Southwest Airlines is being criticised for failing to communicate changes to its five-hour delayed flight as two disabled women were left behind as the flight took off without them
An airline has been slammed after two women who are both blind were left behind by a plane and told by staff “we forgot about you.”
Southwest Airlines is being criticised for failing to communicate changes to its five-hour delayed flight from New Orleans to Orlando on July 24.
Friends Camille Tate and Sherri Brun were left stranded after the pair were at the airport waiting by the gate, checking the airline’s app for any updates.
However, they were the only two people on the flight when they boarded. “You’re the only two people on this flight because they forgot about you,” Sherri Bun said the two were told.
Friends Camille Tate and Sherri Brun were left behind on their flight(Image: Southwest)
Sherri and Camillie were the only two passengers not re-booked on the flight. They even admitted they had no idea another flight was an option.
“Nobody at B6 told us anything. Nobody came to get us at B4. The time passed,” said Sherri. “That airplane took off, and our boarding pass had not been swiped,” said Camille.
The pair remains stunned that they weren’t on the flight. They want the airline to improve its communication to people with disabilities.
“The way they help their customers that require additional assistance needs to change. There needs to be follow through,” said Sherri.
“There needs to be some improvement in how they communicate with their passengers especially those that have disabilities,” Camille added.
The friends were offered an £80 voucher as compensation for the delay, but weren’t eligible for a full refund as the flight departed.
Southwest Airlines has since apologised for the embarrassing incident.
(Image: Getty Images)
Southwest Airlines has since apologised for the embarrassing incident. It said: “The Customers were scheduled on Flight 2637. Although it ran almost five hours late that day, it remained their same flight number throughout.
“We issued the $100 vouchers as compensation for the delayed travel, but a refund is not available if a Customer actually completes the flight.
“It appears the confusion about a plane coming back to get them might be because many of the Customers on that flight were accommodated on another MCO-bound flight that left a little earlier from a nearby gate. These two Customers were not re-booked on that flight, so their assigned gate never changed. Our records show they flew to MCO on the airplane that had been parked at their original gate.
“As far as accessibility policies, all of our information is found on the Disability-Related Accommodations section of the Help Center. For Customers who are blind, escort and navigation assistance is available from the airport curb to and from gates and between gates for connecting flights.
“To receive assistance, Customers must identify themselves and the type of assistance they require to a Southwest Employee when they arrive at the airport, at any connection points, and when they land at their destination. In the event of a gate change, our Employees are responsible for ensuring all Customers who need assistance reach the new gate.
“We apologise for the inconvenience. Southwest is always looking for ways to improve our Customers’ travel experiences, and we’re active in the airline industry in sharing best practices about how to best accommodate Passengers with disabilities.”
Mel Wallace was a keen motorbike rider but now, as she waits for a hip replacement, she struggles to put her own socks on
NHS patients from Wales who need knee and hip operations in England face lengthy delays after a health board asked English hospitals to copy Wales’ longer waiting times.
Powys health board announced the change as it could not afford the cost of how quickly operations over the border were being carried out, but patients have said they were not informed.
Mel Wallace, 59, from Howey, Powys, was initially told she would have a 12-month wait for her hip replacement, but now faces another 45-week wait after already waiting 59 weeks.
Health board chief executive Hayley Thomas said people in the area “should be treated in the same timeframe as residents of anywhere else in Wales”.
Previously there was no difference in how patients were treated but, since 1 July, the health board has asked that any planned treatment for its patients at hospitals in Hereford, Shrewsbury, Telford and Oswestry are based on average NHS Wales waiting times.
Almost 40% of Powys Teaching Health Board’s (PTHB) budget is spent on services outside its own borders – it does not have its own district general hospital.
Latest figures show there were 10,254 waits of two years or more for planned treatments in Wales, compared to just 158 in England.
The Welsh government said it remained “committed to reducing waiting times and ensuring everyone in Wales – including those in Powys – has equitable and timely access to treatment”.
With shorter waiting times in England, the Powys health board could not afford to pay the bills due to the speed the operations and other planned care like cataract surgery and diagnostic tests were being carried out.
According to its annual plan, applying NHS Wales waiting times would save £16.4m – the Welsh government has said it must save at least £26m and has intervened in the health board’s finances, strategy and planning to address serious concerns.
This means people from Powys face two-year waits for some procedures, but it does exclude various high-risk patients including children and those with cancer.
Mel Wallace says there is “far worse people suffering out there than me”
Ms Wallace used to enjoy walking her dogs, gardening, going to the gym and riding her motorbike but now struggles to get out of the car or put her socks on.
She moved to her home near Llandrindod Wells from Herefordshire in 2021 for the scenery and lifestyle, but her experience with the Welsh NHS has made her “wish I hadn’t moved here”.
Despite her wait for an operation starting before the rule change, Ms Wallace said “they can’t even be bothered to send a letter to let people know that this is going to affect them”.
She wants the policy overturned but, in the meantime, said waiting times given to those already on the list should be honoured.
Stephen Evans says he feels like he and others in his position are being “discriminated against”
Stephen Evans, 66, a local government officer from Builth Wells, was scheduled for a double knee replacement and told in May that his first operation would be “within the next few weeks” in Hereford.
When he called the hospital to follow up, he was told his wait would be at least another year and said he had not had any contact from the health board or Welsh NHS.
“When your life is put on hold because of a decision like this, you deserve the truth, not some excuse,” he said.
“I choose to live here, but I’m still entitled to the same sort of medical treatments as a person who lives across the border in England.”
John Silk, 92, from Talgarth, was a regular golfer and went to the gym until his osteoarthritis got too bad.
“I have a stick to walk down the path from the front door now and driving in the car is a nightmare,” he said.
He was due to have an operation in Hereford in June and had been to the hospital twice in preparation.
When he phoned to ask why his knee replacement had been delayed, he was told by an “apologetic” secretary that he would have to wait another year due to budget cuts.
Like others, he has not heard anything from NHS Wales. “I want them confronted with what they’re doing.
“They’re causing unnecessary pain and suffering. I don’t think that’s the idea of politics, do you?”
Health board chief executive Ms Thomas said: “We understand that the changes we have made to the way we commission planned care services will be frustrating and disappointing for patients and their families.
“It is vital that we live within our means. We cannot continue to spend money we do not have to offer faster access care to some parts of the county.
“Instead, we need to take a fairer approach that protects essential services for everyone.”
Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe, David Chadwick, said he could not understand the decision given reducing waiting lists and getting people back into work were priorities of Labour governments in Cardiff and Westminster.
“It’s not good enough and that’s why the Welsh government has to make sure that it gives Powys Teaching Health Board enough funding to process those people faster,” he said.
The Wye Valley NHS Trust has also raised concerns, with managing director Jane Ives telling a board meeting that 10,000 appointments or elective procedures would be affected there due to the knock-on effects.
“This is a very poor value for money proposition and has real impacts on patients,” she said.
Meanwhile a PTHB meeting last week also heard Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust had not yet implemented the policy as negotiations continue “with an increasing risk of escalation”.
Shropshire and Community NHS Trust said they would “continue to prioritise patient care on the basis of clinical need”.
A BELOVED grandmother choked to death after being fed the wrong food in a care home.
Joan Whitworth died at the Oaks Care Home in Northumberland after staff prepared her meal in a way which “did not comply with her diet plan”.
