Rudolph Walker’s love life away from EastEnders is just as dramatic as Patrick Trueman’s
Joe Crutchley Screen Time Reporter
12:00, 11 Apr 2026
EastEnders Patrick actor’s wild love life including divorce that left him ‘penniless’(Image: BBC / Jack Barnes)
Rudolph Walker is an EastEnders legend – but what do we know about his off-screen love life?
The actor joined the BBC soap way back in 2001 as Patrick Trueman – and it didn’t take him long to become a firm favourite with fans. The character has also played a part in several big storylines
From his many romances, marrying Yolande (Angela Wynter) and the recent murder of son Anthony (Nicholas Bailey), Patrick’s time in Walford has not been short of drama.
Away from the TV sets, though, Rudolph’s love life has been just as dramatic as his Walford alter ego. From being married three times to ending up homeless after a divorce, here’s a look inside the talented actor’s romances.
Rudolph was first married to Lorna Ross in 1968. The pair welcomed two children together, daughter Sheona and son Darren.
However, in the early 90s, Rudolph and Lorna went their separate ways. The pair remained on good terms, though, as years later, when Rudolph’s second divorce left him penniless and homeless, she helped him out through the tough times.
“Bless her. We are still extremely good friends. It didn’t take me out of what I was experiencing, but it cushioned a lot,” he told the Mirror.
Rudolph went on to find love again with Dounne Alexander, whom he married in August 1998. Dounne is the founder of Gramma’s, a collection of herbal pepper sauces that have been sold in shops such as Harrods and Fortnum and Mason over the years.
She was also awarded an MBE due to her work with the Joining Hands In Health campaign. In the mid-2010s, though, Rudolph and Dounne called it quits. However, the legal costs of his second divorce took their toll on Rudolph, and he spent two years broke and homeless.
“It was painful. It was extremely difficult. I just didn’t have any financial means. I was literally starting from scratch again in my 70s, with nowhere to live. It was a time of great pain and loneliness,” he shared.
The TV star went on: “Some days on my way to the studio, I would pull up at the side of the road, have a cry. I suppose it was a sort of double life.
“Questions of: ‘Who am I? Why am I in this position?’ There was no way the public watching me as Patrick every other night were aware that was what was happening.”
After Dounne, Rudolph began a romance with Evangeline Vincent, and the pair married in 2016. The couple is still together to this day.
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One.
Quinton Byfield scored 2:33 into overtime, Adrian Kempe had two goals and two assists, and the Kings beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-6 on Saturday at Crypto.com Arena.
Byfield finished off Artemi Panarin’s pass for his second goal of the game, securing a crucial win for the Kings, who set an NHL single-season record by playing their 31st game past regulation.
William Nylander missed his shot on a breakaway, leading to a three-on-two rush the other way where Byfield netted his 20th goal of the season.
With the win, the Kings moved into the second wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference before San José and Nashville played each other later Saturday night.
Panarin, Samuel Helenius and Alex Laferriere also scored for the Kings, and Darcy Kuemper made 14 saves.
Matthew Knies had two goals, and John Tavares, Easton Cowan, Steven Lorentz and Nicholas Robertson also scored for the Maple Leafs. Joseph Woll made 33 saves.
The Kings came into the game stressing a good start, having been outscored 5-1 in the first period of their previous three outings, and instead face planted to spot the Maple Leafs a 2-0 lead through 20 minutes.
The Kings bounced back in the second period with three goals and tied the score twice, only for Cowan to capitalize on the power play with 12.5 seconds remaining to put Toronto back up 4-3 after two.
Kempe, Helenius and Laferriere all scored in the third period in a span of 1:36 to give the Kings a 6-4 lead, but Robertson and Knies responded to send Kings into extra hockey yet again.
The Kings have already set an NHL record with 19 losses in overtime or a shootout.
Chip Taylor, the songwriter behind the Troggs’ rock hit “Wild Thing” and actor Angelina Jolie’s uncle, has died. He was 86.
Taylor died Monday in hospice care, according to Page Six, citing Taylor’s longtime friend, producer Billy Vera.
Taylor, born James Wesley Voight in Yonkers, N.Y., in 1940, was actor Jon Voight’s brother, but built a formidable music career outside of his famous sibling’s shadow.
