Abbey Clancy has opened up about being ‘gutted’ after failing to hit the gym once despite wanting to get fit before her 40th birthday in 2025
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Abbey Clancy is approaching a major personal milestone(Image: F&F)
Abbey Clancy has admitted she’s feeling “gutted” as a significant birthday looms on the horizon. The model first shot to prominence back in 2006 as the runner-up on Britain’s Next Top Model.
Her rise to stardom came just a year after a chance encounter with England footballer Peter Crouch at a Liverpool bar. The couple’s whirlwind romance led to marriage in June 2011.
Following her modelling success, Abbey took to the dance floor on Strictly Come Dancing in 2013, ultimately claiming the coveted Glitterball Trophy with professional partner Aljaz Skorjanec.
More recently, Abbey and Peter have ventured into podcasting with The Therapy Crouch, where they candidly share insights into married life and raising their four children. During a recent episode, Abbey revealed her disappointment over failed fitness plans ahead of turning 40.
She confessed: “I was gutted, I wanted to start the year 2025 by getting fit for my 40th. There’s three weeks left of the year and I haven’t been to the gym once.”
Peter couldn’t resist teasing his wife about a previous age mix-up, quipping: “You were more dedicated when you thought you were 40 last year. When you were 38 you were bang on.”
He added some practical advice, saying: “Get in shape for the summer of your 40th because January’s not a good time. I think January is a s***t month so when you’re sitting watching Corrie on your birthday, don’t worry too much.”
Abbey has previously opened up about her fitness routine, which includes horse riding and reformer pilates, whilst confessing she’s not particularly fond of running. She even credits pilates with helping her throughout pregnancy.
In a 2016 interview with Health and Wellbeing magazine, Abbey explained: “Your body goes through so many changes when you’re expecting a baby, it’s important to keep the muscles working and relieve all of the (many) aches and pains. I found it tough to watch my figure change so dramatically but it’s important to be physically strong and do what I can to stay agile.”
Abbey described how completing a workout leaves her feeling like she has “more energy and my body feels really toned”. She also shared how she regularly combines pilates sessions with coffee dates alongside her mates whilst balancing motherhood and everyday responsibilities.
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In conversation with the Evening Standard, she said: “I’ve always been a very active person and love to get up and be outside as much as possible.
“There’s nothing better than riding my horse in the countryside – I can’t wait to get back in the saddle this summer.
15 year old Ann-Louise has a rare life-limiting condition, but lights up when she sings. As our Mirror Christmas appeal for Lifelites continues, her mum Mary shares how the charity’s clever tech helps her daughter enjoy life
As Ann-Louise Owens took to the stage to perform in her hospice’s Disney showcase, she took on an amazing transformation. The teenager, who has a rare life-limiting condition, which causes up to 200 absent seizures a day was beaming with happiness and confidence as she sang ‘Let It Go’ from Frozen. Her mum Mary, 56, watched with pride as her daughter’s angelic voice wowed the audience. She felt emotional as this moment was a real triumph for Ann-Louise.
Ann-Louise, who yesterday celebrated her 15th birthday, was diagnosed with rare Chromosome 22Q duplication genetic disorder at the age of three. The condition causes severe uncontrolled epilepsy but music is a way for her to connect and have fun. She regularly plays on a guitar gifted by East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices’ (EACH) ambassador, Ed Sheeran, and his hit song Castle on the Hill is her favourite.
READ MORE: Olly Murs ‘blown away’ in special video for schoolboy who plays music with his eyes
Two weeks ago we launched our Mirror Christmas appeal in aid of Lifelites to ‘Unwrap the Magic of Christmas’ for thousands of children and young people like Ann-Louise. The campaign aims to raise vital funds for them to experience the wonder of life-changing technology.
Lifelites currently reach 15,000 children with life-limiting conditions. The charity provides seriously ill and disabled children the chance to play, create and communicate, using the power of assistive and sensory technology. This includes the Soundbeam, a touch-free musical device that uses sensor technology to translate movement into sound, Magic Carpet, Magic Carpet, which projects moving images onto the floor (or any suitable surface) to enable children to interact and control their environment, the Eyegaze, which tracks eye movements and allows children to control a computer, and more.
However, there are still 85,000 children without access to Lifelites. By donating to our appeal, Mirror readers can help thousands more receive this life-changing technology, enhancing the life of a seriously ill or disabled child and help them make the most of the precious moments they have with their families.
Ann-Louise has attended The Treehouse, EACH’s hospice in Ipswich, Suffolk, for three years. Mary, said: “She loves her music and Ed Sheeran and she gets to play his guitar that he gifted to the hospice when she is here. She loves singing his hit Castle on the Hill and went to his concert in Ipswich in July.”
