Category Entertainment News

TV star Davina McCall vows to be friends for life with the surgeon who operated on her brain and saved her life last year.

The 57-year-old TV star underwent the complex five-hour operation in November last year, after a cyst was discovered during a routine body scan. While filming her documentary on the menopause, Davina was offered the scan and despite initially refusing, she eventually accepted, and the benign tumour on her brain was found by doctors in August 2023.

She admitted in a new interview that she ignored the diagnosis the cyst was benign, and wasn’t life-threatening. “I just heard the word ‘ benign ‘ and thought, ‘ Oh, that’s OK, ‘” she explained. More than 12 months later, she finally decided to have the surgery, and was operated on by consultant neurosurgeon, Kevin O’Neill in London. Now, the former Big Brother host has declared Kevin will be her friend for life after the five-hour operation.

Speaking to The Times, Davina revealed she had prepared for her death, even though the risk of dying during the operation was highly unlikely, and she heaped praise on Kevin, who she met with for the first time since the surgery. “We’re going to be friends for the rest of our lives”, she excitedly told him. “We are going to go out to dinner with our partners! We are going to do it”!

Davina, who has three grown up children – Holly, Tilly and Chester – with ex-husband Matthew Robertson, has a special bond with the neurosurgeon, and Kevin admitted he and the TV presenter have an “emotional connection”. He said of the mum-of-three: “Davina is a special person”. Later in the interview, she heartbreakingly recalled the conversation she had with Kevin before the surgery.

“I said to him, ‘ You do whatever you need to do. I put all my faith in you. ‘ He doesn’t need me screaming at him to keep me alive. He needs to be in the calmest and most confident place. I wanted to empower Kevin to do the best job he could”, she explained.

Now, Davina has made a full recovery, and revealed some of her symptoms, which she attributed to the menopause before the cyst was discovered, have gone, leaving her feeling more alert and active just days after the op. “I’d noticed that I wasn’t thinking so much. A week after the operation, it was like, ‘ Wow. My mind feels more active”, Davina shared.

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With suede still dominating as spring’s top trend, it’s no surprise that some of our favourite pieces have continued to be a sell out. One item that seems to have been top of everyone’s list is Marks &amp, Spencer’s sold out brown suede loafers, which cost £55 and have been sold out consistently ever since they launched.

If you’ve desperately been eyeing them up but didn’t manage to get your hands on them then you’re in luck. We’ve spotted this very similar pair of Lillian Penny Loafer Flat Shoes in Brown from Schuh, and you can snap them up for the exact same price.

READ MORE: M&amp, S ‘ viral suede loafers now come in a backless version ready for spring

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Just like the coveted M&amp, S pair, Schuh’s Lillian Penny Loafers come in a rich chocolate brown colour and are made from 100% suede, which makes them durable and comfortable to wear. They have a slip on design, with a classic oval toed silhouette and tab details over the front.

The flat rubber soles also give plenty of flexibility, so you can spend all day walking around in them without your feet aching. Plus, unlike the sold out Marks &amp, Spencer’s pair, you can still snap up the Lillian Penny Loafers in all sizes from a UK3 to a UK8.

One reason brown suede loafers have been at the top of everyone’s list this season is because of how versatile they are. The perfect balance of smart and casual, you can just as easily pair yours with straight leg jeans and a T-shirt for running errands as you can with a pair of trousers and a shirt for work.

The chocolate brown shade is also universally flattering on all skin tones, and works with just about any colour. Whether you stick to neutrals like beige, navy and black or opt for brighter hues like red, pink and butter yellow (another top colour to watch this season).

If you want some other colours to pick from, Ariat’s Selene Driving Shoes, £90, come in a choice of four different shades and prints, tan, pink, olive and leopard print. They also have a slightly softer, more flexible design and come in sizes from 3 to 8.5 with half sizes available throughout.

For a luxury pick, or if you need larger sizes, Massimo Dutti’s Split Suede Penny Loafers are £149 and have a similar silhouette to the Schuh pair. With a penny strap across the front and low black rubber sole, the men’s loafers come in sizes 6 to 11.

