Latest news with #HughHefner
South China Morning Post
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Meet the twins who moved into Playboy Mansion at 17: Karissa and Kristina Shannon opened up about their lives as Playmates, fraught relationship with Hugh Hefner, and hopes for the future
In the tell-all interview published on April 27, the Shannon twins – who were only 17 when they moved into the Playboy mansion – detail their often traumatic years at the mansion and their 18-month relationship with the late publisher who died in 2017. Karissa and Kristina Shannon with Hugh Hefner and Crystal Harris at an event in California, in 2009. Photo: AP Photo Advertisement 'Everyone was saying we were going through our 'Anna Nicole phase',' Kristina told People about the unsettling years after the twins moved out of the Playboy mansion. 'We gained weight. There was alcohol and pills. We were really unhealthy and lost and, even at points, suicidal. We had no one. It was just us, trying to figure it out after losing ourselves.' Anna Nicole Smith was a former playmate who tragically died in 2007 after an accidental drug overdose. She was only 39 years old. Now 35, the rarely seen twins are ready to make a comeback – but not without dishing about the drama of their years at the Playboy mansion. Karissa Shannon and Kristina Shannon, then girlfriends of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, at a charity event in Los Angeles, in 2009. From abortions, bullying, and being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, to finding Jesus -here's everything to know about Karissa and Kristina Shannon. They have been modelling since their teen years
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Inside largest EVER auction of Princess Diana's clothes and accessories
Princess Diana is being remembered as Julien's Auctions auctions off 200 pieces of her most iconic clothing and accessories, many of which that have never been seen publicly before. The Beverly Hills-based auction house previously sold high-priced memorabilia from Hugh Hefner and Marilyn Monroe.
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Revamped Playboy Mansion unveiled after five years of renovations by new billionaire owner
Renovations on the infamous Playboy Mansion have finally been completed, five years after works started. Aerial images show the luxury property looking vastly different than before with a brand new cream and aqua blue color scheme. From some angles, the once debaucherous mansion now resembles a picturesque Disney castle. The surrounding area of the now Disney-esque mansion boasts an impressive guest house, a cobalt blue tennis court, and perfectly manicured lawns and gardens. The rear terrace deck appears to have been extended to allow more space for outdoor entertaining. Additionally, to help guests fully unwind, there's a new 42 by 23-foot solarium. Underneath the solarium is a new luxury state-of-the-art spa-jacuzzi. The spa on the site also includes a 'cold plunge,' a treatment favored by celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Lady Gaga, and Madonna. The late Hugh Hefner's legendary home, which served as the backdrop to his Playboy magazine, was sold in January 2016 to Greek-American business mogul Daren Metropoulos for $100million. Daren, 42, is the son of billionaire businessman Dean Metropoulos, 79, and boasts his own impressive business portfolio. Daren heads companies such as Hostess Brand, which produces snacks like Twinkies and HoHos, and Pabst Brewing Company – both at some point previously owned by his father. Hang out area: The rear terrace deck appears to have been extended The businessman has seemingly been a fan of Hefner's fantasy home before he owned it, as he was photographed partying at the 29-room Holmby Hills property in 2012 alongside rapper Snoop Dogg and an entourage of bunnies. The makeover of the property was executed by architect Richard Landry, who has renovated multiple star's houses such as Tom Brady, Kylie Jenner, Rod Stewart, Mark Wahlberg, and Sylvester Stallone. Daren has spent the last 18 years buying up iconic properties, with estimating that the mogul has spent around $326million so far. Outside of the Playboy Mansion, Dean's purchases include $148million on a Mediterranean Revival-style home in Palm Beach, Florida. Speaking to The Wall Street journal in the past, he said: 'My general approach is very measured and tactical and I am particularly interested in hidden jewel properties that rarely come to market.' In addition to owning the $100million Playboy Mansion, Daren also owns a 'miniature' mansion next door which is worth around $60million. He has hinted in the past that he has plans to combine the two estates. Building permits filed with the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety at the start of renovations five years ago, showed his intention of remodeling the kitchen, family room bathrooms and powder room in the main house. When Daren originally bought the mansion in 2016, he allowed Hefner to live out his last days there. He died the following year at age 91 from sepsis which he had developed after he contracted E coli. The Playboy Mansion is emblematic of celebrity culture with some of the biggest stars scrambling to enjoy Hefner's lingerie-only dress code for the female guests who roamed around the estate. Elvis Presley reportedly had sex with eight Playmates at once at the home, while John Lennon burned a Matisse original with a cigarette. Donald Trump even filmed an episode of The Apprentice at the mansion where contestants got to meet Hefner and several of his girlfriends. However, the mansion also has a dark side, with allegations against disgraced actor Bill Cosby purported to have taken place during these debauched parties. Judy Huth claimed that Cosby assaulted her when she was 15 at Hugh Hefner's home. Chloe Goins claims she was also assaulted by Crosby at the mansion, but criminal charges in the case were ruled out. The luxury pad was also reportedly filthy. Multiple former Playboy bunnies previously spoke out about the dilapidated building which had floors strewn with dog feces and urine. In 2011, health officials confirmed that the bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease was found in a whirlpool spa at the Playboy Mansion where more than 100 people fell ill. The Los Angeles County Health Department presented its findings at an annual conference at the Centers For Disease Control in Atlanta. The legionella bacteria also cause a milder illness - Pontiac fever. Symptoms, which include fever and headache, are the same as those suffered by Playboy Mansion partygoers. Building permits, accessed by in 2023, revealed that workmen repaired 'termite and dry-rot damage' from the original wooden framing. The Playboy mansion sits on five acres adjacent to the Los Angeles Country Club – on Charing Cross Road in the exclusive Holmby Hills neighborhood just off the famous Sunset Boulevard. The house was designed by Arthur Kelly for Arthur Letts Jr - the son of Arthur Letts who founded The Broadway, a now-defunct department store – and was completed in 1927. It was purchased by Hefner in 1971 for $1million, becoming the second Playboy Mansion house. The first was a 54-room classical brick and limestone mansion in Chicago's Gold Coast district.
