Print Features

Subterms

    More stories

    • 275 Shares

      in entertainment and celebrities

      I was the only journalist to tour with ABBA – two of them were shaking with nerves and press slammed their lifestyle

      by

      WHEN ABBA strode on to the Brighton Dome stage in their silver platform boots on April 6, 1974, they were complete unknowns.But winning the Eurovision Song Contest with Waterloo that night put them on the road to becoming global superstars.Frida and Agnetha singing Waterloo on stage in Brighton in 1974 – where it all started at the Eurovision Song ContestCredit: Rex FeaturesBjorn, Agnetha, Frida and Benny as they are today after their new and final album release VoyageCredit: Baillie WalshGroup member Bjorn Ulvaeus believes the band owes its success to the UK’s decision to step up to host the contest that year. As 1973’s winners, Luxembourg should have been the hosts, but they refused because of the cost.Bjorn has said: “We were lucky – it could have been held in Ljubljana or somewhere rather far-flung. Winning in the UK was one hell of a springboard and it meant things took off like a rocket.”To celebrate the group’s 50 years of superstardom, here we take a look at ABBA by numbers.READ MORE ON ABBATHE HARD WORK PAYS OFFBy Garth Pearce, veteran showbiz reporter
      IT was three years after Eurovision that ABBA finally went on tour – and they almost met their own Waterloo on the opening night.
      I was with the band in Oslo on January 28, 1977, when both Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson were so nervous they visibly shook.
      The two men were more than happy writing a succession of hit songs and producing the famous ABBA sound in the studio.
      But when it came to performing live to vast audiences, they were so racked with fear they almost called the whole thing off.
      Fortunately, nothing was ever left to chance with ABBA. The tour had been planned for a year. They rehearsed endlessly.
      They were blessed with their two glamorous wives, Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad, who could captivate an audience. They also had one of the shrewdest managers in the business, Stig Anderson, who named the band and wrote the lyrics for Waterloo.
      It was a winning combination. Great, catchy songs and two girls who could deliver. It hardly ­mattered that Bjorn and Benny were sick with nerves. In contrast to many rock bands and messily organised tours in the 1970s, ABBA’s tactics were like something from a battlefield.
      Their cool Scandinavian attitude towards work spilled over both on and off stage. There were no drugs, wild parties or wrecked hotel rooms.
      It meant that much of the music Press at the time was scornful. A clean-living band who wanted to work hard? It just didn’t make sense.
      ABBA were a special team, rolling out hits and considering every decision carefully. The fact they still enjoy fame and respect half a century later is no surprise to me.
      They were, and are, one of the very best.

      ABBA are back with ABBA Voyage, a revolutionary concert 40 years in the making More

    • 238 Shares

      in entertainment and celebrities

      ‘After all the turbulence, we needed our own Xanadu… we found it in Margate,’ says The Libertines’ Carl Barat

