Nicola Peltz's pals break silence for first time over Brooklyn Beckham claims
Brooklyn Beckham's Instagram video last week in which he said he would 'always choose' his wife must have hurt his parents amid their well-publicised family feud.
But other recent social media posts have allegedly proved just, if not more, painful to David and Victoria as the falling out shows no sign of abating.
A picture uploaded to Instagram three days ago shows Brooklyn sipping a pint in a pub, with bottles of his own-brand hot sauce on the table in front of him.
Innocuous enough to outsiders – but friends of the Beckhams recognised the distinctive light fittings and stark green walls in the background. One pal says: 'The picture was taken in London's Wigmore pub, which is part of the Langham Hotel where the Beckhams have sometimes stayed.
'The fact that Brooklyn appeared to be in the country and failed to see any of his family was heartbreaking. And not only that, but here he was posting about it.'
Brooklyn, 26, and his wife Nicola Peltz, 30, had flown to London for a joint photoshoot with Italian luxury fashion brand Moncler, which took place less than two miles from the Beckham family home in Holland Park.
Dad David, 50, was not far away – he was pictured with the King at the Chelsea Flower show that day – just three miles from the Wigmore.
A pal reveals: 'Brooklyn had kept the visit quiet from not only his mum and dad but his siblings and extended family. It was terribly sad that he had flown thousands of miles to London and hadn't engaged at all. It would have been very easy to meet up.'
Another Instagram post, made on May 16, showed Brooklyn with Nicola's late grandmother to mark the anniversary of her death.
He captioned it: 'I miss you and will love you forever.'
A friend said: 'Brooklyn's heart is of course in the right place…but it hasn't gone unnoticed how all the while he is posting about Nicola's family he is silent about his own, including his own grandfather whose birthday it was last week.'
To acquaintances of the family, the blame for what they believe are 'performative' social media posts lies with heiress Nicola.
They list concerns that she is somehow orchestrating her husband's social media activity, which they claim is out of character, and that she is responsible for 'isolating' Brooklyn from his friends and family.
A pal says: 'She is creating conflict where there is none and divides are springing up left, right and centre.'
But a source close to the couple has hit back at suggestions Nicola is 'controlling' her husband – and insists Brooklyn is very much his own man.
They reveal: 'She is not isolating him at all. He is free to do what he wants and he loves his wife and they are happy together. They are each other's family.'
Brooklyn captioned last weekend's motorbike video, shot in Beverly Hills: 'My whole world. I will love you forever. I always choose you baby.'
The source insists this was 'completely misinterpreted' as being a dig at his own family.
The source adds: 'It's a real shame that what Brooklyn did – which was a statement of love for his wife – is being portrayed as something that it's not.
'He loves his wife and everyone should be proud: his parents, his family friends. He stands by his wife and that's a normal thing to be a loving and supportive husband.'
Asked if there was any desire for reconciliation on Brooklyn's side, the source said it was impossible given the highly charged atmosphere.
Sources close to Nicola have previously insisted that as 'an outsider coming into the Beckham family, she has helped Brooklyn see the emotional abuse and toxic behaviour within'.
The claims – described as 'patently untrue and ludicrous' by friends of David and Victoria – were the 'nail in the coffin' of any future relationship, according to insiders. Despite this, sources close to Nicola claim she doesn't want any fighting and is upset by the feud being played out publicly.
Her friends say she tried to integrate.
'Nicola was working hard to have a healthy relationship,' says one. Pals of the Beckhams dispute this, with one saying: 'It's hard to find a way back after absurd allegations of emotional abuse.'
Despite Nicola's pals claiming she doesn't want a battle, in other facets of her life she is known to fight.
Last week it emerged she had hired high-powered celebrity attorney 'Mad Dog' Marty Singer, who has represented stars such as Michael Jackson and Kim Kardashian.
Nicola is suing a dog groomer she alleges is responsible for the death of her chihuahua Nala and French bulldog Frankie.
It comes after previous legal battles with her wedding planners.
