dr jytyj dr t drh d // MAGZUS.CLUB // by Derek Kolush

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW AND PICTURES

ISSUE 1289 ● 24 MAY 2021

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£2.50 WEEKLY

EMMERDALE STAR

DANNY MILLER AND STEPH JONES ANNOUNCE THEIR ENGAGEMENT AND PREGNANCY JOY

‘WE WERE ABOUT TO START IVF – I WAS IN SHOCK AND CRYING’ ‘IT’S AMAZING TO THINK OUR BABY WILL BE AT OUR WEDDING’ EXCLUSIVE

LITTLE MIX CELEBRATE

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GOOD MORNING BRITAIN’S

LAURA TOBIN

‘I’D LOVE TO DO STRICTLY – I’M ALWAYS DANCING AROUND THE HOUSE!’

THE DUKE AND DUCHESS THEIR DAY OF GARDENING, GIGGLING AND GUINEA PIGS!

CONTENTS

MAY ISSUE

Our cover stars NEWS & INTERVIEWS

DANNY MILLER THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF SUSSEX THE QUEEN LAURA TOBIN JUDI LOVE THE BRITS LOVE MATTERS DAVID WALLIAMS EMILY ANDRE SAMANTHA GILES BRIT CROWD KERRY GODLIMAN HOLLYWOOD NERMINA PIETERS-MEKIC

FASHIONISTA

PHOTOS: GETTY, LORNA ROACH

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CHILDHOOD SWEETHEARTS

‘IT’S AMAZING TO THINK OUR BABY WILL NOW BE AT OUR WEDDING’ DANNY WEARS SHIRT BY RIVER ISLAND AND TROUSERS BY H&M. STEPH WEARS DRESS BY BOOHOO

EMMERDALE ACTOR DANNY MILLER AND HIS PARTNER STEPH JONES EXCLUSIVELY SHARE THEIR ENGAGEMENT AND BABY NEWS WITH OK!

illions know him as hotheaded Aaron Dingle on Emmerdale, but away from the soap, actor Danny Miller has a softer side. And this was never more clear than when the 30-year-old popped the question to his girlfriend Steph Jones over a romantic candlelit dinner in St Lucia earlier this year. “I thought I was going to be sick because I was so nervous,” laughs Danny as we join him and midwife Steph on an exclusive shoot near their home in Manchester. But it’s not just their engagement that we’re celebrating, as little did the couple know that just a month later they’d be preparing to become parents when Steph discovered she was expecting their ﬁrst child. The news was all the more special as the pair were just days away from starting IVF after a year of trying to conceive naturally. “We’ve done so many tests that were negative, so I wasn’t expecting it to be positive. I couldn’t believe it,” smiles Steph, who is due in October.

Here, Danny and Steph, 29, who have been together for two years but ﬁrst met in primary school, open up about Danny’s beach proposal, their journey to conceive and the moment Danny found out he was going to be a dad on the Emmerdale set… Congratulations on your pregnancy and engagement! You’ve had quite the start to 2021… Danny: It’s been amazing. We’ve had a lot of time to process it so it’s ﬁnally sunk in now. Steph: Now more people know it’s even more exciting. It’s becoming more real. How did you feel when you found out you were going to be parents? Danny: It was unbelievable because we’d been told it probably wasn’t going to happen for us naturally, so we just feel so incredibly lucky. We’re very humbled by it as we know not everyone is as lucky. Steph: It was a massive surprise because emotionally we’d been psyching ourselves up for IVF. It

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DANNY WEARS TOP BY NEXT AND TROUSERS BY BOOHOO. STEPH WEARS CO-ORD BY BOOHOO

was meant to be. We got engaged at the beginning of January and found out we were expecting in February. Wow! What made you take a test, Steph? Steph: I was at work and my boobs were really sore and I felt really bloated. I was also late on my period so I nipped home when my clinic finished and before I started home visits, and something told me to do a test. We’ve done so many tests that were negative so I wasn’t expecting it to be positive – I couldn’t believe it! I was shaking and trying to ring Danny, but he wasn’t answering because he was on set. Danny: We were filming the barn explosion storyline. When I saw how many times she had rang me I had a feeling. I thought, either she’s pregnant or something serious is going on. Usually my phone is on flight mode but that day I knew she wasn’t feeling good, she hadn’t had her period and we were just about to start the IVF, so I just put it on silent. I had to text her saying I couldn’t speak, but she replied saying ring me but with three Ns and four Es! What happened next? Danny: The next take was long but then luckily they turned the cameras off and I said to the first assistant I was going to make a call. I rang Steph and she was laughing but crying and I just knew. With us being with the IVF consultant the day before, I was in complete shock. I started crying. It’s making me emotional to think about it now. I bought another pregnancy test on the way home, not that she had to prove it, but I just wanted that moment for us. How close were you to starting IVF? Steph: We were waiting for the drugs to be delivered. I was waiting for my period because day one is when you start your first cycle of your IVF drugs. We’d been trying for a year and doing ovulation tests so we knew we were trying on the correct day. Then we started Clomid medication because I have polycystic ovary syndrome, so it was to regulate my periods and increase my progesterone as it was low. I’d previously been told that, because I have PCOS, if we were trying for six months and it didn’t happen then they would refer me to the hospital gynaecologist to investigate my fertility. I knew the consultant really well and had worked with her for 10 years. She put me on the Clomid but it still wasn’t happening and the medication wasn’t increasing my progesterone so she referred us for the IVF. We’d had the scan, my bloods taken and all the consultations, then, two days after the WWW.OK.CO.UK

DANNY WEARS TOP BY M&S AND TROUSERS AND SHOES BY BOOHOO. STEPH WEARS DRESS BY KIRSTY DOYLE

scan and a day after the last consultation, I found out I was pregnant!

That’s amazing! Was it hard when you were trying and not conceiving? Danny: After a lot of trying and difﬁcult periods when it’s not working for you, I think you start to lose hope. I was almost blaming myself for it and thinking, “Is it me who is not working?” And Steph was doing the same. Steph: It feels a lot longer when you’re trying, and each month you’re tracking your periods and your ovulation. It becomes quite difﬁcult and clinical. It puts a lot of pressure on you both as you know you have to work to certain days. When you get the negative test each month, you start to lose hope. But just having the IVF referral was almost a relief because we knew that could be our best chance. I think that almost took the stress off us a bit. But I was very anxious up until the 12-week scan. After that it felt like a weight had been lifted.

Was it difﬁcult doing your job when you were trying for a family yourself, Steph? Steph: Not really because I can completely separate the two. I’ve never compared it to myself. My role is to support the women and you feel so happy for them. Some of them will have had a really difﬁcult time themselves getting pregnant. It’s funny because I can be advising women on the early symptoms in pregnancy and then I’m experiencing the same ones, but it feels different with me. I have to double check with my midwife! How have you been feeling? Steph: I’ve been very sick. It hit at seven weeks. Danny has had to pull over in Morrisons’ car park and the side of the motorway! He’s been so helpful though. He’s even taught me a few things because he’s been reading loads of books about home remedies. Danny: Steph obviously knows so much about everything so I wanted to be able to support her however I could.

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Are you going to find out the sex? Steph: Danny wanted to find out but I didn’t, so we agreed not to. Just from my experience at births, the moment the parents find out is so special. Would you like more than one child? Danny: In a dream world I’d like three or four. Steph: I’d like three. How does it feel to know your baby will now be at your wedding? Steph: It’s amazing to think about. That’s what Danny wanted. It makes it feel even more exciting. Danny: I said we should delay it until they can walk, because it would 10

be amazing if they could be stood up with me or walk down the aisle with Steph. We’ve put it back, because of the little one, as we didn’t expect we would have a baby so soon. We’ve always been a fan of getting married abroad and having the sun, sea and sand with us and both our families. Tell us about the engagement… Danny: Steph is 30 in October and I originally planned to do it then but it all just happened on the holiday that Steph booked for my 30th in St Lucia. We originally went into the jewellers there as I was buying myself a watch for my birthday, and then Steph was attracted to the rings.

DANNY WEARS SHIRT BY BOOHOO AND SUIT AND SHOES BY RIVER ISLAND. STEPH WEARS DRESS BY ZEYNEP KARTAL AND OWN SHOES

‘IN A DREAM WORLD I’D LOVE THREE OR FOUR CHILDREN’

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DANNY WEARS OUTFIT BY BOOHOO. STEPH WEARS OUTFIT BY BOOHOO

Steph: Danny said, “Put them away now!” so I didn’t think it was going to happen. Danny told me it would be a while before he proposed at the beginning of the holiday to throw me off the scent. Danny: Once I saw the look on her face when she spotted this specific ring and how beautiful it was, everything just slotted into place and I thought, “It’s obviously supposed to happen here.” But it was a nightmare trying to get rid of Steph to go back to the jewellers to get the ring. We had a candlelit dinner booked on the beach for the second to last night, so that seemed like the perfect time. Did it all go to plan? Danny: Well, I was really nervous… Steph: He was so nervous during the meal. I think he went to the toilet seven times. I said, “Do you think you might have a urine infection?” [Laughs] He was acting strange. Danny: Other than going to the toilet seven times I also thought I was going to be sick at one point. We’d paid a fortune for the meal and I couldn’t even eat it because I was that nervous. Steph: Then I turned around and Danny was down on one knee. I was shaking. It didn’t feel real at first. Danny: As I got down on one knee, the music cut out, which I didn’t know if they’d done on purpose, but it was quite loud up until that point, and then Adele’s When We Were Young came on. As we met in primary school, it felt very fitting. Steph: He was my first love. We’ve said we’ll have to have it as our first dance song. He’d even asked my mum and dad [for permission], too. Danny: I’m quite old school. I had to FaceTime her parents and then I called my parents. In the end it went better than planned – it was perfect. Were there any tears? Steph: Oh yeah, Danny can be tearful at the best of times. Danny: I am a bit of an emotional guy. I think it was the relief. I knew she was going to say yes, but I just thought, “Thank God that’s over and we can celebrate.” I felt like I’d been in a fight as I was emotionally knackered because I’d been so tense all day. Danny as Aaron on Emmerdale

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DANNY WEARS TOP AND JACKET BY BOOHOO AND TROUSERS AND SHOES BY RIVER ISLAND. STEPH WEARS CO-ORD BY BROOKE VINCENT AT IN THE STYLE

Scan the code to hear Danny talk about his excitement at expecting his ﬁrst child with ﬁancée Steph

Will you invite any of your Emmerdale co-stars to the wedding, Danny? Danny: Numbers depending obviously, but there are a lot of people I’m close to, particularly the Dingles. I’m also really close to some past cast members like Kelvin [Fletcher] and Adam and his brother Ryan [Thomas], so it would be amazing to have them there. I’ve watched their kids grow up and seen how amazing they are as dads. I’ll deﬁnitely be asking them for advice about bringing kids 14

up in the business as it’s not a normal situation. I’m also still in touch with Ryan [Hawley, who played Aaron’s former husband, Robert]. We speak a lot and I know he’ll be over the moon for us that we’re going to be parents. You joined Emmerdale 13 years ago. Can you see yourself being there for life? Danny: I don’t know if they’d have me for life [laughs]! I wouldn’t really call it a job because I love it so much. My priorities have changed

now and everything is about providing for the family and if that’s what’s going to provide for the family, then so be it. OK! STEPH IS NOW RUNNING MIDWIFE BLOG THE ONLINE MIDWIFE VIA THE INSTAGRAM PAGE @YOURONLINEMIDWIFE DANNY AND STEPH HAVE BOTH RECEIVED TREATMENT AT RUH DENTAL IN MANCHESTER. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT RUHDENTAL.COM WORDS: KIRSTY HATCHER PHOTOS: LORNA ROACH HAIR AND MAKE-UP: TIA BARREA STYLING: LORRAINE McCULLOCH PROP STYLING: ALEXANDRA BELL @ ME

William and Kate joked around as they potted plants at Way Youth Zone 16

TEN YEARS HAPPY

KATE AND WILLIAM ‘CLOSER THAN EVER’ LAUGHING TOGETHER AT A RECENT ENGAGEMENT THE DUKE AND DUCHESS ARE NEVER BETTER THAN WHEN THEY’RE TOGETHER SAYS ROYAL EXPERT DUNCAN LARCOMBE

ust a few weeks after celebrating their 10-year wedding anniversary, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge once again showed their unshakeable bond as they marked Mental Health Awareness Week by visiting several support organisations in Wolverhampton. The loving couple laughed together throughout the day and even appeared to mirror each other’s body language, proving once again just how strong their union is. “Kate took to ofﬁcial royal engagements like a duck to water, but she is always more at ease in William’s company,” royal expert Duncan Larcombe

tells OK!. “Kate almost prefers it when she’s not centre stage, so while she’s happy to engage and interact, William tends to be more hands on and chatty, cracking jokes and putting people at ease. They’re a great team. They have their individual strengths and work so well together.” At one point, the couple were sitting in almost identical positions, with their left legs crossed over, their ﬁngers clasped together and their heads tilted as they listened attentively to volunteers at the Way Youth Zone. Body language expert Derek Heron tells OK!, “This is a great sign – an indication of rapport and that they are

They mirrored each other’s body language

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Kate got competitive when playing William at table tennis

She met Barbara the bearded dragon

Kate had a go at archery 18

deﬁnitely on the same wavelength. They are in an emotionally strong relationship and very much in tune with one another.” Kate and William also appeared to match their wardrobes for the day, both opting for blue and navy tones. Kate looked effortlessly stylish in a navy polka dot blouse under a wool coat dress from Catherine Walker & Co. The couple were also seen laughing together as they potted plants, with William telling the group, “Catherine is very good at gardening.” Derek adds of this moment, “Kate is presenting a wonderfully natural open smile, and her eyes are smiling, too. She’s genuinely enjoying herself, comfortable and relaxed. Their bodies are both angled slightly towards each other – another sign that they are still enjoying a strong, loving relationship.” William and sporty Kate rarely pass up the opportunity to get stuck in with physical activities during their royal engagements, and last week proved no exception as the pair became locked in a competitive game of ping pong. “Come on, Catherine!” William said, as he encouraged his wife to join in the game. As she grabbed her paddle, the couple

