New York State

IT certainly caused plenty of controversy when it aired earlier this year, but Channel 4’s latest social experiment didn’t quite get enough viewers to warrant a second series.

Go Back to Where You Came From saw a group of six Brits with various views on immigration undertake the perilous journeys made by people from other countries desperate to live in the UK.

Minnow

It felt like The Apprentice, right down to the wheelie suitcases the participants trundle along a Kent beach[/caption]

The four-parter was designed to inform their views on refugees who were often coming from war-torn countries.

But many of their standpoints – and some of their historic social media comments – got viewers hot under the collar.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to keep them glued to their sets. The first episode had almost a million watching, but the last episode they’d lost over a third of their audience.

A TV insider said: “Of course, Channel 4 will maintain they only made this as a stand alone show but the scope to continue the show with another batch of Brits was obvious.

“If the ratings were higher then it might well have had a sequel but it didn’t seem to capture the viewers imagination, even if some of the contestants’ views did inspire a fiery response.”

The Sun exclusively revealed last July how Channel 4 was developing the show in a bid to explore one of the hottest topics in British society.

Based on a 2011 Australian show of the same name, it saw them travel from Somalian capital Mogadishu and Raqqa in Syria, eventually crossing the Channel on a small boat.

A spokeswoman for Channel 4 said: “Go Back to Where You Came From was commissioned as a single series of event television, and we are immensely proud of what it achieved in creating national conversation about a hugely important issue.

“Any allusions to this programme being ‘cancelled’ are entirely false.”

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Minnow

Contestants sitting with a family in Raqqa, Syria[/caption]

THEIR names are firmly cemented into British pop history.

The original Sugababes line-up of Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhan Donaghy have a career spanning three decades, with 18 Top Ten hits including six No1s.

Jordan McKellar

The original Sugababes line-up of Siobhan Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan have a career spanning three decades[/caption]

Jordan McKellar

Our Howell with, from left to right, Mutya, Siobhan and Keisha[/caption]

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The Sugababes starting out as teenagers in the early Noughties[/caption]

Now the ladies are putting that music know-how to good use, by shunning record labels to steer their own career — and are confident they know best.

The trio are back today with a belting garage-infused single called Jungle, the first taste of their eagerly anticipated new album, which has been almost a decade in the making.

In an exclusive interview with my Bizarre colleague Howell Davies to launch the single, they said Raye, whose career soared after ditching her label and becoming an independent act, has been an inspiration.

Mutya said: “We have so many ideas and so much experience. We know what we want.”

Few and far between

Siobhan explained: “The people at the labels, they don’t necessarily have as much experience as we might have. You know what you want to achieve.

“I think someone like Raye has been really important at getting that message across. She knew who she was and she knew what kind of record she wanted to make.”

Keisha added: “Back when we first got signed, there were people who actually understood who we were. I do think you get the most success when you get with a producer and people who actually understand who you are as an artist.

“But unfortunately, those are few and far between in the industry now.

“I hope that’s encouragement for other artists that actually, if you work really hard and if you really believe in yourself, you can do it when you put the right people around you and you think positively.”

They formed the band in 1998 as schoolgirls, reunited for a headline performance at South London’s Mighty Hoopla in 2022 and were not sure what else would follow.

But since then they have toured around the world and performed at Glastonbury twice – both times causing chaos as so many fans flocked to see them. You can see why they would want to do things differently this time, as they have been badly burned in the past.

The trio originally reunited in 2012 under the name MKS — using their initials as they battled to win back the rights to the band’s name — and recorded an album.

But they were devastated when someone close to them leaked it and they went their separate ways, eventually putting the project online in 2022 as The Lost Tapes.

Reflecting on it now, Siobhan said: “That really was such a huge setback for us. It’s so much work for an artist.

“That was like a year and a half of our work in the studio. MKS, that whole project for us was such an uphill battle.

“And so for it to leak and to not have had the support within the industry from people that were supposed to have our backs, was really demotivating.

“We had to come back and find the energy to start from zero again. That took a minute. But thankfully, that’s just not where we’re at now.”

This time around, they are determined to do things their way and not let anyone push them around.

