As soon as a new series of The X Factor kicks off, there’s a big rush to figure out the next winner. After all, who doesn’t want to feel that smugness when they pick out this year’s top dog, right upon first glance?
And though we’ve only just seen a few the first auditions, many have already decided on their 2016 winner: Samantha Lavery!
Released ahead of the series debut on Saturday (27th August), a small selection of auditions were put on the TV show’s YouTube channel, as well as getting a feature on Friday’s edition on This Morning and Good Morning Britain.
Sixteen-year-old Sam’s audition blew the judges away, and for very good reason…
After telling Nicole Scherzinger, Louis Walsh, Sharon Osborne and Simon Cowell that she was inspired by her grandad, also a singer, she treated the judges to a heartfelt rendition of Ellie Goulding’s Explosions. Though the preview doesn’t include the judges’ responses, from the looks on their faces, you can tell they’re impressed.
However, it’s clear that she’s not a contestant who just turned up to the auditions for fun. Despite her young age, Samantha – who people are also dubbing a Cheryl lookalike – it’s clear that she’s very serious about her career as a musician. Earlier this year, she even released a single, titled A Mile Apart.
Emma Willis has revealed the winner of Celebrity Big Brother
Again and again, Celebrity Big Brother manages to provide us with some of the most unmissable TV moments of the year as famous people fall out, fight and fumble right before our very eyes.
This series has been no different, but sadly it’s all come to an end, and we have a brand new winner: STEPHEN BEAR!
Emma Willis revealed that Ex On The Beach star and king of the wind-up merchants Bear was the winner, having beaten Ricky and Renee to the top. As the long-running favourite, the 25-year-old strode out of the house to a mixture of cheers and boos – but it didn’t seem to bother him in the slightest!
After falling to his knees in front of the crowd, Bear gave Chloe a smack on the lips in the crowd.
‘I knew I was going to win it,’ Bear said arrogantly during a pretty awkward interview with Emma.
This summer’s edition of the Channel 5 favourite full of controversy – and we wouldn’t have it any other way. We had some ejections (awkward times for Biggins), some formal warnings (Aubrey’s spitgate?) and a full-on emotional breakdown, punctuated with the word ‘WOW’ (cheers, Katie Waissel).
Yet most of the dramas have centred around Bear, which is most likely the reason he made it all the way to the final, despite being up for nomination more times than anyone else.
Having come into the house in a relationship with Lillie Lexie Gregg, he dumped her in order to get hot and steamy with Chloe Khan.
BUT… Lillie got her own back by coming into the show and confronting him!
Lillie Lexie.
It wasn’t pretty. After that, there were food fights, verbal fights and fully-fledged tantrums over a missing ‘lucky mask’ – but in the end, Bear’s boyish behaviour did him some good and saw him crowned the king of the house.
2nd place: Ricky
Best known to many as EastEnders‘ Fatboy/Arthur, Ricky Norwood personified the phrase ‘cool as a cucumber’. However, that didn’t necessarily make for the best viewing, as many CBB fans forgot he existed for the most part. He still came second though, so it wasn’t all too bad.
Ricky
3rd place: Renee
Renee Graziano, star of Mob Wives, tried her hardest not to let the actions of others (Bear in particular) get on her nerves, and was the first person to make it clear that she should NOT be messed with. Though she gained a lot of new fans with her bad-ass attitude, it sadly wasn’t enough to get the NYC native to the top.
Renee
‘It was completely crazy,’ Renee said. ‘There was a lot of drama but a lot of love too.’
4th place: Marnie
Having come from Geordie Shore, Marnie Simpson was well-versed in life in front of a camera – which meant that her time in the house went by without too much trouble. Except that time when she performed a ‘blowjob’ on a banana. In fact, the 24-year-old reality star found *love* during her stay, with former TOWIE boy Lewis Bloor. They fell hard and fast for each other, with Lewis now saying that he’ll MARRY Marnie in five years’ time.
As she left the house Marnie said of Lewis: ‘I didn’t expect to feel the way I felt. It tuned into something a lot deeper than that. He is ‘the one’, 100%! ‘
Talking about when she got naked she blurted out, ‘Was I shaved?!’ Oh Marnie, we love you. Adorably as she came down the steps the first person she went to kiss was Lewis. CUTE.
Something tells us we’ll be seeing a LOT of these two…
After Bear’s antics got a little too much for the viewers, Aubrey O’Day‘s odds for winning got a bit of a boost when she gave him a proper roasting. It didn’t work wonders though as she came fifth. Though she got a strict telling off for spitting in Bear’s sandwich and drink early on in the series (*shudder*), she redeemed herself by refusing to give into Bear’s hyperactivity. (Most of the time.)
Aubrey
On leaving the house Aubrey said: ‘Gosh, I’m so happy to be out of that house. It was intense and unforgettable .
‘Bear was not a easy person to be around. I don’t think he’s horrible, or the devil, but he is young and he likes to test people.’
6th place: Frankie
And finally, Frankie Grande tried his best to keep the levels in the house as fierce and foxy as possible…
…but sadly, the online personality spent most of his time trying to stay the right side of Bear, and away from the serious dramas. He came sixth.
Ahh, what a series we’ve had. ‘Til January, CBB! We’ll miss you more than you know…
Geordie loudmouth Charlotte Crosby sets the record straight on the men in her life
Since she finally split with Gaz Beadle in May, Charlotte Crosby’s been linked with a lot of hot men. But none of them have managed to tie her down – including the man rumoured to be her current squeeze, Ash Harrison.
‘I’m definitely not in a relationship,’ Charlotte, 26, shouts when Now asks her what’s really going on with the former Big Brother star.
