irish Route 66 with deserted golden beaches and pirate-like islands

TEMPTED?

Tiny ‘Bali of Europe’ town with stunning beaches, €3 cocktails and £20 flights

HALDON FOREST PARK

Devon’s beaches are likely to be packed in the coming weeks, but this fabulous park is a great alternative.

There are plenty of shaded areas, plus kids can be kept entertained along the Room on the Broom activity trail.

Pack a coolbox of goodies and take advantage of the many picnic spots.

BEDGEBURY NATIONAL PINETUM & FOREST

This haven in Kent is the largest pinetum in the entire world, and its collection of conifers is renowned globally.

Now is the best time to visit, as the team have mowed grassy paths to help visitors explore, while also sheltering beneath the giant trees.

HAMSTERLEY FOREST

If you would prefer to cool off by water, this forest in County Durham has a river running through its centre.

Kids can slip off their shoes and go for a paddle after tiring themselves out at the outdoor Viking Wildplay, which is pretty well shaded.

If you do want to stroll the trails, they are mostly wheelchair-accessible and pram-friendly.

ALICE HOLT FOREST

Worried about how you’re going to amuse the kids over the summer months?

Then make a beeline for this forest in Hampshire.

It’s an adventurer’s paradise with nature and play trails galore and even a Go Ape course, sheltered by the surrounding trees.

Make sure to check the events page ahead of your visit to find out what’s happening that week.

DELAMERE FOREST

This gorgeous spot in Cheshire is a wonderful spot for nature enthusiasts.

Major work has gone into restoring the hidden pools within the forest to encourage the return of the White-Faced Darter dragonfly — one of the rarest in the UK.

This forest is likely to be one of the coolest of the bunch, too, thanks to the many peat bogs and moss carpets that keep the forest floor damp.

FINESHADE WOOD

Both the kids and Fido will love this gloriously sheltered spot in Northamptonshire.

You’ll be sharing the 516 hectares with deer, dragonflies and butterflies, and keep an eye out through the tree canopy for the buzzards soaring overhead.

When the heat gets too much, the on-site Grounds Cafe is loaded with ice cream — and there’s even some doggy-friendly scoops, so no one misses out.

• For more details on any of the sites featured on this page, head online to forestryengland.uk.

LEWIS Capaldi celebrated the end of two ­triumphant sets at BST Hyde Park with a massive boozing session with singer pal Jacob Alon.

Insiders spotted the Scottish Beyonce hitting The Golden Lion Bar backstage with a big group of family and friends who had travelled down from across the border to celebrate with him.

A source said: “Lewis and Jacob hit the bar hard on Sunday night, and that was after he sank a few with Sam Fender after their performance on Saturday.

“He was really in the mood to party, and so was his family.

“Lewis’s dad Mark became the most popular bloke backstage after buying a round of beers for the people working at the Yeti Coffee van.

“It was a massive party atmosphere.

RIH’S RETURN

Rihanna’s 9th album takes twist as star looks to Brit music for inspo

GIG-HEARTED

Pink splashes £16k on star’s gig tickets at auction before donating them back

“On Sunday, Lewis took the time to go around every artist on the line-up to thank them for taking part.

A sopurce said: “He is the sweetest bloke in music and everyone backstage was grabbing selfies or drinking beers with him.”

On stage for his final night in London, Lewis was ­dishing out his best banter, ­joking with the crowd: “I won’t be around for long because I’m grossly overweight. KFC, KFC, Burger King  . . .”

But giving fans something to get excited about, he added: “I’m going to go away after the summer and make an album for everybody, and when I come back, I hope you’re all still here.”

Lewis’s last album was 2023’s Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent, which gave him his second UK No1 album and spawned three UK No1 singles in Forget Me, Pointless, and Wish You The Best.

That same year, he struggled to make it through his Glastonbury Pyramid Stage set due to a Tourette’s flare-up, then took time off.

Insisting he’s now in a good place, he told the Hyde Park crowd: “I just want to say there was a point where I never thought this would be possible again.

“But we are here and we are playing it and we are having a great time.

“Having said that, there was a time where things were really bad.

“I have played in London a bunch of times and there has been a bunch of times that I haven’t really been enjoying it.

“But to be sat up here and to be honestly able to say that I’m f***ing ­having a buzz up here is a really special thing.”

It’s great to see him back on top form.

Ella showing decks appeal

Ella Eyre is adding a new string to her bow as she works on the follow-up to her last album, Everything In Time.

During an exclusive chat backstage at BST Hyde Park, Ella said: “I’m starting to dabble with DJ-ing so that’s opening up a whole new world.

“What I’ve realised is that the music I love and listen to is not what I’m known for, and it’s allowed me to expand my ability to perform on stage in a different way. Watch this space.

“That stuff might come into play more in the next couple of years. I might be moving to Ibiza. Who knows?”

Everything, In Time, which came out last November, was the long-awaited follow-up to her debut record, 2015’s Feline.

Ella confirmed she has started working on new music, explaining: “I’m writing the next album now. I’m going to take my time with it to make sure it’s what I want it to be, but I don’t want it to take as long as the last one took.

“To go back to the drawing board is kind of scary and daunting, but I’m learning to be cut-throat.”

She added: “I can be quite bull-headed in the way that I approach things, so finding different avenues to express myself has really helped.”

Ella, who performed as a support act for Maroon 5 at BST at the start of the month, has more live shows coming up and joked she is simply looking forward to sleeping in her own bed again soon.

She revealed: “I cannot travel without noise-cancelling headphones because you don’t know who you end up sleeping near in the bus, and we have some snorers.

That’s my worst nightmare.

Kesha had the most “zen” backstage area at BST Hyde Park to help keep her calm.

She had her own private oasis created behind the main stage before her set supporting Pitbull on Friday night.

An insider explained: “Kesha made her own tranquil paradise amid the madness of the festival.

“She had loads of plants on her rider, which were turned into a ­little garden for her to relax in.

“It was the most laid-back set up ever seen at BST.”

Zen’s Greek chic

Zendaya looked ready for battle in strappy gladiator-style heels as she continued her never-ending press tour in New York.

She wore an ivory minidress as she made her way to a telly appearance to promote Christopher Nolan’s new epic The Odyssey, which hits cinemas on Friday. The premiere comes ahead of the release of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which Zendaya also stars in, less than a fortnight later.

She appears opposite husband Tom Holland in both films, and it was Tom who gave her the news that she’d been cast as Athena in the adaptation of Homer’s Ancient Greek epic.

Zendaya said Tom, who plays Telemachus, the son of the main character Odysseus, handed her a script, recalling: “He [Nolan] was like, ‘Read it again.’ And I was like, ‘OK.’

“And he was like, ‘But now, think of Athena.’ I was like, ‘Stop right now! You’re joking!’

“He was allowed to be the one to tell me, and that was really special.”

Ed Sheeran is teaming up with the Government to support its Music in Libraries programme.

The Ed Sheeran Foundation will aid the rollout of £12.5 million in government funding which will create dedicated music spaces in public libraries across England.

The Shape of You singer met with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy last year when they visited not-for-profit music and arts organisation Brighten The Corners in his home county of Suffolk..

Ed Sheeran Foundation CEO Dr Renuka Fernando said: “The Music in Libraries programme is an important step forward for music education.

“By expanding access to music beyond the classroom, our library network can help ensure that children and young people from communities across England have the opportunity to engage with music, regardless of where they live.”

Move to USA? Leigh-Anne has mixed feelings

Leigh-Anne Pinnock is in a tussle with her husband over relocating to the US because she doesn’t feel appreciated in the UK.

The Little Mix star said she wants to move to New York to further her solo music career, but footballer Andre Gray isn’t convinced.

Leigh-Anne, who is pregnant with her third child, said: “In the UK, I think there’s a lot of black female artists that aren’t getting the support they deserve, and people are coming to America for that reason.

“I definitely feel like there’s a market here for me and a fanbase that I can keep nurturing, but I have to be here.

“I’ll be honest, it is really hard with kids.

“My girls go to school in the UK. If I come here, I can only really do two weeks at a time.

“I want to move to New York, but my husband doesn’t want to.”

During an appearance on the Relations**t podcast, she also opened up about how filming her stint for the upcoming series of Celebrity Traitors helped her get away from toxic social media.

Leigh-Anne explained: “I didn’t realise how bad my mental health was until I came away from it.

“I filmed Traitors recently and didn’t have my phone, and I had a really good cleanse.

“I think social media is not made for mental health. It was really affecting me.”

Rihanna, and Bey help Jay-Z

Jay-Z pulled out all the stops at his New York show on Sunday, despite the fact it started four hours late.

It was after midnight before he arrived on stage at the Yankee Stadium, but he more than made up for it by bringing out special guests Rihanna, Usher and Beyonce.

