Gifting money to your child or grandchild has become a hot topic. Many regard it as better to bask in the joys of generosity today, rather than hold on to money and risk the imposition of inheritance tax tomorrow.

But it can be emotive and problematic, exposing relationship tensions and issues of trust.

The level of interest in the issue – it is constantly coming up in our conversations with customers – suggests people are increasingly willing to overcome these complications to avoid inheritance tax.

The big driver is a change that kicks in next April, when pensions will become potentially liable for inheritance tax. Greater revenues are being collected on estates – June was a record month – and they are likely to balloon from next year. 

The Office for Budget Responsibility expects an increase of 67 per cent in the tax take between now and 2030, collected from around 65,000 estates – a doubling from the latest tally.

One common way of reducing a future inheritance tax bill is to make gifts at least seven years before your death – a variable that, admittedly, is unknown and uncontrollable. 

After seven years, the money should usually fall outside of your estate. And you can also freely gift £3,000 a year aside from this.

But gifting invites many emotionally tinged decisions and dilemmas. Common considerations include:

1. Will my son or daughter blow the money?

2. Will it undermine their work ethic or worsen their relationship with money?

3. Will your gifted money merely end up in the pocket of a poorly-chosen partner?

However, I believe there’s a way to gift that mitigates these risks, and also happens to be a super-charged tax-efficient route to building wealth: allocating some money into the recipient’s pension.

After all, many parents don’t actually want to make their children richer today. They want to make them more secure tomorrow. This is how it works.

Why pension gifting is safer  

Reason 1: The lock-in

Junior Isas are a common way forward-thinking parents try to give their kids a head-start. These accounts enable parents and grandparents to put away £9,000 per year, per child and that money should be free from UK tax. 

Control of the money swings across to the child at age 16 and at 18 it converts to adult Isa status and can be withdrawn.

Do they tend to blow it? Our data – for the Fidelity Personal Investing platform – is positive in this regard. Of 6,000 customers whose Junior Isa converted into an adult ISA after 2021, only 9 per cent cleared out the account. And 35 per cent have actually added money.

If a first property deposit is a priority, Junior Isas are a great option to get your teenager on the right track. 

Many parents would hope their child would follow this up by saving into adult Isas and also Lifetime Isas, which qualify for a Government top-up, albeit with some restrictions.

However, you may not want to run the risk that your hard-earned money is diverted from this, or other sensible options, once your child gets their hands on the money.

Gifting directly into a pension is effective in mitigating this risk. There is no access to this money for decades: the age of private pension access will rise from 55 to 57 on 6 April 2028 and will likely be higher by the time today’s teenagers and 20-somethings reach retirement.

Reason 2: The soured marriage mitigation

A pension may also provide greater protection if your child goes through a marriage breakdown down and assets are split. 

While pensions can be taken into account in divorce settlements, particularly after long marriages, the fact that they are long-term retirement assets means they can be treated differently from readily accessible savings or investments.

The outcome depends on the circumstances, and there is no guarantee they will be excluded, but there is the potential.

Reason 3: Pension gifting is super-charged

Stock markets, where pensions are invested,  offer great growth potential over the very long term. Longer timeframes increase the chances of better riding out the ups and downs, history suggests. Returns have also been higher than would have been achieved from staying in cash. 

It is a way to supercharge the gifts you make, as the growth compounds, earning returns on your returns year after year.

But you can give it a further super-charged boost through tax breaks – and this is especially powerful for children.

Pension tax relief is one of the biggest financial perks you’ll ever receive. This is explained further in This is Money’s guide to pension tax relief, but for most people, every £80 you put into your pension becomes £100 thanks to reduced tax. Higher-rate taxpayers should be able to claim even more. 

You should check the rules but for a child, it is simple. 

You can open a Junior Self-Invested Personal Pension (Sipp) and harness the boost of tax relief immediately. It is classed as ‘relief,’ yet the benefitting child doesn’t even need to have earnings or income to qualify. It is a gift on your gift.

A Junior Sipp allows you to contribute up to £2,880 a year, and the government automatically adds 20 per cent tax ‘relief’, turning it into £3,600. The money is locked away until the child’s minimum pension age, but that gives decades for investment growth to compound. 

It is one of the few opportunities to secure an instant, Government-backed return before a child has even earned their first pay packet.

We ran the numbers on two theoretical scenarios, comparing money into a Junior ISA and into a Junior SIPP.