‘We’ve been seen out on a couple of nights. He’s a very attractive man and we’ve had a bit of drunken snog, but we’re definitely not in a relationship. If we were, it would be a pretty f**ked up one seeing as I’m on a dating show.’ Fair enough…
So why did you sign up to Celebs Go Dating?
I’ve never been one to go on dates. I haven’t really had the confidence to do it before – I’m too nervous. I just never really had the courage to, you know, sit opposite someone for dinner who you don’t really know.
Has the show helped you find your confidence?
As filming’s gone on I feel like I’ve become a lot less nervous about these sort of things. As the weeks have gone by and I’ve been on a load of dates I feel like my confidence has really gone up, I walk into a date now and I feel ready for it and have a good time.
How does it feel to be dating normal guys again?
I’ve never dated a celebrity [ouch! Sorry, Gaz] so I wouldn’t know what it’s like. I’ve only ever been out with normal guys. My last boyfriend [Mitch Jenkins] was a painter and decorator, so I don’t know any different.
I really can’t have any complaints about them. I actually haven’t been on a single bad date – they’ve all been really lovely. All the lads have been very good looking, had lovely personalities and been dead gentlemanly and polite.
Have you set ground rules with yourself before you go on dates?
At first I was getting drunk, but then I realised that’s maybe not the way to behave. If I had to give anyone my dating tips it would be to not get too drunk on your first date because you’re judging the person on a drunk mind, so the next time you see them it might be a disappointment! It’s best to judge them sober and then maybe on the next date you can get a little bit drunk and flirty.
Can you see a second date coming with any of the guys you’ve met so far?
There’s been some kissing but I’m keeping my options open because we’re still filming more dates, so I don’t know who’s around the corner. Right now, I’ve been on quite a few lovely dates and all the boys have been really nice but I haven’t found ‘the one’ just yet. So at the minute it’s still early days.
How are the other celebs been getting on?
I’ve been the lucky one because I’ve heard some really bad dates that they’ve all been on. Paisley [Billings] from Tattoo Fixers was telling me she’d been on a date where the boy had full-on burped in her face and told her he didn’t like her. How awful is that? Apparently a girl burped in Joey’s [Essex] face too – gross! Me and Joey have such a laugh together. I actually FaceTimed him on my last date and he was so drunk it was funny.
Celebs Go Dating starts on E4 at 10pm on 29 August
The X Factor is back TONIGHT and we can barely contain our excitement. And the best bit? Dermot O’Leary. Oh, how we’ve missed him as our host – and we just know his dancing is going to be better than ever this year.
It hasn’t been an easy time for Dermot, however. After leaving the show early last year, having been at the helm for eight years, it all got a bit nasty – with his old boss Simon Cowell quipping: ‘He’s got the NTA job, yeah, for once a year. That’s a big move.’
So was it awkward when Simon asked him to return? Speaking exclusively to Now, Dermot, 43, reveals their exchange was more emotional than he’d ever expected.
‘We both thought it was going to be more awkward – I didn’t think it would be as friendly and as honest as it was,’ he explains. ‘It’s the best chat I’ve ever had with Simon. We sat down at his place for about three hours and just talked about the show. He thought I probably was done with The X Factor and I thought he didn’t want me back. But we chatted about what we wanted to change and what we wanted to get back. I wouldn’t say it was gloves off, but it was an honest chat about how we see the show and working together.’
The deal Dermot struck with Simon will go down in history. For this year’s show, he’s getting paid £8 million – the highest ever wage for a solo British TV presenter. So what other demands did he have? A lot, by the sound of it – especially when it came to changing up the format of the long-running show.
But was he worried about speaking his mind? Hell no.
‘The great fallacy about Simon is that people always think he wants “yes men” around him, when actually he doesn’t,’ explains Dermot. ‘You can’t be too critical, obviously, but he doesn’t want people to just agree with what he says – he wants to be challenged. He wants honesty.
‘So that’s never been an issue with him, but he certainly seems more open to that level of opinion than he ever has been. I think he sees that the show has a lot of expertise in the sense of the people who work on it, so he’s all ears, which is great.’
With the room auditions back again and the Six Chair Challenge and Judges’ Houses still on the show, has Dermot made any other changes?
‘It’s just that notion of fun,’ he says. ‘This show should be fun. I always wanted to work in telly because I love the idea of people having a hard week and then coming home and we entertain them over a takeaway. If we can do that, we’re doing something right. It’s all about that lightness of touch, letting the show play out.
‘This series will find talent – the whole point is we get to October and we’ve got nine good singers and three great entertainers, the Wagners and Rylans of the world, that we hope will last and be controversial. That’s why it’s called The X Factor and it’s not just about who’s got the voice. You don’t need to do much more than that and then let the public decide.’ Welcome home, Dermot. We’ve missed you!
She’s out on the town in Manchester without a wedding ring and he’s in his back garden in Essex. Just how distant can Mark Wright and Michelle Keegan be?
For Michelle Keeganit was just another typical day: 10 hours on set, then out into Manchester town to eat, drink and be merry with her mates. Meanwhile, her hubby Mark Wright was living it up in his own way. Which means being the best part of 200 miles away, working on his tan in his Essex back yard.
Of course, they’re still happily married and are just having to deal with being away from one another.
Two people – soul mates – living worlds apart.
Just last week Michelle was spotted leaving San Carlo restaurant with a group of friends, casually playing with her hair with a left hand that clearly lacked her wedding ring – causing yet more speculation about her marriage. Her rep responded: ‘Michelle is continuing to film the ITV series Tina
And Bobby. As she’s been unable to wear her ring at work she’ll leave it at home on days which she has been filming.’
It’s barely a year since they married but even Mark – he of the permanent grin and incurably sunny outlook – can’t deny that they ‘ve been travelling in different directions ever since.
