A British ambassador warned the Government more than two decades ago that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s behaviour as a roving trade ambassador was damaging his country and the Royal Family.

Diplomatic papers leaked to The Mail on Sunday reveal that Andrew, who was recommended for the role by his friend Peter Mandelson, caused deep concern among officials within weeks of starting work.

Patrick Nixon, then ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, said of the then Duke of York’s visit to the region in November 2001: ‘I was particularly alarmed by some crass and offensive remarks about Saudi Arabia and its oil which he made to distinguished Emiratis.’

But it was Andrew’s behaviour at a reception during a return visit the following year that prompted Mr Nixon to complain to the Government.

His concerns reached the head of the diplomatic service at the Foreign Office in London, but it would be nearly ten years before Andrew was forced to quit as UK trade envoy over his links to Jeffrey Epstein.

During this time, he is said to have passed potentially confidential and sensitive documents to the convicted paedophile.

In a letter dated October 15, 2002, and marked RESTRICTED – PERSONAL,

Mr Nixon tells Sir Stephen Brown, the UK Trade and Industry chief executive, that by rudely disregarding a number of dignitaries, including an Emirati royal, ‘the Duke has damaged rather than enhanced our standing and that of the Royal Family’.

The embassy reception on October 9, which was attended by 400 guests, was held to celebrate British engineering firm Halcrow’s 50 years of trading in the Gulf.

One guest, Shaikh Saif, nephew of the ruler of Fujairah on the UAE’s east coast, travelled for four hours to meet Andrew, only to be snubbed after waiting another hour at the reception to greet him.

‘I was obliged to telephone the director of the Ruler’s Court to apologise,’ said Simon Collis, then Consul-General in Dubai. ‘Dr Al Kindi was characteristically courteous but it was clear he felt the gesture was appropriate.’

On receiving Mr Nixon’s letter detailing Andrew’s offensive behaviour, Sir Stephen raised the matter with the Foreign Office.

Writing to Michael Jay, head of the diplomatic service, he said: ‘I find it inexplicable that someone whose own life is governed by royal protocol does not appear to appreciate the harm he is doing.’

Having ‘experienced two similar, though potentially less damaging incidents’ when Andrew visited Singapore, Sir Stephen said he sympathised ‘deeply’ with British diplomats stationed in the UAE.

He concluded that Andrew ‘does our interests no good and himself no service by such ill-considered action’, adding despairingly that the then prince ‘told me he intends to visit the Gulf annually. Does this, or visits to the UK by those offended, provide any opportunity to repair the damage? Or is it best to let the matter drop?’

The embassy imbroglio was detailed in full in an October 15 report by Mr Collis, who noted that Halcrow changed the date of the event to accommodate Andrew as ‘guest of honour’.

He wrote: ‘We were mindful of the Duke’s behaviour at a reception during his last visit when he arrived late and avoided until the last minute the “majlis” area [sitting places] where senior Emirati dignitaries habitually sit on these occasions.

‘We agreed the Duke should enter the majlis area directly on arrival, greet the assembled dignitaries, be presented with a specially produced commemorative copy of Halcrow’s book from the Chairman (the only photo op of the event) and remain in the majlis while the Chairman made a four-minute speech.

‘The whole process would take no more than ten minutes. HRH would then be free to follow his instincts and mingle freely with the other guests… All this was agreed with Halcrow, and with the Duke’s Private Secretary.’

But ignoring the carefully laid plans, Andrew ‘deliberately instructed his driver to drop him at the public entrance to the garden and plunged into the crowd of guests’.

To the dismay of diplomats, he then rejected their repeated entreaties to ‘attend the majlis’.

Mr Collis said: ‘He brushed off attempts to introduce him to the dignitaries there, preferring to work them himself, with the result that he was not able to greet properly the most senior guest, Shaikh Saif… a young man being groomed for major decision-making.’

Mr Collis, who later became UK ambassador to Saudi Arabia, added: ‘The net effect of this behaviour on both the British exporter and on their most senior Emirati sponsors and clients was negative.’

Afterwards Halcrow chairman Tony Allum complained to the Consul-General about the Duke’s behaviour, though ‘more in sorrow than anger’.

‘He noted that he had behaved in similar fashion at an event with Halcrow in the UK earlier in the year,’ wrote Mr Collis.

Mr Collis encouraged Mr Allum to speak with candour when meeting Sir Stephen because he ‘needed to know what experience British businesspeople had of our Special Representative’.

And he concluded witheringly that inviting Andrew to another reception would be ‘counterproductive in terms of relations with Sheikhs and other senior Emiratis (the target audience the duke is most uniquely suited to influencing here) unless we could be confident he is ready to stick to an agreed programme for ten minutes’.

Andrew was forced to give up his trade role in 2011 over his links with Epstein.

From the outset, Charles had expressed concerns about his younger brother’s suitability for the role, but his mother, the Queen, overruled him with the backing from the former trade secretary Mandelson, who, like Andrew, is now under investigation over allegations of misconduct in public office.

At the time, Mandelson said: ‘As a former trade secretary I know of the great importance of trade missions. With a royal association they can achieve a reach into overseas foreign markets which is of immense value to the economy of the country.

‘In that context the Duke of York will have a very important role for which he is well qualified.

