Amanda Holden paid an emotional tribute to her late son Theo in a moving Mother’s Day post on Sunday.

The presenter, 52, also posted several Instagram snaps with her two look-alike daughters, Lexi, 18, and Hollie, 12, calling motherhood ‘the greatest privilege’.

Throughout her series of photos, Amanda remembered her stillborn son with a black and white photo of his footprints and acknowledged the sadness of the day for many.

Theo was tragically stillborn in 2011 when he was seven months old, and Amanda has previously spoken about her experiences in an attempt to help other parents who may be struggling.

In 2011, Amanda was seven months pregnant with Theo when a routine scan revealed that his heart had stopped.

The TV star and her husband Chris Hughes, who married in 2008, then made the devastating decision to have a caesarean section following Theo’s death.

Amanda not only shared a photo of Leo’s footprints when he was a baby, but also praised her own mother Judith with a gushing wink.

She wrote: “Being a mom is the greatest privilege of my life. It’s great that I still have my mother.

“I know today can be difficult for so many. Behind every family there is always a story of love and loss…

“Today I’m going to make the most of it and hopefully get breakfast in bed.”

In September 2022, Amanda revealed she felt like a “game show contestant” when a doctor told her she was “going home empty-handed” after her stillbirth.

The presenter teamed up with baby loss charity Aching Arms and raised money for them as part of her 3 Peaks Challenge fundraising.

Speaking to Ross Sullivan – an Aching Arms user – on her Heart Breakfast show, Amanda spoke about her ‘terrible’ experience and shared her hope that the charity would help people ‘avoid’ the kind of language used by her was used.

She said, “I will never forget that I experienced something that I imagine was very similar to yours [experience].

‘We lost our baby Theo at 28 weeks, and they very sensitively moved me to another room so I could deliver him without having to hear the sweet babies screaming in a normal ward.

‘People often don’t think about that, they are such small things. I remember that afterwards, when we started talking, the lady also said: ‘I know you’re going home empty-handed,’ she said to me.

“So I felt like a contestant on a game show, so it’s all that language that I know this charity will help people avoid and teach them how best to deal with something so awful. It’s just terrible.’

Amanda also previously discussed the loss of Theo on her radio program during Nurses’ Day, saying: ‘Personally I would like to thank the nurses.

“I know I talk about this a lot. And I never know if I talk about it too much. But when we lost our son Theo to a stillbirth, the hospital where I was cared for was of course incredible.

‘Jacki Nash helped me through so much, Pippa Nightingale and Natalie Carter.’

If this article has affected you, please contact The Lullaby Trust at support@lullabytrust.org.uk or call 0808 802 6868

Rochelle Humes, Myleene Klass and Amanda Holden were among a host of stars who celebrated World Book Day on Thursday, sharing adorable snaps of their children dressed up as some of the world’s biggest stars.

To mark the annual occasion, Rochelle shared adorable photos of her two youngest children Blake, three, and Valentina, six, dressed as Oompa Loompas from the Roald Dahl classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Rochelle then shared another photo of her eldest daughter Alaia-Mai, 10, wearing a look inspired by the Babysitters Club series.

Myleene Klass went to great lengths for her son Apollo in honor of World Book Day when she and her fiancé Simon Motson built a cardboard train.

The Smooth Radio host posted a video showing the process of building a cardboard version of The Little Red Train, a drum filled with sweets for his classmates.

Amanda Holden and Ashley Roberts started the Heart Breakfast show celebration by transforming into mystical characters from the world of Narnia.

The pair stunned in their striking costumes after taking inspiration from CS Lewis’ novel The Lion, the Witch and the Garderobe.

Wearing a sparkling white jumpsuit and fur shrug, Amanda transformed into the evil White Witch for her appearance on the early morning show.

She completed her look with a matching silver crown as she posed for photos at the Heart Radio studio.

Meanwhile, Ashley donned a lion jumpsuit and became the furry hero Aslan, teaming it with cute matching ears and heels.

Jamie went for a much more pared-back ensemble and emerged as the legendary Wardrobe by dressing in little more than a single plank of wood.

Jacqueline Jossa’s daughters Ella, seven, and Mia, four, were dressed in very different costumes, with Ella as the Dr. Seuss icon Thing 1 and Mia as Tinker Bell.

