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Welsh side dig heels in over wanted star and Wales international retires

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Wales Online

The latest rugby news from Wales and around the world

These are your evening rugby headlines on Wednesday, February 11.

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Welsh side refuse to let wanted star leave

The Dragons are refusing to let fly-half Tinus de Beer leave Rodney Parade early to join his former side Bulls, according to reports.

The 30-year-old made the short move along the M4 ahead of the current season after two campaigns with Cardiff. He has made 15 appearances for the Dragons so far this season, scoring two tries and contributing a further 27 points from the tee.

While the length of his contract was not disclosed by the Dragons when he signed last year, RugbyPass reports that the Pretoria-born playmaker is wanted by fellow United Rugby Championship side Bulls, who he started his career with in his native South Africa.

According to the publication, De Beer has been earmarked as a potential replacement for former South Africa fly-half Johan Goosen, who retired at the end of last year following a series of injuries.

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It was reported earlier this month that Bulls head coach Johan Ackermann wanted to bring in the Dragons man to support first choice number 10 Handre Pollard alongside Keagan Johannes.

Having braced themselves for a raid by the South African outfit – and according to the latest reports – the Dragons have dug their heels in and are refusing to let De Beer depart Rodney Parade early.

Filo Tiatia has already lost one of his biggest stars in Aaron Wainwright ahead of next season, with the Wales international agreeing to join Leicester Tigers, and he will be keen not to lose his first choice fly-half with him.

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Wales international retires

Wales Women international Kerin Lake has announced her retirement from rugby at the age of 35.

The veteran centre made 54 appearances for the national side and represented her country at two Rugby World Cups, winning her final cap against Canada at last year’s tournament.

However, following a career beset by injury problems, a shoulder injury suffered in that game proved to be the final blow and the midfield stalwart has now decided to hang up her boots.

Announcing her decision in a statement on social media, Lake – who represented Neath Athletic, Ospreys and Gwalia Lightning, and won two Premiership Women’s Rugby titles with Gloucester-Hartpury – said it was “time to step away”.

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“After a lot of thought, the time has come for me to step away from the game that has given me so much,” she wrote. “Rugby has been a part of my life longer than I can count. It has shaped who I am, both on and off the field.

“I’m incredibly grateful to all the coaches I’ve had along the way. Thank you for your guidance, belief and for pushing me to be better every single day.

“To the management and medical staff, your hard work behind the scenes never goes unnoticed and I truly couldn’t have done this without you.

“To my team-mates, past and present, thank you for the memories, friendships, the battles and the laughs,” she added. “It’s been an honour to stand beside you representing something bigger than ourselves.

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“To the fans, thank you for the constant support, whether in the stands, on the sidelines [or] watching from afar. Wearing the jersey and playing in front of you has been an honour.

“Most importantly, thank you to my friends and family, my mother, Steff and Jacob especially, thank you for your unconditional love and support. Thank you.”

Jones determined to get back-line going

By Anthony Brown, Press Association

Huw Jones is determined to help Scotland’s much-vaunted back-line ignite against England after being stifled by Italy in their frustrating Guinness Six Nations opener last weekend.

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The Scots were unable to get their free-flowing attacking game going as torrential rainfall turned their showdown in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico into an attritional battle.

Scotland went down to a dismal 18-15 defeat, cranking up the heat on head coach Gregor Townsend and his players ahead of this weekend’s visit from in-form England.

“England are obviously a brilliant team, so it’s a tough prospect,” said British and Irish Lions centre Jones. “But I think this is probably the perfect game and opposition for us. You don’t need any more motivation, especially after a loss when everyone’s hurting.

“We didn’t really get to play on the weekend, so I think we all have that pent-up frustration and energy from a really frustrating game.

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“Even if we’d won that, I think I would have come away from that being like, ‘I didn’t get to do anything’. I’m really angry about that and I think this week that adds to the fuel of just wanting to go out and show what we can do.”

Scotland have won three of the last four Calcutta Cup clashes at Murrayfield, including the last two, but Jones insists that will count for little this weekend.

“They’re a different team, we’re a different team,” said the 32-year-old. “I don’t think it’s ever that helpful to look back and be like, ‘we beat them a couple of years ago’.