How to turn £8,640 into £297,777

Let’s consider what happens if you took the maximum £2,880 Junior Isa allowance and invested it in a Sipp instead, each year for three years – from the time your child was 15 years old to adulthood.

A parent contributing £2,880 a year for three years would invest £8,640 into a Junior Isa. The same cash contribution into a Junior Sipp becomes £10,800 after HMRC tax relief. Assuming 7 per cent annual growth to age 65, that difference alone could add almost £60,000 to the child’s retirement fund.

This is because you’re earning those returns on a larger, HMRC-boosted sum and the difference continues to grow and compound over time. 

By the time your child reaches age 65, your £8,640 invested into a Junior Sipp could have grown into a retirement nest egg worth between £118,000 and almost £300,000, depending on returns.

Investment charges would trim these returns and the growth is not guaranteed, but it illustrates my point on the power of tax relief.

Of course, the inheritance saving on this scenario is small at £3,456 – 40 per cent of the amount gifted. But the gifting could continue through their twenties, with the child or grandchild channeling the money into their Sipp. Generally, you can put £60,000 into a pension each year or 100 per cent of your earnings – whichever is lower. 

There’s a certain elegance to all this. Not only are you avoiding one tax – on inheritance – but you are using tax efficiency to stretch that tax exemption further. It is a rare opportunity in an age when the tax squeeze only seems to tighten.

A word of warning  

Before making any decisions, consider the adapted idiom of not letting the tax tail wag the financial plan dog. Is it really affordable? Can you make the gift and keep your own plans intact?

You should also carefully consider whether you will even face a liability. For married couples who own property, the allowance is up to £1million if they pass on their main home to their children or grandchildren. A rate of 40 per cent is applied beyond that level.

The reality is that a small portion of estates are liable. The most recent statistics were published this week, for 2023/24 – and showed around 30,400 estates had to pay some inheritance tax, a fall of over 1,000 on the previous year. 

Only 4.7 per cent of estates pay any tax. And the numbers also show that, once tax-free allowances were accounted for, the average effective tax rate paid by estates was actually 13 per cent, compared to the headline marginal rate of 40 per cent. 

Of course, the tax net will widen after next April’s change in the rules.

The decision is not an easy one, and the dynamic changes at different life stages. It is certainly worth monitoring your child’s attitude and behaviour as they reach their 20s and 30s. It should sway the preference you state on whether gifts should channel to Sipp or Isa.

As with many difficult choices, perhaps the ‘bit of both’ option is a happy compromise – some to help near-term goals of buying a home, some for long-term financial security, and maybe just some for fun in the here and now. 

Few things are more rewarding than watching your generosity be enjoyed by others – and it perhaps especially important for a doting grandparent.

The pension choice, however, is the ultimate act of delayed gratification and forward thinking. You’re giving them options, dignity and financial independence in later life for which they may thank you. That it is meaningful legacy I would be happy to leave.

As some Hollyoaks viewers suspected, we haven’t seen the true side of newcomer Abigail Matthews – and the sordid nature of the character will send shockwaves through the village, deeply impacting grieving teenager Dee Dee Hutchinson (Chloe Atkinson).

Fans were delighted by the announcement of Coronation Street Sophie Webster icon Brooke Vincent in a new role for the show, and it was inevitable that they wouldn’t leave a big name actress on the sidelines for long at all.

Now Metro can exclusively reveal that Abigail has been brought in for a long-running and topical plotline that will explore the grooming of a child from a place of institutional authority.

Our soap source told me of the plot: ‘Brooke is playing a seriously dark, character – she’s complex, intelligent and manipulative and knows exactly what she is doing by using her power to draw in Dee Dee.

‘It’s poised to be one of the show’s most talked about stories of the year and was planned as a natural follow on from the tragic loss of Diane. Dee Dee in particular will find the struggle of losing her mum impossible to deal with, making her a terrifyingly easy target for the predator.

‘It might be that the dark story divides fans but Hollyoaks is known for not shying away from issues like this, so it will be no different this time.’

They added: ‘It will be fascinating for many who know Brooke solely for playing Sophie – Abigail is such a vastly different character and the material will really show how versatile Brooke can be. The performances are said to be pretty chilling and Chloe is really stepping up the mark as Dee Dee since her debut last year.’

The death of Diane – played marvellously by the much missed Alex Fletcher – has sent heartbreak through those left behind, with Tony (Nick Pickard) struggling to cope while also ensuring the welfare of his kids is okay.

Dee Dee fell through the cracks by getting involved with drugs, and it’s Abigail who is there to help her in a professional capacity as a counsellor.

