Category Entertainment News

TOWIE star, Charlie King, who joined the series with ex-Gemma Collins, told followers he’s ‘spiralled’ after shelling out a fortune on surgery – which includes a botched nose job

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A former TOWIE star has admitted he’s ‘lost direction in life’ after dropping a whopping £20,000 on a total body transformation.

Charlie King, 40, who joined the ITV2 reality show with then girlfriend, Gemma Collins, in 2012, has spoken previously about his botched nose job and now he’s revealed he’s ‘spiralled’ since going under the knife.

Taking to TikTok, sharing a clip of himself looking ripped at a swimming pool before sharing another recent shot of himself getting out of a shower, wrapping a towel around his waist, he wrote in the caption: “Feeling like you’re at rock bottom,” before adding: “Nobody tells you how hard it is going from this … to here.”

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READ MORE: TOWIE exodus as two more stars announce they’re leaving ITV reality showREAD MORE: Heartbroken Gogglebox star pulls out of show as she shares sad family death

Charlie then admitted he had “lost his sense of direction in life” in a further worrying message. Sitting, sporting a striped shirt, with a plaster on his nose, he said of his body transformation: “It was never about having abs and losing abs.

“It was more just to show I’m someone that used to have quite a good relationship with his mind and I would do the right things to make me feel good. This year especially I have let it all spiral.

“I have lost all sense of self control, purpose, direction and it’s really caused a lot of self sabotage and I’ve not wanted to look after myself and felt a rebellion to looking after myself. But I don’t like the feeling and it’s got to stop.”

Charlie, who revealed his ripped body transformation following his time on TOWIE, then insisted he would ‘take accountability’ for his life, moving forward.

It’s not the first time the reality star has opened up about his mental health. In 2022, he told health committee MPs he was left in the “depths of despair” due to his struggles with body dysmorphia.

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Slamming the amount of filters used on Instagram photos, pointing out what a danger they were to impressionable kids, he said: “The amount of times you see someone and they’ve been altered — you don’t really know what’s real any more.

“If we look at the Kardashian lifestyle, it’s that aspirational world where you can make loads of money and look fantastic. But we need to get real — that’s a unique situation the average person will never get to.”

He also told the Mirror he ;wasn’t strong enough’ for TOWIE, admitting: “I probably wasn’t strong enough for a career that so image based. Obviously I’m older now and I made a few mistakes but equally I try and make those mistakes into a positive now and lead by example.

“Being famous has got all these shiny lights about it. You see the influencer lifestyle or you see the reality TV lifestyle and you think it’s so glamorous but there is a very dark undertone to it all – there’s no denying that.”

Charlie joined TOWIE in 2012 and stayed for six series. His biggest storyline on the show was his rollercoaster relationship with Gemma Collins as well as his friendship with co-star Bobby Cole Norris.

He returned to the show in 2017 to have a heart-to-heart with Bobby about his sexuality, after denying he was gay when he first found fame.

Charlie appeared on This Morning and came out live on television as many viewers tuned in across the country and praised him for his bravery.

A star from Britain’s Got Talent has been rushed to hospital following a terrifying accident. Lost Voice Guy, who won the ITV show back in 2018, has revealed he was taken to accident and emergency.

Lost Voice Guy – real name Lee Ridley – has explained how he was taken to A&E after he “split his head open” over the weekend, forcing him to cancel two gigs and quipped he has renamed himself.

“Lost Balance Guy strikes again! This is your periodic reminder that living with a disability can be s**t sometimes, however well your life is going,” he wrote, “I fell and split my head over the weekend and was left feeling silly and useless.

“But this isn’t a post for sympathy. It’s a post to say it’s ok to feel like that sometimes. If you’re disabled, you already know this part. The disabled community is incredibly resilient. Not because we have to be heroic, but because we keep going. We don’t stay down. We pause, recover, and carry on. However that looks for you.”

As a result, Lee then thanked the hospital who helped “put him back together” and apologised for missing the next two shows on his tour. “Huge thanks to the NHS staff at the RVI for putting me back together. And sorry to the people of Newcastle and Mexborough for missing the shows. I’ll make it up to you,” he said.

Lee had suffered a brain infection at just six months old, shortly following his cerebral palsy diagnosis. He slipped into a two month coma shortly after. He was initially a journalist for the BBC, before taking up stand up comedy in 2012.