Keisha explained: “We’re really grateful. When you’re young and you’re busy, you feel quite overwhelmed. You don’t have control of your schedule.

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The band say singer Raye has been a huge inspiration to them[/caption]

Jordan McKellar

The trio have now released their new song Jungle[/caption]

“Back in the day, they would just put things in your schedule and then that was it.

“But now it’s like, ‘Hi girls, do you want to do this?’ And we work it around our personal lives and everything else.

“It’s been a long road, you know, the MKS years and stuff like that. Everything we are doing now is everything and more that we hoped it would be when we first got back together.”

Siobhan added: “We’re still really hungry for it, but also, as Keisha said, so thrilled as to how it’s gone.”

And the proof is in the pudding. Next month they will kick off their biggest-ever European arena tour.

The new song will fit right in with their incredible back catalogue, featuring hits such as Round Round, Freak Like Me and Push The Button.

They have long had jokes made about them because of what became a revolving line-up in Sugababes.

The original members were replaced before an entirely different trio split in 2011.

They scoff and roll their eyes at those gags now and feel like their longevity speaks for itself.

No matter how successful you become, there’s always someone that’s going to doubt or say things.

Keisha Buchanan

Asked if their success feels like a middle finger to their critics, Keisha said: “I do think our journey from the beginning has not always been an easy one.

“Being a band that was mixed race, you know, Jamaican, Filipino, Irish, we’ve always had to work a little bit more.

“No matter how successful you become, there’s always someone that’s going to doubt or say things. What’s really nice is that you don’t even have to put the middle finger up. They can see it themselves.”

It’s clear they have rebuilt a friendship even stronger than the first time ar- ound. During our chat, they get distracted talking about plans to see Mariah Carey at Brighton Pride in August before their headline set the next day, and joke about antics at Glasto last summer.

Keisha said with a laugh: “We were going to see D-Block Europe — Sugababes,  Damon Albarn and Kano, walking through the highways and byways with heels on. Mutya had heels and the purse.”

Mutya said: “Why didn’t I have flats? I could have at least left the purse!”

Now they are feeling more confident than ever and have teamed up with John Shave, one of the top producers behind Charli XCX’s multi-Grammy and Brit Award-winning album Brat, as well as songwriter Anya Jones, who has worked with Kylie Minogue.

Their new tune Jungle is an instant earworm and I’ve already heard a few more tracks from their upcoming album, including the third single which is Sugababes at their very best pop potential.

Keisha said: “The Sugababes’ first singles are always very different. We wanted to go for something that wasn’t obvious. We wanted it to be fresh, something people weren’t expecting.”

It has been a rollercoaster ride so far, but things are looking sweeter than ever for the Sugababes.

HE gave us one of TV’s greatest villains in the form of EastEnders’ Nasty Nick – but despite loathing his character, actor John Altman says he loved the edgy show it produced.

Now he fears that our woke world is diluting the punchiness of some of our best loved shows, particularly when we’re even getting trigger warnings on old school sitcoms.

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John Altman, who played EastEnders’ Nasty Nick, loved the show’s edgy drama despite loathing his character[/caption]

News Group Newspapers Ltd

Now John fears woke culture is watering down classic shows with trigger warnings on old sitcoms[/caption]

John, who’s starring in new horror film The Last Grail Hunter, said: “I watched an old episode of EastEnders recently and I couldn’t believe the content of the dialogue. It was unbelievable, really.

“You’d never allow people to use it these days, even though it was real what Nick Cotton was saying – he’s a racist, drug dealing, murderer.”

John shot to fame in 1985 playing Nasty Nick, the wayward son of long-suffering Dot Cotton played by June Brown.

In that time he’s seen the Tv landscape drastically change, including the introduction of trigger warnings at the start of some shows.

He said: “All that stuff, ‘the content of this programme might upset some people’, I doubt it upsets anyone to be quite honest. Let alone the people they might think they’re upsetting.

“You see some old Only Fools and Horses and Del Boy saying certain phrases that you wouldn’t use now, but that’s what they were using and people still do.

“I saw that a university has gone through the works of Shakespeare and eliminated 300 items, or cut them out, or put them on a warning list. Unbelievable! I never thought it would come to that.”