Anna Kendrick was seen giving a short answer when she was asked a cryptic question about co-star Blake Lively while walking the red carpet for the 2025 SXSW Film &amp, TV Festival.

Hollywood stars Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively were seen posing on the red carpet on March 7 in Austin, Texas for the premiere of their newest film, Another Simple Favour at the 2025 SXSW Film &amp, TV Festival.

The movie is a sequel to 2018’s A Simple Favour, again directed by Paul Feig with Kendrick and Lively starring as the leads. The movie is Lively’s first release since It Ends With Us, which was released the summer of 2024, which saw the actress get into a lawsuit with the movie’s director, Justin Baldoni. Lively, 37, accused Baldoni, 41, of sexual harassment. He countersued Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds, 48, for £321 million, accusing them of trying to destroy his reputation and career. They both deny the allegations.

And the lawsuit drama seems to be trying to follow her into the press for her latest film, Another Simple Favour, with Kendrick being asked about her opinion about working with Lively again. While interacting with fans during the premiere, one fan asked: “What does it mean to be working with Blake again”?

Kendrick, who walked past the fan to continue taking photos with others, simply replied: “Oh, you know…”, leaving it at that.

People were quick to make the short clip go viral on social media, with many going on to call Kendrick ‘ iconic ‘ by her short answer that left them even more ‘ obsessed ‘ by the American actress.

Later, Kendrick was faced with another question, which some believe was alluding to Lively’s legal battle. “How does it feel like the movie is being impacted kind of by everything happening around going on in the world”? the reporter asked.

While the question could refer to Blake’s ongoing legal drama with Baldoni, some are also wondering if it refers to the political turmoil currently going on in the USA and the rest of the world, as US president Donald Trump has been involved in heated discussions with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, while also announcing high tariffs on goods imported from both Canada and Mexico.

In response to the question, Kendrick quickly replied: “Why what happened? I did Ayahuasca and the last year of my life has just gone”. She then changed the subject back to the movie premiere as she added: “But I’ve heard the movie’s amazing”.

Ayahuasca is a a plant-based psychedelic that affects all the senses, altering a person’s thinking, sense of time and emotions, according to Healthline. People have since praised Kendrick for her response, with many fans taking to social media to share their thoughts on her response.

“Anna Kendrick couldn’t have answered this better”, one person said. A second commentator wrote: “Anna Kendrick mastering the art of saying a lot without saying anything at all”.

Others went on to express their love for the actress, saying they’re ‘ obsessed ‘ with her and her ‘ Oscar winning evasion’-esque answer.

“She heard the question and mentally clocked out immediately”, another social media user said, while another added: “She’s a freakn ‘ national treasure”.

The two actresses are believed to be in a feud of their own, as it is believed they fell out when they filmed A Simple Favour in 2018, while others insist nothing went down but scurrilous rumours.

However the rumours have once again become a topic of discussion as they started promoting the sequel, Another Simple Favour, which saw Lively give ‘ savage ‘ comments about Kendrick in a resurfaced interview.

Boots customers are eagerly grabbing Khloe Kardashian’s newest scent, and the biggest bottle comes with a 15% discount. XO Khloé, down to £63.75 from the original £75 at Boots, has only just made its debut in the UK but is already flying off the shelves.

It’s a fragrance that begins with rose petals, lavender, and sage, leading to a sweeter heart featuring praline, peach, and orange blossom. The scent finishes with an earthy foundation of musk, tonka bean, moss, and woodsy elements.

READ MORE: Hair perfumes are trending and can save you over £100 on your favourite designer fragrances

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The XO Khloé perfume was crafted by Clement Gavarry, a senior perfumer who’s had a hand in creating fragrances for Tom Ford and Phlur’s Vanilla Skin. The legendary Alberto Morillas, credited with numerous scents such as Kenzo Flower, Gucci Bloom, and Marc Jacobs Daisy, also worked on it.

