Saturday Night Live star Chloe Fineman is facing backlash after the resurfacing of a tale where she discussed ‘pantsing’ a six-year-old during summer camp.

The 37-year-old US comedian, who joined the SNL cast in 2019, recently took part in a Vanity Fair ‘How Well Do You Know Each Other’ interview alongside co-stars Mikey Day, Sarah Sherman, Ashley Padilla, Jane Wickline, and James Austin Johnson.

In a since-edited out clip from the 22-minute video, which has now resurfaced on social media, Chloe asked her fellow NBC comics if they knew which job she was once fired from (and later rehired) with a ‘bonus point’ if they could reveal why.

This led to her sharing the story of how she lost her job as a summer camp counsellor when she was 16.

I was fired as a camp counsellor. I pantsed a boy. He would lift my shirt all the time. It was a different time.

‘He would be like: “Hey, could I have a hug?” And then I’d go to hug him and he’d lift my shirt, like a d**k.

‘And then I was like: “I’m going to get back at you.” And so we were on a hike, and I was like: “Hey, Ollie, go look over there. It’s a hawk.” He looked and then I yanked his pants down, and then I was fired.’

She joked that the six-year-old boy’s ‘little ding-a-ling was out’ as he wasn’t ‘wearing underpants’ with Padilla responding: ‘Oh, honey, I think you’re on a list somewhere.’

Her other co-stars gasped in shock at the tale, with many covering their faces, with Fineman claiming it was ‘a different time’.

The original clip is now circulating on social media, with fans also sharing their horror at Fineman attempting to share the anecdote humorously.

‘This is such a disturbing thing to admit in an interview and omg the uncomfortable laughter among the cast mates, I feel so bad for them,’ X user Kylie wrote.

‘Can’t comprehend how any public figure in 2026 would share this story proudly and publicly, regardless of whether or not they personally think it’s an issue,’ sarahlovesnimbus added.

‘This is so much worse than I thought,’ cellularsodacan added.

‘I am actually stunned she pulled the “it was a different time” line here,’ Jessi reflected.

This is not the first time the screenstar has shared this story. She also recounted it on the Jake Shame podcast, Therapuss, last May, which is still on YouTube in full.

The tale is told in much the same way, with similar details.

Beyond SNL, Fineman has also starred in several major movies and TV shows, including Freakier Friday, Big Mouth, Despicable Me 4, Babylon and Dickinson.

She is set to star in the upcoming Amazon Prime sequel, Red, White and Royal Wedding.

Metro has reached out to Chloe Fineman’s representatives and Vanity Fair for comment.

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Over the two decades that Dragons’ Den has been on screen, every stratospheric high has been met with a gutting low.

Our multimillionaire business tycoons – currently Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Touker Suleyman, and Steven Bartlett – have reaped the rewards and missed out on megabusinnes hits.

Just last year, a pet food start-up, Omni, secured a £75,000 investment from Deborah and Steven. Now, they have raked in a whopping £11million.

On the flip side, food company Pasta Evangelists, which appeared on the show in 2018 and was brutally shot down, is now worth £40m.

But, in the cutthroat world of business, perhaps nothing is worse than an investment that falls apart – despite everyone’s best efforts, and there have also been plenty of those in the history of the BBC series.

Over the years, our Dragons have signed away big bucks into folding paper equipment, maritime safety devices and even a band looking for their big break – all ending in the company’s folding, or never even taking off.

One such company, that could be considered the biggest investment disaster in the show’s history, was Gaming Alerts Limited.

Partners Emmie Matthews and Ed Stevens appeared on the fifth season of the show all the way back in 2007, where they pitched their affiliate marketing company specialising in promoting online bingo, casino, and poker platforms

As Emmie explained to the sharp-tongued Dragons on the show: ‘What our unique selling point is in our name, gaming alerts, users can download

‘From any of our five websites. Their desktop is completely free, and they can opt in to receive poker, casino, bingo or sports betting alerts.’

They originally wanted an eye-watering £200,000 investment for 10% of the business and, in the end, walked away with the £200k and a 30% stake from former Dragon Theo Paphitis (2005-2012), who was convinced thanks to his wife’s own internet bingo habits.

In an omen for what was to come, an Evening Standard article from the time declared: ‘Yes, they’re all extremely wealthy. Nevertheless, £200,000 is £200,000. That’s a lot of cash to lose. Big respect to Mr Paphitis.’

