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The first thing Coleen Rooney’s eight-year-old son Kit said when he made his surprise visit to see her in the I’m A Celebrity camp was: ‘Ugh, she stinks’.

Given that she’d been in the Jungle for three weeks by that stage, it was hardly Coleen’s fault if she was smelling a less fragrant than usual.

But by the time she joined me to give the Mail her first interview just two hours after finishing second to McFly frontman Danny Jones in this year’s series, she was back to her immaculately groomed self, smelling of a fusion of bath soap and subtle but expensive perfume, her hair scraped back into a low bun, offset by a pair of chunky gold earrings.

Yet despite doing so well in the Jungle and staying in contention until the very last moment, Coleen confesses that she almost quit the show in the first week after she woke up and saw her luxury item: a pillow emblazoned with a picture of Wayne and her children.

Her confidence was already at a low ebb because, as soon as she stepped foot in the Jungle, Coleen began to question why she was there.

Her campmates were actors, dancers and musicians and she was the 39-year-old wife of the former England football captain Wayne Rooney. In short, a WAG.

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Coleen Rooney was back to her immaculately groomed self after leaving the I’m A Celebrity jungle

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Given her luxury lifestyle, some wondered how she would cope with the seamier sides of jungle life but Coleen soon proved she had the right stuff

As fellow contestants such as Strictly’s Oti Mabuse taught salsa and the McFly frontman, Danny Jones, belted out his classics on an old guitar, she sat silently struggling with her self-esteem.

‘What do I bring to the camp?’ Coleen asked herself as she stared down at that pillow and burst into tears.

‘Those first few days were tough. I got there and I thought, ‘What have I set myself up for?’ There were loads of personalities and I just sat there.‘Then, day three, the headaches from withdrawals from caffeine, sugar and alcohol kicked in. I didn’t really prepare before I went in. And then the hunger came because we didn’t really get stars in the first week.’

 

Staring down the barrel of three weeks sleeping rough in the Australian bush away from her family back in Cheshire, Coleen thought, ‘I’m not sure I can go all the way.’

But a week later, she experienced a breakthrough. For the woman who sparked the Wagatha Christie saga – with her fiendishly ingenious investigation into who was selling stories gleaned from her private Twitter account to the tabloids – proved just as shrewd a detective in the jungle.

By the first Friday in camp, she was the only contestant to figure out that the Reverend Richard Coles and Love Island’s Maura Higgins were lying about the hellish living conditions they were enduring in their separate camp.

After meeting the two new campmates, Coleen spoke up, telling Danny Jones: ‘Something’s not right, they’re not telling the truth.’ (It became her show catchphrase and, appropriately enough, when speaking to the Mail, she was clutching a mug bearing the statement.)

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Reflecting on her time in the camp she told the Mail: ‘Going to the dunny [camp lavatory] doesn’t bother me, I’ve gone behind a tree before. I don’t mind getting my hands dirty’

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‘I’ve got four boys, we’ve been in situations where we’ve got dirty. We go to ponds and mud trails. None of that fazed me… I could have stayed there for weeks and weeks,’ she explained

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Coleen revealed that the month she and Wayne spent apart while she was in the Jungle is the longest they have been separated in the course of their 26-year relationship

From that point on, the competition changed for Coleen. She came out of her shell and went on to solve other camp mysteries, securing not only her reputation as a valued member of the group but a place in the final.

It turns out that her sleuthing skills date back to her childhood. ‘I usually sniff things out before they actually happen,’ she says with a laugh. ‘Even down to Christmas presents when I was younger. I knew what I was getting before it was Christmas.’

 

Coleen also reveals that the month she and Wayne spent apart while she was in the Jungle is the longest they have been separated in the course of their 26-year relationship.

But the former Manchester United star, also 39, did find one way to communicate with her – by getting Coleen voted in for a Bushtucker trial.

Seeing his wife of 16 years growing increasingly despondent as she kept missing out on trials, Wayne took to social media with rallying cries of ‘Vote Coleen’ and ‘We want Coleen in a trial’.

Sure enough, she was called up to lie in a coffin crawling with rats, maggots, cockroaches and meal worms and, taken aback by his own influence, Wayne wrote on X at the time: ‘I could be in trouble here.’

Laughing when I told her this, Coleen says: ‘I’m glad he did because I was desperate to do a trial. At the time I thought: ‘What’s the point in coming here if I’m not doing any trials?’

The presence of the rats made Coleen realise that Wayne could have been responsible.

‘Back home, I had a rat in my car and I didn’t know I was driving around with it, but it did a lot of damage by chewing through the wires.’

But it wasn’t rats that caused Coleen the most discomfort, it was cockroaches.

And a moment that had viewers shouting at their television screens came when they saw a cockroach scuttle unnoticed across Coleen’s face and bury itself in her ear.

Recalling the torment – which saw medics rush to interrupt the Bushtucker Trial – Coleen says: ‘I was like, ‘What was that?’ I could just feel it going round and I saw people with their faces like, ‘That’s not right but like, don’t panic because she will panic’.

‘But I didn’t panic, the medics came over and squirted water in and it eventually came out, it was all okay.’

To help fill the long periods of idleness that are part and parcel of camp living, Coleen would keep busy by completing 126 squats a day.

This regime paid off when she followed in the footsteps of stars from Katie Price to Myleene Klass to join the so-called ‘waterfall of fame’, by taking a shower in a bikini.

Revealing the secrets of her chiselled figure, she said: ‘At home every morning when I’m in the shower I do squats. I get up before the kids get up and I’ll do a routine of squats and I know if I’ve got them done I can carry on.

‘I would also do a few gym sessions and Reformer Pilates but in the Jungle, obviously, it was my squats.’

 

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Coleen said ex-footballer Wayne has ‘never missed me as much as he does now’

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Coleen and Wayne with sons Kai, 15, Klay, 11, Kit, eight and Cass, six

Given her luxury lifestyle, some wondered how she would cope with the seamier sides of jungle life but Coleen soon proved she had the right stuff.

