THE BBC has spent almost £5million looking into the Huw Edwards and Tim Westwood scandals.

Its investigations into paedophile newsreader Edwards have cost the corporation more than £1.3million.

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The BBC’s investigations into paedophile Edwards have cost the corporation more than £1.3million of licence fee cash[/caption]

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The BBC has also spent £3.3million probing bullying and misogyny claims against DJ Westwood, who has denied the claims[/caption]

Meanwhile, it has spent £3.3million looking into allegations of bullying and misogyny against DJ Westwood, who denies the claims.

Its total bill for the Edwards inquiry emerged in a Freedom of Information response yesterday.

The money was spent on external legal fees of £340,843 plus £958,133 on a resulting review of complaints policies by consultants Deloitte.

Another £70,000 was paid for “additional resources” from the BBC corporate investigations team.

The bill is the equivalent of 8,076 licence fees at £169.50 each.

But a victim of disgraced 63-year-old Edwards accused the BBC of failing to respond to him.

The young TV producer was contacted by Edwards in early 2021.

Edwards later sent inappropriate messages, including an invitation to a Windsor hotel while he was fronting Prince Philip’s funeral coverage.

The victim contacted the BBC and was interviewed as part of its internal investigation into the Edwards scandal in August 2023.

He said: “How can they spend all that money and not have any answers for people like me?

“I have not heard anything further about the findings of the BBC investigation and not even had a check-up call or anything.

“Whenever I hear any updates, it is usually from The Sun and other papers but not the BBC.

“I followed the correct procedure but have just been left hanging in the wind with no conclusion.

“It is totally wrong they have managed to splash so much public money but apparently achieve nothing.

The money they have spent could have paid a lot of salaries of young producers and researchers — or a lot of licence fees.

“There’s been no result for the public and they have been more interested in protecting brand BBC than actually listening to victims.”

The Edwards costs were revealed after the BBC released its £3.3million report last month into the investigation into ex-DJ Westwood’s alleged predatory behaviour.

In 2013 the BBC spent more than £5million on three inquiries linked to the Jimmy Savile scandal.

The BBC said: “Wherever possible we aim to resolve matters without external support, and the decision to commission any review or work by a third party is taken with careful consideration, based on the specific circumstances in each case.

“We only incur external legal costs when absolutely necessary.”

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A victim of disgraced Edwards accused the BBC of failing to respond to him[/caption]

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The costs for the Edwards probe were revealed after the BBC’s £3.3m report on ex-DJ Westwood’s alleged predatory behaviour[/caption]

FIRST they came for Jewish people. Then women. Then the elderly.

Now Labour, the new Nasty Party, is threatening our animals.

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Labour, the new Nasty Party, is threatening our animals[/caption]

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Sir Keir must show us that he really is a man of principle, by not doing a U-turn on animal welfare protections[/caption]

The planned Brexit reset could force the UK to U-turn on animal welfare protections as the Prime Minister scrabbles to bolster food trade with the EU.

Experts have suggested the Government could be forced to reverse its live-animal exports ban as well as scrap plans to outlaw the import of foie gras.

Labour — who last year pledged to “introduce the biggest boost in animal welfare for a generation in a bid to end the horrific levels of cruelty animals suffer” — breaking a manifesto promise?

Who’d have thought it.

A vote for Labour, we were told, was a “vote to end animal suffering”.

And yet here we are. Britain, for all its foibles, is a nation of animal lovers.

We should be leading the way in animal rights, not careering backwards.

If Keir Starmer reneges on animal welfare, it’s a betrayal too far.

This is a party that has broken promise after promise; a wolf clad in Lord Alli-sponsored sheep’s clothing.

The PM has expressed his desire to bring the country closer to Europe, making the veterinary deal his top priority. 

Such a deal would reduce the red tape associated with food, including meat and dairy, passing in and out of the EU.

While the production of foie gras has been banned in the UK for ten years, a legal loophole means restaurants and businesses can import it from countries where barbaric force-feeding is permissible. 

