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LOVE Island viewers have all been left reeling after a new Irish bombshell swooped in on Conor for a date.

The twist came after another Irish contestant, Megan Forte Clarke, was dumped from the villa.

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Billykiss entered the villa tonight[/caption]

With emotions still high and revelations aplenty from the evening’s saucy heart rate challenge, Shakira questioned Harry on his heart rate results.

She admitted: “I’m not mad at you, you’ve not done anything wrong because you actually were really respectful, it’s just annoying as you barely touched each other.”

Keen to reassure Shakira, Harry replied: “I was out of breath with yours… I had my heart beating out of my chest.”

He says of Helena: “I couldn’t even tell you what she did…”

Shakira told him: “Everyone is saying to me there’s something there with Harry and Helena…”

Harry replied: “But I’m telling you there’s not.”

He then asked Shakira: “You think I wanna be with Helena?”

Shakira quipped: “I think you should go to the Hideaway and shag each other and get it out of your system or something. There’s so much sexual tension…”

Meanwhile, the heart rate challenge might be over, but passion was still burning at the Mini Firepit as two unexpected Islanders locked lips in a steamy kiss that no one saw coming.

The next morning, the fallout from the heart rate challenge continued as Alima, Shakira and Yasmin debriefed on the night’s events on the Terrace.

Alima revealed of the challenge: “Helena whispered in his ear, ‘I can’t wait to f*** you’ and I think that’s the reason why his heart went like that. He knew that she whispered that and I think he should have told you last night…”

Yasmin added: “He replied something back to her.”

Toni interjected: “Do you still wanna f*** me?”

A raging Shakira says: “Now I know why everyone’s f****** whispering and laughing and expecting me to kick off at him. Helena can f*** off!”

BOMBSHELL TEXTS

Later that day, while relaxing at the firepit, Shakira received a text which lets her and Toni know a new male bombshell was waiting to take them both on a first date.

As she and Toni dance around and celebrate, Shakira exclaimed: “Talk about perfect timing!”

And that’s not all, as Dejon also received a text letting him know that a brand new female bombshell was getting ready to meet him and Conor.

As the girls and boys don their best date outfits, they head to a stunning sea view location to get to know the new bombshells over a cold glass of bubbles.

NEW ENTRY

As the bombshells entered the villa, viewers raced to social media to give their reactions.

One viewer wrote: “She’s stunning but she’s none of the boy’s types? Why are you setting her up?”

Emily said: “She’s looking in the wrong place if she doesn’t want childish men I fear.”

Ben tweeted: “She’s too good for the boys in there.”

Another viewer added: “Billykiss is too gorgeous to be entertaining that man child. He is so annoying.”

Love Island continues tomorrow night at 9PM on Virgin Media Play AND Virgin Media Two.

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THE grandmother of murdered schoolboy Logan Mwangi died after falling 200ft from a cliff in a suspected suicide, an inquest heard.

Clare Williamson, 64, was distraught after the death of her five-year-old grandson at the hands of her daughter, Logan’s own mother, Angharad Williamson.

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Clare Williamson, grandmother of Logan Mwangi who was killed by his mum and Clare’s daughter Angharad Williamson, has died in a suspected suicide[/caption]

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Logan Mwangi died after suffering ‘catastrophic’ injuries akin to those from a high-speed road accident[/caption]

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Angharad and her partner John Cole were both convicted of murdering Logan, along with John’s stepson[/caption]

WNS

Clare was found dead at the bottom of the Southerndown cliffs – a well-known suicide spot[/caption]

Little Logan was found with “severe injuries” after being dumped in a river just yards from his home in South Wales in July 2021.

Angharad was found guilty of his murder, alongside her partner and his stepson, and jailed for at least 28 years in June 2022.

Clare is believed to have written an email to her daughter in jail explaining her intention to end her life, which was intercepted by prison authorities, reports the Mail.

Police were alerted about the email, but they had received a call from Clare at 8:35am on June 16 with the same message.

