The Sun Newspaper

SINNERS star Delroy Lindo said he appreciates the “love and support” he has received after the N-word was shouted while he was on stage at last week’s Baftas.

The 73-year-old actor and co-star Michael B Jordan were presenting an award when Tourette’s sufferer John Davidson involuntarily blurted out the racial slur.

Lindo addressed the controversy while on stage at the NAACP Image Awards in California on Saturday.

The British-born actor said: “We appreciate – I appreciate – all of the support and love we have been shown in the aftermath of what happened last weekend, it means a lot to us.

“It is an honour to be here amongst our people this evening, amongst so many people who have shown us such incredible support.

“And it’s a classic case of something that could’ve been very negative becoming very positive.

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“Thank you so much for the support.”

Lindo praised the ceremony as “a room where being fully seen is not rare, but it is expected”.

Campaigner John said he was “deeply mortified” by what happened.

Jordan and Lindo were acknowledged by actress Regina Hall as she presented the first award of the night.

Hall, best known for appearing in the Scary Movie franchise, said: “I just want to take a moment to the two kings who are in this audience and just send you so much love for your class.”

The 57th NAACP Image Awards were held in Pasadena and hosted by actor and comedian Deon Cole.

Cole took aim at the Bafta incident, joking: “If there are any white men out here in the audience with Tourette’s, I advise you to tell them they can read the room tonight.”

HE FINALLY patched things up with brother Liam for the Oasis reunion last summer.

And it seems that Noel Gallagher is now closer than ever with his nephews Gene and Lennon — after teaching them how to party hard at Sony Music’s official Brit Awards after-party.

The Rock ’n’ Roll Star songwriter proved he was exactly that, as the last man standing at 3:45am yesterday at the do in Manchester’s amazing Soho House — despite knocking back endless bottles of Peroni until the bar stopped serving.

An onlooker said: “Noel and Liam’s sons are really close, and they hung out all night at the Sony bash.

“He might be in his fifties now but Noel still knows how to party and he put his nephews to shame with the amount of booze he could knock back.

“Noel was in really high spirits after getting the Songwriter Of The Year award and he had so many people coming up and congratulating him.

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“Gene and Lennon tried to keep up with Noel but they couldn’t, he out-partied them by a country mile.

“Even Noel’s daughter Anais gave up trying and left at 3am — Noel just carried on drinking bottles of Peroni.

“When Noel left, it was amazing he could walk straight.

“But he is a proper rocker and showed all those young ones right up.

“When Gene finally decided he wanted to try and one-up his uncle, he went to the bar and was told they’d stopped serving.

“He tried three times to be served and was in a huff when he was told no.

“To be fair it was almost 4am — and he should have just kept up with Noel when he had the chance.”

Noel’s hedonism clearly rubbed off on the other stars at Sony’s bash, which was the best of all the star-studded after-parties, thanks to its stellar guest list.

Brits host Jack Whitehall told me earlier this month that he would be having an early night because his fiancée Roxy Horner and their toddler daughter were coming to Manchester to be with him.

But he ended up partying into the early hours of yesterday morning.

I spotted him holding court with a group of his mates upstairs near grime star Skepta, with Jack finally heading back to his hotel at 3am.

Hopefully he had some Nurofen stashed in a bag because I think yesterday could have been blighted by one almighty hangover — and a very excitable toddler.

LIAM GALLAGHER praised his brother from home as Noel collected his award.

He posted on X: “All hail the greatest songwriter this country has ever seen since Lennon and McCartney.”

He also showed his support for former foe Robbie Williams’ tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, writing: “He was unreal”.

Liam also revealed why he didn’t go to the event at Co-op Live. He told a fan: “I was scared… Of all those cool folks in 1 room, they make me nervous.”

Olivia’s up fur a party

OLIVIA DEAN had good reason to smile as she headed to an after-party following her incredible four wins.

The singer scooped Artist and Pop Act, plus Album and Single of the Year for her record The Art Of Loving and her Sam Fender collaboration, Rein Me In.

Olivia wrapped up in a fur coat which covered her sparkly minidress – but didn’t hide her legs from the northern chill.

She did opt to wear sunglasses too, but at that time of night, they certainly weren’t needed.

LILY GIVES DO COLD SHOULDER

LILY ALLEN pulled out of attending the Brits as she’s desperately trying to recover in time for the launch of her first tour in seven years.

She was up for three gongs – although she was pipped to the post for all three by Olivia Dean – and had been due to travel to Manchester on Saturday morning.

But Lily made the last-minute decision not to attend after battling a brutal cold last week.

She launches her Lily Allen: Performs West End Girl tour in Glasgow this evening and has been trying to conserve energy.

Last Tuesday, she told fans she had been in bed for two days because she was “so sick” and hadn’t been able to rehearse.

When she did get back to practising, she said she had lost the lower register of her voice.

There are very high expectations for the tour, as every date sold out on the day they became available.

So a night of partying probably wouldn’t have done her any favours.

ALEX WARREN performed Ordinary at the ceremony but it’s his new single Fever Dream which is climbing the charts.

The American, who was accompanied by James Blunt on piano at the show, released the track on Friday and it’s on course to be his second No1.

But Ordinary is also rising – up four places to No15 in the midweek charts.

Jade throws shade

JADE THIRLWALL’s feud with Noel Gallagher started at the Brits five years ago.

Following Little Mix’s win for British Group, he said they were “not in the same league as Oasis.”

And she made her feelings towards him clear when Noel was accepting his Songwriter Of The Year gong at this year’s awards – by swiftly exiting the room.

She chose that exact moment to head backstage as she prepared to present the International Artist of the Year award to Rosalia.

Back in 2021, Jade hit back at Noel’s comments and said: “We are the most successful girl group in the country – but he’s not even the most successful performer in his family.”

Something tells me she isn’t praying for another Oasis tour.

JOEL: NOT GRIM UP NORTH

WOLF ALICE drummer Joel Amey told me he’s pleased the Brits came to Manchester.

The North West city will host the ceremony for the next two years and, speaking backstage, and despite being a Londoner, Joel think it is a great move.

He said: “Not everything being in London is a good thing. Manchester has an incredible band culture, it has an incredible heart – it’s nice not to be in the same place all the time.

“As Londoners, we get so much there and people get a jaded – we need more of this feeling around the country. The Mercury Awards were in Newcastle and everyone got behind it, we need more of it.”

Of next year’s ceremony, Joel has a suggestion for the Global Icon award.

He added: “I would love to see Andre 3000 get it. I love him, everything Outkast has done is amazing and he has been doing this for ever.

“He was ahead of his time and we can see how influential he is now.”

STYLES HAS SPA QUALITY

HARRY STYLES kept things gentle at the Brits, having first kicked off the day at a top health spa in nearby Warrington.

The Aperture singer was seen getting a sweat on at the Park Royal Hotel, where one guest told me: “It was about 10.30am and Harry walked into the gym and started working out.

“I had to do a double take and other people clocked him, but no one bothered him. It was all very low key, you would never have known he is one of the biggest stars on the planet. It felt so surreal.”

Harry was very much man of the night at the Co-op Live Arena, but after his incredible opening performance, he didn’t go wild.

Despite having a table, Harry never left his backstage area and once the show had ended, he headed to Sony’s after-party for a quick 30-minute appearance.

A source said: “Harry was keen to be seen supporting Sony and the Brits but also is aware his tour kicks off on Friday at the Co-op Live Arena back in Manchester.

“It was a very low-key weekend for him, he left the party after half an hour.”

One person who was happy to let her hair down after performing though was Dua Lipa.

She hot-footed it to Warner Music’s official after-party alongside her family, who were taken to Manchester by her record label on the cool British Pullman Train, specially hired by the label for the weekend.

Dua made a beeline for the dancefloor with a gaggle of about ten pals before taking some time out for a cheeky ciggie in the smoking area.

Keen not to let her night end there, the Houdini singer was whisked across town to attend Sony’s after-party.

There she hung out with Mark Ronson and drank picantes until the early hours.

Mark so dashing

MARK RONSON delivered one of the most memorable sets of the night.

He played a medley of his hits and was joined on stage by Dua Lipa, and US rapper Ghostface Killah.

But the producer made a mad dash to the Manchester airport in the early hours and only just made his flight home to New York.

Following his Outstanding Contribution To Music win and stellar performance, he celebrated at Sony Music’s party at Soho House and took to the decks until 2am.

But he was forced to make a desperate plea for help after his hour-long DJ slot ended and no one had turned up to take over.

Mark, who was supported by Dua on the dancefloor, told the crowd: “I’m having a lot of fun but I have to catch a flight in two hours so can the other DJ please report to the booth.”

I’m told he made it to the airport by the skin of his teeth, and arrived safely back in the chilly Big Apple.