A reminder: Foie gras is made by a process known as gavage. 

Millions of poor ducks and geese are killed in the most horrific manner, force-fed grain using a funnel to shovel it down their little, constricted throats to unnaturally swell their livers to many times normal size.

If only we could export Labour as easily as we can seemingly import this cruel practice . . . 

The UK’s ban on the export of live animals such as cattle, sheep and pigs for fattening and slaughter — another abhorrent exercise in cruelty — was introduced by the Tories and came into force in January.

It has been touted as a key benefit of Brexit because EU rules prevented such a ban between member states.

Rebuild trust

Sir Keir, if he has any decency, will draw a red line in negotiations and not renege on his promise to these beautiful, innocent creatures — ones who do not deserve to be treated the way they are just to fill burgers.

If I had it my way, all battery farming would be banned.

Sure, animals don’t have a voice. They can’t vote. But we can

Sure, it might add another 45p to the price of eggs at a time when many families don’t have anything left to spare.

But money taken from industrial livestock farming and ploughed back into ethical British farming communities would be a win-win.

Let’s not forget the gazillions of your money Labour blew the last time it was in office — including £50MILLION to promote ballet, £38.4MILLION for gypsy encampments and £1.3BILLION on “reducing poverty in Asia”.

Labour, a party which struggles to identify what a woman is and encouraged the elderly to wear an extra jumper in winter, urgently needs to rebuild trust.

Sure, animals don’t have a voice. They can’t vote.

But we can.

Sir Keir, a man who promises to be a man of principle, must show us that he really is.

TROLLS’ SMALL LIVES

Instagram

FROM some of the reviews of Meghan Markle – sorry, Sussex’s –  new Netflix show, you’d think she’d murdered children and puppies.

She hadn’t – she’d just fronted a mind-numbingly dull, pointless and saccharine series.

Although, doubtless, had she killed anyone, she’d have been sure to sprinkle a few flowers over the corpse.

Anyway. Her latest perceived crime is to have taken a cute snap of daughter Lilibet on a boat with Prince Harry, minus a lifejacket, and posted it on Instagram.

The three-year-old is wrapped up safe in the arms of her dad who, for his many faults, is unquestionably a loyal, devoted and very fun dad. Clearly, little Lili isn’t sinking any time soon.

But that didn’t stop the trolls from coming out in force.“Irresponsible!”, “Cringe!”, “Insane!”, “Honestly, horrible!”, “The law doesn’t apply to them!” etc etc, they blasted from behind their keyboards.

And where are the kids of these village idiots?

Are they enjoying sunshine holidays and unique experiences on beautiful coastlines, surrounded by two (multi-millionaire, loving, Californian-dwelling) parents?

Or, are they, like their parents, behind a screen living a very small life?

ANNIE’S DAY TO FORGET

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Annie Kilner promote her new jewellery collection on Instagram[/caption]

IT was good to see the permanently cheated-on Annie Kilner doing her bit for the sisterhood during International Women’s Day. 

Kyle Walker’s much put-upon other half, who keeps threatening to leave the AC Milan philanderer, left, but never quite seems to manage it, reverted to her married name to promote her new jewellery collection on Instagram. 

Taking to her Stories, she modelled a diamond bracelet, with a caption reading: “Demure. Founded by Annie Walker & Sophie Haynes.”

FOREIGN CHAMP TAKES THE BISCUIT

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A whippet from Venice called Miuccia was named Best In Show at Crufts[/caption]

BLOODY foreigners. They’re invading our game shows . . . and our dog shows.

With recent seasons of Britain’s (Not) Got Talent featuring endless contestants from overseas, now Crufts has been won by an Italian.

A whippet from Venice called Miuccia was named Best In Show, beating 18,000 other furry contestants at Birmingham’s NEC, and scooping £200 prize money in the process.

Where’s the EDL – English Dog League – when you need it?

TERROR OF TATE

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Andrew Tate’s influence is on a par with terror and must be treated as such[/caption]

ANDREW TATE is a vile, misogynistic man.

