Omid Djalili has been speaking openly about the plight of the people in Iran as protests against the regime continue and the crackdown by the regime intensifies
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In recent weeks, Iran has been rocked by protests as people take to the streets to demonstrate against the rule of an authoritarian theocracy.
Following these protests, the Iranian government has clamped down hard against protesters, with human rights groups reporting that over 2,400 people may have been killed in the crackdown.
What’s more, information about the exact numbers has been difficult to specifically identify because the government switched off the internet, reducing protesters’ ability to coordinate and get information out.
However, there is hope among those both outside and inside the country that the rule of the current Ayatollah, Ali Khamenei, may soon be over and democracy may be allowed to flourish in the country.
Speaking about the revolution to The Times has been the comedian and actor Omid Djalili. The London-born actor is the son of Iranian parents and has long been an advocate for Iranians living under autocratic rule.
Speaking to the publication, Omid, who has appeared on BBC’s Live at the Apollo and at the Royal Variety Performance, talked movingly about when he learnt that the brother of one of his friends had been killed by Iran’s security forces.
He said the regime wanted the family to pay $5,000 (£3,700) to release the body and to sign a petition saying something terrible.
Omid explained: “They found his body and the regime wanted [them to pay] $5,000 and to sign a declaration that he was a member of the security forces and was killed by one of the protesters. That’s the kind of sick, dark thing they’re doing.
“The lowest estimate [for the number killed] is 2,000 people. The highest estimate by Iran International which had done a full research over two days is 12,000 people.
“I saw a video online of 14, 15-year-old kids who had gone to the protest and were walking home and the security forces shot them all in the head. They were all on the ground, a couple of them were still struggling to be alive and people were trying to revive them. It’s horrific what they’re doing.”
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This isn’t the first time Omid has talked about the unrest in Iran and the regime’s treatment of its people in recent days. Speaking to Andrew Marr on LBC, he said: “This is a bizarre, lunatic, fundamentalist version of Islam that Muslims try to detach themselves from.
“I’ve got parents of friends and family in Iran. They come to your house, shoot you in the head, throw your body in a ditch.
Reflecting on her time on Loose Women, Coleen Nolan addressed rows between panellists and admitted there have been some guests she hasn’t been a fan of
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Loose Women’s Coleen Nolan has shared her honest thoughts about a former star on the show – and she didn’t hold back. Looking back on over 20 years on the ITV programme, the 60-year-old admitted she hasn’t always warmed to those she’s shared the panel with.
Recalling one moment in particular, Coleen branded a fellow TV star “cocky”, though did not reveal her name.
Speaking about guests on the show, she said: “There’s been a few times where we’ve had, I won’t say their names and they’re not there anymore, but I remember this one girl that came on and I said to her, you know, ‘How are you feeling’ and she went ‘Yeah, fine’.
“I said, ‘Are you nervous?’ and she went, ‘No’. And I thought, ‘Ah I hope you trip down the stairs’.”
Reacting to her own comment, Coleen joked on the Not My Bagg podcast: “That’s awful ain’t it.”
However, standing by her thoughts, she continued: “I don’t know, I just thought, ‘That’s a bit cocky love, that’s a bit cocky, I want you to trip or fall off your stool or something’.”
In the same episode, the Loose Women star clarified that she does not feel the same way about the show’s current line-up of panellists.
Coleen is a familiar face on the programme alongside the likes of Janet Street Porter, Ruth Langsford, Jane Moore, Brenda Edwards, Kaye Adams and GK Barry.
And while the show is known for its fiery debates, the mother-of-three insists there is no bad blood behind the scenes.
“If you read the magazine headlines it sounds like we hate each other,” she laughed.
“But when you’ve known the women for as long as we’ve all known each other, no, that’s what the show is about.
“There’s no point us being on there for an hour a day and agreeing on everything because that’s boring and we’re all very different,” she added.
Coleen had particular praise for Janet, who she described as “one of her best friends” despite their contrasting personalities.
“That’s what makes the show work because we’re all so close enough to go, ‘I don’t agree with you’.
