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Finally a gold medal for the American ‘Ghost Army’ of World War II

Sabir Ansary — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 22:54:46 +0000

For most of his life, Bernie Bluestein was not allowed to say anything about what he did during World War II in Western Europe.

Mr. Bluestein was a sophomore at the Cleveland School of the Arts in 1943 when he left to join the U.S. Army. He then trained in a secret unit that landed in Normandy, France, shortly after D-Day in June 1944.

“What we did was get the attention of the Germans so that the real units could do what they had to do elsewhere,” Mr. Bluestein, 100 years old, said in an interview.

As a Private First Class serving in the 603rd Camouflage Engineer Battalion, he created fake shoulder patches that his fellow soldiers wore on their uniforms to simulate various elements of an infantry division. He also painted truck bumpers to falsely represent the markings of army units that were actually located elsewhere.

During his last mission, Mr. Bluestein said, the ruse devised by his battalion’s roughly 360 soldiers forced German commanders to spread their defenses thinly in eastern France. This allowed the US Army’s 90th Division – which was actually 10 miles north of the 603rd – to cross the Rhine with less resistance.

“We saved the lives of about 30,000 soldiers,” said Mr. Bluestein.

The 603rd and similar units became known as the ‘Ghost Army’, which numbered approximately 1,100 troops. Together they blew up rubber tanks, created fake airfields, blasted the sounds of marching troops from loudspeakers on trucks, and designed other distractions to fool German soldiers.

The mission of these lightly armed soldiers, which were a precursor to the Army’s current psychological warfare units, was not officially released until 1996.

On Thursday, Mr. Bluestein and two other members of the Ghost Army — Seymour Nussenbaum, 100 years old, and John Christman, 99 years old — received the Congressional Gold Medal on Capitol Hill before a crowd of more than 600 people, including family members and friends.

Many attendees wore lapel pins depicting a shield with a cartoon ghost holding orange lightning bolts from the left hand, the unofficial insignia of a unit whose mission went unrecognized for more than fifty years.

President Biden signed the legislation authorizing the medal in 2022.

It is believed that only seven of the Ghost Army’s original 1,100 soldiers survive.

Mike Bagby flew from Birmingham, Alabama, to attend the ceremony honoring his father, Wilbur Wright Bagby, who served as an officer in the Ghost Army but died in 1992 before his unit’s activities were declassified.

“He took it to the grave,” his son said. “He just didn’t want to talk about it.”

“The way I found out was I hired a guy to research his history while he was in the war, just to get a timeline. And the researcher said, “Wow. Your father was in the Ghost Army, wasn’t he?’ I said, ‘Really?’ I had no idea.”

Mr Bagby said his father left the service shortly after the war and worked as a structural and mechanical engineer, mainly in the coal industry.

“He had a temperament like a competitive No. 1, but he had a great vocabulary and did the New York Times Sunday crossword in 15 minutes,” Mr. Bagby said. “But all his conversational language surrounded four letters.”

“This was a unit of nothing but a bunch of liars,” he joked. “You know, they presented themselves as a lot of different armies.”

He said that during the war, his father wrote in a letter to his mother, “I have worn more badges than most people in the entire army.”

Obtaining the Congressional Gold Medal for the soldiers took years of work, much of which was initiated by Rick Beyer, a film producer. He heard about the unit 19 years ago through a friend’s colleague, who said someone should make a documentary about them.

“It took us four sessions of Congress to do it, and it took a whole team,” Mr. Beyer said in an interview. “We had 40 to 50 people who were volunteer lobbyists. They were emailing. They were calling. They personally visited offices. Covid hit in the middle, but we adjusted our ways and carried on. And by God, we made it possible.”

In a small theater near Emancipation Hall, where military and congressional leaders greeted veterans before the ceremony, Mr. Beyer reflected on the enormous effort that had led to results.

“These men, these three boys and the four watching at home, and the thousand or so who are no longer with us, are finally being honored as they should be honored for what they did in World War II.”

Mr Beyer, who co-authored a book about the Ghost Army and made a documentary about it, said it was difficult to see so many survivors die.

“I always say the Ghost Army turns into an army of ghosts, but at least we did this,” he said. “We stuck this flag in the hill while some of them were still alive. And I think that is important.”

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As Barron Trump turns 18, will the 6’7 soccer-obsessed ‘Mommy’s boy’ finally shake off daddy’s shadow? TOM LEONARD reveals the truth about his relationship with Donald… and who insiders say is his favorite sibling

Albert Elence — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 20:01:54 +0000

For a young man who has spent so much of his life kept fiercely out of the spotlight, Barron Trump made his TV debut at a shockingly young age.

He was just two months old when his proud parents allowed Gayle King – then working on The Oprah Winfrey Show – to come and coo over him in the baroque splendor of their $100 million penthouse in Trump Tower.

But first, Melania Trump dutifully gushed over her husband’s paternal instincts: ‘He’s amazing, you know. He takes [Barron] in the morning when he wakes up. And he brings him in his room and they’re watching TV together and they’re reading the papers.’

Then it was off to baby Barron’s grand nursery, a corner room with sweeping views of Manhattan and stuffed full of huge soft toys, where The Donald borrowed his son – dressed in a flouncy old-fashioned baby boy dress – from the nanny so he could hold him for the cameras.

‘See the little delicate hands,’ said the business tycoon who would one day be mocked over the small size of his own hands.

Then King got down to the tough questions.

For a young man who has spent so much of his life kept fiercely out of the spotlight, Barron Trump made his TV debut at a shockingly young age. (Pictured: 10-months old with his parents in 2007).

He was just two months old when his proud parents allowed Gayle King to come and coo over him in the baroque splendor of their $100 million penthouse in Trump Tower. (Pictured: Aged 3 with his parents and half-sister Ivanka in 2009).

We saw baby Barron’s grand nursery, a corner room with sweeping views of Manhattan and stuffed full of huge soft toys, where The Donald borrowed his son from the nanny so he could hold him for the cameras. (Pictured: At his grandmother’s funeral in January).

‘So Donald, you’re not opposed to changing diapers, you just haven’t had to do it,’ she quizzed. ‘But you know how to do it?’

‘I would be able to do it, yes,’ replied the father of five.

But before King had time to ask him to prove it, Barron started wailing and a relieved-looking Trump passed him back to his mother.

Eighteen years later, Barron is rather bigger – at 6’7, he looms over his 6’3 father – but still very much tied to Mom.

He comes of age today, after a high-profile childhood that, if physically pampered, cannot have been emotional plain-sailing with such a polarizing man for a dad.

The first boy to grow up in the White House since JFK Jr in 1963, he has lived through scandal after scandal – shielded, as best she could, by a highly protective mother.

In January 2018, he was not yet 12 when the media was engulfed by porn star Stormy Daniels’s bombshell claims that she had an affair with Donald just four months after Barron was born.

During his presidency, Trump’s most ardent critics even resorted to criticizing the young boy as a means of attacking his father.

Comedian Rosie O’Donnell, who had reason to hate Trump for once calling her a ‘pig’ and a ‘degenerate’, shared a video in 2016 making wild and totally unfounded claims that Barron had autism.

O’Donnell later publicly apologized to Melania, but the damage was already done. The following year, during Trump’s inauguration, SNL writer Katie Rich tweeted: ‘Barron will be this country’s first homeschool shooter’.