Beyond that, he’s a dangerous one.

Crossbow killer Kyle Clifford committed his triple murder after downloading Tate’s hate-spreading podcast the previous day.

Tate’s influence, particularly on impressionable young men, is on a par with terror and must be treated as such.

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Meme of the week. RIP Freddo x[/caption]

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ALL SO POSH

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Cruz Beckham with stunning 29-year-old Jackie Apostel[/caption]

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But Jackie basically looks like Cruz’s mother Victoria, circa 2022[/caption]

I’M honestly bemused as to why more people aren’t commenting on the fact young Cruz Beckham is basically dating his mother circa 2002, if she’d had a fringe.

Stunning 29-year-old Jackie Apostel, even wore a Victoria Beckham silk dress to attend her doppelganger’s show at Paris Fashion Week on Friday. Uncanny.

HOLLY Willoughby could become the new Cilla Black as she eyes up a series of telly deals worth ­£10million after distancing herself from ITV.

As ailing skating show Dancing On Ice ended on Sunday, with ­little hope of it returning, its presenter also confirmed she wasn’t coming back to host You Bet! for the channel.

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Holly Willoughby is eyeing up a series of telly deals worth ­£10million[/caption]

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She has distanced herself from ITV following Phillip Schofield’s controversial departure[/caption]

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Holly is the host of Dancing on Ice, which is set to be axed[/caption]

With her time on ITV’s This Morning now a distant memory, Holly is poised to start a new chapter in her career, featuring lucrative deals with the streamers — including a second series of her Netflix reality competition, Celebrity Bear Hunt.

And there’s still the option of taking on prestigious projects with the BBC, including a potential reboot of Cilla Black’s best-known show, Blind Date.

The dating programme has already been mooted by Holly’s husband, producer Dan Baldwin, as a potential big-budget revival.

A TV insider said: “There might not sound like obvious parallels between Holly and Cilla, but they’re both two of the biggest stars of modern telly.

“It’s not pure coincidence either, that when ITV decided to reboot Surprise, Surprise — another show made famous by Cilla — it was girl-next-door Holly they turned to.

“So the prospect of her fronting a reboot of Blind Date is a very real one, and a pairing that many viewers could see as a natural fit.

“Emulating Cilla isn’t just about taking on her shows, it’s as much about carving out a niche as a solo presenter with serious clout in the world of telly.

“But together with her husband Dan, they form the ultimate power couple in TV. She has the public appeal that gets viewers tuning in, while he has a track record of making hugely successful TV shows.”

‘Cilla’s an icon to me’

Dan’s production company Hungry Bear, is behind huge programmes including The Wheel and Michael McIntyre’s Big Show.

Last year it also brought back Gladiators, which jumped from ITV to BBC One and was an instant hit.

When discussing the success of the challenge contest, Dan said he would look at other favourites to revive, and instantly brought up Blind Date, which Cilla fronted from 1985 to 2003.

Dan said: “Another one you’d like to see back, Blind Date, are we ready for that? What a Saturday night that was. I’m thinking Blind Date with Claudia Winkleman on BBC1.”

Although Claudia probably isn’t a viable choice due to her commitments hosting The Traitors and Strictly Come Dancing, reviving Blind Date on the Beeb seems feasible given Dan performed the feat with Gladiators.

Coincidentally Cilla was also ­married to a powerful figure in the entertainment industry who drove her career forward.

Known as “Our Bobby”, Robert Willis took over after her manager Brian Epstein died in 1967, and helped turn her from a singer in the Sixties and Seventies into a TV star in the Eighties and Nineties.

He negotiated her contract with London Weekend Television, part of ITV, every two years and made her one of the highest paid and best known presenters on telly.

When Bobby bought the gameshow, Moment Of Truth, for his own production company, he brokered an arrangement by which she charged £50,000 an episode to present it on ITV. There were 36 episodes, in total, running from 1998 to 2001.

