Category Entertainment News

Christmas at the Andre household is sure to be a busy one with all five of Peter’s children at home. Getting everyone together is just what the singer and actor, 51, needs after a hectic year travelling around the world for work. And it’ll be the first Christmas with baby Belle, who he and wife Emily, 35, had in April.

“We’ll all be together,” smiles Peter, who also has Millie, 10, and Theo, eight, with Emily – and Princess, 17, and Junior, 19, from his previous marriage. “Belle will be nearly nine months old by Christmas Day. She’s sitting up and has just sprouted her first tooth. She’s constantly saying, ‘Dada!’ Us dads think it’s because we’re cool but Emily tells me that’s always the word they say first. This is the first time I’ve had so much time off to spend with one of my children before work took back over – it’s been so special.”

Speaking to our sister title OK! magazine from their Surrey mansion, Peter and NHS doctor Emily insist that despite their success they make sure they keep their children grounded. “They’ve written their lists for Santa but we don’t do anything extravagant,” explains Peter. We try to teach them the value of everything, like, ‘This pair of trainers you want? I have to work for this many hours to earn the money for them’ and they’re like, ‘Oh, really?!’ They’re very sweet and so grateful for everything.”

Asked if they plan to add to their brood, Peter replied: “Hell no! This is it! I always said I’d never be 50 and changing nappies and yet here I am. “But I’m done – we both are. Ems and I want to travel a bit when the kids get older and maybe one of our children will give us grandchildren. We’re happy.” Emily agrees: “I love them all so much but I already feel I don’t have enough time for each one individually. I’m getting rid of baby things now. That’s how I know I’m done – I didn’t do that after Theo.”

But after a whirlwind 2024, things promise to be just as busy in 2025. As well as gigs around the globe, Peter has done a film and TV series. “I’ve just got back from a gig in India,” he explains. “I’ve also been filming a drama set in Cyprus, Athens, England and New Zealand. I’ve been all over the place so Emily’s had to do a lot of Christmas prep alone. It’s a 10-part murder mystery on international release so you’ll be able to watch it next summer. It’s very exciting. I’m headlining the New Year’s Day Parade in London, then I head out on tour with The Best Of Frankie Valli And The Four Seasons. My first feature film comes out next spring, too.”

The couple are also hoping to do a family podcast. “We did a little teaser and people loved it,” says Peter. “The kids’ different personalities really come out and it’s something even Belle can be involved in! Ems and I aren’t ‘party parents’ – we love being at home, cooking and hanging out with the kids. I’m more driven than ever with work, but I feel parent guilt like never before. Then I think, I’m doing this for their future as well, and I feel better again!”

While he has been away, Emily has held the fort at home but has taken it all in her stride. “I’ve loved it,” says Emily of maternity leave. “My job is full-on, so it’s rare to get this time at home. Millie and Theo are enjoying having me around and it’s the simple things I don’t always get to do, like pick them up from school, sports days. It’s busy but Belle’s such a good girl – she sleeps through, and wakes up just before 8am every morning.”

Next year will see some big anniversaries: Peter and Emily’s 10th wedding anniversary and his folks’ platinum. “My parents are going to be married 70 years next year so we’ve got a way to go,” jokes Peter.

Next year is also 30 years since his hit Mysterious Girl and that iconic video which saw him dancing on a beach ripped and topless. And he is releasing his first album since 2015. “I’m reimagining some of the songs and throwing in a few new ones,” he says. “I might get some old friends to help me with it, that’s all I can say! I was 22 when I released that song and I’ll be 52 next year. It’s crazy. I filmed the video in Thailand where they filmed The Beach with Leonardo DiCaprio. It would be nice to go back next year, but honestly, I don’t think we’ll have time.”

Something else Peter is keen to bring back is his washboard abs. “I’m always training, I’m in shape but not as ripped!” he laughs. “I have abs, they’re just hibernating. I probably will do that, just for fun, for when Mysterious Girl is 30 years old.”

Read the full interview in OK! magazine, out Tuesday.

