First look: EastEnders' Whitney Dean takes to the streets as a teenage prostitute in soap's controversial new storyline

By Georgina Littlejohn



Controversial: EastEnders' Whitney Dean, played by Shona McGarty, walks the streets looking for clients after turning to prostitution


It's been a pretty tough life so far for EastEnders' Whitney Dean.

First her father died when she was young, she was sexually abused by her adoptive mother Bianca's paedophile boyfriend, and her true love Billie Jackson died from alcohol poisoning.

Sadly, things are only going to get worse for the teenager as she desperately turns to prostitution - as these first pictures show.


Whitney, played by Shona McGarty, is seen walking the streets round Albert Square after descending into a life of vice after being exploited by her new boyfriend called Rob, played by Jody Latham, who is best known for his role as 'Lip' Gallagher in Shameless.

She meets Rob after running away from home after falling out with her family.

According to the People, he manipulates her into sleeping with strangers as favours for him, and she is so smitten, she doesn't realise she is being exploited.


Relaxed: Shona looked happy enough to film the scenes but they are set to cause fresh controversy for EastEnders off the back of the cot death plot


And when confronted by her brother Ryan's estranged wife Janine Malloy, she denies she is is having sex for money.

Instead she tells her: 'If he gets stuck I help him out. A couple of times he's got into a mess I've done favours for him. For his mates. I keep them happy. Off his back.'

And she defends him to cousin Lauren Branning who tries to get her to see sense, and says: 'We're in love. We're soulmates. Why is that so hard for you to understand?'


Don't do it, Whitney! Lauren, played by Jacqueline Jossa, goes looking for her cousin


The storyline, which is set to start in a few weeks, has already been slammed coming so soon off the back of the controversial cot death plot.

Former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe said the scenes should be switched to a later time after the 9pm watershed.

She said: 'There are 11-year-old up at this time. We shouldn't be encouraging children as young as 11 to watch stuff like this.'

Former cast member Billy Murray, who played gangster Johnny Allen, said the new storyline was 'near the mark'.

But he added: 'People will vote with their feet. If they don't want to watch it, they can change channel.'


Where are you? Whitney's sister-in-law Janine, played by Charlie Brooks, goes looking for her


But EastEnders bosses had defended the new plot and said it was a serious look at the issue of child sexploitation.

And Eastenders bosses defended their decision and said: 'This is about Whitney being emotionally abused and groomed. It is different to prostitution. Whitney is initially not aware she is selling sex.'

Devised with help from Comic Relief, the storyline will culminate on Red Nose Day March 19 in a special ten-minute episode.

Gilly Green, Head of UK Grants at Comic Relief, said: 'It is vital that we continue to alert young people to the dangers if we are to stop them being exploited and the opportunity to work with EastEnders will make a huge audience aware of this issue.'


Whitney! Janine desperately searches for the teenager to try and stop her unwittingly descending into a life of vice


Source:Dailymail

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Katie Price gives Alex Reid the cold shoulder ignoring the cagefighter as he is rushed to hospital

By Daily Mail Reporter



Snubbed: Jordan allegedly ignored Alex Reid's message as he was rushed to hospital with a dislocated shoulder


He has suffered emotional heartbreak following the breakdown of his marriage to wife Katie Price, but now he has suffered physical pain too.

But as Alex Reid lay writhing in pain on the floor his estranged wife Jordan,32, ignored his text from him telling her he had been taken to hospital, according to reports.

The cross-dressing cagefighter,35, was performing martial arts at her mansion in Surrey when he fell over and dislocated his shoulder, The Sun has reported.


While an ambulance was called to the marital home Alex contacted Katie to let her know he was going to be rushed to hospital, but the paper has reported that she snubbed the message.

A close family friend told the paper: ‘Alex was absolutely gutted by how cruel she was and now realises his wife has no feelings for him whatsoever.

‘He thinks she is a heartless b****.


In happier times: Katie Price and Alex have called time on their marriage after 11-months and Alex is said to have refused to be willing to leave Katie's mansion


Although paramedics were reportedly able to pop his shoulder back in at the Woldingham home, Alex was taken to hospital for an X Ray.

The Reidonater has refused to leave the £3million family home and in a statement

Katie said: ‘'It is true that I have asked Alex to leave the family home and that he will not do so.’

A friend has told The Sun he will leave without a fuss but only if the glamour model-turned businesswoman splashes out on a city flat for him to move into.

'He has told her he will accept a flat to leave, but there would still be other financial issues to discuss,' the insider added.

Katie and Alex finally called time on their short-lived marriage on January 19th and neither parties spokesperson was available for comment today.



Source:Dailymail

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Has Cheryl blown it? She's not likely to get the U.S. X Factor gig, her new tattoo's silly... and now she's turned to her cheating ex

By Alison Boshoff



Not herself? At the National Television Awards Cheryl did not seem like herself - was she bracing herself for some bad news?


People who saw her at the National Television Awards last week will tell you that there is something different about Cheryl Cole.

