‘It's Northern Ireland's Loose Women': Meet the fab four whose show has topped charts
Shannon Mitchell on joy of making show with fellow hosts Diona Doherty, Jordan Arnold and Olivia McVeigh
A Belfast online content creator who is part of a podcast billed as Northern Ireland's Loose Women has said she is 'overwhelmed' at its huge success since its launch earlier this year.
In less than three months, the Girls Groupchat Podcast, featuring Q radio host Jordan Arnold, writer, comic and actor Diona Doherty, make-up artist, alopecia and women's health advocate Olivia McVeigh, and TikTok influencer Shannon Mitchell, has shot up the Spotify charts, even bagging the number one trending spot in the UK.
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Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Telegraph
Eight surprising food combinations that really do work
Once upon a time, sweet-and-salty was about as wild as flavour combinations got. But our palates have come a long way. Scientists now know flavour isn't just about taste. It's shaped by texture, temperature, memory and even expectation. Which might explain why TikTok is full of people dropping jalapeños into sauvignon blanc. I'm partial to a spicy margarita, so I gave the fiery wine trend a go and I loved the mild, tingly chilli edge in every mouthful. Dua Lipa also approves of a chilli-spiked drink: the singer-songwriter's cocktail of Diet Coke, pickle juice and jalapenos went viral recently. Other surprising flavour combinations work beautifully, too, so we asked our favourite chefs to recommend the 'odd' pairings they love. Some you might adore already, others might seem a fad too far – but if you're game to try them, you'll be in for a treat. Miso paste and sugar Funky fermented Japanese miso paste famously adds depth to savoury dishes but is a revelation in sweet things, too. 'Miso is naturally sweet and rich in umami,' explains Neil Campbell, executive chef at Ottolenghi Restaurants. 'Pairing miso and sugar together smooths out its harsh sweetness, enhancing the complex sweet-savoury sensation.' Campbell uses a touch of miso to make rich fudge for his restaurants, as well as in praline, a hard caramel that he crumbles and sprinkles over grilled leeks, each enhancing the other's flavours. How to try it Bake Liam Charles's sweet and umami-rich milk chocolate biscuit bar with miso caramel. Chilli and chocolate Chocolate and chilli parked in the same bowl dates back millennia in Mexico: the fruity heat of chillies complements the bitter richness of chocolate perfectly. Mexican chef Santiago Lastra adores the combination, which features in an iced dessert at his London restaurant, Fonda. 'The combination of high-quality chocolate sorbet with the smoky aromas and depth of spice coming from the smoked chillies draws attention to this unusual combination,' he says. 'It's a next-level, indulgent dessert.' How to try it Use a pinch of chilli powder in Georgina Hayden's spiced dark chocolate and chilli tart. Avocado and matcha This odd couple is served with tuna tartare at abc kitchens at The Emory, the newest restaurant by French chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. 'Though the pairing may seem unlikely,' he admits, 'the earthy, slightly bitter notes of matcha beautifully contrast with the creamy richness of avocado, creating a complex yet balanced flavour profile.' It also offers a double dose of healthy: matcha, a form of green tea, is high in antioxidants, while avocado is brimming with healthy fats. How to try it Embrace this nourishing and unusual duo by adding a scoopful of matcha powder and the flesh of half a ripe avocado to your favourite smoothie Strawberries and balsamic vinegar This duo hails from Italy, the home of balsamic vinegar. 'The combination works well because the natural sweetness of the strawberries is cut through by the acidity of the balsamic,' says Robert Homer, head chef of London's Story Cellar restaurant. The syrupy vinegar also provides lovely textural contrast with the juicy strawberry flesh. For an extra flourish, Homer suggests adding basil leaves. 'It adds a floral hint in the back of the palate. Delicious.' How to try it In a salad of burrata with balsamic strawberries, basil and mint Sweetcorn and coffee These sweet and bitter flavours are contented bedfellows according to Jesse Wells, head chef at The Larderhouse in Bournemouth. He teams ice cream made from sweetcorn juice with coffee-infused oil. 