LEARNING CURVE
For Mark, marriage has meant settling down in his beloved Essex. What a pity that his Mancunian wife has spent so little time there that she probably needs a SatNav to find it. But not so long ago his ambitions knew no bounds. He wanted to crack Hollywood, be the next James Bond and the new Gary Lineker of broadcasting.
Today he’s happy with the occasional CBBC presenting gig and making a more than decent living as a DJ – on Heart FM as well as the provincial club circuit – while staying close to his family. If only that was what Michelle wanted too.
‘They’re pulling in different directions right now and no matter how much they try to fight it, this isn’t a recipe for success,’ a well-placed insider tells Now. ‘What makes it sad is that the better Michelle does in her career, the harder it is for her marriage.
‘If she’d left Corrie and struggled to get roles, then there would have been nothing to stop her settling down and having babies. Mark earns more than enough to support her. But Michelle’s not a passenger. She’s an extraordinary woman and she’s finally waking up to her potential.’
MAKING HER MARK
Michelle’s stellar performance in the military drama Our Girl has caught the eye of some serious players in the movie business. Much of her success has hinged on her work overseas – in South Africa especially. Cape Town was a revelation for her and she did some serious networking there.
‘Michelle was hugely influenced by her time in Cape Town. She quickly became more cosmopolitan and sophisticated,’ adds a second source. ‘Places like Dubai, Las Vegas and Marbella suddenly seem very small-town to her. In Cape Town you bump into the likes of Sean Penn, Idris Elba, Charlize Theron and Matthew McConaughey, who’ve been filming there lately. There are a whole bunch of producers and directors out there on the lookout for new talent – and Michelle made a big impression.’
With a mother who hails from Gibraltar, Michelle has always seen herself as a citizen of the world and friends say she’s experienced an ‘awakening’ working abroad.
WORKING IT OUT
Even their shared passions may now keep them apart. Mark prides himself on maintaining a high level of fitness and in the early stages of their relationship would advise Michelle on her workouts.
Now, however, she’s on a different level. She’s spoken about the gruelling boot camp-style workouts she did for Our Girl and how they transformed her. Her focus is now on strength and endurance, rather than the ‘looks-obsessed approach’ favoured by Mark (who’s inordinately proud of his chiselled – not to mention lovingly waxed and moisturised – chest and abs).
‘Michelle has impressed her trainers immensely with her work ethic and that’s led to her being marked out as a candidate for serious action roles,’ adds our source.
‘Jennifer Lawrence is a role model of hers and she’s been told she’s on the right track for a Hunger Games or Lara Croft type of role. That would be a dream come true for her and it’s something she’s prepared to work very hard to achieve.’
TAKING IT TO THE LIMIT
And working hard is precisely what she’s doing. Currently filming Tina And Bobby in Manchester – the role she dyed her hair blonde for – Michelle’s pushing herself to the point of near exhaustion.
Last week she tweeted: ‘Just been sat here with headphones in my ears listening to NOTHING for the past 45mins and didn’t realise… Tired overload!!’
Such are the levels of concentration she demands, Now understands that Mark is discouraged from phoning . ‘It’s not quite method acting, but it’s not far off,’ says a pal. ‘She’s learning to inhabit a character, so breaking to chat about the weather in Chigwell every 30 minutes isn’t ideal.’
Meanwhile Mark’s family continue to drop hints about babies. But Michelle, it seems, is headed for Hollywood and showbiz immortality. She’s thinking of the bigger picture, which means Beverly Hills, not Billericay.
It’s a relationship that’s been lambasted since it started, with unimpressed One Direction fans taking to social media to slam their 11-year-age-gap romance.
Now, seven months on, we understand that the pair are at loggerheads after Cheryl, 33, asked 22-year-old Liam Payne to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
‘Cheryl’s been hurt badly in the past. Look at her marriage to Jean-Bernard [Fernandez-Versini]; it’s been so messy and she’s still not even divorced. She understandably wants to protect herself and she can’t see why Liam doesn’t get that,’ says our source, who adds: ‘Liam isn’t keen. He’d never do anything to hurt her. And deep down, Cheryl knows that so Liam doesn’t see the point.’
Shifting loyalties
The tension between them took a turn for the worse when Liam decided to go against Cheryl for the first time and leave the man who made him famous, Simon Cowell, signing with Universal’s Capitol Records instead.
‘Cheryl didn’t like it. She needs Simon to stay happy. But most of all it meant Liam was going off on his own and not including Cheryl in his new career direction,’ says a close insider. ‘Cheryl told Liam that if he didn’t go to Simon and at least talk it through with him, it would be a problem for her. But instead of trying to work it out, he basically told her he wasn’t going to play ball.
‘It knocked Cheryl sideways. At that point, it started to feel very unstable and that’s when Cheryl asked him to sign the confidentiality agreement. Liam knows everything about her. Cheryl told him she needs to feel secure that none of what goes on between them gets out.’
Keeping Quiet
Cheryl and Liam have been keeping a low profile recently. The pair haven’t been pictured in public for 54 days and their social media accounts have been very quiet in recent weeks.
‘It’s been pretty full-on for both of them and recently they haven’t seen eye to eye on everything,’ says our insider. ‘Their public silence started when Liam signed to Universal.’
new directions Another insider tells us: ‘Cheryl would definitely have preferred him to have stayed with
Simon’s record label because she’s so close to Simon and he was the one who made Liam a success in the first place.
‘But Liam signed to Universal for one reason and that’s because he didn’t want to be in competition with his fellow 1D boys. He went against Cheryl and he knew it would upset Simon, but he strongly felt he needed to go his own way.