As a result of her condition, Ann-Louise has two holes in her heart, has asthma, hypermobility and digestive problems that means she is fed via a gastric tube. Mary said: “Ann-Louise’s condition means she has two copies of the 22Q chromosome, which makes everything go wrong. She can walk but not very far as she has daily seizures – around 200 absent and tonic clonic seizures a day, which is why she’s in a wheelchair as it makes it difficult to get around.
“Because it’s such a rare condition doctors don’t know much about it so it’s tough. She’s now on experimental drugs for her epilepsy as everything else has failed.” Sadly Mary was given news last week about Ann-Louise that every parent dreads. She said: “We found out that her gut is failing. There will be more trouble when her stomach gives up. We have just been told to make memories.
“Her needs have changed drastically and her condition has worsened as she’s gotten older. It’s been a long road and we now have to think about what we want for her going forward when it comes to medical intervention. It’s hard when you get bad news but you have to work through it, we need to do what’s best for her and if that’s filling the house with lights and music that’s what we will do.”
Mary says she can’t thank The Treehouse enough for helping fill Ann-Louise’s life with joy. “She gets so much from coming to The Treehouse and has found her love of music. She sang ‘Let It Go’ from Frozen in front of everybody and wore a princess dress. It was amazing and she makes me very proud.
“When she plays music and sings she is a different person, she doesn’t say anything at all hardly to anyone until she’s got a microphone and music and then she comes alive and is so happy. She totally changes, you wouldn’t think it was the same person when you see her singing, it gives her so much confidence.
“We get so much from coming to the hospice, they support me as well and Ann-Louise, who comes to stay two nights a month. She loves the Lifelites technology – she enjoys the Sensory Room and the Magic Carpet and the Cosmo Switches – she likes pressing them and hearing music.
“This Christmas we will make it extra special, Ann-Louise wants a karaoke machine for Christmas and all the family will be coming over to share it with us. It will be loud but full of joy. Having access to the Lifelites technology and the music is extremely important for Ann-Louise as it turns her into a totally different child, she can express all her emotions through play and music. It’s one of the only times you see her truly happy, laughing and having fun.”
Ray Travasso, 52, music therapist at The Treehouse, said: “Ann-Louise is like another person and she fully comes alive when she makes music, she’s just happy sitting at the piano and playing and listening to songs and singing along. In our music therapy sessions we sing but I’ve noticed she can be a quiet girl sometimes, a little bit anxious, and have her head down. But when we play music her head is up, her eyes are open and she’s fully engaged and she’s totally in the moment.
“That’s one of the wonderful things about music, it can really unlock things for people and someone like Ann-Louise is a brilliant example of that. She was able to sing in front of other people at our Disney night. She was great and fully alive.
“It’s really rewarding seeing people change through music, I get such a buzz from seeing the transformation. For people like Ann-Louise, who feel they haven’t got a place in this world, music can make them be somebody and engage. I use the Lifelites Soundbeam in my classes which is amazing – it works through movement and movement makes the sounds which makes music accessible for everyone.”
Rob Lightfoot, CEO of Lifelites, said: “Lifelites technology is truly life-changing. Seeing the transformation in Ann-Louise as she uses the technology to make music is incredible. With thousands of children still unable to access this kind of support, we are so grateful to Mirror readers for supporting our Appeal.”
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Unwrap the magic of Christmas
Donate today and unwrap the Magic of Christmas for seriously ill children. Donations from Mirror readers will be used to provide seriously ill children access to life-changing technology that will enable them to play, communicate and have fun in ways that would otherwise be impossible.
Donate online HERE
Text MIRROR to 70085 to give £10. To donate without receiving further updates, text MIRRORNOINFO. Texts will cost the donation amount plus one standard network rate message, and you’ll be opting into hearing more from Lifelites.
Donate by post: Send cheques made payable to Lifelites to Lifelites, 60 Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5AZ
READ MORE: ‘Our children’s hospice creates magical Christmas memories for families to treasure’
Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner were found dead from apparent stab wounds in their home in Brentwood, Los Angeles, on Sunday, and their son Nick has been charged with murder
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Michelle Obama was on Jimmy Kimmel Live last night(Image: Jimmy Kimmel Live/Youtube)
Michelle Obama and her husband Barack were meant to see Rob and Michele Reiner the night they were killed.
The former US first lady paid tribute to the couple when she appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live last night. She said she and Barack, whom she wed in 1992, had been friends with the Reiners for several years.
