Placeholder Content Image

McLeod’s Daughters actor dies at age 70

<p>Australian actor and artist Marshall Napier has passed away at age 70. </p> <p>The New Zealand-born actor, who starred in a string of Australian TV shows and films over the years, passed away on Sunday surrounded by family.</p> <p>His daughter Jessica broke the news on her Instagram, saying her father had died after a short battle with brain cancer. </p> <p>She wrote, “It is with great sadness that I share the passing of my beautiful dad Marshall Napier. After a short and intense battle with brain cancer he left us this morning. He was peaceful and surrounded by family.”</p> <p>“Dad you are one of a kind and I can’t even understand what the world will be like without you in it. Your charisma and charm was second to none. Your creativity and intellect was my inspiration. I love you so much and feel completely lost without you. I’m glad that you can soar free of the pain and confusion.”</p> <p>Marshall played Harry Ryan on <em>McLeod's Daughters</em> from 2001 for five years, and quickly became a fan favourite character. </p> <p>He also had TV roles in <em>All Saints</em>, <em>Water Rats</em> and <em>Police Rescue</em>, before going on to star in films such as <em>Babe</em>, <em>Down Under</em> and <em>Little Monsters</em>. </p> <p>Australian showbiz stars have paid tribute to the actor, who is being remembered as a “generous” and “kind” man.</p> <p>Napier’s <em>McLeod’s</em> co-star Rodger Corser wrote on Jessica’s post, “What a commanding presence he was on a screen and stage. Always loved working with your Dad, a drier wit you could not find.”</p> <p><em>Packed to the Rafters</em> actress Rebecca Gibney said, “So sorry for your loss Jess. Marshall was such a beautiful man and a wonderful actor.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Benji Marshall’s incredible decision for Celebrity Apprentice prize money

<p dir="ltr">After being crowned the winner of <em>Celebrity Apprentice</em> for 2022, Benji Mashall has revealed the extraordinary way he plans to spend his prize money.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/i-didn-t-expect-that-celebrity-apprentice-2022-winner-crowned" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The former football star won</a> after raising $387,105 in the grand finale - and receiving another $100,000 from Lord Alan Sugar - making for a total of $504,000 raised for his chosen charity, Souths Cares.</p> <p dir="ltr">But, in an interview with KIIS FM’s Will and Woody show, it was revealed he called the radio hosts - and castmates on the show - shortly after the finale to thank them, though the scene never made it to air.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Something the TV show didn’t show was that Benji called me after the finale - cause I did go back to help him with the final challenge - to thank me for getting so involved in the finale,” Woody Whitelaw explained.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He’s taken $30,000 out of the money he made, and he’s putting $30,000 in Gotcha4Life.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Gotcha4Life, the charity Woody and co-host Will McMahon chose, aims to prevent suicide through programs and social connections.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-17096d16-7fff-3a29-8f91-5fd2aa200654">It was revealed that Marshall also shared the cash with several of his other castmates, with another $30,000 going to Samantha Jade’s charity Cancer Council Australia, $30,000 to Vince Colosimo’s Dementia Australia and $30,000 to Bronte Campbell’s Carers Australia, per <em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/reality-tv/benji-marshalls-incredible-act-with-celebrity-apprentice-prize-money/news-story/64b71506c77ca16f88556704e251e2af" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a></em>.</span></p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" 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);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cea7Ahyh1ks/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <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> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </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;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cea7Ahyh1ks/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Will and Woody (@willandwoody)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">During the interview, it emerged that Marshall, Whitelaw and McMahon being castmates wasn’t the only thing they had in common - they had all picked the same charity to support too.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Before the show started, Will and I locked in Gotcha4Life as our charity. So all the money we raised was going to go to Gotcha4Lide,” Woody said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Benji was late in replying to the email with what charity he wanted to do, and his first pick was Gotcha4Life.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And Benji, you’ve raised money for an incredible charity in South Cares, and I know that’s really close to your heart … But just to compare for the poor charity of Gotcha4Life, Will and I raised $20,000 and Benji, all up, how much money did you raise?”<br />“$540,000,” Marshall said laughingly.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/community/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Souths Cares</a> is closely affiliated with Marshall’s former club, the South Sydney Rabbitohs, and supports disadvantaged and marginalised youth and their families by delivering programs that address people’s education, training, health and employment needs.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-961a3d8c-7fff-6918-e53b-9850dcd30289"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @benji6marshall (Instagram)</em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