As a teen guitarist, he joined the band Town & Country Brothers, which toured with Neil Sedaka. His songwriting submissions to RCA Records impressed the artist Chet Atkins, who championed his tunes in the country music scene. Taylor also wrote out of the same 1650 Broadway building in New York where Gerry Goffin and Carole King were based.
In 1966, Taylor penned “Wild Thing” for the garage-rock band the Troggs, which rocketed to No. 1 and kicked off a new mode for rock ’n’ roll that favored grungier musicianship and more overt sexuality. “That upstrum, there? You wouldn’t play that if you were properly schooled,” he told the Independent in 2023. “I did it because I didn’t know any better. I ended up with this innocent energy. It came out of me looser that way, the feeling just flew out of me.”
Jimi Hendrix famously performed the song at Monterey Pop in 1967 in a fever of sexual tension (it featured in the 1968 concert documentary), making it an era-defining rock hit and Taylor’s most famous tune. He also wrote “Angel of the Morning,” popularized by Juice Newton and Merrilee Rush, and penned songs performed by Willie Nelson, Linda Ronstadt, Johnny Cash and Janis Joplin, among many others.
Taylor’s career pivoted in the ’80s, when he became a professional gambler and a rogue on the Atlantic City casino strip. Yet he had a later career resurgence in the 2000s, after he met fiddle player Carrie Rodriguez at the South by Southwest Music Conference in Austin, Texas. The pair released several acclaimed alt-country albums together. Taylor’s 2012 single “F— All the Perfect People” prominently featured on the soundtrack for the hit Netflix series “Sex Education.”
Taylor said the song was inspired by performing concerts for prisoners, some of his favorite gigs. “I’ve always liked talking to prisoners because, for the most part, they’re extremely honest,” he said. “I never met a prisoner I didn’t have empathy for. I wrote that at 6 a.m. one morning when I realized I had some shows for prisoners coming up and I wanted to write something that was just for them.”
Taylor’s final album was 2025’s “The Truth and Other Things.” He is survived by several children and grandchildren. His wife, Joan Carole Frey, died in 2025.
ANGELINA Jolie’s renowned songwriter uncle, Chip Taylor, who penned the 1966 song Wild Thing has died aged 86.
The tragic news was announced by friend and Grammy winning producer Billy Vera in a post to social media.
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Chip was brother to Angelina Jolie’s dad, Jon VoightCredit: AlamyIt is understood Chip passed away two days after his 86th birthdayCredit: Alamy
Vera wrote on Instagram: “‘RIP: Chip Taylor, my friend and songwriting mentor, last night in hospice.”
He added: “With great sadness I announce the passing of my old friend and songwriting mentor, Chip Taylor last night in hospice.
“He and I wrote some good ones: “Make Me Belong To You,” (Barbara Lewis), “Storybook Children” (BV & Judy Clay, Nancy Sinatra): “Papa Come Quick (Bonnie Raitt).”
It is understood that Chip passed away peacefully two days after his 86th birthday.
Chip was brother to Angelina Jolie‘s dad, Jon Voight, and uncle to the actress’s sibling, James Haven.
He was known for writing several well-loved songs including the 1960s Merrilee Rush song, Angel of the Morning.
Tributes have begun flooding in for the legendary songwriter.
Musician Allan Jones took to social media to pay tribute, writing: “RIP Chip Taylor, who’s just died at 86. Among many other songs, he wrote Wild Thing, Angel of the Morning, and Anyway That You Want Me.
“He played Twickenham Exchange a few years ago, accompanied by John Platiana, for many years Van Morrison’s guitarist.
“It was memorable not only for a lot of great songs, but Taylor’s vast repertoire of extraordinary and hilarious anecdotes, which took up a generous portion of an unforgettable set.
In addition to being a songwriter Chip had a background as a performerCredit: AlamyIn 2007 Chip launched his own independent labelCredit: Alamy
“The man could certainly tell a story as well as he could write a song.”
Born James Wesley Voight, Chip wrote many pop and rock songs, both alone and with other songwriters.
Some of his most notable works include He Sits at Your Table with Willie Nelson and I Can’t Let Go withEvie Sands,the Hollies andLinda Ronstadt.
