British actress Marian Diamond has died aged 89. Her good friend friend and fellow actress Miriam Margoyles confirming the sad news in an emotional tribute on social media.
Miriam, who played Professor Sprout in several of the Harry Potter movies, revealed that Marian had died at University College Hospital in London on Monday, January 5.
Looking back fondly on their time working together, she wrote: “Alas, on my mind is the sudden death last Monday, of my dear friend, Marian Diamond, at UCH in London, aged 89.”
She added, “We first met in Edinburgh, I think in 1968 at the Traverse Theatre, and I loved her from then on. We worked together in radio after I joined the BBC Drama Rep. Company in 1965.
“She was one of the angels in our business, endlessly generous, interested in others and thrilled by their success. She was beautiful, gentle, full of fun, wise and perceptive.”
Miriam ended her heartfelt post saying: “I feel utterly bereft: a unique spirit has been taken very suddenly away from us. Her late sister, the casting director, Gillian Diamond and her close friend, the actor Hugh Dickson, both died in 2018. Gillian’s sons survive her. I hope they will share with her friends the funeral details. She deserves a full house. Marian, you’re held in my heart forever.”
The 84-year-old star was not the only friend to pay her respects after Marian’s death. Stage manager Paul Jackson also penned an emotional tribute, writing, “I am deeply saddened by the news that Miriam Margoyles posted, that my dear friend Marian Diamond died on the 5th January, aged 89. She was a great supporter of Play School and my archiving of the programme and we remained friends for 35 years.
He added, “Although I know she had been battling health issues in recent years, I was thrilled to see her in December 2024, when she joined Play School creator Joy Whitby, Phyllida Law (+Sophie Thompson) and Carol Chell at Riverside Studios, to view an exclusive showing of a previously “missing” episode from Thursday 12th August 1965, which she presented with Rick Jones.
“She was a gentle soul and did much work away from acting helping people. Will be sorely missed x”.
The late actress was well known for her distinctive voice roles in a host of BBC radio and television productions, including Play School. She also narrated a series of episodes for children’s classic Jackanory, working for the most part with C. S. Lewis books. She also voiced the part of ‘Lady of the Woods’ Galadriel in 1981 radio series adaptation of JR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.
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Celebrities often fill their Instagram feeds with stunning sunny getaways, but their beach breaks might not be as expensive as you first thought – with some costing as little as £475 per person
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Celebrities frequently showcase their glamorous sun-soaked escapes on Instagram as they jet off on lavish getaways. But their idyllic beach holidays might not cost as much as you’d imagine.
If you’re planning your summer break this year, you could follow in the footsteps of stars like Alison Hammond, Molly-Mae Hague and Harry Maguire. They’re all fans of European beach destinations where they unwind with family and friends – and you can too.
Travel expert @robonthebeach on TikTok has lifted the lid on exactly where celebrities choose to holiday and what it actually costs. While some famous faces spend more than others, many of the price tags are comparable to what ordinary holidaymakers fork out for their summer trips, reports the Express.
Rob confessed: “For the longest time, I’d see celebs tagged at these kinds of hotels and presume they’re just totally out of reach. But since I have started working in travel, I have realised that’s not the case.”
Alison Hammond
The This Morning presenter jetted off to Tunisia for a relaxing break with a friend, where she soaked up some well-deserved rest. Rob uncovered that she’d checked into the seafront Phenicia Hotel in the coastal resort of Hammamet.
He tracked down a package for seven nights this May costing just £475 per person – with both flights and accommodation included. Rob remarked: “The hotel’s beachfront, it has massive gardens, a pool area. This is exactly why Tunisia is such good value because this is a celeb hotel that is genuinely affordable.”
Laura Whitmore and Iain Sterling
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Celebrity duo Laura and Iain opted for a laid-back yet enjoyable family getaway in Tenerife, choosing to stay at the Bahia Principe Fantasia, according to travel expert Rob. He found a deal for a seven-night stay in April this year, costing between £850 and £900 per person, including flights and accommodation at the five-star hotel, which is renowned for its castle and all-inclusive package.
Harry Maguire
England football star Harry Maguire chose a stress-free holiday with his family in Turkey, staying at the Maxx Royal Belek Golf and Spa resort, as per Rob’s findings. The travel guru discovered a package departing from London in April this year, priced around £1,200 per person.
Rob admitted: “It’s not cheap, but the reason why is because this is elite level all-inclusive.” The resort boasts its own private beach, an extensive selection of dining options, and large swimming pools.
Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury
Social media influencer Molly-Mae Hague and her boxer boyfriend Tommy Fury indulged in pure opulence and Instagrammable surroundings during their stay at the Regnum Crown Hotel in Turkey. For a seven-night stay in late April, prices range from £1,250 to £1,300 per person.
