Shona McGarty is thought to have joined the line up for ITV’s latest series of I’m A Celebrity, where she will face the jungle and Bushtucker Trials is no stranger to hard times
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I’m A Celeb’s Shona McGarty sobs as she makes ‘hardest decision of whole life’(Image: WireImage)
EastEnders actress Shona McGarty will be putting on a brave face now she’s joined the line up for ITV’s I’m A Celebrity.
The actress, 34, is best known for her long-running appearance on BBC ‘s EastEnders as Whitney Dean. Leaving the BBC soap last year, she’s been largely out of the spotlight apart from her engagement to Irish musician David Bracken. However recent rumours appear to confirm the couple may have gone their separate ways.
Whilst a romantic split is never easy, Shona has also had her fair share of heartache including a moment in January last year which she described as the “hardest decision of my life”. The actor had to say goodbye to her beloved pet dog Coco. Recalling how the canine ‘saw her through some of the worst times and struggles in her life’, she gave an emotional update to fans as she broke the news.
Speaking on Instagram at the time, she wrote: “Today has been one of the hardest decisions I’ll ever make. My beautiful fur baby Coco Chanel, will be put to sleep at 3.30pm.
“Coco has fought through heart failure for years. I’ve done everything I could, every treatment, every medication, but they just aren’t working anymore, and my brave little bubba has had enough. And even though you’re so sick, you still kiss my nose.”
The BBC star also revealed how she’d been away from the family home while working on a pantomime for the six weeks before her dog’s death, missing Coco “like crazy” during that time. She added Coco’s health had sadly “really deteriorated” as she added: “Myself and your little sister Cece, will miss your happy little face, and gorgeous minstrel eyes, my precious little ‘Coco bean’ my silly ‘Coco Loco’.
“Thank you for the best 10 years of my life. You know all my fears, [anxieties], and secrets. You saw me through some of the worst times and struggles in my life. We’ll never forget you. I love you.”
Over 18 months on since her heartbreaking goodbye to Coco, Shona is facing a new challenge as she lands in Australia for ITV’s I’m A Celebrity. Spotted at the airport, the former BBC soap actress was seen without her engagement ring after her rumoured split from her fiancé David Bracken. Whilst the breakup hasn’t been confirmed, Shona’s words to the Daily Mail were telling as when asked what she would miss about the UK, she said, “Not a lot.’
Shona and David announced their engagement last year after the Irish musician got down on one knee in London’s Holland Park. The couple met on TikTok, and David proposed on their first anniversary shortly before they left for a holiday in Ireland together.
David, who is the lead guitarist of the Galway-based band Blessed, popped the question in the Japanese Kyoto Garden in London’s Holland Park and described the romantic occasion in an interview with OK!, as he said: “I told Shona to go stand at the waterfall in the park. I then put on our favourite song and had a dance with her before getting down on one knee.”
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Shona added: “I love Japanese culture and the spirituality of it. He brought a picnic which was really sweet. It was lovely, I was in my element but I didn’t think he was going to propose at all.”
The 1987 war film is directed and produced by legendary filmmaker Stanley Kubrick and is considered to be one of the greatest war films of all time – now it’s on Netflix.
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The film has a near-perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes(Image: Allstar/Warner Bros)
A 1987 war film – regarded as one of the finest ever made – is now available to stream on Netflix.
Helmed and produced by the legendary Stanley Kubrick, Full Metal Jacket draws from Gustav Hasford’s 1979 autobiographical novel, The Short-Timers, with a screenplay crafted by Hasford, Michael Herr, and Kubrick himself. The film’s title refers to the full metal jacket ammunition used by military personnel. It marked the final picture from the visionary director to be released during his lifetime.
Working with a production budget of $16.5-30 million, Full Metal Jacket raked in an impressive $120 million at the worldwide box office. Garnering extensive critical praise, the war drama secured an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, alongside two BAFTA nods.
The official synopsis reads: “Stanley Kubrick’s take on the Vietnam War follows smart-aleck Private Davis, quickly christened “Joker” by his foul-mouthed drill sergeant, and pudgy Private Lawrence, nicknamed “Gomer Pyle,” as they endure the rigors of basic training. Though Pyle takes a frightening detour, Joker graduates to the Marine Corps and is sent to Vietnam as a journalist, covering – and eventually participating in – the bloody Battle of Hué.”
Full Metal Jacket features Matthew Modine, R. Lee Ermey, Adam Baldwin, Vincent D’Onofrio, Arliss Howard, and Dorian Harewood. During casting, Kubrick employed videotapes for auditions, attracting over 3,000 submissions. Following his team’s initial screening, he personally examined the final 800 recordings to select his outstanding ensemble.