By 2003, the Liverpudlian singer, was said to be earning £17,000 a week — equivalent to £884,000 a year. Today, that figure would be almost £2million annually.

Holly has previously praised Cilla for blazing a trail with her TV career in the Eighties and Nineties.

There might not sound like obvious parallels between Holly and Cilla, but they’re both two of the biggest stars of modern telly

TV Insider

Cilla — who died aged 72 in 2015 — had fronted Surprise Surprise from 1984 to 2001.

Talking around the 2012 reboot of Surprise, Surprise, Holly said: “It was one of my biggest fears that Cilla wouldn’t like it as she’s a bit of an icon for me . . . you can only aspire to have a career like that.

“She is an incredible lady. Cilla was like the female anchor, she was the first. I have a lot of respect for her.”

Blind Date would be the perfect vehicle for Holly to move away from ITV and draw a line under a difficult 18 months for her career.

A TV insider said: “When Holly quit This Morning in 2023 she had just got over the tumult of Phillip Schofield’s controversial departure from the show, combined with a plot to kidnap, rape and murder her.

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Holly confirmed she wasn’t coming back to host You Bet! for the channel[/caption]

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Her Netflix reality competition Celebrity Bear Hunt, with Bear Grylls, is also set to get a second series[/caption]

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“Then she returned to Dancing On Ice, which she had previously hosted with friend-turned-foe Schofield, when its ratings were sliding and its cancellation was fast approaching.

“The only new project she got at ITV was You Bet! which was another reboot of an old show which didn’t quite get the ratings execs hoped for.”

Bosses at ITV were said to be shocked when they were told Holly wouldn’t be able to return to film a second batch of episodes this year, with co-host Stephen Mulhern.

A full series of You Bet! was one of a trio of projects the channel is believed to have offered her to stay with ITV. Holly had started her career at the broadcaster with kids’ show Ministry of Mayhem in 2004 and was viewed as its “golden girl”.

On Sunday — the same night that Dancing On Ice’s 17th season ended — ITV had to issue a statement.

Unfortunately Holly couldn’t commit to the dates to host the new series of You Bet!, but will hopefully appear as a guest panellist on one of the shows

ITV

It said: “Unfortunately Holly couldn’t commit to the dates to host the new series of You Bet!, but will hopefully appear as a guest panellist on one of the shows.”

The suggestion was she couldn’t do the ITV show because she might have to do another project, believed to be the second season of Celebrity Bear Hunt.

Widely considered Netflix’s bid to rival I’m A Celebrity . . . Get Me Out of Here!, it sees 12 famous people taken into a tropical wilderness where they have to try to survive.

Its popularity is hard to measure as it appeared on a streaming service whose viewing figures are often shrouded in mystery.

Fantastic asset

But insiders say the show, which featured Bear Grylls challenging the celebrities, created enough buzz to warrant a second outing. It is already being planned, with filming pencilled in for this year.

Holly’s appearance on the Netflix series opened executives’ minds to the idea that someone so closely associated with a single terrestrial channel could make the leap to working with a streamer.

And with the likes of Netflix and Prime now trying to encroach on the territory of traditional broadcasters like the BBC, ITV and Channel 4, she’s a fantastic asset.

The online platforms are also willing to offer her huge sums, with the first series of Celebrity Bear Hunt said to have bagged her almost seven figures.

ITV would struggle to compete with that, in an age where advertising revenues are being squeezed.

The channel has yet to officially state that Dancing On Ice has been axed, insisting after the most recent series ended “no decision has been made”. But the confirmation is expected within days.

As she promoted Celebrity Bear hunt last month, Holly seemed to relish the prospect of hosting a show solo and, tellingly, referenced the fact she had already done so on Surprise, Surprise years ago.

Of her decision to sign up for the survival show, she said: “I’d just got to that stage in my life where I thought, ‘I want to try something new.’ I was nervous about it, because it was a real departure from what I normally do.

“Everything you do and everything that feels new always feels like a new chapter.”

