Author: bang5

Coleen and Wayne Rooney’s marriage almost fell apart after the former Man United footballer made some mistakes following his meteoric rise to fame, leaving him with major regrets

How Coleen Rooney is making sure son Kai doesn’t go off the rails like his dad Wayne(Image: Getty Images)

Coleen Rooney is making sure her son Kai is “protected” from fame, with the 16-year-old already having a glittering football career ahead of him. But to make sure he doesn’t make the same mistakes as his dad, Wayne, she’s reportedly making sure he keeps up with his school work.

The mum-of-four shares her sons with husband Wayne, 39, as well as Kai, they have Klay, 11, Kit, nine, and Cass, seven. But 39-year-old Coleen is wary of her sons being thrust into the limelight at a young age, after witnessing how fame affected Wayne, who shot to fame at the age of 16.

The couple married in 2008, when Coleen was 22, and like any relationship, have had their fair share of rocky patches. Their marriage was on the brink in 2017 when reporters discovered the ex-footballer had been pulled over behind the wheel of another woman’s car while he was three times over the drink-drive limit.

Wayne Rooney met Laura Simpson at a bar before joining her for a drive in her VW Beetle. During her Disney+ documentary, Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story, Coleen says: “I’ve had that feeling in my stomach a few times and I would never wish anyone to feel that.

Proud parents Wayne and Coleen with their son Kai(Image: Getty Images)

“You do think, do I actually know this person, when things like that happen. Y’know, you’re not the person I married and the person I want you to be.”

But having put their troubles behind them, Coleen and Wayne are back on track – and she wants to make sure her son Kai stays on the straight and narrow. The Sun reports a source said: “Kai is already being touted as one to watch and played a big part in Man United winning the Under 15s league.

Coleen is making sure Kai works hard at school, despite having a potential football career ahead of him(Image: Instagram/coleen_rooney)

“He’s being tipped to become a first-team player within the next couple of years. But Coleen is making sure that he doesn’t rely on it and has told him he has to do his GCSEs next year and still work hard at school, as nobody knows what’s going to happen.

“She’s playing a big part in his career, though, and is making sure he’s well protected and isn’t thrust into the limelight like Wayne was at such a young age.” Both Coleen and Wayne have been supporting Kai in his football, with the pair regularly celebrating his wins on social media.

Coleen wants her four boys to be true to themselves and won’t push them into football because of their dad

Kai has insisted that he is more keen on forging his own path within the game than following his dad. Mum Coleen revealed to the Mirror: “We’ve never pressured them into even playing football.

“We’ve always just let them decide what they want to do. My eight-year-old was playing and doing really well, but then decided he didn’t want to, and that’s OK.

“I think they sometimes get pressure off other people, you know. People approach them now and then if we’re out, they do say, ‘Are you as good as your dad?’. Kai says ‘I’m a different type of player.’ You’ve got to let them know that you don’t have to follow and to be your own person.”

David and Victoria Beckham are said to have ‘no idea’ about the meeting, which they reportedly felt was a ‘cruel blow’ – given their fallout with Harry and Meghan

David and Victoria were reportedly ‘blindsided’ by their son’s meet with Harry and Meghan (Image: Samir Hussein/WireImage)

David Beckham was said to be ‘devastated’ when his oldest son Brooklyn and wife Nicola Peltz failed to attend any of his 50th birthday celebrations earlier this month. As rumours of a family rift deepen, he and wife Victoria were dealt another blow when Brooklyn and Nicola were spotted cosying up to their former friends Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at a dinner this week.

The meeting is said to have ‘blindsided’ David, 50, and Victoria, 51, who famously cut ties with Harry and Meghan after Harry reportedly accused Victoria of leaking stories about Meghan to the press – something she has always denied.

During the meet, Nicola and Meghan are said to have bonded as both have been blamed for fallouts with their husband’s families. It’s claimed Harry – who is also at loggerheads with his father, King Charles and brother Prince William – was reportedly also able to offer his ‘unwavering support’ to Brooklyn amid the family fallout.

But with David still said to be ‘fuming’ about Harry’s accusation – and Brooklyn well aware of his parent’s hurt over the subject – the meeting, said to have been at the home of Nickelodeon and Paramount CEO Brian Robbins, who is a neighbour of the Sussexes, is not thought to have gone down well with the Beckhams.

Harry and Meghan and Brooklyn and Nicola are said to have bonded over shared family fall outs(Image: Getty Images)

A source told the Daily Mail: “David and Victoria had no idea about the meeting, leaving them blindsided that their errant offspring had joined the ‘other side’ in what appears to be just the latest jibe at his parents.

“In fact, not only did the Beckhams not know of the event, those in their circles struggled to believe that Brooklyn and Nicola would agree to meet up with Harry and Meghan, having snubbed five of David’s 50th birthday celebrations. It was, they say, a particularly cruel blow.

“Brooklyn knows how hurt David and Victoria were when Harry and Meghan accused them of briefing stories about them. David, who is very mild mannered, was absolutely furious. Brooklyn was very much around and spending a lot of time with his parents when this all happened. It was over five years ago, but the upset and dislike is still very much there. Victoria was especially good to Meghan in the beginning and it all got thrown back in her face.”