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Joan Whitworth, 88, tragically died after choking on her foodCredit: NCJ Media
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An inquest heard the grandmother was living at the Oaks Care HomeCredit: Google Maps
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The 88-year-old’s meal had not been prepared correctlyCredit: NCJ Media
An inquest heard the 88-year-old had lived with her daughter Gillian but moved into the facility when her dementia progressed.
When eating a meal on March 3, 2023, Joan began to display signs of choking.
But the inquest heard how a care assistant did not intervene and had to ask another staff member for help to deliver back slaps and abdominal thrusts.
And, CPR was not performed due to the “inaccurate understanding of a registered nurse”.
Following the hearing, Northumberland’s senior coroner Andrew Hetheringtonhas written a “prevention of future deaths” report.
The care home and NHS trust have 56 days to respond.
The coroner concluded Joan died “in a care home as a result of choking”.
And in his written report, he outlined a total of six “matters of concern”.
Of these, one was regarding the NHS trust and five were directed to the care home’s operator Hillcare.
The first issue was found with the speech and language team.
Joan’s assessment had not been written down in a formal report, meaning observations of her eating had only been passed on verbally.
The coroner also concluded that a nurse and care assistant at the home “were not in date with their training in Basic Life Support and First Aid at Work”.
The coroner added: “I am concerned that a chef in evidence at the inquest was not aware that breaded fish was not a suitable food stuff in the diet identified for the deceased.
“I am concerned that other residents could be fed inappropriate food stuffs that are not in line with their identified diet plans.”
Bryan Smith, Joan’s son-in-law, told ChronicleLive: “Right from the start, we knew what had happened – that they hadn’t given her the right food.
“We knew she hadn’t been looked after.
“The reason we have pursued this is that we knew what had happened.”
Bryan added how the family had been “shocked and astounded by the quantity and severity of the mistakes” that were highlighted in the inquest.
He told how many families have shared similar “painful and shocking experiences”.
In a statement on behalf of the family read in court, they paid tribute: “Joan was a well loved character in Blyth. She was manager of Robson’s shoe shop and then moved to the Water Board.
“When we used to go shopping with Joan, it would take you an hour to get past the car park – as she knew everyone in Blyth with a tap or a pair of shoes!”
A Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said: “All referrals to our speech and language therapy service are robustly triaged using a risk and evidence-based approach to inform the most appropriate care for that individual. This includes information on the referral form and discussion with the patient and / or those who care for them daily to gather the most up-to-date information.
“We cannot comment further on this case due to patient confidentiality, but would like to offer our sincere condolences to Mrs Whitworth’s family and loved ones.”
A spokesperson for The Oaks Care Home said: “We acknowledge the Coroner’s report relating to the death of Joan Whitworth at our home in March 2023. Our thoughts remain with her family and loved ones.
“Following the incident, we carried out a full review and made all necessary changes to our practices and procedures. These have been in place for some time and will be reflected in our formal response to the Coroner’s report. The safety, dignity, and wellbeing of those in our care remain our highest priorities.”
IT was the craziest start to a love affair that survived against the odds for more than 40 years.
Superstar rocker Ozzy Osbourne had been given an envelope stuffed with cash to hand over to Sharon Arden, daughter of his band Black Sabbath’s manager.
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Drugs, fights, affairs – Ozzy Osbourne and wife Sharon Osbourne’s marriage survived against all oddsCredit: Getty
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Ozzy and Sharon pictured in Brazil in 1985
Instead, Ozzy blew the money on cocaine — which he was working his way through when Sharon arrived at his hotel.
Despite being completely off his head, Ozzy, who died on Tuesday age 76, never forgot that first meeting when Sharon asked, “Do you have anything for me?”.
He recalled: “‘No, I don’t think so’, I said, all innocent.
“But it didn’t take Einstein to work out what had happened.
READ MORE ON OZZY OSBOURNE
“There was a massive bag of coke on the table next to a ripped-up envelope with ‘Sharon’ written on it in felt-tip pen.
“Sharon gave me a monumental bollocking when she saw it, shouting and cursing and telling me I was a f***ing disaster.
‘Drunkest and loudest’
“I guess I won’t be shagging her any time soon, then, I thought.
“But she came back the next day, to find me lying in a puddle of my own p**s, smoking a joint.
“She said, ‘Look, if you want to get your s**t together, we want to manage you’.”
That ill-fated meeting led to an incredible marriage that lasted 33 years — despite Ozzy’s drug and sex addiction and even his attempt to strangle Sharon.
Inside Ozzy Osbourne’s final days after historic last show ‘took huge toll’ on his health
In one of his last interviews, Ozzy described the reality TV star and X Factor judge as his “soulmate”.
He said: “Sometimes I love her, sometimes I don’t love her, sometimes I’m angry with her, sometimes I’m crazy about her, sometimes I’m very jealous of her, sometimes I wanna f***ing kill her.
“But through it all, at the end of the day, I love her more than anything in the world.”
As Sharon took over running Ozzy’s professional life, the Brummie lad quickly realised that he had never met a woman like her before.
In his 2009 biography, I Am Ozzy, he revealed: “I’d never come across a girl who was like me.
“Wherever we went, we were always the drunkest and the loudest.
“I learned that when Sharon is on a mission, she’ll throw herself at it, lock, stock and barrel, and not stop fighting until well after the bell’s rung.
“I trusted Sharon like I’d never trusted anyone before on the business side of things.”
Me and Sharon were bonking all over the place. We couldn’t stop. Some nights Sharon would go out of one door and [first wife] Thelma would come in the other
Sharon
When Sharon was relaunching Ozzy as a solo star with a new album, Blizzard Of Ozz, and a tour following his firing from Black Sabbath in 1979, the star’s private life was falling apart.
He was married to Thelma Riley, had adopted her son Elliot from an earlier marriage and they had two kids of their own, Jessica and Louis.
After months of trying, Ozzy finally bedded Sharon after leaping into her bath at a hotel near Shepperton Studios.
He recalled: “Me and Sharon were bonking all over the place.
“We couldn’t stop.
“Some nights, Sharon would go out of one door and Thelma would come in the other.
“I was knackered all the time, having two women on the go.
“I don’t know how those French blokes do it.
“When I was with Sharon, I’d end up calling her ‘Tharon’, which earned me more than a few black eyes.
“I’d never known what it was like to fall in love before I met Sharon.
“We were inseparable.
“I realised that when you’re in love, it’s not just about the messing around in the sack, it’s about how empty you feel when they’re gone. And I couldn’t stand it when Sharon was gone.”
But when he split up with Thelma in 1981, Sharon bore the brunt of Ozzy’s anger.
He said: “I was a wreck.
“I was in love with Sharon, but at the same time I was cut to pieces by losing my family.
“I’d get drunk and try to hit her, and she’d throw things at me.
“Wine bottles, gold discs, TVs — you name it, it would all come flying across the room.
“I ain’t proud to admit that a few of my punches reached their target.”
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Ozzy on tour in Las Vegas in 2002 with his beloved Sharon by his sideCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
But the following year, Ozzy and Sharon married in Hawaii on the way to a gig.
The rocker didn’t make it back to their hotel room after the ceremony.
Sharon recalled: “The manager called and said, ‘Your husband is lying in the hall, will you come and get him’ and I said, ‘No I won’t’.”
While Sharon managed Ozzy’s soaring solo career, the couple welcomed their three children Aimee, 41, Kelly, 40, and Jack, 39.
