After Maya Jama was seen wearing the sentimental piece in the final episode of Love Island: Aftersun, people have demanded that the black choker necklace make a comeback.
Love Island host Maya Jama wore the nostalgic accessory while filming(Image: ITV)
Maya Jama strutted onto Love Island Aftersun channelling her inner Majorcan goddess, in a black netted one-shoulder floor-length gown, her hair tied into a ponytail and her neck graced with a simple necklace. To my surprise, she’d opted for a thin black piece of fabric around her neck. Lo’ and behold, the return of the choker necklace.
Chokers have been around for decades and date as far back as the late 19th century. They’ve re-emerged several times, in the 1920s and 1940s and most notably in the 1990s in line with punk, grunge, and alternative culture. Drew Barrymore, Winona Ryder and Gwen Stefani were among the many celebrities getting involved with the choker trend.
Then in the mid 2010s, the choker made yet another resurgence among young people on social media platforms like Tumblr and Instagram, and now it seems Maya is steamrolling their return again 10 years later. It comes as The Mirror recapped Love Island 2025’s shocking moments during second most complained about series.
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Maya Jama hosted the show while wearing the choker(Image: Instagram)
If you were a 90s or 2010s teen, you’d be all too familiar with the retro look, Millie Bobby Brown blew her Gen Z fans away with the “new” accessory in a number of promotional snaps from her most recent shoot with Essentia Watera.
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Lily Gladstone stayed true to her choker, telling People Magazine that she still wears the same one she bought in middle school. “The necklace that Chloe wears, the black choker that’s kind of stretchy and looks like a neck tattoo,” Gladstone said last year. “I still have mine from middle school and I definitely rock it whenever I can.”
Ariana Grande, Zoe Saldana and Elle Fanning wore diamond encrusted ones at the Oscars earlier this year. But for those on a tight budget, don’t fret, it looks like the black plastic, painfully tight, interlaced chokers are making a retro revival.
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Social media users are increasingly creative with their choker designs these days, with many turning to DIY to make their own bespoke necklaces, frequently decorated with spikes, jewels, chain links, pearls, and other embellishments.
On TikTok, there are currently over 180k videos using the #chokernecklace tag. The traditional black choker necklace made a comeback in one viral video from last year, according to creator @daniellemarcan. Another user stated in the comments that they have worn the same pair since 2018 and that they have never stopped wearing them.
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A third user posted a TikTok video wearing hers with the caption “Petition to return choker necklaces! “!
One star sign will need work space as one person tries to let go of perfection in today’s horoscope for Thursday, August 8th.
Find out what’s written in the stars with our astrologer Russell Grant(Image: Daily Record/GettyImages)
One star sign anticipates change while another treats themselves as a result of Thursday’s star.
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)
By performing daily housework, you can keep the good energy in your home flowing. When you and your roommates don’t get into arguments over who does what and when, things will get better. You can quickly and easily restore order to your home, even though some tasks may seem challenging. Everyone will feel more upbeat after reading this.
Taurus (Apr 21 – May 21)
You appear to be the most knowledgeable and skilled in a group setting. When faced with difficult issues, it will be flattering to others to turn to you as their go-to counselor. Keep in mind that your job is to offer genuine assistance and guidance, not just to get compliments.
Gemini (May 22 – June 21)
It may be wise to consult a qualified professional in some circumstances. They can advise you in the best way. It might be difficult for you to deal with some issues alone because of your own opinions and preferences. Talking to a trusted friend will be helpful if no professional assistance is available.
Cancer (June 22 – July 23)
You enjoy giving things away to others, but you recently decided to make some personal purchases for yourself, not for anyone else. Treat yourself to a spa day, make a cosmetic purchase, or purchase a product you’ve been wanting for some time. You have put in a lot of effort, and you deserved it.
Leo (July 24 – Aug 23)
You’re in for a treat if you’ve been hoping that your life would change in some way. Old commitments will be broken in favor of the new when an offer or opportunity arises. You become enthralled by this kind of change. You might feel the urge to reinvent yourself if nothing is happening right now.
Virgo (Aug 24 – Sept 23)
Since now, challenging and time-consuming tasks have been completed, you can expect to save a lot of time and effort in the future. You’ll experience a lot of relief as a result of this. Although not everything will be perfect, things are definitely improving.
