Latest news with #NicoleAppleton
The Independent
24-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
River Island may have to close… but I'll cherish the memories of my 1990s fashion disasters
For my 13th birthday in the 1990s, all I dreamed about was a denim button-up dress from River Island worn over an oatmeal body-suit. Oatmeal – the height of sophistication! Not boring school shirt-white, not bland-old beige – but oatmeal. Slightly ribbed, with minute white flecks like a speckled egg. If I only had that body-suit, I'd look exactly like Nicole Appleton from All Saints, I just knew it. I could wear it, I fancied, to attract boys like Justin Peterson in the year above me; whose name I used to write in my diary – over and over – with my special glittery pen with the pom-pom on the top. One look at my River Island denim dress with the irridescent shell pop buttons and he'd be mine. How could he resist? And if he wasn't sure, I had a secret weapon: shimmer pink lipstick with dark brown lipliner and a silver puffa jacket. Phwoar. (Spoiler: he wasn't mine, and I never forgave my friend Gemma for wearing an even better denim dress with a maroon body-suit beneath it, from Tammy Girl.) Now, perhaps you can understand my heartbreak, because rumour has it that River Island – bastion of bucket hats, purveyor of crop tops, combat trousers and woven belts, stalwart of satin slip dresses and velvet chokers with a small silver cross dangling from the middle – could collapse within weeks, following £33m losses. According to the Telegraph, the beloved retailer will go unless landlords and creditors approve a radical rescue plan – due to be put before the High Court next week – which would see 33 stores close, rents slashed on a further 71 shops and debts written off. If the rescue plan works, then an emergency loan from River Island 's founders might just save it. If not, it'll close by August. And not only would the closures be devastating for those who work there – River Island employs 5,300 people in its various stores, plus a further 950 at its head office in Hanger Lane – but it would decimate one of the last faded giants of 1990s nostalgia. Be still my beating heart that pumps in time to 'Pure Shores' – they cannot do this to us, they cannot. If River Island goes, it will join the ghosts of Topshop, Miss Selfridge, Morgan de toi and Jane Norman. And where will we get our crushed velvet dresses and cami tops, then? I put an urgent call-out to the friends who dressed as badly in the nineties as I did, to see what they'd miss most about the retail chain if it went under. 'For me, River Island was all about the store in Ilford Exchange. It was the first shop where I felt like a grown-up,' Roz admitted. 'Prior to that, it was all about going into C&A – in the Clockhouse section – and Tammy Girl. But shopping in River Island in Ilford felt like I'd graduated to a higher level. 'The plastic bags were coveted because they were so iconic – multi-coloured, floral – if you had something in a River Island bag, you were the height of chic. It's where I bought my favourite item of clothing that decade – a pair of oatmeal linen trousers, which I obviously wore with a body. Plus, they had really, really good accessories.' 'This isn't directly related but I remember fondly the store at Oxford Circus,' Emma told me. 'It was pretty much opposite Aroma [a popular coffee shop chain in the 1990s] where we'd meet in the downstairs area and smoke ciggies and drink coffee and then shop at River Island and feel very grown up and like we had found life.' While Louise said: 'You were literally s**t hot if you had a bag from River Island. I used to go shopping there for chunky belts, vest tops, crushed velvet and cargo trousers, like All Saints, which we'd wear with Timberland boots, obviously. I think glitter make up was just starting. And, if we were going 'out out', it'd be assymetric skirts and tops with chunky necklaces.' One of my colleages at The Independent (who's asked to remain nameless), meanwhile, shared his fond experiences of working in River Island menswear. 'On my first day, the pregnant manager, who interviewed me and offered me the role, was marched out by police in handcuffs for stealing jeans,' he reminisced. 'I got paid £4.35 an hour and used to hide in the stockroom and drink vodka and orange with the 30-year-old managers who I genuinely thought were the coolest people alive. Skinny jeans and really pointy brogues, Scouting For Girls on loop all day... there was loads of shagging going on, too, in the stockroom.' But when I ask my teenage daughter if she ever shops in River Island when she goes to Westfield with her mates, she actually stops and stares at me with what looks a lot like... horror. 'No, Mummy. As if I go to River Island. That's for old people – like you. Or Nanny.' Sigh. Kids today have no taste. Let's just hope the rescue plan works. They can take River Island – but they'll never take the memory of our 1990s fashion disasters.