Rihanna, who hasn’t performed since 2024 but sang Run This Town and Bitch Better Have My Money with Jay, told the crowd: “Y’all know I’m rusty, right? It’s been a while.”

She added: “I miss this s**t y’all. I love you guys.”

Other musicians who joined him during the two-and-a-half hour show included Teyana Taylor, Jermaine Dupri, Jeezy, The Dream, Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys.

However, given it didn’t end until 3am, I’m sure there were plenty of sore heads in the Big Apple yesterday.

Formula 1 fans are in for a treat after McLaren Racing announced a one-off show at London’s O2 Arena featuring top drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

The pair will be interviewed on stage, alongside other McLaren F1 talent, about the racing season. Tickets for the event, on December 14, go on sale on ­Friday.

New star on the Ho-Z1on

New artist Z1ON has already secured the backing of some of the biggest names in the industry, despite only ­dropping a couple of tracks online.

The rising star will this week release his new song Magazine Girl – with Cruz and Romeo Beckham backing him for success.

Last week, he was spotted with Rita Ora on a night out in London, while Liam Gallagher recently took to X to brand him a “spiritual dream weaver”.

I have no idea what that actually means, but I guess we are about to find out.

Chaka out Alex

Ain’t Nobody compares to Alexandra Burke as she transforms into Chaka Khan for the US singer’s ­biographical musical, I’m Every Woman.

The Broken Heels singer beamed at the curtain call at 3 Mills Studios in East London during a special ­preview of the show, ahead of its launch at Troubadour ­Wembley Park Theatre, which kicks off next Wednesday and runs until September 27.

It’s a full-circle moment for Alexandra, whose late mum ­Melissa encouraged her to audition for The X Factor with Chaka’s song Ain’t Nobody back in 2008.

She said: “It’s very ­emotional being here. But I really feel and believe this is a gift from my mum.”

GOODBYE boys, Wonderbra icon Eva Herzigova is officially off the market.

The supermodel, 53, married her longtime partner, Gregorio Marsiaj, following a 25-year romance.

Eva, who featured in the famous 1994 Hello Boys campaign for push bras, looked radiant in a flowing white dress as she tied the knot in Turin, Italy, on Saturday.

Joined by their three sons, George, Philipe and Edward, along with a close circle of relatives and friends, Eva and businessman Gregorio exchanged vows at a church, followed by a civil ceremony and an intimate dinner.

The couple first met in 2001 and got engaged in 2017.

Eva was previously married to Bon Jovi drummer Tico Torres in 1996, but the couple divorced two years later.

Who are the McGregor vs Holloway ring-girls? Meet the models for UFC 329 show

BEL OF THE BALL

Haaland’s girlfriend Isabel leaves fans stunned with outfit for England tie

She has also been linked to record executive Guy Oseary and model Kelly Rippy.

The model has previously rubbed shoulders with royalty.

In 2017, King Charles opened a pool with supermodel Eva.

Charles hailed the makeover “decidedly splendid” in New Cumnock, Ayrshire.

Eva joined a host of VIPs including Olympic swimmer Duncan Scott and entrepreneur Sir Tom Hunter at the re-launch.

MODEL Lila Moss is helping others to feel much boulder.  

The 23-year-old daughter of fashion icon Kate Moss posed on rocks in Athens in a black Burberry swimsuit. 

Lila, whose father is creative director Jefferson Hack, has been praised for having her Type 1 diabetes monitors on show, raising awareness. 

Lila Grace Moss was born on September 29, 2002, in London, UK.

Her parents split two years after Lila was born, but they’ve still both managed to spend time with their daughter.

Despite her parents’ A-list status, Hack told Sunday Times Magazine that Lila finds them “deeply uncool.”

serving looks

J-Lo & Nicole Kidman ace Wimbledon fashion as they lead celebs arrivals

BROKEN BOND

Beckham family share new snap celebrating England’s win… without Brooklyn

Like Kate, however, Lila has a passion for fashion and began her career at the early age of 14.

In October 2018, Lila Grace Moss became the new face of Marc Jacobs Beauty.

Marc first met Lila on a trip to Formentera in 2008 when she was just six years old.

He broke the news on Instagram writing: “At just 6 years old, Lila’s strong character, demeanour and great beauty was already very apparent.

“The next time I saw Lila was in August of 2011 at Kate’s wedding (to now ex-husband Jamie Hince), her character was even more dynamic and her beauty even greater.”

RICKY Gervais banked £16.2million from his sell-out 80-date live Mortality tour, accounts show.

The Brit comedy legend, 65, raked in £311,500 a week for the stint.

It meant the 2025-26 financial year was his best earner to date.

His firm, Red Lion 99, has £17.9million in assets and he has another £33.9million in his TV and film firms listed on Companies House.

Gervais will earn even more from a new nationwide tour, Legend, which starts this autumn.

Yet the Reading-born star is known to be disinterested in wealth.

READ MORE ON RICKY GERVAIS

OFFICE POLITICS

Inside The Office rift as Ricky Gervais snubs BBC on show’s 25th birthday

SHAKE-UP

Woke Bafta hosts could be axed after Ricky Gervais offers to turn it into roast

He once said: “People ask me why I dress like a tramp.

“And I say, ‘My clothes are clean and comfortable.

“Who am I trying to impress?’

“I don’t wear £50,000 watches. I don’t collect cars. I can’t drive.”

“Nothing gives me more of a buzz than to help an animal. I don’t get excited about things.

“I’m not a hippie or communist, I think money’s for the safety of your family and friends, and you can’t take it with you.”

AFTER a bargain family break? All-inclusive getaways to far-flung sunshine spots are seeing huge price cuts for this summer – so get booking.

The United Arab Emirates boasts the largest price drop, with holiday providers and hotels launching mega deals to entice Brits back after the outbreak of war in Iran, according to data from TravelSupermarket and icelolly.com.

All-inclusive family breaks in particular are looking cheap as chips, with the nightly cost of getaways down 25 per cent on the previous year in the UAE.

The study looked at all-inclusive seven-night family breaks departing in August to popular holiday destinations, factoring in inflation, and found that, on average, a Middle East holiday would set families back just £169pp per night in August this year.

Last year, it would have been £226pp per night.

Chris Webber, Head of Holidays and Deals at TravelSupermarket, said: “Events in the Middle East have made some families think twice about where they travel this summer, and tour operators have responded by cutting prices.

WAIL OF A TIME

I drove Irish Route 66 with deserted golden beaches and pirate-like islands

SPAIN PAIN

Is it safe to travel to Spain amid wildfires? Everything to know about holidays

“The result is destinations like the UAE and Egypt are offering some of the best value we’ve seen in years.”

The Dominican Republic has seen the second largest fall in prices, with dips of around 11 per cent on average from the previous year.

The average cost of a family getaway there would be £228pp per night this year, compared with £257pp per night in 2025.

Mauritius placed third in the price drop table, having seen a 10.9 per cent dip since 2025.

Mid-haul destinations such as Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia are also looking more affordable than they were last year, with reductions of 8.1 per cent, 6.5 per cent and 2.5 per cent respectively.

Malta is the only European destination to see prices drop in 2026.

The average August cost fell from £137pp per night in 2025 to £136 in 2026, a dip of 0.9 per cent.

By comparison, some of Brits’ favourite European holiday hotspots have seen hikes since August last year.

Prices for Greece have risen by five per cent on all-inclusive family holidays.

Spain had the second-largest hike, with average costs rising by 3.9 per cent on the previous year.

But it was still one of the poll’s less expensive destinations for August 2026, with an average nightly cost of £155pp.

Overall, research shows Morocco looks set to be the cheapest destination.

An all-inclusive family holiday there will cost families as little as £120pp per night in August – a proper bargain when you consider flights, accommodation and all food and drink is included.

This was followed by Tunisia, Bulgaria and Malta, where the average August breaks are £124, £126 and £136pp per night respectively.

Chris said: “After a few years of holiday prices only seeming to move one way, it’s encouraging to see all-inclusive prices looking pretty steady for 2026.

“For families who are comfortable travelling further afield, there are genuine savings to be had — and comparing prices across providers is the best way to see where your budget stretches furthest.”

PITBULL proved to the world what a smooth operator he is by getting together the biggest crowd of baldies.

He set a Guinness World Record at his Hyde Park gig when 22,141 fans put on  bald caps — and then described the moment as “priceless”.

The London audience also turned out in white shirts and aviator sunglasses to emulate Mr Worldwide’s trademark look — and our Emily was one of them.

With the phenomenal demand for tickets, Pitbull also broke the record for the highest- recorded attendance for a BST Hyde Park show, with 69,999 fans.

Walking out on to the Great Oak Stage on Friday, he said: “It is hard for me to say I am speechless, but all I can think of right now is knowing what my family went through in order to be someone free.

