Former England captain and Manchester United legend David Beckham was left red-faced and humiliated after a string of embarrassing emails were leaked online in 2017.

David Beckham has made no secret of the fact he’d love a knighthood – both publicly and privately.

In his pursuit of knighthood, David Beckham dedicated himself to royal duties, even waiting 13 hours to view Queen Elizabeth II’s coffins after her September 2022 passing.

But it seems like the MU legend’s past is still haunting him, with the 49-year-old snubbed by King Charles in the 2024 New Year honours- with Sir Rod Stewart recently poking fun at David’s lack of honorary title.

Despite being cleared from the Ingenious tax scheme in 2013 and making a strong comeback in the 2022 recommendations list, David’s knighthood prospects could be affected by leaked emails from 2017.

The leaks exposed his bitterness towards the honours committee where he labelled them as “unappreciative c***s” and expressed his lack of enthusiasm for being knighted by stating:

“I expected nothing less. It’s a disgrace to be honest and if I was American I would of got something like this 10 years ago.” He also appeared disgruntled about the honour bestowed on Welsh crooner Katherine Jenkins in 2014, irately asking: “For what? Singing at the rugby and going to see the troops.”

At the time, David’s pals claimed the fiery messages were issued “in the heat of the moment” as a reaction to him being snubbed for a knighthood – and that some were in fact “doctored”. David, who was honoured with an OBE in 2003, insisted: “I don’t care about being knighted.”

The leaked emails included exchanges with his veteran PR man, Simon Oliveira, after Beckham lost out on the sought-after Sir title in 2013. Having championed charities like children’s charity UNICEF and fronting the London Olympics, he was highly suspected as next in line for the honour. In another explosive revelation from leaked emails, he reportedly refused to donate $1m to a UNICEF event, stating “it’s my f***ing money”.

One of David’s close friends defended him at the time, telling the Mirror “He is very calm at the moment because he knows the great work that he has done for UNICEF. But he is just saddened that people would question all of that work.” The pal also tried to put David’s outburst into context: “Genuinely, he wasn’t as vitriolic as that, but you do say some things in private and in the heat of the moment.”

“To be honest, he does feel that he has given so much to his country. And sometimes you say things in private that anyone would say and you don’t really mean it.” Regarding the contentious email concerning honours, the confidant clarified: “While he was frustrated in those emails, he was over it the moment he sent them. Getting the knighthood is not what his work is about. He doesn’t care if he gets a knighthood or not.”

UNICEF featured prominently in the emails and were damaging to David’s image as a compassionate children’s ambassador. One email leaked by Football Leaks alleged that David demanded UNICEF pay £6,685 for a business class flight to visit children affected by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines despite his sponsors covering the cost of a private jet.

David’s friend hint back at critics of the leaked email: “The one thing David is very proud of and feels can’t be faulted is his work for UNICEF. He has not only donated his own money, he has raised millions to help vulnerable children around the world. More importantly he has worked with the charity over the last 15 years.”

“The fact that there are these hackers who are selectively in some instances cheekily doctoring some of that information saddens him. He will be going about his daily life with his kids. He has got work commitments coming up and he has constant work with UNICEF. There is always work he is doing with the charity, whether that is dinners or field trips. There are always a lot of things planned.”

“Nothing will deter him or stop him from continuing with UNICEF. He is incredibly proud of what he is doing. The sad thing is he is being vilified when he has done such great work. It’s the first time an ambassador in UN history has his own fund. Why these people want to detract from such great work is unbelievable.”

A statement released by the charity in 2017 said: “UNICEF has become aware of media reports relating to 7: The David Beckham Unicef Fund. Some reports relate to alleged private correspondence between our ambassador and other parties, which we have not seen and cannot comment upon. David Beckham has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2005. As well as generously giving his time, energy and support to help raise awareness and funds for UNICEF’s work for children, David has given significant funds personally.”

It’s not just those infamous leaked emails are raining on Golden Balls’ parade to become Sir David Beckham. The former England skipper also faced harsh criticism for his recent decision to accept an ambassador role for Qatar, raking in a whopping £150 million over a span of a decade.

Comedian Joe Lycett even appealed to Becks to rethink this decision, creating a dramatic spectacle by acting like he was shredding £10,000 on stage last year before unveiling that it was a hoaxthat the cash had been donated to LGBTQ+ charities. Josh Cavallo, an Aussie football star and the only openly gay top-tier male player, reacted to his Man of the Year award win at the Attitude awards by playfully shouting “Take that David Beckham”.

The magazine, which put the former Manchester United star on its cover back in 2002, also threw shade David’s way. Editor-in-chief Cliff Joannou reflected: “It’s a reminder that being an advocate for not just LGBTQ+ rights, but women’s rights, immigrant workers’ rights… and any human rights should not be lip service. It’s not a trend to boost a person’s profile.”

“Human rights are not a fashion statement, they are real issues that affect the livelihood of billions of vulnerable people around the country. Joe Lycett’s prank worked to highlight the flippant attitude David Beckham has to human rights. And what price tag he had in order to turn a blind eye to the corruption that awarded Qatar the World Cup by Fifa. It all amounts to making this year’s so-called ‘beautiful game’ a truly ugly moment for sport.”

