Latest news with #MelSykes
Scottish Sun
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
So why DID pin-up Mel Sykes vanish from the public eye? Pals reveal all about her reclusive life amid ‘tough' few years
Insiders explain how Mel makes money now and why she won't have another public romance TO MEL AND BACK So why DID pin-up Mel Sykes vanish from the public eye? Pals reveal all about her reclusive life amid 'tough' few years She was the ultimate 90s pin-up, the glamour girl with looks, brains and personality who was once voted the eighth sexiest woman in the world. But fast forward three decades and Melanie Sykes - once a successful model and presenter with a string of high-profile boyfriends and legions of male fans - has practically vanished from the public eye. Advertisement 18 Mel Sykes was the ultimate lads mag pin-up in the 90s Credit: Rex 18 Mel shines on the red carpet at the 2013 at the National Television Awards Credit: Getty 18 These days, however, Mel has quit the spotlight and lives in Yorkshire where she has discovered a love of making art Credit: Instagram 18 Mel has also recently battled alopecia and has had an autism diagnosis Credit: Instagram Now, the former Big Breakfast star, 54, spends her days painting - even dabbling in nude self-portraits - writing about her various health struggles and shunning showbiz parties after quitting the bright lights of the big smoke for a quiet life in the Yorkshire countryside. Advertisement And pals insist she 'feels like a completely different person' to the bombshell brunette who kickstarted her career in an ad for Boddington's beer. A source told The Sun: 'She has had a really tough few years dealing with various health issues, and has openly admitted she has PTSD from working in the TV industry." Quit London for Yorkshire Mel has also openly documented her struggles with autism since being diagnosed in 2021, and publicly stated she believes she has Tourette's Syndrome too. The source added: 'She feels like a totally changed woman from the one that was on our screens for all those years, and she is focusing on healing from her trauma, as well as focusing on her health. Her life isn't anywhere near as glamorous as it once was, but she is much happier. She has found a love of painting, which has been really therapeutic for her. Advertisement She's even painted some nude self-portraits of herself which she has shared on her social media. She finds it very liberating - she wanted to practice drawing the female form, so she figured why not make herself the model?' Mel's journey from lairy ladette to practical obscurity stems from a tumultuous time in the TV industry, most notably her experience on Celebrity Masterchef in 2021, which became the catalyst for her to quit the business for good. 'I was done' The brave mother of two sensationally walked away from her successful career after Gregg Wallace, who last week was sacked from the show following an enquiry into alleged misconduct, made inappropriate comments to her on set. Gregg Wallace is why I ended my TV career, Melanie Sykes says - as she slams 'jaw-dropping' behaviour on MasterChef set Mel claims that Gregg asked her if models eat, something she found 'ignorant,' before telling her that being on Masterchef would help her career. Advertisement 'I didn't know what to say,' she wrote later. 'So I smiled and said: 'Yes,' but I was really thinking: 'Yes, you have finally helped me decide to end my television career once and for all. I was done.' She called Gregg's behaviour towards her 'unprofessional' and 'jaw-dropping', said she didn't like him being around her and even made an informal complaint against the former greengrocer. Earlier this month, 45 out of 83 allegations made against him during his tenure on the show were substantiated. But despite the victory for Gregg's victims, and his insistence that he is 'deeply sorry' for his actions, it's not likely to instigate a return to the limelight for Mel. These days, Mel prefers to keep in touch with her fans via online mediums where she is in control. Advertisement 'Industry creates monsters' She boasts almost 300k followers on Instagram and 6.45k subscribers to her YouTube channel, also writes a regular Substack blog, following the closure of her magazine, The Frank, last year. 18 Mel shares snaps of her canvases on her social media Credit: Instagram 18 The star is open about dealing with PTSD from her time in the TV industry Credit: YouTube 18 She says an appearance on Celebrity Masterchef in 2021 led to her quitting fame Credit: BBC 18 She described the now axed presenter's behaviour towards her as 'unprofessional' and 'jaw-dropping' Credit: BBC Advertisement Using her various outlets, she regularly updates fans on her mental health, often sharing her artwork with hashtags such as 'recovery', 'blessed', and 'healing' or sitting down to address viewers with videos that cover everything from menopause and her autism diagnosis to her TV experiences and health woes. She spoke recently about suffering from an irregular heartbeat, which she claimed doctors ignored and also talked at length about a recent battle with alopecia, both of which she said were triggered by the allegations made against former Let's Do Lunch co-host Gino D'ACampo, earlier this year. After learning Gino was accused of misconduct, Mel 'didn't sleep a wink', she has said. 