France and Saudi Arabia are preparing to host a one-day summit at the United Nations, a day ahead of the start of the General Assembly, both of which will be heavily focused on Israel’s war on Gaza and the elusive two-state solution.
At the UN headquarters in New York, world leaders will convene Monday to revive the long-stalled notion amid warnings that a contiguous Palestinian state could “vanish altogether” as a result of Israel’s hegemonic moves in both Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
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France is expected to announce its official recognition of a Palestinian state, and others like Belgium are considering doing the same. It will come one day after the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Portugal all recognised Palestinian statehood in historic moves despite vehement opposition from Israel and the United States.
Israel and its top allies are boycotting the summit, with Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, describing the major multilateral event as a “circus” and sticking to Israel’s common refrain that such moves “reward terrorism”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under heavy domestic political pressure amid the surge in recognitions for a state of Palestine. Israeli media reports his far-right government is considering partial or full annexation of the occupied West Bank in response, but that Netanyahu needs US support and cover, which he will seek while in New York for the UNGA.
The UN has expressed hope that the summit could “inject new momentum into efforts to establish a UN roadmap towards two states”.
Monday’s summit is expected to expand on the “New York Declaration” that was adopted by the General Assembly earlier this month after a July conference also co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia. Israel and the US boycotted those international gatherings as well.
The seven-page , declaration , that was endorsed outlined “tangible, timebound, and irreversible steps” towards a two-state solution, while also condemning Hamas and calling it to surrender, disarm, and release all captives held in Gaza. It further called for an immediate ceasefire and unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza as Israel continues to starve the famine-stricken Palestinian people.
French President Emmanuel Macron will be a leading figure in the summit on Monday, but Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is expected to attend via video link despite being a co-host.
In response to the growing global consensus against its genocidal war in Gaza and its occupation of the West Bank, Israel has been advancing plans to annex parts of the West Bank with the explicit aim of ending the prospects of a future Palestinian state.
Israeli diplomats have also teased possible measures specifically against France and Macron, telling Israeli media that they might close down the French consulate in Jerusalem, possibly expel French diplomats or limit intelligence cooperation.
Netanyahu has also lashed out at Macron, claiming that he is fueling “the anti-Semitic fire” in France.
Qatar, which has been mediating between Israel and Hamas but was bombed by Israel earlier this month, on Monday welcomed the announcements by the UK, Canada, Australia and Portugal,
Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza has only grown more violent as a result of the country’s limited international support, most notably the ground invasion of Gaza City and the deadly air and naval assaults on the besieged region.
Friends of Katie Price’s are worried that she may be spiralling “out of control” following a string of no-shows and late arrivals to work commitments, claims a source.
Friends of Katie Price’s are worried that she may be spiralling “out of control” following a string of no-shows and late arrivals to work commitments, claims a source.(Image: Getty Images)
After causing outrage by turning up late to a gig and cancelling a high-profile appearance at the 11th hour, Katie Price ’s chaotic lifestyle may be spiralling “out of control”, her friends and family fear.
The star, 47, angered fans when she arrived over two hours late to appear on stage with Kerry Katona for their live show, An Audience With Katie Price And Kerry Katona, last week.
The duo were scheduled to perform at Whitley Bay’s The Playhouse theatre at 7.30pm on 15 September. But on the night, a post from the theatre informed fans that the show would start half an hour late due to “technical difficulties”. However, when 8pm came, Katie was nowhere to be seen – and Kerry was forced to go it alone on stage.
Katie was two hours late for one of her tour performances last week(Image: Instagram/katieandkerrytour)
READ MORE: Parents hail natural eczema cream ‘miracle in a bottle’ after clearing flare-ups in days
Katie did make an appearance via video link before she eventually arrived at the theatre around 9.35pm and spent just 35 minutes on stage.
Katie claimed that heavy traffic and caring for her son, Harvey, who has Prader-Willi syndrome, partial blindness and autism, were the reasons for her late arrival. But some fans weren’t satisfied with her explanation, and were “furious” with the limited amount of time Katie was on stage.