David later broke his silence on the criticism, telling the Daily Telegraph: “I do a lot of research into partners that I’m going into business with. And I wanted to be involved in another World Cup. I like to see the game grow, and that means it going into territories it hasn’t been in before.

“I knew there’d be questions, I knew there was going to be criticism, but I’ve always been a believer that football is such a powerful tool. I knew that once the World Cup started, not that it would go away, but it was all then about how people were treated, how people weren’t excluded, what an experience the World Cup would be.

“I spent a month out there, and not one person came up to me and said, ‘Oh my God, I’ve been treated like this, oh my God, I wasn’t allowed into this place…’ I was around the LGBTQ community, I spoke to people on the ground. So I was happy with my decision.”

A bombshell new book explores Victoria and David Beckham’s rocky relationship, with author, Tom Bower, unveiling some huge revelations in The House of Beckham: Money, Sex and Power

David Beckham was “disturbed” by his wife Victoria’s relationship with rapper, Damon Dash, writes Tom Bower.

The investigative journalist’s new book The House of Beckham: Money, Sex and Power, which is being serialised by the Mirror before its release on June 20.

It takes a deep dive into the relationship of one of the most influential couples in the world, including their rocky romance.

During David Beckham’s tenure at Real Madrid, Victoria Beckham’s friendship with a wealthy rapper reportedly strained their time in Spain, with promises to revive her pop career post-Spice Girls.

Victoria would, the book claims, frequently spend time in New York with Dash to produce an album which never saw the light of day.

Offering his take on how Dash affected David, Bower writes: “Dash’s interference in the Beckhams’ married life disturbed David. At the end of a Real Madrid press conference in early November, Beckham burst out: ‘All this speculation about my wife not being happy, it can’t carry on – it’s all rubbish. She’s very happy here in Madrid. There are no problems in our marriage.’”

Victoria made a rap album with Dash, which featured hip hop icon Ol’ Dirty B*****d. Back in 2003, the artist formerly known as Posh Spice had plans to release the offering called Come Together, but it ended up being shelved. Dash, the co-founder of a £200 million rap music and fashion empire, was a close friend of Victoria’s and had been working with the former Spice Girl on 12 new tracks.

But her record label, Telstar, which paid £1.5 million to sign her, was said to be nervous about Dash’s image and hard-core sound. Dash’s Roc-A-Fella label included controversial rappers Jay-Z and Ol’ Dirty B*****d – both known for their x-rated lyrics – while Telstar reportedly preferred Victoria to remain true to her pristine pop roots.

However, leaping to her defence, the rapper alleged there was bad blood between the singer and her label, telling Telstar to back off. Dash told the Evening Standard: “Because Victoria’s record company aren’t happy about the fact that she came over to New York to work with me they are putting out stories.

“Before anyone’s even heard the album they were making things up. I heard a story that Victoria was calling herself the female Eminem.” He continued: “That’s just dumb. She never said that. I’m going to open Roc- a- Fella Records in London. I’ll show these Telstar cats how it’s done.”

Tom Bower’s new book The House of Beckham explores David and Victoria Beckham’s marriage and the infamous affair claims by Rebecca Loos that almost tore them apart

It was an allegation that tore the Beckhams apart and was at the heart of their recent Netflix documentary.

Rebecca Loos ’ decision to go public with claims of an affair with David led to Victoria saying the aftermath was the “hardest period” for them both.

Now a new book by author Tom Bower has told for the first time how Loos only spoke out after being outraged by David’s treatment of a waitress.

And he reveals how the seemingly innocuous incident was the catalyst behind the biggest test of the Beckham’s nearly 25-year marriage.

In The House of Beckham, the author writes: “The turning-point for Loos was realising Beckham’s double standards. After a meal for SFX employees at Madrid’s Hard Rock Cafe, Beckham did not leave a tip.

“The following day, the waitress gave Loos a note for Beckham. “Explaining that she survived on the tips, she expressed her anger that someone as famous and rich could be so mean. After reading the note, Beckham was alarmed. “‘Give her this,’ he said handing over a thick wodge of euros. Reflecting in February about how Beckham had played her and lied to her, Loos was angry. “

Loos, who was let go by Beckham’s agency SFX, later sold her story to the New of the World, alleging an affair with the footballer. The Beckham’s’ PR advisors quickly orchestrated a stage-managed show of togetherness on holiday in the Alpine ski resort of Courchevel to try and offset the damage to Brand Beckham..

“In a bravura performance the couple clung to each other – she with an iron grip on his hand. Then they performed a piggy-back and smiled,” Bower writes. But behind closed doors things soon turned ugly. “Once the show was over they disappeared into their chalet….as everyone drifted off, one journalist looked through the Beckhams’ chalet window. Posh was slapping Beckham hard on his face. Beckham, famous for his ‘short fuse’, did not retaliate.”

Victoria delated moving to Spain and her experience there was miserable. “Her life in Madrid was lonely and unhappy. Although she had everything money could buy she was isolated. With few friends, she was unwilling to learn Spanish. Her diet, rigorous exercise and chain-smoking reflected her anxieties.”

Their time in Madrid was also strained by Victoria’s relationship with rapper Damon Dash, who promised to relaunch her pop career. She would frequently spend time in New York with Dash to produce an album which never saw the light of day.. “Dash’s interference in the Beckhams’ married life disturbed David. At the end of a Real Madrid press conference in early November, Beckham burst out: ‘All this speculation about my wife not being happy, it can’t carry on – it’s all rubbish. She’s very happy here in Madrid. There are no problems in our marriage.’”