‘This activity on behalf of the nation should not be confused with the commercial activities for personal gain which is associated with certain other members of the Royal Family.’

Pregnant Dianne Buswell has defiantly hit back at cruel trolls who have moaned that her baby bump is ‘always out’. 

The Strictly professional, 36, who is expecting a baby boy with her partner Joe Sugg, 34, announced she was pregnant back in September. 

She has documented her pregnancy online in a series of funny and relatable clips – but some people have taken issue with her wardrobe choices.

The dancer has opted for crop tops, rolled-up T-shirts and sports bras throughout her pregnancy, choosing to have her growing baby bump on full display. 

And addressing the trolls, Dianne shared another TikTok this week with her bump on show, over which she had written one of the trolls’ complaints: ‘But why do you always have your belly out?’

The clip saw Dianne dancing to the song That’s the Way (I Like It) by KC and the Sunshine Band as she captioned the clip: ‘Because that’s the way I like it!’

Dianne was flooded with support from fans, who declared women should not have to hide anymore and blasted the ‘dark ages opinions’ critiquing her body.

They commented: ‘Because women should not be made to hide away anymore! ❤️,’;

‘Would they ask that if you weren’t pregnant but wearing crop tops? what is this dark ages opinion that pregnant bellies must be hidden away, they need to be celebrated out and proud!’;

‘Because its your body to do what you want with .. you rock,’; ‘Growing a gorgeous baby might as well show him off,’;

‘Pure womanhood! You look fab and it won’t last forever, enjoy that bump. I always felt so powerful and strong when I was preggo,’;

‘Yeah you tell/show them Dianne. You have such a neat bump. So excited and happy for you both you deserve all the happiness, ❤️We can’t wait to meet baby boy,’;

‘It’s gorgeous, and you can actually see you’re pregnant.. keep showing him off,’; ‘As you should queen!! you look so good!’;

‘As you should, your growing a new human [sic.]! Its something to be so proud of and show off absolutely!!!’; ‘Ignore the haters. You look amazing x,’;

‘People should be able to anything they want even if they’re pregnant so do you girly and I hope you have the best time ever [sic.].’

On Wednesday, Dianne marked her last day of work as she counted down the days until her impending due date. 

Taking to Instagram, Dianne showed off her baby bump in a white shirt and grey blazer as she posed for a selfie. 

She captioned the post: ‘One more day to go’.  

The couple have been busy ahead of the arrival of their son and have been keeping their fans updated with the pregnancy. 

Earlier this month, they showed off their son’s nursery as they built furniture, ready for his arrival. 

The couple looked very prepared as Joe painted the bedroom white with green paneling and added duck wallpaper. 

The social media star has built a wooden cot and added a number of pieces of wooden furniture to the room, including a chest of drawers, a bookcase and a sweet miniature stool.

Joe and Dianne added a cosy armchair and hung up a series of children’s wall art, vintage wooden tennis rackets and filled a basket full of books and teddies to complete the room. 

The couple looked pleased with the adorable duck themed bedroom for their newborn as they high-fived and Joe sweetly cradled Dianne’s baby bump.  

Joe wrote: ‘Baby boy’s bedroom. I’ve enjoyed working on this over the weekends so much. If he grows up with fear of ducks or old squash rackets we will know why..

‘My favourite thing is the bookshelf as it was made by my grandad and I know he would have been well chuffed to see that on the wall’.

Dianne was the first professional in the show’s history to compete while pregnant, before her partner Stefan Dennis, was forced to pull out due to injury.  

She penned: ‘Just to clarify as I have had lots of people msg me thinking this is a cover up for me being not able to dance!? Firstly we wouldn’t lie especially about somebody being sick! And secondly I am fine, yes I am pregnant but I’m also very capable and feeling really good!’ 

Joe and Dianne struck up a romance when they were paired together during the sixteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing in 2018. 

President Donald Trump has hiked worldwide tariffs to 15 percent after the Supreme Court ruled his reciprocal tax plan was unconstitutional.

Infuriated by the high court’s ruling, Trump on Friday ordered an immediate 10 percent tariff on all imports, in addition to any existing tariffs, citing a different law as the basis.

The new tariff is being applied under Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act, which allows the president to increase levies up to a maximum of 15 percent.

It has never been imposed before, making it a historic moment for the Trump Administration. The law allows him to impose the levy for 150 days, although it could face legal challenges.

On Saturday, Trump revealed his plan to bump the tariffs to their upper limit in a stinging post on Truth Social, where he hit out at the Supreme Court justice’s ‘Anti-American’ ruling.

‘I was very modest in my ask of other countries and businesses, because I wanted to be very well-behaved,’ he said on Friday night at a press conference. 

‘I understand how they are very easily swayed. I want to be a good boy,’ he said. 

The president has made it clear he’s going to war with Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts, who he said was ‘unpatriotic’ and is a ‘disloyal’ member of the Court. 

Although he is not undermining the Court’s decision, he suggested the conservative justices owed him some loyalty. The job of a Supreme Court justice is to uphold the Constitution, not party values. 

He took particular issue with Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Neil Gorsuch, both of whom he appointed.  

The Supreme Court ruled that Trump issuing tariffs without the permission of Congress was unconstitutional.  