Quite why Brooklyn, 26, and Nicola, 30, were invited to the intimate dinner isn’t clear. Though it’s been hinted it’s likely because his father David recently sold his TV football chat show, Beckham & Friends Live, to Paramount+.

A source claimed the invitation was sent out way ahead of the feud becoming public knowledge – yet Brooklyn and Nicola were well aware of what it would look like to hang out with Harry and Meghan. They said it’s a ‘kick in the teeth or a total screw you’ depending on ‘what side you are on.’

But it seemed they wanted to set the record straight on the meeting, as a source insisted Harry and Meghan did not invite them directly, telling PEOPLE: “While it was an intimate gathering, there were several additional guests, including VIPs and film executives. Brooklyn and Nicola had a wonderful time and found Harry and Meghan to be particularly kind, caring and generous.”

David and Victoria Beckham have received a huge boost amid their family fallout as the Sunday Times Rich List features a surprise reality TV star with a huge bank balance

The celebrities topping the Rich List have been revealed

The richest celebrities of 2025 have been revealed, with a surprise reality TV star raking in millions and the Beckhams boosting their income amid their family fallout. This year’s Sunday Times Rich List has seen new celebs enter the list for the first time and one music icon earn £385m more than King Charles.

For the first time, there has been the largest fall in the number of billionaires in the guide’s 37-year history, going from a peak of 177 in 2022 to 156 this year. Those making it onto this year’s list needed to scrape by on at least £350million.

Topping the list is Indian-born British businessman Gopi Hinduja and his family, with a wealth put at £35.billion. King Charles made it to 238rd on the list, with his estimated fortune risen from £610million to £640million.

Victoria increased her brand revenues by more than 50 per cent(Image: WireImage)

In the world of showbiz, five big names made it ahead of the King. As co-founder of the Virgin Group, businessman-turned-celebrity Sir Richard Branson and family raked in an impressive £2.419bn, putting him at number 72 on the list.

It makes him the highest earning big name and Richard is closely followed by motorsport star Bernie Ecclestone and his family with £2bn income.

Heading down the list to number 145 sees Lord Sugar as The Apprentice star and businessman has a cool £1.101bn to his name. Just six spots down from Lord Sugar, sees the first music star.

Sir Paul McCartney and wife Nancy McCartney have hit the billionaire status as they have a staggering £1.025bn. Entering into the millionaires, sees Harry Potter author JK Rowling at spot number 169 with £945m.

Now for those falling under the King’s wealth, Victoria and David Beckham had a good year as they hit the £500m mark. The Spice Girl-turned-fashion designer and football icon have had a tough time of late with their ongoing public fallout with eldest son Brooklyn.

Simon Cowell banked an impressive £430m(Image: Variety via Getty Images)

However, Posh’s designer label has seen a bumper year having increased revenues by more than 50 per cent.

The next celebrity name to appear on the list is composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, who also sits at £500m. Sir Elton John follows with £475m, while the music legends continue to fill up room on the list as the Rolling Stones’ Sir Mick Jagger and Keith Richards both have £440m to their name.

Britain’s Got Talent boss Simon Cowell saw his talent show format air in almost 200 countries last year, attracting over a billion viewers. It has left him with an impressive £430m.

The first reality TV star on the list goes to Made in Chelsea’s Georgia Toffolo. In March, she married BrewDog’s co-founder James Watt and is also the entrepreneur of her own pet food company. It means they have a combined £425m to their name.

Sports star Sir Lewis Hamilton follows suit with £385m and musician Ed Sheeran next with £370m.

Those entering the list for the first time include American actress and comedian Ellen DeGeneres, who moved to the UK after Trump was re-elected. She has £363m, while makeup artist and beauty entrepreneur Charlotte Tilbury entered with £350m.

The Times also complies a list of the 40 richest people under the age of 40. Ten household names made up the list, with Georgia Toffolo taking the crown for the stars.

She was followed by Ed Sheeran and golfer Rory McIlroy. Pop star and former One Direction singer Harry Styles leads the musicians with £225m, followed by Adele and Dua Lipa.

Celebrities on the Rich List:

72. Sir Richard Branson and family £2.419bn

81. Bernie Ecclestone and family £2bn

145. Lord Sugar £1.101bn

151. Sir Paul McCartney and Nancy McCartney £1.025bn

169. JK Rowling £945m

273. David and Victoria Beckham £500m

273. Andrew Lloyd Webber £500m

283. Sir Elton John £475m

295. Sir Mick Jagger £440m

295. Keith Richards £440m

301. Simon Cowell £430m

304. James Watt and Georgia Toffolo £425m

325. Sir Lewis Hamilton £385m

321. Ed Sheeran £370m

40 under 40 celebrities:

12. Georgia Toffolo £425m

13. Ed Sheeran £370

19. Rory McIlroy £260m

22. Harry Styles £225m

24. Anthony Joshua £195m

26. Adele £170m

34. Dua Lipa £115m

35. Sir Andy Murray £110m

38. Daniel Radcliffe £100m

38. Harry Kane £100m

One Direction member Liam Payne died, aged 31, last year and his partner Kate Cassidy has continued to share photos and post about their relationship in the months since his death

Kate Cassidy has shared a photo of herself and Liam Payne after reflecting on a holiday they had(Image: Getty Images for BFC)

Liam Payne’s partner Kate Cassidy has shared a previously unseen photo of them. It comes after she looked back at their “last holiday together” before his death in another recent post, whilst further paying tribute.