Fast-forward 14 years and the Beckhams were once again fending off rumours about their marriage. At the centre of increasing speculation they were on the rocks, Victoria and her publicist decided to do a high-profile interview and photoshoot with Vogue magazine.

“That would be an ideal platform to crush rumours of a split,” Bower writes. “The interview would be accompanied with photographs of the Happy Beckham Family. Beckham returned specially to London for the photoshoot….the entire Beckham family was to be photographed sitting as a harmonious group in a wooden rowing boat on a pond, which was to be shot as if it were a lake.”

“But soon there was tension over whether David would appear in the shoot, with the footballer’s publicist adamant that he would not take part. Not mentioned was Beckham’s new opinion that his children should not be exploited for the brand,” Bower claims. “Unspoken was his apparent fury with Victoria’s endless self-promotion campaigns.”

He added: “The wrangling was followed by an outburst between Beckham and Victoria. Beckham relented. Finally, the family was shuffled on to the boat.” But what followed was almost comic. “Unexpectedly, once the six were afloat, Beckham insisted that his cocker spaniel Olive should feature in the shot too. The dog had 71,000 Instagram followers. Gingerly, the boat was pushed from the shore. Suddenly, Olive jumped into the water.

“Beckham was about to follow and rescue his pet. Screaming ‘No’, worried that his clothes would get soaked, several assistants plunged into the water to grab the dog. Victoria’s face turned to thunder. Another argument blew up. A sulk descended. Plans for the family photo were ditched.

“Victoria posed only with the children and the spaniel. In the aftermath, Beckham and Victoria posed as a twosome, separate and looking rather severe. But they were, as ever, consummate actors. No one looking at the perfect images could have imagined the dramas over the preceding hours. The cover photograph would be of Victoria, and only with her four children.”

Later the Vogue editor hosted a fancy dinner at Mark’s Club in Mayfair. Bower writes: “The rival Beckham publicists co-ordinated the separate arrival of Beckham and Victoria. Professional as ever, they posed holding hands with inscrutable smiles and entered the club. Unknown to the photographers, after ten minutes Beckham left through a rear entrance. Victoria remained, drinking red wine until, amid cheers, she stood on a couch to sing the Spice Girls’ big hit ‘Wannabe’.”

The question of whether Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed were engaged was investigated 10 years later during a formal inquest into their deaths

Diana The Princess Of Wales Attends A Gala Reception & Preview Of Her ‘Dresses Auction’ At Christies In London. ; Dodi al Fayed. . Photo: Antony Jones/UK Press/Getty ; Aaron Rapoport/CORBIS OUTLINE/Corbis/Getty

Warning: This post contains spoilers from season 6 of The Crown.

It’s one of the intriguing moments in the early episodes of the latest season of The Crown and was one of the big questions in the years soon after Princess Diana’s death: Was the iconic princess secretly engaged to Dodi Fayed, or had he bought a ring preparing to propose?

In the final season of the Netflix show, the first episodes of which hit the streaming service on Thursday, Dodi proposes to Princess Diana in Paris just hours before their tragic death in a car crash. However, the royal turns him down, saying she’s not ready.

The question of their possible engagement became vitally important even 10 years after the couple’s 1997 fatal crash in Paris when it formed part of the inquest into Princess Diana’s death (along with the question of whether Diana was pregnant — she wasn’t). That’s because Dodi’s bitter father, Mohamed al-Fayed (who died earlier this year), claimed it was one of the reasons behind the establishment plot to kill the couple.

Firstly, were Diana and Dodi, who had only got together earlier in that summer, in love? Richard Kay, a senior Daily Mail journalist who was close to the princess, wrote poignantly of a last call she made to him only hours before the fateful drive away from the Ritz hotel in Paris. In his moving reflections, written a day after her death (and reproduced in the book of tributes Requiem), he said she was “as happy as I have ever known her.”

Princess Diana vacations in St. Tropez in the summer of 1997.Michel Dufour/WireImage

All About Dodi Fayed, Princess Diana’s Love Interest at the Time of Their Deaths

He added, “I cannot say for certain that they would have married, but in my view, it was likely.” (Kay later told the inquest into her death in 2007 that he had changed his mind on that.)

Princess Diana talked excitedly about seeing her sons, Prince William, then 15, and Prince Harry, then 12, who were holidaying in Balmoral with their father, Prince Charles.

“ ‘I’m coming home tomorrow, and the boys will be back from Scotland in the evening,’ “she told him. (Sadly, she would also call her sons that night and they’d talk to her for the last time.)

Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed. Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty; Getty

But was she about to agree to marry again? The Crown shows the couple looking around a jewelry store while hiding out from photographers in Monte Carlo, and it is known that Dodi did, indeed, buy a diamond ring at the Repossi shop in Place Vendome, Paris for around $14,000. Was he going to give it to her at his flat, where they were headed on the night of their deaths? If it was an engagement ring, it wasn’t particularly expensive for a man of his means – “something of a let-down for such a big spender,” as Kay would put it 20 years later.

