I had such high hopes
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Ok, here’s what happened to Madison after her sudden exit from Love Is Blind season eight
Inside Bear Grylls’s huge nepo baby off-screen life, including his real posh name
He's the son of a Tory politician and went to Eton?!
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Men arrested for stealing 200 packs of butter and 146 blocks of Parmesan cheese
The recipe for the perfect crime involves at least 200 bars of butter and nearly 150 blocks of cheese.
At least, that’s according to two men that German police arrested on Thursday for stealing a ‘considerable amount of food’.
The alleged shoplifters were pulled over while driving along Kölner Landstraße, a road that runs through the Wersten district of Düsseldorf.
Inside the boot and stacked high on the back seats of the Mercedes car, patrol officers found 200 packs of butter, 146 pieces of Parmesan cheese, several bags of Ariel washing liquid pods and salmon.
The men, both aged 50, also had bolt cutters, a machete and two knives in the vehicle.
‘The duo could not provide any plausible explanations for the items found,’ the police said.
Police first grew suspicious of the men, a German and Romanian national, when they noticed their car was registered in Cologne.
The officers stopped the vehicle as part of a ‘strategic search’ that, police said, allowed them to temporarily arrest the suspected food thieves.
Neither man could show police a receipt for the haul of dairy goods.
Investigators discovered the food was taken from a local discount grocer, which police gave back
The suspects were already known to the police for similar thefts, the force added.
They have since been released ‘due to a lack of grounds for detention’.
While sacks of bank notes or expensive phones might be the usual MO of thieves, stealing butter does make a lick of sense in Germany.
The average price tag of a stick of butter in Germany has increased by nearly 66% in the last four years, much like other household groceries.
Between 2023 and 2024, butter prices saw a head-spinning rise of 40%. A 250g block of butter can now set shoppers back up to €4 (about £3.33).
Dairy manufacturers in Germany say the price hikes are down to a global shortage of milk fuelled by the Russia-Ukraine war.
Fewer shoppers in Germany are also popping butter in their baskets, dairy farmers say, but demand for cheese remains high.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].
For more stories like this, check our news page.
‘Give us Pirates’ – Kaizer Chiefs fans demand a Soweto Derby rematch
Chiefs and Pirates could face each other in the Nedbank Cup quarter-finals if they draw each other on Monday.
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Druski reveals upcoming movie featuring him, Kai Cenat, and Kevin Hart
During an episode of The Breakfast Club podcast on February 14, Druski revealed that there is a planned movie featuring him, Kai Cenat, and Kevin Hart.
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Masked Singer viewers say ‘make it stop’ just seconds into the show’s final after star’s performance
THE Masked Singer final has had viewers begging for one performance to stop, just seconds after the ITV show started.
The final of ITV‘s The Masked Singer has kicked off, but viewers at home have been less than impressed with the show’s opening number.
TV host Joel Dommett kicked off the show with a rendition of Blondie’s ‘One Way Or Another’ as he walked through the studio flanked by dancers.
He gave each of the panellists a go at singing too as Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross and Maya Jama all took turns at belting out lyrics to the iconic song.
The song then ended with McFly singer Danny Jones taking over, as the winner of last year’s show returned to the stage.
However viewers at home weren’t impressed with the performance, as some asked the show to ‘make it stop’.
Writing on social media one viewer wrote: “Oh no! Who on earth thought that it would be okay to let Joel sing? It’s bad enough when he speaks!”
Another posted: “Oh my ears, someone gag Joel…”
“That opening was exactly like a karaoke session after bottomless brunch,” said a third.
Another shared: “I love Joel, but good lord the singing.”
“Love Joel but he can’t out sing Danny there’s no contest,” said another.
Tonight fans will finally learn who has been masquerading as Wolf, Pufferfish and Dressed Crab for this series.
Theories for who the three mystery singers could be have been thrown out by fans of the show.
So far the guesses range from Wet Wet Wet superstar and Sweet Little Mystery crooner Marti Pellow as Wolf to West End superstar Samantha Barks as Pufferfish.