After the investment, Emmie, who hails from Upton Upon Severn, told Worcester News: ‘The experience was terrifying, we got to the studio at 7am and were put in a little room with the other contestants. We were the last to be seen, so by [4pm] I was desperate for them to see us.

‘Some of the dragons thought we had over-valued our business, but Theo saw the value of online and the gambling industry.’

Meanwhile, Theo added: ‘I think the whole concept of proactively alerting users to the best bonuses and offers is truly revolutionary and Ed and Emmie have really brought the idea to life.’

And Emmie optimistically shared to Heretford Times: ‘I’m doing something I enjoy doing and I love working in this industry. We’re not millionaires yet, but we’re working on it.’

In 2008, in an interview with Bingo News, Ed confirmed that they were pivoting away from the overpopulated UK market and set their sights elsewhere.

‘After finding out how saturated the market is in the UK, we’ve decided to focus our attention on other European markets. We’re excited about the new opportunities we have in the works with Theo and hope Spain proves to be a success,’ he said at the time.

In the end, however, just three years later, the company folded and was officially dissolved on September 20, 2011.

Around a similar time, the pair were also involved in the company Global Digital Markets, with Emmie resigning in 2012 and Ed following in 2014 – the company eventually dissolved in 2024.

In 2014, Emmie told Casino International she was ‘a board director at MC&C Media – Jack Media merged with MC&C Media.’

According to her LinkedIn, since 2015, she has been the founder and adviser of Faust House and describes herself as an ‘experience exited entrepeneur’.

Then, since 2022, she has been the founder of Female Founders Rise, a community of 11k female and non-binary founders with the goal of ‘financial freedom for women through entrepreneurship’.

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Residents of Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimers sadly won’t be rocking out to the Goo Goo Dolls in the coming days following the band announcement that it’s cancelling its remaining Canadian dates due to the illness of one of its members.

The band posted on social media on Monday that frontman John Rzeznik was recently diagnosed with pneumonia and has not fully recovered.

“We are very disappointed and can’t wait to get back to Canada as soon as possible,” the post said.

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As a result, the band’s four remaining tour dates in Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have been called off.

The band was set to play over the next several days at Ottawa’s Canadian Tire Centre, Laval’s Place Bell, Halifax’s Scotiabank Centre and Moncton’s Avenir Centre.

The cancellation comes just days after the band performed in London, Ont., on Saturday at Canada Life Place.

The shows are not the first Canadian dates the band has called off. Ontario shows in Sault Ste. Marie, Oshawa and Hamilton between March 30 and April 2 were also cancelled.

The Goo Goo Dolls April 18 show in Georgetown, Texas, remains on the tour schedule as of April 6.

According to the band, all tickets to the remaining Canadian shows will be refunded at the point of purchase.

&copy 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

The Monday letters page discusses how to handle a Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake, as one reader thinks Sony should copy Nintendo’s approach to making movies.

Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk

No show
I’ve seen some new rumours about the Mass Effect TV show at Amazon, which I’d completely forgotten was a thing. Apparently, they want to change the script so that it’s easier to get into for non-gamers. I can’t help thinking that’s probably a bad thing for authenticity, which is not a direction you would’ve expected after Fallout proved how important it was.

I’m not really that interested in the show though, as I can’t imagine it’d ever do the games justice, given what kind of budget it’d have to have. But it’s sad that we’re hearing more about the show than we are the new game.

I know EA said last year that it hasn’t been cancelled but I’m not sure I believe them. Is this not cancelled, like Beyond Good And Evil 2 isn’t cancelled? All I’m asking for is a sign of life and I’m not seeing anything, including any leaks about it being shown this summer. If It’s not, then I think I’ll just give up hoping for it. And then I’ll probably play through the trilogy remaster one last time…
Zeiss

Remaking expectations
Nice Reader’s Feature at the weekend, about what to do with a Zelda: Ocarina Of Time remake. I’m still not convinced it’s going to happen and if it does my guess would be it ends up as basically an upgraded version of the 3DS remaster.

The idea of a Capcom style full-on remake sounds ideal, but I just can’t imagine Nintendo paying for that or even wanting it. It doesn’t seem their style at all. If that is what they go for though I will be very impressed, as it’s something I couldn’t imagine them doing in any other generation.

I just hope that, whatever it turns out to be, they don’t sand off all the interesting stuff. Like the reader said, the weirdness and unexpected horror moments were a bit part of the appeal and would be sorely missed if taken out.
Godgem

Peace offering
I’m not sure what to think about the rumours of a new Uncharted game. First of all, I’m shocked that Sony has been so slow to even announce one, given they did have that movie (which I assume is never getting a sequel now). I get that Naughty Dog didn’t want to make it, but do I believe that they would change their mind?

