years

JILL SCOTT does not rush records. She only goes into the studio when she feels she has got something she needs to say.

The American singer’s sixth album, To Whom This May Concern, arrives a decade after her last effort for exactly that reason.

“It took me 27 years to make Who Is Jill Scott?,” she says of her landmark debut. “And all the experiences in those years I put into that album.

“These projects don’t just happen overnight, it doesn’t work that way. So, it took me ten years to make this album.

“Why did it take so damn long? Because it takes time to make a great meal. It takes time to decorate your home. You don’t rush it. I took my time because I care.”

Writing only when there is something urgent to say, and letting the music lead the message, is the way the Grammy-winning artist and actor creates.

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She says: “I wait for it to come and the things that came out of me for this album shocked the hell out of me, too.

“On some songs, I’m an anthropologist, studying people. I’m on social media and hearing how a lot of people are not satisfied and that’s a damn shame.

“It’s a little harder for me to just sit on a park bench and watch people.”

I meet Scott at her publicist’s office in central London.

I am very excited about the musicianship on this album. The horn players and the bass, which is all over this album, is amazing.

Jill Scott

Dressed in orange, she is bright, friendly and effortlessly glamorous, although she says the jet lag has been hard to deal with.

She’s been over here for a week of promotion, including an album launch where she introduced tracks from To Whom This May Concern and took questions from fans.

“That was a pretty exciting night,” she says. “And the response was great, which was good as I was scared because it’s the first time playing this new music for a bunch of people in a room.

“I am very excited about the musicianship on this album. The horn players and the bass, which is all over this album, is amazing. It’s not a plug-in, it’s a player.”

At 19 tracks long, this is an impressive album. Collaborators include Trombone Shorty, Maha Adachi Earth, DJ Premier and rappers Tierra Whack, JID and Ab-Soul.

Recent single Pressha and Don’t Play touch on relationships.

Jill says: “Pressha is about a toxic past relationship while Don’t Play is a template for how to have a date where you actually want to get to know someone.

“It’s not just about what box they tick or what salary they earn. Then BPOTY — Biggest Pimp Of The Year — I wrote after looking at society and thinking, ‘My God, these folks are pimping us’.

“Like the pharmaceutical companies. I had been taking some medication and I didn’t really need it, I was being pimped and so it began with that story.”

‘Music is medicinal’

A diverse record blending soul, rap and jazz, it features beautiful ballads such as Me 4 and Àse, showcasing the poetic storytelling Scott has long been celebrated for.

“When I heard how diverse the music was, it made sense as an album,” she explains.

“People are going to get what they’re going to get what they need from it at different times. I believe music is medicinal. Like when I first heard of Billie Holiday, I didn’t really hear her until I got my feelings hurt.

“Then I listened again and everything clicked and made sense — how poignant her words were — and that’s why this album is called To Whom This May Concern.”

Be Great is a superb track as both a declaration and mantra, designed for everyday moments of courage.

“I want people to play it before their auditions, job interviews or anything that matters to you,” says Scott. “Go ahead and be fantastic at it, whatever it is.

“I just got the music and the lyrics popped out. I see it as Golden’s cousin [her 2004 anthem]. Yeah, they’re definitely related.”

Offdaback, which Scott says is her favourite track on her new album, pays homage to her heroes who came before her, artists and pioneers who stood up for freedom and music.

“The ancestors have to be honoured,” she explains.

“Whether it was your grandmother who worked in somebody’s house in order to make sure your mother had food, or it was your dad who worked three jobs so you could go to college or so you could live your dream.

“As an artist every day I’m reminded of how many people have made a way for me to be here.

“My office wall has photos of all the people who have inspired me. Diana Ross, Missy Elliott, Led Zeppelin and Queen Latifah are on there.

“I admire so many. Nina Simone for being so frank and fearless; Tina Turner for being so brave and using her voice.

“The list goes on. Frankie Beverly was beloved to me and Prince was my number one, and Bette Midler showed me that you don’t have to be around, knocking on doors all the time. You can disappear for a while, too.

“I went to see Frankie Beverly and Maze and they’d not had a record out for 25 years but everyone at the show is up and singing at the top of their voices.

“Music is about that feeling, about camaraderie and unity. I feel really honoured that anyone would feel that about my music.

“However, I’m still working on the other stuff that comes with that.”

There was a recent social media post of Scott being stopped by a fan who recognised her on the street — and she tells me she still finds that side of fame difficult.

Staying human

She says: “I value my time in just taking a walk, I really do. It’s important to me and it helps me balance everything else. The guy was sweet and I loved his freckles but being stopped in the street is not easy for me.

“Yes, 26 years later, I’m still working on it. I get good advice about it. My mentors tell me the value of maintaining the private self and staying human.

“When people put you on a pedestal it’s a very dangerous game and it’s not the game I play.”

When Scott emerged in 2000 as the voice in neo-soul, blending R&B, jazz, soul and spoken word, she found the spotlight overwhelming.

“It was terrifying and exciting,” she says with a smile. “I had a good two or three weeks where I was like, ‘This is so fun’. And then it didn’t stop.

“People were driving by my house playing the album at full capacity at three o’clock in the morning.

“I don’t want to sound ungrateful, because that’s not where I live — I live in grace and gratefulness all the time.

“It just was never my priority. I see people who are far more famous than me, and God bless them, but balance really matters to me. I’m a writer first, I just happen to sing.

“I have to be human and recognise how flawed I am and how much I’m working through things and honouring myself in all the things.

`’So, my goal is to be grand and gracious and have patience with other people. And when I can’t, I go into the house. That’s how I live.”

I think as a society, we’re holding on to a lot of people that don’t benefit our lives.

Jill Scott

Pay U On Tuesday is a fun song which Scott says: “Comes from being exhausted of family members who I used to be friends with that just don’t value the same things.”

It’s a direct song which even comes with a disclaimer (in the form of a track called Disclaimer) before it.

She laughs and says: “Oh yes there’s a disclaimer. But cutting ties is sometimes needed.

“Maybe they’re not ready to be respectful now, but I think as a society, we’re holding on to a lot of people that don’t benefit our lives.

“What I’ve learned in these 53 years is that I love when the people around me bloom and I want to continue to bloom.

“This album has been brought to you by education for your home. For your family.

“I definitely don’t like being perimenopausal. That’s not fun. It’s made certain things a lot more challenging, like staying fit, and sometimes you don’t sleep and a dress doesn’t fit but I count on the joys.

“I’m a big advocate for a book called The Celestine Prophecy, which reminds me to constantly look for beauty.”

Growing up in North Philadelphia, “Jilly from Philly” says she owes her positivity and happy childhood to her mother and grandmother. “My mother showed me art and creativity and I’m grateful,” she tells me.

Although there was a lot of drugs and violence around her, she also saw “kind and beautiful-spirited people” — and that spirit is at the heart of the track Norf Side.

“It’s a celebration of the place,” she says.

For that song, she wanted another voice from North Philly and her son Jett suggested Tierra Whack, a brilliant MC and remarkable poetess. “We are both a reflection of that place,” she says.

Scott, who has a charitable foundation in North Philadelphia which has been sending kids to camp and to college for more than 20 years, says she could have made an album about what’s going on in the US politically but chose a theme of personal revolution over performative outrage and political frustration.

‘Joy, passion, rage’

“I think that’s another album,” she says. “Right now, I’m really focused on growth and healing — the human stuff.

“Then maybe there will be the kind of revolution that this kind of turmoil deserves.”

On the death of mum-of-three Renee Good, who was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis last month, she says: “This has been going on in the United States for longer than my whole life — it’s not new.

“It just happened to happen to a Caucasian woman so the world is shaken and they’re seeing it.”

Making a name for herself in acting as well as music and poetry, she has starred in 2007 comedy Why Did I Get Married? and TV series The No1 Ladies’ Detective Agency.

Scott says she is taking her time when it comes to choosing her next role, paying close attention to both the director and the writing.

Live performance, however, is non-negotiable. “I will be touring. That is a fact.”

For now, the focus is firmly on this record. “I just want people to come back and listen to it again and again,” she says.

“I’ve sprinkled levels of joy, frustration, passion and even rage. When that last chord plays, I want people to sit with it — and then start all over again. Each time, there’s something new.”

• To Whom This May Concern is out on February 13.

JILL SCOTT

To Whom This May Concern

★★★★★

American Idol alum Rhonetta Johnson appears worse for wear in a new mugshot linked to an arrest for prostitution years after appearing on the hit talent show.

Johnson, now 44, became a viral sensation after a disastrous audition during American Idol’s Season 5 in 2006, when she had a fiery clash with judge Paula Abdul.

