The Sun Newspaper

A CLEANER accused of supplying Liam Payne with drugs before his death could be let off with community service and a rehab course after reportedly striking a plea deal.

Ezequiel David Pereyra, who worked at the Argentina hotel where the ex-One Direction star died, might not face trial and his sentence could be cut from a possible 15 years to a suspended term.

Last night sources said Pereyra was “over the moon”.

The sources also claimed waiter Braian Nahuel Paiz, who is also accused of supplying cocaine to the star, has been offered the same deal. However it is understood that Paiz, 25, will not be accepting the deal.

It came as Liam’s girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, posted a heartbreaking video of her last day with the singer, showing them riding horses together.

A source said: “This will be terribly upsetting for Liam’s  loved ones to hear — as there is now the possibility that there will never be a trial and they will never get answers as to what happened that night.

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“No one will be held accountable for his death.”

Pereyra, 22, was awaiting trial for allegedly selling cocaine to Liam, 31, before he fell to his death from his hotel balcony in Buenos Aires in October 2024.

He was facing a hefty jail sentence if found guilty.

But his new lawyer, Augusto Maria Cassiau, is said to have struck a deal  with prosecutors to lessen his charge if he admitted his role in the incident.

His new charge will be “facilitation for personal consumption, non-profit” —  admitting he gave the drugs to Liam when he died but he was not a dealer.

Pereyra has been offered a two-year suspended sentence, with time already served in custody awaiting trial being  taken into consideration.

He will have to  perform community service and complete a drug awareness course. 

Pereyra  was released from jail and put under house arrest in December after an appeal court agreed he had  family support, a fixed address and no criminal record.

Last month Paiz, who was also released from prison in December, had his house arrest conditions scrapped.

No new evidence has appeared in the case file and prosecutors have been unable to  secure a trial date.

In October, on the first anniversary of Liam’s death, Pereyra exclusively spoke to The Sun, offering his condolences to Liam’s family.

He also claimed bosses at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel ignored Liam’s drug use.

In a TikTok video posted on Wednesday, the same day prosecutors offered a plea deal, Kate, 27, can be seen riding horses with Liam.

She wrote: “Enjoy each moment life brings you.

“Because I didn’t know this would be the last time I’d ever see my boyfriend again in this lifetime.”

Liam had flown to Argentina with Kate   to see his former 1D bandmate Niall Horan in concert.

Liam extended the trip but Kate returned to the US.

An autopsy confirmed he died from multiple trauma and internal and external bleeding.

TAYLOR SWIFT is proving she doesn’t just top the charts – but is also helping pay the bills of thousands of artists in the industry.

Insiders said the pop powerhouse could be behind a payday worth up to $800million for fellow musicians, thanks to a savvy little move she tucked into her record deal years ago.

When Taylor signed with Universal Music Group in 2018, she had assurances that if the label ever cashed in its Spotify shares, the artists had to get a slice of the pie.

Now UMG is preparing to flog part of its multi-billion-pound stake in the streaming giant, and a chunky wedge of that cash could be heading straight to the people making hits.

It is thought between $500million and $800million could be shared out, meaning a serious payday for everyone from global superstars to artists still making their way up.

Drake, Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande and Kendrick Lamar are all in the mix.

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Taylor won’t be out of pocket either, as this will only add another layer to her $1.8billion empire.

From reclaiming her masters to reshaping how streaming pays out, she’s made a habit of shaking up the system.

And this might just be her most generous plot twist yet.

LEO IS LORD OF THE GRINS

ONE Day and Bridget Jones actor Leo Woodall is on to a grinner as he spends an evening with girlfriend Meghann Fahy.

The smiling couple put on a united front at The King’s Trust annual gala in New York on Wednesday, proving they’re still very much an item.

Brit Leo and the US actress fell for each other after meeting on the set of The White Lotus in 2022, and now live together in the Big Apple.

We’ll soon be able to see plenty more of him on screen, as he has landed a major role in The Lord Of The Rings: The Hunt For Gollum, which hits cinemas next year.

BREAK-UP AND BABY BATTLE IN NEW JESY DOCUMENTARY

JESY NELSON is making a documentary about her battle to overhaul baby screening laws.

The former Little Mix singer will launch an hour-long film at Sheffield Docfest on June 11, in which she is shown coming to terms with her twin girls’ diagnosis with SMA type 1.

It will also show her dealing with the breakdown of her relationship with rapper Zion Foster.

Jesy revealed in January that daughters Ocean and Story had the genetic disorder, which results in muscle degeneration.

She said the impact could have been prevented if it had been detected earlier, leading to her fight to get heel prick tests for all newborns.

The film is said to be “raw and powerful”.

Its rundown adds: “The documentary follows Jesy as she comes to terms with what the diagnosis means for her girls, adapts to the everyday challenges of their conditions, and finds her footing as a single mother after the break-up of her relationship.

“It’s a portrait of motherhood, resilience and the fierce determination that comes from knowing that a simple change in the system can save lives.”

The documentary follows on from Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix, which aired on Prime Video earlier this year, although no date has been set for its release.

OLIVIA IN A BUNNY MOOD

OLIVIA RODRIGO is ready to get back in the swing of things by announcing a massive tour, less than a year after headlining Glastonbury.

The singer, who posed in a flowing dress and bunny shoes for Cosmopolitan magazine, will hit the road for her third run of headline shows, called The Unraveled Tour, in September.

UK fans might face a scrap for tickets when they go on pre-sale next Tuesday ahead of a general sale on Thursday.

Her only dates in Blighty so far are four shows at London’s O2 Arena, in April next year.

It comes ahead of the release of her third album, You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love, on June 12.

She told Cosmo of the record: “I was really excited to write about joy, love, and passion in a way that I had never really done.

“Most of my big songs are about being sad, angry, heartbroken.

“Sometimes I listen back to it and I cringe.

“It’s cringier to be happy.

“I cringe, but I’m free.”

MADONNA and Sabrina Carpenter have dropped the biggest release of the week with their collaboration Bring Your Love.

The pair finally put the song out this morning, a fortnight after performing it at Coachella festival in the US.

Also back today is Becky Hill with Hands On Me, while Bleachers have released I’m Not Joking from their fifth album Everyone For Ten Minutes, which will be out on May 22.

I also recommend Sunderland artist Tom A. Smith’s six-track EP Put On A Record Tommy, featuring Happy Mondays collaborator Rowetta on the title track.

KRIS JENNER is so paranoid, she can’t go for a walk without security by her side.

On her daughter Khloe Kardashian‘s podcast, Khloe In Wonderland, Kris said she lives “crime stories” in her head every day.

Kris said: “I was on vacation and I felt like taking the bicycle out in front of the villa and riding down to the restaurant.

“I thought, no, because what if I’m riding the bike and somebody jumps out of the bushes, grabs the bike, throws me in the back of a van and takes off?”

Khloe added: “My mom won’t go on a walk in the neighbourhood without security following her in a vehicle.”

IT’S one-kneel to supermodel Heidi Klum as she scores a bikini shoot for brand Calzedonia.

The mum of four, 52, still loves posing and said: “I’ve been photographed nude or in lingerie since 1992, way before Instagram.”

Heidi is married to musician Tom Kaulitz, 36.

Kaulitz is a German musician who has been dating Heidi since March 2018.

The pair were first spotted together on 14 March leaving Delilah in West Hollywood.

The Sun recently told how Heidi and fellow model Stella Maxwell took a pet dog for walkies on the catwalk.

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The pair were both glammed up in silver while strutting with Stella’s pet Trip, a chihuahua terrier mix.

They were on set filming for Germany’s Next Topmodel series in LA.

Heidi wore a plunging gown with a see-through skirt, while Stella, 35, was in a slashed minidress.

Stella calls Trip her “most treasured possession”.

A week previously, Heidi changed tack and joined forces with Robbie Williams at the World Cup 2026 draw in Washington DC.

She donned two different dresses, switching up from a red sparkling number to a black blouse and diamante skirt.

WITH a rocketing career and A-list girlfriend Sabrina Carpenter on his arm, Barry Keoghan had the world at his feet in 2024.

But after his relationship soured — amid false claims the actor cheated — he was so badly burned by the fallout that he has become a recluse.

Barry has quit all social media, stopped seeing his mates and has even moved house — all while internet trolls continue to hurl insults his way.

The strife all stems from a rumour that he had an affair while seeing Espresso singer Sabrina, 26, which she herself has said was false.

Saltburn actor Barry, 33, who is currently filming the upcoming Beatles biopics as Ringo Starr, said: “I have been avoiding stuff.

“I’ve stopped socialising. And again, it’s because there was a narrative that’s not true.

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“I never confirmed or said anything about it, and, you know, I just disappeared.”

Pushed on what that narrative is, he continued: “It’s that I cheated.

“I don’t want to ever bring anyone else into it, but unfortunately having a relationship in the public eye, we all know this, it gets put out there, and it’s amplified.

“A girl made a video and then the girl actually made [another] video and went, ‘Sorry for making that up’, but no one seemed to latch on to that video.”

Gossip site DeuxMoi and social media influencers had claimed he was seen at a members’ club and steakhouse with another blonde woman while he was dating Sabrina.

Fans believed he had cheated with influencer Breckie Hill, although she insisted it was untrue and that they had never even met.

Barry now says that despite deleting his accounts, he is still drawn to the vicious things people write about him online, almost 18 months after his year-long romance with the chart-topper ended.

He explained: “I’m not on Instagram or Twitter or any of that but I still go on and have a little . . . I go on my brother’s account. I can access it that way.

“I do go on and have a look because I’m curious, but there’s a lot of hatred towards me for just looking like this. It’s just crazy.

“There’s videos on TikTok that literally go, ‘I hate him’.

“I went through addiction myself and then sobriety, and to battle all of that, to then want to drag that person down . . . ”

Sabrina did little to suppress the online noise against him when she released her No1 album Man’s Best Friend last August — on which she sang about dating a “manchild”.

And Barry says he struggled in the aftermath, as he did not want her to have to deny the cheating rumours following their split.

He explained: “It’s a hard one because I never want to speak on behalf of other people. And I also never want to mention other people or involve them.

“And even if it is those people that were in a relationship, it’s not their place to come forward and speak on my behalf.

“It’s unfair to them. They’re also in a relationship. It’s both of us being out there, so I’m very aware of that.”

Barry, who hails from Dublin, said he has even relocated from London to the Oxfordshire town of Henley-on-Thames due to the mental toll events have taken on him.

But it is fair to say he has faced plenty of other challenges in his life, having largely grown up in foster homes.

His mum died when he was 12 after years spent battling a drug addiction.

Now, speaking on the Friends Keep Secrets podcast, Barry has talked about how he fell into a similar spiral of addiction and has only managed to overcome his substance dependence in recent years.

Barry said: “I’m clean now. But my mum died at 32 from heroin and my dad passed away. But the curiosity of still wanting to do this, for me, was absolutely . . . 

“It took me three attempts at rehab and it was finally Malibu, The Pointe, where there was a sudden switch and it was when I was 32, the same age my mum was. Like, ‘That’s it, I’m not doing it’.”

Asked if he ever drinks now, he added: “I don’t do anything.

“I used to try to justify it by going, ‘Maybe I’ll be off the drink for a while’, but now I like to think I’m allergic to alcohol because my reaction is: Cocaine. That reaction can make me die.”

And he claims he actually has died — and was brought back to life — in 2021 due to being high on drugs.

He was hit by a bottle in a pub and developed the rare bacterial infection necrotising fasciitis.