‘I have got luxuries in life but I’m no princess,’ she assures me, ‘I feel my campmates were surprised that I wasn’t fazed by living outside. I might not have camped that much but I used to clean the apartments at a Pontins holiday park when I was younger.’

She adds: ‘Going to the dunny [camp lavatory] doesn’t bother me, I’ve gone behind a tree before. I don’t mind getting my hands dirty, I’ve got four boys, we’ve been in situations where we’ve got dirty.

‘We go to ponds and mud trails. None of that fazed me and if I had all of my lot there, I could have stayed there for weeks and weeks.’

Indeed, Coleen took on many of the chores to make up for not looking after her sons. ‘It’s just my daily life to pick up after people, to just get on with it,’ she says.

‘If I don’t do it myself it mightn’t get done. It was hard to step back from not doing other people’s. There were times when people took longer to do their chores. I was desperate to go and do that but we got punished for it.’

The first thing she did after coming out of the jungle was to FaceTime her husband. ‘Wayne just said how proud he was,’ she says. ‘Obviously, in the letter he sent to me in camp, he said he’s never missed me as much as he does now.

‘I can understand that because we’ve not spoken. We’ve been apart for weeks and weeks on end. [Normally] we speak a number of times a day, and we FaceTime. To not have that communication, it’s been tough.’

Wayne remained in the UK to manage his football team, Plymouth Argyle, in Devon, while their two eldest sons Kai, 15, and Klay, 11, also stayed home.

‘It was harder for them to come out [out of] school. They’re older, it’s more serious. We took the decision to keep them in school.

‘But, they did say they weren’t going to school tomorrow because their mum was in the final. I don’t know what school’s going to say about that. Obviously, they haven’t come all the way to Australia so maybe they do deserve a day off.

 

‘The little ones, it’s easier. They’ve brought work away with them.’

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Wayne remained in the UK to manage his football team, Plymouth Argyle, while their two eldest sons Kai, 15, and Klay, 11, also stayed home

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But the former Manchester United star, also 39, did find one way to communicate with her – by getting Coleen voted in for a Bushtucker trial

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Laughing when she was told, Coleen said: ‘I’m glad he did because I was desperate to do a trial. At the time I thought: ‘What’s the point in coming here if I’m not doing any trials?’

Wayne also told his wife that he had held a viewing party for the final in her honour for their closest family and friends at their £20million Cheshire mansion.

Now Coleen is back with her mother, father and two younger sons as they prepare to return to the UK to reunite with the rest of the family ahead of Christmas.

The mother-of-four planned Christmas and did all her shopping before she left so she could return safe in the knowledge that everything was ready.

In terms of the future, she says she wants to ‘enjoy Christmas, which I’m really looking forward to, and then we start again in the new year when, in January, I will sit down with my team and see what I am going to do going forward’.

Given her spectacular success on I’m A Celebrity, ITV will be desperately hoping that it is part of her future plans.

PETE Wicks was voted off Strictly last night, with the former TOWIE star now speaking out about his time on the BBC One dancing competition.

The 36-year-old reality star was paired with Jowita Przystał in Strictly Come Dancing 2024, with the duo getting voted out of the competition by judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton du Beke last night.

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Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystal were axed from Strictly Come Dancing on SundayCredit: BBC

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Pete has shared a gushing tribute to Jowita since getting the axeCredit: PA

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Pete has shared a lengthy Instagram caption following being booted off the showCredit: PA
Pete ended up in the bottom two with Love Islander Tasha Ghouri, with the former TOWIE star now breaking his silence on his exit and his time on the show.

Sharing an emotional Instagram post following his shock axe from the show, Pete spoke about how he “couldn’t be happier with the way it ended” before sharing a gushing tribute to his dance partner Jowita.

Sharing a selection of snaps from his time on the show, Pete wrote a lengthy caption that summed up the last four months of his life.

“The past 3-4 months have been nothing short of incredible” he penned in the caption.

Pete went on: “I spent 12 weeks saying my time in the show was gonna be over and each week I was wrong…until now.

“I couldn’t be happier with the way it ended, there is no one I would have rather been in a dance-off with than Tasha.”

Pete then swooned over Tasha and how she is “the most beautiful dancer, the most beautiful person inside and out”.

After saying how proud he was of her, Pete went on to share why he believes he stayed in the competition for so long.

“The only reason I stayed in the show for so long is because of you, the people,” he said.

‘NEVER STOP TRYING’

“You supported me throughout and that is something I’ll never be able to forget and something I never expected.

Furious Strictly fans slam Shirley Ballas as she ‘overscores’ Pete Wicks AGAIN in live semi-final
“We went on this journey together, the ups and downs and with the right attitude, it’s about learning and it’s about entertaining.”

Pete then spoke about how he tried his best since the very first day and took the whole process seriously.

 

 

“You don’t always have to be the best or have the most talent, but you should never stop trying,” he added.

“The show isn’t just what you see on a Saturday night, it’s not all jazz hands…there are an unbelievable amount of wonderful people that make it all happen,” Pete went on to add, saying how every department behind-the-scenes works hard and cares a lot.

Strictly Curse – The Lowdown

STRICTLY Come Dancing’s latest series has already been hit by rumours of a BBC show ‘curse’ – yet what is it?

A host of Strictly Come Dancing stars have been struck by the Strictly Curse during the past two decades.

This is where celebrities who may or may not be attached in the outside world become more than friends with their professional partners.

A total of 20 relationships are said to have been impacted so far over the show’s 20 years.

It has seen relationships crumble with dance floor romances and punishing rehearsal schedules to blame.

This includes the partnerships of Louise and Jamie Redknapp as well as Kevin Clifton and Karen Hauer.