It said President Trump had exceeded his authority by imposing his ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs last year without Congressional approval.

Trump said he was ‘ashamed’ of the ruling, adding that America’s highest court had been ‘swayed by foreign interests.’ 

He then vowed to find another route to maintain tariffs, which he announced on Saturday. 

Speaking at an emergency press conference at the White House last night, Trump said the judges who threw out his plan were ‘a disgrace to our country.’ 

He said that ‘foreign countries that have been ripping us off for years are ecstatic’ at the Court’s ruling.

In a blunt warning, he added: ‘They are dancing in the streets – but they won’t be dancing for long.’

Section 122 is meant to be used for short-term emergencies, not for the length of presidential terms or for economic policy. 

Trump said in his post on Saturday, his administration would ‘determine and issue the new and legally permissible tariffs’ in the coming months. 

Section 122 limits how high Trump can raise the tariffs, as well as how long he can.  

The policy was issued under President Richard Nixon, Axios reported. 

Congress approved it as a way to avoid ‘depreciation of the dollar in foreign exchange markets’ and to correct ‘an international balance-of-payments disequilibrium,’ which was Nixon’s goal. 

There are a few other Sections Trump could use to continue to carry out his tariff plan. 

Section 301, which Trump used in his first term, allows the president to issue tariffs against ‘discriminatory’ foreign trade practices and opens up an investigation by US Trade Representatives. 

Trump used this law to impose tariffs on Chinese imports in his first term. 

The president has also used Section 232 of the US Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which allows him to restrict imports that could threaten national security. 

He used the policy for steel and aluminum. 

Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 also allows him to use tariffs against countries that discriminate ‘against the commerce of the United States,’ according to Axios. 

By SABRINA PENTY, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER

Published: 07:55 EST, 21 February 2026 | Updated: 10:29 EST, 21 February 2026

By CIARAN FOREMAN, SPORTS REPORTER

Published: 06:58 EST, 21 February 2026 | Updated: 07:24 EST, 21 February 2026

Former Premier league star Colin Hendry has faced more than his share of dark chapters in his life.

Last year he was given a 12-month restraining order after pleading guilty to harassment without violence for bombarding his ex-girlfriend with unwanted calls and gifts.

Beyond his legal troubles, Hendry’s battle with the man in the mirror has been a cause of distress for the sportsman, 60. 

He has spoken candidly about the distress he felt after losing his famous blond locks and trademark mullet.

Now, however there are signs of light at the end of the tunnel, for Hendry, who captained Scotland at the 1998 World Cup, as I can reveal he is planning to write a book about his ordeal to tell his side of the story.

‘It’s something that I’ve decided I’m going to write about and include in a book,’ the Blackburn Rovers legend tells me. 

‘It’s something that has got to be corrected from my point of view, and it’s something that is important to everybody around me and my family.’

Hendry appears in good spirits when we speak just days after undergoing his second hair transplant at Dr Mani Mittal’s clinic in London, to combat male pattern baldness, a process that has cost him £12,000. 

Following a procedure he had nearly two years ago, his hair is beginning to grow back. 

‘They worked quite hard on me this time. I feel all right, I feel good,’ he says. Speaking about his battle with hair loss, he says: ‘I didn’t really take it on board about how serious and how upsetting and how life-changing it could be, because my hair has always been part of me.’

Far from mere vanity, he insists the decision carried deeper emotional weight.

‘The amount of people who said to me, “oh, come on, big man, just get it shaved. Just shave it off and leave it” and for them not being in that situation, it’s easy. I couldn’t get used to not having hair.’

Hendry admits, that restoring his hair is also, in part, a tribute to his late wife Denise, who died in 2009 from complications and a brain infection following a botched 2002 cosmetic liposuction procedure.

‘Denise, loved my hair, she was a hairdresser and looked after it,’ says Hendry, who urges men who may be struggling as he did to seek help and ‘to talk to someone professionally’.

Cannes charity gala snub to Fergie

Her whereabouts are currently the subject of intense debate, with feverish suggestions that she took refuge with her first great love, Paddy McNally, at his chalet in Verbier, before hot-footing it to Dubai.

But one thing is certain: Fergie will not be surfacing at the Knights of Charity gala at the Cannes Film Festival in May. ‘Sarah is no longer involved with the Knights of Charity gala and will not be attending this year’s event,’ founder Milutin Gatsby, assures me.

‘She is in a sad situation and I hope God clears her pathway once in eternity.’

His good wishes may be scant consolation to Fergie, who, for the past year or two, has revelled in the lavish hospitality on offer at the gala.

‘Everybody just needs to be themselves – why is that not good enough?’ she asked at 2024’s bash.

Perhaps not quite good enough if it means being ‘bankrolled’ by Jeffrey Epstein for 15 years?

I’m wishing many happy returns to Vera star Brenda Blethyn, who was 80 yesterday. Revealing her mantra for ageing gracefully, she tells me at a red-carpet event in London: ‘Stop worrying about getting old and just live. I think there’s beauty in old age.’ The actress also urged younger counterparts to embrace their uniqueness, adding: ‘I don’t see why everyone wants to look the same as everybody else.’ 

Kiss and tell! Kimberley shows off her new beau

Kimberley Garner has never struggled for male attention – but has she finally found Mr Right?

