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EXCLUSIVE Kate Middleton and Prince William still enjoy romantic dates together to keep their spark alive – often heading off for long weekends away without the kids

Prince William and Kate Middleton have been leaning on one another after a difficult few years for the Royal Family, and clearly have strong foundations. But after over 20 years together and 3 children, how do the royal couple keep the romance alive? The married couple have previously shared how they would converse over romantic homecooked dinners in the early days of their relationship, but now enjoy ailing holidays, roast dinners and long weekends at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor. Just over 20 years ago, their romance came to light when pictures emerged of a handsome young prince cosying up to a beautiful brunette on a T-bar ski lift.

The chemistry between the pair was unmistakable – a whispered conversation, gloved hands touching – and both of them wearing what could be described as matching outfits. Here was evidence that William had finally got his girl – which, incidentally was the headline on a tabloid newspaper that enraged the Palace. Up until that point, Kate and William, both students at the University of St Andrews, had managed to keep their romance under wraps, even though they were living in a cottage together in the middle of nowhere.

The couple have been together since 2001 and still have fun with one another trying new things ( 
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Now their two-year romance was out in the open, and the nation fell in love with William’s refreshing choice of girl-next-door. There was a frenzy to discover more about the former Marlborough College pupil who had captured the prince’s heart, with Middleton and Goldsmith family trees unearthed and much made of her mother Carole’s former job as an air hostess.

But what was it that first attracted the heir to the throne to Kate? Rather shy and aloof when he first started studies at St Andrews, he began to come out of his shell once he started to mingle with Kate’s circle of public school pals. They started off as friends, before becoming boyfriend and girlfriend after moving into a shared house at 13a Hope Street.

Royal expert Duncan Larcombe told OK! exclusively, “William was really very starry-eyed about Kate and they brought out the best in each other in many ways. William is quite shy and can be reserved around new people. He’s very cautious, and in that way they are quite similar characters. Their relationship blossomed on spaghetti bolognese and rain-swept beaches.”

They have gushed over one another in the past, with Kate sharing how her husband ‘looks after’ her ( 
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Dave Benett/Getty Images for Audi UK)
Kate offered more than just her fun, down-to-earth personality and good looks, however. Once William got to know them, the Middleton clan provided something that perhaps William had never experienced up until that point: a sense of family stability and comfort far removed from the grandeur of royal palaces.

Royal expert Hugo Vickers says, “We’ve always been told that Prince William found the Middleton household very convenient, in the sense that he felt it had a sort of a normality that his own upbringing hadn’t particularly had.”

Duncan adds, “It’s easy to underestimate the role the Middletons have played in William’s life. Yes, he fell in love with Kate at university, but frankly he fell in love with the Middleton family as well. They were the family he has never had – the mum, dad and three kids spending time together and going on family holidays. It was a new world he’d not experienced before.

“The biggest proof of the influence they’ve had on William is that he and Kate are following the Middleton model as they bring up their three children, sending them to the same school and keeping them all close together.”

The royal couple often take long weekend breaks away, escaping from the pressures of royal life ( 
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That love of normality has been evident throughout their relationship – who can forget Kate wheeling a trolley into a Waitrose supermarket near the couple’s house in Anglesey, just days after her 2011 wedding to William?

It’s this ability to keep a life entirely for themselves alongside their public duties that has been the bedrock of their marriage. During their younger years, there were occasional photos of them out partying and clubbing together, like any couple in their 20s enjoying London life. But as they got older, their private social life moved behind closed doors – much
as it had been during their time at St Andrews.

Hugo says, “They’ve always been good at keeping their private life away from the public gaze, just as they did in Anglesey. Now, of course they have help at home in Windsor but they don’t have many staff. I think they’ve always tried to keep it informal so that they are all together as a family.”

Their four-bedroom home – with sofas covered with cushions and framed family photos – was originally described as “quaintly elegant” when it was built in 1831, and with its large garden it is the ideal place to raise their three children and entertain local friends. As Duncan says, “By royal standards, Adelaide Cottage is incredibly modest. They could be living in any number of places that would be 10 times bigger and 10 times grander, with 10 times the staff, but that just doesn’t seem to be how they’re wired. There is a humility to both of them.”

They also enjoy skiing, being spotted together for the first time ever during a ski trip to KlostersDuring term time, other parents at their children’s school, Lambrook, are very familiar with the sight of either Kate or William dropping off their three children, Princes George and Louis, and Princess Charlotte, and attending events on the school’s extensive 52-acre site in Berkshire.

