HomeArchives2023

Yearly Archives: 2023

by

P!nk has opened up about life as a mum and how she originally never thought she would have her own family. 

The Raise Your Glass singer had a candid conversation with People about being ‘terrified’ she would be a ‘terrible’ mum and how life has changed since having her children. 

P!nk explained, “I did not know I was going to have a family. I didn't picture that for myself because I was terrified I would be a terrible mother”.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by  (@pink)

“But, oh my God, being a mom is the most incredible thing I've ever done and I love it”.

The 43-year-old then revealed that when she had her children people told her that she would ruin her career. “When I had kids, people said, ‘Your career's going to be over. How are you going to tour?’.

But rather than ‘ruining her career’ P!nk has gone on to have many huge hits and is now on tour again with her new album Trustfall

Since having her little ones, the What About Us singer has been stunned by how responsible she has become with different duties she has taken on. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by  (@pink)

“It's shocking how responsible I've become. I was in charge of snacks for last week's basketball game; I threw a party yesterday for Willow's entire middle school- 50 families! I'm chaperoning her Valley Wide dance next Friday. Who am I?”, she joked. 

“I love that she lets me be a part of her life and that I’m good at it”.

The mum-of-two also shared the one wish she has for her and her family. “For me, I need one thing- I really wish for one thing, and that is: I want to see my kids grow up and be okay, that’s all I want. I don’t need anything else”.

P!nk is mum to 11-year-old Willow and six-year-old Jameson, whom she shares with husband Carey Hart.

Trending

Nottingham Playhouse, in association with Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse and UK Productions Ltd, announce the full cast of the world premiere of Nesrin Alrefaai and Matthew Spangler’s stage adaptation of Christy Lefteri’s gripping best-selling novel, The Beekeeper of Aleppo.

Reuniting the team that produced the international stage sensation The Kite Runner, the production opens at Nottingham Playhouse on 3 February before heading to Liverpool Playhouse and then a national tour in the Spring and early Summer – including Dublin’s Gaiety Theatre from 11 to 15 April.

Tickets from €21.50 including booking fee for the Dublin show and are on sale now from ticketmaster.ie

Directed by Olivier Award winning Miranda Cromwell (Death of a Salesman – Young Vic, Piccadilly Theatre and Broadway), the production will feature Alfred Clay (The Winters Tale, The Comedy of Errors – RSC) as Nuri, Roxy Faridany (This Is Going To Hurt – BBC, Magic Goes Wrong – West End) as Afra, Joseph Long (Spiderman Far From Home – Marvel Studios, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin – tour & West End) as Mustafa, Aram Mardourian (The Borrowers – Polka Theatre, The Night Of The Iguana – Ustinov Studio) as Nadim, Fotakis, Ali and other parts , Daphne Kouma (Dirty Dancing – Secret Cinema, Offside – Pleasance Courtyard) as immigration officer, Dr Faruk, Dahab and other parts, Nadia Williams (The Darkest Part of The Night – Kiln Theatre, The Meaning of Zong – Bristol Old Vic) as Angeliki, Lucy Fisher and other parts, Elham Mahyoub (The Visit – National Theatre, A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Lazarus Theatre) as Mohammed and Sami and Fanos Xenofós (Margot, The Most Famous Ballerina In The World – King’s Head Theate, Don Quixote of Algiers – White Bear Theatre) – and Lily Demir (The Secret Love Life of Ophelia – Greenwich Theatre, Empty – Soho Theatre) – as swings.

The Beekeeper of Aleppo tells the story of Nuri, a beekeeper; and his wife, Afra, an artist. They live a simple life, rich in family and friends, in the beautiful Syrian city of Aleppo – until the unthinkable happens. When all they care for is destroyed by war, they are forced to escape. On their terrifying journey, they must face the pain of their own unbearable loss alongside incredible danger. Above all, they must journey to find each other again.

This compassionate and beautiful play is a story of connection – between friends, families and strangers.

Tickets from €21.50 including booking fee for the Dublin show and are on sale now from ticketmaster.ie

Trending

Karen Gillan has been reminiscing on her fairytale wedding!

