Adam Mosseri, the head of Meta‘s Instagram, testified Wednesday during a landmark social media trial in Los Angeles that he disagrees with the idea that people can be clinically addicted to social media platforms.

The question of addiction is a key pillar of the case, where plaintiffs seek to hold social media companies responsible for harms to children who use their platforms. Meta Platforms and Google‘s YouTube are the two remaining defendants in the case, which TikTok and Snap have settled.

At the core of the Los Angeles case is a 20-year-old identified only by the initials “KGM,” whose lawsuit could determine how thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies would play out. She and two other plaintiffs have been selected for bellwether trials — essentially test cases for both sides to see how their arguments play out before a jury.

Mosseri said it’s important to differentiate between clinical addiction and what he called problematic use. The plaintiff’s lawyer, however, presented quotes directly from Mosseri in a podcast interview a few years ago where he said the opposite, but he clarified that he was probably using the term “too casually,” as people tend to do.

Mosseri said he was not claiming to be a medical expert when questioned about his qualifications to comment on the legitimacy of social media addiction, but said someone “very close” to him has experienced serious clinical addiction, which is why he said he was “being careful with my words.”

He said he and his colleagues use the term “problematic use” to refer to “someone spending more time on Instagram than they feel good about, and that definitely happens.”

It’s “not good for the company, over the long run, to make decisions that profit for us but are poor for people’s wellbeing,” Mosseri said.

Mosseri and the plaintiff’s lawyer, Mark Lanier, engaged in a lengthy back-and-forth about cosmetic filters on Instagram that changed people’s appearance in a way that seemed to promote plastic surgery.

“We are trying to be as safe as possible but also censor as little as possible,” Mosseri said.

In the courtroom, bereaved parents of children who have had social media struggles seemed visibly upset during a discussion around body dysmorphia and cosmetic filters. Meta shut down all third-party augmented reality filters in January 2025. The judge made an announcement to members of the public on Wednesday after the displays of emotion, reminding them not to make any indication of agreement or disagreement with testimony, saying that it would be “improper to indicate some position.”

In recent years, Instagram has added a slew of features and tools it says have made the platform safer for young people. But this does not always work. A report last year, for instance, found that teen accounts researchers created were recommended age-inappropriate sexual content, including “graphic sexual descriptions, the use of cartoons to describe demeaning sexual acts, and brief displays of nudity.”

In addition, Instagram also recommended a “range of self-harm, self-injury, and body image content” on teen accounts that the report says “would be reasonably likely to result in adverse impacts for young people, including teenagers experiencing poor mental health, or self-harm and suicidal ideation and behaviors.” Meta called the report “misleading, dangerously speculative” and said it misrepresents its efforts on teen safety.

Meta is also facing a separate trial in New Mexico that began this week.

Billionaire Man Utd co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has sparked controversy after saying that Britain is being “colonised by immigrants”.

The businessman, who has been living in tax-free Monaco since 2020, is founder and chair of one of the world’s largest chemical companies, Ineos, which was granted £120m in UK state aid to protect jobs last year.

Mr Ratcliffe said that immigration is “costing too much money” due to the number of people “on benefits” in an interview with Sky News on Wednesday.

“You can’t have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in,” he said. “I mean, the UK is being colonised. It’s costing too much money. The UK has been colonised by immigrants.”

He then went on to share dubious information on population statistics in the UK.

“I mean, the population of the UK was 58 million in 2020, now it’s 70 million,” he said. “That’s 12 million people.”

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The Office for National Statistics estimates that the population of the UK was in fact 67 million in 2020 and was last close to 58 million over a quarter of a century ago in 2000.

Muslim Manchester United Supporters group said it was “deeply concerned” by the comments, adding that “such rhetoric has real world consequences”.

He said that addressing the “major issues of immigration” and people choosing benefits over work would require “unpopular” actions and “courage”, despite Ineos employing more than 26,000 people across 194 sites in 29 countries across the world.

Mr Ratcliffe was one of the most vocal proponents of Brexit before moving to Monaco in its aftermath.

As Prime Minister Keir Starmer resisted calls to quit amid the fallout from the latest release of the Epstein files citing the “fighting against Reform UK, Mr Ratcliffe said Sir Keir was “too nice”.

“I don’t know whether it’s just the apparatus that hasn’t allowed Keir to do it or, or he’s maybe too nice – I mean, Keir is a nice man,” he said. “I like him, but it’s a tough job and I think you have to do some difficult things with the UK to get it back on track, because at the moment I don’t think the economy is in a good state.”

Describing Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as an “intelligent man” with “good intentions”, he acknowledged that similar thoughts had been expressed about Sir Keir as he entered government.

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“I think it needs somebody who’s prepared to be unpopular for a period of time to get the big issues sorted out,” he concluded.

He compared his experience of managing Manchester United to turning the country around, explaining he had also been “unpopular” at the start of his tenure.

Sir Jim acquired a minority stake in Manchester United in late 2023, with his Ineos group subsequently assuming control of the club’s football operations.

