
Most empowering women of the last 25 years revealed from Dame Deborah James to Katie Piper
MICHELLE Obama, Katie Piper and the late Dame Deborah James have been named the most empowering female role models of the last 25 years.
A poll of 4,000 adults found the trio topped the list – with music legend Tina Turner, Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes, climate activist Greta Thunberg and fictional character Bridget Jones also making the top 20.
4
4,000 adults were polled to determine the most influential women of the last 25 years
4
Former First Lady Michelle Obama topped the list
Credit: AP
Other
Supreme Court Justice
The study found the traits most valued in a role model are honesty (32 per cent), kindness (30 per cent) and intelligence (27 per cent).
Read more Fabulous
The
Romi Mackiewicz, director at Galaxy, said: 'We know role models play a critical role in helping lift people up and can positively impact confidence, career and even health.
'Our research shows that women think it's important to have a female role model and it's also shown that we need to celebrate and highlight women who embrace a new definition of empowerment.'
It also emerged role models inspire people to make meaningful life changes – from putting their mental health first, to aiming for leadership roles, or simply not being afraid to speak up.
Most read in Fabulous
Others say they've been encouraged to take time out for themselves, or talk more openly about issues that matter, after being inspired by someone they look up to.
On average, almost three in ten (29 per cent) believe the workplace is a key setting for positive role models.
However, there is a generational divide, with older generations saying they don't look for role models at all (67 per cent), compared to just seven per cent of Gen Z.
Barack Obama is spotted out alone with daughters again as ex-president and wife Michelle fail to end divorce rumors
For older generations who do look for role models, they seek inspiration from family members or friends (48 per cent).
Likewise, Gen Z also turn to family or friends (63 per cent) as their main role models, but are increasingly looking to influencers (34 per cent), the television (28 per cent) and celebrities (23 per cent) too.
When asked what type of content inspires them most online, 29 per cent said they're moved by
And 15 per cent said showing authenticity with unfiltered posts is the quality that inspires them most, according to the findings carried out by OnePoll.com.
4
Activist and burns survivor Katie Piper ranked high as participants valued authenticity
Credit: Rex
4
Activists like Dame Deborah James dominated the list
Credit: Getty
The Galaxy spokesperson added: 'Our top 20 list highlights women who have stayed true to themselves, standing up for what they believe in, even when faced with criticism.
'We champion women and are partnering with the Young Women's Trust to to help women and their communities thrive.
'We are excited to showcase such an incredibly diverse list of empowered women, celebrate their achievements and also remind brits the importance and power of identifying a role model.'
MOST EMPOWERING WOMEN OF THE PAST 25 YEARS
Michelle Obama: Former First Lady
Katie Piper: Burns survivor
Dame Deborah James: Cancer awareness advocate
Tina Turner: musician
Dame Kelly Holmes: Olympic gold medallist
Greta Thunberg: Climate activist
Maya Angelou: Poet, civil rights activist
Oprah Winfrey: Presenter
Malala Yousafzai: Activist, Nobel Prize Laureate
Emma Thompson: Actress
Denise Lewis: Olympic gold medallist
Kate Winslet: Actress
Hannah Fry: Mathematician
Emma Watson: Actress
Ruth Bader Ginsberg: Supreme Court Justice
Vivienne Westwood: Fashion designer
Joan Collins: Actress
Selena Gomez: Musician
Bridget Jones: Fictional character
Nicola Adams: Olympic boxer

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Irish Sun
8 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
‘You'll upstage the bride' people fume as wedding guest shows off very revealing dress that's ‘way too fancy'
