History was made this week after the first person in England and Wales was convicted of a cyberflashing offence – after he sent a picture of his genitals to a 15 year old girl.

Millions of women will have breathed a sigh of relief that the problem is finally being taken seriously, after navigating the horror of being cyber-flashed in public, on dating apps and even from romantic interests.

Women don’t have to venture far be confronted with inappropriate sexual imagery, as women have told FEMAIL how they’ve been sent pictures from the bathroom of busy clubs, closely-cropped snaps on a train and even, on Christmas Day, a picture of a penis covered in tinsel. 

The phenomenon is nothing new, one woman, now in her late 30s, recalled to FEMAIL how she woke up after a night out, in the early days of camera phones,  to find someone had sent her a picture of their penis. 

Speaking to FEMAIL, another victim entailed how bizarrely common it is to receive explicit imagery from strangers – they have been AirDropped on a tube station, messaged in over Instagram, and are even at times accompanied by videos.

Others revealed men sent them mirror selfies ‘bent over to see their anus’ , while another man inadvertently revealed himself as a catfish with an unsolicited sexual picture.

Karen Whybro, 45, from Essex recounted one particularly harrowing incident which she says left her feeling ‘intimated’.

‘Personally, I’ve experienced cyberflashing on multiple occasions by various methods, including through direct messaging on Instagram, and via AirDrop,’ she said.

‘The AirDrop incident was probably the most intimidating for me as I was in a tube carriage and knew the person was physically close enough to be able to access my phone. I had no idea what he would do next.’

Karen, who works as a Women’s Safety Consultant, revealed that it’s ‘exceptionally common’ for women to endure such violations.

‘One recent stat showed that something like 80 per cent of 12-18 year old girls had received explicit images and I think the estimate of 50 per cent of millennial women is very, very low,’ she added.

‘Almost every women I speak to has experience of this.’ 

Other recipients of unsolicited so-called ‘d**k pics’ include a divorced mother, and women dipping their toes into dating online after painful break ups.

A mother-of-three, who recently turned 40, explained: ‘After a painful separation from the father of my child, I was encouraged to take a dive into the world of app dating. 

‘With great trepidation I decided “what the heck” and began my swiping journey. 

‘Needless to say it was a mixed bag. Two incidents of note involved being sent an excited penis with the days paper propped behind as proof of the “live” nature of the picture. 

‘Another unasked for picture came via Tinder from “Jake”, an all-American looking lawyer according to his profile picture, but who was actually an aged Asian man judging by the aesthetics of his penis.’

Nicholas Hawkes (pictured), who was already a convicted sex offender, sent unsolicited sexual photos to the girl and another woman on February 9, who reported him to police the same day after taking screenshots

One woman, who is now in her late 30s, recalls getting one in the mid 2000s on an early camera phone. 

She remembers waking up one morning after a night out to find an unsolicited image on her phone from an unknown number.

‘It was from someone I had been talking to the night before, seemed like a totally normal, if somewhat, shy bloke. 

‘I had given him my number as I thought he seemed like a genuine sweet man. Next morning I woke up to that. 

‘No “hello”. nothing. Just a closely cropped, grim, red picture of his penis. I was staying at my friend’s house and we laughed it off at the time. 

‘It was just part of life then. People did it all the time and it was kind of treated like a joke – a “why the f*** would anyone think I would want to receive a faceless, context-free phallus”. 

‘In what world has this ever worked out for anyone? What woman ever receives one and thinks: “Oooh lovely, yes, let’s meet up.””

Another victim recalls: ‘I was in my late 30s out with colleagues for a birthday at a bar round the corner from work. 

‘Everyone was drinking and dancing and the place was packed with lots of people not just our small group. It was a place that had three floors. 

‘Anyway I got separated from my friends so fished my phone from my bag to give one a call and as I did a picture flashed up. 

Karen, who works as a Women’s Safety Consultant, revealed that it’s ‘exceptionally common’ for women to endure such violations

‘A full d*** pic but also included the flooring from the bathrooms of the pub I was in. And it wasn’t send via text – I had left my Bluetooth on accidentally and it was airdropped to me. 

‘I have no idea by who but it was clear they were nearby and had literally just dropped their pants to do this. 

‘It absolutely freaked me out and I went home. It was hard not to see that as an aggressive move and pretty threatening. Knowing the person was nearby but not having a clue who it was.’

She added: ‘Ones from people I was dating I was just “urgh this isn’t the turn on you think it is”. But anonymous dick pics it’s just – what’s your end game here? Are you thinking there’s a chance I’m going to respond wanting a hook up? It’s just a quite threatening.’

Another added: ‘Heads up men (excuse the pun). On the whole, women are not turned on, threatened, or impressed by the sight of your comically framed penis. They are amused. And then they show their friends. And then they all laugh at you. ‘ 

Other women’s experiences have even been comical.

One woman, a playwright and poet and widowed mother-of-one, said: ‘The worst wasn’t a d*** pic to be honest. I was once sent a picture of a man bending over looking into the mirror so I could see his anus.

‘It was quite a thing when Snapchat was new , I remember deleting Snapchat for that main reason, men flashing up their c***s.

‘I once had a guy send me a photo of him half-dressed, leg cocked up on a chair with tinsel round his penis saying ‘Happy Christmas’. Men are bizarre.’

‘It was quite a thing when Snapchat was new , I remember deleting Snapchat for that main reason, men flashing up their c***s.

‘I once had a guy send me a photo of him half-dressed, leg cocked up on a chair with tinsel round his penis saying ‘Happy Christmas’. Men are bizarre.’

Karen, who works in Women’s Safety, explained that receiving the images makes her feel both ‘furious’ and ‘violated’. 

‘The sheer entitlement of a man to be able to invade my privacy, to cause such shock and upset to someone is sickening,’ Karen explained.

‘It also questions my own safety both online and in the physical world and makes me worry what could happen if this escalates.

‘It has marginalised by own use of the internet and my trust in those around me.’

When it comes to the conviction, she says the man being jailed has sent a ‘strong message’. 

‘But it was an straightforward case where the offender was already on the sex offender register and pleaded guilty,’ she said.

‘The vast majority of cyberflashing cases will not be so easy to prosecute do to the requirement to prove an intent to cause distress.

‘I would love this law to be strengthened by making it a consent-based offence.’

Earlier this week, cyberflashing victim and campaigner Sophie Gallagher – who was sent 120 images of male genitalia via AirDrop while she was on the tube – spoke to Good Morning Britain about how women are expected to simply put up with the issue.

‘I didn’t know who it was from because it’s anonymous… all you know is they’re within 30ft because the function has a 30ft sort of radius so I knew it was someone nearby,’ she said.

‘Ironically the tube carriage is also about 30ft but you don’t know who it is. I felt angry, I obviously felt quite scared, I didn’t know if he was going to escalate it to something physical, will he follow me off the tube, does he know it’s me, is he planning to escalate this in some way?’

She agreed with presenter Martin Lewis that enduring unsolicited sexual images is seen as ‘socially acceptable’ – and something women simply have to go through.

‘When it’s this commonplace I do think it’s seen as like a tax that women pay for existing online.

MailOnline has reached out to Apple and Meta for comment. 

Apple’s website says that viewers are able to adjust AirDrop settings so that users can choose who can see their device and send them content – and also choose to receive warnings about photos or videos which may contain nudity before opening them.

When it comes to the conviction, Karen says that the man being jailed has sent a ‘strong message’

 It comes as a paedophile who sent a picture of his genitals to a 15-year-old girl has become the first person in England and Wales to be jailed for a cyber-flashing offence.

Nicholas Hawkes, who was already a convicted sex offender, sent unsolicited sexual photos to the girl and another woman on February 9, who reported him to police the same day after taking screenshots.

The 39-year-old appeared at Southend Magistrates Court just three days later where he admitted two counts of sending a photograph or film of genitals to cause alarm, distress or humiliation.

This week, he was jailed for 66 weeks in the first case of its kind in England and Wales.

The offence of cyberflashing only came into force on January 31 as part of the Online Safety Act and carries a maximum two-year jail term.

The court heard the girl had been left ‘overwhelmed and crying’ by the experience.

Prosecuting, David Barr said the offences ‘fall as part of an established pattern of behaviour of the defendant’.

The court heard Hawkes’ offending has been exclusively sexual in nature and started after he was kidnapped, stabbed and held at a £5,000 ransom demanded from his father when he was 31 years old.

Barry Gilbert, defending, argued Hawkes does not receive sexual gratification from his offending and instead ‘does it to create chaos when he’s under personal pressure’ as a result of his PTSD following the attack.

However, Judge Samantha Leigh rejected the argument that he did not receive sexual gratification and said ‘you clearly are deeply disturbed and have a warped view of yourself and your sexual desires’.

She added: ‘There is a duty that I have that is a duty to protect, there is only one sentence for this set of offending – it clearly crosses the custody threshold.’

Despite his previous offending, Hawkes has reportedly not received any treatment.

Though he was offered 12 appointments with a psychiatrist, he never received them as the waiting list was too long, the court heard.

Hawkes admitted during an earlier hearing at Southend Magistrates’ Court to two counts of sending a photograph or film of genitals to cause alarm, distress, or humiliation.

He was jailed for 66 weeks at Southend Crown Court after being convicted under the act. 

He must also comply with a 10-year restraining order and will be subject to a 15-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order. 

Campaigners welcomed the sentence, saying it sent out an important message to men and boys who send unsolicited intimate photos.

Professor Clare McGlynn, an expert in sexual violence and online abuse at the University of Durham’s law department, said: ‘It’s a very significant day because today we see an abusive man being held to account for actions that are often trivialised and reduced to banter.

‘It’s sending a clear message to men and boys that this type of behaviour is wrong and it could be a criminal offence and importantly, to women and girls, who will no longer have to put up with this and they can take action and report it to police.’

But she added the law contained a loophole as the prosecution must prove the offensive image was sent with an intent to cause distress or for the purpose of sexual gratification while being reckless about causing offence.

‘These are thresholds that are a challenge to evidence and unfortunately these thresholds were included in the legislation,’ she told Radio 4’s Today programme.

‘Myself and others wanted an offence that was more straightforward and just based on consent but this is the legislation we have at the moment.’

Zoe Billingham, a former Inspector of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue, said the prevalence of cyberflashing was ‘eye-watering’.

She added: ‘It’s a really important day. It’s a demonstration of the state’s intent to tackle violence against women and girls and to take crime against them seriously.’

The NSPCC said: ‘The sentencing of Hawkes today shows how a part of the new Online Safety Act is working to tackle online sexual abuse experienced by women and girls.

‘No one should have to receive unwanted sexual images online. Cyberflashing is a serious crime and it is important cases like these are taken forward by law enforcement.’

The explosion in the use of social media and direct messaging, particularly among children, has led to sickening levels of unsolicited perverted images being seen.

A third of women have been victims of cyberflashing, according to a report from women’s social network Communia. This rises to 37 per cent among 16 to 34-year-olds.

The Angiolini Inquiry report into Wayne Couzens, the police officer who murdered Sarah Everard after no action was taken for a series of flashing offences, emphasised that police must take cyberflashing seriously.

Hawkes sent the photos from his father’s phone which he borrowed after saying he needed it to call probation.

He went into another room and sent an explicit image to the woman, who is in her 60s. Minutes later he sent another to the girl.

Both victims, who have an automatic right to anonymity, took screenshots and the woman reported the incidents to Essex Police.

Hawkes was already on the sex offenders register until November 2033 after last year being convicted of sexual activity with a child under 16 years old and exposure, for which he also received a community order. 

The terminal illness sufferer: Carrie Jade Williams 

Carrie Jade Williams is an English woman in her 30s who claimed to have Huntington’s disease, a rare and terminal neurological condition.

She arrived in Cahersiveen, County Kerry, in 2019 rather out of the blue and soon befriended a woman whose daughter had died. 

She first made headlines when she won the Bodley Head Financial Times literary award in 2020 – a prestigious essay competition with a £1,000 prize. 

In a video that exploded on social media, Carrie, who claimed to suffer from Huntington’s disease, said her Airbnb guests demanded a refund and attempted to sue her for 450,000 euros for the ‘trauma’ caused by ‘being around her as a disabled person’

Her compelling and emotional essay called: ‘My brain is in a battle it will lose’ told the story of her diagnosis with Huntington’s and how she could no longer write or hold a pen. The essay was said to have been written using assistive technology.

After winning the prize and having the essay published in a national newspaper, Carrie garnered a huge platform and everyone wanted to interview the terminally ill chemical engineer-turned star writer. 

She began hosting virtual writing workshops during the pandemic and told those who had joined that she would help them get bursaries of up to £10,000 to kick-start their literary careers. Carrie claimed the money was coming from a literary app she was set to launch.

But as time went on, the app never launched and the group attendees never saw any money. Growing suspicious of Carrie, people began to question her and after months of stringing them along, Carrie said she was going to the US for life-saving surgery and soon ghosted the group completely. 

