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Game of Thrones actor passes away at just 39

<p>In a heartbreaking turn of events, Darren Kent, the actor known for his role in Game of Thrones, has passed away following a valiant struggle against osteoporosis, arthritis and an exceptionally rare skin disorder.</p> <p>News of his departure was confirmed by his talent agency, Carey Dodd Associates, through a statement shared on Facebook page this Tuesday.</p> <p>"It is with deep sadness we have to tell you that our dear friend and client Darren Kent passed away peacefully on Friday, his parents and best friend by his side. Our thoughts and love are with his family in this difficult time."</p> <p>They continued: "Darren was not only a talented actor, director and writer, he was truly one of the kindest people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.</p> <p>"It has been a privilege and pleasure to have been a part of his journey. RIP my friend."</p> <p>Darren Kent's on-screen legacy is highlighted by his memorable portrayal as a goatherder in a pivotal 2014 episode of <em>Game of Thrones</em>. His artistic journey began a decade earlier with his first screen credit in the original series <em>Shameless</em>, setting the stage for his ventures into film.</p> <p>Notable among his filmography are roles in the 2008 horror film <em>Mirrors</em>, starring Kiefer Sutherland, as well as 2012's <em>Snow White and the Huntsman</em>. Television audiences were also treated to his talent, as he graced the screens of shows like <em>Community</em> and the BBC's <em>EastEnders</em>.</p> <p>He stole the show with his recent portrayal as the 'Yes' Corpse <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">in 2023's</span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> </span><em style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, </em><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">one of his final performances. A glance at his IMDb page hints at a future that he won't be able to witness, listing six upcoming titles, comprising short films and the feature titled </span><em style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">What I Know</em><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">.</span></p> <p><em>Images: Facebook / Instagram</em></p>

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“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

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Savage Garden refuses to sell out their famous song

<p>Hayes said he’s been approached recently by an advertising company wanting to use the band’s 1997 major hit – <em>Truly Madly Deeply</em> – which Hayes wrote.</p> <p>The singer made his fans laugh on Twitter by sharing the lyrics the advertising company wanted to use and Hayes posted: “If you knew how much money I turn down and how hard I fight to protect your high school memories.”</p> <p>The lyrics the company had pitched to him were:</p> <p><strong>VERSE 1</strong></p> <p><em>I’ll bring you Greek, I’ll bring you French, I’ll bring you Japanese. </em></p> <p><em>I’ll bring you Thai, Steak from the Pub, bring all the food that you need. </em></p> <p><em>Close to your door with every step, I’m outside holding your food. </em></p> <p><em>It will be warm, It will be tasty ‘cause I’m counting on a real good rating.</em></p> <p><em>That’s the reason I’m bringing, you Deep Fried Chicken </em></p> <p><strong>CHORUS 1</strong></p> <p><em>I want to stand with you on food mountain </em></p> <p><em>I want to float with you in some cheese. </em></p> <p><em>[insert brand name] Like this forever </em></p> <p><em>Until more fries rain down on me. </em></p> <p>Twitter users thanked the singer for not selling out and they described the advertising company’s lyrics as “truly madly cringy”, “awful” and “a travesty.”</p> <p>“These lyrics make me want to throw myself off food mountain,” tweeted <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/savage-garden-star-darren-hayes-rejects-companys-awful-pitch/news-story/@daggerandpe" target="_blank">@daggerandpen</a>.</p> <p>“‘I want to float with you in some cheese’ is my new pick-up line,” wrote <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/clairenelson/status/1422342652658425858?s=20" target="_blank">@clairenelson</a>.</p> <p>And <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/timbyrneses/status/1422343095534854154?s=20" target="_blank">@timbyrneses</a> tweeted: “Could you still record it? The people need to hear this cringe.”</p> <p><em>Truly Madly Deeply</em> was a huge hit for Hayes and his Savage Garden bandmate, Daniel Jones, when it was released in 1997.</p> <p>The song went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in the US and it became the first song in the chart’s history to spend a full 52 weeks inside the top 30.</p> <p>In Australia it won the ARIA award for Single of the Year and was nominated for Song of the Year but lost out to another Savage Garden song, <em>To the Moon and Back</em>.</p> <p>Savage Garden won 10 ARIAs that year from 13 nominations.</p> <p><em>Image: Wikimedia Commons</em></p>

Music

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MP suffers collapse during speech in parliament

