THE official cause of death of General Hospital icon Leslie Charleson who died aged 79 has been revealed.

Leslie was best known for her role in the hit US soap opera where she played Monica Quartermaine for nearly 50 years, starring in an incredible 2,079 episodes.

Wikipedia / ABC

Leslie Charleson passed away at the age of 79[/caption]

Disney General Entertainment Con

Leslie played Monica Quartermaine (second right) in General Hospital[/caption]

The TV legend tragically passed away on January 12, with her cause of death being blunt head trauma, according to TMZ.

According to documents obtained by the news site, Leslie died from “sequelae of blunt head trauma” stemming from the long-term effects of a head injury she had suffered in the past.

It is unclear when the fall which ultimately led to her death occurred.

Her passing was announced last month by long term friend and General Hospital Executive Producer Frank Valentini.

He said in a heartfelt post: “It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my dear friend and colleague, Leslie Charleson.

“Her enduring legacy has spanned nearly 50 years on General Hospital alone and, just as Monica was the heart of the Quartermaines, Leslie was a beloved matriarch of the entire cast and crew.

“I will miss our daily chats, her quick wit and incredible presence on set.

“On behalf of everyone at General Hospital, my heartfelt sympathy goes out to her loved ones during this difficult time.”

Leslie started her acting career in the 1960s and gained early recognition for her role as Alice Whipple on the soap opera As the World Turns.

She joined the cast of General Hospital in 1977 where she became one of the show’s most beloved and longstanding characters.

At the time Leslie started on General Hopsital, she stepped in to replace Patsy Rahn, who originally played the character Monica.

Her impressive stint featured one of daytime TV’s biggest love triangles which included Rick, Monica and Alan.

Her acting skills earned her widespread acclaim and several award nominations.

In an episode that aired in February 2004, Leslie made a surprise appearance as a guest star in the phenomenally successful sitcom Friends.

She featured as herself on the game show “Pyramid” in The One Where the Stripper Cries.

Acting as a cameo on the sitcom spoke to her status as an adored on-screen presence.

Much to the dismay of hardcore fans, General Hospital was taken off and reduced to recurring status in 2010.

In 2018 the star injured herself while walking her dog, requiring her to be replaced for two months on the show.

General Hospital posted on X explaining the actress had hurt herself.

The statement read: “Leslie Charleson’s beloved dog, Riley Rose, was a little too eager for her morning walk and tripped Leslie – injuring her leg.

“Unfortunately, she will need to be replaced in shows already written.”

In recent years Leslie’s health wavered further and the Kansas City native hasn’t appeared on the ABC soap since December 2023.

Her cherished character continued to be mentioned on the show despite her absence, with Monica referred to as being upstairs in the mansion.

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Leslie even once starred in an episode of Friends[/caption]

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy

(15) 125mins

★★★★☆

WHEN new heartthrob actor Leo Woodall was asked if he felt “objectified”, he replied that he couldn’t help asking himself, “Am I that guy?”

Judging by the fourth and (allegedly) final Bridget Jones movie, he need not spend any more time agonising over that question.

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Bridget Jones, played by Renee Zellweger, develops a simmering mutual affection for her kids’ science teacher Mr Wallaker (Chiwetel Ejiofor)[/caption]

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Renée Zellweger and new heartthrob actor Leo Woodall[/caption]

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Hugh Grant pops up as cad Daniel Cleaver[/caption]

Because, really, the 28-year-old star of One Day is just eye candy.

Charisma or screen presence certainly aren’t among Leo’s attributes.

But his character, Roxster, is key to some of the biggest gags in this very welcome return for the much-loved bumbling Bridget.

A scene where the toned actor takes immediate action on seeing a helpless dog paddling for dear life in a pool is comedy gold.

That is one of many times when the director decided it was absolutely essential for “the Roxster” to get his top off.

As always, though, it is the brilliant Renee Zellweger as Bridget who drives the humour along.

At the start, the avid diary keeper is four years widowed following the death of her husband Mark Darcy.

While stuck up a tree trying to rescue her two young children, our heroine first meets the chivalrous Roxster.

As that passionate romance burns brightly, Bridget develops a simmering mutual affection for her kids’ science teacher Mr Wallaker (Chiwetel Ejiofor).

Cue lots of moments of embarrassment, with Mr Wallaker seeing sexual health leaflets falling out of her daughter’s bag or standing behind Bridget as she buys condoms.

Chiwetel, who also goes topless, is everything Leo isn’t — a strong actor able to find depth and empathy in the most ridiculous lines.

The problem is, that as his character comes more into Bridget’s life, the humour starts to drop off.

That’s not Chiwetel’s fault, as the script often veers towards tear-jerking moments about coping with grief when Mr Wallaker is around.

But director Michael Morris carefully plays his comedy trump card to ensure Mad About The Boy never gets too mawkish.

