Toni Laites has opened up about the turbulent life she has been through since joining Cach Mercer on the show and how she is adapting to her new life.
View 4 Images
Love Island’s Toni Laites(Image: ITV/Shutterstock)
Toni Laites says life after Love Island has been “hard” and far from what she expected.
The 24-year-old waitress from Las Vegas made history as the first ever American to win the hit ITV dating show, but now says the aftermath of fame has been anything but easy.
In an emotional TikTok video, Toni opened up to fans about the rollercoaster she’s been on in recent months. “I’ve been trying all day to film a get ready with me or a certain story time,” she told her followers, “but I thought it would be better if I came on here and told you the guys the truth about the last couple of months.”
“I never thought that working as a waitress in Vegas on a random Monday afternoon would make me the first American,” Toni said of finding love with fellow islander Cach, 24, during the most recent series.
“I’m so appreciative of you guys for putting me in this position, but it hasn’t been easy.”
Toni revealed that since leaving the villa, she has been unable to settle in properly and has been living out of suitcases. She shared that she has been sleeping on couches all her life and that this is her seventh Airbnb.
I haven’t been able to work, go live, or produce the content you guys want to see every day because living out of suitcases is difficult and I haven’t had a visa, but I’m trying.
The reality star thanked her devoted followers for sticking with her despite the chaos that occurred in the background. She said, “I can’t thank you all enough for loving and supporting me every step of the way.” “I’m trying to get back to that lovable character you guys fell in love with on your screens for eight weeks.”
Toni acknowledged that fame has had an impact on her and that she is still adjusting to life in the spotlight.
Please be patient with me because I haven’t been that person. I’m so proud of how I’m perceived, and I’m thrilled to see you as I cross the street and as you scream my name out of your car windows.
She continued, “It’s just so surreal to me. Women are rarely allowed to enter red carpets and interact with celebrities they have only read about online.
Toni expressed her shock at how far she’s come, referring to her meteoric rise. I only have 3, 000 subscribers and no TikTok on the show, so it’s crazy that almost a million people are following me right now.
Continue reading the article.
“I’m making every effort possible. Please be patient with me. For a pimp, it’s difficult to get out here. I adore you all so much. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Cach’s boyfriend, who hasn’t made any public comments, did repost the video to show his support for her as she battles on social media. Fans are still hoping that their romance will succeed despite their rocky beginnings in the villa, which is where the couple first won the £50, 000 prize earlier this year.
The makeup artist for the television show Molly-Mae: Behind It All has season two streaming now.
We may link to affiliate links in this article, but we will make money off of any purchases we make. more information
3 images to be seen
Molly-Mae’s make-up artist loves using this cream before make-up (Image: Getty)
The first few episodes of Molly-Mae Hague’s BAFTA-winning documentary Molly-Mae: Behind It All are now streaming on Amazon Prime, giving viewers a second look at the mother-of-one’s recent life.
We believe we’ve discovered one of her beauty secrets as well: a moisturiser that Molly’s make-up artist has revealed is always included in her professional kit because it’s “the ideal base for make-up.” We therefore wager that the social media star uses it frequently to give her radiant, fresh skin.
Paris Fury reveals her go-to lip combo that “always freshens you up” on makeup days.
Jennifer Lopez’s dramatic “Hollywood blonde” hair transformation is revealed in a new film.
Hollie Flynn, Molly’s regular make-up artist, shared her four-step “current glow routine” using Tatcha products in a sponsored Instagram Reel. She also did the 26-year-old’s make-up for the most recent L’Oréal catwalk show as well as her stunning BAFTAs look.
Hollie uses Tatcha’s The Dewy Skin Cream from £26 and The Brightening Serum from £34, both of which are accessible from Tatcha’s website as well as retailers like Sephora and Space NK.
She claims, “I have used this in my kit for as long as I can remember.” It serves as the ideal foundation for makeup. My skin appears to be so soft after using it. This cream is for you if you want plump, hydrated skin. Finally, Hollie finishes with the £27 Tatcha The Kissu Lip Mask layer.