In fact, the slurs hurled at Barron got so bad, that another former First Child – from across the aisle – spoke up on his behalf.

Chelsea Clinton tweeted: ‘Barron Trump deserves the chance every child does-to be a kid.’

Eighteen years later, Barron is rather bigger – at 6’7, he looms over his 6’3 father – but still very much tied to Mom. He comes of age today, after a high-profile childhood that, if physically pampered, cannot have been emotional plain-sailing with such a polarizing man for a dad.

The first boy to grow up in the White House since JFK Jr in 1963, he has lived through scandal after scandal – shielded, as best she could, by a highly protective mother. (Pictured: at Trump’s 2017 inauguration).

In January 2018, he was not yet 12 when the media was engulfed by porn star Stormy Daniels’s bombshell claims that she had an affair with Donald just four months after Barron was born.

During his presidency, Trump’s most ardent critics even resorted to criticizing the young boy as a means of attacking his father. Comedian Rosie O’Donnell shared a video in 2016 making wild and totally unfounded claims that Barron had autism.

And Trump Sr deserved the chance to be a dad.

Although he would boast in 2015 that ‘I’ve always prided myself on being a good father’, biographers say he agreed with Melania that if she had a child, he wouldn’t be actively involved in their day-to-day upbringing. (Trump wasn’t even in the delivery room, although he suggested ‘Barron’ as a name).

Melania had help when Barron was very small, but she later insisted on raising him largely by herself – with considerable assistance from her Slovenian parents.

While some – Melania included – claimed to see a strong resemblance between Donald and Barron, nicknamed ‘Little Donald’, when he was a baby, others now insist that in one crucial respect he’s very different.

‘I cannot stress enough how kind and polite Barron is… he’s just a great kid,’ Stephanie Grisham, former White House Press Secretary and Melania’s one-time chief-of-staff told DailyMail.com.

Grisham added that she saw a ‘definite difference’ between Barron and his much older half-siblings – who include Ivanka, Donald Jr, Eric and Tiffany.

‘Just very, very kind and humble and empathetic and smart,’ Grisham said. ‘Not that I’m saying his half-siblings aren’t smart at all.’

That also doesn’t mean to say that Barron missed out on the same cosseted upbringing enjoyed by his elder siblings, who have earned something of a reputation for being a chip off the Trump block.

Melania has always indulged Barron, admitting that she allowed him to draw on the walls of his playroom for fear of stifling his creativity.

‘His imagination is growing and important,’ she told Parenting magazine in 2012, adding that – as fitting his grandiose name – young Baron had an entire floor of Trump Tower to himself.

At night, Melania would slaver his skin with her own-brand caviar moisturizer.

And at five, he announced that he wanted to become a businessman like his father, preferring to wear a suit and tie than jeans and a T-shirt.

‘He is a very strong-minded… He is independent and opinionated and knows exactly what he wants,’ Melania told Parenting mag.

In 2016, when Barron was 10, she did another interview, this time with Us Weekly, telling the publication that she was at home ‘most of the time’ with Barron, ‘giving him morals and tradition and teaching him values’.

According to Stephanie Grisham, for family-oriented Melania, Barron always ‘came first’.

‘She did things very much her way,’ Grisham added. ‘But she also did a great job in keeping him shielded from a lot of the animosity.’

Although Trump would boast in 2015 that ‘I’ve always prided myself on being a good father’, biographers say he agreed with Melania that if she had a child, he wouldn’t be actively involved in their day-to-day upbringing. (Trump wasn’t even in the delivery room, although he suggested ‘Barron’ as a name).

While some claimed to see a strong resemblance between Donald and Barron, nicknamed ‘Little Donald’, when he was a baby, others now insist that in one crucial respect he’s very different. (Pictured: in 2020 at the White House).

Barron was educated at a succession of the smartest and most expensive private schools, including Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, where his mother would take him to and from school in a chauffeured SUV.

She’d also cook his breakfast every morning and prepare his lunch.

He was still only 10 when his father became President and, as First Lady, Melania had to contemplate giving up the very private and independent existence she cherished in New York.

She famously insisted on staying in the Big Apple for almost the first five months of the presidency – with Trump alone in DC – so Barron could finish his school year.

Trump said he was sympathetic – claiming that his son found the idea of leaving his friends and his Manhattan comfort zone ‘a little scary’. That feeling cannot have been improved when, after anti-Trump protesters started picketing Trump Tower, Melania had the Secret Service take over doing the daily school run.

Melania continued to break with White House convention in not sending Barron to the Quaker school, Sidwell Friends, where previous presidential children including the Clintons, Bushes and Obamas had all been educated.

Instead, the Trumps plumped for Barron attending the $50,000-a-year St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in one of DC’s smartest suburbs in Potomac, Maryland.

Some Trump critics couldn’t resist taking it out on Barron, mocking his hair, clothes and towering height, which one wit compared to two kids inside a trench coat.

However, Barron soon found an early distraction from the pressures of First Child life in soccer. In 2017 he joined the Under-12 division of professional team DC United, playing in midfield and impressing players of the main team with his in-depth knowledge of the sport.

His other interests include sneakers – he has an impressive collection – and computers. In fact, his father claimed 2022 that Barron was rapidly able to break into his laptop when it locked him out during a conference that year.

So much younger than his siblings that he was effectively an only child, Barron gets on best with Tiffany, say insiders.

He soon became bilingual, learning to speak his mother’s native Slovenian so well that he could phone his grandmother – who died in January – and not have to resort to English during their conversations.

Melania’s parents, Viktor and the late Amalija Knavs (a former car dealer and textile worker respectively), moved from Slovenia to New York in 2017, before following their daughter to DC and later – after Trump left office – to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach.

They were very close to Barron and are said to have been ‘instrumental’ in his upbringing, an insider told People last year.

In March this year, the magazine confirmed what appeared to have long been obvious from his rare public appearances – that Barron shares his mother’s personality.

So much younger than his siblings that he was effectively an only child, Barron gets on best with Tiffany, say insiders. (Pictured: with his parents and half-sister Tiffany in 2017).

He soon became bilingual, learning to speak his mother’s native Slovenian so well that he could phone his grandmother – who died in January – and not have to resort to English. (Pictured: Barron held by his grandmother, next to his grandfather, in 2007).

‘Barron is shy and reserved, and she has been a good mother to him all of these years,’ a source said.

As for his relationship with Donald, White House chronicler Michael Wolff controversially claimed in 2019 that Trump resented his son for becoming taller than him, adding: ‘His son is effectively not at all a part of his life.’

But Stephanie Grisham – who saw the family in an intimate setting – strongly disputes any perception of the father-son relationship as hostile or distant.

‘I saw Barron spend a lot of time with his father in the [White House] residence,’ she said. ‘I would see them joke around quite a bit.’

If he was a rare sighting during Trump’s presidency, Barron has been seen even less since he moved with his parents to Mar-a-Lago.

He is due to graduate this year from the nearby $41,500 Oxbridge Academy. The school was founded in 2011 by billionaire William Koch, brother to Republican super-donors Charles and David Koch (who last year deserted Trump to back his nomination rival Nikki Haley).

What’s next for Barron?

Insiders say he will be going to college but won’t speculate on where or other future plans.

‘Did you know when you were 17?’ asked a source. One confident prediction has been made however: wherever Barron goes next, his mother will want to move with him.