'This industry creates monsters,' she said on her YouTube channel, Melanie Sykes Is. 18 She previously worked with shamed chef Gino D'Acampo Advertisement 18 Mel lost some hair recently, which she has documented on her YouTube channel Credit: YouTube 18 Melanie Sykes was once a fixture of the tabloids and on TV screens Credit: Getty - Contributor 'I feel like I was in a war zone in that industry – 24 years of battling through an industry that didn't feel right to me anyway.' Since walking away from her lucrative telly jobs, Mel doesn't appear to be making the same money she did in her heyday, when she fronted shows such as Today with Des and Mel, Shop Well For Less and was the voice of the Blind Date reboot. But our insider insists she is getting by. Advertisement The source said: 'Obviously she doesn't have the income she once had from all her TV and modelling jobs, which has been challenging and stressful at times, but she has savings and she makes money from writing her Substack newsletter, still has some royalties from her biography and she gets paid to speak at various festivals and events. 'She's also been getting funding for some film projects, which she is working on behind the camera and hopes one day to be able to make a living from her paintings.' 18 She shot to fame in the legendary Boddington's beer ads Credit: Boddingtons Mel, who came third in I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! in 2014, was once a well-known face on the showbiz circuit. Her modelling career, followed by a successful stint as a reporter on MTV and The Big Breakfast, catapulted her to fame and lads' mags couldn't get enough of her. Advertisement As a result Mel dated a string of famous faces, including Steve Coogan, Max Beesley and even Olly Murs. She was also in a long-term romance with Bros singer Matt Goss, which ended in 1997, when she discovered he was cheating on her. She went on to marry twice, once in 2001 to actor Daniel Caltagrione, father of her two sons, Roman, 23, and Valentino, 21 and later, in 2013, to roofer Jack Cockings, a union which lasted barely three years. She also famously enjoyed a romance with a 24 year old-gondolier, Riccardo Simionato, who she met on a canal in Venice in 2020. Now, however, those days of public romances are behind her. 'You won't catch Mel getting snapped with a lover again,' says a friend. 'She feels very scarred by how some of her romances played out in the media, and she feels like the way her love life was scrutinised impacted her relationships. These days, she is focused on putting herself first, not a man.' Advertisement 18 Mel was linked to actor Steve Coogan Credit: Getty - Contributor 18 She also dated Bros hunk Matt Goss Credit: Getty 18 Mel's first marriage was to actor Daniel Caltagrione Credit: Getty Images - Getty As for her old TV pals, Mel still keeps in touch with a few people from the industry, including Alan Carr, but, according to our source, a lot of her 'showbiz friendships have fallen by the wayside'. 'Mel prefers to keep a small circle of close friends,' our insider said. 'Since being diagnosed as neurodivergent, she has learnt a lot about herself and realised she doesn't have the energy to cope with lots of casual, flighty friendships, she finds it really draining.' Advertisement Looking to the future, feisty Mel has vowed to continue to use her voice to speak out about the wrongdoings in the TV industry with friends insisting she 'isn't afraid to call out the wrongdoings and BS she has experienced.' The source continued, 'It's really inspiring to see how far she has come. A lot of people who have been through what Mel has been through would have totally crumbled, but she is a survivor. "She's living proof that you can fall down in life and not only survive - but start all over again.' 18 Alan Carr is one of the few showbiz pals Mel remains close to 18 Mel during her stint on I'm A Celebrity in 2014 Credit: Rex Features Advertisement
The Sun
22-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
I've had two hair transplants in two years but couldn't imagine unexpected side effect