The former Made In Chelsea star posted a video online of her locked in a passionate kiss with a mystery beau on a beach in the Maldives.

Garner, 35, who previously dated trader William Claeyssens de Tena, is refusing to name her new man, yet she’s clearly smitten.

She tells me: ‘I am in a new relationship but it’s early days.

‘We met through friends over the summer [last year] and we started dating three months ago.’

The swimwear designer says her boyfriend has already been making a positive change in her life and has inspired some of the menswear designs in her rebranded unisex label which is now called Sunday. She says of the brand, ‘it’s like a his-and-her ­concept’ and adds: ‘It’s a cute, fun thing to do. My boyfriend loves wearing the designs.’

It’s not unusual to be scammed by anyone… as Sir Tom Jones and his fans have discovered.

The Delilah singer, 85, has warned fraudsters are impersonating him online to con social media users.

‘There are many fake online profiles impersonating Sir Tom Jones,’ his ­management said. ‘Sir Tom does not personally or directly communicate to individuals via his social channels.’

They added: ‘It’s sad and disheartening to hear of these scammers attempting to trap and abuse vulnerable people.’

I want more queer roles, pleads Erin

Erin Doherty shot to fame playing Princess Anne in The Crown.

Now Erin, 35, whom last year I revealed was in a relationship with NHS radiographer Sinead Donnelly hopes to explore more ‘queer’ roles.

‘I’m massively excited about queer storytelling,’ she reveals.

The Golden Globe winning star of Netflix miniseries Adolescence says the LGBT community needs more adequate representation on screen. ‘It’s been there in the background, it’s like “okay, you’re the [LGBT] friend,” it’s a bit tropey,’ she explains, adding: ‘Whether it’s film, TV, or a play, I want to tell queer stories.’

And the actress still longs to receive a script for such a storyline, saying: ‘It’s just not come my way yet.’

Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes believes the British stiff upper lip culture is driving people to counselling. ‘I’ve never done therapy,’ says Lord Fellowes. ‘I’ve always been pretty lucky in having friends I can really talk to.’ He adds: ‘Some of the English [people] don’t have that, they can talk as long as the subject is safe, but they don’t give much away of themselves. For that reason, therapy is not as important to me as it might be.’

Pippa Middleton starts revamp of her £15million manor

While her older sister, the Princess of Wales, strains every sinew to shore up the House of Windsor at this critical time, I can disclose that Pippa Middleton is revving up for demolition.

Pippa and her husband, hedge fund ­executive James Matthews, have been given the green light to get cracking at the Berkshire manor house they bought for £15million in 2022. The wrecking ball won’t be smashing into the manor – a listed gem, dating from the seventh century – but what’s described as a ‘modern lean-to extension added in the 1970s’.

The couple aren’t hostile to all modernity, however. They have permission for an AstroTurf tennis court and swimming pool.

I‘ll see you in court, Laurence Fox tells theatre

He famously won an apology and an out of court settlement from actors’ union Equity for branding him ‘a disgrace’ after he’d argued on BBC’s Question Time, in 2020, that Meghan Markle was not a victim of racism.

Now Laurence Fox, 47, is in the mood for another set-to – this time with the Theatre Royal Winchester, which, he claims, ‘cancelled’ him from appearing in a forthcoming production because of his political views.

The Theatre Royal insists that this is not the case, saying that it was independent producers who decided against hiring the Lewis star, but Fox is having none of it. Indeed, he’s eager that the next act be played out in court.

The Theatre Royal, he tells me, is ‘Charity Commission regulated. My political values have nothing to do with whether I can act or not.’

Immediately after his ‘cancellation’, he adds, he was contacted by a no-win, no-fee lawyer who is initiating proceedings on his behalf.

Single Sabrina’s ready to party

Society model Sabrina Percy recently filed for divorce from her husband, the Franco Manca pizza heir Phineas Page, whom she married in 2021 – and she appears ready to embrace a fun new chapter.

The former Tatler cover girl has revealed she is rekindling a former passion, after taking five years out to become a chartered psychologist.

‘I took a break from my art while I was studying because I thought I couldn’t be taken seriously doing psychology and fashion illustration,’ she tells me at the Wolf & Badger x Lulu Guinness party in Soho, London.

‘I had to separate myself from that world for a bit, but I’m back now,’ she explains.

Sabrina, 36, related to the Duke of Northumberland, has been busy since reviving her career as an illustrator.

‘I was at a party this week for a brand called Fanbod and that was actually the first illustration job that I’ve got back into for such a long time.’

An award for me? You must be joking, Sophie tells festival

Winning the Artist of Distinction award at the Newport Beach Film Festival UK & IE offered Sophie Turner a moment of sweet redemption. The Game of Thrones star joked in her acceptance speech about the word ‘distinction’.

‘When I hear it, I think of school and the many distinctions I never received,’ said the actress, 29. ‘Even my drama GCSE I got a B, which is not bad, but is some distance short of a distinction.’

Turner, who was educated at Warwick’s King’s High School, which costs £7,290 a term, added: ‘So to be considered an artist of distinction is to recognise the work behind the scenes that has elevated a B-grade drama student to the stage right here.’

The accolade comes after a turbulent few years for the mother-of-two’s love life.

