Home | OverSixty

Bob Irwin’s friend sets the record straight: “He hasn’t been back to Australia Zoo"

Bob Irwin’s close friend Amanda French, who co-wrote his Irwin’s autobiography The Last Crocodile Hunter has dropped some major bombs. While in conversation with Brisbane’s Stav, Abby and Matt, Amanda revealed how devastating it was to hear Bindi Irwin’s claims of “psychological abuse” made against her grandfather. Amanda clarified that while there has been bad blood between the family, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to fans. “Bob resigned from Australia Zoo in 2008 and hasn’t seen the kids since that time,” she began. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841955/bob-bindi-irwin-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/e1c2fe82db0842eca1d4701417cf83f2" /> Bob and his son, Steve Irwin “It’s a surprise with what Bindi came out and said. There were some pretty weighty terms that were thrown around, psychological abuse and all that stuff. “You’d have to have some pretty big evidence to back that. It’s a pretty big call to make.” Amanda says Bob refuses to share what exactly went down between him and Australia Zoo, but alluded that management made big changes when Steve passed away. “He’s maintained a very neutral position about it [resigning] even when he published his autobiography,” she said. “The reason why he did that is because he knew there would be consequences for Australia Zoo. “He didn’t see eye-to-eye on issues to do with Australia Zoo at the time and some of the animals.” Amanda also touched on the gifts Bob returned, saying they were only ever sent from Terri and were incredibly “strange”. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841954/bob-bindi-irwin-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/37c1173abd824c8c84079f836aac82b8" /> Steve, Terri and Bindi Irwin “I’ve been there when he’s received gifts, and it was a shower cap,” she said. “Really strange thing to send a man. To me it’s a passive aggressive thing to do, that’s my perspective. After a while of that, Bob returned one of the gifts.” Amanda also set the record straight on Bindi’s comments about how her family was continuing to financially support Bob, despite having a fractured relationship with him. She said Bob gifted the sanctuary to Steve and Irwin when they got married. “He gave them that zoo. “There was always an agreement that he would be on a pension and looked after.” She went on to say it’s been difficult for Bob, who cannot visit his son’s burial site as it is located in the zoo. “It’s hard for him not to be able to return to his son’s resting place as you can understand,” she revealed. “He hasn’t been back to Australia Zoo since the wildlife hospital was launched in 2008. It was supposed to be dedicated to Bob and his late wife Lynne, because that was where Lynne did the bulk of her wildlife work. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841957/bob-bindi-irwin.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/bf6053bc872141e38c564ab626995cc4" /> Bob Irwin for The Last Crocodile Hunter “They retracted Bob’s invitation to attend that launch and he turned up anyway. I organised that event and I remember him turning up on the day and sitting in the audience looking very upset.” Amanda, who has a close relationship with the family, maintained that Bob is a good person. So much so in fact, that many staff members have left the zoo under Terri’s management due to similar issues that Bob had. “When I went back to write the book and spoke to those key people who worked with Bob and Steve, there was still some bad blood there with how they were treated. They adored them [Bob and Steve], and never had a boss like them again.” Amanda says that while she wrote the book about the croc hunter, Bob did try to send his grandchildren letters but was unsure if they were receiving them or not. Due to the confusion, Amanda says Bob chose to “close off the book with a message to his grandkids” instead. Bindi Irwin made upsetting allegations against her grandfather, Bob Irwin in her Father’s Day post dedicated to her own father, her husband, Chandler Powell, and her father-in-law. When asked why she left her grandfather out of the post, Bindi unleashed, saying: “Unfortunately my grandfather Bob has shown no interest in spending time with me or my family. “He has returned gifts I’ve sent him after he opened them, he has ignored my correspondence and from the time I was a little girl he has ignored me, preferring to spend time doing anything else rather than being with me,” Bindi went on to say. “He has never said a single kind word to me personally. It breaks my heart but it is not healthy to engage in an abusive relationship. “I hope everyone remembers to be kind to one another but most of all care for your own mental health,” she added. “I have struggled with this relationship my entire life and it brings me enormous pain.” Bindi has since taken time away from social media, citing it was for her well-being. Images: Supplied

Family & Pets

Joan Collins shuts down Piers Morgan over Meghan Markle question

In a new interview with Piers Morgan, Dame Joan Collins stayed tight-lipped when asked about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry on Morgan’s ITV series “Life Stories”. “What do you make of what’s going on with the British royal family now, with Meghan, Harry, the feud, with [Prince] William, [Prince] Charles?” Morgan asked. The Dynasty star - who was made a dame in 2014 by the Queen - wasn’t interested in sharing her opinion on the reported feud between Harry, his brother, and their father. “My lips are sealed on that subject,” she said. “I just don’t want to go on national TV and say what I think about Meghan and Harry, because look what happened to you.” Morgan seemed to appreciate her response and said: “Exactly - thank you.” The former morning show host’s repeated criticism of Markle following the Sussexes’ interview with Oprah Winfrey saw him walk off the set and quit Good Morning Britain in April. Earlier this month, he accused the Duchess of Sussex of telling “downright lies” and called her “Princess Pinocchio” over the weekend. Image: news.com.au

Barnaby Joyce’s relatable ‘dad moment’

Barnaby Joyce had a relatable ‘dad moment’ during his swearing in as Deputy Prime Minister on Tuesday. The newly-reinstated leader of the Nationals Party attended the formal occasion with his partner Vikki Campion and their young sons Sebastian, three, and Thomas, two. Mr Joyce reclaimed leadership of the Nationals Party following a leadership spill on Monday, replacing Michael McCormack. Before the ceremony began, Mr Joyce was snapped holding Sebastian while Campion held Thomas’ hand, with Campion and the boys finding their seats in the front row shortly after. During the ceremony, Sebastian climbed over his mum and approached his dad, amusing the attending crowd. Photos of the two boys off their seats have since started circulating online. Mr Joyce has six children in total, including four daughters from his previous marriage to Natalie Abberfield. Mr Joyce’s return to the leadership position has been criticised by some as favourable treatment of male politicians, following his resignation from the top spot three years ago in light of sexual harassment claims and accusations he had violated ministerial standards.

Family & Pets

Fashion Queen! Duchess Kate's sweet surprise for school kids

The ever-fashionable Duchess Kate surprised a group of local school kids on Tuesday during a visit to the National History Museum in London. Kate, who is never short on producing a classy royal get-up, was pictured looking dressed-down and chic while meeting with kids to partake in nature activities including spider-making, interactive story-telling and fun exercise in the Wildlife Garden of the museum. "I'm going to call my spider 'cuddles'," Kate joked with the kids as they made their spiders. The royal, who is a mum of three herself, even pulled out a sweet treat for the children to taste from – a pot of honey made from the bees that live at the Cambridges country home in Norfolk, Anmer Hall. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841969/kate-middleton-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/5a7d4f8025454f50bce923d442dcc128" /> "Would you like to try some?" the Duchess asked the kids. "I've got one spoon each. This came specially from my beehive. "See if it tastes the same as at home. Does it taste like honey from the shops? Does it taste like flowers?" The 39-year-old may have chosen a casual outfit for the special day out, but she still looked as regal as ever in straight cut blue jeans, a $3630 gathered grain de poudre wool Chloé blazer and Vega trainers. Image: Getty

