Category Entertainment News

ITVBe’s The Only Way Is Essex star Lauren Goodger has teased a return to the reality show with a trip overseas for the first time since the tragic death of her second daughter

Lauren Goodger has confirmed she will be travelling abroad for the first time in five years soon as she joins the cast of The Only Way is Essex on a filming trip to Portugal. The 37-year-old reality star, who rose to fame on the 2010 series of the ITVBe show, shared the news about this personal milestone on Instagram.

Goodger posted a glam selfie to her story, gushing: “I am going on my first TOWIE away trip to Portugal very soon!! My first TOWIE trip in 10 years – I’m so excited! This is a huge deal for me but this is the perfect timing.

“I’ve not been away on holiday abroad in five years, due to my severe trauma and anxiety. However, the TOWIE bosses are who I feel most comfortable with to be going abroad to help with this.”

The reality star was last spotted abroad in 2019, when she was photographed on holiday in Marbella. Her decision to join the cast overseas has come after a difficult few years that were marked by personal traumas such as the tragic loss of her second daughter, a serious accident, and ongoing mental health struggles.

In July 2022 Goodger’s second child tragically died two days after being born. Lauren has spoken publicly about the profound impact Lorena’s death had on her, describing herself as a “grieving mother” and regularly sharing how the experience has affected her mental health.

The TV personality currently shares her three-year-old daughter Larose with ex-partner Charles Drury. In May last year she was left in a state of panic when the girl came down with a virus, leaving Lauren unable to sleep for three nights out of fear that she would lose Larose, too.

She described the incident as “three days and three nights of hell”, telling followers: “I am full of anxiety when my baby is not well. In constant fear of the worst.”

In May 2024, Goodger also revealed she had been involved in an accident where she tripped and fell in the middle of a busy road. The incident left her with multiple injuries and made her decide to take a break from social media.

“Today I had a horrible accident. Got seven wounds on my body,” she wrote at the time in a concerning Instagram post. “Luckily the cars stopped and I sat in the road while strangers came to help me.”

The former TOWIE star later said that the fall happened during a week when she was very emotionally distressed after being triggered by several personal issues and ongoing anxiety. She described her mental state at the time as “running on empty” and said she was struggling to sleep through the night and felt emotionally exhausted.

Thankfully Goodger seems to be healing from these painful experiences now, and has spoken about using exercise and therapy to help her recover from the trauma of losing her daughter.

Sir David Attenborough, who recently reflected on his life in a new documentary about the ocean, is celebrating his 99th birthday

British icon Sir David Attenborough is celebrating his 99th birthday on Thursday after sharing a message on reaching “the end of his life” while discussing what he thinks will save the planet. The historian and broadcaster appeared in a new documentary called Ocean: With David Attenborough, where he reflected on his life.

While talking about his sadness over the state of the world’s ecosystems, he said the key to saving the world “is not on land, but at sea”. He said: “When I first saw the sea as a young boy, it was thought of as a vast wilderness to be tamed and mastered for the benefit of humanity. Now, as I approach the end of my life, we know the opposite is true.”

Sir David said the planet is “in such poor health” but added he “would find it hard not to lose hope” if it weren’t for the ocean. He continued: “If we save the sea, we save our world. After a lifetime of filming our planet, I’m sure nothing is more important.”

READ MORE: Sky unveils major update to TV and broadband plan that Virgin and BT can’t match

As the legend celebrates his 99th birthday all while finding ways to save the planet, we take a look at his health woes over the years.

Sir David has been part of our screens for decades and enjoyed a fairly healthy life. However he previously admitted he has concerns about one worrying illness.

The star had a pacemaker fitted in the summer of 2013 and also had both knees replaced in 2015, and revealed that he’s had to make changes to his lifestyle to keep healthy.

In 2017, the documentary maker revealed: “I have certainly changed my diet. Not in a great sort of dramatic way. But I don’t think I’ve eaten red meat for months.

“I do eat cheese, I have to say, and I eat fish. But by and large, I’ve become much more vegetarian over the past few years than I thought I would ever be.”