Controversially, Judge Craig Revel Horwood once said of the curse: “I think of it as a blessing, to be honest. One person is married, the other one had a girlfriend but my point in this entire thing is: if you come on Strictly, sometimes you are in a relationship that is not working anyway.

“There has to be something wrong in your relationship before it all goes awry.”

Series one winner Brendan Cole left his fiancé, fellow Strictly professional Camilla Dallerup, during filming for the very first series in spring 2004.

Brendan was said to have fallen for his celebrity partner and inaugural winner Natasha Kaplinsky, although the duo didn’t confirm they were romantically involved.

“Lastly but most importantly,” he added, “this experience wouldn’t have been anything without Jowita.”

‘YOU WILL ALWAYS BE MY DANCING GNOME’

Paying tribute to his professional dance partner, Pete penned a gushing tribute to Jowita who believed in him and “never stopped”.

Writing about the pro, he said: “She supported me, listened to me, made me laugh and cry but most of all she made me believe in myself when I didn’t think I could do it.

“We did everything our way, and for me, that was the right way. I’m so sorry that I couldn’t get you to a final, I tried my best and you deserve to be there.

“The show may have ended for us but one thing won’t, you will always have a friend in me. You have become such a special person in my life and just because that won’t continue on a ballroom floor doesn’t mean it won’t continue.”

He then concluded before signing off: “Unfortunately for you, you’ve gained a friend for life. You will always be my dancing gnome.”

BOOTED OFF THE SHOW

After receiving his verdict last night, Pete said: “It’s been wild,” of his time on the dancing competition.

“I’ve been quite honest about the fact that I didn’t necessarily want to do this in the first place, but everyone else wanted me to do it, and I am so, so glad that I did it,” he went on.

 

“You don’t always have to be the best, but if you enjoy something then why shouldn’t you have a go at it?

“I’ve tried my best from day one, I said I was in for a penny, in for a pound and I’ve done it, it’s been beautiful,” he said.

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Pete shot to fame on The Only Way Is EssexCredit: Getty

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The former TOWIE star was paired with Jowita on Strictly this yearCredit: PA

Coleen Rooney’s son Cass claimed her I’m A Celebrity hat as she arrived at Brisbane Airport for journey home on Tuesday.

The WAG, 38, who came second to Danny Jones during Sunday’s final, was joined by her two youngest sons, Cass, six, and Kit, eight, and her parents, Colette and Tony.

Despite not winning the jungle crown, Coleen did steel the hearts of the UK after opening up about her humble beginnings cleaning apartments at Pontins.

Checking in for her flight, she looked stylish in an all-black outfit consisting of a vest top and linen trousers.

The TV personality layered over a matching shirt and carried a quilted leather shoulder bag with a chain strap.

Walking beside her Cass was dressed in a practical bright blue tracksuit, and proudly wore his mother’s Akubra hat.

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Coleen Rooney’s son Cass claimed her I’m A Celebrity hat as she arrived at Brisbane Airport for journey home on Tuesday

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The WAG, 38, who came second to Danny Jones during Sunday’s final, was joined by her two youngest sons, Cass, six, and Kit, eight, and her parents, Colette and Tony

Coleen’s parents and her two youngest sons made a surprise appearance on the ITV show last week, staying in Australia for a fortnight.

The WAG revealed she didn’t struggle at all settling into jungle life which she credits to the job she worked as a teenager before finding fame.

When asked how she coped with having no luxuries in camp, Coleen said it reminded her of when she used to clean apartments at Pontins in her younger days.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, she said: ‘I have got luxuries in life but I’m no princess. I feel my campmates were surprised that I wasn’t fazed by living outside.

‘I might not have camped that much but I used to clean the apartments at a Pontins holiday park when I was younger.’

‘Going to the dunny [camp lavatory] doesn’t bother me, I’ve gone behind a tree before. I don’t mind getting my hands dirty, I’ve got four boys, we’ve been in situations where we’ve got dirty.

‘We go to ponds and mud trails. None of that fazed me and if I had all of my lot there, I could have stayed there for weeks and weeks.’

Indeed, Coleen took on many of the chores to make up for not looking after her sons. ‘It’s just my daily life to pick up after people, to just get on with it,’ she said.

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Despite not winning the jungle crown, Coleen did steel the hearts of the UK after opening up about her humble beginnings cleaning apartments at Pontins

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Coleen giggled as she picked up her hat

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Checking in for her flight, she looked stylish in an all-black outfit consisting of a vest top and linen trousers

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The TV personality layered over a matching shirt and carried a quilted leather shoulder bag with a chain strap

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Walking beside her Cass was dressed in a practical bright blue tracksuit

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Coleen’s parents and her two youngest sons made a surprise appearance on the ITV show last week, staying in Australia for a fortnight

‘If I don’t do it myself it mightn’t get done. It was hard to step back from not doing other people’s. There were times when people took longer to do their chores. I was desperate to go and do that but we got punished for it.’

The first thing she did after coming out of the jungle was to FaceTime her husband. ‘Wayne just said how proud he was,’ she said. ‘Obviously, in the letter he sent to me in camp, he said he’s never missed me as much as he does now.

‘I can understand that because we’ve not spoken. We’ve been apart for weeks and weeks on end. [Normally] we speak a number of times a day, and we FaceTime. To not have that communication, it’s been tough.’

Wayne remained in the UK to manage his football team, Plymouth Argyle, in Devon, while their two eldest sons Kai, 15, and Klay, 11, also stayed home.

Elsewhere, GK Barry and Jane Moore were also seen heading home after their jungle stint in Australia as they were spotted making their way to the airport.

The podcaster-turned-reality star, 25, and journalist, 62, were seen arriving at Brisbane Airport on Tuesday with their bags in tow.

GK – whose full name is Grace Eleanor Keeling – kept it casual for her journey back, sporting a pair of white towelling Nike drawstring shorts, with a black racerneck vest.

She paired the sporty ensemble with white trainers and wore an array of gold jewellery, including an elegant bangle with a collection of rings, and carried a black tote bag.