“I didn’t expect that”: Celebrity Apprentice 2022 winner crowned

<p dir="ltr">In a nail-biting grand finale, the winner of Celebrity Apprentice 2022 has been crowned.</p> <p dir="ltr">Tuesday night’s episode saw Benji Marshall and Darren McMullen go head-to-head to fundraise for their chosen charities, with Benji Marshall claiming victory.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-eb6e0752-7fff-5455-911e-93c4b43ade76"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">The two stars were given 24 hours to plan and host an epic charity event. Marshall took a risk to host a free concert - which he was advised against doing - while McMullen opted to throw a high-class charity night.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">And the winner of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CelebrityApprentice?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CelebrityApprentice</a> 2022 is... <a href="https://t.co/wDB73zBBPv">pic.twitter.com/wDB73zBBPv</a></p> <p>— #CelebrityApprentice Australia (@CelebApprentice) <a href="https://twitter.com/CelebApprentice/status/1539206379470131200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">As risky as Marshall’s decision was, it ultimately paid off, with the former footy star raising a whopping $387,105 for Souths Cares, which supports disadvantaged and marginalised youth and their families through education, training, health and employment.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Listen, Benji, you came in here as an ex-football player one year on and you’re already back in a final. So the theme of your event was ‘dream big’,” Lord Alan Sugar said to him before the winner was announced.</p> <p dir="ltr">Marshall replied: “The reason why I love being involved with this charity is the kids remind me of me when I was a kid. I feel very connected to them.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The biggest thing I wanted to get out of this event was to inspire kids to dream as big as you want. Believe in yourself, work hard and you’ll be surprised at what can happen.”</p> <p dir="ltr">When it was pointed out how he could have raised money through selling tickets, merchandise, and sponsorship deals - instead opting to give it all away for free - Marshall agreed that it may have been a “bad business decision” but that he couldn’t help it.</p> <p dir="ltr">“To be fair, I probably took a lot of bad business decisions in terms of I could have raised more money, but I just could have missed this opportunity to give her kids stuff for free,” Marshall said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, McMullen’s total earnings of $172,617 for Feel the Magic, which provides early intervention grief programs for kids aged seven to 17, saw him admit that he couldn’t secure the VIP guests he wanted to.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I couldn’t do what I was great at, which is getting black book contacts and raising money,” McMullen said. “Yeah. So ultimately I certainly tried my best, but, there were a lot of phone calls not answered.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Lord Sugar ultimately declared Marshall the winner.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Benji, I am delighted to say that you are the winner of <em>Celebrity Apprentice</em>. With the additional $100,000, you have raised $487,105 - that’s a lotta-lotta money,” he told Marshall.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Well done, that’s going to do a lot of good.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-4c677c92-7fff-804e-e9cd-d218170565b8"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">"I didn't expect that. I honestly didn't think I'd last that long because I don't really have a lot of experience in business," Benji told <em><a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/celebrity-apprentice-australia/2022-winner-exclusive-benji-marshall-grand-final-charity-event-money-raised-souths-cares/a6fefeb6-7fd9-4493-a046-5155a3e1ade2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9Entertainment</a></em>.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" 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);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CfELbuoJvkC/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <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> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </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;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CfELbuoJvkC/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Benji Marshall (@benji6marshall)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Taking to social media overnight, Marshall thanked those who helped him pull the event together and reflected on raising the funds during the Omicron wave of COVID-19.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Wow. I am soo proud to have been able to represent @souths_cares and raise plenty of money and awareness for an amazing charity,” Marshall wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“To put together an event in the middle of when omicron first hit was tough. And all in one day. It would not have been possible without all the people that helped out along the way. Big thank you to my crew (Will McMahon, Woody Whitelaw, Bronte Campbell, and Vince Colosimo) for coming back and helping the bro out. You guys were the real mvps!!!”</p> <p dir="ltr">Marshall thanked the sponsors, friends and family who donated, and the musicians who performed for free, including Guy Sebastian, The Wiggles, Isaiah Firebrace, and Noora H.</p> <p dir="ltr">He also praised McMullen’s efforts in the finale.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You are a weapon Dazza and a worthy recipient of the title celebrity apprentice winner as well,” Marshall wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Love ya.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9c09f668-7fff-9cb0-2b8f-2066d7ca48cc"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: benji6marshall (Instagram)</em></p>