Kate, 26, has given glimpses into her relationship with Liam in the months since he died, aged 31, whilst in Argentina in October last year. The late singer fell from the third floor of his hotel room and suffered injuries incompatible with life. A UK inquest ruled that his death was “polytrauma,” meaning multiple traumatic injuries.

Since his death, Kate has shared insights into their relationship, having first met him in 2022, and has also spoken about her grief. Paying tribute to the late One Direction singer, Kate has shared various photos of him on social media in the past. Earlier this evening, she posted another on her Instagram Story, a photo of the couple which hadn’t been shared publicly.

The photo showed the couple holding hands on a beach, though neither of their faces was visible. Liam was seen sporting a pair of white shorts as he held her hand, with some of his arm tattoos on display in the photo.

Kate Cassidy shared a photo this week of herself holding hands with the late Liam Payne on a beach(Image: kateecass/instagram)

Kate didn’t tell fans where the photo had been taken. Just a few days ago, she reflected on their “last holiday together,” sharing photos of herself from a trip to Greece. She told fans that the snaps were some of the last photos Liam took of her.

Most of the photos showed Kate in a white dress posing outside their accommodation at a resort on the trip. One instead showed her getting ready, with Kate seen curling her hair in a bathroom as the photo was taken.

Alongside the photos, Kate told her followers on Monday: “These are some of the last photos Liam took of me. We were in Greece, on our last holiday together. I asked Liam to take a few photos of me because I really loved my dress.”

Liam who died last year, began a relationship with Kate after meeting several years ago(Image: Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal)

She continued in the post: “As usual, with no hesitation, Liam did everything he could to get me the perfect photo.” She went on to say in the caption: “We walked around the entire resort trying to find the perfect background.”

She then told fans on the platform: “That’s just who he was. Always thinking of me in the most thoughtful ways. While he was taking them, he kept smiling and saying how beautiful I looked and how I was going love every picture.”

Kate’s latest post comes after she reflected on their ‘last holiday together’ earlier this week(Image: kateecass/instagram)

Kate said: “When I looked back at the photos, all I saw were flaws. I hated how I looked. My pose, my hair, my face – everything. I picked myself apart and told him I’d try editing them, maybe fix them enough to find one I liked.”

The content creator concluded: “He just looked at me and said, ‘I wish you saw how beautiful you are through my eyes.’ And I didn’t listen. I let my insecurities silence the way he saw me that night. So today, I’m posting them. For you, Liam. Just as they are. Unfiltered, unedited. Just me. The way you saw me. I miss you. I love you. Always.”

The Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, has reportedly offered his support to Brooklyn Beckham as both men continue to deal with famous family feuds within the public eye

Harry and Meghan dined with Brooklyn and Nicola(Image: Getty Images for Global Citizen)

As the Beckham family break-up saga continues to rumble on, Brooklyn is said to have received support from an unlikely ally. The son of David and Victoria Beckham is taking solace from Prince Harry, who knows all too well the issues surrounding a family feud.

Brooklyn and his wife Nicola were noticeable absentees as former England football captain celebrated turning 50 in style surrounding by friends and family. And now, as speculation continues to be rife around the reasoning for the Beckham-Peltz’s no-show, they’ve been seen leaning on the prince and his wife, Meghan Markle.

The couples rubbed shoulders at the Sussex’s Montecito mansion earlier this week. It’s reported Nicola and former Suits actress meghan found “common ground” over allegations their apparent similar story of helping to split famous families.

Brooklyn and Nicola are said to have had a falling out with David and Victoria(Image: Instagram)

According to sources, Harry has also offered Brooklyn his “unwavering support” following his family fall-out.

It’s claimed the meet-up of the two couples stateside blindsided Becks, labelling Brooklyn’s decision to dine with them a “cruel blow”. It comes after David and his former Spice Girls wife Victoria also had an apparent falling out with the former royals.

Despite initially being pally, and even attending Harry and Meghan’s wedding, the Beckhams were accused of leaking stories to the press – a claim they have vehemently denied and left fuming over.

Now, a source has told Mail Online: “Brooklyn knows how hurt David and Victoria were when Harry and Meghan accused them of briefing stories about them. David, who is very mild-mannered, was absolutely furious.”

They added: “Brooklyn was very much around and spending a lot of time with his parents when this all happened. It was over five years ago but the upset and dislike is still very much there.

The Sussexes had a falling out with David and Victoria Beckham(Image: AFP/Getty Images)

“Victoria was especially good to Meghan in the beginning, and it all got thrown back in her face.”

While Brooklyn continues to steer clear of his parents, he has reportedly found solace in the Peltz clan. It’s claimed he sees them as a “sanctuary”.

A source told The Sun: “Claudia is like a second mother to him and, although they are billionaires, Nicola and her brothers had more of a ‘normal’ upbringing because they didn’t have the media intrusion, which Brooklyn has always found so hard.

“He sees them as a kind of sanctuary where he can hide away if he wants to, but that is almost impossible in the Beckham family, they always seem to be on show. There is less pressure on him in a way.”

