Category Entertainment News

Incredible new detail about the life and loves of Prince has come to light in a new book on his career

Until now it was known as a brief fling, one of Prince’s many love affairs with beautiful women.

But iconic music star Prince and Hollywood actress Kim Basinger were like “teenagers in love” during their relationship, and the pair almost ended up a long term couple who could easily have married. The pair are known to have dated in 1989 but the strength of the relationship is only now emerging in a new book about the life and career of Prince, featuring interviews with over 200 people from his life and inner circle.

The book details how Prince would have first met Kim on the set of Batman where she was playing Vicki Vale and he was to provide an album of music.

He later sent a sample of his LP on cassette by FedEx to lead actors Jack Nicholson, Michael Keaton and Kim Basinger to get their approval and feedback.

Prince’s PA Therese Stoulil recalls: “Michael didn’t get back, Jack asked for money because we sampled him and Kim called the office to thank him. I put her through to his office. They had a very short conversation.”

Whatever happened on set and in that brief phone call was enough to start a relationship that would last for a year or so.

Prince told his assistant ‘she’s coming to Minneapolis for a visit – get a really nice hotel room’.

The best suite at the city’s Sofitel was duly booked and on top of that it was filled with extra flowers, candles and cushions.

But in reality Kim never enjoyed any of the lavish settings. She went straight to Prince’s home and rarely left in the months to come except to join him in the studio. Minneapolis became her new base and the pair were inseparable.

Within a few days, Kim’s peach Mercedes was parked on the drive and bag and boxes of her stuff arrived soon after. Kim fell deeply in love.

At this stage she was on the brink of superstardom herself and Prince was a global star thanks to hits including 1999, Purple Rain, When Doves Cry and Little Red Corvette.

In the book Sign O’ The Times, Prince’s PA Therese says of Kim: “She was the nicest person on the planet. Everybody loved her. She went out that Christmas [1989] and bought us all presents [Stoulil received a perfume decanter].

“Very beautiful, very sweet. I don’t think, in ten years, I had ever seen Prince happier. They would go shopping together. Prince never went out shopping. They would stop in all the little shops. It was actually very adorable. It looked like a couple of teenagers in love. They were just taken with each other. It was fabulous”

Prince’s then make-up artist Terra Hinrichs agrees that Kim “was madly in love with him. I couldn’t figure it out. She is stunning.”

Things escalated to the point that Kim had her assistant flown over to field calls from Hollywood about her future roles. Engineer Tom Garneau recalls Kim “drank rum and coke [and] made us popcorn and sweet potato pie”.

And then she even got involved in the music side of Prince’s life too. Kim and Prince collaborated on a remix of the ballad from the Batman soundtrack, ‘Scandalous’. The pair’s private recording session may have been apt for the track’s title too as engineer Sal Greco recalls finding honey all over the mixing desk when cleaning it up the next day.

After their own raunchy studio time, Kim was also put in charge of recording “sexy women singers” for Prince too.

But Hinrichs explains: “She seemed almost trying too hard. She’s telling these girls to ‘be nasty’ and it seemed out of character for her. She was crazy about him. I loved Kim.”

The new book says at this point Kim was looking to buy property in the area as things escalated in 1990. Stouli recalls Kim saying “I just want this beautiful farmhouse”.

But just when it looked like they could be a Hollywood power couple, Prince got cold feet.

Stoulil says they split up because “things were promised. Things didn’t happen. I remember it.”

Others recall a cooling on Prince’s side. “We had a photoshoot,” says guitar tech Michael Soltys, “and she was directing it. I could tell it was not rubbing him right.”

Kim for her part in the relationship, has always stayed silent about their romance. When asked in 2016 about their affair and trysts in the studio, her spokesman said: “We must kindly pass on this request.” She also didn’t offer any comment for the new book either.

There were many other notable relationships for Prince although these are better known.

He has married Mayte Garcia in 1996 and they had a child Amiir who was born in October of that year but died six days later. The relationship deteriorated a couple of years later after she had a miscarriage but they did not officially divorce until 2000.

The singer went on to marry Manuela Testolini in 2001, who was working for a charity he was involved in, and they later split in 2006.

Although Prince was single at the time of his death, both of his ex-wives were on good terms with him, and each issued statements about his passing in 2016.