In addition to being a songwriter Chip had a background as a performer, putting out a number of albums in the 1970s.
He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2016 for his decades of contributions to the music industry.
In 2007 he launched his own independent label, Train Wreck Records.
Chip famously had a passion for gambling, particularly blackjack, which he was reportedly very good at.
He was married to Joan Carole Frey from 1964, and the couple had both children and grandchildren together. Joan sadly died in June 2025.
Chip was brothers with Angelina Jolie’s dad – Jon VoightCredit: Alamy
Storm Therese is battering the Canary Islands with heavy rain, 100km/h winds and snow at high altitudes, causing flight cancellations and travel disruption, with some holidaymakers even cancelling their breaks
Samantha Bartlett Assistant Editor, Social News
11:02, 22 Mar 2026Updated 12:32, 22 Mar 2026
Many people have branded Tenerife South Airport as ‘chaos’ (stock image)(Image: DESIREE MARTIN, AFP via Getty Images)
Many people book a holiday to Spain for some much-needed sunshine, however some are now choosing to cancel their trips as Storm Therese is currently causing chaos across the Canary Islands, particularly Tenerife and La Palma.
The storm is currently delivering an unusual combination of heavy rain, 100 km/h (62 mph) winds, and substantial snow at high altitudes. Authorities have declared a full-scale emergency in Tenerife, describing it as one of the most severe storms to hit the archipelago in over a decade. Spain’s meteorological agency, AEMET, has issued several alerts that will stay active throughout the weekend. Orange (high risk) warnings have been dispatched for northern Tenerife and parts of La Palma due to wind gusts reaching 90–100 km/h and heavy rainfall.
Meanwhile, yellow warnings are in effect across all seven islands for rain, thunderstorms, and choppy seas with waves reaching up to 6 metres (20 feet).
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Unusually for this time of year, significant snowfall has also covered Mount Teide and surrounding peaks above 1,800–2,000 metres.
One Tenerife resident, known as @theknightstrider1 on TikTok, took to his account on Saturday (March 21) to discuss the ‘wild’ weather in the area.
The car hire and bar owner filmed himself as he said: “The Tenerife weather is just wild at the moment. It’s on for another at least four days this crazy weather. He explained the Santa Cruz de Tenerife area had just experienced a “torrential downpour”, but then he turned the other way to reveal “blue skies with the sun shining”. However, he noted, within the next minute, the rain is “bouncing down” again.
The Tenerife resident also mentioned the drains “just can’t handle” the rainfall and they end up “bursting up” fairly regularly.
He continued: “The good news is, it is mixed. I suppose that’s kind of good news, you can get a bit of sunshine, but it was absolutely hammering it down a minute ago.
“So there you go, another four days or so of this. If you’re here, expect a mixed bag – heavy rain, a bit of sunshine now… towards Las Americas looks alright. But you’re going to want to do your indoor activities.”
He stated when the sun is out, it’s “about 22 degrees”, but it’s “around 18 degrees” in the shade, the rain and the wind.
Numerous followers amongst his 115,000-strong audience who were heading on Tenerife holidays confessed they were concerned about their break.
One person commented: “When will it be finished? We come Friday.”
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Whilst another added: “Praying it passes by Tuesday.”
A third chimed in: “I’m coming Monday, really hope it picks up!”
Nevertheless, others admitted they were calling off their breaks as the Tenerife resident posted another clip of the rainfall, with one person writing: “We cancelled our week away at the last minute.”
Another replied: “Snap – we’ve rebooked for April 12 onwards.” The storm has resulted in widespread cancellations and safety shutdowns across the islands. Over 40 flights were cancelled or diverted by Friday, 20 March, mainly at Tenerife North and South airports. Travellers are urged to verify their flight status via Flightradar24 or their airline.
Numerous individuals on TikTok and Facebook have branded Tenerife South Airport as ‘chaos’, claiming that the luggage queue is taking hours and some people are missing their flights.
Others have also alleged that the E-gates aren’t functioning and hundreds of people have been queuing “to see one passport officer who was having to re-scan face/finger prints”.
Sharing another video from Tenerife South Airport, @theknightstrider1 described it as “rammed” in the caption and said arrivals was particularly crowded so holidaymakers should “be prepared”.
