Author: bang1

  • Katie Price puts her wedding dress from Peter Andre marriage up for sale – and his suit

    Katie Price puts her wedding dress from Peter Andre marriage up for sale – and his suit

    Katie Price has been taking a trip down memory lane and looking back on her first wedding day – modelling the iconic pink gown she wore to tie the knot with Peter Andre before putting it up for sale

    Katie Price is selling the infamous pink bridal gown she donned when she married Peter Andre back in 2005.

    The newly single mum-of-five, 45, is also selling some of her ex-husband’s garments on her dedicated resale account, including the white suit the Mysterious Girl singer wore for their memorable performance of Disney hit A Whole New World.

    Katie took to social media this evening to try on the eye-catching pink wedding dress before putting it up for sale on her Katie Price Memorabilia Instagram page.

    “See girls, isn’t this what you’ve been waiting for? Look what I have found,” the former glamour model began while holding the huge marshmellow pink net skirt against her body.

    “This is my wedding dress from when I married Pete – look at the skirt! I don’t want it anymore so you can head over to @kpmemorabilia.”

    “Not only that,” Katie continued as she dropped the skirt to reveal the matching top. “I’ve also got the corset top that I wore – wooooo! Ready for grabs!”

    katie in her pink wedding dress
    Katie Price couldn’t resist modelling her first ever wedding dress before putting it up for sale 
    Image:
    katieprice/Instagram)

    Katie holding two suits
    The star is also offering fans the chance to buy one of ex-husband Peter Andre’s suits 
    Image:
    katieprice/Instagram)
    The two-time I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! then shared a framed snap of herself and her former Loose Women stars posing in their underwear – revealing the image was taken by singer Bryan Adams.

    “I’m not even part of the Loose Women gang so I don’t want it,” Katie added as she confirmed the item was also up for sale alongside her wedding dress.

    Katie then returned to her Instagram Stories holding two matching white outfits.

    “I’m laughing because this is another outfit of his and hers. I’ll give you a clue,” Katie teased before belting out a few lines from the song A Whole New World.

    Katie and her former husband released their cover of the signature song from Disney’s 1992 animated feature film Aladdin in December 2006. The pair went on to release an album that made it into the Top 20 of the UK Albums Chart.

    katie and pete cutting a cake
    The former couple’s wedding day was a memorable affair 
    Image:
    ITV)“That’s right. This is mine and Pete’s outfit from when we sang on Children in Need. So if you want a matching outfit, I’ve even found this! Wooo,” an excited Katie added as she showcased her items.

    Katie and Pete tied the knot in a fairytale wedding back in 2005 and welcomed two children into the world during their time together, Junior and Princess Andre.

    The former couple split in 2009 and Pete went on to find love with NHS doctor Emily Andre.

    Katie walked down the aisle shortly after divorcing Pete, marrying Alex Reid, and gave birth to children Jett and Bunny Hayler with her third husband Kieran Hayler.

    Since her last divorce, Katie has been in an on-off relationship with former Love Island contestant Carl Woods. Earlier this week, the mum-of-five seemingly confirmed their romance was over as she told her fans she was “single now”.

  • ITV daytime’s fiercest feuds – Piers Morgan and Denise Welch to Amanda and Holly

    ITV daytime’s fiercest feuds – Piers Morgan and Denise Welch to Amanda and Holly

    The well-known faces of ITV daytime have been involved in a number of reported bust ups over the years, including former Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan’s feud with Loose Women’s Denise Welch

    There has been plenty of drama on and off the telly in recent weeks, as the scandal at This Morning, triggered by Phillip Schofield ’s departure last month, rages on.

    The 61-year-old’s retirement from the ITV daytime show unexpectedly led to a bombshell statement in which Phil admitted to an affair with a young male production assistant, which prompted calls for an investigation.

    This Morning has since been branded “toxic” and accusations have been thrown at Phil and his former co-host Holly Willoughby over their behaviour, leaving the veteran TV star to admit he had been struggling with his mental health since the fallout.

    Now, ITV’s director of policy Magnus Brooke has been grilled over the alleged “toxic environment” on the show during a committee questioning by MPs, leaving the future of the show in doubt.

