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the name game

I hope I offend no one when I say this but an ex of mine always used to roar with laughter at his airplane ‘joke’. ‘Tracy and Sharon at the back, I’m turning left,’ he’d snort as we got on a plane. One of my names is Tracy. One of his, Hugo. It didn’t offend me, but when my own baby daughter was born, I called her Danielle because I felt it wasn’t that popular and therefore she would never need to endure these ‘class’ jokes. Now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have got into another war over the name of their own baby girl. A name is important, and Lilibet Diana is a tall order to follow. Is it me, or is the criticism of Harry and Meghan becoming relentless? Did they ask the…

start your week with a smile

1 FUN IN THE SUN We’ve all been basking in the glorious sunshine of late and we hope it’s here to stay. We’re clearly not the only ones appreciating the heat, if this chap is anything to go by! Shared by Chester Zoo, the sifaka lemur looks like he’s doing a sun dance. We’re more than happy to join in too! The BAFTAs made a welcome return-a-long with some star-quality gowns 2 Who wowed the crowd? Boy did we love the fashion offerings at this year’s BAFTAs. Helena Bonham Carter, 55, made a playful entrance in a Dolce & Gabbana gown, while Stacey Dooley, 34, threw her look back to the Eighties in a Halpern black dress. And Oti Mabuse, 30, stunned in at high-split frock from Suzanne Neville. 3 BOBBY-DAZZLER It’s no secret that we…

kate’s olive branch

The Duchess of Cambridge allegedly told friends that she didn’t think it was too late to ‘pull Meghan Markle and Prince Harry back in’. And the birth of Harry and Meghan’s baby girl, Lilibet, is certainly a refreshingly positive piece of news amidst much heartache for the Royals. But Kate’s comment was made shortly before the new parents made a series of shocking claims about the Royal family – in their jaw-dropping Oprah interview. When the California-based couple sat down with Oprah Winfrey to open up about Royal life in March, the Duke of Sussex described his brother, William, as ‘trapped’ within the institution. Meghan also claimed that Kate made her cry at a bridesmaid dress fitting. Yet, according to the 39-year-old’s uncle, Gary Goldsmith, 56, the Duchess is a ‘brilliant peacemaker’ and doing…

is the feud with linda really all ‘codswallop’?

She’s been keeping a low profile of late, but Pauline Quirke was recently spotted out and about in the sun. The star, who was seen strolling in Buckinghamshire, looked relaxed sporting a new look – with her long, silvery locks cascading on to her shoulders. The new, longer hairstyle is a contrast to the trademark crop the 61-year-old actress favoured as Sharon in Birds of a Feather – but then, she won’t need to be reprising that look, as the long-running ITV sitcom about sisters Sharon and Tracey has been axed, amid rumours of feuds among the cast. The rumour is Pauline has fallen out with co-stars Lesley Joseph, 75, and Linda in a spat over the Christmas special of the Essex-set comedy. The fall-out is a sad one as Linda, 63, and…

in honour of dads!

Its Father’s Day this Sunday and, in a touching tribute, four of This Morning’s stars took a moment to think about the father figures in their own lives – and yes, it could bring a tear to your eye… ALISON HAMMOND ‘My step-dad is my rock’ The past year has been a desperately tough one for Alison, 46, who co-hosts This Morning’s Friday show with Dermot O’Leary. Last June, just four months after losing her beloved mum, Maria, to liver and lung cancer, her father, Clifford, died in Jamaica, and she was unable to attend his funeral due to Covid restrictions. Sharing a picture of him at the time, she told fans: ‘I’m saddened that I won’t be able to make his funeral and saddened that he wasn’t part of my life as…

mind over marathons

Former Made in Chelsea star Josh Patterson is much more than a reality star. He’s a guy who puts his fame to good use, and recently did something quite incredible – he became the first person in history to run a marathon in all four countries of the UK in 24 hours, with a time of 23:47:10, raising, to date, over £26,000 for the Samaritans. The dad-of-one (who shares four-year-old daughter, India, with his ex, Binky Felstead), has completed multiple gruelling challenges over the past two years, as part of his mission to redefine how mental health is perceived. Here, the former rugby-playing hunk, 29, tells us why his friends think he’s ‘bonkers’, why we should all push ourselves that bit harder, and why his little girl is never far…