Category News

The ex-Countryfile host, 54, takes a quick swig of one kitchen ingredient every day – it’ll probably surprise you

Julia Bradbury swears by a surprising trick to support her long-term health. The ex-Countryfile host, 54, takes a quick swig of one kitchen ingredient every day and claimed even her children can’t get enough of it.

You may be surprised to hear the ingredient in question is none other than extra virgin olive oil. Julia favours cold-pressed, mono-varietal and organic types. “I don’t drink alcohol anymore, but I do still have shots,” she explained in an Instagram post last month.

“Of extra virgin olive oil or EVOO for short. LOOK FOR COLD PRESSED. And my kids like to gulp it down too, as you can see (using it for salad dressings and drizzled over food works just as well).” Julia was motivated to adopt various healthy habits, including this one, after her cancer diagnosis in 2021.

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Although she doesn’t blame herself for the cancer, she previously told The Sun that her life wasn’t exactly healthy day by day. So, even after getting the all-clear, she’s sought to change her lifestyle for the better.

“My health reset in 2021 (a breast cancer diagnosis) meant an overhaul of my high sugar, alcohol-rich diet,” she continued on Instagram. “Since then, I’ve spoken to experts around the world to teach myself and learn as much as I can about healthy living good nutrition, and how to spend as much time on planet earth here with my beautiful children.

“As a half-Greek, I have grown up with olive oil, but who knew about all the benefits?! It doesn’t just taste great.” Julia then went on to highlight the various benefits of olive oil, including its potential cholesterol-lowering perks.

She explained: “A diet rich in EVOO can help lower ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol (there’s a bigger story to this, for another time) and raise ‘good’ HDL cholesterol. It also supports healthy blood pressure and improves overall heart function. Think of it as a loving gift to your arteries – delicious and life-affirming.”

Crucially, Julia isn’t alone in her views either. Dr Gareth Nye, a Biomedical Science lecturer at the University of Salford (@dr.gareth.nye), told the Mirror that they are backed by a wealth of evidence. “According to one recent study, people who regularly consume more than half a tablespoon of olive oil per day have, on average, a 19% lower chance of dying from heart disease than those who rarely or never have olive oil,” he said. “There are strong suggestions that it improves risk factors like obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes and may lead to better cognitive function.”

Dr Nye said that virgin olive oil is preferable for daily consumption as it hasn’t gone through ‘extra heating processes’ that can impact its beneficial components. However, nothing suggests that taking a daily shot is better than eating it with salads or other meals.

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He added: “Ultimately, olive oil will bring with it extra calories, and the benefits of the oil can be easily offset by a poor diet and lack of exercise elsewhere.

“In summary, as a part of a healthy diet and lifestyle, olive oil can provide a boost to the body, but taken in isolation as a quick fix, a shot of olive oil will not be tremendously useful to you.”

Both Dr Nye and Julia also agree that olive oil may boast some ‘brain-boosting’ benefits. Last year, another study found that people who consumed more than 7g of olive oil per day had a 28% lower risk of dying from dementia than other participants.

Today’s horoscope for May 13 sees one star sign receive an unexpected opportunity, while another will replay difficult scenes in their mind

It’s Tuesday, May 13, and one star sign has been encouraged to trust their instincts when it comes to matters of the heart.

There are 12 zodiac signs – Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces – and the horoscopes for each can give you the lowdown on what your future holds, be it in work, your love life, your friends and family or more.

These daily forecasts have been compiled by astrologer Russell Grant, who has been reading star signs for over 50 years. From Aries through to Pisces, here’s what today could bring for your horoscope – and what you can do to be prepared.

Aries (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

An unexpected opportunity will arise and this will have something to do with someone who lives some distance away. Keep the lines of communication flowing between you and be ready to take action as soon as you commit to resolving matters at your end.

Taurus (Apr 21 – May 21)

Your anxiety about a home, family or property issue is starting to affect other areas of your life. Advice a friend offers may be unwanted but there is wisdom in their words so try to hide your irritation. By sharing resources, resolving an issue will be easier than you initially thought.

Gemini (May 22 – June 21)

You and a partner share a strong connection and this is something a rival will not have realised. Having the right kind of support behind you enables you to keep going even when you are exhausted and keeps you a few steps ahead of competitors.

Cancer (June 22 – July 23)

Trust your instincts when it comes to matters of the heart. You have the ability to meet your partner’s innermost wishes but it isn’t all one-way. They are able to fulfil your deepest desires. When making a costly purchase, choose trustworthy retailers who provide guarantees.

Leo (July 24 – Aug 23)

If you feel a partner or workmate isn’t contributing enough, now is the time to start applying some pressure. You don’t mind doing your share of the work but what you do object to is the fact that someone is starting to take your hard working nature for granted.

Virgo (Aug 24 – Sept 23)

A senior colleague’s conflicting remarks will cause confusion. Instead of getting involved in anything new, focus on completing pending tasks. If you sense someone doubts your skills, be sure to be thorough and meticulous in your work. Precision is key.

Libra (Sept 24 – Oct 23)

It seems to have become your responsibility to promote harmony in the family or between a group of friends. To do this you may need to make an extra effort to be patient with everyone, especially those who are behaving irrationally. A neighbour will try to resolve a recent misunderstanding.