Another female singer Elisa Fiorillo had her second album produced at Prince’s Paisley HQ in 1990 by Ricky Peterson and Prince took a professional and then romantic interest.

She recalls: “We were very good friends and it turned into something else which was funny for me.” Her understanding of Prince’s split with Kim Basinger “was that he didn’t like that she drank”.

Fiorillo says she dated Prince between 1989 and 1991, but the lack of exclusivity eventually wore her down.

She tells the book: “I felt very loved, but I felt I wasn’t the only one and I couldn’t do that. I grew up in an Italian family and my brothers and my dad were very much ladies’ men and that’s the first thing I’m not attracted to in a man.”

Fiorillo also recalls a “one arriving in Minneapolis as another leaves” principle of girlfriends when it came to Prince.

“I remember leaving and I saw Susannah Hoffs coming in. One time I was in LA and I was hiding and Sheena Easton came in. I saw those two – I’m sure there were others.”

Other women who Prince dated include drummer Sheila E. Who dated in the late ’80s when she was a drummer for his band and Carmen Electra who he dated in the 90s.

Looking back, the Kim romance may be the most surreal chapter in Prince’s romantic history. But the pattern is unmistakable.

A number of women were attracted to Prince and drawn into his orbit and then spun out again when he turned to a new muse. He was never alone for long, if at all.

Prince seemed to be forever in search of someone to share the music with, but always open to changing the record.

* Prince: A Sign o’ the Times By John McKie is published by Bonnier Books on September 18.

The opera singer, radio host and former Strictly star has launched a fan club where you can pay to support him – but you might just win a free holiday

Wynne Evans is offering fans the chance to stay at his house for the weekend. The former Strictly Come Dancing star has launched a supporters club where the unusual prize was on offer.

For £4.50 a month – or £6.50 for a couple – fans of his new Wynne Evans show can stay at his Llansteffan house.

Members will also get discounts to his shows, a mention on his online radio show and the right to call themselves a ‘Wynner’. Evans describes ‘Wynners’ on his website as “a community of people bound by kindness, courage and shared stories”

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Sharing a message to those on his site, WynneEvansShow.com, the ex Strictly star said: “Welcome one & all. Yes you can just listen, or you can get really involved in keeping the show going & growing by joining the Supporters Club.

“One Club. Many ways to join. The same benefits for everyone – that’s what being a Wynne is all about. Wxx.”

The star shot to fame in 2009 when he starred in the Go.Compare adverts as Gio Compario, a stereotypical Italian operatic tenor.

He later appeared on Strictly before being axed from the live tour after being accused of an inappropriate remark, which he denied.

After losing his BBC job, Wynne returned to the spotlight by launching his own digital radio show in July. Answering fans’ questions in his first broadcast, Evans revealed that he’s no longer in touch with former partner Katya Jones.

When asked whether he was in contact with any of the Strictly stars, he said: “No I’m not. I’m not in contact with any of them.

“I think that when I was released from the tour, I heard – although this may not be true – that they were told not to contact me. I’ve had a few messages from them since – but not really, now today I’m not in contact with any of them at all.”

When contacted by the Mirror yesterday, Wynne said: “I asked the Wynners what they wanted as perks for joining the Wynne Evans Show Supporters club, and their answer floored me: nothing.

“Just keep the show free for everyone who needs it. That generosity speaks volumes about who they are, and this is my way of saying thank you.

Cynics can be cynical. What I’m building with the Wynners goes far beyond what traditional radio offers. We’re creating something listeners describe as ‘their daily tonic’, a morning of fun and friendship.

I’m committed to creating a daily dose of joy, every weekday from 8:25 at wynneevansshow.com.”

Another Saturday Night Live star has announced that they are leaving the late-night sketch show. They are said to be the fifth cast member to be departing, with the news coming ahead of the new season launching next month.

Ego Nwodim, 37, has revealed that she won’t be returning to the NBC show after having joined the cast in 2018. The comedian said in a statement that it was her decision to leave and, after seven seasons on the show, expressed her gratitude to creator Lorne Michaels for the opportunity.

Sharing the news with fans, Ego wrote in the statement posted on Instagram earlier today “The hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say goodnight. But after seven unforgettable seasons, I have decided to leave SNL.”