Following the breakdown of her marriage, to Joe Jonas, she found love with Peregrine ‘Perry’ Pearson, Viscount Cowdray’s son and heir and was recently linked to Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.

(Very) modern manners 

Conservative peer Howard Leigh believes Parliament’s new security fence does little to improve the image of MPs. ‘It’s an outrage that a Grade I listed building should have that in front,’ he tells me at the Henley Festival 2026 Launch Party in Marylebone. ‘It makes us look like a prison.’ 

Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi revealed on Friday that she has been diagnosed with cervical cancer.

The 38-year-old Jersey Shore star posted a TikTok video sharing a health update.

She said that she had a cone biopsy this year.

‘It came back stage 1 cervical cancer called adenocarcinoma,’ she said. ‘Obviously not the news I’ve been hoping for, but also not the worst news just because they caught it so early. Thank freaking God!’

And she urged fans to get pap smears.

‘I’m 38 years old and I’ve been struggling with abnormal pap smears for three or four years now, and now look at me,’ she said. ‘Instead of putting it off because I didn’t want to go, because I was hurt and scared, I just went and did it. And it was there, cancer is in there. But it’s stage 1 and it’s curable.’

‘So get your appointments done, b—-es! I’m telling you!’ she continued. ‘Once you go to stage 2, then you have to do chemo… nobody wants to do that! It’s scary. So get your appointments done.’

She is now seeing an oncologist.

‘After that, I’m gonna probably get the hysterectomy,’ she shared.

‘Obviously, I think the smart choice here is the hysterectomy. I’ll still keep my ovaries, which is a good sign. But yeah, gotta get the cervix and uterus out. It all depends on the PET scan.

‘So 2026 is not panning out how I wanted it to,’ she said. ‘But also, it could be worse.’

In January, Polizzi said she had an abnormal pap smear results and precancerous cells for the past four years.

‘I’ve had issues with getting abnormal results and precancerous cells on your cervix and everything. It’s very stressful you guys,’ Polizzi told viewers while heaving a huge sigh.

She also said that she recently underwent a colposcopy and biopsy at her doctor’s urging.

‘That hurt. It wasn’t a great experience,’ said the MTV star, who recently discovered the real reason for her adoption as she spoke to her birth mother for the first time.

She then shared the results of the colposcopy: ‘Doctor calls me and he’s like, “Not looking great.” He found cancerous cells on the top of my cervix.’

Polizzi added she was going to have a cone biopsy, which is often needed to further test or treat abnormal pap smears, and she’ll have it done while under anaesthesia.

‘I’m terrified,’ she admitted. ‘It’s scary, but we have to get it done because cervical cancer is nothing to joke about.’

Polizzi shared that she could possibly need to have a hysterectomy depending on how the results of the cone biopsy turn out, at which point she started to shed some tears.

‘See, I knew I was going to get emotional!’ she wailed.

‘Obviously I’m done having kids but, as a woman, the thought of getting a hysterectomy is just sad and scary,’ Polizzi said.

‘Getting the hysterectomy and then not being able to have kids, I think that’s what’s killing me. But whatever to keep me healthy and safe to be here for my kids that I have now,’ she insisted.

Polizzi shares sons Lorenzo, 13, and Angelo, six, and daughter Giovanna, 11, with husband Jionni LaValle, 38.

She admitted that in the past she ‘was not great’ with staying on top of doctor appointments and was making this video to raise awareness so others didn’t make the same mistake.

‘The reason why my doctor’s on my ass all the time is because I waited,’ Polizzi moaned.

‘I waited on my damn appointments because I knew I might not get great results but also because I didn’t want to feel the pain. 

‘I didn’t want to deal with the stress of having to deal with all of this.

She urged her followers: ‘Make sure you’re fine and prevent all the bad things that could happen, like cervical cancer.’

‘It’s not easy being a woman and going through these uncomfortable appointments and situations,’ she said, but added that she’s ‘going to be fine’ and has her family and friends to lean on.

In the video’s caption, Polizzi wrote, ‘Ladies we are in this together.’

The mom-of-three got a ton of support from her former Jersey Shore clan.

‘I love you so much you got this,’ Jenni Farley encouraged her pal.

‘Love you! You got this,’ Sammi ‘Sweetheart’ Giancola wrote in the comments.

‘Love you, we’re all here for you,’ Deena Cortese added.

‘Nicole, wish I could hug you through the phone, thank you for sharing and I’m sending you much love and prayer,’ Mike ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino’s wife, Lauren, assured her friend.

Last year, Polizzi squashed rumors that she and LaValle were on the brink of divorce by posting happy family photos around the holidays.

The FBI was warned that Jeffrey Epstein could have been destroying evidence in an incinerator after a ‘suspicious barn’ was built on his Zorro Ranch, where he allegedly buried ‘strangled girls’.

A former police officer who patrolled the area around the ranch for 15 years told the FBI he was worried that evidence was being destroyed, as seen in a document published by the US Department of Justice.

It comes amid swirling allegations about what role the hideaway in New Mexico played in sexual abuse or sex trafficking of underage girls and young women.

The disgraced financier’s ranch is now the subject of a new investigation after chilling claims about the bodies of two foreign girls being buried at the 7,600-acre property emerged.