The actress, who is best known for her roles in Doctor Who and Guardians of the Galaxy, married American comedian and actor Nick Kocher in May of last year. The couple tied the knot in Castle Toward in Karen’s native Scotland.

At the time, the pair decided to keep their engagement and wedding incredibly private from the public eye. Those who live in the local area only realised that a huge event was happening when celebrities such as Julia Roberts and Robert Downey Jr were spotted wandering around.

Credit: Karen Gillan Instagram

Ever since news of their nuptials broke, fans of Karen have been desperate to see a glimpse or two into her special day – and now they have!

Taking to Instagram earlier today, the 35-year-old decided to share a few photos from her wedding day with her 7.6M followers.

The images, taken by photographer Holly Clark, capture several breathtaking moments from throughout the day’s events.

Credit: Karen Gillan Instagram

One black-and-white snap illustrates Karen standing in the honeymoon suite with her back to the camera lens, with the train of her dress beautifully falling behind her.

Another photograph sees the Scotswoman’s dress hanging from the bridal bed, allowing Karen’s fans to get a proper look at it in colour. It is a simple but stunning dress, featuring spaghetti straps and a pleated waistline.

The final photo that Karen decided to share was of herself and her new husband Nick, walking hand in hand.

Credit: Karen Gillan Instagram

Although their faces cannot be seen, we now know that Nick chose to embrace Karen’s Scottish roots and wore a traditional kilt to the wedding. How sweet!

It is believed that the happy couple first started dating in 2020. They continue to keep their relationship away from the public scene.

Congratulations to Amy and Nick!

Trending

Donegal Catch is encouraging households nationwide to choose Irish white fish this National Fish Week, which takes place from February 20th until the 26th. Buying responsibly caught haddock, whiting and hake from Donegal Catch supports Irish fishermen, fisherwomen and local fishing communities.

Donegal Catch, Ireland’s number one frozen fish brand for almost 40 years, has excitedly released a new TV advert featuring fisher Frank McClenaghan from Greencastle in Co. Donegal explaining why fishing is important for local communities and the role sustainability plays in the Irish fishing industry. The advert is on air now and will continue as for 4 weeks as part of the National Fish Week campaign. You can watch it yourself here.

Frank McClenaghan spoke about the campaign, saying, “I’ve been fishing for 14 years and come from a fishing family who have been fishing for three generations. Fishing is the heart of the Greencastle community and supports local families and businesses”.

“As a Donegal Catch fish supplier I’m delighted to work with them to highlight the importance of choosing Irish fish and the impact on Irish fishing communities.” 

The Donegal Catch Marketing Manager, Aisling Twomey spoke about National Fish Week and the importance of consuming local white fish during National Fish Week and all throughout the year. 

“We are encouraging Irish households to choose Donegal Catch Irish haddock, whiting and hake this National Fish Week. With people’s increasing desire to eat locally and sustainably caught fish, we are working closely with Irish fishers like Frank, to bring quality fish to Irish dinner plates”.

“Donegal Catch is the largest purchaser of white fish from the Irish catching sector and processes over 20% of Irish landed haddock and whiting. We recognise the role we play in the sustainable development of the Irish fishing industry, protecting our waters, and positively impacting our communities for generations to come. We’re thrilled with our new TV advert featuring Frank and delighted that it is going to air this year for National Fish Week.”

Donegal Catch works closely with Irish fish suppliers to source the best quality fish, fully traceable back to the boat.

There is a vast variety of fish in Donegal Catch’s range and last year they extended it even further with award winning products such as Salt & Vinegar Haddock Bites (€5.50) and Chunky Hake (€6.60).

From family favourites Breaded Whiting (€5.99) and Breaded Haddock (€5.99) to Craft Cider (€5.50) or Pale Ale Battered Haddock (€5.50), the Donegal Catch frozen fish range is versatile and conveniently prepared as it is ready to pop in the oven from frozen. This way, you can trust you’ll get a delicious, healthy meal in minutes for you and your family.

