Patrick Dempsey paid an emotional tribute to his Grey’s Anatomy co-star Eric Dane, who died at 59 after a courageous battle with ALS

Patrick Dempsey has opened up about the heartbreaking loss of his Grey’s Anatomy co-star, Eric Dane.

Beloved actor Eric Dane passed away on Thursday at the age of 53, following a courageous and very public battle with ALS, which he was diagnosed with in April of last year.

Best known to devoted fans as the charming Dr. Mark Sloan, affectionately nicknamed McSteamy in Grey’s Anatomy, the much-admired star had reportedly been receiving round-the-clock care in his final days as he fought the relentless neurodegenerative disease.

Speaking to Magic Radio’s Jo Russell this morning, Patrick told Jo: “I had a very hard time getting started this morning.”

“He always made me laugh, he was so funny, he had a great sense of humour, he was always great to work with, always very professional, really smart.”

Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as your Preferred Source in your Google search settings.

“I hit it off with him immediately he came into the show, he wasn’t part of the original cast and he wasn’t sure how I would take to it… he comes out in his first scene, half-dressed, looking like this Adonis and we had a great time and just laughed about it!”

“I will miss him, as will all the fans, but the great thing is we have him in all his glory on the show, so that when you watch it he’s still very much alive.”

Once a familiar face on red carpets and at high-profile events, Eric gradually withdrew from the spotlight as his condition worsened following his diagnosis.

His last public appearance was captured in October 2025, when he was photographed in a wheelchair. Prior to that, one of his final outings saw him looking remarkably stylish at the St. Regis hotel in Washington, D.C. , in September 2025.

In those photographs, Eric was pictured seated on a sofa in a composed and dignified manner, legs crossed, dressed in a dark crewneck jumper layered over a button-down shirt, dark trousers, and distinctive black-rimmed sunglasses with orange lenses, reports the Mirror US .

Following the devastating news of his death, tributes flooded in from heartbroken fans on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“WHAT? I just saw him in Euphoria and thought he was doing okay… this is devastating,” one user wrote, whilst another added: “May his soul rest in peace, it not easy dealing with a terminal disease.”

A third person wrote, “I’m absolutely heartbroken to hear about the passing of Eric Dane at just 53 years old. Known to so many as the charismatic Dr. Mark ‘McSteamy’ Sloan on Grey’s Anatomy and for his powerful role in Euphoria, he brought such depth and charm to every character he portrayed. RIP.”

Another mourner posted, “This is the saddest news. Rest in peace, Eric Dane. You will always be our McSteamy,” whilst one devastated fan commented, “That’s awful news. 53 is no age, and ALS is just cruel. He had that rare screen presence where one look could carry a whole scene. Rest in peace. Bye-bye.”

Before landing his iconic part on Grey’s Anatomy, Dane featured in several TV programmes, including Charmed, Gideon’s Crossing, and Saved by the Bell. After leaving Grey’s Anatomy behind, he took on the lead role of Captain Tom Chandler in TNT’s post-apocalyptic thriller The Last Ship, which ran from 2014 until 2018.

Subsequently, he portrayed the menacing and sexually twisted billionaire Cal Jacobs, father to Jacob Elordi’s deeply troubled Nate Jacobs, in Euphoria. Dane joined the HBO series from its first season in 2019 and was set to appear in the eagerly anticipated third season due for release imminently.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads

Bill Hepburn, 66, passed away from his injuries at the scene on February 18.

A pedestrian who died after a crash in Tesco car park in Edinburgh has been named by police as Bill Hepburn.

Emergency services were called to the supermarket car park off Meadow Road Place in the Corstorphine area after a blue Volkswagen Polo struck a man at 9am on February 18.

Despite efforts, and an air ambulance deployed to the scene, the 66-year-old dad died from his injuries.

No one else was injured in the collision.

In a statement released through police, Bill’s family said: “Our family are heartbroken at the loss of Bill who was a loving husband and father.” They have asked for privacy at this time.

Sergeant Paul Ewing said enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the crash.

He said: “Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Bill and enquiries continue to establish the full circumstances. “Anyone who has not spoken to us and has any information that could help is asked to get in touch with road policing officers via 101, quoting incident number 0688 of Wednesday, 18 February, 2026.”

The area at the car park was closed for enquiries to be carried out and reopened around 1.20pm on Wednesday.

Photos taken at the scene showed a heavy police and ambulance presence with the area cordoned off with police tape.

One resident reported a large police presence with “loads of four-by-fours” and “an intense” scene. The local told Edinburgh Live : “My son’s dad was driving past and there were loads of four-by-four, police cars.

