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“DON’T go cheating!” the bartender tells me after I sloshed a bit too much vodka in the cocktail mixer.

He was right — my pisco sour ends up being more punchy than I’d planned.

I’m not sure I’ll be working as a bartender in Lima any time soon.

Thankfully the city has more than enough of them, with the Peruvian capital often named a top food and drink destination.

The place may be nicknamed Lima La Gris (from the large grey clouds that frequent the sky) but the city is certainly colourful when it comes to both gastronomy and architecture.

One of its brightest districts is the vibrant and noisy Barranco.

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Often referred to as among the world’s coolest neighbourhoods, the bohemian area is popular with surfers heading to the beach and art lovers adding to the hundreds of muralled walls.

Walking down the street is a feast for the eyes with men playing guitars outside multi-coloured houses, while cyclists zoom past with wetsuits on.

With more than 200 pieces of artwork across the neighbourhood, it feels more like an open-air art gallery.

And the city is fast making a name for itself when it comes to food, with many award-winning restaurants also found here.

One of those is Mayta, a World’s 50 Best Restaurants winner in Miraflores, made up of structured wood and concrete blocks.

While the seven-course tasting menu was tempting, I didn’t have four hours to kill, so opted for the à la carte.

I started with the fresh and zingy limey ceviche before I filled up on their take on paella with a crispy rice parcel surrounding shrimp.

For something a little more ­wallet-friendly, in the ­Miraflores neighbourhood, I found Parque Kennedy, known for its huge number of street vendors selling cheap snacks.

For around a fiver, my hands were quickly filled with herbal “emoliente” drinks that stave off hangovers, picarones (sweet doughnuts made of squash) with honey and chicharron pork sandwiches.

Peruvians love massive portions, I soon found out. And I was told that the best way to work off all the food would be to hit the waves, of course.

But with my surf skills lacking, I instead opted for a bike tour of the city, taking in the spectacular coastline, as well as the famous Love Park.

Inspired by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi, sculptor ­Víctor Delfín built a wall of tiles, surrounding the famous El Beso sculpture of couples embracing.

Peru’s huge exports of coffee and chocolate mean you can barely walk five minutes without spotting a chocolataria.

As a self-professed choc expert, I was extremely smug after one cocoa class, naming all of the regions I tasted correctly.

A few hours away, Peru’s tiny second city of Arequipa, in the shade of the Misti volcano, is even more overlooked than Lima, yet the food is just as incredible.

My favourite way to spend the morning was jogging in the main central square, watching the sunrise over the Basilica Cathedral of Arequipa.

That running was preparing my body for yet more fantastic restaurants.

There was the vibey 13 Monjas (13monjas.com), with huge portions of Peruvian inspired pasta and Chica (chicha.com.pe) with yet more huge portions of fish tacos.

Yet there was one thing missing from my trip to Peru so far — and that was a cuddle with a llama.

Leaving the cosmopolitan cities, I went in search of the fluffy animals through the Colca Canyon region.

We sped through arid deserts, barely seeing a soul, bar a few locals by an abandoned train track.

Ears popped as we climbed the mountains across Lord Of The Rings-esque epic landscapes.

I was warned to expect some altitude sickness and I was certainly unsteady on my feet as we hit 4,900 metres.

It’s a few hours into my journey that I gasp as I finally see them — a traffic jam of wild llamas and alpacas.

Lazily grazing on the side of the road like oversized sheep, they seemed non-plussed as they sauntered over the road in front of us.

But just seeing them wasn’t enough for me. I wanted to get up close and personal.

Our abode for the night was in the village of Sibayo with a local family who had lived in the area for generations.

It was here that we were joined by a farmer, who excitingly told us we would be going on a llama walk.

It was only as we got up close that I realised quite how tall they were, some towering over my mere 5ft 5in height.

But my excitement never dwindled.

We walked across the beautiful river as they followed me like I was their leader.

I couldn’t resist a ruffle of their heads, with their ears cutely flipping up whenever we stopped.

Returning to our lodges, the evening was spent learning how to knit and dance.

The warm hospitality was evident throughout the stay, with free bracelets and shots of alcohol while listening to music and even a hot breakfast bag before leaving.

By the end of our stay, there were hugs all around, with our guide telling us how he always feels sad saying goodbye to tourists.

A feeling that is mutual it seems from the full guestbook of goodbyes.

I wasn’t ready to return to cold England that’s for sure – but a bag full of local coffee and alpaca socks certainly helped.

MOST people go on a cruise to relax, lie on a sun lounger and enjoy some pina coladas as they sail from one destination to the next.

But my cruise has a legend on board who is intent on putting guests through their paces.

Enter Shirley Ballas, head judge of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, who has been invited to run a masterclass on the jive.

At a diminutive 5ft 2in, Shirley’s stature might be small, but she takes no prisoners as she issues loud, stern instructions: “STEP, TWIST, SWIVEL, KICK, AGAIN!”.

This is day two of a seven-night Norwegian fjords voyage round-trip from Southampton on MSC Cruises’ 19-deck, 6,300- passenger ship, the MSC Virtuosa.

Shirley is scheduled to host several activities during the sailing, but for now the focus is on the jive, which is taking place somewhere in the North Sea.

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More than a hundred of us have turned up and it’s proving tricky. As if the shimmies, chasses and spins weren’t enough, the music then speeds up. I’m as coordinated as a two-legged spider.

Think right foot instead of left; arms up instead of down. I’m confident with the kick, but then a fellow passenger whispers in my ear: “If you point your toes it will look more elegant!”

Far more certain is that the jive will leave you out of breath and sweaty. “Forget the gym,” says Shirley. “This is a much ­better workout.” Agreed!

And it’s also a lot of fun. Who cares if you’re any good — it’s about having a go.

And Shirley never lets on — despite being asked endlessly — that Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe will be the hit BBC dance ­contest’s new presenters.

Before we finish, Shirley sets a challenge: To practice and film ourselves dancing the jive and she’ll post the best performances on social media.

MSC is an Italian line with an Italian vibe and if you’re looking for La Dolce Vita, you’ll find it on Virtuosa.

Deck 15’s Via Dei Cappellari points guests towards the swimming pools.

Deck 5’s Galleria Virtuosa is a replica Italian shopping arcade. Were it not topped by an LED Dome — which has mesmerising light shows projected onto it nightly — you’d think you were in Italy.

As for the buffet, it offers superb pizzas and pastas, though if you’d prefer a roast, that’s available too. And elsewhere there’s lots of glitter and glitz, from the champagne bar to the three-storey Swarovski crystal staircase in the atrium.

There’s no Deck 17, a number considered unlucky by Italians. There is, however, a Deck 13 and my balcony cabin is on it.

It’s stylish, roomy and, because the ship is sailing from Southampton for the summer, it has welcome British touches, like a kettle and Yorkshire tea bags.

My fellow passengers are an international bunch, most of whom are European. They’re also younger than normal (the average age is 42) and like to dance.

Wherever you go, whatever the time of day, you’ll find dance classes and much hip-swivelling. The sessions are all free and feature pop, bachata, samba and rock.

I try salsa, hoping it will improve my jive. It doesn’t!

And much of the action happens in the Galleria. You can be walking along, window-shopping, when suddenly you’ll be swept up in a silent disco or flash mob.

That’s how I find myself performing Village People’s YMCA alongside hundreds of others.

It’s all rather joyous, a word used by Shirley multiple times during a Q&A session held later in the week in the ship’s theatre. She uses it to describe the experiences she seeks in life.

Of course, there’s plenty of en­ter­tainment that can be watched rather than participated in.

Such as the ship’s ABBA show, in which hits such as Mamma Mia and Waterloo are performed by a cast in flared trousers and tasselled costumes.

Then there’s Ajedrez, a Cirque du Soleil-style show whose acrobatics are so staggering it’s a struggle not to gasp in amazement or cover your eyes.

Even Shirley (who’s sat in the row behind me) thinks its fab!

I get off the ship in Edinburgh and Norway — where the cobbled backstreets of Stavanger are lined by white clapboard houses so cutesy it’s as if they’ve been built for Instagram.

Yet for many guests, the ship itself is the destination and they can’t wait to get back on board.

MSC Virtuosa will be offering another Strictly-themed sailing in August when former pro-dancer Kristina Rihanoff will be on board to host masterclasses and dish up show gossip.

Meanwhile, I try to perfect the jive —  and at one point a fellow passenger even praises my leg extension. But I’m not happy enough with it to dare send a clip to Shirley.

I am inspired though, and will keep dancing. As for the cruise, it’s a 10 from me!

I’M not religious but, if heaven looks this good, I want a ticket there.

The blue domed roofs of Santorini’s churches have been painted to match the sky and are symbolic of spiritual paradise, my guide tells me.

They’ve got the colour spot on, I point out.

Not a single wisp of white cloud taints the blue canvas sitting behind the white-washed buildings.

I was in the village of Oia, where hotels, restaurants and holiday homes tumble down the cliffside towards a glistening sea.

I’ve seen this picture before, although not in real life.

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The exact scene in front of me is so famous it even stars on the packet of feta cheese that I bought from the supermarket before sitting down to write this piece.

Oia sits on the largest of the islands that make up Greece’s ­Santorini.

Yes, Santorini is actually five islands (I didn’t know either).

It was once one larger patch of land, but thousands of years ago a volcano erupted so aggressively that it collapsed in on itself, sinking into the ocean and splitting the area into five fragments.

Known as a caldera, the volcano’s crater sits 400m below the water’s surface — deep enough for giant cruise ships to sail over.

The high perches of Oia, on the main island of Thera, offer a great vantage point for admiring the ­vastness of this watery pit and the village is also on the right side of the island for catching the most spectacular sunsets.

It gets busy, though, and sadly you can’t just wander to any old bar or viewpoint without booking first or arriving extremely early.

That was the huge perk of my Tui Musement excursion — which also included a visit to local wineries earlier that day.

At the end of my village tour I had a seat waiting for me at one of the most sought-after sunset bars, Sun Spirit, where I drank in clear views of fiery pinks and oranges melting into the horizon.

This same group of seats always remains reserved for customers on this specific Tui tour — as good a reason as any to book.

But before we settled down, tour guide Kim took the experience to new heights, guiding our group to not only the key sights but also the best spots for those all-important pictures, away from the overly busy areas where you’ll have to queue (yes, really) to get your shot.

Crowds are the only downside to Santorini. Its beauty is so widely known that it can attract hordes of tourists, especially on days the cruise ships sail into town.

That’s why visiting early or late in the season is best — it’s cheaper then, and the heat is more manageable.

Luckily, I had ample opportunity to cool off at my hotel when temperatures soared.

The 5* Tui Blue Meltemi, is set mere yards from the beach in the laidback region of Perissa and is a great spot for lazing.