Katie Price has had another Brazilian Bum Lift (BBL), as well as filler to top it up, as she poses in a lacy blue thong and bra in her latest pics following the risky procedure

Katie Price has shown off the results of her latest surgeries(Image: BACKGRID)

Katie Price has posed with a plaster on her bottom as she showed off the results of her latest surgery. The 46-year-old recently had a Brazilian Bum Lift, better known as a BBL. It’s the third time the glamour model turned OnlyFans star has had the risky operation.

After having the procedure, she stunned fans on Monday by taking to social media to live-stream two surgeons injecting her bum with 50 needles of filler while she was awake. This ‘top up’ treatment is thought to give her rear an even bigger boost. She told fans: “I’m having it done now – putting filler in as we speak

Her latest pics show her posing in a baby blue lace thong and matching bra with a plaster on her right bum cheek, which is likely where the filler was injected. It comes after Katie previously halted a live recording of her podcast The Katie Price Show in November 2023 after claiming her bum filler was ‘leaking on stage’. She told the audience: “If you see a plaster on my bum its because I had bum filler the other week and it’s leaking so it is what it is.”

Over the years mum-of-five Katie is thought to have spent more than £100,000 on various cosmetic surgeries and ‘tweakments’. As well as two previous BBLs, she has had 17 boob jobs – including her biggest ever last year to get ‘Britain’s biggest boobs’, which are thought to be a size 32HH. She later had them reduced to a D cup.

She is also thought to have had six facelifts, a nose job, an eye and eyelid lift, a ‘fox eye’ lift, tummy tuck, full body liposuction and Botox and fillers since she burst onto the glamour model back in the Nineties as her fresh-faced alter ego, Jordan.

Katie points at a plaster on her bum, believed to be where she’s had filler injected(Image: BACKGRID)

Katie recently opened up about the heartbreaking reason behind her obsession with going under the knife. In a TikTok live, a fan asked: “Why do you keep getting surgery?” “That’s a good question, ” Katie replied, before saying: “Obviously I’ve had lot of therapy because I’ve had trauma in my life.

“It must have started form there. But to be honest, I quite like having the surgery it makes me look fresh. I’m 47 in May, and when I look at people I went to school with, I think they look haggard. You can grow old gracefully, but I don’t want to grow old gracefully. If there’s these procedures out there to be done I will take advantage of them, and at least I’m being honest.”

And Katie, who broke both her feet during a freak accident on holiday in Turkey in 2020, has even revealed she is considering buying a mobility scooter soon as she still struggles with pain from her injury. Speaking on her podcast – which she hosts with little sister Sophie – she said: “I was thinking of getting in touch with this company to get both me one and mum one, but I’d want one in pink.”

When quizzed about her need for a mobility aid, the OnlyFans star responded: “Because if I have to walk far, my feet hurt and I’ve got to see the surgeon in May. I don’t know what’s irritating me, or if I need more cortisol, but I won’t know until May. If I do Alton Towers or something like that, sometimes my feet play up, when it’s a lot of walking.” She also admitted: “Doing panto, although it’s good, at night my feet are creaky.

Presenter Rylan Clark revealed his natural look to his followers as he declared ‘this is what I look like’ alongside a selfie showing his natural hair colour, as fans went wild

Rylan Clark is known for his jet-black hair and beard(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Rylan Clark went back to his natural hair colour and ditched make-up, leaving his fans stunned. The former X Factor star has become known for his jet-black locks since shooting to fame on the ITV singing competition back in 2012.

He has gone on to have an impressive showbiz career, and became a reconisable face on TV including being this year’s Eurovision host for the UK with the finals taking place this weekend. Rylan is known for his dark hair and beard as well as his dazzling white teeth and make-up.

However, the presenter decided to reveal his natural look to fans in a selfie last year. He looked totally different as he sported red hair, that was cut into a choppy fringe. Alongside the snap, Rylan said: “Stripped colour from my hair to give it a reset. For anyone wondering this is what I look like with no colour in and no make uppppp.”

The star was flooded with compliments as one said: “Oh wow. You look fabulous/younger with lighter hair. Really makes your eye colour pop as well. Let the beard colour grow out for the summer too.” Another added: “Crikey you look so different! You really suit this.” Someone else commented: “Wow, you look great, and so much younger, definitely keep it!”

Rylan debuted his natural look to the delight of fans(Image: X/Rylan)

Rylan’s celebrity pals also dished out their praise as Loose Women’s Ruth Langsford urged: “I LOVE this colour! Keep it.” Presenter Katie Piper simply said: “Youthful,” followed by a love heart eye emoji. Geordie Shore star Vicky Pattison commented: “Still gorgeous.” Lizzie Cundy wrote: “Keep it ginge! Love you.” While Jedward teased: “It’s giving Troy Bolton from high school musical ya wild cat.”

The BBC Radio 2 host burst onto the scene with long, blonde hair on The X-Factor and previously revealed he is a natural red-head. Last year, he shared a snap of himself as he sported a lighter beard, writing: “I MIGHT try natural for a bit.” In the same thread, he posted a selfie while wearing a green hoodie, baseball cap and a noticeably lighter beard.