Yet she continued to build on her platform following the win, and made YouTube videos detailing her horror diagnosis. Her story captured the public’s heart.

But in 2022, high on her success as an online disability activist, Carrie told a lie that would eventually unravel her lies. She posted a TikTok calling out Airbnb for allegedly siding with guests who had complained about having to use her accessible doorbell.

‘I know able-ism exists, and I’ve experienced it,’ she said in a teary video.  

Carrie claimed the guests, who had stayed at her home, were so ‘traumatised by being around her as a disabled person’ they had complained to Airbnb – and that Airbnb had instructed her to refund them as a result.

The video went viral as people were horrified by the overt display of able-ism and Carrie soon posted a follow-up video – where she claimed the guests were now suing her for 450,000 euros for the trauma caused. They also allegedly slapped her with a list of 13 bizarre demands to cope with the trauma, including an emotional support animal and 25 adult colouring books a year for the remainder of their lives.

However on October 5, 2022, someone on Reddit posted links to articles about a convicted fraudster – who they claimed was Carrie. 

Carrie issued a statement saying this was in fact her sister who had struggled with mental health problems and that it was defamatory for anyone to link the pair. 

This led journalist Kat to investigate the story and over the course of two months, she uncovered the truth. Carrie Jade did not exist. 

The autism expert: Rebecca Fitzgerald 

The woman’s real name was Samantha Cookes, but she lived under several fake identities and names, including Rebecca Fitzgerald, Lucy Fitzwilliam, Lucy Hart and Carrie Jade Williams

In 2017, 29-year-old au pair and ‘autism therapist’ Rebecca Fitzgerald moved to Fermoy, a town near Cork, Ireland.

She lived and worked with a local family and formed relationships with parents in the community, advertising herself as a qualified autism therapist who could ‘teach non-speaking autistic kids to talk in just two months’. 

Parents in the local area described her as kind, empathetic and the ‘perfect person’ and she was soon invited into their homes to help their children. Rebecca began working at Fermoy’s kids community centre and school.

It is not possible to reverse non-speaking autism in two months, Rebecca had no qualifications and she was not a child therapist. 

Julie Lee, a mother in her 50s originally from Johannesburg and a taxi driver who often drove Rebecca from house to house, clocked that she was a fraud. 

Rebecca would have no money when arriving at the houses of these families, Julie said, and yet when she picked her up she would have hundreds of pounds. ‘That’s how I knew what she was doing.’

During the drives, Rebecca told Julie she was opening a clinic for children and families and tried to recruit Julie to work there, before asking for a copy of her passport and money. Having recruited other people in the area, one woman even quit her job as an au pair to work for Rebecca.

‘That’s when I realised it was a scam,’ Julie said. ‘An unqualified person doing that, then looking for passport copies, then money.’ 

People at the school started to ask questions about the qualifications of their child’s new therapist. The school headteacher contacted the Garda [police] but they never followed up. 

Julie also reported Rebecca, and the Garda told her they had a thick folder on Rebecca, and had been keeping track of her.

Officers were sent to Rebecca’s home and shortly after, she disappeared.

The speech therapist: Lucy Fitzwilliam

A year earlier, in 2016, bright and bushy tailed Lucy Fitzwilliam, 28, moved to County Geery, Ireland. 

She introduced herself to the locals as a speech and language therapist who also ran a domestic violence refuge and quickly became a beloved member of the community.

Lucy met Lynn, not her real name for anonymity, a single parent and domestic abuse survivor whose youngest daughter has Rett syndrome, a genetic neurological disorder that affects the way the brain develops. Lucy offered to be her carer.

Lynn declined the offer but Lucy was persistent and instead said she could do art therapy with Lynn’s oldest daughter Sofia, eight, who had witnessed her father’s abuse.

The family became close with Lucy, and after months of ‘therapy’ she offered them a trip to Lapland. This was apparently being organised by the church who were covering half the cost. 

Lucy said she needed a £500 deposit to secure the trip – which would be raising money for the domestic abuse refuge she claimed to run. The community rallied and Lynn’s mother made up 400-500 euros worth of food packages for the refuge.

As the Lapland trip drew nearer, Lynn said she had been trying to find a specialist nurse to care for her youngest daughter. It was at this point Lucy said she would take Sofia to Lapland alone and Lynn and her youngest could join them later once care was organised.

All Lucy needed was Sofia’s passport and birth certificate, Lynn said.

‘She had zoned in on my Sofia and I still to this day believe she looked for a signature from me so she could bring Sofia herself to Lapland.’ 

Suspicions in the community escalated when one of Lynn’s friends, a woman called Pauline whose son is autistic, said Lucy had also tried to convince her to hand over her son’s passport. 

Lucy was reported to the Garda for trying to scam families in the community out of money and passports, but she was let go without charge. She packed up and left County Geery that same night. 

The au pair: Lucy Hart

Two years before there was Lucy Fitzwilliam, there was a 26-year-old woman called Lucy Hart.

Bonnie, not her real name for anonymity, a woman in her 40s from Tullamore, had been looking an au pair to help look after her children.

She came across Lucy on an au pair website in 2014. Lucy said she was experienced in childcare and following a quick video call, Bonnie hired her.   

‘She was so convincing, and really lovely in the interview we had,’ said Bonnie. 

In a video for the ALS ice bucket challenge, Lucy nominated her mother ‘Jane’ to take part and her employer Bonnie’s children poured the water over her head

Bonnie and her children ‘loved’ Lucy and she quickly became part of the family – regaling them with her interesting stories about her previous au pair jobs and her own family. Lucy said she was adopted and that her mother Jane Hart lived in the United States. She said her mother was the ‘main supplier for sandpaper for B&Q’.

In a video for the ALS ice bucket challenge, Lucy nominated her mother ‘Jane’ and Bonnie’s children poured the water over her head. 

Lucy soon opened up to Bonnie about her love life, saying she was dating a man in the UK who had two children from a previous relationship. 

Bonnie also received an insight into Lucy’s tragic past, as she told her that her previous fiance Liam had had motor neuron disease and killed himself by hanging. Lucy said she had found him.

The pair’s friendship grew but things changed during Christmas in 2014 – when Lucy accused Bonnie’s children of stealing her money and engagement ring. Bonnie did not believe her children would do such a thing and the relationship began to break down. 

Bonnie went back over many of Lucy’s elaborate stories and found they did not add up, so one day challenged her au pair as she launched into yet another tale. Kind and smiley Lucy was quickly replaced with an angry woman who accused Bonnie of attacking her and stormed out of the room. 

Things remained tense until one day in January when Lucy said she was going on a writing retreat and disappeared. 

After a few weeks, Bonnie accepted Lucy was not coming back and went into the room she had been staying in. In the wardrobe she found piles of documents and one truly chilling letter that made her ‘blood run cold’.

Among shopping lists and legal documents was a statement about visitation rights for Lucy’s child – a child whose name matched the one she claimed was her boyfriend’s from another relationship. More chilling still, Bonnie came across a statement.

The statement read: ‘I stand shoulder to shoulder with the coroner and I did not murder my daughter. I pray she is at peace.’

Her real identity: Samantha Cookes

Behind all of the aliases is a real woman – Samantha Cookes. 

Born in 1988, Samantha grew up in Gloucestershire, before moving to Shropshire with her mother and her new husband after her parents divorced. 

Samantha had a reputation for being a liar, her friend from school said. Her lies included her mother having cancer and her being pregnant and miscarrying.

Aged 18, Samantha was dating a boy called Liam. She went as far as to set up a website to plan their ‘wedding’. There was no wedding. 

The pair split up some time later and aged 20, Samantha started a degree in Occupational Therapy at York University.

However, Samantha later discovered she was pregnant and left university in her first year, returning home to Shropshire. She gave birth to a daughter called Martha in 2008.

Tragically, just four months later, Martha died. 

A five-month inquest found Martha had died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) – a result which appeared to vindicate Samantha, who seemed to have taken the inquest as an accusation.

It was at this point Samantha made the statement later found by Bonnie in Tullamore six years later. 

‘I stand shoulder to shoulder with the coroner, and I did not murder my daughter,’ it read. ‘I pray she is at peace.’ 

Born in 1988, Samantha Cookes grew up in Gloucestershire, before moving to Shropshire with her mother and her new husband after her parents divorced

Samantha did not return to university as she chose not to fill out criminal records check forms. 

Two years later in 2010, Samantha started a relationship with a man, whose identity is not being revealed to protect him and his family. The pair had a child. 

The same year, 23-year-old Samantha offered her services as a surrogate on Facebook. 

After making contact with a couple about being their surrogate, Samantha passed on the contact of a woman called Claudia, who had previously used her as a surrogate. Claudia gave the excited couple a glowing review of Samantha.

Having never met her face to face, the couple gave Samantha £1,200 out of their savings to cover the cost of the insemination kit, legal fees and other expenses. 

Sadly the baby never came, and as both Samantha and Claudia avoided the couple’s messages, they realised they had been duped. The police were contacted and a 23-year-old woman was arrested at her home in Shropshire.

The case came to trial in 2011 and Samantha pleaded guilty to fraud. She received a suspended sentence of 9 months’ imprisonment and a fine of £1890 to be paid to the couple.

But what the trial also revealed was that Samantha and Claudia were the same person. Claudia did not exist.

A year later, Samantha gave birth to a second child with the man she had been dating but due to mental health problems, the father was given sole custody. In 2013 she became pregnant with her third child with the same man. 

Determined not to lose custody of this unborn child, Samantha fled to Ireland in the winter of 2013. She gave birth in January 2014.

However, a neighbour reported her to Irish social services and the child was taken into care. After appearing at Irish family court, the father was again given custody and the baby was transported back to the UK. 

Samantha had permanently lost custody of her third child by August 2014. 

A month later she had changed her name to Lucy Hart and was working for Bonnie as an au pair. In January 2015, she left Bonnie’s home. 

In 2016, Samantha moved to County Geery and became Lucy Fitzwilliam and in 2017, Rebecca Fitzgerald arrived in Fermoy. 

When Samantha arrived in Cahersiveen, County Kerry, in 2019, she became someone else – Carrie Jade Williams.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s supporter Christopher Bouzy has doubled down on a bizarre conspiracy theory about the Princess of Wales, claiming that she hasn’t been seen in public since Christmas Day.

The Tech CEO, 48, from New York, who appeared in the Sussexes’ Netflix documentary, took to X, formerly Twitter, to share his doubts about the recent sighting of Kate Middleton and Prince William shopping at a farm shop in Windsor.

‘Serious question: Has any reporter taken the time to go to Windsor Farm and ask the staff if William and Kate were there over the weekend? Besides the man who was paid for the video, has anyone else gone on the record about seeing William and Kate at the farm?,’ he wrote.

He added in a second tweet: ‘So, let me see if I understand this correctly. Kate’s video is one of the biggest stories of 2024, and not a single person who works at the farm/store has gone on the record about seeing William and Kate? So, just some random guy is the primary source of the story? Sounds legit.’

Earlier this week, he shared a compilation of clips of the royal couple walking to compare it to their recent sighting at the Windsor Farm Shop on Saturday. 

He claims the clips show that the video of two people walking in Windsor isn’t the royal couple, joining a chorus of outlandish conspiracy theorists online.

The Tech CEO, 48, from New York, who appeared in the Sussexes’ Netflix documentary, took to X, formerly Twitter, to share his doubts about the recent sighting of Kate and Prince William shopping at a farm shop in Windsor

‘I’ve compiled a few older videos of William and Kate walking together, as well as the recent video from Windsor Farm. Take a look and decide for yourself if it’s Kate or not. In my opinion, we still haven’t seen Kate in public,’ he wrote on X.

Many people breathed a sigh of relief when they saw ‘happy, relaxed and healthy’ Kate smiling as she briskly walked away from the store holding onto a full shopping bag on Saturday.

But others on social media have continued to push crazed claims – including that the woman in the video was not the royal but in fact a body double. 

Mr Bouzy appeared in Harry and Meghan’s Netflix doc after his company BotSentinel issued a report saying the couple was on the receiving end of millions of trolls.

But Mr Bouzy, who previously tweeted that he thought that the Prince and Princess of Wales were ageing in ‘banana years’, has been accused of being a troll himself over a series of nasty posts.

In April 2023, he said the portrait released to mark what would have been Queen Elizabeth’s 97th birthday was photoshopped.

The image, which shows the late monarch posing with eight of her 12 great-grandchildren and two of her grandchidren at Balmoral, was taken just weeks before her death by the Princess of Wales.

This week, global picture agency Getty Images said the heartwarming image was ‘digitally enhanced at source’ having undertaken a review following the recent fallout from the Princess of Wales editing a Mother’s Day photo of herself with her three children.

