David Gallagher, star of ’90s soap opera 7th Heaven, unveiled a striking new look this weekend.

The former actor, who played Simon Camden in the hit show, looked unrecognizable in photos shared by his co-star Beverly Mitchell on Instagram.

Where he once had a luscious blonde undercut and a boyish face, the 39-year-old now sports a shaved head and a long beard.

Gallagher, who was cast in 7th Heaven at the age of 11, reunited with his co-stars Mitchell, Catherine Hicks, Barry Watson and Mackenzie Rosman this weekend at 90s Con in Hartford, Connecticut.

The former child star’s career also included appearances in Look Who’s Talking Now with John Travolta and Kirstie Alley, and Phenomenon, also with Travolta.

This week he said The sun that he is no longer an actor and is focused on being a stay-at-home dad to his six-year-old daughter.

In Mitchell’s Instagram post shared Saturday, she shared a carousel of photos from the convention reunion with her castmates.

In the caption, Mitchell, who played Lucy Camden in 7th Heaven, wrote: “Extremely grateful for these crazy people I call family!

“To say this was necessary is an understatement, my heart is full and I am so blessed to be able to love and laugh with them! Thank you That’s 4 Entertainment for bringing us together for #90scon.”

“There’s a lot of love in this group,” she added.

Fans sounded excited in Beverly’s comments, with one writing: “Simon looks very different, everyone else looks the same haha.”

“It took me three replays to figure out who the bald guy was,” another commenter joked.

‘My favorite TV family! I miss David’s hair,” wrote another.

Another Instagrammer wrote: ‘7th Heaven was the best show ever. Mrs. David’s blond hair. Hope next reunion Jessica [Biel] can come, and the twins.’

Biel, who played Mary Camden, was a notable absentee, but Mitchell claimed the cast FaceTimed her.

Another missing cast member was Stephen Collins, who played Camden patriarch Eric.

Collins admitted in 2014 to “inappropriate sexual conduct with three female minors” in 1973, 1982 and 1994.

7th Heaven, which ran for ten seasons from 1996 to 2007, followed a Protestant pastor living in California with his wife and seven children.

The final episode aired on May 13, 2007.

Beverley Mitchell saw some happy faces smiling back at her over the weekend as she reunited with the cast of 7th heaven during 90s Con – a weekend-long event where fans come face-to-face with stars from their favorite ’90s shows.

“Beyond grateful for these crazy people I call family!” Mitchell, 43, who played Lucy Camden on the former WB/CW show wrote via a Instagram video on Friday, March 15.

She continued: “To say this was necessary was an understatement, my heart is full and I am so blessed to be able to love and laugh with them! Thanks @thats4ent for [bringing] us together for #90scon.”

The cute clip was set Connor Price‘s song “Grateful” and showed images of fellow former costars Catherine Hicks (Annie), Barry Watson (Mat), David Gallagher (Simon) and Mackenzie Rosman (Ruthie) – all of whom made the trip to Hartford, Connecticut. Among the fun snapshots were one of the TV siblings on the purple carpet, one of the cast posing next to a giant heart statue, several selfies, and a group shot of the cast exploring the city at night.

Absent from the camera roll Jessica Biel, who played Mary Camden, Lucy’s older sister. However, Mitchell informed fans that while Biel, 42, was not physically present, she was there virtually and was able to connect with the group by phone during the event.

“We even FaceTimed @jessicabiel,” Mitchell explains. “There is a lot of love in this group.”

While heading to Congress on Thursday, March 14, Mitchell and Gallagher, 39, happened to be on the same flight, although their ride wasn’t as smooth as they had imagined.
“Guess what? We’re headed to Hartford… I don’t know if we’re going to make it,” Mitchell further revealed Instagram.

Trying to be optimistic, Gallagher added, “We’re going to make it.”

“We’re going to make it, but it might just be a matter of plans, trains and cars, so ’90 Con, we’re getting there…I’m not sure when we’re going to get there,” Mitchell said.

She later shared an update to let fans know what was going on.

“We didn’t quite succeed. We have arrived in Washington, [D.C.],” Mitchell shared in another Instagram video while Gallagher laughed in disbelief at the situation. “We have to go to Connecticut and we had two options: stay overnight and get on an early flight, or…”

“Road trip,” Gallagher chimed in. ‘I’ve tried it. I tried to get her to take a road trip, y’all.”

Mitchell admitted she wasn’t a fan of the long drive and nixed Gallagher’s idea. “It’s a seven and a half hour drive. I don’t think he’s ready for the backseat driver in me.”
The two then started laughing and trying to stay positive.