A source said: 'Nicola's family haven't become billionaires by being shy and retiring... it's in their nature to fight for what they believe is right.' As for the feud with her in-laws, many wonder how it will ever resolve.
Some say a big sign will be if Brooklyn acknowledges his sister Harper's 14th birthday next month – he did not publicly mark Victoria's 51st nor David's 50th this year.
Brooklyn and Nicola have posted pictures of themselves with Harper, and he is thought to be very fond of his youngest sibling.
A pal says: 'Brooklyn isn't talking to his mum and dad, as well as Romeo, because he disapproves of his girlfriend.
'But in that case this 'feud' should start and end with them…
'The fact he has distanced himself from the whole, extended family is what makes this so sad. Perhaps Harper's birthday – and an acknowledgement of it – will be the first steps towards a peace deal.'
Watch this space next month – but at this rate peace looks a long way off.
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Scottish Sun
40 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Chris Pratt dragged into Katy Perry's bitter legal row after he rented $15m home she forced bedridden veteran, 85, from
The singer has been accused of lacking empathy LEGAL GUARDIAN Chris Pratt dragged into Katy Perry's bitter legal row after he rented $15m home she forced bedridden veteran, 85, from Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CHRIS Pratt could be dragged into Katy Perry's ugly legal battle to prise $6 million from an 85-year-old disabled veteran she evicted from his home. The Guardians of the Galaxy star and his wife Katherine Schwarzenegger are renting the $15 million house previously owned by Carl Westcott who is bedridden in a hospice. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 8 Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom won a court battle to evict an elderly disabled veteran from his home Credit: Getty 8 Chris Pratt and his wife Katherine Schwarzenegger are renting the $15 million house previously owned by Carl Westcott - which is at the heart of a heated legal fight Credit: Getty 8 An ailing and bedridden Carl Westcott, 85, who has a neurological disorder and is fighting Perry's claim for back rent and alleged damages Credit: Instagram / kameronwestcott 8 The second phase of the court battle is in connection with Westcott's former Montecito property, which he sold for $15 million in 2020 Credit: Supplied by the Westcott Family Westcott's family is outraged the popstar is suing the ailing man - who receives 24/7 care - for $6 million to cover back rent and alleged damages. Entrepreneur Westcott, a US Army veteran and founder of 1-800 Flowers - sold his Montecito mansion to Perry for $15 million in July 2020. Westcott had signed the property deal with Perry and Orlando Bloom's business manager, Bernie Gudvi, after initially agreeing to sell his 8.9-acre estate to the Firework singer. Gudvi accepted Westcott's counteroffer to increase the price from $13.5 million to $15 million, according to court documents. Read more on Katy Perry catty swipe Orlando Bloom mocks ex Katy Perry as she's seen 'on a date' with Justin Trudeau But just one month later, Westcott filed a lawsuit against Gudvi, alleging he was heavily medicated and not of sound mind when he contracted with Perry for the sale. He maintained that the contract was thus "void" on the grounds of his mental incapacity when he signed it. Westcott has been bedridden for nearly two years as he suffers from Huntington's disease, a brutal condition that stops parts of the brain working properly over time. However, the pop star's legal team successfully countered his challenge in court, and keys were exchanged in 2024, meaning that Westcott had to move out. The judge said Westcott presented no persuasive evidence that he lacked capacity to enter into a real estate contract between June 10, 2020, and June 18, 2020, the days during which he negotiated and signed the contract. His angry son, Chart, told The U.S. Sun in February that Perry was "a rich pop star who can buy any other house in the world... she has no empathy... it's unforgivable." Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau Spark Romance Rumors with Surprise Dinner in Montreal After her successful verdict, Perry then lodged a damages claim for $6 million against the elderly man - phase two of the legal action. According to court documents, the star's team is seeking compensation for alleged lost rental value, deferred maintenance, repairs for water damage and a fallen tree. Perry has paid $9 million so far for the $15 million property, which dates back to the 1920s/'30s, and is comprised of a large main house, three-bedroom guest house, one-bedroom pool house, gym building, and equipment building, per court filings. The Perry V Westcott case is heading back to court this month for the penalty phase, with his lawyers claiming in filings that her "16 witnesses have failed to produce any construction or repair contracts between Perry and any general contractor." The U.S. Sun understands that recovery of such costs is normal in civil litigation. RENTED OUT A source has told The U.S. Sun that the luxury house is currently being rented by Jurassic World star Chris Pratt, 46, and Katherine Schwarzenegger, 35. She is an American author and the eldest daughter of legendary Terminator star Arnold Schwarzenegger and NBC broadcast journalist Maria Shriver, who is also a member of the famous Kennedy family. The source added that, ironically, "Shriver initially put in a bid for the same house in 2020." Westcott's attorney returned to court last Tuesday ahead of a "likely attempt to subpoena Pratt because he is a material witness," she said. "For example, to establish when he started renting? He is living in a property that is wrapped up in a legal battle." The star is likely to be asked to testify - "Katy has already been mandated to do so," the source said. She added that Westcott's team "want to know how much Pratt is renting the house for. "Perry has claimed millions of dollars in damages, and claimed that it's not liveable - it's clearly liveable because an A-list actor is renting it." PRATT TESTIMONY Pratt's name was mentioned several times in court filings by Westcott's legal team last Friday in documents submitted to the Superior Court of the State of California. Before Perry's damages claim goes to trial, Westcott's attorneys have asked Judge Lipner to consider a "status report of issues to be resolved." Their August 1 document claimed: "Now, just before the Phase 2 trial, there is new, never-before disclosed evidence that Perry has rented out the Westcott property to the actor Chris Pratt and his wife. "Per a recent Daily Mail online newspaper article... 'sources close to Perry' say she rented the house to actor Chris Pratt." In their filings, the judge was asked to issue a pre-trial order to "allow Westcott's repair expert Steve Norris to do a short three-hour house re-inspection of the property... so he can see what repairs were done and opine as to their reasonable value." His attorneys also asked the judge to "allow Westcott to take several re-depositions limited to 3 hours each of the following persons: Perry and Gudvi... Chris Pratt (the tenant at the property, concerning its condition or problems and the terms of his lease agreement with Perry), and Orlando Bloom, Perry's boyfriend and father of her child, whose deposition testimony showed would personally be in charge of repairs." They alleged, "Now that we know Perry just rented out the house to a famous actor, conducting a trial on the real merits... means that this court's discretion should be exercised to allow the few and very short depositions requested and to allow Mr. Norris to spend 3 hours re-inspecting the property. "Another reason for allowing the short and few depositions is to allow Westcott and this court to know who owns the house after the recent split between Perry and her boyfriend Orlando Bloom." Their filings also alleged, "The current issues were caused by Perry/Gudvi waiting until after the September 2024 discovery cutoff to perform repairs, unless they did no repairs yet were still able to rent out the house as-is to Chris Pratt, which would tend to show the alleged repairs were exaggerated to drum up damages. "Either way, Perry's conduct is unfair and without the requested house inspection and short depositions requested by Westcott deprives him of a trial on the real merits." PERRY TO TESTIFY The source told The U.S. Sun today, "Judge Lipner confirmed that Katy will have to testify for at least an hour or more to the damages claim." Timeline of Katy Perry's mansion battle against veteran Carl Westcott July 2020: Entrepreneur Carl Westcott, US Army veteran and founder of 1-800 Flowers - sold his Montecito mansion to Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom for $15 million. Westcott had bought it only two months earlier for about $11.25 million. August 2020: Westcott filed a lawsuit against Perry and Bloom's business manager, Bernie Gudvi, alleging he was heavily medicated and not of sound mind when he contracted with Perry for the sale. The pop star's legal team countered and alleged that Westcott, who has Huntington's disease, had changed his mind on the sale, and the contract should be upheld. December 2023: A judge ruled in favor of Perry, and upheld the original sales contract. A Los Angeles judge ruled that Westcott failed to prove incapacity, finding him of sound mind during the sale negotiations. March 2024: The keys were exchanged. On May 17, 2024, Perry officially took legal ownership after the deed was recorded. 