“Knowing we beat England, I think that’s always a good thing, but it’s a different week, it’s a different game. It’s just about being focused on this game and what we’re doing this week.”

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Saturday marked the first time Scotland had lost their opening Six Nations match since 2020 and Jones admitted it was “one of the tougher changing rooms I’ve been in”.

“It’s frustrating, obviously, because you want to start well,” he said. “The Six Nations is all about momentum and building those wins. We didn’t get the first one but you have to just let that go and forget about it.

“You don’t worry about being derailed and where you’re going to be on the table and all that stuff. It’s just game by game, so all that matters now is this game.

“We don’t worry about what’s happening after this game and what’s just happened. Our review process is done. Everything is focused on this.

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“The deflation part comes straight after where you’re gutted sitting in the changing rooms. But once you’ve done that review process, that’s gone and you’re fully motivated again.”

Jones dismissed any notion that the Scotland set-up has become stale after almost nine years under Townsend.

“I think the environment’s adapted over the years,” he said. “I think it’s always growing. Right now I’d say no [it’s not stale]. I think it’s been growing and building and changing over the years.

“Obviously it’s largely the same guys, but I’ve seen growth in the team. I’ve seen players improve, I’ve seen coaches improve, and I’ve seen our game adapt and change and also improve. I believe in this group.”

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Sturla Holm Laegreid’s ex-girlfriend responds after his cheating confession at Olympics | World News

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Sturla Holm Laegreid wipes away tears with a soft toy. Pic: Reuters

The ex-girlfriend of Norwegian biathlete Sturla Holm Laegreid has said his actions are “hard to forgive” after he admitted to cheating on her in a live television interview after winning a bronze medal.

Laegreid finished in third place in the biathlon, which combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting, and then broke down in tears at the Winter Olympics on Tuesday, telling Norwegian state broadcaster NRK how he lost the “love of my life” due to his cheating after meeting her six months ago.

“Three months ago, I made my biggest mistake and cheated on her. I told her about it a week ago. It’s ‌been the worst week of my life,” the 28-year-old medallist said, adding how he wishes to share his sporting triumph with her.

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Bronze medallist Sturla Holm Laegreid cries after finishing third in the men’s 20km individual biathlon. Pic: Reuters

Now his ex-girlfriend, who wants to remain anonymous, told Norwegian outlet VG that she “did not choose to be put in this position, and it hurts to have to be in it”.

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She added that Laegreid’s infidelity was “hard to forgive, even after a declaration of love in front of the whole world”.

The woman said she had been in contact with Laegreid and that he knew her stance on this.

Laegreid's team comfort him after the race. Pic: AP
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Laegreid’s team comfort him after the race. Pic: AP

After his tearful confession on live television, Laegreid said that he might not have been in the right state of mind to give the interview after the race, which came in the wake of the death of his teammate, Sivert ‍Guttorm Bakken, in December last year.

“Maybe it was really selfish of me to give that interview,” he said a few hours later.

Read more from Sky News:
Lindsey Vonn reveals extent of injuries
Winter Olympics hit by penis enhancement controversy

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On Wednesday, the Norwegian biathlete apologised to his ex-girlfriend and to his countryman Johan-Olav Botn, who took the gold in the men’s Olympic 20km individual biathlon race but whose achievement was overshadowed by Laegreid’s cheating confession.

Laegreid was beaten by silver medalist Eric Perrot, from France, and gold medalist Johan-Olav Botn, from Norway. Pic: AP
Image:
Laegreid was beaten by silver medalist Eric Perrot, from France, and gold medalist Johan-Olav Botn, from Norway. Pic: AP

“I deeply regret bringing up this personal story on what was a festive day for Norwegian biathlon,” Laegreid told NRK.

“I am not quite myself these days, and I am not thinking clearly. My apologies go to Johan-Olav, who deserved all the attention after winning gold.

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“My apologies also go to my ex-girlfriend, who involuntarily ended up in the media spotlight. I hope she is doing well. I can’t change this, but I will now put this behind me and focus on the Olympics.”

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Joe risks Kim’s wrath with ruthless move that could backfire in Emmerdale | Soaps

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Joe risks Kim's wrath with ruthless move that could backfire in Emmerdale | Soaps
Kim Tate issued a warning to Joe (Picture: ITV)

All the power he held in his hands at the beginning of 2026 is now starting to go to Joe Tate’s (Ned Porteous) head in Emmerdale.

