Archive May 21, 2025

Fans of the ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’ heroes are expected to dust off their 90s clothing – and even have haircuts inspired by Liam or Noel – as they plan to spend big for the band’s much-hyped tour

Oasis fans are forecast to splash out more than £1billion watching their idols for the band’s hotly-anticipated reunion tour.

The bumper sum just tops the amount that was reckoned to be spent by Taylor Swift devotees for the star’s Eras Tour last year, largely due to Oasis playing two more UK tour dates.

Such was the rush for Oasis tickets that nearly 1.4 million people are expected to flock to the band’s 17 UK concerts, which kick off at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on July 4. The stampede led to criticism of website Ticketmaster, amid claims that gig prices had surged.

Barclays has published a ‘Wonderwallets’ report that spells out just what a boost the tour will have for the economy. Aside from the ticket itself, fans are expected to spend an average of £108 on accommodation, just over £70 on travel, and around £73 on clothes – with two thirds planning to purchase accessories or an outfit specifically for the event. Other expenses include an average of £59.70 on official merchandise, as well as £75.20 on pre-concert food and drinks, boosting sales at local hospitality venues. In total, Barclays reckons fans will shell out an average of £766.22 per person.

Nearly two-thirds of ticket-holders admit spent more than they had planned or expected, but think the experience will be worth the additional cost. A quarter even wish they had spent more on tickets, including better seats or a VIP package, to get a better experience. Some 16% of fans said they bought Oasis Live ’25 tickets as a gift, while 30% described it as a sentimental purchase, due to the significance that Oasis’ music has played in their life. Most said they were heading to their first choice of concert, with one in four wanting to bag a ticket for the band’s Heaton Park dates in Manchester, as a “quintessential experience” for any fan.

And despite many wanting to relive their band’s 90s heyday, more than half of those going have never seen Oasis before. According to the report, more than a quarter of fans will be embracing nostalgic 90s fashion trends, including baggy jeans, tracksuit jackets or trainers. A fifth plan to wear an Oasis-themed outfit or accessory – including bucket hats and parkas – and 14% are even intending to get a haircut inspired by Liam or Noel Gallagher.

One in five gig-goers claim – at least – that they will enjoy the concert ‘unplugged’, and avoid using their phones. Whether they succeed the temptation is another matter. The just over £1billion estimated total outlay just tops the £997million Barclays estimated would be spent on the UK legs of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.

Tom Corbett, managing director of sponsorships and media at Barclays, said: “As Britain braces for one of the most highly anticipated musical comebacks of all time, Oasis fans are putting their budgets to work to relive a golden era of Britpop. rom new outfits to food and merchandise, ticketholders are showing that when it comes to once-in-a-generation moments, they are more than willing to Roll With It.”

The Princess of Wales is dressed in one of Kate’s most iconic recent looks, according to a brand-new waxwork that was unveiled at Madame Tussauds in London.

The Princess of Wales has had a glamorous new transformation – at a world-famous tourist attraction. A brand new waxwork figure of Kate has been unveiled at Madame Tussauds London.

The attraction has featured a figure of Kate since April 2012 – a year after she married Prince William. And today, Madame Tussauds has refreshed the waxwork of the princess and recreated one of her most memorable recent looks.

The figure is styled in a sparkly pink Jenny Packham gown, silver pumps in the style of the Gianvito Rossi ‘Rania 105’ shoes and also wears a replica of the Lover’s Knot Tiara – which was worn by the figure of Diana, Princess of Wales, at the Baker Street attraction in the 1980s.

The princess’s statue is further adorned by the Royal Victorian Order blue sash, the Royal Family Order of Elizabeth II and replica Greville Diamond Chandelier earrings. Madame Tussauds says the new figure has been styled in a homage to the outfit Kate wore to the annual Diplomatic Corps Reception in December 2023.

The image shows her husband, the Prince of Wales, the King, and the Queen standing next to each other. William’s waxwork has also been upgraded, with his figure getting new versions of his sash, star of the Order of the Garter, and army medals, and a new black Ede &amp, Ravenscroft tuxedo.