The post As Barron Trump turns 18, will the 6’7 soccer-obsessed ‘Mommy’s boy’ finally shake off daddy’s shadow? TOM LEONARD reveals the truth about his relationship with Donald… and who insiders say is his favorite sibling appeared first on USMAIL24.COM.

Megan Fox FINALLY sets the record straight on all her plastic surgery and reveals she’s planning more work: ‘I got the biggest boobs I could and now I want a bum like a circus freak’

Albert Elence — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 16:03:33 +0000

Megan Fox has finally set the record straight when it comes to her various plastic surgery procedures.

For years, the Transformers star, 37, has baffled fans with her ever-changing looks, but she has kept quiet amid the ongoing speculation.

In particular, her drastically different outlook at a Super Bowl afterparty last month led to a frenetic guessing game on social media about what she had recently done — with posters and even plastic surgeons thinking she was getting a nose job, cheek filler and a brow lift.

Now the mum-of-three has detailed the cosmetic procedures she’s had, including spending $30,000 on the ‘biggest breasts that could fit my body’. She also admitted to having a nose job in her early 20s, but denies having the procedure seven or eight times.

Megan went on to dismiss rumors about other procedures she’s had – insisting she’ll never have fat removed from her body because she’s so skinny – as she candidly discussed the work she wants done in the future .

Megan Fox has finally set the record straight about her various plastic surgery procedures, revealing when she went under the knife, what she hasn’t done yet, and her future plans

A photo of the Transformers star, 37, partying with her fiancé Machine Gun Kelly, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce left social media stunned at how much she has changed

For years, the Transformers star, 37, has baffled fans with her ever-changing looks, but she has kept quiet amid the ongoing speculation (left, 2004, right, February 2024)

Ironically, despite admitting that she loves the results of surgery and wants people to think of her as a “circus freak,” she confessed that she has avoided many common procedures because she is terrified of anesthesia.

Speaking about the Call her daddy podcast, she revealed the work she had done to her face — filler and Botox but no facelift or threads — a non-surgical procedure designed to lift sagging skin and stimulate collagen production.

She explained: I’ve never had a facelift, no lateral brow lift Even though I would love one!

Not an ordinary eyebrow lift, I have never done threads before. That’s not because of any moral issue, I just don’t really believe they work and I’m also afraid they will interfere if I need a facelift.

‘I’m very tempted to get rid of my eyebrows completely [back]. I want that look. That seems nice and you can do it during a lunch break and I understand why it’s so tempting,’

She went on to dismiss rumors that she had buccal fat removed (cheek slimming), explaining: ‘I’ve never had that done, I will never have any fat removed.

“I’m a skinny person who doesn’t have enough body fat or fat in my face, so I’ll just put fat in there.”

“I will never remove fat, which leads me to never having liposuction or body contouring or anything like that.”

Now the mother of three has detailed the cosmetic procedures she has undergone, including spending $30,000 on the ‘biggest breasts that could fit my body’ (L 2012, R 2024)

Talking about her ample breasts and slim body, she said: ‘My boobs have been fake since I was 21 or 22. I had them done between the first and second Transformers. But I had them done conservatively.

‘Because then everyone did the work, but you had to do work that was undetectable.

‘I, always, that little girl standing in the mirror, always thought, “Where are my breasts?” I always wanted big breasts. So I wasn’t happy with the first set.

“I had them redone after I finished breastfeeding my kids because I don’t know where they went, but they went.”

‘Then I had to have them redone recently because with the first set I didn’t have enough body fat to hide – you could see the wavy thing from the implants.’

Megan continued: ‘I don’t like surgery – my body doesn’t respond well to general anesthesia – so if I have to have surgery it’s a really big deal.

‘Going under anesthesia is a risk to your life. So when I had to go in for this set, I thought, “Look, if you’re going to put me to sleep, if I’m going to be sick for two months from the general anesthetic… I better wake up with the biggest boobs you’ve ever seen.” can fit in my body.”

“And that’s what he said he did. And they’re not even that big. It’s a 32D which isn’t that big, they just look big on my body because my body is small.

‘But if he could have gotten bigger, I would have let them get bigger, because I don’t like operations, and because I had to do it, I thought, ‘I want a reward for the suffering I have to go through. I don’t want to wake up with a full B cup.” There’s no point, I won’t do it.

‘I wanted t*tties. I don’t care what’s trendy, give me stripper titties from 1990. And he did it.”

Megan said: ‘I’m very tempted to get my eyebrows completely removed [back]. I want that look. That seems fun and you can do it during your lunch break’ (L 2007, R 2024)

Megan went on to reveal that she also wants a bigger butt but stops people when they look at her, but revealed that this isn’t possible at the moment because she is so slim.

When asked if she had had a Brazilian butt lift or implants, she said: ‘If I could, I would. I have no extra body fat. I’d have it done if I could.

‘That operation is so difficult to recover from. It’s basically like having to lie flat on your face for three months. You’re bruised for an eternity.

“If I ever did that, if I survived that operation, you would give me an a**e, that’s an anomaly.

“Like I’m walking through a park, and I’m going to turn around and everyone’s going to whisper and laugh and talk because they’re like, ‘What? What are we looking at?’ Like a circus freak.

“If I go through that healing process, that’s what I want. I don’t come out with, “Oh, has she actually been to the gym lately?”

‘It’s supposed to stop people. But I don’t have the body fat to do that. But if in the future you can take donated fat from people, I will do that.’

She explained why she had withdrawn from other work that people speculated she had done: “I am very afraid of dying under general anesthesia.

‘So I don’t take surgery lightly and because of that I haven’t had many. So it’s probably a saving grace that I have this paranoia, or this fear, otherwise God knows what I would have been up to.”

Recently, Megan was accused of being ‘xenophobic’ as she tried to defend her shocking new look, comparing herself to a ‘Ukrainian blow-up doll’ in a photo.

The Transformers star responded to critics by attributing the change in her image to a “shady” photo.

However, her rebuttal sparked controversy when she proudly claimed that she “really” looks like a “super expensive real silicone sex doll” from Japan.

“Oh my god, guys, look how different I look…at all,” she began her bizarre post. ‘It turned out to be just a shady cell phone photo of me looking like a Ukrainian blow-up doll. when in reality I look like one of those super expensive real silicone sex dolls that you can only get in Japan.”

Megan previously shared her thoughts on plastic surgery with Allure magazine in 2010, saying it was “amazing” that “we have the technology to do the things we do.”

‘I would encourage anyone to talk to a therapist first, to try to find out where this craving comes from, because it is often not related to your teeth, your nose or your chin – the surgery will not remove that uncertainty. you,” she said at the time.

“Then if you feel like, ‘This is something I want to do,’ then do it. It’s amazing that we have the technology to do the things we do.”

After her breakthrough role in Transformers, Megan admitted in a 2009 interview that she is seriously ‘insecure’ about the way she looks

Megan has also admitted that she is very ‘insecure’ about her appearance.

After her breakthrough in Transformers, she told Rolling Stone in 2009: ‘I’m really insecure about everything. I see what I look like, but there are things I like and things I don’t like.

‘My hair is fine. The color of my eyes is of course good. But I’m too short. Overall, I’m not super excited about the whole thing.

‘I never think I’m worth anything. I have a sick feeling that I am constantly being mocked. I have a lot of self-loathing.”