Scorpio (Oct 24 – Nov 22)

Following a stressful morning, the afternoon will seem to bring a replay of difficult scenes you have already been through. You have concerns about a partner’s feelings. A reminder of how seriously your boss is taking a particular issue will ease some of your worries.

Sagittarius (Nov 23 – Dec 21)

If team-mates are transparent and truthful, misunderstandings can be resolved. You feel it is important to discuss recent mistakes to prevent the same things from happening again. Months of training will result now, after a brief test or interview.

Capricorn (Dec 22 – Jan 20)

You can take pride in your accomplishments at work and in other areas. Conversely, family life is tense. Someone close is starting to feel neglected. Quick solutions won’t be effective when it comes to resolving issues in the home.

Aquarius (Jan 21 – Feb 19)

The part you play in domestic arrangements is under scrutiny. What you had not expected to hear is how everyone values your contribution. There will be something special about being with younger family members and enjoying fun activities together.

Pisces (Feb 20 – Mar 20)

A home repair will not take up as much of your time as you had expected. Once it is over, a chat with an older relative will reveal something intriguing about your family’s history and this will lead you to doing some genealogical research of your own. You will be eager to dig deeper and discover more.

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BBC Radio 2 presenter Scott Mills has compared the Eurovision Song Contest to the World Cup, and said the competition allows people to “switch off from the world”

BBC Radio 2’s own Scott Mills has likened the Eurovision Song Contest to “our World Cup” as the 2025 contest update has him gearing up for commentating duties alongside co-presenter Rylan Clark during the live semis on BBC One come May 13 and May 15.

Scott Mills, who’s no stranger to colourful commentary, is absolutely buzzing ahead of the semi-finals, describing Eurovision as a time for “joy” and “love”—an opportunity for fans to escape reality.

The cheerful DJ remarked: “Eurovision is like a melting pot and we’re all there for the same reason and everyone can chat and talk about what songs they like and what they don’t like.”

According to Scott, debates among Eurovision enthusiasts can get pretty intense: “Sometimes it can turn into a bit of a heated discussion and you get into the real nitty gritty of, like, ‘Well, why do you think their staging is better than this?’ and ‘Why is their song better?'”

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For the die-hard Eurovision fans, Mills sees the event as an equivalent to the pinnacle of football fandom boasting, “It’s a bit like what people do with football but with songs, and for us fans we absolutely adore it, it’s our World Cup. I look forward to it so much and that’s what’s magical about it. Everyone’s there for the same reason.”

Mills continued by highlighting the blissful escapism the contest brings: “The world can be a horrible place, but for a week you can go somewhere you’ve probably never been before and you can shut out the world and it’s just happy, happy, joy, joy and love.”

He added, exuberantly: “There is no bad news at Eurovision and it’s all you think about and all you talk about and all you hear when you’re there all week. And that is sometimes a welcome switch-off from the world.”

The UK will be represented at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest by the all-female trio Remember Monday, performing their song What The Hell Just Happened?

The trio, consisting of friends Lauren Byrne, Holly-Anne Hull, and Charlotte Steele, will be the first non-solo act to represent the UK since 2016. They are also the first all-female multi-person act to represent the country since Precious in 1999.

The UK has a rich history in the contest, having won five times, including three victories with groups: Brotherhood Of Man in 1976, Bucks Fizz in 1981, and Katrina And The Waves in 1997. Solo acts Sandie Shaw and Lulu also won in 1967 and 1969, respectively.

Last year, singer Sam Ryder came close to winning with his song Space Man, finishing second behind Ukraine.

The semi-finals will feature performances from the “Big Five” countries, including the UK, as well as former Eurovision performers from host country Switzerland. Fans can tune in to BBC Radio 2 for live commentary from Richie Anderson and Sara Cox.

Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu is taking America by storm – and her latest move is landing her a huge new Netflix series.

The Love Island favourite has joined the next instalment of the reality show Inside, appearing alongside a line-up of American stars in the buzzy format that’s been snapped up by the streaming giant after making waves on YouTube.

Fresh from her return to the villa for Love Island: All Stars , Ekin-Su jumped straight into filming Inside, which sees ten celebrities locked in a house battling it out for a prize pot through a series of challenges, strategic plays and vote-offs.

A TV insider revealed:

“Ekin filmed Inside just after All Stars and it’s all wrapped and in the can.

“American telly fans have loved Ekin ever since she was first on Love Island and then even more so after Traitors , so she is doing more and more over there.

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“Inside was an opportunity for her to get on Netflix too.”*

The series, originally created by YouTube kings The Sidemen, has been gaining traction fast – with Love Island alum Whitney Adebayo having starred in the second season.

And while Ekin-Su didn’t exactly have the best time during her stint on Celebrity Big Brother, fans will be quick to spot the similarities between that and her latest project.

The source added: “The irony that Ekin had such an awful time on Celebrity Big Brother but went and did another strikingly similar show won’t be lost on telly fans.”

Ekin first captured hearts when she won Love Island back in 2022 with Davide Sanclimenti – but the pair later called it quits. Since then, she’s been determined to take control of her career and carve out a fresh path.

Last year, she won over a whole new legion of fans stateside thanks to her dramatic run on Celebrity Traitors US – a move that’s opened major doors.

Reflecting on her journey, Ekin-Su said:

“It’s all been a learning curve, I am taking ownership over my career as best I can, and I feel like I am falling in love with life again.”