Category Entertainment News

Jeremy Clarkson’s mum always believed her son would not have had the TV career he did without Paddington Bear after the family played a big part in creating the ironic character

TV star Jeremy Clarkson owes his career to Paddington Bear after his parents made mega money by designing the much-loved stuffed toy.

Shirley and Eddie Clarkson’s small design company led them to make the first-ever prototype of the character in 1972, which they gifted to their son Jeremy and daughter Joana for Christmas. Friends were quick to admire the toys so they started selling them in local shops in the 70s and the Clarkson couple modified Paddington’s design to include his now-famous yellow wellington boots.

However, issues soon came to the fore when the author of the Paddington series, Michael Bond, got wind of the couple selling the stuffed toy without copyright rights. The author asked his legal team to take action against the Clarksons, but one meeting between the Bond and the couple changed the trajectory of Paddington Bear forever.

As legal actions boiled to a head, Eddie and Shirley travelled to London to meet with the authors’ solicitors and happened to meet Bond in a lift. The author of the hit franchise quickly became pals with the couple and tensions around copyright soon melted away. “I got in the lift with Shirley and Eddie,” Bond told The Sunday Times. “They were terribly nice and pretended it had all been a mistake – and we were friends by the time we got out of the lift. I gave them a licence.”

That moment of kindness in the lift changed the Clarksons’ lives, as the family went on to sell millions of bears and Paddington-themed products across the globe. After a huge success, the Clarkson couple eventually sold the stuffed bear rights to toy stalwart Hamleys.

Shirley told AutoTrader in 2010 that he would not have had the TV career he did without Paddington Bear. The millionaire broadcaster also attended two private schools thanks to his parent’s entrepreneurial success – Hill House School in Doncaster and Repton School in Derbyshire.

The Paddington Bear website says: ‘The very first Paddington bear soft toy was designed in the UK by a lady called Shirley Clarkson. She made it as a Christmas present for her children, Joanna and Jeremy Clarkson (who was to go on to become a world famous motoring journalist).

“So many people admired Shirley’s Paddington that she started to make some more until her company, Gabrielle Designs and was granted an official licence to sell them in the UK in 1972.”

When Paddington author passed away in 2017, the TV presenter wrote an emotional statement on Twitter to honour his family’s relationship with him. He wrote: “Very sad to hear Michael Bond has died. I knew him for 45 years and rarely met anyone kinder or more gentle.”

With David Beckham finally receiving a knighthood, our beauty and wellness editor shares her experience trying his supplement brand, IM8, a drink that contains 92 vitamins and minerals

With news that David Beckham is finally receiving his long-awaited knighthood – and looking incredible at 50 years old – it’s clear that wellness is very much a priority for the former footballer. And for anyone wondering how he does it, this might be the answer – and I’ve tried it out too.

Dietary supplements are an important part of staying healthy for many (including the Beckhams), but swallowing handfuls of pills or gummies every day isn’t the most convenient. And so David partnered with a team of scientists to create IM8, a dissolvable drink that contains 92 different vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and pre-, pro- and post-biotics.

“Health and wellness have always been a priority for me, both on and off the field,” he said. “I wanted to create something that makes it easier for everyone to feel their best, every day. With IM8, we’ve done that. These are products my family and I take, and they’ve made a real difference in how we feel. We’ve brought together some of the best minds in science to make something truly unique, and I’m thrilled to be able to share it with the world.”

READ MORE: ‘I drank Gwyneth Paltrow’s go-to green drink for a month – I’m more awake and less hungry’

READ MORE: ‘Volumising’ new grey brow gel shoppers say makes them look 20 years younger

The powder – which is designed to be stirred into a glass of water – costs £99 for 30 servings, or £79 if you subscribe and save. Travel sachets are also available, slightly more expensive at starting from £89.

Having already tried and seen benefits from popular green drink AG1, I was keen to see how this compared, so I swapped my usual early morning coffee for this for a month – and here’s what happened…

IM8 review

First up, it looks very smart. I received a box contains a sachet of the powder, a metal scoop, an insulated cup and a ‘forever’ tin, which looks chic enough for me to keep out on my kitchen worktop.