Even the most basic rooms here come with a whirlpool bath, some inside and others outside.

Plus, there are three outdoor pools, framed by sunloungers and palm trees.

All stays are half-board, meaning you only need to shell out for lunch — but with such plentiful breakfast and dinner buffets, you may not even fancy a midday meal.

Also included in every stay is one dinner at The Culinarium, the hotel’s fancy a la carte restaurant where I opted for a Greek tasting menu that knocked my socks off.

Over several hours, while the sun set, I gorged on creamy orzo, fava bean hummus and a simple salad of cherry tomatoes, an ingredient Santorini produces in abundance.

They are also a staple in Santorini’s must-try tomato fritters.

You can learn to master this traditional recipe, along with other local classics, at a cooking class (£87pp).

Or if you’re more of a sunbathing sort, you won’t regret booking a catamaran cruise that sails through the belly of the caldera to beaches that can’t be reached on foot.

Our talented skippers delivered me cocktails and beer while I soaked up the rays from the wide nets at the front of the boat, admiring the rocky landscape of the islands from a distance.

Forget what I said earlier. It turns out I’ve already found heaven.

ANGRY Sicilian locals hit out at Dua Lipa after two city piazzas were cordoned off for the singer’s wedding bash this weekend.

On Thursday cops tore down posters protesting “Palermo is not for rent” and “Our square is not your living room”.

But yesterday morning graffiti had also appeared on walls in the picturesque Piazza Croce dei Vespri.

The square and adjoining Piazza Sant’Anna have been sealed off for the first of three days of celebrations as One Kiss star Dua, 30, and actor Callum Turner, 36, mark their nuptials.

They officially married in London last weekend before flying to Italy this week.

Guests including singer Charli XCX and music producer Mark Ronson were in Palermo for drinks last night.

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Yesterday, it emerged Dua has paid £5,000 to residents.

The gesture is understood to compensate locals whose apartments overlook the area for parking problems.

But a marble column in the centre had last night not been cleaned of old foul-mouthed graffiti complaining of an unpaid debt.

A source said: “It doesn’t really match the idyllic love story vibe that Dua seems to be going for.”

Dua, Callum and guests have been staying at the five star Villa Igiea hotel overlooking Palermo’s marina.

The couple got a huge cheer and applause as they arrived at their party last night, with Dua dazzling in a halterneck backless dress.

Callum wore a casual suit and could not resist giving his new wife a cheeky squeeze of her bum, left.

The square was decked out with classic Italian cars and an outdoor cocktail bar.

Earlier, police moved on locals in Piazza Sant’Anna.

One resident said of the cops’ action: “It all seems a bit over the top.

“We just wanted to see Dua Lipa and wish her well.”

KIM Kardashian is flogging her rare designer clobber on her fashion website — but you’ll need a 19-inch waist to wear it.

The reality star, 45, is selling items from her Disney+ series All’s Fair, including a 1995 John Galliano top and jacket for £43,000, and a £1,265 Thierry Mugler suit.

Kim has cinched her 24-26in waist to 19ins for red carpet events such as Met Galas.

And with her reported 43-inch bum many clothes are specially tailored for her shape.

Most items from her All’s Fair wardrobe are marked with a warning to buyers, with one assistant writing next to the Mugler suit: “Pants were altered to fit Kim’s body.”

A dress by the late French designer was also adjusted for the superstar.

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The John Galliano skirt was tweaked to fit her shapely derrière, along with a £1,300 three-piece suit from Patou.

A Christian Dior silk coat was also tailored to fit Kim’s waist — going from a UK size 18 to size six.

Kim’s family have been using the “Kardashian Kloset” website to flog used clothes since 2019.

It’s unknown if money from sales go into the family’s pockets or to charity.

Kim keeps every outfit she’s worn in storage — including her Met Gala designs and even the bridesmaids dress she wore to sister Khloe’s wedding to Lamar Odom in 2009.

She said of her archive: “This is its own time capsule.

“I have every look, every dress, every event.

“I love it, it’s like going down memory lane.”

DISGRACED reality TV star Stephen Bear has set up a market stall selling £2 smoothies with his pregnant teenage wife.

Bear, 36, was spotted on Sunday flogging fruit juice in Walthamstow, north-east London, with his Brazilian missus Miami, 19.

The former Ex on the Beach cast member was sentenced in March 2023 to 21 months in prison for uploading CCTV footage of himself having sex with ex-girlfriend Georgia Harrison, 31, to his OnlyFans account without consent.  

An eyewitness who saw the Walthamstow-born sex offender, who won the 18th series of Celebrity Big Brother in 2016, said: “I was walking past the market at about 1pm on Sunday and spotted him and recognised him from Ex on the Beach.

“He had set up one of those folding tables and someone stopped and asked him for a selfie.

“By the time I went back that way around an hour later they had gone.

“They were doing different flavours like strawberry and mango, putting the fruit in a nutribullet blender and selling them for just £2 in those plastic cups with the round lid on the top.

“It’s hard to think he’s even making a profit at that price, fruit is so expensive at the moment.”  

Bear announced his intention to set up a stall in the market in a social media video posted three weeks ago.

But he said it would likely be after he makes his boxing debut on July 25.
He is due to fight Andy “The Silencer” Lee at York Hall in Bethnal Green, east London.

In the clip posted to his TikTok on May 10, in which he can be seen being driven by his brother Rob, Bear said: “We’ve got some breaking news guys.

“Me and Rob’s decided we’re going to inquire and get a market stall down Walthamstow market.

“We’re thinking you don’t want to travel far to sell your bits and pieces, and if you never need to store anything, the house is, like, five minutes away from Walthamstow market.

“So send me a DM, what you think we should sell on our stall and then we’re going to inquire.

“Probably going to be after my boxing match, July 25, I’m going to get that out of the way first.”

After Rob suggested selling T-shirts or fruit and veg, Bear said: “I think if you’re holding fruit and veg, it’s going to go off, so we’re not going to do that.

“But we’re going sell something out of the ordinary.

“Send us a DM, what you think we should sell on our market stall.”

Bear married then 18-year-old Miami in her native Brazil in July 2025, around 18 months after he was released from HMP Brixton.  

The couple – who post X-rated content together – announced in March that they are expecting their first child.

Bear, who served 10 and a half months of his sentence, was ordered to pay his former Love Island and The Only Way is Essex star ex Georgia £207,900 in civil damages.

In March 2024, Georgia later said that she had received “not one penny” of it or the £212,515 she was owed for lawyers’ fees.

Bear was then ordered to pay HM Treasury the £22,305 he made in profits from subscribers after uploading the video and £5,000 in compensation to Georgia.

The Sun asked Bear for comment.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Maya Jama

AGE: 31

SPLIT FROM: Ruben Dias

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

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

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

Miley Cyrus

AGE: 33

SPLIT FROM: Liam Hemsworth

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

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

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

Bella Hadid

AGE: 29

SPLIT FROM: Adan Banuelos

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

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

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

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

Sabrina Carpenter

AGE: 27

SPLIT FROM: Barry Keoghan

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

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

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

Nicole Kidman

AGE: 58

SPLIT FROM: Tom Cruise

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

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

Khloe Kardashian

AGE: 41

SPLIT FROM: Lamar Odom

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

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

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

Lily Allen

AGE: 41

SPLIT FROM: David Harbour

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

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

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

Shakira

AGE: 49

SPLIT FROM: Gerard Pique

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

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

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

PRICES are plunging for summer holiday breaks – and families can take advantage right now.

The conflict in the Middle East and the continuing cost-of-living crisis has seen many people adopt a “wait and see” approach.

But travel firms are now offering even more incentives to get us booking, from free child places to extra discounts.

We’ve researched some of the cheapest deals we can find for a family of two adults and two children in July and August including hold luggage for all and transfers.

And if you’re prepared to go for a self-catering option and a smaller hotel with less fancy facilities, there’s great value to be had.

We’ve even found some all-inclusive options for those who don’t want to worry about budgeting on their break.

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Here’s our pick of the summer deals . . .

Atlantic Holiday Hotel, Tenerife

YOU’LL enjoy stunning sea views at this hotel, perched right on the shore in Callao Salvaje.

This modern hotel has indoor and outdoor play areas for the kids and a pool.

Rooms come with cookers and fridge-freezers but there’s also an onsite buffet restaurant for the days you fancy a change.

Seven nights’ self-catering at the 4* Atlantic Holiday Hotel is from £1,551 for a family of four.

Includes flights from Luton on August 18, 10kg hand luggage and 22kg baggage plus coach transfers.

See jet2holidays.com.

Elba Lucia Sport & Suite Hotel, Fuerteventura

THE bright, modern apartments at this 2*+ hotel in Costa de Antigua have all the facilities you need for a relaxing break.

There’s a large pool, children’s pool and lots of entertainment and sporty games for the whole family to enjoy.

Seven nights’ self-catering at the Elba Lucia Sport & Suite Hotel is from £1,470 for a family of four.

Includes flights from Stansted on August 16, 10kg hand luggage, 22kg baggage plus coach transfers.

See jet2holidays.com.

Santa Susanna Resort, Costa Brava

WITH a splash pool, splash games area and mini club full of activities, this resort has plenty to keep the family occupied, as well as a free shuttle bus to the beach and town centre.

This deal is all-inclusive, too — with unlimited ice lollies for the kids as well as alcoholic drinks from 10am to 11pm.

Seven nights’ all-inclusive at the 3* Santa Susanna Resort Affiliated by Fergus is from £2,133 for a family of four, including Ryanair flights from East Midlands on July 31, 20kg hold bags and coach transfers.

See onthebeach.co.uk.

Palm Grove, Corfu

PREFER apartment-style accommodation?

Then try Palm Grove in Sidari, where restaurants and bars are just a five-minute drive away and a beach is also close by.

There’s two pools — including one for kids — and the simple rooms feature a kitchenette.

Seven nights’ self-catering at the 2* Palm Grove is from £1,081 for a family of four.

Includes flights from Gatwick on July 30, 10kg hand luggage and 20kg hold bags and coach transfers.

See tui.co.uk.

TUI Suneo Serenity Bay, Bourgas

THIS Bulgarian bargain, sits alongside a sandy beach.

It has a big pool as well as two for kids and all the modern rooms feature balconies.

Let someone else do the cooking and enjoy meals at the buffet restaurant with themed nights throughout the week.

Seven nights’ all-inclusive at the 4* TUI Suneo Serenity Bay is from £2,484 for a family of four.

Includes flights from Manchester on August 7, 10kg hand luggage and 20kg hold bags and coach transfers.

See holidayhypermarket.co.uk.

IN a peaceful countryside spot, the studios on the Greek island of Kefalonia are perfect for a relaxing break.