Beauty & Style

Insider breaks silence on Princess Diana's last words

A fire chief who was one of the first people to help Princess Diana after her fatal car crash in Paris has spoken for the first time about her final moments. Sergeant Xavier Gourmelon told The Daily Mail that when he arrived at the scene in August 1997, Diana was still “moving and talking”. “She spoke in English and said, ‘Oh my God, what’s happened?’ I could understand that, so I tried to calm her. I held her hand,” Sergeant Gourmelon said. Sergeant Gourmelon had given his statement to police but this marks the first time he has spoken to the press about the tragedy. The impact of the car hitting an underpass - estimated to have been travelling at around 105 km/h - had instantly killed driver Henri Paul and Diana’s new boyfriend, Dodi Fayed, according to the <a href="https://pagesix.com/2021/06/22/fire-chief-reveals-princess-dianas-last-words-after-fatal-crash/?_ga=2.19266616.1498306002.1624268608-1323037306.1590418386">New York Post</a>. Sergeant Gourmelon recalled that Diana seemed physically fine besides an injured shoulder - but he had no idea he was trying to save a princess. It was only after he had helped load Diana into an ambulance that he found out who she was from a captain also at the scene. “He tells me who she is and then, yes, I recognise her, but in the moment I didn’t,” he said. The same was also true for the first person to help her, off-duty doctor Frederic Mailliez, who had come across the crash while driving home from a party. He saw “two [victims] were already apparently dead” and two others, including Diana’s bodyguard, “were seriously injured but still alive”. He helped Diana first, who was in the back of the Mercedes on the floor. “I discovered then she was a most beautiful woman and she didn’t have any [serious] injuries to her face. She was not bleeding [then] but she was almost unconscious and was having difficulty breathing,” he said. “She looked fine for the first minutes,” he recalled. “So I began to speak English to her, saying I was a doctor and that the ambulance was on its way and everything is going to be alright.” Since he left the scene once emergency workers arrived, he said: “I left the scene without knowing who I had been treating.” Image: Prince Harry / Instagram

Caring

Hugh Jackman calls on fans for tech support

Hugh Jackman is currently in hotel quarantine and facing an unusual challenge. The Aussie star is counting down the four remaining days of his mandatory stay in Sydney, and trouble he has been having with the microwave in his hotel room is making the wait even more tough. “The struggle is real. Morning 11 in quarantine and I STILL can’t figure out how to make the microwave go longer than :30!!! #4moresleeps,” he wrote in the caption of a video shared on Instagram. In the video, the actor said the microwave only heated for food at 30-second intervals and there was no lever to increase the time. “This is my microwave and I still don’t know how to … When I press start, I get 30 seconds and I just keep pressing it every time because I don’t know how to put on more [time],” he said in the clip. “Can someone please explain? Please?” <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQZd6sgDSGl/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQZd6sgDSGl/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Hugh Jackman (@thehughjackman)</a> </div> </blockquote> Luckily, fans came to the rescue with most suggesting the same solution. “I believe you should keep pressing start and it will keep adding 30 seconds each time. That’s how mine works at least,” one commenter said. “Just press start again and again and again. Press the start button More than once,” another agreed. Though the star could have pulled some strings to get his hands on a new microwave, a mummy blogger revealed Jackman had specifically asked for no special treatment from staff while in quarantine. “Little Hugh update: The nurse who called this morning said he is good and he has been great and insisted from the start he is treated the same as everyone else,” the blogger shared on Instagram. Image: thehughjackman / Instagram

Movies

Fans share concern over Sam Armytage's dog: "Her dog is obese"

Fans have taken to social media to express concern for Samantha Armytage’s Labrador dog, Banjo. Online commentary has kicked off after recent photos of the only five-year-old dog were shared, with many suggesting Banjo is at a worrying weight. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841979/banjo-armytage.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b9e86791167a4dd2882f98301401bc03" /> “Please put Banjo on a diet - he shouldn't be that big, it's not fair on him,” one concerned observer said. Another wrote: “Her dog is obese, she should take the dog for a walk and get off the couch.” Others felt sad for Banjo’s physical appearance. One fan jokingly offered to digitally reduce the dog's waistline, writing, “Hey Sam, I will photo shop your dog for $20. It will look real. Just saying....” Some fans were simply happy for Sam and Banjo who have a lot more time to spend together now since resigning from her role on Sunrise. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841977/banjo-armytage-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/364146f6a4794cef84db14874949b1be" /> Samantha made the decision to step down from Channel 7's breakfast program earlier this year, and I’d now fronting her own podcast called Something To Talk About for Stellar magazine. Rumours raged for months that Sam may be looking to quit after the couple announced their engagement in June last year. She tied the knot with the millionaire businessman on New Year's Eve, in a beautiful and intimate ceremony at his Southern Highlands home.

Family & Pets

The unlikely possible cure for epilepsy

A small but highly venomous caterpillar from south-east Queensland might be the source of a new treatment for nervous system disorders like epilepsy. Studies at the University of Queensland’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience have pointed to a species of nettle caterpillar called Doratifera vulnerans as a potential candidate for treatments. Andrew Walker, who has been studying the caterpillar’s venom since he found the species four years ago during a field trip, said “it’s strange biology and pain-causing venom fascinated me”. Dr Walker discovered that the insects were common in Queensland’s south-east, and said its defence mechanism saw it release up to 100 venom-producing spines on its back. “Its binomial name means ‘bearer of gifts of wounds’,” he said. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQZk-pJlcT0/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQZk-pJlcT0/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by IMB (@imbatuq)</a> </div> </blockquote> “I have been stung quite a lot of times by these caterpillars. “So the way the spine releases their venom is that they have closed but very thin and sharp tips,” he explained. “If you just lightly brush them, or touch them, the tips break off and the venom gets injected.” Potential therapeutics The UQ’s team recently published a report in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that found the venom is a source of peptides - smaller versions of proteins - that could be used to treat disorders affecting the nervous system, such as epilepsy. “Previously researchers had no idea what was in the venom nor how they induced pain,” Dr Walker said. “We’re right at the very start of … finding out about [the] venom and the toxins it contains.” Dr Walker said these peptides could be developed into medicines to help control the nervous system. “And [they would] allow us to ameliorate the effects of things like epilepsy, when the nervous system is too active,” he said. “So you want to calm [the nervous system] down a bit or, in other situations, you may want to activate certain parts of it.” Dr Robinson, the scientist responsible for researching which molecules in the venom caused the pain, said toxins have been used to help understand the human cardiovascular and nervous systems for decades. “My research program, for example, is centered on using toxins as tools to understand our sensory system, that is the neurons responsible for detecting and sending pain signals,” he said. “There really is no better place to look for new knowledge than nature.” A new sheep-friendly pesticide Dr Walker said, in addition to its potential therapeutic applications, that the venom could be used in the development of bio-friendly, eco-friendly insecticides to kill parasites in sheep. “First we discovered the structures of the toxins and then that allows us to design ways in the lab to make them,” he said. “Then, if we can make them in the lab, that will allow us to try to characterise them and work out what they do.” Some of the peptides already made in the lab through Dr Walker’s research have shown high potency and a potential to kill nematode parasites that are harmful to livestock. Image: imbatuq / Instagram

Body

News

John Howard slammed over “bloody arrogant” comments

Former prime minister John Howard has come under fire after he said he didn’t believe Australia had any existing underlying racism issues. Mr Howard, 81, spoke candidly on ABC’s Australia Talks on Monday night, making it clear to host Nazeem Hussain that he did not believe the 2005 Cronulla Beach riots were fuelled by racism. It is not a far cry from the same sentiments he had made in the aftermath 16 years ago, as prime minister. Thousands rallied in Cronulla to "protest", after it was reported two volunteer surf lifesavers were assaulted when they responded to complaints of young men with a Middle Eastern appearance who were verbally harassing girls on the beach in Sutherland Shire. A text message that went around the suburbs labelled the day of the riot as a “Leb and Wog bashing day.” While numbers are not clear, several people with Middle Eastern appearances were violently assaulted. Mr Howard appeared on Australia Talks and was probed for whether he agreed with a National Survey that ruled 76 per cent of 60,000 Australians said the nation is lurking with underlying racism. "That has not been my experience. I have to respectfully, to that 76 per cent, say I don't think there is underlying racism in Australia," he responded. He went on to say that while he does believe there are racists in Australia, it is a “supremely pessimistic view” to suggest there is a racism problem in the country. His comments did not sit well with viewers at home, with dozens taking to social media to accuse him of being detached from reality. ABC radio host Beverly Wang took to Twitter to say it was obvious a white male being asked about racism would say he hadn’t experienced it. "Yes that can be his answer but it doesn't speak to the reality of systemic racism, which definitely exists," she said. One woman went on to call his remarks “bloody arrogant”. Activist and equality advocate Tarang Chawla, the brother of Nikita Chawla who was murdered by her husband in 2015, said it is time for those who deny racism to open the ears. "Hearing former PM John Howard say it's pessimistic to think there's underlying racism in Australia tells me that he, like other men with privilege, have little knowledge of what life is like for many of us," he wrote.