But that professional facade will soon crack to show a much deeper and worrying reality.

With Abigail now working at the school, the coming months will see her pursue a ‘friendship’ with Dee Dee and will push to strengthen their bond when the school term starts in September. 

Vulnerable after the loss of her mother, Dee Dee, in turn will form an attachment to Abigail.  

Hollyoaks has worked with charities TDI (The Derwent Initiative) as well as the NSPCC to ensure this subject is handled with the utmost care and accuracy.  

TDI aims to prevent sexual offending by raising awareness and consulting with venues that could facilitate it through their Leisurewatch scheme which trains public spaces, like hotels and leisure centres to spot when abuse could be happening within their precincts.

The intention is to raise awareness and questions about safeguarding, grooming, the importance of understanding abuse of power, and encourage transparency with established friends and family members about new friendships. 

TDI says that cases like Dee Dee’s are common but frequently unreported, due to a lack of understanding about abuse of power, criminality and safeguarding. 

A spokesperson for the organisation said: ‘Young people, particularly teenagers, are at a pivotal age where making good choices is hard, while wanting to be independent. 

‘The Hollyoaks storyline will highlight that in order to do that, any ‘secret’ friendship or relationships should be questioned.  

‘Think about why someone would ask you to keep a healthy friendship a secret? Speak to a friend, or family member or anonymous helplines are available.’

MORE: Brooke Vincent shares big career update and it’s great news for soap fans

MORE: ‘She’s miles away!’ Brooke Vincent reveals how Hollyoaks newcomer differs from Sophie Webster

George McCulloch, 58, was reported missing this week after last being seen in his campervan on Monday.

A body has been found at a retail park in Stirling during the search for a missing camper.

George McCulloch and his Jack Russell dog were last seen leaving Oban in his motorhome at 9am on Monday, July 27. They were expected to be travelling home back to Hawick but failed to arrive.

The 58-year-old was driving a white Volkswagen campervan at the time. Police said George’s family were “growing increasingly concerned”.

Officers searching for George have confirmed a man’s body was found within a vehicle in Springkerse Retail Park on Thursday, July 30.The public were asked to call police if they knew the whereabouts of his white VW campervan he was driving.

Advertisement

Formal identification is yet to take place, however George’s family have been made aware. The death is being treated as unexplained, but not suspicious.

Police have not confirmed if George’s Jack Russell was also found.

A Police Scotland statement said: “Officers searching for missing man George McCulloch have found a body in Stirling.

“The body of a man was found within a vehicle in Springkerse Retail Park on Thursday, 30 July, 2026.

“Formal identification is yet to take place, however George’s family have been made aware.

“The death is being treated as unexplained, but not suspicious. A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal in due course.”

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE.

An innocent woman who spent months behind bars has opened up about how her ex-fiancée and his new wife framed her for crimes she never committed.

Michelle Hadley, now 39, was arrested in July 2016 for allegedly cyberstalking and threatening her ex Ian Diaz and his wife Angela Connell. She then spent 88 days in jail, and faced a maximum sentence of life in prison.

But authorities soon learned that Angela, herself, had sent the threatening emails and even posted an ad for a ‘rape fantasy’ on Craigslist – and blamed it on Hadley.

The charges against Hadley were then dropped and Angela was sent to prison in January 2017.

Yet federal investigators continued to suspect something was amiss with the story, and after a years-long investigation became convinced that Ian had been involved in the ploy as well.

He was ultimately arrested in 2021 and was convicted of stalking, perjury and obstruction of justice, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Ian’s ploy is now laid bare in a new Netflix documentary, A Toxic Love Story, which premiered on July 23.

However, some key details of the case were left out of the film.

Ian and Angela made several calls to law enforcement in Anaheim, California beginning in May 2016, claiming Hadley was sending Angela threatening messages from an account titled LilithIsTruth

Hadley opened up about her false imprisonment in a Netflix documentary ‘A Toxic Love Story’

Advertisement

The documentary details how Ian and Angela made several calls to law enforcement in Anaheim, California, beginning in May 2016, claiming Hadley was sending Angela threatening messages from an account titled LilithIsTruth.

The disturbing messages included: ‘You must be gone,’ ‘You have not heeded my warnings’ and ‘Watch your back.’

They soon became even more menacing with messages like: ‘Ian does not love you’ and saying Angela had ‘stolen my treasured home,’ apparently referring to the condo Hadley had bought with Ian while they were together.

As the messages continued, the couple obtained a restraining order against Hadley.

