Author: bang5

  • BBC Antiques Roadshow guest devastated as they lose £100k in valuation gone wrong

    BBC Antiques Roadshow guest devastated as they lose £100k in valuation gone wrong

    The BBC’s Antiques Roadshow saw one couple left devastated as a valuation did not go the way that they had hoped – with the expert delivering some heartbreaking news

    An episode of the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow left a hopeful couple crestfallen when a treasured family brooch didn’t fetch the valuation they’d dreamt of.

    A show participant came forward with an exquisite brooch, a family heirloom from her nan, eager to learn its worth. Excitedly, they shared their belief that the eye-catching pin could possibly boast a large emerald stone, which might value it at a steep £100,000.

    “These pieces of jewellery were given to my wife on our wedding day by my mother,” the hopeful guest recounted. “And she indicated that they were given to her on her wedding day by her mother and because there was no daughter in the family we suggested that should we have any daughters going forward, the jewellery could be given to that particular daughter on her wedding day.”

    Antiques expert John Benjamin was tasked with evaluating the sparkling piece. Inspecting the supposed emerald-set pin, John informed the couple: “This pin is set with a very large green stone, and white stones – that was made in about 1910.”

    The brooch was a family heirloom
    The brooch was a family heirloom 
    Image:
    BBC)

    The guest was disappointed
    The guest was disappointed 
    Image:
    BBC)

    He questioned them, “Now, what do you think the green stone is? ” To which the owner of the brooch responded with optimism: “I thought it was an emerald.”, reports the Express.

    However, their hopes were dashed as John delivered the deflating verdict: “I wish it was. It would be worth an absolute fortune. It would be worth £100,000 if it were, but it’s glass.”

    An expert assessed an item brought in for appraisal and playfully declared, “Your pin – £10.”The room filled with laughter as the guests echoed in disbelief: “£10?”

    Fortunately for the guests, who had arrived with a treasure trove of gems, plenty more items were up for valuation. The expert confidently priced the delicate items, noting, “The diamond bow here – it’s small, it’s pretty – £1,200 to £1,500.

    “The clip brooch – that is probably worth around £3,000. The diamond crescent brooch – I like that one, it would make between £3,000 and £4,000.

    “£3,000 and £4,000? Okay,” the guest reacted, clearly taken aback by the figures. But the valuer John wasn’t done yet, “I haven’t finished yet,” he declared.

    He continued his assessment: “The diamond target brooch with a nice big diamond in the middle, I quite like that – I can see that making £3,500 to £4,000. Now, this magnificent Columbian stone in the middle – that’s real. That’s worth £5,000 to £6,000.

    “Good God,” exclaimed the owner of the collection, awestruck by the evaluation. “Incredible,” they added. Finally, John summed up his appraisal, “This is a really wonderful comprehensive group of 19th and 20th-century jewellery. So if you were to sell it – £15,000 to £20,000.”

  • ITV A Cruel Love star Nigel Havers’ incredible real-life link to last woman hanged in UK

    ITV A Cruel Love star Nigel Havers’ incredible real-life link to last woman hanged in UK

    New ITV drama A Cruel Love tells the story of Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in the UK, and veteran star Nigel Havers has a real-life link to her tragic story

    Actor Nigel Havers appears in the new true crime drama A Cruel Love, about the life of Ruth Ellis, and the veteran star has an incredible real-life link to her story.

    Nigel, who is best known for his roles in Chariots of Fire, Coronation Street and the sitcom Don’t Wait Up, stars as his own grandfather, Justice Cecil Havers in the series. Cecil was the judge who sentenced Ruth Ellis to death after she was placed on trial for the murder of her lover, David Blakely, in 1955.

    A Cruel Love executive producer Kate Bartlett reveals she and her fellow producers asked Nigel if he would appear in the series but weren’t sure he would say yes. “We had lots of conversations going, ‘Oh, do you think he might?’ And he leapt at it,” she says. “We couldn’t quite believe it. So it was just amazing that he was playing his grandfather, it was extraordinary.”

    Nigel Havers
    Actor and TV presenter Nigel stars as his own grandfather in A Cruel Love
    “He was full of little observations about what his grandfather would do,” adds director Lee Haven Jones. “Apparently his grandfather used to write all the time, he’d constantly be taking notes, and he liked to bet on the horses as well. So there were all of these little details and while we didn’t include all of them, it was nice to know that the role was imbued with a sense of authenticity.”

