Author: bang5

Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash have been the nation’s sweethearts for years, but fans were left concerned when the couple were seen having a row in the street

The couple’s spat, claims a source, was ‘real’(Image: Channel 4)

Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash, the much-loved celebrity couple, tugged at heartstrings with their enchanting wedding in 2022 at the picturesque Pickle Cottage. Yet, they had fans fretting over potential discord in paradise, as images surfaced showing what seemed to be an intense public ‘row’—with Stacey in obvious distress.

In the aftermath, Stacey took off for a self-proclaimed ‘much needed’ girl’s trip to Vegas, leaning on her friends for comfort as she shared on Instagram feeling ‘supported’, amidst speculation about the spat with Joe, famed ex-EastEnders actor. The tearful telly fave was captured apart from Joe, who was spotted strolling down the street solo with his vape, as OK! reports.

There has been ‘tension’ at home, claims the source(Image: Channel 4)

She appeared consoled by a crew member — the pair are currently being followed by a documentary team. An eyewitness reported to a tabloid: “About 15 minutes later Joe was having an animated talk with the man. Eventually Stacey walked towards Joe in the car and shouted something. They ended up leaving separately. It all looked very tense.”

Inside sources now claim that the public dispute wasn’t just for show—it was the real deal and might stem from pressures of their upcoming reality series. “Their recent argument was a real one and both are wondering what they signed up for. It seemed a great idea at the time but they’re worried about exposing themselves even more, which is what this row showed.”

Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash’s fans are all a-buzz on social media as the much-loved couple regularly entertain with snaps of their quirky married life, which includes crafting mischievous pranks and sharing moments that range from heartwarming to hilariously annoying. But the latest scoop promises to put the pair under a different kind of spotlight.

Escape To Pickle Cottage, the rumoured name of their brand-new BBC reality show, promises to be a no-holds-barred series poised to delve deep into the bustling household of Stacey, Joe, and their six kids at their plush Essex home. From Stacey’s knack for interior design, to the energetic youngsters and their pets – including their adored ducks Daisy and Delilah Solomon-Swash – fans are eagerly anticipating this candid look into their favourite stars’ daily antics. While the power couple’s massive online following can’t wait, there’s word from our insider that the filming experience isn’t quite what Stacey bargained for.

Stacey and Joe have been married since 2022(Image: apolloniallewellyn/Instagram )

Filming for the new BBC series means cameras following the family around regularly(Image: Instagram/@staceysolomon)

It seems the pressures of having cameras around the clock might be taking its toll. “It’s really starting to show the strain between her and Joe – she wanted this more than him and he’s not as comfortable being filmed 24/7,” the source revealed. “When Stacey signed up for the reality show she had no idea how much pressure she would be under.”

Reality TV doesn’t shy away from the nitty-gritty, as seen on Netflix’s ‘At Home With the Furys’ and America’s guilty pleasure ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’, where family feuds are just part of the script. It appears though that Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash have felt the sting of too much reality in their own lives.

A source claimed: “Despite people telling her that it’s not as easy as it looks, she just thought it would be like putting up posts and stories on her Instagram. But producers want drama and storylines so it won’t just be her playing happy families,” adding that, “Stacey is quite open about their arguments but this was a big one – and there has been a lot of tension.”

During her trip to Sin City, where Stacey witnessed Adele live and had a personal shout-out, she couldn’t help but gush over her pals for being a rock-solid support system, stating: “they literally lift me up, have my back, keep me going, make me feel so supported and I just couldn’t do life without them.”

The pair regularly banter each other on social media(Image: Instagram / staceysolomon)

Joe and the kids had a banner ready to great Stacey on her return from Vegas(Image: Instagram)

Back in Britain, any whispers of discord were quashed when Stacey was welcomed home by her jubilant husband Joe and kids Rex, Rose, and Belle, who brandished a touching ‘Love you mum’ banner at the airport. Joe couldn’t hide his joy as he shared heartwarming pics of their lovely reunion, imagining warming up fans’ hearts when he captioned the shots: “The kids were super excited to show mummy the welcome home board they made. We all missed her so much. Just ain’t the same without you Stacey,” while Stacey herself added: “My babies came to the airport for me.”

