Category Entertainment News

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson are ‘out of the spotlight’ for now, but a royal expert says there is a ‘fear of the unknown’ as more Epstein files are set for release

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As pressure mounts on US legislators to release more of the so-called Epstein files, there is a “fear of the unknown” surrounding the former Duke and Duchess of York, a royal expert tells the Mirror.

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) was given a deadline of 19 December 2025 to release the vast majority of the Epstein files – the documents relating to its handling of the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and his then girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell – but only a fraction of the total number were released and many were heavily redacted.

There has since been a number of calls for more to be made public and two members of congress in the US House of Representatives have written to a federal judge asking him to intervene in the legal proceedings and to appoint a special master to “oversee the government’s handling of the release”.

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The letter sent on January 8 referred to a recent submission by the DOJ detailing the number of Epstein files it had released so far, and claimed the Department “cannot be trusted with making mandatory disclosures” under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. According to royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams, the ongoing talk of what might come out is likely playing heavily on the minds of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson, who were both stripped of their titles and honours last year following allegations and revelations about their decades-long friendship with late sex offender Epstein. “The situation with the Epstein files has the potential to be even more damaging,” he told the Mirror. “Because they are so vast in number and there were so many redactions, it raises the obvious question of what else may be there, therefore I’m sure both Andrew and Sarah are fearing that there is more to come.”

A photograph of Andrew, who has denied any wrongdoing, lying on the laps of women was included in the batch of files released shortly before Christmas. The documents also included an email chain between someone called “A” in Balmoral and Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year jail sentence for sex trafficking.

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Last year Sarah, the former Duchess of York, lost her title and was dropped from a number of charities she worked with. Richard says she “appears to have gone to ground” in the aftermath of the drama, but suspects she has hopes of redeeming herself in the eyes of the public.

“She probably wants to make a comeback, which has done before to an extent, but I suspect would have the greatest difficulty in negotiating that,” he said. “But with so many charities distancing themselves from her, I can’t see any plans for a comeback going anywhere.

“At the moment the spotlight is off them, but if the moment comes where more is discovered, it will be firmly back on them. And that’s the biggest problem for them – they simply don’t know what is coming.”

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He continued, “The situation has really weakened the royal family over a long period. While things do move on, we don’t know where precisely they will move on to, it is a fear of the unknown.”

In their letter sent earlier this month, Republicans Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie claimed that because the DOJ figures were “self-reported and internally inconsistent with prior representations”, they had “reasonable suspicion that the DOJ has overstated the scope of responsive materials, thereby portraying compliance as unmanageable and effectively delaying disclosure.” It called the DOJ’s conduct a “flagrant violation of the mandatory disclosure obligations” under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, and said its behaviour had “caused serious trauma to survivors”.

Doctor Who star, Noel Clarke, took action against the publishing group Guardian News and Media (GNM) over allegations of sexual misconduct, which he denies

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Actor, Noel Clarke, has been declared bankrupt after losing his libel trial following allegations of sexual misconduct.

The Doctor Who star, 50, has been ordered to pay at least £3 million of the Guardian News group’s legal costs after he pursued what a High Court Judge labelled as a “far-fetched and indeed a false case” against the newspaper’s reporting of allegations made about the actor of sexual misconduct, which he denies.

Clarke, who also wrote the screenplay for film, Kidulthood, lost his libel case against The Guardian following a series of articles that included claims from a number of women. Following the verdict last year, the actor issued a statement, saying: “Today’s result is disappointing. For almost five years, I have fought against a powerful media outlet and its extensive legal teams over inaccurate and damaging reporting.”

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He continued: “These stories started via anonymous emails portraying me as a monster to attract attention and outrage. The goal was to damage my career, and they succeeded.” Before declaring bankruptcy, Clarke was set to have to pay up to £6m after the Guardian told the court the fee was a conservative estimate of their legal bills.

An initial £3m legal costs fee was due late last year, but Clarke filed for bankruptcy in December. The actor, who lives in London, was formally declared bankrupt on December 11 2025. GNM published seven articles and a podcast, including an article in April 2021, which said 20 women who knew Clarke in a professional capacity had come forward with allegations of misconduct against him.

GNM defended its reporting as being both true and in the public interest and in a judgment in August, judge Mrs Justice Steyn agreed. Dismissing Clarke’s claim in a judgment, she said the newspaper had “succeeded in establishing both truth and public interest defences to the libel claim”.