But she could not curb her husband’s appetite for booze, illegal drugs and prescription pills.
‘Slumped in corridor’
When he got violent, Sharon would take her revenge like the time she took a hammer to all his gold records.
But seven years after their wedding, Ozzy tried to strangle Sharon while high on drugs and Russian vodka, at their 17th Century home in Little Chalfont, Bucks.
The family had gone to their bedrooms after returning from a local Chinese restaurant to celebrate Aimee’s sixth birthday.
Before lunging at Sharon, Ozzy stripped naked and told her: “We’ve had a little talk and it’s clear that you have to die.”
She pressed the panic button, alerting the police.
Ozzy woke up in a cell the next morning with no recollection of the attack, to find he had been charged with attempted murder.
Three months later, ahead of his court case, Sharon visited the rehab centre where Ozzy had been sent to dry out.
In his autobiography, Ozzy recalled how she told him: “I’m going to drop the charges.
“I don’t believe you’re capable of attempted murder, Ozzy.
People keep asking, ‘How come you and Sharon have stayed together all this time?’
Ozzy
“You’re a sweet, gentle man.
“But when you get drunk, Ozzy Osbourne disappears and someone else takes over.
“I want that other person to go away.
“I don’t want to see him again.”
But Ozzy instead developed a prescription pill addiction.
Sharon almost died from colon cancer during the making of their Noughties fly-on-the-wall MTV show, The Osbournes.
While she was still undergoing chemo, the couple retook their vows on New Year’s Eve 2002.
Ozzy revealed: “People keep asking, ‘How come you and Sharon have stayed together all this time?’.
“My answer was the same then as it is now. ‘I’ve never stopped telling my wife that I love her; I’ve never stopped taking her out for dinner; I’ve never stopped surprising her with little gifts’.
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Animal-lovers Ozzy and his wife campaigning against trophy hunting last yearCredit: Ban Trophy Hunting /Animal News Agency
“Unfortunately, I’d never stopped drinking and taking drugs, so the ceremony ended much the same as our original wedding — with me slumped in a corridor, p*ssed out of my brains.”
A year later, Ozzy had a near-fatal quad bike accident on their estate that required multiple surgeries and affected his long-term mobility. In the aftermath of the crash, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, only going public with the condition in 2020.
Meanwhile, Sharon — who described their life together as “a Shakespeare play” — slipped Ozzy extra sleeping pills in 2016 to extract a confession that he had been having an affair with his hairdresser.
It was also revealed that there were more mistresses.
Devastated, Sharon tried to kill herself but was found by a cleaner.
Jessie Breakwell, who worked as their nanny, said: “Ozzy was obsessed with her.
“They’d giggle and make jokes.
“It was genuine love.”
After Ozzy went to rehab for sex addiction, the couple reconciled and renewed their vows in Las Vegas in 2017.
Sharon admitted: “I love him.
“I can leave if I want, take half of everything and go. I don’t want to.”
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Ozzy was obsessed with his wifeCredit: Getty
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Sharon and Ozzy as youngstersCredit: Getty – Contributor
Wild and hilarious Ozzy stories
1. Ozzy once told Sharon: “Don’t cremate me, whatever you do.
“I want to be put in the ground, in a nice garden somewhere, with a tree over my head.
“A crabapple tree, preferably, so the kids can make wine out of me and get pissed out of their heads.
“As for what they’ll put on my headstone, I ain’t under any illusions.
“If I close my eyes, I can already see it:
“Ozzy Osbourne, born 1948
“Died, whenever.
“He bit the head off a bat.”
2. Ozzy decided to stop using acid while recording Black Sabbath album Vol 4.
He said: “I took ten tabs of acid then went for a walk in a field.
“I ended up standing there talking to this horse for about an hour.
“In the end, the horse turned around and told me to f**k off.
“That was it for me.”
3. The rocker began tattooing himself as a teenager while growing up in Birmingham.
He said: “I even put a smiley face on each of my knees to cheer myself up when I was sitting on the bog in the morning.”
Decades later he had ‘thanks’ tattooed on his right palm.
He said: “It seemed like a brilliant idea at the time.
“How many times do you say ‘thanks’ to people during your lifetime?
“Tens of thousands, probably.
“Now all I had to do was raise my right hand.”
4. The Osbournes had a donkey called Sally, who used to sit in the living room with Ozzy and watch Match Of The Day.
5. Former slaughterhouse worker Ozzy claimed to have killed his family’s cats while high.
He recalled: “I was taking drugs so much I was a f***ed.
“The final straw came when I shot all our cats.
“We had about 17, and I went crazy and shot them all.
“My wife found me under the piano in a white suit – a shotgun in one hand and a knife in the other.”
6. The Prince of Darkness was interested in the Bible.
He said: “I’ve tried to read it several times.
“But I’ve only ever got as far as the bit about Moses being 720 years old, and I’m like, ‘What were these people smoking back then?’”
7. Ozzy met the late Queen at the Royal Variety Performance.
He recalled: “I was standing next to Cliff Richard.
“She took one look at the two of us, and said, “Oh, so this is what they call variety, is it?” then cracked up laughing.
“I honestly thought Sharon must have slipped some acid into my cornflakes that morning.”
8. Ozzy loved putting hidden messages in songs.
He said: “On No Rest For The Wicked, if you play Bloodbath In Paradise backwards, you can clearly hear me saying, ‘Your mother sells whelks in Hull’.”
The Late Show’s Stephen Colbert hit back at President Donald Trump after he said he ‘absolutely loved’ that the CBS show was getting cancelled
12:43, 22 Jul 2025Updated 12:53, 22 Jul 2025
Stephen Colbert told US President Donald Trump to go ‘f**k himself’ as he responded to a tweet the POTUS made about the CBS talk show host. CBS recently announced their decision to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, with the show not returning after May 2026.
CBS said financial difficulties were part of the reason they decided to cancel the long-running show, as they were ‘losing money’ in a challenging late-night show environment. Convicted felon and US President Trump, who is known to lash out at celebrities, was delighted at the news and took to his social media to share his excitement over The Late Show’s cancellation.
Donald Trump was glad the show was cancelled(Image: AP)
“I absolutely love that Colbert’ got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings. I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert!” he wrote.
“Greg Gutfield is better than all of them combined, including the Moron on NBC who ruined the once great Tonight Show.” In a segment on Stephen’s show, the host read out Trump’s tweet while doing an impression of the President’s voice.
The audience booed the tweet before Stephen confidently said: “How dare you, sir? Would an untalented man be able to compose the following satirical witticism?” before turning to a different camera and adding: “Go f**k yourself!”
Stephen responded to him with three simple words(Image: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert/Youtube)
Cheers could be heard from the audience before they started chanting: “Stephen! Stephen! Stephen!” After the cancellation of the show was announced, fellow talk show hosts shared their support for the star.
Jimmy Kimmel wrote: “Love you Stephen. F**k you and all your Sheldons, CBS.” Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers also posted their support.
Tonight Show host Jimmy said: “I’m just as shocked as everyone,” while Seth posted: “I’m going to miss having him on TV every night.”
In a joint statement, Paramount and CBS bosses said: “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert will end its historic run in May 2026 at the end of the broadcast season. We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire The Late Show franchise at that time.
“We are proud that Stephen called CBS home. He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late night television.”
