Archive August 11, 2025

Coronation Street star, Lucy-Jo Hudson, has lost nine pounds after a ‘physically tough and mentally exhausting’ challenge, which she says left her in a ‘better frame of mind’

Lucy-Jo Hudson has shown off the results of her impressive weight loss after undergoing a gruelling 30-day challenge. The Coronation Street star, 42, who played Katie Harris in the ITV soap, has dropped nine pounds, which she says has left her in a “better frame of mind”.

Captioning the snaps in which she poses in a black sports crop top and shorts, 30 days apart, Lucy-Jo explained she’d been training and prepping healthy meals, sharing : “This is me, real, raw, mum of two, prioritising her health for the first time.

“From Day 1 to Day 30, 9lbs dropped, inches lost, posture changed, confidence built, leaner and stronger and in a better frame of mind…” It comes as fellow Corrie star Helen Flanagan showed off her fabulous figure in a nautical bikini.

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Lucy-Jo continued: “I have showcased the ups and the downs of the past 30 days as you know. It has been physically tough, mentally exhausting, and I haven’t been perfect.”

“Juggling kids, work, training, and trying to find time to prep meals in between everything else’.

“But here’s what I’ve learnt: You don’t have to be 100% to make progress. Small steps add up. It’s not easy – but it is worth it.”

Before adding: “This is for every mum who feels like there’s never enough time for herself. You can do it. It might take time, it might not be perfect, but it’s possible – and your health is worth fighting for.”

Responding to her post, Lucy-Jo’s followers sent their congratulations, including Hollyoaks star, Gemma Atkinson, who responded with a number of applauding emojis.

Lucy-Jo is mum to daughter Sienna-Rae, 12, who she shares with ex Corrie co-star Alan Halsall and four-year-old son Carter with partner Lewis Devine.

Lucy-Jo and Alan split after nearly nine years of marriage; it was then revealed that she’d embarked on a relationship with Lewis shortly after.

Last month Alan looked delighted with life as he rocked up at Corrie star Jack P. Shepherd’s wedding with his new girlfriend.

The actor, 42, who plays Tyrone Dobbs, made a big step in his new commitment with partner Ellie Dolan as they attended the David Platt star’s nuptials hand-in-hand.

A source told us that the blossoming relationship was already ‘serious’ in May despite the pair rarely seen with one another.

They said: ‘Alan is really happy. Ellie is a great girl and they have lots of common. And she gets on so well with Sienna, which is so important to Alan. Sienna is his world.”

The couple reportedly met at the Marriott Worsley Park club, where Alan is a member and Ellie works.

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Stay cool this heatwave with the best garden water toys and games that’ll keep your children active and entertained, and arrive by tomorrow

With the heatwave officially here, and the sun beaming, you may be wondering how to keep your kids (and yourself) cool and entertained. And if so, you’re in the right place as we’ve found the very best garden water toys and games to shop now.

From paddling pools to sprinklers, and inflatable slides to water blasters, these budget-friendly picks start from £7 and they’re the perfect way to keep both kids and adults cool and active in the heat.

Even better, many of these fun-filled finds can be on your doorstep as soon as tomorrow, so you can be ready for the next heatwave without the last-minute scramble. Whether you’re planning a garden party, a playdate, or just a cool-down session, these water toys promise hours of fun.

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Bestway H20GO Double Lane Slip and Slide Inflatable Water Slide

Available for £16.99

This double slip and slide features built-in sprinklers for maximum splash and an inflatable drench pool for a cool-down finish. Simply connect to a garden hose and you’re ready for hours of summer fun, from birthday parties to everyday play. It’s also under £20 and will arrive tomorrow with Amazon Prime.

4 pack Water Pistols for Kids

Available for £6.99

If you’ve got a smaller garden without much room for a paddling pool or sprinkler set, that doesn’t mean you can’t still provide some fun and games. Lightweight, portable, and safe for all ages, these foam-covered water pistols deliver a powerful 30-foot stream for endless fun in the garden.

Inflatable Paddling Pool

Available for £39.99

This spacious 2-meter inflatable swimming pool is perfect for kids to splash and play about in this summer. Made from durable, thickened PVC, it ensures long-lasting use with tear and abrasion resistance. Not to mention it’s less than £50, plus quick to inflate and easy to store.

