Category Entertainment News

Martine McCutcheon just shared her go-to shampoo that she uses after tap water ‘ruined her hair’ – and the £11 bottle soothes itchy, flaky scalps after just a single use

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The winter weather can be tough on our skin, and even harsher on our scalps. The lack of moisture in the air coupled with harsh winds, excess heating, and constant hat wearing can leave your scalp feeling itchy, sore and dry.

Other factors can also trigger scalp psoriasis, like hormones, genetics, or even the tap water you use, as Love Actually star Martine McCutcheon knows all too well. The actress recently became a brand ambassador for medicated shampoo brand Polytar, after revealing she swore by the brand’s Polytar Scalp Shampoo for helping ease her dry, sensitive scalp.

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Martine shared that, after moving to London, she realised that the city’s hard water was causing endless issues with her scalp such as dandruff and scalp sensitivity. She said: “Dandruff and a sensitive scalp can be something you really worry about, especially when your hair is part of your job. I knew that because of what I do for a living, it was just another issue that I didn’t need coming back to haunt me. I’m so glad that I went back to Polytar and tried it, because it genuinely does make all the difference.”

According to Polytar’s Hard Water Hair Report, one in two Brits (52%) report experiencing dandruff, and residents of London, the South East, and the East of England are most likely to report that their local water affects their scalp health. It also showed that these hard water regions report the highest levels of scalp flare-ups and dandruff, with more than half of adults (53%) nationwide believing their local water worsens dandruff and itchiness. In London, that rises to 71%.

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To tackle it you can swap your shower head for one that filters water before it reaches your scalp, like the Hello Klean Shower Head 2.0 (£60 down from £75) or the Showery Water Softening Electric Shower Head (£29.99 down from £55). However, it’s much quicker and more affordable to switch up which shampoo you use – plus it means you can make sure wherever you travel to your hair and scalp are protected from hard water.

The Polytar Scalp Shampoo uses liquid concentrated antiseptic tar to help cleanse your scalp and treat all kinds of conditions like seborrhoea, psoriasis, dandruff and itching scalp. It also helps get rid of product build up, leaving your hair feeling ultra-clean and shiny.

It’s currently on sale at Superdrug, where it’s down from £10.99 to £8.24, with two five star reviews. One said: “Whenever my scalp feels ‘itchy’, I use this shampoo. Lovely clean hair! However it is a slightly medicinal smell, & a bit drying. I cannot use conditioner due to my age and increased risk of falls. So I use it first then use Dove shampoo for 2nd wash as it is creamy.”

Meanwhile you can find more reviews on Amazon, where it’s priced at £11.24 and has more than 5000 ratings. One said: “Very easy to apply, reduces itching and flakes from first use.”

Whilst another wrote: “Received today and used this evening , felt the difference after the first wash on my ears and the nape of my hairline ! first use and although it’s expensive for a small bottle ! IT WORKS ! no embarrassing itch at all!”

However some found it was less effective on their dandruff and dry scalp, whilst another said: “Helped with my itchy scalp. Slightly affected my hair colour.”

Owen Cooper has been nominated for his first Golden Globe award for Best Supporting Actor in a Series, going up against Walton Goggins and Jason Isaac, in what could be a history-making win

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Owen Cooper is set to make history yet again following his Golden Globes nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a series. If the youngster wins the award, he’ll become the youngest ever recipient.

Owen turned 16 last Friday and was named alongside his co-stars Stephen Graham, Erin Doherty and Ashley Walters as the hit Netflix show, Adolescence, landed five nominations ahead of January’s star-studded event.

If Owen wins, he’ll replace Chris Colfer, who is the current youngest ever Best Supporting Actor in a Series, for his role in Glee as Kurt. He won the award in 2009 aged 20.

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The 16 year old had a history-making win back in September when he became the youngest ever male winner of an acting Emmy – at age 15.

The teenager won the award for his lead role in drama series Adolescence, which impressed on Netflix earlier this year. Upon collecting the award at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, Cooper said when he started drama classes he didn’t expect to be in the US, “let alone here”.

Owen, of Warrington, Cheshire, said: “I was nothing about three years ago, I’m here now. Step out of your comfort zone a little, who cares if you get embarrassed.”

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The youngster portrayed Jamie Miller in the Netflix miniseries, for which Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham won the award for writing in a limited or anthology series at the Emmy ceremony. Addressing the crowd at the theatre, Owen continued: “I was nothing about three years ago, and now here I am.”

Speaking to reporters moments after his win, Owen added: “It means some much to me. It means so much to me, my family, people back home. So, you know, it’s just, yeah, it just means a lot to me.”