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Pregnant Lala Kent shows off her growing figure as she celebrates people can finally see she’s pregnant: ‘Mommy’s starting to clash’

Sabir Ansary — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 04:07:33 +0000

Lala Kent was over the moon on Monday as she celebrated finally having a well-defined baby bump.

The 33-year-old Vanderpump Rules star – who revealed she was pregnant with her second child earlier this month – shared a mirror selfie video highlighting her round stomach to her Instagram Stories.

She revealed she was thrilled that she was finally showing enough to wear tight clothes again, as onlookers would know she was now pregnant, rather than just thinking she looked ‘soft’.

Lala was dressed casually but stylishly in relaxed black trousers with flared legs and black and white illustrations adorning them.

She contrasted the pants with a cream-colored short-sleeved top that was decorated with what appeared to be Art Nouveau drawings and had a stand-up collar.

Lala Kent was over the moon on Monday as she celebrated finally having a well-defined baby bump

The 33-year-old Vanderpump Rules star shared a mirror selfie video that highlighted her round stomach to her Instagram Stories

She completed the stylish ensemble with a pair of black boots, and she styled her brunette locks into a tightly wound bun.

“Okay, mommy starts thrusting,” Lala declared at the beginning of her video.

‘This makes me terribly happy, because every time I come out of the stage of softness, and you can see – Finally — like, “Oh, she’s probably pregnant!” – that’s a good stage,” she explained.

She concluded by saying she was excited to “start wearing tight things” and was looking forward to “feeling cute.”

Lala gave her fans some head-on looks at her still tiny figure, before turning in profile to show off her newly rounded baby bump, before dramatically turning again to head out the door and playfully throwing her head back.

Earlier in the day, she shared a video of herself driving a moving truck with her younger brother Easton Burningham, who was behind the wheel.

The brother-sister duo seemed to move a bit for their mother, Lisa Burningham.

The two recently went to their mother’s house for dinner and Easton posted a photo of three three with winning smiles at a restaurant.

“Okay, mommy starts thrusting,” Lala declared at the beginning of her video

This makes me very happy,” because she was out of the “soft” stage, she explained. Lala concluded by saying she was excited to “start wearing tight things” and was looking forward to “feeling cute.”

Earlier in the day, she shared a video of herself driving a moving truck with her younger brother Easton Burningham, who was behind the wheel. The sibling duo seemed to move a bit for their mother, Lisa Burningham

“Life is good,” he captioned the sweet photo.

Shortly before Lala showed off her growing baby bump, she posted an adorable video of her daughter Ocean, who turned three just a few days earlier, during a ballet class.

The little girl looked adorable in a black tutu with a white bow in her hair for a ballet class.

‘I appreciate her resilience. Ten minutes earlier she had a meltdown,” Lala joked in a caption for the short clip, which featured her daughter practicing some rudimentary leg poses.

The reality star shares her first child with her former partner Randall Emmett, whom she dated from 2015 to 2021.

She and the 52-year-old film producer were dating when Lala appeared on season four of Vanderpump Rules, her debut with the series, but she kept his name a secret until he finalized his divorce from actress Ambyr Childers in December 2017.

In 2018, the lovebirds got engaged and on March 15, 2021, they welcomed Ocean.

But there was trouble in paradise, and Lala called off their engagement in October that year, subsequently accusing her ex of repeated infidelity.

Then, in 2022, the Los Angeles Times published allegations that Emmett allegedly offered an actress movie in exchange for sleeping with him.

The two recently went to their mother’s house for dinner and Easton posted a photo of three three with winning smiles while they were at a restaurant

Shortly before Lala showed off her growing baby bump, she posted an adorable photo of her daughter Ocean, who turned three just a few days earlier, during a ballet class

She shares Ocean with her ex, film producer Randall Emmett, whom she accused of repeated infidelity, which he denied. During her second pregnancy she used a sperm donor

The producer subsequently denied the allegations through his spokesperson, who went so far as to claim that the accusations were part of a “now well-known smear campaign” allegedly orchestrated by Lala.

“Lala Kent has lied and manipulated others in her desperate bid to gain full custody of their daughter, keep her name in the press and remain relevant on reality television,” his spokesperson Sallie Hofmeister alleged.

For her second pregnancy, Lala wanted nothing to do with Randall and instead turned to a sperm donor.

Although she has said she expects a lot of help from her mother in raising her second child, she is proceeding with the pregnancy independently.

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“Finally,” Android fans are screaming as Google plots a life-saving free upgrade

Jeffrey Bailey — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 11:55:05 +0000

GOOGLE is reportedly eyeing the upcoming Pixel 9 launch to unveil a new, life-saving feature that will make Android devices trackable even when they’re turned off.

If you thought this concept sounds familiar, it does: Apple’s iPhones have had access to this feature in the Find My app for years.

Last summer, Google announced that Android owners will soon be able to use Bluetooth and offline services to locate phonesCredit: Google

Google has its own Find My Device service, which can help you find a lost Android phone.

But the company has been working on upgrading its own Find MY Device feature since August last year.

This feature allows your phone to be located even when it is turned off.

Mishaal Rahman

Last summer, Google announced that Android owners will soon be able to use Bluetooth and offline services to locate phones.

But both features have yet to appear on Pixel devices.

And the tech giant has remained tight-lipped on an official launch date.

However, trusted Android source Mishaal Rahman has noted that Google could roll out the feature alongside its Pixel 9 handset in October.

Rahman added that the feature will be available to Pixel 8 owners once it arrives.

“I have good news for Pixel 8 owners: your phone should support Android’s Powered Off Finding feature when Google’s Find My Device network launches,” he wrote in an after.

“This feature allows your phone to be located even when it is turned off.”

Google reveals list of freebies you can claim today and lets Gemini AI text for you first – drivers should check this too

It combats every thief’s first job: disabling the device to prevent tracking.

“Finally,” said the spectator tweeted in response to the new feature.

Another added: “This is a great feature, especially if the phone is stolen.”

Although it appears that only Pixel 8 and 9 owners will be protected by the feature.

Rahman added: “Unfortunately, it appears that neither the Pixel 7 Pro nor the Pixel Fold currently support this feature.”

How to set up Find My Device on Android

First of all, you need to grab your Android phone and go through this list:

Make sure it is enabled
Sign in to your Google account
Connect to mobile data or WiFi
Enable location
Turn on Find My Device

To enable Find My Device, go to the Settings app.

Then tap Security > Find my device, or Security and locationor Googling > Security.

Now switch Find My Device to the “on” position.

If you use your lost phone for two-step verification, you will also need a backup phone or backup code.

If you don’t meet these requirements, Find My Device won’t work correctly.

The post “Finally,” Android fans are screaming as Google plots a life-saving free upgrade appeared first on USMAIL24.COM.

Doctor Who release date has been revealed: fans finally learn when the first series of Ncuti Gatwa will air – and it’s the same day as another major music event

Sabir Ansary — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 14:20:05 +0000

The release date for the new series of Doctor Who has finally been revealed, with Ncuti Gatwa’s first full run in the TARDIS set to hit screens on May 11.

For the first time ever, the highly anticipated series will release its first two episodes on BBC iPlayer at midnight.

The episodes will be released later that day on BBC One, ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest grand final.

Viewers outside the UK will see The Doctor and his companion Ruby Sunday begin their time travel adventures on Disney+.

Viewers in the UK can now watch wherever and whenever they want, with the option to stream at midnight on BBC iPlayer or tune in on Saturday evenings in primetime on BBC One.

