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Gwyneth Paltrow and Coldplay singer Chris Martin shocked the world when they announced they were ‘consciously uncoupling’ 10 years ago – the actress later said in one bombshell moment she knew her marriage was over

Oscar winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin famously revealed to the world they were ‘consciously uncoupling’ back in 2014 – introducing a unique new term to announce break-ups to the world in the process.

At the time the pair had been married for 10 years and share two children, daughter Apple, who turned 21 earlier this week and 18-year-old son Moses.

And all appeared well from the outside – until Gwyneth dropped the bombshell statement on her Goop website that she and Chris had called time on their marriage.

In a joint statement, they said: “It is with hearts full of sadness that we have decided to separate. We have come to the conclusion that while we love each other very much, we will remain separate. We are, however, and always will be a family, and in many ways are closer than we have ever been.”

Asking for privacy from the public during “this difficult time,” the former couple went on to say that they are “parents, first and foremost” and added, coining the now legendary break-up term: “We have always conducted our relationship privately, and we hope to do that as we consciously uncouple and co-parent, we will be able to continue in the same manner.”

Since their split and official divorce in 2015, Gwyneth and Chris have been pictured holidaying together, spending birthdays and Christmases as a family and both have gone on to meet new partners. Gwyneth, 51, married film director Brad Falchuk, 53 – the man behind American Horror Story, Glee and Scream Queens – in 2018.

Chris, 47, has found love with 34-year-old Fifty Shades of Grey actress Dakota Johnson and they even hang out with Gwyneth. Back in March, the Mirror exclusively revealed Chris and Dakota had got engaged after six years of dating.

Though both are happy now in new relationships now – and also with each other – Gwyneth has since reflected on the moment she knew her marriage was over. Describing an idyllic day with her then husband, the actress said she knew deep down she was not happy.

In a personal essay for British Vogue, she wrote: “It was my birthday, my 38th. My ex-husband [Chris] and I were tucked away in the Tuscan countryside, on a hill in a beautiful cottage with a view of the forest.

“Fall was coming; the leaves were just loosening their grip on bright green. Inside, the cottage was perfectly appointed in the way you dream of for a birthday trip: cosy living room with a fireplace, kitchen table overflowing with spoils from the farm nearby – peaches, tomatoes on the vine, basil, eggs. I don’t recall when it happened, exactly.

“I don’t remember which day of the weekend it was or the time of day. But I knew – despite long walks and longer lie-ins, big glasses of Barolo and hands held – my marriage was over.”

Painfully, Gwyneth kept the dark realisation to herself. She went on to reveal: “It would be years before we said the words aloud”, but that weekend “a dam had cracked just enough to hear the unrelenting trickle of truth”. This was a truth that would grow louder until it was “all I could hear”.

Saying she and Chris had “always been friends” who laughed at the same things, shared the same “funny bones humour” and “utter silliness”, Gwyneth admitted: “We were close, though we never fully settled into being a couple. We just didn’t quite fit together. There was always a bit of unease and unrest. But man, did we love our children.”

The Shallow Hal star said they both did everything they could before calling it quits in a bid to keep the family together as a unit, saying the only divorces she had been around growing up had been “bitter, acrimonious, unending”, which she didn’t want “with all my heart”.

But rather than the term being invented by Gwyneth and Chris – as first thought – ‘conscious uncoupling’ was actually suggested by their therapist and something they tested out privately for a whole year before announcing their separation to the public.

Explaining the logic behind it, Gwyneth continued: “Was there a world where we could break up and not lose everything? Could we be a family, even though we were not a couple? We decided to try.” Though their announcement caused a stir in the media, she said “the public’s surprise gave way to a strange combination of mockery and anger I had never seen”. But these days, instead of ridicule, people ask her how she managed to do it.

She concluded: “It’s very different for every couple but, for me, it meant, more than anything, being accountable for my own part in the dissolution of the relationship. There existed aspects of myself I was trying to heal through this relationship that I wasn’t honest with myself about. I had been blind, guarded, invulnerable, intolerant.

“I had to admit that and be brave enough to share it. I know my ex-husband was meant to be the father of my children, and I know my current husband is meant to be the person I grow very old with. Conscious uncoupling lets us recognise those two different loves can coexist and nourish each other.”

After an online backlash to an emotional video she made following her BAFTA snub, a source claims TV’s sweetheart Stacey Solomon is ‘worried it could all end’

Just weeks ago, Stacey Solomon was on top of the world. With her hit BBC show Sort Your Life Out renewed for a sixth season and viewers lapping up her new reality series with husband Joe Swash, the mum-of-five seemed to be unstoppable. But in the space of a few days, the tide seems to have turned – and fans were left wondering if the cracks in her idyllic life are starting to show, as reports OK!.

It all began after the normally smiley Stacey, 35, took to Instagram the morning after the recent Bafta TV Awards to admit she was “devastated” that Sort Your Life Out didn’t win. Filming in her garden, Stacey got emotional while talking about missing out on a gong. “I’ll be honest, I’m devastated. I’m not handling it very well, not taking it very gracefully,” she confessed in a now controversial video. “I’m so gutted for our team.”