Kate and William looked happy and relaxed in each other’s company as they chatted to the youngsters

were clearly in their element playing against each another. “This could go on for hours,” William joked. “Talk amongst yourselves!” Duncan adds, “What we’re seeing with Kate and William is just how genuinely comfortable and happy they are together. They really look as though everything that has happened in the past year has only pushed them closer together. They’re closer than ever.” Aston Villa fan William also showed off his football skills on the outing, managing ﬁve keepy-uppies, while Kate tried her hand at archery. The Way Youth Zone is an organisation that provides sports, arts and recreation activities for children every night of the week. During their visit, Kate and William also met with a group of ambassadors from HeadStart, a programme that is designed to improve the resilience and emotional wellbeing of children and young people by giving them the skills they need to address the challenges of modern life. Speaking about her time with the royal couple, volunteer Keisha revealed that the Duke and Duchess had opened up about their love of the outdoors. “I asked them about their dog and what they do to be active,” she explained. “They like to walk their dog and spend time with

their kids. They like to bake as well, and make different foods with their family. “They asked questions about what we like to do. I spoke about how I like to dance. Catherine said how she loves to be in nature. She likes to go on walks, and is also interested in sport, as we saw outside with the table tennis. They are very competitive!” Duncan reveals that the couple – who recently announced they were launching a YouTube channel – are becoming increasingly comfortable with offering a more personal glimpse into their private married life. “Kate and William were fiercely private about their own lives, but what we’re seeing now is them consciously pushing themselves to be more open and offer more of an insight. Speaking to volunteers about their personal lives is a prime example of that. They know there’s a danger of them coming across as aloof if everything becomes too formal. They know they have to be open and honest.” The couple’s second engagement was at Base 25, a city-centre charity that provides support for young people who have difficulties accessing mainstream services. They then headed to HugglePets In The Community, a not-for-profit organisation founded in 2018 that uses animal assisted therapy to help children with SEN disabilities

or those experiencing mental health challenges. Animal lover Kate looked at ease as she met Barbara the bearded dragon, and gave Gus the guinea pig a cuddle while speaking to volunteers about how the programme can help children with anxiety, resilience and suicide awareness. Posting a clip of their visit on their Twitter account, the royal couple wrote alongside it, “Today’s visit is all about understanding local organisations here in Wolverhampton. Organisations that are motivating and inspiring young people to transform their lives. #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek.” Both Kate and William – who are parents to Prince George, seven, Princess Charlotte, six, and Prince Louis, three – have spoken about the importance of highlighting mental health issues. Kate, in particular, has focused much of her time on raising awareness of children’s mental health and the impact it can have in later life. Kate has been the Royal Patron of Place2Be, a children’s mental health charity that provides counselling and emotional support to children and teachers, since 2013, and she also helped to launch the very ﬁrst Children’s Mental Health Week in 2015. OK! WORDS: KAT ROMERO PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

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INCOGNITO DATES

PRINCE HARRY RECALLS EARLY DAYS WITH MEGHAN

THE DUKE OF SUSSEX HAS OPENED UP ABOUT FIRST DATES WITH HIS WIFE MEGHAN AS THEY PREPARE FOR THEIR NEW ARRIVAL

T Harry opened up about dating Meghan in the early days

The pair in Toronto in 2017

he Duke and Duchess of Sussex tried to keep their romance under wraps and out of the public eye until the news finally broke in 2016. And opening up in a podcast with actor Dax Shepard, Prince Harry went into detail about some of the extreme lengths the pair went to in order to keep their new love undercover. After Harry was asked by Dax if he had ever done “mundane things” as a royal, he revealed he and Meghan “pretended they didn’t know each other” in a supermarket in the early days. “The first time Meghan and I met up for her to come and stay with me, we met up in a supermarket in London, pretending we didn’t know each other, texting each other from the other side of the aisles,” he said. He added, “I text her saying, ‘Is this the right one?’ and she said, ‘No, you want parchment paper,’ and I’m like, ‘Where’s the parchment paper?!’” Harry, 36, also said he wore a baseball cap and looked down at the floor to “try to stay incognito” during their first dates in London. “It’s amazing how much chewing gum you see!” he joked. The couple were first set up on a blind date by a mutual friend in July 2016 but the news of their blossoming romance didn’t become public knowledge until November that year. Harry went on to tell Dax that his wife gave him words of

wisdom about fairy tales – telling him, “You can create your own life better than any princess.” Harry also spoke about his father Prince Charles and claimed he had “suffered” due to his upbringing and subsequently “treated me the way he was treated”. Harry praised his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales, for her immense impact but said he couldn’t cope with her death until Meghan suggested therapy. He also added that the couple’s move to the US had been a conscious decision to “break the cycle of pain”. The candid chat comes after it was reported that Meghan, 39, will not be having a baby shower for her second child as she feels there has been “too much strife” in the world – after a challenging year for people all around the world with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Serena Williams threw a lavish baby shower in New York for the former actress when she was expecting son Archie, now two, which was reported to have cost over £300,000. “Meghan doesn’t feel a big baby shower with gifts is appropriate right now,” a source claimed. “There is too much strife in the world. She and Harry have been so involved with humanitarian issues, they both feel their time and resources can be used for a better purpose.” It was also revealed Meghan and Harry’s non-proﬁt Archewell

The couple are already parents to son Archie

foundation has teamed up with consumer goods company Procter & Gamble with aims to build more compassionate communities. In a statement, it reads that the partnership would focus on gender equality, creating inclusive online spaces and “resilience and impact” through sport. Meanwhile, the duke and duchess are busy preparing for their new arrival. Meghan was seen on TV for the ﬁrst time since her and Harry’s interview with Oprah Winfrey as she spoke about her excitement of welcoming a daughter this summer. “My husband and I are thrilled to be welcoming a daughter,” she said in a pre-recorded speech for the Vax Live concert. “It’s a feeling of joy we share with millions of other families around the world. “When we think of her, we think of all the young women and girls around the globe who must be given the ability and the support to lead us forward.” OK!

Meghan spoke about being thrilled to welcome a baby girl soon

WORDS: ELLIE KIRWIN-JONES PHOTOS: CONSTANT MEDIA, GETTY

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A SAD REFLECTION

‘WE HAVE AN EMPTY SEAT AT OUR DINNER TABLE’ PRINCE CHARLES OPENS UP ABOUT THE LOSS OF HIS FATHER AS THE QUEEN ATTENDS HER FIRST MAJOR ENGAGEMENT SINCE THE DEATH OF PRINCE PHILIP

he Queen looked sombre and frail last week as she carried out her ﬁrst in-person engagement since the funeral of her husband, Prince Philip, on 17 April. The monarch, 95, attended the State Opening of Parliament at the Palace of Westminster on 11 May. The visit, which was pared back in line with current Covid-19 restrictions, was the Queen’s ﬁrst public appearance since her husband of 73 years passed away, aged 99. She was joined by her eldest son, Prince Charles, 72, and his wife, Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall, 73, for the The Queen was supported by son Charles

event. Charles tenderly held his beloved hug. I can only say how deeply saddened mother’s hand while leading her into the I am by this tragic situation and how my ceremony in a moving display of support. heart goes out to all those who have lost Earlier on the same day, Charles their loved ones,” Charles said in an opened up about the family’s y uncharacteristic display of emotion. age grief during a video message Traditio Traditionally, the Queen would to the Muslim community wear tthe glittering Imperial d who were nearing the end Stat State Crown and ceremonial of Ramadan. ro robes for the opening “This year so many o of Parliament. But this families, like my own, yyear she opted to wear will have an empty seat a lilac day coat and hat. at their dinner table and T The notoriously heavy friends will no longer be Imperial State Crown was able to share a celebratoryy ccarried in front of her on a cushion as she walked The Imperial thro through Parliament to her State Crown seat, Prince Charles guiding his moth mother up the steps to the h C throne. Charles and Camilla sat in chairs nearby to support her throughout the ceremony. The Queen travelled from Buckingham Palace to the event by car, rather than the carriage usually used for the occasion. There was no military lining the street, band or guard of honour involved in the procession and the event had only 108 attendees, rather than the usual 600. MPs and members of the House of Lords who did attend were required to take a Covid test beforehand and wore masks throughout the ceremony. In her annual speech, written for her by ministers, the Queen highlighted 30 laws that ministers plan to pass over the next year. Among the proposals are a bill requiring citizens to show ID before voting and a plan to ban controversial conversion therapy. But the main focus was on the UK’s economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. OK! WORDS: ANNA MATHESON PHOTOS: GETTY

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THE FORECAST IS BRIGHT

‘I WANT TO TEACH MY DAUGHTER THAT THE WORLD IS PRECIOUS’ W

atching Laura Tobin and her three-year-old daughter Charlotte cuddle and play during our gorgeous photoshoot, it’s clear they’re inseparable. And when we catch up with the Good Morning Britain meteorologist afterwards, we hear about how their bond was forged as they braved the tot’s tough start in life. In July 2017, Laura’s colleague Dr Hilary Jones told her to go to hospital immediately after she suffered stomach pains on set – because she was going into labour 12 weeks early. Charlotte weighed just 2lb 8oz on arrival and had a weak immune system, which left her unable to live a normal life and socialise during her ﬁrst two years. Thankfully, she has suffered no lasting health complications from her premature birth and Laura says she has blossomed into a caring and outgoing child who loves the outdoors. And she hopes her girl’s love of nature will inspire her to follow in her footsteps by becoming a scientist. “Before she was born, I wanted my Laura with child to be a scientist,” her GMB 39-year-old Laura tells colleagues us. “It’s important to

be inquisitive and investigative. I want to teach her that the world is precious” Laura now works to raise awareness around premature births with charity Ickle Pickles, which is raising funds via the Sudocrem 90km Challenge – a cycling adventure the whole family can take part in this spring and summer. And as well as talking about her fabulous home life with Charlotte and hubby Dean Brown, she is happy to discuss the camaraderie on the GMB set. Here, Laura opens up about her parenting journey – and reveals which rock star she’d love to see playing host on the ITV show’s sofa... We love this shoot, Laura. You strike us as quite an outdoorsy family... Charlotte loves being outdoors. When you have a premature baby, they’re vulnerable to all illnesses and colds because they don’t have the immunity a normal-term baby would have. You have to be really careful with them and when you come home, the advice is, “Don’t go to supermarkets, don’t hang around with anybody who’s got a cold.” I didn’t go

LAURA WEARS BLOUSE & JEANS BY RIVER ISLAND; CHARLOTTE WEARS BLOUSE & JEANS BY RIVER ISLAND, HAIR BAND BY MILLEDEUX

GOOD MORNING BRITAIN METEOROLOGIST LAURA TOBIN TALKS EXCLUSIVELY TO OK! ABOUT MOTHERHOOD HAVING A PREMATURE BABY WANTING HER LITTLE GIRL TO BE A SCIENTIST AND HER DREAMS OF GOING ON STRICTLY

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to a baby class, we’ve never been on holiday, because the advice is not to go on planes. Essentially lockdown [advice], which is to be outdoors, fresh air, wash your hands, we did anyway in the first two years of her life and followed the preventative measures that would make her get as fit and healthy and strong as possible. Then six months later we were in lockdown [Laughs]. So we’ve known what a lockdown entails. It’s a shame it’s been in the past year, when we were finally more confident to do other things. Has Charlotte built up her immune system now, letting her mix more? Yeah, it’s pretty much when they’re two. Once, we went into town, sat in a coffee shop and she then got a cold, and we had to go back into hospital for a week. We were like, “We won’t do that again.” She doesn’t feel she’s missing out on much [in lockdown], because she’s already done it.

LAURA WEARS JUMPSUIT BY DAMSEL IN A DRESS, SHOES BY STEVE MADDEN, EARRINGS BY BUTLER AND WILSON

LAURA WEARS T-SHIRT BY MARKUS LUPFER, TROUSERS BY HOBBS, EARRINGS BY BUTLER AND WILSON; CHARLOTTE WEARS CARDIGAN AND DRESS BY RACHEL RILEY, HAIR CLIP BY MILLEDEUX

So was the coronavirus a worry for you with Charlotte’s weaker immune system? At ﬁrst we weren’t sure, because with premature babies the last thing that develops is their lungs and they are much weaker as a result. But the older you get, the lungs become bigger and stronger. Her lungs now are probably the same as any other three-year-old’s.

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At ﬁrst we were really cautious, thinking, “It’s a respiratory thing to do with lungs, and her lungs aren’t that strong, are we going to be okay?” Then a few weeks later, it came out that it doesn’t affect little ones nearly as badly. That was a weight off our minds. What was it like giving birth prematurely? If you knew what was happening, you’d be very worried, but I didn’t know I was going into labour. As it was so early, I had no idea. The story is, I turned up at work, I had a tummy ache, the wardrobe lady said, “My goodness, you don’t look well.” Charlotte [Hawkins] said, “Oh, it’s Braxton Hicks.” Dr Hilary was on his way in, so Debbie in wardrobe phoned him and he said, “It sounds like she might be going into labour but don’t tell her. I don’t want her to worry. St Thomas’s hospital is down the road, which has the best unit in the country for premature birth.” I just turned up at hospital and had no idea I was going into labour. It slowly dawned on me, “Okay, ﬁne. It’s going to happen.”

‘MY EDITOR WOULD’VE LOVED ME GIVING BIRTH LIVE ON AIR’ Were you worried during the time Charlotte was in hospital? One of the mums said, “It’s one step forward and two steps back, but overall you’re taking steps forward and your baby will come home with you one day.” We stayed calm and listened to the doctors, and I had Dr Hilary on hand. He was my point of call all the time. He had premature twins, born around the same gestation as Charlotte. Nothing came as a shock, because Dr Hilary told me what to expect. So if not for him, would you have gone to hospital that day? I don’t know! I’m guessing I would but probably much further down the line, when I realised I was going into labour. I’m sure my editor would have loved that – giving birth live on air. By that point Dr Hilary would have been in and it would have been his job to deliver the baby. I don’t know how I feel about that [Laughs]. Thank God for Dr Hilary. What’s Charlotte’s personality like now? She’s really funny and really kind. She likes to say nice things like, 28

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LAURA WEARS JUMPER AND SKIRT BY HOBBS, SHOES BY ALEXANDER MCQUEEN FROM @LOVELUXESTORE, EARRINGS BY OTTOMAN HANDS

The team are in awe of Kate Garraway’s courage

“Mummy, you’re a shining star.” When you smile, it makes her smile. She’s brave and likes picking up her chickens and playing on her scooter. She doesn’t miss a trick and she loves make-up. Would you like Charlotte to be a scientist, like you? I would love her to be. Before she was born, and before I knew whether she was a he or a she, I really wanted my child to be a scientist. I think it’s really important to be inquisitive and investigative and learn about things. I want to teach her that the world is precious and that’s why being outdoors is so important to us.

LAURA WEARS TOP AND TROUSERS BY FORTE FORTE FROM FENWICKS, SHOES BY DUNE, EARRINGS BY BUTLER AND WILSON

What’s the best thing about being a mum? I love playing all day. In lockdown, I was like, “Parents, you could have sent your children to me, I would play crafts all day.” I love it.