    Here, we look at the biggest feuds between the ITV daytime celebs…

    Piers Morgan v Denise Welch

    Piers dragged Denise in a bitter Twitter spat
    Piers dragged Denise in a bitter Twitter spat 
    Image:
    Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

    Denise was furious when Piers called her a 'Covid denier'
    Denise was furious when Piers called her a ‘Covid denier’ 
    Image:
    SplashNews.com)
    The former Good Morning Britain host has had a long-running feud with Loose Women panellist Denise, which began when they went head-to-head on social media during the Covid-19 pandemic.

    Piers accused Denise of being a “dumb, deluded and dangerous Covid-denier” as they argued over the efficacy of the life-saving vaccine, and they butted heads over the journalist’s constant criticism of Meghan Markle, including a comment he made about her mental health, prompting Denise to call him “an a***hole”.

    He reignited their feud recently by calling Denise a “vile, spiteful hypocrite” after Phil quit This Morning, as he launched into a tirade against ITV in his column for The Sun.

    “I met a lot of good, decent people when I worked in that environment, and took some of them with me when I joined TalkTV. But there are more than a few I would now cross continents to avoid,” he fired.

    “Or the likes of Loose Women’s Denise Welch, a vile, spiteful hypocrite who makes a fortune from preaching about the need to ‘be kind’ but likes nothing better than spewing hateful foul-mouthed abuse at people on Twitter,” Piers fumed.

    Eamonn Holmes v Phillip Schofield

    Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby with Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford
    Eamonn and his wife Ruth had a fallout with Phil on This Morning 
    Image:
    S Meddle/ITV/REX)
    This famous long-running feud began on This Morning, and it’s reportedly one of the reasons Eamonn left his post as co-presenter on the ITV daytime show.

    He and wife Ruth Langsford were replaced by ITV bosses in a big shake-up of the show in 2021, and the following year he made a series of claims about Phil in an interview in which he called him “passive-aggressive”.

    Accusing the TV presenter of “snubbing people”., he also briefly spoke about Phil and Ruth’s rift, and said: “It’s up to Ruth to say how she felt, but I was feeling hurt for her.”

    He also addressed Phil and Holly’s apparent queue-jumping at the lying in state of Queen Elizabeth II, and said in a tirade on GB News: ““I’ll tell you what’s strategic. Why is Holly fighting to keep her job, according to The Sun, but Mr Phillip isn’t?”

    Since news of Phil’s exit broke, Eamonn has been vocal about his dislike for the TV star, and has criticised ITV for the way it handled the scandal.

    “Those in authority had to know what was going on and they thought they would dodge a bullet with this. With Schofield talking about those who speak out against him– namely me, Amanda Holden, Dr Ranj as well. You simply sit there and think ‘No mate, you’ve had it all your way for too long’,” he said.

    Holly Willoughby v Amanda Holden

    Holly issued an emotional statement after returning to This Morning
    Holly issued an emotional statement after returning to This Morning 
    Image:
    Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

    Amanda denied the video was aimed at Holly
    Amanda denied the video was aimed at HollyThe Britain’s Got Talent judge is no stranger to feuds with This Morning hosts, as she’s had a bitter fallout with Phillip Schofield in recent years.

    But Amanda stoked the fires of another feud recently, but this time, her attention was turned on Phil’s co-host Holly.

    After the 42-year-old made an emotional statement regarding the scandal on This Morning on Monday, Amanda took to Instagram to seemingly poke fun at Holly.

    “Hello, it is Tuesday. Are you OK?” she said in the Instagram video, referencing Holly asking This Morning viewers how they were feeling as she began her statement.

    And on her Heart Radio show, the mum-of-two had another pop at the TV star, when she asked co-host Jamie Theakston: “I’m ok people, are you?”

    While Amanda’s rep denied any wrongdoing and that the video had been taken out of context, some fans were disappointed that more beloved daytime presenters were embroiled in yet another bitter feud.

  • Loose Women star Sophie Morgan ‘raging’ as BA ‘break her specialist wheelchair’

    Loose Women star Sophie Morgan ‘raging’ as BA ‘break her specialist wheelchair’

    The TV star has been a wheelchair user since she was a teenager and was left on the brink on Friday when she discovered her device had been damaged during the course of a flight

    Loose Women star Sophie Morgan has hit out at British Airways to accuse the airline of breaking her specialist wheelchair.

    The 38-year-old TV star became emotional when she shared an account about her ordeal online, fighting back tears of frustration in the process.

