Category Entertainment News

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson gave 12-year-old fundraiser Luke Mortimer the shock of his life when he surprised him with an invitation to the Pride of Britain Awards

View 4 Images

As Luke Mortimer stood next to the 6ft 5in wax figure of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, he admitted: “He is shorter than I imagined.” Those would have been brave words from the 12-year-old if he’d been in front of the real thing. As he realised when he came face-to-face with the Hollywood actor just a few hours later…

The star of blockbuster hits Moana and Jumanji surprised Luke with the exciting news he has been named Child of Courage at the the 2025 Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards, with P&O Cruises. Luke, who battled meningitis at the age of six and had to have all his limbs amputated, was astonished to find himself gazing up at The Rock.

“You inspire a lot of people, including me now,” Dwane told the young fundraiser, who has undertaken a series of incredible physical challenges for charity.

View 4 Images

The emotional moment took place after Luke, from Skipton, North Yorks, had been out for a special day in London with his dad, Adam, as a treat for the amazing work he has done to help others. This included a trip to the world-famous Madame Tussauds museum, where he had his first encounter with The Rock that day.

Posing next to the true-to-size wax figure of his celebrity idol for a picture, he revealed that he would never tell the Hollywood star how much taller he expected him to be if he was ever to meet him in real life. “He would knock me out,” Luke laughed.

Later, Luke and Adam were taken to a fancy hotel where they were to stay the night – and decided to order some room service. “Could I have two double smash beef burgers please?” Luke confidently requested, completely unaware of who was at the other end of the call.

Hiding in a room nearby, 53-year-old Dwayne was taking his order and preparing to give the young lad, who has raised over tens of thousands for charity by climbing mountains, the surprise of a lifetime. He told the lad: “We’ll be there shortly.”

Moments later, the professional wrestler-turned-movie star, who is currently promoting his newest film The Smashing Machine, walked into Luke’s room – food trolley in tow. With the joy and shock of the moment written all over his face, young Luke managed to keep his cool and met the star with a fist bump.

View 4 Images

Dwanye said: “Good to meet you, I heard a lot about you, I heard that you climb mountains, so there is no challenge too big for you.” He continued: “Luke, I am not here just to deliver your room service, I am here to deliver some very, very, very exciting news. I have the honour of saying you have won a Pride of Britain Award. Congratulations.”

Stunned to silence by the news, Luke shook his head in disbelief. “I’m like your biggest fan, maybe literally,” The Rock told the inspirational boy, quipping about the height comment he had made earlier at the museum.

Luke said after the magic moment: “The only way to describe it would be gobsmacked. If you told me I was meeting him this morning, I would have told you you were crazy.”

Contracting meningococcal meningitis septicaemia in 2019, Luke needed both of his legs and arms amputated to save his life. After six months in hospital and 23 operations, he eventually went home – but his life had changed forever.

He recalled: “When I came home, everything was physically hard, but there is also the emotional aspect of it. I was scared of what people would think of me, I was worried if my life would be the same. It was very tough at that time.”

Determined to not let what had happened hold him back, and vowing to “quit whining and just do it”, in 2023 the schoolboy summited the 656ft tall Embsay Crag mountain, near Skipton, raising more than £26,000 for charities including LimbPower and Children in Need.

A year later, Luke, his mum Christine and brother Harry, 15, climbed Pen-y-ghent, where they met Adam and a 19-strong team of climbers who had summited six mountains in the UK as part of Luke’s fundraising efforts. They raised almost £20,000 to help fund prosthetics for Luke and help other children with amputations through the Amp Camp Kids charity.

Luke, who has since taken part in further challenges and has hope for more in the future, reflected on his day with The Rock. He said: “It did take a while to sink in that I had got the award – I was like, this cannot be real. On a scale of one to 10 of amazing, this was 100.”

Luke receiving his Child of Courage award will be one of the highlights of the Pride of Britain Awards, which celebrate the unsung heroes of this country.

Tune in to watch this and many more magical moments on ITV next Thursday at 8pm.

Meanwhile, Sam Thompson and Pete Wicks promise “pure chaos” on the red carpet at this year’s Pride of Britain Awards.

The best friends turned podcast hosts will once again be presenting the red carpet livestream, and admit that anything can happen on the night.