The U.S. Sun can exclusively reveal she was taken into custody at the end of January after skipping previous court dates.

She was booked in North Carolina’s Mecklenburg County after an outstanding order for arrest tied to a long-running prostitution case was finally served at the courthouse.

She was issued multiple release orders, had a public defender appointed, and was placed on a $2,500 unsecured bond, which was later posted.

The arrest traces back to a separate prostitution case filed in 2018, which dragged on for years after Johnson repeatedly failed to appear in court.

Johnson was caught on October 4 in an undercover sting at a massage parlor that led to multiple prostitution arrests in Charlotte, according to charlottealertsnews.com.

Officers found her at the Continental Inn on West Sugar Creek Road, where she allegedly agreed to have sex with an undercover officer for $35, cops said.

During the encounter, Johnson reportedly made a spontaneous statement admitting she had a crack pipe, which officers later found in her bag, leading to an additional charge, the outlet reported.

The charge was later dropped, and only the prostitution charge was filed.

Following her initial arrest, Johnson repeatedly missed court appearances, prompting several warrants, and she was taken into custody and released multiple times in 2019 on secured bonds reaching $2,000.

Despite the drawn-out proceedings, prosecutors ultimately dismissed the prostitution charge with leave in February 2020, formally ending the case, though unresolved paperwork allowed it to resurface years later.

LONG RAP SHEET

Johnson’s legal troubles date back even further.

In June last year, the Columbus Police Department also issued a missing persons plea after she reportedly disappeared.

A post on Facebook shows they later updated followers, saying she had been located in “good health.”

In 2012, she was cited for possessing up to half an ounce of marijuana and charged with soliciting for prostitution, court filings show.

After failing to appear in court multiple times, she was finally arrested in August 2014.

The case was resolved the following month when she pleaded guilty to the marijuana charge and was sentenced to 27 days in jail, all credited as time already served, while the prostitution charge was dismissed.

Court records later show she was hit with $170 in attorney-fee judgments, which remained unpaid and were flagged for state debt collection in July 2025.

The U.S. Sun can also confirm she has had multiple run-ins with the law dating back as far as the 1990s, before her time on the show.

WILD CONTESTANT

Johnson first grabbed attention as a contestant in 2006, auditioning in Greensboro, North Carolina.

She didn’t make it to the Hollywood rounds, but her audition became infamous, not for her singing, but for her reaction after being rejected by the judges.

Johnson lashed out at Abdul, claiming she could be “bigger” than stars like JLo, Janet Jackson and Mariah Carey, and even refused Abdul’s offer of water, mocking the judge on camera.

Clips of the audition went viral, earning Johnson a spot in reality TV lore and even a humorous mention during that season’s finale.

She never launched a mainstream music career, though she did release a self-produced remix EP in 2014.

The X Factor star has embraced a new “mindful” lifestyle, as she prioritises her “healing”.

X Factor legend Honey G is unrecognisable after embracing a new “mindful” lifestyle, ten years after she first found fame.

The former contestant, whose real name is Anna Gilford, appeared on the 13th series of the singing competition, which was won by Matt Terry.

She’s since credited Simon Cowell’s show for changing her life after admitting she was in a dark place before The X Factor.

She previously said: “I’m very grateful for what X Factor did for me, it changed me. It’s boosted my confidence. Before X Factor, I was in a dark place, and it put me in a happier place.”

She’s now revealed that her life is completely different these days, worlds away from the look she had when she first auditioned for Missy Elliott’s Work It rap.

In a post yesterday, the TV star shared an unrecognisable picture on Instagram as she spoke about mindfulness.

Honey G wrote: “A lot of people think stress and burnout mean they’re doing something wrong — not managing their time well enough, not being disciplined enough, not trying hard enough.

“But often it’s not about effort at all. It’s about capacity.

“When your nervous system has been under pressure for a long time, even things that help — rest, journaling, movement, mindfulness — can feel hard to access. Not because you don’t care, but because your system is tired.

“Sometimes the most supportive thing we can do is stop pushing for change and start creating small pockets of safety and space, exactly where we are.

“Gentleness isn’t giving up. It’s often where healing actually begins.”

Alongside the caption, she posted an image of herself in a red headscarf and sunglasses, a far cry from the trademark cap and bomber jacket with which she rose to fame.

Her post was showered in support, with one fan writing: “So true! Sometimes we need to just relax and stop trying to do everything. It’s ok to take a break.”

Another said, “I love u, Honey G,” as a third wrote, “Thank you, Honey G, this was beautifully written. Very inspiring.”

The star has previously spoken about how she looks “completely different” after shedding two stone from gym workouts, which she often shares online.

She previously told The Daily Star in 2023: “I’ve had a personal trainer for the past two years and he’s helped me change my whole body shape. I’ve been doing triathlons as well. My body is quite robust because when I was younger, I used to be a county tennis player. But I’m combining it all with diet as well.

“It’s still ongoing, it is a work in progress, but I’m working really hard and just trying to be the best version of myself.”

She added, “The fitness transformation has given me the confidence to dress in more adventurous clothing and clothing that is more feminine. If I want to wear my tracksuits, I will rock them. If I want to put a dress on, then I can.

“I’m a strong independent woman and can rock whatever look I want and I just hope nobody criticizes me for it.”

KANYE West accused Kim Kardashian of ‘flirting’ with Lewis Hamilton years before she entered into a relationship with the F1 driver, The Sun can reveal.

We revealed over the weekend that Lewis, 41, and Kim, 45, are in a new relationship, with the pair enjoying a string of international dates over recent weeks.

The reality star and entrepreneur has known Ferrari driver Lewis for over a decade, but things only recently turned romantic.

However, her ex-husband Kanye, 48, had previously accused her of flirting with Lewis when they were together.

Kim and Kanye were married from 2014 until 2021, and a source tells us that the Yeezy owner’s jealous streak especially came out around Lewis.

“It was so awkward as when they were together, Kanye would always fly into jealous rages and accuse Kim of flirting with Lewis,” revealed the source.

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They continued: “She wasn’t – of course – but Kanye was always so erratic that if Kim was even friendly with someone he’d accuse her of something.”

Kim and Kanye share children; and cited “irreconcilable differences” as a reason for their divorce five years ago.

Lewis was a friend of both Kim and Kanye, with them bonding over a shared love for fashion. The sportsman even spent Easter at the house they shared as a married couple back in 2016.

The Sun understands Kim and Lewis have been growing close for a number of months, with the pair attending actress Kate Hudson’s New Year’s Eve party together.

The new couple have enjoyed several dates in different cities over recent weeks, including London and Paris, to fit around Kim’s work commitments.

Earlier this week, a source told The Sun: “Kim and Lewis have such intense working schedules so they’re keen to spend as much time together as possible.

“Right now, they’re inseparable and are fitting their dates around Kim’s work commitments.”

Kim had to be in Paris to attend a NikeSkims event – her brand’s collaboration with Nike.

Taking Lewis along with her, the pair stayed at luxurious hotel Le Bristol, and ate in private during their stay.

A source revealed: “Kim absolutely loves spending time in Paris and wanted Lewis to go with her. Her work is so important to her but it’s all things she can slot around spending time with Lewis.

“They’re both used to travelling all over the world while working so doing it together means they can spend proper time with each other.”

Maja T was part of a group that attacked participants at Budapest’s ‘Day of Honour’, a major neo-Nazi event.

A Hungarian court has jailed a German anti-fascist activist for eight years for attacking participants at a far-right rally in Budapest.

Maja T, 25, was sentenced on Wednesday after being convicted of involvement in violence ahead of the annual “Day of Honour” commemoration in Budapest. The event is one of the biggest neo-Nazi rallies in Europe.

The defendant was accused of attempted aggravated bodily harm causing life-threatening injuries and assault committed as part of a criminal organisation.

“We all know what verdict the prime minister of this country wants,” Maja T told the court before the guilty verdict was given.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has previously designated anti-fascist groups linked to the attacks as “terrorist” organisations.

Orban’s spokesman, Zoltan Kovacs, welcomed the sentence in a message on X, branding Maja T an “antifa terrorist” – a reference to the left-wing protest movement.

Maja T was extradited from Germany to Hungary in December 2024. Supporters of the activist have criticised detention conditions, as well as the chances for a fair trial in Hungary.

Last year, Germany’s Constitutional Court ruled that the extradition was unlawful because it could not be guaranteed that the defendant would not be subject to inhumane or degrading treatment in Hungarian custody.

Maja T’s father, Wolfram Jarosch, said the sentence confirmed his “fears” before the hearing. “This was a political show trial,” he said in a statement.

The conviction can be appealed.