His change in diet could be key to helping him stay healthy fo longer as studies show plant-based diets help extend life by staving off chronic diseases, while eating too much processed meat and red meat may increase your risk of bowel (colorectal) cancer, according to the NHS.

Some meats are high in saturated fat, which can raise blood cholesterol levels and your risk of coronary heart disease. Despite making a huge change in his diet and having a pacemaker fitted, he still had several concerns about his health.

The star previously opened up about his worried on being hit by a mind-changing condition such as Alzheimer’s. Four years ago, TV presenter Anderson Cooper asked: “What are you most fearful of at this moment?”

Sir David answered: “Becoming helpless and gaga.” In 2017, Sir David admitted he became concerned when he couldn’t remember a word for something while travelling through the Jura Mountains in Switzerland.

“There were these searing yellow fields, and I can’t think of the damn name,” he said. “I wanted to say something about it, but I couldn’t. It wasn’t until we got quite close to Geneva that I thought, of course, oil seed rape [i.e. rapeseed oil].”

During the same chat, he said he was “coming to terms” with the idea his mind could fail him as he ages.

Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

READ MORE: Amazon slashes prices of dentist-approved DrDent Teeth Whitening Strips to 90p per treatment

Love Island’s Curtis Pritchard has called out to his girlfriend Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu’s ex to meet him in the ring after previously requesting a fight with Davide Sanclimenti

Love Island star Curtis Pritchard has said he wants to fight the man who is claiming to text his girlfriend Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu. He wants to meet Married at First Sight star George Berthonneau in the ring after he claimed to be chatting to Ekin-Su.

Ekin-Su won Love Island in 2022 with her ex, Davide Sanclimenti, but they split up on the outside following a rocky romance. She re-entered the Love Island villa in January for the All Stars spin-off and found love with Curtis.

They have been going strong ever since, however, George threw a spanner in the works as he has been dissing Ekin-Su. He alleged he was in a relationship with the brunette beauty while she was dating Curtis.

Speaking on Fubar Radio, George claimed: “On the day before my birthday, she was out with him that night, and they’d had an argument.

“She was messaging me whilst he was asleep in bed with her being like, I need to see you. Blah, blah, blah, like, I’ve got the receipts on my phone.”

He added: “Everyone was like ‘why are you saying it now?’, because I loved the girl and I didn’t want to let go of it.

“And my biggest thing was, why should I keep protecting someone who can’t even apologise or take accountability.” He continued: “I even said to her on the phone, I was like ‘are you not going to apologise?’

“You had sex with another man whilst I was at home. And you’re not even going to apologise.”

Dancer-turned-boxer Curtis has now had his say and called it all “outside noise” while telling George to give him a call and “get in the ring”.

He told The Sun: “Hey, if he wants to get in the ring with me, tell him to call me out and let’s get in the ring. I’ve just been focusing on the camp. I haven’t read anything or done anything, truthfully. And that’s all that matters to me.

“I’m focusing on the camp, I’m focusing on having fun with Ekin and that’s all that matters to me.”

Curtis insisted he “hasn’t got time” to let “outside noise” get to him. He added that he “can’t be bothered with the whole situation” except thinking of himself, Ekin-Su and fighting.

Curtis previously said he wanted to fight Ekin-Su’s ex-partner Davide in the boxing ring. Being interviewed at a boxing event, Curtis was asked: “Do you have any names of people you would like to call out?”

To which he replied: “I’ve got a couple but I’m not gonna say everyone. But I’ll give you two names. Sammy [Root] from my series of Love Island just gone, because I know that he boxes and so I know that he would perhaps look to do it.

“And then Davide, which is Ekin’s ex, because I know he never treated her well, so that would be an interesting one.” Curtis make his professional boxing debut on May 16 as part of a Misfits Boxing card.

READ MORE: Shopper ‘couldn’t go a day without a spot’ before using dermatologist-approved serum

Love Island’s Curtis Pritchard has called out to his girlfriend Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu’s ex to meet him in the ring after previously requesting a fight with Davide Sanclimenti

Love Island star Curtis Pritchard has said he wants to fight the man who is claiming to text his girlfriend Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu. He wants to meet Married at First Sight star George Berthonneau in the ring after he claimed to be chatting to Ekin-Su.