News

One major factor that could throw Sydney into snap lockdown

New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced that Sydney will not be going into lockdown, despite strong suggestions that COVID-19 cases may surge. NSW recorded a worrying rise, with officials confirming 10 new infections on Tuesday. Five locally acquired cases have been recorded in the 24 hours to 8 pm last night. Two of those cases were announced yesterday morning, but seven other infections were recorded after the official reporting period and will be included in Wednesday’s numbers. This means 21 infections are officially linked to the Bondi outbreak. Ms Berejiklian said that she may consider a lockdown if unlinked cases began to rise. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841949/gladys.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/6ba41cc181f54e239f3c067ddd13eff3" /> “At this stage we follow Dr Chant and the health advice,” she said. “Because all but one case is linked to an existing case and that case was only discovered a few hours ago … that gives us a degree of confidence that what we have asked people to do matches the risk that is there at the moment. “If that changes, if we suddenly have a number of unlinked cases and if we suddenly have them outside the geographic region they are concentrated in that we will obviously adjust the health advice and we will respond to that (idea of a lockdown).” Ms Berejiklian did however announce a week-long extension of mask restrictions to all of greater Sydney. Blue Mountains and the Illawarra regions are also included in having to wear face masks, however the Central Coast is not. Masks are compulsory on public transport and indoor venues until midnight on Wednesday, June 30. “We will extend it to all of Greater Sydney. That means excluding the Central Coast and excluding the Hunter, but also they will be required to adhere to that compulsory mask wearing indoors for hospitality workers when we are going shopping, going grocery shopping, going to events inside,” she told reporters. “It is only when you are eating or drinking indoors at a venue that you can’t or shouldn’t wear a mask. In every other circumstance, if you live or are in Sydney, you must wear a mask for another week beyond Wednesday midnight.” Images: Getty Images

News

Samuel Johnson hospitalised

Samuel Johnson is recovering in hospital after being hit by a car. The Eden star's eldest sister, Hilde Hinton, shared details of the incident on Johnson's Facebook page on Monday evening. "I wish I didn't have to tell you this," her post on the Love Your Sister account, which Johnson runs, began. "Early Saturday night Sam was on his way to visit family when he was accidentally hit by a car. Our Ambos got him picked up and tucked away safely in hospital in record time. I followed them in." Hinton praised the "fantastical medical staff" who she said are "in overdrive" taking care of Johnson's "sore head." <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Floveyoursister%2Fposts%2F4187630797998570&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="734" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe> "He's awake and not too happy that he doesn't have his pants. Nobody loves a hospital gown," Hinton joked. "Hearing his voice is lovely, but can't wait for hugs when it's safe. I'll keep you updated. Hilde." Johnson and his late sister Connie started the charity Love Your Sister in 2012, ax they hoped to raise $10 million for cancer research. Connie suffered from bone cancer at the age of 11, uterine cancer at age 22 and breast cancer at age 33. She passed away in September 2017 at the age of 40, a day after being awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia.

News

Scott Morrison hits back at “double standards” accusations

Scott Morrison has been accused of using a diplomatic trip to the UK to take a holiday to explore his ancestry. It was reported on Monday that Mr Morrison’s office spent weeks planning a side trip to explore his convict family roots, despite suggestions from the Prime Minister that it was too dangerous for Australian travellers to head to the UK. Mr Morrison reportedly travelled to St Keverne, a small village south of Cornwall, where his fifth great-grandfather was born. The latest claims have come after he made a stop at the Jamaica Inn in Cornwall while he was in the area as an observer to world leaders at the G7 summit. A photo of Mr Morrison and his staff was shared by the pub on its Facebook page, with hundreds of annoyed Australians commenting on how they weren’t able to travel. Mr Morrison hit back against the claims on Monday on 2GB and said both visits were purely on the way to and from airports. “I wouldn’t describe it like that at all; we had to land in north of London, as opposed to landing down there in Cornwall, because of the fog we stopped off along the way, we had some lunch and [then] stopped off in another location on the way,” he told the radio station. “After the G7, on the way to the airport we stopped in another place, which just happens to be where my fifth great-grandfather was from, so I think that was pretty innocent. I think [the visit being labelled as double standards] is massively overstating it.” Mr Morrison has since returned to Australia and is conducting meetings via web conference while self-isolating in The Lodge. He said he hoped Australians would be able to travel by Christmas of 2022, after the target of June 2022 has become less likely due to recent border closures and delays in the vaccine rollout. “I would certainly hope so be it in 2022 and I would hope that we can do it as soon as we safely can,” he said. Image: news.com.au

News

Travel

The mountain no one can climb

For a country where mountain tourism has thrived, there is one mountain in Nepal where climbing is forbidden. Machhapuchhre - meaning “fishtail” - stands at 6,993m in the Annapurna range in central Nepal that is home to three of the world’s 10 highest mountains. Though it doesn’t stand as tall as other mountains, it stands out as a lone peak and appears much taller than it actually is. Machhapuchhare also has a double summit, which is joined by a sharp ridge, and towers over the Phewa Lake. The closest curious tourists can get to the peak is the summit of Mardi Himal, a smaller mountain beneath Machhapuchhare. The reason behind it’s prohibited climbing status: Lieutenant Colonel James Owen Merion Roberts. Jimmy Roberts, as he was popularly known, was a British Army officer and the first military attaché to Nepal. He made significant contributions to Nepal’s economy and local livelihoods after helping open up the country’s remote mountains for commercial mountaineering and trekking. Roberts has since been remembered as the “father of trekking” in Nepal. His fascination with Machhapuchhare began after he read a dispatch from another army officer, and he would eventually become the first and only person to attempt to reach the summit. But, his expedition party, reduced to just two people by the end, abandoned the ascent just 45m below the summit due to bad weather. Following the failed climb, Roberts requested the Nepal government restrict the peak and ensure Machhapuchhare would never be climbed. They obliged. Roberts’ fascination with the mountain and his kinship with Gurungs, who hold Machhapuchhare sacred, and with the people of Chomrong, the last Gurung village before the mountain, may have been the motivation behind his odd request. Though the reason remains a mystery and Roberts’ association with the peak’s prohibited status has been largely forgotten, the prevailing view now is that the mountain is sacred and therefore forbidden to climb. “Machhapuchhare’s summit is not meant to be stepped upon; it is only to be adored by the eyes,” said Tirtha Shrestha, a poet and long-time resident of nearby Pokhara. “Any discourse, not just on Pokhara, but about the beauty of the entire Himalayas, would be incomplete without mentioning Machhapuchhare. Its beauty has greatly moved poets, authors and artists. In many folk songs, the mountain has been showered with praises. Machhapuchhare, for us, is the epitome of beauty,” he said. Image: MountainKick / Instagram

International Travel

Sam Burgess choked out SAS instructor during challenge

Claims have been made that former NRL star Sam Burgess choked out an instructor during the filming of SAS Australia. Reports say Burgess, who is one of 18 celebrities who will appear on the second season of SAS Australia, choked an instructor during an “intense” kidnapping exercise. According to Fox Sports, one of the challenges on the show saw Burgess along with seven other celebrities being “kidnapped” by two SAS instructors. “Sam took matters into his own hands, ordering [John] Steffensen to pull the handbrake,” Fox Sports’ James Hooper claimed. “Burgess reached over and put the soldier in a head lock, choking him out, before climbing in to the driver’s seat and taking the wheel.” Reports say the point of the exercise was to see which of the other contestants would step up and set the other hostages free after they were thrown in as car that was driven up to speeds of 100km/h. Hooper says SAS instructors and producers were left “dumbfounded”. The ambulance was reportedly called. A Channel 7 spokesperson said: “The new season of SAS Australia, coming soon to Channel 7 and 7plus, is the most gruelling course in the world to date. “All participants will be pushed to their limits like never before.” The Burgess report follow after SAS Australia chief instructor, Ant Middleton, admitted Kyle and Jackie O that the cast from season two pushed his buttons. “There’s been some tears, there’s been aggression,” Middleton said on KIIS FM in May. “But I shut them down straight away. “You get a different setting, a different group of people and personalities and it’s gonna be a different show, but a lot of people still pushed my buttons,” he said.