Officers rushed to the Southerdown beauty spot near her home in Bridgend, South Wales, but Clare had already fallen to her death.

The cliff is a well-known suicide spot.

Clare’s body was spotted on the beach below and was recovered by the Porthcawl lifeboat.

An inquest heard the provisional cause of death was multiple traumatic injuries.

Angharad was convicted of Logan’s murder alongside Logan’s stepfather John Cole, 40, and Cole’s stepson Craig Mulligan, 14.

The boy had suffered 56 external cuts and bruises, and “catastrophic” internal injuries likened to those inflicted by a high-speed road accident, in the time before his death.

All three were found guilty of murdering and torturing the chirpy schoolboy before dumping his body in a river.

He was still wearing his dinosaur pyjama bottoms and Spider-Man top.

The court heard he suffered a “brutal and sustained assault” in the hours or days before he died – when he was just 3ft 5in and three stone in weight.

Logan’s tormented dad speaking out after sentencing said “every fibre in my body died” when he discovered the youngster had been brutally murdered.

However, during her evidence, Clare tried to protect her daughter by insisting she never saw Logan being treated cruelly.

When asked if she had ever witnessesed her daughter being “physical or violent” towards Logan, she replied: “Absolutely not. She was a fantastic mum, she loved him to pieces.”

Clare described Logan as “the apple of my eye”, adding: “He was a very, very bright child, a joy to be around.”

But she had seen very little of her grandson in the last months of his life – attributed to Angharrad’s relationship with John Cole.

WNS

WNS

Craig Mulligan, 14, John Cole’s stepson, who was convicted of Logan’s murder[/caption]

He was described in court as controlling.

Prosecutors said John Cole, who was a member of the far-right National Front, targeted Logan because he was mixed race.

Prosecutor Caroline Rees QC said: “He was a child of mixed race and it is relevant to a dehumanising attitude towards Logan.”

In the case background, the court heard Cole was described as “very racist” by former friends and partners while growing up.

One friend said he was racist towards “any people who are different”.

Angharad and Cole tried to cover up the horrific events in their two-bedroom flat in Sarn, Bridgend, by claiming Logan had gone to the river alone in the middle of the night.

When asked if it was in keeping with Logan’s character to wander off, Clare replied: “No.”

WNS

Clare saw very little of Logan in the last months of his life, attributed to the difficult relationship Angharad fell into with John[/caption]

WNS

The pair denied having ever assaulted Logan and claimed he wandered to the river alone[/caption]

The three defendants denied assaulting the boy, but were all found guilty of his murder and jailed.

Angharad was given a 28-year minimum sentence, with John getting 29 years and Craig five.

Angharad’s appeal against conviction in January 2023 was turned down.

Clare never spoke publicly following the convictions.

The inquest heard Clare was identified by her son Lloyd Williamson.

Assistant South Wales central coroner Rachel Knight gave her condolences to her family ‘at this sad time’.

Logan was not mentioned during the brief hearing which was adjourned while inquiries continue.

A ROYAL expert has slammed Meghan Markle’s decision to launch her rose wine on Princess Diana’s birthday as a “cruel” way to hijack Prince Harry’s mum’s legacy.

The 2023 Napa Valley Rosé went on sale on Tuesday at around 4pm UK time via a new wine section on Meg’s As Ever website.

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But Meghan’s timing decision has been criticised by a royal expert[/caption]

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Princess Diana in Hong Kong in 1989[/caption]

Meghan’s new Rosé will set back punters $30 a bottle and she now plans to bring out a sparkling wine.

But now, a royal expert has slammed the timing of the wine’s release, which is said to “capture the essence of sun-drenched outdoor moments”.

Royal reporter and podcaster Kinsey Schofield claims that the release of the beverage on the late Princess Diana’s birthday has “struck a nerve” with those in the royal household.

Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Schofield claimed: “As Ever appears to be the latest attempt to stake a claim in the oversaturated lifestyle market.

