Weekend Content

ALONG the Essex coast are well-known seaside towns like Southend, Clacton-on-Sea, but most won’t have heard of Brightlingsea.

The seaside destination is visited far less than its neighbours, and is said to have one of the ‘best kept traditional high streets in the East of England‘.

During the summertime, Brightlingsea is much quieter than its neighbours where holidaymakers are more likely to flock to.

However, it’s shingle beach is recognisable thanks to its line of colourful beach huts on the promenade.

The Blue Flag beach is popular for paddling too and has excellent water quality.

On a clear day, holidaymakers can even see across to Mersea Island.

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One visitor wrote on Tripadvisor called it a “traditional beach without the noise.”

Another added: “Very unspoilt, family oriented, beautiful beach. Traditional town back in the 50’s.”

As well as a beach, Brightlingsea also has its own beachside lido, with tickets from £3.50 to £5.

There’s no date for the lido reopening for 2026 but last year it opened for the season in May.

Around the corner from Brightlingsea Beach is its harbour which in the summer has an influx of visitors by boat.

In the summer months, Brightlingsea can get as many as 2,500 visiting yachts in a single season and hundreds of local boats.

For anyone wanting to visit neighbouring islands, it’s here you can hop on a ferry to the likes of East Mersea and Point Clear.

Unlike other towns across the country, Brightlingsea’s high street is considered one of the ‘best kept traditional high streets’.

Rather than lots of typical chains, it’s dotted with independent shops.

Some sell records and plants like Roots & Grooves; others like Toggs is where you can pick up women’s clothes and handbags.

For another seaside stay – head up the coast to this pretty Norfolk town…

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Old Hunstanton, Norfolk
This town has some of the best beach walks beside striped limestone cliffs, a Victorian lighthouse and 13th century ruins. The beach has golden sands with rolling dunes and colourful beach huts, backed by a pretty pinewood forest. Stay at a beachfront hotel from £100 per room.

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There are also beauty salons as well as food shops like Joy Thai Spices and Bumbles greengrocers.

Little Boat Gifts is a sea-themed shop filled with lots of knickknacks and gifts while at River Colne Food Co. Deli there are lots of homemade treats like chocolate brownies and cinnamon rolls.

Opposite is Ye Olde Swan, which is a pub, bed and breakfast, and is one of the oldest buildings in the town dating back to the 1300s.

Another pub on the high street is The Brewers Arms and head to Winkies for takeaway fish and chips.

Minutes from the high street is the popular Rosebud Pub & Seafood Restaurant which is the top-rated spot to enjoy seafood in the town.

Here you can get an entire seafood platter for £26.

When it comes to where to stay, Brightlingsea has its own Hoseasons holiday park.

It has a choice of holiday caravans from the Bronze which has two bedrooms, an open lounge, kitchen and dining area.

In April, a stay for four in a Bronze caravan starts from £10 per person per night.

Here’s another pretty seaside town that’s one of the UK’s driest places…

Shoeburyness is a small town along the Essex coastline that’s one of the driest places in the country…

It has a lower annual rainfall average than the rest of the UK – not to mention it has two Blue Flag beaches and is just one hour away from London.

Thirteen minutes from Southend-on-Sea is the lesser-known coastal spot of Shoeburyness.

The town is home to around 22,000 people and is one of the driest places in the country.

Its position on the southeast coast means it gets less rainfall than other spots around the UK.

Shoeburyness records an average of between 526.78mm and 527mm of rain per year.

In comparison, the average annual rainfall for the entire UK is 1,163mm – Shoeburyness receives less than half of that.

So, it’s no wonder that lots of people flock to the town to visit its two Blue Flag beaches; Shoebury Common and Shoebury East Beach.

Shoebury Common is a sand and shingle beach that’s popular with families during the summer.

But it’s not just bucket and spade friendly, or for paddling, though. It’s also a popular place to launch boats and jet-skis, and is good for kitesurfing too.

Plus, here are 10 of the most affordable English seaside towns for Easter holidays with £1 rides, £2 pints & mega cheap hotels.

And here are our favourite old-fashioned English seaside resorts – with quaint promenades and retro beach huts.

JUST off the coast of Portugal is a tiny archipelago that very few tourists visit, or even know about.

The little-known collection of Berlenga Islands consists of three islands – Berlenga Grande, Estelas and Farilhões-Forcado

Berlengas is primarily a nature reserve, home to lots of birds like the yellow-legged gull, guillemot, and sea life which you might spot while snorkelling.

Due to it being protected, and reasonably small, the islands have a daily limit of 550 visitors – and it can only be accessed between March and October.

With the weather this time between 18C and 25C, it’s the perfect time to visit and spend time on its beach – which is one of the prettiest in Europe.

This is Praia da Berlenga Grande, which is also the most famous beach on the island and ideal for relaxing on the golden sands.

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It’s also a good spot for swimming with one visitor saying the clear waters reminded them ‘of the Caribbean‘.

Just be prepared for it to be chill, seeing as the islands are in the Atlantic Ocean.

National Geographic called it one of Portugal’s best beaches with ‘desert vibes’.

One visitor advised to visit in September as it was quieter and they had the beach all to themselves for an hour.

Another popular way to explore the island is by boat with plenty of tours throughout the day.

Bobbing around on the water means you can see the caves that have naturally formed into the cliffside.

One of Berlengas’ most famous rock formations is the Elephant’s Trunk – which literally looks like an elephant’s head and trunk which dips into the ocean.

Another is Dream Cave, or Cova do Donho, which is where fishermen used to spend the night because of its calmer waters.

Visitors can actually stay on the island if they wish and enjoy quieter evenings when the daytrippers leave.

There’s a hotel called Berlenga Bed & Breakfast which has just five rooms and sits on the clifftop so it has incredible views across the ocean.

You can check them out from the hotel’s pretty terrace bar and restaurant.

Anyone feeling brave and wants to sleep within nature can camp out at Forte São João Baptista.

The island’s fort has camping spots and is said to give an “immersive, authentic experience”.