The film’s principal photography occurred across Cambridgeshire, the Norfolk Broads, and various East London locations including the Isle of Dogs, Millennium Mills, and Beckton Gas Works in Newham, reports the Express. Boasting a 94 per cent audience score and 90 per cent critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Full Metal Jacket achieved remarkable success with both reviewers and audiences alike.
One critic said: “A hard-hitting movie laced with moments of dark humour and brimming with social commentary, Full Metal Jacket is viewed as one of the all-time great war movie.”
Another reviewer added: “Full Metal Jacket, produced, directed and co-written by Stanley Kubrick, is not an easy film to watch, but from the first frame to the last, it is a riveting one.”
A third assessment wrote: “Visually poetic, darkly humorous, uncompromisingly brutal, and subversive in every way, Full Metal Jacket is easily one of the best war movies without being remotely similar to your standard issue war flick.”
One enthusiast couldn’t contain their praise for the film, saying: “In my opinion, it’s the best movie I have ever seen so far in my life. Its ability to portray the nature of war is unparalleled to anything I have ever seen. Brutal, visceral and raw this movie has all the components necessary for a spectacular war epic.”
Another viewer wrote a glowing review, saying: “The most I can describe it as is an absolute masterpiece. I understand where some of the negativity comes from, and the movie is definitely not perfect but I genuinely could not look away from the screen when watching.
“The portrayal of war in this movie genuinely shocks me in the same way Saving Private Ryan did, both of them being great movies. If you ever get the chance to, please go watch this movie.”
And one fan simply summed it up as: “Cinematic brilliance and it will stick with you the rest of your life.”
The Umia machine is billed as the world’s first “AI manicure machine” – but is it really artificial intelligence, or just an advanced printer with a clever marketing twist?
Artificial intelligence has penned books, steered vehicles and created artwork – so it was perhaps inevitable that it would eventually turn its attention to manicures and beauty treatments.
Umia is marketed as the globe’s first “AI manicure machine” and at initial inspection, it resembles a futuristic coffee maker rather than a beauty gadget: a sleek white box compact enough for a desktop, featuring a precise opening for one finger.
Now one woman has shared her experience, as she had a manicure done by Umia, and said it was a “hypnotic” experience watching it work on her hands.
Lara Owens has recalled her experience, but has said it won’t be replacing salons any time soon. She said: “The procedure, I’m informed, takes precisely 100 seconds per nail, whether you opt for a simple shade or an elaborate pattern. Yet the assertion of an ‘AI manicure’ left me doubtful. Was this genuinely artificial intelligence, or simply a sophisticated printer with shrewd branding?
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The procedure
Upon arrival, Lara met Umia’s representative, Audrey Dong, who clarified that the device provides solely the polish application aspect of a manicure – excluding the filing, shaping or cuticle maintenance that nail professionals deliver.
“It’s a gel manicure,” Dong explained, “so it will last around 10 to 14 days. “You place your finger inside and the machine’s camera scans your nail to understand its size, curvature and location – we call it your ‘nail DNA’.
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“Then it applies three coats – base, colour and top – and cures them as it goes. When your hand comes out, it’s shiny and dry.” Indeed, as the device hummed into action, Lara inserted her finger into the compartment and a compact camera flashed. A fine mist of polish was sprayed onto my nail in layers so delicate she couldn’t detect anything.
The only feeling came from the gentle warmth of the UV light that set the gel, which wasn’t unpleasant – actually, it barely felt like anything was happening. As promised, each nail took 100 seconds. That covered the scanning, application and setting. By the time she’d completed all ten, Lara had a full gel manicure in under 20 minutes.
The outcome
The finish was shiny and remarkably durable – though not perfect. Some of the more complex designs were slightly smudged around the edges, and on a handful of nails the polish strayed marginally, leaving a light mist on my skin.
But on the whole, it was tidy, robust, and definitely better than Lara had anticipated from a machine without hands or vision. That said, it won’t be replacing her local nail salon. Umia doesn’t manage any of the preparation work and you need to turn up with clean, prepped nails.
“We’re not replacing technicians,” Dong said. “We’re offering something faster and more accessible.” Dong envisions Umia machines not in nail salons but in routine locations: “hair salons, coffee shops, spas, even airports,” she said, “because it only takes about 20 minutes for a full hand, you could use it while you wait for your coffee or your flight. It’ll also cost significantly less than a regular manicure – probably less than half the price.”
