world News

IT’S FAIR to say Kym Marsh has had a tough week, after it was revealed she had broken up with her toyboy Samuel Thomas

But to cheer herself up, the actress, 48, took her teenage daughter Polly out for some dinner as she put the split with Sam, 29, to the back of her mind.

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Kym Marsh enjoyed some time with her daughter after her split from her toyboy[/caption]

Instagram / @samuelthomasuk

The former couple enjoyed a whirlwind six months together before breaking up[/caption]

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Kym is single again and moving on with her life[/caption]

It comes after The Sun revealed that Kym and Sam had actually quietly split before Christmas after six months together where they called each other “soulmates”

But the former Coronation Street star is now moving on with her life and decided to spend some quality time with her daughter.

Kym shared that she’d had a lovely dinner out with Polly, 13, who she shares with her ex-husband, Hollyoaks star Jamie Lomas

The mum and daughter looked happy and relaxed as they tucked into their dinner.

Sharing the moment on Instagram, proud mother Kym wrote across the snap: “The best dinner date @pollylomas at the best restaurant. Epic as always.”

THE BREAK UP

This week The Sun exclusively revealed how Kym and Sam had split.

Their break-up came following the end of their time touring together with their stage show.

The split shocked fans, as the couple seemed smitten and even branded each other soulmates in a series of gushing posts.

An insider told The Sun: “Kym and Sam fell head over heels when they first met and couldn’t wait to tell the world.

“But once Kym’s role in 101 Dalmatians ended it became harder to spend time together and some of the magic they had at the beginning just disappeared.

“It’s such a shame, especially before Christmas but Kym surrounded herself with family.”

Despite being very public about their new romance, neither Kym or Sam posted about each other on Valentine’s Day last week.

Kym and Sam also spent both Christmas and New Year apart – both sharing with fans the different things they got up to.

The source added: “There is no hard feelings, it was all very cordial.”

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The couple had referred to each other as “soulmates” in the summer[/caption]

MEETING SAM

Kym met and fell for Sam not long after the breakdown of her third marriage to Army Major Scott Ratcliff.

She told fans back in August: “Met the most amazing man ever!

“Sometimes the most unexpected things happen at the most unexpected times. @samuelthomasuk I love you #beautiful #soulmate.”

She was quickly forced forced to defend their romance after being targeted by cruel trolls.

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Samuel is 19 years younger than Kym, and the same age as her son David[/caption]

Instagram

Kym was forced to defend her relationship with Samuel against trolls[/caption]

After telling one doubter to “do one”, Kym later added in another response: “It’s time to grow up and get on with your own life instead of giving hate to someone else’s life.”

To another hater, she added: “I wonder what’s missing from your life that you need to comment on others. Sad really.”

PAST LOVES

Kym – whose son David was born the same year as Samuel – revealed she had split from her third husband, Army Major Scott Ratcliff, 35, in May 2023.

The actress called time on her relationship with Scott because of the strain of their jobs – just 18 months after a stellar run on Strictly Come Dancing.

The actress has son David, and is also mum to Emilie, 27, and 13-year-old Polly.

She also became a grandmother in May 2019 when Emilie gave birth to a baby boy.

samuelthomasuk / Instagram

The couple met whilst performing in 101 Dalmatians: The Musical[/caption]

BRITS are bracing for 70mph winds and 12 hours of rain tomorrow, as the Met Office issues warnings across almost the entire UK.

A new map shows large swathes of the country covered by the yellow weather warnings – including England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

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People sheltering from the rain in Glasgow this week[/caption]

MET Office

Yesterday saw a washout across large parts of the UK[/caption]

Southwest England and south Wales will be hit by a nine to 12-hour deluge of rain over the course of the day.

Rain warnings are in place between 9am and 9pm, as residents are warned of potential flooding to homes and roads in those areas.

They have also been told to expect travel disruption – with bus and train services affected – as well as possible power cuts.

In the southwest, including Plymouth and Exeter, 50 to 70mm of water is expected to fall – with 30 to 40mm in other areas.

And in Wales, 30 to 50mm is predicted – with as much as 90mm on higher ground.