Barry explained: “This is a flesh-eating bacteria infection that I got and almost died.

“I got it right before I filmed the movie Banshees Of Inisherin and literally, I got it three weeks beforehand. I got it because I went through psychosis.

“An event happened and I got hit with a bottle, and something happened to my arm. It went to my blood system and whatever. But it’s a very rare infection.

“This basically eats your limbs and they have to remove it.

“I technically did die for a few seconds.”

He went on to deliver an outstanding performance in The Banshees Of Inisherin, for which he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars.

But the infection was so touch-and-go that he even believes he had a “post-death vision”.

He said: “I did. I swear to you, it was almost like a f***ing painting. It happened in London. I went for a few seconds and there was this sort of image. There was this girl walking away and she wouldn’t look back.

“She had blonde hair, but she was walking away and I kept calling her.

“She just kept walking and I wanted to see who it was.

“It was almost like she was walking away to get me to follow.

“On this side was council flats, it was black and white, and this side was in colour.

“On this side, there was loads of lads stabbing me and trying to push me over and, obviously, it was the doctors doing the work on me, you know, that’s what I was feeling.

“But in this vision, they were stabbing me and pushing me, and I was holding on to them, and they were trying to push me over to this side.

“I swear, I was begging them that I could stay. I said, ‘Please let me stay’.”

In 2022 he was arrested in Dublin for public intoxication. Months later he became a dad to a little boy with partner Alyson Kierans, a dental nurse. But they split in mid-2023.

Later that year, he got together with Sabrina, and gained mainstream success in the dark comedy Saltburn.

That led to an outpouring of love and support, which no doubt helped him land his next role — and the most important one of his career so far.

He is playing Beatles drummer Ringo in the four-film cinematic biopic being created by director Sam Mendes.

Asked about how he is finding work on the project, which is halfway through a year-long filming schedule, he said: “I’m loving it.”

He will appear alongside Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson as John Lennon and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison.

However, Barry revealed the tight work schedule is having a major affect on his body — and he has lost a stone since the cameras started rolling.

He said: “I’ve lost so much weight on this movie. I was 65 or 66 kilos and I’m like 58 kilos now. But it’s because of my ADHD meds as well.

“No one tells you to lose weight and I don’t need to lose it for Ringo either. But it’s more of getting into character and the stamina.

“Movies usually last six or seven weeks and I always lose weight by the end, but by that time I’m gone. But this one’s a year.”

He is expected to spend the majority of this year finishing the movies, before they hit screens in April 2028.

And hopefully by that time, at least, he will feel able to leave the house with his head held high.

TELLY star Maya Jama is a divine inspiration on a trip to Italy.

The Love Island host, 31, wore a slinky black dress to pose at the classical Vatican Gardens.

Maya’s Instagram photo dump of a romantic Rome break included her clutching a bunch of keys and at the Sistine Chapel with Man City star boyfriend Ruben Dias.

And she gushed about the trip to her three million fans, writing: “Can you tell I love it here?”

Maya and 28-year-old Portugal footballer Ruben have been ­dating since last year.

She is back at work soon, filming the next series of dating show Love Island which starts in June.

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MAYA’S VERDICT

Maya Jama wades into I’m A Celeb row & reveals why live final ‘went wrong’

Maya has waded into the I’m A Celebrity row as she revealed why the live final “went wrong”, and also sent a message to presenters Ant and Dec.

In Friday night’s explosive grand finale, both David Haye, 45, and Jimmy Bullard, 47, clashed with hosts Declan Donnelly and Ant McPartlin, both 50, leading to one of the biggest showdowns ever on live telly.

Viewers watched with their jaws dropped as an on-air argument erupted, after Jimmy called out Adam Thomas, 37, over the “aggressive” way he handled their now infamous camp row.

The former footballer was backed up by boxer David during the fallout, which was broadcast live on ITV, as they both ranted at hosts Ant and Dec.

However, ever the professionals, the Geordie duo were seen trying to calm down the pair, as they tried to stop the shambles which was being aired to millions of viewers.

Maya, who, like Ant and Dec, is a pro at live TV, has now given her verdict on the huge on-air bust-up.

Taking to X/Twitter, the popular presenter, 31, shared a clip of the fallout between Ant and Dec and Jimmy, and penned: “Didn’t watch but from this clip alone (laughing emoji).

“This is why I love live tv so much and hosting the (Love Island) Aftersun show because barely any channels do it anymore out of fear of what can go wrong but people want real reactions and an edited show will never compete to the live experience!”

Showing her support for the I’m A Celebrity hosts, she added: “Ant and Dec I love you forever also.”

CHRISTINE McGUINNESS has revealed she is closer than ever to Paddy – even though their marriage ended four years ago.

In fact, the former model claims Paddy has even checked out the women she is dating, branding herself a “five star lesbian” in her most revealing interview to date.

Mum-of-three Christine, 38, who finalised her divorce from ex-Top Gear host Paddy, 52, in 2024, spoke of her decision to date men and women last year.

And, with the pair still living under the same roof as their three children in leafy Cheshire while they wait for it to sell, she says Paddy is fully supportive of her choice,

But now she is looking to the future — and plans to have a woman by her side as a life partner.

“I would love to have a wife one day,” Christine explains on new podcast It Started With A Kiss out today.

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“Not like a legalised marriage, but like a blessing, a celebration of love.

“I’ve been there, done it, spent an absolute fortune and probably aged about ten years throughout it all.

“I don’t want to do that again.

“I would love to just be saying, ‘This is my wife.’”

Christine’s unusual set-up with Paddy means the pair juggle dating outside of the home.

“I love a double life,” Christine added.

“It’s ideal for me because I don’t want to bring somebody into my personal life too quick.

“I like the separate life.

“My family, my kids, my home is up there, then I come to London, step off that train and I can work, have fun, sleep in and I don’t need to worry about everything.”

It is the freedom of Christine’s new lifestyle, and the support of Paddy, which she says has allowed her to start again.

Although her openness with Paddy may shock some.

On the podcast Christine is asked: “Are you showing him pictures like, ‘Oh look at her, she’s fit. What do you think of her?’

And Christine tells the hosts Amy Spalding and Gareth Valentino: “There’s times where we have, yeah.”

For now Christine insists she is still dipping her toes into the dating pond and has yet to properly settle down.

“I’m just seeing how things go, just figuring it out.

“I’m trying to not plan too far ahead,” she explains.

“I’ve dabbled in people who are in the industry.

“I’ve been trying to think what really works better.

“I quite like that people that aren’t in it are usually a bit more . . .  they’re happy to just take it slow and they understand that I don’t want to just put you on Instagram the next day because of my work and everything.

“So that’s usually quite nice.

“But I tend to just meet people out and about, at events and stuff.

“I’m quite lucky that I mix in circles with a lot of gay, bi, pansexuals.

“I’ve never gone too serious with anybody in the industry, it’s always been more of a fun fling type thing.

“I’ve spent time with a lot of women in sport.

“I’ve spent time with women in music.

“I’ve spent time with actresses.

“With me, I can panic and I can pause if I think of the future too much.

“So I’m just trying to enjoy the now.

“Enjoy the moment.”

Christine chose to speak about wanting to date men and women after signing up to E4 TV series Celebs Go Dating in April last year.

It came after Christine and Paddy announced their separation in 2022.

At the time, the pair released the news in a joint statement and said: “A while ago we took the difficult decision to separate but our main focus as always is to continue loving and supporting our children.

“This was not an easy decision to make but we’re moving forward as the best parents we can be for our three beautiful children.

“We’ll always be a loving family, we still have a great relationship and still live happily in our family home together.”

The couple first crossed paths in 2007 at the Liverpool International Tennis Tournament when Christine was working as a model for boutique shop Cricket.

Months later they started dating and in June 2011 they married at Thornton Manor in Cheshire.

After being married for just over a decade, Christine said it was her late diagnosis with autism that gave her the courage to admit their marriage was not working.

She documented her diagnosis in a BBC documentary, Unmasking My Autism, in 2023 and said at the time: “Starting life on my own is scary, I struggle making decisions.

“I was only 19 when I met Patrick and for the last 15 years my role has been wife and mum.

“When I was diagnosed, I set out on a journey to find out who I was.

“I have separated from my husband in the process, I’m shedding my old identity and finding out who I am.

“I’ve only ever had this one man in my life, I don’t know what it is like to date.

“I can’t imagine being single or with another man.

“But I’m going into a new chapter on my own which is petrifying for someone who doesn’t like change.”

Two years later, she started to date both men and women and now says she has found her type.

“I’m a sucker for a stud and a masc,” Christine explained, suggesting she prefers more masculine women.

“I swear they come for me.

“This one date, well, it wasn’t a date, it was when I did the whole hotel thing and not the whole date thing.

“Because I didn’t want to ever just meet someone and it just be sex, but then kind of did find myself in a place in life where I was like, ‘Do you know what? I actually do just want to do that.’

“I’ve been married, I’ve had situationships, I was single, I was celibate for six months, and with all of that, I just had a moment of, ‘Do you know what, I wouldn’t mind just meeting up with someone and just seeing how it goes.’

“So I got to this hotel and I’m thinking, ‘This is just sex, it’s fine.’

“She was very, very beautiful, like that perfect, pretty, handsome, like masc stud type woman, really gorgeous, dark skin, like she had everything.”

Christine adds: “We’re just chatting away and she said that she was a Gold Star Lesbian.

“So I’m like, love that, love a Gold Star Lesbian.

“I went, ‘Stop . . .  because you might be a Gold Star Lesbian, but I’m a Five Star Lesbian.’”

Of her first kiss, Christine is just as open, saying: “The first time I kissed a woman, again after my husband and no disrespect to him, it had been a while.

“I remember that first kiss just being so soft and so nice and so feminine.

“I knew I always felt it and it wasn’t something that I was worried about never doing again because when I married, I married for life, genuinely.

“But I was really happy that I was doing it again.

“And I’m really happy that now I am dating women again and that I am having fun.

“I’ve got some of the best stories, some of the wildest memories, like the craziest experiences that only I and one other person would ever know.”

During the episode of It Started With A Kiss, Christine said she has drawn the line at introducing a partner to her children early.

Joking that women in same sex relationships move forward quicker when it comes to love, Christine says: “It’s two weeks and you’re moving in, you’ve got a cat and a flat . . .

“For us two, if we ever end up in something where it progresses and it turns into a relationship and then they want to live with you or whatever.

“I don’t want any more children because a lot of the women that I meet usually don’t have children and they want children, whereas I’ve had them.

“So that’s something that I try to be honest about at the beginning to anybody that I’m even talking to.”

Of settling down for good, Christine says neither she or Paddy are in a rush.

She adds: “We know it’s going to take a while because we’ve got children.

“Going back home, we both kind of get that reality check of we can’t just go and move in with somebody just yet.

“But we’ll talk, we’ll have a laugh, we don’t go into too much detail about anything.”

• Christine’s full interview on It Started With A Kiss is available on YouTube and all podcast platforms now

OLLY MURS is taking a leap into the unknown on a brutal 250-mile challenge for Unicef’s Soccer Aid.

In an exclusive chat with Bizarre, the singer revealed he will run, row and cycle from Manchester United’s Old Trafford to West Ham’s London Stadium across five punishing days for Olly Murs: Into The Unknown.

He admitted that a life-changing trip to Romania had given the challenge a whole new meaning.

