More than 15 years ago, Susan Boyle’s Britain’s Got Talent audition became a global news story and a viral sensation in the early years of social media.

Back in 2009, Susan’s performance of I Dreamed A Dream for BGT judges Piers Morgan, Amanda Holden and Simon Cowell put her in front of a global audience, changing her life in the process.

What made the clip hit all the harder was the fact that both the judging panel and studio audience were so dismissive of the future Grammy nominee until they heard her singing.

“I honestly think we were all being cynical, and I think that’s the biggest wake-up call ever,” Amanda told the singing hopeful after her performance.

“And I just want to say that it was a complete privilege listening to that.”

During a new interview on Jamie East’s podcast Tales From The Celebrity Trenches, the TV mogul reflected on Susan’s audition, agreeing: “When you watch it back, I’m like, ‘God, you look so awful. Just horrible’.”

However, he added that when he was first shown a cut of Susan’s audition, he thought the judges came across too well.

“Actually, I remember saying, ‘I don’t think we look bad enough’,” he admitted. “I think we were even worse than that.”

“We are awful. All of us. I mean, that look Piers gives me. It’s just I think of all the looks I’ve ever remembered, that might be the worst. And I was just as bad. We all were,” he recalled.

“And then, you know, thank God for her, it all worked out well. And, of course, I had the ability to cut all that stuff out. But it was a bit of a wake up call. Which is, you can’t judge a book by its cover.”

“We do look disgusting,” he continued. “But you’ve got to hold your hands up at that moment. A lot of people are going to realise [when the audition airs] that we’re just horrible. And so we’re going to say sorry. And that’s what we did.”

In the end, Susan finished as the runner-up on the third season of BGT, and was quickly signed by Simon’s label.

Since then, Susan has gone on to release seven studio albums (including four UK number ones), scored two Grammy nominations and set a new record for first-week sales for a debut album.

Following what she has described as a “major stroke” in 2022, the I Dreamed A Dream singer has been teasing a return to the music scene, including a new tour and a cameo in an upcoming Rupert Everett film.

After turning 65 last month, she told her Instagram followers: “I’m so excited for the year ahead and everything that’s to come. I can’t wait to share it all with you.”

I think it’s safe to say that cardiologist Dr Francesco Lo Monaco, founder of The National Heart Clinic on Harley Street and author of Heart Saviour, has probably had some pretty long days.

So, perhaps it’s not surprising he’s thought a lot about how best to handle them.

“You don’t feel the damage from chronic stress immediately, but over time it can start to show up in your sleep, your blood pressure and eventually the results of medical tests,” he said.

Here, Dr Lo Monaco shared the things he’d never do after a tiring day:

Even after a seemingly never-ending day of stress, the cardiologist said it’s important to carve out wind-down time before bed.

″[Stress hormone] cortisol can stay elevated for hours, and [heart rate variability] may remain suppressed. If you don’t take steps to unwind, such as with breathwork or vagal work to calm the body, then you can really feel it the next day,” he said.

“If you stay in a constant state of stress it will inevitably begin to show up in your body over time.”

Though blowing off steam with a tough gym session might seem welcome, some experts say you should steer clear of any overly intense workouts within a four-hour window of falling asleep.

Dr Lo Monaco doesn’t like to push himself too hard at the end of a long day, either.

“After a long and stressful day I like to keep it simple with 20 minutes of exercise in Zone 2, which means you can still hold a conversation,” he said.

“Aim for around 55% to 65% of your maximum heart rate. It’s about supporting the system rather than challenging it if you’re already under stress.”

Longevity expert Dr Valter Longo recommends we stop eating three hours before our bedtime – and Dr Lo Monaco agrees: “According to some studies, late meals can raise your night-time blood pressure by several mmHg, which means your heart never gets that proper overnight dip.

“Over time this could put extra strain on the cardiovascular system. If you can avoid eating three hours before sleeping, it’s a good idea to do so.”

If your day’s been very physically strenuous, some professionals think that taking ice baths might be helpful.

But timing matters, said Dr Lo Monaco.

“Cold exposure is great, but it needs to be in the right context. If you’ve had a long and stressful day, then you’re adding in more vasoconstriction, which is the narrowing of blood vessels, to an already constricted system,” he explained.

“I like to instead go for warmth and focus on relaxation.”

OK, you might have ensured your room is devoid of loud talking or music, but your environment can still be noisy even if it’s quiet, noted Dr Lo Monaco.