It’s this family togetherness that makes them so strong. Duncan says, “One thing that has struck me over the years is how much they changed after their engagement and marriage. From William’s point of view as heir to the throne, things did get very serious. Now they’ve replaced that carefreeness they had in their youth with a family bond with their kids. They live their lives through their children when they’re not on official duty. And that’s probably one of the secrets of their success – not trying to relive their youth. They just absolutely love being Mum and Dad to three kids.”

Ahead of the school summer holidays, it was Prince William who was taking the strain of the daily school runs while Kate recovered from her chemotherapy treatment. In her announcement that she had cancer, Kate movingly spoke of her husband, saying, “Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance.”

But these days, they take most pride in doing things as a family – embracing the roles of mum and dad ( 
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This echoed what Kate said when the pair got engaged in 2010. At the time, she revealed, “You know, over the years William has looked after me, he’s treated me very well – as the loving boyfriend he is, he is very supportive of me through the good times and through the bad times.”

But perhaps what has held them together more than anything else is their fantastic sense of humour. In public, we don’t always see that side of the couple – bar the odd knowing side glance – but in private, it’s very different.

William has said of their relationship, “Obviously we both have a very fun time together, both have a very good sense of humour about things, we’re down to earth, we take the mickey out of each other a lot, and she’s got plenty of habits that make me laugh that I tease her about.”

We’re sure he’ll be doing his utmost to keep a smile on his wife’s face right now.

The King and Queen have released their informal-looking Christmas card for this year as Camilla’s son spoke out about the difficult two years his mother has had

A photograph of the King and Queen in the Buckingham Palace garden has been chosen for the royal couple’s Christmas card this year.

The touching image shows the couple standing side by side on what appears to be a bright and sunny day in the palace garden and was taken by photographer Millie Pilkington in April 2024. The Queen can be seen wearing a blue wool crepe dress by Fiona Clare and private jewellery, while the King – hand in pocket – is wearing a grey suit and blue tie.

A simple message is attached to the cards, which reads: “Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year.” The card is more informal than years past, including the one chosen in 2023

The more informal Christmas card is a contrast to last year ( 
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Last year’s picture was taken by photographer Hugo Burnand and showed the royal couple in the Throne Room at the Palace following the coronation. Charles was seen wearing the Imperial State Crown and Camilla was wearing Queen Mary’s Crown.

The King was also pictured wearing a Coronation tunic and the robe of estate. Christmas images used to decorate official festive cards are regularly released by senior members of the royal family, with the cards sent to friends, family and colleagues.

It comes after the Queen’s son, Tom Parker-Bowles, has revealed the “hell of a two years” endured by his mother and the King, marked by significant health challenges. The Palace announced King Charles had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in February, and Camilla has been recovering from a bout of pneumonia since returning from a royal tour of Australia and Samoa.

Last year’s picture, taken by photographer Hugo Burnand ( 
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The 49-year-old food writer and critic told the Daily Telegraph he was planning to spend his first Christmas at Sandringham later this month after their difficult year. “My mum said ‘I’d love you to come, I haven’t had Christmas with you for a long time’,” he said.

“It has been a hell of a two years for them. The older you get, the more conscious you become of mortality, especially with illnesses and the rest of it.”

Despite the chest infection temporarily ruling her out of royal duties, Mr Parker Bowles described his mother as a resilient woman. “She went back to work before she should have done but she’s fine. She’s tough. She hates that she missed Remembrance Sunday. That’s a big day for her,” he said.

EXCLUSIVE: As the Princess of Wales and her father-in-law King Charles recover from cancer treatment at the same time, we look at the incredible bond that they share

There is nothing like a shared experience to bring two people even closer together. Without a doubt, King Charles and the Princess of Wales will have found strength in each other as they confront their own respective health battles.

That bond has never been more in evidence than at Trooping the Colour in mid-June. In a break with protocol, King Charles arranged for his “darling daughter-in-law” to stand next to him as the family gathered on the Buckingham Palace balcony to wave to the crowds. Their closeness was clear to see as Kate whispered something to Charles, making him laugh before the National Anthem was played.

Charles and Kate’s closeness is very obvious ( 
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Last year, Charles stood next to his son William, the Prince of Wales. The change of order was viewed as a mark of respect for Kate and an acknowledgment that she had chosen his official birthday to return to the public eye.

Former royal butler Grant Harrold exclusively told OK!, “It is changing protocol to show the King and Kate united with each other and going through similar battles, so I would say this is down to the King’s preference. The balcony [line-up] is orchestrated, so I have a feeling the King said to Kate, ‘You stand next to me.’”

