Category Entertainment News

Former Love Island star Alex Bowen opens up about feeling ‘nervous’ about welcoming baby number two with wife Olivia – and why her second pregnancy has had its share of heartache

One of the many dads across the country who’ll be celebrating Father’s Day this Sunday is Alex Bowen – and with another baby on the way, this one is bound to be extra special. The reality star, 33, and his wife Olivia are one of Love Island ’s biggest success stories, meeting on the ITV2 show in 2016 and remaining strong ever since. The couple are already parents to son Abel, who turned three this week, and are now getting ready to welcome a baby girl.

But it’s not been an easy journey as Olivia, 31, originally fell pregnant with twins before the couple were told that they’d tragically lost one of their babies at eight weeks, something Alex admits was “really difficult”. Here, speaking exclusively to OK!, he shares his nerves at becoming a dad for the second time, reveals the family’s Father’s Day plans – and, as another series of Love Island begins, he shares the real secret to finding lasting love on TV…

READ MORE: Kate Garraway’s ‘beautiful’ Karen Millen suit is the ultimate occasionwear outfit

Hi, Alex! You and Olivia are expecting a baby girl soon, how are you feeling?

I’m excited! To be honest, I was a little wary about the possibility of another boy, because I love my son more than anything. But now that I know we’re having a girl, I think it will be like two completely different loves. It wouldn’t have mattered what gender we had, but having a boy and a girl is the dream, so, I can’t wait. I’m not going to lie, I’m a little bit nervous because I held one of my friends’ babies recently and I forgot how small they are, it scared me! But I think it’s different when it’s your child, you get into the swing of things when they’re here. I’m excited to have two little ones running around.

Olivia sadly lost one of the babies, how did you navigate that?

Yeah, it has been tough. It’s a shock to find out that you’re having twins, so we were really scared when we found out. I remember being on the way home from a scan, thinking I couldn’t wait to see our three kids in the back of the car – imagining the twins there. I built it up in my head thinking it was 100% happening, so, when we found out that we had lost one, it was really difficult. It’s hard to navigate because you’ve got one healthy baby in there, which you have to focus on, but you’ve also lost one. It was a really weird time, but now we have to focus on the little girl that’s coming. That’s the main thing.

Olivia had a difficult labour with Abel, does that make you nervous for this one?

Yeah, it does, but I was nervous the first time. We’ve spoken to a lot of people that have been through similar things and they say that if you’re really stressed about it, it can make the birth worse. So you’ve got to try and be positive and relaxed – it helps it go smoothly, I guess. I am nervous, but we’ve just got to take every day as it comes. Not that I’m an expert on births!

Is Abel looking forward to being a big brother?

He loves it already. Every morning he gives Liv’s belly a kiss and says, “There’s baby sister in there.” He’s really, really good with babies anyway – when we see friends and family with babies he’ll stroke the baby’s cheek with the back of his hand and is really gentle. He’s such a sweet boy.

Do you think you’ll be protective of your little girl?

Oh, yeah. I’m completely protective of Abel, so God knows what I’ll be like when I have a girl. She’ll be my little princess. So, I feel like I’m going to be extra protective. But also not too much because when she gets older she’s not going to want a protective dad all the time!

Have you decided on a name yet?

Oh, God, no, it’s such a struggle for a girl! I’ve got my favourite, but then it changes and we’ll be like, “I’m not too sure now.” I keep going on different websites and looking through thousands of names, but you don’t want a name that you associate with someone else or that’s going to get them bullied at school, either. We’ve got three names we’re quite stuck on, but I think when we see her, we’ll know straight away, hopefully.

How will you be spending Father’s Day?

It will be quite chilled. Me and Liv have always planned quite extravagant things for each other, but, as we’ve got older, I think just being at home or going for a nice meal as a family, taking the kids to the park or whatever, that’s the best thing. Liv actually bought me a mug for Valentine’s Day, which said ‘Daddy’s special mug’, but it didn’t come for around two or three weeks. So I assumed it was for Father’s Day, I thought it had already been and gone!

