All posts by 234Radio

The ‘sneakerina’ is trending this season, and Ugg’s divisive new design already has shoppers calling it ‘iconic’

View 3 Images

No stranger to a controversial design, Ugg’s latest drop has already sparked conversation online, with shoppers calling the trendy shoe “iconic”.

Just last year, Ugg got everyone talking with the launch of its Mary-Jane boots and its shearling-lined ballet flats. Now, it’s released its Quill Ballet Trainer, a take on the trendy ‘sneakerina’.

Exactly how it sounds, the ‘sneakerina’ combines trainers (or sneakers as Americans call them) and ballerina flats. This sounds pretty harmless, considering the two shoes are already popular. However, the result is something many people have mixed opinions about.

As with most wacky trends, the hybrid shoe design has already received the celebrity seal of approval from major A-listers including Bella Hadid, Dua Lipa and Charli XCX.

READ MORE: Molly-Mae praises favourite £28 body moisturiser that ‘leaves no white cast’

READ MORE: Stacey Solomon shares the £37 clever sofa buy she spends ‘far too much time’ using

View 3 Images

View 3 Images

The Quill Ballet Trainer features a signature Ugg suede upper, laced in the classic ballet flat design, on a rubber sole ideal for daily wear.

Ugg fans have already flooded the brand’s Instagram account with comments of praise. One user wrote, “What these are so cool”, while a second said, “Soooo iconic babe”, and a third commented, “uhhhh so stunning”.

Alongside Ugg, Marks & Spencer is another brand to jump on the trend with its new style, the Suede Single Strap Mary Jane Trainers, priced at £50. These stylish shoes feature a suede finish, which is right on trend for 2026. They also feature a comfy flat sole that makes them ideal for everyday wear, along with a signature Mary Jane-style strap.

While Bella Hadid was spotted wearing this reasonably affordable £119 pair from Vivaia. And not only is Bella a huge fan of Vivaia’s pair, but so is Charli XCX, who was seen sporting two different pairs in the Coachella desert.

ITV presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have apologised for a now-deleted video, which showed the pair hanging from a washing line to promote their new podcast

Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have issued an apology after backlash from fans online over a video posted on their new Belta Box channel, as fans warned it could trigger those with mental health struggles.

**WARNING: This article contains themes of suicide which some readers may find distressing**

The pair also deleted the video – which has been obtained by the Mirror but we have chosen not to show the image which fans have taken offence to. It was shared on the pair’s newly renamed Belta Box Instagram and Twitter channels last night to promote their brand new podcast, but they soon faced calls from fans to take the clip down.

The deleted clip showed the duo hanging from a washing line. The video, clearly intended to be a playful take on their new podcast title Hanging Out With Ant and Dec, opened with a close-up image of Dec’s feet appearing to be suspended in the air, which was particularly upsetting for some viewers.

The video, which promoted their podcast, was posted on Instagram and X, with the caption: “Our brand-new podcast Hanging Out With Ant & Dec is launching Thursday 22nd January!” The video showed the pair hanging from a washing line before Dec asked “Did you agree to this?” Before Ant replied: “No, I thought this was your idea.” Dec declared: “This is not what we meant by hanging out”, as Ant pleaded: “Can someone get us down please?”

READ MORE: Ant and Dec make heartbreaking friendship confession as they launch new projectREAD MORE: Ant and Dec launch legal action after sale of their Banksy artworks

Music then played over the clip before Ant said: “Hanging out with Ant and Dec, our new podcast, is coming soon.” Dec added: “Listen wherever you get your podcasts and watch on the Belta Box YouTube channel.” Shortly after the clip was posted, the pair were met with criticism on social media, due to fears it could be triggering for people who are suffering with their mental health.

It comes after one follower wrote on X: “Errm you guys are great, but this video is horrendous. Come on, surely one person during editing could see how triggering the start would be to some people. Remove it.” Another added: “I’d hate for someone in distress to see this. Guys I know it isn’t intentional, but maybe take this down and re-edit the promotional materials.”

A third said: “Very poor taste that. That is intentional to grab attention. Ant and Dec already have a huge following, why ruin their own reputation to promote a podcast.” Meanwhile, another person wrote on the comments of their Instagram post of the clip: “Whoever thought that having JUST hanging legs and feet as the start of an advertisement is a good idea needs firing. If it indicated they were on a washing line first, that’s different.