Yet the Diazes claimed they continued to receive messages – this time accompanied by pictures of dead fetuses, reading things like: ‘Drop the restraining order or you will continue to suffer’ and: ‘We will steal your child and watch as it dies’.

Another read: ‘You will die tonight while someone rapes you.’

Then in June 2016, the case took a dramatic turn when Ian claimed that Hadley had posed as Angela to respond to a post on Craigslist asking for a woman to help act out a rape fantasy.

The post had said: ‘I am looking for women who have fantasies about being raped or forced to perform.

‘I’ve done this before with a couple of ex-girlfriends and found it very intense and exciting’.

The man who posted it, who is identified in the film as ‘Rick’, says that he got a message from someone with the username, ‘Lilithistruth’, inviting him over.

Angela Diaz had claimed she had been physically threatened in her garage

Angela was ultimately arrested in January 2017, and pleaded guilty to charges including fraud, false imprisonment and falsely reporting a crime

Advertisement

The response he got read: ‘I’ve been dying to have a rape fantasy occur while walking my dog, following me home, dragging me upstairs to the bed.

‘I am 30, tall, gorgeous and ready,’ followed by Angela’s full address.

The message went on: ‘Even if I scream, don’t stop.’

Angela later claimed she was physically threatened in her garage.

In the police bodycam footage from when detectives visited the condo, Angela pointed to a black mark on the wall and said it was a makeup stain from when a figure with a black ski mask over his face grabbed her.

Crying, she told the officers: ‘I just didn’t know what was happening. He grabbed me, he had me pinned by the hair at the neck. He told me, now you’re gonna get it, you’re finally going to get raped.’

Angela and Ian both blamed Hadley, who was finally arrested by the police on felony stalking charges that could have sent her to prison for life if convicted.

The new true crime documentary features bodycam footage from a police visit to Ian and Angela’s home after they complained about Hadley. Photo courtesy of Netflix

Advertisement

But while she was in prison, law enforcement began to suspect something more was going on – and that Angela may have sent the threatening emails to herself and lied about the attempted rape.

They soon learned that Angela had previously lied to an ex-boyfriend, Jason Rayburn, about being diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer.

Rayburn describes in the documentary how Angela insisted on going to her chemotherapy ‘appointments’ alone until one day Rayburn insisted on accompanying her, and was shocked to find it was for removing a mole. 

Then Rayburn, a California highway patrol officer, got another shock: he claimed an image that Angela had sent him supposedly of her hospital room during chemotherapy was pulled from Google images.

That is when he said he realized her cancer was a lie.

She had also allegedly lied to him about being pregnant with twins, showing him a fake sonogram and doctored pregnancy tests. 

Angela was ultimately arrested in January 2017, and pleaded guilty to charges including fraud, false imprisonment and falsely reporting a crime.

She was then sentenced to five years in prison, and by April 2017, Ian had his and Angela’s marriage annulled.

Hadley was released from prison after 88 days and was cleared of all charges

Still, Department of Justice Special Agent Jason Higley said he continued to have suspicions.

He then reviewed body camera footage from Angela and Ian’s 911 calls and became convinced that Ian was coaching Angela on what to say.

As he then continued to investigate, Higley said he discovered fragments of a LilithIsTruth email on Ian’s computer that proved he had written at least one of the messages.

It is now believed Ian sought revenge on Hadley, who had paid the down payment on their condo.

After they split, Ian remained at the home and later moved Angela in. 

But Higley suggested in the documentary that Ian wanting to keep the condo was only part of Ian’s motive for framing his ex.

‘To me, it boils down to Ian wanting to control someone. He wanted to control Michelle and she got away and that made him angry,’ he claimed.

‘In my view, Angela Connell was a perfect partner because she craved empathy. Angela loved portraying herself as a victim, and Ian exploited that.’ 

The former US Marshal was then arrested in May 2021, and was later found guilty of stalking, perjury and obstruction of justice and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

He was later dismissed from the US Marshals Service in 2023. 

Ian was arrested in May 2021, and was later found guilty of stalking, perjury and obstruction of justice and was sentenced to 10 years in prison

Advertisement

But some key details about the case were noticeably left out of the documentary – including Angela’s larger web of lies detailed in divorce filings, court records and witness statements.

During her criminal case, Angela had also been accused of fabricating major parts of her personal history, including aspects of her education, employment and background, the US Sun reports. 

Prosecutors also alleged Angela regularly created false narratives involving pregnancies, illnesses and personal crises which she used to gain sympathy, financial support and gifts.