Visitors can sleep in an old cell and have to bring their own sleeping bags or bedding.

There’s a campsite too where visitors can literally pitch up with their own tent with rates from €8 (£6.92) per night – pitches must be booked in advance with the tourist board.

As for how to get there, ferries go to the island three times from Peniche.

The journey between the mainland and the island takes around 30-minutes with tickets costing between £15 and £35.

Get Your Guide has tours on offer to explore the island, like a Cave Tour from €41 (£35.48).

There are also catamaran tours with snorkelling stops from €42 (£36.35) and round-trip boat tours of the islands from €29 (£25.10).

Peniche is a just over an hour’s drive from Lisbon which has direct UK flights for as little as £15.

For more islands, here are some of the most beautiful in Europe with direct UK flights and some of the world’s best beaches.

And check out the world’s best island in Greece with restaurants right on the beach.

THERE are plenty of beautiful islands around Greece, but you might not have heard of Andros.

It’s the second-largest island in the Cyclades and is considered to be one of the most beautiful, and underrated.

Andros has it all, with mountain landscapes, beaches with bright blue waters, lush greenery with waterfall trails, and a town classically painted in Greece‘s blue and white.

Visitors arriving by ferry will first come to Gavrio, on the northwest coast which historically was a fishing village.

Now it’s a lot busier and vibrant with plenty of tavernas, bars and hotels – however this isn’t the capital of the island.

An hour’s drive away from Gavrio is Chora, which literally means ‘main village’.

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One visitor who blogged about their recent trip named Verde as a top place to grab a bite there.

Their top tip was to taste the Miss Pink cocktail, which is a mix of champagne, lime and grapefruit.

When it comes to drinks, on Andros, you can pick up a glass of wine from €3 (£2.60).

Along with its pretty village to explore, the real gems of this island are the beaches that are dotted along the coastline.

There are beautiful beaches too with white sands and bright blue seas.

One of the most popular north of Chora is called Zorkos Beach, which is also one of the island’s biggest.

One visitor said: “One of the best beaches I have visited in general in my life! Incredible waters, clear and a very quiet place even though it has a beach bar there!”

Another added: “Zorkos beach is just fantastic! Clean water and a very relaxed atmosphere. Perfect place to escape and enjoy the sea without a lot of people. We will definitely visit again.”

Other popular spots include Vitali Beach on the north eastern side of the island.

The beach is always fairly empty as it’s secluded and can only be accessed by a narrow dirt track – so it’s recommended to get there by motorbike or jeep.

Another spot which has crystal clear waters is Tis Grias to Pidima Beach, which has a huge rock stack off its shore.

The beach can be reached via a dirt road and steep trail, but lots of visitors say it’s worth a visit thanks to its beautiful views.

Heading inland, one popular activity for tourists on Andros is hiking to its waterfalls.

One of the easiest trails that takes around 10-minutes is to the Pithara Waterfalls, which is dubbed a ‘hidden paradise’ in Apikia.

Visitors say there’s enough water for a small swim, along with plenty of pretty viewing points from above the falls.

For those staying on the island, some hotels cost as little as £36 per night, which you can find on Booking.com.

The Ostria Hotel & Apartments has an outdoor pool, and is a few minutes walk away from Gavrio.

On Airbnb, pretty apartments start from £67 per night.

This one in Chora is within walking distance to the sea, as well as restaurants, bars, cafes, museums and art galleries.

When it comes to getting to the island, Brits will have to fly to Athens, which in May can be done for £25 with Ryanair.

From there, take a ferry across to the island which can be as quick as one hour with Seajets (with tickets from £30).

For more on Greek islands, one expert reveals the four better value islands where locals go on holiday with Santorini-like houses and secluded beaches.

INFLUENCER Charlotte Greedy has left fans confused by revealing she and her partner Harriet are trying for another baby, months after they almost split.

The couple already share daughter Phoebe together, while Charlotte is a mum to sons Enzo and Brody from a previous relationship.

Charlotte, known as ‘missgreedyshome’ online, has over half a million Instagram followers, while her wife Harriet boasts over 100K and shares fitness content.

After tying the knot in October 2024, the couple of eight years almost split up last summer – with Charlotte even sharing a split statement before quickly retracting it.

At the time, the influencer said she was “left with no choice” due to “disrespect” in the relationship.

But soon after, Charlotte – who suffers from Borderline Personality Disorder – returned to social media to say she regretted posting the “sharp and impulsive” statement.

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Since then, Harriet and Charlotte have shared several posts about their relationship and how they have battled through its ups and downs.

And now seemingly in a much stronger place, the couple are once again expanding the family.

Sitting down for a new video, they told the camera: “We’re going to try for another baby.”

Charlotte- who had a tummy tuck last year – went on the explain that having more children is something the couple have been thinking about for a while.

She said: “We’ve been talking about this for a few months. Harriet has been set on it and I’ve kind of been on the fence, leaning back off the fence, and now I’ve fallen frontwards off the fence.

“We just love being mums, and, I think, the boys are growing up; Enzo is nearly 13, Brody is 10 and Phoebe is now two.

“I can’t stand the thought of not having another one. You guys sent an incredible quote to me the other week saying that you’ll never regret the baby you have but you will regret not having that baby.

“And, it just, kind of cemented it for us, didn’t it?”

Charlotte went on to explain that they were only going to have another child if they could use the same sperm donor they previously used to have Phoebe.

Adding that it was “meant to be”, Charlotte said the couple were successful in reserving the same sperm and are set to undergo IUI (Intrauterine Insemination), as opposed to IVF.

They are set to begin the first round in May, with the couple assuring they are set to take fans with them throughout the journey.

While the comment section of the post was filled with friends and fans congratulating the couple, some were also confused about the massive switch up from their previous split woes.

One Instagram user commented: “I say this with respect, but I can’t help thinking about the posts you shared not long ago about you and Harriet splitting up and going through marriage counselling.

“Bringing a baby into the situation is a huge step, and I just hope it’s coming from a place of real stability rather than trying to fix things. A child deserves a secure and settled environment.”