In January, Joe spotted Victoria Sugden (Isabel Hodgins) trying to cover up John Sugden’s (Oliver Farnworth) murder.

He recorded this moment on his phone, and then used it to blackmail her and Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley). Joe told the siblings that if they didn’t give him the Sugden farmland, he’d tell the police about how John really died.

Around the same time as this, Joe managed to find ID cards in Celia Daniels’ (Jaye Griffiths) farmhouse that proved she had been hiring illegal immigrants. Determined to help Kim Tate (Claire King) succeed in her plan to buy the land that surrounds Home Farm, Joe realised he had another opportunity on his hands.

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He got Robert to plant the ID cards in Moira Dingle’s (Natalie J Robb) house, and now the beloved character is in prison. Joe is hoping to take advantage of this situation as well, and make Moira sell Butler’s to the Tates.

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Annoyingly for Joe, he faced a hurdle in tonight’s episode, and it came in the form of Kim. Neither of them have particularly big hearts, but Kim proved she has a stronger moral compass than Joe and issued a warning to him about Moira.

Kim told Joe to hold off trying to get Butler’s from Moira until the aftermath of Celia’s reign over the village has been dealt with.

Perhaps it’s because Kim was Celia’s landlord, but the scene also hinted at Kim feeling awful about Moira’s situation, and didn’t want to make things worse. She told Joe to take a step back, but remained adamant they’d still get the farm in the end.

Victoria Sugden and Joe Tate looking at each other, standing side by side, in Emmerdale.
Joe has shown no issues with blackmailing Vic and Robert (Picture: ITV)
Moira Dingle in the prison visiting room in Emmerdale
Moira is in prison at the moment after the police found two bodies on her land (Picture: ITV)

Joe looked as though he was going to fall in line and do as Kim asked, but he later told Graham Foster (Andrew Scarborough) that he has no intention of leaving Moira alone.

A mistake if you ask me, considering Joe seems to invested in rebuilding the relationship he has with Kim and making her trust him again.

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Will Joe live to regret his next move?

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Or will Graham step in and stop him?

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James Van Der Beek dead: Cause of death after heartbreaking health battle

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Daily Mirror
James Van Der Beek dead: Cause of death after heartbreaking health battle – The Mirror

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James Van Der Beek, ‘Dawson’s Creek’ star, dies at 48

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James Van Der Beek, 'Dawson's Creek' star, dies at 48

NEW YORK (AP) — James Van Der Beek, a heartthrob who starred in coming-of-age dramas at the dawn of the new millennium, shooting to fame playing the titular character in “Dawson’s Creek” and in later years mocking his own hunky persona, has died. He was 48.

“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come,” a statement from the actor’s family that was posted on Instagram said. “For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother and friend.”

Van Der Beek revealed in 2024 that he was being treated for colorectal cancer.

Van Der Beek made a surprise video appearance in September at a “Dawson’s Creek” reunion charity event in New York City after previously dropping out due to illness.

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He appeared projected onstage at the Richard Rodgers Theatre during a live reading of the show’s pilot episode to benefit F Cancer and Van Der Beek. Lin-Manuel Miranda subbed for him on stage. “Thank you to every single person here,” Van Der Beek said.

Forever tied to ‘Dawson’s Creek’

A one-time theater kid, Van Der Beek would star in the movie “Varsity Blues” and on TV in “CSI: Cyber” as FBI Special Agent Elijah Mundo, but was forever connected to “Dawson’s Creek,” which ran from 1998 to 2003 on The WB.

The series followed a high school group of friends as they learned about falling in love, creating real friendships and finding their footing in life. Van Der Beek, than 20, played 15-year-old Dawson Leery, who aspired to be a director of Steven Spielberg quality.

“Dawson’s Creek,” with the moody theme song Paula Cole’s “I Don’t Want To Wait,” helped define The WB as a haven for teens and young adults who related to its hyper-articulate dialogue and frank talk about sexuality. And it made household names of Van Der Beek, Joshua Jackson, Katie Holmes and Michelle Williams.