It’s a good thing he’s used to exceptionally late nights.

AFTER picking up two awards, Sam Fender was in the mood to party – but he shunned the posh dos for a backstage booze-up.

“Sam and his mates loaded up on cans of lager and stayed in the Co-op Arena,” one of my backstage moles explained.

“The stage was being dismantled and all the parties were open but Sam decided to hang around. He was on a massive high and was singing and laughing with his mates as they went to the artists’ green room to crack open some tinnies.”

Never change, Sam.

FROM our boat chugging its way across Sydney Harbour, the tourists on top of the famous Bridge look tiny.

“That’ll be us tomorrow!” my travelling companion gleefully shouts. I gulp. I’m not a fan of heights.

The splendour of the Opera House, bathed in early autumn sunshine, provides a welcome distraction as we make the short trip up the coast.

The $A8 (£4) ferry trip to the chilled beach suburb of Manly is a cheap way to get the stunning views of Sydney’s skyline from the water without shelling out for a tourist boat.

Manly is a popular spot for surfing, swimming and chilling out, and we also went to snorkel in the protected marine reserve of Cabbage Tree Bay with our expert guide from EcoTreasures.

Just a few hours earlier we’d been knocking back cocktails in the late-night bars of harbourside area, The Rocks.

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But a 20-minute hop on a ferry and we were donning masks and flippers and seeing a wonderful array of exotic sea creatures in their natural habitat.

We saw green turtles, blue gropers, banjo rays and tropical butterfly fish in Manly’s welcoming waters.

A quick stop for a tasty beach-side lunch with waves crashing below us at The Pantry, and we head back into the city for a sumptuous waterfront dinner at Midden by Mark Olive in the base of the Opera House, before taking in its annual open-air show just round the corner.

That was a decent distraction ahead of the looming bridge climb.

The experience isn’t cheap, with prices from £126pp, but the views are as amazing as you’d expect.

And, for those who also get nervous around heights, it wasn’t too bad at all, given the gradual nature of the climb and the sturdy construction of the bridge!

Our climb was led by an indigenous Australian guide who gave us a fascinating walk-through of Sydney’s history from an Aboriginal perspective as we ascended.

And that native Australian flavour underpinned all of our experiences as we explored Sydney – from our harbour tour with the Tribal Warrior Cruise company to a menu inspired by traditional bush food at Midden.

A guided tour around the city’s stunning (and free to enter) Botanical Gardens was a relaxing way to spend a sunny afternoon.

If you’re travelling as part of a group, I’d recommend buying a picnic box from the Botanic House restaurant to take out among the exotic trees and chattering birds.

For a less formal, more fun way to eat in the evening, try the newly opened Paddy’s Markets just a short hop from the city centre in Chinatown.

Here, you’ll find an array of vibrant street food and bars serving cocktails or whatever else takes your fancy after a day exploring.

Or if you’re celebrating – after Sydney helped you conquer your fear of heights.

I LISTEN in pitch darkness as a creature scuttles from one end of my canvas roof to the other.

Huntsman spider? Giant goanna lizard? A giant goanna lizard-sized spider? My mind is racing.

Finally Emma, our Australian host, answers my panicked WhatsApp. “It’s a possum, Stew. No one ever died from a possum.”

Reassured, I snuggle back down under the covers and drift off to sleep with the soundtrack of the Australian forest echoing around me.

I’m staying at Paperbark Camp, an ­eco-glamping retreat 120 miles south of Sydney, tucked away in dense woodland on the banks of Currambene Creek.

My “pod” — essentially a wooden base with canvas roof and walls — has a sumptuous double bed, a deck with chairs and tables to chill while watching the exotic birdlife and kangaroos, and a delightful bath and shower room at the rear that is fully open to the forest.

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And, yes, I did check under the loo seat for spiders!

The camp is our base for a week exploring the delights of rural New South Wales.

Yes, Sydney is a fantastic city but what if you want a ­little more adventure and authenticity?

It was certainly a chance to get close to the famous Aussie wildlife, with possums trotting up to the bar terrace and mobs of kangaroos grazing just yards away in the paddocks surrounding the camp.

Having honed our canoeing skills with the camp’s boats on the delightfully placid creek, we headed up the road to Kangaroo Valley for a paddle with a twist.

Here, we had two canoes lashed together either side of a picnic table, with two bottles of local fizz chilling and freshly-made hors d’oeuvres. How civilised.

Our sedate hour-long paddle up the river surrounded by steep tree-covered mountainsides in the morning sunshine was beautiful, with guide Travis acting as wildlife spotter and giving us an education on the ways of the Aussie bush.

Every stop we made shed more fascinating light on the history of the country’s indigenous people and each stop revealed more of their mind-blowing bushcraft and knowledge of the land.

Up in the Blue Mountains — a Unesco world heritage site — local tribal elder “Uncle Dave” gave us a warm welcome to Scenic World and an enthralling introduction to Aboriginal history.

Whether out in the bush or in Sydney, a tour encompassing Australia’s indigenous culture is well worth the time, with more than 300 distinct “nations” living side by side in harmony for thousands of years, each with their own spiritual connection to the country around them.

Uncle Dave had our group enthralled as he talked us through the customs and folklore of the breathtaking landscape around us from a cable car 800ft above the forest canopy.

The same was true as we toured the mangroves and woodlands of the beautiful coastal town of Jervis Bay.

Here, our guide Jacob fashioned a soothing ointment for insect bites from the sap of a bracken fern he’d pulled from the ground in front of us.

No plant goes to waste, he explained, pointing out some of the various unique uses for the wide range of trees and grasses around us.

The plentiful mangrove trees and their twisted branches are perfect for making boomerangs, for example.

If the idea of walking through a coastal forest with stunning views of the ocean is your thing, the 90-minute trek from Hyams Beach to Greenfield is well worth a look, with miles of beautiful white sand — the whitest in the world, the locals claim — and crystal-clear waters.

There are of course snorkelling spots in the area, and a quick boat trip out into the bay will almost guarantee a sight of dolphins, with migrating whales also around from May to November every year.

Jervis Bay’s beaches are also famous for stunning night-time displays of bioluminescence — in which a plankton “bloom” in the water glows in the dark — but that’s not an experience you can plan for!

The local indigenous people’s name for Jervis Bay translates as “Bay of Plenty”, and the seafood on offer at renowned local watering hole The Huskisson Hotel certainly reflects that — a perfect way to refuel after a busy day and watch the sun set.

Exploring the stunning countryside of New South Wales will obviously require a car, and the average cost of hiring in Sydney is £45 a day.

And remember, they drive on the left Down Under so it’s easy for us Brits!

Back in the pitch darkness of the forest at Paperbark Camp, I’m woken from my well-earned slumber by a series of shrieks that sound not unlike the Demogorgon from Stranger Things.

I text Emma in the pod next door: “Did you hear that?”

As my ears pick up a rustling in the undergrowth just beyond my deck, her reply comes back: “If I told you that was just a possum, would you believe me?”

I don’t — but at least I know it can’t possibly be a 2ft Huntsman Spider.

EY up . . .  Heathcliff is not the only mysterious, brooding beast in Yorkshire.

The scenery provides just as much drama as the Wuthering Heights character.

With the recent film adaptation of Emily Bronte’s novel — starring ­Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi — the Yorkshire Dales is once again teeming with yearning Cathys and brooding young Heathcliffs.

And there I was too, like a budget Cathy, if she wore Gore-Tex and hiking boots rather than a generous bustle.

Largely shot on location in the Yorkshire Dales National Park — amid the landcapes of Swaledale and Arkengarthdale valleys and the peaceful village of Low Row — the movie shines a well-deserved spotlight on this glorious corner of England.

With its scarred limestone hills, scattered with rocks, and rolling green pastures, criss-crossed with drystone walls and peppered with honeyed-stone villages, this region is the picture of a period drama.

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While the rain barely lets up in the movie, Yorkshire welcomes me with beautiful blue skies, sunshine and even a light dusting of snow on the hills.

I’m almost disappointed.

I’ve brought along my own Heathcliff, my partner Toby, and my dog, Miss Babs, who loves a good romp across the moors.

We’re staying in Settle, a cute little market town in the heart of Bronte Country near the southern entrance of the National Park.

After the long journey, we hunker down with the first of many pints of local Thwaites ale in The Golden Lion – a coaching inn in the centre of town and our base for the weekend.

Rooms are cosy and comfy with a modern country feel.

Settle is a popular base for walkers.

Nearby is Ribblesdale, probably the best known walking area in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, not least for those conquering the Yorkshire Three Peaks — Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent.

As keen but fair-weather walkers, we opt for an easy route along the River Ribble, which still offers some spectacular views across the Dales.

Unlike in the 18th century, there’s no need to ride a bumpy old stagecoach around these parts.