    Sophie has been a user of a wheelchair since she was 18-years-old after being involved in a car accident that left her paralysed from the chest down.

    She has been a spokesperson for the disabled community and has built up an impressive career as a presenter and advocate.

    One Friday, she explained that she had been travelling by air and was distraught to discover her wheelchair had been damaged during her flight.

    Loose Women Sophie Morgan
    Loose Women’s Sophie Morgan has hit out at British Airways 
    Image:
    Instagram)

    Loose Women Sophie Morgan
    Sophie has been a wheelchair user for 20 years 
    Image:
    Anthony Harvey/REX/Shutterstock)Taking to Instagram stories, she explained: “I’m absolutely f****** raging.

    “British Airways have broken my Batec. I arrived at the airport and it was working.

    “Now I’m reunited with it off the back of the plane and it’s not working.

    “[It’s got] some kind of electrical fault, it’s not connecting when I turn the key and so what does that tell you? It’s been manhandled.”

    British Ariways BA
    Sophie accused British Airways of ‘manhandling’ her wheelchair 
    Image:
    NurPhoto via Getty Images)
    Sophie then shared her experience of dealing with the customer care team – explaining how frustrated she was to be asked to lodge a complaint online.

    She continued: “I honestly don’t think I can actually take much more of this. I was just told to put a complaint in through the website again.

    “Thankfully I know that’s not what I’m meant to do. I’ve had no sleep, I’m absolutely exhausted.”

    A spokesperson for British Airways told the Mirror when asked for comment: “We’re really sorry for our customer’s experience and are in direct contact with her to resolve the issue as we investigate what happened.”

    Sophie also took to Twitter to highlight her experience – sharing a tweet that took aim at the airline and asked for her rights to be respected.

    She wrote: “It’s happened AGAIN. British Airways have BROKEN my wheelchair.

    “I am actually lost for words. @British_Airways @DisRightsUK @RightsOnFlights #RightsOnFlights.”

    Her tweet prompted a response from the airline who replied: “Hi Sophie, we’re sorry to hear this.
    “Please send us your details via DM along with as much information as possible so we can take a closer look.

    “We’ll also need you to confirm your full name and contact details. We may need to ask you a few more questions for data protection.”

    Loose Women Sophie Morgan
    Sophie is a frequent panelist on Loose Women 
    Image:
    Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)She also won an avalanche of support from her followers who were quick to offer her support.

    One follower commented: “So sorry to hear this Sophie, appalling! My DMs are open if can be of any assistance complaint wise.”

    And another tweeted back: “I’m hoping this awful news isn’t putting disabled folk off from travelling. It’s vitally important that we bounce back and not stay indoors.”

  • Denise Welch announces iconic role as she joins Princess Diana musical

    Denise Welch announces iconic role as she joins Princess Diana musical

    Denise Welch revealed the exciting news in a post on social media, and her fans were quick to throw their support behind the Loose Women panellist

    Denise Welch has announced she’s landed an iconic role in the cult favourite Diana the Musical in the UK.

    The musical debuted on Broadway in 2021, and was later released on Netflix, where it gained a huge following due to it’s tongue-in-cheek portrayal of the life of Diana, Princess of Wales.

    Now, the musical is heading to the UK, and a new concert version of the show is set to take place in London, with Denise playing the late Queen Elizabeth II.

    “Queeeeeeeen!! Diana The Musical in concert. Dec 4th. Apollo Hammersmith,” the 65-year-old tweeted, alongside a poster from the upcoming event.

    Denise shared the news on social media
    Denise shared the news on social media 
    Image:
    @RealDeniseWelch/Instagram)

    The news comes just days after Denise announced she was taking a break from the ITV daytime show.

    Written by Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan and Joe DiPietro, the musical follows Diana as she becomes the People’s Princess, and the upcoming concert version will give reportedly split the show in two.

    The show will see Diana played by two different actresses – Kerry Ellis and Maiya Quansah-Breed – representing two different parts of her life as they reflect on her rise as a royal.

    Denise’s fans were stunned by the news, and took to Twitter to throw their support behind the Loose Women panellist.

    The Loose Women co-host was overjoyed
    The Loose Women co-host was overjoyed 
    Image:
    Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

    Denise will be playing the role of the late Queen Elizabeth II
    Denise will be playing the role of the late Queen Elizabeth II 
    Image:
    Getty Images)
    “Amazing news! You are gonna be ICONIC! This whole announcement is gay Christmas,” one wrote.

