Category Entertainment News

Shirley Valentine actress Pauline Collins has died “peacefully” aged 85. She died in her London care home surrounded by her family having endured Parkinson’s disease for several years, her family said.

They said in a statement: “We are heartbroken to announce that Pauline Collins died peacefully at her care home in Highgate this week, having endured Parkinson’s for several years. She was surrounded by her family.

“Pauline was so many things to so many people, playing a variety of roles in her life. A bright, sparky, witty presence on stage and screen. Her illustrious career saw her play politicians, mothers and queens.

“She will always be remembered as the iconic, strong-willed, vivacious and wise Shirley Valentine – a role that she made all her own. We were familiar with all those parts of her because her magic was contained in each one of them.

“More than anything, though, she was our loving mum, our wonderful grandma and great-grandma. Warm, funny, generous, thoughtful, wise, she was always there for us. And she was John (Alderton)’s life-long love. A partner, work collaborator, and wife of 56 years.

“We particularly want to thank her carers: angels who looked after her with dignity, compassion, and most of all love. She could not have had a more peaceful goodbye. We hope you will remember her at the height of her powers; so joyful and full of energy; and give us the space and privacy to contemplate a life without her.”

Pauline had a lengthy acting career, having first found fame thanks to playing Sarah Moffat in Upstairs, Downstairs. She went on to appear in its spin-off show, Thomas & Sarah.

The actress is best known for playing the title character in play Shirley Valentine, which landed her a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress and made her an international star. Pauline also picked up the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play.

In 1989, Pauline reprised the role for a film adaptation of the play and she went on to win the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role and received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress.

The film followed the life of a Liverpool housewife who rediscovers herself on a trip to Greece – a performance that became one of the defining portrayals of British cinema in the 1980s.

After Shirley Valentine, Pauline appeared in a number of television dramas including Forever Green and The Ambassador. She made appearances in films City of Joy, Paradise Road, Albert Nobbs, Quartet and The Time of Their Lives.

Pauline was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2001 Birthday Honours for services to drama. In her personal life, Pauline married fellow actor John Alderton in 1969.

Following her death, John has said: “Pauline Collins was a remarkable star. I had the great good fortune to have worked with her more than any other actor in our many TV series, films and West End stage shows together, and watched her genius at close quarters.

“What I saw was not only her brilliant range of diverse characters but her magic of bringing out the best in all of the people she worked with. She wanted everyone to be special and she did this by never saying ‘Look at me’. It’s no wonder that she was voted the nation’s sweetheart in the 1970s.

“She will always be remembered for Shirley Valentine, not only for her Oscar nomination or the film itself, but for clean-sweeping all seven awards when she portrayed her on Broadway in the stage play, in which she played every character herself. But her greatest performance was as my wife and mother to our beautiful children.”

They welcomed three children together, Nicholas, Kate and Richard and lived in Hampstead, London. Pauline also had daughter Louise with actor Tony Rohr, and made the “heartbreaking” decision to give her up for adoption in 1964.

She reunited with her daughter when Louise was 21-years-old, and even documented the reunion on her book, Letter to Louise. Born in Devon and raised in Wallasey, Cheshire, Pauline trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama after working briefly as a teacher.

She continued acting well into later life, appearing in film and television projects including Albert Nobbs, The Royale Family, and The Last Detective. Pauline is survived by her husband John, their children and grandchildren.

If you have been affected by this story, you can contact Parkinson’s UK’s helpline on 0808 800 0303

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EXCLUSIVE: Pete Wicks has spoken about two communication habits that would completely put him off a romantic prospect after speculation that he is dating Jowita Przystał

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Pete Wicks has admitted to a few of dating turn-offs, and if you’re a regular voice-noter, you are definitely not a match for this Casanova. In an exclusive interview with The Mirror, the former TOWIE star opened up about phone-related behaviours that instantly give him the ick, confessing he has “so many phone icks” he can barely keep track.

He shared: “I’ve got so many, so many phone icks. I mean, voice notes are my pet hate. I hate them. I hate voice notes. I don’t need to hear your voice. I need quick one word answers to questions.