      by

      ON a cool early spring Tuesday afternoon, all is quiet on the Eastern Esplanade, Margate.Just past Superior Slots and Bugsy’s Tenpin Bowling, I arrive at an imposing terrace of five-storey townhouses in varying states of repair.I’m meeting Barât, front right, to mark the band’s fourth studio album (and first in nine years), the wildly entertaining, fittingly titled All Quiet On The Eastern EsplanadeCredit: Ed CookeForget the sleazy Camden dives of The Libertines’ turbulent past, The Albion Rooms has become their new spiritual homeCredit: Ed CookeDuring their wild days, Barât suspected that The Libertines’ insane live shows were populated by ‘people who just wanted to come and see a car crash’Credit: GettyMost retain their original red-brick outlook, but my destination, No31, is painted top-to-bottom in black with dull gold metalwork.One of the establishment’s owners, Carl Barât of The Libertines, likens it to a “decaying tooth in the Victorian facade”.Above the ground-floor bay window is a red neon sign, styled in scribbled handwriting, that reads “The Albion Rooms”.After I push open the heavy front door and venture inside this glorious study in mock-Gothic decadence, I’m introduced to the genial Barât, who is a picture of health.READ MORE ON THE LIBERTINESYes, he who formed rock ’n’ roll rabble rousers The Libertines with a certain Pete Doherty more than a quarter of a century ago.I’m meeting Barât to mark the band’s fourth studio album (and first in nine years), the wildly entertaining, fittingly titled All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade.He tells me that the band bought the building in 2017 and spent the next four years turning it into a guest house complete with indoor and outdoor bars and a state-of-the-art studio.‘We had to buy bricks and mortar’“If this place was in the West End of London, it would be four or five million, maybe more,” he says. “But it was on for £500,000 and we managed to haggle it down to £460,000, which was pretty good haggling.”Most read in MusicForget the sleazy Camden dives of The Libertines’ turbulent past, The Albion Rooms has become their new spiritual home.It’s also another sign that Margate, perched on the Kent coastline’s north-eastern tip, is morphing from faded seaside resort into cultural mecca — a process enhanced by the artist who grew up there, Tracey Emin.Pete Doherty breaks down while reliving moment he was ‘kicked out’ LibertinesExplaining their choice of location, Barât says: “I cast the net far and wide, everywhere from Thailand to Scotland, and it came down to property prices.“The whole point was that we wanted our own Xanadu or Shangri-La, but we’d already spent most of our money.“We knew we had good earning potential, that a record deal was coming up, so we needed to buy bricks and mortar — rather than letting it go in fees or tax and ending up with nothing.”Before we get stuck into the new album, The Libertines’ 45-year-old co-frontman gives me a guided tour of the premises.We visit the seven guest rooms designed by Rhiannon Sussex, including the first-floor suite Barât helped style in the familiar black and gold. It has a balcony, sea views and is named the “William Blake” after the poet, painter and figurehead of the Romantic Age.Next we have a peek into the room immediately above ­— the “Emily Dickinson”, in honour of the 19th Century American poet ­— which has Doherty’s influence all over it.The focus was to buy and build this place — and then anoint it with our blood, sweat and tears.Carl BaratMore black and gold, a vast vintage brass bed, bespoke wallpaper depicting a scantily clad pre-Raphaelite maiden and a love heart painting by Pete himself.Elsewhere, on the stairs, in the bars and washrooms, there’s plenty of Libertines memorabilia in the form of old gig posters, photos and artwork.In the downstairs loo, the white-tiled floor has the words “YOU PISSED IT ALL UP THE WALL” picked out in black capitals — a line from The Libertines’ first single, What A Waster.And, finally, Barât leads me through the well-appointed studio, today occupied by singer-songwriter Amy Studt, where he, Doherty, bassist John Hassall and drummer Gary Powell convened to record All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade.“The focus was to buy and build this place — and then anoint it with our blood, sweat and tears,” says Barât.“We had to keep the energy flowing, beyond just emailing song ideas to each other.”’We suffered personal trauma’With Barât moving his family down to another place in Margate, Doherty living in France with his partner and baby daughter, Hassell in Denmark and only Powell remaining in London, The Libertines seem to be scattered to the four winds.With the birth of The Albion Rooms, however, they have a cast-iron HQ for the first time in their rollercoaster career.I suggest that it offers them the possibility of a future they can all enjoy.“I hope so,” muses Barât, before choosing his next words carefully.“Thinking back, it is very apparent that we suffered personal trauma in our early years — through the drugs, obviously, and the lifestyle that followed.”Somewhat ruefully, he continues: “People started believing we were only capable of creating art through perpetuating that lifestyle.“It was our ball and chain and it has also been the death knell of many a good artist because they carried on down that road.”During their wild days, Barât suspected that The Libertines’ insane live shows were populated by “people who just wanted to come and see a car crash”. “But, having clung on to one another for dear life through the turbulence, we’ve finally found some semblance of togetherness.”In 2024, he can report: “There’s so much genuine friendship and positivity between us that the car crash is not on the bill any more.”Talking to Barât, the word Albion, an ancient, romanticised alternative word for Britain, crops up a lot. It will forever link him to Doherty, who has also repeatedly embraced it.After signing with Rough Trade Records in 2001, they rented a flat together in Bethnal Green, which they dubbed The Albion Rooms.Barât once squatted in an disused factory on Albion Road, Stoke Newington, which was “run like a concentration camp by a guy called Denzil The Wizard, who tapped into street lighting for electricity”.Later, he lived “legitimately” on the same street in a house that he painted black.It’s only fitting, therefore, that The Libertines’ new seaside venture keeps the Albion flag flying in a building of the same dark hue.Looking out over a Victorian bandstand to the English Channel, Barât says: “It feels as if The Good Ship Albion, which is how we think of ourselves, may have docked forever.“Maybe we’ll discover it hasn’t, but we’re finding things calm at the moment.”Though the new album was recorded at their studio on the lower ground floor of The Albion Rooms, the seeds were sown on Barât and Doherty’s songwriting trip to Jamaica in September 2022.I ask what prompted their brainstorm. “When we’re alone together, our chemistry is unique,” replies Barât.“In this case, we thought, ‘S**t, we need a record, do we have it in us? Let’s find out’.”Their first day in Jamaica coincided with the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, a cathartic moment for the two bandmates.Barât says: “We were sitting at the top of a mountain in this glass building watching the funeral, being brought endless trays of jerk chicken.“We had a bit of Wray & Nephews [rum], some Red Stripes and it seemed as if our past came back to life.“We put a few demons and taboos to bed and, after all the bulls**t was out of the way, we realised we still had work to do and we still had a lot of love for each other.”Returning to England with four tracks in various stages of completion, the whole band got together in Margate with producer Dimitri Tikovoi and, four weeks later, the 11-track All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade was in the can.We must have been 18 or 19 and those unfulfilled ideas are like birds that peck at your window in the night.Carl BaratThe cover shows The Albion Rooms and what Barât describes as “a motley crew of characters from the songs” including “the day-drinking mum with the Juicy Couture tracksuit” from Mustang.The frontmen share most of the writing duties, while bassist Hassell deserves a shoutout for his sublime, er, melody on Man With The Melody.The album kicks off in boisterous style with Run Run Run, a call to arms suggesting The Libertines fully intend to escape their chequered past.But it also includes a song by Doherty and Barât, the airy Shiver, which began life 25 years ago.“At our first writing sessions, we came up with the line, ‘The last dream of every dying soldier’,” says Barât.“We must have been 18 or 19 and those unfulfilled ideas are like birds that peck at your window in the night.”Without getting too political, the album reflects on our uncertain world with the riotous, ska-inflected Be Young voicing environmental concerns.“When you’re one degree from total and utter f***ing annihilation,” it cries.Lurid headlinesWith towns like Margate on the frontline of the small boats crisis, Merry Old England — “with her chalk cliffs, once white, greying in the sodium light” — poses the question: What sort of country are migrants actually arriving in?Barât says: “Peter and I both put our views into that song. We slightly differ in our opinions, but we didn’t go too far down any one road.”He adds that the shores of Kent have been “the doorstep for everybody back to Julius Caesar and The Vikings, creating wave upon wave of the mongrel race that is the English”.Elsewhere, this vividly realised album evokes British B-movie horror on Baron’s Claw, includes a shouty punk singalong, Oh S**t, and ends with teary ballad, Songs They Never Play On The Radio.Before our chat wraps up, I ask Barât for his hindsight on the three previous Libertines albums, starting with their debut, 2002’s Up The Bracket, regarded as a classic and the best thing since Britpop.He says: “That album represents bright lights, ambition, happy-go-lucky mentality — and disbelief at finding ourselves in that position at that time.“We felt we were standing in the pantheon of our idols. I bought a picture of James Dean in Camden Market and we added little pictures of John Lennon, Groucho Marx, Ian Brown and Morrissey.“We named it The Anxiety Of Influence. These were our heroes and we thought we could get a step closer to their world.”Next up is the self-titled second Libertines album, released in 2004 as the wheels fell off in a cloud of lurid headlines, mostly surrounding Doherty’s drug addiction and wayward behaviour.Despite huge public appetite for the band and critical acclaim for songs such as Can’t Stand Me Now and What Became Of The Likely Lads, the record summons bad memories for Barât.“It was all about fallout, heartbreak, chaos, exhaustion,” he says. “I find it hard to celebrate that awful time.“We aired our dirty laundry in public, which seemed to capture the imagination of those around us.”For his part, Barât feared he was “contributing to the size of the monster” and he admits: “All the ongoing shenanigans raised the profile till it became an inferno.”By the end of 2004, The Libertines split for more than five years, the co-frontmen plunging into other projects, but Barât knew he and Doherty had unfinished business.We don’t know what we’re worth ticket wise — it could be Madison Square Garden or a local bar.Carl Barat“I tried to tell myself that a reunion was never going to happen so I could move on,” he says. “I was looking for closure everywhere, but never finding it.”Back together for a headline slot at the 2010 Reading and Leeds Festivals, followed by rounds of touring, they finally delivered album No3, 2015’s Anthems For Doomed Youth.Recorded at a sweaty studio in Thailand with the odd praying mantis for company, the record was well received.Barât sees it as a crucial stepping stone to the happy place they find themselves in today. He says: “Even though we still had a lot of unresolved issues between us, we knew we intended to have a future.”Carl admits one remaining ambition is to crack America. ‘Trouble is, Pete’s been banned there for the past 20 years,’ he laughsCredit: Ed CookePete Docherty has moved on from his wild times and now lives in FranceCredit: GettyWith The Albion Rooms, Margate, providing them with a home and a cracking new album, we now know what became of the likely lads from The Libertines.One remaining ambition is to crack America. “Trouble is, Pete’s been banned there for the past 20 years,” laughs Barât.READ MORE SUN STORIES“We don’t know what we’re worth ticket wise — it could be Madison Square Garden or a local bar.“But we’re hoping, especially with Pete’s progress, to get there and find out.”THE LIBERTINESAll Quiet On The Eastern EsplanadeThe Libertines’ new album All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade’ is released on 8 MarchCredit: Handout★★★★★ More