A FASHIONISTA has come under fire after showing off her wedding guest outfit that trolls insist will ''upstage the bride''. Wedding season has well and truly arrived, which means many people have been taking to social media to share their stylish frocks and gowns. 1 People have accused this wedding guest of 'upstaging the bride' with this dress Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk But one woman has left people demanding she changes her outfit for a close pal's garden wedding. The dress code detailed in the digital invite asked guests to "get just a little bit fancy" with chinos listed as an option for men and "dress/skirts" for female attendees. From this brief, the woman opted for a sleeveless floor length silver satin dress with a deep plunging V-neck. And even she seems unsure about her choice, after sharing a picture of her final look in the Alongside the snap, she wrote: "Is this too intense to wear as a guest It's at a garden venue inspired by the French countryside. "I'm concerned this is a bit too much for the venue/garden vibes.. and potentially even a little too close to white? "The bride is a close family friend but I don't want to bother her when she has so much on her mind. "Bridesmaids are wearing burgundy red. Please help me out here; suitable attire or too much?" Most read in Fabulous Her post quickly racked up almost 1,000 comments with plenty of fashion fans having their say. Not only did people warn her that it was "too revealing" and would take attention away from the bride, but others claimed its colour broke a basic rule because it looked near-white. Frankie Bridge slammed by fans again for SHEER wedding guest dress that's 'too much' and will 'upstage the bridge' Wearing ivory as a wedding guest is often considered a cardinal sin and the ultimate insult to the bride. One person said: "Too close to white and it looks too good. You'll show up the bride! Don't wear it to a wedding!" A second wrote: "So you want to wear a wedding dress to somebody else's fairly casual wedding…I think you already know the answer…" A third fumed "no, you'll upstage the bride" while someone claimed: "Too revealing for a will be on you not the bride." "Nope it's to fancy for what the invite says and also it looks like you're the bride", chimed in a fifth. Wedding Guest Outfit Etiquette If you're struggling to decided on a dress to see you through wedding season, here's a few rules on what not to wear so you don't get in trouble. Folklore says that wearing red at a wedding means you slept with the groom. Casual attire like jeans and flip flops should always be avoided. Any colour that could be picked up as white or cream - even if it's not. Most would agree that your cleavage needs to be covered. Wearing white is a massive no-no if you're not the bride. And a sixth echoed: "I definitely thought you were asking if it was too plungy to wear as a bride... then realised you're a guest." Others, however, jumped in to support the wedding guest and urged her to wear the show-stopping frock. One said: "Am I the only one saying the dress is fine for the dress code instructions? Lol." "I'd wear this gown; it's beautiful and you look beautiful in it", another insisted. A third agreed: "It's gorgeous. Not white. Wear it. Always better to be too dressed up than too dressed down." Meanwhile, a fourth wrote: "I don't think it matters if it's more casual or not. Just wear it if you like it and don't care what ppl thing if you feel beautiful or sexy in it. It looks amazing on you." Celebs aren't exempt from making fashion faux pas at weddings either. When Dani Dyer wed footballer Jarrod Bowen last week, guest and fellow Love Islander Georgia Steel was slated for wearing what looked like a revealing white dress to her pal's big day. After Georgia posted a snap on TikTok of the lace-trimmed Miss Circle number she wore, the trolls came out in force, bashing her for picking what was in fact a 'soft beige' dress. 'Wearing white to a wedding?' questioned one, while another waded in with: 'Way too bridal for a wedding.' And Georgia isn't alone. Two months ago, White Lotus actress She chose a cleavage-baring corset-style dress from V Chapman in a very pale blue. Read more on the Irish Sun Fans thought the colour was an issue. Comments included: 'That is not an appropriate shade of blue for a wedding' and 'The number one [rule] of a wedding is don't wear anything close to white.'