Ekin-Su won Love Island in 2022 with her ex, Davide Sanclimenti, but they split up on the outside following a rocky romance. She re-entered the Love Island villa in January for the All Stars spin-off and found love with Curtis.

They have been going strong ever since, however, George threw a spanner in the works as he has been dissing Ekin-Su. He alleged he was in a relationship with the brunette beauty while she was dating Curtis.

Speaking on Fubar Radio, George claimed: “On the day before my birthday, she was out with him that night, and they’d had an argument.

“She was messaging me whilst he was asleep in bed with her being like, I need to see you. Blah, blah, blah, like, I’ve got the receipts on my phone.”

He added: “Everyone was like ‘why are you saying it now?’, because I loved the girl and I didn’t want to let go of it.

“And my biggest thing was, why should I keep protecting someone who can’t even apologise or take accountability.” He continued: “I even said to her on the phone, I was like ‘are you not going to apologise?’

“You had sex with another man whilst I was at home. And you’re not even going to apologise.”

Dancer-turned-boxer Curtis has now had his say and called it all “outside noise” while telling George to give him a call and “get in the ring”.

He told The Sun: “Hey, if he wants to get in the ring with me, tell him to call me out and let’s get in the ring. I’ve just been focusing on the camp. I haven’t read anything or done anything, truthfully. And that’s all that matters to me.

“I’m focusing on the camp, I’m focusing on having fun with Ekin and that’s all that matters to me.”

Curtis insisted he “hasn’t got time” to let “outside noise” get to him. He added that he “can’t be bothered with the whole situation” except thinking of himself, Ekin-Su and fighting.

Curtis previously said he wanted to fight Ekin-Su’s ex-partner Davide in the boxing ring. Being interviewed at a boxing event, Curtis was asked: “Do you have any names of people you would like to call out?”

To which he replied: “I’ve got a couple but I’m not gonna say everyone. But I’ll give you two names. Sammy [Root] from my series of Love Island just gone, because I know that he boxes and so I know that he would perhaps look to do it.

“And then Davide, which is Ekin’s ex, because I know he never treated her well, so that would be an interesting one.” Curtis make his professional boxing debut on May 16 as part of a Misfits Boxing card.

READ MORE: Shopper ‘couldn’t go a day without a spot’ before using dermatologist-approved serum

Former Britain’s Got Talent finalist Andrew Johnston admits he’s now hoping to rebuild his life after Southwark Crown Court cleared him of raping two women

Britain’s Got Talent finalist Andrew Johnston says he “lost everything” after being accused of rape. He was cleared of both accusations on Thursday. The former singer, who appeared on the programme and made it to the final in 2008, was accused of raping and sexually assaulting one woman and raping a second.

Andrew, 30, had continued to deny the allegations against him. Prosecutors alleged that he twice took a condom off during sex and continued with the intercourse. One of the women also claims he groped her bottom and kissed her when she saw him at a club.

Following the verdict on Thursday, Andrew told Southwark Crown Court that after five years, he is hoping to get his life back on track. He said: “I’m just glad it’s over – it’s been super stressful.” He went on to say: “It’s been five years of this, people doubting me. And I’ve not been able to say anything for five years.

“So I’ve only just been able to get my say and, thankfully, the right decision has been made. But I just want to go home now and see my dog.” When asked what he thought was next for him, Johnston responded: “Get my life back. Slowly be rebuilding my life because I’ve lost everything over this last five years.”

Johnston, who wore a grey suit, held his head in his hands as the verdict was read out. He added to the court that he had “never sung a note” since the allegations emerged, while saying that the women had told “a pack of lies.”

He described his lovemaking as “fast, energetic, maybe a bit passionate” but added that he was never aggressive, always used a condom and that the sex was consensual. The jury of nine women and three men cleared him of all the charges.