Staring confidently into the camera, Rylan had captioned the photo: “Beard shaved… Run out of colour… Ginger for a day.” He shared another pouting photo, writing: “Just call me ginger spice.” He once shared how he started dying his hair at the age of 14. He told The Sun: “I always struggled with how I looked growing up.

“At school I was the little fat ginger kid and used to get picked on. I was quite camp, so the gay thing played its part. I used to start dying my hair at 14.” The Gogglebox star said he went through a phase of taking botox and fillers “too far”. “Do I sit here and have any regrets? Yes we all have regrets. I would love nothing more than to grow my hair out, stop colouring it, not have to trim my beard…but I created a look that people recognise,” he said.

Rylan will be hosting Eurovision with Scott(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/BBC Studios)

Rylan is joining forces with broadcaster Scott Mills this weekend as the pair commentate on the Eurovision Song Contest. It seems the pair have already got good reviews from fans of the event, with several taking to social media to praise them.

Commenting on the duo’s semi-finals commentary, one person wrote on X: “Brilliant commentators and PLEASE keep talking over the hosts.” As another said: “In stitches at Scott Mills and Rylan tonight.”

However, some viewers were left less than impressed by the hosts work. One person commented: “If the BBC One commentators would just shut up now and again, Eurovision would be much more enjoyable instead of talking over top of everyone.”

“Jesus Christ. Scott and Rylan wait for the bloody song to finish before you start the insane chatter,” another added. The Eurovision Song Contest final will air on Saturday night where one country will be crowned the winner of the 2025 event. The UK will be represented by Remember Monday who will singing What the Hell Just Happened?

EXCLUSIVE: Scott Mitchell opens up on effect caring for the late EastEnders legend still has on him, her legacy and his own cancer scare

Scott Mitchell says Barbara Windsor’s legacy lives on through his dementia awareness work

One of the most joyful stars to grace TV screens, it’s no surprise that Barbara Windsor’s light continues to shine brightly more than four years after her death. Millions mourned the EastEnders and Carry On favourite’s passing from Alzheimer’s at 83 in December 2020.

And while Dame Barbara may have gone, she’s certainly not forgotten – as her widower carries on campaigning for dementia research, treatment and care in her name. “She’d be incredibly proud now to know that her name is still helping people,” says Scott Mitchell, 62, at the home they once shared in London. He talks about the amazing legacy Barbara has left, the lasting effect her death has had on him as he still ­struggles to sleep five years on – and finding love again with former EastEnders actress Tanya Franks.

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Scott and Barbara were together for 26 years before her death in 2020(Image: Getty Images)

Scott leads the government-backed Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Goals programme and wants a meeting with Health Secretary Wes Streeting to push for further action.

“I’m very proud of the lady she was and the mark that she’s left,” smiles Scott, speaking ahead of Dementia Action Week. “I always joke and say, ‘She won’t only be remembered for a bra flying off in Carry On Camping or telling people to get out of her pub’. There’s a new legacy for Barbara Windsor. And that is the world of dementia, helping people, and that’s very important.”

The actress who played Queen Vic landlady Peggy Mitchell was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2014. Watching her fade away over six years was incredibly tough for Scott.

“You’re powerless against it,” he explains. “It’s a much bigger force and presence than we are. You watch someone you love slowly being taken away. Everything they stood for is stripped away. You see them reverting back to childhood.

Scott is fighting for better dementia care, treatment and research in late wife Barbara’s name(Image: Humphrey Nemar)

“You will do things as a carer for your loved one that maybe you should never have to do in their lives. Personal care. And that’s the hard part. Not being able to do anything about it. That’s what has always pushed me with the campaigning. That’s what drives me.”

Together for 27 years, Scott and Barbara got married in 2000. Eyebrows were raised over their 26-year age gap but they proved the doubters wrong.

“It would be impossible for me not to miss her,” says Scott. “However, I also look at the fact that Barbara led an incredible life. And some! And she most likely lived 10 lives over compared to the rest of us.

“Before she had dementia, she would say to me, ‘When I die, be broken hearted, please. I want you to cry your eyes out. But then you promise me that you have the best life ever. Because that’s what I did’.

“The fact that we had 27 years together anyway was the most incredible thing. It shouldn’t have worked but we did spend this incredible life together.

Scott cared for Barbara as she deteriorated from Alzheimer’s (Image: UK Press via Getty Images)

“Now when I look back, I feel blessed for the time we spent together. Barbara changed my life in so many ways.”

Scott says Barbara would have wanted him to find love again and two years ago he began a relationship with her co-star Tanya Franks, 57, who played Rainie Cross in the soap.

“I’m incredibly happy,” he says. “Me being unhappy and alone is not going to bring Barbara back. Life is very much for the living and we all get one shot at living. Of course, there’s always someone on the internet, who’s going to say, ‘Oh, it didn’t take him long.’

“Well, maybe they forget the fact that Barbara’s illness possibly started initially 10 years before she passed so you’re grieving while they’re alive. You lose them while they’re alive. I didn’t feel guilty because I knew I had Barbara’s blessing because of what she’d always said to me.