Giving her side of the story, Charlotte replied to the comment: “We have been together nearly 10 years and had many a blip like others I’m sure, we already have 3 kids who have ‘stability’ but thank you for your message.

“I’m sure it doesn’t come from a bad place, our blip was over a year ago now & we share real life and real life will always have its ups and downs.”

BUSY waterways, beautiful cottages and riverside hotels – this might sound like Venice, but it’s not.

Giethoorn has been compared to the ‘floating’ Italian city but in fact it’s over 800 miles away, and much smaller.

Two hours from Amsterdam in the Netherlands is the village of Giethoorn, a car-free village which has been called a ‘fairytale’ by visitors.

It’s also known as the ‘water village of the Netherlands‘ and has over 55 miles of waterways to explore.

One visitor called it a “beautiful and fairytale village in the Netherlands” and another even said it was “too perfect to be real”.

Another said: “Giethoorn is a dream place that looks like it came straight out of a picture book.”

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There are multiple hotels in the village to choose from. One of the most popular is the Giethoorn Old Art Hotel.

With rooms starting from £70, guests can even rent boats to take to the water themselves.

Another is Hotel Giethoorn, where guests can get a very authentically Dutch breakfast with fresh bread and toppings like hagelslag (which are chocolate sprinkles), cheese, or sliced meats.

No cars are allowed in the village, but it can be navigated by foot, or via boats – of which there are many.

These vary from large tour boats which you can hop on, or if you fancy being a captain yourself, self-navigated Whisper Boats can be hired out, as can Sloops, from €17.50 (£15.23) per hour.

Anyone taking the wheel doesn’t need a boating licence, just to be over the age of 16.

There are rules though, and one is that if you’re navigating your own boat and come across a tour boat – you must move out of the way as they have a VIP pass.

Like on the tube, there’s a certain side to stick to, and this is the right.

And anyone on the water cannot be too noisy – there are water police around.

Those wanting to avoid the water, or wanting to see the village at a different angle, can see it by foot.

There are around 180 narrow wooden bridges across the water and from here you can see more of the village’s pretty thatched cottages.

The village is usually quite busy with tourists and is a popular daytrip destination from the city of Amsterdam.

For those who want to stay a little longer without the crowds, the village tends to be quieter after 4pm.

If you fancy a similar experience but with fewer crowds, the nearby village of Dwarsgracht is also navigated via canals but is considered much-less busy than Giethoorn.

To explore both is possible as the villages are just a 10-minute cycle apart.

For more on the Netherlands, here’s the European city that one writer returns to every year and is reachable without having to fly.

And the lesser-known Dutch city nicknamed “Little Amsterdam” that’s cheaper and less crowded but just as cool.

A FERRY route connecting the UK to Scandinavia could return after almost 20 years.

Brits could get a direct link to the ‘Gateway to the Fjords’ without setting foot on a plane.

There are talks of restarting a ferry route that could link Newcastle to Bergen in Norway for the first time in 18 years.

Historically, this route existed for over 140 years, and is being looked into being brought back by Newcastle City Council.

DFDS Seaways was the last company to operate the service – but this ended 18 years ago on September 1, 2008.

The crossing was usually overnight and the sailing lasted up to 22 hours – depending whether or not it stopped at Stavanger.

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In 2022 Bergen Cruise Line revealed that it was hoping to re-introduce a ferry service between Newcastle, Stavanger and Bergen starting this year.

The Newcastle City Council leader Karen Kilgour said in January of this year that she would “love to see the return of the ferry.”

The service was first introduced in 1890, just two weeks before World War Two.

It continued on and off for over 140 years which resulted in a special relationship forming between the two cities with Bergen even providing Newcastle with a Christmas tree each year.

This tradition continued right up until 2022 – the giving of a Christmas tree stopped, but the cities’ mayors now swap baubles each festive season.

Talks about bringing back the ferry route are still in the works.

Despite a journey across the seas not being available, Jet2 has direct flights from Newcastle to Bergen, taking just one hour and 25 minutes.

One-way flights in April with Jet2 start from £69.

Sun writer Emily-Jane Heap visited the Norwegian city to explore its natural wonders and pretty harbour.

She said: “If you take a stroll around the cobbled streets you will find an array of quirky gift shops, cafes and bars, as well as the vibrant Bryggen Nightclub.

“And the one-day Norway In A Nutshell tour is a must (£192pp, see fjordtours.com), showcasing the best of this country’s breathtaking nature.

“The carefully curated experience begins early, taking you straight from the city centre through more than 60 miles of wild mountain terrain on the Bergen Railway.”

When it comes to eating, Emily says to head to the Skyskraperen restaurant at the top of Mount Ulriken.

Here you can try ‘traditional Nordic food surrounded by nature’ – like grilled trout or a duo of beef.

There’s plenty of places to stop for a drink too – grab a pint of locally brewed lager from Ægir at the Flåmsbrygga Hotel.

For more, here are the beautiful destinations you can get to from the UK without flying including the ‘British Fjords’ & Caribbean-like islands.

And here’s another ferry route that could become a reality this year connecting Scotland to Europe.

CROATIA has around 1,244 islands – and one has compared to being on the Moon.

Pag, which is one hour from Zadar, has a vast rocky landscape – but is also a huge party island with popular beach clubs.

Pag is the fifth-largest island in Croatia and it has beaches aplenty as it has the longest coastline of all the islands.

Unlike other surrounding islands, Pag not only has a bridge connecting it to the mainland, but is split between two counties.

The northern part is part of Lika-Senj County and the southern part belongs to Zadar County.

While both the north and south have busy towns, the island also has a vast landscape that’s been compared to the Moon.

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Toni Hrelja, founder of Croatian rental company Villsy.com, said: “People expect Croatia to be green and Mediterranean.

“Then they arrive on Pag and feel like they’ve landed on the Moon, or even Mars. It’s raw, dramatic and completely unexpected.”

The Mars comparison can be seen via the ‘Life On Mars Trail‘ which starts at the village of Metajna, with multiple trails around the island passing bays and beaches along the way.