The Troublemaker star travelled to Eastern Europe to see the charity’s work first-hand, and was moved after meeting mum-of-one Oksana, who escaped Ukraine after Russia invaded and is now living in a Unicef facility in Romania.

“Her baby was only seven months old,” Olly said. “Coming here in the middle of a war on her own, no family, no friends.

“The story was tough to listen to.

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“The fact that eight weeks later, her house (in Ukraine) got bombed, it’s terrifying, isn’t it?

“It kind of puts things into perspective.”

The trip clearly hit home for Olly, who has a daughter, Madison, and baby son, Albert, with wife Amelia.

He explained: “All I want to do is keep my baby safe and keep the (children) healthy and happy, and that’s the same for every parent around the world.”

While the cause is inspiring, the 250 miles sounds absolutely brutal.

In a harsh twist, Olly won’t know exactly what he’ll be facing each day.

He revealed: “It does scare me because it’s really hard when you’re preparing for something when you don’t know the distances.”

Even his birthday is being sacrificed to the cause.

Olly laughed: “The 11th of May is when I start it — my birthday week.

“I’ll be celebrating my birthday whilst running or cycling or rowing somewhere.”

Olly, who has undergone four knee operations, is worried about what impact the arduous challenge will have on his joints.

He added: “I don’t know how my knee’s going to cope. It’s definitely going to have an effect on my body, and my knees.

“But I’m confident that I’m fit enough to do it.”

Away from the graft of preparing for his charity challenge, Olly says his home life has become his priority, with music temporarily on the back burner.

“I’ve really enjoyed just being at home and not singing any more,” he explained.

“I’m just singing and entertaining my kids.

“I posted a video the other day of me singing to my kids some of my songs and Maddie kept saying ‘No.’

“It’s a tough crowd at home.”

Olly is now hoping he’ll have an easier time on the pitch at Soccer Aid on May 31, when he will line up as part of the England squad alongside
Wayne Rooney, Tom Hiddleston, Gk Barry, Jill Scott, Angry Ginge and with SoccerAid founder Robbie Williams as coach.

The Soccer Aid World XI features ex-players Jordi Alba of Spain and Italy’s
Leonardo Bonucci, with the team being coached by Olympian Usain Bolt.

ON August 12, a total solar eclipse will sweep across northern Spain and the Balearics – the first to cross mainland Europe since 1999, and the first visible in Spain since 1905.

For UK holidaymakers, it’s a rare chance to pair a week in the sun with a once-in-a-lifetime moment – totality arriving with the sun just degrees above the horizon, creating what astronomers are calling a “sunset eclipse”.

Astro-tourism is tipped to be big for this year off the back of this — but it doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

TravelSupermarket has done some digging to discover the perfect holidays to pair fun in the sun with a chance to view the eclipse.

Head of Holidays Chris Webber says: “What makes August 12 special is the timing.

“Because the eclipse arrives just before sunset, anyone on the Balearics will see totality with the sun sitting just above the horizon.

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“Our advice is simple — if you want to be there, book now.

“The eclipse falls in the peak of the school holidays, and west-facing hotels on Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca are already getting snapped up.”

Here, LISA MINOT, Head of Travel, shines a light on six great places to see the phenomenon.

NOJA, CANTABRIA

TUCKED on Cantabria’s north coast, Noja is a proper Atlantic surf town and an under-the-radar shout for eclipse watchers.

Playa de Ris faces north-west, picking up clean swell off the Bay of Biscay and giving a clear, unbroken sightline as the sun drops — so you could even be out catching waves when it happens.

It’s not a polished resort town, more of a wild, local and friendly vibe.

Stay at La Casona de Noja, a small, intimate bolthole a short walk from both the town centre and the beach — plain but comfortable, with an on-site restaurant and bar.

GO: Seven nights’ room-only at the 2* La Casona de Noja is from £779pp including flights from Gatwick on August 6.

See travelsupermarket.com.

MADRID & TOTALITY DAY TRIP

MADRID sits just outside the path of totality, but it makes a brilliant base for combining a city break with the main event.

From the capital, it’s a straightforward run north into Castilla y León, with Burgos and Valladolid both in the path of totality.

Zaragoza is another well-connected option. On the day, the priority is an open view of the low western sky.

For your city stay, the 4* NH Madrid Balboa is a great choice in the upscale Salamanca district, minutes from the Retiro Park and the city’s designer shopping streets, with light, wood-floored rooms and a daily breakfast buffet.

GO: Three nights’ room-only at the NH Madrid Balboa is from £354pp including flights from Stansted on August 11, hand luggage only.

See tui.co.uk.

SALOU, COSTA DORADA

FOR families who want the eclipse built into a classic Med beach holiday, Salou is the pick.

The Costa Dorada sits in the path of totality, and Salou’s long, west-facing promenade means you can watch the eclipse without leaving your hotel terrace.

PortAventura is half an hour up the road if you want to build the week around theme parks too.

The Cala Font hotel is perched above its own cove just outside Salou, with pools, a spa and half-board dining — solid, sociable and built for a family week.

GO: Seven nights’ half-board at the 4* Cala Font hotel is from £868pp including flights from Stansted on August 6.

For more info, see travelsupermarket.com.

PEGUERA, MAJORCA

MAJORCA is arguably the most exciting spot of the lot.

The eclipse will reach the island with the sun only a couple of degrees above the horizon — a true sunset eclipse.

The west coast is the place to be for the clearest sightline, and Peguera, on the south-west, ticks the box — a laid-back resort with wide, west-facing beaches at Platja de Palmira and Playas de Paguera.

For your perfect stay, the 4* Hotel Vibra Beverly Playa sits right on the coast in Peguera, with two outdoor pools, a kids’ club and buffet dining for a great family break.

GO: Seven nights’ B&B at the Hotel Vibra Beverly Playa is from £841pp including flights from Luton on August 11.

See firstchoice.co.uk.

SAN ANTONIO, IBIZA

SAN Antonio already has a reputation as the sunset capital of Ibiza — Café del Mar and the Sunset Strip exist for a reason.

That same west-facing orientation makes it one of the best spots on the island to catch totality as the sun drops into the Mediterranean.

The path of totality runs right across Ibiza, and San Antonio Bay delivers the open horizon needed to see it properly.

Stay at the THB Ocean Beach, a 4* adults-only on the seafront in San Antonio Bay, with a rooftop pool, Bali beds and direct access to O Beach Ibiza next door.

GO: Seven nights’ room-only at THB Ocean Beach is from £1,374pp including flights from Gatwick on August 10, 22kg luggage and transfers.

See jet2holidays.com.

CIUTADELLA, MENORCA

IF Ibiza is the party end of the Balearic eclipse trail, Ciutadella is the quiet one.

Sitting on Menorca’s west coast, the old capital is already known for some of the island’s finest sunset spots.

Castell de Sant Nicolau is a ten-minute walk from the centre, and Pont d’en Gil and the Punta Nati lighthouse are both a short drive away, all with wide, unobstructed views west across the Mediterranean towards Mallorca.

For travellers who want the eclipse without the crowds, this is it.

The 2* Alfons Hotel is in the heart of Ciutadella, a short walk from the beaches and the town’s cobbled centre, with a small spa, sun terrace and restaurant.

GO: Seven nights’ B&B at the Alfons is from £998pp including flights from Gatwick on August 11, 22kg luggage and transfers.

See travelsupermarket.com.

FORMER X Factor winner Matt Cardle is set to come face to face with Simon Cowell on live TV again – 16 years after winning the ITV talent show.

I can reveal that Matt is being lined up to perform at one of the Britain’s Got Talent live finals in the coming weeks.

Rather than performing new solo music, Matt will take to the stage as part of a special performance of West End hit Kinky Boots.

He is starring in the musical at the London Coliseum alongside Strictly Come Dancing’s Johannes Radebe.

A source said: “Simon is a huge fan of musicals and the bosses at Britain’s Got Talent are keen to push the arts as much as possible.

“With that in mind, a number of the live acts booked for the finals this year come from West End shows.

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“Matt and the Kinky Boots cast are set to perform in a few weeks’ time – it really will be a full circle moment for him.”

This weekend, former BGT winner Sydnie Christmas will perform her new single – Run.

Bizarre’s Jack hung out on the set of her music video earlier this year, so we can’t wait to see that one live.

Zara‘s feeling f-Lush

Zara Larsson has me counting down the days to my summer holiday after hopping on this float to promote her Main Rose swimwear brand.

She was living her own Lush Life as she soaked up some rays ahead of headlining Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Sunderland next month.

This Friday she will release the deluxe version of her fifth album, Midnight Sun: Girls Trip, packed with collaborations, including Tyla and Shakira.

And it’s testament to Zara trusting herself.

On writing and recording the track, which came out last year, she said: “I stopped focusing so much on what I thought other people would want from me or what I thought radio would want, and just started focusing on what I wanted to do.

“Ironically that’s when people start caring.”

Liam family praise for Louis’s heartfelt concert

Liam Payne’s loved ones made a lowkey trip to his One Direction bandmate Louis Tomlinson’s tour.

Some of Liam’s relatives including sister Nicola were in a VIP box to see Louis perform at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena last weekend.

During the show, Louis was visibly emotional when singing Dark To Light – a track he wrote about Liam’s death.

Taking to Instagram, Nicola said: “Thank you Louis Tomlinson for last night.

“It was extremely emotional, but really beautiful, and it meant a lot to be there.

“Your staging and your songs are beautiful. A truly special night.”

Louis has previously spoken warmly about Liam.

He said: “I could talk all day about how amazing he was.

“We all looked up to him, he was vastly experienced before any of us had done anything.

“If he could just for five minutes live in my head or your head and see how we perceive him, he would be so shocked.

“He was pure.”

The wait for Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter’s collaboration is almost over, as it’s being released this Friday.

The superstars recently performed Bring Your Love at Coachella and now they are putting out the official audio.

The pair made the announcement yesterday when they shared a new photo of themselves with the caption: “We’ve got something to say about it,” which is a reference to Madonna’s 1989 song Express Yourself.

It will be the first official single from the Queen of Pop’s forthcoming album Confessions On A Dancefloor: Part II, after she released a teaser track, I Feel So Free, earlier this month.

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Pink girl’s a leg-end

Pink has sold out stadiums and had No1s across the globe, but as far as daughter Willow is concerned she’s top of the charts as an embarrassing mum.

At the opening night of The Lost Boys musical in New York they posed for photots on the red carpet.

But while standing in front of the snappers, Pink gestured at the slit in Willow’s skirt and said, “Show off your legs,” to which the youngster snapped: “No!”

Alan’s tequila stunrise

Alan Carr once fell in the Serpentine in London’s Hyde Park after drinking “hallucinogenic tequila” on his Chatty Man TV show.

The comedian said he was still feeling the effects the next day as he walked his dogs and suffered a mishap.

He explained he’d had a tequila the night before but was given a hallucinogenic one by mistake.

He added: “I couldn’t sober up and I fell in the Serpentine, p***ed.

“My old dog Bev, bless her, she dropped the ball in the Serpentine and I went forward to pick it up. And I think all the tequila rushed to the front of my head and I just fell in.”

Speaking on his Life’s A Beach podcast, he added: “In films, the dogs are meant to jump in and save you, but they were just wagging their tails, like, ‘What’s this p***head done again?’

“So I was just soaking wet and I had to walk . . . You know, when people are pulling their kids away, ‘Come away from the strange man,’ and all that.”

Capital’s Summertime Ball is returning to London, taking over Wembley Stadium to entertain 80,000 fans on June 6.