Spencer Matthews also shared a photo of his son Theodore and daughter Gigi dressed as Harry Potter and Paddington Bear for the book-themed celebration.

Kerry Katona’s daughter DJ, nine, was also inspired by another classic Dahl character, this time the famous bookworm Matilda.

She wore a blue summer dress, red ribbon and matching gray cardigan and completed her costume with a stack of her favorite novels.

Millie Mackintosh posted sweet photos of her two daughters channeling their inner princess for World Book Day.

The Made In Chelsea star joked that her youngest daughter Aurelia, two, was dressed as Batgirl because it’s her ‘favourite fancy dress outfit’.

Millie then shared an adorable photo of her eldest child Sienna, three, dressed up as Sleeping Beauty in honor of World Book Day.

Classic FM star Dan Walker got into the spirit of World Book Day by dressing up as legendary wizard Gandalf to present his radio programme.

After welcoming their third child last week, Aston Merrygold and his wife Sarah Louise shared adorable photos of their two eldest children dressed up for World Book Day, along with their newborn daughter.

Sarah Louise shared a gallery of photos of their sons Grayson, five, and Macaulay, three, with their eldest child dressed as a chef from the book Where Are You Grayson and Macauley?

Meanwhile, their youngest son Macauley looked adorable in a little Bluey costume.

Simon Cowell has left fans shocked with his ‘frozen’ performance in the latest episode of Saturday Night Takeaway.

The media mogul, 64, appeared in the first episode of the new series of Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly’s show.

However, viewers found it difficult to concentrate on what he was saying and were more concerned about his appearance.

Simon has previously denied having a facelift, but admits he regrets his extensive use of Botox.

Several viewers took to X and commented on his appearance, with one writing: ‘Is that definitely Simon Cowell? He looks like a melting Ken Doll?’

A second user added: ‘Simon Cowell looks more and more like a cartoon every time I see him,’ while a third wrote: ‘Simon Cowell doesn’t look like Simon Cowell anymore.’

A fourth wrote: ‘I’m not sure Simon Cowell has aged gracefully!’

Fellow guest Stephen Merchant also couldn’t resist commenting on Simon’s performance on the show.

Simon was fooled by Ant and Dec when they had him stopped by fake police while on his bike in Malibu.

Commenting on the clip, Stephen, 49, joked: ‘I didn’t like it… I loved it. that was my Simon impression. It wasn’t very convincing because my face was moving.’

The comedian’s joke also provoked a quick response from viewers: “Stephen Merchant just robbed Simon Cowell.”

Another wrote: ‘Ahaha Stephen Merchant “it’s not entirely convincing because my face moved” after his Simon Cowell impression.’

The show saw Ant and Dec head to Los Angeles for an unmissable Undercover segment, targeting an unsuspecting Simon outside his Californian hideout.

The Britain’s Got Talent judge was originally picked for their first ever Undercover prank – a segment where celebrities are thrust into bizarre situations – while working on US reality show American Idol.

Ant said: ‘Catching him the second time was even more fun because we also caught him during his free time cycling around Malibu, it’s really funny.’

‘We end the Undercovers where we started… with Simon Cowell! Our very first Undercover was with Simon in LA when he was a judge on American Idol.

“So we went back and picked up Simon Cowell again. We went to LA and gave him a great day while he was judging America’s Got Talent.’

Last year, Simon proved he doesn’t mind making fun at his own expense after delving into his changing face Britain has talent.

During one of the talent show’s live shows, he set tongues wagging and made a cheeky comment across his face.

The surprise move came after one hopeful, Tom Crosbie, impressed the judges by creating Bruno Tonioli’s face from Rubik’s Cubes.

As the end result was shown to the panel, Amanda Holden, 52, took the chance to joke about Bruno, 67, saying: ‘Well, he’s got the orange [face] right!’

“How the hell do you do that?” asked a completely bewildered Simon, as the artist replied: ‘Practice… it turns out you have a very difficult face to make from Rubik’s Cubes.’

At that point, Simon joked, “I’ll change my face… again.”

In April, Simon insisted he has never had a facelift after presenters Ant & Dec made a cheeky joke about his changing appearance.

At the time, on December 47, he told the audience: “We have a new face on the jury,” to which his comedy partner, also 47, replied: “What? Simon has a new face?’.

