Vicky Pattison first found fame years ago on Geordie Shore but she has now swapped nights out for the dance floor as she takes part in this year’s series of Strictly Come Dancing
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Vicky is currently on Strictly(Image: BBC/PA Wire)
Strictly Come Dancing’s Vicky Pattison has admitted that she has a “huge question mark over motherhood” amid feeling the baby pressure. The Geordie Shore star has opened up about becoming a mum in the future but also feeling pressure to star a family at 37.
She has said that the pressure to have a baby now that she is married is “suffocating”. The star tied the knot with long-term partner Ercan Ramadan last summer and has now spoken about what the two of them think about parenthood.
The reality star has said that she has worked since Geordie Shore to build a successful career on TV but is now scared to take a break from this.
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Vicky spoke in an interview with Women’s Health UK, where she talked about how she feels about potentially juggling motherhood and her career. She explained that she is a big advocate for egg freezing as it offers women more freedom, but also understands she comes from a place of “financial privilege”.
She said: “Women shouldn’t be beholden to this invisible timeline. We’re fed this narrative that we can have it all and do whatever we want, but it’s not necessarily true. In women’s lives, there has to be a lot of compromise involved.”
Speaking on the Women’s Health Just as Well podcast with Gemma Atkinson and Claire Sanderson, Vicky explained: “My mum told me ‘If not having children is your trajectory, that’s fine,’ which I thought was powerful.
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“I think we’re coming around to the idea as a society that a woman doesn’t have to have children to be fulfilled – and, for me, there’s still a huge question mark over motherhood. I’ve worked to finally get to a place where I’m proud of who I’m becoming, and the thought of taking a break… it scares me.”
Ercan and Vicky got engaged back in 2022, before they got married in front of the cameras last year for a Channel 4 documentary titled My Big Fat Geordie Wedding.
Vicky is currently taking part in the latest series of Strictly Come Dancing where she is competing alongside professional dancer Kai Widdrington. Vicky has managed to show off her dancing floors, impressing the judges each week.
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Last Saturday night saw her dance an impressive Charleston to A Little Party Never Killed Nobody from The Great Gatsby for this year’s Movie Week. However, it wasn’t an easy week of rehearsals for her and Kai.
The pair of them both fell ill during the week and had to pull out of an appearance on Strictly spin-off It Takes Two. At the time Vicky shared a photo of her essentials that were helping her feel better including lozenges, cough syrup, ginger shots, oranges and juice.
Shoppers have been going wild for the budget chain’s new accessory, which they’re adding to their front doors
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Home Bargains shoppers are loving the new home accessory(Image: Getty)
Winter is just around the corner, and fans of the season are already beginning to shop for festive decorations to adorn their homes. Home Bargains shoppers are loving a “gorgeous” £10 item for their front doors, which is likely to prove even more popular once Christmas celebrations begin.
The retailer has launched a festive wreath that has shoppers talking on social media. The new £9.99 wreath stands out with a Disney shape and colourful ornaments – and customers are loving the decor.
TikTok user and Home Bargains fan @findingroisin shared a clip showcasing the new product online. The post was captioned: “Gorgeous NEW Mickey shaped Christmas wreath from Home Bargains.”
The wreath was also featured in a video shared by TikTok user @broganandharrison_, in a clip captioned: “A Mickey Mouse shaped Christmas Wreath…yes please!! What a bargain, only £9.99. Home Bargains coming through with the Disney Christmas Decorations.”
The post racked up 24.3k views, hundreds of likes and a number of comments from excited shoppers. Among them, one person said: “It’s lush.”
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A second wrote: “Yey! It’ll be a perfect Disney Christmas.” A third comment read: “I bought this today for my Mickey obsessed daughter” and a fourth said: “Love it.”
Another shopper wrote: “I got it, it’s lush” and one said: “Best purchase everrr.” One comment read: “How cuteeee.”
On the Home Bargains website, the Disney Rattan Shaped Wreath product description reads: “Bring some Disney magic to your festive décor with the charming Disney Rattan Shaped Wreath—perfect for doors, walls, mantels, or windows to add a cosy, fun holiday touch!”
It added: “Add a touch of Disney magic to your holiday décor with this adorable Rattan Shaped Wreath! It’s the perfect festive piece for any Disney lover. Great for doors, walls, mantels, or windows. A festive touch that blends Disney fun with Christmas cosiness.”
Home Bargains shoppers can choose from various wreath designs this year, as highlighted in social media posts from the retailer, which showcase the different options available in-store. In one post, the retailer highlighted several green and red wreaths, including the cowbell design. The caption said: “‘New wreaths, new vibes! Make your home sparkle this Christmas.”