“As an immigrant family out of Cuba, to be able to pursue my dream and be on a stage like this and represent with all the baldies around the world, this is priceless.

HOPE FOR BEST

Pals share how Dami Hope is getting last laugh over cheat ex Indiyah

‘UTTERLY FEARLESS’

Ex-Sky News presenter Dermot Murnaghan dies aged 68 after cancer battle

“There is no way I could say thank you, there are no words to say what I feel right now.”

Pitbull, real name Armando Christian Perez, was handed his certificate by Radio 1’s Greg James and presenter Jack Remmington backstage before the show.

He said: “To all the baldies — like I said before, without you all, there is no Pitbull, no movement, no revolution.”

Of setting the records, he said: “It is not a surprise because hard work pays off and the harder I work, the luckier I get. What a blessing it is to be here in Hyde Park.”

In true style, Pitbull swigged from a bottle of his $24 Voli 305 vodka made in his home city Miami, to get into the party mood.

He was joined on stage by Kesha who rose to fame after featuring on Pitbull’s 2013 track Timber.

She said: “This record changed both of our lives, Pit.”

Meanwhile, Pitbull got into the spirit of the World Cup as he played Oasis track Wonderwall to the thousands of baldies, after the track was adopted by Three Lions fans.

He said: “I thought, ‘What was the best way to represent you all?’. A good friend of mine said, ‘I think you should do this record’.”

During a two- hour set, Pitbull was also joined on stage by rapper Lil Jon for tracks Gasolina and Damn I Love Miami.

He ended the show with Time Of Our Lives featuring Ne-Yo, in which he raps: “Every day above ground is a great day.”

For his legion of fans, Friday July 10 in Hyde Park will be a night to remember.

JAMES’ RETURN TO UK

AMERICAN great James Taylor is returning to the UK for the first time in four years.

The You’ve Got a Friend singer, who has sold more than 100million records worldwide, will play London’s O2 with his All-Star band on Thursday, July 23.

James told last week that he was invited to Taylor and Travis Kelce’s wedding at Madison Square Garden in New York last week.

However, James was unable to attend because of his annual tradition of performing at Tanglewood Music Festival in Massachusetts.

LIL JOHN: FAN LOVE LIKE MJ

US rapper Lil Jon has likened Pitbull’s fan following to that of Michael Jackson.

The bald caps reminded him of MJ devotees wearing the famous single glove.

Chatting to Biz on Sunday’s Emily backstage in Hyde Park, he said: “This is Michael Jackson-style stuff.

“I remember in the Eighties when people wanted the glove or the jacket.

“That is when you have transcended normal music and you have gone into pop culture, when people want to dress up like you.”

The rapper, real name Jonathan H. Smith, suffered a tragedy in February when his son Nathan, 27, was found dead in a pond.

Lil Jon revealed that he now wears a smoky quartz stone, said to provide emotional stability, around his neck as a tribute to his boy.

PETER’S KO’D BY TYSON

FATHER-of-the bride Tyson Fury proved a real knockout for Peter Andre.

The former world boxing champ went out of his way to put Pete at ease before he performed at daughter Venezuala’s recent wedding.

The Mysterious Girl singer said: “I chatted to Tyson for about an hour and he made me feel very welcome. I wasn’t just the performer.”

However, Peter enjoyed the gig so much that he is open to singing at more weddings.

He added: “It was such a happy occasion, I love weddings.”

Meanwhile, Peter is needed back on stage as he performs at Mamma Mia! The Party at The O2 in London. He will be playing Nikos until later this month.

Pete said: “It’s been amazing to vibe off the audience every night, and the set is incredible. It really feels like I’m in Greece. My kids have come to see me. I’m hoping they are getting more into Abba.”

TAKE IT FROM US, DEC 10

DECEMBER 10 have the backing of Take That.

Cruz, Hendrik, Sean, John, Josh, Danny and Nicolas performed at Capital’s Summertime Ball last month and had a letter from the boyband legends. John said: “We opened it together.”

Hendrik added: “They kept it short and sweet saying, ‘Good luck boys, enjoy it’.”

Niall Horan also offered support to the boys, who released their debut EP On Your Side on Friday.

Sean said: “He said he still gets nervous. To know someone like Niall is also bricking it is a good thing.”

IT is said Victoria Beckham lives off a diet of grilled fish and steamed vegetables, but the Spice Girl-turned-businesswoman has now trademarked a range of cookware in the States.

Could the fashionista be out to give Jamie Oliver a run for his money?

Posh has filed paperwork for a name against a range of food and drink items including shot glasses, cake tins, cookie jars and sandwich boxes.

I have heard she likes a tequila.

But don’t go binning your Le Creuset pans just yet, as a source close to her tells me: “Victoria is protecting her categories. Nothing imminent is in the works.”

The beauty of Zen

ODYSSEY goddess Zendaya is heading on an exciting journey of her own by going into the beauty business.

The actress –  who plays Athena in Christopher Nolan’s new epic fantasy film – might even rival Gwyneth Paltrow’s wellness brand Goop one day.

She has filed Zendaya trademarks in the UK and the States for beauty and hair products, as well as social media and website services. A source said:

“Zendaya is an incredible actress and now she is set to make waves in the beauty industry.”

The new venture comes as her husband, Spider-Man actor Tom Holland, has launched premium booze-free beer brand Bero.

Zendaya was ruffling feathers when she stepped out in this revealing Louis Vuitton frilly gown for the Odyssey movie premiere held in Paris this week.

And as power couples go, it certainly looks like Tom and Zendaya are the ones to watch. 

OLIVIA ATTWOOD has her perfectly manicured fingers in so many pies, I’m struggling to keep up.

As well as her TV shows, podcast and various brand deals, the former Love Islander is now launching her own cocktail in a tin.

She hinted at the project earlier this year when she had the name of the drink tattooed on to her arm. Savano comes in three mixes – Hot Honey Margarita, Caipirinha and Moscow Mule – and is distributed by drinks firm Babco.

Olivia said the tipple is “a really exciting new chapter”, adding: “I’ve been teasing it for a little while so I can’t wait for everyone to finally try it.”

JUMP into river swimming, bear-watching and space simulators on a family road trip to Belgium, says Acting Senior Designer Sasha Cunningham.

Sunlight bursts through the tree canopy as enormous furry paws pad silently across the forest floor.

Elevated safely on a viewing platform, my family and I quietly watch as two Eurasian brown bears climb trees, paddle in the stream and stalk through the lush landscape.

We’re at Forestia in Theux, Belgium, which has 44 hectares dedicated to the conservation of animals originally found wild in the area.

Later the kids get to hand-feed deer, too.

Tickets cost from £22 for adults, and £16 for children (Forestia.be).

WAIL OF A TIME

I drove Irish Route 66 with deserted golden beaches and pirate-like islands

TEMPTED?

Tiny ‘Bali of Europe’ town with stunning beaches, €3 cocktails and £20 flights

Lush Lodgings

This is just one of the highlights we find in our week spent in the wilds of Belgium’s Ardennes region.

We’re staying about four hours from Calais – a drive that takes us along winding roads and through luscious pine forests – kipping in a stylish six-person self-catering lodge at Landal Hillview Resort Grandvoir, near the town of Neufchâteau.

Nestled among wildflower meadows teaming with butterflies, our lodge feels super-private, with just the sound of the birds and the occasional cricket for company.

It’s decked out with hygge decor in earthy shades, plus has its own cosy infrared sauna.

My sons Oscar, eight, and Ben, five, splash around in the ankle-deep stream running alongside our pad, and there’s plenty of wildlife to spot.

Wild boar, deer, raccoons and beavers all frequent the site, and I’m excited to spy a badger scampering across the field as husband Grant and I settle down on our large deck for a sundowner.

Later, we try a game of boules by the resort’s Bois Des Bois restaurant, which serves up regional dishes for dinner and a buffet of delicious pastries, yoghurts, eggs, meats and cheeses if you’re feeling lazy one morning.

Breakfast costs £19 for adults, £16.50 for children.

There’s also a playground, on-site shop and bike hire, plus a boutique hotel if you want to splash out.

Water Find

Just 25 minutes’ drive away is L’Antrogne, a wild swimming spot popular with locals.

The river La Semois glistens in the sun, and after a pebble-skimming contest we paddle in the crystal-clear shallows, baby trout weaving around our legs.

The boys also delight in floating down the gentle rapids as dragonflies hover around them.

Another day, we hire top-of-the-range Bosch ebikes, £32 each per day, plus £13 for a kids’ trailer, to tackle the hilly terrain to Lake Neufchâteau.

Whizzing through the quaint village of Grandvoir and beautiful tree-lined tunnels is great fun, and we make it to the man-made reservoir in 40 minutes to find both a lido and sandy beach.