For the third singer, Dressed Crab has had many viewers have been convinced it’s Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Gregory Porter.
The final show also sees the three mystery singers duet with previous Masked Singer stars, including last year’s winner Danny Jones.
Danny also joins as a guest panellist, replacing comedian Mo Gilligan who is absent due to being on his comedy tour in the US.
Welsh Open snooker 2025 LIVE RESULTS: Maguire takes on Carter in HUGE semi NOW as Selby beats Brecel after migraine
THE Welsh Open is closing in on a thrilling finale in Llandudno – with Ali Carter facing Stephen Maguire in a semi-final RIGHT NOW!
Earlier, former world champion Mark Selby produced his best form against another ex-world champion in Luca Brecel – the match was stopped for a lengthy delay after Brecel was forced to leave the table due to a migraine.
Selby beat the Belgian Bullet 6-3 and will face the winner of Maguire vs Carter on Sunday.
A new champ is guaranteed to be crowned this weekend after 2024 Welsh Open winner Gary Wilson crashed out in the opening round.
- Start time: From 1pm GMT
- Live stream: discovery+ / BBC iPlayer
- TV channel: BBC Red Button
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‘It adds towards success’ – Why Arne Slot believes COFFEE is fuelling Liverpool Premier League title bid
LIVERPOOL’S Premier League title bid is being fuelled by daily coffee-shop chats.
Arne Slot’s Kopuccino kings — who have bean top of the table since November — built a coffee bar for the players at their Kirkby training centre.
This is where they can meet, eat and sink some caffeine when they are not roasting opponents on the pitch.
The foundations of championship-winning sides are built upon strong bonds within the dressing room.
In the 1980s and 90s, players would head to the pub to socialise but these days, modern ultra-professionals will meet as a group over a cuppa.
Liverpool manager Slot said: “They have always had breakfast together. What has changed, and what you see a lot, is we have created a coffee bar here.
“Players sit down over there, talk to each other, have a lot of fun together.
“If you have a coffee bar and you don’t have results, probably you don’t see the same vibe there. But I think it all adds towards success.
“I believe you need to have a good training ground. You need to have a good programme.
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“You definitely need to have good people. I took a few people to this club who I think are doing their jobs really well and are good human beings. But the ones who already worked here are great professionals and great human beings also.
“Add that to a great facility, great players and a great mentality, then that can lead to a successful period.”
Normally so cool and calm, Slot was surprisingly enraged by Everton’s wild celebrations following the 2-2 draw with Liverpool in the last Merseyside Derby at Goodison on Wednesday.
Post-match, Slot was sent off and faces a possible ban after being charged by the FA with abusing ref Michael Oliver and his assistant.
Slot has refused to apologise but accepts he would have acted differently with the benefit of hindsight.
The Dutchman, 46, said: “In general or 99 per cent of the time, I can cope with my emotions quite well.
“But yeah, it’s clear that I couldn’t cope with my emotions well enough during the game.
“Especially after the game. That had all to do with how the intentional five minutes ended up being eight extra-time minutes.
“Emotions took over after these seven or eight minutes, which I don’t think will ever be the same again in terms of all the games I’m going to play as a manager.
“But still, if, if, if it happens next time, I should act differently. That’s completely clear.
“I saw players coping much better than they did last season. Mentally, I mean. That’s the biggest win and gain we could have gotten from this game.
“That gives us a lot of confidence for the upcoming 14 games.
“Because we already knew that in terms of playing football, we’re quite good at that.”
Before hosting Wolves at Anfield today, Liverpool’s lead at the top was cut to four points following Arsenal’s 2-0 win at Leicester yesterday.
The Reds are on the longest current unbeaten run in English league football — 20 games — as they chase a second Prem crown, although they did exit the FA Cup at Championship side Plymouth.
Slot added: “In general, the second half of the season for everyone is harder because teams are coming closer to the line.