“Every red carpet with Sam is pure chaos,” says Pete, 36. “I like a plan, and he doesn’t have a plan – so you can imagine the carnage each time!”

View 4 Images

But the pair will also have their tissues ready as they prepare to meet the incredible winners, who Sam, 33, hails as “the real heroes”.

“Pride of Britain is genuinely our favourite night of the year, because it’s all about the everyday heroes and people who wouldn’t usually be recognised,” he says.

“The winners are so selfless and it’s really important the industry turns to honour them.

“To hear their stories, and messages of hope always brings tears to our eyes without fail. It is truly an honour to present the red carpet and personally meet each winner.”

Last year’s Child of Courage winner, nine-year-old Florrie Bark, recently joined Sam and Pete for a special episode of their Staying Relevant podcast – and predictably stole the show.

“Florrie is so wonderful, funny and brave, and both Sam and I think she is amazing,” says Pete.

“We invited her to co-host the podcast with us – she is very special and we can’t wait to see her again this year.”

Florrie will be back again this year, after bringing a group of new friends with her to meet Katy Perry at London’s O2 on Monday night.

She will be hosting her own ‘Tea Time with Florrie’ segment on the red carpet this coming Monday (October 20) – and no doubt encouraging the celebs to reach into their pockets to support her award-winning charity BeMoreFab, which helps other children living with cancer.

Sam and Pete will also be joined by podcast legend GK Barry – who, along with Pete, was on this year’s judging panel for the awards, and will be reporting live from the red carpet.

• Tune in to the Pride of Britain red carpet livestream on Monday October 20 from 5pm on all socials using @prideofbritain

Irish singer-songwriter CMAT emerges as the frontrunner for Best Album at the Mercury Prize Awards in Newcastle tonight with her third record, Euro-Country

View 4 Images

The stars are gearing up to attend the Mercury Prize tonight at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle, and Irish singer-songwriter CMAT is emerging as a clear favourite following the release of her third album, Euro-Country.

Bookmakers have placed her at the top of the odds, citing her distinctive sound and growing international profile.

Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, professionally known as CMAT, first gained attention during lockdown with her clever country-pop storytelling and her early tracks combined humour, heartbreak, and candid reflections on life, quickly building a devoted fan base across Ireland.

CMAT has described herself as a “big fat pop star,” a title that reflects both her playful self-awareness and her growing popularity. Supporting indie artist Sam Fender on tour helped extend her reach, but her rise was already underway thanks to her unique voice and lyrical wit.

READ MORE: Mercury Prize nominations in full as huge 90s band make comebackREAD MORE: Irish singer CMAT reschedules UK tour after infected wisdom tooth requires surgery

View 4 Images

Euro-Country, her third album, marks a progression in CMAT’s sound, blending country-inflected pop with indie sensibilities and sharp social commentary.

The record explores themes of loneliness, identity, and relationships, while maintaining a cheeky edge. Tracks like Take a Sexy Picture of Me and Stay for Something exemplify her music style, which can be described as candid, humorous, and occasionally chaotic – but always deeply personal.

The album’s production mixes traditional instruments like acoustic guitars with contemporary pop and electronic touches, creating a sound that is both familiar and fresh, which has made her music go viral on TikTok and beyond.

CMAT’s ability to balance light and dark themes has contributed to her expanding international following. In the UK, Europe, the US, and Australia, her music resonates with audiences who appreciate its honesty and unpredictability.

View 4 Images

Bookmakers highlight the album’s sharp lyricism and the way CMAT addresses emotional vulnerability with wit, making Euro-Country a strong Mercury Prize contender.

Her biggest hit, Take a Sexy Picture of Me, has gone viral on TikTok, sparking a dance challenge that has generated over 169,000 posts.

Celebrities including Lola Young, Julia Fox, Amelia Dimoldenberg, and Liz Gillies have all attempted the routine, calling it the “woke Macarena.”

Despite the playful reception online, CMAT emphasises the track’s underlying seriousness. “If we’re dealing with a song that’s as dark as this, and as grim as this, we have to make it a bit funny,” she said.

“The thing with this song was, I wanted it to sound joyous and uplifting to sing, but also to be a bit of a rallying cry.”

