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The Monkees shared a statement on Instagram announcing the news that Bobby Hart, the song writer who shaped some of the band’s most famous hits, has died at his home in Los Angeles

Bobby Hart, one half of the iconic songwriting partnership Boyce and Hart who created some of The Monkees’ most memorable hits, has died at the age of 86.

Bobby, who crafted many of the group’s smash-hit songs including I Wanna Be Free and Last Train to Clarksville, passed away at his home in Los Angeles, California, last Wednesday. His death has just been announced as the band and their fans across the world paid tribute to him.

Captioning an Instagram photo carousel that featured photos of Bobby, and him with Tommy, the 1960s pop band – originally formed of Micky Dolenz, 80, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork – wrote: “Very sad news to report: Bobby Hart, the songwriting dynamo who was half of the duo responsible for so many Monkees songs, has died.

“With partner Tommy Boyce, Bobby penned tracks like I Wanna Be Free, Last Train to Clarksville, the iconic Monkees theme, and so many more, in addition to his solo songwriting career with hits like Hurts So Bad for Little Anthony and the Imperials. He will be remembered for his incredible talent and his innate spirituality.”

The statement continued: “Said Bobby: ‘It’s interesting and gratifying to look back these many years later and see that the Monkees are still with us, and they’re still being played somewhere … the records themselves have been staples that have gone on to sell for years and years.

“They still sound pretty fresh, and that we had an opportunity to do a lot of music that was married to visuals, and so, that in itself kinda seems to ensure that they’ll have a life of their own that’ll probably far outlast mine. You will be so missed, Bobby.”

Dolenz – who is the only surviving member of The Monkees – also paid tribute to Hart. He said in a statement last night: “Another great is gone. Bobby Hart, who along with Tommy Boyce, penned and produced some of the Monkees’ greatest hit songs.

“Not only made a vital contribution to the popular success of the Monkees, but even more importantly to the essence, the very spirit of the entire venture.

“His talent, charisma, good humor and calmness in the face of what at times was nothing less than a maniacal roller coaster ride often brought a sense of peace that heartened everyone around him. He was the stillness that is the eye of the hurricane.”

After Bobby – whose health had been deteriorating since he broke his hip in 2024 – and Boyce stopped working with The Monkees, the duo continued working together. They released the albums Test Patterns and I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonite, as well as appear in sitcoms I Dream of Jeannie and Bewitched.

With their experience in writing the song for The Monkees TV show – which focused on the band members – they penned the theme for the soap opera, Days of Our Lives. In 1994, Boyce died by suicide by gunshot. Hart had been married twice, most recently to singer Mary Ann Hart. He leaves behind two children.

Following the sad news, fans have taken to social media to share heartfelt tributes. One fan penned on X: “RIP Bobby Hart of songwriting/performing duo Boyce and Hart. So many great songs – Monkees theme, Last Train to Clarksville etc.”

Another user lamented: “So sad to learn about Bobby Hart this morning,” while another added: “Rest in peace Bobby Hart. Reunited once again with Tommy Boyce. Thanks for the wonderful songs, you will always be remembered.”

One particularly distraught fan wrote: “What? Nooo. 2025 really sucks rocks. We’re losing the great ones daily. Damn. RIP Bobby,” while another shared: “Such sad news. He left us with some great songs to keep his spirit alive forever. May Bobby rest in peace.”

Katie Piper,TV presenter, author and passionate activist, is happily married to Richard Sutton but even the most perfect-seeming unions she tells us take a lot of hard work

As we catch up with Katie Piper to chat all things life and love, she’s doing what she does best – juggling. As well as being a bestselling author, she’s wrapping up her feel-good ITV summer series, Katie Piper’s Weekend Escape, and helping her two daughters as they return to school. She’s also about to celebrate her 10 year wedding anniversary with her carpenter and builder husband, Richard Sutton, next month.

In an exclusive chat with new, the Loose Women host, 41, shares more exclusively with OK! about what drives her, introduces a special new member of the family, and makes some candid admissions about marriage…

Hi Katie. How have you been?

Busy! I’ve been doing the weekend show which I’ve loved, and I brought out my Still Beautiful book in June and was so thrilled with the response. It’s a bit autobiographical, a letter to my younger self, with some self-help. It’s about ageing, and why so many of us have felt “not good enough”.