Settle is the starting point of England’s most scenic railway journey.

Celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, the Settle–Carlisle Railway soars over viaducts and through heather-filled moorlands.

There are numerous stops on the 72-mile route, including the magnificent Ribblehead Viaduct, which has 24 arches.

It’s a bargain at £4.60 for a single journey.

We stayed on until Dent, the highest railway station in England, and walked part of the Dales Way, which runs from Ilkley to Lake Windermere, stopping for a pint (OK, three) at the Sportsman Inn before wobbling back for the train.

Back at the The Golden Lion, it’s time for dinner.

Choices include fat steaks (from £18.50), beer-battered fish and chips (£18.50) and Settle pudding, a traditional suet pudding oozing with steak and ale, which Toby gazes at with the lustful look of Heathcliff.

On Sunday morning, the weather turns moody.

After a hearty Yorkshire breakfast, we drive five miles to Malham, a fine village with several easy-to-access walks.

We take a muddy trudge up to Malham Cove – a natural limestone amphitheatre – and then to Gordale Scar, a towering limestone gorge with a gushing waterfall, which featured in Netflix drama, The Witcher.

Dark, damp and deliciously Gothic, it’s a fitting end to our Wuthering Heights weekend.

STARGAZE for days at this island gem, says Associate Editor Sarah Barns.

The Pad

With a slipper bath, outdoor shower and a cloud-like king-size bed, Glamping The Wight Way’s four plush safari tents are ideal for giving off-grid life a go.

Set in lush meadows between Yarmouth and Freshwater, expect solar-panel lighting and USB charging points, plus three spacious bedrooms, a sofa bed, a well-equipped kitchen and a wood burner.

We loved toasting marshmallows on the fire bowl overlooking the River Yar – one of the best paddleboarding spots in the UK – and gazing at the starry night skies.

There are also countryside walks, cycling trails and horse-riding opportunities, as well as binoculars in the dresser for spotting red squirrels and an Isle of Wight edition of Monopoly.

Nab the swing chair and watch the kids run around with the rounders set as the fairy lights twinkle.

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Explore

The golden beaches at Freshwater Bay, Compton Bay and Colwell Bay are nearby, and you’re only five minutes’ drive from Tapnell Farm Park with its go-karts, jumping pillows, sledge slides, soft play and an array of animals.

The Wallaby Walkabout, where you get to feed the marsupials, is a particular hit.

Entry costs from £8 per adult, £10 per child (Tapnellfarm.com).

Robin Hill is a 30-minute drive away, offering 88 acres of adventure, with 35 rides, treetop walks, climbing walls, mini diggers and electric boats.

The exhilarating quarter-mile downhill toboggan ride will have even the big kids screaming.

Entry costs from £16.49 per person over 1m (Robin-hill.com).

No trip to the island is complete without a visit to The Needles, just 10 minutes’ drive from your tent.

Take a breathtaking chairlift down to Alum Bay beach to see the famous cliffs up close, from £6 one way, then putt your way around the 11-hole Jurassic Adventure Golf course or hop on the traditional horse carousel (Theneedles.co.uk).

Refuel

Follow in Kate Winslet and Benedict Cumberbatch’s footsteps and dine at The Hut in Colwell Bay, a beachfront restaurant dubbed the Chiltern Firehouse of the Solent.

The restaurant’s branded Jeep will pick you up in Yarmouth harbour, so you can enjoy a glass (or three) of Mirabello rosé, £37 a bottle.

The seafood is all sourced from the south coast – we devoured lemon sole, £36, with fries and tomato salad, £6 each, followed by banoffee pie, £10 (Thehutcolwell.co.uk).

Harbourside restaurant The Terrace in Yarmouth is another popular spot.

Order the divine Cornish cod with pea fritter and potato rosti, £27, and the rich dark chocolate mousse with salted chocolate crumble, £11 (Theterraceiow.co.uk).

For quick bites, Off The Rails, set on the old railway line in Yarmouth, does a cracking bacon sandwich, £8 (Offtherailsyarmouth.co.uk).

And PO41 Coffee House serves up island-brewed teas, home-made cake and delicious picnic essentials – we loved the orange and almond loaf, £8.75 (Po41coffeehouse.com).

Book It

Two-night stays for up to eight people at Glamping The Wight Way cost from £650 (Glampingthewightway.co.uk).

OLIVIA Dean was queen of the Brit Awards last night, scooping four gongs — ten years after she attended the ceremony as a student.

The singer-songwriter, 26, won the best artist, album and pop act categories and the publicly voted song of the year with Rein Me In, with fellow award-winner Sam Fender.

London-born Olivia, who stunned on the red carpet, also performed on stage, a decade on from partying at the event as a Brit School student in 2016.

Her impressive haul followed the success of her second studio album, The Art of Loving, which spent seven weeks at No1 following its release last year.

The songstress celebrated by holding a private afterparty in Manchester where the ceremony was held.

The switch to the city’s Co-Op Live arena marked the first time the event has been staged outside London.

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A source said: “Olivia wanted to thank everyone around her for their support. She sees the success of the evening as a group effort.”

Olivia won a place at the free Brit School in Croydon, South London, aged 15, following in the footsteps of singer-songwriter former students Adele, Amy Winehouse and Jessie J.

She enrolled on a theatre course but later switched to songwriting as she began creating tracks on a second-hand piano which she begged her mum, Christine, to buy.

Speaking about the Brit School, Olivia said: “It set me up for life. I knew what I wanted for myself and it taught me so much. I just think it is a magic place.

“Look at all the people it has produced and will continue to do so.”

Last summer, Olivia made her first public appearance with her American drummer boyfriend Eddie Burns as they stepped out at the Wimbledon tennis championships together.

IT is ten past midnight as I watch a rocket blasting off and lighting up the sky for miles as it begins its mind-boggling journey to space. 

For residents in Florida it is just another day, and many only find the rumble of the sonic boom a minor inconvenience. 

But for Brits like me, even watching it from afar is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. 

Florida is the centre of the world when it comes to space travel. In April, the Artemis II Space Launch System rocket will aim to send astronauts to the moon for the first time since 1972. Right now, it is sat at the famous Launch Complex 39B. 

And nowhere can you delve deeper into the history of space travel than at the neighbouring Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. 

A 45-minute drive from Orlando, the centre opened in 1967 and has expanded so much that I couldn’t fit everything into my two-day visit. 

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But top of my list was the Spaceport KSC attraction, where you head to a futuristic boarding gate and go on one of four motion theatre rides, taking you on a virtual journey to Mars, Saturn and Jupiter. 

It’s a perfect example of what the Kennedy Space Center does well — combining a thirst for knowledge with the demand from thrillseekers. 

There’s a virtual reality game called Hyperdeck and the Atlantis Shuttle Launch Experience, where you feel what a space launch is like.

The complex is a visual spectacle from the beginning, with the Rocket Garden, featuring towering spacecraft of the past, a must-do. 

I joined one of the regular 15-minute tours, and my guide Richard gave an overview of the space race with the Soviet Union and the significance of each of the rockets. 

From there, there are exhibits on everything you could want to know about Nasa, SpaceX, Blue Origin and what’s next. 

The Heroes & Legends building tells the story of Nasa’s early programmes and the astronauts who paved the way, while Race To The Moon explores everything that led to the 1969 Apollo 11 space landing — and features one of the 111-metre Saturn V rockets, which was used for missions to the lunar surface. 

That building is accessed via the bus tour of the area, included in the ticket price, where you can pass the monumental VAB building, where rockets are still built to this day.  

It was where the Apollo 11 rocket was built and features the largest doors in the world. It is so vast, you could fit the Empire State Building in it three and a half times. 

Back on the main lot, one of the most interesting exhibits is Nasa Now + Next. 

It’s one of the newest attractions and gives information about what is next in our exploration of the solar system — and the very real likelihood of mainstream space tourism.  

You’ll also have the chance to hear directly from those who have made it into space. Bill McArthur, an astronaut who went on three space shuttle missions, did a live Q&A during my visit. 

For me, it was well worth the additional $50 price tag, which came with refreshments and a signed photo. 

We talked to him about everything from how you go to the toilet in zero gravity — the logistics are fairly complex — to how he thinks we will be sending people up in rockets for years to come. 

There’s so much to see and do, with live science shows, two different IMAX shows and an Astronaut Training Experience.

And for the youngsters, there is Planet Play — a three-storey interactive soft play centre, where parents can relax at the bar while the kids let off some steam.  

The space centre has an app to plan your day, with an event calendar and show notifications as well as alerts about forthcoming launches, so it’s well worth downloading. 

 It is located on Merritt Island, a wildlife refuge area of 140,000 acres, which is popular with raccoons, bobcats, tortoises and yes, alligators, which I saw plenty of on the short drive from my hotel. 