“But at the end of the day, hopefully we’ll get to Connecticut at some point,” Mitchell said, adding, “We still have five hours before our early flight. So stay tuned for Bev and David’s adventures! “Because it’s been quite an adventure so far, guys.”

Luckily, the duo made it and were able to spend time with them 7th heaven form.

7th heaven wrapped in 2007 after an 11-season run with 243 episodes. The series followed a pastor’s family, including seven children, living in the fictional town of Glen Oak, California.

Stefan Collins, who played family patriarch Eric Camden, was neither in attendance nor invited. Collins, now 76, admitted to abusing underage girls during a 2012 therapy session that was recorded without his knowledge. The recording was leaked in 2014 and Collins admitted his crimes later that year interview with Katie Couric.

“This came out. I did not choose to release this,” Collins said at the time. “I didn’t want to have to deal with these things in public.”

He added: “I have dealt with it very, very strongly and diligently in my private life, but I think I am a flawed human being and I have done everything I can to address them.”

Unfortunately, while we all love to get a bargain, it can be difficult to determine which beauty dupes are worth your hard-earned money.

One influencer has apparently struck gold at Home Bargains, with skin-nourishing night creams and perfume for less than a fiver.

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Despite regularly saving herself a small fortune in recent times, Holly Barns isn’t afraid to give her brutally honest opinions on Tiktok.

When this flight attendant isn’t on cloud nine, she’s busy scouring supermarkets and discount stores for the best bargains.

After hearing about Sol De Janeiro’s alleged dupes in Home Bargains, the beauty guru knew she had to pick them up and test them out for herself.

First in her basket was the Glow body butter with a delicious scent of vanilla, almond and salted caramel for only € 4.99.

Not only did it have the same heavenly scent, the moisturizer also had almost identical yellow and white packaging as the iconic Sol De Janeiro products.

She compared it to the high-end cream and said: “It smells just like the Bum Bum cream. It’s actually true Nice.”

Considering how similar the products are, it seems like the Glow Body Butter is more than worth it money – especially as the Sol De Janerio cream costs a whopping £35.

The 30-year-old wasn’t done with her reviews yet, though, as she also picked up the Glow perfume mist pink lychee and crystal clear water.

Although it’s similar to the Brazilian Crush perfume, the popular dupe has already sold out as influencers rush to get their hands on it.

It’s not surprising as Holly told her 35,000 followers: “This smells incredible and it smells just like my real one… it just smells like heaven.”

While the real Sol De Janeiro perfume will cost you an eye-watering £24.00 for a 90ml bottle, you can get your hands on an almost identical scent at Home Bargains or just £3.99.

After stocking up on heavenly scents, the flight attendant turned her attention to the skin care that was offered at the discount store.

Although she already had enviably glowing skin, Holly wanted to test the Biovene Retinol Night Lift cream, which claims to tighten and improve fine lines.

The anti-ageing cream, made with organic strawberry and cherry essence, normally retails for £15.99, but she managed to find it at Home Bargains for just £1.99.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t as impressed with this product as she was with the other items in her collection.

“They had it in TK Maxx for full price,” she explained, adding: “It doesn’t smell great, but I have high hopes for it. I keep seeing everyone using it on Tiktok.”

Since she travels often, her latest purchase was the Biovene Face Fluid serum with built-in SPF and hydrating hyaluronic acid.

“They did this in a 30ml and 50ml. This was supposed to cost £20 and I got it for £1.99,” she said, adding that the skincare smelled ‘amazing’.

With all these beauty buys on sale, it seems like the perfect time for a trip to Home Bargains.

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A SHOPPER came across a nostalgic wardrobe for sale on Facebook Marketplace.

She couldn't resist making the purchase and revealed the items she would most like to receive in the mail.

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A thrift shopper who claims in her TikTok bio that “it's other people's trash [her] honey” just came across one of her favorite finds.

Jackie (@frugalitygirl) revealed her purchase in a clamp.

“I may have accidentally bought a woman's entire storage unit of her '90s clothes, shoes, belts, jackets and leather jackets,” she enthused about the capsule closet.

She shared photos while expressing her gratitude.

“I'm living a dream right now.”

One image showed dozens of boots – leather, suede, short, long, heeled and flat – in multiple colors.

“This is literally platform heaven.”

She pointed to a brown, knee-high heeled boot with floral embroidery down the side.

'Those are vintage Sketchers. Do you see what I see?

“I've been messaging this woman all week to figure out what things to buy.”