What’s it like being part of the Good Morning Britain team? It’s a privilege every day to be in people’s living rooms to tell them the weather. I have the best job in the world. The team are on point every day. When I joined, I recall watching Lorraine [Kelly] and how she worked with guests. Her and Susanna [Reid] are of the same mould – everything’s written down. Their notebooks are crammed. They know everything, backwards, forwards and inside out. It’s like a masterclass watching them. I love doing the weather with Andi Peters. With the competitions, he makes it look so effortless but what he does is really hard. I’m in awe of him every day. Kate Garraway’s been through so much in the past year with husband Derek Draper being hospitalised with coronavirus. You must be so proud of her... She’s amazing. Her documentary [Finding Derek] is amazing. I don’t bother her with it at work. I don’t ask her questions because I know she’s in work mode. But actually, she’s really open, even on air, which I’m amazed by. When I had Charlotte in hospital, I’d come on and be like, “Hey, everyone” and didn’t feel like I wanted to share

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LAURA WEARS CARDIGAN BY AMERICAN VINTAGE FROM FENWICKS, TROUSERS BY MINT VELVET, NECKLACE BY OTTOMAN HANDS; CHARLOTTE WEARS DRESS BY ANGEL’S FACE, CARDIGAN BY RACHEL RILEY

LAURA WEARS DRESS BY MINT VELVET, SHOES BY CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN FROM @LOVELUXESTORE, EARRINGS BY OTTOMAN HANDS; CHARLOTTE WEARS DRESS BY WILD & GORGEOUS FROM KIDSWEAR COLLECTIVE, SHOES BY RIVER ISLAND

LAURA WEARS OUTFIT BY ASQUITH, TRAINERS BY TED BAKER; CHARLOTTE WEARS JACKET BY MONNALISA FROM KIDSWEAR COLLECTIVE, TOP BY ANGEL’S FACE, LEGGINGS BY RACHEL RILEY, TRAINERS BY RIVER ISLAND

Laura and Charlotte will cycle 90km for charity all that. She’s doing it because there are so many people going through something similar. It helps her and other people. And the ﬁrst time I saw her [after Derek was admitted to hospital] was amazing. She continues to be really strong – but that’s what she’s like at work. She’s the craziest, most disorganised organised person you’ll ever meet. In what way? Her room is a mess, Ben [Shephard] is always going on about her hair being a mess and once her handbag actually had a bird’s nest in it, because it was a project one of her children was doing at school. But she remembers every interview, everything she’s ever done, and her brain is still in place – and then some. Piers Morgan said, “Treat this as a piece of research, look at every angle, every avenue, and you will come out of the other side of this.” She’s tackled it in a very methodical way, I think. How’s it been since Piers left? Do you miss him? I wasn’t even there that day [when he left] and that whole week was just a crazy week – but that’s all I’m going to say about that.

Laura opens up on how Dr Hilary Jones helped her when she went into premature labour – to watch, scan the code

There’ve been lots of rumours of lots of different presenters taking over from Piers Morgan since his exit. Who would be your dream? Jon Bon Jovi! Ha! He’d be amazing. There are also a lot of rumours that you’re set to appear on Strictly. Is that something you’d be interested in? I would love to do Strictly. I love

dancing and singing, that’s all I do around the house with Charlotte. I would be available... Tell us about your work with the Ickle Pickles charity... It was set up by a mum called Rachel whose son was born about 12 weeks early. When these babies are born their eyes are closed and don’t open for a while. His eyes were closed for ages and they didn’t want to name him until they could see what he looked like. The nurse used to call him her “Ickle Pickle” and the name stuck with them. They wanted to do something to say thank you and help other people, so they set up the charity. Anybody can help raise money for it and they will give the proceeds to hospitals that might need things such as a new incubator or breast pump. So far, they’ve raised nearly £1.5million. Tell us about the Sudocrem 90km cycle, which will raise money for the charity... You have to cycle 90km as a family. If you’re really ambitious you can do it in a day, or you’ve got until the end of the year to do little journeys as a family and you get your friends and relatives to sponsor you. When the weather gets nicer we’ll go out on journeys down the river. OK! FOR INFORMATION ON TAKING PART IN THE SUDOCREM 90KM CHALLENGE, VISIT SUDOCREM.CO.UK/CYCLE-MORE OR ICKLEPICKLES.ORG WORDS: GEMMA MCCARTNEY PHOTOS: LORNA ROACH HAIR AND MAKE-UP: NATASHA SCHMITT USING SAM MCKNIGHT HAIRCARE AND NARS MAKE-UP STYLING: HARRIET NICHOLSON

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JUDI’SCOLUMN

LIFE IS FOREVER CHANGING

OUR NEW COLUMNIST ON MOVING ON AFTER THE DEATH OF HER DAD HITTING HER MILESTONES AND HER PLANS FOR A HOT GIRL SUMMER

’m still getting to grips with my dad passing away last month. I grew up p living mostly with my mum, but that doesn’t mean the pain of losing my dad is any less. Knowing that the voices of both parents have now gone has left me with a great deal of pain and sadness. They sacriﬁced so much for me, coming to a country that felt so far away from home, and I’m so proud of the experiences they’ve given me. The grief has made me realise that life is forever changing. It’s been an awakening and a reminder to never take a moment for granted. We’ve got to try and be present in the now. I’m still very delicate, but I’m ready to embrace the positive things that life has for me next.

DATING DOS AND DON’TS

ngelina Jolie made a joke about having a “long list of nos” when it comes to dating after being single for a while. I think that as you get older, the list of nos should be shorter. Not out of desperation, it’s just you should know your non-negotiables. The wiser and more conﬁdent you get with yourself, the more you’ll value your own worth. There are certain things a no list won’t show, so you need to chuck it away and learn to spot if someone brings the wrong energy. You also need to think about what you bring to the table. Maybe you’ve been too distracted checking off that list to realise what you really want from a partner.

urning 40 during a year when we’ve suffered a pandemic and witnessed a global ﬁght against racism has made me reassess what I’m prepared to tolerate. I’ll no longer wait to be accepted and will hit my own milestones

rom this week, we’re allowed to hug our loved ones with caution. But the ever-vocal Piers Morgan has announced he won’t be hugging his friends and family “indeﬁnitely”. Joking aside, it’s a personal choice and everyone will deal with

it differently. I love nothing more than a good hug and have truly missed it. But this year has taught us so much about friendships and boundaries. As much as I’m looking forward to squeezing my friends, I’ll be careful in order to protect my loved ones.

FRIENDS REUNITED

P – like this column – without compromising my own voice. As a nation, we’ve been forced to reassess everything from our health and relationships to classism, racism and our work/ life balance. Now, we have no choice but to face these things and create change.

hil and Holly were spotted after having lunch out with some pals last week and it made me think about our plans for a Loose Women get-together. I’m excited to see my core friends too. I missed out on my “hot girl summer” last year! Every event is going to be so full of joy and great memories. All I need are my closest friends, good food and a glass of sparkling rosé. OK!

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PHOTOS: GETTY

A NEW CHAPTER

HUGGING WITH CAUTION

MUSIC MATTERS

IT’S THE BRITS BABY! LITTLE MIX WERE THE STARS OF THE NIGHT AS THE BRIT AWARDS RETURNED Perrie and Alex: proud parents-to-be

week on from her bandmate Leigh-Anne Pinnock’s pregnancy reveal, Perrie Edwards announced that she was also expecting her first baby, showcasing her growing belly in a black and white photo with footballer partner Alex OxladeChamberlain. She captioned the beautiful picture, “So happy to be on this wild journey with my soulmate. Me + Him = You. We can’t wait to meet you baby Ox!” And days later, all eyes were on Little Mix at London’s O2 Arena as they proudly displayed their bumps on the red carpet for the first time, alongside bandmate Jade Thirwall, at this year’s Brit Awards. Following a challenging year for the band – which saw their fourth member Jesy Nelson quit – it proved to be Little Mix’s night, as they broke records by becoming the first girl band to be awarded Best British Group. Taking to the stage, the girls thanked their former bandmate Jesy during their tearful speech, where they spoke out against white male dominance, misogyny, sexism and a lack of diversity in the music industry. They also dedicated the accolade to their predecessors, adding, “The fact that a girl band has never won this award really does speak volumes, so this award isn’t just

The Little Mix ladies looked all white on the night WWW.OK.CO.UK 37

Elton John and Olly Alexander wowed the crowds

Caption white to be added here

Baby bumps are in vogue 38

for us, it’s for… all of the girls told Jack it was still going incredible female bands!” ahead and that they already had Perrie later took to instagram plans in place for childcare for to say “On cloud 9… we just the Little Mix babies. made history together.” “We’re going to need a Chatting to show host Jack crèche,” Leigh-Anne said. Whitehall, the girls squirmed Perrie and Leigh-Anne also when he asked how they’d joked about Jade drinking for passed the time during the all three of them on the night, recent lockdown. He joked, and the 28-year-old most “I wasn’t going to ask it...the p the Brits spirit definitelyy kept proof is in the pudding. alive for h her bandmates. n’t When you weren’t Towar Towards the end of making Little the night, she was Mixes...” p pi c pictured flipping “My dad will tthe middle finger be watching tto waiting this!” Perrie photographers cringed. a and grabbing Setting the h her boobs as she record straight cclambered into a Jade letting ti on their Confetti ta taxi without her her hair down tour next year, the sho shoes on.

Dua Lipa ﬂew the ﬂag (literally) for British fashion…

…and wore Vivienne Westwood on the red carpet

Taylor Swift looked heavenly in Miu Miu WWW.OK.CO.UK 39

Celeste rufﬂed our fashion feathers in Ashley Williams

Harry Style stood out (as ever) in Gucci

Coldplay made quite the splash… 40

Sheridan Smith brought sexy back in her LBD

Host Jack Whitehall kept the jokes coming

It truly was a night for girl power, as Dua Lipa also wowed with her incredible performance of hits from her Future Nostalgia album – ﬁrst belting out tunes on the London Underground before heading to the O2 with her crew of colourful dancers. Dua Lipa also won Best Female Solo Artist and Best British Album, taking time during her speech to address the 2,500 key workers given tickets to the show and demand a pay rise for them. She dedicated her second award to Folajimi Olubunmi-Adewole, the 20-year-old man who died after attempting to save a woman who fell into the River Thames in April. Coldplay opened the show with a performance of their new single Higher Power from the Thames, and fans were left in awe when Elton John and Years & Years frontman Olly Alexander did their rendition of Pet Shop Boys song It’s A Sin – the theme tune and title of the recent Channel 4 drama series in which Olly starred. The song is being released as a single to support the Elton John AIDS Foundation, and many hailed it one of the best performances in Brits history. Lewis Capaldi presented an award, but left viewers confused as to what he’d said because his expletiveﬁlled speech was mostly censored by producers. WWW.OK.CO.UK 41

Pregnant Jessie Ware chose full-length Valentino

Actress Maisie Williams and Lewis Capaldi (left) handed out gongs

“It’s been a great year for albums,” Lewis said. “Mos “Most of all because I haven’t f***ing released one!” He then went on to joke, “Obviously, let’s also hope that Scotland win at the Euros.” When the crowd booed playfully, the Hold Me While You Wait singer added, “I didn’t f***ing write it! I’m just doing a job.” Harry Styles also made an appearance to accept the prize for Best Single. Easily topping the Gucci Mary Janes and bright-yellow Marc Jacobs suit he wore to last year’s event, Harry made a bold statement in a Gucci graphic-print suit in retro sepia-toned hues and a brown leather handbag. Double award nominee Jessie Ware – who recently announced she’s pregnant with baby number three – looked incredible in Valentino, while Cilla actress Sheridan Smith also opted for black. 2020’s Rising Star winner Celeste looked playful in a rufﬂed mini, while Game Of Thrones star Maisie Williams shocked fans with her new peroxide blonde makeover. While a lot of American stars were unable to ﬂy over for the event due to travel restrictions, Taylor Swift excited fans by showing up to accept the award for Global Icon, being honoured in a video message by friends Selena Gomez, Ed Sheeran, Zoë Kravitz and Annie Lennox. Taking to the stage, she ended her heartfelt acceptance speech by telling the audience, “If there’s one thing that I’ve learned, it’s that you have to look around every day and take note of the people who have always believed in you and never stop appreciating them for it. Never take them for granted.” OK! WORDS: KAT ROMERO PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES, MAGICMOMENTSUK

Maya Jama glittered in Bulgari jewels

Rising Star winner Griff made her own dress WWW.OK.CO.UK W OK CO UK 43

KOURTNEY SAYS ‘I TATTOO’

OURTNEY KARDASHIAN, 42, has bared her art for rocker boyfriend TRAVIS BARKER, 45, by inking “I love you” on his skin. Last week, the mum of three shared a video of herself adding to the Blink 182 drummer’s heavily tattooed arms on Instagram, captioning the post, “I tattoo.” She included a close-up of Travis’ sore-looking arm when she was done, sh showing her message amid his body art collage. K Kourtney and Tra Travis, who h have been good friends for years, conﬁrmed they were an item earlier this year. Since then, th have they sha shared a strea of steamy stream loved-u snaps. loved-up

PAMMY SLAMS BIOPIC ON TOMMY ROMANCE

ormer Baywatch star PAMELA ANDERSON, 53, has hit out at a new series exploring her relationship with ex-husband TOMMY LEE. Pammy and the Mötley Crüe drummer, 58, had known each other for just 96 hours when they got married on a beach in Mexico in 1995. The couple went on to have two sons but their relationship was famously tumultuous. They divorced in 1998 and a Hulu series starring LILY JAMES as Pammy (right) and SEBASTIAN STAN as Tommy is now in the works. Sources claim Pammy thinks the show is a “cheap knockoff” and has no plans to watch it. She has now found love with her new husband, bodyguard DAN HAYHURST, whom she married last year.

LOVEMATTERS

ARE BENNIFER BACK ON? in the notes how beautiful she looked in photos from the Dominican Republic. Meanwhile, singer and actress Jennifer allegedly told Ben he could “own her heart” with his pen. But sources insist she didn’t meet up with Ben until her split from A-Rod was conﬁrmed. The former A-list couple were nicknamed Bennifer when they started dating in 2002, after falling in love on the set of the ﬁlm Gigli. They announced their engagement in the November of the same year and Ben even appeared in Jennifer’s video for the single Jenny From The Block. But just days before they were set to tie the knot at a lavish ceremony in September 2003 they postponed their big day, blaming the overwhelming media frenzy. They split a few months later and within 18 months, Ben had married Jennifer Garner while Jennifer had wed Marc Anthony. But the pair remained friendly and in 2016, Jennifer insisted they had experienced “genuine love”. “I think different time, different thing, who knows what could’ve happened. But there was a genuine love there,” she said.