The timing of the pair’s illnesses has been eerily similar. In January, both Kate and Charles were treated in the same hospital, the London Clinic, at the same time and were able to offer reassurance to one another in the early stages of their treatment. Then, the announcement of their cancer diagnoses came just a month apart, Charles’ in February and Kate’s in March.

After Kate’s public video message on 22 March, in which she revealed her diagnosis to the world, the King released a statement saying that he was “so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did”. It added that the King was in “the closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law” and that both he and Queen Camilla “continue to offer their love and support to the whole family through this difficult time”.

It was a remarkable public expression of their private fondness, with royal expert Hugo Vickers telling us he would not be surprised if there hadn’t been “a lot of plodding along the hospital corridor to see each other”.

Kate and Charles have been leaning on each other amid their respective cancer diagnoses ( 
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Kate’s closeness to Charles has long been recognised in the royal family, and she has even been overheard calling him “Grandpa”. The strength of that relationship is due to the fact that in the early stages of William and Kate’s relationship, Charles made a special effort to bring his son’s girlfriend into the family fold.

The princess has described her father-in-law as being “very, very welcoming, very friendly”. In 2004, she was invited to Charles’ 56th birthday party at Highgrove. There were also invitations to several family ski trips to Klosters – where Kate and William were first pictured together – and in 2008, the fact Kate was included on another ski trip showed that she was truly back in the fold after her brief split from William.

Royal expert and author Duncan Larcombe says, “Charles and Camilla adore Kate, and I think they have from the very beginning. One of the very early signs of that was the fact that William got permission for Kate to come on Charles’ ski trip with the family in 2004 and 2005. Charles wouldn’t have done that if he didn’t approve of her then.

Charles said at William and Kate’s wedding that the family were “lucky to have her” ( 
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“That was the start of this bond between Charles and Kate. He’ll be absolutely over the moon with how she’s grown into the role, how she’s made it her own and how the public have warmed to her.”

In her book Kate: The Future Queen, royal author and biographer Katie Nicholl writes, “William’s father was very fond of Kate and already saw her as a future daughter-in-law.”

Charles backed this up in practical ways, too, allowing Kate to use his lawyers Harbottle & Lewis when she was besieged by paparazzi in the London years. He also offered up his house, Highgrove, as a bolthole for the young couple so they could spend time together privately – perhaps mindful of how much scrutiny the late Diana, Princess of Wales, had come under in the early stages of their relationship.

In Katie’s book, a senior member of Charles’ household is quoted as saying, “Charles was like any other father: he was very kind and hospitable towards Kate from the beginning. He was delighted William had found such a lovely girlfriend, and she was made to feel at home.”

Unlike Diana, the young Kate took to country pursuits like deer stalking and shooting immediately. In 2007, Kate and Charles were pictured, without William, in what appeared to be a lesson in the art of the sport.

Kate and Camilla have lots in common ( 
Image:
GC Images)It came as no surprise then when Charles said at William and Kate’s wedding that the royal family were “lucky to have her”. When his son became Prince of Wales in September 2022, his father specifically name-checked Kate in his speech, saying, “With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the centre ground where vital help can be given.”

Royal biographer Hugo Vickers, author of A Royal Life, a biography of HRH The Duke of Kent, echoed Charles’ words, telling OK!, “Charles has always appeared to be very, very fond of Kate – and he should be, as they are very lucky to have her. Theirs is a good relationship.”

The camera never lies, and numerous pictures of Kate and her father-in-law reveal the bond between them. At Charles’ coronation, Kate was seen to kiss him on the cheek, and after the funeral of his father Prince Philip, she put her arm around his shoulders outside St George’s Chapel.

Kate and Charles’ close bond was on display at the King’s Coronation
Naturally, Charles has also been keen to ensure his “beloved” daughter-in-law is close to the other women in his life, especially Queen Camilla. The two have something unique in common – both are married to a monarch or a future monarch. That shared understanding of their roles has helped them form a bond.

Ahead of William and Kate’s wedding, Camilla gifted her a beautiful gold bracelet with two “Cs” on a charm – and in the run-up to the Westminster Abbey nuptials, the pair were seen lunching together with Pippa Middleton and Camilla’s daughter Laura Lopes. The quartet were overheard discussing final preparations for the nuptials, where Camilla’s granddaughter Eliza was a flower girl. More recently, Kate was given the honour of taking photographs of Camilla to mark her 75th birthday.

In public, Camilla has described Kate as “a lovely girl”, and royal expert Penny Junor has said, “They are two very normal people. Camilla is so easy to get on with, so un-stuck-up, and Kate is young and friendly.”

