Category Entertainment News

Rita Simons has tied the knot in a luxury ceremony. The EastEnders actress married her best friend Ben Harlow in a romantic ceremony yesterday, attended by her famous family and friends.

Taking to social media, she shared: “Well this happened yesterday! I married my best friend @benjyharlow… Just a little teaser before I have the good stuff from @the.event.editor content creator

“I can’t even put into words how special our day was…mostly because we have the most incredible bunch of humans who love us unconditionally and who were prepared to travel to @hiddenriverbarn from all over the world to share our day. We love you all. You know who you are …sorry there’s gonna be a ton of pics to follow!”

Rita then went on to praise her two children for being the “stars” of the day as she went on to thank her wedding planners, her dress designers and her make-up artist. There was also a special mention for the band who played at her wedding day and night.

Duncan James, from the band Blue, was also on hand for a very special job. “Thank you my darling @mrduncanjames for giving me away, I love you forever,” she wrote in a sweet message to the singer.

The singer was quick to comment on her post, writing: “Thankyou to you and ben for such a wonderful wedding,” alongside a string of red heart emojis. Others rushed to the comment section to congratulate Rita, including Ellie Dadd – who plays her on-screen daughter Amy Mitchell. She wrote: “Congratulations Rita and Ben.”

Rita’s character Roxy Mitchell was killed off alongside her sister Ronnie in huge scenes in 2017 and Rita was hopeful that her famous friends could join her to celebrate her big day.

“We’re getting married in September, but I’m not going to say dates or where, but we’re very excited,” she said recently, “Samantha Womack will be there, and I think Larry Lamb and Glynis Barber. Larry was my dad in the show, Glynis played my mum, and Samantha was my on-screen sister, Ronnie.”

Her twin daughters – Jaimee and Maiya – were her bridesmaids. The 18-year-old twins are from her previous marriage to her ex, hairdresser Theo Silveston, who she split from in 2020.

Speaking about her daughters being involved, she added: “Yes, they will. It will be a very glitzy wedding.”

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First Lady Melania Trump took royal fans aback today with an unexpected gesture at Windsor, shedding light on her reportedly close friendship with King Charles III, which dates back long before either of them held their current offices

Melania Trump has shown a slightly different side during her cheery reunion with her ‘pen pal’ King Charles, making an unexpected gesture during today’s state visit.

The First Lady arrived in Windsor this afternoon, accompanying her husband, President Donald Trump, on what marks his second state visit to British soil.

The couple were greeted first by Prince William and Princess Kate as they left their helicopter, before meeting King Charles and Queen Camilla.

A grand welcome awaited at Windsor Castle, with guards greeting President Trump and Melania with a rousing rendition of the American National Anthem.

And behind the pomp and pageantry, royal watchers were treated to a few more personal moments, as the Trumps and the royals shook hands and exchanged face-to-face greetings.

READ MORE: Donald Trump UK visit LIVE: President meets Royal Family as he lands at Windsor

Melania, 55, could be seen chatting with Princess Kate and Queen Camilla, while Trump could be seen enthusiastically placing a hand on Charles’ arm as they shook hands.

But for Melania, it appeared there was one member of the royal family that she was particularly delighted to see – her old ‘pen pal’, King Charles.

The First Lady isn’t known for showing her emotions, but today could be seen beaming from ear to ear as she reunited with Charles, leaving royal watchers surprised.

In her 2024 memoir, Melania revealed that she found unexpected common ground with Charles during their initial meeting in New York in 2005. It’s understood that the pair maintain their friendship through old-fashioned written correspondence, bonding through their passions for architecture, gardening, and the arts.

Writing in her book, Melania revealed she enjoys an “ongoing correspondence with King Charles III”, clarifying that she and her husband “exchange letters” with the King “to this day”.

Their shared interest in environmental issues reportedly brought them closer during the Trumps’ 2019 state visit to the UK. The Slovenia-born Melania penned: “The evening’s state banquet was a formal and elegant affair.

|I was seated next to Charles, and it was an absolute pleasure to reconnect with him. Our paths had crossed many years ago in New York City. This time, we engaged in an interesting conversation about his deep-rooted commitment to environmental conservation.”

Charles is well known for his handwritten letters, which he has previously addressed to politicians, celebrities, and everyday people alike. Royal sources have previously said that the monarch finds the process of letter-writing therapeutic and meaningful.

Melania also shared heartfelt moments between her and the late Queen Elizabeth II, reminiscing about the royal hospitality extended to them in England.