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ITV turned to girl-next-door Holly in 2012 for their reboot of the show[/caption]

A MUM has revealed she’s been referred to the police after her teenage daughter missed a few days of school due to being ill.

Mum Sara Louise took to TikTok to rant after being notified that the authorities would be coming to do a welfare check on her child, who is in Year 10.

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Mum Sara took to TikTok after being notified about a welfare check on her teenage daughter[/caption]

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The parent claimed the child hadn’t attended school for 11 days[/caption]

The furious mum explained that her daughter has ”some additional needs” – which Sara felt like were ”not met by the school”.

In the video, Sara said that before the incident, her daughter had been off for three weeks ”because she was unwell” – and during this time, the school allegedly never phoned the parent for a welfare check.

”I only had phone calls to check in and see if she was okay. Some of them I didn’t even answer,” Sara said in a recent clip on TikTok.

The outraged mum went on: ”This term, she’s been off for 11 days and they’ve rung me twice in the 11 days.

”And today, when I answered the phone call, she asked me if she could come out and do a welfare check – and I kindly declined.

”I said ‘No, I don’t want you to come to my house’,” Sara said, adding that her teenager was ”absolutely fine” and didn’t ”want any interaction with the school”.

Under the Education (Penalty Notices) Regulations, schools usually consider a welfare check when a child has missed 10 school sessions (equivalent to 5 days) of unauthorised absences within a rolling 10-week period.

Schools may conduct a welfare check sooner if they have concerns about a child’s wellbeing, even if the absence is shorter. 

Before a home visit, schools will usually try to contact the parents first to understand the reason for the absence. 

”I’m fuming. Because I have now declined, they’re telling me that they have a duty of care – which is fine – and safeguarding and all the rest of it, to come out and do this check.”

Sara, who is in the process of moving her daughter to another school, noted that getting the police involved felt as if she was ”hiding” and ”abusing” the child.

”I know they haven’t said that – but the way that comes across is, like, sinister.”

Despite the school notifying Sara, the mum said there was no chance she was going to the child’s school to let them know the daughter was fine ”when she’s fine”.

”And there’s not a cat in hell’s chance that they’re coming to my house to see that she’s fine.”

The furious mother, who insisted the school had never given ”a s**t” about her daughter, knew there’d be backlash after posting the clip – but said she didn’t ”give a crap”.

If the authorities do show up, Sara said she’d be having the conversation with the police from her camera.

”This is what you get for doing what’s right for your kid.”

‘At least they ARE checking’

Despite Sara’s fury, many social media users didn’t agree with her, with one viewer writing: ”A welfare check is VITAL to ensure the safety of the child. This should be applauded, not frowned upon.”

Someone else commented: ”As a social worker I really wish people would understand why this is SO necessary.

”You probably are a very loving caring mother but that is not the case for every child, and god forbid something was.”

”At least they ARE checking. So many children slip through the net and we moan, we can’t moan when they do check. Can’t have it both ways,” wrote a third.

”11 days is two weeks and one day so that plus the three weeks is a lot of missed schooling. Good on them for caring,” chimed in another.

Hitting back at those criticising her, the mother said: ”It’s frowned upon simply because they’ve only done this cos they know they’ve failed her.

”It’s just ridiculous and there’s bigger crimes been committed where police are actually needed.”

TV STAR Kym Marsh told yesterday how she had her phone swiped from her hand seconds after taking it from her bag to reply to a text.

The BBC Morning Live host told the show: “I felt vulnerable, really shaken.

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Kym Marsh revealed her phone was snatched just seconds after taking it from her bag to reply to a text[/caption]

“I immediately wanted to get help but, of course, it’s not so easy when you don’t have your phone.”

She was mugged two weeks ago in Buckingham Palace Road, London, at 9.30pm.

Kym, whose dad David died last year, added: “I’ve now lost messages that my dad sent me and things I can never get back.

“It’s that emotional side of it.”

Experts recommend that victims track their device’s location, contact their service provider to cancel usage, and report it to police.