He added in the clip: “If you’re wondering if Tenerife is busy, it certainly is. This is the arrivals area and it’s absolutely rammed. People are still pouring in.
“If you come to the airport, I do recommend you get here nice and early if you’re leaving, there’s bound to be queues when you’ve got this many people around.”
Aena said in a comment: “In Spain border control is the responsibility of the National Police, not the airport. The airport has provided the necessary infrastructure for the implementation of the Entry Exit System but its availability depends primarily on the number and performance of police officers at the border post.”
When will Storm Therese be over?
Storm Therese is expected to subside across most of its affected areas by Monday, 23 March 2026. While the worst of the weather occurred between Thursday and Saturday, some impacts and weather warnings will persist through early next week.
Storm effects are currently continuing today (Sunday March 22) with rain and strong winds. Orange wind warnings (up to 100 km/h) remain in place for Tenerife, La Gomera, El Hierro, and western La Palma.
Weather is forecast to “ease off” on Monday (March 23) with wind speeds dropping and rainfall decreasing significantly. However, yellow and orange warnings remain active for several islands, and some schools in El Hierro, La Gomera, and parts of Tenerife will stay closed as a precaution. Conditions are expected to improve throughout the week.
A CLIP of a ‘baby’ Louis Tomlinson on Waterloo Road, long before he was a global superstar, has tickled fans.
The BBC soap dug through the archives to unearth a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo from former One Direction star Louis.
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Louis Tomlinson has re-appeared in an old clip from soap Waterloo RoadCredit: BBCOne Direction star Louis can be seen in the resurfaced footageCredit: BBC
The clip shows a baby-faced Louis playing an extra during the show’s very first series in 2006.
In the footage, a concerned-looking Louis can be seen in the background of the school playground as fan-favourites Janeece Bryant (Chelsee Healey) and Donte Charles (Adam Thomas) get into a heated row.
To help fans catch the four-second appearance, the clip has been given the slow-motion treatment, asking: “Can you spot One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson in Waterloo Road?”
The Sun were the first to reveal at the start of the year that Zara and Louis had begun dating each other just weeks after she split from long-term partner, reality star Sam Thompson.
Singer-songwriter Louis is embarking on a world tourCredit: Getty
K-POP Demon Hunters fans shared their reactions to watching HUNTR/X’s history-making Oscars performance and win.
The trio of voices behind the band from the popular Netflix film – Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami – took the stage at the 98th annual Academy Awards on Sunday, moving audiences worldwide with tears of joy.
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HUNTR/X took the stage at the 98th annual Academy Awards on SundayThe trio – Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami – performed their hit track, Golden, from K-Pop Demon HuntersCredit: ABC
They performed their iconic track, Golden, celebrating the folklore and cultural inspiration brought from the 2025 animated film.
Shortly after hitting the stage, K-Pop Demon Hunters, which became Netflix’s most-watched film ever, won the award for Best Original Song for Golden, after dominating awards season.
HUNTR/X, who nabbed two awards – Best Song Written for Visual Media for the famed track and Best Original Song – at the Golden Globes in January, incorporated instrumentals and dance into their performance at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles.
“Let’s go K-POP Demon Hunters!” one fan wrote on X.
“I love me some K-pop demon hunters! Those girls were singing down in that movie lol,” said another.
“K-Pop Demon Hunters made HISTORY,” reacted a third.
“The only thing I care about at the Oscars is K Pop Demon Hunters. If it were up to me, I’d give them all the possible awards,” added a fourth.
However, many were disappointed upon seeing that their acceptance speech was abruptly cut short, as were many others throughout the night, despite them pleading for more time.
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“Absolutely disrespectful of the #oscars for cutting off kpop demon hunters in their acceptance speech. They were given less time than every other winner and the Oscar’s owes them an apology,” one fan raged.
“I don’t like how they cut off the Kpop Demon Hunters Cast. That was nasty #Oscars,” someone else complained.
“Congrats to Michael B Jordan, but why did he get 3x the amount of time for his speech than the KPop Demon Hunters crew?” said another, referencing Sinners star Michael B. Jordan’s Best Actor win afterwards.
According to The Independent, HUNTR/X is the first all-Asian musical act to take the Oscars stage, following Blackpink K-pop band member Lisa, who was the first K-pop artist to perform at the show last year.