2024-2025: Phase two of the legal action - after the successful verdict, Perry lodged a damages claim for $6 million against Westcott, who is bedridden and currently receiving 24/7 care. This claim has yet to go before court. August 2025: Damage claims and ongoing litigation - Perry has paid $9 million so far for the luxury property and is now seeking $6 million in damages, citing structural defects, deferred maintenance, and lost rental income. TRIAL IN AUGUST The latest legal request follows filings submitted by Westcott's legal team, lodged in the Superior Court early July, and which outlined a further motion in the case. The July documents show that Westcott asked the court to "exclude any and all evidence, references to evidence, exhibits, testimony or argument relating to claims for alleged damages concerning repairs allegedly needed at Mr. Westcott's former home located at... Santa Barbara, California, as of May 17, 2024." Westcott's legal team explained in these earlier filings that escrow closed on May 17, 2024, and that Perry "must testify" in the penalty phase. "Since Gudvi had signed the contract in his capacity as the agent of the singer Katy Perry, the court ruled that Perry is the real-party-in-interest as to the damages being sought in the Phase 2 trial and that she must testify during the trial." Who is Carl Westcott? Katy Perry is suing the bedridden and ailing veteran, 85, who has a neurological disorder Carl Westcott was born in 1939 at the charity hospital in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Westcott and his five sisters lived in a house without indoor plumbing. When Westcott was six, his father - who drove a logging truck - left and never returned. His mother became a nurse's aide, earning just $5 per eight-hour shift. When he was five, Westcott sold papers in front of the Vicksburg Hotel, as well as chewing gum - he also shined shoes. "By the time I was eight, I was making more money than my mother." The judge ruled that the boy should go to Columbia Training School, a state institution, until the situation improved at home. When Westcott was 16, he asked his mother to change his birth date in the family Bible to prove he was old enough to join the U.S. Army. He became a paratrooper and was honorably discharged as a corporal After becoming a successful car salesman, he joined Sopp Chevrolet as the dealership's general manager. In 1983, Westcott bought the NBC television affiliate in Tyler, Texas. His firm, Westcott Communications, became a pioneer in producing training programs in 18 fields such as automobile dealership management, certified public accountants, and law enforcement personnel. The company went public in 1989, and Westcott sold it in 1996. He said that, throughout his lengthy life, he has treated others with respect and dignity. Source: Horatio Algar Association of Distinguished Americans - Westcott was an award recipient in 2003 The documents also said that the property title, "was vested in the name of an entity supposedly owned by Perry called DDoveB LLC, a California limited liability company, formed on April 9, 2024. "The name of the LLC closely resembles the name Perry's daughter, Daisy Dove Bloom, the child of Perry and her long-time actor boyfriend, Mr. Orlando Bloom. "Westcott's counsel has repeatedly asked Perry's counsel who owns the LLC that owns the house? "This court has always been told that Gudvi is Perry's manager and agent, and at her deposition before Phase 1 Perry testified the house was to be owned by her and she was buying it to live in, and not to rent." QUESTIONS OVER REPAIRS Westcott's legal team claimed in the July court document that under the terms of the house sale contract, it stated the home was being sold "in its present physical condition" and that the singer "had the right to perform inspections" prior to escrow being closed. They alleged that "Perry's lawyers did not even produce a written schedule showing each alleged item of repair and the cost Perry is seeking for each allegedly defective condition." His lawyers also claimed in the documents that "newspapers reported that Perry had just rented the house to the actor Chris Pratt, whose wife is the daughter of Maria Shriver, whom the court will recall from the Phase 1 testimony was bidding against Perry to buy the property in 2020." This revelation prompted Westcott's team to "immediately contact Perry's counsel" and ask for further details about her current rental agreement with Pratt, per the document. His lawyers also requested an "expert" to visit the property to "visualize any repairs." 