<p>Labor MP Chris Hayes suffered a collapse while giving a speech during parliament at Midday on Thursday.</p> <p>The politician was speaking about child sexual abuse when he suddenly said “I’ve got a problem” and clutched at his chest.</p> <p>Mr Hayes was taken to hospital.</p> <p>Labor leader Anthony Albanese says his collapse was a "sudden medical event".</p> <p>According to Mr Albanese, the MP “recovered quickly".</p> <p>The opposition leader praised Labor MP Dr Mike Freelander and Nationals MP Dr David Gillespie for rushing to provide Mr Hayes with assistance.</p> <p>"He is in good spirits, and we all wish him a very speedy recovery and I say to the chief opposition whip, if you want to leave he should just ask for it," Mr Albanese said.</p> <p>"There are easier ways to get it then what occurred this morning."</p> <p>Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has offered his support to Mr Hayes.</p> <p>Before thanking Mr Albanese for the health update, he sent prayers to the MP and his family.</p> <p>"We may disagree on many things in this place, but we all agree Chris Hayes is a very good bloke," Mr Morrison said on Thursday.</p> <p>The MP, who is the Chief Opposition Whip, was speaking on the anniversary of the national apology to survivors and victims of institutional child sexual abuse before the incident.</p> <p><span>Mr Hayes has held the seat of Fowler in Sydney's south-west since 2010.</span></p>

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Liz Hayes breaks down after revealing her father died in extraordinary hospital blunder

<p>Renowned<span> </span><em>60 Minutes</em><span> </span>journalist Liz Hayes suffered an emotional breakdown as she revealed her father died due to a major hospital mishap.</p> <p>Hayes father Brian Ryan, 88, passed away on September 11 last year as a result of a “catastrophic” stroke after he wasn’t given his prescribed medication for eight days. </p> <p>“I couldn't pretend that this was somebody else's story,” Hayes said on the Channel Nine program on Sunday night. </p> <p>“He said he was always fearful something like that would happen. I instinctively knew that what I was witnessing was wrong.”</p> <p>Mr Ryan had developed pneumonia last year before being taken to a local hospital in his hometown of Manning River, on the NSW mid-north coast.</p> <p>He was then transferred to another hospital where he successfully beat the infection.</p> <p>“In the country I think it is accepted that the medical services aren't like the city. But it is also trusted that there would be great care, dignity and as many resources as could possibly be found in the country,” she said. </p> <p>But it didn’t end there, as on September 7, just a few short hours after Hayes said goodnight, Mr Ryan suffered a stroke and was rushed to the hospital.</p> <p>“At two in the morning, Dad was wheeled into an empty room in a ward on the top floor,” she said.</p> <p>“Other than his family, no one came to see him or us. We were standing there thinking ‘something must happen now’, you don't just park a patient and don't tell somebody.</p> <p>“His notes were just plonked on the end of the bed and that's when I saw the terrible truth.”</p> <p>Hayes said it was then that she found out that her father - who had a heart condition - hadn't been given his prescribed blood thinner tablets, Apixaban, for eight days. </p> <p>“Dad's medical notes states that the doctor from the private hospital came to the emergency department to advise that he hadn't been given the critical medication,” she said. </p> <p>“If that hadn't had happened to dad I feel confident he wouldn't have suffered that stroke and he would still be here.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 309.93690851735016px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7837832/2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/406d1749fb634835bbcf0956b0aea298" /></p> <p>“I can't believe something that simple could go wrong,” she said through tears.  </p> <p>“Of all the medications not to give him, that was the most important medication for him to have.”</p> <p>Hayes then shared a video she took on the day her dad passed away, as she sat by his side while he laid in bed.</p> <p>“This is my dad. We were to take him home today, but we're not, because of what's been called ‘an error’,” she told the camera. </p> <p>“Dad is now dying because of some terrible mistakes that were made with his medication.”</p> <p>The hospital launched an investigation which resulted in discovering the doctor had prescribed the wrong medication when he was admitted.</p> <p>Hayes then decided to look into the matter herself, and discovered the rural hospital only had one doctor on the ward.</p> <p>“Doctors were brought in often from outside of the area. And when the lights went out, so too did the doctor,” she said. </p> <p>“On the night of dad's stroke, the doctor on duty wasn't actually in the hospital - but was on call.”</p> <p>Hayes said investigating her father's horrific death was like experiencing “a very personal trauma”.</p> <p>“You're trying to walk through this pool of grief but there's a journalist always inside you going ‘this is just wrong’,” she said.</p> <p>Hayes revealed that after launching her own investigation, dozens of doctors came forward saying they wanted to expose the state of the hospital but were afraid of the consequences.</p> <p>NSW Shadow Minister for Health Ryan Park said rural public hospitals are begging for more resources. </p> <p>“This is Australia in 2020. We should pride ourselves on having universal access to healthcare,” Park said. </p> <p>“At the moment, a postcode is determining the level of access to healthcare that you get, and that's simply not right.</p> <p>“If some of these stories were coming out of a major Sydney hospital, there'd be a riot on the street and there would be action within the day.”</p>

Caring

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Prince William demands answers: Convicted criminal gets frighteningly close to Prince George