Far-right protest

Prosecutors said Maja T was one of 19 members of a multinational far-left group that travelled to Hungary and attacked nine people, including German and Polish citizens, whom they identified as far-right extremists. Victims of the attack suffered broken bones and head injuries.

The annual rally in the Hungarian capital marks the failed attempt by Nazi and allied Hungarian soldiers to break out of Budapest during the Red Army’s siege of the city in 1945.

A number of people accused of participating in the 2023 “Day of Honour” attacks have been tried in Hungary and Germany. One woman received a five-year prison sentence in Germany.

Italy and France have refused to surrender two suspects to Hungary, with courts in both countries citing the risk of “inhumane treatment” in prison.

Jamie Theakston has revealed he is constantly anxious that his cancer could come back in a new health update.

The 55-year-old said he now expects the worst every time he attends a check-up, despite being cancer-free.

He explained he is “still in treatment” due to regular monitoring, with appointments every two months because of the “fear it could come back”.

Speaking on his Heart radio show on World Cancer Day, Jamie said: “So I was diagnosed back in August 2024. I was offered the choice of chemo or surgery. I opted for surgery and after three operations my cancer had gone. It was a success.

“I never rang a bell though. Most people ring the bell after chemo or radiotherapy, when treatment finishes.”

He added that he continues to attend check-ups to make sure he remains cancer-free.

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“Mine was slightly different because I had surgery. I then had monthly check-ups for a year, and I’m still in that cycle.

“So in year two I now go for check-ups every two months, because it can come back.

“Obviously there is always that fear. So I’m slightly reluctant to ring the bell technically because I’m still in treatment. But I also think, if it inspires anyone else, then we should all give it a go.”

Jamie was diagnosed with stage-one laryngeal cancer a form of cancer affecting the voice box – after a routine check-up following changes in his voice.

The diagnosis came as a huge shock after regular listeners to the show he co-hosts with Amanda Holden noticed hoarseness in his speech.

He took time off Heart Radio to undergo surgery with Jason King filling in hosting duties while Jamie recovered.

Following treatment, the former kids TV star said his prognosis was “very positive” thanks to the cancer being detected early.

Jamie has previously revealed the hardest part of his journey was telling his young sons.

Breaking the news, he said: “I had to explain that I was going to be fine, but they were too young to understand. When you tell a 14-year-old you’ve got cancer, they think you’re going to die.

“My youngest had been with me when I was told my mum had died of cancer -so he knew exactly what it meant.”

Jamie shares two sons, Sidney, 17, and Kit, 18, with his wife British actress Sophie Siegle.

The pair married in 2007 after meeting through mutual friends at an Oscars afterparty the year previously.

The historic hotel has been a well-known establishment in Northamptonshire for centuries, but will now close its doors

The Hind Hotel in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, has confirmed it is shutting its doors, a move made with “great sadness”. The Grade II listed establishment, which dates back to the 17th century, had undergone recent renovations.

The business was forced to shut due to “rising costs, reduced town centre footfall and Government policy often seemingly targeting the hospitality industry”. The 34-room hotel has been a familiar fixture in Northamptonshire for hundreds of years, reports the Express.

In a statement, the company said: “It is with great sadness that we have had to close the Hind Hotel.

“After eight and a half years of ownership, and with £1.3million spent on a massive external refurbishment, a £600,000 refurbishment of bedrooms and circulation space, and over £300,000 spent on modernising the ground floor public areas and replacing old equipment throughout the hotel.

“The director would like to thank the team for their dedication when faced with adversity such as the main refurbishment contractor going bust three months into the 24-month refurbishment, and their resilience in the wave of shocks such as Covid and the current economic downturn.

“The company has faced serious hardship with respect to rising costs, reduced town centre footfall and government policy often seemingly targeting the hospitality industry.

“Throw in increased regulation, rising national insurance and decreasing flexibility in the labour market and a currently stressed economic environment, and the director has been forced to concede that he can no longer continue financially supporting the business.”

On Facebook, Ann Miller commented: “Sad news, I left Wellingborough in 1973, but the Hind Hotel always stood out as one of the historic buildings and a landmark in Wellingborough. Hope new owners will be found and it continues for many more years.”

Karen Henderson added: “So sorry to hear this, and I thank you most sincerely for all you have done to restore and keep The Hind going.

“You faced more challenges than was fair, and your resilience, dedication and commitment are a testament to the team.

“My parents had their wedding reception there in the 60s, and it holds a special place in my heart.”

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The wait is over.

After nearly six years and four failed semi-finals, Arsenal‘s 4-2 aggregate victory over Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-final has put them back into a major final.

It will be their first under Mikel Arteta since he guided them to FA Cup victory in 2020 – and just their second in his time at the club.

It was tight, it was tense and it was pretty dull at times but, as Kai Havertz rolled in an injury-time goal to confirm their place at Wembley, the euphoria from fans and players alike at Emirates left you in no doubt about the significance.

In a match that saw both sides only manage two shots on target each, the Gunners rarely looked troubled as they showed all the qualities that have made them so hard to beat.

The result means Arsenal will compete in a ninth EFL Cup final when they take on either Manchester City or Newcastle on Sunday, 22 March in the tournament’s showpiece match.

Should they face City, it will be a repeat of the 2018 final, won by the Manchester club, when Arteta was part of Pep Guardiola’s coaching staff.

However, aside from it being an opportunity for Arsenal to gain a measure of revenge for that loss and winning their first League Cup for 33 years, it would also be a step towards changing a few perceptions.

Arsenal manager Arteta said: “There was a special atmosphere inside our stadium. It makes such a difference. We’ve been waiting a few years to get into this position and we’re certainly going to enjoy it [the final].

“It’s the best vitamins that we can put in our bodies because we’re playing every three days. But the fact that you worked so hard to achieve those moments and to have these moments together is just magical.

“You can see the joy, the smile, the energy and everything that works at the club.”

Midfielder Declan Rice, added: “We deserve it. The last three or four years we’ve been at the top of the Premier League, competing and got really close but haven’t been good enough.

“That’s why this season we have that extra desire and fire in our bellies to go one step further in every competition. There’s a long way to go but to be in a cup final with this club is amazing.”

For the last few years, Arteta’s Arsenal reign has been a story of near-misses, both in cup competitions and in the Premier League.

Now, just one game away from ending their trophy drought, are the Premier League leaders about to silence accusations of being the ‘nearly men’ for good?

Ex-Arsenal defender Matt Upson told BBC Radio 5 Live: “It has been a few years in the making and there has been a steady build-up to this point for Arsenal. Mikel Arteta has been laying the foundations, building the ethos, and togetherness of the team.”

This offer means families could enjoy an entire year of theme park thrills across more than 20 Merlin attractions in the UK ensuring that the kids are kept entertained throughout the school holidays

February half-term is coming up soon, and as all parents know, this is just the first of many school breaks where you’ll be scrambling around to find something to keep the kids entertained. While taking them to theme parks may seem like a pricey option, there is a deal that means you enjoy many more days out during the school holidays in 2026.

Merlin Entertainment, who own huge attractions across the UK such as Thorpe Park, Alton Towers, Chessington, Warwick Castle, and LEGOLAND, is offering a deal they call ‘Stay for a night, play for a year’. Families who book a short break this February for certain spring dates can get a free Essential Merlin Annual Pass (MAP) for each guest, giving them free access to its theme parks throughout the year.

Bookings need to be completed before March 1, and stay dates for this offer include:

• LEGOLAND and Alton Towers – stays between March 14 and June 26
• Chessington – stays between March 20 and June 26
• Thorpe Park and Warwick Castle – stays between March 27 and June 26

Look for a banner next to the hotel name that says ‘Merlin Pass Included’ when booking to see if it’s eligible for the offer.

Depending on which resort and hotel you choose, guests can enjoy facilities such as themed accommodation, breakfast included in the price, plus two days of fun at the theme park of your choice. You’ll also find perks such as access to the 9-hole golf course at Alton Towers and access to the SEA Life centre at Chessington.

And once you check out, you still have a year of fun family adventures to enjoy. You’ll get a Merlin Annual Pass delivered to your inbox when you book, offering 339 days of experiences and fun, which includes access to family-friendly days out like the London Eye, Madame Tussauds, and The London Dungeon. Simply activate the pass and it’s valid for 12 months with a few restriction dates.

Other attractions where the annual pass can be used include SEA Life centres across the UK, Cadbury World, Shrek’s Adventure! London and LEGOLAND’s Discovery Centres give plenty of options for days out.

Passholders can also nab 10% off Fastrack passes for days when you want to skip the queues, plus 10% off food and drink at the parks.

You can even redeem your pass before your stay and start using it elsewhere, so if you book now, you could use it on weekdays during the February half term to take the kids to one of Merlin’s attractions.