Not the immense and undeniably vulgar tattoo which sprawls across her lower back — that’s actually been around for months — but the slight air of embarrassment that hangs about her like a fug of that hairspray she’s paid to promote.

This is something of a first for Cheryl, whose rise to the status of nation’s sweetheart has, thus far, appeared unstoppable.


The Mail understands her hopes of a dream job on The X Factor USA are evaporating — an excruciating public rejection.

At the same time, her unlikely romance with dancer Derek Hough seems to have faltered. And her status as a style icon is under threat, with debate over the wisdom of her £900 tattoo raging on the internet.

Indeed, Cheryl may have thought 2010 was bad, but 2011 is already shaping up as yet another annus horribilis.


In happier times: Cheryl on X Factor with Simon Cowell - but the Mail understands she will not get the USA gig


Most surprising of all is the suggestion her relationship with her ex-husband Ashley is being rekindled. Yesterday it was reported that she met him at their former marital home in Surrey last week. Could a reconciliation really be on the cards?

Well, her romance with Derek Hough appears to be in one of its ‘off’ phases. Sources say she has ‘cold feet’ and doesn’t want to move in with him in Los Angeles. Instead, she plans to rent a place of her own. Her reasoning seems to be that although at times she feels that she loves him dearly, deep down she isn’t ready to make the commitment.


Some of her associates feel that she has yet to move on fully from Ashley. Although they are divorced, they remain in touch. ‘There is a part of me that will always love him and love what we had,’ she told an interviewer.

For his part, Ashley Cole has for months now been texting and calling her, and ­continues to hope that they can still be friends — and perhaps even more than that.

Surely it would be professional suicide for Cheryl to get back with him, given that he humiliated her with a series of alleged ­infidelities? Yet she remains — rather ­soppily, it must be said — unable to cut the cord from the man she regards as the love of her life.

Meanwhile, executives at Fox, who will be making The X Factor USA, appear to have fallen out of love with her.


Chemistry: But the signs are that Cheryl's relationship with Derek Hough has cooled


Cheryl never confirmed stories last year she’d signed a deal to join Simon Cowell as a judge on the American show. But at the time it was widely reported she was offered £3 million to join the line-up in what one commentator described as a ‘golden ticket to world superstardom’.

Certainly the job was mentioned to her by Cowell and executives from Fox. That much both sides will confirm off the record. Fox came to see her in action on the judging panel in the UK. They loved the way she and Cowell bantered and flirted and the expectation was that a ­contract would follow soon after.


Weeks turned into months, though, and nothing was made official. Yet Cheryl continued to make plans to relocate to America, to try to launch her music career there.

As recently as two weeks ago, Peter Rice, the head of entertainment at Fox, told a seminar of television ­critics in California: ‘If Cheryl was to be on the show, I think she’s proved she’s a terrific judge. She has ­wonderful chemistry with Simon.’

But he added: ‘I think Simon is still meeting and ­trying to find the right mixture.’

That turns out to be an ominous statement for Cheryl. It appears Cowell is keen to have her on the show in some capacity — but the American producers are unconvinced she is a big enough star to merit a place on the panel.

She may end up helping him to mentor his group, a role taken by Sinitta in the UK version. The feeling is that, while she is big in the UK, she is still a nobody in America. The show’s rival American Idol has Jennifer Lopez and Steve Tyler. Fox are keen to put their star power in the shade.

Cowell wanted Katy Perry, but she is too busy touring this year. I’m told he is also intrigued by the idea of getting someone genuinely iconic, like singer Diana Ross, to sit on the panel, possibly alongside a younger star such as former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger.

Speaking at the National Television Awards, he indicated the show needs to be ‘bigger and better’ than any other he has done, which does not augur well for Cheryl.

Cowell is supposedly doing ‘everything in his power’ to persuade U.S. bosses that Miss Cole is the right choice to sit alongside him.

However, one friend of Simon’s told me he is making the decision in his customary way — which is to leave it until the last moment and then go, quite ruthlessly, with his gut instinct. So far, the indications are that his instinct is not favouring her.


Emotion: Ashley Cole is understood to have contacted Cheryl after her breakdown while speaking about him on Piers Morgan's Life Stories


So with Ashley still a presence in her life, Cheryl will continue to carve a future for herself in Los Angeles, even without the help of either Simon Cowell or Derek Hough.

She already has a busy programme of promotional activity in America for her album launch there.

She is also weighing up an offer from her friend Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas to appear as a judge on a TV show searching for an ‘urban’ performer.

This is welcome, as she would like to have more musical credibility. Somewhat predictably, she’s up for Worst Album and Least Stylish at the NME awards. Her supporters point out she has two Brit Award nominations, so why should she care?
But care she clearly does.

The bondage-style £2,200 Versace dress she poured herself into for last week’s awards shows off the handiwork of Mark Mahoney of the Shamrock Social Club tattoo studio in Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles.

Mahoney, who has also worked on David Beckham, spent 11 hours on the butterfly-based design descending down her back. It was done last August, as she holidayed in the city while recovering from malaria.