A third rain warning is in place in Scotland, covering Wigtown and Dumfries, between 7am and 3pm tomorrow.

As much as 50mm of rain may fall in some areas, according to forecasters, with locals advised to prepare for travel disruption and road flooding.

Meanwhile, a wind warning covers almost the whole of England – except the southeast – between 6am and 6pm.

Gusts of up to 70mph could see road, rail, air and even ferry services delayed.

These should then ease throughout the afternoon and early afternoon.

A second wind warning is also in place across the majority of northern Ireland.

However, Brits will enjoy milder conditions today, with a few showers in the north and west, building slightly into this afternoon.

These will ease off again into this evening, with blustering winds building over the course of the night.

Expanding on the weekend forecast, Met Office meteorologist, Steve Willington, said: “As we shift from a cold easterly weather regime to milder westerly conditions, the Atlantic air brings with it some potentially impactful weather.

“Over the coming days, successive weather fronts bring strong winds and bands of rainfall across the UK with a risk some areas, particularly in the west later in the weekend, could see some low or even medium impacts.

“Weather warnings have been issued to highlight the potential for travel disruption, dangerous conditions near coasts and the possibility of power cuts for some.

“Temperatures are also on the rise as part of this change, possibly peaking at 16°C in sheltered areas to the east and north of high ground today and on Friday, which is well above average for the time of year.”

It comes after yesterday saw a washout across large parts of the UK.

In a post on X, the weather agency said: “Wet and windy to kick off Friday.

“Heavy pulses of rain will be accompanied by gales around coasts and hills.”

A MAJOR fashion chain is shutting another high street store for good today with 100 branches still at risk.

New Look is closing its branch in Porth, Rhondda Cynon Taf, with many more stores expected to follow suit.

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New Look is planning to close nearly 100 stores[/caption]

The news comes shortly after reports emerged that the fashion retailer is accelerating plans to close nearly 100 stores, following challenges linked to the Autumn Budget tax changes.

The sites at Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, as well as in St Austell, Cornwall, and Porth, Rhondda Cynon Taf have also shut up shop.

A New Look spokesperson said: “Our store in Porth is set close on February 22.

“We would like to thank all of our colleagues and the local community for their support over the years.

“We hope customers continue to shop with us online at newlook.com, where our full product ranges can be found.”

Local residents have wasted no time expressing their disappointment over the closure on social media.

One shopper said on Facebook: “So sad! The staff have worked so hard to keep this shop open.

“They have been a credit to New Look.”

Another said: “May as well knock Porth down. There’ll be no shops left.”

A third said: “Every town centre is the same.

“It’s sad but if most people shop online or out of town the only people to blame are us as customers for not using the shops enough.”

What’s happening at New Look?

New Look is ramping up a store closure programme ahead of April’s National Insurance hike.

Approximately a quarter of the retailer’s 364 stores are at risk when their leases expire.

This equates to about 91 stores, with a significant impact on it’s 8,000 strong workforce.

The company has restructured its store estate twice in the past six years, reducing its portfolio from around 600 UK stores in 2018.

For the time being, stores remain open as usual, and no final decisions regarding closures have been made.

The move to accelerate store closures is understood to be driven by the forthcoming increase in National Insurance, announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in October.

Employers currently pay NICs for most workers earning more than £9,100 a year.

The sum they pay is the equivalent of 13.8% of the employee’s earnings above that threshold.

For an employee earning £30,000, the employer would pay NICs of £2,884.20.

However, in the Autumn Statement, the Treasury announced it would increase the tax rate to 15% and reduce the threshold at which firms must pay to £5,000.

The British Retail Consortium has predicted that these changes will create a £2.3billion bill for the sector.

The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.

It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year.

Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: “The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025.”

A New Look spokesperson said: “Our store estate is an important part of our business, alongside our best-in-class website and app.

“We have recently invested over £3million in our stores in Greater Manchester to trial new omnichannel initiatives to improve customer experience.

“We also continue to invest in our thriving online platform which has resulted in a strong online sales performance, with volumes significantly outpacing last year and an improved online margin.”

“On occasion we do have to close stores, either due to the landlord’s request or because the site becomes unviable.