‘He didn’t want to be vying for attention from a marketing budget within the same label,’ says our insider. ‘But now the pair have had a huge disagreement because of Cheryl’s commitment to Simon. Liam went with what was best for him – and what seems very likely to be an astute call on his behalf. Now, there’s Cheryl asking him to sign the confidentiality papers and he’s not happy at all.’
The Gap Widens
So, after all the arguments, are the pair drifting apart? After all, it seems Liam is more interested in Pokémon Go during dinner time. Our source reveals: ‘Cheryl was annoyed at Liam playing on his phone throughout their meals out. There are just some things that have started to irritate her.’
Our insider also tells us that Liam has no interest in the pair being seen together to build up their power-couple status. ‘This isn’t on his agenda. He finds it uncool,’ says the source. ‘Liam’s not interested in being stressed out by paps and trolls and demands on his life. He’s had five years of it in 1D. What he wants are simple pleasures like cooking, curling up together with the dog, training and making music.
But Cheryl’s on a totally different page and the gap between them is growing wider by the day.’
She’s just 2lb away from her goal weight of 8½st but has Kim Kardashian gone too far?
She’s just 2lb away from her goal weight of 8½st but has Kim Kardashian gone too far? Since giving birth to her son Saint last December, Kim’s lost over 5st using a rationing diet, a punishing workout routine and a lot of visits to her favourite aesthetic surgeon Dr Simon Ourian.
‘Kim’s dream is to be a sample size,’ an insider reveals. ‘She’s desperate to get there as quickly as possible now.’
As Now reported in May, Kim’s started to undergo reduction surgery to get rid of her very famous behind. But as these pictures show, as the fat is removed from her bum it appears to have moved around onto her thighs, forming a lump. And Kim is in turmoil about it, with our insider adding: ‘Her bum is all she talks about. It’s so lumpy.’
Her bottom isn’t all Kim, 35, is working on. Last week, Dr Ourian revealed she’d had a non-surgical tummy tuck. ‘The collagen layer of the skin is heated up so that the skin contracts under the laser’s effects,’ he explained. ‘Tightening of the skin is noticeable right after the procedure.’
Kim’s fans are concerned with her obsession. It seems not a day goes by when the mum of two isn’t posting Snapchat videos about her weight loss. ‘Kim looks sick, why she lose so much weight?’ one fan tweeted. Kim’s been following a strict Atkins-style diet – cutting out carbs and reducing her calories to 1,200 a day – since February.
The reality star has also followed a strict workout regime, including daily four-mile runs, 1,000 rope jumps and sit-ups, planks, push-ups and hill sprints. Last week, Kim showed her devotion to getting a ‘sample size 0 body’ by saying she hasn’t missed a day of working out since she started, telling her fans: ‘No days off!’
But will she ever slow down? Kim admitted: ‘I’m not stopping. I’ve never felt better. I worked my ass off, I’ve altered my life and I’m proud of that.’
The actress confirmed to her Twitter fans on Saturday that she and Italian Gio – who met on Strictly Come Dancing last year – have called time on their relationship but remain close friends.
‘It is with great sadness we have decided to split up,’ Georgia, 25, wrote in an emotional message. ‘There is nobody else involved.
‘Although it was not an easy decision to make sometimes you realise that it is better to be friends and this is one of those times.
‘We both have very busy work schedules for the rest of the year so we are both going to focus on our upcoming work projects and we wish each other well for the future.’
Georgia added alongside the post: ‘Thank you for all your support for us during and after the series. I love you all very much. @pernicegiovann1’
Giovanni, 25, reTweeted his former girlfriend’s message.
Since announcing the shock news Georgia has made it clear that she’s devastated and doesn’t want to receive any mean Tweets about the split.
‘Nothing i ever said about my feelings to gio were fake before people start,’ the former Coronation Street star added. ‘I still love him very very much. But things change. Please…
‘Be respectful to me at this time by not saying awful things. This is a hard time for me.’
Georgia and Gio started dating around New Year time after the end of Strictly and quickly became inseparable. They embarked on the Strictly tour as an item and then moved in together in London in February. Georgia even started learning Italian after meeting her boyfriend’s family in his home country.
They’ve always made an adorable duo so fans have been left stunned by their sad break-up.
One follower Tweeted Georgia saying: ‘shocked to see this just now, thought u were perfect together, wishing u both all the very best in the future’
Georgia then replied ‘so did i’ and added a crying emoji face.
It comes just a couple of days after the actress shared a selfie with Gio on Instagram and captioned it: ‘My favourite human being. @pernicegiovanniofficial’
A photo posted by Georgia May Foote (@georgiamay112) on
Georgia will now be focusing on her role in the upcoming tour of the stage show of Breakfast At Tiffany’s whilst Giovanni is getting ready to participate in the new series of Strictly Come Dancing, with the launch show due to air on Saturday night.
Don't stress. Switch off and practice mindfulness for a calmer life
It’s the hot topic on everyone’s lips but we’re still a little baffled. Gareth Stubbs, Co-Founder of Spanish mindfulness health retreat, D-Toxd, fills us in on this year’s tranquil trend…
Mindfulness
‘The quality or state of being conscious or aware of something’
So, WTF does that mean?
Gareth explains: ‘In today’s busy life, it’s easy to forget about the simple things. Before we know it, we’re feeling burnt out, stressed and stretched to our limits.
He adds: ‘People confuse mindfulness with switching off and quietening the mind however it’s NOT about switching off in the slightest. It’s about being at peace and quiet with the noise going on around you. It’s about turning down the volume and tuning into YOU.’