“Still, this launch has struck a very specific nerve, not just because of what the product is, but because when it was released, July 1, Princess Diana’s birthday.

“A source close to the royal household told me, it’s not lost on Prince William that Meghan has launched an alcohol brand on his mother’s birthday, the very mum he lost in a drink driving tragedy.

“When I asked if there was anger at Meghan for using Diana’s birthday to promote her commercial products, my source replied: ‘It’s what he’s come to expect from her’.

“He doesn’t think much of her.”

The beverage, priced at more than £65 for a minimum three-bottle order, had only appeared to be available for US customers to buy, with shipping addresses limited to America.

A half case costs $159 (£115) and a full case will set you back a whopping $300 (£218).

The wine went on sale at 4pm UK time, but the site was updated less than hour later to signal stocks were sold out.

But Schofield claims that “timing an alcohol launch to Diana’s birthday wasn’t just a misstep, it was borderline cruel”.

The royal podcaster said: “You have to sit at home, you have to sit and think, what is Prince Harry thinking at home today?

“As Meghan is doing victory laps around the kitchen, excited for this launch, Harry is still thinking about the mother he lost, the mother that he loved, the mother that he talks to us about constantly.

“This is still a tough day for Prince Harry too. Let’s be honest, Meghan has spent years framing herself as the spiritual successor to Diana.”

Schofield added: “I was once told by a royal family source that Beatrice, I believe this was at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, overheard Meghan tell Prince Harry that Diana spoke to her during her yoga session that morning.

“I feel like Meghan has hijacked or attempted to hijack this woman’s legacy, to the point where Meghan is so important that Diana is speaking to her from the other side of the yoga mat.

The Sun

Kinsey Schofield has weighed in on the latest release[/caption]

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The release on Diana’s birthday has drawn criticism[/caption]

“So to claim ignorance here doesn’t hold up. It wasn’t just insensitive.

“It felt like a betrayal of the very narrative she’s working so hard to craft.”

Schofield said: “I think Diana’s death remains one of the most heartbreaking and symbolic moments in modern royal history.

“Linking that memory, whether intentionally or accidentally, to a commercial product, especially one tied to alcohol, feels like a profound misjudgement.

“There are 363 other days to launch a wine or an alcohol brand. Choosing this one, even if unintentional, speaks volumes.”

‘TONE DEAF’

Schofield also claimed that her source in the royal household said that William and Catherine have been “quite good at ignoring the Sussexes”.

However, it is claimed that anything to do with Wills mother is still a “tender spot”, according to the source.

Schofield added: “To launch an alcohol brand on Diana’s birthday, it felt pointed, or at the very least, shockingly tone deaf.

“Privately, there is hope within the family that Harry and Meghan will eventually thrive in the business world, not out of affection, but out of strategy.

“The thinking goes, if they’re secure and financially stable, maybe the public criticism towards the palace and media outbursts will subside.”

The new wine is being flogged on new website Wine.AsEver.com – where more booze will be added.

The Rosé is described by As Ever as “a pale blush wine offers a roundness and depth of flavor that is complemented by gentle minerality and soft notes of stone fruit with a lasting finish”.

They claim the tipple is an “As ever blend” which includes “Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Syrah varietals”.

While the taste is described as “sophisticated, dry, and refreshing, it is designed for summer’s best moments – from lunches that turn into dinners and sun-drenched weekends where the only thing louder than the music is the laughter”.

It comes as Meghan is also set to reveal a sparkling wine among new wine varieties.

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Diana, Prince William and Prince Harry at Thorpe Park when the boys were growing up[/caption]

The Mega Agency

Prince Harry will still be thinking of his mother especially on her birthday, a royal expert claimed[/caption]

ARSENAL have finally won a title — for spending the most money in wages to crocked players.

The North London club’s £35million bill last season on unplayable squad members was the highest in the Premier League.

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Bukayo Saka is one of the Arsenal players who was out injured for a period in 2024-25[/caption]

Those on the injury list at various points in 2024-25 included Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Raheem Sterling, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Declan Rice and Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Betting website Footy Accumulators compiled a top ten by looking at players’ salaries and totting up all their injuries and their duration.