Millions of people breathed a collective sigh of relief when they saw ‘happy, relaxed and healthy’ Kate (pictured with William in Swansea in September 2022) smiling as she briskly walked away from the store holding onto a full shopping bag on Saturday

Earlier this week, the Tech CEO shared a compilation of clips of Kate and Prince William walking to compare it to a recent sighting of them shopping at a farm shop in Windsor

He described the photograph as ‘beautiful’ on X.

Calling on people to ‘stop criticising’ snap, he added: ‘Yes, they Photoshopped it, and so what? It isn’t easy to get the perfect photo with 10 children. It appears they took multiple shots and then edited the photo to make it perfect. I would’ve done the same.’

In a later tweet about the snap, which was shared on the official social media accounts of The Prince and Princess of Wales, he wrote: ‘You can literally see where two sides of the sofa were spliced together, and there are pixels on the face that were not properly edited.

‘As I stated in my original tweet, I don’t see anything wrong with it. But to claim it’s not Photoshopped is false. It’s been edited.’

He also added: ‘Also, the Queen was probably exhausted and didn’t want to sit through a long photoshoot.’

Bouzy described the trolling against Meghan as ‘not your everyday’, saying that they had come from a small number of accounts with a big reach 

Mr Bouzy said Meghan was trolled in her documentary. The Duchess of Sussex is pictured

The late monarch appeared in her element with Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, James, Earl of Wessex, Lena Tindall, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Isla Phillips, Prince Louis, Mia Tindall, Lucas Tindall and Savannah Phillips.

Mr Bouzy’s claims come as the shopper who filmed the royal’s first public appearance since undergoing abdominal surgery has slammed cruel conspiracy theory trolls as ‘delusional’.

Nelson Silva, 40, said he saw the Princess of Wales ‘with his own eyes’ on Saturday as she popped down to her local farm shop.

BBC sports reporter Sonja McLaughlan appeared to be amongst those fuelling the bizarre suggestion when she told her followers on X that it was ‘obviously not Kate’ in the clip. In a now deleted tweet, she even suggested the heir to the throne could have been replaced by an actor. 

Speaking for the first time since he encountered the Princess of Wales in the meat section of the farm shop, Mr Silva told the Sun: ‘I’m not so much shocked that these comments have continued, I’m just confused how exactly they can continue.

‘This is a video clearly showing her and William. I saw them with my own eyes. It was a completely relaxed situation.

‘What more do you need to lay off her? I thought after this was released they’d go quiet. But these people are so invested in the drama now.’ 

The father, who ran into the royals around lunchtime on Saturday at the Windsor Farm Shop, believed releasing the footage would put an abrupt end to the wild rumours surrounding Kate’s health but fears it did the opposite.

A photo of the late Queen Elizabeth II with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren was also manipulated, Getty images has said

According to tech CEO Christopher Bouzy, he believes the image has been photoshopped because, he claims, ‘you can literally see where two sides of the sofa were spliced together’

According to Christopher Bouzy, writing on Twitter, he believed the ‘beautiful’ image appears to be Photoshopped

After the clip emerged people suggested Kate was too tall in the video for it to be her, while another crazy theory claimed the footage had been recorded in December because ‘Christmas decorations’ were in the background.

In under 24 hours the rumours about body doubles gained more than 12 millions views on X and more than 11 million on TikTok. 

The Windsor local said he was ‘shocked’ and ‘confused’ as to why the conspiracy theories have continued. He said he saw the future King and Queen with his own eyes and ‘it was a completely relaxed situation’. 

‘Even famous people are guilty,’ Mr Silva added. ‘People with a large platform online — they can’t admit they are wrong now because they look so delusional.’ 

He called for those pushing claims online to ‘lay off’ the Princess and stop plugging their baseless ‘rumours and lies’.

The father, who lives in the town with his wife and daughter, had recorded the couple to send back to his family Portugal.

He first saw Will and Kate inside the store, where they had been ‘talking to staff and laughing’, before watching them walk back into some fields to head towards their home Adelaide Cottage.

Kate’s weekend appearance marked the first time she had been seen out and about in public since undergoing planned abdominal surgery in January.

Kate Middleton lookalike Heidi Agan (pictured) has shut down the ‘crazy’ conspiracy theory that it is her in a farm shop video of the Prince and Princess of Wales

Despite Kensington Palace setting out a clear timeline for the Princess’ recovery – with her return to the public spotlight expected after the Easter Holidays conclude – online trolls have sparked bizarre theories. 

Baseless and hurtful conspiracy theories being spread about her online included that she is dead, has been replaced by a body double or the Wales’ marriage is in trouble. 

One royal source told the Telegraph: ‘Finally everyone can calm down’.

Yet BBC freelance reporter Ms McLaughlan came under fire for appearing to fan the flames of conspiracy theorists. 

Ms McLaughlan wrote: ‘Disturbing that newspapers like The Times are reporting this as fact. Headline ‘Kate seen in public for the first time’ when it’s clearly not her. As someone has said. Could be a couple of lookalikes making mischief.’ 

Commenting on a video which compared the Princess in the footage to other past photos of herself, she added: ‘It’s so obviously not Kate. Some newspaper are reporting it as fact. But it’s not her. No conspiracy theorist but all very odd.’

The BBC declined to comment on the matter.

The body double claims led Britain’s ‘most realistic’ Kate Middleton lookalike to shut down the ‘crazy’ conspiracy theories that it is her in the farm shop video instead of the real Princess of Wales. 

Heidi Agan, 43, who has made an income from impersonating the royal for more than a decade, said she ‘100 per cent’ believes it is Kate and William in the footage.

‘There has obviously been some speculation about whether it was Kate and William in that footage and stills,’ she told The Mirror.

‘In fact, my own social media has gone crazy as people think it is me, but I know it is not. I was at work at the time so I know that is not me. I 100 per cent believe that it is Kate Middleton and William in that video.’

‘So she is alive, and we can be sure about it. It has all gone too far now,’ she added.

M&S Luxury Fruited Hot Cross Buns

£1.85 for four 

All you could want in a hot cross bun, it was light and not stodgy with delicious berries. Can’t go wrong with these! – Kirsten Murray 

Rating:

Tesco Finest St Clements  Hot Cross Buns

£1.60 for four 

Eleanor said Tesco’s twist on hot cross bun was ‘sensational’

Tesco’s twist on the hot cross bun is sensational! The addition of candied peel and extra fruit makes it like a normal hot cross bun, but better, and it’s definitely more exciting.

I will find it hard to see a regular hot cross bun in the same way now. – Eleanor Dye

Rating:

Morrison’s Double Chocolate Orange 

£1.25 for four 

Luke gave the chocolate orange treat from Morrisons five stars

They were so enticing, both in smell and appearance, that by the time the first bun had finished toasting I had already eaten the rest of the packet.

When untoasted they had a delicious soft texture, despite me having left the pack open for much of the day. The toasted ones were also delectable but for a slightly different reason: the chocolate orange perfectly melts within the bun and tastes incredible. – Luke Whelan 

Rating:

Tesco Finest Cheddar & Red Leicester Hot Cross Bun

£1.65 for four 

Alanah thought Tesco’s offering tasted like a ‘cheesy roll’ and could be use d for make sandwiches 

These were delicious. Perhaps not the best choice for those after a traditional hot cross bun, but luckily, I’m not one of them. It tasted like a cheesy roll and could even be used as a sandwich bread, but it still tasted great toasted with butter. I’d definitely add to my basket in the future.  – Alanah Kholsa 

Rating:

Tesco Finest Triple Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

£1.25 for four 

Jo said the triple chocolate hot cross buns were ‘filling, flavoursome and a great alternative to the fruity version’

Traditionalists avert your eyes, there’s a new bun in town that might well take the crown for the most delicious Easter treat this year. While this triple choc affair looks like a hot cross bun, it tastes nothing like one – the cocoa-laced dough and combination of milk and dark choc chips see to that. It’s absolutely delicious though; we tried it toasted with a smidgen of butter and it was as if a pain au chocolate had happily collided with a teacake. Filling, flavoursome and a great alternative to the fruity versions. – Jo Tweedy

Rating:

Waitrose Richly Fruited Hot Cross Buns

£1.85 for four

Alanah thought these were a traditional hot cross bun, with extra sweetness

 The ideal hot cross bun for those with a sweet tooth. The fruit in the buns wasn’t overpowering and provided the perfect balance in terms of taste and texture. For those looking for a traditional hot cross bun with added sweetness, these won’t disappoint. – Alanah Kholsa

Rating:

Morrison’s Mature Cheddar & Red Leicester 

£1.25 for four 

Bridie said these were delicious and tangy, with a strong flavour

Delicious! Proper British cheese, fantastic strong taste in a soft bread. Nothing too overpowering, but tasty. I would buy again, and again, and again. Less than 32p a roll? What a bargain!   – Bridie Pearson-Jones

Rating:

M&S Gluten-free 

£2.40 for four 

Rebekah thought M&S’s gluten free option was sweet and springy

M&S’ delicious gluten-free hot cross buns definitely lived up to the brand’s renowned quality. They boasted a sweet taste and springy dough, filled with mixed vine fruits, orange peel and ground spices. – Rebekah Absalom

Rating:

Waitrose No.1 4 Belgian Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

Bridie said these are a chocoholics heaven

£2.00 for four 

A chocoholic’s heaven. Delicious and not overly sweet, you can tell these are made with dark chocolate. They tasted more like something you’d get in a Parisian bakery than a hot cross bun. Slightly stodgy, but in a good way. For extreme indulgence, add Nutella or another chocolate spread. When toasted, the chocolate chips melt into the bread which is another level of decadence. Although be warned, you might be left with chocolatey fingers – Bridie Pearson-Jones

Rating:

Asda Extra Special, Lemon & White Chocolate

£1.40 for four 

Dan enjoyed the tartness of the lemon mixed with the sweetness of the white chocolate

This was a very nice hot cross bun, with the tartness of the lemon balancing nicely with the white chocolate. When toasted, the melted chocolate really oozed too, and added to the flavour. – Dan Linstead

Rating:

M&S Extremely Caramely Hot Cross Buns

£1.85 for four 

Kirsten said the bun itself was light and the caramel was nice and fudgy

I had never had a caramel hot cross bun before so was intrigued to try this one out. It was a nice change, but I think I prefer the traditional.

The bun itself was light and the caramel was nice and fudgy, but if you got a bit without caramel it was a bit plain. Would probably be best topped with chocolate or Biscoff spread. – Kirsten Murray

Rating:

Tesco Finest Apple & Cinnamon

£1.60 for four  

Elmira said that ‘apple and cinnamon is always going to be a winning combination’

Apple and cinnamon is always going to be a winning combination and these didn’t disappoint. The dough was perfect when toasted – slightly crusty on the outside but sticky and soft on the inside. The spice from the cinnamon was a great complement to the sweet sultanas and candied apple flavour, as well as the salty smothering of butter I put on top. My only qualm is that the flavour felt a touch too Christmassy – but still delightful! – Elmira Tanatarova

Rating:

M&S Extremely Cheesy

£.185 for four 

Bridie said M&S’ offering was ‘creamy, umani, delicious’

I’m not sure if you can call this a hot cross bun. It is a cheese roll with a cross on.

That said, it is a delicious one. Extremely cheesy is an apt description, there was a strong taste of cheddar that lingers in the mouth beyond the final bite. Creamy, umani, delicious, I wish i could have this all year round. 

Not one for traditionalists but a divine savoury alternative to the classic HCB. Bridie Pearson-Jones

Rating:

Coop Richly Fruited 

£1.60 for four 

Laura said she would ‘highly recommend Co-op’s richly fruited offering’

Best eaten toasted and smothered with butter, these Co-Op hot cross buns are well-worth the premium price point. While less squidgy than some, it’s packed with a variety of fruit and the famous spiced flavour. This bun has proven to be a reliable option for anyone who prefers the original over one of the new flavoured versions that are dominating the market, so I would highly recommend.  – Laura Fox

Rating:

Lidl Bramley Apple & Cinnamon

£1.25 for four 

Eleanor said that these Bramley Apple and Cinnamon treats tasted ‘Christmassy’

The texture of the apple and cinnamon hot cross buns was slightly stodgy, but the flavours of apple and cinnamon coming through were delicious and weren’t overpowering.

They almost felt a bit Christmassy – but don’t that put you off from having them as a warming snack. – Eleanor Dye

Rating:

Codie said Sainbury’s offering had a nice crunch

Sainsbury’s Sticky Toffee

£1.25 for four 

I expected these to be sickly sweet, but it was the perfect amount of salted caramel. 

The texture of the bread was nice too and they had a nice crunch when toasted. Would recommend! – Codie Bullen

Rating:

Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Fruity 

£1.25 for four 

‘Perfect toasted with lots of butter and with a big mug of tea’ was Joanna’s verdict

These were delicious! Packed with fruit with an extra hint of spice and a sticky, glazed top. They smelt delicious too, from the moment we opened the pack.