One hiker said: “I loved it, it’s just magnificent” and added “bring something to swim in because it is hard to resist.”

While the island is known for its otherworldly natural beauty, the northern part of the island is also famous for nightlife.

Zrće Beach in particular, which is near the main town of Novalja has even been called “Europe‘s party beach”.

Some of the most famous and biggest clubs include Papaya which is open-air on the beach – it has multiple pools, bars, and dancefloors, and holds summer festivals.

Aquarius is another, which is a bar and restaurant during the day, but from 3pm, hosts huge beach parties.

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Meanwhile, the southern side is more peaceful and family-friendly.

Grad Pag, also known as Pag town, is the largest destination in the south and is known for being much more quiet and calmer than the northern town of Novalja.

Vlašići Beach is on the south of the island – it’s quieter than beaches in the north and is known for having pretty clear waters.

When it comes to getting to Pag, the easiest way to visit is by heading to Zadar where visitors can then take an hour car or bus ride.

The cheapest ticket price for a bus trip is as little as £5.

If you hire out a car, you can reach the island by driving across the Pag Bridge from the mainland to the south side.

For anyone wanting to stay on the island, there are Airbnbs starting from £52 per night.

April is a great time for Brits to visit, as the weather is milder than in the height of summer with temperatures around 18C.

It’s when flights are cheap too – in April, flights to Zadar are as little as £15 with Ryanair from London Stansted.

For more on Croatia, here’s another lesser-known island without the crowds of Hvar where you can spot turtles on the beach.

And here’s where you’ll find Europe’s ‘golden island’ once loved by royal families that’s a sleepy alternative to its busy neighbours.

ANASTACIA Kingsnorth has been a queen of social media since starting her YouTube Channel aged 11 – but now a fierce backlash is threatening her empire.

The Brit content creator, 25, has ventured into podcast hosting, has written her own book and been the face of many ad campaigns.

Yet this year, the TikTok star – who has a rumoured net worth of over £1million – faced a sticky spot after her boyfriend appeared to cause “jealous” tension with her pal, Love Island alum Saffron Barker.

And now fans have reacted in fury after her latest paid partnership with Air Up featured a clip created by AI.

Earlier this week, Oh Anna podcast host Anastacia took to her socials to upload a clip promoting the German based brand’s latest flavoured water.

Scenes showed a giant version of the star wearing a lemon polka dot co-ord as she strolled through the London streets.

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Her height meant she could scoop up a pink water bottle branded with the Air Up logo before she took a sip.

The slurp appeared to transport her into both a new location – the roof of Buckingham Palace – and a new denim pinstripe outfit.

She wrapped the clip by visiting locations including St Paul’s Cathedral and Big Ben.

Yet on TikTok, her followers have alleged she has used AI to create the scenes – and claimed the technology goes against Air Up’s environmentally friendly credentials.

Criticisms came from two angles – the nature of content creation as a creative process, and also for AI using huge volumes of water, seemingly going against green principles.

The Sun has gone to Anastacia’s rep for comment.

Fans have claimed Anastacia, whose content focusses on lifestyle, leisure and beauty, has abandoned the “creative process” with her latest venture.

One TikTok user, who works in marketing, ranted: “Honestly, I am not happy about it.

“And I don’t think a lot of people are, judging by the comments on the video”.

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She added: “It really cuts down on what content creation really is.

“If you work in marketing like myself you will know that this is totally wrong.

“The whole point of content creation is creative process”.

Fans of Anastacia, who has previously collaborated with ITV bosses for a Love Island promotion, continued to take to the comments in fury.

One simply posted: “Who’s idea was this?? Omg”.

A second mused: “I do like some of their content, but Ana and her family don’t seem hugely aware or maybe even that bothered by environmental issues unfortunately. (a LOT of consumption etc!)”.

A third added: “The funny part about it is , the ad is for a refillable water bottle (to try and tackle plastic waste etc) but then it the ad is literally AI!! you couldn’t write it honestly”.

A fourth mused: “The hypocrisy of these ‘influencers’ is gross tbh”.

“I’m surprised the brand approved it to be honest…says a lot about them too! I think being aware of the environmental impact AI has is important too”.

And another user surmised: “For me its the context of the ad being for a refillable water bottle while using AI which uses tons of water. It is a little ironic”.

Campaigners have previously flagged the significant carbon, energy and water use that AI requires.

Previously, Sasha Luccioni, climate lead at AI company Hugging Face told The Guardian: “What I’m worried about is that we’re deploying AI in such a way that we don’t have a good idea of the energy use.

“We’re essentially operating on the hypothesis that it’s not a problem – or that if it is a problem it will somehow be solved – instead of getting ahead of it.”

While Anastacia has posted the video to her Instagram grid, the brand is yet to feature it on their page.

GIRLBANDS have long been as famous for their feuds as their roster of hits or attention-grabbing outfits.

And as the Pussycat Dolls capture the headlines again after announcing their latest reunion, Nicole Scherzinger and co were no stranger to beef within the band.

Nicole, Ashley Roberts and Kimberly Wyatt  announced last week they were bringing the iconic band back as a trio, but notably absent were the other original members Jessica Sutta, Melody Thornton and Carmit Bachar.

The Sun confirmed that both Carmit and Jessica were not invited back by the trio, who believed they would be better off as a threesome and Melody was said to have not taken part as per her own request.

Carmit has been open about feeling “betrayed” by the reunion and sparked a bitter feud between the former bandmates.

Let’s take a look back at some other epic girlband squabbles…

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Atomic Kitten

The band that brought us songs such as Whole Again and The Tide Is High had a fair few rows, even ones that got physical.

In 2022 Kerry Katona revealed Heidi Range quit Atomic Kitten after she had a fight with bandmate Liz McClarnon, and she walked out of the band after “someone got slapped”.

Heidi, who went on to join the Sugababes, was picked for the original line-up in the 1990s after Kerry held auditions.

“Heidi and Liz didn’t get on,” she told The Jay Hutton Show. “I think one of them slapped the other one. And then she went solo.”

