Brooklyn Beckham’s cover-up of a tattoo dedicated to his dad, Sir David Beckham, has been revealed.

The 26-year-old caused a social media storm in late January by posting a scathing statement after months of speculation about a Beckham family rift.

In a series of Instagram Stories, Brooklyn ripped into ‘Brand Beckham’, accusing parents Sir David Beckham and Victoria Beckham of ‘controlling’ him from a young age.

He also defended his wife, 31-year-old American actress Nicola, whom he wed in 2022, and who he says has been consistently ‘disrespected’ by his relatives.

Now, in the latest indication of worsening relations between the Beckhams, a tattoo of an anchor on Brooklyn’s arm that previously read ‘dad’ has been covered up by unknown symbols.

Previously, a source told Metro David is ‘obviously heartbroken’ at this latest snub from his oldest child.

‘David is obviously heartbroken over Brooklyn’s decision to cover up his tribute to him,’ our source shared.

‘It feels like a deep cut, even after everything that was said in his statement.

In his memoir, Sir David said his tattoos were an ‘expression of how he feels about Victoria and the kids,’ and it’s been clear over the years that Brooklyn has used tattoos to express similar sentiments about the people in his life.

A source told The Sun about Brooklyn’s anchor tattoo: ‘Brooklyn’s had laser treatment on the writing. He wanted it gone.

‘There is so much hurt and pain on his side, it would not be genuine to keep such a tribute on his body.’

He has also previously covered up the tattoo on his chest, reading ‘mama’s boy’ over his heart, which was dedicated to Victoria.

The words have been hidden within a sketch of Nicola’s bouquet from their wedding day, which comes after he vowed to ‘always choose’ his other half.

For now, a source claims David still has all of his tattoos paying tribute to Brooklyn.

The source confirmed: ‘David still has his tribute to Brooklyn, his nickname Buster on his neck, and has no plans to cover it up.’

He has all the kids names written on his body, including Brooklyn in large lettering on his lower back and ‘we love you daddy’ in his children’s handwriting.

One of the most visible is Brooklyn’s nickname ‘Buster’ in small lettering on his neck with a heart next to it.

When he revealed the ink, the former England captain wrote on Instagram: ‘I’ve always called Brooklyn (Buster) since the day he was born… Love you Bust.’

As the rift between Brooklyn and his parents rages on, Nicola Peltz’s father, Nelson, has said he wants his family to ‘stay the hell out of the press’.

The 83-year-old billionaire continued: ‘I’ll tell you my daughter’s great, my son-in-law, Brooklyn, is great, and I look forward to them having a long, happy marriage together.’

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Geoffrey Vanes was among a group of people who gathered outside the victim’s home shouting threats before he was brutally attacked when he hit the ground.

One of the group scaled a drainpipe to get to the upstairs off the property shortly before the man fell to the ground, Teesside Crown Court heard.

The 40-year-old was seen to strike the man three times before another person started kicking and stamping on the prone victim outside the property on Derwent Street in Hartlepool.

Rachel Butt, prosecuting, said the defendant then struck the man again as he struggled to get back to his feet.

She said the victim managed to escape and take sanctuary in a shop until the police arrived and he was taken to hospital.

The court heard how the man suffered a dislocated right elbow and damage to his spine as a result of the incident.

Vanes, of Windermere Road, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to affray and possession of an offensive weapon following the attack on August 1 last year.

Rachel Kelly, mitigating, said: “He said he felt ashamed when he viewed the evidence and had told the probation officer that he regretted the impact of the incident on the victim.

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“There is genuine remorse shown by the defendant in his pre-sentence report.”

Judge Nathan Adams sentenced Vanes to 22 months in custody for the attack on the man in his own home.

“The was quite clearly a targeted attack on him at his property,” he said.

“It is not clear exactly how he came to fall, he says he was pushed out of the window, but what we do know is that when he hits the ground, you repeatedly hit him with a weapon whilst he is on the ground.”

Disabled people with lived experience will oversee the first ever comprehensive review of Personal Independence Payment, with findings expected by autumn 2026

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Disabled individuals will have their perspectives placed front and centre in the first-ever thorough examination of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), following the selection of 12 members to its steering group. Those appointed bring first-hand knowledge of living with disabilities or chronic health conditions, as well as hands-on experience working within Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs).

Their specialist knowledge spans welfare policy, accessibility, and advocacy, with members boasting credentials in co-production, governance and leadership. The group will chart the strategic course and help set priorities and a work plan for the Timms Review, working alongside the Review’s three co-chairs: Minister Sir Stephen Timms, Sharon Brennan, and Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE.

The group will scrutinise PIP’s function in empowering disabled people to achieve improved health outcomes and lead independent lives, the PIP assessment criteria for daily living and mobility, and how the assessment could facilitate access to appropriate support across the benefits system.

PIP claims have skyrocketed in recent years. In 2019, two million working-age people were receiving PIP, but that number has climbed to more than 3.9 million by the end of October 2025.

The DWP has projected that PIP claimant numbers will surpass four million by the decade’s end. The Timms Review has been established to ensure PIP remains equitable and fit for purpose going forward – taking into account people’s real-world conditions, their hopes and ambitions, whilst acknowledging how society has evolved since the benefit’s original conception and introduction, reports the Mirror.