Speak with The mirror Simon laughed off the suggestion that he had gone under the knife, despite his drastically changed facial features.

He told the publication: ‘I think it’s hysterical. I mean, it just makes me laugh. I haven’t had a facelift or anything.’

“I’ve had a little Botox or whatever, but nothing drastic,” he added.

“So when I hear about this, it honestly makes me laugh.”

The talent show boss recently revealed he took his love of Botox too far, leaving him looking like ‘something out of a horror show’ after his latest treatment.

According to The sunSimon said he decided to quit when his strange appearance made son Eric, eight, hysterical.

The former X Factor judge, who shares his son with partner Lauren Silverman, 44, revealed he no longer has any filler in his face as a result.

He also shows off his much slimmer figure after dropping three stone and has lately been wearing a surgical back brace to aid his recovery after being nearly paralyzed in a cycling accident in 2020.

The businessman broke his back in 2020 when he fell from an electric bicycle he was testing at his home in Malibu, California. He had to undergo surgery for six hours. Another setback followed after he fell off his bike again a year later.

The former X Factor star has since shed three stone after overhauling his diet and lifestyle to help with his recovery.

Red Nose Day is back with a bang this year as presenter Lenny Henry brings together his celebrity cohorts to find ways to make money for charity in a phone call full of blunders.

Davina McCall, Alison Hammond and Simon Cowell were among the stars Lenny, 65, called on speed dial to ask for their help with the annual comedy fundraiser.

In the exclusive online sketch, Lenny, co-founder of Comic Relief, picks up the phone with some of his famous friends to find out how they will do their part to raise life-changing money on this Red Nose Day, which returns on Friday. Mar. 15.

It comes as Lenny revealed this is the last time he will host the event as he believes it is the right time for other stars to take over the hosting duties.

Lenny is first seen brainstorming on a whiteboard as he lists ideas such as a bake sale, head shave, fancy dress and a One Direction reunion as possible options for this year's event.

With a little help from his friends, Lenny calls the number of TV host Alison, who declares that she is ready to be a “hun-ny for money,” and that she has tons of ideas because she is an “iconic hun ' is – no matter how it turns. she has made a blunder.

Lenny corrects her that the assignment is actually to do something “funny for money,” as 48-year-old Alison admits she must have missed the memo.

Meanwhile, Davina admits she 'can't keep kissing people on the show' to raise money, but reveals she would make an exception for Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson.

During his conversation with Simon, the music mogul says: 'I got it! I'm going to listen to Amanda Holden's covers album non-stop for a week.'

When Lenny asks, “What does that have to do with raising money?” , Simon jokes, “Well, it's definitely something funny.”

Other stars willing to take part include Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey, who asked Lenny if he wanted to take part in his 24-hour singathon.

Meanwhile, radio host Nick Grimshaw raised the idea of ​​a sponsored silence while hosting his podcast, receiving crickets in response.

When he called Gemma Collins, she was more interested in finding out how he had received her number, before reluctantly offering to organize a bake sale.

Acting royal Dame Joan Collins is taking it to new heights for Red Nose Day by undertaking a sponsored skydive.

The new sketch can be viewed on YouTube and hopes to inspire people across the country to do something funny for money and help spread joy this Red Nose Day.

BBC One's evening of entertainment comes live from Salford on Friday, March 15, produced by BBC Studios Entertainment.

The unmissable evening of comedy, live performances and one-off surprises will be extra special this year as it will be the last time Lenny will host the show.

For almost four decades, Lenny has been the leader of laughter and has united millions of people to raise more than £1.5 billion for Comic Relief to date, proving that comedy and compassion can change lives.

Lenny has decided now is the time to let some new names take the presenting reins, while continuing to support Comic Relief and Red Nose Day on other projects throughout the year.

Sir Lenny added: 'Right now we know there is a cost of living crisis and people are struggling, many people are struggling here and around the world.

'But we also know that the British public is brilliant. You are so kind and generous. If someone has a problem, you always want to help.

'Without you we couldn't do what we do. I would love nothing more than for you to join me this year.

'Let's make it one to remember and show that laughter can make a world of difference.

'Do something funny for money, come to The London Palladium, wear your Red Nose with complete and utter pride – whatever you do, thank you! Let's go!