<p>Kensington Palace has reportedly launched a security review after a convicted torturer managed to get access to Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.</p> <p><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9603993/prince-george-royal-security-breach-convicted-torturer/" target="_blank"><em>The Sun</em></a> has reported the convicted criminal was delivering furniture on July 14 when he spotted the royal children in their courtyard alongside their nanny Teresa Borrallo.</p> <p>Darren Benjamin was jailed for seven years in 2008 and now works for a delivery company as a driver.</p> <p>He reportedly spotted the children and entered the courtyard they were playing in.</p> <p>"As soon as it was brought to our attention an urgent security review was launched to check the current systems and procedures are appropriate," the palace aide explained.</p> <p>"Pending the outcome there will be a refined level of risk assessment for those entering."</p> <p>Benjamin was convicted of torturing Anthony Powell in Wolverhampton with two other masked men.</p> <p>They stabbed Powell in the leg, poured boiling water down his back and beat him for over 20 minutes over a BMW vehicle which he claimed to know nothing about.</p>

Legal

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Novak Djokovic fires up tennis war over Australian Open prize money

<p>A war is brewing behind the scenes of the Australian Open as men’s players struggle for more pay and independence.</p> <p>Over the weekend, Melbourne saw players, coaches and members of the men’s tennis tournament governing body the ATP struggle over issues surrounding leadership and prize money.</p> <p>At the annual players meeting on Saturday, player council chairman Novak Djokovic reportedly voted against extending the tenure of ATP’s chief executive and president Chris Kermode. However, Djokovic refused to confirm his vote, citing the meeting’s confidentiality.</p> <p>“The decision hasn’t been made on the president,” Djokovic said. “Whether there’s a renewal or not, it’s going to be decided in the next period.”</p> <p>The ATP board is due to vote on Kermode’s contract renewal before the end of the month.</p> <p>Tennis legend Roger Federer confirmed that “a lot is happening” behind the scenes. “It’s definitely interesting times, I’d like to call it, not bad times in our sport,” Federer said on Sunday.</p> <p>“It’s maybe also a bit of a transition time. So it will be interesting to see what’s going to happen.”</p> <p>A few players have publicly supported the motion to remove Kermode from his position. </p> <p>“Grand slams which report hundreds of millions of dollars in profit … yet we get less in prize money than 10 per cent of their revenue,” player council member Vasek Pospisil said in an email sent to players ranked between 50 and 100.</p> <p>“The governance structure of the ATP favours the interests of the tournaments and its owners,” said Pospisil. “We need a CEO that first and foremost represents OUR interests.”</p> <p>This is in line with Djokovic’s suggestion last year that the men’s players should form a new union that is separate from the ATP.</p> <p>However, other players have also expressed support for Kermode’s continued leadership. Swiss player Stan Wawrinka and Australia's Nick Kyrgios said Kermode’s performance in the past few years has brought men’s tennis in the right direction.</p> <p>“If you look what’s happened the last few years with our president, I think he only helped the tennis to be in a better place,” Wawrinka told<span> </span><em>The Telegraph</em>.</p> <p>“I also think that some people have some personal interest for sure … there should be a reason to move someone at that spot after a few years going quite positive for the tennis. That’s maybe where it’s a bit strange.”</p> <p>Australian coach Darren Cahill endorsed Kermode in a Twitter post, saying the 54-year-old had brought “big increases in prize money, pension plan, new events, doubles initiative supporter, new progressive rules for injured players … facility upgrades” among others.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">Big increases in prize money, pension plan, new events, doubles initiative supporter, new progressive rules for injured players &amp; LL’s, challenger increases, facility upgrades ++. I’d be stunned if Chris Kermode is removed. ATP needs stability right now<a href="https://t.co/vYiHQR7OBK">https://t.co/vYiHQR7OBK</a></p> — Darren Cahill (@darren_cahill) <a href="https://twitter.com/darren_cahill/status/1084188951630336000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">12 January 2019</a></blockquote> <p>“I’d be stunned if Chris Kermode is removed. ATP needs stability right now.”</p> <p>Do you think tennis players should receive more prize money? Tell us in the comments below. </p>

Money & Banking

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The best cheese to make the perfect cheese toastie