View 4 Images

This year’s nominees for the Mercury Prize Awards were announced on BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Sounds by Lauren Laverne this morning. The twelve nominees are the ‘Albums of the Year’, but the overall winner will be unveiled tonight.

Among the albums nominated is Pulp’s More, which is their first album in more than 20 years. The rock band, which rose to prominence back in the 1990s, hadn’t released a studio album since 2001 prior to the release of More in June this year.

This year marks the first time that the Mercury Prize moves beyond London. Organisers have said that the relocation to Newcastle, in partnership with Newcastle City Council and The North East Combined Authority, “signals a new dawn” for it.

The Albums of the Year for the Mercury Prize 2025 are:

• EURO-COUNTRY by CMAT
• Weirdo by Emma-Jean Thackray
• EUSEXUA by FKA twigs
• Romance by Fontaines D.C.
• In Limerence by Jacob Alon
• Hamstrings & Hurricanes by Joe Webb
• Transform Me Then Into A Fish by Martin Carthy
• Afrikan Alien by Pa Salieu
• Fancy That by PinkPantheress
• More by Pulp
• People Watching by Sam Fender
• The Clearing by Wolf Alice

Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads.

READ MORE: Maura Higgins says affordable £10 root spray ‘saves her life’ and covers grey hairs

Skincare shoppers won’t want to snooze on this sale, which has seen an Elizabeth Arden gift set worth nearly £80 up for grabs for a fraction of the price

View 2 Images

The Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour moisturiser has earned a spot in many skincare routines, providing to be a staple in many beauty routines for decades. It was even adored by the late Princess Diana. That said, it does come with a relatively hefty price tag that makes it a luxury addition to vanities, keeping to a tighter budget.

Normally retailing for £31, there is now a way beauty buffs can pick up the covetable Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant for under £7, thanks to this money-saving deal, as well as claiming three other Elizabeth Arden products without breaking the bank.

Whether you’re buying it as an indulgent gift for yourself or for a loved one as we near the holiday season, now is the perfect time to pick up this set without spending a fortune.

READ MORE: ‘Very soft and cosy’ Boden cardigan that’s perfect for layering gets slashed by 40% in rare sale

READ MORE: Claudia Winkleman’s Traitors tartan trousers have the ‘entire country’ searching for them

View 2 Images

Currently available at Boots is the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Multitasking Masters 4 Piece Gift Set, which normally retails for £75.80, but is now reduced to a more budget-friendly £27. This price is already lower than the Eight Hour Cream on its own, but when you divide the new £27 price tag by the four full-sized items included, each piece works out at £6.75.

Included in the set are a full-sized Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant Multitasking Cream, a full-sized Eight Hour Cream Lip Protectant Stick Sunscreen SPF 15, a full-sized All-Over Miracle Oil for Face, Body, and Hair, and a 30ml Eight Hour Intensive Moisturising Hand Treatment.

The Multitasking Masters gift set, which features the four iconic choices from the Eight Hour Cream collection, promises to deliver head-to-toe healing. The Skin Protectant calms, hydrates, and polishes the skin with its award-winning balm-like formula, while the all-weather Lip Protectant Stick SPF 15 soothes, softens, and protects lips from UV rays, preventing chapping.

The set also includes the fast-absorbing Intensive Moisturising Hand Treatment, which reverses dryness, roughness and cracking, treating weather-exposed skin with a non-greasy feel, which is a must-have this time of year when skin is feeling the change in temperature; and the ultra-lightweight All-Over Miracle Oil For Face, Body, and Hair is set to work all day long to deliver intensive moisture and radiance complemented by an uplifting fragrance.

Though this gift set doesn’t have any reviews of its own, the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream is a firm favourite among royals and skincare shoppers alike. Currently boasting over 3000 5-star reviews at Boots, where it’s discounted to £24.80, this skin has received plenty of praise.

One buyer beams: “Soft and silky feeling left on skin after using this moisturiser at night. It works not just on the skin, but also on the lips, and can be used as an eyebrow gel. Super easy to use, the packaging is great.”

Another shopper gushes: “This product has saved my extremely dry skin and lips. I love it.”

And a third chimes in: “My skin gets so dry, particularly in the winter. I love the versatility of this product. It makes skin glow and hydrates immediately. I use it on my face, hands, chest, and elbows.”