It’s said to symbolise growth and renewal. You can’t blame her for wanting a fresh start — but to have it emblazoned so permanently is an odd decision.

But then Cheryl is a curious mixture of hard confidence and insecurity, particularly when it comes to her appearance.

Although she loves fashion and calls it a ‘massive’ part of who she is, she has not enjoyed being ­elevated to the status of fashion icon. She told Elle magazine this year that she ‘couldn’t care less’ what the world thinks of her style. ‘If they like it, they like it.’

She added: ‘There’s only so much you can cope with and then you either allow it to swallow you up or you say: “Sod this.” I have had it with negativity and bitchiness.

‘I want people to like my music, but I couldn’t give a **** about what they think of me.’

Brave words of defiance. Indeed, Cheryl sounds very much like a young woman who — rightly or wrongly — is steeling herself for the probability of a big public rejection.

It remains to be seen whether meeting her ex-husband is another sign of her insecurity.


Source:Dailymail

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Will Andy ever win a Grand Slam? Major questions over Scot's big-match nerve after he blows up for a third time

By Mike Dickson, Tennis Correspondent Reports From Melbourne



We came in the hope of seeing the Grand Slam- winning career of Andy Murray take flight. Sadly, we watched as he laid an egg instead.

Three finals in major tournaments and he has yet to win a set, indeed barely looked like doing so.

He looked further away than ever when going down 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 to his childhood rival, the mightily impressive Novak Djokovic, in the Australian Open final.

There is no disgrace in losing to someone who right now looks the equal of Rafael Nadal, but it should trouble Murray that he could not even lay a glove on a player who he had beaten on their last three meetings.

Most disappointingly of all, he appeared to have learned nothing from this same night 12 months ago when his straight-sets defeat by Roger Federer ended in a deluge of tears.

This time Murray was contrastingly matter-of-fact about the result, entirely in line with his flat response to what was surely his best chance yet of breaking Britain’s near 75-year drought of men’s Grand Slam titles.

From the outset he was too passive, just as he had been against Federer in 2010, missing the chance to get on top of the Serb when he, too, was at his most vulnerable and nervous.

About the only animation we saw was the recalcitrant teenager-type ranting at his box and occasional gesturing to them to calm down. Once Djokovic pounced in the 10th game there was really only one man in it.


Wrapped up in a green wax jacket and brown boots, Andy Murray's girlfriend Kim Sears is all smiles as she walks their dog ahead of his big match with Alejandra Gutierrez, the wife of Andy's brother. A few hours later it was a very different story as the 23-year-old Scot lost in the Australian Open final for the second year running


To the victor, the spoils: Serbia's Novak Djokovic poses for photographers with his Australian Open trophy


Murray walks behind Novak Djokovic as they hold their trophies after the Serb's victory


Thereafter, the 23-year-old Serb was outstanding and some of his baseline defence defied human biology as he did the splits and managed to loop back his opponent’s attempts at winners.

Djokovic was terrific and surely no easier a prospect than Nadal or Federer. But that is a reminder these opportunities may not come around too often for Murray, certainly not often enough for him to fail to turn up.

Let us be clear, however, that this is far from the end of the Scot’s Grand Slam ambitions. He can look at Andre Agassi, Ivan Lendl and Goran Ivanisevic as modern examples of players who lost their first three Slam finals (Lendl lost four) and ended up winning — the American and the Czech eight times, the Croat just the once.

It is customary after big matches for the winner to tell the loser that his day will come — Tim Henman often had that ringing in his ears — and Murray’s may come soon, but not until he learns to respond with the proper mindset to the biggest occasions.

Any time you get to the final of a Grand Slam and show the kind of courage he did to win his semi-final, it has not been a bad fortnight, but to achieve the extraordinary you have to come up with something special.

It is hard not to conclude that he suffered from failing to have a coach here who is used to going deep into a Grand Slam — his part-time consultant Alex Corretja, the former world No 2, remaining in Spain.

But the biggest single reason for yesterday’s huge disappointment was the brilliance of Djokovic, who was consistently the best player at this tournament, with his revamped serve to the fore. That was the department in which he outplayed Murray, as well as the relatively flatfooted British

No 1’s traditional forte of defence behind the baseline.

Both players were edgy at the start, but Djokovic was always the more assertive and at 5-4 he noticeably cranked up his intensity, driving deep and clinching the break to 15 when he forced Murray to hit long on the forehand.

That sparked a nightmare 20-minute spell for the Scot who, while his opponent seized the moment, went into meltdown.


Murray was defeated in straight sets by Djokovic, becoming the first player to reach three grand slam finals and not managing to win a single set during any of them


Supporters of Murray in a bar in his hometown of Dunblane react as they see the title bid slip from his grasp


It's all over. In Dunblane, fans of the Scot make their way home after the final


Champagne stays on ice. The bottles on the bar in Dunblane remain unopened as fans of Murray see him lose in the final of the Australian Open


Murray, who could not defuse his opponent’s lethal forehand, stopped the collapse by securing two games at 0-5 and then got his one meaningful break at the start of of the third set.