Speaking about going into comedy, he said: “It came about because my mate thought it would work well. Of course, I thought he was crazy, but the idea stuck in the back of my head.

“Eventually, a few months later, I decided to give it a try because I knew I’d regret it if I didn’t. It turns out my mate was right! It’s just grown from there really. I’ve only been doing it for seven years, but I’ve already done so much. It’s still a bit breathtaking really.”

Lee admits things have changed very dramatically since he was on the ITV talent show. He won the programme, with Robert White and Donchez Dacres in second and third place.

“Well obviously, I’m a lot richer for a start! But please don’t tell the Department for Work and Pensions though. Winning the show has changed my life in so many ways. I’m busier than I ever was before as a comedian. I’ve been on a nationwide tour, and I have also written a book called I’m Only In It For The Parking,” he quipped.

“The general public has been so supportive as well. I’m always getting stopped for selfies, and having people congratulate me. It has been really nice and I am very grateful for the kind words I have received.”

*This is a breaking showbiz news story. Join The Mirror’s WhatsApp Community or follow us on Google News, Flipboard, Apple News, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads – or visit The Mirror homepage.

The Traitors star, Charlotte Chilton, who was rushed to hospital for brain surgery last week, continues to fight to find out the paternity of her daughter – as she insists Conor Maynard is the father

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Conor Maynard has taken a savage swipe at The Traitors’ Charlotte Chilton amid their bitter paternity battle.

Mum-of-one, Charlotte, 32, who gave birth to her daughter, Penelope last year, has insisted that the YouTuber, 33, is the father of her child – despite two DNA tests proving otherwise.

When the second test was confirmed earlier this year, Conor said he just wanted to ‘move on’ with his life. However, he now appears to have made a brutal dig at Charlotte, who last week was in hospital for brain surgery. Jumping on a TikTok trend, after the Traitors star told her followers she was being treated for trigemenal neuralgia – which she described as “physical torture” – the social media king didn’t hold back.

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READ MORE: Traitors star Charlotte Chilton rushed to hospital in ‘physical torture’ after baby rowREAD MORE: Holly Hagan’s sister, 19, died of ‘multi organ failure’ after taking MDMA on night out

Seen sporting a striking yellow jumper and red New York Yankees cap as ‘Superman… say your stupid line’ appeared on the screen’ in front of him, Conor left fans gobsmacked.

The trend adopted by the YouTube guru sees Tik-Tok fans revealing a sentence they say too much – while Tame Impala’s 2015 breakup track, The Less I Know the Better, plays in the background.

Seconds later into his video, Conor’s overused line appears, and it’s an obvious nod to the paternity drama. It reads: “Are you SURE you didn’t sleep with anyone else?”

Commenting on his cutting clip, some fans were distinctly unimpressed, as one responded: “This is embarrassing” as another urged: “I’d give it a rest now mate.”

However, a third declared: “Omg this is hands down the best way to be petty, love it Conor, the face at the end also put that cherry on top.”

It comes after Charlotte, who said she believes the two paternity tests Conor has taken to be inaccurate, ended up in hospital in ‘crippling pain’.

Admitting she felt ‘daunted’ ahead of the operation, she shared a photo of herself from her hospital bed on Instagram, writing: “As many of you know I have tried raise awareness of the condition trigeminal neuralgia.

“I have unfortunately found myself back in hospital with a terrible attack and this has resulted in me needing another neuro surgery to control it. Having surgery on your brain is always daunting, however this has long term relief and allows me to get on with my life.”

It’s been a tough time for Charlotte as she continues to fight to find out the paternity of her daughter Penelope – as she insists that social media star, Conor, is the father.

In the summer, the pair took a DNA test, with the results validating the earlier test which showed that Conor was not the dad of baby Penelope.

However, claiming the tests were inaccurate, Charlotte said: “I have had so much abuse from people wondering why I am saying he is her father. I am saying it because I know it is true. But I’ve also had messages off people who have had DNA tests with strange results like this too. There are so many scenarios.”

But, breaking his silence on the results of the second test on social media, Conor said: “Today I received the results of a second paternity test, which was requested by Charlotte Chilton regarding her baby girl, Penelope. As with the last test, this test has confirmed again that I am not Penelope’s father.