    Mr and Mrs Michael Havers and Justice Havers
    Nigel and his brother Phillip with their parents and grandfather Mr Justice Havers 
    Image:
    Getty Images)

    A Cruel Love stars Lucy Boynton as Ruth Ellis, the 28 year old nightclub manager who became embroiled in a passionate but abusive relationship with racing driver David Blakely (Laurie Davidson). Their affair was marked by what is now recognised as domestic violence, and it came to a tragic end when Ruth shot and killed David outside a Hampstead pub in April 1955. She was immediately arrested and put on trial for his murder.

    “It was such a tumultuous relationship, but they couldn’t stay away from each other,” Lucy explains. “Within weeks of meeting they were already living together. They seemed to be magnetised to each other. It’s hard for us on the outside to understand it but it was clearly intoxicating. And then it quickly turned very sour. He was very jealous, yet also unfaithful. He would promise her marriage, then disappear for days or weeks, telling all his friends they weren’t together anymore, then would return to her begging her to take him back. His physical abuse became so bad her friends were convinced he would kill her.”

    A Cruel Love
    Lucy Boynton and Laurie Davidson star as tragic couple Ruth Ellis and David BlakelyThe series recreates Ruth’s trial overseen by Justice Havers, where it took the jury just 20 minutes to convict her of murder, and Lucy says the court scenes were some of the toughest for her to film.

    “The days I filmed in court were very intense because for legal reasons and for accuracy, all dialogue is verbatim from the court transcripts. So we got a totally vivid experience of what that trial was like. How frustrating it was to sit through the misinformation and misrepresentation of Ruth’s experience. Because David Blakely was a member of the upper class it was deemed inappropriate to talk about his ugly behaviour, so none of the physical and emotional abuse he inflicted was mentioned, and therefore the case was entirely imbalanced and Ruth misrepresented.”

    “It was an incredibly intense shoot,” she continues. “The scenes of domestic violence were also hard to let go of when we wrapped.”

  • Stacey Solomon gobsmacked as BBC Sort Your Life Out stars ‘break records’

    Stacey Solomon gobsmacked as BBC Sort Your Life Out stars ‘break records’

    This week’s Sort Your Life Out saw host Stacey Solomon in shock as the Apabahi-Heer family broke the record for the most clothes in the BBC show’s history

    Sort Your Life Out fans were left gobsmacked during the most recent episode as Stacey Solomon announced the family had broken records for the most amount of clothes ever on the show.

    The BBC show sees the former Loose Women star help families declutter and transform their homes, with things often turning emotional for the both of them.

    This week, Stacey was a ‘Dilly down’ as professional organiser Dilly Carter was unable to join the gang, as her husband Joe Swash stepped in. The gang made their way to Coventry in the West Midlands to meet with the Apabahi-Heer’s, a blended family of five.

    Every nook and cranny in the families house was full, and with their daughter back from University, they needed all the help they could get. As the gang took a look around the house, Stacey revealed that at least 50% had to go, in particular, the clothes and shoes.

    Sort Your Life Out
    The family owned over 6500 items of clothing 
    Image:
    BBC)

    After 500 boxes had been packed, the contents of the family’s house were finally on the way to the warehouse. Without all the clutter, the family were left shocked at how much space they had.

    As they got to the warehouse, Stacey made the shocking announcement that the family had broken a record on the show. The team had counted 437 pairs of shoes, 39 phone chargers and over 1,000 kitchen utensils. Not only that, but the largest amount of clothes in sort your life out history.

    “You have 6,568 items of clothing,” Stacey told the family, who were left in shock. “It is the most clothes we have ever seen and you are Sort Your Life Out record breakers. Stacey also counted 28 suitcases in the mix – and it was time to start the mammoth task.

    Sort Your Life Out clothes
    Clothes were placed in every area of the house 
    Image:
    BBC)
    Fans were left gobsmacked at the amount of clothing, as one penned on X, formerly known as Twitter: “I have never seen so many shoes and clothes in my life. Stacey and her team have their work cut out this week.” Another wrote: “She can’t possibly wear all her clothes, shoes and make up so she just needs to be ruthless #SortYourLifeOut.”