The Irish Sun
8 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Only in UK could we be forced to pay for BBC then have to cough up for best TV on streaming services – it's got to stop
TURN on your TV today and you'll find schedules filled with true crime thrillers and celebrity reality shows or, at the other extreme, indulgent tripe pandering to Gen Z snowflakes. But unless the Big Five channels stop making so much b****ks and grow some balls, they're going to kill British TV as we know it. 5 Blind Date, a much-loved TV format that was once on ITV but has now been snapped up by Disney+ Credit: Getty Images - Getty 5 Subscription services are now making the most electrifying programmes on the planet, pictured hit White Lotus Credit: AP 5 Netflix's gritty drama Adolescence could easily have been done by Channel 4 Credit: Netflix Because BBC One and BBC Two, ITV , Channel 4 and 5 — whose listings increasingly read like a suicide note — are entering the final stages of a fight for their survival. They're up against Netflix, Sky , Prime Video and countless other corporations with deep pockets and big ambitions. Proof came this week in the unlikely form of Blind Date, a much-loved TV format that was once on ITV but has now been Only in Britain could we be forced by law to shell out for a home-grown broadcasting service, only to find the best TV shows are increasingly made by largely foreign-owned streamers Rod Yeah, that's right, Disney+. Paying through nose Years ago, the subscription services started out providing an alternative to traditional telly, then they began copying the traditional providers and, recently, they've started stealing their big-name talent — Jeremy Clarkson, Emma Willis, Amanda Holden, Holly Willoughby. Now the Blind Date deal shows that the super streamers are literally out to thrash the Big Five at their own game. The gloves have come off . . . but the increased competition won't stop us paying through the nose. Only in Britain could we be forced by law to shell out for a home-grown broadcasting service, only to find the best TV shows are increasingly made by largely foreign-owned streamers. Then — in the ultimate rip-off — we have to cough up even more money to watch them. That's the enraging situation we find ourselves in in the year 2025. Although there are some notable exceptions on the BBC , ITV and Channel 4, the consensus is that subscription services are now making the most electrifying programmes on the planet. Brassic Bids Farewell: Michelle Keegan's Final Series Think about it. Dramas including Adolescence, Baby Reindeer, Rivals, The White Lotus, Slow Horses. And consider the shows that have given us the biggest laughs over the past few years — hits like Last One Laughing, None of the above was delivered by the traditional Big Five terrestrials. So, why can't the channels we already pay for make more of the TV that gets us excited? The obvious response from the top UK channels would be that they are still giving us blockbusters — Strictly, I'm A Celebrity , Bake Off, The Traitors, Love Island and dramas like Happy Valley or Mr Bates Vs The Post Office . 5 Last One Laughing, on Amazon Prime Video, has been giving us more laughs than anything on the traditional Big Five terrestrials Credit: Supplied 5 Why can't the channels we already pay for make more of the TV that gets us excited like Brassic? Credit: Sky UK Limited. They are all, to be fair, brilliant. But so much of it is old now. It's predictable. And the new hits are few and far between. Though the streamers obviously have pots of cash to spend, it's not just a money problem either. Look no further than the recent co-production between Disney+ and the BBC on Doctor Who. It's easy to understand why other shows that are laden with CGI and big Hollywood stars end up on the streamers, but why is it that comedies like Ted Lasso never seem to pop up on ITV? Rod It was, by most people's standards, an unmitigated disaster. The studio giant pumped millions into cutting-edge special effects, sets that dazzled rather than wobbled and genuinely monstrous monsters. And what did the BBC do? They squandered it by turning a sci-fi classic into a series of woke lectures that had viewers turning off in droves. Now the Disney+ deal is hanging in the balance and they're having to bring back David Tennant. It's easy to understand why other shows that are laden with CGI and big Hollywood stars end up on the streamers, but why is it that comedies like Ted Lasso never seem to pop up on ITV? ITV, by the way, recently spent millions launching The Genius Game, with And the one thing I thought while watching the brilliant, gritty drama Adolescence was, this could easily have been done by Channel 4. Neither Adolescence nor Ted Lasso would have cost that much to produce, surely? It's not Star Wars or Bridgerton. Pure extortion Part of the problem, it seems, is that a lot of creatives and execs now don't just chase the money — they also chase trends and credibility. At last month's TV Baftas, around a third of the nominations went to streamers — a figure that's been growing rapidly over the past decade. That, too, could reach a tipping point in a couple of years. The solution is glaringly obvious, but not easy. If Disney+ steal Blind Date, come up with the next Blind Date. If they lose Clarkson to Prime Video, find the next Jeremy. If Netflix do Bridgerton, come up with another twist on the period drama. They need to stop the rot in terrestrial telly, because one day a cluster of these streamers will start offering a one-price-buys-all subscription deal that will make the licence fee look like pure extortion. Then public service broadcasting's days really will be numbered.