It was the second time in 48 hours that Katie had come under fire for letting her fans down, after she was slammed for cancelling a charity gig and then going partying instead.
She was due to perform at the afterparty for Milton Keynes Pride on Saturday 13 September. However, organisers released a statement claiming they were told at extremely short notice that Katie would no longer be attending.
“The official afterparty was booked and promoted as a fundraising event, with Katie Price contracted as the headline performer,” a spokesperson said. “Despite repeated attempts of contact to fulfil this agreement, her management has confirmed she will not be honouring her booking. This decision was made at short notice and is entirely outside of our control.”
Her friend Kerry Katona has defended the star, explaining that she was hit with traffic, mum duties and a lengthy drive before the show(Image: Instagram/katieandkerrytour)
They went on to comment that, despite the “consistent support” shown to Katie from the LGBTQ+ community, it was “deeply regrettable” to see that it wasn’t reciprocated from her.
Katie blamed her no-show on work commitments, saying, “I’m not going to be able to make it. I’ve got filming and obviously I’m in the studio recording my new track, so I will be there next year.”
However, she then raised eyebrows when she was spotted partying at Geordie Shore star Chloe Ferry’s 30th birthday. During the bash Katie even took to the mic to perform her 2017 single I Got U.
Friends and family have now expressed concern about her antics. “Katie has been turning up late to events – or not turning up at all – and those close to her are worried that she might be getting out of control. They’ve witnessed it before. She’s trying to do it all, but she’s burning herself out. It doesn’t seem to be sinking in,” a source says.
“Katie doesn’t seem to care that she’s not just letting down the venues and the organisers, she’s also letting down her fans who have paid money to come to see her – it’s simply not fair on them.
“She doesn’t realise that being this unreliable has consequences, and while punctuality has never been her strong point, it’s not a good look.
“Everyone around her thinks that she needs to focus on herself and get to a good place rather than to continue being on stage and working.” However, Kerry Katona maintains that Katie’s unreliable behaviour has very reasonable explanations – and she doesn’t hold it against her.
“Katie had Harvey at home and a nine-hour drive to get to the show, where the traffic was mental, so I completely understood her being late. She has been on stage and working until silly hours each night so I don’t blame her at all, it was out of her control,” she said.
Katie was slammed by MK Pride organisers for cancelling her public appearance last minute(Image: Getty Images for The Cambridge Union)
“Katie has been really reliable the rest of the tour so people need to give her a break. She did the first half of the show virtually, so it’s not like she wasn’t there at all. Lots of people in the audience actually found it quite funny that she was late, too.”
Mum-of-five Katie has had a difficult few months. In August, her ex-husband Peter Andre lashed out at her on social media, saying he was fed up of her “repeated lies” and claims about the welfare of their children Princess and Junior. Then ex Alex Reid also accused her of “spreading lies” and shared a video of her apparently counting cash while bankrupt.
Article continues below
“Katie isn’t in a great place – she’s partying one minute and dodging things she’s previously committed to the next,” our source claims. “People rely on her, so of course it’s frustrating when she doesn’t pull through. But she’s had a tough few months – she needs to slow down and take time out for herself. This kind of erratic lifestyle isn’t good for her.”
Friends of Katie Price’s are worried that she may be spiralling “out of control” following a string of no-shows and late arrivals to work commitments, claims a source.
Friends of Katie Price’s are worried that she may be spiralling “out of control” following a string of no-shows and late arrivals to work commitments, claims a source.(Image: Getty Images)
After causing outrage by turning up late to a gig and cancelling a high-profile appearance at the 11th hour, Katie Price ’s chaotic lifestyle may be spiralling “out of control”, her friends and family fear.
The star, 47, angered fans when she arrived over two hours late to appear on stage with Kerry Katona for their live show, An Audience With Katie Price And Kerry Katona, last week.