However, Dodi did appear to have been planning something special. Rene Delorm, his butler, said he was asked that evening to have “the champagne on ice when they returned to the apartment,” Lord Justice Scott Baker, conducting the official inquest into the couple’s deaths, summed up in 2007. They never reached it.

Princess Diana with Mohamed Al Fayed attending a charity dinner for the Harefield Heart Unit held at Harrods, London, February 1996.Jayne Fincher/Getty

The inquest into the couple’s deaths was conducted with forensic detail 10 years after the night that shocked the world. Ostensibly tasked with ruling how Diana and Dodi died, it also looked into all the circumstances around the tragedy. One of those was to assess the couple’s relationship, which had become such a bone of contention as Mohamed al-Fayed believed it was the root of the establishment’s —  and the royals’ — reason for wanting the couple dead.

The presiding judge, Lord Justice Scott Baker, called many of Princess Diana’s closest friends, staff and advisers. One, her butler Paul Burrell, said that Diana had told him she’d needed “marriage like a bad rash” (a phrase also echoed by her friend Lady Annabel Goldsmith, who’d asked the princess, ” ‘You are not doing anything silly, are you?’ Diana’s response was that she needed marriage like a rash on her face,” Baker said in his inquest.)

It must be remembered that not only was Dodi coming out of a relationship with American model Kelly Fisher (who claimed that he had proposed to her), Princess Diana had only recently finished an intense relationship with heart surgeon Hasnat Khan.

Kelly Fisher during a news conference in which her attorney Gloria Allred announced on July 14 that she filed a breach of contract suit against Dodi Fayed.KIM KULISH/AFP/Getty

Khan was, for many of her friends, Diana’s last true love. But, like so much in the princess’s life, it was complicated and complex.

The Dodi relationship has been described to me several times over the years as a “summer fling.” And yet the signals picked up by close friends were at odds with the princess’s own romantic gesture of giving Dodi her late father’s cufflinks, underlining perhaps how close she’d become to him.

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In the raw, immediate hours after the shocking news from Paris, Kay wrote, “In her two sons — and latterly in Dodi — she saw the only men in her life who had never let her down and never wanted from her anything except her being herself.”

Her planned reunion with Prince William and Prince Harry never took place, of course, and we’ll never know what the future would have held for the couple.

But what is certain: an engagement hadn’t taken place by the time the couple left The Ritz hotel being pursued by paparazzi.

David Beckham among soccer dignitaries attending ex-England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson’s funeral

The Associated Press

TORSBY, Sweden (AP) — David Beckham and former England coach Roy Hodgson were among the soccer dignitaries who attended the funeral of Sven-Goran Eriksson on Friday in the Swedish manager’s small hometown of Torsby.

Eriksson’s wooden coffin was covered in white flowers and surrounded by six tall candles and other floral wreaths as the ceremony began inside the 600-seat Fryksande church.

“It is a day of grief but also a day of thankfulness,” the priest, Ingela Älvskog, told those in attendance.

Beckham, who arrived by private jet on Thursday, greeted Eriksson’s 95-year-old father Sven and other family members with hugs inside the church before the funeral started.

Eriksson became England’s first foreign-born coach when he led the national team from 2001-06, and made Beckham his captain.

Eriksson, who also won trophies at club level in Italy, Portugal and Sweden, died on Aug. 26 at the age of 76, eight months after he revealed he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and had at most one year to live.

Some 200 seats in the neo-Gothic church from 1898 were reserved for his family, friends and players from his career in the football world, according to his agent. The remaining seats were open for the public, according to Eriksson’s wish, with a big screen set up outside the church where hundreds more gathered to watch the ceremony. The funeral was also broadcast live on some Swedish media websites.

The wooden coffin was wheeled in by pallbearers at the church Friday morning as fog wrapped Torsby — a town of about 4,000 people located about 310 kilometers (193 miles) west of Stockholm. Next to the casket was a photo of Eriksson on a small table. The floral wreaths included ones sent by FIFA and Lazio, the Italian team that Eriksson led to the Serie A title in 2000.

The ceremony began with somber piano and organ music, but later took on a more upbeat note with Swedish singer Charlotta Birgersson performing Elton John’s song “Candle In The Wind” and then “My Way” in a duet with Johan Birgersson, who later intoned the popular Italian song “Volare” after the family had gathered around the casket to lay flowers.

Beckham also visited Eriksson in Sweden in June to say goodbye. Others attending the funeral included the Swedish coach’s longtime partner Nancy Dell’Olio. Eriksson’s agent had said that guests from England, Italy and Spain were expected.

After the funeral, the casket was carried out of the church by eight men to the hearse. The guests then walked in a procession accompanying the coffin to a nearby museum where speeches and eulogies to the coach fondly known as “Svennis” were planned on an outdoor stage. A brass band played during the procession through Torsby, including the tune “You never walk alone” from the musical “Carousel” which has become the anthem of Liverpool, the club Eriksson supported since childhood.

Hodgson, who managed both England and Liverpool after a coaching career that started in Sweden in the 1970s and ’80s — when he came up against Eriksson in the Swedish league — said the funeral was “such a dignified tribute to Sven-Goran.”

“It really reminded us all of the way he lived his life,” Hodgson said. “It was so typical of the way he lived his life, with dignity, with courage, and with the ability to make the childhood dreams come true.”