So, how much could families save? It depends on which hotel stay you book and how much you use the pass. A family of four could book a night at the Chessington Safari Hotel on Saturday, March 28 for £418 and get four free passes included. Buying Merlin Essential passes would usually cost £139 each, adding up to £556 for four people, so this is already a cheaper option if you’ve been considering buying the passes anyway.

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Day passes to Alton Towers, as an example, cost £32 online and as much as £68 if you buy on the gates, so if you plan just a handful of theme park visits, this offer could save you hundreds over the year.

Full list of attractions where Merlin’s annual pass can be used

• Alton Towers Resort
• Chessington World Of Adventures Resort
• LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort
• The London Eye
• Thorpe Park
• SEA LIFE London
• National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham
• SEA LIFE Manchester
• SEA LIFE Blackpool
• SEA LIFE Brighton
• SEA LIFE Weymouth Adventure Park
• SEA LIFE Great Yarmouth
• SEA LIFE Sanctuary Hunstanton
• SEA LIFE Scarborough
• SEA LIFE Loch Lomond
• Warwick Castle
• Madame Tussauds London
• Shrek’s Adventure! London
• LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Birmingham
• LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre Manchester
• The London Dungeon
• The York Dungeon
• The Edinburgh Dungeon
• Cadbury World

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DID you know the first package holiday was actually in the UK, nearly 200 years ago?

My boys aged 13, 11 and six are all big steam train fans and we’ve had some amazing days out on heritage railways around the country. 

But what we didn’t realise riding the rails here in the Midlands, is that we were retracing a route that replicates the one chosen by package holiday pioneer Thomas Cook for his first ever excursion, some 185 years ago.

The stretch of track he used became so popular in Victorian times that a new line was eventually built to get passengers about, and you can still board heritage trains on the Great Central Railway today.

Nowadays, holidays offered by tour operators are all about flying abroad, fun in the sun and food and drink on tap.

But back then, a train trip between Leicester and Loughborough launched the concept of paying once and having all your needs met.

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About 500 passengers paid a shilling each for the trip, which included travel, refreshments and entertainment from a brass band.

Booze was a no-no as Thomas Cook and his first tourists were part of the temperance movement – it’s safe to say that things have moved on a bit since that first package holiday in 1841…

One thing that remains the same is that the Great Central Railway still offers a great family-friendly day out, with steam and diesel trains running on its eight-mile line between Leicester North and Loughborough.

If you’re looking for something to do over February halfterm, it’s the perfect option as it’s fantastic fun in all weathers and for all generations.

It’s lovely getting all cosy inside an old-fashioned carriage, enjoying the great British countryside passing by your window.

Some of our best trips have actually been on rainy days as the train tracks run alongside fields, woodland and even Swithland Reservoir so there is lots of wildlife to spot, without getting wet.

There are several old stations en route where you can hop on and off to enjoy kids’ activities, model railways, cafes and lots of heritage touches that bring the golden age of rail travel back to life.

Kids can ride for a quid at some points throughout the year and last year there was also a cut-price ticket for locals, so if you time your visit right or live nearby, you can bag a bargain day out.

There’s a couple of things you’ll want to bear in mind if you do decide to head to the Great Central Railway.

It’s not open every day so check out the website to find which trains are running when and for ticket prices, which can change depending on the season and what’s on offer.

There are special events throughout the year, including character appearances from family favourites like Paw Patrol or the Snowman.

Parking at Loughborough is on the road outside the station, so it can be tricky to find a space on busy days.

We usually head to Quorn to catch the train up and down the line from there, as it’s got a big car park and often has kids activities in its marquee. The other two stations also have parking.

There’s a small branch line to Mountsorrel and Rothley Community Heritage Centre, which only occasionally has trains running on it.

But if you can time your visit to coincide with the branch line being open, the heritage centre itself is well worth a visit, with a playground, den-building, woodland trails, a narrow gauge railway where you can take a short ride and a model train track where visitors can have a go at the controls for Thomas the Tank Engine or one of his friends.

It’s exciting times for the Great Central Railway, which is in the middle of a multimillion pound project to reconnect two stretches of track.

passengers will be able to travel on heritage trains for 18 miles between Nottingham and Leicester North for the first time since the line was axed in the 1960s and a small part of the track was built over.

So it’s full steam ahead for this half term and beyond.

WASHINGTON — President Trump said Sunday that he will move to close Washington’s Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for two years starting in July for construction, his latest proposal to upend the storied venue since returning to the White House.

Trump’s announcement on social media follows a wave of cancellations by leading performers, musicians and groups since the president ousted the previous leadership and added his name to the building. Trump made no mention in his post of the recent cancellations.

His proposal, announced days after the premiere of “Melania,” a documentary about the first lady, was shown at the center, is subject to approval by the board of the Kennedy Center, which has been stocked with his handpicked allies. Trump chairs the center’s board of trustees.

“This important decision, based on input from many Highly Respected Experts, will take a tired, broken, and dilapidated Center, one that has been in bad condition, both financially and structurally for many years, and turn it into a World Class Bastion of Arts, Music, and Entertainment,” Trump wrote in his post.

Neither Trump nor Kennedy Center President Ric Grenell, a Trump ally, have provided evidence to back up their claims about the building being in disrepair, and in October, Trump had pledged the center would remain open during renovations. In Sunday’s announcement, he said the center will close July 4, when he said the construction would begin.

“Our goal has always been to not only save and permanently preserve the Center, but to make it the finest Arts Institution in the world,” Grenell said in a post, citing funds Congress approved for repairs.

“This will be a brief closure,” Grenell said. “It desperately needs this renovation and temporarily closing the Center just makes sense — it will enable us to better invest our resources, think bigger and make the historic renovations more comprehensive. It also means we will be finished faster.”

The sudden decision to close and reconstruct the Kennedy Center is certain to spark blowback as Trump revamps the popular venue. The building began as a national cultural center and Congress renamed it as a “living memorial” to President Kennedy — a champion of the arts during his administration — in 1964, in the aftermath of his assassination.

Opened in 1971, it serves as a public showcase year-round for the arts, including the National Symphony Orchestra.

Since Trump returned to the White House, the Kennedy Center is one of many Washington landmarks that he has sought to overhaul in his second term. He demolished the East Wing of the White House and launched a massive $400-million ballroom project, is actively pursuing building a triumphal arch on the other side the Arlington Bridge from the Lincoln Memorial, and has plans for Washington Dulles International Airport.

Leading performing arts groups have pulled out of appearances at the Kennedy Center, most recently composer Philip Glass, who announced his decision to withdraw his Symphony No. 15 “Lincoln” because he said the values of the center today are in “direct conflict” with the message of the piece.

Last month, the Washington National Opera announced that it will move performances away from the Kennedy Center in another high-profile departure after Trump’s takeover of the U.S. capital’s leading performing arts venue.

The head of artistic programming for the center abruptly left his post last week, less than two weeks after being named to the job.

A spokesperson for the Kennedy Center could not immediately be reached and did not respond to an emailed request for comment.

Late last year, as Trump announced his plan to rename the building — adding his name to the building’s main front ahead of that of Kennedy — he drew sharp opposition from members of Congress, and some Kennedy family members.

Kerry Kennedy, a niece of John F. Kennedy, said in a social post on X at the time that she will remove Trump’s name herself with a pickax when his term ends.

Another family member, Maria Shriver, said at the time that it is “beyond comprehension that this sitting president has sought to rename this great memorial dedicated to President Kennedy,” her uncle. “It is beyond wild that he would think adding his name in front of President Kennedy’s name is acceptable. It is not.”

Late Sunday evening, Shriver posted a new comment mimicking Trump’s own voice and style, and suggesting the closure of the venue was meant to deflect from the cancellations.

She said that “entertainers are canceling left and right” and the president has determined that “since the name change no one wants to perform there any longer.”

Trump has decided, she said, it’s best “to close this center down and rebuild a new center” that will bear his name. She asked, “Right?”

One lawmaker, Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat and ex-officio trustee of the center’s board, sued in December, arguing that “only Congress has the authority to rename the Kennedy Center.”

Price and Mascaro write for the Associated Press. AP writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report.

Madeline Duggan starred as EastEnders’ mischievous teenager Lauren Branning for four years, but the 31-year-old actress has come a long way since her days in Albert Square

Madeline Duggan looks worlds away from the chaos-creating character who brought to life one of EastEnders‘ biggest moments.

The actress, who originally played Lauren Branning in the BBC soap, looked completely different from her Walford days as she glammed up for a selfie. Madeline, 31, starred as Max Branning’s eldest daughter from 2006 until 2010, with Jacqueline Jossa then taking on the role.