    • 250 Shares

      in entertainment and celebrities

      From Kerry Katona to Little Mix stars, how Shakira’s new boyfriend Lucien Laviscount has had a string of celeb flings

      by

      STARRING as romantic interest Alfie in Netflix hit Emily In Paris has made him one of British acting’s ­hottest heart-throbs.Now it seems hunky charmer Lucien Laviscount has struck the big time in love off-screen too, with new superstar girlfriend Shakira.Shakira is dating Brit heartthrob Lucien LaviscountCredit: Press HandoutLucien helped shoot a racy music video for the singerCredit: Planet PhotosIt has been revealed that the 31-year-old Bolton-born actor is seeing the Colombian singer — 16 years his senior — after sparks first flew between them when they shot a racy music video.They have since been repeatedly spotted out together, with sources confirming they are now dating.‘Break her heart’But friends of the chart-topper have voiced worries that sweet-talking Lucien’s intentions are dubious, and say they fear he will break her heart.While it seems she is genuinely looking to fall in love, Lucien has a long record of dating then ditching celebrity partners, and her pals fear he may not have genuine feelings and is “only after fame”.READ MORE CELEB NEWSThey say they are worried he is ­stepping out with Shakira because “he just wants people to know his name, and she provides that”.Considering Lucien’s extensive back catalogue of celebrity relationships, it seems their fears might not be totally unfounded.Over the years the actor — who appeared in Coronation Street, Waterloo Road and Celebrity Big Brother before landing his role in comedy drama Emily In Paris in 2021 — has upgraded his love life in ­tandem with his acting CV.And always, it seems, with one eye toward Hollywood.Most read in CelebrityFrom dating barely known Brit soap stars when he was on the ­bottom rung of fame, he has now hit the big time with a world-famous girlfriend.Shakira, 47, IS dating Lucien Laviscount, 31 – but friends fear he’s just in relationship for fameBorn in 1992, Lucien is the son of bodybuilder dad Eugene, who is of Antiguan descent, and mum Sonia, and grew up with brothers Louis and Jules in the village of Read, just outside Burnley.His career in the spotlight began at ten, as a model for Marks & Spencer after he was scouted on a shopping trip in Manchester.He went on to model for other big-name brands including Under Armour, before switching to acting in 2002.After attending a theatre workshop in Bury, Lucien won his first role in BBC1 drama Clocking Off, before later landing his breakthrough part as Jake Briggs in school soap Grange Hill in 2007.His celebrity conquests began with 2009 Big Brother winner Sophie Reade.They dated in 2010 when Lucien was 17 and had just won his first big TV role as schoolboy Jonah Kirby in BBC1’s Waterloo Road.At the time Sophie described him as “the perfect guy and the whole package”, though they didn’t last long.The Lavis count…
      2009: With Hollyoaks actress ­Dominique Jackson. The pair were together for a few months when he was in Corrie.
      2010: Dates Big Brother winner and model Sophie Reade, who described him at the time as ‘the whole package’.
      2011: Flirts with both Amy Childs and Kerry Katona in CBB house. After leaving the show continues the “age-gap relationship” with Kerry, but it lasts just a few months before they split.
      2011: Enjoys encounters with Made In Chelsea heiress Chloe Green – the two are spied ­snogging in public.
      2012: Dinner dates with Little Mix singer Leigh-Anne Pinnock.
      2013: Romances Corrie co-star Brooke Vincent for few months.
      2013: Has a short-lived fling with Waterloo Road actress Chelsee Healey.
      2015: Dates in LA with Scream Queens co-star Keke Palmer for a few months.
      2019: Spotted on dinner dates with presenter Kelly Osbourne.
      2021: Spotted in London kissing Little Mix singer Jesy Nelson in a rickshaw.
      2024: Dinner dates in New York with Shakira.

      Since then he has been romantically linked to Hollyoaks actresses Dominique Jackson and Chelsee Healey, Corrie’s Brooke Vincent, Made In Chelsea’s Chloe Green, Little Mix singers Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jesy Nelson, and presenter Kelly Osbourne.Age gap worriesIn 2011 Lucien was a finalist in Series Eight of Celebrity Big Brother, where he enjoyed two flings in the house, with Kerry Katona and Towie’s Amy Childs, as well as admitting to having a long-term crush on Baywatch star Pamela Anderson.While there he had to deny accusations of being a “mad shagger”, owing to his playboy image.His affair with ex-Atomic Kitten singer Kerry lasted beyond the timescale of the show, and was his first age-gap love — he was 19 and she was 31, but he was reported as ­saying: “When I’m with her I don’t feel like there’s an age gap at all.”Even so, the relationship was short-lived, and Kerry claimed to have ended it because she “would never want to take his childhood away from him”.She also said the age gap “held them back” following a “friends-with-benefits” relationship.Then after the split she said it was likely Lucien would not be happy about being listed as her ex, as she claimed he was “never officially my boyfriend”. In 2021 singer Jesy ­Nelson was said to be “mortified” when photos leaked of her kissing Lucien on a romantic date in Mayfair, London — perhaps because he was also alleged to have dated fellow Little Mixer Leigh-Anne ­Pinnock nine years earlier in 2012.His first fling with an American actress came when he co-starred with Keke Palmer in TV comedy horror Scream Queens in 2015, and they were spotted on numerous dates around LA.But with pop star Shakira, it seems Lucien has set his sights on his love life finally breaking into the A-list.The Hips Don’t Lie singer met Lucien when he was cast as the love interest in the music video for her single with Cardi B, Punteria, in February this year.In the raunchy film Lucien is a topless centaur, or part-man, part=horse, and the two cavort together as he caresses Shakira’s face on a pastel-tinged screen.Shakira, whose hair is coloured baby-pink, shoots an arrow at Lucien’s bare torso, then they writhe together passionately.Since the scenes were shot, the two have been spotted on a romantic dinner date at an Italian restaurant in New York.A source close to the singer says: “Shakira is desperate to fall in love but her friends are concerned because Lucien has slowly crept his way up the celebrity ladder while dating women who were all less famous than her.”Their concerns are further fuelled by her recent history of heartbreaks.Previously Shakira — often called the Queen of Latin Music — was in an 11-year relationship with former Barcelona footballer Gerard Pique, 37, and they have two sons, Sasha, nine, and Milan, 11.They separated in 2022 after rumours that Gerard, who is now dating Spanish model Clara Chia Marti, had been unfaithful.Friends of Shakira have voiced worries that sweet-talking Lucien’s intentions are dubiousCredit: GettyLucien met Kerry Katona on Celebrity Big BrotherCredit: RexIn the Spanish lyrics of her 2022 song Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions Vol 53, she laid into her ex, raging: “I won’t return to you any more, even if you cry or beg me.”After last month’s release of her 12th studio album, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, Shakira also blamed the relationship breakdown with her children’s father for her delay in releasing new music.She told American TV host Jimmy Fallon: “It was the husband. Now I’m husbandless. Yeah, the husband was dragging me down. Now I’m free, I can actually work.”And she told another interviewer: “For a long time I put my career on hold, to be next to Gerard, so he could play football. There was a lot of sacrifice for love.”And now that broken love is behind her friends’ fears that Lucien could cause the singer even more hurt.READ MORE SUN STORIESThey have expressed their relief that the two are not yet heavily involved, and so far it seems the hunky Brit remains just a rebound fling.But one friend is reported to have said: “She is dating someone who they fear is a player — and she is going to get burned.”Lucien played Ben Richardson on CorrieCredit: RexThe actor has also featured on Waterloo RoadCredit: BBCLucien and Little Mix’s Jesy Nelson share a moment in a rickshaw in 2021Credit: CLICK NEWS AND MEDIAIn 2019 Laviscount was spotted on dinner dates with presenter Kelly OsbourneCredit: BackGridChelsee Healey and Lucien lock lips in a nightclub in 2011Credit: Smart PicturesIn 2015 the actor had dates in LA with Scream Queens co-star Keke PalmerCredit: Insight News and FeaturesLucien has been involved with Made In Chelsea’s Chloe GreenCredit: BackGridThe star romanced Corrie co-star Brooke Vincent for a few monthsCredit: RexIn 2010 the young actor dated Big Brother winner and model Sophie ReadeCredit: MatrixSophie was Lucien’s first celebrity conquestCredit: RexLily Collins as Emily and Lucien as Alfie in Emily in ParisCredit: �2021 Netflix, Inc. More