Eriksson’s adult daughter Lina said in her eulogy that her dad “didn’t want a sad funeral. He wanted to gather people to celebrate his life. Filled with happiness and joy.”

The local soccer club Torsby IF, where Eriksson started his career in the 1960s, wrote on its webpage that “you also showed your greatness by always being yourself, the caring Svennis who talked to everyone and took the time, for big and small, asking how things were and how the football was going. We will miss you.”

NEW YORK — David Beckham’s four-part eponymous Netflix documentary won an Emmy. And he has Academy Award-winner Leonardo DiCaprio to thank for it.

“I was messaging with Leo, and I just asked for his advice,” Beckham, 49, recalls to USA TODAY. At the time he reached out to DiCaprio, Beckham’s Studio 99 was still looking for a documentary director. “(DiCaprio) said, ‘You should meet Fisher (Stevens).’ And the moment I met Fisher, I was like, ‘OK, this is the guy.’ Because I felt that he was going to tell the story in a different way than people expected, and that’s exactly what he did.”

DiCaprio and Stevens worked on the 2016 doc “Before the Flood.” Hearing Stevens’ voice throughout the documentary might also ring a familiar note to “Succession” fans: He played the character Hugo Baker, a senior communications executive, on the HBO drama.

“I actually think one of the members of ‘Succession’ was a Manchester United fan,” Beckham says, noting the professional team he played for from 1991 to 2003. “Fisher had obviously discussed it with them, and they’d said, ‘If you don’t do this, you are stupid.’ So that’s why it all came together.”

David Beckham appears at Stella Artois’ “Let’s Do Dinner” event in New York City. The former soccer star tells USA TODAY he’s busier now than he was during his playing days.

Busy like Beckham: Super Bowl, Lionel Messi and giving back

Beckham retired from soccer in 2013 and says he’s “probably busier” now than he was during his playing days. This year, he starred alongside wife Victoria in a Uber Eats Super Bowl commercial; he co-owns two football clubs, including Inter Miami FC in the MLS, helping to bring all-time great Lionel Messi stateside; and he spent the summer working with Stella Artois on the brand’s “Moments Worth More” campaign.

The soccer star finds himself in New York, specifically Cipriani in the Financial District, for Stella’s “Let’s Do Dinner” event, which combined celebrity and philanthropy for Matt Damon’s nonprofit Water.org, which says its provided access to clean water for over 70 million people in developing countries since 2009.

Beckham “is a galactically-famous human being,” Damon says. “Any help we can get pushing awareness in that direction is helpful and he’s obviously a massive, massive help in that regard.”

(From left) Matt Damon and David Beckham attend Stella Artois’ “Let’s Do Dinner” event in New York City. The dinner raised awareness for Damon’s non-profit Water.org, which has helped 70 million people gain access to clean water.
“I’ve traveled to many different places with UNICEF and seen children around the world that don’t have fresh water,” Beckham says. “(Water is) something we take for granted. I think it’s so important to give back when you can.”

Beckham also happens to be a “massive fan” of Damon’s. The two met a few times prior to Thursday night’s event.

“I’ve always loved (Damon) as an actor, as a person, as a family man,” Beckham says. “I think he comes across incredibly well and he’s got an incredible family.”

What makes David and Victoria Beckham the ‘proudest’

Beckham can certainly relate to public figures who prioritize the care and well-being of their family. The father of four says that he and wife Victoria Beckham are “proudest” of their children. Beckham grew up on the East End of London in what he describes as a “working class background: parents that work very hard, two sisters that also work very hard.” He and Victoria, despite the circumstances surrounding their notoriety, tried to pass that forward to their children.

“They could be different than they are but we are very lucky,” Beckham says of his kids Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper.

‘We were against each other’: Victoria Beckham on tough years with husband David in Netflix doc

Romeo even made a surprise appearance at the dinner alongside his father. “They’re kind, they’re humble, they’re hardworking and they’re just good human beings. That’s the biggest thing that we are proud of.”

Beckham says that he and Victoria are also proud of their respective careers. His wife’s accomplishments will take the spotlight in an upcoming documentary that is currently in production by Beckham’s studio.

“Victoria is an incredibly hard working woman,” he says. “She’s had her fashion business now for almost 18 years, and I’ve seen over that time how hard she’s worked. So when I said to her about doing the documentary, she was excited but nervous.”

Ultimately, Beckham credits the studio’s relationship with Netflix in convincing the former Spice Girl to move forward with the project.

Spice Girls reunion: Watch girl group perform ‘Stop’ at Victoria Beckham’s 50th birthday party

“I just want to be able to show people how hard she works and how involved she is in every single detail of everything that goes on in her business,” he continues. “It’s a completely different documentary than obviously my life story. But it’s the lead up to (her entertainment career) and also it’s about her business. I think people are gonna love it.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: David Beckham on what he and Victoria are ‘proudest’ of

The X Factor winner and singer Alexandra Burke, 34, appeared on Loose Women three months after giving birth to her first child with her footballer boyfriend Darren Randolph, 35

Alexandra Burke broke down in tears as she explained the reason she’s kept her baby’s name and gender a secret.

The singer, 34, appeared on Loose Women three months after giving birth to her first child with her footballer beau Darren Randolph, 35.

In August, Alexandra stunned crowds at Notting Hill Carnival just weeks after welcoming her baby as part of the ‘Pumps on Parade’ campaign.