Charlotte Moore, BBC Chief Content Officer, said: “Sir Lenny Henry has been the face of Comic Relief for almost forty years and I would like to personally thank him for his incredible contribution, the way he has entertained and inspired the nation. the BBC cannot be overstated.

'Lenny's efforts have been awe-inspiring, he has played a huge part in its enduring appeal and has highlighted so many worthy causes by using the power of comedy and laughter to raise millions of pounds. This year's Red Nose Day will be his last on screen, but it promises to be extra special as we take the opportunity to celebrate his remarkable achievements on the evening.”

To celebrate and thank Sir Lenny, some of the country's favorite comedians will take to the stage for a wild and wonderful once-in-a-lifetime evening of live comedy, Comic Relief – Live at The London Palladium, on Monday 26 February.

In tribute to how Comic Relief started 39 years ago, this night of non-stop laughter will see Aisling Bea, Fatiha El-Ghorri, Joel Dommett, Mawaan Rizwan, Rosie Jones and Sara Pascoe join Sir Lenny to take to the roof raising and everything… important money for Red Nose Day.

Tickets are available now from LW Theaters and Ticketmaster.

Simon Cowell was mobbed by fans on Sunday as he arrived with Amanda Holden for another day of auditions for Britain's Got Talent at the London Palladium.

The music mogul, 64, brushed off another day of quirky auditions after experiencing a dramatic start to the show earlier this week, which saw the police called to deal with an intruder.

Simon smiled as he arrived at the venue and waved and chatted with fans as he got out of his car.

Meanwhile, Amanda tried to keep a low profile as she rushed in with her hood up and her head down.

The presenter, 52, looked casual in a pink tracksuit and brown UGG boots, teamed with dark sunglasses.

Geordie duo Ant and Dec were all smiles as they stopped to organize another day of fun auditions.

Bruno Tonioli wore a white tracksuit and a brown jacket, paired with a baseball cap and sunglasses.

It comes after police led away a female intruder on the set of Britain's Got Talent at the London Palladium on Wednesday after she 'tried to get backstage' to see the judges, including Simon and Amanda Holden.

The unidentified woman, who was pictured with her hood up, reportedly tried to “sneak” past security and enter the restricted area.

A Met Police spokesperson said: 'Police were called at 1.23pm today to reports of a woman suffering from a mental health crisis in Argyll Street, W1.

'Officers and the London Ambulance Service attended. The woman was assisted by officers who arranged for her to be met by a family member. There were no violations.'

A Fremantle spokesperson added: 'Police dealt with an individual outside the Palladium who caused some commotion, and the BGT team assisted to the rescue.

“But BGT did not call the police and there was no threat to the judges because they did not enter the Palladium.”

Audiences reportedly heard chatter among theater staff saying an intruder was “trying to sneak in backstage” to see Simon and his celebrity counterparts.

Auditions for the popular television talent show, which seeks to find the country's next star, have been postponed due to the chaos caused by the 'intruder', according to reports.

She was pictured wearing a hooded tracksuit flanked by officers as she was escorted out of the theater.

Officers were seen speaking to theater door staff after the incident, as a small crowd gathered outside the stage door, with security staff standing by.

MailOnline has approached the Met Police for comment.

The judges and presenters have had a busy week as hopefuls flocked to the London Palladium to showcase their talents in a bid to make it to the show.

They started the auditions earlier this week on Wednesday afternoon and packed two blocks of audition shows a day into a packed schedule through Sunday.

They will then head to Manchester in early February for another five days of auditions, held at the Central Convention Centre.

The release date for the upcoming 17th series of Britain's Got Talent has not yet been confirmed.

Simon Cowell and Bruno Tonioli were in good spirits on Saturday as they headed home from another day of auditions for Britain's Got Talent at the London Palladium.

The music mogul, 64, and the Italian choreographer, 68, left another day of quirky auditions behind them after experiencing a dramatic start to the show earlier this week, which saw the police called to deal with an intruder.

Bruno turned heads in a black sweater that he playfully unzipped to reveal his tanned chest as he left the venue.

He added a pair of loose-fitting black trousers and showed off his bold sense of style with a trendy faux fur coat with animal print over it.

The former Strictly Come Dancing star also wore a gold chain and hid his eyes behind black sunglasses.

