Category News

Home and Away star’s ‘cursed’ death at 41 after soap exit

By in Entertainment News, News

Ben Unwin played Jesse McGregor in Home and Away from 1996 to 2000 and then again from 2002 to 2005, with the role being written specifically for him – he sadly died six years ago

Australian soaps have undoubtedly churned out a host of international superstars over the years. Two of the most prominent being Neighbours alumni Kylie Minogue, who portrayed Charlene and is the top-selling Australian recording artist of all time with over 80 million albums sold globally, and Margot Robbie, who played Donna and starred in the blockbuster film Barbie, which has smashed box office records.

Other stars who’ve transitioned from Aussie soapland to greater fame include Home and Away’s Ryan Kwanten (Vinnie), Isla Fisher (Shannon) and Chris Hemsworth (Kim), as well as Neighbours’ Jason Donovan (Scott), Guy Pearce (Mike) and Jesse Spencer (Billy). Some actors have continued to thrive in their original soap roles for years, such as Home and Away’s Ray Meagher (Alf), who holds the record for the longest-serving actor in an Australian drama series, and Lynne McGranger (Irene), along with Neighbours’ Ian Smith (Harold) and Stefan Dennis (Paul).

Stefan is now lined up to star in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing, alongside names including Geordie Shore’s Vicky Pattison and TV presenter George Clarke. In other soap news, a Coronation Street and Mrs Brown’s Boys actor has died after a short illness.

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Ben Unwin portrayed bad boy Jesse McGregor in Home and Away

Regrettably, not all Aussie soap stars have been as fortunate, including actor Ben Unwin, who portrayed bad boy Jesse McGregor in Home and Away from 1996 to 2000 and again from 2002 to 2005. The role was specifically written for Ben, earning him a nomination for Most Popular New Talent at the 1997 Australian TV Logie Awards.

After his acting career, he ventured into the music industry, directing videos for bands like Culture Club and Chumbawamba, including their massive hit, Tubthumping.

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Later, he earned a law degree and became a solicitor in Newcastle, New South Wales. Tragically, six years ago Ben was found dead at the base of a ‘cursed’ waterfall – he was only 41 years old, reports OK!. Local Aboriginal tribes in Australia believe the secluded 300ft Minon Falls in Whian Whian are “cursed” and harbour “bad spirits”, having claimed numerous lives.

Ben Unwin
The role was specifically written for Ben, earning him a nomination for Most Popular New Talent at the 1997 Australian TV Logie Awards

Upon hearing the heartbreaking news of his death on 14 August, 2019, co-star Ada Nicodemou, who portrays Leah, wrote: “I just woke up to the tragic news of Ben’s passing, my heart goes out to his family.”

Just two years later, another tragedy befell the Home and Away cast when Dieter Brummer, who played the soap’s heartthrob Shane Parrish in the early 1990s, was found dead at his parents’ Sydney home.

The actor had been excited to be starting a new job as an aerial window cleaner, but his life had been disrupted by the onset of Covid-19.

Ben Unwin and sister
Ben with his sister at an awards ceremony in Sydney(Image: Getty Images)
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In a similar vein, Neighbours’ original Scott Robinson, portrayed by Darius Perkins before Jason Donovan took over the role, sadly passed away in 2019 following a battle with cancer.

Home and Away has now graced our TV screens for 37 years, while Neighbours ran for 40 years before being cancelled – final episodes will be on our screens this December.

Olly Murs and pregnant wife Amelia share gender update over new baby and birth plans

By in Entertainment News, News

X Factor finalist Olly Murs and his wife Amelia are expecting their second baby later this year and have revealed how they plan to welcome their new baby into the world

Olly Murs and Amelia discuss ‘scary’ second pregnancy journey(Image: M&S)

Singer Olly Murs and his pregnant wife Amelia are busy planning to welcome a new baby into their growing family – revealing it feels like a “very different pregnancy” this time around.

The former X Factor star, 41, and Amelia, 32, tied the knot two years ago and already have their hands full with toddler Madison. Amelia experienced a difficult time while giving birth to Madison and faced a “brutal recovery”.

Aside from daddy duties, singer Olly has just wrapped up his latest tour and he continues to present his Heart FM weekend radio show alongside fellow M&S ambassador Mark Wright.