Travel Tips

Amazing find in tapas bar stuns archaeologists

With the coronavirus halting businesses around the world, the owners of the <a href="http://www.cerveceriagiralda.com/">Cervercería Giralda</a> tapas bar in Seville, Spain decided to use the time for much-needed renovations. But, as the renovations of the 89-year-old eatery started, workers made an astonishing find. Beneath the plaster that covered the ceiling they found a skylight in the form of an eight-pointed star belonging to a 12th century Islamic hammam. “As soon as we saw one of the skylights, we knew what it was; it just couldn’t have been anything but a bath,” said archaeologist Álvaro Jiméz. “We just had to follow the pattern of the skylights.” The former bathhouse was also found with elaborate red ochre paintings of geometric motifs on the walls, representing the night sky, which dates back to when the city was ruled by the Almohad caliphate, a Berber Empire that once controlled much of North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula. “Decoratively speaking, these baths have the largest amount of preserved decoration of any of the known baths on the Iberian peninsula,” the archaeologist said. “Absolutely everything here is decorated, and, luckily, it’s survived. The background is white lime mortar engraved with geometric lines, circles and squares. On top of that you have red ochre paintings of eight-pointed stars and eight-petalled multifoil rosettes. Those two designs alternate and entwine and adapt to the different geometric shapes of the skylight holes.” Historians believe this bathhouse, as well as several others found around the city’s central mosque known as the Royal Alcázar palace, was used by devotees to cleanse themselves before going to the mosque to pray. They also believe the bathhouses were likely used as meeting places for people to socialise, talk business, or relax. The tapas bar has since reopened and the bathhouse can still be seen. Images: Cervercería Giralda / Instagram

International Travel

Prince Charles is "immensely sensitive" and ignoring Prince Harry

Princess Diana's former voice coach, Stewart Pearce, has claimed the reason Prince Charles has had a hard time with Prince Harry's parenting criticisms is that Prince Charles is "immensely sensitive". Pearce revealed to US Weekly that the future king of England is a "very very shy man". “Prince Charles is a very, very shy man, a very sensitive and delicate man, but we see his public personality, but in private, he’s immensely sensitive,” he said. “When we’re sensitive, if we’re dealing with very strong, combustible emotion on the outside of us,” people tend to go into fight or flight. For example, when Princess Diana accused him of having an affair with Camilla Parker Bowles, “what he did was to shrink back and as a result of that became aloof,” Pearce explained. “Well, that doesn’t heal the challenge that’s taking place.” Pearce said that when reports broke about Prince Harry and Meghan being "troubled" by the 'lapse of contact", Pearce wasn't surprised as "that's what Charles does". “He can’t deal with it because of his sensitivity, so he hides. And what Harry’s trying to do is to heal that. Not out of umbrage, not out of anger or revenge or criticism or accusation…I felt that he was just somebody saying, ‘This is the way that it is, and this is why we want to make change.’” The comments that Pearce is referring to were made by Prince Harry on his Apple TV+ series with Oprah The Me You Can't See. “My father used to say to me when I was younger, he used to say to [Prince] William and I, ‘Well, it was like that for me, so it’s gonna be like that for you.’" he said. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B2bL_xMgwoL/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B2bL_xMgwoL/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Clarence House (@clarencehouse)</a> </div> </blockquote> "That doesn’t make sense. Just because you suffered, it doesn’t mean that your kids have to suffer. In fact, quite the opposite. If you suffered, do everything you can to make sure that whatever experiences, negative experiences that you had, you can make it right for your kids.” The conversation was said to leave Prince Charles "quite devastated" according to an insider who told <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2021/05/all-charles-has-wanted-is-for-harry-to-be-happy-can-this-father-son-relationship-ever-heal">Vanity Fair.</a> “He is such a gentle man and a dedicated father first and foremost. Knowing him, he’ll be feeling wretched and will take no joy or happiness in what’s going on within the family. But he will also want to seek a reconciliation. He is not vindictive at all, and he wants to make peace with Harry.”

International Travel

Health

"The symptoms are real": David Campbell shares Pfizer vaccine experience

Television presenter David Campbell has revealed how he felt about getting two doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination. He explained how the system worked and as he was in his late 40s in NSW, he was eligible for the vaccine. "So dose one left me with a sore arm, a true fan of how well the Hubs can work, and feeling a little tired for one night. Everyone told me, though, the second dose would hit me even harder," he told <a rel="noopener" href="https://honey.nine.com.au/latest/david-campbell-coronavirus-pfizer-vaccination-side-effects/3fb4bcdb-3c59-4cf3-91bf-3dda1ca34587" target="_blank">Nine Honey</a>. "On the night of Pfizer part two, I started to feel just run down. No aches and pains, just like I wanted to stare at a wall for a couple of hours. I slept really well and for the first part of the next day I felt pretty good." <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Ok Pfizer friends. I am nearly 24 hours out after dose #2. Some fatigue last night. Took nurofen. Today has been absolutely fine. Not sure any side affects will happen now. Anyone had the same? — David Campbell OAM (@DavidCampbell73) <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidCampbell73/status/1406074379360866304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2021</a></blockquote> Unfortunately for Campbell, this was short-lived as the second dose "got him in his feels". "I can only assume it was the fatigue, but I started to feel hollowed-out emotionally. I truly wanted to disconnect from all around me, but we have three kids and a dog, so this was not an option," he explained. Despite the intense side effects, Campbell urged people to get the vaccine. "I had to keep reminding myself, and being reminded by my wife, that these emotions were not real. It was the vaccine," he said. "So however you get the vaccine — and please, please do — and no matter what type you get, know the symptoms are real. Maybe too real. But they pass. Good luck."

Body

Friends star fighting late-stage cancer

James Michael Tyler, who played Gunther on Friends, has revealed his Stage 4 prostate cancer diagnosis while appearing on the Today show. "I was 56 years old at the time, and they screen for PSA, which is prostate-specific antigen," Tyler said. "That came back at an extraordinarily high number. So I knew immediately when I went online and I saw the results of my blood test and blood work that there was obviously something quite wrong there. Nearly immediately, my doctor called me and said, 'Hey, I need you to come in tomorrow because I suspect that you may have quite a serious problem with your prostate.'" Tyler recently appeared via video call on the HBO Max special Friends: The Reunion. <img style="width: 500px; height: 250px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841929/1-2021-06-22t104132927.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/1b44a0de82ab4ceaaf2a2c043b74407c" /> "I wanted to be a part of that, and initially I was going to be on the stage, at least, with them, and be able to take part in all the festivities," he said. "It was bittersweet, honestly. I was very happy to be included. It was my decision not to be a part of that physically and make an appearance on Zoom, basically, because I didn't wanna bring a downer on it, you know? I didn't want to be like, 'Oh, and by the way, Gunther has cancer.'" The actor is undergoing chemotherapy to combat the cancer, and is urging men to get early screenings in order to battle it through an early diagnosis. "There are other options available to men if they catch it before me," he said. "Next time you go in for just a basic exam or your yearly checkup, please ask your doctor for a PSA test. It's easily detectable. If it spreads beyond the prostate to the bones, which is most prevalent in my form, it can be a lot more difficult to deal with."