At a High Court hearing in September, Steyn said Clarke must pay £3m before a further assessment into the total costs, which is estimated to be above £6m. She said: “It seems to me that the sum of £3m sought by the defendant is appropriate and no more than what ought to be reasonably ordered in this case.

“The claimant maintained a far-fetched and indeed a false case that the articles were not substantially true, by pursuing allegations of dishonesty and bad faith against almost all of the defendant’s truth witnesses.”

In March 2022, the Metropolitan Police confirmed it would not launch a criminal investigation into the claims against Clarke. However, Clarke launched a libel case accusing The Guardian of defamation and data protection breaches. Opening Mr Clarke’s case at trial on March 7, barrister Philip Williams, for the actor, said The Guardian acted as the “judge, jury and executioner” of Mr Clarke’s career.

He also said that The Guardian’s stories “had more holes than a colander” and that Mr Clarke “is absolutely not, and never has been, a sexual predator”. GNM defended its reporting as both true and in the public interest. Gavin Millar KC, for the publisher, told the court in written submissions that The Guardian “did not simply accept what was said to it” and that “much time and resource was devoted to getting to the truth”.

Ruth Langsford has teased the release of her new memoir, which is set to share ‘the ups, the downs and the lessons that have shaped her’ following her split from Eamonn Holmes

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Ruth Langsford has given fans a tantalising glimpse of her forthcoming tell-all memoir, amidst her divorce from Eamonn Holmes.

The telly host, aged 65, is gearing up to reveal ‘the highs, the lows and the lessons that have moulded her’ in her soon-to-be-released book, Ruth Langsford Feeling Fabulous. Ruth and Eamonn, who were an item for 27 years and wedded for 14, called it quits in June 2024. Eamonn, now 66, swiftly moved on with relationship counsellor Katie Alexander, who is 22 years his junior.

The ex-couple and former co-stars have largely steered clear of discussing each other since their separation. Now, Ruth is set to open up about her ‘experiences’ in her new memoir, due out on 26th February.

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She posted on Instagram on Friday: “NOT LONG NOW… Can’t believe that 2026 is the year I publish my first book! I’m very excited but also a little nervous…. These are stories about my life, the ups and the downs, the good and the not so good but everything that has made me the woman I am today.”

The TV star continued: “I share the experiences that have shaped me and the lessons I’ve learned along the way. Publication day is 26th February but you can pre order a copy now (and a limited number of signed copies are available too).” Ruth ended the caption with: “Click the link in my bio or check out my stories to get your copy. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it x”.

Loose Women’s Ruth has stayed single and recently disclosed that she’s been attending therapy sessions following the collapse of their marriage. She confided in woman&home: “I started counselling. My counsellor has probably seen us on TV, but she doesn’t know either of us so doesn’t get involved and doesn’t judge. She just listens and says, ‘Have you thought about this?’ or ‘Why did you feel like that?'” She added: “I think I know myself very well, so it has just been calming. It makes me question how I’m feeling.”

Ruth also shared her initial reluctance to seek help after her sister’s death, saying: “When my sister died, friends suggested counselling and I said, ‘I don’t [want] just [for someone] to tell me that I’m really sad,’ and I still feel like that.” She added: “The end of a very long relationship takes a lot of unravelling. Counselling helps you move on from it, to not be held back,” she explained. The TV presenter also hinted at the possibility of finding love again, stating: “I definitely see light in the future where I didn’t before.”

“Before, I saw darkness and was thinking, ‘Oh my God, what’s going to happen?’ but now the fear [has] gone, because what do you do? Do you crumble? Do you lay down and die? Oh no, not I. I will survive.”

It’s been suggested that Ruth had grown tired of caring for Eamonn following his hip operation, but it later came to light that he was seeing Katie – someone he’d met several years prior. There’s no implication that Eamonn was unfaithful to Ruth, who co-hosted ITV’s This Morning with him for ten years until their departure in 2021.

Former Grange Hill actor, John Alford, has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for sexually abusing two underage girls, aged 14 and 15, whilst they were at a sleepover

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What began as an innocent sleepover turned into a nightmare for two teenage girls after their paths crossed with John Alford. Former nineties heartthrob Alford, 54, has been sentenced to eight and half years in prison for child sex offences after the TV star sexually abused two teenage girls at the home of his friend.

The former actor, who is known for his roles in Grange Hill and London’s Burning, plied the girls, aged 14 and 15, with alcohol, the court heard, after he headed to a petrol station at 4.30am to buy £250 worth of cigarettes, snacks, and booze – including rum, beer and flavoured vodka.