The line-up will be revealed by Jordan North, Chris Stark and Sian Welby on Capital Breakfast this morning and tomorrow, before tickets go on sale through the Global Player app at 9am on Thursday.

Gracie has secret follow-up

Gracie Abrams is back, two years after her album The Secret Of Us topped the charts.

The American singer released a teaser on Instagram yesterday, and it appears to be a snippet from the lead single for her upcoming third album.

The record is rumoured to be all about falling for Normal People actor Paul Mescal, although it doesn’t sound like it’s been smooth sailing.

They were reported to have briefly split in early 2025, and the song will do little to shut down that speculation.

Gracie sings: “I used to see clearly but it’s bloodshot. And I want you so badly but I closed off.

“I used to think we’d get married. But I guess not.”

Last summer we revealed Paul was at Gracie’s Glastonbury set, singing along to every word.

In February, they made their red-carpet debut at the Baftas in London.

And last month I told how Gracie had moved from LA into Paul’s London home, while he films the upcoming Beatles biopics.

Her last album was all about heartbreak, but I’m expecting some sunnier moments this time around.

MYLEENE Klass is back in the swim of things in a white bikini — 20 years after famously wearing one in the I’m A Celebrity jungle shower.

The presenter, 48, wore the simple two-piece in the sea in a South Africa photoshoot.

The design is for Freemans.com — after her first range for them sold out last year.

Myleene first wore her most famous look during a stint on the ITV1 show in 2006, on which she was a runner–up behind winner Matt Willis, 42.

She then returned to the jungle to compete in 2023’s first all-stars series, I’m A Celebrity… South Africa, which she won.

She previously said she had no idea the 2006 swimwear — later auctioned for £7,500 for charity — would cause a stir and bought it in a rush before the show.

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She admitted last year: “I remember one of the show’s producers looking at my bikinis in the hotel before I went to camp.

“One was covered in stripes, and they said, ‘We’ll have to stop at the shops as that’s probably going to strobe on camera’.

“I ran into the shop en route to the jungle and asked the shop assistant for the plainest bikini she had. Best $40 I ever spent!”

OLIVIA DEAN is preparing to pull out the big guns for the follow-up to her year of triumph — by enlisting the help of hitmaker extraordinaire Nile Rodgers.

She’s become one of the UK’s favourite musicians thanks to the runaway success of her album The Art Of Loving.

Now I’m told Chic great Nile is keen to work with Olivia and personally reached out to her.

Their teams are looking for space in the schedules to go into the studio together.

A source said: “Nile has his finger on the pulse when it comes to music and thinks Olivia is just amazing.

“He was actually aware of her before her album dropped and is really keen to get in the studio with her.

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“She really does have the world at her feet and is pretty honoured that such a star wants to work with her.”

Nile has written, produced and performed on albums totalling more than 750million sales.

He has worked on tracks including David Bowie’s Let’s Dance, Duran Duran’s The Reflex and Like A Virgin by Madonna.

More recently, he has contributed to Beyonce’s albums Renaissance and Cowboy Carter, and Coldplay’s tenth album Moon Music.

But Olivia doesn’t have loads of time in her diary right now, having kicked off a debut arena tour in Glasgow last Wednesday.

She has shows in London this week and will stay on the road across Europe and North America until the end of August, before jetting Down Under in October.

Released last September, The Art Of Loving has turned her into a global star, spawning the singles Man I Need, So Easy (To Fall In Love), A Couple Minutes and Let Alone The One You Love.

She proved to have the Midas touch, because after teaming up with Sam Fender on a version of his song Rein Me In, it spent eight weeks at No1 — and is on course to return there this Friday.

Olivia has also achieved career milestones including performing on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage in 2024.

On how to build her career, Olivia previously said: “Make an album, play Jools Holland and play the Pyramid Stage.

“I’ve done them now, I need to figure out some new goals.”

With Nile by her side, I’m sure Olivia will continue to dominate.

MIS-TEEQ confirmed my story that they’re reuniting to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their debut album, Lickin’ On Both Sides.

I revealed in January that Alesha Dixon, Sabrina Washington and Su-Elise Nash were discussing getting back together for a one-off performance.

And now Mis-Teeq’s Instagram page has kicked back into action, with a video showing their performances from 2001 – when the record came out.

The biography on their account reads: “25 Years. One Legacy.”

Watch this space.

COOPER: MY SLIM PICKIN’

COUNTRY singer Cooper Alan wants to do the unthinkable and drag Eminem into the world of cowboy music.

In an exclusive chat with Bizarre, the TikTok sensation – who has racked up 11.5million followers – revealed that the Slim Shady rapper tops his dream collaboration list.

Cooper said: “Eminem has always been my favourite. It would probably never happen, but that’d be really cool.

“Eminem on a country song, I think that would be crazy.”

He’s also got another surprise duet in mind, this time with with Scottish brothers The Proclaimers.

He added: “We’ve been covering their 500 Miles as our encore, so we’ll throw their hat in the ring too. Dream collab, The Proclaimers.”

I caught Cooper live in London last week on his To The Pub Tour, and the show was absolute carnage – in the best way possible.

The singer is wrapping up his first UK shows in Glasgow tomorrow, following the release of latest album Winston-Salem.

The New Normal singer had fans battling it out in a beer-chugging contest before pouring pints straight into the front row from the stage.

Laughing about the stunt, he said: “You’d think I’d be better at pouring the beer.

“But it comes out too fast, it goes all over their face.”

After testing their drinking skills, he was full of praise for our crowds.

Cooper said: “I was impressed with the British drinking ability, especially on a Tuesday night.”

That’s those Americans told.

If you want proper drinkers, come to Britain.

MEGAN DITCHES ‘CHEATER’

MEGAN THEE STALLION has broken up with boyfriend Klay Thompson after accusing him of cheating on her.

In a statement confirming her split from the NBA basketball player, she said: “I’ve made the decision to end my relationship with Klay.

“Trust, fidelity and respect are non-negotiable for me in a relationship.

“When those values are compromised, there’s no real path forward.

“I’m taking time to prioritise myself.”

The WAP rapper was with Klay – who’s yet to address the claims – for just under a year.

On Instagram she wrote: “Cheating, had me around your family playing house.

“Got ‘cold feet’. Holding you down through all your HORRIBLE mood swings and treatment of me during basketball season  . . .  now you don’t know if you can be ‘monogamous’???”

FOO FIGHTERS celebrated the release of their album Your Favorite Toy with a launch party in London, then performed two new tracks on Saturday Night Live.

But it looks like the band, above, will be prevented from scoring their seventh No1 album, as Noah Kahan’s new record The Great Divide has sold three times more in the UK since they were both released on Friday.

MADGE BASQUES IN GLORY

SHE might be 67, but it’s clear Madonna can still party hard as she leaves a nightclub in bridal lingerie at 2am yesterday.

Madge, in shades and knee-high boots, hosted a bash at The Abbey in West Hollywood, where she played new track I Feel So Free and also premiered an upcoming song, believed to be called Freedom.

That could well be her third track with that title.

She recorded one for her 1994 Bedtime Stories album, though it didn’t make the cut at the time, and made another during sessions in 2014 and 2015, which wasn’t officially released but did leak online.

There was some chaos at the Los Angeles nightspot as fans grappled to get close to the superstar, who was standing behind the DJ decks.

Punters were pushing and shoving, with one woman pouring her drink over a man’s head.

Celeb fans Addison Rae and Julia Fox were also there.

Let’s hope they didn’t have soggy bonces.

BOY GEORGE FACES UP TO EUROVISION

BOY GEORGE is all set to make his Eurovision debut next month – but it sounds like he’s put less thought into his vocals than how he will react when the scores are revealed.

The singer is featuring on San Marino’s entry Superstar, by Senhit.

He said in an exclusive chat at the London Eurovision Party: “I’ve been to so many awards shows where I’ve been nominated, so I will be able to deal with nerves when it comes to the points.

“You have to learn that face where you’re like, ‘I’m so happy for everyone else’.

“But I’ll be so in it. I think Senhit will be more nervous than me.

“I won’t be nervous on the night, not really. There will be nervous energy and excitement.”

The Culture Club frontman joked he better not get stage fright, adding: “Probably on the night, I’ll be like, ‘Argh, this is huge.

“What if I forget to say the right words?’. I won’t have a lot to do, but sometimes not having much to do can be worse. But I think I’ll be fine.”

He has high hopes that San Marino can beat the UK entry Eins, Zwei, Drei by Look Mum No Computer.

George added: “I’d love us to win. San Marino is a small country. Ireland is not doing Eurovision this year so, they can vote for me as I’m Irish.”

THE ROLLING STONES are having fun with the promo for their new album Foreign Tongues.

They have turned their website into a CCTV geek’s heaven with ten cameras showing them at work.

Producer Andrew Watt, who worked on their last No1 album Hackney Diamonds, features in the videos, and helped shape the ten album tracks.

Insiders said there is a top-secret – and random – collab on the new record, out later this year. I’m told no one would ever guess.

SYDNEY CENTRE STAGE

HONKY tonkin’ Sydney Sweeny squeezed into this tiny corset dress to enjoy the world’s largest country music festival.

She was spotted in the crowd during the Stagecoach event in California.

The actress, who seemed to take inspiration from Madonna’s latest corset look, was seen on top of boyfriend Scooter Braun’s shoulders as they watched Ella Langley perform on Friday evening.

She was then back on Saturday for day two and got on the mic herself, inset.

Her lingerie brand Syrn hosted a pop-up where she belted out Sweet Caroline on karaoke and was joined by showbiz pals Diplo and Lance Bass.

Perhaps a music career beckons next . 

WHAT do a former Tory councillor from Kent and a Wimbledon-supporting socialist have in common?

They are both sharing a beer with me on my “solos” group tour of Portugal.

And the three of us are talking over the day’s activities with a Trump fan from the east coast of America.

Luckily, politics is off the menu.

Very much on the menu, however, is sardines, salted cod and the country’s speciality egg yolk pastries. But more on them later.

We are part of a 26-strong group on a dash around the southwestern-most territory of Europe, which is packed with old-world charm.

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Our adventure, organised by solo tour specialist Just You, starts in Porto, where the steep hills that rise up from the River Douro are dotted higgledy-piggledy with colourful houses.

Author JK Rowling lived among the granite streets here before she was famous — and it is said the city’s gothic architecture, along with the traditional robes of its university students, inspired her world of Harry Potter.

At least one establishment, bookshop Livraria Lello, cashes in on the fact, charging entrance fees to see its elaborate interior and upstairs cafe where Rowling would drink her coffee.

Talking of elaborate, it doesn’t get much more so than the “Gold Church”, real name the Church of St Francis.

Designated a Unesco World Heritage site, its interior is dripping with carved wood covered in gold leaf, with the precious metal having been shipped over from Portugal’s former colony of Brazil.

It’s certainly dazzling, as is a trip down the Douro River to the vineyards, which supply grapes for that most Porto of products . . . port.

Can you get more Portuguese? Well, actually, my guide informs me that, historically, it was mostly grown here by the British.

The two countries have long been allies, with many Englishmen living in Portugal in the 1600s.

Back home in those days, the English liked wine but were always at war with the pesky French, meaning booze cruises across the Channel were often a no-no.

Instead, they turned to north Portugal and the Douro Valley to grow their own.

It will come as no surprise then that many of the port brands bear English names.

These include Taylor’s, Cockburn’s and Sandeman, and you can see lots of them emblazoned on the wine cellars that fill the hills of the city of Gaia, which is just across the narrow river from Porto.