Ordinarily no, but we’re in difficult times at the moment and I can’t imagine that cancelling The Last Of Us Online was something Sony was all that happy about. They allowed Naughty Dog to do it but Naughty Dog agreeing to make a new Uncharted as a way to make amends makes sense in theory. Whether that’s what’s going on, I guess we’ll have to wait and see but they can’t let the franchise die off.
Olliephant

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Unofficial price
The PS5 Pro is nine hundred and ninety-nine pounds on Amazon.

I’m struggling to see how the PlayStation 6 launches for less money. I started gaming in the mid-70s, first with Pong and then Atari VCS. I obviously still like my games.

But after paying for the hotel, a grand is good enough spending money for a pretty tidy weekend in Amsterdam. No way I could justify that to myself for a console.

How much of this do you reckon is Sony trying to recoup some of what it lost on that live service stuff they crashed out on?
Tom Twice

GC: That’s just a third party seller, not Amazon themselves, who seem to have run out of stock. Sony sees no additional money if a console is sold above the RRP, that’s the retailer’s business.

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Blade of nostalgia
I will never understand why Microsoft got rid of the Xbox 360 dashboard and blades. They’re the only iconic thing the Xbox has ever had, in terms of interface, and they’ve got steadily worse with every change.

I realise that’s a very Microsoft thing to do, especially in terms of Windows, but I’m not surprised to see people trying to recreate it. I think they brought it back for the 25th anniversary a while back too? I don’t know to be honest, I haven’t owned an Xbox in a long time and nothing they do has made me want to reconsider that.
Kosco

Parts and labour
As a commenter correctly pointed out with my weekend feature, the law of supply and demand relates to price, which I should’ve qualified at the start. The central issue, though, is with long term investment and the lack of flexibility to adapt to changes in the economy. While small price fluctuations can occur in the short term, as an effect of demand, the price at which a console sells for largely reflects production costs, specifically the cost of labour.

You get a sense of why labour costs are decisive whenever completing games such as GTA, Resident Evil or The Legend Of Zelda and the seemingly endless roll call of credits. Or, when to cut costs, there are mass layoffs.

The price at which the PlayStation 6 does eventually sell at when launched will not be determined by what consumers are willing to pay but mainly through labour costs over the duration of the cycle, from inception through to production and everything in-between. The fallacy in the law of supply and demand is that price is determined by whether a product is desirable and what relatedly people are prepared to pay, not the labour costs which determine the commodity’s value (hence why AAA titles tend to sell at a higher price than those made by small independent studios).

This is also why, even if there’s little demand for it, having already committed considerable amounts of capital, the PlayStation 6 will likely be launched in the next year or two to pay for all that labour and ideally profit from it. Sony could of course cancel it, as they did with The Last Of Us Online. They could, of course, exit the industry altogether.
Ciara

That old joke
Picked up a PS5 Pro before the price hike. Stuck it by the sofa as it didn’t quite fit in the TV cabinet.

Looks nice, very artistic.
Simundo

Hollywood synergy
I think the Super Mario Galaxy Movie was fine; my two kids certainly enjoyed. The post-credit reveal was a surprise though; I wonder if it’s hinting that the third movie will be a homage to Super Mario Land? As far as I understand we didn’t learn who exactly was trying to kidnap Rosalina in the first place so that could be a continuing plot point.

The important thing is that the movie has been another big success and that is going to encourage Nintendo to do even more, obviously, and also incorporate the changes into the games. I doubt it’ll be long till the film’s big lore drop is mentioned in a game and I expect all the characters to start looking like their movie versions sooner or later.

But because everything is so close to the games anyway that’s really not a problem, especially if it means bringing back more forgotten characters like Wart or even, if I dare say, Fox McCloud.

Star Fox was dead as a dodo before the film came out and now suddenly everyone’s talking about it and actually looking forward to the prospect of a new game this year. That’s got to be an absolute win for Nintendo and exactly the sort of benefit they would’ve been hoping from for these films.

I agree a live action Zelda is a lot harder sell, especially as they’re not using a well-known director or actors (a classic case of Nintendo penny-pinching I’d imagine) but we’ll have to see. At the moment they’re two for two in terms of hits.