A new statue of Catherine, Princess of Wales, has been officially landed at Madame Tussauds London, according to Steve Blackburn, senior general manager at Madame Tussauds London, to further our centuries-long collaboration with the royal family.

Our skilled studio team has created “Kate,” whose majestical body resembles that of a future queen, along with her imposing husband.

From Thursday (May 21), visitors to Madame Tussauds will have the chance to see the newcomer of the Princess of Wales and other Royal Family members.

The unveiling of the new figure comes as Kate yesterday made a return to royal garden parties by attending her first one in two years. She surprised guests by joining husband William, at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday afternoon.

William was presenting the traditional outdoor gathering on behalf of his father, the King, in a top hat and morning suit. While receiving treatment for what William called a “brutal year,” the princess, who is in remission from cancer, skipped the 2024 garden party season.

Kate was attending a yellow Emilia Wickstead dress and hat by Philip Treacy, who was not in advance as is custom for garden parties.

The couple was meeting Duchy of Cornwall tenants as well as patrons of a number of their patronages, military affiliations, and passion projects, including Homewards, Action for Children, and Ty Hafan.

Liz Hatton’s family, a aspiring photographer, passed away in November from desmoplastic small round cell tumor, one of whom.

TV star Denise Welch has recalled the panic of learning maths at school and how its impact lasts until this day – as she backs a new drive to improve numeracy in the UK

Loose Women legend Denise Welch has spoken of her fear of maths at school – which has stayed with her until now.

The actress and TV star says: “I used to look at my school timetable – which I can see in my mind’s eye – and I would see ‘double maths’ and ‘double maths’. It used to make my palms sweat and I would be crying. Rather than thinking, I’ve got to get better at this, it instilled such a fear, which has lasted to this day. I am one of those people who struggles with maths. I have always struggled with maths, and I got left behind a long time ago.”

Denise was interviewed ahead of National Numeracy Day, on Wednesday, which aims to inspire everyone to improve their number confidence and skills. The initiative is run by the charity National Numeracy, the UK’s only charity dedicated to everyday maths.

She says she was “number-phobic” despite her dad having a degree in economics, adding he “could never understand why I found it so difficult. He would try to explain things to me, but my brain would just shut down. So, instead, he took control. Dad did my finances for as long as I can remember, balancing my accounts, paying bills, and ensuring everything was in order.”

Denise , 66, recalls a primary school teacher who, she claims, made matters worse by being strict and impatient. She recalls: “I would sit in class, heart racing, stomach in knots, trying desperately to keep up. I’m convinced he got some kind of kick out of it because he’d pick on me repeatedly. And anybody who has struggled with numbers will know – being put on the spot is definitely not the answer.

“No matter how hard I concentrated, numbers never made any sense. The more frustrated he became, the worse I felt. My anxiety grew so intense that I would shake uncontrollably before maths lessons and would vomit from sheer panic. That experience left deep scars. I never really learned how to deal with numbers properly, and as I grew older, I avoided them at all costs.

“Homework with my two sons was a particular struggle; they’d come to me with their maths questions, and I’d break out into a cold sweat, fumbling through the basics, hoping they wouldn’t catch on to my complete lack of confidence.”

She went on: “Money management has been the bane of my life. Anything to do with my tax, or with mortgages – I still do that la la la la la la la. I would love to have been shown some techniques to make life a little bit easier.”

Denise threw her weight behind the National Numeracy Challenge, which takes about 10 minutes to complete, and aims to incrementally improve people’s confidence with maths.

The need for action is also supported by consumer champion Martin Lewis, a National Numeracy Ambassador. He said: “It’s a funny thing about maths – no one ever goes around saying, ‘I’m terrible at reading, you know?!’ But over the years of talking about money on television – which often involves maths, because the two are really closely linked – the number of presenters who have said, ‘I’m terrible at numbers, I wouldn’t know,’ as if that’s perfectly acceptable, is astonishing.

“I’m not trying to shame anyone who isn’t good at maths. I’m just trying to change attitudes. I’m trying to say we should aspire to be good at maths – we shouldn’t boast about being bad at it. Of course, there are many people out there with dyscalculia or other issues that mean they’re always going to struggle with numbers. But for most people, you can improve your numeracy, and it’s crucial to do so.