Keir: Isle be back for love

THE Apprentice candidate Keir Shave has opened up about his relationship status for the first time since it emerged he enjoyed a secret fling with fellow contestant Amber-Rose Badrudin.

The hunk who was fired on last night’s show, was accused by TV bosses of breaking the show’s strict “no touching” rule with Amber-Rose after the pair were spotted half-naked together in a hotel room during filming.

But Keir insisted he is very single and wouldn’t mind going back on TV to try and find love.

He said: “I would go on Love Island – 100 per cent. If anyone from Love Island reads this – get me on!

“I am concentrating on the business but . . . if Love Island calls then I am in.”

Lotus Aimee is Lou-ded

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Aimee Lou Wood’s latest accounts reveal £1.7m equity and £609k in taxes paid over two years[/caption]

SHE’S currently busier than ever, starring in two huge dramas – Sky’s The White Lotus and Netflix’s Toxic Town.

But it’s Aimee Lou Wood’s bank balance that shows just how much of a hit she is in TV land.

Her latest accounts show she has equity to the value of £1.7million and has paid a total of £609,000 in tax in 2023 and 2024 – that would suggest she earned a whopping £2.4m during that period.

Not bad for an actress who only got her big break six years ago on Netflix’s Sex Education.

Though she still has some catching up to do with her co-stars Asa Butterfield and current Doctor Who Ncuti Gatwa, who have been multimillionaires for some time now.

However, she has some more money-spinning shows on the horizon, including BBC Three comedy drama Film Club with Suranne Jones and upcoming film Sweet Dreams.

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COMEDY series Room 101 is heading to BBC Radio 4 seven years after it was last on TV. The show, where guests discuss their pet hates, started on the radio then went on to TV in 1994. It had several hosts including Paul Merton, who’s now returning to front it on the radio.

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Sarah’s own way on Big C

Mark Bourdillon Love Productions

Sarah Beeny on The Great Celebrity Bake Off For Stand up to Cancer[/caption]

property guru Sarah Beeny has opened up about her breast cancer diagnosis – saying she did not want it to “own” her life.

She was given the all-clear in 2023 and the same year made a Channel 4 documentary about her experience. Now, talking in the latest edition of TV Mag – available in tomorrow’s edition of The Sun ­– she discusses appearing on The Great Celebrity Bake Off For Stand up to Cancer, which returns to Channel 4 on Sunday.

Sarah said: “I didn’t want anything to change because of cancer. I didn’t want to be able to say: ‘Oh, that was like this before cancer, and I was like this after cancer.’

“I thought: ‘No, you’re not owning that, cancer’.”

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PARAMOUNT+ has renewed the 2024 breakout hit Landman for a second series. Starring Billy Bob Thornton and Demi Moore, the West Texas-set show is a gripping tale of people trying to make a fortune in the world of oil rigs where roughnecks and billionaires exist cheek by jowl.

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SUPERSTAR Taylor Swift saw her music earn over £79.8million last year in royalties from Spotify.

The Shake It Off singer was the streaming platform’s highest earner over the last 12 months — as it paid out a record £7.7billion to artists.

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Taylor Swift saw her music earn over £79.8million last year in royalties from Spotify[/caption]

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The Weeknd was the second most streamed artist on the platform and earned around £39.8million in royalties[/caption]

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Ariana Grande is set to have pulled in £30million[/caption]

US singer The Weeknd, who was the second most streamed artist on the platform, earned around £39.8million in royalties.

Wicked’s Ariana Grande is set to have pulled in £30million for her music and Bruno Mars saw his streams rack in £25million.

Taylor had previously pulled her music from the platform in a row over pay.

The amount that artists are paid will depend on their individual record label deals.

Spotify’s Loud and Clear report stated the number of artists generating royalties between $1,000 (£770) and $10million tripled since 2017.

The payout by Spotify is said to be the largest in music industry history — after it was slammed for taking advantage of artists.

In 2014, Taylor removed her catalogue from Spotify, saying: “It’s my opinion music should not be free.” It was re-added in 2017, the same year her album Reputation came out.