PHOTOS: GETTY

ormer golden couple JENNIFER LOPEZ and BEN AFFLECK have sparked speculation that they have rekindled their romance. The pair teased a potential reunion almost 17 years after their split – setting tongues wagging when they were spotted enjoying a getaway together at a luxury ski resort in Montana. Sources claim Hollywood big-hitter Ben, 48, whisked Jennifer, 51, to his ski chalet at the private Yellowstone Club in Big Sky, where they are said to have spent the week together. Days later, the pair were snapped sitting side-by-side in an SUV amid reports that Ben has been spending an increasing amount of time at Jennifer’s LA home. The rumoured reunion comes weeks after Jennifer conﬁrmed her engagement to ﬁancé Alex “A-Rod” Rodriguez, 45, was over. And sources say the former baseball star is shocked by the reports as he had hoped he could win Jennifer back. Sources claim Ben and Jennifer have been in contact since February and Ben had even been sending Jennifer love letters before her split from A-Rod. The Batman actor is said to have told her

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BACK IN BUSINESS

‘I MISS HAVING SOMETHING TO PUT A SUIT ON FOR’

COMEDIAN DAVID WALLIAMS ON LIFE AFTER LOCKDOWN AND KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH SIMON COWELL

ritain’s Got Talent may have been postponed this year, but judge David Walliams, 49, has plenty to keep him occupied. The comic is busy writing the next in his line of popular children’s stories, has musical and movie adaptations of his books in the works, and has been ﬁlming several TV shows, too. It marks another successful year for the man who burst onto our TV screens alongside Matt Lucas in Little Britain in the early noughties. When he’s not capturing the imaginations of the nation’s children, David tells us he loves nothing more than reading with his own son, Alfred, seven, who he shares with ex-wife Lara Stone. Here, David tells OK! his favourite things about fatherhood, discusses his latest charity project and explains why his mum won’t be baking for Simon Cowell again... Hi David, how have you found this year? I’ve just been trying to be in the moment and not think about the future. And the moment for me was spending time with my son and homeschooling. And we managed to video call my mum every day, which was good. Alongside What are you looking Matt Lucas in forward to when Little Britain things open up? I miss having something to put a suit on for. I like getting dressed up and going out for dinner. I’ve got a date in the diary though, I’m taking Mum to the ballet! How did you cope with homeschooling? I didn’t ﬁnd it stressful, it was just like going back to school and sitting in the classroom as if you’re seven again! I actually liked it in a lot of ways. It’s quite a bonding experience. What’s your favourite thing about fatherhood? Making my child laugh and making him happy. He likes to make jokes and make people laugh as well now too. It’s also lovely spending time reading together. 46

Books lead to conversations about things. So that’s something we’ve had more time to do this year, which I’ve really enjoyed. What do you read With BGT judges Simon together? Cowell, Amanda Holden Not my own books! I feel and Alesha Dixon last year like otherwise one day he’ll be in therapy saying, “My dad made me read his own books.” So I let my son decide, but like choirs or dance acts with lots of people lots of Roald Dahl, which I love reading too. in them. How would you keep everyone safe? BGT has hundreds of people, we couldn’t all have isolated together. What made you want to get involved in the campaign with McCain and Do you have a BGT judges’ WhatsApp Family Fund? Firstly, I love oven chips! When you become group to stay in touch? Yes, but Simon isn’t in it. Simon doesn’t a parent you definitely need to have oven have a mobile phone, but Amanda, Alesha chips in your freezer at all times. Then the and I talk on it a lot and share pictures and fact McCain is pledging jokes. We really liked Ashley Banjo, who to support Family Fund, stepped in to do the live shows last year, so a charity that helps disabled and seriously ill he’s on there now, too. We loved him and he’s become a good friend. children, and support its goal to provide 150,000 How do you keep in touch with Simon families with vital and if he doesn’t have a phone? essential items to help I communicate with him through Lauren them come together as Silverman, his partner. She sends me a family – especially at pictures of their son Eric and I send her mealtimes. It’s a great pictures of my son. Simon isn’t one for idea when a big calling you up for a chit-chat. But Lauren company gets so is really good at that, she’s a lovely lady. involved with a charity like Family Fund. It’s Do you have anything else coming how you want the up this year? world to be – big companies trying to Lots of books! I’m also working on a help charities and give back. new musical of one of my books, as well as TV and film versions. I’ve been What are your favourite filming a programme called Sandylands, family moments? and I’ve also been filming After Ever I love going over to my mum’s house and After on Sky with Sheridan Smith. her bringing out her homemade Victoria So there are things to come! OK! sponge cake. She once made one for Simon Cowell. He couldn’t help judging it DAVID WALLIAMS IS SUPPORTING MCCAIN AND FAMILY FUND and was like, “Not enough jam.” My mum THROUGH A NEW ANIMATED SERIES OF STORIES AIRING ON SKY MEDIA FEATURING CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN HELPED BY was quite offended and said she was never FAMILY FUND, CALLED TEATIME TALES, WHICH HE HAS WRITTEN going to make him a cake again! AND NARRATED. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE PARTNERSHIP AND TO DONATE, VISIT MCCAINFAMILYFUND.CO.UK

Were you disappointed that Britain’s Got Talent isn’t going ahead this year? It’s sad, but it’s hard when there are groups

WORDS: ANNA MATHESON PHOTOS: GETTY

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EMILY’SCOLUMN

I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO SPENDING MORE TIME WITH MY FAMILY OUR COLUMNIST ON RETURNING TO SOME NORMALITY AFTER JUNIOR’S COVID- DIAGNOSIS

for the UK. Only four of them are currently accepting travellers from the UK, so options are limited. Also the need to have multiple PCR tests means that, with a big family, it does add a lot onto the cost of a holiday. That said, I’m feeling hopeful that by the summer these issues will be ironed out and more countr countries will be added to th the list. We’re just try trying to be patient! England, S Scotland and Northern Ireland recently reported zzero daily ccoronavirus d deaths, which is am amazing. The third lock lockdown will have playe played a part in reducing the numbers, but we will a also be seeing the impact of our fantastic vaccine roll out. All the staff who’ve done extra hours, people who have spent their free time training to give the vaccine, and the scientists who developed it are incredible.

THE EFFECTS OF THE MENOPAUSE ARE UNDERESTIMATED

avina McCall has revealed she feared she was suffering from dementia when she began experiencing the symptoms of the menopause at 44. She said, “I was going mad. I thought I was possibly getting some sort of early onset dementia. The menopause did not even cross my mind because I was 44, I just thought it was too young, so I battled on for a year.” I’ve always thought the effects of menopause are underestimated, so I think it’s great that Davina is raising awareness because it affects all women and needs better understanding. There are a wide range of symptoms relating to the menopause, like changes to your skin, sleep, joints, muscles and mental health. It’s something that’s not talked about enough as I think some women still see it as a taboo subject. Hopefully Davina’s words will open up the conversation more.

EMAIL ME AT EMILY ANDREA@REACHPLC COM

IT’S NORMAL TO BE NERVOUS

ew-mum Kate Ferdinand has admitted she was “nervous” before taking her son Cree to his first baby class. Covid-19 aside, it’s normal to be nervous before your first mum and baby group. Before my first one, I remember thinking, “Will people be judging what I’m doing? And will I be doing everything right?” You question yourself so I think it’s totally normal to be unsure, but the more you go the easier they become. I’m so glad I went to classes because it helps you make friends, gets you out of the house and it’s great for your child to be around other babies. OK!

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PHOTOS: GETTY

eing out of self-isolation after 10 days stuck indoors has been great! Junior is thankfully feeling ﬁne and back to normal, and all of the kids went back to school and nursery. They were all so excited to go back ds, especially and see their friends, Millie because she loves school so much. It’s brilliant newss that restrictions are being eased more this week. All my family are now fully vaccinated so I’m looking forward to spending more time with them. I also can’t wait to sitt inside a restaurant. The one thing we really enjoy al as a is having a nice meal family or just myself and Pete, and a date night is deﬁnitely long overdue. I also can’t wait to have a massage, especially after isolation! It was disappointing to see only 12 countries on the green travel list

MAGIC MOMENTS

‘I USED PAGAN WITCHCRAFT TO FIND MY HUSBAND!’

AS EMMERDALE’S SAMANTHA GILES RETURNS TO OUR SCREENS TO STIR UP TROUBLE SHE TALKS HIGH HEELS HOCUS-POCUS AND HEALTH SCARES

pare a thought for the folks in Emmerdale this week. There’s always a hefty dose of drama in store, but even more so with the return of elegant troublemaker Bernice Blackstock. She’s back after spending last year in Australia, and it’s sent her ex, Liam, and his ﬁancée, Leyla, into a tailspin. “As far as Bernice is concerned, he should be falling at her feet,” says actress Samantha Giles. “She can’t believe he’s getting married to Leyla – how dare he?” Cue some juicy storylines as Bernice stirs up trouble between the soon-to-be-newlyweds in the Yorkshire Dales. We caught up with Samantha for all the behind-the-scenes goss and to talk about her life off camera…

my two daughters – Evelyn, 13 and Olivia, nine – I’ve written three children’s books. Rosemary And The Witches Of Pendle Hill is already out, and the second, Rosemary And The Book Of The Dead, is out in October, with the third to come. I love being busy. It also helped me ﬁnd a routine, which I needed. I had some really dark days. Your mental health is very fragile during these difﬁcult times, so I did everything I could to help myself, which included routine, being creative, exercise… and yes, baking banana bread like everyone else. You sound like a lockdown high achiever! y No, not at all. Look, I’m like anyone else –

What’s the biggest change you’ve noticed on the Emmerdale set since you left prior to the pandemic? My hair and make-up. Due to social distancing, we’ve had to do it all ourselves. It’s a nightmare! I can just about do my make-up, but I’m no good with my hair, it’s so frizzy. Bernice is a hairdresser and always has a coiffed look. So the wardrobe Bernice team gave me a wig – but I still is back have to style it. I know I sound in the Dales precious, but when you’ve got an emotional scene to do, you don’t want to be fannying about checking your blusher or your hair. On the flip side, I see a lot of this announcement culture on it must be very frustrating for the hair and social media and I get very affected by it. make-up teams, who are probably desperate When I’m out of work, I see posts like, “I’ve to get their hands on us. just got the job,” and I’m thinking, “Oh my God, I’ve done nothing, I can’t do this or How did it feel going from lockdown that.” But the truth is, it’s all about how you loungewear to high heels and false nails, sell yourself. And the reality is most people Bernice-style? are faking it. I find it very difficult to deal with Well, it’s nice to do it as somebody else! It as I have very high expectations of myself. feels very natural for Bernice to be in nice dresses and heels. I mean, I would never dress Do you have any regrets? like that – it would be weird. But on set, I’m Not really. There are things that I wish I’d done running down the streets in the village in great differently, but then certain things wouldn’t big high heels, and it feels normal. It doesn’t have happened, like meeting my husband. feel like I ever left, especially as the world I wish I’d been more fearless during my feels like it’s been on pause for the last year. university years. I should have taken the opportunity to live in France. I never had the But it sounds like you’ve had your busiest confidence, which probably sounds ridiculous year ever while away from the soap… considering the job I do. I recognise the same I’ve actually done more things than I ever trait in my eldest daughter. I’m always telling thought possible. Aside from homeschooling her to not be scared and grab opportunities. 50

Is it true you created a love spell to ﬁnd your husband of 11 years, Sean Pritchard? Yes. I’d come out of a disastrous relationship and I didn’t want to be messing about with any waste-of-space boyfriends. I used pagan witchcraft and wrote down exactly what I was after and used candles and crystals. I sell love spells, crystals, stress busters and all sorts online [thesamanthagiles.co.uk]. Are you looking forward to turning 50 in July? No, not really. I’m just going to get on with it. I’m not someone who’s about to have a load of work done to my face or body. Do you worry about ageing? I’m always aware of my weight and looks because of the job I do. Us women don’t have it easy, do we? It’s important we look after our health as we get older. I had a terrible two-year period in my early forties where I suffered from debilitating urinary infections. It was so depressing. I was working, a mum to two young girls and a wife, but I didn’t know if I could carry on. I’d be frightened to have sex or a glass of wine, in case it triggered it. Eventually a urologist suggested drinking two litres of water a day and it miraculously worked. But while I was suffering, I honestly thought I was never going to be able to have a normal life again. How do you relax? Writing my children’s books relaxes me, as it gives me a feeling of control. In my working acting life, I have no control whatsoever, it’s all down to what’s offered to me. Although the writing experience is quite isolating, it did give me an opportunity to make some creative decisions, which felt nice. I also practise Reiki, which has been really useful this last year. What’s a life lesson you’ve learnt? To be patient. My personality type is the opposite – I want things to happen immediately and be a success. The reality is, things take time. I’d love to be the next JK Rowling, but these things don’t happen overnight. OK! WORDS: LOUISE BURKE PHOTOS: OK! MAGAZINE/LORNA ROACH

‘I’M NOT ABOUT TO HAVE A LOAD OF WORK DONE TO MY FACE OR BODY’

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JAMES TEASES A GAVIN & STACEY RETURN

ans went wild for the Gavin & Stacey Christmas special in 2019 – and now JAMES CORDEN says it would be a “shame” to never do another show again. The actor, 42, who co-wrote the hit series with RUTH JONES, admitted, “As it stands right now, there aren’t any plans to do one, but that’s not to say there isn’t the want or the inclination to do one. When we wrote that last special, we never really thought about whether we’d make another one after it, but then that special is so open-ended.” James added of the Christmas episode, “I think it would be a shame to leave it there. That’s certainly my feeling and I think Ruth feels the same. It doesn’t feel like the end of a book, it feels like the end of a chapter. I do feel like if we did another one, that would be the end of it.”

CHRIS SHARES HEALTH DIAGNOSIS AFTER -MONTH STRUGGLE

egendary football pundit CHRIS KAMARA has shared his recent health diagnosis after “suffering in silence” for 18 months. The 63-year-old took to Twitter to reveal he has been diagnosed with hypothyroidism as part of Mental Health Awareness Week. The condition involves the thyroid not producing enough hormones, and can lead to weight gain and feelings of depression. Opening up about his diagnosis, Chris wrote, “With medication I am on the mend. Really brought it home 2 me that nobody knows what’s going on inside your head unless you tell somebody #MentalHealthAwareness.” He later added, “Big thanks to everyone for your best wishes to my #MentalHealthAwareness tweet. Unbelievable response. Don’t be a dinosaur like me & keep problems to yourself – telling someone what you are thinking could be the ﬁrst step to recovery or an understanding of the condition you have.”

BRITCROWD

ADELE’S ESTRANGED FATHER PASSES AWAY

inger ADELE’s father has passed away after a battle with cancer, just a week after the star celebrated her 33rd birthday. Mark Evans, who Adele was estranged from, died at the age of 57. The pair had endured a tumultuous relationship, with both father and daughter referencing their rift over the years. Mark left Adele’s mother, Penny, when the Hello singer was three years old, and in 2011 he opened up about his heavy drinking. “I was a rotten father at a time when she really needed me,” he said. “I was putting away two litres of vodka and seven or eight pints of Stella every day.” Mark later claimed in 2015, two years after he revealed he was suffering from bowel cancer, that the pair had made up and their feud was a “misunderstanding”. But in 2017, during her winning Grammys speech, Adele implied all was not well as she thanked her manager. She said, “We’ve been together for 10 years, and I love you like you’re my dad. I love you so, so much. I don’t love my dad, that’s the thing. That doesn’t mean a lot. I love you like I would love my dad.”

MAX REVEALS SECRET BATTLE WITH DEPRESSION AND BOOZE The former Strictly Come Dancing star went on to explain how he sought treatment for his skin and added, “It didn’t occur to me that it could be something to do with my mental health. I thought that would just be a feeling, not a physical thing.”