“But, we do have some rows, it was more difficult when we had sort of newish people initially coming in when you don’t know them that well,” she explained.
“And then you think, ‘I hope they don’t think I’m that angry that this is going to carry on’.”
Coleen’s co-star Denise Welch has also previously addressed claims that the show is a “toxic” workplace.
Speaking on This Morning, she said: “It’s so ridiculous! I’m 67 this year. If you think I would voluntarily come into a job with a toxic environment, I wouldn’t! I don’t have to and I wouldn’t!
“We have never had a row in all the years that we’ve worked! Me and Carol McGiffin used to have some humdingers on there but we never talked about when we got off stage. People like to pit women against each other.”
Kerry Katona has opened up about her troubled love life, admitting she believed Brian McFadden was her “forever” before his stag night betrayal
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Kerry Katona has made the heartbreaking admission that her hopes of being “rescued” by marrying Westlife star Brian McFadden were shattered by his infidelity before their wedding day.
The former Atomic Kitten singer, who shot to fame at the turn of the millennium as part of the chart-topping girl group, reflected on a life shaped by turbulent relationships and an enduring search for stability.
Speaking to The Times, the 45-year-old admitted she had long been seeking a father figure in her partners. “Of course I did. I have had five serious relationships in 30 years,” she said.
Katona was just 18 when she met McFadden, at a time when both were young, famous and at the height of their careers. The couple went on to marry in a lavish OK! magazine wedding in 2002 that appeared to cement their fairytale romance.
“I thought he was my ‘for ever’. We were puppies, babies, back then,” she recalled. “I wanted him to be my knight in shining armour and rescue me from my old life.”
That illusion was shattered, she said, when McFadden slept with a stripper on his stag do. The couple split in 2004 when Brian allegedly came clean and admitted he didn’t love Kerry anymore in a tense phone call.
The betrayal marked the beginning of a dramatic personal decline for Katona, who was already struggling under the pressure of fame. At the time, she was one of the most recognisable faces in British pop, balancing chart success with Atomic Kitten and a growing media profile.
“It was so bad. I was very famous at the time, so I had to be shipped to Arizona for therapy,” she said. The Whole Again singer described recounting her traumatic life experiences as if they were lines from a script. “I used to tell my life story like it was just a script. I thought it was normal. They had to peel back the layers. It took me a long time to learn to cry.”
Despite the pain of her first marriage, Katona went on to have children with McFadden, Molly and Lilly-Sue, becoming a mother at a young age while navigating intense public scrutiny. Motherhood would remain a constant through the ups and downs of her personal life.
She later married taxi driver Mark Croft, a relationship she has described as chaotic and damaging. “That should have been a one-night stand but I’m eternally grateful he gave me two amazing children, Heidi and Max,” she said. During that period, Croft sold stories about her to the tabloids, and Katona was declared bankrupt. “I was reliving my childhood. It was a toxic, dark time.”
The dress can be styled in a variety of ways, taking wearers from day to night with ease
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Christine Lampard once again showcased her impeccable daytime style on Tuesday’s episode of Lorraine, donning a striking midi dress from celebrity-loved Nobody’s Child. This follows her stunning appearance in a Karen Millen ensemble on Monday’s show, as she filled in for Lorraine Kelly who is mourning the loss of her father.
Viewers were quick to praise Christine’s leopard print ensemble, with admirers rushing to her Instagram comments to express their appreciation. ‘That dress looked amazing’ and ‘looking beautiful as always Christine’ were among the many compliments received.
The dress at the centre of attention is the Brown Animal Print Clarissa Midi Dress, retailing at £99 and available in sizes 4–18. The trendy brown leopard print number has been praised by shoppers for its ‘flattering’ fit and versatility from day to night, reports Belfast Live.
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Featuring a round neckline, long flared sleeves and a bias-cut silhouette, the dress gracefully contours the body with a slim fit that accentuates curves. Falling to a midi length, it’s lightly lined for comfort and ease, making it perfect for lengthy studio days and evening outings.