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The show caused a stir when one of the teens embarked on a racy affair with a teacher 20 years his senior and when Holmes’ character climbs through Dawson’s bedroom window and they curl up together. Racier shows like “Euphoria” and “Sex Education” owe a debt to “Dawson’s Creek.”

Van Der Beek sometimes struggled to get out from under the shadow of the show but eventually leaned into lampooning himself, like on Funny Or Die videos and on Kesha’s “Blow” music video, which included his laser gun battle with the pop star in a nightclub and dead unicorns.

“It’s tough to compete with something that was the cultural phenomenon that ‘Dawson’s Creek’ was,” he told Vulture in 2013. “It ran for so long. That’s a lot of hours playing one character in front of people. So it’s natural that they associate you with that.”

A popular GIF and ‘Varsity Blues’

More than a decade after the show went off the air, a scene at the end of the show’s third season became a GIF. Dawson was watching as his soul mate embarks on a love affair with his best friend and burst into tears.

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“It wasn’t scripted that I was supposed to cry; it was just one of those things where it’s a magical moment and it just happens in the scene,” he told Vanity Fair. He seemed exasperated when he told the Los Angeles Times: “All of a sudden, six years of work was boiled down to one seven-second clip on loop.” (Van Der Beek himself recreated the GIF in 2011 for Funny or Die and gave it a second life.)

While still on “Dawson’s Creek,” Van Der Beek hosted “Saturday Night Live” — the musical guest was Everlast — and landed a plumb role in “Varsity Blues,” playing a second-string high school quarterback who leaps into the breach when the star suffers an injury.

Van Der Beek’s character, Mox, turns out to not be a football fanatic, preferring to read Kurt Vonnegut and yearning for the college education which will allow him to escape the jock mentality of his Texas town. “I don’t want your life,” he screams at one point. Critic Roger Ebert called him “convincing and likable.”

After ‘Dawson’s Creek’

Some of his projects after “Dawson’s Creek” include co-creating and playing Wesley “Diplo” Pentz, a dull but likable music producer in the mockumentary satire on Viceland, “What Would Diplo Do?” In 2019, he made it to the semifinals of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” and played a balding, out-of-shape ex-boyfriend on “How I Met Your Mother.”

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“The more you make fun of yourself and don’t try to go for any kind of respect, the more people seem to respect you,” he told Vanity Fair in 2011. “I’ve always been a clown trapped in a leading man’s body.”

Between 2003 and 2013, he made appearances in shows like “Criminal Minds,” “One Tree Hill,” and “How I Met Your Mother.” He played himself with a crackpot intensity in the Krysten Ritter-led ABC drama “Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23,” and the short-lived “CSI” spinoff “CSI: Cyber” and CBS’ “Friends With Better Lives.”

He’s also appeared in a number of movies, such as Kevin Smith’s 2001 comedy “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back” and its 2019 sequel, “Jay and Silent Bob Reboot.” He also was in the Bret Easton Ellis adaptation of “The Rules of Attraction” in 2002 opposite Jessica Biel and Kate Bosworth.

In 2025, he was unmasked as Griffin on “The Masked Singer,” after singing a cover of John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” and “I Had Some Help” by Post Malone and Morgan Wallen.

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Early life as a theater kid

Van Der Beek, who was raised in Cheshire, Connecticut, started acting at 13 after suffering a concussion playing football that prevented him from playing for a year on doctor’s orders. He landed the role of Danny Zuko in his school production of “Grease.”

He stuck with theater, landing at 16 in 1994 an off-Broadway role in “Finding the Sun” by Pulitzer Prize-winner Edward Albee and one of the sons in a revival of “Shenandoah” at the prestigious Goodspeed Opera House in his home state.

He earned a scholarship to New Jersey’s Drew University but left school early when he got “Dawson’s Creek.” In 2024, he returned to campus to accept an honorary degree for his “selfless service and exemplary commitment to the mission of Drew,” the university said.

Drew University President Hilary Link welcomed Van Der Beek with a popular quote from his “Dawson’s Creek” character: “Edge is fleeting,” she said, “but heart lasts forever. So on this morning, we pay tribute to that heart.”

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He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and six children, Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn and Jeremiah.

___

AP Music Writer Maria Sherman contributed to this report.