There’s a pretty outdoor pool and terrace and each of the bright apartments feature a kitchenette.

Seven nights’ self-catering at the 2* Lygies Studios is from £1,690 for a family of four.

Includes flights from Newcastle on July 30, 10kg hand luggage, 20kg hold bags and coach transfers.

See tui.co.uk.

THIS low-rise, white-washed hotel in Costa Teguise has two freshwater pools and a large sun terrace.

Well-equipped apartments come with balconies and kitchenettes but there’s also a pool bar where you can order freshly made pizzas, burgers and kebabs.

Seven nights’ self-catering at the 3* Paradise Hotel is from £1,509 for a family of four. Includes flights from East Midlands on July 30, 20kg hold bags and coach transfer.

See loveholidays.com.

El Pueblo Tamlelt, Morocco

THIS all-inclusive hotel in Agadir is in large gardens, 300 metres from the beach.

It has two outdoor pools, a children’s pool and rooms are decorated in Moorish style.

You won’t go hungry here with a buffet main restaurant and six speciality restaurants.

Seven nights’ all-inclusive at the 3* El Pueblo Tamlelt is from £2,138 for a family of four.

Includes flights from Leeds Bradford on August 4, 20kg hold bags and private transfers.

See onthebeach.co.uk.

ROCKER Ronnie Wood has got satisfaction on his birthday today – after being surprised with a classic red phone box from his wife.

The Rolling Stones legend was gifted the timeless telephone booth by his honky tonk woman Sally Humphreys to mark his 79th birthday.

The original British Telecom K6 phone box, costing some £5,000, did the moonlight mile as it was delivered to his country estate in Little Gaddesden, Herts.

The fixture means the former hard-partying icon won’t be going off the hook anymore.

Wood married his current wife, theatre producer Sally, 48, in 2012 and welcomed their twin daughters just four years later.

Speaking to Hello! Magazine he said: “Any time I’m with her and the girls, that’s the best for me, nothing tops it.

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REUNION HINT

Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood reveals he’s working on new music with Brit icon

“When the twins come into our bed and we’re all snuggled up together, that, for me, is wonderful. My idea of heaven.

“It’s special. The girls are so cuddly and gorgeous. I’m a lucky man.”

A source said Ronnie is celebrating his birthday at his holiday home in Barcelona.

FESTIVAL season is finally upon us and party-goers are dusting off their wellies in preparation.

But this year music lovers could have to shell out up to £700 or more for weekend-long events.

Those planning on heading to Reading Festival this year are looking at £325 to £361 for the ticket alone.

Meanwhile, First Choice has revealed that festival-goers will spend an average of £80 a day on food and drink and an additional £150 on camping gear and equipment.

The tour operator looked at festival prices in line with holiday booking data and found that for less than a third of the price, you could party just as hard at a week-long holiday at a sun-drenched beach hotel.

So would you consider swapping festivals for a getaway in the sun?

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

These bargain party breaks might just persuade you . . . 

MALIA, CRETE

DITCH the muddy festival site for a lively beach club and outdoor venues with music thumping until the early hours.

Malia, in Crete, is known for being a top party spot and gives off heavy festival vibes – with the likelihood of lots more sunshine.

Check into the small and charming Aegean Sky Hotel and Suites, just yards from the main strip of bars.

The hotel hosts regular DJ sessions around the pool and lively barbecue nights, as well as cocktail happy hours.

GO: Seven nights’ self-catering in a two-person studio is from £423pp including flights from Newcastle on August 30.

Book now at firstchoice.co.uk.

SUNNY BEACH, BULGARIA

IF you’re on a budget, you won’t regret booking a break to Sunny Beach in Bulgaria where pints cost around €2.50.

You’ll be able to knock them back in bars, nightclubs and at the beach – just make sure you can keep the party going until the early hours if you’re heading to Cacao Beach.

It’s known for having some of the most spectacular sunrises in Europe and DJs will keep you dancing until dawn.

Better still, if you stay at the TUI Blue Nevis, you won’t have to shell out a penny extra for meals or drinks within the hotel, thanks to its bargain all-inclusive packages.

GO: Seven nights’ all-inclusive at the 3T TUI Blue Nevis is from £485.46pp including flights from Gatwick on June 12.

See tui.co.uk.

AYIA NAPA, CYPRUS

WHAT could be better than partying in a field? How about partying on a boat?

Those seeking daytime parties on the water and non-stop garage music will love Ayia Napa on Cyprus’ glistening south-east coast.

There are plenty of boat trips to pick from, costing around €60 for the day, that include live tunes and free food.

Or, if you’d rather kick back and relax on dry land, the 3H Senator Hotel Apartments has its own pool and is within walking distance of the beach.

Rooms also have mini kitchenettes so you can save cash by cooking your own grub.

GO: Seven nights’ self-catering is from £359pp including flights from Bristol on June 10.

To book, visit loveholidays.com.

THE sun is still rising as we trot on horseback across acres of a wild and untouched landscape.

The only sign of human life is a stream of smoke in the distance billowing into the sky.

It isn’t until we get closer that I notice the group of cowboys busying themselves around a fire, cooking us up a mighty breakfast of smoky bacon, grits, eggs and refried beans.

The smell is incredible, the view is magical and even my kids seem awestruck.

For the past few days I’d been getting a true taste of Texas on the family-run Mayan Dude Ranch in the city of Bandera, a couple of hours or so from Austin.

And the crowd I was travelling with — my 13-year-old daughter Belle and eight-year-old son Harry — is usually tough to please.

WAIL OF A TIME

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

SHORE THING

I visited English seaside town that feels as beautiful as Spain in the sunshine

But judging by my daughter’s grin as she dismounted and hugged her huge white horse Cash, this holiday had already got a big thumbs up.

She was so hooked on the adventure that she’d even left her phone back at the ranch, which makes me wonder why on Earth we didn’t do this sooner.

Normally, as a family we join thousands of other Brits splashing out a small fortune on a beach resort in Europe to soak up the rays while the kids force Dad to get in the pool for the 97th time.

But when our son announced a few months back that he’d “quite like to be a cowboy”, we decided to take the plunge and instead head to the Lone Star State, where we’d never stepped foot before.

Our epic road trip kicked off with a bang as we pulled into Buc-ee’s, the world’s biggest gas station, before arriving at Boerne (lovingly pronounced Bernie by the locals) right in the heart of cowboy country.

This city is extremely walkable, with lots to admire on the way.

Streets are lined with architecture that blends classic Texas with European designs due to an influx of Germans settling here in the mid-1800s.

When we weren’t admiring the buildings, we took on some fiery hot Texan wings — I wouldn’t recommend giving them to your eight-year-old! — and hiked the family-friendly Cibolo Trail that follows a nature-filled creek.

With tired legs, we were more than ready for a spot of luxury.

And that’s exactly what The Kendall, one of America’s oldest country inns, offers.

The hotel is a national landmark that has been welcoming guests, including Presidents, since 1859, with 34 unique rooms, including some cute log cabins.

We stayed in the converted chapel suite which blew our socks off, with original features, the biggest bed we’ve ever slept in and a wide veranda complete with rocking chairs.

This place was worth the trip alone but, little did we know, the best was yet to come.

Around a 30-minute drive west of here is the Mayan Dude Ranch and it is one of the most welcoming places I’ve ever stayed. From the moment we arrived we were made to feel part of the family.

Everyone you meet — at check-in, dinner or running the never-ending activities — is a part of the Hicks Family, who have run the ranch for three generations. In fact, if you go during school holidays you’ll see five generations working here.

The rustic cabins offer plenty of space but there are no frills, which only adds to the charm and authentic feel.

Breakfasts are laid on in different parts of the 348-acre ranch and there are only two ways to get there.

Ride out on horseback (it is walking pace so even total amateurs like me can manage it) or jump on “The Haybale Trailer” and trundle down.

Everyone gets two horse rides a day but be warned, by day three you may be walking like John Wayne.

With a maximum of 90 guests at any one time we quickly got to know our fellow ranchers and the kids were soon off making friends, playing corn hole and shuffleboard or horseshoe pitching.

And when the Texan sun got too much, the outdoor pool offered the perfect escape. Everything is included in your stay at the ranch.

So this means all activities from exotic animal visits to impromptu kids’ foam parties, as well as ice cold beers and wine to help you unwind.

As for the food, it’s delicious and never-ending — much of it plucked from their own land. Make sure to try their campfire-cooked steak, it’s the best you’ll ever taste.

After dinner each night the Texan hospitality really heats up.

One night we were learning to crack a whip with the local whipping champion — ear defenders at the ready — and the next, everyone was learning to line dance.

We started out nervous and awkward as we tried to master the Texan Two Step but by the end of the evening the whole group was pulling off a full Square Dance.

Well, at least we thought we were. Upon check out, my son was surgically attached to his cowboy hat, my daughter wanted a horse and my wife was thinking of moving to Texas.

Hopefully she’ll take us with her . . . 

WITH two beaches, a canal and a castle, the town of Bude has a lot going on.

And as a one-time local, I’ve got the lowdown on all the best things to see and do in this seaside gem on Cornwall’s north coast.

The Summerleaze and Crooklets beaches have lifeguards between May and late September.

Both are ideal for surfing and bodyboarding and, if the sea is having a rare flat day, the swimmers and paddleboarders get their turn.

Book a lesson with the patient and knowledgeable instructors at Big Blue Surf School and you’ll be on your feet riding those waves before you know it.

When the tide is low, you can wander along the shore from Crooklets to Sandymouth.

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

It’s two miles of gloriousness, taking about an hour. Just check the tide times first.

Bude Sea Pool is a large, semi-natural tidal pool between the two beaches. It’s free and an ideal place to swim safely.

Go early morning or later in the evening for the quietest times.

If you want to upgrade your trip, hire a beach hut from the local council.

My favourite place in Bude is the wood-fired Ocean Soul Sauna overlooking Crooklets Beach.

During the summer months, you can book a sauna/yoga combo.

Bude has dramatic, fiery sunsets and watching the sun go down while enjoying a barbecue on the beach makes for a memorable evening.

If hiking is your thing, the South West Coast Path has incredible scenery.

Unlike many High Streets up and down the country, Bude’s is thriving.

It’s the perfect mix of independent shops and eateries, combined with the larger chains we know and love.

Buffy’s is my go-to for breakfast, which is under a tenner for quality food and a coffee.

Newly-opened Coffee Bay is a favourite stop for an afternoon pick-me-up, with the most decadent cakes and cookies in town.

When it comes to dinner, Elements is my favourite for a family meal.

The menu of pizza, pasta, salads and specials is simple but perfectly cooked and presented.

Even on busy evenings, the service is fast and the delicious cocktails are guaranteed to go down well.