Libra (Sept 24 – Oct 23)
Your time has been consuming far too much, both at work and at home. You haven’t had as much personal space as you would have liked. Family members will start voicing their concerns if you continue to prioritize your career over your family.
Scorpio (Oct 24 – Nov 22)
You have always had the ability to trust your gut and have sensed subtle changes. Your privacy will be affected by what is going on right now. You won’t be surprised by the sudden change, but you will want to consider whether someone you care about is starting to cause you more pain than joy.
Sagittarius (Nov 23 – Dec 21)
Some of the things happening today are not making you feel good. A difficult situation only gets worse if you persist in it. You may not be in a good mood, even someone who has just arrived. If you’ve had a positive working relationship with management in the past, they might allow you to leave early.
Capricorn (Dec 22 – Jan 20)
You’ll have a welcome chance to connect with the right people for your professional future if you switch plans at the beginning of the day. It would be best to avoid flattery or to approach those who would be very supportive of you. Simply be patient and watch as the situation develops.
Aquarius (Jan 21 – Feb 19)
You might discover that you were in a place or setting you didn’t expect to be. You don’t seem to be enthusiastic about certain events, despite the fact that they may seem advantageous. You might need some time to reflect on your feelings in order to understand them.
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Pisces (Feb 20 – Mar 20)
You might have to devote yourself to the lessening tasks at hand because other people aren’t available or unwilling to do so. Although your coworkers will offer to take on your more creative responsibilities, you would prefer that they make similar offers for assistance elsewhere.
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One of the most creative rumba and Latin jazz musicians, Eddie Palmieri, has passed away at the age of 88.
The musician, a pioneer in the rumba and Latin jazz genres, won eight Grammy Awards during his distinguished career over the course of his 70 years. His 1975 original was the first Latino to ever receive a Grammy.
However, Palmieri’s career reached its height in the 1980s, when he was regarded as a global ambassador for Latin Jazz and had traveled extensively. The musician received two more Grammy Awards for his contributions to the genres Palo pa’ rumba (1984) and Solito (1985).
The father, who founded the bands La Perfecta, La Perfecta II, and Harlem River Drive, remained a musician and entertainer until his 80s and steadfastly performed livestreams during the coronavirus pandemie. The star, however, had a recent bout of illness that had gotten in the way of him, and on Wednesday, his daughter Gabriela confirmed that he passed away at home in New Jersey.
Palmieri entertained fans for 70 years in Georgia, the United States, in 2023 (Getty Images).
Palmieri’s passing was also made public by Fania Records, who hailed the musician as a musical legend. According to the agent, Palmieri was a teenager who learned to play both the piano and the timbale drums when he was a teenager.
A collection of calming numbers with romantic undertones, Palmieri’s first Grammy-winning album The Sun of Latin Music is still a salsa classic. Despite receiving the award, Palmieri maintained a demeanor and wit that will stand out in his memory.
When asked if he had anything important to do in 2011 when asked if he had left, the humble star said, “Learning to play the piano well… One thing about piano playing is that. Another profession is being a pianist.
In the 1950s, Palmieri played piano for the Eddie Forrester Orchestra and experimented with tropical music. Before founding his own band, La Perfecta, in 1961, along with trombonist Barry Rogers and singer Ismael Quintana, he later joined Johnny Segu’s band and Tito Rodrguez’s.
The modest pianist, who was born in New York City, has won numerous Grammys (Getty Images) for his music.
With the release of Harlem River Drive, Eddie merged Black and Latin styles to create a sound that incorporated elements of salsa, funk, soul, and jazz, surprising critics and fans once more.
Many fans still consider Eddie Palmieri &’s album Friends in Concert, Live at the University of Puerto Rico to be a salsa gem. The musician continued to be well-known and received praise for his 2000 album Masterpiece, which teamed him with the legendary Tito Puente, who passed away months later.
The 2000 film Masterpiece won two Grammy Awards and received positive reviews from the critics. The National Foundation for Popular Culture of Puerto Rico also chose the album as its year’s most outstanding production.
In recognition of Palmieri’s contribution to building communities through music, Yale University awarded him the Chubb Fellowship Award in 2002, an honor typically reserved for foreign heads of state. He influenced people’s musical tastes by bringing salsa and Latin jazz, among others, to countries as far away as North Africa, Australia, Asia, and Europe.
