Latest news with #TodayExtra
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Aussie TV favourite opens up about heartbreaking menopause battle - and reveals why it almost 'broke' her
Shelly Horton has opened up about her experience with menopause as she prepares to release a tell-all book about her ordeal. The Today Extra presenter, 51, has long been open about her struggle with perimenopause and admitted to Stellar this week that the condition 'broke' her. 'I'm living proof that you can go through dark times and come out. It broke me... but I rebuilt,' she said. Perimenopause typically affects women between 40 - 50 years old, and is the transitional phase before menopause where their hormone levels start to fluctuate, causing symptoms like irregular periods and mood changes. Shelly added she hadn't even heard of perimenopause until she found herself in hospital in 2020 to undergo an ablation – a procedure to stop persistent bleeding. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Doctors at the time told her that she might have cancer, sending her for an ultrasound. When the test proved negative, doctors told her that she must be 'stressed' and to 'take up a hobby'. 'I drove home in tears, blaming myself, and didn't go and see another doctor for nine months,' she admitted. Shelly added that it was a consultation with friend and TV medico Dr Ginny Mansberg that helped her understand her experience and dispel her preconceived notions about menopause. 'I had that stereotype in my brain of grey-haired old ladies clutching their pearls and fanning themselves,' she said. 'I didn't understand that perimenopause can last 10 years... so, in fact, I was right in the average age group.' Shelly has since become an ardent spokesperson on the matter, sharing her experiences at the first parliamentary round table on menopause. It was a historic moment, as it was the first time menopause had been mentioned in the Australian Parliament. She is also set to release a book this week, I'm Your Peri Godmother, detailing her experiences, as part of a continued effort to de-stigmatise the issue that millions of women deal with. It comes after Shelly shared the shock and heartbreak she felt when her doctor told her she would need to have a hysterectomy due to severe bleeding and perimenopause symptoms. 'I'm shocked at how overwhelmed and teary I feel about it' she wrote in her column for Nine Honey in 2024. Shelly, who has been married to husband Darren Robinson for over a decade, added that while she has never wanted children, she has still felt some 'grief' over losing the reproductive organ. 'I'm proudly childfree by choice, so I am furious this organ that I haven't ever needed gives me so much misery,' she wrote. 'I've joked to friends I want to sell my uterus on eBay – "One uterus. Never used. Still in box!" 'Yet, just as I laugh, I also feel a mix of anger, sadness and a sense of betrayal by my own body.' Shelly stressed that 'a uterus does not define a woman' and added her story is a 'call to action for all of us to redefine womanhood beyond biological functions.' She has been open in the past about why she doesn't want to have children with her husband, and they are perfectly content to be raising a family that includes two dogs instead. But Shelly admitted she was rattled by an email from a troll which labelled Horton as an 'obese feminist' he would like to see 'get off TV'. The full email read: 'I'm so happy you don't have kids, now just to get you off TV would be the best Christmas gift any man could ask for. Obese feminist is nothing to be proud of.' 'Trolls don't normally worry me. I get messages like that a lot as do most women in the media,' she said the following day. 'But I've been working very long hours on some big new projects, so I was tired, he got under my skin. Thank you all for being my cheer squad... felt like a warm hug. Suck on that,' she added, referring to the email's author.