<p>Is there anything better than a good old-fashioned cheese toastie? Or a deliciously cheesy pizza? If anyone knows the secret to the perfect melted cheese, it’s chef and author of <a href="http://t.dgm-au.com/c/93981/71095/1880?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.booktopia.com.au%2Fchefs-eat-toasties-too-darren-purchese%2Fprod9781743793053.html" target="_blank"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Chefs Eat Toasties Too</span></strong></em></a>, Darren Purchese. In the book, he reveals which cheeses are the best for melting – depending on what you’re making, of course! Here are his favourites.</p> <ol> <li><strong>Montgomery cheddar</strong> – Hailing from Somerset, England, this rich, beefy-flavoured cheese has “the perfect melting texture”, according to Purchese.</li> <li><strong>Bay of Fires cloth-bound cheddar</strong> – This traditionally-made cheddar is created by 13th-century cheesemaker, Ian Fowlers. The cheese is made and matured in repurposed shipping containers in St Helens, on Tasmania’s east coast.</li> <li><strong>Asiago </strong>– There are two types of this Italian cheese, depending on the flavour and texture you want. Young pressato is slightly sweeter and great for melting, as it becomes very stringy. Matured asiago, on the other hand, is deeper, denser and aged like parmesan.</li> <li><strong>Gouda </strong>– This classic aged Dutch cheese is rich, slightly caramelly and a little crunchy. Be careful, though – gouda separates during melting, leaving a clear liquid behind.</li> <li><strong>Emmental </strong>– As one of the main ingredients in fondue, this is one of the best melting cheeses; it becomes gooey and stringy but still manages to hold its shape.</li> <li><strong>Bulgarian feta</strong> – Unlike its crumbly Greek counterpart, Bulgarian feta is softer, creamier and sweeter, with a hint of citrus.</li> <li><strong>Gorgonzola piccante</strong> – Made in Lombardy, Italy, this aged blue cheese is slightly crumbly with a very unique taste. Make sure you don’t overcook it, though – it has a very low melting point.</li> <li><strong>Parmigiano Reggiano</strong> – Purchese suggests Reggiano aged for no more than 18 months to get the perfect sweet, rich flavour. It melts in a similar way to gouda, separating slightly with the fats becoming liquid.</li> <li><strong>Gruyere </strong>– A Swiss favourite, this is a perfect melting cheese, giving that amazing stringiness when pulled. It’s rich, nutty and ideal for toasties.</li> <li><strong>Raclette </strong>– The Swiss love this cheese so much, it’s a dish in and of itself. Smelly and savoury, make sure you use the delicious rind of this hard cheese. Scrape it over potatoes or onto a toastie for a taste explosion.</li> <li><strong>Fontina Val d’Aosta</strong> – Think of this as an Italian take on raclette. Cooked the same way, it’s ultra-savoury, slightly sharp and has a great melting texture.</li> <li><strong>Comte </strong>– Comte is the most popular cheese in France, thanks to its gorgeous, floral aroma and sweet, nutty flavour. Part of the gruyere family, it’s the ultimate melting cheese.</li> <li><strong>Taleggio </strong>– An Italian cheese with a sweet, milky, slightly yeasty flavour. Unlike raclette, you should avoid the rind of taleggio as it can leave an unpleasant bitterness when melted.</li> <li><strong>Fresh mozzarella</strong> – Silky and sweet, it’s no surprise that this cheese is a favourite around the world. Stringy and viscous, it’s great on toasties, in salads and on pizzas.</li> <li><strong>Burrata </strong>– Purchese describes burrata as “a pimped-out mozzarella”. It’s a stretched-curd cheese, richer and creamier than mozzarella. It melts quickly, so it’s best used in sandwiches that require light toasting.</li> </ol>

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Celebrity chef Darren Simpson dies after battle with illness

<p>Celebrity chef Darren Simpson has died after a long battle with an alcohol addiction-related illness.</p> <p>It is believed that the father of two suffered a heart attack on Thursday night after a recent effort to get help at a rehabilitation clinic.</p> <p>Darren built a national following by appearing on show’s such as Sunrise, Ready, Steady, Cook and The Best where he competed against chef Ben O’Donoghue and cook Anne Gare.</p> <p>At the age of 21, Darren was named UK’s Young Chef of the year making him hold the record as the youngest winner of the prestigious prize.</p> <p>The Irish-born-chef trained in world renowned restaurants including Le Gavrouche and Sir Terence Conran’s Sartoria. </p> <p>Darren was headhunted in 1999 to become the Head Chef of Aqua Luna Bar and Restaurant in Sydney and received great reviews for his “dynamic” menus.</p> <p>In 2005, he opened an award-winning modern Italian restaurant La Sala (The Room).</p> <p>Various restaurant and food industry friends of Darren have paid tribute to the star on social media.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fjason.roberts.395891%2Fposts%2F10155414246188544&amp;width=500" width="500" height="658" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true"></iframe></p> <p>His peer Jason Roberts said, “Devastated ...... RIP Darren Simpson !!! The world has lost another brilliant mind!!!! Sorry for those of you who maybe seeing or hearing this now ...”</p> <p>Friend and journalist Shonagh Walker wrote, “I hope I wake up tomorrow and this is a dream” and “I know the last few weeks have been hell for you. You will never be forgotten. #love you xxxx”</p> <p>Chef Adam Moore said, “R.I.P Darren Simpson you will be missed chef loved working with you.”</p> <p><em>Image credit:  Ryan Osland</em></p>

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