The duo were scheduled to perform at Whitley Bay’s The Playhouse theatre at 7.30pm on 15 September. But on the night, a post from the theatre informed fans that the show would start half an hour late due to “technical difficulties”. However, when 8pm came, Katie was nowhere to be seen – and Kerry was forced to go it alone on stage.
Katie was two hours late for one of her tour performances last week(Image: Instagram/katieandkerrytour)
READ MORE: Parents hail natural eczema cream ‘miracle in a bottle’ after clearing flare-ups in days
Katie did make an appearance via video link before she eventually arrived at the theatre around 9.35pm and spent just 35 minutes on stage.
Katie claimed that heavy traffic and caring for her son, Harvey, who has Prader-Willi syndrome, partial blindness and autism, were the reasons for her late arrival. But some fans weren’t satisfied with her explanation, and were “furious” with the limited amount of time Katie was on stage.
It was the second time in 48 hours that Katie had come under fire for letting her fans down, after she was slammed for cancelling a charity gig and then going partying instead.
She was due to perform at the afterparty for Milton Keynes Pride on Saturday 13 September. However, organisers released a statement claiming they were told at extremely short notice that Katie would no longer be attending.
“The official afterparty was booked and promoted as a fundraising event, with Katie Price contracted as the headline performer,” a spokesperson said. “Despite repeated attempts of contact to fulfil this agreement, her management has confirmed she will not be honouring her booking. This decision was made at short notice and is entirely outside of our control.”
Her friend Kerry Katona has defended the star, explaining that she was hit with traffic, mum duties and a lengthy drive before the show(Image: Instagram/katieandkerrytour)
They went on to comment that, despite the “consistent support” shown to Katie from the LGBTQ+ community, it was “deeply regrettable” to see that it wasn’t reciprocated from her.
Katie blamed her no-show on work commitments, saying, “I’m not going to be able to make it. I’ve got filming and obviously I’m in the studio recording my new track, so I will be there next year.”
However, she then raised eyebrows when she was spotted partying at Geordie Shore star Chloe Ferry’s 30th birthday. During the bash Katie even took to the mic to perform her 2017 single I Got U.
Friends and family have now expressed concern about her antics. “Katie has been turning up late to events – or not turning up at all – and those close to her are worried that she might be getting out of control. They’ve witnessed it before. She’s trying to do it all, but she’s burning herself out. It doesn’t seem to be sinking in,” a source says.
“Katie doesn’t seem to care that she’s not just letting down the venues and the organisers, she’s also letting down her fans who have paid money to come to see her – it’s simply not fair on them.
“She doesn’t realise that being this unreliable has consequences, and while punctuality has never been her strong point, it’s not a good look.
“Everyone around her thinks that she needs to focus on herself and get to a good place rather than to continue being on stage and working.” However, Kerry Katona maintains that Katie’s unreliable behaviour has very reasonable explanations – and she doesn’t hold it against her.
“Katie had Harvey at home and a nine-hour drive to get to the show, where the traffic was mental, so I completely understood her being late. She has been on stage and working until silly hours each night so I don’t blame her at all, it was out of her control,” she said.
Katie was slammed by MK Pride organisers for cancelling her public appearance last minute(Image: Getty Images for The Cambridge Union)
“Katie has been really reliable the rest of the tour so people need to give her a break. She did the first half of the show virtually, so it’s not like she wasn’t there at all. Lots of people in the audience actually found it quite funny that she was late, too.”
Mum-of-five Katie has had a difficult few months. In August, her ex-husband Peter Andre lashed out at her on social media, saying he was fed up of her “repeated lies” and claims about the welfare of their children Princess and Junior. Then ex Alex Reid also accused her of “spreading lies” and shared a video of her apparently counting cash while bankrupt.
Article continues below
“Katie isn’t in a great place – she’s partying one minute and dodging things she’s previously committed to the next,” our source claims. “People rely on her, so of course it’s frustrating when she doesn’t pull through. But she’s had a tough few months – she needs to slow down and take time out for herself. This kind of erratic lifestyle isn’t good for her.”