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Amelia and Olly with a baby
The Murs family are preparing to welcome a new addition (Image: M&S)

Ahead of becoming parents-of-two, the happy couple have become the new faces of The Parent Hood, M&S ’s club for mums and dads.

One of the fastest growing baby clubs in the UK, it is part of the high street chain’s loyalty scheme, Sparks, and encourages young parents to meet up in M&S cafés to swap experiences over a cuppa and free slice of cake.

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Speaking about having an unplanned C-section with Madison during a chat to announce the new partnership, Amelia recalls: “We were planning a natural birth, but Madi was in a precarious position.

“She was transverse [sideways] so we didn’t have an option. The recovery was brutal and I wish people had been more honest about that. Maybe it’s because I’m active, but I didn’t realise how much I wouldn’t be able to do afterwards.”

Olly and Amelia have opted not to discover the sex of their second baby until they arrive. “It’s hard to tell, because I was convinced Madi was a boy. But I do think this one is a boy,” Amelia predicts.

“Obviously, that’d be cool, but I’m swaying more to thinking it’s a girl. I’d love that, I genuinely would,” Olly adds. “We’re reaching the point where we have to make decisions. But this feels like a different pregnancy.”

“We know that this baby’s not transverse, which is good,” Amelia states, as Olly gushes: “We’re very excited and announcing this thing with M&S has made it much more real. Two or three more weeks and we’re gonna be right back at it!”

Currently pregnant with another on the way, Amelia is currently riding a wave of emotions. “It changes week by week as I get closer to having the baby,” she admits.

“We can’t wait to meet who’s in there and see Madi with a sibling. But I get a bit overwhelmed when I think of having two under two.”

We can’t wait to meet the new baby Murs too!

M&S ambassadors Olly & Amelia Murs become the face of The Parent Hood, M&S’s first Baby Club. For more info and to sign up, visit marksandspencer.com/mysparks

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This £14 de-tangling brush is ‘so gentle on hair’ that it reduces breakage by 77%

By in Entertainment News, News

If you struggle with dry, damaged hair then swapping your regular hairbrush for this £14 de-tangling one can help prevent breakage, keeping your hair shiny and healthy

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

Tangle Teezer has launched its extra gentle brush(Image: Tangle Teezer)

If you’ve ever dyed, bleached, chemically treated or even just heat styled your hair, you’ll be familiar with how easily breakage can happen. The summer is also a notoriously tricky time for your hair, with sun exposure, heat and humidity all causing it to dry out, and that’s before you even consider the effects chlorine and salt water can have on it on holiday.

Whilst hydrating hair masks can help reverse some signs of breakage, it doesn’t fix the main root of the problem. If you do have dry or damaged hair, you’ll know that brushing it can be a major source of trouble for your locks, with the wrong brush actually ripping out knots and tangles, or causing too much friction on your delicate strands. That’s why we’ll be swapping our usual brush for Tangle Teezer’s The Ultimate Detangler Extra Gentle, which promises to reduce breakage by 77%.

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The Ultimate Detangler Extra Gentle has been carefully engineered to be as gentle on your hair as it can possibly be, whilst still being effective and working out knots and tangles. It has two-tiered teeth – a patented design from Tangle Teezer – which help the brush to glide through your hair, untangling tats without pulling.

It’s also more concentrated at the centre of the brush with fewer teeth at the edge, which minimises tension. The result is hair that’s stronger, smoother and visibly healthier, all without needing to add a single step to your usual routine.

Tangle Teezer extra gentle brush
The teeth are carefully placed to prevent breakage(Image: Tangle Teezer )

You can currently pick up the Ultimate Detangler Extra Gentle at LookFantastic for £14, and it comes in a huge range of colours (not to mention a £10.50 mini version). It’s also racked up an impressive full five star rating from shoppers, with one happy customer wrote: “I absolutely love this hair brush!! It’s so gentle on the hair.”

Whilst another agreed: “bought this instead of replacing my original tangle teezer and it’s fantastic, its really helped me prevent further breakage on my colour damaged hair.”

Another review wrote: “Love the original detangler tangle teezer but this brush is definitely more gentle on the hair! These brushes are always worth the money.”

Tangle Teezer extra gentle brush
The brush prevents frizz, damage and breakage(Image: Tangle Teezer )

With no negative reviews so far, it seems it’s a solid bet that the Ultimate Detangler Extra Gentle is going to look after your locks, keeping them healthy and strong during the tricky summer weather. Elsewhere, we also love REHAB’s Vital Hair Brush (£16) which Stacey Solomon swears by for preventing breakage and damage to her own hair.