“It’s all about stimulation that we get from chargers, light and constant micro-inputs,” he said.

“If your system is already stressed, then even these small interruptions to your sleep environment matter. In some patients, optimising sleep environments can improve heart rate variability.”

That might mean keeping some devices out of your bedroom.

“I’ve learnt from both my patients and my own routine that long-term damage doesn’t just come from your stressful days, it comes from how consistently you fail to recover from them,” the expert ended.

“Start small by going for a 20-minute walk after lunch and focusing on clear goals that support how you recover from stress.”

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Wedding season is finally here! And while yes, that does involve some amazing wedding dresses (we’ve already rounded up some affordable options), those usually only apply to a max of two members.

The rest of us have to go down that less well-defined path: finding a suitable, flattering wedding guest dress.

I don’t know about you, but I find the task quite hard. And while shopping writer Honey’s amazing recommendations are a great place to start, I thought I’d shout out the workhorse that’s seen me through two years, and three weddings, a birthday, and an engagement party: Nobody’s Child’s forest green Riley dress.

Call it fate, but it’s 60% off now too.

Made from a surprisingly breathable cord fabric, the midaxi dress is made from 100% organic cotton. That means it won’t feel clammy and uncomfortable on hour four of dancing.

Its shirred waist means it fits perfectly, and it hits at a really flattering point; often, I find that fit-and-flare types cinch in a little too low. That’s partly down to its clever shirred waist and button closure, which means it adapts well to your unique proportions.

Speaking of which, the covered buttons are a great touch that makes the whole garment look much more expensive than it really is, too. (Again, that was true before its current 60% price cut).

Also, a moment for people whose two-drinks-down appetite makes pale satins inadvisable: this doesn’t cling or uncomfortably cinch, and it’s both dark enough to make stains hard to spot on the night and completely machine-washable after.

Perhaps it’s no wonder this dress has gotten a five-star average rating from 50 reviews. Customers love its comfortable, stylish, and flattering cut, with its deceptively pricey-looking material and perfect-for-every-event length.

Multiple reviewers said they’d bought the same dress in different colours.

It doesn’t bunch or crease when you sit down, and while the site says to order a size or so down, I, along with some other customers, think it’s pretty true to size.

(Though for what it’s worth, this dress has seen me through a couple of dress sizes, and fit brilliantly on all occasions. Thank the fashion gods for shirring!)

Lastly, though I love loads of sleeveless dresses in theory, personally, I’m never comfortable with my arms out. This dress amply covered them with its deliciously retro balloon sleeves without leaving me roasting on a hot spring day.

In case you’re still on the fence, it bears repeating: it’s 60% off now! Race you to the checkout…

When your child with ADHD argues back, you might find yourself getting stuck in a frustration-fuelled cycle that goes from 0-60 in the blink of an eye.

But if you find it becoming a pattern, it’s not because they are ‘bad’, manipulative or deliberately trying to provoke you. Far from it.

Underneath the surface, children are often struggling to regulate their emotions, trying to seek connection, or attempting to make sense of a situation that feels overwhelming or unpredictable.

To try and break the cycle, Allison Solomon, a parent coach who has inattentive ADHD and has three neurodivergent children, said in a TikTok video that her number one ADHD parenting tip is to “stop engaging” in arguments with your children.

Solomon explained that “the ADHD brain doesn’t have enough dopamine – and your child needs dopamine in order to access their thinking part of the brain or the prefrontal cortex”. She suggested parents arguing back become their children’s “negative source of dopamine”.

Dr Chris Abbott, chief medical officer at Care ADHD, tells HuffPost UK there is some evidence that the reward-seeking tendencies of the ADHD brain mean that a strong emotional response – including conflict – can feel stimulating in the moment.

But he caveated that this doesn’t mean children actively seek out and use conflict with their parents or others as a source of dopamine.

“ADHD is linked to differences in dopamine regulation. High-intensity interactions, like arguments, can briefly increase arousal and dopamine, making the child feel more alert, engaged, or switched on,” he explains.

“In this regard, conflict can feel rewarding – irrespective of the circumstances in which it first arose.”

Arguments are emotionally charged. So, for a child who often feels under-stimulated, “strong emotions – even negative ones like frustration or anger – can feel energising and hard to disengage from,” explains the ADHD expert.