Peter Andre is in The Best Of Frankie Valli And The Four Seasons, on tour around the UK from 14 January. Tickets are available from fourseasonsshow.com

Soap fans were gobsmacked after Hollyoaks couple Nikki Sanderson and Anthony Quinlan, who started dating in 2021, gave them a glimpse into their stunning home through a TikTok video. The clip showcased the beautiful interior of their abode, complete with wooden ceiling beams, a rustic vibe, and a twinkling Christmas tree, making it every inch the celebrity home. The video wasn’t just a house tour; it also featured the pair poking fun at each other about their time management, as Anthony leisurely uses the bathroom while Nikki is all set for a night out.

Nikki, known for her roles in both Hollyoaks and Holby City, captioned the amusing post: “Can anyone relate? ” Fans quickly took to the comments, sharing their surprise at discovering “Maxine and Gilly” are an item, reports OK!. One fan commented: “Your going out with gilly? ? ? I’ve missed a whole chapter here,” and another exclaimed: “Maxine and Gilly? I had no idea! !”. Others chimed in, admitting they had completely forgotten the two were together, with one saying: “I totally forgot these two were a couple,” while another added: “This is amazingly accurate.”

Nikki Sanderson and 39 year old Anthony Quinlan, both known for their roles in the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks, have reportedly struck up a romance. Anthony, who gained fame on the show in 2005 playing Gilly Roach, and Nikki, who played Maxine Minniver after her well-known stint as Candice Stowe in Coronation Street from 1999 to 2005, remained good friends after briefly working together on the soap.

Despite the couple only working together briefly on the soap, they remained good pals and fast forward to 2021 that, they struck up a romance with each other. It was first reported that they they grew closer thanks to their shared love for fitness and, most recently, Anthony and Nikki also jetted off on a romantic sun-soaked holiday in May to celebrate the actress’ 40th birthday in style.

Their relationship was thought to have followed Anthony’s split from Strictly dancer Dianne Buswell as well as his exit from Emmerdale, where he played Pete Barton. Anthony dated Dianne for a little over a year but their relationship ended in 2018 and she moved on with her celeb dancing partner from that year, YouTube star Joe Sugg.

Strictly’s Dianne Buswell has spoken out ahead of the final and thanked her dance partner Chris McCausland for his ‘kindness’ while he revealed he is an ‘emotional wreck’.

Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell have made it through to the final of Strictly Come Dancing, defying all the odds. Comedian Chris is the show’s first ever blind contestant and the couple have enthralled viewers and the live audience throughout the series with how they have overcome the constraints of his disability.

In the semi-final, the pair performed a Charleston to When You’re Smiling by The Blue Vipers Of Brooklyn and a Viennese waltz to Metallica’s Nothing Else Matters. After their dances, the pair became overwhelmed with emotion as Dianne spoke of her pride at Chris’ incredible achievements each week: “I have taught Chris this whole time, without a single visual cue. He’s never been able to watch a video back to see whether he’s done a great job, or to look at anything and think ‘Oh maybe I can improve on that,” she said, adding: “He’s never been able to see any of his competitors, or see what the competition is like. He’s had none of that, but he’s done so well because he’s captured the spirit of this show. I could not be prouder of him. He has shown that things are so possible.”

Chris, who suffers from the hereditary condition retinitis pigmentosa, battled to contain his feelings as he listened to his partner, along with the other professional dancers who were standing around the couple witnessing the beautiful moment and wiping tears from their eyes. Now, ahead of the final, the pair have issued a joint statement on social media, with Dianne once again heralding Chris’ hard work and personal traits.

“We did it partner Strictly 2024 FINALISTS!!!!” it read. “You deserve this so much. Thank you for your friendship, kindness, and trust, doing this with you has been one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had.” She made a pledge to fans as she added: “We promise to do what we do every week in the final and that is try our very best and enjoy the moment because it’s such a special one.” Responding, Chris revealed that he still can’t believe how far they have come, commenting that he was still an “emotional wreck” and “overwhelmed”.

Fans were quick to add their support and excitement for the final. “Beyond proud of you both, no one deserves it more so excited to watch you in the final, hopefully winning the glitter ball,” one wrote. Another thanked them for their accomplishments: “You are both changing the game in the dancing world. Your communication, trust, belief and passion for what you both do is what makes you both so amazing. Thank you for bringing us something so special each week,” they shared. A third added: “I don’t think I have any words left to say. Just sheer pride and joy. You deserve this more than anybody I’ve ever seen grace the Strictly dance floor. You absolute diamonds!!!”