The documentary also failed to mention how Ian allegedly pressured Michelle into leaving her job as a marketing support manager for a risk services company in Orange County and instead accept a position at Disneyland Resort – even though it would pay $20,000 less.

The career move made Hadley feel more vulnerable in her relationship, she told Buzzfeed News in 2019, saying she believed her then-boyfriend wanted her working at Disneyland because his former colleagues could keep an eye on her. 

Hadley said she has now found her happy ending with her young daughter

Hadley went on to sue the Anaheim Police Department, noting that she had argued from the beginning that she had been framed as she denied sending the threatening messages and posts.

She sought more than $25,000 in damages, accusing investigators of overlooking evidence that could have cleared her name and failing to properly investigate whether she had been framed.

Police officials denied any wrongdoing and argued officers had probable cause for the arrest based on the information available at the time.

Still, the city settled the suit with Hadley in 2021 with no admission of liability.

Yet sources told TMZ this week Hadley settled for around $1.8 million.

Two years later, the former inmate gave birth to a daughter on the same day Ian was convicted.

‘Raising this beautiful little girl is my fairytale ending,’ she told the documentary. ‘I think it is “happily ever after.”‘

Meanwhile, Angela was released from prison in 2020 and completed her parole in 2021. She has since founded a nonprofit and now claims that she was ‘wrongfully convicted.’

But Ian remains behind bars to this day as the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denied his conviction appeal last year.

He is now due to be released on January 31, 2031. 

The extraordinary preparations come as police continue planning for Kinahan’s extradition from Dubai after he reportedly lost his final appeal against being returned to Ireland.

A section of Ireland’s highest security prison has been upgraded and a bomb-proof prison van purchased as authorities prepare for the expected arrival of crime boss Daniel Kinahan.

The Irish Mirror understands that one of the most secure areas of Portlaoise Prison has been refurbished with its own gym and library, with Kinahan expected to have exclusive access if he is remanded there following his return to Ireland.

The major security operation has seen the Irish Prison Service (IPS) create a dedicated secure unit where Kinahan would be held separately from the wider prison population.

Alongside the upgraded facilities, additional prison officers are expected to be deployed to guard the area around the clock following a security review carried out by the IPS in consultation with Gardaí.

It has also emerged that the prison service has acquired a new bullet and bomb-resistant escort van, first reported by RTÉ, which is expected to be used to transport Kinahan from the airport to prison.

The specially protected vehicle is understood to have been sourced from the UK and features ballistic armour capable of withstanding rifle fire, along with reinforced flooring and body panels designed to offer protection against explosives.

Despite its enhanced security, the van is designed to look identical to the rest of the Irish Prison Service fleet, making it difficult to distinguish from standard escort vehicles.

‘Loking forward to returning to Ireland’

The extraordinary preparations come as Gardaí continue planning for Kinahan’s extradition from Dubai after he reportedly lost his final appeal against being returned to Ireland.

The alleged cartel boss had previously delayed the process by pursuing a further appeal through the Dubai courts. However, that legal challenge has now concluded, clearing the way for his return.

Sources have indicated that Kinahan could be flown back to Ireland within weeks, with August now considered the most likely timeframe.

He is expected to be transported on a Government aircraft before appearing before the Special Criminal Court in Dublin, where Gardaí intend to charge him with directing a criminal organisation, an offence carrying a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The operation is expected to rank among the largest and most complex security exercises ever undertaken by the State.

Earlier this week, podcaster James English claimed Kinahan was “looking forward” to returning to Ireland and suggested the extradition process had been “fast tracked”.

Writing on Instagram, English said Kinahan would be willing to give interviews after returning to Ireland. His claims have not been confirmed by authorities.

The case against Kinahan is understood to centre partly on encrypted communications recovered from so-called Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) devices allegedly used by members of the Kinahan cartel.

Gardaí allege encrypted handles including “Bon Neww”, “Bon4” and “Cap” belonged to Kinahan and were used to direct senior cartel figures during the deadly Hutch-Kinahan feud.

Evidence presented in previous Special Criminal Court proceedings included messages allegedly discussing the murder of Eddie Hutch following the Regency Hotel shooting in February 2016, as well as communications linked to an alleged plot targeting James Gately in 2017.

Investigators also believe Kinahan played a central role in directing cartel activities from abroad following the Regency Hotel attack, during which associate David Byrne was shot dead and Kinahan himself was among those targeted.

Kinahan has consistently denied involvement in organised crime and has not been convicted of any offence in relation to those allegations. Any charges brought following his return to Ireland would be subject to the criminal justice process.