Arguing can also be a way of externalising internal difficulties. “Instead of managing frustration, transitions, or demands internally – which can be a significant challenge with ADHD – this struggle can sometimes be channelled into conflict with others,” he adds.

Other times, an argument might not be about stimulation but more about avoidance or escape, for example, if your child wants to avoid or delay doing their homework or going to bed.

Arguments can also occur as a result of children struggling to deal with big feelings. “Dysregulation in ADHD is often driven by factors such as rejection sensitivity, frustration, and a genuine difficulty with emotional transitions – not a desire to start an argument,” says Dr Abbott.

“These aren’t calculated choices; they’re about children responding to big feelings – feelings they’re still developing the ability to manage.

“What looks like arguing on the surface is often something else entirely: a child struggling to regulate emotion, seeking connection, or trying to make sense of a situation that feels difficult, overwhelming or unpredictable.”

Solomon said her “best parenting advice” is to “cut off the source of dopamine” by not reacting to your child’s behaviour.

Dr Abbott agrees with this approach. “Reduce emotional intensity: calm, brief responses help to avoid an argument,” he says.

And if you do find yourself getting pulled back-and-forth into arguments, try to respond to the feeling underneath rather than the content of it.

“Ask: ‘what does my child need to feel understood right now?’ That question tends to lead somewhere in a way that ‘how do I stop this behaviour’ doesn’t,” he says.

Saying something like “You seem really frustrated right now” can also help to elicit a more meaningful response than engaging with whatever’s being debated.

Dr Abbott also advises parents to use clear, consistent boundaries (to help reduce negotiation) and pre-empt triggers (particularly transitions or demands).

“Encourage the use of alternative strategies for managing frustration, such as taking a pause before expressing feelings,” he advises.

When your child does engage in a non-disruptive or non-argumentative way, catch it and reward it.

Similarly, increase positive attention elsewhere. “This helps make sure that arguing isn’t the main route to connection,” ends Dr Abbott.

If you’ve heard your kids talk about looksmaxxing, mewing, jestermaxxing, or more recently, frame mogging, it might be time to gently explore where all this is coming from.

For those who aren’t chronically online and have absolutely no knowledge of these terms, I’ll quickly help fill you in on what they mean – and why you should keep a closer eye on your teen’s behaviour if you hear them discussing these terms.

‘Looksmaxxing’ describes the improvement of physical appearance, commonly through a number of practices which range in intensity – from using skincare to undergoing surgery.

While there’s nothing wrong in wanting to take pride in your appearance – indeed, having a skincare routine and using SPF, staying hydrated, eating a balanced diet and exercising are all great ways to look after yourself – looksmaxxing can take things to the extremes.

It’s a phenomenon that’s been catapulted from the manosphere – a collection of websites and forums that typically promote masculinity, some of which amplify misogynistic views – to the mainstream.

One online streamer known as Clavicular claims to have “looksmaxxed” himself from the age of 14 through a combination of exercise, steroids, surgery and taking a hammer to his face (also referred to as “bonesmashing”).

But experts have concerns over how the quest to looksmaxx impacts teens during a crucial period in development – and a time when self-esteem is typically pretty low.

Dr Candice O’Neil, psychologist at Ontic Psychology, previously told Patient looksmaxxing has the potential to “influence young people’s feelings about themselves and behaviours both implicitly and overtly”.

She explained: “This becomes unhealthy when it moves from general self-improvement and wellbeing practices into a preoccupation with their appearance – particularly when that involves constant comparison with others or extreme adjustments to food and exercise. This can also lead to deep feelings of poor self-worth and self-concept.”

Over time, this might begin to impact a person’s mental health and potentially lead to disordered eating, body dysmorphia, obsessive and compulsive behaviours, or self-harm.

Mewing is one of the practices some are trying in the pursuit of looksmaxxing. It involves pressing the tongue firmly against the roof of your mouth, with a view to reshape the jawline.

Does it work? Dr Baldeep Farmah, aesthetic doctor at Dr Aesthetica, said “no credible research supports the jaw restructuring looksmaxxing communities promise”.

Similar to looksmaxxing, but the focus is on being funny or hilarious, rather than physical self improvement. While there’s nothing wrong with having a laugh and joking around, some parents are noticing their teens are, once again, taking it to the extremes.

One parent shared on Reddit that their 16-year-old son was ‘jestermaxxing’ at home non-stop: “He’ll just interrupt us at dinner with some loud random joke or impression then stare at everyone waiting for a huge reaction … Family time is exhausting because it’s like he’s performing all the time instead of just talking normally.”