“It’s one of the reasons I’ve long been proud to be an Ambassador with National Numeracy. For all of us, having a fundamental understanding of numbers and functional numeracy empowers everything we do. If you’re not good with numbers, it makes it easier for you to be ripped off. So if you have the opportunity to take the National Numeracy Challenge – to see where you’re strong with numbers and where you’re not – I’d urge you to do so.”

George Wendt, who was best known for playing Norm Peterson on the beloved sitcom Cheers, passed away at the age of 76, and his former co-stars have been paying tribute.

Celebrities have been paying tribute to the late George Wendt following the actor’s death, including the late star’s Cheers co-star Ted Danson. Ted, who played Sam Malone on the NBC sitcom, said in a statement that he was “devastated to hear that Georgie is no longer with us.”

The Good Place actor expressed his heartfelt condolences to Bernadette and the kids to PEOPLE. It will take me a while to get used to this. Georgie, I adore you.

Cliff Clavin, played by Ted and George’s co-star John Ratzenberger, said: “For eleven years on Cheers, we shared a stage, a lot of laughs, and a front-row seat to one of television’s most beloved friendships.” “George brought Norm to life with a subtle brilliance, the kind that made it seem effortless.” His gift was that.

He continues, “He was a true craftsman. He was heartfelt, humorous, and humble.” With impeccable comedic timing and a deep devotion to those he loved, what you saw on screen was exactly who he was off screen. I’ll miss our conversation and the eponymous friendships that were so important.

Melissa Joan Hart, who worked with George on the later series of Sabrina The Teenage Witch, told her Instagram followers this evening: “Heaven just got a little funnier with #GeorgeWendt. It was a thrill to work beside him on #SabrinatheTeenageWitch for a handful of episodes.

When he was on set, I was a big fan of #Cheers and knew I was one of the best. Our cast and crew were impressed with his constant presence and warm, caring, and kind nature. In peace, please! Sorry for the grainy photo, #GodBlesstheFunnyPeople.

It comes after George, who was best known for his role as the endearing, beer-swilling Norm Peterson on the renowned sitcom Cheer, passed away at the age of 76. On Tuesday, the actor passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home.

George was a loyal friend, a loving father, and a confidant to all those fortunate enough to have known him, a representative told the Hollywood Reporter. He will forever be missed. During this time, the family has requested privacy.

In a previous interview, George acknowledged how much the NBC show had impacted his life and how it had affected him. “I was fortunate to be a part of something that became so beloved in people’s lives.

The Norm character would yell “Afternoon/evening everyone! ” when they arrived at the bar in the sitcom. with him shouting his name back to the entire bar. The character quickly grew in popularity with viewers.

The popular television show received 117 Emmy nominations overall, including four for Outstanding Comedy Series. For his part, George’s portrayal of Norm won six Emmy nominations in a row.

He was a majorstay of the show, appearing in every episode until May 1993, when it was over. At the Emmy Awards in January 2024, George and his fellow Cheers cast members made a surprise appearance on stage. Ted Danson and Kelsey Grammer were among those who showed up for the surprise reunion.

George had previously appeared as a guest on numerous well-known TV programs like Taxi and M*A*S*H prior to Cheers.

In 1995, George starred in a self-titled CBS sitcom following the enormous success of Cheers. After only eight episodes, the program was canceled, though.

He also appeared in Columbo and Sabrina the Teenage Witch on television. Bernadette Birkett, George’s wife, reprised Vera from his never-seen sitcom on Cheers. A daughter and two sons were the parents’ three children.

Singer and actress Liza Minneli speaks candidly in new film coming to BBC at weekend

WITH four failed marriages, Liza Minnelli could be forgiven for being cynical about relationships. But the singer, actress and dancer is a cheerleader for romance, saying: “I feel wonderful about love. I wanted it to be like it was in the songs.”

In the film Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story, the star and her tight circle of friends open up about her life and her multiple husbands.

Being the daughter of Wizard of Oz icon and singer Judy Garland and director Vincente Minnelli put Liza in the spotlight from the very beginning – and her love life was something that always made headlines.