It continued: “This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night. It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”
Stephen broke the news last Thursday and told viewers: “I want to let you know something I found out just last night. Next year will be our last season. The network will be ending The Late Show in May.”
When he set his own record, Evans remembers feeling the nerves as he reached the 18th needing a par to eclipse the then standard set by future three-time major winner and Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington.
In contrast, as the pressure ramped up, O’Callaghan sensed McIlroy relished the attention.
The 36-year-old made headlines at Augusta this year for not addressing his final-round playing partner Bryson DeChambeau, but O’Callaghan saw the same singular focus even then.
“The more people that were there, you could see his focus go to the next level, he was now in his element,” he said.
“It wasn’t that he was showing off, but like he was going to entertain and really put on a show.
“He got into that zone or flow that people talk about and you could probably throw an orange at his head and he wouldn’t blink.”
If Evans felt McIlroy looked like a tour player that day, O’Callaghan remembers him celebrating one like too.
Five consecutive birdies to finish his round gave the watching crowd what they had hoped for with a monster putt on the 18th providing the exclamation point to the piece of history.
“It was one of those kind of moments that we were watching on TV at the time with Tiger Woods where as soon as the putt left the blade, you could just see this thing like a magnet to the hole, roll after roll after roll,” he said.
“Rory, you could see it in his eyes. He knows that he’s making it right off the bat, and he’s got the putter up and he’s ready to go with the fist pump, giving it the whole lot.
“It didn’t even touch the sides of the hole. Electric.”
Love Island fans think the Casa boys have told Meg some truths about DejonCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
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Meg was left in tears as she reflected on her relationship with DejonCredit: Instagram
However, seeds doubting his intentions seemed to have been sown in Meg’s mind during a villa game shortly before Casa Amor when Billykiss brought up Dejon’s unwillingness to close things off with her.
Though Meg initially said there was no need to for them to do that and the other girls were just jealous, days later she was reduced to tears thinking about Dejon’s behaviour.
Now viewers think the new boys have told her how Dejon has really been acting, having seen some of the show before taking part themselves.
One person wrote in a fan forum: “It was a bit odd that it took casa for Meg to finally wake up and realize that Dejon has been playing with her since day 1? Like a lot of the girls warned her. I genuinely believe that the producers or the casa boys let her in on some info. And also, if Helena knew why didn’t she tell her? Lol.”
Another said: “The casa boys definitely got into her head. Ty was telling her that Dejon never tells her the full story or something like that and I’ll bet others have said things.”
A third wrote: “Probably some of the Casa boys said stuff to her about what’s been shown and people’s opinions of him on the outside.”
A fourth said: “I think she’s been told some stuff but she won’t stick to her opinion.”
Meg chose to couple up with Dejon at the very start of the series and they’ve been together ever since.
Though very flirtatious, he has remained loyal to “his Meg,” claiming the “tests” have only made them stronger as a couple.
Love Island girls in explosive clash after joke goes wrong
And Meg is also now doubting his intentions, telling Helena: “I just feel really upset today. I don’t know why.
“I was just talking about things with Em, and I don’t know, we just, like, certain things with me and D, like, it actually makes me realise he really doesn’t mean what he says sometimes.”
In Casa Amor, Dejon admitted he had a spark with new girl Andrada, telling her: “And I feel like the more time we spend with each other, the better things are getting.”
His eyes also lit up after Andrada made a steamy confession.
Clearly determined to turn his head for good, the newcomer opened up about her high sex drive.
When Dejon asked about her type, Andrada said: “I have to want them three times a day… I have to.”
Looking impressed, Dejon asked: “So you have a high sex drive?”
She said: “I do… It’s really bad.”
But Dejon remarked: “That’s not bad.”
However, he later backtracked by declining to share a bed with her out of “respect” for Meg.
Will they pick up where they left off in tonight’s recoupling?
Love Island continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2.
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Meg said Dejon might not ‘mean what he says’Credit: Instagram
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Dejon got cosy with Casa Amor bombshell AndradaCredit: Instagram
The rules apply for trips to Spain, Greece, France and other EU countries
14:35, 07 Jul 2025Updated 14:35, 07 Jul 2025
People are being urged to check their passports (Image: Derek Blair/AFP/Getty Images)
London Luton Airport is warning holidaymakers to check their passports now, or risk being turned away from flights. It comes as British travellers heading to EU countries now face different regulations, after Brexit.
An update issued from the airport’s official account on X, formerly Twitter, earlier today reads: “Travelling in the EU? You’ll need to renew your passport if there’s under three months on your passport while travelling [and/or] your passport is 10 years old or more when you enter an EU country”.
While the advice comes from Luton Airport, the rules are the same no matter where you fly from, if you’re travelling with a British passport. If your travel document does not meet these requirements, you’ll likely be turned away by airline staff.
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If you’re heading abroad soon, make sure to double-check your passport well before jetting off, as renewing one can take time. His Majesty’s (HM) Passport Office indicates that processing and delivery of a fresh or replacement passport currently takes around three weeks.
However, it can take longer “if we need more information, or we need to interview you”. Should any issues arise, the Passport Office will get in touch with you directly.
Since April of this year, a new or replacement adult passport (that is, someone aged 16 or above) costs £94.50 when applying online, or £107 if using the paper form. For children these prices ate £61.50 or £74, respectively.
If you need a passport urgently, you can use the Premium Service (one day) but this will set you back £222 for an adult passport, or £189 for a child’s.
Ryanair’s new hand luggage rule is set to come into effect in the coming weeks
Ryanair is changing a key rule(Image: Cineberg via Getty Images)
Ryanair passengers have been advised to pop a bit of cardboard into their carry-ons following the airline’s announcement on Thursday. The budget carrier confirmed it will boost its “personal bag” size by 20% due to new EU regulations.
Ryanair said that, soon, passengers will be able to bring a larger bag on board, measuring up to 40cm x 30cm x 20cm, without having to pay additional fees. The bag must weigh under 10kg and fit “under the seat in front you.”
With the new bag dimensions set to roll out in the upcoming weeks, packing expert Tom Schott from Schott Packaging is warning travellers against a potentially expensive error, as he thinks the increased allowance might tempt people to overstuff their bags.
Tom said: “The new dimension is a game-changer, but only if you use it wisely. The mistake is to simply cram more in. The real victory for passengers is using that volume to pack with structure. A well-packed bag is a compliant bag.”
One of Tom’s many tips to avoid this is to pack some cardboard. He explained: “Soft bags lose volume. A lightweight, snug-fitting cardboard box inside your bag provides a rigid frame, allowing you to use every corner and prevent the bulge that attracts gate staff.”
He also recommends using sealable bags to maximise space, organising items into smaller compartments, and safeguarding valuables. Tom added: “Place a small, sturdy box in the centre of your bag, cushioned by clothes.
“This creates a crush-proof zone for chargers, adapters, and toiletries, preventing damage and leaks.” Travellers are also encouraged to “pre-plan your bag”, with Tom suggesting you lay out all your items on the floor within a 40cm x 30cm outline first, as this “provides a real-world view of what fits and helps you assemble your packed modules logically and quickly.”
Tom further explained: “These aren’t just clever tricks, but core principles of efficient packing. By applying them, you can confidently pack that extra outfit and still breeze through the boarding gate“.