    “Most iconic thing i’ve seen this year! Go on Denise,” another tweeted.

    “HAPPY F*CKIN PRIDE MONTH Better than a Guinness,” one elated fan added.

    “DENISE WELCH IS PLAYING THE QUEEN WHAT IS HAPPENING WHAT UNIVERSE ARE WE LIVING IN THIS IS UNMISSABLE Also Kerry Ellis as Princess Di. Can you even,” another tweeted.

    While one delighted fan replied with a meme, which read: “I’m going to give the gays everything they want.”

    And Denise’s famous friend and fellow Loose Women co-host Katie Piper offered her congratulations to the TV star.

    “Iconic as always,” she wrote.

  • Coleen Nolan ‘proposed to’ live on Loose Women after getting back with Tinder ex

    Coleen Nolan ‘proposed to’ live on Loose Women after getting back with Tinder ex

    Coleen Nolan was ‘proposed’ to by her ITV co-star live on Loose Women today, just days after reports revealed she had rekindled her romance with her Tinder ex

    Coleen Nolan was ‘proposed’ to live on Loose Women today, after getting back with her Tinder ex.

    Sources recently revealed that Coleen was back with her boyfriend Michael, who she had introduced to her Loose Women colleagues on the show several months ago.

    The pair had since split up but are now said to be back together and “taking things slowly”.

    Coleen and Michael were understood to be in regular contact even after their split, and continued to get to know one another, but they are now said to be back and ‘official’ once more as their romance heats up.

    Coleen is said to be back with her Tinder ex Michael
    Coleen is said to be back with her Tinder ex Michael 
    Image:
    Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

    “They are just taking things slowly, not labelling it, and just seeing what happens. Coleen and Michael have been on and off since they broke up last year. In fact, you could say they didn’t completely call it off at all,” a source close to the couple revealed of what their relationship has been like, “They spoke to each other almost every other day but hadn’t put a label on it.”

    The insider added to OK! magazine: “They weren’t officially together as a couple but they were still in each other’s lives. Now Coleen has spoken out about her relationship on Loose Women, it suggests she is ready to admit to herself, and others, that they are official again. Coleen has often struggled with her confidence in relationships, but as she said herself, now she has truly opened herself up, she has never been happier. It is lovely to see her feeling this way.”

    Amid the news they are back together, Coleen graciously accepted a ‘proposal’ from her ITV colleague Gok Wan on Loose Women today, as she anchored the show alongside Kelle Bryan, Linda Robson and Brenda Edwards.

    Gok 'proposed' to Coleen live on air
    Gok ‘proposed’ to Coleen live on air 
    Image:
    ITV)
    As he presented the competition segment from Palma, Mallorca, Coleen noted that Gok was stood in front of a floral arch, which she said made him look like he was getting married. He then stepped in to joke he was getting married and asked Coleen if she would ever tie the knot with him. She joked back that she would marry him anywhere.

    He then got down on one knee and asked if she would marry him, which she gracefully accepted.

    Coleen – who had previously been married to EastEnders star Shane Richie and musician Ray Fensome – detailed her past romances, and she said if you haven’t got an instant connection then the relationship isn’t right.

    “Gradually over time with the person I’m with now, it has taken a longer time and it’s my fault because I keep thinking I’m not used to this,” she explained of her past romances and talked about the importance of a connection, “I’m not used to somebody loving me the way you do because I’ve never believed I have. Because I’ve never been with anyone that has made me feel that 100%.”

  • Eamonn Holmes takes a cheeky jab at Loose Women as he vows to keep snubbing the ITV show

    Eamonn Holmes takes a cheeky jab at Loose Women as he vows to keep snubbing the ITV show

    It appears Eamonn Holmes would rather work until he is old rather than sit in front of Loose Women every morning – which perhaps won’t go down well with the GB News presenter’s wife Ruth Langsford

    Eamonn Holmes says he can’t even think about retiring – as he doesn’t want to sit around watching wife Ruth Langsford on Loose Women!

    The veteran broadcaster, 63, isn’t planning to pack work in yet because he still feels on top of his game.

    He discussed getting older on GB News but it seems he will be on our screens for a good few years yet.

    Telling co-star Isabel Webster that daytime TV is not for him, the Irishman doesn’t want to be stuck at home on his own every morning.