Merit’s new Brandon Maxwell collab lets shoppers score a free designer handbag, here’s how to claim yours
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Merit’s new Brandon Maxwell collab lets shoppers score a free designer handbag(Image: Merit)
If you haven’t already heard of Merit, it’s a minimalist, clean beauty brand that’s really dominating the make-up and skincare industry right now. Boasting celebrity fans including Hailey Bieber, Sarah Jessica Parker and Cameron Diaz, the brand is known for its ‘your skin but better’ approach to make-up.
And fans can now get their hands on a free designer handbag with the brand’s latest beauty offer. Teaming up once again with Brandon Maxwell, an iconic American designer known for his refined, effortless fashion, Merit is marking the 10th anniversary of Maxwell’s line with an exclusive release that blends beauty and fashion.
The collaboration launches the fifth edition of Merit’s Signature Bag, a chic mini bucket made from soft, pebbled vegan leather and finished with Brandon Maxwell’s signature metal knot hardware. And shoppers who spend £125 or more on Merit’s products can claim the bag for free (while supplies last).
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Talking about the MERIT x Brandon Maxwell handbag, Aila Morin, CMO at MERIT said: “The Signature Bag was created prior to launching MERIT — we knew we wanted an objet d’art that you could use as a makeup bag or purse that also insulated your shipment. Collaborating on our original design and iterating with creative partners has been a privilege. Brandon’s work has been on our moodboards for many years – his importance in American fashion and his effortless, classic design style is a perfect fit for the MERIT client. We’re so proud to partner with him in honor of his 10th anniversary on his iteration of The Signature Bag.”
Alongside the handbag, Merit shoppers can buy a limited edition Lip Blush in shade ‘Maxwell ’ (£23), a rich cinnamon-brown colour that’s perfect for autumn. This marks the first time Merit has worked with a designer on a beauty product.
If you’re unsure what Merit products to try out, we’ve rounded up a few of our top picks below…
Our favourite MERIT beauty buys
The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick
Available for £34
Somewhere between a foundation and a concealer, this clever stick is one of Merit’s most popular products. Offering seamless, buildable coverage that evens out the skin tone, this is ideal for those who prefer a natural, lightweight finish.
Flush Balm Cheek Colour
Available for £26
This creamy, dewy blush effortlessly blends into the skin to create that healthy, lit-from-within glow that looks completely natural. Plus, there are 13 different shades to choose from.
Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil
Available for £21
The Shade Slick is a hydrating, high-shine lip tint that is the perfect combination of an oil and a gloss, so you can get that colour payoff alongside the moisturising effect.
Retrospect L’Extrait De Parfum
Available for £79
Retrospect is a warm, nostalgic scent that blends soft florals with subtle woody notes, making it ideal for this time of year.
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Looking for more minimalist beauty brands to shop? Glossier has recently launched its new Cloud Paint Plush Blush, a bouncy texture that applies like a cream blush but dries down like a powder.
Singer Katy Perry has gone public with her surprising new relationship with former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, finally speaking out about their romance on stage
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Katy Perry breaks her silence on romance with Justin Trudeau on stage in London(Image: Getty Images)
Katy Perry has finally spoken out about her not-so-secret romance with former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. After the pair were spotted in a series of PDAs, Firework singer Katy, 40, publicly addressed her budding relationship with Justin, 53.
The musician shares one child, four-year-old Daisy, with her ex Orlando Bloom, but has been rumoured to have been linked with Trudeau for months. She split with actor Bloom in 2023, after the Pirates of the Caribbean star got down on one knee on Valentine’s Day, 2019.
Despite being together since 2016, and starting a family, the pair called it quits, but continue to amicably co-parent their daughter. And now there’s no doubt that Katy has moved on from the split, after she was photographed in a steamy kiss with Justin while the pair spent time on her yacht off the coast of Santa Barbara, California.
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Speaking at her O2 Arena show in London last night (Monday 13 October), Katy referenced her love-life on stage. She told the audience: “London, England, you’re like this on a Monday night after a whole day at work and a whole day at school?
“No wonder I fall for Englishmen all the time! But not anymore.”
While she was on stage, a brave fan, Darren from Hampshire, declared his undying love for Katy, popping the question on stage in a shock proposal. Unfortunately for him, Katy had to turn him down, joking: “You know you really should’ve asked me about 48 hours ago.”
An insider revealed last week that the couple are now “exclusive”, after Justin spent months wooing the singer following the breakdown of his 18 year marriage. The source said: “Justin was persistent when it came to dating Katy.
“She enjoys his company and thinks he is incredibly smart, but she was initially scared to get into anything so fast, or even at all, after her breakup and she was also focusing on her world tour. But Justin continued to be present, continued showing up and wanting to be with her.”