    Stacey’s son Zachary was also shocked when she revealed the household had over 6,000 items of clothing as he exclaimed: “What?! That’s crazy!”

    It was a happy ending for the family, as they managed to get rid of 40% of their possessions in seven days. The family were left in tears as they saw their ‘new home’ and the kids were even treated to a climbing wall in the living room.

  • Fox News’ Janice Dean shares heartbreaking message after health update on ‘unseen’ battle

    Fox News’ Janice Dean shares heartbreaking message after health update on ‘unseen’ battle

    Fox News’ Janice Dean shares heartbreaking message after health update on ‘unseen’ battle

    FOX News’ Janice Dean has opened up about her decades-long, invisible battle with multiple sclerosis.

    Dean, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2005, shared a heart-filled message to her fellow warriors on World MS Day.

    Fox News' Janice Dean opened up about her invisible battle with multiple sclerosis
    2

    Fox News’ Janice Dean opened up about her invisible battle with multiple sclerosisCredit: Twitter/JaniceDean

    Janice Dean was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2005
    2

    Janice Dean was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2005Credit: Getty
    “I call it the invisible illness, the ‘My, you look so well’ disease because we can be looking fine, I got my hair and makeup done, but inside our body is attacking its central nervous system, the brain, and the spine,” Dean shared.

    “There’s a communication breakdown between the messages our brain sends to the rest of our body.”

    The Fox News Channel weather anchor then says that on World MS Day, she is feeling the effects of her illness.

    “On this World MS Day, I am actually feeling symptoms of my multiple sclerosis,” Dean said.

    The Fox & Friends anchor shared how she’s been dealing with a sunburn sensation on the back of her neck.

    “Even though we look okay on the surface – I got my hair and makeup done, I’m smiling on Fox & Friends – inside can be quite a challenge and what it feels like,” Deans says as she lets off a big sigh.

    “So it’s sometimes tough to put on that smiling face, but we have to do it, and I wanted to, on this World MS Day, thank you to all my fellow MS warriors who continue to move despite the challenges every day.”

    Multiple sclerosis is a potentially disabling disease of the central nervous system.

    The illness causes the immune system to attack the protective sheath that covers nerve fibers and causes communication problems between the brain and the rest of the body, according to the Mayo Clinic.

    There’s no cure for multiple sclerosis.

    More than 2.8million people have an MS diagnosis worldwide, according to the National MS Society.

  • Loose Women’s Ruth Langsford shares health update as she issues plea to viewers

    Loose Women’s Ruth Langsford shares health update as she issues plea to viewers

    Loose Women’s Ruth Langford urged viewers to get their skin checked

    Loose Women’s Ruth Langsford issued an urgent plea to viewers as she shared a health update live on air.

    During Tuesday (February 24) episode of the ITV hit daytime chat show, viewers and the live studio audience were joined by Ruth and her fellow panellists Janet Street-Porter, Denise Welch and Coleen Nolan as they discussed the day’s trending topics.

    However it was one segment that had everyone talking as they discussed whether your skin could be hiding a secret health scare that you would have never thought to get checked.

    Opening up the segment, Ruth went on to say: “We will be talking about skin today. Are you taking care of it? Any change of your condition on your skin could be an indication that there is something else going on in your body.”

    Loose Women’s Ruth Langsford issued an urgent plea to viewers as she shared a health update live on air
    Loose Women’s Ruth Langsford issued an urgent plea to viewers as she shared a health update live on air

    She continued: “Dermatologists are warning we are all guilty of not taking enough time to really look at our skin and therefore look after ourselves.”

    Ruth took the opportunity to open up about her own health scare after recently having a her moles checked on her body but she confirmed that “it is nothing to worry about.”

    She started off by saying: “When I was younger, you kind of ignored things and you never thought about it. But definitely as I’ve gotten older – I’ve been twice this week – I go twice a year to get my moles checked.

    Ruth took the opportunity to open up about her own health scare
    Ruth took the opportunity to open up about her own health scare 
    Image:
    ITV)
    “When we were young, we didn’t know the dangers of sunbathing and my dad’s in the army so we were abroad a lot running around in the sun. I remember sunscreen being around but not smothering it on.”

    Pointing at her skin, Ruth then revealed: “I’ve just had a little thing done here this week but it’s nothing to worry about because it’s been checked.”