I’m not a big fan of all the flavoured buns so I really enjoyed this traditional offering which also went down well with my six-year-old who declared it to be ‘the yummiest I’ve ever had’.

They were perfect toasted with lots of butter and with a big mug of tea. – Joanna Crawely 

Rating:

Tesco Finest Salted Caramel & Chocolate

£1.25 for four 

Jessica said: ‘The texture was light and fluffy, although perhaps a little on the doughy side’

I have been in mourning for the M&S chocolate and salted caramel hot cross buns since they were discontinued last year, so I hoped the Tesco Finest version would be a fitting substitute.

There was a lot riding on this taste test, but I tried to keep all other variables the same – lightly toasted with butter on top and accompanied by a strong builder’s tea.

As I took a bite into the bun, the contrast between the sweet chocolate and caramel, plus the salt from the butter, was a perfect taste combination.

The texture was light and fluffy, although perhaps a little on the doughy side – but as I scoffed down the tasty bun, I didn’t have much time to notice.

Overall I’m pretty pleased with this product and, while it can’t live up to the wildly overblown expectations I had at the beginning of my experiment, it made for a delicious Saturday morning breakfast. – Jessica Taylor

Rating:

Waitrose Blueberry Hot Cross Buns with a Hint of Vanilla

£1.85 for four 

Madison said the flavour of these buns was ‘quite weak and could have been stronger’

Tart blueberries and sweet vanilla make for a delicious taste combination that’s more unique than a plain or fruited hot cross bun. 

However, the flavour was quite weak and could have been stronger, with more blueberries packed in for me personally. 

Although the fruit taste is more subtle than I expected, toasted with butter these made for a tasty Easter treat. – Madison Burgess

Rating:

Morrison’s Lemon Drizzle

£1.25 for four 

Morrisons’ lemon drizzle flavour is a great option if you don’t like too much fruit in your bun 

The Morrisons lemon drizzle hot cross buns were scrumptious.

Soft and sweet with a great lemon flavour, I was impressed with these.

I liked the great balance of fruit to dough because some hot cross buns can have too much fruit – Gina Kalsi

Rating:

Coop Blueberry & Lemon 

£1.60 for four 

Jowena said the Coop Blueberry and Lemon hot cross buns were great if you love zingy flavour

These Co-op hot cross buns are the perfect balance of sweetness, tanginess and zest. When toasted, the melted butter oozes into the fluffy bread and brings out scrumptiously strong hints of lemon. If you love zingy citrus and bursts of blueberry – especially on muffins or pancakes – these would make for a deliciously light and refreshing Easter breakfast.  – Jowena Riley 

Rating:

M&S Extremely Chocolatey 

£1.85 for four 

Joe said these ‘surpassed all expectations’

As a chocolate fan, these surpassed all expectations. However, it is more of a cake than a bun – and didn’t include any fruit.

When toasted, the chocolate chips melted beautifully. I had mine with a bit of butter and it only added to the experience. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, this is the hot cross bun for you! – Joe Adams

Rating:

Asda Extra Special Extra Fruity

£1.40 for four 

‘Delicious, moreish, and very fruity’ is how Bridie said Asda’s hot cross buns were 

Delicious, moreish, and very fruity!  Tasty toasted and fresh, this is a great hot cross bun, especially for the price. Perhaps it’s a tiny bit on the dry side, but overall great. – Bridie Pearson-Jones

Rating:

Waitrose Gluten-Free

These have become a favourite for Rebekah

£1.85 for four 

Initially uncertain about the density of the Waitrose gluten-free hot cross buns, I was pleasantly surprised by the perfectly balanced flavour, incorporating delicious orange-soaked sultanas, raisins and currants. 

They have become a new favourite – Rebekah Absalom

Rating:

Variety magazine joked in 2022 that Ozempic deserved its own thank-you speech at the Emmys, because so many stars on the podium had obviously been taking it. 

Hype around the drug hit the general public last year, but as with most trends it had already been doing the rounds in Hollywood, with celebrity fans including Kelly Osbourne, 39, Oprah Winfrey, 70, Amy Schumer, 42 and Boy George, 62, all admitting to using it. 

However while many raved about the new weight loss jab, other celebrities have spoken out to warn others of the grim after-effects.

Sharon Osbourne, 71, has voiced both the benefits and negative effects of using the drug, telling ITV’s Loose Women she stood by using it but she did regret continuing to take the jabs after her weight dropped below seven stone, saying ‘Be careful what you wish for’.

While Stephen Fry, 66, said his ‘astonishing’ weight loss came at a price, after Ozempic caused him to vomit up to five times a day.

Stephen Fry

Stephen Fry, 66, said his ‘astonishing’ weight loss came at a price, after Ozempic caused him to vomit up to five times a day

Stephen Fry has become the latest big name star to warn of the dangers of the drug, The Mirror reported.

He attributes his obsession with food to his childhood in Norfolk, and the cook Mrs Riseborough employed by his parents Marianne and Alan who was a ‘good English plain cook’. 

After years of battling with his weight as a result, Fry said he was pleasantly surprised by the drug’s effectiveness and found it stopped all of his cravings for food and alcohol.

He said: ‘The first week or so, I was thinking, “This is astonishing. Not only do I not want to eat, I don’t want any alcohol of any kind. This is going to be brilliant.

‘Then I started feeling sick, and I started getting sicker and sicker and sicker. I was throwing up four, five times a day and I thought, “I can’t do this”. So that’s it. The new variant, Tirzepatide Mounjaro, makes it even worse apparently.’

Fry, who is married to comedian Elliott Spencer, says he was at his heaviest in April 2019 when his weight came to nearly 21st.

But by August of that year, he had lost five and a half stone after taking the drug.

Kelly Osbourne 

Kelly Osbourne is a vocal fan of Ozempic even calling the drug ‘amazing’ while speaking to E! News in February

Kelly Osbourne is a vocal fan of Ozempic even calling the drug ‘amazing’ while speaking to E! News in February.

Part of the appeal to Kelly was that she found it less ‘boring’ than changing one’s diet and increasing exercise to lose weight.

‘There are a million ways to lose weight, why not do it through something that isn’t as boring as working out?’ she said. 

The daughter of Ozzy Osbourne went further, accusing critics of the medication and similar drugs of being jealous or deceitful. 

‘People hate on it because they want to do it. And the people who hate on it the most are the people who are secretly doing it or pissed off that they can’t afford it. Unfortunately, right now, it’s something that is very expensive, but it eventually won’t be because it actually works.’

Oprah Winfrey

Speaking in An Oprah Special: Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss Revolution , Oprah fought back tears as she revealed how the drugs had meant she was no longer ‘constantly thinking about what the next meal is going to be’

The television host finally admitted to using the weight-loss drug in December — after previously vowing she would never use Ozempic or a similar drug because they were the ‘easy way out’.

The 70-year-old had lost more than 18kg over recent months, which led to speculation that she used the weight loss medication to help.

Oprah previously revealed she weighed 107.5kg at her heaviest, however she did not say what her current weight was. 

She revealed in an interview with People that she ‘now [uses] it as I feel I need it, as a tool to manage not yo-yoing’.

‘The fact that there’s a medically-approved prescription for managing weight and staying healthier, in my lifetime, feels like relief, like redemption, like a gift, and not something to hide behind and once again be ridiculed for.’ 

She did not reveal which weight loss drug she used, although many speculated that she had got a prescription for Ozempic.

Oprah said she took the medication before Thanksgiving, and credited it with ensuring she only gained half a pound rather than eight.

Speaking in An Oprah Special: Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss Revolution, she fought back tears as she revealed how the drugs had meant she was no longer ‘constantly thinking about what the next meal is going to be’.

She said ‘for 25 years, making fun of my weight was national sport’ and that over the years she had ‘lost some weight’ and ‘put back on some weight’ but since starting to take medication she had stopped ‘obsessing’ about food. 

Along with messages of support online, some viewers slammed Oprah, accusing her of ‘promoting big pharma and pushing Ozempic’ and criticizing her for taking the drugs after spending nine years promoting Weight Watchers.

The show was released days after Oprah quit her Weight Watchers board role, citing a potential ‘conflict of interest’ with the show, which heavily featured weight loss drug brands.

During the show, Oprah pushed back at people she said wanted to ‘shame’ her for her weight and for taking the drugs.

She said: ‘I come to this conversation in the hope that we can start releasing the stigma and the shame and the judgment… to stop shaming other people for being overweight or how they chose to lose and not lose weight.’

She added: ‘All these years, I thought all of the people who never had to diet were just using their willpower and they were for some reason stronger than me.

‘But now I realize y’all weren’t even thinking about the food. It’s not that you had the willpower. You weren’t even thinking about it. You weren’t obsessing about it.’

Now, she said: ‘I use it as a tool, combined with hiking three or five miles a day or running. It’s not just one thing, it’s multiple things for me.’

Sharon Osbourne 

Sharon Osbourne has also revealed she took Ozempic — but said she lost so many pounds on the drug that she ‘needed to put weight back on’

Sharon Osbourne has also revealed she took Ozempic — but said she lost so many pounds on the drug that she ‘needed to put weight back on’.

The 71-year-old started taking the drug in 2023 when she weighed 142lbs (64.4kg).

She shed more than 45lbs (20kg) on the medication, but then her weight fell down to 97lbs (43kg).

‘I can’t afford to lose anymore,’ she said. My weight has stabilized. I went down to about 97lb (43kg) and it was like, ‘oh no!’. I needed to put some weight back on, which I have.’

She added while speaking to Women magazine: ‘You can lose so much weight and it’s easy to become addicted to that, which is very dangerous.

‘I couldn’t stop losing weight and now I’ve lost 42lbs — and I can’t afford to lose anymore.’

She added that when she first went on the drug she felt ‘very nauseous’ and was vomiting regularly. It took about two weeks for this to subside.

She urged people to keep the drug away from teenagers, saying it was just ‘too easy’ to become addicted.

She recently revealed doctors ‘can’t figure out’ why she hasn’t been able to gain weight back after she stopped using Ozempic months ago.

Asked about her weight loss in an interview with Woman Magazine released on Tuesday, Sharon said that even medics are stumped by her inability to gain the weight back.

The doctors can’t figure it out,’ she said. ‘But I think it’s just because I’m getting older and as you get older you lose weight anyway and shrink and shrivel off.’

Sharon started taking Ozempic in December 2022 and in November 2023 she told Mail On Sunday: ‘I’ve been off it a while now.’

Boy George

Boy George said he has taken both Ozempic and Mounjaro for weight loss. The singer also got a tummy tuck several years ago after shedding 100 pounds

Boy George opened up about his fluctuating weight in his memoir Karma, which was released last year.

‘I know I don’t enjoy being overweight and it’s something I really want to deal with,’ he wrote. 

‘I have struggled with my weight most of my life and being under public and media scrutiny doesn’t help.’  

The Karma Chameleon singer, 62, wrote that he started out with Ozempic and then switched to Mounjaro.

The truth behind new diet drug craze – Hollywood is hooked on it, and social media is fanning demand for the latest weight-loss ‘miracle’

What is Ozempic used for?

Semaglutide, or Ozempic as it is branded, ia a new diet drug that everybody that’s become a buzzword for miracle weight loss.  

Originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes, it is used off-label (for a purpose other than that for which it was licensed) in both the US and the UK to treat obesity. 

In research conducted by its billionaire manufacturer, the Danish-based pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, patients lost an average of 17 per cent of their overall body weight over 68 weeks. This compares with five to nine per cent for ‘oldschool’ anti-obesity drugs such as Metformin. 

How do you get it? 

Only available in the UK on the NHS if you have type 2 diabetes, Ozempic can be obtained through a private doctor, and if you are willing to take it without medical supervision – not recommended by doctors (see panel) – you can get it online through various weight-loss programmes. It is sometimes taken in tablet form but more commonly as an injection. 

Originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes, Semaglutide is used off-label. It has been branded as a new diet drug that everybody is apparently taking

Thanks to the hype, there has been a surge in demand, causing shortages on both sides of the Atlantic, with a backlash against influencers and celebrities hogging supplies ahead of desperate diabetes sufferers. 

Predictably, Big Pharma has come up with an alternative – tirzepatide (brand name Mounjaro), manufactured by Eli Lilly – but it has yet to be approved by the US Food & Drug Administration for weight loss.

How does the drug work? 

Semaglutide belongs to a class called GLP-1 agonists, which not only regulate blood sugar but, as was discovered about a decade ago, also mimic the gut hormones that regulate our appetites – the ones that tell the brain when we are hungry or full. 

What are the side effects? 

There are, of course, side effects: acid reflux, nausea, exacerbation of IBS symptoms and fatigue (but much less so than in earlier GLP-1 agonists such as Saxenda), as well as pancreatitis, gallstones and, in very high doses, it has caused thyroid tumours in rats. Meanwhile, when you stop using it the effect wears off immediately and in some cases it won’t work at all. 