It’s no wonder then that the King has made such public and heartfelt declarations of support for his daughter-in-law. He knows that, in part, the future of the monarchy rests on her shoulders. Her appearance next to him on the balcony of Buckingham Palace is proof that he will do everything he can to support her through the challenges she’s faced and continues to face this year.

Prince Andrew and his family have spent many a Christmas at Sandringham, but the Duke of York has found the ‘perfect excuse’ not to attend this year, according to a royal expert.

King Charles is set to open the doors of Sandringham house for another year, continuing a tradition that has seen the Royal family spend Christmas at the Norfolk home for over 160 years. The festive gathering is no small affair, with the wider family, including Prince Andrew, his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson and their daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, usually in attendance.

However, this Christmas day, Andrew has the ‘perfect excuse’ not to attend, according to former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond. With both Eugenie and Beatrice now married and mothers themselves, Jennie has suggested to OK! the house could be too full.

“As families expand, life gets more complicated. And the Yorks now have two sons-in-law and four grandchildren to consider. So it is beginning to become untenable to have the whole extended royal family under one roof at Sandringham…especially with Camilla’s family to consider as well,” she explained.

Christmas at Sandringham has been a long-standing royal tradition, with Prince Andrew (pictured there in 2000) a staple on the guest list ( 
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Princess Beatrice and Eugenie are both doting mothers now, making Christmas busier ( 
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Eugenie is mum to two sons, August and Ernest, with her husband Jack Brooksbank, whom she wed in 2018. Meanwhile, Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are expecting their second child together. They already share a daughter, Sienna, born in 2021, and Edoardo has an eight year old son, Christopher Woolf, from a previous relationship.

Jennie confirmed that Andrew will definitely receive an invite, as usual. She said: “However, it seems that Andrew remains keen on the traditional royal Christmas and, even after all the controversy over Royal Lodge, he and Sarah will almost certainly be invited to share the King and Queen’s celebrations. They don’t, however, usually stay in the main house but at Wood Farm nearby, where they can do their own family thing if they want. Charles is not a vindictive man…far from it…and whatever has gone on between the brothers, I think he will always extend an invitation for Andrew and his family to share big family occasions.”

Jennie also speculated that things would be easier if Andrew and Sarah do their own celebrations. “But Andrew’s own growing family will give him and Sarah the perfect reason to avoid Sandringham and surround themselves with their daughters and little one. Beatrice and Eugenie are very protective of both their parents”.

Christmas at Sandringham sees the royals head to church on Christmas day ( 
Image:
Getty Images)“And you can’t help but think that life would be easier all round if the Yorks began to stage their own festivities at Christmas.”

Christmas at Sandringham is a tradition embedded into Royal life, with Royal expert Duncan Larcombe recently sharing: “Christmas at Sandringham has been absolutely central to the family for years, and that legacy looks certain to continue with Charles.

“The estate has more of a country house feel than other royal residences, and it reflects the family’s love of the great outdoors.” Queen Victoria bought the 20,000-acre estate for £22,000 in 1862. When the pandemic struck in 2020 it prevented Queen Elizabeth II hosting Christmas there for the first time in 32 years.

“Sandringham had a very special place in the Queen’s heart,” Duncan adds. “It was where her father George VI passed away in 1952, which always gave it extra meaning for her.”

US President-elect Donald Trump gave the Prince of Wales a pat on the shoulder before the two shook hands and spoke for a few seconds at the Notre Dame ceremony

Prince William shook hands with US President-elect Donald Trump as the two greeted one another at the Notre Dame ceremony in Paris.

Mr Trump gave William a pat on the shoulder before the two shook hands and spoke for a few seconds on Saturday evening. The world-famous Notre Dame cathedral burned in a devastating fire in 2019, causing its spire to topple. In a ceremony to mark the re-opening of the landmark in central Paris, William and Trump were seen chatting ahead of a scheduled meeting the two are due to attend later this evening.

The Prince of Wales had been expected to meet Trump and outgoing first lady Dr Jill Biden ahead of the event, but Kensington Palace later said the pair would meet after the ceremony in another location in Paris.

US President-elect Donald Trump gestures as he talks with Prince William
Around 50 heads of state and government will be in the French capital to celebrate the rebuilding of the Gothic masterpiece following a restoration project that costed hundreds of millions of euros. Among those attending are billionaire Elon Musk and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

French President Macron will deliver a speech at around 7pm ahead of a commemorative service hosted by Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris. From around 8:15pm, choirs of the Maîtrise Notre-Dame de Paris will sing during the service, while a televised concert is due to be broadcast from 21:15pm.

