Category Entertainment News

The Dancing On Ice judge, 34, visited a neonatal clinic for the first time since her daughter was born two months premature in 2023 and needed intensive care

Former Strictly star Oti Mabuse today re-lived the traumatic early birth of her baby – after jetting 3,000 miles to west Africa to meet stricken mums nursing premature tots. The pro dancer, 34, returned to a neonatal unit for the first time since she endured a 16-hour labour with her daughter, who arrived two months early, weighing 3lbs, in 2023.

The baby spent the next six weeks in intensive care at University College London Hospital after she was born with an infection and Oti developed sepsis. Baby and mother recovered, but the Dancing On Ice judge has revealed her trauma after visiting a UNICEF-funded specialist clinic in Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) in Africa.

In the city of Abidjan she saw how premature babies are receiving critical life-saving treatment and daily care including a UNICEF programme called “Kangaroo Mother Care” which promotes the importance of skin-on-skin contact.

Reflecting on her own experience, Oti said: “I remember the only way I could touch my child and have skin-on-skin was through this glass window – there’s no mother who wants to experience that.”

According to UNICEF, globally in 2024 an estimated 4.8 million children died before reaching their fifth birthday, including 2.3 million newborns who died within the first 28 days of life1. In Cote D’Ivoire, lack of access to specialised care is one of the reasons that prematurity is the leading cause of death for children under five.

In Abidjan, the UNICEF team provides breastfeeding support clinics and regular check-ups until the babies are school age alongside locally made loin cloth slings, so mothers remain in close contact with their babies.

At the hospital, Oti – married to fellow dance champ Marius Iepure, 42 – met Ouattara, a mother whose first baby was born prematurely and needed critical care. Sadly, without access to specialised support, her baby died six days later.

Thankfully, her second baby, Abdul, although born prematurely again, was rushed to the UNICEF centre where they stayed for three weeks to get the care and attention they needed.

Two years later, Abdul is a healthy and happy little boy. Oti also visited a UNICEF-supported foster care home, where the organisation supports children providing food and ensuring they stay in education or have vocational training. There, Oti met Madame Massandje, who has been trained by UNICEF to identify children living on the streets and offer them safety in her own home.

As a result, she currently has 15 children in her care – four girls and eleven boys aged three to fifteen. Speaking about her inspiring trip ahead of Soccer Aid for UNICEF, Oti said: “Visiting Côte d’Ivoire with UNICEF UK showed me the first-hand impact of the importance of vital care for children and their parents – especially for those that are born prematurely.

“My own baby was born prematurely, so seeing the work and meeting mums like Ouattara brought everything home. I know how vital that care and support is in those early days. Worldwide an estimated 4.8 million children died before reaching their fifth birthday in 2024 – deaths that were mostly preventable.

I also met incredible foster carers like Madame Massandje, who are changing children’s lives and helping give them the start in life they deserve. These experiences showed me the real difference donations make. That’s why I’m so proud to be part of Soccer Aid for UNICEF – to help give every child a safe, healthy start in life.”

A UNICEF appeal film of Oti’s trip will feature during Soccer Aid for UNICEF, which will be broadcast on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player at 6pm on Sunday June 15.

This year, thanks to the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, every donation you make to Soccer Aid for UNICEF will be doubled – up to £5 million.

Frederick Forsyth, the author of The Day of The Jackal, has died at the age of 86 after a brief illness, his literary agents Curtis Brown said.

The journalist turned novelist is known for works including The Odessa File, The Fourth Protocol and The Dogs of War. His politicial thriller The Day of the Jackal was first released in 1971 and follows a professional assassin known as the Jackal. It notably inspired the film adaptation of the same name in 1973, starring Edward Fox, and more recently a TV show, starring Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch.

It’s just one of his novels to be adapted for the screen, with other examples including the Fourth Protocol. The Cold War novel, which was released in 1984, was followed by a film version in 1987, which starred Michael Caine and Pierce Brosnan.

Although known for his thrillers, Frederick also wrote the Phantom of Manhattan, released in 1999, which is considered a sequel to Gaston Leroux’s Le Fantôme de l’Opéra from 1910. The Phantom of the Opera musical is based on Gaston’s novel and its sequel Love Never Dies is said to have been inspired by Frederick’s novel.

Prior to his career as a novelist, Frederick was a journalist, with him having worked for the likes of the BBC. He was a columnist for the Express for more than two decades and said upon his departure from the role in 2023: “It is now time to step back and retire and that must include saying a fond goodbye to the column.”

