wild

Travis Kelce launches wild Taylor Swift wedding countdown with ever-more dramatic gifts from Valentine’s Day on

TRAVIS Kelce showered Taylor Swift with gifts from the heart at the weekend – but that’s just the start of something special, insiders have told The U.S. Sun.

Loving Travis wanted to commemorate their last Valentine’s Day together before their blockbuster wedding this summer with a string of surprises.

The U.S. Sun understands Travis Kelce has something special planned for Taylor Swift in the build up to their hotly anticipated wedding this summer (pictured in September 2025)Credit: AFP
Travis bought Taylor this $33,600 Rolex as part of a wave of giftsCredit: Rolex
Taylor has also been treated to this $6,000 varsity jacket from Louis VuittonCredit: Louis Vuitton

A source close to the A-list pair said the Cruel Summer star was treated to three stunning Louis Vuitton items, a beautiful Hermes caftan and two classy, stylish watches costing in excess of $100,000.

The insider says NFL legend Travis wanted to make their last Valentine’s Day as an engaged couple “unique and special” and ended up spending $141,000 in total.

But The U.S. Sun understands in the build up to the big day, which is slated for June, the romantic three-time Super Bowl winner, who has a strong track record of beautiful gift surprises, has something very loving in the works. 

“Starting 100 days before the big day — then again at 50 days, 30 days, and every day during the final month — he will have flower bouquets delivered to her,” claimed the well-placed insider.

“She’ll receive all her favorite flowers: roses in many colors, hydrangeas, and orchids. He wants her to feel overwhelmed in the best possible way — surrounded by one of the things she loves most in life: flowers and their sweet scent.”

The U.S. Sun revealed last year that Taylor wants to turn the proposed wedding venue – her sumptuous $32 million pad in Rhode Island – into a floral wonderland

There are plans to reportedly spend a whopping $1.2 million on the landscaping, including hiring specialist gardeners to ensure their dreams are transformed into a stunning reality.

But as our insider revealed, Taylor will have fallen further in love after Travis’ super thoughtful Valentine’s day surprises.

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The couple love keeping up with the latest trends – it’s claimed they regularly text each other with pieces they are interested in.

So Travis, knowing Taylor had mentioned the Louis Vuitton pieces recently, snapped up a $3,900 knit jacket, a $2,330 skirt and a signature patch varsity jacket. 

“Travis had them very high on his list of gifts for his fiancée,” said the source.

According to the official description, the Denim-Effect Knit Jacket looks like classic denim but feels far more luxurious. 

It’s tailored and polished, and effortlessly cool – perfect to throw on for a casual day out or dress up for a night in the city. 

Ever the fashionista, Travis paired it with the matching Denim-Effect Knit Skirt, while the Varsity Jacket is described as a “statement piece.”

THOUGHTFUL GIFTS

The Hermès caftan was spotted in a magazine recently and Travis reportedly “immediately thought” of his superstar singer partner. 

The source said Travis felt it was the kind of piece she would love wearing on upcoming trips — especially with trips to warmer destinations in the coming weeks and for their honeymoon.

“They fit her style perfectly,” added the insider. 

It’s a wonderful haul – but Travis wasn’t finished there. 

He also bought her an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch costing a cool $91,600.

The couple noticed the shiny, extremely luxurious piece on someone’s wrist a couple of weeks ago. 

Travis, says the source, loves watches and wants his wife-to-be to build a strong collection too.

On top of that, there was also a classy, $33,600 Rolex 1908 — a more masculine model, which fits her taste. 

“She likes incorporating slightly masculine pieces into her style, whether it’s jackets, vests, or watches, to add edge to her outfits. He enjoys spoiling her with beautiful, high-end items like that.”

This $3,900 denim effect Louis Vuitton jacket was also among the Valentine’s Day giftsCredit: Louis Vuitton
Travis loves classy timepieces and shelled out over $90,000 on this Audemars Piguet watch for his fiancéeCredit: Audemars Piguet

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Love Island fans fume over ‘wild’ All Stars twist as they ask ‘what’s going on?’

Love Island All Stars viewers were left baffled during the latest episode on Monday

Love Island fans fumed over a “wild” All Stars twist on Monday (February 16), as they asked, “What’s going on?”