Adolescence was his first TV role and, since its success, he has gone on to record scenes for Film Club, which is an upcoming BBC drama. He will also play the Young Heathcliff in an upcoming Wuthering Heights adaptation.

With a classic story, a daring director and a cast sure to ignite conversation, Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing and buzzed-about adaptations of 2026. Fennell has assembled a high-profile and much-discussed ensemble.

Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi star as Catherine and Heathcliff, alongside Hong Chau as Nelly Dean and Alison Oliver With Isabella Linton played by Shazad Latif, Edgar Linton portrayed by Martin Clunes and Mr Earnshaw brought to life by Martin Clunes, the cast is a compelling blend of established actors and fresh faces – sparking lively debates.

Denise Welch has revealed she’s been battling a “horrible” health problem that leaves her constantly spinning, shocking Loose Women co-star Kelly Brook

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Denise Welch has opened up about a debilitating bout of vertigo that has left her struggling with everyday tasks — and even shocked her Loose Women co-star Kelly Brook. The 67-year-old panellist, who has been a staple of the ITV daytime show for more than a decade, shared the “horrible” reality of what she’s been dealing with during an on-air discussion about health problems many people silently live with.

Speaking on the Loose Women podcast, Denise began by explaining just how disruptive the condition has become. “Yeah, but the other thing that I’ve got — and Pauline, one of our makeup artists, has it as well — because my vertigo is here at the moment,” she said. “People think vertigo is just like fear of heights and everything. It is, but real vertigo is this spinning. So not only am I spinning all the time at night, which is just horrible.”

Her revelation left Kelly visibly surprised, as she admitted she had no idea how severe the condition can be. “Oh, is that vertigo? Oh, I get that — I thought that was just anxiety,” she responded, stunned to learn that what she had experienced might be linked to the same condition.

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Denise went on to describe the daily impact it has on her life, explaining that even something as simple as lying down has become a carefully managed routine. “If I lie down at night, I have to do it very slowly,” she said. “I’m conditioned to do it now. Turning to my left I’m all right. If I turn to my right, it’s… I can count on it — one, two, three, four, spin — and it’s like a roller coaster.”

The vertigo has also made travelling increasingly difficult. “What it means is that now, when I get in a car, especially electric cars, I am so sick,” she said. “I’ve got my sickness tablets, but of course they make me drowsy, so then I’m moaning about being too drowsy. And I’ve got my beta blockers for the anxiety. I mean, honestly.”

For long-time viewers, Denise’s openness comes as no surprise. Throughout her Loose Women career, she has been widely praised for candidly discussing her personal life and health, including her decades-long battle with depression. She has spoken publicly about experiencing episodes she once described as “the unwelcome visitor”, and has used her platform to challenge stigma around mental illness.

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Last year, Denise admitted to the Loose Women panel that she hadn’t been well for the past couple of weeks and said her recent time off the show came as a result of her depression making an “unwelcome” return.

Denise said: “Yeah, so I had a really rough two weeks, which I’m still in a bit. I just did a podcast and a big article saying how I’ve been free for five years of clinical depression.

“Sadly, the unwelcome visitor paid me another visit, so I’ve not been well for a couple of weeks.”

Denise has also previously revealed she has been diagnosed with ADHD. The star was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in 2023, after being pushed into getting a test by fellow panellist Nadia Sawalha.

With three major supermarkets offering pre-made Christmas dinners in a box, Mirror writer Cally Brooks put them to the test to see which came out on top ahead of the big day

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Christmas Day is supposed to be magical, but for the designated chef, it often feels more like a military operation. Between the timing, the peeling, and the mountain of washing up, the “most wonderful time of the year” can quickly become the most stressful.

This year, retailers are offering a lifeline. Aldi, Iceland, and Sainsbury’s have all launched “Christmas Dinner in a Box” solutions designed to feed a family of four with minimal fuss. But can a pre-packed box really replace the homemade heroics? And more importantly, are they actually good value? I put all three to the test – judging them on price, taste, portion size, and the dreaded “faff factor” – to find out which retailer deserves a spot at your table this December 25th.

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Iceland’s Christmas Dinner for 4 – £25

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Iceland has launched the only frozen option this Christmas, perfect for those saving their fridge space for other festive foods. The box, which comes very well packaged, features a turkey breast joint, beef dripping potatoes, stuffing balls, pigs in blankets and three types of veg – including sprouts!

The Verdict:

If you have a hungry family to feed on a budget, Iceland is the heavyweight champion of portion sizes. The amount of roast potatoes and parsnips provided was genuinely impressive – you will not run out of carbs. The cooking process is largely hands-off, though the final 20 minutes does require some active pan-frying of the vegetables, which adds a little stress at the finish line. The result? A mixed bag.