The Courtyard by Marriott Titusville has spacious rooms and views over the Indian River, as well as a pool, gym and plenty of space goodies to keep the theme going. 

You can rent telescopes and binoculars and each room features solar system projectors to bring the night’s sky inside. 

But the real star is the Space Bar, complete with space-themed cocktails. It is the perfect location to watch launches from. 

As well as being about as close as you can get to the action, the hotel live-streams the launches so you can hear exactly what is going on at the launch pad in the lead-up. 

That’s an out-of-this-world experience I won’t forget. 

WE were all set for a summer beach holiday until a massive passport mishap saw my poor son turned away at the airport check-in desk.

So to make it up to him, I took him to Disneyland Paris — but in the depths of winter, would it be a hit?

As the mercury plunged across Europe, Rufus and I set out to enjoy a “tropical” break at Europe’s most famous theme park.

Tropical? Well, Disneyland Paris has 300,000 plants which create microclimates and as we wander in, the Arctic chill noticeably lessens. It is actually HOTTER in Disney than outside.

But how do the prices compare to sand, sea and sunshine?

January, February and March are certainly the best time to go for value.

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In March this year, stays in a Disney hotel cost from £132pp per night including park tickets, which is a darn sight cheaper than the Christmas and summer peak times.

And the post-Christmas drop in park attendance also means shorter queues — great when you’re with youngsters.

The tropical holiday style of much of Adventureland extends beyond the themed music and decor.

Home to the Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Peril roller coaster, it is a medley of the Africa of The Lion King, the Caribbean of Pirates Of The Caribbean and the Agrabah of Aladdin. All are brought to life with tropical bamboo, ferns and palm trees.

Not that I’ve got much time to appreciate the foliage, as Rufus drags me from one big ticket roller coaster to the next.

After tackling the multiple loop-the-loops of Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain and Avengers-themed Flight Force plus the pitch-black twists and turns of Crush’s Coaster, I decide we need a break. Despite Rufus’s insistence that the Mickey the Magician show is going to “babyish”, he loves it.

The 20-minute song medley is like a mini West End show, bringing the classic film hits to life, with can-can girls in gold frilly knickers playing the tableware in Beauty And The Beast and dancers weaving through the crowds operating giant puppets of giraffes, zebras and tropical birds to the Lion King soundtrack.

Thoroughly thawed out, we tackle the Tower Of Terror — even scarier in the fading light.

As we rattle around on my favourite ride, Thunder Mountain’s runaway mine train, we soak up great views of faux-gothic Phantom Manor and the beautifully lit steamer which pootles up and down the lake.

We scoff chocolate churros while watching the early evening Disney parade.

By the time it hits 6pm it’s time for a stiff drink — not to mention a sit down which doesn’t involve over-the-shoulder straps.

So we head to the Pirates Of The Caribbean restaurant, whose pina colada cocktails, humid air and splashes of the river ride moving past us add to the holiday vibes.

After this brief pit stop, we then make the most of the shorter evening queues, racing around everything from Spider-Man Web Adventure to the gentle joys of Peter Pan’s Flight over a minature London.

By 8pm we’ve done 22,000 steps and it starts to rain, but we dodge it by navigating the Victorian-style gas-lit arcades which connect different areas on Main Street USA.

Mercifully when it gets to 10pm, the rides shut. Sixteen roller coasters down, and I’m barely standing.

I’m not a big fireworks fan — too many years of my dad coming close to danger in the back garden — but the Disney display is incredible.

The clever drones and laser projections diminishing the firework fear factor.

When the show comes to a close, I’m glad we only have to stagger ten minutes back to our hotel in the park, the superhero-themed Hotel New York, The Art Of Marvel.

Not that Rufus’ energy or enthusiasm are at all dampened by either the weather or the marathon we’ve walked. As we fall into our beds, he’s already begging me to bring him back next year.

The summer’s passport disaster is a distant memory. Turns out we didn’t need a beach for a fab holiday.

Winter at Disney is the hottest ticket in town.

IS there such a thing as too much snow?

When booking a ski holiday in Europe, you’re usually panicking there won’t be enough.

But this month, my seven-year-old son and I travelled to La Thuile, in the Aosta Valley in northern Italy, and witnessed up to half a metre of snow falling A DAY.

The resort, which is part of the Espace San Bernado area that also crosses into La Rosiere in France, is nicknamed Little Siberia thanks to its high altitude and reliable snow.

In fact, the intensity of the snowfall meant that La Thuile had a level four out of five avalanche risk when we visited, with several runs closed.

Visitors were warned against off-piste skiing — something to be taken seriously as in nearby Courmayeur two skiers died that same week as a result of a huge avalanche.

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I was concerned we should steer clear of the mountains altogether, but the resort staff couldn’t have been more reassuring.

They were clearly working 24 hours a day to make everything safe — from the comfort of my hotel room at night, I could hear the controlled explosions as they worked to stabilise the slopes.

The ski school was excellent, too. I have no idea how instructors managed to keep control of hundreds of identical kids in blizzard conditions, but they did. And my son had a wonderful time.

For me, it meant off-piste conditions on your average red run, losing sight of my skis under mounds of fresh powder.

In an entire week, I didn’t come across a single patch of hardened icy slope.

La Thuile is an intermediate skier’s paradise, with lovely wide red runs that are more like dark blues, which wind all the way down the mountain.

There are plenty of blues and blacks too, and if you fancy a trip to France, the lift pass takes you over the border into La Rosiere.

The ski passes are considerably more affordable than in most of France though.

Despite the fact that Italy is the place to be this year, thanks to the recent Winter Olympics taking place there, a ski holiday in the Italian Alps is surprisingly easier on the wallet than other European countries.

In this year’s Post Office ski report, Italy boasted several of the top ten most affordable resorts in Europe, including our pick of La Thuile.

A six-day pass cost £265 for an adult and £187 for a child in high season. Ski and boot hire cost from £79 for kids and £126 for adults.

As we had travelled with ski holiday operator Crystal, they organised all of that for us ahead of the trip, as well as my son’s ski lessons.

In fact, they planned so much that it felt a bit like holidaying with a parent.

The Crystal reps were there to greet us at the airport, at the ski shop when we collected our equipment and at the ski school every morning.

And on the return bus to the airport they even told us the number of our check-in desk.

Their app was excellent too. It told me everything, from where and when to find my airport transfer, to the kinds of non-ski activities you could get up to and the best restaurants.

Much like the lift passes, the restaurants were cheaper than many in French and Austrian resorts.

Even on the mountain, a pizza, large beer and (the gloopiest) hot chocolate cost just over £15 — and came with the best service ever in a busy tourist ski spot.

I’d forgotten quite how perfect the hospitality in Italy is, I’m convinced nowhere does it better.

Our hotel, Le Miramonti, was a historic Alpine hotel in the centre of La Thuile, a ten-minute walk from the main ski lifts.

With a spa that became part of our daily apres-ski routine, comfortable rustic bedrooms, a lounge with a roaring fire and a bar with mountain views (and a very relaxed attitude to children), it was a great place to chill at the end of a day on the slopes.

But by far its best selling point was that aforementioned hospitality. A family-owned 4* hotel where the staff put most 5* properties to shame.

But the cherry on top had to be the waiters in the restaurant, where we had breakfast and a four-course meal each evening.

Every waiter was on first-name terms with my son, exchanging Pokemon tips, drawing him goodbye artwork and slipping him extra treats.

By the end of our stay, we felt like we were part of the family.

GEORGE Michael’s pal Kay Beckenham has died — triggering a sale of lavish gifts he sent her.

The British model was dubbed the pop star’s “mystery girl” when they were regularly seen together in the 1980s and 1990s.

In 2019 we reported that Kay, then 54, was shocked to learn she was a beneficiary of his £98million will following his death three years earlier.

Kay’s death was revealed as her daughter auctioned presents her mum received from George, including a pair of his Cutler and Gross wraparound sunglasses, which sold for £5,700.

Other precious gifts included his engraved silver Faith tour belt buckle, which fetched £700.

A Cartier watch went for £1,900 while a Bulgari 18ct gold ladies’ timepiece was bought for £1,200.

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Kay is believed to have been in her early 60s when she died, and her daughter has paid tribute to “kind” George.

She wrote in a letter of provenance for the sale at Omega Auctions: “My mother and George shared a strong, loving and enduring bond that began at the very start of his career.”

She said the singer became her godfather after her birth in 1999, and he helped host her parents’ wedding on Richard Branson’s Necker Island.

She went on: “I have vivid memories — formed later through photographs — of George travelling with my parents, clambering into private jets, and setting off on adventures together.

“As a child, I ran around the house blissfully unaware of the global stardom surrounding me. To me, he was simply a familiar, kind presence in our lives.”