The Dewy Skin Cream is a rich, plumping moisturiser that leaves skin looking and feeling noticeably more hydrated and glowing, making it excellent under foundation if you want your skin to look fresh and healthy. Tatcha’s clinical results also show that it’s proven to reduce the look of dry, fine lines in two weeks.
It’s a timeless classic beauty product that Meghan Markle enjoys. The Duchess first created her Instagram account when she first shared a look at some of her favorite fashion and beauty products on her ShopMy page, which included Tatcha’s Dewy Skin Cream.
This new version is the answer if oily or combination sufferers find the original formula a little too rich. The Dewy Milk Moisturizer is only available in Space NK and costs from £23. This new skincare line has lighter, water-based formula that is ideal for slightly oilier skin types, giving it the same much-loved dewy glow. This highly sought-after new innovation “balances excess oil while providing 2x more skin bounce and a dewy, youthful-looking glow” by including hydration-promoting ingredients like Tatcha’s iconic Japanese purple rice and hyaluronic acid.
Continue reading the article.
The iconic Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base, priced at £19., is another hydrating moisturiser/primer hybrid Molly has enjoyed using in the past. You can find it inside celebrity MUA Hannah Martin’s 2025 beauty advent calendar, which costs £99 but is worth more than £600 and contains this and 29 other top products, as a further testament to how well-known this product is among make-up artists.
Louis Tomlinson, a former member of One Direction, has made an announcement about the tragic passing of his bandmate Liam Payne, who tragically died from a balcony in Benous Aires, Argentina, a year ago.
3 images to be seen
A year after the tragic fall of the star from a hotel balcony in Benous Aires, Argentina, Louis Tomlinson has tearfully admitted he will “never really accept” his friend Liam Payne.
The grief he feels around his late bandmate Liam’s passing, who was just 31 when he passed away, has been addressed openly by One Direction star Louis.
Not just Louis’s grief, though, is heartbreaking: his sister Félicité passed away from an accidental overdose in 2019 and Louis’ month Joanna Deakin passed away from leukaemia in 2016 and his sister Joanna Deakin passed away from leukaemia in 2019.
READ MORE: Harry Styles’ mum leads Liam Payne tributes – one year after tragic deathREAD MORE: Permanent Liam Payne memorial planned in Wolverhampton as fans mourn superstar
Louis has now admitted in a candid interview that he believed his prior struggles with grief would almost equip him. He told The Independent, “I naively thought that I’d be a little bit more well-versed in grief than other people my age,” he said.
Before he spoke of Liam’s death, Louis said, “I thought that might mean something, but it didn’t at all,” adding that I’ll never really understand. I don’t believe anything.
Elsewhere in the interview, Louis gushed over his late friend, revealing how he and his fellow bandmates Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan would look up to Liam after Louis described him as a “vital” part of the band in a tribute to him. He added: “In between him playing that role and also doing a huge chunk of the songwriting… it’s not even up for debate.”
Louis also looked back on his fondest memories of Liam, revealed he would “always entertain me”, while he would also always show up to support him, too – for example when Liam turned up to the premiere for his 2023 documentary, All of Those Voices, or appeared as Louis’ guest on The X Factor during his judging stint.
Louis remarked, “Whenever he had the chance to be there for me, wherever he might have been, even if he had been struggling, he would always, always be there for me.” And that is how Liam would appear in front of his friends, which Louis believes is “a proof of who he was as a person””.
The singer’s most recent open interview comes after he revealed the tragic death of his pal.
Louis Tomlinson revealed Niall Horan informed him about the death of the pair’s former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne, saying “we all looked up to him”.
Tomlinson claimed to be in Los Angeles when he first learned of Payne’s passing while speaking with Steven Bartlett of The Diary of a CEO podcast.
In LA, in the car. I learned this through Niall, he said, adding that his statement to Bartlett evoked a similar sentiment to his sister Felicite’s 2019 accidental drug overdose death.
My 150 percent wasn’t nearly enough, which is the same feeling I had with Felicite, and I think anyone who is struggling might have this feeling.
Continue reading the article.
“And that’s when I realize I could have actually helped, because it was so much deeper than what I could have done for him,” I think. At the time in his life, he was undoubtedly struggling.