“I can’t, I’m not a big texter, and voice notes, you know, when people send War and Peace over a voice note, it, it really gets to me. Something that you could just say in 3 words, it, it doesn’t need a, a 15 minute voice note.”

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And it doesn’t end there. Pete revealed he is also horrified by one popular phone feature. “Apparently when you get a text message you can, it can flash, your phone can flash, you know, like the torch,” he explained. “If I saw someone’s phone flash up like Blackpool Illuminations, I’d be absolutely outraged.”

Pete’s comments come as he got on board with Sky Mobile as their “relationship consultant” to help Brits spot and stop the tech habits that could tank a date.

The campaign was kickstarted after new research revealed a quarter of people would dump someone over bad phone etiquette — which is something Pete seems on board with.

But while he’s busy doling out dating advice, fans remain just as interested in his love life. Romance rumours have been swirling ever since Pete and Strictly Come Dancing pro Jowita Przystał shared a steamy kiss on stage during a live performance at the O2 Arena.

While sources close to Jowita claim that moment meant something to her, Pete has staunchly denied the rumours that they are dating, and has insisted that the kiss was choreographed.

The pair were spotted together again at Elstree Studios when Pete turned up to support his friend Vicky Pattison as she competed in the 2025 series of the BBC series.

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Pete admitted he felt “awkward” sitting in the Strictly audience with cameras constantly panning to him, joking on his Staying Relevant podcast that he looked “possessed” in clips circulating online.

While the former reality star has kept his lips tightly sealed when it comes to his own romances, he is more than happy to discuss his bromance with Sam Thompson, who is his Staying Relevant co-host and very close friend.

He credited the former Love Island star’s persistence for their strong bond, telling the Mirror: “He attached himself to me, and was very persistent.

“He just didn’t let me go, to be honest with you, and that was 8 years ago, and now I’ve kind of grown to love him…he’s become more than just a mate, he’s my brother, he’s like family to me.”

Their chaotic chemistry has made their podcast one of the most popular celebrity shows in the UK — and Pete jokes the pair may be “the only successful relationship from Celebs Go Dating”.

Pete Wicks reprises role as the nations ‘relationship consultant’ as he teams up with Sky Mobile to highlight how their flexible plans and data rollover keep you connected without the cringe

A PR expert has revealed which Celebrity Traitors star is going to do well after the show, after they ’embraced the opportunity to let the wider public get to know’ them

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An expert has revealed which Celebrity Traitors star is going to catapult to fame after the show’s finale. Celebrity Traitors quickly became one of the most talked-about TV shows this year and tonight’s final will see the remaining five contestants compete to win the jackpot for their chosen charity, with Alan Carr, Cat Burns, Joe Marler, Nick Mohammed and David Olusoga still in the game.

Following viewers being able to get to know some of their favourite celebrities in a different environment, a PR expert has revealed Traitor Cat is going to ‘do really well from this’.

They explained: “Cat is going to do really well from this, she already had a cult fan group but she has really embraced the opportunity to let the wider public get to know her. For some that can be a really daunting task, but she’s taken it in her stride and successfully won over fan of the Traitors and I’m sure she will do very well from it.”

READ MORE: BBC Traitors’ Claudia Winkleman’s ‘favourite’ dinner and dessertREAD MORE: Celebrity Traitors star Cat Burns ‘gives away’ major secret about the final

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Another celeb who is predicted to do well is former rugby professional Joe Marler, who quickly became a fan favourite. The expert said: “Also I don’t think this is the last we’ve seen of Joe Marler either, like Cat, he’s really opened up throughout this series and embraced the opportunity a hit show like this offers the cast.”

They added: “He’s been a surprising member of the cast, who I’m sure most thought wouldn’t have been quite as strategic as he’s been at spotting the Traitors. He’s also given us some wonderfully funny and memorable moments which will lead to many more opportunities for him too.”

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The BBC show released a teaser trailer earlier this week, giving fans a sneak peek at the tense finale to come. The clip saw Alan, Cat, Joe, Nick and David walk through the eerie halls of the Traitors ‘ castle as a clock strikes twelve.

Sitting at the final roundtable, we watch as host Claudia Winkleman tells them: “Players, this is it. Who can you trust? Who is on your side? For the final time then, the floor is yours.”