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Netflix Stranger Things prequel show finally ‘streaming soon’

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Fans of the hit Netflix show have something else to look forward to after the finale

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The Stranger Things prequel show will finally be ‘streaming soon’ on Netflix in the near future.

After finally coming to a dramatic end after nearly 10 years, the streamer’s signature series doesn’t look to actually be going away any time soon. Fans will be delighted as reports claim that the stage show, First Shadow, is expected to be made available for users of the platform.

Up to now, the production was only available to see in person on a stage in either London or New York. With high demand and ticket prices costing up to £190, not every fan has been able to see it for themselves.

The Duffer brothers collaborated on the stage show’s story alongside director Kate Trefry and Adolescence writer Jack Thorne. It is set in Hawkins before the events of Stranger Things, and concentrates on the backstory of Henry Creel, who became the show’s ultimate antagonist.

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Its synopsis states: “Hawkins, 1959: a regular town with regular worries. Young Jim Hopper’s car won’t start, Bob Newby’s sister won’t take his radio show seriously and Joyce Maldonado just wants to graduate and get the hell out of town.

“When new student Henry Creel arrives, his family finds that a fresh start isn’t so easy… and the shadows of the past have a very long reach.”

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As might be expected for a show associated with Stranger Things, it was brought to life by a multi-award-winning creative team, who attempted to use the show to take theatrical storytelling and stagecraft to a whole new dimension. There were said to be clues littered throughout that may have held hints to the finale.

Netflix already released a documentary which granted behind-the-scenes access, following the cast and crew of Stranger Things: The First Shadow as they raced against time to prepare the ambitious, boundary-pushing stage show for its West End debut amid mounting fan and critic anticipation.

However now, fans should soon be able to watch the show itself from the comfort of their own home. Collider claims: “Stranger Things: The First Shadow will be professionally filmed by Netflix for a future release. A week of performances has been cancelled, from Tuesday, February 10 to Saturday, February 14, to facilitate filming.”

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Unfortunately, no release date or timescale for when fans can expect it to start streaming has been announced yet. Hopefully it will be a shorter turnaround than Hamilton, which recorded shows in 2016 but did not arrive on Disney+ until 2020.

Its not the only continuation of the series that Stranger Things fans can look forward to however. Animated spin-off series Stranger Things: Tales from 85 will land on the streamer on April 23 this year. That series will tell a new story of a paranormal mystery set between seasons 2 and 3 of the main show.

Stranger Things is streaming now.

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new ** Everything Gossip ** website.

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Sarah Ferguson splashed through millions while asking Epstein for cash

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Cambridgeshire Live

Sarah Ferguson has been keeping a low profile for weeks after leaving Royal Lodge

The late Queen is understood to have helped Sarah Ferguson financially on previous occasions – as did Jeffrey Epstein. The former Duchess now finds herself effectively without a permanent residence following her departure from Royal Lodge alongside her ex-husband, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.

With friends keeping their distance and business ventures becoming scarce, money is said to have become a pressing issue for Fergie. After several weeks out of the public eye, Fergie’s location has apparently come to light.

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Reports indicate she recently stayed in the French Alps before travelling onwards to the United Arab Emirates – where her younger daughter Eugenie was seen on Monday, having journeyed to Qatar for an art exhibition as part of her role with gallery Hauser and Wirth.

Despite continuing controversy, Fergie is said to be contemplating a return to Britain. Claims suggest the former Duchess is now actively seeking a fresh PR team as she plans her re-emergence – independently of Andrew – with hopes to remain living in the vicinity of Windsor.

Sources say she has told friends: “I need to get back to work. I need money.”

Fergie’s previous spending habits not only resulted in her carrying substantial debt for years, but appear to have left her without a safety net, reports the Mirror. According to reports, she hopes to purchase a property in the Windsor area – but with her net worth said to stand at approximately £745,000, it seems she would struggle to afford even a terraced house in the town she has inhabited for decades.

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Sarah has managed to recover financially in the past through various ventures – from fronting Weight Watchers campaigns and selling products on QVC, to making appearances on Loose Women and writing romantic novels. However, her extravagant spending patterns sit uncomfortably alongside her current situation, distanced from the splendour of royal life with charities severing connections and her children’s book being pulled from shelves.

Previously, Fergie was not reluctant to seek financial assistance. Reports suggest the late Queen came to her aid when the bank Coutts “demanded £500,000 within 14 days”.