    Co-star Coleen pointed out: “Didn’t you go green earlier” to which Ruth replied: “I did go green but it’s gone now. I don’t know what that was, maybe because it was early morning.”

    Before closing the show, Ruth said: “Please go and have anything checked that you are worried about. We are just looking at here blue skin is a sign of poor circulation, Yellowish skin is a sign of liver problems and thickness or hardening of the skin can be diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney disorders so anything that you’re concerned about and anything that is unusual please, please get it checked.”

  • Fox News’ Carley Shimkus shares sweet pictures with new son – but fans beg for answer on when she’ll return to screens

    Fox News’ Carley Shimkus shares sweet pictures with new son – but fans beg for answer on when she’ll return to screens

    Fox News’ Carley Shimkus shares sweet pictures with new son – but fans beg for answer on when she’ll return to screens

    FOX & Friends First star Carley Shimkus has shared a series of adorable photos with her new son.

    The journalist and her husband Peter Buchignani welcomed baby Brock Edward to the world in February.

    3

    Fox & Friends First star Carley Shimkus has shared a series of pics with her new sonCredit: Instagram

    Fans have asked Carley about her return to work
    3

    Fans have asked Carley about her return to workCredit: Instagram
    Carley has offered her thousands of fans a glimpse into motherhood as she posted heartwarming pictures on her Instagram account.

    Earlier this month, the anchor posted a selfie from the park where Brock was in his stroller.

    In another picture, the journalist beamed as she held her baby.

    Carley also posted a series of snaps of herself with pals at a gathering, celebrating the Kentucky Derby.

    Dana Perino, the co-anchor of the Fox News show America’s Newsroom, described Carley as the “happiest mama.”

    Dozens of viewers gushed over the pictures that Carley shared.

    Fans are also curious about when Carley will be returning to the air.

    Galen Pedersen said: “We miss you. My morning coffee isn’t the same.”

    An Instagram user, known only as Joey, asked Carley: “When are you returning to work.”

    Kevin Rettig was among the social media users who asked Carley about her return to Fox & Friends First.

     

    Carley appeared on the weathercaster and TV host Janice Dean’s podcast in March where she talked about adjusting to motherhood.

    Carley revealed that her son is getting “a very early education” in politics.

    She said: “Early motherhood is a wild ride.

    “You are filled with so much love, and you are so tired, and you’re so covered in poop.”

    Carley continued: “Your body looks different but at the end of the day, you have this sweet little person who needs you so much.”

    The new mom described the parenting experience as “wonderful.”

    Carley first joined Fox News in 2009 as a production assistant on Fox Business Network.

    The new mom previously worked as a producer for Fox Business Network and has appeared as a co-host for Fox Nation.

    Businessman Buchignani has been married to Carley since August 2015.

    The mom and her son were seen beaming in several Instagram pics
    3

    The mom and her son were seen beaming in several Instagram picsCredit: Instagram

  • Loose Women chaos as Janet Street-Porter hits out at ‘selfish’ co-star live on air

    Loose Women chaos as Janet Street-Porter hits out at ‘selfish’ co-star live on air

    Janet Street-Porter has branded her Loose Women co-star Denise Welch “selfish” during a debate about emigrating live on the ITV daytime show alongside Ruth Langsford and Coleen Nolan

    Loose Women’s Janet Street-Porter clashed with co-star Denise Welch live on air during the latest instalment of the ITV daytime show.

    Host Ruth Langsford was back on the panel alongside Janet, Denise and Coleen Nolan as they famous foursome discussed the latest topics making the news..

    During a debate on “have you considered emigrating?”, Janet branded Denise “selfish” as the former Coronation Street actress shared her opinion on the matter.

    Janet said: “That’s so selfish.” Denise asked: “Why is it selfish? The journalist added: “If you don’t like the country you are in, do something about it yourself”, with Denise replying: “I’m trying to.”

    Janet Street-Porter
    Loose Women’s Janet Street-Porter clashed with co-star Denise Welch live on air

    Janet continued: “Then go to another like Dubai..” Denise interrupted saying: “You pay no tax and it’s safe. In this country we respect the country’s human rights more than the victim’s human rights.”

    Elsewhere in the show, Ruth issued an urgent plea to viewers as she shared a health update with viewers. As the panel discussed whether your skin could be hiding a secret health scare that you would have never thought to get checked, Ruth went on to say: “We will be talking about skin today.