Love Island is now back on our screens – is there a secret to finding love on the show like you did?

I can’t believe how long it’s been since I was on that show. I’m nearly 34 now and I was on it when I was 24, I feel old! When you see people come out of it and then split up, everyone tarnishes it saying, “Oh, no one lasts from Love Island .” Truth is, people split up all the time in day-to-day life, whether they met on TV or not. You can just get sick of people.

I’m just lucky that me and Liv really got on and she’s put up with most of my rubbish for all of these years! We were meant to be together. We do argue, but it never really gets any worse than that – I feel like there’s no point throwing anything away. In today’s society, it’s so easy to jump on a dating website or think the grass is greener when it’s not. Liv and I aren’t quitters – we work on our relationship all the time.

Peter Andre has spoken out on his near-two decade age gap with wife Emily MacDonagh, recalling one particular mistake which made their difference in age very noticeable.

Peter Andre has addressed his age gap relationship with wife Emily MacDonagh, who is 16 years younger than him. The couple have been married since 2015 and share three children; Amelia, Theo and Arabella.

Writing in his weekly New! Magazine column, the Mysterious Girl singer said that the dynamic ‘works’ for them and quipped that age is just a number, but did recall one incident where the gap was more prominent.

Taking to his column, Peter began by addressing 67-year-old Stephen Fry’s marriage to Elliott Spencer, who is three decades his junior at age 38. Admitting that he’s not one to judge, Peter wrote: “Actor Stephen Fry has talked about the 30-year age gap in his relationship with his partner, Elliott Spencer.

“It all depends on the relationship, how the partners are with each other and how they view things, I think. There’s a 16-year gap between me and Emily, and it really works for us,” he explained.

That’s not to say the age gap goes unnoticed, as Peter continued: “There’s one thing we do laugh about, though… We were at the Pride of Britain awards one year and Jon Bon Jovi came over to chat. I’ve met him many times over the years and he’s a lovely person.

He introduced himself to Emily and after he walked away, she turned to me and said, “Who was that?” I was like, “Are you serious? It’s Bon Jovi.” In the most confused but innocent voice, she said, “What’s a Bon Jovi?”

“We laughed about that a lot afterwards! It’s in those moments we may realise the age gap –usually with music and films – but in general, we love the same things. I think it’s what works for you in a relationship. Who are we to judge?”

The couple first met when the latter was 20 and Peter 36, but didn’t begin dating for two years. They were introduced through Emily’s dad, Dr Ruaraidh MacDonagh, a consultant urologist.

Peter was undergoing kidney stone removal surgery in 2010 performed by Ruaraidh, and he later met Emily – at the time a medical student – through the doctor.

The couple started dating in 2012 went on to marry three years later in a beautiful ceremony at Mamhead House and Castle in Devon.

Now parents to their three children and Emily a stepmum to Peter’s kids Junior and Princess, the family keep their three youngest kids’ faces away from social media and are relatively private online.

Newcomer Laura Doddington has proved quite a hit on Albert Square. Here, she talks nearly quitting acting before bagging her EastEnders role – and the struggle for ‘women of a certain age’

Laura Doddington has quickly become a soap favourite after her bombshell entrance as Nicola Mitchell in EastEnders just a couple of months ago. Since then, her character has been embroiled in a murder and now a long-ago affair has been uncovered, which has blown up into major drama.

With the makings of a true soap matriarch, it’s no surprise Laura, 44, found herself nominated for Best Newcomer at the British Soap Awards last month. But before bagging her dream role, the actress of 22 years, she tells OK!, considered changing careers, thinking her big break would never come.