Mounjaro uses the active ingredient tirzepatide, which targets GLP-1 and the hormone glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP). Mounjaro is only FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes.  

George wrote: ‘I love food, and I can’t control my appetite, but I think I have finally got it under control.’ 

‘Well, I’m on Mounjaro. Isn’t everyone? Trust me, anyone who was fat last year and is not skinny is on the wonder drug.’

The singer also got a tummy tuck several years ago ‘to get rid of excess skin’ after losing 100 pounds. 

Heather Gay

Heather Gay admitted to taking Ozempic for several months. However, the reality star said she had yet to see significant results

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star announced that she has been taking Ozempic to lose weight.

At Variety’s Women of Reality TV event, she said that while she uses the drug, she has yet to see a big difference.

‘I’ve been on it for a long time, but hadn’t really seen much results,’ she told People. 

She also said that people around her started acting differently when they learned she was on Ozempic, which she found ‘discouraging.’ 

‘You lose five pounds, people are nicer to you,’ the 49-year-old said. ‘I don’t know why. It’s just the way the world works, and that makes me sad for women.’

‘But I’m happy that I’m down five.’ 

Tracy Morgan 

Comedian Tracy Morgan said he lost several pounds using Ozempic. ‘It cuts my appetite in half. Now I only eat half a bag of Doritos,’ he said during a television appearance

The comedian has also revealed he was taking Ozempic, saying the drug ‘cuts my appetite in half.’

The 55-year-old said he had lost several pounds on the drug and that he ‘ain’t letting it go.’

Speaking on the Today show, the star said he injected himself with the drug every Thursday to help with weight loss.

When told he had been working on his body and health a lot on the show, he said: ‘No, that’s Ozempic.

‘That’s how this weight got lost. I went and got a prescription and I got Ozempic. And I ain’t letting it go! It cuts my appetite in half. Now I only eat half a bag of Doritos.’

Elon Musk  

Elon Musk said he lost almost 30lbs while taking Ozempic. The billionaire’s weight-loss journey was sparked by an unflattering photo taken on a yacht

One of the world’s richest men said Ozempic made him ‘fit, ripped and healthy’, Elon Musk said he lost almost 30lbs (13.6kg) while taking the drug.

He revealed that he was using it in October 2022 when a fan asked what the secret was to his new slimmed-down appearance. Musk, 53, replied ‘Fasting’, before adding: ‘And Wegovy’.

He has also said his transformation was down to: ‘Fasting + Ozempic/Wegovy + no tasty food for me.’  

He said his weight-loss journey was prompted after seeing unflattering images of himself on a yacht. The 53-year-old’s weight loss formula prompted admiration from fans.

He also admitted to suffering a side effect from the drug. A Twitter user asked: ‘Does it give you those nasty burps? Taste like rotten eggs lol ugh.’ He replied: ‘Yeah, next-level.’

Robbie Williams

Singer-songwriter Robbie Williams shared he was taking ‘something like Ozempic,’ adding: ‘And I need it, medically. I’ve been diagnosed with type 2 self-loathing’

Robbie Williams said that he’s on ‘something like Ozempic’ to keep the pounds off.  After overcoming addictions to drugs and alcohol, the hitmaker has revealed that he’s on a mission to better his health.

‘Babe, I’m on Ozempic,’ he told The Times. ‘Well, something like Ozempic. It’s like a Christmas miracle.’

The 50-year-old, who did not reveal exactly what drug or regimen he’s on, said that he has lost 25 pounds so far. 

Williams has also said that he struggles with body dysmorphia, a mental health condition that causes a person to obsess over flaws in their appearance, such as weight.

‘And I need it, medically. I’ve been diagnosed with type 2 self-loathing,’ he said. It’s shockingly catastrophic to my mental health to be bigger.’

Amy Schumer

Comedian-actress Amy Schumer tried the medication but quickly gave it up, as she became so sickly that she was unable to play with her son

The comedian and actress revealed that she had tried the medication — but quickly gave it up.

The 42-year-old said on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen: ‘Like a year ago, I tried it.

‘I was one of those people that felt so sick and couldn’t play with my son. I was so skinny and he’s throwing a ball at me and [I couldn’t].’

She said she quickly gave up the medication, realizing it was not for her. She said: ‘And you’re like, ‘OK, this isn’t livable for me’. But I immediately invested [in it] because I knew everyone was going to try it.’

Schumer revealed that she had opted for liposuction, however, to help lose weight.

She said: ‘I just wanted to say that because if anybody sees me in pictures or anything and they’re like, she looks thinner, and whatever: It’s because I had a surgery.’

Emily Simpson

Emily Simpson lost about seven pounds on Ozempic. The Real Housewives of Orange County star said she began taking the medication after learning she may be prediabetic

Real Housewives of Orange County star Emily Simpson started taking Ozempic after a doctor suggested she may be prediabetic. 

‘So I did. I did that in December,’ she said last year. For one month and you know, that was a great kickstart for me.’

She said that Ozempic helped her kick habits like ‘grazing’ and ‘not really paying attention’ to what she was eating.

She lost about seven pounds on the drug but stopped taking it due to exhaustion.

‘I didn’t like the way it made me feel lethargic and it made me just not have a lot of energy, which was hard with three little kids, but it does make you feel full and it does make you, for me, it was like a refresh,’ she said. 

The art of carving the perfect statue is clearly a difficult one to nail, even for the most talented and professional of sculptors. 

This week The Big Issue revealed pictures of a long-awaited resemblance of England captain Harry Kane commissioned by Waltham Forest Council. 

But the reaction to the £7,200 statue did not quite go down as anticipated, as fans were quick to pronounce it the ‘stuff of nightmares’. 

One asked: ‘Does any professional footballer have a decent statue? Why do they all look so bad?’ 

But it is not just footballers who have had unfortunate likenesses of themselves made – and some are so suspect that they are even unrecognisable. 

From the world’s most famous figures, including royals, celebrities and sporting giants, many have been made a victim of the dodgy statue curse. 

Here, FEMAIL takes a look at some of the worst offenders, both in the UK and abroad. 

But can you guess who they’re meant to be? Take a look below. 

1. 

This horrific bust of a famous football player is likely the world’s most shocking statue

2. 

This was the first-ever statue of one famous figure – and surprisingly wasn’t the last

3. 

Guess who! If you’re not sure who this statue is meant to be, we really wouldn’t blame you

4. 

Loose likeness! Put on your history hat and see if you can recognise this iconic comedian

5. 

Getting ahead of yourself: You will not believe who this terracotta head is meant to be

6. 

Great gold! This supermodel’s statue made her look like you’ve never seen her before

7. 

Smoulder: This is the statue of a very famous actor from back in the 90s

8. 

The tennis racket is a big clue here – and next to the statue is the legend himself

9. 

Dud ringer: This statue has proven very controversial and has been moved from its position

10. 

Feeling Firthsty? A 12 foot model of an iconic scene was recreated in statue form

1. Cristiano Ronaldo 

This horrific bust of Cristiano Ronaldo is probably the world’s most famous shocking statue. 

The bronze statue was unveiled in March 2017, less than a year after Ronaldo had won Euro 2016 with Portugal. 

It stands outside an airport in Madeira, the famous player’s hometown, in what was meant to be a nice gesture. 

The forward, 39, has even visited the statue – and would definitely have been in for a shock. 

Cristiano Ronaldo stands next to the bust of himself near the Madeira international airport in 2017

2. Melania Trump

In 2019, conceptual artist Ales Maxi Zupevc created what she claimed was the first-ever monument of Melania Trump – and unbelievably, it wasn’t the last. 

Unveiled near the former First Lady’s hometown in Slovenia, some described the wooden statue as a ‘disgrace’, saying it looked like a ‘Smurfette’. 

But the statue, carved from a tree trunk, didn’t last long as it was burned down that year by unnamed arsonists. 

Months later, it found a new lease of life and was replaced with a bronze version.  

This wooden statue by conceptual artist Ales Maxi Zupevc was the first-ever to be made of Melania Trump

3. Mo Salah 

If you’re not sure who this statue is meant to be, we really wouldn’t blame you. 

The creation of Mo Salah was made by Egyptian sculptor Mai Abdel Allah went on display at the World Youth Forum in Sharm El Sheikh. 

The incarnation of the Liverpool player, 31, seems decidedly out of proportion.  

But it wasn’t long before people compared it to characters such as Marv from Home Alone and Dobby from Harry Potter. 

‘Why does he have the body of an eight-year-old?’ one fan asked.  

The creation of Mo Salah was made by Egyptian sculptor Mai Abdel Allah

The football player is pictured in 2018 holding the PFA Player of the Year award

4. Lucille Ball 

In 2009, a statue of American actress and comedian Lucille Ball was unveiled in her hometown in Celoron, New York. 

Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner Lucille passed away in 1989 aged 77.  

A Facebook page even sprung up called ‘We love Lucy! Get Rid of this Statue!’ and locals knew it as ‘Scary Lucy’. 

Even artist Dave Poulin was forced to admit that the work was a bit ‘unsettling’. 

However, Lucille’s statue was also one that didn’t end up standing the test of time, and it was replaced in 2016. 

In 2009, a statue of American actress and comedian Lucille Ball was unveiled in her hometown in Celoron, New York

Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner Lucille passed away in 1989 aged 77 (pictured in 1955)

5. The Queen and Prince Philip  

This gigantic 12ft terracotta head is actually meant to resemble the late Queen Elizabeth II – and what’s more, there is one of her husband Prince Philip too. 

Owner Ben Bennett found the regal sculptures in a house clearance and erected them on his lawn in Windsor. 

After owning them for 12 years since the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, he has now put them up for sale for £2,000. 

So if you’d like to snatch these sculptures for your own garden, you better hurry. 

Make sure you have plenty of space though, as they are 18 feet wide. 

It is actually meant to resemble the late Queen Elizabeth II – and what’s more, there is one of her husband Prince Philip too

6. Kate Moss 

Kate Moss was as you’ve never seen her before in a gold statue once displayed at the British Museum. 

It cost more than £1.5million to make in 2008, and £1million of that was the price of the 18 carat gold.  

The supermodel was for some reason twisted like a pretzel and the artwork was called ‘Siren’. 

But Kate herself seemed to be a fan according to artist Marc Quinn, who said at the time: ‘When I showed Kate the statue she told me she loved it.

British artist Marc Quinn stands with his solid gold sculpture of British supermodel Kate Moss at the British Museum

‘She really liked the idea and she modelled for me for a day or so.

‘She didn’t pose for me like that. For Kate, she thinks it lifts her into a mythic level. I think she very much loved it because she understands the difference between her image and her self.

‘The sculpture is really about whether we make images or they make us. It’s about trying to live up to impossible dreams and immortality.’

7. Johnny Depp  

Johnny Depp unveiled this statue of himself at a Serbian film festival in 2010. 

But the Pirates of the Caribbean star couldn’t help but look slightly amused at his ‘likeness’ of him in 1993 film Arizona Dream. 

And as he stood next to his statue, it was clear to make out where the likeness hadn’t entirely worked. 

Johnny Depp unveiled this statue of himself at a Serbian film festival in 2010

8. Andy Murray

The main – and only – thing Andy Murray had in common with his statue was his characteristically solemn expression. 

Organisers at the 2011 Shanghai Rolex Masters tournament immortalised him in terracotta for the occasion. 

The statue made sure he looked like a warrior, instead of a tennis player, even giving him a coat of armour. 

If Andy was confused by his statue, he tried very hard not to show it.  

If Andy Murray was confused by his statue, he was very careful to not show it

9. Greta Thunberg

The University of Winchester’s statue of Greta Thunberg was created for a whopping £24,000. 

The statue of the Swedish activist named ‘Make A Difference’ was unveiled outside the university’s main entrance in March 2021 but was moved to a more secluded spot this January. 

After its installation, the sculpture – which was commissioned by the institution – created a backlash among students and locals alike who accused the university of ‘wasting money on meaningless statues’. 

Locals in the Hampshire city also expressed bemusement over the sculpture as the activist had no link to the area.

University of Winchester’s statue of Greta Thunberg was created for a whopping £24,000

10. Colin Firth  

The 1995 scene from Pride and Prejudice where Colin Firth as Mr Darcy emerges from a lake with a wet shirt was once voted the most memorable moment in British TV drama. 

But some fans seemed to take it too far – and a 12ft version of Mr Darcy was placed in the Serpentine Lake in London’s Hyde Park in 2013. 

The massive statue looked rather intimidating in its new home in the lake, and even went on to tour around the rest of the UK. 

The model took a team of three sculptors more than two months to design, construct and paint and measured 12 feet – the equivalent to the height of a double decker bus. 

The model of Colin Firth was based on a scene from Pride and Prejudice (1995)

Lead sculptor Toby Crowther said they also got inspiration from the book and the other actors who have played Mr Darcy over the years. 