Caring

Why are more men diagnosed with schizophrenia?

New research has found a link between the genetic differences in men and women and their likelihood of developing certain psychotic and mood disorders. In a study <a href="https://www.biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com/article/S0006-3223(21)01139-2/fulltext">recently published</a> in Biological Psychiatry, researchers looked at the underlying genetic differences between the sexes for the reason why bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and depression affect the two sexes in different ways and at different rates. After examining the genomes of 85,735 people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or depression, and 109,946 people without any of those conditions, the researchers found almost a dozen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that differed between men and women diagnosed with one of the three disorders. What are the impacts of SNPs? The four nucleotides - Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine, and Guanine - that are used to make DNA are compared in particular orders to make specific proteins. SNPs are a kind of mutation where a single nucleotide - either A, G, T, or C - is swapped for another in a specific spot in the genome. These substitutions can affect our risk of getting certain diseases. In the study of mental disorders in the different sexes, the team found that these mutations would have different impacts on the different sexes. Some SNPs were only linked to disease in one sex, while others decreased the likelihood of the disorder occurring in one sex but increased it in the other. The researchers also found that these mutations occurred in genes that are linked to vascular, immune, and neuronal development pathways, suggesting cardiovascular and neurological health are affected by each other in some way. “We found a SNP in the IDO2 gene,” Jill Goldstein, a clinical neuroscientist at Harvard Medical School and the senior author of the study, told <a href="https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/genetic-variants-tied-to-sex-differences-in-psychiatric-disorders-68624">The Scientist</a>. This particular gene is associated with immune tolerance in humans, meaning it helps suppress the immune system so it doesn’t attack bodily tissues and other substances. The gene is also linked to and has different effects on different disorders. “The SNP [in the IDO2 gene] increased the risk of bipolar disorder in women and decreased the risk in men, but it also decreased the risk of major depression and schizophrenia,” she said. “With that same genetic SNP, we found a lower risk of depression and schizophrenia in women, but a higher risk in the men. “And what was even more exciting was that the pathways that were implicated - vascular pathways and immune pathways - fit with what has been found and mapped by neurobiology,” Goldstein said. In their studies of the shared abnormal changes between the brain and heart, Goldstein and her team found schizophrenia has a high comorbidity with cardiovascular disease. “I was thrilled to see we actually found these genes with shared sex differences in areas that we’ve been studying,” she said. Why this matters Though these differences are small, they can have implications for how treatment can be tailored to different patients. Gendered differences in the presentation and effectiveness of treatments have been previously identified in other diseases including cardiovascular disease and lung cancer. “There are real-life consequences if we do not develop sex-dependent therapeutics, and I think it is critical for precision medicine,” she said.

Mind

Carrie Bickmore breaks down in tears during The Project

Carrie Bickmore was overcome with emotion on Tuesday night's episode of The Project after fellow panelist Kate Langbroek opened up about her own family's experience with childhood cancer. The show had just aired a story about three-year-old Manoli Plueckhahn, a young boy battling an aggressive cancer that only affects 1 in 100,000 Australian children. The Plueckhahn family are now trying to raise money to get 'Old' the treatment he needs, which is not available in Australia. Bickmore appeared momentarily speechless when the story finished. “You will do anything for your kids, won’t you?” she said. “Often limited by money. The more we can bring these treatments to Australia so these families aren’t having to go overseas to do this …” Langbroek then opened up about her own family, revealing her son Lewis, now 17, was diagnosed with leukemia in 2009. He finally beat the illness after what Langrboek has previously called a “gruelling, terrible, frightening and painful three-and-a-half years.” “Childhood cancers are particularly difficult. My son was diagnosed with leukemia – you remember, Carrie,” she said, as Bickmore took her hand. “I remember when we were first in hospital, and I saw the other little bald children, all I saw was the baldness. And then after we had spent time there and my own son was bald, I learnt to see the child and once you see the child, you will do anything to help the child. It’s very powerful,” Langbroek said. Bickmore turned to address the camera – but broke down in sobs, apologising as co-host Waleed Aly intervened to finish the segment and sent them to an ad break. Cancer research and awareness is a cause very close to Bickmore’s heart: Her first husband Greg Lange died in 2010 after a decade-long battle with brain cancer.

Caring

Lifestyle

Devastated son slams QLD Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk

A heartbroken man has broken down in tears after being refused entry to Queensland to see his dying father, despite being fully vaccinated. Mark Killian and his wife Anneli have flown from Los Angeles to Sydney after being granted a travel exemption by the federal government and NSW Health, but they were refused a quarantine exemption by Queensland Health Officials. Killian's 80-year-old father Frans is currently dying of pancreatic cancer in a hospital on the Gold Coast and weighs just 44 kilograms. He told Karl Stefanovic on Today that all he wants is to say "I love you" to his father one last time. "We just want to be there for those last days, moments... That's all we want. That's all that all of this is about," Killian explained. "I don't think we have ever experienced anything like this in our lives. It has been on a personal level absolutely tragic for our family. "To be locked in a room in Sydney when all it would take is just the show of compassion by [The Premier and the Health Minister of Queensland] that could change the entire trajectory of a family's experience of the last days of their family, it is inconceivable that they would not allow that." <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> "What's the point of getting vaccinated if we're not up for exemptions for compassionate reasons like this?" <a href="https://twitter.com/AllisonLangdon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AllisonLangdon</a> hits at the heart of the issue surrounding a dying man's plea to allow his fully-vaccinated family to skip hotel quarantine to visit him. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/9Today?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#9Today</a> <a href="https://t.co/dd1qogjAJv">pic.twitter.com/dd1qogjAJv</a> — The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheTodayShow/status/1407456601301204993?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2021</a></blockquote> Kilian said that it was a sign of hope when the Queensland Premier addressed the situation directly when fronting the media. "That is at least a development. And then we also got a personal letter from the Prime Minister giving us his compassionate support but also stating that the Federal Government has no ability to affect the state law," he said. "Meanwhile, the Premier of Queensland basically said the opposite. It is a little bit of a passing the buck situation. But at least there is movement." Former Opposition Leader Bill Shorton called on Palaszczuk to exercise compassion. "I know that the Queensland and federal officials are in a bit of a no-win situation because if you say yes to this, then where do you draw the line. But on the other hand, common sense is common sense," he told Stefanovic. "I just want someone to be able to say goodbye to their parent. As a country, we are surely smart enough to put them in a special transport van and you know, the technical experts could come up with a solution. "For everyone who has been through Covid, rather than worrying about how everyone else will react, I reckon at least 5million Melburnians would say give them a chance to say goodbye." Kilian's father Fran made a tearful plea from his hospital bed to the Queensland Government. "Every day that they are in that hotel, is a day less that I have with my son and daughter-in-law in my last days," he said. "Please Queensland Health. Show some compassion. And help an old man see someone before it is too late. "By all accounts, there is no danger to the Queensland community. I'm asking you, begging you actually, to let my son and his wife leave their quarantine to come here to be with me. It is my dying wish. Please."