Hasbro Twister Splash Water Game for Kids

Currently available for £11

A game that we all know and love, now with a fun summer twist. The Twister Splash Game adds water spray to every move, turning the fun up on a loved classic. And the setup is quick and easy, simply connect to a hose and get ready to get soaked.

Made In Chelsea’s Ollie and Gareth Locke welcomed Apollo Magnus Obi and Cosima Emily Bex via surrogacy in 2023 – but don’t expect to see them in economy any time soon

Dad Ollie Locke says his toddlers rarely travel unless it’s on a private plane – and says the mistake of once flying economy left his young family scarred.

The Made In Chelsea star and his husband Gareth now prefer to travel on their own and say the two-year-old twins have already been on dozens of private jets in their short lives. He says the decision was made after a ‘nightmare’ trip in cattle class and the reality star hasn’t looked back since.

Gareth and Ollie married in 2020 at London’s Natural History Museum before welcoming twins Apollo Magnus Obi and Cosima Emily Bex via surrogacy in July 2023. They like to travel in style and won’t risk sitting in the cheap seats again after an experience to forget. It comes after Princess Andre said she was ‘independent’ from her parents as she broke her silence after Katie Price row.

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He explained all on the latest episode of Fabulous’ No Parental Guidance podcast. Ollie said: “They’ve done 27 flights. We’ve done private jets, we’ve done business class – and we did economy once, and it was a nightmare. Let’s just say we won’t be doing that again.”

He said the tots “cried the entire journey” and added: “Someone said ‘is this their first flight?’ and I said ‘no, it’s actually their 15th flight, they started off on a private jet’. They’d been in business. Now they’re in economy. That’s why they’re crying. From now on, it’s only business.”

But Ollie says their first ever private plane experience was a medical necessity. “One of the flights was actually a hospital-related private jet, because they were born in Sunderland and had to be transferred for medical care,” he explained. “So that wasn’t luxury, that was necessity.”

He went on to detail their arrival with the twins born at just 31 weeks, weighing just 2lbs and 2lbs 11. “They were super premature,” he went on to say. “We hadn’t done any classes, hadn’t met anyone else who was expecting and suddenly we were in this completely alien environment. We didn’t know what to do.”

Ollie and Gareth, who started dating in 2018 after years of friendship, have certainly got their hands full with the twins. Admitting that becoming a family of four has been a difficult adjustment, Ollie explained to OK Magazine: “At the beginning, Gareth would take Apollo and I had Cosi when it came to changing and night-times and all that kind of stuff. Otherwise, with twins, it’s mental. You’re up the whole night and then you go back to sleep but it’s time for another feed two hours later.

“We were exhausted and there were definitely some tears at the beginning. You’re not yourself in any manner – you’re a completely different person. Every time I see my mum now I thank her because you don’t realise how hard it is to raise a child until you’re a parent yourself. It makes you more grateful.”

While Ollie has settled into life as a dad, he and Gareth have been through a challenging time which saw Apollo in hospital for an operation he has needed since birth. “We’re OK and he’s fine,” says Ollie, who doesn’t disclose what the operation was for but says it was a tumultuous time for the family.

“It was absolutely horrendous. It’s really, really difficult having any child go on general anaesthetic, but it’s awful having your baby not understand what that is because he’s too young. It was traumatising. I cried for three hours while he was in the operation – I just didn’t know what else to do so I stayed there and cried. I was like, ‘This is just the worst.’

Olly Murs has opened up about his friendship with Mark Wright and their wives, admitting that Michelle Keegan is ‘desperate’ to meet his wife Amelia Tank

Singer Olly Murs has playfully teased that his mate Mark Wright is “jealous” of his newly sculpted physique.

The Essex duo have grown incredibly close, even co-hosting a Saturday morning radio programme on Heart together.

The expectant father-of-two, aged 41, has dropped considerable weight and now boasts an impressively toned frame following his most recent knee operation in 2022.

He frequently flaunts his six-pack across social media platforms, though he’s jested that this is causing his pal to feel rather insecure.

Speaking to The Sun’s Fabulous, the crooner revealed: “He was getting really jealous. He said: ‘Oh my God, Olly, you gotta stop looking good because I ain’t in the gym as much as I used to be!'”, reports OK!.