Brits heading abroad this summer are being urged to inspect hotel beds before unpacking, as bedbug infestations and scabies cases continue to surge across the UK with August and September being peak months
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Brits are being warned not to do this one thing whilst on holiday or when they come back (Stock Photo)(Image: Getty)
Holidaymakers heading abroad this summer are being urged to carry out a quick check before unpacking, as cases of bedbugs and scabies are rising across the UK.
Alarmingly, councils have reported a 35 per cent increase in bedbug infestations since 2022, while the NHS saw a 74 per cent rise in diagnosed scabies cases in hospitals last year.
August and September have been recorded as the peak months for bedbugs, a time when many travel lovers will be jetting off overseas. With this in mind, Brits are being told to stay alert or risk bringing home more than a suitcase of laundry.
With cases rising, experts are warning against bedbugs (Stock Photo)(Image: Getty)
Check the bed
Martin Seeley, Senior Sleep Expert at MattressNextDay, is warning that pests like bedbugs and scabies can easily travel back with you from a hotel, no matter how fancy it seems.
“Check mattress seams, bed frames, and behind headboards for signs of bedbugs before settling in and unpacking your belongings. Make sure to never place your bags directly on the hotel bed,” he advises.
Putting your suitcase on your bed could be all it takes to bring an infestation home.
What to look for
Bedbugs are small, reddish-brown insects that live in fabric and bedding. “If you suspect bed bugs, act quickly. Check for tell-tale signs like small reddish-brown spots on your sheets, moulted skins, or clusters of tiny bites on your skin, often in a line or zig-zag pattern. You’ll usually find bed bugs in the seams and folds of your mattress if they have decided to take residence,” says Seeley.
Scabies, meanwhile, are caused by mites that burrow into your skin and spread through contact, including bedding. “Scabies infections cause intense itching due to being burrowed under the skin, which becomes particularly noticeable at night and can make it very difficult to sleep.”
He adds: “Common signs that you might be infected when trying to sleep include persistent itching (especially between your fingers, or around your wrists, elbows, waist, and genitals) and small red bumps or track-like burrows on your skin.”
August and September are peak seasons for cases (Image: Getty)
How to stay protected
“When staying in hotels or holiday rentals, a quick inspection can go a long way,” Seeley says. “Check mattress seams, bed frames, and behind headboards… Instead, keep your bags elevated on a chair or stool, and if you’re worried your hotel room isn’t as clean as you’d like, then only take out what you need and leave the rest of your clothes in your bag.”
If you do return home with bedbugs or scabies, fast action is essential. “When attempting to eradicate bedbugs, begin by vacuuming thoroughly and remember to dispose of the collected dirt immediately in an outside bin. Wash and dry all bedding or clothes… and consider steam cleaning your sofa in case they’ve transferred there too.”
Scabies also requires deep cleaning: “Wash all bedding, towels, and clothing in hot water (at least 60°C)… Any items that can’t be washed should be sealed in a plastic bag for at least 72 hours… You should also make sure that anyone in your household who may have been exposed is treated at the same time to prevent re-infestation.”
Tips for sleeping better while treating symptoms
“Reactions to bedbug bites include itchiness, swelling and welts… The best course of action to relieve itching and discomfort… is taking an antihistamine and keeping the room cool.”
“To get better sleep while treating scabies, apply a prescribed topical treatment at bedtime… Itching can sometimes continue for weeks after being successfully treated, so… keeping the room cool and your bedding lightweight can help to ease irritation… trimming your nails can prevent you from scratching too hard in your sleep and causing an infection.”
Prevention is key
The expert says: “Investing in a high-quality mattress protector is also a wise move… You should remove and wash your mattress protector regularly, hoover your bed frame, wipe down your headboard, and dust any areas around your bed frequently.”
A Brit abroad has warned people visiting Benidorm this year that there are allegedly “fake taxis” driving around, urging people to exercise caution when they’re travelling
11:01, 28 Jun 2025Updated 11:01, 28 Jun 2025
He warned people about the taxis (stock Image)(Image: Getty Images)
Heading to Benidorm this summer? One Brit abroad has shared that you may want to be careful about the taxis you’re getting in while you’re there. Harry, who posts regular Benidorm content under the username @harrytokky, shared the “warning,” urging people to exercise caution because there are reportedly “fake taxis” which could turn out to be a “random stranger’s car,” and they will not take you to the destination you want to arrive at.
Harry explained in his TikTok video that he would tell people which taxis were safe to take and which to avoid completely if they wanted to stay safe in the party capital.
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He said that “in Benidorm there’s only one type of taxi that you should be getting into,” and they are “white cars with a blue stripe down the middle”.
Harry shared that they usually “have a light on the top of the roof,” and it will be either green or red. “If they’re red, the taxi is in use,” whereas if the light is green, it’s free to get in.
He said these taxis will “take you to your destination nice and safe,” which is more than can be said for the “fake taxis” he speaks of.
Harry continued: “So guys, if you’re coming out to Benidorm, they are the only taxis that you should be looking out for because you don’t want to get into some random stranger’s car” because they may not take you where you’re going.
In the comments, someone wrote: “What about Uber? The last time I was there, I used Uber from Benidorm old town to the airport; it was a regular black car.”
Others reiterated that they managed to use Uber while they were there, but others shared that they’d “struggled” and “couldn’t get the app to work”.
Another Benidorm visitor recommended “the Pide app,” saying it was “really easy”. Harry responded: “I totally agree with you. I should’ve mentioned that”.
Somebody else said that they’d used the Pide app the “whole time” they were in Benidorm, saying it provided them with “fantastic service”.
Radio Taxi Benidorm is a local taxi company that can be contacted by phone when you are in the area, and they provide safe taxi journeys that are legitimate.
In the comments, another person recommended that you look for the “blue stripe” on the car to be sure that it’s a real taxi.
It’s important to note that in high season, it may be more challenging to find taxis readily available at the ranks.
Others recommend that, for safety, you get your hotel to call you a taxi so you know they’re real. You can also ask a restaurant to call you a taxi, so you’re not walking around the streets to find one.
You can also check the Google rating of a taxi company before using it, but make sure you do your research online beforehand.
Emmerdale’s Natalie J Robb and Mike Parr teased some massive scenes on the way in the coming months, with cast on the ITV soap told to prepare for ‘a lot of night shoots’
20:30, 26 Jun 2025Updated 20:42, 26 Jun 2025
There’s huge scenes guaranteed on Emmerdale in the coming months(Image: ITV)
There’s huge scenes guaranteed on Emmerdale in the coming months, with one star teasing multiple night shoots have been advised.
As the ITV soap prepares to film the big crossover with Coronation Street, set to air early 2026, cast members are about to find out who is involved and what happens. With filming and planning taking place months in advance, cast members on both soaps are soon to learn which characters will feature in the epic soap twist.
Plenty of stars from both soaps are desperate to be involved, all hoping their characters will be present in the milestone episodes. While only one episode will feature the crossover, the impact will be felt for the entire week and then some.
As the plans are finalised, cast members will soon prepare to film the big scenes and the storylines surrounding them. Speaking exclusively to The Mirror, Emmerdale’s Moira Dingle actress Natalie J Robb shared her hopes to take part.
Not only that, but she confirmed that huge episodes were guaranteed, as there were “a lot of night shoots” planned. With night shoots often come dramatic and blockbuster scenes.