“However, we always remain on the lookout for appropriate new opportunities across the country and continue to invest in our existing store estate.”

What’s happening across the retail sector?

More than 70 businesses, including Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury’s, told Rachel Reeves in an open letter last year that the changes announced in the Autumn Budget mean price hikes are a “certainty”.

But, new research by the British Chambers of Commerce shows that more than half of companies plan to raise prices by early April.

A survey of more than 4,800 firms found that 55% expect prices to increase in the next three months, up from 39% in a similar poll conducted in the latter half of 2024.

Three-quarters of companies cited the cost of employing people as their primary financial pressure.

Shevaun Haviland, the group’s director general called the situation “a pressure cooker of rising costs and taxes.”

“Firms of all shapes and sizes are telling us the national insurance hike is particularly damaging,” she said.

“Businesses are already cutting back on investment and say they will have to put up prices in the coming months.”

Almost 170,000 retail workers lost their jobs in 2024 after a challenging year for high street firms.

End-of-year figures compiled by the Centre for Retail Research showed the number of job losses spiked amid the collapse of major chains such as Homebase and Ted Baker.

It said its latest analysis showed that a total of 169,395 retail jobs were lost in the 2024 calendar year to date.

This was up 49,990 – an increase of 41.9% – compared with 2023.

It is the highest annual reading since more than 200,000 jobs were lost in 2020 in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, which forced retailers to shut their stores during lockdowns.

The centre said 38 major retailers went into administration in 2024, including household names such as Lloyds Pharmacy, Homebase, The Body Shop, Carpetright and Ted Baker.

Around a third of all retail job losses in 2024, 33% or 55,914 in total, resulted from administrations.

It recorded that the remainder of the jobs lost were through “rationalisation”, as part of cost-cutting programmes by large retailers or small independents choosing to close their stores for good.

Professor Bamfield added: “The comparatively low figures for 2023 now look like an anomaly, a pause for breath by many retailers after lockdowns if you like.

“The problems of changed customer shopping habits, inflation, rising energy costs, rents and business rates have continued and forced many retailers to cut back even more strongly in 2024.”

Independent retailers, small businesses generally with between one and five stores, shed 58,616 jobs in total during the year.

Experts have said small high street shops could face a particularly challenging 2025 because of Budget tax and wage changes.

Professor Bamfield has warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector.

“By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer’s household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020.”

BRITAIN’S Got Talent is kicking off its new season today which promises to be full of drama and action.

At one point of the show, the production team had to stop filming when the audience hurled abuse at judges.

Among the boos and repeated insults directed at Simon Cowell were yells of, “You old fart” when he criticised any performers.

BGT has also had a huge shake-up behind the scenes with a new face joining the panel.

Social media megastar KSI will be stepping in as a guest judge for the first few episodes.

The show returns to ITV for its 18th series at 7pm tonight and is set to be the longest-running season in the show’s history.

Follow our live blog below for the latest news and updates…

MANCHESTER CITY got taught a lesson against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.

And it sums up the state of them currently that they’ll be going into this game against Liverpool thinking: ‘Oh my god, I hope we don’t get slapped’.

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Liverpool will be looking forward to facing a struggling Manchester City side[/caption]

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Pep Guardiola has endured a harrowing season[/caption]

It’s been a humbling year for City and Pep Guardiola, who is probably learning more about himself during this period than anybody else.

Their struggles were cut and pasted into one 90-minute Champions League slog out in Spain on Wednesday night.

The game was over after a couple of minutes when Madrid took the lead.

Quite ironic that for all the chat of Guardiola changing the face of football and inspiring a tactical revolution with his pass-pass style, City were done by a long ball and a Kylian Mbappe lob.

Pep’s teams have shown in the past that they are capable of reacting to a result, a performance, like that – but this is not a City team of the past.

They’ve shown so many levels of vulnerability. They’ve become comfortable, soft.

It was so difficult to win the trophies they have over the years, but they also had the luxury of people being in awe of them.

Now, that awe has worn off and everyone wants to take them on.

Liverpool certainly will. For years this was THE fixture – the decider for the title. Guardiola vs Jurgen Klopp.

Two great sides going at it and it usually produced plenty of fireworks and drama.

