Category Entertainment News

Good Morning Britain host Kate Garraway surrounded herself by her pals as she lifted a drink to her late husband Derek Draper following his tragic death last year aged 56

Kate Garraway has marked her late husband Derek Draper’s birthday by raising a toast alongside her pals. The Good Morning Britain host, 57, has been open about the difficulties she has faced following her husband’s death.

Derek sadly died in January last year at the age of 56, nearly four years after battling complications from Covid-19. Following his death, Kate shared an emotional tribute, revealing that she had stayed by his side during his final moments.

She had opened the doors of their home to film crews, who documented her life as she juggled being a carer, mum and TV star. It comes after Darius Danesh’s ex-wife speaks out after pop star died after refusing operation.

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Kate was supported by her pals as she marked Derek’s 58th birthday. The group beamed for a selfie together as Kate raised a glass up to the camera.

She was joined by BBC Radio 6’s Chris Hawkins, meteorologist Clare Nasir and her manager Vickie. “Happy 58th birthday, Derek Draper…Cheers to you. We miss you x,” Vickie said.

Kate re-shared the photo to her own social media account and her 1.3million followers. She heartbreakingly shared the sad news of Derek’s death last year.

“It breaks my heart to say that my wonderful husband Derek has passed away,” she wrote in a heartfelt post. “He spent his last days surrounded by family, and I held his hand through those final hours.”

Since Derek’s death, Kate has been candid about her financial burden as well as difficulties of parenting daughter Darcey, 19, and son William, 15, solo.

During a discussion on Good Morning Britain, she revealed that the cost of Derek’s round-the-clock care left her in overwhelming debt. “At the time of his passing, we had two unresolved appeals for funding, but they just kept getting delayed,” she said.

“I’m fortunate to have a well-paying job, but even with that, I had to cover all the costs myself. Now I’m left with an unmanageable amount of debt. If I’m in this position, how are other families supposed to cope?”

In March, Kate shared how parenting alone has been her most challenging aspect of Derek no longer being there. Speaking to Daily Mail Weekend Magazine, Kate said: “This is the hardest part of grieving.

“There are so many moments where I just think, ‘Derek, where are you?’” She reflected on how parenting had always been a shared responsibility between them, something they did instinctively without assigning strict roles.

“Now, I have to take on everything – the fun parent, the one keeping everyone on track, and the one panicking, yelling, ‘Oh my God, you’re going to fail everything!’” she admitted. “I make so many mistakes, but don’t we all? Is there really such a thing as a perfect mother?”

Kate also shared how she is hit by a “tsunami of sadness” in the middle of the night as she wakes up panicking thinking she hasn’t given Derek his medicines.

“Being a carer, its joys and its responsibilities, stays with you even after you have lost the person,” she wrote in a piece for The Sun. “I still wake up in the middle of the night panicking that I haven’t given him his medicine, or that I have forgotten to move him every hour to prevent the painful contractions in his limbs.

“The next second I realise he no longer needs that care. There is a moment of relief — that I did not let him down — before a tsunami of sadness hits.”

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The former Chelsea midfielder was forced to temporarily step back from football in 2019 after receiving a painful diagnosis

Footballer Fran Kirby has spoken out about her frightening experience of pericarditis, after experiencing symptoms similar to indigestion. The athlete, who played for England’s Lionesses for 11 years, thought it spelt the end of her career and took time to recover in 2019.

“It’s quite a sudden and dramatic story, to be honest,” the former Chelsea midfielder told the Mirror in an exclusive interview. “I was just at home, having dinner and with my two teammates, and I went to take a sip of Coke Zero, and then it just all of a sudden just got really, really bad chest pains.

“And it kind of felt a little bit like indigestion, but it was like 300 times worse than what I was used to. And I sat there for a couple of seconds thinking, ‘Okay, like, is this going to pass? Is it going to go away?’ And it just never did.

“And then I started to panic and get a little bit kind of frantic around the table. And I was just kept saying, ‘I don’t feel well. I don’t feel well, there’s something wrong.'”

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In a matter of moments, Fran was overcome with dizziness and collapsed on the floor. Paramedics rushed to her aid and, while they initially said everything looked fine, a doctor wasn’t quite convinced.

“The pain in my chest was so extreme – it literally felt like someone was trying to pull it out,” Fran continued. “I was really fatigued leading up to it, but as an athlete, that’s normal. It wasn’t until the chest pain hit that I knew something was seriously wrong.

“He got me seen by a cardiologist, and that’s when I was diagnosed with pericarditis.” Pericarditis is an inflammation of the heart’s outer lining, affecting roughly 28 in every 100,000 people each year, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Whilst it’s curable and not usually serious, it can give rise to several complications and is generally accompanied by incredibly debilitating symptoms. For Fran, this not only included chest pain but severe fatigue that even made climbing the stairs difficult.

In light of this, she had no choice but to step away from football for several months. She described this as the ‘hardest thing’, entirely stripping her of her identity.

“I’d always seen myself as Fran, the footballer,” the 32-year-old added. “I thought, ‘Give it a couple of weeks and it’ll be fine. I’ll be ready to go.’ And the doctor said, ‘No, no, no, you need to take this quite seriously. You can’t push yourself until you’re ready to do so.’