According to the source, Stacey’s brief jaunt to the US has seemingly worked wonders for everyone involved. “Stacey went away for a few days and in that time Joe realised how much he missed her, needs her – and that they do really love each other.” All eyes are on the couple, hoping that the natural pressures that come with living life in front of cameras won’t spark further disputes. Despite occasional friction, it’s evident these two have a lot of love for one another.

Loose Women’s Coleen Nolan shared exciting baby news on Thursday’s episode as she revealed her son, Jake Roche, had welcomed a baby boy with his partner

Loose Women shared some exciting baby news for one of their panellists on Thursday’s show.

During the latest instalment, presenter Coleen Nolan revealed her son, Jake Roche, had welcomed a baby boy with his partner.

Coleen couldn’t help but gush about her new grandson, revealing she was emotional over the incredible milestone.

The presenter said: “I’ve got some good news to announce on my baby boy Jake and his gorgeous fiancée Georgia had a baby boy. So I’ve got a little grandson now, I’ve not even seen him yet apart from pictures and videos.”

To which co-star Kaye Adams replied: “You’ve not seen him?” with Coleen explaining: “Not yet, no! He was 5lbs7, he’s tiny! Nanny! Really surreal, so emotional and just a bit… surreal as in, when one of your kids has a baby. Jake to me is still my baby and there he is now a dad!

Coleen Nolan revealed her son, Jake Roche, had welcomed a baby boy with his partner

“The fact that he was so emotional, already he’s like: ‘Mum, I’m so so obsessed with him and so in love with him.’ The two of them together. She’s only just got home with him and they just want to have this week quiet getting to know him as a couple then they have no excuses, I’m going to hound them, then they’re getting married next July so he’ll be about seven months.”

It comes as Jake revealed earlier this month that he was about to become a father – with the bundle of joy due to arrive in just days.

The 32-year-old singer – who is the son of 59-year-old Loose Women star Coleen and EastEnders icon Shane Richie, 60 – has now welcomed his first child with partner Georgia.

Jake is the lead singer of a band called Push Baby – formerly known as Rixton – but has also stretched his creative wings in the world of acting.

Coleen pictured with her son, Jake Roche, as she shared the exciting news

He found critical praise for his stage show Neporrhoids which is a one-man show about his rise and fall in the music world. The show was a hit at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and was due to transfer to the Pleasance Theatre in London later this month – but he has now cancelled his dates and moved them to January 17 and 18 after he had a sudden change in family matters.

Taking to Instagram earlier this month, he announced in a statement: “Due to an unexpected yet exciting family development, I’ve decided to reschedule my upcoming November shows – 21/22/23. My partner and I are expecting the arrival of our little one around that time (sooner than we thought), and I want to be fully present to support her and our growing family.”

The star continued: “All tickets will be transferred over to the new date in January or refunded. Thank you for your patience and understanding! Here’s to the future of Nepo Babies!” He also added in a further caption to the statement: “New show link is in my bio. Hope to see you there.”

Much loved Loose Women star, Denise Welch has revealed how she risked sobriety as she struggled with health problems last year

Denise Welch spoke about her health battle(Image: Getty Images)

Loose Women star and actress Denise Welch has revealed that a recent health issue saw her hit ‘tipping point’.

The former Coronation Street actor opened up to Alex Partridge on the ADHD Chatter podcast, as she admitted that an incident involving her health last year nearly made her turn back to drinking alcohol and smoking. The 66-year-old had stopped drinking after she had initially turned to it after suffering with clinical depression.

Despite originally deciding that she was not going to take medication for ADHD, the mum-of-two was later convinced by her husband, Lincoln, and she first chose to take the tablets last year on the night she was due to see her eldest her son, Matty Healy, perform with his band, the 1975.

Describing the impact she expected the medication to have, the Loose Women icon believed that she would be able to see an instant difference in how she behaved, as she jokingly said that she thought she would have been more ‘focused’ and her head would be less ‘scrambled’.