Lauren famously exposed her dad, Max’s, affair with her daughter-in-law, Stacey’s, in the epic 2007 Christmas special, with her shocked family watching a videotape that revealed the sordid secret. Madeline looks nearly unrecognisable from her time on the soap, after leaving more than 15 years ago.

She is all grown up and she is quick to keep fans up to date with what’s going on in her life. Sitting in a black robe, she showed off her stylish cut after showing off some jet-setting holidays in 2025.

In her latest selfie, she wrote: “Dareee l say… I’m really enjoying the Kylie skin tint & Rhodes blush, but this now means I wanna try the Khy B10k foundation.” She quickly followed that up with another Instagram Story, a ‘well-deserved’ Pina Colada.

After leaving EastEnders, Madeline landed roles in the TV show Rules of Love, before securing a role as the character Amy Chester in the acclaimed BBC crime drama Silent Witness.

A year later, the versatile actress starred in the British film Everyone’s Going to Die, cast as the character Laura in a storyline based on a couple embracing their past and moving on with their lives.

In 2017, she played a waitress in the Channel 4 drama Dates and also had a role in Sky Atlantic’s French detective series The Tunnel: Sabotage and Home Alone.

She also appeared in a number of other films during her eclectic career, including Between Us, Spoilt Eggs, and Maybe I’m Fine in 2019. Madeline has also appeared in two music videos, for the bands Feeder and Shaduno, with acting still high on her priority list. But it’s her role in the iconic Max/Stacey affair-reveal that she is best known for.

Arguably one of the most iconic moments in TV soap history, EastEnders viewers were glued to the screen as Max and Stacey’s sordid affair was finally revealed in front of Max’s wife Tanya and Stacey’s husband, Bradley.

After filming the pair on her video camera on Stacey’s wedding day, angry Lauren burned the footage onto a DVD before playing it to the entire family on Christmas Day.

Madeline revealed in April 2020 that she was working part-time in a doctor’s surgery because “being an out-of-work actress doesn’t pay”.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

Laura Dogu’s visit comes as Venezuela moves to privatise its oil sector under pressure from Trump.

The top United States envoy for Venezuela has arrived in Caracas to reopen a US diplomatic mission seven years after ties were severed.

Laura Dogu announced her arrival in a post on X on Saturday, saying, “My team and I are ready to work.”

The move comes almost one month after US forces abducted Venezuela’s then-president, Nicolas Maduro, from the presidential palace in Caracas, on the orders of US President Donald Trump.

Maduro was then taken to a prison in New York, and is facing drug trafficking and narcoterrorism conspiracy charges.

The move has been widely criticised as a violation of international law.

Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs Yvan Gil wrote on Telegram that he had received Dogu, and that talks would centre on creating a “roadmap on matters of bilateral interest” as well as “addressing and resolving existing differences through diplomatic dialogue and on the basis of mutual respect and international law”.

Dogu, who previously served as US ambassador to Honduras and Nicaragua, was appointed to the role of charge d’affaires to the Venezuela Affairs Unit, based out of the US Embassy in Bogota, Colombia.

Venezuela and the US broke off diplomatic relations in February 2019, in a decision by Maduro after Trump gave public support to Venezuelan lawmaker Juan Guaido, who claimed to be the nation’s interim president in January that year.

Minister of the Popular Power for Interior Diosdado Cabello, one of Venezuela’s most powerful politicians and a Maduro loyalist, said earlier in January that reopening the US embassy in Caracas would give the Venezuelan government a way to oversee the treatment of the deposed president.

Although the Trump administration has claimed that Maduro’s abduction was necessary for security reasons, officials have also repeatedly framed their interests in Venezuela around controlling its vast oil reserves, which are the largest in the world.

Since the abduction, Trump has pressured Interim President Delcy Rodriguez to open the country’s nationalised oil sector to US firms.

The two countries have reached ‌a deal to export up ⁠to $2bn worth of Venezuelan crude to the US, and on Thursday, Rodriguez signed into law a reform bill that will pave the way for increased privatisation.

The legislation gives private firms control over the sale and production of Venezuelan oil, and requires legal disputes to be resolved outside of Venezuelan courts, a change long sought by foreign companies, which argue that the judicial system in the country is dominated by the governing socialist party.

The bill would also cap royalties collected by the government at 30 percent.

The Trump administration said on the same day that it would loosen some sanctions on Venezuela’s oil sector, and allow limited transactions by the country’s government and the state oil company PDVSA that were necessary for a laundry list of export-related activities involving an “established US entity”.

Trump has announced that he ordered the reopening of Venezuela’s commercial airspace and “informed” Rodriguez that US oil companies would soon arrive to explore potential projects in the country.

On Friday, Rodriguez announced an amnesty bill aimed at releasing hundreds of prisoners in the country, and said she would shut down El Helicoide, an infamous secret service prison in Caracas, to be replaced with a sports and cultural centre.

That move was one of the key demands of the Venezuelan opposition.

After living in London for three years, I moved to a seaside town I’d only visited once before

Following months confined in lockdown with rowdy neighbours and eye-watering rent costs, I chose to swap London permanently for the coast. After roughly three years in the capital, I’d had enough of the noise, chaos and grime that greeted me virtually every day.

Prior to lockdown, the metropolis pulsed with energy. Eateries were heaving, pubs packed with punters, and my neighbourhood coffee spots teemed with commuters each morning.

The capital offered the ideal setting for late nights, sampling exotic dishes and catching up with mates.

Yet when lockdown struck, everything shifted. Like countless others, I became disenchanted with city life.

What had been a vibrant urban centre suddenly felt lifeless, and we found ourselves trapped indoors all day to dodge COVID-19, reports the Express.

Seeing friends or relatives became impossible, and apart from daily supermarket runs and strolls to the nearby park, venturing out was forbidden.

Lockdown prompted many to reassess what mattered most. While I’d previously relished pub crawls and all-nighters, I suddenly yearned for outdoor space, stunning seaside views and crisp air – three elements London sorely lacked.

Even when cafés and restaurants began reopening for takeaways, London’s allure remained elusive for me, prompting a radical choice: I relocated to a coastal town I’d only visited once before. Renting in London remains absurdly pricey, but when I swapped my one-bedroom flat in South East London for a property twice the size in the charming coastal town of Deal in Kent, I hadn’t anticipated pocketing an extra £275 each month.

And the savings didn’t stop there. I’m now situated near an Aldi, where costs are considerably cheaper than the small Sainsbury’s Local that sat at the end of my street in London.

I’d also escaped a draughty, detached Victorian property that had been badly split into flats, meaning my energy bills dropped surprisingly.

While I still pop into London occasionally to catch up with friends and go to events, there are three key reasons I’d never return to the capital:.

1. The cost

It can occasionally feel like simply breathing costs 10p per minute in London. Cash appeared to vanish from my bank account when I resided there, which made saving especially difficult.

Although I could have reined in spending on takeaway coffees, takeaways and dining out, that’s very much part and parcel of the London way of life. Heading out for a couple of drinks with friends could easily become a £100 evening once you factor in travel expenses.

I adored having countless restaurants on my doorstep in London; I’d never sampled Eritrean food before relocating there, for instance, but the variety was occasionally overwhelming. I found myself wanting to sample everything, which wasn’t always feasible when you had rent and bills to cover.

Something many don’t clock about London life is the expense of getting around. Before lockdown, I was fortunate to live relatively near my workplace, yet the daily commute still set me back roughly £10 – money that quickly mounted up.

These days, I’m mostly based at home, with the odd trip into the office. While local transport doesn’t match TfL’s standards, I barely use it except for medical appointments.

I’m now just minutes away from Deal’s shops, cafes and eateries on foot, which has slashed my spending considerably.

2. The noise

The sheer volume of London didn’t hit me until I’d left. That relentless background din becomes your new normal within days of arriving.

When I left, I was genuinely shocked by the silence. I’d grown used to the overground rattling past my back garden, distant sirens wailing, and the neighbours’ telly and chatter filtering through the walls.

Town centre living still brings occasional noise disturbance, but nothing like London’s levels. My biggest gripe now is aggressive seagulls screeching on the roof at dawn during the summer months.

3. The scenery

For me, coastal views are unbeatable. Growing up along Dorset’s shoreline means spotting that brilliant blue line on the horizon just feels right.

Don’t get me wrong, London boasts some stunning vistas. Perching atop Blythe Hill Fields in South London, gazing down at the park and some of the capital’s most recognisable buildings was among my favourite pastimes when I called it home.

Yet, after several years, I found myself yearning for seaside panoramas. I longed for the shore, the ocean and crisp air.

Regardless of how many green spaces I explored in London, the atmosphere always seemed dense and polluted.