One of the most creative rumba and Latin jazz musicians, Eddie Palmieri, has passed away at the age of 88.
The musician, a pioneer in the rumba and Latin jazz genres, won eight Grammy Awards during his distinguished career over the course of his 70 years. His 1975 original was the first Latino to ever receive a Grammy.
However, Palmieri’s career reached its height in the 1980s, when he was regarded as a global ambassador for Latin Jazz and had traveled extensively. The musician received two more Grammy Awards for his contributions to the genres Palo pa’ rumba (1984) and Solito (1985).
The father, who founded the bands La Perfecta, La Perfecta II, and Harlem River Drive, remained a musician and entertainer until his 80s and steadfastly performed livestreams during the coronavirus pandemie. The star, however, had a recent bout of illness that had gotten in the way of him, and on Wednesday, his daughter Gabriela confirmed that he passed away at home in New Jersey.
Palmieri entertained fans for 70 years in Georgia, the United States, in 2023 (Getty Images).
Palmieri’s passing was also made public by Fania Records, who hailed the musician as a musical legend. According to the agent, Palmieri was a teenager who learned to play both the piano and the timbale drums when he was a teenager.
A collection of calming numbers with romantic undertones, Palmieri’s first Grammy-winning album The Sun of Latin Music is still a salsa classic. Despite receiving the award, Palmieri maintained a demeanor and wit that will stand out in his memory.
When asked if he had anything important to do in 2011 when asked if he had left, the humble star said, “Learning to play the piano well… One thing about piano playing is that. Another profession is being a pianist.
In the 1950s, Palmieri played piano for the Eddie Forrester Orchestra and experimented with tropical music. Before founding his own band, La Perfecta, in 1961, along with trombonist Barry Rogers and singer Ismael Quintana, he later joined Johnny Segu’s band and Tito Rodrguez’s.
The modest pianist, who was born in New York City, has won numerous Grammys (Getty Images) for his music.
With the release of Harlem River Drive, Eddie merged Black and Latin styles to create a sound that incorporated elements of salsa, funk, soul, and jazz, surprising critics and fans once more.
Many fans still consider Eddie Palmieri &’s album Friends in Concert, Live at the University of Puerto Rico to be a salsa gem. The musician continued to be well-known and received praise for his 2000 album Masterpiece, which teamed him with the legendary Tito Puente, who passed away months later.
The 2000 film Masterpiece won two Grammy Awards and received positive reviews from the critics. The National Foundation for Popular Culture of Puerto Rico also chose the album as its year’s most outstanding production.
In recognition of Palmieri’s contribution to building communities through music, Yale University awarded him the Chubb Fellowship Award in 2002, an honor typically reserved for foreign heads of state. He influenced people’s musical tastes by bringing salsa and Latin jazz, among others, to countries as far away as North Africa, Australia, Asia, and Europe.
EXCLUSIVE: Podcaster and Tom Parker’s widow Kelsey Parker has devastatingly shared how she told her children about the death of her baby Phoenix and how they are navigating grief
Kelsey Parker has opened up about suffering the loss of her baby(Image: OK! Magazine / Chelsea White)
Kelsey Parker is “taking each day as it comes” as she opens up for the first time about the loss of her baby Phoenix. The podcast host and widow of The Wanted’s Tom Parker sadly announced her third child was born stillborn at 39 weeks in June.
She had looked forward to welcoming her first child with partner Will Lindsay, who she found love with two years after Tom’s tragic death from an inoperable brain tumor in 2022. After announcing she was pregnant in January, five months later, Kelsey broke the devastating news that the little boy who they had named Phoenix, was stillborn. A bereft Kelsey took time away from social media and from work.
Speaking out in her first interview since the tragedy,Kelsey said: “I didn’t think I’d be living a relived experience, first losing Tom and now losing Phoenix.
Singer Tom died in 2022 aged 33 after a brain tumour diagnosis
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“But I think with any grief and loss, you have to take each day as it come and work through it.” About one in every 250 births results in a stillbirth, according to the NHS.
Kelsey is mum to children Aurelia, six, and Bodhi, four, with The Wanted singer, and now the family have now experienced death again with their younger sibling.