Do you worry about the messages we’re sending women?

It’s like the famous monologue in the Barbie movie: “You have to be thin, but not too thin… and you can never say you want to be thin, you have to say you want to be healthy. But also you have to be thin.” So it isn’t all about the “wrong” message, it’s about fewer messages! We should encourage women to find what they’re passionate about and stop trying to conform to become a perfect doll.

What made you write the book ?

In my twenties, I was told beauty is a woman’s most powerful currency. When I turned 40, I felt age discrimination creeping in where we’re telling women the second most powerful currency they have is youth. It’s a crazy, depressing narrative. I work with really amazing older women who don’t fit western beauty standards and they’re hugely successful, happy people.

Do you have any insecurities?

Of course! But self-worth and confidence is a constant work in progress, not a destination. Sport is very important to me because my physical health has been out of my control many times at such an unusually young age. When I can get well and go for my run and gym sessions or Pilates, even if it’s a placebo effect, I feel good.

You’re working with ASICS on a campaign to help keep girls involved in sport. What made you sign up?

It feels like a public health issue. Sixty four per cent of teenage girls drop out of sport before 16. Boys often keep sports going, playing five-a-side as adults, but women often don’t, and the main reason is because we felt uncomfortable as kids.

Did you follow that pattern yourself?

Yes, at secondary school it was “one size fits all”, for every shape and size, whatever stage you were at in puberty, whether you were on your period or not, whatever the weather. As a result, I dropped out of sports. It’s crazy because now I’m a competitive runner! I feel sad for my younger self. The campaign shows most girls would participate more if they had a suitable kit, and that’s what we’ve done. This isn’t about creating the next generation of athletes, it’s about sport helping with confidence and empowerment.

What fires you up to tackle issues like this?

My own experience as a young woman, then being told later in life that “your face doesn’t fit, you don’t belong here”. Breaking through those barriers made me really passionate about making change. Life also changed when I had my daughters. My eldest started senior school this year, and they’re both experiencing really formative years.

How easy was the adjustment to senior school?

I felt a bit sad when I let her walk away, it’s the end of an era. But she was pure excitement so I decided to embrace it. It’s a better world than when I started year seven so, even though I had a few tears pricking my eyes, I felt hopeful, too.

You and Richard have your 10 year wedding anniversary next month. How would you sum up the last decade?

I haven’t actually been thinking about it. In some ways that shows it’s flown by! But it’s important to be honest, and staying married for 10 years has been a struggle at times.

At first it’s all romance, excitement and lust, but then the day-to-day of marriage is a practice you have to choose to keep doing. Sometimes your motivation goes, but the discipline hopefully remains. I try not to be mushy on Instagram because I’m always conscious that I was single – not by choice – for a long time, and seeing other people loved-up was hard.

Are you affectionate away from social media?

Yes, it’s really important for the connection. I don’t want my kids to think a relationship is a logistical, transactional thing. I want them to see us as a couple as well as parents.

You’ve just welcomed a little rescue puppy, haven’t you?

Sugar, from Battersea. She was abandoned in a litter of eight with her mum. She loves Richie most, but she’s full of energy and comes running with me, which is lovely!

Work-wise, what’s coming up?

I’m still loving Katie Piper’s Weekend Escape, which is super wholesome. I also brought out another kids’ book, The Greatest Gift, and I’ve done a couple of documentaries, including one in a women’s prison in Louisiana. It’s hard to know what’s coming next, but whatever it is will link back to female empowerment. Women can do great things when we support each other.

Katie is a spokesperson for the ASICS Undropped Collection of PE kits for girls. Go to asics.com/undroppedkit

Peter Andre and his wife Emily MacDonagh went to the WellChild Awards – and got the chance to speak to Prince Harry shortly before his historic reunion with his dad, King Charles

Popstar Peter Andre and his wife Emily MacDonagh were among the guests at last week’s WellChild Awards – and he revealed he spoke to the charity’s patron, Prince Harry, who flew in from the US to attend. The Duke of Sussex has been a patron of the charity for 17 years, and became emotional when talking to the invitees about the inspirational children at ceremony, and said “things hit different” now that he’s a father himself.