GK was seen at the flight check-in desk with her footballer girlfriend Ella Rutherford, who sported a baggy t-shirt and basketball shorts.

Meanwhile Jane opted for a grey hooded long jacket as she prepared to return to the colder UK temperatures.

She finished off her look with a white open-necked shirt, high-waisted black paperbag trousers and scuffed trainers.

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The WAG revealed she didn’t struggle at all settling into jungle life which she credits to the job she worked as a teenager before finding fame

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When asked how she coped with having no luxuries in camp, Coleen said it reminded her of when she used to clean apartments at Pontins in her younger days

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Speaking to the Daily Mail, she said: ‘I have got luxuries in life but I’m no princess. I feel my campmates were surprised that I wasn’t fazed by living outside’

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She added: ‘Going to the dunny [camp lavatory] doesn’t bother me, I’ve gone behind a tree before. I don’t mind getting my hands dirty, I’ve got four boys’

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Coleen stacked three large suitcases on top of one another and wheeled them through the airport

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Elsewhere, GK Barry and Jane Moore were also seen heading home after their jungle stint in Australia as they were spotted making their way to the airport

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The podcaster-turned-reality star, 25, and journalist, 62, were spotted arriving at Brisbane Airport on Tuesday with their bags in tow

GK’s departure came hours after she sent fans in overdrive after sharing her ‘jungle essentials’ which include a ‘wine, fake tan and Canesten’.

GK took to her Instagram following her stint on the hit ITV show, spilling the beans on the must-haves she brought with her Down Under.

She shared a look at her open luggage showing the essential items.

The essentials also included a pair of Crocs slippers, a book called ‘Why Mom Stopped Stripping’, fake lashes, Digestive dark chocolate biscuits, a deodorant, a rescue remedy spray and a silky sleep mask.

She captioned: ‘POV: Grace packed her suitcase with her Jungle Essentials. Wine to handle those Jungle nights, fake tan for the glow, and the Canesten… well that’s self explanatory x.’

Fans were left in stitches and flooded the comment section below the post, praising her for not forgetting the ‘rescue remedy’ spray.

‘The rescue remedy’; ‘Rescue remedy is so real’; ‘bit of us’;’cool essentials’; ‘bear grylls who’; ‘The rescue remedy got me’; ‘So true girl’; ‘The rescue remedy with a straw’.

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GK – whose full name is Grace Eleanor Keeling – kept it casual for her journey back, sporting a pair of white towelling Nike drawstring shorts, with a black racerneck vest

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GK was seen at the flight check-in desk with her footballer girlfriend Ella Rutherford, who sported a baggy t-shirt and basketball shorts

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She paired the sporty ensemble with white trainers and wore an array of gold jewellery, including an elegant bangle with a collection of rings, and carried a black tote bag

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Meanwhile Jane opted for a grey hooded long jacket as she prepared to return to the colder UK temperatures

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She finished off her look with a white open-necked shirt, high-waisted black paperbag trousers and scuffed trainers

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Rev Richard Coles was all smiles as he made his way through the airport

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Oti Mabuse giggled as she entertained her daughter ahead of their long flight

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The dancer dressed practically in a white tracksuit for her journey

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Barry McGuigan threw a celebratory fist in the air as he arrived at Brisbane Airport

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He was joined his wife Sandra

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Alan Halsall wore a black Adidas T-shirt and matching shorts

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Melvin Odoom continued to rock his I’m A Celeb hat

Even the Crocs official account commented as the internet star included a pair of the cosy slippers: ‘Couldn’t be more ready to take on the jungle!’

During her time in the jungle, Grace revealed the incredibly expensive purchase she made after achieving overnight fame following her social media success.

The star soared to fame during the first Covid-19 lockdown when she started making TikToks about her daily life while studying film at Nottingham Trent University.

A successful podcast and guest stints on Loose Women have followed, and she’s also kept fans on their toes while documenting her love life.

Chatting with her pal Reverend Richard Coles she confessed she impulsively bought a Porsche after thinking: ‘I could buy a Porsche and it would not be an issue.’

Richard asked the star: ‘So Grace did you go from working in Costa to all of a sudden being able to buy a house?’

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GK’s departure came hours after she sent fans in overdrive after sharing her ‘jungle essentials’ which include a ‘wine, fake tan and Canesten’

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Her essentials also included a pair of Crocs slippers, a book called ‘Why Mom Stopped Stripping’, fake lashes, Digestive dark chocolate biscuits, a deodorant, a rescue remedy spray with straw and a silky sleep mask

As she replied: ‘Yeah,’ he continued: ‘So you didn’t go from poor, poor, poor, a little less poor, a bit more money, you went from poor to rich?’

Grace then explained: ‘Yeah, pretty quick. And I remember being like, “I’m making enough money to buy a new car now”.

‘I remember a Porsche drove past me as I had that thought and I remember thinking, “I could buy a Porsche and it would not be an issue.”

‘I went to the centre, I was looking at an old one that was cheaper, but the one that I wanted was next to it and it was so nice.

‘I rang my accountant and I was like, “Can I do it?” And he was like, “Yeah”, so I bought it. I picked it up two days later.’

The Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins defended his old video criticising Liam Payne’s ‘arrogant’ behaviour in interviews

The Darkness singer Justin Hawkins has defended previous comments he made about Liam Payne.

Justin called the One Direction singer ‘arrogant’ and criticised the late singer’s behaviour on his popular YouTube channel, Justin Hawkins Rides Again, in early 2023. The star uses his channel to discuss his time in the music industry and share his thoughts on newsworthy events.

In the video, he looked at old interviews that Liam had done and slammed the star’s behaviour as coming across as “arrogant”. A huge part of the video was about Liam’s controversial interview with Logan Paul where the 1D star called Zayn Malik a ‘d**k’ and claimed One Direction was formed for him.