Denise Welch revealed that she nearly hit ‘tipping point’ after recent health battle(Image: S Meddle/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

But, as time ticked by, she soon noticed that the reality did not meet her expectations: “So, I thought I’m going to take this tablet and by the time I leave our London apartment, I’m going to have vacuumed everywhere and I’m going to have thought, right, for once I really want to settle down to that bulk of affairs that I’ve ignored since I was 18-years-old.”

Unable to notice any impact from the medication, she joked as she claimed she still didn’t feel the ‘need to do her taxes,’ reports Gloucestershire Live.

But, as more time passed, that would soon change: “An hour later I wanted a drink and a cigarette for the first time in 11 years and it was horrendous how it affected me. Had I not been so many years into (it) and so secure managing my sobriety it would have been a very very dangerous tipping point for me.”

Denise Welch spoke candidly about her health battle(Image: ITV)

Despite not seeing positive results from her own experience, she said: “One of the things I am always glad of the opportunity of being able to tell people is that, ADHD medication changes so many peoples lives for the better, but there are some people it is not good for and I was absolutely one of them.”

According to the NHS Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) ‘is a condition that affects people’s behaviour. People with ADHD can seem restless, may have trouble concentrating and may act on impulse.’

Their website also adds that symptoms of the condition ‘tend to be noticed at an early age and may become more noticeable when a child’s circumstances change, such as when they start school.’ And, while diagnoses are also occasionally not made until adulthood, in some circumstances, symptoms can improve with age.

The Chase star Matt Labbett – best known as The Beast – has opened up about his split from Hayley Palmer, who was 17 years his junior

Mark Labbett claims his last relationship ended because of his age – and doesn’t think he’ll be finding love again any time soon.

In May this year, the Chase quizmaster, known as The Beast on the hit ITV daytime show, called things off with TV presenter Hayley Palmer just days before after their one-year anniversary. Opening up about their split, Mark revealed he thought he was too old to continue dating.

“She’s [Hayley’s] a lovely lady and I was very lucky to date her for a year, and as I said…it’s me, I got old,” he told the Sun. “There’s been no one since Hayley, I’m not saying there won’t be another one. But I’m certainly not looking.”

Mark joked he’s a “shed man” and enjoys his own company, but isn’t fussed about being in a relationship. “It’s not that I miss anyone in particular, I was single not coincidentally for a long long time when I was a 29-stone maths teacher, who knew it was quite hard to attract a partner then. So I’m quite comfortable without a partner,” he said.

Hayley Palmer previously said she had ‘a panic attack on the spot’ when Mark Labbett called to end their relationship (Image: Instagram/Hayley Palmer )

Mark, at 59, was 17 years older than the Sky TV presenter when he broke up with her, and they’d previously discussed their large age gap. But Hayley was still heartbroken when they split earlier this year, saying: “We had the best year together and I truly wish him all the best for the future.”

Prior to Hayley, Mark was married to his own cousin, Katie, who was also 17 years his junior. The pair had never met growing up so weren’t aware they were second cousins when they met on Facebook in 2010. “It wasn’t something we were aware of at the time – it was one of those things that happened,” Mark previously told the Loose Women panel.

Two years after their Facebook connection, Mark invited Katie to a celebrity special filming of The Chase, and the pair hit it off from there.

Katie also didn’t know Mark was a TV star before they got together. “I had never heard of Mark, or watched The Chase, but my gran mentioned him so I was intrigued,” she previously said. The couple wed at Arundel Cathedral in West Sussex in 2014 and went on to welcome son Lawrence.

Mark was previously married to his second cousin, Katie Labbett(Image: Brett D. Cove / Splash News)

The pair split 18 months after announcing they had an open marriage(Image: Tom Dymond/REX/Shutterstock)

But their marriage hit the rocks in 2018 and they opened their relationship up to other parties, with Katie finding extramarital fun with senior design engineer Scott. Just 18 months later, in 2020, the pair split and Mark moved out of the family home.

Now the newly single quizmaster says he has no plans to couple up again, insisting he’s “content” with his relationship status. “I’m 59 now, I’ve reached the sort of slippers and comfy chair kind of thing. Right now I’m in my PJs and pottering around the place,” he told the Sun.