While Simon lingered in his usual style, wearing a black sweater with matching pants and orange tinted glasses.

He got into his waiting car and rolled down the window to wave to fans as he enjoyed a drink in the backseat.

The star was seen sipping on a bottle of what appeared to be his favorite low-calorie beer, Skinny Lager.

Simon is said to be an 'absolute lover' of the vegan drinks, which contain just 89 calories per bottle.

It is rumored that he has invested £500,000 in the company after replacing his glasses of drinks with Skinny Lagers.

The auditions for Britain's Got Talent kicked off on Wednesday afternoon, with Simon and Bruno joined again for another year by Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon on the panel.

But on the first day of auditions, the show quickly descended into chaos as Simon, Amanda and Bruno all pressed their golden buzzers.

Each judge, including Ant & Dec on the sidelines, will have one chance during the auditions to send a contestant straight to the live shows.

And without holding anything back: of the first twenty auditions, three have already progressed to the live rounds.

An insider said The sun: 'Bruno was almost moved to tears when he saw his golden buzzer dance act, and was the first to press the button so hard that it cracked.

'He was followed shortly by Simon, who forwarded a Japanese dance act to the live shows.

'And finally, Amanda was so impressed by a theater singer that she wanted to take a chance in the live rounds. She was the last one to press the buzzer.”

It comes after police led a female intruder away from the set of Britain's Got Talent at the London Palladium on Wednesday after she 'tried to get backstage' to see the judges.

The unidentified woman, who was pictured with her hood up, reportedly tried to “sneak” past security and enter the restricted area.

A Met Police spokesperson said: 'Police were called at 1.23pm today to reports of a woman suffering from a mental health crisis in Argyll Street, W1.

'Officers and the London Ambulance Service attended. The woman was assisted by officers who arranged for her to be met by a family member. There were no violations.'

A Fremantle spokesperson added: 'Police dealt with an individual outside the Palladium who caused some commotion, and the BGT team assisted to the rescue.

“But BGT did not call the police and there was no threat to the judges because they did not enter the Palladium.”

Audiences reportedly heard chatter among theater staff saying an intruder was “trying to sneak in backstage” to see Simon and his celebrity counterparts.

Auditions for the popular television talent show, which seeks to find the country's next star, have been postponed due to the chaos caused by the 'intruder', according to reports.

She was pictured wearing a hooded tracksuit flanked by officers as she was escorted out of the theater.

Officers were seen speaking to theater door staff after the incident, as a small crowd gathered outside the stage door, with security staff standing by.

The judges and presenters have had a busy week as hopefuls flocked to the London Palladium to showcase their talents in a bid to make it to the show.

They started auditions earlier this week and packed two blocks of audition shows a day into a packed schedule through Sunday.

They will then head to Manchester in early February for another five days of auditions, held at the Central Convention Centre.

The release date for the upcoming 17th series of Britain's Got Talent has not yet been confirmed.

By Jason Chester for MailOnline

Published: 11:16 EST, January 25, 2024 | Updated: 11:34 EST, January 25, 2024

Simon Cowell was in good spirits as he headed home from the first day of Britain’s Got Talent auditions at the London Palladium with his fiancée Lauren Silverman. 

The music mogul, 64, brushed off the day’s chaos after a dramatic start to the auditions on Wednesday saw an intruder ‘try to get backstage.’

Police arrived on the scene to escort the unidentified woman away after she allegedly tried to ‘sneak’ past security to see the judges.

Flashing a smile as he left the venue, Simon walked hand-in-hand with Lauren, 46, as his co-stars and fellow judges followed. 

Police led away a female intruder on the set of Britain’s Got Talent at the London Palladium today after she ‘tried to get backstage’ to see the judges, including Simon Cowell and Amanda Holden. 

In a dramatic start to the auditions which were underway today, security were seen securing the area after police to arrived to the scene to see the ‘intruder’ out. 

The unidentified woman , who was pictured with herhood up, allegedly tried to ‘sneak’ past security and trespass into the restricted area.

A Met Police spokesman said: ‘Police were called at 1.23pm today to reports of a woman suffering a mental health crisis at Argyll Street, W1.

‘Officers and London Ambulance Service attended. The woman was assisted by officers who made arrangements for her to be met by a family member. There were no offences.’