    Denise Welch
    Denise and Janet butted heads during a segment on emigrating
    “Are you taking care of it? Any change of your condition on your skin could be an indication that there is something else going on in your body.”

    She continued: “Dermatologists are warning we are all guilty of not taking enough time to really look at our skin and therefore look after ourselves.”

    Ruth took the opportunity to open up about her own health scare after recently having a her moles checked on her body but she confirmed that “it is nothing to worry about.”

    Ruth Langsford
    Ruth Langsford shared a health update with viewersShe started off by saying: “When I was younger, you kind of ignored things and you never thought about it. But definitely as I’ve gotten older – I’ve been twice this week – I go twice a year to get my moles checked.

    “When we were young, we didn’t know the dangers of sunbathing and my dad’s in the army so we were abroad a lot running around in the sun. I remember sunscreen being around but not smothering it on.”

    Pointing at her skin, Ruth then revealed: “I’ve just had a little thing done here this week but it’s nothing to worry about because it’s been checked.”

    Co-star Coleen pointed out: “Didn’t you go green earlier” to which Ruth replied: “I did go green but it’s gone now. I don’t know what that was, maybe because it was early morning.”

    Loose Women airs weekdays from 12.30 on ITV and ITVX

  • Rachel Campos-Duffy & Daughter Valentina Shine on ‘Fox & Friends’ to Raise Awareness for National Down Syndrome Day

    Rachel Campos-Duffy & Daughter Valentina Shine on ‘Fox & Friends’ to Raise Awareness for National Down Syndrome Day

    Fox host Rachel Campos-Duffy says her Down Syndrome daughter teaches her eight other kids patience as she urges mothers not to abort babies diagnosed with the condition

    Fox News host Rachel Campos-Duffy says her youngest daughter who has Down Syndrome teaches her eight other kids patience.

    The 52-year-old appeared on Fox & Friends with four-year-old Valentina StellaMaris Duffy to raise awareness on National Down Syndrome day.

    ‘So many of children with Downs are being exterminated in the womb and I think that when people get to meet them and see how wonderful they are we are going to see less of that,’ Campos-Duffy told the show.

    Valentina was seen playing with Ainsley Earhardt and showing off the pilates skills she learnt in physical therapy.

    Campos-Duffy shares eight other children with her husband former congressman Sean Duffy and she said her family is better off because of Valentina.

    Rachel Campos-Duffy appeared on Fox & Friends with four-year-old Valentina StellaMaris Duffy to raise awareness on National Down Syndrome day

    Rachel Campos-Duffy appeared on Fox & Friends with four-year-old Valentina StellaMaris Duffy to raise awareness on National Down Syndrome day

    Valentina was seen playing with Ainsley Earhardt and showing off the pilates skills she learnt in physical therapy.

     Valentina was seen playing with Ainsley Earhardt and showing off the pilates skills she learnt in physical therapy.

    Campos-Duffy shares eight other children with her husband former congressman Sean Duffy and she said her family is better off because of Valentina

    Campos-Duffy shares eight other children with her husband former congressman Sean Duffy and she said her family is better off because of Valentina

    Fox & Friends Weekend co-host Campos-Duffy and her daughter were introduced to show where Valentina waved and said ‘hi’.

    ‘I think it’s really important to raise awareness because actually, a lot of women get this diagnoses, a lot of them, and they will get fearful,’ Campos-Duffy said.

    ‘There’s a lot of fear around it. Even the medical community can make people scared and say, well, you have options.

    ‘I think when people realize that they are just like any other child, they have a few little challenges, sometimes medical.

    ‘Some them are prone to heart conditions, maybe some thyroid stuff. But all of that is very treatable.’

    She praised Valentina and said she has helped her family become more tolerant and patient.

    ‘She is as lovely, as precious, as joyful, as any other child,’ Campos-Duffy said.

    ‘In fact, I would say our family is better because of her. I think our kids have learned tolerance and patience. They’ve learned to be helpful.

    Valentina then showed off her pilates skills to Earhardt and began playing around the studio.

    Campos-Duffy added that the young girl was everyone’s favorite in the family.