He said at the time: ‘We took Colin Firth’s famous lake scene as a starting point for creating Mr Darcy but we also read the book and looked at performances of the brooding hero by Matthew Macfadyen, David Rintoul and even Laurence Olivier.

‘The challenge for us was capturing the spirit of Darcy as handsome and noble but also aloof and proud. The Mr Darcy sculpture is a real mix of the many portrayals of Jane Austen’s most famous hero.’

Handing back the clementine tart to my dinner party hostess, I tell her I want a bigger slice. Hardly polite behaviour, especially as I’ve just told her that when we first met, I thought she was a b***h. But after six glasses of wine, I don’t care.

Alcohol has freed me from my responsibilities as a friend, mother, daughter and wife so that I’m guffawing at my own wisecracks, impervious to the feelings of others. In my drunken parallel world, I am attractive, I am witty, I am charming… but my husband Chris looks confused as I make heart shapes across the table at him with my fingers like a teenager.

Six hours later, I am staring into my bloodshot eyes as I rest my forehead against the cool glass of my bathroom mirror. Reminded of the last time I had a hangover of this magnitude, back in December 2021, I am overcome with a familiar sense of shame and nausea.

For more than two years, not so much as a drop of alcohol touched my lips. After nearly three decades of regular, enthusiastic and at times heavy drinking, I credited sobriety with newfound clarity, increased confidence and a stable mood.

The more I learned about the damage alcohol does physically, psychologically and societally, the more determined I was to avoid it. And I’d found it easier than I’d thought.

Having embarked on a new sober life at the start of 2022, I lasted until January 20 this year, when, after 750 alcohol-free days, I became a drinker again. I have drunk six times since then, to varying degrees, of which last weekend’s display was by far the most extreme — a deliberate, if destructive, attempt to see if I still enjoyed the sensation of getting drunk.

I didn’t make the decision to drink again lightly. Most of us are aware of the dangers of alcohol, but I’d reached the disappointing conclusion that it seemed integral to my social life and sense of belonging. Unlike so many other sober people I admire, in a society still obsessed with alcohol, I am too weak to go against the grain.

On top of that, increasingly sobriety had come to feel like another form of perfectionism, a way of proving my worth, a stick to beat myself with — less an achievement than a millstone around my neck. The longer I abstained, the further I had to fall from the pedestal on which I’d put myself. I knew drinking again would trigger complex feelings of guilt and relief, shame and liberation, but I was intrigued to see whether it would prove worth it in the long run.

For much of my adult life, alcohol has been part of my identity, turning me into ‘fun Toni’ at parties and helping me switch off after a stressful day.

Two pregnancies and five Dry Januarys notwithstanding, I had drunk alcohol every week since I was a teenager. I could stop at one glass, but usually wanted more.

As a mother of two children, now aged 13 and 11, I saw wine as an essential antidote to the hard graft of parenting — often drinking half a bottle after a hard day. During lockdown, my drinking increased to the extent that I even taught my then 11-year-old daughter how to make my daiquiris.

Antonia enjoying a drink in her 20s. For much of her adult life alcohol was  part of her identity, turning her into ‘fun Toni’ at parties and helping her switch off after a stressful day, she writes

Antonia at university. During Dry January in 2022 she signed up for online sobriety school Monument, which teaches that alcohol is the culprit rather than the person drinking it

I drank more than the recommended 14 units a week, but, I reassured myself, no more than many fortysomething women. Though aspects of my drinking were problematic I did not, as far as every popular metric around drinking was concerned, have a problem.

Increasingly, however, hangovers left me racked with anxiety over what I might have said or done wrong. After a particularly boozy Christmas in 2021, I wondered if life would feel easier without alcohol.

Halfway through Dry January 2022, I decided to quit for longer, signing up to Monument, an online sobriety school. Unlike AA, which maintains alcoholism is a disease that can never be cured, Monument believes alcohol abuse is a spectrum and that alcohol — addictive to everyone — is the culprit, rather than the person drinking it.

As months passed, I saw alcohol in an increasingly sinister light. Yes, much of my drinking had seemed harmless, but it had also been behind every traumatic event in my life: from fracturing my wrist as a student to getting sacked from my first job during work drinks. It had also stopped me developing healthy coping strategies for difficult situations. Meeting new friends or dating? The easy, instant solution became drink.

Yet stopping was easier than I expected, even at events — birthdays, a wedding, two funerals — where our instinctive reaction is often to drink.

Sober, I read voraciously, my productivity soared and my skin glowed. I felt braver, kinder, capable of making small talk at parties without the social lubrication of alcohol.

My husband, who has always been a moderate drinker who can take or leave alcohol, was pleased — he’d always thought I was happier not drinking — and my children happy they had more of my attention.

Yet privately, a part of me also felt embarrassed. I hadn’t hit rock bottom, crashed my car or streaked naked while drunk. I was just a midlife mum who liked wine a bit too much. Was stopping drinking entirely a tad melodramatic? An attention-seeking ploy?

My friends, most of them enthusiastic drinkers, were supportive but surprised by my all-or-nothing drinking strategy. Yet as an all-or-nothing person, I was convinced if I had one glass, I’d want another — and I’d soon be back to a life where weekends without wine seemed inconceivable.

I marked a year alcohol-free with mixed emotions — making a big deal out of it felt fraudulent.

Towards the end of last year Antonia admitted to herself that she missed drinking, saying she  lacked alcohol’s licence for stupidity and relief in a serious adult world

To stay motivated, I knew I needed further goals to aspire to. Yet, slowly, my good intentions unravelled.

I signed up to a novel-writing course but dropped out halfway through. I couldn’t conquer the wine-avoiding chocolate habit that had seen me gain half a stone. Meanwhile, my social media use soared as I tried to get the missing dopamine hit from likes and comments. Instead, constantly comparing myself to others made me feel anxious and depleted.

In short, sobriety no longer seemed transformational — after gaining in confidence during the first year, the benefits had plateaued and I began to feel bored.

Towards the end of last year, I admitted to myself I missed drinking. Not for its stress-relieving properties — I’d learned that if you simply sit with difficult emotions, they will pass. What I lacked was alcohol’s licence for stupidity and relief in a serious adult world.

Nobody had treated me like an outsider but, increasingly, I felt like one.

Sobriety influencers suggest we ditch heavy-drinking friends and seek support networks among non-drinkers. But I loved my friends, and at 45 had neither the time nor energy to find new ones.

I struggled to shake a gnawing sense of otherness: on the sidelines of my son’s football match as parents anticipated their lunchtime pint; at the mulled wine table outside the school Christingle service; and when a friend’s face dropped when she realised the bottle of Prosecco I’d turned up with was non-alcoholic.

So in early January, ahead of a reunion, I told my three university friends that I would be drinking. They said they loved me drunk or sober but jumped to get a second bottle of Prosecco when I arrived.

Chris was apprehensive. He had supported me more than anyone in my decision not to drink. But my heart hammered with excitement and trepidation.

I expected the Prosecco to taste disgusting — as alcohol does to a teenager — but the bubbles sparkled deliciously on my tongue. I felt overwhelmed and tearful that, at least, I had finally made my decision.

A few sips later and I felt a familiar sense of giddiness. I had planned to stop after one glass — a new ground rule, along with not drinking at home or in response to stress. But the detachment from being slightly drunk, and delight at being with friends, rendered rules ridiculous. I drank another glass and a half of white wine over lunch.

For a few hours, I felt blissfully removed from the outside world. It was only as the effects wore off that I wondered what alcohol actually contributed to the occasion. An illusion of joy, undoubtedly. But were my conversations more meaningful as a result? Was my laughter more heartfelt?

I wasn’t sure.

My husband was relieved I seemed lucid on my return. But I woke at 5am with a dry mouth and sense of unidentified panic — a reaction to the alcohol, undoubtedly, but perhaps guilt at starting drinking again, too.

I’d forgotten how deeply unpleasant I am with a hangover. Groggy and irritated, I snapped at my daughter for making a mess icing cakes and couldn’t muster enthusiasm for my son’s football match. The children didn’t say anything, but I felt a terrible mother.

Alcohol can be detected on the breath for up to 14 hours after a drink, but I believe it affected me for the rest of the week.

Seven days later, friends were incredulous when I said I was still too hungover to drink again. While the effects may have been psychological, research shows that after a long period of abstinence, our functional tolerance (the ability to withstand impairments such as slurred speech) and metabolic tolerance (the rate at which the liver eliminates alcohol from the body) reduces.

My children had been so proud of me for not drinking that I was too ashamed to tell them I’d started again. They found out a fortnight later, through my daughter’s friend, after I wrote about it on Instagram. Yet I was surprised by their mostly sympathetic reaction.

‘I just don’t think after two years you’re going to get drunk any more,’ my daughter reassured me — and I realised she might be right. It was the permission I had given myself to drink, more than the drink itself, that I had found liberating.

It was nearly a month before I drank again at a pub with friends. As soon as the Sauvignon Blanc hit my empty stomach, my inhibitions were lowered, conversations seemed less guarded, more intimate… and, in truth, more fun. When my glass was finished (we were all driving), I felt a tangible sense of loss.

One glass, I realised, would probably never feel enough. Yet it was enough to make me wake at 5am, feeling miserable. I also believe alcohol made me more emotional and less resilient that week. I flew off the handle when Chris forgot to get the firewood and cried during an episode of Friends.

I wondered if, for moderate drinkers, a long period of abstinence could act as a circuit-breaker — rewiring the brain to consume less. If so, it was a huge relief I appeared to be one of them.

Yet even drinking a glass or two sporadically over a period of weeks, I noticed my skin looked more lined, spots appeared around my nose and chin, and my sleep, even on nights I wasn’t drinking, was disrupted. To assuage my guilt, I exercised harder, braved howling gales to run when injury allowed and spent 45 minutes instead of 30 on my exercise bike. I turned down crisps to compensate for the calories in wine and ate less chocolate. I lost 5lb, but it was a pyrrhic victory.

But I was also curious to know if the sense of abandon being drunk once provided, and that I used to crave, still held the same appeal. Hence this weekend’s dinner party. ‘I might start swearing,’ I warned the other guests.

‘I haven’t seen drunk Toni for so long,’ one friend said excitedly; another told me I was ‘sparkling’. Though I wanted my sober self to be enough, I was quietly thrilled by the compliment.

My memories began to blur after four glasses of champagne, and by 9pm, when I had moved on to Sancerre, I was slurring my words. My husband says I’m more interesting sober, ‘because you’re repeating yourself endlessly when drunk’. Nevertheless, I was overcome with affection for him — hence the out-of-character hearts across the table.

The freedom from the pandemonium of my midlife thoughts — work, children, chores, repeat — is welcome.

Of course, it comes at a cost. By the taxi ride home I was hiccupping, and I woke with a jolt at 4.27am, with a sense of self-loathing that lingered 48 hours on.

As I type, I’m wondering whether my behaviour towards my hostess warrants an apology, and vow not to get that drunk again.

‘So, was it worth it?’ a fellow guest WhatsApps me.

To which I say, I just don’t know. While I don’t think I’ll ever get that drunk again, an all-out ban isn’t on the cards either. A life of total sobriety no longer appeals.

She’s known for her risque, explicit ensembles that include sheer bodysuits, skin-tights leggings and cleavage-baring tops.

But it’s not the runway that Bianca Censori is debuting her stylish looks on, but rather bizarrely ordinary venues – including the Cheesecake Factory restaurant, Starbucks and a Westfield mall.

While it’s clear rapper Kanye West – who goes by ‘Ye’ – still has influence in the fashion world despite falling out of favour due to anti-Semitic and sexist outbursts,  the ordinary streets of West Hollywood have now become his catwalk. 

The brains behind Yeezy, 46, is styling his wife, 29, in flesh-baring outfits, but the couple are more likely to be pictured popping in and out of parking lots than rubbing shoulders at premieres with A-listers – which perhaps makes Bianca’s outfit choices seem even more outrageous.

West Hollywood with Kanye.

She had on a metallic silver micro miniskirt and thong underwear that exposed her bare butt cheeks as well as a busty triangle bikini top. 

Bianca’s outfit looked straight out of Kim’s closet. Kim, 43, is an avid wearer of silver bikinis and her clothing brand SKIMS famously released a metallic swimwear line in the summer of 2022. 

However, in contrast, the reality star sported the ensemble at venues where audacious clothing choices were expected: A SKIMS pop-up in Miami and glamorous beach holidays, posing up a storm on the shore.

Elsewhere Bianca and Ye headed to the mall in yet another explicit outfit on Monday.

The couple were spotted strolling through The Grove in LA, and heading to family restaurant The Cheesecake Factory to grab a bite. 