    While joking about his age, he said: “You see, I have no desire to be retired.

    Eamonn Holmes
    Eamonn Holmes has been a guest of Loose Women – but doesn’t want to watch it 
    Image:
    Ken McKay/ITV/REX)

    Eamonn Holmes
    His wife Ruth fronts the show and won’t be impressed by his comments! 
    Image:
    David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock)
    “But then, the more you see, there is a change in attitude when people look at you…’You’re how old?’

    “You know, they think you shouldn’t be working. A lot of people my age would just feel they are active – well, I’m not physically active but I’m compos mentis and you want to be involved.

    “You are defined by what you do, you don’t want to be sitting there at home all day watching Loose Women, do you?”

    Isabel told him: “No, but I do look back to the days of my grandparents who had a terrible war.

    “A difficult period in the aftermath of that, and they were never better off than when they were retired at 60.

    “They had a wonderful retirement, they were in their gardens, they were in societies.”

    She then joked how she would still be “working when she was 100”, to which Eamonn sighed and agreed.

    The subject quickly turn to something more serious – the Resolution Foundation predicting the Bank of England base interest rate could peak at nearly 6% by next year.

    Hundreds of thousands of homeowners have been warned they could pay an extra £2,900 a year more for their mortgage from next year if interest rates continue to rise.

    The Bank of England is set to announce its next base rate later this week – with experts expecting another rise.

    “These are terrible, terrible times and my heart genuinely goes out to people who find themselves on a fixed budget,” Eamonn said.

    “They have saved up and got themselves a mortgage which may be increasing by hundreds of pounds per month come Thursday.

    “Where do you get this money from? It’s incredible.”

  • Stacey Solomon admits it was a struggle to find other mums at son’s school ‘who like me’

    Stacey Solomon admits it was a struggle to find other mums at son’s school ‘who like me’

    Stacey Solomon is reflecting on her son’s primary school journey as he prepares to attend a new school – confessing she previously struggled to make friends herself in the playground at one point

    Stacey Solomon has opened up about her friendships with other mums as one of her son’s prepares to start a new school.

    The Sort Your Life Out presenter, 33, confessed it took her “a really long time to find mums that like me” as she shared a candid insight into her life and personal relationships.

    Stacey admitted things were starting to “feel emotional now” as her second eldest child Leighton bids farewell to his primary school and pals ahead of beginning his secondary school education later this year.

    The Loose Women star has five young children whose ages range from newborn to 15-years-old, meaning the doting mum has spent a lot of time in various school environment over the last decade.

    But that doesn’t mean the DIY guru has always found it easy to make pals with other mums in the playground.

    After sharing a snap of a load of children and other ‘school mums’ enjoying a dip in the swimming pool nestled in the garden of Pickle Cottage, Stacey took to her Instagram Stories on Friday to get real with her fans.

    Staceys pool with kids in it
    Stacey Solomon opened up the pool at Pickle Cottage to her son’s friends and their mums 
    Image:
    Instagram/staceysolomon)

    Stacey speaking to camera
    The Loose Women star took a moment to herself to reflect on her son’s school life 
    Image:
    Instagram/staceysolomon)
    “It’s starting to feel emotional now because it’s nearly summer and then that’s it, none of Leighton’s friends are going to the school that he’s going to,” the social media sensation began when addressing her 5.7million followers.

    “I just feel really nervous for him but hopefully they’ll all stay in touch, I really hope so because I like the mums too. It took me a really long time to find mums that like me. But Rex is going to Leighton’s school and some of their siblings are going there as well so hopefully I’ll still see them.”

    In addition to sharing Leighton, 11, with ex-fiancé Aaron Barnham, Stacey is also a proud mum to 15-year-old Zachary with her childhood sweetheart and shares son Rex, four, and daughters Rose, one, and newborn Belle with husband Joe Swash.

    Former EastEnders actor Joe is also dad to his teenage son Harry from a previous relationship.

    Speaking with comedians Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe on their hit podcast last year, Stacey opened up blending families with Joe.

    “The blended family situation has been a rocky road,’ the mum-of-five confessed. “That has never been easy.”

    “We have always had to work really hard to make sure everyone feels secure.”