“For someone who’s suffered and continues to struggle with mental issues, as well as knowing people who’ve lost their battles in a manner that the start of this advertisement insinuates is triggering. Be interested to know what mental health charities make of it @samaritanscharity @mindcharity”.

View 2 Images

The pair reacted swiftly by deleting the video and have since issued an apology. Ant and Dec have shared with the Mirror. It read: “We did not mean to cause any offence with this promo video and we are sorry if it has upset anyone. We have taken on board the comments and have deleted the video.”

It comes after the duo announced their brand new venture yesterday. The pair made an announcement on Saturday Night Takeaway’s official Instagram and YouTube pages to reveal a new project – which includes the pair hosting their own podcast. The channel has been transformed with a new name and branding, called Belta Box, which is their brand new entertainment channel and will house new content including new digital projects while also taking a look back at some of their career highlights.

Meanwhile, the platform will also feature their brand new podcast, Hanging Out With Ant and Dec, which launches on January 22. Speaking about the exciting new venture, 50 year old Ant said: “We’ve spent our whole careers celebrating great entertainment, so launching Belta Box feels like the natural next step. Alongside our new podcast, we’re excited to create a space packed with fun, feel-good content that brings people together—no matter where they’re watching or listening.”

While his pal Dec, 50, added: “What better way to launch Belta Box than with our first ever podcast series! We asked our audience if we did a podcast what would they like it be about, and they said we just want you guys to hang out. So that’s what we’re doing! Ant & I don’t get to hang out as much as we used to, so it’s perfect for us.”

Queen guitarist Brian May and EastEnders actress Anita Dobson moved to a £25m Surrey countryside estate after their £7m London home was flooded with sewage in 2021

View 3 Images

Anita Dobson, wife of legendary Queen guitarist Brian May, revealed a little secret about their domestic life after they traded the hustle and bustle of London for the tranquillity of the countryside. The couple had to abandon their £7m London residence after it was severely damaged by flooding.

They have since relocated to a staggering £25m home nestled in the Surrey countryside. The property is situated within a 200-acre estate in the heart of Windlesham.

Anita, 76, has previously confessed that her husband, now 78, has “never been happier” since their move to the rural setting. Their current abode, originally constructed in the 1920s, stands on the site of a 16th-century farmhouse which was torn down to make way for the Regency-style dwelling they now call home.

The pair’s previous home was inundated with sewage in 2021, an incident that reportedly left them heartbroken as it ruined Brian’s cherished memorabilia.

Anita characterised her husband as a “big collector” with a particular fondness for Star Wars items. However, she noted that his enthusiasm for collectables has “eased off” as he has aged, reports the Express.

View 3 Images

Despite this, Anita concedes that their home still frequently becomes “jammed with stuff”, even when they attempt to declutter. This means the couple are not in any hurry to downsize their property.

In a chat with Richard Eden of the Daily Mail, she quipped: “We are two of the world’s greatest collectors of clutter in the universe”.

“We have big rooms and even after they’re cleaned, after a week or two, they are jammed with stuff. People buy us stuff, which is lovely, and we don’t give them away, so we just keep them all. So we can’t downsize – not yet, anyway”.

Anita has previously shared that Brian “fell in love” with their new environment before he even laid eyes on the property. She says he was particularly smitten with “the trees, the flowers, the grass, the lake”.

View 3 Images

“How could I take him away from that?” she pondered during an interview with The Sunday Telegraph. However, trading London for the countryside came with a poignant realisation.

Anita, 76, confessed: “I remember thinking, ‘I’m buying my own retirement home,’ because it’s quiet. I do miss London. I miss the lights, the noise, even the dirt – I was born in that dirt. But I know what I’m facing ahead of me.”

The television personality also disclosed that Brian often ends up purchasing one item for his grandchildren to enjoy and another for his collection. She revealed: “He’s a big collector. He buys a packaged one and one that he can have for the grandkids.

“He’s bought quite a lot. It’s eased off a bit, as he’s gone through life. His favourite is the little green guy, he loves Yoda.”

Anita let slip that Brian also takes pleasure in collecting dinosaurs and figures of prehistoric creatures “like most kids do”. She admits she has attempted to declutter some of their belongings but grapples with her own hoarding tendencies.