The couple were spotted strolling through The Grove in LA, and heading to family restaurant The Cheesecake Factory to grab a bite

Meanwhile last month, the couple were going for dinner in Paris – and Bianca sported crotch-flashing tights, but covered the area with her phone

In October, the couple also grabbed some Starbucks in Milan, where Bianca stepped out in a revealing white body suit with a plunging neckline

Earlier in the day, at a Beverly Hills building for a business meeting, the rapper was seen pulling down the model’s see-through, neon green tights, which she wore as pants and paired with a tiny, light beige tube top.

She sported a pair of black, pointed-toe pumps and nothing else to complete her risqué ensemble.

Meanwhile last month, the couple were going for dinner in Paris – and Bianca sported crotch-flashing tights, but covered the area with her phone.

In December, Bianca wore a skintight ivory leotard when hitting Disneyland with the rapper and his 10-year-old daughter North.

Bianca, who has developed a reputation for her jaw-dropping outfits, did not seem bothered that her plunging neckline served up a generous helping of cleavage. 

It was a very unusual outfit to model while at the Anaheim, California amusement park that is attended mostly by children. Bianca added yellow boots that looked like high socks. 

Ye also stood out for having what appeared to be a gray shirt over his head, which covered his face from the nose down.

In October, the couple also grabbed some Starbucks in Milan, where Bianca stepped out in a revealing white body suit with a plunging neckline.

She donned silver leggings and beige high heels to complete the look.

And it’s not just for outside spectators. In January Ye uploaded a series of scandalous pictures of his wife Bianca posing almost naked, in a nude string thong one piece.

In one of the photos uploaded by the controversial rapper, Bianca stood facing the kitchen counter preparing food whilst wearing the barely there garment, black knee-high boots and a bizarre leather mask. 

Ye captioned the shocking picture ‘cream of wheat,’ suggesting that his architect wife was cooking up some porridge in her strange outfit. 

The former husband of American media star Kim uploaded another snap of his much younger wife facing a wall in an empty hallway wearing the same provocative outfit with no caption. 

It’s not the first time Ye has appeared to rely on the shock value of audacious dressing in seemingly bizarrely regular settings. 

His honeymoon with Kim, back in 2014, was not set at the celebrity-beloved Lake Como or the French Riviera – but rather, wildly, County Laois in Ireland.

The couple were even spotted leaving the Odeon in Portlaoise before being snapped outside another cinema in Tullamore – around 20 miles away.

The avid cinemagoers are said to have watched X-Men: Days Of Future Past during the first stage of their marathon film-fest.

While still R-rated in nature, it’s likely Bianca’s ensembles wouldn’t cause as much of a commotion if they were contained within the glitz and glamour of Hollywood’s stylist-dressed A-listers. 

In one of the photos uploaded by the controversial rapper, Bianca stood facing the kitchen counter preparing food whilst wearing the barely there garment, black knee-high boots and a bizarre leather mask

The pair seen out for a stroll in Los Angeles in May. Bianca’s form-fitting ensemble was made more audacious with some kitten heels 

A number of stars even appear to be taking inspiration from her.

Earlier this month Kristen Stewart stole the spotlight at the Love Lies Bleeding premiere in Beverly Hills.

The 33-year-old Twilight alum left onlookers in awe as she graced the red carpet in an eye-popping ensemble, just two weeks after surprising fans with her Rolling Stones cover featuring a jockstrap.

Rocking a barely-there black bodysuit, the gorgeous star paired the look with sheer stockings and impossibly high black heels.

She casually draped a black tuxedo jacket off her shoulders, complementing her look as she gathered her brunette tresses into a messy yet stylish bun. 

Meanwhile, US rapper Coi Lerpy wore another thigh-skimming outfit to the Grammy’s.

The Baby Don’t Hurt Me hitmaker opted for a YSL bodysuit from the 2019 archive.

The couple attending the Marni fashion show during the Milan Fashion Week in February, where Bianca’s look seemed to go on and inspire red carpet ensembles

The couple pictured last month at the Marni fashion show during the Milan Fashion Week Womenswear Fall/Winter 2024-2025

Bianca’s fashion week ensemble included a very revealing black bodysuit teamed with hot pink boots

Pictured in May 2022: Bianca wearing a significantly tamer look to the Balenciaga Spring 2023 Runway 

The highcut pant, paired with tights and a blazer without a top, was also reminiscent of Mrs Kanye West.

Meanwhile, The Crown’s Emma Corrin has also been known to rock a leotard.

They first opted for one on the red carpet in 2022, while wearing blue tights and no trousers to a recent event at the South Bank centre.

Miley Cyrus also opted for a no trouser look in a see-through mesh dress to the Grammy’s, as did Doja Cat.

In the UK, singer Tallia Storm went trouser-less to the BRITs, opting for a shirt, Union Jack blazer and stockings. 

Ye has been accused of exhibiting controlling behaviour in his relationship with Bianca.

He is thought to have banned her from using social media to protect her from negative comments, according to insiders, who claim her friends believe it’s really another tactic to further ‘isolate’ her.

Despite the architectural designer’s loved ones even staging an intervention concerning her relationship with the rapper and his ‘controlling ways,’ her husband appears to have changed her attitude towards social media.

Her style and look has completely changed since she began dating the rapper.  

‘Bianca has always had social media and she was active on it – until she married Kanye,’ an insider exclusively told DailyMail.com.

‘He doesn’t want her to have it because he thinks that it will hurt her if she had to read the nasty things that people say.

A number of stars even appear to be taking inspiration from Bianca. Earlier this month Kristen Stewart stole the spotlight at the Love Lies Bleeding premiere in Beverly Hills

Meanwhile, US rapper Coi Lerpy wore another thigh-skimming outfit to the Grammy’s. The Baby Don’t Hurt Me hitmaker opted for a YSL bodysuit from the 2019 archive

Emma Corrin stepped out in this high-cut bodysuit look for the My Policeman premiere in Toronto back in September 2022

Laverne Cox, known for her sartorial prowess, opted for a body suit during the Mugler show during PFW in Paris

‘He convinced her that, since she is a star now, she has to remain a mystery and it is creepy to those who know her as it feels like another form of control.’

However, friends have taken issue with the fact the rapper, who goes by the name Ye, is posting racy images of his wife on his own Instagram account – despite allegedly claiming she needs protection.

The insider added: ‘He is pushing her nakedness all over his own [account] so that he can control her narrative. It is disturbing, and by shutting her off from the world he is causing her to become more and more isolated.’

Friends are said to be stunned to see the usually assertive designer going along with Kanye’s demands as the source stressed: ‘This strong Bianca that was not going to deal with his s*** anymore has seemingly vanished once again. 

‘She is wearing what he wants, going where he wants and doing what he wants because she really has no other choice. She went from being his designer to his wife, which is unfortunately, not a paid position. She’s trapped.’

Back in October, DailyMail.com revealed that the Grammy-winning rapper had instructed his wife to ‘never speak’ – and issued her a set of rules to live by, including specific foods she can eat and what she can wear.

Insiders claimed the designer has ‘no mind of her own anymore’ and instead simply ‘obeys’ the controversial rapper, because he has convinced her they have ‘royal’ status. 

‘Kanye has a set of rules for Bianca, which includes never speak and wear what he wants her to wear,’ the source explained. ‘She is also required to eat certain food items and to work out even though Kanye doesn’t work out.’

Bianca and Kanye secretly wed in December 2022, just one month after he finalized his divorce from Kim Kardashian. 

Other stars like Bella Hadid and Kanye’s former sisters-in-law Kylie and Kendall Jenner have gone trouserless looks.

Kanye was also known for transforming his ex-wife’s style.

Soon after Kim and Kanye started dating in 2012, he completely overhauled her closet – forcing her to get rid of everything that he didn’t approve of.

It was documented for an episode of Kim’s reality show, Keeping Up With the Kardashians. 

The clip showed the musician going through all of the star’s clothes, shoes, and handbags – and picking out numerous things that he didn’t like to give away.

‘Babe, you gotta clean out everything,’ he said, as a clearly stressed out Kim stared at one of the purses he wanted to eliminate.

‘No, no I need these,’ she begged as he grabbed a pair of her heels off the shelf. ‘Oh hell no,’ the musician responded. 

‘Kanye’s definitely inspired me to want to be more of an individual,’ she said during a confessional. ‘I think my style is just evolving and changing.

‘He’s a fashion designer and he loves clothes so I’m excited to, like, collaborate with him to see what his take on fashion is.’ 

Throughout their six-year marriage, Kim’s style certainly went through an evolution. Soon after they tied the knot in 2014, she started wearing much more revealing and sensual looks. She also ditched bright patterns and eye-popping colours for darker and simpler outfits instead. 

Kim ditched bright patterns and eye-popping colours for darker and simpler outfits instead. She’s seen left in 2010 and right in 2016

In 2016, she credited Kanye with the change, telling CNN Style , ‘I really think that my relationship with my husband Kanye changed everything.’ They’re seen in 2019

In 2016, she credited Kanye with the change, telling CNN Style, ‘I really think that my relationship with my husband Kanye changed everything.

‘Back in the day, I thought I had the best style. I look back at outfits and I’m, like, mortified.

‘Before, I used to always think more is more and I used to accessorize and wear bracelets and earrings and necklaces. I used to do it all. 

‘Now I definitely understand how much cooler it is just to be a little bit simpler.’ 

It was no secret that Kanye heavily influenced the way Kim dressed while they were together – and after they split in 2021, Kim admitted during an episode of her show that she was struggling to pick out outfits without him.

‘I got to a point where I would ask him for advice for everything – down to what I wear,’ she explained. ‘Now I’m having panic attacks like, what do I wear?

‘I think that fashion has always been something that I’ve always been really into, but I’ve never been the creative.

‘I definitely see what I like but I’ve never really been the visionary. Kanye would come in and be like, “You should do your hair like this. You should do your makeup like this.” That’s his love language, it’s clothes. And so, I always just trusted in him.’

After working with Kanye, Kim became a style icon of the noughties with many A-listers dressing like her.  

After they split in 2021, Kim admitted during an episode of her show that she was struggling to pick out outfits without him. They are seen in 2018

Similarly to Julia, soon after Kim and Kanye (seen in 2016) started dating in 2012, he completely overhauled her closet – forcing her to get rid of everything that he didn’t approve of

After Kim and Kanye split, the rapper started dating actress Julia Fox.

Before she was linked to the rapper, Julia would often sport simple and chic looks – including reserved jumpsuits and modest suits.

But soon after she confirmed that she was dating Kanye in early 2022, her sense of style changed practically over night.

During the first weeks of their romance, the Uncut Gems star, now 33, was spotted wearing a slew of daring and bold looks – including a bright blue trench coat, low-rise pants that left her thong on full display, a metallic body suit, and numerous tiny crop tops that completely exposed her stomach.

The couple made headlines in January of that year when they showed up to the Kenzo show at Paris Fashion Week donning matching all-denim looks.

They also wore similar black leather ensembles at the Schiaparelli runway event days later.

The couple made headlines in January of that year when they showed up to the Kenzo show at Paris Fashion Week donning matching all-denim looks

They also wore similarly intense black leather ensembles at the Schiaparelli runway event days later

Julia (seen left in 2019 and right in 2022) said he gifted her an entire ‘hotel suite full of new clothes’ following their second date and convinced her to get rid of almost all of her ‘old’ stuff

Julia later spoke out about how important the way she dressed was to Kanye, telling Interview magazine that he completely ‘transformed’ her closet within days of them meeting.

She revealed that he actually gifted her an entire ‘hotel suite full of new clothes’ following their second date.

‘It was every girl’s dream come true. It felt like a real Cinderella moment,’ she recalled. 

‘I don’t know how he did it, or how he got all of it there in time. But I was so surprised. Like, who does things like this on a second date? Or any date.’

The model added that soon after, he convinced her to get rid of almost all of her ‘old clothes.’

‘A couple days later, all my s**t was in boxes, gone. It was so cathartic,’ she shared. ‘It wasn’t like I was just packing up my old clothes, it was like I was packing up my old life.’

Queen Camilla arrived on the Isle of Man to present the Letters Patent conferring City status on the Borough of Douglas earlier today. 

Cheering crowds and Ellan Vannin pipes and drums lined the streets as Her Majesty, 76, arrived at Douglas Borough Council this afternoon, shortly after landing at Ronaldsway Airport.

It is a significant day for the council with Camilla set to sign the Letters Patent conferring City status on the Borough of Douglas, which was awarded during the 2022 Platinum Jubilee.

King Charles III would have been at the memorable service but has reduced public engagements following his cancer diagnosis.

Nonetheless, a cheerful Camilla represented Charles, 75, and delivered a speech on his behalf.

Waving Union Jack flags in their hands, excited school children patiently waited outside the building to welcome the Queen to Douglas.

Upon Her Majesty’s arrival, Lieutenant Governor Sir John Lorimer greeted Camilla outside the City Hall.

Looking typically elegant, Camilla donned an all-blue ensemble with a mid-length tailored coat, an opulent sapphire brooch, and a matching navy blue Chanel bag.