    Valentina was born in October 2019 with two holes in her heart and needed surgery to fix it

    Valentina was born in October 2019 with two holes in her heart and needed surgery to fix it

    Duffy and Campos met on The Real World in 1998, before he launched his political career

    Duffy and Campos met on The Real World in 1998, before he launched his political career

    Duffy was serving in Wisconsin's 7th District but he gave up his position in 2019

    Duffy was serving in Wisconsin’s 7th District but he gave up his position in 2019

    Valentina was born in October 2019 with two holes in her heart and needed surgery to fix it.

    She was premature and needed to spend time in the neonatal intensive care unit until she learnt to eat on her own.

    Her mother announced her birth in a heartwarming post on Facebook at the time.

    She wrote: ‘Meet Valentina StellaMaris Duffy. She is the sweetest, most perfect thing we have ever seen. It’s a wonderful life!

    ‘When we visit with her at the hospital, the kids fight over who can hold her – I don’t blame them! She’s the sweetest, most perfect angel we have ever seen.’

    Before her birth, her father announced he was resigning from his seat in Wisconsin in order to spend more time with his family.

    The couple both appeared on MTV’s The Real World and married in 1999. Sean had a busy TV career before launching himself into politics.

    He was serving as the Wisconsin’s 7th district representative until September, when the pair learned ahead of Valentina’s birth that she would be born with a hole in her heart. It prompted his resignation.

    ‘Recently, we’ve learned that our baby, due in late October, will need even more love, time, and attention due to complications, including a heart condition.

    ‘With much prayer, I have decided that this is the right time for me to take a break from public service in order to be the support my wife, baby and family need right now. It is not an easy decision – because I truly love being your Congressman – but it is the right decision for my family, which is my first love and responsibility,’ he said.

    He was supported by President Trump – whose 2016 presidential campaign he enthusiastically backed – and a handful of other Republicans.

    Duffy met his future wife on the set of MTV’s ‘Road Rules: All Stars’ in 1999.

    The two had appeared separately on Real World programs for the music network. Duffy was on The Real World: Boston and Campos-Duffy was on The Real World: San Francisco.

  • Coleen Nolan reveals agonising health condition triggered by grief after Linda’s death

    Coleen Nolan reveals agonising health condition triggered by grief after Linda’s death

    Coleen Nolan has opened up about a health condition which has been triggered following the heartbreaking death of her older sister Linda earlier this year

    Coleen Nolan opened up about a condition that she’s been experiencing on this afternoon’s Loose Women.

    Coleen, 59, spoke about her health on the ITV show earlier and shared that stress has been a factor in what she’s been dealing with lately. She shared that it began over the festive period and continued as she grieved the loss of her late sister Linda Nolan, who, aged 65, passed away six weeks ago after having previously been diagnosed with cancer.The panelist revealed to her colleagues on Loose Women that she’s been experiencing eczema and said that an expert suggested it’s the result of her having been “very stressed”. Coleen added that she will be having some moles and skin tags checked amid her experience with the condition, which can cause dry and itchy skin, among other symptoms.

    She brought up the condition during a discussion about dermatology after reminding that she previously sought treatment for a carcinoma on her shoulder and pre-melanomas on her face. Coleen said: “They’ve told me [the latter] is from childhood. Being burnt in childhood. It’s quite common in people of our age and above, because, like you say, back in the day, we weren’t clued up as much about skin care.”

    Coleen Nolan sat in a blue striped shirt and dark trousers in a bedroom.
    Coleen Nolan has shared that she’s been experiencing eczema recently 
    Image:
    Instagram)

    Linda Nolan in a gold jacket, black top and trousers, alongside Coleen Nolan in a black top, trousers and jacket, on a red carpet together.
    The presenter, pictured with her late sister Linda Nolan, who passed away last month, suggested that stress has been the cause 
    Image:
    Dave Benett/Getty Images for Hea)

    Coleen added: “But I also know that with stress and … I mean, my skin has gone insane.” Denise Welch said: “Well, you’ve had your fair share of stress.” Coleen said: “I’ve been covered in … I got a terrible rash all round my middle and it went up my shoulders. And it was so sore and so itchy.”

    Further discussing her experience, Coleen said that she ended up visiting a dermatologist. She said: “I’m thinking ‘what is this?’ And it was all over Christmas and New Year, then obviously when Linda passed. And I went to the dermatologist and he’s like ‘yeah it’s eczema’.”