Rob noted: “Bare in mind this is full-blown luxury so that price isn’t actually that bad. We’re talking huge pools, top-tier entertainment, incredible all-inclusive.
Emma Louise Connolly has found the perfect tailored coat at Marks & Spencer’s that she says ‘feels very luxe and premium’ – and you can still snap it up for just £90
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We’re still in the depths of winter, which means when it comes to getting dressed, your coat really is the whole outfit. If you’re after a new coat that’s smart and sophisticated enough to wear for the office or to formal events, but would still look great styled with jeans and trainers, then Emma Louise Connolly’s most recent purchase is just the thing.
The model shared her new Brushed Pinstripe Double Breasted Longline Coat on Instagram, saying: “Got a new M&S coat, feels v luxe and premium.” The chic tailored coat also won’t break the bank at £90, which is a steal considering how high end and expensive it looks.
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Although it’s made from synthetic materials, the Brushed Pinstripe Double Breasted Longline Coat has a wool-looking brushed finish to it, and comes in charcoal grey with a subtle white pinstripe running through it. The double breasted button fastenings and lapel collars also give it that effortlessly stylish look.
Although this is a coat that looks elegant and smart enough to wear for work or over an evening dress, Emma proved how easy it is to dress it down so you can wear it every day, too. She styled her Brushed Pinstripe Double Breasted Longline Coat with a pair of knitted grey wide leg trousers, a cardigan and a pair of trainers for an easy, throw-on look.
As it’s new on the site, there’s currently only one review, which is a five star one saying: “Love this coat. Had so many compliments on it. I’ve worn it formally over a dress and also casually with jeans. So many compliments on this coat.”
The Brushed Pinstripe Double Breasted Longline Coat is selling out quickly on the Marks & Spencer website, with only sizes 10 to 16 still in stock and the site marking it as the number three best selling style in the coats and jackets section. However, as it’s a new-in design, we’re hoping more sizes will be restocked ASAP.
If you did miss out on your size though, there are some other great alternatives elsewhere that are still available to shop. At Boohoo, we found a brilliant bargain option with the Pinstripe Wool Look Oversized Maxi Coat which is £32 down from £65 and still in stock in sizes 10 to 16.
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Alternatively, Karen Millen’s Brushed Wool Pinstripe Oversized Double Breasted Tailored Maxi Coat is made from a 49% wool blend and is discounted from £499 to £250, although the code KMSALE15 will get you an additional 15% off. For a more similar price point to the M&S coat, this ASOS DESIGN Longline Wool Blend Funnel Neck Coat in Grey Pinstripe is £100, although stock is also selling quickly in that one too.
Emmerdale star, Sammy Winward and her ex, David Dunn, haven’t spoken to their daughter, Mia, since she revealed she had signed up to X-rated sharing site, OnlyFans
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Emmerdale’s Sammy Winward is said to have been left devastated over the sad feud with her daughter, Mia.
The soap star, 40, shares Mia Winward-Dunn, 20, with her ex, David Dunn, 44, and used to regularly share snaps of her mini-me on social media, who she said was her “best friend”. However, when Mia, who has today announced she is expecting her first child – but hasn’t told her mum, revealed she was stripping off for OnlyFans, Sammy cut all ties.
Now, the model says she has quit the X-rated sharing site after finding out she was pregnant, admitting that she is yet to tell her mum her news. So, as she prepares for motherhood, here’s a look at the sad fallout with, Sammy, starting with that OnlyFans bombshell…
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Mia announces she’s joined OnlyFans aged 18
Mia has been locked in a fierce feud with her mum and dad for the past two years – with Katie Sugden star, Sammy, cutting ties with her daughter in the summer of 2024, four months after she joined OnlyFans.
The teen claimed was raking in a staggering £100,000 a month from the X-rated sharing site and said she felt “empowered” earning her own money and being independent.
However, her parents were appalled with her career choice, with former Blackburn Rover star, David, calling his daughter a “w***e” in a particularly low point for the famous family.
Sammy said some ‘pretty nasty things’, daughter claims
Sammy allegedly said “some pretty mean things” to Mia when she revealed her OnlyFans bombshell. The model claimed her mum was “jealous” of her success, alleging that Sammy refused to move on from their row, which reportedly left the soap icon heartbroken.
However, Mia has since said she “didn’t really understand why” her parents had reacted in the way they did to her joining the adult content site. When news of the feud broke, Mia spoke about her strained relationship with her parents, claiming: “I think she’s got some animosity towards me. I think she is maybe just jealous about me doing so well and so quickly.”
Insisting she has had to work hard to make her mega money, despite being a ‘nepo baby’, she added to The Sun: “I think that’s what my parents’ issue is really. They think I’ve done it off their backs, but actually, behind the scenes, it takes a lot more work than just being their daughter.”