Trump was seen patting Prince William on the shoulder ( 
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French President Emmanuel Macron, Prince William and Brigitte Macron ( 
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Later this evening, William and Trump will meet to discuss the importance of the US and UK’s “special relationship”. Kensington Palace announced yesterday that the Prince of Wales would be attending the event marking the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral on Saturday.

A palace spokesman said: “The Prince of Wales will travel to Paris tomorrow to attend the ceremony marking the reopening of the Notre-Dame Cathedral. His Royal Highness is travelling at the request of His Majesty’s Government on behalf of the United Kingdom.”

Former glamour model Katie Price is starring in Cinderella for Northwich’s Pantomime and the star has shown off her youthful looks after undergoing a facelift

Katie Price has shown off the results of her £10,000 facelift and fans have been left in disbelief over her new look.

During the summer, the former glamour model, 46, jetted off to Turkey for another facelift which set her back 10k. Despite already having undergone a facelift in the past, the mum-of-five – who previously admitted that she’s addicted to surgery – went under the knife again in a bid to achieve her dream look.

Taking to her Instagram stories on Friday, Katie showed off her latest look as she posed backstage during rehearsals before showing off her acting skills this weekend as part of a Pantomime alongside celebrity friend, Kerry Katona.

Katie has bagged a leading role in Cinderella at Northwich Memorial Court in Northwich, Cheshire, and she’s performing for the next number of weeks before Christmas. Sharing a glimpse of her costume as the wicked step sister. In her latest social media offering, Katie shared a sneak peak at her Panto costume as she delivered her best model poses for her fans.

Katie Price has shown off her latest look ( 
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Katie and Kerry are starring in the Panto as the wicked step sisters

Dressed in a bright yellow dress embellished with red polka-dots, the former glamour model looked ten years younger as she debuted the results of her latest cosmetic surgery. Her skin looked tighter than ever as she slicked her hair back into a tight ponytail.

Alongside the snap, Katie simply wrote: “Dress rehearsal.” It comes after she was given a warning just one day into rehearsals with the cast and crew of the Christmas production.

Katie was reportedly caught vaping inside the venue as rehearsals got underway – and panto bosses were not happy with her behaviour. Katie, who was also recently pictured vaping on a public transport, made a vow to herself to quit it earlier this year. However, it now appears to be impacting her work.

Lifting the lid on the situation, an insider claimed: “Katie has been caught vaping inside the venue on a number of occasions already. She has been told not to, but doesn’t seem to be listening.”

Fans claimed that Katie had ‘ruined’ her natural beauty with her face lift ( 
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@katieprice/Instagram)

Katie is no stranger to surgery ( 
Image:
Instagram)Meanwhile, the source said that Kerry is also an avid vaper but she has been making sure to smoke outside – unlike Katie. “Kerry also vapes so they keep popping for breaks when they can – but Katie can’t resist a few cheeky puffs inside,” the source added.

Earlier this month, former glamour model Katie was caught brazenly vaping on a train in front of un impressed passengers. She was pictured puffing on the fruity vape as she stood on the Southern train before it arrived at Haywards Heath station in West Sussex.

Wearing a black hoodie, the mum-of-five appeared to have no qualms about pulling out her vape and inhaling while the train was still travelling – and while it was full of passengers. “I was on the train and recognised Katie immediately with her distinctive voice and look. But I was shocked to see her vaping, considering it is banned. The rules are there for a reason,” one passenger shared.

“It is common courtesy for the other passengers, which she clearly did not worry about. What made it worse is that she was speaking to someone about how she had already been caught doing it before,” they told The Sun.

Tulisa won’t appear on the finale of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here after she arrived back home in England on the eve of the show

Tulisa Contostavlos has returned to the UK after exiting the I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here jungle.

The N-Dubz star, 36, made the surprise dash home to Blighty instead of staying to appear on the finale of the hit ITV series. The former X Factor judge has now arrived back home in Manchester, using a private terminal in an airport to avoid being pictured.

Tulisa was voted off on Monday night’s ITV show and has been the centre of attention ever since. A spokesperson for Tulisa informed the Mirror about her early UK return while the other evictees get ready for this weekend’s finale, citing “welfare reasons” for the move

There were whispers of a major clash between Tulisa and her close mate Michelle McKenna, which the statement put to rest. Tulisa herself countered these claims asserting she had “no issue” with Michelle or Daniel Johnson, who came down under to support her.

