
Myleene Klass admits she broke down in tears during 'feisty and fearless' daughter Ava's graduation ceremony as she recalls her 'lonely and fearful' journey as a single mother
The presenter, 47, beamed with pride as talented pianist Ava, 17, graduated from the prestigious Royal Academy Of Music over the weekend.
Myleene raises Ava and daughter Hero, 13, from her former marriage to Graham Quinn and son Apollo, five, with her fiancé Simon Motson.
She was initially forced to raise her two eldest children alone after Quinn walked out on the presenter on her 35th birthday in 2013, just two years after their wedding.
Recalling her early struggles in a lengthy Instagram tribute to Ava, Myleene admitted she felt 'lonely, fearful and as though the world was against her' as she adapted to life on her own.
Accompanying her post with a handful of graduation photos, Myleene stunned in a black gown which featured cream fabric pleats - a dress she reused from her appearance at the Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning global film premiere in London in May.
Meanwhile Ava, who attended the Royal Academy Of Music, cut a classic display in a red fitted floor-length gown which featured a meter long train.
'My daughter Ava has finally graduated high school,' she wrote. 'I haven't cried so much in ages. It's because I know our journey.
'And because of this, I wanted to acknowledge today in particular, the single Mamas (I know there are single dads but I can only speak from my own experience).
'Like you, there were days bringing up Ava (and Hero) where it felt the world was fighting against us and I was very much on my own.
'We have an amazing community around us but as a single mum when they were so young, the fear, the loneliness, the decision making, the mental load before everything else is considered, can really overwhelm.
'There were people who wanted to see me fail and to them as well as the majority who wanted to see us win, thank you for spurring me on.'
She added: 'Today is recognition of what we have achieved, I had no intention of failing my children. Ava, I have single handedly grafted so that you might have the best I could give you and you have in turn risen up and grabbed everything with gusto, determination and resilience.
'You are fiesty, fearless and stronger than I could have ever imagined yet soft, loving and kind in equal measure.
'In the days I wondered where I would get the strength, it came from my girls. When they worry about me and how much I take on, I remind them, I'm forged from the fire. Single Mamas, I see you and so do our babies. Well done, keep on keeping on x
'And to my eldest daughter, my Ava bear, my day one, my forever love, thank you for choosing me to be your Mama.
'You are talented, smart, intuitive and an exceptional human being. My sun rises and sets with you. Go out and see the world on your terms babygirl. Just remember to come home every once in a while to tell Mama all about it. X
'Klass of 2025, Dismissed'
Ava has previously showcased her incredible musical abilities as she appeared alongside her mother on Good Morning Britain to play the cello in 2023.
Myleene explained she was 'so proud' of her daughter as they delivered a stunning piano performance of The Pogues' Fairytale Of New York on the breakfast show.
Showing that she's inherited her mother's classical talents, Ava impressed with the moving cello performance, with Myleene admitting it made her feel 'emotional.'
Ava said: 'I always wanted to be like her [Myleene] I'd dress like her and want to play like her. I am getting emotional; I am so proud.'
The pair's performance was praised by viewers, with one posting: 'Is it only me that gets emotional watching parents performing with their kids awww. I think it's priceless (heart melting).'
A second added: 'Absolutely beautiful and heartwarming.'
The star previously shared that Ava sat her cello diploma at the age of 14, and earned herself a place at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music.
Writing on Instagram, she said: 'Proud Mum alert. Today @pianos_our_forte took her Cello Diploma exam. (She'll kill me for saying this, but for context, muso's usually take their Grade 8's at 16 (she took 2 at 12) and Diplomas at 17/18, she's taking two at 14),' Myleene wrote alongside snaps of her and Ava outside the examination room.
'She is phenomenally dedicated, super talented and conscientious, but ultimately, this girl is kind.'
'I couldn't be more proud of her and cheering her on, driving her to her exams and sobbing as I sit in the waiting room hearing her play her heart out is nothing short of a privilege,' the proud mum gushed.
Myleene then revealed that 'Ava's joining @royalacademyofmusic in a few weeks and we'll be there cheering her on every step of the way.'