It makes you wonder why Sony has been so slow to do the same thing, although they already tried that with the Ratchet & Clank movie and that’s really the only thing they’ve got that’s family friendly. Xbox hasn’t even got that.
Lucre

Inbox also-rans
Just found out that Little Mac and his coach from Punch-Out!! are in Super Mario Galaxy Movie, in the montage sequence with Yoshi in the city. Samus Aran’s ship is confirmed to be in it too, just like GC said. The film might be lightweight but the cameos are a lot of fun, if you ask me.
Wotan

The problem with Pokémon Pokopia is it may be too good. I can’t believe how addictive it is and I’m already far more interested in DLC for it than I am Winds and Waves.
Derbel

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New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers’ letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content.

You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader’s Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.

You can also leave your comments below and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.

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Journey’s farewell world tour is currently underway — despite Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain being in the midst of lawsuits, politics and bad blood.

Schon and Cain have been at odds, largely due Cain’s support for President Trump, his religious views and differing opinions on how to run the band.

In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Schon said: “I stick by the roots of how we started and what was embedded in me from Herbie Herbert with all the original guys.”

“We were never going to affiliate politics with our music, and we’re never going to affiliate any one religion, not that we’re unreligious. Everybody has their own religion,” Schon said.

SHINEDOWN SLAMMED BY FANS AS ‘COWARDS’ AFTER DOUBLING DOWN ON DECISION TO EXIT ROCK THE COUNTRY FESTIVAL

Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain still tour together with Journey despite being in the midst of lawsuits, politics and bad blood. (Jeremychanphotography/Getty Images; Rick Kern/Getty Images)

“But why attach yourself into one portion of something? Why be red? Why be blue? Why be green?” he continued.

“Because you know what? You’re going to lose half your fans when you do that. It’s everybody’s music. I just don’t agree with it. I still don’t. And it’s probably one of the reasons that things are still a bit shaky,” Schon noted.

The outlet also said that Cain choosing to perform “Don’t Stop Believin'” at Mar-a-Lago in 2022 with Kimberly Guilfoyle, Kari Lake and Marjorie Taylor Greene didn’t sit well with Schon.

KISS ICON GENE SIMMONS TELLS CELEBRITIES MARK RUFFALO, BEN STILLER TO ‘SHUT THE F— UP’ ABOUT POLITICS

Todd Jensen, Deen Castronovo, Neal Schon and Jason Derlatka of Journey performing during the Final Frontier Tour in Austin on March 31, 2026. (Rick Kern/Getty Images)

Schon and Cain both co-own the Journey trademark and have been back and forth about the band’s corporate credit card and the alleged misuse of it, per the magazine.

Cain also wanted to have a third director appointed that was neutral to help mediate disputes.

Despite the legal issues, Schon and Cain are currently underway with lead singer Arnel Pineda, drummer Deen Castronovo, keyboardist Jason Derlatka, and bassist Todd Jensen for the farewell tour, which kicked off in February.

COUNTRY STAR TRACY LAWRENCE CALLS OUT ‘DIVISIVE’ POLITICAL CLIMATE: MUSIC SHOULD BRING US ‘ALL TOGETHER’

“The music we’ve created together is amazing. And so, you have to celebrate that music with the fans. The fans are incredible,” Schon said to Rolling Stone.

“When I’m onstage, I don’t think about any of that,” he added.

However, off the stage is a different story.

POISON’S DRUMMER CLAIMS BRET MICHAELS’ 600% PAY DEMAND LED TO 40TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR CANCELLATION

Schon and Cain are currently underway with lead singer Arnel Pineda, drummer Deen Castronovo, keyboardist Jason Derlatka, and bassist Todd Jensen for the farewell tour, which kicked off in February. (Rick Kern/Getty Images)

“I feel like I get one [lawsuit] served every week from his camp,” Schon said.

“It’s like, ‘Jesus Christ!’ And learned to defend myself, really… I remember every aspect of everything that’s gone down,” he said.

“I’ve been sober for 18 years completely, and my memory is sharp. I know everything about every Journey contract, every LLC, every corporation. So I feel very confident about being able to stand up to anything that I need to,” Schon noted.

PAUL MCCARTNEY REVEALS EXPLOSIVE ‘F— YOU, JOHN’ MOMENT AFTER BEATLES LAWSUIT

Schon also wished Cain a happy birthday despite their personal and legal issues.