The latest batch of Epstein documents reveal urgent appeals for money from the convicted sex offender. Sarah has acknowledged borrowing £15,000 from the paedophile, but recently emerged emails indicate she sought additional amounts – ranging from one request for $50,000 (£37,240) to another for $100,000 (£78,475) to cover “small bills”. The documents also show she enquired about visiting his private Caribbean island.

In 2009, following the collapse of a business enterprise, Sarah apparently wrote to Epstein: “I urgently need 20,000 pounds ($27,521) for rent today. The landlord has threatened to go to the newspapers if I don’t pay. Any brainwaves?”

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Reports suggest Epstein may have “bankrolled” her for 15 years, with some calculations suggesting the total figure could reach up to £2 million. The newly released documents also claim to reveal Fergie’s efforts to secure a substantial $1 million endorsement arrangement with a luxury cruise operator.

The Daily Mail reports that she sought the deal with Cunard Line in 2009, mere months after requesting £20,000 from Epstein to cover outstanding rent payments. The correspondence allegedly indicates that Fergie proposed an annual fee of $250,000 per cruise, with four trips scheduled throughout the year. The arrangement appears not to have materialised.

Sarah’s lavish spending habits are also chronicled in Andrew Lownie’s candid 2025 biography about her relationship with Prince Andrew. Lownie, who dedicated four years to investigating the former couple for his work ‘Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York’, alleges the former duchess spent money extravagantly throughout her marriage, with considerable sums spent on household staff, travel, entertainment, and floral arrangements, characterising it as a lifestyle of considerable extravagance. He claims little thought was given to paying the bills.

The biography outlines expenditure including £65,000 for a personal trainer retained on permanent availability, despite using them only twice a year. Fergie is also said to have accumulated a £51,000 bill at upmarket retailer Selfridges, where she would acquire items through the store’s personal shopping service and her former schoolmate, Pandora Delevingne.

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According to the publication, Sarah also reportedly spent £14,000 in one month at a London wine retailer. Unsurprisingly, Fergie’s extravagant expenditure eventually caught up with her. Following an unpaid £500 bill, a newsagent reportedly cut off supplies to the Duchess, while a local butcher, dry cleaner, and car rental company are also said to be amongst those she owed money to.

The BP petrol card was allegedly withdrawn after bills went unpaid. The Duchess is said to have run up a staggering £6,500 tab through “an almost daily basis” use of Queen Elizabeth’s privileged postal service. Beyond posting letters and photographs, she would also send expensive presents, such as silver letter openers, cufflinks, and money clips.

A former member of staff told Lownie that “greed and wastefulness that contributed to the duchess’s financial downfall”. They added: “Every night she demands a whole side of beef, a leg of lamb and a chicken, which are laid out on the dining room table like a medieval banquet. It’s a feast that would make Henry VIII proud.

“But often there is just her and her girls, Bea and Eugenie, and most of it is wasted. There is no attempt to keep it to have cold the next day. It just sits there all night, and the next day it’s thrown away.”

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Lownie also alleges that Fergie “would regularly miss flights that were not refundable”, racking up thousands of pounds in avoidable expenses. One insider also disclosed that Fergie “thought nothing of arriving at an airport with 25 cases and paying between £800 and £4,000 in excess baggage. At least five of those cases were packed with toiletries and make-up. Another would be used solely for clothes hangers.”

Additionally, “personal trainers, hairdressers and pilates instructors were paid hundreds of pounds an hour to wait for her to emerge for the day in the late afternoon. Her butler had to get in at 4.30am to put watercress on ice”.

In a separate revealing book, entitled Sarah’s Story: The Duchess who Defied the Royal House of Windsor, authors Chris Hutchins and Peter Thompson also explored the full scope of her lavish lifestyle. They interviewed staff at the Duchess’s vast 50,000-acre Sunninghill Estate, who described an unusual demand for all of her underwear, including knickers, bras, and tights, to be carefully ironed.

If any of her laundry did not have the scent of her chosen fabric conditioner “she would order everything to be washed again”. According to the Mail, Fergie had a particular nightly routine that involved having “two hot water bottles placed on the side of her king-sized bed”, with staff instructed to ensure the water temperature was just right.