Donegal Catch also has some great ideas for new recipes, along with top tips on how best to get more fish into your diet, which can be found here. One of our favourite recipes by Donegal Catch is their chunky hake with chorizo and onion potato hash. Check out the recipe below. 

Chunky Hake with Chorizo and Onion Potato Hash.

Serves: 2

Total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 Donegal Catch Chunky Hake fillets

  • 350 grams floury potatoes, peeled and cubed

  • 1 onion, finely sliced

  • 100 grams chorizo sausage, cut into cubes

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 garlic clove, sliced

  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme

  • 100 grams roasted red peppers, from a jar, sliced

  • 150 grams spinach

  • Chopped parsley, to serve

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 200 C / 180 C fan.

  2. Place potato cubes in large pan of cold, salted water and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes then drain and allow to steam for a few minutes.

  3. Place a large frying pan over a medium heat and add a drizzle of the oil from the jar of roasted peppers then add the potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook, for about 10 – 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are golden and crispy. Remove from the pan and set aside.

  4. Place the fish on a baking tray and place into the oven for 25 minutes, until cooked through.

  5. Meanwhile, in the same frying pan, add a little more oil from the jar and add the sliced onion. Fry for 10 minutes until translucent and softened then add the chorizo and fry for a further 5 minutes until it becomes crispy and releases its oils. Add the sliced garlic clove, paprika and thyme and cook for 2 minutes then add the potatoes back into the pan. With the back of a form, crush a few of the potatoes to expose the soft middles and continue to fry for 10 minutes, stirring to make sure nothing catches.

  6. Just before serving, stir through the spinach and roasted peppers. Cook for a few minutes until the spinach wilts and the peppers heat through then plate up with the fish. Sprinkle with parsley to serve.

Competition time:

To celebrate National Fish Week, Donegal Catch has given us a €100 shopping voucher!  Simply email press [at] shemazing.ie with Donegal Catch in the subject line and which retailer do you normally shop in.  Competition closes 26th March at 5pm. 

Trending

Disney has recently announced an exciting new project, centering on the woman who hid Anne Frank and her family during World War II.

A Small Light is a brand-new limited series that will focus on the incredible, real-life journey of Miep Gies, who helped to protect the Frank family, as well as the van Pels family and dentist Fritz Pfeffer.

The series will launch on Disney+ on Tuesday, May 2. 

Bel Powley will portray Miep Gies, and the premise will showcase how the young, carefree and strong-willed secretary ended up being asked by her boss, Otto Frank, to help hide him and his family from the threat of the Nazis during the Second World War.

The show will then follow Miep and her husband Jan (played by actor Joe Cole) throughout the course of two years, and illustrate how they managed to hide eight people in the secret annex of Otto Frank’s office in Amsterdam.

A Small Light will also highlight how, in the end, it was Miep who discovered Anne Frank’s diary following the family’s arrest in 1944. Miep later returned the precious item to Anne’s father Otto, following the young girl’s untimely death, and the pair subsequently chose to publish it.

Joan Rater and Tony Phelan, the creators and executive producers of A Small Light, hope that the message of their show will stay with audiences for a long time.

“We hope it leaves a lasting impact on viewers and helps to show the importance of discovering untold stories of the Holocaust and the lessons it continues to teach,” they stated.

Although it will undoubtedly be a heartfelt and emotional watch, we definitely can’t wait to see it! So, mark it on your calendar: A Small Light will be landing on Disney+ in just a few months time, on May 2.

Feature photo credit: Disney

Trending

Lorraine Kelly has been struck down with an illness.

The Scottish presenter usually hosts her own weekday morning show on ITV. However, viewers were shocked this morning when journalist Ranvir Singh unexpectedly stepped in to host Lorraine.

The change in presenter was revealed by Kate Garraway on Good Morning Britain, shortly before Lorraine was due to go live on air.

“‘In almost a first in her 30-year-plus history on breakfast TV, she’s actually gone home. She’s not well”, she announced.