My favourite summer tipple is Cornish Country Garden — Bude gin, vodka and elderflower cordial — enjoyed on their seafront terrace.

Fans of local ale should visit The Barrel At Bude.

The award-winning micropub doesn’t have wifi, fruit machines or a jukebox, meaning, shock horror, you have to talk to each other.

My favourite shop in Bude is Spencer Thorn, which has a lovely combo of books and gifts.

When the weather is good, it’s easy to have a great day without shelling out a fortune, too.

Bude Castle, built on shifting sand dunes in 1830, is free to enter, with an exhibition covering prehistory to the present day.

Here, you can learn about the unique geology of the coastline, which is so unusual it is known as Bude formation.

There’s also information on the town’s maritime links and the history behind the Bude Canal.

The circus comes to the outskirts of town each August, and during the summer holidays there are weekly, free circus-skills workshops on the castle’s green, where you can try juggling and riding a unicycle.

For the energetic, the 360ft inflatable Monster Slip And Slide water slide on the outskirts of Bude should feature on your holiday to-do list.

For somewhere to stay, you can’t beat the Premier Inn, with its central location and free parking.

Whether you fancy an active holiday of surfing, walking and swimming or prefer to relax with great food and drink, Bude hits the spot.

TAKE this as your sign to grab your faves and book a brilliant spa break.

From Champneys, Tring to The Greenway Hotel & Spa, Cheltenham and a Fab find in Faversham – we’ve got you covered for rest and recuperation.

THE FRIENDS’ GET-TOGETHER – Champneys, Tring

Editor in chief Sinead McIntyre and pals found R&R in Hertfordshire.

THE PAD

Set in 170 acres of beautiful countryside, this stately home, once owned by the Rothschild family, gives immediate Downton Abbey vibes, thanks to the sweeping staircases, huge chandeliers and grand fireplaces that are home to roaring fires on cooler days.

As do the rooms, with their opulent floral curtains and plush carpets.

Much to our delight, on arrival we are upgraded to two deluxe suites – mine has a super-king-size bed, adjoining lounge and two bathrooms, as well as stunning views of the grounds.

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

There is no scrimping on the toiletries here either, with both Champneys and Elemis products, as well as soft white robes and slippers.

The standalone bath is the centrepiece of one bathroom, while the second has an invigorating rainforest shower.

The lounge is the perfect spot for a much-needed gossip, washed down with complimentary bubbles. Champneys, which celebrated its 100th birthday last year, also has more exercise classes than you can shake a stick at, from reformer Pilates to pickleball and HIIT, so we sign up for a legs, bums and tums class, followed by stretch and relax by candlelight.

There are also maps for walks in the extensive grounds and we enjoy a wholesome 45-minute stroll before dinner.

THE SPA

With its 25m pool, sauna, steam room, whirlpool and alfresco Jacuzzi, this is relaxation at its best – and that’s before you even book a treatment.

However, definitely do!

My 50-minute Upper Body Bliss massage, £105, using Elemis oils, was absolutely gorgeous and got rid of the tension I was holding in my shoulders after a stressful few months at work.

THE GRUB

There are so many delicious food options – stays are full-board, and breakfast and lunch are both buffets with tasty cereals, yoghurt, fresh fruit and bagels each morning and delicious meats, salads and pasta dishes come lunchtime.

But the evening menu is the star of the show.

We loved the pulled oyster mushroom taco and the crab and prawn summer rolls to start, while the sirloin steak with peppercorn sauce and the monkfish curry were both melt–in-the-mouth.

Make sure you leave room for the deconstructed honeycomb cheesecake for pudding, while the cheeseboard is also a winner.

OUT AND ABOUT

Forget it, you’re here to chill and chat.

BOOK IT

Full-board stays at Champneys, Tring, cost from £210 per person, per night (Champneys.com).

THE COUPLE’S ESCAPE – The Greenway Hotel & Spa, Cheltenham

Senior Assistant Editor Sarah Barns and husband Patrick cosied up in the Cotswolds.

THE PAD

Throw open the velvet drapes, take in the stunning views and relaaaax. Winner of four AA Red Stars, this gem, just 13 minutes’ drive from Gloucester train station, offers the perfect rural recharge.

The Elizabethan manor house blends historical charm with modern luxury, and although there are 21 newly refurbished bedrooms to choose from, our pick is the Manor Suite, where the bed is so large you can both starfish, the marble bathroom comes with a bath and walk-in rainfall shower, plus there’s a cosy living area.

THE SPA

Take a dip in the hydrotherapy pool and outdoor vitality pool, sweat it out in the sauna and steam room, and indulge in a TempleSpa treatment at the Elan spa, awarded five bubbles by the Good Spa Guide.

Hot stone massages, which use warm basalt stones (essentially giant black rocks) to harmonise energy points throughout the body, fixed our tense muscles and helped us instantly de-stress.

The Rocks Of The Mediterranean 75-minute treatment costs from £119 per person.

THE GRUB

The Garden Room restaurant, run by talented head chef Abhijit Dasalkar, offers a brilliant value à la carte dinner.

Think treats like Cornish crab with lemon, yuzu gel and edible flowers – one of the prettiest plates I’ve ever seen – and beef wellington served perfectly pink.

Three courses cost £67.50 per person.

Opt for the veggie Full English come morning – it’s a winner.

OUT AND ABOUT

Hit Cheltenham, 15 minutes’ drive away, for indie shops, as well as faves like Jo Malone, Toast and Reiss, plus Regency architecture.

Hatchards bookshop gives Hogwarts library feels, and Society Coffee serves up excellent flat whites, £4, and scrumptious chocolate cruffins, £3.95 (Society-cafe.com).

A short walk from the hotel is the Leckhampton Loop, a four-and- a-half-mile amble in gorgeous Cotswolds scenery.

Some parts are hilly, so you’ll have earned your lamb roast, £25.95, and sticky toffee pudding, £8.95, at The Frogmill (Thefrogmill.co.uk).

BOOK IT

B&B for two costs from £97 per person, including 90 minutes of spa use (Thegreenwayhotelandspa.com).

A fab find in Faversham

You don’t need a swish spa hotel in this Kent town, says Contributing Picture Editor Ruth Greatrex.

Embracing the therapeutic heat of the Finnish barrel sauna, my friend Katie and I gaze out at the vivid green fields, our skin slathered with sea-salt scrub, fragrant with rose petals and uplifting orange oil.

Staff are poised to bring juices, kombucha, or even a cocktail at the ding of a bell, too.

Once suitably baked, we brave the chilly overhead water bucket, then plunge into the ice-cold barrel.

A restorative soak in the wood-fired hot tub later, we both emerge with baby-soft skin and feel thoroughly revived.

A 90-minute session costs from £18 per person (Seascrubsauna.co.uk).

This Sea Scrub Sauna sits on the site of Macknade, one of England’s best farm shops and a family-run spot where apples and hops have grown since 1847.

We grab lunch at the new street-food village, digging into miso cream mushrooms, £11, at Hop Shed Bar & Kitchen, washed down with zingy Faversham bacchus, £9 a glass, and finishing with brown butter popcorn ice cream, £4.15, from Bears Ice Cream, before checking out the amazing food hall (Macknade.com).

Family-owned country estate Mount Ephraim Gardens is 10 minutes’ drive away and offers rooms.

We play ladies of the manor, strolling through the pretty rose gardens and even spy the sea from the Sir Edwyn Suite, which has a freestanding bath.

Double rooms cost from £150 per night (Mountephraimgardens.co.uk).

Come morning, we’re tempted back to Macknade for pancakes with blood orange and rhubarb compote, £12.

Although there are HIIT and spin classes on offer, I go for a soothing hot-stone aromatherapy massage, from £35 for 30 minutes (@Serene_ massage_therapies).

You don’t need long here to rediscover your zen. . .

THEY are set to release their new album Foreign Tongues in July — and it seems The Rolling Stones could also be heading to foreign shores.

After abandoning plans to hit the road on a UK and European tour this summer, I can reveal that Start Me Up hitmakers Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood are now looking into playing five nights in Buenos Aires, Argentina, next year.

A source told me: “The band are discussing options for a residency.

“They love the thrill of doing a huge stadium tour around the globe, but the physical demands are immense.

“A residency would mean they can still bring their best to the fans, without the toll that comes with travelling.”

This summer would have been the rockers’ first string of live performances since their Hackney Diamonds tour in the States in 2024 — which sold almost one million tickets.

WRIGHT OFF

Mark Wright feeling ‘eclipsed’ by wife Michelle following TV gig snubs

SWEATY SESH

Kelly Brook turns up the heat in leopard bikini in sweaty holiday gym session

A US music critic has said that Keith told bandmates Mick and Ronnie he couldn’t commit to their UK and European trek’s planned shows.

The band will release their new 14-track album on July 10 after recording it at Metropolis Studios in Chiswick, West London, over four intense weeks.

It features a cover of the song You Know I’m No Good by Amy Winehouse, who Mick performed with at the Isle of Wight Festival in 2007, four years before she died aged 27.

The track Hit Me In The Head includes old recordings in LA with the late Stones drummer Charlie Watts, who died in 2021, aged 80.

In April, the band released album track Rough And Twisted on vinyl under pseudonym, The Cockroaches.

Earlier this month, at the launch in New York, Mick confirmed the newrecord spans a number of genres, saying: “We have the ability to do ballads, country and dance music.”

He added: “It’s not stuck in one ­particular style.”

I can’t wait to hear it.

FROM 10 TO THE ONE

DECEMBER 10 are the latest Gen-Z heartthrobs ­– but Danny Bretherton is set to break fans’ hearts, as I can reveal he is dating influencer Tallulah Metcalfe.

The singer has even introduced her to his family in Chorley, Lancs.

A source said: “Danny has been spending lots of time with Tallulah. He is very family-orientated so taking her to meet his family was a big deal.”

This month, Tallulah shared a TikTok of her and Danny dancing in the street to his band’s song Infinity (123), captioned: “Look who I bumped into.”

Seems Danny has a new No1.

BIOPIC BOYLE

SUSAN BOYLE is working on a biopic, I have heard.

The film will chart her rise to global fame from her humble beginnings in Scotland to appearing on Britain’s Got Talent in 2009.

It comes as the singer is planning a comeback with new music.

A source confirmed: “Susan is working on a film and is hoping that a streamer will snap it up.”

I wonder who SuBo, above, has in mind to play her?

Raising awareness

ROXY HORNER is turning her hand to documentaries.

The model, who married comic Jack Whitehall last month, is believed to be in talks with a company to make a film about living with Type 1 diabetes, which she was diagnosed with in 2021.

A source said: “Roxy has been amazing at raising awareness of living with the chronic condition.

“She now wants to delve deeper and speak to experts.”