Alford, who was convicted under his real name – John Shannon – expressed no remorse at his sentencing after previously being found guilty of four counts of sexual activity with a child, as well as two counts relating to a second female of sexual assault and assault by penetration at St Albans Crown Court on September 5. The attacks took place at the home of his friend back in April 2022, after a night out at the pub.

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The teenagers had been enjoying an impromptu sleepover during their Easter school holidays, at the home of a third girl, the father of which Alford – of Hartham Road, Islington – was friends. Other than Alford, all the other adults in the property eventually went to bed, and the court heard that due to the nature of conversations the disgraced actor had with the teenagers during the night, he was aware of their ages. After going to the shop, he gave the Ciroc flavoured vodka to the underage girls, the court heard, whilst he drank a bottle of beer.

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The father-of-four went on to have sex with the 14-year-old girl in the garden of the property and later in a downstairs toilet. He also inappropriately touched the 15-year-old girl as she lay half-asleep on the living room sofa. In devastating testimony, the 14-year-old victim revealed that she had never had sex before and repeatedly told Alford to stop “three or four times”.

She also testified that “I told him to stop because I didn’t want to have sex with an old man”. The court also heard Alford asked her “do you want this babe?” to which she responded “no”. The other victim testified that “We were all just like dozing off. That was when John started to touch me.” The teenager also told the court that she felt “absolutely sick” after the attack, and once she had reached the safety of the other victim’s home she showered, and the two teenagers “spoke about everything that happened” in a bathroom together.

In harrowing victim impact statements the teenage victims detailed the injuries inflicted upon them by Alford, and the long-term aftermath of the attack, which for the 15-year-old victim included a suicide attempt and self harm. “This man destroyed my mental wellbeing. When I was 16 I tried to take my own life with sleeping tablets,” she described. “I was in so much physical and emotional pain I cut myself deeply. I used my mum’s lighter to burn the inside of my thighs as well.

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“I felt so suicidal and depressed, words cannot describe how I felt.” She continued to describe the everyday difficulties she faces since the attack, which include using public transport, going to the toilet by herself in the night, and admitted “I struggle with men. I don’t want to think of every man as evil, but I do. I will never forget his face, his scent, his voice or him.”

The 14-year-old victim said in her impact statement that even receiving a hug from her own father had been difficult after the assault. “I’m the victim of penetrative sexual assault. Being sexually assaulted has affected my family in every way,” she wrote. The court heard that the sexual health exam she had to undergo after the assault also had an impact on her, and it had to be stopped because it caused her too much pain. She had to take the morning after pill and was given injections to prevent HIV and other diseases, which left bruises. “I was scared people were going to notice and wonder why I had them,” she said.

The 14 year old victim also said, “It has affected me severely with school. I didn’t care about my GCSEs as this was the only thing that mattered. I wasn’t bothered about my personal hygiene or appearance. I was just existing.” She continued, “I was getting flashbacks. I’ve been getting dreams. I’m convinced he’s going to come through my door. I also find it hard being intimate with my boyfriend because of this.

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“The assault by John has completely changed my perspective on life. It has made me look very differently at the world and I now have worries for my life and my future children. I will not let this assault define me, but it has been constantly in my mind.”

Counselling Directory member Tina Chummun tells the Mirror that the kind of traumatic injury the teenager survivors have gone through fundamentally alters how a “survivor experiences the world” and that there is psychologically, no “normal” that can be returned to.

Tina, who is a trauma specialist psychotherapist for domestic violence and sexual abuse and has worked for The Women’s Trust, explains: “Recovery after sexual assault is not about ‘going back to normal’, because trauma changes how a survivor experiences the world. The survivor will experience their world through their trauma lens for some time that their body and mind needs for recovery – however long that takes, and it is dependent on the survivor.”

Alford’s sickening assault does not have to “define” his young victims, “but it will shape [their lives] in profound ways,” the trauma expert explains. This is “because [the] nervous system is still living in survival mode. When someone experiences an intimate violation, their brain’s threat system becomes hyper-alert and struggles to tell the difference between what is safe and what is dangerous.

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“Everyday stress, memories, smells, touch or even moments of closeness can trigger the same fight, flight, freeze or fawn responses as the original trauma. This is why survivors often live with flashbacks, fear, shame, self-blame, frequent triggers from daily experiences and difficulties with trust and intimacy long after the event.” Ms Chummun adds that the passage of time is not enough to ensure recovery.