We jump into the water to cool off, as the boys eye up kayaks and pedal boats, from £7 for 30 minutes’ hire, before we picnic on cheese-filled croissants by the water’s edge.

Meanwhile, a worthy detour on our way back from bear-watching at Forestia proves to be Cascades de Coo, the highest natural waterfall in Belgium.

With a 15-metre drop down to the Amblève River, the thundering rapids are a must-see – but without doubt the kids’ favourite bit is Brasserie Au Vieux Moulin’s chocolate crêpes served with Nutella and fresh cream, £8.25, which we devour with a glorious view of the falls from the terrace (@Brasserieauvieuxmoulin).

Blast off

On our last day, a 25-minute drive transports us from our tranquil forest camp to the surface of Mars and the fascinating astronaut training camp at Euro Space Center.

We don orange spacesuits and test our minds and agility to see if we have what it takes to be astronauts.

As we are taken through computer logic tests, physical balance trials and even try on space pants to check whether we’d be able to correctly use a spaceship toilet, our family competitiveness is properly revealed.

Tickets cost from £30 for adults, £26 for children (Eurospacecenter.be).

We also get to wander through the Mars village to operate our very own rover, but the best bit is finding out what it feels like to walk on the moon and experiencing take-off in the space shuttle simulator.

The G force of the space rotor leaves our legs feeling pretty wobbly and, if I’m honest, I’m not sure any of us would cut it as real astronauts.

Still, the kids certainly think our trip across the channel was an out-of-this-world adventure.

Veurne rules

The medieval town of Veurne makes for an excellent pit stop when driving back to the UK, with its Flemish language and Dutch-style architecture reminiscent of Amsterdam.

Nestled between St Walburga and St Nicholas churches is De Soetasse Brasserie, where you can tuck into rich croque monsieurs, £8, and croûte aux champignons with a curry twist, £10.50 (@Desoetasse).

WE pause half way up the hill, observing the perfectly still lake below that offers an exact reflection of the lush trees and craggy mountain scape behind.

Normally, I’d be pulling out my phone to snap a picture of the stunning scene. But it’s back at the hotel, locked away and I couldn’t be happier about it.

I was on a digital detox in Austria’s breathtaking Lesachtal Valley, where the alpine air, jaw-dropping scenery and tranquil sounds of nature are guaranteed to melt even the most anxious traveller’s stresses away.

Before our stunning hike, I’d ticked off a soothing yoga session, tucked into a lunch of traditional Austrian pasta with a hearty potato filling, and relaxed in a jacuzzi under a clear sky. And without the distraction of our devices, my five fellow detoxers and I felt fully present in every moment.

According to a recent study from the Austrian Tourism board, 53 per cent of Gen Z Brits spend over four hours in front of their screens outside of work or education and as a result three in five don’t feel well-rested in the morning.

I can’t argue with those stats. After a couple of days without my phone, I was sleeping significantly better. Plus, my entire group had noticed a difference in their mood and stress levels.

WAIL OF A TIME

I drove Irish Route 66 with deserted golden beaches and pirate-like islands

TEMPTED?

Tiny ‘Bali of Europe’ town with stunning beaches, €3 cocktails and £20 flights

This feeling of zen was amplified by our stay at the Hotel der Paternwirt, a beautiful building with gorgeous rooms overlooking mountains and a wellness area with sauna offering the same panoramic views.

Even the delicious breakfast buffet had wellbeing at the forefront with unusual additions like lavender butter.

Despite how jam-packed our itinerary was, life here seemed slow. And being in a rural setting, we felt that we were able to simply breathe.

The nearby meadows blooming with daisies and cornflowers were a great place to unwind. Or you could visit the Weissensee – a crystal-clear alpine lake in Carinthia, around 90 minutes from the hotel – which was worth the drive for the scenery alone.

The region is also home to the Michelin-starred Die Forelle, which serves up some of the freshest fish caught from waters nearby.

If you’re not into fish but still want to sample some traditional grub, the set dinner at Hotel Zum Weissensee is worth a go. Each of the five courses was perfectly executed with star dishes being the pickled elderleaf buds, celeriac cannelloni and plum sorbet with fennel greens.

Even on my final and rather gloomy morning in the Austrian alps, I couldn’t help but appreciate the sheer beauty of this region.

The clouds were slowly drifting behind the mountains, making the views in front of me look like an impressionist painting.

So, I’d managed to conquer a solid five days without my phone. But did I miss it? Apart from having the ability to take photos with ease, not one bit.

Being surrounded by nature and tranquillity definitely had some impact.
And I no longer felt an uncontrollable urge to check my notifications every ten minutes. Not when the views were this good.

AS the train rumbles out of the station, our heads turn to admire the stunning views from the dining car’s windows.

When the conductor announces each new destination, a feast of flavours is served up while we admire the changing landscapes.

But what’s even more incredible is the fact I am currently on board the largest cruise ship in the world — and sailing the calm blue waters of the Mediterranean.

The Royal Railway is the latest immersive dining experience to be savoured on board Legend Of The Seas.

You’ll begin your journey at the station — with the chance to pick up a cocktail or two from the bar — before entering an authentic train carriage and sitting down to a five-course feast as the train travels along Marco Polo’s ancient Silk Route including China, India, Turkey and Italy.

With some culinary corkers on the menu such as butter chicken, grilled lamb chops and Silk Road Shrimp, plus to-die-for Italian desserts, it’s a world away from a soggy sarnie on platform three at Clapham Junction.

NO KIDDING

Five of the best cruises for adults with luxury spas and all-inclusive drinks

CRUISING WITH SHIRL

I learned to dance with Shirley Ballas on a UK cruise

Like everything on this gargantuan ship — the third Icon-class vessel from Royal Caribbean — the attention to detail is staggering.

With 28 restaurants, eight neighbourhoods, six waterslides and room for 5,610 passengers, the multi-billion-dollar floating city certainly made an entrance in Malaga earlier this month. And I was one of the first on board the largest cruise ship in the world.

Billed as the ultimate family vacation, this next-generation newcomer is a riot of colour and energy from dawn to dusk, and there is something to float everyone’s boat, from lazy beach retreats to thrilling theme parks.

Holidaymakers of all ages will easily keep hunger pangs at bay grazing on food from 28 venues — the most you’ll find at sea — with every neighbourhood bringing something to the table.

Other new eateries include Hollywoodland Supper Club. Inspired by old Hollywood, this multi-course dinner is accompanied by live jazz and craft cocktails, giving guests the chance to get glam.

While this and the Royal Railway come at quite a hefty extra cost — around £144pp — there are a staggering 13 complimentary eateries included in the price of your cruise.

In the AquaDome Market you can take another global foodie tour with stalls serving up everything from Korean rice bowls to tapas bites and crepes, plus a new juice and smoothie bar for health-conscious sailors.

I also worked my way around some of the bars including 1400 Lobby Bar, which is inspired by the history of shipbuilding, and Lou’s, which evokes moody New Orleans and New York jazz bars with live performances and cocktails.

Those wanting a livelier tipple should head to the brilliant Dueling Pianos, which buzzes well into the early hours.

Outside, the mega resort facilities are designed for non-stop family fun — minigolf, rock-climbing and a surf simulator can all be found on decks 16 and 17 — and thrillseekers can dangle daringly over the water on Crown’s Edge, a part skywalk, part zipline experience 154ft above the ocean.

This playful ship is certainly making a splash, with Category 6 holding the crown as the largest waterpark at sea, while Royal Bay is the largest pool on the waves.

Splashaway Bay and Baby Bay are nestled in the purpose-built Surfside family neighbourhood, while it’s strictly adults-only at The Hideaway with its suspended infinity pool and DJ, and Swim & Tonic swim-up bar.

Early nights are out — the last thing you’ll want to do is sleep for fear of serious FOMO.

The ship’s entertainment offering is next level and I was captivated by everything I watched. This included Roald Dahl’s West End-worthy Charlie And The Chocolate Factory complete with a 15-strong live orchestra, AquaTheater’s Shockwave, where synchronised swimmers, high divers and aerialists highlight the power of water, and the ice-skating spectacle with drones at Absolute Zero’s show, Fusion.

Alongside live music and tribute bands, there are themed parties including a Y2K dance party, karaoke sessions, live trivia and silent discos.

Those familiar with Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class ships will be pleased to see the return of well loved spaces including Royal Promenade with its floor-to-ceiling ocean views.

There’s also the Pearl — the world’s largest kinetic art sculpture — weighing as much as a Boeing 747 — and the open-air Central Park, with over 30,500 lush plants as well as restaurants, live music, and pick-up windows for sushi and champagne.

With 29 types of accommodation, when it comes to hitting the sack, you and your tribe will slumber in style. On Legend Of The Seas, there are more rooms with ocean views and for groups of three, four, five and more.