The reason the owner started a purge was because she was moving and no longer had access to the storage space.

So it was passed into enthusiastic hands.

“I think this is a sign that I have to continue playing dress up as my career for the rest of my life.”

There were several lace-up boots, one of which was 90s Steve Madden, and another that Jackie said she wouldn't take off.

“Yes, these puppies will be on my feet every day. Very cute.”

She said it will keep getting better as the owner continually sends Jackie pictures of other items she finds, waiting for Jackie to say yes or no.

“It's working out great. I spend a lot of money, but this is my dream collection and I am so excited.”

In the caption, she called that money spent an “investment” and noted in the comments that she has purchased 47 pairs of boots so far.

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We expect a lot from our royal family, and rightly so.

They occupy an extraordinary position in our national life, one that comes with many privileges (and generous financial rewards).

That's why many of us expect to be the embodiment of the nation's 'keep calm and carry on' mantra, the last vestige of that British stiff upper lip.

But every now and then something happens that reminds us that they're people, too—and that behind the scenes they may be facing the same challenges as the rest of us.

Wednesday's news that not one, but two of our senior royals have serious health problems requiring hospital treatment came as a shock.

Who would have thought when he saw the king smiling broadly as he drove himself and his wife to church on Sunday that he was concerned enough about his health to seek immediate medical advice.

Or that on the same day he was told to scale back royal duties and prepare for surgery for an enlarged prostate next week, His Majesty would break with protocol and allow his diagnoses to be made known in the hope that this might encourage other men to do the same. self checked out.

I'm told he's “really” in a good place, taking a pragmatic approach to his diagnosis and keeping up with his paperwork ahead of his surgery next week.

Even more worrying is the Princess of Wales who, after undergoing so-called 'abdominal surgery', will have to spend two weeks in hospital and recover for up to three months.

Kensington Palace has said it is her wish to keep further details about her condition private (although they have confirmed it is not cancer), but given her recovery time this is clearly significant.

Last week I was with her husband, Prince William, as he surprised motor neurone disease campaigners and former rugby league professionals Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield with their CBEs.

He traveled to Leeds to personally present them with their honors as Rob, who – along with his friend Kevin – has courageously used his diagnosis of the incurable, life-shortening condition to raise millions of pounds to support fellow sufferers and fund research.

As always, William was charming, compassionate and engaging, and made sure that Rob – who is in a wheelchair and can only communicate through an eye-operated computer aid – was at the center of events.

Even though Rob was unable to verbally join in on the banter, the future king even joked with him about a prank the former player once pulled with a Jaffa cake and a pair of Calvin Kleins (I won't say more than that) which caused Rob to break. in a heartwarming, still mischievous grin.

It was a very emotional event and, without going into details, I found it very moving.

At the end of the engagement, I left the room in tears to give William some alone time with the families.

When he left a few minutes later, he had clearly noticed my sadness and, I think, realized why. He looked at me, smiled kindly and nodded his head. “Are you okay, Rebecca?”

There was no indication that anything unusual was going on behind the scenes of his own life.

That makes the reaction of some to his decision to empty his diary to stand at his wife's bedside and support their three young children extremely shameful.

Social media has been awash with trolls – even those with the letters Dr in front of their names – decrying his actions.

One (I won't name the person as I fear he or she will just enjoy the publicity) highlighted an article on MailOnline and wrote: 'Should we clap for him? The PR spin to desperately make Prince William seem like a devoted husband and father who juggles childcare with caring, while he has an army of people supporting him and no financial worries about quitting work to stay home, is so tone deaf.”

Beyond hateful.

Republic, the anti-monarchist pressure group that has spent the past year trying to convince the public that it is a credible political force, has also seized on the issue with glee, posting: “They could all be sick with measles for six months. and still fit in more appointments than last year', and 'Man visits woman in hospital. Huge if true'.

William would be the last to encourage a pity party, but it's worth pointing out that wealth doesn't mean your wife or children need you any less.

The heir to the throne has long made it clear that his three young children are his first priority in life.

Sure, he's lucky that he can afford to take time off work, but it takes a particularly bitter individual to begrudge him that.

William has always enjoyed being a hands-on dad, he cooks (not brilliantly, but he does cook), cheers them on from the sidelines and is there to run the school and wipe their tears.

As my colleague Robert Hardman writes in his excellent new royal biography: 'In his view, it is not far removed from the most important job he has: raising the next king but one.'

Fortunately, he has a close support network around him, especially Catherine's parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, who are extremely hands-on grandparents, and their nanny Maria.