I normally hit the button on my Nespresso machine as soon as I get up, but instead every morning for a month I mixed up a scoop of this powder in my IM8 cup with about 350ml of cold water, and drank it pretty much all in one go.

I actually quite like the green, earthy taste of AG1 but I know that I lot of people don’t; the acai and mixed berries flavour of IM8, however, tastes more like squash – I’m not a squash fan so this isn’t really to my liking, but it’s fine, and easy to drink.

Usually after staying fuelled with a coffee or three through the morning I’m seriously flagging my lunchtime, but drinking this instead kept me feeling alert for hours (OK, I would still have one coffee later in the morning, but there was much less of the usual highs and slumps that I usually get by on).

IM8

From £79

Buy here

The biggest change I noticed, however, was in my skin – I’d been struggling with breakouts for months, but my skin is much clearer now. Of course, I can’t say that it was definitely all down to taking IM8 (I had used some new skincare and had a recent facial too), but I’m sure it helped.

I also loved knowing that I was getting so much goodness into my body in one sitting. I usually take a number of different supplements, including probiotics, iron liquids and sugar-free gummies, but this includes a whole bunch of beneficial vitamins, minerals, adaptogens, biotics and more (you can read the full list of ingredients here).

The biggest downside to IM8 is the cost; at £79 a month, it’s not something I can afford to buy regularly, but if you’re someone who takes a lot of expensive supplements every day, this may indeed work out cheaper. For me, AG1 comes out every so slightly on top as I prefer the ‘green’ taste, but I would definitely look to buy another pack of IM8 if I felt in need of a health kick.

Another option is Protein Works’ “All In” A.I. Greens, which is slightly cheaper (currently reduced to £34.99 for 30 servings), which claims to deliver 172 health benefits; I’ll be giving this a go next and reporting back.

Made In Chelsea star Sam Thompson was seen leaving the Soccer Aid wrap-party in Manchester with sports presenter Jolie Sharpe

After England’s defeat at Soccer Aid, Sam Thompson was spotted leaving the Hilton Manchester Deansgate party with 23-year-old sports presenter Jolie Sharpe.

Jolie looked radiant as she wore a white ruffled skirt and denim jacket, while Sam kept it low-key in a grey co-ord and white tee. The pair looked in high spirits as they made their way out of the party after an incredible weekend working with Unicef.

The night marked a big win for charity as £15 million was raised for UNICEF and a tight 5-4 victory for the World XI team, thanks to a goal by rapper Big Zuu.

Jolie, who runs the marketing agency JGS Live – an official TikTok partner with clients like British Airways and Chelsea FC – was photographed alongside Sam as the night wound down. Naturally, tongues are now wagging amid speculation that there could be more than friendship between the pair.

Sam’s wild night with Jolie followed a near run-in on the pitch with Zara McDermott’s new boyfriend, Louis Tomlinson. Though both took part in the match, they narrowly missed sharing the field. Louis had already been subbed off by the time Sam made a surprise return late in the game, having earlier withdrawn due to injury.

Despite their history, after Sam and Zara split late last year before she began dating Louis, the atmosphere remained cordial throughout the duration of the charity match. Both Sam and Louis were seen arriving back at the hotel around the same time post-match, and reportedly shared a ‘peace dinner’ with teammates beforehand.

“There is no beef between the pair,” a source told The Sun. “They know everyone’s watching and just want things to go smoothly.”

In a recent conversation with Pete Wicks, Sam reflected on Zara’s quick rebound: “I suppose a lot of people look for validation in other people right? And they look for the next person instantly because it’s like ‘I need to find someone else to fill that hole and I need to find that excitement.’”

He also shared how the topic of Louis came up during an interview: “At the end of the interview, he goes, ‘Look mate, I’ve got to ask the question that everyone wants to know… What’s it going to be like with you and Louis?’”

Sam continued: “Mate, you should have seen the room – everyone goes, ‘Woah, Woah Woah, end the call!’ and I just said, ‘No, no guys, I’ve got this.’ I held my hands up to say just relax. I think I did alright and I meant everything I said. It’s not about me or Louis or who anyone is dating, it’s f**king Unicef and charity and everyone is going to be there for the exact same reason.”