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It comes after the last episode of the BBC hit show was accidentally leaked a day early on Canadian streaming platform Crave. The finale has since been taken down from Crave, however Canadian viewers have been spoiling the winners on social media. “PSA: The finale of the Celebrity Traitors was accidentally leaked in Canada yesterday,” one concerned fan wrote. “Stay away from Traitors news and communities if you don’t want to get spoiled.”

Responding to the leak, a spokesperson for the BBC said: “We kindly ask anyone who thinks they know the outcome of The Celebrity Traitors to keep whatever they believe they know to themselves.

“Please avoid sharing potential spoilers so that the millions of fans who have been faithfully following every twist and turn of the series can enjoy the final this evening.”

The Mirror understands that the leaked episode has now been removed and that it was not a mistake made by the BBC. The episode will be airing in the UK at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer tonight.

Broadcaster Roman Kemp has revealed that he found Celebrity Race Across The World extremely challenging, but from the show, he gained an incredible relationship with his older sister

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Roman Kemp admits Celebrity Race Across The World was his most challenging job. The broadcaster appears on the BBC show alongside his sister, singer Harley Moon Kemp, 36, but took part in the programme just weeks after he came off antidepressant medication.

The One Show star, 32, has been extremely open about his mental health experiences over the years and has continued to break the taboo surrounding men’s mental health. Now, in an exclusive interview with The Mirror, he admits that his time on the show, which saw him travel across Isla Mujeres in Mexico to Colombia, was tougher than he could have ever expected.

Roman and Harley will appear alongside Derry Girls star Dylan Llewllyn and his mother Jackie, DJ Tyler West and his EastEnders star fiancée Molly Rainford and Anita Rani and her dad, Bal. “I just did Race Across The World and I think I would probably look at that as the most mental experience I’ve ever done in my life,” he told us.

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The star, who is no stranger to challenges, said: “It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, by far.” Bravely, Roman continued: “And doing it with no antidepressants is the hardest thing ever. I was on the verge of a panic attack constantly.” Roman started taking sertraline, an antidepressant known as an SSRI, as a teenager, as well as dealing with suicidal thoughts from the age of 15.

“But it was, it’s the best thing,” he explained. The star, who also appears on Celebrity Gogglebox with his dad, singer and EastEnders icon Martin, commented: “I think retrospectively [it’s] the best thing I have ever done because I spent ridiculous time with my sister and that’s something we never. Never did.”

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Growing up, Roman found himself in the spotlight, having joined Capital FM in 2014; meanwhile, Harley, although she’s a successful musician, enjoyed a much quieter life out of the glare of the public. He says that growing up, the pair were very different to one another but also “misunderstood” each other.

“Going into this experience, I’d never told Harley that I loved her – I’ve never said that before,” Roman revealed, before adding: “I’d never said that before, I’d never just called her for a catch-up, things like that. And that’s because I felt we’re just two very different people.”

Before filming the show, Roman admits he found it “intriguing” to see what would come of his relationship with Harley. He said: “It’s something that my mum is just so proud that we are now alive. There are a lot of times when it’s dangerous. Our series is dangerous – Mexico to Colombia is no joke.

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“In so many different ways, it’s one of my favourite shows. Out of all of the projects I choose to do, they’re all things I genuinely enjoy or feel an association with. I watch Race Across The World and I look at it and go ‘It looks really fun, how hard can it be’, then you go there and you’re crying on day four – it’s horrible, it’s a long time! Seven weeks!”

Roman has now branched out with the Premier League for their Together Against Suicide campaign as he continues to break down the taboo surrounding men’s mental health. This is a project he is beyond proud of.

Suicide is the biggest cause of death for men under the age of 50 and women under the age of 35. Since September 10, every match, across all 20 Premier League clubs, has proudly stood together to show their support and ensure that fans know where to turn to if they need it.

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“I’m really proud of the team,” said Roman, adding: “The whole group, the Premier League, myself, Vinai Venkatesham [Chief Exec of Tottenham Hotspur], I think what we’ve been able to achieve is really good. It’s the start of the campaign. With that, it’s all about how it can carry on.