But nothing makes up for a father's love and although he never disappoints the many charities and organizations he supports, he wants to be there for George, Charlotte and Louis, as well as his wife.

There's a little vignette that I think shows why William's approach to his family is non-negotiable.

In 2012 we were in the Solomon Islands during his and Catherine's tour of the South Pacific.

A few days earlier, the couple had been rocked after a French magazine published illegal photos of the princess sunbathing topless during a private holiday.

To say William cooked was an understatement.

One evening there was a reception for international and local media and we had been instructed not to report the incident under any circumstances.

When it was my turn to talk to him, I had no choice but to address the elephant in the room – it felt disingenuous not to – and I told him how sorry I was for what had happened, adding cheekily admits that my partner would have done that. decked out everyone who took similar photos.

William made it clear that while that was a hugely attractive option for him in his current state of mind, he would let the courts take their course.

What upset him most, he said, was that when he proposed to Catherine, he promised her parents that he would take care of her.

He knew better than anyone the personal sacrifices she made to be with the man she loved.

And by allowing all this to happen, he felt like he had let them down.

That's why I know he will bend heaven and earth to be by her side now and do the best for their little family.

No matter how long it takes.

Genoveva Casanova has published her first social media post since King Frederick X was crowned monarch of Denmark.

The Mexican socialite, 47, hasn't posted to her Instagram account often since she was born forced to deny 'malicious' rumors about her friendship with then Crown Prince Frederik after a night out together in Madrid in November.

However, on her Instagram Stories on Tuesday – two days after Frederick took over the Danish throne from Queen Margrethe – Casanova shared a video by Spanish singer and actor Miguel Bose about children working in slavery in Africa.

Bose's original message read: '40,000 slave children in Congo are forced to work in cobalt mines so we can drive electric cars'.

Casanova faced intense criticism after she was pictured in Madrid late last year with the then future king of Denmark, 55, without his wife, then Princess Mary, now Queen Mary.

After the photos of the friends surfaced, Spanish magazine Lecturas reported that Casanova and Frederick had dinner together and watched flamenco until 1 a.m.

The reality TV star, 47, married the Duchess of Alba's son Cayetano Martinez de Irujo in 2005. The couple divorced in 2007 but remain friends.

Queen Mary has remained tight-lipped about her husband's dinner with the socialite, and the royal couple have put on a united appearance since; On Sunday they shared a kiss on the balcony of Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, with their four children by their sides.

Queen Margrethe II's abdication took place on January 14, when Frederick and Australian-born Mary succeeded to the throne of Denmark.

Queen Margrethe, who has held the title of queen for 52 years, confirmed her intention to step aside for her eldest son on New Year's Eve, much to the surprise of the country.

Thousands of people gathered outside Christiansborg Castle on Sunday, prepared with folding chairs and waving Danish flags in the hope of catching a glimpse of the royals.

Mary and Frederik traveled together in a 1958 Rolls-Royce from Amalienborg, followed by Queen Margrethe in a carriage, leaving Christian IX's palace.

The couple appeared united in their new roles, with the tumultuous events of late 2023 seemingly behind them – neither Frederick, a fourth cousin of King Charles, nor Mary commented individually on the alleged affair.

However, the Danish royal family has issued an official statement to Danish publication BT in light of the photos, saying they “do not comment on rumors or innuendo.”

Shortly after the “explosive” photos of then-Prince Frederik and the Mexican beauty were published by Spanish publication Lecturas, Ms Casanova branded the “malicious” rumors of an affair as false and misleading.

She also posted a legal letter on Instagram threatening legal action against the magazine, but has since remained silent about the “scandal.”

The new king and queen of Denmark enjoy the support of more than 80 percent of the Danish population, a recent opinion poll showed.

A study conducted for Ritzau revealed that Mary enjoyed slightly more popularity among the Danes than Frederick.

The poll asked to what extent Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik are suitable to become Queen Mary I and King Frederik X.

While 82 percent of people believe Frederick is suitable for the role of king, 86 percent believe Mary will make a good queen.

Danish royal commentator Kim Bach believes that although Frederick is popular, Mary's slight edge over her husband is likely due to rumors of his affair with Casanova.

Bella Thorne left vanishingly little to the imagination as she, Heidi Klum and Christina Hendricks lead a cavalcade of star at The Art Of Elysium’s annual HEAVEN gala on Saturday night.

Entitled ‘Heaven Is A Library’ and thrown at Los Angeles’ Wiltern Theater, the glittering affair saw beloved author Neil Gaiman honored as a ‘visionary’ by the arts-based nonprofit. 