“I’m sure we’ll talk soon, but he just got out of here. And there’s been so much that’s gone on. I hate all these attorneys. It’s so nuts,” Schon said to the outlet, adding, “There’s just so much ongoing noise. And I just want some f—— peace, for real. I’m just really tired of all the legal [battles]. It’s meaningless to me. I don’t have any time for it. I turn 72 today. I’m no youngster.”

“I still have a lot of fire in my soul and energy to do things, but I also want to feel comfortable,” he continued. “Jon made a statement a while ago that this was his farewell. And so, I’m treating it as such.”

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2017 Inductees Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain of Journey attend the Press Room of the 32nd Annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Barclays Center on April 7, 2017 in New York City. (Jim Spellman/WireImage for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)

On alienating fans due to his outspoken views according to Schon, Cain told Rolling Stone that he doesn’t care.

“It has nothing to do with politics or anything partisan. I believe in policy, and what I stand for, because it affects my life. It affects my taxes I pay. It affects everything we do,” he said.

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Cain said he was a Democrat, voted for Bill Clinton, but is now a Republican.

He is also married to Paula White-Cain, who is a televangelist and senior advisor to the White House Faith Office.

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 “I vote for the best guy. I vote for the best policy. And I’m not in love with any party. I just like to see the country going in the right direction,” he noted.

Cain said that he doesn’t make speeches about his beliefs, but he “will stand up” for what he believes in. 

“And if somebody asks me about Trump,” he said, “I tell them what I think.”

“The Real Housewives of Atlanta” are back for a “wilder-than-ever” Season 17.

The new season premieres tonight, April 5, at 8 p.m. ET.

“With fan favorites and new faces joining the mix, friendships are pushed to their limits,” Bravo’s official logline for “RHOA” Season 17 reads. “Atlanta is hotter, bolder, and more unpredictable than ever, and keeping it peachy is the ultimate challenge.”

Six Housewives are set to return this season; Brit Eady is the only Housewife exiting the series ahead of Season 17. The group will also grow by two with the introduction of K. Michelle and Pinky Cole.

‘RHOA’ Season 17 release date

“Real Housewives of Atlanta” returns for Season 17 tonight, April 5 at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.

New episodes will air weekly on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET for the rest of the season.

How to watch ‘RHOA’ live:

Although Sling TV doesn’t offer a free trial, it’s offering the best value among live tv streaming services. Bravo is included in Sling’s Blue plan along with 40+ additional live TV channels. Sling TV Blue currently costs $45.99/month, but you can save $23 on your subscription when you prepay for three months (that’s enough time to watch most of this season of “RHOA”).

You can also watch new episodes of “Real Housewives of Atlanta” on DIRECTV (free trial) and Peacock ($8.99/month), though you’ll have to wait until tomorrow to watch tonight’s episode on Peacock.

For more Page Six reality TV updates …

‘RHOA’ Season 17 cast:

Housewives Porsha Williams, Phaedra Parks, Drew Sidora, Shamea Morton Mwangi, Angela Oakley and Kelli Ferrell will all return to “RHOA” for Season 17. Friend of the Housewives Cynthia Bailey is also set to return. Season 17 will introduce two new Housewives into the mix: Pinky Cole and K. Michelle. Here’s what you need to know about the new cast members.

Pinky Cole is the entrepreneur behind Slutty Vegan, facing a new phase of life as she lost her business and fought to buy it back. Cole is also a mother of five and wife to an equally successful husband.

K. Michelle is an award‑winning, Billboard‑charting artist and newlywed breaking barriers in country music after years in the R&B scene. She’ll be seen juggling her career and her son with her new home and a new chapter in her love life this season.

‘RHOA’ Season 7 trailer:

If you just can’t wait for 8 p.m., Bravo released a 7-minute-long sneak peek of the “RHOA” Season 17 premiere on YouTube.

Why Trust Page Six Shopping

This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for the New York Post, Page Six, and Decider. Angela keeps readers up to date with information on how to watch all of your favorite reality TV shows and movies on each streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, celebrities and pop culture. Prior to joining The Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews

Bunnie XO is certain of one thing: faith pulled her through the darkest chapters of her life.

The “Dumb Blonde” podcast host and wife of Jelly Roll recently wrote a memoir, “Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic.” In it, she lays bare her chaotic upbringing and the emotional highs and lows that defined her early years of her relationship with the singer-songwriter.

“I’m like a cat,” the 46-year-old told Fox News Digital. “I’ve had nine lives, and I genuinely feel like God has always had His hand on my life. He has always been there in some way, even when I wasn’t worthy of it, and even when I didn’t acknowledge Him. Even when I was doing things that were not what He would want me to do, He still always pulled me out of it.”