Kerry herself quit Atomic Kitten in 2001 after a series of rows with Liz.

“I remember some of the fights we had in Atomic Kitten back in the day. Once, Liz punched me from behind after we had a little row. I was furious and got my own back,” she said.

Danity Kane

Danity Kane was active sporadically from 2005 to 2020 and had been signed to P Diddy‘s [Sean Combs] record label after forming on MTV’s Making the Band.

The group was made up of Aubrey O’Day, Dawn Richard, Shannon Bex, Aundrea Fimbres, and D. Woods.

In 2008, Combs kicked Aubrey and D.Woods out of the group, which they claimed was retaliation for refusing his alleged sexual advances.

The group reformed as a trio in 2013 with Aubrey, Shannon and Dawn. They disbanded the following year after a physical altercation when Dawn allegedly punched Aubrey in the head during a studio session.

Dawn filed a lawsuit against Combs in 2024 for alleged sexual assault and inhumane treatment. She also testified against Combs in his New York criminal trial last year claiming she had witnessed him abusing his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura on multiple occasions.

Also last year, Aubrey revealed for the first time in the Netflix docuseries Sean Combs: The Reckoning that she was allegedly drugged and molested by Combs.

Sugababes

The superstar girl group became infamous for its never-ending lineup changes.

Eight years after Heidi joined the Sugababes in 2001, backstage rows led to Keisha Buchanan, the only original member left in the line-up, getting the boot.

Heidi revealed the atmosphere between her, Keisha and Amelle Berrabah had been bad for months and the band “couldn’t work together anymore”.

She was replaced by former Eurovision hopeful Jade Ewen, then 21.

Keisha hit out at her former bandmates saying she found it hard to harmonise with them after the departure of original members Mutya Buena and Siobhan Donaghey, and that the Sugababes had become about “being sexy” rather than creative.

The original trio reformed the group in 2023 and delivered an electric set on the legends stage at Glastonbury that year.

Girls Aloud

After releasing several smash hits, Girls Aloud took their first break back in 2009 and reformed in 2012 only to split again a year later.

Things then went sour when Nadine Coyle publicly distanced herself from the break-up when she wrote on Twitter at the time, “You should know by now I had no part in any of this split business. I couldn’t stop them. I had the best time and want to keep going.”

Cheryl quickly slammed her claims, saying Nadine was “full of s***” and had asked for a break in 2009 which led to the band’s demise.

The two women became close again following the tragic death of member Sarah Harding, who lost her fight against breast cancer in 2021.

They reunited in 2024 in memory of Sarah for a 30-show tour, which was the biggest UK arena tour of that year and earned them £850,000 each.

Spice Girls

The Spice Girls are probably one of the most famous girl groups of all time, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Wannabe pop stars.

When Geri left the band in the lurch, at the height of their success in 1998, it was the beginning of the end.

The remaining four members called it quits two years later – and put the blame squarely on the shoulders of their former bandmate.

In a 2014 interview, Mel B claimed Geri gave them no warning before ditching them.

“When Geri left the group, it was so bad,” Mel said. “She left on my birthday and didn’t tell anybody. She just didn’t show up.”

As well as spats with Geri, Mel said the rest of the Spice Girls “fought like cats and dogs” and then made up.

TLC

The trio of Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas and Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes was the biggest-selling girlband of the Nineties, now second only to the Spice Girls in the UK.

The history of the band, whose biggest hits were Waterfalls, Creep, No Scrubs and Unpretty, includes bankruptcy, lawsuits, illness and death.

A three-piece group until the tragic death of Left Eye in 2002 in a car crash in Honduras, T-Boz and Chilli returned to touring after 15 years in 2015 as a duo and remain a group to this day.

But Chilli was never meant to be in the group originally but replaced founding member, Crystal Jones, who was booted from the group over contractual issues and their desire to replace her.

En Vogue

The R&B group shot to stardom in 1989 but made headlines last year when one of the former members revealed that they had been homeless for the past three years.

Dawn Robinson was one of the founding members of the group – and wasn’t present on tour with En Vogue when they reunited last year and played at Glastonbury.

She stayed with the band until En Vogue’s 1997 disbandment and in 2025 revealed that 28 years on she was homeless and living in a car.

But there was plenty of other drama for the band after they broke up.

In 2012, group members Cindy Herron and Terry Ellis sued former members Maxine Jones and Dawn Robinson for the En Vogue name.

Cindy and Terry also sued Maxine and Dawn for $1 million in damages after the group split, claiming that the two women continued to tour under the name En Vogue.

They won a judgement allowing only Cindy and Terry to use the band name, but failed to receive the damages they wanted to obtain.

After decades of legal woes, both sides agreed to settle out of court.

Fifth Harmony

Fifth Harmony rose to fame on the US version of The X Factor in 2012 and were on track to be one of the biggest girl groups of all time.

But things went off the rails when old social media posts by band member Camila Cabello surfaced and featured racist slurs and derogatory memes.

Even though she apologised for her posts, Normani, the only black member of the group, later addressed the racism she experienced from Camila’s fans, and how she didn’t feel supported by her bandmates.

In 2016, Fifth Harmony announced in a statement that Camila had informed them through her “representatives” that she’d left the group, which Camila disputed.

But the dispute led to a dramatic performance at the 2017 VMAs when Fifth Harmony hit the stage without Camila.

A fifth silhouette appeared beside them, but was then violently yanked away as a clear message they were moving on without her.

The beef continued after Fifth Harmony’s dissolution when in July 2021, when Camila chose the day that Normani released her hotly awaited single, Wild Side, to announce her own new track.

WHEN you think of heading on a beach holiday, Sopot is probably not a destination that springs to mind.

However, the coastal town on the Eastern European Riviera has white sand beaches and an enormous luxury hotel right on the promenade with rooms from £89.

Running along the Baltic Sea in northern Poland, Sopot has over 500m of coastline.

It’s most popular with holidaymakers is Sopot Beach – although visitors have said it’s not the warmest for swimming.

But in peak summer, it can be busy and popular for sunbathing and there is.