Her mum Judy married five times and Liza, 79, has notched up four. Her first marriage, to entertainer Peter Allen in 1967, lasted only a few years because she found him in a compromising position with another man.

Liza says in the Bruce David Klein-directed biopic: “Peter was so much fun to be with but I think he felt restricted. He needed, literally, to come out!” Friends adored the Aussie and Liza’s actress pal Mia Farrow reveals: “It was the happiest I saw her in her private.”

The star’s second husband, from 1974 to 1979, was actor Jack Haley Jnr, whose father also starred in The Wizard of Oz, leading pals to joke “the daughter of Dorothy has married the son of The Tin Man”.

From 1979 to 1992 Liza was married to sculptor Mark Gero. Friends claim he was “a solid rock” in her life because he was not from the showbiz world.

A decade later she wed US producer David Gest. The pair separated in 2003 and divorced in 2007. There has been much speculation around I’m A Celebrity and Celebrity Big Brother star Gest’s sexuality, with Sir Elton John adding fuel to the fire by joking he wanted to “find Liza a heterosexual husband”.

Gest denied he was gay and claimed in interviews that he only loved women. But in the new film, when asked about her track record of relationships, Liza quips: “Give me a gay break, will you?” then tells the cameraman: “I’m sorry, cut that!”

Gest – who died from a stroke in a hotel room in 2016, aged 62 – is the spouse who receives the harshest backlash from Liza’s pals. It seems no one liked him or trusted him, and some make him out as a controlling and manipulative figure in her life.

Singer and pianist Michael Feinstein says bluntly: “Bette Davis said you should only speak good about the dead. Well, David Gest is dead. Good!” Liza’s close pal, former dentist Allan Lazare, who died last year, is also critical.

He is seen saying: “They met during a period of time in Liza’s life when she wasn’t doing so well.

“Physically, she gained a lot of weight and David Gest charmed her and romanced her. Gest had the gift of the gab. Nothing was real and basically for a while he took over her life. He took everyone in her life out of her life.

“It ended when Liza went on tour and she came back and David Gest took everything out of the apartment and left her with a bed and a lamp. He took every picture and every piece of furniture and put it into storage.”

And when Knots Landing actress Michele Lee tells the camera: “I knew about all her men”, Liza interrupts, saying: “And some of them weren’t men at all.” Such quips seem to have become a way of life for Liza, according to those closest to her.

Performer and artist Jim Caruso points out that the star – who is a rare showbiz “EGOT”, having won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony award – was taught to keep quiet about her private life and turmoil.

Instead, she made out to her fans and the media that her life was “like a cabaret” – referencing her 1972 hit movie. He says: “Liza was taught by her MGM parents how to make things sound fantastic. She will never go on camera and talk about the dirt.

“She has acknowledged that she didn’t always make the greatest decision in relationships and laughs about it because there was genuine love deep in every one of those in different ways.” Liza is best known for Cabaret, Liza with a Z and Martin Scorsese’s 1977 film New York, New York.

In later years she enjoyed success with the Pet Shop Boys on the album Results and appeared in the Sex and the City 2 movie and on RuPaul’s Drag Race. The biopic, which premiered last year and airs on BBC2 this weekend, also looks into how she was affected by the death of mum Judy.

The former child star was 47 when she died of an accidental overdose in 1969, when Liza was 23. Liza recalls: “I started crying and I didn’t stop for about eight days. It just was devastating to me.” Liza also battled her own addictions.

She admits: “I was the kind of person who never fell down. I never missed work. I never did any of the things you think of when you think of somebody being a real mess.

“But inside I felt so weird. I was taking valium and prescription drugs but I really didn’t feel like I had a drug problem. I’d drink silly drinks like rum and coke. And I started to notice that drinking made me feel better from that. It is really that simple but then it turned on me, like it always does.”

The star says she hid her problems because she did not want people to know she was under stress. She adds: “I always wanted to be the hero.” But she is very candid about growing up in the shadow of her mum, saying: “Being Judy Garland’s daughter is not a lot of laughs but I am grateful for all the bad stuff. It prepared me for the rest of my life. It made me understand a little bit more about myself.”