Latest news with #RubyWax
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Ruby Wax, 71, tells Paloma Faith she's going to become a death doula - as star opens up on mortality and the tragic death of her good friend Alan Rickman
Ruby Wax revealed she's taking a course in order to become a death doula during an appearance on Paloma Faith's Mad Sad Bad podcast. The American comic, 71, has been candid about preparing for death in recent years, even admitting that the prospect of dying is her 'biggest fear'. 'I think about death at least four times a day and hundreds of times around my birthdays,' she wrote a few years ago in Huffpost. 'At New Year's Eve I'm already writing my epitaph. While everyone around me is popping balloons, I'm thinking I'm one year closer to the end.' Ruby has now opened up on mortality once again, making the revelation that she's planning on becoming a death doula. An end of life doula - or a death doula - is a 'compassionate, trained companion who supports individuals with terminal diagnosis and those close to them'. Offering practical and emotional support, many aspiring doulas undergo rigorous training in order to carry out their duties successfully. Ruby is planning on beginning her training in September. She told Paloma, 43, on the Brit singer's podcast this week: 'When was I last sad? Well I think there's a level of sadness all the time because I'm really aware we're going to die.' Paloma asked: 'Because the world's going to end or because we're mortal?', to which the 71-year-old quipped: 'Because I'm mortal. 'I think about it all the time. In September I've made a reservation - I'm going to become a death doula. 'Yeah, I'm going on a course. First of all, I'm interested in who else is going to be on my course, you know. So, I do a week (of the course) in September.' Over the years the comedian has been very open about both the prospect of death and her struggles with mental health. Ruby has battled depression, and in 2022 admitted that her mental illness had become 'so severe that it's hard to stay alive'. But speaking to Paloma, the 71-year-old affirmed that she's 'numb' and hasn't cried in years. 'I'm an example of numbness,' she said: 'I don't feel anything. 'I don't cry, you can never make me cry. But also I don't throw my head back screaming with laughter. Well, sometimes it cuts through and if someone that I knew died it would probably cut through.' Paloma then asked the American when the last time she cried was, to which she replied: 'When Alan Rickman died (in 2016). 'I thought he had a heart problem, so I was telling people to get him a heart specialist. But his partner said, "No, he's dying". 'And when I heard that I burst, I ran in there and I threw myself on him. I was like an animal, it was wild. 'Another time when my son was leaving for school (University) I turned into a howling animal. I was on all fours howling and he was only going to Southampton, because I knew metaphorically he was gone. I feel like everything's goodbye.' Reflecting on her friendship with Alan Rickman - who played Severus Snape in Harry Potter and died of cancer in 2016 - Ruby remembered the advice he gave her. 'When I used to do comedy and I was trying to please, he used to say "Pull it back. Make people come to you". 'It took a long time but now after 30 years I don't look like I'm hungry on stage. I do have an ego though and I want to be liked by large groups of people.' Indeed, in an exclusive interview with MailOnline in 2021, Ruby actually credited her good friend Alan with 'turning her into a comedian'. She said: 'He was hilarious. He was my mentor and he taught me how to do comedy. I would say he saved me. 'He took a c*** actress and then turned her into a comedian against all odds. He was my protector'. Alan died in January 2016 after battling pancreatic cancer in private. Ruby was only made aware of his illness two weeks before his death. The comedian paid tribute to him, saying: 'All of his friends would say he was the most generous man. I mean, I meet kids now and they say "Alan sent me to drama school and I never even met him". He took a lot of people under his wing - that's real generosity.' Following Alan's death, Ruby has been a vocal advocate and fundraiser for Pancreatic Cancer UK.