By the way, white port (yes, that’s a thing) is tipped to be the next big thing in the cocktail market.

After time in Porto, Gaia and the Douro Valley, day four of my eight-day trip sees the group begin to wind south to capital Lisbon, but not before stops at Aveiro, Coimbra and Obidos.

Let’s take them one by one. Aveiro is marketed as the “Venice of Portugal”. OK, it has some canals, but a trip on a large, electric gondola just doesn’t feel as romantic.

A fellow traveller did remark on its Art Deco beauty, though.

Coimbra could maybe be the Oxford of Portugal, boasting the country’s oldest university, which dates back to 1290. Bats live in its library to eat book-destroying bugs.

A guided tour of the city, which was once the capital, will take you into the grand university building, which sits among former church schools in a street that was the widest in Europe until the 1800s.

You will also likely hear the story of Don Pedro and Donna Ines. I heard it twice and am still a little hazy on the details.

Based on truth, it is Portugal’s Romeo And Juliet tale, which involves the 14th-century prince Pedro digging up the five-year-dead corpse of his mistress Ines.

He then crowned her queen and made his courtiers kiss her hand. The things we do for love.

The walled city of Obidos continues with the historic buildings. Perched on a hilltop, the medieval settlement is completely enclosed by its fortifications. And its small size makes its stunning streets very manageable to navigate.

While there, it’s worth trying its cherry liqueur, called ginjinha, which is served in chocolate cups that you can eat afterwards.

The final days of the tour were spent in Lisbon, a city built on seven hills.

This may make exploring its small streets a challenge, but you can always hop on and off the quaint yellow trams.

The downtown area and main squares are flat enough and filled with impressive buildings despite the earthquake that devastated the area in 1755. A couple of miles out from the centre lies the Belem district.

Its Belem Tower is a small, picturesque fort which marks the transition from tall forts (for shooting arrows) to horizontal ones (for hosting canons).

And it does this by combining both aspects of those designs as it juts prettily into the Tagus river.

Thirty minutes drive from the capital lies Sintra, another Unesco World Heritage Site. With its microclimate making it cooler and wetter than Lisbon, it stays green all year round.

It also plays host to colourful palaces where past royalty would spend their summers hunting.

I’m sure they feasted well, too. And I didn’t do badly on that front, either.
The Portuguese say they have 365 different recipes for cod (one for each day of the year).

It is often dried and salted, which they call bacalhau. I had bacalhau covered with onions and accompanied by wafer-thin fried potatoes.

Another national delicacy is pastel de nata, an egg custard tart pastry, often dusted with cinnamon.

Grabbing one with a coffee will only set you back a couple of euros for both the treat and the drink.

It’s the sort of thing you can do to while away the hours with new-found friends from the group of initial strangers on the tour.

Which, arguably, is the key factor of the holiday’s success. Do you like your travel companions? Are you cut out for solo travel?

Cards on the table, this was my first solos tour. I met people I liked and no one I disliked. Ages ranged from 40 to 95, though 85 per cent were retired.

Lots I spoke to had been using solo tour companies for many, many years.

For some it was their first time.

If you haven’t tried it before, all I can say is: You might like it, you might love it.

But you only live once (unless you’re Donna Ines) . . . and Portugal is well worth a visit.

THE Cypriots have a saying: “We always survive.”

It is a mantra that echoes in my head as my golf ball makes a sickening plonk into the middle of a lake.

I’m hacking my way around Limassol Greens, the Mediterranean’s newest sporting crown jewel.

It only opened to the public in late 2025, but it is already making a splash (literally, in my case).

I might have lost three balls but the sun is out, the air is crisp and, true to the local spirit, I’ll survive.

The vibe is “modern luxury” from the second you pull up to the pristine clubhouse near Cyprus’s second city. We are greeted by smiley, attentive staff who make us feel more than welcome.

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My hired Callaway clubs appear brand new and the Trackman technology on the range ensures my swing is dialled in before I hit the first tee.

Once on the course, the tech stays with you. Our buggy comes equipped with a GPS screen that acts as both a sat nav directing us around the 71-par course and a digital caddie, calculating yardage to the pin.

Carved out of an old orange grove, the still course has some citrus trees around the perimeter.

This is Cyprus’s fifth course, meaning the island can truly claim to be a “golf destination” for holidaymakers.

Limassol Greens is curated by the same course designer as Aphrodite Hills, the best-known course on the island, and its mix of challenging holes coupled with forgiving fairways and fast-running greens means it may soon be challenging its more established neighbour for supremacy.

After 18 holes we retreat to clubhouse restaurant The Roost. It’s a bright sanctuary serving exactly the kind of high-protein fuel a weary golfer needs.

Another restaurant is under construction, suggesting that, like the golf course itself, Limassol Greens will only flourish with time.

I’m staying at the City Of Dreams Mediterranean resort, a five-minute transfer away.

Dominated by the lively casino at its heart, the 500-room hotel is a playground for adults and a fantastic base for playing golf.

My room was a masterclass in high-spec comfort, featuring a huge comfortable bed perfect for relaxing after hours out on the course.

The pièce de résistance? A free-standing bathtub separated from the bedroom by a glass wall.

You can soak in the suds while staring at the sparkling Mediterranean Sea.

Keen to fuel up before heading out for 18 holes, the options and quality at breakfast are faultless.

The orange juice tastes as fresh as if it’s come from the groves by the golf course.

Among three premium restaurants is Prime Steakhouse, where I tackled a cut of wagyu steak imported from the US so tender it practically melted on the fork.

The next night, I swapped the steak knife for chopsticks at Amber Dragon.

The roasted duck truffle puffs — flaky, buttery and decadent — are the stars of the show.

The variation of food and inventive presentation make for a memorable evening.

The hotel provides free transfers to the popular Lady’s Mile beach during the summer months.

But I head to the spa instead. It exudes calmness with low lighting and soothing music.

I’ve booked an express treatment, with my masseuse happy to focus on my legs and shoulder, which are feeling achy after so much golf. While only 25 minutes long, I feel rejuvenated by the time I leave.

Even in January, the main city of Limassol — about 15 minutes from the hotel by taxi — feels alive. I took a breather from the greens to explore the historic centre.

While the medieval castle where Richard the Lionheart had his wedding is impressive, I was more captivated by the city’s feline residents.

Legend says St Helena imported 1,000 cats in the 4th century to hunt snakes. Today, their descendants rule the sun-drenched streets like royalty.

I finished my trip with a stroll along the marina as the sun dipped behind a forest of multi-million-pound yachts.

With a cold Keo beer in hand and the feel of a breeze blowing over the Mediterranean sea, I realised the Cypriots aren’t quite right. You don’t just survive here — you thrive.

SHE became the youngest ever Bond girl at 21 – and Gemma Arterton thinks one reason she landed the role as MI6 agent Strawberry Fields is because she teased 5ft 10in Daniel Craig about his height at the audition.

Now 40, the actress recalls how she had been relaxed about applying for the part in Quantum Of Solace because she did not realise quite how huge the 007 films were — and just tried out for “fun”.

Talking about Daniel, 58, who played Bond for 15 years, she says: “He’s got his sense of humour, so that was good.

“I used to poke him a bit, like, I think that’s why I got the job.

“I did a screen test with him and I came on set and said, ‘Hi’, and he said, ‘Hi’. I said, ‘You’re not as tall as I thought you would be in real life’.

“He said, ‘That’s really nice of you to say so’. I was joking with him. I didn’t think I’d get it.”

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After she landed the part, Gemma — who is 5ft 7in — says Daniel had to use height-boosting shoes for a few scenes when she was ­wearing stilettos.

Gemma, whose parents split when she was young, grew up on a Kent council estate with her mum Sally-Anne, a cleaner, and younger sister Hannah.

She said at the 2024 Marrakech International Film Festival: “I knew nothing about the Bond legacy because I grew up in an all-female household where we didn’t really watch movies.

“I literally didn’t know how big James Bond was, which sounds ridiculous because everyone else does. The ­surprise of how big it was — I couldn’t believe it.

“I auditioned for it because my agent told me to, not expecting to get it, and got it and just did it because it was fun.

“But I had an amazing time making it and it was huge. I had no idea what I was letting myself in for.

“We went on all these amazing locations. I had just left drama school, it was one of my first jobs, and it was the first time I was on a big film set.”

Now, Gemma is about to appear in another spy thriller — but this time she will take on the lead role in new ITV crime drama Secret Service, which starts tomorrow night.

She plays Kate Henderson, who balances being a suburban married mother of two teenagers with secretly being a senior MI6 operative and heading the Russian desk at the intelligence service.

It is based on the book of the same name by ITV newsreader Tom Bradby.

Gemma says: “She trains spies and finds out some very important information, which is that there is a Russian spy within the British government.

“Her mission is to find out, by hook or by crook, who that is. It’s really gripping. It’s edge-of-your-seat stuff.”

For this role, Gemma did plenty of research and, with writer Tom’s help, she even met a real-life spy to perfect the part.

She told ITV’s This Morning: “I was lucky enough to meet someone who could advise me on how they negotiate their lives and live day to day — you know, their family and their kids.

“There’s a scene where I tell my kids what I do and they don’t believe me, they laugh it off. And that came from this ­previous spy and what happened when he told his daughter and she thought, ‘You’re joking’.

“But it was invaluable to me because it’s not just the high-stakes lives they live, it’s about the attributes they have to be a spy, which are very specific — very risk averse, good at problem solving.”

Gemma has been acting since she was a teenager and was 16 when she first considered it as a career.

She says: “I come from a humble family. My father was a metal worker, my mother is a cleaner, and not involved in the arts in any way.

“I always liked performing and showing off. I didn’t know that acting was a profession really until I was about 16 and I was doing a lot of amateur dramatics as a hobby.

“There was a lady there who said, ‘You should go to college to study acting’.

“I thought, ‘OK let’s see what happens’. Then I saw Breaking Away and Dancing In The Dark and I was inspired.

“That’s when I realised I would like to give it a go.”

She first broke through with comedy film St Trinian’s in 2007, followed by Quantum Of Solace a year later.

Since then, she has made more than 30 films, including 2018’s Vita & Virginia, in which she played author Vita Sackville-West, who had a romantic ­relationship with fellow writer Virginia Woolf.

Talking about why she left Hollywood films behind to make more independent movies, Gemma says: “I think at the time it was very different in the industry to how it is now for women.

“In those films — not the Bond film. I had a really good time making that film, but the other ones — I didn’t feel very empowered.

“I didn’t feel like I had a voice and I didn’t feel comfortable. I always felt good doing independent films.

“My taste is that as well. I like independent film, it’s my passion. Usually, the stories are better and the characters are stronger and I felt like I had a voice on set.”

Films such as Byzantium, The Voices, Their Finest and The Disappearance Of Alice Creed followed, alongside performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company and starring in stage productions such as Nell Gwynn, which won her an Olivier Award in 2016.

On the Dish podcast, Gemma told how, when she starred in The Little Dog Laughed at London’s Garrick Theatre in 2010 with Tamsin Greig, Rupert Friend and Harry Lloyd, they had a novel way to try to dispel their nerves.
Laughing, she said: “We used to play this game called bum slap.

“We’d be on stage before the audience came in, obviously, and you have to run around and smack each other’s bum.

“Basically, you have to smack as many bums as you can. And it was the best warm-up ever because you were all loosey goosey.

“I think I’d rather do bum slap than any of the old acting rituals.”