Emmerdale’s Natalie J Robb and Mike Parr teased some massive scenes on the way(Image: Getty Images)
We do know there will be a massive stunt, so it’s likely this is why the night filming has been agreed. Cast members will have to prepare for the big scenes, with Natalie hinting at what’s ahead.
She told us: “It is really exciting. It is the first time it has ever been done I think the audience will like it. We have to trust the writers. There is gonna be a lot night shoots.”
Natalie went on: “We don’t know any of the stories or what characters are involved just yet, but I’m hoping to be part of it.” Ross Barton actor Mike Parr then pointed out that some Emmerdale and Corrie actors have done both soaps.
Referencing his co-star Oliver Farnworth who plays villain John Sugden, he joked about whether the Corrie characters would recognise him, or if John was still Oliver’s Corrie character Andy. He said: “Is he still that character in that one or did he die?
Ross Barton actor Mike Parr then pointed out that some Emmerdale and Corrie actors have done both soaps(Image: Mike Marsland/WireImage)
“There’s so much room for what could happen and the ways it can go. I am so glad it’s happening and everyone wants to be involved, but not everyone can be. It’s exciting times but nobody knows anything yet.”
It comes as the pair also teased “danger” on the way following next week’s arrival of new villain Ray. Mike said of actor Joe’s casting: “I grew up watching that guy. One of my friends were also up for the part and I wanted to support him, but when I found out Joe had got it I knew he would be good. It’s good, it’s exciting.”
Natalie also had her say, before hinting that Moira’s brother Mackenzie could be at risk. She told us: “He is good. It’s all in the eyes. He’s very menacing and very scary. There is going to be a lot of danger, but it’s good. It’s shaken it up a bit.”
KANYE West has resorted to paying wife Bianca Censori to wear her head-turning outfits, a source close to the couple has told The U.S. Sun.
Bianca, 30, is never shy and has continually shocked onlookers with her barely-there outfits.
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Bianca Censori and Kanye West appeared together in New York City last weekend and turned heads once againCredit: BackGrid
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Two sources close to the couple have told The U.S. Sun that Bianca is allegedly being paid to wear some of her more extravagant outfitsCredit: BackGrid
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Onlookers at the Grammys earlier this year were left stunned by Bianca’s lookCredit: Mega
BUSINESS PROPOSITION
But when she stepped out in New York City at the weekend in a scarcely believable candy bra and thong set paired with silver stilettos, Bianca took her wild wardrobe to the next level.
An insider, however, has told The U.S. Sun said that the controversial rapper’s “obsession” with outfit ideas for his wife has forced him to fork out up to $400,000 to make it all happen.
The sugary set ended up costing Kanye $100,000, per the source.
The source claimed the idea was pitched earlier in the week and Bianca refused point-blank unless her husband paid up.
Ye, added the insider, is dressing her up in the most extravagant outfits to not only keep his “edgy persona” firmly in the public eye, but to make sure everyone thinks “she’s the sexiest woman alive.”
It’s not the first time Bianca’s body has doubled as a billboard.
The outfit left little to the imagination—and jaws on the floor.
“Bianca has figured out how to turn all this into her advantage,” the source told The U.S. Sun. “A lot of the outfits aren’t to her taste. But she tells him she will wear them – if she’s paid.”
Magaluf tourists stunned as they spot controversial A-list rapper browsing crisps in souvenir shop_1
PAY TO PLAY
Kanye was reportedly upset initially but is now happy to oblige.
He allegedly wanted to offer his wife of two years a yearly salary.
But the Australian born beauty prefers to be paid on a “per look or event” basis.
“She’s essentially monetizing her image,” added the source who believes she has made almost $3 million since the arrangement started and was paid $120,000 to join her husband in a naked dress at the Grammys in February.
Bianca allegedly draws the line at anything political and some ideas have been turned down.
She doesn’t want to be tied to some of the distasteful social media posts which have effectively seen Kanye cancelled in most parts of the world.
There was an alleged attempt to wear something with a political message tied to his disgraced friend Sean “Diddy” Combs – but it was shut down immediately.
But the 30 year-old knows just how valuable she is to keeping him relevant and in the spotlight.
“She knows she’s essential to his image,” the source continued. “She wants her slice of the cake. She’s being smart about it.”
The U.S. Sun revealed in April that Bianca was being approached by numerous fashion houses to work in ambassadorial roles, only for the advances to be knocked back by Kanye.
And we also disclosed earlier this month that she officially launched her first U.S. company, Bianca Censori Inc.
The paperwork was filed in California, but Bianca registered her full name as a business entity in her hometown of Alphington, one of Melbourne’s wealthiest suburbs.
“She knows exactly what she’s doing,” a second insider says. “She’s turning every outfit into a paycheck. Kanye’s obsessed with styling her, but she’s the one calling the shots.
“Bianca is a celebrity in her own right now. The truth is he needs her. Without her bold looks and presence, people wouldn’t pay nearly as much attention to him.
“She is in control and making serious money doing it.”
The U.S. Sun contacted a representative for Kanye and Bianca.
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Bianca is no stranger to wearing bizarre outfits in publicCredit: @gadirrajab
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The Australian shocked passers by in the quaint town of Santanyí, Majorca earlier this yearCredit: SL Martinez
IT is a scenario we’ve all witnessed – or perhaps even lived through ourselves.
Boy meets girl. Boy cheats on girl. Girl tells friends they’re definitely over. Girl secretly thinks she can change boy. Girl takes boy back. Boy doesn’t change.
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Love Island’s Harry Cooksley has regrets about ‘cheating’ on Helena FordCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
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Helena has a tough choice to make between her head and her heartCredit: ITV
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The tearful footballer said of his former partner ‘she can’t even be around me’Credit: X / @LoveIsland
You can change the genders whichever way around, but regardless, we’re about half way through this storyline so far with Love Island‘s Helena and Harry.
She appeared to have conveniently forgotten however, about running to the Hideaway with Harry while he was coupled up with Shakira – just 56 hours after meeting.
Despite an intimate night in the boudoir, Harry then snogged saucy sexpot Yasmin behind Helena’s back before ending up back with Shakira again.
Through tears last night, Harry admitted to having regrets about ‘cheating’ on Helena, who has barely been able to look at him since.
But before Helena could take him back, she was whisked away for a sleepover with bombshell Giorgio.
He’s not the air stewardesses’ usual type, but he’s the perfect distraction to stop Helena reuniting with Harry.
I have no doubt Helena will end up back with Harry in a storyline set to rumble on this series, but I’m here to warn her that holding out for him will RUIN her career.
Aside from her obvious similarities to Love Island legend Olivia Attwood, Helena’s got the potential to be a stand-out star of the series thanks to her hilarious wit and bombshell beauty.
She had the villa in hysterics when, during a game of Spin the Bottle, she dared ex Harry “to go home”.
Love Island’s Harry breaks down in tears over Helena as he sobs ‘she can’t even be around me’
But if she doesn’t stick to her guns and stay far away from Harry, she’s going to come across more like pushover Chloe Burrows who kept going back for Toby Aromolaran than brave Liberty Poole who dumped Jake Cornish and left the villa on her own accord.
By proving she knows her worth and can resist Harry’s temptation, Helena will secure herself an army of female fans they can look up to.
She’ll be able to capitalise on this by landing lucrative deals with empowering female brands instead of facing heartbreak once they’re out the villa when Harry inevitably cheats.
