Weekend Content

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.