WORDS: KATE ROMERO PHOTOS: GETTY, REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

he Wanted’s MAX GEORGE has opened up about his secret battle with depression and alcohol during his time in the boy band. The singer admitted he turned to alcohol to try to “forget” his feelings because he felt ashamed and “ungrateful” for feeling so unhappy when the group had achieved so much. The 32-year-old also described suffering from physical symptoms of depression, including acne on his chest, back and shoulders, nausea and a locked jaw. “I woke up one morning and felt like my jaw had locked. As soon as I got up, I felt sick. I thought I had a bug or something,” he said. “That went on for a week, then a month. I thought there was something seriously wrong.”

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LEADING LADY

‘I’D PASS OUT IF I DID STRICTLY!’

COMEDIAN KERRY GODLIMAN ON HER WANING STAMINA EMBRACING MORE DRAMA IN HER LIFE AND THE FUNNY SIDE OF STAND-UP ZOOM GIGS

t’s hard to believe that new detective show Whitstable Pearl marks the first major lead role in Kerry Godliman’s career. “I was extremely excited and almost shocked,” the 47-year-old comedian and actress tells us over Zoom. “I suppose if I ever did get a lead, I expected it to be in comedy, so I was pleasantly surprised and extremely flattered.” But for those who have tuned in to Kerry over the years, it will come as no surprise. After storming the stand-up and panel show circuit, Kerry showed she was no one-trick pony and has built up an impressive acting CV with shows including Save Me and Adult Material. Then, when Ricky Gervais cast her as the late Lisa in his hilarious, but at times heart-wrenching, Netflix show After Life, Kerry found herself propelled to a new level of stardom. Here, the down-to-earth star – who is mum to Elsie, 14, and Frank, 10, with her actor husband Ben Abell – talks about her latest project, how she made people laugh over lockdown, and her role at home… Hi Kerry. You’re doing so well in stand-up and acting. Did you ever have a plan B when it came to your career? No. What’s funny is stand-up has been such a part of my life now for 20 years, whereas acting I could never depend on. But in this last year, thank God I had acting to fall back on. I never thought I’d use that phrase! Stand-up’s gone, it’s been walloped. I had to pull a tour and all live work, but I’ve had all this amazing acting work that I’d never have been able to do before Covid-19 because of my schedule. So it’s been a mad ride.

Has this time made you appreciate stand-up more? I’ve always loved both. There have been phases where I’ve thought, “I could probably wind down stand-up now and not do it so much,” but I really love it and have always been happy to continue doing both if I can. I’m doing a tour in autumn, though, so hopefully I’ll get back on the road. Do you like life on the road? There are pros and cons. I’m a bit of a home bunny, but I love getting out and performing live. Nothing beats it. Zoom gigs are the weirdest thing. Nothing will make you feel like you’re having an existential crisis more than shouting down a webcam trying to make people laugh. I honestly can’t explain it to you, but it’s certainly better than nothing. At least there are no hecklers… It’s not ideal as the timing’s a bit off. Every comedian will tell you the worst thing you can do at a live gig is zoom in on the one person who’s yawning when 250 people are laughing. In a Zoom gig, you might see someone eating a yoghurt. You’re like, “Mate! I’m working my a**e off and you’re just eating a yoghurt in your house!” It makes me feel like a winner.

Did you expect your career to take this turn where you’d be leading a drama? I didn’t see Whitstable Pearl coming at all. But me doing drama has been slowly happening. And because the characters I play with Ricky [Gervais] in Derek and After Life have always straddled comedy and drama, I’ve been able to wear both hats. I don’t doubt that without Kerry plays After Life I wouldn’t have got a sleuth in Whitstable Pearl. Whitstable Pearl What’s the new show about? Pearl was a police ofﬁcer when she was in her early twenties. She had an ambition to work up to detective, but then she got pregnant and her life went in a different direction. She raised her son on her own, set up a seafood restaurant with her mum, and all of that has gone very well. But now her son’s thinking of leaving home, the restaurant’s very established and Pearl is thinking, “What do I want?”

With children Elsie and Frank She’s worried about an empty nest. Can you relate to that? Totally. I’m already feeling it. My daughter is 14 and she’s extremely independent. I used to have to ﬁll the weekends with activities and now she’s got her own thing. She’s like, “I’ve made plans!” My role is changing as the kids grow up, so there’s a parallel theme between me and Pearl. I’m coming to a part of my life where I’m not needed as much at home, so the timing to go off and do a three-month shoot was OK. Also, I got out of doing a bit of homeschooling! After Life’s been a huge hit. Do people get in touch to say it’s helped them through a tough period of grieving? All the time. A bloke said to me recently that he hadn’t cried in decades and After Life made him cry. We have a culture of being weird around death and we don’t talk about it. It’s amazing that a show has opened people up to that conversation. Would you like to do a reality show like Strictly? I don’t think I’ve got the stamina for Strictly. I’d pass out! But I judged on The Great British Menu, and loved that. Anything where I get to eat and people do my hair, I’m on board. But anything where I’m out of breath, I’ll avoid. OK! WHITSTABLE PEARL IS OUT FROM MONDAY 24 MAY ON STREAMING SERVICE ACORN TV WORDS: RIANNE ISON PHOTOS: ADRIAN LOURIE/EVENING STANDARD/EYEVINE, GETTY IMAGES, MARK BOURDILLON/ACORNTV

‘I LOVE GETTING OUT AND PERFORMING LIVE NOTHING BEATS IT’

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LINDSAY’S SWEET TRIBUTE TO CO-STAR NATASHA

MILEY REMINISCES OVER LIAM

ince splitting from her ex-husband LIAM HEMSWORTH in August 2019, MILEY CYRUS has reminisced about their relationship. The singer, 28, made the confession while reﬂecting on her hit ballad, Malibu, which turned four last week. “Today is the 4 year anniversary of Malibu. A song about a place and person that at the time I loved very much,” she wrote in a heartfelt Instagram post alongside a clip of her in the studio. “That love was reciprocated beyond what I could describe here with freedom & escapism.”

Miley ﬁrst began dating actor Liam, 31, in 2009 after they met on the set of The Last Song. He proposed in 2012 before they went their separate ways in 2013. The on/off couple later reconciled in 2015 and tied the knot in 2018.

INDSAY LOHAN has remembered her late Parent p co-star NATASHA Trap RICHARD RICHARDSON on what would hav have been he her 58th b birthday. Lindsay, 34, paid

a touching tribute to Natasha – who played her on-screen mum in the hit ﬁlm – on Instagram. Sharing a photo of the two of them together, the actress wrote, “Happy Birthday Angel,” alongside a prayer hands emoji with the hashtag #natasharichardson and a blue heart emoji.” Natasha, who was married to LIAM NEESON, tragically passed away in 2009 aged 45 from epidural hematoma after suffering a head injury while skiing. Opening up about their relationship, Linsday has previously said, “Natasha had such an elegance and grace, and she was so maternal to me.”

HOLLYWOOD

GWYNETH ‘I WAS DRINKING SEVEN NIGHTS A WEEK’

ctress GWYNETH PALTROW has admitted she went “totally off the rails” during lockdown. “I was drinking seven nights a week and making pasta and eating bread,” the 48-year-old said. “I mean, who drinks multiple drinks seven nights a week? Like, that’s not healthy.” Opening up about her tipple of choice, Gwyneth added, “I love

whiskey and I make this fantastic drink called the Buster Paltrow, which I named after my grandfather who loved [to drink] whiskey sours. “It’s this great quinoa whiskey from this distillery in Tennessee with maple syrup and lemon juice. It’s just heaven. I would have two of those every night of quarantine.”

THE ONE WHERE THEY REUNITE

WORDS: GEORGIA TREVITT PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

riends fans rejoice! Last week the date for the much much-anticipated reunion was announced – and we don’t have long to wait! The special, titled Friends: The Reunion, will air on 27 May on HBO. A ﬁrst video teaser was unveiled showing all six original cast members, JENNIFER ANISTON, COURTENEY COX, LISA KUDROW, MATT LEBLANC, MATTHEW PERRY and DAVID SCHWIMMER walking along to the show’s famous theme tune I’ll Be There For You. And if that wasn’t exciting enough, a string of guest stars were also announced, including LADY GAGA DAVID BECKHAM and JAMES CORDEN. The special is set to be “a real-life unscripted celebration of the beloved show”. Though the cast won’t be in character, it should still ﬁll the Friends-shaped hole in our lives, which has been there since show ended in 2004.

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BABY BLISS

‘THAT MOMENT WHEN SHE ARRIVED WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING’ FORMER REAL HOUSEWIVES OF CHESHIRE STAR NERMINA PIETERS-MEKIC AND HER FOOTBALLER HUSBAND ERIK PIETERS EXCLUSIVELY INTRODUCE THEIR DAUGHTER ALAYA-ROSE TO OK!

hen OK! meets former Real Housewives Of Cheshire star Nermina Pieters-Mekic and her footballer husband Erik Pieters, it’s clear their adorable new arrival has stolen their hearts. Alaya-Rose Pieters timed her arrival perfectly, coming into the world eight days early when the football season was on a four-day international break and putting Erik’s fears that he may

miss the birth of his ﬁrst child to rest. “Once Erik told me there was an ideal time to have the baby, I manifested that I was going to have her a bit early,” says Bosnian-Dutch singer and horse rider Nermina. “I was worried I could be at a game a four-hour drive away. I was so pleased I was there, because it was beautiful,” smiles Erik, who plays for Premier League side Burnley FC.

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NERMINA WEARS: DRESS, BALMAIN ERIK WEARS: TOP & TROUSERS, SARTO NURSERY FURNITURE: SILVERCROSS, SILVERCROSSBABY.COM INTERIORS: ABBEY AT GINGER NEST INTERIORS, GINGERNESTINTERIORS.COM

NERMINA WEARS DRESS BY FOREVER UNIQUE. ERIK WEARS TOP AND TROUSERS BY SARTO

Alaya-Rose was born on 29 March at 10.09am weighing 6lbs 2.5oz. But while her arrival was a serene and peaceful experience, Nermina ended up suffering from post-labour complications which resulted in her needing a blood transfusion and stitches. Here, Nermina, 30, and Erik, 32 – who also share four dogs – introduce Alaya-Rose and open up about raising her to be bilingual, Nermina’s post-labour scare and why her arrival was all the sweeter following a miscarriage in 2019… Congratulations to both of you. How have your ﬁrst few weeks as parents been? Nermina: We’ve been so in love with her since day one. It’s been amazing, but it is hard. You don’t know until you have children how difﬁcult it is, but at the same time it’s the best thing ever. I’m with her 24/7 at the moment and I’m breastfeeding. Erik has his games and training, but I don’t mind at all because I love every second I spend with her. I wouldn’t change it for anything. My mum is here, which has been amazing, as I need someone around when Erik is away. Erik: I can’t wait to come home after a game and be with my little family. If I have a home game, I sleep in a separate room the night before, but I will wake up at 5am and be like, “Where is the baby?” Of course I want to sleep next to my wife and the little one, but my work is also one of the priorities. Nermina: It’s not nice for me when he’s away at a game as it’s

reassuring to have him here. As a mum, I panic a little bit when she cries and I want to help her as quickly as possible, whereas Erik is calmer, so she always falls asleep very quickly with him. The other day it took me two hours of trying to get her to sleep. Erik came home and within 10 minutes she was asleep. Erik: I have magic hands! Tell us about the birth… Nermina: We went to bed around 1am as we’d had a busy day. We cleaned the whole house and I went to see my horses, so I probably did a bit too much. I couldn’t get comfortable and Erik couldn’t sleep because of me tossing and turning. Erik: Nermina woke up and said she had cramp and I said, “Go to sleep, it’ll be ﬁne in the morning.” Five minutes later she said, “I think my waters have broken!” It was 3am by this time and all I could think was, “I should’ve got more sleep!” Nermina: I said to Erik, “You need to get some towels!” Erik: I jumped up and put towels all over the ﬂoor. Around 4am, I thought, “Shall I put in the car seat?” I had to put it together and I had no clue what to do. Thankfully, it only took me 15 minutes! Nermina: We arrived at the hospital at 5.30am and she was born at 10.09am! I only had time for gas and air. I only remember Erik’s voice. I focused on my breathing and I went into a different state in my mind. We did hypnobirthing classes together online and Erik knew my birth plan. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without him. WWW.OK.CO.UK 63

THIS PAGE: NERMINA WEARS TOP AND TROUSERS BY KIRSTY DOYLE. ERIK WEARS TOP AND TROUSERS BY SARTO. ALAYA-ROSE WEARS OUTFIT BY BAMBOO BABY OPPOSITE PAGE: NERMINA WEARS PYJAMAS BY ARLO & SOFIA, JEWELLERY BY FOALES. FLOWERS BY NO 5 BLOOMS

I felt like we did it together, rather than me shouting at him like you see in the movies. Erik: I’m not going to lie, I cried a little bit when I saw her for the ﬁrst time. I also cut the cord. The experience was magical. I’m really proud of Nermina. She was so strong during the whole process. Nermina: That moment when she arrived was the most beautiful, surreal thing. I was overwhelmed with emotions. The labour went so smoothly, but unfortunately I had some internal bleeding. I was in quite a bit of pain and I had to go to theatre for some stitches and a blood transfusion. I stayed in hospital for four days. That must have been scary… Erik: Yeah, it was really tough.

Hearing Nermina had to go to theatre, and not having control, was the hardest part for me. I felt hopeless – I couldn’t do anything. Nermina: I’d stayed so calm the whole labour, but I was in real pain and all I could think was, “We need to do something now,” and that’s when I went into theatre. I think that was the scary part for Erik, as he knows my pain threshold is quite good and I was really asking for help in that moment. Erik: I had the little one in my arms and I didn’t know what to do. I was asking the nurses to help my wife out as soon as possible. I was just walking around nervous as hell when she was in theatre. I couldn’t take the pain away – if I could I would have.

Nermina: They handled it really quickly and I had time to recover in hospital. I’m still recovering now. The positive I take from it is that I learned so much from the midwives about the baby. When I did come home, I didn’t feel insecure to have the baby around me. I said to Erik, “Imagine if I had to go home the same day? I wouldn’t know what to do with the baby and how to change the nappies.” It’s quite overwhelming. But Erik had to change all the nappies in the beginning because I couldn’t walk for a few days. Erik: I don’t mind, I love changing nappies. It’s bonding time for me. Nermina: It hasn’t put me off having more children in the future. I’d do it all over again. I’m happy

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I had the complications rather than the baby, because I know I’ll recover from it. How does it feel now Alaya-Rose is here after your miscarriage in 2019? Nermina: I think if anything you appreciate things a bit more. She is the apple of our eyes. I think the miscarriage made me worry a bit more. I was careful during the whole pregnancy and only got conﬁdent once I was 20 weeks – that’s when I relaxed into it and then I didn’t stop. I kept riding my horse until late in my pregnancy. Erik: Loads of people go through miscarriages and it’s really painful, but then having a healthy little one after is a blessing. How did you pick her name? Erik: We’ve always liked the name Rose, but because so many people are called Rose we wanted to make it more special. We went on Instagram, Google, everywhere searching for a name. Nermina: I found Alaya online and I asked Erik about it and he said he loved it and then he said, “What about Alaya-Rose?” And we looked at each other and said, “That’s the one.” We kept it to ourselves. How has breastfeeding been, Nermina? Nermina: I know I’m very lucky I can breastfeed, but it’s not easy. It takes a lot of energy and time, but it’s been amazing bonding. When Erik isn’t playing I will feed her and then he will burp her and change her nappies in the night. That’s the deal! Erik: It’s a team effort. But if I could breastfeed I would do it, so I could help.