Family & Pets

Chandler Powell chimes in after Bindi Irwin takes a break from social media

Bindi Irwin’s husband Chandler Powell has given a message of support for his wife after she announced she was stepping down from social media and “taking a break”. The decision follows after Bindi publicly exposed her fractured relationship with her grandfather, Bob Irwin. The Australian conservationist took to Instagram on Monday evening to announce she was temporarily stepping back “from social media and most of my work in the public eye” to be with her “beautiful daughter” and “wonderful family”. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FBindisueIrwin%2Fposts%2F329952148500766&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="759" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe> The previous evening, the 22-year-old claimed she suffered psychological “abuse” because of her estranged grandfather’s silence. The bombshell post followed with the revelation that Bob had “shown no interest” in spending time with her family. “He has returned gifts I’ve sent him after he opened them, he has ignored my correspondence and from the time I was a little girl he has ignored me, preferring to spend time doing anything else rather than being with me,” she said. “He has never said a single kind word to me personally. “It breaks my heart but it is not healthy to engage in an abusive relationship.” <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841925/bindi-irwin-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/caccff06b61d488cb4a855233711402f" /> Speaking on The Latest on Monday evening, Amanda French, who is the author of the book The Last Crocodile Hunter, revealed he was “deeply upset” by the comments. “Naturally Bob’s quite upset about it, and to be perfectly honest we haven’t told him the full extent of the comments because we’re quite concerned about how he might take that,” she said. Following the reaction, Bindi announced she was stepping down from social media temporarily. “I feel tremendously grateful to share our life and conservation work with you but I need some time to focus on the happiness that is my family (both human and animal),” she revealed. “Recently, I’ve had many people reaching out to share their own stories of working hard to protect their mental health. Thank you for sharing and speaking your truth. “To my friends who are dealing with depression, anxiety and other battles every day - I see you. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQYWHY0BN8t/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQYWHY0BN8t/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Chandler Powell (@chandlerpowell)</a> </div> </blockquote> “These issues are very real and deserve to be discussed and addressed. Surround yourself with the light of people who genuinely care about you and will support you during the good times and the hard times. “Remember there are helplines available. Mental health deserves more understanding and support instead of being dismissed or patronised. You are absolutely worthy of love and kindness,” she concluded. On Monday night, Bindi’s husband Chandler Powell shared a strong message of support for his wife. “You inspire me with your unwavering kindness and your ability to stand up for what is right,” he wrote on Instagram. “You are the strongest and most beautiful person inside and out. “Grace has an amazing mama to look up to.”

Family & Pets

Michelle Pfeiffer shares rare photo with daughter

Michelle Pfeiffer is spending quality time with her daughter, Claudia Rose. The 63-year-old Scarface actress shared a rare photo with the 28-year-old, before heading out "on the town". "Out on the town with my girl," Pfeiffer captioned her post. The star adopted Claudia when she was a newborn, just months before marrying producer David E. Kelly. Pfeiffer has been notoriously private about her family life and kept her kids out of the public eye. In an interview with Good Housekeeping in 2007, she praised her daughter "Boy, there's nothing typical about my girl," she said at the time. "She's a force to be reckoned with, and an amazing human being. I wanted her to be a really independent, outspoken young woman, and I sure got that!" <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQR1E91px1X/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQR1E91px1X/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Michelle Pfeiffer (@michellepfeifferofficial)</a> </div> </blockquote> "She's also very creative and inquisitive," Pfeiffer added. And what's exciting about this age is that she's really coming into her own. She's everything I'd hoped she would be." In the same interview, the actress also opened up about meeting Kelly as she was adopting Claudia. "The adoption process was already in motion when [Kelly] and I met. So when she came, he and I had only been together for about two months. So we had this child with us right away, and most people don't have that. But I really got to see him in a situation that certainly would separate the boys from the men. Obviously, he really rose to the occasion. And, you know, we were both adults. It's not like we were kids anymore, and we were both at the age where we were ready to start a family." Pfeiffer also shares son John Henry Kelley, 26, with Kelly.

Beauty & Style

Prince Charles celebrates first Father's Day without Prince Philip

Celebrating Father's Day in the UK, Prince Charles has paid tribute to his sons and his dad, the late Prince Philip, and given a shout-out to "all papas everywhere". Marking the occasion, which is celebrated in June in the UK and US, Clarence House released photos of the future king with a message for people "missing their dads today". <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQVbwg4DxdH/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQVbwg4DxdH/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Clarence House (@clarencehouse)</a> </div> </blockquote> "We are thinking of you and wishing you a special Father's Day," it said. This was the first Father's Day Prince Charles spent without his dad, Prince Philip, who passed away in April at the age of 99. An image released by Clarence House shows the young Prince Charles with Philip in a black-and-white portrait. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQX_0hDDZ8i/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQX_0hDDZ8i/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Clarence House (@clarencehouse)</a> </div> </blockquote> Another showed him with his own sons, William and Harry, at a polo match. The photos were released just a week before Prince Harry visits the UK to mark what would have been the 60th birthday of his mother, Princess Diana. The royal family's official account also shared an image of the Queen — then Princess Elizabeth — with her father, King George VI, Prince Philip, and a young Prince Charles playing on a statue at her Balmoral Estate.

Relationships

Finance

Elderly widow scammed out of $40K celebrates a win

Janice Boyd, a widowed grandmother, was betrayed after lending a former friend Sean Brown $40,000. She took her story to A Current Affair and the show exposed that he failed to pay back any of the money Boyd had lent him. She said that Sean Brown had promised her that he would pay back the loan but had not made any repayments 18 months later. Within days of the A Current Affair episode going to air, Boyd had received $30,000 from Brown. "He sent the email saying that $30,000 had been deposited and 'I need time to pay the rest', so let's hope it all happens," Ms Boyd said. Boyd's granddaughter Elle said that they didn't think he'd ever pay the money back. "I think he took this opportunity and ran and maybe held a lot of guilt for it and he knew what the right thing to do was, which was repay the money," Elle said. "But I think until he could see Nanna … I think once he saw how upset Nanna was and how much she needed it, the guilt got the better of him." Boyd first received the funds as part of a compensation payout after her husband died in 2019. "We got it back Nanna," Elle said. "Thanks to you and to my gorgeous granddaughter," Ms Boyd said. "Thank you, A Current Affair. You've really done a good job." <a rel="noopener" href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/development-for-aussie-elderly-widow-owed-40k-after-loan-betrayal/5a7aa6ae-0564-4066-aaff-a9df342cb9f2" target="_blank">Photo credits: Nine News</a>

Legal

NSW announces new restrictions as cases surge

NSW has recorded another huge surge of COVID-19 cases, with 16 new infections recorded overnight. NSW Health announced 10 new locally acquired cases in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, seven of which were announced yesterday. There were also 13 new locally acquired cases confirmed after the official reporting period, meaning they will be included in tomorrow's numbers. There are now 37 cases linked to the Bondi cluster. A number of new restrictions have also been announced. From 4pm today the following restrictions will apply for Greater Sydney, Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Shellharbour: • No more than five visitors to any household, including children • All customers must be seated at hospitality venues • Masks will be compulsory in all indoor non-residential settings, including workplaces, and at organised outdoor events • No singing or dancing at venues, except weddings which can have 20 people on the dance floor at one time • The one person per four square metre rule will be reinstated • Outdoor seated events will be limited to 50% seated capacity • Dance and gym classes will be capped at 20, with masks required Anyone who lives or works in the City of Sydney, Waverley, Randwick, Canada Bay, Inner West, Bayside, and Woollahra LGAs cannot travel outside metropolitan Sydney for non-essential travel. Ms Berejiklian held off on announcing a lockdown, but urged all residents to “abandon non-essential activities” and not attend social gatherings unless absolutely necessary.