Gareth recommends incorporating five minutes of mindfulness into your daily routine. Try these simple tips…
…and breathe
Take a few moments out of your day to focus on your breathing. Sit comfortably, close your eyes and breathe in through your nose for the count of four, hold for the count of three and exhale through your mouth for the count of six. Do this four or five times, three times a day.
De-clutter your mind
Spend five minutes, three times a day, focusing on your thoughts. Put a pen and paper next to you, close your eyes and just be aware of everything that comes up. As it does, write it down and then return to your eyes-closed position. Once you have completed your five minutes, go through your list and see what requires attention and what can be ‘filed’.
Eat one meal in complete silence every week. Turn off the TV, set a place at the table, light a candle and just sit and eat your meal alone. Put down your knife and fork between each mouthful, focusing on the flavours, textures and tastes of your food. Eating mindfully improves our digestion and leads to eating smaller portions; as you’re eating slower and savouring your meal, you become more mindful of when your body is satisfied.
For more information on D-Toxd, head to www.d-toxd.com
Yep, we’re talking about Salford group Yes Lad, who impressed the judges and fans at home with their rendition of Justin Timberlake’s hit Can’t Stop The Feeling but left less of a positive impact with their choice of moniker.
Even Simon Cowell struggled with it and left everyone cringing when he attempted to say ‘Yes Lad’ in a Northern twang.
Meanwhile viewers at home took to Twitter to give the name a bit of stick…
Yikes, not a popular choice. But long-time X Factor viewers will remember that this isn’t the first slightly cringe name in the show’s history…
So we ask you this – is Yes Lad as bad as THESE monikers of X Factor past?
Addictiv Ladies, 2005
2014 finalist Fleur East must totally cringe when she looks back at her first audition for the show during series two back in 2005 – mainly because she was in a girl group named ADDICTIV LADIES. With no ‘e’ on addictive because, y’know, it was cool in the mid-2000s.
The Unconventionals, 2006
Sorry, guys, you look like lovely people’n all but this just sounds like a bad superhero movie (and we really don’t need any more of those).
2 Shoes, 2011
Okay, we get it, the 2 refers to the fact that this group – consisting of Essex girls Charley Bird and Lucy Texeira – were a duo. But shoes usually come in twos, so it doesn’t exactly stand out. Maybe 3 Shoes we could get on board with? Or maybe not.
MK1, 2012
To any one of a certain age (ahem), the term MK1 will not remind you of this group from the 2012 series of The X Factor. It will remind you of discount clothing store Mark One, latterly known as MK One before it went into administration (sob) in 2008.
Alien Uncovered, 2015
Still don’t quite know what this means. These ladies, mentored by Cheryl, were eliminated in the first week of the live shows and we spent the remaining weeks pondering what an uncovered alien is (sort of).
Remember any other terrible X Factor names? Let us know!
Something pretty special is happening for Liam's 23rd birthday
Liam Payne takes a selfie, August 2016
Liam Payne will be celebrating his birthday in style this year after getting a very special present.
The singer – who turns 23 on Monday – has found himself at the centre of a fundraising scheme set up by fans in honour of his big day, meaning that admirers will send donations to a cause close to his heart rather than buy him gifts.
An online campaign has been set up online allowing fans to support The Way Youth Zone, a community centre in Liam’s home city of Wolverhampton which he has previously lent his support to.
A message from the founder of the fundraising page says: ‘Liam Payne has done so much for fans so we the fans would like to give back.
‘In honor of his 23rd birthday, we are collecting donations for the Way Youth Zone in Wolverhampton, a purpose-built facility for the city’s young people aged 8-19 (and up to 25 for those with disabilities).’
One Direction star Liam has now caught wind of the campaign and he’s thrilled to be getting such a poignant present.
The soon-to-be birthday boy shared a photo of an article about the fundraising in a Wolverhampton newspaper and wrote on Instagram: ‘My mum just showed me this
‘who’s ever idea that was thank you so much what an amazing birthday present’
Awww. We bet Liam’s girlfriend Cheryl, 33, will be proud of the gift too given that she also supports good causes helping young people.
The former X Factor judge even has her own foundation, Cheryl’s Trust, which works with disadvantaged youths in the North East.
This very generous gift in honour of Liam’s big day marks what’s already been a huge year for him.
Not only have 1D gone off on their hiatus but Liam has also started work on his solo career, having announced in July that he’s signed for Capitol Records UK.
He also of course hit the headlines back in February when his relationship with Chezza became public knowledge.
Fans start trending #justinssextapeleakedparty thanks to some racy new photos
Justin Bieber out in London, 21 August 2016
Justin Bieber has sparked a fresh social media scandal over some raunchy new photos of him and rumoured girlfriend Sofia Richie.
Pictures have emerged of the 22-year-old singer putting on an extreme PDA with Sofia on holiday in Mexico, with snaps showing them cuddling and kissing outside of their hotel.
Sofia – the daughter of Lionel Richie who just turned 18 a few days ago – straddles Justin in some of the shots whilst wearing a tiny bra top and bikini bottoms whilst other X-rated pictures show Justin’s bum hanging out of his pink shorts.
Perhaps the raciest photo of all shows Justin getting on top of Sofia as she lies underneath him with her legs in the air. Cripes.
The photos are so saucy that fans quickly started trending #justinssextapeleakedparty on Twitter and the reactions have been pretty incredible.
In fact many social media users think Justin could even delete his account over the scandal…
Blimey. It all comes after Justin shut down his Instagram account earlier this month after an online spat with ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez over selfies he posted of him and Sofia.