    • 250 Shares

      in entertainment and celebrities

      Kate Moss’s Bahamas fling at 14 & Bake Off queen who had orgy – the ways celebs lost their virginity

      by

      DO good things come to those who wait?In her new memoir, actress Rebel Wilson revealed she was 35 when she had sex for the first time, with actor Mickey Gooch Jr, six years her junior.Kate Moss lost her virginity at 14 during a family holiday in the BahamasCredit: GettyAussie Rebel, 44, adds that he did not know she was a virgin and that she was late to the game because she feared, “As a big girl, no one would ever find me sexually attractive”.In her book Rebel Rising, she writes: “I didn’t want to live my life ­without experiencing sex.“I put it out into the universe that I was finally ready.“I was going to sl*t it up with the next guy that came along. And, Micks, I know this might be news to you but, yes, I lost my virginity to you.”READ MORE IN SHOWBIZShe is not the only celeb happy to overshare about losing their V-plates.From Kate Moss to Chris Martin, we look at the first times for these stars . . .KATE MOSS, 14Kate was scouted by the brother of Storm Management founder Sarah Doukas at the same ageCredit: RexWALKING through JFK Airport after a family holiday in the Bahamas, a 14-year-old Kate was feeling on top of the world.In her own words, the 50-year-old model recalls how she was smoking a cigarette and thinking she was “the bee’s knees” as she had just lost her virginity.Most read in CelebrityIt was at that moment she was scouted by the brother of Storm Management founder Sarah Doukas.She was offered a top modelling gig while at the airport – and has never looked back career-wise.Rebel Wilson leaks name of A-list actor she claims ‘threatened’ her over tell-all book in now-deleted Instagram postCHRIS MARTIN, 22Chris Martin says his religious upbringing put a dampener on his sex gameCredit: GettyThe Coldplay singer did not lose his virginity until after universityCredit: RexTHE 47-year-old Coldplay singer says his religious upbringing put a dampener on his sex game.Raised in Devon by committed Christian parents, Chris did not lose his virginity until after university.He recalled: “There were religious issues and s**t like that.“Also, confidence. I had a tricky time with girls. I got trapped in the friendship tip many, many times.“I don’t want to be the person that makes everyone laugh before they go off and bang.”PRUE LEITH, 15Prue Leith says she felt pushed into sex as a youngsterCredit: GettyThe Bake Off star says: ‘I was just weak because I had this rather pushy boyfriend who kept taunting me’Credit: RexSHE is the voice of reason on TV’s Bake Off, but Prue revealed she felt pushed into sex as a youngster.The 84-year-old told Sunday Times Magazine: “I was just weak because I had this rather pushy boyfriend who kept taunting me.“But luckily I had a good relationship soon afterwards and that was when I discovered that sex was great.”Prue would later have a 13-year affair with Rayne Kruger, the husband of her mother’s best friend, who she eventually went on to marry.CARA DELEVINGNE, 18Cara Delevingne reveals she lost her virginity at 18Credit: GettyThe model said: ‘It was a one-night stand and it happened at a New Year’s Eve party’Credit: RexSHE appears to be full of confidence now, but model Cara, 31, says she was shy when it came to sexual encounters as a youngster.Speaking on drag queen RuPaul’s podcast about losing her virginity at 18, she revealed: “I was quite late.“After being conditioned to think, ‘This is the noise that people make’, I remember stopping making any noise or trying to really maintain it.“It was a one-night stand and it happened at a New Year’s Eve party.“It put me off sex for about two years.”ADRIANA LIMA, 27Adriana Lima stayed a virgin until her wedding day in 2009Credit: GettyShe revealed: ‘Men have to respect that this is my choice’Credit: RexTHE 42-year-old former Victoria’s Secret model remained a virgin until her wedding day in 2009.Brazilian Adriana wed Serbian basketball player Marko Jaric, 45, on Valentine’s Day in a private civil ceremony and spoke about wanting to live “purely” until she became a wife.She said: “Sex is for after marriage. Men have to respect that this is my choice.“If there’s no respect, that means they don’t want me.’”The pair, who share two daughters, separated in 2014 and divorced two years later.SIMON COWELL, 17Simon Cowell is said to have lost his virginity with his first girlfriendCredit: GettyThe X Factor boss dated her for 18 months after their first night of passionCredit: Splash NewsTHE 64-year-old X Factor boss reportedly lost his virginity with his first serious girlfriend.According to biography Sweet Revenge: The Intimate Life Of Simon Cowell, by Tom Bower, the future music mogul fell head over heels for the woman and they dated for a further 18 months after their first night of passion.But then it all came crashing down when Simon was said to have been seen at a party kissing one of his tutors from Windsor Technical College.CHERYL TWEEDY, 15Cheryl made her teenage lover wait three months before losing her virginityCredit: GettyShe revealed: ‘I think men should earn that intimacy’Credit: Rex FeaturesFORMER X Factor judge Cheryl made her teenage lover wait three months before they took things into the bedroom.The 40-year-old former Girls Aloud singer told Glamour magazine: “I was 15 when I lost my virginity, but I made my boyfriend wait three months, so I am really proud of myself for that.”The pop star also says she has never had a one-night stand, adding: “The thought of being intimate with someone you don’t know really freaks me out. “I think men should earn that intimacy.”JIMMY CARR, 26Jimmy Carr lost his virginity later than other celebs aged 26Credit: GettyThe comedian said: ‘I think I was a little bit repressed, I’m a late developer’Credit: GettyHE is not shy of making racy remarks as host of 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown, but the 51-year-old comedian says this is a world away from his awkward teenage years.Speaking on Desert Island Discs, he said: “Yeah, late to sex – very late to sex.“I quite like talking about that, though, because I really remember being a teenager and thinking, ‘I’m not normal, I’m weird’.“Maybe religion played into it and not meeting the right person. “I think I was a little bit repressed, I’m a late developer and I’m OK with that.”KATIE HOLMES, 26Katie Holmes always vowed to stay a virgin until she marriedCredit: GettyKatie began dating Tom Cruise in 2005 aged 26Credit: RexTHE 45-year-old Dawson’s Creek actor – and former Mrs Tom Cruise – had always vowed to stay a virgin until she married.But that clearly changed when she began dating Top Gun and Mission: Impossible star Tom in 2005 when she was 26.They became engaged after just seven weeks and Katie had daughter Suri a year later in April 2006.They only actually tied the knot after their baby was born, getting married in a Scientology ceremony in November that year.JOHNNY DEPP, 13Johnny Depp lost his virginity on the back seat of a van aged 13Credit: GettyJohnny, 60, revealed: ‘I knew what to do, I had studied the subject for many years!’Credit: RexPIRATES Of The Caribbean star Johnny lost his virginity on the back seat of a van.At the time he was a guitarist for a band called Flame and he says a groupie became infatuated with him.Johnny, 60, told Playboy magazine: “I was about 13, playing guitar at a club, and this girl who was a little older had been hanging around listening to us.READ MORE SUN STORIES“She was a virgin, too. That night we just . . . partook. It was in the bass player’s van.“I knew what to do, I had studied the subject for many years!” More