However, The X Factor winner has not publicly revealed her baby’s name or gender and when quizzed on the reason why, broke down in tears.

Alexandra Burke broke down in tears on Loose Women ( 
Image:
ITV)

She explained that, while she had chosen to be in the spotlight by taking part in the ITV talent show back in 2008, her family hadn’t and said that the impact of her fame on them had been “hard”.

“I come from X Factor and I’m very grateful for the platform,” she said. “In the process of being who I am […] the impact on them is hard.”

As she began to cry, Alexandra continued: “They never asked for it, I asked for it… I want to protect the baby as much as I can.”

She continued that she would let her child decide when they were older whether they wanted to join her in the spotlight.

Earlier, she said that her life had completely changed after becoming a mother for the first time.

Alexandra explained why she hadn’t revealed her child’s name or gender ( 
Image:
ITV)
Alexandra told the panellists: “Oh life has changed! Sleep is a thing of the past. I’ve never felt so content in my life and I’ve never known love like this. It’s overwhelming and I don’t know how to put it into worlds… I’m so happy.”

Announcing the news of her child’s birth, Alexandra posted a picture of her little one’s feet on Instagram and wrote: “Welcome to the world our little grape, we already love you more than words can say.”

Her celeb pals soon rushed to the comment section to congratulate her on becoming a mum.

Motsi Mabuse typed: “Congratulations Mama all the best”, while Love Island’s Samira Mighty said: “Yay, congratulations!”

The X Factor winner revealed she was pregnant in a post earlier this year, with her having teased their little bundle of joy was due to arrive over the summer.

Alexandra attended the Notting Hill Carnival just weeks after giving birth

She welcomed her first child in JulyShe announced the pregnancy with a video of the couple – who started dating last year – which included scenes of the pair walking around a forest and playing with their dogs.

The footage also showed her partner – who is a goalkeeper for West Ham United – kissing her growing tummy. Another scene showed the couple rubbing her baby bump.

The post was captioned: “Due June 2022.” It prompted messages of congratulations from fellow celebrities such as presenters Alison Hammond, 47, and Amanda Holden, 51.

The couple later expressed gratitude over the response, having received “so many beautiful messages and well wishes” from supporters following their announcement.

Music star and Garage icon Craig David has spoken out against the comic caricature of him on Channel 4’s Bo’ Selecta in the early 2000s

Craig David has slammed the former comedy show Bo’ Selecta! and called out its “racist” impression of him by comedian Leigh Francis.

Bo’ Selecta! ran on Channel 4 from 2002 to 2009. Fronted by Leigh Francis, it was a hit series based on celebrity caricature with deliberately ridiculous impressions all voiced by Francis. Craig David was one of the many sketches alongside Mel B, David Beckham and chat show host Trisha Goddard.

Channel 4 has since removed the programmes from its archives.

In an interview with The Times, the hit pop star has called out Francis and his comedy as “bullying”. He said: “[Leigh] was highlighting characteristics he felt would trigger us personally. Every sketch felt personal.

Craig David became a huge hit with his first album Born To Do It. ( 
Image:
Getty Images)

“It felt like a vendetta and when it got a following, it became something that affected me. People would shout at me on the street and I felt the same feeling I had when I was bullied at school. Leigh Francis had normalised bullying by making it comedy.”

When David first heard of the show, he was intrigued. But when he sat down to watch with his mum, Tina, he felt confused. Francis wore a daft head of David’s vague likeness and portrayed him as an idiot with a colostomy bag. David was 21.

He slammed the programme further, calling out Francis’ dressing up and ‘blackface’ makeup as “racist”. “It was bullying across the board for everyone,” said David. “When he put blackface on, that was being racist.”

When Black Lives Matter protests took hold in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd, Francis apologised for his previous behaviour including the black masks he wore on the show.

Comedian Leigh Francis has since apologised for his ‘racist’ black face impressions on Bo’ Selecta! ( 
Image:
Getty Images)

Craig David’s response to Leigh Francis’ apology was it didn’t appear sincere ( 
Image:
Getty Images for Bauer Media)
However David doubts the apology was sincere. He said: “We can all apologise when on the back foot. The moment of expressing his apology seemed very coincidentally timed. Has he reached out to any of the people he did on his show? He hasn’t reached out to me. Has he gone to communities to talk about bullying? Racism? And to be educated? You can only ask him.

“All I’ve seen since his apology is people still tweeting him thinking Bo’ Selecta! is fun and the tone of his response being very much still, ‘I’m the funny guy here’. That he still plays it like a joke after his apology tells me everything.”

In 2014, David was said to have spoken to Francis at Fearne Cotton’s wedding, and resolved their differences. However, after suffering depression and negative thoughts, David realised the pain of Francis’ impressions went deeper.

In 2009, the music star moved to Miami and began a focus on exercise and healthy living in a bid to get away from the caricature of an unhealthy David on Bo’ Selecta! However, Davis’ strict workout became an unhealthy obsession and in 2018 a severe back injury forced him to take a break.

Whilst resting, David reflected on the comedy of Bo’ Selecta and its bullying. He explained to The Times : “I used to lean into an idea that [Bo’ Selecta!] was all funny. I’d laugh it off, or run from it.