The release date for the new series of Doctor Who has finally been revealed, with Ncuti Gatwa’s first full run in the TARDIS set to hit screens on May 11.

The new season of Doctor Who sees Ncuti Gatwa return as the Fifteenth Doctor, alongside Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday, after making their debut in The Church on Ruby Road on Christmas Day.

In the upcoming series, audiences will see the Doctor and Ruby travel through time and space on adventures to lands unknown, to Regency-era England, to space worlds and the 1960s.

This season also sees the return of Michelle Greenidge as Carla Sunday, Angela Wynter as Cherry Sunday and Anita Dobson as Mrs Flood.

The eight-episode series will also feature a range of special guest stars, including Jinkx Monsoon, Aneurin Barnard, Yasmin Finney, Jonathan Groff, Bonnie Langford, Jemma Redgrave, Lenny Rush and Indira Varma. More will be announced soon.

Showrunner Russell T Davies said: “Finally, it is my great joy to be launching a whole new season of the Doctor and Ruby’s adventures together.

‘Monsters! Pursuits! Villains! Mysteries! And a terrifying secret that has spanned decades of time and space. Don’t miss a second!’

Viewers will get their first glimpse of the TARDIS action before tuning in to see if Olly Alexander can be crowned Eurovision champion when he represents Great Britain in the live final in Malmö, Sweden.

Millie will only star for one full series as The Doctor’s companion Ruby, with sources claiming she will make a handful of appearances in the second series before being replaced by Varada Sethu.

For the first time ever, the highly anticipated series will release its first two episodes on BBC iPlayer at midnight, before airing on BBC One later that day ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest.

Amid reports of her sacking, a resurfaced interview saw Millie admit that if her new role in Doctor Who ‘went wrong, at least she would have tried’ as she put her regular job in Coronation Street on the line.

After starring as trouble-prone teenager Kelly Neelan in Coronation Street since 2019, the actress decided to take a huge risk and leave the soap, a prospect that initially seemed to pay off.

Speaking to the Independent last month, Millie explained: ‘I thought, ‘I’m so young, why the hell not? I have no mortgage, I have no children, I have no one to pay. So if something goes wrong, at least I tried.”

Ncuti made his first appearance as The Doctor in the third 60th Anniversary Special in December, when The Doctor was ‘bi-generated’, meaning two incarnations of him existed at the same time.

He and the Fourteenth Doctor (played by David Tennant) foiled the Toymaker’s evil plan, with the previous incarnation deciding to remain on Earth with his own TARDIS, best friend Donna Noble and her family.

Ncuti made his first appearance as The Doctor in the third 60th Anniversary Special in December, when David Tennant also reprized his role as Time Lord.

Ahead of the celebratory episode, titled The Church On Ruby Road, Ncuti revealed he wants to bring his ‘black beautiful self’ to the character, when asked what will be different about his incarnation of The Doctor.

He said: ‘It’s such a difficult question to answer because the role of the doctor is everything anyway.

“He’s an explorer who’s been around for a billion years, so they have so many quirks and complexities and anger and joy and they’re full of a lot of emotions.

“So to choose what else I would put forward is a very difficult question to answer. I guess myself, my black beautiful self. I bring my blackness.”

Ncuti will be the first black actor to take on a full-time role as The Doctor, after Jo Martin briefly played a version of the character in 2020.

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Finally the new ‘Bond’ is revealed! Former Dr Who star David Tennant looks dapper and drinks a martini as the actor transforms into the 007 spy for Comic Relief sketch

Sabir Ansary — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 13:19:39 +0000

David Tennant gives himself a good wash as he transforms into the next James Bond for an upcoming Comic Relief sketch airing on Friday.

The actor, 52, looked dapper as he donned a black button-up jacket with red trim and buttons.

The Doctor Who star paired the smart jacket with an all-black suit and enjoyed his martini, shaken and not stirred, as he fully embraced the character.

Balancing the martini on the roof of his Comic Relief Aston Martin, David made sure he would travel in style in the vehicle.

Viewers will get the chance to get their hands on the stylish ride for themselves as Chris Evans and CarFest have donated the vehicle for the event.

Finally the new ‘Bond’ is revealed! Former Dr Who star David Tennant looked smart as he sipped a martini as the actor transforms into the 007 spy for Comic Relief skit on Friday

David embodied his inner Daniel Craig for the sketch

David will join a host of co-presenters for the charity evening, while Sir Lenny Henry will present the fundraising show for the final time this year, after 39 years of presenting the comedy telethon.

Also co-presenting are Joel Dommett, Maya Jama, Davina McCall, Paddy McGuinness, Rosie Ramsey and Romesh Ranganathan.

The evening guarantees lots of fun with hysterical sketches, including David’s role as Bond.

Some of the country’s favorite stars will provide an evening of music, entertainment and comedy to keep audiences laughing.

Ahead of Sir Lenny’s departure, the evening will also include a sketch about the search for his replacement, with famous faces and Sir Lenny performing I’m Just Len, his own version of the Oscar-nominated song I’m Just Ken from the Barbie blockbuster.

The Traitors also returns as a cast of award-winning actors and comedians have signed up to play some of the most iconic characters from series two in a parody film version of the hit BBC One show.

Featuring a star-studded celebrity cast, Suranne Jones transformed into Claudia Winkleman, The Traitors: The Movie will bring to life some of the series’ most iconic moments with some of the nation’s favorite contestants.

Explaining why Red Nose Day is worth watching, Lenny told the BBC: ‘Because it will be packed with content, all your favorite presenters and loads of special surprises.

The actor, 52, looked dapper as he donned a black button-down jacket with a red collar and buttons

The Doctor Who star paired the smart jacket with an all-black suit and enjoyed his martini, shaken and not stirred, as he fully embraced the character

Balancing the martini on the roof of his Comic Relief Aston Martin, David made sure he would travel in style in the vehicle

Viewers will get the chance to get their hands on the stylish ride for themselves as Chris Evans and CarFest have donated the vehicle for the event

The star looked focused as he hugged the 007 spy

Money raised by Red Nose Day will go to organizations helping to tackle homelessness, poverty and mental health, along with other causes in Britain and around the world

The star has swapped the Tardis for the Secret Service (pictured with Catherine Tate for Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary)

“It will probably be the best night of my life because it’s my last year as host and I know there will be a lot of surprises.

‘So you have to adapt to that. Plus all the incredible films the brilliant team created and worked so hard on. It will be very nice.’

The money raised by Red Nose Day will go to organizations helping to tackle homelessness, poverty and mental health, along with other causes in Britain and around the world.

Speaking about the fact that this is his last year as presenter of the show, Sir Lenny told BBC News: ‘I think I’ll be incredibly proud because it’s been a huge part of my life and to see a new generation people it moves forward – we have I’ve got Maya Jama, David Tennant, Romesh Ranganathan – there are such huge numbers of people coming to it.

‘It will be fantastic to leave knowing that – I’m getting emotional now – there’s a new group of people taking over and treating it the same way we did.’

He also said: ‘This is a good time to part ways and give a new generation the opportunity to take over and kick things off a bit.’

It is the last year that Sir Lenny Henry will host the show, with Joel Dommett, Maya Jama, Davina McCall, Paddy McGuinness, Rosie Ramsey and Romesh Ranganathan also co-presenting.