Another source told the Daily Mail that what her ex Orlando thinks about her new romance doesn’t bother her. They said: “He’s free to do whatever he wants too. She’s happy and having fun, which she’s allowed to do. So is he.”
Meanwhile, Orlando appears to be feeling bitter about Katy moving forward with someone else. He left his ex feeling “let down and humiliated” after he seemingly mocked her new relationship.
According to OK!, Katy’s former fiancé Orlando took a swipe at the shock new pairing while commenting on a social media post. The post on satirical news site The Onion showed a mocked-up photo of Orlando sharing a romantic meal with retired German politician Angela Merkel.
The picture showed the pair sitting at a candle-lit dinner table, with a faux caption alongside from an “insider” claiming, “Angela kept Orlando laughing all night – he couldn’t keep his eyes off her!” In response, Orlando posted a string of clapping emojis in the comments section below, which is said to have upset Katy.
A source claimed to new, “Katy feels very let down and humiliated by Orlando, but she’s also realising that he wasn’t the right person for her. He’s showing his true colours and it’s really very hurtful and spiteful to her, especially as it probably means the end of any possible friendship with him in future. They added, “She hoped they’d both be mature after the break-up so she’s feeling really disappointed.”
Katy was also previously married to problematic former comedian Russell Brand, who is now a born-again Christian and staunch Trump supporter. The couple were married for just over 12 months, before splitting in November 2011.
Disgraced Lostprophets frontman lived in constant fear during his time in the ‘Monster Mansion’ with daily attacks and abuse. But he also somehow kept a loyal fan base of young women who would visit the sick paedophile
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Ian Watkins was abused every day and became a huge target in prison(Image: PA)
From the moment he walked into his cell in HMP Wakefield, vile sex offender Ian Watkins was a target.
It’s an unwritten rule that lags don’t ask other inmates what they did to find themselves in the UK’s largest highest security prison – chillingly known as Monster Mansion. But the disgraced Lostprophets frontman couldn’t hide from his fame – everyone knew the depths of his depravity.
In 2013, the Welsh singer was jailed for 29 years for 13 horrific sex offences, including the attempted rape and sexual assault of children under the age of 13. One of the infants was just 10 months old.
The “determined” sex offender had a collection of child abuse photos and films almost five times the size of the police force that arrested him. A total of 27 terabytes of data storage from computers and devices found in Watkins’ possession. His heinous online library was encrypted, and the sick pervert used a reference to child abuse as his password.
Still, a former Wakefield inmate says Watkins never showed any remorse and remained a ‘self centred loner’ before he was killed in prison last weekend. Insiders say that after being locked up, his weight yo-yoed and hair dye from the prison shop was the only thing keeping his thinning hair jet black.
Yet somehow, the proud paedo kept a deluded fan base of young women during his time inside – he was reportedly even allowed regular visits from three ‘goth groupies’ and was spotted holding hands and giggling with his visitors. A sickened onlooker claimed they once saw him kissing one fan.
In his cell, he hoarded 600 pages of letters from different women – some including sexual fantasies. It’s difficult to comprehend what would drive anyone to stick by a dangerous and prolific paedophile. But at his trial, the court heard that Watkins was a master manipulator and used his frenzied fan base of young women to gain access to children, including babies.
A source told the Daily Mail: “He got a lot of correspondence [in jail], mainly from women, with some asking him to marry them. It was beyond comprehension, given his horrendous crimes.”
But Watkins’ female admirers would do little to ease his miserable life inside – the rocker’s fame, horrendous crimes and attention from women made him even more of a target and he is said to have lived in constant fear of the repercussions.
“Watkins was effectively a dead man walking from the moment he arrived in Wakefield,” an ex-prisoner told the publication. “He had been attacked before and was abused every day. He was a loner, self-centred and remorseless. He had no real friends and spent a lot of time on his own in his room.”
Meanwhile, speaking to The Mirror, ex-prison officer Tony Cottenden said of paedophiles in prison: “They’re usually supervised if they’re alongside a normal population, or if they need to go somewhere they’re usually taken there by an officer.
“Some prisons have separate movement, so usually most offenders move around the prison on something known as free flow, and on the way to work these offenders will move at separate times at certain prisons.
“…So yeah, it’s not a very pleasant experience for them. [It’s] very limited. Everything is separate. You’re usually just on the landing full of other vulnerable prisoners, whether that be paedophiles or people that are on active documents, which is like your classic case of suicide watch, etc. People who can’t cope with the prison environment.”
In 2019, Watkins has another 10 months added to his sentence for possessing a mobile phone in jail, which he used to contact a woman he was previously in a relationship with. The subsequent court case revealed grim details of his time inside.