“Healing involves more than time passing. It requires trauma-informed support in a safe, empathic, supportive, boundaried and non-judgemental space where the experience can be processed rather than pushed away. It’s the awareness, acceptance and then the acknowledgement to want to work towards changing thoughts and behaviours related to the trauma that will mean the survivor has processed it. The awareness and acceptance part of the recovery process are the most challenging. Without this, the body continues to carry the trauma as if it is still happening.

The Duchess of Sussex enjoyed another success with As Ever this week – but she faces a big problem moving forward if she doesn’t make some changes, one expert has noted

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Meghan Markle has every reason to celebrate this week – but one expert has warned it might be short-lived unless she changes tact.

The duchess has launched two new products on her As Ever website – and they quickly sold out. The first item was a £13 bookmark, while the other was a £47 bundle, which included the bookmark, honey and peppermint tea, and her fans were quick to snap them up.

It’s another business success for Meghan, who has released a host of popular products since the brand launched in April 2025. But she has one major issue when it comes to As Ever, and it all comes down to brand image, according to one expert.

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Renae Smith, founder of the PR and branding firm The Atticism, noted some confusion surrounding the “small batch” lifestyle brand; from a drop that sold out, to telling customers there wouldn’t be any more, then another drop, then saying there were no products, followed by a website glitch that showed there were thousands of jars of honey and jam left.

“Meghan does have the potential to actually have a really good brand,” Smith told the Independent. “But she either has no understanding of what she wants the brand to be, or she has very poor advisors in that space.” It could also be that she is not prepared to listen; the Sussexes have lost 11 publicists in the space of five years, with the last, Meredith Maines, quitting after less than a year in the role.

As Ever has drawn comparison to other celebrity wellness brands, like Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop – launched in 2008 and now valued at a staggering $250m (£185m). But there are some major differences which could hold Meghan back, according to Smith.

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“Goop had a plan from the beginning, it was neat, it was structured,” she observed. “Meghan doesn’t stick to a lane; she’ll go and be an influencer for a bit, then she goes back on TV and does something weird, then she does a podcast, which was also weird,” she says, in reference to Archetypes.

“If you’re going to be the next Martha Stewart, just do that,” Smith continued. “Don’t take photos of yourself near the bridge where Diana died or even go to Paris for a Balenciaga show, commit! Hone [your image]: ‘My husband’s a prince and I love staying at home with my children,’ whether it’s true or not, who cares? But she won’t.”

It comes amid speculation that Meghan could return to the UK for the first time since the Queen’s funeral in 2022. Prince Harry is reportedly on the cusp of having his police security reinstated, and could finally bring his children to see their grandfather, the King.

It would also leave the door open for Meghan to make a comeback – although many have been left wondering why given her much-publicised disdain for her time in the UK. It could give her business a much-needed boost, however, according to Daily Mail columnist Sarah Vine.

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She has argued that a UK return could lead to a massive pay day for Meghan by boosting her royal status and, as a result, As Ever. Vine claimed that “after nearly six years in America, the royal fairy dust is finally wearing off”, and that Meghan “needs to re-up on that magic. She needs to remind the world of who her in-laws are, to stay relevant and, more importantly, to stay commercial”.

However, PR to the stars Mayah Riaz told the Mirror that coming back to the UK could actually lead to the opposite, and would be a “high-risk” move for the duchess. “Her commercial power has always been strongest in the US, where the royal association already works as shorthand for global status. American audiences do not need to see her on British soil to be reminded she married into the Royal Family. That story is already baked into her brand,” she said.

Katie Price proudly announced she was getting a ‘new puff’ this week as she becomes the latest celebrity to sign up for so-called ‘designer vagina’ surgery

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A whole host of celebrities are splashing the cash on so-called ‘designer vaginas’. The surgical and non-surgical procedures address concerns about the appearance of the genitalia, which involves the removal of excess tissue from the inner or outer labia during a labiaplasty operation.

Non-surgical vaginal rejuvenation, meanwhile, offers a range of treatments aimed at improving vaginal tightness, function, and appearance without the need for invasive surgery using laser treatments, radiofrequency therapy and ultrasound.

A slew of celebrities are opting to address their nether regions – with a labiaplasty costing from between £1,500 to £4,500, depending on the amount of tissue removal and technique used – and a non-surgical vaginal rejuvenation costing from £125 per session.

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Self-confessed surgery addict, Katie Price, is the latest celeb to announce she’s going down under after proudly announcing that she was getting a “new puff” this week. Taking to Instagram, the OnlyFans star, 47, told fans she couldn’t wait to make ‘my other lips more kissable’ as she showed off her plumped up pout.