Myleene explained she was 'so proud' of her daughter as they delivered a stunning piano performance of The Pogues' Fairytale Of New York on the breakfast show
The pair's performance was praised by viewers, with one posting: 'Is it only me that gets emotional watching parents performing with their kids awww'
Myleene previously shared that Ava sat her cello diploma at the age of 14 , and earned herself a place at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music
'To the people who think Ava's amazing because I can play the piano, I can only help, I can't play it for her! This is her achievement.
'To the kids out there sacrificing their time in practice rooms, feeling the frustration, the worry of extra exams the blisters on their fingers and the mums ferrying them around, I see you.'
'You are part of the best tribe ever. You've taken the harder route but we're here for the Marathon, not the sprint. Muso's rock.'
In March 2023, Myleene also shared her pride as Ava performed at her 'first official concert' with Martin Clunes.
The proud mum captured parts of the talented teens rehearsals and the show for the Royal Academy of Music which included the Doc Martin actor, 61.
Myleene said Ava 'absolutely smashed' her performance and 'forgets she is only 15' as the dedicated teenager took her Grade 8 piano exam when she was only 12-years-old.
She penned: 'My babygirl @pianos_our_forte played her first official concert for the @royalacademyofmusic this weekend.'
The presenter joked she got to play 'momager' for the weekend as she steamed her daughters dress for the occasion and took her to rehearsals.
She continued: 'I got to play 'Momager' sticking music together, driving Ava to rehearsals and steaming her dress.
'She absolutely smashed it playing one of two monster pianos with #MiaWepener, #DorsetChamberOrchestra and #MartinClunes narrating. Musical Director of pianos, @duncanhoneybourne
'Watching her play, it's easy to forget she's still only 15. Most take grade 8 in their late teens. She took two at 12 and then a diploma.'
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Daily Mail
31 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
The Salt Path author Raynor Winn ADMITS 'deep regret' over mistakes relating to embezzlement allegations - but says she is 'devastated' by accusations her husband Moth's illness is fabricated after ba
The Salt Path author Raynor Winn has admitted she has 'deep regret' over mistakes made that led to allegations she embezzled £64,000 from a former employer. In a bombshell statement, the best-selling writer claimed she was working during a 'pressured time' when errors were being made across the business. Winn, however, denied allegations the financial dispute with ex-boss Martin Hemmings had any relation to the story told in The Salt Path. She claimed the 'bad investment' with a lifetime friend that prompted the couple to lose their home related to an entirely separate legal case. It follows days of backlash against Winn's 2018 memoir - which has been accused of not being as 'unflinchingly honest' as initially billed. Nevertheless Winn has maintained the account given The Salt Path is accurate and described the allegations against her as 'grotesquely unfair' and 'misleading'. The author, who has sold more than two million copies of her book, also said today she had been left 'devastated' by accusations her husband's illness was fabricated. Winn said: 'The dispute with Martin Hemmings, referred to in the Observer by his wife, is not the court case in The Salt Path. 'Nor did it result in us losing our home. Mr Hemmings is not Cooper. Mrs Hemmings is not in the book, nor is she a relative of someone who is. Following an investigation into their backgrounds, The Observer said that The Salt Path's protagonists, Raynor Winn (right) and her husband, Moth Winn (left), could have misled fans The Winns with Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs, the stars of the recent film adaptation. It has been claimed that the couple may have made millions from the book and movie 'I worked for Martin Hemmings in the years before the economic crash of 2008. For me it was a pressured time. 'It was also a time when mistakes were being made in the business. Any mistakes I made during the years in that office, I deeply regret, and I am truly sorry.' To combat the backlash against Moth's illness, Raynor shared images of three clinic letters, which she claims proves he has been receiving treatment for years. 'With Moth's permission, and on the advice of his neurologist, I am releasing excerpts from three clinic letters, showing he is treated for CBD/S and has been for many years,' the author wrote on her Instagram account. 'This is deeply personal information that no-one should ever be forced to share, but we feel we have no choice in the face of this unbelievably hurtful false narrative,' she added. Winn has been accused of omitting key elements of her story in her account of losing her home before embarking on a trek of the South West Coast Path. In the book, Winn said she and her husband Moth lost a fortune - and their home in Wales - due to a bad investment in a friend's business. But an investigation carried out by The Observer uncovered allegations she had in fact embezzled £64,000 from a former employer and was allegedly arrested. A loan was then allegedly taken out to avoid prosecution and when this was not paid their home was sold, it has been claimed. Moth Winn has been living with an illness for 18 years with no apparent visible symptoms that medical experts claim would require round-the-clock care within 12 years. Raynor Winn at home in Cornwall. She has become a huge success since her book's release, including two more books Ros Hemmings said she had been left upset by details in Raynor Winn's book