Gemma loves working in Britain because she gets to perform different accents.

She said: “I do enjoy a Liverpool, that melting pot of accents that is Lancashire, Manchester and Blackburn, it’s insane.”

Gemma herself had a Cockney accent before gaining her scholarship to the Royal Academy Of Dramatic Art, where it “softened up a bit”.
London is now her home, but her mum still lives in Gravesend — and now does watch films, thanks to her famous daughter.

Gemma says: “She’s grand, she’s living the life. She’s down in Kent where I grew up, the same home — I paid off the mortgage.

“I think she does eventually watch my shows. She takes her time and needs to watch them with the subtitles on, maybe to absorb them.

“She’s very honest. She’ll say, ‘Why did you do that? You sold out there’.”

Gemma has her own family now, too — son Theo, three, and a baby boy whose name she has not revealed — with her husband, Peaky Blinders actor Rory Keenan, who she married in 2019.

They do not live a showbiz life, but he is supportive of her work.

Gemma says: “My family life is my world now, whereas before it was work.

“It’s made me hyper-focused on what I do want to do.

“Before, it was like, ‘I will do that with that director or that actor I like’, even though it wasn’t the best thing for me.

“But now it’s made me really specific about what I want to do, because if I’m going to be away from them, which I inevitably will, it’s hard.

“But if I’m in it and enjoy the work, then it’s OK.”

Timeline of James Bond actors

Over the years there have been seven actors who have played 007.

The first ever James Bond film was in 1962, and this is who has played the lead role over the years:

• Sean Connery – The late star was the first ever actor to play Bond, and reprised the role for seven movies.
• George Lazenby – The star only played Bond once, but was the youngest actor to ever play the spy.
• Roger Moore – The late movie star spent 12 years making seven films in the famous franchise.
• Timothy Dalton – The smooth actor took over from Roger Moore and appeared in The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill.
• Pierce Brosnan – The handsome star played Bond for four movies from 1995 to 2002.
• Daniel Craig – The British star was the first blonde James Bond and the sixth actor to win the role in 2005.

SHE rose to fame singing about her curves. But when singer Meghan Trainor lost 60lb for the sake of her health, cruel online trolls turned on her – branding her “a walking nose.”

But the All About That Bass hitmaker found support in reality show ‘momager’ Kris Jenner, who helped her navigate the horrific online abuse following her weight loss.

Meghan opened up about her recent struggles while sitting down with Biz on Sunday’s Emily following the release of her seventh studio album Toy With Me which dropped on Friday.

The American singer wrote the 14-track album while expecting her third child, daughter Mikey Moon, who was born via surrogate in January.

But while Meghan was excited to welcome her first girl, she said it had never felt tougher to be a female performer.

Meghan said: “I was getting a lot of hate online and it was all about my appearance and my looks and I was like: ‘Man, being a woman in this industry, it’ll never end.’”

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Of seeking advice, Meghan said: “Kris Jenner helped me with the hate online. I went to her and I was like: ‘Everyone’s mad at me.’

“Kris was like: ‘Of course, because you’re successful. You’re on the internet and it’s a terrible place but it can also be a great place.

“She said: ‘Are you happy? Are you thriving in your life?’

“I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m doing pretty well, that’s why I’m confused.’

“She said: ‘That’s all that matters. You’re doing great.’”

Meghan added: “Kris was really nice about it and I was like: ‘I can’t imagine what you guys [the Kardashians] are going through.’

“She was like, ‘You don’t want to know, it’s a lot.’

“Kris sends me the biggest flowers. It’s like a competition between her and her daughter Khloe Kardashian, who can send me the biggest.”

Meghan rose to fame with her 2014 hit All About That Bass in which she sang: “Yeah, it’s pretty clear, I ain’t no size two.”

But after she was diagnosed with gestational diabetes while pregnant with her eldest son Riley in 2020, Meghan overhauled her lifestyle — with the help of weight-loss medication Mounjaro.

She said: “I’m finally taking care of myself, I’m finally listening to my body first instead of career first and destroying my health.”

But with her slimmer frame came a huge wave of online hate.

Of the comments, Meghan said: “They were like, ‘She’s just a walking nose.’

“‘She’s just so unlikeable now’. ‘I miss the old Meghan’, or ‘Hey, ‘zempy queen’ suggesting she had used Ozempic to lose the pounds.

“It made me just crumble and feel like I never wanted to go outside again.”

Meghan, who also has another son, Barry, with actor hubby Daryl Sabara, said she consulted her doctor following exhaustion from social media.

And earlier this week, Meghan said she needed to put her family first and cancelled her 33-date Get In Girl tour across North America.

She said: “We tested my blood and everything and they were like: ‘You’re on track to get an autoimmune disease.

“It was all the noise from social media destroying me and getting to me mentally.”

She added: “This all happened while having a daughter and I was like: ‘I’m so worried when she gets here.’

Of the album, Meghan said: “I wanted to make a lot of self-love anthems as I know she [Mikey] will need them growing up in this world too.”

Quickfire questions with Meghan

FIRST CONCERT? NSYNC.

WORST HABIT? I peel my skin off until it bleeds.

COMFORT TV SERIES? A weird one but the medical drama series ER.

DRINK ORDER? Shirley Temple.

COMMON MISCONCEPTION? That I don’t put out music any more but I am still out here grinding.

ULTIMATE TREAT? A gluten-free brownie from Gwyneth Paltrow’s brand Goop.

SNOG? Disney+ thriller series Paradise, starring Sterling K. Brown has me totally hooked.

MARRY? Sarah Pidgeon and Paul Anthony Kelly in the brilliant Disney+ series Love Story.

AVOID? After my recent negative experiences I will be keeping well clear of media trolls.

Liam’s ex ready to love again

LIAM PAYNE’s girlfriend Kate Cassidy has revealed she feels ready to meet someone again, 18 months after the singer’s passing.

The American influencer, who dated the One Direction star for two years, until he died aged 31, opened up on social media.

She said: “I am ready to start dating again. It has been a year and a half since Liam passed away.

“I think that love after loss is a big chapter within your grief journey and I don’t know how that is going to feel.

“But I do know that I loved being in love. I want to have kids one day, I want to have a family and I know Liam would want that for me and if the roles were reversed I would want him to be happy and fall in love again.”

She continued: “I will always love Liam and that will never change no matter who I meet and who comes into my life.

“I am going to think about Liam on my wedding day, I am going to think about him every day for the rest of my life and that goes without saying.”

It’s in the Stars, Maura

EXCITING news for Maura Higgins as she has been confirmed for Dancing With The Stars.

I can reveal the reality star – who was snapped in New York in a stylish white dress with a long train – turned down Strictly in favour of the US show as she hopes to avoid further scandal.

Strictly is already linked to her exes Pete Wicks and pro dancer Giovanni Pernice, and last year she kissed married McFly star Danny Jones at a Brit Awards party.

A pal said: “She’s heading towards big things in LA, and Strictly is full of drama, she wants to keep her nose clean.”

It’s three love for celebs

CELEBS Go Dating’s relationship expert Anna Williamson has welcomed throuples on the Channel 4 dating show.

It comes after a married couple attended one of the reality show’s mixer events to see if any celebrities wanted to try a non-monogamous relationship.

Anna said: “It’s 2026, we’re moving with the times. Polyamory is something that is very much emerging from the shadows as a relationship construct.

“It’s not for everybody and I don’t believe it’s for the faint-hearted at all.”

Boxer David Haye and his long-term girlfriend Sian Osborne enjoy a rumoured open relationship.

They were most famously in a “throuple” with The Saturdays singer Una Healy, who denied she had a romantic relationship with Sian.

Anna said: “There is no right or wrong way to date.

“So we thought: ‘Well why not?’ It was lovely to throw that different relationship dynamic into the mix.”

Mick gets tongues wagging

THE ROLLING STONES rolled out posters across the UK yesterday promoting their upcoming album Foreign Tongues.

The billboard shows the title of the record –out July 10 in Danish.

Earlier this month I revealed that Paul McCartney will also feature on a track after a cameo on the Stones’ 2023 album Hackney Diamonds.

An insider said: “Details of the Stones’ new album have been kept secret but it’s true that Paul features on a new track on the upcoming album. It’s going to be a real treat for fans.”

Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood also dropped a single called Rough & Twisted under the pseudonym The Cockroaches earlier this month.

Millie’s Liv-ing it up

MILLIE MACKINTOSH has sat down with Olivia Attwood for an intimate chat following her high-profile split from Hugo Taylor.

The former Made In Chelsea star – who wore this revealing black gown to The Devil Wears Prada 2 premiere in London this week – will appear on an upcoming episode of Olivia’s House podcast.

The pair will have had a lot to discuss as the Love Islander ended her ten-year relationship with footballer Bradley Dack in January.

A source said: “It wasn’t a tell-all chat, that’s not Millie’s style, but she does touch on what she’s been going through.

“The women clearly bonded over a shared experience in the public eye.

“Olivia is bagging great guests for her podcast.”
I’m sure they had plenty to discuss off camera too . . . 

HELENA BONHAM CARTER has left season four of HBO hit The White Lotus.

The Crown actress was set to appear in the next installment of the drama, which has begun filming on the French Riviera.

But an HBO spokesman said the character, created by filmmaker Mike White for Helena did not work on set.

In a statement to Deadline, they said: “With filming just under way it had become apparent that the character which Mike White created for Helena Bonham Carter did not align once on set.

“The role is being rewritten and will be recast. HBO and Mike are saddened that they won’t get to work with her, but remain ardent fans.”

Sounds like this is an even bigger plot twist than writers had anticipated.

Meryl: Anne’s saintly

MOVIE sequel The Devil Wears Prada 2 plugs weight-loss drug Ozempic.

The film, starring Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep, hits cinemas this Friday, and a source said: “There are many big brands in the film and it seems the makers of Ozempic will be pleased.”

It comes after Anne, who plays the film’s Andy Sachs, spoke to producers about casting models for the film.

After noticing models at last year’s Milan Fashion Week, were “alarmingly thin”, her co-star Meryl, told Harper’s Bazaar: “Anne made a beeline for producers about it, securing promises the models for our film wouldn’t be so skeletal.

“She’s a stand-up girl.”

REALITY TV star Kylie Jenner buckles up – in a double belted mini skirt from her KHY fashion brand.

The 28-year-old posed in a stone coloured denim number from her Born in LA range.

She said: “It’s inspired, designed, and almost all made here in Los Angeles

“From LA to wherever you are.”

We revealed yesterday how the socialite has become a cat mum since her beloved 11-year-old Italian Greyhound, Norman, passed away last year.

And is seems that the stunning beauty mogul is enjoying the company of her new four-legged friend.

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Taking to Instagram, Kylie posed up a storm in a seriously skimpy outfit, writing a caption which read: “me + my lip liner + and my kitty.”

She shared four photos to the platform, with each of the snaps being selfies of the star as she rocked a gray bathing suit.

The swimsuit was strapless and had cutout details, displaying her toned physique.

The first image saw Kylie pulling her cut-out bikini down a little while applying lip gloss in a huge mirror.

Her cleavage was on full display as she pouted up a storm and applied the lip product with her long raven locks framing her face.

The second snap saw her standing up straight while holding her adorable fluffy friend.

SUPERSTAR Rihanna looks as keen as mustard to promote her beauty brand.

The Barbadian singer, 38, wore a flowing yellow top and ankle-length leather skirt.