“So they’re fighting maybe harder to stay up, for Europe or league position.”
I felt a bomb drop when I heard Rob’s diagnosis – but his utterly selfless reaction stunned me, says Lindsey Burrow
RUGBY league hero Rob Burrow spent four years battling motor neurone disease while courageously raising awareness of the condition and more than £20million for charity.
Yesterday, in an exclusive interview with The Sun, his widow Lindsey told how she and kids Macy, 13, Maya, nine, and six-year-old Jackson, made forever memories with the Leeds Rhino player in his last hours.
Today, in extracts from her new book, Take Care, Lindsey recalls the dark days after Rob’s death, and how moving it was as thousands turned out to pay respects.
Thursday 12 December 2019
This was the day our lives were blown apart. We had just moved into our dream home in Pontefract and life seemed perfect.
Macy was eight and dreamed of playing the lead in a West End musical while Maya, just four, fancied becoming a movie star. Jackson was about to turn one.
I knew Rob secretly hoped Jackson would follow him into rugby league and play for Leeds Rhinos.
Rob played almost 500 games for Leeds and won eight Super League Grand Finals and 18 international caps before retiring after a winning Grand Final in 2017 and taking up a coaching job.
We had an appointment at the Nuffield Hospital in Leeds with neurologist Dr Jeremy Cosgrove after Rob began slurring words. He had been exhausted for a few months and his mum Irene and former teammates had also noticed a slur in his speech.
‘Honesty of a child’
I became acutely aware of Rob’s speech problem when I heard how hard it was for him to say the word “solicitor” while buying our home.
Of course, I knew Rob wasn’t indestructible. I had seen him take brutal knocks over the course of his career, saw the impact on his body, and it was a relief when he played his last game.
But he was a little superman. When he held me close and told me everything would be all right, it was easy to believe him.
He was convinced the occasional slurs in his speech were a side effect of painkillers he was taking to cope with an old shoulder injury.
As we walked into Dr Cosgrove’s office, I noticed he’d been joined by a nurse. He looked steadily at Rob, maintaining eye contact, and told Rob he believed he had motor neurone disease.
Rob looked at him blankly because he had no idea of the severity of this sentence.
It was very different for me. As soon as I heard the words “motor neurone disease”, it was as if a bomb had fallen from the sky and blown me apart. I knew our glorious life together was over.
I found it difficult to look at Rob, the man I loved, because I understood what it meant. Rob would be buried alive in his own body. He would be trapped and paralysed beneath the rubble of MND.
Soon, he would no longer be able to dress or feed himself or go to the toilet on his own. Even while his brain remained alert, a time would come when he could no longer talk or move.
He would eventually struggle to breathe and swallow. An oxygen mask and intravenous feeding tube would be the only ways to keep him alive — if such an existence can be called a life.
On the walk to our car, Rob put his arm around me and said: “Thank God it’s me and not you or the children.” He didn’t say: “Why me?” There was no pity.
On the way home, Rob hit the speaker-phone button to call his parents Geoff and Irene.
Geoff, in particular, had such pride in the way his tiny son ripped up presumptions that he could never become a professional rugby league player.
The shock in Geoff’s voice at the devastating news filled the car. We heard him talking to Irene and she started crying. Geoff was so distraught it sounded as if he had collapsed.
Rob’s sister Claire came on the line and he told them everything was going to be OK. We then focused on the children and agreed we would not say anything to them until a few days after Jackson’s birthday party on Saturday.
What is motor neurone disease?
MOTOR neurone disease (MND) is a rare condition that affects the brain and nerves, according to the NHS.
It causes weakness that gets worse over time, and there is currently no cure for MND.
Up to 5,000 adults in the UK are affected by the condition, with one in 300 at risk during their lifetimes, data from Brain Tumour Research states.
It slowly robs patients of the ability to walk, talk and eat, although every sufferer is different.
Celebrities who have been diagnosed with the condition include English rugby league player Rob Burrow and the former Bradford City footballer Stephen Darby, both of whom had to retire from their sporting careers early.
