Touching

MADONNA has paid an emotional tribute to William Orbit following his death aged 69.

The Grammy award-winning music producer – who died on July 23 but whose death was only announced on Friday – worked with the singer on her album Ray Of Light in 1998 – known as one of her most beloved musical projects.

Featuring hits such as Frozen and Nothing Really Matters, the record marked a change in style for the Queen of Pop, moving her into an electronica sound following previous albums of dance-pop and disco.

Taking to Instagram, Madonna shared a video of her winning a Grammy for the album, which she accepted with William next to her on the stage.

In the clip she admitted the record wouldn’t have been possible without him.

A montage then showed that era in her career, working with the producer, with the title track Ray Of Light accompanying it.

‘PROFOUND SADNESS’

Grammy-winning producer who worked with Madonna, Blur & U2 dies aged 69

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She captioned the post: “Goodbye William Orbit – I had an epiphany when I met you and started working with you.

“I realized that music did not have to fit into categories or genres – so we created our own.

“You pressed a magic button inside of me and I fell into a galaxy of unrealized dreams.

“Your music gave me a magic carpet to fly on and I visited many places: Sad and Joyful, I sang in ways I’d never sung before – I used words without caring if they made sense or not.

“In many ways you were my Ray of Light -as was my daughter Lola who was born around this time – I was starting a new chapter, I was choosing another road to walk down – and you were right by my side with your crooked teeth and your genius way of hearing music.”

She went on: “The studio was often church like and I would sit in silence, waiting for your ideas to explode out of your keyboard or your guitar and then I would run with them… I miss those days.

“Only you could inspire me to write a song like Drowned World or Swim – you were so otherworldly, so singular.

“The years passed and I moved on to make music with other people, but I have never forgotten you or the magical time we spent together.

“Goodbye Billy Bubbles – I was so lucky to have known you and fallen down the rabbit hole with you.”

William’s resume featured a plethora of musical icons – including Britney Spears, Pink, All Saints and Blur.

But Madonna was often considered the pinnacle, garnering him the most fame.

Having initially worked with her on singles Erotica and Justify My Love, Ray Of Light then followed, with the pair also collaborating on 1999 track Beautiful Stranger for the Austin Powers franchise.

Speaking previously about working with William, Madonna hailed him as a “complete madman genius”.

She told The Guardian: “I’d come to him with an idea of where I wanted to go musically, hum melodies or read lyrics, and then leave him alone in the laboratory.

“Sometimes he’d go in the direction I wanted and sometimes he’d swerve off somewhere else entirely.

“We’d end up with trance tracks that were eight minutes long and then keep adding and subtracting until we had real verses and choruses.”

The pop producer was hailed for his “friendship and kindness” in a touching statement on his social media.

It read: “It is with profound sadness that the family and friends of William Obit announce that he passed away at home on July 23. We are deeply saddened by his passing. He will be greatly missed by us and by so many whose lives he touched through his music.”

Vogue Williams and Luke Mabbott are helping homeowners with their difficult renovations

A heartwarming tribute was aired after a special renovation.

After launching in 2024 as one of Channel 4′s biggest new lifestyle titles, Renovation Rescue has returned for a second series with two brand new hosts.

Armed with a degree in Construction Design and Management and another in Quantity Surveying, presenter Vogue Williams has taken charge of proceedings alongside trained heating and plumbing engineer and former Love Island star Luke Mabbott.

The series follows ambitious renovations as Vogue and Luke share money-saving skills, offer design inspiration, and demonstrate simple DIY techniques that anyone can try.

During the latest episode on Thursday (August 6), Vogue and Luke helped retired artist Penny in Shoreham-by-Sea in West Sussex.

After losing her partner of 20 years, Penny planned to make a fresh start near her daughter and grandchildren by the seaside.

“He died very suddenly of septicaemia, virtually overnight. He was climbing trees one minute and the next minute he was gone. I woke up one day and said, ‘Look, Penny, he’s dead. You’re alive, so get on with it and make the best of the time you have here,'” she said.

But after Penny fell for a house that needed a total overhaul, the plans were put on hold as the renovation went badly over budget and behind schedule.

“I don’t think I’ve ever experienced this level of anxiety and stress,” Penny revealed.

To make Penny’s remaining budget go further, Vogue showed her clever ways to achieve the artistic aesthetic she loves without spending a fortune, including helping to create some beautiful cupboard doors with a lozenge-shaped detail.

Meanwhile, Luke showed Penny how to tackle DIY tasks including blockwork in the courtyard and creating a garden gate.

Later in the episode, Penny showed Vogue a picture that her late partner, Martin, had drawn years before – which has become one of her most treasured possessions.

“To me it’s quite important because I haven’t been able to show any of his work. He was very proud of this piece of work, actually,” she said, before Vogue added: “I think this should be the last thing that you put on the wall.”

Penny agreed: “Yeah and I will feel that Martin’s finally found a place,” leading Vogue to share how pleased she was that Penny could start looking to the future.