Sam and Zara ended their five-year relationship back in December before former Love Island star Zara, 28, quickly moved on with former One Direction singer Louis, 33. Their relationship appears to be going from strength to strength with Zara having reportedly met all of Louis’ family.

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

READ MORE: Maura Higgins swears by this Sol de Janeiro body oil for her glowy holiday skin

Hailey Bieber chose not to address her husband, Justin Bieber, on his first Father’s Day after welcoming their baby, Jack Blues, last summer, following his Mother’s Day snub

While many celebrities took to social media to gush over their children’s dads, Hailey Bieber chose not to address her husband Justin Bieber on his first Father’s Day after welcoming their baby, Jack Blues, last summer.

The model, 28, was active on social media and reposted numerous stories from her skincare brand Rhode, but notably didn’t write any Father’s Day tribute for Justin. It comes after Justin appeared to take a swipe at Hailey on Mother’s Day just last month and stated: “Mother’s Day sucks a**”.

The couple became parents in August 2024 and took to Instagram to share the sweet news with their followers. Justin shared an adorable photo of their baby’s foot on Friday, August 23, along with the caption: “Welcome Home Jack Blues Bieber”.

Since then, the couple have only shared small glimpses of their life as parents online. Justin appeared to be very active online for Father’s Day and shared around 20 different photos and used the middle finger emoji as the caption.

One snap included a photo of his baby’s tiny hand with a gold bracelet that had his initials engraved, while other pictures included close-up shots of different parts of his body and outfit.

One caption also read: “I’m a dad that’s not to be f***ed with”, which left some fans concerned. One fan commented: “Are you ok??”, while another added: “Someone get this man some help”. Other fans wished him a happy first Father’s Day.

Despite not posting a tribute specifically to Father’s Day, the family did appear to spend the day together as Hailey reposted one of Justin’s many snaps, which included one of her and her son playing at a piano.

Last month the Love Yourself singer was slammed by fans after he appear inconsiderate online with his ‘Mother’s Day sucks a**’ comment after Hailey was celebrating the holiday for the first time as a mom. The post was reportedly deleted but was widely criticised.

Some of his followers have also urged Justin to take a break from social media due to his lengthy rants. In an Instagram post earlier this month, over a pink background, he shared with his followers: “Telling other humans they deserve something is like raising someone else’s kids. Who are you to tell someone what someone should or shouldn’t have. The audacity. That’s not your place. God decides what we deserve.” One fan commented: “God told me you need a social media break”.

Hailey and Justin’s relationship began in 2015 when they briefly dated before parting ways. They rekindled their relationship in 2018, leading to an engagement in July of that year and a marriage in November.

In May 2024 they renewed their vows in Hawaii, where they also shared the exciting news that Hailey was expecting a baby.

Presenter, Naga Munchetty, who celebrated her 50th birthday in February, has opened up about her choice not to have children, which she admits did not go down well with her mum

BBC Breakfast star, Naga Munchetty, admits her choice not to have children left her mum “devastated”. The plucky presenter, who turned 50 in February, is one of the most recognisable faces on TV with a journalism career spanning more than 25 years.

However, Naga chose not to have kids with her husband James Hagger, and says this initially caused a rift with her mother. Opening up about her personal decision after opting to be surgically sterilised in her forties after undergoing keyhole surgery to block her fallopian tubes in 2019, she said: “My mum was devastated, she is from a different generation.”

On why she opted not to have children while explaining that her mum was now more accepting of her choice, she told Hello! magazine: “It was a conscious (decision) and I am doing lots of other things and living a very fulfilling life. She doesn’t think I’ve wasted an opportunity.”

Naga also said that parenthood was “exhausting” and a “commitment for life”, as she told Saga magazine: “We liked the life we had and we wanted to pursue that life. Parenthood is expensive, it’s exhausting and a commitment for life.

“My mum will say, ‘You’re still my baby and I worry about you.’ But I remember people saying, ‘That’s so wicked! How can you deny your parents grandchildren?’

“It was hard for Mum, but she understands now. She says, ‘Naga, it would have been wonderful to have grandchildren, but equally, it’s wonderful seeing what you’re doing and who you’ve become.’ Isn’t that what we want for our children?”