“Tanya is a wonderful lady. She’s very private. She’s not how Barbara was in that respect. Barbara was an open book. Barbara told you every detail about her life. Tanya has no interest in celebrity. She is a very good actress. At the moment, she’s appearing with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon in Much Ado About Nothing.

Scott has found love again with former EastEnders actress Tanya Franks – and says Barbara would be happy for him(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

“I don’t compare the two ladies. They’re very different and I have love for both of them. I wouldn’t be with anyone who wasn’t truly lovely.”

But Scott still has problems sleeping from being his late wife’s carer for so long. “I’ve never recovered from my sleep from when I was caring for Barbara,” he explains. I’ll fall asleep at 11 but I can be waking up through the night.

“I was so aware of when she used to get up in the night because she used to have falls in the night. So I never really used to sleep. I used to constantly be alert. My awareness was so acute that my sleeping pattern got completely out of sync and it never really recovered.

“The impact it has on the family and carers is something that should never be estimated. That’s the kind of hangover that I’ve got from it still nearly five years later.

Scott is asking for a meeting with health secretary Wes Streeting to discuss the government’s plan for addressing dementia, the biggest killer in this country(Image: Humphrey Nemar)

“There are times when I wake up and I panic because I think, is she OK? Like I used to. I have to talk to myself and say, ‘it’s OK. She’s at peace’. It’s a lot less than it used to be now.”

Scott suffered his own health scare recently when a biopsy revealed that skin damage on his nose was pre-cancerous. Diagnosed with actinic keratosis, a condition that appears as scaly, rough patches on skin, it’s caused by sun damage and can potentially develop into cancer if left untreated. “My sunbathing days are over,” he says. “It has to be Factor 50 every day. When we’re in the height of the summer I’ll be wearing a hat and clothes, which will be torture for me.”

An acting agent and huge EastEnders fan, Scott praised the soap’s “sensitive” dementia storyline and says Barbara would have loved its recent 40th celebrations. He said the show changed both of their lives after she joined in 1994. “It was a year after I’d met Barbara and she was having a really tough time and had a huge debt,” he says.

Barbara Windsor played iconic EastEnders landlady Peggy Mitchell and was adored by fans(Image: BBC)

Accused of being after her money when they got together, Scott scoffs: “She had a million pound debt, I would have been the worst gold digger in the United Kingdom’s history.”

Now nobody questions his mission to beat dementia in her name. Last year he was appointed People’s Champion for the Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Mission and addressed scientists, NHS chiefs and tech bosses at 10 Downing Street.

“I thought of Barbara and I thought of my dad who I lost 18 months before Barbara,” he recalls. “And I thought to myself, ‘If you could see me now’. “I left school with no qualifications and here I am at the heart of government, telling my story. It was the most amazing ‘pinch me’ moment.”

Scott, an ambassador of ­Alzheimer’s Research UK, has helped bring in more than £250,000 running three marathons and secured £200million in government funding.

Scott Mitchell and Tanya Franks ran the London Marathon in Barbara’s memory(Image: NurPhoto via Getty Images)

“Our programme is about speeding up treatments, trials, getting new treatments to patients faster,” he says. “The odds of finding a cure in my generation are highly unlikely. But maybe future generations will not go through the painful experiences that we have been through. Treatments are going to get better and better. We now know you can drastically start slowing this down – now that is incredible.”

With dementia our biggest killer, Scott says there is more to be done. Having met Wes Streeting just before the General Election, he is hoping to sit down with him again to push for further action.

“I appreciate the many pressures facing the NHS and the range of issues the Secretary of State is seeking to address right now,” he says. “However, it’s important to recognise that the impact of dementia is driving many of these pressures. Breakthroughs in science mean we have an opportunity to change this but it will require leadership from the government.

“I’m concerned that right now dementia doesn’t have sufficient prominence in the national debate about the future of the health service despite the fact it remains the UK’s biggest killer.

“I’m really keen to work with Wes Streeting to address this and want to meet with him soon to discuss a way forward.

“If Barbara’s name can help ­generations in the future – by bringing awareness, or finding a cure one day, or bringing out treatments – then I will keep doing it.”

Dementia Action Week starts on Monday and Alzheimer’s Research UK’s Walk For A Cure campaign is organising 5k walks.

BBC Escape to the Country presenter Alistair Appleton has been a mainstay on the show since 2007 and has a successful career as a psychotherapist away from the cameras

Alistair has been a fixture on the show since 2007

Escape to the Country presenter thrilled fans by sharing rare snaps of his husband. The telly host, who has been a fixture on the show since 2007, is adored by viewers and shares presenting duties with the likes of Ginny Buckley and Nicki Chapman as they juggle tough challenges in finding people their dream retreat.

Born and bred in Hampshire, Alistair, now 55, graduated from the University of Cambridge with a 2:1 in English Literature. After university, he moved to Poland to teach at the University of Gdansk before relocating to Germany where he launched his broadcasting career with Deutsche Welle as a translator and journalist.

Alistair, now 55, graduated from the University of Cambridge(Image

As his television career blossomed on Escape To The Country, Alistair earned an MA in Advanced Psychotherapy at the Minster Centre in London in 2014. In a chat with Hampshire Life magazine in 2012, he confessed: “I loved that work so much that I started to get a bit disenchanted with all the crazy schedules of TV filming and I decided five years ago to re-train as a psychotherapist.”