“So, I think once I got through the early stages and I still was feeling quite poorly, I thought, ‘Okay, this is going to be a long time now.”

After a course of anti-inflammatory medication and a lengthy recovery period, Fran eventually resumed playing football, returning in time to make the Lionesses’ winning EURO 2022 squad.

She retired from the Lionesses in June this year but is still deemed ‘one of the most recognisable faces of England’s rise’, boasting 79 caps and 19 goals across her international career. She also signed for Brighton & Hove Albion in July 2024.

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Reflecting on the whole ordeal, Fran said she’s now far more conscious of her well-being and is keen to stress that not everyone with heart issues looks how you might expect them to.

“Being a healthy athlete who trained since I was five years old, I never felt that I would ever have a problem with my heart,” she continued. “Luckily, I’m back to full health now. I’m training just as hard as I used to, and don’t need ongoing treatment.

“…I’m so much more aware of the power of keeping track of my health. As an athlete and as a person, knowledge is power. To understand what’s going on inside and understand why you’re feeling a certain way, and to just not suffer.

“I think for so many years, so many people just accept that it’s normal to feel illness or pain when actually, it might be something that you can get help with. To understand your body is one of the most powerful things you can do.

“That’s why I’m taking part in the On the Ball campaign with Bluecrest, because I think ongoing monitoring is just so important to help you understand your health and potentially prevent something that could make you very ill. I’ve had my first Bluecrest health assessment, and I’m even more into my health stats now!”

Tristan Rogers has died at the age of 79, his manager confirmed in a sad statement. The General Hospital actor’s death comes just weeks after a statement revealed he had been diagnosed with lung cancer.

His manager Meryl Soodak said: “He loved being [Robert] Scorpio and he created that role from nothing [on General Hospital]. He was supposed to work a day and he ended up making it into something huge. He was just a genuinely loyal, kind human being and he loved his family.”

Speaking to ABC7, Soodak said the actor passed away Friday morning after a being diagnosed with lung cancer. He also noted that Rogers had never been a smoker.

Just weeks earlier, Tristan’s friend and publicist, Anthony Turk, shared a press release to reveal the sad news of his cancer diagnosis. It read: “‘Beloved Emmy-winning actor Tristan Rogers, best known for his role as Robert Scorpio on the daytime drama, General Hospital, is sharing with fans that he has been diagnosed with cancer.

“While he remains hopeful and is working closely with his medical team on a treatment plan, this is a challenging time for Tristan and his family.”

He went on to request “privacy and understanding” and added the family was facing “emotional and physical burdens that come with this diagnosis”.

Anthony concluded: “‘They are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support and love from their friends and family. Tristan sends his love to his fans and wants them to know how much he appreciates their loyalty and encouragement over the years. This support means more to him now than ever.”

Fans of Tristan were also quick to share messages of condolence online following the sad news. Jon Lindstrom said on Twitter/X: “I know the sadness I feel at this news is shared by so many of you. #TristanRogers was one of the coolest, funniest people I ever met.

Whenever we were together, which wasn’t nearly often enough, we never missed a chance to try to crack the other one up. I wish I’d had more of those chances. R.I.P”

Tristan had been a part of the stateside soap since 1980. He had taken a step back in recent years, but did reprise his role last year. His final time on air on the show came on November 12 last year.

As well as appearing in General Hospital, Tristan had other big roles on soaps in the US. He featured in Young and Restless as Colin Atkinson, while he also starred as Hunter Jones on Bold and Beautiful.

Other credits to his name came in the likes of Walt Disney Pictures’ The Rescuers Down Under, where he was the voice of Jake. And he also starred in Four Dimensions of Greta in 1972, The Flesh and Blood Show in the same year and Sex Farm from the following year.

He had been married to Teresa Parkerson since 1995, with the duo sharing daughter, Sara Jane, 32, and son, Cale, 29.

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EastEnder actor Nicholas Ball died ‘broke’ as his wife Ayda has been left with nothing from his will following his death last year aged 79 following a short illness

EastEnders star Nicholas Ball left nothing to his wife following his death last year. The actor died aged 79 following a short illness and was known for portraying gang lord Terry Bates in the popular BBC soap.

His character is remembered for attacking Peggy Mitchell and causing havoc in the iconic Queen Victoria pub. Ball also appeared in Footballers’ Wives, where he took on the role of Garry Ryan, the club chairman and a former rockstar.

Despite his on screen success, record show Ball left no will and nothing in his estate. It comes after Darius Danesh’s ex-wife speaks out after pop star died after refusing operation.

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Administration of Ball’s estate was granted to his wife Ayda Kay, who he wed in 2019 after over two decades together. A High Court document reads: “The application has stated that the gross value of the estate in the United Kingdom amounts to £0 and the net value amounts to £0.”

In June last year, Ball’s agent revealed in a statement that he had “passed away following a short illness” and noted that his acting career, which spanned theatre and the small screen, was impressively long-standing across six decades.