Express Tribune
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Vernon Kay recalls being called a 'lanky b*****d' by Liam Gallagher in an awkward encounter
Vernon Kay has revealed an awkward encounter with Liam Gallagher during a Prodigy concert in 2009, where the Oasis frontman reportedly branded him a 'lanky b*****d.' The 51-year-old broadcaster recalled the moment in a recent piece for The Sun, explaining how he had innocently asked Gallagher if he was wearing fake tan at the time. The comment, made in front of Gallagher's then-wife Nicole Appleton, didn't sit well with the Oasis frontman. 'Back in 2009, I was at a Prodigy gig when I bumped into Liam and his then-wife Nicole Appleton. I asked if he had some help with his bronzed look, and he called me a 'lanky b*****d' in response,' Kay shared. Vernon, a lifelong Oasis fan, added that despite the awkwardness of the exchange, Gallagher would still make his top ten dinner party guest list. 'Liam would certainly be one of my top ten guests. I imagine he'd arrive last, with a 24-pack of Guinness, and everyone would just know it's time to crack open a beer," Kay said. The broadcaster, who is set to attend Oasis' reunion tour at Cardiff's Principality Stadium this week, will be joined by his daughter Amber and brother Stephen. He expressed excitement over the reunion, describing it as a return to the 'golden days of our youth.' Oasis fans, including Vernon, are eagerly anticipating the band's reunion tour, with tickets being sold at premium prices on secondary markets. However, many fans have fallen victim to ticket scams, with reports indicating more than £2 million lost to fraudsters since the tour's tickets went on sale last year.
Daily Mail
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Vernon Kay claims Liam Gallagher branded him a lanky b*****d' after he accidentally insulted the Oasis star
Vernon Kay claims that he insulted Liam Gallagher at a Prodigy gig after he asked whether the Oasis frontman was wearing fake tan. The 51-year-old broadcaster revealed Liam called him a 'lanky b******d' after Vernon asked Liam, 52, if he'd had some help with his bronzed look back in 2009. Writing a piece about the '90s Britpop band for The Sun, Vernon recalled: 'Back in 2009, I was at a Prodigy gig when I bumped into Liam and his then-wife Nicole Appleton. 'They'd been on holiday and I'd had a couple of lagers and cheekily yelled at him, "Is that fake tan you're wearing?" 'For a minute, I thought he was going to hit me. He shouted, 'No, I'm f*****g not you lanky streak of p**s.' 'I think he then called me lanky b******d. But he's brilliant company.' MailOnline has contacted Liam's representative for comment. The BBC Radio 2 broadcaster is a massive Oasis fan and he will be attending the first show of Liam and Noel Gallagher's reunion tour. It is taking place at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on Friday and Vernon will be joined by his 16-year-old daughter Amber and his younger brother Stephen. He insists Supersonic singer Liam would be among his top 10 dinner party guests. Vernon said: 'People ask, "Who would be your top ten dinner party guests?" Well, Liam would certainly be one of mine. 'And I think you would want him to be the one who arrives last, with a 24-pack of Guinness, slamming them down on the table. Everyone would go, "Alright then, let's have one of them." 'For me - and countless others - today's show will be a return to the golden days of our youth.' Oasis mania is well and truly taking over the nation ahead of the iconic Britpop band's first reunion concert. The band previously confirmed they would be hitting the stage at 8.15pm after warm up act Richard Ashcroft begins his set at 7:00pm. The BBC Radio 2 broadcaster is a massive Oasis fan and he will be attending the first show of Liam and Noel Gallagher's reunion tour But some music lovers have been left scrambling for last minute seats, with some that boast a £489 face value being sold for as much as £2,500. Viagogo has several seated spots on sale for more than £1,000 and reported on its page that 34,000 people had looked at tickets for Friday's performance. With seats for Saturday's second night in the Welsh capital have even higher price tags. Meanwhile many fans have found themsleves falling foul of scammers in their desperate attempt to bag a spot in the crowd and have taken to X to share their frustrations. 'Half the accounts on Twitter are fake and trying to scam by selling Oasis tickets': 'pls stop trying to scam me, i just want an oasis ticket fml': 'Anyone else's tickets for Oasis in Cardiff been voided and then been reassigned worse tickets without even an email to note this change ?'. They have collectively lost more than £2m to scams since tickets for its reunion tour went on sale last year, a major bank estimated. Lloyds Banking Group based the calculation on the volume of fraud reports made by its own customers. Oasis fans make up more than half of all reported concert ticket scams so far this year, according to Lloyds' data, losing £436 on average. The biggest amount lost in a single case so far was more than £1,700, suggesting many fans are willing to pay well over face value, the bank said.