IOL News
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Kendra Wilkinson unplugged: tales from the Playboy Mansion to finding her true self
In happier times, Playboy magazine's late founder, Hugh Hefner, with Kendra Wilkinson. Image: Instagram. Kendra Wilkinson, a former Playboy model, recently shared her experiences as one of Hugh Hefner's girlfriends on "The Skinny Confidential". During the interview, she discussed the realities of life at the Playboy Mansion, her transition to being single, and her journey of self-discovery. Now a realtor, television personality, model and author, Wilkinson first captured the spotlight on the hit reality show "The Girls Next Door", which showcased life inside the Playboy Mansion. Wilkinson, who has also successfully starred in her own series "Kendra" and "Kendra On Top", reflected on how her commitment to authenticity has been the cornerstone of her two-decade long career. "I've always been this party girl, and who says it like it is. I wear my heart on my sleeve as well, which sometimes comes at a cost." Having been single now for seven years since her divorce from Hank Baskett, Wilkinson candidly spoke about the difficulties of dating: "I've been divorced and single for seven years now. I've explored little things here and there, but I have not been in a relationship. "It's going to take a lot to be my boyfriend now. I am not settling for whatever. I'm so used to being single ... Now I look at men and freak out thinking about commitment ... I get really nervous about life getting boring." Wilkinson admitted that while she does struggle with shame and regret, at the time she chose to enter the Playboy Mansion, she was faced with difficult choices in her life. "I was 18 at the time. It was either I was going to be a stripper or take this one-way ticket to LA and move into the Playboy Mansion ... those were the only two options I had, and I knew myself, I knew I could survive, so I took the trip to LA and never looked back." Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Wilkinson expressed gratitude for her time at the Mansion, describing it as a "safe and healthy environment", highlighting that, contrary to public perception, life there was not as scandalous as it seemed. "It was so amazing, and it was healthy for me, it was happy for me, I was safe, and it's taboo to the world because they don't really know what went on there. In my perspective, it was only one party every few months, and the rest was that we all had sex with Hugh Hefner once a week, and that's the taboo, that we had sex with a 70/80-year-old." "I had room service 24/7. I could eat whatever I wanted, I could eat healthy, I had chefs making me salad every day. Anything I wanted, I got. The parties were fun, I've been to worse parties outside the mansion than I ever did at the mansion. I couldn't have been happier." Wilkinson's insights into her life were not limited to her time in the Mansion; she also spoke on how she began preparing for her future. "I started setting myself up. I started booking my own work, and I hustled my a** of to get my new show, to book appearances around the world. I had issues with the business part of it, but not Hugh. He was a generous, nice person." Looking ahead, Wilkinson, who has a ten-year-old daughter, says that she has made sure that her daughter will never have to make those hard choices like she did growing up. "She's 10 and I already told her that she's going to college." Watch the full episode below.