A missed overhead, one of several, contributed to him getting broken straight back, and although there was an exchange of breaks to keep glimmers of a comeback alive, it never looked like being ‘David Ferrer revisited’.

A final break of service for 5-3 effectively sealed it.

Surprisingly, Djokovic barely celebrated in the immediate aftermath.

Partly it was out of respect for Murray, his friend, but partly it was down to him not having been given much of a contest.It had all been so curiously, disappointingly straightforward.


Murray's mother Judy looks on as she sees her son's title bid in Melbourne slip from his grasp


No need to panic, Murray still has time on his sideINSIGHT: Brad Gilbert, Andy Murray's former coach

Don’t be kidded by Andy Murray’s outwardly composed response to this defeat — I know inside he will be really hurting, even stunned by the result.

My advice would be for him not to panic and, related to that, not to take the extended break he talked about. After having a well-earned rest, get back on the horse and start riding again, because there is still everything to play for.

Andy has lost twice in major finals to Roger Federer and once to Novak Djokovic — on each occasion facing a player ranked above him.

He needs to look not only at Ivan Lendl and Andre Agassi as people who also had difficulty opening their Grand Slam tally but also to this year’s women’s champion Kim Clijsters, who lost in four finals before she got going (she has now won her last four).

There is no doubt that winning your first one is the hardest thing to do, but I still maintain that Andy has a window of about eight, maybe 12 tournaments in which to do that. It is not as if this was like the crushing, fourth round exit at Flushing Meadows against Stan Wawrinka.

But I was wrong in predicting that Andy would narrowly shade a victory yesterday. Where I was right was in saying that the real key to the match would involve who took care of their second serve the best.

The statistics, which showed that Novak won 60 per cent on his compared to Andy’s 31 per cent, tell a lot of the story.

That’s a huge difference and, while the British player had a bad serving night, his opponent really hit his spots.

Andy did not move particularly well, either, in contrast to Djokovic, whose overall calm really impressed me.

I knew he was in a special vein of form when he allowed Tomas Berdych, who had been looking pretty special himself, just eight games in the quarter-final, and he carried that on right through the tournament.

For the last six years we have seen Rafael Nadal and Federer finish the season as the top two in the world. After Djokovic’s US Open final appearance and winning here, there can be every expectation he will break up that arrangement this year.

Andy is the worthy world no 4 and the good news is that he can still improve significantly, because there is so much to his game and it was always going to take time, probably longer than with most players, for everything to come together.

I have mentioned his second serve, but I was actually very impressed with it all tournament until the final.

All he needs to do is remember Lendl, and his fellow former charge of mine, Agassi.

The lesson is that by the end of his career Andre had won every Grand Slam there is to win, which should be an inspiration.


Source:Dailymail

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Corrie star Helen Flanagan's hotel room terror at 'man under her bed' after National Television Awards

By Daily Mail Reporter



Terror: Corrie star Helen Flanagan fled her hotel room thinking there was man under her bed hours after the National Television Awards last week


Film and television stars have long been victims of obsessed fans that take their infatuation too far.

And Corrie star Helen Flanagan feared she had become the latest soap star stalked by a crazed admirer last week when she fled her hotel room in tears, screaming 'There's a man under my bed!'

The 20-year-old appeared in the lobby of the Radisson Edwardian hotel in Canary Wharf, London barefoot in her bed clothes and in a terrified state, witnesses report.


Helen was staying at the hotel with her Coronation street co-stars after the National Television Awards when the incident happened at about 12.30pm on Thursday afternoon.

The actress, who plays Rosie Webster on the soap, came out of the lift at the ground-floor lobby and stunned onlookers by screaming that there was a man under her bed in her fifth-floor hotel room.

'Helen was absolutely hysterical,' an onlooker told The People.

'All of a sudden the lift doors opened and out stepped Helen. She was on her own but all of us looked up when she mentioned twice that there was this man under her bed.


Hotel shock: The actress was staying at the Radisson Edwardian hotel in Canary Wharf with co-stars after attending the awards at the O2 Arena


'She was holding her hands to her face clutching a tissue. It was like Helen had just seen a ghost.

'Her hair was a mess and she was wearing her bed scruffs a striped rugby top, loose-fitting trousers and nothing on her feet.'

Reception staff rushed to the actress' aid, the witness says, and ushered her into a back office.

But when security staff went to search the room, they found no one in there.

A spokeswoman for Coronation Street confirmed the incident: 'Helen was checking under her bed and for a split second she thought she had seen someone.


Obsessed fans: The 20-year-old, as Rosie Webster in the soap, has spoken out in the past over her fears for her safety


'She is very upset and doesn't want to discuss it.'

Miss Flanagan's co-star Katherine Kelly, 30, went into the manager's office to comfort her co-star.

The cast were staying at the East London hotel after attending the awards ceremony at the nearby O2 Arena.