This year, a number of singers boycotted Spotify’s Grammy party, in protest of the royalty policy.

Spotify said: “We do not pay artists or songwriters directly. We pay rights-holders.

“They then pay artists and songwriters based on their individual agreements.”

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Bruno Mars raked in an impressive £25million[/caption]

HE is revamping himself into a guitar hero and now Cruz Beckham has found the perfect mentor.

Kooks frontman Luke Pritchard told me he’s struck up a close friendship with the youngest son of Posh and Becks and is helping to guide his career.

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Hugh Harris and Luke Pritchard of Brit indie band The Kooks[/caption]

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The Kooks frontman has struck up a friendship with Cruz Beckham[/caption]

Luke, whose brilliant new single with The Kooks, Sunny Baby, is out now, said: “He has really good taste in music.

“We chat about early Bee Gees – there aren’t many people I can do that with.

“We started writing songs together and we’ve become mates.

“I’d just love to help him navigate [a career in music].

“He’s naturally going to come under criticism because of who his parents are.

“He’s aware of that.

“It was great when he said ‘Jesus was a nepo baby too.’

“I thought that was quite a funny response.”

I caught up with Luke back in January ahead of the release of their new album Never/Know which is out on 9 May.

Sunny Baby is the perfect summer jam and with any hope will cheer up the weather.

I’m sure it’ll hit the spot with fans of the indie group but Luke told me his son Julian is already a massive fan.

He added: “Julian sings Sunny Baby and he’ll say, ‘It’s daddy’s song.’

“It’s cute.”

JENNA’S SPECS AND THE CITY

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Jenna Ortega was spotted out in New York promoting her new movie Death Of A Unicorn[/caption]

JENNA ORTEGA has serious specs appeal.

She was out in New York promoting her new movie Death Of A Unicorn, ahead of the second series of Netflix hit Wednesday.

She started filming the show last year and Lady Gaga will play a new character.

Jenna said: “I love working with Gaga. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing her a couple times now. And she’s only ever been unbelievably sweet.”

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CHAPPELL ROAN has returned with her first single in almost a year, fresh from topping the charts last Friday with Pink Pony Club.

She has today dropped her new tune The Giver, which has been described as a country-tinged queer love song.

Meanwhile, Jade has released single FUFN, Lil Nas X has put out Hotbox, and Calvin Harris returns to singing with Smoke The Pain Away.

Ariana Grande’s brother Frankie has also released debut single Rhythm Of Love.

BRITS now have the chance to live in a house fit for a Hollywood star but for a fraction of the price.

A family-run UK business is now selling tiny homes in a lavish finish for as little as £48,000.

Instagram/@csvanguardltd

CS Vanguard Park Homes sells luxury tiny homes in the UK which are fully portable[/caption]

Instagram/@csvanguardltd

The homes are created to look like luxurious mansions[/caption]

Instagram/@csvanguardltd

Some of the homes – which have swanky interiors – are 60ft wide[/caption]

Instagram/@csvanguardltd

Some of the homes offer marble finishes with gold accents[/caption]

CS Vanguard Park Homes are completely mobile, meaning they can be placed in a flexible number of spaces, depending on council permission.

While static homes have been popular among the Traveller community for years, the affordable abodes could also help people struggling to get on the ladder.

They could also be ideal for those keen to ‘live the high life’, without having to fork out for a pricey mortgage. 

While you may think the homes will be poky, some designs are as wide as 60ft, which is more than twice the size of the average UK house. 

The luxury pads – which take six months to construct – start in price at £48,000, and customers can customise the interior.

This includes choosing the bedroom number, kitchen look and layout.

After a consultation, which includes a workshop tour and design discussion, the business creates a tailored plan.

They also share the quotation for the design, with houses typically costing under £169,000.

The website states: “If you are happy to go ahead, we will offer you an available building slot and take a small deposit.”

The company advises that homeowners should contact local planning consultants to ensure there are no issues with the new home.

The last stage of the process is the delivery of the stylish home, and it is the customer’s responsibility to organise this and provide insurance.