Joanna Page leaves no stone unturned as she lifts the lid on all aspects of her life, including sex life with her husband, iconic TV show Gavin & Stacey, and her new memoir Lush
Joanna believes fans will see a different side to her when they read her fascinating new memoir
Much loved for her role as sweet and scatty Stacey in the nation’s favourite comedy Gavin & Stacey, Joanna Page lifts the lid on her life, charting her path to the iconic TV show in her new memoir Lush . The book explores her early awkward auditions and other uncomfortable incidents, chasing her big break, finding success and falling in love – and navigating the madness of being a mum of four.
“I don’t pull any punches,” the 48-year-old actress exclusively tells OK!. “I wanted it to be honest and tell it how it is.” Joanna, who describes her life as “full on”, spoke to us from her home in Oxfordshire, exuding positive energy and talking at double speed in a still-strong Swansea accent.
READ MORE: Gavin & Stacey star Joanna Page lands exciting role hosting brand new BBC series
Joanna Page is much loved for her role as sweet and scatty Stacey in the nation’s favourite comedy Gavin & Stacey(Image: BABY COW)
She’s clearly in her element at home with her children, Eva, 12, Kit, 10, Noah, eight, and three-year-old daughter Boe, her two spaniels, and her actor husband James Thornton, 49.
The couple met on the set of the BBC series David Copperfield in 1999 and got married in December 2003. Together for almost 25 years now, Joanna says that sparks still fly between them, and giggles when she admits that now Boe is at pre-school, they have intimate morning dates.
“We don’t do date nights as there’s too much going on and I can’t be arsed,” she says. “And while, it’s wonderful and hectic and fun, James and I can go through huge chunks of not seeing or speaking to each other. So now they are all at school, we can sit down, have a little coffee and actually talk.
“James is going, ‘Can we connect in other ways? Let’s go upstairs and have a quick shag on the bed!’ But I’m like, ‘No, let’s have a coffee first. A bit of cake and a chat and, once we’re emotionally connected, then you can have a bit of sex! Suddenly we’ve got a relationship again! It’s wonderful. That’s where we are at the moment.”
The couple met on the set of the BBC series David Copperfield in 1999 and got married in December 2003(Image: Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images)
Joanna dismisses divorce rumours that were circulating after a 2020 interview(Image: Getty Images)
She confesses that Boe was conceived one day after school drop-off. “I drove home and James was standing in the garden, bare chested with low slung tracksuit bottoms, and looked like a rough, sexy gardener,” she swoons. “I was like, ‘Oh, my God, you’re gorgeous.’ I fancy him so much and he still fancies me, thankfully!”
Apart from sexual chemistry, what’s their secret? “He makes me laugh and I love his personality. We have the same views and ideas of how we want to live our lives. We love being together all the time. But you don’t get through 25 years without ups and downs. Of course we bicker and have arguments and go to bed not speaking, but we always wake up in the morning and never carry the argument on.”
Joanna is a proud mum to four children
Joanna dismisses divorce rumours that were circulating after a 2020 interview. She says, “I just said that Covid was really difficult for us as a family because me and James argued a lot, and it was like we were going to get divorced every day. I said it jokingly but this newspaper printed it as if I genuinely meant it. I didn’t. I utterly adore him. He’s wonderful.”
Brought up just outside Swansea, Joanna had a carefree childhood, spending a lot of time outdoors and at the beach. “I’m an only child and, growing up, I was happy with that. I’m quite a loner and enjoy my own company so I never, ever thought I’d have such a big family and so many children! But I absolutely love being a mum and surrounded by all this noise and busyness.”
Joanna says she is pretty similar to her on screen character Stacey ‘in terms of how impulsive and also homely I am’
Joanna has a new book! -Lush! My Story – From Swansea To Stacey and Everything In Between by Joanna Page
Joanna believes fans will see a different side to her when her book is published.
“I’m pretty similar to Stacey in terms of how impulsive and also homely I am,” she says. “But I think I’m harder, too. People often think that I am just all sweetness and light, but James often says, ‘Jesus, if only people knew what you’re really like!’”