'The roasted coffee oil provides hazelnut notes and bitterness plus a real savoury note that just works against the sweetness,' he says. How to try it Try whipping butter with a splash of very strong cold espresso and serve with corn on the cob, ideally roasted on the barbecue in the husk for smoky notes. Ice cream and olive oil Dua Lipa is also fond, apparently, of olive oil and vanilla ice cream and here she's spot on. Fruity, grassy extra-virgin olive oil poured over vanilla (or chocolate) ice cream enhances its sweetness and adds an extra layer of flavour, says Helen Graves, author of BBQ Days BBQ Nights (Hardie Grant, £22). 'There's also something pleasurable about combining two different types of fat in this way,' says Graves. 'The cold vanilla ice cream mixing with the velvety, tongue-coating oil full of grassy, peppery notes sounds odd, but it's a very luxurious experience,' she says. How to try it Follow Graves' recipe for burnt meringue, vanilla ice cream and olive oil, a dish she makes to 'blow people's minds' Cauliflower and maple syrup Huh? But also, yum. Jack Chapman, head chef at The Bath Arms in Horningsham, serves deep-fried 'popcorn' cauliflower with a chilli-spiked maple syrup sauce. 'Pairing maple syrup with cauliflower really elevates the earthiness of this vegetable,' he explains. 'It's a great flavour combination and a different take on a classic sweet and sour.' How to try it To make Chapman's sauce, combine cider vinegar, sriracha and maple syrup in a pan and simmer for 15 minutes until thickened. Whisk in butter (it can be vegan if you like) and season to taste before serving with roast or deep-fried cauliflower florets. And a festive idea to bank... Mince pies and cheese Eccles cakes are traditionally served with a chunk of Lancashire cheese – another pairing Wells loves, but in a different form. 'The intensely sweet mincemeat and pastry work incredibly well with the sharp savoury cheese. It's brilliant at Christmas, late at night, when you're standing at the fridge and probably shouldn't eat any more.' How to try it Save this seasonal treat for wintry days. 'Grab a mince pie, take the lid off, stick a lump of strong cheddar inside and go for it,' says Wells. Weird food combos we'd sooner skip The social media trends that should never have seen the light of day... Bananas dipped in tomato ketchup Supposedly favoured by Beyoncé, but too saccharine for our taste. Peanut butter and jam sandwiches with Wotsits Hollywood actor Channing Tatum purportedly stuffs his PBJ sandwiches with Cheetos (the American equivalent of our cheesy puffs), turning an already questionable combination into a dusty monstrosity. Sausages and Nutella Peperami dunked into the chocolate hazelnut spread then washed down with a glass of milk is a TikTok favourite for its marriage of spice, sweetness and cool creaminess. A UPF too far. Mayonnaise and Oreos Mayo replaces the buttercream filling in the biscuits. The colour might be right but the tang of the condiment is all wrong. Pickles and peanut butter
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Freddy Brazier 'missing from brother Bobby's birthday party' amid family drama
Freddy Brazier's dad, Jeff, has reportedly taken legal action against the 20-year-old's nan, Jackiey Budden - who is Jade Goody's mum - in a bid to 'keep him safe' Freddy Brazier failed to turn up to his brother Bobby's birthday yesterday - according to reports - amid rumours of a feud in the family. Freddy, 20, is said to be living at his nan, Jackiey Budden's house, despite doting dad, Jeff Brazier, reportedly taking legal action against Jade Goody's mum in a bid to 'protect' his youngest son. On the weekend, Freddy appeared to defy his dad by posting a TikTok video of himself and Jackiey larking around in the sunshine in her garden in South London. And now it's been reported that he skipped his older brother Bobby's 22nd birthday on Monday. The Sun reports there was "sadness" at the bash after Freddy failed to appear, with a source claiming that Bobby spent the day with dad and stepmum, Kate. They reportedly said: "Bobby celebrated his birthday with dad Jeff and step mum Kate over the weekend. It was a really nice family occasion, but everyone really missed Freddie." Freddy was just four years old and his EastEnders actor brother Bobby was five when their mother Jade tragically died from cervical cancer in 2009. They have been raised by their doting dad, Jeff, who heartbreakingly admitted he