Fittingly, Umia is launching in the UK during British Beauty Week (October 18-26), hosting a city-wide AI nail art scavenger hunt with clues shared on social media and hidden locations revealed through its new app.
It’s an intriguing nod to the growing intersection between technology and beauty – and a reminder that AI isn’t just transforming how we work but how we look after ourselves.
The verdict
It’s a captivating piece of kit and undeniably entertaining to watch in action. There’s something strangely hypnotic about seeing a machine delicately spray your nails with accuracy in near silence. Whilst the results aren’t flawless, they are more than acceptable for a quick, low-effort manicure.
But for now, it remains more of a gimmick than a substitute. A salon visit still offers the attention, precision and craftsmanship that machines haven’t quite perfected – not to mention the human touch.
Where Umia excels is in its promise: a portable, chemical-safe, quick-drying manicure that could slot neatly into the pace of modern life – something to do whilst you’re killing time in an airport, hair salon or café.
And whilst I’m still not entirely persuaded that spraying gel onto nails qualifies as “artificial intelligence”, there’s no denying it’s a fascinating glimpse into the future of beauty tech.
Taylor Swift is known for littering her songs and social media with Easter Eggs, and she has finally explained a particularly big one hiding in plain sight during her record-breaking tour
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Taylor hid a huge Easter Egg for her fans to spot(Image: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)
Recorded during gaps in her record-breaking Eras Tour, Taylor’s new album The Life Of A Showgirl is steeped in her love for Travis – while simultaneously dialling up the fun and glamour. “Travis is a definite lyrical influence on The Life Of A Showgirl, ” says Annie Zaleski, author of Taylor Swift: The Stories Behind The Songs. “For starters, the album doesn’t dwell on her past relationships or heartbreak. And lead single The Fate Of Ophelia, especially, is a song about how her relationship with Travis resurrected her.”
Speaking in the summer, Taylor herself told how the record reflected the big change in her personal life as Eras stormed the world. “This album is about what was going on behind the scenes in my inner life during this tour, which was so exuberant and electric and vibrant,” she said on Travis’s New Heights podcast in August. “It just comes from like the most infectiously joyful, wild, dramatic place I was in my life. That effervescence has come through on this record.”
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Released at midnight on 3 October, The Life of A Showgirl saw her reunite with Swedish pop masterminds Max Martin and Shellback, who previously worked with her on the likes of Shake It Off and I Knew You Were Trouble. As Taylor said, she wanted a record full of “bangers” and “melodies that were so infectious that you’re almost angry at it”. Annie believes Taylor more than delivered on her goal, saying, “Musically, the album contains echoes of 1989 and Reputation, but it’s less brooding than The Tortured Poets Department, hewing towards modern pop.”
At just 41 minutes in length, The Life of A Showgirl is the shortest album since Taylor’s debut in 2006. It is also her first record in over a decade not to feature production by her long-term collaborator, Jack Antonoff. Its various editions included seven vinyl versions, three CDs and a cassette, as well as a Look Behind The Curtain video option. Around half of its 12 songs are about falling in love, while the remainder are focused on the darker side of stardom.
Released as the first single, The Fate Of Ophelia quickly became the most-streamed song in a single day in Spotify history. It was accompanied by a lavish video directed by Taylor herself, which saw her showcasing several bold looks inspired by her Showgirl era, as well as the character of Ophelia from Shakespeare’s Hamlet . But instead of suffering a tragic drowning as per the literary classic, the track sees Taylor metaphorically being rescued by Travis.
“You dug me out of my grave and saved my heart from the fate of Ophelia,” she sings, while dropping more overt references to the Kansas City Chiefs ace. “Pledge allegiance to your hands, your team, your vibes,” say the lyrics.
“Don’t care where the hell you been, ’cause now you’re mine.” Unsurprisingly, the video packed in several of Taylor’s hidden Easter eggs – including shots of her catching a football and baking bread – a reference to her real-life obsession for sourdough.
In the song, Wi$h Li$t , Taylor suggests she would swap all of her riches for a life of domestic bliss with her man, singing, “I just want you, huh / Have a couple kids,” while adding, “Bring me a best friend who I think is hot.” On Elizabeth Taylor , she expresses her hopes that their relationship will last forever, while Opalite – revealed as Travis’s favourite song – portrays their romance in serene tones after a passing storm. Fittingly, his birthstone also happens to be opal.