“I’m settled down a little bit. I am an old man, I might not look it but I am. I’m quite content doing my own thing.”

EXCLUSIVE: Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne showed a softer and emotional side at a photoshoot with family and pals just days before the music icon died

Ozzy performed his final show just days ago(Image: Ross Halfin)

Proud grandpa Ozzy Osbourne welled up with pride during his last photoshoot with many of his closest rock star pals and family – just 18 days before his death.

The rock icon told friends at the shoot the focus of his life “was dedicated to being with the family and grandchildren”. Emotional Ozzy told a raft of superstar performers that his grandson Sid will follow in his footsteps as an entertainer.

The 76-year-old had built a terrific bond with the two-year-old, whose mother is the Black Sabbath rocker’s daughter, Kelly. Friends of the star say Ozzy boasted that Sidney, who was born in November 2022, already showed signs of having musical talent during his visits. One musician, who asked not to be named, recalled how Ozzy “could not stop beaming as he spoke about Sidney and how he doted on the kid”.

Ozzy had photos taken with family members and with Sidney on his lap taken by photographer and long term friend Ross Halfin on July 4. The gathering was a celebration and thank you for the acts, who’d agreed to appear in what would become the highest grossing charity show of all time.

Ozzy was a proud grandpa

There were also pics taken of Ozzy with the biggest stars from Rock and metal who would go on to appear alongside him in the Back To The Beginning show a day later at Villa Park. Lass than three weeks later, Ozzy would pass away.

The insider said: “Ozzy just loved boasting about Sidney’s talent and voice. There was a real bond between them when he had him on his lap fooling around and laughing. You could see at that moment, he was still Ozzy, but actually the smitten grandpa, whose child was his star. Ozzy had told many of the people there that Sidney would be the next generation of musician flying the flag for the family.

Ozzy’s pals have shed light on his final photoshoot(Image: Ross Halfin)

They sang together at home. He said that being with family and being a grandfather was now his main focus in life. He loved all of his grandkids so so much. His loss will be hard for them.”

Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine along with Sharon were the driving forces of bringing the talent together. Bands and stars playing the bash included Steven Tyler, Metallica, Axl Rose and Slash of Guns N’ Roses, Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins, Alice in Chains, Pantera, Tool, Grija, Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit and Jonathan Davis of Korn.

The doting grandfather spoke fondly of his grandchildren(Image: Kelly

The photoshoot was filmed as part of the Ozzy documentary about Back To The Beginning on Paramount. The source added: “Ozzy was really touched to see so many big names to come out and support his farewell. As they praised him, he kept saying things like ‘I dunno what to f***ing say’. It was overwhelming really, but very powerful.”

Speaking to the Guardian in May, Ozzy also suggested after the gig his time would be spent away from the spotlight. He said: “It’s time for me to spend some time with my grandkids.

Sources say that Ozzy believed Kelly’s son has already shown signs of having talent(Image: Kelly Osbourne Instagram)

Ozzy Osbourne 1948 – 2025

Leave your tributes and memories of the Black Sabbath legend after his death at the age of 76

“I don’t want to die in a hotel room somewhere. I want to spend the rest of my life with my family.” Ozzy Osbourne: No Escape From Now, covering the singer’s struggles with a series of health issues, will premiere on Paramount + in late 2025.

Ozzy died on Tuesday, his family confirmed in a statement sent from his hometown of Birmingham. The statement read: “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time. Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis.”

BBC Weather presenter Carol Kirkwood has revealed her plans to travel around Europe with her second husband, who is 13 years younger than her

BBC presenter Carol Kirkwood plans to stop work and travel with husband Steve Randall(Image: carolkirkwood/Twitter)

BBC weather presenter Carol Kirkwood has revealed she intends to retire in a couple of years when she hits 65 – and take off around Europe with her toyboy husband.

The 63-year-old has been a fixture on BBC Breakfast for the past 27 years. But dropping hints she’s not going to make her 30th anniversary of predicting sunshine and showers, Carol confessed that she and husband Steve Randall are planning to head off into the sunset.