The Surfside Family Suites are ideal for two adults and two kids, with the Family Infinite Ocean View Balcony cabins accommodating six, and Surfside Family View Balcony cabins sleeping three or four.

To really push the boat out, check into the exclusive four-deck Suite Neighbourhood or the Ultimate Family Townhouse, a three- storey pad that can sleep up to eight people.

Inside there’s a slide, dedicated entertainment spaces, and three balconies — lucky residents even get a money-can’t-buy experience with Royal Caribbean’s second Chief Dog Officer, a playful golden retriever pup named Skipper.

This showstopper of a ship is truly the stuff of Legends.

I AM admiring green rolling hills as the sun beats down on Italian ­terracotta roofs.

There’s just one twist. I’m not IN Italy.

I’m in San Marino — the tiny, landlocked microstate completely surrounded by its famous neighbour, and officially the fifth-smallest country on the planet.

Set atop Mount Titano, 700 metres above sea level, San Marino is the oldest republic in the world but is still relatively undiscovered by British tourists who remain in the surrounding regions of its bigger neighbour instead.

One of the easiest ways to reach the centre is via cable car and once you step out you’re welcomed by centuries-old streets, the Basilica of Saint Marinus and the incredible Three Towers of Mount Titano.

Built in the 11th century, the towers formed the medieval defences and while the steep incline to get to them is not for the faint-hearted, it’s worth it.

TRIP TRAP

The surprise charges blowing £100 hole in Brits holiday budgets

SLEIGH-ING IT

British Airways to launch new holidays to the ‘home of Santa’ this Christmas

You can visit the two main towers — Guaita and Cesta — linked by a 13th century stone walkway the locals nicknamed The Witches Path.

But there’s another reason to visit.

San Marino is virtually a duty-free haven with taxes around five percentage points lower than in Italy.

I had to be dragged away from all the beautiful handbags and shoes in the cute boutiques dotted throughout the city.

San Marino also produces an array of products including olive oil and wine, which I had a chance to sample over lunch at Ristorante Titano.

Alongside the light and fresh local wine, I devoured a bowl of cappellacci; the traditional stuffed pasta with a distinctive “big hat” shape originating from the Emilia-Romagna region that San Marino sits within.

While San Marino is landlocked, it is only 30 minutes drive from Rimini’s wide, 15km-long beaches, so close it is visible from the top of the city on a clear day.

Rimini has been a popular seaside destination for decades and I could see why as I gazed out of my balcony room at the 4* Hotel Savoia across the golden sandy beach and the newly redeveloped waterfront.

The hotel itself has the celeb factor — it featured in Italian classic La Dolce Vita and the film’s director Federico Fellini was born in Rimini.

But the hotel isn’t the only place where the famous director has left his mark.

There is a museum dedicated to his work split across three spaces, one of which is housed in Castel Sismondo, a medieval castle.

He and his most famous characters are also immortalised in a mural in Borgo San Giuliano, an ancient fisherman district full of pastel-coloured little houses.

And it was history that had me star-struck when I moved on to an­other Italian city, ravishing ­Ravenna.

Stunning mosaics from the early Christian and Byzantine periods can be found in Basilica of San Vitale and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia.

Ravenna is also home to Dante’s Tomb, the resting place of Dante Alighieri, the famous poet known for Dante’s Inferno and as the father of the Italian language.

Another bard with links to the city is Lord Byron, and the Byron Museum is housed in Palazzo Guiccioli, where he pursued an intense love affair with the wife of aristocrat Alessandro Guiccioli in 1819.

After exploring the brilliant interactive displays, I enjoyed an incredible alfresco lunch of lasagne at Taverna Byron at the Palazzo.

All these attractions were just a short walk from my cosy, family-run hotel, Villa Noctis, which has its own peaceful courtyard overlooked by the traditional-style breakfast room.

Ravenna has its own glorious stretch of golden sand and selection of beach clubs to enjoy.

I settled on Singita Marina Beach and I have to say, a cocktail, sun lounger and a delicious plate of tuna tartare on potato croquettes — they don’t scrimp on the portions either — was the perfect way to end the day.

Now that’s La Dolce Vita.

COMEDIAN Jim Davidson admitted “I found out what legless means” after collapsing outside a pub and being helped up by drinking buddies.

The star downed two ­bottles of wine, tequila, vodka, six pints of ­Guinness and two whiskies on an all-day session, saying: “I think it must have been that last scotch that did it.”

Ex-Big Break and Generation Game host Jim, 72, had sailed to the Isle of Wight on his £350,000 yacht Lady Natasha — named after his fiancée.

The pair dined at The Hut in Colwell Bay before Natasha, 49, called it a night and Jim ­carried on drinking with some yachtsmen.

He said: “It was boys stuff. I found out what the term legless means.

“My quote is ‘must take more water with it’.

FUNNY BUSINESS

The Apprentice star sparks rumours she’s dating co-star after show scandal

tatt’s a lot

Katie Price dons bikini to show tattoo collection but ditches wedding ring

“We had a smashing meal at The Hut, which is the best ­restaurant in the country, then I decided to go on the p***.

“It was a bit of a harmless fun, no one died.”

Jim, who has five ex-wives, detailed his mammoth booze-up, which ended with him collapsing outside Salty’s pub in Yarmouth.

He said: “Most people leave Salty’s like that. First I had a couple of bottles of wine that made me a bit dizzy.

“I thought I better have some tequila to sober me up. After the tequilas made me feel worse, I thought vodka will kill the tequila.

“And after that six pints of Guinness. I thought well I need a wee, I’ll go into this pub and use their toilet and while I’m here I’ll have a couple of scotches.

“I think it must have been that last scotch that did it.”

Jim admitted being a binge drinker and said: “I can do that when I’m not working. I can’t when I’m working.

“Today I’ve got to drive five hours to Blackpool, do a show in the club and then five hours back tomorrow. This is the reality of showbiz. Then back to the studio to film my weekly satire show.

“When you’ve got a picture of me coming off stage in a theatre like that, then I’m in trouble.”

PINK was feeling in a very generous mood at the O2 Silver Clef Awards in London.

The American superstar forked out £16,000 on Harry Styles tickets during the auction on Thursday, only to hand them back to the charity — so they could have someone bid on them again.

An onlooker said: “Pink paid £16,000 to win the lot. She then donated it back. It was an incredibly generous gesture.”

Pink wasn’t the only one to dig deep at the bash — which raises money for music therapy charity Nordoff and Robbins — with Jessie J pledging £500 while Icon Award winner Lily Allen handed over £1,600.

Price Tag singer Jessie was handed the Outstanding Achievement award and opened up about her breast cancer diagnosis in her acceptance speech.

She said: “The last 18 months has been the most incredible, the most magical of my life. Also the hardest. But I believe we find the truest parts of ourselves in hard times.

PINK ALL PEACHY

Inside Pink’s long-awaited new album as she prepares for Vegas residency

BROADWAY BABE

Megan Thee Stallion drops F-bomb & twerks in lingerie for Tony Awards opener

“So when you are faced with them, it’s life trying to teach you something.

“To become a mum after not thinking I would, having one tt just get chopped off out of nowhere. “You never know when a tt is going to be taken from you, so enjoy your t*ts while you’ve got them.”

Encouraging other celebs to get their cash out and raise some money, Jessie added: “You’ve obviously been invited because some of you are rich as f***, don’t be a vibe killer.

“I know I wrote Price Tag, but if you’ve got money now is the time to get it out.” It was an evening of revelations too, with John Bishop telling the crowd he had renewed his vows with wife Melanie.

The pair split for 18 months in 2000, but rekindled their romance after she went to watch one of his stand-up shows.

As he handed David Gray his Silver Clef gong, John said: “I could never have imagined that I’d get the opportunity to say thank you to this artist. “My marriage had failed, everything had gone s***.

“When I was at my lowest I was introduced to David Gray and he’s been a constant part of my life ever since.

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

Melanie C was handed the Global Impact Award and paid tribute to her Spice Girls bandmates, after a feud put paid to a proper celebration of their 30th anniversary of Wannabe earlier this week.

She said: “We’re all in touch obviously, all of the girls, we’re so grateful and respectful of each other.

“We came together, and we achieved our wildest dreams, and we changed our lives forever, and the world forever, some would say.”

ELLIE OF A GAME FOR OUR BOYS

ELLIE GOULDING has thrown her support behind the Three Lions as we take on Norway in the World Cup quarter-finals.

The Burn pop star announced she had been booked to perform during the clash.

Ellie shared the news on Instagram last night and added: “Performing at half time for England vs Norway has me feeling like truly anything could happen.

“I already know the boys will make England proud. It’s coming home.”

Insiders confirmed that Ellie would play a medley of songs inside the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

KASABIAN are giving fans an early Christmas present – with five huge shows later this year.