Audience members allegedly heard chattering amongst theatre staff who said that an intruder ‘tried to sneak in backstage’ to see music mogul Simon Cowell, and his celebrity counterparts.

The auditions for the hit televised talent show, which seeks to find the nation’s next star, were delayed following the chaos caused by the ‘intruder’, according to reports.

She was pictured wearing a hooded tracksuit top, flanked by officers, as she was escorted out of the theatre. 

Officers were seen speaking to door staff at the theatre following the incident as a small crowd gathered outside the stage door, with security staff standing by it. 

MailOnline has approached the Met Police for comment. 

Earlier in the day, Simon looked to be in jovial spirits as he joined his fellow Britain’s Got Talent judges Amanda Holden and Bruno Tonioli at The London Palladium.

The music mogul was greeted by fans as he arrived at the theatre to kick off the first day of live auditions for the ITV talent competition.

He cut a casual figure in a black long-sleeved T-shirt and navy trousers, while he kept comfortable in a pair of dark trainers.

Simon framed his face with his signature aviator shades and carried his essentials in two brown and black laptop-style bags.

He was joined by his fellow judge Amanda, 52, who looked effortlessly stylish in white trousers and a blue ruffled blouse.

She kept warm in a chic cream jacket and gave herself a few extra inches in a pair of heels, while she toted her belongings in a small white handbag.

Amanda shielded her eyes with a pair of oversized sunglasses and appeared in good spirits as she laughed and smiled upon her arrival.

Choreographer Bruno, 68, also made a low-key appearance as he kept it casual in a grey tracksuit sat, which he styled with a faux leather jacket and a scarf.

He kept comfortable in a pair of black boots and sported a grey baseball cap and shades and flashed a wave as he greeted fans upon his arrival.

The fourth and final judge, Alesha Dixon, was nowhere to be seen as her fellow panelists flocked into the esteemed London venue.

Host Ant McPartlin was also spotted arriving at the venue, as he cut a laidback figure in an all-black ensemble ahead of filming.

He is once again returning to helm the talent show alongside Declan Donnelly as another year of auditions get underway.

The judges and hosts have a busy few days ahead of them as hopefuls will flock to the London Palladium to show off their talents in a bid to make it through the show.

They kicked off the auditions on Wednesday afternoon and will pack in two blocks of audition shows per day until Sunday in a jam-packed schedule.

They will then be heading up to Manchester at the start of February for another five days of auditions, held at the Central Convention Centre.

The release date for the upcoming 17th series of Britain’s Got Talent has not yet been confirmed.

While the British auditions have just got underway, Simon has been on screen in recent days on new spin-off show America’s Got Talent: Fantasy League.

The new show features the judges coaching all-star acts from across the Got Talent franchise with the winning act receiving a $250,000 grand prize and their coach also being named as a champion.

And in Monday’s episode, Simon pushed his Golden Buzzer for Sainted Trap Choir after their incredible cover of Prince’s Purple Rain.

The mentor had worked with the group from Charlotte, North Carolina, in a bid to get them the coveted clearance to sing Purple Rain.

Luckily, the night before they were due to perform, they finally learned that Prince’s estate had made an exception and gave them permission to perform Purple Rain.

The group left the judges seriously impressed with their rendition of the legendary song as they got a standing ovation for the number.

‘Mic drop,’ said show host Terry Crews, while Howie Mandel added: ‘It was amazing!’ and Mel B gushed that they were ‘brilliant’.

‘I just connected with you from that first audition,’ Simon said. ‘Then we spoke on the phone and I said how would you feel about singing my favorite song of all time Purple Rain? I just heard this scream. 

‘And I thought, that’s a yes. I think Prince is the greatest artist of all time. And you said it was going to be good. It wasn’t. It was incredible.’

Simon said he hoped the moment would be life-changing before them, before getting up and pushing down on the Golden Buzzer, sending them straight to the finals.

Golden confetti rained down around them as they hugged each other, appearing completely overwhelmed by the opportunity.

On the spin-off show, the judges serve as mentors to hand-picked acts and can use their Golden Buzzer to either advance one of their own acts to the finals or steal an act from another coach, while also advancing them to the finals. Each of the contestants are competing for the $250,000 grand prize.

What kind of vile creature lurks behind their laptop writing horrible things about a woman who has just been dealt the worst possible hand that any of us can imagine?