But right now, I fear for City. I really do.

They could get done on their own patch. Will they be able to shake off that Madrid humbling and respond?

You would have to argue: probably not.

They have been well beaten by the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham already this season, but this one is going to hurt them the most if it goes the way it should.

It seems silly to say given how good City’s squad still is and how much money they have invested, but which area of the pitch are they better than this Liverpool in?

We all get excited about Ederson kicking the ball a long way, but Alisson is a better keeper.

City’s back four is not better than Liverpool’s, nor is their midfield or front three.

You would perhaps go with Erling Haaland, especially given the form of Darwin Nunez and his missed sitter in the 2-2 draw at Aston Villa.

But let’s not forget, Diogo Jota also missed a very simple chance.

But did I expect Nunez to score when he went through to an empty goal? No, I didn’t.

It would have felt like a loss at Villa Park for Liverpool, and there is a chance City may turn up and give them another bloody nose, but I wouldn’t put my own money on that.

This Liverpool, they don’t lose in the big moments.

Arsenal fans will be hoping this is the start of the ‘wobble’. Some wobble this is, eight points clear with 12 games left.

I wouldn’t have minded that sort of ‘wobble’ in my career.

They’re in a perfect position knowing that even if it gets close towards the end, Arsenal still have to go to Anfield and win.

I just don’t see how Liverpool lose the title from here, and if they do, it will make for a great f***ing column!

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Kylian Mbappe helped dump City out of the Champions League[/caption]

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Darwin Nunez is the only Liverpool man to miss out in a combined XI[/caption]

Rex

Troy Deeney is backing Liverpool to get the job done at the Etihad[/caption]

ENZO MARESCA hopes that Chelsea’s KITCHEN STAFF can inspire his stars to Champions League football.

And he called a meeting of 100 employees at the training ground to let everyone know they have a part to play — even the fruit-cutters.

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Enzo Maresca opened up on his plan to kickstart Chelsea’s season[/caption]

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The Blues have struggled for wins of late[/caption]

He reminded his under-performing stars just how many people are working hard behind the scenes to help them achieve their goals.

Boss Maresca revealed: “I prepared a meeting with all the people: The kitchen staff, groundsmen, kit men, everyone inside the building.

“I asked them to push until the end because our target was to bring this club back into the Champions League. I did this a month ago.

“I said to the players in that meeting, ‘When I arrive here in the morning at seven o’clock, there are people from the kitchen cutting the fruit in the same way’. Cut, cut, cut, cut.

“So there are people behind who you cannot see, who are working every day to help you to reach your target.

“The kitchen people are preparing breakfasts and they are doing it all perfectly.

“I tried to convince them there are people behind who work hard and we need to push all together to reach our target.”

Maresca, whose side face a crunch clash at fellow top-four contenders Aston Villa this evening, revealed his kitchen-staff plan was the result of a sleepless night.

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He said: “I went to bed at 12 o’clock and I woke up at four o’clock. It was when we were third or fourth. I couldn’t sleep.

“I started to think, ‘It could be a good idea in the morning to arrive and pull all the people together in the building and share this message’. And they were there, everyone, at ten o’clock.”

Maresca is not the first Chelsea boss to seek inspiration from fruit.

Mauricio Pochettino, axed last summer to make way for Maresca, kept lemons in his office as he believes they suck up negative vibes.

Chelsea certainly need inspiration from somewhere after a barren spell of two Prem wins since December 16.

The Blues have slipped to sixth.

Maresca made it clear his players had to step up in spite of an injury crisis.

He said: “My ambition since I joined this club has been always the same, to bring this club where this club deserves to be.

“It’s the reason why I joined this club, because I saw the same desire from the owners and the sports directors.

“Otherwise there was no sense to join, because this club cannot just survive, it’s a club that you need to win games, you need to fight for something important.”

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Mauricio Pochettino used some unusual methods while Chelsea boss[/caption]

A NEW format for the All-Ireland SFC could get the green light today at the GAA’s Annual Congress.

Ex-Tipperary defender Conor O’Donovan and his club Nenagh Éire Óg are hoping to effect a major change to the rule governing hurling’s handpass.