Somewhat more eye-opening is the saucy track Wood, a play on the superstition of knocking on wood, with Taylor cheekily appearing to pay homage to her fiancé’s manhood. Fans and celebs were stunned upon hearing its allusions to a “magic wand” and a “redwood tree”, but the star insisted it was more innocent than many imagined.
“It’s a love story,” she said in an Amazon Music explanation. “[It’s] about using, as a plot device, popular superstitions [and] good luck charms, bad luck charms and all these different ways we have decided things are good luck or bad luck — like knocking on wood and seeing a black cat. That is the way I’ve decided to explore this very, very sentimental love song.”
With equally romantic sentiments, the track Honey sees Taylor reflect on how the meaning of words can change when they are proffered in the right way. “ Honey is a song about how words that have been meant to hurt you in the past can be repurposed by someone who loves you in a way that feels totally different,” she told Amazon.
Meanwhile, touching ballad Ruin The Friendship harks back to Taylor’s high school days in Tennessee, in which she wishes she had kissed a secret crush. More feisty is the track Cancelled! , which reflects on friends who have been involved in public outcry and drama. Many believe it refers to her rift with actress Blake Lively, and the line “I like ’em cloaked in Gucci and in scandal,” saw fans pointing out that Blake was once a Gucci brand ambassador. It was claimed that another reference to “poison thorny flowers” may refer to Blake’s role as a florist in the film It Ends With Us.
Elsewhere on the album, Father Figure is thought to address Taylor’s difficult relationship with former record label boss Scott Borchetta, who she fell out with over the sale of her master recordings. And closing the album, the bittersweet title track sees her duet with close pal Sabrina Carpenter in a song that dissects the perils of fame. “The more you play, the more that you pay,” the pair sing.
As you would expect, excitement prior to the unveiling of The Life Of A Showgirl reached unprecedented levels, with the album pre-saved on Spotify more than five million times. “The release achieved what few artists even dream of before anyone had even played it,” PR expert Lynn Carratt tells us. “She remains peerless in modern music, because she doesn’t just drop albums, she creates cultural moments and controls the narrative from day one, with the songs, the stories and hidden meanings keeping Swifties engaged.”
An audaciously ambitious marketing drive offered fans an 89-minute launch film called The Official Release Party Of A Showgirl, screened in more than 100 countries and generated millions in advance ticket sales. The film included the video premiere of the single The Fate Of Ophelia , as well as behind-the-scenes footage and lyric videos. The release campaign also had an orange theme to represent the album’s vivid energy, and when it was first announced in August, even the Empire State Building was doused in the colourful hue.
Typically, Taylor dropped one of her famous clues during her final Eras show, when she left the stage through an orange door instead of the usual elevator. “That actually was an Easter egg,” she said on the New Heights podcast. “Basically, the reason why I chose to exit that way is because I kind of wanted to give a little subliminal hint to the fans that I may be leaving The Eras Tour era, but I was also entering a new era.”
There were many other numerological clues in the lead-up to the release too, and the chosen date of 3 October – or 10/3 – chimed with Taylor’s favourite number 13. Neatly, she also announced the 12-track album at 12.12am on 12 August. The cover art proved highly symbolic too, with Taylor in a showgirl outfit while submerged in water, conjuring up the artist John Everett Millais’ iconic painting Ophelia .
Within hours of it dropping, the album attracted a host of glowing reviews, with Variety declaring that it offered an “uncomplicated good time”, and Billboard hailing its “wall-to-wall bangers”. The Times called it the perfect companion to Taylor’s 2017 album Reputation, and fittingly added, “Where that album railed against the vagaries of fame, this one accepts them, possibly because a fairytale love story has made Swift a lot happier and more capable of handling it all. That’s why it is so much fun.”
With The Life Of A Showgirl, there is no doubt that Taylor has upped the ante yet again. “Her artistry and marketing talent is unmatched in the industry,” adds Lynn. “She’s not simply releasing music, she’s creating moments that dominate headlines and drive conversations. When Taylor steps into the spotlight, no one else even comes close. She remains unequalled, not because she seeks attention, but because attention seeks her.”
I’m A Celebrity hopeful Aitch – Harrison Armstrong – penned a message to his mum before heading Down Under to take part in the ITV reality contest
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Rapper Aitch has a special reason for going on I’m A Celeb(Image: ITV)
I’m A Celebrity is just days away and rapper Aitch has revealed his motive for doing the hit ITV show. The 25-year-old musician landed Down Under on Wednesday and is already looking forward to life in the Australian jungle.