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The Loose Women presenter added, “It’s not an easy show to make… the team works so hard to make it happen, and they so deserve a Bafta.” She explained, “People think making TV is really easy, and it’s not… We all pack up a house, and within seven days, that house is packed into vans, over to a warehouse, laid out on the floor. We go through it meticulously… We donate, we recycle, we resell, put it all back and try and put in systems to help families move forward.”

Some fans applauded her for being “refreshingly honest” and maintained she was simply just “disappointed for her team” and it was “hardly a rant”. Others, however, were left less than impressed, telling her to “get a grip” and to stop being a “bad loser”. Some claimed that Stacey is “showing her true colours” compared to her usual “wholesome” demeanour and said that she has “got too big for her boots”.

Stacey has not commented publicly since her Bafta post, but a source claims the star is worried “it could all be over”. “The negative comments really upset her, she takes them to heart. She never wants to be seen as ungrateful, because she’s not. She had a really humble upbringing and everything she does, she does to give her kids the best opportunities possible. They are what drives her.”

“She has a sort of inferiority complex, like imposter syndrome, partly because of where she’s come from. Don’t forget, she became famous on The X Factor and she’s seen so many other people from shows like that just disappear over the years. So the fear of ‘Could I lose it all too? Could it all be over?’’ is always there to some extent.”

“She’s a really hard worker and gives her all to everything, so it’s devastating when it doesn’t pay off, and it understandably makes her worry. But she’s one of telly’s biggest success stories who always wants to keep the wheel turning, so she won’t stop doing what she does best.”

Indeed, she has talked about battling imposter syndrome in the past. In January 2023, the star revealed her constant fear of “losing it all” amid the cost-of-living crisis, as she reflected on having “nothing”. She revealed at the time, “My dad is from a background where he had nothing, like literally nothing, so we could have nothing again. Even to this day I think, ‘Well, we’re comfortable now but something’s going to go wrong at some point, it won’t stay like this forever.’ It’s inherent,” explained Stacey.

She added, “You’re constantly thinking, ‘I’d better hold on to that’ and ‘I’d better not waste that’ because in a few months’ time, I could be on the street.” To make matters worse, Stacey’s sister, Jemma, chimed in with an Instagram post slamming the Bafta judges, which many fans felt fanned the flames.

Jemma, 36, said, “If only it was a public vote, I think things would have been a little different.” And as if the backlash over her Bafta reaction wasn’t enough, Sort Your Life Out has come under fire, too. After a recent episode, some criticised the show for failing to acknowledge the emotional toll of hoarding, while others felt the team was “too harsh”. But Stacey insisted it’s about empowering families – not judging them. “It’s so hard to let someone into your house when you’re going through a difficult time,” she said.

And there are rumbles behind the scenes. In one episode of Stacey & Joe, Joe, 43, is shown in therapy, tearfully admitting he feels like a “huge problem” in their relationship. While the couple have long been known for their relatable – if sometimes chaotic – dynamic, some viewers worry they might be struggling with the demands of work, fame and family. With two toddlers and four older children between them, plus multiple businesses and TV commitments, it’s no surprise things might feel tense.

But with another series of Sort Your Life Out on the way, a happy home life and legions of fans still cheering her on, Stacey’s future remains bright. Sure, it’s been a tricky time of late, but if anyone knows how to tidy up a mess with a smile, it’s Stacey.

READ MORE: Stacey Solomon’s co-star defends ‘absolutely right’ BAFTA rant after losing out on award

If you’re looking for a sun-kissed glow and skincare benefits, these new fake tan pads from Dr. Dennis Gross do it all, and left me looking like I’d just come back from a tropical holiday

If, like me, you hate the faff of fake tanning but still want that ‘I just back from holiday glow’, these genius new exfoliating pads are about to become your new favourite thing.

The Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta® Glow Pads for Face are pre-soaked tanning pads that make bronzing ridiculously easy. There are no mitts, no mess, and, most importantly, no weird smell.

My issue with face tanners in the past has been that they’ve broken me out, but these handy pads manage to give a natural-looking, streak-free tan while also exfoliating and hydrating my skin. A win-win situation in my eyes.

Packed full of skin-loving ingredients, including Alpha Beta® Acids to gently exfoliate (so the colour goes on smooth), vitamin E to lock in moisture, and emblica extract to brighten and boost collagen, they start working their magic pretty fast. Within three to four hours, a natural-looking tan starts to develop.

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Pros

• So easy to use
• No classic fake tan smell
• Natural-looking bronzed results
• Travel-friendly

Cons

I especially love the fact that these pads have real skin benefits compared to other types of facial tans. And arguably, the biggest bonus for me is that they are travel-friendly. I’m a pretty pale girl who takes a while to catch a natural tan, so I like to have the option of bringing fake tan with me when I head on holiday. Luckily, with these handy pads, I don’t need to worry about 100ml hand luggage requirements, and they also won’t take up much space in my suitcase.

My main criticism comes with the price, as £49 is a pretty steep price to pay. But considering you get 20 pads, and its self tan that’s actually beneficial to the skin, I can’t complain too much.