The Sun
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Holly Willoughby reveals dramatic new look as she gives rare insight into family life after eldest finishes his GCSE's
HOLLY Willoughby unveiled a dramatic new look while giving a rare insight into her family life. Taking to Instagram, the presenter, 44, marked her eldest finishing his GCSEs. 4 4 Revealing a brand new look, Holly sported a pair of glasses in the snap. She penned: "Any other mums/dads of 16 year old, post GCSE children suddenly find themselves with a new role of personal party driver? "Mums 'Mini' yes... I'm now a Glasses wearer… game changer! Will tag the details!" One follower commented: "LOVVVVVVE the specs, I got mine 2 years ago and can't be without the accessory now! They are cute." It comes as Holly recently looked happier than ever as she posed in a bikini and cuddled two pals. The star couldn't stop smiling as she sat on the floor with her arms wrapped around Director of Artist Relations at Universal Music, Shiarra Bell, and All Saints star Nicole Appleton. Posting the snap to Instagram, she kept the caption simple with a single red heart emoji, tagging both friends. Holly Willoughby proves blondes do have more fun as she dyes her own hair The former This Morning host's celeb buddies filled the comments section with their well wishes. Emma Bunton wrote: "There's my gorgeous girls!!!" while Lisa Snowdon said: "The cutest pic!" and Christine Lampard inserted a string of heart-eyed emojis. Meanwhile, it has been a testing few years for the former ITV treasure - as she has been left without a TV show for the first time in years. One option for the star could be a reboot of Record Breakers, which Holly's husband Dan Baldwin is already working on. There is currently no channel attached to the show, which is in its very early stages but sources say it would be a "perfect fit". A telly insider said: "Record Breakers is likely to be a prime time hit and it would make perfect sense for Holly to take the reins. "She has worked alongside Dan before and the pair know what it takes to make great telly." She has also been linked to a reboot of Cilla Black's best-known show, Blind Date. The Sun told this week how the ITV classic is being revived - and in a surprise twist will go to global streaming service Disney+. Producers want to keep the tradition of a top British female host, with a shortlist also including Claudia Winkleman and Davina McCall. Sources say Holly is also being looked at for a new Channel 4 talent show, currently dubbed Secret Singers, which is searching for raw, undiscovered singing talent. Love Productions - the creators of The Great British Bake Off and The Piano - have already put out a casting call. An insider said: "This is likely to be a heartwarming and hugely popular show for all the family. "They are looking for a the perfect host to make sure it's a huge success and it could be perfect timing with Holly's break in TV." 4
Daily Mail
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Holly Willoughby looks in good spirits as she enjoys girls' night in with Nicole Appleton - after two of her shows are axed just months apart
Holly Willoughby looked in high spirits as she enjoyed a girls' night in with her friend Nicole Appleton on Friday. The TV presenter, 44, was all smiles despite recent reports that two of her shows have been axed just months apart. Brushing off the drama, Holly appeared upbeat as she took to Instagram to share a glimpse of her fun-filled evening. In the snap, the former This Morning star couldn't contain her giggles as Nicole, 50, and her other pal Shiarra Bell leaned in for a playful selfie. She captioned the post with a love heart emoji and tagged her pals. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. It was recently revealed that Holly's Netflix show, Celebrity Bear Hunt, was axed after just one series, amid claims that it was too expensive to produce. This blow came just months after her other mainstream programme, Dancing On Ice, was rested back in March, while she also decided to step down from presenting duties on You Bet! The 44-year-old is now at a crossroads in her career, with the star also without an ITV show to host for the first time in over two decades. Having been the darling of TV for several years, Holly is still in huge demand with a plethora of options open to her as she navigates this tricky stage in her career. According to The Sun, one option could be the reboot of the classic series Record Breakers, which her TV producer husband Dan Baldwin, 50, is currently working on. A source told the production that Holly would be the 'perfect fit' for the show, which at present is in its early stages and currently does not have a channel attached. They explained: 'Record Breakers is likely to be a prime-time hit and it would make perfect sense for Holly to take the reins. She has worked alongside Dan before and the pair know what it takes to make great telly.' Meanwhile, Holly has also been linked to the revival of Cilla Black's Blind Date, alongside the likes of Claudia Winkleman and Davina McCall. Originally, rumours suggested the ITV hit would make a comeback on BBC but now sources claim the love-match show will reboot on Disney+. In March, Holly was tipped to become the next Cilla, with the presenter lining up a string of big-money deals worth up to £10million. The revival was previously being considered by Holly's husband Dan Baldwin, and the star had previously stepped into Cilla's shoes when she hosted a reboot of Surprise Surprise. An insider told The Sun at the time: 'There might not sound like obvious parallels between Holly and Cilla, but they're both two of the biggest stars of modern telly. 'Emulating Cilla isn't just about taking on her shows, it's as much about carving out a niche as a solo presenter with serious clout in the world of telly. 'But together with her husband Dan, they form the ultimate power couple in TV. She has the public appeal that gets viewers tuning in, while he has a track record of making hugely successful TV shows.' Elsewhere, it is said that the blonde beauty is also being eyed up for a new Channel 4 show, thought to be called Secret Singers, which hunts for raw and undiscovered singing talent. With it tipped to be a 'hugely popular' family show, the insider noted that showmakers are on the lookout for the 'perfect host', with Holly's current TV break being 'perfect timing'. According to The Sun, one option could be the reboot of the classic series Record Breakers, which her TV producer husband Dan Baldwin, 50, is currently working on (pictured on This Morning with Philip Schofield in 2019) MailOnline has contacted Holly's representatives for comment. Holly recently dashed ITV's hopes that she would be their Saturday night star by turning down a lucrative deal to front game show You Bet!. ITV sources told the Mail she was 'busy with other commitments' after Holly branched out to host Celebrity Bear Hunt in her first big role away from ITV. It is the first time that Holly has not had an ITV show on her schedule for the first time in more than two decades after becoming the broadcaster's TV darling. She has long been a familiar face on both ITV and ITV2, hosting shows including Surprise Surprise, Celebrity Juice, The Games, The Xtra Factor and I'm A Celebrity. Holly is arguably best known for having fronted This Morning alongside Phillip Schofield from 2009 until 2023, while she also helmed Dancing On Ice from 2006. However, ITV viewers now won't be able to get a dose of Holly as there has not yet been any public news of her having signed on to another project with the channel. In a huge blow to ITV, Holly then turned down a lucrative deal to front a new series of the classic game show You Bet! because of her other commitments. A source told the Mail: 'You Bet was so popular with the viewers wished it came back for two shows that ITV bosses decided to give it a full run. 'Holly and Stephen are a great double act and they were both brilliant so they were asked back. 'But Holly politely declined, she has other commitments and couldn't make it work. 'She is in demand and now she isn't shackled to This Morning four days a week, she is able to look at more options, some are global.'