The nasty, insulting trolls are out to target Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York – affectionately known as Fergie – who is recovering from breast cancer and announced this week that she has also been diagnosed with malignant melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer. It's especially hard for her because it's the form of cancer her father was diagnosed with months before his death.

Her friends say she is cheerful and resilient, which doesn't surprise me at all. It's what I noticed in 1989 when I went to interview her in her surprisingly small flat in Buckingham Palace. My Woman's Hour team and I were a bit startled when she burst into the sitting room where we were waiting.

We wondered if maybe she was the cleaning lady and not a princess. The glorious mass of red hair was tied up under a mop cap. A favorite T-shirt was worn over stretchy jeans and she wore slippers. No attempt was made to impress and her welcome was warm and friendly. I liked her immediately.

A year after the birth of her first child, Beatrice, we talked about her new children's book, Budgie, The Little Helicopter. The inspiration for her character was, of course, her husband. Prince Andrew was hugely admired for his efforts as a Royal Navy helicopter pilot during the Falklands War. At age thirty, she clearly adored and admired the man she called “My Handsome Prince.”

Even this early in the marriage, it became clear that things might not go as well as she had hoped. She was criticized for traveling to Australia in 1988 and leaving a young Bea at home. She clearly wanted to spend as much uninterrupted time with her husband as possible. “After all,” she said, “we only get to spend about forty days a year together because of his naval duties. I like to spend as much time with him as possible and keep an eye on what he's up to.'

Back then, long before stories of his friendships with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell surfaced, I couldn't help but think, “I bet she does.” We talked about Princess Diana, then 28, and how the two of them dealt with being at the forefront of the royal family and constantly in the public eye.

The only way they could make it work, she told me, was to become good friends. They loved to dress up and go into town together, sometimes a little naughty, but generally well behaved. It was not good to attract bad publicity that would discredit the Crown.

She recognized that Diana was number 1 with the public and was beautiful and popular. She hinted at her disappointment at not being able to keep up, but there was no sign of pain from the insults she sometimes received about her weight and behavior.

She certainly received more than her share of criticism.

During a visit to California she was described as brash, vulgar and outrageous. At home in the late 1980s she was 'the Duchess of Pork' and 'Fat Fergie', insults she was well aware of but did her best to laugh at. I thought she was extremely charming, friendly, unpretentious, funny and cool – and, oh my god, she should have been.

By 1992, she and her husband had separated. They divorced in 1996 – just ten years after the big wedding at Westminster Abbey. I am sure that the behavioral requirements for a 20th century royal were simply too restrictive for young women like Diana and Sarah.

In 1997, Diana's life ended tragically and too soon. Sarah had to learn how to live a new life on her own and there were times when the devoted mother, loyal ex-wife and duchess who stayed on the fringes of the royal family messed up.

There was Texas billionaire Steve Wyatt, who she reportedly fell in love with while still married to Andrew. Then came American financial advisor John Bryan and the infamous toe-sucking incident when Sarah was sunbathing topless in 1992. More than a decade later, she claimed she was tricked by an undercover reporter into offering her husband access in exchange for huge sums and money. managed to rack up enormous debts despite her attempts to make money as a writer, film producer, and TV and radio personality. And in 2012, she apologized for taking money from Epstein, calling it “a gigantic error in judgment.”

But despite all the difficulties her former husband continues to face, she has remained faithful to him and has often shared his Windsor residence. She has raised two daughters who, like her, have been victims of insults and trolls, but both appear to be happily married and Sarah is now a grandmother of three.

At Christmas, when she was invited to Sandringham for the first time in years, there were indications that she was being welcomed back. She should be. All I remember of her was a warm, friendly average Joe who had caught the eye of the second son of the royal family. Sarah fell in love, didn't fit in, but did her best to be charitable, do good work and earn a living.

I admire her, hope she gets the best treatment for the sudden health diagnosis and can recover. So fire Fergie – and good luck to her.

How to ruin your daughter's 18th

It was Amanda Holden's daughter Lexi's 18th birthday party, but who was dancing around doing some ostentatious mom dancing? Amanda of course. No mother should try to outdo her daughter on her special day. It's all about her, Amanda, not you.