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The vegetables were buttery, sweet, and delicious, but the parsnips were a little plain and the roasties lacked that essential crunch. The turkey joint was, admittedly, on the dry side – a common peril of frozen breast meat. However, the gravy was sweet and tasty, and the pigs in blankets were a highlight. For £6.25 a head, you simply cannot argue with the value.

Price 10/10

Taste 7/10

Portion size 10/10

Ease of cooking 8/10

Sainsbury’s Slow Cooked Proper Christmas Dinner Box – £50

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The most expensive of the three, Sainsbury’s offer a fresh ‘Taste the Difference’ experience with slow-cooked turkey wrapped in streaky bacon, beef fat potatoes, chestnut and thyme stuffing, parsnips and carrots in a honey mustard glaze, classic pigs in blankets, and a sachet of turkey and chicken gravy.

The Verdict:

At double the price of Iceland, Sainsbury’s has to work hard to justify the cost. The biggest selling point here is speed: the entire dinner cooks in just 55 minutes. I was also impressed with the size of the box, with all the dishes being vacuum sealed meaning more free space in the fridge – a big bonus at Christmas time. The star of the show is undeniably the turkey. Thanks to the bacon wrapping and juices, it came out incredibly soft, moist, and delicious – miles ahead of the competition. The stuffing was equally impressive, and the turkey infused gravy packed a punch.

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However, there are two major gripes. First, the lack of crispiness on the roast potatoes and parsnips. Second, and perhaps unforgivably for a Christmas dinner… no Brussels sprouts. For £50, omitting the most divisive yet essential vegetable feels like an oversight. But when it comes to taste, this box definitely came out on top. I also appreciated the addition of a foil tray for the turkey, saving on washing on Christmas day.

Price 6/10

Taste 9/10

Portion size 10/10

Ease of cooking 9/10

Aldi’s Ultimate Christmas Dinner in a Box – £29.95

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A nice mid-market option for those wanting fresh while still keeping costs down, Aldi have brought out their very own Christmas Dinner in a Box. Complete with a slow-cooked turkey joint, pigs in blankets, honey-mustard coated parsnips, maple-butter coated carrots, roast potatoes and delicious turkey gravy, I was interested how this budget-supermarket version would compare.

The Verdict:

Aldi lands right in the middle on price, but punches well above its weight on quality. The cooking time is a very manageable 75 minutes, and the instructions are fool-proof. Throw everything in the oven on a timer, and you’re good to go. Like Sainsbury’s, they also include a foil tray, saving on washing up time on the big day. Taste-wise, Aldi gets a lot right. The turkey is delicious – very similar in quality to the more expensive Sainsbury’s option. But where Aldi really shines is the potatoes; they achieved a nice, crispy exterior that the other two boxes failed to master. The pigs in blankets were lovely and a generous size.

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The only downsides? Like Sainsbury’s, Aldi has inexplicably ditched the Brussels sprouts. The overall portion sizes were also the smallest of the three boxes – fine for most, but big eaters might want extra sides.

Price 9/10

Taste 8/10

Portion size 9/10

Ease of cooking 9/10

The Overall Winner

• For the Foodie: If budget isn’t an issue and you want the best meat and impressive portions, Sainsbury’s wins on the turkey alone, but cook the potatoes a little longer than the instructions for the ultimate crispiness.
• For the Big Family: Iceland takes the crown for sheer abundance. It includes sprouts, endless potatoes, and costs just £25. It’s the inflation-busting hero we need – and can save a lot of fridge space!
• The Best All-Rounder: Aldi edges it for me. It balances a high-quality, moist turkey with genuinely crispy potatoes for under £30. Just remember to buy a separate bag of sprouts!

Winner: Aldi Ultimate Christmas Dinner in a Box

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Made In Chelsea star, Sophie Habboo, gave birth to her first child with husband, Jamie Laing, last week and has shared a photo from the hospital, which has left fans in shock

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New mum Sophie Habboo left fans stunned after sharing a photo of herself in labour before giving birth to her first child. The Made In Chelsea star, 31, welcomed son Ziggy into the world with husband, Jamie Laing, 36, last week and told her followers that the tot had “captured our whole hearts”.

Many mums-to-be would prefer to have their photo taken after their baby is born. However, Sophie has posted candid snaps of herself in labour in which she smiles serenely from her hospital bed with two fetal monitoring straps around her belly. With her arms behind her head, the reality star looks positively serene as she prepares to welcome her son into the world.