The Irish Sun
8 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
I tested budget slushie makers against £350 Ninja gadget – a £10 high street dupe is just as good & the kids'll love it
WHEN the sun comes out, so do the pleas from kids for ice creams, slushies and sugary summer treats. With school holidays around the corner and temperatures finally set to climb, frozen drinks become a household essential. Advertisement 9 The Sun's Lynsey Hope puts slushie makers to the test while Fabulous Food Editor Kirsty Spence has two great recipes Credit: Oliver Dixon But after concerns over Enter Ninja's Slushi. The sleek, high-end gadget went viral, with foodie influencers around the world showing off their bar-quality frozen cocktails and perfectly textured slushies. The hashtag #ninjaslushie has already racked up more than 15,000 TikTok videos. Advertisement read more on fabulous It has launched in the UK just in time for the sunshine. But at nearly £350, this machine is anything but cheap. So, is it worth the hype, or can budget-friendly versions deliver the chill for less? Lynsey Hope puts them to the test while Fabulous Food Editor Kirsty Spence has two great recipes. NINJA SLUSHIE FROZEN DRINKS MAKER, £349.99, THE first thing that hits you is the price – and then the size. Advertisement Most read in Fabulous Exclusive This is a huge appliance and even getting it out of the box was a mission. 9 The Ninja Slushie Maker is huge but easy to use Credit: Oliver Dixon But it is very easy to use. Just add your ingredients to the plastic vessel and choose what type of drink you would like on the control panel. Mum shares genius hack to make slushies for your kids in seconds Unlike other slushie makers, this one doesn't need ice. The compressor in the machine cools the ingredients as it churns away. Advertisement Once your drink is ready, it will keep it cold for up to 12 hours. You do have to keep it running, though, and it is not silent. I was very impressed with the drinks that came out. The texture of the frozen cocktail was restaurant or bar quality, although you do have to select the right temperature. Even simple tropical fruit juice and cola came out as a perfect slushy for kids. Advertisement The recipe booklet was really helpful to get you started. Any drinks you add to the machine do need at least 5g of sugar per 100ml. If you want to make diet drinks you must add erythritol – a sweetener – which you can buy online or at supermarkets. It is £3.35 for 250g at Tesco. You also need lemon juice and salt but the instructions in the manual are easy to follow. Advertisement I loved it. The only downside is the size. You need a decent bit of counter space if you want it out all the time and as it is so big, it is hard to store. The main drinks vessel was also quite hard to clean by hand but it can go in the dishwasher. Rating: 4/5 CHILLFACTOR SLUSHY MAKER, £9.99, IF you only need a single serving, this is a great option and especially fun for kids. But it does require a bit of prep. Advertisement You have to put the cup in the freezer for eight to ten hours before you want to make your slushie. 9 Chillfactor slushie cup is especially fun for kids Credit: Oliver Dixon Then simply add a chilled drink of your choice until the cup becomes two-thirds full, screw the lid on and squeeze the cup. It was pretty easy to do, although my younger daughter did need a bit of help with this step as some of the liquid spilled over the top. Advertisement But this simple process freezes your drink into a thick, slushie texture in about a minute. The children were amazed by how easy it was and loved that they could do it themselves. 