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She also insisted on freshly squeezed orange juice every morning, prepared exactly when she sat down for breakfast. The authors said: “She could tell the difference if the juice had been prepared earlier and refused to touch it”.

Sarah and Andrew, who lived at Sunninghill from around 1990 until their separation and eventual divorce in 1996, reportedly spent £300 per week on vegetables from Waitrose. Their freezer was also stocked with an array of ice creams that were seldom consumed. Even their Jack Russell, Bendicks, lived a lavish lifestyle, with one friend recalling how the dog was served “proper dinners, liver or sausages with gravy”.

In 1996, following her divorce from Andrew, Sarah expressed concerns about finances. According to The Times, she said, “We got divorced because I had to go out to work and Andrew and I believed that it wasn’t right for me to be commercial while I was still in the royal family.”

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Whitby hotel painted pink without permission over paperwork ‘mix-up’

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Whitby hotel painted pink without permission over paperwork ‘mix-up’

​LTK Whitby Ltd is seeking authorisation for works it undertook to repaint part of the Royal Hotel following an apparent mix-up regarding the correct authorisation.

​The main façade of Caedmon House, which forms part of the East Terrace of The Royal Hotel, was painted pink after the applicant says it initially agreed with North Yorkshire Council that a listed building enforcement notice would be sufficient.

​However, the case officer has “since confirmed that an enforcement notice cannot approve a different colour scheme and can only request that the building be re-painted back to its original colour,” according to a submitted plan.

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​The applicant said that “rather than proceed on this basis, an alternative approach has been agreed, and this involves preparing and submitting a listed building consent application to re-paint the main elevations of the Hotel building, including the main façade of Caedmon House”.

​Caedmon House is physically connected and functions as part of The Royal Hotel, but forms part of another Grade II Listing relating to three other properties: Kirby’s Hotel and Numbers 5 and 6 East Parade.

​The “landmark hotel” is situated on the West Cliff of Whitby and was built in the early 19th century. The rendered three storey building has a mansard roof, together with an undercroft basement.

​Plans submitted to the council state that the proposal would “not result in a harmful change to the experience of the historic or architectural setting of the building and there will be no harm to its significance having regard to an assessment of the group of listed buildings associated with the site”.

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​The scheme adds that the “modest” works will preserve the character and appearance of the conservation area.

​The proposal is currently open to representations from members of the public. North Yorkshire Council has not set a date for deciding on the scheme.

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‘Clearly not’: Lucy Powell asked if she would have ennobled Lord Doyle

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‘Clearly not’: Lucy Powell asked if she would have ennobled Lord Doyle

“But you know, of course, this, anything like this where people are given patronage, peerages, you know, other things, that are then found to have behaved completely unacceptably and inappropriately, you know, kind of stains the whole system, and stains everybody else as well.”

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Ange Postecoglou gives instant reaction to Thomas Frank sacking as Gary Neville stunned

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Thomas Frank has been sacked by Tottenham Hotspur after just under eight months in charge of the Premier League club following a 2-1 defeat at home against Newcastle United

Ange Postecoglou delivered a three-word verdict as Gary Neville was left stunned by Thomas Frank’s Tottenham Hotspur sacking. The Dane was sacked on Wednesday morning after Spurs lost 2-1 to Newcastle United on Tuesday night.

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The latest tumultuous result of Frank’s dismal reign resulted in Spurs falling to 16th in the Premier League and made it two wins in 17 league fixtures. And Neville was in The Overlap studio recording this week’s show with Jamie Carragher, Jill Scott, Ian Wright and Roy Keane when a member of the production team, Kiaran Saunders, interrupted to inform them of Tottenham’s decision to part company with Frank.

And Neville was left stunned by the development before he revealed that Postecoglou was actually in the building, as he was due to record an episode of Stick to Football that would be released next week. But following the news, a switch was made, and the episode with the former Celtic and Nottingham Forest boss was changed to be released on Thursday morning.

And when Postecoglou entered the studio, he simply remarked: “Some timing eh,” as he took his seat. The 60-year-old was sacked by Tottenham in the summer despite leading the club to Europa League glory.

Postecoglou delivered on his promise of “always” winning in his second season thanks to the 1-0 victory over Manchester United in Bilbao in May. But ultimately losing 22 Premier League matches and finishing 17th cost Postecoglou his job after two years at the club.