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At Beauty Pie, the Super Healthy Hair Smoothing Paddle Brush is £29 (£17 if you’re a Beauty Pie member) and not only gently detangles hair, but helps boost shine and softness too. Made with boar bristles, it helps increase scalp circulation, smooth cuticles and gently tease out tangles and knots for a smooth, shiny finish.

Luis Diaz scores for Bayern Munich to win German Supercup on debut

By in News, World News

Luis Diaz, making his Bayern Munich debut, and Harry Kane scored for the reigning Bundesliga champions in a 2-1 away victory against Stuttgart in the German Supercup.

The match, which opens the German season with the league and cup winners facing off, was held for the first time since it was renamed for football legend Franz Beckenbauer, who died in 2024.

A year into their attacking partnership, Michael Olise and Kane were again Bayern’s most dangerous pairing, combining for the opener with 18 minutes played.

Off balance and falling, Kane collected Olise’s pass and hit a low shot across the grass and into the bottom corner for his 86th goal in his 97th Bayern appearance.

Pushed on by a 60,000-strong home crowd, Stuttgart went looking for an equaliser late in the second half, but Bayern broke through on the counter, with Diaz heading in from close range in the 77th minute.

Diaz – who joined Bayern from Liverpool last month and remains the club’s biggest deal of the offseason – ran to the corner post and sat on the grass, mimicking former Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota’s video-game celebration.

It was the latest tribute for Portugal winger Jota, who died in a car accident in July.

Stuttgart pulled a goal back through Jamie Leweling in stoppage time.

The win netted Kane a second team trophy of his career after the 32-year-old broke his duck to win the Bundesliga last season.

Praising his charges for a “deserved win”, Bayern captain Joshua Kimmich said the victory would set the tone for the season.

“We wanted to show everyone that we’re here. Wins and titles are not a given – we have to appreciate them,” Kimmich told Germany’s Sat 1 network.

Bayern open the Bundesliga season on Friday at home against Leipzig, while Stuttgart face Union Berlin in the German capital a day later.

Diaz celebrates scoring his first goal for Bayern Munich by mimicking former Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota’s video-game celebration [Heiko Becker/Reuters]

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,270

By in News, World News

Here is how things stand on Sunday, August 17:

Politics and diplomacy

  • Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to freeze the front lines in Ukraine’s Kherson and Zaporizhia regions if Kyiv ceded full control of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions, during his meeting with United States President Donald Trump on Friday, according to several media outlets, including The New York Times and the AFP and Reuters news agencies.
  • Trump informed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the offer during a phone call, but Zelenskyy rejected the demand, Reuters reported
  • Trump described the meeting with Putin as “a great and very successful day in Alaska!” and told Fox News that Ukraine should make a deal to end the war with Russia because “Russia is a very big power, and they’re not”.
  • The US president also said he agreed with Putin that a peace agreement should be sought without a prior ceasefire, marking a change in his position before the summit.
  • “The best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement… and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
  • Zelenskyy, who was not invited to the summit in Alaska, said in a post on X that Russia’s unwillingness to pause the fighting would complicate efforts to forge a lasting peace.
  • Nevertheless, he said he will meet with Trump in Washington, DC, on Monday. “I am grateful for the invitation,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X.
  • A number of European leaders have also been invited to attend, a European Union source told the AFP news agency.
  • European leaders, including from France, Germany and the United Kingdom, promised to maintain the pressure on Russia through sanctions and called for “ironclad” security guarantees for Ukraine. They also said they were ready to work towards a three-way summit between Trump, Putin and Zelenskyy.
  • German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told German media that the US was willing to be part of security guarantees for Ukraine and that he and other European leaders will be speaking with Zelenskyy on Sunday to prepare him for the White House meeting with Trump.
  • The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said that while “Trump’s resolve to get a peace deal is vital… the harsh reality is that Russia has no intention of ending this war anytime soon”, in a post on X.
  • The Leaders of the Nordic Baltic Eight group of countries issued a joint statement, reiterating support for Ukraine and saying that “a just and lasting peace requires a ceasefire” and that “experience has shown that Putin cannot be trusted”.