“As Charlotte requested, Penelope’s, Charlotte’s and my DNA were all taken at a Ministry of Justice accredited DNA facility that was selected by Charlotte. The results are therefore conclusive.

“This has been difficult for me and my family, and I’m so grateful for everyone’s support. I’m glad we can now finally draw a line under this.”

Meanwhile, a second name has been thrown into the mix following Conor’s constant denials and two paternity tests confirming he isn’t the father. It has now been revealed that Charlotte’s co-star Jonny Holloway also claimed he slept with the reality star around a similar time.

However, Charlotte has denied sleeping with Jonny. He claimed that he has asked for a DNA test – but she has since changed her mind, according to Jonny, and won’t discuss the paternity with him.

The Mirror has contacted Charlotte’s reps for comment.

Aldi’s festive puff pastry slices contain seasoned turkey, stuffing, bacon, and cranberry sauce, encased in puff pastry and topped with beetroot red parsley breadcrumb

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Christmas brings joy for countless reasons – the chance to gather with loved ones, exchanging gifts, and naturally, the delicious food on offer. Every supermarket throughout the UK launches its own selection of seasonal delights in the run-up to the festive period, making it tricky to decide which treats deserve a spot on your plate.

A TikTok creator known as the Grumpy Northern Foodie has built quite the reputation for his straightforward recipes and honest food reviews from shops nationwide, amassing 351,000 followers on the platform. His website describes him as: “A dad of three and a home cook, creating simple and sometimes quirky recipes that your whole family can enjoy.”

The foodie recently put one of this season’s offerings to the test – Aldi’s festive puff pastry slices.

Sold under the discount retailer’s Crestwood label, these parcels contain seasoned turkey, sage and onion stuffing, cooked smoked bacon with added water, and cranberry sauce, encased in puff pastry and topped with beetroot red parsley breadcrumb.

They are priced at £1.69 for two, reports the Express. In his video caption, the father-of-three wrote: “Gotta love an Aldi dupe, but as we know they’re not always up to scratch, let’s see how this one does.”

He kicked off the clip by displaying the product, commenting: “They are Aldi Crestwood, not always the best, but we are going to give them a try.”

After listing the ingredients and baking them, he slices one in half and takes a bite. Savouring the flavours, he comments: “Tasting the sage in there, tasting the turkey, not so much cranberry, not getting much cranberry and bacon in there, but it does taste festive.

“It’s a quite decent amount of filling in there, nice and creamy. Yeah, pretty surprised with this one. Actually not that bad. £1.69 for two as well, nice little easy lunch. I do like ’em.”

He concludes his video by awarding the slices a respectable seven out of 10.

TikTok users were quick to share their thoughts in the comments. One remarked: “They look nice.”

Another penned: “Nice will look for them when I’m next in Aldi.”

And another user enthused: “Wow – these look good.”

However, not everyone was as impressed. One critic questioned: “Why put cranberry on everything, it’s not a British thing.”

Sir David Jason has insisted ‘the love for Only Fools has never faded’ after reuniting with cast members from the beloved sitcom for a new documentary series

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Only Fools and Horses stars David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst amassed millions of fans around the world playing brothers Del and Rodney Trotter.

The award-winning actors will forever be famed for their portrayal of the hapless, but loveable Trotter brothers from Peckham. And now fans can revisit all their capers in a new documentary series, to mark the show’s 45th anniversary.

It’s been reported that David is trying to get Nicholas onboard for Only Fools And Horses: The Lost Archive – which will air behind-the-scenes footage, -after insisting his love for the show – and its cast – “never faded”. It’s been a rocky road for the Trotter brothers stars, following feud rumours, family tragedy and the Touch of Frost icon sadly admitting that he and Nicholas ‘don’t see much of each other…’ these days, in a huge blow to fans of the beloved sitcom.

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READ MORE: David Jason announces new Only Fools and Horses series as love ‘never faded’READ MORE: Strictly bosses ‘thinking seriously’ over huge move for BBC dance contest

‘Don’t see much of each other’

In 2017, Goodnight Sweetheart star, Nicholas, insisted he and David always ‘had each other’s back’ as he told Red Carpet News of his co-star “We had a very similar work ethic and ethos – that we wanted to do our best as quickly as possible. You didn’t have very long to record an episode […] We didn’t have much time to rehearse it so we had to have each other’s back.”