  • Loose Women star sparks fury by calling missing Titanic explorers ‘selfish billionaires’

    Loose Women star sparks fury by calling missing Titanic explorers ‘selfish billionaires’

    The missing tourist submersible with British billionaire Hamish Harding on board, has a one percent chance of being found and rescued safely, an expert predicted earlier today

    Janet Street-Porter sparked fury today after sharing her thoughts on the devastating case of the missing Titanic submarine, insinuating that she feels it was a ‘selfish’ move of the five onboard passengers.

    The Loose Women panellist opened today’s instalment of the ITV programme by insisting that each of the passengers on board the tourist submarine ‘must have known’ the risks involved in undertaking such a huge mission to explore the ‘graveyard’ of the sunken Titanic ship.

    The outspoken panellist then claimed that the rescue mission crew are risking their lives to save the ‘billionaires’ on board the submarine – and they are being paid ‘a lot less’ to risk it all in order to save what some would call the ‘selfish’ passengers.

    The missing tourist submersible with British billionaire Hamish Harding on board, has a one percent chance of being found and rescued safely, an expert predicted earlier today.

    Loose Women Janet Street-Porter calls missing Titanic explorers 'selfish billionaires'
    Loose Women Janet Street-Porter calls missing Titanic explorers ‘selfish billionaires’ 
    Image:
    ITV)

    A massive search and rescue operation is currently underway in the mid Atlantic after the tourist submarine went missing during a dive to the sunken Titanic shipwreck on Sunday.

    Following Janet’s comments on the missing submarine, many Loose Women viewers hit out at the ‘insensitivity’ of the topic discussed on today’s panel.

    “Janet has basically just called the missing people ‘selfish billionaires’. She couldn’t have been less compassionate,” one fumed.

    “Gosh, hard watch on Loose Women. Imagine those people’s families. It doesn’t matter now if they are billionaires. Their lives are at high risk. Janet really doesn’t know when to shush,” another echoed.

    “Omg so much insensitivity on the missing sub,” someone else added.

    “Not Janet Street-Porter suggesting that those on the missing Titanic mission are selfish,” another added.

    Contact with the small submarine was lost about an hour and 45 minutes into its dive, and the passengers will only have Oxygen until Thursday at 11am, after which it will run out.

    Billionaire explorer Hamish Harding is on board the submarine
    Billionaire explorer Hamish Harding is on board the submarine 
    Image:
    FACEBOOK)
    The trip, which is thought to cost £195,000 per head, launched at 4am on Sunday, but communications disappeared less than two hours into the descent to the Titanic wreck site – which sits about 3,800m (12,500ft) below sea level at the bottom of the ocean around 370 miles off the coast of Newfoundland but in US waters.

    The missing submarine was designed with a 96 hour ’emergency capability’, Rear Admiral John Mauger, who is leading the rescue mission, announced at a press conference this evening – meaning there should be enough oxygen in the vessel until around midday on Thursday.

    There are fears that the submersible, named Titan, could be stuck in the wreckage of the Titanic that it was diving to explore.

    Speaking on Good Morning Britain an expert said that if the submarine has gone down as far as the Titanic, there will only be a one percent chance of the submarine being found.

    “The margins of success are very slim indeed,” the expert insisted.

    “It will likely be a one percent chance of rescue with them being found safe,” he added. “If they survive, it will be like a Hollywood movie.”

    The expedition was OceanGate’s third annual voyage to chronicle the deterioration of the iconic ocean liner that struck an iceberg and sank in 1912, killing all but about 700 of the roughly 2,200 passengers and crew.

  • Loose Women’s Sophie Morgan in tears as BA break her wheelchair for SECOND time

    Loose Women’s Sophie Morgan in tears as BA break her wheelchair for SECOND time

    Loose Women star and disability campaigner Sophie Morgan has spoken out after British Airways damaged her wheelchair for the second time

    Sophie Morgan recalled being left on the brink of tears after discovering her wheelchair attachment had been damaged during the course of a British Airways flight.

    The Loose Women panellist joined Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley to explain how she found herself in this situation for the second time on Friday.

    She said: “The attachment that I have for my wheelchair, that’s a battery powered attachment that I travel everywhere with, that’s the thing that’s been damaged. I don’t know what happened to it. I arrived at the aircraft, it was working, when I was reunited with it it wasn’t. I came here this morning and I’m just like, ‘I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be doing this. Why am I still here? Why are we having this conversation?’”

    The campaigner revealed that not only has her wheelchair been damaged on two occasions she was also previously “downgraded” on a flight due to her disability.