    • 225 Shares

      in entertainment and celebrities

      How Taylor Swift became pop’s first BILLIONAIRE by taking advice from another singer & turning tours into films

      by

      ANY Swiftie worth their salt can tell you how many of Taylor Swift’s albums have marked eras in her career with their own styles and aesthetics.There was the Fearless stage, filled with sparkles and romance, Reputation was Taylor’s villain period, and Lover was all about rainbows and political activism.Taylor Swift has entered a new era, as she’s made the exclusive Forbes rich list for the first timeCredit: AlamyHer $1.1billion fortune (£875million) dwarfs the £32million that Kansas City Chiefs American footballer boyfriend Travis Kelce is estimated to be worthCredit: GettyNow the 12-time Grammy winner has entered her BILLIONAIRE era.Releasing its 2024 list of billionaires, American business magazine Forbes revealed the 34-year-old US singer had joined its exclusive roll call for the first time.Taylor has amassed a $1.1billion fortune, equal to nearly £875million. It dwarfs the £32million her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs American footballer Travis Kelce, 34, is estimated to be worth.READ MORE ON TAYLOR SWIFTTaylor’s wondrous wealth includes about £400million from tours and royalties, plus similar from her back catalogue, £123million from a movie of her latest concert tour, £100million in property, and of course big-money endorsements with some of the world’s biggest brands.She is the 2,456th richest person on the planet, on the Forbes list, now headed by French fashion and retail tycoon Bernard Arnault, 75.A huge slice of Taylor’s riches has come from her ongoing Eras world tour, which began in March last year and will close in December. She sold 4.3million tickets last year, over 60-plus shows.Most read in MusicBut another reason for her big bucks has been her brilliant business acumen over the years.Ever since Taylor released her self-titled debut album at age 16, she has proved a master at engaging with her army of fans — who now number 283million on Instagram and proudly identify as Swifties.Taylor Swift announces brand-new album The Tortured Poets Department after Grammys win leaving fans feeling ‘blindsided’Vinyl revivalOne way she does this is through her famous “Easter eggs” — hidden cryptic messages she drops into her music videos, song lyrics and social media posts. Some reveal who a song is about while others may give clues to her feelings when recording.Taylor’s wondrous wealth includes around $400million from tours and royaltiesCredit: GettyA huge slice comes from her back catalogue, though it comes just years after she chose to re-record her first few albums as she didn’t own the masters to themCredit: APBut while Taylor’s music catalogue is worth almost £400million, after 11 studio albums, four re-recorded albums and three live albums, there was a time when much of this was not under her control.After she left Scott Borchetta’s Big Machine Records, where she recorded her first six albums, her former record label in 2019 sold off a load of her masters, videos and artwork to celebrity manager Scooter Braun without her knowledge.Braun, who has steered the careers of hitmakers including Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande, then sold these in 2020 to US-based private equity company Shamrock Holdings for $300million, in a deal that would still see him make money off them.But in 2019, social media whizz Taylor wrote a lengthy Tumblr post calling out Braun, and quickly got the world on her side.Fellow US singer Kelly Clarkson then pitched in with wise advice, suggesting that Taylor re-record her albums.Writing on Twitter, now X, Kelly, 41, said: “Just a thought, U should go in & re-record all the songs that U don’t own the masters on, exactly how U did them but put brand new art & some kind of incentive so fans will no longer buy the old versions.”Taylor made the groundbreaking decision to do exactly that in 2021, releasing her own versions of her albums, one at a time, so that she now owns them.It was to prove a very savvy move. Fiercely protective Swifties fought their idol’s corner by refusing to buy her first six albums unless they were Taylor’s own versions, and it was her re-release of fifth album 1989, first put out in 2014, that made Taylor a billionaire.Neither of these men [Braun and Borchetta] had a hand in the writing of those songs. They did nothing to create the relationship I have with my fansTaylor SwiftShe posted on social media in 2019: “I feel very strongly that sharing what is happening to me could change the awareness level for other artists and potentially help them avoid a similar fate.“The message being sent to me is very clear — basically, be a good little girl and shut up. Or you’ll be punished. This is WRONG. “Neither of these men [Braun and Borchetta] had a hand in the writing of those songs. They did nothing to create the relationship I have with my fans.“So this is where I’m asking for your help.”Another fellow singer, Sheryl Crow, recently applauded Taylor’s business bravery, writing in Esquire magazine: “You and you alone are responsible for your art . . . [Taylor] came up with solutions for how to not allow her music to be a money-maker for other people when she should be owning it.” American chart-topper Sheryl, 62, added: “There’s not a handbook for how to navigate, as a woman, a business that is predominantly run by men. “Or for when you have a strong woman, how that challenges men and their feelings of importance.”Meanwhile Taylor has also won plaudits for championing the rights of underpaid artists.I’m not willing to contribute my life’s work to an experiment that I don’t feel fairly compensates the writers, producers, artists and creators of this musicTaylor SwiftAfter selling 1.3million copies of 1989, the biggest album of 2014, she stunned the world when she made the decision to remove her whole catalogue of music from Spotify in protest over its low royalty payments.Writing in a piece for the Wall Street Journal a few months earlier, she said: “Valuable things should be paid for. It’s my opinion that music should not be free.”And she said later: “I’m not willing to contribute my life’s work to an experiment that I don’t feel fairly compensates the writers, producers, artists and creators of this music.”After her boycott prompted Spotify to change its royalty policy, she won Saint Taylor status. But she did not return to Spotify for three years, when she agreed improved terms.Indeed, Taylor has grafted for her money, as a prolific songwriter.While the world almost stood still during the Covid pandemic, she was busy making new music.Taylor released her eighth album, Folklore, in July 2020 and within a day had more than 80.6million Spotify streams. She quickly followed this release with with ninth album Evermore, in December of the same year, then Midnights in 2022, and 11th album The Tortured Poets Department is due on April 19.She has also enticed her fans to buy physical copies of her records, leading a revival for vinyl. In 2022, Swifties helped push UK vinyl sales past CDs for the first time in 35 years as they clamoured to get their hands on her Midnights LP.But not everyone is a fan of the trend. US singer Billie Eilish called out Taylor last month over sustainability concerns.Billie, 22, said: “We live in this day and age where, for some reason, it’s very important to some artists to make all sorts of different vinyl and packaging . . .  which ups the sales and ups the numbers and gets them more money and gets them more . . . I can’t even express to you how wasteful it is.”Taylor’s wealth also includes her real estate empire. These include eight multi-million-dollar pads across four US states. In 2014, she bought two adjacent penthouses in a New York building for more than £15million.We live in this day and age where, for some reason, it’s very important to some artists to make all sorts of different vinyl and packaging . . .Billie EilishAnd then she has also had major endorsement deals, with brands such as Diet Coke, Keds shoes and CoverGirl cosmetics. And when tickets for her Eras tour went on sale, die-hard fans caused the website Ticketmaster to crash.For those who could not afford the sky-high prices, Taylor also cleverly turned the tour into a film you could see in cinemas.Produced by her own team, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour took around $123million in global box office on the opening weekend alone, as millions of fans dressed up as Taylor to attend the sing-a-long shows.She also reportedly bypassed film distributors, so gaining a 57 per cent cut of the revenue for herself.And with her Eras tour rolling on until the end of this year, there will be a whole lot more riches cascading down into Taylor’s bank accounts.Taylor has made $123million from the film version of her Eras Tour, which is streaming on Disney+She also has around $100million in propertyCredit: Erik Thomas / NY PostFORBES RICH LIST TOP 10