The Queen completed her ensemble with her favourite black suede boots from Eliot Zed.

The mother-of-two appeared in high spirits as she greeted council members outside the Douglas City Hall.

Once inside, Camilla delivered a speech on behalf of the King before presenting the Letters Patent, confirming the capital of the Isle of Man as a city.

Douglas was awarded the elevated status during Queen Elizabeth’s 2022 Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Alongside Natalie Byron-Teare, Mayor of Douglas, Camilla conducted a short walkabout around the hall. 

Lieutenant Governor Sir John Lorimer (left) greeted Queen Camilla upon her arrival to Douglas Borough Council

Ellan Vannin pipes and drums played in the streets outside the City Hall to welcome Queen Camilla 

School children lined the streets and waved Union Jack flags as they waited for Camilla’s arrival 

Looking typically stylish, Her Majesty donned an all-blue ensemble to confer City status on the Borough of Douglas

After Camilla signed the letters, she unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion alongside Natalie Byron-Teare, Mayor of Douglas (left)

After Camilla signed the Letters Patent, she unveiled a commemorative plaque outside the City Hall before meeting with members of the public – and even waving for a selfie with one. 

Camilla’s visit follows explosive claims that at least one staff member had attempted to access personal details about Kate following her planned abdominal surgery in January. 

The chief executive of the London Clinic, Al Russell, finally broke his silence this afternoon, saying in a statement: ‘Everyone at the London Clinic is acutely aware of our individual, professional, ethical and legal duties with regards to patient confidentiality.

‘We take enormous pride in the outstanding care and discretion we aim to deliver for all our patients that put their trust in us every day.

‘We have systems in place to monitor management of patient information and, in the case of any breach, all appropriate investigatory, regulatory and disciplinary steps will be taken.

‘There is no place at our hospital for those who intentionally breach the trust of any of our patients or colleagues.’

The Princess is said to be aware of the allegations, while a spokesperson for Kensington Palace said: ‘This is a matter for the London Clinic.’

Her Majesty appeared cheerful as she signed a book at Douglas Borough Council 

Camilla smiled as she shook the hand of a confident young school child waiting outside of the City Hall 

It proved to be a lighthearted moment for Camilla, as she giggled while meeting the young man 

It wasn’t just school children that Camilla greeted in Douglas earlier today, but also a newborn baby 

Earlier today the health secretary Maria Caulfield, who is herself a nurse, said the rules were ‘very clear’ about the ban on accessing private medical information for no medical purpose.

She told LBC: ‘My understanding is that police have been asked to look at it – whether they take action is a matter for them.

‘But the Information Commissioner can also take prosecutions, can also issue fines, the Nursing and Midwifery Council and other health regulators can strike you off the register if the breach is serious enough.

‘So there are particularly hefty implications if you are looking at notes for medical records that you should not be looking at.’

Despite Ms Caulfield’s claims, the Met said it ‘was not aware of any referral at this time’.

The princess was admitted to the hospital for abdominal surgery on January 16.

Details of Kate’s condition have not been disclosed but Kensington Palace previously said it was not cancer related and that the princess wished for her personal medical information to remain private.

School children lined the streets of Douglas to welcome the Queen while waving handmade flags 

Camilla looked pleased to accept two colourful bouquets of tulips from members of the public 

Queen Camilla and Mayor of Douglas, Natalie Byron-Teare (right), departed Douglas Borough Council after the ceremony

Members of the council stood at the bottom of the staircase as Camilla left the City Hall 

It comes after King Charles has been seen leaving Clarence House followed by Queen Camilla after days of royal conspiracy theories. 

Footage shows crowds of royal fans lined up to see the monarchs leave in their cars surrounded by security today.

One video shows Camilla smiling and waving at the public from the back seat of her car as she passes along the Mall. 

The King and Queen’s appearances follow days of growing conspiracy theories regarding the Royal Family, after The Princess of Wales made a surprise visit to her favourite farm shop on Saturday. 

Kate, who has stepped away from the spotlight as she recovers from abdominal surgery, was spotted looking ‘happy, healthy and relaxed’ as she picked up goods from the independent store just a mile from her Adelaide Cottage home this weekend. 

Her Majesty appeared in high spirits as she waved for a selfie with a member of the public 

Lieutenant Governor Sir John Lorimer (left) accompanied the 76-year-old into the City Hall in Douglas 

While donning a pair of trendy glasses, Camilla delivered a speech on behalf of His Majesty The King

Camilla sported a glamorous yet chic makeup look for the occasion, complete with a touch of pink lipstick 

Stepping in for King Charles following his cancer diagnosis, Camilla took centre stage at today’s event 

Members of the council sat to listen to Her Majesty’s speech, which she gave on behalf of King Charles 

Queen Camilla signed the Letters Patent, which conferred City status on the Borough of Douglas 

The royal appeared in high spirits as she greeted council members outside the City Hall with a firm handshake

School children patiently waited  for the Queen’s arrival with Union Jack flags in their hands 

Crowds cheered as Camilla and the Mayor of Douglas (right) unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark the conferring City status on the Borough of Douglas

But conspiracy theories are still proliferating online with some suggesting the photo is not the royal but instead a Kate Middleton lookalike. 

Online speculation has spread in recent weeks about the whereabouts of the Princess of Wales as she continues to recover from her January surgery, with palace aides saying they would not comment on her recovery.

Kensington Palace has always said the Princess would be ‘unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter’ – and earlier this month aides condemned the ‘madness of social media’ as unsubstantiated theories continued to spread.

Meanwhile, King Charles has also taken a step back from royal duties as he continues to receive treatment for cancer.  

There had been hopes the farm shop video would put to bed concerns about Kate’s health and discredit the bizarre, baseless and hurtful conspiracy theories being spread about her online.

One royal source told the Telegraph: ‘Finally everyone can calm down’.

However, theories continue to proliferate now that the video has been published.

Among the speculation being circulated by cruel trolls are that the Princess has died, or is using a body double or even her sister Pippa as a stand-in; unkind provocateurs have even suggested that she is in a coma or being faked with AI.

The farm shop video came just days after Kate admitted editing her own Mother’s Day photo released to the public, sparking more speculation online about her whereabouts. 

The Princess of Wales took the blame for the picture being changed, which led to its withdrawal by six news agencies in the hours after it was published.

Ted Baker has this week become the latest British brand to feel the sucker punch of changing shopping habits, with administrators called in to try and rescue 86 stores across the UK.

At the height of its fashion powers in the nineties, the brand, founded in 1988 by Ray Kelvin – who famously quit in 2019 after being accused of enforcing a ‘hugging’ culture at the company, had firmly mastered the art of upmarket mainstream. 

Its smart, boutique-style shops, often in pretty Victorian streets rather than huge malls, attracted shoppers who wanted mid-market stylish attire that was a cut above the likes of TopShop, Oasis and River Island. 

An authentic homegrown backstory appealed to shoppers too; North Londoner Kelvin had started working in his uncle’s Enfield menswear shop aged 11 and gone on to found the Ted Baker brand after success with a men’s shirts shop in Glasgow – he conjuring up world domination while on a fishing trip. 

After starting out as a menswear shop, Ted Baker exploded in the 90s, with womenswear sales flying thanks to floral dresses and chic work attire (Pictured: a store in Barcelona, Spain)

Founder Ray Kelvin, who was born in London, dreamed the brand up while on a fishing trip and opened his first store in 1988 in Glasgow. However, he stepped away from Ted Baker in 2019, after his conduct in the workplace was questioned by staff, who said he was responsible for a ‘hugging culture’ (Kelvin pictured attending a special screening of The Gentlemen at The Curzon Mayfair in December 2019)

Who is Ted Baker? He doesn’t exist, with one theory suggesting Kelvin didn’t name the brand after himself in case it went bust. But if he did, said Kelvin, he’d be an ‘intrepid aviator, an all-round sportsman and the consort of princesses and Hollywood beauties’. 

The range of shirts in the Glasgow store – in every colour of the rainbow – became a huge hit in the ‘acid house’ era of the 1990s, as clubbers wanted to stand out under the strobe lights. 

More shops quickly followed – in Manchester’s King Street and Nottingham Exchange Arcade –  and as the 90s rolled on, the brand quickly branched out into other departments, eventually selling everything from womenswear, childrenswear, shoes, fragrance and watches to glasses, wedding attire, bedding and lingerie. 

The womenswear became known for soft florals, and became a go-to for summer dresses, but shoppers could happily pick up a sharp suit for the office too – and a pair of heels for less than £100. 

With its mid-market style, the British brand enjoyed huge success in the 90s and noughties – particularly in the womenswear market

It all started with shirts; the brand was originally menswear, with mid-market shoppers loving the boutique style of the Ted Baker brand

With the UK market flying, the brand headed to New York in 1998, and went on to open dozens more stores across the US

The brand has expanded its range over the years to include footwear and accessories and jewellery, including watches

Flower power: The brand became known for bold floral prints, with celebrity fans including Holly Willoughby, who celebrated her 41st birthday in style wearing a £175 Ted Baker floral mini dress on This Morning in February 2022

Fashionista: Amanda Holden looked effortlessly stylish in an all white Ted Baker ensemble as she departed Heart FM in February last year

And Amal Clooney is also a fan, the human rights lawyer, who’s married to George Clooney, is pictured wearing a light blue Ted Baker dress in 2017

By 1998, Ted Baker had opened its first store in the US, with a shop in New York – and carved out a partnership with American department store Nordstrom. There are now 500 stores and concessions globally. 

Across the UK, there are currently still nearly 90 outlets, including Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton airports and in dozens of branches of John Lewis.  

The brand has always employed the power of celebrity too, with early ambassadors including football, rugby and music stars. 

The then Duchess of Cambridge was regularly spotted in a Ted Baker navy trench, wearing it during the couple’s royal tour of Canada in 2011

In 2016, Guy Ritchie created a ‘shoppable film’ to promote the 2016 autumn/winter collection – which carried the strapline ‘Spy it. Click it. Buy it’.

In more recent years, Holly Willoughby, Amal Clooney, Amanda Holden, Emma Stone and Myleene Klass have all worn the brand.

The Princess of Wales famously wore a navy Ted Baker trench during the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s Canada tour in July 2011. 

A fast evolving online shopping scene – with brands such as PrettyLittleThing, Boohoo and ASOS suddenly dominating online sales – and a media spotlight on Kelvin’s apparently intimate working practices saw the brand begin to come unstitched around five years ago. 

Kelvin became known for covering his face in photographs; after he quit following a string of harassment allegations in 2019, the brand said it wanted to re-energise – but has struggled with evolving shopping habits  

The impact of online-only stores such as Asos and Boohoo have had an impact on high street brands

The entrepreneur, who lives in Hampstead with his second wife Clare and their daughter, Ava, and also has two sons – Ben and Josh – with first wife Georgia Slowe, was accused of harassing employees in the workplace.  

In 2018, Kelvin took a leave of absence when the company was forced to launch an independent investigation into his alleged behaviour following a petition from staff.

He was accused of stroking people’s necks and making sexual innuendos and promptly stepped down in March 2019, saying ‘It is the right thing to step away’.

Kelvin said at the time: ‘Difficult though this decision is given that Ted Baker has been my life and soul for over 30 years, I’ve decided that the right thing to do is to step away from Ted and allow the business to focus on being the outstanding brand it is so it can face 2019 with fresh energy and renewed spirit.’ 

However, by December that year, bosses of the firm quit after profits plunged to less than £10million after its ‘worst ever year of trading’.

The group said at the time that chief executive Lindsay Page – who took over from founder Ray Kelvin after he quit – had been replaced by an interim director.

The firm No Ordinary Designer Label, which is owned by the Authentic Brands Group (ABG) and trades as Ted Baker filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators Teneo Financial Advisory today

Atmosphere at the Ted Baker London SS’19 Launch Event at Elephante on March 20, 2019 in Santa Monica, California – the company opened its first US store in 1998 in New York

Mr Kelvin, pictured with and Sir Michael Parkinson and his wife Mary in 2018, just before he took his leave of absence from the brand

The resignations were announced as Ted scrapped its shareholder dividend payout and said it is now expecting annual pre-tax profits of between £5 million and £10 million after worse-than-expected trading in November and over Black Friday. This compared with pre-tax profits of £50.9 million the previous year.

In 2024, despite the company’s best efforts to renew its spirit and entice shoppers back to its 86 stores, it finds itself facing closure. 

The firm No Ordinary Designer Label, which is owned by the Authentic Brands Group (ABG) and trades as Ted Baker has filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators Teneo Financial Advisory.

NODL has around 975 employees and runs more than 80 shops and concessions in the UK. In its statement Authentic did not reveal any details of cuts to jobs or shop numbers. 

Going into administration is likely to result in closures of stores and could lead to as many as 1,000 job losses.