    Sophie Morgan on GMB
    Sophie’s wheelchair was damaged during the flight 
    Image:
    ITV)

    Sophie recalled: “I flew for work and I was in a club world business class. And when I arrived at the gate, I was told that the design of these new aircrafts was so that if you required assistance to get into the seat, you wouldn’t be able to access these seats.

    “So I was then told I’d be downgraded… what that tells you is that new aircrafts are being designed and they’re designing out disabled people.”

    Susanna interjected:”You’re not just asking for the plane to be made accessible, you’re asking that your equipment is not rendered completely unusable when you get off the plane.

    “Now, you were, as you say, raging you were on the brink of tears, you had a meeting then with British Airways officials. Now I’m sure they’re very sympathetic, but what are they going to do to make sure this doesn’t happen, not just to a high profile campaigner who, as you say, has access to the television channels, but to everybody in your situation?”

    Sophie explained the meeting with British Airways was “productive” but she’s been forced to meet with the airline directly because the “government refused to help”.

    “We said [to the government], ‘Please, can you help us and give us some more fines so that the regulators can actually help protect us?’ We were told no.

    “Now, the only thing I can do is make an ally of the airlines.”

    Sophie has been a user of a wheelchair since she was 18-years-old after being involved in a car accident that left her paralysed from the chest down.

  • Loose Women’s Brenda REFUSED to call doctor after finding breast lump at work

    Loose Women’s Brenda REFUSED to call doctor after finding breast lump at work

    Brenda Edwards has recalled the moment she discovered a “pea” sized lump in her breast just moments before taking to the stage in Hairspray The Musical

    Loose Women star Brenda Edwards said she refused to call a doctor as she had a “show to do” – despite finding a lump in her breast.

    The broadcaster, singer and actress was appearing in Hairspray The Musical back in 2015 when she discovered a “pea”s sized lump in her breast.

    Brenda, 54, said her stylist at the time had been in tears after a friend, 25, after receiving a diagnosis of breast cancer.

    Despite being just minutes away from the curtain up, Brenda explained to her Loose co-stars that she checked her breasts before finding a lump.

    Following the news about Sarah, Duchess of York being diagnosed with breast cancer and having a mastectomy, Brenda discussed her experience, saying she was also “symptom-free”.

    Brenda was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015
    Brenda was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 
    Image:
    ITV)
    Brenda explained: “I ran my hands across my breasts after she said something and found a lump which kind of felt like a frozen pea.

    “It was hard like a frozen pee and that kind of size, on my right underneath, by my right breast, didn’t think anything of it, went and did the show…”

    Before anchor, Charlene White asked: “You didn’t immediately call the doctor?”

    “No, I didn’t,” said Brenda before adding: “I was more focused on the show, I thought ‘I’ve got a show to do’, I just thought it was a swollen gland or something.”

    Following her stint in the show, Brenda recalled having a shower at home and discovering the lump had grown which prompted her to get in touch with a doctor.

    Having called on a Monday, Brenda was being seen in a hospital just two days later where she had a mammogram and an ultrasound, before a biopsy.

    “They sent away the test and 10 days later it came back as Stage Three breast cancer,” she said.

    However, Brenda said she wouldn’t have gone for a mammogram anyway as she “fell into the category of ‘it’s not going to happen to me’.”

    Brenda's admission came after the panel discussed Sarah, Duchess of York's shock diagnosis
    Brenda’s admission came after the panel discussed Sarah, Duchess of York’s shock diagnosis 
    Image:
    Getty Images)
    The presenter says she wouldn’t have been in the category to be invited for a mammogram due to her age but after intense rounds of chemotherapy, her nails fell off before her toenails turned black and fell off.

    Seven years later, Brenda says her toenails haven’t grown back and she still suffers from peripheral neuropathy.

    Ahead of their discussion, the panellists sent their best wishes to the Duchess of York who after a routine test was diagnosed with early stages of breast cancer.

    Speaking on her podcast, Sarah said: “We’re taping the podcast today, but tomorrow I’m going in for a mastectomy, a single mastectomy, it’s very important that I speak about it. So when it airs you will know I’ve been through this.

    “I want every single person that is listening to this podcast to go and get checked, to go and get screened.”

    The Duchess explained that she had put off going for her mammogram until her sister Jane intervened.

    “Thank you, Jane,” she said.