In a showstopping flourish, Bella, 26, went strikingly bra-less under a see-through netted dress, done in a silver shade that paired well with her off-white panties. 

The former Disney Channel child star, who joined OnlyFans in 2020, wore a scarlet shade of lipstick that brought out her luxurious curtains of fiery red hair. 

Her dress allowed her to show off her shapely legs and chiseled midriff as she turned this way and that, ensuring the camera caught her from a variety of angles.

Bella attended the fete on the arm of her gay pal Jason Parks, who modeled a similarly flesh-flashing ensemble, going shirtless over his fashionably loose-fitted pinstriped suit.

Meanwhile, for her latest public appearance, Heidi draped her statuesque figure into a skintight nude gown that was speckled all over with a dazzling golden floral print.

The strapless number emphasized her cleavage and complemented her luscious waves of blonde hair, which cascaded freely over her shoulders and framed her screen-siren complexion.

Accentuating her features with makeup, she garnished the look with jewelry and added an eye-catching pop of contrast with a blood-red shade of nail polish.

She posed up a storm on the red carpet with her 19-year-old daughter Leni, who has elicited allegations of being a ‘nepo baby’ by following Heidi’s footsteps into the modeling business.

Christina served up a generous helping of cleavage in a frou-frou red dress that hinted at Gothic chic, with its ruched shiny fabrics and the hint of lace around its plummeting neckline.

Wearing dramatic pink eye makeup, of a piece with her rose lipstick and red hair, she accessorized with a gleaming gold clutch that featured diamond stitching.

As se posed in front of the backdrop, which in an on-theme touch had books scattered along the bottom, Christina held hands with her boyfriend, cameraman George Bianchini.

Varsity Blues actress Amy Smart and her husband, Trading Spaces hunk Carter Oosterhouse, were being garlanded with the Spirit Of Elysium prize.

Amy made her presence felt in a sleek black gown with a neckline that plunged to reveal not just her cleavage but also her enviably taut midriff. 

Zelda Williams was period chic in a royal purple gown that brought back memories of the medieval era, while Nikki Costa modeled a dress reminiscent of a toga and The Talk hostess Amanda Kloots rocked a simple red frock.

Aly Michaika was spotted sharing an embrace with her friend Raymond Braun, who is gay, while her sister AJ Michaika clung to her longtime beau Josh Pence.

The Michaikas were not the only celebrity sister-act to make its way to the Heaven gala, where Patricia Arquette and Rosanna Arquette also trod the red carpet.

Azie Tesfie wore a shimmering gold dress harking back to the chinoiserie tradition, while Joseph Gordon-Levitt was dashing as ever in a classic suit and Rain Phoenix slid into an elegant off-the-shoulder raven gown. 

Ever Carradine, a scion of the Carradine acting family and a cousin of Martha Plimpton’s, exuded Old Hollywood glamour in a floor-length strapless scarlet frock.

Shameless actress Emma Kenney, who later also featured on the Roseanne revival, Forgetting Sarah Marshall star Jason Segel and Parks And Recreation alum Retta were also on the guest list. 

Tasya Van Ree made sure to attract attention with her look, donning a towering wide-brimmed fedora and a long retro black coat adorned with ornate gold embroidery at its cuffs and collar. 

A number of couples turned the HEAVEN gala into a date night, from Joe Manganiello, 47, and his new blonde girlfriend Caitlin O’Connor, 34, to Patton Oswalt and his second wife Meredith Salenger.

Cara Santana, who got the Spirit Of Elysium award two years ago and returned to the ceremony this year to deliver a special presentation, cuddled up to her boyfriend Shannon Leto, whose brother is Jared Leto.

Shameless alumna Shanola Hampton radiated showbiz glitz in a plunging sequined blazer dress, Mira Sorvino put a ritzy spin on corporate chic and Alicia Witt arrived in a rose ensemble that appeared to be velvet or velour.

The Real World: San Diego alumna Jamie Chung strutted her stuff through the event in a shimmery black gown, turning to one side to beguilingly reveal it was backless.

Among the parade of couples who made their way to the event were Topher Grace and his wife Ashley, as well as Kumail Nanjiani and his wife and The Big Sick co-writer Emily V. Gordon.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph, who has been showered with acclaim for her supporting performance as a bereaved mother opposite Paul Giamatti in The Holdovers, draped a fur coat over a black PVC gown. 

Smoldering Mad Men hunk Jon Hamm, who starred in an adaptation of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s beloved novel Good Omens, was on hand to give Neil his prize. 

