Category News

Millie Mackintosh’s blue next beach bag is a great summer accessory if you’re looking for something unique. It’s so affordable, just under £25.

This is the ideal time to stock up on some holiday essentials, especially with pay day approaching. And thanks to Millie Mackintosh, we’ve discovered the best summer handbag that will be your only accessory this year.

Millie shared a tropical holiday post with her Instagram followers, and can be seen sporting the Blue Net handbag from Next along with a matching blue bikini and sarong. The Friends Like These Blue Mini Net Clutch Bag is priced at £22 and is available in a vibrant blue shade that is holiday-ready. Although the bag is fairly small, it will be so versatile in the warmer months. It’s the perfect mix of playful and practical, and features a cool netted design with a handy drawstring closure to keep your essentials secure, plus a removable inner pouch for extra organisation.

READ MORE: Marks &amp, Spencer’s “fashionable” “£50 bubble hem dress” receives “so many compliments”

READ MORE: Kérastase serum, a “miracle” for hair loss and promoting regrowth, is currently available for purchase.

It’s light, fashionable, and just the right size for all your day-to-night plans because it’s a soft blend of polyester, cotton, and viscose.

Use the bag as an evening out bag to add a fun pop of color to your looks, or store your essentials in a more casual daytime outfit.

If the blue isn’t your style, there are also cream and beige colourways to choose from. The bag hails from Millie’s collaboration with Friends Like These on Next, and is the perfect summer accessory to add to your warm weather wardrobe.

After her 2015 divorce, singer-songwriter KT Tunstall revealed the unusual way she met her current partner, Chris, with the help of both of their pooches.

Brit Award -winning singer KT Tunstall, who celebrates her milestone 50th birthday in June – twenty years on from her breakout debut album Eye To The Telescope , the Brit Award-winning singer-songwriter, has opened up exclusively to OK! about writing the music for Clueless the Musical (and her love of the iconic movie), as well as how she met her current partner – and as she admits, it was like something out of a cutesy rom-com.

The Scottish Suddenly I See singer, who lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, tells us she met her partner, Chris totally unexpectedly during lockdown – and it was their respective pooches that brought them together, “We both adopted dogs and met at the dog park. It was like something out of a John Hughes 80s movie. A love story!”

READ MORE: Primark’s ‘stylish’ £6 strappy sandals look ‘just like’ £128 version

The music producer, who was previously married to drummer Luke Bullen from 2008 until their divorce in 2013, smiles and says, “My rescue dog is Nova. Minima is a miniature pinscher who has PTSD and doesn’t interact with other dogs. But she began playing with Nova the next day. When I looked up, I noticed a 6’3” jiu-jitsu instructor and thought, “Oh, hello!”

KT previously admitted that she has dated both sexes in the past, and was not ‘lockdown’ straight, She said in 2016 that kissing girls was “a really important part of my formative years”, adding that there is “less angst” in the new generation of young people around sexuality. “It feels like there are less and less shackles on young people to adhere to old norms and that inspires me just to be brave in everyday life and to honor how confident and self-assured they are becoming at a much younger age than I did.”

Elsewhere, KT – who has also battled serious health issues with her hearing – opens up in the interview about how, despite her confident stage persona, she is actually quite the introvert at heart. ‘Yes. I’m a bit of an introvert, a lot of artists are. When I first got big, I ended up pulling the “performer” lever, even in social situations. I’d have drinks after the show and was a bit of a party animal but I was actually pretty anxious. I had a lot of fun, but it was an unsustainable way to live. In my forties, I realised I was burning out.”

Revealing her most bizarre celebrity encounter over the years – at the Q Awards, where she bagged an award, she admits, “I went to the toilet and Björk was there, washing her hands. I introduced myself and said, “I just won Best Song,” she said, “I know… Who are you?” and I was like, “Björk, that’s too much of an existential question, I can’t answer that after a gin!”

KT has written the music for Clueless: TheMusical, which has extended its West End runat London’s Trafalgar Theatre until 28 March2026. Tickets from CluelessOnStage.com.

Only one royal has ever completed the London and Manchester Marathons, both of which take place this morning.