In particular, the First Lady highlighted a precious gift given by the Queen – a silver box with an exquisitely crafted enamel lid, featuring designs mirroring the palace’s music room ceiling.

Melania noted, “As we bid farewell to Her Majesty, we extended a cordial invitation for her return visit to the United States. She expressed her gratitude with a warm smile. Sadly, Her Majesty wasn’t able to visit with us again before her death in 2022, but our friendship with the Royal Family continues, and we exchange letters with King Charles to this day.”

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The Prince and Princess of Wales were on hand to meet Donald and Melania Trump as they arrived in Windsor today – and one expert noticed a subtle move by Kate during the greeting

The Princess of Wales used her handbag to deploy a subtle trick as she greeted Donald and Melania Trump at Windsor Castle today.

Prince William and Kate were tasked at the start of the royal charm offensive to greet the Trumps, who arrived in Marine One, the call sign of the United States Marine Corps aircraft carrying the president.

The princess gave Mr Trump a broad smile as they shook hands at Windsor Castle. The president shook hands warmly with William and patted the heir to the throne affectionately on his right arm. The Trumps and the Waleses walked side by side following their arrival – with William and Mr Trump chatting in the middle of the group, while the US president held his wife Melania’s hand before introducing them to the King and Queen.

READ MORE: Kate Middleton beams as she charms Donald and Melania Trump with dazzling smileREAD MORE: ‘I watched Prince Andrew try to bond with William – his awkward reaction says it all’

And for body language expert Bruce Durham from Huddle Culture, Kate made a subtle gesture. He explained to the Mirror : “When they walk away from the helicopter, you see Kate notices the closeness between Donald and Melania, but then what occurs is that her brain notices this and you’ll see there is a shift of her handbag in her hands.

“And what this is, is that she notices that and she feels uncomfortable enough and her brain says move closer to William but because of that regimented royal protocol that’s been ingrained within her, all you get is a shift of the handbag, which indicates she wants to do it, but she regiments herself and recognises that spatial awareness.

“They do look jovial, but it is good when you get these different types of behavioral accpetances, where you’ve got the American president and his partner and Prince William on the other side and the different expectations of how people should behave.”

The prince and princess escorted the president and his wife the short walking distance to meet the King and Queen in front of the gable-ended Victoria House.

The unique setting, never used before at an incoming state visit in modern times, is just one of a number of flourishes being added to impress the controversial billionaire-turned politician, who sees the King as his “friend”.

Camilla rallied to attend the first engagement of the key diplomatic royal duty after pulling out of the Duchess of Kent’s funeral on Tuesday due to acute sinusitis.

The Queen wore a vibrant sapphire blue dress, a matching coat by Fiona Clare and hat by Philip Treacy and a sapphire and diamond brooch.

Pomp and pageantry was out in full force with the scale and spectacle of the military ceremonial on show for Mr Trump unprecedented.

Lining the carriage procession route through the private Windsor estate to the castle were 22 half-companies of personnel from throughout the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, the British Army and the Royal Air Force.

The Trumps joined the King and Queen and the prince and princess for the scenic carriage ride through the green parkland to the castle, accompanied by a colourful Sovereign’s Escort of the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment.

Later, other elements of the royal-focused first day include a visit to the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II in St George’s Chapel, lunch with the royal family, a special Beating Retreat ceremony with a flypast of UK and US F-35 fighter jets and the Red Arrows, and in the evening – to top off the royal celebrations – a lavish state banquet. The Trumps will stay overnight in the 1,000-year-old castle as guests of the King and Queen.

Love Island star Laura Anderson has revealed she has a very savage nickname for her ex Gary Lucy as the pair continue to row over their daughter on social media

Laura Anderson has appeared to share messages from her ex Gary Lucy amid their ongoing war of words – and revealed her brutal nickname for him. Hollyoaks actor Gary accused the Love Island star of using their daughter Bonnie “for financial gain” in a bid to “stay relevant” on social media.

The pair started dating after they both appeared on Channel 4 ’s Celebs Go Dating in 2022 and welcomed their daughter together in 2023. Despite them splitting up while Laura was pregnant, the couple attempted reconciliation ahead of Bonnie’s birth.

However, it wasn’t meant to be and the pair haven’t been on great terms since. Laura recently took a swipe at fathers who “hide money” on social media and Gary was quick to have his say.

READ MORE: Gary Lucy and Laura Anderson’s most toxic spats as new feud over daughter Bonnie eruptsREAD MORE: Gary Lucy and Laura Anderson at war over daughter with most vicious claims yet

Reposting, he wrote: “Wait.. what. The narcissist’s greatest asset for leverage is a child. Children of narcissists are collateral damage in their game of control.