Though it’s worth noting a couple of buyers have commented on the cream’s fragrance, with one writing: “I was really impressed with the effectiveness of the Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant, especially during harsh cold weather. My lips were extremely chapped, and after applying it before bed, I noticed a significant improvement overnight—they felt soothed and much more hydrated by morning. The texture is smooth and comforting, providing an immediate sense of relief. While the scent wasn’t my favourite, it’s a minor drawback compared to how well it works. The packaging is also a plus—sleek, practical, and easy to carry around. Definitely a must-have for winter skincare!”

Victoria Beckham opts for the same signature eye look pretty much every day: the Posh Spice smoky eye, and there’s one product she swears by to create the look on a daily basis

View 2 Images

Beauty queen Victoria Beckham has garnered heaps of praise for her best-selling eyeliner range at Victoria Beckham Beauty, with makeup enthusiasts and celebs alike raving about its pigment, blendability and staying power.

This eye makeup staple has been receiving rave reviews from shoppers and remains a bestseller. However, it’s not just the public who are fans, as numerous celebrities have also expressed their affection for this eyeliner.

Claudia Winkleman is one known fan of the Satin Kajal Liner, swearing by Victoria Beckham’s eyeliner to create her signature eye look. Courtney Cox is the latest star to join the list of those singing the praises of this liner. But Victoria herself is arguably the biggest fan of her hit eyeliner, wearing it on a regular basis to create her signature smoky eye look.

READ MORE: ‘Very soft and cosy’ Boden cardigan that’s perfect for layering gets slashed by 40% in rare sale

READ MORE: Claudia Winkleman’s Traitors tartan trousers have the ‘entire country’ searching for them

View 2 Images

Victoria Beckham herself comments on the liner, writing: “I love to experiment with colour. You see it in my fashion line, where I play with colour-blocking and balance modern brights with nuanced neutrals. I look at Satin Kajal Liner through the same lens. And there are endless ways to use these—along your lashline, in your waterline, create a wing or smudge it out. They’re highly pigmented and so soft and creamy.”

The Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Eyeliner is available in a total of 21 other shades, including navy, bronze, burgundy, and more unusual hues like mint green. Shoppers can choose from matte, shimmer, and jewel finishes, and each liner costs £32, either directly from her website or at Selfridges.

The VB eyeliner is ideal for achieving Posh Spice’s signature smudged effect, which channels the 90s smoky eye Victoria has sported since her girl band days. It features a silky texture that glides on effortlessly without any tugging or dragging. You can use it to craft a precise, defined line or blend and blur it out to achieve a more effortless appearance.

According to Victoria Beckham Beauty’s website, you can create a sensual eye by: “Gliding the Satin Kajal Liner along the lash line and waterline. Use the smudger for a lived-in effect on both the top and bottom lids. Don’t be afraid to go for bold and experiment with unexpected colours”. To create a sharper, more defined look, “Maintain a fine point for precise application. We recommend the Victoria Beckham Beauty luxury sharpener, which you can add complimentary to your order. Gently press the pencil tip up against the blade as you twist the pencil to sharpen.”

It’s also infused with nourishing ingredients which suit all skin types, and the liner is entirely smudge-resistant and waterproof, so once you’ve perfected your look, it’ll remain flawless all day. The eyeliner has also been formulated to be vegan and completely cruelty-free.

The premium eyeliner guarantees “low maintenance glamour” with just one sweep across the eyelid, whilst also providing versatility and adaptability that means your new eyeliner can effortlessly complement any eye look you desire. And with grunge makeup staging a comeback, these gems are ideal for that dishevelled, blurred style that won’t shift for the remainder of the day.

And it’s not just celebrities who adore this award-winning eyeliner from Posh Spice’s brand, as the 5-star reviews keep rolling in. One thrilled customer gushes: “Absolutely in love with the Kajal liner. Glides on like velvet.”

Another chimes in: “This eyeliner goes on smooth and smudges great. Once it sets, it stays in place all day. The colour is really pretty also.”

A third satisfied shopper beams: “This is the best eyeliner I have ever used. It’s easy to put on and lasts all day. The sharpener is a great tool too.”