CARRIE UNDERWOOD WARNS HOLLYWOOD IS A ‘SELF-SERVING BUSINESS,’ CREDITS FAITH FOR KEEPING HER GROUNDED

Bunnie XO and Jelly Roll are seen here at the “Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic” book tour at The Palazzo Theatre on Feb. 26, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Taylor Hill/Getty Images)

“My mess became my message and my testimony,” she shared. “I truly feel like leaning on God is the only thing that got me through some of the situations that I put myself in.”

Bunnie XO poses for the 2024 CMT Music Awards portraits at the Moody Center on April 7, 2024, in Austin, Texas. (John Shearer/Getty Images for CMT)

In her book, Bunnie describes how faith guided her through the darkest moments of her life, serving as a source of strength. She also recounts experiencing domestic violence in a past relationship and sexual assault.

When asked if she felt faith may have saved her life, she responded without hesitation, “100%.”

WATCH: JELLY ROLL REVEALS THE ONE THING THAT ‘STILL MAKES MY SKIN CRAWL’

“I feel like we all need something to believe in,” she explained. “If there was no hope in the world, the world would be worse off than it already is right now. And I think that faith gives people some sort of hope. I believe the power of Jesus is real. I’ve seen it. I’ve felt His hand.”

Bunnie admitted she hit rock bottom “a few times,” but said, “I never wanted to change.” In the book, Bunnie describes turning to pills, cocaine and alcohol to escape reality and numb the effects of trauma from her upbringing.

On social media, Bunnie XO compiled her booking photos from previous arrests for a special project. (BunnieXO/Instagram)

“I think it takes people a couple of times of hitting rock bottom before they’re like, ‘I am tired. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired,’” she reflected. “And I think after I finally had a moment to look around, I was like, ‘If I continue on this path that I’m on, I’m either going to end up dead or I’m just going to be another statistic of a Vegas working girl.’”

“Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic” by Bunnie XO is out now. (Dey Street Books)

“I didn’t want that to be my life story,” she said. “I’ve never wanted to become my mother, and I was kind of following in her footsteps.”

Growing up, Bunnie, whose real name is Alyssa DeFord, was close to her late father but struggled to connect with her stepmother, People magazine reported. According to the outlet, her mother left when she was just three months old, and they didn’t reconnect until she was 22. Her mother died in 2022.

Bailee Ann DeFord (left) and her stepmom Bunnie XO speak onstage at the “Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic” tour in Nashville, Tennessee at James K. Polk Theater on Feb. 22, 2026.  (John Shearer/Getty Images)

The outlet shared that Bunnie left home at age 14 and later endured an abusive relationship until meeting Jelly Roll at a 2015 concert in Las Vegas. The couple married in 2016.

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Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO are seen sharing a heartfelt moment during the “Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic” book tour at The Palazzo Theatre on Feb. 26, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada.  (Taylor Hill/Getty Images)

In the book, Bunnie described herself as a “coked-up bride” after Jelly Roll “had specifically asked me not to do blow before the wedding.”

“… I was just wired to rebel against anybody that told me no,” she told Fox News Digital. “… I’ve just always had that inner fire to not listen to direction or take direction well. It’s definitely hindered me in life because I was a rebel without a cause.”

Bunnie XO at the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards from Ford Center at The Star on May 16, 2024, in Frisco, Texas. (Gilbert Flores/Penske Media via Getty Images)

“And I think that night we were just … I didn’t take him seriously. … I didn’t know my husband well enough to know that when he said something, he was serious about it. So it was more of me just kind of always doing what I had done.”

Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO attend the 68th Grammy Awards at Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 1, 2026, in Los Angeles, California.  (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

“If I got drunk, I would do a line of coke and take a Xanax,” she recalled. “I’m just thankful to still be here after mixing drugs like that for so long.”

According to People, Bunnie previously worked as a high-end escort and built a lucrative career in sex work before stepping away in 2020. She was also active on OnlyFans until 2023, the outlet shared.

WATCH: JELLY ROLL AND BUNNIE XO WALK THE RED CARPET TOGETHER AT THE 2025 ACM AWARDS

“… I am only telling my story, and I don’t mean to glamorize [sex work] in any way, because there’s nothing glamorous about selling your body,” she explained. “But when you’re in survival mode, you teach yourself ways to get through life … without, I guess, having guilt about things.”