He was effusive about his life decisions, stating: “That was the best decision of my life and I think I’ve hit my 40s in much better shape than I hit my 30s,” according to MyLondon.

Alistair has found his idyllic retreat in a cosy Sussex cottage, where he now resides with his husband Daniel Martin, who is earning acclaim as a potter. On social media, Alistair couldn’t hide his pride for Daniel’s work, gushing over his “beautiful husband” and celebrating Daniel’s participation in his first pottery fair.

Alistair has been a fixture on the show since 2007(Image: BBC / Naked West/Fremantle)

He shared a snapshot of his partner’s success with followers: “So proud of my beautiful husband.@thepilgrimpotter This weekend is his first pottery fair. At the prestigious @townergallery no less. this weekend! After a mad rush with lots of explosions and triumphs – he’s here! ! And it looks stunning. #townergallery.”

Fans were quick to respond with one saying: “Wow, Daniel, just WOW, beautiful !!!” with another commenting: “The lamp bases are amazing and if I were near that location, those babies would be going home with me!!” A third added: “It all looks amazing and he looks so proud too! love it all!”

Embracing a serene lifestyle, the couple offers free yoga and meditation sessions online – an initiative that Alistair mentions on his personal website as their way of contributing positivity during these challenging times, with an open invitation to everyone interested: “My husband Daniel, a yoga teacher, and I are offering free meditation and yoga to keep us grounded and happy during these extraordinary times. All welcome.”

In a heartfelt reveal, Alistair shared his joy and appreciation for having found love with Daniel, describing their life together in a 1930s French sea captain’s cottage in Newhaven shared with their large dog, Ben: “I am lucky to have found love and have a very understanding and supportive husband, Daniel… We’re currently in a 1930s French sea captain’s cottage in the port of Newhaven. And we live there with our very big dog Ben.”

Alistair couldn’t hide his pride for Daniel’s work, gushing over his “beautiful husband” and celebrating Daniel’s participation in his first pottery fair

A celebrated career in television and his expertise as a psychotherapist contribute to Alistair’s impressive net worth – speculations point to a fortune between £2-3 million. Despite professional fulfilment, Alistair once confessed to enduring darker times, particularly in his early 30s, saying he was: “pretty unhappy”.

While maintaining a public persona, Alistair has also been candid about personal trials, including substance abuse and nightlife excesses, which he discusses on his blog, mind-springs.org: “I was drinking a lot, doing a lot of drugs, going out a lot.”

Alistair revealed his struggles in a 2019 blog post, stating: “I realised how fossilised and dead-souled I’d become in my 20s”.

In a separate post, he reflected on his earlier ambitions, saying: “You know, in my 20s all I wanted to be was a famous TV presenter, and by the time I turned 30 I was already seeing that was a very dangerous path for me because I knew that it would just mean more anxiety, more laying value on external looks.”

Sue Cleaver has played Coronation Street’s feisty Eileen Grimshaw for 25 years, but as her time on the cobbles comes to an end she reveals what’s in store for the much-loved character, and it’s probably not what you think

Sue Cleaver has played Corrie’s fiesty Eileen Grimshaw for 25 years(Image: Supplied)

Playing feisty Eileen Grimshaw for 25 years means that actress Sue Cleaver loves her as much as Corrie fans. Despite leaving the cobbles in the next few weeks, Sue, 61, wants nothing but the best for Streetcars switchboard operator Eileen.

So, when soap bosses asked her if she wanted a happy ending for the mum of brothers Jason and Todd, the answer was a resounding yes. What they didn’t know was that she had been considering a new life chapter for four years and had already secretly designed her character’s departure.

Sue tells The Mirror: “There was always the risk that they might have killed me off, but they were supportive and said ‘Eileen’s a big part of the show.’ They asked what kind of ending I wanted, and I said I didn’t want to call it a day, because I love the place. I said I wanted a happy ending. Basically, the journey Eileen is taking is pretty much what I’m choosing to do.

“It’s new adventures. Just because you’re a certain age doesn’t mean that you have to stop, that your chances in life are finished, that you’re stuck and that you’re heading to your ageing days. There’s still a lot of life left in women my age, and we just need to grasp it and get out there and challenge ourselves and get out of our comfort zones. So, the story, in a sense, is following my own departure.”

Revealing that she has been considering leaving for four years, Sue says that last year she contacted former Coronation Street star Ryan Thomas, who spent 16 years playing her screen son Jason. Ryan left the show in 2016 and, in 2021, announced his retirement from acting. But the two have remained good friends, and he agreed to come back after the personal plea from Sue.

Gail (Helen Worth) storms into the Rovers and accuses Eileen (Sue Cleaver) of gossiping about her – also pictured Jason (Ryan Thomas) and Sarah (Tina O’Brien).(Image: ITV)

“I asked Ryan to come back over a year ago,” she reveals. “He had no intention of coming back into Corrie, but last April I said ‘look Ryan, I need you to do me a favour. I’ve not told work yet, but I’m going to leave and I’d really like you to come back and take me out.’ And bless him, he said: ‘well I can’t refuse that can I?’ “It was really special and lovely. I felt very supported having him there with me on that final day. We’ve both got busy lives, but we’ve always stayed in touch. I’m very fond of him.”