and the subsequent film adaptation The Winns at a gala screening of The Salt Path film in Newquay, Cornwall earlier this year It has also emerged that the couple's real names are Sally and Tim Walker and they apparently owned a property near Bordeaux in France all along. Last night, Richard Osman said the couple could face financial repercussions if they have lied. He said 'a bomb would have gone off' at the publisher after the Observer's investigation claimed that husband's illness and events that led to the couple losing their home were untrue or exaggerated. Penguin Random House is the publisher of Mr Osman's Thursday Murder Club series, which is being made into a movie series by director Steven Spielberg. Speaking on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast with co-host Marina Hyde, he said the publisher could take legal action because Raynor and Moth Winn will have signed contracts confirming their memoirs were truthful. He said: 'People are going to be very, very hurt. I suggest there'll be some legal issues if these things do turn out to be not true. 'I think that probably you try and claw back some of the money that you've passed over. I don't know this particular contract. The contract would normally be that they have guaranteed that everything, in this piece is truthful'. Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs in the film adaptation of The Salt Path, which was released in May this year Marina Hyde said that Penguin Random House could end up giving the money to build a 'new neurology wing' and both predicted that the creditors could be called in again for the Winns. Richard Osman suggested that the couple may have got around £30,000 up front for The Salt Path before any profits from sales of more than two million copies worldwide. But the film released this year starring A-listers Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs would have been worth three to four million pound, he said. Richard added: 'One assumes, by the way, that the cheques got sent to Tim and Sally Walker, but that's another thing'. Penguin Random House said today it had taken all 'the necessary due diligence' before releasing The Salt Path. In a statement issued to BBC News, the publisher said: 'Penguin (Michael Joseph) published the Salt Path in 2018 and, like many readers, we were moved and inspired by Raynor's story and its message of hope. 'Penguin undertook all the necessary pre-publication due diligence, including a contract with an author warranty about factual accuracy, and a legal read, as is standard with most works of non-fiction.' It came as a healthcare charity dropped the author of The Salt Path after claims were made about her husband's illness and an allegation that she stole £64,000 from a former employer. PSPA said it was 'shocked and disappointed' about the allegations that were reported against Raynor and Moth Winn, which had 'taken everyone by surprise'. It was also announced yesterday that Raynor had pulled out of the upcoming Saltlines tour that would have seen her perform readings alongside the Gigspanner Big Band. Following an investigation into their backgrounds, The Observer said that The Salt Path's protagonists, Raynor Winn and her husband, Moth, previously went by their less flamboyant legal names, Sally and Tim Walker. And rather than being forced out of their home in rural Wales when an investment in a childhood friend's business went awry, as the book suggested, it is alleged that the property was repossessed after Winn stole tens of thousands of pounds from a former employer and was arrested. When the couple failed to repay a loan taken out with a relative to repay the stolen money - agreed on terms that the police would not be further involved - they lost their home, it is claimed. A spokeswoman for the Winns on Sunday night told the Mail that the allegations made in the Sunday newspaper were 'highly misleading'. Their statement added: 'The Salt Path lays bare the physical and spiritual journey Moth and I shared, an experience that transformed us completely and altered the course of our lives. This is the true story of our journey.' When asked to specify which allegations were misleading or factually inaccurate, the spokesman declined to comment further but said that the couple were taking legal advice. Questions have also been raised about Moth's debilitating illness, corticobasal degeneration [CBD], a rare neurological condition in the same family as Parkinson's disease, which is central to the book. The life expectancy for sufferers after diagnosis is around six to eight years, according to the NHS - however Moth has been living with the condition for 18 years with no apparent visible symptoms. As part of The Observer's investigation, a number of neurologists specialising in CBD were contacted, with one telling the newspaper that his history with the illness 'does not pass the sniff test'. It is suggested that anyone suffering from CBD for longer than 12 years would need round-the-clock care. Released in 2018, The Salt Path details the Winns' decision to embark on the South West Coast Path when they lose their home after investing a 'substantial sum' into a friend's business which ultimately failed. In the book, Winn writes: 'We lost. Lost the case. Lost the house.' The memoir then describes their subsequent 630-mile walk to salvation, wild camping en route and living on around £40 per week, and is described as a 'life-affirming true story of coming to terms with grief and the healing power of the natural world.' It prompted two sequels and the film adaptation, which was released in May, starring The X Files' Anderson and Isaacs, who recently starred in HBO's The White Lotus. The Winns posed for photographs alongside the actors on the red carpet in London at the film's premiere.