“For the kids, it just breaks my heart for them because obviously we wanted the happy ever after and to have Phoenix but that didn’t pan out for us,” Kelsey says.
The mum said when it came to breaking the sad news to Aurelia and Bodhi so soon after they’d lost their father, she used her first encounter with grief to guide her with the latest heartbreak. “I spoke about it like I did with Tom, I just told them the truth.
“I think that’s all you can do with your children, in anything you’re going through, be honest. Because I think people underestimate their children and what their children can cope with. Children have little ears and they listen to a lot of conversations.”
Kelsey Parker with her partner Will Lindsay and children Aurelia and Bodhi Parker(Image: OK! Magazine / Chelsea White)
While filming her documentary, Kelsey Parker: Life After Tom, the mum met a family who lost their dad to suicide. “The children said they felt so shut out because all the adults kept coming and having conversations in rooms and shutting the children out and I think they felt isolated. Whereas I don’t want my children to feel like that, they are very involved in the conversations.”
Kelsey revealed losing their dad Tom actually helped Aurelia and Bodhi grieve Phoenix. “I think for them it actually makes it easier because they’ve gone through loss, they understand what death is.
“We’re sort of almost like the Addams Family because we’ve gone though so much death and darkness. The children are very aware.
“Aurelia likes to tell people that her dad’s died and her brother’s died. She will openly say it, but it’s other people’s reactions. They can’t cope with how honest and open we are.
“But it’s a fact of life, we are all going to die that is one thing guaranteed. We’re going to be born and we’re going die.” Kelsey has received the love and support from her family during the devastating time, and been supported by Tom’s parents who she remains close with.
Kelsey has opened up about sharing the heartbreaking news with Aurelia and Bodhi(Image: OK! Magazine / Chelsea White)
“Noreen and Nige, Tom’s mum and dad, have literally been there for me every day since. We were absolutely devastated. I call Noreen all the time, we always talk.
“We’re going through grief again.” Noreen had shared her blessings when Kelsey became pregnant with Phoenix. “I knew she would [be ok with her having another child] because she wants me to be happy,” said Kelsey.
“She wants her grandchildren to be happy, that’s all we want after going through something so tragic. She’s just there for me and she’s a massive, massive support.
“We spoke to each other every day since losing Phoenix and she was just as devastated as as every family member because she wanted that happiness for me and the kids.”
Kelsey decided to announce Phoenix’s death with an emotional and touching poem, which was titled: “For Phoenix, Born Sleeping, Forever Loved.”
It read: “The world grew quiet as you arrived. So loved, so longed for, yet not alive. Our precious boy, our angel light. Born with wings, took silent flight.
“We named you Phoenix, brave and bright. A soul of love, of warmth and light. Though we never heard you cry, you’ll live in hearts that won’t ask why.”
Kelsey’s poem for her late son concluded: “No breath you drew, no eyes to see. Still, you mean everything to me. You’ll journey with us, softly near. In every sigh, in every tear.”
Sharing her decision to post the poem, Kelsey said she was feeling ‘raw’ about the loss but wanted to be honest about what had happened.
“I knew everyone was going to be so devastated for me because the messages I’ve had. [People say] ‘how can you go through this again? You’ve lost the love of your life, now you’re going through this’.”
Kelsey still finds grief in the public eye hard, but there are some aspects that add comfort. “People know on a public level what I’ve been through so if I had lost Phoenix and had to go and do the school run and people didn’t know, I think that would be really hard because people would be saying ‘where’s the baby’.”
Kelsey is spreading the importance of keeping photos(Image: Missive)
Kelsey has decided to slowly return to work as she navigates her grief. She has teamed up with Virgin Media O2 and Hubbub for a campaign aiming to get people to revisit memories trapped in old phones, so the device can be donated to someone who needs it.
“Work gets me through hard times,” Kelsey shared. “Some people don’t like work, I love work. I am trying to take it slowly, ease myself back in.”
She has been supported by her Mum’s the Word podcast co-host Georgia Jones during her break away. “Georgia has actually been a massive support and she’s messaging me each week and checking in and making sure I’m okay,” Kelsey shared.
She also threw herself and her kids into routine following Phoenix’s death, something she is finding harder now it is the school summer break.