Kay’s friendship with George helped him put together the supermodel line-up of Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patitz, Christy Turlington Burns and Cindy Crawford for his 1990 Freedom video.

The Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go star — who died at his home on Christmas Day 2016 — divided his fortune between his sisters, dad and friends.

Omega said: “These pieces tell a story of loyalty, trust and the man behind the icon.”

ROBBIE Williams will pay tribute to late rocker Ozzy Osbourne at the Brit Awards. 

The singer, 52, will perform a special arrangement of Ozzy’s 1991 track No More Tears alongside some of the Black Sabbath rocker’s former bandmates and musician pals. 

It will celebrate the posthumous Lifetime Achievement award being made to Ozzy, who died in July aged 76, at tomorrow night’s ceremony. 

His wife, Sharon, 73, will be in the audience at Manchester’s Co-Op Live Arena.

A source said: “Sharon personally asked Robbie to perform the tribute to Ozzy. He is a huge Ozzy fan and has been a friend of the family for decades. 

“For Sharon, Robbie seemed the perfect person to perform this song for him. She has curated the special arrangement for No More Tears. It will be a performance that goes down in the Brits’ history books and will be a very special moment.” 

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A Brits insider added: “Robbie’s performance with some of Ozzy’s closest friends will celebrate his legacy as one of the most influential rock icons of all time. 

“The Brits have a special relationship with Ozzy. He hosted the ceremony with Sharon and his children Jack and Kelly in 2008. 

“This will be an incredibly emotional and fitting way to celebrate the impact he had on not only British music, but globally, too.” 

Others who died in the past year will also be remembered during an In Memoriam segment. They are expected to include Stone Roses bassist Gary “Mani” Mounfield. 

Ozzy, who died just five days after after giving his final concert, joins music royalty John Lennon and Freddie Mercury in being posthumously honoured. 

The awards will be hosted by Jack Whitehall and will air on ITV and ITVX from 8.15pm. 

Harry Styles, Olivia Dean, Raye, Wolf Alice, Sombr, Alex Warren and Mark Ronson will perform. 

ANT McPartlin says he and co-presenter Declan Donnelly never want to host the Brits again because: “Everybody in the room just wants to get drunk.” 

THE musician and the visual artist . . . two lives shaped by shared experience and creative endeavour. 

Damon Albarn was born on March 23, 1968, and eleven days later, on April 3, his chief collaborator, Jamie Hewlett, came into the world. 

In 1998, after bonding while sharing a flat, they dreamed up virtual band Gorillaz, a vehicle for wild flights of imagination. 

Fronted by cartoon characters 2-D, Murdoc Niccals, Russel Hobbs and Noodle, Gorillaz have blurred musical styles, crossed generations and involved numerous nationalities in their songs for more than 25 years. 

“We’re the Alan Whicker of bands,” declares Hewlett, in reference to the globe-trotting broadcaster. 

“More Michael Palin,” interjects Albarn. “He’s nicer and also very funny.” 

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In 2023/24, sad events conspired to take Damon and Jamie in a new direction — to that vibrant, teeming country of 1.4billion people, India.  

The result is the Gorillaz ninth album, The Mountain, with its title inscribed in Devanagari script on the cover. 

Performed in five languages — Hindi, English, Arabic, Spanish and Yoruba — it features a host of stellar guests, most living but some no longer with us. 

The musicians come from different corners of the globe, India, Syria, the US, Argentina, Nigeria, and, of course, the UK. 

Albarn says: “The original impetus came from quite a tragic story. We were in Belgrade finishing off a video when Jamie got a call from Jaipur in India. It was from his wife Emma, saying, ‘My mum’s in a coma’.” 

Hewlett picks up the story: “They had been there for a month at an Ayurvedic retreat (a system focused on balancing mind, body and spirit). 

“They had packed their suitcases, had called a taxi and were just on their way home when my mother-in-law had a stroke.  

“She was rushed to the closest hospital in Jaipur — it’s all about speed when you have a stroke.” 

So on December 4, 2022, Hewlett arranged to fly from Serbia to India and so began “eight weeks of daily hospital visits hoping she might wake up”. 

Sadly, his mother-in-law didn’t make it, leaving Hewlett to reflect: “It was a very traumatic experience but, in between those visits, we were able to explore Jaipur. 

“I just fell in love with the place. The people were so warm and I discovered that the whole subject of death is viewed from a very different perspective.” 

He’s alluding to the fact that Hinduism sees passing away as a natural transition — a temporary pause for the eternal soul rather than a final end. 

Hewlett continues: “When I was in the hospital, people were visiting loved ones who were dying. 

“There were tears but, at the same time, there was a feeling of celebration in the belief that they were coming back in an another form.” 

This got Hewlett thinking about possibilities for Gorillaz, his visual playground. 

“Damon was in touch with me the whole time I was there,” he says. “When I came home, I said to him, ‘We need to go to India together to see if we can do something’. A year later (after Blur’s epic reunion), we were off.” 

Albarn says: “I saw it as the perfect opportunity to give the whole world of Gorillaz a nice, new kickstart. I was just waiting for an excuse to go there.  

“I grew up in Leytonstone where my school was 30/40 per cent Asian. My dad was very into Indian classical music so I was genuinely listening to (sitar player) Ravi Shankar at the same time as The Beatles.” 

Albarn also saw visiting India as a perfect opportunity to spend quality time with Hewlett.  

“We enjoy each other’s company,” he says. “We’ve got an awful lot in common and our taste is very similar.” 

Hewlett nods in agreement and adds: “We thrive on finding ourselves in different cultures — and there’s so much to take from a place like India, even if somewhere as big as that can’t be grappled with immediately.” 

And Albarn again: “The first time you go there, you’re just so bewitched by the place.” 

With their sights set on a Gorillaz album drawing on Indian music, two more devastating events were to bring the pair even closer together — and the project into even sharper relief. 

In July 2024, some time after an initial foray to the subcontinent, Albarn’s dad Keith died. Ten days later, Hewlett lost his father.  

For Albarn, a return to India offered him a degree of solace. He journeyed to the ancient city of Varanasi to scatter his dad’s ashes in the Ganges. Keith had been a respected artist, designer and teacher who loved Indian culture. 

“Grief manifests itself in so many ways,” says Albarn.

“You don’t overcome it but you can learn to accept it and going to Varanasi definitely helped. 

“This place has been inhabited for 5,000 years and it’s where families have burned their loved ones every day, every night, for all that time.  

“The fire rituals are wonderful, so poetic — almost like an inhalation and an exhalation.  

“The idea that people pause at sunset, light fires and sing is so beautiful. Harder to do in northern Europe where cloud can bruise the spirit!” 

Albarn goes on to describe, “something I learned, which is a useful life lesson,” from taking a loved one’s ashes to the Ganges. 

“Don’t stress yourself by thinking too much,” he affirms. “At moments like that, don’t think of anything — empty your mind. 

“Emptiness is a beautiful thing and there’s infinite possibility within it. We mention ‘the void’ a lot on this record.” 

For Albarn, the album’s starting point was his gorgeous melody, which morphed into the title track and opener, The Mountain. He calls it the LP’s “signature tune”.  

The finished piece is blessed with sublime playing by Ajay Prasanna on bansuri, a traditional bamboo flute, with Anoushka Shankar, daughter of the late, great Ravi, on sitar. 

Albarn says: “Once I met Ajay and he’d played his bansuri, I thought, ‘I’m never letting this gentleman out of my sight again’. He’s an amazing person. 

“You give him a melody and he turns it into something godlike.” 

As for the contribution of Anoushka, whose mastery of the sitar echoes the work of her legendary father, he says: “I could hardly imagine the idea that I was going to play with one of the Shankar family.” 

Hewlett says: “If you’ve never been to India, you find yourself mentally transported there just by this song. It’s almost like the beginning of a movie.” 

The Mountain is the first of several tracks to feature the voices of the dear departed, in this case maverick actor and film-maker Dennis Hopper. 

Elsewhere, there are contributions from one-time Gorillaz collaborators who have since died — soul singer Bobby Womack, Dave Jolicoeur of De La Soul, The Fall’s Mark E Smith, rapper Proof and Albarn’s long-time associate, drummer Tony Allen. 

Their inclusion is a poignant way of saying: They may have gone but they live on in some way. 

Albarn says: “I think of a mountain as a manifestation of reincarnation because, if you think about it, a mountain is formed through chaos and tectonic shifts. The change in everything creates something new.” 

The Mountain gave Hewlett all the inspiration he needed to begin conjuring up the exotic, beautifully realised imagery, which is so crucial to this Gorillaz project.  

He says: “I guess the biggest challenge for me was that we were dealing with a subject that is more grown up than in the past. 