For a guided tour around Nermina’s incredible nursery complete with lavish rocking chair - scan the code!

Nermina, have you heard from your former Real Housewives co-stars? Nermina: Yes, I’ve had some flowers. The girls have been amazing. Dawn [Ward], Seema [Malhotra] and Stacey [Forsey] have all messaged. They’re so happy for me and can’t wait for me to meet her. We’ve been overwhelmed with flowers and clothes. I’m still in maternity leggings every day, but this little one has five outfit changes a day! She has the best wardrobe of us all. Finally, tell us about her nursery… Nermina: We didn’t want too much pink. We really wanted to go for a classic touch, so we worked with Silver Cross and they have this amazing range of classic white furniture. A lady called Abby from Ginger Nest Interiors came up with some ideas for the nursery. I found this amazing wallpaper and Erik found a beautiful chair and bought her a little rocking horse. Her first pony! Erik: First and last, otherwise it’s bankruptcy [laughs]! I might just buy her a big horse now and she can grow into it! OK! WORDS: KIRSTY HATCHER PHOTOS: LORNA ROACH MAKE-UP: ALEXANDRA CLARE HAIR: KIERON FOWLES STYLING: LORRAINE McCULLOCH

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NERMINA WEARS DRESS BY PHILIP ARMSTRONG. ERIK WEARS TOP AND TROUSERS BY SARTO

Have your parents met her yet, Erik? Erik: No. I haven’t seen my parents for over a year now because of Covid-19. They didn’t even see Nermina pregnant. We’re trying to get them over here as soon as possible. It will be really special, as it’s their ﬁrst grandchild. We’re trying to speak in multiple languages to her from a young age. Nermina and her mum are speaking Bosnian to her and I’m speaking Dutch.

BOYS TO MEN

‘WE’RE NO LONGER AFRAID TO OPEN UP’

MCFLY’S TOM AND DOUGIE ON MUSIC WHATSAPP JOKES AND CHECKING IN ON FRIENDS S

cFly were about to head out on their ﬁrst tour in ﬁve years when the pandemic hit. So for Tom Fletcher, 35, and Dougie Poynter, 33, connecting with their bandmates Harry Judd, 35, and Danny Jones, 35, over video calls was a lifeline. Now the pair have teamed up with Three UK to support Samaritans’ Better Phone Friends, which encourages us all to reach out. And after 17 years in a band together, the pair admit that they also need to “get better” at checking in on each other. Here, the boys open up on touring plans, annoying habits and WhatsApp memes... Hi, both – have you kept busy over the last year? Dougie: I became a DIY expert and probably devalued my property. Tom: I assembled my kids’ bikes. Just simple things that most dads would do. But homeschooling was really tough. I discovered I am a terrible teacher.

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And you were left in charge of the kids [Buzz, seven, Buddy, ﬁve, and Max, two] while your wife Giovanna was off doing I’m A Celeb… Tom: Yes, that was the same time that our album [Young Dumb Thrills] came out, so it was pretty hectic! What made you want to join the Better Phone Friends campaign? Tom: We’ve been friends for a long time and we’ve had our ups and downs. Mental health is something we’re very aware of and care about. It’s become very relevant in everyone’s lives over the last year, too. Are you good at checking in on your friends? Tom: I think we still need to be better. Dougie: Zoom is a million times better than texting. It helped hearing that not everyone was doing great. It made you feel less alone. Do you think men are ﬁnding it easier to open up about mental health? Tom: If we look at our band

as an example, we’ve got much better than we were. It’s still difﬁcult, But it’s something we’re no longer afraid to address. What advice would you give anyone struggling? Tom: The hardest bit is the ﬁrst part, just picking up the phone to someone. Once you’ve done that it’s so much easier. Do you have a McFly WhatsApp group? Tom: We’ve got a few different ones. Dougie: We don’t have one with our partners… Tom: No, we don’t want them to know what we’re talking about! I’d say we

communicate 90% in memes and GIFs. Has fatherhood changed you as a musician, Tom? Tom: I’ve got three new critics who like to tear my songs apart and make suggestions! [Laughs] Fatherhood changes your approach to everything – including songwriting. OK! TOM AND DOUGIE ARE WORKING WITH THREE UK, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SAMARITANS, TO LAUNCH #BETTERPHONEFRIEND – A CAMPAIGN ENCOURAGING THE NATION TO REACH OUT, CONNECT AND LISTEN TO LOVED ONES. FOR DETAILS VISIT: THREE.CO.UK/ BETTERPHONEFRIEND

WORDS: ANNA MATHESON PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES, MATT RATCLIFFE/MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS/MIRRORPIX

The Fletchers: Buzz, Giovanna, Buddy, Tom and Max

THEATRE TOY STORY IN CONCERT

FILM

BOOK AHEAD FOR

our chance to see Disney Pixar’s groundbreaking animated film complete with a live Orchestra for the first time. This performance sees Oscar and Grammy award-winning composer Randy Newman’s score performed alongside a screening of the classic film. It kicks off with a performance at St David’s Hall in Cardiff on 10 February 2022 before heading across the nation, with stops in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow, to name a few. HEAD TO DISNEYTICKETS.CO.UK FOR ALL THE DETAILS

GLASTONBURY PRESENTS LIVE AT WORTHY FARM MAY

e may not be able to party at Glastonbury in person this year, but there is still a very special event happening at Worthy Farm. A spectacular ﬁve-hour livestream, featuring performaces from global icons including Coldplay, Haim,

BOOK

Idles and Wolf Alice, will be available to ticket holders on Saturday 22 May. At just £20 a pop to watch some of your favourite bands perform virtually in this iconic setting, it’s a no-brainer. HEAD TO SEETICKETS.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION

RADIO CHARITABLE RADIO

EVENT HIDEAWAY CINEMA

LISTEN NOW

istening to the radio while working from home has been a lifeline for many of us this year. Now you can help give back when you tune in with this brilliant new charitable station. The social enterprise aims to both entertain and inform by giving a voice to various fundraising initiatives and raising money for good causes. With a team of experienced DJs on board and shows dedicated to each decade of music, there’s plenty to keep you listening.

FROM MAY

howcasing brand-new ﬁlms like Space Jam: A New Legacy and Godzilla Vs Kong, open air cinema chain Hideaway Cinema provides entertainment in some of the nation’s most stunning venues. From Kew Gardens and the Royal Windsor Racecourse to events in St Ives, Newcastle and Bicester, there’s something for everyone. Prefer a classic movie? You can kick back with popcorn in a deckchair and watch screenings of Dirty Dancing, Grease and Back To The Future instead.

REVIEWS BY ANNA MATHESON PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES, JASON BRYANT

HEAD TO CHARITABLE.RADIO/ TO TUNE IN NOW

FOR MORE INFO AND TO BOOK, HEAD TO TICKETMASTER.CO.UK/HIDEAWAY-CINEMA

THE SECRETS OF THE LAKE LIZ TRENOW

olly is reeling from the death of her mother in post-war Britain. She dreams of becoming a journalist, but can’t leave her younger brother Jimmy at home. But when Jimmy vanishes with no trace, Molly’s world is truly rocked. Decades later, a body is found at the bottom of the lake… Will Molly ﬁnally get some answers? (OUT NOW, £8.99, PAN MACMILLAN)

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‘YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT AND LOVE YOURSELF FIRST’ SUPERMODEL TRAILBLAZER AND ACTIVIST NAOMI CAMPBELL HAS A NEW SENSE OF EASE AT

he fashion world simply wouldn’t be don’t get us.” She is forever grateful, saying, the same without Naomi Campbell. “I was lucky to have Linda and Christy stand The south London-born supermodel up for me. That kind of support was unheard has been walking the catwalk for an of. We were truly friends.” In December 1987, Naomi appeared on amazing 35 years and her achievements are the cover of British Vogue, the only black almost too numerous to list. model to do so since 1966. A year later she As a woman of colour, Naomi – 51 on became the first black model to appear 22 May – is a fashion trailblazer and role on the cover of French model to the generation Vogue. She also graced that is following in her the cover of US Vogue’s footsteps. She’s been prestigious September the face of hundreds of issue the following year. magazine covers, dozens Discussing diversity of global advertising in the fashion world, she campaigns and had her says, “I understood what own perfume line, as it meant to be black. You well as being an actress had to put in the extra and charity ambassador. effort. You had to be It feels like Naomi twice as good.” has been in the public But having fashion eye forever. Her first heavyweights on her appearance on film came side, especially in the when she was just seven, early days, helped. when she featured in the Gianni Versace was music video for Bob a huge fan and the Marley’s song Is This Naomi with pal Love. At 10, she was late designer’s sister Christy Turlington accepted into the Italia Donatella has said of Conti Academy Of Naomi, “She pushed Theatre Arts to study fashion forward as a dance and by 15 she was working as woman who believes in very precise a model. She landed her first magazine ideals of inclusivity and diversity rather cover when she was just 16. than a celebrity.” Naomi faced racial discrimination at the Of course, being so fêted meant the start of her career but went on to receive model’s lifestyle has always been under high-profile backing from designers scrutiny, particularly her love life. She’s Azzedine Alaïa, Yves Saint Laurent and dated some of the world’s richest men, Donatella Versace. including Italian businessman Flavio She was also backed by fellow “supers” Briatore, oil magnate Badr Jafar, Brazilian Christy Turlington and Linda Evangelista, real estate tycoon Marcus Elias and who famously told designers Dolce & Egyptian tobacco businessman Louis Gabbana, “If you don’t use Naomi you Camilleri. She was engaged to U2 bassist Adam Clayton in 1993 and has been linked to Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Combs and, more recently, Liam Payne. She’s currently dating someone out of the public eye and says she’s happy. “The other thing that’s taken me a while to understand in my growing up is that With Donatella Versace you have to accept and fellow “supers” and love yourself

ﬁrst, and not be validated by someone else,” she said a few years ago. Indeed, like many celebrities, Naomi has taken hold of her own She’s interviewed narrative and often Pharrell Williams posts on Instagram, as well as vlogging on YouTube, where she has almost half a million subscribers. She’s interviewed the likes of Pharrell Williams, Mariah Carey, Demi Moore and Gwyneth Paltrow for her No Filter show. She says, “I like the fact that I can express myself and have control of my content. It belongs to me, and I can be me, and not have to worry about how it’s edited.” It’s been an incredible journey for the 5ft 9in model from Streatham. And despite her extraordinary success and feisty reputation, she’s remained humble. “I don’t think I was born beautiful. I just think I was born me,” she says. OK! WORDS: LISA MARKS PHOTOS: GETTY

Naomi famously fell down on the Vivienne Westwood catwalk in 1993

ICONS

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KIDSWEA R

SPECIAL

COOL FOR KIDS STYLISH AND UV-PROTECTED RIVER ISLAND’S CHILDREN’S SUNGLASSES PUT THE OTHERS IN THE SHADE

Older girls heart sunglasses £8 Mini girls cat sunglasses £6 Older boys aviator sunglasses £6 Mini boys green sunglasses £8 STYLING: LAUREN GOODWIN-GRAFTON STYLIST’S ASSISTANT: MEGAN REES PHOTOS: PIXELEYES

WWW.OK.CO.UK WWW WW W OK CO UK K 73 3

HERE COMES

THE SUN

KIT OUT THE KIDS IN BOLD PRINTS RAINBOW BRIGHTS AND HAPPY SLOGANS FOR A SUMMERTIME FILLED WITH FUN AND FROLICS

Adanya wears Swimsuit £16.50 Shorts £12.50 both Marks & Spencer Hair clips from a selection at Claire’s Accessories Necklace £6 Watermelon cup £4 both Matalan Luna wears Swimsuit F&F from £7 Ice cream cup Matalan £4 74

Cassius wears Shirt and T-shirt set £16 Hat £10 both Marks & Spencer

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Adanya wears Top Frugi from £19 Skirt Tu at Sainsbury’s £8 Hair clips from a selection at Claire’s Accessories Bag Chloé at Designerchildrenswear.com £97.99 Luna wears T-shirt Tu at Sainsbury’s £3.50 Shorts Joules £9.95 Hat Marks & Spencer £12

Cassius wears Shirt and shorts set £28 Sliders £10 both River Island Skateboard Salt Rock £35

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Luna wears Dress Gucci at Designerchildrenswear.com £224.99 Bag Monnalisa at Designerchildrenswear.com £56

Cassius wears Sweatshirt Joules from £29.95 Shorts Boden £17 Shoes Gucci at Designerchildrenswear.com £219.99 Visor Marks & Spencer £10 78

Adanya wears Dress from £22 Sliders from £8 Bag £13 all Next WWW.OK.CO.UK 79

Adanya wears Dress Frugi from £30 Sandals Boden £37 Hair clips from a selection at Claire’s Accessories Sunglasses Marks & Spencer £7 Luna wears Dress £42 Sandals from £32 both Boden Necklace F&F £4 80

Cassius wears T-shirt Mutha.Hood £15 Shorts H&M £7.99 Towel Next £16

Adanya wears T-shirt H&M £5.99 Trousers Boden from £27 Headband Meri Meri £12 Bag Meri Meri at Amara £36 PHOTOGRAPHER: LEONIE FREEMAN AT ROXYANDJACK.COM STYLED BY: LAUREN GOODWIN-GRAFTON AND MEGAN REES HAIR & MAKE-UP: CAROLINE PIASECKI USING CHILDS FARM MODELS: LUNA GRACE, ADANYA BROWN & CASSIUS WATTS-DOUCOURE ALL FROM KIDS LONDON PROPS: LUXEMBOURG GARDEN CHAIR FERMOB AT AMARA SUN BALLOONS AND BEACH BALLS FROM A SELECTION AT AMAZON.CO.UK

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Bracelet making kit Joules £16.95 Jumper Stella McCartney at Selfridges £79

Shorts Gap £22.95

Watch Flik Flak £32

T-shirt and shorts set ANYDAY at John Lewis & Partners £13

OK! LOVES Polaroid Go instant camera Polaroid £128.99

ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL TO MAKE YOUR CHILD’S DAY

Mummy and Mini Mani & Pedi Nail Kit Tiffy & Tallulah from £9 each

Playsuit River Island £16

Shorts Monsoon from £20

High tops Converse £37

Nintendo Switch Lite Smyths Toys £229.99 82

Water bottle Kidly £16

Bag Hype £25 Dungarees Mamas & Papas £22

Shirt H&M £5.99

Shoes Pretty Ballerinas £99

Lunchbox Sophie Allport £21

BLE AVAILTAHER O IN PRINTS TOO

My Little Coco Moisturising Body Cream Boots £5.99

Hair slides Mimi & Lula £8

Teva sandals Ofﬁce £34.99

Swim shorts Next from £8 Dress Seraphina £45

Watering can JoJo Maman Bébé £13

Baby carrier Artipoppe £300

N HIO FAS ITOR ED VES LO

Jumper Oii at Alex And Alexa £52

COMPILED BY: BY KATY GALE GALE, LAUREN GOODWIN GOODWIN-GRAFTON, GRAFTON LAURA MULLEY, LYNNE HYLAND

E MADM FRO NIC A ORGTTON CO

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COMPILED BY OK! FASHION EDITOR HARRIET WHEELER

THE KIDS TAKE OVER!