The Traitors returns as Suranne Jones transforms into Claudia Winkleman for a famous Comic Relief sketch, The Traitors: The Movie

The post Finally the new ‘Bond’ is revealed! Former Dr Who star David Tennant looks dapper and drinks a martini as the actor transforms into the 007 spy for Comic Relief sketch appeared first on USMAIL24.COM.

Billie Piper admits it’s ‘really hard’ not to react to ex-husband Laurence Fox’s scandals and she protects their sons by ‘keeping them close to her’ as she finally breaks silence on toxic split: ‘It is enormously difficult co-parenting’

Sabir Ansary — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 11:15:28 +0000

Billie Piper has finally broken her silence on ex-husband Laurence Fox six years after their ‘quickie divorce’.

The actress shares sons Winston, 12, and Eugene, eight, with the controversial activist and the pair were embroiled in a lengthy custody dispute after their split.

In 2022, Laurence, 45, publicly spoke out about their arrangement, claiming Billie was using their children as ‘weapons’ and that he had been denied access to seeing them.

While Billie, 41, maintained a dignified silence at the time, she has now spoken out about their complicated relationship in a candid interview with British Vogue.

Asked how she navigates co-parenting with Laurence, Billie shared: ‘With enormous difficulty.’

Billie Piper has finally broken her silence on ex-husband Laurence Fox, discussing his public scandals and their ‘difficult’ co-parenting in a candid chat with British Vogue

The actress shares sons Winston, 12, and Eugene, eight, with the controversial activist and the pair were embroiled in a lengthy custody dispute after their split (pictured in 2013)

While Billie, 41, maintained a dignified silence when Laurence accused her of ‘using their sons as weapons’ in 2022 she has now spoken out about their complicated relationship

She continued: ‘I close everything down and keep a very strict routine with the kids so that there’s consistency. I keep them close. That’s all I can do…

‘What is paramount for me is the privacy and anonymity of my children. They deserve not to be extensions of the parents and to forge their own identities.’

Billie added that she tries to avoid hearing anything about her ex, who has hit headlines in recent weeks for a slew of controversies.

He was recently dropped from GB News after launching into a ‘sexist’ rant about a female journalist and lost a high profile libel case after calling two men ‘paedophiles’.

Yet Billie does her best to avoid being drawn into his scandals, explaining: ‘I try to keep people from telling me stuff but it’s really, really hard.

‘I don’t read it but everyone wants to talk about it. Sometimes I have to say to people: “Please don’t bring this to me, now or ever.”‘

While she doesn’t want to spend her time discussing her ex-husband she admitted: ‘Of course I have feelings on that, I’m not dead inside.’

Billie added: ‘I’ve had to make some choices and a divorce speaks for itself… or at least it should! You have to laugh because it’s a lot. It’s a good way of kind of soothing yourself.’

Despite discussing the difficulties of Laurence she revealed that there has been a ‘positive’ in their divorce and custody battle.

She reasoned: ‘It’s made me feel stronger in many ways. I’ve learnt I have a lot of resilience I didn’t know I had.

‘I’ve had to learn the hard way that you can only control yourself and how you react to things. It’s really f***ing hard. I hate that.’

Yet she confessed that she isn’t the best person to ask about Laurence, saying: ‘Look, if people want to try and understand the workings of the guy, they ought to either ask him or his family.

‘Ask [Fox’s brother-in-law, actor and comedian] Richard Ayoade what he thinks, or his wife [Fox’s actor sister] Lydia. They might have a more interesting take.’

Billie first met Laurence in a theatre rehearsal room in 2006, they went on to marry a year later – she was granted a ‘quickie’ divorce from him in 2016 (pictured in 2012)

Billie tries to avoid hearing anything about her ex, who has hit headlines in recent weeks for a slew of controversies (pictured on their wedding day in 2007)

Billie first met Laurence in a theatre rehearsal room in 2006 and they tied the knot the following year when she was 25.

It was her second marriage, following her controversial union with DJ Chris Evans, whom she wed when she was 18 and he was 35 – yet Billie has no bad words about her first husband, labelling him ‘one of the good guys.’

Most recently she was dating singer Johnny Lloyd but the couple quietly separated last year after eight years together. They share five-year-old daughter, Tallulah.

There seems to be no bad blood between the pair, with Billie labelling Johnny ‘a very good man’.

She confessed in her Vogue chat that her late 20s and early 30s were a period of unrest for her and she felt ‘unhinged and mentally not well’.

Billie recalled: ‘There was something very, very sobering about that time and letting go of people that weren’t very healthy for me. Unfortunately, a lot of that has been in relation to men I suppose.’

She tied-the-knot with Laurence in a low-key parish church ceremony on New Year’s Eve in 2007, after a few drinks in the local pub.

They were married in a 50-minute ceremony at a village church near their £750,000 home in Eastbourne, West Sussex, with the actress wearing a formal, low-cut wedding dress in ivory with a flash of pink.

It was Billie’s former husband Chris and his new wife, Natasha Shishmanian, that made the guest list somewhat unusual.

The presenter was also the first person to visit the newly-married couple’s home, with the trio chinking glasses in a cordial toast before Chris drove to his own country pile, just a few miles away.

Laurence and Billie went on to welcome two sons.

However, the pair confirmed they had separated after eight years of marriage in 2016, and insisted that ‘no third parties involved’ in their split.

A post on his official Facebook account at the time read: ‘Laurence Fox and Billie Piper have separated. No third parties are involved. For the sake of our family we request and appeal for space and privacy at this time.’

The pair were granted a ‘quickie divorce’ in a court ruling that took just 50 seconds, citing unreasonable behaviour.

The actress, was not present when her request for a decree nisi from the actor was granted on the grounds that the marriage had ‘irretrievably broken down’ on the grounds of his ‘unreasonable behaviour’.

At the time of their split, they stated their intention to ‘co-parent their children with the utmost mutual respect for each other’ (pictured in November 2013)

In 2022, Laurence brought their custody dispute back into the public eye when he accused Billie of denying him access to their children

At the time of their split, they stated their intention to ‘co-parent their children with the utmost mutual respect for each other’.

But between 2016 and 2017, Laurence and Billie then became embroiled in a lengthy custody dispute over access to their children.

The proceedings concluded in the Family Division of the High Court in December 2017 and Laurence previously claimed that they drained his finances.

See the full feature in the April issue of British Vogue, available via digital download and on newsstands from Tuesday, 19 March

The actor said that he’d been forced to put his career on hold so that he could help their children cope with the aftermath of the split.

Speaking in January 2018, he said: ‘I was certainly in a very dark place at one point – at my lowest ebb. I almost felt like I couldn’t go on. It all felt so hopeless.

‘With divorce, you immediately lose half the time you’d spend with the kids. That in itself is a mental health crisis. But, like everything, these feelings pass and you start to feel stronger with every day.

‘Men no longer feel comfortable talking about relationships, and for the men who bottle it, it can be disastrous – they end up throwing themselves off buildings.’

After his court proceedings, Laurence started campaigning to transform the family court system, which he described as ‘unnecessarily adversarial’.

At the time, he said: ‘Actually I feel really sad. The process didn’t need to be so long, drawn-out and adversarial.

‘And ours was quick, because we have cash. I feel the children have been robbed of their young lives. It’s been half of Eugene’s life.’