I say this because a leopard never changes its spots – and if he’s already untrustworthy while living 24/7 under the same roof, then I don’t hold out much hope.
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Helena read Harry the riot act and told him they can’t be friendsCredit: ITV
My assumption is also based on what Harry told me before going into Love Island.
While the 30-year-old was in isolation days before the series launch, Harry’s ex said he dumped her for Love Island – despite claiming he was going to Bali for the summer.
When I confronted him about this, Harry played Mr Innocent.
“Oh that sounds so terrible, wow,” he exclaimed.
“No, we were casually dating and I told her I was going away for the summer and we left it there. I didn’t ‘dump’ anyone.”
In fact, Harry went on to rubbish the idea he was as much of a “player” in dating as he was on the pitch.
“I think that is the reputation footballers get, but I can only be myself and that’s not who I am,” Harry insisted to me.
“I’m not a player.
“I’m 30. I’ve got a mullet. I’m ready for something serious.”
As he said this, with a twinkle in his eye and dimple in his smile, it was difficult not to fall for Harry’s charm.
But Helena needs to be strong and resist – or face being played by a player who has no intention of settling down.
Love Island 2025 full lineup
Harry Cooksley: A 30-year-old footballer with charm to spare.
Shakira Khan: A 22-year-old Manchester-based model, ready to turn heads.
Megan Moore: A payroll specialist from Southampton, looking for someone tall and stylish.
Alima Gagigo: International business graduate with brains and ambition.
Lehe Ledu Liangjiang Holiday Hotel, a popular family resort in Chongqing, has become a huge viral hit in China thanks to its red panda wake-up service, that is now attracting heat
The red pandas are sent in to wake up guests(Image: RZSS / SWNS)
A Chinese hotel has been told it must stop waking guests up with red pandas.
Lehe Ledu Liangjiang Holiday Hotel, a popular family resort in Chongqing, currently offers guests the chance to be awakened by the russet-tinted mammals. Many guests are attracted to the hotel solely for its red panda wake-up experience, which involves one of the fluffy animals being led into a guest’s bedroom in the morning.
The animal is then allowed to walk around the room freely and climb onto the duvet-covered bed if it wishes. The service has become a hit online, earning the title “the world’s cutest wake-up service.”
One British couple, Reanne and Ben, documented the experience on their YouTube channel On Tour With Dridgers. In their video, the red panda can be seen wandering along the hotel corridor with a staff member, entering the room, chomping a chunk of apple, and then climbing onto the couple’s bed.
The seemingly friendly and relaxed panda allows the duo to stroke it while eating apple from their hands.
Now, the Chongqing Forestry Bureau has asked the hotel to stop all activities that allow contact between guests and red pandas. It has sent a team to the hotel to conduct an on-site investigation and said it will release the results of this visit soon.
While the nature of the Forestry Bureau’s concerns is not currently clear, the attraction has long attracted criticism online from those who warn it could lead to injury of both animal and human, as well as the transmission of diseases. The general welfare of the pandas is also a concern.
The hotel said that the red pandas are borrowed from a zoo, have been vaccinated, and are cared for by dedicated staff. They told China Newsweek that four red pandas are kept on-site and are on a rota for guest visits.
Sun Quanhui, a scientist from the World Animal Protection organisation, told the Global Times that red pandas are a nationally protected wild species. Sun said that they should not be kept as pets or used for tourism-related entertainment, warning that their sensitive natures could lead them to become stressed in such an environment.
Holidays are all about relaxation, staying in a welcoming hotel and spending days by the pool, but for one traveller their getaway was far from what they expected
In the middle of their holiday, the guests were told to pack their bags and leave(Image: Getty Images)
Many of us meticulously plan our summer holidays, tracking down the best flights and checking an endless list of hotel reviews to ensure we’re getting the most for our money. But sometimes, even with careful preparation, our holiday can be ruined, and we’re being told to pack our bags as staff tell us the hotel has gone bust, mid-stay!
This happened to one unlucky holidaymaker in the middle of their trip to Turkey. They were asked to relocate the hotel or pay for their stay again, but this was just the start of the bizarre ordeal.
The traveller took to Reddit to share their experience under a post asking for people’s “worst holidays”. The user shared earlier this month: “Went to Turkey years ago and bang in the middle of the holiday, our holiday company went bust.
“The hotel called a meeting and told us all to pack our bags or else pay the bill again. We paid again, thinking that anything was better than being on the streets in a strange land. Our fellow holidaymakers objected, and the staff and guests all fell out. Things were getting heated, so we decided to bail out and return later on in the evening.”
The holidaymakers returned to a deserted hotel (Image: Getty Images)
They continued: “Fast forward four hours, we landed back to a practically deserted hotel. We were personally welcomed by the manager, who was all over us like a rash from then on. He must have thought we were millionaires, because it turned out that we were the only guests to have paid again.
“We also learned that some of the guests and staff had been arrested for throwing punches and were taken off the premises. The remaining guests were nowhere to be seen, but I read on TripAdvisor afterwards that they had left their luggage in the hotel temporarily until they managed to change their return flights.
“Apparently, when they opened their luggage back at home, they found that it was full of Mars bars, wrappers removed, that had melted in through their clothes. Fun times.”
The Reddit user said other hotel guests sensationally found Mars bars in their suitcases when they got home(Image: Getty Images)
One user commented on the post with: “That was a wild ride.” Others shared their own holiday from hell stories, including one who was accused of cheating while away with his wife.
They revealed: “Husband and myself went to an all inclusive 3 star in Majorca (this was our big mistake). The hotel was like an episode of Benidorm. On the 1st night we went to the evening entertainment and an English lady asked if she could sit beside us. The place was packed!
“Had a friendly chat for about 20 mins until her coked-up Brock Lesnar look-alike partner stormed in and accused my husband of having an affair with her. He smashed all the drinks off the table and started flipping chairs. Utter chaos! Security was called and some lad managed to calm this roided up psycho down with the offer of a joint. We avoided them like the plaque for the next 7 days although I doubt they remembered who we were!”
The BBC has created a documentary about the experiences of a Japanese man who entered a contest that landed him on a reality TV show with ‘inhumane’ stipulations
The BBC have released a new documentary about a Japanese reality show that has horrified viewers(Image: BBC)
BBC viewers were left stunned after watching a new documentary called Storyville: The Contestant, which is now streaming on BBCiPlayer.
The film explores the shocking true story of a controversial Japanese reality show that subjected its star to isolation, starvation, and humiliation for over a year while he was completely unaware that he was being watched by millions of people.
The documentary tells the story of Susunu! Denpa Shonen (Do Not Proceed, Crazy Youth), a 1998 Japanese TV programme that placed 22-year-old aspiring comedian Tomoaki Hamatsu in a flat with no clothes, no food, and no contact with the outside world.
In it aspiring comedian Tomoaki Hamatsu was forced to strip naked(Image: BBC)
He was challenged to win one million yen (around £6,000) by entering and winning mail-in magazine sweepstakes. On top of setting aside this amount of prize money that he earned via sweepstakes, he was also tasked with using the same method to procure everything he needed to survive, including his food, clothes, and even toilet paper.
Although Hamatsu (who was nicknamed Nasubi on the programme) agreed to take part in the experiment, he had no idea that his every move was being broadcast to a weekly audience of 17 million people for 15 months.