Tulisa was evicted from I’m A Celebrity earlier this week ( 
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Tulisa Contostavlos and pal Michelle ( 
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Her spokesperson clarified on Thursday: “There has been absolutely no fall out between Tulisa and her best friend Michelle. They haven’t argued once since Tulisa left the jungle. Michelle in fact travelled back to London with Tulisa.” They continued, denouncing the tale as a complete fabrication that wasn’t even vetted by Tulisa’s team before hitting press. This story has been completely fabricated and wasn’t even sent to Tulisa’s team for a chance to comment prior to publication. The decision for Tulisa to return home to the UK was agreed to by the production for welfare reasons.”

It was previously reported that all campmates typically attend the crowning of the King or Queen of the Jungle. However, a source stated that there is no ill will towards Tulisa for not being present. This comes after Tulisa shared a video message explaining that she felt “a little bit overwhelmed” following her departure from the show. In the video, she addressed removing I’m A Celebrity posts from her Instagram page, which had been managed by Michelle while she was away.

Tulisa said: “Hey guys. I’m just doing a little video to clear a few things up. When I first came out of the jungle, I felt fine first of all and then that evening, my friends went to bed and I was on my Instagram, just trying to have a casual scroll at some funny stuff.”
“I was getting a lot of attention, a lot of bombarding – in all the most positive way, but because it’s been a bit of a while for me, I can get overwhelmed quite easily and I just started to feel a little bit overwhelmed. And I was like, do you know what? I need to just take a little bit of time for me and just chill. This is all just feeling a bit much at the moment.”

The star candidly shared on social media: “I’m just going to archive all my stuff to do with the jungle and then, when the time is right and I’ve had time to process, I’m going to make my own reels of my best bits that I really like. Because remember, I haven’t been doing my Instagrams. The way it’s being posted and all the random stuff is not how I would do my Insta – I would have one or two really good reels relating to the jungle and bringing my time together there.”

She continued to explain her feelings, saying, “But I just really wanted to clear up the reasons why that I did that and just be honest – it’s OK to feel a little bit overwhelmed. I’ve been out of the spotlight for a long time and I’m still trying to overcome those things, I’ve got my demons. It doesn’t mean I’m going to hide behind a rock for another ten years it just means I need a little bit of time to process it and get right with my thoughts. Thank you to ITV and I’m A Celeb for being really understanding. Mental health is really important and I am super grateful for the love and support that I’ve had.”

She added, “I’ve just felt overwhelmed. I’m an introvert, guys – I’ve been in the jungle with people I’d only just met for two and a half weeks straight and then I’ve come out and I’ve received loads and loads of attention and I’m like, ‘whoa – this is a lot! ‘ and I just need a bit of time.”

Strictly Come Dancing’s Jowita Przystal, has been accused of faking her affections for Pete Wicks as the couple get ready to take to the dance floor for the semi-final

Strictly Come Dancing’s Jowita Przystal showers Pete Wicks with affection in a new video amid backlash from fans.

The couple are limbering up to take to the dance floor for the semi-final this evening, with Jowita looking very loved up in a clip on Instagram ahead of the live show.

In the video, the professional dancer cuddles and kisses Pete, 36, who she asks: “How are you feeling?” “Tired, very tired”, moans the TOWIE star as the Polish performer pulls him in for a snuggle. Jowita, 30, also gives her partner a friendship bracelet, gushing: “This is my gift for you.”

Revealing more about the show tonight, the pair confirmed their two dances were both “sexy and cute” As they discussed their gruelling rehearsals, Pete looked defeated, admitting: “I’m tired, very tired. Two dances, half the time, two completely different dances. We described one is cute and one is sexy.” Jowita then muses: “Which one do you like better? I think you’re cute.” Pete replies: “I mean, I don’t think I strike anyone as a cute person.”

Strictly Come Dancing’s Jowita Przystal, has been accused of faking her affections for Pete Wicks ( 
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Instagram)

The pair have made it to the semi-final ( 
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He then added: “To be honest, I’m far from sexy, but I mean, to be fair, they are very different, but we are enjoying both of them.” He also revealed he’s excited to perform the Argentine Tango, which had been a dance he wanted to do from the start of his journey on Strictly. He explained: “I didn’t think I’d ever get a chance to do it. “I’m so pleased I have because I thought I’d like it, and I think it’s my favourite dance so far.”

Looking fondly at her partner, Jowita concluded: “I think you’re doing amazing. And I’m really, really looking forward to Saturday night.”

The curious clip received mixed reaction on social media, with some fans accusing the couple of faking their feelings for another ahead of tonight’s show. Commenting on Instagram, one viewer wrote: “”Pete and Jowita really want to stay on the show.” Another said: “I love them, but I’m worried they are trying too hard to get the public vote.”