“How should the characters behave because usually there’s a lot of sarcasm and jokes? 

“So I was thinking about how to tell the story in a respectful way but also maintain a level of fun.” 

Hewlett admits: “We didn’t rush into this one — a lot of work ended up going in the dustbin for both of us, musically and visually, until we got on the right course. But when Damon gave me this piece of music and called it The Mountain, that was the starting point. Everything opened up for me.” 

Of all the myriad guests on the album, perhaps the most notable is 92-year-old Asha Bhosle, one of the most revered singers in Hindi cinema, who sings on the shimmering, life-affirming The Shadowy Light. 

Albarn says: “She’s one of the most important living Indian singers — and maybe even the best. 

“Everyone in India knows her music, she’s had hundreds of billions of streams.” 

And Hewlett adds: “Damon managed to get her to sing for us in her apartment in Mumbai. He used his charm and she was very comfortable with him.” 

If India is central to The Mountain, no Gorillaz record would be complete without sounds of various cultures.  

The Happy Dictator, with eccentric American duo Ron and Russell Mael of Sparks providing the chorus, began life in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, a dictatorship in central Asia. 

“That’s where I got the idea,” reports Albarn. “I went there with my daughter. “We have a father-daughter holiday every year, and we’ve been to North Korea, China and Turkmenistan.  

“This year we’re going to Georgia. We share a real passion for the remnants of communism and the possibility of future socialism.” 

So what’s Turkmenistan like and why call a song The Happy Dictator? I venture.  

Albarn answers: “It’s a very barren place, almost entirely desert, with this pristine modern city of Ashgabat, which is made almost entirely of white marble. 

“Being in that society, I realised that they are given no bad news. They had no news at all, really.” 

Another fabulous song is Damascus, which rekindles Albarn’s abiding love of Syrian music.  

You may recall when he helped assemble the Orchestra Of Syrian Musicians in London while civil war raged in their home country. 

For Damascus, Gorillaz employed the services of Omar Souleyman, one of the country’s pre-eminent singers, alongside American rapper Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def). 

With Syria still in state of flux after the toppling of the cruel Assad regime, Albarn says: “I wouldn’t go there at the moment but I did go to Mali (a favourite destination) in December, even if I was absolutely told not to. 

“I didn’t find it anywhere near as dangerous as everyone says it is and I would definitely go back.” 

This feeds into the notion that Gorillaz has no borders, that it’s an example of how multiculturalism can break down division and strife. 

“Not only is it the right way forward but it’s the most important way forward,” says Albarn.  

“Isolationism and the idea of demonising people from other cultures is not correct — and it’s profoundly dangerous.” 

So that’s why we hear the freewheeling rap of The Roots’ Black Thought on a track like The Empty Dream Machine, which also harnesses the guitar power of Johnny Marr and more sitar from Anoushka. 

And why Albarn’s expressive tones are matched with Argentinian Trueno rapping in Spanish and telling words recorded by American rapper Proof not long before he was shot dead in 2006. 

Let’s not forget that love and loss loom large on this record.  

On Casablanca, again featuring Marr as well as The Clash bassist Paul Simonon, Albarn sings: “I don’t know anything that feels like this/I don’t know anything that hits like this.” 

Simonon has been a member of The Good The Bad & Queen with Albarn and the late Afrobeat pioneer Tony Allen. 

You hear Allen intoning, “We are ready, let’s go,” on The Hardest Thing before Damon, clearly with his father in mind, sings: “You know the hardest thing is to say goodbye to someone you love.” 

Albarn says, “We definitely put a lot of love into this record,” and Hewlett signs off with, “There’s more to come. We’re not finished yet.” 

It’s anyone’s guess where in the world those Gorillaz masterminds will pitch up next. 

GORILLAZ 

The Mountain 

★★★★★

JESSIE Buckley has a clear vision for success — wearing a sheer gown over a corset for the premiere of her new film.

The 36-year-old, named Best Actress at Sunday’s Baftas for her role in Hamnet, stars with Christian Bale, 52, in The Bride!.

The pair posed together last night on the red carpet at Cineworld in London’s Leicester Square.

Based on the Bride of Frankenstein, the movie is described as a Gothic horror-romance and is set in 1930s Chicago.

Warnings include one for nude scenes — which may explain why Jessie was dressed to thrill.

Irish star Jessie is the red-hot bookies’ favourite for Best Actress at the Oscars.

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Accepting her award at the 79th Baftas at London’s Royal Festival Hall, she said: “When I first came to London, I had nuclear-bad fake tan on, white hoopy earrings, polka-dot red skirt and dress.

“I don’t know how she thought that was even possible.

“But thank you, Lindy, for always encouraging me to be disobedient and curious and human.

“This is nuts. This really does belong to the women past, present and future that have taught me.”

She dropped the F-bomb at one point, saying she “should’ve brought my f***ing thing up here” — meaning her notes.

Jessie choked up as she thanked her daughter, who was born last year, saying: “It’s the best role of my life being your mum.”

ACTRESS Anya Taylor-Joy looks simply the vest as she styles things out on a night out.

The Queen’s Gambit star, 29, wore the white strappy top with a green satin skirt.

She and rocker hubby Malcolm McRae, 31, dined at the San Vicente Bungalows hotel in Los Angeles.

They were reported to have been joined at the luxury venue by The Godfather star Al Pacino, 85, as well as Deliverance actor Jon Voight, 87.

We revealed earlier this month how the crowbar-wielding robber who tried to smash into Anya Taylor-Joy’s bedroom as she barricaded herself inside has been jailed.

Kirk Holdrick, 43, was one of two masked men who smashed their way into the luxury property in London.

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Taylor-Joy’s husband Malcolm McRae confronted the intruders before barricading himself and his wife inside one of the bedrooms.

The robbers then tried to prise open the door with a crowbar during the terrifying raid in February 2023.

McRae was armed only with a lamp to defend himself but managed to scare the thieves off by shouting out: “I have a gun, I have a gun.”

They fled empty-handed but nine days later, Holdrick, who dated Towie star Hannah Voyan, tied up a mum and her daughter at gunpoint in another raid in Sandbanks, Dorset.

Holdrick was jailed for life in 2005 for armed robberies on a security van transporting cash and a jewellers.

He was recalled to prison to continue serving his life sentence after his latest offences and, last November, he was jailed for 12 years for the Sandbanks robbery.

Holdrick has now been handed a further three-year prison sentence for the burglary involving Taylor-Joy and her husband.

ALL Saints star Melanie Blatt says taking part in the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special stripped away her confidence.

The 1990s girl group singer, 50, said she did not feel comfortable in the flowing yellow dress she wore, which she said made her “look like custard”.

Speaking to Good Housekeeping UK she said: “I felt extremely vulnerable.

“It’s taken me 50 years to feel as good as I have ever felt about myself and Strictly stripped it away from me. Nothing dodgy went on — I think they’re on their best behaviour — but I just didn’t feel comfortable in a dress.”

Mum Mel and her professional dance partner Kai Widdrington finished fifth out of six couples after performing an American smooth in the telly extravaganza.

It was won by TV host Scarlett Moffatt and Vito Coppola, who got a perfect 40 score for their cha-cha-cha.

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Despite finishing second from bottom, Mel and Kai scored 36 out of 40 and she was hailed “fabulous” by judges Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke.

Mel had been tipped to take part in the full series this autumn but her comments suggest there is no way back.

Yet following her Christmas Day dance on the BBC One show, watched by 7.75million at home, Mel told host Tess Daly: “I really enjoyed it.

In a telling remark, she added: “It’s been amazing yet challenging, getting out of my comfort zone, having to wear a dress, having to look like custard . . . all of these things.”

A source insisted that Mel had taken her own dress which was “styled and adjusted” by the Strictly costume team to her specifications.

They added: “Strictly would never make anyone wear something they felt uncomfortable in.”

Mel, who had five No1 singles with All Saints, revealed last year that she was serving burgers at a North London boozer.

She is no longer in the pub but wants to start a new career in the food industry.

Mel, who performed in All Saints with Shaznay Lewis and sisters Nicole and Natalie Appleton said: “The main thing I want from life is peace and happiness.

“My dream is to do a cookery book or have my own cookery programme, something like ‘Cheeses of the World’. I will make it happen.”

• Mel’s full interview can be read now in April’s Good Housekeeping.

CARAVAN park owners have a message for Labour: park the holiday tax now. 

One of those making the call is Claire Flower, who runs a site in Paignton, Devon, which has ­welcomed guests for more than 60 years.  

Beverley Holiday Park was started by her grandfather and now 12,000 tourists a year spend their breaks there. 

But Claire, 53, fears for the future if Labour bring in a visitor tax of at least £2 per head per night. 

She says: “If the Government puts a tax on everyone ­visiting, that means a lot of families won’t be able to afford it.  