Hugh Grant also pops up as cad Daniel Cleaver.

There’s little that is original, but good old-fashioned bawdy humour and pratfalls are rare in film these days.

It is a riot of silliness that sticks two fingers up at anyone worrying about men being “objectified”.

GRANT ROLLINGS

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD

(12A) 118mins

★★★☆☆

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Super soldier Steve Rogers has been replaced by regular military veteran Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie)[/caption]

KEEPING up with the Marvel universe can be difficult if you are not a massive fan.

In the fourth Captain America movie, super soldier Steve Rogers has been replaced by regular military veteran Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) as the man wielding the Stars and Stripes shield.

Sam, previously the Falcon in The Avengers films, doesn’t have his predecessor’s incredible strength – but does have the advantage of hi-tech wings and a few other fancy gadgets.

Even more confusingly, Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross is now being played by Harrison Ford rather than William Hurt, who died in 2022. So far, so new.

But this is definitely not a “brave” take on the superhero format, because Brave New World is a repeat of the many punch-ups Marvel has given us before.

We get lines such as “no dying, copy that”, an uninspiring prison break and a strange alien object.

The underlying theme that if you want to stop a war, you need to be prepared to fight, is also a well worn one.

Thankfully even at 82, Ford is able to rescue this with his considerable charisma.

A duel between Ross and Captain America is just about worth waiting for.

GRANT ROLLINGS

HEART EYES

(18) 97mins  

★★★☆☆

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Ally (Olivia Holt) and Jay (Mason Gooding) star in Heart Eyes[/caption]

STANDING in front of a huge heart-shaped flower arrangment, a young man proposes to his girlfriend.

But this is definitely not a Valentine’s Day movie.

Well, not a traditional one anyway. The couple are the latest target for the Heart Eyes Killer, who always strikes on February 14.

Wearing a mask with eyes shaped like hearts, the mysterious murderer’s preferred weapons are a machete or crossbow.

The two central characters in this comedic slasher movie are marketing executives Ally (Olivia Holt) and Jay (Mason Gooding), who get caught up in the slaughter after going on a business lunch together.

They tell the masked passion killer they’re not a couple and shouldn’t be killed.

There are some good gags in this anti-romcom, including Ally’s tasteless jewellery advert and an amorous woman shrieking for the wrong reason.

But Heart Eyes has an 18 certificate for a reason – and that’s the gruesome deaths of two young women. That doesn’t sit well with what develops as Ally and Jay get to know each other.

Only take your partner to see Heart Eyes if they’ve got a dark sense of humour.

GRANT ROLLINGS

A MAJOR charity with 600 stores to shut branch after 20 years and is launching £1 closing down sale.

Shoppers have been left devastated as a long-standing Barnardo’s charity shop in Knutsford is set to close after more than two decades.

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Barnardos children’s charity shop sign with logo[/caption]

The branch on Tatton Street will shut its doors for the final time on Friday, February 14, marking the end of an era for many loyal customers.

To clear out remaining stock, the store is holding a massive closing down sale, with everything priced at just £1 and all new goods slashed by 50 per cent.

Store manager Mike Douglas announced the sad news on social media, writing: “I would like to say a big thank you for all the support over the years, but Barnardo’s have decided to close the store.

“Our last day of trade is this Friday the 14th, so thank you from Mike, Holly and all our volunteers.

“Everything is £1, new goods 50 per cent off. Great for resellers and market stall holders. We still have loads left.

“Many thanks from Michael, Holly and everyone in children’s services like myself, who use this funding to run a free phone line for families and carers struggling or in crisis with a child with ADHD.”

Heartbroken customers flooded social media with messages of support, with one saying: “Sorry to hear this news. You have been there a long time. Sad times.”

Another added: “I’m so sorry to read this. You have been wonderful over the years, passing on unsaleable clothes for me to make scarecrows out of for Smithy Green, Lower Peover.

“Thank you so much for all your invaluable help.”

A third wrote: “That’s sad to hear after all the years of good work!”

Barnardo’s, which operates nearly 600 charity shops across the UK, uses its retail profits to support children and families in need.

The organisation has been helping young people for over 150 years, aiming to make childhoods safer and happier.

According to data from the Centre for Retail Research 2024 saw   13,479 stores closed and more than 169,000 retail jobs lost.

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To clear out remaining stock, the store is holding a massive closing down sale[/caption]

THE National Lottery Set For Life numbers are in and it’s time to find out if you’ve won the top prize of £10,000 every month for 30 years.

Could tonight’s jackpot see you start ticking off that bucket list every month or building your own start-up as a budding entrepreneur?

You can find out by checking your ticket against tonight’s numbers below.

Good luck!

Tonight’s National Lottery Set For Life numbers are: 10, 19, 24, 41, 44 and the Life Ball is 04.

The first National Lottery draw was held on November 19 1994 when seven winners shared a jackpot of £5,874,778.