To Eileen’s delight, Jason turns up out of the blue from his home in Thailand at the funeral of her sister Julie Carp (Katy Cavanagh) later this month. With Eileen growing increasingly disenchanted with her life in Weatherfield, she makes a spur-of-the-moment decision to go back with him. Sue says: “I’m at a stage where I thought it was important to forge a new path for myself. My responsibilities as a parent had ended, and it was the right time for a change.

“It had been in my mind for the last four years to leave, so there’s been a lot of preparation and planning and thinking about it and making sure, but it definitely feels right. It’s exciting times. I’m not scared about the future. The only scary thing was making the decision that it was time. But once I’d made the decision, I knew it was the right thing for me.”

Steve McDonald [Simon Gregson] and Eileen Grimshaw [Sue Cleaver] work together at Streetcars(Image: ITV)

Straight-talking Eileen made an immediate impact when she joined the local taxi firm in 2000. “She was cocky, but she had a very big heart,” Sue says. “She was every woman. Everybody knows an Eileen. Everybody has an Eileen living on their street, and I think a lot of women could relate to her. She brought her boys up single-handedly, she’d been treated badly by men, she was a worrier, she was independent.”

The much-loved character has clocked up a string of failed relationships, including Jesse Chadwick, who ended up with her arch enemy Gail Platt and serial killer Pat Phelan. Most recently, she has been dating undertaker George Shuttleworth. When her terminally ill sister Julie took her own life, Eileen was horrified when she was suspected of having a hand in it. This adds to her increasing dissatisfaction with George, triggering her move to pastures new. Sue says: “With Julie passing, she starts to ask herself, ‘Why am I here? I don’t have to be here. Everyone has grown up; everyone has got their own life. This is my time.’”

Sue, who starred in Dinnerladies and Band of Gold before joining Coronation Street, lives in Manchester with her husband, TV lighting technician Brian Owen. Her son Elliot, 29, lives nearby. In the past few years, she has taken time away from the cobbles to appear in I’m a Celebrity and a tour of the musical Sister Act. She is also an occasional panellist on Loose Women and recently wrote her memoir A Work in Progress.

She hasn’t decided what she will do next, but wouldn’t rule out following her co-star Jack P Shepherd into Celebrity Big Brother. “I just don’t know,” she muses. “I’m open. If it sounded fun, I’d say yes, but if it doesn’t, I’m not going to do it. Strictly looks too much like hard work for me – I’ve got the elegance of an elephant – so I couldn’t see myself doing that at the moment.

Eileen (Sue Grimshaw) has had her fair share of doomed relationships including with killer Pat Phelan (Connor McIntyre)

“But I have no goal. I have no plan. I might go back to school, I’d like to travel more, and I’m having talks about various projects in the future, but I’m only going to be doing things that I really fancy. At this stage in my life, I wanna have fun and a bit of freedom.” While Sue didn’t want big leaving do she says: “Everyone was saying to me ‘are you going to have a party?’ I’m like ‘oh my God, I’m 61, I can’t be doing with parties.’

“And then Antony Cotton said he would ‘sort something.’ He booked a private dining room at the Ivy just for the people that I worked directly with – the Grimshaws and the Street Cars boys. And it was fabulous.” After Sue filmed her final scenes, she was presented with flowers, plus, randomly, an elephant statue from the Grimshaw set. She explains: “When I first moved into the Grimshaws’ house, there was this big elephant ornament. I hated it. I used to say ‘oh my God, it’s disgusting, can somebody just accidentally drop it.’

“Then, as time went on, it became ‘be careful with that elephant, don’t knock the elephant over.’ I got really attached to it and when I was leaving, I said ‘make sure nothing happens to it when I’m not here.’ “On the last day, when they gave me my flowers and presents, suddenly a ribbon-bedecked elephant arrived. I’m its custodian. So, if Eileen ever comes back, the elephant will come back with her!”

(R) Eileen (Sue Cleaver) and (L) Gail Rodwell [Helen Worth) during one of their many screen fallouts(Image: We Love TV)

Eileen’s fieriest moments:

Eileen Grimshaw doesn’t take prisoners, and, as well as her famous spats with her arch-enemy Gail Platt, countless other Coronation Street residents have been on the receiving end of her fiery temper. “I’m told there have been 19 slaps, most of them were for her son Jason, and there were a few punches,” says Sue. “I can’t even remember them all – how horrifying is that, that’s it has become the norm!

“I remember Eileen once hit Steve McDonald, and I nearly knocked (the actor) Simon Gregson out. This was in the days before health and safety. They didn’t get a stunt person in. They just said ‘slap him’. So, I slapped him and he was literally seeing stars. There was another scene with Simon and Craig Charles, where I had to bang their heads together. I got it a bit wrong and actually did it, and it was really hard. I felt awful – you could just hear this loud crack – the sound was terrible!”

Eileen has also punched Janice Battersby, slapped Pat Phelan and ended up in hospital herself back in 2012, when she was accidentally smacked in the face during a fight scene with Lesley Kershaw, played by Judy Holt. Sue hit the floor and lost consciousness. “I was knocked out cold,” she recalls. “They still used the sound and sent me to hospital!”