didn't see much of his youngest son when the pair appeared in Celebrity Race Across the World last year. According to the Mail on Sunday, Freddy is now living with Jackiey at her flat in Bermondsey. Those reportedly close to the family told the publication: "Jeff was never going to keep Freddy away from his Nanny for very long – they've always had a strong bond. Jeff may hate her for all sorts of reasons going back many years, but Freddy loves her very much." The source added: "They had a great time together, playing with her dog and catching up at her flat – where he has often stayed over the years. Whatever Jeff hoped to achieve with his legal efforts, it hasn't worked." Freddy didn't appear to let reports of his dad's legal action against his nan affect him when he posted a video of himself dancing with Jackiey at the weekend. Despite his dad's concern about his relationship with Jackiey, 67, Freddy posted a TikTok video of the pair dancing in her garden in South London. Seen with his shirt off, sporting shorts, the model larked about in the sunshine while Jackiey, also in shorts, slippers and a mustard-coloured cardigan danced along. Captioning the clip, which concerned dad Jeff was bound to see, Freddy wrote: "#fyp #explore #freddybrazier #jackieybudden #dancetrend.' Responding to the post, one of the lad's followers said: 'She'll make you feel like you have a piece of your mum,' while a second added: 'There's just something about a Nana. That bond is important.'
Scottish Sun
4 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
MJ Lenderman wows crowd following sell-out debut Glasgow show
Life is cyclical. Music. Fashion. Politics. The longer you live the more you begin to wonder where you've seen something before. 2 MJ Lenderman was originally due to play St Luke's but packed out the Old Fruitmarket 2 The band blended melancholic rock with sharp lyrics Thankfully to be familiar isn't always unfortunate. Reinvention. Reimagination. Really f*****g good music. Enter MJ Lenderman. Bringing with him a hail of jagged chords, nasal vocals, and slide guitar that will make you wonder if the horrors of TikTok the rehabilitation of Shed Seven ever happened. Last year his album, Manning Fireworks, with its shades of alt country, topped end of year lists and sold out initial pressings on LP. That fervour was followed with a run of sold out shows. Tonight, his first performance in Glasgow, was upgraded from St Luke's to the glorious surroundings of the Old Fruitmarket. And as the daybright noodlings of opener Joker Lips gives way the angst of On Your Knees the antique hoardings are rattling. With a sound that veers from the ethereal sadness of Sparklehorse to Ragged Glory era Neil Young, you'd be forgiven for thinking MJ Lenderman was a man of advancing years but at 26 he's got an eye for a sharp line. The swagger of youth, pushed on by his understated delivery, puts him at the centre of what feels like a slacker resurgence. But this is not grunge mark II - never has a calmer man wielded a Gibson SG. A faithful cover of Sparklehorse's Maria's Little Elbows ramps up the melancholia with its refrain of 'Loneliness' before the blissed out blues are over. The facade of millpond calmness slips with the steady pulse of She's Leaving You. A gently chugging ode to the collapse of a relationship and a highlight from the album which builds, like so many things, to nothing. Collapsing into itself with a haze of backing vocals as Lenderman's wandering guitar vanishes and ushering in jagged riff of Wristwatch, a two-fingered rebuttal, which explodes from the stage. A string of facetious boasts 'I've got a houseboat up in Buffalo/and a wristwatch that's a compass and a cell phone/and a wristwatch that tells me you're all alone' are trapped by slashed chords and brooding bedroom vocals. To play two of your best known tracks mid set is a bold move. But confidence is not something lacking tonight. With youth often comes a sense of naivety and Bark At the Moon is a paean to inexperience. Chugging chords flirt with day-glo guitar solos before admitting: "I've never seen the Mona Lisa/I've never really left my room/I've been up too late with Guitar Hero/Playing "Bark At The Moon". Sharp tongued and slight of frame MJ Lenderman may well be this year's great white hope for alt rock but don't let that put you off. He may be young but in this game youth doesn't always equal inexperience - let's hope his first time in Scotland isn't his last.