“There was an extremely heavy police presence there. He called to say, ‘What’s going on?’ He said it was quite intense.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson previously said: “Road Policing officers are appealing for information following a fatal crash in Edinburgh. The incident happened around 9am on Wednesday, 18 February, 2026, within a supermarket car park on Meadow Place Road, and involved a pedestrian and a blue Volkswagen Polo.

“Emergency services, including an air ambulance, attended and the pedestrian, a 66-year-old man, was treated at the scene however died a short time later. His next of kin are aware.

“There were no other reported injuries. The area at the car park was closed for enquiries to be carried out and reopened around 1.20pm.”

A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesperson added: “We received a call at 09:05 to attend a road traffic collision on Meadow Place Road, Edinburgh. We dispatched two ambulances, a paramedic response unit (PRU), a critical care paramedic (CCP), and an air ambulance to the scene.”

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

There was pandemonium in the stands as the drama unfolded in Cardiff

Scotland will return to the Principality Stadium this weekend as they face Wales in the latest instalment of a Six Nations fixture that has thrown up plenty of memorable moments over the years.

This year, Steve Tandy’s side head into the match as clear underdogs, with their losing run in the championship running all the way back to March 2023, having been extended by heavy defeats to both England and France in the opening two rounds of this year’s tournament.

The visitors to Cardiff, meanwhile, are riding high after reclaiming the Calcutta Cup with a stunning win against England last weekend, with Gregor Townsend’s side widely tipped to add to Wales’ misery on Saturday.

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

Of course, it wasn’t always like this. In fact, the fixture was responsible for one of the most remarkable Welsh victories in history, with the two sides’ Six Nations showdown in 2010 seeing chaos break out on the Principality Stadium field.

In one of the most memorable championship matches of all time, Wales clinched a stunning 31-24 comeback win over the Scots, having trailed by 10 points with just five minutes left on the clock.

It looked as though Warren Gatland’s side were heading for a humiliating defeat in Cardiff, having been red-hot favourites ahead of the match. Nothing was going right for the hosts, with Scotland seemingly minutes from victory despite having a man in the sin bin.

But when Leigh Halfpenny raced over on 76 minutes, the deficit was cut to just three points and, cheered on by a packed stadium, Wales went in search of more.

With the game entering its final minute, Lee Byrne charged through the Scottish defence, only to be tripped by Phil Godman, who had come on just two minutes earlier. The replacement back was sent to the bin, with Scotland down to 13 men and Wales opting to kick for goal, with Stephen Jones drawing his side level from the tee.

While the clock was in the red, there was somehow still time for one more play. With the stadium roaring, Wales threw caution to the wind and went in search of a win, with Jones boldly opting to fire a cross-field kick in the direction of Byrne and Halfpenny on the right wing.

Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings

The bounce favoured Byrne as he collected and looked outside him to feed Halfpenny, who soon got reinforcements as Wales piled forwards in attack. Edging closer to the Scottish line, Richie Rees looked up and fired the ball out to his left to Shane Williams, with the wing diving under the posts to seal the most remarkable of comebacks and send the stadium into pandemonium.

It was one of the most memorable and chaotic finishes to a match in rugby history, but not everyone who started the contest was there to witness the end, with two Scottish players taken to hospital before full-time.

Captain Chris Paterson, who won his 100th Scotland cap that day, split his kidney in a collision with Wales’ Andy Powell and spent almost a week in hospital in severe pain. But while he was able to return to play at the Rugby World Cup the following year, for one of his team-mates, that match in Cardiff was to be their last in professional rugby.

Shortly before half-time, wing Thom Evans had been stretchered off the pitch following a sickening collision with Byrne, after receiving several minutes of treatment on the field. There was immediate concern for the Glasgow Warriors back and the brutal extent of his injuries became clear shortly after he was rushed to hospital.

It was revealed that the collision with Byrne had knocked Evans’ cervical vertebrae so badly out of alignment that he had been left just a millimetre from paralysis, or even death.

The 24-year-old underwent emergency surgery on his neck just hours after the match ended, before having a second operation to further stabilise his spine later that week.

He then spent a week in hospital in Cardiff before undergoing four months of rehabilitation. However, Evans – who later described the impact of his collision with Byrne as “like being hit with a sniper’s bullet” – was sadly forced to retire later that year upon medical advice.

Announcing his decision, the Scotland international said at the time: “I can still do pretty much anything. I just can’t play a physical game such as rugby. When you’re told you can’t play the sport you love dearly, it comes as quite a shock.

“I’ve been fortunate to have played six seasons at the top against some of the best players in the world. I’ll have those memories for the rest of my life,” Evans added.

“You can ask any rugby player who has had a freak accident and they will still tell you that rugby is the best game in the world.”