“We fell in love with Majorca, which is where we went so I could research my fifth novel, Meet Me at Sunset, about a woman running away from a shattered love affair,” she explained. “Steve and I also plan to escape and travel for some time when we retire, perhaps in a year or two. We’ll either travel in a camper van, or get in the car, cross over to France and just drive.”

Carol Kirkwood married her second husband Steve two years ago, at Cliveden House(Image: Abi Chadwick)

Carol has built up an army of fans over the decades, and her decision to quit when she hits normal retirement age will sadden many viewers.

The TV star said that being older than her husband, a policeman, doesn’t bother her. She told Saga Magazine: “Steve is 50 this year. Other people’s opinions about an age gap don’t matter – I don’t feel he is younger than me.”

The weather expert married Steve at Cliveden House two years ago, with just themselves in attendance. She said that finding him, when she wasn’t looking for love, had been down to pure luck.

“Meeting my husband Steve was fate,” she explained to Saga Magazine. “We were at a function neither of us wanted to go to. It was a Sliding Doors moment – if I hadn’t gone, we would never have met.

“We chatted, he gave me his number, and ages later, we met for coffee. He was only a friend before we became involved. I wasn’t looking for a romance; I was happy being single. After a 25-year marriage, I needed to find myself.”

Carol is always sunny, even when she’s having to tell the nation about some terrible incoming weather(Image: (Image: BBC))

Carol was married to property developed Jimmy Kirwood for 18 years from 1990 and described their divorce as “devastating” at the time. But since settling down with Steve, she has told how contended she feels. Last year she declared: ”Love is lovelier the second time around. No disrespect to my first husband, but this is better.”

She said that Steve proposed on a riverbank near their home in Berkshire. “Although we’d talked about getting married, it still came as a shock,” she admitted. “Our wedding at Cliveden House was the most perfect day. Storm Gerrit was raging outside and we didn’t even notice. It was about us getting married rather than having a big, fancy wedding. We had no guests and wrote our own vows, which was really emotional. When you are older, you know more what you want.”

Born in Morar, Inverness-shire to hotelier parents, Carol is one of eight siblings. After graduating from what is now Edinburgh Napier University with a degree in commerce, Carol joined the BBC as a secretary in London.

By 1993 she was working as a freelance presenter and three years later she joined The Weather Channel. When it closed down she underwent training at the Met Office before joining BBC News in 1998. She is now the main weather presenter on BBC Breakfast, remaining in London when the show moved to Salford in 2012.

Coronation Street star Antony Cotton, known for his role as Sean Tully, paid tribute to his late pal Matthew Owens on social media after his death at the age of 38

Coronation Street star Antony Cotton has paid tribute to his colleague, Matthew Owens, after he died aged 38. Matthew worked as a fire safety advisor on the set of the long-running ITV soap and on other BBC programmes. Sean Tully star Antony took to Instagram to pay tribute to his friend.

Along with a picture of the order of service from his friend’s funeral, which said Matthew died on July 7, Antony wrote: “Today was a very hard day for so many people, especially Matt’s family. I still can’t quite get my head round it, to be honest. Matt was just a really, really nice lad. We met when he did the fire safety for a stunt block at Coronation Street, 13 years ago and we’ve been friends ever since.

Matt Owens worked as a fire safety advisor on Corrie(Image: antonycotton/Instagram)

“He was a much-loved son, brother, dad, colleague and partner. He was also a quiet and humble, solid friend. I’ll miss hearing from you Matt, out of the blue sometimes, but always with a smile. You are at rest now, no more worries, Matty Boy.”

Friends and fans took to the comment section to pay tribute to Matthew, with one user writing: “Sorry for your loss mate. Condolences to his friends and family.”

One person, who was at the funeral, commented: “I did the funeral today, I was one of the family limo drivers, I saw how sad you were, gave you a little smile, very emotional day. So many people attended, you could tell he was very loved.”

Antony Cotton pays tribute to Coronation Street colleague as they die age 38(Image: RapidFireCover/X)

Another fan posted: “Just reading this news, I didn’t know Matt had passed, really sad news. He was always so helpful and a joy to work with, helped me out lots with projects. Sending love to his family.”