9 The cup freezes your drink into a thick, slushie texture in about a minute Credit: Oliver Dixon They thought they were getting a cafe-quality slushy at home and yet I could make it healthier, with fruit options and less sugar. Advertisement You cannot put the cup in the dishwasher, although it is easy to wash by hand. You really need to keep it in the freezer so it is always ready to go when you need it. I found it took up quite a lot of freezer space. The serving size is also limited. But if you don't want a bulky appliance and want something cheap, this is a fun and wallet-friendly alternative. Advertisement Rating: 4/5 LIVIVO ELECTRIC ICE CRUSHER, £39.99, MARGARITAS came out watery and the cola slushies were flat after adding a can of it and some ice. The steel blades did a great job of chopping up the ice. 9 The Livivo ice crusher didn't blend the drink too well Credit: Oliver Dixon Advertisement But the ice and liquid didn't really blend properly when I poured it out of the machine. It only took a minute, but I'd rather wait a bit longer and get something drinkable. None of it can go in the dishwasher, either, and it was a right faff to wash by hand. While quick and relatively compact to store, it is also very noisy to use. Advertisement It probably made around four small cups in one go. For nearly £40, I did not think much of it. Rating: 3/5 SLUSH PUPPIE SLUSHY MACHINE, £34.99, I ALWAYS wanted this as a child and now in my forties, I was still pretty excited to try it out. Advertisement Sadly, my childhood dreams were crushed and I was left disappointed. 9 The Slush Puppy slushie maker was nothing like you would get from a machine in a cafe Credit: Oliver Dixon All the slushies that came out of this were very watery and didn't have the blended, icy texture I had been hoping for. It was nothing like you would get from a machine in a cafe, or what I remember as a kid. Advertisement And it was pretty noisy to use, although it only took a minute or two to prepare as the plastic mixer quickly ground through the ice. There are two settings so you can have the ice fine or coarse. Both were too runny, leaving large uneven chunks in the drinks. It was easy to clean and relatively compact to store, especially compared to the Ninja. Advertisement Rating: 2/5 ANDREW JAMES ICE CRUSHER SLUSH MACHINE, £32.99, HERE is a super-quick and convenient way to make an icy drink. All you have to do is add ice to the compartment at the top and this is then crushed into the liquid in the main blending container at the simple press of a button. 9 The Andrew James slushie maker is cheap and simple but very average Credit: Oliver Dixon Advertisement Quick and easy to do but the quality of the drink wasn't a patch on those from the Ninja. They were on the watery side and lacked the thick, slushie-like texture. I tried adding shaved ice afterwards but it didn't blend in very well and spoilt my enjoyment. The kids still liked it. Having a slushie at home was a real winner, even though it wasn't perfectly blended. Advertisement Simple, wallet-friendly but very average. Rating: 3/5 LYNSEY'S VERDICT: IT'S A DRAW MOST of us don't have £350 to spend on a whopping great machine, or a place to store it. So while the Ninja was brilliant, the ChillFactor cup is fun for the kids and costs less than a tenner. Advertisement 9 Find out where Lynsey thinks you should spend your money Credit: Oliver Dixon It would make a great gift if you have lots of parties over the summer and it comes in a lovely range of colours. If the Ninja was cheaper it would definitely be a winner. But I had to knock a point off because it is so bulky and takes up so much room in my already jam-packed kitchen. Advertisement The bonus is that it can also make cocktails and frappes for the grown-ups, which would be difficult with the ChillFactor cup. If you spend a lot on these overall, it might be a worthy investment. Two iced coffees a week at £4 a go would cost you £416, so it might save money if you spend a lot on iced drinks out and about. But if all you are after is a bit of fun on a hot day, the ChillFactor is a brilliant and affordable option. Advertisement FROSE 9 A Forse mixes Sparkling Rosé, Martini Fiero, and lemon juice Credit: Paragon Brands Serves 1 YOU NEED: 60ml Martini Sparkling Rosé 15ml Martini Fiero 30ml water 30ml sugar syrup 30ml freshly squeezed lemon juice METHOD : Add the ingredients to the slushie machine until blended. Advertisement Garnish the drink with a dried grapefruit slice. Pina colada Serves 1 YOU NEED: 50ml Bacardi coconut rum 37.5ml Coco Real 37.5ml pineapple juice METHOD : Combine all ingredients in the machine and blend. Advertisement Serve in a highball glass, garnished with a pineapple wedge plus a 'cherry flag' – a cherry and orange slice on a cocktail stick. Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club.