Schiaparelli is still shocking

As a child, I would sneak into my mother's bedroom to smell her favorite perfume: Shocking by Schiaparelli. I loved it. Now I see that the fashion house can still attract attention. J-Lo wore a white jacket made entirely of real white rose petals: Shocking! Unlike my mother's perfume, I doubt it will last long.

• I am finally home. No more recovering from a broken vertebra and pneumonia in a nursing home, while talking to amazing women in their 90s. Now my companion is the wildly excited and affectionate Suu, the cat. We took the dogs home on Saturday and life seems complete again.

Abortion legislation is not fit for purpose

It is often said that abortion was legalized in 1967, but that is not entirely true. The general ban on terminating a pregnancy was relaxed and it became legal for a woman to have an abortion up to 28 weeks' gestation with the consent of two doctors – but that is not the same as legalized.

Numerous attempts have been made to lower the time limit. This is now at 24 weeks. Although the numbers are small, more and more women are being prosecuted.

Last year, Carla Foster, who suffered a stillbirth after taking abortion pills at home late in her pregnancy, was sentenced to more than two years in prison – later successfully appealed – under the Offenses Against the Person Act 1861 completely separate law. of the Abortion Act, which makes it a criminal offense for a woman to 'cause a miscarriage'.

This month, Bethany Cox, 22, was found not guilty of using drugs to procure an illegal abortion. This year, three more women accused of illegal abortions will appear in court.

This has led to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists telling its members not to report women to the police if they believe they have illegally terminated their pregnancies. This is not enough.

The laws of 1861 and 1967 must be repealed. A fetus develops inside a woman. It should be her choice, and not that of two doctors, to decide to quit.

It is she who will be left to care for an unwanted child. The law must change.

The One Show was thrown into chaos when Bradley Walsh almost broke the bank during Friday's episode.

Crammed onto the sofa were new Gladiator presenters Bradley, 63, and his son Barney Walsh, 26, joined by Alan Carr, Amanda Holden and actor Robson Green.

As presenters Alex Jones and Roman Kemp chatted with guests, the interview descended into chaos when Bradley walked to the end of the sofa, only to find himself falling off.

What Bradley didn't realize was that his part of the bench was an addition that was not securely attached to the main part of the bench.

When his part of the couch started to tilt, The Chase host started to fall and almost flew away, as he didn't realize that his seat was the ottoman part of the furniture.

Alex and Roman exclaimed, reaching over to diffuse the situation before the studio erupted in laughter.

Bradley got back to his feet, picked up his share of the couch and joked, “You've never fixed that before!” You've never solved that!'

Meanwhile, Robson tried to make light of the situation as he teased: “The good thing is no one saw it!”

Bradley then added, “No. Nobody saw it.'

Fans took to Twitter joking about Bradley's fall, with one sharing a clip of the incident as they wrote: 'Bradley Walsh falls out of his chair at #TheOneShow' alongside some laughing emojis.

Another added: 'Graham Norton would do well to have that sofa! #TheOneShow.”

A second wrote: 'Bradley Walsh falls off his chair during #TheOneShow'.

The show appears to promote the reboot of iconic game show Gladiators, after former Gladiators presenter Ulrika Jonsson slammed the upcoming BBC reboot of the show, calling it 'woke'.

The TV personality, 56, who fronted the series from 1992 to 2000, revealed she had been given a screening of the new series during an appearance on Lorraine on Friday.

She said: “It brought tears to my eyes, they kept the music and the general feel of it,” before slamming the new show because it no longer featured cheerleaders.

“I don't know if it's some kind of wokeness, the whole point, the cheerleaders, they brought another level to it.”

The original series featured the scantily clad troops G-force, a group of eight women who would perform a series of dance routines alongside the contestants and Gladiators, but they will not return for the reboot.

Reflecting on the original series, UIrika revealed that many challenging events took place behind the scenes after she made headlines for dating Hunter, real name James Crossley.

However, during her last TV appearance, she failed to name him as her favorite Gladiator and instead chose Saracen (Michael Lewis).

Remembering the muscle bound stars 'It was like they were on drugs, well they were probably on different types of drugs. But they were so excited.”

“You can't build a body like that without buckets of vanity,” she said The Telegraph.

“But this was their moment and they got really excited. There was a lot of bed hopping. The producers put them all on one floor in the hotel, which made it easy.”