Shakira’s miami mini break

SHAKIRA looked her very zest as she stepped out in a bright orange outfit.

The Colombian singer flaunted her toned legs in a mini dress at Miami Swim Week.

She was attending an event on Thursday for her haircare brand Isima.

We’ll soon be humming Shakira’s track Dai Dai, the official anthem for the 2026 Fifa World Cup that she made with Burna Boy.

KELLY SET FOR MIGHTY COMEBACK

KELLY OSBOURNE is preparing for her first performance since dad Ozzy died last year.

The TV presenter and singer will join headliners Scissor Sisters at Mighty Hoopla festival in South London’s Brockwell Park today.

A source said: “Kelly is excited to get back on stage and doing it with the Scissor Sisters is a huge honour.”

Black Sabbath legend Ozzy passed away last July, with Kelly and her mum Sharon Osbourne honouring him at The Brit Awards.

Kelly and Sharon accepted the Lifetime Achievement gong for Ozzy at Manchester’s Co-Op Live arena in February.

Speaking to Biz on Sunday’s Emily at the ceremony, Kelly said: “A Lifetime Achievement award is such an honour, I couldn’t think of anyone else more deserving.

“It’s bittersweet.”

I am sure Ozzy would be proud of Kelly today.

Heidi hi, Nat & Nic

HALF of All Saints performed as Appleton at the Mighty Hoopla yesterday.

Nicole and Natalie Appleton took to the stage at the festival in Brockwell Park, South East London, in their typical cool girl style of tracksuits.

Nicole said: “Guys, you have to realise it’s been quite a long time that Nat and I have sung as Appleton.

“But we are so emotional that it’s our first festival.”

Nicole, left, and Natalie, right, were joined by their pal and ex-Sugababes member Heidi Range, centre, for a surprise performance.

Gene, Nicole’s son with ex Liam Gallagher, watched from the side of the stage along with Nat’s hubby, Liam Howlett from The Prodigy.

The duo release Ready To Begin next month, and their Appleton EP will be out in September.

Welcome back, ladies.

It’s go for pro with ex

HE failed to find The One on Channel 4’s Celebs Go Dating, but it seems Professor Green is back with his ex Karima McAdams.

I am told the couple who have five-year-old son Slimane, have been taking things slowly after their split in 2024.

Karima shared an Instagram snap of the lad with Pro Green – real name Stephen Manderson – referring to the chart star as her “partner”.

Explaining her little boy had a suspected wrist fracture after falling from a zipwire, she said: “Son is coming back in plaster and partner medium rare.”
Looks like the rapper is back in the game . . . 

WE’VE all gone a little K-razy – with Brits obsessed with K-pop, K-drama and K-beauty.

So it’s no wonder Virgin Atlantic chose to launch new direct flights to South Korea’s cool capital Seoul.

From the music legends BTS and Netflix hits KPop Demon Hunters and Squid Game to the latest in advanced skin treatments, would my first trip live up to the hype?

After a whistlestop three days, I can ­definitely say yes — it was all I thought it would be and so much more.

The journey from Incheon International Airport to the city centre was eye-opening as we rattled along a highway next to the great expanse of the Han River that splits the city into its historic northern half and glitzy southern districts.

In the shadows of the countless skyscraper apartment blocks, locals gather on the riverfront’s parks, walking trails and cycling paths.

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

And this high-tech capital of endless high rises and neon-lit streets is also home to ancient palaces and surprisingly tranquil green spaces.

Locals and tourists alike flock to the five grand Joseon-era palaces and if you wear a Hanbok — the traditional Korean clothing — admission to them all is free.

While it may seem a little odd to us, embracing the traditional garb is actively encouraged and there are plenty of boutique rental shops surrounding the palace district that will, for a small fee, dress you head to toe in the brightly coloured garments and even braid your hair.

With little time to waste, we went straight from the plane to the palaces.

Top tip: plan your days carefully.

The ­magnificent main palace, Gyeongbokgung, is closed on Tuesdays, while the nearby ­Changdeokgung shuts its gates on Mondays.

We spent time wandering Changdeokgung’s ancient courtyards — just make sure to book ahead if you want to see its famous, tranquil Secret Garden.

Next morning, it was time to shake off the jetlag and embrace modern Seoul with a K-Pop dance class in the city’s university ­district.

Our incredibly patient instructor walked us through a routine to the Saja Boys’ hit Soda Pop, from Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters.

The 90-minute session was an absolute blast, and even someone with two left feet like me could just about pick up the moves — albeit I was a few beats behind the music!

More modern-day Korean fun came next with a visit to one of the flagship Olive Young K-beauty stores in the Myeong-dong shopping district.

You’ll find smaller stores on almost every street corner here, packed with Korean beauty products from floor to ceiling.

The trick is to do your research before you go — it can be overwhelming looking at the overflowing aisles but you can score amazing bargains, with some products just a third of the price you’d pay in the UK.

Next up was another Korean trend that has taken social media by storm — colour analysis.

Stepping into a deliberately all-white room, your personal stylist will assess the colours that suit your skin tone best.

While I am sure the colours picked for me suited the Korean aesthetic — you’ll rarely see very bright tones on locals strolling streets by day or night — I felt they missed the mark.

After my colour analysis, we stumbled across the Roof Cat Me cafe which, as a feline fan, was a must.

The £10 entry fee included unlimited drinks for the humans — and the chance to chill next to some of the most beautiful pedigrees, all of whom appeared extremely happy with their spotlessly clean, custom-built hangout.

What surprised me the most was the great value — and warm welcome — we got everywhere we went.

While the efficient metro system costs just 80p per journey, it was also very easy to grab an Uber — and journeys were a fraction of the price we’d pay in the UK.

Download the Naver app to get around though, as Google and Apple maps are limited to public transport routes.

Food and drink was also very reasonable.

Local beers cost just £2.50 and you can even enjoy unlimited beef Korean barbecue for around £15.

And what’s more important, even at night I felt completely safe on the buzzing streets of bars, clubs and restaurants.

There is none of the edgier atmosphere you can get in big cities.

We ticked one last thing off the bucket list with a trip to the Gangnam southern district — known for its upscale shopping and nightlife made famous by the original smash-hit song from Psy.

There was just time to pose under the giant Psy hands statue outside the COEX mall before it was back to the airport and I was boarding my Virgin Atlantic flight home to London.

My feet were tired but my skin was glowing.

Seoul is a dizzying, delightful mix of old and new — and it more than lives up to the hype.

I WAS born in Southend-on-Sea with candy floss and chip grease running through my veins, so I have a real soft spot for an English seaside resort.

And with its blonde sandy beaches, vintage ice-cream parlours and shellfish stalls, the Kent coastal town of Ramsgate does not disappoint.

Cockles aside, my partner and I have come for the weekend to check out one of its quirkiest attractions, This Museum Is (Not) Obsolete, which is part studio, part science lab and part techno time capsule.

It’s owned and run by Sam Battle, AKA Look Mum No Computer, who represented Britain in the Eurovision Song Contest this month.

Now back in Ramsgate proudly brandishing his ONE point, Sam’s museum houses his vast collection of eccentric inventions, retro computers, analogue synthesisers and other audio oddities that hum, squeak and beep.

It’s brilliant and bonkers in equal measure.

TUI GOOD

TUI launches new holidays to 30C ‘Smiling Coast’ where meals cost a few pounds

BOWL OVER

Massive 23,000 sq ft bowling alley with adult playground to open in UK next week

Staring up at the flashing 1,000 Oscillator Megadrone, I’m assured the museum is very hands-on and you can touch and play with almost everything.

Fans travel from across the country to see Sam’s creations, including a Raleigh Chopper/synthesiser, a flame-throwing Henry Hoover and my favourite, the Furby organ — a fully functioning instrument ­power­ed by rows of the singing fluffy toys.

After an hour happily geeking out, we wander down to the harbour — the only one in the UK still officially granted royal status.

There, primary-coloured fishing boats bob alongside shiny yachts, while cafe-bars and vintage bike shops hide under the arches nearby.

Ramsgate can be a little gritty in parts — there’s no shortage of vape and betting shops — but that’s part of its charm.

And like its coastal neighbours, Broadstairs, Deal and Margate, it’s attracting more and more artists, musicians and independent businesses each year.

A short stroll from the harbour is Addington Street, the town’s indie quarter. It has a hip artsy vibe with renovated Victorian villas, vintage blue street signs and shops such as Vinyl Head Records and No.36 by SP, which sells fancy homewares.

We stop for a pint at the Queen Charlotte, a cute little pub filled with retro curios; think fringed lamps, a ship-shaped cocktail bar and a ­vintage record player from where music by The Carpenters flows.

But Ramsgate isn’t just about kitsch pubs and fantastical Furby organs.

Beneath the town is a network of tunnels that stretch for two and a half miles.

Originally a tunnel railway that connected the town to neighbouring Broadstairs, it was expanded in 1939 to serve as an air-raid shelter for Ramsgate residents.

On the 90-minute guided tour through the dimly lit tunnels, I learn of Ramsgate’s remarkable resilience and community during the war.

We’re staying at The House at Ramsgate, a chichi boutique hotel (formerly Albion House) on the seafront.

From our sea-view room, we can see the world’s largest Wetherspoons, The Royal Victoria Pavilion, which spans 11,000 sq ft in a prime spot on the beach.

Instead we relax with a cocktail in the quieter lounge at the hotel followed by a dinner of locally caught crab cakes and ribeye steak.

After breakfast, Sunday is spent blowing out the cobwebs walking the coastal path to Broadstairs.

The scenic two-mile route links the sandy beaches along the coast.

A few years ahead of Ramsgate in its gentrification, Broadstairs feels like its more polished sister.

We find a farmers’ market in the gardens of Bleak House, where Charles Dickens wrote David Copperfield, and stop for a drink at the Royal Albion, his old watering hole, before wandering back to Ramsgate.

One thing’s for sure, whether you are into funky retro tech or sunny seaside strolls — or even a bit of both — Ramsgate is well worth a visit this summer.

WHO can blame Paul McCartney for glancing in the rear-view mirror on his latest record? 

At 83, the likely lad from Liverpool, who became a Beatle and Britain’s best-loved songwriter, is due a moment of reflection.  

He looks at it this way: “As a writer, you often write about things in the past, even if it’s just yesterday.” 

Or even, as Macca can’t resist saying, if that past “always seems so far away”.  

“That’s another nice idea. I think I might have done that one,” he adds in acknowledgment of his immortal Beatles ballad Yesterday. 

His 20th solo studio album, The Boys Of Dungeon Lane, finds him casting his mind back to innocent times before The Beatles changed his life for ever. 