She also wore gems from local designer Manish Malhotra, at the Indian launch in Mumbai of Fenty Beauty

The mum of three’s earnings from her Fenty cosmetics and fashion lines have given her a net worth of £1 billion.

Fenty Beauty is a makeup brand that in late 2020 branched out into skincare, and Savage X Fenty is a luxury underwear brand for women and men.

She recently posed for revealing photographs in red satin lingerie, sprawled sexily across a sofa.

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Rihanna has also revealed that she is actively working on brand new music for the first time in years.

She has largely stayed out of the music industry since her acclaimed 2016 release Anti and has focused on business endeavours instead.

Her only solo lead song since 2016 was in 2022 with the track, Lift Me Up, to accompany the film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Last year she gave birth to her third child with partner A$AP Rocky.

Ibiza might be famed for its sleepless nights, but where you stay can shape the whole experience.

From serene sea-view luxury to buzzy beachside energy, the White Isle serves up escapes to match every mood.

Find rooftop heaven at Ibiza’s Ocean Drive Talamanca,

says writer Mia Lyndon 

Sleepless nights are often a given on this island – but not at this stylish retreat. Here, you’ll find panoramic ocean views, an extensive pillow menu and truffles delivered at bedtime. 

 Tucked between Talamanca’s sandy beaches and whitewashed architecture are Ocean Drive’s four pools and 117 rooms, all facing the sparkling waters of Talamanca Cove.  

Our room is decked out with a rainfall shower, floor-to-ceiling windows and a tower speaker – plus a welcome flaó, an Ibizan mint and aniseed cheesecake.  

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There’s a complimentary hangover supplement, too (though that remains in its box).  

Downstairs, walls are adorned with local modern art, plus there’s a balmy sun terrace and the Almendra Boutique shop, stocked with whimsical Ibizan trinkets.  

We catch the sunset at the hotel’s rooftop Up And Down eatery, and sip Montenovo, a crisp, vibrant white wine, £35 a bottle, while gazing at Ibiza Castle across the bay, as we tuck into fresh seabass and prawns in a rich coconut, oyster and lime sauce, £30. 

Lunch is equally tempting, with indulgent sandwiches loaded with Iberian ham, Mahón cheese and truffle, £24, soaking up our rosé sangria, £7 a glass, before we plunge back into the rooftop pool. 

Mornings here are slow and relaxed – breakfast is served until noon and boasts local meats, Spanish cheeses and warm, freshly baked cookies. 

We stroll along Talamanca’s sandy boardwalk ogling the yachts, and stop by B London Boutique to browse the colourful rails of swimsuits, wraps and shades (Blondonboutique.com), before setting up camp on the golden beach.  

This is bliss. Double rooms at Ocean Drive Talamanca cost from £170 per night (Od-hotels.com).  

Seek out Hyde Ibiza. . . For a cool pool scene,

says Assistant Editor Kelly Allen

Perched in the hills of Cala Llonga, 15 minutes further along the Isle’s east coast, is boho-chic Hyde Ibiza.  

Head to its main pool, Hyde Beach, for an excellent playlist and cabanas, from £131 a day, to live it up – the fee is redeemable on food and drink.  

At beachside eatery Sonrojo, we order seafood paella, £30, and sangria, £35 a jug.  

Later, we catch the sunset on the terrace of Japanese restaurant Niko, feasting on umami-rich tuna and truffle maki, £24, and miso-glazed black cod, £37.  

Hyde is just steps from the public ferry to Ibiza Town, Santa Eulalia and Leonardo DiCaprio’s fave nearby island, Formentera.  

It’s also just 20 minutes from UNVRS, where we catch David Guetta (Unvrs.com), Ushuaïa, where Calvin Harris performs alfresco (Theushuaiaexperience.com), and Hï Ibiza, with its Wild Corner complete with a DJ booth inside the unisex loos (Hiibiza.com).  

Recovery at beach club Amante proves a winner (Amanteibiza.com), and the views are so impressive that a mate back home thinks my pics are AI! Double rooms at Hyde Ibiza cost from £161 per night (Hydehotels.com/ibiza). 

AMY Childs has signed up for the next series of Celeb SAS: Who Dares Wins.

The former TOWIE star, 35, will appear on the next series of the gruelling Channel 4 show which is expected to air next year.

A source said: “Amy is ready to be pushed to her limit on the show.

“She wants to prove to herself and her children that she has what it takes.

“Amy has also been working hard with her personal trainer to be physically ready to take on the challenge.”

Earlier this month Amy tied the knot with her long-term boyfriend Billy Delbosq at Marylebone Town Hall in London.

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Meanwhile Amy has also faced cruel backlash from trolls online over her drastic weight loss.

She also faced further turmoil last year when her mum Julie was rushed to hospital following a heart attack last year.

Speaking to OK! Magazine, she said: “People don’t know what is going on behind closed doors.

“I’m going through so much at the minute that the weight has fallen off me. I worry about my mum constantly.

“She’s very emotional – she thinks she’s going to have another heart attack.”

The Sun has also revealed that Married At First Sight star Ella Morgan will compete on the military challenge show.

It will be the first time that a famous trans person has competed on Channel 4’s military challenge show, which films its ninth series this summer.

Meanwhile Freddy Brazier is also in talks to compete on the show – following in the footsteps of his dad Jeff Brazier, who starred on the show in 2019.

Former Special Forces big dogs Billy Billingham, Jason Fox, Rudy Reyes, and Chris Oliver will all be on hand to push the stars to their limit.

Series eight, which went out in January, was given a Team UK v Team Australia theme and produced in conjunction with Aussie broadcaster Channel 7.

Seven stars from each country were pitted against each other to find out which of them were capable of completing the course.

Former Love Islanders Dani Dyer and Gabby Allen as well as retired Australian swimmer Emily Seebohm were crowned the winners.

LOVE a holiday but hate a long flight? Bilbao should be your go-to destination. 

It’s the closest major Spanish city to the UK — flights take just an hour and 45 minutes — but is now even easier to visit thanks to Tui’s new city break packages. 

These include flights from Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester and Bristol. 

Tui Commercial Director Chris Logan said: “Bilbao offers a truly special city break. With incredible art, fantastic food and beautiful scenery all in one trip, it’s ideal for customers who want the authentic taste of Spain.” 

After a sunshine stay in the city this month, Kara Godfrey reveals everything you need to know about it . . .  

WHY SHOULD I GO? Spain is set to hit record tourism numbers this year, expecting to reach 100million for the first time. So trying to find a quieter destination to visit can be tricky.  

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But Bilbao gets just a fraction of the tourists — just 1.6 million visited last year compared to Barcelona’s 16 million. The city is also celebrating the 20th anniversary of its Bilbao BBK Live music festival.

This year’s event, from July 9 to 11, has headliners including Calvin Harris, Lily Allen and FKA Twigs.

ARE THESE STREETS MADE FOR WALKING? Most of the city’s top attractions can be walked between, taking no more than 30 minutes.  

There are extensive bus, tram and metro systems if you need to rest your feet. But with the beautiful estuary running through the city, you’d be mad not to want to explore by foot. Want to grab a taxi? Opt for the Spanish Cabify rather than Uber, as it is normally more affordable. 

ANYTHING FOR THE BUCKETLIST? The impact of the Guggenheim Bilbao museum since it opened in 1997 has been huge. So powerful, in fact, it created the phrase “the Guggenheim effect”, which is when a huge architectural project transforms a destination.  

Tickets to the museum come with a free audio guide (from £13, see guggenheim-bilbao.eus) which helps to understand the modern art pieces ranging from sculptures to paintings. 

One of the most popular — and my favourite — is installation The Matter Of Time, where mighty steel walls guide you throughout the space. 

Other current exhibits include work by Ruth Asawa, a Japanese-American artist known for her unique wire sculptures.  

Also on display at the museum are the 43ft floral sculpture Puppy, by Jeff Koons, and 30ft spider creation Maman. by Louise Bourgeois.

Afterwards, make sure to take a ride on the bright-red Artxanda funicular, which takes you to the top of Mount Artxanda for the best views of Bilbao. Tickets cost from £3,. Check out funicularartxanda.bilbao.eus.

WHERE SHOULD I EAT? Knowing where to start with Spanish tapas — known as pintxos in northern Spain — can be hard. 

But help is at hand. Tui Musement offers locally guided food tours to take you to gastronomic highlights off the beaten track. 

We gorged on everything from Spanish omelette to spicy mushrooms, while learning a bit about the history of them courtesy of our guide Cristina. 

Guided tours aside, if you just fancy hopping between tapas bars for snacks and drinks — a practice locals call txikiteo (pronounced chee-kee-tey-oh) — do try all of them at Plaza Nueva. 

My number one was Cafe Bar Bilbao for its tasty pork sliders, as well as Taberna Ona for freshly sliced Iberian ham. 

Just expect to have people waiting in the wings for your table — seats are much sought after. 

I FANCY A DRINK: The most famous Bilbao drink is txakoli, a Basque white wine which you can find pretty much anywhere. Squeeze into the family-run Taberna Basaras, a tiny bar with barrels for tables and bottles from floor to ceiling, for a hearty glass. 

You might also spot the locals ordering a mariano, a vermouth “daytime” cocktail that’s lighter than a negroni. 

But only order if you’re ready for an early night — it certainly packs a punch. 

WHERE SHOULD I STAY? For some of the best views, try 5H hotel The Artist where a rooftop bar overlooks the Guggenheim. 

Another stylish option is the adult-only Axel Hotel, which lays claim to having one of the city’s only rooftop swimming pools. The covered Skybar right next to it is a great place to dry off, over a cocktail or two. 

Even the basic rooms have views of the estuary and Old Town, each one snug but chic — think industrial interiors with extremely comfy beds. 

Also save some time for the wellness area, too, where you can book a massage or just relax in the sauna and hot tub. 

THERE aren’t many places where your holiday begins with a grandstand view of an island monastery as your plane skims the deep-blue Ionian Sea.

Landing in Corfu is an experience in itself, and dozens of people stood on a viewing platform jutting out over the ocean to watch our flight land at sunset just metres away from the Vlacherna monastery.

But the real magic starts when you head for the hills.

Tucked away on a dramatic cliffside near Agios Ioannis is the 5H Valmar Corfu by Louis Hotels.

Tumbling down the hillside, the chic all-inclusive hotel only opened to guests last summer and offers incredible 180-degree views of the sparkling, calm waters from almost every vantage point.

I immediately took a liking to the modern aesthetic — think pale wood and acres of glass — and loved the welcome pack of wine, fruit, local kumquat marmalade and some of the best baklava I’ve ever tasted.

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

The next morning, I was able to appreciate the full beauty of the hotel, as a picturesque red-orange sunrise across the bay gave way to my first view of its private beach.

A delicious mojito with homegrown mint was fully justified at 11.30am as I settled down to soak up the rays on the comfy sun lounger.

The hotel has two pools — one adult-only — with stunning views, as well as a splash park and a tennis court on the cliffside above.

A spa offers more than 20 different treatments and there’s an air-conditioned gym.

And if you ever get bored of swimming in the clear waters of Valmar beach or taking a dip in the mountainside pools, Corfu has plenty of other beautiful beaches and sunbathing spots.

Paleokastritsa is one such beach, in the north of the island, where dark and light-blue waters contrast beautifully with the sands.

To enjoy an unforgettable view of this beach, head up to Paleokastritsa Monastery — maybe the only religious site in the world to have a whale skeleton inside.

To the south, the islands of Paxos and Antipaxos and the Blue Caves are destinations for the most popular boat trips from Corfu.