Billie’s first controversial union was with Chris Evans, whom she wed when she was 18 and he was 35 – yet Billie has no bad words about her first husband, calling him ‘one of the good guys’

In 2022, Laurence brought their custody dispute back into the public eye when he accused Billie of denying him access to their children, alleging that he has not been able to see or speak to his eldest son Winston on his 14th birthday.

He penned: ‘It is [my son’s] birthday tomorrow and his mother has denied him any access to see or speak with me, I am using my platform to highlight what child alienation does to families. Kids need both parents.

‘Don’t be the parent who refuses to let their sons speak to their dad, especially on their birthday. Don’t be that parent. Put children first. Don’t use them as weapons.

‘It is so bad for kids. Child alienation needs to be talked about openly, along with all other child abuse.’

But Twitter users were quick to hit back at his allegations and accused him of using his children as ‘weapons’ – which he accused Billie of – by sharing the ranting post.

From Billie Piper’s booze-fuelled marriage with Chris Evans to bitter divorce battle with Laurence Fox… the star’s complicated relationships as she ‘splits from her boyfriend of eight years Johnny Lloyd’

It’s unlucky in love again for Billie Piper as she has reportedly split from her boyfriend Johnny Lloyd after eight years together.

The former Doctor Who star, 41, and the singer, 38, who share five-year-old daughter, Tallulah, decided to end their romance after lockdown had a major impact on their relationship, according to The Sun on Sunda y.

It’s not the first relationship to seemingly turn sour for the actress; she’s been divorced twice and involved in a bitter custody battle with her ex Laurence Fox.

She famously married her first husband Chris Evans back in 2001, after dating for six months, aged just 18, with the 16-year age gap between the pair sparking controversy.

So, amid reports that the end of Billie’s relationship to Johnny was ‘very sad’ and they are ‘better off apart’, FEMAIL takes a look at the star’s complicated relationship history…

CHRIS EVANS

Describing her first marriage to Chris Evans (pictured, left), Billie Piper, (pictured, right) said she got ‘completely hammered for three years’ with him

Fans of Billie Piper were shocked when it emerged that she and Chris Evans had tied the knot in a casual Las Vegas wedding in 2001 – with just six guests.

The couple has only met a year earlier when she appeared on his TV show TFI Friday in 2000 – the next day, he sent a £110,000 Ferrari filled with roses to her home (she couldn’t drive at the time).

She was just 18, when she wed Chris who was 16-years old her senior, sparking controversy.

The duo married in a secret Las Vegas ceremony at the Little Church of the West for which she wore flips flops and a sarong. The groom was equally casual, donning an open-necked shirt.

An 18-month sabbatical followed as the couple travelled the world, before settling at Chris’ country estate in Hascombe, Surrey.

The couple split three years later in 2004 and the divorce was finalised in 2007, they remained on good terms with Billie likening the marriage ‘to being in your university years’.

She did not request a single penny of his estimated £30million fortune, and although citing irreconcilable differences on their divorce papers, they remained close afterwards.

Billie previously recalled how she got ‘completely hammered for three years’ with her ex-husband when she was feeling burnt out from her teen pop career.

The couple (pictured) seemed to enjoy their relationship and continued to be friends after they divorced

PLAYFUL: While fans of the celebrities were shocked when the two tied the knot, the two have spoken fondly of each other on many occasions

The couple (pictured together in London in 2001) got hitched in 2001 then divorced just three years later in 2004

Speaking on David Tennant Does A Podcast With… in 2020, Billie said she had an ‘amazing time’ with Chris and described the relationship as ‘very loving.’

And when Billie had a public ‘meltdown’ in 2006, it was no surprise that it was her estranged husband to which she turned.

Suffering from stress over her forthcoming stage debut in the intense emotional drama Treats, she was seen making a teary mobile phone call close to the rehearsal rooms where final preparations were being made for the play’s opening night.

Minutes later, Chris appeared, accompanying her to a pavement café where he tenderly held her hand as she sobbed uncontrollably.

MATT SMITH

Billie Piper and Matt Smith pictured in London in July 2016

After her marriage broke down, Bille Piper was seem looking cosy with Matt Smith, who played Doctor Who – three years before he scored the role.

Meanwhile, Billie played the Time lord’s famous assistant since its 2005 revival, while he was an unknown actor propelled to fame when chosen to star in the BBC series.

Pictured holding hands at a Surrey fete in 2006, the pair stroll together through the crowd, drinking Pimms and enjoying the sunshine.

At this point, the two actors had just been reunited on the set of ITV2’s Piper vehicle, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, in which Smith had a minor role. They had previously worked together on BBC drama The Ruby in the Smoke.

Although Smith and Piper never announced they were officially a couple, a friend who was with them on the day they visited the fete says their chemistry was unmistakeable.

‘They were very touchy-feely and seemed really at ease with each other,’ they said. ‘Everybody assumed they were a couple by the way they were acting.’

The friend added that the two actors did not go unnoticed by the crowd. ‘A lot of people were talking about how good they looked together,’ they said.

‘They were definitely having a great time. Obviously everyone knew who Billie was – but Matt wasn’t at all famous then. It’s amazing to think he has gone on to star in Doctor Who.’

LAURENCE FOX

Billie Piper (pictured, left) married Laurence Fox (pictured, right) in 2016, a year after they met in a dressing room

Reason: The actress, was not present when her request for a decree nisi from the actor was granted on the grounds that the marriage had ‘irretrievably broken down’ on the grounds of his ‘unreasonable behaviour’ (pictured in 2012)

THEATRE: While the relationship between the two did not last, they shared a love of theatre, and are pictured in theatres in 2015 (left) and 2013 (right) together

Chris Evans was not Billie’s only husband – she also was married to Laurence Fox, who was famous for coming from an acting dynasty, and now for his political commentary work.

Billie first met Laurence in a theatre rehearsal room in 2006, they went on to marry a year later – she was granted a ‘quickie’ divorce from him in 2016.

She tied-the-knot with Laurence in a low-key parish church ceremony on New Year’s Eve in 2007, after a few drinks in the local pub.

It was Billie’s former husband Chris and his new wife, Natasha Shishmanian, that made the guest list somewhat unusual.

Laurence and Billie went on to welcome two sons, Winston, 12, and Eugene, eight.

However, the pair confirmed they had separated after eight years of marriage in 2016, and insisted that ‘no third parties involved’ in their split.

After getting embroiled in lengthy court proceedings over their sons, the proceedings came to an end in 2017

The couple looked much happier at different points in their relationship, with Billie beaming in this image taken at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards in 2014

Troubles: But between 2016 and 2017, Laurence and Billie then became embroiled in a lengthy custody dispute over access to their children (pictured in 2010)

The pair were granted a ‘quickie divorce’ in a court ruling that took just 50 seconds, citing unreasonable behaviour.

At the time of their split, they stated their intention to ‘co-parent their children with the utmost mutual respect for each other’.

But between 2016 and 2017, Laurence and Billie then became embroiled in a lengthy custody dispute over access to their children.

The proceedings concluded in the Family Division of the High Court in December 2017 and Laurence previously claimed that they drained his finances.

Actor Laurence revealed that he’s been forced to put his career on hold so that he can help their children cope with the aftermath of the split.

But rather than throwing himself head-first into his work, he’s had to become a full-time father to his two children.