She later posted a racy photo on her now-deleted Instagram account in an apparent dig at her mum. In the snap, Mia pouted to perfection, sporting a cropped white shirt, stockings and a mini skirt. She captioned the post: “Got a “real” job,” along with a ‘tongue-out emoji’.
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Mia reveals she’s pregnant but hasn’t told her mum
Today, Mia has revealed she is expecting her first baby, but hasn’t told her mum or dad. Claiming she hasn’t reached out to them, adding that “they don’t really know how to contact me”, she told The Sun she couldn’t imagine not speaking to her own child, now that she is pregnant herself.
Mia now says she’s ditched OnlyFans and lives in the Lake District with her partner and father of her baby, who she’s choosing not to name. As for a chance of a reconciliation between the model and her lookalike mum, it appears it’s a long way off, as the mum-to-be admitted they’ve “got a lot to work on”, adding: “There’s a lot to forgive and that process hasn’t even started yet”.
The former Love Islander turned mental health campaigner and podcast presenter tells the Mirror why we’re dealing with grief all wrong in Britain, and reveals how his late diagnosis of ADHD and OCD has been liberating
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Love Island isn’t the typical stomping ground for a doctor in emergency medicine, but Dr Alex George is far from a run-of-the-mill medic. Awarded both a doctorate and an honorary degree in recognition of his campaigning work supporting youth mental health, he has worked as everything from a government youth mental health ambassador to a TV presenter, with his own BBC1 show, Dr Alex: Our Young Mental Health Crisis.
His candid sharing about his grief, following his brother Llŷr’s suicide in July 2020, aged just 19 – a loss that turned his world upside down – and his own diagnosis of ADHD. followed by OCD, have also won plaudits from his 2.1 million instagram followers. The author of four bestselling books, and presenter of the podcast Stompcast, Dr Alex – who has a new book, Am I Normal?, out now – says the British approach to grief needs to change.
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Dr Alex, 34, who lives in London, says: “In this country, we tell people that when someone dies they’ll get over it eventually. “We try to move on immediately after the funeral. If you’re still sad months, or heaven forbid years later, it makes you think, ‘What’s wrong with me?’ There’s nothing wrong with you. I’ll never get over the death of my brother, and that’s okay. Do you ever want to get to the place where you’re like ‘I’m fine he’s dead – I’m cool with the fact my brother killed himself?’ I’m certainly not going to ever get to that place.”
He also disputes the concept of ‘five stages of grief’ – denial, anger, depression, bargaining, acceptance – developed in 1969 by Swiss-American psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in her book On Death and Dying. He says: “It’s one person’s theory, derived from studies on the terminally ill. It doesn’t, in my opinion, take into account the shock and utter horror I felt when I took the phone call from my dad to tell me Llŷr had died.
“When someone dies, people believe the end goal is acceptance and peace with their loss, rather than realising that grief is a fluctuant state of experience. Some days you’re happy, some days you are sad. Some days you’re laughing about the funny stories, other days you’re crying because you really miss them. That’s actually normal. Never getting over someone dying is normal.”
Dr Alex says the expectation was for him to move on after Llŷr’s funeral. He says: “The flowers came, everyone messaged saying, ‘I’m so sorry’, the funeral happened… and then everyone goes quiet and just kind of waits for you to get over it. ‘Give them a couple of months and they’ll be fine’, they think. And that creates an impossible task.
“People were scared to say his name. What I really needed was someone to say, ‘Okay we’re going to talk about him and keep him alive’.” Struggling to deal with his loss, Alex turned to drink. He says: “I was either working really hard or drinking. I tried to suppress my grief with alcohol and it came out in depression. I was overeating and not exercising. I just wasn’t looking after myself. I was 21 stone. I was a ball of stress and had a breakdown.
“At rock bottom, almost three years ago to the day, I sat in my barber’s chair. They said, ‘What do you want today?’ And I looked in the mirror, into my eyes, and thought, ‘I don’t know where to start’. I was completely lost. I didn’t recognise myself. I was in such a mess.”
Fortunately, Alex realised his alcohol abuse was masking something else. Recognising his symptoms of neurodivergence, he sought help and in September 2022 was diagnosed with ADHD, followed by OCD in 2025. He is also being assessed for autism. Dr Alex says: “I’ve used alcohol all my life to both medicate myself to be ‘normal’ in social situations and round off anxiety, and then, later, to numb grief and pain.”
Fortunately, after his experience in the barber shop, Dr Alex vowed he would change. He says: “I didn’t drink again. I started walking every day. Slowly but surely I turned things around. It’s taken time but I’m in a much better place now.”