The CS Vanguard Park Homes website added: “It is your responsibility to make sure there are no issues that may affect the delivery and siting process.

“Your home is checked and photographed before it is handed over to the delivery team. 

“CS Vanguard Ltd except no responsibility for any damage caused during the delivery process.”

Instagram/@csvanguardltd

You can ‘live the high life’, without having to fork out for a pricey mortgage[/caption]

Instagram/@csvanguardltd

Instagram/@csvanguardltd

You can add large baths and marble decor to the interior for a luxe feel[/caption]

Instagram/@csvanguardltd

The luxury pads take six months to construct and start from £48,000[/caption]

The home price comes with a 20-year waterproof warranty, along with a combi gas boiler, integrated kitchen appliances.

Some of the popular added extras that can be purchased include mirror televisions and air conditioning.

CS Vanguard Park Homes have racked up a large following on social media, with one video of the £169,000 55ft by 22ft three-bedroom Houghton House, catching people’s attention.

Instagram/@csvanguardltd

One of the homes they created had a pretty pink bath[/caption]

Instagram/@csvanguardltd

Whether you prefer a modern feel or more classic, you can create a design with the team[/caption]

One fan wrote on their page: “Omg why [can’t] you be in the States. So many of us would purchase, me being first.”

Another added: “Listen this looks better than a closet in NYC for $2,300 a month. Spacious enough for me and mobile, [so] I can move wherever and whenever.”

Meanwhile, a third commented: “That’s a beautiful home. I wish I had one.”

BBC Sport is set to axe 27 jobs and has offered voluntary redundancy to most of its staff as part of major cost-saving measures.

Staff were informed of the significant shake-up on Wednesday by director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski, which has also seen the iconic programme Sportsday axed.

Getty Images - Getty

BBC Sport is set to undergo a major shake-up to its programming[/caption]

BBC

Sportsday is set to be axed under the plans[/caption]

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27 positions will be closed as part of the cost-saving measures[/caption]

The proposal will involve the closure of 27 positions, but those impacted may be able to apply for 27 newly created jobs, reports The Times.

The BBC said the changes would be subject to consultation with trade unions and that the savings were being delivered as part of its Value for All strategy.

Voluntary redundancy will also be offered to the majority of staff on the sports desk.

One insider claimed the move will “effectively kill sports news on television” as the BBC switches to a more modern output.

A BBC Sport spokeswoman said: “The proposed changes would allow us to enhance our storytelling and live event coverage to ensure we remain relevant and deliver more value for audiences across the UK.”

The new jobs at the Beeb are expected to see more resources given to football coverage and the BBC’s digital output on its website.

These are all likely being done to try and improve the reach of the broadcaster.

One of the proposed new roles is for a “Football Correspondent (Tactics)” who will be responsible for “delivering tactical insights to football fans”.

The BBC News Channel will see the majority of its sports bulletins axed, with a greater focus on placing breaking sports stories on the website.

However, sports bulletins on BBC One’s network news at 1pm, 6pm, and 10pm will remain unchanged in terms of the amount of sports news provided.

In the short-term, three presenters and two correspondents are expected to be made redundant, reports MailOnline, and there are also expected to be job cuts to some producers.

A source told the Mail: “It feels like they are killing sports news on television.

“Those involved are distraught. It came as a shock and it’s fair to say that none of them saw it coming. They’re basically decimating the output of sports news on television.”

Sportsday was first broadcast in 2001 and airs 12 times each day from Monday-Thursday, and 11 times on a Friday.

More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online

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BBC

Director of Sport Alex Kay-Jelski informed staff of the major shake-up on Wednesday[/caption]

MANCHESTER UNITED are set for another fierce night under the Old Trafford night as they host Real Sociedad for the second leg of their last-16 Europa League tie.

United, who have meagre around the lower reaches of the Premier League table for much of the season, have found solace in European action with an unbeaten record in the competition so far.

Their Spanish opposition have had a comedown since their Champions League campaign last season. Imanol Alguacil’s side are currently 11th in LaLiga but boast a commendable homegrown squad that would revel for a chance in the final in Bilbao.

The winner will likely face Olympique Lyonnais in the next round, who are 3-1 up in their tie against FCSB.

