Pop star Jessie J has returned to the red carpet following her breast cancer diagnosis as she’s set to take a break after performing at Capital FM’s Summertime Ball
The 2025 Capital FM’s Summertime Ball has kicked off in style as Jessie J returned to the red carpet following her breast cancer diagnosis. She is performing at the annual music event at London’s Wembley Stadium before “disappearing” to have surgery.
Jessie looked sensational as she rocked a mesh bodysuit and black mini dress while striking a pose on the red carpet. The likes of Mariah Carey, Benson Boone, KSI, Lola Young, Busted vs McFly, Zara Larsson, Dasha, Reneé Rapp and Jessie are all performing.
Hollywood star Will Smith has made an unexpected appearance at the event alongside DJ Jazzy Jeff, Tate McRae, Myles Smith and JADE, who are also performing at the huge event, which is expected to draw in a crowd of 80,000.
As the stars prepared for the bash and walked the red carpet, fans became concerned over whether it would go ahead. They were shown a statement from organisers on the large screens while inside the stadium.
It read: “We have had to pause the show temporarily. Please remain in the stadium. We hope to restart shortly. Thank you.” It hasn’t been confirmed but fans have said there was a power outage at the stadium.
Gavin and Stacey star Laura Aikman revealed she was advised to change her job after she was diagnosed with an illness that made her ‘very unwell’
Gavin and Stacey star told to give up acting career because of mystery illness
Gavin and Stacey star Laura Aikman revealed she was told to give up her acting career after she was struck down a mystery illness. The 39-year-old actress, known for playing Smithy’s partner Sonia in the popular sitcom, struggled with painful symptoms for many years before she learned she had ulcerative colitis.
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic autoimmune condition which causes inflammation and ulcers in the colon. Symptoms include recurring diarrhoea, stomach pain, needing to poo frequently as well as extreme fatigue and loss of appetite. In a recent interview, Laura revealed it took her a ‘long time’ before she was diagnosed and spent a long time ‘very, very unwell’.
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Laura was advised to change jobs because of her illness
She explained The Sun: “I’d been to the doctors a lot and they kept telling me that it was probably piles, without examining me, and giving me cream because I had blood in my stool. Nothing worked.
“And then I went to a homeopath and she asked me all of these questions about when I’d been poorly and she was like, ‘Listen, I’ve written out a timeline here of when you’ve not been working, and that is when you’ve been at your most unwell’.”
The actor was asked whether she would consider finding another career but insisted acting was her ‘entire personality’. The stress from not working between acting roles ended up worsening her illness.
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She went a long time without knowing what was wrong with her(Image: INSTAGRAM)
Laura is now in a BBC gangster drama called This City is Ours. She also stars in Disney+’s Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes as Lana Vandenberghe.
Last year, she reprised her role as Sonia in the Gavin and Stacey Christmas special. She was also in ITV’s Archie, Joan and The Rising.
The star previously discussed her role on This City Is Ours. The actress, whose surprise appearance as Smithy’s bride in the Christmas Day special shocked the nation, stars as Rachel Duffy in BBC One’s drugs drama This City Is Ours.
Filming on the big-budget series took place last year, at the same time as Laura was filming Gavin and Stacey. “It was the year of the bitch,” laughs Laura. “But they’re great to play.”
While pretentious Sonia was what Laura cheerfully called a “rotter”, Rachel is a much darker character, with ambitions to become a major player in Liverpool’s dark drugs scene.
It was a refreshing role for Laura, having spent much of her career playing romantic love interests. “One of the first things I fell in love with about Rachel was that she never tries to make other people feel comfortable,” explained Laura earlier this year. “We all have that tendency to laugh at a bad joke or fill silence but Rachel doesn’t give a s**t.
“She’s happy for everyone to get uncomfortable. She can be quite rude, she tells people what she thinks, she doesn’t like new people but she’s really smart, she’s determined and she’s ambitious.”
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-13 D Harry (Wal); -10 N Nadaud (Fra); -9 AGarvey (NZ)
Selected others: -7 L Walsh (Ire); -6 C Gainer(Eng); -4 S Byrne (Ire); -1 L Hall (Wal); +1 MMacLaren (Eng), B Smith (Eng)
Welsh rookie Darcey Harry won her first Ladies European Tour event with a three-shot victory at the Hulencourt Women’s Open in Belgium.
The 22-year-old shot a final round of 68 to take the title ahead of France’s Nastasia Nadaud and New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey.
Harry hit a remarkable five birdies and an eagle on the par-five 13th hole to storm her way to victory.
Having only turned pro last year, she earned her place on the tour after coming through qualifying in December.
“I don’t even know what to say right now,” she said after securing victory.
“I’m so excited. I didn’t think I’d ever picture myself winning on the tour, so it’s so nice to know I’ve finally done it.
“I think the last putt was probably the most nervous I’ve ever been in my life.”
This victory gets her into the AIG Women’s Open, where she will be playing on her home course Royal Porthcawl – something she admitted was on her mind.
“I was thinking that walking down the 18th and I was pretty nervous about not getting into that, so I think that’s another huge win for me this week.”