While his rugby career ended in devastating circumstances, Evans has gone on to have a successful life outside of the sport. As well as modelling for magazines including Men’s Health and Attitude, he also trained to become a sprinter and competed at the Scottish Senior Championships just two years on from his career-ending injury.

Now 40 years old, the 10-cap international has also tried his hand at reality TV, appearing on Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls before meeting his now-fiancee Nicole Scherzinger on The X Factor: Celebrity in 2019.

Follow all of our channels to ensure you stay up to date with the latest Welsh rugby news. Sign up to our free daily newsletter here and our WhatsApp channel here for all the breaking news.

Dog trainer Emma has revealed how her dog Zephyr uses his powerful sense of smell to detect problems in the home, and his skills are proving invaluable to his owner

Advertisement

Dogs have an extraordinary sense of smell, boasting up to 300 million scent receptors that enable them to detect things humans simply cannot. This remarkable ability explains why dogs work hand-in-hand with people to crack criminal cases, spot medical conditions and even flag up household problems before they escalate.

Dog trainer Emma, who goes by @emmercrew online, has explained her dog’s incredible talent for sniffing out bed bugs through his exceptional olfactory powers. Discussing Zephyr, she explained: “This skilled canine has a unique ability to locate infestations, showcasing the impressive potential of working dogs in pest control.

“Zephyr’s nose is a powerful tool, allowing him to sniff out even the most hidden bed bugs that traditional methods may miss.

“This video highlights Zephyr’s training in action, demonstrating how he identifies bed bug presence reliably and efficiently.

“Bed bugs are notorious for being difficult to eradicate once they infest a space, making trained detection dogs like Zephyr an invaluable asset in both residential and commercial settings.”

She explained how Zephyr can differentiate between numerous environmental odours, pinpointing precisely the distinctive scent of bed bugs.

She continued: “As you watch Zephyr at work, appreciate the dedication and hard work involved in training a K9 detection dog.

“The teamwork between Zephyr and his handler showcases the vital role canines play in pest management, offering a humane and effective solution to dealing with these pesky invaders.

“If you’re dealing with a potential bed bug situation, consider the benefits of using a K9 detection service like Zephyr’s.

“His skills not only save time but also provide peace of mind in ensuring your environment is free from these unwanted pests. Remember, prevention and early detection are key in managing bed bug problems.”

Viewers flocked to the comments section in their droves, with one writing: “Isn’t he just a bundle of joy.” Another added: “Your dog is adorable.”

A third gushed: “He is so proud. I’m going to cry. Look how happy he is.” whilst another joked: “I swear he raises his hand to point to the bed.”

Experts at VCA Animal Hospitals have shed light on why dogs have such a remarkable advantage over humans when it comes to detecting scents, pointing to a unique biological feature that supercharges their ability to sniff things out.

Their statement explains: “Jacobsen’s organ (or the vomeronasal organ) is a special part of the dog’s olfactory apparatus that is located inside the nasal cavity and opens into the roof of the mouth behind the upper incisors.

“This amazing organ serves as a secondary olfactory system designed specifically for chemical communication. The nerves from Jacobsen’s organ lead directly to the brain.”

Amy Barton star took to Instagram as she looked back on her final scenes

Emmerdale star Natalie Ann Jamieson reflected on her exit from the ITV soap one year later after the tragic Valentine’s crash.

Actress Natalie Ann Jamieson made her Emmerdale debut as Amy Barton (then Wyatt) in 2019 when the character was brought back onto the soap. Chelsea Halfpenny had played Amy for three years between 2010 and 2013.

However, last year viewers of the ITV soap had to bid farewell to Amy as she was one of the three heartbreaking deaths in the aftermath of the Valentine’s Day limo crash.

Click here to prioritise Manchester news in Google from the MEN

The night started off with excitement as two limos ventured off into the night. The boys limo was fraught with tension as Caleb found out that Cain Dingle had slept with his wife Ruby Miligan.

However, the tragedy happened in the limo driven by Charity Dingle as she swerved off the road in an attempt to avoid hitting her son Noah who was stumbling in the road after being drugged by Joe Tate.

The limo then veered onto the frozen lake, leaving the women trapped in the vehicle. As the limo began to sink, they panicked when Suzy Merton had died on impact after hitting her head.

One by one the women attempted to escape but Amy was suddenly plunged into the freezing water after the ice cracked beneath her feet.

Although she was rescued, she died later in hospital from a cardiac arrest as Matty and Kerry broke down and sobbed in gut-wrenching scenes.

She was also the only character who knew that Nate Robinson’s body was under the water and, as viewers will recall, it was villain John Sugden who had killed him.

Taking to her Instagram, Natalie shared a carousel of behind the scenes clips from filming her final scenes on the ITV soap, including her hospital name tag and the makeup for the hospital scenes.