Two years after the motion received less than 35 per cent support, former Wexford boss Liam Griffin is back with his idea to promote hurling in every club in the country.

And after the last two Ulster football champions were crowned via shootouts, replays may be set for a return in drawn provincial finals.

With a total of 39 motions on the agenda, after Motion 39 was deferred, SunSport has picked out some of the key matters that will be decided on by delegates in Donegal.

• Motion 1: that a handpass in hurling must be made with the opposite hand to the one holding the sliotar.

• Motion 3: that provincial finals go to a replay if the teams are still level after extra-time, and that All-Ireland finals will go to a replay in the event of a draw after 70 minutes.

• Motion 10: that clubs be permitted to make their ancillary facilities, such as Astro-Turf pitches and gyms, available to other sports in the community.

• Motion 12: that in order to play a Championship game for his county, a player must have played in four club league games in the same calendar year.

• Motion 13: that it be mandatory for every club to field at least one hurling team between the Under-7 and Under-10 grades, except where a football club can show that their players are catered for by another hurling club or where sufficient numbers are not available.

• Motions 14 & 20: that hurling teams representing Europe and New York be permitted to compete in the Lory Meagher Cup.

• Motion 19: that from 2026, the All-Ireland SFC and Tailteann Cup group stages be replaced by a new structure similar to the old qualifiers but with a back-door route for beaten teams.

IT’S 2016 and Miss Great Britain, Zara Holland, has been stripped of her title for having sex on Love Island.

Bosses at the competition announced “with deep regret” that she had been “de-crowned” as they felt they could no longer promote her as a positive role model. 

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Miss Great Britain has been branded as a “misogynistic” organisation in the past[/caption]

The decision prompted widespread outrage, with women across the UK branding it “misogynistic” and criticising the organisation for “publicly condemning a woman for having sex”.

Miss Great Britain then issued another statement, saying “they have no problem with sex” but couldn’t “condone what happened on national TV”.

At that point, beauty pageants in the UK had long been plagued with accusations of objectifying and “degrading” women, putting immense pressure on contestants to maintain a certain image and contributing to unrealistic beauty standards. 

For many women – both involved in the pageant industry and not – watching Zara cruelly lose her crown in front of millions of people was the moment these criticisms were validated. 

That includes Miss Great Britain South East winner Amelia Perrin, who didn’t compete again after witnessing her fellow pageant queen “being thrown under the bus”. 

The 28-year-old’s local win saw her land a place to compete in Miss Great Britain, where she was actually paired with Zara to learn a dance for the contest. 

When Zara was “de-crowned” on national television by an organisation that she was “so dedicated to”, Amelia remembers thinking: “F**k this.”

“I just remember looking at the announcement and thinking, ‘God, this is so old fashioned and outdated’,” she recalls. 

“I realised that feminism and pageantry don’t go hand-in-hand.”

Amelia, from Essex, went on to publicly condemn Miss Great Britain for stripping Zara of her title, saying that “the pressure to remain ‘perfect’ is unattainably high” for pageant winners. 

In the nine years that have followed, the British public has taken less and less of an interest in pageantry. 

“It’s because of social media,” Amelia predicts. “Pageantry is just about beautiful girls, but there’s social media platforms full of beautiful girls now.

“And even on social media, the girls who ‘win’ all the followers are the ones who come across as very authentic.

“I think there’s more of a shift towards seeing women as authentic, vulnerable human beings – and that doesn’t come across in pageantry.”

Amelia Perrin

Amelia Perrin won Miss South East in 2015, which qualified her to compete in Miss Great Britain 2016[/caption]

Amelia Perrin

At Miss Great Britain 2016, she was paired with Zara Holland to learn a dance for the contest[/caption]

Amelia Perrin

Among the other indicators of pageantries decline are shrinking prize funds.

Miss Great Britain used to win £10,000 back in the Seventies, but now she wins a photoshoot and paid-for dinner somewhere fancy, like at The Shard.

Some winners have even handed back their titles.

That includes 2017 Miss United Continents UK winner Zoiey Smale after being told by organisers that she was “too big” and needed to go on a diet.