Runners will be pounding the streets of both London and Manchester today trying to complete all 26 miles of the gruelling marathon. The Royal Family boasts several members with sporty credentials, however only one has actually completed the tough race – and not only did she finish the route, she also set a record. T

That royal is Princess Beatrice, who ran the race in 2010 for her mother Sarah Ferguson’s charity Children in Crisis. Beatrice was one of 34 runners who joined together to form a human caterpillar and were tied to each other while running the route. Among the others taking were part were her then-boyfriend Dave Clarke and friends Sam and Holly Branson.

READ MORE: Prince William admits surprise at King Charles decision as he’s mobbed on return to duty

Beatrice was pictured cheering with her medal as she crossed the finish line while sporting a fluorescent tutu and sweatbands during the race. And impressively, the group set the record for the most marathoners to complete it together.

Although they’ve never personally run the marathon, both the Prince and Princess of Wales did make a special appearance at the event in 2017. The couple cheered on participants from a water station as they helped to drum up support for the ‘Heads Together’ mental health charity.

After pressing a significant red button prior to the start of the event, they gave out high-fives and selfies to the crowds. As runners squirted them with their bottles, they received a little more than they had bargained for when they distributed water to parched athletes.

Some of the 39, 000 stopped for selfies and handshakes, but some didn’t look amused when some decided to spray water onto their jackets.

Kate, who is currently recovering from cancer, previously expressed her desire to compete in the annual 26.2 miles race. She is not, however, permitted. Bryony Gordon, a journalist who met Kate after she completed the marathon, revealed that she once inquired whether she would do it.

I can’t recall exactly what happened, but I was like, “We’re going to run the marathon,” Bryony said to Runner’s World. And she responded, “Oh, I can’t because security is a little challenging.” But I thought, “Sure, yes, yes, good excuse!” Anyone can do it if I can. “

The Duchess of Edinburgh completed a portion of the marathon in 2020 while remaining socially isolated. In the pouring rain, she joined one of the 45, 000 runners who had to take on the challenge. She jumped aboard Tomas, who was raising money for Mencap, which she supports.

By offering adult social care support to 1.5 million people in the UK, the charity campaigns for better healthcare, employment, and financial support.

Today, thousands of spectators are expected to line the route, which will mean the end of the London Marathon. It will pass through the city’s streets from Greenwich to Westminster. The massive two-foot tour of London’s landmarks, including Buckingham Palace, Cutty Sark, and Tower Bridge, is anticipated to draw in more than 50 000 spectators.

Olympian Sam Quek has revealed that while on Strictly Come Dancing, she discovered a lot about herself behind the scenes despite her fame for her sports career.

Olympian Sam Quek has opened up about the personal journey she endured during her time on Strictly Come Dancing. The star found fame playing hockey but last year, she challenged herself in new ways while appearing on the BBC dancing competition.

The 36-year-old has since left her professional sports career and has frequently appeared on various programs, including ITV’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! and the Celebrity Masterchef on BBC.

Sam, who was raised in a sports loving family with her brothers, is no stranger to intense training, which led to her Olympic career, but she admits to discovering much more about herself while watching Strictly.

“My Strictly experience was amazing, it was so hard – but in a good way,” Sam exclusively told the Mirror. The Liverpudlian star went on to say: “It was one of the toughest but most rewarding and enjoyable challenges that I’ve ever done. But I did find out a lot about myself.

Being glammed back up after realising that I still enjoy getting my hair done and my make-up done was such an amazing experience because I think that the competitive side of having kids is still present.

I thought I could dance, but Sam’s joke goes on to say, “It might be a few wines in the interim.” Although it was an amazing experience, I also realized that I lack elegance and that I would probably be better suited for playing soccer if I needed it.

“Putting in big tackles, pushing people off the ball. But Strictly was fab and I definitely learnt a lot about myself.” This year, Sam is returning to Soccer Aid for the second time and will be playing alongside Louis Walsh, Tom Grennan, Sir Mo Farah and Sam Thompson on the England team.

“I can’t wait for Soccer Aid this year,” she excitedly revealed at Manchester’s Hotel Football – overlooking the pitch at Old Trafford. She added: “Last year was my first year and I was blown away. I think now it’s come up north, although I’m a Liverpool FC fan, and it’s at Old Trafford, I still think it’s going to be one of the most amazing experiences. I can’t wait.”