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Five of the 14 tracks visit the simple pleasures of youth — As You Lie There, Days We Left Behind, Down South, Home To Us (a first ever duet with Ringo) and Salesman Saint — and, as you’ll discover, each comes with a captivating back story. 

Here, the master storyteller, whose previous character studies include Eleanor Rigby, The Fool On The Hill and She’s Leaving Home, turns the spotlight on himself for what might just be his most personal song cycle yet. 

On The Boys Of Dungeon Lane, Sir Paul makes you believe in HIS yesterdays. 

Asked why much of his latest work deals with memories, he replies: “I think writers, including me, ask themselves that. 

“When you think about, say, Charles Dickens, what’s he going to write about except stuff he knows and stuff he remembers? Then he can gussy them up.” 

And do recent Beatles and Wings reissue projects have an impact on the way he fashions a song these days? 

“No,” answers McCartney emphatically. “The thing that pulls it all together is me — it’s my brain making music.  

“I don’t think, ‘Wow, oh yeah, let’s do this. This is a Beatles idea, or this is a Wings idea’. I don’t think like that. It’s all current. It’s me. This is what I do.” 

Listen to The Boys Of Dungeon Lane and you’ll understand what he’s getting at.  

Despite first picking up a guitar nearly 70 years ago, he’s still making eclectic, freewheeling music, brimful of ideas, even if many lyrics are bathed in nostalgia. 

The album was recorded over the past five years, when time permitted between touring and other commitments, in the company of in-demand American producer Andrew Watt, known for his work with Ozzy Osbourne, Post Malone, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus and, ironically, The Beatles’ chief Sixties chart rivals, the Rolling Stones. 

“We just enjoyed it,” says Macca of his sessions with Watt. “We were like a couple of Boys Of Dungeon Lane — little boys in a sandpit — and we were having fun.” 

So, with the help of telling observations from the man himself, given to me by his team, let’s take a deep dive into the key tracks. 

As You Lie There begins proceedings in memorable style with an intimate spoken word passage delivered over minor key acoustic strums. 

McCartney intones: “I used to walk past your house. Every night I’d look up at your window. The light was on. I saw your silhouette on the blind. Do you think of me? Do I ever cross your mind?” 

The song, with its squalling rock refrain, recalls a teenage crush from the time Macca lived at 20 Forthlin Road in the Allerton area of south Liverpool, in the house where he and John Lennon first discovered their spark of creative chemistry. 

“Up in one of the ­windows, there was a girl I ­fancied called Jasmine,” he says of his tale of unrequited love. “But I didn’t know how to approach her. I never spoke to her. 

“The joke was, she did show up later that year and knocked on the door. I was indisposed — I was on the toilet — so I missed Jasmine.” 

Aside from the sweet story behind the lyrics, As You Lie There is important because it is the song that kickstarted the whole process, just as the world was emerging from the Covid pandemic. 

McCartney says: “The album really started when my manager said, ‘Would you like to meet Andrew Watt?’ 

“I knew he was an active young producer, and I liked some of his stuff. I said, ‘Yeah, great’. He said, ‘Well, it’s just a cup of tea. Go down to his studio’.” 

The pair hit it off and what began as that cuppa at Watt’s basement studio — located in his Beverly Hills residence once owned by Charlie Chaplin — soon turned into something much more significant. 

Macca described his songwriting process, how he would try “to find  

a really weird chord”, to give him “a little inspiration”. 

To his delight, he realised that Watt, a big guitar collector, “had figured that if I was coming down, it would be handy to have a left-handed guitar. 

“I struck this mad chord,” he continues. “I still have no idea what it is, then I changed one note, then another. Suddenly we  had a three-chord sequence and Andrew said, ‘We should record this’.” 

As the song took shape, they considered bringing in Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers on drums but Watt suggested that McCartney, a more than proficient drummer, should play them himself.  

He says: “I really enjoyed drumming to it, so I put down the drum track, then obviously the bass.  

“Then Andrew put the guitar lick down, because he’s a good guitar player. And over a few days, we made As You Lie There. That started the journey.” 

The “journey” included recordings in various LA studios as well as Macca’s own Hog Hill Mill in Sussex and his old Beatles stomping ground, Abbey Road. 

Of all the ensuing songs, first single Days We Left We Behind sets the tone — and is also significant for yielding the album title. 

“This is very much a memory song for me,” says McCartney. “I was just thinking about those days I left behind.” 

Whenever he goes to Liverpool these days, to visit the city’s Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) for instance, he notes that “the back entrance to the airport is in Dungeon Lane”. 

He remembers trips down that lane “as a little kid, because I used to wander off, just on my own, with my little bird book”. 

It was the keen ornithologist’s gateway to stunning Mersey Shore, an area teeming with wading birds just a short distance from suburban Speke where he lived between the ages of five and 13. 

“Speke is quite working class,” says McCartney. “We didn’t have much at all but it didn’t matter because all the people were great and you didn’t notice it. 

“It’s my wife Nancy’s favourite track on the album. When we play it to people, we say, ‘You don’t need to cry’, and then you look up and see that they are.” 

When asked how he settled on the album title, Macca says you could ask the same question about Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. 

“It’s just some words I like. We were thinking Along The Mersey Shore could be good. But then I liked The Boys Of Dungeon Lane — it’s a bit more, ‘What’s that about?’ ” 

McCartney says Days We Left Behind “involves a bit in the middle about John and Forthlin Road”. (The McCartney family moved there in 1955). 

It suggests that he and his much-missed songwriting partner in The Beatles “wrote a secret code, to never be spoken”. 

This leads us to the folkie Down South which, says Macca, is “another one about reminiscing”.  

“I often think about John and George,” he continues. “We used to hitchhike in the days before The Beatles. It was in the days when you could — now I warn my grandkids, ‘Don’t do it’, because there are too many nutters out there.” 

He remembers: “I got a tip from someone who said, ‘You start off in Chester — because that’s where all the lorries are and they’re all going straight down south. That’s a good place to get your first lift’.” 

With Harrison, seven months his junior, coming along for the ride to places like Harlech in Wales, it was a perfect chance to do some “bonding” with his future bandmate. 

And speaking of bandmates, what about the rousing Home To Us, which, for good reason, is the only track McCartney doesn’t play the drums on. 

During one of his breaks from sessions with Watt, he “talked to Ringo about Andrew”. 

“Then Ringo went round to Andrew’s studio and drummed a bit. Next time I saw Ringo, he said, ‘Well, he didn’t do anything with it.’  

“I asked what he’d expected and he said, ‘Well, you know, a track’.” 

When Macca finally heard his old mucker’s efforts, he suggested to Watt: “We SHOULD make a track and send it to Ringo. So, we did.” 

On writing the Home To Us lyrics, he reveals: “This song is done totally with Ringo in mind. I’m talking about where we came from.  

“In common with a lot of people, you come from nothing and you build yourself up. Ringo was the one who came from the most ‘nothing’ in The Beatles. 

“He was from the Dingle and that was well hard. He used to get mugged coming home from work. 

“Even though it was crazy, it was ‘home to us’ and I made the song around that idea.” At first, Ringo only sang a few lines of chorus, but Macca rang him and said he’d “love to hear him sing the whole thing”. 

“Next, we took my first line, Ringo’s second line and we had a duet — something we’d never done before.  

“We also wanted backing vocals, and I had the idea it would be nice to hear girls. Chrissie Hynde and Sharleen Spiteri are mates — and they did it.” 

The last of McCartney’s memory songs is the most poignant, Salesman Saint, which pays tribute to his midwife mother Mary who died when he was only 14 (the “mother Mary” of Let It Be) and his salesman/amateur musician father Jim. 

He says: “This song is me remembering my mum and dad. I was born in World War II and I often think, ‘Bloody hell, it’s tough enough having a baby now but imagine if we were all conscious that bombs could be falling any minute’ — and Liverpool was getting heavily bombed.  

“I was thinking about them bringing up this kid in those circumstances. My dad happened to be a cotton salesman, and my mum was a nurse. They did it. They managed it and they brought up me and my brother [Mike]. 

“Got us to doctors, got us to school and did all these things under those circumstances. At the end of the song, there’s music I’m trying to make from their era.” 

So now you’ve heard about all the songs inspired by McCartney’s youth but there are NINE more tracks to digest. So here, in Macca’s own words, are his thoughts on those: 

Lost Horizon: “This one came about when our dearly beloved and now sadly deceased studio manager, Eddie Klein, was logging some old cassettes of mine.  

“He asked me if I remembered Lost Horizon and I said, ‘No’. He said, ‘It’s good, you should listen to it’. So, we remade it faithfully to the cassette version — just with a more modern sound.” 

Ripples On A Pond: “It’s a love song. Like a few of the songs, we started this in my studio in Sussex. I said to Andrew, ‘You’re supposed to be a pop producer and we’re making all these records that don’t sound like that to me so, come on, let’s pop this one up!’ ”  

Mountain Top: “My wife is a real live music fan and if there’s anything on she’s like, ‘Can we go?’ So, we go to Glastonbury every year and I started fantasising about some young girl tripping — she’s magic mushroomed out. The things you write songs about!” (Nancy delivers the closing spoken words.)  

We Two: “A lot of Beatles records were made on a four-track Studer machine, including A Day In The Life. It’s such a classic now. I’ve got one in the studio and we use it sometimes. Andrew loves all these recording legends of the past. I showed him the Studer and he said, ‘Can we use it now?’ Luckily, it’s in full working order so we did We Two on it. It’s a little love song.” 

Come Inside: “Going to side two now. We start it off with a rocker love song. It’s straightforward — but with verve.” 

Never Know: “When I was in LA, I always liked the idea of Laurel Canyon and that scene. The days of Joni Mitchell, the Eagles — all that hanging out, getting stoned and playing guitars. So that was the vibe that started off Never Know.” 

Life Can Be Hard: “I had a little instrumental chord sequence during Covid — and there was a little baby in the house, my wife’s niece’s new baby and it was a thrill. For a lot of people, Covid was terrible if you weren’t with family.  

“Anyway, this baby used to like these chords, and it became a song. Life can be hard, but that’s when we put it together again. It’s a positive message.”  

First Star Of The Night: “I was on tour and had a day off, which was precious. We were in Costa Rica and it rained hard — all day heavy, tropical rain. I was thinking about being out by the pool, but you really couldn’t go out.  

“I thought, ‘I know, I’ll write a song’. I had my guitar with me. So, this starts out, ‘Even when it’s raining’, but then I switched it to, ‘Even when it’s raining inside’, just to give myself somewhere to go with the song.” 

Momma Gets By: “The last track on the album and it’s totally imaginary. I was thinking of Porgy and Bess’s world. It’s basically about a woman who you can see is the strength in the family.” 

Finally, Macca is asked how he hopes listeners will respond to his new album. 