“… don’t forget… exploiting the child for financial gain on socials anything to keeps em ‘relevant’,” he fumed. Gary hit out after Laura’s posted about the ‘fairness’ of child maintenance. She wrote: “Explain this CMS ie UK Government. “CMS calculation is BEFORE tax on the unemployed (some people paying 40% tax).

“Ltd Companies (ie 1 Director) is calculated on <12k per year regardless of profit />

Laura has now responded as she shared a screenshot of a WhatsApp chat, which appears to be from Gary. However, the number was saved as ‘Lucifer’ in her phone.

Alongside the post, she said: “Step 1. I discuss problems with the Child Maintenance System in the UK. Step 2. My ex publicly calls me a Narc.”

She continued: “Step 4. I wake up to messages like this. Step 5. Do not feel silenced by bullies. Step 6. I am not the Narc.”

Laura then shared a photo of Gary’s ex-wife Natasha with her four children as she praised: “From one proud hard working mother to another. We are lucky to call our beautiful babies siblings. You have been and still continue to be my rock. Bonnie and I love you all.”

Gary had posted a quote on social media which read: “The narcissists greatest asset for leverage is a child. Children of narcissists are collateral damage in their game of control.”

The soap star, who shares four older children with ex-wife Natasha, then added: “Don’t forget… exploiting the child for financial gain on socials anything to keeps em “relevant” [sic].”

Laura previously opened up to the Mirror about the challenges of being a single parent, telling us: “I think it was hard to get my head around initially, it wasn’t what I expected.

“But that’s the cards I was dealt in the end. Of course, I’m going to make it work for my child, even more so. I feel like I’m a really good mum, to be honest.

“[Bonnie’s] great, your social life does take a little bit of a backseat but most people, your good friends understand that,” she added when sharing advice for other women in a similar situation.

“Think how many mums out there are struggling with that work-life balance, it’s not just me. It’s so relatable and that’s the best thing about Love Island, having a social media following, I’ve really understood it more since having a baby. It’s so nice to resonate and it really is a positive place. It’s just full of mums, it’s not all about ‘you’re trying to look sexy all the time’ because that’s not important.”

READ MORE: Shopper ‘gets so many compliments’ with scent that ‘wakes me up more than a coffee’

Former TV presenter Phillip Schofield looked surprisingly chipper despite watching his £60,000 car being towed away after a nasty crash.

The dad-of-two, 63, was seemingly looking on the positive side of life as he stood by a recovery truck after his Jaguar jeep suffered a nasty prang. Pictures show Schofield’s pricey motor come off worse for wear after the incident, with the rear tyre and far side door suffering the worst of the damage.

But Schofield, dressed in blue jeans and a salmon polo jumper, was all smiles to the man who came to his rescue and got the car on the back of the rescue truck.

The former This Morning anchor was over heard joking and laughing with the recovery saying its only a piece of metal and was generally rather pragmatic about the whole incident.

Schofield’s car woes come as his old co-workers celebrate This Morning returning to form following a tricky few years for the ITV programme.

Dermot O’Leary, who hosts the show on Fridays, said that This Morning winning best daytime show at the National Television Awards (NTAs) earlier this month was great for members of the team “who have had to endure an awful lot of sh**” in recent years.

The ITV programme had previously enjoyed a 12-year winning streak, winning the category every year from 2011 to 2022, but had not taken home the award since until tonight.

The show was thrown into turmoil after long-term presenter Schofield admitted he had an affair with a young male worker at ITV, and had lied about it to bosses.

He agreed to step down in 2023 after his relationship with co-presenter Holly Willoughby was reported to have come under strain following the scandal. Willoughby then left just a few months later, leaving the daytime programme without permanent hosts.

“There’s a team that have worked on the show since I’ve started who have had to endure an awful lot of sh**,” O’Leary said of the NTA win. “And they have turned up to work every day with the greatest grace and professionalism and uncertainly and they’ve never done anything but put their hearts and souls into this job.

“Two and a half hours of live telly every day is quite something, but to endure it under the spotlight of being on the front page of the news. This show holds a mirror up to Britain and it also tries to entertain.”

In September last year, Schofield blamed his brother for his departure from ITV, saying he was “fired for someone else’s crime.” In the final episode of Channel 5’s Phillip Schofield: Cast Away, the 63-year-old revealed he would “never in a million years” decide to return to daytime TV.