TV

Placeholder Content Image

Benji Marshall's stunning revelations

<p dir="ltr">Benji Marshall did not leave one dry eye in the house – nor for anyone looking on at home – in the latest episode of <em>Celebrity Apprentice</em> as he opened up about his troubled past.</p> <p dir="ltr">When the former NRL player was required to pitch a TV series idea as part of the <em>Celebrity Apprentice</em> challenge, Benji became very emotional when putting forward his idea for a documentary about his life.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve never, ever talked about this publicly,” Benji told the on-screen TV executives.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve never talked about this because it means so much to me.</p> <p dir="ltr">“No one knows the real me… because I don’t even know the real me, there’s half of me I haven’t found out about.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I don’t know my dad, I don’t know my culture, I don’t know my nationality.”</p> <p dir="ltr">He teared up saying that he wanted someone to help save him after suffering through a traumatic childhood.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" 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);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CfBoLdepBNb/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <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> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </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;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CfBoLdepBNb/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Benji Marshall (@benji6marshall)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Growing up in a small town of NZ, my mum was very young, she had me at 15,” he continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I have this vivid memory of a seven-year-old boy, holding a butter knife, scared, sitting back in a dark corner, so no one could come from behind me to get me.</p> <p dir="ltr">“All I wanted was for someone to save me, someone to tuck me in, someone to save me, all I wanted was a dad.”</p> <p dir="ltr">He recalled the teasing he endured during school when kids would say “you don’t know your dad” which left him in tears.</p> <p dir="ltr">Wanting to find out who his father was, Benji got the courage to finally ask his mum but it was the look on her face that made him never ask again.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When I asked my mum who my dad was... I’ll never forget the look on her face, the look of fear, worry… it actually made me scared," he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I never ever asked her again. I still don’t know until this day.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Benji then completed his pitch with a traditional haka dance and walked off, as he waited to hear whether or not he won the competition.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the boardroom, the judges debated and agreed on the winner.</p> <p dir="ltr">Benji won the $20,000 prize for his charity Souths Care, which supports disadvantaged, marginalised and Indigenous youth and families.</p> <p dir="ltr">He then bent over and cried when he realised he was heading off to the grand final, being congratulated by Lord Sugar’s adviser Janine Allis.</p> <p dir="ltr">The New Zealander also took to Instagram to thank fans for their support throughout his time on the show.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I can’t believe it. I’m Through to the GF on @celebrityapprentice I am super proud to be able to stand on the stage and share my story and pitch to everyone,” he wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I shared things I have never spoken about before and I am proud to share my emotions and true feelings publicly.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Vulnerability is a strength. The feedback has been overwhelming. I appreciate everyone.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