On Boots ‘ website, it’s already earned an impressive five-star review with a customer raving: “This perfume is hands down my favourite. The smell is amazing, I usually go for Chanel, YSL, Thierry Mulger, Dior and Chloe. This is my new favourite and I’ve only worn it once. Beautiful”.

Fragrantica, a perfume enthusiast social network, shows even more positive reviews. One user described it as: “This is a lovely scent. It is powdery, but not in a suffocating baby powdery way. It smells like a luxurious body creme to me. It’s an I’m not wearing perfume I just smell good sort of scent. I’m happy to have it in my collection”.

Another added: “Beautiful, soft romantic scent. Very light and feminine. Similar to Chloé EDP but not exact]copy]. Love it”!.

One satisfied customer raved: “This smells amazing. It’s clean and light but present at the same time. More umph than the typical light skin scents like Glossier you etc. I really really like it. Fresh airy signature type scent. Very inoffensive and pleasant. It was a blind buy and I’m pleased”.

Meanwhile, another reviewer wasn’t so impressed, noting its simplicity: “How does it smell? Very nondescript. It’s mass appealing and soft. It wasn’t worthy to even go on my skin. The blotter card was more than enough for me. I could be blind folded and spin around and point to a dozen other designer fragrances it smells like. It’s basic. I’m sure it will do well and another fragrance will ensue next year”.

Boots shoppers can bag their 15% discount when spending over £60 on fragrances. This means the XO Khloé in a 100ml bottle is slashed from £75 down to £63.75 at the checkout, offering a saving of £11.25, reports OK!.

Ashley James admits motherhood is a “journey” and says she understands how parents struggle.

The This Morning star has never shied away from campaigning for equal rights and has even been invited to the Houses of Parliament as part of her quest. Ashley, 37, is known for holding her own and being vocal about her beliefs and even more so since becoming a parent.

Now, she has opened up about her own experiences and explained she knows how parents struggle to balance motherhood with work due to the system. Ashley is mum to daughter Ada, One, and son Alfie, three, with her husband Tommy Andrews. “Motherhood is definitely a journey”, she exclusively told the Mirror. Ashley went on to add: “I think the reason that so many of us struggle is not because of our babies and the bond we have with our babies but because we’re almost trying to do the impossible, in a system that doesn’t necessarily support us, or in a system that hasn’t really evolved since the days that the majority of us were housewives.

” Even if you look at the school hours versus working hours and the cost of childcare, there are so many barriers. I think it’s really hard, even working all day, you just have to keep going. I feel in a really good place with motherhood and I feel like they’ve become part of my drive to fight for equality and to fight for positive change. “

The TV star went on to add:” Not just for my daughter but also for my son, if you look at toxic masculinity and sexist attitudes, I don’t want him to ever feel he can’t be himself. I want him to grow up respecting women and bringing it back to football, if he ever decides that he is into football, getting to see women represented, not just as players and the Lionesses but as commentators and sport, all of this is helping men see women in their spaces. “

Ashley has joined forces with The FA and Barclays for their Biggest Ever Football Session to promote The FA’s equal access in school goal. Speaking about the partnership, Ashley commented:” I am very vocal in my desire for equality, for women and girls to have the same opportunities.

“When I learnt about The FA’s campaign, I found it really interesting, now that I have a son and a daughter, I started about the Biggest Ever Football Session happening and wanted to get on board and help and fight the amazing work that they’re doing”. Growing up in a football mad family, attending Newcastle games, Ashley admits that she never saw any female faces in the sport and it had never crossed her mind that one day, we would be celebrating women’s football.

“You see the Lionesses getting their credit, you see football stadiums around the country with women’s games being supported”, she stated. This is a role close to Ashley’s heart as she’s also an ambassador for Girlguiding, with statistics showing that 28% of girls between seven and 10 say doing well in sports boosts their confidence.