The latest rugby news from Wales and beyond

These are your rugby headlines for the morning of July 31.

SRU sack Williamson after investigation

Scottish Rugby has confirmed it has sacked CEO Alex Williamson after a lengthy investigation into his personal conduct.

Williamson was placed on extended leave back in May amid an independent investigation, which has lasted over the course of several months.

The specifics of the investigation have not been divulged by the union, but Williamson has nevertheless been removed from his position permanently.

It’s understood the probe centred on claims Williamson had entered into an undisclosed relationship with an SRU employee.

JOIN OUR WALES RUGBY FACEBOOK PAGE Latest news, analysis and much more

Chairman of Scottish Rugby Limited, John McGuigan, said in a statement: “The board of Scottish Rugby has today dismissed Alex Williamson from his position as chief executive with immediate effect. His dismissal follows the conclusion of an independent investigation into matters that were brought to the board’s attention earlier this year.

“In light of the investigation findings the board of Scottish Rugby concluded that the CEO’s conduct had fallen significantly below the standards we set as an organisation.”

Current chief financial officer David White looks set to become interim chief executive while the governing body begins the process of finding a permanent replacement.

After hitting seven international stops, the star-studded promotional run for Spider-Man: A Brand New Day wrapped up on Wednesday in London.

Throughout the press tour, Zendaya has once again cemented her status as the queen of method dressing.

The actress, 29, has always channeled her characters and themes of the films she stars in while on her fashionable premiere runs – and the last few weeks have been no exception.

Directed by her beloved stylist and close friend Law Roach, she has worn a series of web-inspired outfits from designers such as Ashi Studio, Louis Vuitton, and John Galliano.

And she looked every inch the style icon as she posed up alongside her new husband Tom Holland, whom she tied the knot with earlier this year. 

The Spider-Man promotional tour began in Madrid in mid-June, where Zendaya stunned in a black strapless gown by Christian Cowan.

The actress, 29, has always channeled her characters and themes of the films she stars in while on her fashionable premiere runs – and the last few weeks have been no exception (pictured in Ernesto Naranjo)

The stunning ensemble featured a fringe skirt and brought a 1940s silhouette to the present day with a contemporary Spanish spin.

The dress was pulled from the designer’s Fall 2026 collection and completed with black pumps and accessories from Rolex and Stefere jewellery.

For her second look in Spain, Zendaya donned the famous Spider-Man red in a high-neck dress from Ernesto Naranjo.

She teamed the 2026 Fall collection piece with matching pumps.

Next up, Zendaya was in Amsterdam wearing an ensemble from Nicolas Ghesquiere’s Cruise 2027 collection. 

The striking look featured a black jacket with white detailing and bright red shorts.

For another photocall in the city, she turned heads in a sheer slip dress with an asymmetrical hem and white floral appliqués. 

The racy number from McQueen showed off her toned figure and was paired with a high-low black opera coat.

Directed by her beloved stylist and close friend Law Roach, she has worn a series of web-inspired outfits (Dressed in Nicolas Ghesquiere)

For a photocall in Amsterdam, she turned heads in a sheer slip dress with an asymmetrical hem and white floral appliqués

Next up was Berlin for a German fan event, in which she took inspiration from the college style, which features in the movie, with a red jersey-style top from Coach

Advertisement

After the fan event, she headed to the premiere in a black custom leather two-piece from Louis Vuitton

Heading over to Rome, Zendaya caught the eye as she drove into Italian fashion history with a dazzling Swarovski-encrusted two-piece

Next up was Berlin for a German fan event, in which she took inspiration from the college style, which features in the movie, with a red jersey-style top from Coach.

She paired it with a plaid midi skirt and pointed-toe brown heels.

After the fan event, she headed to the premiere in a black custom leather two-piece from Louis Vuitton.

It featured a small waistcoat top and low-rise maxi skirt with a long train.

Heading over to Rome, Zendaya caught the eye as she drove into Italian fashion history with a dazzling Swarovski-encrusted two-piece.

The red and blue colour block outfit, from Versace’s Fall 1997 collection, was teamed with white heels.

For the night, the actress looked incredible in a vintage spiderweb gown from Giorgio Armani.

Stylist Law said of her outfit: ‘Zendaya only wears Italian when in Italy.’

She finished her striking look with jewellery from Tiffany & Co.

Next up was Rome, where Law shook things up with an oversized $35 Marvel tee from the early noughties.