However, he’s mostly complimentary towards the late star – who died aged 31 in mid-October after falling from his hotel balcony in Argentina. “I’m going to offer a bit of media training to Liam Payne because he’s my favourite one and I feel like his brand suffered the most post One Direction,” he said.

Justin said he wouldn’t be deleting the video from early 2023 ( 
Image:
Redferns)

Liam Payne died aged 31 in October ( 
Image:
Dave Benett/Getty Images)

Speaking about Liam’s comments on Logan’s show, Justin added: “He’s definitely got a little bit of a David Brent about him with the way he conducts himself in these interviews. There’s a level of arrogance and a complete lack of self-awareness. It’s quite inspiring.”

Almost two months after his death, Justin addressed his old video after a fan commented that he had “blood on his hands”. The comment, which he shared in a new clip, said: “And now he’s dead, well done. You have blood on your hands.” Another angry comment said: “Well I hope you’re happy. You did it.” Others called for him to delete the video.

Defending his video, Justin told viewers: “I didn’t see that Liam situation coming. I didn’t pay enough attention to his career to recognise that there were signs of mental instability. I just thought it was somebody who wasn’t coping with fame or trying to big themselves up or come across as somebody inauthentic. That’s what I was highlighting really. It really was just watching some videos where he was obviously behaving like a b*llend.”

He added: “As simple as that. There are videos of just about every artist in the world who hits a low ebb or on a bad day where they get interviewed and they make themselves seem like pricks. There just seems to be more of them with Liam at my disposal for that particular episode.” He explained why he didn’t ‘take it down’, saying: “Why would I do that? Why would I pretend that I hadn’t observed those things?”

Justin said: “It’s really sad what happened to him, but at the end of the day, it’s not going to change my view on those specific behaviours. Everybody’s complex and there are layers to this and laughing at some stuff that’s laughable… that’s what I do. It’s what I’ll always do.”

Coleen is set to reunite with her husband in the UK after finishing in second place on the ITV show

Coleen spoke about her time in the jungle on Good Morning Britain (Image: ITV)

Coleen Rooney has spoken out about the first thing her husband Wayne Rooney said to her after leaving the I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here jungle. In Sunday’s final of the ITV show (Dec 8), it was revealed that the mum-of-four finished in second place behind McFly’s Danny Jones.

Danny was crowned King of the Jungle after reaching the final with Coleen and Rev Richard Coles, who came in third place. The stars took on two trials together on their last day, and managed to walk away with a full house of stars, earning them each a three-course meal of their choice on their final night.

After surviving the full three weeks in camp, Coleen, 38, told Ant and Dec: “I couldn’t have wished for someone better to be in the final with, you know, fellow northerner, easy to get on with. But, the whole camp was – everyone was from different backgrounds, had different life stories, but as a group, we were all open, and we could relate to each other in different ways.”

Just hours after leaving the jungle, Coleen appeared on Good Morning Britain on Monday (December 9) to chat to hosts Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid about her time in camp.

Speaking about doing the show, she told the presenters: “I felt ready to give it a go. It was a challenge for myself to take myself away from my family, and I don’t regret anything now after coming out.”

Whilst she was in the jungle, Coleen was surprised with a visit from her mum Colette, as well as her too youngest boys Kai and Cass. The emotional reunion saw Coleen break down in tears as she told her songs: “I’m crying because I’m happy, because I’ve missed you so much.”

Coleen was reunited with her mum and two sons (Image: Mirror Pics)But as Wayne wasn’t able to be in Australia to greet his wife of 16 years, the pair are now looking forward to their reunion when Coleen lands back in the UK.

Speaking to Richard and Susanna, Coleen said: “He just said how much he missed me, how proud he was and that the support back home has been unbelievable.”

She added: “He just can’t wait to see me and I can’t wait to see him as well.”

 

It started as a little-known sitcom, but achieved legendary cult status. As Gavin & Stacey heads towards its final episode, the cast reflects on the end of an era

When actor mates James Corden and Ruth Jones concocted an idea for a sitcom in a hotel in Leeds 20 years ago, they could never have imagined the huge sensation it would become.

Starting as a hidden gem on BBC Three, Gavin & Stacey, a comedy about two families – one from Barry, one from Billericay – went on to be a huge hit for BBC1, becoming one of Britain’s best loved shows. Now, after 17 years, Ruth and James have penned one last episode that fans hope will bring a bang tidy ending to the sitcom, which also stars Joanna Page, Mathew Horne, Alison Steadman, Larry Lamb and Rob Brydon. And as an extra treat for fans, BBC1 will air a nostalgic documentary special, charting the journey of the sitcom with plenty of behind-the-scenes footage from the first ever day of filming right through to this final instalment.

Mat Horne, who plays Gavin, on set while filming the final episode ( 
Image:
BBC/Toffee International Ltd./Tom Jackson)James says: “The documentary is based on this idea that we just had so much footage, from our first ever day, from the first Christmas special and from series two and three. For the 2019 Christmas special and this finale we had a film crew following the entire time. It’s very emotional watching everybody because the very last thing that we shot is the very last moment of the show. So there were a lot of tears that day and I hope that people that like the show will enjoy getting a little glimpse into it.”

Joanna, who plays Welsh lass Stacey, says: “It was funny having the documentary crew there, because in the beginning you feel a bit self-conscious as there’s always like an extra camera there with you in your quiet moments, when you’re having your breakfast or your makeup done. I can’t wait to watch as there are bits from our auditions and we get to see the whole 17 years’ and how much we’ve grown as characters and also as people. I hope that there are loads of outtakes.”