Everyone warned I’d regret my choice to relocate to the coastline, but to this day, it ranks among the best decisions I’ve ever made. Don’t get me wrong, there are several drawbacks to seaside living; we’re inundated with holidaymakers during summer, there are fewer amenities, and everyone I know lives much further away, but I’d embrace all of that rather than residing in London.

During the summer of 1998, a 19-year-old rapper named Eve (formerly known as Eve of Destruction) received a phone call from her producer friend Scott Storch about an opportunity to hop on a record with the Roots.

The hip-hop band from Philadelphia, formed by Black Thought and Questlove, was bubbling at the time and Eve, a known battle rapper in the city, was excited to work together on a song called “You Got Me.”

After tweaking the verse that Black Thought, the band’s lead MC and co-founder, wrote for her, Eve laid down her vocals, rhyming the lyrics “Another lonely night? / It seems like I’m on the side, you only lovin’ your mic.”

“It was really exciting,” Eve said, while lounging on a couch in a Hollywood residence. The rapper, actor and fashion designer has been based in London for the last decade. “I think that was my most professional setting because they obviously were already signed.”

When the song, which is featured on the Roots’ career-defining “Things Fall Apart” album, was released in 1999, it was the first time the world heard Eve’s voice — but no one knew it was her. To her surprise, she wasn’t listed as a contributing artist on the track.

She was also surprised to find out that Jill Scott, a poet and rising neo-soul singer from Philadelphia who wrote and sang the initial hook, was replaced by Grammy-winning singer Erykah Badu. After receiving the wrong address for the shoot, Eve wasn’t featured in the music video either.

In 2000, the Roots and Badu won a Grammy for “You Got Me,” but because Eve wasn’t listed on the track, she didn’t receive an award. By this time, Eve was signed to Ruff Ryders and promoting her debut album “Let There Be Eve…Ruff Ryders’ First Lady” including her breakout single “Want Ya Want,” so although it hurt her feelings at the time, she moved past it, she said.

“There was no time to kind of go back and think about it,” said Eve, who opened up about the situation in her 2024 memoir “Who’s That Girl.” After years of seeing each other and even performing the song together, she and Questlove spoke about the matter for the first time when she made an appearance on his podcast and apologized to Eve for the oversight. “We were extremely inconsiderate, insular and uncommunicative with each other that things like that always spilled on the sidelines,” the drummer said on the podcast. (Questlove wasn’t available for comment further at the time of publication.)

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

Last fall, Eve received another unexpected phone call — this time from the Recording Academy. After hearing Eve talk about the “You Got Me” situation on Ebro Darden’s podcast, the Recording Academy wanted to give her an award for her contributions to the track.

“They were like, ‘Listen, we didn’t even know about this situation at all until we heard the podcast,’” Eve recalled.

After 26 years, Eve was given a golden gramophone Thursday night during the Recording Academy Honors presented by the Black Music Collective in front of a star-studded audience. For her, the award feels like “validation in a way to that little girl, to little Eve,” she said. “She deserves that.”

She added, “Whatever is yours can’t miss you.”

Ahead of the ceremony, Eve spoke to The Times about coming up in the Philadelphia music scene as a teenager, what the “You Got Me” situation has taught her and what receiving this award means to her now. She also talked about the impact of her second studio album, “Scorpion,” which turns 25 this year, and what it was like to bring her toddler son on tour with her for the first time.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

You grew up in West Philly at a time when so many future greats were coming up at once — the Roots, Jill Scott, Bilal and Scott Storch. When you were just a teenager, you were hanging out at studios with some of them and attending jam sessions at Questlove’s house. What did the energy in Philly feel like back then?

It was amazing because music was everywhere. I knew that I wanted it to be my life, so every weekend I was doing something. I should’ve been going to school, but I was going to the studio because I knew that I wanted music to be my life. And in Philly, there was always something going on whether it was a block party or a jam session or an open mic night. I was at everything.

Scott Storch was the person who called you about getting on the Roots’ “You Got Me” record. What was your reaction when you got that call?

When you are young, there’s that no fear thing. I remember being excited, of course, but also like, “Yes! I’m supposed to be here,” not from a cocky place but more affirmative. It was really exciting, but it was also very professional. I think that was my most professional setting because they obviously were already signed. I’d never been around that before, so I remember [being] like “This feels like the business.”

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

You were around 19 or 20 at that time, right?

I must have been around 19 because I would’ve gotten signed and dropped [from Aftermath] when I was 18. [laughs]

At that time you were in between record deals, so it must have felt like a big opportunity.

Absolutely. You know what’s funny, I probably just took it for granted in the sense of like “Oh yeah, this is the start.” They are signed. It’s funny because I think back on the situation and I guess I thought it was gonna pop off from there. That’s why all the events that happened afterward were like “Ugh.”

Take me back to the day that you laid down your verse. Who was in the studio with you?

I’m pretty sure Black Thought and Jill [Scott] were there. Even if not the whole session, I don’t know if I’d come in if she’d finished or whatever, but I’m pretty sure she was there.

How did your verse come together?

I had this whole thing in my head, but Black Thought had a whole verse already. But then I was like, “I’m not gonna just say your verse.” Now, I have a writer sometimes, but back then, especially because I was a battle rapper, it was like I can’t say somebody else’s bars. That’s not real. So he had this whole thing and then I kind of tweaked it to make it feel and sound like me.

I had a lot of audacity back then. I really did. [laughs] Because most people would be like “Yeah, cool.” Also, I was like if I’m going to put my voice on this, I really want to feel like me. I have thought about this [situation] so much now, and I’m sure that also attributed to them being like, “We don’t need to reach out. We don’t need to make sure it’s OK” because the majority of it was written by him. Not that that’s an excuse because there is no excuse.

When was the first time that you realized you didn’t receive credit for the song? If I’m not mistaken, I think Jill Scott found out that her vocals were replaced by Erykah Badu after she heard it on the radio.

I think it was kind of the same thing. It all happened so fast like, “Oh, the song is out.” I probably heard it around the same time and thought “Oh, that’s not Jill. Oh, that’s Erykah Badu.” It was such a weird timeline because I did the song a year or a few months before, and then by the time I heard the song, I was living in Harlem and I was signed to Ruff Ryders.

The song went on to win a Grammy for rap performance by a duo or group in 2000, but because you weren’t credited, you didn’t receive an award. In your book, you talk about how this situation lined up with you being dropped from Aftermath Entertainment and moving back home from L.A. How did you deal with all of this emotionally?

I feel like I had a month that I was just [felt] — I don’t know if I’d call it depressed — deflated. I really felt like damn, this was it and now I’m back home. I was just in L.A. in a condo with a nice bank account. Now I’m back at my mom’s house in my pajamas and I gotta catch the bus. What the hell is happening to my life? [laughs] That was horrible so I was wrestling with my feelings and my sadness, but my mom was great. My mom has always been my rock. She was supportive and she [didn’t] tell me to get over it. She kind of just let me wallow in it, but [she was] positive as well like, “Maybe that wasn’t the time.” It was crazy, but I will say, I needed it. I’m happy that happened because I wouldn’t have the career I have now. Like going back to the Aftermath thing, if I had come out then, I wouldn’t have the career that I have now. I feel like I did need to be humbled because it was definitely the Philly attitude that got me fired, that got me dropped. [laughs] My name at the time was Eve of Destruction, my battle rap name, so it was the time that I sat with my feelings and I was like if I get this chance again who is it that I want to be as an artist? Who do I want to show the world? I didn’t want to take on a title. I was like I’m just going to show them myself. I’m going to show them Eve.

Some fans knew that you didn’t receive credit on this track, but others found out for the first time when you talked about it last year during an appearance on Ebro Darden’s podcast.

It’s crazy how many people are mad about it for me. I had friends who were like, “Girl, so what’s going to happen?” [laughs] But it is a funny thing. Why wasn’t I mad enough? Or was it — this is the over-analyzer [in me] — one of those moments where I just wanted to forget about it. Because, yeah, my feelings were definitely hurt if it was a fake address. Or did we get the address wrong? So maybe I was like, “I’ll just put it on the back burner,” but Ebro definitely did not. And you know what, I’m happy he didn’t because sometimes it takes for a person to be your champion or your cheerleader in certain things and I do appreciate it.

“You Got Me” is one of the Roots’ biggest songs to this day. Was it weird hearing it played everywhere when it first came out?

During that time I did not see them. It was very weird. That song had come out, I was doing my thing, but we ran in different circles hip-hop-wise. I guess we just never crossed paths. I never really saw them. I think they were on tour by then and I was with Ruff Ryders. We didn’t see each other until years later because we have performed that song now three times probably at separate points in my career, which is also weird. [laughs]

That is weird.

It’s weird. I don’t know what’s wrong.