Sam, however, has never been a fan of football. She signed to Tranmere Rovers F.C. as a junior before choosing to concentrate on hockey and put football on the back burner when she was 16 years old. I didn’t have many female sporting role models that I knew or could see growing up.

She continued, “My twin brother was Robbie Fowler, and we used to play football together in the garden. I grew up wanting to be Steve McManaman.” It’s amazing to be almost living out a childhood dream while attending Old Trafford. Sam the footballer is unquestionably alive.

Although she was signed to Tranmere, Sam never got to play at Prenton Park “we didn’t see any of that,” she said. But heading out onto the pitch at Old Trafford, home to Manchester United, one of the world’s biggest footballing clubs “besides Liverpool,” is “just going to be a special moment,” she gushed.

Sam’s heart is on Sam’s side when he participates in Soccer Aid. mother to three-year-old Isaac and daughter Molly, four. She said, “Soccer Aid for UNICEF is amazing for us to experience playing with some of the world’s best footballers.”

Sam continued: “Ultimately, underline it all – it’s the money raised for UNICEF, I think being a mum, you want your child to thrive, to give them the best start, to be health and to be happy. I think if anything comes in the way of that then any help, any money, any vaccinations and any support that you can get is the greatest thing in the world.

“To be out there playing is one thing, but to raise money, I think that’s just so important.” But while Sam is both excited and nervous for the match on June 15, she cannot wait to play alongside Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney – “it’s proper bucket list stuff,” she said.m “Scholsey is one of the best midfielders that England has ever had.”

She exclaimed, “Rooney as well, one of the best strikers, I just can’t wait.”

The match takes place on Sunday 15th of June at Old Trafford, Manchester, with adult tickets priced at £20 and juniors from £10. Tickets are available now on the Soccer Aid for UNICEF website.

Fans of Thomas Brodie-Sangster, who was a child in The Maze Runner and Nanny McPhee, have been surprised to learn his real age.

Fans are only just learning of Thomas Brodie-Sangster’s real age after being compared with another legendary actor. Sangster, an actor from London, is known for his role as Newt in The Maze Runner movie series and as a child actor, he gained recognition for featuring in the hit films Love Actually and Nanny McPhee.

He was born on May 16, 1990 so he is 34 years old. A user on X, @PicturesFoIder, posted side-by-side photos of Sangster and Scottish actor Sean Connery, known for playing James Bond, at the same age and people on the platform couldn’t help but notice how different they look.

One user claimed, “One smoked cigarettes, and the other did not.” Connery, 90, was known to smoke both cigars and cigarettes both on and off-screen. He passed away on October 31, 2020. Another continued, “More testosterone was present in men in Connery’s day than it is today.”

A third chimed in: “Sean Connery, born 1930, was 34 in 1964 during his James Bond era, known for a rugged lifestyle. Thomas Brodie-Sangster, born 1990, was 34 in 2024, often cast in youthful roles like Love Actually. Lifestyle differences, like Connery’s smoking, may explain aging contrast.”

A fourth author claimed that Sean started smoking regularly at the age of 12. also drank a lot. Both of you get older quickly.

At age 34, a fifth user said, “I’m 55 and I’m only just starting to have lines on my face,” and I’m probably able to undo those lines without much trouble (and without having Botox or surgery). You get older and smoking. Particularly, smoking messes with your skin.

Connery was the first actor to play the fictional British secret agent James Bond in motion pictures, starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983. In the original novels by Ian Fleming, James Bond is a heavy smoker, putting away between 60 and 70 cigarettes a day and on screen he doesn’t match the sixty-a-day habit in the books, but he does smoke in eleven of the 23 007 films, as reported by Geist.

Much like his fictional character, Connery himself was a heavy smoker. He started his smoking habit when he was a child aged just nine-years-old, according to The Independent.

In 1971, Connery gave a candid interview to The Guardian. He told the newspaper: “I try not to drink too much because when I do drink I drink too much and too easily. I gave up smoking three years ago’ a complete cut-off; when I smoked pot I found that I didn’t like it because, although it turned me on all right, it was too much like smoking cigarettes”, MI6 Headquarters, the world’s most visited unofficial James Bond 007 website, reported.