“‘Ranvir is to the rescue though, she’s on her way in to get herself ready for the show, so she’ll be here”, Kate confirmed.

Lorraine then promptly decided to take to social media to explain the cause of her sudden absence. “When you have to be sent home from work early in the morning because you are suddenly attacked by a hideous bug and were looking forward to interviewing @adamlambert”, the 63-year-old wrote dishearteningly on Twitter.

“THAT! Beyond disappointed but imagine if I had infected him !!!!!!”, she penned with a bit of humour.

Following the clarification surrounding her mystery illness, Lorraine then began to receive a wave of support and well-wishing messages from both fans and other famous faces.

“Get well soon lovely x”, replied Welsh singer Aled Jones.

“Oh, no! Hope you feel better soon! And I’m sure he’d love to come back when you’re better too!”, one Twitter follower wrote, referring to Queen singer Adam Lambert.

Credit: Ranvir Singh on ITV's Lorraine

“Blimey hope ur ok xx”, another fan commented in concern.

Replacement host Ranvir also wished Lorraine better as she stepped into the Scotswoman’s shoes. "Listen, we are all thinking of Lorraine this morning, she is such a trooper,” she praised.

"But when a bug hits and you can't shake it off and you feel that sick, there is only one option, and that is to go home and lie down for a bit."

We hope Lorraine feels better soon, and we can’t wait to see her on our screens again!

Trending

by

Fans of Stacey Solomon can’t get over the latest photos she has shared of her newborn daughter Belle and are all agreeing on one thing in particular in the snaps.

The Loose Women panellist welcomed Belle into the world two weeks ago, making her a mum-of-five. 

Stacey took to Instagram yesterday to post some adorable snaps of her newest addition to her 5.5M followers and many can’t believe just how much the bundle of joy looks like one particular family member. 

In the pictures where Belle is laying on her mum’s lap, with one hand beyond her head and the other wrapped around Stacey’s thumb, her beautiful blue eyes steal the show. 

Fans flooded the comments to reveal who they think the tot looks like the most and it seems like the majority believe she is the twin of her dad, Joe Swash. 

One fan wrote, “Such a cutie. She’s a female version of Joe”, while a second penned, “She is the double of Joe!”.

“Aww she’s adorable and looks so much like her daddy”, said a third fan. “A mini Joe, so adorable”, wrote another fan.

Some famous faces also shared their thoughts with The Big Breakfast presenter Gaby Roslin adding, “She looks just like her daddy”.

In The Style founder, Adam Frisby, penned, “Awww she’s so cute Stace!! I can see such a mix of Joe & Rex in her little eyes”.

Solomon shared the pictures to give an update on how her family’s life has been since welcoming Belle. 

In the caption, the 33-year-old explained, “Oh Hello Beautiful Belle. The most special two weeks of you Belle…Today all the boys went back to school & Belle had lots of awake time”.

“I think she was wondering where all the noise and craziness had gone. I felt like I got some time to properly see her & talk to her today”.

The Tap to Tidy author added, “I love these days when they start to open their eyes more & really look around and begin to show you little bits of who they are and the adventures to come”.

Trending

Kelsey Parker has been speaking about her late husband Tom, ahead of the first anniversary of his death.

Tom, who was best known for being a member of the boyband The Wanted, tragically passed away from a brain tumour in March of last year. He was just 33 years of age. 

As well as his wife Kelsey, he also left behind their two children – three-year-old Aurelia and two-year-old Bodhi.

Following Tom’s untimely passing, Kelsey has been extremely open about how she is coping with the loss of her husband.

Speaking to OK! at the recent premiere of Dirty Dancing at London’s Dominion Theatre, the 32-year-old admitted that she is still processing her loss. “I’m just taking each day and live through it really. It’s tough, but you’ve just got to get through it,” she shared.

She further admitted that her two young children are finding life difficult without their father. “They’re alright – they’re OK. It’s hard,” she revealed.

Kelsey then went on to note that she currently does not know how to mark the first anniversary of Tom’s passing. “I don’t know yet. I don’t want to think about it right now, but I’m sure I’ll do something,” she said.