The effortlessly cool look was finished with Louboutin heels and a Rolex watch.

She then popped over to London for a photocall, where she stepped out in a celestial John Galliano dress from the Spring 1997 collection.

Next up was Rome, where Law shook things up with an oversized $35 Marvel tee from the early noughties

For the night, the actress looked incredible in a vintage spiderweb gown from Giorgio Armani

Advertisement

She then popped over to London for a photocall, where she stepped out in a celestial John Galliano dress from the Spring 1997 collection

After a couple of weeks spent promoting her other new film, The Odyssey, Zendaya returned to Spider-Man for a photocall in New York

For her second event of the day, the actress arrived in Mexico City in an incredible asymmetric black dress from Ashi Studio

Zendaya then stepped out in Shanghai in a web inspired dress 

Advertisement

Heading back to the US, Zendaya hit the Los Angeles blue carpet in a bold black dress from Ashi Studio

On Wednesday, she headed to London for the final premiere of the press tour, where she turned heads in a plunging white gown from Tamara Ralph with a silver sequin web design

Looking sensational despite the heatwave, the actress turned around to reveal an intricate silver spiderweb across her back, which was hung with different charms including hearts, stars and a four-leaf clover. 

Meanwhile, the main part of the dress was patterned like the night sky and scattered with the outline of gold cherubs.

After a couple of weeks spent promoting her other new film, The Odyssey, Zendaya returned to Spider-Man for a photocall in New York.

She donned a full ensemble from the Vetements Spring/Summer 2027 menswear collection.

The stylish look consisted of a white blazer layered over a black shirt dress and knee-high PVC boots.

Dangling from her ears were a pair of dazzling spiderweb earrings – a stylish nod to the new film.

For her second event of the day, the actress arrived in Mexico City in an incredible asymmetric black dress from Ashi Studio.

The ensemble featured a half silk, half intricate lace detailing with a body-hugging design. 

She finished her outfit with spider-shaped earrings from Jacob & Co.

Jetting off to Shanghai, Zendaya commanded attention with a new Cleopatra hair look and a daring ‘web’ dress.

The actress looked sensational as she debuted another new hair look, styling her waist-long dark tresses poker straight with a short block fringe.

Giving another nod to Cleopatra, Zendaya wore a bold palette of makeup complete with a dark smoky eye shadow.

She also once again proved she is the queen of method dressing as she showed off her amazing figure in a web-themed dress from Atelier Versace.

Her gown boasted black glittering web detailing with white draping edging, with a dazzling silver brooch by David Webb added to the waistline.

She completed the look with a Rolex and Christian Louboutin pumps. 

Heading back to the US, Zendaya hit the Los Angeles blue carpet in a bold black dress from Ashi Studio.

The sculptural design featured a dramatic ruffled skirt with a deep plunge.  

On Wednesday, she headed to London for the final premiere of the press tour.

The actress turned heads in a plunging white gown from Tamara Ralph with a silver sequin web design.

Zendaya continued her stylish Spider-Man: Brand New Day press tour alongside husband Tom Holland at Wednesday’s star-studded premiere in London

The new film follows the ending of No Way Home, in which a spell cast by Dr Strange caused everyone in the world to forget the existence of Spider-Man’s secret identity, Peter Parker

The stunning dress featured sparkly straps and cinched her in at the waist before flowing out into a chiffon train. Her hair was styled in long curls by No98 Beauty.

Zendaya looked flawless wearing Charlotte Tilbury’s iconic makeup and skincare and wore Mouawad earrings and a ring from the Maison’s Majestic Diamond Suite.  

Meanwhile Tom – whose performance in Christopher Nolan’s $250million epic The Odyssey was recently roasted by critics as ‘comic book basic’ – wore a dark purple Anderson & Sheppard suit and bespoke Pragnell spider brooch.

Tom steps back into the iconic suit as Peter Parker for the latest instalment – which is already impressing fans – taking on the role once played by Tobey Maguire.

Zendaya and Tom famously met on the set of Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2016.

Fast forward ten years, and the pair are now married and back on the promotional trail for their latest Spider-Man film.

The new film follows the ending of No Way Home, in which a spell cast by Dr Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) caused everyone in the world to forget the existence of Spider-Man’s secret identity, Peter Parker (Holland).

Brand New Day picks up four years later, after Parker has largely given up on his connection to the world around him and has devoted himself entirely to fighting crime as Spider-Man, even as his former girlfriend MJ (Holland’s real-life wife, Zendaya, who stunned in a black arachnid-themed gown at the film’s premiere on Monday in Los Angeles) has moved on with a new love interest after forgetting that they were ever a couple.