Ruth Jones, who plays Nessa, having her makeup touched up while filming the finale ( 
Image:
PA)

As a legion of fans prepares for the final farewell, it’s fair to say that for the cast, it has been a hugely emotional time. James, who plays Smithy, says: “I don’t think anybody when you start writing a TV show thinks you’ll still be writing these characters 20 years on. It’s nuts really. Gavin & Stacey is just a huge part of my life, it changed my life in every way. When I think back to when we started, I couldn’t feel more like a different person really. The thing it means to me most is my friendship with Ruth. To have an idea with a friend in a hotel in Leeds 20 years ago and then be sat here today with what it’s become… if you think about it too much you could really just start crying all the time. I love her so much and I’m so proud of what we’ve done. Being part of the show, as soon as it started to become successful, was incredibly intoxicating. It was discombobulating really because it seemed to go from 0 to 10 very very quickly.”

Ruth, who plays Nessa, says: “I feel terribly proud of how long it’s lasted and how people who weren’t even born when it came out are now fans. That means such a lot. I suppose in the first series we just didn’t know what the series was or how it was going to look or anything so it was all a bit of a gamble, diving into the unknown. It started off as this quiet little show on BBC Three in 2007 with 500,000 viewers, we had no idea how big it would grow. I remember a couple of people texting me after the first episode went out saying, ‘Oh I like that new thing you’re in’ and it just felt great to have a little bit of positive feedback.”

Mat Horne filming for Gavin & Stacey: The Finale which airs on Christmas Day ( 
Image:
PA)
Ruth adds that to be back writing and filming for Gavin & Stacey was “mixture of excitement, nostalgia and sadness”. She says: “It’s sad of course because this is the last time these characters will ever be on screen again, but so exciting to bring them to life again. And nostalgic because we’d be on set with the cast and we’d go down memory lane remembering the early episodes. It’s always so enjoyable to be in the room writing with James. We act out the characters when we write – I love playing Bryn and Stacey and James does a great Pamelarr!” She adds: “I have so many favourite Nessa moments from the series. I love Nessa. I wish I could be more like her in real life.”

Fans have high expectations for the episode, to be aired in the primetime evening slot on Christmas Day, with plenty of loose ends that need to be tied up. It’s been five years since we left Nessa down on one knee declaring her love for Smithy. In Barry, Bryn is packing the Picasso in readiness for a trip to Essex, while Stacey and Gavin want to spice up their marriage and Gwen is behaving most strangely. Nessa has started a new business venture and Neil the Baby is about to begin an apprenticeship with his dad. Over in Billericay, Pam is stressing out at the prospect of playing hostess, not helped by a newly retired Mick practicing his golf swings in the living room. And will we ever find out what happened on that fishing trip?

Alison Steadman as Pam, Larry Lamb as Mick, Rob Brydon as Bryn, Robert Wilfort as Jason, and Melanie Walters as Gwen, in Gavin and Stacey: The Finale ( 
Image:
PA)

James won’t give any spoilers, but he says: “When we finished the last special, we knew that we’d left a door open. It’s such a privilege to be able to end a show on your own terms. The show is about love and about people who like each other. It’s about family and friendship. There’s so much warmth and love – none of that is faked, that’s all there in our relationships as a cast really.” Joanna reveals she was blown away by the latest script, which she received while queuing for a burger at a service station. She says: “It was really exciting. I got in the car and ate my burger and read the first half of the script. Then I thought, I’d better move on to another services before I get a parking fine. I was just voice noting Ruth, going ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe this’.”

Joanna adds that being on set with everyone for the last time was “traumatic”. She says: “When I walked on set I just burst out crying and then I kept crying. It just felt like it was such a huge journey that was ending. I just alternated between hysterically crying and hysterically laughing. Then right at the very end, on our last bit of filming, I just got this sense of calm wash over me. I remember looking around at everybody and thinking, ‘Wow, look where we all are now’. I delivered my last lines, the way that I wanted to and then when they shouted, ‘It’s a wrap’ and then they clapped all of us goodbye and I just hugged Mat, and we both stood there crying.”

Rob Brydon as Bryn and James Corden as Smithy in the final episode ( 
Image:
PA)Mat, who plays Billericay boy Gavin, adds: “It felt very much like the end of an era, being on set with everyone for the last time. Gavin Shipman will be on my epitaph, but the show will live on long after I am gone. I am still discovering what the show means to me, but it has defined my career to date and therefore my whole life. Filming the documentary was intense as they caught me at a particularly raw moment – hopefully anything with me sobbing uncontrollably will be cut.” He adds: “My expectations of this final script were exceeded. It’s nothing short of a masterpiece.”

While the entire cast were emotional when the show ended, they did however manage to sneak off set with a heap of mementos. Ruth admits she stole the glazed egg holder that sat on Gwen’s kitchen windowsill, while Joanna took a framed painting from Gwen’s house and an ornamental glass duck from Stacey’s sideboard, Larry has a few of Mick’s shirts and Mat is the proud owner of Gavin’s office door sign. But Rob, who plays Bryn, has bigger plans. He reveals: “I’ve basically taken all of Bryn’s clothes. I’m always asked for donations for charities and things, so I’ve got suits and jumpers and cardigans. I’ve got the apron from when he cooked Christmas dinner on the last special. I’ve got all sorts. So keep your eyes on charity auctions near you.”

Behind the scenes with Alison Steadman – footage will be shown in the documentary Gavin & Stacey: A Fond Farewell ( 
Image:
PA)
It’s clear the show means a lot to the dedicated cast. Joanna says: “I started on it when I was 29 and now I’m 47 and I’ve got four kids. All of the stuff that I’ve gone through in my life, Gavin & Stacey has always been there. And it really put Wales on the map.” Ruth adds: “I think it’s popular because it’s so relatable. The lovely friends I’ve made from it and the happy times we’ve had filming are such a joy. I feel very lucky.” Alison Steadman, who plays Gavin’s mum Pamela, says: “It’s been such a special time in my life. I love it when people stop me and say it’s changed their lives. A lot of people also tell me how it brings their family together at Christmas. That’s special.”