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Commenting on the stunning snap, Sophie’s followers were full of admiration. While many flooded the comments section with love hearts, one impressed fan gushed: “How do you still look like a supermodel during labour? Beautiful!”

Among the carousel of photos was one of Jamie in the delivery suite – sporting an eye mask and black pyjamas – as he prepared to become a dad for the first time. Sophie also shared a photo of Ziggy’s little hand as the family of the three started their new lives together.

Announcing their son’s birth, Jamie said on Instagram: “Ziggy, you have our whole hearts.” Celebrity pals including Stacey Solomon and Stacey Dooley were quick to offer their congratulations. Rochelle Humes and Rylan Clark also reached out to the new parents with the One Show’s Alex Jones telling them: “Let the adventures begin!”

Sophie and Jamie recorded the last episode of their Nearly Parents podcast two weeks, with Sophie breaking down in tears as they were surprised with a goodbye party as she went on maternity leave. “Now we get the party started,” Jamie declared as the crowd whooped and clapped before dancing away.

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Sophie revealed during the final podcast that the couple were looking at methods to get her labour moving, joking: “I told you guys, we’re a the stage where we should be nailing the sex.”

Spluttering, Jamie quipped: “Wait, you’ve never told me this.” Sophie replied: “I did, I said we need to be having sex, we really need to wrap this up. You looked at me and went: ‘Pfft you’re just a bit of a unit.'” The couple then fell into laughter as Sophie joked: “As I’m there, with my t*ts hanging on my stomach.”

The pair met on E4’s reality smash hit, Made In Chelsea, before going on to bag coveted hosting gigs on the Radio One presenting team.

After dating for several years, Jamie got down on one knee at the swanky Rosewood London hotel in December 2021 – where he and Sophie shared their first ever date – and popped the question.

A luxury boutique in Los Angeles, which is famous for controversial window displays, has taken aim at the Duchess of Sussex as it dubbed her a ‘Montecito Diva’

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Meghan Markle has been named “villain of the year” in a scathing attack by a luxury boutique in Los Angeles. The Duchess of Sussex was just one of many names who featured in a controversial window display, in which she was branded a ‘Montecito diva’.

The brutal attack featured at high-end department store Kitson, who have exhibited their ‘Holiday hypocrites window display’ each year since 2020. Meghan was featured alongside other “villains” including California governor Gavin Newsom, George Clooney and Katy Perry, as a cardboard cut-out of the Duchess depicted her in a Santa hat surrounded by clips of negative headlines.

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The headlines surrounding Meghan’s images included one quoting that both Harry and Meghan are ‘disliked by Americans’, and another about her recent controversial Harper’s Bazaar interview in which she was allegedly announced by her royal title to an empty room.

It is not the first time the store, which is located an hour away from where the Duke and Duchess live in Montecito, has taken aim at Meghan Markle. After Harry and Meghan quit their royal duties in 2020 and relocated to America, the retailer started offering up ‘Team Harry & Meghan’ and ‘Team William & Kate’ t-shirts so buyers could back their favourite royal couple.

Kitson owner Fraser Ross told the Daily Mail: “It started out with customers asking us if we had anything related to the young royals. They would go on to say why they favoured one couple over the other. There were literally people arguing on the floor with each other about it. I knew it was time to bring back the infamous ‘Team’ shirts.”

The store originally started selling ‘Team’ shirts in 2005 when Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston broke up, offering up ‘Team Jolie’ and ‘Team Aniston’ shirts.

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The blistering attack comes just days after Meghan’s Netflix Christmas special was savaged by industry critics , who called the one-hour festive programme “unfathomable” and “pointless”.

The Duchess of Sussex’s Christmas-themed episode premiered on the streaming giant on December 3, in which she was joined by a range of celebrity guests to indulge in festive-themed crafts and cooking.

The show was met with a mix of reviews, with some fans sharing their joy for the episode on social media. However, several media outlets were quick to share their harsh criticisms of the programme, with one publication dubbing it “quite mad and a little bit sad”.

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The festive programme got a one-star review by The Independent, as writer Hannah Ewens dubbed it a “predictably insipid festive special”, as she said: “It’s not a real special by any stretch, but some YouTube content or the radio that you might put on in the background as you do your tree or wrap your presents. White noise to dull the senses. It’s all a little Stepford Wives; not informative, fun, enjoyable or even aspirational. Because the people watching this, including me, will never have a Christmas like this.”

The Times’s Hilary Rose was also highly critical of the episode, saying: “It’s unfathomable: four pointless crafts, three random ‘friends’, two unseen kids, one English prince and a duchess in a pear tree, or at least making pear syrup.”