“That’s the difficult thing, the difficulty is making people realise it’s not just mental health awareness day or month. World suicide prevention day shouldn’t be a thing; it should be every day. That’s the journey we’ve got to go on. I saw an article where Jude Bellingham came out [and spoke about his own mental health] and spoke about going to therapy. Even things like that, I think, because of the narrative we set out with the Premier League – more players are seeing it and going ‘Ok, I can come forward,’ that would be amazing if more players came forward – but that was really for the fans and becoming an intervention point.”

Roman has recently been announced as Marriott Bonvoy’s official Getaway Guru in partnership with Nectar, a campaign he aligns with due to his love of travel. “I always think when it comes to what people spend their money on, is experiences,” he said, adding: “When it came around, talking about how people can build up points on their weekly shops, it’s a no-brainer. I’m always an advocate for people when they go away to realise that the experience you are buying lasts forever.”

Celebrity Race Across The World airs on BBC One and iPlayer at 8 pm tonight.

If you’re struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit their site to find your local branch

If you need support, text Joesbuddy to 85258, where you can talk to a trained volunteer around the clock.

A friend of the late Queen Elizabeth has spoken out about Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and claimed he was always quite a handful – even as a young child

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Andrew Mountbatten Windsor was bitter as a child, according to a friend of the late Queen. Lady Anne Glenconner has shed light on the disgraced man, formerly known as Prince Andrew.

The admission came just hours before it emerged that Andrew had been summoned to Congress to discuss his links to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. In a letter sent to Andrew, Democratic members of the House committee on oversight say they believe he may have crucial information about co-conspirators and enablers of Epstein’s crimes.

Robert Garcia, the most senior Democratic member of the committee, said: “Rich and powerful men have evaded justice for far too long. Now, former Prince Andrew has the opportunity to come clean and provide justice for the survivors.” It was also confirmed today that King Charles had legally removed his younger sibling of all his regal titles, including Royal Highness and Prince, having issued Letters Patent. Over the past few years, Andrew, 65, has come under pressure following his links to Jeffrey Epstein.

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In 2022, Andrew officially stopped using Royal Highness in a public capacity but retained the ability to use it personally. But last month, the King started historic proceedings to strip his sibling of all his honours and titles. In a new interview, Lady Glenconner, who was a friend of Andrew’s mother, the late Queen Elizabeth and his aunt, Princess Margaret, has shed light on his childhood.

“He was quite forceful. I remember him snatching toys away from my son,” Lady Glenconner said. When asked by Jane Garvey if he was a handful as a child, Lady Glenconner replied: “Yes. He was a handful. I think that’s what his nanny called him, a handful.

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“I knew Andrew because my son Henry was born three weeks after Andrew and because the Queen had him rather late in life, and all her friends’ children were grown up she wrote to me, I wrote to her and we exchanged something called a romper suit, which is what boys wore in those days and he used to come down with Mabel, his nanny, quite often to visit us.”

But Lady Glenconner, 93, believes that Andrew’s late mother allowed him to get away with more than his siblings, then Prince Charles and Princess Anne. There have been claims that Andrew was Queen Elizabeth’s favourite child and was said to be her “golden boy”.

“Maybe he was allowed to get away with more than the King and Princess Anne, yes,” she said. During her appearance on the Off Air with Jane & Fi podcast, Lady Glenconner, a bestselling author, went on to add: “I felt and a lot of my friends felt we’d been through a war, we had rationing, we were frightened, and there was the Queen and Princess Margaret at Windsor and we wanted to compensate.”

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Lady Glenconner explained that she and her friends wanted to give their children a life they didn’t have due to World War Two while they were teens. Her own mother believed that Lady Glenconner had “spoiled” her children, The Hon. Charles Tennant, The Hon. Henry Tennant, The Hon. Christopher Tennant, The Hon. May Creasy, and The Hon. Amy Tennant by taking them abroad throughout their childhood.

Earlier today, the King delivered the final blow to his brother. He issued a Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm – a legal document authorised by the monarch. It was published in The Gazette, the UK’s official public record, by the Crown Office and shows that Andrew is no longer entitled to be a prince or hold the style ‘Royal Highness’.

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The entry, published on Wednesday, read: “THE KING has been pleased by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm dated 3 November 2025 to declare that Andrew Mountbatten Windsor shall no longer be entitled to hold and enjoy the style, title or attribute of ‘Royal Highness’ and the titular dignity of ‘Prince’.”