The Sun
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Katie Price's five most shocking revelations this week – from kidnap threats to Harvey hanging out with Hugh Hefner
KATIE Price has never been one to hold back - and this week, the former glamour model proved she's still the queen of jaw-dropping confessions. In a candid sit-down with Paul C. Brunson on his We Need To Talk podcast, the mum-of-five, 46, shared everything from kidnap threats and abusive relationships to her next attempt at motherhood. 7 She also fondly reflected on the time her eldest son Harvey met the late Playboy supremo, Hugh Hefner. Here, The Sun takes a look at the five biggest bombshells Katie dropped. £1million plot to kidnap Harvey 7 Katie said cops saved her son by giving her a warning when a kidnap gang were close to her home. She said police had managed to thwart all of the schemes targetting her family, including one in which thugs planned to stop her car by staging a road accident, snatch Harvey and hold him for a £1million ransom. The TV star revealed: 'I had three kidnap threats as well. And I couldn't take my kids to school for three months. I had Scotland Yard do it. 'There was a time where Scotland Yard police formed camped beds outside my bedroom door and outside my property ... 'One was a million pound ransom for Harvey, and a car accident was going to be set up. 'They were going to fake being the police and pull me up as ransom and take Harvey and I said to them, if you know all this is happening, why can't you arrest the people? 'Fortunately, I knew when the group was on my way to the house. ' I was in London, and the police said, 'Hey, don't go home. We're following the gang now from Liverpool.' Katie Price reveals harrowing ordeal with abusive ex who cut up her clothes 'They were on route to my house.' Harrowing ordeal with abusive ex 7 Katie also opened up about her first boyfriend, who was 10 years her senior when they began dating shortly after his release from prison. The reality star, who was 15 at the time of the relationship, said her ex was "always p***ed" and recalled losing her her virginity to him on her 16th birthday after they attended an East 17 concert. Katie's mum Amy did her best to prevent the relationship, but her daughter didn't understand her reasoning at the time. She explained: "I argued with mum, 'when I'm going out, he's picking me up' and now I look back, thinking my mum was stopping me, she wasn't, she was protecting me. 'The amount of times my mum had to pick me up, where he'd cut all my clothes off and I was naked in a telephone box, [calling her mum] 'Mum, he's done it again. Pick me up'." Despite Amy's best efforts to intervene, it took a long time before Katie could free herself of her abuser. 'Then my mum called Child Protection and the police," said Katie. Then I was training to be a nurse, because that's what I wanted to do, be a registered nurse. "But before I did the course, I worked in these nursing homes. I was like 16, and they had to call the police on him. These are memories that I've got, a big police van, him kicking off because he thought I fancied a guy that worked there. 'It took ages to get out of that relationship. It was dreadful. But I was so sucked into like, yeah, he's older with the car. And it was near the end of my school years.' Katie, who is currently in a relationship with Married At First Sight 's JJ Slater, then told how problematic relationships were the norm for her in adulthood. She claimed that she'd been cheated on in every relationship she's had and often felt the women her partners had gone with were worse looking than herself which knocked her confidence. Taking aim at unnamed past partners, she said: "They're always jealous, and then I end up being jealous, and then it's toxic, and then it ends up with gaslighting, narcissist, but that's all I've ever been used to so I've never known what a healthy relationship was, not the one I'm in now but some of my previous former ones there was domestic abuse, gaslighting.' Baby number six 7 She's already mum to Harvey, 22, Junior, 19, Princess, 17, Jett, 11, and Bunny, 10. But Katie is determined to have baby number six - revealing she has secured lookalike egg donors and an American sperm donor. The former Loose Woman suffered a devastating failed IVF attempt with her ex Carl Woods, but now has lookalike egg donors and an American sperm donor at the ready so she can welcome a new child into her life when she wants. Back in January, Katie was at the centre of Channel 4's documentary series, Katie Price: Making Babies, which followed her and ex-fiance Carl as they looked to grow their family. Although she and Carl split months later, in the episode they experienced a heartbreaking moment together when she did a pregnancy test that came back as negative after undergoing a gruelling round of IVF. But there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel for Katie, who is keen to welcome baby number six. Speaking on the podcast, Katie revealed that she has got donor eggs and a sperm donor at the read. She said: "I had IVF and it failed because my eggs are too old. "And then I gave it a go even though the doctor said you've got 1% chance of it working, I said well I might be that 1%, I'm doing it. "So I went through all of it and then it didn't work. I have got donor eggs, I got them last year," she revealed. "You don't see the picture, but they go on how I look like, the dark hair, green eyes, this Spanish. Because I've got like Italian/Spanish in me." She went on to say: "I'm not afraid to have a baby on my own and before I met JJ, I was quite happy. "I found a sperm donor from America, from black origin. "I'm going through the pre- menopause at the moment, and so I thought, you can't have kids, but you can. and I've been tested. "I'm all fine. I can still carry babies, so I have got the sperm and I have got the eggs there because I've got everything set up for when I want it." Real reason behind Peter Andre breakup 7 The former couple famously met on I'm A Celebrity in 2004 where their chemistry played out on screen in front of millions. After leaving the jungle, their romance moved quickly - they got engaged in secret just a few months later and tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in 2005. The pair went on to have two children together, Junior, 19, and Princess, 17. But by 2009, their fairytale had unravelled. Katie Price's relationship history We take a look back at the highs and lows of Katie Price's relationship history. 