Sydney Morning Herald
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Gen Z is being held back by the fear of being 'cringe'
Today Extra panelists Shelly Horton and author Sean Szeps discussed whether Gen Z is being held back by the fear of being "cringe" Loading
The Age
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Gen Z is being held back by the fear of being 'cringe'
Today Extra panelists Shelly Horton and author Sean Szeps discussed whether Gen Z is being held back by the fear of being "cringe" Loading
Sky News AU
03-07-2025
- Sky News AU
Karl Stefanovic clashes with advocate calling for males to be banned from childcare centres after man charged with disturbing offences
Today Show host Karl Stefanovic has clashed with an advocate calling for male staff to be banned from working in childcare centres. The on-air debate comes after Joshua Dale Brown, 26, was charged by police on Tuesday with sexually abusing children at a Melbourne childcare centre. The 70 alleged offences Mr Brown has been charged with have sparked a controversial debate on whether men should be allowed to work in childcare centres. Child abuse victims' advocate Louise Edmonds who is the founding member of the Independent Collective of Survivors clashed with Stefanovic over the controversial call to ban men from working in childcare centres. 'Banning male workers is a pretty extreme call, isn't it?' Stefanovic asked. Ms Edmonds conceded it was 'extreme'. 'But the thing is, we're now seeing this is the third case of huge amounts of children being exposed to alleged pedophiles and alleged child sex abuses in a childcare centre,' she said. She noted that men made up fewer than 8 per cent of the childcare industry. Stefanovic hit back and insisted men 'have a right to work in that area'. 'And so many of them are dedicated. The perception is already hard enough for them. And when a story like this happens, it makes it even more difficult for them. They're dedicated professionals,' he said. 'Yes they are,' Ms Edmonds said. 'And without, you know, staining all the good men who are in there wanting to be positive role models for the young boys who are in daycare centres, there are some measures that can be taken. 'We actually have to look at the safety first and foremost of our most vulnerable citizens, which are our children, and a lot of them are voiceless. 'So children start communicating well at around two years old. The children under two years old, they cannot speak." Stefanovic argued it was a 'sensitive topic and protection of kids is the utmost importance, but when you're talking about inequality, banning men just for being men, that's the very definition of it'. Ms Edmonds stood by her word and said there is a "sad reality" where there is so much lived experience and evidence and data around child sex offenders, and 97 per cent of them are male. 'And this is a scary topic and a lot of people, we don't want to talk about it because it's so horrific when it comes to the abuse of children," she said. The advocate said a measure that could be put in place 'literally overnight' would be a waiver for parents to opt-in or out of having a male carer look after their child. On Wednesday, Today Extra host Sylvia Jeffreys called for the Albanese government to ensure this issue is at the top of their agenda. 'The parents who are going through this this morning, it needs to be at the top of ... the federal government's agenda today and tomorrow and every day until we see change,' Jeffreys said. Mr Brown, from Point Cook, was charged with sexual activity in presence of a child under 16, sexual assault of a child under 16 and possessing child abuse material for use through a carriage service. Police are alleging the children targeted were aged between five months and two years and worked at 20 childcare centres since entering the industry in 2017. Mr Brown has remained in custody since his arrest in May. All the centres he previously worked at have been compiled into a list and released to the public in what police describe as a move made "out of an abundance of caution". The Victorian Department of Health has also activated a public health response, urging parents to have their children screened for infectious diseases, depending on their potential exposure during the period of alleged offending. A parent of one of Mr Brown's possible alleged victims spoke to the ABC about the 'sickening' moment they were informed their child may have been abused. When the child's mother received the email notifying her of the alleged crimes her heart 'just fell through my stomach'. '(It's) heartbreaking. It's just these pure little innocent kids,' she told ABC's 7.30. 'My kids were enrolled at one of the daycare centres that was impacted. Thankfully, it was only one day that he was at that centre.' Meanwhile, a second man, Michael Simon Wilson, was charged as part of a major probe into child sex abuse in Melbourne. He is reportedly known to Mr Brown and is facing 45 charges including rape and possession of child abuse material. Mr Wilson's charges are not related to any childcare centre and involve different alleged victims. Fresh details emerged on Thursday after Mr Wilson was reportedly seeking threesomes on a casual sex site before he was arrested as part of a significant investigation. Both Mr Wilson and Mr Brown are due to face Melbourne Magistrates' Court on September 15.