Watkins used the phone to contact his former girlfriend, who first met him when she was 19. They had been in a relationship but she cut contact in 2012. Despite being aware of his crimes, she started speaking to him again in 2016 through letters, phone calls and legitimate prison emails.
Then, in March 2018, her phone pinged with a text from an unknown number which read: “Hi Gabriella-ella,-ella-eh-eh-eh”. The woman told the court that it was a nod to the Rihanna song Umbrella – a reference that Watkins had made before. When she asked who was messaging her, she got the response: “It’s the devil on your shoulder”. The next text read “I’m trusting you massively with this” and she knew immediately who it was.
The woman spoke to the sex offender on the phone to make sure it was him then reported him to the prison authorities. The numbers of seven women linked to Watkins were found on the phone. The paedo claimed he had been acting under duress and that two other prisoners had made him look after the device, in order to ‘hook them up’ with his admirers and use them as a ‘revenue stream’.
Watkins, keenly aware of the danger he was in every day in prison, refused to name the inmates saying they were ‘murderers and handy’. He said: “You would not want to mess with them. I like my head on my body.”
Speaking about possible repercussions following his case, Watkins accurately predicted his own grim fate. “Chances are someone would sneak up behind me and cut my throat. It’s not like one-on-one. Stuff like that, you don’t see it coming.”
In 2023, Watkins was brutally attacked by three other inmates and nearly died as a result of his injuries. Watkins was rescued by a specially trained squad of riot officers who chucked stun grenades into the cell to free him. “He was screaming and was obviously terrified and in fear of his life,” a source said. He needed life-saving treatment in hospital.
Despite having the money to buy protection inside, Watkins was abused every day in jail and eventually met a gruesome fate. The disgraced singer was killed in prison on Saturday and two inmates have been charged with his murder.
Few if any of his fellow lags will mourn his passing. The partner of one serving prisoner told the Daily Mail: “He said that there was cheering when word spread that Watkins had been killed.
This Morning’s Alison Hammond has revealed how her staggering weight loss journey that has seen her shed 13.5 stone has been marred by a topic that “keeps getting brought up”
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Alison Hammond hit back at critics of her weight loss journey (Image: Getty Images for the NTA’s)
Alison Hammond has posed a heartbreaking question to anyone who questions specific methods for losing weight. Alison, best known for her appearances on ITV’s This Morning and The Great British Bake Off, has detailed how her staggering 13 and a half stone weight loss journey has been marred by a modern diet trend that “keeps getting brought up”.
Once weighing in at 30 stone, the TV star has cut her weight to approximately 16 and a half stone. Alison previously revealed that she set out on a path towards a healthier lifestyle after a worrying pre-diabetic health assessment.
Enlisting the help of a fitness expert, Alison says she achieved the feat without the need for restrictive diets. Instead, she doesn’t “deny” herself anything and told Heat magazine that she focused on eating in “moderation”.
Despite this it seems Alison’s hard work has been subject to “persistent questions” by those who want to know whether she’s used weight loss jabs.
She reportedly told the Daily Mail’s Richard Eden at the Women of the Year awards: “It worries me that the jab keeps getting brought up. Every single time I have a conversation in public, that is the question thrown at me.”
Alison was asked if she’d used such in vogue methods, but she responded with a resolute “absolutely not”. She added that she’s “not a follower” of other people’s actions and only does what she needs to do for herself.
Despite this, Alison hasn’t ruled out using these types of medication. Indeed, she even weighed in on the apparent stigma associated with using weight-loss jabs and gave her defiant assessment.
She said: “I don’t like the fact that you have to say: ‘Oh, no, I wouldn’t have the jab ever’. Maybe next year. Do you know what? I might start jabbing up. What does it matter how people lose weight.”
Finally, in a poignant question, Alison cut through the logic of any potential critics: “Would you rather me die from being obese?”
It appears that Alison’s weight loss isn’t solely down to her diet, however, as she’s also shared that she has a personal trainer and goes for walks when she can’t train.
Speaking previously about her diet, she explained: “I just try and live healthily and drink lots of water, and the weight loss will come. If I lose one or two stone, it’s not going to be obvious to anybody, but I’ll feel better in myself.”
Alison’s fans have showered her with praise for her new look on social media. One said: “Wow did not even recognise you Alison you look fantastic.”
Another added: “You look amazing and love watching you on TV, such a breath of fresh air.”
In terms of approaching a diet for obesity, the NHS says most people are advised to reduce their energy intake by 600 calories per day. In this manner, a safe and sustainable weight loss of 0.5 to 1kg a week can be achieved.
It means that for most men, they should consume no more than 1,900 calories a day. For most women, this should be no more than 1,400 calories.
You can learn more about weight loss on the NHS website.