AS a beauty editor, I could give a TED Talk on how to take care of your hair. So imagine my horror when I started losing mine, aged 32. 6 6 Four years later, when a whole patch surrounding a childhood scar went, I started to freak out. Was I going to go completely bald? And how could I get my hair back? I was so self-conscious I found it hard to make eye contact with people. All I could think was that they could see I was losing my hair, despite the strategically placed parting to give the illusion my hairline started where it used to. Riddled with anxiety, I spoke to a dermatologist, who told me I had a condition called traction alopecia. It's caused by repetitive tension or pulling on the hair. I was surprised, but realised that I blow-dried my curls regularly and scraped my hair up into a bun when pushed for time. But there was worse news. After long-term tension, scarring alopecia occurs — and that can't be reversed. This is when there is a permanent death of the follicles and hair is no longer able to grow back Too nervous According to the NHS, eight million women in the UK are affected by some form of hair loss. The most common type is androgenetic alopecia, a hormonal and genetic condition that affects about 40 per cent of women by the age of 50. Former Little Mix star Jesy Nelson, 33, and Made In Chelsea's Olivia Bentley, 29, have both battled alopecia areata, a patchy form of hair loss often triggered by stress. Mel Sykes reveals devastating battle with alopecia as she says she's 'lost half her hair' amid health battle And supermodel Naomi Campbell, 54, has struggled with traction alopecia, which increasingly affects black women due to styling practices that place prolonged tension on the scalp. I spent three years trying multiple hair-loss treatments, including light therapy, microneedling, taking supplements and vitamin injections. Nothing worked. In fact, my hair loss got worse. I decided against commonly recommended Minoxidil — a topical treatment that slows loss, thickens hair and promotes regrowth — because any hair you gain will fall out if you ever stop. And it can trigger hair growth in unwanted areas, such as the face. 6 6 So I went to see hair transplant surgeon Dr Christopher D'Souza, who was recommended to me by a male friend. Dr D'Souza said I did indeed have scarring alopecia and would make a good candidate for surgery. After he showed me some before and after images of his female patients, I felt confident I was in safe hands. While hair-transplant surgery can cost anywhere between £4,000 and £15,000 in the UK — compared to £1,200 to £4,000 in Turkey — I felt far too nervous to undergo the procedure abroad. You only have to look at social media to see that people regularly return home with botched or unnatural-looking results. 'In the UK, your surgeon should be a member of the British Association of Hair Restoration Surgeons (BAHRS) and International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS),' said Dr D'Souza. What is alopecia and what causes it? About two per cent of the population will experience alopecia at some point in their lifetime, with around one in every 4,000 developing the condition each year. It can start at any age but is most common in early adulthood and can lead to a lack of all hair including eyelashes and eyebrows, nasal hair and public hair. Alopecia areata causes patches of baldness about the size of a large coin. 'Alopecia' is the medical term for hair loss and 'areata' means that it occurs in small, random areas. There are various classifications, including: Alopecia areata totalis: Total hair loss on the scalp Alopecia areata universalis: Total hair loss on your scalp and all body hair The causes of alopecia areata are not fully understood but the loss of hair is because of inflammation around the hair follicles. The cause of the inflammation is unknown but it is believed that the immune system, which normally protects the body from infections and other diseases, misfires and attacks the hair follicles. Therefore, it is understood to be an autoimmune condition, says Alopecia UK. Genetics may be behind the condition, but there are other things thought to trigger it, including a virus, iron deficiency or stress. Studies are not conclusive. For women, sometimes birth can trigger postpartum alopecia. In most cases of alopecia areata, hair will grow back in a few months to a year. At first, hair may grow back fine and white, but over time it should thicken and regain its normal colour. There is no cure for the condition, only treatments that are not guaranteed to work. People with alopecia may need to take extra precautions, including protecting their skin and eyes when outside and preventing stress. Latest figures show that last year, women accounted for just 15 per cent of all hair-transplant procedures. But that is up 16.5 per cent since 2021 — and numbers are climbing. The most popular method is follicular unit excision (FUE), but I went for follicular unit transplantation (FUT) instead. Dr D'Souza explains: 'FUE surgery involves each hair graft — a tiny piece of scalp that contains anything from one to three hairs — being removed using a small punching device. 