The third series of the popular spin-off returned to ITV2 last month, with a group of ex-islanders returning to the South African villa for another shot at romance.

Audiences have already seen lots of heated clashes, numerous bombshell entrances, and surprise dumpings over the past few weeks. Belle Hassan has found herself embroiled in several dramatic scenarios, after Lucinda Strafford formed a bond with her partner Sean Stone whilst she was in villa USA.

Belle’s exchanges with Lucinda and Sean have remained frosty in recent episodes. More drama unfolded when Belle began getting to know Scott van-der-Sluis, much to the annoyance of his partner Leanne Amaning, reports OK!.

The surprises continued when Sher Suarez and Jack Keating became the latest pair to exit the villa last week, after receiving the most votes in a nail-biting game of To Be Honest.

Sunday’s (February 15) episode saw the girls receive heartfelt phone calls from home, with the stars resolved to leave the drama behind them. The confrontations appeared to be put on hold during tonight’s episode, with Belle declaring that she was “retiring” from the drama.

As they prepared for the day, Sean attempted to reconcile with Belle, stating: “We had a night off Belle. No drama.”

Belle responded: “I’m retiring now,” prompting Sean to enquire: “Can we retire together?” Belle confirmed: “Yeah, the storms clearing. No more hurricane.”

Sean then questioned whether they could be “best friends”, with the former partners subsequently sharing a hug. Belle also resolved matters with Scott at the firepit, whilst Leanne and Lucinda observed from the daybeds.

Love Island viewers were baffled by the sudden shift in atmosphere, with many taking to X (formerly Twitter) to voice their opinions. “The switch up is wild today, what’s going on?” one viewer questioned.

Another commented: “I’m so tired of this storyline,” whilst a third remarked: “The switch up is crazy. Surely the producers have got involved to sort all the drama?”

A fourth fan expressed similar frustration, stating: “Belle couldn’t make it any more obvious she was pulled my producers. Every second it’s, ‘Hurricane Belle is over,’ or, ‘I’m so glad the drama is over’. I’m so tired,” with another equally puzzled viewer sharing: “I’m confused how Belle can make amends with Scott AND Sean but not Lucinda or Leanne? Why is she always 10x angrier at the girl and not the boy?”

Elsewhere during tonight’s instalment, the couples tested their connections in a game of Knowing Me, Knowing You. Following their defeat in the challenge, Whitney Adebayo and Yemen Sanders deepened their bond over a date, whilst Sean asked Lucinda to become his girlfriend.

Love Island All Stars airs Sunday to Friday on ITV2 and ITVX at 9pm

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new Everything Gossip website

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UK hidden valley home to wild ponies and Iron Age hillforts

Nestled in the Cheviot Hills, College Valley in Northumberland is home to wild ponies, roe deer and ancient ruins including Iron Age stone circles, hillforts and a well-preserved Romano-British settlement

Tucked away in the Northumberland hills lies the lush College Valley, teeming with stunning wildlife and ancient ruins.

Maintained by the College Valley Estate, this expanse of countryside is immaculately kept and readily accessible for both walkers and cyclists.

Wandering through the meadows, you’ll encounter wild ponies, roe deer, hares and wild goats, according to Northumberland National Park.

Hethpool

Leaving your vehicle at the Hethpool car park, you can discover remnants of an Iron Age stone circle. The area offers picnic spots along Great Hetha, with ancient fortifications perched above the Hethpool Linn Pools, where you can take a refreshing dip during summer, reports Chronicle Live.

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Northumberland is famed for its rugged coastline, ancient castles and unspoiled natural beauty. Sykes Cottages has a range of places to stay starting from £38 per night

Come autumn, you can witness sea trout and salmon jumping upstream towards their spawning grounds.

Approximately 2,800 years ago, during the Iron Age, communities built timber roundhouses surrounded by substantial wooden palisades. Opposite Hethpool House sits a well-preserved Romano-British settlement.

History

People have lived in this area at least 7,000 years, with traces of late Stone Age farmers.

During the early Bronze Age, when temperatures were warmer than today, farming reached higher altitudes. Various terraced fields and numerous burial cairns survive from this era.

Given its closeness to Scotland, the valley suffered significant devastation during battles between English and Scottish armies throughout the 14th to 16th centuries. Border Reiver raids resulted in the land being plundered.