The TV star has spoken out to warn others about the huge surge in phone thefts, particularly involving bicycles and e-bikes.

Around 200 devices are stolen each day in the UK – one every six minutes.

In the 12 months up to September last year, 78,000 cases were reported, an increase of 150 per cent on the year before.

Experts say that thieves are predominantly from organised crime groups and are looking to profit from a booming second hand market, as well as attempting to steal data, such as bank details, stored on devices.

Two weeks ago, the Government announced plans to give cops stronger powers if they believe a stolen phone is inside.

Officers will no longer need a warrant to search properties where stolen items have been electronically geolocated.

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A LEOPARD can’t change its spots – and neither can its cubs.

Just ask Lila Moss, who stepped out for Paris Fashion Week in an animal-print jacket first worn by her supermodel mum Kate in 2006.

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Lila Moss, who stepped out for Paris Fashion Week in an animal-print jacket[/caption]

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The jacket was first worn by her supermodel mum Kate in 2006[/caption]

The 22-year-old looked as fierce as her fashionista forebear almost 20 years ago, proving nepo babies have it made, with money, beautiful genes – and access to Mum or Dad’s designer threads.

Charlotte Oliver looks at the rich kids trading off the style of their famous parents.

CINDY CRAWFORD & KAIA

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Kaia Gerber stunned at last September’s Toronto Film Festival in a white Herve Leger bandage dress[/caption]

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The dress was fashioned by supermodel mum, Cindy Crawford, at the 1993 Oscars[/caption]

COPY-CATWALK: Kaia Gerber stunned at last September’s Toronto Film Festival in a white Herve Leger bandage dress fashioned by supermodel mum, Cindy Crawford, at the 1993 Oscars.

DAVID BECKHAM & BROOKLYN

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Brooklyn Beckham aimed to be the vest dressed in his footie star dad’s Zanerobe top in 2016[/caption]

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The faded sports shirt looked more prints charming when David wore it a year earlier[/caption]

MAN, UNITED:  Brooklyn Beckham aimed to be the vest dressed in his footie star dad’s Zanerobe top in 2016. But the faded sports shirt looked more prints charming when David wore it a year earlier.

KANYE WEST & NORTH

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North West keeps cosy All Day in Paris in 2022 in the blue Pastelle varsity jacket[/caption]

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Her rapper dad Kanye wore it to the 2008 American Music Awards in Los Angeles[/caption]

FLEECE IS THE WORD: North West keeps cosy All Day in Paris in 2022 in the blue Pastelle varsity jacket her rapper dad Kanye wore to the 2008 American Music Awards in Los Angeles.

ANGELINA JOLIE & ZAHARA

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Zahara Jolie-Pitt looked as Maleficent as her Hollywood A-lister mum at the Eternals film premiere in 2021[/caption]

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Angelina Jolie had worn the shimmering Ellie Saab number to the 2014 Oscars[/caption]

LOOM RAIDER: Zahara Jolie-Pitt looked as Maleficent as her Hollywood A-lister mum at the Eternals film premiere in 2021. Angelina Jolie had worn the shimmering Ellie Saab number to the 2014 Oscars.

CATHERINE ZETA-JONES & CARYS

instagram/Carys douglas

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The dress was fashioned by her Zorro actress mum Catherine Zeta-Jones in 1999[/caption]

THE LEGEND OF BORROW: Carys Douglas celebrated her 21st last April by rocking the lacy pink Ungaro dress fashioned by her Zorro actress mum Catherine Zeta-Jones in 1999.

COURTENEY COX & COCO

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I’LL BE WEAR FOR YOU: Coco Arquette, 20, shows borrowing clothes is a Central Perk of having a Friends star as a mum. Courteney Cox wore the dress to a 1998 film premiere.

THERE are almost one million people in Britain who can barely speak English.

The revelation made in The Sun is as depressing as it is shocking.