Sharing the reason behind her tough decision, Kelsey confessed: “I think that was important for people to see me at the school and for the kids to see that you have to be strong and you have to be brave however tough life is.
“You have to be brave and show up and that’s what I try and do. Show up for my children so they can look at me and go, you know what, my mummy’s very strong. She will get us through anything.”
Yet, not everyday is straight forward in grief. “It’s the same when I lost Tom, you have really, really s**t days that you actually can’t get out of bed and you think, am I ever going to get through this? But I have two children that need me. You can literally be one second laughing, the next minute crying. Grief hits you different times.”
Kelsey Parker is supporting Virgin Media O2 and Hubbub’s Community Calling initiative to encourage people to donate unwanted smartphones to those who need them. Through Community Calling – an initiative set up to tackle digital exclusion – unused, working devices can be rehomed to someone in need. More information can be found at https://hubbub.org.uk/community-calling.
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Yasmin, a Love Island star, and her ex-boyfriend Jamie found love and finished third on the ITV2 reality series, but she has since experienced heartache.
Love Island star Yasmin Pettet has been dealt with fresh heartbreak just days after finishing third with Jamie Rhodes (Image: ITV/Shutterstock)
Love Island’s Yasmin Pettet has been dealt with heartbreak just days after leaving the villa. The reality star, 24, made it to the final of the latest series of the ITV2 reality dating show, and finished in third place with now-boyfriend Jamie Rhodes but just days after the programme drew to a close, she has revealed that her cat Miaow Miaow passed away while she was filming.
On Wednesday, she wrote on a black background on her Instagram story: “As I’ve spoken about her on the show I’m sure a lot of you will know I have a cat called miaow miaow who’s been by my side for 11 years now. When I was filming Love Island I had a bad gut feeling something was off and when my mum and sister came into the villa I asked them and still felt like something was off.”
Revealing that her family chose not to tell of her of the tragedy at the time and she was informed by her sister once filming had finished, she added: “Rightfully they didn’t tell me because I was still in the villa but after the final I called my sister and she told me that miaow miaow had cancer and died whilst I was away filming Love Island.” It comes after Love Island fans fume as third place couple announced as Yas and Jamie.
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Despite the heartbreak, Yasmin recently spoke of her positive experience in the villa after finishing third with boyfriend Jamie (Image: ITV/Shutterstock)
The commercial banking executive assured her fans that she was trying to keep up with her social media as much as possible but also explained to her near-350,000 followers that she needs time to deal with the ‘heartbreak’ she has had to endure. She added: “I’m trying to be as active as I can on socials, but am taking time for myself to process this heartbreak., RIP to my beautiful baby girl, you were so loved and will always be in my soul.”
Fans flooded social media with messages of sympathy for Yasmin’s feline friend after she was mentioned several times in the Love Island villa. One person shared that the news that her cat had passed away while she was staying at the villa was the most heartbreaking thing she could have ever imagined and that she was so excited to see her baby who isn’t there anymore.
One viewer, who was clearly shocked by the news, said: “I’m crying because she immediately asked her parents and sisters how Miaow Miaow was when they visited the villa and they had to lieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee,” while another said: “Nooo Yasmins cat Miaow died while she was talking about Not the icon passing away, a second fan wrote. While Yasmin was staying at the villa, her cat from the island of love perished.
Despite the depressing news, Yasmin’s first post after leaving the villa acknowledged her positive experience on the show, and she thanked some of her co-stars throughout her time with the competition. Without Jamie, Toni, and Shakira, I really wouldn’t have been able to do it, she wrote. “My love island journey was crazy, to say the least. I’m so appreciative and blessed, and I’m eager to see what the future holds. Before Cach and Toni claimed the £50, 000 prize, she and her significant other were announced as the third-place couple, who had finished ahead of Harry and Shakira.
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One user wrote on X/Twitter, “Not my winners third,” and another, “Harry sneaks into the top two over yas and jamie someone hand me a gun.” One disgruntled fan said, “I’m lowkey shocked yas and jamie are thirds.”
“Yas and Jamie 3rd place???? Can the UK accomplish anything? “I wasn’t expecting yas and jamie to be third, actually,” one said. Angel and Ty were named the fourth-place couple in the meantime. Ty said: “It’s definitely going in the right direction,” and he said he was looking forward to the outside world with her. The two are now “exclusive.”