      Bernard Arnault & family – $233bn (Fashion & retail)
      Elon Musk – $195bn (Automotive)
      Jeff Bezos – $194bn (Technology)
      Mark Zuckerberg – $177bn (Technology)
      Larry Ellison – $141bn (Technology)
      Warren Buffett – $133bn (Finance and Investments)
      Bill Gates – $128bn (Technology)
      Steve Ballmer – $121bn (Technology)
      Mukesh Ambani – $116bn (Diversified)
      Larry Page – $114bn (Technology)

      TECH MOGULS $200bn RICHERTECH moguls have got even richer in the past year – with Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg banking another $200bn between them.However, the top spot goes to fashion boss Bernard Arnault. Elon Musk has been able to bump up his fortune this yearCredit: GettyAnd Amazon fortune Jeff Bezos is right behind himCredit: GettyFellow tech mogul Mark Zuckerberg is fourth with a fortune of $177bnCredit: GettyMusk is in second place with an estimated net worth of $195bn, up from $180bn last year.The 52-year-old has grown his wealth from his firms including electric car maker Tesla and rocket producer SpaceX. He also bought Twitter, now X, in 2022.Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is right behind him, taking the third spot with a $194bn fortune.Bezos, 60, has added $80bn to his net worth in 12 months. He founded the online giant in 1994 from his garage. He stepped down as CEO to become executive chairman in 2021, but still owns nearly ten per cent, with his shares valued at about $143bn last December.Mark Zuckerberg is fourth with $177bn. The 39-year-old almost trebled his bank balance from £64.4bn last year. Much of his wealth comes from Facebook, which he created at Harvard 20 years ago. Parent company Facebook, Inc. was rebranded as Meta Platforms, Inc. 2021, to “reflect its focus on building the metaverse”NEW ENTRY CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN’S A SHOE-INChristian Louboutin – $1.2bnFrench fashion designer Christian Louboutin has made the rich listCredit: GettyHis brand was made famous by iconic red-soled stilettosCredit: AlamyThe 61-year-old French fashion designer has reached the billionaire list thanks to his fashion brand, made famous by his iconic red-soled stilettos, beloved by celebrities including Victoria Beckham, who while pregnant with Harper wore a custom made pair to Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding in 2011.Magic Johnson – $1.2bnFormer basketball star Magic Johnson has mostly made his wealth through savvy business dealingsCredit: GettyThe 64-year-old former basketball star has actually amassed his wealth in business, namely forging savvy partnerships with other billionaires. He part owns the American football team, NFL’s Washington Commanders with American investor Justin Harris and has a stake in the life insurance provider EquiTrust.Dick Wolf – $1.2bnREAD MORE SUN STORIESTV producer Nick Wolf has been behind the most watched crime shows on TVCredit: GettyThe 77-year-old TV producer has a successful career spanning three decades and behind the most watched crime shows on TV, including Law & Order with him selling the streaming rights to the show to NBC’s Peacock in 2020 for a deal worth estimated $300 million. The American’s Wolf Entertainment is one of the most profitable and prolific production companies in Hollywood history. More

    • 263 Shares

      in entertainment and celebrities

      From Netflix hit to marital bliss, inside Guy Ritchie’s new life as he finds true happiness 16 years after Madonna split