The Corrie stars drowned their sorrows at a post-awards party at the hotel after losing out on the Best Serial Drama to EastEnders.

Helen has spoken in the past about her security fears as a downside to fame.

'It can be quite dangerous sometimes,' she has said. 'Its easier to go out when there's security and you're all together.'


Source:Dailymail

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'He said I should get a gastric band... when I was size 14': The moment Coleen Nolan was told she was just too big for TV by her boss

By Daily Mail Reporter



Body love: Coleen Nolan has revealed that she has finally come to terms with her figure despite a TV boss telling her she needed a gastric band


She champions women’s issues on her daytime TV show but although Coleen Nolan is outwardly confident, inside she has been battling with her weight for over 25 years.

While the TV presenter has learnt to love her body as a size 16, she has revealed how one TV executive told her to have a gastric band fitted.

The singer, who was at a size 20 at her heaviest and a size ten at her lightest, was meeting with television bosses to discuss a new show when one executive outlined that her size 14 figure would be a problem.


In an interview with the Daily Mirror Coleen explained that the man in question had been staring at her throughout the meeting before dropping the diet bombshell.

She told the paper: ‘He just said: “I wonder what we are going to do about that,” all the while he was looking me up and down, nodding we’d have to do something about my weight.’

‘Oh my God I was only a size 14, hardly obese! “Then came the biggest shock. He said: “Well we really like you and we think you’ll be great but we have a particular look in mind for the host…everybody’s going on about these gastric bands at the moment, why don’t you think about that?”’


Weight gain: Coleen has seen her weight creep up to a size 16 (left) after she stayed a size ten for three years (right)


The Nolan singer said she was ‘gobsmacked’ at the suggestion which made her realise she didn’t want to sacrifice her life, or her size for her career.

She said: ‘I was so angry on the day, but in another way it was good as it was so shocking it gave me confidence to say no to that sort of c***.’

‘It’s such a horrible thing to say and it’s completely unhealthy for someone my size at the time, a size 14 to be pushed into surgery. It’s a major thing and you should only do it if you really need it.’


Loose Women: Coleen with her fellow TV presenters Kate Thornton, Lisa Maxwell and Sherrie Hewson at The National Television Awards


She added: ‘More importantly, I’m not going to be forced into an operation because of some TV exec with a bad attitude about women.’

Coleen, who stuck to a size 10 for three years, has seen her weight creep up over the past year, but she isn’t fazed by her weight gain despite acknowledging that there is a pressure for women in the media to look a certain way.

While there is a distinct lack of curvier women on television Coleen has said she is happy to be a poster girl for larger ladies.

The Loose Women presenter said: ‘I can’t think of a singer fuller-figured woman on prime time TV anymore.’

‘Even Vanessa (Feltz) has had a gastric band and is decreasing by the day. Fern Britton is slimmer than ever thanks to hers. Soon I’ll be the only one left but if I have to be the poster girl, then bring it on!’

Her acceptance of her figure has come at a time when her career is an at all-time high across all areas.

In September last year she returned to ITV flagship This Morning in a new presenting role and still appears regularly on the Loose Women panel.

She has hosted programmes on Sky has weekly columns in a national newspaper and a magazines and is about to launch her third book, a novel called Denial, which is out next week.


Source:Dailymail

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'All I can do is stare...': Victoria's Secret model Doutzen Kroes unveils baby son Phyllon Joy

By Daily Mail Reporter



Sleeping beauty: Dutch Victoria's Secret model Doutzen Kroes introduced her week-old son Phyllon Joy Gorre on Twitter


Wrapped in cashmere and snuggling up against a fur blanket, this is Victoria's Secret model Doutzen Kroes' one-week-old son Phyllon Joy Gorre.

Thanks to his technology savvy mother the newborn already has his own Twitter account where the snap was posted yesterday.

Dutch supermodel Doutzen, 25, gave birth to her 8lbs son last week in Amsterdam.

She wrote on her Twitter page: 'Thank you all for your sweet messages! Becoming a mom is the best thing that ever! All I can do is stare...'


Taking to his Twitter page, her DJ/producer husband Sunnery James added: 'We're in love with him!

'Can't describe this feeling! Phyllon (pronounce: Fillen) is in our life.'

The couple's first child comes just two months after they married in an intimate ceremony in her home town of Eastermar in the Netherlands.

The blonde bride walked down the aisle in a empire-line dress by Spanish designer Pronovias with just 30 guests in attendance.

The couple started dating in August 2009 and announced their engagement in January last year.


Proud parents: Victoria's Secret model Doutzen Kroes and her DJ/producer husband Sunnery James


Kroes is one of the world's highest paid supermodels - making No.5 in the annual list of top-earning models by Forbes magazine.

Between mid-2009 and mid-2010, she earned $6million through her lucrative contracts with L'Oreal and Victoria's Secret, among others.

She currently writes a column about her jet-setting life in the Dutch edition of Marie Claire magazine.

In an interview last year, The 5ft 9 beauty said she didn't get as much catwalk work as she'd like to because she was too curvy.