She is open about some of the more challenging episodes in her past, including her two years at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts after arriving in London from Wales.
“I was only 18 and I was told that I was rubbish at acting virtually every single day. It was abuse and it was awful, but I didn’t give up.”
Joanna landed a part in Love Actually at the age of 23(Image: Handout)
After RADA, she spent a decade on the stage for the Royal National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company before she landed a part in Love Actually at the age of 23.
The 2003 film, Richard Curtis’s quintessential festive romcom, was her break-out role. Her character, Judy, is a shy body double and is required to perform sex scenes with fellow actor John (Martin Freeman).
The nudity could have been problematic, but Joanna says she never felt exploited, adding, “It was a lovely experience. There was so much preparation with Richard and Martin beforehand.”
But in her twenties, as a pretty young actress, she was the target of unwanted sexual attention and harassment from predatory directors and colleagues. “I would call them out,” she says. “Being forthright has probably got me out of some scrapes because there were no intimacy co-ordinators when I came out of drama school. You read the sex scene and just had to get on with it.”
Joanna reveals that the cast of Gavin & Stacey all keep in touch(Image: BBC/Toffee International Ltd./Tom Jackson)
However, there is no hint of bitterness and she is excited about her memoir. Laughing, Joanna acknowledges how crazy her life story has been, from growing up in Mumbles to working with Hollywood stars like Johnny Depp, Emma Thompson and Liam Neeson.
Clearly, though, it was playing the role of Stacey that transformed her career, and when the BBC sitcom was voted Best Comedy at the National Television Awards earlier this month for Gavin & Stacey: The Finale , Joanna was moved to tears.
“I’ve loved working with the gang; there’s been nothing better,” she says. And the cast all still keep in touch. In fact, Ruth Jones, who plays Nessa, is one of her closest friends and they speak regularly.
“She’s just so adorable and so talented! The way she transforms herself for roles. And didn’t she look gorgeous at the NTAs? Her style is incredible.”
Joanna says she is relaxed about getting older and looks years younger than her age(Image: Baby Cow)
In recent years Joanna has been doing more TV presenting than acting(Image: BBC/RDF Television West/Kieron McCarron)
Joanna says she is relaxed about getting older and looks years younger than her age. “I feel perfectly happy with the way I look. When you get to a certain age and you’ve lost friends and family, it just makes you realise the only thing that matters is your health and happiness. So I think I’m bloody lucky.”
In recent years Joanna has been doing more TV presenting than acting, and loves filming her new BBC show Shift The Thrift . The daytime show will celebrate Britain’s booming charity shop scene and taps into the trend of second-hand shopping and online reselling.
So how do her children feel about her fame? “They’re really cool about it. Just before Christmas last year, Eva said to me, ‘Mummy, everyone is talking about Gavin & Stacey at school. Can I see it?’ So we sat down and watched every episode. She loved it. We quote bits of the show to each other now.”
Article continues below
She adds, “Eva is obsessed with Michael McIntyre and his show was up against Gavin & Stacey for the NTA comedy award. When it was announced we’d won, she was over the moon, and she said, ‘I love Michael McIntyre but he’s not as good as my mummy!’ I knew then that I’d made it.”
Lush! My Story – From Swansea To Stacey and Everything In Between by Joanna Page, published by Sphere on 25 September in hardback, eBook and audio, £25
Joanna Page leaves no stone unturned as she lifts the lid on all aspects of her life, including sex life with her husband, iconic TV show Gavin & Stacey, and her new memoir Lush
Joanna believes fans will see a different side to her when they read her fascinating new memoir
Much loved for her role as sweet and scatty Stacey in the nation’s favourite comedy Gavin & Stacey, Joanna Page lifts the lid on her life, charting her path to the iconic TV show in her new memoir Lush . The book explores her early awkward auditions and other uncomfortable incidents, chasing her big break, finding success and falling in love – and navigating the madness of being a mum of four.