A fourth beauty enthusiast writes: “Beautiful colour and probably the best liner I have ever bought. Stays without smudge all day.”

Yet another reviewer added: “I’ve been using this soft, long-lasting eyeliner for a while now, and I’m absolutely hooked! The formula is smooth and glides on effortlessly, making it super easy to create a variety of looks. It stays put all day without smudging or fading, even during those long days. The colour payoff is fantastic, and it’s really easy to build up the intensity. And let’s not forget about the packaging! It’s sleek and stylish, making it a pleasure to use.”

However, one gave a three-star rating, commenting: “The eyeliner goes on like a dream but you have to be careful not to get it into your waterline otherwise it transfers under the eyes. I end up with blue/purple looking panda eyes after a few hours. To prevent this I have to apply very carefully and it blunts the pencil quickly. I never got this with my No7 kohl liner.”

The singer looked back on her four marriages and what went wrong with them

View 5 Images

Jennifer Lopez doesn’t think she’s ever been loved as she looks back on her failed marriage to Ben Affleck. The four-times married actress and singer mused over her relationship history in a candid interview.

Shifting the blame on to the men she has fallen in and out of love with, she said they had their own issues they were battling. It comes after her surprise divorce earlier this year. US chat show host Howard Stern asked “Have you ever been loved?’ “No,” Jennifer, 56, admitted.

She continued: “What I learned is that I’m not unloveable, it’s that they’re not capable. They don’t have it in them. They need to appreciate the little person inside of them. They gave me what they had. They gave me all of it all the time. They tried to give me the houses, the rings, all of it. But… ” “They didn’t love you?” prompted Stern. “They didn’t,” Jen answered. “And I didn’t love myself.”

View 5 Images

J.Lo finalised her divorce with Affleck, 53, in January after just two and half years of marriage. The Hollywood power couple surprised the world when they announced they were marrying almost twenty years after first falling in love. They reunited in 2021, married at a Las Vegas chapel in July 2022, followed by a second ceremony in Georgia the following month. But it wasn’t to be, with the Jenny From The Block singer filing for divorce on their second wedding anniversary.

Their marriage was unravelling as the pair worked on a musical remake of the 1976 novel Kiss of the Spider Woman together but the pair but their differences to one side for the premiere this month, proving they were the friendliest of exes, and even sparkling speculation there could be a reconciliation on the cards.

View 5 Images

View 5 Images

If there was, J-Lo says she’ll be keeping her cards close to her chest this time and vowed not play out her love life in public. “I feel that I live my life very out loud even though I was in the public eye,” she told Stern on his Sirius XM show. “And I wanted to share my life with someone. I want someone to be there when I’m having my big important moments on my red carpet. Or if we’re going to the store. I didn’t hide from it, I spoke about it. What’s happened over the past few years to me and my children I feel like I want to keep that part so much more quiet in my life.”

A self-confessed romantic, Jennifer has been married and divorced four times and engaged twice more. She married to Cuban actor Ojani Noa in 1997 but it was short-lived, with the pair divorcing the following year. Then she was married to dancer Cris Judd from 2001 to 2003. Good Will Hunting star Ben met singer Jen in 2002 on the set of their movie, Gigli. Married to Judd at the time, Jennifer said she felt sparks immediately with Ben. They soon got engaged but postponed their wedding in 2003 and split the following year.

Both moved on, with Ben marrying another Jen, 13 Going On 30 actress Jennifer Garner. They have children Violet, 19, Fin, 16, and Sam, 13. In the meantime, J-Lo walked down the aisle with singer Marc Anthony. They had twins Max and Emma, now 17. They divorced in 2014 three years after departing. J-Lo was engaged to baseball player Alex Rodriguez in 2019 before they called it quits in 2021. Ben and Jen married a year later.

View 5 Images

Accepting some responsibility for the breakdown in her relationships. Jen says she’s learnt how to love herself through it all. “There’s a trade off,” she explained. “You have to learn how to navigate your personal life and my personal life has suffered because of that. And it took time for me to learn this. I kept thinking, I can do this and that. And now I realise you have to change your behaviour to have a successful relationship in your life.

“I think the work of my life is about self love. It’s about knowing I’m worthy of love and people. Paying attention to me and not leaving. That’s the work of my love, to know I’m whole on my own.”