Daily Mail
02-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Today Extra's Sylvia Jeffreys breaks down in tears over sickening details relating to childcare worker being charged with 70 child sex offences
Today Extra's Sylvia Jeffreys broke down in tears on Wednesday as she reported on the sickening details of a childcare worker being charged with 70 child sex offences. The Victorian Department of Health and Victoria Police are urging the parents of 1,200 children to have them tested for infectious diseases after 26-year-old Joshua Dale Brown's alleged offending was revealed on Tuesday. Brown, from Point Cook, southwest of Melbourne, is facing charges including the sexual penetration of a child, producing child abuse material and recklessly contaminating goods to cause alarm or anxiety. Jeffreys, herself a mother of two, was brought to tears as she reported on the incident on the breakfast show she co-hosts with David Campbell. 'They are all allegations at this point of course, but they have rocked every parent, they have rocked the industry,' she began. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'It is deeply disturbing, but it is not an isolated incident. There have been media reports for many months now of abuse and neglect in for-profit childcare centres,' she continued. 'The system has failed these families. The system has failed these children, and it has failed the many wonderful educators who work in the industry as well.' Jeffreys struggled to choke back tears as she said 'nothing could be more urgent than this issue right now'. 'There will be parents this morning who will feel reluctant to drop their child at daycare today, and that should never be the case,' she said as her voice trembled. 'I'm sorry,' she added as co-host Richard Wilkins wrapped an arm around his co-host. 'It is so hard to even talk about it let alone go through this. The parents who are going through this, this morning,' Jeffreys continued. 'It needs to be at the top of the federal government's agenda today and tomorrow and every day until we see change.' The alleged offending happened during Brown's time at Creative Garden Early Learning Centre Point Cook, where he worked between October 2021 and February 2024. In December 2021, Brown's partner posted a photo of the pair which featured the alleged paedophile grinning with pink and blue dyed hair. Pictures also emerged on Tuesday of a tattooed Brown interacting with children at one of the 20 daycare centres where he worked. Police are also investigating allegations of other offending at a childcare centre in Essendon. Brown worked at a total of 20 childcare centres over an eight-year period between January 2017 and May 2025, and authorities have contacted 2,600 families of children who attended the centres in a bid to have them tested for unnamed diseases. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said she was 'sickened by these allegations of abuse'. Brown has remained in custody since his arrest in mid-May. His Point Cook home was raided by police shortly after an investigation was launched earlier that same month. He was not known to police before his arrest and had a valid Working With Children Check, which has since been cancelled. Brown will next appear at Melbourne Magistrates' Court on September 15. Brown, from Point Cook, southwest of Melbourne, is facing charges including the sexual penetration of a child, producing child abuse material and recklessly contaminating goods to cause alarm or anxiety Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn said an investigation into whether there was anything educators could have done would begin immediately. She said the department would consider other security measures, including the introduction of security cameras. 'Childcare is regulated in a national context… it's complex, but there has been an occasion over the last period of time in which jurisdictions have questioned the adequacy of the national law and have been working with the Commonwealth on how we can improve it,' she said. 'One of the areas, for example, … that I would like to see brought forward is a national system for registration for workers.' Victoria Police Acting Commander Janet Stevenson said the case had been 'deeply distressing'. She did not reveal what sparked the police investigation but assured the public no other childcare workers were alleged to be involved. 'We know there are potentially people out there who have information about this investigation that they wish to pass on to police,' she said. 'This may be people who had children at a centre where the man worked or staff who may have worked with him and noticed particular behaviours.' If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit their website. In an emergency, call 000. Full list of impacted centres Nino Early Learning Adventures, Point Cook: 15 Jan 2017 – 9 Jun 2019 Explorers Early Learning, Point Cook: 18 Aug 2019 – 27 Oct 2019 Casual work: 10 Nov 2019 & 22 Dec 2019 Adventurers Education, Wyndham Vale: 25 Nov 2019 – 24 Jul 2020 Only About Children, Williamstown: 28 Oct 2020 – 30 Mar 2021 Wallaby Childcare Centre, Sanctuary Lakes: 13 Apr 2021 – 25 May 2021 Nido Early Learning School, Werribee: 21 Jun 2021 – 16 Jul 2021 Creative Gardens, Point Cook: 28 Oct 2021 – 2 Feb 2024 Leopold World of Learning, Leopold: 9 Feb 2023 – 13 Feb 2023 Greenwood, Point Cook: 14 Feb 2023 – 10 Mar 2023 Little Blossoms Child Care Centre, Werribee: 14 Aug 2023 – 17 Aug 2023 D.O.T.S Occupational Therapy for Children, Footscray: 1 Mar 2024 – 30 Apr 2024 Aussie Kindies Early Learning, Sunbury: 13 Aug 2024 – 21 Aug 2024 Milestones Early Learning, Werribee: 14 Aug 2024 – 16 Aug 2024 Milestones Early Learning, Hoppers Crossing: 19 Aug 2024 – 19 Aug 2024 Papilio Early Learning, Hoppers Crossing: 22 Aug 2024 – 12 Mar 2025 Kids Academy, Melton: 12 Sep 2024 – 12 Sep 2024 Kids Academy, Kensington: 7 Oct 2024 – 9 Oct 2024 Aussie Kindies Early Learning, Keilor: 11 Feb 2025 – 11 Feb 2025 Papilio Early Learning, Essendon: 17 Feb 2025 – 9 May 2025 Milestones Early Learning, Bundoora: 8 May 2025 – 8 May 2025