Christine paired the dress simply with sleek black heels, allowing the print and silhouette to take centre stage. For cooler evenings, it would pair well with a leather jacket, or style it with a chocolate coloured knit and ballet flats for a relaxed daytime look.
Brown Animal Print Clarissa Midi Dress
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For a more budget-friendly option, ASOS offers the Brave Soul long sleeve mesh maxi dress in leopard print for £24, reduced from £28. However, it’s worth noting that many sizes have already sold out.
Over at River Island, shoppers can snap up the Black Mesh Leopard Print Midi Dress for £24, down from £44. Available in sizes XS to XL, it’s a great way to emulate Christine’s style without breaking the bank.
As for Christine’s Nobody’s Child dress, customers have been lavishing praise on the garment on the retailer’s website. One shopper shared: “A lovely, slinky, bias cut dress. Very stylish and comfortable to wear. Bought for New Year’s Eve but think I’ll wear it a lot.”
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“Stunning dress, so flattering,” penned another, while a third chimed in: “Such a lovely dress for work or a night out. Already had loads of compliments.”
Taller customers appreciated the length, though some noted the sleeves can run slightly short for some. One buyer explained: “Loved the dress but, as a tall woman with long limbs, the sleeves were way too short.”
Freddie Mercury’s secret daughter, who was revealed in a bombshell book last year, has died at the age of 48.
The Queen icon’s ‘secret’ daughter, known only as B, was revealed ahead of the release of a bombshell book titled Love, Freddie. The lovechild spoke to author and music journalist Lesley-Ann Jones to reveal her link to the rock star – but her real name and identity were never made public.
Now, just months on from the explosive revelation – the rockstar’s ‘hidden’ daughter has died. She was 48 – which, tragically, is just three years older than her dad was at the age of his death in 1991. The news was confirmed by her family, who said she died “peacefully after a long battle with chordoma, a rare spinal cancer, leaving two sons aged nine and seven”.
Lesley-Ann Jones revealed Freddie’s lovechild in her book
A statement from her widower, named Thomas, added to the Daily Mail: “B is now with her beloved and loving father in the world of thoughts. Her ashes were scattered to the wind over the Alps.”
Meanwhile, Lesley-Ann Jones, who penned the book, shared her heartbreak over the news as she told the publication: “I am devastated by the loss of this woman who became my close friend, who had come to me with a selfless aim: to brush aside all those who have had free rein with Freddie’s story for 32 years, to challenge their lies and their rewriting of his life, and to deliver the truth.”
Lesley-Ann also added: “At the end of her life, it was all that mattered to her. She was very ill throughout the four years that we worked together. But she was on a mission. She put herself and her own needs last.”
Queen icon Freddie Mercury had a secret daughter, which he kept away from the public ( Press Association)
Last year, the author revealed Freddie had secretly fathered a child during an affair in 1976. She said at the time: “Having spent a quarter of a century researching and writing books about Freddie Mercury, and having covered Queen’s performances on the road, I thought I knew virtually all that there was to know about him. I was wrong. Working with his only child and next of kin over several years to create the book that tells his true story in his and his daughter’s own words has been the greatest privilege of my professional life. I could never have imagined this hidden Freddie. Yet he was real.”
Meanwhile, in the light of her death Lesley-Ann has revealed more details about the rock icon’s secret daughter, claiming he called her ‘Bibi’ and wrote several songs about her. It has also been claimed Freddie would also name her ‘trésor’, which translates into treasure from French, as well as his ‘little froggie’. Queen’s songs Don’t Try So Hard and Bijou are said to have been written about his secret lovechild, whom the singer is said to have had a close bond with up until he died in 1991.
Freddie’s close friend Mary Austin is said to have known about his daughter ( Getty Images)
Freddie’s Queen bandmates are also said to have been privy to his secret ( Getty Images)
We Will Rock You star Freddie is said to have fathered his daughter after a brief, unexpected liaison in 1976 with the wife of one of Mercury’s close friends. While the child was as closely-guarded secret, a select few knew the truth including his parents, sister, bandmates and longtime confidante Mary Austin.