READ MORE: Amazon flash sale slashes price of a Nintendo Switch by £60 less than full price

“If I’m honest with you, the industry is hard at the moment,” says Laura, speaking to new prior to the awards ceremony. “Before this audition came through, I’d been looking at retraining to do something else. I’ve got a young kid – and that makes you think about their future and stability for them.

“I cut my son’s hair and I’m reasonably good at it, so I thought that might be an option. I was in Prime Suspect when I was in my twenties and The Midwich Cuckoos, but they weren’t massive parts. I was beginning to think it might not be possible to have that lead role.”

Cambridge-born Laura also had small roles in Doctors, Holby City and Casualty, as well as frequent theatre work, before getting the breakthrough she wanted so much. She landed the part of the latest feisty Mitchell woman, Nicola, nine months ago. “I’ve been a jobbing actor for 22 years and over that time you deal with really amazing highs, but also lows – missing out on jobs, not even getting seen for jobs,” Laura says.

“So when I got the part, even though I’d been in it before for a fleeting moment, I was ecstatic. I’m really lucky that [former executive producer] Chris Clenshaw took a punt on a jobbing actor and gave me the chance. This came at the right time. It feels incredible.”

Laura says the audition process was an emotional rollercoaster and she feared she’d missed out on the chance of a lifetime.”“I didn’t hear anything for four weeks,” she recalls. “I thought it had gone to someone else. Unfortunately, in this industry, when you get to over the age of about 35 and you haven’t made a name for yourself, the interesting roles sort of start drying up.

“We stop being interested in women when they get over a certain age, which is bonkers, and that’s why I love soaps and continuing dramas as they champion individuals of all ages and put characters at the heart of storytelling.” Eventually the call came through to say that Laura had got the part. “When I found out, there were a lot of tears and a lot of expletives,” she says, laughing.

Laura admits she was full of nerves when she stepped out in Albert Square for her first scenes as Nicola. But she says Adam Woodyatt, who plays Ian Beale and was her mentor, was on hand to help. “He was on set on my first day in case I had any questions,” she says.

“It was his day off but he came in, bless him. Everyone on the show is so welcoming and kind. It was daunting doing scenes with soap legends as colleagues. Seeing Steve [McFadden], Letitia [Dean] – it was just like, ‘Oh my God.’ But they are amazing. And the boys – Roland, Elijah and Lewis – they were awesome. We gelled so quickly.”

The new Mitchells – Teddy (Roland Manookian) and his sons Harry (Elijah Holloway) and Barney (Lewis Bridgeman) – arrived in Walford in June 2024, causing a stir when it was revealed they were Stevie Mitchell’s secret family. Mum Nicola joined later, having spent time behind bars for injecting unlicensed filler.

Laura says it can be intense filming dramatic scenes, so the cast often try to lighten the mood in between takes. “The boys and I often burst into song between takes,” she reveals. “It’s hilarious when you belt out a tune and no one else joins in and you’re like, ‘That song was too random.’

“I’m high energy, a bit like a cocker spaniel most of the time. Then I realise that I have to portray the character and I’ll take a minute to focus and get back into Nicola’s head.” Although very different to her villainous character, Laura says they do share one quality. “I relate to her protectiveness of her children,” she says.

Letting her young son watch her EastEnders entrance last year was the first and last episode he’s seen. “He turned to me and he said, ‘Mummy, you’re not very nice in this, are you?’ I went, ‘No I’m not, lovely.’ Then he asked, ‘Do you mind if I don’t watch it?’ In my head I was going, ‘Thank God – I mean, you were never going to watch it!’”

With a murder, an affair and a huge family secret now exposed, is there a future for Nicola on the soap? “There’s always redemption,” Laura jokes. “The knock-on effect of a secret of 16 years coming out would bring drama into anyone’s life. In Nicola and the boys’ case I think there’s a journey to be had in that. It’ll be interesting to see what she will do, how she repairs it with Barney.”

Hoping to be an Albert Square favourite for years to come, Laura says, “I don’t want to go yet! But in the end that’s not up to me. Everything is finite. I will just enjoy every moment that I’m here.”