Speaking on the topic of therapy, the mum-of-two recalled that making her six-part documentary, titled Kelsey Parker: Life After Tom, helped her find comfort. The documentary series aired in December of last year.

“On the show I did counselling, and making the show was counselling for me, because I went on so many different groups and I had to talk about it,” Kelsey explained. 

“I had to face my fear and actually talk about what I was going through. So I think doing the documentary in itself was massive counselling for me,” she added.

In the conclusion of her interview, Kelsey revealed that she has not continued further with therapy. “I just feel I’m a good speaker. I do open up and say how I’m feeling about things,” she shared.

Trending

Anna Geary is about to become a mum!

The Ireland’s Fittest Family star has shared the wonderful news that she is expecting her first child with her husband, Kevin Sexton.

The 35-year-old took to Instagram last night to reveal her pregnancy announcement.

The camogie star delighted her 139K followers with an adorable snap of a baby grow, with the phrase ‘Togging out in 2023’ printed on it. A bunny rabbit teddy, a bunch of dried flowers and a mini camogie stick also feature in the image.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Anna Geary (@annagcork)

“A new teammate coming in 2023”, Anna teased in the caption of her post.

Many stars from the world of Irish showbiz have since taken to the comments section of Anna’s post to congratulate her and Kevin on their heartwarming news.

“congrats Anna xx”, replied The Saturdays singer Una Healy.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Anna Geary (@annagcork)

“Awe Anna!!!!!! Very exciting xxxxx”, wrote TV presenter Lucy Kennedy.

“Congratulations guys, great news!” added architect and Room to Improve host Dermot Bannon.

“@annagcork omg I’m delighted for u, congratulations”, Erin McGregor, the sister of UFC champion Conor McGregor, also commented. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Anna Geary (@annagcork)

Anna and Kevin first met during the Christmas season of 2014, through a mutual friend. The pair hit it off instantly and eventually, they began to date.

After a few years of dating, Kevin decided to pop the question to Anna in 2018, and she said yes. The couple subsequently tied the knot in October of the following year in a stunning ceremony in Anna’s native Cork.

Congratulations to the expectant parents on their exciting news!

Trending

by

Brian Dowling has been reflecting on the loss of his mum today with a touching conversation about grief, as it is the five-year anniversary of her passing.

Brian’s mum, Rosie, sadly passed away in 2018 from Sudden Adult Death Syndrome.

The Big Brother winner has opened up about dealing with grief and coming to terms with how unfair life is because his mum has missed out on many milestones since her death.

Credit: Brian Dowling Instagram

Speaking on his Instagram Stories earlier today while on a walk with his daughter Blake, Brian explained, “Today is Mum's anniversary. She passed away 5 years ago today. I was in LA when I found out”.

“I found myself feeling a bit kind of numb or out of sorts today which is very odd- it's an odd one, five years”.

Brian continued, “Five years without mum and I feel like the more life goes on, how unfair it is because she's missing out on so much”.

“I say it's unfair because Mum deserved more, and anyone that is grieving or lost someone- I just think Mam should be here when Tara had Harvey, Mam should be here when we had Blake, Mam should be here when Tara got married and with Aoife being pregnant and Tara being pregnant, and everything that happens in life…I feel bad for Mam that she's missed out”.

The 44-year-old added, “I felt kind of weird last night about it and that's why we should never put a time span on healing or your grief because in a way, how I'm feeling now still connects me to my mum”.

The Six O’Clock Show co-host previously shared a tribute about his family and his mum’s passing to Instagram by sharing a photo of his daughter, Blake, and nephew, Harvey.

He captioned the post, “We gathered this evening as a family to mark our mum's fifth anniversary. Mum will have officially passed 5 years next Tuesday. Sometimes it still feels so fresh & other times it feels like I've not seen her in 10 years or more”.

“Pictured here we have the current babies of the family, Harvey & Blake. They LOVE to spend time together. To think mum has never held them is heartbreaking”.