In August 2025, Netflix revealed that K-Pop Demon Hunters was the platform’s most popular movie of all time, overtaking the previous record-holder, Red Notice, starring Dwayne Johnson,Ryan Reynolds,and Gal Gadot.
“KPop Demon Hunters has gone up, up, up, and it’s their Golden moment,” the streaming service said in a statement.
Biggest Oscar Nominees of 2026 Academy Awards
Everyone in Hollywood hopes to snag a nod on the industry’s biggest night but only few get that honor. Here are the nominees and winners from the major categories of the 2026 Academy Awards:
Best Picture
Bugonia
F1
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another *WINNER*
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Train Dreams
Best Director
Chloé Zhao — Hamnet
Josh Safdie — Marty Supreme
Paul Thomas Anderson — One Battle After Another *WINNER*
Joachim Trier — Sentimental Value
Ryan Coogler — Sinners
Best Actor (Leading Role)
Timothée Chalamet — Marty Supreme
Leonardo DiCaprio — One Battle After Another
Ethan Hawke — Blue Moon
Michael B. Jordan — Sinners *WINNER*
Wagner Moura — The Secret Agent
Best Actress (Leading Role)
Jessie Buckley — Hamnet *WINNER*
Rose Byrne — If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Renate Reinsve — Sentimental Value
Emma Stone — Bugonia
Kate Hudson — Song Sung Blue
Best Supporting Actor
Benicio Del Toro — One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi — Frankenstein
Delroy Lindo — Sinners
Sean Penn — One Battle After Another *WINNER*
Stellan Skarsgård — Sentimental Value
Best Supporting Actress
Teyana Taylor — One Battle After Another
Wunmi Mosaku — Sinners
Amy Madigan — Weapons *WINNER*
Elle Fanning — Sentimental Value
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas — Sentimental Value
Best Original Screenplay
Marty Supreme — Josh Safdie & Ronald Bronstein
Blue Moon — Richard Linklater & Glen Powell
Sentimental Value — Joachim Trier & Eskil Vogt
Sinners — Ryan Coogler *WINNER*
It Was Just an Accident — Jafar Panahi
Best Adapted Screenplay
One Battle After Another — Paul Thomas Anderson *WINNER*
Bugonia — Yorgos Lanthimos & Will Tracy
Frankenstein — Guillermo del Toro
Hamnet — Chloé Zhao
Train Dreams — Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar
Best Animated Feature
Arco
KPop Demon Hunters *WINNER*
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
Zootopia 2
Elio
Best International Feature Film
The Secret Agent — Brazil
Sentimental Value — Norway *WINNER*
It Was Just an Accident — Iran
Sirāt — Spain
The Voice of Hind Rajab — Tunisia
Best Documentary Feature
The Alabama Solution
Come See Me in the Good Light
Cutting Through Rocks
Mr. Nobody Against Putin *WINNER*
The Perfect Neighbor
“The animated musical officially became Netflix’s most popularfilmof all time on the Most Popular English Films list with 236 million total views.“
In response to the film’s massive success, Netflix released a sing-along “party at home” version, K-Pop Hunters Sing-Along, that’s currently streaming on the app.
The movie was produced by Sony Pictures Animation and helmed by Maggie Kang, a Canadian film director born in Seoul, South Korea.
Maggie described the film as a “love letter to K-pop,” also known as “Korean pop music.”
On March 12, Netflix announced that the beloved animation will be getting a sequel, with directors Maggie and Chris Appelhans returning behind the scenes.
A release date has yet to be revealed, but fans can expect it may be a while, given the first film went into production in 2021 and wasn’t released until 2025.
“I feel immense pride as a Korean filmmaker that the audience wants more from this Korean story and our Korean characters,” Maggie said in a statement about the sequel.
“There’s so much more to this world we have built, and I’m excited to show you. This is only the beginning.”
The ladies are the voices behind the characters in the Netflix film, K-Pop Demon Hunters, which is nominated for two Oscar AwardsCredit: GettyK-Pop Demon Hunters became the most-watched film on Netflix ever following its 2025 releaseCredit: GettyHUNTR/X is the first all-Asian musical act to perform at the OscarsCredit: Getty