Matthew is survived by his partner Amy and his 11-year-old son Freddie. As a sign of respect for the late firefighter, fire stations across Staffordshire kept their flags at half-mast.

He was a fireman at Cannock Fire Station. He also had a firm that provided fire safety training, extras and props to the BBC and ITV. In 2013, he worked o setting Coronation Street’s The Rovers Return pub on fire. He even trained Coronation Street star Tony Hirst to carry out a fireman’s lift for the soap.

In soap scenes, the pub fire trapped Stella Price and Sunita Alahan, while Karl left Sunita in the cellar to die. She survived and was rushed to the hospital but Karl later murdered her by taking off her breathing tubes so she wouldn’t be able to tell anyone he started the fire.

Matthew previously said of working on set: “It’s all a bit surreal being there on the set and on camera. At one point we were standing outside The Rovers Return, just watching it burn.

“Normally as firefighters, we’d get to the scene and be putting the fire out. It was unreal just watching the fire, especially at such an iconic pub.

“It was a hard three weeks working on the set, we were there from February 11 to last Tuesday. The first week we were working all night, from 3pm to 5am. The second week was all days, doing inside shots and the last week tidying bits up.”

Richard Branson’s daughter Holly, who ‘decided to be a boy’ for several years as a child, praised her parents’ open-mindedness in a sweet post to her mother

Richard Branson’s daughter praises parents love after identifying as a boy for years(Image: holly_branson/Instagram)

Sir Richard Branson’s daughter Holly has praised her parents’ open-mindedness and “unconditional love” after she identified as a boy for seven years. In a post dedicated to her Joan on her 80th birthday, Holly shared all the things she learned from the “open-minded, empathetic and kind” mother.

The daughter of Virgin CEO billionaire Richard said alongside a throwback picture of mum Joan: “The last few weeks have been filled with so much love and magical family moments. As a family, we love to be surrounded by people (strangers and friends alike), great food, good music, bad dancing, and lots of laughter. My heart is full after an early celebration of @bransonsam ’s 40th birthday onboard @VirginVoyages quickly followed by wonderful mum’s 80th birthday at @KasbahTamadot.”

Holly paid tribute to her mum on her 80th birthday(Image: holly_branson/Instagram)

She said: “My mum hates to be in the spotlight, but I’d love to share some of the most precious lessons I’ve learnt from her. Lessons that have shaped me; guided me; and that I carry into every corner of my own life. Thank you, Mum. There are no words that can truly express the love we feel for you.

Holly went into the first lesson she learned, which was ‘unconditional love’ as she praised her mum’s quality of loving people unconditionally.

She posted: “I cannot tell you how thankful I am and how empowering it is to have someone there who loves without judgement and lets people carve their own path.

Holly identified as a boy for several years when she was a kid(Image: holly_branson/Instagram)

“When we were kids, I’m sure we drove Mum wild sometimes. Forty years ago, the world was very different and having a daughter who decided from the age of four that she wanted to be a boy must have been difficult to navigate back then. Mum (and Dad) never made me feel like I was strange in any way, and I am so thankful to them both for this. “

Holly added: “Mum has always been so open-minded, empathetic and kind. Truly letting me and Sam be totally free to become the people we wanted to be.

“To take the path in life that was right for us without any pressure to do things differently. At times when Etta, Artie and Lola say or do things that make me want to pull my hair out, I call on my inner Joan.

“I remember that they are just learning how to express themselves, exploring new feelings and finding their own passions. I’ve realised that unconditional love and support also comes with a large helping of patience – thank you for teaching me that, Mum. And breathe!”

Holly previously opened up about being a boy for several years of her childhood. Speaking on TV presenter Natalie Pinkham’s podcast, she explained: “At the age of four, I decided I was a boy. It wasn’t that I wanted to be a boy – it was that I was a boy.

“It was just after my brother was born and… maybe I wanted to be like him. This wasn’t just a quick thing that stopped after a few months or years, it lasted until I was nearly 11.

“I was so lucky to have parents that were really accepting of it, that they didn’t question any of it, they let me be who I wanted to be.”