“When you’re younger, you think you can ride through this but it chips away until . . . you’re in a really dark place. I knew things weren’t right. I was humiliated but had to appear all shiny and positive. I wasn’t ready to confront what that show had done to me.

“A lot of victims of bullying make excuses for the person bullying them but I don’t want to make excuses for him. He’s moved on. He has to put food on the table. He’s got family. But you know what? I’m not here to take anything away from him. I’m just showing that you, Leigh, need to be accountable for what you have done in a way that is more than just crying on social media.”

ITV’s This Morning had been up against Loose Women, The Chase and The Repair Shop for Best Daytime Show at the National Television Awards

This Morning won an NTA for Best Daytime Show for the fifth year in a row despite hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield’s Queue-gate drama.

The hit ITV show had been up against Loose Women, The Chase and The Repair Shop in the category.

Addressing the crowd, Phil said: “Please don’t ever feel like we get complacent.”

“Thank you so much for everything,” Holly said as she addressed the public at home. “You make our show for us, you really do.”

They then pushed Alison Hammond forward to say a few words.

“We’re all so grateful for this award,” Alison said. “I should have won one of these as well – you know what? Bradley Walsh, Graham Norton and the legends that are Ant and Dec are great, but I should have got one!”

This Morning won an NTA this evening ( 
Image:
ITV)
Earlier, host Holly walked down the red carpet alone at Wembley’s OVO Arena, with Phil later making an appearance with daughter Molly.

It comes after a tough few weeks for Holly and Phil after the pair were falsely accused of jumping the queue to see the Queen lying-in-state.

It comes after a tough few weeks for the show ( 
Image:
ITV)
Holly and Phil released a pre-recorded statement on This Morning the following Tuesday insisting they would ‘never jump a queue’ and explained they had media accreditation.

Despite that, public anger continued to mount and a petition calling for them to be sacked from ITV has reached over 76,000 signatures.

Holly Willoughby appeared without Phil on the red carpet ( 
Image:
Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Phil later arrived with daughter Molly ( 
IThe hosts were said to be keen to attend tonight’s awards, but bosses were believed to be worried that they could be subjected to booing crowds.

It came after Holly and Phil were subjected to a torrent of online abuse after the accusations of queue-jumping, prompting “serious concerns” about their well-being.

Holly and Phil were mistakenly accused of jumping the queue to see the Queen lying in state

Despite reports that ITV are aware that the NTAs could pose “risks” for the hosts and that there will be “measures” put in place, a source has told the Mirror: “They are coming as they do each year. No extra personnel.”

While their colleague Alison Hammond was nominated in the best presenter category, neither Holly nor Phil received a nod.

BBC Question Time MP’s were urged to give up their £3500 winter fuel allowance, as thousands of pensioners face missing out on critical £300 payment this winter

Labour MP Lucy Powell was grilled about her party’s decision to scrap the Winter Fuel Payment (Image: BBC)

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Question Time fury as MPs urged to give up heating payments to help struggling pensioners

BBC Question Time MP’s were urged to give up their £3500 winter fuel allowance, as thousands of pensioners face missing out on critical £300 payment this winter

By Phoebe Tonks
02:22, Fri, Sep 20, 2024 | UPDATED: 08:19, Fri, Sep 20, 2024

266Bookmark

Labour MP Lucy Powell was grilled about her party’s decision to scrap the Winter Fuel Payment (Image: BBC)

Question Time viewers were quick to share their ire towards the government’s decision to cut the winter fuel payment for all but the poorest pensioners, as the show headed to Ashton-under-Lyne for the latest episode of the popular BBC political show.

During the episode, one member of the audience was quick to draw attention to the plight of thousands of pensioners, who will now miss out on the £300 benefit each Winter to help combat the rising cost of heating their homes, by pointing out that over 570 MP’s themselves are entitled to claim a £3500 heating allowance each year.

According to the viewer, if those MP’s, who themselves will typically receive a salary of £91,346, plus expenses each year, didn’t claim the allowance, then over 6,700 pensioners could be given the winter fuel benefit instead.

This prompted them to ask: “How do you justify withdrawing the payment from pensioners?”

First to respond was Leader of the House of Commons, Labour MP Lucy Powell, who started off by explaining it had been far from an easy decision for the government to make.

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Question Time fury as MPs urged to give up heating payments to help struggling pensioners

BBC Question Time MP’s were urged to give up their £3500 winter fuel allowance, as thousands of pensioners face missing out on critical £300 payment this winter

By Phoebe Tonks
02:22, Fri, Sep 20, 2024 | UPDATED: 08:19, Fri, Sep 20, 2024

266Bookmark

Labour MP Lucy Powell was grilled about her party’s decision to scrap the Winter Fuel Payment (Image: BBC)

Question Time viewers were quick to share their ire towards the government’s decision to cut the winter fuel payment for all but the poorest pensioners, as the show headed to Ashton-under-Lyne for the latest episode of the popular BBC political show.

During the episode, one member of the audience was quick to draw attention to the plight of thousands of pensioners, who will now miss out on the £300 benefit each Winter to help combat the rising cost of heating their homes, by pointing out that over 570 MP’s themselves are entitled to claim a £3500 heating allowance each year.

by Taboola
Sponsored Link

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According to the viewer, if those MP’s, who themselves will typically receive a salary of £91,346, plus expenses each year, didn’t claim the allowance, then over 6,700 pensioners could be given the winter fuel benefit instead.