His tenure has already seen a number of contentious changes, particularly concerning ticket pricing and availability, which have drawn significant ire from United fans.

NATO has started a mission to strengthen its presence in the Arctic following Donald Trump’s threats to annex Greenland.

The mission, called Arctic Sentry, will coordinate the increasing military presence of NATO allies in the Arctic, the alliance’s military headquarters said in a statement.

This includes exercises such as Denmark’s Arctic Endurance exercise in its semi-autonomous territory Greenland.

It comes after Mr Trump repeatedly highlighted his ambition to own Greenland, saying it was necessary for US national security.

Denmark and other European NATO members pushed back, after which the US president said he couldn’t rule out military action and later threatened some European nations – including the UK – with new tariffs if he was blocked from purchasing Greenland.

In late January, Mr Trump and NATO secretary general Mark Rutte agreed during talks in Davos that the alliance would play a greater role in protecting the Arctic, and to further discussions about Greenland.

Read more: Why Trump has insisted the US ‘needs’ Greenland

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Mission Arctic Sentry “underscores the alliance’s commitment to safeguard its members and maintain stability in one of the world’s most strategically significant and environmentally challenging areas,” US Air Force General Alexus G. Grynkewich, NATO’s supreme allied commander Europe, said.

“It will leverage NATO’s strength to protect our territory and ensure the Arctic and High North remain secure.”

British forces will play a vital part in the mission, Defence Minister John Healey said.

He said that the number of British troops sent to Norway will double over three years, from 1,000 to 2,000 personnel, to strengthen Arctic and High North security against rising Russian threats.

Arctic Sentry will also include other NATO activities, which will be added to the mission once broader security needs are assessed and as the national military exercises end.

France and Germany have said they will take part, but have not confirmed how many of their troops will be involved.

Read more from Sky News:
The reality behind Trump’s Greenland ‘deal’
This crisis is far from over for NATO

The British government said the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) security alliance plans major military activity in the High North, with hundreds of troops due to be deployed across Iceland, the Danish Straits and Norway in an exercise set to take place in September.

Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden are also part of the JEF.

Some parts of the UK are set to be fairly dry and sunny on Saturday (February 14)

Although it will get off to a ‘cold and frosty’ start, Valentines Day is expected to be the sunniest day of the year for most of the UK, according to the latest Met Office forecasts.

It comes as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a yellow cold-health alert affecting parts of England from 6am on Friday (February 13), all the way through the weekend until 8am on Monday (February 16).

Areas affected by the UKHSA warning are north west England including Greater Manchester, East Midlands, West Midlands, north east England, and Yorkshire and Humber.

And on top of that, several snow and ice warnings have been issued affecting parts of the UK over the next few days. Greater Manchester is set to be affected by a yellow snow and ice warning from 7pm on Thursday (February 12) until 12pm on Friday (February 13).

The Met Office warns: “Outbreaks of rain, sleet and snow likely to lead to icy surfaces and some travel disruption.” And further information reads: “Outbreaks of rain will fall as snow over higher hills initially, before the snow starts to fall to lower levels through Thursday evening.

“Any settling snow will mainly be confined to high ground, above 200 metres 2 to 5 cm is possible, and above 300 metres, a few locations may see as much as 10 cm. The rain and snow is expected to clear south during the early hours of Friday with temperatures expected to fall quickly as skies clear, leading to ice on untreated surfaces.”

And now, the Met Office has issued its verdict on the conditions on Valentines Day (Saturday, February 14).

In the ten-day trends video shared on YouTube, Met Office Meteorologist Alex Burkill said that Valentines Day is expected to be the sunniest day of the year for many UK areas.

Alex said: “So yes, cold and frosty for many of us first thing on Saturday morning, but then actually it’s looking largely dry, largely bright, lots of sunshine.

“You can see most places are going to have their sunniest day of the year so far. Lots of blue sky on offer. Quite a change to what we’ve had recently. And so I do hope you’re able to make the most of this come Valentine’s Day, but it’s not set to last.”

Alex explained that a weather front coming in from the west will bring ‘cloudier and wetter weather’ to the UK by Saturday evening after a fairly dry day.

He continued: “So turning cloudier and wetter from the west as we go through Saturday night and into Sunday. And as this system is then hitting against that cold air that we have across us. So we are likely to see some fairly significant snow.

“And even where we don’t see the snow, there will be some heavy rain in places, 30, 40 millimeters in some parts, particularly towards the southwest. That could cause some problems. The ground is very saturated. So, even a relatively modest amount of rain could cause some further issues.”

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.

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”.

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.

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

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.

“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.

“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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

Will Joe live to regret his next move?

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Or will Graham step in and stop him?

MORE: Emmerdale ‘confirms’ unlikely person to save Moira – and destroy Kim

MORE: Charity declares war on Graham in early Emmerdale ITVX showdown

MORE: Victoria takes drastic action in Emmerdale as a horrific truth dawns

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.

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.

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.

“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.”

“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.

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.”

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.

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

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.

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.”

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.”

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.

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

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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.

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.

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?”

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.

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.”

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.

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.”