Olly and his spouse, former bodybuilder Amelia Tank, have revealed they’re anticipating their second bundle of joy later this year, having welcomed little Madison into the world last April.

The ex-X Factor contestant is keen for Amelia and Mark’s wife, actress Michelle Keegan, to forge the same close friendship that he and Mark share.

However, despite “trying for years”, the foursome have still not managed to organise a double date owing to hectic and clashing timetables.

Olly explained to The Sun: “We’ve been trying to get the four of us together for years. But our schedule’s always all over the place.

“Hopefully this month we can do it, as Amelia’s never met Michelle. Michelle wants to meet Amelia, too. Everyone’s just so busy.

“Michelle is off doing a shoot, Amelia’s away with her mates, or Wright’s busy wheeling and dealing somewhere. We’re planning to do it before the baby arrives. Perhaps a barbecue at home.”

Olly and Amelia have confirmed they are keeping their baby’s gender a surprise, just as they did with their first child.

This follows Olly revealing his poignant family history, uncovering why his great-grandmother left her family during the war.

He recently travelled to Latvia to delve deeper into his family roots for BBC One’s ancestry programme Who Do You Think You Are?

During his journey, Olly discovered that his great-grandmother Veronika was a trapeze artist in a travelling circus and is believed to have had an affair with Eduard Murs Sr, Olly’s great-grandfather.

Olly’s grandfather Eddie was born in 1932 before Veronika made the heart-wrenching decision to hand him over to his father and his wife Katrine.

In 1944, they relocated to a refugee camp in Germany before settling down in Essex in 1948, while Veronika remained in Latvia and never saw her son again.

Speaking to TV Times, Olly shared: “My grandad’s relationship with his mum wasn’t great. Dad told me that Eddie felt she’d abandoned him.

Mel B got married for a second time in Marrakesh to her husband Rory McPhee, with Spice Girl bandmate Mel C there to celebrate the big day with her

Mel B stunned in a fiery dress which took 850 hours to make for her second wedding. The Spice Girls star tied the knot with husband Rory McPhee a few weeks ago in the UK before she headed to Morocco for a second wedding.

The Spice Girls star stuns in new photos of her Marrakesh wedding, where she said ‘I do’ in front of family and friends for a second time. Mel and Rory held a beautiful outdoor ceremony in Marrakesh.

There was a three-day event with local traditions, music and dancing all included and Mel’s children – Phoenix, 26, Angel, 18, and Madison, 13 – all played a key role in the special event. It comes after reports of Victoria Beckham’s four-word comment to Geri Horner amid Spice Girls ‘feud’.

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“That meant the world to me. It was the most amazing day and was so full of love. It exceeded all our expectations,” she told HELLO! Mel’s bandmate Mel C was also in attendance at the ceremony, with the pair even belting out one of their famous tracks.

“It was great to have my fellow northerner Mel C there,” she said of their Spice Girls throwback moment, “We had the best time together and totally forgot ourselves and went crazy when Holler came on. We’ve grown up together, all my family love her and to share that weekend with her and her lovely partner Chris was so special.”

The beautiful Justin Alexander gown was handmade with red crystals and bugle beads and took six artisans more than 850 hours to make, and the cathedral veil also had red crystals.

“As the sun went down, I wanted to look like a floating mermaid – a fiery red passionate one – gliding in ruby diamonds. Morocco has that very red va-va-voom – it’s passionate and spiritual,” Mel said of her gown.

Evelie Bridal owner Caroline added of the beautiful gown: “For Mel’s Morocco wedding dress, we focused on trying Justin Alexander gowns with a little extra sparkle. Mel loved the idea of a red dress—something bold, with lots and lots of shimmer—but it also had to feel light and easy to move in.

“We drew inspiration from a variety of dresses she tried on at Evelie South Kensington, then went back and forth brainstorming with Justin Alexander and his design team. After several conversations and sketches, the first design took shape. Mel gave us clear feedback on what she liked and what she didn’t, and the final result was beautiful. Mel had such a strong sense of what she wanted—it was a joy working with her and Justin Alexander to bring her vision to life.”

Melanie’s husband, Rory, who previously wore tartan and a kilt at the St Paul’s ceremony, opted for UK based designer, Alexander McQueen, and a traditional black tie look.

*To read the full exclusive interview, pick up the latest issue of HELLO! on sale now.