Kroes - who has a 34-24-24 figure - said: 'I have to work really hard. My body - I have a voluptuous body. I am not one of those skinny girls.

'I like to enjoy life. I am a totally healthy girl that eats but eats in moderation and I take care of myself.'



Source:Dailymail

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Kardashians fail to score a hit for Piers Morgan as ratings are beaten by supermarket documentary

By Daily Mail Reporter



Not such a draw: Less than half a million people tuned it to watch Piers Morgan interview Kim and Kourtney Kardashian on his CNN show on Thursday night


Over 2.1 million tuned in to watch Piers Morgan interview Oprah Winfrey on his CNN debut two weeks ago.

But the British talk show host saw his ratings plummet over 75 per cent from his debut when he interviewed Kim and Kourtney Kardashian on Thursday night.

Rather embarrassingly, it appears more American viewers preferred to watch a behind-the-scenes documentary about supermarkets on a rival cable channel than the reality TV stars giving away yet more information about their private lives.


Just 498,000 tuned in to watch the Kardashians discuss their breasts and Kim's infamous sex tape during the 9pm slot - with conservative talk show host Sean Hannity pulling in 1.87 million on Fox.

In second place was the Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC with 983,000 and Supermarkets Inc with 504,000 on CNBC.

The ratings slip suggests the average CNN viewer isn't interested in reality stars like the Kardashians, whose new TV show Kourtney And Kim Take New York attracted 3million viewers to the celebrity-centric cable channel E!

The drop has been noted by some U.S. TV critics, TV presenter Carol Vorderman and Lord Alan Sugar.


King of chat: Morgan's Thursday night ratings were a far cry from his debut two weeks ago


Keeping abreast of the issues: Kim insisted her breasts were real, while Kourtney spoke about having implants 10 years ago


Miami Herald TV critic Glenn Garvin wrote: 'Morgan dropped below half a million viewers Thursday night even with a bunch of crazed half-naked Kardashians sitting at the desk with him. Really. You can't break the half-million mark with Hollywood's most beloved trollops bragging about their boobs?

'(The scoop from Kim: "They're 100 per cent real!" Kourtney, not so much.) And their sex tapes? (Poor Kim says she's embarrassed by hers, though not embarrassed enough to stop talking about it on national television.'

Morgan's old adversary Vorderman wrote on her Twitter page: 'Seems (Jeremy) Clarkson not on Twitter for real. Shame... just found latest CNN Morgan ratings and they are soooo bad, Jeremy would love it.

'And so everyone understands we all go back a long way, indeed I was happy to be around when Jeremy punched Morgan all those years ago.


Drawing a crowd: CNBC's documentary Supermarkets Inc, billed as 'a fascinating look at today's supermarket industry' received more viewers


'Morgan's ratings fallen to 498,000 in 9 days, wiped out - CNN now 4th news network in slot, beaten even by CNBC. Interesting Stephen Fry, Lord Sugar? See for yourselves.'

After Lord Sugar found out the ratings from Vorderman, he began teasing Morgan on Twitter.

He gloated: 'Piersy is this true..? Piers Morgan beaten by CNBC oh dear! I got more ratings on CNBC when they ran UK version of Apprentice a couple of years ago.'

Defending his ratings and teasing Lord Sugar in return, Morgan Tweeted: 'Don't you worry about my ratings Lordy, they're ticking along nicely. You worry about your American ratings, which don't exist.


Twitter feud: Morgan hit back at Lord Alan Sugar's accusations his ratings were falling


'Tell you what I'd REALLY worry about, I just closed the gap by another 2k overnight.

'Hmmm, yes, I remember your Apprentice airing on CNBC...they cancelled it before end of 1st series didn't they Lordy.

'Hurricane Morgan is blowing stronger by the day... Let me explain again Shugs: my show airs to over 300 million people nightly on CNN America and CNN International.

'Right, Biggles, you toddle off in your little plane for a bit - I'm going for breakfast in Beverly Hills.'

Although Morgan scored huge ratings with his debut on January 17 debut, figures have been averaging in the 700,000-800,000 over the past two weeks.

Last Monday, he was in third place with 763,000 tuning in to watch him interview former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Morgan's predecessor Larry King was averaging 657,000 during the last three months of 2010.


Big debut: Morgan's first show on CNN with Oprah Winfrey drew 2.1million viewers


Source:Dailymail

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Cher Lloyd plays it coy as she's reunited with boyfriend Karim Roundi at Heathrow

By Daily Mail Reporter



Playing it cool: Cher Lloyd is reunited with boyfriend Karim Roundi at Heathrow Airport on Saturday after three weeks in the U.S.


They've spent half of their six week relationship apart.

But X Factor reject Cher Lloyd was reunited with new boyfriend Karim Roundi at Heathrow Airport today after a few weeks Stateside.

After three weeks recording her debut album in Miami and LA, the 17-year-old looked thrilled to be back with her 'Essex socialite' boyfriend Roundi, 20.