Legal

Stuart MacGill breaks silence on kidnapping

Stuart MacGill has spoken out, saying he is still shaken and reeling from the alleged kidnapping. “I’ve thought about it probably 20 hours a day ever since,” he said in an interview with A Current Affair. “I’ve thought maybe I could have done something different, but then I wouldn’t probably be sitting here talking to you.” MacGill was allegedly abducted on April 14 and is believed to be the target of alleged drug dealers. “I found myself in a position I couldn’t do much about,” he said. “I was in a situation that’s foreign to me and I was physically and mentally intimidated. “I couldn’t have done anything differently, I don’t think.” When asked whether he feared for his life during the incident, MacGill said: “I just didn’t really know don’t what was going to happen, that’s all. “I sort of talk to myself all the … I was just running different scenarios “I don’t really know whether or not I’m prepared to talk about that sort of thing at the moment, to be honest.” MacGill spoke out about the incident to assist detectives in their investigations. Detectives are currently searching for the three men they believe were involved in the incident. Police have released CCTV footage showing two men entering a Bunnings hours before the alleged abduction. <img style="width: 396px; height:223px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841940/cctv-stuart-macgill.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/89069c31d88a4578877ddd777b826c74" /> Detective Superintendent Andrew Koutsoufis said the men had items with them that police believed were used to “intimidate” MacGill. “We are very keen to identify and locate those two males,” he told 2GB radio on Tuesday. A computer-generated image of a third man known both as “Sonny” and “Zac” has also been released by police. Detective Superintendent Koutsoufis said the third man was a “street level drug dealer” who frequents the Ryde area and drives a white Camry with a rideshare sticker. He is described to be of Middle Eastern appearance, aged between 25 and 35, with a solid build, short dark-coloured hari and a brown and red coloured beard. Four men, including Ms O’Meagher’s brother Marino Sotiropoulos were arrested and charged in May over the alleged kidnapping, and are still in custody until their next court appearance. MacGill denied any involvement in the abduction or any knowledge of an alleged cocaine supply deal that was occurring when he introduced Ms O’Meagher’s brother to “Sonny”. “I know that I have done nothing wrong, Maria has done nothing wrong,” MacGill said. “If people choose to think something contrary to what’s been presented by both myself and the police, then that’s up to them. Images: A Current Affair

Legal

Tragic end to search for missing grandma

A Victorian grandma who was missing for 11 days has tragically been found. 84-year-old Rosie McLean’s body was located lying next to a burnt-out car after last being seen on June 10 leaving her house. Police confirmed on Tuesday morning that Ms McLean’s body had been found in Wickliffe, around 100km from her home in Timboon. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841951/rosie-mclean-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/d39356f552974fd08c73c4b6bd2d6e52" /> Image: Supplied The body was found by a local at a property in Chatsworth-Wickliffe Rd, near Karmala Lane, at 3 pm on Monday. Leading Senior Constable Natalie Dean said the body is yet to be formally identified, however police believe it is that of Ms McLean. Constance Dean said Ms McLean’s Maltese shih tzu dog named Bindi, was found safe and near the location of her body. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841952/rosie-mclean.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/edb87bbe86ca41dba769a7528d81ee42" /> Image: Supplied “The exact circumstances regarding the death are yet to be determined, and the investigation remains ongoing,” Constable Dean announced. It is not yet known by the public if the burnt-out vehicle was Ms McLean’s 2010 grey Holden Commodore sedan. Investigators carried out an extensive search around Southern Grampians, Moyne, Warrnambool and Corangamite during the 11 days she could not be found. Her family even hired a plane to search the region. Ms McLean’s daughter Susan took to Facebook to tragically confirm the news on Tuesday morning. “Bindi stayed with mum until they were found and we take some comfort in that knowledge,” she said. “We are truly grateful that you all cared for our mum and Bindi. “We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.” Social media has erupted in support and mourning for Ms McLean, with many of those who helped during the search leaving their deepest condolences to her family.

Legal

Entertainment

“Forget about me”: Samantha Armytage tells Natalie Barr to move on

Samantha Armytage has told Natalie Barr to forget about her and focus on hosting Sunrise. Appearing on KIIS FM’s Kyle and Jackie O show on Tuesday morning, Armytage was asked how she felt about Barr’s recent interview with Women’s Weekly. Barr addressed her relationship in the interview with the magazine, saying: “We got along very well in the office, for sure. But the truth is we didn’t really see each other outside the office. We had vastly different lives, I guess. We were in different places. She was hanging with her friends, and I was spending time with my family. So, yes, we were in different places.” When asked about Barr’s interview, Armytage brushed off the question. “Yeah, well, look, I mean it’s better to be talked about than not, isn’t it, in this life,” she said. “I thought everyone might forget about me when I was having my little TV sabbatical, but it seems they’re not.” She added: “There’s nothing interesting going on there, honestly. I’m just doing my thing, out in the country.” Following the interview, the discussion escalated on social media. The Kyle and Jackie O Twitter account shared the interview with the caption: “So was there beef on-set between @sam_armytage & @natalie_barr? Let’s ask Sam!” Armytage responded by sharing the interview to her own Twitter account, adding: “Look.. I’m out. Nat’s wanted the job forever.. & she’s finally got it. She just needs to get on & enjoy it - & forget about me.. (even though I’m unforgettable) #peaceout”. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Look.. I’m out. Nat’s wanted the job, forever.. & she’s finally got it. She just needs to get on & enjoy it - & forget about me..(even though I’m unforgettable 😜😂😂😂.) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/peaceout?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#peaceout</a> <a href="https://t.co/HXU60pBvps">https://t.co/HXU60pBvps</a> — Samantha Armytage (@sam_armytage) <a href="https://twitter.com/sam_armytage/status/1406762169543266305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 20, 2021</a></blockquote> Her claim that Barr had “wanted the job forever” goes against what Barr has said in previous interviews since she took on the co-host role. “I’m just not that person [to host],” Barr told Kyle and Jackie O in March. “If Sam had wanted to stay there for another 10 years, that was fine with me.” Barr said it was a pep talk that pushed her to take on the job when it was offered to her. “He said, ‘If you sit there and say no and you’re listening to someone else do it, you’ll regret it’,” Barr said. Image: Samantha Armytage / Instagram

Jessica Rowe's big television comeback

It's been over three years since viewers tuned in to watch Jessica Rowe on our screens, and speculation mounts that she's ready for a comeback. And now, Woman's Day can confirm she's returning to TV on Australia's most popular breakfast show. Last week, the former Studio 10 star was spotted catching up with the executive producer of Sunrise, Michael Pell, and while the pair are close friends, a TV insider insists there was plenty of talk about business too. "He's her number one fan, and what Michael Pell wants, he generally gets. The seed has been planted to get Jess in a role that they are specifically creating for her." "Seven have been eyeing Jess off since she left Ten in 2018, and Michael would be the right person to court her back into the new mix at Seven's Brekky Central," the source tells Woman's Day. Jess quit Studio 10 in March 2018, later admitting that she had been close to breaking point towards the end of her time on the show. The 51-year-old has spoken candidly about her struggles with anxiety and depression in the past, and was looking forward to spending more time with her husband, Peter Overton, and their two daughters, Allegra, 14, and Giselle, 12. Despite the success she garnered from her Crap Housewife blog, Jess recently spoke about getting back in front of the cameras. "What I do miss is having an audience to play up to," says the Beyond Blue ambassador. "Nowadays I find myself doing a song and dance routine for my daughters – not that successfully!" According to an insider, Jess can be a liability given her shaky past with Today, Weekend Sunrise and Studio 10. "She can be polarising, and Seven will only bring her into the Sunrise and The Morning Show mix as a special reporter or presenter around current issues like mental health or parenting," the source tells Woman's Day. "But Jess reads a room better than anyone and she will only return to TV if the job and fit is right." Having walked from a high-profile, high-paying role before, Jess is also unlikely to sign on if there's any drama with her would-be colleagues. Adds the source, "The real issue Seven have is how a huge personality like Jess will be received by the morning teams. Jess is such a passionate person and can appear zany and over the top, while Nat [Barr] and Edwina [Bartholomew] are both very calm and measured." But despite it all, Jess has decades' worth of experience in journalism and TV, which will prove to be worthwhile in the long run. "If Jess comes on board, she can slot in anywhere – newsreading, presenting, even the weather!" says the insider.