Peter, 52, looked smart in a crisp clean suit, while Emily, 36, opted for a stunning white dress with co-ordinating accessories. The Mysterious Girl hitmaker revealed after the event, which was held at London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel, that he spent some time chatting with Prince Harry, 40, as well as some of the “incredible” families being celebrated.

“We had an incredible night at the WellChild Awards meeting some incredible children and their families,” he wrote in his exclusive OK! column. “It was great to meet with the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, who is a huge part of the charity. It was the first time Emily had met him, and I’d forgotten how well-spoken he is.”

READ MORE: Ranvir Singh ‘shows her state of mind’ with gorgeous high street dress she was in two minds about

He continued, “We mainly talked about the charity of course and him flying in from America earlier that morning. Emily and I learned a lot more about the charity’s work and we’re actually very keen to get more involved because of the invaluable work they do.”

Prince Harry flew into London from California on the day of the Awards on September 8, which was also the third anniversary of the death of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

In his speech as patron, the duke said the charity’s annual event was the “highlight” of his year. He also praised the children at the special event, saying: “Your courage, your resilience, and the extraordinary love of the families and carers who never stop showing up.”

Recalling his first WellChild Awards 18 years ago, he told the audience: “I walked into the room, and within about three minutes I realised two things. The love and energy in the room was palpable, so too was the unpredictability. And second, that I was completely hooked on it all. This night has been a highlight of my year ever since.”

Popstar Peter also said the event was especially poignant as he and Emily were both parents, and NHS doctor Emily later posted on her Instagram echoing his sentiment. Captioning a photo of one of the awards recipients, Emily said it was an “privilege” to have attended and thanked the charity for inviting her.

“@wellchild is an incredible charity, helping children with complex health needs receive care at home instead of hospital – making such a difference to so many families.“Forever grateful to have been part of this special evening, celebrating the amazing work they do and the remarkable children and families they support.”

EXCLUSIVE: Kerry Katona has opened up about why the ‘amazing’ support she’s getting following her candid admissions on Paul C Brunson’s podcast instantly makes her worried about what”s coming next – if past history has anything to do with it

Kerry Katona has opened up candidly in her latest OK! column about the incredible wave of support she has experienced since the second episode of her podcast with Celebs Go Dating expert Paul C Brunson landed, as she continues to enjoy her UK tour with Katie Price and blossoming relationship with personal trainer Paulo Margaglione, who she met on Celebs Go Dating.

Opening up in her OK column about how emotional she gets when the public stand behind her and things seem to be going well, as well as the fears she admits automatically come with such positive reactions from fans, she said: “Part two of my podcast with Paul Brunson came out last week – it was an emotional conversation. “

READ MORE: Ranvir Singh ‘shows her state of mind’ with gorgeous high street dress she was in two minds about

The star, whose journey on Celebs Go Dating has come to a close, added:”I can’t actually watch the whole thing, to be honest. I’m glad I did it and the support has been amazing – my DMs are actually flooded. I’m still feeling overwhelmed with it all.

“Whenever I get this much love and feel on top, people always seem to tear me back down to the bottom, so I feel like I’m just waiting for things to go wrong again. But I’m going to try to stay positive and enjoy it. Give it a watch on Paul’s We Need To Talk YouTube channel.”

Speaking on Paul’s podcast, the former Atomic Kitten Star, who has had a famously turbulent upbringing, revealed amongst other things that she ‘almost’ became an escort aged 16, and admitted she had aspirations of becoming a Page 3 model as she “wasn’t going to be a rocket scientist”.

She also spoke about her rollercoaster relationship with her mother, who introduced her to drugs as a teenager, but has since apologised for her mistakes.

Supporters on social media showered Kerry with praise for her bravery following the series of jaw-dropping disclosures – one describing her as “truly amazing, strong and brave” and another praising her for being “so open and transparent”.

Famous friends have also expressed tremendous respect for the mother-of-five, including Christine McGuinness who remarked, “Turning pain into power over pity – my kinda woman!” And Gemma Atkinson confessed Kerry had made her “cry”.

Kerry subsequently admitted in a tearful video on her social media that, whilst certain aspects of her past weren’t easy to revisit, she believes it’s crucial to be truthful about some of its bleaker moments.

“You can’t live with regrets in life, so I don’t regret things – it’s put me where I am today. I have been feeling so overwhelmed and emotional since the podcast came out because I spoke about a lot of things from my past. It’s hard to go back to that place.”