He replies: “Well, I hope they fall in love with the songs and the performances. I hope it takes them to a place of joy.” 

Whether it’s Penny Lane, Dungeon Lane or Memory Lane, Paul McCartney will transport you there. 

Roll up! Roll up! He is your magical not-so-mysterious tour guide. 

PAUL McCARTNEY

The Boys Of Dungeon Lane

★★★★★

HSBC has praised our investigation into Katie Price’s husband Lee Andrews — and repaid the £1,000 our journalist spent to expose him as a fraudster.

Clemmie Moodie sent conman Andrews the money from her account with the bank via its app to see if he would make good on promises to treble it.

David Callington, head of economic crime prevention at HSBC UK, said: “It’s great that The Sun is educating readers on how to spot and avoid fraud and what warning signs to look out for.

“If any HSBC UK customers find themselves in the same position as Clemmie, we’d invite them to get in touch with us to see how we can help.”

The bank concluded Andrews had forged its own branding to fabricate a fake payment screenshot — a document showing £2,900 due to land in Clemmie’s account on May 15 that never arrived.

She had transferred the cash after he pitched a “zero risk” investment.

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What followed was a string of excuses about stock market turns and Abu Dhabi banking hours, then the fake HSBC screenshot, then silence.

Nineteen days after handing the money over, Clemmie went public.

Andrews, a Dubai-based self-styled businessman who has called himself an “international mastermind criminal”, is now wanted by Interpol after Hertfordshire Police escalated their investigation into him.

Former glamour model Katie, 48, claims her missing husband is in prison on spying charges in Dubai.

Mr Callington warned: “Social media has become a leading hunting ground for investment scammers.

“They will share fake testimonials and forged documents with their victims to build trust quickly.

“The first major red flag with any investment scam is usually the assurance of guaranteed, unrealistically high returns.

“Take time to do your research, and speak to your bank if you are unsure about the legitimacy of an investment.”

HSBC experts have identified key red flags customers need to know.

5 SCAM RED FLAGS TO LOOK OUT FOR

1. “GUARANTEED” or unusually high returns are the first warning sign. If fixed, risk-free or above-market returns are promised — think “8% a month” or “double your money” — walk away. Legitimate investments carry risk.

2. PRESSURE and urgency tactics are the scammer’s best friend. They include phrases like “limited allocation”. If someone tells you not to seek independent advice or creates a false deadline, that is a major alarm bell.

3. UNREGULATED or hard-to-verify firms are a serious danger sign. If the product description is vague, treat it with extreme caution. No audited financials or clear documents where you would expect them? That is a red flag.

4. WATCH how they ask you to pay. Requests to send money to personal accounts, to use crypto or gift cards are classic scam tactics. And beware of anyone who tells you to pay fees or tax upfront in order to “release” profits.

5. A SLICK-looking app may show profits climbing, but when you try to withdraw, there are delays, blocked requests or a need to “top up” funds. If a platform makes it hard to get your money back, something is very wrong.

KATIE Price has found hubby Lee Andrews after two weeks — and he claims he was detained on suspicion of spying.

She spoke to conman Lee, 43, for two minutes this morning after his dad put her in touch. Katie, 48, says the call came from Dubai’s Al Awir jail.

She said: “It was very rushed but he said the authorities out there thought he was a spy.”

Relieved Katie added: “I told him how worried I’d been and that I loved him.”

Panicked Katie raised the alarm on May 13, telling fans Lee had been tied up, put in a van and taken to a “black site” after being “arrested”.

Now she says Lee has told her he was detained on suspicion of spying, and is being held at Dubai’s Al Awir prison.

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Katie’s contact with her husband came after his dad Peter texted her to explain his whereabouts.

She said: “I have found him. He is alive, and he is OK. I told him how worried I had been and told him I loved him.

“It was very rushed, but he said the authorities out there thought he was a spy. I don’t know much more than that right now.”

Lee, who lives full-time in Dubai, is believed to have been arrested on May 14.

The Sun, however, understands he has been detained over claims relating to a private civil matter. Authorities have confirmed to us he was NOT held over spying charges.

He is due for release on Monday, but must pay a four-figure fine.

Lee once reposted an Instagram post suggesting he should be the next James Bond.

And he is seen “acting” in an excruciating 2016 video on his YouTube channel titled “Charity TV show: The Agent”.

A comment adds: “Featuring billionaire defense (sic) contractor H.E Weslee Peter John Andrews.”

Espionage is one of the most serious crimes in the United Arab Emirates.

In 2018 Brit PhD student Matthew Hedges was held at Dubai airport on suspicion of spying.

He was jailed for life but pardoned and released following intense international pressure.

In the days before Lee’s arrest he had moved belongings out of his rental apartment, and had moved in briefly with his father, staying in his run-down villa.

It is not known where he disappeared to after this, and his family filed a missing person’s report at the British embassy in Dubai.

On May 19, The Sun told how Lee duped our Clemmie Moodie into investing £1,000 on the promise of quadrupling her investment. It was a bogus scheme, seemingly using documents made using AI.

Before our front-page revelations, two of Lee’s exes shared horror stories involving the fraudster.

Texan nurse Crystal Janke said she had put £123,000 into one of his schemes on the promise of getting £1million, only to lose it all.

Lee’s ex-fiancée Alana Percival — who he proposed to over rose petals and champagne five weeks before rehashing the method with Katie — branded him a manipulative narcissist who feigned a heart condition for sympathy.

Alana claimed he was a swindler and told Katie to “run for the hills”.

Mum-of-five Katie and Lee wed in Dubai in January, days after meeting in person for the first time. He is said to be subject to a travel ban there following imprisonment for fraud last October.

Lee has been exposed for faking his CV, claiming he had worked for the King’s Trust and had a doctorate from Cambridge university.

He has never worked for the Labour Party — as he had claimed on his LinkedIn page.

Last week Katie admitted she was “giving up the search” for Lee after deleting an update about his situation.

She told podcast The Katie Price Show she was “leaving it to the police”, adding: “There’s nothing more I can do, that I can say.

“I’m just staying quiet because it’s getting ridiculous now, people taking the p**s out of everything.”

Katie added: “The police are now handling it, the British police, British consulate, the Foreign Office, Interpol they’re looking for Lee. All I can do is just get on with my life. I’ve got lots of exciting things coming up, and I’m just waiting for a call. What am I supposed to do, sit here and cry and do nothing, stay in bed? For my own sanity, I am taking a step back.”

Last weekend Lee’s dad Peter told the Daily Mail: “Lee is OK. He has not been kidnapped but is under arrest. I don’t know on what charge. I’m not sure where he is being held.”

Katie wrote: “This is fake news. Lee is still missing. Me and his family know what’s going on and are working with the authorities.”

The drama started earlier this month when Lee was due to fly to the UK for an interview with Katie on ITV’s Good Morning Britain.

He failed to turn up, leaving her to face the music on her own, humiliating her in the process.

• IN tomorrow’s Sun, we reveal how HSBC investigated Clemmie’s payment to Lee, and within 24 hours her money had been returned — vindicating allegations of him being a scammer. The bank’s head of fraud reveals the steps you can take to avoid getting swindled and how to claim back your money, step by step, should you have fallen victim to a similar scam.

WHAT a fortnight.

Over the past two weeks, I have been on the hunt for Lee Andrews – ably assisted by Katie Price, our man on the ground in Dubai, Sun readers… and literally thousands of social media followers.

The interest in the story is not like anything I can recall in 20 years of covering showbusiness.

To recap, it all kicked off on May 11th.

My investigation into Lee was published – a man whom several women had gone on record and accused of being a conman, largely thanks to excellent work by Bizarre’s Ellie Henman – and Lee rapidly went to ground.

Having spent two months befriending the fraudster – he was very charming and, absolutely, on a surface level, I really liked him – but it quickly became apparent his money-making ways were dubious. 

They needed to be exposed. I hoped, in so doing, I hoped we might finally open love-loving Katie’s eyes to the chap she had married in haste.

His brave ex-girlfriend Alana Percival also gave a podcast confirming he was a man not to be trusted.

Within 24 hours of publication, Lee had cut off contact from his frantic wife. (A woman, let’s not forget, who had been left humiliated live on air during *that* infamous GMB sofa appearance).

Despite repeated enquiries from our reporter out there, UEA police authorities would not confirm his whereabouts. 

There was seemingly no official record of him in prison, and the Foreign Office insisted they were supporting the family of a man detained. But would give no further information.

In the interim, several madcap theories were being circulated on both TikTok and Instagram by both Katie Price’s fans and her detractors.

I found myself, unexpectedly, at the centre of them.

She stood accused of staging a giant publicity stunt – one to garner attention for her forthcoming three-part documentary, and, bafflingly, I was accused of being “in on it too”.

So let me be clear. I am NOT in on anything. 

As far as I know, and I have to believe her, Katie genuinely did not have a clue where her husband was. Indeed, she took to Instagram to deny prior claims by Lee’s dad that he was holed-up in jail.

She contacted me today in a WhatsApp, simply writing: “I have an update.”

Lee claims, slightly implausibly, he has been arrested for “spying”. I will eat my sun-hat if that is the case; at this stage, I do not believe a word that emerges from that man’s mouth. But, crucially, Katie still wants to believe in him, and help.

So why the interest in this story – one which went on to spawn an international manhunt and one, really, that only Katie Price would find herself embroiled in? 

Well, she is a part of our fabric; love her or loathe her, she is an icon of British pop culture.

We have grown up with her as a nation, and seen first-hand her tumultuous string of wrong’uns (first husband Peter Andre notwithstanding, and perhaps her sweet, most recent ex-boyfriend, JJ Slater).

Katie is a woman who just wants to be loved.

Finally, she has found her missing husband. Perhaps now she can get the answers she so desperately needs.

LILY ALLEN has long been a fan of Jade Thirlwall and now they’ve teamed up for a collaboration.

I can reveal she has recorded a new version of her West End Girl album track Beg For Me with the Angel Of My Dreams singer, with the new take set to drop tomorrow.

Lily teased the release of a new track on Instagram on Tuesday night – which I can confirm will be this one.

She shared a video with the caption: “Oops decided I’m not done ;)) got another song for youuu.”

The move will raise hopes that Jade could be a special guest when Lily headlines Mighty Hoopla festival in Brockwell Park, South London, on Saturday night.

Jade is a massive fan of the event and performed there last year, with Lily previously teasing she had surprises in store for fans at the show.

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The Smile singer rocketed back into the spotlight last October when she dropped West End Girl.

It documented, in gritty detail, the breakdown of her marriage to Stranger Things actor David Harbour.

Then in January, Lily confirmed: “I’m doing a remix version of the album, where different female artists are responsible for each of the songs.”

Getting Jade on board is certainly a strong start.