TWINNING IS

WINNING

iver Island has launched a new RI Twinning collection and it’s arriving just in time for the warmer weather that’s around the corner! The range is bursting with options so you can dress to match your daughter in summery frocks, playsuits and accessories – as worn by our very own Fashion & Beauty Director Michelle Darlow and her mini-me, six-year-old Bonnie (right). Bonnie says, “This outﬁt is so cool, I love dressing the same as my mummy.” AVAILABLE FROM 10 JUNE, RIVERISLAND.COM

Kidswear from £16 Womenswear from £26

T-shirt £8 for pack of 3 Shorts £6

COOL KIDS ON THE BLOCK

Coat £61 Dress £31

he new F&F spring/summer collection for boys and girls is here and it won’t disappoint you or your little ones. The range has something for all ages from three to 15 years old, and 50% of the pieces are made with organic cotton. Packed full of stand-out prints and bright colours, the kids will love it! AVAILABLE IN SELECTED TESCO STORES NATIONWIDE

Right: Top £31 Hoodie £35 Shorts £26 Hat £17

GO FOR BOLD

othing screams spring/ summer fashion more than bold colours and prints, and Swedish kids’ label Oii has all that and more. The mission behind the brand is to spread happiness, and we can’t help but smile when we see the collection Oii has designed exclusively for AlexandAlexa. With mix-and-match p prints and all th the hues of th the rainbow, it it’s perfect for the ccoming months. ALEXANDALEXA.COM

OOH LA LA!

Put away your skinny jeans – bare-leg season is upon us! And this fun, flirty fragrance from Jean Paul Gaultier perfectly celebrates this sense of new-found freedom. It opens with an innocent trio of white flowers – orange blossom, tuberose and jasmine – before launching into sensual, gourmet undertones of juicy raspberry. Jean Paul Gaultier So Scandal! EDP £91

SMART SPFS Freya + Bailey GLOW! Surge Face Moisturiser SPF30 £42 This radiant face base contains a physical sunscreen along with aloe vera, marine algae and chamomile to soothe and hydrate the skin.

Lumene Nordic Ageless [AJATON] Radiant Youth Day Cream SPF30 £42.90 Containing a potent blend of Nordic superfood botanical extracts, this new range helps to promote a ﬁrmer, more radiant complexion. This light yet hydrating moisturiser also contains added sun protection.

Garnier Ambre Solaire Anti-Age Super UV SPF50 £10 A great value, high protection option which contains skin-smoothing hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. In tests, wrinkles appeared reduced by up to 22%. It now comes in a paper-based tube, reducing the amount of plastic used.

Ultrasun Face & Scalp Mist SPF50 £18 The perfect thing to keep in your handbag in case of sunny lunch breaks, this super-ﬁne spray sits brilliantly over make-up and won’t leave hair feeling greasy. It’s ideal for top-ups and missed spots, too. WWW.OK.CO.UK 85

WORDS: LAURA MULLEY PHOTOGRAPHY: PIXELEYES

STAY SUN-SAFE WITH THESE CLEVER CREAMS

BEAUTY DIRECTOR LYNNE HYLAND SHARES THIS WEEK’S MUST-HAVES TRENDS AND TIPS ,

Pump up the volume

Dr Tijion Esho is the man who’s turned lip filler into an art form, with half of Instagram flocking to his clinic for his fabled “perfect ratio” pout. (You might spot the likes of Michelle Keegan, Frankie Bridge and Jesy Nelson in there too, getting their facials done.) You’ll need to wait a month or six if you want the Body Fixers star to plump up your lips in person, but as of next Monday you can sample his magic touch via QVC. He’s launching a whole Esho collection for beautiful lips, including crack-fixing Coat, £21.99, mega-moisturising Drench, £18.99, and lip-inflating Sculpt, £21.99, which Dr E calls “me in a tube”. And if you’re lucky enough to bagsy an appointment with The Lip King himself, you’ll definitely want to stock up on Pause, £18.99, which promises to stop your filler breaking down as quickly.

2 Chill out

PHOTOS: GETTY

A “cold plunge” has always struck me as a way to ruin a perfectly lovely spa day, but while I’ll always swerve the ice bath, I’d happily dunk my face in Ole Henriksen’s new hydrator. Cold Plunge Pore Remedy Moisturizer, £36, has a snow slush texture inspired by the chilly bit of the Scandi spa cycle and is designed to refresh skin, tighten pores and leave it glowing. It’s particularly handy if you have oily or combination skin because it promises to hit the sweet spot where skin is hydrated and radiant without looking shiny. Brrr-illiant!

3 Bubblicious You’re never too grown-up for a teddy, especially one as deliciously kitsch as this. Meet Moschino Toy 2 Bubblegum, from £39, a playful little creature taking a gleeful pop at pretentious perfume. Imagine the scent and sass of bubblegum being blown from glossy pink lips, like you’re the coolest girl in the sixth form. Oh, and add in notes of spiced fruit cocktails, too – because this fragrance isn’t for kids, just the young at heart.

Who wants a cream that will future-proof your face and undo the sins of the past? Yes, it’s an SPF but I reckon even the most stubborn suncare dodger will be won over by La Roche-Posay’s Anthelios Age Correct SPF50, £25, because it doesn’t just prevent sun damage, it reverses some of what you’ve done already. As well as feeling like a luxury moisturiser, it has an ingredient that tackles visible pigmentation and helps prevent lurking invisible damage from making a break for the surface. Well, you never wanted to meet the sunspots you laid the groundwork for back in Mykonos 2019, did you?

Well gel How did I forget the lifeafﬁrming joy of gel nails? I’ve just had the most fabulous reminder via Revarnish, a team of celebrity nail artists who will whizz to your home for a Covid-safe mani or pedi when they’re not busy on shoots. It’s founded by Roxanne Campbell, who’s worked with everyone from

Sunny future

Alicia Keys to Adele, and costs from £30 (revarnish.london). I don’t think I can ever go back to naked ragged stubs now, so I’ve also got the new KISS imPRESS false nails, £8.99, on standby. There’s no glueing or faff – just press them on and you’ve got an instant gel-like mani in anything from classic French to glitzy nail art.

Posh wash They look like they fell straight out of a boutique hotel’s Instagram grid but they’re actually Baylis & Harding’s latest supermarket special. The new Elements Body Wash Collection is styled to match the marble bathroom you wish you could afford, and costs just £3 per jumbo bottle – as if its three mood-enhancing fragrances weren’t enough to cheer you up already.

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HOW TO LEAVE A TOXIC RELATIONSHIP BREAKING UP IS NEVER EASY ESPECIALLY IF YOUR PARTNER IS CONTROLLING – HERE’S HOW TO NAVIGATE MOVING ON

eing cooped up together 24/7 has put many relationships under the spotlight these past 12 months – and we’re not all liking what we see. Add to that the financial worries the pandemic has brought, perhaps illness and homeschooling pressures, no social life and a general feeling of housebound claustrophobia, it’s no wonder relationships are showing signs of strain. In fact, the collateral damage of lockdown has seen a record spike in divorce enquiries around the world, with UK family law firms reporting a surge of more than 40% during and since the first lockdown. Whether you’ve been together 30 years or three, have kids or fur babies, deciding to end your relationship is traumatic. But even more so if your ex is controlling. Sara Davison (above), aka The Divorce Coach, helps hundreds of

CREATE EMOTIONAL DISTANCE

“Don’t use their ffull name when referring to them in conversations or in writing – names have a lot of emotion attached to them. Shorten to the ﬁrst initial and lower case only. Use this when you speak or write and see how it reduces the impact.”

people heal from bad break-ups. She started her coaching business seven years ago, inspired by her own marriage breakdown after her husband fell for someone else. “I’ve been busier than ever throughout the pandemic,” says single-mum Sara. “Everyone goes through a break-up at least once in their life, but most likely several. My own hit me like a freight train. I was in shock and unable to function. But it spurred me on to create a toolkit of techniques and strategies to help me take control.” Sara now devotes her career to helping others do the same. “Divorce is never the easy option,” she insists. “And if you’re breaking up with a difﬁcult person – someone who’s controlling or has narcissistic tendencies – then you’ll need some different tactics.” Here are Sara’s tips on moving on from a difﬁcult ex after you’ve decided to make the break...

SET UP A SEPARATE EMAIL

“Use this address for their emails and divorce case correspondence so you only log in to read when you’re feeling resilient and letters aren’t sprung on you, making you tearful at work.”

PROTECT YOUR PRIVACY

“Don’t share personal information with your ex or let them know how you’re feeling as they’ll use this against you. If you’re in an abusive relationship, the abuse sadly doesn’t stop when you leave your partner. In fact, it often escalates as they attempt to step up their control elsewhere. They might do this by making the break-up process as difﬁcult as possible, cutting off ﬁnancial support or consistently letting you down with childcare arrangements.”

FIND THE RIGHT LEGAL TEAM “Ensure your legal team has training in domestic abuse so they can protect you. A controlling partner might try and hide money, and/or hire an aggressive lawyer to send intimidating legal letters. Get support from a coach who specialises in this area to help you understand and prepare to handle this behaviour.”

HEALTH&FITNESS

AND EVEN IF YOUR EX AND EVEN IF YOUR EX IS DECENT… t An amicable split doesn’t mean you don’t need legal advice. A legal advisor will give you clarity about what to expect from your split, helping to reach the best decision for you and your family to ward off future regrets. t Agree what to say to the kids. Ideally, sit down and tell them together. Reassure them that they are loved and this is not their fault. Don’t bad mouth each other in front of them – they need to see their parents treating each other with respect and kindness. t Pick your battles. Take a step back and work out if you’ll really care about this in a few months’ time. This will help you to get perspective on what’s important and what is just emotion.

5 4

KNOW IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT

“You will get through this and feel happy again. Break-ups are an opportunity to rediscover yourself, so put fun things in your diary so you’re not all consumed with breaking up. There’s more to life than relationships. Try to maintain a healthy balance in other areas of interest too. You might well rediscover who YOU are and what gets you excited and hopeful about your future. You only live once so it’s time to feel good about yourself and what lies ahead.” OK!

t Understand your spending patterns. Create a budget spreadsheet to help you feel more ﬁnancially independent and in control. t Self-care, eating well and exercising is crucial for keeping a strong mind and making better decisions. t Write a list of all the things you weren’t happy with in your relationship. The sooner you take off the rose-tinted glasses, the sooner you’ll let go of your ex and the past. TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SARA’S ONLINE PROGRAMME – HOW TO DIVORCE A DIFFICULT PERSON AND RECOVER FROM A TOXIC RELATIONSHIP – VISIT SARADAVISON.COM YOU CAN ALSO BOOK ON TO SARA’S NEXT VIRTUAL RETREAT – HEARTBREAK TO HAPPINESS – OR FIND OUT HOW TO BECOME A DIVORCE COACH AT SARADAVISON.COM FOR MORE ADVICE ON HOW TO NAVIGATE A BREAK-UP OR DIVORCE, LISTEN TO SARA’S PODCAST AT HEARTBREAKTOHAPPINESSPODCAST.COM

WORDS: SUSANNA GALTON PHOTOS: GETTY

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LIGHT MY FIRE

MAKE THE MOST OF THE SUNSHINE WITH A DELICIOUS BARBECUE

Rainbow slaw SERVES - INGREDIENTS

● 225g red cabbage, very finely chopped ● 225g white cabbage, very finely chopped ● 2 carrots, peeled and grated ● 1 small red onion, very finely chopped ● ½ bulb fennel, very finely chopped ● Juice of 1 lime ● ½ tbsp honey ● 1 tbsp of mixed seeds

1. Mix all the vegetables together in a large bowl. 2. Combine the lime juice and honey, stir in the seeds, and pour over the vegetables. Toss to fully coat. 3. Taste for seasoning, cover and chill.

Lamb chops with pomegranate and yoghurt

SERVES INGREDIENTS

● 4 tsp sumac ● A pinch of dried chilli ﬂakes, crushed ● 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil ● 4 tbsp pomegranate molasses ● 8 lamb chops ● 125g pomegranate seeds ● A few sprigs of fresh mint ● 1 lime, quartered, to serve ● Couscous and tortillas, to serve (optional) For the yoghurt dip: ● 250ml natural yoghurt ● 1 clove of garlic, crushed ● Juice of ½ lemon

1. Heat a barbecue until the coals are glowing white, or get a griddle pan very hot. 2. Mix the sumac, chilli ﬂakes and olive oil with 2 tablespoons of the pomegranate molasses. Coat the lamb chops with the mixture. 3. Cook the chops for 3-5 minutes on each side until browned but still pink in the middle. 4. While the lamb is cooking, make the dip. 5. In a small bowl mix the yoghurt with the garlic and lemon juice. Season and set aside. 6. Once the lamb is cooked, drizzle with the remaining pomegranate molasses and sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds and mint. 7. Serve with lime wedges and yoghurt dip, plus the couscous and tortillas, if you like.

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SERVES INGREDIENTS

For the spicy tomato relish: ● 1 tbsp olive oil ● 1 small brown onion, ﬁnely chopped ● 1 garlic clove, crushed ● 1 bird’s-eye chilli, halved, seeded and ﬁnely chopped ● 400g fresh tomatoes, chopped ● 1 tbsp brown sugar ● 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar ● Juice of 1 lime ● Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Make the tomato and chilli relish by heating the oil in a pan over a moderate heat. 2. Add the onion, garlic and chilli and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the tomatoes. 3. Stir in the sugar, vinegar and lime juice and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Use a stick blender to purée the sauce, season and set aside to cool. 5. Heat a barbecue until the coals are glowing white, or get a griddle pan very hot. 6. Brush both sides of the halloumi slices with olive oil. Cook on each side for 2-3 minutes or until they’re golden.

7. Split the brioche buns and toast brieﬂy on the cut sides. 8. Spread the bottom halves with the spicy tomato relish. 9. Add the tomato slices, halloumi and sliced onion and ﬁnish with rocket and an extra drizzle of relish. Top with the other half of the bun to serve.