Plus, SunSport will bring you all the latest from Spurs’ blockbuster second leg against AZ Alkmaar.

• Kick-off: 8pm GMT
• TV channel/Live stream: TNT Sports 1/ discovery+
• Man United XI: to follow…
• Real Sociedad XI: to follow…

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Follow our live blog for updates…

THE BBC are set to axe iconic news show Sportsday as part of a huge revamp, according to reports.

The organisation is reportedly restructuring to place a greater focus on digital content which will mean cutting 27 jobs to create 27 new roles.

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The BBC are set to axe Sportsday[/caption]

That means redundancies could happen as the BBC puts less emphasis on airing sports news.

Sportsday, a staple of BBC coverage for over two decades, will be axed this summer along with a number of presenting roles, claim the Daily Mail.

Voluntary redundancy will be offered to the majority of staff on the sports desk.

One insider claims the move will “effectively kill sports news on television” as the BBC switches to a more modern output.

Traditional sports news coverage will be replaced with streaming and original journalism.

The BBC hopes the revamp will grow its audience but the news has reportedly not been well received in-house with voluntary redundancies offered.

Three presenters and two correspondents are expected to be made redundant as the BBC begins cost-cutting as part of its Value for All strategy.

A source told the Mail: “It feels like they are killing sports news on television.

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“Those involved are distraught. It came as a shock and it’s fair to say that none of them saw it coming. They’re basically decimating the output of sports news on television.”

Sportsday first broadcast in 2001 and airs 12 times each day from Monday-Thursday, and 11 times on Friday.

A BBC Sport spokeswoman said: “The proposed changes would allow us to enhance our storytelling and live event coverage to ensure we remain relevant and deliver more value for audiences across the UK.”

The shake-up comes amid major change for sport on the BBC.

Long-time Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker is stepping down from his role as host with three new presenters filling the void.

Gabby Logan, Kelly Cates and Mark Chapman will share hosting duties from next season.

KATIE Price has stunned fans as she stripped down to a barely-there bikini for a sizzling high fashion campaign.

The former glamour model, 46, returned to her roots for the racy shoot alongside boyfriend JJ Slater.

Diesel

Katie Price has stunned fans as she stripped to a tiny bikini for a high fashion shoot with a major brand[/caption]

Diesel

Diesel

DIESEL

The chaotic campaign also featured her boyfriend JJ Slater[/caption]

DIESEL

JJ, 31, posed as a waxer in the snaps, which were set in a chaotic salon[/caption]

Katie could be seen posing in a tiny grey denim bikini for a brand new campaign with clothing company Diesel.

The snaps left her fans hot under the collar as Pricey showed off her body tattoos, including a giant one running across her stomach.

Mum-of-five Katie was snapped standing in front of an upright tanning bed as she wore her jet black hair up in a gigantic bun.

The photoshoot appeared to be set in a beauty saloon, decorated with pink walls as well as a pink beautician’s chair.

Her MAFS star boyfriend JJ, 31, was also included in the shot as he sported a grey gilet which appeared to be the same material and acting as a waxer.

The shoot is part of Diesel’s SS25 collection, with a video for the newly launched campaign showing various different rooms before arriving into the chaotic salon that features Katie and JJ.

Sharing one snap from the shoot showing her clutching a black bag as her breasts spill out of the tiny bikini, Katie wrote: “Who says the Pricey can’t do high fashion.”

Fans flooded her with comments, with one writing: “Never underestimate the Pricey.”

A second swooned: “Absolutely beautiful Katie! Have lovely weekend.”

“Congratulations ANGEL best pics yet,” said a third fan.

While a fourth commented: “Insane level of gorgeousness.”

It comes after fans of the star were left concerned for her as she showed off her tighter-than-ever looking face.

In her latest TikTok video with her daughter Princess, 17, she can be seen lip-syncing to Jessie J‘s song, Price Tag.

But it wasn’t their performance that got fans talking, it was Katie‘s face.

In the video, she had a very snatched jawline, that is the result of recent surgery on her face.

But fans were concerned by the change in the way her face looked, with one saying: “Is Katie ok?”