EastEnders’ Cindy, who is engaged to Ian Beale, realises she has nowhere to hide as all hell breaks loose in both the Beale and Knight families

It’s going to be another barrel of laughs in Albert Square this Christmas – as the truth about Cindy Beale’s cheating in EastEnders is exposed in spectacular fashion.

The incriminating evidence – captured on tape – will reveal Cindy’s true love for ex-husband George Knight (Colin Salmon) and her scandalous affair with his son, Junior (Micah Balfour).

Cindy, who is engaged to Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt), realises she has nowhere to hide as all hell breaks loose in both the Beale and Knight families.

Actress Michelle Collins promises: “You’ll certainly be on the edge of your seats, but I would say it’s dramatic, powerful and moving. A classic EastEnders.”

Elsewhere Wallace and Gromit seem to be having a bit more fun although Gromit is growing concerned at Wallace’s over-dependence on his inventions. This is borne out when Wallace creates a ‘smart gnome’ that seems to develop an evil mind of its own.

All hell will break loose on EastEnders ( 
Image:
BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
Outnumbered is back after a decade away with the Brockman children Jake, Ben and Karen now all grown up. Viewers will discover that Pete and Sue have downsized since their children moved out – and become grandparents. Actors Hugh Dennis and Claire Skinner said they loved being reunited with their TV brood. “It’s really nice relating to Tyger, Ramona and Daniel and getting to know the adult versions of them. You are such lovely people,” Claire told them.

Hugh agreed: “I was also thinking that if Claire and I were your actual parents I’d be thinking we’ve done a really good job.”

Outnumbered is back this Christmas ( 
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RADIO TIMES)

Call the Midwife will return for not one but two specials this Christmas and Don Gilet arrives as the new lead DI Mervin Wilson in Death in Paradise – look out for Marcus Brigstocke playing a karaoke-singing Santa who is found murdered on the beach.

Gilet, who takes over from Ralf Little as Neville Parker, said that joining the hit drama was “exciting and terrifying in equal measure”. He added: “I liken it to one of those scary rides at a theme park. I’m going on it, and I know it’s going to be scary, but I’m going to do it.”

The class of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! 2024 is heading home to the UK after spending three weeks in the jungle in Australia

The stars of A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! 2024 are all heading home after their impressive stint Down Under.

After three weeks in the jungle battling a whole host of creepy crawlies and living off rice and beans, the famous faces are winging their way back to Blighty on their epic Emirates flight from Australia.

Papped in Brisbane Airport today, Coleen Rooney looked like she was ready to get back to her luxury pad in Cheshire as she rocked up with a load of designer luggage alongside her sons Kit and Cass. Cass looked adorable sporting his mum’s jungle hat as he made his way through security along with Coleen’s parents who have been looking after their grandchildren while their daughter was on the show.

Coleen Rooney leaves Brisbane Airport with sons Kit and Cass ( 
Image:
Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)
Coleen’s husband, Wayne, is not Down Under due to his commitment managing Plymouth Argyle in the Championship. However, the WAG has revealed the first thing the former footballer said to her when she left the jungle.

Speaking to Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid, on Good Morning Britain, the mum-of-four said: “He just said how much he missed me, how proud he was and that the support back home has been unbelievable.” Coleen added: “He just can’t wait to see me and I can’t wait to see him as well.”

Oti Mabuse was seen with her adorable baby ( 
Image:
Mirror)
Also at the airport was Oti Mabuse and her adorable baby girl. The Dancing On Ice star came fourth in the public vote and looked every inch the doting mum as she walked through the airport, dressed in a comfy cream tracksuit, with her bundle of joy, clutching a bottle of milk.

Meanwhile, making his way to check in was Reverend Richard Coles. Dressed in a smart checked shirt and chinos, he told the Mirror he’d had a “fantastic experience with great campmates, adding he’d “lost 7.75 kilos” during his time in camp.

Reverend Richard Coles said he’d ha a ‘fantastic time’ Down under ( 
Image:
Mirror)
Also talking to the Mirror was Maura Higgins. Dressed in a tiny crop top and leggings, the former ring girl admitted she was “very tired” and was excited to get back to her “home comforts”.

Next to rock up at the airport was former boxer, Barry McGuigan, who look delighted to be making his way back home. The 63-year-old was evicted last week with Maura after putting a good shift in in the jungle.

Maura Higgins is on her way home ( 
Image:
Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)

We hope she’s got a jumper for the plane! ( 
Image:
Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)Barry quickly joked about Maura ‘s behaviour after leaving the camp as he said she spent her first night of freedom drinking, barely getting any sleep. The Irish promoter said: “It’s fascinating being on this side, we just stuffed our faces.

Barry Mcguigan looked delighted after hist stint in the jungle ( 
Image:
Mirror)
“I had a good sleep, not sure you had a good sleep Maura. She’s been drinking long into the night.” And Maura quickly hit back: “Barry don’t tell everyone!” But Barry continued: “Ohh it’s amazing, you wouldn’t believe it when you look at her.”

As the pair chatted with host Joel Dommett, Maura revealed she only slept for an hour and a half as she celebrated getting out of the jungle. She said: “I only slept for an hour an a half. I went crazy with the food, I had a bottle of wine last night, yeah I definitely went overboard.”

Melvin Odoom was still wearing his jungle hat ( 
Image:
Mirror)
Jane Moore was also papped in Brisbane after being booted off the show first. The Loose Women star smiled for the cameras, cutting a casual figure as she made her way through the airport sporting navy slacks, a white shirt and comfy grey cardigan.

Joining her was Coronation Street star, Alan Halsall, sporting a black t.shirt and shorts. The Tyrone Dobbs star made the most of his time after the show, going skydiving and ‘passing out’ in a tattoo parlour with GK Barry’s dad, according to the YouTuber.

Jane Moore cut a comfy figure for the flight ( 
Image:
Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)

Alan Halsall made the most of his time in Oz after the show ( 
Image:
Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)
Meanwhile, Melvin Odoom was still wearing his jungle hat as he flashed a huge grin for the paparazzi. The Radio 1 star looked delighted to be going back to Blighty as he joined the class of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! 2025 as they head home for Christmas.