One visitor to Sopot Beach said: “A must see in Poland! Who would have known Poland had such a beautiful beach?

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“This should be well known. The whitest, softest sand.”

Another added: “The water was cold but it was amazingly sunny and kid loved the sand play and the park right beside it.”

Next to the beach is Sopot Pier which is the longest wooden pier in Europe and goes on for over 500 metres.

It has views of both the Baltic Sea and the Polish coastline, and cots just £2.10 to enter.

Along the front are cafesm restaurants and even chippies like Centrala Rybna.

The magnificently grand Sofitel Grand Sopot Hotel sits right on the promenade too.

First built in 1923, it was designed for affluent guests, but nowadays, visitors can stay there from £89 according to Kayak.

Along with 126 rooms and huge restaurant, it has a just-as-grand spa and wellness centre, along with a private beach.

When it comes to exploring the heart of Sopot, one of the liveliest streets is Monte Cassino Street, which is home to lots of shops, bars and restaurants.

There’s the Crooked House, which looks like something out of a creepy fairytale, as well as the towering Sopot Lighthouse.

While in Sopot, you can pick up a beer for 16zł (£3.33) and the average price for a meal is 45zł (£9.36).

The easiest way for Brits to get to Sopot is to fly directly to Gdansk which in March can be done for as little as £13 with Wizz Air.

The flight takes just two hours and 15 minutes from London Luton – and then it’s a 20-minute drive to Sopot.

Read more about what one travel writer saw in Gdansk and two other destinations which have cheap Ryanair flights.

Plus, the pretty city known as ‘Polish Manchester’ is near Europe’s largest indoor theme park.

THE OSCARS is back for another year, and will see the crème de la crème of Hollywood clamouring to snatch one of those famous golden statues.

But despite the prestigious nature of the Academy Awards, they don’t always guarantee an A-list life forever in Tinseltown – as these past winners have found out…

Mo’Nique

Let’s kick off our look at forgotten Oscar winners with Mo’Nique, who claimed she was “blacklisted” after her win at the Academy Awards.

When she won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 2010 for her performance in Precious it was her acceptance speech that got people talking, which began: “First, I would like to thank the Academy for showing that it can be about the performance and not the politics.”

Mo’Nique was referring to a fallout which started long before the Oscars.

It came when she refused to travel the world to promote the film – against the advisement of director Lee Daniels and producers Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey – despite the movie having “Oscar buzz”.

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Following this fallout, Mo’Nique declined to thank filmmaker Lee during her acceptance speech, leading to a HUGE Hollywood feud – during which the actress alleged that he had “blackballed” her from the industry.

And shortly after winning the coveted statue she practically vanished from Tinseltown.

The star has since reflected on being a victim of so-called “Oscarscurse” – where stars suffer bad luck in their career after winning an Academy Award.

Speaking to CNN in 2020, Mo’Nique said: “I believe winning that Oscar award, just as Hattie McDaniel, she said, ‘I felt like I was cursed instead of winning something that should be congratulated’.

“That award was something that I did not ask for, but because I didn’t respond the way people thought that I should have responded, as Lee Daniels said, I was blackballed.”

Mercedes Ruehl

At the 1992 Oscars, Mercedes Ruehl was having the time of her life after scooping the Best Supporting Actress gong.

Despite her movie The Fisher King being led by Hollywood heavyweights Robin Williams and Jeff Bridges, Mercedes was the one who took home that coveted gold statue.

But even though she won such a huge award, the movie roles failed to pour in after her night of glory and the actress “vanished” from Hollywood.

Reflecting on the “curse” of winning such a top prize, she told the HuffPost: “It’s hard to get a job after that.

“People think you want more money.”

Instead, Mercedes returned to the stage and went on to win a Tony award the same year as her Oscar – she has remained a fixture of Broadway ever since.

Harold Russell

Harold Russell’s Oscars tale is very different to the others.

The late star lost both his hands in World War II and had them replaced by hooks.

Harold had never acted before when he played the role of Homer Parrish in The Best Years of Our Lives in 1946.

He was cast after the director of the film saw him in Diary of a Sergeant, an Army film about rehabilitating war veterans.

Despite his lack of acting experience, Harold proved to be a huge hit in The Best of Our Lives, and he won not one, but TWO Oscars for his role.

At the 1947 Academy Awards he was awarded the Best Supporting Actor and a special Honorary Academy Award for bringing hope and courage to fellow veterans.

Harold was also the first non-professional actor to ever win an Oscar.

But despite all this glory, he took a step back from acting and didn’t appear in another film until 1980.

Instead, he decided to get a business degree and devoted his life to charity.

Speaking about why he didn’t continue his Hollywood career, he told the Los Angeles Times in 1996: “Wyler (the director) told me I should go back to college because there wasn’t much call for a guy with no hands in the motion picture industry.

“I figured he was right. [In the handful of roles I’ve taken since then,] I always play a disabled veteran.

“And this is what Wyler said, ‘After a while they’re going to run out of ideas’—and he was absolutely right. How many times can you play the same role?”

Harold died in 2002 at the age of 88.

Roberto Benigni

Next up we have Italian actor Roberto Benigni, whose double Oscar win in 1999 caused quite a reaction.

The star won two gongs for the foreign film La Vita è Bella (Life is Beautiful), taking home the statues for Best Actor and Best International Feature Film – as he directed the movie too.

The film was the first non-English speaking picture to win the Best Actor award.

But Roberto, who was up against Tom Hanks, Ian McKellen, Nick Nolte and Ed Norton for the award, faced a huge backlash for his “over the top” reaction to winning the coveted gong.

He was seen climbing over audience seats to accept the award, which was slammed as being “chaotic”.

Roberto was also criticised for his “disingenuous” acceptance speech, where he appeared to make light of winning such a huge award.

“This is a terrible mistake. I used up all my English!” he joked, upon being handed the award.

Despite his big win, the actor retreated back to his native-Italy to make films instead of in Hollywood.