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Almost one million people in Britain can’t speak English[/caption]

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If people can’t take the time to learn English, they shouldn’t be allowed to settle here[/caption]

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Successive governments have failed massively on putting in basic policies to ensure migrants integrate[/caption]

That is a million people who can not properly blend into British society or have conversations with their neighbours.

It is bad for them and it is bad for the social fabric of our country.

In fact, if people can not take the time to learn English properly, they should not be allowed to settle here. It should be as simple as that. Let me explain why.

If you hear me speak, you would be forgiven for assuming I was born and raised in some quaint little village in the south of England, sipping tea and pronouncing my ‘T’s. In fact, I’ve often been asked which private school I went to.

Imagine people’s shock when I tell them I went to a state school in the middle of a council estate and that when I first arrived from Kenya, aged six, I could not speak a word of English.

I can still picture myself sitting in a classroom in my first school in England desperately trying to decode what on Earth everyone else was saying.

Biggest barriers

My English consisted of words I’d picked up from watching EastEnders and Only Fools And Horses. But I was determined to learn English and, eventually, I did.

After 24 years in this country, I can honestly say that no single thing has made a bigger difference to helping me and my family integrate than being able to speak the language.

Yet learning English is treated with such little urgency now that in one area near Leicester‘s city centre, 43 per cent of over-16s speak little to no English.

What sane person among us could possibly argue that is anything other than a disaster?

When the Conservatives came to power in 2010, it did appear that they were keen to finally grip this issue.

In 2014, then Culture Secretary Sajid Javid, the son of Pakistani migrants himself, urged migrants to learn English.

He was clear: “If you’re going to settle in Britain and make it your home, you should learn the language of the country and respect its laws and culture.”

He told of how he had personally met people who have been in Britain for over 50 years yet still could not speak English.

Eleven years later, things seem to have only got worse.

Being unable to speak English remains one of the biggest barriers to migrants fully integrating into British society.

Without English, people face higher unemployment, a life of low wages that need to be topped up by the taxpayer and limited opportunities to improve their lives.

It also puts additional pressure on essential services.

Living in Britain is not a right, it is a privilege that comes with responsibilities

For example, the Institute of Translation and Interpreting estimates that in 2019/20, the NHS spent around £60million on foreign language interpreters.

Recent figures also show that The Department for Work and Pensions has spent £27million on translators over the last five years.

How a jobcentre employee is meant to help a migrant into work if they can’t even speak to them without a translator is beyond me.

But this is not just about economics. One of my most favourite memories is the street parties for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.

At the one I went to, I spent the whole afternoon chatting with neighbours, laughing and sharing stories. Never had I felt so connected to my community.

We might have been of different ages, backgrounds and colours, but we were united by one thing: We could actually communicate with each other in a shared language.

Yes, there are already laws in place to ensure those who are applying for permanent residency or citizenship can speak basic English.

Left to pick up bill

However, what this entails is an online test that takes 10-20 minutes — and you can fail 40 per cent of the questions and still pass. That is a complete farce.

The Government needs to step up. We can not afford to have whole communities disconnected from the mainstream by something as fundamental as language.

A person should not be allowed to stay in this country without proving they can speak English in a meaningful way that allows them to function properly and flourish in Britain. A quick online quiz simply will not do.

Successive governments have failed massively on putting in basic policies to ensure migrants integrate — and it’s the British taxpayer who are left to pick up the bill.

If the Government can not get it right on cutting migration, the very least they could do is make sure that every migrant learns English properly, like my family did, as a condition of being allowed to settle here.

It is rather simple: Living in Britain is not a right, it is a privilege that comes with responsibilities.

If you can not be bothered to learn the language of a country that has taken you in, you should not expect the country to bend over backwards to accommodate you.

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When Mercy arrived from Kenya, aged six, she couldn’t speak a word of English[/caption]

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If the government can’t get it right on cutting migration, the very least they could do is make sure that every migrant learns English properly[/caption]

'I’ve said this for a while.'

Things have dramatically fallen apart.

They had a charismatic first meeting that has stayed with the Titanic star.