Beck swung by the celebrity-strewn gala in a fitted, checked silver suit, combined fashionably with a crimson silk blouse that glinted as the lights struck it.

The Heartbreak Kid blonde Malin Akerman exuded her typical good cheer as she and her dashing husband Jack Donnelly posted with honorees Amy and Carter.

A former one Meteorological Office Scientist now uses his weather forecasting skills to become a travel photographer.

And the images in his new book, Devon Moods: landscape photography inspired by Devon is proof that the tactics are effective – because they are amazing.

Gary Holpinfrom the town of Honiton in Devon, was able to determine the best times and places in his home country to capture perfect sunrises, sunsets, cloud formations, clear skies, nebulae, rainbows and the Milky Way.

The photos are accompanied by words from the award-winning travel writer Simon Heptinstall, which revealed, for example, that one image was based on weeks of research into the best dates and times to observe the Milky Way over Devon. He went on to explain, “Gary then figured out the best spot to photograph – and even in what direction. The weather had to be clear, but without disturbing moonlight. Finally, after five months of waiting, everything fell into place one evening at 2am. The result was a stunning shot of Sidmouth, with the Milky Way as a sparkling backdrop.’

It is a heavenly image, taken in a province that Simon believes is unbeatable. He added: ‘Devon is the perfect county for a book of landscape photographs. It is not only vast, our third largest province, but also unique. It has far more variety than any other province: cities, high wilderness, national parks, World Heritage Sites, surfing beaches, beautiful bays, rolling farmland, steep wooded estuaries, rocky headlands, long sandy beaches, forests and soft, grassy coasts. There’s everything from mining operations to a biosphere of sand dunes, from villages of thatched cottages to rocky peaks that could be classified as mountains. Which province can compete with that?’ Scroll down for a sneak peek selection of images from the tome…

Syria, Iran and Afghanistan are considered high-risk for Westerners to visit today – but when one European travelled around them in the 1970s, he discovered ‘heaven nearly everywhere’.

Dutch native Frank van den Berge, 73, took incredible photographs of his time in these countries, showing Afghanistan before the Taliban, Iran in an era when people dressed in a ‘Western style’ and landmarks that have since vanished – such as the Buddhas of Bamiyan in central Afghanistan, destroyed by the Taliban in 2001.

And Frank’s journey is just as remarkable as his pictures.

He explored this section of the Middle East on a road trip from Amsterdam to India and Nepal and back again, driving the entire route in a second-hand Citroen 2CV4. Top speed – 102kph (63mph).

The trip took Frank one year, with his car clocking up 55,000km (34,000 miles) in total. The veteran traveller, who has visited more than 100 countries over his lifetime, recently shared his images of this incredible road trip in a Facebook group for adventurers, revealing how he encountered ‘great local people everywhere’.

His trip began in March 1976, when he was aged just 25. After driving across Europe, he spent some time in Syria, which he found to be a ‘beautiful’ country, and Turkey. 

To get over the Turkish-Iranian border, he bribed Turkish officials with cigarettes. Tehran was one of the destinations he stopped in once he made it into Iran, describing it as a ‘beautiful town with wide roads, shopping malls, beautiful markets and some great mosques’ in a post shared online. 

While there, he said he encountered ‘a much more Western style of living’ than he saw in Turkey, adding: ‘Men wear jeans and shirts while ladies walk around in miniskirts.’ 

Tabriz, Esfahan, Persepolis and the archaeological site of Susa also featured on his Iranian itinerary.

Frank was very taken with Iranian people. He recalls: ‘It is unbelievable how friendly and hospitable the Iranians are. Although I do not speak Farsi and many Iranians [did] not speak English, conversations in shops and at stops along the road [went] extremely smoothly.’ Frequently, he was given petrol and his shopping for free by locals, he reveals.

It was May 1976 when Frank crossed the border from Iran into Afghanistan, where he was ‘stopped by an Afghani officer in full local dress’.

The officer looked at his car engine and asked for permission to examine it – before spontaneously adjusting his carburettor to correct the mix of petrol and oxygen, so his car could handle the mountainous, high-altitude roads ahead. He told Frank: ‘Our petrol [in Afghanistan] is far from good quality, but from now on you will drive very economically. Your engine will not ping, for sure.’

Frank, who has also driven to Cameroon and Egypt by car, says he was ‘flabbergasted’ by his kindness in fixing the engine and recalls the officer telling him that he was ‘welcome to his beautiful and peaceful country’.