Many people associate motor neurone disease (MND) with the scientist Stephen Hawking, who lived with the condition for more than 50 years.
There are many form of MND, which is an umbrella term. Some have a life expectancy of just a few months, while other forms of the disease don’t affect lifespan.
It is usually diagnosed in people over the age of 50, and men are at more risk than women. But many people outside of this are affected.
Monday 15 December 2019
Christmas was coming and we faced the horrible challenge of picking the right time to explain to the children that their dad would soon need special care.
Jackson, having just turned one, was too young to be included in our chat. But I called the girls’ school to explain our situation and the assistant headteacher gave me some pointers on how to talk to Macy and Maya.
Soon after they had demolished their tea, Rob and I sat down with Macy and Maya. We spoke as sensitively and thoughtfully as we could.
The girls listened quietly and then Maya piped up, saying: “Why are you telling us all this? It’s boring. Can we watch some TV?”
We couldn’t help but laugh. Her innocence, delivered with the blunt honesty of a child, wiped away our anxiety and dread.
I hugged her tight, and Macy too, and allowed them to turn on the television. Macy, four years older than Maya, absorbed the news in a different way.
She didn’t say much at first but later came to find me with a serious question. “Mum,” she said, “is Daddy going to die?”
I tried to give her the answer she deserved. We sat down and I explained that her dad’s disease was serious and that, yes, he would eventually die.
But I stressed that Rob and I believed this would not happen for many years. Her dad was a really determined person and would do all he could to look after himself.
“And Daddy’s got us, hasn’t he?” I said. “We’ll take special care of him, won’t we?”
Macy smiled, giving me a sudden burst of sunshine. “We will, Mum,” she said. “We really will.”
Sunday 7 July 2024
Today we say goodbye to Rob.
While we wait for the hearse I am anxious and can’t quite fulfil Rob’s example of living in the moment.
I desperately want the service to go well and do justice to Rob. Most of all, I am worried about the children.
I took them to the crematorium yesterday, as I felt it was important to show them what to expect and give the girls a chance to practise the eulogies they had prepared.
Macy and Maya look drawn and pale, while Jackson is just uncertain.
He clutches the worry worm that the nurses gave him the night before we lost Rob. It’s almost as if it will protect him because he now won’t leave home without it.
Maya always goes to bed with the knitted heart that she had placed in her dad’s hands in hospital, and sleeps with it under her pillow every night.
Macy, meanwhile, treasures the lock of her dad’s hair she had cut, so tenderly, before he slipped away. It is her most important keepsake.
For me, different memories help me through the pain. Of course, the more recent images in my head are sometimes harrowing, as I cared for Rob for years when he could no longer feed himself or go to the toilet. But I loved him beyond measure.
I had first gone out with Rob when we were 15 and we’d lived together for more than half of our 41 years of life.
There are so many snapshots of our sunlit joy in my head. Even death cannot dent, let alone erase, my love for Rob.
The funeral cortege crawls from our home in Pontefract to the local crematorium and thousands line the streets in Rob’s honour.
They wear rugby shirts of all colours, people step forward and touch the hearse, or leave flowers on it. Others stand and applaud with heartfelt warmth.
I feel choked up, seeing all these people. I remind the kids how their dad was admired and even adored but Macy speaks for all of us when, softly, she asks: “Why did it have to be my dad?’
It is beyond me to talk at the funeral but, somehow, here Maya and Macy are, willing to raise their young voices in honour of the father they have just lost.
A strange composure envelopes both girls.
Maya looks up at us. Her voice rings out, clearly and beautifully: ‘Thank you, everyone, for joining us to celebrate the life of our amazing dad.”
Macy talks about how her dad was the children’s “number one fan,” who “always had a smile on his face, especially when listening to Michael Jackson, drinking caffeine or watching the NFL”.
She continues: “Thank you for being our dad and looking after us.
You are without doubt the most bravest, loved dad in the whole world. I hope I grow up to be like you.”