Dragons Den winner, Rick Beardsell, has been sentenced after being found guilty of using Covid loans to help buy a £1.3 million home in a sought-after village in Cheshire

A Dragons’ Den winner has been sentenced after pocketing Covid loans(Image: Instagram/ricky_racer_)

A Dragons’ Den winner has been sentenced after pocketing Covid loans to buy a £1.3 million mansion. Rick Beardsell, who had previously received a £75,000 investment from TV Dragons Tej Lalvani and Deborah Meaden in 2015 for his successful protein shake bottle business, ShakeSphere, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years, after prosecutors told a judge he had since paid all the money back.

Under the Government’s application rules, the 46-year-old father of two was only entitled to one Bounce Back loan of a maximum £50,000, but he fraudulently applied for two – then exaggerated his annual turnover by up to 23 times.

Beardsell, who has also won a total of seven gold medals for GB in World Masters Athletics Championships, illegally used two Covid business loans worth £100,000 to help finance the purchase of a five-bed property in the sought-after village of Prestbury, Cheshire, which is home to a number of celebrities.

Dragons Den winner, Rick Beardsell, has been sentenced after being found guilty of using Covid loans to help buy a £1.3 million home(Image: Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)

The dad-of-two was supposed to use the taxpayer’s cash to help his other firm, which sells sportswear, but none of the money he was given went to the company.

Instead, he spent the Covid loan funds to help buy a £1.3 million house in Prestbury while also transferring cash to family members and making mortgage payments.

At Chester Crown Court, Beardsell, who won two World Records for sprinting, holding the fastest record for a 400-metre sprint for a 36-year-old at the 2015 WMA, faced three years jail under sentencing guidelines after he admitted two charges of fraud. However, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison – suspended for two years.

The dad-of-two was sentenced to 18 months in prison suspended for two years, after prosecutors told a judge he had since paid all the money back.(Image: Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)

Beardsell had previously received a healthy investment from TV Dragons Tej Lalvani and Deborah Meaden for his protein shake bottle business, which subsequently helped him get sales of more than a million shakers worldwide across the following two years.

Geoff Whealan, prosecuting for the Insolvency Service, said Beardsell made fraudulent applications for Bounce Back Loans to HSBC in December 2020 and then to NatWest in January 2021 in respect of his other firm, Sports Creative Ltd.

”The defendant stated on the HSBC form that the turnover of Sports Creative was £485,000 and on the NatWest form said it was £320,000 – but unaudited financial statements showed turnover for the year end February 2020 was £20,622.” he said.

Beardsell’s counsel Nichola Cafferkey said in mitigation: ‘The loss of his good character is of some significance in respect of a man who has dedicated his life to his family’(Image: Instagram/ricky_racer_)

”The turnover was clearly exaggerated to secure the maximum bounce back loan, and subsequent transactions showed the bounce back loan funds were not being used for the economic benefit or business purposes of Sports Creative at this time.”

Mr Whelan added: ”In effect, the bounce back loan funds had been used for this purchase, and it can be inferred from the defendant’s conduct that it was his intention to use the bounce back loans for this purpose at the time he made the application for it. But in relation to repayment, the defendant has repaid the bounce back loans to each bank.”

Beardsell’s counsel Nichola Cafferkey said in mitigation: ”The loss of his good character is of some significance in respect of a man who has dedicated his life to his family, his professional entities and also his sporting endeavours.”

Former Little Mix star Jesy Nelson has opened up about her difficult pregnancy journey as her twins Ocean and Story make their very first live TV appearance on This Morning

Jesy Nelson has opened up about her difficult pregnancy journey(Image: ITV )

Former Little Mix star Jesy Nelson has opened up about the rare health condition that left her in “a constant state of fear” during her pregnancy with twin girls Ocean and Story. Back in May, Jesy gave birth to twin girls, naming them Ocean Jade Nelson-Foster and Story Monroe Nelson-Foster.

Speaking in her first live interview with This Morning, Jesy, who shares her twins with Zion Foster, opened up about learning that her twin girls had twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTS) – a rare condition that threatened their lives before they were born.

Identical twins share the same placenta in their mother’s womb, with some blood vessels joining the two together. Twins with TTS don’t have an equal flow of blood between the babies, which means that one baby can become anaemic and another can receive too much blood, leading to heart failure.