Andrew was accused by Virginia Giuffre of having sex with her in March 2001, when she was just 17. She alleged she had been trafficked by Epstein and his girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell. Virginia claimed that Epstein and his girlfriend had taken her to Tramp nightclub in London, where she met with Andrew and later had sex with him that night.

She claimed that Epstein had paid her $15,000 after sleeping with Andrew. During an interview with BBC’s Newsnight in 2019, Andrew vehemently denied the allegations and told host Emily Maitlis he had no recollection of meeting Virginia. Andrew vehemently denies all allegations made against him.

Off Air with Jane & Fi from Times Radio.

The Revlon multi styler hair tool makes a great gift for beauty lovers this Christmas, and now supermarket shoppers can get their hands on it with almost 50% off with a clever hack

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If you’re trying to think of the perfect gift to get beauty fans this Christmas, then a hair styling tool is always a winner, especially when it’s a tool that does it all. Revlon’s One-Step Blow-Dry Multi Air Styler 5-in-1 is the perfect budget-friendly choice that comes with five attachments to blow dry, curl, straighten and smooth hair.

Although it’s usually priced at £80, making it considerably cheaper than big brands like Shark or Dyson, shoppers can currently get it for even less at one major supermarket. Tesco shoppers who have a Clubcard can currently pick it up for just £45, saving almost 50% on the usual price and making it an even more affordable pick.

READ MORE: Debenhams launches 2025 beauty advent calendar with over £700 of brands like MAC and Estée Lauder

READ MORE: Marks & Spencer’s £12 warm and woody perfume smells ‘very similar’ to £170 Le Labo one

To get the Revlon styler at the discounted price, Tesco shoppers just need to sign up for the supermarket’s free Clubcard, then use it to save money on the multi styler. There’s no word on how long the discount will last, though, so you’ll need to be quick to snap it up.

If you happen to miss out on the offer, there are still other places you can pick up the hair tool at a discounted price. At Boots, the One-Step Blow-Dry Multi Air Styler 5-in-1 is permanently priced at £69.99, making it one of the cheaper places to find the air styler all year round.

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However at Amazon right now, The Revlon 5-in-1 Multi Air Styler is pricedat £54.99 down from £79.99. It’s still not quite as cheap as the Tesco offer, but it’s a great option if you can’t pick up the styler at your local supermarket.

If you are looking for one that has a few more styling options, the Beauty Works Aeris Multi-Styler comes with six different attachments including two types of curlers, a smoothing brush and a volumising one to create the perfect blow dry at home. Although it’s a little pricier at £220, LookFantastic has slashed the price down to £176, saving you 20%.

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However the Revlon One-Step Blow-Dry Multi Air Styler 5-in-1 is the perfect choice if you’re looking for an affordable gift for a loved one, or want to nab yourself an affordable styling tool ready for the festive party season. It lets you create salon-worthy styles whilst minimising damage on your hair, with a versatile range of attachments that lets you create all kinds of looks.

Boots shoppers also rated the budget-friendly tool, with one saying: “It is so fantastic, it gives my hair proper volume and it has more than one attachments to play with and use so you can curl your hair or blow dry it! You can style it however you want too and it is brilliant!”

Another agreed: “I love this product. I have tried other air stylers before but have had the best results with this one. I love the root drying attachment, I find that really helps when styling to make sure everything is dry enough. I did have to watch a few videos before getting the hang of using the different attachments but was so worth it!”

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However some were less pleased, with one rating it three stars and writing: “Lovely little tools for your hair not as light as I thought it would be but for the job the 5 in 1 tools are ah dy for extra bouncy hair and volume I don’t think it’s as good some other on the market.”

Another said: “So very disappointed. I’d seen it on line but now I’ve actually opened the box the attachments are HUGE way too big for my hair. I’ve not even tried to use it and would dearly like to return it but it’s over the 35 days.”

However another loved the One-Step Blow-Dry Multi Air Styler 5-in-1 , saying: “This is a very versatile and effective styler which worked well at giving me smooth hair at whatever style I was looking for. The different attachments were brilliant and easy to use and I couldn’t recommend this product enough.”