The largest amount ever to be won by a single ticket holder was £42million, won in 1996.

Gareth Bull, a 49-year-old builder, won £41million in November, 2020 and ended up knocking down his bungalow to make way for a luxury manor house with a pool.

1. £1.308 billion (Powerball) on January 13 2016 in the US, for which three winning tickets were sold, remains history’s biggest lottery prize
2. £1.267 billion (Mega Million) a winner from South Carolina took their time to come forward to claim their prize in March 2019 not long before the April deadline
3. £633.76 million (Powerball draw) from a winner from Wisconsin
4. £625.76 million (Powerball)  Mavis L. Wanczyk of Chicopee, Massachusetts claimed the jackpot in August 2017
5. £575.53 million (Powerball)  A lucky pair of winners scooped the jackpot in Iowa and New York in October 2018

Sue Davies, 64, bought a lottery ticket to celebrate ending five months of shielding during the pandemic — and won £500,000.

Sandra Devine, 36, accidentally won £300k – she intended to buy her usual £100 National Lottery Scratchcard, but came home with a much bigger prize.

The biggest jackpot ever to be up for grabs was £66million in January last year, which was won by two lucky ticket holders.

Another winner, Karl managed to bag £11million aged just 23 in 1996.

The odds of winning the lottery are estimated to be about one in 14million – BUT you’ve got to be in it to win it.

A STUNNING Ferrari Daytona SP3 signed by F1 drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz could be yours for £4.5 million.

The dazzling supercar is one of just 599 units to be built and its sale offers you a rare opportunity to own a piece of Ferrari’s modern history.

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A Ferrari Daytona SP3 signed by F1 drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz is up for sale[/caption]

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Just 599 of the supercars were ever built[/caption]

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The motor has a top speed of 212mph and can go from 0 to 62 mph in just 2.8 seconds[/caption]

Ferrari’s Daytona SP3 is part of the Italian carmaker’s exclusive “Icona” series that first launched in 2019 with the Monza SP1 and SP2.

It pays tribute to Ferrari’s most iconic models while also integrating cutting-edge design and technology, with this Daytona SP3 in green being no exception.

Ferrari said its Icona series “pairs an all-new design that references some of the marque’s most beloved models with forward-thinking hardware and technology”.

The Daytona SP3, launched in 2021, draws inspiration from the manufacturer’s Daytona prototype race cars that dominated endurance racing in the 1960s.

These incredible performances included a remarkable 1-2-3 finish at the 24 Hours of Daytona race in 1963.

The sleek motor’s aerodynamic design blends classic and modern elements with flowing lines, razor-thin lighting, and a wraparound windscreen.

Coming in a unique BP Green colour, the stunning supercar floats on dark gold wheels, helping it standout amongst the crowd.

Powering the glamorous vehicle is a 6.5L V12 engine that’s identical to the one found in the Ferrari 812 Competizione.

Delivering 829hp and 514lbs-ft of torque, the engine has a redline of 9,500rpm and can propel the car from 0 to 62 mph in just 2.8 seconds.

It can also reach a top speed of 212mph and has driven fewer than 400 miles since new.

Current Ferrari F1 driver Charles Leclerc, and former driver Carlos Sainz, who were teammates from 2021 to 2024, have both signed the engine in gold ink.

Sainz was replaced by Lewis Hamilton this year and he will instead drive for Williams this season.

The already exclusive car has a rare and collectable touch with Leclerc and Sainz’s signatures, as well as a fantastic bonus in its low mileage.

Leclerc has shown an impressive career trajectory and showcased his remarkable skills in 2022, securing a close second place in the Formula One World Drivers’ Championship that year.

Over the course of seven seasons, the 25-year-old has etched his name into the history books with eight thrilling Grand Prix victories, solidifying his status as one of the sport’s brightest stars.

The Ferrari Daytona SP3 has been listed for sale by Dubai-based F1rst Motors.

‘A PIECE OF FERRARI’S LEGACY’

Reports state that the company is looking for 21 million AED for the motor, the equivalent of £4.55 million.

Its listing states: “This 2023 Daytona SP3 is special in many ways.

“With a total of 599 units, it’s a 1 of 1 color in BP green.

“The SP3 is inspired by the racing cars of the 1960’s.”

The listing explains the motor contains “the most powerful internal combustion engine ever built by Ferrari.”

It adds: “The most special and unique aspect of this Daytona SP3 is also that it was signed by F1 Drivers- Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. in Gold on engine cover.

“If you’ve been dreaming of adding a piece of Ferrari’s legacy to your collection, this rare Daytona SP3 might just be your chance.”

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The supercar is up for sale for around £4.55 million[/caption]

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Leclerc and Sainz’s gold signatures on the engine[/caption]

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The rear of the powerful motor that is the only one in existence to be in BP Green[/caption]

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