But after a day at the beach, the hotel provides excellent dinner options.

As well as two buffets, there’s the unique Viru Peruvian fusion restaurant on the roof terrace, and the beachside Gill and Olive eaterie serving Greek and international dishes.

For a hotel orientated toward families with young children, the Valmar’s sister hotel, Kerkyra Blue, can be found on the outskirts of Corfu Town.

It boasts a kids’ club and buffet, two swimming pools, a badminton court, a tennis court, a gym and a mini-football pitch.

But if you’re really missing the English sporting summer, you can venture into Corfu Town and find Greece’s only cricket pitch — on the main square, Spianada.

It is just one of the legacies of five decades of British rule during the mid-19th century.

Our excellent tour guide, Nausica, insisted that we were actually quite popular, as we introduced running water and roads to the island.

One Brit, however, is more popular in Corfu than any other — the late author Gerald Durrell.

The man whose memoirs of life growing up on Corfu in the 1930s inspired ITV comedy-drama The Durrells — starring Keeley Hawes — is immortalised with a statue on Spianada Square and has a park named in his honour.

Perhaps the most unique thing the British brought to Corfu, though, was the kumquat. The island’s climate made it the perfect place to grow the small, sweet, citrus fruit, which British traders imported from China into Europe.

Today, kumquats are sold on every street in the old town — and one of the most popular drinks on the island is the kumquat limoncello.

The drink suits the place because a period of almost 500 years of being ruled over from Venice has given the town more of an Italian appearance than that of a typical Greek island.

The Corfiots are fiercely proud of their international history, which has made their island look like a Tuscany in the middle of the Ionian Sea.

And they’re so determined to keep it that way that a law is in place which allows buildings in the old town to be painted in only a limited number of colours, in keeping with tradition.

These include browns, terracottas, greens and yellows.

The Cavalieri Roof Garden restaurant offers one of the best vantage points to admire the town’s uniquely coloured buildings, especially at sunset when the old fort glows above the sea.

As you sip a cocktail and watch day turn to night, you’ll feel at one with nature thanks to the sound of thousands of swallows circling above the town.

After sunset, we enjoyed a fish feast at Barbas Taverna.

The exquisite quality of the locally caught seafood is matched only by the quantity — which may see you opt for a tactical approach to dinner, prioritising your favourite dishes over aiming to consume everything.

When we left Corfu, it was a less frantic journey than the Durrells had to make when they left the island on the eve of World War Two.

But we did get to see the spectacular setting of the island’s airport once again.

STRUTTING the red carpet at The Devil Wears Prada 2 premiere, dazzling Anne Hathaway was like a different woman.

Gone was the so-called “in-authentic” air that critics once claimed she exuded, leading to her being branded “Hollywood’s most hated woman”.

Instead, more than a decade after the trolling began, 43-year-old Anne appeared determined to shake off her difficult reputation once and for all.

Not so long ago, it could be argued she was best known for snapping at interviewers, snubbing fans and even, it is claimed, rubbing some co-stars up the wrong way.

A campaign known as “Hathahate” had kicked off in 2011, when Anne was panned for her Oscars hosting performance with James Franco.

Two years later, as she picked up awards for playing Fantine in the 2012 film adaptation of Les Miserables, her acceptance speeches were widely dubbed overly dramatic and insincere.

The hate spiralled from there. But Anne, who wore a sexy, cutaway Versace gown to The Devil Wears Prada 2 premiere, appeared to be launching a charm offensive as she flashed her Hollywood smile at the paparazzi in Leicester Square on Wednesday night.

Her shiny, orchestrated comeback was almost derailed this week when she was accused of “playing Muslim” by casually dropping “Inshallah” — the Arabic phrase for God Willing — into an interview.

The online hatemongers immediately went into overdrive.

In the viral interview with People magazine, Anne — who has been married to jewellery designer Adam Shulman since 2012 and has two sons with him — was asked about her plans for the future.

Without hesitation, she responded: “I want to have a long, healthy life. Inshallah, I hope so.”

While the phrase is widely used, Anne’s decision to say it has sparked debate.

One person questioned: “Is she playing Muslim now?”, while another moaned: “Anne Hathaway and her Inshallah clickbait make me not want to see Devil Wears Prada 2 and I had been looking forward to it.

“It’s not a religious thing. It’s the obvious clickbait as a marketing tactic. It’s insulting.”

As she signed autographs at the premiere in London this week, Anne was gifted a copy of the Qur’an, an Islamic religious text.

She replied: “Thank you so much. That’s very kind,” before moving on.

But insiders tell us that drama over her use of the word “Inshallah” is the last thing she would have wanted.

A source revealed: “Anne, like many people, uses that expression all the time and meant no offence.

“She has spent years stepping on eggshells and she just wants this press run to be smooth sailing without everyone hating her again.”

Anne’s every move has not always been so heavily scrutinised.

She has spent years stepping on eggshells and she just wants this press run to be smooth sailing without everyone hating her again

Source

Her breakthrough role as Mia Thermopolis in the 2001 Disney hit The Princess Diaries is still a fans’ favourite and later, she was revered by her peers following roles in the likes of Brokeback Mountain and The Devil Wears Prada.

But then the tide turned. In an interview with Vanity Fair in 2024, she revealed that she once Googled herself and the top article was titled, “Why does everyone hate Anne Hathaway?”.

She claimed the backlash affected her work, telling the magazine: “A lot of people wouldn’t give me roles because they were so concerned about how toxic my identity had become online.”

According to an LA-based source who has worked with Anne in the past, interactions with her can be tricky, and her mood depends on whether people are in or out of her favour.

They said: “The thing with Annie is, if she likes you, you’re golden.

“If she doesn’t, you’ll know about it fast. A lot of people complain about her attitude. She often comes across as frosty because she is so focused on work and she can’t stand time-wasters.

“After all, there are not many Hollywood actresses who take their work so seriously they would shave all their hair off just a couple of months before their wedding, like she did for Les Miserables.

“When Annie is in that mode, the advice is usually to steer well clear.”

Anne was born in Brooklyn, New York, to stage actress mum Kate and lawyer father Gerald.

She says she knew she wanted to be a star aged three after watching Kate play Eva Peron in Evita.

By eight, Anne was obsessed with becoming an actress, further inspired by her mother playing Fantine in a US tour of Les Miserables — a role Anne later portrayed on the big screen.

She has previously told how she got an agent at 11 and landed her first major TV role at 16 in comedy drama Get Real.

Anne had starred in a string of movies before her 2011 Oscars debacle, which followed a plan to team her with co-host James Franco in a bid to pull in younger viewers.

‘Needed a break’

It backfired spectacularly and their lack of chemistry was widely mocked, as was Anne for having eight outfit changes.

Afterwards, Anne admitted she was “slightly manic and hyper-cheerleadery on-screen”.

Meanwhile, Franco, who stepped away from the spotlight after settling a $2.2million class action sexual misconduct lawsuit in 2021, said: “I think the Tasmanian Devil would look stoned standing next to Anne Hathaway.”

From then on, Anne’s reputation for being difficult grew.

Much of the criticism was ridiculous and unfounded.

Comic book fans even moaned when she was cast as Catwoman in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises because they did not think she was sexy enough.

But other complaints seemed to hold more weight. In a 2012 interview, which resurfaced and went viral in 2024, journalist Kjersti Flaa called her “dismissive” for providing short, unenthusiastic answers during a Les Mis press day.

When asked, “Do you believe people loved more passionately back then?” and, “Do you remember your first crush?”, the star bluntly replied, “No”.

Anne followed up with an apology to Kjersti for being so curt, attributing her behaviour to personal circumstances.

The actress went on to win a slew of awards for her performance in Les Mis, including an Oscar, a Bafta and a Golden Globe. But her acceptance speeches were criticised for being too rehearsed or self-absorbed.

Following her Golden Globes victory, Anne said: “Thank you for this lovely blunt object that I will forevermore use as a weapon against self-doubt.”

Later, she was accused by many on Twitter of putting on “The Anne Show”. Amid the fierce backlash, she stepped away from the public eye, and said in 2014: “My impression is that people needed a break from me.”

Curt answers

By 2022 the actress was back, in movie Armageddon Time, but was yet again called out online over a video of her refusing to pose for photos with fans as she left a Valentino fashion show.

Other clips included a red carpet chat in which Anne was asked what Vogue editor Anna Wintour — the inspiration for The Devil Wears Prada’s fictional magazine editor Miranda Priestly — had said about the movie.

The actress first appeared frosty as she retorted, “Why would I tell you?”, before laughing raucously.

When the interviewer pressed, “Because I’m a fan and I need to know”, Anne said, “I know, but you weren’t there”, followed by another cackle — leading to claims she was trying to pass her curt answers off as banter.

The original Devil Wears Prada was an overnight success when it was released in 2006, and saw fans obsessed with Meryl Streep’s character Miranda Priestly — the editor of fictional magazine Runway.

The sequel centres on Miranda navigating the decline of traditional print media as she finds herself at odds with former assistant Emily Charlton, played by Emily Blunt, now a powerful executive at a luxury group controlling crucial advertising revenue.

I think the Tasmanian Devil would look stoned standing next to Anne Hathaway

James Franco

Andy Sachs, played by Anne, is a features editor who reunites with Miranda in an attempt to save Runway.

As the stars hit the red carpet on Wednesday night, Anne exuded a glow that bore no resemblance to her frosty past demeanour.

She smiled for fans and appeared gracious when stopping to chat to press on the red carpet — desperate to prove she was more darling than devil.

But as mixed reviews of the trailer for The Devil Wears Prada 2 flood in before the full movie even hits cinemas, has Anne done enough to silence the Hathahaters?

Maybe it’s better the devil you know

By Dulcie Pearce, The Sun’s film critic

IT’S been 20 years since they bitched, backstabbed and brought the house down in feisty fashion film The Devil Wears Prada.

During that time, the much-loved comedy has become a cultural reference, with the characters becoming household names.

But after two decades, has The Devil Wears Prada 2 lost its bite?

Well, one thing is for sure, the cast of Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci have clearly found the formula for time travel, as they all look younger than they did in 2006.

Taking to the very red carpet at the European premiere in Leicester Square on Wednesday night, the foursome eradicated wrinkles and turned up their smile wattage to ultra.

They also, clearly, had to get on board with the film’s “partners” Diet Coke, with three-time Oscar-winner Streep’s outfit – red, white and black with a metallic sheen – looking like it was inspired by a can of the sugar-free pop.

Those attending were all given their own DC to sip on, too, and I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that it’s the beverage of choice for characters throughout the film.

Audiences seeing early showings of the much-anticipated sequel also signed paperwork ensuring the film cannot be reviewed until a day and a half before it hits cinemas on Friday, May 1.

So no one is giving much away, with red carpet responses being, “It was so much fun” from Hathaway, and Streep saying: “This is a fun fashion movie. There’s a lot of music; there’s a lot of laughs.”

It hasn’t gone unnoticed that, as part of the excessive publicity campaign, Streep has joined forces with Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, who her character, Miranda Priestly, is based on.

The pair cosied up together on the cover of this month’s Vogue magazine, which is a huge contrast to the first film, which Wintour had nothing to do with.

So much so, designers and fashion figures were scared to be linked with the movie in case they offended her.

Streep recalls in the Vogue interview: “Everybody was afraid of Anna on the first one, so we couldn’t find any clothes.”

Fans fear the film has hung up its devil horns and slipped on some heavily branded wings.