Hillforts

Northumberland claims Britain’s highest concentration of hillforts, and College Valley is no different. Scattered across the Cheviot Hills, these ancient Iron Age fortifications provide a glimpse into prehistoric settlements.

As an added benefit, they also offer spectacular vantage points overlooking the undulating hills.

Wildlife

Covering more than 12,000 acres, College Valley hosts an abundance of wildlife including flora, trees, birds and even Exmoor ponies to admire.

Bear in mind – mobile phone signal is virtually non-existent and only 12 vehicles are permitted entry daily. If you fancy a longer break surrounded by nature, you can reserve one of the numerous holiday cottages on offer.

Visitors can see everything from the extinct volcano Cheviot Massif to the enchanting Collingwood Oaks.

Tucked away at the valley’s head, just a mile from the Pennine Way, lies Mounthooly Bunkhouse.

Housing 24 guests across three rooms, this charming bunkhouse offers walkers, cyclists and all visitors unique accommodation in a beautifully remote part of the valley.

With beds starting from £17 per night, you may be inclined to prolong your visit and discover more of what the valley has to offer, safe in the knowledge you can return to hot showers and a log burner.

One TripAdvisor review stated: “What a wonderful valley to visit, either walk or to drive through, they only allow 12 cars a day to drive through and you need a permit £10 you can book online.

“It was so peaceful and in May the colour of the gorse it just beautiful. The memorial to the pilots that crashed during WW2 over the Cheviot Hills is so moving.”

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Cool design and wild art on a city break in Metz, north-east France | France holidays

As I stand and look at a six-metre skeleton of a domestic cat named Felix, the words of Alice in Wonderland spring to mind: “Curiouser and curiouser.” The sculpture is part of a thought-provoking and enchanting exhibition at the Centre Pompidou-Metz, and this isn’t the first time I’ve felt a sense of wonder during my weekend in this lesser-known city in north-eastern France. While most of us know what to expect from a city break in, say, Paris, Lyon or Bordeaux, Metz throws up surprises at every turn.

The giant feline sculpture is the work of Italian visual artist Maurizio Cattelan (of banana-duct-taped-to-a-wall fame), whose works form part of Dimanche Sans Fin (Endless Sunday), an exhibition he has curated that brings together more than 400 works from Paris’s Centre Pompidou, which closed for a five-year renovation last October. Each piece depicts a different way the “day of rest” could be interpreted, whether it’s the innocent play of Picasso’s sculpture Little Girl Jumping Rope (1950-1954) or Max Ernst’s figure playing chess in the King Playing with the Queen (1944).

In a room dedicated to artists’ portraits of their mothers, Cattelan’s Shadow (2023) shows his mum hiding in a fridge (the thought of cooking a Sunday roast might drive many of us to take such action).

I’m being shown around by Cattelan’s co-curator, Zoé Stillpass. “It was amazing to have all the pieces from the Paris Pompidou to play with,” she says. “The banana exhibit, which makes you question the idea of ‘the masterpiece’ and why we give value to something, has a room to itself here.”

The interior of Philippe Starck’s Maison Heler. Photograph: Julius Hirtzberger

But my jaw had dropped before I’d even set foot in the exhibition, when I set eyes on the Pompidou-Metz itself. It opened in 2010 and is an extraordinary feat of design. Japanese architect Shigeru Ban took inspiration from a Chinese bamboo-woven hat to create hexagonal lattice of laminated wood and draped white fibreglass roof. The building fills a wide open space that was once occupied by a Roman amphitheatre.

Metz was something of a playground for architecture long before the Pompidou arrived. Before I’d left the station, I’d had an introduction to the city’s Germanic Imperial Quarter. Built between 1905 and 1908 during Kaiser Wilhelm II’s occupation of Alsace-Lorraine, the station is more akin to a church than a transport hub, with a striking stained-glass window depicting Charlemagne, the eighth-century Frankish king, carved pillars, mosaics and a beautiful glass-roofed arcade. Outside is a stately water tower that once serviced the steam engines.