They added: “He used to talk about girls like a normal teenager but now he says things like ‘foids [a derogatory term for women] only respect you if you jestermaxx correctly’ which I had to search and it made me feel sick.”

More recently, kids have been talking about frame mogging, but to understand the meaning of that one, we need to first define mogging, which means outperforming or dominating over someone.

He added frame mogging “comes from a really toxic thought process that is good [for parents] to be aware of”.

When Clavicular was approached to take a photo with a fraternity leader, and the photo was posted online, his followers joked he’d been “frame mogged” as the fraternity leader was bigger built.

So, in short: frame mogging means you’re showing someone up by being more muscular. And in these communities, muscle apparently equals ‘alpha male’.

A lot of these terms stem from incel (involuntary celibate) communities online, made up of men who forge a sense of identity around their perceived inability to form sexual or romantic relationships.

They might say this is because of how they look or because they’re “low status”. Either way, much of their anger is directed at women.

According to Educate Against Hate, boys are drawn to this kind of content because it offers a sense of belonging, simple answers to complex societal problems, and an element of control or empowerment.

Nearly 70% of boys aged 11-14 years old have been exposed to misogynistic content online, per Ofcom, and most primary and secondary school teachers are “extremely concerned” about the influence of the manosphere on children and young people.

While there will be plenty of boys who shun these narratives, over time this content can – and does – subtly shift perceptions.

If you notice your son using these terms, your best bet is to stay curious and keep the lines of communication open.

Staying non-judgemental and asking open-ended questions, like “What do you like about that content?” or “How did you come across that idea?”, is key.

Fiona Yassin, a family psychotherapist and founder and clinical director of The Wave Clinic, previously told HuffPost UK: “It’s important for parents to name what’s happening. For example, acknowledging that there are online spaces where relationships are framed transactionally – where worth is tied to wealth, appearance, or sexual history.”

Parents can show awareness, and therefore signal understanding, without endorsement, she said. You could say something like: “I understand this is something people are talking about right now.”

Teaching and encouraging critical thinking is important, as is reinforcing your family values.

Check out more tips on speaking to kids about misogyny here.

Keir Starmer has attempted to rebuild trust with Whitehall by sending civil servants in an email the night before polling stations opened.

The prime minister admitted “the events of the last recent weeks have felt unsettling”, alluding to his controversial decision to sack the top civil servant in the Foreign Office.

Starmer blamed Olly Robbins for giving Peter Mandelson security clearance so he could become ambassador to the US, even after the disgraced Labour peer failed vetting.

The PM claimed he was not aware security officials had advised against giving Mandelson a clean bill of health and blamed Robbins for keeping it secret.

But, in a box-office appearance before MPs, Robbins insisted the vetting process is independent of ministers and the details are not typically shared.

Clearly trying to extend an olive branch in the letter, Starmer told Whitehall officials their work is the “backbone of this country”, and that “we are one team”.

But, while writing to the half a million civil servants in the UK, the PM called on them to offer “total transparency” to ministers.

He said: “I value the ‘speaking truth to power’ that is the hallmark of our system.

“I want a culture where information flows freely, where risks are flagged early, and where we work together to solve problems before they become crises.

“The relationship between a minister and their officials relies on a bedrock of total transparency.

“Without that trust, the partnership that sits at the heart of our constitution cannot function. We are fixing the processes that have failed, but we are not changing the fundamental value we place on your role.”

His email went out hours before polls opened on Thursday.

More than 100 local councils are up for election in England, while voters in Scotland and Wales will also go to the polls for elections to Holyrood and the Senedd.

Labour are expected to fare particularly badly, as pollsters agree the central government will likely be punished for a gruelling 22 months in office.

Starmer has had a rocky relationship with Whitehall since winning the 2024 general election.

He previously shocked officials by accusing them of being “comfortable in the tepid bath of managed decline”.

He later claimed he meant that the problem was not with officials themselves but that they faced “too many obstacles”.

Starmer’s pick as cabinet secretary – Chris Wormald – was also forced out as head of the civil service earlier this year and replaced by Antonia Romeo who is expected to reform the entire system.

Sydney Sweeney is lifting the lid on shooting one of Euphoria season three’s most memorable sequences.

In the most recent episode of the divisive drama, Sydney’s character Cassie was seen embracing a different sort of lifestyle afforded to her by her new OnlyFans career, including a lavish influencer party.