David, however, has been much more upfront about the reality of their relationship. Claiming the Rodney Trotter star was ‘much more self-contained’, he told the Mirror in 2022: “He’s much more, how can I say, self-contained, perhaps, than he used to be. So, unfortunately, we don’t see each other as much as I’d like to. But that’s how things work out sometimes.”

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Feud rumours

In his memoir, My Life, David addresses rumours of a ‘feud’ between the actors, which he suspects originated from an anecdote he once recounted.

He revealed that the so-called dispute between the Trotter brother star was actually a staged altercation aimed at amusing the pair during a lull in filming, which took the production team by surprise.

This prank reportedly later became misinterpreted by some as evidence of a genuine conflict. David directly addressed the mix-up, stating: “With Nick, I feel slightly to blame for some of this fake ‘feud’ news, because what’s often used as supporting evidence in these stories is a tale I told in an earlier volume of these memoirs, about Nick and me having an enormous fight during a location shoot for Only Fools.”

Insisting it was a “play fight”, he concluded: “It was a play fight, a wind-up, a practical joke we played on the rest of the cast and crew.”

Family tragedy

After the heartbreaking loss of his son, Archie, at just 20 years old, it was reported that David had been a pillar of support for Nicholas and his wife, Lucy.

An source told The Sun at the time: “He’s [David] been in regular touch [with Nicholas] ever since and like everyone else who cares for Nick and his family is just trying to provide whatever support he can.”

It was widely known that Nicholas had chosen to live quietly after the unexpected death of his 20 year old son Archie in 2020. The young man died after a brain haemorrhage brought on by acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Representing the heartbroken parents, Nicholas said in a statement at the time: “Lucy and I are utterly grief stricken and respectfully request privacy.”

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‘Genuinely good friends’

During a Channel 5 documentary, which celebrated the success of Only Fools and Horses over the festive period. David heaped praise on his former co-star.

Insisting the pair were ‘genuinely good friends’, he said: “You couldn’t have had a better co-partner than Nick. We liked and respected each other so much, we were genuinely good friends. You couldn’t have had a better co-partner than Nick.”

* Two-part series Only Fools and Horses: The Lost Archive will be airing on U&GOLD in 2026.

A iconic county singer has died months after announcing his crippling heath struggles.

Joe Ely, who toured with both The Clash and The Rolling Stones whilst being at the forefront of the 1970s progressive country music movement, has died at the age of 78, it has been announced. His family released a statement revealing the pioneer had passed away with his loved ones by his side.

“Legendary songwriter, singer, and raconteur Joe Ely died today from complications of Lewy Body Dementia, Parkinson’s and pneumonia,” it read. “His beloved wife Sharon and daughter Marie were at his side at their home in Taos, New Mexico. Ely was born February 9, 1947, in Amarillo, Texas.

“He was a leader of the extraordinary parade of artists raised in Lubbock who later settled in the live music capital of Austin. Ely signed with MCA Records in the 1970s and spent more than five decades recording and performing around the world. A full obituary and more information will follow in the coming days.”

The musician died with his wife and manager, Sharon, and daughter, Marie, at this side. He had only announced his Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia diagnosis in September this year.

Alongside his work with greats the Stones and the Clash, he also performed with Bruce Springsteen, Uncle Tupelo, Los Super Seven, The Chieftains, James McMurtry, Lyle Lovett, and Guy Clark.

His heartbroken fans raced to social media to remember Joe and pay their respects. One wrote: “When I was deep in the Texas music scene in the 80s and early 90s, Joe Ely’s influence on everyone was just a given. The music he inspired is immeasurable. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones.”

Another posted on X: “”Rest in peace and light with the angels Joe. Condolences to his family and all those whom loved him. It was such a privilege seeing him play in Australia with The Flatlanders at a small intimate show in Melbourne. He was everything I thought he’d be, a gentleman, an incredible storyteller and musician. Thank you for the music.”

As the tributes flooded in, a third fan said: “He was such an amazing singer and songwriter. I loved his music and had the pleasure of watching him perform many times. I’m sending much love to Sharon and Marie…I’ll miss you Joe, and I like to think that you are up there with Joe Strummer and all of your musician friends in Heaven. Rest In Peace Sweet Joe. You were so special.”

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