Amid the turmoil in his life, Parker’s superpowers begin to undergo a sometimes disturbing evolution, which several critics compared approvingly to the direction taken by the original trilogy starring Tobey Maguire.

Critics have called it one of the best of the iconic superhero’s films – and a return to form for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Critics had high praise for Brand New Day’s returning star, Tom, and they largely applauded the film’s move away from the confusing bloat of the previous entry in the series, Spider-Man: No Way Home.

The New York Post’s Johnny Oleksinski wrote that the current Spider-Man series is the only part of the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe that he still looks forward to.

Oleksinski called Brand New Day a ‘welcome reunion’ with Holland and Peter Parker, though he noted that it was ‘much darker’ than previous Spider-Man entries.

He agreed with the comparisons to the Maguire years, writing, ‘Tonally, Brand New Day is a lot more like Tobey Maguire’s aughts films, which to my mind are not only the gold standard of Spider-Man movies, but Marvel films as well.’

Writing for RogerEbert.com, Brian Tallerico gave Brand New Day a middling 2.5 stars out of four.

The premiere comes as Tom and Zendaya’s latest movie The Odyssey has already set critical and audience review records.

Figures show that, from just under one week of The Odyssey’s wide release, July 17, the movie’s total haul is $303million worldwide, with likely another $15-20million coming in when Wednesday’s figures arrive.

But with the couple’s upcoming Spider-Man movie set to be released in days, fans will have to see which film becomes the top-grossing film of the year, as Brand New Day is currently breaking ticket pre-sale records for the opening weekend and first week.

Manchester United are eyeing a swoop for Igor Thiago, while they are also believed to be pondering a bid for Lewis Hall following Eddie Howe’s abrupt exit from Newcastle, where Matthias Jaissle will take over this weekend. Chelsea are set to confirm the arrivals of Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck after unveiling Maxence Lacroix, while Liverpool are stepping up their big-money pursuit of Bradley Barcola amid new links to Japan star Kaishu Sano.

Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa), who successfully exposed Max Branning’s (Jake Wood) affair back in the day, and the one Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) had with Junior Knight (Micah Balfour), is very close to having a full-blown affair of her own in EastEnders.

The chemistry between Lauren and Mark Fowler Jnr (Stephen Aaron-Sipple) has been brewing for ages, and viewers knew the will they/won’t they would eventually turn into a ‘will they’ due to how shifty the pair looked during the flashforward episode.

Next week, Lauren does her best to ignore her feelings for Mark, but is rattled when he attempts to make her jealous by flirting with one of Jack Branning’s (Scott Maslen) female colleagues.

Mark’s games are cut short when the woman takes an interest in one of the stolen cars. He later heads to see Lauren to tell her how he really feels, but Peter Beale (Thomas Law) arrives an interrupts the moment.

Lauren tries to deflect Peter’s questions, but eventually admits that she and Mark have been dealing stolen cars.

As Lauren spirals in the aftermath, Penny Branning (Kitty Castledine) pushes her to be honest about her feelings for Mark, but she isn’t sure what to do next.

Lauren appears to make a decision though, and later meets up with Mark. There, she asks him to prove how much she means to him…but what exactly will Lauren say next?

As the week draws to a close, Lauren is surprised when Peter asks to meet up, and then reveals that Mark has told him the truth.

Has Mark really revealed his connection with Lauren?

Or is Peter referring to something else?

Pondering over the different side we’ll see to Mark in these scenes, star Stephen Aaron-Sipple told us: ‘Nobody is tough all the time, so it’s been nice exploring a different side of Mark beyond his hard-man persona. We all have people we can let our guard down with, and for Mark, Lauren has become that person.

‘She doesn’t judge him for who he is, and that allows him to be more playful, open and vulnerable around her. Mark obviously has Vicki, and he had a similar relationship with Sam when she was on the Square, but since Sam left, Lauren has become that person for him.’

When asked about whether Lauren and Mark would make a good couple, Stephen said: ‘They already make a great team. There’s a lot of mutual respect between them, and neither of them judges the other.

‘They could make a great couple and, in another world, maybe they already would be. The problem is there are quite a few obstacles standing in their way right now!’

MORE: All EastEnders spoilers for next week as sinister Sheila closes in for Gray

MORE: EastEnders pictures confirm aftermath of Lauren and Mark twist as sparks fly

MORE: Ian prepares for the end as he says goodbye to Walford in EastEnders