It was announced last month that Frederick would be among those featured on the new series of BBC Arts’ In My Own Words. The show consists of “intimate” first-person testimony and archive to explore the careers and life stories of its guests.

Frederick said about his involvement: “Having spent my career telling other people’s stories, I now find myself in the unusual position of subject rather than storyteller. It has reminded me of the incredible luck I have had, the fork in the road moments, and the deep gratitude I feel for having been part of it.”

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Vogue Williams, who is now married to Made in Chelsea’s Spencer Matthews, has spoken about her first marriage to former Westlife singer Brian McFadden on occasion

Presenter Vogue Williams has spoken about her divorce from Brian McFadden. She’s opened up about the aftermath of their separation whilst reflecting on her growth as she approaches her milestone 40th birthday this year.

Vogue, now 39, was married to former Westlife member Brian, now 45, from 2012 to 2017, though their separation was announced two years prior. She has since spoken about her ex-husband on occasion, including having written about their marriage in her new autobiography Big Mouth.

She spoke about him again whilst a guest on a podcast in an episode released last month. Vogue told host Bryony Gordon that she thought she had “ruined” her life by getting divorced from Brian at the age of 31.

Speaking about her fortieth birthday later this year, Vogue said: “I think I’m excited about it because remember like … remember being liked 19 or 20, you think that 40 year olds were just really old and battered, but then when you actually get to it, you’re like ‘this is a really nice moment’.”

She continued on the Life of Bryony podcast: “I think in your thirties, you’re trying to figure stuff out a little bit more. Because I remember … I was divorced at 31. I was like ‘basically that’s it I’ve ruined my life. I’m never gonna have kids. I’m never gonna do what I always wanted to do’.”

Vogue, who now has three children with her husband Spencer Matthews, whom she married in 2018, added: “And then you see how your life actually starts to unfold, and that’s why I think it’s exciting to move into your forties.”

Elsewhere on the podcast, Vogue said that she considers herself to have been “too young” to get married to Brian, having been 26 at the time. She told Bryony that she “wasn’t mature enough” then but was “in love” with the singer.

In an interview published last month, Vogue told the Times when she thought the marriage was at risk. She said: “Maybe not long after we got married. Probably just before. I knew that it probably wasn’t the greatest of relationships, but I was very young.”

She suggested that it’s “hard to admit defeat” in any relationship and told the outlet that she found it “embarrassing” at the time. She said that it was “such a big failure” and noted that her separation from Brian was “very public”.

Vogue added that she found it “mortifying” to be divorced in her early thirties and that it was far from where she had hoped that she would be at that age. She said that she had wanted to be married with kids at 30, “not divorced and single”.

Years later though, she’s now married to former Made in Chelsea cast member Spencer, with whom she shares three children. The couple celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary yesterday after tying the knot back in 2018.

Reflecting on the milestone, Vogue wrote in a post joint post with her husband on Instagram last night: “7 years married today. 3 kids, two dogs and a whole lot of fun.”

Bruce Willis’ family have rallied around him since the Die Hard actor was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in February 2023, and his wife has now opened up about his work

Bruce Willis’ wife, Emma Heming Willis, is shedding light on how the Hollywood icon managed to continue working on set even after his health started deteriorating because of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). In her upcoming book The Unexpected Journey, which is set to be released on September 9, 2025, Emma shares intimate details about the measures that were taken to keep Bruce in front of the camera while his cognitive abilities declined.

According to reports, some of the tactics directors used included shortening his dialogue and feeding him lines via an earpiece, which was discreetly operated by a close friend on set.

These behind-the-scenes accommodations allowed the Die Hard legend to complete roles in films like Assassin (2023) and the Detective Knight trilogy (2022–2023), even though he was being increasingly impacted by FTD, which is a degenerative disease that affects cognition and speech

Willis’s diagnosis was first made public in 2022 when his family announced he was suffering from a language disorder called aphasia. In February 2023, they confirmed the condition had progressed into FTD. Since then, Bruce has stepped away from acting.

Emma told fans on Instagram that she wrote her book to help other families facing similar situations. She shared: “I really wrote the book that I wish someone had handed me the day we got our diagnosis with no hope, no direction … not much. Today life looks different for me and our family because I was able to put support into place.

“This isn’t a memoir, it’s a self-help guide for caregivers, written to hold space for our heartbreak and our healing.” During Bruce’s final years of working, directors began to alter his roles so that he would be able to make it through shooting.