India’s Avani Prashanth had started the final day in the lead but fell away with a round of 75.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State has condemned what it described as the “barbaric” suppression of peaceful protesters allegedly by the administration of Governor Hyacinth Alia, following fresh killings in the state.
In a statement released on Sunday, the State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Daniel Ihomun, expressed outrage over reports that protesters gathered in mourning and solidarity were allegedly shot at and dispersed on the orders of the state government.
Alia is a member of the APC and was elected on the platform of the party in the 2023 governorship election.
“The All Progressives Congress (APC), Benue State Chapter, under the leadership of Austin Agada, expresses deep sympathy to the resilient people of Benue State who, faced with unrelenting violence and government silence, took to the streets in peaceful protest, only to be met with state-sponsored brutality,” Ihomun said.
Some of the burnt houses in the Benue attack on April 15, 2025
He described the incident as “a new low in the governance of” the state, lamenting that the same government elected to protect the people had allegedly turned its guns on them.
“What further proof is needed that the Alia administration has not only failed in its primary duty to protect lives and property but is now complicit in the suffering and silencing of its citizens?” the statement queried.
A logo of the All Progressives Congress (APC)
‘Deliberate Inaction’
The APC further said the ongoing violence in Benue communities had been worsened by the governor’s “deliberate inaction” and “glaring disinterest.”
The party accused the Alia-led government of failing to provide logistical support to security agencies or collaborate with stakeholders to prevent attacks, despite receiving security votes,.
The party also criticised the governor’s alleged dismissive stance on the crisis, citing previous comments where he allegedly referred to the killings as “mere skirmishes” and justified the presence of armed aggressors under ECOWAS protocols.
Governor Hyacinth Alia
‘Gov To Blame For Crisis’
“This most recent assault on peaceful protesters marks a dangerous descent into authoritarianism. We hold the governor personally responsible for the worsening crisis and his administration’s silence and complicity,” the APC warned.
READ ALSO:VeryDarkMan, Angry Youths Protest, Demand End To Killings In Benue
The party demanded the immediate release of all arrested protesters and an independent investigation into the alleged shootings, as well as justice for the victims and an end to what it called a “culture of impunity”.
Meanwhile, the attack that sparked the protest occurred on Saturday, when suspected armed herders invaded the Yelwata community in Benue, leaving scores feared dead.
FILE: Atiku Abubakar addressing a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, March 2, 2023. Channels TV/Sodiq Adelakun
Former vice president and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, condemned the killings and urged both state and federal authorities to act swiftly.
“I am deeply anguished and shocked by the devastating news of the fresh attacks in Benue State, where over 100 innocent lives are feared lost. These killings, once again targeting defenceless communities, underscore the escalating insecurity crisis facing our nation,” Atiku said in a statement on X.
He called for a transparent investigation, enhanced security deployments, and support services for affected communities, including medical aid and trauma counselling.
“This is not just a local tragedy; it is a national emergency,” Atiku stated.
Angry Youths Protest
In the wake of the killings, angry youths gathered early Sunday at the Wurukum food basket roundabout in Makurdi to demand justice.
The protesters, joined by social media activist Martin Otse, known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), called out what they described as a lack of response from President Bola Tinubu and Governor Alia.
One of the protesters, Solomon Amande, told journalists that the people were outraged by the silence of those in power.
“Women, children, the elderly – our people are being slaughtered, and there’s no word from the president or our own governor,” he said.
Some youths at the scene of the protest in Benue State after tear gas canisters were fired on Sunday, June 15, 2025.
When the Deputy Governor, Sam Ode, attempted to address the crowd, they reportedly rejected him and insisted that only Governor Alia himself could address their concerns.
The protest escalated as security agents moved in, firing tear gas to disperse the demonstrators.
Youths protesting the killings in Benue
Meanwhile, Governor Alia, in a statement delivered through his Chief Press Secretary, condemned the Yelwata attack and assured residents that the government was engaging with security agencies and stakeholders to restore calm.
He noted that federal tactical units had been deployed to Benue, and more security reinforcements were expected.
“The state’s joint operations units are also being strengthened, and the government will not relent in its utmost commitment to defending the lives and properties of all residents,” the statement added.
The England men’s and women’s hockey teams both lost Pro League games in London on Sunday to complete a disappointing weekend for the hosts.
The men were beaten 3-2 by Germany, with the women defeated 1-0 by second-placed Argentina.
Two penalty goals from Zach Wallace twice brought the men level in the third quarter against Germany, only for Raphael Hartkopf to score the winner with five minutes remaining.
England’s result means they drop to sixth in the standings, with Germany moving above them and up to fourth.
The teams also met on Saturday when they fought out a 2-2 draw, Germany winning a subsequent penalty shootout to earn a bonus point.
Next up for the men is a double-header against the Netherlands, with the first match on Tuesday at 13:15 BST at Lee Valley.
Agustina Gorzelany’s goal at the start of the second quarter was enough to see England’s women beaten by Argentina, having lost 3-1 to the same opponents on Saturday.
Videos show fire and thick plumes of smoke rising from Mashhad Hashemi Nejad airport in eastern Iran following an Israeli missile attack. Israel claims it targeted an Iranian refuelling plane. It would be the furthest strike since the start of the military operation, at a distance of approximately 2,300km.