A Russian model and actress came to prominence in a controversial way when her mother was accused of “sexualizing” her daughter through social media posts.
View 4 Images
As a child star, Kristina worked with Armani, Burberry and Dolce & Gabbana(Image: Daily Record)
Kristina Pimenova was dubbed the ‘most beautiful girl in the world’ when she was just nine years old.
The young girl’s blue eyes and long blonde hair had catapulted her to worldwide fame but the photos of the schoolgirl were branded ‘disturbing’ by some.
The Russian youngster had been a model since she was just three years old when she went viral thanks to pictures posted on social media by her mother Glikeriya Pimenova.
However, Glikeriya was criticized for “sexualizing” her child through the images, but she maintained that her daughter’s “poses” were genuine, even in those taken at the beach.
READ MORE: ‘Most beautiful girl in the world’ looks unrecognisable at 24 after going viral
She told Mail Online in 2004: “I am certain in my mind all her photographs are absolutely innocent. I have never asked her to take this or that pose, and in fact I must say she does not especially like it when I am photographing her, so I do it quickly and when she doesn’t notice.”
Kristina continued to collaborate with fashion juggernauts like Dolce & Gabbana, Armani, Burberry, and Vogue.
The 19-year-old, who was born in Moscow, is currently a student at a drama school and has appeared in movies like The Russian Bride, Secret Neighbour, and Creators: The Past.
The child star speaks positively about finding fame so young and is quoted in the Daily Mail as saying: “Modeling happened naturally for me when I was younger, I was just like: ‘Let’s try this’, I didn’t even know what it was.
It felt like a game because I was just playing. It was a significant period of my early life for me. It eventually led to friends traveling, so it was only natural.
Kristina continues to model but acting is her main focus. Her Instagram biography reads: “Remember, beauty is inside”.
Thylane Blondeau, the most beautiful young woman in the world, was crowned the “most beautiful young girl in the world” at the age of six when she modelled for Jean Paul Gaultier. She began working for Versace, Ralph Lauren, L’Oreal, Chanel, and Dolce and Gabbana.
Thylane’s Vogue Enfant feature received criticism for having “a lot of sexualized styling and positioning,” which attracted widespread condemnation. However, her mother, Veronica Loubry, defended the provocative shoot, saying, “The necklace that she’s wearing is the only thing that shocks me about the picture.”
Claire Sweeney, an actress and singer from Coronation Street and Brookside, reflects on the groundbreaking soap’s heyday and tells her tales on screen and on the air.
Tabish Ali and Mitya Underwood
View 6 Images
Claire has been a familiar face on television since in the early ’90s, when she played Lindsey Corkhill on Brookside(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Claire Sweeney is one of Britain’s most multi-talented stars — actress, singer and TV personality — whose rise from Liverpudlian butcher’s daughter to West End leading lady and soap favourite has made her a household name. She first appeared in Brookside as Lindsey Corkhill before conquering reality TV (Celebrity Big Brother, Dancing on Ice ) and musical theatre (including Chicago).
Today, Claire – who recently paid moving tribute to boxer Ricky Hatton following his death, after the pair briefly dated following their stint on Dancing On Ice, brings her wit, drama and charm to new audiences — and in this exclusive interview with OK!, reveals the defining moments behind her journey to fame – and the sliding doors moment that changed everything….
READ MORE: Cat Deeley stuns in perfect party season dress on This Morning – and it’s still in stock
Claire, growing up in Liverpool, balancing theatre school with working in your father’s butcher shop, what initially drew you to a career in entertainment?
I was obsessed with Fame, the TV show, like most 1980s kids at the time, but that’s just me. My mother was a barmaid, and my father was a butcher, and I started dancing before enrolling in stage school in Liverpool. There’s a teacher there — if you watch Benidorm, she was Johnny Vegas’s mum – who singled me out and said, “You can sing” and said, “Now, you need a thing called an equity card. You visit social clubs, sing in old people’s homes, or whatever else, gain knowledge and a credit card. And my father responded, “I can sort that out.”
Your dad was instrumental, wasn’t he?