They used Transfermarkt to assess injuries, and Capology to figure out the wages.

Manchester City had the second highest bill, at £33million, followed by local rivals United on £25million.

Last season’s Europa League winners Tottenham Hotspur paid out £18million, Chelsea £17million, Brighton £14million and Newcastle £13million.

Premier League champions Liverpool paid £12million to injured players, Aston Villa had a £10million bill and Everton gave their crocked stars £9million.

Arsenal fan Craig Burke, 43, said: “We’ve won nothing since 2020, and to make it even worse, Spurs won a trophy — that really sticks in the craw.

“To cap it all, we’ve paid £35million to players for sitting about doing nothing so I’m hoping they’ll be fresh as daisies for the new season.”

Footy Accumulators’ spokesman said: “Our research has revealed the staggering sums Premier League clubs have paid to players who have been sidelined in the past year.”

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NOVAK DJOKOVIC thanked some “miracle pills” for helping him defy the dreaded Wimbledon curfew to get his bid for a 25th Grand Slam underway.

The Serbian star, ranked six in the world, will face Britain’s Dan Evans in the second round after battling past Alexandre Muller.

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Novak Djokovic came through a four-setter against Alexandre Muller[/caption]

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Djokovic, 38, sends a heart symbol to the Centre Court crowd[/caption]

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Djokovic required a medical time out[/caption]

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The Serbian superstar was not always comfortable on Centre Court[/caption]

Djokovic has expressed his frustration at Wimbledon’s unique 11pm curfew before and at times it looked like he would be back for the end of the first round on Wednesday morning.

Djokovic stormed the first set against the world No41, who has made money from posting risque snaps on OnlyFans.

In a rush to get things done before the roof closed, the seven-time champion cruised to a 6-1 victory in the opening set.

But Muller, who has dubbed himself France’s sexiest tennis star, bit back.

Throughout a stunning second-set tie-break performance Muller survived two set points as Djokovic toiled.

The Serb looked dejected and soon needed a medical timeout, while his opponent also needed attention from the physio.

With the roof now shut and a curfew looming, Djokovic started to go through the gears, taking the third set 6-2 and breaking Muller early in the fourth.

The Serb said: “It is great to finish tonight, before the curfew.

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Shutterstock Editorial

Muller played some brilliant tennis at times on Centre Court[/caption]

“I went from feeling my absolute best for the first set and a half to my absolute worst.

“Whether it was a stomach bug or not, the energy came back after the doctors’ miracle pills.

“I knew that something was off with the stomach, credit to Alex for playing some really good tennis.

“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think I had a chance. I always have a chance.”

Wimbledon 2025 LIVE – follow all the latest scores and updates from a thrilling fortnight at SW19

HUGO Ekitike is the poor man’s Alexander Isak.

But Eintracht Frankfurt’s Ekitike is not only available for at least £50m less than Newcastle star Isak – he may also end up being an even better player.

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Liverpool and Arsenal are still dreaming of a move for Alexander Isak[/caption]

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Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike could be a terrific backup plan[/caption]

That’s why both Liverpool and Arsenal are looking seriously at the French frontman whose excellent debut season in Germany helped fire Eintracht back into the Champions League.

And if Newcastle stand firm on their stance that Isak is not for sale at any price, not even a British-record-obliterating £150m or more, then splashing out “just” £86m on Ekitike would make perfect sense.

After all, Newcastle almost signed him before they bought Isak.

Make no mistake – Isak remains THE dream summer signing for both the Reds and the Gunners.

First and foremost, because the Sweden international has proved in three seasons in the Premier League that he is exactly the kind of multi-talented centre forward both clubs need.

On the one hand, Isak’s goals and all-round contribution were a big factor in Newcastle qualifying for the lucrative Champions League.

So, in theory, they have no need to sell and can quote fees that no suitor is willing to pay.