Schofield went on to say he had always been “open and honest with everyone at work about what was happening” with his brother Timothy.

His 54-year-old brother was convicted in April 2023 of 11 sexual offences involving a child between October 2016 and October 2019, including two of sexual activity with a child.

On the Channel 5 show he said he refused “to name and refuse to acknowledge” his brother who he claimed he had “absolutely no qualms whatsoever in shopping” to police, who he said had “praised” him for getting “justice done”.

The Oldham-born presenter said: “Even though they knew all of the facts the papers painted me out to be some sort of complicit agent. That was when my world started to collapse. My poor mum, had to tell her about that member of the family. To break that to your mother is tough.

“And I had to go through everything with the hierarchy at ITV. The full entire story so that they knew I hadn’t done anything wrong. The full story. Everything came to a head the day before he was sentenced when my agent called.

“My phone rang and I picked it up, ‘mate, are you somewhere quiet’ which is never a good sign,’I’ve got a bit of a shock, I’m afraid you’ve been let go from This Morning’. What? ‘Yeah that’s it, it’s done. You’re not going back on Monday’.

“What? because of what? ‘Think it’s the publicity, mate’, that’s got nothing to do with me, that has nothing to do with me. Why would I be sacked for something someone else did? I’ve just been fired because of him. Because I was becoming more of a story than the programme.

“It was better for the show, better for the channel. And I agreed to say that I’d resigned because it would be neater for everybody. I was always open and honest with everyone at work about what was happening with my brother. I was fired for the bad publicity, for someone else’s crime.

“And the thing is about a week later, I blew my own wheels off with everything else (his affair), because I thought the only way to even begin to put this right for everybody is to do a full mea culpa.”

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Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden hosted a garden party at her home last month and guest Alan Carr has since apologised to Tamzin Outhwaite over his antics

A former soap star was given flowers and an apology by Alan Carr this week after an incident at a party hosted by Amanda Holden last month. Tamzin Outhwaite has said that Alan is now “forgiven” following the experience.

Tamzin, 54, who played Mel Owen on EastEnders before taking on roles in other shows like New Tricks, was at a star-studded garden party thrown by Amanda, 54, just weeks ago. Guests were invited to the Britain’s Got Talent judge’s home in Surrey for the most recent bank holiday weekend.

Footage shared by Amanda showed Tamzin in the swimming pool, with the host saying that pal Alan, 49, had pushed her into it. Amanda wrote in a post on Instagram at the time: “Thanks to Faye for helping my darling friend [Tamzin] get out of the pool after a naughty [Alan] pushed her in.”

READ MORE: Amanda Holden and Alan Carr axed from Royal Variety and replaced by comedianREAD MORE: Tom Ellis says he has ‘no regrets’ after marriage to Tamzin Outhwaite marriage ended

Tamzin has now teased that Alan later apologised. She took to Instagram last night to share that he had come to see her in Entertaining Mr Sloane at the Young Vic. She stars in the play, which opened at the theatre in London earlier this week, alongside Rizzle Kicks’ Jordan Stephens.

A video showed Tamzin holding a gift bag containing a bouquet of flowers as Alan knelt on the floor beside her. The comedian was heard apologising to her before being told that he was “forgiven” for what happened at the party.

Alan said in the video: “I’m so sorry, Tamzin. I shouldn’t have pushed you in.” Laughter was then heard in the background before Tamzin said: “That’s okay, Alan. You’re forgiven.” The pair were then seen laughing as the clip ended.

Tamzin, whose post was later shared by Alan on his account, wrote over the footage from the theatre: “[Alan] has redeemed himself after the push in the pool!” She added in the caption over it: “Thank you for my beautiful flowers.”

Alan was in the audience for the new production of Entertaining Mr Sloane, written by Joe Orton, last night. He was joined by David Ames, as well as comedians Lee Peart and Brenda Gilhooly, who all posed for a group photo with cast members Tamzin and Jordan during the evening.

Fellow actor David, 42, who used to be on Holby City, shared his thoughts on the play after being in the audience. Alongside the photo of the group, he told fans: “Saw Entertaining Mr Sloane last night and absolutely loved it.”

David added in his post about it this morning: “Brilliant performances, beautifully directed and a text that is still as fresh today as it was all those years ago. Huge congrats to [Tamzin, Jordan, director Nadia Fall] and everyone involved.”

Alan later shared his pal David’s post and added his thoughts about the production in a comment over it. The Celebrity Traitors contestant wrote when he shared the post on Instagram earlier today: “Absolutely wonderful.”