8 A judge ruled in favor of Katy Perry in 2023 Credit: Getty 8 Carl Westcott is 85 years old and is bedridden with Huntington's disease, a condition that stops parts of the brain working properly over time Credit: Supplied by the Westcott Family The document added, "Given that many of her prior 'estimates' totaling $2.29 million pertained to habitability items, it defies logic and common sense that she was able to rent the house to a famous actor. "Perry's counsel flatly refused in a series of approximately half a dozen meet and confer emails to even disclose if repairs had been done." FAMILY HOME The Daily Mail reported in June that the singer had rented out the property to Pratt. A source told the paper, "The arrangement suits Chris, but it's a bit of a surprise given how Katy fought tooth and nail to get her hands on the house. "She previously suggested it was the ideal place for her and Orlando to raise a family. "After all that time, energy, and money, it seems unthinkable that they are not going to live in it." The U.S. Sun has contacted representatives for Pratt, Perry and Bloom for comment on the latest developments in the bitter case. STRUGGLE Westcott had intended to live in his home for the remainder of his life, according to his angry family. His son, Chart, ranted on X last November, 'My family has been in a struggle against… Katy Perry and now Orlando Bloom to defend the honor of my father, Carl Westcott, who is dying from Huntington's Disease. 'He is a US Army Veteran and winner of the Horatio Alger US award (an honor he shares with Clarence Thomas, Buzz Aldrin, and Donald Trump's father Fred Trump). 'Celebrity privilege, much like political lawfare, must end. We cannot afford any two tier justice in America.' The Horatio Alger Award is given to exceptional leaders who 'personify the American Dream' and have triumphed over adversity to achieve greatness. The latest revelations come as photos showed Justin Trudeau and Perry enjoying a night out in Canada after the singer split with Bloom earlier this year. 8 Carl Westcott pictured at his former home before he became bedridden Credit: Facebook/Kameron Westcott
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
A super-friendly 1950s-style diner, empty because of Covid: Leah Frances's best photograph
When I moved to Brooklyn in 2005, I noticed people building restaurants and bars that looked like 1950s diner-style restaurants, with soda fountains and lunch counters. I'm from Canada and I don't think there's a period that Canadians look back on with such nostalgia. I grew up on Vancouver Island watching old US movies and thinking, as I looked across the water towards America, that they showed what the country must look like. But our idea of those times is not firsthand, and I got really curious about that, and the fact that those days were not better for most people, only a few. That false, nostalgic feeling has become dangerous, with Trump's 'make America great again' rhetoric. In 2013, I started to drive around smaller towns in Pennsylvania to look at places that remain from the 50s. There are towns where maybe the mine closed, or the highway moved, and so – unlike the diners in New York, which keep getting renovated and extended – these places stayed as they were. It feels like the past and the present are somehow taking place at the same time. It's really beautiful. In 2015, I started an Instagram account called American Squares, which is more about nostalgia than it is nostalgic. When I look at these prefabricated diners that rolled off assembly lines, so beautiful in their details, I think about how the people who invented them would be shocked that we're looking back now in this way. They were trying to get to the moon: they were future-oriented people. I first came across this particular hot dog joint in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, called the Very Best, in around 2016. I noticed that it had a lovely Vitrolite storefront and a great typographic sign. It had closed the year before, having originally opened in 1921. But then a local took it on, restored it beautifully and reopened it in September 2019. When I passed by again in 2021, the owner was following social distancing guidelines, which is why it was so quiet. I'm often looking to give a sense of time and place to my photos, and one clue is the image of Hall and Oates on the jukebox. Daryl Hall is from Pottstown and John Oates grew up in the same county. The vintage arcade game Centipede was developed by Atari and co-designed by Dona Bailey – one of only a few female game programmers in the industry at the time. It was one of the first arcade games with a significant female player base. I was working on a series that eventually became my book Lunch Poems, in which this image appears. I focused on communal settings, or 'third spaces' outside of home and work. We lost those spaces for a period during the pandemic and we all suffered for it in ways we maybe