Justin warned his followers that he’d close his page due to their harsh comments about Sofia when he wrote: ‘I’m gonna make my Instagram private if you guys don’t stop the hate this is getting out of hand
‘if you guys are really fans you wouldn’t be so mean to people that I like’
Selena then blasted Biebs, writing back in the comments: ‘If you can’t handle the hate then stop posting pictures of your girlfriend lol
‘it should be special between you two only. Don’t be mad at your fans. They love you and supported you before any one ever did’
This sparked an extensive row, resulting in the hashtag #SelenaEndedJustinParty and Justin ultimately ditching Insta.
After a controversial few months for the star – involving poor reviews for his recent V Festival, internet wars (obvs, see above) and getting cosy with his new girl – the closure of his Twitter would add even MORE to the drama.
Swimmer Rebecca Adlington lets us in on how she maintains her gorgeous figure
Rebecca Adlington ready for Good Morning Britain appearance in August 2014
Twice Olympic gold medalist Rebecca Adlington, 27, shares her top-to-toe health secrets with Now. From workout regimes to guilty food pleasures, she reveals all!
Hi Rebecca! What’s your favourite way to work out?
I do a mixture of swim and gym about three times a week for an hour and a half. I don’t have much time for anything else especially now that I have my daughter (Summer, one).
How do you motivate yourself to work out?
To be honest, mine is more about health. I don’t have a goal or anything, I’m not working out to achieve something, it’s more about health and lifestyle. I feel better once I’ve worked out.
How do you stay fit while looking after Summer?
When you’re a mum you’re just chasing round after your little one; Summer is walking and everything! I take her out every single day, we’ve got two little dogs so we walk the dogs and go swimming; that’s something we’ve been doing since she was three weeks old.
That’s great!Do you have a favourite body part?
Ooh! This is a tough one because it’s my worst but best body part. I’d say my shoulders. They’re very big and I sometimes struggle to fit into clothes but they’ve been my power, they’ve been my strength, they’ve given me four Olympic medals. Pretty impressive! What about least favourite body part?
My tummy, especially now I’ve had a baby. You just always seem to have this little pouch.
Have you got a guilty food pleasure?
Cake! Definitely cake. I love red velvet cake. That’s my absolute fave. I have a slice about twice a week.
Do you use any health apps?
Ooh, health apps, what have I got? (looks at phone). I’ve got like a Seven Minute Workout one. I used to use My Fitness Pal I got fed up of it because I make everything from scratch so I’m just like, ‘sod this I’m not doing this anymore’!
Do you take any health supplements?
Just a multi-vit and some fish oil because I don’t eat any fish so I make sure I’m taking fish oil every day.
Rebecca’s food diary
Now’s expert sports nutritionist Ollie Frost gives his verdict on her daily diet
BREAKFAST- Homemade granola with strawberries and blueberries with homemade cashew milk.
OLLIE SAYS: Homemade granola is high in dietary fat which will off-set hunger preventing poor diet decisions later on in the day. Berries of all kind are high in volume and low in calories- perfect for breakfast!
Cals: 450
LUNCH- Eggs and avocado on toast.
OLLIE SAYS: Both eggs and avocado can lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels (fat in the blood). The inclusion of carbohydrates means Rebecca can recover and perform optimally when training.
Cals: 490
DINNER- Courgetti spaghetti Bolognese.
OLLIE SAYS: Courgetti is another excellent food that is high in volume but low in calories; perfect for fitting into a calorie controlled eating plan. Red meat contains vitamin b12, whichcan help convert food into energy.
Cals: 440
SNACKS – Always a coffee. An apple and fruit and a protein shake.
OLLIE SAYS: Snacking on fruit which contains dietary fibre will help maintain a healthy digestive system and control hunger levels. If you don’t have access to protein shakes, 30g of unsalted nuts is a suitable replacement.
Cals: 251
TOTAL CALS: 1631
OLLIE’S VERDICT: Rebecca’s food diary contains plenty of single ingredient, nutrient dense food, which will supply her body with the necessary vitamins and minerals as well as energy to fuel her daily activity. Include a whole spectrum of food sources to ensure you nourish your body as best as possible.
Rebecca Adlington is encouraging families to ‘just keep moving’ with Disney, Change4Life and the Amateur Swimming Association. Book your swim session at www.disney.co.uk/justkeepmoving.
Power to the women of the world that have gorgeous curves and aren't afraid to show them!
Beyonce in concert on the 'Formation: World Tour' at Marlins Park, Miami, 27 April 2016
Ever thought and taken a long hard look in the mirror and wondered WWBD? What WOULD Beyoncé do? You’ve got a gorgeous female figure with curves out of this world but you have no idea how to showcase them to their fullest form?
Well fear not because we’ve created this gallery of our favourite 11 ladies that have some curves that are out of this world.
There’s no denying their style either! They’re our night-out inspiration and show us the perfect way to show off our very own curvaceous figures.
So whether you’re in need of some Summer shopping-spiration or fancy looking at a gallery of gorgeous looking women with curves then you need to check out some of our favourite ladies.
The celebrities mentioned in this article are not associated with eBay in any way.
Facelifts, boob jobs and even more work on her behind
While her sister’s dropping the pounds, Kylie Jenner’s putting them on all of her boyfriend Tyga’s favourite places. Now can reveal the youngest Kardashian is planning more surgery to get the body of the rapper’s dreams.
‘Kylie’s obsessed with looking like Tyga’s ultimate Barbie doll,’ says our insider. ‘When she catches him looking at other girls it makes her insecure. The sad fact is Kylie’s still a teenager. ’
So what’s Kylie, 19, planning next? ‘She’s already had two boob jobs and wants two more to take her to a DD,’ they add. ‘ She’s had a mini-facelift and Lipodissolve on her waist, upper arms and thighs. The size of her bum is down to fillers that she’s continuing to use.