According to the DWP, since PIP’s introduction in 2013, there have been shifting trends in long-term health conditions and disability. While more individuals are living with disabilities, the growth in disability benefit recipients is running at double the rate of rising prevalence amongst working-age adults across England and Wales.

The Timms Review is scheduled to present its conclusions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by autumn 2026, with an interim progress report expected in advance. Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms commented: “Disabled people deserve a system that truly supports them to live with independence and dignity, and that fairly reflects the reality of their lives today.

“That’s why we’re putting disabled people at the heart of this Review – ensuring their voices shape the changes that will help them achieve better health, greater independence, and access to the right support when they need it. We’re delighted to announce the appointment of the steering group members, who alongside myself and the Review’s co-chairs will report back to the Secretary of State in the autumn.”

Co-chair Sharon Brennan stated: “The group we have chosen shows our commitment to ensuring this review is co produced with people from a diversity of backgrounds including lived and living experience, protected characteristics, geographies and professions.

“But 15 people can’t represent everyone, which is why our work will be part of a wider engagement process to ensure we hear from many more voices throughout the review.”

Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE, also a co-chair, said: “Personal Independence Payment plays a vital role in enabling disabled people to live independent lives. This Review will listen closely to lived experience, test whether the system is fair, and ensure PIP reflects the realities of disability in the modern world.”

A coalition of charities has welcomed the inclusion of disabled people on the steering group, but warned “it cannot become about making cuts”.

The Disability Benefits Consortium (DBC) – a coalition of more than 100 charities, including the MS Society, Scope, Parkinson’s UK and Mencap – said the review offers a chance for “real change” to an assessment system which is “not only stressful, they fail to recognise the impact of fluctuating and progressive conditions like MS – often denying people the support they need to live independently”.

Charles Gillies, DBC policy co-chair and senior policy officer at the MS Society, described it as “undeniably positive that most members of the new steering group have lived experience of disability or claiming PIP”. He added: “This review must now engage meaningfully with the steering group and disabled people more generally, and remain laser-focused on improving the fairness of PIP assessments – or we risk this vital opportunity being wasted. And crucially, it cannot become about making cuts.”

What happens next

The steering group’s work has already commenced. Following an informal introductory call and induction session in January 2026, the forthcoming weeks will include:

• The first formal steering group meetings;
• The start of detailed co-production and policy work in February;
• Preparations for a broader, fully accessible engagement programme beyond the steering group, launching in the spring.

Les Bleus sliced through Ireland at times and while Farrell’s charges showed plenty of heart in the second period to stay in the game, the damage was done

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell bemoaned a lack of ‘fight and intent’ in Ireland’s first-half display that saw them trail 22-0 to France at the break in Thursday night’s Six Nations opener.

Les Bleus sliced through Ireland at times and while Farrell’s charges showed plenty of heart in the second period to stay in the game, the damage was done long before the half-time whistle was even blown.

“France were playing a different game to us in the first-half. I suppose, you make your own luck in this game and rightly so with the way that they went about their business,” Farrell told Virgin Media after the game.

“They created a few chances off the back of scraps on the floor or high balls and stuff like that, but that’s the game. You’ve got to show a bit of fight and intent, and we lacked a bit of that in the first-half which is very disappointing.”

On Ireland’s missed tackle tally of 19 in the first-half, Farrell said “It is (disappointing) because it is the intention isn’t it? It was wet weather rugby, but getting through tackles and earning the right to offload. It weren’t risky play that they were doing, it was earning the right to offload because they were winning the contacts.

“But congratulations to France, as I said, they were on a different level at times there. A bit of a response – more than a bit of a response in the second-half, but worthy winners, that’s for sure.”

On his substitutions, Farrell said “They did (have an impact), but it wasn’t rocket science. It was just to have a bit of go-forward, a bit of grunt in the way that they went about their business, and we got a couple of tries off the back of that, and it’s a pity that we couldn’t get a few more in the end because every point matters in this competition as we know.”

As for the week ahead, Farrell is anticipating an interesting few days on the training field before next Saturday’s clash with Italy at the Aviva Stadium.

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“Hell of a lot of work to do, and we need to be honest about this because you don’t get a result like this and not take the learnings from it, so it has to stand for something.”

Former Ireland star Conor Murray believes Ireland will stick to their kicking gameplan for the remainder of the Six Nations.

Farrell’s men opted for a box-kicking barrage on Thursday night at a soaking wet Stade de France, and while many of the kicks led to proper contests, Ireland failed to secure enough ball to put a dent in an awesome French performance, particularly in the first-half.

Speaking on Virgin Media after the game, ex Ireland star Shane Horgan referenced how Ireland were outfought and outscrapped for those loose balls, bemoaning Ireland’s inability to get the ball back from 50/50 contests.

“They didn’t do it, and they couldn’t win the game as a result,” said Horgan.

Taking up on Horgan’s point, Murray – the box-kick king for many years in a green shirt – agreed with his former teammate, but spoke about how luck plays a huge role in this tactic.

“There’s a certain element of luck to it as well. If you look at all the kicks, the majority of them were on the ball and accurate from Jamison/Sam, those contestable balls in the air, and you know the boys are working on it hard.

“It’s that scrap – when the ball breaks, who wins that? It’s a 50/50 lottery and some days it just goes against you.

“I find it hard to find the answer to that if the kicks are on the money.

“They’ll stick with it and hope they win scraps, you know, the winger contesting off the kicking and then it’s the boys in behind who are probably more important in winning possession back.”

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