Speaking on the late-night ABC show, Ms Obama, 61, said: “We’ve known them for many, many years, and we were supposed to be seeing them that night. Let me just say this, unlike some people, Rob and Michele Reiner are some of the most decent, courageous people you ever want to know.”
It is unclear why the Obamas did not see the Reiners on the night of the tragedies. The couple were found dead from apparent stab wounds in their home in Brentwood, Los Angeles, and their son Nick, 32, has since been charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
Ms Obama paid a poignant tribute to the Reiners and appeared to take aim at Donald Trump on Jimmy Kimmel Live with the reference “unlike some people”. The US President had said the deaths were politically motivated.
In a post on Truth Social, Mr Trump suggested Rob and Michele Reiner died “reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as Trump derangement syndrome”.
Nick Reiner was arrested 14 miles from the scene and charged last night. He is being held without bail. The son has not entered a plea and did not appear in court on Tuesday as expected because of unspecified health reasons, according to his lawyer Alan Jackson.
He is expected to appear before a judge on Wednesday. Mr Hochman said: “Their loss is beyond tragic and we will commit ourselves to bringing their murderer to justice.
“He also faces a special allegation that he personally used a dangerous and deadly weapon, that being a knife. These charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility parole or the death penalty.”
He added: “Prosecuting these cases involving family members are some of the most challenging and most heart-wrenching cases that this office faces because of the intimate and often brutal nature of the crimes involved.”
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Reiner has long been one of the most prolific directors in Hollywood and his work includes some of the most memorable films of the 1980s and 1990s, including This Is Spinal Tap, A Few Good Men, When Harry Met Sally and The Princess Bride.
Celebrations for Dick Van Dyke’s 100th birthday were overshadowed by the murders of longtime friend Rob Reiner and his wife Michele’s deaths in Los Angeles, California
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Dick Van Dyke turned 100 on Saturday(Image: Getty Images)
Dick Van Dyke is heartbroken by the murders of longtime friend Rob Reiner and his wife Michele.
The Hollywood legend reportedly couldn’t sleep because he was so sickened by the deaths, which overshadowed celebrations for his 100th birthday over the weekend. Van Dyke’s birthday was on Saturday and the murders were discovered the following day in Los Angeles, California.
Speaking in a video yesterday, Van Dyke’s wife Arlene Silver said her spouse had spoken to Reiner just two weeks ago. Holding back the tears, she added: “Such a weird, wonderful, awful weekend. You know Dick’s birthday was on [Saturday]… I can’t not talk about this horrible thing. I mean, Dick’s birthday was so amazing, so over-the-top beautiful, and then this. I was relieved and happy, and then this happened yesterday.”
Van Dyke and Reiner, 78, had been close friends for six decades. The Mary Poppins icon, who had said on Friday going to the gym three times every week was his key to happiness, last spoke to Reiner on the phone at the start of the month.
READ MORE: Dick Van Dyke fans discover his secrets to staying healthy as actor turns 100READ MORE: Mary Poppins icon admits he ‘probably neglected’ kids as he worked way out of poverty
In her video, Ms Silver is seen still wearing a ‘100’ button with an image of Van Dyke on her top which was made for his milestone birthday. The former makeup artist, who married the actor in 2012, shared the clip on social media on Tuesday, to a supportive reception.
Van Dyke fans expressed hope for the star, whose programme, The Dick Van Dyke Show, was created by Rob Reiner’s father, Carl. It ran between 1961 and 1966, winning 15 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Series three times.
Nick Reiner was charged with two counts of first degree murder on Tuesday as police believe he killed his parents. Nick, 32, is currently being held in custody, police confirmed at a press conference in Los Angeles.
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Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said: “I’m here to announce that our office will be filing charges against Nick Reiner accused of killing his parents. These charges will be two counts of first degree murder with a special circumstance of multiple murders. He also faces a special allegation that he personally used a dangerous and deadly weapon, that being a knife.
Actress Lily Collins, 36, plays the central character, Emily Cooper, in comedy drama series Emily In Paris, the fifth season of which drops on Netflix on Thursday
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Lily Collins is pictured at the premiere for Emily in Paris(Image: WireImage)
Lily Collins admitted she might “not have been on her game” during the filming for the fifth series of Emily in Paris.
The actress gave birth to her daughter Tove earlier this year ahead of the recording for the comedy drama programme. Lily, 36, had to alter her schedule ahead of preperation for Emily in Paris, in which she players central character Emily Cooper.
And, as a result, the star believes her performance may have suffered — although previews have been positive ahead of the new series. In a candid interview, the mum said: “I took my hands off perfectionism. You cannot focus on perfectionism when your focus is on all these other hats you’re wearing.