And as Freddie’s daughter’s identity wasn’t made public some details about her were revealed – including the fact she lived in Europe, was a healthcare professional and had children. As her link to Freddie was explosively revealed, she detailed how she was raised by a loving family but always knew the music icon was her dad. Before he died of pneumonia caused by Aids in 1991, Freddie gave his daughter 17 volumes of his personal journals.
His daughter had kept them a secret for years but later handed them over to Jones, which formed the basis of the bombshell book.
Freddie was extremely private throughout his life and only announced the day before he died that he had been diagnosed with AIDS – after making a number of public appearances in the 12 month prior looking increasingly ill. Freddie had a number of relationships with men and women, including Mary Austin. They met when she was 19 and he was 24, a time before his mega stardom. The couple lived together and were engaged before Freddie came out as gay. Freddie and Mary never had any children but Mary went on to have two sons with another partner while remaining close to the singer for the rest of his life. She is understood to have known about Freddie’s daughter.
For the book, Love Freddie, ‘B’ issued a handwritten letter, which read: “Freddie Mercury was and is my father. We had a very close and loving relationship from the moment I was born and throughout the final 15 years of his life.”
“He adored me and was devoted to me. The circumstances of my birth may seem, by most people’s standards, unusual and even outrageous.
“That should come as no surprise. It never detracted from his commitment to love and look after me. He cherished me like a treasured possession.”
Music journalist and Love Freddie author Lesley-Ann also revealed at the time that she had been approached by B three years before the book’s release, but had her reservations at first. She said: “My instinct was to doubt everything, but I am absolutely sure she is not a fantasist.”
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Katie Price has broken her silence on her split from her boyfriend of two years JJ Slater. Rumours swirled last week that the pair had parted ways – after Katie made cryptic comments on a podcast episode about not needing a man.
As reports flooded the internet and newspapers that Katie and her Married At First Sight UK boyfriend had parted ways, she stayed silent on the matter – only posting a few cryptic comments on social media. But now, in her new podcast episode, she has addressed the split head-on.
Katie, 47, confirmed she and JJ, 32, had split ‘months ago’ in secret – before giving things another try. However, rather than slating her ex following their romance breakdown, Katie had nothing but good words to say about JJ.
Speaking to her sister Sophie Price on the latest episode of their podcast The Katie Price Show, which is tiled The Truth Behind The Split, Katie revealed: “Me and JJ, our relationship for months wasn’t right but he’s such a nice guy. I cannot fault him in anyway possible, there was no ultimatum – I think they said because I wouldn’t marry him or have a baby, that is a load of rubbish. And, if I’m honest, I love the guy but I’m not in love with him and what’s the point in carrying on the relationship?
“The family love him, all the family love him but I’m the one going out with him so it become like a best friend, basically. In a relationship you wanna have everything and it just wasnt there for me but you know that. We actually split up a few months ago and then I said how I felt about it, obviously if it would change and it just never did.”
She continued: “So there’s no hard feelings, there’s no animosity and that is it.” As her sister Sophie replied: “Aww. I do love JJ though. I know that’s not, I know…” As Katie said: “It is but, well, I’m like… I’m older and I just want to waste his time and I don’t want to waste my time. If I’m not loved up and it’s not going – there’s are the mistakes I’ve made in the past; you stay to just go along and then it ends up getting nasty. And I don’t want that so I’d rather of nipped it in the bud sooner rather than later.”
Katie then explained: “So, yeah, he was there at Christmas because, you know, the family and stuff – because it was already arranged. But it was over ages ago really. So good luck to him for the future. But, yeah, I feel like I’m happy. I feel better for doing it. There’s nothing worse being with someone you don’t want to be with. It is what it is. I’ve got strength nowadays that if something’s not right, sort it out. There’s not really anything else to say on it.”
Turning to Sophie, she said: “And you know that because I have said to you for months that I’m not happy about things and JJ knew it as well. So it’s like you try and it’s just not there.” Sophie replied: “I know you have.”
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