Speaking about life as a two-time Oscar winner, Roberto once told The Guardian: “The most important thing is to continue to be yourself.

“The day after the Oscars, you have to get on with your life. To be honest and true to yourself. I could have made a small film and kept all the money from Life is Beautiful. Instead, I spent more money than I had on Pinocchio, a very risky film.”

The actor is referring to his 2002 movie Pinocchio, which was only released in Italy and received mixed reviews from critics, with one calling it “the worst movie ever made”.

Marcia Gay Harden

Marcia Gay Harden beat the odds to scoop the Best Supporting Actress award for Pollack in 2000.

The actress was up against massive stars including Judi Dench, Kate Hudson, Frances McDormand and Julie Walters, so her win was the HUGE surprise of the night that everyone was talking about.

Critics were also shocked that Marcia won the Oscar as she hadn’t been nominated for any other major award in the run-up to the ceremony.

Despite the actress’s huge win, her movie career stalled and she headed back to the small screen.

Reflecting on being a victim of the “Oscar curse”, Marcia once told the LA Times: “It’s disastrous on a professional level.

“Suddenly the parts you’re offered and the money become smaller. There’s no logic to it.”

Mira Sorvino

Mira Sorvino

Fans of the quirky movie Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion may be surprised to know that the film’s co-leading actress, Mira Sorvino, actually won an Oscar before starring in the cult classic movie.

A few years before, the actress won a huge amount of praise when she played a prostitute in Woody Allen’s Mighty Aphrodite.

She wowed so much, she scooped the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1996 for the role.

Despite going on to star in Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion the following year, the movie roles after that failed to pour in and she has switched her focus to TV.

Marisa Tomei

Last but not least, we have Marisa Tomei.

It may come as a surprise to film fans to find out that the actress won an Oscar in 1993 – but that is nothing compared to what happened on the actual night.

Shockwaves went through the prestigious ceremony when the relatively-unknown actress at the time scooped the gong for Best Supporting Actress, beating veteran stars like Joan Plowright and Vanessa Redgrave.

But it didn’t stop there, as poor Marisa, who won the award for her role in My Cousin Vinny, faced rumours that she had been given the Oscar “by mistake”.

Vicious gossip began to circulate that suggested that presenter Jack Palance had misread the envelope and mistakenly given the Oscar to Marisa instead of “its rightful owner”, Vanessa.

However, the Academy addressed the conspiracy theory and denied that she had been given it by “mistake.”

Speaking about the cruel rumour, Marisa once said: “That was really hurtful at first.”

Despite the fall out from her Oscar three decades ago, she has been nominated for two more since.

These days Marisa is best known for playing Spider-Man‘s mum in the famous franchise.

BORED of regular hotels? Why not head off on a staycation… to spend the night in a train carriage instead.

Nestled in the West Sussex countryside, you will find a restored vintage train carriage that is stopped in its own ‘station’.

Named the Lowe Comotion, the carriage is in Batchmere, Chichester and sleeps up to four people, with one main bedroom.

Inside, guests will be greeted by vintage decor and quirky train signage that not only makes you feel as if you are stepping onto a long, luxury train journey but also back in time to the golden age of train travel.

There’s a log burner and comfy sofa that transforms into bunk beds as well, to make it truly feel like a first-class experience.

When it comes to having a bite to eat, there is a dining table and chairs by the window, so you can enjoy your food whilst looking out at the view.

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The kitchen has everything you’d need including a kettle, grill, toaster and microwave.

In the middle of the carriage is where you will find the bathroom, complete with a vintage bathtub.

Outside there is a spacious patio with seating too and a barbeque for the summer.

The carriage has to be booked for a minimum stay of two nights and is pet-friendly, so your four-legged friend won’t be left out.

It also includes towels and linen, so you don’t need to worry about bringing your own.

One recent guest said: “A lovely railway carriage with loads of great touches and details.

“Definitely first class. We had a grand time staying here and loved the birdsong as well as the rain on the roof when the weather let us down a bit!

“Woodburner ensured a cosy night was had and would definitely recommend to friends. Lovely private area with space for kids and dog!”

Another guest added: “Wow – what a unique and wonderful place – superbly converted 1870’s railway carriage with so many thoughtful and stylish design details we hardly wanted to go out – but also couldn’t resist the huge private lawn that comes with it – a huge hit with our over excited sheep dog! We were overexcited to sleep in it.

“Never been happier to sit on a train carriage that’s not moving!”

A third guest said: “This place is absolutely stunning! It’s so quirky and one-of-a-kind.

“Our stay here was incredibly peaceful and tranquil, exactly what we needed to unwind and recharge.”

Lowe Comotion costs from £150 per night to stay.

As for the area surrounding the carriage, you can head off on lovely countryside walks or bike rides.

Just nine minutes down the road is West Wittering Beach, which is known for its natural beauty.

The beach has a number of facilities including the Beach Cafe, where you can grab a bite to eat such as a Beach Breakfast with poached eggs, sausage, bacon, mushrooms, tomato, beans, potato rosti and toasted brown bloomer for £11.95.

And the beaches at Selsey, East Wittering, and Bracklesham Bay are all close by as well.

If you want to see some of the local nature, then you can head to RSPB Medmerry.

The reserve boasts 6.25miles of trails and features a lot of birdlife including avocets.

If you’ve got kids, jump in the car for 12 minutes to Selsey, where you will find West Sands Fun Fair.

It costs just £15 for unlimited rides on the attractions, which include Waltzers, Dodgems, pedal boats and toddler’s rides.

For more glamping getaways, here’s the UK’s original glamping destination with al fresco massages and farmhouse style tents.

Plus, the Finnish-like glamping resort in the UK countryside with safari lodges, sauna and outdoor cinemas.

DID YOU know that the word ‘spa’ comes from a European town by the same name that actually is responsible for wellness traditions?

Spa in Belgium is a small town sat in a valley of the Ardennes Mountains and is often known as the Pearl of the Ardennes.

It’s one of Belgium‘s most popular tourist destinations and with good reason, because the town is full of natural mineral springs.