However, others loved the display of affection, with one saying: “Pete trying so hard to hate it, but secretly loving it” while another added: “Hahah never thought we’d see Pete making friendship bracelets!”

Pete and Jowita have faced a big backlash from Strictly viewers, who are perplexed as to why they’re still in the show despite being bottom of the leaderboard last week.

Fans were fuming on social media, accusing the BBC of forging a strategy to keep Pete on show, week on week. One person pointed out that Pete was given a waltz in Saturday’s show, which is less complex than other dance styles. They said: “I thought this week it was very obvious. He is yet to do a jive, Charleston or Argentine tango, all of which are incredibly complex and fast paced compared to the waltz.”

Meanwhile, another lamented the loss of Montell Douglas, who was given the boot last week, saying: “The judges (except from Craig) critiquing Montell to no end, but when it’s Pete’s turn literally saying they are going to ignore the mistakes he made. Seriously, these double standards and favouring needs to stop.”

I’m A Celebrity star Barry McGuigan paid moving tribute his daughter Danika who passed away in 2019, saying she was with him in the jungle

Boxing legend Barry McGuigan has told how his beloved daughter was by his side in the I’m A Celebrity jungle – and he wouldn’t have got so far without her.

The star said he took great comfort from thinking of Danika, who passed away aged just 33 – five weeks after being diagnosed with bowel cancer, in 2019.

Viewers had watched him break down talking about her to campmates in the most emotional scenes of the show to date. And speaking to the Mirror after becoming the latest celeb to become evicted from the Jungle, he opened up about how Danika inspired him throughout his jungle stint.

“My daughter died in 2019 which has broken our hearts,” he says. “It’s taken a long time but I don’t think you can ever recover from that, but I know she loved the show, and she would have loved to have seen me on the show. She would have been so proud of me. I know that.”

Opening Up: Barry talks about his I’m a Celeb journey ( 
Image:
Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)

Reflecting on how hard it’s been for him and his wife Sandra, he adds: “I can’t explain to you how sad it’s been for us for the last five years… but I knew she was with me in there, and I probably wouldn’t have got as far as I did without her being with me.

“I know that she travels everywhere with me, and I believe that 100% and we’ll see each other again sometime.”

In the jungle, Barry began talking about Danika after Jane spotted a tattoo of her on his arm, and asked who it was. He laughs now as he shows off his tattoo as it’s covered in bites. “It’s all those bloody cockroaches, she would have laughed about that,” he says.

He says that he thinks about his daughter “all the time.” He remembers watching Jill Scott winning the show in 2022, when he first thought of doing the show.
“I just remember thinking ‘my daughter would love me doing that’, as we all watched the show,” he says. “She was only a young girl and started as an actress.”

Barry McGuigan and Danika ( 
Image:
PA)

Barry McGuigan back at the hotel ( 
Image:
Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)
Barry, who also has three sons, Shane, Jake, and Blain, said that he was “madly in love” with wife Sandra, who he will be married to for 43 years next week. And he jokes how after losing 15 and a half pounds on the rice and beans diet, Sandra liked his new svelte figure.

“She said: ‘God you look great, you need to do that more often,’” he laughed. “Well, I’ll tell you from a diet perspective, it is very tough. I haven’t dieted since my last preparation for my last fight, to the same extent.”

Barry said the experience was “one of the best things I’ve ever done” although the torrential rain was tough at times. He says: “Living in the west of Ireland, we have a lot of wind and rain. Good God Almighty, I’ve never seen anything like it. The worst we’ve ever had in 20 odd years…just lashing down.”

At one point Alan Halsall had to divert a river which had formed. “I said to him ‘you should be a bloody engineer,’” he says.

The former world heavyweight boxer described the experience as a “massive psychological test”.
“I missed my salt, my pepper – all my condiments, and your spirit is down and your energy is down, when it rains incessantly like that,” he says. “There’s no doubt it makes you a little bit more depressed.”

Barry said the conditions were so grim that he had to have a pep talk with his campmates so they didn’t all take it out on each other. He reveals: “I said to the camp at the beginning – every single one of them – that we can go one way or we can go the other. We can get crabby with each other when we are lacking in food and get nasty with each other. Or we can be nice and respectful. I said, ‘I know what one I want to be…I want to be respectful to everybody, and I want you to be respectful to me.’ And they were all great.”

Fighting talk: Barry on life under the stars ( 
Image:
Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)

Barry McGuigan and wife Sandra ( 
Image:
PA)He also said that he was well aware that ITV were paying him “very well for it” and this drove him on to take everything on the chin. “You understand the rules and you must do as they say, that’s the deal, and we understand that,” he says. It’s why he refused to get involved with “teabag-gate” which saw Dean McCullough smuggle the item into camp. “Everybody will try and cheat here and there, but it’s only a bit of fun. But I’m telling you, you eat rice and beans for three weeks and tell me how you feel,” he says.