The Review Geek
2 hours ago
- The Review Geek
Under a Dark Sun – Season 1 Episode 1 Recap & Review
A Little Detour Episode 1 of Under a Dark Sun starts with a woman called Alba hurriedly leaving her partner. Bundling into the car with her son Leo, the pair drive off into the night. Unfortunately, Alba's idea of a fresh start is not quite so simple. She doesn't have a job, she has no family to fall back on and her account is overdrawn too. As we later find out, she also has a criminal record and she has barely any food. Alba may have found a lifeline in the form of a seasonal job working as a Flower Harvester. She receives an email, encouraging her to show up for the preliminary meeting, but there's a problem. When Alba shows, the interviewer is seemingly unaware of who she is. However, he's certainly rattled when he sees the email is addressed from himself, Arnaud Lasserre. He eventually agrees to take her on, but the reasons for doing so are still unclear right now. Valentin is tasked with showing her the ropes on the estate, but Alba is completely unprepared. Her son is still in her car and he's concerned. Alba is hoping that three weeks worth of work will be enough to save up and get out of France and jet for Barcelona. It's hard work, and Alba is very much an outsider here. She doesn't speak Arabic like the others, and Arnaud is threatened by her presence. He confronts her and demands she meet in the field the next day. Alba is given accommodation though in the form of a bungalow, but it's also rigged with cameras too. She's watched while she converses with Leo, practicing their Spanish and generally getting along well. Before work, Alba heads out to meet Arnaud Lasserre but instead, she finds him lying on the ground, bleeding out. It appears he's been stabbed in the gut… but by who? Alba packs her stuff, preparing to leave, but the police get there first. They want to take her statement down at the station and there's no getting around this. To make matters worse, they also dig into her past and find her criminal record. Back then she was an addict and charged with violence, theft and drug abuse. One of the employees also saw her fleeing the scene, so it doesn't look good. The detective also has surveillance footage of Alba racing away, eyewitness reports from her chat with Lasserre the previous day, and obviously her past record too. None of this puts her in a particularly good position. To complicate matters, Lasserre's Will reveals a massive shock. It turns out Arnaud actually has 4 children, not 3. And the fourth? Yep, you guessed it – it's Alba! She's taken aback and refuses to believe this. Unfortunately, from the outside it definitely looks like a great motive for murder. However, the Will also states that if someone is involved in a murder then they're not granted anything. This means that if the courts find Alba guilty, she won't be entitled to any of the inheritance. Thankfully, Alba isn't alone here. She's joined by a lawyer called Manon Simoni, who shows up to to help Alba. Now, without a murder weapon, some flimsy photos and a poor witness statement from the family, who can't be trusted (we'll get to that in a minute), Alba's prospects are made a little better. It turns out the Lasserre family are not squeaky clean. In fact they lied about what happened. The day before the murder, the entire family gathered for Maison Oris, one of the biggest perfumers. They showed up, wanting to buy the estate to get exclusive access to the roses. While they would offer a good pay-day, the Lasserre family would be allowed to keep running the farm. However, Arnaud is too proud to let his business go and refuses to sell, much to the shock and anger of his family. That means that one of the family actually have a motive, and Manon knows this because she's actually Arnaud's granddaughter. Alba is eventually released from custody, and she returns to Leo. She definitely doesn't trust Manon though, but she wants to help and find out the truth. Manon is convinced they can prove she's been framed, but that obviously stems from finding evidence – and that's not going to be easy with these people. Well, you'd think anyway. In the next scene, one of the siblings, Lucie, finds the murder weapon is found in a zipped up bag in the back of the toilet, much to her shock. At Arnaud's funeral, his wife Beatrice uses ChatGPT to write a eulogy and doesn't look particularly bothered by his death. In fact, she opens the casket, looks at him and scoffs, walking out and calling it a joke. Whether she's actually part of this or just a red herring though, is unclear right now. With the family out and busy, Alba manages to hack into the computers in the office, where she finds a whole folder with her name on, including a ton of different pictures. Unfortunately, she can't pry too much further because an error message flashes up, deleting everything as a safety precaution. With the funeral ended, Alba races out but unfortunately, she's clocked upside the head outside by someone. We don't see who it is but when Alba wakes up, she finds herself in a casket with a lighter, buried alive with Arnaud. The Episode Review Under a Dark Sun gets things off to a tense and lively start, with a couple of well-worked twists, some interesting characters and a premise that's certainly very moreish. This Lasserre family are obviously full of secrets and it's still unclear exactly who sent that email over to Alba. Was it actually Arnaud or one of the siblings enticing her to come over so they can frame her? There's also the point of contention surrounding the surveillance footage too, as someone was watching her in this bungalow. I'm guessing Arnaud wanted to see her before work to explain that he's her father and question why she's really there, then got into a spat with one of the family, who shot him to keep him quiet. Right now though, we don't know for certain. However, this is shaping up to be a decent little murder mystery. Roll on the next episode! Next Episode Expect A Full Season Write-Up When This Season Concludes!


Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Diana Ross, 81, looks ethereal in custom-made flowing white gown as Motown legend opens the Henley Festival
Diana Ross looked ethereal as she kicked off this year's Henley Festival with a performance on Wednesday evening. The American icon, 81, had been booked to grace the stage at the British festival after performing a series of dates across the UK on her own tour earlier this month. And Diana proved age is just a number as she put on an incredible show featuring some of her greatest Motown records including Stop! In the Name of Love, Chain Reaction and I'm Coming Out. The Detroit-born songstress initially took to the stage in a sensational white dress as she performed in front of thousands of adoring fans. She later changed into an eye-catching glitzy black number, while flailing an extravagant golden cloak around with her on-stage. Diana kicked off her British tour on June 22 at Birmingham 's BP Pulse Live before performing a further five shows, finishing at London's 02 arena last week. Ahead of the tour Diana revealed she was planning a host of dazzling outfit changes in order to wow fans. All of the gowns she's worn on tour, including the two Diana donned at this week's Henley Festival, have been custom-made for the singer, who has personally designed each one with the help of a seamstress. She too collaborated with the designer on the eye-catching gown she wore at the Met Gala earlier this year, which paid tribute to her children. The American singer has eight grandchildren and five children, including her daughter Rhonda, 53, who often travels with her on tour. Diana looked sensational in the floor-grazing white gown complete with a feather-boa-trimmed cape on the evening, which marked her first appearance at the event in 20 years. Determined to pay homage to all her children and grandchildren on fashion's biggest night of the year, Diana had all their names sewn onto the glamorous gown. 'My son Evan and a young designer, Ugo Mozie, and I collaborated on the gown and cloak that I wore, we wanted something meaningful,' she explained. 'The 18-foot train stretches across generations with the names of my adult children and grandchildren beautifully embroidered on it, it's beaded and has crystals— the details celebrate my family and our love.' In a later interview with The Mirror, the 81-year-old gushed about the importance of family. 'My family is really my greatest joy and blessing,' she said. 'Rhonda travels with me on tour. My five children really take care of their mum.' Diana shares Rhonda with Motown legend Berry Geordy, with the pair welcoming her in 1971. Later that same year, she married her first husband, music executive Robert Ellis Silberstein, and they had two more daughters: Tracee, 52, and Chudney, 49. She split from Robert in 1977 and went on to marry Norwegian mountaineer Arne Naess Jr. in 1986. The former couple welcomed sons Ross, 37, and Evan, 36. Born in Detroit's Brewster-Douglass Housing Project, America's first federally funded housing for African Americans, Diana was one of six children and grew up singing at family parties and in a Baptist church gospel choir. But her life changed forever when she met Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson in early 1959. The three girls, along with Betty McGlown, formed The Primettes, an all-girl singing group. The trio auditioned for the fledgling Motown label, and in January 1961, they were eventually signed as The Supremes. By 1965, they had racked up five consecutive number-one hits with popular tunes such as Baby Love and Stop! In the Name of Love. However, in 1967, the band's name changed to Diana Ross and The Supremes before she went solo three years later.