Yes, he had a van and he’d go around all the pubs, open the back doors, flog meat out the back, right? So he decided to bribe the concert secretary of the Montro Social Club with a leg of lamb to let me sing. So that was my very first gig. He gave him a leg of lamb, let me sing, and I carried on from there. It was quite funny because every Christmas I got very, very busy, but there were lots of turkeys going in the back of clubs! God bless me dad. The only way he knew how to give me a step up was to give us meat.
How did Brookside and Coronation Street compare to reality television programs like Dancing on Ice and Big Brother?
Starting out — I started on cruise ships first as a singer, on summer seasons, pantos… And then got into Brookside, which was great for me. It’s so inconvenient in our business. Our travels are constant. You’re never in one place. I literally learned the art of acting on the job in order for me to be able to compete in my favorite TV show and to master the art of acting, which I had never done before. Then, to be working in one place every day and working alongside my idols, Barry Grant and Jimmy Corkill, was beyond joyous.
How did it come to be that you lived with your partner on the first season of Celebrity Big Brother in 2001?
I can recall being invited to the BAFTA Awards along with Brookside, and there was a Big Brother-style television program at the time. I never watched it. Reality TV didn’t exist at the time. There was nothing like that in the jungle or Strictly.
I was chatting to a guy at the next table and at the end of the night, a spotlight came on him. Everyone stood up and gave him a standing ovation and I thought it was me – it turned out it was director, Richard Curtis. He was in charge of Comic Relief and they were doing a Celebrity Big Brother for Comic Relief – Mel B had just dropped out. He phoned Brookside and said, “I met Claire at the BAFTAs. Would you like to do it?”
You did, and that chance meeting did, didn’t it open many doors? !
I did, and it changed everything. Given that it was all very kind at the time, I decided to leave Brookside and go to a house for two weeks. There was no one trying to stitch you up or get a headline. So I did that, then I left, and then my dream jobs arrived.
I thought, “This is simple,” after years of schlepping around clubs, summer months, and pantos, to suddenly spend two weeks in a house, drink tea, and then obtain all your dream jobs. It was such a great chance encounter.
You’ve starred in Britain’s most beloved TV dramas. What role stands out?
I grew up watching Coronation Street. So to be part of an iconic show — even this morning, I was filming a scene with Dame Maureen Lipman and walking on the cobbles – I still pinch myself every day.
Brookside, however, was revolutionary. Only four channels were present. Millions of people watched the soaps at the time. Additionally, producer Phil Redmond was cautious with his actions. With edgy plots, he was always ahead of the pack. So, the joy of both is very different. I count my blessings every day.
You also have well-known musical theater credits and are a well-known singer. What does music and the stage mean to you?
I enjoy performing musical theater. I’ll never get over my disappointment with Southport Youth Theatre, having to audition for the Hair, and not getting the part at all! I think Martha, whose mother made the teas, got the part. It’s been let go by me. But that was always my dream. Even when I was in Brookside, every year we’d do a Christmas concert and I’d get up and do all my Lloyd Webber stuff, all my show songs.
You left Brookside because of it, isn’t it?
Yes . I’d just turned 30 and I went to Phil Redmond and said, “Phil, I’m 30. I recently ended a six-year relationship. I need to go see a musical to fulfill my dream. And I auditioned for Chicago. I auditioned for Chicago for the role in Celebrity Big Brother shortly after leaving Brookside, and my career just exploded.
It was nice to go into Chicago and leave. When I do my cabaret, I talk all about that. I discuss my experiences with Patrick Swayze in Guys and Dolls and all the other shows over the years. Isn’t it nice, is it not? I feel very lucky.
You’ve always made a charitable contribution from your platform. Can you tell us about some of the charities you support?
Since I was a teenager, I’ve been a Claire House employee. I contributed to their teenage ward’s million-dollar fundraising effort. And recently, I’ve got involved with another charity which I hold very dear to my heart actually — Brinsworth House for the Royal Variety. I went there and sang there while contemplating, “I’m getting my name down here,” for all the old-timers performing. I’ll be staying here. This looks lovely”. singing Ladies Who Lunch while leaning on the piano.