Who do you think should win Strictly this year? Let us know in the comments below.

Music lovers are just figuring out the heartbreaking meaning behind East 17’s Christmas hit, Stay Another Day.

The pop band, which formed in 1991, made it to number one in the charts with their festive tune in 1994 though few seem to know the origin behind the song. Stay Another Day spent five weeks at the top of the charts and was later nominated at the Brit Awards for Best British Single.

While East 17’s effort was pipped by the Phil Daniels-featuring Blur song, Parklife, fans of the seasonal classic are discovering the darker side of Stay Another Day. A campaign has since started to get the Tony Mortimer-written song to number one for the second time this Christmas.

The third single from their second album, Steam, East 17’s song may be associated with the most wonderful time of the year but its lyrics are steeped in tragedy. Mortimer has since revealed the song was inspired by the death of his brother, Ollie, by suicide.

Mortimer, who won an Ivor Novello award for Songwriter of the Year for his work on Stay Another Day, revealed the tragic origins of the song back in 2016. Speaking to Songwriting Magazine, he said: “I had the melody and the chords and I was looking for a story to go on top of it.

“It was based on my brother’s suicide and losing someone. What would you do if you had one more day with a loved one? Over time I started to put together the story and I wrote it in a different way to any song I’d written before. It’s a different way of writing because they were just sections of statements, rather than a verse being a story from beginning to end.”

Stay Another Day marked the band’s first ballad and their biggest hit. Mortimer added the song was based on “conversations I’d had with my brother” before his death and while he intended the song to be “ambiguous,” it remains a “love song about the end of a relationship.”

Mortimer added: “It was a bit of a risk as I didn’t know how well it was going to go down, but I wanted the lines to mean something to everyone. Yes, there’s my story in there but, more importantly, I wanted it to reach people. Once people connect with a line in a song, that’s what makes a hit.”

East 17 are now celebrating 30 years since the track first released and launched a campaign to get the song to number one on the charts. Mortimer, speaking to the Independent, added: “We were batting around ideas, talking about a reunion and something big. And I said: ‘I don’t just want to release the single and be on the take. That’s not right.’ So I’ve stopped them just releasing it [for money] – and I feel good about that.”

A magazine once favoured by Meghan Markle has seemingly turned against the Duchess of Sussex with a very scathing review.

The harsh article in The Cut was titled ‘Harry and Meghan’s Projects Can’t Stop Flopping’.

Pop culture news and entertainment writer Danielle Cohen commented on the couple’s “tortured attempts to launch a successful Stateside endeavour” which she wrote “continued this week” with the release of Polo on Netflix. The five-part series about Prince Harry’s favourite sport has been met with poor reviews, leading Cohen to predict: “Seems like this one is bound for the same fate as Markle’s beleaguered jam company.”

This critique comes shortly after The Cut highlighted the struggles faced by Meghan’s American Riviera Orchard “lifestyle brand”, which launched by gifting jars of strawberry jam to celebrities such as Kris Jenner and Chrissy Teigen.

This was followed by allegations that employees were leaving the new company, coupled with a trademark dispute from US food and gift company Harry and David, which sells Royal Riviera Pears. Olivia Craighead, who reports on pop culture and celebrity, wrote: “For Markle’s sake, I hope the next big story about ARO has the headline ‘Meghan Markle finally launches jam, ‘The best I’ve ever had,’ says King Charles.’ Maybe we’ll get a Christmas miracle.”

The negative coverage is significant given that The Cut, part of liberal New York Magazine, famously published a cover interview with the 43-year-old Duchess in August 2022, where she made derogatory comments about other members of the Royal family, reports the Scottish Daily Express.

Meghan Markle has openly expressed that she and Prince Harry were “happy” to leave the UK, disrupting the Royal hierarchy “upsetting the dynamic of the hierarchy… just by existing”. In his conversation with the magazine, Harry hinted at the challenges within the family, saying some relatives “aren’t able to work and live together”.