Ayda also shared a statement as she said at the time: “It is with the heaviest and broken of hearts, that I share the loss of my beloved Nicky-Nicholas Ball.”

Ball had been married to actress and psychologist Pamela Stephenson from 1978 to 1984, but she left him for comedian Billy Connolly.

Director Keith English paid tribute to him after his death, as he said: “Fabulous as star of hit TV show ‘Hazell’ in the 1980s, Nick was a terrific actor – kind and generous.

“He starred in our short film ‘Top Dog’ in 2001 in which he was great and we became life-long friends with him and his wife, Ayda Kay. Indeed, we were honoured when the pair of them asked if they could be married in our garden in 2019.

“A fabulous affair. One of our fondest memories was going to see Jerry Goldsmith play The Royal Albert Hall with him and his great friend Mel Smith.

“Mel had hired a box for the show. Both men were known hell-raisers and, sure enough, when the four of us rolled up they were both fairly merry and proceeded to football-chant ‘There’s only one Jerry Goldsmith!’ between musical pieces to an uneven response from the rest of the auditorium.

“Nick was a loving husband, friend and a wonderful actor. We enjoyed every minute of his company. Farewell and bon voyage.” His television credits extended to crime shows such as Jonathan Creek, Hustle, Heartbeat and Bergerac.

He also featured in comedies like Red Dwarf and The Young Ones, and the drama The Crezz. Ball secured roles in various film projects, including Overlord, Rogue Male, crime drama The Krays: Dead Man Walking; and an adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous.

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Katie Price took to social media to share a post about ‘saints and sinners’ after ex-husband Peter Andre released a scathing statement and acknowledged her wrongdoing over the years

Katie Price took to Instagram to send a cryptic post about “saints and sinners” just a day after ex-husband Peter Andre’s scathing statement. Katie, 47, took to the social media platform and appeared to aim thinly veiled digs at the singer, 52.

And as she did so, she candidly opened up about her past and explained the traumas she has faced. However, she also claimed some people in life put on a front to protect their image.

In her cryptic post, Katie wrote: “Saints and Sinners. As we know, in this life we are thought of as Saints and Sinners. I know I will always be seen as a Sinner. That’s fair, I allowed myself to fall into a reliance on drugs and alcohol.

“At times I was not the mother I should have been while I struggled with mental illness. I have been at times a poor friend, an awful sibling, and an untrustworthy partner. I’ve self-medicated, been unfaithful, damaged myself and those that I love.

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“I’ve had my reasons – I was sexually abused when younger; had relationships that have been coercive; and my mental health issues – but I don’t want to make excuses. I’ve recognised my issues and worked to put them behind me. Sometimes | tried and failed, sometimes I succeeded.

“I’ve pulled myself out of a suicidal spiral because I love my children and want to be there for them. I don’t pretend to be perfect by any means – but I’m trying to be the best I can.”

She went on: “Then there are the ‘Saints’. Some are genuine and some have helped me. But some Saints are not who they would have you believe they are.

“They have a carefully managed image which must be exhausting to maintain. Some Saints are fake. They play the victim and to succeed in life they need a villain…or at least a Sinner. Without the Sinner they don’t get to be the Saint…

“As a Sinner – I sometimes get bored of these Saints. But maybe I should feel sorry for them, It must be such hard work having to pretend all the time.” Katie concluded by saying: “Anyway, all you Sinners keep your heads up and keep trying to be better. All you Saints, it’s ok not to be perfect.”

The comment came a day after Peter furiously took to the platform as the feud between the pair intensified after their 18-year-old daughter’s recent reality TV show, The Princess Diaries aired. While Peter is involved in the making of the show, Katie says she was shunned by the production team.

Peter said: “For sixteen years, I have stayed silent in the face of repeated lies from my ex-wife and her family, out of respect for my children and loved ones, but staying silent has been incredibly frustrating. That ends today.

“The latest comments about my children’s welfare and living arrangements compel me to set the record straight. For well-documented reasons, and for their safety, Junior and Princess came into my care in 2018 and remained with me until they reached adulthood. In 2019, the family courts issued a legally binding order to enforce this arrangement. I have never made this public before, out of respect for my children.

“In 2011 and 2015, publicly documented court cases, found my ex-wife had made false claims. She was ordered to pay substantial damages and legal costs, and to apologise, to me and my management. The same falsehoods are being repeated today. Unfortunately, there are many more lies and baseless accusations I have yet to address. Those will now be dealt with in the coming months.”

And Princess also opened up on the family feud on social media. One fan on Snapchat asked her: “Does it affect you even now when your mum and dad don’t get on?’

Princess then said in a video on the platform: “To be honest it doesn’t affect me. At the end of the day, they broke up when I was two years old so I don’t even have any memory of them being together.”

Writing on top of the clip, she added: “I love my mum and dad and that’s all that matters xxx.”

The Mirror has approached Peter Andre’s spokesperson for comment.

If you’re struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit their site to find your local branch

*Frank offers confidential advice about drugs and addiction (email frank@talktofrank.com, message 82111 or call 0300 123 6600) or the NHS has information about getting help.

If you’ve been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999