During his four years as the government youth mental health ambassador, Dr Alex worked closely with the charity YoungMinds to improve and provide funding for mental health support teams in schools and helped to pioneer early support hubs, which he’s now calling to be rolled out nationwide. And his book, A Better Day, a mental health handbook for young people, won Children’s Non-Fiction Book of the Year at the British Book Awards.
Looking back, Alex now recognises that ADHD affected him growing up. It meant he lost concentration in class at school and was very sensitive, making him a target for bullies. He says: “One teacher said, ‘I think we need to lower our expectations of Alex a little bit.’ That comment made in front of me caused a lot of pain.”
Determined to prove them wrong, he carved out a successful career in medicine. But he is saddened by how many neurodivergent children go undiagnosed. He says: “A child by the age of five with ADHD on average has 20 000 negative comments or experiences, because being neurodivergent creates friction and people don’t like it. ‘Why can’t you concentrate like the other kids?’ It creates this feeling that something is really wrong with you and it perpetuates.”
With NHS estimates that around 2.5 million people in England have ADHD, Alex continues: “People say we’re overdiagnosing ADHD now. I say that’s not true – we know more now and these diagnoses can change lives, helping children to understand themselves and adults to understand them.
“If I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was six, seven, eight years old I would have had a very different experience at school. I’d have managed my own emotions much better. I would use the techniques that are beneficial, and maybe had medication. I definitely would never have drunk alcohol, and would have gone on to probably have had much happier teenage years and 20s.
“I was very lucky that I had support from my parents and lucky, too, that I ended up in a career that worked for me.” Alex goes as far as to describe ADHD as a “superpower” when he was a busy A&E doctor at University Hospital Lewisham in south London – working on the frontline during the pandemic.
He says: “Stick me in A&E, with lots of patients and fast-paced things going on, it’s dopamine heaven to me. I’m amazing in that environment. I was a very good A&E doctor, because I could jump between cases, I could focus then go on to the next thing. It was brilliant for me. But stick me in an office for six hours and I can’t function, I’d probably get sacked.”
While Dr Alex believes society was built for the neurotypical, he says being diagnosed has changed his life. He says: “We need to empower anyone with differences, because actually everyone has their strengths and if you get people in the right place, they can flourish. It’s like being planted in the wrong field versus the right field at the right temperature – all of a sudden you’re thriving.”
*Dr Alex George is the author of Am I Normal? Published by Octopus Books, 15th January, £22
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King Charles and Queen Camilla will reportedly be hosting the first state visit of the year very soon, with the Princess of Wales likely to play a key role
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As Princess Kate has returned to work for 2026 after a relaxing Christmas break, sources have claimed she is just months away from her first major tiara moment of the year. With the Princess of Wales’ calendar already stacking up, reports have claimed that she is likely to step back into a major role in March, as the first state visit of 2026 gets underway.
King Charles and Queen Camilla will reportedly host a major international leader in just a few months time for a historic state visit, with both Prince William and Princess Kate expected to undertake a huge royal role.
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A source told the Sunday Times : “It can be revealed that the King and Queen will host the president of Nigeria on a state visit to the U.K. in March, the first such visit since 1989.” While Buckingham Palace has not yet confirmed the visit, it would mark the first inward state visit of the year.
As state visits are marked with a glitzy banquet in Windsor Castle, the news of the potential visit has royal fans eager to see which tiara the Princess of Wales will don for the special occasion.
In 2025, Kate attended three state banquets: the French banquet in July, the US banquet in September, and the German banquet in December. For the French and US dinners, Kate opted for the Queen Mary Lover’s Knot Tiara.
For the German state banquet, the Princess of Wales debuted Queen Victoria’s Oriental Circlet Tiara, made of diamonds and rubies, which was designed by the German-born Prince Albert.
At all three state banquets last year, William and Kate undertook official welcome duties, travelling to airports to greet the international leaders as they touched down on UK soil. They would then accompany those being hosted on their trip to Windsor, where the state visit events take place.
State visits are an important way for the UK to strengthen its international relationships. Foreign monarchs, presidents or prime ministers of other countries visit King Charles during inward trips, while the British royals also travel abroad at the invitation of other nations for outward visits.
Inward state visits, which typically last for a few days, are often highlighted by a ceremonial welcome, luncheon with the royal family, grand state banquet and meetings between the visiting guest and British politicians.
While in Windsor, foreign leaders are also invited to inspect a Guard of Honour alongside King Charles, before heading inside the castle to observe artefacts from the Royal Collection. Once the state banquet begins in St George’s Hall, both Charles and the foreign leader being hosted give speeches about the countries’ relationship.
The Nigerian leader was last hosted in the UK by the late Queen Elizabeth when she welcomed General Ibrahim Babangida for a state visit to the U.K. in May 1989. More recently, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited Nigeria in May 2024 at the invitation of Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, the country’s highest-ranking military official. Their visit, however, was not an official royal trip.