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In “Stripped Down,” Bunnie XO reflects on her painful past and the resilience that helped her heal. (Taylor Hill/Getty Images)

“… Now that I’m 46 years old, and I’m looking back at the 26-year-old me who had that mentality,” she continued. “I just want to give her a hug because I want to be like, ‘That wasn’t power. That was you pacifying the abuse that you had gone through and trying to find a way to empower yourself.’ It wasn’t really empowering to me.”

Today, Bunnie focuses on her career and family. She has been candid that sobriety didn’t come easy, sharing that becoming a better stepmom to Jelly Roll’s daughter, Bailee, was a major turning point in her decision to get sober.

Bunnie XO and Wynonna Judd attend the “Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic” tour in Nashville, Tennessee at the James K. Polk Theater on Febr. 22, 2026. (John Shearer/Getty Images)

“I think sobriety is a personal journey, and I feel like sobriety is different for every single person,” she explained. “It’s not black and white. For me, sobriety means that I can’t take Xanax. I don’t take any pills. I would never snort anything up my nose. I can’t even do nasal sinus cleanings now because I have PTSD from all the drugs I did.

Bunnie XO is the host of “Dumb Blonde,” which focuses on unfiltered conversations with guests. (Taylor Hill/Getty Images)

“I stopped drinking in 2018, but I will have one once in a blue moon — we were in Rome, and I was very honest about it with the public. I drank a glass of wine when I was in Rome because I was just like, ‘Dude, I’m in Rome. I am going to drink a glass of wine.’ But that’s all I could take, a glass of wine.”

Bunnie stressed that sobriety could look different to many people, adding that her approach may not reflect other recovery journeys.

Bunnie XO attends the 2024 Musicares Person of the Year Gala at Los Angeles Convention Center on Feb. 2, 2024. (Taylor Hill/FilmMagic/Getty Images)

“Everybody has their own definition of [their sobriety journey]. Some people can’t have a glass of wine in Rome, and I respect that 100%. But for me, sobriety was a choice. … It’s probably been one of the most rewarding journeys that I’ve been on.”

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Bunnie XO is seen here engaging with fans during the “Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic” book tour at The Palazzo Theatre on Feb. 26, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada.  (Taylor Hill/Getty Images)

“But at the same time, I always say to everybody, ‘Sobriety sucks because that’s when the real work begins.’ You start to feel the emotions that you used to push down or that you would numb with substances.”

Bunnie is now eager to see what the next chapter holds for her.

Bunnie XO launches her new book “Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic” at 92NY on Feb. 16, 2026, in New York City. (Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

“I really hope that [my book] will touch anybody … and just let them know that it doesn’t matter where you came from. It doesn’t matter who told you you’d never amount to anything. If I can do it, you can certainly do it. I promise you.”

Skins star Mike Bailey has shocked fans with a rare appearance, looking completely different years after walking away from fame for a regular 9-to-5.

The actor, now 37, became a cult favourite as awkward outsider Sid Jenkins in the hit E4 series Skins, but in a recent interview he appeared almost unrecognisable.

Swapping Sid’s signature messy hair and oversized glasses for bleached blonde hair and a more polished look, Bailey’s transformation quickly sent fans into meltdown online.

Taking to Reddit, viewers struggled to believe what they were seeing. ‘I HAVEN’T SEEN HIM IN FOREVER OMG,’ one wrote, while another comment read: ‘I honestly can’t see Sid there at all, crazy.’

Another admitted: ‘I didn’t recognise him at all.’

Someone else thought it all came down to the hair, posting: ‘Whoa the short, light hair makes SUCH a huge difference, I never would have guessed this was Sid! He looks like he’s been doing great.’

Bailey shot to fame as part of Skins’ original cast, starring alongside future Hollywood names including Nicholas Hoult and Daniel Kaluuya.

While many of his co-stars went on to achieve global success, Bailey quietly stepped back from the spotlight.

During his recent appearance on the NSN podcast, he reflected on his career and revealed a decision he made early: ‘I think I made the choice between [series] one and two to finish off at college and not really audition and stuff and get the agent,’ he said.

‘I didn’t get an agent until series two and that’s when everything slowed down massively.’

He added: ‘[My career] didn’t die a death, but it kind of did.’

After Skins, Bailey appeared in a handful of smaller projects including the drama documentary 1066: The Battle for Middle Earth and the film We Are the Freaks, but ultimately chose a different path, retraining as a drama teacher.

Elsewhere in the iterview, he also said: ‘Acting is ridiculous isn’t it, I mean when you really think about it?’