PAGEANT PROTOCOL

Beauty pageant contestants compete in on-stage events like interviews, catwalks, fashion shows and talent showcases.

The qualifying rounds before the big event involve social media tasks, fundraising and activism.

During fashion rounds, contestants are judged on appearance, confidence and communication as they strut down the stage. 

Some fashion rounds held by leading pageant organisations include ‘Beach Body’, evening gown, swimwear and sports.

I think there’s more of a shift towards seeing women as authentic, vulnerable human beings – and that doesn’t come across in pageantry

Amelia Perrinformer Miss GB contestant

A number of pageant rounds have come under scrutiny, including Miss England’s ‘Make-up Free’ round, where contestants post bare faced photos of themselves on social media.

Miss England organisers declared earlier this month that the divisive segment is staying in the contest, despite talks about scrapping it altogether at the start of the year.

Some beauty queens had challenged the round, which is held in the qualifiers, for not giving women agency to make decisions about their appearance.

Beauty pageant contestants also advocate for social causes, aiming to represent and raise money for a community or organisation as an ambassador.

DEEP HISTORY

Dislike of beauty pageants is not a new phenomenon.

During the 1970 Miss World contest, feminist activists dramatically flour-bombed the stage at a packed-out Royal Albert Hall in London.

Britain’s Women’s Liberation Movement (WLM) staged the protest over the objectification of women and wanted to make a dramatic statement against misogyny.

They had been inspired by a similar protest the preceding year by the American WLM who had thrown bras in a dustbin and crowned a sheep Miss Universe.

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Feminist activists dramatically flour-bombed the stage during the 1970 Miss World contest in London[/caption]

Times Newspapers Ltd

They staged the protest over the objectification of women and wanted to make a dramatic statement against misogyny[/caption]

The most recognisable beauty pageants in the UK are Miss Great Britain and Miss England.

On the international stage, the four major contests are Miss World, Miss Universe, Miss International and Miss Earth. 

Beauty pageants have put celebrities like Molly-Mae Hague on the map, with the Love Islander-turned-entrepreneur competing in Miss Teen Great Britain in 2015 and winning the World Teen Supermodel UK crown aged 17 in 2016.

“I am forever grateful to the system for making me the girl I am today, I truly believe that things in my life wouldn’t be as good as they are now if I hadn’t stepped on that stage back in 2015,” she told of her experience. 

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Beauty pageants have put celebrities like Molly-Mae Hague, right, on the map[/caption]

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Model and former-WAG Danielle Lloyd was crowned Miss Great Britain in 2006[/caption]

Fellow Love Island alumni Ekin-Su Culculoglu, who came onto the scene as a bombshell in 2022, also took her first big step into the world of showbiz in beauty pageants when she was in her teens. 

She was in several competitions, including Miss Asia Pacific World in 2011.

Model and former-WAG Danielle Lloyd also cut her teeth on the British pageant circuit, and was crowned Miss Great Britain in 2006. 

However, she was stripped of her title half way through her reign after letting slip that she was in a long-term relationship with judge and England ace Teddy Sheringham, who had been the only judge to vote for her on the night.

MODERN DAY CRITICISM 

Social media platforms like Reddit and X (formerly Twitter) are awash with negative opinions about beauty pageants. 

“Frankly, there is no difference between a pageant and a show like Squid Games,” one anonymous poster claimed. “I agree that is shallow b*******t, but some people enjoy this, and thus they watch it, thus the show makes money.”

“I hate that they exist because they’re misogynistic and try to impose beauty standards on girls from a young age,” another believes. 

And while the industry has been dying a slow death for many years in the UK, other countries have been quicker to denounce pageantry. 

I hate that they exist because they’re misogynistic and try to impose beauty standards on girls from a young age

Reddit user

After 35 years, the annual Miss Netherlands competition was declared finished in December last year. The contest’s owner herself even dubbed the concept outdated.

Miss Italy is also struggling.

The pageant has its own Netflix show, named Miss Italia Mustn’t Die, airing on Wednesday (February 26).

It focuses on bosses are desperately trying to salvage the competition amid scandals and changing beauty standards.