She penned: “365 days since that Limo crash did this lil Geordie cherub in Can you believe it? We miss you Amy Have I still got a load of BTS to share with you? Whey Aye!!!”

As Amy Walsh commented crying emojis, Natalie responded: “wahhhhhhhh I miss working with yoooouuuuu (not that you’re working right now – Ahhhhh exciting times!!!!) x x. X”, as Amy is currently on maternity leave.

On-screen husband Ash Palmisciano added: “Ahhhh one year! Bring back Amy Wyatt right now” and @itsglittertime76 wrote: “What an episode that was , unreal acting by all involved. Wishing for a storyline of you coming back from the dead …if they can do it for Graham they can do it for Amy …we miss you”.

Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.

Put 7 tbsp soy sauce, 2½ tbsp honey, 3 tsp sesame oil, the juice of  ½ lime, 4 grated garlic cloves, a 4cm cube of peeled ginger (grated) and 1½ tsp chilli flakes (or you can use a chilli sauce, to taste, if you like), into a dish in which the chicken will fit. Add the meat and turn it so that it gets coated.

The tropical parrot was spotted perching on chairs causing a mix of confusion and laughter among customers.

Scots at a McDonald’s restaurant were left baffled after witnessing one very unusal visitor as they waited for their orders.

The chain is no stranger to odd happenings but at the Sauchiehall Street branch in Glasgow, customers were stunned to spot a a tropical parrot in the restaurant on January 24.

Photos shared with Glasgow Live show the striking bird, believed to be a Scarlet Macaw, perched on the back of a chair as bewildered punters watched on.

It’s unclear whether the parrot was a pet brought in by a customer or if it had wandered in on its own. One photo appeared to show the bird sitting next to a woman, who may have been familiar with the colourful visitor.

Sharing the snaps on TikTok, one onlooker admitted they “couldn’t stop laughing” at the unusual scene. Other social media users were equally amused, with one commenting that the bright-feathered guest had “spruced up the place.”

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

The 29-year-old ‘can’t wait’ for his first taste of Big Two action at Windsor Park on Saturday evening (6pm)

Josh Daniels admits he Linfield on his radar right from the moment he joined Big Two rivals Glentoran last month.

The 29-year-old ‘can’t wait’ for his first taste of Big Two action at Windsor Park on Saturday evening (6pm).

The former Derry City, Glenavon, Shrewsbury and TNS player arrived to the Oval on the January transfer window deadline day with games like this in his mind.

“Derby games always have an extra edge to them but the Big Two game is extra special,” said the midfielder.

“There has been so much rivalry between the clubs down the years every game carries that bit more weight. When I joined I found out we would be playing them in a couple of weeks so that was definitely something to look forward to.

“I can’t wait, it’s going to be a great atmosphere with a big crowd and that’s what you want to be involved in as players.

“We have to focus on the task in hand and make sure that we work hard and produce a performance which is good enough to get the points.

“We know it won’t be easy as they are on a decent run of form and they are at home too, but we are also on a good run and confidence is high in the camp.

“We want to keep our unbeaten run going and we will be doing all we can to make that happen.”

Daniels is feeling right at home in east Belfast following his return to the Irish League and has started the last three games as the Glens extended their recent unbeaten run.

Daniels has been impressed with the standards, both in the league and under the current regime at Glentoran under Declan Devine.

“There are now a number of teams who operate under a full-time model, and that has helped the overall quality of the league,” he said.

“Teams have looked further afield to strengthen their squad with the offer of full-time football and the potential of playing in Europe a big carrot for players.

“The part-time teams also seem to have benefited too by picking up players who maybe are unable to turn full-time, so that has helped strengthen the other sides as well.

“In my opinion that’s good, because you know that you have to be on it every week if you are going to be successful. Those are the standards that Decky and his staff have been driving here since they arrived according to the rest of the boys.

“We have a very talented squad here but we all know it’s about putting a shift in every week too. If you don’t do that you could end up with egg on your face.

“I knew Glentoran was a massive club but I don’t think you really appreciate the scale of it and the history until you join.

“Just because you have been successful in the past though it doesn’t mean you are going to be again. That only comes from everyone buying into the common goal and working hard to achieve it.

“When I first spoke to Decky about signing I could see the desire and hunger he has to make this club successful again and challenge for honours. Every player here has bought into that and has the drive to go on and do it.”

Want to see more of the stories you love from Belfast Live? Making us your preferred source on Google means you’ll get more of our exclusives, top stories and must-read content straight away. To add Belfast Live as a preferred source, simply click here.

Click here to sign up to our sport newsletter, bringing you the latest sports news, headlines and top stories.