His journey stands out in contrast to many of his former castmates.

Nicholas Hoult, who played Tony Stonem, went on to star in major films including X-Men, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Favourite and The Menu, and is now set to take on the role of Lex Luthor in the next Superman film.

Meanwhile, Daniel Kaluuya has become an Oscar-winning actor with an acclaimed career spanning both film and television.

Dev Patel has also gone on to become an extremely successeful actor and director.

Though Bailey may have left acting behind, the reaction to his rare reappearance proves fans are still as attached to the coming-of-age drama as ever, even if he now looks worlds away from the Sid Jenkins they remember.

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The American Culture Quiz is a weekly test of our unique national traits, trends, history and people — including current events and the sights and sounds of the United States.

This week’s quiz highlights Tidal Basin traditions, baseball benchmarks — and a whole lot more.

Can you get all 8 questions right?

Give it a try and see how you do!

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American Culture Quiz! How well do you know this week’s hot topics? (Getty Images; iStock)

Rylan Clark is said to be ‘devastated’ after close friend Scott Mills was axed from the BBC.

The radio star was sacked by the BBC last week after it emerged the Metropolitan Police launched an investigation into the 53-year-old in 2016 over allegations of serious sexual offences involving a teenage boy under 16 between 1997 and 2000.

The police investigation was closed in 2019 after prosecutors decided there was insufficient evidence to bring charges.

And Mills’ close friends and BBC colleagues are said to be ‘shell-shocked’ over the news, and are now left with a ‘great deal of worry’.

One friend in particular is, Rylan, who has worked alongside Mills for several years and attended his wedding to husband Sam Vaughan in Barcelona 18 months ago, hailing it as the ‘best wedding ever’.

A source told the Daily Mail presenter Rylan has been left ‘devastated’ by the allegations, having worked together on Eurovision and often pairing up for BBC radio programmes.

‘Rylan and Scott are so close, they said.

‘They have done a lot of work together, but see a lot of each other socially, too. They always had each other’s backs. This will be rough for Rylan.’

In his first public statement since the news broke, released through his lawyers, the former Radio 2 breakfast host said he ‘co-operated fully’ with the police investigation into allegations of a historical sexual offence.

Mills said: ‘The recent announcement that I am no longer contracted to the BBC has led to the publication of rumour and speculation. In response to this the Metropolitan Police has made a statement, which I confirm relates to me.

‘An allegation was made against me in 2016 of a historic sexual offence which was the subject of a police investigation in which I fully co-operated and responded to in 2018.

‘As the police have stated, a file of evidence was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service, which determined that the evidential threshold had not been met to bring charges.

‘Since the investigation related to an allegation that dates back nearly 30 years and the police investigation was closed seven years ago, I hope that the public and the media will understand and respect my wish not to make any further public comment on this matter.

‘I wish to thank from the bottom of my heart all those who have reached out to me with kindness, my former colleagues, and my beloved listeners, who I greatly miss.’

The BBC has confirmed it knew about the police investigation into Mills in 2017, but said it ‘acted decisively’ after receiving ‘new information’ in the weeks before his sacking.

Mills was questioned under caution by officers in July 2018 and The Sun has reported that Mills denied the claims at the time and informed the BBC.

A BBC spokesperson said: ‘Scott Mills had a long career across the BBC, he was hugely popular and we know the news this week has come as a shock and surprise to many.

‘We also recognise there’s been much speculation in the media and online since Monday. We hope people understand that there is a limit to what we can say because we have to be mindful of the rights of those involved.

‘What we can confirm is that in recent weeks, we obtained new information relating to Scott and we spoke directly with him. As a result, the BBC acted decisively in line with our culture and values, and terminated his contracts on Friday March 27.’

The BBC added: ‘Separately, we can confirm the BBC was made aware in 2017 of the existence of an ongoing police investigation, which was subsequently closed in 2019 with no arrest or charge being made. We are doing more work to understand the detail of what was known by the BBC at this time.’

The BBC said it ‘made a significant commitment to improve its culture, processes and standards’, and added that it set out ‘behavioural expectations for everyone who works with or for the BBC’ and was ‘clear action would be taken’ if they were not met, last year, after an independent culture review.

The corporation has also apologised for not following up after a separate allegation of ‘inappropriate communications’ by Mills was raised last year.

Metro has contacted representatives for Rylan for comment.

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MORE: Reason Scott Mills was axed ‘revealed’ after he releases statement