“I don’t pull any punches,” the 48-year-old actress exclusively tells OK!. “I wanted it to be honest and tell it how it is.” Joanna, who describes her life as “full on”, spoke to us from her home in Oxfordshire, exuding positive energy and talking at double speed in a still-strong Swansea accent.
READ MORE: Gavin & Stacey star Joanna Page lands exciting role hosting brand new BBC series
Joanna Page is much loved for her role as sweet and scatty Stacey in the nation’s favourite comedy Gavin & Stacey(Image: BABY COW)
She’s clearly in her element at home with her children, Eva, 12, Kit, 10, Noah, eight, and three-year-old daughter Boe, her two spaniels, and her actor husband James Thornton, 49.
The couple met on the set of the BBC series David Copperfield in 1999 and got married in December 2003. Together for almost 25 years now, Joanna says that sparks still fly between them, and giggles when she admits that now Boe is at pre-school, they have intimate morning dates.
“We don’t do date nights as there’s too much going on and I can’t be arsed,” she says. “And while, it’s wonderful and hectic and fun, James and I can go through huge chunks of not seeing or speaking to each other. So now they are all at school, we can sit down, have a little coffee and actually talk.
“James is going, ‘Can we connect in other ways? Let’s go upstairs and have a quick shag on the bed!’ But I’m like, ‘No, let’s have a coffee first. A bit of cake and a chat and, once we’re emotionally connected, then you can have a bit of sex! Suddenly we’ve got a relationship again! It’s wonderful. That’s where we are at the moment.”
The couple met on the set of the BBC series David Copperfield in 1999 and got married in December 2003(Image: Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images)
Joanna dismisses divorce rumours that were circulating after a 2020 interview(Image: Getty Images)
She confesses that Boe was conceived one day after school drop-off. “I drove home and James was standing in the garden, bare chested with low slung tracksuit bottoms, and looked like a rough, sexy gardener,” she swoons. “I was like, ‘Oh, my God, you’re gorgeous.’ I fancy him so much and he still fancies me, thankfully!”
Apart from sexual chemistry, what’s their secret? “He makes me laugh and I love his personality. We have the same views and ideas of how we want to live our lives. We love being together all the time. But you don’t get through 25 years without ups and downs. Of course we bicker and have arguments and go to bed not speaking, but we always wake up in the morning and never carry the argument on.”
Joanna is a proud mum to four children
Joanna dismisses divorce rumours that were circulating after a 2020 interview. She says, “I just said that Covid was really difficult for us as a family because me and James argued a lot, and it was like we were going to get divorced every day. I said it jokingly but this newspaper printed it as if I genuinely meant it. I didn’t. I utterly adore him. He’s wonderful.”
Brought up just outside Swansea, Joanna had a carefree childhood, spending a lot of time outdoors and at the beach. “I’m an only child and, growing up, I was happy with that. I’m quite a loner and enjoy my own company so I never, ever thought I’d have such a big family and so many children! But I absolutely love being a mum and surrounded by all this noise and busyness.”
Joanna says she is pretty similar to her on screen character Stacey ‘in terms of how impulsive and also homely I am’
Joanna has a new book! -Lush! My Story – From Swansea To Stacey and Everything In Between by Joanna Page
Joanna believes fans will see a different side to her when her book is published.
“I’m pretty similar to Stacey in terms of how impulsive and also homely I am,” she says. “But I think I’m harder, too. People often think that I am just all sweetness and light, but James often says, ‘Jesus, if only people knew what you’re really like!’”
She is open about some of the more challenging episodes in her past, including her two years at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts after arriving in London from Wales.
“I was only 18 and I was told that I was rubbish at acting virtually every single day. It was abuse and it was awful, but I didn’t give up.”
Joanna landed a part in Love Actually at the age of 23(Image: Handout)
After RADA, she spent a decade on the stage for the Royal National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company before she landed a part in Love Actually at the age of 23.
The 2003 film, Richard Curtis’s quintessential festive romcom, was her break-out role. Her character, Judy, is a shy body double and is required to perform sex scenes with fellow actor John (Martin Freeman).