Now, 26 years after “You Got Me” won a Grammy, you are finally receiving your award and honored at the Black Music Collective Recording Academy Honors. What was your reaction when you found out?

It was weird at first because the [academy] called a lot of different people. They called like four different people because they wouldn’t tell anybody why they wanted to talk to me. Finally, I think Swizz [Beatz] was probably the last person they called. Then we got on the phone and I remember I was having martinis in London. It was a FaceTime [call] and I was standing under a lamp. It was not professional on my side and I was trying real hard not to be tipsy. I was like, “This is so cool. Thank you, guys.” [laughs] My friend, who I was with, was like “What did you have to take a call for?” and I was like “Girllll.” So it was a fun night. I came home and told my husband, fell asleep and when I woke up, I completely forgot about it. Then my friend texted me and was like “Do you remember?” and I was like “Oh s—! Yeah!” It’s just such a cool thing and since then it’s been like “Wow.” They said, “We could send you the Grammy, but we’d like to give it to you.” It’s really nice. It’s a really interesting feeling because obviously it’s been so long, something that I thought I was done with, in a way, so it feels good.

What did they tell you exactly?

They were like “Listen, we didn’t even know about this situation at all until we heard the podcast.” It was the podcast that I did with Ebro when they were like “Oh nah.” Even Swizz was like “Sis, we gotta make this happen. That’s not cool.” And I was like “OK, cool.”

Does receiving this award now feel like reconciliation at all? Or maybe validation?

In a way, validation to that little girl, to little me. It sounds a bit cheesy, but she deserves that. It’s a great moment. I’m still wrapping my head around it in a way especially since I’ve been away from music for so long and for this to be happening like this is very cool.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

What have you learned or taken away from this situation?

I think I’m honestly still processing because I was joking, but kind of not, like I want to talk to my therapist about why I let this go. What was it? Why did I think, “Oh nah, it’s cool. We squashed it.” But it’s like no, this is bigger than that. But good s— comes to good people and I know for sure I definitely deserve it. [laughs]

In other exciting news, this March marks the 25th anniversary of your second album, “Scorpion.” What memories rush back to you when you think about that time of your life, living and working in Miami?

Oh my God. There’s so many. It was so fun. I remember the house we rented. I had one Yorkie, then I bought her a friend in Florida. It was silly s— that I remember and then just being in the studio day and night. Then the Marleys were on the other side. It was just a good time. I was fully in it. It was a lot of pressure because it was like “We gotta get this album done now.” It’s when I really think I felt the business of music in the sense of like, “We gotta meet these deadlines. We gotta get this album out,” which was stressful but I was still naive enough, I think, to still be having fun. I was going out. I met Trina. Trina is my girl. Overall, it was a really good time.

Between experimenting with new sounds, crossing genres with artists like Gwen Stefani, and making the theme red, “Scorpion” felt very intentional. Reflecting back, what did that era represent for you personally beyond the music?

I feel very lucky that Ruff Ryders always allowed me to artistically do what I wanted to do. They never said things like “Oh this might not work.” And even sonically, they weren’t the ones who were fighting back, it was more like executives and Interscope, but for me “Scorpion” means red. Red is a scorpion color. We gotta come out stinging, but I also want to show that I’ve grown, that I’ve matured and really show what my ear is. I felt really lucky that they didn’t fight me on it. They let me do exactly what I needed to do. It felt collaborative because that’s how Ruff Ryders worked anyway. There were people in and out of the studio all the time, but it made it good because sometimes a conversation led to a hook or a verse.

Last year you went on tour with Nelly, Ja Rule and Chingy, and you brought along your son. What was it like having him there with you, seeing you on stage?

It was grueling. I ain’t gone lie. It was amazing, but being on tour with a toddler is different. That being said, the reason I said yes to doing the tour is because he’s young enough that I can kind of tote him around, but he’s old enough that he can remember. Seeing him on the side of the stage was like “Oh, my little baby.” It was also fun. Like everybody on that tour had bangers, so even me performing or being backstage and hearing Ja or hearing Nelly or hearing Chingy, it was a good tour. The crowd showed up. It was a really cool tour too because in some places, it was like generations of people together like the kids and the moms, and then there were a lot of young people, and I was like “Oh, I love this.”

What else do you have coming up?

Listening to new music and discovering new artists. I am excited about this 25th anniversary because we are going to do some really fun stuff with it and we’re talking about some re-imaginings with it. Just touch some of the songs that people love and give it a bit of life. What else? I don’t know. I’m just “momming.” That’s my favorite thing right now. He’s getting so big. I cannot believe he’s about to be 4. Watching him grow is nice.

I’M A Celeb AITCH had a secret snog with a stunning blonde podcast queen -15 years his senior – weeks before jetting Down Under.

The Brit-Award winning rapper locked lips with manifestation guru Francesca Amber at showbiz bash the Pride of Britain Awards, London in October, just a fortnight before he flew to Australia to take part in the ITV reality show. 

Cheeky Aitch, who was 25 at the time, hit it off at the free bar with author Francesca, 40, and was seen cracking jokes with the manifestation guru in the corner.

An onlooker revealed: “Aitch is a bit younger than Francesca but didn’t lack any confidence, he has bags of character and he was showing off and making her laugh, they were having a right giggle. 

“By the end of the evening they were kissing in front of everyone, it was quite romantic. Aitch has got loads of charisma and can hold his own, he’s no boy when it comes to flirting, so you can see how he won her over. They exchanged numbers before heading off into the night.”

Mum-of-three Francesca is still single, and Aitch’s spokesman declined to comment. 

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RAPPER’S ANTICS

Aitch admits he broke ITV bosses’ strict rule before I’m A Celeb jungle

Following his I’m A Celeb stint, fans were convinced Aitch was falling in love with co-star former EastEnders actress Shona McGarty, 34, after they were seen having heart-to-hearts on camera and play fighting. 

The pair had raised hopes of a jungle love story earlier in the series after rapper Aitch said he had a “soft spot” for the former EastEnders actress. 

But upon exiting camp Mancunian Aitch shut down rumours of a romance. He said: “No, Shona’s just a cool person. I feel like me and Shona are just cut from the same cloth in a way. We just have the same sense of humour.

Asked if there is any chance of a romance, Aitch responded: “No, not at all. That’s just a good friend of mine.”

He has previously linked to Chicken Shop Date online host Amelia Dimoldenberg, 32, and model Rose Lola Thompson. 

Previously he has said: “I love dating a girl who is understanding and who can have a laugh with. I like it when I feel like my girlfriend is my best mate and understands me.”

Just before the rapper flew into the jungle it was revealed that he had parted ways with psychology student Lois Cottam.

A source at the time said: “Aitch and Lois still have a lot of love for each other but they decided they are better off as friends.

“They enjoyed the time they spent together. Things ended amicably between them.”

Aitch and Lois, are understood to have dated for at least a year.

We revealed that the pair were dating in May 2025, reporting that he had whisked her off for a trip to New York.

They also holidayed on the Greek island of Santorini in the summer but kept their relationship under wraps, with Aitch, real name Harrison Armstrong, not sharing pictures of them together on social media.

A reality TV series dubbed the ‘best show ever’ is returning for a second series and fans are predicting a ‘wild ride’.

A reality TV series that has been branded the “funniest show” is returning three years after its first season.

Social experiment Jury Duty first aired on Amazon Freevee in 2023, with a second instalment hitting Amazon Prime Video in March this year.

The hoax sitcom follows a fake jury trial, with construction worker Ronald Gladden serving as a juror, unaware that the proceedings around him aren’t real.

Starring James Marsden as a fake juror, portraying an over-exaggerated, parodied version of himself, and a series of actors as the other jurors, including one who keeps falling asleep, Jury Duty shows the inner workings of a trial in the US.

Everything that goes on is entirely planned, unbeknownst to Ronald, who thinks the people around him are actually as chaotic as they seem.

The documentary-style comedy sees Ronald share his baffled thoughts to the camera before realising what actually happened.

He later won $100,000 as part of the experience, saying his life “completely changed overnight” once it aired.

He added, “I had a feeling in my gut the whole time that something wasn’t right. They got me on camera multiple times saying, ‘I feel like I’m on reality TV. Like, this can’t be real. What’s going on?”

“The day of the reveal, everyone was so quick to let me know that, like, ‘Hey, we understand that none of this was real. But the one thing—that the relationships we formed were real.”

“They were so quick to just let me know that that wasn’t fake. And that honestly is what made the whole thing worth it for me.”

The series received a roaring response from critics and audiences alike, with three Emmy nominations, two Golden Globe nominations and a Peabody Award.

It is now set to return, Amazon Prime confirmed, but this time, Ronald will be free from the chaos.