    She continued by sharing on the show: “And I was like ‘I’ve never had eczema in my life’. And he said ‘no, but you’re very stressed and the first place stress shows itself, or any condition, is on your skin’.”

    Discussing the future, Coleen told her co-stars: “Now I’ve got to go and have a couple of things just kinda shaved, like moles and stuff, that they’re gonna check out.” Ruth Langsford suggested: “And skin tags.” Coleen said: “And skin tags, yeah.”

    The news comes just days after Coleen paid tribute to Linda on her late sister’s birthday on Sunday. Marking the occasion, she shared footage of them performing together on Instagram. She wrote in the accompanying caption: “To my beautiful sister … think of you everyday, but especially today on your birthday … I miss you so much and life won’ be the same without you.”

  • Royal aide at centre of Meghan Markle ‘bullying’ allegations finally speaks out

    Royal aide at centre of Meghan Markle ‘bullying’ allegations finally speaks out

    Jason Knauf, who worked at Kensington Palace, for both the Prince and Princess of Wales as well as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, has spoken publicly about the bullying claims surrounding the Duchess of Sussex

    A former royal aide at the centre of the Meghan Markle bullying allegations has finally broken his silence.

    Jason Knauf previously worked at Kensington Palace for both Prince Harry and Meghan as well as the Prince and Princess of Wales as their communications secretary. He hit headlines when it emerged he made a bullying complaint against Meghan – emailing his concerns to Prince William’s then-private secretary, in an apparent attempt to force Buckingham Palace to protect staff. Meghan has always strenuously denied the allegations, with her team branding them a “calculated smear campaign”

    And now in an interview on Australian TV, Mr Knauf has spoken about the media storm for the first time after it emerged he had raised concerns. Speaking on 60 Minutes Australia, he explained how he wouldn’t “change anything”.

    Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
    Meghan with husband Prince Harry 
    Image:
    Juancho Torres/Anadolu via Getty Images)
    He explained: “I think it, it’s tough, but it’s probably quite good. You know someone who has been helping other people through how to deal with the public eye. You probably had to take your own medicine sometimes.

    “You can’t choose just to take the fun stuff in any job. And that applies to the Prince and Princess [of Wales] as well as everyone else working for them. So I wouldn’t change anything.” When asked if he had any regrets from his time in the role, he replied: “No, it’s not what I would’ve sought, but you know, at the end of the day, you get to do an amazing job. You’ve got to take everything that comes with it.”

    Elsewhere in the interview, Mr Knauf also said he wishes Harry and Meghan “the absolute best” and added: “We had lots of great times, working on their wedding was an amazing magical experience and I wish them absolutely all the best with their lovely family.”

    In 2021, it emerged that several years prior, Mr Knauf sent an email to William’s then-private secretary, Simon Case, saying: “I am very concerned that the Duchess [Meghan] was able to bully two PAs out of the household in the past year. The treatment of X [name removed] was totally unacceptable.

    Mr Knauf was made a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order
    Mr Knauf receiving an honour from Prince William 
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    PA)
    “The Duchess seems intent on always having someone in her sights. She is bullying Y [name removed] and seeking to undermine her confidence. We have had report after report from people who have witnessed unacceptable behaviour towards Y [name removed].”

    Meghan’s lawyers said the claims were a “calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation”. An internal review into the claims was launched by Buckingham Palace but never made public.

    Also in the interview, Mr Knauf revealed that William was at his ‘lowest” after Kate was diagnosed with cancer. Both the King and the Princess of Wales were treated for cancer last year. Kate is now in remission and Charles is having ongoing treatment

    Describing a phone call with William about Kate’s diagnosis, which was made public in March last year, Mr Knauf said: “It was awful, absolutely awful. It’s the lowest I’ve ever seen him.”

    Mr Knauf was made a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (RVO) in the 2023 New Year Honours List and was presented with his award by William. Before joining the royal household the American-born former corporate affairs executive worked for a range of institutions, from the office of the New Zealand prime minister to HM Treasury and the Royal Bank of Scotland.

    Mr Knauf led a review of the Royal Foundation’s role and structure from March 2019, before becoming its chief executive in September of that year. He oversaw the launch of the Foundation’s Earthshot Prize – William’s £50 million environmental prize, now an independent charity, which recognises solutions, ideas and technologies that “repair the planet”.