The feature, titled ‘Meghan Markle on Her New Life in California’, showcased a series of photographs by Campbell Addy. Meghan later confessed to being “too trusting” and “too open” during her interview with The Cut, seemingly criticising the publication and interviewer Allison P Davis. The magazine also caused controversy by labelling King Charles as a “big, fussy baby and a jerk” regarding his conduct at his mother’s funeral and accused him of “mundane cruelty” towards Princess Diana.

Notably, following the Queen’s passing, The Cut published an incendiary piece headlined: ‘I Won’t Cry Over the Death of a Violent Oppressor.”

It’s almost Christmas, which means it’s the time of year when my family is all in one place and spending lots of time together. With lots of siblings, nieces and nephews, we often struggle to settle on what to do with that time – but not this year.

Aside from the usual trips to see Santa and seasonal walks in the park, I was hoping to find an activity that the whole family could do together – and stay warm while we were at it. I found the perfect solution with Particula’s Go Balance Play.

The GoBalance Play is a smart wobble balance board that connects to any Android or iOS device via Bluetooth. It comes with a free companion app that has 12 interactive and balance-challenging games, including snowboarding or mini golf.

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The device is a battery-powered half-ball balance trainer which has sensors that connect to your phone or tablet. The sensors track your movements and provide real-time feedback on your balance journey.

The GoBlance Play weighs under 2lbs, which means it can be easily carried and set up anywhere you want. It supports up to 330lbs and has an anti-slip surface to keep adults and kids stable and secure.

With kids aged five and up giving it a go, I was initially concerned the device might be a bit too wobbly, but I needn’t have worried as the anti-slip surface worked well, and it was stable enough to endure a little rough play from the kids.

While it was somewhat difficult to inflate the cushion for the base, it was simple enough to set the device up and connect it to the TV. The games were bright and entertaining – and simple enough to play that it meant the GoBalance Play was ideal for the whole family.

The most popular game for us was snowboarding, but each of the others was fun to play. The board turned our living room into an interactive playground, proving hugely popular with the entire family.

Aside from a huge amount of family fun, the GoBalance Play is also great for keeping active without leaving your home. As someone who much prefers an at-home workout, the chance to develop my motor skills, core strength, flexibility, coordination and concentration through one device was a massive bonus.

I’ve used the balance board regularly to exercise, whether its been for a quick workout or a more extensive exercise session and loved every moment, particularly the real-time feedback provided. I’m definitely looking forward to using it to help work off some of the festive food on the menu in the coming weeks.

What did other people say?

The GoBalance Play has an 4.4 star rating online, having racked up a number of rave reviews. Among them, one person said: “A solid choice I’d been considering getting a balance board for a while and finally chose GoBalance. Though it’s a newer product, I decided to give it a chance and was pleasantly surprised.

“It’s enjoyable to use, and my kids took to it quicker than I expected. There are plenty of games the app suggests, and they liked most of them. We ended up spending quite a bit of time with it. Overall, I’m pleased with the purchase.”

A second wrote: “I was pleasantly surprised by how fun GoBalance is from the very first moment! Setting it up was quick and easy, and connecting it to a bigger TV display made the experience even better. The cushion was a bit tricky to inflate initially, but after watching the instructions and squeezing firmly on the nozzle base, it was manageable.

“Once everything was ready, the kids jumped right in—and even started arguing over who got to play next! That’s probably the best measure of how much they enjoy it. Overall, it’s a great product for fun and active family time and I expect to use it regularly during the holiday season when it’s too cold to go outside.”

Another added: “The GoBalance Play is excellent for interactive games and balance training. It’s not just a workout device; it’s a fun way to stay active. The different game levels keep me motivated, and I love the real-time feedback. It’s a unique product that makes balance training enjoyable. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to have fun while improving their balance.”

However, others shared that they’d dealt with issues when using the board. One person said: “I tried to surprise my kids with this activity but there is a tube you have to blow up. Ours can’t be blown up. It has solid plastic blocking the way. I tried inserting a straw, squeezing the sides, using an electric pump…. no air would go in the tube. I tried contacting the seller but they told me to squeeze the sides. Already tried that. I will return this product without being able to use it.”

The GoBalance Play is currently priced at £79.99 online and can be purchased at Very or Amazon. Very also stocks the GoBalance Sport for £99.99, another app-enabled balance board with a smart 3D sensor and Bluetooth connectivity. It comes with various interactive trainer programs and 12 free games.