1996-1998: Katie got engaged to Gladiators star Warren Furman - aka Ace - with a £3,000 ring. But their relationship didn't make it as far as 'I do'. 1998-2000: Katie described Dane Bowers as 'the love of her life' but she broke up with the singer when he allegedly cheated on her. 2001: Footballer Dwight Yorke is the father of Katie's eldest child Harvey. He has had very little to do with Harvey throughout his life. 2002: Rebounding from Dwight, Katie famously had one night of passion with Pop Idol star Gareth Gates, allegedly taking his virginity. 2002-2004: Katie was dating Scott Sullivan when she entered the jungle for I'm A Me Out Of Here!. He threatened to "punch Peter's lights out" when chemistry blossomed between her and Peter Andre. 2004-2009: The jungle romance resulted in Katie marrying Aussie pop star Peter. They had two kids, Junior and Princess, before their bitter split in 2009. 2010-2011: Fresh from her break-up with Peter, Katie enjoyed a whirlwind relationship and marriage with cage fighter Alex Reid. They split 20 months after their Las Vegas wedding. 2011: Katie briefly dated model Danny Cipriani... but it ended as quickly as it begun. 2011-2012: They didn't speak the same language, but Katie got engaged to Argentinian model Leandro Penna in 2011. He later fled home to South America. 2012-2018: Wedding bells rang once more after Katie met Kieran Hayler in 2013. They had two kids together, Jett and Bunny, before their break-up and divorce. 2018-2019: Katie moved on quickly with Kris Boyson. They had an on-off romance for one year and even got engaged. They split for good in 2019. 2019: Katie was linked to Charles Drury during her on-off relationship with Kris. Charles, who also dated Lauren Goodger, has always denied being in "official relationship" with her. 2020-2023: Car salesman Carl Woods took a shining to Katie in 2020. Their relationship was up and down for three years. They broke up for a final time last year. 2024-present: After weeks of rumours, Katie confirmed her relationship with Married At First Sight star JJ Slater in February this year. In her latest interview, Katie opened up about what really happened behind the scenes. The former glamour model revealed husband Peter, 52, became convinced she had been unfaithful with her dressage trainer, Andrew Gould. Katie insisted: 'There was nothing going on. I just kept my horse at his stables - he was married, and I was happy just keeping my horse there.' According to Katie, Peter's suspicions sparked repeated arguments until she reached her breaking point. She said: 'He kept saying, 'I've had enough, I've had enough.' In the end, I said, 'Fine, divorce me then.' And that was that.' She recalled how the split quickly went public, adding: 'I remember it so clearly. I was flying to the Maldives with the kids and suddenly it was all over Sky News. "It wasn't mutual at all - it was his decision. I even put out a statement saying I didn't want the separation.' To this day, she says they've never properly spoken about the breakup. Katie said: 'We've never actually sat down and had a conversation about what happened. It's all been done through lawyers.' Harvey hanging out with Hugh Hefner 7 In a surreal but sweet moment, Katie reminisced about living at the Playboy Mansion for six weeks - and bringing Harvey along for the ride. She said: 'I was the first English girl to do the cover of American Playboy,' explaining how she ended up touring the U.S. with Hugh Hefner and his entourage. At one point, Katie was filming a BBC documentary about Harvey's eyesight and staying at The Standard Hotel in LA, while Hef and the other girls were out partying. She laughed: 'One night I said, 'My mum's upstairs, can we knock on the door?' "So we all go up in the lift - me, Hef, and about eight of us girls — and my mum answers the door in her dressing gown.' "I said, 'Get Harvey, Mum, get Harvey!'" Domestic abuse - how to get help DOMESTIC abuse can affect anyone - including men - and does not always involve physical violence. Here are some signs that you could be in an abusive relationship: Emotional abuse - Including being belittled, blamed for the abuse - gaslighting - being isolated from family and friends, having no control over your finances, what you where and who you speak to Threats and intimidation - Some partners might threaten to kill or hurt you, destroy your belongings, stalk or harass you Physical abuse - This can range from slapping or hitting to being shoved over, choked or bitten. Sexual abuse - Being touched in a way you do not want to be touched, hurt during sex, pressured into sex or forced to have sex when you do not consent. If any of the above apply to you or a friend, you can call these numbers: The Freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge on 0808 2000 247 for free at any time, day or night Men who are being abused can call Respect Men's Advice Line on 0808 8010 327 or ManKind on 0182 3334 244 Those who identify as LGBT+ can ring Galop on 0800 999 5428 If you are in immediate danger or fear for your life, always ring 999 Remember, you are not alone. 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience domestic abuse over the course of their lifetime. Every 30 seconds the police receive a call for help relating to domestic abuse.