      by

      IN 1999 Guy Ritchie seemed to have it all thanks to his hit movie Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels as well as the ultimate celebrity girlfriend in Madonna.But over the next 25 years the director went on a rollercoaster ride that meant his private and professional life never peaked simultaneously . . . until now.Guy Ritchie finally found happiness with second wife Jacqui AinsleyCredit: GettyMadonna and Guy Ritchie divorced in 2008 citing irreconcilable differencesCredit: GettyMadonna and Guy were the ultimate It Couple of the NoughtiesCredit: PA:Press AssociationAfter marrying then divorcing Madge, father-of-five Guy, 55, has finally found happiness with his second wife, actress Jacqui Ainsley.And that joy has coincided with one of his biggest hits in years, Netflix gangster series The Gentlemen, which has been viewed on the streaming service 44million times in the UK alone.A TV insider said: “The success of The Gentlemen has been a huge thrill for Guy and, in some ways, a very pleasant surprise as he’s carved out a career as a movie maker.“To suddenly find himself basking in the glory of a hit TV series has been something of an epiphany for him, and the cherry on the cake of the current chapter of his life.READ MORE ON GUY RITCHIE“Finally, he has the happy family he always craved and is enjoying a return to form.”The Gentlemen, which dropped on Netflix last month, is a comedy drama exploring the British class system.Showered with praiseIt is told  through the story of Edward Horniman, played by hunky British actor Theo James who had a big part in The White Lotus.He unexpectedly inherits the estate and title of his late father, The Duke of Halstead. Most read in CelebrityHowever, Eddie also inherits a secret drugs farm underneath the house, which is run by mobsters who refuse to get off his land.So instead of trying to beat them, the new duke joins them in all sorts of illegal enterprises, which are aided by his mother Lady Sabrina, played by Joely Richardson, and his gamekeeper Geoffrey, played by Vinnie Jones. It also stars Giancarlo Esposito, from Breaking Bad, as businessman Stanley Johnson and features Ray Winstone and Daniel Ings.Madonna and Guy Ritchie’s son Rocco, 22, flogs old sofa to fans online despite parents’ BILLION dollar fortune v2The Gentlemen has not just been a hit here, where a crime caper featuring a toff would be a natural fit. Netflix has seen the show top the charts around the globe.Critics have showered it with praise too. One described it as “an absolute boat-load of fun”, while another said “It’s just too fun: the fast cars, the increasingly unhinged baddies and how everything keeps going wrong in ever more spectacular ways.”Perhaps the most poignant remark was that the series was: “Guy Ritchie with all the knobs turned to max.”Despite moving from films to TV, Guy hasn’t ditched his typically English style of storytelling, and has brought together all the elements that forged hit films including 1998’s Lock Stock and 2000’s Snatch.Hit filmsAs well as mobsters, the series features members of the travelling community, boxers, hardmen and hapless characters.And Guy admits the story of The Gentlemen, which he directed as a film in 2019 and spawned the current spin-off TV series, owes much to his early gangster films.He said: “It’s on that frequency, but 20 years later. Everyone evolves — well, hopefully everyone evolves.”Guy’s evolution as a writer, director and producer has moved in tandem with him developing a lifestyle as a happily-married country gent, one that unquestionably inspired his TV hit.Although he came from rather posh stock himself and was privately educated, when he first emerged on the movie scene he seemed to revel in the geezer image of the characters in his films.But it appears he has increasingly returned to his origins, buying Georgion manor Ashcombe House, near Bath, set in 1,134 acres, where he embraces his image as wealthy, landed gentry.Despite making millions, Guy once remarked: “Other than the fact I like a country house, I can’t think of anything I’d want to spend my money on.”Kaya Scodelario as Susie and Theo James as Eddie in Netflix’s The Gentlemen, created by Guy RitchieVinnie Jones as Geoff, pictured right, in The GentlemenCredit: Christopher Rafael/NetflixHe added: “The English countryside is the most staggeringly beautiful place. I can’t spend as much time there as I like, but I like everything about it. I like fishing, I like clay-pigeon shooting.”The house was bought in 2001 when Guy was still married to Madonna and with the pair forming the ultimate It Couple of the Noughties.But in 2002 the rot set in. He had his first film disaster directing and writing Swept Away, a rom-com starring his famous wife that was roundly panned.Then came two more of his gangster movies, Revolver in 2005 and RocknRolla in 2008, that did not have the same impact as his previous hits. Then in 2008 he and Madonna, who had son Rocco and adopted David together, divorced citing irreconcilable differences.Next Guy made the two Sherlock Holmes movies with Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law, which were box office successes in 2009 and 2011. It was around this time that Guy met Jacqui, and she recalls the cheeky exchange they had when introduced via mutual friends in London.Shock divorceShe recalled: “Guy said: ‘That’s a pretty dress,’ and I thought, ‘Well, he could just be a bit of a charmer.’ So I said, ‘Are you auditioning for a new wife?’ And he went, ‘Oo-ooh, cocky,’ and we laughed.’”They married four years later at his estate in a star-studded event attended by Brad Pitt, Henry Cavill and David Beckham, and have three children together — Rafael, 13, Rivka, 11, and ten-year-old Levi.And Guy couldn’t have been happier, once remarking: “I love fatherhood. I could bang on about kids for ever.”Though his family life was at its best, he was less fortunate in his career with lukewarm receptions for his remake of The Man from UNCLE in 2015 and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword in 2017.Eyebrows were raised further when he seemed to park his traditional action hero films in favour of writing and directing the Hollywood live-action telling of Aladdin in 2019.I love fatherhood. I could bang on about kids foreverGuy RitchieFurther disappointments came last year with Operation Fortune, a gangster film that ended up airing on Prime Video, and war movie The Covenant, one of the biggest box office bombs of the year.Guy always admitted he had a slightly haphazard approach to filmmaking, once saying: “What I try to do is throw as much mud on the wall as I possibly can and just see what sticks, what shines as quirky or more interesting than the others, and I try to cling on to that.”The film version of The Gentlemen came in 2019, starring Hugh Grant, Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam and Michelle Dockery. It did well at the box office, but didn’t send many ripples through Hollywood.At its premiere, Guy explained he never wanted the story to be a film, but he was made an offer he “couldn’t say no to”.Guy and Jacqui married at Ashcombe House in a star-studded event attendedCredit: GettyAfter divorcing Madonna, father of five Guy finally found happiness with second wife Jacqui AinsleyCredit: InstagramHe added: “I presented it first as a TV series but as I did, it got snatched off my table and they said: ‘Let’s make it into a film and then we can make it into a TV series.’”Guy found that making the jump from film to TV was not too difficult.READ MORE SUN STORIESHe said: “The characters take on their own life, all you have to do is establish a character and create their own voice, then couple that with an actor and we’re off to the races. You feel this could run and run.”That will be welcome news for Netflix bosses when they ask for The Gentlemen II. More

    • 275 Shares

      in entertainment and celebrities

      From Maya Jama & Stormzy to Dua Lipa & Callum Turner – the new power couples battling to be Hollywood’s hottest item