The band, fronted by Serge Pizzorno, will kick off their run at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena on December 11, followed by gigs in Glasgow, Cardiff, London and Manchester.

The announcement comes after their sold-out headline date in front of 45,000 fans at London’s Finsbury Park last weekend.

SCHULTZ: TRACK IS PERSONAL

CAGE THE ELEPHANT’s new single has special meaning for frontman Matt Schultz.

The US rockers, who supported Oasis on tour in America last year, released Beaches In Tennessee yesterday – their first new music for two years.

Matt, said: “It’s no secret I went through a mental health crisis a few years back. This song symbolises me finally being able to move past it.

“I was hospitalised for nearly three months, and the song addresses it by creating a fictionalised account of it.

“It was my attempt at reclaiming the ability to write about something serious that happened in my life, from a place of genuine experience.

“As a band, we were able to reclaim the ability to write a song rooted in a difficult and turbulent real-life event, but do it in a lighthearted way.”

TEN FANS ON SIDE

DECEMBER 10 celebrated the launch of their debut EP, On Your Side, by playing two intimate gigs at Circuit in Kingston upon Thames.

The fast-rising group ­– Nicolas, John, Josh, Sean, Cruz and Hendrik – celebrated the release as more than 1,000 fans packed the south-west London venue across the sold-out shows.

The six performing members, with Danny currently taking some time out, treated the crowd to stripped-back versions of tracks from the EP including Angel and Run My Way.

AHEAD of Iron Maiden’s historic show at Knebworth tonight, support act The Hu went on a sightseeing trip.

The Mongolian metal band, whose third studio album, Hun, drops on July 24, visited Buckingham Palace and Big Ben in London before heading to the venue.

Temka, who plays a traditional Mongolian guitar called a tovshuur, is a huge Chelsea fan and is thrilled to be performing here while the World Cup is on.

He said of tonight’s game: “I hope England play Argentina in the semi-final. Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham are great, and Anthony Gordon.”

GOLDEN GIRL ZARA

IT’S taken Zara Larsson over ten years since her debut hit, but she is a now a true pop superstar after this sizzling show.

She oozed charisma in this strappy gold top and denim shorts at Madrid’s Mad Cool Festival on Thursday night.

Zara was lifted into the air by her dancers to sing Midnight Sun.

She then did the splits during Ain’t My Fault, drove a car on stage for Hot & Sexy and also got a fan up to do her viral Lush Life dance with her.

With amazing vocals and dance moves, Zara deserves to be the biggest pop star in the world.

Mad Cool also hosted Lorde, Jennie, Cmat and Florence + The Machine, proving female pop music is thriving.

MATTY TO KICK OFF STAG DO

IT is turning into the summer of celebrity weddings – and I’m told Matty Healy will tie the knot with American model Gabbriette a week today.

The 1975 rocker will kick off the festivities in LA with a huge stag do tonight.

Matty and his pals will watch England play Norway in the World Cup quarter-final – and hopefully they will still be celebrating by the time the final whistle blows.

On Instagram last week, Gabbriette shared a video of the couple watching England take on Mexico, where her mum is from.

Thankfully, they were still on good terms afterwards.

The pair started dating in 2023 after Matty’s split from Taylor Swift – but their nuptials will be a lot more low-key than Taylor’s which took place earlier this month.

A source said: “They are flying out their nearest and dearest but it’s an intimate ceremony.

“The spectacle of Taylor’s wedding isn’t their thing.”

His bandmate George Daniel with his wife Charli XCX will be there, along with Matty’s mum Denise Welch –  so I’m sure there will be plenty of tales to tell.

CAUGHT LIVE

Johnny Marr @ Castlefield Bowl, Manchester

★★★★☆

JOHNNY MARR was at his mercurial best for his sellout homecoming gig in Manchester.

There were plenty of Smiths classics, a couple of seriously decent new singles and a stunning disco-ball moment that turned the baked concrete of Castlefield Bowl into a club dancefloor.

It was the indie icon’s biggest solo show to date, ahead of the release of his fifth album The Age Of Everything in October.

Marr kicked off with Generate! Generate!.

It was a rousing opener, but it was the second track, The Smiths’ Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before, that got the crowd going.

New Town Velocity, from his 2013 album The Messenger, was a welcome moment of reflection while new track Spin went down a storm.

The finale was epic. The juddering riff of How Soon Is Now brought the curtain down on the main set, before a trio of classics – Panic, Iggy Pop’s Passenger, and There Is A Light That Never Goes Out – culminated in arms wrapped around shoulders.

DAN CAIN

“HE just has that youthful energy,” says Ronnie Wood of his Rolling Stones bandmate Mick Jagger.

It’s not a term often used to describe someone in their Eighties but, in this case, entirely accurate.

Anyone who’s seen the consummate frontman in recent times will know he still has the voice, the moves — and the swagger.

Nearly four years Mick’s junior and, at 79, the “baby” of the band, Ronnie could still be forgiven for thinking, “I want some of whatever he’s on.”

But, as the Stones release their high-octane LP Foreign Tongues, Ronnie can also claim to have some of that “youthful energy”.

“I’m the same as Mick,” he tells me. “I’m a Gemini, I’m pulling in all directions — and I’m just loving it.”

serving glam

Lily James wows in a polka dot dress with busty Hannah Waddingham at Wimbledon

J-LO CUT

Jennifer Lopez rocks sheer dress as she attends PFW with rarely-seen sister

By that, he means his ongoing endeavours with the Stones, his work as a highly skilled portrait artist and the not-so-small matter of his first solo tour in years, beginning next week in Austria on a bill with Van Morrison.

Not to mention being husband to wife Sally and dad to their ten-year-old twin daughters Gracie Jane and Alice Rose.

Ronnie continues: “I just love to be inspired and putting my ideas into action — whether it’s on a canvas or through my guitar or harmonica or whatever I’m playing.

“And I even try my hand at singing every now and again!”

Right now, says Ronnie, “I’m in my art studio preparing an exhibition and I’m getting rehearsals together with my band.

“I even had a little rehearsal with Mick because we’re keeping our hands in, keeping our chops together. So, it’s all go.”

The main purpose of our chat is, of course, all things Stones but you’ll hear more about his extra-curricular activities later.

I discover that Ronnie has a wonderfully old-school approach to tech — none of that new-fangled Zoom stuff for him — so he calls me on the dog and bone.

Which means that I have to go half way up a steep hill on the Cornish coast, not far from Land’s End, in an attempt to get decent signal.

Thankfully, the guitar legend comes through loud and clear — and full of enthusiasm.

First, he explains why the Stones have another new studio album of original material in the bag so soon after 2023’s Hackney Diamonds.

(If you remember, the previous one, A Bigger Bang, came out in 2005.)

He replies that American producer Andrew Watt “hadn’t finished with us and we hadn’t finished with him”.

“We just sparked the fire that was already cooking with Hackney Diamonds.”

Ronnie is quick to praise the 35-year-old producer with bleach-blond hair who has worked with Paul McCartney, Ozzy Osbourne, Lady Gaga and Post Malone.

“We’re on to a good one there,” he says. “The Stones haven’t had someone with so much input since Jimmy Miller.”

Praise indeed because Miller produced a stellar run of consecutive albums — Beggar’s Banquet, Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, Exile On Main St and Goat’s Head Soup — between 1968 and 1973.

Ronnie adds: “Andrew’s a big fan of ours and he knows what he’s talking about. He can play different instruments and knows my guitar playing better than I do.”

So what was the catalyst for Foreign Tongues? “We had a few tracks like Covered In You left over,” replies Ronnie.

“But basically we started reworking all these songs that Mick had been kicking around, some with Keith, and some by himself. Mick would come to us, saying, ‘Look, I’ve got this idea — let’s develop it’.

“The Stones are his plaything, so I just let him take the helm and get on with it. It’s great.”

Key to the success of Foreign Tongues, a big beast of an album with 14 tracks spanning 63 minutes, was a gathering in London to bring the project to fruition.

Ronnie explains: “We started working in New York at Electric Lady, then we took it to Henson studio in LA and messed around with it there — but we finished off the whole thing at Metropolis in Chiswick.

“It was a great feeling to be in London, to go down to the studio that was not far [from where I live] with all the boys there.”

Ronnie wallowed in the “great studio atmosphere” and was particularly chuffed to have an old mucker like Steve Winwood on board — “he was so lovely”.

Steve, who plays organ or piano on nine of the Foreign Tongues songs, came to prominence in the early Sixties as a fresh-faced teenager in The Spencer Davis Group.

Stints in Traffic and Blind Faith were followed by his hugely successful solo career with hit Eighties albums including Arc Of A Diver and Back In The High Life.

Ronnie says: “The Americans had Little Stevie Wonder and Britain had Little Stevie Winwood.