REVIVING THE INDUSTRY 

Former pageant queen Katrina Hodge doesn’t think that beauty pageants are completely dead – she just thinks they need a new lease of life. 

Namely, they need to not focus on women’s bodies or appearance, but rather their confidence and charity work. 

The mum-of-two, who was known as Combat Barbie in the Noughties for being a serving soldier while competing in Miss Great Britain, actually campaigned to have the swimwear round taken out of the contest on the grounds that it was “degrading” in 2009.

However, she doesn’t believe that the entire concept of pageantry is degrading. 

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Katrina Hodge was Miss England in 2009 and now runs two of her own beauty pageants[/caption]

Katrina Hodge

She was known as Combat Barbie in the Noughties for being a serving soldier while competing in pageants[/caption]

So much so, she is now the director of two contests in the UK, named Miss Supranational United Kingdom and Mrs UK World (which is for married women). 

“When I was Miss England, your measurements were read out when you walked on stage,” Katrina explains.

“I didn’t really understand why, to be a role model and somebody that became a charity ambassador, you needed to be the person with the most amazing bum.

“So yes, I campaigned to have the section taken out back then.”

I didn’t really understand why, to be a role model and somebody that became a charity ambassador, you needed to be the person with the most amazing bum

Katrina Hodge

Fast forward to today, Katrina actually has a swimwear round in both of her pageants – but it’s not compulsory, and the contestants can wear sportswear instead. 

“The girls don’t get marked any differently if they wear sportswear, because we’re not actually marking a single point on their figure,” she says. “It’s all about their confidence.

“So you get some girls that will come dressed as a boxer because they do boxing – it’s all about showing personality on stage.”

Katrina also doesn’t agree with the notion that pageants are inherently anti–feminist.  

Katrina Hodge

Katrina is now the director of two pageants, named Miss Supranational United Kingdom and Mrs UK World (which is for married women)[/caption]

“Feminism is about women having a choice,” she tells. “Nobody’s holding a gun to my head, or the women that take part in the competition. 

“We are having a choice to take part in this, and if you choose not to take part in it, that’s your choice too. Pageantry is feminism.”

Katrina adds that “beauty is what’s on the inside too”, and she strives for her pageants to represent this.

In the age of OnlyFans models and controversial ‘influencers’ like Bonnie Blue, Katrina believes the charity work done by beauty queens is worth just as much attention. 

If it’s fine for women to express themselves and do OnlyFans, then what’s wrong with women raising awareness and funds for charity, and walking on stage having the time of their life

Katrina Hodge

“If it’s fine for women to express themselves and do OnlyFans, then what’s wrong with women raising awareness and funds for charity?” she says. 

“They’re walking on stage having the time of their life.

“As a mum, I know who I would want my daughters to be influenced by.

“Pageant girls all the way.”

AI PAGEANTS

Techies have tried to give beauty pageants an AI lease of life – but this has proved as controversial as the contests themselves. 

The world’s first artificial intelligence-generated beauty pageant didn’t receive the alluring praise in April 2024 that the event’s creators hoped for.

The digital competition invited computer whizzes to design the ultimate AI beauty queen – and the sculptor to generate the most desirable woman was awarded the digital title of Miss AI.

A $5,000 cash prize was also up for grabs.

But the faux contest was condemned by some techies who branded it as a “disintegrating society”.

“Beauty pageant for AI women? What is the world turning into,” one person criticised on Facebook at the launch of the digital event. 

A second wrote: “Wow, I have a theory that we are getting dumber by the day, and this fits in perfectly.”

Real Housewives of Atlanta star and model Claudia Jordan even ripped the contest, comparing it to photoshopped pictures.

CLEANING experts have revealed the hidden spot in our kitchens that could be harbouring harmful bacteria.

It’s no secret that washing your hands and sanitising surfaces protects against the spread of germs, bacteria, and viruses.

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Kitchen taps are hives for bacteria and germs[/caption]

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But you may still be shocked to discover just how filthy some of our surfaces really are.

And one spot could actually be a hive for germs – and you’re probably not cleaning it as often as you should.

Kitchen taps are one of the most frequently touched surfaces in the home and with all the cooking, washing, and cleaning that happens in the kitchen, it’s easy to forget that germs can linger on them.