The alleged offences happened a number of years after Johnston shot to fame as a choirboy on the ITV show, Maryam Syed KC, prosecuting, told the jury previously.

Ms Syed said Johnston, of Carlisle, Cumbria, had been “engaging in consensual sexual activity” with one of the women, but he allegedly removed his condom, and she “repeatedly told Mr Johnston to stop” – but he did not. The other woman told police she engaged in consensual sex with the singer and asked him to use a condom.

The woman said she started to feel his hands around her neck and “no matter how many times she removed them”, he kept putting his hands back around her throat, Ms Syed said. He then stopped and removed the condom, then carried on with the sex, it was alleged.

The singer, who was born in Dumfries, Scotland, but moved when he was about eight months old, released an album that went to number four in the UK charts and appeared on tour with other Britain’s Got Talent finalists. His mother entered him on BGT where he impressed the judges including Simon Cowell with his version of Pie Jesu and Eric Clapton’s Tears in Heaven.

He came third and went on to sign a contract with Cowell, released an album that went to number four in the UK charts and appeared in a UK Tour with other finalists.

The early stardom stopped as his voice changed, prompting him to make a shift and sing in a lower range. He told the court: “It went on for a couple of years until my voice started to change. It became a bit difficult to sing the songs I was singing in the show.”

Former Britain’s Got Talent finalist Andrew Johnston admits he’s now hoping to rebuild his life after Southwark Crown Court cleared him of raping two women

Britain’s Got Talent finalist Andrew Johnston says he “lost everything” after being accused of rape. He was cleared of both accusations on Thursday. The former singer, who appeared on the programme and made it to the final in 2008, was accused of raping and sexually assaulting one woman and raping a second.

Andrew, 30, had continued to deny the allegations against him. Prosecutors alleged that he twice took a condom off during sex and continued with the intercourse. One of the women also claims he groped her bottom and kissed her when she saw him at a club.

Following the verdict on Thursday, Andrew told Southwark Crown Court that after five years, he is hoping to get his life back on track. He said: “I’m just glad it’s over – it’s been super stressful.” He went on to say: “It’s been five years of this, people doubting me. And I’ve not been able to say anything for five years.

“So I’ve only just been able to get my say and, thankfully, the right decision has been made. But I just want to go home now and see my dog.” When asked what he thought was next for him, Johnston responded: “Get my life back. Slowly be rebuilding my life because I’ve lost everything over this last five years.”

Johnston, who wore a grey suit, held his head in his hands as the verdict was read out. He added to the court that he had “never sung a note” since the allegations emerged, while saying that the women had told “a pack of lies.”

He described his lovemaking as “fast, energetic, maybe a bit passionate” but added that he was never aggressive, always used a condom and that the sex was consensual. The jury of nine women and three men cleared him of all the charges.

The alleged offences happened a number of years after Johnston shot to fame as a choirboy on the ITV show, Maryam Syed KC, prosecuting, told the jury previously.

Ms Syed said Johnston, of Carlisle, Cumbria, had been “engaging in consensual sexual activity” with one of the women, but he allegedly removed his condom, and she “repeatedly told Mr Johnston to stop” – but he did not. The other woman told police she engaged in consensual sex with the singer and asked him to use a condom.

The woman said she started to feel his hands around her neck and “no matter how many times she removed them”, he kept putting his hands back around her throat, Ms Syed said. He then stopped and removed the condom, then carried on with the sex, it was alleged.

The singer, who was born in Dumfries, Scotland, but moved when he was about eight months old, released an album that went to number four in the UK charts and appeared on tour with other Britain’s Got Talent finalists. His mother entered him on BGT where he impressed the judges including Simon Cowell with his version of Pie Jesu and Eric Clapton’s Tears in Heaven.

He came third and went on to sign a contract with Cowell, released an album that went to number four in the UK charts and appeared in a UK Tour with other finalists.

The early stardom stopped as his voice changed, prompting him to make a shift and sing in a lower range. He told the court: “It went on for a couple of years until my voice started to change. It became a bit difficult to sing the songs I was singing in the show.”