TV

Placeholder Content Image

“Don’t touch the bag”: Former Obama staff member reprimanded by Queen’s aid

<p>Barack Obama’s former Chief of Protocol has revealed the extreme lengths Queen’s staff go to in order to protect her privacy.</p> <p>Capricia Penavic Marshall worked for former President Obama from 2009 to 2013 and her role meant she advised him on all matters of national and international diplomatic protocol.</p> <p>She also recalled to <strong><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://people.com/politics/capricia-penavic-marshall-new-book-remembers-trying-take-queen-elizabeth-purse/" target="_blank">People</a> </em></strong>the embarrassing moment she was scolded for trying to help the royal with her purse during an official visit to Buckingham Palace in 2011. </p> <p>After stepping forward to assist the Queen with her bag so that she could greet the Obamas without it, Marshall, 56, says her British counterpart quickly pushed her back and told her simply: “We do not touch the bag.”</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7836673/queen.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/79d44520f5384eb18817bb6ddbc449b6" /></p> <p><em>Michelle Obama, Barack Obama, Queen Elizabeth. </em></p> <p>“As Her Majesty walked out, I made a comment to my counterpart. I said, ‘Oh, my goodness, Her Majesty has her bag.’ And I made an ever so slight move with my left foot,” she recalled. </p> <p>“He, with both of his hands, pushed me back against the wall and said, ‘Do not touch the bag,’ and I said, ‘Oh, my goodness. I'm so sorry.’” </p> <p>The unnamed royal staffer reiterated his point again, saying no one was to ever touch the Queen’s bag.</p> <p>“He goes, ‘We do not touch the bag.’ And I said, ‘Okay, I apologize. I would never. But do we know what's in the bag?’ And he said, ‘We don't know what's in the bag. But we never touch the bag,'” she revealed. </p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7836672/queen-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/fb25d221d26e4870a22bd919086447da" /></p> <p><em>Capricia Penavic Marshall</em></p> <p>In Marshall’s new book, <em>Protocol: The Power of Diplomacy and How to Make It Work for You</em>, she said she actually learned Her Majesty actually uses her bag as a means of signalling to her staff.</p> <p>“If it's on one part of her arm, it means the meeting is going fine, leave me alone. But if she lowers it, it means, ‘End this now. I want to go,'” Marshall explained.</p> <p>Despite the awkward moment that could have gone terrible wrong, Marshall says the visit was a huge success and noted that the former President Obama and his wife Michelle were “so, so very fond” of the royal.</p>

International Travel

Placeholder Content Image

Hollywood director Garry Marshall dies aged 81

<p>Hollywood director Garry Marshall has died age 81, from complications from pneumonia after a stroke in Burbank, California.</p> <p>The writer-director is known for creating iconic 1970s television shows <em>Happy Days</em> and <em>Mork and Mindy</em>. He was also famous for directing hit films <em>Pretty Woman</em>, <em>Beaches</em> and T<em>he Princess Diaries.</em></p> <p>In more recent years, Marshall directed popular romantic comedies <em>Valentine's Day, New Year's Eve</em> and <em>Mother's Day.</em></p> <p>Hollywood is mourning the showbiz legend today, taking to social media to post tributes describing Marshall as a “genius” and “mentor”.</p> <p>Henry Winkler, who played cultural icon Arthur "The Fonz" Fonzarelli, in <em>Happy Days</em> took to twitter to praise Marshall, saying he was "larger than life, funnier than most, wise and the definition of friend".</p> <p>Marshall had been a director, producer, writer and actor during his decades-long career in Hollywood.</p> <p>Our thoughts are with his family at this time.</p> <p>RIP, Gary Marshall. </p> <p><strong>Related links: </strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/entertainment/movies/2016/06/incredible-actors-who-havent-won-an-oscar/"><em>8 incredible actors who haven’t won an Oscar</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/entertainment/movies/2016/05/8-classic-films-getting-remakes/"><em>8 classic films getting remakes</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/entertainment/movies/2016/05/most-expensive-films-ever-made/"><em>The 15 most expensive films ever made</em></a></strong></span></p>

News

Our Partners