As well as her family life, Naga told Hello! about the crippling pain she suffered from adenomyosis, a gynaecological condition where the lining of the womb grows into the muscular wall of the womb.

The BBC Breakfast presenter has now released a book, It’s Probably Nothing, which examines the ways women’s health concerns are often dismissed or downplayed in medical settings.

Calling it “the evil twin of endometriosis”, she said: “I was just exhausted. I thought all the other women in the world were coping and thriving, and that because I’ve dared to bring it up, I was (perceived as) weak.”

Naga said she had been suffering from the agonising womb condition, which was dismissed by doctors for 32 years.

Appearing before the Women and Equalities Committee two years ago alongside Geordie Shore star, Vicky Pattison, the presenter said she only got answers about the agonising condition when she went private.

Talking to Tory committee chairwoman Caroline Nokes, she said: “I started my period at 15. It would last for 11 or 12 days. Eight or nine of them were very heavy. I’d throw up on the first day, pass out once or twice during the cycle. I’d be wrapped around a toilet. I’d still go to school. I still went to work. Whenever I went to the doctor I was told it was normal.”

Explaining the impact the condition had on her private life, the presenter said it made “relationships difficult”, but she’d thankfully had “understanding partners”. She also said her adenomyosis, which is similar to endometriosis, has left her ‘paranoid’ about bleeding, forcing her to wear dark and loose clothing while on her period.

She shared: “For work, I wouldn’t sleep because I’d set an alarm at 2am to change the towel and super heavy tampon.” Revealing her adenomyosis wasn’t diagnosed until she was 47, Naga was asked by Ms Nokes: “So 32 years?”, to which the Naga replied: “Yes”.

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

READ MORE: Vicky Pattison uses this CurrentBody LED hair growth helmet to prevent hair loss and thinning

Brad Pitt showed off his new buzz cut as he promoted his new film in New York this weekend with most of his six children in Los Angeles with his ex Angelina Jolie

After reportedly claiming their relationship now appears to be unfixable, Brad Pitt spent Father’s Day 3,000 miles away from his children.

The film legend is said to have cut ties with two of the kids he shares with ex-wife Angelina Jolie following the A Listers’ bitter divorce. A series of disputes over custody and business interests followed the end of their marriage as tensions remain high.

Brad was in New York this weekend, while the majority of the former golden couple’s kids live in Los Angeles. The 61-year-old showed off his buzz cut as he promoted his new F1 film around the world with girlfriend Ines de Ramon not far from his side.

Brad and Angelina share a brood of six: Maddox, 23, Pax, 21, Zahara, 20, Shiloh, 19, and twins Knox and Vivienne, both 16. However, Brad has a strained relationship with Pax, who once called him a ‘world-class a**hole’. After Pax was pictured stumbling out of the Chateau Marmont with pals last month, a source close to Brad claimed the actor was no longer concerned with “what Pax does or doesn’t do”.

“Brad honestly considers his relationship with Pax unfixable,” they to the Mail. He is seemingly ready to cut ties with one more child while holding out hope for the remaining children. Meanwhile, a source claimed that Brad doesn’t appear to be planning to reach out to either of his sons, saying he has “nothing to say about either of them.”

The Fight Club actor and Angelina, 50, tied the knot it 2014 after a whirlwind romance that started on the set of Mr and Mrs Smith back in 2005. The pair, once considered a golden couple of Hollywood, parted ways in 2016, sparking a high-profile split that saw Angelina file for divorce in the same year.

Shiloh, 19, legally changed her surname last year when she turned 18 to Shiloh Nouvel Jolie, dropping the ‘Pitt’. Meanwhile, at least three of the other four kids have informally dropped Brad’s surname. Many of the children seem to have a strained relationship with Brad as their other son, Maddox, was allegedly involved in a physical confrontation with the actor on a private jet in 2016.

When asked about his relationship with his dad, he told In Touch Weekly in 2019: “Whatever happens, happens.” But concerns have been raised that the children don’t have too much family to turn to, as Angelina is estranged from her brother and has no nieces or nephews.