The nudity could have been problematic, but Joanna says she never felt exploited, adding, “It was a lovely experience. There was so much preparation with Richard and Martin beforehand.”
But in her twenties, as a pretty young actress, she was the target of unwanted sexual attention and harassment from predatory directors and colleagues. “I would call them out,” she says. “Being forthright has probably got me out of some scrapes because there were no intimacy co-ordinators when I came out of drama school. You read the sex scene and just had to get on with it.”
Joanna reveals that the cast of Gavin & Stacey all keep in touch(Image: BBC/Toffee International Ltd./Tom Jackson)
However, there is no hint of bitterness and she is excited about her memoir. Laughing, Joanna acknowledges how crazy her life story has been, from growing up in Mumbles to working with Hollywood stars like Johnny Depp, Emma Thompson and Liam Neeson.
Clearly, though, it was playing the role of Stacey that transformed her career, and when the BBC sitcom was voted Best Comedy at the National Television Awards earlier this month for Gavin & Stacey: The Finale , Joanna was moved to tears.
“I’ve loved working with the gang; there’s been nothing better,” she says. And the cast all still keep in touch. In fact, Ruth Jones, who plays Nessa, is one of her closest friends and they speak regularly.
“She’s just so adorable and so talented! The way she transforms herself for roles. And didn’t she look gorgeous at the NTAs? Her style is incredible.”
Joanna says she is relaxed about getting older and looks years younger than her age(Image: Baby Cow)
In recent years Joanna has been doing more TV presenting than acting(Image: BBC/RDF Television West/Kieron McCarron)
Joanna says she is relaxed about getting older and looks years younger than her age. “I feel perfectly happy with the way I look. When you get to a certain age and you’ve lost friends and family, it just makes you realise the only thing that matters is your health and happiness. So I think I’m bloody lucky.”
In recent years Joanna has been doing more TV presenting than acting, and loves filming her new BBC show Shift The Thrift . The daytime show will celebrate Britain’s booming charity shop scene and taps into the trend of second-hand shopping and online reselling.
So how do her children feel about her fame? “They’re really cool about it. Just before Christmas last year, Eva said to me, ‘Mummy, everyone is talking about Gavin & Stacey at school. Can I see it?’ So we sat down and watched every episode. She loved it. We quote bits of the show to each other now.”
Article continues below
She adds, “Eva is obsessed with Michael McIntyre and his show was up against Gavin & Stacey for the NTA comedy award. When it was announced we’d won, she was over the moon, and she said, ‘I love Michael McIntyre but he’s not as good as my mummy!’ I knew then that I’d made it.”
Lush! My Story – From Swansea To Stacey and Everything In Between by Joanna Page, published by Sphere on 25 September in hardback, eBook and audio, £25
United States President Donald Trump and his supporters have paid tribute to conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a memorial service at State Farm Stadium in Arizona with speeches laden with religious and patriotic themes.
Trump described the cofounder of the conservative advocacy group Turning Point USA as a martyr. Other speakers compared Kirk’s legacy to Jesus, Moses, George Washington and American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr, in stark contrast to critics who say he held racist, Islamophobic and misogynistic positions in life.
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Kirk was assassinated on September 10, while speaking at an open-air event at Utah Valley University, by a gunman positioned on a nearby rooftop. Prosecutors have charged a 22-year-old man, Tyler Robinson, with the murder.
Kirk’s killing has spurred an angry debate over political violence and freedom of speech in the US, with Trump and his administration pledging to prosecute those who have criticised the activist or mocked his death, and companies – including media outlets – firing staff over comments about Kirk.
Here’s what Trump and other major speakers at Kirk’s memorial said on Sunday:
Trump called Kirk a martyr and the ‘greatest evangelist’
Trump was the final speaker to address the close-to-capacity crowd of about 70,000 in the Arizona football stadium, describing Kirk as a “martyr”.
“On that terrible day, September 10th, 2025, our greatest evangelist for American liberty became immortal,” said Trump. “He’s a martyr now for American freedom.”