For the burgers: ● 250g block of halloumi cheese, cut into 8 thick slices ● 1 tbsp olive oil ● 4 brioche buns ● 2 large ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced ● ½ red onion, thinly sliced ● A handful of rocket

Halloumi burger with spicy tomato relish 92

SERVES INGREDIENTS ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

2 tbsp honey 2 tbsp oyster sauce 1 tsp cayenne pepper A pinch of chilli ﬂakes 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 50g fresh ginger, peeled and grated 1 tbsp peanut butter 2 tbsp lime juice 4 (about 700g) skinless chicken ﬁllets Fresh coriander leaves 1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve

1. Mix together the honey, oyster sauce, cayenne pepper, chilli ﬂakes, garlic, ginger, peanut butter and lime juice. 2. Marinate the chicken pieces in the honey mixture for at least 30 minutes (or overnight, if possible) 3. Heat a barbecue until the coals are glowing white, or get a griddle pan very hot. 4. Thread the chicken on to kebab skewers and cook on the barbecue (or in the griddle pan) for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and cooked through and starting to crisp. 5. Scatter with a few sprigs of coriander and a wedge of lime to serve. OK!

RECIPES AND STYLING: VICTORIA GRAY PHOTOS: CLIVE SHALICE

Satay spiced chicken skewers

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AND THE REST IS HISTORY

IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK THEY WOULD HAVE ENDLESS TALES TO TELL FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF FAMOUS AUTHORS AND ICONS AT THEIR FAVOURITE HOTEL HAUNTS

Stay in the Agatha Christie room

PERA PALACE HOTEL TURKEY Since its renovation in 2010, Pera Palace Hotel has been regarded as a “museum hotel”. It was built in 1892 and was home to the ﬁrst electric elevator in Istanbul. The luxury hotel ofﬁcially opened its doors three years later, welcoming an array of stars over the years such as Greta Garbo and Alfred Hitchcock. Best-selling author Agatha Christie was also a fan and always stayed in

room 411. It is assumed Christie wrote Murder On The Orient Express in that very room, as the hotel hosted the train’s passengers travelling between Paris and Istanbul. Room 411 is available to guests and is cloaked in its original red furnishings. There is also a collection of the author’s books and a replica of her typewriter. PRICES START AT £70 PER NIGHT FOR TWO PEOPLE. SEE PERAPALACE.COM

Enjoy some Victorian Gothic splendour

OAKLEY COURT UK It’s Time Warp time at this Victorian mansion with plenty of Gothic fantasy. Oakley Court, which overlooks the River Thames in the county of Berkshire, is perhaps best known for being Dr Frank-N-Furter’s castle in the 1975 classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Residing in 35 acres of land, it was built in 1859 and owned by several wealthy families before its spectacular renovation. However, guests will recognise the staircase and the room that provided the backdrop for the crazy dining room scene in the movie. If you’re a fan of the franchise, ask to stay in one of the nine Mansion Suites. They’re part of the manor’s original structure. Complete with its own tower and gargoyles, the hotel was also used by British production company Hammer Films as the set for a number of their iconic horrors. For now, with its tennis courts, indoor swimming pool and spa, the only scary thing about this venue is the prospect of leaving it. PRICES START AT £250 A NIGHT FOR TWO PEOPLE. SEE OAKLEYCOURT.CO.UK

It featured in The Rocky Horror Picture Show

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HÔTEL RITZ PARIS FRANCE Relax in an outdoor pool

The brain child of the famous Swiss hotelier César Ritz in 1898, it’s no surprise that the Ritz Paris is rich in both luxury and history. And it must be très chic, as French fashion icon Coco Chanel herself lived there for 34 years until her death in 1971. Located in the centre of the city, its grandeur has attracted a wealth of renowned names including Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Now, furnished with the same elegant minimalism as Chanel’s designs, and garnished with a hefty price tag, the revamped Coco Chanel suite is available to guests. The suite was moved down a ﬂoor for a better view of the Place Vendôme, where Chanel got her inspiration for the design of her No5 perfume bottle. OK! PRICES FROM £810 A NIGHT FOR TWO PEOPLE. SEE RITZPARIS.COM. REPORT: CHARLOTTE RAWLINGS PHOTOS: ALAMY, FOCUS/EYEVINE, NEW YORK TIMES/REDUX/ EYEVINE, SHUTTERSTOCK, TUNCSEL ULKU

NISHIYAMA ONSEN KEIUNKAN JAPAN Credited by Guinness World Records as the oldest hotel in the world, Nishiyama p in Onsen Keiunkan is steeped 1,300 years of history. Fujiwara Mahito, son of the 38th Japanese Emperor’s aide, founded it in 705 AD. The hot spring hotel is in Hayakawa, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan (to the southwest of Tokyo) and has been run by the same family for over 50 generations. Priding itself on 96

tradition, it was a Wi-Fi free zone up until 2019! Keiunkan lies below the breathtaking peaks of the Akaishi gp Mountains and acquires its hot water from the Hakuho Springs, which is known for its healing properties. With six natural baths, a moon-viewing platform, and a kaiseki restaurant, Keiunkan is the essence of Japanese hospitality and tranquillity. PRICES FROM £270 A NIGHT FOR TWO PEOPLE. SEE KEIUNKAN.CO.JP

The main hallway at Hôtel Ritz Paris

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OK! MAGAZINE

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OUR ASTROLOGER TELLS YOU ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR WEEK AHEAD!

Editor In Chief: Shari Nementzik Phone: +61 421 396 225 SNementzik@bauer-media.com.au

BULGARIA EDITION

Editor In Chief: Nevena Dyakova Phone: +359 2 870 49 81 n.dyakova@atticaeva.bg

CHINA EDITION

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CYPRUS EDITION

Editorial Director: Marilena Ierodiakonou Telephone: +357 22 580 800 marilenai@sigmatv.com

GEORGIA EDITION

Editor In Chief: Nino Jibladze Phone: +995 32 2295919 info@okmagazine.ge

GERMANY EDITION

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JAPAN EDITION

Editor In Chief: Kana Sugamori Phone: +81 3 6802 8048 kanas@bk.iij4u.or.jp

LATVIA EDITION

Editor In Chief: Laila Pastare Phone: +371 674 960 47 laila.pastare@rigasvilni.lv

PAKISTAN EDITION

Editorial Director: Saher H Paracha saherparacha@okmagazine.com.pk Phone: +92 358 437 03

ROMANIA EDITION

Editor In Chief: Elena Stoichita Phone: +40 727 165 712 elena.stoichita@adevarulholding.ro

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THAILAND EDITION

Editor In Chief: Weerawut Ujjutamanus Phone: +66 2204 2740 5 weerawut@mediatransasia.com

UK EDITION

Editor in chief: Caroline Waterston Phone: 020 8612 7000 caroline.waterston@reachplc.com

USA EDITION

Editor In Chief: Richard Spencer Phone: +1 212 672 3991 richard.spencer@okmagazine.com

VENEZUELA EDITION

Associate Director: Alejandro Gutiérrez Tremola Phone +58 212 406 4436 okvenezuela@dearmas.com

HEAD OF OK! WORLDWIDE

ARIES

MARCH 21 – APRIL 20 There are so many ideas crowding your head that it might feel as if it’s bursting at the seams. Be careful about doing anything too reckless. Think plans through before leaping in and, if in doubt, ask a trusted friend for advice. STARLINE **

CANCER JUNE 22 – JULY 23

You could get talking to someone who is imaginative and visionary and will be intrigued by their ideas. You might want to think them through further before taking action, so impose some conditions to ensure that you remain involved.

STARLINE **

LIBRA

SEPTEMBER 24 – OCTOBER 23 It lifts you to see other people beneﬁt as a result of your hard-working efforts. Helping others is all you want to do. Either through your job or a volunteer exercise, people are left in no doubt that you are there for them.

STARLINE **

SAGITTARIUS NOVEMBER 23 – DECEMBER 21

You haven’t had a lot of time recently to think about the future. Just keeping on top of everyday routines has been gruelling and you’re feeling the effects this week. You can’t continue pushing yourself so hard. You need a break.

STARLINE **

AQUARIUS JANUARY 21 – FEBRUARY 19

This is the week to get moving to stay ﬁt and healthy. Start by doing some gentle exercise. Or, if you’re feeling super-active and competitive, try a team sport. You could meet someone special through participation in a group event.

STARLINE

TAURUS APRIL 21 – MAY 21

A new job or position you take on will seem like an uphill struggle as you come up against problems and challenges every step of the way. New rules will cause you inconvenience and this in turn will bring out your rebellious side. STARLINE **

LEO

JULY 24 – AUGUST 23 An avalanche of paperwork can no longer be ignored. The sooner you get on with it, the sooner it will be over. It doesn’t matter if you are spending a lot of your time sorting out ﬁnances and correspondence – it has to be done.

STARLINE **

GEMINI MAY 22 – JUNE 21

Your work is attracting the attention of your boss or someone in authority. They admire your creative ﬂair. Don’t be surprised if you are offered a rise. Having more money is always a bonus, and it will help improve family relationships.

STARLINE **

VIRGO

AUGUST 24 – SEPTEMBER 23 There is a relative or housemate you are trying to avoid. If you owe them money and can’t yet afford to pay them back, the wisest thing to do is be honest about it. Someone close will be troubled by your sudden contemplative mood.

STARLINE **

SCORPIO

OCTOBER 24 – NOVEMBER 22 You have the knack of knowing what’s on a close friend or partner’s mind, and this helps you anticipate their needs. Single? It honestly doesn’t matter who makes the ﬁrst move if you’re romantically attracted to someone. Be bold.

STARLINE **

CAPRICORN DECEMBER 22 – JANUARY 20

Someone you gave advice to in the past will blame you for having got it all wrong. This is upsetting, as you were only trying to help. Try not to let this dent your enthusiasm when a close friend embarks on an ambitious project.

STARLINE **

PISCES

FEBRUARY 20 – MARCH 20 You are starting to wonder if friends are hinting that something is going on. If they know a secret that you don’t about your partner or someone else close, you wish they’d just come out and say it. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

STARLINE **

Emma Radford emma.radford@reachplc.com

LICENSING MANAGER Julia Taylor julia.taylor@reachplc.com

HEAD OF UK CIRCULATION Darren Powell darren.powell@reachplc.com

OK! is published by Reach Magazines Publishing Plc. Registered ofﬁce: One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5AP. Correspondence address: The Northern & Shell Building, 10 Lower Thames Street, London, EC3R 6EN. Printed by Walstead Peterborough, Storeys Bar Road,Eastern Industry, Fengate, Peterborough PE1 5YS. While we consider unsolicited manuscripts and photographs accompanied by an SAE, the editor cannot accept any responsibility for loss or damage. All rights in portions published rest with the publishers. COPYRIGHT REACH MAGAZINES PUBLISHING PLC © 2019. Permission to reproduce all photographs and text can be granted only by prior written agreement. All prices and products correct at time of going to press. Not for resale, lend or hire. Switchboard number for UK: 020 8612 7000. Switchboard number outside UK: +44 (0)20 8612 7000. Editorial fax: +44 (0)20 8612 7305. Advertising fax: +44 (0)20 8612 7616. PRODUCED UNDER LICENCE FROM REACH MAGAZINES WORLDWIDE LIMITED. ‘OK!’ and ‘OK! FIRST FOR CELEBRITY NEWS’ are registered trademarks of Reach Magazines Worldwide Limited. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. SUBSCRIPTIONS TO OK!: Call +44 (0) 330 333 9429 or visit www.ok.co.uk/subscribe. Basic annual subscription rate £50.49 (UK), £165 (EU) and £210 (ROW). Back issues of OK!: Call +44 (0) 330 333 9429 or visit www.ok.co.uk/subscribe. ABC CERTIFIED AND NRS AUDITED

JULY TO DECEMBER 2019 116,341

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AUSTRALIA EDITION

LIFELESSONS THE OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALLIST ON BEING AN ADRENALINE JUNKIE HIS SOFT SPOT FOR GADGETS AND WHY PEOPLE CALL HIM THE BULLET My nickname is… the Bullet. I was nicknamed the Bath Bullet after I broke the European record when winning a bronze medal in the World Indoor Championships in 1999 so it stems from there. My biggest challenge was… trying to achieve my childhood dream of being an Olympic champion. It took 20 years from the age of seven to when I won gold in the Athens Olympics in 2004. I never knew when I started out that goal would take so long! My perfect evening is… a nice evening walk before going to one of our favourite pubs or a restaurant. Enjoying some dinner on a terrace overlooking some beautiful countryside and lots of wine. Then back home to watch a movie.

ﬂown upside down, full loops and all of that. But, being a bit of an adrenaline junkie, I really enjoyed it! I felt I was in safe hands with the amazingly professional pilots. The other bravest thing I’ve done, which people say was absolutely stupid, was taking part in a BBC One television programme, Bobsleigh Challenge. We were a bunch of rookies – all different sportspeople. We had one week to see if we could be competitive enough to compete in the British championships. That was probably the scariest thing I’ve done. I remember feeling like I was going to be sick when I jumped into the back!

WORDS: ELLIE KIRWIN-JONES PHOTO: PA

‘MY WEAKNESS IS BEING TOO TRUSTING’

Not many people know this, but I’m good at… being a mentor to people, especially in sports. I enjoy that side of it.

One thing I would change about myself would be… I’m too kind and generous with my time. It might be seen as a positive but the older you get the more you value your time and it’s important not to waste it on things that don’t matter.

The worst job I’ve ever had… was working in a bakery at a young age. That was hard!

The best thing my parents taught me was… to treat people with respect and have good manners. My father was a disciplinarian and I think those values are good to have in life.

The most expensive thing I’ve splashed out on is… apart from my house, a watch. I treated myself after winning the Indoor Championships and the Olympics.

My greatest weakness is… I’m very trusting. Sometimes that can come across as a weakness, and with that, you can get taken advantage of.

A shop I can’t walk past is… any technology shop. I am a sucker for gadgets. So, I deﬁnitely can’t walk anywhere near an Apple store. OK!

The bravest thing I’ve done… is going up in a Red Arrow plane. That was crazy, being

JASON IS AN AMBASSADOR AND PRODUCT ADVISOR FOR HAPORI COACH, THE NEW GROWTH PLATFORM FOR PERSONAL TRAINERS. VISIT HAPORI.COM

The people who inspire me are… my teachers and my coaches. They inspire me every step of the way.

Jason Gardener

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All prices were correct at the time of going to press. If we have published anything factually inaccurate, please email emily.whitwam@reachplc.com or write to the readers’ editor, OK! Magazine, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5AP and, once veriﬁed, we will correct it as soon as possible. OK! Magazine is published by Reach Magazines Publishing Plc, a subsidiary company of Reach Plc, which is a member of IPSO, the independent press standards organisation. We adhere to the editors’ code of practice as enforced by IPSO, which is contactable for advice at IPSO, Gate House, 1 Farringdon Street EC4M 7LG. Website www.ipso.co.uk. Telephone: 0300 123 2220, email advice@ipso.co.uk. If you have a complaint concerning a potential breach of the code of practice, we will deal with your complaint directly, or IPSO can refer your complaint to us. Please go to www.reachplc.com/how-to-complain where you can view our complaints policy and procedure. A how to complain pack is also available by writing to the Legal And Compliance Department, Reach Plc, One Canada Square, London E14 5AP.

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