“I first met him at The Ship pub on Wardour Street and he’s one of the only musicians from my era who’s younger than me.” (Ronnie was born in 1947 and Steve a year later.)

Back in the day, The Ship was one of Ronnie’s favourite haunts because of its proximity to fabled music venues like The 100 Club and The Marquee.

He says: “I used to meet all the musicians in this packed little pub. Just up the road, I met Rod Stewart for the first time in the Intrepid Fox. He came up to me and went, ‘Hello Face!’ ”

They bonded over their mod-style haircuts, as you do, and soon started playing music together, first in The Jeff Beck Group and then, from 1969, The Faces.

In 1975, Ronnie left The Faces to land the job he’d dreamed of since he was a teenager — to become a member of the most rock and roll band on the planet, the Rolling Stones.

His first album as a full-time member with them was 1978’s Some Girls, a sleazy tour de force featuring some dazzling Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood guitar interplay, most notably on the ballad Beast Of Burden.

Which brings us neatly back to Foreign Tongues because it is drawing comparisons with that classic LP.

Ronnie says: “We like to keep the youthful feel we had in Paris when we were doing Some Girls and Emotional Rescue. There was a lot of energy on Respectable and Summer Romance, all those mad songs . . . and we still have that kind of energy going.

“I call this Foreign Tongues album ‘more solos for me, thanks Mick’ and he loves it.”

So which songs feature Ronnie solos? I venture. “There’s one on Back In Your Life which everyone seems to like,” he answers. “It’s the last one I did and there’s a lot of feeling there.

“I also enjoyed doing solos on Mr Charm, Side Effects, In The Stars and Hit Me On The Head.

“And there are lots of songs I loved to jam on, with me and Keith bouncing off each other.”

Hit Me On The Head is one of the few tracks saved from the Hackney Diamonds sessions, a breathless three-minute blast featuring much-missed drummer Charlie Watts.

Ronnie says: “We’ve got a few Charlie tracks saved and it’s lovely to keep his memory going with these little reminders.”

He adds that Steve Jordan, the powerhouse American drummer who stepped in after Charlie died in 2021 “loved Charlie so much and to pay tribute to him on Hackney Diamonds and Foreign Tongues is so great”.

I ask Ronnie which of the other new tracks he’s fond of.

He says: “I love Rough And Twisted which reminds me of my old Faces days — a modern-day blues.”

And he singles out yearning country song Ringing Hollow, which he and Mick gave a debut live airing to at this week’s album launch party in London.

“That’s a great one,” he says. “It reminds me of the songs inspired by the Stones’ first visits to America like Dead Flowers [also performed at the party], Wild Horses and Sweet Virginia.”

Ronnie’s a big fan of the Let It Bleed track Country Honk, a rustic, fiddle-drenched take on Honky Tonk Women, which he’s promising to play with his solo band at his forthcoming shows.

He says: “I’m a big fan of Merle Haggard and Hank Williams along with Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters — a little mix of country and blues.”

This brings us to the raw and authentic cover of Berry’s Beautiful Delilah, which closes Foreign Tongues, done in the style of Mississippi Fred McDowell.

Just Mick and Keith on 12-string guitars with empathetic drumming from Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith. As with so many musicians of Ronnie’s generation, Berry was a massive influence.

“I used to have a dance in my bedroom when I was a kid,” he recalls. “Then I’d learn the solos just by ear.

“I was so inspired by this mystery man from America. In those days, you never saw a picture of Chuck Berry, Howlin’ Wolf or Jimmy Reed.

“When you did, it was like, ‘Wow!’ Like aliens come to life. Then, when I grew up, I got to hang out with them. It was a dream come true.

“Chuck came up to me once when I was on stage with him and said, ‘Where did you get that riff from?’ And I said, ‘From you!’ He nearly fell over.”

Next, we move on to Ronnie’s solo tour, organised because a gap appeared after the Stones ruled out live dates after Keith announced he was stepping back from touring.

He’ll be performing material from his storied life in music that includes The Jeff Beck Group, The Faces, the Stones and solo work — much of it gathered up in his recent retrospective album Fearless.

Ronnie will sing Seven Days, “the song Bob Dylan gave me, one of the special moments in my musical career.”

He will be reuniting with drummer Andy Newmark and bassist Willie Weeks for the first time in 50 years — “they’re playing as great as ever”.

His jaunts will take to Lucca in Italy, London’s Kentish Town Forum, Zurich, Cologne, Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona and Lisbon. It all starts at an open-air shindig on the Royal Sandringham Estate in Norfolk on August 23, headlined by blues maestro Eric Clapton.

Ronnie adds: “Eric said, ‘Hey Ron, get a band together and come and join me at Sandringham!’

“That’s what spurred me on. I thought, ‘Wow! While I’m at it, I may as well get my favourite girl singers like Imelda May and Chanel Haynes’.”

If Stones and solo work wasn’t enough, Ronnie gives me an update on the mouthwatering prospect of a new Faces album — a further reunion with Rod Stewart after last year’s Glastonbury outing for Stay With Me.

“Rod loves what’s going on with us,” he says. “He has so much respect for the Stones and he’s gone his own Hollywood merry way.

“But we’ve been putting our heads together and rejoining the dots and getting some Faces stuff together again.

“Next year, we’re going to get stuck in and finish these tracks. We’ve got a lot on the hob and we’ll stir them up.”

Lastly, Ronnie reflects on the enduring appeal of both the Rolling Stones and The Beatles more than 60 years after they began their journeys.

Having just released his Andrew Watt-produced solo album The Boys Of Dungeon Lane, Paul McCartney returns on Foreign Tongues song Covered In You, following his bass cameo on Hackney Diamonds track Bite My Head Off.

Ronnie says: “I was just out with Paul recently and he was going, ‘Ron, ain’t it wonderful that we can still give this and keep making people happy. That’s what we do!’

“I said, ‘It’s so great Paul’, and he gave me a hug. He’s such a lovely man.

“We have that spirit going around in the Stones as well. There’s a lot of love there and a lot of respect.”

THE ROLLING STONES – Foreign Tongues

★★★★★

THE Rolling Stones and Amy Winehouse — somehow it was a match made it heaven.

On June 10, 2007, the original rock and roll miscreants invited the supremely gifted but wayward singer on stage at the Isle Of Wight Festival.

Amy was all the rage that summer with her second (and final) album Back To Black riding high in the charts. Britain and the world had taken her songs to their hearts — Rehab, You Know I’m No Good, Tears Dry On Their Own and Love Is A Losing Game among them.

At the festival, Amy wore a pristine white shirt, skinny black jeans, a chunky belt, ballet flats and THAT towering beehive.

She looked every inch at home next to the man with all the moves, Mick Jagger — a lean, sinewy T-shirted figure in an all-black outfit.

Together, they belted out a wild rendition of The Temptations’ soul classic Ain’t Too Proud To Beg.

Together, they perfectly captured the rebellious spirit of rock and roll.

When Amy died four years later aged just 27, the world lost a generational talent — a sultry, emotionally wrought voice for the ages.

Now, in 2026, the Stones are releasing a cover of Amy’s You Know I’m No Good on their vibrant, age- defying 25th studio album, Foreign Tongues.

I’ve had the chance to speak to guitarist and lovable rogue Ronnie Wood about the song, his close friendship with Amy — and all things related to the eclectic 14-track album.

By Stones standards, it’s a rapid-fire follow-up to 2023’s Hackney ­Diamonds and a freewheeling ­confection of rock, soul, dance, country, blues and balladry.

“We just loved to pay tribute to Amy because she was such a jewel,” Ronnie says with typical warmth.

“A very lost jewel in the jewellery box but she was wonderful.”

At the time of Isle Of Wight, Ronnie was still battling alcohol addiction himself and he discovered an immediate bond with troubled Amy.

“We came back on the ferry together and had such a laugh,” he recalls. “Then shortly before Amy died, I had a real in-depth [chat] with her in the garden of a hotel in Rio.

“She was asking me, ‘Oh Ron, what am I going to do? And I was going, ‘Don’t worry because everyone knows you’ve got vodka in your water bottle. Just don’t hide it and try to go on stage tonight.

“Her band pleaded with me. They went, ‘Ronnie, please get her to go on — she’s trying to pull out of the gig.’ Anyway, I talked her through stuff and she did go on.”

“Amy needed a carer all the time otherwise she went off the rails, which of course she did.”

I ask Ronnie where Amy ­Winehouse should be placed in the pantheon of great female singers, past and present.

“There are some lovely singers around,” he answers. “They arrive in spasms. Chanel Haynes from my band is great — she played Tina Turner [in the stage musical] and really has the essence of Tina. I also like Jessie J.

“But Amy was like Billie Holiday. She had that once-in-a-lifetime deep blues. It’s a pity she was her own worst enemy.”