The document, dated July 19, 2019, just days after Epstein’s arrest, was an FBI report log that included details of a call taken from a retired New Mexico State police officer, whose name has been redacted.

The former cop said he noticed the barn had a chimney and a ‘sally port’ – a secure entryway with multiple doors, set up so only one could be opened at a time.

A report of the call reads: ‘The property which is on Zorro Ranch Road, Stanley, NM, his recently had a large barn constructed.

‘The barn is suspicious as there is a garage door that appears to be a sally port, and there is a chimney.

‘[Redacted name] is concerned the property could potentially have an incinerator concealed within the barn.

‘An old 1970s mobile home was recently put right behind the barn, which believes does not follow Santa Fe County regulations.

‘[Redacted name] explained that there is a lot of security for the properties including cameras, sally ports, and other security measures.

‘[Redacted name] explained that the barn that was constructed doesn’t look like a barn you would use for ranching.

‘[Redacted name] wanted to report the information to the FBI because he is concerned evidence could be destroyed here.’

The ex-officer also told the FBI there had been ‘a lot of high-profile people seen frequently’ at the ranch.

According to the report, the retired policeman said he had heard ‘rumours’ about Epstein using the property for ‘recruited girls to visit’.

The ex-cop’s call to the FBI came just days after Epstein was arrested on sex trafficking charges on July 6, 2019, and weeks before his death on August 10.   

New Mexico’s attorney general has now reopened the investigation into Epstein´s former Zorro Ranch.

Attorney General Raúl Torrez’s office said Thursday that the decision was made after reviewing information recently released by the US Justice Department.

Although New Mexico´s initial case was closed in 2019 at the request of federal prosecutors in New York, state prosecutors say now that ‘revelations outlined in the previously sealed FBI files warrant further examination.’

The New Mexico Department of Justice said special agents and prosecutors at the agency will be seeking immediate access to the complete, unredacted federal case file and intend to work with other law enforcement partners, as well as a new truth commission established by state lawmakers to look into activities at the ranch.

‘As with any potential criminal matter, we will follow the facts wherever they lead, carefully evaluate jurisdictional considerations, and take appropriate investigative action, including the collection and preservation of any relevant evidence that remains available,’ the New Mexico Department of Justice said in a statement.

Attention on the ranch comes as disturbing allegations surfaced in the latest tranche of Epstein files released by the US Government on January 30. 

Epstein allegedly ordered the burial of two ‘foreign girls’ near his ranch after they were strangled to death during ‘rough, fetish sex’, according to an email.

The email, sent by a person claiming to have worked for Epstein, also includes links purporting to show the late paedophile engaging in sex with underage girls.

The correspondence, first sent to a man named Eddy Aragon on November 21, 2019, before being forwarded onto the FBI.

In the email, titled ‘Confidential: Jeffrey Epstein’, the person, whose name has been redacted, claimed to have ‘been there and seen it all, as a former staff at the Zorro.’

They alleged the girls were buried on the orders of Epstein and ‘Madam G’, believed to be Ghislaine Maxwell, at Zorro Ranch.

In the email, they wrote: ‘Edward. This is sensitive, so it will be the first and last email depending on your discretion.

‘You can choose to take it or trash it but this comes from a person that has been there and seen it all, as a former staff at the Zorro.

‘The material below was taken from Jeffrey Epstein home as my insurance in case of future litigation against Epstein. SORRY NO QUESTIONS.

They added: ‘What is damning about Jeffrey Epstein is yet to be written. Did you know somewhere in the hills outside the Zorro, two foreign girls were buried on orders of Jeffrey and Madam G? Both died by strangulation during rough, fetish sex.’

The sender also included links to videos which claimed to show Epstein having sex with minors, threesomes and sex with underage girls.

They then demanded a payment of one Bitcoin in return for the video and information.

The email was forwarded onto the FBI just three months after Epstein died while being held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City.

Documents released as part of the Epstein files also show the paedophile financier intended to leave his Zorro estate to his Belarusian girlfriend Karyna Shuliak.

Epstein bought Zorro Ranch in 1993 from Bruce King, a former three-time New Mexico governor.

The 13 square miles of high desert include a 26,700-square foot luxury estate, guest lodges, staff dwellings and several outbuildings.

It also has a firehouse, horse stables, a seven-bay heated garage, a greenhouse to grow fresh produce, a cattle grazing operation and private air strip, a hangar and a helipad.

Epstein owned the property until his death. His estate listed it in 2021 for $27.5million.

That price was later dropped to $18 million and the ranch sold for an undisclosed price in 2023 to a limited liability corporation that renamed the property the San Rafael Ranch, but whose owner is shrouded in secrecy.

Epstein used Zorro Ranch as an isolated getaway and playground for VIP guests who were able to come and go more discreetly than they could even to Little St James, his private Caribbean island off St Thomas.

In 2019 after Epstein’s death, a woman identified as Jane Doe said in court that he had molested her at Zorro Ranch in 2004, when she was 15. 

The woman recalled feeling small and powerless, describing how he laid her on the floor so she was confronted by all the framed photographs on his dresser of him smiling with wealthy celebrities and politicians.

‘People deserve to know the truth about what happened on Epstein´s ranch and are looking to leaders for answers,’ Garcia Richard said in a statement.