Daily Mail
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Paloma Faith reveals she 'nearly died' during violent attack by an ex who tried to run her off the road before smashing her window and pulling her out of it
Paloma Faith has revealed that she 'nearly died' during a violent attack at the hands of an ex when she was younger. The singer, 43, opened up about the horrifying ordeal on her podcast Mad Sad Bad on Tuesday, where she was joined by Ruby Wax. Paloma shared that she was left with a black eye and 'smashed up' face after an ex-partner tried to run her off the run in a high-speed car chase before smashing her window and pulling her out of it. The star got an injunction out against the man following the 'very violent' attack - but she ran into him seven years in a bizarre twist of fate. Making her way to work at an underwear shop, Paloma saw her ex waving at her and she agreed to go for a last drink - but as she discussed 'taking back the power' following an assault, Paloma said she left him stunned when she said she found his chat boring and walked out. Paloma said the moment made her feel as though she had 'conquered' something as she healed from the ordeal. Recalling the attack, Paloma said: 'This guy, when I was younger, attacked me very, very, very violently, and I nearly died. 'It was a high speed car chase, and he tried to run me off the road. He's an ex, and I nearly died. 'He drove his car into the front of somebody's house, and he came and smashed my driver's side window in and pulled me out, but I got a black eye and a smashed up face, and then I got an injunction against him.' Paloma continued: 'Seven years later, I saw him. I was going to my job when I worked in the knicker shop, dressed all like, you know, knickery in the little pink outfit - feeling quite confident in the uniform. 'And I see this man drive past, and he goes, and then he gets out, and then he says, "Can I take you for a drink after work? I feel like we need to clear it up." I said, "Yeah, I'd like to go." 'So I went for a drink and I let him speak. I didn't say very much, and I asked him some questions. His answers were kind of boring. 'And then I just said, "I'm gonna go now." And he said, "why?" I said, "I find you quite boring".' It comes after Paloma opened up about her 'posh' new boyfriend after Vogue Williams confronted her for calling Spencer Matthews 'posh'. The hilarious exchange happened on the Mad, Sad and Bad podcast when Paloma asked Vogue, 39, what attracted her to 'the multimillionaire hunk'. Vogue then revealed that her husband Spencer, 36, told her that Paloma ' kept slagging him for being posh.' Paloma said: 'Yeah, but I've now got a posh boyfriend. Now I'm dating one - I'm sleeping with the enemy.' The singer, who has spoken candidly about her working-class upbringing in Hackney, London, then apologised to listeners about her choice of lover. She joked: 'I'm thinking of it more like a social experiment.' Vogue, from Portmarnock, Dublin, went on to explain that she is 'considered posh'. She then answered the question and said that her now-husband was great fun, so much so that he managed to convince her it was better to be with him than be single, which is what she wanted at the time. She said: 'He was great craic. He really was. 'All my gay friends were like, "Vogue, you better sleep with him."' While she was reluctant at first, she said the pair, who are celebrating their seventh anniversary, 'kept coming back together'. Paloma went public with her new man Stevie Thomas, the director of a music venue in Birmingham, in March of this year at Sony's Brit Award's afterparty at Nobu Portman Square.
Boston Globe
10-04-2025
- Boston Globe
Dame Sarah Connolly on advocating for the arts, arriving early, and playing with the BPO
Advertisement Most places are best in springtime, but probably [the] Montepulciano area, in Tuscany. I have a good friend who lives in the foothills in a beautifully renovated farmhouse and whose company I miss. He also loves big Tuscan red wines! Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Do you prefer booking trips through a travel agent or on your own? Advertisement I've found that without the help of a travel agent, certain vital details can be missed and generally the good agents have deals with properties. Short trips via Airbnb I always arrange myself with a moderate-to-good success rate. Thoughts on an 'unplugged' vacation? As I'm a mum of a 21-year-old, I'd find that a dangerous indulgence and would never consider it. That said, I rarely look at my phone during the day — much to my daughter's frustration. What has been your worst vacation experience? I rarely take vacations. As a UK citizen, holiday breaks in Europe are added to your 90-day travel/work allowance within six months. That said, the most annoying moment on a holiday in Sonoma was to accidentally leave several boxes of beautiful wine behind in a hotel. Always ship. What is your favorite childhood travel memory? Two summer holidays in Albufeira, in the Southern Algarve region of Portugal, when I was around 10. Everything was marvelous and my parents, who both loved sunshine, were so happy there. They actually met in Jamaica and came back to England and got married. Mum was a sun-worshipper, so, as much as I loved holidays in Sandsend, North Yorkshire, they weren't ticking her boxes. Do you vacation to relax, to learn, or for the adventure of it all? Well, all of the above really. I'm not at all keen on excessive physical adventure. Tennis and Ping-Pong will do me — maybe a little golf if persuaded. I will definitely look for a hotel in a fascinating place. I have a low boredom threshold, and I find it hard to stop memorizing music, as I'm always panicking about being unprepared … a musician's curse. Advertisement What book do you plan on bringing with you to read on your next vacation? 