“I was with a few four to eight-year-old-girls on a shoot and they were saying it in their innocent ways that football for them is the most exciting thing about being a girl and they’re most proud that they get to do that in schools is amazing”, she commented. Nowadays, TV viewers see more women fronting major TV shows, with the likes of Cat Deeley hosting This Morning and more women in careers that had been predominantly male spaces, including astronauts.

But what women inspire Ashley on International Women’s Day? While she says there’s not one women in particular, she praises Michelle Obama for being “uplifting”. She added: “Cat Deeley, who I’m lucky enough to do This Morning with, I was such a fan of hers from a young age, I find her really inspirational, watching how competent and incredible she is as a presenter, whilst also being incredibly down to earth and chatting to every single person, from whether they work on This Morning or if they’re a guest.

” I think there’s so many amazing women. Even my daughter, she’s a huge inspiration, she sees the joy in everything – I always say she was born happy. “

Girlguiding is the UK’s largest youth organisation dedicated completely to girls, where they can be themselves, get creative, explore, and have fun. Visit girlguiding. org. uk for information on how to sign your child up or become a volunteer. The FA, in collaboration with Barclays, held the Biggest Ever Football Session (BEFS), across schools up and down the country yesterday. The day in the calendar is central to The FA’s equal access in school ambition. You can find out more information here.

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Emotional Victoria Beckham was feeling the love at Paris Fashion Week, as she posted a gushing tribute to her family.

Her brood came out to support her, including daughter Harper, who shared a sweet moment with her dad David during the outing. After Victoria’s famous family stepped out to support her, she took to Instagram to gush about her brood. “I love you so much.. Thank you all for coming out to support me xx”, she penned, alongside a snap of hubby David, Harper, 13, Cruz, 20, and Romeo with their respective girlfriends and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, in her trademark dark sunglasses.

Fans couldn’t get enough of the latest family photo, with one fan commenting, “Beautiful supportive family” while another noted,
“Funny how this has been the Vic Beckham show sitting arrangement for as long as I can remember”! And another commented, “I’m waiting for the day Harper has a significant other. What will D do”?

Spice Girl-turned-top designer Victoria’s emotional post came after the triumphant showing of the 50-year-old’s latest collection on the Paris Fashion Week runway on Friday night, showing her Fall/Winter 2025-2026 women’s ready-to-wear collection including dresses with daring sheer panels over the bodice, a nod to the nude fashion trend.

Post-show at Château de Bagatelle, a beaming Victoria hit the catwalk herself, to rounds of applause as she waved at the crowds and blew kisses, her family – bar eldest son Brooklyn, 26 – sat in the front row watching on proudly. Victoria seemed overcome with emotion at the reception of her new collection, which comes three years after her appearance at the fashion week in the French capital.

Former footballer Romeo, 22, brought along girlfriend, London DJ Kim Turnbull, 23, who stunned in a dramatic semi-sheer bodice. The pair went Instagram official with in November and Kim seems to have been warmly welcomed into the Beckham fold, joining the, at various events.

Cruz, 20, held hands with Brazilian singer Jackie Apostel, 29, who he has been dating since last June. Jackie went for a beautiful stain VB gown in navy, seemingly not to match too closely to Harper. Meanwhile, it would seem Brooklyn wasn’t part of the family FROW, as he shared snaps on his Instagram Stories at an event for his new business venture, hot sauce brand Cloud23.

As for devoted hubby David, looking dapper in a black double breasted suit, he held hands with daughter Harper, who at 13 is starting to look more and more like her famous mother – and was even promoting mum’s fashion brand, in a brown satin gown from the Victoria Beckham line, teamed with a stylish clutch and white sandals.

Romeo and Cruz arrived in Paris on Thursday night, but big brother Brooklyn and his wife Nicola Peltz have thus far been conspicuous in their absence. It’s thought Brooklyn is learning how to become a racing driver in Miami as he is currently involved in a documentary which sees celebrities experience Formula E driving. He is with the Jaguar TCS Racing and has been learning to race a Jaguar I-TYPE 7 under a gruelling training regime.

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