But before being cut off from the outside world, Aitch – whose real name is Harrison Armstrong – sent a message to his fans, and in particular his mum. Sharing a snap of him in his jungle attire, Aitch wrote on Instagram : “I’ve made songs with most people I grew up listening to, now I’m going on the show I grew up watching.
“Mam this one’s for you,” he went on before adding a salute emoji and a love heart emoji. “Bout to go f**k up the jungle the Manchester way. Cinnabit”
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He was quickly greeted by messages of support from celebrity followers. Among them was Gemma Atkinson, who shared a number of clapping hands emojis.
Lisa Maffia also shared her support for the star and admitted: “I really hope he wins.” The songstress added three praying emojis.
Aitch is best known for his hits including the 2018 song Straight Rhymez. He reached Number two in the charts with his album Close To Home in 2022.
He was the fourth celebrity pictured in Australia before the official line-up was announced. He had followed Kelly Brook, Lisa Riley and Shona McGarty in arriving at Brisbane airport for the reality contest.
He joked in arrivals that he had landed ready for an upcoming tour. Speaking to the Mirror, he said he has been there “plenty of times” adding: “I love it over here.
“I don’t mind snakes… snake on toast? It’s all right that, innit? I’m gonna miss my sister – even though she’s a little s***.”
He added: “What do I want to say to my fans? I just want to shout them all out and say, ‘What’s going on everyone?’ I’ll be back home soon. If I’m not, then somebody needs to have a word.”
Aitch’s jungle experience sees him enter with another celebrity that he has previously worked with. YouTuber Angryginge, who is the early favourite with the bookmakers, has collaborated on uploads with the singer previously.
In a lighthearted dig at his future campmate, Angryginge, whose real name is Morgan Burtwistle laughed: “I’m not the number one fan of his music, but he’s a good guy.”
Both contestants are keen Manchester United fans, and Ginge made it clear he will miss following the football during his stint in Australia.
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The full lineup sees the pair also joined by Ruby Wax, Martin Kemp, Alex Scott, Eddie Kadi and Jack Osbourne. Vogue Williams and Tom Read Wilson were missing from the announcement, but are expected to join camp at a later date.
Holly Ramsay, who is the daughter of TV chef Gordon, is set to marry 30-year-old Adam Peaty, who is an Olympic swimmer with three gold medals to his name since 2016
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Holly Ramsay and Adam Peaty are pictured together(Image: hollyramsayy/Instagram)
Holly Ramsay has been branded “divisive and hurtful” after declining to invite Adam Peaty’s mother to their wedding.
Holly, who is Gordon Ramsay’s daughter, got engaged to the Olympic swimmer last year, a relationship Adam says pulled him out of a “deep, dark hole” as he had experienced depression and alcoholism. Holly, 25, welcomed her own mother Tana, family friend Victoria Beckham and Adam’s sister to her hen do last weekend, but not Adam’s mum Caroline, 59. Adam, meanwhile, is said to have invited Gordon, also 59, to his stag do.
And Caroline’s sister, Louise Williams, vented her anger at Holly, accused her of being “divisive and hurtful” in a public Instagram post. The post is thought to have upset Holly, a digital content creator, who has been dating Adam for more than two years.
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The Instagram post stated: “@hollyramsayy I’m so glad that you had a great hen do. As a bride, you deserve that. However, as a person you were divisive and hurtful towards a woman, who I have loved and continue to love deeply.
“A woman who opened her home and heart to you. You decided, for whatever reason, not to invite her, your prospective mother-in-law to your hen night yet Adam invited his father-in-law, your dad, to his stag night.
“You invited your mum (quite rightly) and even your mum’s assistant, your sisters, your friends, my niece, but not my sister, your future mother-in-law.
“I have also seen messages passing between her and Adam about this and other matters and, quite frankly, I expected better of you and definitely of Adam. You have inflicted a hurt on my sister that will take a very long time to heal if ever.”
The Daily Mail understands Adam, who was once close to his mother, had distanced himself from her after being seduced by the fame and glamour of the Ramsays. It is said the athlete, who has three Olympic gold medals to his name, and his partner have now banned Caroline from the wedding itself — on Christmas Day at Bath Abbey.
Yet Caroline, of Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, herself waded into the incredible row by expressing her distress in an Instagram post, writing: “Crying is a way your eyes speak when your mouth can’t explain how broken your heart is.”
Her post attracted messages of support and concern from friends including one who commented: “Don’t let them drag you down Caroline.” The same person added in a further comment: “You know considering they are both supposed to be mental health advocates they don’t seem to be showing much regard for yours.”