“I couldn’t believe the percentages and what could potentially happen to them. I almost felt from that point I couldn’t really enjoy my pregnancy because I was constantly worried that something would happen,” she said. “I could only take it two weeks at a time.”

Jesy Nelson with the partner Zion Foster and their twins(Image: @jesynelson/Instagram)

While Jesy and Zion were “over the moon” about having twins when they first found out, doctors confirmed at 21 weeks that they had developed TTTS. “Every time we were going for scans [to monitor her pre-stage TTTS] it was getting a little bit worse, a little bit worse. I still felt like we didn’t think it was gonna happen… I was a bit in denial about it,” she said.

Opening up about the symptoms, she said: “There were symptoms to look out for – if your belly gets really tight like a drum, if you’re struggling with your breathing.

“Two days after my scan, we’d gone to the park and I couldn’t even walk because I was so out of breath.” However, she added that she often couldn’t tell the difference between signs of the condition and what was normal for a pregnancy with twins.

“I thought, ‘Well I’ve got twins, of course I’m going to be out of breath. Of course my belly is going to be tight, I’m growing too humans.’”

She added that she was in a “constant state of fear” due to the twins’ condition and later went into hospital for a procedure to burn the blood vessels that were causing uneven blood flow between the twins.

Zion said: “It felt like overnight it literally went from pre-stage [TTTS] to having the procedure now, and that procedure is not even guaranteed to work, and that was terrifying.”

Thankfully, Jesy delivered the baby girls in May, announcing the news on Instagram. Jesy said: “So… Our beautiful baby girls decided to come at 31weeks plus 5 days. It all happened so quickly, but we are so blessed that they are here with us, healthy and fighting strong! We’ve never felt more in love. Everybody meet Ocean Jade Nelson-Foster and Story Monroe Nelson-Foster. Born on 15.05.2025.”

The first-time mum had lived in hospital for ten weeks before the birth, after their daughters developed twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome in the womb. The rare condition could have been fatal for both babies so the couple planned for Jesy’s labour to be induced once the twins were deemed strong enough around the 32 week stage.

In the months leading up to Ocean and Story’s birth, Jesy documented her difficult and emotional pregnancy for fans. She required emergency surgery in April after the twin-to-twin transfusion diagnosis, with Jesy telling fans at the time: “We feel so grateful and blessed that these little babies are still going strong.”

Jesy and Zion began dating back in November 2022, with the musician running the London Marathon in May to raise money for the Twins Trust – a charity which offers support for families with twins.

Speaking to The Mirror at the time, Zion said of the twins: “They’re giving us so much hope they’re going to come out healthy. Jesy and the twins have come through so much. There were so many times in this pregnancy we didn’t think we’d get to where we are now.

“Their strength has been unmatched. We literally feel like we know them already just because of how much they’ve overcome. Their characters are so strong. They’re so brave.”

Earlier this year, Jesy revealed that she will be showing her pregnancy journey on screen as part of a six-part documentary. Set to arrive on Prime Video, the series will follow the ups-and-downs of her pregnancy experience.

Jesy said: “I feel so excited and proud that we can finally reveal we have been filming our own series for Amazon! We met with the creative director Demi Foyle and Producer Gavin Evans at Navybee and letting the cameras in wasn’t an easy decision for us as it’s such a deeply personal time but I knew I wanted to tell my story in my own words.

“We opened the doors fully and I’m really looking forward to letting you all in as I navigate my way to becoming a first time mum to our beautiful baby girls Ocean and Story. I’ll be honest, it’s not been easy as it’s been such a high risk pregnancy, so you’ll see all the highs and lows and rollercoaster of emotions we have been going through. I hope you will all join me on this journey as I really open up and say goodbye to the past and enter this new chapter in my life. I hope you love it as much as we do.”

Meanwhile, Prime Video said that Jesy will “share her truth like never before”, with the documentary featuring footage of “weekly hospital visits and candid conversations” as well as the unwavering support of her loved ones.

Jesy is also set to open up about her decision to leave Little Mix in 2020, her mental health difficulties and the controversies that hit her career.