Meanwhile Billie – who shares sons Winston, 12, and Eugene, eight, with her ex-husband Laurence Fox – told The Guardian: ‘I know about dysfunctional relationships. I know about what it costs to be a woman.’

JOHNNY LLOYD

Billie Piper (pictured, right) has split with Johnny Lloyd (pictured, left) according to the Sun on Sunday

HAPPIER TIMES: The former couple pictured together in 2019 before they ended their relationship

Now Billie Piper has reportedly split from her boyfriend Johnny Lloyd after eight years together.

The former Doctor Who star, 41, and the singer, 38, who share five-year-old daughter, Tallulah, decided to end their romance after lockdown had a major impact on their relationship.

Sources told The Sun on Sunday that the end of their relationship was ‘very sad’ and they are ‘better off apart.’

A source told the publication that Billie and Johnny actually split last year.

They said: ‘It’s obviously very sad that the couple have gone their separate ways.

‘But the relationship ran its course and they decided they would be better off apart. Like many couples, lockdown was quite tough for them, so they have had time to really think about what they want their future to look like.

‘They will always treasure the time they had together and have many happy memories.

‘Now they are concentrating on co-parenting their daughter and their separate careers.’

Johnny and Billie (pictured L-R) attend the 2023 Chelsea Flower Show together in May 2023 in London

MailOnline has contacted Billie’s representatives for a comment.

Former Doctor Who star Billie was previously married to DJ Chris Evans, who is 17 years her senior, and actor-turned-political activist Laurence Fox, 45, with whom she has two sons.

Billie and Johnny welcomed their daughter Tallulah in January 2019 after it was confirmed in July 2018 that Billie was expecting her first child with the rocker.

A source told the Mirror at the time: ‘Billie and Johnny are delighted. They can’t wait to welcome the new addition to their family.’

She revealed she would love to have more children back in February, 2018, admitting: ‘In my dream world I’d have loads.’

RITCHIE NEVILLE

Billie’s first ‘celebrity’ boyfriend could be said to be 5ive’s Ritchie Neville (pictured). The two dated from 1998-2000)

One of Billie’s lesser-known loves (though a seminal relationship of the late 90s) was her pairing with Ritchie Neville.

The heart throb from boyband 5ive lasted a whole two years, with the teens getting together in 1998 then sadly ending their liaison in 2000.

At the time, Billie was seriously famous, after being offered a record contract in 1998 at the age of 15.

That year, she became the youngest artist to debut at number one in the UK Singles Chart.

Her record, Because We Want To, was released under the stage name Billie. It was followed by her next single Girlfriend, which also debuted at number one.

Meanwhile, 5ive, Richie’s band were not quite as successful: they debuted their first single Slam Dunk da Funk in 1998 at number 10.

It wasn’t really until after 2000, when Ritchie and Billie broke up, that the boyband became more successful.

The post Billie Piper admits it’s ‘really hard’ not to react to ex-husband Laurence Fox’s scandals and she protects their sons by ‘keeping them close to her’ as she finally breaks silence on toxic split: ‘It is enormously difficult co-parenting’ appeared first on USMAIL24.COM.

Spotify has ‘finally’ added a major feature that users have been clamoring for

Jeffrey Bailey — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 01:02:57 +0000

SPOTIFY has been making a big change that users have been asking for for years, and that will certainly be the case on YouTube as well.

The popular music streaming service is adding full-length music videos to the platform for the first time.

UK users will see the option on their accountsCredit: Spotify

Premium users in the UK and ten other countries can now watch music videos from artists including Ed Sheeran and Ice Spice.

But American music fans will have to wait for now.

A new ‘Switch to Video’ button will appear on songs with an associated clip to watch.

Users can rotate their smartphone into landscape mode to enjoy videos in full screen.

Spotify is the world’s most popular music streaming service with more than 236 million subscribers.

Fans have welcomed the announcement, saying, “You can finally watch music videos on Spotify!”

Another said: “Amazing, takes me back to the good old days with MTV.”

A third wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: “Music videos definitely add a new dimension.

“While it’s similar to YouTube Music, I’m curious to see how you integrate them into the platform.”

Finally!’ say Spotify members are Apple Music’s tempting ‘SongShift’ perk, where switching playlists promises to stop them

How to watch music videos on Spotify

The ability to watch music videos on Spotify is currently in beta, meaning the app giant is still testing.

It will initially be rolled out to 11 countries, namely:

The UK
Germany
Italy
The Netherlands
Poland
Sweden
Brazil
Colombia
Philippines
Indonesia
Kenya

While it’s rolling out, you may not immediately see the option in your Spotify account.

And it only works on songs that have video music uploaded – it will take a while before all music videos are available.

If a song has a music video, you’ll see a “Switch to Video” toggle.

You can go back to audio only by tapping the ‘Switch to Audio’ button that appears.

The feature works on eligible accounts via iOS, Android, desktop or TV device.

The post Spotify has ‘finally’ added a major feature that users have been clamoring for appeared first on USMAIL24.COM.

‘Finally’ cheer PS5 fans on three massive upgrades in free overnight update

Jeffrey Bailey — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 15:04:47 +0000

SONY is rolling out a massive free upgrade to millions of PlayStation owners.

This week’s new PS5 system update brings some big changes, including a surprise boost to DualSense controllers.

It is now possible to change the brightness of the PS5’s power indicatorCredit: Sony PlayStation

The update was announced back in February, but Sony has now started rolling it out to PS5 consoles around the world.

There are three major changes that PlayStation gamers should take note of.

DUALSENSE UPGRADE

Some of the biggest changes are coming to the DualSense and DualSense edge controllers.

For starters, the speakers in the controllers can now reach higher volumes.

Sony says this will allow you to “hear in-game sounds and voice chat audio more clearly.”

If you’re not happy with the sound volume coming out of the controller, you can adjust it in the settings.

Noise cancellation on the DualSense controller’s microphone has also been upgraded.

“Microphone input quality on these controllers has been improved thanks to a new AI machine learning model,” Sony said.

“Background noise from button presses and game audio is suppressed, resulting in a better voice chat experience.

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“Install the beta version of the system software and update the controller device software to enjoy improved clarity of your voice chat audio when using the controller microphone.”

SHARE SCREEN

The existing Screen Share feature has been upgraded.

Sony says players viewing Share Screen in full screen will be able to use pointers and emoji reactions to interact with gameplay.

This feature is enabled by default, but Screen Share hosts can disable it in the settings.

To see the feature, you’ll need to join the PlayStation beta.

PS5 POWER

It is now possible to adjust the brightness of the PS5 console’s power indicator.

You can change this at any time by going to your settings.

Just go to Settings > System > Beep & Light > Brightness.

This can be a big advantage if you have trouble with the brightness of the light in a dark room.

FAN FAVORITES

PlayStation fans took to Reddit to reveal their thoughts on the new changes.

One gamer wrote: “Ahhh, I love that we can finally turn down the brightness of the power indicator.

“It was a bit annoying while watching movies in the dark.”

Another said: “It’s much better! At least in mine opinion.”

And someone added: “Definitely an improvement. You can choose between low/medium/high (high is default and the light level it was before the patch).

“Low/medium are definitely nicer in a dim/dark room.”

But fans were disappointed that a feature is still missing.

One disappointed gamer said: “Still no way to share screen on Discord? :(“

Another said this would be “the dream”, while one added: “This was the main feature I was hoping for when they announced they were adding Discord. It’s been a while, we need this.”

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