John le Carré’s final novel set to be published

John le Carré’s final novel will be posthumously published this October by publisher Viking. Le Carré’s final novel, Silverview, was completed prior to his death in December 2020 and the release has the author’s full blessing. The author, best known for his espionage thrillers like The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, passed away of pneumonia aged 89. Before his death, le Carré finished the manuscript that would become Silverview, and had been writing two other books - A Legacy of Spies and Agent Running in the Field - which were unfinished. Silverview follows bookshop owner Julian Lawndsley, who becomes the centre of an investigation into an intelligence leak by a London spy. The novel is set to be published in Australia on October 14, 2021, in the same week as le Carré’s 90th birthday.

Books

Meryl Streep reveals why she was “miserable” making her iconic movie

Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep has revealed the difficult time she had onset of one of her most well-known films. Streep perfectly incapsulated The Devil Wears Prada character, Miranda Priestly, who was the editor-in-chief of a high fashion magazine and the blueprint for a boss from hell It has been 15 years since the world first got to see Streep in a new, brilliantly-played light, and now she and her co-stars have revealed what it was like working on the film. Streep is now 71, and boldly revealed that she employed method acting while filming. She often chose to retain elements of her icy, mean-spirited character, even off-set. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841857/meryl-streep-devil-wears-prada.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/621a7033204a429eb5d698af827deb40" /> It became an often occurrence that she would brush off her co-stars Emily Blunt and Anne Hathaway. “Meryl is so gregarious and fun as hell, in some ways it wasn’t the most fun for her having to remove herself,” Blunt told the publication. “It wasn’t like she was unapproachable; You could go up to her and say, ‘Oh my God, the funniest thing just happened,’ and she’d listen, but I don’t know if it was the most fun for her to be on set being that way.” Streep said filming the movie “was horrible! “I was [miserable] in my trailer. I could hear them all rocking and laughing. I was so depressed! I said, ‘Well, it’s the price you pay for being boss!’” She went on to say: “That’s the last time I ever attempted a Method thing!” Streep’s performance earned her a host of high-profile awards including a Golden Globe and a nomination for an Oscar. The star has since been nominated for the industry’s highest honour seven more times. Hathaway agreed with Blunt that Steep put up an unnatural wall during film, but admitted it helped. “I did feel intimidated, but I always felt cared for,” she explained. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841855/meryl-streep-devil-wears-prada-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/615433f6b7d84a6d8266b82b811ca3f4" /> “I knew that whatever she was doing to create that fear, I appreciated [because] I also knew she was watching out for me.” Streep’s character has drawn comparisons to Vogue editor Anna Wintour who has had to knock down several rumours that she is an unkind boss. “I wasn’t interested in doing a biopic on Anna; I was interested in her position in her company. I wanted to take on the burdens she had to carry, along with having to look nice every day,” Streep said. The A-lister also spoke on the movie’s worldwide appeal, despite being marketed toward women as counter-programming for Superman Returns. “Because they’d given us such straitened circumstances to make the film with a smaller budget, this opened up and said that a ‘chick flick’ can be a huge hit with a broad audience,” she said. “This is the first movie [where] men have come up to me and said, ‘I know how you felt; I have a company, and nobody understands me. It’s really hard.’ It’s the hardest thing in the world for a man to feel his way through to the protagonist of the film if it’s a woman.”

Movies

Property

Matthew Perry finally offloads his "mansion in the sky"

Friends actor Matthew Perry has finally sold his Los Angeles penthouse, after it spent multiple years on the market – and it's apparently the most expensive condo to be sold in the area since 2015. The star sold the pad for an eye-watering AUD $28.3 million (US $21.6M) after he initially listed it for $46.4 million (US$35M) in 2019. Dubbed the “mansion in the sky”, the home takes up the entirety of the 40th floor of a 42-story town in Century City. The 51-year-old actor reportedly purchased the condo for $20 million in 2017 and reimagined the space into the dream bachelor pad. Perry used interior designer LM Pagano to incorporate plush seating and carpeting for ultimate comfort. The space even features a built-in home theatre, along with oversized velvet chaises and a wall-length screen. Mr. Perry is well-known for his obsession with Batman and decided to line his entrance hallway with memorabilia and figurines dedicated to the iconic superhero. Built in 2010, the property has four bedrooms along with a master bedroom suite with a sitting area, fireplace, dual bathrooms and dressing room. Perhaps, what is the greatest part of the home was something Mr. Perry did not have to change at all – and that is the panoramic views starting from the mesmerising city, all the way down to the Pacific Ocean.

Real Estate

Pink buys another holiday home in Malibu for $17.8 million

Pink has just a spectacular beachfront pad in the heart of Malibu, Los Angeles. It seems money is no object to the famous singer who splashed out $US13.7 million ($17.81 million) for the beach house. It’s not the first time the incredible home has been owned by music royalty, however. While the villa was sold by an LA dentist, who brought it from a former wife of a Russian ice hockey star – it was once owned by singer-songwriter Barry Manilow. With 180-degree ocean views through floor-to-ceiling windows in the living area, it’s no wonder this home is nothing short of extraordinary. The home also five bedrooms and 4.5 bathroom along with an entirely new kitchen with bruised gold fixtures, according to the listing. Pink will also have a spacious courtyard leading to her own beach, and even a spa as well. To make it that touch more perfect for the internationally renowned artist, there is even a guest house that also overlooks the water. The pop rock princess is no stranger to property real estate and has bought and sold a number of homes throughout California and the U.S.

Real Estate

Kate Winslet sells Titanic NYC apartment

Kate Winslet is known for many things, and her glorious NYC apartment that ties all the way back to her first major movie, Titanic, is one of them. The Oscar award-winning actress has officially offloaded the stunning home though for a whopping $6.8 million. The sprawling duplex, located in West Chelsea, was purchased by the star back in 2004 with her former husband, Sam Mendes. Now on her third marriage, billionaire Richard Branson’s nephew, Edward Abel Smith, it seems the star is finally ready to let the incredible place go. The stunning apartment is just over 280 sq m, and features over four bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms. The loft also has a spacious 160 sq m deck, which in NYC standards, is a glorious amount of room. It has all the bells and whistles too, with a built-in gas fireplace, chef’s kitchen, wide-plank oak floors, 4m-tall ceilings and endless built-in shelves for storage and display. The main bedroom also has a huge walk-in wardrobe.

Real Estate

Inside Dannii Minogue's newest home

Dannii Minogue has just bought a brand new home in Hawthorn East. The pop star is settling into the same suburb she sold her house in two years ago. It appears she hasn’t wasted any time moving in, after paparazzi photographed Minogue and her boyfriend Adrian Newman carrying household goods and appliances into the new home this week. The property online said it had an asking price of $3.2m but the official sale price continues to remain undisclosed. The “low-maintenance” home offers luxury living with high-end features including a life and a state of the art kitchen. Along with new and innovative features, the stunning property also has a north-facing alfresco terrace with a barbecue kitchen, a basement cellar and gym. Not only is luxury a main factor of the beautiful place, three of the four bedrooms also have ensuites. Minogue sold her previous Hawthorn East home, on Tooronga Rd, for $2.56m in June 2019. The property was kept in her possession for almost a decade alongside her then-partner Kris Smith. The agent who sold that property, Jellis Craig Hawthorn’s Peter Batrouney, said that Minogue had been a “community-minded person involved in the area”. “She’s brought up her son here, walked her son to school, enjoyed friendships with neighbours and she’s not a recluse in any way,” Mr Batrouney said. Minogue and music producer Newman have dated since 2014.

Real Estate

Our Partners

Over 60

News

Shop

Catalogues

Property