Loose Women discussed the topic, ‘can you admit when you’re proud of yourself’, on Monday’s show where one panellist made a heartbreaking admission

Loose Women star Ayda Field admitted she was ’emotional’ on Monday’s show as she made a heartbreaking admission.

During the latest instalment, the panellists were discussing Coleen Rooney breaking down on Sunday’s final episode of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, where she admitted ‘it’s very rare that I’m proud of myself’.

On the final instalment of the jungle series, after learning she had made the final, a teary Coleen, 38, said: “Knowing that I have made it to the final makes me proud.

“I’m a proud mum, I’m a proud wife, I’m a proud daughter, it’s very rare that I’m proud of myself, so it means a lot. It’s very rare that I put myself first, so yeah these are happy tears!”

Loose Women star Ayda Field admitted she was ’emotional’ on Monday’s show as she made a heartbreaking admission ( 
Image:
ITV)

As such, on Monday’s Loose Women, the panellists discussed the topic, ‘can you admit when you’re proud of yourself’, where Ayda, 45, who is married to Robbie Williams, admitted Coleen’s words left her emotional.

Ayda said: “I really resonated when she said it, I got quite emotional, because I just think I’ve got four kids and I’ve got my mother who is not well, I’ve got a very busy busy husband that’s very recognisable.

“I really understand what that’s like to put everybody first, it’s my joy to do that, I’m a people pleaser and if my kids are good, my husband’s good and my mum’s good, then I’m good.

“But I rarely take the space to put myself anywhere on the list, anywhere near the top of the list, and pat myself on the back. I don’t think I do a good enough job of that. So when I saw her, Coleen, getting very emotional about that, I too was emotional!

“I think as women, we’re so hard on ourselves because we have so many obligations and so many roles to fill in our lives, we don’t really stop to take a moment on how much we’re achieving and what we’re doing.”

During the latest instalment, the panellists were discussing Coleen Rooney breaking down on Sunday’s final episode of I’m a Celebrity ( 
Image:
ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Host, Ruth Langsford, then pointed out that Coleen had mentioned how her children are so proud of their footballer father Wayne Rooney and it’s nice that they can be proud of her too for I’m A Celebrity.

Ayda continued: “That was the thing, I resonated with that too, it’s like my kids look at Rob and he’s performing in front of 80,000 people all the time and I’m making them do their homework.

“I think that was for me, starting a brand and even being on this show [Loose Women], my daughter is so proud and the little kids watch it sometimes, they’re like: ‘We saw you on the TV mummy!’, or at school pick up, if someone’s wearing my activewear, Teddy will go: ‘Mum she’s wearing your clothes!’

“The small things are really big things for me, especially with my girls, I want them to see that you can be a mummy and a woman and wife and do all these things and be commanding a space that’s your own. It’s hard to find that for yourself!”

Katie Price has reignited her feud with Loose Women, stating she would never return to the show after being dropped from the panel. Reflecting on her time on the show, she revealed that it left her with negative feelings and a firm decision not to go back if ever invited.

Katie Price reignited her feud with Loose Women , stating she would never return to the show after being dropped from the panel. The former glamour model was a regular on Loose Women from 2015 to 2018 but has not returned to the show since.

Katie, 46, appeared on the My Life Is Chaos podcast to discuss her current views on Loose Women. She said: “When I think of me on Loose Women I don’t get a good feeling in my belly from it.

“Because I look at it and think no, no that was dark times for me so I haven’t got a good feeling about Loose Women in my belly. So if they ever asked me to do it my answer would be ‘no thank you’.” She added: “Yeah so not against the girls or anyone, its I just don’t want to do it. I’ve been there done it for like two years.”

Katie was reportedly removed from Loose Women due to concerns over her behavior behind the scenes. Panellist Linda Robson, in her book, expressed her affection for Katie but admitted that at times her behavior was challenging to deal with.

Linda wrote: “I love Katie Price but sometimes I think she deliberately tries to shock. I did an awards show with her once where we were both supposed to be presenting together but no one could find her anywhere.

The former glamour model was a regular on Loose Women from 2015 to 2018 but has not returned to the show since ( 
Image:
ITV)
“She finally showed up just in time. When we got out on the stage, she started talking about herself and I had to tell her, ‘Oi! It ain’t about you today’. Now whenever I see her, she tells me how she wants to come back to Loose Women. And I say, ‘But, Katie, you can’t f*** ing behave yourself, can you?’”

Linda added: “I do worry about her. Sometimes I thought she’d been out late the night before a show. She used to sleep in the car on her way in and would arrive in her pyjamas and get dressed when she got there. I used to think that was quite a good idea actually. She always made plenty of headlines whenever she was on, though.”

Last year, Katie slammed her former Loose Women co-stars after being snubbed from the popular ITV morning programme. Her teenage son Junior, who Katie shares with ex-husband Peter Andre, appeared on the show to promote his single Only One.

In his first solo TV interview, Junior 18, spoke at length about his whirlwind music career, following in the footsteps of his Mysterious Girl hitmaker dad. But the mum-of-five pointed out presenters failed to mention her once, despite her music career too. Famously singing her rendition of A Whole New World, as well as releasing several tracks herself, Katie hit out at hosts Kaye Adams, Nadia Sawalha, Judi Love and Jane Moore in a TikTok tirade, telling fans the stars “hate me”.

The former glamour model was telling her live viewers how she wasn’t mentioned at all in Junior’s interview, despite still being in his life. “Isn’t it weird I was in Big Brother with Nadia, I presented with all the other ones on Loose Women.” She explained: “Not one mention about his mum, not one mention about ‘is your mum proud of you? It was all Pete, Pete, Pete, Pete, Pete. He was obviously told not to talk about me. It is so cruel. But that’s what this industry is like!”