Architects designed the Imperial Quarter to feel old, with winding streets, leafy squares and the stately Avenue Foch with its ornate mansions. Elsewhere, in Place Saint-Louis in the real old town, the stone arcades occupied by money-changers in the 14th century are now home to cafes and restaurants, with terraces sprawling into the square.

Maison Heler, with Manfred’s house atop a nine-storey tower block. Photograph: Pierre Defontaine/Grand Est tourism

Renaissance architecture also gets a look in with the Maison des Têtes on En Fournirue, which dates from 1529 and has five detailed busts above its leaded windows. All these attractions are easily reached on the free electric shuttle bus that loops round the city centre.

Later, a solar-powered boat trip along the River Moselle gives a view of the city’s monuments from the water, including a Japanese Torii gate and Protestant church the Temple Neuf, with its steel-grey roof tiles shimmering in the sun.

The city’s most imposing monument is the Cathédral Saint-Étienne. Built in yellow Jaumont limestone, it dates from the 13th century, but some of its most striking features are much more modern. Among its 6,500 sq metres of stained-glass windows – one of the world’s largest expanses – are works from the 1960s by Marc Chagall. Vivienne Rudd from the city’s tourist office is showing me around. She explains how Chagall tells the story of Adam and Eve in his intricate design, with its abstract lines and ethereal figures: “You can see how Eve is in front of the tree of knowledge, holding a snake, and you can see Adam’s face hiding in the blue panes.” In the windows in the north transept, she shows me where to spot Jesus’s head and his crown of thorns. It takes some concentrating, but then I spy it.

“If you can’t see it, you have to go and drink a shot of mirabelle eau-de-vie [the local plum-based spirit] and then come back and look,” she laughs.

Even without drinking Alice’s elixir, the sight of Metz’s new design hotel soaring into the sky makes me feel like I’ve shrunk. Celebrated Parisian designer Philippe Starck’s Maison Heler took 10 years to complete but finally opened last March, just a few minutes’ walk from the Pompidou-Metz. Its design is extraordinary: a turreted mansion house atop a rather nondescript nine-floor tower block.

Felix, a six-metre sculpture by Maurizio Cattelan at the Centre Pompidou-Metz. Photograph: Jean-Christophe Verhaegen/AFP/Getty Images

Its backstory is equally fantastical. Starck devised a novella, titled The Meticulous Life of Manfred Heler, in which the house, belonging to the eponymous main character, a lonely postwar inventor, is dramatically pushed upwards during an earthquake – hence the house on top of the tower block. The story also involves his love interest, a milkmaid named Rose, whose part in the story inspired the gentle pink decor of the bistro restaurant on the ground floor.

Bedrooms and corridors have an industrial vibe, with neutral tones and concrete walls, and Manfred’s bizarre scientific experiments are depicted in black-and-white photos. Light and colour come from the stained-glass windows – the work of the designer’s daughter, Ara Starck – which cast a beautiful glow across the wood-panelled restaurant and cocktail bar, set in Manfred’s house at the top.

As carefully designed as it is, it’s also affordable, and the food in both restaurants (mains from €23) is excellent. I tuck into white asparagus with hollandaise and cod with a light pea broth and saffron beurre blanc. When I try to read the novella, though, to get a better understanding, it proves utterly baffling – in keeping, perhaps, with this wonderfully curious city.

The trip was provided by Tourism Metz and the Maison Heler (doubles from €106 room-only). Dimanche Sans Fin runs until 25 Jan 2027 at Centre Pompidou-Metz

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Wild ‘truth’ about Love Island All Star’s Lucinda as furious Belle brands her a ‘snake’

After an explosive episode with tears and a sweary rant, a relationship expert has weighed in on whether Lucinda and Sean’s connection is real

Love Island: All Stars is heating up after a furious Belle Hassan branded Lucinda Strafford a “snake” following Sean’s brutal betrayal, but what is their real game-plan behind the scenes?

Sunday night’s episode saw contestants Belle, Sean Stone and Lucinda clash after the return of Casa USA to the main villa. Belle, 27, told her love-interest Sean, 26, that we was “fuming” and acted with “nothing but respect” for him while she was away meeting the US contestants. But when she returned, it quickly became clear that he had been getting cosy with Lucinda, 26.