See Laura in EastEnders on Monday to Thursday (with an extra show this week on Friday), 7.30pm, BBC One and BBC iPlayer

Show bosses have chosen Manchester to host the next two BRIT Awards in what has been described as a “massive coup” for the city.

The city that spawned era-defining artist such as Oasis, The Smiths, New Order and The Stone Roses is to play host to the Brit Awards for the first time next year.

Manchester’s Co-op Live arena – the biggest indoor venue in the UK – will host the awards in 2026 and 2027 after 45 ceremonies in London.

Andy Burnham, metro mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “This is a massive coup for Greater Manchester. After 48 years, it is great that this prestigious event is about to arrive in the UK capital of music and culture.

“Greater Manchester has an unparalleled music heritage known around the world and this summer will play host to some of the biggest gigs on the planet. That was made possible by our commitment to new talent and giving emerging artists opportunities to make their name.

“Celebrating the Brit Awards here is the next chapter in its story and you can be sure that we will help them do it in style.”

READ MORE: Sam Thompson defied medics as he spills gruelling Soccer Aid challenge details

Next year’s Brit Awards will also be the first of three years under the stewardship of Sony Music UK, which spearheaded the move to Manchester.

It paves the way for the annual ceremony to move to other parts of the UK in future years. The Mercury Music Prize is being held in Newcastle in October, also moving out of London for the first time.

One source said: “London has a bit of a stranglehold on the music industry with the majority of record labels being based there.

“This is the perfect response to that and will land really well with fans.” The Brits have been held at the O2 Arena since 2011.

Before that, they were hosted by a variety of venues in London including Earl’s Court, Alexandra Palace and the Royal Albert Hall.

Jason Iley, chief executive of Sony Music UK & Ireland, said the move to Manchester would, “invigorate the show and build on the Brits’ legacy of ­celebrating world-class music”.

Chris Brown has returned to the stage for the first time since his arrest in the UK as the singer entertained crowds at a concert in Amsterdam’s Johan Cruyff Arena

Chris Brown’s fans reacted as the singer returned to the stage following his UK arrest last month. The singer was in Amsterdam to kick off his Breezy Bowl XX tour, which is celebrating 20 years of his career.

Followers of the controversial star took to social media to share snippets from the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam which showed an impressive stage set up. Among his lavish designs was a huge human statue that toward over the surrounding, which the star is thought to have performed on.

Uploading a clip to Twitter/X, one user wrote: “the budget for this chris brown tour is crazy, he’s not playing about his 20 years of career,” followed by a flame emoji.

Another said: “Oh my GOD,” as they showcased the set up in their own video. And a third added an image of the statue with the crowd looking up at the performer.

His Amsterdam gig comes after he was arrested in the UK last month. His arrest came after he was accused of using a bottle to cause bodily harm to music producer Abe Diaw during a night out at London’s Tape nightclub in Mayfair on February 19, 2023.

On May 15 this year, Brown was arrested at the Lowry Hotel in Salford. He had recently jetted into nearby Manchester Airport to rehearse for his upcoming Breezy Bowl XX 20th anniversary tour.

The singer has been charged with one count of grievous bodily harm. He was initially denied bail and is expected to appear in person at Southwark Crown Court next month. District Judge Joanna Hirst told the court that the charge was too serious to be dealt with at the magistrates ‘ court.

However, the 36-year-old star was later granted bail following a court plea. He was ordered to pay a £5 million security fee to the court. The financial guarantee is to ensure a defendant returns to court and may be forfeited if they breach bail conditions.

His lawyer, Grace Forbes, had argued that he was a public figure known worldwide as they pleaded for bail to be granted. As well as his Amsterdam performance, Brown is scheduled to perform in cities across the UK, including Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, London and Cardiff.

Despite his arrest, Brown’s bail conditions enable him to continue with his scheduled international tour this year, including in the UK later this month and July.