“I said to everyone this year, ‘I’m really good with memorisation, I’m really good with knowing my lines, but this year give me some grace. I’ve not slept, I’m very tired and I may not be on my game.’
“And you know what? Who was in the blooper reel more this year? Me. Who had more fun this year? Me, because I let go of perfectionism and I was so grateful.”
READ MORE: When is the first episode of Emily in Paris Season 5 out?READ MORE: ‘Peaceful’ hidden gem village with golden sands and top-rated fish and chips
The fifth series drops on Netflix on Thursday, around 15 months after the fourth season aired on the platform. The programme, which also stars Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu and Ashley Park, has been widely praised.
Lily, daughter of singer Phil Collins, has balanced work and motherhood since welcoming Tove in January via surrogacy. She returned to work with little Tove when filming for Paris in Emily commenced in June.
Speaking to The Sun, Lily said: “When we started shooting this season my daughter was about three and a half months. How does she change my approach to filming? I mean, schedule!
“You have a different purpose and it’s really tough. I have a greater purpose now and I miss her so much. She visited the set but I’m still figuring it out in real time. It’s a struggle and I’m just so grateful to be able to do both.”
Emily in Paris has attracted a huge global audience that has continued to grow since it launched in 2020. The central character moves from Chicago to Paris for a temporary social media strategy job and becomes a fashionista.
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Lily, from Guildford, Surrey, was cast in April 2019 after impressing in the miniseries of Les Misérables. She also was in crime drama, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, another Netflix hit, which starred Zac Efron.
Keira Knightley was just 17 when she starred in Love Actually and 22 years on, millions watch the film every Christmas – but the actress is not one of them!
Keira Knightley says she’s only ever watched her iconic Christmas film Love Actually once – and can’t even remember what any of her lines were.
The 2003 festive rom-com classic wowed audiences across the world and the much-loved movie inspired one of this year’s favourite adverts, as comedian Joe Wilkinson and Keira make a connection at the Waitrose cheese counter.
The ad follows Celebrity Traitors contestant Joe as Phil, a sorrowful widower who is being encouraged by his friends to move on. Phil’s luck is on the turn as he ends up bumping into the film’s leading lady in the store, where they both, in unison, order a tasty Sussex Charmer.
READ MORE: ‘Waitrose’s Christmas advert blows John Lewis out the water thanks to magic ingredient’READ MORE: Love Actually fans still heartbroken over character who ‘never got happy ending’
A cute montage of the unlikely pair falling in love over snowy walks, chess in the pub and biscuit baking soon follows, and it quickly struck a chord as the supermarket’s advert resonated with viewers. But Keira, a 17-year-old when Love Actually was filmed, clearly needed to swot up.
The star joined Nick Grimshaw and Michelin star chef Angela Hartnett on the Dish from Waitrose podcast and was asked if she watches it every year like millions of us do. But she confessed: “I’ve seen it once. If you’re in it, it would be weird if, I was watching my own…. yeah!
“Somebody wanted me to say [a line from the film], but I hadn’t seen it. So, I was like, I don’t know what you’re talking about! I realised that there’s whole languages that are going on. It’s actually quoting me at me, but I don’t realise that.
“That’s the problem. I’ve definitely got a delete button in my head for every single line that I’ve ever said in any film that I’ve ever done. Literally, as soon as I’ve done the scene, it’s gone. Even if I had to redo the scene, I’ve got to relearn it.
“So then when people kind of come over and they get a very particular look on their face when they’re obviously quoting me. I get the look, but I have no idea what the line is.”
The 40-year-old, who is married to musician James Righton, had to explain all to her two young daughters Edie and Delilah about an awkward on-screen moment with funnyman Joe – and detailed how she missed the chance to get some hot gossip.
“I don’t think anybody’s actually said I’m like Father Christmas before,” she said, quoting the ad. “I think that was the first time. So, thank you for that, oh, lovely Joe. It was only about an hour before we finished filming that I found out he was in Traitors.
“So I didn’t manage to get any gossip at all out of him. I was just suddenly asking him ‘who won?’ He said ‘I’ve signed an NDA. I can’t tell you’! He’s so sweet. As were watching Traitors my kids kept asking ‘did you kiss him?’
“I was like ‘kind of…. we sort of bounced off the beard! We were both minty fresh. But like I said, I don’t think I got beyond the beard. It is a thick beard. He’s got such a large beard that I didn’t get close to his mouth!”
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* The full interview with Kiera is on Dish from Waitrose podcast out today.