haven't fully acknowledged yet. The Very Best was a beloved third space in this town, where you could stop and chat, where everyone was super-friendly. There was at one time a waitress who had worked there for 44 years. But I chose to photograph this business empty. What photographers leave out of the frame often influences the final meaning as much as what we include. There is a conspicuous absence of people in the pictures in this series and that's a construct, a metaphor for having been kept apart by the pandemic, driven to despair and divided by politics. I wanted to show the separateness and the emptiness. When we look at these pictures we might ask, 'What happened here?' or 'What will happen next?' The Lunch Poems photographs paint an almost postapocalyptic scene. Not all the pictures in the book were made during the pandemic, but that was the prism through which I began to look at the finished images, and it shaped the editing process. I frame my photographs carefully to explore what I want to communicate. For this series, if a space was crowded, I waited for people to leave. Or I arrived just as it was opening or closing. I do wonder whether that was always responsible, as I'm guessing the business owner doesn't want their restaurant to be captured as melancholic and empty. But rather than an actual place as it is in reality, I'm photographing an idea I'm thinking about, and that I hope others may understand and reflect upon. Born: Alert Bay, British Columbia, Self-taught; then an MFA from the Tyler School of Art & Architecture, 'For this series, Bruce Wrighton, Birney Imes, William Eggleston. For colour, Wim Wenders. For poetry, Gerald Stern.'High point: 'The first time the New York Times Magazine published my work.'Low point: 'Maybe now. I've gone deep down a rabbit hole, spending years on a new project which, at this point, seems like it's not coming together.'Top tip: 'Put down your phone and look at the world. Look closely, then look again.'
Wales Online
an hour ago
- Wales Online
BBC Strictly Come Dancing confirms first benched professional for 2025 series
BBC Strictly Come Dancing confirms first benched professional for 2025 series Strictly Come Dancing professional Gorka Marquez has revealed he won't be competing on the BBC show this year Strictly Come Dancing has confirmed its first benched professional for the 2025 series. Veteran star Gorka Marquez has confirmed that he won't have a celebrity partner this year. The 34-year-old dancer has been a cornerstone of Strictly since joining the professional line-up in 2016. Now, Gorka will be taking a step back from the series - but not all hope is lost for fans, with the star set to return towards the final. Announcing the news in an Instagram post on Wednesday (August 6), Gorka revealed that he is set to be a judge on the Spanish version of the show from September. "I am Happy to announce that I will be back for season two of BAILANDO CON LAS ESTRELLAS as a judge from September," he wrote, reports the Mirror. Gorka Marquez won't have a celebrity partner this year (Image: BBC/Ray Burmiston) "Due to the filming dates this means that I won't be competing with a partner this year in Strictly but I will be a part of lots of the group numbers and will be back for final weeks of the Show to support the rest of my fellow pros and their celebrities in what is going to be an AMAZING SERIES." Gorka concluded his message by expressing gratitude to his fans for all "the love and support", before adding: "And remember! Keep dancing!!!" Fans quickly took to the comments section to share their well wishes, with one person writing: "So proud of you Gorka, huge congratulations." Another added: "Congratulations! You'll be missed on this series," while a third said: "Nooooo! Strictly won't be the same without you! I hope you enjoy every minute of it!" Gorka has served as a judge on the Spanish version of Strictly since its second series launched in 2023. The dancer made a huge career announcement on Wednesday (Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Ray Burmiston) It's understood by The Mirror that Strictly fans will get the chance to see Gorka in the majority of this year's series, as he will appear in weekly group numbers up to and including week seven. He will then return to the show from week 11 onwards until the live final. Earlier this week, the Strictly professionals were seen arriving for rehearsals ahead of this year's line-up being announced. With the launch fast approaching, the BBC is keeping the 2025 cast firmly under wraps. Cast rumours currently include Love Island star Dani Dyer, Olympic legend Sir Mo Farah, Corrie's Helen Flanagan and I'm a Celeb winner Vicky Pattison. Article continues below Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One and BBC iPlayer this autumn