Trump also called for the return of religion to the US in his tribute to Kirk, whose faith as an evangelical Christian was central to his political advocacy, including his staunch pro-Israel views.
“And we have to bring back religion to America, because without borders, law and order and religion, you really don’t have a country any more,” said Trump.
Trump also railed against “commentators, influencers and others in our society” before saying, “I hate my opponent and I don’t want the best for them.”
Erika Kirk called for forgiveness
In contrast to Trump, Kirk’s widow Erika, who is taking over as CEO of Turning Point USA, called for forgiveness for her husband’s alleged killer.
“I forgive him because it was what Christ did. And it’s what Charlie would do,” said Kirk. “The answer to hate is not hate.”
She also described how she plans to continue her husband’s legacy.
“Charlie and I were united in purpose. His passion was my passion, and now his mission is my mission,” she said.
“Chapters will grow. Thousands of new ones will be created. Turning Point USA Faith will add thousands of new pastors and congregations.”
Dan Beasley, a Trump supporter and former US politician, carries a wooden cross through State Farm Stadium before the memorial service [Caroline Brehman/EPA]
Rebecca Dunn recalled giving millions to Kirk
Rebecca Dunn, who, together with her late husband Bill Dunn, were early donors to Turning Point USA, said “Charlie felt like a son to me.” Bill Dunn was a trader, while Rebecca has largely been involved with conservative think tanks and philanthropy projects.
Rebecca Dunn said she first decided to donate to Kirk after he – as a 20-year-old – passed a challenge they set by raising $25,000 in two days. She and her husband went on to give him “multiple ‘challenge’ grants, each one larger than the previous, eventually growing into the millions”.
Anna Paulina Luna compared Kirk to Martin Luther King Jr
The US congresswoman from Florida credited Kirk with launching her political career by offering her a job with Turning Point USA, which “ultimately forged the path that led me to Congress”.
In her speech, Luna compared Kirk to the US’ first president, George Washington, assassinated Democratic President John F Kennedy, and civil rights leader Martin Luther King.
“[Kirk’s] name will stand etched in the history besides the likes of JFK … and Dr King who marched into the jaws of hatred, sacrificing his safety and ultimately his life, to bend the arc of history towards justice,” said Luna.
Yet Luna’s tribute contrasted with Kirk’s own view of King, whom he rallied against in life, including in an 82-minute podcast episode titled “The Myth of MLK”, which described civil rights laws passed in the 1960s as “destructive”.
On Washington, Luna drew comparisons, saying the founding president “sacrificed his peaceful life at Mount Vernon to lead a militia and a small army against the mightiest empire on Earth, risking everything, his fortune, his family, his very life, to secure liberty for generations unborn”.
She said “Charlie poured out his youth, his energy and his unshakable resolve to awaken America’s youth from the slumber of complacency.”
People stand for the singing of the national anthem at Kirk’s memorial [John Locher/AP Photo}
Tucker Carlson compared Kirk to Jesus
The conservative commentator said Kirk “would have loved” to see the crowds gathered at his memorial “because, ultimately, he was a Christian evangelist”.
Carlson then said the ceremony reminded him of his “favourite story ever” before recounting how “a bunch of guys sitting around eating hummus” decided to kill Jesus, to stop him from “telling the truth”.
Jack Posobiec compared Kirk to Moses
Far-right influencer Jack Posobiec, who has a reputation for posting anti-Semitic and white supremacist content, continued the references to biblical figures by comparing Kirk to Moses.
“The Bible tells us that on his last day, Moses climbed to the top of the mountain and he looked across the River Jordan, and he saw the promised land,” said Posobiec.
“On his last day, Charlie Kirk was on the top of a mountain, and Charlie Kirk led us there, and Charlie Kirk has brought us to the promised land,” he added.
Posobiec is also known for promoting the “Pizzagate” conspiracy theory – which falsely claimed that Hillary Clinton was running a child sex ring out of a pizza parlour.