‘Kylie tells herself she’s doing it slowly and subtly, as her mum Kris and sister Kim advised her , but she’s not. Overnight her lips and breasts have exploded in size and now her butt’s getting bigger. She’s had so much liposuction off her waist people are wondering if she had a rib removed.’ But Kylie won’t be stopping anytime soon – she loves the attention Tyga, 26, is lavishing on her. ‘She’s hooked on surgery – it’s becoming a security blanket,’ adds the source.
Our surgeon Dr Tahl N Humes, medical director of Vitahl Medical Aesthetic, agrees. ‘It does look like Kylie’s had breast augmentation from her photos,’ she tells us.
‘While many women have augmentations young, it’s extreme to have multiple surgeries of the face and body. Although Kylie has stopped growing, so to speak, her body will continue to develop and change due to hormonal changes. It’s extreme to feel that you need a lot of surgeries at a young age.’
When their relationship came to light on 14 June, after the pair met on 1 May at Anna Wintour’s Pre-Met Gala dinner, Tom Hiddleston and Taylor Swift PDA’d all over the world. From meeting each other’s parents less than a month after the romance started to loved-up holidays in Italy and hanging out with their friends on 4 July, it seemed like Hiddleswift were on some bizarre honeymoon.
But after Taylor went to Australia with Tom in early July so he could continue filming Thor: Ragnarok, she returned to the US without him. And even though Tom returned to LAX on 10 August, he left just four days later and wasn’t pictured with Taylor.
As Now went to press, it had been over three weeks since we’d seen a picture of the couple.
‘Tom’s on his knees with exhaustion,’ an insider tells Now. ‘In LA he was meeting with film industry chiefs. There wasn’t time to catch up with Taylor. He’s shattered, though, and everyone’s worried about him. He’s working over 18 hours a day and he’s got some intense scenes coming up in Thor, so he’ll be immersing himself back in the role for the next few weeks.’
Work clashes
Taylor’s made it clear she needs a break from work following her huge 1989 world tour. And last week her music label boss Scott Borchetta confirmed Taylor would not be releasing another album this October – as she has done every two years with all but one of her five studio albums. But Tom is busier than ever and the time zones are causing a major problem.
Our insider adds: ‘Tom’s got this massive time difference to deal with so he’s jet-lagged half the time. Taylor calls at all hours and if he doesn’t answer it can turn into a fight. He can’t stand to upset her, so he’s pretty much conditioned to pick up the phone any time, day or night.’
The love-in has ended…
Remember Tom’s gushing comments about Taylor when they first started dating? ‘She was very charming… she’s amazing,’ he cooed, after hitting it off with Taylor at the Met Gala Dinner.
It seems the fun has worn off, as when Tom was asked about what he’d learned from dating ‘amazing’ Taylor, there were no niceties.
Stumbling over his words, he eventually said: ‘We all live in a world where every phone has a camera and there’s nothing new, really, about the spotlight on me. I think that’s what happens when you’re a public figure.’ It’s not surprising Tom’s guarded, given how much attention was being paid to their relationship – but it’s a world away from the glowing girlfriend reviews he used to give her.
Different lives
Before he started dating Taylor, Tom lived a quiet life. Meeting the singer pushed him into the spotlight and from the smile on his face in all of their photos, Tom loved every second. But now reality’s hit, it seems he’s finding it hard. ‘It’s not just Taylor’s demands that have him running ragged – all the attention and the constant speculation on the state of their relationship has got him bewildered,’ explains our source. ‘Before Taylor, he’d never experienced fame at this level.
‘The thing is, Tom’s normally so enthusiastic about things. But he’s dead behind the eyes right now and he’s exhausted. Taylor might be used to living out of a private jet and flying all over the world, but Tom’s not quite there yet.’ The question is, will he ever be?
The good, the bad and the mad from this year's MTV VMAs red carpet
Baddie Winkle, Beyonce and Ariana Grande
We’ve lived through enough celeb awards shows to know what to expect from the red carpet – namely glitz, flashed flesh and a good dose of ridiculousness to get those flashbulbs popping.
But this year, the MTV VMAs threw up a few unexpected surprises, too. Who, for example, could have predicted seeing a 88-year-old granny rocking up on the red carpet in a daring nude-coloured, full-body catsuit, with only a generous splattering of sequins to protect her modesty? But there was cult geriatric clotheshorse Baddie Winkle looking flippin’ fabulous, sparkly walking stick and all.
Another sartorial surprise came as celeb after celeb chose to hide their Pilates-honed pins away, with stars including Ariana Grande, Joan Smalls and Hailey Baldwin opting to don a pair of trousers, which is officially enough for us to call it as a trend. Don’t worry though, there was still plenty of flesh-flashing thanks to see-through fabrics and itsy bitsy crop tops.
Special mention must go to Beyonce, who seemingly floated into the bash all regal-like (well, they don’t call her Queen Bey for nothing, you know) in an unusual number that saw a mass of feathers framing her perfect face. Yes, it was weird, but you know what? It totally worked. Excuse us whilst we do the obligatory curtsey.
From one form of weird to another, Rita Ora was her usual mish-mash of fashion madness, combining sheer lace, coloured fur and faux feathers in her outfit, finishing the look with shiny platform shoes and a cockatoo-inspired hair ‘do.
Meanwhile, Kim Kardashian continued to redefine the phrase ‘Da Bomb’ by slipping in to a sexy, semi-sheer minidress that looked as though it was constantly one fateful move away from allowing one of her boobs to escape. Thankfully, hubby Kanye West was by her side to stay on boob watch, and wardrobe malfunctions were avoided.
Check out these and all the other celebrity outfits from the MTV VMAs 2016 in the gallery below!
The beyond-cute pair that are Drake and Rihanna stole the show at the MTV VMA‘s on Sunday night when the rapper confessed his love for the Barbadian singer live on stage in a moment that will make your heart melt.