Rodrigo-go dancers

OLIVIA RODRIGO made a right song and dance on the set of her new video.

She was in New York wearing a dark jumper and knee-high boots, flanked by a troupe of ballerinas.

Olivia has unveiled the tracklist to her third album, You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love, which will be out in a fortnight.

It will be split into two halves, with the first, Girl So In Love, featuring recent single Drop Dead.

The second half, You Seem Pretty Sad, the track The Cure.

Alfie on facing himself

ALFIE BOE delivered a magical performance at the Royal Albert Hall on Tuesday as he revealed the truth about his new album Face Myself.

The singer and musical theatre star had the crowd belting out his new songs as well as previous covers, including Leona Lewis’s Run and Bring Him Home from Les Miserables.

He said of the album: “The reason why I call it Face Myself is because I wanted to really look back at everything that has gone on for me in my life, and how I’ve got here today, got to this point, this minute, on stage at the Royal Albert Hall. I wanted to share with you the real Alfie Boe, the guy from Fleetwood in Lancashire.”

Macca: I’d be a teacher

SIR PAUL McCARTNEY has revealed what he might have been if music mega-stardom had not come calling – an English teacher.

The Beatles legend said: “Well, when I was at school, there’s always like the careers master who tells you, you know, ‘You’re no good, you’re hopeless, I see no future for you’.

“I’d done not very well in my exams.

“I had a couple of qualifications and they told me I could maybe be an English teacher.

“So I could have been your friendly English teacher.”

During a TikTok Live, Macca, who is worth an estimated £1billion and will release his 20th solo album The Boys Of Dungeon Lane tomorrow, added:

“I probably would have enjoyed that because I like that subject, and I like English literature and stuff. So that was my fallback position.”

‘Definetly a three’ says Perrie as Jesy is out of Little Mix reunion

PERRIE EDWARDS has ruled out Jesy Nelson ever returning to Little Mix – but said she is raring to go with a reunion as a three-piece .

Jesy quit the group in 2020 and then cut off all contact.

She has since spoken to the girls again, but Perrie said that a future comeback would only involve her, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall.

Asked whether there will be a reunion, she told Attitude: “Oh, 100 per cent. I’m ready and raring.

“We always message each other and are bantering like, ‘So how long until we do a reunion? Are we going to do one? Where is it?’.

“I’m like, just give me a ballpark time. Do you know what I mean? Just let me know when.”

And pushed on whether it would be as a three or a four, she added: “A three. Definitely a three.”

For now though, Perrie – who is engaged to Celtic and former Arsenal footballer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – is still a solo artist and will release new single Passenger Princess on Friday.

On what the latest song is about, she said: “I love being independent, I love having my own s**t, I love doing everything for myself, being strong and a powerful woman.

“But you know, sometimes I can’t be f**ed.

“Sometimes I just want to do nothing and be like, ‘Alex, can you just help me, look after me?’, you know?”

JUDY FINNIGAN is considering a return to showbiz by launching a podcast with hubby Richard Madeley, 17 years on from their last TV series.

He said on Channel 5’s Vanessa yesterday: “We’ve had a conversation with a very good producer friend of ours, an ex-editor of This Morning, and we have kicked a few ideas around. It’s in the air.”

BAD BUNNY has joined the voice cast of new movie Toy Story 5 – as a slice of pizza in sunglasses.

The rapper has recorded his part for the film, which is out on June 19, and will arrive in the UK a week later for two sold-out shows at the Tottenham Stadium in London.

His character will be one of several items abandoned in a shed, alongside a garden gnome voiced by Capital’s Jordan North and an inflatable flamingo voiced by Sian Welby.

BRAD PITT and Channing Tatum have halted work on their new Isle Of Man motorbike film after a serious crash at the TT Races over the weekend.

The pair are working on a new movie about the annual gathering, which is regarded as one of the world’s most ­dangerous motorsport events.

Filming had started on the Amazon MGM Studio production over the weekend but was stopped on Sunday following an accident on the opening practice day.

My on-set source said: “Channing was filming on loca­tion when the crash happened with one of the ­professional motorbike riders.

“It ended up being very serious, with eight people taken to hospital after one of the riders crashed into spectators.

“They were taken to hospital for treatment immediately.

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“The film is being made around the same areas so they have an authentic backdrop. As soon as the ­incident happened, filming was halted. Everyone on set was gravely worried about those involved in the incident.

“There is a reason the Isle of Man TT is known as the most dangerous motorbike race.

“The accident brought home to everyone the risks that are involved in this sport.”

Brad — who played racing driver Sonny Hayes in 2025 sports drama F1 — is a producer on the film, which is called Isle Of Man.

Channing has the starring role as one of the bikers.

Channing first started preparing for the film in 2023 when he was seen on the track meeting the riders and their teams.

A documentary series about the Isle of Man TT and called The Greatest Show on Earth, will be released in conjunction with the film.

Earlier this month, TT veteran John McGuinness said he had been helping Channing get ready for the role.

He said: “I speak to Channing a little bit and have a bit of a chat with him, and he just loves it — loves the bikes — I think it’s ­fantastic.

“It’s a big Hollywood thing. I know some of the guys who are involved in it and, you know, let’s hope it’s a success.”

Suki’s a belter

SUKI WATERHOUSE looks stunning in a new fashion campaign for Miu Miu.

The model-turned-singer posed in co-ords for the brand’s Upcycled collection as she gears up to release her third studio album, Loveland.

Suki, who signed a deal with Island Records last summer, will drop the record on July 10.

And it will be her first since she and actor boyfriend Robert Pattinson became parents.

She said: “I finished my last record right as I had my daughter, and this one has been everything since then. The process has been somewhat different because, I think, at the beginning of writing it, I was quite fragile.”

BRITNEY: I WISH FANS WOULD STOP RAKING UP MY PAST

BRITNEY SPEARS has called for an end to “embarrassing things” from her past being shown online – which doesn’t bode well for her big-budget biopic currently in the works.

The pop star made the plea to fans on Instagram weeks after being arrested for driving under the influence and subsequently checking herself into rehab.

In a post online, she wrote: “When you get that awkward, weird feeling you can start to feel that perhaps too much chatter is going on behind your back.

“It actually affects people. I still send them love but most importantly, I hope they feel my smile.

“The media has been a bit much in my opinion and I hope they can respect my unbelievable and miraculous spiritual journey.

“I’m so excited to embrace my journey and hope they stop showing embarrassing things from my past.”

Britney’s biopic was first announced in 2024, when Universal Pictures said it was working on an adaptation of her memoir, The Woman In Me, with Wicked filmmaker Jon M Chu as director.

I told last year how work on the much-publicised project was “not going at full speed” because of concerns that Britney was getting cold feet.

As it stands, the lead role has still not even been cast.

So perhaps Britney doesn’t need to worry about things being dredged up again quite yet.

Timothee Nicks kiss from Kylie

I THINK Kylie Jenner might be Timothee Chalamet’s lucky charm when it comes to his basketball team, the New York Knicks.

The couple were seen going bananas courtside – with Kylie giving Timothee a big kiss – after the Nicks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers to reach the NBA finals over the weekend.

It was the first time they have got there in 27 years, having last made an appearance when Timothee was four.

The joy wasn’t shared by everyone though, as across the court Taylor Swift was seen trying to cheer up her Cavaliers fan fiancé Travis Kelce.

As a Spurs supporter who almost chewed off every fingernail over the weekend, I feel his anguish.

SWIFTLY ON TO EMMYS

TAYLOR SWIFT was snubbed at the American Music Awards this week, but she’s not letting that stop her.

The chart-topper has already set her sights on September’s Emmys.

The Look What You Made Me Do singer has submitted her Eras Tour: The Final Show for Outstanding Variety Series and The End Of An Era show for Outstanding Docuseries.

Both were released on Disney+ last year and have become two of its most streamed shows.

Something tells me that Taylor could be getting at least one win in a few months’ time.

KYLIE MINOGUE has only just released her Netflix docuseries, but she is already giving fans more with Kylie: Tension Tour Live, out today on the streamer.

The behind-the-scenes look at her 2025 arena shows gives fans the chance to relive the concerts and her biggest tour in a decade.

PINK P’S BID WAS POINTLESS

PINKPANTHERESS has discovered that there really is such a thing as being too famous.

The Boy’s A Liar singer told fans during her Manchester show on Monday that she once tried to go on BBC quiz show Pointless, only to be rejected because producers thought viewers would recognise her.

She said with a laugh: “I applied for Pointless once and they said I was too famous.”

Given most contestants dream of being remembered for something on the show, that’s really quite a nice problem to have.

MAISIE PETERS is on course to score her second No1 with third album Florescence, two years after The Good Witch topped the charts.

She has competition though from Michael Jackson’s The Essential hits compilation, which is behind at No2 in the midweek figures from the Official Charts.

ARRDEE’S DRUG PAIN

ARRDEE has opened up about his secret battles with alcohol and ketamine addiction, admitting he blew the entire £300,000 from his first record deal on booze and designer clothes.

The Brighton rapper revealed he landed the huge payday aged 18 after bluffing rival labels into a bidding war.

But instead of saving the cash, he confessed: “I p**sed it up the wall.

“I didn’t save a penny even for the tax man. I didn’t even know what tax was.”

ArrDee admitted splashing thousands at Selfridges on Stone Island jumpers and Ralph Lauren polos before spiralling into years of heavy drinking and drug use.

He said: “I was super-numb. We was rock-star living.”

The rapper revealed he would drink heavily while filming videos and eventually developed addictions to alcohol and ketamine.

Asked if he believed he was addicted, he replied: “100 per cent.”

But speaking to Paul C Brunson on his We Need To Talk podcast, he said his older brother suffered a drug-induced psychosis, which changed his outlook on life.

He added: “If I could turn back time and not have fame and music, but have my brother be how he was before, I would.”

The rapper has since settled down with his partner Ocean and they now have a child together, which helped him re-evaluate life.

And he admitted: “I always thought I’d be a bad dad because I didn’t know what a good one looked like.”

It’s Baller or nothing for AJ

AJ TRACEY brought the heat to the Baller League final when he debuted his new track Quaresma live at London’s O2 Arena.

The song was inspired by Portuguese football great Ricardo Quaresma, and rapper AJ walked out with the man himself in front of a packed crowd

The football wasn’t bad either.

Prime FC, run by KSI, took the crown, beating YouTuber Niko Omilana’s NDL FC 5-2 in the final to become Baller League Season Three champions.

Prime FC knocked out Deportrio FC, managed by former Premier League stars Micah Richards and Daniel Sturridge, in a chaotic 5-3 semi-final.

Where else can you watch football legends, YouTubers and AJ Tracey all share the same pitch?

Only in the Baller League.