Clearly distraught by the move, Belle exploded in a sweary rant while sat in the dressing room, where she told other women on the show: “I leave for three days. I uphold my dignity and respect for him. I’ve been nothing respectful. I’m sick of it… He doesn’t deserve it. I f*****g knew it. Three f*****g days.”

Others tried to deescalate the situation, but things boiled over further when Lucinda told Belle to stop looking at her ‘like I’m a piece of dirt on your shoe’. Sean quickly tried to defend himself and explain his feelings for Lucinda, but Belle pointed out what she deemed to be a savage double standard – that US star Carrington Rodriguez, 28, had been all over her like a rash’ but she didn’t bite, staying fiercely loyal to Sean.

The tense moment saw Sean tell Belle: ‘I’ve been straight up and honest with you, we’ve had a few flirty chats. I’ve got something there with Lucinda. I’m sorry”. The whole villa overheard as the argument unfolded, with Belle telling Sean she hopes his decision to go for Lucinda backfires. It all ended in tears with Belle later being comforted by other female contestants.

We asked sex and relationship expert Gemma Nice to decode Lucinda and Sean’s brutal move, and to weigh in on whether it’s a genuine connection or all just a game-plan. Earlier in the episode, viewers see Sean take Lucinda to the terrace where she said: “We’re naughty Sean!”.

He continued his schmooze, saying: “I feel amazing, I can’t lie whenever I look at you, I just smile….” and Lucinda then said brazenly: “I feel like when I’m with you, we’re similar vibes…it makes sense..” But their spark was quickly interrupted by Villa USA making a big entrance through the door, with Belle quickly asking where Sean was.

Fans watching the dramatice episode shared thoughts online, as one wrote, according to the Daily Mail: “I’m all for hurricane Belle delivering the drama. But Carrington awkwardly sat watching…. the guy she got to flirt with and Sean didn’t exactly snog Lucinda? Is it really this deep? Am I missing something?” Another said: “For those of you saying Belle is overreacting, this is not the first or second time Sean is ‘pieing’ her off .. he left her for Samie when samie came in only to come back when samie pied him off.. he deserves everything she said tonight and more!!!!’

Weighing in with her thoughts and speaking on behalf of Buzz Bingo, dating guru Gemma said: “To begin with, Lucinda was certainly playing the game and had a strategy, but from early on, she and Sean have had a strong connection with the way they look and act around each other”.

She continued: “They are very flirty when talking, and now there is a genuine connection with Lucinda following her heart with Sean. Yes, she has certainly upset Belle, and maybe she didn’t mean to, but she knew what she and Sean had so maybe she should have waited until Belle came back from the US villa and spoke to Belle herself regarding her own feelings towards Sean”.

Firmly believeing that their connection is actually real and not just a brutal snub, she added: “From the way they interact, Sean and Lucinda have more of a slow burner [dynamic] because they have been involved with other couples, and so they haven’t been able to really tell each other how they feel”.

She added that “Lucinda seemed upset that Belle had been upset by all this, especially when Belle didn’t want to talk to her about it because she was fuming. Lucinda kept trying to tell her from her side what had been happening but Belle wasn’t happy about it. Lucinda does have a game plan, but this connection with Sean is definitely real”.

Going further, Gemma spoke on Scott van-der-Sluis’ ‘hate him or love him’ reception online, and why the audience is claiming they knew ‘Scott was right about Sean all along’. Gemma said: “Viewers are backing Scott because Scott could see, from past experiences within the villa, how Sean had reacted. Scott can see that Sean hasn’t changed, even though Sean had said he was more genuine this time around”.

She went on: “Scott has never let his guard down when it comes to Sean, and he can see that Sean has a hidden agenda because of how he has handled the situation with Belle and Lucinda. Scott never liked him from the start and still doesn’t now; they just agree to disagree with each other to keep things civil within the villa”.

The expert concluded: “Scott can maybe see that this will get the fans talking and will divide the Sean and Scott camps, so this may be another of his game plans. Some people won’t like each other, and that’s true in the outside world too. Not everyone gets on with everyone, and that’s okay. It was good that Scott asked Sean to talk, and yes, they didn’t sort anything out other than to say they both don’t get on and to be civil for the rest of the time in the villa. Sean was trying to apologise to the other boys and saying that he has grown up and now can see exactly what Scott is doing, but it’s still upsetting him”.

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