The Canadian babe was tasked with presented RiRi with the Michael Jackson Vanguard award at the event in New York, and took the opportunity to announce that she was ‘someone I’ve been in love with since I was 22 years old.’
HOLD IT TOGETHER, YOU GUYS.
Drake’s confession soon prompted social media speculation that the pair – who have stoked the ‘are they, aren’t they’ fires over the years with their raunchy music videos and close relationship – would soon get engaged, and watching the touching VMA moment it’s not hard to see why.
Dressed up in a smart tux and bow-tie for the occasion, Drake looked overcome with emotion at times as he made a gushing speech about his fellow Work singer.
‘When it comes to music she relentlessly takes over the charts with every release,’ he said.
‘When it comes to performance, they swarm in masses just to be in her presence,’ adding ‘obviously’ as he gave a soppy look in her direction.
He continued: ‘When it comes to fashion and style, she makes it look so effortless – until you try and do it yourself, which is when it gets a little awkward.’
There then appeared a big-screen image of Drake dolled up like Ri that had the singer in fits of giggles. OH YOU GUYS.
And there was more to come.
‘What’s most impressive isn’t the endless list of stats and accomplishments. What’s most impressive is the person,’ he continued.
‘Some artists need to play a character to achieve success, some need to downplay their own natural instincts to blend in. She succeeds by doing something no-one in this music industry does, which is being herself.
‘This woman has surpassed all competition whilst still being the same girl from Barbados, surrounded by the same friends, speaking with the same accent.
We love the music which can change styles, we love the
‘But most of all we love the woman who hasn’t changed since day one. She’s someone I’ve been in love with since I was 22 years old.’
Cue HUGE cheers from the audience and no doubt everyone watching around the world.
‘She’s one of my best friends in the world. All my adult life I’ve looked up to her, even though she’s younger than me. She’s a living, breathing legend in our industry.’
And with that he presented Rihanna with her award and leaned in for a kiss – prompting more screams and cheers from the crowd.
Katie Price and Kieran Hayler are having ‘explosive’ rows over Jordan’s comeback
The return of Jordan, as reported in last week’s Now, hasn’t gone down well with Katie Price’s husband Kieran Hayler. Our well-placed source tells us the pair are ‘fighting so much they often sleep in different bedrooms’.
‘They’ve had so many heated arguments in the past month over Katie’s behaviour, like when she flashed her boobs in front of photographers, that it’s become almost a weekly occurrence for them to have a big fallout,’ says our insider.
‘Katie’s number one way of punishing Kieran when they row is to withhold sex and that’s been happening a lot lately. They often spend nights in different bedrooms – up to three times a week.’
To make matters worse, we’re told 38-year-old Katie gets stressed out when she’s been spending long days filming.
‘The last thing she wants is Kieran complaining to her about what she sees as trivial things, like pictures of her body on the internet. The way Katie sees it, she’s the one making the money and he shouldn’t complain about anything she does to try to keep it rolling in. Jordan is back and building her “empire” and doing what made her most of her cash in the first place – stripping off and showing her assets.’
But for the first time since she took him back after he cheated on her, Kieran, 29, is really sticking up for himself and, we understand, isn’t scared of telling Katie what he thinks.
Our source continues: ‘They can have explosive fallouts and either Katie or Kieran will storm off and sleep in another bed. Then usually the next morning, everything goes back to normal and they’re getting on fine again until the next fallout. It’s hard for Katie, as she can have 18-hour days when she’s filming and needs to get rest in between to hold everything down – her work, being a mum and a wife to Kieran.
She finds it hard to balance everything, so when even the smallest argument erupts it can really get out of hand.’
The arguments have got so heavy, Katie is even considering counselling again. ‘Katie loves Kieran but tends to freak out when they’re going through a rocky patch. Everyone tells her it’s just part and parcel of being married, but she’s still so wounded by when he cheated on her that she tends to think every row could be detrimental to their relationship. She’s even said they might need more counselling to become close again.’ Or maybe just cut down the naked selfies? Just a thought, Katie…
The former Strictly lovebirds split over the weekend
Fans of Georgia May Footeand Giovanni Pernice have urged the couple to give it another go after the former Coronation Street actress revealed she is heartbroken over their split.
Gorgeous Georgia shared a snap on Instagram showing her and BFF Tia Rose dolled up on Sunday night, clearly ready to make the most of the Bank Holiday weekend – her first as a single gal.
Her followers soon replied with words of comfort and advice, with many pleading with her to talk things over with Giovanni.
One wrote: ‘Stay off SM , Go back & talk 2 @pernicegiovann1 , something so good is worth fighting for it doesn’t go bad over night ’
Another posted: ‘If there’s any possibility u can work it out with @pernicegiovann1 then go fight for it.U 2 looked as if u were meant 2 be ❤️‘
‘Oh Georgia..is there any hope of u & @pernicegiovann1 mending fences!?!?…I really hope so..you’re the perfect duo #TeamGG XX’ a third fan added.
Georgia, 25, announced her split from Italian stallion Giovanni in an emotional Instagram post over the weekend, writing: ‘‘It is with great sadness we have decided to split up.’
She added: ‘There is nobody else involved.’
Team GG, as they became known, first met when they were partnered together on last year’s series of Strictly.
Georgia had a boyfriend in the shape of fellow Corrie star Sean Ward when she joined the show, but as the sparks flew with her dance partner, the pair soon split and Georgia and Giovanni went on to confirm their relationship shortly after the series ended.
We’ll be keeping our fingers crossed that Team GG can reignite that spark…
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@pernicegiovanniofficial’
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(@AlohaKirstie) 
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