Perhaps you also know the name of the town due to the racing Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, which hosts the annual Formula One Belgian Grand Prix.

But Spa’s spa history dates back a lot longer than the noise of a motor engine…

Way back in the 16th and 17th centuries, the town became known for its iron-rich mineral springs that people used to think could heal them of injuries and illnesses.

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The original experience in the town was ‘drinking therapy’, where people would drink a large amount of the iron-rich water, rather than bathe in it.

Then in 1717, Peter the Great of Russia visited and drank the water for a month and miraculously, was ‘cured’ of his severe health issues including liver and digestive problems.

This was the start of mass tourism heading to the town, with international visitors flocking to Spa for its healing waters.

This trend continued into the 18th century when Spa became a fashionable resort town known as the ‘Cafe of Europe’.

Many elite members of society would travel to Spa to treat health conditions but also participate a number of other activities including gambling.

Then in the 19th century, there was more of a focus on bathing as the town opened new thermal baths.

It’s because of the town’s long history and fame, that the word ‘spa’ was adopted into the English language and used widely as a term for a resort with therapeutic water.

Finally, in 2021, Spa was recognised as part of UNESCO World Heritage Site’s the Great Spa Towns of Europe.

Today, visitors can still relish in the benefits of Spa’s water.

One of the top spots for visitors today is Thermes de Spa – a resort which overlooks the town with peat baths, traditional copper baths, outdoor pools and relaxation experiences.

The spa experience includes a 70C sauna and a 40C to 45C hammam.

For those who want to embrace naturism, there is an area for this with a panoramic sauna, a hammam, a 36C hot tub, a 38C bath, a 20C cold bath and three foot baths.

There are a number of relaxation areas too including a red light therapy area and a blue light room, which if you spend 20 to 30 minutes in, it is equivalent of a day high in the mountains.

And of course, there are a number of baths as well.

The water for all of the spa comes from the Marie-Henriette Spring, which is the oldest of Spa’s waters dating back over 400 years.

If you fancy learning more about the history of the town, head to the Museum of the City of Water.

Inside, visitors can learn about four centuries of history in the town.

You can also venture into one of the first casinos in the world, which opened in 1763.

Many European royals used to visit Casino de Spa and visitors can still head there today.

For those who love being in the outdoors, there’s RAVeL trails, which are converted railway lines and a great way of seeing the Ardennes and its historic villages including Stavelot and Francorchamps.

Or if you prefer a bit of adrenaline, make sure to check out SpaForest, which is an adventure park with tree-climbing courses, ziplines and rope bridges.

When it comes to choosing somewhere to stay in the town, obviously a lot of the options include wellness facilities.

You could stay at the four-star Van der Valk Hotel Spa with direct access to Les Thermes de Spa thermal Baths.

A room costs from £80 per night.

Or you could decide to stay at the Radisson Blu Balmoral Hotel, costing from £97 per night.

It is surrounded by dense forest, features suites with separate living areas and has an indoor pool, sauna and a Turkish bath.

The easiest way to get to Spa from the UK is by flying to Brussels, which costs from £28 return.

From there, you can jump on a train which takes less than two hours to reach Spa, costing from £13.64 a-way.

Alternatively, you could get the Eurostar to Brussels and switch trains to reach Spa.

For more inspiration on destinations to explore in Europe, there’s one city with 3,000 hours of sunshine a year and it has been named the best destination to visit in 2026.

Plus, these are the 39 best European city break destinations – and the number one spot is very cheap.

TIKTOK sensation DJ AG once earned an entire year’s salary in just one month after going viral on the app.

DJ AG, whose given name is Ashley Gordon, is best known for his live-streamed DJ sets outside London King’s Cross station which have attracted some of the biggest stars in the world.

He now performs all over the country and has been joined by the likes of Ed Sheeran, Rita Ora, Will Smith, Skepta, Daniel Bedingfield, Craig David and Idris Elba. Even supermodel Naomi Campbell.

Even former British Vogue editor Edward Enninful dropped by for a surprise visit once.

Now, DJ AG has revealed how much he rakes in every month, but also got real about how much work it takes to be a TikTok star.

“What I’m earning now is circa £4,000 a month if I’m lucky,” he explained during a recent appearance on the In My Opinion podcast.

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“Prior to that I was monetising on TikTok and doing very well,” he continued, and confirmed there were some months when he earned more than £40,000.

“People don’t know how TikTok works, it’s not just posting content. You can go live, you can do co-host battles with people and that’s a call to action, people will support you with gifting.”

DJ AG also earns money on TikTok by doing ‘forfeit challenges,’ where two content creators go head-to-head and the loser has to undertake an intense dare.

“I was bantering and people were enjoying the content so people were gifting, and I earned a good amount of money,” he said.

“Maybe in one month, I earned more than a year’s salary.”

He explained he is earning less from TikTok now because he’s only doing the outdoor DJ sets and there’s no “call to action” to encourage people to send monetary gifts.

DJ AG said he was happy to talk about his earnings because he wanted to be honest with up-and-coming content creators, not only about the financial gains, but also the huge amount of work that goes in to being a hip hop star.

“People don’t understand the amount of hours I had to do, like 15 hours a day every day,” he said.

“In my opinion, it’s important to be transparent especially for the youth that are coming through so they understand what the opportunities are.”

People who post on TikTok have the opportunity to join the TikTok Creator Fund, which pays content creators for their views.

To join the program TikTokers must be 18 or older, have a minimum of 10,000 followers, a minimum of 100,000 views within 30 days of uploading the video, and run an account that follows TikTok Community Guidelines.

While it is not a grant or ad revenue program, the Creator Fund provides payment to qualified TikTokers based on a “variety of factors” across their content.

“We want all creators to have the opportunity to earn money doing what they love and turn their passion into a livelihood,” the website continues.

With no limit on the number of qualified TikTokers who can join the fund, payments may increase or decrease at different times throughout one’s run on the platform.

Some factors affecting the funds a qualified TikToker may earn include the number of authentic views per video, the amount of engagement, and whether or not the work falls within the Community Guidelines.