He spent a month in Afghanistan, driving through Herat, Kandahar and Kabul. He recalls seeing ‘horse carts, donkeys, pedestrians, [and] playing kids’ in Kabul, and notes that men wore ‘a turban or at least a piece of cloth on the head, covering the hair’ while women were ‘completely covered by their chadri [garments that cover women’s hair and body]’.

In the Bamyan Province in central Afghanistan, he found that locals were ‘very friendly’, showing him ‘how to bake bread in their subterranean ovens’ and how to grow vegetables.

He then went to the lakes of Band-e Amir National Park, where he encountered ‘overwhelming’ views – though notes he ‘nearly froze to death’ sleeping in his car there.

A drive over the ‘quite dangerous’ Khyber Pass took him from Afghanistan to Pakistan. He had to drive ‘very carefully’ over terrain with drops of more than 100m (328ft) to the side.

In Pakistan’s Khyber District, he stopped in the town of Landi Kotal, which he says ‘looked like a town in a Western movie’. 

He explains there were ‘wooden houses with balconies, horses and carts in the streets, and everywhere there [were] guns for sale’. He says that a local craftsman offered to sell him a handmade rifle for around $100 (£82), though he politely declined.

He travelled to ‘beautiful’ Lake Saiful Muluk in the north, where he had a snowball fight with some Swiss travellers he met. He was impressed by the area’s tranquillity, remarking: ‘There [were] no people, no animals, even no birds to spot.’

There he celebrated his 26th birthday and a local gifted him six rainbow trouts from the Kunhar River as a present. ‘That evening I enjoyed one of the best meals I ever had,’ he says.

He passed the border into India in June, meeting a German couple with whom he travelled through the Himalayas.

It was challenging taking his 2CV4 up to the Fotu La Pass, which is 4,108m (13,477ft) high at its highest point. He says it’s a ‘miracle’ they made it to the top safely.

Next, they attended the annual Hemis Gompa festival in Ladakh, where locals wore ‘beautiful headdresses’ and ‘coats of yak skins’.

In the months that followed, he explored Nepal and did a loop around the entire coast of India, before making his journey back to the West, carving a route back through Pakistan, Iran – passing through Bam, a city that was largely destroyed by a 2003 earthquake – and Turkey.

Throughout his road trip, Frank mostly slept in his car, creating a ‘simple bed’ using his small suitcase, an Afghan coat and an old sleeping bag.

Despite the many miles he drove and the high altitudes he climbed, his 2CV4 proved ‘quite reliable’ throughout the journey. 

He repaired some flat tyres himself, while a broken suspension spring was repaired in Iran. ‘My car was not well known to most mechanics except in Iran,’ he says. One issue, however, was that he only had a mirror on the lefthand side of his car, which posed challenges when navigating Pakistan’s mountainous terrain.

Sadly, the car didn’t last long after the ‘great adventure’. Frank says: ‘It was scrapped one year after I came back. Repairs were too expensive!’

See Frank van den Berge’s tales about his travels here.

Hollywood star Ryan O’Neal will be reunited with Farrah Fawcett in heaven, his son has said, as the world remembers how one of Hollywood’s greatest love stories began. 

The iconic star, who was both a matinee idol and an award-winning actor, died at the age of 82, his son Patrick confirmed via social media on Friday. 

In a heartfelt tribute alongside a photograph of a sunset, he wrote: ‘So this is the toughest thing I’ve ever had to say but here we go.

‘My dad passed away peacefully today, with his loving team by his side supporting him and loving him as he would us. He is a Hollywood legend. Full stop’. 

He also spoke of his father’s on-off relationship with Charlie’s Angels star Farrah Fawcett, who died in 2009 at the age of 62 from cancer. 

‘Ryan never bragged’, he added. ‘But he has bragging rights in Heaven. Especially when it comes to Farrah. Everyone had the poster, he had the real McCoy. And now they meet again.

‘Farrah and Ryan. He has missed her terribly. What an embrace that must be. Together again.’

O’Neal was known for his high-profile relationship to Ms Fawcett which lasted decades; they never wed with O’Neal once saying: ‘Farrah and I have no plans to marry – nor do we have plans to separate. Don’t fix what ain’t broken’.

They were partners from 1979 to 1997 after he stole the bubbly blonde beauty away from her husband, Lee Majors of The Six Million Dollar Man fame. 

Together they had a son named Redmond, 38, who had trouble with the law, even serving time in jail.

Their relationship was tumultuous due to Ryan’s infidelity, and their relationship ended when Ms Fawcett found him in bed with actress Leslie Stefanson. 