Announcing it was “new year, new me”, the Pricey, who is rumoured to have split with boyfriend JJ Slater, purred: “How much am I loving my new kissable lips and next week these aren’t the only lips I’m gong to make kissable…”, before winking at the camera. She captioned the Story: “New little puff in the making.”

Katie revealed she wanted a ‘designer vagina’ back in 2018 when she was dating gym buff, Kris Boyson. Vowing to go under the knife again as her poor mum, Amy, held her head in her hands, she said on her reality show: “I’m going to have a change, I’m going to have some surgery.”

While Amy begged her daughter not to have any more surgery, Katie declared: “I need a designer vagina, thank you very much, I am going to have some tweaks!”

Katie isn’t the only face famous to undergo some nip/tuck on her ‘noonie’. Former TOWIE star, Gemma Collins, opened up about her “designer vagina” in 2024, which she revealed cost £2,000.

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Taking to Instagram, proudly declaring she doesn’t have a camel toe, she said: “I haven’t got camel toe, you can have a full investigation of my area. You know I have had an operation as well, years ago. I have a designer vagina.

“I don’t have a front facing camel toe, hun. I can take the p**s out myself. But I don’t have camel toe. Yeah, baby. I don’t have camel toe. You’ve heard it here first!”

In 2020, after yet another split from James ‘Arg’ Argent, Gemma, now 44, decided to treat herself to a £2,000 designer vagina.

The Diva Forever star is believed to have opted for non-surgical labia rejuvenation, which uses laser energy waves energy to shrink the labia.

Speaking to her co-star Bobby Norris during a bikini wax in 2015 on TOWIE, she said: “I actually pride myself, I’m mega confident, because I know I’ve got a designer vagina. I’ve never told you this, but I paid £2,000 and my vagina is perfect now. It looks like something you see in a movie.”

Taking a look for himself, a gobsmacked Bobby gushed: “I’ve never seen anything that looks so perfect. It’s like a new penny! That’s £2,000 well spent. I would rather have a la la like that than a cheeky trip to Marbs.”

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Real Housewives of Cheshire’s Tanya Bardsley, 44, also opted for the non-surgical procedure when she was filmed at Dawn Ward’s clinic after being roped in to try the vagina tightening procedure, Femiwand.

Before excitedly announcing: “I’ve not got a baggy minky” Tanya, who had recently had a baby, was told by the doctor that two plastic balls would be inserted into her vagina to tighten the area while Dawn, sporting hot pants, danced around her bed, drinking champagne.

On the other side of the pond, everyone from Kim Kardashian to Jada Pinkett Smith have been singing the praises of the non-surgical technology for restoring vaginal tightness and sensation.

Kim and her sisters have promoted vaginal rejuvenation treatments, like FemiLift for tightening and improving skin elasticity and firmness in the vaginal area, which addresses concerns from childbirth or ageing, and are often part of the so-called ‘Mummy Makeover’ packages.

Also, mum-of-four, Kourtney Kardashian, shocked fans last year when she launched vagina lollipops. The lollipop from her company, Lemme Purr, promises to use “Vitamin C and real pineapple extract” to help support feminine self-care and overall wellness.

The 46-year-old was met with backlash over her brand’s latest venture with fans labelling it ‘beyond gross’.

Back to vaginal tightening and before Khloe Kardashian became a mum herself, she said: “My sisters they’ve had kids, and there’s a vaginal lasering, to tighten,” on her talk show, Kocktails With Khloé. She continued: “In my household all they do is talk about this vagina lasering. It’s like their discussion back and forth.”

However, the procedures are not without risk. The potential side-effects of non-surgical vaginal rejuvenation, include discomfort, mild swelling and the possibility of complications.

Meanwhile, an NHS doctor told the Mirror that anyone thinking about having a labiaplasty should do some serious homework. Revealing the risks of the serious operation, which can cause disfigurement, they explained: “Labiaplasty is a surgical procedure that addresses concerns about the appearance and comfort of the female external genitalia.

“It involves the removal of the tissue and short-term risks include pain, bleeding and infection. Longer term risks can involve pain during intercourse if too much tissue is removed and dissatisfaction with cosmetic appearance. “

Warning the operation should only be carried out by “trained, competent surgeons,” they concluded: “It should only be done by trained, competent surgeons in a surgical environment with proper prior consultation and follow-up.”