Civil filings claim that the compound hosted the former Prince Andrew, who was accused by Virginia Giuffre of sexual abuse on three occasions, although not at the Zorro Ranch.

Andrew MOuntbatten-Windsor has always denied her claims.

However, civil findings produced photographs and written statements showing Giuffre visited the compound during the time she was trafficked as a teenager between 2000 and 2002.

Earlier Thursday, British police arrested the former Prince Andrew on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to his links to the late sex offender.

In Washington, D.C., members of Congress are still working to lift the veil with more testimony from powerful people.

It was the night that saw most of Gordon Ramsay’s brood come together in a show of unity and celebration; a much-needed antidote to the bad feeling caused by the fallout with new son-in-law Adam Peaty’s family.

That bitter volley of words, which had cast a dark cloud over Holly and Adam’s wedding just after Christmas, all seemed in the past, as Gordon and Tana posed for photos with the newlyweds at a launch party to promote the celebrity chef’s new Netflix series.

Joining the throng was their close friend Victoria Beckham, who arrived without husband David or any of their children, to support the Ramsays at Gordon’s Mayfair restaurant, Lucky Cat. But as she posed with Gordon and Tana, Victoria could barely raise a weak smile but remained stony-faced the rest of the night.

In fact, as one observer mused, it was reminiscent of the Spice Girls days when Posh’s sullen pout was a trademark.

Although I’m assured a good time was had by all, Victoria’s stony face may have been caused by the elephant in the room – Gordon’s interview to promote his fly‑on-the-wall documentary, Being Gordon Ramsay, released two days before the lavish launch party.

A man not known for his diplomacy or restraint, Gordon had opened up about his friends’ ongoing feud with their eldest son, Brooklyn.

The families have been close for more than 20 years, having first connected when David Beckham hired Ramsay for his 2006 World Cup party, and the relationship strengthened when both clans lived in Los Angeles.

Ramsay watched Brooklyn grow up, was a guest at his 2022 Palm Beach wedding to Nicola Peltz, and obviously the chef has a few opinions about the eldest Beckham boy, 26, and the way he has jettisoned his family after their epic falling out. The feud, Gordon said, was born out of Brooklyn’s ‘infatuation’ with Nicola, and he urged the wannabe chef to ‘remember where he came from’.

In his no-holds-barred interview, the 59-year-old father of six went on: ‘He’s desperate to forge his own way and I respect that from him. It’s such a good thing to do.

‘But remember where you came from. Honestly, one day you’re not going to have your mum and dad, and you need to understand that. That penny will drop.’

Not surprisingly, the comments prompted much anger from Brooklyn, who made his feelings clear in a language that Gen Z are familiar with: unfollowing Gordon on Instagram.

It was quite the move, and one that will have left Gordon bewildered, especially as he had been supporting Brooklyn in his aspiring cookery career. Gordon also confessed that they have been in touch recently – something those who know Brooklyn say he would have taken a very dim view of.

And now I’m told even Brooklyn’s harshest critics are stunned at Gordon’s decision to wade into this sensitive territory, especially as David and Victoria have kept a dignified silence on the matter.

One source said: ‘It’s hard to feel sorry for Brooklyn, the things he has done to his parents have been pretty rotten. But he has found himself in the strange position of being spoken about as a tool to promote Gordon’s Netflix show.

‘Gordon is nearly 60 and took a pop at a kid he has known since he was a toddler. David and Victoria haven’t spoken on the issue and they never will – and then Gordon wades in.

‘He has got a point. He has seen his best friends David and Victoria go through hell. Perhaps that’s why he did it, or maybe he thought he was helping the situation.’

But if Posh’s demeanour at the launch party was anything to go by, the help wasn’t appreciated at all. It seems to have barricaded shut the last few remaining channels of communication between Brooklyn and his UK roots.

Because Gordon wasn’t alone in being snubbed by Brooklyn – he has also now unfollowed his childhood besties, twins Jack and Holly Ramsay, with whom he grew up.

While there has been a definite cooling of their friendship – Brooklyn chose not to invite Jack to his and Nicola’s vow renewal last summer and snubbed Holly’s wedding – it is the first time he has made his feelings clear on the Ramsays.

‘Brooklyn, Jack and Holly did so much together as kids. Brooklyn adored them, there is so much shared history. That all seems to be a thing of the past now, but it all feels quite sad.

‘Brooklyn must have had his reasons for making the stand but it’s another connection with his old life that has gone.’

It has been a torrid time for the Beckhams since last spring when Brooklyn and Nicola failed to attend any of David’s 50th birthday celebrations. Their absence prompted a huge fallout and press briefing war, as David and Victoria camp blamed Nicola for the fractured relationship with their son.

As the row escalated, Brooklyn and Nicola got their lawyers from legal firm Schillings to demand his parents no longer contact them – unless through legal correspondence.

And the final nail in the coffin came in January when Brooklyn wrote a six-page letter, which he naturally posted on Instagram, to eviscerate his parents, accusing them of controlling him and trying to ruin his relationship with Nicola. David, 50, and Victoria, 51, ‘would give anything’ for some kind of relationship with their son, I’m told.

Perhaps that’s why some in the Ramsay/Beckham circles are stunned at Gordon’s decision to stir the pot, given his own family issues, which hardly cast him as an expert on the subject of familial disharmony.