While this party eventually descended into more of the extreme scenes that has seen Euphoria’s third iteration prove divisive among viewers, the Emmy nominee has made it clear that she had a blast filming the episode.

“Maddy transforms Cassie back into Cassie’s most glorious self, and she takes it from there,” she explained in a behind-the-scenes video posted on HBO’s YouTube page.

“There is nothing like a Euphoria party. Every season, Sam [Levinson, Euphoria’s creator] always writes in one.”

Admitting that she uses these scenes to live vicariously through her character, Sydney continued: “I don’t really go to parties, so this is my time where I get to have fun through Cassie. And she lets loose! This girl knows how to party, she’s having the time of her life.”

Interspersed with shots of Sydney and hundreds of extras partying, she added: “I was like, ‘are we ever going to call cut?’. I didn’t know what to do! I don’t know how to dance. I thought my wig was going to fly off, I’m whipping my hair all over the place. It was crazy.”

Over the last few weeks, Cassie’s Euphoria storyline has continued to raise eyebrows, with many critics describing some of Sydney’s scenes as “degrading”, “horrible” and comparable to a “humiliation ritual” for the actor.

Sam Levinson said earlier this week: “What’s interesting is if you push it a little bit, [Sydney] becomes brilliant. You just do a few more takes, and she can reach these levels that are very honest emotionally, but also deeply funny.”

He added: “She’s able to anchor the scene with this kind of madness and chaos going on around her.”

Euphoria airs weekly on Sky and Now in the UK.

Jane Fonda has shared her thoughts on her “complicated” marriage to media mogul Ted Turner in an exceptionally earnest tribute following the news of his death at the age of 87.

Offering her “immediate thoughts about Ted” in a Wednesday afternoon Instagram post, the Hollywood veteran and lifelong activist looked back on their relationship as “challenging”, while adding that she had “always been up for a challenge, and with Ted it was almost always worth it”.

“He swept into my life, a gloriously handsome, deeply romantic, swashbuckling pirate and I’ve never been the same,” she said of Turner, who was her husband from 1991 until their divorce in 2001.

Explaining how it felt for the multifaceted billionaire to need her love, Fonda wrote: “No one had ever let me know they needed me, and this wasn’t your average human being that needed me, this was the creator of CNN, and Turner Classic Movies, who had won the America’s Cup as the world’s greatest sailor.

“He had a big life, a brilliant mind and a soaring sense of humour.”

She also acknowledged his ability to care for her, writing: “To be needed and cared for simultaneously is transformative.”

“Ted Turner helped me believe in myself. He gave me confidence. I think I did the same for him, but that’s what women are raised to do,” the Oscar winner went on to say, calling Turner’s ability to be vulnerable one of his “greatest strengths”.

Fonda said she learned more from Turner than “more than any other person or school classes” could teach before remarking how he was the “most competitive person” she had ever met – besides storied actor Katharine Hepburn – and how “fascinating” that was “to witness”.

“Whether it was who’d made the most ski runs at the end of the day, to acres of land owned (stewarded is the more fitting word for his relationship to land), who had the most billions, how many countries he’d made love to his prior lover in and could I match that, it was challenging,” she said.

Continuing her lengthy homage in the comments, the Barbarella star said: “I loved Ted with all my heart.”

“I see him in heaven now with all the wildlife he helped bring back from extinction,” Fonda went on. “

The black footed ferrets, the prairie dogs, Big Horned sheep, Mexican Gray Wolf, the Yellowstone wolf pack, bison, the red cockaded woodpecker and so many more, they’re all gathered at the pearly gates applauding and thanking him for saving their species.”

Addressing the five offspring that now survive Turner, she called them, “five talented, complex kids who I had the privilege of becoming stepmother to”.

“I love them to this day,” she went on. “If it was complicated to be married to him, think how complicated it was being his child. And they are all doing fine.”

“Rest in Peace, dearest Ted,” her message ended. “You are loved and you will be remembered.”

Though the couple split in 2001, they remained friends after.

Less than a week before his death, Fonda had called the television trailblazer her “favourite ex-husband” during the opening of this year’s TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, adding that founding the festival’s namesake network, Turner Classic Movies, is just one of the “great things that he did”.

Turner will also be remembered as the creator of CNN, the world’s first 24-hour cable news channel, as well as WTBS and TNT.