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READ MORE: Tottenham’s Thomas Frank replacement plan means perfect Mauricio Pochettino solutionREAD MORE: Surprise man tipped for Tottenham job after Thomas Frank sack amid Mauricio Pochettino admission

Speaking in the summer, former Spurs chairman Daniel Levy said: “I don’t regret appointing Ange. In his first season we finished fifth and in the second season we were over the moon to win a trophy, but we need to compete in all competitions. We felt that we needed a change.

“It was a collective decision. It wasn’t my decision. We do everything together. Emotionally it was difficult, but we believe we have made the right decision for the club.”

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Levy then added: “We’ve won a European trophy, but it’s not enough. It’s what we haven’t done that is more important. We need to win the league.

“We want to win the Premier League. We want to win the Champions League. We want to win.”

But Spurs are currently 16th in the Premier League and just five points above the relegation zone following a dreadful run of form. They are also winless in their past eight Premier League games – their longest run without a victory since October 2008.

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The royals have seen what they’re up against with Epstein scandal – despite hopes William’s Saudi trip would shift attention | UK News

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Prince William boards a plane to leave Saudi Arabia. Pic: PA

We had temporarily lost Prince William. Rushing through the narrow streets of the Old Town of Al Ula in Saudi Arabia, our guides eventually helped us catch up with him.

They had changed where he was due to arrive, after his lunch had run over. It was all fairly frantic, but for his aides, now tasked with getting him to his plane on time to head home, this was nothing like the other challenges they had faced.

This has felt like a week where the royal family have really seen what they are up against when it comes to the Andrew and Epstein scandal. The noise has been never-ending with shouts at both the prince and the King, and more documents being uncovered.

Follow latest updates on the Epstein files

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Prince William boards a plane to leave Saudi Arabia. Pic: PA

There had been hopes that the Prince of Wales’ trip to Saudi Arabia, a significant diplomatic visit, might have been enough to shift some of the attention.

With all the pictures of William with kids and women, there could not have been more effort made to sell this as a trip all about the future, projecting a positive image of Saudi Arabia and the work of the British royal family.

The visit, of course, was always going to be a political tightrope for him, with questions over human rights here, despite significant social charges. But nothing could stop the runaway scandal of the Epstein files from being the bigger problem.

Read more: Tour of Saudi Arabia ends with nature reserve visit

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Prince William’s trip overshadowed by Epstein?

The demand to hear from the royals has been enormous. But the calls for them to tell us more risk overshadowing how huge it was to get those statements earlier in the week from both William and Kate and Buckingham Palace.

I have done this job long enough to know there must have been tense conversations before they got the final sign-off for release. They knew they would be blowing the story up again, but doing nothing was not an option.

The Prince of Wales meets farmers at Al Ula's Oasis and Eco-Gardening Farm
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The Prince of Wales meets farmers at Al Ula’s Oasis and Eco-Gardening Farm

William visited the Sharaan Nature Reserve in Al Ula. Pics: PA
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William visited the Sharaan Nature Reserve in Al Ula. Pics: PA

For them, the problem is that people still want more. We expect to see our leaders on camera, to see them visibly taking control and being accountable.

There is no doubt that in recent years there has been a change in what the family are prepared to open up about on camera, remember for example the videos released about the King and Kate’s cancer, but it’s always on their own terms.

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And from what we have had so far, I’m not sure on this one; they’re going to bow to public pressure to talk, despite some saying silence only exacerbates the huge reputational risks.

William plants an acacia tree. Pic: PA
Image:
William plants an acacia tree. Pic: PA

For 15 years, this has been hanging over them, first the Queen, now Andrew’s brother, the King, undoubtedly going so much further than their mother ever did. The “maximalist approach”, as they describe it, stripping him of his titles and Windsor home.

And this week, in written words, we have seen greater efforts to distance themselves from Andrew, partly, I suspect, out of a concern about what else may come, despite his constant denials of any wrongdoing.

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Whether you agree or not, for now, they do not feel like they have more questions to answer. Yes, there are pictures and emails that strongly suggest Epstein spent time at palaces and royal properties. In the end, Andrew maintained that contact, not the wider family or the institution.

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