‘It feels like Gordon should get his own house in order before he starts commenting on others,’ a source tells me.

Indeed, his own feud with son-in-law Adam Peaty’s family is far from resolved, and is nearly as bitter as that of the Beckhams.

The Ramsay fallout also seems to have been sparked by a dress.

According to conflicting accounts, Victoria had originally planned to make Nicola’s wedding dress, but pulled out ‘at the 11th hour’ (according to Brooklyn), something his mum has always denied.

Holly, meanwhile, reportedly caused bad feeling when she objected to Adam’s mother, Caroline’s, outfit for her wedding, saying it wouldn’t fit with the theme.

In the end, the only member of Adam’s family at the big day was his sister, Bethany.

The snub left Caroline ‘absolutely distraught’, while Gordon poked fun at the situation in his father of the bride speech at the swanky Kin House in the Cotswolds, upsetting the Peaty family even more.

Observers commented: ‘Brooklyn will argue that his fallout with his parents is his business, not Gordon’s.’

If the celeb chef’s intention was to raise his show’s profile, it seems to have worked, dropping on Netflix this week to much fanfare. The six-part series follows the star on his most challenging project yet – opening five culinary experiences in London’s second-tallest skyscraper, 22 Bishopsgate. Made by his own production company, Studio Ramsay, it has got mixed reviews despite its huge publicity drive.

So while Gordon may have got the headlines he appeared to so desperately want, what now for the Ramsays and the Beckhams?

‘Nothing would phase either couple these days,’ says an industry source. ‘They’ve all been through it and always been there for one another.’

‘But there is definitely a sense that Gordon’s comments weren’t exactly helpful and it is a bit strange that he did it.’

ITV have shelved the show You Bet! after Holly Willoughby turned down the presenting gig.  

The presenter, 45, and Stephen Mulhern hosted two specials back in 2024, when the network rebooted the format of the game show which ran for 10 series in the nineties. 

But now ITV have made the decision to not make it a permanent fixture in their TV schedule – but did not rule out the possibility of a return in the future.  

Fans will be sad to not see Holly on screens, after her other shows Dancing On Ice and Celebrity Bear Hunt were not renewed for another season. 

Speaking to The Sun, a TV insider said You Bet!’s shelving will be ‘another disappointment’ for Holly as it was her first big project with ITV since she left This Morning in 2023 after a horrifying kidnap, rape and murder plot against her.

They said: ‘This will be another disappointment for Holly as she was so closely associated with the show and this was her first new, big project with ITV after she left This Morning.’

An ITV spokesperson told the Daily Mail: ‘You Bet! returned to ITV in 2024 with a peak overnight audience of 4.4m. Both You Bet! and You Bet! On Tour are available to watch on ITVX. 

‘There are currently no plans for a new series of You Bet! On Tour.’ 

The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Holly for comment. 

The Mail previously revealed Holly dashed ITV’s hopes that she would be their Saturday night star after she turned down a lucrative deal to front a new series of the classic game show You Bet!

ITV sources say that she is ‘busy with other commitments’, which meant she was unable to return to the programme. 

Meanwhile, last year, it was revealed that Dancing On Ice was being ‘rested’ and that there were no plans for a future series. Then in June, Netflix cancelled Bear Hunt after just one season. 

But despite her break from TV, Holly has been keeping busy – launching into an influencer career and promoting her wellness brand Wylde Moon. 

And plotting her return to the small screen, Holly is reportedly quietly working on a project that will see her produce her own show – as well as host it. 

She is working with her husband Dan Baldwin’s production company Hungry Bear to develop a ‘multi-strand programme for digital platforms’ in a move she is said to be ‘thrilled and excited’ about. 

Just last week Bear Grylls revealed why his Netflix show Bear Hunt was axed.  

The TV host, 51, and Holly fronted the show, which aired last February and followed Bear as he hunted down 12 celebrities.

However the series was not renewed by the streaming giant – despite hit ratings and a star-studded cast which included Mel B, Lottie Moss and Boris Becker. 

Of why it was axed, Bear told The Sun: ‘I loved Bear Hunt. It actually did so well. It went to the No1 show on Netflix in the UK and sat there for two weeks – epic. Netflix were really happy. But it was a big, expensive show.

‘There was a change at Netflix, high up, and everyone likes a new project. And I would say that was a 49-51 vote, and it just came down on the wrong side of that. 

‘I was sad it didn’t come back, but Holly was great to work with. We had so much fun.’

Celebrity Bear Hunt had an impressive line up of celebrities which included Danny Cipriani, Big Zuu, Joe Thomas, Kola Bokinni, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Leomie Anderson, Shirley Ballas, Steph McGovern and Una Healy.

The show, which was Holly’s first programme with Netflix, featured twelve celebrities who were sent to a jungle in Costa Rica.

They were forced to avoid being hunted down by Bear. Along the way, the celebrities faced various challenges and solve puzzles.

Holly signed for the show after her terrifying kidnap torment at the hands of former security guard Gavin Plumb who was last summer found guilty of a plot to kidnap, rape and murder her.

When Grylls called her, she revealed she immediately she said yes – a decision which was aided by her three children Harry, Belle and Chester.

Bear said he is sure they will collaborate on a TV project again the future.