I’ve lost a lot of my friends to AIDS, so I’ve always been a part of causes like the Terrence Higgins Trust. And I’ve been to Africa several times for Save the Children and Comic Relief. And that was a fantastic opportunity to see the real impact of the home-based money raised.
What is a memory from those African trips that you find most moving?
I remember going to Sierra Leone and it was all the kids who were affected — the gun soldiers. It’s amazing to be able to actually see the money that you can make when you’re at home and making a phone call to Comic Relief, which I’ve done myself many, many times over the years, and to actually go to Africa and see where the money is going.
Brinsworth means a lot to me, but I’m also a firm believer that charity can start at home as well. And I think there’s sometimes that disconnect between the money that we give and actually seeing the benefit of it to people.
Continue reading the article.
Tabish Ali from the Champions Speakers organization conducted this exclusive interview with Claire Sweeney. For more information, visit champions-speakers. . uk
Prince Harry has made some important choices both during his royal life and in the decades that have followed, but one of them riled a significant royal into disbelief.
View 4 Images
Prince Harry returned to the UK for his grandfather’s funeral(Image: Amy Katz/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)
It’s been over half a decade since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shocked the nation by announcing their intention to step back from their roles as full-time working royals. The couple felt that their situation within the monarchy had become unbearable and change was necessary. However, their public declaration of wanting a ‘half-in, half-out’ approach to royal duties posed significant challenges for the rest of the Royal Family.
The Sussexes had been living in Canada prior to their shocking announcement, which led Meghan to move there with Archie. The details of their departure were clarified at the now-infamous Sandringham Summit, where Harry was able to attend alone.
Megxit: Inside the Sandringham Summit, a Channel Five documentary, explored the events that took place behind closed doors at this crucial meeting and its implications for the monarchy over the long term.
READ MORE: Meghan Markle backed to finally strike gold as she ‘does fashion very well’
One expert disclosed that a senior member of the House of Windsor was reportedly “horrified” by Harry’s decision to step back: his grandfather, Prince Philip. In the documentary, royal author Andrew Morton stated, “Prince Philip is someone who doesn’t take fools gladly, and he was horrified that they had come to a situation where the Royal Family were deciding whether to split up or not.”
The late Duke of Edinburgh chose to leave Sandringham rather than confront him because of how deeply he felt about his grandson Harry. According to journalist Emily Andrews, “Philip was so enraged that he wouldn’t even go there.” He claimed to have been unable to bring himself to see his grandson because he thought it was a grave dereliction of duty.
Prince Philip was allegedly “very much the head of the family” when it came to private affairs, despite always relying on his wife, the late Queen Elizabeth II, for decisions regarding matters of the crown.
Prince Philip shared a close bond with both Prince Harry and his elder brother Prince William, as well as his six other grandchildren. He was praised as being “brilliantly effective” in supporting the two brothers following the tragic loss of their mother in 1997.
The boys were on the Balmoral staff when they learned Diana had passed away, according to author Tina Brown, who noted that Prince Philip, who had effectively lost his own mother at the age of 10 when she was imprisoned for three years in Switzerland, was brilliantly effective with his grandsons, offering them gruff tenderness and outdoor activities like stalking and hiking.
The Independent has reported that during the planning of Princess Diana’s funeral, Prince Philip reminded those involved in organising the day that “It’s about the boys, they’ve lost their mother.”
On the day of the funeral, he also pledged his support, telling William and Harry, “I’ll walk if you walk.”
Prince Philip passed away in the year following the Sandringham Summit and Harry’s decision to step down from his royal duties, just one month after the Sussexes’ explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which they explained their reasons for leaving.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Prince Harry was able to attend his grandfather’s funeral in the UK again.
Continue reading the article.
He wrote of his grandfather in a moving tribute, “He will be remembered as the longest reigning consort to the Monarch, a decorated serviceman, a Prince and a Duke.” But to me, like many of you who have lost a loved one or grandparent due to the agony of the past year, he was my grandpa: the master of barbecue, the legend of banter, and the cheeky “right ’til the end””.
READ MORE: Virgin Media’s TV packages just got a major revamp and new freebie to rival Sky