      by

      EVER since French singer Serge Gainsbourg took glamorous actress Jane Birkin in his arms in the Sixties, the race to become showbiz’s It couple has never slowed down.In recent times we’ve had Brad and Angelina, J-Lo and Ben, Posh and Becks . . . According to Vogue, Dua Lipa and Callum Turner are leading Hollywood’s new crop of fashion power couplesCredit: GettyBritish actor Callum modelled for Louis Vuitton and Burberry when youngerCredit: GettyBut these old-timers are now taking a back seat, with a new generation of fashion power couples appearing centre stage.Leading the way, according to style magazine Vogue, are Brits Dua Lipa and Callum Turner.Culture expert Nick Ede tells The Sun: “The rise of the power couple is upon us once again. “We’ve seen Brad and Angelina, Meghan and Harry, but now the players are upping their games and are almost untouchable.”read more on dua lipaFrom Stormzy and Maya to Bradley and Gigi, we list the latest rich and powerful couples and their fashion credentials.Dua Lipa & Callum TurnerWorth: £50mAS well as turning heads on the red carpet, singer Dua, 28, has walked the runway for Versace, flaunted Puma tracksuits and fronted Yves Saint Laurent perfume.Brit actor Callum, 34, modelled for Louis Vuitton and Burberry when younger.Most read in CelebrityNick said: “With his new-found status Callum can earn up to a million for his performances – not bad for a boy from a council estate who had a big dream.Dua Lipa and rumoured boyfriend Callum Turner hit the Baftas red carpet ahead of star-studded event“Dua already has £34million, and with a new album and tour on the horizon she will be the duo’s big earner this year, pushing them up to £50million.“They ooze cool British style and if there is a new Brit Pack in town, it would be these two leading it with their stylish looks and loved-up personas.“They are the total package and I’m here for it.”Kaia Gerber & Austin ButlerWorth: £20mKaia Gerber and Austin Butler personify the ‘super chill’ coupleCredit: GettyHAVING been together for about two years, the pair personify the “super chill” couple.Kaia, 22, daughter of supermodel Cindy Crawford, has fronted for major labels, including Jimmy Choo and Miu Miu.Actor Austin, 32, who starred as Elvis in 2022, is a brand ambassador for YSL and has contributed to Prada and Cartier campaigns.The Californian hunk has featured on the cover of Esquire and GQ.Nick says: “Kaia has been earning hundreds of thousands as a model but now, as an actress in Palm Royale and other shows, she is starting to earn the big bucks.“Austin only got £550,000 for Elvis but with star roles in Dune: Part Two and Masters Of The Air, his bank balance is way past the £10million mark.“Coupled with Kaia’s ten million followers and brand deals making £200,000 per post, they are on course to make more than £20million in 2024.“They are the definition of Hollywood sex appeal – both stunningly beautiful and talented, too.“With showbusiness in their roots, they are America’s sweethearts.”Tom Holland & ZendayaWorth: £16mTom Holland and Zendaya are up there among Hollywood’s most stylish youngstersCredit: GettyIT began as a friends-to-lovers romance, now these two 27-year-olds are up there among Hollywood’s most stylish youngsters.US actress and singer Zendaya is the face of Valentino and Bulgari.She has also featured in campaigns for Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vuitton and Michael Kors.It comes as no surprise as she has been modelling since a child and has commanded full-page spreads in Vogue, Elle, InStyle and Glamour.In 2021 she became the youngest person to win the Fashion Icon award at the Council of Fashion Designers of America Fashion Awards.Tom, from Kingston-upon-Thames, South West London, is slowly building his profile after landing the lead role in 2017 blockbuster Spider-Man: Home-coming, becoming the youngest actor to take on the role in the Marvel Universe.He is reportedly now working with Prada.Nick said: “These two are a normal couple that have shot to stardom.”Definitely ones to watch.”Maya Jama & StormzyWorth: £33mMaya Jama and Stormzy have the ability to earn millions from different areasCredit: The Mega AgencyTHE stylish rapper, 30, made history last year when he became the first British man to appear solo on the cover of British Vogue.Partner Maya, 29, who is also a Vogue cover star, is the face of Dolce & Gabbana, Rimmel and Beauty Works – and in 2019 the TV presenter won the People’s Choice Award for best-dressed star.Nick said: “They have the ability to earn millions from different areas, from fashion to TV and music and beyond. “Stormzy is worth around £28million and Maya around £5million. “She can earn around £100,000 per Instagram post and Stormzy over £200,000. “We have invested in their relationship, now we want them to marry and have babies.”Harry Styles & Taylor RussellWorth: £55mTogether Harry Styles and Taylor Russell are a social media super-coupleCredit: News Group Newspapers LtdWHEN they went official this year they made a future power couple.In 2022, 30-year-old Harry, who has had fashion collections with Gucci, was crowned best-dressed musician in the world by GQ mag.Canadian actress Taylor, 29, is an ambassador for clothes brand Loewe and has worked with Prada and Chanel.Nick commented: “Harry is one of the world’s most successful stars, with around £50million in the bank. “Everything he touches turns to gold – and with Taylor by his side things are getting even better.“She has around £5million and a whole lot of credibility. Together, they are a social media super-couple. “Harry can command a million per post and Taylor around £100,000.”They have played it cool, which shows it means something to them.”Bradley Cooper & Gigi HadidWorth: £150mBradley Cooper and Gigi Hadid are worth a combined £150 millionCredit: BackGridMODEL Gigi, 28, has walked in shows for Versace, Tom Ford, Chanel, Fendi, Balmain and H&M, as well as being the poster girl for each brand.Hollywood heavyweight Bradley, 49, has been pictured front row in dapper suits from major brands including Givenchy and Versace.Nick said: “Bradley’s a serious power player worth £120million and Gigi is part of a modelling dynasty worth £30million.“With his Oscars nod this year and her fronting numerous fashion campaigns they are at the top of their games.“Bradley doesn’t post but he has been a brand ambassador and can get £2million for a shoot. “Gigi is a social media queen and can earn up to £1million for her likes and reposts.READ MORE SUN STORIES“Bradley has been known to be a player but he seems to have calmed down with one of the world’s hottest supermodels by his side. “Paired with her catwalk looks, they seem to be a perfect golden couple.” More

    • 250 Shares

      in entertainment and celebrities

      From Brit crooner’s skimpy white hot pants to self-titled album Los Wankas…are these the WORST album covers of all time?

      by

      FROM Lionel Blair in hot pants to the self-titled Los Wankas, these must be among the worst album covers ever.Weird depictions of witchcraft and ill-fitting wigs help make these record sleeves real howlers.The world’s ugliest album covers are all showcased in a new book based on music guru Steve Goldman’s collectionCredit: SplashYorkshireman Steve says: ‘Some spend fortunes collecting fine art, no one collects these covers’Credit: SplashArtists including Dolly Parton and David Bowie feature among some unknowns — all showcased in a new book based on music guru Steve Goldman’s collection.Yorkshireman Steve says: “Some spend fortunes collecting fine art, no one collects these covers.”Here are some of the, er, best.
      The Art Of The Bizarre Vinyl Sleeve, easyontheeyeshop.co.uk, £24.99.
      READ MORE MUSIC NEWSThe album cover for Come Home Baby looks very awkwardCredit: SplashWhat’s going on for the cover of Amen!?Credit: SplashThis soapy scene is strange for a sleeveCredit: SplashEven Dolly Parton’s album covers can miss the markCredit: SplashSour Cream & Other Delights have a wacky record coverCredit: SplashThe World of Joseph Cooper has an odd coverCredit: SplashOlivia Rodrigo slammed for ‘copying’ Mariah Carey with new song Obsessed as fans say ‘we want original!’ (mariah also has a song called obsessed)Lionel Blair dons some tight white pants for his album Aerobic DancingCredit: SplashSandwich unveiled a questionable coverCredit: SplashLos Wankas know how to perplex with their album artCredit: SplashDan Crary looks out of place on the cover for Lady’s FancyCredit: SplashThis is a peculiar album cover from Le Grande CirqueCredit: SplashRobots après tout by Philippe Katerine has an ugly coverCredit: SplashPanpan Kuku by Skeff features an odd looking tot on the frontCredit: SplashDavid Bowie’s cover for Toy isn’t his best workCredit: SplashDo you get the meaning behind this album cover for Hand In Hand?Credit: SplashGeraldine and Ricky’s Trees Talk Too features a woman with a creepy wooden puppetCredit: Splash More