'The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis.' I love her penetrating observations and sly wit. If you could travel with one famous person/celebrity, who would it be? Probably [actress-comedian] Ruby Wax. She's truly lived and I'd love to hear her stories and share a fun short holiday with her. What is the best gift to give a traveler? An English traveler will want good tea — well, I do. So a bag of Earl Grey tea leaves, a strainer, and a China mug. What is your go-to snack for a flight or a road trip? A bag of mixed fruit and nuts, and a bar of chocolate. What is the coolest souvenir you've picked up on a vacation? A beautiful smallish stone sculpture of a sweet face. It is Aboriginal art which I bought in Australia. What is your favorite app/website for travel? What has travel taught you? To be really early to airports, bus stations, and train stations. It's built in most performing artists to be at the venue an hour before you need to be. Better to be super early than late. And take time to check travel documents beforehand and to use DragonPass airport lounges wherever possible. What is your best travel tip? Advertisement Hydrate. Juliet Pennington can be reached at
Telegraph
31-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Embark on a voyage of enrichment and self-discovery
What's your dream dinner party guest list? Maybe you'd like to get recipe tips from chef Michel Roux Jr, discover Jools Holland's favourite tunes, crack a joke with Ruby Wax or learn from Linford Christie's training insights. Take a voyage with Cunard and, through its wide-reaching Cunard Insights programme, you could complement your holiday with enriching encounters with experts of all kinds – including those four icons. Alongside talks from inspiring speakers you'll also be able to enjoy interactive 'In conversation with…' Q&As featuring high-achieving personalities from many diverse fields. And as these events are complimentary, you'll be thrilled to know all this wit and wisdom comes included. As the pioneer of this type of experience – Cunard was the first cruise line to introduce guest speakers on board, introducing it in 1974 – you won't find a richer or more eclectic line-up afloat. Adventurers and explorers, TV and sports personalities, journalists and political commentators, chefs, musicians, writers and performers will all join the Cunard Insights rota this year. So if you're keen to broaden your mind as well as your horizons, a Cunard cruise fits the bill. Sporting stars Few could fail to be inspired by the superhuman achievements of world-class sports personalities, and a host of titans bring their stories of endeavour and triumph to Cunard guests this year. Britain's greatest-ever sprinter, winner of the Olympic 100m gold and former BBC Sports Personality of the Year Linford Christie will sail on the world's only ocean liner Queen Mary 2 in the Caribbean in November. World Cup Alpine ski racer Chemmy Alcott will be on board Queen Anne in Iceland in June, and Queen Victoria will welcome a trio of sporting greats this summer: the grand dame of tennis Sue Barker will be hopping among the Greek islands in May, Olympic swimmer Mark Foster will cruise in Italy and Croatia in June, and rugby legend Will Carling will join a similar itinerary in August. Television talent Familiar faces from the small screen will appear in the flesh across the Cunard fleet this year, ready to entertain you with tales from their glittering careers. Join broadcasters Fern Britton and Kate Thornton in Greece on Queen Victoria this summer, sailing in August and May respectively, or hear the intrigue behind the headlines from veteran correspondent John Simpson on a Transatlantic crossing to New York on Queen Mary 2 in May. In October you could voyage to Portugal on Queen Anne with everyone's favourite property expert Phil Spencer. And on Queen Elizabeth's Alaska itineraries you could laugh with comedian Ruby Wax in June or get the lowdown on the local fishing scene from Captain 'Wild' Bill Wichrowski, star of Deadliest Catch, in July. Eminent experts You'll find talents at the top of their game on board Cunard's cruises this year. Long-time friend of the line, two-Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux Jr, will bring his culinary excellence to two Norwegian Fjords sailings in April on board Queen Mary 2 and in August on Queen Anne. Musician Midge Ure is also to be found on the fjords, on a July sailing on Queen Anne, or you could join Jools Holland in May, visiting the coasts of Spain and Italy. Gardener Charlie Dimmock will be aboard Queen Anne's August itinerary in Iceland, and hypnotist Paul McKenna will make an epic voyage from Cape Town to Southampton on the same ship in April. Alaska is a fitting destination for adventurers and if you sail there on Queen Elizabeth in August and September you'll hear tales of derring-do from former Royal Marine and SAS: Who Dares Wins favourite Jason Fox, as well as adventurer Sarah Outen, known for being the first woman and youngest person to solo row across the Indian Ocean. All the extras These informative and entertaining sessions are just part of your Cunard experience. Once you're on board, the chance to enrich yourself with stimulating cultural and intellectual ventures is endless. Book a box at the on-board theatre and enjoy a show with champagne and chocolates, watch a film out on deck or visit the art gallery. Perhaps try learning a new skill – for example there were Spanish classes available on Queen Victoria for her South America season – or simply unwind at the spa to soak up the world-class roster of talks, stories and wisdom from Cunard's Insights programmes.