Yet Isak’s success also feeds his own personal ambition. What if, at the age of 25, this is his best chance to sign for a club that can compete for the biggest prizes in club football?

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Newcastle are willing to give Isak, whose current contract still has three years to run, a decent pay rise from his current £120,000 per week if he will sign a new deal.

Arsenal and especially Liverpool could give him much more, though.

And if Isak refuses to commit himself or cuts up rough about an alleged promise from Newcastle that they would sell him for a certain fee this summer, cashing in on him would become more attractive.

So Arsenal and Liverpool will not give up on Isak just yet, not with nearly two months of the transfer window to go.

But they would be negligent if they WEREN’T considering Ekitike as a strong alternative and arguably the better buy.

Because in his height and physique, his ability to dribble and link play, and his all-round capacity to link play and create openings for others, as well as to score goals, he has plenty in common with Isak.

Newcastle almost signed Ekitike months before they spent an initial £60m on Isak in 2022.

Ekitike, then at Reims, turned down a deadline day move to St James’ Park in the winter window.

Newcastle were interested again in the summer, but the forward chose to join PSG on an initial loan in July, with Isak arriving in the north east of England the following month.

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Isak has established himself as one of the Premier League’s top players[/caption]

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Ekitike was previously on the books at PSG[/caption]

Eintracht have a vested interest in talking up the comparison between Isak and Ekitike, of course. And Ekitike’s stats are generally not as impressive as Isak’s.

Yet there are admirers who believe that Ekitike has a higher ceiling and could end up becoming one of the best strikers in the world.

Ekitike is tall, at almost 6ft 3in, yet has excellent feet and speed, like the Swede.

His debut season in Germany, after his loan move from Paris Saint-Germain was made permanent, was impressive – 15 goals and eight assists in 33 Bundesliga appearances.

Which compares favourably to Arsenal target Benjamin Sesko, who managed 13 and five in the same number of games – albeit in an inferior RB Leipzig side.

Ekitike and Omar Marmoush formed a formidable partnership for Eintracht until Marmoush left for Manchester City in January.

But it wasn’t a case of Marmoush making his sidekick look good.

Ekitike scored nearly half his league goals (seven) and more than half his assists (five) AFTER main man Marmoush played his last game for the club.

He also caught the eye in the Europa League, even before his excellent long-range goal against Tottenham in the quarter-final first leg.

Although Isak’s goalscoring record is superior to Ekitike’s, the Frenchman creates more for others and could be considered a more complete player.

It is no secret Eintracht are a selling club. They sold Randal Kolo Muani to PSG in 2023 for £64.2m, before signing Ekitike on loan from the French club the following February.

In January this year, Eintracht accepted a deal worth up to £64m for Marmoush.

Every player at the big club in Frankfurt, Germany’s banking capital, has his price.

But Eintracht have not yet spent all the Marmoush money.

So they are more than happy to hold out for the 100m Euros (£86m) they believe Ekitike is worth in the current market.

There are reasons for Liverpool, Arsenal and others to think hard, of course.

Ekitike has had just one good season in a big five European league – a bit like Premier League flops Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee.

While his 15 goals – level with Marmoush, who played just over half the season, and 11 behind leader Harry Kane – are another slight cause for concern.

Isak, with 23 PL strikes, was second only to Mohamed Salah.

Even Ekitike’s cheerleaders at The Transfer Flow podcast and bulletin point out that, for a big lad, Ekitike is not great at heading. Nor is Isak, but Sesko definitely is.

They also note that Ekitike gets knocked off the ball easily and his off-the-ball work against teams with better defences is not elite.

Yet they still identified him as the striker who should be Liverpool’s top target – even at £85m.

If Arsenal decide to go for an out-and-out goalscorer, maybe Viktor Gyokeres would be a better option.

But if the Gunners and the Reds want an all-round centre forward like Isak – and they do – then Ekititke would be a great back-up candidate.

And at a much lower price, could even turn out to be the better long-term option.

MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers of the Makabayan bloc have refiled a bill seeking to increase the minimum salary of public schoolteachers to P50,000. ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. Antonio Tinio on Monday said House Bill (HB) No. 203 is among the group’s top legislative priorities in the 20th Congress. The Makabayan lawmakers noted in their measure

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Once again, incoming Cordillera lawmakers are set to refile the constitutionally mandated bill seeking to convert the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) into an autonomous region. The move was announced Tuesday during the launch of the region’s monthlong foundation celebration. READ: 38 years since historic ‘sipat,’ Cordillera still awaits autonomy The Cordillera

LOVE Island fans say they have worked out the “real reason” Dejon flirted with bombshell Bilikis, claiming he has a “game plan”.

Tonight viewers watched the stunning new Islander go on a date with Dejon before entering the villa.

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Love Island fans think Dejon had a ‘game plan’ for his date with Bilikis[/caption]

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It came as Dejon was seen flirting with the stunning bombshell[/caption]

Eroteme

ITV

Meg has cried a number of times over Dejon[/caption]

During their date, Dejon – who has been coupled up with Meg since the start – flirted up a storm with the beautiful new arrival.

He was even heard asking Bilikis , who also goes by Billykiss, if she would leave Dublin and “move to London” if they were to be together.

But fans weren’t buying it, and didn’t think he was being genuine – in fact they even suggested he had a “game plan”.

The viewer theory that hit social media was that Dejon was flirting with Bilikis to get to Meg.

Taking to X/Twitter one fan said: “Fear Dejon is just gonna lead Billykiss to wind up Meg.”

While another added: “I think Dejon’s game plan is to wind up Meg.”

This one vented: “I hope Dejon isn’t using Billykiss to get to Meg.”

Before going in the villa, Bilikis was asked who she was interested in, and she said: “Dejon and Conor. I’m here to bombshell so you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.”

When quizzed on what she looks for in a man, she said: “Someone tall who’s good looking but not too good looking and that’s confident, assertive, knows what they want and is serious about me.”

Dejon and Meg are one of the most solid couples in the villa, but Meg has shed a fair few tears over semi-pro footballer Dejon.

This included him making moves on bombshell Malisha, before she was dumped from the show.

Meanwhile, Sun revealed earlier today that two brand new bombshells would join the show tonight.

A source said: “The Islanders have been crying out for some bombshells with so many of them currently single.

“It’s only really Meg and Dejon who are in any way settled which is bonkers at this stage of the game.

“The villa is a bombshells paradise right now and it’s everything to play for.”

The other bombshell to enter the villa tonight was gym hunk Ryan Bannister.

Love Island continues tomorrow at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.

ANDY MURRAY will soon become only the second person to be honoured with a statue at the All England Club.

And having ended a 77-year wait for a British men’s singles champion at Wimbledon, few would argue against Murray deserving the bronze likeness which will be unveiled at the 2027 Championships.

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Fred Perry was the last British man before Andy Murray to win Wimbledon[/caption]

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He secured three Wimbledon crowns but was exiled from the UK[/caption]

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He had a string of relationships, including a romance with Jean Harlow[/caption]

Yet even Murray’s inspiring life and career – including three Major titles, two Olympic golds and a Davis Cup – pale in comparison with the only previous player to be handed this accolade, Fred Perry.

As the first man to complete a career Grand Slam, a three-time Wimbledon champion, a winner of eight Majors and four Davis Cups, you’d imagine that Perry was feted and honoured by the tennis authorities and the British establishment while at the peak of his powers in the 1930s.

Especially as he had been a world champion at table tennis, as well as the undisputed king of the lawns.

Yet nothing could be further from the truth.

Not only was Perry a working-class man from Stockport and the son of a Labour MP, he was also a fashionista, a lothario, a heart-throb, a rebel and, ultimately, an exile.

He dated Hollywood sirens, including Marlene Dietrich and Jean Harlow, he married four times and, after emigrating and taking American citizenship, Perry served in the US Air Force during World War Two.