Of the Stones’ rousing rendition of You Know I’m No Good, Ronnie says: “I love the way Mick has put the harmonica over the brass riff.”

Mick himself reflected on the song this week at an intimate fan playback at Metropolis Studios in Chiswick, West London, where much of Foreign Tongues was recorded.

“We decided we wanted to cover this Amy Winehouse song. We do it in the same key as her. There’s a well-known horn lick on that record and I thought, ‘Yeah, I can do that. I’ll do it on the harmonica.”

Mick is accompanied by Ronnie but minus Keith Richards, who’s at home in the States and sends a video message saying “god bless you all”.

Wearing a floral shirt beneath a black leather jacket despite the heat outside, Mick, the planet’s most sprightly octogenarian, is in expansive mood. He saunters into the room and greets the assembled throng from countries far and wide with a World Cup quip, “Apologies to anyone from Mexico!” Cue much laughter.

With his face wreathed in smiles, he peers around the sound-proofed room and says: “We had a lot of fun making this record in this very room.

“It didn’t look quite like this,” he adds before waving his arms in ­different directions.

“The drums were over there, Ronnie was there, I was there, Keith was there.” Ronnie also can’t help a reference to important football matters when he describes the band’s preparations for the sessions at Metropolis.

“We had a lot of rehearsals — a bit like practising for the World Cup — at Electric Lady Studios in New York and on the West Coast at Jim Henson’s studios.”

The subject soon moves on to how the Stones have kept going nearly 65 years after Jagger and Richards met on Platform 2 of Dartford railway station and decided to be in a band together.

Listen to Foreign Tongues and you’ll be astonished by Mick’s still jaw-dropping range.

So how does he keep his most precious instrument — his vocal cords — in shape?

He says: “With other instruments, you can see them — a guitar, a piano — but you can’t see your vocal cords.

“So, you can’t say, ‘Oh they look really good today, I’ll do this.’

“If anything goes wrong, the doctor has to look at them. You have to keep them in shape like a muscle.” How does Ronnie keep his fingers nimble enough to dance across the fretboard? “There are exercises for the hands,” he replies. “And I put arnica [a herbal remedy] on them because they can hurt a lot.”

Mick says: “The thing with Ronnie is that he’s very good because he doesn’t stop playing, either with another band or doing his own gigs.”

This helps explain why Ronnie’s guitar work is a prominent feature of Foreign Tongues.

“When the first mix was finished, Ronnie came to my house and I played him the whole record,” reveals Mick. “I said, ‘So, what do you think Ron?’ And he said, ‘I didn’t really get any solos.’”

That comment was a classic piece of Ronnie mischief because, as Mick points out, “No one else gets a guitar solo on the record apart from Ronnie!

“I get a harmonica solo but Keith doesn’t really get a solo,” he adds before turning to his bandmate and asking, ‘Why is that, Ronnie?’ Ronnie gives a knowing smirk and says: “Keith told me, ‘Anyone can play a solo, it’s the riff that matters!’

“And I said, ‘OK, you’ve done the groundwork there but I’ve got the icing on the cake.”’

This brings us to a wider discussion about the Foreign Tongues sessions which prompts Ronnie to chip in with: “We’re much more civilised than we used to be.”

Mick picks up the thread: “I’m always the last to arrive. I’m not sure how that happens.

“We usually start about half past three and finish at about ten, ­having agreed the night before what we’re going to do.”

Ronnie salutes producer Andrew Watt, the live-wire American ­producer who helmed Hackney Diamonds and Paul McCartney’s recent album, The Boys Of ­Dungeon Lane. “We need someone to boss us around, and Andrew did that.”

Mick interjects: “Otherwise, it would all fall to bits! So we’re very pleased that Andrew herds us into doing it.”

Ronnie comes back in with a very telling comment: “Mick never lets anything fall to bits because the Rolling Stones is his baby — and he won’t let anything destroy that.”

The Stones’ approach these days clearly has something to do with the fact they’re all sober.

Yet Foreign Tongues has drawn comparisons to 1978’s Some Girls, Ronnie’s first album as a full-time member — recorded when things were far less civilised.

For instance, the disco-inflected Jealous Lover, with Mick still able to produce his best falsetto, is reminiscent of Miss You. Elsewhere, the band summons the raw energy of Respectable or Shattered.

The frontman sifts through the mists of time to the sessions at Pathé Marconi in Paris: “In the late Seventies, I’d have to dig Ronnie and Keith out of a late-night pizza place. I’d go in there at 1am and say, ‘It’s time for the studio, lads!’

“And poor Bill Wyman [bassist] had been in the studio since six o’clock waiting for us.

“We’d get there at 2am and we’d leave at eight. We’d run into the factory workers getting their ­morning coffees.”

Ronnie laughs: “We played for so long back in those days that Bill would have a sleep, come back and we’d still be playing.”

With the album out tomorrow, Mick is asked about his hopes for a good reception for Foreign Tongues. It prompts a comparison with an album many regard as the Stones’ finest, released in 1972.

With 14 new songs about to be unleashed, he accepts that it’s “a lot of music” and says: “It’s longer than Exile On Main St. When that came out, reviewers generally said things like, “It’s kind of rambling and all over the place.”

“It was too much for people to take in all at once. But, from the reviews I’ve seen, we are getting very good ones [for Foreign Tongues].

The album is notable for guest appearances — Steve Winwood, The Cure’s Robert Smith and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith.

One song, the “punky” Hit Me In The Head features the late effortlessly cool Stones drummer Charlie Watts. Mick explains: “People would say, ‘Charlie’s such a subtle drummer, he loves jazz — you can hear that soft touch.

“Well, not on this one. This one sounds banging, banging, banging — very punk. We recorded it in 2021.”

In my chat with Ronnie, he talks about Paul McCartney’s bass playing on Covered In You, reprising his role on Hackney Diamonds track Bite My Head Off.

He says: “Oh Paul was so lovely.  He said playing with the Stones was one of his biggest ambitions. He loved it, like a kid in a toy shop.”

He remembers how in The Beatles and Stones’ early days, he was a bystander in a band called The Birds,” but told himself that one day he would join Mick, Keith and co.

Why the Stones? “Because I’m more of a jazzer and a bluesman,” he replies. “I respected The Beatles’ music, their adventurousness, but I liked the funk and the women around the Stones.

“I thought, ‘That looks like a good job.’ Then, like a jigsaw, all the pieces fell into place.”

Finally, I beg the question: Is there’s more in the tank from the world’s greatest rock and roll band?

“There is, but what we’ve got to do is survive!” says Ronnie.

ROLLING STONES

Foreign Tongues

★★★★★

AS Mick Jagger says, this is “a lot of music.”

But over 14 tracks, the Stones have a blast.

There’s the ragged majesty of Rough And Twisted, the dance floor-primed Jealous Lover, the politically charged Mr Charm, the country twang of Ringing Hollow, the three-minute punk mayhem of Hit Me In The Head, a yearning Keith Richards lead vocal on Some Of Us and the raw delta blues of Chuck Berry’s Beautiful Delilah.

At times, it needs to be a little rougher around the edges, but this high-energy album is nothing short of a miracle from rock and roll’s great survivors.   

OASIS classic Wonderwall is on course to hit No 1 thanks to Three Lions supporters and The Sun. 

Their 1995 mega-hit Wonderwall has rocketed up the charts following England’s victory against Mexico. 

It’s currently No2 on UK Spotify and No15 on Global Spotify—a leap of 27 places. 

The track was streamed 2.8 million times on Monday following The Sun’s campaign to make it the England World Cup anthem. 

It is due to enter the official Top 20 this Friday and is expected to finally reach No1 next week if England beat Norway on Saturday. 

Despite being Oasis’ most iconic track, the song originally peaked at No2, famously kept off the top spot by Robson & Jerome’s I Believe / Up On The Roof. 

health update

Michelle McKenna says she’s paused chemo due to side effects in cancer update

SHOW’S OVER

5ive fans ‘absolutely gutted’ as festival headlined by boyband is cancelled

Speaking to The Sun last month, Noel Gallagher backed calls for Wonderwall to become the unofficial England anthem.  

The footy-mad Manchester City fan, 59, said: “Wonderwall belongs to the people, and it was a magical moment between the people and the players.

“Best of luck to everyone who’s made the trip out there.” 

The movement was initially started by England fans who belted out the track alongside Jude Bellingham after their 4-2 triumph over Croatia at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas. 

Ahead of the World Cup starting, every nation was asked to submit a playlist of songs to be played before and after games.

England submitted three songs, with one of them being Oasis‘ Wonderwall.

The Three Lions are currently bidding to end 60 years of heartbreak and win a second World Cup title – and they are that one step closer after booking their spot in the quarter-finals.