In a 2020 email, Out of Death director Mike Burns asked writers to “abbreviate his [Willis’] dialogue so that there are no monologues”.

The actor’s shooting schedules were also adjusted so that his workdays were limited to four hours when possible, and he did not film for more than two consecutive days.

On set, crew members noticed that Bruce seemed confused and often struggled to remember lines or his purpose in a scene. They were particularly troubled by one moment during White Elephant, when he reportedly asked, “I know why you’re here, and I know why you’re here, but why am I here?”

Despite the challenges, some collaborators still held high opinions of his work. Paradise City director Chuck Russell praised Bruce’s efforts, saying he “brought his A-game”. But others, like White Elephant production supervisor Terri Martin, said, “He just looked so lost… He always tried his best.”

Emma has reflected on the early days of Bruce’s condition developing, sharing: “As his language started changing, it [seemed like it] was just a part of a stutter, it was just Bruce. Never in a million years would I think it would be a form of dementia for someone so young.”

Bruce’s children have opened up about the emotional effect his diagnosis had on them, with his daughter Tallulah in particular admitting the seriousness of his situation hit home to her when she imagined her wedding day and realised her father would no longer be able to deliver a speech.

“It was devastating,” she sighed. “I left the dinner table, stepped outside, and wept in the bushes.” Despite that heart breaking realisation, Tallulah added: “There’s painful days, but there’s so much love.”

EXCLUSIVE: Love Island star Shakira Khan has spent a huge amount of clothes, beauty products and other essentials to ensure she’s villa-ready – and has opened up about her thoughts on sex in the villa

Love Island’s Shakira Khan, 22, has lit up the villa as the 12th series kicks off with the usual mix of drama, romance, and jaw-dropping twists. But before the cameras start rolling, Shakira’s been busy preparing in true style – dropping over £2,000 on clothes, beauty must-haves, and other essentials to ensure she’s villa-ready from day one.

“I wasn’t messing about,” she tells us exclusively. “I’ve got three suitcases packed with everything I might need. I even bought things last year just in case.” Clearly, this isn’t Shakira’s first rodeo when it comes to being camera-ready, and she’s pulling out all the stops to make an impact. Away from the glitz and glamour, Shakira’s real-life job is as a children’s entertainer, specialising in kids’ parties dressed as Disney princesses.

Asked which princess she relates to most, she’s quick to pick Princess Jasmine: “She’s rebellious, strong, knows what she wants, and she’s adventurous – definitely Jasmine.” Her career has also seen her rubbing shoulders with some pretty high-profile clients. “I’ve hosted parties for Premier League footballers, reality stars, and other big names,” Shakira admits. “Can’t say who, though – NDAs and all that! But trust me, we’ve seen some big houses.”

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With ITV confirming they’ll show any villa sex scenes this year, we couldn’t resist asking Shakira about her stance on intimacy in the villa. “I’ve talked to my mum and dad about it – it’s a big no-no,” she says firmly. “Personally, I wouldn’t do it anyway. Eight weeks isn’t that long for me.”

Love Island fans, get ready. Shakira’s arrival promises plenty of fun, fierce energy, and maybe a little bit of drama – but when it comes to love, she’s playing it cool.

But playing it cool could lead to heartbreak as a new bombshell arrives in tonight’s episode. One Love Island star has already been dumped from the villa before the show even airs. Those tuning in this evening will see a cruel twist as one Islander is sent packing – just moments after arriving in the villa. It has been revealed that one girl will be sent packing this evening after the instant arrival of a bombshell.

Just yesterday, it was announced that Toni – a VIP waitress who works in one of Las Vegas’ fancy hotels – would be entering the villa. Asked what she was looking for, she said she needed “someone that can make me laugh – I’m super outgoing. And someone that’s quite active. Maybe one day we could start our own family together.

“It’s time to try something new! I have some British friends and they’re pretty charming. I think all Americans love a good accent. British men are just more polite, with better manners.”

Now, her arrival will mean that one of the initial Love Island stars will be axed within hours of arriving. With filming already underway, the person has been sent packing from the villa – with it set to air this evening during the launch show.

“This girl will be sorely missed as was already proving to be a big character. The was absolutely gutted to leave. But the series has twists and turns at every stage and this isn’t the usual dumping viewers might expect after a bombshell arrives,” a source told The Sun.

“Executive producer Mike Spencer-Hayter has promised drama for the tenth anniversary and this format point will not disappoint.”

Love Island 2025 begins tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.