Fighting

  • Meanwhile, the fighting continued to rage in Ukraine, with the country’s Air Force saying it shot down 61 of 85 Russian drones overnight, while Russian missiles and drones hit 12 locations across the country.
  • The Ukrainian General Staff said its forces had pushed Russian forces back by about 2km (1.2 miles) on part of the Sumy front in northern Ukraine.
  • The Ukrainian military also said that Russian forces had seized Popiv Yar, southwest of Dobropillia, and Ivano-Darivka, northeast of Sloviansk in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, according to the Kyiv Independent.
  • Russian attacks injured 13 people, including medical workers and a police officer, in Ukraine’s Kherson region, Ukraine’s military said in a post on Telegram early on Saturday.
  • In Russia, a Ukrainian drone attack killed a 52-year-old man and his 13-year-old son, in the Rylsky district of the Russian Kursk region, Governor Alexander Khinshtein said in a post on Telegram on Saturday.
  • Russian forces also shot down five Ukrainian guided aerial bombs and 169 drones in one day, Russia’s state news agency TASS reported on Saturday.

Today’s horoscope for August 17 as Aries enjoys being creative

By in Entertainment News, News

Today’s horoscope for August 17 as one star sign spies a job opportunity, and another meets a secret admirer

Find out what’s written in the stars with our astrologer Russell Grant(Image: Daily Record/GettyImages)

It’s Sunday, August 17, and one star sign enjoys the finer things in life, as another shows off how dedicated they can be.

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)

Enjoy being creative. You have the talent to make some beautiful objects. Whether it is jewellery, furniture or pottery, these activities will appeal to your artistic side. You will want to use quality materials and in time, this passion could lead to a profitable venture.

Taurus (Apr 21 – May 21)

Accept an invitation to a nearby gathering even if you aren’t in the mood to socialise. If you’re single, someone you meet who is older than you will catch your eye. Their life experience and drive will impress you, while they will appreciate your youthful spirit and adventurous nature. You complement each other perfectly.

Gemini (May 22 – June 21)

You will be glad you paused before making an expensive purchase recently. This was a sensible decision as emergency expenses have occurred. A lucrative job opportunity is coming up soon. Make sure you apply for this position as soon as it becomes available as it will suit your skills.

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Cancer (June 22 – July 23)

Prioritise your own needs now, even this means turning down someone’s requests for help. You can’t be there for them all the time. Are you single? You could meet someone who intrigues you at a religious, cultural or educational institution. Stay alert for someone who has a different perspective on life.

Leo (July 24 – Aug 23)

Enjoying the finer things in life is important for you and you should never feel guilty about this need. You have great earning potential. Aim for a high-level role that makes use of your leadership skills. This position may come with unusual hours and a variety of responsibilities but it will be a perfect fit for you.

Virgo (Aug 24 – Sept 23)

Taking some time out for yourself will help your spiritual development. You might want to explore your inner self to find answers to those deep questions that have been on your mind. If you have been under a lot of stress recently this could be due to putting other peoples’ needs above your own.

Libra (Sept 24 – Oct 23)

Too often, kind people like you get taken advantage of by bullies. Someone is trying to push you around. The sooner you make it clear you won’t accept being abused in this way, the happier you will feel. Are you single? Someone who admires your brave attitude might ask you out.

Scorpio (Oct 24 – Nov 22)

Travel arrangements could be postponed, cancelled, or delayed so it would be a good idea to verify everything in advance. Group discussions are likely to be fruitful, as either you or someone else will have suggestions that could influence future actions.

Sagittarius (Nov 23 – Dec 21)

If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. This is your special gift. You know from experience that you can make dreams come true. So ignore naysayers who claim you are chasing impossible dreams. Prove to them that with dedication, anything is possible.

Capricorn (Dec 22 – Jan 20)

You’re confused and avoiding talking to someone in power. Yet such discussions could reveal actions that have been recently taken by others. Alternatively, you have information that will be of interest to a senior colleague. Just be careful not to fixate too much on any one topic.

Aquarius (Jan 21 – Feb 19)

Be patient if you are waiting for the results of a test, examination or interview. A short delay does not mean you have failed. You’re starting to doubt a recent decision but by the end of the day you will have confirmation that you made a good choice.

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Pisces (Feb 20 – Mar 20)

Someone in the family needs you. Don’t wait to be asked. Offer your support and let them know you are there for them. In helping others, you will feel a sense of strength you have never experienced before. If you’re talking about making changes of a long-term nature, just remember the need to plan very carefully.

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