This prompted them to ask: “How do you justify withdrawing the payment from pensioners?”

First to respond was Leader of the House of Commons, Labour MP Lucy Powell, who started off by explaining it had been far from an easy decision for the government to make.

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Conservative MP Graham Stuart took a far more critical view of Labour’s approach (Image: BBC)

She said: “Obviously we pay heating in our homes like everybody else, and we’ve seen those costs going up and up and up in recent years with inflation and energy costs going up. There’s no denying this is a very difficult thing to do and it will be difficult for people. It’s not something we came into government wanting to do at all.”

Describing the deficit inherited by the previous government as “bigger than expected” Lucy went on to say: “There is this big black hole, it is significant. For this financial year, that’s the challenge.”

Yet rather than shoot down the proposal for MP’s to turn down the heating allowance, instead Ms. Powell reiterated Labour’s stance on the blanket withdrawal of the winter fuel payment, by pointing out that the poorest pensioners shouldn’t be missing out, as she encouraged them to apply for pension credit instead, which would see the benefit reinstated.

This wasn’t good enough for Conservative MP Graham Stuart, a former government minister who condemned Labour’s decision by arguing: “It’s taking £300 away from the very poorest pensioners.”

He then went on to add: “The very poorest pensioners are not the pensioners on pension credit, very low income though they’ve got, it’s the people that are eligible for it – but that for one reason or another, don’t claim!”

Shocking figures reveal 1.2m pensioners in poverty to be hit by fuel cuts

The world’s top five strongest currencies – the UK pound doesn’t top the list

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Question Time fury as MPs urged to give up heating payments to help struggling pensioners

BBC Question Time MP’s were urged to give up their £3500 winter fuel allowance, as thousands of pensioners face missing out on critical £300 payment this winter

By Phoebe Tonks
02:22, Fri, Sep 20, 2024 | UPDATED: 08:19, Fri, Sep 20, 2024

266Bookmark

Labour MP Lucy Powell was grilled about her party’s decision to scrap the Winter Fuel Payment (Image: BBC)

Question Time viewers were quick to share their ire towards the government’s decision to cut the winter fuel payment for all but the poorest pensioners, as the show headed to Ashton-under-Lyne for the latest episode of the popular BBC political show.

During the episode, one member of the audience was quick to draw attention to the plight of thousands of pensioners, who will now miss out on the £300 benefit each Winter to help combat the rising cost of heating their homes, by pointing out that over 570 MP’s themselves are entitled to claim a £3500 heating allowance each year.

by Taboola
Sponsored Link

IQ above average? This game will challenge youHistory Strategy Game
Play Game

According to the viewer, if those MP’s, who themselves will typically receive a salary of £91,346, plus expenses each year, didn’t claim the allowance, then over 6,700 pensioners could be given the winter fuel benefit instead.

This prompted them to ask: “How do you justify withdrawing the payment from pensioners?”

First to respond was Leader of the House of Commons, Labour MP Lucy Powell, who started off by explaining it had been far from an easy decision for the government to make.

Sponsored

Koreadates
Read More
Looking for a soulmate!

by Taboola

Get the latest politics news straight to your phoneJoin us on WhatsApp

Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

Conservative MP Graham Stuart took a far more critical view of Labour’s approach (Image: BBC)

She said: “Obviously we pay heating in our homes like everybody else, and we’ve seen those costs going up and up and up in recent years with inflation and energy costs going up. There’s no denying this is a very difficult thing to do and it will be difficult for people. It’s not something we came into government wanting to do at all.”

Describing the deficit inherited by the previous government as “bigger than expected” Lucy went on to say: “There is this big black hole, it is significant. For this financial year, that’s the challenge.”

Yet rather than shoot down the proposal for MP’s to turn down the heating allowance, instead Ms. Powell reiterated Labour’s stance on the blanket withdrawal of the winter fuel payment, by pointing out that the poorest pensioners shouldn’t be missing out, as she encouraged them to apply for pension credit instead, which would see the benefit reinstated.

This wasn’t good enough for Conservative MP Graham Stuart, a former government minister who condemned Labour’s decision by arguing: “It’s taking £300 away from the very poorest pensioners.”

He then went on to add: “The very poorest pensioners are not the pensioners on pension credit, very low income though they’ve got, it’s the people that are eligible for it – but that for one reason or another, don’t claim!”

Lib Dem MP Tim Farron was also critical as he echoed concerns about pensioners missing out (Image: BBC)

Meanwhile Lib Dem MP Tim Farron, also weighed in on the situation by pointing out one of the fatal flaws in Labour’s plan, which would see several pensioners struggling to heat their homes this winter, by earning too much money to qualify for pension credit, due to an extremely low earning threshold.

“The problem is to get pension credit, there’s a really low threshold, or rather to miss out, is a really low threshold. So you can be on £12,800 a year – and you’re earning too much to get pension credit. So you’re on barely just over half the national minimum wage, and yet you’re deemed to be well off enough to cope without it. That is outrageous!”

In a particularly poignant moment, Tim also made reference to some of his own constituents, as he said “Some of them will have to choose between heating and eating, and in some cases, they won’t be able to afford to do either.”