'With FUT surgery, a thin strip of the scalp is removed and the grafts are taken from that strip of removed scalp.' I liked the idea of avoiding stitches, but FUE surgery meant shaving a large section at the back of my head — not ideal when you've got long hair. It's been life changing for me and I have no regrets. FUT is more discreet and tends to yield more grafts in one go. It's also safer for curly or Afro-textured hair, where follicles curve beneath the scalp. I arrived early on a Friday morning at Dr D'Souza's central London clinic, where he began by drawing the outline of my new hairline directly on to my skin. He explained that irregularities, as well as a graduation of hair density, make a natural-looking hairline. Once I was happy with his proposed design, he injected my scalp with local anaesthetic in three areas to ensure my whole head was numb. This was the only uncomfortable element of the whole process. He then removed the strip of scalp before making tiny incisions on my hairline, into which his team of technicians would later place the grafts. The whole process took five hours. I was sent home with painkillers, which I didn't end up needing, a travel pillow to keep me upright when I slept, and saline solution to regularly spritz on to the transplanted area. This promotes healing, reduces itching and keeps the grafts moist, which boosts their survival rate. 'HAIR HALO' For a week after my surgery, I kept a low profile. There was some swelling of my forehead, as well as minor bleeding from the donor area. But by day two that had subsided, and by day four the swelling had gone down. A week later I felt fine seeing friends for coffee, but it wasn't until around three weeks post-surgery — when most of my implanted hairs had fallen out — that I started to live life as before. You might be wondering if losing all that newly placed hair meant that the surgery hadn't worked, but it's totally normal. 6 Dr D'Souza explains: 'New hair will grow from the follicles at three to four months post-op, with noticeable results at the six months mark.' Even if your transplant is perfectly carried out, you may experience changes to how your hair and scalp behave. I developed a shock of grey hair, which is rare, but not unheard of. The trauma of surgery, reduced blood flow and inflammation around the follicles can result in a loss of hair pigment. Thankfully, the colour eventually came back. For around six months I also had to live with a frizzy 'hair halo' across the front of my hairline, so I strategically placed longer hair from behind over the shorter hairs at the front. The skin along my hairline became a lot drier than it used to be, too, which Dr D'Souza explained can happen. Non-oil-stripping shampoos and moisture-boosting scalp serums worked well for me. I was ecstatic when, at my six-month review, Dr D'Souza said that my hair was growing well. Now, just six months on, the results are incredible. But I must admit that in the back of my mind I'm worried hair loss might happen again. And when I hit 12 months, I could really appreciate how much my hairline had changed — and how much more confident I felt. But I had hoped my hairline would be restored to its childhood glory, which wasn't the case. My scar was still visible because, as Dr D'Souza explained at my one-year check-up, scar tissue tends to have less blood supply — and good blood supply is essential for transplanted follicles to thrive. There was also a little too much scalp visibility for my liking. Yes, I could have lived with the results, but I knew these issues would bother me so I opted to have surgery number two. This time I would only need another 500 or so grafts added, as opposed to 1,200 the first time. Now, just six months on, the results are incredible. But I must admit that in the back of my mind I'm worried hair loss might happen again. With curly hair it's tough not to straighten it here and there, or wear it up when I don't have time in the mornings to resurrect my squashed and tangled ringlets. I'm trying my best to avoid causing tension with my styling practices to ensure my new hairline will last, but if it doesn't, I'd absolutely consider another transplant in the future. It's been life changing for me and I have no regrets.