But it appears the couple were rather reluctant to cosy up for their first public appearance together and coyly held hands as they were surrounded by paparazzi in the arrivals lounge.

Despite the 10 hour long haul flight, Cher was in good spirits as she smiled for photographers at Heathrow.

Before boarding her flight at LAX, she joked on her Twitter: 'Just got stopped at security cos my pants were too baggy ha!'

But there was no mention of her new boyfriend who picked her up from the airport.

Worcestershire teen Lloyd was introduced to Roundi by Richardson backstage at The X Factor final on December 12.


Back on track: Cher's burgeoning relationship has moved past cheating allegations


However, just weeks into their romance, waitress Kate Cross, 21, alleged she slept with Roundi just five days after he started dating Cher.

Fellow X Factor contestant Paije Richardson - who introduced the young lovebirds - insisted Roundi's brief encounter with Cross took place before he started dating Cher.

Richardson told the Sunday Mirror recently: 'That thing ­happened before they were ­together. But for the last two weeks I've been teasing him by calling him a "love rat".

'They are really happy. They're always saying "I love you" and it's like, "Shut up."'

Although coming in fourth place on The X Factor and narrowly escaping being voted off after voting figures revealed her sporadic popularity, Lloyd has signed a record deal with Syco.


On top of the world: Cher's album has been given an August 2011 release date - which will come out two months before X Factor winner Matt Cardle's


Her debut album will be released on Simon Cowell's record label on August 22, 2011 - according to Amazon.co.uk, which is taking pre-orders on the as-yet-untitled disc.

The album will go on sale two months before actual X Factor winner Matt Cradle's
debut is released on October 24.

The teenager has spent the past three weeks working on her album with a selection of top rappers.

Among the music supremos working on Lloyd's album include producer Ronald 'Jukebox' Jackson - who created Willow Smith's hit Whip My Hair and has worked with John Legend and Janet Jackson - and Red One, who has worked the likes of Lady GaGa and Nicole Scherzinger.

Meanwhile, Cher will joining former contestants when the X Factor Live Tour kicks off in February.

Aside from the winner Matt Cardle, other acts on the tour include One Direction, Rebecca Ferguson, Paije Richardson, Aiden Grimshaw, Mary Byrne, Katie Waissel and Wagner Fiuza-Carrilho.

The 51-gig tour will kicks off February 19 at Birmingham's LG Arena, before ending in Cardiff's CIA on April 10.


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Andy Murray and the two faithful females backing him today: On-off love Kim and border terrier Maggie

By Malcolm Folley



Tennis star Andy Murray yesterday revealed the secret behind his Australian success - daily briefings from his girlfriend back home on the adventures of his dog.

If he beats Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in the final of the Australian Open today, 23-year-old Murray will become Britain’s first men’s winner of a Grand Slam tournament since Fred Perry 75 years ago.

And he told The Mail on Sunday that both his girlfriend Kim Sears and the other woman in his life – his border terrier Maggie – have played their part in his stunning run by soothing his nerves.

He revealed: ‘I speak to Kim every day. We try not to talk about tennis if possible. I like to know about Maggie, what’s going on. All stuff that has nothing to do with tennis, really.’

A newspaper story mischievously suggested yesterday that while Kim remained at their Surrey home and Andy was in Australia, a ‘new blonde’ was cheering him on in Melbourne – 20-year-old Danish tennis star Caroline Wozniacki.

Ms Wozniacki watched his semi-final as a guest of Adidas, who sponsor both players. And she explained she wanted to watch more men’s matches ‘as I have to toughen up my game’.

Murray’s romance with Kim, also 23, has been an on-off affair and the subject of much speculation but yesterday Murray’s father made it clear how his son felt about her.

‘I think Kim’s really good for Andy,’ said Will Murray, who is divorced from the player’s mother, Judy. ‘She’s not interested in fame and she’s definitely not a WAG. Kim is Andy’s first serious love.

‘With the amount of time he is away, perhaps they were bound to have had some problems, but it’s good for him that she’s back in his life. She has a great sense of humour, and she is a confident young lady. I have a lot of time for her.’


Fox in the box: Caroline Wozniacki was a guest of Adidas with Murray's family and friends during his semi-final win


Kim reignited her romance with Murray last spring. They had broken up in November 2009 after four years together.

Kim has an English degree from Sussex University and is determined to carve out a career for herself rather than follow Murray from tournament to tournament around the world.

She shuns the limelight and while she is seen in the courtside box of her boyfriend on Centre Court during Wimbledon, she has never publicly spoken of her romance with Murray.

Last night, a source close to Murray said: ‘Kim will watch the final from Andy’s home with friends. She is currently exploring her new career options, and painting.’

Kim will be among an armchair audience of millions watching Murray try to emulate the success of England’s Ashes-winning cricketers in this memorable summer for British sportsmen Down Under.

Another spectator could well be Prime Minister David Cameron, who played tennis with Murray inside No 10 Downing Street when the world’s top stars were invited to tea in November.