A teaser trailer was posted on social media, captioned: “Welcome to the retreat. Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat premieres March 20 on @primevideo.”

The video took a look back at the original series, before teasing: “Now, we’re following a business on their annual company retreat. Except this is not a real company. It’s fake. Everyone involved is an actor. Except Anthony.”

One person is then heard saying: “If I go home and tell my parents about this stuff, they’re gonna be like, ‘You’re lying’.”

As per Deadline, Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat will follow a corporate offsite event at a family-owned hot sauce company, with Anthony featuring as a recently hired temporary worker.

The entire experience will be staged, with every “colleague” assigned a role around him, and scenes in conference rooms and during downtime, all orchestrated.

When the founder announces he’s preparing to step down, the retreat transforms into a clash between corporate ambitions and small-business values, with the future of the company and whose hands it will fall into all up in the air.

Fans have been left over the moon at the glimpse of a new season, with one writing: “I’m so excited to see this.”

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“Season 1 was too good, we are ready!” another wrote, as a third said: “Best. Show. EVER. Can’t wait for S2!”

“I don’t know how you can top the original, but I’m dying to see!!!!” someone else said.

Another commented, “If this is even half as chaotic as Jury Duty, we are in for a wild ride. But honestly, am I the only one wondering if they can actually pull off the ‘fake person’ trope again without everyone being suspicious? The bar is set so high. I just hope it’s actual comedy and not just another over-produced ‘reality’ mess. March 20th can’t come soon enough. I need to see if this lives up to the hype or if it’s just a one-hit wonder.”

When previously discussing possible future seasons of Jury Duty, showrunner Cody Heller told Variety: “Obviously, it would have to be a whole different universe. You couldn’t just do jury duty again, because then people would be like, “Wait a second”.

“But I do think that it’s possible. I do think there’s a million different worlds that this kind of thing could exist in.”

Jury Duty is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.

A LIDO that first opened five decades ago is hoping to welcome swimmers back after a three-year closure.

Popular swimming spot Stanhope Open Air Swimming Pool is raising money for repairs and upgrades needed to open its doors once again.

The once bustling open air pool in County Durham was the area’s only heated lido.

It first opened in 1974 and welcomed swimmers for 48 years before its closure in 2023.

In 2023, the lido was forced to shut after it experienced electrical issues in the plant room.

But prior to that, the lido saw more than 8,000 swimmers in 2022.

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Now, the charity looking after the pool is hoping that it will once again reopen to the public by next year.

The charity posted on Facebook about the update: “We are delighted to announce that we have agreed a new 30-year lease with our landlords. Weardale Open Air Swimming Pool first opened in 1974, with a life expectancy of 30 years.

“The hard work of our wonderful volunteers kept things going for much longer, but the pool infrastructure now needs complete renovation.”

It detailed that lots of essential works are still needed to restore the lido to its former glory.

This includes relining the pool, rewiring the whole site, refurbishing the plant room and upgrading the changing rooms and snack bar.

It added that it will need to “raise hundreds of thousands of pounds”, but locals remain optimistic.

One wrote on the post: “That’s fantastic news, loved that pool, be lovely to see it up and running again.”

Another added: “Great news, it is quite an asset to the area. Hope the future is bright!”

The charity is asking for the community and users to donate to help the cause – but is also applying for grants for the refurbishment.

The lido is 25metres long and when it was open was always heated to 27C – so it was warm even on the cool summer evenings.

It even had a springboard, so the depth of the pool was a maximum of three metres deep.

Along with the main pool was another smaller one for children which was just half a metre deep – it was also heated to the same temperature and had a slide.

Visitors were also able to use the on-site sauna, cafe and shop where they could buy dive toys, armbands and goggles.

Here are all of the new lidos set to open across the UK from seafront pools to city swimming spots.

Plus, this English lido with heated swimming pool and Full Moon swims reopened after a £120k upgrade.

A popular ferry service that linked the UK with Norway was withdrawn in 2008, but it could return, as there have been calls to restore the route that connects the twin cities

There have been calls to restore the popular DFDS ferry service linking the UK to the Norwegian city of Bergen, 18 years after it was discontinued.

The beloved DFDS ferry linking Tyneside to the Scandinavian port ceased operations in 2008. However, the upcoming launch of new direct flights from Newcastle to Bergen this year has reignited demands for the maritime connection to be revived as well.

The two cities have maintained their twin status since 1968, with Bergen previously sending Newcastle an annual Christmas tree for decades as a symbol of their bond, though this custom has since ceased due to environmental considerations. While operators consider restoring the ferry service financially unviable, Newcastle City Council leader Karen Kilgour informed colleagues on Wednesday that enthusiasm for reinstating the route persists.

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The Labour councillor revealed to a full council session that she anticipated the Jet2 flights commencing this April would “prove popular enough to allow the company to offer year-long flight options connecting our two great cities”.

Coun Kilgour continued: “Not only will this assist our economic links through strategic sectors in offshore energy but also allow tourists to take advantage of city breaks. We would also love to see the return of the ferry, which stopped running in 2008. We know lots of people in both cities have fond memories of travelling by sea to visit both Newcastle and Bergen, reports Chronicle Live.

“And while at this point operators consider the route is not economically viable, we will continue to work with partners and our friends in Bergen to explore all ways of bringing it back. Bergen remains a strategic partner in our international work and we intend not only to maintain but to deepen that relationship in the months ahead.”

The possibility of reinstating a ferry service is believed to have been hampered by the requirement to construct an expanded passport control facility at Bergen’s port should operations resume.

Lib Dem councillor Greg Stone, who has consistently championed the ferry’s return on a historic route stretching back to 1890, commented: “Warm words are one thing, but we need to make it a reality. I know there are costs involved in doing that but I hope the council will continue that work, redouble that work, and work potentially with the mayor [Kim McGuinness] to look at what we can do to restore the physical ferry link.”

Travellers are delighted at the prospect of the ferry route returning, as one shared on Facebook: “That would be great, I would be on that like a flash.” A second commented: “An absolute necessity to get this route back again. Bergen/Stavanger – Newcastle.”

A third wrote: “Out of all the routes lost the return of the Bergen route would be the most successful. Bergen is a great place to visit and is also the gateway to the rest of Norway.” Reminiscing another shared: “It used to go to Hamburg as well and I went there on DFDS with my nana and grandad to visit family when I was a kid.”

One more shared: “I so hope so. Pity it may not go to Haugesund and Stavanger, but I can take Bergen. It would be amazing to have the ship back again, so we can connect again with beautiful Norway. My homeland, on my father’s side.”

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

A MAJOR character from Sex and the City was seen looking sexier than ever.

The SATC heartthrob was spotted out and about walking his dogs, and honestly, he’s still looking good more than 20 years after his Sex and the City days.

The 58-year-old actor, who played Carrie’s writer boyfriend, was rocking a seriously shaggy beard during the low-key outing.

Ron Livingston, the star behind the oft-debated Jack Berger character in the series, threw on a blue flannel shirt for the casual dog walk.

Yeah, that’s the guy who had the audacity to break up with Carrie using a Post-it note that said, “I’m sorry. I can’t. Don’t hate me.”

That Post-it breakup is still one of the most talked-about moments in the entire series, and an iconic moment in television history.

For the walk in Hollywood, he added baggy blue jeans to his flannel shirt, a white undershirt, and some dark red leather sneakers.

Wife and fellow actor, Rosemarie DeWitt, joined him on the dog walk in a sporty black and white look with a floppy hat.

Ron’s joked before that he got “death threats from scrunchie nation” after another scene where Berger defended a woman’s hair scrunchie.

Berger is also the one who dropped the legendary, “He’s just not that into you,” line on Miranda during that dinner with all the girls.

Since his SATC days, Ron’s been busy with stuff like The Conjuring, Boardwalk Empire, and his hit show, Loudermilk.

Ron was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and attended Yale along with Anderson Cooper, while singing in the a capella group, the Whiffenpoofs.

He first became known for his lead role as Peter Gibbons in the classic American movie, Office Space.

He’s also well-known for playing Captain Lewis Nixon in Band of Brothers, the HBO war series, for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe.

Unlike SJP, Ron’s kept his personal life pretty private compared to when he was in the Sex and the City spotlight.

He married Rosemarie in 2009, and the pair have two children together.

This casual dog-walking look shows he’s totally fine living a chill life away from all the Hollywood craziness.

Fans were pumped to see him looking good and living his best life.

That shaggy beard gives him a totally different vibe from his clean-cut Berger days — more rugged and distinguished now.

Even after more than 20 years, SATC fans still remember Berger as one of Carrie’s most memorable boyfriends before she met Petrovsky and ended up with Mr Big.