The show was marketed as a social experiment, and Japanese viewers were able to tune in to watch Nasubi’s struggles to survive on his segment of Do Not Proceed, Crazy Youth, which was called A Life in Prizes.
Hamatsu had to win magazine sweepstakes to survive(Image: BBC)
BBC viewers have been absolutely horrified by the way Nasubi was treated. One person took to X saying: “Watching The Contestant and that producer should be in prison for torture and war crimes that violate the UN.”
Another agreed: “I don’t think I’ve ever yelled, ‘That’s so damn unethical,’ as much as I have while watching The Contestant.” Other viewers described the programme as “inhumane” and “gut-wrenching”, while praising Nasubi for being “such a sweet, genuine soul”.
Someone else added: “If it sounds like The Truman Show, that’s because it basically is. His conditions were worse than being a prisoner in jail.”
During his time on A Life in Prizes Nasubi survived on meals like 5kg of plain rice and even wet dog food. In his diaries, he wrote: “I don’t have enough nutrition going to my brain. Being driven to the edge has brought out a madness in me.”
After finally reaching the prize goal, he was released, only to be tricked into repeating the ordeal for several more weeks. When he was finally freed, the walls of a new apartment collapsed to reveal a live studio audience, and Nasubi discovered he had unknowingly become a national celebrity.
25 years later Nasubi has reflected on this horrific experience, sharing: “Even if I get hurt, I want to protect people around me. Instead of revenge, I would like to use that energy for something more positive, like helping people.”
Nasubi now works with charities across Japan and has managed to transform his reality TV past into a source of strength. He said: “When you put energy into other people rather than just focusing on yourself, you become stronger than you could ever imagine.”
Sexton, who explained his rivalry with O’Gara during the formative stages of his Test career was “tough”, said he is not sure if Prendergast or Crowley have been affected by the online discourse.
“Sometimes you can get a sense, but I’m not sure. All you can do is try to advise in terms of what worked for me,” added the five-time Six Nations winner.
“I was exposed to it a little bit at the very start and it’s tough, because as a kid all you want to do is play for Ireland and then you do it and suddenly you’re getting criticised – not all the time, but sometimes – and you’re like, ‘wow, this is tougher than I thought it’d be’, but it builds a resilience.
“You find out who are your mates, who you can trust and those you can lean on. Going forward, they’ll be stronger for it.”
While Sexton feels Prendergast and Crowley deserve time to prove their worth, he believes they are already ahead of where he was at the same stage of his career.
“The work ethic they have, they’re humble guys,” said Sexton, who will continue to work with Ireland’s fly-halves in a full-time capacity after he completes his British and Irish Lions coaching duties this summer.
“They want to learn and practise hard and that’s the thing you look at the most as a coach; the attitude and how humble they are because ultimately that’s what will stand to them going forward.”
Making the one change not only saves you time and money but also helps the environment
10:04, 11 Jun 2025Updated 10:05, 11 Jun 2025
The swap can save you space, money, and help the environment.(Image: Getty)
UK airports are keen to ditch the 100ml liquids rule for anyone carrying hand luggage through security this summer. However, until that happens, travellers must continue to limit and pack any liquids from their hand luggage in a clear bag for security reasons.
This has led to a surge in the use of disposable clear plastic bags for toiletries and other liquids across the country. Some UK airports have relaxed the rules around liquids in hand luggage, reducing the need for these plastic bags. However, others still enforce the rule.
Fresh data from plastic waste experts at BusinessWaste.co.uk suggests that a staggering 235 million single-use plastic bags could be used in 2025. The data also reveals that an astonishing 3.5 billion bags have been used since the rules were first introduced in 2006, reports the Liverpool Echo.
The 100ml liquid regulation at airports, which mandates that liquids be stored in transparent, resealable plastic bags, was put in place in 2006 after a terror plot to blow up transatlantic flights was prevented. This plot involved the use of liquid explosives that were concealed as soft drinks in carry-on luggage.
3.5 billion have been used since the rules first came into place in 2006.(Image: Getty)
With an estimated 313 million passengers expected to pass through UK airports this year, the number of single-use plastic liquid bags used and discarded could hit 235 million. That’s enough to fill two Olympic-sized swimming pools in just one year in the UK.
Data projections indicate that a staggering 3.5 billion bags may have been used at UK airports over the last 19 years. When arranged end to end, this quantity of bags equates to 18 journeys around the Earth’s equator or four times the height of Mount Everest when piled up.
Why does it matter?
These bags are crafted from soft plastics, which are rarely recyclable. They frequently end up in landfill sites, where they can take as long as 1,000 years to decompose.
As these plastic items deteriorate, they can generate minuscule particles known as microplastics. Studies reveal that these pose a threat to both human and animal health. The energy and materials needed to manufacture these bags are depleting our planet’s natural resources, with 98% of single-use plastic products made from fossil fuels or virgin feedstock.
The swap can save you space, money, and help the environment.(Image: Getty)
What steps can you take?
Firstly, make sure you’re familiar with the regulations of your departure airport. With many soon to adjust to new rules, there might be no need to bag liquids at all. If you’re checking in luggage, avoid placing any liquids in your hand luggage. This eliminates the requirement for any small plastic bags and could also save you time at security checks, as many will wait until they arrive at security to bag up their liquids, which adds to the queue.
If reusable options aren’t feasible, BusinessWaste is requesting travellers ditch single-use clear plastic bags in favour of reusable ones at UK airports this summer. The company recommends switching to reusable ones and says there is an array of reusable choices available online and in stores, like Boots and Superdrug. However, just make sure they measure 20cm x 20cm, are transparent, have a capacity no greater than one litre, comply with airport regulations, and can be securely sealed (by a zipper).
Another tip is to use airside click-and-collect services for toiletries. This not only bypasses steep airport prices but also eliminates the need to carry liquids in hand luggage, saving space, money, and benefiting the environment.
Young adult Caucasian male with a long beard standing next in line to scan his luggage through a x-ray machine at the airport.
If you do take liquids in your hand luggage, at most airports:
containers must hold no more than 100ml
containers must be in a single, transparent, resealable plastic bag, which holds no more than a litre and measures approximately 20cm x 20cm
contents must fit comfortably inside the bag so it can be sealed
the bag must not be knotted or tied at the top
you’re limited to one plastic bag per person
you must show the bag at the airport security point
For those who do bring liquids in their carry-on, Gov.uk advises: “Liquids in containers larger than 100ml generally cannot go through security even if the container is only part full. There are some exemptions. Some airports may allow you to take containers of liquid up to 100ml through security in your hand luggage. Check with the airport before you travel. Also, check the rules at other airports you’ll be travelling through – for example, on your return journey.”
Graham Matthews, a plastic waste expert at BusinessWaste.co.uk, says making the swap from disposable plastic bags to reusable ones for 100ml hand luggage liquids should be done as soon as possible to avoid even more waste building up. He said: “The plastic bags we use to bring liquids through airports are a huge blight on the environment.
“While you may only go on holiday once or twice a year, this quickly adds up as the UK now sees around 300 million air passengers a year. We’re really happy to see the new scanners in place and hope that this reduces the reliance on single-use plastic bags.
“However, old habits die hard, and many people will be nervous to change to the new system, or find that their return airport still requires liquids to be bagged. For anyone in this position, and until the new rules are firmly in place, we strongly encourage passengers to consider utilising hold luggage, switching to reusable options, or making use of airside click-and-collect.”