He said there was genuinely a togetherness in the camp unlike some previous series that he had watched.
“There’s been years where there’s been spitefulness and people falling out, but not this year,” he says.
One of his favourite friendships was with McFly star Danny Jones, who he says reminded him of his late singer dad Pat, who finished fourth in Eurovision.

“He’s so like my father, he’s such a talented boy. And my God, he was so great with the guitar and the sing alongs. I hope Danny wins, because Danny’s just such a great fellow.”
Barry says he wishes he could have stayed till the final. But he says the competition is too close to call.

“Al’s very good, Oti as well. I don’t think enough people know Grace. So I think it’s between the others and maybe Reverend Richard. Oh, he’s a dark horse. He’s hilarious, and I just loved just my time with him. I could have talked to him all day, every day.”

Most of all Barry liked the peace and quiet afforded by being in the jungle. And he said it was much more stunning than he ever imagined. He adds: “It’s an incredible place. And you look at it on TV and you think it can’t be that beautiful, but then you turn up there yourself, and it’s beyond beautiful.”

The latest campmate to be voted out of the I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here jungle has been announced, with the final line-up ahead of tomorrow’s last show confirmed

Oti Mabuse has become the latest person to be voted out of the I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here jungle.

The Dancing On Ice star misses out on the final set to take place tomorrow night, with Coleen Rooney, Danny Jones and Rev. Richard Coles making up the final three. Oti, who lasted 22 days in the jungle, told Coleen to “do it for the girls” as she said her goodbyes in camp this evening.

“I expected to be nervous the whole time but when you’re in there… my goal became to focus and get the job done,” Oti told Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly as she discussed Bushtucker Trials in her eviction interview. “You tell yourself ‘calm down, it’s not about – you feed the children’!”

Asked what she enjoyed most about the experience and simply said “everything” as she reflected on getting to know her co-stars. “Everything. The conversations, getting to know knew people. Opening up. And all of that. You just come out as a stronger, different person. There was quite a lot of [crying]. I didn’t know I was a crier, well know I know! I will never get to do this experience again, it’s so unique and beautiful.”

Speaking about what she will take away from her time in the jungle, the 34-year-old added: “I think I’ve learned to be happy with who I am, and that group kind of let me be all different versions – loud, crazy, calm, frustrated. They allowed me to be who I am, and I’ve just felt mentally and spiritually stronger.” Oti tipped Danny to be crowned King of the Jungle as her interview with Ant and Dec drew to a close on ITV this evening.

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James Gourley/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Oti’s exit leaves the final three stars to battle it out to become King of Queen of the Jungle tomorrow night. The decision left fans fuming online, with some on Twitter/X calling out the decision of the public vote. “I demand a recount Oti was robbed of the final. #ImACeleb,” one fan fumed online as hosts Ant and Dec revealed Oti was the ninth person to be voted off. “The british public failed oti, gk, maura & tulisa this season #ImACeleb,” another fumed, as a third added: “Oti was ROBBED. She is my queen of the jungle!! #ImACeleb.”

The decision comes after the final four had took on the iconic Celebrity Cyclone. Donning their best superhero capes, Oti Mabuse and Danny Jones strutted their stuff as Oti shouted: “Break the internet Danny Jones, let’s go!” as he wore tiny purple pants. Speaking of his new look, he said: “I feel weirdly powerful in purple, and I know the boys at home, the McFly boys will be laughing their heads off. Hot pants in a cape, rock and roll!” The stars mocked each other and gave them all a superhero nickname before taking on the challenge. Putting their hands in the middle prior to the star, they cheered loudly and said: “All for one, and one for all!”Yesterday saw a shock double eviction for the second time in a row. Coronation Street star Alan Halsall and YouTuber GK Barry left the camp just before the Cyclone trial. Alan admitted his time was nothing like he expected, as he gushed over meeting 11 amazing people when speaking to Geordie duo Ant and Dec. He said bonding in camp with different people was a “pleasant surprise” and said he was surprised he was able to make new friends at 41 years old.

He also admitted he had struggled with boredom in camp at time, before saying things at times were “very intense” in the jungle. Fifth placed GK, whose real name is Grace, screeched “I’m free” as she admitted to feeling “really good” at being out of camp. During her exit interview, she said: “I can’t believe I’ve looked that way on national television,” before admitting she didn’t know how much she swore.