In an age of intense class-based snobbery and of strict amateurism in tennis, the elitist plum-suckers in the Wimbledon boardroom decided that Perry was a lad from the wrong side of the chalk lines.

When he turned professional in 1937, Perry was stripped of his All England Club membership, went on lengthy world tours and settled in the States – where he felt far more accepted than in stuffy pre-war Britain.

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The first of Murray’s two Wimbledon triumphs in 2013 ended a wait for a British men’s singles champion which had stretched back to Perry’s hat-trick of successes between 1934 and 1936.

And while the Scot was something of an outsider and an anti-establishment figure – especially in his early days – he competed in far more enlightened times than Perry, who was the victim of overt discrimination from the authorities.

As well as his working-class northern roots, Perry was also frowned upon because he was simply too competitive, occasionally even showing dissent towards umpires – which was unheard of in the 30s.

He was extremely fast across the court and, unlike many of his competitors, was supremely fit – often training with the dominant Arsenal team of the 1930s to develop his sharpness.

But after a comprehensive victory over Australian Jack Crawford to win his first Wimbledon title – celebrated with a Centre Court cartwheel and a leap over the net – Perry suffered one of his most memorable instances of All England Club snobbery.

While soaking in a bath after coming off court, Perry claims he heard upper-crust committee member Brame Hillyard tell runner-up Crawford that “this was one day when the best man didn’t win”.

Hillyard then draped Perry’s Wimbledon tie – symbolising his membership of the All England Club – over a seat rather than presenting it to the champion in person.

Perry later wrote in his autobiography: “I don’t think I’ve ever been so angry in my life. Instead of Fred J Perry the champ, I felt like Fred J Muggs the chimp.

“Some elements in the All England Club and the Lawn Tennis Association looked down on me as a hot-headed, outspoken tearaway rebel, not quite the class of chap they really wanted to see winning Wimbledon, even if he was English.”

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Perry was a fashion star as well as a sporting hero[/caption]

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Times Newspapers Ltd

Perry’s first marriage, with American film star Helen Vinson, lasted five years[/caption]

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And Perry certainly wasn’t the only British sporting great of his era to become ostracised by snobbish attitudes.

Harold Larwood, the great England fast bowler and hero of the Bodyline triumph over Don Bradman’s Aussies in 1932-33, became a scapegoat for the diplomatic crisis sparked by the ruthless tactics of his upper-class captain Douglas Jardine.

Larwood, a former Nottinghamshire coal miner, would never play for England again and ended up emigrating to, of all places, Australia.

Perry, who inspired Great Britain to four consecutive Davis Cup triumphs, was far more popular with the public than his sport’s top brass – and not least with women, who loved his fashion sense, including his on-court penchant for tailored white flannels and blazers.

He would, of course, go on to make millions from his Fred Perry fashion range – with its laurel wreath logo – which is still thriving to this day.

As for the ladies, Perry would marry four of them – including the Hollywood actress Helen Vinson and the model Sandra Breaux – before he settled down with Barbara Riese, the couple having two children and enjoying a 40-year marriage until Perry’s death in 1995, aged 85.

He was finally accepted back into the fold at Wimbledon during the last 25 years of his life, broadcasting for the BBC before his statue was unveiled in 1982 – to Perry’s intense pride.

“I never thought I’d live to see the day when a statue was put up to the son of a Labour MP inside the manicured grounds of Wimbledon,” he wrote in his memoirs.

“There will be a few former members of the All England Club and the LTA revolving in their graves at the thought of such a tribute paid to the man they regarded as a rebel from the wrong side of the tennis tramlines.”

Murray, who often felt his Scottishness was held against him during his early days at Wimbledon, never really knew the half of it.

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His name lives on as the clothing brand[/caption]

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He was briefly married to Sandra Breaux[/caption]

Times Newspapers Ltd

The Stockport native was also a world champion at table tennis[/caption]

Times Newspapers Ltd

Perry died aged 85 in 1995[/caption]