After all the work had been done on the property, Vogue and Luke paid Penny a visit and were stunned by the transformation.

Penny had even put Martin’s “beautiful” framed picture in the centre of her living room, flanked by a pair of floor-to-ceiling alcove cupboards that the hosts had made.

“It looks amazing,” said Vogue, with Penny concluding: “I feel as if I’ve got past the grieving stage where I’m not crying at the drop of a hat. Now, I can look at it and feel pleased that it’s there. He was very pleased with that piece of work.”

Renovation Rescue is available to stream on Channel 4

VICTORIA Beckham has extended the biggest olive branch to estranged son Brooklyn yet with a touching Father’s Day tribute to David. 

The fashion designer, 52, took to social media to share a snap of David, 51, with Brooklyn, 27,  Romeo, 23, Cruz, 21, and Harper, 14, in happier times. 

It showed proud dad David posing next to Brooklyn with their arms around each other – a stark contrast to the state of their relationship these days. 

Spice Girl Victoria wrote: “David you truly are the best daddy.

“Your greatest achievement has always been our beautiful children and we love you so much.Happy Father’s Day.”

Victoria’s post comes just days after the family feud took a bitter twist when Brooklyn mocked his strained relationship with his dad in a paid collaboration with Door Dash. 

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COPY CAT

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Brooklyn, who now lives in Los Angeles with wife Nicola Peltz, was seen in a clip saying: “You’re probably wondering why I’m watching the FIFA World Cup 2026 from home…”

Smirking Brooklyn then laughed: “It’s a long story.”

He went on to throw down his tickets onto the coffee table.

The advert then said: “It’s complicated. More soon.”

It’s now been claimed that the nepo baby was paid a whopping $1 million dollars, which equates to £753k, according to Mail Online.

Beloved England player Becks famously played in three FIFA World Cups in 1998, 2002 and 2006.

The ad came after Brooklyn failed to acknowledge his dad’s Hollywood Walk of Fame honour.

Instead, he took to Instagram to share a story of himself enjoying a run in the park while in New York.

Stacey Solomon and her Sort Your Life Out team left an East Sussex family in tears with a heartfelt tribute to their late grandmother

BBC Sort Your Life Out viewers were moved to tears by a heartwarming tribute to a beloved late family member.

Host Stacey Solomon and her dedicated team descended on a family in East Sussex to help transform their bursting-at-the-seams converted bungalow.

The household was headed up by single mum Nadine, who had called the property home since her teenage years, sharing it with her own mother.

Having brought up her four daughters there while also caring for her late mum, three generations of the Jamieson women had amassed mountains of DVDs, clothing and fine China for Stacey to work through.

Buried amongst the clutter, she uncovered 106 animal ornaments, 87 board games and over 1,000 pieces of Nadine’s China, reports Kent Live.

Reflecting on the belongings filling her home and how cluttered it had become, Nadine became emotional as she explained: “I’ve lived in this house since 1988 and it’s pretty much still in the condition it was in 1988.”

Her eldest daughter Merle chipped in: “It was a small crowded house but it wasn’t cluttered back then.”

Former NHS nurse Nadine tearfully continued: “Mum was the second parent. She was our rock and she was just our rock and made it so special for the girls.

“She started to need care in the last four years of her life, and I became full time carer. And that’s when I think it started to change.

“I didn’t have the time or energy to focus on the house because I had to focus on so many people.”

She added: “I need to have a home again and start living again.”

She heartbreakingly went on: “It’s a place I don’t want to be in. There’s no joy to come home to because you know what’s surrounding you.”

After the challenge of letting go of 40 years’ worth of possessions and memories, the family were left touched by a special tribute to Nadine’s mum.

Coming back home after Stacey and her team, including guest star Zoe Sugg, worked their magic, they saw a special memory of Nadine’s mum.

Nadine had earlier explained how her mum’s chair held its place of honour in the living room, with her old combs and hairbands still on it.

Instead of having the objects still there, Stacey, having transformed the living room to a brighter, emptier space, decided to embroider Nadine’s mum’s comb and headband and radio onto a little cushion.

She said: “I know how important Nan’s comb and headband and radio were to you, so instead of having them sat precariously on top of the chair, ready to fall at any minute, I thought, we could put it into the pillow, and then you could always look at her favourite things but keep her actual favourite things safe away.”

“It’s absolutely beautiful,” Nadine’s daughter Merle commented. Breaking down into tears as she saw the cushion, she added: “That is too much.”

“It’s making you emotional,” Stacey replied, as Nadine’s daughter Beth also wiped back tears.

After seeing the response the family had to their new home, Stacey shared: “I think that might have been one of my favourite reactions ever.

“Nadine has, for the last 20-something years, just been looking after everyone around her.

“She’s been raising her kids, looking after her mum, putting all of her energy into everybody else.

“And now finally, she can bring some of that energy back to her, and she just deserves this so much.”

Nadine emotionally added: “Dreams come true.”

Sort Your Life Out is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.