Maya’s voice also fills the crematorium with love as she tells her dad how much he meant to her, adding: “We know that you will be with us every step of the way.
“Daddy, you will continue to inspire us every day and we will do our best to always make you proud. You’ll always have a special place in my heart.”
Later, I think back to how Rob fought so bravely against MND, inspiring millions of people, from the day he was first diagnosed.
- Adapted by Grace Macaskill from Take Care: A Memoir of Love, Family & Never Giving Up by Lindsey Burrow, published by Century on February 27, £22. ©Lindsey Burrow 2025
Watch moment Maura Higgins delivers ‘cheating’ jibe to ex Pete Wicks as she sends flowers to herself on Valentine’s Day
I’M A Celeb’s Maura Higgins dished up a Valentine’s Day jibe at her ex Pete Wicks.
Asked where the 37-year-old Strictly hunk was as she left a restaurant, she was caught on video replying: “Dunno, probably cheating.
This comes as Maura, 34, sent herself flowers on a lonely Valentine’s Day following her split from TV star Pete, 37.
The Love Island and I’m a Celeb beauty yesterday shared a picture of a bunch of red roses the day after it emerged her romance was over.
A note on the bouquet read: “To Me, Love Me.”
Meanwhile glum-looking Pete was pictured with his mum in Essex. He wore a baseball cap bearing the words “smoke and mirrors”.
Maura and Pete were in a relationship for months after knowing each other for six years.
But was revealed on Friday they had split despite a romantic Christmas break together in her native Ireland.
That evening the model slipped into a red mini-dress with rose motifs for a meal with hairstylist pal Carl Bembridge at a restaurant in London’s Mayfair.
Asked by a fan about where Pete was, she was filmed saying: “I don’t know, probably cheating.”
Neither Maura nor Pete have publicly commented about their separation but it was claimed they had had a series of arguments.
A source told The Sun on Sunday: “Maura was suspicious of Pete and whether he might have been messing her around.
“There’s been some rows over trust. Although they have both been coy about their relationship, she really liked him and saw a future.”
Maura discussed the budding relationship during her time on ITV1’s jungle show in November and December, but their romance was never made official.
They were caught sharing a kiss during a Soho dinner in August and in October they were spotted in another clinch after a date in Shoreditch, East London.
They were snogging again later that month at at the Pride of Britain awards after-party at Grosvenor House Hotel in Park Lane.
Maura told a podcast she “adored him”, while former Towie star Pete called her “super intelligent” and “incredibly witty”.
Confiding to GK Barry on I’m A Celeb, Maura said: “Well, we’ve already been papped, tongues down each other’s necks, and we had no idea.
“The funniest part was I had a vape in one hand and a cigarette in the other, living my best life.”
Later, on Loose Women, was asked: “Is there anything going on with Pete?”
Coy Maura responded: “He’s got better hair than me to be fair!
“There’s not really much to tell, I know that’s very boring. We’ve known each other for what, six years?”
Tattooed Pete became a viewers’ favourite while reaching the BBC’s Strictly semi-final with pro dancer Jowita Przystal, 30.
He had a string of romances on Towie — with Megan McKenna, 32, ditching him over sexting claims.
He recently confessed that he fears being alone forever and said he needs to work on himself.
Meanwhile, Maura, who became a household name in 2019 after becoming a finalist on the fifth series of Love Island, has said she struggles in romance because every man she gets involved with lets her down.
She left the ITV2 dating show in a relationship with dancer Curtis Pritchard, 29, but that hit the skids shortly afterwards.
Then she dated fellow Love Islander Chris Taylor followed by former Strictly pro Giovanni Pernice, both 34.
Opening up about her disastrous love life, straight-talking Maura said her ability to pick a good man is so bad, she once told her mum she would end up dating a serial killer.
The cheating jibe came just weeks after the couple were spotted beaming as they headed off on a festive getaway at swanky hotel Glasson Lakehouse in Co. Westmeath in Ireland.