Words of support: Prime Minister David Cameron has sent a message to the Scot ahead of his final clash on Sunday


Last night Mr Cameron sent him a good-luck message saying: ‘You have played incredibly well to reach the final for the second year running, and everyone back at home is very proud of you. We’ll all be cheering you on.’

Judy Murray said Cameron’s note was coloured by a touch of self-deprecating humour. ‘The PM added that he hoped the volley drills they did together in the No 10 dining room will come in useful,’ she said.

Former British Davis Cup captain John Lloyd, meanwhile, said Murray was ‘guaranteed a knighthood’ if he wins. ‘He’d be mightily embarrassed, but how could such an achievement be overlooked?’ Lloyd said.


Roaring success: Murray can become the first Briton to win a Grand Slam in more than 70 years


Murray is playing for a £1.4 million winner’s cheque this morning. Bonus payments from sponsors Adidas and Head could increase his earnings by another £2 million.

Yet for a man already worth an estimated £30 million the money on offer pales into insignificance compared with the prize at stake.

‘It has always been a dream of mine to win a major championship,’ said Murray, who was No 5 in the world before the Australian Open. ‘I am not thinking about the historical relevance to the final – I am just thinking of making the most of the opportunity.’

Murray will return home to be met by Kim – and Maggie – on Tuesday, hopefully in possession of the trophy that will make him one of the greats of British sport.


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Anne Hathaway makes bizarre fashion statement in studded harem pants and woolly jumper

By Daily Mail Reporter



What IS she wearing? Anne Hathaway teamed studded trousers with a woolly jumper as she attended the press day for Rio in Los Angeles


It's hardly your typical red carpet outfit.

Anna Hathaway shunned the normal uniform of pretty dress for a bizarre combination of black studded harem pants and striped woolly jumper last night.

Although the outfit showed off her tiny toned waist, it looked rather out of place as she arrived to promote her new animated film Rio in Los Angeles.


In great shape: the outfit did show off Anne's toned stomach and slim figure


While the jumper might have looked nice with a simple pair of jeans, and the trousers could perhaps have fitted in at an evening do, the overall effect was somewhat confusing.

Perhaps Anne was basing her look on the character she plays in the 3D movie.

The actress voices Jewel, a strong-willed macaw who falls for domesticated macaw, played by Jesse Eisenberg.

The 28-year-old will next be seen onscreen in The Dark Knight rises alongside Christian Bale and Gary Oldman, directed by Christopher Nolan.


What happened? Anne normally pulls off the red carpet look without trouble


Anne is also preparing for her biggest gig to date - hosting the Oscars.

She has landed the prestigious role fronting the annual awards show alongside James Franco.

In a jokey advert for the ceremony, released this week, Anne is seen suffering a wardrobe malfunction as her dress slips off her shoulder.

Luckily Franco is on hand to throw a blanket around her shoulders, sparing her blushes.

Let's hope it goes without any more fashion mishaps on the night.



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'She's too young for me': Justin Bieber snubs Hailee Steinfield... the 16-year-old likes older women

By Sarah Fitzmaurice



She's younger than you? Justin Bieber has said Hialee Steinfield is too young for him to date


He’s been kissed by Katie Perry and Rihanna so it’s hardly surprising that Justin Bieber wants a girlfriend of a certain age.

The pint-sized popstar has said he wouldn’t date Oscar nominee Hailee Steinfield because at 14-years-old she is just too young for him.

Justin was speaking to Jay Leno on The Tonight Show when he ruled out the possibility of a relationship with the True Grit star saying she was too young and added: ‘I'll be 17 in less than a month.’


Towering beauty: Hailee looked stunning as she took to the stage at the Golden Globes. She towered above Justin as they presented an award


The 16-year-old presented an award with the actress at The Golden Globes ceremony last week and as Hailee took to the stage towering above Justin in a gorgeous satin dress it was hard to believe she was younger than him.

Speaking about Hailee, Justin told Jay: ‘She’s really nice and really talented.’
He added: ‘I think she’s cute’

But when The U.S. chat show host pressed the youngster he ruled anything more than friendship out on account of their age gap.

Justin tweeted about Hailee last week after finding out she had been nominated for an Academy Award.


Snubbed on air: Justin told Jay Leno on The Tonight Show that he wouldn't date Hailee because she was too young


Baby pics: Justin and Jay looked through a number of the pint sized pop singer's baby photos


He posted: ‘Met at the Globes and she is super talented. CONGRATS to Hailee Steinfeld for being 14 and getting nominated for an OSCAR for TRUE GRIT! Now Hailee get a twitter.’

The Canadian singer said he wasn’t flirting with the young actress but was in fact just being friendly.

Justin, who was promoting his new movie Never Say Never, shared some pictures of himself as a toddler with Leno.


Close couple: Justin and Jay shared a hug during the interview


The cute singer didn’t seem to mind showing off his old snaps which included pictures of him as a little baby.

Justin’s new 3D film tells the story of a small-town boy who sees his dreams come true and hits cinemas in the U.S. in February.


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