She continued: “I am immensely grateful to Lorne for the opportunity, to my castmates, the writers, and the crew for their brilliance, support and friendship. Week after week on that stage taught me more than I could have ever imagined, and I will carry those memories (and that laughter) with me always. Now invite me to your weddings please!!!”

The news was met with well wishes from fans, some of whom expressed disappointment over her departure. One person reacted: “You will be greatly missed but can’t wait to see what’s ahead.” Another said: “Gonna miss you so much ughhhh.” A third wrote: “You’ll be very very missed!!!!!”

Ego is the latest star to have announced their departure. The news of a shake-up among the cast began with Devon Walker, 34, revealing last month that he won’t be returning after having joined the show in 2022. He teased that he’s hoping to appear in a “prestige drama” following his exit.

Days later, co-star Emil Wakim, 27, announced that he’s leaving SNL after having joined last year, with him describing it as a “gut punch of a call” to receive. Later that same week, Michael Longfellow, 31, shared that he won’t be back either, after joining in 2022, saying: “Wish I was, but so it goes.”

It has also been reported that Heidi Gardner, 42, who has been on SNL since 2017, is leaving the show. The news was shared by outlets including Variety last month, though she has yet to confirm her departure ahead of the new season.

It’s also been reported that the Please Don’t Destroy segment won’t be returning, after the trio behind it – consisting of John Higgins, Martin Herlihy and Ben Marshall – joined the show in 2021. John has revealed that he will be leaving the show, sharing his excitement to pursue acting opportunities.

According to Vulture, Martin will become a writer, whilst Ben is confirmed to be joining the main cast for the new season. Last week, SNL announced four other new cast members. It’s been revealed that Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Kam Patterson and Veronika Slowikowska are joining the show.

The new season of SNL is due to begin on October 4 in the US.

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Ryan Thomas has issued a further update on the pigeon he has claimed could be the reincarnation of his father, who died in 2020

In the latest twist between Ryan Thomas and the pigeon he believes is his dad, the actor has decided to bring the bird inside. The Coronation Street star took to Instagram to tell his followers of his latest move to bring Dougie James the pigeon in out of the thunderstorms battering the country.

Ryan has been keeping fans updated with the situation regarding the animal who he thinks is a reincarnation of his father, who sadly died in 2020. And now the 41-year-old has claimed he doesn’t want to let the bird out in the bad weather.

On his Instagram Story, Ryan shared a clip of the bird in a cage next to a bowl of food. He captioned the post: “I’ve never seen him lying down I’ll let him back out for fly in the morning don’t want him out in this weather.”

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The latest update comes after fans were left gobsmacked by Ryan’s claim. He was seen in tears last week as he took to Instagram, cradling the pigeon. He said the pair had a newfound connection as he broke down and told his followers he believed the bird was the reincarnated spirit of his late father, who was a well-known soul singer.

The actor’s father died in 2020. But with the pigeon regularly flocking to his garden, he said he believed it to be his dad visiting him.

He later insisted the bird was trying to communicate with him and kept sharing snippets of his feathered friend.

Earlier in the week, while he was nursing a cup of tea in his garden and wearing a beanie hat and sunglasses, the dad-of-three told fans that Dougie had disappeared with a solemn look on his face.

“Every morning Dougie was in the garden,” he said downbeat. “Every evening, Dougie was in the garden.

“I’ve come down this morning and Dougie’s not there. I’m thinking to myself. He’s not coming back, it’s over.”

After taking a heavy sigh, Ryan added: “Every morning, I feel like ‘that’s it, he’s going to leave’ and then…”

Then he laughed and panned the camera up to the roof of his house. The clip showed Dougie the pigeon happily perched on a TV aerial.

Ryan then exclaimed: “You’ve no idea how happy this makes me. Go on Dougie!”

Despite his regular updates, Ryan has asked his fans if he is “losing the plot”. He admitted his friend had shared their concern about him.

“My mate said: ‘Looking from the outside in, it looks like you’ve lost the plot a bit.” Chuckling, Ryan then addresses his followers, saying: “Whether it’s a yes or no, I don’t care, but do you think I’ve lost the plot?”

Molly-Mae Hague recently shared her top three make-up products, and it included this new brow gel. Keen to see if it’s worth the hype, I tried it out on my unruly eyebrows…

Blessed (or cursed, whichever you think) with naturally thick, coarse eyebrow hairs, I use a brow gel pretty much every day to control and shape them, even if I don’t wear any other make-up. I have a long-term favourite (REFY Brow Sculpt, FYI) but I’m always up for trying new recommendations, so when Molly-Mae Hague recently included one in her top three make-up products, I had to try it.