And the aerator, which is the nozzle on the tap, is a hidden feature that harbours the most germs – as well as the more obvious spots like the handle and spout.

Since February marks the peak of cold and flu season, one cleaning expert has shared their top tips for disinfecting your kitchen.

In a bid to help prevent the spread of germs, Nancy Emery, cleaning expert at Tap Warehouse, has revealed how we can get into those hidden areas without damaging your kitchen’s finish.

She said: “The best way to prevent spreading sickness through your home during cold and flu season is to target high-traffic areas and high-use items the most frequently.

“Be mindful of surfaces and materials that harbour germs, in particular the aerator on your kitchen tap.

“Many of us will skip this step when cleaning down our kitchens, however, it’s one of the places that could harbour the most bacteria and limescale buildup, especially in areas of hard water.

“Additionally, wash your kitchen cloths in hot water in the laundry after use and put your sponge in the dishwasher to kill any lingering germs.”

The aerator is a hidden hive for germs because it is susceptible to limescale deposits since it’s found on the outlet of the tap faucet.

This can disrupt the water flow and trap bacteria and minerals over time.

To prevent germs from spreading through the water, homeowners should remove and clean the aerator every couple of months.

Nancy says: “Simply use a toothbrush to clean this nozzle, along with a solution of lemon juice and water.

“Keep repeating with a fresh application of lemon juice if the limescale persists.”

There are two other spots on a kitchen tap that are suspectable to germs are the handle and spout.

This is because these are the most commonly touched parts of the tap and can easily spread illness throughout the household.

Nancy explains: “While cleaning the visible areas of your tap, don’t forget the often-overlooked spots like the handle and the spout.

“These areas tend to harbour the most germs since they’re touched frequently.

“Use a microfiber cloth to wipe down the handle, spout, and base, ensuring that all surfaces are disinfected.”

Nancy also said that after cleaning your kitchen, it is important to wipe it dry to stop any leftover germs from spreading further.

She adds: “After cleaning, it’s important to dry your tap thoroughly.

“Leaving water droplets on the surface can encourage the growth of bacteria, mould, and mildew, particularly around the base and handle.

“Use a soft cloth to wipe down your tap after each use to prevent any buildup of moisture and germs.”

KELLYANN DOYLE believes her drive has helped her through her cruciate hell.

Doyle has suffered the injury on three separate occasions in 2017, 2020 and 2022.

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Speaking at the launch of the 2025 Very Camogie Leagues[/caption]

And after fighting back each time, the three-time All-Ireland winner with Kilkenny has been named vice-captain by boss Tommy Shefflin.

The Piltown ace told SunSport: “You have to be resilient if you want to get back and each time was a different road to recovery.

“They say everyone’s road is different but when you do it a few times you realise not all recovery goes the same.

“It’s always been a driving force for me to get back on the pitch with the club and Kilkenny.

“You want to be part of it for as long as you can. It has always driven me on.”

The winds of change have swept through the Kilkenny dressing room as Grace and Miriam Walsh retired from inter-county camogie.

Shefflin — brother of Cats icon Henry — has taken over the reins after leading Doyle’s beloved Piltown to county championship glory last year.

And Doyle is hoping for more of the same with her county this year.

Their league campaign begins this afternoon against Galway — though their eyes are set on toppling All-Ireland queens Cork.

Doyle said: “Galway are a big challenge for us this weekend to know where we are for the year.

“They set the bar last year with Cork and we want to get back to that standard.

“Grace and Miriam were massive characters on and off the pitch.

“They were both there when I started playing with the county.

“Their drive and love for it sums up Kilkenny camogie in one way.

“Experienced players leave teams but you always have younger ones that are there, enthusiastic and they are looking forward to stepping up to the challenge.

“We have big names that have stepped away but there’s plenty of youth around in Kilkenny that are chomping at the bit to try and get their hands on a jersey.

“I think the drive is there and there’s a few girls that are on the panel this year who have never tasted that.

“It would be nice for them to experience it as well along with a few of the older ones who have one or two already.

“Once you’ve tasted that success and lived it, you’re always chasing another and hoping another will come. The drive is always there.”