“Holidays aren’t just a luxury, ­people rely on them for their mental health and family time. 

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STOP HOLS TAX

New holiday tax needs to be scrapped or UK’s great seaside towns face ruin

“Plenty of parents these days work two or three jobs and there can be shift work in families, too. Holidays are often the only place whole ­families get to sit and eat together. 

“The Government talks about wanting people to spend their money here, not in Spain or Portugal or wherever in Europe, but how are people encouraged to do that if they’re going to be taxed for it?” 

Clare is a member of the Holiday and Residential Parks Association (Harpa), which wants the Government to abandon plans for local mayors to tax anyone staying ­overnight on a break in their area.  

She believes the tourist tax will affect the whole English Riviera in the South West, which depends heavily on holidaymakers. 

Claire says: “The economy of the entire bay will be hit. We employ 180 staff in the summer and 80 all year round.  

“We pay our VAT, our business rates, all our taxes and we help the local economy in a really big way with all the visitors we can accommodate who go on and spend in local businesses. 

“If our numbers start to dwindle, it’s impossible to say where the impact will hit hardest.” 

The park has free indoor and outdoor swimming pools but its utility bills have gone through the roof. 

Claire says: “It’s becoming harder and harder to operate but we have such loyal and lovely visitors, so we work hard to keep prices affordable.  

“We’ve even got a 30 per cent off Easter holiday offer at the moment to encourage people in.” 

The park was founded by Claire’s grandad Stan Jeavons in 1965, and her nephew Adam Furneaux, 22, is the fourth generation to work there. 

Claire says: “Grandad would be devastated at the prospect of the tax. English holiday parks like ours contribute £9.2billion in visitor spend into the economy.  

“For a lot of people, even if they could afford to go abroad, there may be a health reason they can’t or there might be another reason they choose to holiday in the UK rather than overseas.” 

Lee Jenkins, from Abertillery in Gwent, has been visiting Beverley Holiday Park since 1971, when he was three years old.  

He spent his honeymoon at the park with wife Julie in the 1990s and visits several times a year.  

Taxi driver Lee, 58, says: “We’re supposed to support the UK ­economy, aren’t we?

“This country needs people holidaying here, not abroad, so we can support local businesses and spend what we earn here rather than overseas. 

“It seems so short-sighted to tax people out of UK holidays, and it will impact the whole country’s economy.” 

Association Harpa represents 3,000 holiday parks across the UK, from small campsites to major companies.

It believes a holiday tax on British families will place extra financial strain when many are already ­struggling with the cost of living. 

The organisation’s director general, Debbie Walker, says: “Holiday parks and campsites offer some of the most affordable holidays in the UK and this tax risks pricing people out of breaks at a time when money is so tight. 

“While we fully recognise the financial pressures facing local authorities, a holiday tax adding around £100 to a typical two-week family break is not the right ­solution. 

“If we want people to choose UK holidays, taxing them for doing so sends exactly the wrong message.”

Park Holidays UK, which operates more than 50 sites in the UK, says that a tourism tax would be “totally self-defeating” as well as punishing hard-working families who choose to take a holiday in Britain. 

Chief marketing officer Brad May says: “The Government imagines a holiday levy would help raise ­revenues for cash-strapped local councils.

“But it’s far more likely that ­visitor numbers to these areas would drop as families turn to other destinations which are not slamming a tax on their fun. 

“When our guests take a well-earned break, many enjoy visiting nearby attractions, going out for a meal and spending money in local shops.

“So, it’s these businesses which will also suffer as an unintended consequence of this move.” 

All of them are backing The Sun’s Hands Off Our Hols campaign. 

It is a sentiment echoed by Alfie Best, who owns Wyldecrest holiday parks. 

He says: “When you think of a budget holiday in this country you automatically have a picture of a caravan park in your mind. They have been the backbone of holidays for a generation.  

“This tax will surely drive ­holidaymakers abroad in search of better value getaways. 

“If it comes into force, the tax will ultimately lead to the closure of many parks and lots of job losses.” 

MUSE frontman Matt Bellamy has found some solace following his split from model Elle Evans, his wife of six years.

I’m told he has been spending time with sex therapist Gaia Polloni — who he dated for nine years in the Noughties.

A source said: “Matt and Gaia are still good mates and they’ve been spending time together following his split from Elle.

“It’s been a hard time for him, naturally, as it would be after the end of any marriage.

“Gaia has always been a great sounding board. Matt is focused on healing and moving forwards into co-parenting with Elle.”

Matt was seen in Notting Hill, West London, last week without his wedding ring and walking next to Italian Gaia.

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They first started dating in 2001 and Matt popped the question six years later.

But in 2009, the relationship broke down and they called off their engagement.

After the break-up, Matt told an Italian magazine he would “do anything” to fix their relationship.

He went on to write Muse’s track Neutron Star Collision (Love Is Forever) for Gaia a year on from their split.

We revealed at the weekend that Elle and Matt had called time on their marriage.

They actually split in October.

A pal said: “Their relationship is very amicable. They are now focused on co-parenting their children and still get on very well.”

Matt had been splitting his time between London and LA – where Matt’s son from his relationship with Kate Hudson lives.

Now he is expected to spend more time in the UK, after admitting he wanted to come home.

KATE Moss led the glamour at Burberry’s star-studded show, as she joined big names at London Fashion Week’s show-piece event.

The model, 52, turned heads in a black Burberry trench coat and shiny navy dress while showing off her endless legs in sheer black tights.

The supermodel was joined by Romeo Beckham, 23, who rocked a maroon bomber-style jacket paired with loose-fitting maroon corduroy trousers.

The exclusive show was also attended by Aston Villa forward Morgan Rogers, 23, Arsenal women’s team footballer Leah Williamson, 28, and actress Daisy Edgar-Jones, 27.

Liam Gallagher‘s sons Lennon and Gene Gallagher also made an appearance.

But it was Kate’s look that sent tongues wagging – with the star dominating headlines during fashion week with her glamorous looks.

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Kate, was recently revealed to be locked in a planning row with her neighbours in a swanky Cotswolds village.

Concerns were raised by Kate over her neighbour’s plans to install a new garden.

She lives in a £2.5 million countryside mansion in Little Faringdon, Oxfordshire, where locals say they have been fighting with a sewage system that is no longer fit for purpose.

It is because of the sewage system that Kate has blocked her neighbours’ planned construction project.

According to reports, she fears the plans would increase pressure on the already struggling sewage system.

MAYA Jama has signed up for another series of Love Island — putting an end to speculation.

The host, 31, last night wrapped on the All Stars’ spin-off and will officially be back this summer.

A source said: “Love Island wouldn’t be the same without Maya so bosses are thrilled to confirm she’ll be in Majorca this summer.

“She remains one of the most-loved things about the show.”

Maya has been hosting Love Island UK since January 2023, beginning with the show’s ninth series.

She replaced former host Laura Whitmore and has since continued to host All Stars and Love Island games.

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Last month Maya cleared up confusion with fans over where she currently lives.

Penned over a screenshotted DM of a fan saying, “Have I missed a chapter?? You’ve moved from London?” in response to one of her past Instagram stories, Maya explained how she’s bought multiple houses.

“To answer my dms right now lol I also bought a house in the Cotswolds last year so I’ll be there sometimes, maybe I need to do a lil catch up life update vid or something soon.”

Maya followed up the post with a quick video where she’s utterly beaming about the news.

Switching out her usual glam for a maroon hoodie with a yellow graphic, she addressed the camera candidly saying: “Writing it like that just makes you sound like a braggy f**k but I’m very proud of myself.

“Council house Queen to multiple property owner.

“Honey, thank you!!!” 

Maya was born and raised in Brisol and has Somali descent as well as Swedish.

She moved to London at the age of 16 to pursue a career as an actress, even auditioning for Skins.

ACTRESS Alexandra Daddario has split from her hubby after their marriage “fizzled out”.

The White Lotus star, 39, has a 15-month-old son with film producer Andrew Form, 57.

New York court records show she filed for divorce on Friday.

Her rep said: “They have made the decision to end their marriage.

“The decision was made with love and respect.”

Insiders claimed their marriage started “hot and heavy” but cooled due to work schedules, eventually suffering a “consistent loss of love”.

A source said: “Alexandra and Andrew slowly grew apart.

“Raising a child was a reason to carry on but they weren’t even doing that together often and their married life slowly disintegrated.”

Alexandra was nominated for an Emmy for her role in The White Lotus alongside Sydney Sweeney.

She has also appeared in Baywatch and True Detective.

She and Form met by chance in New York before marrying in 2022.

Form’s movies include Friday the 13th, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Purge and A Quiet Place.

Alexandra slammed critics of her acting last year, saying: “Sometimes I’m lit poorly, but I’m not a bad actress.