Speaking to influencer William Grande this week on the red carpet at the NTAs – where her Amazon show Molly-Mae: Behind It All won an award – Molly shared her current three favourite make-up products, and it included Morphe Micro Manager Gripping Brow Gel, which costs £12 from Selfridges.

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Promising 16-hour hold, 100% of testers said that this lifts, tames and locks brows into place, and 100% also agreed that it feels flexible and comfortable to wear.

I was immediately taken by the slimline, gold-packaged design and, when I opened it, the teeny tiny spoolie brush – smaller than any I’d used before. The benefits of this, I found, are that it allows you to very precisely shape the brows exactly how you want, without overloading them with product or getting it onto the surrounding skin – an issue I’ve had with other products in the past.

To be honest, I didn’t expect it to be strong enough to hold up my heavy brows – few brow gels are – but this even passed the pulling-a-jumper-over-the-head test without my eyebrows drooping. Even better, there was no white residue or flaky bits on the hairs once it had dried – another common complaint I have. It also gave them a slightly glossy finish.

I didn’t quite test its 16-hour claim, but my brows did remain looking good all day – lifted, defined and fuller, with gaps filled in. As this Morphe gel is cheaper than my usual too, I’ll definitely be swapping to this for the foreseeable.

If you want to copy the now-BAFTA winners make-up bag even further, the two other favourites Molly-Mae listed were By Terry Cellularose CC Serum, £62, and Natasha Denona HY-GLAM Concealer, £32.

Meanwhile the star’s NTAs beauty look involved a sought-after blusher with a 1.2k waiting list, as Molly stepped out wearing NARS’ new blurring blush that thousands of fans were virtually queuing up back during its launch.

The product in question is The Multiple from NARS, priced at £33. Promising 16 hours of wear, this multitasking genius is perfect for everything from red carpet moments to everyday glam. Since launching, it’s already become a must-have product for so many beauty fans, racking up hundreds of five-star reviews in its first week.

Celebrity Big Brother star Dapper Laughs has revealed he has become a dad for the fourth time. The comedian, whose real name is Dan O’Reilly, and his wife Shelly Rae have welcomed their baby boy to the world.

The star, took to social media to share the sweet news with his overjoyed followers. Dan was overwhelmed after his wife gave birth to a baby boy, sharing the news in an Instagram upload.

The clip showed his wife having a water birth while the comic was on hand to support her. He then broke down after the birth, admitting it was “hard”. For the clip, he was dressed in blue hospital scrubs.

He captioned his upload: “Our beautiful little story continues, yesterday my absolute machine of a wife @shelleyraerae gave us our 4th child, thank you Shelley, what you have gone through to give us this amazing little family I will always appreciate, I love you..

“Family is everything to me, my children are my world. Im on cloud 9 today… Very emotional. Thank you Shelley, life complete!”

He also took the time to thanks the midwives for their support, labelling them “amazing”.

The clip showed the journey from turning up at the hospital. Dan called his wife an “absolute trooper” as he said “what you women go through is no joke”.

He confessed he “nearly missed it” as he shared an emotional embrace with his wife as he wiped away the tears. He added: “I can’t believe it”

“That’s my dad, going to have to slip Patrick in for my dad,” he said.

The clip then showed Dan holding his son with his top off before introducing his three daughters to their baby brother.

The clip ended with the sweet news of the baby’s name. After Dan wrote “I have a son..” the name Jax Patrick Ian O’Reilly popped up on the screen. It added his birth weight too, which was 7lb 2.

Michael Ianotti’s Tears In Heaven played over the top of the footage. And fans rushed to the comments section to congratulate the happy couple.

Among them was Jayne Sharp who wrote: “Tears streaming down my face here! Congratulations!!! So happy for you all. Massive props to Superwoman Shell!”

Another used wrote: “Mate I’m so happy for you right now! You got the boy #familycomplete”. And a third said: “I told you he would be a boy! Absolutely over the moon for you… the family is complete xx.

“Congratulations to you all… this is the best news I’ve heard in ages!!!! Sending love, light and huge hugs to you all.”

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