Dowling added, “Excitingly Blake will no longer be the baby of the family & Harvey is going to be a big brother this summer. Our baby sister Tara is pregnant & glowing. FAMILY WAS EVERYTHING to mum. Blake can't wait to meet her baby cousin”.

Trending

by

Chloe Madeley has responded to online hate she was receiving in relation to her daughter’s car seat. 

The personal trainer, and daughter to television presenters Richard and Judy, was being judged on social media earlier this month after she shared a photo of her and her husband, rugby star James Haskell, in a taxi with their daughter.

Six-month-old Bohdi was sitting on her dad’s lap in the photo and not in a car seat, which led many social media users to share hateful comments to Chloe at the time, which have still been continuing today.

Credit: Chloe Madeley Instagram

UK laws concerning car seats in taxis state, “If the driver doesn’t provide the correct child car seat, children can travel without one – but only if they travel on a rear seat: and wear an adult seat belt if they’re 3 or older, without a seat belt if they’re under 3”.

Chloe was branded ‘irresponsible’ and ‘shameful’, and was still receiving nasty messages today about the situation, but the 35-year-old has clapped back after people were mum-shaming her through private texts.

Taking to her Instagram Stories earlier this afternoon, Madeley explained, “I’m sharing this because I assessed my best travel options that day, I checked what the law was, I hit up 3 different WhatsApp groups full of mums and ask them what they did, I conferred with my husband, and I made a safety conscious decision to the best of my ability”.

“Opinions are fine but not everybody's mother needs to share yours. That doesn't then make her a bad mother”.

“Please stop with this mum shaming, judging other women believing your own views should be universally shared nonsense. Your views are just that, YOURS”.

Chloe shared a screenshot of a text message exchange between her and an Instagram user that was sending her nasty texts. Part of the hater's message was telling Chloe she should "be sending responsible messaging" because she is an "influencer".

Credit: Chloe Madeley Instagram

The podcast host's response read, “The difference between you and I is that I won't message you telling you you're a bad mother”.

“I hope and assume you make your own decisions on how to parent your own child with the absolute best of your ability”.

Chloe added that, in her opinion, the messages she was receiving were "vile, rude, unnecessary, wrong and damaging".

Chloe and her husband James welcomed Bodhi into the world in August 2022, with Chloe describing her as “the best thing that’s ever happened to me”.

Trending

It looks as though drama will be heating up once more in the Love Island villa tonight!

In the first look preview for tonight’s edition of the ITV dating show, the Islanders prepare to take part in a challenge titled ‘Knowing Me, Knowing You’.

The contestants will be tested on their knowledge of their partner, which leads the couples to quickly give each other a recap on all of their personal stats, including birthdays, star signs, number of sexual partners and more.

Then, during the game itself, host Shaq asks the boys who they think is the “least trustworthy” person in the villa.

Credit: ITV

Kai, who is currently coupled up with new Casa Amor girl Sanam, turns his heart-shaped chalkboard around and reveals that he has written Claudia’s name as his answer – but how will she respond?

In an explosive turn, Shaq also asks the girls: "Which Islander does your partner think is least genuine in the Villa?". With two boys being chosen as the most popular answers, how will the results go down?

In an upsetting moment, Australian girl Jessie realises that only one boy voted for her and partner Will, when Shaq asks the boys who they think is the most compatible couple.

Credit: ITV

The pair have been on a rocky journey since Will’s antics in Casa Amor. Viewers were delighted to see them reconcile during Sunday night’s episode – but will the results of the challenge affect Jessie’s mindset?

Outside of the challenge, trouble continues to brew after Tanya revealed to all of the Islanders, including her current partner Martin, that she had secretly kissed Shaq.

Credit: ITV

“I look like an idiot in front of everyone”, Martin exclaims, after watching Tanya declare her love for Shaq.

“You’re not sincere, you made me look like I was dumb, you’re a liar,” the Irishman explodes to her in a later conversation. Will they be able to part ways amicably?

Viewers will have to tune in to find out! Love Island airs tonight on Virgin Media Two/ITV2 at 9pm.

Trending