But, they reunited in 2001 when O’Neal was diagnosed with leukaemia, with Ms Fawcett nursing O’Neal who soon went into remission. 

But in 2006, the roles were reversed when Ms Fawcett herself was diagnosed with cancer, and O’Neal dedicated himself to taking care of her. The couple remained together until Ms Fawcett’s death in 2009. 

Following her death, O’Neal described her as his ‘forever Valentine’ telling People: ‘I loved her with all my heart. I will miss her so very, very much’. He later said ‘there was never a day’ that he ‘didn’t love her’. 

O’Neal was famed for his personal life as his films – romances with Barbra Streisand, Joan Collins, Diana Ross, Bianca Jagger, Angelica Houston, Ursula Andressalso dated Anjelica Huston. She would accuse him of abusing her in her tell-all book.

The pair met through O’Neal’s friend and Fawcett’s husband at the time Lee Majors. Fawcett was known for her time on Charlie’s Angels and O’Neal was still best known for his 1970s Oscar-nominated role in Love Story. 

The pair began a relationship with Ms Fawcett when Majors suggested Ryan take her out for the evening while he was away from home.

O’Neal recounted the moment when Majors suggested the pair have dinner in his 2012 book, Both of Us: My Life with Farrah, writing that Majors had said: ‘Why don’t you take her to dinner one night?’

Just days beforehand, he had seen Ms Fawcett after a trek up Antelo Road near Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles with Majors. He described her as ‘delightful’ and ‘full of childlike warmth’ in his book. 

O’Neal stayed for lunch and Ms Fawcett asked him to come back that evening to watch a boxing match in their home. 

‘They were saying the marriage was over, and I was saying they were terrific together,’ O’Neal later told Vanity Fair. 

It wasn’t long after this that Majors had asked O’Neal to take Ms Fawcett to dinner. 

Just a week later, he took her to a Ry Cooder concert, writing that Ms Fawcett eventually agreed to go with him, having talked it through with Majors beforehand. 

‘I let him know that Ryan asked me out. He said, ‘I told him to. But you’re not going’, he wrote. 

Majors and O’Neal’s relationship then began to break down, with Majors calling his house and hanging up, finally telling him to ‘stay away’ from his wife. 

But, O’Neal, who was previously married to actress Joanne Moore and later Leigh Taylor-Young, had fallen for Ms Fawcett, telling Vanity Fair: ‘It was a situation I’d never been in  before- committing to a woman before I’d even talked to her about it’. 

Ms Fawcett and Majors went onto divorce in 1982.  

Tributes have flooded in for O’Neal, who also had two children with his first wife. 

On Friday, his daughter Tatum O’Neal shared a statement with People reacting to the news. 

‘I feel great sorrow with my father’s passing,’ she shared. ‘He meant the world to me. I loved him very much and know he loved me too. I’ll miss him forever and I feel very lucky that we ended on such good terms.’

Barbra Streisand, who worked with O’Neal on What’s Up, Doc? and The Main Event, and Marisa Berenson on Barry Lyndon, shared a tribute to the late star on X, formerly known as Twitter, upon hearing the heartbreaking news of Ryan’s passing and shared a black and white image of the pair taken in the past.

The actress also typed, ‘So sad to hear the news of Ryan O’Neal’s passing. We made two films together, What’s Up, Doc? and The Main Event. He was funny and charming, and he will be remembered.’ 

Mia Farrow also uploaded a tribute by sharing various throwback images and penned, ‘Rest in peace dear Ryan.’ 

The two notably costarred in the series, Peyton Place. 

Sharon Stone also paid tribute with a black-and-white photo of O’Neal from his later years. 

‘It’s w deep sadness I post this. RIP Ryan O’Neal,’ she wrote, adding a heart emoji.

O’Neal was last seen being aided into his vehicle from a wheelchair by a helper in Brentwood, California on November 6, 2023. O’Neal was wheeled down the sidewalk and had two caretakers got him into the front seat of his car, lifting him from under his arm. 

O’Neal was best known for his movies in the 1970s, which included Paper Moon, costarring his daughter Tatum. 

The acclaimed film, which was directed by Ryan’s What’s Up, Doc? collaborator Peter Bogdanovich, earned the young girl the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress when she was just 10, making the budding star — who had turned nine during the production – the youngest person to ever win a competitive Oscar.

O’Neal is survived by four children: Tatum O’Neal and Griffin O’Neal with Joanna Moore, Patrick O’Neal with Leigh Taylor-Young, and Redmond James Fawcett O’Neal with Fawcett, and his five grandchildren.