Following his release on bail, the American singer took to Instagram to tell his 144million followers: “From the cage to the stage!!! Breezybowl.”

Brown’s bold post was seemingly in reference to the fact his bail conditions allow him to honour his tour commitments and perform across Europe ahead of his court date next month.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

READ MORE: Luxury £30 eco-friendly paint pro decorators say is ‘excellent’ launch new range

Mark Wildblood, the founder of Hear Our Voice – the choir made up of people impacted by the Post Office scandal – says the initiative has been ‘therapeutic’ after a battle with depression.

Hear Our Voice, the choir made up of people affected by the Post Office scandal which placed seventh in the recent series of Britain’s Got Talent, are releasing a new charity single alongside band Will & The People.

The single, Falling Down, is a rendition of the song they performed in their audition for Britain’s Got Talent. And choir founder Mark Wildblood says the initiative has been ‘life changing’ for him, admitting the talent show stint has made a significant impact on his mental health.

“I personally have found it very therapeutic,” said Mark. “I was on antidepressants prescribed by my doctor for a long long time and I spoke to them very early this year and I said, ‘Look [the choir] is really starting to make me feel good and I wouldn’t mind trying to go without [the antidepressants].

“So, at the recommendation of doctors I was told it’s ok to give it a go and I haven’t been back on them since,” he says of the choir’s impact.

Continuing that it has given him ‘purpose’ following dark days, Mark shared, “It’s not difficult to get caught up in dwelling on all of the negatives. So, to be surrounded by the same people that you talk to about it every day and that are seeing the positives as well, I think we’ve done a really really positive thing and a lot of that is thanks to BGT.”

While Mark says the choir has meant he’s managed to let go of ‘anger’ he was holding onto against the post office, he confirms that the ‘concern’ remains. “My concern for the procedure is not eliminated. We still have to make sure that we get closure and closure can only come with compensation.”

Mark was a sub-postmaster at Upton Post Office before he was suspended from the role as one of the thousands of people impacted by the Post Office scandal. The scandal saw the wrongful prosecution of sub-postmasters and postmistresses by the Post Office, who accused them of theft, fraud, and false accounting due to faulty data from the Horizon IT system used by the company.

He founded the choir in May 2024, inviting others impacted by the scandal to take part and raise money for the cause, alongside awareness. As the former tour manager for Will and the People, Mark then enlisted lead singer Will Rendle to get involved as he fronted the act on Britain’s Got Talent.

And detailing how the choir has become a family dynamic, Mark said, “W e always say to each other that we have become family now. The choir is spread out throughout the country and so BGT has given us the opportunity to actually meet five times in a very short space of time and be together.”

Many of the victims are still awaiting compensation from the Post Office, with Mark admitting that despite the success of their campaigning and the recent TV series; Mr Bates vs The Post Office, there’s still a long way to go.

It comes as Simon Recaldin, a Post Office boss who has been backing compensation for the scandal victims, has left his position in the company. Simon is thought to have opted for voluntary redundancy, a move which comes amid the increased pressure on the company to pay victims. Previously, the government announced that those who have had convictions overturned are eligible for £600,000, with hundreds still waiting for the compensation.

“Scandals like these have a commonality where the bureaucracy of closure takes so long that many people pass away by the time that the situations are resolved – I just hope that we don’t get into that situation,” says Mark of those yet to be paid. “We’ve already lost a lot of people in the Post Office scandal and we can’t afford to lose more without getting a speed up, so I would say to those in power, please change the system. It’ll be better for everyone all round and cost a lot less money if they just do it now as it should be,” pleaded Mark.

With fellow choir member Maria Lockwood joking that the unit would be keen to front the Glastonbury stage this summer, Mark says he isn’t opposed to the idea. “We wouldn’t say no to anything where we had the opportunity to get together in person again and Glastonbury would be amazing, that would be phenomenal.”