“I got an Emmy nomination.”

“LINDA looks so beautiful, so cool,” says Paul McCartney.

He’s just been watching a film about the decade of his life after The Beatles broke up — and it is filled with images of his much-missed first wife.

“The Linda stuff was very emotional,” he admits at the Man On The Run launch event in London.

“Linda, the kids, me and John [Lennon] — all these memories. It’s like my life flashing in front of me.”

Macca is talking to an intimate gathering that includes his daughter Stella, son James, superfan Noel Gallagher and the actor who will play him in a forthcoming biopic, Paul Mescal. Oh, and me.

He continues: “Seeing me and Linda interacting is special because, you know, she’s not here.

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“So is seeing the kids when they were little, because they’re not little any more. They’ve got kids of their own now.”

The film stirs memories of forming his own band, Wings, with Linda in 1971, prompting this from McCartney: “We tried to follow The Beatles — it’s mad!”

It also brings into sharp focus his relationship with Lennon, which broke down in the wake of The Beatles split but, as we see, they reconciled shortly before John’s death.

Directed by Oscar-winning Morgan Neville, Man On The Run is a masterpiece of ­documentary storytelling.

Rich in source material, partly because Linda was a professional photographer who also shot home movies, it is raw, heartfelt, funny, poignant and, crucially, not remotely sugar-coated.

Before the screening starts, Sir Paul, looking fit and well for his 83 years, strolls on to the stage and quips: “I just want to say thank you to Morgan for keeping in all the embarrassing moments that I asked him to take out.”

But let’s get back to the big ­question: How DO you follow The Beatles?

It was a conundrum that weighed heavily on McCartney as the ­Swinging Sixties drew to a close.

As he puts it himself in the movie, the first thing he did was “escape” and then he had to learn how “to grow up”.

He had married American Linda Eastman in March, 1969, at Marylebone Town Hall, London, and soon afterwards adopted her daughter Heather from a previous marriage.

McCartney was still only 27 when, on April 10, 1970, he told the world that he, John Lennon, George ­Harrison and Ringo Starr were going their separate ways.

The announcement came amid acrimony over the band’s crooked business manager Allen Klein, favoured at the time by John and the others but later described by Paul as “a sort of demon”.

It was all over for the band of four likely lads from Liverpool who changed popular culture for ever.

In private, McCartney had known for months that his songwriting partner Lennon was leaving.

“John broke up The Beatles,” Macca affirms in Man On The Run. “But I got the rap. And that’s a bit of a weight to bear.”

Around the same time as ­Lennon’s bombshell, in late 1969, there were rumours across the US and around the world that “Beatle Paul may be dead”.

There’s a hilarious moment in the film when his younger brother Mike is asked whether it’s true.

“It’s a hoax, it’s a con,” he exclaims, before being asked when was the last time he saw his brother.

Mike replies: “The last time? It was his funeral, I think!”

It turned out that McCartney had the perfect bolthole, in an archetypal middle of nowhere, to hide away and reset his life.

In 1966, he had bought High Park Farm, a 183-acre sheep farm on the Mull of Kintyre (yes, that explains the song) in Argyllshire, only reached via a “long and winding” track.

With its corrugated iron roof and general state of dilapidation, it was, as someone in the film points out, the sort of place a poor farm labourer might baulk at accepting.

But, as the Sixties ebbed to a close, Paul, Linda, their daughters, Heather and baby Mary, plus their Old English Sheepdog ­Martha decamped to the Scottish wilds.

In the movie, McCartney suggests, “We got up there to escape”, and ponders whether he would write “another note of music” before confessing to drowning himself in one wee dram of Scotch after another.

But, with the responsibility of supporting a young family on his shoulders, he realised that “it was a question of HAVING to grow up”.

At the Man On The Run launch, McCartney reflects: “With The Beatles, we were just lads. Everyone, all our management, used to call us ‘the boys’.

“Then I got married and then there was a baby [Mary] on the way.

“I had to grow up. I thought, ‘We can’t just be these ‘boys’ any more’. It was time to think about stuff.

“Even though the film is kind of madcap and you see all our insane decisions, in the background there were some sensible decisions, too.”

He remembers how Linda was his guiding light through those years.

“If there was an idea that was a little bit crazy, I’d say, ‘Should I do that? Could I do that?’ She’d say, ‘It’s allowed’. It was a brilliant philosophy in life.”

Director Neville picks up on this theme: “I looked into the questions Paul was trying to ask of himself, questions that I felt were universal.

“How do you deal with your own legacy and the expectations people have of you? How do you balance your career with your family?

“In Paul’s case, he made them one and the same. And that, I thought, was completely inspirational.”

Though Kintyre provided a necessary respite from the dazzling glare of publicity, Macca has never been far away from making music. It’s in his blood.

In 1970, he released his debut solo album, simply titled McCartney, with its intimate DIY aesthetic and featuring at least two songs with his beloved partner in mind — The Lovely Linda and Maybe I’m Amazed.

In 1971, he formed Wings with ex-Moody Blues musician Denny Laine and, controversially, Linda, who until that point had little or no experience, as core members.

Rehearsals for their debut album Wild Life took place at Macca’s converted barn in Scotland, dubbed Rude Studio.

It felt to him as if he was starting over, at the bottom of the pile.

“It was so impossible to do something like that,” he says today.

“Just go back to square one, show up at a university, don’t book hotels, take the dogs in a van. For some reason, we thought it was a great idea!”

If Wings took time to take flight, everything changed in 1973 when they released third album Band On The Run, loaded with classic tunes such as the title track, Jet and Let Me Roll It.

Recorded in extraordinary ­circumstances at EMI’s studio in Lagos, Nigeria, not far from where Paul and Linda were mugged at knifepoint, it paved the way for ­stadium-sized shows in America.

Without the McCartneys’ sojourn to Scotland, there would have been no Mull Of Kintyre, which, at the time of its release in 1977, became the biggest selling single of all time.

A “love song” to that remote idyll, it featured Great Highland bagpipes played so passionately by the local Campbeltown Pipe Band.

Yet, interwoven with stories of Wings’ upward trajectory, there are musings on McCartney’s strained relationship with Lennon during the Seventies.

We’re reminded of John’s caustic song How Do You Sleep?, directed at Paul with its line, “The only thing you done was yesterday”.

And there’s his old buddy left thinking, “Aside from Yesterday, what about Eleanor Rigby, Lady Madonna, Hey Jude, Let It Be and the rest?”

Macca says: “As it shows in the film, I knew John from a very early age — we were just a couple of rock and roll fans.

“We enjoyed hanging out together and we started writing little songs round at my place.

“My dad had a pipe in his drawer. So we thought we’d smoke it. We couldn’t find any tobacco so we smoked tea! We had all those ­memories in common.

“Then we went through the whole trajectory of The Beatles. But John was always just that guy to me, even when he was being really mean and I was having to take it.

“At the same time, it was like, ‘Yeah, it’s just John, he does that’. He’d always done that — so that made it a little bit easier.

“But I loved him, you know. I loved all the guys in The Beatles.

“I try and think of how else it could have been, but with just me, John, George and Ringo, it was a magic grouping. And we did OK!”

Near the end of Man On The Run, you see McCartney being confronted by camera crews about the shocking death of Lennon, who had been shot the day before outside the Dakota Building apartment he shared with partner Yoko Ono in New York.

Macca was criticised at the time for a rather cool, unemotional response — but one look in his eyes reveals his utter devastation.

As for the aforementioned “embarrassing moments” on display in the film, they are what make it so refreshing and endearing.

Hence you see McCartney singing Mary Had A Little Lamb wearing a red clown’s nose with Wings guitarist Henry McCullough looking as if he wants the earth to swallow him.

There’s a moustachioed Paul in a baggy pink suit performing the cabaret-style Gotta Sing Gotta Dance, complete with dancing girls, for his 1973 variety show.

And what about him getting ­busted by Japanese cops in 1980 for having 219g of cannabis in his luggage, spending nine days in custody before being booted out of the country?

McCartney was supposed to be embarking on a Wings tour of Japan but, as it turned out, they never played together again.

He says: “So many bits are embarrassing. The look on Henry McCullough’s face! He’s not happy.

“I was thinking, ‘Maybe we could cut those bits, the dance routine, cool out my image’.

“But Morgan said, ‘No, let me keep them in. You’ll see all that stuff but because you overcame it all and found yourself, you won in the end’.”

Finally, McCartney takes a long hard look at himself — at the ­person “growing up” in Man On The Run and the man he is today.

He says: “You start to see yourself, not just in the mirror, but to realise what your character is like.

“It’s natural for me to be enthusiastic so I don’t always see pitfalls, With me, it’s, “Nah, nah, just do it’.”